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Factors affecting the utilisation of a workplace voluntary counselling and testing programme in the Eastern Cape

  • Authors: Jusayo, Nomonde
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: HIV infections -- South Africa -- Prevention , HIV infections -- Treatment , Employee health promotion
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:9428 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1010273 , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Prevention , HIV infections -- Treatment , Employee health promotion
  • Description: The world has entered the third decade of the HIV and AIDS epidemic under different times in which the epidemic is treatable. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) (2005) declares HIV and AIDS a developmental crisis destroying developmental gains over generations. Since HIV and AIDS affect the most productive segment of the labour force, it is therefore not only a threat to development but also to the world of work without which development will be sacrificed (ILO, 2001). Collaborative response efforts that seek to mitigate the HIV pandemic by government, business and higher education institutions have been fraught with challenges. The main challenge that beset these efforts is that, in the absence of an HIV vaccine, voluntary counselling and testing remains the gateway to access treatment and care. Regrettably, participation in VCT has been confronted by challenges of low utilisation. This precedes the objectives of this study, which were to explore and describe factors that serve as barriers and facilitators of workplace VCT programmes with the objective to improve participation in these programmes. The current study was a product of a qualitative and exploratory-descriptive research design. A nonprobability convenience sampling method was used to sample participants for this study. The targeted population in this study were the non-academic employees of an academic institution in the Eastern Cape. Data was collected by means of focus group discussions and by using semi-structured interviews. The focus group samples comprised of an equal number of men and women with an overall participation of fifty-six participants. Data obtained was transcribed, thematically analysed and coded using Henning, Van Rensburg, and Smit's (2004) qualitative analysis and interpretation method. Findings of this research revealed that factors that facilitate and inhibit voluntary counselling and testing are psychosocial and cultural by nature. At psychosocial level, participants reported factors that facilitate voluntary counselling and testing to include psychological readiness to go for HIV testing, reassurances of confidentiality of HIV test results and normalising HIV testing (making the process more like that for screening and diagnostic testing). Cultural factors included cultural practices and beliefs such as "intonjane" and traditional circumcision - positive cultural nurturers that could facilitate VCT participation. Results of this study showed a lack of basic knowledge about VCT and fear of knowing one's status, fear of breach of confidentiality, fear of being stigmatised and a lack of trust towards health professional as the major psychosocial factors that serve as barriers to VCT participation. The cultural barriers to VCT pointed to hegemonic masculinity as a socially constructed gender identity that encourages gender inequalities and undermines efforts to improve HIV testing. The study suggested that strategies to increase VCT participation should consider leadership support of VCT programmes, incentivisation of VCT programmes, institutionalisation of HIV and AIDS education and the establishment of integrated wellness services for employees.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Factors causing the decline in English proficiency among learners based on a perception of teachers in the junior secondary schools of the Qumbu Education District

  • Authors: Makena, Bulelwa
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: English proficiency -- Learners-- Teachers opinion -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
  • Identifier: vital:18435 , http://hdl.handle.net/11260/d1007178
  • Description: The purpose of this study was to find out whether factors such as the learners’ learning styles, their cultural backgrounds, instructional approaches and strategies used by teachers and the lack of exposure to relevant resources had an influence on the declining English proficiency among learners. The researcher is currently an English teacher in one of the schools in the Qumbu Education District. The researcher expressed concern about the learners’ declining performance in aspects of English language like reading, writing and speaking. The idea of carrying out this study became necessary as English is a compulsory first additional language for most of the schools. Most of the subjects offered in South African schools are taught in English; moreover, English is an internationally-recognized medium of communication. One therefore, has to master the use of English to a certain extent so as to be a successful scholar. The sample consisted of 20 English senior phase teachers who were randomly selected from 13 schools in various circuits around the Qumbu Education District. Data was collected through the use of questionnaires which focused specifically on the learners’ learning styles, their cultural backgrounds, instructional approaches and strategies used by teachers, and also the lack of exposure to relevant literature. These questionnaires were administered by the researcher in person. The data were analyzed and interpreted statistically and also presented through tables and discussions. The findings of this study revealed that the geographical locations of the selected schools for the research study, limited exposure to English-related resources, workload of English teachers, teaching and learning approaches, and knowledge acquisition strategies employed by teachers and learners contribute to the decline in English proficiency among the learners. If these could be attended to effectively, English proficiency could improve among learners. In conclusion, recommendations have been made both for action and possible further research.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Factors contributing to scarcity of women principals in Mqanduli junior secondary schools in the Mthatha District in the Eastern Cape Province Republic of South Africa

