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Exploring the views of selected, unafflicted women from Walvis bay and Windhoek, Namibia, regarding intimate partner killing and its effect on their well-being.

  • Authors: Amadhila,Luise Utuhole
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Intimate partner violence , Gender-based violence , Post-traumatic stress disorder in women
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63653 , vital:73575
  • Description: Intimate Partner Killing (IPK), popularly known as passion killing in certain regions, such as in southern parts of Africa, Europe, and America, and also referred to as intimate partner homicide, is a global concern. In Namibia, the rate at which men take the lives of their intimate partners due to failed romantic relationships has sparked apprehension within the communities. This study delves into the perspectives of unafflicted women in Namibia, shedding light on the broader impact of intimate partner killing on female well-being. Using a qualitative approach, the study conducted face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 14 participants. Grounded theory was applied to analyse the collected data and form categories from it. The data were transcribed and analysed using codes, thematic analysis, and interpretation. The theoretical frameworks intersectionality theory, social feminist theory, structuralist theory and systems theory underpin this study. The findings reveal that intimate partner killing severely affects women’s mental health, leading to vicarious trauma characterised by fear and anxiety. Participants reported difficulty experiencing positive emotions in their romantic relationships due to the pervasive uncertainty of this growing issue. Intimate partner killing leaves women feeling scared, unsafe, and traumatised, often prompting them to exercise extreme caution in their relationships to avoid becoming victims themselves. Symptoms such as feeling unsafe, scared, and traumatised align with post-traumatic stress and generalised anxiety. The study recommends implementing policy interventions and stringent laws in Namibia to prevent or discourage men from resorting to violence against their loved ones. Moreover, establishing assistance centres staffed with social work and mental health professionals is crucial to counselling and supporting women experiencing post-traumatic stress and anxiety resulting from intimate partner violence. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of behavioural Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Factors affecting learning of English as a second language in South African schools

  • Authors: Notshulwana, Lamla Augustin
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers , Second language acquisition , English language - Study and teaching (Secondary)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63440 , vital:73359
  • Description: The aim of this study was to identify the factors that are affecting the learning of English as a second language in South African schools. Although many South African learners are not fluent or native speakers of the English language, they are required to learn the content of their subjects in English. This is because there is a lack of resources in South Africa to teach other languages and English is seen as the language that grants access to better education and job opportunities, and it is the language that is used to communicate worldwide. The input, output, interaction and sociocultural theories were used to inform the theoretical framework of the study. This study used both qualitative and quantitative methods in order to answer the research question. The participants for this study consisted of individuals who matriculated in South Africa within the period of the past five years and were taught English as a second language. The participants were approached through social media platforms. One hundred participants responded to the questionnaire and 14 were interviewed. The methods of conducting interviews and distributing questionnaires were used to help the researcher to gain a better understanding of the topic. The findings of this study indicate that there are still teachers in South African schools who are not well qualified or proficient in the English language. In addition, learners face a variety of challenges in learning English as a second language. These challenges are found not only within the school context but also outside of school. The learners’ external environment also influences their learning of English as a second language. These external influences include overcrowding at schools, lack of resources such as libraries or books, and parents who are not involved in their children’s learning of English. Being proficient in L1 is important in order develop L2 because a learner can use their L1 skills to learn L2. There are also affective factors such as motivation, confidence and anxiety that play a role in in learning a second language. One of the reasons that some learners perform better than others when it comes to learning English is because of the motivation and self-confidence that they possess. Anxiety related to learning English as a second language is seen as a threat to an individual’s self-concept. This is because learners might find it difficult to communicate well in a language they have not learnt completely. Learners need to be encouraged to achieve their best level in their English skills so that their learning outcomes can be improved. Also, in order for the literacy rate of poor performing schools in South Africa to be improved, teachers should be trained to teach the English language better, parents need to be involved actively in their children’s learning of English as a second language and the Department of Basic Education needs to develop programmes and a policy that puts emphasis on the use of English as a LoLT. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Language, Media and Communication, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

From Clown Prince to critical phenomenon: Fashioning the Joker as a nomadic war machine

