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Evaluating the need for an Employee Performance Management System in the Eastern Cape Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (2012)

  • Authors: Mthembu, Bhekisisa Jacob
  • Date: 2013
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
  • Identifier: vital:11686 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1013579
  • Description: Local government is the most important sphere of government, given the fact that, it is the closest to the people. It always experiences the service delivery protest by the community residents it serves. This is often due to unfulfilled promises concerning the delivery of services. Often the annual performance results are also unsatisfactory as compared to the agreed upon service delivery agreements. National treasury as a distributor of funding to Municipalities often has to request the return of the unused funds at the end of the financial year period. This is the results of poor managing and planning for the resources at the disposal of the Municipalities. There has been a number of transformational processes over the past few years in the manner that municipalities are being managed and run on a day today basis. This research is focused on the system enhancement for Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality which is situated in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, in particular, has in the 2011 Local government election acquired a metropolitan status, which requires another transformationprocess in the manner it is being managed. At the same time this automatically raises the bar on the service delivery mode and expectations by the communities. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, act 108 of 1996 states how Municipalities are to render services to the communities. And therefore pieces of egislation serves as a guide for the processes and systems in the municipalities at large. This research examined the need for an employee performance management system in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality for the 2012 period. In the review of the literature, there was a number of analysis of issues such as organisation culture which plays an important role in the system implementation and success. And it became evident that, there can be no success of any system in an organisation without the thorough evaluation of the organisational culture. The data was sourced through close ended questionnaires which were distributed to 51 respondents that were identified. These were five Directors, five General Managers, 10 Programme Managers from across the institution, 30 staff members from across all directorates and one portfolio councillor from Corporate service directorate.Each respondent was given a period of one week to respond to the questionnaires. The research provides suggested solutions to the current problems in Municipalities in terms of employee performance management within the organisation. The recommendations provided are not conclusive as the circumstances cannot be the same from one municipality to the other. In order to ensure their sustainability within Local Government, there is need for an employee performance management system to evaluate the performance of all the employees. The research findings identified the leadership role in ensuring the introduction and successful implementation of the employee performance management system, in order to address the service delivery challenges faced by the municipalities.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evaluating the training and supply of artisans in the South African construction industry

  • Authors: Anugwo, Iruka Chijindu
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Skilled labor -- South Africa , Skilled labor -- Training -- South Africa , Artisans -- South Africa , Construction industry -- Employees --Training of -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:9672 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020042
  • Description: The study focused on identifying ways in which to improve and increase the quality of training and supply of skilled artisans in the South African construction industry (especially in Gauteng Province) in terms of short and medium term approach. The construction industry is facing a severe skills crisis and this has made it so difficult to recruit competent artisans. This may be as a result of artisans being regarded as the lowest in the hierarchy of construction worker positions. In addition, these artisans warrant less training than those at executive- and managerial levels. This negative attitude towards artisans training has plunged the industry into crisis. Those involved find it difficult to successfully complete projects on time, within budgeted project costs and within the required quality specification due to lack of competent artisans. However, serious attention is required towards enhancing artisan training in the industry. It is imperative and vital to ensure the survival of the industry. The cardinal aim of this research project was to demonstrate a guiding solution towards the skills crisis. Thus, in order to initiate a tremendous change in the skills profile, certain measures are required, e.g. expanding training institutions to local regions; upgrading and aligning facilities in the training institutions to industrial demands and the dissemination of vital information that will ensure the attractiveness of the industry. This will safeguard the construction organisations operating in Gauteng Province. Although the industry is a major player in the economy, there is need for special attention in order to ensure sustainable growth and economic development. The Government, construction industry stakeholders and training institutions personnel should collaborate to salvage the skills crisis by strategically developing programmes (in accordance with industrial requirements) that will benefit prospective learners. The researcher adopted the descriptive- and analytical survey method, which entailed the use of questionnaires and a review of the related literature for gathering relevant data. The methodology used in the research was the quantitative data analysis. The feature findings of the research concluded that the skilled artisans profile is insufficient to meet industry demands. In addition, training institutions and primary- and secondary educational systems are characterized by ninadequacy and incompetency to produce skilled artisans. The situation is exacerbated by the lack of harmonization between the training institutions and the vindustry’s requirements. Furthermore, the majority of the respondents acknowledged that training of their workers is an important aspect to them, but few of these organisations indicated that they make use of formal training institutions such as FET colleges. The recommendation include that all the stakeholders in the construction industry should form collaborations to strategically develop programmes that would upgrade the existing training institutions. This could be done through provision of adequate funds and resources and the dissemination of vital information that is capable to promote the attractiveness of the industry image.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evaluation and identification of critical success factors in the running of successful food security projects within the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, in the Amahlhathi local municipality

  • Authors: Tali, Patrick
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Project management -- South Africa -- Stutterheim , Food security -- South Africa -- Stutterheim , Food supply -- South Africa -- Stutterheim
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:836 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013346
  • Description: The challenges of food insecurity and the manner in which it can be addressed is a global concern. Governments throughout the world have strived for means to address global food security either through development of Millennium Development Goals or United Nations protocols. It is a major concern that the South African Government has made it its centre focus to address the challenge of food security. In the Eastern Cape, the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform has embarked on numerous food production programmes in an attempt to address this challenge. It is however noticeable that these attempts somehow did not manage to address their intended purpose. A study of literature with the aim of identifying critical success factors was done. The critical success factors identified and explored were, project management, establishing a clear mission and project objectives, addressing challenges and opportunities of social, environmental and economical sustainability, addressing physiological needs of the beneficiaries, involving the youth and community, role of extension services, training and capacity development, create local partnership and on-going monitoring and evaluation. The factors were then explored through a study of projects from the food production programme in Amahlathi Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province. A multiple case study wherein a purposive selection of four food security projects selected from two food security programmes was conducted. A structured questionnaire was used to source the information from all members of the selected projects to evaluate the existence of the critical factors. The main aim was to test whether these factors, if they existed in these projects, contributed to their existence. The findings reveal that none of the identified factors existed in the selected projects and though not proven, the non-existence of these factors has resulted in these projects being in survival mode instead of a sustainable state. A recommendation is made of a further study focusing on a bigger sample wherein these factors could be tested. The study could assist in developing a formal model for the running of these projects successfully.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evaluation of debt management policy implementation towards revenue management in government leased properties

