Clinical governance implementation challenges in the Department of Health, Mpumalanga, South Africa
- Authors: Maduna, Patrick Hawkins https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4926-1661
- Date: 2022-09
- Subjects: Clinical competence , Health services administration
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27275 , vital:66532
- Description: Clinical governance (CG) is the system through which health authorities are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care by creating an environment in which clinical excellence flourishes. South Africa is one of the countries where CG has not been successfully implemented. This study sought to explore the CG implementation challenges in the Mpumalanga province, South Africa. The study objectives included the seven pillars of CG. The study was a qualitative and exploratory, using purposive sampling technique to select study participants. A total of twenty-two (22) individuals were selected for the study. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Each interview was transcribed verbatim by the researcher. Confidentiality was ensured through the coding of interviewee names. The content analysis technique was used for data analysis, using the study objectives as themes. The study found general lack of understanding of the concept of CG, poor performance of clinical audits, sub-standard clinical performance and effectiveness, poor clinical risk management, poor patient and public involvement in patient care, lack of evidence-based practice and research, inadequate training and development of healthcare workers, and sub-standard health information management across the department. The researcher recommends that the CG policy be prioritised by the Mpumalanga DOH, that systems be put in place to facilitate policy implementation, and that the departmental staff establishments at all levels, prioritise healthcare professionals in key leadership positions. In conclusion, there are numerous challenges that confront the Mpumalanga Department of Health regarding the implementation of clinical governance, requiring urgent attention. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-09
Clinical governance implementation challenges in the Department of Health, Mpumalanga, South Africa
- Authors: Maduna, Patrick Hawkins https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4926-1661
- Date: 2022-09
- Subjects: Clinical competence , Evidence-based medicine , Health services administration
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23600 , vital:58194
- Description: Clinical governance (CG) is the system through which health authorities are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care by creating an environment in which clinical excellence flourishes. South Africa is one of the countries where CG has not been successfully implemented. This study sought to explore the CG implementation challenges in the Mpumalanga province, South Africa. The study objectives included the seven pillars of CG. The study was a qualitative and exploratory, using purposive sampling technique to select study participants. A total of twenty-two (22) individuals were selected for the study. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Each interview was transcribed verbatim by the researcher. Confidentiality was ensured through the coding of interviewee names. The content analysis technique was used for data analysis, using the study objectives as themes. The study found general lack of understanding of the concept of CG, poor performance of clinical audits, sub-standard clinical performance and effectiveness, poor clinical risk management, poor patient and public involvement in patient care, lack of evidence-based practice and research, inadequate training and development of healthcare workers, and sub-standard health information management across the department. The researcher recommends that the CG policy be prioritised by the Mpumalanga DOH, that systems be put in place to facilitate policy implementation, and that the departmental staff establishments at all levels, prioritise healthcare professionals in key leadership positions. In conclusion, there are numerous challenges that confront the Mpumalanga Department of Health regarding the implementation of clinical governance, requiring urgent attention. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-09
Consumerism, authenticity and African communalism
- Authors: Smook, E https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4226-6029
- Date: 2022-09
- Subjects: Consumption (Economics) , Authenticity (Philosophy) , Philosophy, African
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23958 , vital:62022
- Description: Let me state, from the outset, that the issues raised below may be considered from various vantage points – Capitalism, Marxism, etc. However, this thesis is an endeavour to account for the loss of authenticity due to the most salient features of the consumer paradigm, which is the manufactured object, the production line and the proliferation of said objects. True relationships, or shall we say authentic dialogue, is based upon a difference of viewpoints – or epistemic distance – between the interlocutors. This difference of opinion, it may be argued, allows for a cognitive jostling between the subjects involved and represents, as it were, the reciprocal back and forth movement of ideas that betokens actively engaged dialogue. Crucial, then, to true, and by extension authentic, relationships is an epistemic distance steeped in variegated, heterogeneous points of view. For it is in sharing the differences in our points of view or interpretations of the world that we may start a dialogue far removed from each other and then sustain said dialogue in an attempt to reconcile our differences. The continuation of the dialogue, then, depends upon difference. Without the latter difference, the conditions of true dialogue, which is also a marker of authentic relationships, the need for sustained debate is forfeited and the dialogue ceases to serve a purpose – for the subjects involved in the intellectual jostling and exchange of ideas may already anticipate the thoughts of the other. In so anticipating the thoughts of the other, what is brought to the fore is not the ideas of the other, and by extension the other’s existence distinct from mine, but rather my own existence and thoughts. Were I and the other to share a constellation of beliefs, I am left with only that which I already believe in and so only with my own thoughts. The other’s differing opinion is crucial to their appearing to me as an element discreet and distinct from me. For if the other’s being is in essence of the same ilk as mine – and with that I mean if the other’s points of view and adopted systems of praxis mirror mine – we are like trees in a forest. The existence of collective nouns attests to this latter remark; we are prone to see the forest, not the similar trees that constitute it. Now the question arises as to the constitution of the self; what is it that makes up the character and nature of a person and how, if at all, may subjects be said to differ epistemically? According to Sartre, the ego is a transcendent object for consciousness, meaning that it exists out there in the world just like other objects. This is the case because consciousness is essentially empty. Recall Sartre’s famous claim that existence precedes essence, which in turn means that consciousness, or the ego, is filled up inchmeal with contents outside itself. In other words, that with which we are engaged constitutes the contents of consciousness. Repeated exposure to certain objects, or phenomena, brings about the cultivation of states and qualities – these, as it were, constituting the ego in the end. Moreover, these states and qualities, as arisen from repeated exposure to like phenomena, will instil in the subject a certain proclivity for a certain manner of action under specific conditions. As such, having been presented with something disagreeable many times over, a state of repulsion might gain a foothold in my ego regarding the phenomenon in question. This in turn will dictate how I act in the presence of said phenomenon or any other phenomena that include, adumbrationally, some of the qualities of the original phenomenon. As such, then, my actions are reflections of the states that I experience in the presence of certain objects or phenomena and, it may be argued, reflexively represent the world around me as that which constitutes my ego. The facticity of the world, then, has a great bearing upon the manner in which I perceive and engage the world. However, claims Sartre, facticity is but one side of the coin. The world and its meaning are constituted by what Sartre calls brute meaning. This refers to the fact that meaning is a matter of public opinion and does not precede the phenomenon or object itself – the latter being, in essence, but a bare, pliable, monstrous mass of being-in-itself. Due to this occurrence of meaning being man made, we are in a unique position of freedom. We are, he further claims, capable of transcending these brute meanings, enabling us to avail ourselves of the objects or phenomena in question in a bespoke manner. Freedom to choose how we interact with and interpret the world is thus the ontological ground of choice. We have, on the one side, the world in its undifferentiated state – being-in-itself – and on the other the possibility to give this world a specific meaning in accordance with our intentions – being-for-itself. Freedom to choose, so construed, thus ontologically underlies the very fabric of our existence, hence the claim that we are condemned to be free. Choosing whether to continue along the path set out by our original factual condition or to transcend it and make of it something different altogether is thus not a choice at all, but the obligatory condition of the human condition. Once