  • Authors: Goldmann, Talya
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Joker -- (Fictitious character) , Comic books, strips, etc. -- United States -- History and criticism , Literature and society -- United States
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62769 , vital:72941
  • Description: Based on the original clown prince of crime in the DC comic books, the Joker is one of the most notorious villains in cinematic history. He originated in the comic book Batman #1 (Finger, 1940) over eighty years ago, and he remains a prominent character across a myriad of media platforms. In film and television, the Joker has appeared in major and minor roles in approximately nine animated series, eighteen animated films, six live-action series, and five live-action films. Indeed, multiple roles, actors, and decades after the character’s first debut in the Batman television series (1966), the Joker continues to be well-received and sought-after, insofar as every time a new Joker is announced, the character garners more intensive publicity and the film as a whole becomes highly anticipated. Thus, what started as a simple clownish character in the role of a minor villain in Batman (1966), has evolved into a multi-faceted villain so captivating that he has recently earned his own stand-alone films, namely Todd Phillips’ Joker (2019), and the sequel, Joker Folie à Deux (2024) – where he is no longer the antagonist, but now the protagonist. In this research, firstly, key features of the Deleuzoguattarian schema relevant to this study will be presented, before capitalism – as the context of Batman’s Gotham – is considered through a Deleuzoguattarian lens. This study will delve into what makes the beloved Joker so extraordinary along with the aesthetic features associated with his meteoric rise to fame. In this regard, what will be theorized is that the Joker constitutes an example of a Deleuzean nomadic war machine: that is, a critical character who borrows aspects of the State Apparatus and then twists and shapes them into weapons through which he questions and mocks society for its authoritarian and ideological flaws, and with which he exposes its conceptual and ethical blind spots. In this way, he acts like a mirror, reflecting what is wrong with society, and by implication, with the human ‘nature’ – not only in the fictional world of Gotham, but also in the contemporary era created therein. More specifically, discourse analysis and film analysis will be used here, to engage critically with the Joker’s persona in relation to the changing contexts in which the various films were made, in order to trace the development of the character through a Deleuzoguattarian lens. As will be discussed, Phillips’ Joker (2019) signals the deterritorialization of the Joker from the ambit of Batman’s influence, and opens up the possibility for his further deterritorialization as an increasingly mobile and nomadic catalyst of critical thinking beyond even Gotham itself. Then, thirdly, an in-depth analysis on the five key cinematic Jokers will be completed in terms of the characters’ historical contexts, character backgrounds, and aesthetics. And thereafter, the deterritorializing ‘line of flight’ already underway – as by Phillips’ Joker (2019) – will be continued through the creative media production component of this study, which will entail the conceptualization, design and illustration of three new Joker manifestations, each of which will reflect critically upon failing systems in South African society across select time periods, and how these failing systems have contributed to the collective trauma of marginalized groups of people. The first South African Joker manifestation, set in the 1980s, will reflect upon the faltering political infrastructure during the Apartheid era. The second Joker manifestation, set in the early 2000s, will encapsulate the repercussions of the post-Apartheid neoliberal economic landscape. And the third Joker manifestation, set in the 2010s, will draw attention to sociocultural collapse particularly in the space of gender-based violence and sexual assault. Thus, the creation of these Jokers will act as an exploration of trauma, insofar as the tragedy and pain caused by the above-mentioned failing systems will manifest physically through their character designs. In terms of this, and in keeping with the dynamics of appropriation and inflection that are definitive of nomadic war machines, here focus will fall on how their character aesthetics pose critical questions about relevant issues in the South Africa. On account of this, although this research is by definition situated within the spectacle/performance paradigm, it also runs counter to the largely apolitical orientation of creative media production that occurs therein, through its emphasis, instead, on how such creative media production can also entail critical thought that is aimed at thematizing socio-cultural and politico-economic issues and the trauma that they create; thus, this creative media component aims to encourage a more trauma-aware society through art. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Language, Media and Communication, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Grade 12 literary writing: Perceptions and practices of educators and learners in an English Home Language classroom

  • Authors: Krause, Sade
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Creative writing -- Study and teaching , Language and languages -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , English language -- Study and teaching -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63122 , vital:73188
  • Description: This study sought to understand perceptions and practices of the literary writing abilities of educators1 and learners of Grade 12 at a high school in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. Evidence reveals these abilities to be poor. Interviews with educators in the English Home Language Department at the selected school aimed to gain insight into their approaches to teaching literary writing as well as their comprehension and methods of implementation of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement’s guidelines for the teaching of the literary essay. Focus group discussions were held with the predominantly isiXhosa or Afrikaans-speaking learners to gauge whether their identities as isiXhosa and Afrikaans speakers in the English Home Language classroom affect their perceptions of the literary texts they have to read and write about. Lastly, an analysis of the learners’ literary essays provided a window into the translation of writing techniques taught and learned. The study found that literary essay writing and literature study lessons contributed to the alienation learners experienced. Learners’ varying learning styles are not prioritised for literature study and literary essay writing. The educators’ selected approach is partly due to the overloaded curriculum which does not equip teachers with the information and skills to execute lessons which lead to effective acquisition of literary writing skills. The CAPS’s flawed premises of the nature of language and lack of support of educators’ teaching of the literary essay perpetuates the subjugation of learners. A framework is suggested to create access to academic writing skills for the learners. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Language, Media and Communication, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Herpetofaunal diversity and affiliations of the Okavango River Basin, with specific focus on the Angolan headwaters

  • Authors: Conradie, Werner
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Water conservation -- Okavango River Delta , Watersheds -- Okavango River -- Angola , Biodiversity -- Angola
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctorate theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63667 , vital:73576
  • Description: Although Africa is reputed to possess some of the richest herpetofaunal diversities in the world, a number of areas remain poorly documented and thus inadequately conserved. One such area in particular is the south-eastern part of Angola. Angola endured a long struggle for independence with a protracted civil war that lasted for nearly three decades, leaving the status of the country’s biodiversity in turmoil. Over the past two decades, Angola has become more accessible for biodiversity surveys, opening up new opportunities to document these previously poorly studied areas and help conserve its biodiversity. South-eastern Angola is the water source of the world-renowned Okavango Delta. However very little is known about the biodiversity, diversity status and conservation significance of the headwaters supplying the largest inland delta in the world. To address this bias in sampling and to investigate the conservation importance of the region, a series of rapid biodiversity surveys of the Angolan Okavango River Basin were conducted between 2012 and 2019. This study contributed over 2150 individual records of amphibians and reptiles, representing 88 reptile and 43 amphibian species. At least 15 species were added to the growing country checklist, with the south-eastern region of Angola now comprising 113 reptile species and 51 amphibian species. Because of this study, the area is now one of the most species-rich and well-studied areas in Angola. This study provided the first genetic data for 26 species, and sequences containing Angolan specimens for the first time were generated for 80 species, of which 23 species have originally been described from Angola. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses, supported by species delimitation analyses, were utilised to validate specific species statuses. This allowed for the description of five new species of snake, one gecko and two frogs for Angola. The material further contributed to the description of a new genus of snakes. Numerous undescribed and potentially cryptic species were identified, long-lasting taxonomic issues were resolved, and various taxonomic adjustments were emphasised. Further contributions of the material include assisting in the revision of targeted Angolan amphibian and reptile groups as well as large-scale phylogenetic studies across Africa. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Science & Management, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

IL-4/ IL-13 directed microglial activation and differentiation in response to LPS-induced neuroinflammation