  • Authors: Mzekwa-Khiva, Nomonde Lindelani
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Monetary policy , Debts, Public -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Financial crises -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Debts, Public
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:8880 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020633
  • Description: The study sought to evaluate debt management policy implementation towards revenue management in government leased properties of the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury at the Transkei Development and Reserve Fund. Secondly, the study aimed at developing a tool for assisting policy-makers and officials involved in debt management and revenue collection. In order to address the research problem, a case study involving randomly selected 27 employees from the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury and housing ward committee members was adopted. Self-administered questionnaires and interviews were the two data collection techniques utilised. All participants were involved in the study during tea and lunch breaks at the workplace; this constituted the employees’ natural environment. Both quantitative and qualitative designs were utilised in analysing data. Descriptive statistical analysis using excel was utilised to summarise the responses, analyse the demographic profiles of participants and their responses. The results were thus presented in the form of bar charts. Responses which could not be analysed using statistics were analysed qualitatively thus the advantages inherent in the two approaches were exploited. The evidence from the study suggests that government operational employees are aware of their roles and responsibilities as they relate to debt management and debt collection policy. The development of debt management policy promotes rental collection, improve property profitability and ensure the maintenance is in place to improve attractiveness of the government properties.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evaluation of employment opportunities for people with disabilities in Joe Gqabi District of the Eastern Cape

  • Authors: Giwu, Pumeza
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: People with disabilities -- Employment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , People with disabilities -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Discrimination against people with disabilities
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:9122 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016224
  • Description: Even though the post-apartheid democratic government introduced a “social model” approach to address disability, there is still low employment rate of People with Disabilities. Government has enacted different legislation aimed at the inclusion of people with disabilities into the mainstream of society; however, the majority of people with disabilities are unemployed and often denied employment opportunities. The study seeks to evaluate employment of people with disabilities, identify challenges facing the government departments and local municipalities in employing people with disabilities, and to determine what measures can be taken to improve the employment of this group. A purposive sampling was used to select the government departments and the municipalities. A total of seven organisations, participated in the study consisting of four government departments and three local municipalities of the Joe Gabi District. During the interviews, a semi-structured interview guide was used to generate in-depth interpretation from the participants. The data was then analysed using quantitative methods such as graphs and tables and qualitative methods such as data coding through Tech's (1990) framework as described in (Creswell, 2003). The findings of the research revealed that government departments and municipalities still experience challenges in recruiting and providing employment opportunities to people with disabilities. There are a number of factors perceived by participants as challenges to low recruitment and employment of people with disabilities. These include: A lack of clear internal policies and guidelines at district levels of the government departments; Tendency by the government departments and municipalities to use the Employment Equity Plans only as a tool for compliance with legislation; A lack of effective recruitment strategies especially for people with disabilities. The participants also suggested a number of ways to improve employment and recruitment of people with disabilities, which include partnering with relevant organisations that could help in providing work-seekers who are persons with disability, developing effective internal recruitment strategies, HR managers to be trained in disability management and all relevant legislation and finally departments to fund posts specifically for people with disabilities.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evaluation of eucalyptus citriodora derived p-menthane-3,8-diol-citronellal acetal as a bio-plasticizer for cosmetic application

  • Authors: Burger, Kirstin
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Plasticizers , Eucalyptus citriodora
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:10420 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1014080
  • Description: Plasticizers are generally added to cosmetic and personal care products to improve the filmforming abilities of the product and increase flexibility of the film formed on the skin or hair surface. For example, plasticizers are present in perfumes to prolong the release of the specific scent, which is the ultimate goal in a good quality perfume. Plasticizers in nail varnishes prevent chipping, improve the aesthetics by adhering to the keratin in the nail which means the coating stays on for much longer, which is the ultimate goal in nail products. Plasticizers improve the gloss, resist chipping and allow quick drying time. Therefore it can be seen that plasticizers play a vital role in personal care products like perfumes and nail varnishes. Certain plasticizers e.g. phthalates, can cause problems associated with human health and can harm the environment. They are easily available and large volumes can be obtained at a low cost. These phthalates, for example, di-butyl phthalate (DBP) have been identified as carcinogenic. Nowadays the occurrence of cancer is rapidly increasing. The plasticizers present in a large number of consumer and personal care products, can possibly be linked to the ever increasing reports of cancer. Therefore a substitute to the traditional phthalate plasticizers must be investigated. The aim of this research is to produce a plasticizer derived from naturally occurring Eucalyptus oil, which can be used to replace the existing plasticizers in cosmetic formulations. Para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), occurring naturally in the oil from the tree, Eucalyptus citriodora, forms an acetal with citronellal (PMD, acetal, citronellal all occur naturally in the oil). It has been previously shown that PMD-citronellal acetal will exhibit plasticizing properties similar to conventional plasticizers. The objective was to enhance the formation of the acetal in the Eucalyptus oil by reacting it with excess PMD. An effective synthesis method for the PMD-citronellal acetal enriched oil (~73.8 percent) was determined from optimization experiments. The physical characterisation of the PMD-citronellal acetal enriched oil was done and compared with that of DBP. The acetal-enriched oil had a lower density, slightly higher solubility in water (at 25°C), lower refractive index (Brix percent) and a higher boiling point (350°C) than DBP. The physical characteristics of the Eucalyptus oil source and the acetal-enriched Eucalyptus oil were very similar. This can be expected as the Eucalyptus oil consists of ~84.3 percent Citronellal, ~ 1.3 percent PMD and 2.7 percent PMD-citronellal acetal. In this study the effectiveness of the acetal-enriched Eucalyptus oil (referred to from now on as the bio-plasticizer) was compared to a conventional plasticizer such as di-butyl phthalate (DBP), commonly used in cosmetic products. Two cosmetic formulations were produced: a nail varnish and a perfume formulation. Various tests were performed on these formulations to investigate the plasticizing properties of the bio-plasticizer. The objectives were to determine if the natural plasticizer is as effective as the potentially carcinogenic phthalate plasticizers and can be used as a substitute for the phthalates in personal care products. The results indicate that the bio-plasticizer does behave similarly to di-butyl phthalate, however, the effectiveness of the bio-plasticizer is lower than that of di-butyl phthalate. As the viscosity of the synthesized oil was high, this affected the overall consistency of the products. A more viscous nail varnish and perfume was produced in comparison to the DBP counterpart. The stability of the bio-plasticizer in the cosmetic formulations of nail varnish and perfume was also investigated. The cosmetic products were incubated at 0°C, 25°C and 40°C over a period of two months. Any changes in colour, odour, pH, refractive index, separation and plasticizer peak change in the gas chromatogram trace were recorded. It was determined that the PMD-citronellal acetal-enriched oil was relatively unstable under elevated temperatures and light intensity. Storage under higher temperatures (40°C) tends to increase the acidity. Therefore the bio-plasticizer must be placed in a closed, covered bottle and stored in an environment away from light and elevated temperatures. According to the gas chromatogram peaks, it was clear that both the bio-plasticizer and the DBP were more unstable in the perfume formulation than in the nail polish and were especially sensitive to light when in the perfume. This could possibly be due to the interaction with the fragrance molecule, p-anisaldehyde.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evaluation of plant extracts : artemisia afra and annona muricata for inhibitory activities against mycobacterium tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus

  • Authors: Pruissen, Megan Colleen
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Plant extracts , Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Tuberculosis -- Alternative treatment -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:10341 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019845
  • Description: Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) have a high prevalence in South Africa. The development and spread of drug resistant tuberculosis is a serious problem which is exacerbated by tuberculosis (TB) co-infection in HIV patients. Traditional medicinal plants like Annona muricata and Artemisia afra are used for respiratory ailments and antiviral therapies respectively. The aim of this study was to evaluate Annona muricata (ethanolic extract) and Artemisia afra (ethanolic and aqueous extracts) for inhibitory activities against M. tuberculosis and HIV. In vitro bioassays for anti-TB activity included: microplate alamar blue assay (MABA), flow cytometry and ρ-iodonitrotetrazolium chloride assays while anti-HIV activity was determined using an HIV-1 reverse transcriptase colorimetric ELISA kit and an HIV-1 integrase colorimetric immunoassay. Cytotoxicity of plant extracts were assessed by the MTT assay on Chang Liver and HepG2 cells. Potential synergistic effects were determined using the basis of Combination Index. Potential interactions of plant extracts with drug metabolic pathways were evaluated with the Glutathione-S-Transferase assay kit as well as the CYP3A4 assay kit. A. muricata ethanolic extract exhibited anti-TB activity with MIC 125 μg/mL. MABA was shown to be the most sensitive and effective method for the detection of anti-TB activity. Artemisia afra aqueous extract showed HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibition exhibiting ˃85 percent inhibition at 1 mg/mL while the ethanolic extracts of A. afra and A. muricata showed inhibition of HIV-1 integrase activity at ˃86.8 percent and ˃88.54 percent respectively at concentrations >0.5 - 4 mg/mL. The aqueous extract of A. afra displayed inhibition of HIV-1 integrase ˃52.16 percent at 0.5 mg/mL increasing to 72.89 percent at 4 mg/ml of the extract. A. muricata was cytotoxic at an IC50 of 30 μg/mL and 77 μg/mL on Chang Liver and HepG2 cells respectively, whilst A. afra aqueous and ethanol extracts were not cytotoxic to both cell lines. The ethanolic extract of A. muricata showed both antagonistic and synergistic properties at various IC values, when used in conjunction with rifampicin. A. afra ethanolic extract interrupted GST activity while aqueous extracts of A. afra and A. muricata had a slight effect. All extracts interrupted CYP3A4 activity, however the ethanolic extracts of A. muricata and A. afra showed greater inhibition than the aqueous extract of A. afra. These extracts should be investigated further as they could be an important source of compounds for treatment of M. tuberculosis and HIV respectively.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evaluation of range condition, soil properties, seed banks and farmer's perceptions in Peddie communal rangeland of the Eastern Cape, South Africa

