List of Titles

Electrode modification using nanocomposites of electropolymerised cobalt phthalocyanines supported on multiwalled carbon nanotubes

- Nyoni, Stephen, Mashazi, Philani N, Nyokong, Tebello

Authors: Nyoni, Stephen , Mashazi, Philani N , Nyokong, Tebello
Language: English
Type: Article
Identifier: vital:7293 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020356
Description: A polymer of tetra(4)-(4,6-diaminopyrimidin-2-ylthio) phthalocyaninatocobalt(II) (CoPyPc) has been deposited over a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) platform and its electrocatalytic properties investigated side by side with polymerized cobalt tetraamino phthalocyanine (CoTAPc). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry studies were used for characterization of the prepared polymers of cobalt phthalocyanine derivatives and their nanocomposites. l-Cysteine was used as a test analyte for the electrocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites of polymerized cobalt phthalocyanines and multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The electrocatalytic activity of both polymerized cobalt phthalocyanines was found to be superior when polymerization was done on top of MWCNTs compared to bare glassy carbon electrode. A higher sensitivity for l-cysteine detection was obtained on CoTAPc compared to CoPyPc. , Original publication is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10008-015-2985-6
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Employee attitudes in a South African metropole post-implementation of the 2010 wage curve collective agreement

- Somgede-Tshikila, Pateka

Authors: Somgede-Tshikila, Pateka
Subjects: Job satisfaction -- South Africa , Organizational commitment -- South Africa , Collective labor agreements -- South Africa
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
Identifier: vital:9436 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020901
Description: The study will investigate how the workers of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality in the Department of Roads and Stormwater (Eastern region) feel about their jobs in terms of job satisfaction. Furthermore, the study will investigate how they feel about commitment to the union, commitment to the organisation, and management satisfaction during and after the implementation of job task levels, which was the result of the wage curve agreement that was signed in 2010 and implemented in 2011.The first objective of the study is to describe the collective agreements that were signed in 2010 as a result of a need to categorise municipalities and evaluate jobs, and the consequences of the collective agreements on employees through the study of documents supplemented by interviews and questionnaires. The second objective is to investigate if there has been a change in attitudes of the employees in the Roads and Stormwater Department of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality after the implementation of the wage curve agreement. There are six research questions; two relate to the first objective, and these are (a) what was the nature of the wage curve and job evaluation collective agreement? and(b) what were the consequences of the implementation of the wage curve and job evaluation collective agreement of the employees of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality? The other four questions related to the second objective, which led to the following research questions related to the attitudes of the employees and the change in these attitudes after the implementation of the collective agreement. These four questions were (a) what was the change in employee attitudes post the introduction of the wage curve? in particular, the attitudes of organisational commitment, job satisfaction, management satisfaction and union commitment, (b) what is the relationship between the sub-groups and employee attitudes pre the wage curve agreement implementation?(c) what is the relationship between sub-groups and employee attitudes post the wage curve agreement implementation? (d) what is the relationship between the sub-groups and the change in employee attitudes pre and post the wage curve agreement implementation? Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in the study to analyse the strike process and to understand and describe the attitudes of all the participants in relation to the four constructs provided by Chaulk and Brown (2008). Self-administered questionnaires will be given to participants, and there will be face-to-face interviews with the union officials and management. The findings relating to the first objective indicate that the employees were unhappy with the implementation of the wage curve collective agreement. The second objective showed that the changes in the attitudes of employees after the implementation of the job evaluation and wage curve collective agreement were negative and that there was a significant decrease in the level of organisational commitment, job satisfaction, union commitment and management satisfaction after the implementation.
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Enabling green skills: pathways to sustainable development : a source book to support planning for green economies 2017

