As cities in sub-Saharan Africa grow quickly, the unequal access to environmental resources has become a major hurdle for urban resilience and public health. This study looks at how unequal green spaces in the city affect malaria risk in Ibadan, Nigeria, which is one of the fastest-growing cities in the region and reflects broader trends in urbanization. Using a decade's worth of spatial data and geospatial analysis, we explore the link between the availability of urban green spaces, land surface temperatures, and malaria cases in various local government areas. Our findings show a significant decline in green spaces, especially in densely populated neighbourhoods, where coverage has dropped by more than 90%. This loss of greenery is closely tied to rising land surface temperatures (r = -0.94), which is a known factor influencing diseases spread by vectors. Although the direct link between green space and malaria cases is not as strong (r = 0.17), we observe high malaria case concentrations in areas with low green space and high temperatures, showcasing how ecological inequality intersects with health risks. This research shifts the focus on malaria from just a health issue to a socio-environmental challenge rooted in urban development patterns.
Skateboarding, an urban sport predominantly undertaken on heat-retentive impervious surfaces, exposes participants to a heightened thermal stress risk, exacerbated by the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. While heat stress in traditional sports is well-documented, a research gap exists concerning its impact in a less-traditional sports including skateboarding. This study, conducted at Tighy Park in Westdene, Johannesburg, investigates the intersection of heat stress, skateboarder perceptions and thermal risk. Meteorological readings were taken at the study site from February to April 2025. Concurrently, 27 skateboarders completed questionnaires on their experiences of heat stress and adaptive strategies to mitigate heat exposure. Their responses were analysed thematically. The meteorological data were analysed using two indices: Humidex (Hx) and Heat Index (HI). The results indicate an environment with a moderate-to-high heat stress risk. The questionnaires revealed near-unanimous experiences of thermal discomfort, with prevalent symptoms including excessive sweating and diminished stamina. The findings underscore the need for urban planners to integrate thermal stress risk considerations into the design of skate parks to ensure the wellbeing of the target participants.
The history of early geographical societies in South Africa has been a neglected area of historical geography research. While archival sources are a rich source of information, they can also insert errors into the historical narrative. What was thought to be the first geographical society in South Africa in 1890 turned out to be an error of record. The first geographical society in South Africa was largely influenced by the rise of school and university geography in the United Kingdom. The establishment of the South African Association for the Advancement of Science in 1902 and its suggestion to its British counterpart to host a joint meeting was the prelude to the formation of the South African Geographical Association as a branch of the British-based Geographical Association in 1905. While the objectives of the association were noble and received support from the Cape educational authorities and important patriarchal figures of the time, its activities were very limited. Besides not being inclusive, its demise can be linked to the low status afforded to school geography at the time, the absence of a local proponent of the discipline, possible academic snobbery and the apparent lack of organizational support from the parent body.
The research focused on waste materials that are generated by small businesses in the townships in and around Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in South Africa. Surveys were conducted to quantitatively characterize waste materials from formal and informal small businesses. Waste items were identified, sorted, and measured using a weighing scale. The study found statistically significant differences in the types and composition of waste materials between various small businesses. For instance, cardboards, plastics and glasses were generated relatively more at formal businesses, while informal ones tended to generate waste materials such as tyres and organic wastes. Knowing dominant waste types from each type of business may allow for a preliminary and informed identification of industries or processes that could potentially utilize these materials as secondary raw materials. The relatively higher proportion of informal businesses that generated food wastes suggests untapped opportunities for composting them or biogas production, while the prevalence of plastics and cardboards from formal business can provide raw materials for other businesses in the local manufacturing sector. These results provide a crucial baseline for measuring the effectiveness of future waste reduction and recycling initiatives, thus enabling performance monitoring and adaptive management of waste minimization programmes in selected townships.
Coastal destinations are disproportionately vulnerable to climate-related risks and threats. A critical gap exists in understanding the psychological and behavioural drivers that shape adaptation decisions. Applying Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), this study investigates the perceptions, responses, and experiences of tourism operators regarding climate change in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, focusing on awareness, threats, adaptation, and barriers. Methodologically, this exploratory qualitative case study involved 105 in-depth interviews with tourism operators across the study area. The findings underscore a significant paradox. The majority of operators (85%, n = 105) were highly concerned and perceived climate change as an immediate threat, primarily due to increased storms, flooding, and drought. However, nearly half (48%, n = 105) were not engaged in protective adaptation behaviour. The primary barrier identified was a high perceived response cost, where financial, human, and technological limitations resulted in maladaptation or inaction. The primary recommendation is that effective policy should go beyond risk awareness and prioritize capacity building through interventions that reduce response costs, such as improving access to resources and promoting public-private partnerships, to convert the perception of threat into meaningful adaptive behaviour.