  • Authors: Mndela, Mthunzi
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Rangelands -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land degradation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Forage , Range management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nguni cattle -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soil seed banks -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Ethnoscience -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Pasture Science)
  • Identifier: vital:11583 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1013153 , Rangelands -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land degradation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Forage , Range management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nguni cattle -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soil seed banks -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Ethnoscience -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Description: South African rangelands in combination with their surrounding homesteads occupy 13% of the entire land surface in South Africa. These rangelands are a source of forage for communal livestock. The rangelands in communal tenure system are degraded due to high human population and livestock numbers. The rangeland of Peddie was never evaluated since the introduction of Nguni Cattle Empowerment Project. Therefore, socio-ecological evaluation was conducted in order to interlink farmer‟s perceptions and scientific data to recommend appropriate rangeland management and restoration programme. Two structured questionnaires consisting of close and open ended questions were used to investigate farmer‟s perceptions on rangeland condition, dynamics, and their causes. Sixty households were randomly selected on the bases of livestock ownership and the membership in Nguni Cattle Project. In each household, any respondent of 20 years or greater, and a key informant of age greater than 40 years were selected. For scientific assessment of range condition, three homogenous vegetation units namely grassland, scattered and dense bushland were demarcated into four 100m x 50m replicates. In each replicate, two 100m transects were laid parallel to each other with 30m equidistant apart. The step point and harvesting method along each transect were employed for herbaceous species composition and biomass production. The point-to-tuft distance was also determined as a proxy for basal cover. Woody density, species composition and tree equivalents were determined in 200m2 belt transects in each HVU replicates. The germination method for soil seed bank evaluation was also employed to find plant species composition and density. The soil nutrients (OC, N, P, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu and Mn) and pH were analysed through solution preparation and observation under photospectrometer to determine functional capacity of the soil of Peddie rangeland. The farmer‟s perceptions comprised of 63% females and 37% males (n = 120) with a mean household of 8 people, 5 adults and 3 children. It was perceived by 93.3% respondents that the rangeland of Peddie have undergone changes over two decades. These changes were perceived by 83% respondents to be accompanied by decline in livestock numbers. Woody encroachment and overgrazing were perceived to be the major attributes of these vegetation changes. The scientific rangeland condition assessment confirmed that these changes were more pronounced as bush density increases. Dense bushland had a significantly high (p<0.05) encroached condition with 6650 trees ha-1 and 4909.5 TE ha-1 beyond the recommended thresholds of 2400 trees ha-1 and 2500 TE ha-1 respectively. Scattered bushland had a fair condition of 1950 trees ha-1 and 1198.1TE ha-1. Themeda triandra as a key species was significantly higher (p<0.05) in grassland (31.1%) than scattered (15.6%) and dense bushland (6.1%). There was a declining trend in biomass production from grassland to dense bushland. The summer biomass production was significantly higher (p<0.05) in grassland than scattered and dense bushland but winter biomass was not significantly different (p>0.05) from all homogenous vegetation units of Peddie rangeland. However, the soil fertility increased with an increase in bush density except organic carbon (OC) which was 1.61% in grassland, 1.46% in scattered and 1.53% in dense bushland respectively. Soil N, K, P, Mg2+ Na+, Ca2+, Cu, Zn, Mn and pH were significantly higher (p<0.05) in dense bushland than grassland and scattered bushland. High soil fertility in dense bushland may be attributed to by abscission of woody plants and litter decomposition. In the soil seed bank, the abundances of forbs were significantly higher than sedges (χ2 = 12, df = 1, p = 0.001) and grasses (χ2 = 8.333, df = 1, p = 0.004) in all homogenous vegetation units while sedges were not significantly different (χ2 = 3, df = 1, p = 0.083) from grasses. The Sorensen‟s index indicated that soil seed bank and extant vegetation were significantly different (p<0.05). Annual and biennial forbs and sedges had high abundances while perennial grasses formed a bulk in above ground vegetation. This provided an insight that a reliance on soil seed bank for restoration of Peddie rangeland would not be advisable because it can result in retrogression. The communal rangeland assessment provided clear qualitative and quantitative data when the combination of indigenous knowledge and scientific assessments was done. The rationale is that conclusions and recommendations of range assessment are relient on the farmer‟s perceptions pertinent to their livestock production systems and their rangeland management objectives. This study has shown that inclusion of communal farmers in policy making can provide better insight because those are the people experiencing the consequences of range degradation.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evaluation of the applicability of Lewin's force field analysis in the implementation of the Financial Sector Charter at Standard Bank

  • Authors: Skepe, Siphelo
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Standard Bank of South Africa Limited (1962- ) Banks and banking -- South Africa Financial services industry -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Black people -- South Africa -- Economic conditions Business enterprises, Black -- South Africa Organizational change -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:804 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006775
  • Description: According to the Financial Sector (FS) Charter, in August 2002, at the NEDLAC Financial Sector Summit, "the financial sector committed itself to the development of a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) charter. It made this commitment, noting that: "Despite significant progress since the establishment of a democratic government in 1994, South African society remains characterised by racially based income and social services inequalities. This is not only unjust, but inhibits the country's ability to achieve its full economic potential. BEE is a mechanism aimed at addressing inequalities and mobilising the energies of all South Africans. It will contribute towards sustained economic growth, development and social transformation in South Africa. Inequalities also manifest themselves in the country's financial sector. A positive and proactive response from the sector through the implementation of BEE will further unlock the sector's potential, promote its global competitiveness, and enhance its world class status". Parties of the Financial Sector Charter agreed on the seven pillars below: 1) Human resource management - provide resources to develop skills of black people with the aim of increasing black participation in all levels of management in the sector. 2) Procurement policies - implement a targeted procurement strategy to enhance BEE. 3) Enterprise development - improve the level of support provided to BEE companies in all sectors of the economy. This would be achieved through skills transfer, administration and technical support. 4) Access to financial services - provide affordable financial services to the previously disadvantaged groups and making sure financial services are accessible to these groups. 5) Empowerment financing - work closely with government and government financial institutions to increase resources for empowerment financing. 6) Ownership in the financial sector - 25% of shares in each party of the FS Charter should be owned by black people by 2010. 7) Corporate social investrnent (CSI) - Each financial institution will have to spend 0.5% of their after-tax profit on corporate social investment projects. The projects should be targeted at black groups with a strong focus on transformation. The research evaluates the applicability of Lewin's Force Field Analysis (a change management model) in the implementation of the Financial Sector Charter at Standard Bank of South Africa. It attempts to achieve this by looking at how the Financial Sector Charter is being implemented at Standard Bank. The research looks at three main areas: 1) The "context" of the research problem, by seeking to understand Standard Bank's understanding of the FS Charter, the importance of implementing the FS Charter by the bank, the progress made thus far in the FS Charter implementation and comparison to the BEE scorecards of the other three main bank. 2) The "process", i.e. how the FS Charter is implemented in the bank, the driving and restraining forces of successful implementation of the FS Charter and the lessons learnt. 3) The "outcome" , i.e. benefits of implementing the FS Charter and what could be done to ensure that change management processes are successfully implemented. Personal interviews were used to discover other valuable information which was not available on the bank's published documents, and other related sources such as the Financial Sector Charter document. The sample size for the study was ten Standard Bank employees from different areas of the bank who are either senior managers or directors, in the bank. Internal publications available on the Standard Bank intranet such as the bank's employment equity plans, and the bank's sustainability reports from 2004 to 2011 (Standard Bank, 2004-2011) were analysed for the purpose of the study. The researcher also analysed public documents such as the bank's annual financial reports, bank's equity reports and internal publications on related topics of the research question. Lewin's Forces Field Analysis (FFA) points out that in any environment where change is required; there are both driving and restraining forces that influence the implementation of a change programme. The FFA is a valuable change management tool at trying to transform the behaviour of an individual, and this will lead to transformation of groups and, ultimately the organisation. It also helps to establish the balance between the driving and restraining forces of the change programme. Lewin's (1951) theory put forward the idea that change occurs in three stages: the first stage of change is unfreezing; the second stage is moving and lastly, the third stage is refreezing. In the unfreezing stage, the bank's change management initiatives would need to be directed at giving the individuals a desire and motivation to be ready and open about a planned change initiative. This could be achieved by clearly communicating why change is important, benefits of change and the compelling reasons for change. In moving, the bank would need to give support and confidence to the people affected by change in order to start accepting and buying-in to new perspectives, which enable them to realise that change will improve the current situation. In the refreezing stage, the bank would need to ensure that new patterns of behaviour are reinforced. This will ensure that the changes are applied in everyday business, and this helps create a sense of stability, where those affected by change feel comfortable and confident with the new approach of doing things. The research concludes that managers should recognise the sensitivity around transformation, and should always try to ensure that change management initiatives directed at transformation are unifying, fair and transparent. This should be done to avoid a situation where an employee (or prospective employees) and other stakeholders feel under-appreciated or overlooked because of their gender or race. This demands a carefully crafted and implemented change management programme, whose results will not only unify the bank's employees, but also create a competitive edge for the bank. Lewin's Force Field Analysis (FFA) model is a change management tool that could be used to produce such results.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evaluation of the Performance Management Systems (PMS): a case study of the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasure

  • Authors: Baxana, Mandilakhe
  • Date: 2013
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
  • Identifier: vital:11693 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1015045
  • Description: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Performance Managements System (PMS) policy by looking at the implementation of the PMS in line with provincial and national policies. The purpose is to achieve sustainable improvement in organizational performance whilst examining the value of PMS in assessing performance of the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury employees. The questionnaire was personally delivered to potential respondents. The study showed that the performance management system used by the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury was on track with clear objectives, and was largely integrated with the departments' planning process, primarily through the use of divisional planning objectives as a basis for employee performance agreements. However, the general findings were qualified by the need to address. Several key issues, and to make some improvements to the process. It was also concluded that the revised performance management system should have a stronger emphasis on effective managing, monitoring, reporting and rewarding high performance and correcting low performance respectively. Key recommendations are made to assist this department in its quest to achieve maximum return on the investment from its human capital. The recommendations are: The Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury needs to establish clear organizational objectives and the performance management tool should be negotiated and agreed with the union councils and management. The performance measures or key performance indicators should be agreed upfront with all employees, irrespective of their level in the organization.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evaluation of the performance of community-based natural resources management (CBNRM) projects along an aridity gradient in Botswana

  • Authors: Mpofu, Khulekani
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Southern Africa (Project) , Natural resources, Communal -- Botswana , Natural resources -- Management -- Botswana , Natural resources -- Management -- Economic aspects -- Botswana , Conservation of natural resources -- Botswana , Conservation of natural resources -- Economic aspects -- Botswana , Arid regions -- Botswana , Natural resources -- Management -- Citizen participation -- Botswana
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4740 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006063 , Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Southern Africa (Project) , Natural resources, Communal -- Botswana , Natural resources -- Management -- Botswana , Natural resources -- Management -- Economic aspects -- Botswana , Conservation of natural resources -- Botswana , Conservation of natural resources -- Economic aspects -- Botswana , Arid regions -- Botswana , Natural resources -- Management -- Citizen participation -- Botswana
  • Description: The Botswana Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) programme started in 1989. Its aims were to promote sustainable development through sustainable natural resources management and utilisation to improve rural livelihoods. The country CBNRM programme has recorded mixed outcomes and this has raised questions on the programme performance throughout the country. Since the programme has been recognised as one of the eight main livelihood strategies for rural communities in Botswana, there was a need to evaluate the programme performance and determine the factors that influence it. This thesis therefore evaluated the performance of CBNRM projects along an aridity gradient in Botswana and by so doing answered the two research questions of: (1) What factors influence the performance of CBNRM? And (2) how does aridity influence the performance of CBNRM programmes? Performance was determined in terms of financial benefits generated by CBNRM projects and the projects adherence to the CBNRM principles. Data were collected from seven selected CBNRM projects covering three aridity zones (wet, medium rainfall and dry areas) in the country. Data were also collected from key informants and community based organisations (CBO) project managers. Research findings have indicated differences in the performance of CBNRM projects across the identified three aridity zones. Factors that influenced the performance of CBNRM projects varied among the three aridity zones. These factors included: existence of complimentary rules and regulations for managing CBNRM projects; literacy levels of communities involved in CBNRM; ethnic composition of the project communities; historic and current socio-economic trends within communities; collaboration between CBNRM institutions and other local level institutes; amount of benefits generated through the projects; ability of institutions to resolve outstanding issues in time and type of CBNRM project. Research results also indicated that there was variation in the performance of CBNRM projects across the three aridity zones. Aridity was found to directly influence the performance of CBNRM projects through its influence on the amount of revenues that projects generated.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evalution of the knowledge and skills of the professional nurses regarding IMCI service delivery, including HIV/AIDS case management in primary health care facilities in Buffalo City Sub-District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

