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LOVIEA ITLHABANYENG
LEARNING ACTIVITY 12
10 Jun 2021, 22:53
- According to Kohler (2016) South Africa is the 30th driest country in the world. Because we have a very low annual rainfall and when it rains the ground evaporates the water and it re-enters the atmospheric phase almost instantly. A challenge SA face is that only 20% of South Arica's ground water can be used, which limits the water availability even further. The need of water intensifies each year, with more people demanding more water and the country lack resources to manage and supply the water for everyone. Sarkodie and Adams (2020) highlights how many south Africans are unable to afford electricity and the country is in debt. This is caused by the income inequality, it has a negative effect on access to electricity whereas income level and human development have a positive impact on access to electricity. In South Africa, there is an undeniable income inequality between the poor and the rich and the consequence therefore is that the poor cannot afford to pay for energy.
- Calma (2011) defines social justice as the balance between our collective responsibilities as a society and our responsibilities as individuals to contribute to a just society.
- According to Rathzel (2018) environmental social justice means that it is a type of justice for people who has been "left out" during environmental problems. For example in South Africa with all the mines, our air is getting polluted and people being chronically sick. So the environmental social justice is there to help those who suffers under the environmental conditions and be compensated.
4. The wedland project helps to pure the water, provide water and to manage the water flow in poverty effective areas. This project also helped to provide job opportunities to at least 2000 people who suffers under poverty. Making their lives a little bit more easy.
5. The state of the environment in South Africa is very bad and it is only getting worse. Almost all of our resources such as coals for electricity and water resources are finished. So we are forced to use other, more expensive ways to provide electricity and water to people. This is not convenient and not environment friendly, because a lot of people in South Africa are poor and cannot afford to make this change and it adds on the depletion of the ozone layer.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 11
4 Jun 2021, 13:02
1. NAME FOUR ENVIRONMENTAL NARRATIVES IDENTIFIED IN S.A
- The conservation.
- The economic.
- Non-state actors.
- Local views.
2. WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE AND MOTIVE FOR EACH NARRATIVE?
The conservation:
- The object is that the nature does not need human interference, it restores itself. Nature only requires humans to maintain it. There is an authoritarian when it comes to the policy and its practices. The motivation is that it justifies the approach by creating alarm and panic about the state of the environment.
The economic view:
- The objective is that the environment is seen as commodity that is primarily there for selling-buying. The view is seen as an economic asset. The motivation is that nature is an untapped resource that should be exploited to lift people out of poverty and also make profit to have economic power.
The non-state actor view:
- The objective is that the view originates from external interested parties outside of the local community. Motivation for the approach is a belief in the value of the environment that should be protected and respected. It is also against the human activities which harm the environment.
The local community view:
- This view is complex and highly differentiated, because it is informed by time, place, individual characteristics and circumstances as well as local power politics. The motivation for the approach is influenced by the nature of the relationship with the environment as shaped by the socio-political context.
3. DO THESE NARRATIVES CONTRIBUTE TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SA ENVIRONMENT?
Yes, all pf them contribute in the understanding of how we as south Africans harm our own environment, and that we might lose some of our natural habitats if we continue. This enlighten us to decide to change and save our planet or remain the same.
4. WHAT ARE THE TWO MAIN DISCOURSES IN SA?
Sustainable development (SD) - This discourse works along other countries to advance the theory and practice of ecosystem accounting called the Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem services project. This links national economic and demographic data to shows how and where people most depend on and impact nature so that the things could be fixed or known.
Social injustice environmental discourse, include all the developed and developing countries and the different groups for country to succeed or develop. The resources are used to pursue development without harming the environment and Profit from the environment but do justice to communities. Environmental and social justice, environmental resources are used to overcome social problems and environmental justice in the distribution of waste is managed.
5. HOW DOES THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DISCOURSE LINK TO THE SA POLICIES?
- By using the ecosystem accounting it will help to provide us with a systematic way to measure, track and report on stock and flows of natural capital, it relies on various measures to track national progress and inform policy and decision making. It will help the SA policies to know what problems they should fix such as polluted water to get cleaned so that everyone can have access to clean water to avoid health issues.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 10
4 Jun 2021, 12:29
According to Buckler, environment is a critical factor in the nourishment of the nations. The Eastern nations grow because of their very large quantity warm climates, fertile soil, rain. The Northern nations were innovated to survive the cold, producing a scale of food, while the Southern nations become trapped. In South Africa there are different climate change, that result in some areas such as Free State to have fertile soil, rain and produce a large scale of food and other areas such as Northern Cape have dry land making it hard to grow food, the soil unable to produce as the is no enough rain.