- Ramsarup, Presha, Ward, Mike

Authors: Ramsarup, Presha , Ward, Mike
Subjects: Environmental education -- South Africa , Environmental education -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Environmental education -- Curricula -- South Africa
Language: English
Type: Instructional and educational works , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62694 , vital:28254 , 978-0-620-79605-7 , https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/62694
Description: The purpose of this source book is to support skills planning entities to work with employers to identify and anticipate green skills needs and to build these needs into occupational descriptors and sector skills plans. Thus, the source book complements the existing Enabling Document (DEA, 2010b) and provides guidelines to support SETAs to embed environmental considerations, related occupations and green skills into their skills planning processes. Written by Presha Ramsarup and Mike Ward with contributions from Eureta Rosenberg, Nicola Jenkin and Heila Lotz-Sisitka. The Green Skills programme (2015-2018) helps key role players to plan for and develop green skills. It is a three-year programme funded by the Green Fund of the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) through the Development Bank of South Africa. The implementation partners include Rhodes University’s Environmental Learning Research Centre, the Centre for Researching Education and Labour (REAL) at Wits University, the University of Cape Town’s African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI), the Further Education and Training Institute (FETI) at the University of the Western Cape, as well as several other environmental partners.
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Enhanced nonlinear optical properties of octa-substituted lead and cadmium phthalocyanines when embedded in poly(bisphenol A carbonate) as thin films

- Mkhize, Colin, Britton, Jonathan, Nyokong, Tebello

Authors: Mkhize, Colin , Britton, Jonathan , Nyokong, Tebello
Language: English
Type: Article
Identifier: vital:7320 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020565
Description: This work presents photophysical and nonlinear optical properties of a novel Cd 2,3-[octakis{4-tert-butylphenoxyphthalocyanine}] (CdOtBPPc) and compare them with those of Pb 2,3-[octakis{4-tert-butylphenoxyphthalocyanine}] (PbOtBPPc). For both the CdOtBPPc and PbOtBPPc, third order imaginary susceptibility and second order hyperpolarizability values were found to be within the limit set for good optical limiters. The Pcs were embedded in poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PBC) as thin films. The optical limiting values of the Pcs once embedded in film were found to be greatly improved and the limiting fluence of each film was well below the maximum threshold. Both PbOtBPPc and CdOtBPPc showed better optical limiting when embedded in PBC compared to PMMA. CdOtBPPc shows better nonlinear optical behavior than PbOtBPPc in solution and as thin films, even though the former is aggregated in solution. , Original publication is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.poly.2014.07.025
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Enhanced optical limiting behaviour of indium phthalocyanine derivatives when in solution or embedded in poly(acrylic acid) or poly(methyl methacrylate) polymers

- Sanusi, Kayode, Nyokong, Tebello

Authors: Sanusi, Kayode , Nyokong, Tebello
Language: English
Type: Article
Identifier: vital:7256 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020265
Description: The optical limiting performance of indium phthalocyanine-based polymer thin-films with large nonlinear absorption coefficients (βeff) and low limiting threshold intensity (Ilim) are described. The absorption cross-sections and the population dynamics of the excited states are also reported. The excited state absorption cross-sections (σexc) are shown to depend on the transition moment between the T1 and T2 states. βeff values have been shown to be related to the population density of the molecules in the T1 state. The improved optical limiting performance recorded for the investigated phthalocyanine complexes in the presence of polymer matrices has been attributed to the aggregation effects of the complexes in the polymer thin-films. The optical properties of the indium phthalocyanine moieties were found to possess robust sensitivity to a change of the polymer materials. , Original publication available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotochem.2015.02.003
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Enhanced social protection for orphans and vulnerable children