  • Authors: Ackerdien, Shiraz
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Inflammation , Inflammation -- Treatment , Anti-inflammatory agents
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63606 , vital:73554
  • Description: Microglia activation is a common hallmark of neuroinflammation that occurs during pathogen invasion or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. A neuroinflammatory response is elicited by the release of proinflammatory cytokines which stimulates microglia in an autocrine manner to be polarized into classically activated, pro-inflammatory M1 cells. Prolonged exposure to the inflammatory response can have disastrous effects on the central nervous system (CNS). However, microglia can alternatively be polarized into the activated M2 anti-inflammatory phenotype, but the exact molecular mechanism mediating this phenotypic switch remains poorly understood. Studies have shown that interleukin (IL)-4 can induce the M2 phenotype and activate the signal transducer and activator of the transcription 6 (STAT6) signalling pathway that in turn provokes a beneficial Th2 immune response. Since IL-4 and IL-13 share a common IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) chain, it is possible that alternative microglia differentiation and its anti-inflammatory action also involve IL-13. This study aimed to investigate how IL-13 and STAT6 signalling orchestrates the microglial response and differentiation associated with LPS-induced inflammation. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms that relieve LPS-induced neuroinflammation and neural protection through IL-13-enhanced BDNF signalling were also investigated. C8-B4 microglial cells were induced with LPS to exhibit an M1 pro-inflammatory phenotype or stimulated with IL-4 and/or IL-13 to exhibit an M2 anti-inflammatory microglial phenotype. The cell viability following LPS, IL-4, and/ or IL-13 exposure was determined. The LPS-induced neuroinflammatory response and the anti-inflammatory response induced by IL-4 and IL-13 which promotes STAT-6 signalling were determined by measuring TNFα, IL-1β, and BDNF protein concentrations using ELISA assays. The polarising effects of LPS and IL-4/IL-13 cytokines were also examined via changes in the expression of Iba-1, CD206, CD86, and STAT-6 determined by immunofluorescence analysis. These changes were further investigated by quantifying the mRNA transcripts of TNFα, IL-1 β, Arg-1, CD206, IL-4R, and STAT-6 and BDNF using qRT-PCR. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Biomolecular & Chemical Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Implementation of the world health organization surgical safety checklist in the operating room in a private hospital in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

  • Authors: Obeng, Emelia
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: World Health Organization , Operating room nursing , Preoperative care
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63517 , vital:73384
  • Description: The World Health Organisation Surgical Safety Checklist (WHO SSC) was developed to improve teamwork among healthcare professionals and ensure consistent use of safety processes in the operating room (Abbott et al., 2018: 147). The WHO SSC has successfully reduced common and avoidable surgical errors relating to nerve cutting, among others (Jain et al., 2018:7). However, the implementation of the WHO SSC has not been widely acknowledged in South Africa due to specific barriers (Koopman, 2018: 20; Sauls, 2019: 15). To this end, the aim of this study was two-fold: (i) to determine the factors that contribute to the implementation of the WHO SSC among operating room healthcare professionals and (ii) to develop a contextually appropriate process implementation guide that may be used to facilitate utilisation of the WHO SSC in a private operating room healthcare facility. A non-experimental descriptive quantitative approach underpinned by positivism and a descriptive exploratory survey was used to study the factors contributing to implementing the WHO SSC. A self-reported questionnaire was used as the method for data collection. Purposive sampling was adopted by selecting all the 130 operating room staff directly involved in completing the WHO SSC. All 130 respondents completed and returned the questionnaire. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package Software for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 28.0 for Windows (IBM Corp, 2021). The study described four factors (i.e. awareness, relative advantage, complexity, and usability) contributing to the implementation of the WHO SSC. The analysis revealed a significant inter-relationship between two factors (i.e. relative advantage and awareness) and characteristics of the operating room healthcare professionals (regarding highest qualification, current age and work experience). The study’s main contribution to the existing body of knowledge is the proposed process-oriented implementation guide, including a readiness assessment template for effective implementation of the WHO SSC. It is recommended that good knowledge of the WHO SSC should be created by making operating room healthcare professionals aware of the arrangements and interventions by the private hospital to implement the WHO SSC. , Thesis (MCur) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical care & medicinal sciences , 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Investigation of the host potential of compounds derived from tartaric acid, succinic acid and 1,4-cyclohexanedioic acid