  • Authors: Lolwana, Tembeka
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Women principals -- Dissertations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/201 , vital:26579
  • Description: The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors contributing to scarcity of women principals in junior secondary schools of Mqanduli in Mthatha Education District in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. This region is predominantly rural. The study focused on Secondary school principals. The study used a quantitative research design to elicit data from the respondents. Data were collected from 72 participants through the use of a questionnaire. 70 questionnaires were returned and the data were processed. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used in the analysis of the data. This study had covered the aspects of culture which prevailed in the education set up in the past and are still prevailing. The findings of the study revealed several factors contributing to the scarcity of women principals in Mqanduli District. These were the findings: the majority of the participants agreed that culture is a stumbling block to the appointment of women principals. Cultural aspects still influence the public opinion on the capability of women to lead. Selection procedures that are discrimatory on gender grounds prevent women from being appointed as principals. Poor implementation of affirmative action policies during selection of principals leads to exclusion of women from holding principals posts. Lack of support from the subordinates prevents women from holding principal posts Although discrimination and prejudice with respect to women ability to lead and manage is worldwide it is evident that the bill of human rights is beginning to impact positively on the stereotypes. Finally, recommendations and suggestions were made stating that the Department of Education needs to provide the necessary workshops on gender equity policies to upgrade SGBs with skills, knowledge and proper understanding of such policies.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Factors contributing to senior secondary school learners' poor performance in science subjects in the Mount Frere Education District of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

  • Authors: Dandala, Siyolo Sebastian
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Poor performance -- Science
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
  • Identifier: vital:18462 , http://hdl.handle.net/11260/d1008256
  • Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors contributing to senior secondary school learners’ poor performance in science subjects in the Mount Frere Education District of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The literature analyses critically the existing knowledge based on factors contributing to poor performance of learners in science subjects and those factors that impact on learners’ positive attitudes towards science subjects. The study also identified literature on the following: motivational levels of science learners, teaching and learning strategies used in teaching science subjects, medium of instruction in the teaching and learning of science subjects, parental involvement in children’s learning, effects of lack of instructional materials on learner performance and learners’ attitudes towards science subjects. The study also examined the views of learners, teachers, Head of Department of sciences, parents and principals on factors contributing to poor performance of senior secondary school learners inscience subjects. The population for the study comprised of all principals, science teachers, science Head of Department, parents and science learners of the twenty six (26) senior secondary schools in the Mount Frere Education District. The principals, science teachers, science Head of Departments, parents of science learners and science learners in seven (7) senior secondary schools that offered science subjects were used as a sample in this study. The study employed the mixed method of quantitative and qualitative approaches. The research designs used were the survey and the case study. The instruments used were the questionnaires in which closed-ended questions were used to secure information and the interviews where open ended questions were used to collect data. The questionnaire as an instrument got tested in the pilot study to investigate the validity and reliability and also to identify possible deficiencies so as to rectify them. The responses were analyzed and presented in percentages using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) in the quantitative approach method of data analysis and in the qualitative data analysis process the researcher read through the data and became familiar with it and then identified the main themes and the next step was to examine the data in-depth and to provide detail descriptions of the participants’ words. The researcher also categorised and coded the data and then grouped them into themes and finally, interpreted the organised data into conclusion. The findings revealed that there was a lack of parental involvement, shortage of instructional materials, shortage of school laboratories, shortage of qualified science teachers and the learners’ negative attitudes towards science subjects. Recommendations were made concerning the above findings.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Factors influencing customer retention in the financial planning industry

  • Authors: Dippenaar, Hendrik
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Consumer satisfaction , Financial planning industry
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:9323 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020809
  • Description: As financial planners operate in a competitive business environment, it is important to identify how financial planners can apply relevant industry aspects to positively influence their customer satisfaction and customer retention levels. Although models of customer satisfaction and subsequently customer retention have been well researched for consumer products and services, there has been limited research in regards to financial planning. Previous research in the financial planning industry focussed on specific elements of financial planner-client relationships, for example trust, integrity and ethics. This research study reviews existing literature on customer satisfaction and customer retention, as relevant to the financial planning industry. Thus the primary objective of this study is to investigate the extent to which the four predetermined independent variables; namely, two-way communication, ethical responsibility, clients’ financial knowledge and commission fees can possibly influence the intervening variable customer satisfaction and ultimately the dependent variable customer retention in the financial planning industry. An empirical investigation was undertaken to establish whether the independent variables; namely, two-way communication, ethical responsibility, clients’ financial knowledge and commission fees can possibly influence customer satisfaction and ultimately customer retention in the financial planning industry. A positivistic research paradigm was followed for this study. Quantitative data was gathered by distributing questionnaires to a sample of financial planning clients. The sample size consisted of 250 financial planning clients in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area. A response rate of 76.40 percent was achieved. The usable questionnaires were statistically analysed using the computer programmes Microsoft Excel and Statistica Version 10. The validity of the study was confirmed by utilising EFA. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were calculated to confirm the reliability and the internal consistency of the measurement instrument of this study. Data was analysed in four phases. Descriptive statistics were calculated for this study. The validity of the measuring instrument was tested by performing EFA to consider construct validity. Thereafter the internal reliability of the data was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficients and multiple regression calculations were calculated and discussed. Through multiple regression calculations, the factors that emerged were used to analyse the relationships predicted by the five hypotheses. Finally t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were conducted and discussed. The empirical investigation revealed that significant relationships exist between the independent variables two-way communication, ethical responsibility, commission fees and the intervening variable customer satisfaction as well as the dependent variable customer retention. The empirical investigation revealed that if a financial planner communicates financial information accurately and understandably to clients while acting in an ethical manner, clients are likely to be satisfied with the products/services of the financial planner and be retained by the financial planner. This study established and confirmed the significant positive relationship that exists between customer satisfaction and customer retention in the financial planning industry. Recommendations have been provided based on the main empirical findings. All financial planners in South Africa, including all the regulatory bodies, will benefit from the empirical findings as well as the recommendations of this study on how to improve customer satisfaction and customer retention which will ultimately increase service delivery of financial planners in the financial planning industry.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Factors influencing market orientation in SME computer retailers in Buffalo city metropolitan, South Africa