Due to the inequality and ineffective distribution in South Africa, those who hold great power and authority have better access to most resources than the economically vulnerable groups. For example, water in South Africa is a known scarce resource, people in urban areas have somewhat better access to the basic utility than those in under developed regions (rural areas). In essence some groups (those with power) benefit more at the expense of others, which is impacted by a skewed economical system which plays at the advantage of others, yet living those in need to experience detrimental receiving end.
Huntington created a correlation between climate and intrapersonal factors and external factors, that a productive climate results from the industrial efficiency which was later criticized. In south Africa there are many human activities which may include mining, which destroy the ozone layer leading to lack of rainfall in the country and also affect the water quality when the chemicals used are flushed in the water sources . Lack of rainfall results in shortage of clean and drinkable water.
The environmental problems within society are resilience, according to Hosu et al. (2018) South African service delivery is not key, the leaders are promising the society change but it takes time. In South Africa a policy documents for water suppliers were introduced in 1994, but there are still areas facing water shortage, this still shows inequality.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 9
25 May 2021, 13:49
THE ANTHROPOGENIC NATURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE SA CONTEXT:
Anthropogenetic nature refers to the environmental changes influenced directly or indirectly by people.
The depletion of the ozone layer is caused by the chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s). They are released from solvents, spray aerosols, refrigerators, and air- conditioners. The molecule of CFCs in the stratosphere are broken by the ultraviolet radiations and release chlorine atoms. Destruction of natural habitats, forests, wetlands, and ocean bottoms are being destroyed as a result of population growth and converting these natural habitats into human habitats (Diamond, 2006: 487). Destroying the natural habitat for the human gain have a negative impact on the world. The carbon dioxide from burning of trees drift into the atmosphere contributing to the global warming. Forests are essential for the water cycle; they protect the soil against soil erosion and provide habitats for many plants and animals. Global Warming: Humans produce greenhouse gasses which damage the atmosphere leading to dramatic rise in the temperature of the earth. The burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil) results in the emission of the carbon dioxide. This emission increases the chances of death. Adverse effects on the marine life: Marine pollution, the disruption to the natural ecology of water systems, particularly oceans, as a direct or indirect result of human activity" (Burns 2012: 1324). The dumping of herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers used in modern industrial agriculture into the ocean, or any water source causes the marine pollution. This pollution causes a decline in the sea life which is also greatly demolished by overfishing. The fish industry uses the industrialised and intensive techniques of fishing such as using a huge net which catches large number of fishes, some of which are not mature or wanted and they end up being discarded. The decline in water supply because of degradation and deterioration of soil and vegetation (Giantz 1977). This results in people from the affected and disadvantaged areas to be unable to access clean drinkable water.
Learning Activity 8
8 May 2021, 15:30
Discuss the concept of participatory development approach and critique with an example from the south African context:
One of the alternative theories to development is participatory development. It was pronounced in humanistic approaches since the late 1070’s. The approach enables the society to build their own capacity and self-reliance. The must become partners to develop their community. Everyone in the community is involved in the development.
The theory applies in two ways:
1. Participatory organizations whereby community groups themselves to be involved in the development’s efforts such as the community food drives which serve food to the poor and needy.
2. Participatory as empowerment whereby participation comes in form of structural change and access to resources as an empowerment strategy such as rehabilitation center for the drug addicts and Alcohol Anonymous meetings for those who are unable to control their alcohol intake.
The community groups meant for development may end up being hijacked or taken over by local elites therefore they may end up not participating to development initiatives using their own ideas and initiatives but using the ideas and initiatives of the local elites. These organisations have limited success records, especially in Africa. In south Africa due to our rate of corruption, the approach will be criticised because the powerful and connected elites would use the organisations to benefit at the expense of the poor and vulnerable. We are not a united nation and the inequality in communities because of race or class. The limited technology in the rural areas and strong culture of poverty.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 7
8 May 2021, 14:23
Women in development (WID):
- Women in development (WID) was coined in the early 1970’s by a Washington-based network of female development professionals (Tinker, 1990:30). Based on their experience they challenged the theories of development, arguing that modernization is having different impacts on men and women. The first position was made by Ester Boserup, who advanced critique against modernization which supervised colonial authorities imbued with western notions of sexual division of labor placed new technologies under the control of men. This process marginalized women reducing their status, power, and income. WID gave women a voice and pushed the issue of gender to the center of international development regime.
