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Analysis of corporate failures: a case study of two South African banks

  • Authors: Mqomboti, Xitshembiso Pronacia
  • Date: 2023-02
  • Subjects: Business failures South Africa , Corporate governance South Africa , Risk management , Operational risk , Business ethics , Bank management South Africa , Banks and banking South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419151 , vital:71620
  • Description: This study analysed the factors that contributed to the failure of Venda Building Society Mutual Bank (VBS) and African Bank Limited and the impact it had on their key stakeholders. The specific objectives of this study were to evaluate African Bank and VBS bank's operational risk management processes and controls, the role of ethical failures at VBS bank and African Bank; and assess how the failures affected their stakeholders. The population sample of the study included African Bank and VBS. The study adopted a qualitative research method. Existing reports from both African Bank and VBS were used to collect data. The study adopted a thematic data analysis method, which includes data coding and the development of themes. The data analysis framework was derived from a defined set of research propositions and seven (7) themes were derived from this analysis method. The failure in operational controls of both banks and ineffective risk management structures including unethical conduct by the executive management and board of VBS bank, irregular financial transactions and weakened external auditing function resulted in an unaccountable executive relationship and reckless lending decision-making. This research study will expand on the existing body of knowledge on the failures and near-failures of banks in the South African banking sector. The South African banking industry and its regulatory bodies will be better equipped to strengthen their corporate governance in risk controls to mitigate future collapses and near collapses of banks. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2023
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A proposed management framework for water stewardship for small business in South Africa

  • Authors: Huxtable, Collette
  • Date: 2022-12-12
  • Subjects: Water-supply Management , Small business South Africa , Water-supply Economic aspects , Triple bottom line , Sustainable development reporting , Competitive advantage
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419090 , vital:71615
  • Description: Climate change, severe weather events, population growth and, urbanisation are just a few of the leading causes contributing to the global water crisis. This global water crisis is negatively impacting the environment, and society, which includes business (large and small). Businesses are facing many water risks and challenges in their daily operations, such as water scarcity, water stress and water pollution, which are resulting in them being negatively impacted financially. For all business to overcome these risks and challenges which are negatively impacting their operations and to assist in protecting the scarce water resources left on the planet, the implementation of water stewardship practices will play a very important role. The literature has fallen short in addressing water stewardship frameworks and practices for small business. Through a sustainability lens underpinned by Natural Resource Based View Theory, this research study sets out to develop a water stewardship framework for implementation by small business to provide them with a competitive advantage. By reviewing the current literature and frameworks available to large business organisations, the insights gained allowed for a draft water stewardship framework to be developed from this literature, suitable for small business. This draft water stewardship framework for small business was used to gather further information on its suitability for small business, through an interview process. A qualitative interview process with seven small businesses in Makhanda (South Africa), allowed for data to be gathered and used to refine and adjust the draft water stewardship framework for small business. The findings from this research study show that small business do not have a global awareness of water problems and are not aware of the concept of water stewardship. Small business were very receptive to the draft water stewardship framework for small business and felt that its implementation would make a difference in saving scarce water resources and create a competitive advantage for them. The study concludes by recommending a water stewardship framework for small business (WSF4SB), who will play a leading role in fighting the water crisis. The implementation of the WSF4SB aims to provide small business with a sustainable competitive advantage by looking after scarce water resources ensuring there is sufficient water for current and future generations. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2023
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Service as a leadership competency at Director/CEO level

  • Authors: Chilton, Ilse Mercia
  • Date: 2022-12
  • Subjects: Leadership Moral and ethical aspects , Servant leadership , Compassion , Humility , Integrative thinking , Critical incident technique , Transformational leadership
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419075 , vital:71614
  • Description: Given ethical failures in leadership, the actions and decisions of leaders are receiving renewed attention based on the role business plays in society. Business leaders need to demonstrate their willingness to consider their influence on society and not merely consider the demands and expectations of shareholders. Leaders must consider the ethical lens through which their decisions and actions are perceived. Service as a leadership competency can develop ethical leadership. Currently, service is not clearly defined and understood, and Pearse (2017) proposes five interrelated elements of service as a competency, namely individualised consideration, compassion, motivation to lead, humility and integrated thinking. The study examined if the five interrelated service elements are present when a leader at Director/CEO level exercises an act of service towards a follower. The study adopted a qualitative deductive thematic approach, collecting data through semi-structured interviews and using the critical incident technique to guide the interviews. The study's findings support the research proposition that service as a leadership competency consists of the five elements, but with some of these elements expanded. Service as a leadership competency is recommended to develop high-quality social relationships within an organisation, which will positively impact the corporate culture. Organisations can recruit and select leaders based on ethical leadership requirements and integrate these into performance management systems. Recommendations for further research have also been made. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2023
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Guidelines for designing personal health dashboards