  • Authors: Moyo, Hazel Nobandile
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Marketing -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Com
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1010689 , vital:26496
  • Description: Despite the significant contribution to socio-economic development by SMEs (small and medium enterprises), their failure rate is very high in South Africa. Adoption and implementation of market orientation has been identified by various scholars as a means to mitigate SME failure in the highly competitive environments they operate in. This study investigated the factors influencing market orientation in SME computer retailers in King Williams Town and East London, South Africa. The objectives of the study were to investigate whether owner/manager involvement of had an influence on market orientation in SME computer retailers, to establish whether organisational systems and interdepartmental dynamics had an impact on the customer focused culture as well as investigate whether competitive intensity influenced the SME computer retailers to be market focused. Both primary and secondary data sources were used in this study. A quantitative research design was used in conducting this research. Simple random sampling, a probability sampling technique was used to select a sample of 104 from the sample frame of 141 registered SME computer retailers. The survey method, by way of a selfadministered questionnaire was used to collect primary data. The statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) as statistical software was used to analyse data. The Chi-square test, Pearson correlation, the t-test, and descriptive statistics were used to analyse data. The findings of this research found that there are factors influencing market orientation in SME computer retailers, such as owner/manager involvement. Competitive intensity was found to influence SME computer retailers to be market focused. It was also found that organisational systems and interdepartmental dynamics did not impact on the customer focused culture. The findings of this research showed that SME owner/managers hold the key to shaping an organisation‟s values and culture orientation therefore in order to be market orientated, they need pass on a clear message to the lower levels of the organisation. The careful implementation of organisational systems and interdepartmental dynamics that encourage market orientation as well as constant matching and monitoring of competitors was recommended to enable SMEs to be market orientated and in turn improve their business performance and success.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Factors influencing market orientation in SME computer retailers in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa

  • Authors: Moyo, Hazel Nobandile
  • Date: 2013
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Com (Business Management)
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/788 , vital:26497
  • Description: Despite the significant contribution to socio-economic development by SMEs (small and medium enterprises), their failure rate is very high in South Africa. Adoption and implementation of market orientation has been identified by various scholars as a means to mitigate SME failure in the highly competitive environments they operate in. This study investigated the factors influencing market orientation in SME computer retailers in King Williams Town and East London, South Africa. The objectives of the study were to investigate whether owner/manager involvement of had an influence on market orientation in SME computer retailers, to establish whether organisational systems and interdepartmental dynamics had an impact on the customer focused culture as well as investigate whether competitive intensity influenced the SME computer retailers to be market focused. Both primary and secondary data sources were used in this study. A quantitative research design was used in conducting this research. Simple random sampling, a probability sampling technique was used to select a sample of 104 from the sample frame of 141 registered SME computer retailers. The survey method, by way of a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect primary data. The statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) as statistical software was used to analyse data. The Chi-square test, Pearson correlation, the t-test, and descriptive statistics were used to analyse data. The findings of this research found that there are factors influencing market orientation in SME computer retailers, such as owner/manager involvement. Competitive intensity was found to influence SME computer retailers to be market focused. It was also found that organisational systems and interdepartmental dynamics did not impact on the customer focused culture. The findings of this research showed that SME owner/managers hold the key to shaping an organisation‟s values and culture orientation therefore in order to be market orientated, they need pass on a clear message to the lower levels of the organisation. The careful implementation of organisational systems and interdepartmental dynamics that encourage market orientation as well as constant matching and monitoring of competitors was recommended to enable SMEs to be market orientated and in turn improve their business performance and success.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Factors influencing the procurement process in the supply chain management of the Eastern Cape Provincial Planning and Treasury

  • Authors: Pharoe, Dieketseng Albertina
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Industrial procurement -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Process control , Business logistics -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Materials management
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/47858 , vital:40390
  • Description: The study focused on the factors influencing the procurement processes in the Supply Chain Management. The empirical part of the study was conducted at the Eastern Cape Provincial Planning and Treasury at Bhisho. The Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the organisation’s identification, acquisition, access, positioning and management of resources in order to attain its objectives. Supply Chain Management System is the South African reform process that the South African Government developed, for sound management of procurement activities within government. Section 195 (1) of the Constitution of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996), sets out the basic values and principles governing public administration which include a high standard of professionalism, efficiency, economic and effective use of resources, and promoting transparency at all times. Section 217 (1) of the Constitution further states that when an organ of state contracts for goods and/or services it must do so in accordance with the system which is fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost effective. Treasury Regulation 16A.6 on the procurement of goods and services provides that procurement either by way of quotations or through competitive bidding processes must be within the thresholds as determined by the National Treasury, and in the case of procurement through bidding processes, the SCM system must provide for the establishment, composition and functioning of Bid Specification, Evaluation and Adjudication Committees. The departmental processes were measured against the applicable prescripts and the study revealed that the departmental processes were in line with the applicable legislation. Areas of concerns were however raised where the department needs to come up with innovative ways to implement the procurement processes to be economical and also to train the officials involved in procurement.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Factors influencing the successful adoption of mobile commerce services

