A case study of the cost and causes of the Tongaat mall accident in Durban
- Authors: Van Eeden, Leonarda
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Construction industry -- Accidents -- South Africa -- Durban Construction industry -- Safety regulations -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal , Building sites -- Risk assessment
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45464 , vital:38619
- Description: The literature shows that building collapses occur due to either management or operational failure. This Dissertation presents the causes of building collapse linked to management and operational lapses. A case study research on the Tongaat mall collapse in November 2013 forms the basis for the research. Through data collection that entails content analysis of official inquiry into the collapse and subsequent semi-structured face-to-face interviews among the participants in the collapsed building, major failures were identified. Salient findings show that the regulatory functions on the building project were compromised, and the inability to ensure that the project fulfils all enforcement and compliance requirements significantly enhances the existence of a work environment that led to two fatalities and 29 injuries. This study corroborates past findings that have flagged implementation as the weak link of H&S management in terms of construction regulations in South Africa. In other words, the benefits of adequate policies on paper can only emerge through applications on construction sites.
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- Date Issued: 2017
A collaboratively constructed process model for understanding and supporting the work of the community volunteer in a community school
- Authors: Damons, Bruce Peter
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Volunteer workers in education -- South Africa Community schools -- South Africa , Volunteers -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15049 , vital:28116
- Description: This thesis sought to explore how community volunteers could be recruited, supported and sustained to assist a community school operating in difficult socioeconomic conditions in achieving basic school functionality. Through a collaborative process, the participants in the study attempted to address a significant gap in the literature, namely how this could be achieved in a way that would be beneficial both to the community volunteers and to the school itself. Based on existing literature, the vast majority of South African schools are struggling to reach the basic functionality levels required in terms of legislation. My interest in this topic was piqued while serving as principal of one such school; hence the focus in this thesis on whether schools would benefit in terms of achieving functionality if they partnered with the communities in which they are located. However, communities are seldom actively involved in the schools and school activities on an ongoing daily basis. In this thesis, I argue for an opportunity for schools and the community to collaborate in a way that would be mutually beneficial. In this, I was guided by the School-Based Complementary Learning Framework (SBCLF) in gaining a greater understanding of how multiple stakeholders could support a school to obtain basic functionality. A key stakeholder is the community in which a school is located, and the multidimensional framework provided a framework to understand why the community would want to get involved in the school. Following a Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR) design, I recruited 15 community volunteers from the existing pool at my then school; some of whom had been volunteering for over twelve years. We formed an action learning set where we collaboratively sought to understand the processes and conditions needed to recruit, support and sustain community volunteers and their involvement in the school. From this action learning set emerged a key advisors’ set, comprising five members of the action learning set, who were entrusted with the responsibility of planning, preparing and analysing the action learning set meetings. Transcripts and visual artefacts from the action learning set meetings and a focus group meeting of the school management team were analysed to generate data, complemented by secondary sources, such as documents. This participatory approach to data generation allowed the voice of every participant to be heard; agency was increased through active participation; and the sense of affiliation to the group was deepened. The iterative design of the research process further ensured that the participants also engaged in a critical discourse analysis of the emerging data, of which the trustworthiness was enhanced through the use of dialogic and process, catalytic, rhetoric, democratic and outcome validity. The emergence of the data through this collaborative engagement was underpinned by the ethical values of mutual respect; equality and inclusion; democratic participation; active learning; making a difference; collective action; and personal integrity. The findings revealed that community volunteers did add immense value to the school by supporting teaching and learning processes. However, the community volunteers also harboured expectations of material support and opportunities to develop skills. In addition, the study revealed that the hierarchical culture and structures present in most South African schools need to become more democratic and collaborative, with those working to make the school more functional, including community volunteers, being valued, acknowledged and supported. The participants also constructed their understanding of what a community school should be and do and how it should serve the interests of the children from the community. A process model was constructed from these findings regarding on ways to recruit, sustain and support community volunteers involved in community schools, specially designed so that schools could adapt it to suit individual contexts. This study is unique; I am not aware of any similar study ever having been conducted in a community school in South Africa. Furthermore, the collaborative approach used in the study helped ensure that the methodology used could be of value to principals and other school stakeholders in addressing the various complex challenges that confront schools in these contexts. Also, the findings will add to the theoretical body of knowledge around volunteerism, especially in difficult socioeconomic conditions.
