Jennifer Whittal

Education

• BSc in Surveying (University of Cape Town)
• MSc in Engineering (University of Cape Town)
• PhD in Engineering (University of Toronto)

Research interests

Theoretical research – cadastral systems in general Extension of theory developed in PhD work to application in cadastral systems in general.

Doctoral research was conducted in the field of Land Tenure and Cadastral Systems with a thesis entitled Fiscal Cadastral Reform: A Case Study of the GV2000 Project of the City of Cape Town. To guide policy and practice in complex situations, this research in the area of fiscal cadastral reform focuses on formulating an appropriate framework for reform, with CAMA as a primary element. This research identifies a suitable theoretical and methodological framework for fiscal cadastral systems reform. This framework is informed by theory which is tested in application on the case study of the GV2000 Project and thereafter inductively extended. The main contributions of the research are in the exploration of an appropriate philosophical paradigm for fiscal cadastral systems research, the application of social systems theory in the consideration of the processes of property valuation and taxation as sub-systems of a fiscal cadastral system, which in itself is part of a larger whole (the cadastral system), and in the development of a methodological framework for fiscal cadastral systems reform. The findings of this research are that critical realism is a suitable theoretical basis for research in fiscal cadastral systems, that a social systems approach facilitates a holistic investigating including both the natural and social aspects of the system, that a pluralist multimethodological approach accommodates both positivist and interpretivist approaches and facilitates the identification of a suite of suitable and complementary tools for research and analysis of cases of fiscal cadastral systems reform. A further research outcome is the inductive extension of what are understood to be “best practices” in property valuation and taxation to an integrated, social systems, strategic framework for reform of fiscal and other cadastral systems.

Juridical and integrated cadastral systems

• Urban Informal Settlements: Upgrading and flexible land tenure options: Land holding by the poor in the urban context is a particular issue requiring research and development of practical tools.
• Africa Centre for Cities (ACC): My involvement is in the specialist areas of land surveying, transfer and ownership processes, land tenure issues and options, and property valuation and taxation.
• Land Tenure and Sustainability: Informality in property registration and transfer – development of an integrated socio-technical process (tool) for reformalising the informal.
• Sea shore cadastral issues – reducing the uncertainty at the land-sea interface
• Land Restitution – tracking cases of land restitution with a view to informing method, structures and processes

Fiscal Cadastres – CAMA systems

• Computer assisted mass appraisal (CAMA) of land values has many advantages. Research in modelling the value of landed property and measuring performance of such systems is ongoing.