  • Authors: De Sousa, Sergio Anthony David
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Mobile commerce Electronic commerce Wireless communication systems Mobile communication systems Computer networks
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:1152 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008184
  • Description: Mobile Commerce (MC) can be defined as any transaction carried out over a wireless network, using a wireless device, such as a mobile phone, and that has monetary value (Wang and Liao, 2007). MC is a rapidly developing industry in tenns of its technological capabilities. With these increasing developments, come greater forecasts of potential benefits to societies, economies, industries and individuals. However, the growth and development ofthe underlying MC technology, has not been met by the creation and adoption of the services meant to accompany MC. It is said that the success of MC will ultimately lie in its services. As MC Service Providers (MCSP) are responsible for delivering these MC Services (MCS), the success ofMC can be said to rest on them. In order for MCSs to be successfully adopted, both the initial use and continuous use thereof should be targeted. In other words those that have used MCSs (users) and those that have yet to use MCSs (non-users) should be targeted. It is thus pivotal that an understanding of the factors that generate MCS adoption be sought. This research purposed to uncover the factors that generate MCS adoption within the user and nonuser group. In defining successful adoption ofMCS's, two separate measures were used for each group. User satisfaction is a well accepted construct among researchers for measuring system success among users. User satisfaction is also accepted to be a detenninant of service re-use and loyalty. Intention to use is a measure used for MC success among non-users and is accepted to be a detenninant of actual use. Factors affecting both detenninants, user satisfaction and intention to use, were investigated. After a review ofliterature and current models, ten (10) factors were hypothesised to be significant factors in determining user satisfaction and intention to use namely: ease of use, cost, speed, personalisation, pennission, privacy, security, convenience, relationship (with MCSP) and awareness. A questionnaire was developed to test the hypothesised factors. Not all factors were proven to have a significant impact on both user satisfactions and intention to use. One main recommendation is that both initial and continuous adoption should be the focus ofMC strategy. Services that cater to specific user needs and offer convenience at a low cost should be offered. MCSPs can use the factors proved to be significant to generate and evaluate their service offering, to users and non users, to increase the probability of successful adoption from initial to continuous use. The research concludes that MCSPs need to begin to offer MCSs that meet user needs and add value to their lives in order to realise the professed potential ofMC.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Factors influencing women teachers underrepresentation in principalship positions of Dutywa senior secondary schools in Eastern Cape

  • Authors: Mokotho, Themba
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Women principals -- Dissertations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/211 , vital:26585
  • Description: First of all, South Africa‟s struggle against racial discrimination has received international exposure but the focus now is on gender disenfranchisement which is, however, eclipsed by the struggle for racial redress. In the current climate of redress, post Apartheid South Africa has pledged an unequivocal commitment to the promotion of a unitary, non-sexist, non-racist South Africa in all facets of life. Several enabling national policies have been legislated to promote equity and access to those previously excluded by virtue of race and gender, particularly in assuming leadership roles in key public domains. The catalyst for this study is encapsulated from historical trajectories of women lives, in apparent intractable patriarchal higher echelons, monolithic patriarchal South African school organizations and visible paucity of women in principalship positions of Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) in Dutywa Education District. Significantly, this study actually refers to causality factors of gender imbalance in work places as a provocative factor leading to constant marginalization of women in leadership positions irrespective of sound and clear government policies. This is a principal subject of concern that has grounded this present researcher to undertake this study. Views and ideas applicable in addressing this phenomenon were invited from women teachers of Dutywa Education District and most crucially about the scarcity of women teachers in principalship positions of this District. Questionnaires were distributed to research sites of three sub-districts of concern. The population had been sampled from women teachers of Dutywa Education District, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Quantitative results show that organisational factors, culture, women‟s personalities and colonial legacies are obstacles challenging the effectiveness of females in school administration. Specifically, teachers' negative attitudes towards being a female, particularly female principal in schools are cited as the major impediments to women principals of high schools. The study implores governments to continue appointing more women to school leadership positions despite the identified challenges.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Factors that contribute to teachers' job satisfaction/dissatisfaction as perceived by teachers in Libode District: A case study of two schools