again, this is the case because consciousness, as per Sartre, is empty to start with and can only be filled with the contents of phenomena or objects in accordance with our intentional engagement of them. However, Sartre continues, this freedom of meaning and the fact that brute existents represent nothing more than the convergence of publicly ascribed meaning awaken in the subject a certain nausea – a nausea born of the fact that we, the people, are at every junction in a position where we have to choose the meaning of life. Determinism, thusly, does not exist and we are not only free to choose the meanings of our own lives, but are responsible for what our lives become. This realisation proves to be too much for most to stomach and leads them along a specific path of choice: over-identification with either their factual realities or with the possibility to transcend the latter. Either way, what they aim to achieve with this overidentification is the suppression of the nauseating reality that reality is nought but what we make it to be and we are thus responsible for what it becomes. Sartre calls this bad faith. Pandering to this proclivity towards bad faith, or alternatively, the propensity for overidentification with either side on the facticity/transcendence dichotomy, we find consumerism. The consumer paradigm delineates happiness as an objective ideal, attainable through the acquisition of specific markers of demonstrable happiness. At the same time, it also provides an answer to the nauseating reality that we, humans, are never fully determined beings, but find ourselves vacillating between our factual constraints and our transcendences thereof. It offers us the crystalised means of becoming this or that individual by way of populating our immediate and personal surroundings with signifiers of happiness. Considering, moreover, that a liberalist conception of human being clearly indicates that individuation of each subject is an important aspect of existence, authenticity in terms of rights emerge as a corollary of said individuation. Each individual, so construed, is given the opportunity, the right, to acquire said markers of happiness and individuation. Obtaining these, it may be argued, allows the individual two things: firstly, to quell the nausea that haunts our dualistic lives by concretising it altogether and so doing highlighting the factual side of things; and secondly, to become discreet and individuated subjects, authentic in their beings. However, the authenticity so begotten provides nought but a thin veneer of idiosyncrasy, as the markers of said authenticity are publicly available and so the same for everyone. The problem, thus, of self-individuation is resolved by providing the subject the means of over-identification with their factual realities whilst convincing them, the consumers, that the objects on offer will afford them a degree of happiness and set them apart from their fellow subjects. The unfortunate upshot of this is that subjects all avail themselves of the same set of objects in an attempt to quell the nausea that besets the individual plunged into an undifferentiated existence. We are here at the heart of the matter. Due to the proliferation of like objects throughout the life-world, a specific system of praxis is implied. So as to navigate the life-world and utilise the similar objects that populate it, consumers are driven towards shared ideologies and courses of action. Moreover, their intentions also converge, as they all seek to establish a web of objects around them that would bespeak their individuation and happiness. Where the life-world has become such a homogeneous landscape, it may be argued, in line with Sartrean thought, that the contents of consciousness would also be similar for all. And where the contents of consciousness is similar for all, we may argue that reasoning would be similar for all. It is at this point that dialogue breaks down, for there is nothing epistemically to separate interlocutors and therefore no differences of opinion to sustain true dialogue. If, as it was reasoned some pages prior, it is the case that sustained dialogue provides the predicate upon which authentic relationships are to be based, the collapse of this epistemic distance between consumers must then also lead to a collapse of authentic relationships. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-09
A model for linking innovation and sustainable growth of immigrant entrepreneurs in the Johannesburg Metropolitan Area, South Africa
- Authors: Mzamo, Ziyanda
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Immigrant business enterprises -- Technological innovations -- South Africa , Business Management -- South Africa , Industrial management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/28828 , vital:75130
- Description: South Africa experienced hard times during the apartheid era. This led to some of the South African nationals seeking solace and hiding in neighbouring African countries. Post 1994, this situation has largely changed. Other African countries have not been as privileged to recover from the political turmoil nations have experienced and have left civilians stranded with no comfort or job security. It is for this reason that immigrants from other African countries track to South Africa for the hope and promise of a better future. While this is the case and hope, South Africa is dealing with its own issues of high unemployment rate, violence and crime, poverty, lack of quality education, drug and substance abuse, unstable political issues and influx of immigrants who have no plans or ways of survival. This makes things even harder for the government to accommodate everyone as the focus and priority is seen to be given to its citizens. Entrepreneurship becomes the most feasible and practical way of survival for the immigrants. Some of these businesses have stood the test of time, are making strides and thriving. Their growth journeys may even be better than those of citizens due to these businesses primarily being characterized by survival tactics. This study was hence conducted to predominantly formulate a model for linking the innovation and sustainable business growth of immigrant entrepreneurs. The secondary objective was to gauge if there is a significant relationship between innovation (incremental, radical, and technological) and sustainable business growth of immigrant entrepreneurs in the Johannesburg Metropolitan Area. A mixed approach was used to achieve these objectives. The population of the study targeted immigrant entrepreneurs from the African continent who are running small and medium (SME) businesses in the Johannesburg Metropolitan area. The data was gathered using semi-structured interviews and a survey. Seventeen (17) interviews were held, and one hundred and two (102) surveys were collected, totalling one hundred and nineteen (119) research study participants. The participants were selected using convenience sampling and snowballing due to the population of immigrant entrepreneurs being unknown in Johannesburg. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyse the data. The findings revealed that innovation played a major role in sustainable business growth of the immigrant entrepreneurs. The research study showed the typical measures of innovation (incremental, radical and technological) as well as business growth may not be reflective and applicable to the SME space due to the businesses being survival businesses. The research study recommends that development of immigrant entrepreneurship focused programs for coaching, support, funding, and handholding be of absolute government focus. Internal collaborative innovation agendas are key for businesses to balance incremental and radical innovation. This will minimise the reliance on business owners or leadership to drive innovation, but rather, for innovation to be a way of working for all in the business. Growth and sustainability rides on shared innovation as opposed to individually led or an isolated agenda. Education, change management and training of citizens and safety officials is recommended to understand the benefits of immigrant owned businesses as an economic driver and as a point of embracing fellow Africans. This will eliminate the stereotypes that make immigrant entrepreneurs exposed and uncomfortable in their business journeys. , Thesis (DBA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-08
A structural equation model on small business performance: the mediating role of effectuation & entrepreneur identity
- Authors: Muchineripi, Justice Ngonidzashe https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8058-731X
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Small business -- Management , Entrepreneurship
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/28806 , vital:75099