  • Authors: Noluvuyo, Leonelle Gosangaye
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Nurses -- Rating of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing -- Ability testing -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing -- Standards -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nurses -- In-service training -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nurses -- Supervision of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Prenatal diagnosis -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Primary health care -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (Nursing Science)
  • Identifier: vital:11903 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006782 , Nurses -- Rating of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing -- Ability testing -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing -- Standards -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nurses -- In-service training -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nurses -- Supervision of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Prenatal diagnosis -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Primary health care -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Description: An increase in diarrhoea and upper respiratory tract infection has been noted for the past five years and this is associated with the prevalence of Human Immune-deficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. HIV infection is an increasingly common cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in South Africa. In some areas of the country, like the Eastern Cape, more than 30 percent of the women attending antenatal clinics are HIV infected. Without intervention, approximately one third of the babies born to these HIV infected mothers will get infection from their mothers (WHO, 2003). Aim and Objectives of the study: The study was meant to assess the specific knowledge and skills of professional nurses at the primary health facilities regarding management and integration of childhood illnesses, evaluate the quality of training of professional nurses on aspects of IMCI including integration of HIV within IMCI programme for children under five years in Primary Health Care facilities in Mdantsane Township. Methods: A quantitative descriptive method was used for this study. The questionnaire developed by the researcher was used for data collection. The items on the questionnaire were divided into four (4) subsections. The questionnaire was administered to all professional nurses on duty and those available at the time of data collection. A checklist for IMCI was used to collect data from Road to Health files of children who were HIV positive admitted in the pediatric ward at Cecilia Makhiwane Hospital. Results: The results of this study for all the variables examined showed that the highest score was 56 percent and the lowest was18 percent.These results indicated that the knowledge and skills of professional nurses were inadequate.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Evolution of the UG2 unit, Bushveld Complex, South Africa : mineral composition and petrological evidence

  • Authors: Everitt, Simon James
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Textures -- South Africa -- Bushveld Complex Petrology -- South Africa -- Bushveld Complex Chromite -- South Africa -- Bushveld Complex Mineralogy -- South Africa -- Bushveld Complex
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4913 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001573
  • Description: Several disequilibrium textures are found to occur within the hanging wall and footwall of the UG2 chromitite layer of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa. These textures include plagioclase chadacrysts found included within orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene as well as the orthopyroxenes exhibiting round crystal boundaries that appear to be resorbed. Textures found within the UG2 stratigraphy such as linear boundaries and 120° triple junctions at interfaces of adjacent plagioclase or pyroxene grains also suggest that recrystallization has taken place. The presence of both disequilibrium textures and recrystallization textures would suggest that a complex emplacement history has occurred. Ideally, this would be expected to be manifested by minerals of the same type but which are texturally distinct showing different composition. However this has been found not to be the case; minerals that suggest disequilibrium textures show similar compositions to the minerals which appear to have formed in equilibrium. This is also the same for recrystallized crystals which show the same compositions as crystals that have not been recrystallized. For example tabular clinopyroxene, which has a compositional range of En 44.6 to En 50.5, is indistinguishable from clinopyroxene occuring as discontinuous rims, En 44.3-48.2, and as intergranular necking connecting primocrysts of orthopyroxene ( En 44.3-50.4). Similarly, plagioclase occurring as inclusions with An 66.3-76.0 is indistinguishable from plagioclase occurring as zoned or recrystallized interstitial grains ( An 69.0- An 77.4). Compositional variation has however, been found to be controlled to an extent by stratigraphy in that minerals show different compositions within one layer to the same minerals within another layer, consistent with an evolving magma composition. It is concluded therefore that while composition is not texturally controlled it is to an extent stratigraphy controlled and that the evidence collected within the study supports two models for the formation of chromite within the Bushveld complex. The evidence is consistent with a combination of the magma mixing model and magma injection model to account for the textures and compositional variations found within the study. The evidence may also show support for models involving late modification of minerals by magmatic fluids but not as prominently as for the models mentioned above , Microsoft� Word 2010 , Adobe Acrobat 9.53 Paper Capture Plug-in
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Examining the nature of learning within an afterschool mathematics club : a case study of four learners

  • Authors: Kaulinge, Penehafo Olivia
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Stott, Debbie Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa After-school programs -- Research -- South Africa Learning -- Research -- South Africa Education, Elementary -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1401 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001835
  • Description: This study examined the nature of learning within an afterschool mathematics club established by the South African Numeracy Chair project. The study sought to establish what sort of progress in mathematical learning occurred in a grade 3 afterschool maths club, using assessment instruments associated with the Learning Framework in Number. The study also sought to understand the nature and effects of mentor mediation in the maths club, using Vygotsky’s notion of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) together with the notion and practice of scaffolding. The study made use of a variety of data collection techniques, including one-to-one assessment interviews, task-based interviews and observations. In line with the case study approach adopted, four learners were selected for interviews. The assessment interview results revealed that, in terms of proficiency in early arithmetical learning, all four learners showed progress after spending four months in an afterschool maths club. Even though they were found to have advanced in their Strategies for Early Arithmetic Learning (SEAL), some of them were observed still using their fingers to support their counting. Such strategies were likely to mirror the teaching approaches used in their usual school mathematical lessons. The overall findings in terms of learners’ proficiency and progress give rise to concerns about current number teaching practices in their school, which emphasize the standard written algorithm in the lower primary grades. The study also made use of Vygotsky’s notion of the ZPD to analyse the nature of mentor-peer mediation. Witnessing the learners’ use of trial and error strategies during the task-based interview allowed both mentors to support learners through understanding their thinking, prompting them and encouraging them to reflect on their answers and develop more effective strategies. Learners progressed through the ZPD at different paces and in different ways, with ‘aha’ moments happening at different points for individual learners. Their progression in the ZPD seemed to depend on interaction among all participants, which varied according to what was contributed and what requested by each participant. The findings revealed that although there was evidence of learners achieving success at the tasks in task based interviews there were also there were also some learners who experienced difficulties. Additionally, in order to argue that learning was fully realised within the ZPD would have required follow up task based interviews to assess the extent to which learners were able to complete the tasks independently without the scaffolding of mentors. This was not possible within the scope of this research but would be useful in future research.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Examining the role of local government County legislative council in promoting service delivery in South Sudan, case of Yei River County, Central Equatoria State