  • Authors: Mvo, Nelisa Enid
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Teachers -- Job satisfaction
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
  • Identifier: vital:18442 , http://hdl.handle.net/11260/d1007266
  • Description: The study investigates factors that contribute to job satisfaction/dissatisfaction in a case study of two Public Senior Secondary Schools as perceived by teachers of Libode District in the Eastern Cape. The point of departure of the study is the fact that the researcher has observed high rate of resignations and transfers of teachers. The study was conducted through a case study design. A total of thirty-five sample subjects from both schools were selected using purposive methods. The instruments used to collect the data were the questionnaires and interviews. The targeted population was teachers teaching in both schools at the area of the research site. Pilot study was done. Ethical issues were taken into consideration. The data collected was, analyzed and interpreted within a specified time frame. The findings were based on the data collected; thereafter the conclusions and recommendations were drawn based on the findings of both the quantitative and qualitative methods. The main findings of the study indicated clearly that poor working conditions, low salaries and ill discipline of learners contribute to job dissatisfaction. Findings were discussed in the context of the main and sub research questions and recommendations were made. The study will help the Department of Education to identify teachers' concern regarding job satisfaction/dissatisfaction.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Factors that influence warranty costs at Volkswagen South Africa

  • Authors: Blignaut, Bevan Hyron
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Warranty , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa , Total quality management , Quality assurance
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
  • Identifier: vital:8944 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013088
  • Description: Driving a vehicle while it is within the warranty period provide customers with assurance that should a failure occur on the vehicle, there would be no financial obligation for the customer to repair the vehicle. For the manufacturer, it is a huge financial obligation to repair or replace components that fail on the vehicle. The research conducted in this study explores and identifies the main reasons for high warranty costs as well as the reasons that do not influence high warranty costs at VWSA. The purpose of this research is to provide VWSA with a potential starting point to reduce warranty costs and increase profits. The study revealed that the main cause of high warranty costs at VWSA was related to the quality of vehicles. By improving the quality of vehicles produced, VWSA could reduce a significant portion of the warranty costs it spends each year. With reduced warranty costs, VWSA could increase the warranty period and thereby attract more customers to purchase VW products. In a cutthroat automotive industry, this would ensure a competitive advantage over rivals; maintain longevity, increase profits and continued success.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Falcipains as malarial drug targets

  • Authors: Kanzi, Aquillah Mumo
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Malaria Malaria -- Chemotherapy Plasmodium falciparum Antimalarials -- Development Cysteine proteinases Cysteine proteinases -- Inhibitors Papain Drug development Bioinformatics
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:3897 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003842
  • Description: Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites of the Plasmodium genus with mortality rates of more than a million annually, hence a major global public health concern. Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) accounts for over 90% of malaria incidence. Increased resistance to antimalarial drugs by the Plasmodium parasite, coupled with the lack of an effective malaria vaccine necessitates the urgent need for new research avenues to develop novel and more potent antimalarial drugs. This study focused on falcipains, a group of P. falciparum cysteine proteases that belong to the clan CA and papain family C1, that have emerged as potential drug targets due to their involvement in a range of crucial functions in the P. falciparum life cycle. Recently, falcipain-2 has been validated as a drug target but little is known of its Plasmodium orthologs. Currently, there are several falcipain inhibitors that have been identified, most of which are peptide based but none has proceeded to drug development due to associated poor pharmacological profiles and susceptibility to degradation by host cysteine proteases. Non-peptides inhibitors have been shown to be more stable in vivo but limited information exists. In vivo studies on falcipain-2 and falcipain-3 inhibitors have also been complicated by varying outcomes, thus a good understanding of the structural variations of falcipain Plasmodium orthologs at the active site could go a long way to ease in vivo results interpretation and effective inhibitor design. In this study, we use bioinformatics approaches to perform comparative sequence and structural analysis and molecular docking to characterize protein-inhibitor interactions of falcipain homologs at the active site. Known FP-2 and FP-3 small molecule nonpeptide inhibitors were used to identify residue variations and their effect on inhibitor binding. This was done with the aim of screening a collection of selected non-peptide compounds of South African natural origin to identify possible new inhibitor leads. Natural compounds with high binding affinities across all Plasmodium orthologs were identified. These compounds were then used to search the ZINC database for similar compounds which could have better binding affinities across all selected falcipain homologs. Compounds with high binding affinities across all Plasmodium orthologs were found.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Female changes : the violation and violence of women in Ovid's Metamorphoses

  • Authors: Champanis, Leigh Alexandra
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Ovid, 43 B.C. - 17 or 18 A.D. -- Criticism and interpretation Ovid, 43 B.C. - 17 or 18 A.D. -- Metamorphoses Rape Women -- Violence against Violence in women
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:3614 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006024
  • Description: Ovid’s interest in women and their lives is apparent throughout his texts, but is especially so in the Metamorphoses. This study analyses the violation and violence of women in the Roman poet’s epic and sets out to uncover the governing social mores and values that perhaps shaped the representations of women in the text. It examines how Ovid’s narratives may betray his values and attitudes and those of his audience as well as looking at the various ways that the poet and his rape episodes have been read. After surveying the literature on rape in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Ars Amatoria and the Fasti, a brief historical context for the Metamorphoses is provided; women’s lives in Rome, the rape laws that existed during this time, as well as Roman sexuality are then examined. After this, a close textual analysis of different rape episodes in the Metamorphoses is presented, including the episodes of nymphs as victims, the silencing of rape victims and sexually ‘aggressive’ women, in order to reveal and examine the patterns that emerge. While Ovid’s intentions and attitudes towards women, as they are found in the Metamorphoses, have been read by some as sympathetic, by others as misogynistic and still others as more neutral, it is concluded that, although there is space for various readings, as a poet, Ovid was ‘opportunistic’ in his choice of materia and, above all, he wished to stimulate and delight his audience. While his personal values may not necessarily be reflected in his works and his readers may never know the ‘true’ intentions behind the poem, the Metamorphoses does hold up a mirror to the negative treatment of women and exposes the gender inequalities that existed during Ovid’s time. As a poet, however, Ovid’s conceived role is to entertain his audience and despite his somewhat problematic treatment of women and rape victims, he does just that.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Female education breaks the cycle of poverty : a case study of Chikomba rural district, Zimbabwe