Wetlands in rural areas provide essential ecosystem services like water purification and flood control, but they are increasingly threatened by human activity, climate change, and poor governance. This study investigated the integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into collaborative governance frameworks to bolster wetland conservation in rural Zimbabwean contexts. Guided by the Socio-Ecological Systems (SES) framework and an interpretivist philosophy, the research employed a qualitative design. Participants included local elders, traditional leaders, and government officials engaged in wetland management. Data were collected via focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, field observations across six wetland sites, and archival secondary sources. Thematic analysis showed that indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) like myths, taboos, totems, and traditional leadership provide strong protection for wetlands and promote sustainability. Historically, these practices have helped mitigate droughts, floods, and degradation, enhancing socio-ecological resilience. However, colonial legacies, rural-urban migration, youth disengagement, and modernization undermine IKS effectiveness by disrupting oral knowledge transmission and cultural adherence. To address these threats, the study proposes multi-stakeholder collaborative governance, epistemic equity between indigenous and scientific knowledge, policy-level formalization of IKS, youth-targeted revitalization initiatives, and institutional validation of cultural protocols. Such synergies promise enhanced adaptive capacity, resilient management, and enduring conservation aligned with SES principles.
In southern Africa, the legacy of colonial conservation policies continues to alienate ethnic minorities from resources, leading to various forms of covert and overt resistance against conservation. Despite this, the resistance of these communities has received limited scholarly attention. This study addresses this gap by examining the subtle acts of resistance against conservation by the Tembo Mvura, who are former hunters and gatherers found on the margins of the Chewore Safari Area in Kanyemba (Chapoto) Ward, northern Zimbabwe. The study employs the everyday resistance framework and uses ethnography, in-depth interviews, participant observation and document analysis to collect data. Findings showed that the acts of resistance included pilfering (illegal hunting and foraging), feigned ignorance, sabotage, false compliance, foot-dragging, non-compliance and silent opposition. Through these acts, the Tembo Mvura challenge the hegemony of conservation, demand access to resources and defend their traditional livelihoods. The study recommends inclusive conservation approaches that recognize and support indigenous rights and traditional livelihood practices to foster more effective, equitable and sustainable conservation outcomes.
Rural Community Development is a course of action aimed at developing communities and improving living standards. If steered by community members, then community development can leverage social networks, strengthen community organizations and foster community wellbeing. This study, therefore, traces the legacies of traditional and colonial natural resources management and community development CD) endeavours to reflect on the causes of regional differences. Using a systematic literature review it is shown that CD requires civic mindedness that is more pervasive in former British colonies compared to those ruled by France and other European nations. The study also revealed that the British colonial indirect rule system has uniquely enabled greater community-led development in former British colonies in Sub-Saharan Africa, by retaining some level of local leadership. However, the notable exclusion of women in local leadership must be dealt with if CD is to be successful in the long run. The study argues that CD and community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) approaches are context-specific approaches due to diverse social and cultural structures. The study suggests building local capacity is essential, as empowered communities are more likely to drive change and sustain development efforts. However, research is required on the degree of success of CBNRM in the phase of increasing population exerting pressure on resources.
Due to rapid urbanization and population growth in recent years, the global construction sector has expanded significantly, accompanied by serious environmental challenges. One of the most pressing issues is the generation of construction and demolition waste (CDW), which is heterogeneous, widespread and voluminous. This article critically examines the effects of CDW on wetland ecosystems focusing on Diepsloot and Tembisa in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni Municipalities. Using a mixed-method approach that combines semi-structured interviews and remote sensing techniques, the study demonstrates how CDW disrupts the physical and ecological functions of wetlands. The findings confirm that CDW causes physical alteration of wetland landscapes, disrupting water flow, sedimentation patterns and natural hydrological processes essential for wetland functioning. The accumulation of CDW in wetlands results in water pollution, degrades water quality and contributes to biodiversity loss through habitat destruction and disruption of species' breeding patterns. Furthermore, obstruction of natural drainage systems exacerbates flooding and further destabilizes these ecosystems. The article underscores the urgent need for improved waste management practices and stronger regulatory enforcement to mitigate the harmful impacts of CDW. Without meaningful reforms, continued wetland degradation threatens critical ecosystem services, including water purification, flood regulation and habitat provision.