- Obayi, Bennycharles A

Authors: Obayi, Bennycharles A
Subjects: Child care services -- South Africa
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
Identifier: vital:9064 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1352 , Child care services -- South Africa
Description: This study is intended to contribute to the existing body of knowledge relative to social protection of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). It proffers recommendations on sustainable assistance mechanisms which will ensure effective support systems for improved quality of life for OVCs. The impacts of orphanhood and other vulnerability issues on children directly challenge social protection systems and how they support the wellbeing of the children. This presents grave threat to social and economic development as well as the wellbeing of children. Child Support Grant (CSG) is one of South Africa’s largest social protection programmes targeting vulnerable children. The effectiveness of the grants in addressing the concerns of the children is greatly dependent on how it is utilised. The aim of this study is for a review of the support systems for OVCs in South Africa, within the context of social grants to determine its viability to address the challenges of vulnerability. The study is informed by empowerment framework as theoretical paradigm; which postulates that people need to be empowered through sustainable programmes that enhance their capacities to realize their full potentials and become self-sufficient. The study reviewed and appraised relevant approaches that aid empowering OVCs in order to ensure that they are supported to move from state of helplessness to an empowered state. A quantitative research method was used for the survey, data analysis and review. A case study approach was adopted for the study. The population of this study consisted of selected families of OVCs and community volunteers in Port St. Johns and Ndlambe local municipalities of the Eastern Cape Province. The study findings show that the CSG is relevant in the context of providing the needed support for the OVCs, which will enhance their wellbeing and development. It identified CSG as a mechanism which supports the concept of ensuring that OVCs have an adult caregiver who supports them. It shows that the CSG is able to reduce the number of OVCs without an adult caregiver. xii The study identified that many of the caregivers of the OVCs do not have other source of income and this affects their utilisation of the grant to attend to the needs of the children such as caregivers who do not support the wellbeing of the children though they receive CSG. The findings did not identify many challenges with the functioning and management of the CSG scheme. The concerns identified by the study are related to challenges of accessing the grant. The findings show that the caregivers do not encounter obstacles while applying for CSG for reasons related to the fact that some of them are being assisted. It shows that most children that are eligible but are not receiving CSG were for reasons such as caregiver not applying on time for the child or lack of documents required for the application. The study further noted that it was mostly caregivers that were not assisted during the applications process that experienced difficulties. The study observed that supporting the needed infrastructure in resource constrained environment is necessary to assist the children. Building facilities for banking, health care, and recreation as well as educational facilities such as libraries and computer centres were identified as relevant in schemes that aim to improve the quality of lives of children. The study findings revealed that hunger and deprivation could be a defining factor, which influences a child’s interest in education. It concludes that the provision of CSG to families could have strong influence in determining children’s interest in education. The study identified other support systems in the community that complement the CSG mechanism. The supports includes the assistance to process the application for CSG as well as guidance in the utilisation of the grant; after school care programme which provides opportunity for children to receive additional educational support; and material assistance for OVC families. The supports were mostly through community volunteers of organisations in the communities. These supports were found to be useful in supporting the caregivers of the OVCs to support the children.
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Enhanced triplet state parameters for zinc carboxy phenoxy phthalocyanine following conjugation to ascorbic acid: effects of adsorption on single walled carbon nanotubes

- Ogbodu, Racheal O, Nyokong, Tebello

Authors: Ogbodu, Racheal O , Nyokong, Tebello
Language: English
Type: Article
Identifier: vital:7265 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020274
Description: Zinc phthalocyanine bearing four ascorbic acid units (formed via ester bond between zinc carboxy phenoxy phthalocyanines and ascorbic acid) was synthesized and characterized using different spectroscopic methods. The complex (with or without ascorbic acid) was further adsorbed onto single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and further characterized using Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The photophysical properties of the complexes were studied. The synthesized complex showed better photophysical properties when compared to the carboxy phenoxy phthalocyanines alone, this is evident in the increase of the triplet quantum yields (ΦT), triplet life-times (τT) and singlet oxygen quantum yields (ΦΔ). The zinc phthalocyanines bearing ascorbic acid showed improved triplet life-times even in the presence of SWCNTs. , Original publication is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.poly.2015.01.032
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Enhanced triplet state yields in aqueous media of asymmetric zinc phthalocyanines when conjugated to silver nanoflowers

- D’Souza, Sarah, George, Reama, Göksel, Meltem, Atilla, Devrim, Durmuş, Mahmut, Nyokong, Tebello

Authors: D’Souza, Sarah , George, Reama , Göksel, Meltem , Atilla, Devrim , Durmuş, Mahmut , Nyokong, Tebello
Language: English
Type: Article
Identifier: vital:7279 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020315
Description: Novel low symmetry water-soluble zinc phthalocyanines (ZnPcs, complexes 1 and 2) were synthesized and then mixed with silver nanoflowers. Photophysical and photochemical studies were performed in order to determine the efficiency of complexes 1 and 2 as photosensitizers when alone and when combined with the silver nanoflowers. The Pcs show low fluorescence quantum yields and excellent triplet quantum yields of 0.78 (for 1) and 0.66 (for 2) in aqueous media. The triplet quantum yield values increased to 0.80 and 0.89, respectively, in the presence of silver nanoflowers. Long triplet lifetimes ranging from 180 to 200 μs in DMSO were obtained for complexes 1, 2 and their conjugates with silver nanoflowers. , Original publication is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.poly.2015.08.017
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Environmental ethics, protection and valuation