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- Date Issued: 2017
A critical evaluation of inter-jurisdictional rules in the South African value-added tax system
- Authors: Schneider, Ferdinand Dirk
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7971 , vital:21329
- Description: This study analysed the current inter-jurisdictional rules in the South African Value-Added Tax (VAT) system, identified shortcomings, and proposed legislative amendments or additions to address these shortcomings. The research was conducted within an interpretative post positivism paradigm, applied a qualitative research methodology, and a doctrinal research method. A detailed review of the literature was conducted to establish the theoretical basis of a good tax system and the theory underpinning indirect and consumption taxation. The literature review also included an in-depth analysis of the South African VAT system and its treatment of resident and non-resident businesses with a South African physical or economic reach, and its treatment of local and cross-border transactions, including imported services. The literature review also considered the international VAT treatment of these transactions. To obtain a wider range of expert opinions regarding shortcomings in inter-jurisdictional rules in the South African VAT system, data was collected through structured interviews with South African and global VAT and indirect tax experts, using a questionnaire that was specifically designed for this purpose. This study proposed amendments and additions to the VAT Act, dealing with the VAT registration of non-resident suppliers; addressing various issues relating to the interjurisdictional VAT rate; proposing measures in connection with imported services; and legislating the intention of the legislator to tax final utilisation or consumption. The study finally recommended the introduction of a general place of supply rule linked to residency; specific place of supply rules for electronic, broadcasting, and telecommunication services; and zero rating provisions for electronic, broadcasting, and telecommunication services provided to non-resident suppliers by resident suppliers for services initiated outside South Africa.
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- Date Issued: 2017
A critical realist dialectical understanding of learning pathways associated with two scarce skill environmental occupations within a transitioning systems frame
- Authors: Ramsarup, Presha
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/5937 , vital:20992
- Description: Policy, environmental, social and economic factors are all driving South Africa's transition to sustainable development and a greener economy. Various policies have been developed to foster sustainable development in the post-apartheid era in South Africa (i.e. since 1994) and there are various projections on potential job creation for a green economy. However, there is a problem related to both the achievement of sustainable development and green economy objectives: South Africa is said to lack adequately qualified people to implement these goals resulting in what is termed 'scarce skills' in the environmental and sustainable development sector. This problem has, in turn, prompted various skills development studies in the environmental sector, including a national Environmental Sector Skills Plan produced in 2010. All these studies point to a reactive skills development system that provides inadequate learning pathways for existing and newly emerging green occupations, which provided the impetus for a more proactive, transformative praxis oriented system of skills development that supports environmental learning pathways in South Africa. A second problem is that the concept of 'learning pathway' is poorly defined in the South African environmental education and wider education and training policy context. This term is often used in policy discourse within the notion of 'seamless learning pathways' and is only vaguely defined. This study set out to investigate selected occupationally directed environmental learning pathways in the South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and green transitioning context. In attempting to characterise the nature of the environmental pathway, the study utilised critical realist metatheory which serves as an underlabourer for domain specific theory of transitioning societies and systems, life-course transitions and career development. This theoretical work allowed the characterisation of environmental learning pathways as educational and occupational progression. The study investigated the nature of learning and work transitions across the life- course of selected environmental professionals in two key occupational categories - environmental engineer and environmental scientist - both of which have been defined as scarce skills in South Africa. This enabled a nuanced examination of the formation of what emerged as 'boundaryless' career stories of professionals engaged in these two occupations. The study also sought to engage with a methodological problem in learning pathways research, notably that studies are generally framed either at the micro level career story, emphasising agency of individuals (voluntarism), or at the policy level, emphasising structural aspects of the skills development system (determinism). This study sought to bridge the macro-micro problem drawing on critical realist retroductive analysis; this facilitated the shift from a focus on events and experiences that can be empirically observed (captured in case study approaches) to the causal mechanisms influencing environmental learning pathways in these two scarce skill occupations (discussed and analysed using dialectical critical realism), shedding light on how systemic and structural dynamics and mechanisms shape and influence the emergence of learning pathways as experienced in scarce skill occupations in the environmental sector. The opening chapters of the thesis provide an historical view of how the South African education and training system, itself in a transitioning process, has had to grapple with how to respond to and meaningfully take up the new emerging environmental / sustainable development mandate, which is increasingly framed within a multi-levelled transitioning social-ecological system perspective in post-apartheid South Africa. These transitioning systems are shaped by substantive policy imperatives for societal transformation, social justice, sustainable development and equity. Since 1994, various transformations have been taking place, often in paradoxical forms, in both the environmental and educational sectors, shaping a complex multi-levelled transitioning systems perspective for the study. This background work on transitioning systems provides the foundation for the first data chapter, which provides a descriptive outline of key supply side systemic elements as these pertain to environmental learning pathways more broadly (qualifications; occupational framing; career systems; sector skills planning). It also points to the lack of adequate mechanisms for analysing demand for environmental occupations, and highlights some of the contradictions in the supply- demand relation as these pertain to newly emerging environmental occupations. This helps to explain the empirical findings of previous environmental sector studies on the slow and reactive defining of environmental education and training for environmental occupations within the transforming education and training system in South Africa. The next two chapters, using case-based qualitative data, present the analysis of the two scarce skill occupations investigated - environmental engineer and environmental scientist. These chapters outline the dominant institutional educational pathway and the key supply platforms that support these pathways (career guidance; qualifications, occupational framings, skills planning) and the learning and work transitions of professionals within the occupation. The chapters highlight the factors and causal mechanisms influencing these learning pathways and thus provide insight into the multi-level dynamics that underpin learning pathways. The final chapter uses dialectical critical realism to outline generative mechanisms influencing the construction of the learning pathways. It also highlights key absences that are shaping the emergence (or not) of environmental learning pathways, thus pointing to opportunities for how the NQF might respond to the two scarce skill occupations under study, and to the emergence of environmental learning pathways more broadly within the framework of society-in-transition. Through this, the study links the career stories as analysed within the framework of learning pathways and skills system transitioning literature, to generative mechanisms and system development elements. The study concludes with providing occupational and systemic insights into absences and disjunctures that characterise the emergence (or not) of occupationally oriented environmental learning pathways. It also provides insight into what leads to these absences, and how they are kept in place and suggests possibilities and openings for transformative praxis within a multi-levelled transitioning system framework. The study makes the following contributions: At a theoretical level, the study has shown that environmental learning pathways need to be viewed as a complex phenomenon that is emergent in open systems and constituted by dialectically interdependent planes. A deeper understanding of environmental learning pathways is driven by both educational and occupational progression. It utilises key contemporary ideas around learning and work transitions but links them to the broader analyses of transitioning societies influencing the environmental sector, indicating the significance of how environmental education and training system development is situated within the wider transitioning process oriented towards social-ecological sustainability, social justice and greener economies. This study has further identified green skills as an important focus in research work on transitioning societies. At a methodological level, the study has shown how macro-micro and laminated system research can be useful in studying transitioning systems. As a laminated systems study with a focus on transitioning societies, it provides a baseline for further systems study on green work and green skills. At a practical level, the study has made actual contributions to the conceptualisation of learning pathways in the South African NQF context, to building and informing future green skill developments in the South African post-school system, the environmental sector and to informing conceptualising in the emergent Green Skills project.