The transformation of urban landscapes, driven by urbanization, rapid population growth, and anthropogenic activities, constitutes a pressing global concern. Such alterations give rise to a unique climatic phenomenon called the surface urban heat island effect. The present study focuses on Maun, emphasizing the importance of mapping and monitoring spatiotemporal alterations in the urban landscape. Employing remotely sensed data from Landsat 5 and 8 spanning the period from 1990 to 2020, acquired from the United States Geological Survey archives, this study utilizes geospatial analysis techniques to investigate patterns of SUHI formation. The findings show a minimum LST of 30 degrees C, a maximum of 35.5 degrees C, and an average temperature of 32.8 degrees C in built-up areas. The lowest NDVI was -0.2, and the highest was 0.6. The findings also show a minimum of -0.12 and a maximum of 0.18 for NDBI. Furthermore, the results highlight both negative and positive correlations between LST and NDVI and between LST and NDBI, respectively, emphasizing the role of green coverage in mitigating the SUHI effect on urban temperature. These empirical insights contribute to our understanding of urban climate dynamics in the Okavango Delta and provide valuable information for guiding sustainable urban development strategies in this critical tourist destination.
While informal transport offers critical access to mobility, this study aims to understand the overlooked gendered vulnerabilities experienced by women in small towns. This study explores Mushikashika (informal transport) in Zimbabwe, using Chipinge town as the study area. Data were collected through 37 in-depth interviews with women commuters and analysed using thematic analysis. Key findings reveal that women face challenges related to safety, including harassment from touts and uncomfortable seating arrangements. The lack of regulation of informal transport further exacerbates the risks faced by women. The study advocates policy interventions that recognize the embedded nature of small-town economies while addressing their structural risks. Transport regulations that support informal operators could improve safety and service reliability, which would ensure both economic inclusion and commuter protection. This study contributes to gender-sensitive transport policy reforms and extends existing research beyond metropolitan cities by showing how informal transport systems are experienced and function in small towns.
This exploratory study investigates the largely unexamined role of 832 informal repairers and refurbishers of electrical and electronic products within 11 cities and towns in South Africa's e-waste value chain. Positioned within the circular economy framework, which emphasizes reuse, recovery, and recycling, repairing and refurbishment, this research explored the role and activities of these informal workers, as part of the township economy. The data was collected using a questionnaire and containing quantitative and qualitative clarification questions. Qualitative narrative data were thematically analysed using AtlasTi. Quantitative data were analysed with IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 29) and Microsoft Excel. Findings reveal that, despite their social, economic and environmental contributions to the sustainability of the cities and towns, repairers face challenges related to limited access to funding, tools, adequate spaces, and regulatory support. This study underscores the need for contextually sensitive interventions that provide financial, infrastructural, and training support, without compromising township norms.
The establishment and endurance of a learned society depend largely on its members. James Hutcheon's idea of a learned geographical society in South Africa led to the establishment of the South African Geographical Society (SAGS) in July 1917. This research traces the history of the SAGS from when a geographical society was first mooted in 1914 through to its formation and up until 1923. It gives identity to the rank-and-file members who served on the inaugural Council and traces the rise and demise of membership numbers over the first seven years of the Society's existence. Historical material at the National Archives and at various universities in South Africa and online archival material was a rich source of information. This was supplemented by factual and contextual information from published literature. The early years were marked by widespread interest in the Society on the Witwatersrand and growing appeal farther afield as membership numbers swelled. Schoolteachers and university students played important roles as councillors and biographical sketches serve to give recognition to these early foot soldiers of the discipline. Unfortunately, the aftermath of World War I, economic hardships, the demise of Society's founder and the Rand Rebellion led to a decline in membership.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region remains highly susceptible to the escalating impacts of climate-induced hazards, as intensifying droughts, floods, cyclones, epidemics, and ecosystem degradation continue to threaten lives and livelihoods. This growing vulnerability highlights the urgent imperative to integrate disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) as complementary strategies for building resilience and securing sustainable development across the region. This study explores how political will and institutional reform serve as key enablers for overcoming the entrenched fragmentation that hampers DRR - CCA coherence. Employing a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design, it combines 14 qualitative interviews with senior officials in three SADC countries and a survey of 26 participants from nine member states. The findings reveal that political will is the decisive catalyst for integration, its absence perpetuates siloed governance, while its presence drives institutional realignment, financial coherence, and coordinated resilience outcomes. The study recommends elevating DRR - CCA integration to a cabinet-level governance priority, reframing it as a development and policy coherence agenda rather than a technical issue. Overall, the study underscores that political leadership and institutional reform are foundational to achieving systemic DRR - CCA coherence in the SADC region.
