Fixed points of single-valued and multi-valued mappings with applications
- Authors: Stofile, Simfumene
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Fixed point theory Mappings (Mathematics) Coincidence theory (Mathematics) Metric spaces Uniform spaces Set-valued maps
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5397 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002960
- Description: The relationship between the convergence of a sequence of self mappings of a metric space and their fixed points, known as the stability (or continuity) of fixed points has been of continuing interest and widely studied in fixed point theory. In this thesis we study the stability of common fixed points in a Hausdorff uniform space whose uniformity is generated by a family of pseudometrics, by using some general notations of convergence. These results are then extended to 2-metric spaces due to S. Gähler. In addition, a well-known theorem of T. Suzuki that generalized the Banach Contraction Principle is also extended to 2-metric spaces and applied to obtain a coincidence theorem for a pair of mappings on an arbitrary set with values in a 2-metric space. Further, we prove the existence of coincidence and fixed points of Ćirić type weakly generalized contractions in metric spaces. Subsequently, the above result is utilized to discuss applications to the convergence of modified Mann and Ishikawa iterations in a convex metric space. Finally, we obtain coincidence, fixed and stationary point results for multi-valued and hybrid pairs of mappings on a metric space.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Functional changes of the vasculature in HIV/AIDS patients on Haart and Haart Naïve HIV participants
- Authors: Awotedu, Kofoworola Olajire
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Cardiovascular system -- Diseases HIV infections -- Treatment
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Ph D
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/185 , vital:21366
- Description: The present study sought to explore the functional changes that occur in the vasculature of HIV positive participants of African origin in Mthatha district of South africa which might lead to increased risk in their cardiovascular system. Available literature shows that arterial stiffness plays an important role in cardiovascular events such as stroke, vasculitis and myocardial infarction. Measurement of (aortic pulse wave velocity; PWV) provides some of the strongest evidence concerning the prognostic significance of large artery stiffening. This study was aimed at investigating the relationship between anthropometry, age, E-Selectin level, cytokine levels, haemodynamic variables, blood counts and blood lipid profile with pulse wave velocity. Some traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as alcohol, and smoking were also taken into account. This was a cross-sectional study comprising of 169 participants (62 males and 107 females). 63 were HIV negative (group A), 54 HIV positive on treatment (group B), and 52 were HIV positive not on treatment (group C). Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was assessed using the Sphygmocor Vx. Statistically, ANOVA was used for variables with normal distribution and non parametric tests were used for variables with skewed distribution. Notable significant differences were seen in the means of the following variables across all the 3 groups. Conclusion: This study showed that HIV infected patients with or without antiretroviral therapy have increase arterial stiffness which is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. The sphygmocor is an accurate, non invassive and useful tool in the evaluation of arterial stiffness and its use in clinical practice should be encouraged. PWV and the augmentation index (AIx) are the two major non- iv invasive methods of assessing arterial stiffness. Life style modification should be incorporated into the management of HIV patients so as the continuous monitoring of their haematological and lipid profile.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Gametogenesis, gonadal recrudescence, restraint and spawning patterns in Nile perch, Lates niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Authors: Kahwa, David
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Nile perch -- Victoria, Lake Gametogenesis Oogenesis Spermatogenesis Nile perch -- Spawning -- Victoria, Lake Nile perch -- Induced spawning -- Victoria, Lake Nile perch -- Reproduction -- Endocrine aspects -- Victoria, Lake Fish culture -- Victoria, Lake
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5182 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001834
- Description: The Nile perch, Lates niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758), is a predacious freshwater fish widely distributed throughout the Afro-tropic eco-zone. The species was introduced to Lake Victoria in the early 1950s and by 1980 it had dominated the fisheries of Lake Victoria. This was followed by a dramatic decrease in the Nile perch fisheries production due to uncontrolled exploitation. The purpose of this thesis is to provide fundamental knowledge that can be applied in aquaculture and fisheries management through the study of the reproductive biology of L. niloticus. The research was aimed at the studying of the diverse aspects of the reproductive biology of L. niloticus in the Lake Victoria, Ugandan populations. This included reproductive patterns in relation to proximate environmental conditions, size at sexual maturity, gonad and gamete structure, gametogenesis and induced ovulation. The size at 50% sexual maturity for female Nile perch was 59.4 cm, which is lower than the earlier reported size of greater than 90 cm total length. Male L. niloticus matured at 57.8 cm total length in Lake Victoria. Microscopy revealed that L. niloticus from Lake Victoria had one spawning period that started in November and ended in March. Type I atresia occurred at high frequency from March to June, and type III atresia was present from July to September and between November and December. Spermatogenesis in L. niloticus is cystic and sperm development is the result of asynchronous activation of the germ cells. Type II spermatozoa are simple, uni-flagellate aquasperm with no acrosome. Oogenesis in L. niloticus differed from that of other fishes in that no cortical alveoli were present in any stage of oogenesis. Numerous oil globules were present in the primary yolk vesicle stage. This formed one centrally positioned, large oil globule in the tertiary yolk vesicle oocytes during final oocyte maturation. Clove oil was an effective sedative and an anaesthetic for the handling of L. niloticus. Induction time was more rapid at clove oil concentrations of 50 - 100 μl L⁻¹ than in fish exposed to clove oil concentrations less than 50 μl L⁻¹. Fish exposed to high concentrations exhibited significantly short induction times of less than 240 seconds. On average, fish recovered within 673 ± 58 seconds for all the concentrations used. Prolonged exposure of L. niloticus to low clove oil concentrations of 2.5 - 10 μl L⁻¹ did not change the blood plasma cortisol, glucose, and the lactate and chloride ion concentration, relative to the control treatment. Captive breeding was attempted by conducting induced spawning experiments. Only final oocyte maturation was achieved using a decapeptide Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (Dargin, sGnRH-MET), combined with a water-soluble dopamine receptor antagonist metoclopramide. This thesis suggests a research approach that provides a basis for aquaculture of the new species by first studying reproductive biology patterns and then linking the information to gonad and gamete structure so that spawning times can be estimated. It further provides insights into aspects of the reproductive biology of the species and the effects of hormonal intervention on oocytes by showing at which stage of oocyte development hormones should be applied in L. niloticus. Clove oil can be used to sedate and anaesthetise L. niloticus broodfish to reduce the stress related to the handling of large specimens.
