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Bridging local and external knowledge for disaster risk management planning: The perceived benefit of participatory 3D modelling in Umgungundlovu District Municipality, South Africa

There are natural hazards affecting communities all over the world. These events also take place in South Africa. South African disaster management legislation emphasises the indigenous knowledge of people who are most affected when hazards turn into disaster. Participatory GIS in the form of activi...

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Main Author: Wielenga, Rutger
Other Authors: Hull, Simon
Format: Thesis
Language:English
English
Published: School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics 2025
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access_status_str Open Access
author Wielenga, Rutger
author2 Hull, Simon
author_browse Hull, Simon
Wielenga, Rutger
author_facet Hull, Simon
Wielenga, Rutger
author_sort Wielenga, Rutger
collection Thesis
description There are natural hazards affecting communities all over the world. These events also take place in South Africa. South African disaster management legislation emphasises the indigenous knowledge of people who are most affected when hazards turn into disaster. Participatory GIS in the form of activities building and using three-dimensional models (P3DM) has been used internationally to enhance community engagement and to ensure better information exchange between people who live in the area and the disaster officials and consultants who currently inform decisions. P3DM was introduced in uMgungundlovu District Municipality through a progressive case study methodology with workshops in four locations introduced by municipal officials. This research focused on the officials' perceived value of using P3DM activities to enhance their standard disaster risk management practices. Lightning, fires, earthquakes and strong winds are all natural hazards experienced by people living in communities. Over a period of several generations, these people have developed knowledge local to their area that is relevant in planning to reduce the risk of disasters in their area. The disaster risk management legislation governing this planning requires the sharing of local knowledge. The implementation of the legislation and the sharing of local knowledge are challenging. Participatory three-dimensional modelling (P3DM) has been used in the Global South as a novel method to promote knowledge sharing in this context. Although this method is commonly used elsewhere in the Global South, it has not yet been used or introduced in South Africa. Through a progressive case study in four locations in uMgungundlovu District Municipality, P3DM was introduced to stakeholders in disaster planning. There was an opportunity to analyse and assess the perceived value of P3DM to stakeholders at each location. Observational case study methods including semi-structured interviews allowed data collection and analysis to assess the perceived value of P3DM. P3DM was found to add value to stakeholders already familiar with incorporating local knowledge in disaster planning. Officials and community members attending workshops where P3DM activities were introduced recognized that building models and adding LIK to the models facilitates knowledge sharing.
format Thesis
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language English
eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:26.116Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics
publisherStr School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41210 Bridging local and external knowledge for disaster risk management planning: The perceived benefit of participatory 3D modelling in Umgungundlovu District Municipality, South Africa Wielenga, Rutger Hull, Simon Geomatics There are natural hazards affecting communities all over the world. These events also take place in South Africa. South African disaster management legislation emphasises the indigenous knowledge of people who are most affected when hazards turn into disaster. Participatory GIS in the form of activities building and using three-dimensional models (P3DM) has been used internationally to enhance community engagement and to ensure better information exchange between people who live in the area and the disaster officials and consultants who currently inform decisions. P3DM was introduced in uMgungundlovu District Municipality through a progressive case study methodology with workshops in four locations introduced by municipal officials. This research focused on the officials' perceived value of using P3DM activities to enhance their standard disaster risk management practices. Lightning, fires, earthquakes and strong winds are all natural hazards experienced by people living in communities. Over a period of several generations, these people have developed knowledge local to their area that is relevant in planning to reduce the risk of disasters in their area. The disaster risk management legislation governing this planning requires the sharing of local knowledge. The implementation of the legislation and the sharing of local knowledge are challenging. Participatory three-dimensional modelling (P3DM) has been used in the Global South as a novel method to promote knowledge sharing in this context. Although this method is commonly used elsewhere in the Global South, it has not yet been used or introduced in South Africa. Through a progressive case study in four locations in uMgungundlovu District Municipality, P3DM was introduced to stakeholders in disaster planning. There was an opportunity to analyse and assess the perceived value of P3DM to stakeholders at each location. Observational case study methods including semi-structured interviews allowed data collection and analysis to assess the perceived value of P3DM. P3DM was found to add value to stakeholders already familiar with incorporating local knowledge in disaster planning. Officials and community members attending workshops where P3DM activities were introduced recognized that building models and adding LIK to the models facilitates knowledge sharing. 2025-03-19T11:27:19Z 2025-03-19T11:27:19Z 2024 2025-03-19T11:24:42Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41210 en eng application/pdf School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Geomatics
Wielenga, Rutger
Bridging local and external knowledge for disaster risk management planning: The perceived benefit of participatory 3D modelling in Umgungundlovu District Municipality, South Africa
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Bridging local and external knowledge for disaster risk management planning: The perceived benefit of participatory 3D modelling in Umgungundlovu District Municipality, South Africa
title_full Bridging local and external knowledge for disaster risk management planning: The perceived benefit of participatory 3D modelling in Umgungundlovu District Municipality, South Africa
title_fullStr Bridging local and external knowledge for disaster risk management planning: The perceived benefit of participatory 3D modelling in Umgungundlovu District Municipality, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Bridging local and external knowledge for disaster risk management planning: The perceived benefit of participatory 3D modelling in Umgungundlovu District Municipality, South Africa
title_short Bridging local and external knowledge for disaster risk management planning: The perceived benefit of participatory 3D modelling in Umgungundlovu District Municipality, South Africa
title_sort bridging local and external knowledge for disaster risk management planning the perceived benefit of participatory 3d modelling in umgungundlovu district municipality south africa
topic Geomatics
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41210
work_keys_str_mv AT wielengarutger bridginglocalandexternalknowledgefordisasterriskmanagementplanningtheperceivedbenefitofparticipatory3dmodellinginumgungundlovudistrictmunicipalitysouthafrica