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- Date Issued: 2017
A development training support model for entrepreneurs in South Africa
- Authors: Ward, Graham Bernard
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Entrepreneurship -- South Africa , Entrepreneurship -- Training of -- South Africa new business enterprises -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13546 , vital:27221
- Description: Recent years have seen the decline of entrepreneurial activity in South Africa. This is especially concerning in that, officially, 27.7% of South Africans are unemployed. The unofficial unemployment figures are closer to 50%. The South African economy is battling to recover from the world economic crisis of 2009/10, putting pressure on government to alleviate growing unemployment and curtail social unrest. Furthermore, a South African economy which thrives on entrepreneurial activity will become more competitive from a global perspective. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the promotion and development of entrepreneurship in South Africa, in an effort to combat the problems listed above. In order to achieve this purpose, the objective was to develop and test a model which could be used in the development of entrepreneurs. The rationale is that, if the factors which affect entrepreneurship could be identified and tested, then recommendations could be made which could promote the development of entrepreneurs in South Africa. The approach was as follows: Perform a literature review which would cover both global and local (South African) approaches to developmental training for entrepreneurs; Develop a theoretical model comprising of identified factors which formed the base for the data collection; Develop a measuring instrument to test the relationships described in the theoretical model empirically; • Empirically test the proposed model and suggested hypotheses by means of sourcing data from entrepreneurs in South Africa and statistically analyse the sourced data; Formulate the final theoretical model to support the research objectives; and Propose recommendations based on the results of the statistical analysis. The focus of the literature study was on two main areas: trends in global developmental training, and South African initiatives to stimulate developmental training of entrepreneurs. The literature on global entrepreneurial development highlights two distinct categories for entrepreneurial development: 1) entrepreneurial education and 2) entrepreneurial training. The literature study concerning South African methodologies for developmental training for entrepreneurs, focused on current methods employed and highlighted areas on which improvements should be concentrated. From the literature study on both global and South African developmental training methods, ten independent variables (entrepreneurial culture; socio-emotional attributes; acquiring business skills; industry experience; opportunity identification; regulatory barriers; economic barriers; outside advice; formal training and informal training were identified as factors affecting entrepreneurial developmental training. All the variables were hypothesised as they were perceived to influence significantly the dependent variables: perceived global success as an entrepreneur and perceived individual success as an entrepreneur. These factors, clearly defined and operationalised, were structured in a questionnaire which was sent randomly to South African business owners. Data were collected from 332 respondents and subjected to various statistical analysis techniques. Firstly, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted to assess the discriminant validity of the research instrument. Secondly, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were calculated for each of the identified factors to confirm the reliability of the research instrument. The significance of the hypothesised relationships in the revised model were then tested by using the statistical technique known as Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) This study contributed to this specific field of knowledge.