  • Authors: Chabana, Chabana Ernst
  • Date: 2022-11
  • Subjects: Dashboards (Management information systems) , Information visualization , Medical informatics , Digital health , Design manual
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419137 , vital:71619
  • Description: The healthcare industry is realising the value of providing ordinary individuals with their personal health data for self-care and self-management purposes, however, these individuals are faced with the challenge of going through, understanding and extracting insights from large volumes of complex personal health data. A dashboard (coupled with data visualization) is regarded as a suitable way to present personal health data effectively, to inform self-care and self- management-based decisions. However, there is no homogeneous (i.e. “one-size-fits-all”) approach to designing dashboards; therefore, this research aimed at creating a set of design guidelines that can be used as a foundation for tailoring dashboards that support the presentation of personal health data. The Design Science Research methodology was used to systematically develop and evaluate the set of dashboard design guidelines. Within this methodology, literature was reviewed and focus groups with participants were conducted to extract insights and inform the development of the initial set (proposed) design guidelines. The proposed design guidelines were then used to develop a medium-fidelity personal health dashboard prototype. Usability testing with the dashboard prototype was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and utility of these design guidelines. The evaluation provided insights that strengthened the quality of the design guidelines. The evaluation indicated that the proposed set of guidelines are suitable for designing a dashboard that presents personal health data effectively. These design guidelines can be adapted in order to inform the process of tailoring dashboards for accommodating different personal health data presentation needs. , Thesis (MCOM) -- Faculty of Commerce, Information Systems, 2023
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'ORPHEIOI HYMNOI' The generic contexts of the Orphic Hymns

  • Authors: Malamis, Daniel Scott Christos
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Orphic hymns , Poetics Early works to 1800 , Hymns, Greek (Classical) History and criticism , Literary form
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/327177 , vital:61088 , DOI 10.21504/10962/327177
  • Description: Uncertainty surrounds the circumstances of Orphic Hymns’ composition and their intended use. Their author has substituted their own identity for that of the mythological poet and there is no certain reference to the extant collection in any ancient source. They are, in this sense, decontextualised. This study aims to make a contribution to the ongoing debate concerning the hymns’ composition, and the original function they might have served, through an analysis of their poetic and generic contexts. Following a detailed survey of scholarship on the hymns, I reflect first on the collection as a unified text, the constitutive parts of the individual hymns and the methods they employ for addressing, describing and praying to the gods. I then study a select group of stylistic features that the hymns prominently display: their use of phonic effects, including etymological figures, of antithesis and symmetrical patterning, and their extensive repetition of poetic formulae. In each case I discuss the deployment and significance of these poetic elements within the collection and consider the intertextual parallels suggested by their recurrence in Greek literary texts of all periods. This analysis reveals the hymns’ engagement with an overlapping set of poetic traditions, including, most prominently, cultic hymns and oracles, gnomic poetry, the theological discourses of the Presocratic philosophers and, in particular, Orphic poetry in its many forms. It suggests moreover that the hymns engage deeply with the oral strategies of the earliest Greek poets, underscoring the conclusion reached by several recent scholars, that the extant collection is essentially performative and was intended to be recited and heard. I argue that the Orphic Hymns were not a unique text in their employment of the stylistic features studied here, but drew extensively upon earlier hymns composed in Orpheus’ name. I further consider, in the light of this argument, the bearing this study has on the unresolved questions of the hymns’ composition, whether by a single author or many, and the aims of the poet(s) who composed them. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literature Studies, 2022
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A critical analysis of Professor Andrew Tracey’s contribution to African music pedagogy and the field of applied ethnomusicology

  • Authors: Moyo, Vuyelwa O'Lacy
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Tracey, Andrew T N , Ethnomusicology , Music Instruction and study Africa , Mbira Zimbabwe
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406829 , vital:70311
  • Description: The research presented in this thesis is based on my interest and experience in forms of African music, ethnomusicology, and studying mbira with Professor Emeritus Andrew Tracey. When I arrived in South Africa in 2019 to join Rhodes University’s Applied Ethnomusicology programme, I chose to study the mbira with Tracey as the idea of learning more about Zimbabwe through music was important to the formation of my identity. Through the lens of embodied learning and a practice-based approach in this research, I evaluate how Tracey’s numerous contributions to African music pedagogy have improved prospects for African music scholars and students in terms of contributing to the goals of applied ethnomusicology. The primary purpose of this thesis is to respond to the absence of serious scrutiny of existing pedagogical approaches to African music at universities across South Africa. The contribution this research makes will be valuable to African music programmes across the continent as well as to practitioners of African traditional instruments, such as the marimba, mbira, timbila xylophones, nyanga pan pipes, and valimba xylophones. The thesis comprises five chapters. The first presents an introduction to the research, and its goals, procedures and approaches, along with an outline of the subsequent chapters. Tracey’s biography is covered in the second chapter. A consideration of the state of African music teaching in other African countries such as Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe; the history of African music; and the state of African music pedagogy in tertiary institutions in South Africa constitutes the third chapter. Chapter 4 comprises an analysis of Tracey’s articles and data gathered from interviews, as well as my personal reflections as Tracey’s student. The final chapter presents a summary of the preceding chapters, the study’s findings, and suggestions for further research. A multidisciplinary approach was used for this thesis. The results finds that Tracey’s articles had six common themes which he wrote about and are a contribution to African music pedagogy. These themes are the history of instruments, the structure of the instrument, the learning/playing technique, structure of the instrument, transcription and dance steps. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2022
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A critical analysis of the tax treatment of cryptocurrencies in a South African context