  • Authors: Adam, Muhammad Ameen
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Chemical reactions , Chemistry, Organic , Bacteriology
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63617 , vital:73562
  • Description: The present investigation considered the host behaviour of three compounds, namely (+)-(2R,3R)-1,1,4,4-tetraphenylbutane-1,2,3,4-tetraol (H1), 1,1,4,4-tetraphenyl-1,4-butanediol (H2) and cyclohexane-1,4-diylbis(diphenylmethanol) (H3) in various guest mixtures. These host compounds were readily synthesized by means of Grignard addition reactions on the diesters of tartaric acid, succinic acid and 1,4-cyclohexanedioic acid. The guest mixtures included cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, cycloheptanone and cyclooctanone, γ-butyrolactone, 2-pyrrolidone, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone, and pyridine, 2-methylpyridine, 3-methylpyridine and 4-methylpyridine. Crystals of (+)-(2R,3R)-1,1,4,4-tetraphenylbutane-1,2,3,4-tetraol (H1) were grown from cyclopentanone (5-ONE), cyclohexanone (6-ONE), cycloheptanone (7-ONE) and cyclooctanone (8-ONE,) producing 1:1 host:guest complexes in each instance. Thermal analysis showed the thermal stabilities of these complexes to be in the order 6-ONE > 7-ONE > 8-ONE > 5-ONE which correlated exactly with results from binary guest/guest competition experiments, where 6-ONE was always preferred by H1, while 5-ONE was consistently disfavoured. Single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) analyses demonstrated that each guest compound was retained in the crystals by means of a hydrogen bond with an alcohol moiety of the host compound. Furthermore, preferred guests 6- and 7-ONE produced crystals with greater densities than guests less favoured (5- and 8-ONE). A conformational analysis of the guest geometries in the four complexes with H1 revealed that the low energy guest conformers were present. The host selectivity for 6- and 7-ONE was proposed to be due to the improved molecular packing in the crystals of the complexes containing these two guest compounds, observed from their higher crystal densities. Hirshfeld surface analyses were not useful in explaining the preference of H1 for 6-ONE relative to 7-ONE (these types of analyses were not possible for the 5-ONE and 8-ONE-containing inclusion compounds due to the nature and degree of disorder present in the guest molecules). H1 was also crystallized from γ-butyrolactone (GBL), 2-pyrrolidone (NP), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone (NEP), and 1H-NMR spectroscopy revealed that all but GBL were included. The host compound was also presented with these guest solvents in various mixtures, and it was observed that NMP was an extremely favoured guest solvent, followed by NEP and NP, with GBL being consistently disfavoured in every experiment. It was therefore shown that in certain instances, H1 may serve as an alternative tool for separating some of these mixtures through host-guest chemistry strategies. The hydrogen bonding motifs present in each of the successfully formed complexes were extensively investigated through SCXRD analysis, as was the thermal behaviour of these complexes. In the latter instance, the peak temperature of the endotherm (from the DSC trace) representing the guest release was greater for the inclusion compound with favoured NMP (145.5 °C) relative to the complexes with NP (139.8 °C) and NEP (120.5 °C). Host compounds H2 and H3 were revealed to have the ability to include each of pyridine (PYR), 2-methylpyridine (2MP), 3-methylpyridine (3MP) and 4-methylpyridine (4MP). H2 displayed selective behaviour for 3MP and 4MP when presented with mixtures of these guest compounds, whilst H3 preferred PYR. In the latter case, this PYR-containing inclusion compound was also the more stable one (the guest release onset temperature was highest, Ton 66.0 °C). It was demonstrated that H2 has the ability to separate very many binary mixtures of these pyridines on a practical platform, since K (the selectivity coefficient) values were 10 or greater in many instances. However, unfortunately, the more difficult-to-separate mixtures containing 3MP and 4MP cannot be purified or separated by employing H2 and supramolecular chemistry strategies. H3 was also shown to be a likely candidate for binary guest separations in very many of the guest solutions considered here, where K was also 10 or greater, and even infinity in many cases. SCXRD demonstrated that 2MP, 3MP and 4MP were retained in the crystals of their complexes by means of classical hydrogen bonds with the host compound. Satisfyingly, this hydrogen bond between 2MP and H2 (3.0213(18) Å) was significantly longer than that between this host compound and both disorder components of 3MP (2.875(2) and 2.825(9) Å) and that between H2 and 4MP (2.8458(13) Å). This observation explains the affinity of H2 for both 3MP and 4MP, and why 2MP was disfavoured. The results of thermal experiments did not wholly concur with observations from the guest/guest competition experiments. Hirshfeld surface analyses were also conducted but were not entirely conclusive with respect to explaining the host selectivity behaviour. In the case of H3, SCXRD analyses revealed that favoured PYR experienced a classical hydrogen bond with the host compound that was statistically significantly shorter (2.795(2) Å, 165°) than those between the other guest compounds and H3. Additionally, this guest compound was the only one to be involved in a (host)C−H···π(guest) interaction (2.91 Å, 139°) and also a non-classical hydrogen bond with the host compound ((host)C−H···N−C(guest), 2.77 Å (144°)). Finally, Hirshfeld surface analyses showed also that preferred PYR experienced a greater percentage of C···H/H···C (33.1%) and H···N/N···H (11.1%) interactions compared with the complexes with 2MP, 3MP and 4MP. However, it is not clear whether these Hirshfeld observations explain the affinity of H3 for PYR. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Biomolecular & Chemical Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Investigation of the synthesis and characterisation of spiro orthocarbonates and heterocyclic orthocarbonates

  • Authors: Cuthbertson, Jarryd Pierre
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Chemistry, Analytic , Analytical chemistry , Chemistry
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63678 , vital:73578
  • Description: A series of mostly asymmetrical spiro orthocarbonates and heterospirocyclic derivatives of orthocarbonic acid was synthesized from 2,2-dichlorobenzodioxole and a number of difunctional reagents. A systematic study of the size of the chelate rings formed around the spirocentric carbon atom was conducted by selecting representative samples of aliphatic and aromatic diols. The feasibility and scope of potential starting materials used was expanded by reacting DCBD successfully with thiols. Molecular structures of these compounds were confirmed using diffraction studies on single crystals. All compounds were analyzed using multinuclear NMR. DFT calculations performed on the compounds allowed for the development of equations that can accurately predict 13C chemical shifts of SOCs. Furthermore, the experimental NMR spectroscopy gave rise to an increment shift system for the 13C NMR shifts allowing for further assignment of carbon atom positions in compounds with multiple possible bonding patterns. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Biomolecular & Chemical Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Lion and leopard diet and dispersal in human-dominated landscapes

  • Authors: Forbes, Ryan Edward
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Carnivora -- South Africa , Carnivorous animals -- Conservation , Carnivorous animals -- Ecology
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63766 , vital:73596
  • Description: Terrestrial carnivore population declines are driven by habitat loss and fragmentation, prey-depletion, persecution, and retaliatory killings. Population strongholds now centre on protected areas, that face increasing human pressure, resulting in population isolation, declining prey populations, and livestock intrusion. I therefore aimed to investigate dispersal and connectivity, and diets of lions (Panthera leo) and leopards (P. pardus) in response to human-use and wildlife density gradients in the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTCA). Firstly, I investigated dispersal and connectivity for these carnivores across the GLTCA, using single nucleotide polymorphisms. I present evidence that in the prey-depleted Mozambique portion of the GLTCA, lion and leopard dispersal distances are higher compared with the prey-abundant Kruger National Park (KNP). I also provide the first evidence for long-range dispersal in female lions. Despite evidence for connectivity occurring across the GLTCA, I recorded population structuring across the region for both carnivores, likely due to habitat fragmentation by human activities in the Mozambique portion of the GLTCA. I then assessed carnivore diet responses to prey depletion and livestock availability by comparing lion and leopard diets in the prey-abundant/livestock-absent KNP (South Africa), with the prey-depleted/livestock-abundant Limpopo National Park (LNP, Mozambique), using scat analyses. Lions and leopards downshifted their prey size selection in LNP relative to KNP. Despite both carnivores expanding their dietary niche breadths in LNP relative to KNP, diet overlap did not differ between sites. This suggests that even when prey is depleted, lions and leopards can partition food resources, which likely limits competition. Despite cattle (Bos taurus) being the most abundant ungulate in LNP, lions and leopards strongly avoided cattle, supporting the notion that carnivores can perceive the risk of hunting livestock and modulate their foraging behaviour to reduce human-carnivore conflict. Should my findings reflect general patterns in carnivore dispersal and diet responses to human-use and wildlife gradients, then carnivore conservation initiates across their range should focus on prey population rehabilitation, improved livestock husbandry practices, the establishment of effective dispersal corridors and improved human-tolerance towards large carnivores. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Out of place: an analysis of place as a contributor to the complexities of my “coloured” identity in Malabar, Gqeberha