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- Date Issued: 2017
A discourse analysis of the construction of gendered relationships in grade 10-12 Life Orientation textbooks in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Adams, Luvo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Sex instruction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Life skills -- Study and teaching (Secondary)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5532 , vital:29315
- Description: School-based sexuality education has been the subject of research in the social sciences and pedagogical spheres globally. In South Africa, growing interest among social scientists in the topic, were ignited by the introduction of sexuality education as a compulsory part of Life Orientation (LO) by the late 1990s. However, the implementation of LO has been problematic. Reviewed literature in the current study, reveals how the dominance of the heterosex discourse is foregrounded in LO content on gender and sexuality. The current study was aimed at examining the construction of gendered relationships in LO textbooks. The study sampled LO textbooks for Grades 10-12, learners in these grades are between the mean ages 16-18 years. This group is the target group, because they are legally afforded the right to consent to sexual activity with peers, within the same age bracket. Conducted from a social constructionist perspective, the current study employed qualitative methods of inquiry (textual analysis). Against the backdrop of heterosexuality as norm, it was the aim of the current study to understand the subject positions made available for female learners to construct themselves, within the discursive spaces in LO content. Findings suggest that two discourses namely: the heterosex discourse and the discourse of danger and disease, dominate in LO content on gender and sexuality. This leads to the construction of gendered relationships a s inherently heterosexual, leading to the marginalisation of relationships that fall outside of the norm. The female learner is positioned as a passive-victim, incapable of exercising sexual agency, while young men are positioned as inherently more powerful members of the intimate relationships or dangerous sexual predators. In the discourse of danger and disease, she is also positioned as a potential victim but the focus is on equipping her with skills, in a way which positioned her as an active-resistor in refusing sexual activity; and being in control of decision-making on issues of safety in relationships. The implications of these contradictions, is that they focus on the individual and disallow her taking up of sexual agency, and disregard the context in which she has to do so.
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- Date Issued: 2017
A perfect end: a study of syllable codas in South African Sign Language
- Authors: Köhlo, Mikhaela Demitria Katebe
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: South African Sign Language , South African Sign Language Phonology , Linguistics , Grammar, Comparative and general Syllable
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/36127 , vital:24492
- Description: Coda constraints are common in spoken languages. German, for example, can only have voiceless obstruents in the coda position (Lombardi 1999). Most sign language research has been on other sign languages, most notably American Sign Language (ASL). This research serves to contribute to syllable theory and has a methodology that allows for cross-linguistic research, strengthening the understanding of sign languages in general, and enhancing the description of SASL in particular. It is well known that syllables in spoken languages require a vowel nucleus to be well-formed. Sandler and Lillo-Martin (2006) provide evidence of sign languages requiring movement to be considered well-formed: even seemingly stationary signs such as WHO, which occurs at the chin, will have finger wiggling as some form of movement. It is thus natural to assume that movement is akin to vowels in syllable theory (Brentari 1998). Thus, locations are similar to consonants. However, the visual nature of sign allows for simultaneity - holds do not occur by themselves. Next to location, handshapes are phonetically complex features that may impact the constraints at coda position. To my knowledge, there is no formal research on the coda constraints of sign language syllables. The data examined here comes from a video dictionary of approximately 175 words. From this dictionary, a database of coded locations and handshapes are recorded for both the onset and the coda. From this, a consonant inventory is made and patterns are identified. Each source of data is analysed individually based on Brentari’s (1998) Prosodic Model. Patterns that are noticed are then looked at using Brentari’s (1998) framework to account for what phonological rules are dictating constraints. However, as a hearing researcher cannot claim native knowledge of a sign language, the conclusions drawn from the data will be tested using native SASL signers for negative judgement. The preliminary findings of the research suggest that there are constraints on the coda location and handshape of a sign and that this may be a result of the natural classes of handshape and location prohibiting certain onset-coda combinations. The onset and coda on monosyllabic signs mirror each other’s location, while the handshape cannot change in repeated and many monosyllabic signs. These constraints provide more understanding into the rich phonological nature of sign languages.
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- Date Issued: 2017
A review of the development and enactment of a radio programme on rainwater harvesting in expanding social learning interactions: a case of the Imvotho Bubomi Learning Network in the Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Lupele, Chisala
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Imvotho Bubomi Learning Network , Amanzi for Food , Radio in education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational broadcasting -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Radio stations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community radio -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Environmental education -- South Africa , Water conservation -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Rhodes University. Environmental Learning Research Centre
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/12991 , vital:21786
- Description: The use of radio and associated information and communications technologies (ICTs) has not been widely explored as a process of environmental education over the years. If environmental education is to involve many people, the use of radio and associated ICTs, particularly in community radio, needs to be researched because radio has multilayered functions. This study examines how practitioners in an agricultural Community of Practice (CoP), namely the Imvotho Bubomi Learning Network in the Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa developed a radio programme on rainwater harvesting for the promotion of food security. The study probes the expansion and social learning of the network and into the public sphere after broadcasts. The study draws on research data generated in the Amanzi for Food project which was funded by the Water Research Commission of South Africa and was led by the Rhodes University Environmental Learning Research Centre. Using interviews, radio programme transcripts and observations, the study found that through using their prior knowledge from a training of trainers’ course on rain water harvesting and drawing on everyday experience of rainwater harvesting the CoP members had an expansion in their mutual engagement, joint enterprise, diversity, shared repertoire and identity into a knowledge community. This learning process developed through a successive elaboration of social ecological and social articulations related to the expansive functioning of the CoP; and experience of the benefits of rainwater harvesting as radio programme listeners deliberated how the different practices related to their existing knowledge and experience. The study also found that these expansive processes of social learning occurred across the spectrum of smallholder farmers and homestead food growers in a stimulated radio listening focus group discussion. The study concludes that agriculture practitioners involved in education for sustainable development could expand their knowledge sharing platforms by giving more attention to community radio as a means of both involving participants and engaging learning communities in local environment and sustainability concerns.
