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Challenging the conventional practice : the use of value banding in the assessment of residential properties for a recurrent property tax

(International Association of Assessing Officers, 2025) McCluskey, William J.

Countries and jurisdictions that have a value-based recurrent property tax typically estimate an individual taxable value for each property. In contrast to discrete values there is the alternative of value banding. Internationally, it is an approach that is not widely used with only two countries having adopted this valuation basis for the recurrent property tax on residential property (namely Great Britain with the Council Tax and in Ireland with the Local Property Tax (LPT)). The paper examines the underlying reasons as to why banding rather than discrete values was implemented in both jurisdictions. Interestingly, both jurisdictions have designed quite different banding structures, different approaches to the tax assessment and a different strategy to the valuation issue. The Council Tax was introduced some 33 years ago with only minimal or no changes made to the design of the tax across the three jurisdictions. The paper highlights the main criticisms that have been levied against the Council Tax since its introduction and the steps being taken to address them. The level of criticism to the banded LPT in Ireland has been much more subdued and in this regard the paper identifies several key policies that were critical to the successful implementation of the Local Property Tax.

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Non-linear control of a fuel gas blending benchmark problem with added consumer dynamics

(Elsevier, 2025-10) Sibiya, M.D.; Wiid, Andries Johannes; Le Roux, Johan Derik; Craig, Ian Keith; ian.craig@up.ac.za

This paper contributes to existing literature on fuel gas control by providing a feasible control solution with improved economic performance for an existing fuel gas control benchmark problem. Improved economic performance is achieved by implementing a non-linear model predictive controller (NMPC) that uses state estimates provided by a moving horizon estimator (MHE) and extended Kalman filter (EKF) for the fuel gas composition and flame speed index (FSI) to provide continuous inputs for the controller. Furthermore, the original fuel gas benchmark model is expanded to include consumer dynamics affecting fuel gas demand due to changes in the fuel gas heating value, making the model more representative of real industrial plants. The behaviour of an NMPC that neglects consumer dynamics (NMPC1) was compared against an NMPC that includes consumer dynamics (NMPC2). The aim of the benchmark problem is to reduce the time-weighted average cost of fuel gas for three 46-hour cases, accounting for purchase costs and penalties for fuel gas specification violations. An optimal cost for each case is determined assuming ideal conditions and perfect control. The benchmark controller is a conventional multi-loop feedforward/feedback system and has an average cost for the three cases which is 38.5% higher than the optimal cost. The NMPC1 controller has an average cost which is 33.9% higher than the optimal cost and better than the benchmark controller. A new benchmark scenario was developed which includes the consumer dynamics. For the new scenario, NMPC1 could not find a feasible solution, resulting in oscillations and specification violations. The oscillations would result in site-wide instabilities for all equipment using fuel gas. NMPC2 was able to keep the process stable during these scenarios and maintain all specifications. This shows the necessity to include consumer dynamics for effective fuel gas blending control. HIGHLIGHTS • Show improved economic performance for an existing fuel gas control benchmark problem. • Provide continuous estimates of fuel gas composition and flame speed index to an NMPC. • Consumer dynamics are included, making the model more representative of industry. • An NMPC that neglects consumer dynamics is compared against one that does not. • Show the necessity to include consumer dynamics for effective fuel gas blending control.

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Connecting urban green infrastructure and environmental justice in South Africa : integrating social access, ecology, and design

(University of Arizona Libraries, 2025-08-14) Pasgaard, Maya; Breed, Christina A.; Engemann, Kristine; Brom, Peta