  • Authors: Zulu, Lilly Tendai
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Women in development -- Zimbabwe , Women -- Education -- Zimbabwe , Rural women -- Employment -- Zimbabwe , Women in economic development -- Zimbabwe
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:9139 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018691
  • Description: The research which forms the basis of this thesis describes rural women’s perceptions of how Camfed education and skills development programmes have improved their lives in the Chikomba rural district in Chivhu, Zimbabwe. The researcher was motivated to carry out this study mainly due to the fact that in most rural societies in Zimbabwe, women are found suffering from social, cultural and political biases in the traditional male dominated society of Zimbabwe. Compared to their male counterparts, women have limited access to educational and employment opportunities and also have less social and political power than men. Being heads of households, women have to carry out the full traditional roles with the added responsibility of household and production management. The purpose of this study was to inform those investing and interested in women’s education about whether, how and the conditions under which women’s education directly improves women’s own lives and decreases poverty in the family and society. Camfed is an organization that advocates for female education particularly in the marginalized and poor parts of the country where poverty remains a barrier to girl’s education. It provides financial resources and establishes innovative education and training programs in order to break the poverty cycle in rural communities and empower women. A quantitative approach was employed in this study using a descriptive survey design, with the emphasis on collecting primary data from the research participants as well as consulting secondary data sources such as books, academic journals, completed and unpublished post-graduate research dissertations and theses. Findings of this study revealed that financial constraints, early marriage, proximity to school, death of parents as well as domestic chores were factors identified by the women that prevented them from completing school and pursuing further studies. The women also describe their perceptions of how education has led to better opportunities and an improved standard of living as they can now afford the basic goods and services. Moreover the participants mentioned how education has provided them with the basic skills to pursue a livelihood which will enable them to enjoy a decent standard of living. The research also found that education is an important determinant of women’s decision making in terms of finances and thereby improves their sense of empowerment. The women talked extensively about how education has raised their self-esteem and how it has enhanced their economic and social independence. At the end of the study and using the acquired information, several recommendations are made for the expansion and increase of programmes that offer incentives to keep girls in school, especially at secondary level where returns for girls are substantially greater in-terms of reducing poverty and improving the wellbeing of individuals.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Financial management practices employed by small and medium enterprises (SMES) in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape

  • Authors: Marembo, Mathew
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Finance , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Management
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Com (Business Management)
  • Identifier: vital:11325 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1013583 , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Finance , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Management
  • Description: This study examined how financial management decisions are made by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Buffalo City Metropolitan in Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study aimed at discovering SME awareness on financial management practices. The financial management practices address issues on capital budgeting, working capital management, capital structure, financial reporting and analysis. The study, therefore, hypothesised that SMEs were not aware of the sound financial management practices. It was also intended in this study to examine the relationship between employment of sound financial management practices and firm financial performance. Subsequently, the study hypothesised that the employment of sound financial management practices by SMEs did not significantly affect their financial performance. The results obtained in this study revealed that SMEs were aware of the sound financial management practices that could be employed to yield high financial performance. However, the results also revealed that most SMEs were not employing qualified personnel and this in turn had an effect on the effectiveness of the financial management practices that the SMEs utilised. The findings also indicated that the employment of sound financial management practices did significantly and positively affect the financial performance of SMEs. The study recommended that SMEs could increase their chances of financial survival if they employ sound financial management practices. The study also gave recommendations to the South African Government to provide effective facilities and services to SMEs and help sustain them because they are important in the economy. Lastly, the study recommended financial institutions to relax their credit granting policies so that SMEs could access funds.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Financial structure and economic growth nexus: comparisons of banks, financial markets and economic growth in South Africa