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- Date Issued: 2017
A sociological analysis of the lives and livelihoods of child support grant caregivers in Queenstown, South Africa
- Authors: Ntantiso, Ziyanda
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7925 , vital:21325
- Description: The post-apartheid state in South Africa has initiated and implemented a large-scale social assistance programme in the form of social grants, including the child support grant. The grant system is meant to provide recipients, who comprise mainly people from poor black households, with the capacity to reduce levels of poverty in their households. The grant with the largest number of recipients is the child support grant, and it is given to the caregiver of a child eligible to receive the grant. Though the value of the monthly grant is minimal, the prevailing literature suggests that it does contribute in some way to enhancing the welfare of the recipients. This thesis focuses on child support grant recipients in the town of Queenstown in the Eastern Cape, and particularly those recipients for whom the grant is the crucial source of income. The main objective of the thesis is to understand and analyse the lives and livelihoods of child support grant recipients (all women) in Queenstown, South Africa. In this regard, the vast majority of caregivers of grant children are women and they often rely exclusively on the grant in taking care of themselves and the children. The thesis does not seek to determine any direct causal relationship between the child grant and poverty reduction, as much of the existing literature seeks to do. It focuses instead on the lives of the grant recipients, including the many challenges they face, as well as how they use the grant to pursue livelihoods in a manner which may at least inhibit the prospects of entering into deeper levels of poverty. The thesis demonstrates that, despite their deprived conditions of material existence, the female caregivers in Queenstown display significant agency in caring for their grant children.
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- Date Issued: 2017
A spiritual intelligence model for operational humanitarian leadership development in conflict-affected areas
- Authors: Els, Deon André
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Development leadership Conflict management , Peace-building Spiritual life
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15534 , vital:28267
- Description: The scale and cadence of crises that demand international humanitarian response are on the rise and pose increasingly hostile and complex challenges to operational humanitarian leaders. The international responses to humanitarian crises since 2011 recognised the need for successful humanitarian leadership development that emphasises the importance of ethical and effective leadership. The under-achievement of operational humanitarian leaders in conflict-affected areas has long been a chief concern amongst humanitarian organisations and leadership scholars. Several approaches to the development of operational humanitarian leaders have been presented as possible solutions such as establishing new financing mechanisms; improving technical abilities, academic knowledge, simulation training, conflict management skills; conflict prevention training; and enhancing the capacity for collaborative networks. Despite various efforts, it is reported that ineffective and incompetent leadership is still a major constraint on the success and effectiveness of operational humanitarian response in conflict-affected areas. This research effort attempted to contribute to improving operational humanitarian leadership by considering a “human or people-centred approach”. The primary objective was to identify the factors that influence the successful development of the spiritual intelligence (SQ) of humanitarian leaders working in conflict-affected areas. The primary objective was, therefore, to improve the abilities and skills of humanitarian leaders by validating and analysing factors that should contribute to the development of spiritually intelligent leaders and, subsequently, improve humanitarian leadership performance. There is growing consensus that values, ethical behaviour, self-awareness, motivation, compassion, humility, empathy, co-ordination and the empowerment of others have a significant impact on the effectiveness of operational humanitarian leadership which emphasises the need for human or people-centred approaches in developing humanitarian leaders. The striking similarities between abilities pertaining to effective, operational, humanitarian leadership and the capabilities of a spiritually intelligent individual suggested an opportunity to investigate the development of a spiritual intelligence model for humanitarian leaders. The frequency, duration and intensity of humanitarian crises between 2004 and 2016 further emphasised the urgent need for operational leaders to develop and apply abilities based on spiritual intelligence in the humanitarian sector. Some scholars argue that the development of spiritually intelligent leaders should play an instrumental role in successfully responding to global crises.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Abalone stock enhancement at Cape Recife, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
- Authors: Witte, Warren
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/45695 , vital:25532
- Description: The potential for restocking depleted natural reefs with hatchery abalone, Haliotis midae, to support a commercial ranching venture in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa was investigated. A baseline stock assessment and analysis of historical fishery data provided compelling evidence of significant declines in the abalone stock, attributed to uncontrolled illegal fishing over the last 20 years at the study site. A ranching pilot study was undertaken where small-scale replicated seeding experiments were set up which quantified the effect of seed size, density and habitat on survival and growth of hatchery-reared abalone. Thirty-six experimental plots were seeded with 8400 abalone spread evenly over two broad habitats. Mean retrievals of seeded abalone were 17% ranging from 4 - 42% after a minimum of eight months at large. Release density and large-scale habitat had no significant effect on seed survival, but smaller seed size (40.0 ±3.7mm shell length) achieved higher (F1, 22 = 4.64, p = 0.042) retrievals than larger seed size (53 ±3.7mm). Growth rates were an average of 30% higher in the shallow sites compared deeper sites (t1, 1091 = -2.79, p = 0.005). There was seasonal component in growth with a 0.55 ± 0.04 mm per month higher rate in summer than during winter (t1, 1091 = -12.45, p < 0.001). Abalone seed releases were also conducted on a larger scale, which focused on the economic potential for commercial-scale ranching. Over 160 sites were seeded with 1.4 million hatchery reared abalone or 30 metric tonnes. Seventeen sites underwent long-term monitoring of survival with repeated sampling events on sites over a period of up to 666 days. Nine of these sites were seeded with 140800 small abalone (29 – 40 mm), three sites with 25100 medium abalone (30 – 46 mm) and five sites with 14700 large abalone (60 – 84 mm). There was a significant difference in survival between the seed sizes (F4,6329 = 304.3, P < 0.001). The Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) calculation estimated the instantaneous apparent mortality rate for small, medium and large abalone at 1.19 yr-1 , -0.9 yr-1 and -0.67 yr-1 , which equated to a survival rate of 21%, 28% and 36% per year respectively. The weighted mortality rate calculated according to the seed size differential mortality and the number of seed released for those sizes was 1 yr-1 or 25% survival. In conjunction with a conservative somatic growth rate of 1.2mm.m-1 and plausible emigration rates, a range of biomass harvesting estimates were obtained. Movement and mortality were investigated using video analysis which showed that hatchery seed had the ability to move considerably once released onto natural reefs and confirmed that mortality immediately following releases was due to the heavy predation pressure as confirmed by shell collections. This project has demonstrated that potential exists for ranching in South Africa and highlights critical factors that need to be addressed if ranching is to be an economically viable operation.