  • Authors: Ho, Dau-Ming
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Cryptocurrencies Taxation , Income tax Law and legislation South Africa , Income tax Law and legislation Australia , Financial services industry Security measures , South Africa. Income Tax Act, 1962
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/357504 , vital:64749
  • Description: The aim of the present research was to investigate whether, as claimed by the South African Revenue Service in the media release issued in April 2018, the normal income tax provisions could apply to cryptocurrency transactions. To achieve this aim, a literature review was undertaken to describe the nature of cryptocurrencies and related crypto mining activities, providing definitions of cryptocurrencies, blockchains and crypto mining, as well as describing the functioning of the system. The research then proceeded to analyse the provisions of the definition of “gross income” in section 1 of the Income Tax Act, 58 of 1962, as amended, and the requirements of the “general deduction formula” in terms of the preamble to section 11, section 11(a) and section 23(g), as applying to cryptocurrency transactions. The application of other provisions in the Act to cryptocurrency transactions was analysed, including trading stock in terms of section 22, and capital allowances in terms of sections 11(e), 12C and 13quin of the Act, together with capital gains tax consequences in terms of the Eighth Schedule to the Income Tax Act. The regulation for income tax purposes of cryptocurrency transactions in Australia was discussed, with a view to making similar recommendations in South Africa. The research was situated in the interpretative paradigm, a doctrinal methodology was applied, together with a qualitative analysis of documentary data. The discussion was limited to the income tax consequences of cryptocurrencies as applying to individuals. The findings of the research were that, in general, the normal income tax provisions could apply to cryptocurrency transactions, but based on the analysis of the South African and Australian income tax acts as they apply to cryptocurrencies, it was recommended that a Comprehensive Guide on the income tax consequences of cryptocurrency transactions should be issued by the South African Revenue Service, together with amendments to section 25D and paragraph 43 of the Eighth Schedule to the Income Tax Act to deal with the conversion of cryptocurrencies to Rand values, and to section 9C of the Income Tax Act to include the deemed capital nature of the disposal of cryptocurrencies in the three-year rule presently applying to equity shares. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Accounting, 2022
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A critical analysis of the Urban Food System, Urban Governance and Household Food Security in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

  • Authors: Maphosa, Mandlenkosi
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Food security Zimbabwe Bulawayo , City planning Government policy Zimbabwe Bulawayo , Urban poor Zimbabwe Bulawayo , Urban agriculture Zimbabwe Bulawayo , COVID-19 (Disease) Zimbabwe Bulawayo , Agent (Philosophy)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/327165 , vital:61087 , DOI 10.21504/10962/327165
  • Description: Urbanisation is occurring on a massive scale globally and even more so in the less developed regions of the Global South including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Like other developing regions of the world, urbanisation in SSA is not occurring alongside a corresponding growth in urban economies. Resultantly, it is taking place in tandem with the rising scourge of urban poverty, including food insecurity. While urban food insecurity is a clear challenge in SSA, the challenge has however not been met with equal vigour in policy making and implementation circles and even in academia. Problematically, the urban food security literature often focuses on one element of the food system without giving due attention to other components of the system. Resultantly, broader systemic failures and the dynamics related to the different actors across the system-elements are missed. There has thus been recent calls to embrace urban governance in studying urban food systems, which this study does. The thesis examines the urban food system in Bulawayo (in Zimbabwe) with specific reference to urban governance and household food security to understand sociologically the complex multi-dimensional processes, structures, systems, and practices underpinning the urban food system. As a result of the complex nature of food systems, an eclectic analytical framework is employed encompassing Obeng Odoom’s DED framework, Clapp and Fuchs’ framework of power, Gaventa’s power cube and theories of everyday life derived from de Certeau and Lefebvre. Methodologically, the study is informed by a Critical Realism paradigm which accommodates the convergent mixed methods research design employed. The research strategy employed was that of a survey and case study. Key findings reveal that the Bulawayo food system, from production to consumption, is complex and is nested within broader national and international food systems. Although without a direct and explicit mandate on food security, the local authority is at the centre of urban governance processes as it employs a plethora of strategies to influence the nature of the food system. However, the study reveals that the food system is as much a construction from below through the agential activities of the urban poor. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Sociology, 2022
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A multimodal analysis of the representation of voter disillusionment in social media memes distributed on Twitter in the lead up to the 2019 South African general election