- Du Preez, M

Authors: Du Preez, M
Subjects: Environmental ethics , Environmental protection , f-sa
Language: English
Type: text , Lectures
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21022 , vital:29428
Description: This lecture addresses the environmental ethics, protection and valuation of natural assets. The aim of the lecture is threefold: first, to present a bio-ethical argument for the extension of our moral reference class to include all conscious and non-conscious natural assets; second, to discuss the moral significance of a broader moral reference class in terms of Aldo Leopold’s ‘Land Ethic’; third, to discuss the valuation of natural assets from a system’s perspective with specific reference to the estimation of non-use values. In what follows, Section I discusses environmental protection from a bioethical point of view, Section II discusses the moral significance of a broader moral reference class in terms of Aldo Leopold’s ‘Land Ethic’, Section III describes the concept of valuing natural assets with specific reference to the concept of non-use value and its measurement, and finally, Section IV concludes the lecture.
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Ethics, cultures, fraud and corruption: the unanswered questions

- Fourie, Houdini

Authors: Fourie, Houdini
Subjects: Fraud -- Moral and ethical aspects , Fraud -- South Africa , f-sa
Language: English
Type: text , Lectures
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/31797 , vital:31846
Description: idea for the paper emanated from my concern regarding the absolute flood of unethical behaviour in recent times. Fraud and corruption in South Africa is rife and it seems that the average person has no control over what comes next. Considering the impacts of peoples’ background, social standing and culture, the paper considered the psychological processes through which learning of habits and mannerisms take place; and how it influences ethical behaviour. Valuable lessons are learnt, namely that culture, whether it being ethnical, organisational, family or religious, have a direct impact on a person’s ethical value system and subsequently on whether a person is inclined to partake in fraud and corrupt activities. Fraud and corruption can cripple and destroy organisations and its auditors. Fraud and corruption are costly. The paper reports that it is ultimately the responsibility of executive management to manage fraud and associated risks – management must set the “Tone at the Top”. Managing ethics is costly, but ignoring it is fatal. Although it is not the primary responsibility of auditors to detect and investigate fraud and corruption, the accounting profession needs to do introspection to determine what society expects of them. A mere audit opinion on annual financial statements does not satisfy the demands of society any more. The question is apparently not whether fraud will occur in organisations, but rather when and that everybody must insist on doing the right thing – for the greater good.
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Expanding the SAR of Nontoxic Antiplasmodial Indolyl-3-ethanone Ethers and Thioethers.

- Lunga, Mayibongwe J, Chisango, Ruramai Lissa, Weyers, Carli, Isaacs, Michelle, Taylor, Dale, Edkins, Adrienne L, Khanye, Setshaba D, Hoppe, Heinrich C, Veale, Clinton G L

Authors: Lunga, Mayibongwe J , Chisango, Ruramai Lissa , Weyers, Carli , Isaacs, Michelle , Taylor, Dale , Edkins, Adrienne L , Khanye, Setshaba D , Hoppe, Heinrich C , Veale, Clinton G L
Language: English
Type: text , article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/122908 , vital:35370 , https://doi.org/10.1002/cmdc.201800235
Description: Despite major strides in reducing Plasmodium falciparum infections, this parasite still accounts for roughly half a million annual deaths. This problem is compounded by the decreased efficacy of artemisinin combination therapies. Therefore, the development and optimisation of novel antimalarial chemotypes is critical. In this study, we describe our strategic approach to optimise a class of previously reported antimalarials, resulting in the discovery of 1‐(5‐chloro‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐2‐[(4‐cyanophenyl)thio]ethanone (13) and 1‐(5‐chloro‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐2‐[(4‐nitrophenyl)thio]ethanone (14), whose activity was equipotent to that of chloroquine against the P. falciparum 3D7 strain. Furthermore, these compounds were found to be nontoxic to HeLa cells as well as being non‐haemolytic to uninfected red blood cells. Intriguingly, several of our most promising compounds were found to be less active against the isogenic NF54 strain, highlighting possible issues with long‐term dependability of malarial strains. Finally compound 14 displayed similar activity against both the NF54 and K1 strains, suggesting that it inhibits a pathway that is uncompromised by K1 resistance.
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Facile synthesis, spectroscopic and electrochemical properties, and theoretical calculations of porphyrin dimers with a bridging amide-bonded xanthene moiety

- Liang, Xu, Xu, Li, Li, Minzhi, Mack, John, Stone, Justin, Nyokong, Tebello, Jiang, Yu, Kobayashi, Nagao, Zhu, Weihua