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- Date Issued: 2017
An analysis of gender transformations in the sleeping beauty fairy tale
- Authors: Banks, Monique
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Fairy tales Gender identity in literature Children's stories--History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , English
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16346 , vital:40712
- Description: The fairy tale genre has an extremely complex, yet interesting history and development. Originally created and used for the entertainment of adults, these tales traditionally included a wide range of themes, characters and gender dynamics than more recent, modern tales. This is because the original tales spoke to and included themes, characters and gender roles evident in the societal structure and time period in which each was written. Thus, traditionally patriarchal, gender-unequal societies generated tales which embodied this patriarchy and inequality. As society developed and gender relationship dynamics changed, writers of fairy tales began to alter the traditional tales, as they no longer suited the society’s outlook on life and gender. In addition to this, as the original tales were remade, the dynamic views of the society in which each was recreated, was then reflected. Therefore, this study’s primary focus is to investigate the development of the fairy tale genre, specifically the Sleeping Beauty tale, over the years and analyse the changes of the tale, with regards to patriarchal traditions, character traits and gender relationships. Within this work, the original tales of Charles Perrault and the Grimm Brothers, as well as the Sleeping Beauty remakes of Anne Thackeray Ritchie, Angela Carter, Robert Coover and Neil Gaiman will be analysed through the lens of feminism. Thus, each tale will be examined for their characters’ traits and gender relationships, and how these traits and relationships support and continue patriarchy and gender inequality, or question, challenge and provide alternatives for this patriarchy and inequality. In addition, the historical context of each author will be investigated in order to determine how each tale fits into the social context in which it was written and published. To conclude, through studying each Sleeping Beauty remake, this study has highlighted an interesting movement in fairy tale literature. As tales are published in more recent times, so their characters become altered from the typical and patriarchally expected gender roles and character traits. More and more, writers are creating characters that challenge the ‘norm’ of patriarchy. Therefore, this shows that in more modern times, societies’ structures are becoming more diverse and accepting of alternatives to traditional gender roles. Importantly, there is a wide sector of fairy tale literature which has not yet been examined in this way. The traditional fairy tales and their remakes include a number of interesting points that, as this study has proved in its analysis of Sleeping Beauty, can have a major impact on the study of the fairy tale genre as well as highlight developments in social structure and feminist thought.
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- Date Issued: 2017
An analysis of teachers' experiences in using English as medium of instruction among grade 4 learners in Maluti district
- Authors: Rabelemane, Tsielo Aron
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching Language and languages -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8221 , vital:32058
- Description: The issue of medium of instruction has been a growing concern for most researchers, especially in contexts where English is used as medium of instruction at the expense of the learner’s mother tongue. In a South African context, the problem is being aggravated by the fact that English becomes a language of learning and teaching in Grade 4 whereas the learners’ medium of instruction in the lower grades has been their mother tongue and therefore did not have a firm grasp of the English language. Subsequently, there is a general outcry in South Africa that the shift from mother tongue to English as language of learning and teaching happens too early. The objectives in this thesis were to examine the experiences faced by Grade 4 teachers in using English as language of learning and teaching; to determine how these experiences impinge on learning and teaching in Grade 4 and to determine whether the teachers’ perceptions of English as the language of learning and teaching impinges on the success of the Grade 4 learners. The theoretical framework of this study is based on bilingualism and multilingualism theories. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used in the study. The study followed a survey design and both purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used. A sample of 100 teachers from 30 selected schools was chosen. The researcher collected data using individual interviews, questionnaires and observation. The qualitative data was analysed thematically whereas SPSS was used for the quantitative data. The findings of the study revealed that learners lacked confidence in expressing themselves in English in front of their peers and as a result the majority of learners did not participate in class when teachers were teaching in English. The results further showed that learners were passive due to poor understanding of the English language which sometimes resulted in communication breakdown between the teacher and the learner. The researcher recommended that the Government should provide the teachers with workshops that will unpack the strategies of teaching Grade 4 learners in using English as a medium of instruction.