  • Authors: Jeftha, Courtney Alexandra
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Elections South Africa 21st century , Culture Study and teaching South Africa , Mass media Study and teaching South Africa , Social media South Africa , Memes South Africa , Visual sociology , Textual Analysis , Critical discourse analysis , Modality (Linguistics)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405930 , vital:70220
  • Description: This study is situated in the context of the 2019 South African general election, which saw the lowest voter turnout since its first democratic election in 1994. Many have questioned the capabilities of the African National Congress (ANC) since they came into power in 1994, due to allegations of corruption, maladministration and poor leadership. The concerns about the party’s ability to manage the country’s various social issues have led to a drop in voter turnout. There was much discussion in the media about the lack of voter turnout amongst young people in South Africa. This topic became a trending topic on social media under the #iwanttovotebut hashtag. The sentiments expressed by South African Twitter users in the #iwanttovotebut memes are explored in this study. The analysis of the memes draws on the works of Kress and van Leeuwen’s (1996; 2006) visual social semiotics, Fairclough’s (1989) approach to Critical discourse analysis (CDA), and Thompson’s operation of ideologies. VSS allows for the description of the various semiotic resources that memers use to construct their meaning from multimodal texts. The tools provided by CDA go beyond the description of VSS and develop a more detailed analysis of how the memers construct their discourses of democracy/governance. Thompson’s (1991) approach to understanding how ideology operates in language enables the deepening of the understanding of the dominant and naturalised notions of democracy/governance. The findings indicate that memers have a limited understanding of democracy. They also have a limited understanding of how political parties operate and their responsibilities in the form of government and various agencies. In addition, it is not surprising that young people are not voting in the 2019 general election. This is a phenomenon that the media has characterized as “apathy.” However, this research indicates that it would be more accurate to describe it as “disillusionment.” , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Journalism and Media Studies, 2022
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A nasty chamber

A psycholinguistic investigation of orthographic neighbourhood effects in reading and spelling in isiXhosa

  • Authors: Cox, Paige Samantha
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Literacy , Xhosa language Orthography and spelling , Psycholinguistics , Word recognition , Reading , Orthographic neighbourhood effects
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/404916 , vital:70121
  • Description: Despite increased research interest in recent years in the metalinguistic skills underpinning reading in the Southern Bantu languages, little work has been done on the underlying microlinguistic layer. This refers to the actual mechanical underpinnings of linguistic skills; zooming in on micro-language structures so as to explicate our understanding of how reading works. One such microlinguistic phenomenon is the effect of orthographic neighbours on reading and writing. Research has found predominantly faciliatory neighbourhood effects for English word reading (Andrews, 1997; Siakaluk, Sears & Lupker, 2002; Yarkoni, Balota & Yap, 2008). Specifically, words with more orthographic neighbours have faster response times in lexical decision and naming tasks. However, in languages such as Spanish and French, inhibitory neighbourhood effects are reported (Grainger & Jacobs, 1996; Carreiras, Perea & Grainger, 1997). These findings highlight the language-specific nature of orthographic neighbourhood effects (Andrews, 1997), and the necessity for language- specific investigations of these effects. This thesis investigates the linguistic properties of orthographic neighbours in isiXhosa, thereby developing a database of orthographic neighbourhoods in isiXhosa. Further, this research explores the interaction between orthographic neighbourhood density and neighbourhood frequency with three literacy skills: lexical decision response time, word reading accuracy, and spelling accuracy. Data were collected from 97 isiXhosa grade three learners from five schools in KwaNobuhle Township in the Eastern Cape. A corpus of 170 000 tokens of isiXhosa words (Rees & Randera, 2017) was used to compile a database of orthographic neighbourhoods for 30 real, and 30 pseudowords which ranged in orthographic neighbourhood density and neighbourhood frequency, whilst controlling for word length and word frequency. Using this database, lexical decision, word reading, and spelling tasks were designed and administered to the participants. Findings indicate a significant inhibitory effect of orthographic neighbourhood frequency on spelling accuracy. Words with high neighbourhood frequencies are more likely to be spelt incorrectly. There was no observed effect of orthographic neighbourhoods on lexical decision response time and word reading accuracy. These results are interpreted within connectionist and search models of orthographic processing. Specifically, the findings indicate a partial reliance on lexical processing strategies when spelling. That is, orthographic neighbours compete for lexical access when spelling. Education practitioners may wish to present learners with lists of orthographic neighbours when introducing novel words so as to make explicit the fine grain differences between words in the language. This also means that future research will need to develop a larger repository of orthographic neighbours in isiXhosa that can be made available for pedagogical purposes. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 2023
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A review of the Siyakhula Living Lab’s network solution for Internet in marginalized communities