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- Date Issued: 2013
GDR development policy with special reference to Africa, c. 1960-1990
- Authors: Van der Heyden, Ulrich Klaus Helmut
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Germany -- Foreign relations -- Africa , Germany -- Foreign economic relations -- Africa , Africa -- Foreign relations -- Germany , Africa -- Foreign economic relations -- Germany , Africa -- Politics and government -- 1960- , Africa -- History -- 1960-
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2531 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001860
- Description: This thesis explores the political, economic and theoretical underpinnings of the German Democratic Republic’s (GDR’s) development policies towards the Third World between c.1960 and 1990. Particular attention is paid to Africa. Case studies of assistance to SWAPO and the ANC further focus the attention of the reader on southern Africa in particular. Aspects of both military and civilian aid are considered, including both development initiatives overseas in Africa, and development training for Africans within the GDR itself. Since German “reunification”, the GDR’s history has been explored largely from a West German perspective. The present work attempts to provide a more balanced view of successes and shortcomings of the GDR’s policies towards, and interaction with, African countries and liberation movements. It also aims to bring to the attention of English-speaking readers German archival sources, other primary sources and published works which they would otherwise have been unlikely to encounter. From its formation, the GDR made strenuous efforts to develop relations with countries which were either free from colonial dependency or were struggling for freedom. Over the course of thirty years, it followed a number of different approaches, and developed diverse objectives. These were shaped in the wider context of the cold war, the Hallstein doctrine (which established that the FRG – and, in effect, its allies - would not establish or maintain diplomatic relations with any state that recognised the GDR), the relationships between the GDR and partner socialist states, and the economic difficulties faced by the GDR. Arising from this complex situation, from time to time, both internally in the GDR and in terms of its foreign affairs, tensions and discrepancies arose between theoretical objectives and political and economic reality. Despite these severe constraints, during the period under review, the volume and range of the GDR’s relationships with developing countries increased dramatically. For example, between 1970 and 1987, the number of developing countries with which the GDR had foreign economic relations on the basis of international agreements grew from 23 to 64. Viewed within its economic context, the state was arguably far more committed to development aid than the Federal Republic of Germany. In addition, there is a great deal of evidence that “solidarity” with developing nations and the oppressed enjoyed a considerable degree of popular support.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Genetics and thermal biology of littorinid snails of the genera Afrolittorina, Echinolittorina and Littoraria (Gastropoda: Littorinidae) from temperate, subtropical and tropical regions
- Authors: Matumba, Tshifhiwa Given
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Littorinidae -- South Africa Littorinidae -- Brunei Littorinidae -- Adaptation -- South Africa Littorinidae -- Adaptation -- Brunei Littorinidae -- Effect of temperature on -- South Africa Littorinidae -- Effect of temperature on -- Brunei Littorinidae -- Physiology Snails -- South Africa Snails -- Brunei Gastropoda -- South Africa Gastropoda -- Brunei Intertidal animals -- South Africa Intertidal animals -- Brunei
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5588 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001953
- Description: With the anticipated effects of climate change due to global warming, there is concern over how animals, especially ectotherms, will respond to or tolerate extreme and fluctuating environmental temperature stress. Littorinid snails are intertidal ectotherms that live high on the shore where they experience both extreme and variable conditions of temperature and desiccation stress, and are believed to live close to their tolerance limits. This study investigated the thermal biology of littorinid snails of the genera Afrolittorina, Echinolittorina and Littoraria from temperate, subtropical and tropical regions in South Africa and Brunei Darussalam using thermal tolerance, heart function, and proteome approaches. The effects of conditions, such as rate of change in temperature, acclimation, heat shock, season and starvation were also tested. In addition, the evolutionary relationships and genetic diversity between and within the South African Afrolittorina spp. were investigated using mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Genetic results confirmed that these are two distinct species, with the brown to black A. knysnaensis predominant in the cool-temperate region of South Africa and the pale blue-grey A. africana in the subtropical region. There was low genetic variation and differentiation within each species, suggesting high gene flow among populations as a result of the effects of ocean currents on the dispersal of their planktotrophic larvae. Tests using exposure to high temperatures revealed differences in the thermal tolerances, heart performance and protein profiles of species from different latitudes, regions and zones on the shore. Thermal tolerance conformed to expectations, with clear, statistically significant trends from high tolerance in subtropical species to lower tolerance in temperate species. However, for Afrolittorina spp., there were no significant differences in the thermal tolerances of conspecifics from different regions, though there was a significant difference in thermal tolerance between juveniles and adults. Overall, adults of all species showed higher thermal tolerances than juveniles. Although lethal temperatures for these species were higher in summer than winter, laboratory acclimation had no effect on heat coma temperatures. All species showed some regulation of heart rate, with a degree of independence of heart rate from temperature across mid-range temperatures. The tropical species showed quick induction and good regulation of heart rate followed by the subtropical and temperate species, which displayed mixed responses including regulation, partial regulation and lack of regulation. Overall, tropical Echinolittorina spp. showed good regulation, while the subtropical E. natalensis and Littoraria glabrata exhibited a mixture of partial regulation and regulation. The subtropical/temperate Afrolittorina spp. showed high individual variability, some animals exhibiting regulation, while others did not. These effects seem to be largely phylogenetically determined as there were no differences in the heart rate responses of Afrolittorina spp. from different regions. The temperatures at which heart rate became independent of temperature (thermoneutral zone) were within the range experienced under natural conditions. In addition, there were differences in Arrhenius breakpoint and endpoint temperatures, showing a trend from higher in tropical animals to lower for temperate animals. Conditions such as acclimation, heat shock and starvation had little or no effect on heart performance. However, a slow increase in temperature induced good regulation of heart rate with noticeable shifts of breakpoints and endpoints for Afrolittorina spp. Lastly, there were differences in the proteome responses between and within Afrolittorina spp. as a function of species, size and treatment. Although both large and small A. knysnaensis had a greater number of protein spots in their proteome than A. africana (though the difference was not significant), the later showed significantly higher differential expression of certain proteins following heat stress. In addition, juveniles of both species displayed greater numbers of protein spots in their proteome than adults. The results indicate a difference in the physiological and biochemical responses (i.e. adaptations) of these snails to temperature, and this seems to relate to differences in biogeography, phylogeny, species identity and ecology. The ability to regulate heart rate is phylogenetically determined, while thresholds and lethal limits correspond to biogeography and species ecology. The proteome seems to correspond to species ecology. The results also indicate that these littorinids can tolerate high temperature stress and in this respect they are well suited to life in the intertidal zones or habitats where temperature and other stresses or conditions are extreme and can change abruptly. However, the limited ability of these snails to acclimate to different temperatures suggests that they are already living close to their tolerance limits with small safety margins or narrow thermal windows and so may be vulnerable to small rises in substratum temperature and/or solar radiation.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Green zone nation : the securitisation and militarisation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa
- Authors: McMichael, Christopher Bryden
- Date: 2013 , 2013-04-22
- Subjects: World Cup (Soccer) (2010 : South Africa) -- Safety measures -- Research Fédération internationale de football association Militarism -- Research -- South Africa Sports -- Political aspects -- Research -- South Africa Police -- South Africa South Africa -- Armed Forces Crime -- South Africa Violent crimes -- South Africa Violent crimes -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2752 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001622
- Description: This thesis explores the relationship between the safety and security measures for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the militarisation of urban space and policing in post-apartheid South Africa. In particular, it focuses upon how the South African state and FIFA, the owners of the World Cup franchise, worked to present the World Cup as an event which required exceptional levels of security – resulting in a historically unprecedented joint police and military operation across host cities. However, in contrast with previous research on these security measures, this thesis aims to interrogate the political and commercial forces which constructed security and positions them against a backdrop of intensified state violence and social exclusion in South Africa. Concurrently, the South African case was indicative of an international militarisation of major events, with policing operations comparable to national states of emergency. This is representative of the ‘new military urbanism’ in which everyday urban life is rendered as a site of ubiquitous risk, leading to the increased diffusion of military tactics and doctrines in policing and policy. While the interpenetration between urbanism and militarism has often been studied against the context of the ‘war on terror’, in the case of South Africa this has primarily been accelerated by a pervasive social fear of violent crime, which has resulted in the securitisation of cities, the remilitarisation of policing and the intensification of a historical legacy of socio-spatial inequalities. The South African government aimed to use the World Cup to ‘rebrand’ the country’s violent international image, while promising that security measures would leave a legacy of safer cities for ordinary South Africans. The concept of legacies was also responsive to the commercial imperatives of FIFA and a range of other security actors, including foreign governments and the private security industry. However these policing measures were primarily cosmetic and designed to allay the fears of foreign tourists and the national middle class. In practice security measures pivoted around the enforcement of social control and urban marginalisation while serving as a training ground for an increasingly repressive state security apparatus. Security was as much a matter of fortifying islands of privilege and aiding a project of financial extraction as protecting the public from harm. , Microsoft� Office Word 2007 , Adobe Acrobat 9.53 Paper Capture Plug-in
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- Date Issued: 2013
High performance nonwovens in technical textile applications
- Authors: Ogunleye, Christopher Olarinde
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Nonwoven fabrics , Textile fabrics -- Technological innovations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:10356 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021011
- Description: The aim of this research was to establish the optimum processing conditions and parameters for producing nonwoven fabrics best suited for application in disposable and protective wear for surgical gowns, drapes and laboratory coats. Carded and crosslapped webs, of three basic weights (80, 120, and 150g/m2), from greige (unscoured and unbleached) cotton, viscose and polyester fibres, were hydroentangled, using three different waterjet pressures (60, 100 and 120 bars), on a Fleissner Aquajet hydroentanglement machine. An antibacterial agent (Ruco-Coat FC 9005) and a fluorochemical water repellent agent (Ruco Bac-AGP), were applied in one bath using the pad-dry-cure technique, to impart both antibacterial and water repellent properties to the fabrics, SEM photomicrographs indicating that the finished polymers were evenly dispersed on the fabric surface. The effect of waterjet pressure, fabric weight and type and treatment on the structure of the nonwoven produced, was evaluated by measuring the relevant characteristics of the fabrics. As expected, there was an interrelationship between fabric weight, thickness, and density, the fabric thickness and mass density increasing with fabric weight. An increase in waterjet pressure decreased the fabric thickness and increased the fabric density. The water repellent and antibacterial treatment increased the fabric weight and thickness. The antimicrobial activity of the fabrics was assessed by determining the percentage reduction in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria population. The maximum percent reduction at 24hrs contact time for both bacteria ranged from 99.5 to 99.6 percent for all the fabric types. The standard spray test ratings for the three treated fabrics ranged from 80-90 percent, whereas that of the untreated water repellent fabric was zero, while the contact angles for all the fabric types exceeded 90 degrees, indicating good resistance to wetting. It was found that the tensile strength of the fabric in the cross-machine direction was higher than that in the machine direction, for both the treated and untreated fabrics, with the tensile strengths in both the MD and CD of the treated fabrics were greater than that of the untreated fabrics, the reverse being true for the extension at break. An increase in waterjet pressure increased the tensile strength but decreased the extension at break, for both the treated and untreated fabrics. The finishing treatment decreased the mean pore size of all the fabrics, the mean pore size decreasing with an increase in fabric weight and waterjet pressure. An increase in waterjet pressure and fabric weight decreased the air and water vapour permeability, as did the finishing treatment, although the differences were not always statistically significant. The polyester fabrics had the highest water and air permeability. Hence low weight fabrics of 80 g/m2, which were hydroentangled at low water jet pressures of 60 bars, were suitable for use in this study due to their higher air and water vapour permeability as well as higher pore size distribution. These group of fabrics thus meet the requirements for surgical gowns, drapes, nurses’ uniforms and laboratory coats.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Impact of human dimensions on smallholder farming in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
- Authors: Kibirige, Douglas
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Entrepreneurship -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , South Africa -- Social conditions , South Africa -- Economic conditions , DEA approach , Stochastic production frontier , Production efficiency , Human dimensions , Irrigation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11201 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007532 , Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Entrepreneurship -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , South Africa -- Social conditions , South Africa -- Economic conditions , DEA approach , Stochastic production frontier , Production efficiency , Human dimensions , Irrigation