Authors: Liang, Xu , Xu, Li , Li, Minzhi , Mack, John , Stone, Justin , Nyokong, Tebello , Jiang, Yu , Kobayashi, Nagao , Zhu, Weihua
Language: English
Type: Article
Identifier: vital:7292 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020355
Description: A free base porphyrin dimer bridged by a flexible amide-bonded xanthene moiety and its binuclear zinc(II) complex zinc(II) complex were synthesized and characterized. Structural characterization by MS and 1H NMR spectroscopy confirmed the bridged porphyrin dimer structure. The properties of the dimers were characterized by IR, UV-visible absorption, fluorescence and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy, and electrochemistry studies. Theoretical calculations were carried out to analyze the electronic structures of porphyrin dimers with a bridging amide-bonded xanthene moiety. , Original publication is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S1088424615500492
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Factors contributing to occupational stress in student support staff in a Further Education and Training (FET) College in the Southern Cape

- De Klerk, Ulricha

Authors: De Klerk, Ulricha
Subjects: Work -- Psychological aspects , Job stress -- South Africa -- Western Cape , College students -- South Africa -- Western Cape
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
Identifier: vital:10085 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020806
Description: The main purpose of this study is to explore the factors that contribute to occupational stress as experienced by the Student Support staff in a Further Education and Training (FET) College in the Southern Cape. The Student Support staff has displayed many symptoms of stress over the past few years. This in turn has led to absenteeism, change in staff temperament, their feelings towards the College, motivation levels and a significant change in the staff’s day to day operations. Although the Head of Department for Student Support Services has engaged with the staff on numerous occasions to discuss the reasons for their experience of stress, no substantial reasons could be established in order to make the necessary changes in the department. No interventions that have been implemented to date have relieved the staff’s experience of stress. The researcher chose to use a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design to gain insight into the situation or phenomenon in order to identify the factors contributing to occupational stress and to identify measures that can be implemented to reduce occupational stress in the Student Support staff. The participants in this research included at least 10 Student Support staff within the Student Support Services Department at a Further Education and Training College in the Southern Cape. Purposive sampling was used in this research study. Interviews will continue until data saturation is achieved. The staff members must have been employed for at least one year in the Student Support Services Department. The researcher will make use of semi-structured interviews, observations and field notes. The data will be systematically collected and meanings, themes and general descriptions of the experience analysed within the specific context (de Vos, Strydom, Fouche & Delport, 2005). The researcher will make use of Tesch’s method of analysis, and use Guba’s strategies for ensuring Trustworthiness. The researcher will apply the ethical considerations of confidentiality, informed consent, ethical approval from relevant institutions, avoidance of harm to participants, truthfulness and the debriefing of participants when conducting this study. The findings were reported as three major themes and subthemes. The three major themes were; Student support staff identified several factors that contributed to occupational stress, Student support staff identified the effect that occupational stress has on them, Student support staff offered suggestions that the college could implement to reduce occupational stress. These themes were discussed and analysed in-depth.
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Factors impacting the introduction of information technology usage in netball coaching

- Daniell, Janine

Authors: Daniell, Janine
Subjects: Information technology , Netball -- Coaching
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
Identifier: vital:9828 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020878
Description: With the growth in the use of technology in sports, there has been an improvement in sporting performances. Some may argue that the two go hand in hand, while others will write it off as coincidence. Nevertheless the use of technology in sport is seen on a daily basis. Cricket uses Hotspot, tennis uses Hawk-Eye and rugby uses slow motion video replays. In these sports codes, technology is already an aid to umpires. Little is known, however, about the technologies used to assist coaches in sports codes such as netball. This study investigated the factors impacting the introduction of information technology in the coaching of netball. The study commenced with using the term technology in the broader sense of the word to gain an understanding from netball coaches as to how technology could be incorporated into the sport. It was later narrowed down more specifically to computer technologies. The investigation was done at the Spar National Netball Championships in 2012, where coaches were surveyed about the preparation for the tournament of the provincial teams. The surveys included questions to coaches regarding the technologies used in preparation for a national tournament. The results obtained from the coaches were used to identify the current technologies used. Interviews were conducted after the analysis of the initial results to probe into the potential use of social media as a tool to assist coaches. Based on the results of the study, a number of factors that impact on the introduction of technology in the coaching of netball were identified. The factors and basic guidelines were validated through expert focus groups. Based on the findings from the experts, the factors and guidelines were refined. It is envisaged that the findings from this research can be used to assist netball coaches in deciding how to introduce the use of information technology into the sport.
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