  • Authors: Flowers, Victoria
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Colored people (South Africa) -- Race identity , Ethnicity in art -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Modernism (Art)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62780 , vital:72954
  • Description: Coloured identity has been a historical point of contestation in South Africa because Colouredness is assumed as “an inbred quality that arises automatically from miscegenation while instrumentalists share the essentialist premise that coloured identity is something negative and undesirable but blame it on the racism and the exploitative practices of the ruling white minority” (Adhikari, 2009: 15). This archaic belief attributed to racial mixture has now become redundant, due to the emergence of new hybridised Coloured identities that factor other ethnic and cultural groups as well as internal and external elements into their conception. The role of Place in the formation of Coloured identities is at the core of this fine arts based enquiry. This study is located in Malabar, Gqeberha which was established after the forced removals onset by the Group Areas Act of 1950 and the displacement of residents from South End. Additionally, it considers specific locations significant in their linkages to hybridised peoples, and how the place and individuals have been influenced by historical legacies of colonisation and apartheid. These are examined to consider their function in contextualising contemporary lived experiences of Coloured identity within the community of Malabar and its effect on artistic practice through autoethnographic research. Through this autoethnographic and reflexive study and the accompanying empirical research process, I critically examine and explore my Coloured identity as part of being-in-the-world (Heidegger, 1962). This ‘being’ is multifaceted as a result of the significance of Place in South Africa and how it has shaped my perception of how and where I have a sense of being and belonging. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School Visual and Performing Arts, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Prevalence of red blood cell alloantibodies in healthy blood donors: A retrospective study

  • Authors: Bada, Thandolwethu Sarafina
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Blood--Transfusion , Blood donors , Red blood cell alloantibodies
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63688 , vital:73586
  • Description: Background: Blood transfusion is one of the essential supporting therapies in the management of patients and all efforts must be geared towards ensuring greater blood safety. There are studies on the prevalence of red blood cell alloantibodies in numerous transfused patients. However, no research has been done on the population of healthy first-time donors in South Africa who donates blood for transfusion. Red blood cell alloantibodies may be present in the donated units and potentially lead to transfusion reactions or to decreased survival of transfused RBCs. Therefore, it is necessary to know the prevalence of alloantibodies in donors and the clinical significance. Aims and objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and identity of red blood cell alloantibodies in healthy first-time blood donors in the South African population, as well as to identify them, with the goal of improving blood safety and transfusion support for patients. Materials and methods: This retrospective and observational study investigates healthy first-time blood donors in the South African population over a five-year period, from January 2015 to December 2019. ABO typing and Rh typing were performed using the fully automated immunohaematology analyser BECKMAN COULTER PK7300 (Danaher Corporation, Brea, California). Erytra Eflexis automated system (8-column DG Gel cards) (Diagnostic Grifols, Barcelona, Spain) was used for antibody screening and antibody identification was performed using the RBC 11 Identisera Diana panel sheet. Approval was obtained from the Ethics Committees of Nelson Mandela University, South African National Blood Services and Western Province Blood Services prior to commencement of the study. Results: A total of 497 711 healthy first-time donors, consisting of 209 604 (42%) males and 288 107 (58%) females, were evaluated for irregular antibodies. The maximum number of donors belonged to the age group 18 to 29. Antibody screening results were positive in 849 donors from the entire population investigated, and 603 were RBC alloantibodies with an overall prevalence of 0.12%. The most frequent RBC alloantibody identified was anti-M from the MNS blood group systems, being present in 129 blood donors. Conclusion: The prevalence of RBC alloantibodies in the donor population in the study was 0.12% (603/497 711). As the inclusion criteria was limited, larger studies examining at all donors (first-time and repeated donations) are needed to determine the actual prevalence of alloantibodies in the population of South African donors. , Thesis (MHSc) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Care & Medicinal Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Relationship Management in All-Boys’ Fee-paying Public Schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa : Experiences and Perspectives of LGBTQ Alumni