- Description: Considering the backward and forward linkages, the agro-industrial sector contributes about 12 percent of South Africa‘s GDP, and employs approximately 8.5 million people. In the Eastern Cape Province, the sector contributes about 1.9 percent of the Provincial GDP, and over 3 million people derive their livelihoods from subsistence smallholder farming. Despite its importance, agricultural productivity has stagnated for several years across the Eastern Cape rural communities. There have been several attempts by the government to improve the agricultural productivity on smallholder farms since the end of apartheid, especially through the establishment of small-scale irrigation schemes, subsidization of farm inputs, and provision of credit facilities and enacting a number of land reform policies. In spite of the government support, most rural communities like Qamata and Tyefu are still faced with high levels of poverty affecting 76 percent and 91 percent of the population, respectively. This research evaluated the current smallholders‘ production efficiency, and the link between smallholder farmers‘ human dimensions (entrepreneurial spirit and positive psychological capital, goals and social capital, and other efficiency related variables) with production efficiency and household commercialisation index/level. The study used participatory approaches for site selection, sample selection and data collection. The analysis was based on both information from informal interviews and formal primary data collection. The Data Envelopment Analysis and Stochastic Production Frontier techniques were used to determine the relative efficiencies of individual farmers and to identify the major factors that influence the efficiency of production. Overall, 158 farmers were interviewed both at Qamata and Tyefu irrigation schemes. Descriptive statistics of this study indicated that most of the farmers were men with an average age of 61 years, and mean household size of 4 persons with the household head having at least obtained some primary school education. Farming is the major source of livelihood for smallholders with an average income of R4527.49 per crop season. Smallholders use improved seeds, fertilizers and tractor for ploughing with less use of pesticides and herbicides. Although smallholder irrigators generate more gross margins from maize and cabbage enterprises, generally both categories of farmers exhibited a low average household commercialization index for maize and cabbage at 0.41 and 0.22, respectively. Both Data Envelopment Analysis and Stochastic Production Frontier results indicate that farmers are about 98 percent technically efficient in maize and cabbage enterprises, respectively. However, farmers were allocatively inefficient as they were under-utilizing seed and pesticides while over-utilizing inorganic fertilizers. Factors that are positively associated with technical efficiency in maize production included household size, farming experience, off-farm income, use of agro-chemical; gross margins and commercialisation level of maize output. Determinants of technical efficiency in cabbage enterprise included farming experience, amount of land owned, use of agro-chemicals, group membership and gross margins accrued to cabbage sales. Farmers‘ human dimensions that could be more positively and significantly associated with production, efficiency and household commercialisation level included risk taking (hope), innovativeness (confidence) and optimism for entrepreneurial/positive psychological capital. Farmers‘ goals included self-esteem and independence, and only external social capital which were identified to be more positively and significantly associated with farmers‘ production efficiency and commercialization level. The transition from homestead subsistence to commercial oriented small-scale irrigation farming is inevitable since smallholder irrigators earn more incomes from maize and cabbage and are relatively food secure. However, the key policy options that must be considered to address inefficiencies and improved commercialization level to aid the transition include: agricultural policies geared toward attracting youth in farming, improved quality of extension services, speeding up the land reform process, and formation of cooperatives and participatory policy formulation that takes full cognizance of the farmers‘ human dimensions. Since farmers‘ human dimensions as defined in the literature and this study are not things that are amenable to direct policy intervention, they can only be modified indirectly through policy actions that affect their determinants. This means that a number of the demographic and socio-economic characteristics such as age, sex and education level of household head, farming experience, size of land owned, crop incomes, source of water for irrigation and location of the irrigation scheme that govern the way people perceive reality and respond to them must be the focus of concerted policy actions over the medium to long term.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Implementation of Public Participation Policy approach in Mbombela Local Municipality of Mpumalanga Province of South Africa: an evaluation
- Authors: Ndlovu, Derick
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (in Public Administration)
- Identifier: vital:11690 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1013597
- Description: Since the dawn of democracy in 1994, South Africa has promulgated a number of progressive legislation and programmes in an effort to improve the well-being of its citizens. There is legislation and prescripts designed to provide policy and legal basis for a concerted and coherent pursuit of public participation in South Africa. There are various pieces of legislation that provide overarching principles and norms to guide the concerted enhancement of public participation in the local sphere of government. In spite of the plethora of policies and programmes, communities in various places continue to engage in service delivery protests. This study critically analyzed the implementation of public participation policy as a legislative core value for local government, with specific reference to Mbombela local municipality. In doing so, it critically explored the extent to which Mbombela local municipality involves the local communities in matters of local government such as in strategic decision making, the development of the IDP, performance management and in service delivery processes. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, relying mainly on secondary written sources of data, which reported on public participation and public administration. These sources include books, journals, internet sources, government legislation and policies. Data was also collected from Mbombela local municipality through interviews with municipal officials, members of ward committees, community development workers and the public. This study has found that Mbombela local municipality (MLM) relies primarily on ward committees, ward- based meetings and the Speakers outreach as mechanisms to facilitate public participation. The municipality seems to regard public participation as a crucial aspect in that a public participation unit was established; however the municipality is using a low level of participation, with limited power by citizens to influence strategic decisions. This means that communities and community organizations are involved on matters of the municipality only through attending community meetings therefore such meetings are not sufficient for effective public participation as communities should also be involved in more strategic and influential means such as participating in steering committees, development and economic forums. This study further found that some of the ward committees are not effectively functional as a result of lack of commitment from ward committee members, unavailability of some ard committee members due to their permanent job commitments and due to the difficulty that is caused by the vastness of some of the wards. This study also revealed hat there is no feedback provided to ward committees by the municipality on the ward committee reports that are submitted to the municipality on monthly bases, as a results some ward committee members are demotivated. This research study concludes that Mbombela local municipality is not effectively implementing local government legislation in respect to public participation.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Improving decision making through analysing the economic impact of budget allocation at the city of Cape Town