- Women were left out from developmental practices, research programs and policies to protect them. They were not fully benefitting from the development and it made their social status even worse. WID approach saw problem as the exclusion of women in developmental programs and approaches and women as a group were being treated as a lacking opportunity to participate in development. WID argued that the integration of omen in the development would improve their position in the society. Projects that would generate income and improve their reproductive roles and more gender policies by the national government and international agencies which would accommodate women better. Women should be given the equal access to resources, basic needs and opportunities in education and employment to improve their economic independence.
- WID approach had limitation such as lack of established structures within the government to plan, coordinate and monitor the implementation of women integration policy. This increased criticism based on the visibility of women in development programs, the approach concentrated on social, cultural, legal, and economic factors that influence those inequalities in the society.
Women and Development (WAD) Approach:
* WAD developed in the latter part of the 1970’s because of the criticism against the WID approach. WID argued that women should be bought into the modernization process, WAD argues that their link with modernization had made them poorer. WAD approach views that equality will be essential to improve women’s positions but still frames change in terms of providing women access to productive sectors. It focuses on social relations existing between women and men, with women plating the role of productive and reproductive actors in the society. It drew much insight from dependency theory and neo-Marxist approaches to underdevelopment. WAD approach work both inside and outside the domestic sphere is critical to the maintenance of society. This integration of women into the global economic system existed to sustain global inequalities, marginalization, and oppression. WAD argued that WID’s emphasis on the integration of women into the development is incorrect.
* WAD focuses on interaction between women and the development process rather than integration with the development. It saw that both women and men do not benefit from the global economic structures because of unequal distribution of resources. WAD argues that integration made inequality worse as the global inequalities are the main problem faced. The social feminists advanced notion that through patriarchy the reproduction and production roles women play must be acknowledged for meaningful development.
* WAD was criticized for assuming that the position of women will improve when the international structures are more equitable. It did not take into consideration the various patriarchies and how they determine women in development. It did not address the question of social relations between men and women in development and generalized women’s experience and grouped them as sharing similar experiences without considering issues such as their class division, race, ethnicity, and context.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 6
28 Apr 2021, 14:15
COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF MODERNISATION AND DEPENDENCY THEORY:
Modernization: is the process of social, economic and cultural transformation in which a country evolves from the underdeveloped status to a modern society following the prescriptions from the MDC's.
* the theory believes that poor countries are poor because of their failure to let go tradition-oriented cultures and internal factors such as the resistance to free market principles or western values.
*Rostow's model of development is used as a modernization theory in which societies undergo linear transformation along a development continuum of economic and social change from traditional to modern. Countries have to adapt the experiences of the MDC's to beome one. Economic growth is indicated as GDP making development and growth to be seen as the same thing. Modern and traditional societies reflect a dual economy which will exist side by side. The theory assumes the development of growth will diffuse from MDC's to the LDC's. The dual economy (traditional and modern ) will be eliminated and replaced by the single independent system(modern state).
Dependency Theory was originated in the 1960's as the result of the failure of modernisation theory to address the underdeveloped of the third world countries.
*It challenged the principles of modernization theories that countries fail because they lack values from the first world countries. The traditional dependency theory was popular in the 1960's and 70's, it can still be used to explain global inequalities. Dependency Theory focuses on the origins and subsequent development of underdevelopment. It advances that all contemporary societies are intergrated into a single world economic system- Capitalist. The theory agrues that the third world countries are poor because they have been and still exploited by the first world countries and this exploitation evolved from colonialism.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 5: DEVELOPMENT
15 Apr 2021, 14:13
DISCUSS ANY FOUR FACTORS THAT CONSTITUTE DEVELOPMENT ILLUSTRATING EACH WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE S.A CONTEXT.
Development is defined as the progress or transformation which occurs socially, economically, and politically. It is not uni-dimensional but constitutes growth, structural change, and disruptive equity.
Development is constituted by the following factors:
- Growth and Structural Change – Development requires growth and structural change because the economy’s activities shift from primary to secondary and then tertiary sector. The national income of the less developed countries is generated from the primary sector which includes mining, fishing, and agriculture. The developing countries make their national income from the secondary factor which includes manufacturing raw materials to finished goods and services. The highly developed countries have high income and control the tertiary sector such as telecommunications, mass media, health care. (STATS SA, 02 JAN 2018) Proves that the key sectors that keep the engine of South Africa’s economy running includes manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, finance services, agriculture, mining, transport, and tourism.
- Distribution of income – An even distribution of income would be a one step closer to development in the country. This means more people receiving an income than before. Though development does not guarantee because inequality increases with the growth. “The poorest in South Africa benefit from social spending programs. About 70% of outlays on social grants and 54% of spending on education and health go to the poorest half of the population in South Africa. The child support grant and old age pension make the largest impact on poverty. Fiscal policy is progressive and works to reduce inequality. By taxing the income of the rich proportionally more than the poor and using social spending to boost the incomes of the poorest more than 10-fold, fiscal policy narrows the income gap between the rich and poor” (World Bank, November 3, 2014).
