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In the history of South Africa, with prospects of a democratic system that would meet all the expectations of the people of the country, the year 1994 also required mind shifts with regard to land reform. As a discipline, History broke its long silence. Past studies on land reform and land claims are visible, but for years, historians have not necessarily contributed to research on the topic. Government, as part of its promise to voters and within the limits of democracy, started investigating the status of land distribution countrywide. Shortly after 1994, processes commenced to provide communities and individuals the opportunity, until the end of 1998, to submit motivations as to why a certain area(s)/region(s) belong to them. This article's open discussion is not intended to cover all the events and processes of the past almost 20years conscientiously. Rather, the intention is to put in writing what the role of History as a discipline can or should be in ultimate decisions on claims in respect of land. However, extensive research on this is still required. In this paper, then, the use of history within the discipline of History in the managing of land claims in South Africa is the core issue. History, as a discipline that can provide multiple sources of a diverse nature, will be discussed briefly with the unsettled land claim on the farm Deelkraal IQ142 as an example. A summary will direct the reader towards the value of History in land claims research, but it should not necessarily be deemed as the final decision about land claims. Therefore, it appears that perceptions of the past (sometimes interwoven with power and conflict), may have a tendency to overshadow any possibility of truth or reality. This in itself creates facets ofpower and politics that simply repeat similar previous cycles. ; http://www.scielo.org.za/pdf/tvg/v52n4/03.pdf

In the history of South Africa, with prospects of a democratic system that would meet all the expectations of the people of the country, the year 1994 also required mind shifts with regard to land reform. As a discipline, History broke its long silence. Past studies on land reform and land claims are visible, but for years, historians have not necessarily contributed to research on the topic. Government, as part of its promise to voters and within the limits of democracy, started investigating the status of land distribution countrywide. Shortly after 1994, processes commenced to provide communities and individuals the opportunity, until the end of 1998, to submit motivations as to why a certain area(s)/region(s) belong to them. This article's open discussion is not intended to cover all the events and processes of the past almost 20 years conscientiously. Rather, the intention is to put in writing what the role of History as a discipline can or should be in ultimate decisions on claims in respect of land. However, extensive research on this is still required. In this paper, then, the use of history within the discipline of History in the managing of land claims in South Africa is the core issue. History, as a discipline that can provide multiple sources of a diverse nature, will be discussed briefly with the unsettled land claim on the farm Deelkraal IQ142 as an example. A summary will direct the reader towards the value of History in land claims research, but it should not necessarily be deemed as the final decision about land claims. Therefore, it appears that perceptions of the past (sometimes interwoven with power and conflict), may have a tendency to overshadow any possibility of truth or reality. This in itself creates facets of power and politics that simply repeat similar previous cycles ; Hierdie oop gesprek oor die hantering en verstaan van grondeise in die grondhervormingsgeskiedenis van Suid-Afrika het nie ten doel om al hierdie gebeure en prosesse van die afgelope byna 20 jaar nougeset neer te pen nie. Teen die kontekstuele agtergrond daarvan word wel besin oor die mate waartoe Geskiedenis as 'n dissipline betekenisvol kan wees of behoort te wees in die uiteindelike besluitneming oor eise ten opsigte van grond. Omvattende navorsing hieroor is egter nog nodig. In hierdie bespreking is die benutting van die geskiedenis binne die dissipline Geskiedenis in die onderneming van grondeisenavorsing die kernsaak. Geskiedenis as 'n bewysmateriaalverskaffer met vele perspektiewe word toegelig deur kortliks na die onafgehandelde grondeis op die plaas Deelkraal IQ142 as 'n voorbeeld te verwys. Opsommenderwys sal ook aangetoon word dat die waarde van Geskiedenis in grondeisenavorsing nie noodwendig in finale besluitnemings oor grondeise geag word nie. Dit wil dus voorkom asof persepsies oor die verlede (soms verweef in mag en konflik), 'n geneigdheid kan hê om enige moontlikheid van waarheid of realiteit te oorskadu. Op sigself dui dit weer op fasette van mag en politiek, wat vorige soortgelyke siklusse bloot herhaal

