Integrated water and economic modelling of the impacts of water market instruments on the South African economy

A static computable general equilibrium model of South Africa is adapted to compare new taxes on water demand by two industries, namely forestry, and irrigated field crops. Comparisons are made with respect to both the short and the long run, in terms of three target variables, namely (i) the environment; (ii) the economy; and (iii) equity. Since the taxes on the two industries do not raise the same amount of revenue, the target variables are calculated per unit of real government revenue raised by the new taxes (also referred to as the marginal excess burdens of the taxes). The model results are robust for moderate values of the water elasticity of demand in the two industries, in both the long and the short run. The tax on irrigated field crops performs better in terms of all three the target variables in the short run. In the long run the tax on irrigated filed crops is better in terms of water saving, but reduces real GDP and the consumption by poor households.     

Uncovering learning outcomes: explicating obscurity in learning of aesthetics in design and technology education

Education and training interventions can be evaluated through the success of learning outcomes. Kirkpatrick's four-level model is a widely accepted and highly popular evaluation tool. However, some criticise the model's shortcomings. This article will examine the extent to which the four-level model can evaluate design and technology students' learning about aesthetics after an intervention by reporting our use of an augmented version of the four-level model. We examine the results in terms of students' reaction to the intervention, their long-term learning and their behaviour changes by studying their visual analyses and drawings through segment codes. We found that, in order to uncover the obscurities imbedded in aesthetics and to explicate the complexities, we could not use the four-level-model on its own, but had to revert to a more augmented version.

A categorisation and evaluation of rhino management policies

Rhino populations are at a critical level and new approaches are needed to ensure their survival. This study conducts a review and categorisation of policies for the management of rhinos. Twenty-seven policies are identified and classified into in-situ (reserve-based) and ex-situ (market-based) policies. The policies are then evaluated based on four target areas: poachers/hunters, consumers, intermediaries and the game reserves themselves. The study finds that protected area management policies seem most beneficial in the short run, in particular the enforcement of private property rights over resource utilisation, as well as the establishment of wildlife sanctuaries that act as sustainable breeding grounds for rhino populations.     

A NOTE ON THE TRIMMED MEAN MEASURE OF CORE INFLATION IN SOUTH AFRICA

This paper constructs and analyses the properties of a trimmed mean inflation rate for South Africa. Based on an analysis of the distributions of the consumer price index component price changes, a measure is constructed that provides an estimator of core inflation, which may be particularly useful to policymakers in an inflation‐targeting environment. The trimmed mean estimator focuses on the price movements of individual components that have a strong bearing on the current and future trend of the headline inflation rate, allowing monetary policy to be directed at the persistent or underlying sources of inflationary pressures.