- Demographical Transitions – This is to provide proper hygiene and sanitation to regulate the death rates. The death rate will approach death rate. The better access to birth control and family planning services, decrease in infant mortality and more opportunities of employment even for women.
- Improvement in education and health – Education is fundamental and there has been a progress towards the education and health infrastructure. Investing in education and health guarantees the progress of the country.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 4
26 Mar 2021, 22:08
GIVE A THOROUGH DEFINITION OF POVERTY AS SUGGESTED BY EXPERT
There has been a debate about who is the best to define poverty. Is it best explained by experts or by ordinary people who have a first hand experience of what it means to be poor?
The expert derived definition of poverty is identified in 7 different subheadings. Fractions of the income distribution: most definitions of poverty are linked to the national income and expenditure distributions. In SA, the concept of relative poverty is often defined by the reference to the bottom 20% or 40% of expenditure distribution. Poor has been defined as the 40% of households and ultra poor as the poorest 20% of households (May, 1998:27) . $1 AND $2 A DAY: The actual value of $1 per day when the line was constructed consisted of the median of the ten lowest national poverty line in developing countries. The Poverty Datum Line: The first type of poverty to be developed in SA was monetary. The first line of poverty consisted sorely of the cost of food, clothing, cleansing materials, fuel and light and the secondary poverty datum line added cost of accommodation , transport for the breadwinner and taxation (Ibid). Minimum Level Living (MLL) and Supplement Living Level (SLL): MLL described poverty as the lowest sum possible on which a specific size of household can live and SLL is the secondary poverty line to be developed to include few basics. The Household substance level (HSL) and household effective level (HEL): The HSL poverty line excluded the provision of medical expenses, education, savings, holidays or recreation, insurance, buying household equipment and transportation apart from the trip of the breadwinner to and from work. Hooyeveen and Ozler- upper and lower bound poverty lines : the poverty line was developed in 2004 using the "cost of basic needs" approach (based on 2000 prices). The upper bound line set was at R593 per capita per month and the lower bound line was set at R322 per capita per month. Food Insecurity measures of poverty : Work was done to develop food poverty line which had to create a nutritionally balance minimalist died for household. The work used the lowest food ratio scale for items used by HSL. The approach is also referred to as calarific approach where certain poverty lines are drawn based on a calorific base for food consumption. The non-food items were added and the danger may be not knowing what other people would want and instead link the poor people with the poor standards using your past experiences to buy.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 3: POVERTY
19 Mar 2021, 04:19
What is poverty?
Poverty is a state or condition in which a person or community lacks the financial resources and essentials for a minimum standard of living. means that the income level from employment is so low that basic human needs cannot be met. There are different types of poverty which amongst others include: Income or consumption poverty refers to lack of monetary resources to meet needs. Absolute poverty is poverty below a set line of what is required to access minimum needs for survival. Relative poverty is set in relation to others. Shelter poverty, food poverty, asset poverty, time poverty or health poverty refer to lack of any of them. Multidimensional poverty recognises the many different ways in which people can be deprived. The transiently poor move in and out of poverty. The chronically poor are poor for years at a time, or even their whole lives.
Benefits of poverty on individual and community
1. Recycling- since there are few ways of making money, community members may start to recycle papers, cans, bottles and iron in exchange for money. This benefits them and the community because they find the materials on dumping sites, the streets and yards, this cleans the community and members can benefit cash.
2. Reforestation- the community can grow their own food- personal gardens in every yard or those with farms employs the poor to create jobs. They may work in the field in exchange of money or enough food for their families. This creates an eco-friendly community .
3. Domestic Work- studies shows that the poor are domesticated. They do domestic work in exchange of money or food.
4. Aid from the Governement- the poor receive financial aid from the government from the children's social grants, the elderly grands, bursaries for tertiary education. Government also build houses for those who qualify, provide health care facilities.
5. NGO's- the non-governmental organisations take over the community to help those in need with food (soup kitchens), school work and bible studies.
6. Entertainment- to make the area bearable and a safe space for youth they need entertainment. Sports clubs, poetry and drama sessions, choirs can take youth away from the streets and bad influences because they would have a lot to do. Competitions amongst the clubs may be a positive impact to the society and prizes such as work opportunities, cash or devices for the winners, something that will help them prosper. This will bring a positive atmosphere in the community.