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Welcome to the University of Venda Institutional Repository, an open digital archive of the research output of the University of Venda. Univen IR contains theses and dissertations, research papers as well as conference papers. For further information and assistance please contact Mr Keith Malabi at +27 15 9628564 or +27 15 962 8314 during office hours

Recent Submissions

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Investigating consumer willingness to pay for improvements in water service attributes in and around Vuwani Town, South Africa

(2023-10-05) Rasimphi, Mokgadi Grace; Dafuleya, G.; Dagume, M. A.

Water scarcity is a major problem in South Africa given the country’s classification as “water stressed” and the thirtieth driest country in the world. Moreover, and like many other developing countries, the country faces severe challenges with the reliability of water supplies. These challenges includes but are not limited to, the frequency of water supply, low water pressure and poor water quality among other challenges. Although these challenges impose difficulties in the country in general, they impose a severe burden in rural settings and outlying towns such as Vuwani town and the surrounding villages in Limpopo. To this end, this study investigates the willingness to pay (WTP) by households of the Vuwani town and surrounding villages in respect of potential improvements of attributes of a water service. The study also sought to uncover potential heterogeneity in the preferences for improvements of attributes of a water service. Using the Conditional and Mixed Logit models, and a sample of 230 households, the study’s findings indicated evidence of respondents expressing willingness to pay for improvements in the attributes of a water service in Vuwani. The results also demonstrated strong evidence of preference heterogeneity among the respondents as well. Since the findings of the study makes it possible to estimate the potential benefits of an improved water service in Vuwani, the results of the study should provide local policy makers with evidence based information of one component of a potential cost – benefit analysis study necessary to inform the potential level of investments required to improve water services in rural settings.

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An urban planning perspective on the readiness of Thohoyandou CBD public spaces in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic: a case study of Thohoyandou CBD

(2023-10-05) Ratshilingana, Mudanalwo Maryline; Gondo, T.; Bikam, P.

Thohoyandou CBD public spaces need to be ready in the future to urgently react to pandemics. This study aims to introduce urban planning measures that must be taken into consideration to improve the current performance of public spaces in reducing the spread of COVID-19. The study is guided by four research objectives which are as follows, (i) To analyse urban planning and urban management attributes that are critical in limiting the spread of COVID-19 in public spaces. (ii) To identify and categorize public spaces that are likely to pose a threat to limiting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thohoyandou CBD. (iii)To determine urban management factors that are significant to COVID- 19 in public spaces of Thohoyandou CBD and (iv) To come up with an urban planning-based resilience framework that will boost the ability of public spaces to respond to the challenges of a pandemic. Twenty-five public spaces were analysed based using five study constructs, which included waste management attributes, water provision attributes, ecological/environmental attributes, demographic attributes, and public space management and behaviours. Data was analysed using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), Multiple regression Analysis (MRA) and analysis of standardised mean score z-values. Data screening procedures were employed using normality test measures of skewness and kurtosis. Results revealed that there are five critical issues that need to be addressed if we are to limit the spread of COVID-19 in public spaces. These include waste management, water provision, public space user demographics, public space management behaviors and environment integrity issues. HCA results revealed two unique categories of public spaces based on their responsiveness to the spread of COVID -19. Cluster 1(one) is made up of 10 public spaces accounting for 40 % of the total and Cluster 2 is made up of 15 public spaces accounting for 60 %. Cluster 2 type of public spaces are generally performing relatively well in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic as evidenced by positive and high standardized mean score z values when compared to cluster 1 (one) type of public spaces. MRA results revealed that the most significant (P value <0.05) attribute capable of reducing the spread of COVID-19 is water provision. The study concluded by recommending a resilience framework aimed at reducing the risk and exposure to COVID- 19 as well as building public pace capacity to withstand challenges posed by future pandemics. Critical interventions for building resilience should focus on such issues as building functional waste management and water facilities, redesigning of some public spaces, deployment of smart technologies, improved infrastructure maintenance and public space monitoring as well as rolling out of education campaigns. More intervention efforts should be directed to 40 % of public spaces belonging to cluster 1 as they were found to be severely compromised.

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Experiences of Abused Unemployed Young Women at Acornhoek Village, Bushbuckridge Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

(2023-10-05) Shai, Doris Felicity; Thobejane, T. D.; Mudau, T. J.

Domestic violence and the economic dependency of unemployed young women are inextricably intertwined. Hence, the most reason why women become victims of domestic abuse is because they are financially dependent on their partners. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the link between domestic violence and the economic dependency of unemployed young women. A qualitative research method was embarked upon to solicit the views of young women who depend on their spouses for their survival. The population was abused, and unemployed young women aged between 28 to 35 years who are from Acornhoek village in Bushbuckridge Municipality. Non-probability purposive and snowball sampling was used as a method to select the participants. To choose the participants, a non-probability purposive and snowball sampling technique was adopted. Ethical considerations were considered for the sake of confidentiality and the safety of the research participants. Semi-structured interviews were employed in the study to obtain data. A thematic data analysis approach employing Atlas.ti software was used to systematically evaluate and report the data. The study revealed that economic independency does not give an individual immunity to abuse. However, it also revealed that economic dependency puts young women at a greater risk of being domestically victimized by their intimate partners. Men view financial support as a grant for entitlement over their partners.