  • Authors: Godza, Praise G
  • Date: 2013
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Com
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/921 , vital:26509
  • Description: The importance of the financial structure system, which comprises the banking sector and financial markets, to the growth of a country’s economy cannot be underestimated. It is important to analyse comparatively the contribution of each sector to the economic growth of a country. This study, therefore, empirically examined the relationship between financial markets, banks and economic growth in South Africa using time series analysis for the period 1990 to 2011. The study used the Vector Error Correction model (VECM) based causality tests to establish the link between financial structure (represented by both banks and financial markets) and economic growth. Real GDP was used as a measure for economic growth, Bank credit to the private sector was used as a proxy for the banking system, turnover ratio and value of shares traded was used as a measure for the stock market and bond market capitalisation was used as a measure for the bond market. To determine the net effects of financial structure on long run growth in South Africa, one control variable was added which was the ratio of government expenditure to GDP to control for the government’s role in the economy. The Johansen co-integration technique was also employed to obtain a long run relationship. The results from the study revealed that the stock turnover ratio, bond market capitalisation, and government expenditure have a long run relationship with economic growth while bank credit to private sector and value of shares traded showed a negative relationship with economic growth. With granger causality all the variables proved to granger cause economic growth except for bond market capitalisation where economic growth prove to granger cause bond market development. The study recommended that measures to improve liquidity, transparency and accessibility of both the banking sector and financial markets instruments should be a priority for South African authorities. The authorities should, therefore, encourage stock market development through an appropriate mix of taxes, legal and regulatory policies to remove barriers to stock market operations and thus enhance their efficiency since stock markets in Africa are underdeveloped. Strong financial regulation and supervision in banks to ensure efficiency in credit allocation should be done to enable channelling of credits to capital development rather than consumption spending.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Financial viability of sustainable infrastructural development at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

  • Authors: Ducie, Gregory Justin
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Finance , Education, Higher -- South Africa -- Finance , Infrastructure (Economics)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:9302 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015063
  • Description: Sustainable environmental practices need to be integrated into a university's infrastructural operations. Universities are entities that function within financial constraints with varying priorities across both administrative and educational functions. Unfortunately, these financial constraints often imply that a university's potential leadership role can only be realised should the viability (business case) of a proposed intervention be determined. This study focuses on the determination of a relational sustainable indicator and a relational cost factor. A relational sustainable indicator demonstrates how a university can collectively determine the contribution made to sustainability by various sectors of infrastructure. This is developed by means of a secondary study. Two components are important for calculating the relational sustainability indicator, namely, green infrastructure attributes and the basic elements of sustainability systems, namely, the environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainability. The determination of a relational cost factor involves the quantification of the costs associated with alternative infrastructure provision. In particular, attention is paid to demand-side management costs, rationalising spatial growth costs, green building development costs, operation and maintenance of existing buildings costs, wastewater infrastructure costs, water infrastructure costs, energy infrastructure costs and transport infrastructure costs. Once the actual costs of each intervention category are determined, a relational sustainable cost factor can be calculated. Utilising the costs in the eight categories identified, a relational sustainable cost factor is determined. A resultant relational cost benefit as per the eight defined categories of sustainable infrastructure provision is derived from the relevant costs of sustainable infrastructure provision, the resultant relational cost factors and, finally, the relational sustainability indicators. It is proposed that that the determination of a budget split between the various interventions based on the resultant relational cost factor occur as follows: - Demand side management interventions: 15.97percent - Rationalising spatial growth: 6.72percent - Construction of green buildings: 24.37percent - Operations and maintenance: 21.85percent - Wastewater: 7.56percent - Water: 1.68percent - Energy: 12.61percent - Transport: 9.24percent. This study provides a platform to guide how and where to invest in sustainable infrastructure and provide direction in determining a budget split between various categories of sustainable infrastructure development.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Fish and fisheries of Bangweulu wetlands, Zambia

