Abstract
M.Comm.
The Randburg Waterfront which was built in a residential area in Randburg, officially opened it's
doors to the public on the 1st of March 1995. Shortly thereafter complaints and affidavites from
unhappy residents started to stream to the management of the Waterfront, Randburg Town Council,
as well as police stations and newspapers. Committees were also established by concerned residents
to fight their cause.
Unfortunately all socio-economic activities of man have both a social and and physical impact on the
environment. For this reason, social and environmental impact assessments have become a measuring
rod in the twentieth century, whereby the effect of man's socio-economic activities on human beings
as well as the environment, can be determined. With the above-mentioned in mind, a study was
undertaken in 1995, which was aimed at investigating the positive and/or negative impact of the
Randburg Waterfront on the surrounding residential area.
The aim of this follow-up study, is to determine the positive and/or negative impact of the Randburg
Waterfront on the surrounding residential area, by comparing the results of the 1995 and 1996 data.
Questionnaires were used as data gathering method. In 1995, 160 questionnaires were distributed in
the testsample area of a 250m radius around the Waterfont, of which 108 (67,5%) were received
back. To ensure meaningful comparisons between the data sets of 1995 and 1996, questionnaires, in
1996, were only distributed amongst the 108 residents who responded in 1995. Of these 108
questionnaires, 82 were received back, with a resulting response rate of 75,9%.
In chapter 1 of this mini-thesis, background in connection with the Waterfront Development is given.
In chapter 2 the potential impacts of the Waterfont on the surrounding residential area are discussed,
and the study problem and study methodology are defined. The property on which the Waterfront
was developed, as well as the surrounding residential area are dicussed in detail in chapter 3. All
information regarding the data gathering process, as well as graphic presentation of the 1995 and
1996 data for visual interpretation, are presented in chapter 4. Chapter 5 entails the analysis of the
gathered data, and comparisons are made between the data sets of 1995 and 1996. In closing, a
summarised synthesis is given and recommendations are made in chapter 6.
The synthesis shows that the Randburg Waterfront, although aesthetically attractive and
economically viable to Randburg, has an adverse effect on the surrounding residential area, which
has worsened during the past year.
The importance of this study is that the results can be used to determine methods whereby the
negative impacts of the Waterfront on the surrounding residential area and individuals, can be
minimised. Lastly, recommendations are made from an environmental management perspective, in
order to mitigate present problems, as well as to prevent potential problems associated with similar
development in the future.