  • Authors: Oba Cicilia Tito Towongo
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Human services -- South Sudan , Poor -- Services for -- South Sudan , Finance, Public -- South Sudan , Local government -- South Sudan , Municipal services -- South Sudan , South Sudan -- Politics and government , South Sudan -- Economic conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
  • Identifier: vital:11664 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007097 , Human services -- South Sudan , Poor -- Services for -- South Sudan , Finance, Public -- South Sudan , Local government -- South Sudan , Municipal services -- South Sudan , South Sudan -- Politics and government , South Sudan -- Economic conditions
  • Description: This Study was conducted in Yei River County, Central Equatoria State the Republic of South Sudan from July-December/2012 under the topic: Examining the role of Local Government County Legislative Council in promoting service delivery. The Legislative Council in Yei was established since 2007 inaccordance with the provisions of the Transition Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011:166, LG Act, 2009:8-29 and Governors’ Decree dated 25/August/2007 with the mandate to enact laws and policies and supervise the Executive to implement its decisions. The study investigated into why there was under performance of Legislative Council in promoting service delivery in Yei River County (YRC) and how can service delivery be improved in YRC. The findings revealed that, the capacity of the Council is low in making appropriate decisions and supervising the Executive to implement its decisions, it lacks the necessary working requirements to facilitate its duties, some of its directives are not implemented by the Executive and negative attitudes towards the work of the Council by some members of the Executive. Despite the difficulties encountered, the Council was able to enact 31 laws, conducted some joint consultative meetings on County projects and the study recommended that, the relevant institutions of Local Government to review the irregularities in the Local Government Act of 2009 to regulate the duties of the Council and to guide the recruitment of the future Councillors, training of the Councillors to improve performance, improve the working conditions of the Council, conduct public awareness on the role of the Council and promotion of exchange programs for further learning purposes. The significance of this study is that, the topic was good according to the participants, the recommendations of the study may be adopted by the Local Government Authorities to address the identified gaps and challenges facing the Council not only in Yei River County but also in other parts of the Country and finally, the report may be used by the University of Fort Hare for further Academic purposes and/or other interested individuals/institutions or organizations of the same or similar objectives.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Experiences and survival strategies of informal traders in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa

  • Authors: Seh, Vera Mantoh Ngwe
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Informal traders -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:18447 , http://hdl.handle.net/11260/d1007299
  • Description: This study investigated the experiences and survival strategies of informal traders in Mthatha, paying more attention to women. This has included their daily activities to sustain themselves and improve business performance. It has however elaborated on the reasons why people engage themselves in informal trade. Literature review shows that the reasons why people are involved in this form of trade are mainly due to unemployment, lack of education and lack of knowledge. The significance of this form of trade to the economy cannot be underestimated. Emphasis was laid on the challenges encountered by these traders. Such challenges include lack of access to financial facilities such as credit and savings; lack of shelter; harsh weather conditions and harassment and confiscation of their goods by Metro Police. The methodology of this study is primarily based on both quantitative and qualitative methods of research. Several data collection instruments were used. These included questionnaires, participant observation, in-depth interview and photography. Fifty questionnaires were administered to the informal traders and an interview schedule was used to gather information from members of the community and municipality. Description of study site, ethical consideration, limitations and delimitation has equally been presented. Data collected was analyzed using SPSS and manually. The results revealed that informal trading is a survival strategy to a large population of the people in Mthatha and the only source of income. Most of them are breadwinners who support a large number of dependents.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Experiences of final year nursing students at a public college of nursing in the Eastern Cape province regarding their preparedness to become registered nurses

  • Authors: Mampunge, Fezeka
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Nursing students -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nurses -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nurses -- In-service training -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing -- Ability testing -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing assessment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing -- Examinations , Nursing -- Standards -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing student -- Registered nurse -- Experience , Preparedness -- College -- Clinical staff and Clinical accompaniment
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (Nursing Science)
  • Identifier: vital:11905 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006815 , Nursing students -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nurses -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nurses -- In-service training -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing -- Ability testing -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing assessment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing -- Examinations , Nursing -- Standards -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nursing student -- Registered nurse -- Experience , Preparedness -- College -- Clinical staff and Clinical accompaniment
  • Description: Within the nursing profession, the transition from the student to a graduate nurse is a common rite of passage that marks the end of initial educational preparation in the discipline and the beginning of a professional journey as a nurse and a member of the multidisciplinary team (Nash, Lemcke & Sacre. 2009:48). This is a period of adjustment, stress, growth and development and the transitional nurse is likely to feel uncomfortable, fearful and may experience feelings of inadequacy. This study was undertaken to explore and describe the experiences of final year nursing students at a public college of nursing in the Eastern Cape regarding their preparedness to become registered nurses, with the aim to identify gaps and make recommendations on strategies to close the gaps. The objectives were to explore and describe the experiences of final year nursing students at the public college of nursing in the Eastern Cape Province with regard to their preparedness to become registered nurses and to recommend strategies to improve the preparation of nursing students for transition to become registered nurses. To answer the research question “What are the experiences of final year nursing students at a public college of nursing in the Eastern Cape Province with regard their preparedness to become registered nurses”, a qualitative, explorative and descriptive design was used as a framework for the study. Data were collected by means of unstructured focus group interviews with a purposively selected sample of 27 final year nursing students at the particular college of nursing. Data were analysed using Tesch’s method of analysis for qualitative research. Two themes emerged, revealing that participants at the college experienced preparedness and lack of preparedness to assume the role of a professional nurse. This related to certain aspects that had an impact on the preparation of the final year nursing students for practice and included: curriculum-related aspects; clinical teaching and learning support; learning opportunities; interpersonal relationships between lecturers, students and clinical staff; equipment; and library resources. It was concluded that the learning needs of the nursing students were not adequately catered for, leading to lack of preparedness. Through the involvement of nursing students in the evaluation of their learning, shortfalls in both education and practice areas could therefore be detected. Recommendations regarding strategies to be used to promote preparedness of final year nursing students included: continuous feedback on student performance in the form of exit evaluations on the part of students to identify learning needs; writing of progress reports on the part of clinical practice; and the employment of clinical preceptors with clear role specifications between the lecturers, ward sisters and preceptors to avoid role confusion.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Experiences of HIV and AIDS patients and families regarding palliative care in an urban care centre in Buffalo City