- Authors: Kaiser, Gisela Noelle
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Cape Town (South Africa) -- Politics and government , City planning -- South Africa --Cape Town , Budget -- South Africa -- Cape Town , Local government
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9684 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008305 , Cape Town (South Africa) -- Politics and government , City planning -- South Africa --Cape Town , Budget -- South Africa -- Cape Town , Local government
- Description: Local government is at the forefront of engagement between the government and South Africa’s people, delivering basic services to communities. Following the transition to a democratic government in 1994, the country was demarcated in a manner that provides complete coverage by local government. Annually, managing the administration of service delivery implementation at local government level costs the country many billions. Much of the revenue used by local government in providing services is derived from income from sale of basic services and property rates, augmented by allocations from national and provincial government, equitably shared amongst municipalities. Local government has autonomy in its operations, but is strictly governed by a collection of cascading legislation, introduced to protect the interests of the people. The primary objective of the research was to investigate the efficacy of budget expenditure in local government, in particular the City of Cape Town as a metropolitan municipality. With an annual budget approaching R30 billion, the aim was to establish how the budget was determined and allocated to the service menu provided by the City, and to investigate whether better methods of allocating expenditure could be developed. A mixed research methodology was followed, relying on quantitative methods for analysing survey data statistically, while providing for detailed qualitative methods in interviewing and studying the specific case in detail. The theoretical perspective most suited to this research was found to be that of pragmatism, for its flexibility of interpretation, practicality and space for multiple perspectives. A constructivist epistemology was adopted to provide for the interplay between object and subject in constructing meaning. This research focused on examination of applicable legislation, secondary data in reports, and statistical analysis of opinion surveys of municipal officials involved in budgeting at different levels and interviews with key stakeholders. The findings indicate that budget allocation can be improved upon in a number of ways, despite complying with a myriad of restrictive and onerous regulations applicable to local government. It was found that the administration is fragmented in its operations and that the structure of necessity favours isolated service delivery rather than integration. Further, that compliance impacts negatively on time spent in planning and pursuit of strategic intent to the extent that Reporting often becomes a more important deliverable than basic services. The size of the City hinders common understanding, and introducing any change in political vision requires particular attention.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Integration of values into management of learners' discipline in Ugandan schools
- Authors: Sekiwu, Denis
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: School management and organization -- Uganda , School discipline -- Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9583 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020814
- Description: To make education a profitable enterprise and contributor to social development requires that schools infuse values into schooling as part of the ethical construction of learners and citizenship building. This research used Kampala district as the case study to conduct a qualitative inquiry with grounded theory to examine the integration of values into the management of learners’ discipline in Ugandan schools. Using a sample of 60 participants, the researcher gathered data using personal interviews, focus group interviews, and documentary analysis. Through the analysis of this data, the researcher established that the School Governing Body (SGB), government, educators, missionaries and the community are stakeholders highly involved in directing the process of values integration into learners’ discipline. He also discerned that different schools impart moral, spiritual, academic, aesthetic, social and universal values into the learners. However with the 1963 Castle Report on Education that led to the nationalization and secularization of schools, denominational schools strongly felt that government robbed them of their powers to control and manage schools through the “principle of subsidiarity”. This seems to have led to the gradual erosion of values and breakdown of discipline in the denominational schools as well as the others. The central argument of this thesis is that integrating values into school discipline in Uganda would result into an inclusive education system that supports both theist and atheist attitudes towards formal schooling. Some respondents argued that values should be directly integrated into learners’ discipline while others opposed values integration. Those who supported values integration into school discipline pointed out that it is an integral part of life-education. On the other hand, those who oppose integrating values argued that values integration might be misused to impose secular influences on the learners. The existing avenues of optimal integration of values into school discipline include use of physical punishment and restorative justice, although custodial methods are widely condemned by human rights activists for being too harsh, punitive and retaliatory. Restorative justice methods used include the use of religious and social clubs as well as counseling and guidance. Collective stakeholder participation in school management is also widely used where school management, government, parents and the community take on a collaborative role in empowering and creating an environment for positive discipline. Finally, missionary educators play a significant role in learners’ behavioural modification. The challenges of values integration into school discipline, on the other hand, are policy-related; including poor school administrative styles, failure to define which values to emphasize in disciplinary management, lack of staff motivation and educators’ unethical behaviour. The classroom-related challenges were an over emphasis on academic values that, consequently, turn education into a theoretical rather than a practical exercise. This is compounded by the poor teaching methodologies used like rote-learning due to the problem of dealing with large classes especially in UPE and USE schools and the strict emphasis on an examination-centered syllabus. The social-related challenge observed was the negative influence of the media on young people’s life styles, consequently, leading to permissiveness, aggressive, violent and militant behaviours now common in schools. The study underscored the need to emphasise stakeholder responsibility in school disciplinary management, and the necessity to offer visionary and collegial leadership, identify a common set of values critical to the promotion of life-long learning, promotion of life-education to ensure formation of morally upright learners, and encourage inclusive education (UBUNTUISM). Government should draft a national education philosophy to guide schools in integration of values education, emphasizing secular, moral and religious values, as well as the need for restorative justice, and employing more pragmatic teaching methodologies. There is also the need to create role-models and staff motivation. All these are cardinal remedies in ensuring constructive school discipline. Finally, the central theory that explains the integration is an Integrated Values Framework (IVF) for Positive Discipline (PD). It advocates that discipline is a process of nurturing learners through the provision of inclusive education, life-long learning and citizenship building.
