Issue 9, 1983 Civil Engineer in South Africa - Volume 25,
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Some historical aspects of urban engineering in South Africa
Civil Engineer in South Africa 25, pp 457 –467 (1983)
The paper describes the governmental organization of South Africa, the third tier of which comprises local authorities. The nature of the works carried out by urban engineers, being of great variety and often of very large size, is discussed. Factors that have had a general influence on the urban areas are touched on. These have included periods of drought that encouraged the movement of people from the country to the urban areas in search of work. The great upsurge in the economy in the 1930&apos;s brought about large-scale development and building which, together with population increases, necessitated the expansion of all aspects of the infra-structure including housing for the lower income groups. The very noticeable traffic diffiiculties which ensured required major works in the larger centres to relieve congestion, a problem that is now being dealt with on an overall basis in metropolitan areas. The problem of allocating urban funds between capital and maintenance requirements is indicated. The tendency to favour the former because of local pressures, with attendant dangers to the life and satisfactory performance of all the components of the infra-structure, has been deplored by urban engineers. Mention is made of the great steps in formal town planning in the urban areas which is related to government and provincial planning and legislation. This has resulted in greater aesthetic control and amenity in urban living conditions. The paper concludes with a reference to the number of very outstanding engineers who have given unselfish service to their towns and cities. It also draws attention to the shortage of engineering staff which has resulted in the increased use of consulting engineers since World War II.
Die referaat beskryf die regerings organisasie van Suid-Afrika, waarvan plaaslike bestuur die derde vlak uitmaak. In die verskillende seksies word die aard van stedelike ingenieurs se werk met die groot verskeidenheid en dikwels ook &apos;n baie groot omvang, behandel.
Daar word geraak aan faktore wat &apos;n algemene invloed opstedelike gebiede het. Daaronder is droogtetye wat aanleiding gegee het tot verskuiwing van platteland tot stedelike gebiede in die soeke na werk. Die ekonomiese bloei van die dertigerjare het groot ontwikkelings tot gevolg gehad, en nuwe geboue, gepaard met bevolkings aanwas, het die uitbreiding van al die aspekte van die infrastruktuur genoodsaak, met inbegrip van behuising vir die laer inkomstegroepe. Vanweë die opvallende verkeersprobleme wat gevolg het, moes groot werke in die grotersentrums aan die gang gesit word om ophoping te verlig. Dié situasie word nou op &apos;n algemene vervoergrondslag in metropolitaanse gebiede aangepak.
Daar word gewys op die probleem om stedelike fondse tussen kapitaal- en onderhoudswerk te verdeel. Stedelike ingenieurs het die neiging om vanweë plaaslike druk aan eersgenoemde voorkeur te gee, ten strengste afgekeur, omdat dit die vitaliteit en die bevredigende werking van al die komponente van die infrastruktuur in gevaar stel.
Daar word melding gemaak van die groot vooruitgang wat gemaak is met formele stadsbeplanning in die stedelike gebiede en die verband wat dit hou met beplanning en wetgewing op regerings- en provinsiale vlak. Benewens beplanningsbeheer wat met die gebruik van grond en bou-ontwikkeling gepaard gaan, het dit beter beheer oor stads-estetiek en beter lewenstoestande tot gevolg gehad.
Ten slotte word daar in die referaat melding gemaak van die aantal voortreflike ingenieurs wat onselfsugtige diens aan dorp en stad gelewer het. Die aandag word ook gevestig op die tekort aan ingenieurspersoneel wat tot gevolg gehad het dat daar sedert Wêreldoorlog II meer van raadgewende ingenieurs gebruik gemaak word.
A contemporary concept of urban engineering
Civil Engineer in South Africa 25, pp 469 –476 (1983)
The name urban engineering is a reflection of the recognition by professional engineers of developing concepts of the proper engineering function in this field. To meet the needs of contemporary urban societies the engineer should develop procedures of holistic planning. This term is taken to represent the concept of the planning procedure taking into account the environmental consequences of the proposed action.
Die koördinasie van ingenieursdienste in metropolitaanse gebiede
Civil Engineer in South Africa 25, pp 477 –484 (1983)
Die plaaslike bestuursvorme van Suid-Afrikaanse metropolitaanse gebiede is afkomstig uit &apos;n vroeëre era. Die vorme is meestal niks meer as &apos;n kleindorpse vorm, wat gegroei het tot &apos;n fisiese grootte verby hul vermoë om die al groter wordende probleme van diensverskaffing op te los nie. &apos;n Organisatoriese hervorming is nodig.
Die aard van die onderskeie plaaslike owerheidsdienste as &apos;n stelsel word beklemtoon. Die Wet op Stedelike Vervoer het in sekere opsigte die weg berei vir die tipe benadering wat nodig is om talle diensprobleme ten opsigte van vervoer in metropolitaanse geblede op te los. Die Metropolitaanse Vervoeradviesraad is &apos;n embrioniese eendoelige voorbeeld van die soort liggaam wat gesamentlik die diensverskaffing van alle plaaslike owerhede ten opsigte van vervoer in &apos;n metropolitaanse gebied behoort te hanteer.
Klem word gelê op die noodsaaklikheid om algemene modelle aan te pas by die behoeftes van die individuele metropolitaanse gebied.