  • Authors: Bunt, Helen
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Palliative care -- HIV/AIDS , Patients and families experiences
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (Nursing Science)
  • Identifier: vital:11904 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006814 , Palliative care -- HIV/AIDS , Patients and families experiences
  • Description: The South African Constitution (South Africa, 1996) states that access to healthcare services is a basic human right. The Patients’ Rights Charter (HPCSA, 2008: 6) stipulates that the provision for “special needs in the case of persons living with HIV or AIDS” and palliative care be “affordable and effective”. The need for palliative care in South Africa today continues to increase. Khan and Sayed 2011[2]) found that five years after commencement of anti-retrovirals, twenty five percent of their patients had passed away. This study was performed in the Eastern Cape which is one of the poorest provinces with the second highest HIV prevalence rate. Since 2008, Sophumelela Centre Incorporated has offered palliative care for HIV and AIDS patients in Buffalo City. Some of these patients and their families were interviewed about their experiences in this care centre. The South African Constitution (South Africa, 1996) states that access to healthcare services is a basic human right. The Patients’ Rights Charter (HPCSA, 2008: 6) stipulates that the provision for “special needs in the case of persons living with HIV or AIDS” and palliative care be “affordable and effective”. The need for palliative care in South Africa today continues to increase. Khan and Sayed (2011[2]) found that five years after commencement of anti-retrovirals, twenty five percent of their patients had passed away. This study was performed in the Eastern Cape which is one of the poorest provinces with the second highest HIV prevalence rate. Since 2008, Sophumelela Centre Incorporated has offered palliative care for HIV and AIDS patients in Buffalo City. Some of these patients and their families were interviewed about their experiences in this care centre.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Experiences of professional nurses with regard to accessing information at the point-of-care via mobile-computing devices at a public hospital

  • Authors: Benjamin, Valencia
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Information storage and retrieval systems -- Hospitals , Point-of-care testing , Public hospitals -- Medical staff
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCur
  • Identifier: vital:10060 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020193
  • Description: Mobile computing devices are capable of changing how healthcare is delivered in the future, since they aim to merge and integrate all services into one device that is versatile, customisable, and portable. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of professional nurses with regard to accessing information at the point-of-care of the patient, in order to develop guidelines that could assist other professional nurses with implementing the mobile computing device for accessing information at the point-of-care of patients. To achieve the purpose of the study, a qualitative, explorative, descriptive, and contextual design was used to conduct this research – to gain an understanding of how the professional nurses experienced accessing information at the point-of-care via mobile computing devices. The study was conducted among the professional nurses employed at the public hospital, who were trained and provided with the mobile computing device for accessing information at the point-of-care for more than two years. In-depth interviewing was conducted to obtain the data. Data analysis was done using Tesch‘s method to make sense out of text and data. Four themes were identified, namely, the professional nurses‘ expression of various experiences regarding the training received; the need for support in implementing the mobile computing device; the accessing of information at the point-of-care as beneficial for educational purposes; and the accessing of information at the point-of-care as beneficial to patient care. Two main guidelines were developed. The study concludes with recommendations made with regard to the areas of nursing practice, education and research. Throughout the study, the researcher abided by the ethical considerations. The aspects of trustworthiness implemented in this study, included dependability, credibility, transferability and confirmability (Holloway & Wheeler, 2010:298).
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Experiences of students living with HIV and AIDS (SLWHA) regarding support group in a selected university campus, Eastern Cape Province

  • Authors: Chulayo, Amanda
  • Date: 2013
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (Nursing Science)
  • Identifier: vital:11919 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1016202
  • Description: South Africa has one of the highest HIV and AIDS epidemic statistics in the world, especially people under 25 years of age (Department of Social Development, 2002:11). Some university students are implicated, thus Support groups in this context are crucial to help them cope with their unique circumstances. Purpose: of this study was to assess the effectiveness of support groups for SLWHA within a university campus in the Eastern Cape Province. Method: Interviews were used to explore the experiences and challenges of SLWHA. Results: The study shows that support groups are pivotal in the wellbeing of SLWHA in meeting diverse needs such as sense fo belonging, emotional, psychological, information and knowledge,socio-economic as well as health and physical needs. Support group members experience relatively similar living experiences, dynamic as their various lives are, they are able to share their emotions and problems arising from their HIV statuses, thereby lessening their burdens. Some negative experiences were observed, like issues of confidentiality, depression and stress. Conclusion: University support groups can be improved through structured programs that includes various stakeholders like health professionals (wellness centre), university management, and others including academics within the university. Also, expanding their borders via the use of social networks, and expanding their activities to include music, sports, vegetable gardening, group visitations, skills training, and other useful projects shall help to improve lives of victims and fight against the infection of other community members.
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  • Date Issued: 2013
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