- Description: The role of effectuation and entrepreneur identity in the performance of small business has not received much attention in the African small business context. Effectuation plays a critical role in determining the success of a business. All businesses need to have inherent strategies within the business on how to deal with financial and operational challenges. Despite the impact of entrepreneur identity on performance, there is a noted gap in literature on the possible role that effectuation can play. Research purpose: The research aim is to test the structural model on small business performance in the South African small business context. The research thus investigates the mediating role of effectuation on entrepreneur identity and performance amongst small businesses in South Africa. Research approach/design and method: The study was undertaken in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A quantitative research approach was utilised and primary data was collected from 380 Small Medium and Micro Enterprises through structured questionnaires. Structural Equation Modeling was used for testing the hypotheses. Main findings: The findings revealed that spiritual identity and business identity exert a positive effect on subjective performance in Small Medium Micro Enterprises. Findings further revealed that spiritual identity and effectuation significantly predict objective performance. Spiritual identity, social identity and business identity significantly predict effectuation in SMMEs. Contribution: The study makes a major contribution in the body of knowledge for small business practitioners, policymakers and researchers who would like to explore the role of effectuation and entrepreneur identity on small business performance. The study findings encourage effectual decision making by small businesses as it reveals that facing challenges is inevitable, but what is important is that the business should be able to resolve various challenges using available resources. Originality/value: The empirical evidence provided in the study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the theory of effectuation in the South African context. The study also provides policy guidelines for policymakers to entrepeneurs who would like to venture into business. , Thesis (DBA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-08
Attitudes of heteronormative traditional male circumcision stakeholders towards the emergence of same-sex sexuality in ulwaluko: a case of Mdantsane and New Brighton,Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Zolani, Sonjani
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: National socialism and homosexuality , Men -- Sexual behavior , Circumcision--Law and legislation
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27391 , vital:66967
- Description: Although the South African government has drafted policy documents to protect gays, they, year-in-year-out face abhorrence. Notably and shockingly, misunderstanding of the sexual orientation of gays in initiation schools has brought about conflict. It is of great significance for ulwaluko tradition to renegotiate its terms of being a tradition tolerating those with different sexualities within their adored culture. Therefore, this study sought to assess the attitudes of heteronormative traditional male circumcision stakeholders towards an emergence of same-sex sexuality in ulwaluko in Mdantsane and New Brighton, Eastern Cape. The study endeavoured to achieve the following objectives: i to establish the policy insights on same-sex sexuality in South Africa and elsewhere; ii to assess the prevalence of homosexuality in South Africa and other contexts; iii to establish an account of gay men’s intimate behaviour at the initiation schools; iv to examine perceptions and attitudes of selected communities on Xhosa gay men undergoing the rite of traditional male circumcision; v to establish attitudes and perceptions of selected communities on the conflict between homosexual practices and traditional male circumcision TMC and vi to assess perceptions of Xhosa gay men on the use of TMC as an instrument to “convert” them to heterosexuality. The study was informed by Four 4 theoretical lenses: sociocultural theory, anomie theory, queer theory, and intersectionality theory. Methodologically, the objectives were investigated through a qualitative research method and data was collected accordingly. The study adopted a case study as its design. Data was collected through in-depth one-on-one interviews, focus group discussions, and key informants’ interviews. The study purposively selected eighty-two 82 participants and revealed the following findings: different lenses on South African constitution and homosexuality; different attitudinal facets of the development of same-sex sexuality in South Africa, opposed lenses on homosexuality being a natural phenomenon; intimate partner relationships among the gays in the initiation schools; behavioural the difference between gays and heterosexuals in the initiation school; establishing the nature of homosexuals’ dress code; gays downplaying TMC teachings in initiation schools; Intimate partner relationships among gays in the initiation school; homosexuality associated with modernization; effectiveness of TMC as a tool to achieve gays’ heteronormativity; and lastly, gays achieving heteronormativity through rape. This study concluded that TMC needs to renegotiate its terms of being a tradition of the contemporary epoch. Perhaps this may assist in breaking the tension between ulwaluko and same-sex sexuality in society. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-08
Human Resource Development model for cultivating a culture of innovation in local government: the case of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa
- Authors: Mutangabende, Shepherd https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3231-7400
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development -- South Africa , Local government -- Technological innovations -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/28817 , vital:75128
- Description: Local government in South Africa is grappling with transforming democratic, accountable, and sustainable service provision to communities. Human Resource Management (HRM) plays an instrumental role in cultivating an innovative public service culture. It enables such a culture through workforce planning, recruitment, selection, induction, rewarding, budget allocation, training, and development. A culture of innovation provides an opportunity for local government to respond to pressing local needs within legislative and financial constraints. This study adopted a pragmatic research philosophy, and an exploratory sequential mixed methods research strategy and case study research design, to investigate human resources development strategies for cultivating a culture of innovation in local government, using a case study of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, in South Africa. Qualitative data was collected from twenty (n=20) purposefully sampled information-rich participants through indepth interviews and quantitative data from eighty (n=80) line officials using a structured questionnaire. Research findings indicate that HRM in BCMM is not optimally utilising HRM strategies to cultivate a culture of innovation. Study results show insufficiency of qualified human capital, which therefore, impose constraints on the capacity of the municipality to optimally cultivate a culture of innovation. Findings show that participants in leadership positions often lacked requisite knowledge and capacity on workforce planning, which is necessary for human capital needs analysis and for identifying skills gaps, which would subsequently inform recruitment and selection, induction, and human resources development of municipal human capital. Recruitment and selection processes as well as induction programmes are also often devoid of innovation human resources development practices and strategies. There were often not much rewards for employees who come up with innovative ideas or methods of executing their key performance areas. Lack of rewards was a barrier to innovation as the question of “what is in it for me?” remain unanswered. This could be the reason why there were few innovative activities taking place in local government and the case study municipality. Results further suggest that the organisational culture of the case study municipality was mostly conservative, as employees did not have fecund opportunities for trial and error of new methods of executing performance tasks, often strictly adhering to standard operating procedures. The organisational culture in the case study municipality was thus risk aversive, and a significant barrier to innovation. There was often poor communication on the availability of budget allocation for innovation. The study, therefore, recommended more effective and innovative workforce planning and using that information during recruitment and selection. It also recommended using rewards to motivate employees to be innovative, allowing trial and error, to test new ideas and methods as ways of cultivating a culture of innovation. There is thus a significant need and demand for transformation and innovation in local governance, heightened by increasing municipal dysfunction and citizen expectation. As such, providing human capital with requisite knowledge and skills, retaining talent, and inducing human resources to be immobile, build up high performance work systems (HPWS), essential for achieving sustainable local government functionality and municipal performance. Human Resource Development thus play a significant role, as it essentially provides training and development programmes to equip workers with innovative skills needed in local government. The study thus developed and recommended a human resource development model which could be contextually adapted by municipalities to cultivate and foster a culture of innovation for optimum municipal functionality. , Thesis (DPA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-08
Isolation, characterisation and biological evaluation of Tithonia diversifolia and Tephrosia vogelii as sources of Anti-oxidant and Pesticide
- Authors: Kerebba, Nasifu https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3700-3937
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Tephrosia vogelii , Tephrosia , Pesticides
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27821 , vital:69943