  • Authors: Huchzermeyer, Carl Friedrich
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Bangweulu Swamps (Zambia) , Fisheries -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fishes -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fishery management -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fishing -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fishing -- Economic aspects -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fish stock assessment -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fish as food -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Conservation of natural resources -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Sustainable development -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:5203 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003927 , Bangweulu Swamps (Zambia) , Fisheries -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fishes -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fishery management -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fishing -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fishing -- Economic aspects -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fish stock assessment -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Fish as food -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Conservation of natural resources -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps , Sustainable development -- Zambia -- Bangweulu Swamps
  • Description: Bangweulu Wetlands is a 6000 km² public-private-partnership conservation area in northeastern Zambia, lying on the south-eastern margins of the Bangweulu Swamps, Congo River system. The area is important for wildlife conservation, tourism and as a fishing ground for the local inhabitants. This study provides a baseline of the fish and fisheries of this area. The conservation area is situated on the transition zone between woodland, floodplain and swamp. A total of 42 fish species representing 12 taxonomic families were collected. The fish fauna of the area was characterised by a diversity of small cyprinids (14 species), cichlids (9 species), clariid catfishes (4 species) and mormyrids (4 species). Species such as Clarias gariepinus, C. ngamensis, Marcusenius macrolepidotus, Tilapia rendali, T. sparrmanii and several small Barbus species were shared with adjacent floodplain systems such as the upper Zambezi and Kafue rivers. Fishing was undertaken by fishing groups consisting of a fisherman and his family, or a group of men fishing together. Access to the fishing grounds was controlled by traditional fishing leaders, who collected tribute from fishermen. Fishing groups utilised fixed, distinct fishing areas determined by ancestry. The most important time for fishing was during the drawdown phase of the floodplains, from March until June. During the dry season fewer groups were engaged in fishing, with many having returned to farming activities. The main fishing methods of the floodplain fishery were basket traps and mosquito-mesh funnel nets set into earth fish barriers (fish weirs) constructed on the plains, various mesh sizes of gillnets, hook longlines and seine nets. The use of fish spears, drag baskets and piscicides was of lesser importance. Most fishing gears were constructed of a variety of natural and modern, manufactured materials. The fishery was multi-species and 23 fish species were recorded from in catch. The three most important species in the catches were C. gariepinus, T. rendalli and M. macrolepidotus. Together these contributed 67% by weight to the catch. Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) for the different gears was 0.4 ± 0.3 kg.trap.night⁻¹ for basket traps, 2.7 ± 4.6 kg.net.night⁻¹ for funnel nets, 0.3 ± 0.5 kg.50 m net.night⁻¹ for gill nets, 3.5 ± 6.3 kg.100 hooks.night⁻¹ for longlines, 1.79 ± 1.11 kg.haul⁻¹ for mosquito-mesh seine nets and 6.87 ± 6.27 kg.haul⁻¹ for larger-mesh seine nets. The weight of average daily landings of fishing groups, using a variety of gears was 7.8 ± 7.4 kg. Fishermen were able to maintain the same catch rate between dry and wet seasons, with no significant differences (p < 0.05) in daily landings between seasons. Yield per fisherman for a seven month season, which required 2-3 relocations due to falling water level, was 1.64 t based on catch assessment, and 1.9 t from a socio-economic survey. A tentative yield per area estimate for the area was 2I7 kg.ha⁻¹ over the three month shallow-floodplain fishing season. Most fish landed in the fishery were processed into sundried or smoke-dried products. These were used for 1) home consumption, 2) trade with village farmers (from up to 70 km inland of the fishing grounds) in exchange for staple starch meal, and 3) sold to urban fish traders, reaching markets as distant as Lubumbashi in Democratic Republic of Congo. Fish traders toured fishing camps to buy fish, supporting auxiliary industries such as transport and accommodation services. The price for dried fish at source was 3.14 ± 1.34 USDlkg and the market price reported for the Zambian Copperbelt was 6.14 ± 2.54 USD/kg. Typical returns on investment in fish trading were estimated as 68-77%. The fishery was considered to be biologically and socially sustainable. By harvesting a seasonally transient assemblage of species with high productivity and biological turnover rates and with life histories adapted to high mortality, fishermen were able to maintain a stable and viable livelihood. Management recommendations for the area were that a fisheries management plan be developed that would seek to strengthen the traditional system of rights-allocation, address problems between fishing and tourism activities, and enhance communication between fisheries and conservation stakeholders. To do this it was recommended that: 1) conservation authorities recognise the importance of the fishery, 2) no changes to current effort levels and fishing methods were necessary, 3) points 1 and 2 above be used to improve communication and trust between conservation authorities and fishermen, 4) customary resource-access mechanisms be understood and strengthened so that local inhabitants' rights to the resource are protected, 5) fishermen help formulate and accept conservation and tourism rules, 6) tourists and guides be made aware of the function of the fishery, 7) a fisheries management forum of key community, government and conservation stakeholders be formed to shape and implement the fisheries management plan, 8) locally-adapted bylaws be created to legitimise crucial floodplain gears currently considered illegal (e.g. mosquito-net gears, fish weirs), 9) no intervention to formalise fish trading be made, and 10) a trained person with a fisheries background be hired oversee the implementation of the recommendations.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

For the people : an appraisal comparison of imagined communities in letters to two South African newspapers

  • Authors: Smith, Jade
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Daily Sun (Johannesburg, South Africa) , Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) , Mass media and social integration -- South Africa , Language and languages -- Usage , Mass media and language -- South Africa , Mass media and culture -- South Africa , Belonging (Social psychology)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:2385 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016264
  • Description: This thesis reports on the bonds that unify imagined communities (Anderson 1983) that are created in 40 letters prominently displayed on the opinions pages of the Daily Sun, a popular tabloid, and The Times, a daily offshoot of the mainstream national Sunday Times. An APPRAISAL analysis of these letters reveals how the imagined communities attempt to align their audiences around distinctive couplings of interpersonal and ideational meaning. Such couplings represent the bonds around which community identities are co-constructed through affiliation and are evidence of the shared feelings that unite the communities of readership. Inferences drawn from this APPRAISAL information allow for a comparison of the natures of the two communities in terms of how they view their agency and group cohesion. Central to the analysis and interpretation of the data is the letters’ evaluative prosody, traced in order to determine the polarity of readers’ stances over four weeks. Asymmetrical prosodies are construed as pointing to the validity of ‘linguistic ventriloquism’, a term whose definition is refined and used as a diagnostic for whether the newspapers use their readers’ letters to promote their own stances on controversial matters. Principal findings show that both communities affiliate around the value of education, and dissatisfaction with the country’s political leaders, however The Times’ readers are more individualistic than the Daily Sun’s community members, who are concerned with the wellbeing of the group. The analysis highlights limitations to the application of the APPRAISAL framework, the value of subjectivity in the analytical process, and adds a new dimension to South African media studies, as it provides linguistic insights into the construction of imagined communities of newspaper readership.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2013
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