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- Date Issued: 2013
International joint ventures and firm value: an empirical study of South African partner firms
- Authors: Mangwengwende, Tadiwanashe Mukudzeyi
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Joint ventures Joint ventures -- South Africa Business enterprises -- Valuation International business enterprises
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1033 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004174
- Description: This study investigates international equity joint ventures (IJVs) and South African partner firm value creation at formation. In addition, it tests whether four contentious formation characteristics, namely, the geographical location of the IJV partner, the level of economic development in the IJV partner’s home country, the level of equity held by the South African firm and the industry of the South African firm, can explain when South African IJVs are value enhancing and when they are value diminishing. IJVs are a popular business mode and an important channel for infrastructure and skills investment in developing countries. However, despite their popularity and potential social benefits, these IJVs are predominantly created by the decisions of private firms to collaborate with foreign firms and governments. Consequently the preservation and development of the IJV investment channel is dependent on the encouragement of private firm IJV participation. It is at uncovering potential tools to encourage IJV participation by South African firms that IJV firm value creation becomes important because it stands as a motivator for South African firms’ involvement in IJVs. Existing literature on IJVs and partner firm value has presented conflicting evidence with support for the views that they are value enhancing, value diminishing or of no immediate consequence to their partners’ firm value. Consequently, previous research offers limited firm value support for IJVs. For South African firms considering joint ventures and national policy makers determined to promote IJVs there is a need for an investigation of South African partner IJV firm value effects. Moreover, it is also necessary to test potential explanatory variables that may help to explain when the IJVs are value enhancing and when they are not as this will inform IJV contract negotiations and how limited national government resources are used to promote IJVs. In order to assess firm value creation for South African firms this study performed event studies on IJV formation announcements from 1998 to 2011 using daily share returns from the Johannesburg Securities Exchange taking care to incorporate recent developments in the event study methodology. The study found that while the market responds to IJV announcements, its responses do not, on average, reflect that IJVs are firm value enhancing for their South African partners at formation. This stands in contrast to considerable empirical literature and IJV firm value creation theory. In addition, factoring in formation characteristics, argued to potentially help explain cases of value creation and destruction from IJVs, provided limited explanation for positive and negative wealth effectsfor South African firms entering IJVs. This result has important value for IJV participants, national economic policy makers and IJV researchers. For IJV participants and national policy makers, the results caution unfettered entry/support for IJVs and challenge the role of equity distribution in determining the value of the IJV to its partner firms. For IJV researchers, the results present new evidence questioning IJV firm value creation at formation and provide a potential explanation for the conflict in previous IJV research. The study makes four key contributions to the existing knowledge of IJV firm value creation. Firstly, it assesses IJV wealth effects for the hitherto untested South African IJVs. Secondly, in doing so it adds a new data set (South African IJVs) to the current IJV literature. Thirdly, in reviewing the literature on IJV firm value creation the study presents a disaggregated model of IJV firm value creation from which to develop IJV research and potentially solve the persistent conflict in empirical results on IJV partner wealth effects. Finally, it informs future South African IJV agreements by uncovering factors that influence and do not influence partner wealth effects for South African firms.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Invasion of Lantana into India: analyzing introduction, spread, human adaptations and management
- Authors: Hari Krishnan, Ramesh Kannan
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Lantana -- India Weeds -- Control -- India Plant introduction -- India Natural resources -- India Botany, Economic -- India Botany -- Social aspects -- India
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4728 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001756
- Description: Objectives and Research Questions 1. To reconstruct the history of invasion of Lantana in India from where, by who, and when was Lantana species introduced into India?, given its long history in the country, is it still spreading or has it become more or less stable? 2. To study the human adaptation to Lantana invasion: socioeconomic causes and consequences of the use of Lantana as an alternative source of livelihood for forest dependent communities in southern India; how have local communities adapted to the invasion?; what are the key determinants that may have driven communities to use Lantana?; what are the economic consequences of the use of Lantana by local communities? 3. To critically review local practices and forest policy for the management of Lantana in southern India.; how has the use of Lantana by local communities impacted its local regeneration?; does the use of Lantana in local context have implications for its management?; what has been the role of the Forest Department and its policies in managing Lantana?
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- Date Issued: 2013
Investigation into causes of service delivery protests in municipalities :a case study of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Authors: Shaidi, Elisante Walter
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Municipal government|zSouth Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Municipal government
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:8245 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011153 , Municipal government|zSouth Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Municipal government
- Description: This study investigates the causes of the service delivery protests in South African municipalities that occurred between 2005 to 2013. In a sense, the recent widespread service delivery protests which, in many instances, have turned violent, have sounded an alarm that cannot be ignored. The study is premised on the fact that no political democracy can survive and flourish if the mass of its people remain in poverty, and in a state of inequality and unemployed without tangible prospects for a better life. In this regard, the presence of service delivery protests, especially violent ones, is a threat to South Africa’s young democracy and its sustainability. This study is based on the assumption that the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, like other municipalities in South Africa, could be confronted with the possibility of further violent service delivery protests if the current causes were not scientifically investigated and solutions found. The study adopted a hypothesis with a view that South African municipalities could succeed in rendering effective public services if matters of poor public participation, corruption, service delivery inhibiting systemic factors, a cumbersome legislative environment, political infighting, poor intergovernmental fiscal regime and the low capacity of municipalities were adequately addressed. The study proposed to provide a brief literature review on the emergence of service delivery protests against the backdrop of a theoretical investigation on the new local government developmental mandate. The empirical survey and research methodology employed in the study is described, followed by the operationalisation of the survey questionnaire used for gathering field data. The research findings of the empirical survey are then statistically analysed, interpreted and reported. Some of the findings on the causes of service delivery protests includes slow pace of service delivery, especially in the delivery of sustainable human settlements, poor public participation and other underpinning systemic factors. Recommendations flowing from, inter alia, the results of the empirical study, are presented on how the existing status quo can be changed to enhance service delivery and development. If adopted, these recommendations will enable the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, as a development agent, to fulfil its developmental mandate thereby addressing the causes of the service delivery protests currently facing it.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Investigation into the technical feasibility of biological treatment of precious metal refining wastewater
- Authors: Moore, Bronwyn Ann