Green Infrastructure (GI) connects across a city's urban fabric and exhibits multiple meanings. It inevitably ties to questions about environmental justice. In South Africa, the historical legacy of colonialism and apartheid has left deep scars and the fragmentation of people and places. The justice issues surrounding urban GI are many, complex and unpredictable. They include insecurity, contested access to urban parks, differing perceptions of equity, contested ownership of urban vegetation, and alienation mediated local community involvement. In this systematic review, we analyze 72 scientific publications connecting urban GI and environmental justice in South Africa to identify current research trends. Using the conceptual frame of environmental justice, we structure our analysis around the commonly-used dimensions of distribution, process, and recognition, with added attention to governance. Our review shows that food security, distributional equity, and physical access to urban green space are dominant, with similarities in the spatial and temporal scales of investigation. Environmental justice studies and political ecology are comparable, and we argue that 1) Research on GI access should follow a more nuanced and rights-based approach, 2) a stronger ecological and climatic/biophysical perspective would be valuable, and 3) integrating landscape designs could uncover more actionable and transformative potential. Common across these three avenues of research is a need to embrace more interdisciplinary, participatory, anticipatory, and dynamic thinking across a broader range of scales. RESUME De par ses multiples fonctions et sa signification culturelle, l'infrastructure verte (Green Infrastructure, GI) qui traverse le tissu urbain d'une ville est inévitablement liée aux questions de justice environnementale. En particulier dans des pays comme l'Afrique du Sud, compte tenu de l'héritage historique du colonialisme et de l'apartheid, qui ont laissé de profondes cicatrices et fragmenté les populations et les lieux. Les enjeux de justice liés à l'IV urbaine sont nombreux, complexes et imprévisibles : accès contesté aux espaces verts urbain et perceptions divergentes de l'équité ; végétation urbaine créant un sentiment d'appartenance ; (in)sécurité ou aliénation selon l'implication des communautés locales. Dans cette revue systématique, nous avons analysé 72 publications scientifiques reliant l'IV urbaine à la justice environnementale en Afrique du Sud afin de déceler les tendances de la recherche actuelle. En utilisant le cadre conceptuel de la justice environnementale, nous structurons notre analyse autour des dimensions couramment utilisées de distribution, de processus et de reconnaissance, en accordant une attention particulière aux aspects de gouvernance. Notre revue montre que la sécurité alimentaire, l'équité de distribution et l'accès physique aux espaces verts urbains dominent la littérature existante, et qu'une grande partie des recherches actuelles ont des échelles spatiales et temporelles similaires d'investigation. En nous appuyant sur la complémentarité des études sur la justice environnementale et de la recherche en écologie politique, nous soutenons que 1) la recherche sur l'infrastructure verte pourrait adopter une approche plus nuancée et fondée sur les droits; 2) davantage d'études intégrant davantage les perspectives écologiques et climatiques/biophysiques plus solides pourraient être utiles ; et 3) l'intégration de l'aménagement paysager pourrait révéler des potentiels plus concrets et transformatifs. Ces trois axes de recherche partagent la nécessité d'adopter une réflexion plus interdisciplinaire, participative, anticipative et dynamique à des échelles plus larges. RESUMEN La Infraestructura Verde (IG) conecta el tejido urbano de una ciudad e inevitablemente está vinculada a cuestiones de justicia medioambiental. Esto es especialmente cierto en países como Sudáfrica, dado su legado histórico de colonialismo y apartheid, con profundas cicatrices y una fragmentación de personas y lugares. Las cuestiones de justicia en torno a la IG urbana son muchas, complejas e impredecibles. Incluyen el acceso disputado a los parques urbanos, distintas percepciones de la equidad y la propiedad de la vegetación urbana; y diferentes tipos de (in)seguridad y alienación. En esta revisión sistemática analizamos 72 publicaciones científicas que relacionan la GI urbana y la justicia ambiental en Sudáfrica. Utilizando el marco conceptual de la justicia medioambiental, estructuramos nuestro análisis en torno a las dimensiones comúnmente utilizadas de distribución, proceso y reconocimiento, con atención añadida a la gobernanza. Demostramos que la seguridad alimentaria, la equidad distributiva y el acceso físico a los espacios verdes urbanos dominan la bibliografía existente. Estos trabajos comparten líneas de investigación. Los estudios sobre justicia medioambiental y la ecología política son comparables, y nosotros demostramos que 1) hay margen para que la investigación sobre el acceso a la infraestructura verde adopte un enfoque más matizado y basado en los derechos, 2) podría ser valioso realizar más estudios con perspectivas ecológicas y climáticas/biofísicas más sólidas, y 3) la integración de diseños paisajísticos podría descubrir un potencial más procesable y transformador. Estas tres vías de investigación tienen en común la necesidad de adoptar un pensamiento más interdisciplinario, participativo, anticipatorio y dinámico en una gama más amplia de escalas.

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Psychosocial interventions for families caring for mental health care users : a nominal group technique

(Wiley, 2025-10) Mbedzi, Takalani Ellen; Van der Wath, Anna Elizabeth; Moagi, Miriam Mmamphamo

INTRODUCTION : In light of the rising global prevalence of mental illness and the need for deinstitutionalised care, families are required to provide community-based care to mental healthcare users. Family members need to be prepared and supported to undertake this role. AIM : The aim was to develop psychosocial interventions to ease the burden of family caregivers of mental healthcare users. METHOD : Using convenience sampling, 21 stakeholders were selected. The participants had at least 2 years' experience and/or expertise in the care of family members of mental healthcare users. During a workshop, a nominal group technique was used to collect data. The six steps of Braun and Clarke guided the data analysis. RESULTS : Three themes were identified, namely, interventions to provide mental health education, interventions to promote social support for families and interventions to ensure effective psychological support for families and mental healthcare users. DISCUSSION : The nominal group technique allowed healthcare and community stakeholders to become aware of their role in supporting family caregivers of mental healthcare users. Healthcare providers need to be empowered to use basic family counselling skills. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE : Implementation of the developed interventions might lead to a reduction in relapse rates and relieve the caregiver burden. SUMMARY What is known on the subject? ○ Deinstitutionalisation and community-based mental health care shifted the burden of care to family caregivers. ○ Family caregivers of mental healthcare users are prone to physical and psychological health problems. What does the paper add to existing knowledge? ○ Family members and mental healthcare users are not receiving adequate psychological and social support from their extended family members, healthcare professionals and the community at large. ○ Healthcare providers and community leaders developed psychological, educational and social interventions to address the psychosocial burden experienced by family caregivers in under-resourced areas. What are the implications for mental health nursing practice? ○ Family caregivers' psychological, educational and social challenges should be considered when designing psychosocial interventions. ○ Individual and family psychotherapy is recommended to facilitate family caregivers coping with their caregiving role. ○ Community leaders to be at the forefront in raising awareness campaigns about mental illness, to increase mental health literacy and reduce stigma and discrimination.

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Improving stakeholder harmonisation and policy development processes in the national system of innovation

(Wiley, 2025-05) Mbuyazi, Zodwa; Mazenda, Adrino; Mmakola, David; adrino.mazenda@up.ac.za

The governance of innovation is a major challenge within the broad discourse on the successful formulation and implementation of innovation policy. This study adopted a qualitative research approach and case study design to analyse the policy development processes and stakeholder harmonisation in the South African National System of Innovation (NSI). Interviews were conducted with 30 actors within the NSI. The study's findings about the NSI policy development are consistent with South Africa's approach to involving stakeholders in policy-making. However, a notable gap in broad-based participation was identified, indicating that policy development is not adequately filtered across the entire innovation landscape. This gap has led to a misunderstanding about responsibilities and NSI actors' contributions to the NSI, negatively affecting the harmonisation of actors' roles. The study recommends addressing fragmentation and improving integration and communication through information sharing, community engagement, consultations, local and international partnerships and advancing policy development approaches.