Daar word verwys na &apos;n uitgebreide studie, wat op statistiek berus en wat vir die Groter Kaapstad-gebied onderneem is, oor alternatiewe vorms van diensverskaffing. Die studie, &apos;n model wat ook in ander metropolitaanse gebiede in Suid-Afrika onderneem behoort te word, het &apos;n voorkeurvorm aangedui wat twee owerheidsvlakke behels, nl &apos;n plaaslike vlak en &apos;n metropolitaanse vlak.
The local government forms of South Africa&apos;s metropolitan areas stem from an earlier age. They are usually no more than small-town forms which have grown to a physical size beyond their capacity to solve the mounting problems of services provision. An organizational reform is needed.
The nature of the various local authority services as a system is stressed, i.e. that efficiency and effectiveness in the provision of individual services (engineering or otherwise) cannot be divorced from similar considerations of other services nor from finance and community participation.
The Urban Transport Act has in some ways pioneered the form of approach which is necessary for the resolution of many services problems in metropolitan areas. A body such as a MTAB is a single-purpose embryonic version of the council which should deal comprehensively with the services provision of all local authorities in a metropolitan area.
The need is stressed to tailor generalized models to the requirements of each individual metropolitan area.
Reference is made to a comprehensive statistics-backed study, undertaken for the Greater Cape Town area, of alternative forms for services provision. The study, a model of the type which should be carried out in other metropolitan areas of South Africa, indicated a preferred form involving two tiers of authority, viz a local tier and a metropolitan tier.
Die doeltreffende lewering van ingenieursdienste vir kleiner owerhede
H.P.J.P. Malan and
Civil Engineer in South Africa 25, pp 485 –493 (1983)
Teen die agtergrond van die realiteite van bevolkingsgroei, verstedeliking en die vraag na behuising, speel die kleiner plaaslike owerhede in die RSA wat betref bevolkingsgetalle, dienstevoorsiening en benutting van finansiele en mannekraghulpbonne &apos;n belangrike rol. Hierdie owerhede het egter te kampe met ernstige probleme wat veral herlei kan word na finansies en &apos;n tekort aan opgeleide en kundige personeel.
Regeringsondersoeke deur verskillende kommissies en komitees beklemtoon die belangrikheid van dienstevoorsiening deur plaaslike owerhede oor die algemeen, maar toon ook aan dat oplossings vir die probleme noodsaaklik is. Die konstitusionele riglyne van die regering gee &apos;n nuwe dimensie aan dienstevoorsiening.
Die probleme van kleiner owerhede kan in &apos;n groot mate uitgeskakel word deur die totstandkoming van streekorganisasies met die oog op dienstevoorsiening terwyl die konstitusionele sy bevredigend daarby kan inpas. Voorstelle oor streekorganisasies en oor die SAISI se betrokkenheid, word gemaak. Die tegniese ondersoeke wat nog volgens die konstitusionele riglyne van die regering uitgevoer moet word, is van groot omvang en &apos;n ad hoc-werkgroep, wat soos die Croeserwerkgroep sal funksioneer, word voorgestel.
Die groter vraag na ingenieurs en ingenieurstegnici van die ander bevolkingsgroepe, wat deur die verwagte konstitusionele ontwikkeling teweeg gebring sal word, beklemtoon weereens die noodsaaklikheid dat &apos;n keurings- en opleidingsprogram, soortgelyk aan die Soweto-projek van die SAISI, op &apos;n baie wyer basis aangepak behoort te word.
Against the background of the realities of the population growth, urbanization and the demand for housing, the smaller local authorities in the RSA play an important role in respect of population numbers, provision of services and utilization of financial and manpower resources. However, these authorities have to cope with serious problems which are mainly caused by lack of finances and a shortage of trained and experienced personnel.
Government investigations by various commissions and committees accentuate the importance of the provision of services by local authorities in general, but also point out that solutions for the problems are essential. The constitutional guidelines of the Government give a new dimension to the provision of services. The problems of smaller authorities can to a large extent be eliminated by the establishment of regional organizations for the provision of services. The constitutional aspect would also be satisfactorily accommodated. Recommendations regarding regional organizations and the SAICE&apos;s involvement are being put forward.
For the technical investigations as required by the Government&apos;s constitutional guidelines an ad hoc working group similar in operation to the Croeser working group is proposed.
The greater demand for engineers and technicians of other races which will be brought about by the expected constitutional development, again accentuates the necessity that a selection and training programme, similar to the SAICE&apos;s Soweto project should be launched on a wider basis.
The application of advanced technology in urban engineering
Civil Engineer in South Africa 25, pp 495 –500 (1983)
The paper reviews recent technological developments and current research in various fields of municipal engineering with particular reference to experience in Durban.
Hierdie referaat behels &apos;n oorsig van die jongste tegnologiese ontwikkelings en die navorsing wat tans binne die verskillende gebiede van munisipale ingenieurswese gedoen word, met die klem veral op ondewinding in Durban opgedoen.
Stede, streke en strategieë
Civil Engineer in South Africa 25, pp 501 –508 (1983)
Die ontwikkeling van plattelandse dorpe en stede
Civil Engineer in South Africa 25, pp 509 –513 (1983)
Die regverdiging van en nodigheid vir die ontwikkeling van dorpe en stede in plattelandse gebiede word uitgewys. Aandag word geskenk aan verstedeliking en ander belangrike faktore, veral die ontwikkeling van wit en swart stede as dekonsentrasiepunte.
The future training of municipal engineers
Civil Engineer in South Africa 25, pp 517 –519 (1983)