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- Date Issued: 2017
An analysis of the characterisation and transformation of the evil queen as depicted through traditional folklore narrative in comparison to contemporary television storytelling
- Authors: Le Clue,Natalie
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Storytelling in literature Folk literature-- History and criticism Digital Storytelling
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44493 , vital:37851
- Description: In 1812 The Brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published a recorded folklore narrative of a young princess named Snow White and her evil stepmother, the queen.Through the decades and centuries that followed this first introduction the character of the Evil Queen has been portrayed and presented in a plethora of narrative structures and media. This paper has sought to analyse the characterization and transformation of Snow White’s Evil Queen as she has been depicted from traditional folklore narrative through to contemporary television storytelling. Following an in-depth literature review that sought to establish the origin of folklore, the first presentations of the Evil Queen character, a motif of the character, and the fan’s perception of the character in contemporary form, the findings of the paper were established through a detailed content analysis of character. It is evident that the modes of storytelling have evolved and changed significantly through time since Propp introduced character theory. However, the contemporary fairy tale character and narrative has not yet completely redefined his theory. Instead it has restructured and modernized the theory and made it more relevant to the 21st century method of television storytelling.
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- Date Issued: 2017
An appraisal of the role of the universities in city development : a case study of the University of Fort Hare in East London, South Africa
- Authors: Sibanda, Sipho
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Community and college -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Community development, Urban -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape City planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5499 , vital:29283
- Description: The role of universities in contributing to the development of their host cities is a subject of ongoing scholarly debate. This is because the contemporary complex and competitive economic and technological global environment requires rapid adaptation to shifting opportunities and constraints in a global knowledge economy. Higher education has thus become an engine of development for cities and nations in the developing world. In line with this global trend, the South African government has thus mandated higher education institutions to play a more active role in addressing the development needs of the country. Within this context, this study therefore embarked on an appraisal of the University of Fort Hare’s (UFH) contribution to the development of its host city, East London in South Africa. The study employed a qualitative approach and used semi structured interviews as a primary data collection tool. The sampling technique was purposive sampling as the study targeted key respondents that had rich information about their departments and organisations. The study found that the university interacts with the city on a number of platforms and advisory boards established by some university departments. The main contribution was realised through relevant research carried out by academics in different departments within the city which informs developmental policy for the local government and contributes positively to the private sector. The University of Fort Hare also serves as a major labour supplier for both the public and private sector. The study however established that UFH is not producing technical graduates which are a critical skill in the private sector, specifically in the automotive industry which is the back bone of the city. This skills gap presents an opportunity for the university to expand its programmes so as to address the needs of private industry. In terms of policy, the study recommends the need for a convener or an intermediary to champion collaboration of the university with the city and the private sector.
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- Date Issued: 2017
An assessment of the implementation of human resource planning and development and its effect on service delivery in the ministry of health and social welfare in Tanzania
- Authors: Rwiza, Edith
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Personnel management--Tanzania Civil service--Tanzania Public health--Tanzania
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Public Administration
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11861 , vital:39113
- Description: Public health is a major concern to a number of countries, due to its ripple impact in the economy. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that contribute to the implementation of HRP and D in the Tanzanian health sector. To achieve this, 22 respondents from the Ministry Secretariat and Directors were interviewed, and 355 questionnaires were administered to beneficiaries of the HRP and D. A mixed method approach was utilised to analyse the data collected from the respondents. The findings of the study pointed that males dominated the sample, with the majority holding postgraduate qualification. In terms of the implementation of the HRP, 49 percent of the respondents stated that it was satisfactory. While, in terms of capacity, 67 percent were of the view that there is a shortage of skilled staff. The challenges identified include inequality in the allocation of staff, lack of skills, knowledge and experience, and oversupply of staff in certain regions. Strategies proposed for enhancing the application of HRP and D include an overhaul in the organisation structure, solving staff welfare issues, ethics and values improvement, and management of staff. The study recommends that the government should allocate adequate budget to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to implement Human Resource Planning and Human Resource Development in all levels of the sector as directed by President’s Office, and the Public Service Management (PO-PSM). The study also recommends on the improvement of the Human Capital Management Information System (HCMIS) to assess health workers movement. Lastly, the study recommends that there should be good coordination, cooperation, and clear lines of authority between stakeholders of health system in supervision and regulation in the implementation of HRP and HRD plans.