The article reflects on the perceptions of households within the informal settlement of the Bekkersdal community regarding their experiences and their impressions of public service delivery. The study was undertaken to understand and to determine the overall ecohealth and well-being of a cross-section mining community. In terms of a research design, an Integrative Multidisciplinary-focused (IMD) team included a structured baseline questionnaire that was administered by trained fieldworkers by means of conducting face-to-face interviews with the occupants of 503 households. A review of the available literature was also conducted in order to attain the set research objectives. A systematic stratified sampling technique was used to increase precision in determining the sample for this project. Research findings indicate that households in the Bekkersdal informal settlement perceive the level of service delivery as extremely poor. Notably 78% of households were of the opinion that a lack of public services was affecting them negatively. The overall state of well-being of households residing in Bekkersdal informal settlement was therefore affected likewise. The environmental obstacles that local (and provincial as well as national) government faces regarding the construction and maintenance of proper local services in the informal section of Bekkersdal seem quite insurmountable. Given all the factors involved, it is impossible to meet the levels of service that residents demand. Environmental threats, such as the instability of dolomite which causes sinkholes especially during fl oods, apparently fails to satisfy or convince residents. Recently, a process of relocation to safer areas started, but it will probably take years to relocate all residents. Relocation will likely fail because of residents' apparent ignorance of the environmental danger, and an attitude reflecting a preference to rather resettle in open spaces evacuated in the process of relocation (Van Eeden 2014 and WLM-IDP 2015:32). Yet, municipal authorities such as the WLM should positively and with integrity approach and clearly address urgently all the perceived community concerns and complaints, as these may spiral out of control and may lead to yet more service delivery protests (Moses 2015). This can, for instance, be done by more inclusive public participation and consultation and information-sharing processes, in order to avert negative perceptions of poor service delivery by communities.

In essence, the article covers some fundamental principles of stakeholdership within a democratic process of environmental management. An effort is also made to point out several historical features of stakeholdership within the Wonderfonteinspruit (WFS) Catchment in the Merafong study area. Both these facets in the discussion accentuate stakeholdership as being primary participants (especially organisations that are government directed) and secondary participants (especially non-governmental organisations) in which both groups can reflect sufficient historical evidence in this economic environment to identify them as either the injurers, the injured or the participants/interested parties. To meaningfully conclude the discussion of stakeholdership in environmental management, some international and philosophical models and perspectives were also utilised to obtain a broader holistic perspective of a meaningful long-term stakeholder partnership. These applications, as reflected against a less fruitful awareness of the environmental practices in the past, can be applied efficiently in future stakeholder discussions regarding the WFS area as part of an approach featuring environmental justice and environmental remediation, compensation and monitoring.

The constraints that have been experienced in recent years with the Delmas water supply have largely been as a result of it being situated in a dolomite area, the environmental reality which, from a human and economic standpoint, seems to be a definite drawback. Previous reports on diarrhoea outbreaks in the Delmas area (1993, 2005 and 2007) have consistently noted a groundwater contamination of the A well field's groundwater abstraction boreholes. While water contamination certainly had a role to play in the diarrhoea outbreaks, there were other contributing environmental factors. Amongst these were the physical environment has been severely polluted and significant interventions in environmental elements, such as local surface water streams, that were recorded during the research process. The nature and extent of water (raw, potable and waste) management in and by the Delmas Local Municipality will be the focus of this article, and certain significant geohydrological issues to consider in the achievement of effective municipal governance will be debated. Recommendations on the possible improvement of the municipal water services management in and by the Municipality will form part of the debate and may serve as pointers for improving the governance, by local governments, of the geohydrological realities that cause constraints in their various areas of responsibility. These outcomes may also find an application in other similarly problematic municipal areas. ; http://reference.sabinet.co.za/document/EJC120336

The constraints that have been experienced in recent years with the Delmas water supply have largely been as a result of it being situated in a dolomite area, the environmental reality which, from a human and economic standpoint, seems to be a definite drawback. Previous reports on diarrhoea outbreaks in the Delmas area (1993, 2005 and 2007) have consistently noted a groundwater contamination of the A well field's groundwater abstraction boreholes. While water contamination certainly had a role to play in the diarrhoea outbreaks, there were other contributing environmental factors. Amongst these were the physical environment has been severely polluted and significant interventions in environmental elements, such as local surface water streams, that were recorded during the research process. The nature and extent of water (raw, potable and waste) management in and by the Delmas Local Municipality will be the focus of this article, and certain significant geohydrological issues to consider in the achievement of effective municipal governance will be debated. Recommendations on the possible improvement of the municipal water services management in and by the Municipality will form part of the debate and may serve as pointers for improving the governance, by local governments, of the geohydrological realities that cause constraints in their various areas of responsibility. These outcomes may also find an application in other similarly problematic municipal areas. ; http://reference.sabinet.co.za/document/EJC120336