  • Authors: Muchatibaya, Hilbert Munashe
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Information and communication technologies for development , Information technology South Africa , Access network , User experience , Local area networks (Computer networks) South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/364943 , vital:65664
  • Description: Changes within Information and Communication Technology (ICT) over the past decade required a review of the network layer component deployed in the Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL), a long-term joint venture between the Telkom Centres of Excellence hosted at University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University in South Africa. The SLL overall solution for the sustainable internet in poor communities consists of three main components – the computing infrastructure layer, the network layer, and the e-services layer. At the core of the network layer is the concept of BI, a high-speed local area network realized through easy-to deploy wireless technologies that establish point-to-multipoint connections among schools within a limited geographical area. Schools within the broadband island become then Digital Access Nodes (DANs), with computing infrastructure that provides access to the network. The review, reported in this thesis, aimed at determining whether the model for the network layer was still able to meet the needs of marginalized communities in South Africa, given the recent changes in ICT. The research work used the living lab methodology – a grassroots, user-driven approach that emphasizes co-creation between the beneficiaries and external entities (researchers, industry partners and the government) - to do viability tests on the solution for the network component. The viability tests included lab and field experiments, to produce the qualitative and quantitative data needed to propose an updated blueprint. The results of the review found that the network topology used in the SLL’s network, the BI, is still viable, while WiMAX is now outdated. Also, the in-network web cache, Squid, is no longer effective, given the switch to HTTPS and the pervasive presence of advertising. The solution to the first issue is outdoor Wi-Fi, a proven solution easily deployable in grass-roots fashion. The second issue can be mitigated by leveraging Squid’s ‘bumping’ and splicing features; deploying a browser extension to make picture download optional; and using Pihole, a DNS sinkhole. Hopefully, the revised solution could become a component of South African Government’s broadband plan, “SA Connect”. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2022
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A sea is brewing

  • Authors: Mama, Sibongakonke
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) South Africa , Xhosa poetry 21st century , South African poetry (English) 21st century , Psychic trauma in literature , Women in literature , Diaries -- Authorship , Books Reviews
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406281 , vital:70255
  • Description: My thesis is a collection of poems that draws on the complexity of not belonging in places, with people, or within families. I engage my own alienation as well as that of my parents, black people generally, and women in particular. I take inspiration from Uruguayan poet Fabián Severo’s autobiographical long poem, Night in the North, which chronicles the poet’s experience of growing up in linguistic and cultural borderlands. I am also influenced by Chilean poet Carmen García’s ability to move between the concrete and the abstract in translations of her poems from the collection Gotas sobre loza fría. As much as my poems traverse a metaphysical space, they are also set in concrete places – Tutura, Gcuwa, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. Like Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuña’s Spit Temple, I move between the physical and spiritual realms for a better understanding of my estrangement. I also draw on South African poet Mangaliso Buzani’s book, a naked bone, for its fluid combination of line and prose poetry. I write in isiXhosa and English as a reflection of my mixed cultural and linguistic existence. I seek to harness rhythm and harmony, as well as the quiet, between words. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
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A social history of midwifery practices in colonial Ibadan, Nigeria, 1893 - 1960

  • Authors: Olorunnibe, Folaranmi Flourish
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Midwifery Nigeria Ibadan , Nigeria History 1900-1960 , Nigeria Politics and government To 1960 , Nigeria Social conditions To 1960 , Maternal health services Nigeria Ibadan , Ibadan (Nigeria) Colonial influence
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/408716 , vital:70519 , DOI 10.21504/10962/408716
  • Description: This thesis examines the introduction and development of western medical practices in colonial spaces with particular reference to midwifery practices in colonial Ibadan, Nigeria, from 1893 to 1960. This has become necessary because of the importance placed on childbirth and maternal healthcare in the twentieth century. The trends and changes in midwifery and midwifery practices in colonial Ibadan are seen as reflections of other transformations in British African colonies at large. The study begins with a detailed historical analysis of the major metropolitan and local factors that informed the introduction and development of Western obstetrics in colonial Ibadan, Nigeria. It proceeds to examine the development of Western midwifery practices in colonial Ibadan; highlighting the contributions of the Ibadan people to the development of Western midwifery practices and emphasizing policies affecting development, and implementation of Western obstetrics. The thesis goes further to reveal the prejudiced nature of colonial medical policies, and the ways it shaped various responses especially from rural folks who were particularly marginalized since the 1920s when maternal healthcare policies was implemented in the urban areas till the 1950s when a reformed policy for rural medical service scheme was introduced to the rural folks. Thus, influencing the ways they imagined and appropriated ideas of western obstetrics alongside African traditional midwifery practices. The idea is to demonstrate in this thesis the extent to which the precincts in colonial medical policies, most especially the establishment of maternity hospitals, clinics and dispensaries, and the institutionalization of western obstetrics, inspired critical and ingenious responses from colonial doctors, colonial officials, the missionaries, patients, African trained midwives, traditional medical practitioners and the African population in general. Placing all of these historical events within a wider context, this thesis borrows insights from the social history of medicine in an attempt to reconstruct the colonial medical practices in Ibadan, Nigeria, through the sites of midwifery practices and maternal welfare services from 1893 to 1960. This is in addition to its dependence on a comparatively rich, but skewed historical evidence, including a plethora of annual medical reports, official reports of the department of medical and sanitary services, official correspondences within the colonial government in Ibadan and Nigeria, and between the colonial government and the colonial office in the United Kingdom. Details of African responses to medical policies were garnered from oral testimonies, newspaper publications and correspondences between the African public and the colonial government in Ibadan. In exploring this historical evidence, the thesis reveals very interesting details of colonial perceptions about African health and their underlining motives for introducing western medical ideas, the various medical schemes and policies used in driving colonial interest and the ways Africans imagined, re-imagined, and appropriated Western medical practices. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, History, 2022
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A sociological analysis of the experiences of Zimbabwean teachers in South Africa: the case of KwaZulu-Natal townships and township secondary schools