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Sewage -- Purification -- Biological treatment -- South Africa Sewage -- Purification -- Activated sludge process -- South Africa Water reuse -- South Africa Flotation -- South Africa Platinum mines and mining -- Waste disposal -- South Africa Platinum mines and mining -- Economic aspects -- South Africa Mine water -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa Platinum mines and mining -- Waste minimization -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3888 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002013
- Description: The hydrometallurgical refining of platinum group metals results in large volumes of liquid waste that requires suitable treatment before any disposal can be contemplated. The wastewater streams are characterized by extremes of pH, high inorganic ion content (such as chloride), significant residual metal loads and small amounts of entrained organic compounds. Historically these effluents were housed in evaporation reservoirs, however lack of space and growing water demands have led Anglo Platinum to consider treatment of these effluents. The aim of this study was to investigate whether biological wastewater treatment could produce water suitable for onsite reuse. Bench-scale activated sludge and anaerobic digestion for co-treatment of an acidic refinery waste stream with domestic wastewater were used to give preliminary data. Activated sludge showed better water treatment at lab scale in terms of removal efficiencies of ammonia (approximately 25%, cf. 20% in anaerobic digestion) and COD (70% cf. 43% in digestion) and greater robustness when biomass health was compared. Activated sludge was consequently selected for a pilot plant trial. The pilot plant was operated on-site and performed comparably with the bench-scale system, however challenges in the clarifier design led to losses of biomass and poor effluent quality (suspended solids washout). The pilot plant was unable to alter the pH of the feed, but a two week maturation period resulted in the pH increasing from 5.3 to 7.0. Tests on algal treatment as an alternative or follow-on unit operation to activated sludge showed it not to be a viable process. The activated sludge effluent was assessed for onsite reuse in flotation and it was found that there was no significant difference between its flotation performance and that of the process water currently used, indicating the effluent generated by the biological treatment system can be used successfully for flotation. Flotation is the method whereby minerals refining operations recover minerals of interest from ore through the addition of chemicals and aeration of the ore slurry. Target minerals adhere to the bubbles and can be removed from the process.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Long-term ecological effects of rangeland burning, grazing and browsing on vegetation and organic matter dynamics
- Authors: Ratsele, Clement Ratsele
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Rangelands -- Fire management , Range ecology , Rangelands -- Monitoring , Animals -- Effect of fires on
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Pasture Science)
- Identifier: vital:11582 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006844 , Rangelands -- Fire management , Range ecology , Rangelands -- Monitoring , Animals -- Effect of fires on
- Description: To proffer a sustainable solution to ecological degradation in rangeland ecosystems as a consequence of fire, grazing and browsing, an understanding of rangeland ecological processes is vital. Due to the complexity of ecological processes and their interrelationships, it is usually difficult or expensive to directly measure status of ecological processes. Therefore, biological and physical characteristics are often used to indicate the functionality of ecological processes and site integrity. Long-term effects of fire, grazing and browsing on characteristics of the vegetation and organic matter and their subsequent effects on selected rangelands ecosystem ecological processes was conducted at Honeydale section of the University of Fort Hare farm in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and Matopos Research Station in Zimbabwe. In this study, attributes of biotic community integrity (species richness, composition and diversity), soil stability (basal cover, standing dead grass biomass, tuft to tuft distance, tufts diameter, canopy distance and stem to stem distance), productivity and plant vigour (grass yield, total canopy volume, plant height, canopy height, canopy diameter, main stem diameter, sprouts diameter and number of sprouts) and hydrologic function and nutrient cycling (grass litter biomass, soil organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon) were used to estimate long-term effects of burning, grazing and browsing by goats on the functionality of ecological processes in the rangeland ecosystem. Burning did not have differential effect on grass species richness (P>0.05), woody species diversity as well as compositional percentage for D.eriatha, C.plurinodis, S.fimbriatus, A.karro and E.rigida. Burning increased decreasers and increaser II species proportions and reduced (P ≤ 0.05) grass yield, total canopy volume, tree height, canopy height main stem diameter and sprouts diameter. Long-term burning, grazing, and goats browsing had differential effects on site stability. The effects on basal cover, tuft to tuft distance, tufts diameter, canopy distance and basal distance as a consequence of long-term burning, grazing, and goats browsing were not significantly different, whereas the effects on standing dead grass biomass as a result of long-term burning frequencies were significantly different. Long-term effects of burning followed by ten-year period of fire exclusion had significantly different effects on tuft-tuft distance but did not have statistically different effects on tufts diameter, canopy distance and basal distance. Long-term burning grazing and browsing had significantly different effects on attributes of hydrologic functions and nutrient cycling in the rangeland ecosystem (grass litter biomass, SOC and BMC). Long-term effects of burning followed by ten-year period of fire exclusion had significantly different effects on grass litter biomass, and SOC. Through their effect on vegetation and organic matter characteristics, burning, grazing and browsing could influence functionality of selected rangeland ecological processes such as biological community integrity, productivity and plant vigour, site stability, hydrologic function and nutrient cycling.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Low symmetry metallophthalocyanines and their nanoparticle conjugates for photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy
- Authors: Masilela, Nkosiphile
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Nanoparticles Anti-infective agents Chemotherapy Photochemotherapy Quantum dots Gold Silver , Phthalocyanines
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4278 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001906
- Description: This thesis reports on the syntheses of novel low symmetrically substituted Zn, Sn, Ge and Ti MPc complexes containing a single carboxylic or cysteinyl group available for attachments to MNPs. The complexes were extensively characterized by various techniques to ensure their purity. Various metallic nanoparticles consisting of silver (AgNPs), gold (AuNPs) as well as quantum dots (QDs) were successfully prepared and conjugated to the low symmetry phthalocyanine complexes. The conjugates were successfully characterized using many techniques. The Q-band maxima of the MPcs were observed at completely different wavelength regions depending on the nature of the substituents and the central metal used. Blue shifting of the Q band in the absorption spectra was observed for the complexes in the presence of AuNPs, while aggregation was observed in the presence of quantum dots. The complexes were successfully electrospun into polymer fibers for the antimicrobial inhibition of bacteria. The photophysical and photochemical properties of these complexes were extensively investigated. Higher triplet and singlet oxygen quantum yields were achieved for the Ge Pc complexes, with all the complexes giving reasonable singlet oxygen quantum yields. An enhancement in triplet and singlet oxygen quantum yields was observed for all the complexes in the presence of metal nanoparticles. However, the singlet oxygen quantum yields decreased for all the complexes when incorporated into electrospun fibers. The antimicrobial behaviour of the complexes was investigated against Bacillus Subtilis and Staphylococcus Aureus in solution and in the fiber matrix. High antimicrobial inhibitions were observed for the Ge complexes followed by the ZnPc derivatives. All the low symmetry ZnPc derivatives were conjugated to AgNPs and their antimicrobial behaviour was compared to their symmetrical counterparts. The best antimicrobial inhibition behaviour was observed for the low symmetry Pcs when compared to their symmetrical counterparts. In the absence and in the presence of AgNPs, axially ligated SiPc also showed better antimicrobial activity when it was compared to the unsubstituted ZnPc complex.