- Description: This study aimed at evaluating chemically the pesticidal and antioxidant activities of Tithonia diversifolia Hemsland Tephrosia vogelii Hook f. In the study, the composition of essential oils and non-volatile substances was evaluated by modern analytical tools. The essential oils were characterised using Gas chromatography GC mass spectrometry mass spectrometry GC MS MS, GC and multivariate techniques. While phenolic compounds of T. diversifolia were comprehensively characterised using Ultra high performance liquid-phase chromatography coupled to a tandem mass spectrometer with electrospray ionisation UHPLC ESI MS MS. Both the essential oils and non-volatile components of the plant materials were evaluated for repellency, fumigant toxicity, contact toxicity and antifeedant potential in either a choice or no choice experiments. The non-volatile substances were evaluated for antioxidant properties. Using activity-guided isolation, three known compounds, a one pimarane diterpene type compound; sandaracopimaradiene-1α,9α-diol, a sesquiterpene lactone; deacetylviguiestenin and a caffeic acid derivative; 3 4 O caffeoyloxy methyl 2-methyloxirane-2-carboxylic acid were obtained from T. diversifolia. The compounds were characterised by spectral methods; 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance NMR, Fourier transform Infra-red spectroscopy FTIR and mass spectrometry MS. Characterisation of essential oils revealed three chemotypes that were found to grow at different places of eastern Uganda. Based on the profiles of the compounds of the farnesene family, results showed that farnesol was a major constituent in the oil of chemotype 1 while springene compounds β-springene and α-springene and the β-farnesene were widely expressed in chemotype 2. The third chemotype was a mixed hybrid of both farnesol and the springene chemotypes. In all the chemotypes, alkylbenzenes; o-xylene, m-xylene and ethylbenzene were in huge amounts as other significant components in the oil. 1,4- dihydroxy-p-menth-2-ene, 5,9-undecadien-2-one, 6,10-dimethyl, and 3-cyclohexen-1- carboxaldehyde,3,4-dimethyl were other most significant chemical constituents of the three chemotypes. The presence of chemical variation in the components of T. vogelii essential oil showed that the fumigant and repellency efficacy of this plant against Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky were undermined. However, all the chemotypes of T. vogelii essential oil could show repellence and fumigant toxicity against S. zeamais. The comparison between insecticidal and repellent effects of the essential oils of chemotype 3 of T. vogelii with that of T. diversifolia was done. Results indicated that the former could be promoted more for contact toxicity effect while T. diversifolia better suits fumigation effects against S. zeamais. Investigation of the feeding deterrence of both volatile and non-volatile substances of T. diversifolia leaves revealed that its essential oil did not show significant antifeedant activity at a dose of 0.29 μL mg of flour disks. The crude extract, some fractions and the isolated compounds demonstrated feeding deterrence activity against S. zeamais. The feeding deterrence index of sandarac copimaradiene- 1α,9α-diol was 81.19 5.94 percent at 0.1percent w w 1 mg g food compared to 97.45 0.43 percentage for Neemazal extract 10 percent azadirachtin positive control at 10w w 100 mgg food. The EC50 of deacetylviguiestin, 3 4 O caffeoyloxy methyl 2 methyloxirane 2 carboxylic acid and azadirachtin commercial antifeedant against S. zeamais were 22140.23 9103.29, 3654.28 2715.09 and 14.59 5.59 ppm respectively. Although these compounds showed less activity against S. zeamais than azadirachtin, their antifeedant activities were very significant and can be valuable alternatives. UHPLC DAD ESI-MS MS characterisation of fractions of T. diversifolia led to the identification of 7 novel hydroxycinnamates; 4-O 1 O caffeoylglucosyl quinic acid, 4 O caffeoyl 2 hydroxy 3 methylbutanoic acid, 4-O-caffeoyl-2-hydroxybutanoic acid, 3,4 dihydroxyphenyl-4-O-caffeoyl-2-hydroxybutanoate, 4-vinylphenyl 4 O caffeoyl 2-hydroxy 3 methylbutanoate, 4 O caffeoyl-caffeoyloxymethyl 2 hydroxy 3 methylbutanoate, 4 O-caffeoyl 2 2 3,4 dihydroxyphenyl acetoyloxy 3-methylbutanoic acid from T. diversifolia leaves that had not been previously reported in nature. Their structures have been assigned based on the unique MS MS fragmentation patterns for each of the compounds in a switching negative or positive ionisation mode and deduction from 1D 1H and 13C NMR of similar compound. In total, 55 phenolic compounds from aqueous fractions of T. diversifolia have been identified including 4 hydroxybenzoic acids, 19 hydroxycinnamic acids, 22 flavonoids, 1 saponin triterpenoid and 9 coumarins and furocoumarins. The present study further showed that the DPPH radical scavenging effect and reducing power antioxidant activity of tested samples of T. diversifolia showed a moderate correlation with the phenolic content present in these samples. This implied that the antioxidant potential was just partly attributed to its phenolic content. , Thesis (MSci) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-08
Public goods and social resistance: A study of the perceptions of risk and vulnerability in the n2 toll road project in the wild coast of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Mambiravana, Tafadzwa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7543-2989
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Infrastructure (Economics) , Roads -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23910 , vital:61293
- Description: The construction of the N2 Toll Road in the Wild Coast has been lauded for its ‘developmental agenda’, as the government envisages, this 550 km road project linking Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal provinces will act as a game changer to the socio-economic status of the region in a manner beneficial to local people and the nation in general. However, the road project has equally been criticised by several local communities and environmental advocacy groups who suspect the road is associated with controversial titanium mining and its anticipated socio-ecological disasters in the region. Drawing from this conundrum, this study explores intersections of the diverse perceptions of stakeholders on infrastructural provisioning for development purposes in a historically deprived area in South Africa. Using a qualitative research approach in the form of face-to-face interviews with the participants, focus group discussions, secondary data review and observations, the study found that the diverse perceptions of risk and vulnerability have divided the stakeholders into those who support and those who oppose the road project. Most importantly, the study has also found that although there is deep-seated resentment towards the road project among certain grassroots groups, the general view shared among the study communities is nuanced. In other words, there is no ‘hardline collective opposition’ against the road project among local communities. Drawing from these findings, the study recommends that land audit need to be conducted prior to the commencement of infrastructure projects in order to highlight possible tenure blockages. In addition, the study recommends that it is critical for developers and policy makers to recognize the significance of cultural spaces and sacred places for community cultural health. These factors are critical to weigh against the proposed infrastructure developments as they sometimes outweigh the benefits. The study was anchored on the cultural theory of risk perception, which helped to explore the complex interactions between different actors on infrastructural development and environmental policy discourse. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-08
The impact of public libraries as a transformative factor in human development in the Buffalo City Municipalities
- Authors: Ndlovu, Sheron https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4601-9789
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Public libraries , Libraries and society
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23947 , vital:61993
- Description: This study investigated the impact of public libraries as a transformative factor in human development in the Buffalo City Municipalities. Literature revealed that although libraries play a significant role to their clientele, there seems to be challenges of service delivery in public libraries and these are largely due to funding issues. This has led to a general public negative perception that public libraries underperform which may not be necessarily a true reflection of public libraries. The role of the libraries in as far as the transformative factor in human development may be unclear, therefore, the researcher wants to determine the extent of the transformation factor in human development. The study was guided by the following objectives to: examine the impact of public library to its community or patrons in the Buffalo city libraries, find determine whether the library personnel understand their role in transforming the human development, determine the strategies used by public libraries that are transforming the human factor and to establish how the library patrons perceive the role of the public libraries in transforming their lives. A mixed methods approach was used as the research method. