GGH2602 ASSIGNMENT 1 SEMESTER 1 2025 – FULLY ANSWERED

Description

GGH2602 Assignment 1 Semester 1 | Due 28 March 2025. All questions answered. Question 1
a) You are a community leader in Mqanduli, a rural village in the Eastern Cape. The
village’s economy is primarily based on subsistence farming and small-scale
cattle herding. Over the years, in response to population growth, more land has
been cleared for agriculture, leading to deforestation and soil erosion. The loss
of trees has made the area more vulnerable to drought, which has become more
frequent due to climate change. To cope, farmers have begun digging boreholes
and using river water for irrigation.
The expansion of farming and grazing land has also disrupted local ecosystems,
reducing the availability of traditional medicinal plants and affecting wildlife that
once thrived in the region. To improve access to markets, the local government
has built roads, but these have altered natural drainage patterns, sometimes
causing flooding in certain areas.
Basic services like schools, clinics, and shops are unevenly distributed – many
are clustered along the main roads, while remote households struggle to access
healthcare and education. The local municipality faces challenges in extending
electricity and water infrastructure to distant homesteads due to cost and
environmental barriers.
Based on the scenario above, how do human activities shape the natural
environment, and how does this interaction influence the spatial patterns of
service provision?
Question 2
a) Using a combination of absolute and relative location principles, propose an
ideal site for a new hospital in a chosen town or city. Consider factors such as
accessibility, transportation networks, population distribution, and
environmental constraints.
(8)
b) Support your argument with a sketch map to illustrate the significance of your
selected location.
Referencing:
Correct referencing (3)
[3 marks]
[TOTAL FOR PAPER: 25 MARKS]