  • Authors: Daki, Andile Lebohang
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Xenophobia South Africa KwaZulu-Natal , Teachers, Foreign South Africa KwaZulu-Natal , Zimbabweans South Africa KwaZulu-Natal , Teachers, Foreign Social conditions , Marginality, Social , Culture conflict South Africa KwaZulu-Natal
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/365953 , vital:65805 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/365953
  • Description: This thesis seeks to understand the social and cultural experiences of Zimbabwean teachers, as foreigners, in KwaZulu-Natal townships, and KwaZulu-Natal township secondary schools, in South Africa. It examines the ways in which Zimbabwean teachers negotiate the social, cultural, and institutional milieu of KwaZulu-Natal townships and secondary schools. In doing so, the thesis draws upon social interface theory, as this theory facilitates an examination and understanding of the ways in which the Zimbabwean teachers interpret the spaces (and lifeworld) of South Africans and, simultaneously, navigate their way in and through these spaces along social and cultural interfaces. While the focus is on the perspectives and practices of the Zimbabwean teachers, the thesis recognises and shows that their socio-cultural experiences are constituted and configured in significant ways by their daily encounters with South Africans. The fieldwork for the thesis involved primarily in-depth interviews with thirty Zimbabwean teachers residing in six selected KwaZulu-Natal townships (and teaching at six different secondary schools), as well as fifteen South African teachers, five school administrators and thirty other South African citizens. The sample of Zimbabwean teachers was stratified in relation to the different townships, as well as gender and the number of years teaching in South Africa, so as to investigate whether and how these variables may configure the socio-cultural experiences of these teachers. A consideration of variation in the number of years of teaching in South Africa in particular allowed for an examination of possible shifts in socio-cultural experiences over time, as negotiation along interfaces is an ongoing and contingent process. The findings demonstrate a range of experiences and challenges faced by Zimbabwean teachers in KwaZulu-Natal (with regard to both township and school life), some of which they share with South African teachers but many of which are unique to them. At the same time, there are important differences amongst Zimbabwean teachers in relation to how they interface with South African citizens and teachers. While some teachers negotiate local spaces through active socialising and assimilating into the lifeworld (township life of South Africans and the institutional culture of township schools), other teachers move through the space by way of isolation, withdrawal, and alienation. In general, in terms of adjusting to the lifeworld of South Africans in KwaZulu-Natal townships and schools, Zimbabwean teachers pursue different routes which, in the end, made sense to them and about which they express some degree of personal comfort. , Lo mbhalo wobuhlakani uzama ukuqonda inhlalo kanye namasiko abahlangabezana nako othisha baseZimbabwe njengabantu bokufika emalokishini akwaZulu-Natal, kanye nasezikoleni zamabanga athe thuthu zasemalokishini akwaZulu-Natal eNingizimu-Afrika. Uhlolisisa izindlela labo thisha ababonisana ngazo ngamasiko kanye nenhlalakahle yasezikoleni zasemalokishini akwaZulu-Natal. Ngokwenzanjalo, lo mbhalo udonsa umhlahlandlela wenhlalakahle nokuhlangana ngoba ukungena kwabo endaweni yakwaZulu-Natal, labo thisha bahumusha indawo baphinde babonisane bachushisane ngenqubekela phambili yabo nangenhlalo namasiko abahlangabezana nawo. Ukuhlanganisa othisha baseNingizimu-Afrika nezakhamuzi kumele kusebenzisane ngokulingana. Abahlangabezana nakho kwakhiwa ngokubambisana phakathi kwabaseZimbabwe kanye nabaseNingizimu-Afrika ukuze izwi labaseNingizimu-Afrika lingagqibeki ngoba sekunakekelwa kakhulu abseZimbabwe. Umsebenzi wasensimini walo mbhalo wobuhlakani uhlanganisa ucwaningo kothisha abangani-30 baseZimbabwe abahlala ezindaweni ezingu-6 ezikhethekile ezisemalokishini akwaZulu-Natal, nothisha abayi-15 baseNingizimu-Afrika kanye nabaphathi bezikole abayi-5. Kubuye kwenziwa ucwaningo kwizakhamuzi ezingama-30 zaseNingizimu-Afrika. Isampula lihlanganiswe ngokubuka indawo lapho aphuma khona umuntu, kanye neminyaka aseyifundisile eNingizimu-Afrika. Ucwaningo lubukisise kakhulu indlela ababuka ngayo inhlalakahle namasiko kube kubukisiswa nenani leminyaka aseyifundisile umuntu ngamunye ukuze kuhlolisiswe izinguquko zokuxoxisana ezidalwe yisikhathi asihlalile umuntu phakathi kothisha abasebancane nalabo asebekhulile. Imiphumela yocwaningo iveza iznselele ezahlukene ababhekene nazo othisha baseZimbabwe njengoba bengabahlali baseNingizimu-Afrika. Ezinye zalezi nselele ziqhamuka ngokwehlukana kwemiphakathi kwabaseZimbabwe kanye nabaseNingizimu-Afrika. Ngokunjalo kunomehluko obalulekayo kothisha baseZimbabwe mayelana nendlela ukuxoxisana nokubonisana okuqhubeka ngayo. Kukhona labo ukungena bathi khaxa emiphakathini nasezimpilweni abakuzo eNingizimu-Afrika nasezikoleni abakuzo namasiko nenhlalakahle yakulezo zindawo ngakolunye uhlangothi abanye othisha bazithole bephila njengenhlwa bephila ngabodwana eNingizimu-Afrika. Kodwa ekugcineni kwakho konke, lolu cwaningo luthola ukuthi othisha baseZimbabwe ezikoleni zasemalokishini akwaZulu-Natal lapha eNingizimu-Afrika bazakhela impilo eyenza umuntu ngamunye azizwe ehlaliseke kahle eNingizimu- Afrika ngendlela ephelele nethokomalisa yena ngo kwakhe. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Sociology, 2022
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A sociological exploration of whether culture inhibits comprehensive sexual education in schools: the case of urban schools in Mpika district of Zambia