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were combined while simple random sampling was adopted to have a wide range of perspectives from library users. Library staff were purposively selected for interviews. A total of 31 people were interviewed, with 6 librarians and 25 library patrons. Out of 250 questionnaires administered, 220 were returned. The study was informed by the Service quality theory (SERVQUAL), Human Capital Theory and the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOIT). The DOIT theory was deemed suitable in this kind of research that deals with transformation and development as patrons adopted and adapted to new ideas and practices. The Service Quality theory was useful in this study because it included variables that the researcher felt were most significant for transformation and development to take place in a public library setting. The HCT theory denotes that education and training leads to greater productivity, and it translates into economic returns like high wages and increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This theory was relevant in this study because public libraries have an informative role to play as part of its roles as well as an educational role to play to the lives of the people who use the library. When people read at libraries, they are educated. They also improve their literacy levels through reading. Public libraries provide community members with services that are free of charge or cheaper and this helps the library patrons to save economically and transform as well. This process of servicing the needs of patrons is beneficial and continuous. In addition, the findings of this study revealed that library personnel understand their roles and those roles in turn transform the human development, although this is not really conclusive that they understand their roles in the transformation process. They ensure that the library patrons get the services they require and in some instances the library personnel even go beyond their normal duties. However, it must be noted that from the findings the main obstacles hindering libraries to effectively transforming the human development is the issue of funding and insufficient resources, Libraries have assisted in educational investment to the community members through many programmes offered in the public libraries and this assists in educational improvement and productivity in many spheres of life. The study also revealed that the public libraries provide spaces where patrons can hold meetings, discuss study related topics as well as individual studying spaces although, more space is required to avoid overcrowding. Through a number of strategies employed which are also attractive to the library patrons, public libraries transform the human development. Patrons perceive public libraries as extremely useful in transforming their lives as they indicated that the public library transform their lives in many aspects such as providing them with the information they require, learning opportunities, access to gateways of information like the internet and manual books, bridging that poverty gap and provision of literacy skills to the library patrons. It was concluded that public libraries transform the lives of the people in the communities that they serve in different aspects with the different roles and services that they offer to their patronage. In addition, a number of strategies are employed by public libraries so as to attract people into public libraries as well as to fulfil their primary mandate. In their pursuit to employ these strategies, public libraries transform the human development. Librarians with their duties assist the public yet it is unclear if they are fully aware of the role they play in transforming people’s lives. Despite some of the bad attitude exhibited by the librarians, a larger percentage of the librarians display a good attitude when carrying out their duties and assisting the library patrons. Librarians go beyond the call of duty in assisting the patrons and this in turn transform the human development. The researcher made some recommendations as per the findings of the study and these recommendations entail continuous training of the library personnel post their formal qualifications, strengthened collaboration and communication by the three spheres of Government so that the libraries may be better governed, constant awareness drives about public libraries and stable internet connectivity so that access maybe improved. The researcher also recommended the use of social media platforms for communication purposes and announcements as people are now attracted to social media platforms and they can be accessed by most of the library community. A proposed model was developed, and the proposed model is the RPPPP hierarchical model for transformative public libraries. This model was proposed also based on the findings of the research. For a public library to be transformative it must have resources, personnel, patrons, physical space and policies in place hence, the name RPPPP model. RPPPP denotes Resources, patrons, personnel, policy and physical space. Resources are primary to the functioning of any public library, highly skilled personnel as well as patrons as they are the recipients of the public library services, policy is also important so as to give guidance and direction on the issues of governance. In order to adequately serve the needs of the patrons, enough space is needed. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-08
Outcomes-based participatory gender planning and budgeting in South African local government context: a case of selected municipalities in the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Sikhosana, Nqobile
- Date: 2022-07
- Subjects: Municipal budgets
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23381 , vital:57620
- Description: This research is focused on the premise that engaging women and men in municipal budget preparation can be a precondition for achieving gender-sensitive service delivery outcomes. It follows, logically, that empowering citizens and granting them authority to control budget allocations has the potential to play a mediating role in transforming the financial management environment within the framework of local government in South Africa. Without representation of heterogeneous social classes, budget allocations in South Africa will continue to reflect the needs of those who hold the top echelons of municipal administrative machinery. Given the complexity of the flawed participatory structures and persistent gender inequality, the mixed methods approach was used as an investigative method to gain a deeper understanding of the participatory genderresponsive budgeting trend and its subsequent impact on service delivery outcomes in the Eastern Cape Province. The findings showed that men's participation and resource re-allocation elements had a significant effect on gender-responsive budgeting but women's participation and transparency had no significant impact. More so, findings also revealed that there is no difference in the manner in which the two municipalities have adopted the two concepts. The long-term results of male domination and the ignorance of transparency and women participation in budget formulation is the establishment of gender-blind budgets that fail to deliver gender-sensitive service delivery outcomes. Based on secondary data analysis, evidence showed that there is a lack of gender dimension in the municipal outcomes and this has contributed towards gender inequalities in terms of access to services. However, results indicated that the full involvement of women and giving then authority to have a voice in budgetary decisions, coupled with the transparent incorporation of gender priorities in the stages of the budget cycle can lead to the formulation to gender sensitive budgets. This knowledge allows the adoption of a participatory gender responsive model for local government. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-07
Reservoir rock preoperty and hydrocarbon potentieal in the offshore gamtoos and algoa basins, South Africa
- Authors: Mokoele, Salmina Phuti
- Date: 2022-07
- Subjects: Hydrocarbon reservoirs , South Africa -- Gamtoos River , Gamtoos Estuary (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27981 , vital:71409
- Description: Various research methods were employed to evaluate reservoir rock properties and source rock maturity for hydrocarbon potential in the offshore Gamtoos and Algoa basins, including lithostratigraphy, facies analysis, petrography, geophysics, geochemistry and basin modelling. Sedimentary facies were identified in the Gamtoos Basin along with their inferred depositional systems, mainly from the synrift I and II successions. This was also supplemented by lithostratigraphic evaluation of 12 wells across the study area. Facies analysis was applied to describe different rock types with depositional signatures by using the following parameters: grain fabric/texture, primary sedimentary structures, and fossil contents. Different types of lithofacies and biofacies were recorded indicating variations in bioturbation from low to high intensities. The results revealed a total of 15 types of facies from five cores, which were further subdivided into 8 types of sandstones, 3 types of siltstones, 3 types of mudstones and 1 type of conglomerate. Furthermore, five facies associations FA1 to FA5 were recognized from core evaluation: hemipelagite facies association, fine-grained, thinly bedded heterolithic sandstone-mudstone facies association (low-density turbidity flows), medium to coarse grained massive sandstone facies association high-density turbidity flows, debrites hybrid facies association and coarse grained conglomerate facies association. In terms of lithostratigraphic sequence, they correspond with fine- to medium-grained massive sandstone units of the Ta division, horizontal laminated sandstone units of the Tb division, fine to medium grained wavy laminated sandstone units of the Tc division, parallel laminated siltstones intercalated with fine grained ripple and lenticular sandstones of the Tc to Td divisions and fine grained massive, bedded siltstone units of the Te division. Both the Gamtoos and Algoa offshore basins comprise wells with proven source rock presence. Results from geochemical evaluations have revealed the presence of significant quantities of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (Kimmeridgian, Tithonian, Berriasian, Valanginian and Hauterivian) source rock intervals. The wells used for this research intersected a total of 25 source rocks across the various age groups with an average thickness of 70 m. Source rocks with hydrocarbon potentials were intersected at Kimmeridgian, Tithonian, Berriasian, Valanginian and Hauterivian successions. The source rocks indicate good to excellent quality of