  • Authors: Mahlangu, Nhlakanipho
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Gay men , Teenage boys , Public schools -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62237 , vital:72364
  • Description: This study explores the perspectives and experiences of LGBTQ alumni of all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape. The context of increased competition between schools in the education sector and the importance of inclusion within the sector necessitated a study to investigate the extent to which relationship management is conducted with an orientation towards LGBTQ inclusion in all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape. Student protests in South Africa over the past 10 years have expanded concerns about student belonging beyond the widely studied lenses of race and class. A growing body of literature and wider discourse emphasises student belonging as a challenge in the South African education sector. Marginalised students continue to experience educational spaces negatively. LGBTQ student experiences in the South Africa are characterised by violence and ostracisation, thus warranting further investigation and inquiry. The study locates itself in the intersections between gender and sexual diversity and economic citizenship in the broader discourse of school inclusivity. A qualitative research approach was employed, making use of semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews. The sample was derived from alumni of all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape through snowball sampling. Ten LGBTQ-identifying alumni of boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape were interviewed. The findings reveal the need to question the extent to which LGBTQ alumni can enjoy the fullness of the value proposition of all-boys’ schools, and what can be done to ensure LGBTQ belonging. The findings of this study concur with existing literature about LGBTQ experiences. Participants defined their school experiences as exclusionary and characterised by fear of failing to assert themselves in a hypermasculine school environment. LGBTQ alumni of all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape view relationship management as under-utilised as a tool to facilitate LGBTQ belonging. Instead, relationship management is used to affirm those who fit the mould of the quintessential ‘old boy’ network, by defining the masculine behaviours that learners in all-boys’ schools are compelled to aspire towards. v ABSTRACT The findings illustrate that the culture of silence around non-confirming sexuality is sustained in the post-schooling relationship management life-cycle and results in the absence of the LGBTQ customer voice in the drafting of school strategy and policy. LGBTQ alumni who speak out about controversial issues often face admonition from their former teachers and peers. LGBTQ alumni criticise the relationship management of their former schools for the over-emphasis on fundraising and the complete absence of discussions on diversity. LGBTQ alumni are therefore marginalised in the process of value co-creation, as LGBTQ alumni feel they will never be viewed as legitimate collaborators by their former schools. The suggested recommendations emerging from this study include the need to codify school policies that speak specifically to LGBTQ marginalisation. Furthermore, schools must endeavour to make specific enquiries into LGBTQ student experiences and include LGBTQ concerns in wider school discourse. , Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Risk Management as a nexus to Ameliorate Citizen Centricity in the Western Cape Provincial Government

  • Authors: Micketts, David
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Risk management , Corporate governance -- South Africa -- Case studies , Public administration
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63345 , vital:73259
  • Description: This study aims to explore how risk management can be applied by the Western Cape Provincial Government to enhance citizen centricity in the Province. The Provincial Departments and Public Entities in this province are applauded for achieving satisfactory audit results in recent financial years from the Auditor-General South Africa. Despite the aforementioned, service delivery protests remain ongoing, which is indicative of citizen dissatisfaction and distress. Ensuring an effective, efficient, and transparent risk management system is mandatory, as prescribed by relevant legislation in South Africa and citizens are entitled to specific rights articulated in the Bill of Rights chapter of the Constitution. Therefore, it is essential that risk management – which forms part of good governance – be embedded by leadership and in processes to ultimately constrain risks which may hinder citizen centricity. Six chapters are included in this research paper. A qualitative approach was adopted, which considered a comprehensive review of literature, and a desktop analysis was performed. Secondary data and information sources were consulted and applied, without the participation of human subjects, for the purposes of primary data collection. Research findings were presented utilising thematic content analysis. It was found during the study that the Western Cape Government risk management framework is flexible to constrain various categories of risk and embraces local and global best practices in the risk management and citizen-focused governments arenas. Furthermore, the framework advocates and drives collaboration between a myriad of role-players, both internal and external to the organisation, to collectively manage risks posed to the achievement of the defined goals, objectives and priorities. To this end, the study was pursued through the lenses of a New Public Management (NPM) paradigm as well as deliberative democracy theory and public governance theories and administrative practices. , Thesis (MPA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Self-attentive vision in evolutionary robotics

  • Authors: Botha, Bouwer
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Evolutionary robotics , Robotics , Neural networks (Computer science)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63628 , vital:73566
  • Description: The autonomy of a robot refers to its ability to achieve a task in an environment with minimal human supervision. This may require autonomous solutions to be able to perceive their environment to inform their decisions. An inexpensive and highly informative way that robots can perceive the environment is through vision. The autonomy of a robot is reliant on the quality of the robotic controller. These controllers are the software interface between the robot and environment that determine the actions of the robot based on the perceived environment. Controllers are typically created using manual programming techniques, which become progressively more challenging with increasing complexity of both the robot and task. An alternative to manual programming is the use of machine learning techniques such as those used by Evolutionary Robotics (ER). ER is an area of research that investigates the automatic creation of controllers. Instead of manually programming a controller, an Evolutionary Algorithms can be used to evolve the controller through repeated interactions with the task environment. Employing the ER approach on camera-based controllers, however, has presented problems for conventional ER methods. Firstly, existing architectures that are capable of automatically processing images, have a large number of trained parameters. These architectures over-encumber the evolutionary process due to the large search space of possible configurations. Secondly, the evolution of complex controllers needs to be done in simulation, which requires either: (a) the construction of a photo-realistic virtual environment with accurate lighting, texturing and models or (b) potential reduction of the controller capability by simplifying the problem via image preprocessing. Any controller trained in simulation also raises the inherent concern of not being able to transfer to the real world. This study proposes a new technique for the evolution of camera-based controllers in ER, that aims to address the highlighted problems. The use of self-attention is proposed to facilitate the evolution of compact controllers that are able to evolve specialized sets of task-relevant features in unprocessed images by focussing on important image regions. Furthermore, a new neural network-based simulation approach, Generative Neuro-Augmented Vision (GNAV), is proposed to simplify simulation construction. GNAV makes use of random data collected in a simple virtual environment and the real world. A neural network is trained to overcome the visual discrepancies between these two environments. GNAV enables a controller to be trained in a simple simulated environment that appears similar to the real environment, while requiring minimal human supervision. The capabilities of the new technique were demonstrated using a series of real-world navigation tasks based on camera vision. Controllers utilizing the proposed self-attention mechanism were trained using GNAV and transferred to a real camera-equipped robot. The controllers were shown to be able to perform the same tasks in the real world. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK): investigating senior primary mathematics teachers’ integration of technology in the classroom in Okahao educational circuit