Due to urbanization rates, construction and demolition waste has become an issue in waste management as significant volumes are generated each year. This article assesses the construction and demolition waste disposal methods and analyses relevant policies to determine their implementation and identify gaps. Based on qualitative research conducted through interviews with private sector stakeholders, the findings reveal that landfill is the most common method in South Africa and southern African countries, as it is the most affordable option. The results of this study show that various factors influence the choice of disposal method, while revealing that the decision rests with the client and their budget. The main recommendations of the study prioritize waste reduction, reuse, and recycling, with landfill being considered only as a last resort. Implementing policies that incentivize these practices, combined with improved logistics and management, can significantly improve construction and demolition waste management. Implementing these recommendations would help create a more sustainable and efficient system for managing construction and demolition waste, minimising its environmental impact, and maximising resource recovery in Gauteng, South Africa.
It is now globally accepted that climate change has emerged as one of the key environmental threats impacting the sustainability of livelihoods for both rural and urban populations, particularly in developing countries of the South. However, both the rural and urban residents in Zimbabwe are not passive actors but are actively involved in identifying different ways to build their adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change. This study examines differences in climate change awareness between rural and urban households in Zimbabwe and explores how these perceptions influence adaptation strategies. Thus, understanding the awareness and perceptions of both rural and urban dwellers is a crucial step in developing more transformative and transgressive responses to the impacts of climate change. The study established a significant correlation between climate change awareness of communities and the nature of adaptation they embarked on. This paper argues that communities with information and knowledge about climate change exhibit better adaptation strategies compared to those with less awareness of climate change. It is thus recommended that institutional frameworks and climate change policies, as well as approaches, be developed to improve awareness through education, awareness campaigns, and media outreach, promoting their adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change-induced hazards.
Most smallholder farmers in South Africa rely on rainfall for crop production. However, the low and erratic nature of rainfall makes farming unreliable. The in-field rainwater harvesting technique (IRWH) was introduced to improve crop yields with considerable success. Therefore, identifying the appropriate sites for the implementation of IRWH has a significant contribution of increasing agricultural productivity for smallholder farmers in semi-arid environments. The aim of this study was to identify suitable sites for the implementation of IRWH in the Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Five layers were used to generate the IRWH suitability map: rainfall, slope, land use/cover, soil texture, and soil depth. The different maps for identifying suitable sites for IRWH were generated using the Geographic Information System with Analytical Hierarchy Process. Results revealed that areas of 17.43%, 29.17%, 25.59%, 20.66% and 7.15% were identified as being very highly suitable, highly suitable, medium suitable, low suitable and very low suitable for the implementation of IRWH, respectively. Most of the district's western and central parts were identified as being suitable for IRWH implementation. The findings of this study could be a baseline for decision-makers, planners, and extension officers towards widespread adoption of IRWH in the district.
This article explores the evolving dynamics of human - water interactions within the displaced southern Zimbabwe's Tugwi-Mukosi community. The study is situated within the broader context of escalating global water challenges. Key concerns include declining rainfall, river desiccation, and water-induced displacement of communities. Guided by cultural ecological theory and John Rawls' 'Difference Principle', a core component of justice as fairness theory, this article investigates the socio-hydrological dynamics shaping human - water relations. It explores how these dynamics arise from the interplay of ecological change, technological adaptation, climate variability, and evolving governance systems. A qualitative methodology was employed, with data collected through observations, in-depth and key informant interviews, and focus groups. The data were analysed thematically. Findings reveal that the decline in natural human - water interactions in Tugwi-Mukosi was driven by a combination of factors, including recurrent droughts, river siltation, and changing rainfall patterns, which were further intensified by dam construction and policy-induced displacement. In the Chingwizi resettlement context, the deterioration deepened due to the absence of natural water bodies and the salinity of the underground water. The study advocates for the prioritization of socio-hydrological interventions and policies that are context-sensitive and designed to reinforce, rather than disrupt, sustainable human - water relationships.