hydrocarbons with the potential to generate both oil to gas. For example, Tithonian source rock shows a tremendous petroleum generation potential with mostly type II (oil prone) and type II/III (oil to gas prone) kerogen. The data suggests that the Tithonian source rock was mainly deposited in marine depositional settings with planktons being the main source of kerogen. Some of the kerogen could have originated from limited quantities of algae (marine settings) and terrestrial plants. The source rock indicates a potential to generate variable hydrocarbons from oil, wet gas and dry gas. The Kimmeridgian and Tithonian source rocks range from main oil window to post gas mature zone. In the south-eastern part of the offshore Gamtoos Basin, deep marine shale source rocks were deposited between the Kimmeridgian and Tithonian age and these marine conditions continued throughout the synrift stage. The Algoa Basin indicates the deposition of deep-water shale source rocks resulting from a transgression period. The Berriasian source rock indicates a range in maturity from the early oil to gas windows in the Gamtoos graben between 126 Ma and present day. The source rock further shows a maximum transformation ratio of 100 percent at well Ha-D1 in the Gamtoos Basin. The Valanginian source rock indicates a range in maturity from early to late oil windows in the Algoa Basin with extremely low rates of transformation at a maximum of 24.67 percentage at well Hb-B1. The Hauterivian source rock dominantly plots within the early to main oil windows with vitrinite values between 0.6 and 0.8 percent. Results obtained from this research indicate the presence of moderate to good quality source rocks from the Kimmeridgian, Tithonian, Berriasian, Valanginian and Hauterivian. Majority of the source rocks have type III kerogen which is most likely to generate gas. The study area shows the presence of good quality source rocks with good petroleum generation potentials. The source rocks also show the ability to generate and expel hydrocarbons. The deeper sections of the grabens indicate high maturity levels with source rocks dominantly in the gas and late oil windows while the flanks are indicative of lower maturity stages between early and main oil windows. The best source rocks were mainly intersected and modelled from the synrift section while the upper transitional to drift sections indicate good quality reservoir rocks. The upper sections of the study area show a tremendous improvement in the quality of the reservoirs with porosity levels recorded to be up to 26 percent. The porosity levels increase up to 17 percent at well Ha-B2. This generally improved the potential for good reservoirs in the area from what has been intersected by the wells to the entire study area with the presence of effective traps and seals. The influence of hydrothermal alteration and chlorite cementation is quite low at these shallower sequences which further improved the quality of these reservoirs. Some of the sandstones intersected from the synrift sections range from very fine to coarse grained in texture with very low permeability and porosity due to extensive carbonate cementation, and also affected by hydrothermal alteration resulted from the extensive faulting in the area. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-07
The influence of value-based leadership on employee commitment for organisational effectiveness: a case of Mnquma Local Municipality
- Authors: Mniki, Sicelo https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8152-5150
- Date: 2022-06
- Subjects: Organizational effectiveness -- South Africa , Employee motivation -- South Africa , Leadership -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/28795 , vital:75097
- Description: The main aim of this study is to assess the influence of value-based leadership on employee commitment for organisational effectiveness in Mnquma local municipality. The objectives of the study are to assess the core values of leaders and determine the most prominent value-based construct in Mnquma municipality; to examine the influence of value-based leadership on employee commitment; to verify the impact of employee commitment on organisational effectiveness, and to investigate the correlation between value-based leadership and organisational effectiveness. The study followed a convergent parallel mixed methods design and a semi-structured questionnaire and interviews were used to collect data from the sampled respondents. The researcher used the purposive sampling technique to select a sample of 170 employees including managers, and 10 portfolio heads (political leaders). An assessment of leadership core values with a focus on four higher-order values showed that administrative leaders are more concerned with self-enhancement values (overall mean: 3.1335) and conservation values (overall mean: 3.2151). On the other hand, self-transcendence values (overall mean: 2.922) and openness to change values (overall mean: 2.8349) are given less attention. The findings also showed that transformational leadership is the most prominent value-based leadership construct in Mnquma municipality (mean = 3.2500; SD = 1.01521). The Spearman Rho correlations (rs) and significance probabilities for relations between value-based leadership and employee commitment suggest that employee organisational commitment had moderately high, significant, and positive correlations with all constructs for value-based leadership. Also, the findings revealed that employee organisational commitment had a strong, significant, and positive correlation with organisational effectiveness (rs = 0.765; p < 0.0001). Furthermore, the results suggest that organisational effectiveness also had moderately high, significant, and positive correlations with all constructs for value-based leadership. Among others, the recommended strategies include the A to Z guideline for the promotion of value-based leadership, the ten pillars of value-based leadership, and strategies to improve job satisfaction, employee commitment and organisational effectiveness. , Thesis (DPA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-06
A critical assessment of credit provision governance in South Africa with a focus on balancing the rights and responsibilities of credit providers and consumers under Section 129 of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005
- Authors: Batchelor, Bronwyn Le Ann https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7300-131X
- Date: 2022-05
- Subjects: Debtor and creditor -- South Africa , Credit control -- Law and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26715 , vital:65967
- Description: The National Credit Act of 2005 (the NCA), described as the fourth generation of consumer protection legislation in South Africa, is the product of an initiative by the Department of Trade and Industry to address the shortcomings of the third generation of consumer protection legislation, being the Usury Act 73 of 1968 and the Credit Agreements Act 75 of 1980. The NCA seeks to unify legislation and departs radically from the old dispensation. Its aims are, inter alia, to provide a fair and non-discriminatory marketplace, to prohibit unfair credit practices and reckless lending, to establish national norms and standards relating to consumer credit and to promote a consistent enforcement framework relating to consumer credit. Through enactment of the NCA the government appears to have focused on the protection of consumers through pre-enforcement procedures, prohibitions on reckless lending practices, prevention of over-indebtedness, alleviation of over indebtedness, and an array of other measures. This protection is deemed necessary due to the relative unequal bargaining power between the credit provider (provider) and the consumer at the time of conclusion of an agreement. This consumer protection has, however, sometimes come at the cost of provider protection. Despite these endeavours, there is still the inevitably common occurrence of breach of the agreement by consumers and the ensuing recovery process available to providers. The relationship between the two major role players – the provider and consumer - is the epicentre of any discussion, theory or legislative enactment pertaining to credit. This study commences with an examination of the historical background and rationale for the NCA, putting into context the rules and regulations which govern the relationship between the parties when an agreement is breached as well as the remedies and recourses that are available to the aggrieved party in terms of the NCA. The common law, which acts as a stabiliser especially when there are legislative changes, is examined in relation to preenforcement procedures, breach and the remedies as affected by the NCA. The equitable balancing of the rights and responsibilities of these two major role players is essential to the continued well-being of not only the parties but also the credit industry and economy as a whole. The most common way for individuals to purchase any large asset like a home or motor vehicle is to approach a financial institution for provision of a loan or credit agreement. To protect its interest, the financial institution would normally register a mortgage bond over the property or hold the title of the motor vehicle until all instalments have been settled. The problem arises when the consumer defaults on repayment of the loan or credit agreement. The financial institution would then be forced to institute legal proceedings to for example foreclose on the bond and repossess the property or motor vehicle. The preenforcement procedure finds itself in the centre of the tug of war between the parties in that this is the area and time that both parties require their rights and interests to be protected. The pre-enforcement procedures determine to a large extent, if properly implemented, how many agreements are seen to successful finalisation