  • Authors: Nyoni, Kaliza
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Sex instruction Zambia , Sex instruction Social aspects Zambia , Culture , High school students Attitudes , Sex educators Attitudes , Influence (Psychology) , Language and culture Zambia
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406796 , vital:70308
  • Description: This study investigated the impact and influence of culture in the provisioning of comprehensive sexuality education , the case of urban schools of Mpika district of Zambia. The specific objectives were to investigate the frameworks that inform the teaching of CSE in schools, explore ways in which influence of culture on the framework affects the leaners participation in learning CSE, explore the influence of cultural norms, metaphors, and values on that framework, explore whether cultural norms have an impact and influence on teachers and explore whether there is a discrepancy between cultural values and CSE. The methodology which was used in carrying out the research was descriptive research design and purposive sampling was used in which a sample of 21 respondents who are leaners were picked and 5 teachers who teach CSE were chosen. The interview schedule was used to collect data from the sample which was drawn. The data gathered was analysed using concepts and themes as well as observer impression. The findings of this research are that there is a framework that informs the teaching of CSE in schools whose aim is to curb school drop outs by reducing teen pregnancies and high infection rates of STIs and HIV/AIDS. The framework seeks to empower knowledge on the adolescents in relation to gender norms, rights in relationships and sexuality. The major findings of the research are that culture has an influence on the teachers and leaners. Of particular discovery is the use of symbols through charts which display human private parts. This is construed by the teachers and learners to be against their cultural beliefs. Furthermore, language that this subject uses is culturally seen to be too strong and vulgar , to both teachers and leaners. This study found out that open discussion in class of the topic on sexuality does not sit well with the leaners as it is against their cultural orientation. The research also found out that there are lessons in CSE that are beneficial to the learners such as , how to prevent contracting of STIs and HIV/AIDS and prevention of unwanted pregnancies. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Sociology, 2022
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A systematic methodology to evaluating optimised machine learning based network intrusion detection systems

  • Authors: Chindove, Hatitye Ethridge
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Intrusion detection systems (Computer security) , Machine learning , Computer networks Security measures , Principal components analysis
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/362774 , vital:65361
  • Description: A network intrusion detection system (NIDS) is essential for mitigating computer network attacks in various scenarios. However, the increasing complexity of computer networks and attacks makes classifying unseen or novel network traffic challenging. Supervised machine learning techniques (ML) used in a NIDS can be affected by different scenarios. Thus, dataset recency, size, and applicability are essential factors when selecting and tuning a machine learning classifier. This thesis explores developing and optimising several supervised ML algorithms with relatively new datasets constructed to depict real-world scenarios. The methodology includes empirical analyses of systematic ML-based NIDS for a near real-world network system to improve intrusion detection. The thesis is experimental heavy for model assessment. Data preparation methods are explored, followed by feature engineering techniques. The model evaluation process involves three experiments testing against a validation, un-trained, and retrained set. They compare several traditional machine learning and deep learning classifiers to identify the best NIDS model. Results show that the focus on feature scaling, feature selection methods and ML algo- rithm hyper-parameter tuning per model is an essential optimisation component. Distance based ML algorithm performed much better with quantile transformation whilst the tree based algorithms performed better without scaling. Permutation importance performs as a feature selection method compared to feature extraction using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) when applied against all ML algorithms explored. Random forests, Sup- port Vector Machines and recurrent neural networks consistently achieved the best results with high macro f1-score results of 90% 81% and 73% for the CICIDS 2017 dataset; and 72% 68% and 73% against the CICIDS 2018 dataset. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2022
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An African language in the public sphere – the use of isiZulu on Yilungelo Lakho online platforms