  • Authors: Shikesho, Hilya Ndahambelela
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Uncatalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/423913 , vital:72104
  • Description: The overwhelming advancement of ICT devices in the contemporary Namibian education system has led to their praise for supporting differentiated instruction, fostering collaboration, and engaging multiple intelligences in teaching and learning. Consequently, the compulsory incorporation of ICTs into the teaching and learning process becomes imperative across various fields of study, including Mathematics. However, the integration of technology-based teaching proves to be a complex and challenging issue, often considered a wicked problem. To explore this matter, a qualitative case study was conducted to investigate how Senior Primary Mathematics Teachers integrated technology to develop their TPACK. The study was conducted among the twenty-seven senior primary mathematics teachers in the Okahao educational circuit in the Omuasti region. The study utilized Vygotsky‘s (1978); Socio-cultural Theory, together with Mishra and Koehler (2006), and; the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework was used as a lens to analyse the data. The data were gathered through semi-structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, and lesson observations. The study findings indicate that senior primary mathematics teachers utilize the available resources at their respective schools during their classroom instruction. The study further reveals that mathematics teachers exhibit a positive attitude toward the integration of technology. The study uncovers the intricate interplay between technological knowledge, pedagogical expertise, and content knowledge within the context of mathematics education. The findings reveal that while participants demonstrate a high level of proficiency in certain TPACK components such as CK, TK, PK, TPK, and PCK, they expressed a moderate level of expertise in TCK and TPCK. The study also identified challenges in TPACK development, particularly the need for subject specific technology training, lack of technological infrastructure, particularly advanced technology, as well as a deficiency in ICT knowledge. The importance of access to various technologies was emphasized, enabling teachers to seamlessly integrate technology into their practices and address diverse learning styles. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

The Algoa Bay region groundwater cycle – linking source to coast

  • Authors: Dodd, Carla
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Ecohydrology , Hydrology , Groundwater -- Management
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63722 , vital:73592
  • Description: Groundwater is a crucial component of freshwater supply globally, especially in water-scarce regions such as semi-arid climatic areas where surface water resources are climatically limited and further constrained during droughts. Groundwater resources are also important from an ecological perspective as they support numerous surface ecosystems including wetlands and rivers. Coastal groundwater discharge along the South African coast sustains supratidal spring-fed living microbialite ecosystems (SSLiME). These systems act as potential analogues for Earth’s earliest ecosystems and are therefore useful from a palaeoscientific and evolutionary perspective. The Southern Cape coast of South Africa is characterised by both fractured and intergranular aquifers and hosts the most extensive network of SSLiME reported globally. However, the region is frequently affected by water scarcity crises and consequently groundwater development and usage has increased. Yet, it is unclear to what extent coastal discharge is linked to inland aquifers and whether anthropogenic activities influence the quantity and quality of groundwater that flows into SSLiME. This thesis aims to assess the groundwater cycle of the Algoa Bay region along the Southern Cape coast by means of a multi-tracer study. Specifically, it endeavours to develop a better understanding of the hydrogeochemical connectivity between inland groundwater resources and coastal microbialite ecosystems. To achieve this, four groups of hydrochemical tracers were used: H- and O-isotope ratios, major cations and anions, organic micropollutants and macronutrients. Sampling strategies included monthly precipitation collection over twelve months (stable water isotopes), once-off groundwater collection from boreholes, inland springs and coastal discharge (all tracers). In addition, coastal groundwater discharge was sampled during a once-off repeat campaign (all tracers) and seasonally at selected sites (macronutrients). A local meteoric water line (LMWL) for the region was established and compared to the isotopic signature of groundwater. The results indicate that groundwater is likely recharged directly and with little evaporation. Furthermore, similarities in isotopic signatures between inland and coastal aquifer systems suggest some level of hydrogeological connectivity or similar environmental drivers of recharge, such as precipitation amount and moisture source. This is also supported by the physico-chemistry and major ionic composition of the groundwater samples. However, the major ion composition of groundwater is variable and, although it predominantly reflects the sodium-chloride nature of precipitation, lithological and spatial trends are apparent. For example, coastward trends such as increasing conductivity, calcium, total alkalinity, and nitrogen is evident. While isotopes and major ions inform on the environmental drivers and geogenic influence on groundwater recharge, the organic micropollutants and macronutrients provide insight into the nature of anthropogenic impacts on groundwater quality. Micropollutants quantified in the groundwater samples included artificial sweeteners, pharmaceuticals, a biocide, and an illicit drug. These compounds are mostly classed as wastewater indicators and indicate aquifer contamination from leaking reticulation systems and septic tanks. The highest concentrations are associated with the urban and coastal peri-urban areas, while groundwater from rural areas is often devoid of any micropollutants except sulfamic acid, which may be introduced during recharge from precipitation. Furthermore, the presence of selected compounds in groundwater discharge signifies that at least a component of the groundwater is derived from recent infiltration. Similarly, the macronutrient content of groundwater reflects the proximal land use. As such, coastal groundwater discharge sites adjacent to coastal villages reflect higher concentrations compared to rural sites. In addition, the nutrient load supplied to and discharged from SSLiME systems is quantified and the nutrient attenuation is estimated. This thesis contributes recent hydrogeochemical information for a structurally complex semi-arid area under both natural (drought conditions) and human (increased water use, degradation of aquifers) pressures. Collectively, the results indicate that coastal groundwater discharge is likely a mixture of both the intergranular and fractured aquifers and that anthropogenic activities in the hinterland is contaminating the groundwater. This study is an important addition to the baseline hydrological information available for the region and may be useful in terms of sustainable groundwater management strategies and development toward a socio-ecological optimum, especially as related to coastal microbialite system. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

The Camdeboo-Mountain Zebra mega-reserve as an opportunity to protect viable populations of medium- to large-sized mammals