versus the alternative of those being cancelled and / or enforcement pursued through litigation by the provider. Successful implementation of agreements and repayment of debt would support a healthy credit industry and therefore, a strong economy. This is also the favoured outcome by the NCA. Section 129 of the NCA encapsulates the pre-enforcement procedure and thus determines balancing the parties’ rights and responsibilities through its interpretation and application. The section, however, would appear to fall short in that the delivery requirement of the notice is not adequately defined and has therefore resulted in many disputes, interpretations and two subsequent amendments to the section by the National Credit Amendment Act of 2014 and 2019. The purpose of this study is to critically analyse section 129 of the NCA and determine if the rights of both the consumer and provider have been equally protected, with particular reference to the burden of bringing the section 129 notice to the attention of the consumer. The question posed by all parties involved is always inevitably: Must the section 129 notice come to the actual knowledge of the consumer in order for it to be valid? The answer to this question has varied between two schools of thought. The first school of thought, being the pro-provider approach, answers the question in the negative and holds that as long as the provider has met certain delivery requirements their duty has been fulfilled whether or not the consumer actually receives the notice. The second school of thought, being the pro-consumer approach, answers the questions in the affirmative and requires the provider to carry the burden of ensuring the consumer actually receives the notice in order for it to be valid. There are numerous reasons in support of both schools of thought. It is hoped that this study will make a helpful contribution to the balanced interpretation of section 129. The study aims to provide a consistent interpretation of the section whilst balancing the rights of the consumer and provider respectively. , Thesis (LLD) -- Faculty of Law, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-05
The influence of ethical leadership in the municipal administration: a case of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Authors: Singanto, Nkosiyabo King
- Date: 2022-05
- Subjects: Municipal government--South Africa--Leadership , Leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23392 , vital:57633
- Description: The South Africa local government is confronted by ethical leadership challenges due to unethical practices by public functionaries and elected representatives in municipalities. The elected representatives are entrusted by legislation to take decisions and municipal officials are expected to implement the decisions taken by the municipal councilin an ethical manner, without fear, favour or prejudice on behalf of their communities. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon being studied. Data was collected using a structured Likert Scale interview questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions. The theories of virtue, deontology and utilitarianism were selected in this study to try to understand the concept of ethics and its relevance to answering the research questions developed for this research.. Among the key findings were that the research has shown that unethical behaviour in municipalities has a direct influence on service delivery and the functioning of municipal administration. It also showed that, despite the plethora of legislation that governs the behaviour of municipal leaders, the municipalities continue to face unethical challenges of corruption, fraud and maladministration. The findings also pointed to a failure by those who are supposed to implement the code of conduct and hold the perpetrators of unethical deeds accountable. Poor consequence management has been seen, inter alia, to be at the heart of the problem. The research reveals a need for the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to explore the ways to enforce ethical leadership in the municipality. While the study is limited to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, the following are recommended to mitigate the scourge: provide ethics training for municipal officials and councillors; set minimum qualifications for councillors; and cautiously, extend the application of the findings and recommendations of this research to other municipalities in South Africa as the problem, whilst researched in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, is spread across all municipalities in South Africa. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-05
Xenophobia in post-apartheid South Africa: A case study in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Duma, Vusumzi https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8115-3399
- Date: 2022-05
- Subjects: Xenophobia
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23873 , vital:61089
- Description: The central thesis pursued in this study is that xenophobia and its violent manifestation thrive in post-apartheid South Africa owing to contextual dynamics chiefly characterized by normlessness and weak law enforcement. The scourge of xenophobia and its attendant violent reaction to the presence of foreign citizens in immigrant receiving countries, such as post-apartheid South Africa, is not only a threat to global peace and security, but also an impediment to achieving our full humanity and a common future. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the contexts and manifestations of xenophobia in post-apartheid South Africa. The study endeavoured to achieve the following objectives: to explore the underpinnings of xenophobia in contemporary post-apartheid South Africa; to expound the manifestations of xenophobia in post-apartheid South Africa; to investigate the effectiveness of agents of social control in dealing with xenophobia; to suggest interventions to address xenophobia in contemporary post-apartheid South Africa, and to discuss, if any, integration deficits experienced by foreign nationals. The overarching theoretical framework that was utilised in this study was constituted by the following frames: labelling theory of deviance; social control theory of deviance; learning theory of deviance; and social construction theory – these are theoretical frames situated in the theoretical field of sociology of deviance. The multi-faceted and complex nature of the phenomenon under investigation evidently necessitated a methodological approach and design strategy involving the utilisation of a qualitative research approach and methodology. Qualitatively, the data was collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, key informants’ interviews, and secondary data sources. The study revealed, amongst other things, that: the expression of the xenophobic sentiment and associated violence in contemporaneous post-apartheid South Africa was underpinned and driven by a potpourri of factors, amongst which are negative attitudes, perceived competition, perceived fear and illusions, inflammatory xenophobic rhetoric from government representatives, national identity, and afrophobia; and that xenophobia manifested itself through violent behaviour, prejudice and discriminatory behaviour, hatred, labelling, and impunity. Another revelation of this study was that immigrants (particularly black African immigrants) were socially constructed as deviants by society and official agents for social control purposes. Once labeled, the label sticks with disastrous and violent consequences. This situation is exacerbated by the liminal status that immigrants, particularly Black African immigrants, occupy in the post-apartheid South African context. Additionally, the study revealed that law enforcement agents were perceived to be ineffective in dealing with xenophobia, and violence. In response to the findings the following recommendations are made: training and capacitating agents of social control; conscientising society about migration policies vis-à-vis the rights of foreign nationals; coming out with novel strategies to job creation; inculcating the spirit of Ubuntu in young children; embracing the pan-African spirit ; making immigration policies more humanising; mainstreaming xenophobia in social and learning institutions’ curricula; and engaging in perennial research on xenophobia. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-05
Computational analysis of known drug resistant mutants of Plasmodium falciparum Dihydrofolate Reductase (PfDHFR) and screening for novel antifolates against the enzyme
- Authors: Tata, Rolland Bantar
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/234184 , vital:50170
- Description: Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Biochemistry and Microbiology, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
Developing taxonomic and trait-based approaches for assessing and predicting macroinvertebrate responses to elevated fine sediments in the Tsitsa River and its tributaries, South Africa
- Authors: Ntloko, Pindiwe
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Water quality South Africa Mzimvubu River Watershed , Sedimentation and deposition South Africa Mzimvubu River Watershed , Aquatic invertebrates Effect of sediments on South Africa Mzimvubu River Watershed , Aquatic invertebrates Classification , Environmental monitoring South Africa Mzimvubu River Watershed , Analysis of variance , Multivariate analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/294692 , vital:57245 , DOI 10.21504/10962/294692
