GGH2602 Assignment 1 Semester 1 Memo | Due 28 March 2025

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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]