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- Date Issued: 2017
An energy, water and disease disaster management module: a technoeconomic feasibility analysis
- Authors: Nicholson, Thomas J
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSC
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65167 , vital:28700
- Description: Intermittent energy and water supply are current challenges faced by many residents in South Africa. South Africa is one of the more water scarce countries in the world; this coupled with the lack of infrastructure makes it challenging to provide every citizen with their right to basic water and sanitation. With millennium development goal 7C not being addressed in many areas, residents experience sub-standard living conditions, which drastically increases the vulnerability of marginalised groups to epidemics. In the sustainable development goals improving sanitation and drinking water has been identified as one of the most effective and least expensive means of reducing fatalities and increasing public health. There is a need for a mobile laboratory that demonstrates power and water self-sufficiency, which is capable of on-site diagnosis and water treatment. The unit will have the ability to perform independent compliance monitoring of municipal water supply, treat inadequate water and provide surplus electricity to surrounding areas. A literature-based study was performed utilizing several scientific databases to identify current methods of power and water production in previous disaster management and humanitarian relief situations. Based on findings three example laboratories were theoretically designed; structural modelling, systems simulation and optimization and sensitivity analyses were performed with HOMER Pro, PackVol and SketchUp. A cost benefit analysis was performed with the social return on investment methodology. Novel human waste processing was performed with fly ash and simulated faeces. Bacterial species identification in ice samples was performed with the API 20E protocol and limited equipment as a proof of concept for field deployment. A hybrid system consisting of PV panels, a wind turbine and biomass generator showed promise for displaced humanitarian relief camps; with every 1 ZAR capital invested resulting in 3.13 ZAR social benefit. A system consisting of PV panels and a battery bank proved to have the least environmental impact and the grid supply laboratory showed a cheaper cost of energy alternative for needs provision. Fly ash showed potential as in nutrient recovery and as a fertility aid to soil. The units developed function as a means to increase disaster preparedness and humanitarian relief as well a means to improve quality of life for rural marginalize populations.
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- Date Issued: 2017
An evaluation of the problems of equivalence and non-equivalence in the Intermediate Phase (IP) IsiXhosa home language workbooks of the Department of Basic Education
- Authors: Styoshwana, Ntombenani
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Xhosa language -- Study and teaching Xhosa language -- Readers , Xhosa language -- Education (Primary) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14356 , vital:27574
- Description: Language plays an important part in our lives and the effects of language are remarkable and include much of what people believe. This study is about language and seeks to evaluate the extent of the problems of equivalence and non-equivalence in the texts translated from English into IsiXhosa by identifying those problems in the translated text. Translators strive to carry the meaning across from one language to another, as much as they can. Sometimes a translation shows non-equivalence and therefore the meaning gets lost. There are a number of reasons why this occurs. This study will examine some of them and propose solutions to address them.
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- Date Issued: 2017
An Expanded Methodological View on Learning Pathways as Educational and Occupational Progression: A ‘Laminated Systems’ Perspective
- Authors: Ramsarup, Preesha , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , bulletin
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/436344 , vital:73262 , ISBN bulletin , https://www.saqa.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SAQA-Bulletin-2017-1.pdf#page=37
- Description: As shown across the collection of papers in this Bulletin, the central ques-tion that the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)-Rhodes Uni-versity research programme tried to explore was to understand the na-ture of environmental learning pathways and the systemic and agentive factors that shape their emergence. This was based on an emerging un-derstanding of the demand for environment and sustainable development occupations and greening of existing occupations (see Introduction, and Papers 1 and 7 in this Bulletin; Department of Environmental Affairs [DEA], 2010; International Labour Organisation [ILO], 2010; Rosenberg et al 2016).
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- Date Issued: 2017
An explorative study of the current practises of greenwashing in social media
- Authors: Struwig, Zaskia
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Social media -- Marketing , Green marketing Social networks -- Computer network resources Consumer behavior -- environmental aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13658 , vital:27262
- Description: The first section of this paper looks specifically at the concept of greenwashing from a theoretical perspective. It aims to establish exactly what greenwashing is, what it involves and how it has been used. The second section incorporates both the first section of this paper, and delves deeper into how greenwashing has been present in social media. The third section of this paper is a case study. This section has been broken down into three categories of industries in consideration of greenwashing practises. The first is ‘The Obvious’ - this looks at the obvious examples of industries that use greenwashing practises. ‘The Overlooked’ looks at the industries which are often disregarded in terms of greenwashing practises. The last is ‘The Unexpected’ which looks into the industries that focus on supporting the environment and would not commonly be associated with any form of greenwashing practises at all. This case study aims to identify how the selected companies chosen for the study have been associated with greenwashing in the past, and how their current social presence may still be contributing to greenwashed advertising. As the concept of greenwashing is based on a theory developed around two decades ago and mostly consisted of very direct claims and statements using traditional advertising mediums such as billboards and magazine adverts, and considering the amount of well-known corporations who were proven guilty of such greenwashing practises, it would be ignorant to consider that such practises have simply subsided and ceased to occur. Corporations are aware of being called-out with negative press, especially with regards to issues such as false environmental practises, therefore as the advertising industry has changed with time, wouldn’t such greenwashing practises have adapted as well? Corporations in the past have learnt that direct greenwash statements have backfired negatively, therefore in collaboration with the use of social media, the prospect of using subtle, or even subconscious greenwash strategies seem to create an issue which requires investigation.
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- Date Issued: 2017