- Description: Sedimentation of freshwater systems is one of the leading causes of water quality deterioration. The Mzimvubu River catchment, which includes the Tsitsa River and its tributaries, in the Eastern Cape is prone to elevated sediment impact due to dispersive soils that are easily erodible. In this study, taxonomy and trait-based approaches were used to assess the responses of macroinvertebrates to fine sediments in the Tsitsa River and its tributaries. Macroinvertebrates and environmental variables were sampled seasonally in winter, spring, summer and autumn of 2016 to 2018 in six selected sites, using the South African Scoring System version 5 as a collecting protocol. The sites were selected to represent a decreasing gradient of sediment influence from the highly impacted Sites 1 (Tsitsa upstream) 2 (Tsitsa downstream), and 3 (Qurana River) to moderately impacted Sites 4 (Millstream upstream) and 5 (Millstream downstream) and the least impacted Sites 6 (Pot River upstream), 7 (Little Pot River) and 8 (Pot River downstream), which were collectively referred to as the control sites. Analysis of basic physico-chemical variables, dissolved oxygen, pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, total suspended solids, temperature and nutrients were undertaken seasonally over the study period. Sediments grain sizes were also analysed. All collected data were subjected to appropriate statistical tests – univariate and multivariate techniques. A fine-sediment-specific multimetric index was developed to monitor the impact of fine sediments on macroinvertebrate assemblages of the Tsitsa River and its tributaries. A total of 12 traits, resolved into 48 trait attributes, were selected to explore their distribution in relation to a fine-sediment stress gradient, and identify the trait-based signature of fine-sediment impact. A trait-based approach was then developed to classify South African macroinvertebrates into two groups: taxa that are potentially vulnerable to fine-sediment impact and those potentially resilient, based on the combination of traits possessed. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that electrical conductivity, turbidity, embeddedness and total suspended solids were statistically significantly different between the sites. Apart from Dissolved oxygen, the remaining variables were statistically significantly lower at the control sites (P < 0.05). The two-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicated global significant differences between sites and seasons. The two-way MANOVA also revealed that the interaction between the sites and seasons were statistically significant. The MANOVA indicated global combined interactive effects across the sites for suspended fine-sediment grain sizes, two-way ANOVA, followed by a Tukey’s post-hoc test, was carried out to indicate where the significant differences lay. The one-way ANOVA results indicated that very fine sand, very coarse silt, medium silt, and fine silt were significantly higher at Tsitsa upstream, Tsitsa downstream, Qurana tributary that is at Millstream upstream, Millstream downstream and Control sites. The rest of the grain sizes did not differ statistically between the sites. In terms of the settled sediment grain sizes, the volumetric analysis did not show considerable differences across the sites. Settled fine-sediment grain sizes were evenly distributed across the sites. Statistically, MANOVA results indicated no significant differences across sites or across seasons. The developed Sediment Multimetric Index indicated that the sites in the Tsitsa River and those in the Qurana River were highly sedimented during the wet season, but became moderately sedimented during the dry season, indicating that the index responded to seasonality. The sediment multimetric index indicated that the control sites were less sedimented during both the wet season and dry seasons, suggesting minimal seasonal effects at the control sites. Traits such as an exposed and soft body, collector-filterers, shredding, feeding on coarse particulate organic matter and a high sensitivity to dissolved oxygen were identified as fine- sediment-sensitive indicator traits. Identified fine-sediment-tolerant traits and ecological preferences included complete sclerotisation, a cased/tubed body, a preference for fine particulate organic matter, a high tolerance to dissolved oxygen depletion, and climbing and skating behaviours. Regarding the trait-based approach followed for classifying macroinvertebrates into vulnerable taxa and resilient taxa, the results revealed that the relative abundance and richness of the vulnerable taxa decreased predictably along the increasing gradient of sediment impact. However, the relative abundance and richness of resilient taxa showed no marked response to the impact of an increasing gradient of fine sediments. Overall, the present study makes a contribution to the complementary application of trait-and taxonomy-based approaches to freshwater biomonitoring. The trait-based approach enables predictions to be made and tested based on the mechanistic understanding of the mediating roles of traits in organism- environment interaction. A fundamental challenge, which showcases the limitation of the current study, is the sparse trait data on Afrotropical macroinvertebrates at the species or generic levels. In this regard, the iv trait-based approaches developed here were the family level instead of species or genus. This is the first study in South Africa to develop explicit trait-based indicators of elevated fine sediments as well as an approach for predicting macroinvertebrate vulnerability and resilience to fine-sediment effects, thus advancing the science and practice of freshwater biomonitoring. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Institute for Water Research, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
Diversified computational approaches for the identification of orthosteric drugs, allosteric modulators and unveiling drug resistance mechanisms: application to infectious diseases
- Authors: Boateng, Rita Afriyie
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/234173 , vital:50169
- Description: Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Biochemistry and Microbiology, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
Dynamics of charge movement in ∞-Al2O3:C,Mg using thermoluminescence phototransferred and optically stimulated luminescence
- Authors: Lontsi Sob, Aaron Joel
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Thermoluminescence , Optically stimulated luminescence , Phototransfer , Deep traps , Phototransferred thermoluminescence (PTTL)
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/294607 , vital:57237 , DOI 10.21504/10962/294607
- Description: The dosimetric features of ∞-Al2O3:C,Mg have been investigated for unannealed and annealed samples. The unannealed sample is referred to as sample A whereas the samples annealed at 700, 900 and 1200°C for 15 minutes each are referred to as samples B, C and D respectively. A glow curve of unannealed ∞-Al2O3:C,Mg measured at 1°C/s after irradiation to 2.0 Gy consists of peaks at 43, 73, 164, 195, 246, 284, 336 and 374°C respectively. For sample B (annealed at 700°C), a glow curve measured at 1°C/s after irradiation to 3.0 Gy has peaks at 46, 76, 100, 170, 199, 290, 330 and 375°C whereas the glow curve of sample C (annealed at 900°C) recorded under the same conditions consists of peaks at 49, 80, 100, 174, 206, 235, 290, 335 and 375°C respectively. Sample D (annealed at 1200°C) is the most sensitive of the four samples. A glow curve of sample D measured at 1°C/s after irradiation to 0.2 Gy has peaks at 52, 82, 102, 174, 234, 288 and 384°C respectively. The peaks are labelled I-VIII in order of appearance. The 100°C peak, labelled IIa, is induced by annealing at or above 700°C. The dose response of these peaks was studied for doses within 0.1-8.2 Gy. The reported peaks follow first-order kinetics irrespective of annealing temperature. Peaks I-III of each sample are reproduced under phototransfer for preheating up to 400°C. For the unannealed sample, the reproduced peaks are labelled A1-A3 whereas for the annealed samples, they are labelled B1-B3, C1-C3 and D1-D3 respectively. The annealing-induced peak at 100°C is reproduced as B2a, C2a and D2a for samples B, C and D respectively. A PTTL peak labelled C2b or D2b is also observed near 140°C in samples C and D. In addition to these PTTL peaks, a PTTL peak corresponding to peak IV is also found for sample D and for the unannealed sample. As the corresponding conventional peaks, the PTTL peaks of each sample follow first-order kinetics. Peak I and its corresponding PTTL peak for each sample are unstable and fade to a minimal level after 300 s of storage time. On the other hand, peak II of each sample and its corresponding PTTL peak could still be observed with delay up to 5000 s. Peak III of the unannealed sample remains stable with storage time up to 48 hours. Irrespective of annealing, the trap corresponding to peak III is the most sensitive to optical stimulation. Time-dependent profiles of PTTL from unannealed and annealed ∞-Al2O3:C,Mg were also studied. The mathematical analysis of the PTTL time-response profiles is based on experimental results. The role of various electron traps in PTTL was determined by using pulse annealing and by monitoring the dependence of peak intensity on duration of illumination for peaks not removed by preheating. The presence and role of deep traps were further demonstrated with thermally assisted optically stimulated luminescence. For the unannealed sample, the activation energy for thermal assistance is 0.033 ± 0.001 eV and the activation energy for thermal i quenching is 1.043 ± 0.001 eV. For sample C, the activation energy for thermal assistance is 0.044 ± 0.003 eV whereas that for thermal quenching is 1.110 ± 0.006 eV. The values for the activation energy for thermal assistance are lower than those reported in literature. Only the values for the activation energy for thermal quenching are somewhat comparable to values reported elsewhere. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Physics and Electronics, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04-08