  • Authors: Bramdeo, Aasra
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Zulu language , News Web sites South Africa , South African Broadcasting Corporation , Facebook (Firm) , Social media and journalism South Africa , Public sphere South Africa , Mass media and language South Africa , Yilungelo Lakho
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405919 , vital:70219
  • Description: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is mandated as the public broadcaster to provide news content in all South Africa’s official languages. While this has been a challenge on traditional broadcast platforms, online resources, such as social media pages, present an opportunity for the SABC to support the creation and sharing of content in African languages. With relatively little national news and current affairs content available online in indigenous languages, this study investigates the way that SABC News online offerings in the isiZulu language have the potential to contribute to public debates in terms of Habermas’ concept of a public sphere and its adaptation to the online domain, taking into consideration scholarly critiques of its suitability in the African context. The SABC News Current Affairs programme Yilungelo Lakho serves as a case study to examine the potential for the SABC to share African-language news content online. The programme is broadcast primarily in the Nguni languages, and the online audience on Facebook often choose to respond in isiZulu or other African languages. Semi-structured indepth interviews were conducted with three members of the production team and three contributors to the Facebook page. A textual analysis of Facebook posts across 13 episodes, with a total of 497 comments from 306 online contributors highlights the manner in which online interaction promotes or hampers the inclusion of isiZulu speakers in SABC News and Current Affairs discussions, rational deliberation on the SABC Current Affairs programme, and fragmentation and overlap across different online platforms. While multilingual interactions on the Yilungelo Lakho Facebook page make for complex curation, the findings suggest the need for African language content to support public discussions and point to an opportunity for the public broadcaster to fulfil its mandate. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Journalism and Media Studies, 2022
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An analysis of inland fisheries resource use in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

  • Authors: Matam, Ncumisa Yanga
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Fisheries South Africa Eastern Cape , Fishery law and legislation South Africa Eastern Cape , Small-scale fisheries South Africa Eastern Cape , Small-scale fisheries Social aspects South Africa Eastern Cape , Small-scale fisheries Economic aspects South Africa Eastern Cape , SADC Inland Fisheries Sector , Subsistence fishing South Africa Eastern Cape , Draft Inland Fisheries Policy (South Africa)‎
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's thesis , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232215 , vital:49972
  • Description: South Africa’s Draft Inland Fisheries Policy identifies inland fisheries as an opportunity for socio-economic benefits such as jobs, food security and economic development, based on small-scale fishing and recreational value chains. Using roving creel surveys, this study examined various fishing groups in publicly accessible dams in both an urban and a rural settlement in the Makana Municipal area, Eastern Cape, South Africa. While inland fisheries are particularly relevant for rural communities, there is very little information on the current use of these resources, irrespective of inland fisheries’ importance. This thesis presents a conceptual framework for a study that: (1) reviews available information of inland fisheries and development attempts in South Africa; (2) provides an assessment of the use of inland fisheries on publicly accessible dams in the Makana Municipal area and (3) evaluates case studies of current and past utilization of selected inland fisheries initiatives in the Eastern Cape. The results of this project provide insights into the current conditions and development potentials of inland fisheries in the Eastern Cape. There was a difference in species composition between the dams, but no difference in the CPUE between dams. For example, in Grey dam many species were present, but as the dam size is only one hectare, this would result in an estimated yield harvest of only 207 kg/ha/year. Anglers were encountered at all dams, although fish were only retrieved by anglers in the rural dams of Committees Drift. Dam usage in the rural area was mostly subsistence angling, and this was significantly greater than in the urban area. Subsistence fishers utilised the fish to sustain themselves and their families and for better livelihoods. Anglers from outside the area tended to utilise the dam for recreational angling. Dams found in the urban area were also mostly used by subsistence anglers, though there were a few uses for aesthetic purposes. The urban dams were also utilised recreationally (picnics, year-end functions, swimming), as opposed to the rural dams which were only used for angling. A total of 10 interviews were administered to key respondents in the form of a questionnaires to determine the importance of the fisheries to them. Catch documented from the questionnaires, interviews and logbooks constituted 1238 species and 978 020 kg. Of all the anglers encountered from the interviews, the gill net catch species varied by dam. The fate of fish caught by anglers was dependent on employment status, with most unemployed anglers selling their fish for income and most employed anglers consuming their catch. The findings show that dams were used mostly by small-scale fishers and recreational anglers. Ichthyological surveys revealed that popular fish harvested were moggel, common carp, largemouth bass and Mozambique tilapia. The results are discussed in the context of appropriate development of fisheries in small dams in the province, with recommendations to continue monitored surveys to better inform the inland fisheries policy. The findings from this thesis show that having small scale fisheries in place and providing good access to the dams is essential for rural populations, in turn, providing better livelihoods through hunger alleviation and generating household income. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2022
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An appraisal analysis of a selection of Zapiro’s political cartoons

  • Authors: Hussey, Thomas Davey
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Uncatalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406725 , vital:70302
  • Description: Thesis embargoed. To be released in 2025. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 2022
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