  • Authors: Davis, Kristen
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Mammals -- Ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wildlife conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63711 , vital:73590
  • Description: Conservation planning has focused extensively on representation of species in protected areas (PAs), rather than achieving the persistence of these species in PAs. Consequently, most PAs do not support viable populations of many species represented within them, particularly large mammals, resulting in extinction debt risks. The challenge is therefore to identify opportunities to achieve viable populations and to develop and implement conservation plans to achieve this, e.g., expand and connect existing PAs. A recent meta-analysis provides a minimum viable population (MVP) estimate of 5 000 individuals for mammals. This value was used as the target for modelling conservation opportunities for the South African endemic Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra), blesbok (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi), black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou) and co-existing medium- and large-sized mammal species. This study focused on the region between the Camdeboo and Mountain Zebra national parks (ca. 736 000 ha). Within the envisaged Camdeboo-Mountain Zebra (C-MZ) mega-reserve, a spreadsheet model was used to estimate potential herbivore population sizes, spatial requirement data were used to estimate potential omnivore and insectivore population sizes, and herbivore densities were used to estimate potential large carnivore population sizes. I show that 12 (the three endemic grazers and nine co-existing species) of the 28 modelled medium- and large-sized mammal species will potentially exceed 5 000 individuals, the MVP target, within the envisaged mega-reserve. The remaining 16 species show potential to reach substantial population sizes, however, will likely require ongoing metapopulation management. Using a conservation planning approach, I identify priority areas for the conservation of suitable habitat for Cape mountain zebra, blesbok, and black wildebeest within the envisaged mega-reserve, thus indirectly identifying priority areas for the conservation of these endemic species. I show that the potential incorporation of these priority areas within the envisaged mega-reserve will contribute considerably to the conservation of all focal species. In addition, the potential incorporation of these priority areas will contribute to PA expansion and significantly improve connectivity between existing PAs within the envisaged C-MZ mega-reserve. The importance of adequately-sized PAs to support viable populations of focal species is thus evident, and will ensure their long-term survival and ability to persist by allowing population and evolutionary scale processes. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

The demographic-specific prey preferences of lions and cheetahs, and potential impacts on prey populations

  • Authors: Dreyer, Nicola Bondi
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Predation (Biology) , Animal populations , Animal ecology
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63733 , vital:73593
  • Description: Understanding prey selection offers predictive insights into predator-prey interactions, which can be extended to explore the impacts of predators on prey populations. Prey availability and vulnerability vary across species, demographic classes, body sizes, and seasons. Traditional prey selection models for large carnivores, based on estimates of prey body size, assume uniform vulnerability across prey demographic classes and seasons, failing to account for these variations. This study aims to contrast seasonal shifts in demographic-specific prey preferences between lions and cheetahs and examine the potential impact of their demographic-specific predation patterns on a range of prey species across a body size spectrum. It was predicted that cheetahs would shift their selection from adults and juveniles of smaller prey species in the dry season to neonates and juveniles of both smaller and larger prey species in the wet season, while lions would select adults irrespective of the season. Additionally, predation focusing on adults would have a greater impact on prey populations compared to predation focusing on non-adults. Furthermore, it was predicted that prey populations experiencing demographic-specific selection from both lions and cheetahs would be impacted more than species selected by only one predator. Degrees of preference (DOP) were estimated based on prey availability (camera traps) and prey use (GPS clusters) for lion and cheetah populations in Lapalala Wilderness Reserve. Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape (GAMLSS) were used to determine seasonal shifts in demographic-specific prey preferences. The seasonal-demographic specific predation patterns of lion and cheetah, along with prey vital rates extracted from the literature, were then used to model potential predation impacts on prey populations using both Leslie-Usher and Lefkovitch matrix models. Lions preferred larger adult prey such as blue wildebeest, eland, and buffalo, while cheetahs preferred smaller prey, particularly juveniles of small to intermediate-sized species like impala, kudu, blue wildebeest, and zebra. Both predators showed seasonal shifts in demographic-specific prey preferences, with lions selecting adult buffalo during the dry season and juvenile buffalo in the wet season, and cheetahs selecting juveniles in the dry season and neonates and juveniles during the wet season. Lions and cheetahs exerted the highest degree of top-down limitations on their preferred prey. Predation on adult prey had a greater effect on prey population growth rates than predation on non-adults, especially in the dry season. Intermediate-sized prey species experienced the highest predation pressures, while larger prey species were more affected than smaller ones, contrary to the size-nested predation hypothesis. My study represents a first effort in the southern hemisphere to model the demographic impacts of multiple predators on diverse prey species, incorporating seasonal and demographic-specific prey preferences. The findings emphasise the importance of incorporating prey demographics and seasonality in predator-prey studies as these refined studies have implications for the management and conservation of both predator and prey populations. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

The effectiveness of implementing mediation resolutions in Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA) in Kariega 1994-2021

  • Authors: Makasi, Lwando
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Volkswagen (Firm) , Conflict management -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Organizational behavior -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63207 , vital:73233
  • Description: This study aimed to generate an in-depth understanding of how the resolutions are being implemented post-mediation process and the labour union, which in this study is the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and the mediator in the process of managing collective disputes between the employer and employee utilising mediation. The study was limited to the Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA) Kariega plant, therefore, the findings are contextually limited to the VWSA Kariega plant. The theoretical frameworks for this study were relative deprivation theory, frustration-aggression theory, Marxism, and dysfunctional and functional social conflict. These were utilised to explore and describe the phenomenon under investigation. This study employed a qualitative method to answer the research questions and address its problem statement. The data were collected through focus group discussions and elite interviews. The study used a purposive sampling technique, and the sample included 33 participants. The primary research question was: Were the agreements mediated at the VWSA Kariega plant effectively implemented between 1994 and 2021? The study’s findings imply that for the effective implementation of mediation resolutions, the following should be considered: implementing resolutions within the given timeframe, parties at mediation adapting and accommodating new technological changes and disasters at the National Bargaining Forum (NBF) level, prioritising the education and training of shop stewards and VWSA management representatives on NBF agreements, including the implementation thereof. Managing pertinent issues concerning NUMSA and the Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation (AMEO), interpreting NBF agreements, and ensuring that parties differentiate between the Labour Relations Act No. 66 of 1995 (LRA) and NBF processes. At the policy level, the findings imply that parties need to understand the LRA’s role and the process of resolving conflict utilising the formal processes stipulated in the LRA and why the LRA cannot override the NBF agreement as an informal process of managing conflict. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04
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