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- Date Issued: 2013
M-health user experience framework for the public healthcare sector
- Authors: Ouma, Stella
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Communication in public health , Public health -- South Africa , Wireless communication systems in medical care
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9827 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020793
- Description: The public healthcare sectors within developing nations face a lot of challenges because of constrained resources available to them. The South African public healthcare sector is no different. Although it serves the majority of the South African population, most of the financial resources are directed towards the private sector, which serves very few individuals when compared to the public healthcare sector. Apart from that, other challenges that the National Department of Health has to deal with include the lack of sufficiently trained healthcare employees who can work on the different levels of the public healthcare sector, as well as the burden of diseases such as HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and other chronic diseases. In order to improve service delivery, the National Department of Health is introducing Information and Communications Technology interventions that can increase efficiency and reduce costs, thereby improving the quality of service delivery. This research delivers an m-health application user experience framework to be proposed to the National Department of Health in South Africa, in order to assist in scaling up of m-health applications. The m-health applications that can benefit the South African population if scaled up successfully include those that can be used in remote data collection, treatment and compliance, accessing patients records, remote monitoring, communication and training for healthcare workers and applications that can be used for education and awareness. The study focused on three domains: the Human-Computer Interaction domain, public healthcare domain and Health Informatics domain. The proposed framework was realized by investigating mobile user experience components, mobile health requirements and the South African public healthcare domain components that contribute to the m-health user experience framework. This research was conducted through the interpretivist philosophy. Due to the exploratory nature of the study, an application of qualitative methodology was used. The conceptual theoretical framework was validated through a single case study approach by m-health user experience experts, who reside in South Africa. Data were analysed inductively. An m-health user experience framework was provided at the end of the study. An m-health user experience framework can assist the National Department of Health to look into design issues, address m-health requirements and put the domain needs in place, thus enabling the Department to successfully scale up implementations of m-health applications nationwide.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Market triumphalism and the South Afican state: a case study of local government in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Breakfast, Ntsikelelo Benjamin
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- East London -- Case studies , Local government -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Case studies , Development economics -- South Africa -- East London , Development economics -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:8267 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1014085
- Description: At a glance, this study is a critique of local development policies with specific reference to the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipalities in the Eastern Cape. The researcher enters the debate by posing a primary research question: Do the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) ventures that constitute anti-poverty strategies succeed in addressing the issues of poverty, and achieving more equitable development at the municipal level in the Eastern Cape? This research proposes a problem statement: The local development policies of PPP and BBBEE that are being applied through Local Economic Development strategies are not in the interests of the majority of people living in the Eastern Cape. At a methodological level this research employs both quantitative and qualitative approaches to answer the central question and to verify the problem statement of this study. This triangulation approach is employed to utilize the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative methods. More specifically, the researcher uses a number of different research instruments to collect the data including four hundred questionnaires, four focus groups and elite interviews in both municipalities. The findings of this study indicate that local development policies in both municipalities do not improve the lives of the people. This line of thinking is indicated by both the empirical study conducted by the researcher and is supported by a number of scholarly materials. This study contributes to the body of knowledge in Political Economy and Development Studies including other disciplines in Social and Economic Sciences. The central argument of this thesis is that both BBBEE and PPPs are inspired by neo-liberalism (BBBEE is not neo-liberal per se though it may be heavily influenced by it) and neo-liberalism in practice is contradictory in nature as it involves the allocation of state resources to politically influential individuals, rather than promoting economic development for the majority. The evidence of this research further shows that the local business and political elites through the BBBEE, PPPs and outsourcing of services are using their strong networks (associated political, social and capital resources) in their efforts for personal accumulation. The researcher in this study examines the local development policies from a particular standpoint which is a political economy approach. The business and political elites according to political economic perspective use state resources to enrich themselves.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Mentoring for best educational practice : a generic framework for whole school transformation within dysfunctional senior secondary schools, South Africa
- Authors: Mohamed, Gishma
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Education -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Low-performing schools -- South Africa , Social change -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9463 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020347
- Description: During transformation (1994 onwards), different interventions were instituted within Education as an attempt to redress learner achievement and throughput. By so doing, the South African government believed that by investing in education a return would be attained which would be beneficial to stabilising its economy — nationally and internationally. However, expected outcomes of these interventions have not been achieved and various researchers and opinion leaders still view the quality of education in South Africa as disparaging and deficient as well as characterised by an increasing prevalence of dysfunctional schooling systems. Therefore, this research aimed to design a generic mentoring framework through which transformation within dysfunctional schooling systems can be facilitated; this is to enable whole school development to achieve best educational practice. In order to achieve this, a micro-level analysis of schooling systems, using the functionalist perspective, specifically enabled through the contributions of Parsons and Merton was undertaken. In addition, insight gained from a broad range of literature and other secondary resources on mentoring, best practice and quality education was used to develop a number of premises. These premises were used to suggest how the generic mentoring framework can be adapted to enable a fit-for-purpose mentoring system which allows facilitation of a process of sustained transformation which gravitates towards a whole school culture that envisions quality education for all. It is recommended that further research be undertaken to ascertain the strength of the generic mentoring framework and operationalising it as a fit-for-purpose mentoring system within a school in the form of a pilot study. Aligned with this, to undertake assessment research, amongst other things, to systematically and with greater depth explore the notions of intended and unintended consequences that manifest during operationalisation of a fit-for-purpose mentoring system and how these can and should be measured.
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- Date Issued: 2013