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A cloud adoption framework for South African SMEs

  • Authors: Mudzamba, Ronald Ratidzo
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Cloud computing , Cloud computing -- Security measures , Small business -- Technological innovations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Small business -- Information technology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Information technology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework , Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148574 , vital:38751
  • Description: Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have been touted as key enablers to the economic development of most countries. Despite growing evidence that most SMEs fail within their initial years, ICTs have been found to add substantial value in facilitating their success. However, in most developing countries, ICT adoption by SMEs has been plagued with a plethora of challenges ranging from poor electricity supply, high ICT costs, lack of ICT expertise to lack of government support. While this might seem problematic for SMEs, the adoption and the use of cloud services mitigates some of these challenges. The problem, however, is that a limited amount of literature has provided guidance with regard to how the cloud adoption process should be carried out by SMEs. The objective of this research, was therefore, to address this by developing a framework that can be used by SMEs to guide them through the cloud adoption process. To this end, thirteen (13) semi-structured interviews were conducted across nine (9) SMEs in the Eastern Cape. The resultant interview transcripts were analysed using an established thematic approach; the result of which allowed for the development of a rich interpretive narrative about SME cloud adoption. Combined with theory from extant literature, this culminated in the development of a framework for cloud services adoption for SMEs in the Eastern Cape.
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A comparative analysis of social media brand image of insurance companies in South Africa: a longitudinal study

  • Authors: Gudu, Daniel
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Social media -- South Africa , Internet marketing -- South Africa , Chernoff faces , Ínsurance companies -- South Africa -- Marketing , Insurance companies -- South Africa -- Case studies , Multivariate analysis -- Graphic methods
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/144277 , vital:38327
  • Description: Social media is changing the way business is conducted. Almost five billion videos are watched on YouTube every single day. Social media has an extensive worldwide presence. Out of the total global population of over 7,5 billion people, over 4 billion are internet users. Of these, over 3 billion are active on social media. Social media is very influential in today's decision-making processes. Businesses must integrate social media into their strategies. The purpose of this research was to investigate the use of a novel method, Chernoff Faces, to assess and compare the social media brand images of six insurance companies in South Africa based on social conversation measurement. The intention of research was towards observing existing situations at hand and pointing out the game changers that can provide the industry with a new leap. Social media are multidimensional and understanding them requires tracking different measures simultaneously. Integrating social media into a communication strategy leads to a problem in finding the best way to portray and communicate multivariate data. It is essential to find the best way to represent and transmit the data so that marketing executives can quickly and easily monitor changes in brand images. Previous studies have successfully proved the possibility of using this method to gauge a "snapshot in time." This study took the concept further by closely monitoring the results for a set of brands over a period to account for the dynamic nature of social media. Accordingly, the study was a longitudinal study of 30 days. Data on the insurance companies was collected from Social Mention, a social media search and analysis platform that aggregates user-generated content into a single stream of information. A tool in the statistical software Stata, Chernoff's faces, was used to analyse the results by generating facial expressions to the metrics associated with the social mentions of each of the insurance companies. The resulting facial expressions were then analysed to recognise the more favourable and stable brands and those that need appropriate risk management. Managing Social Media is challenging as managers must always keep it as positive as possible. Brand managers, therefore, need a better tool to gauge the mood in social media conversations due to the fast-changing nature of social media and the importance of social media to business especially insurance.
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A comparative analysis with selected jurisdictions of structural challenges facing the South African office of the tax ombud

  • Authors: Mothiba, Boitumelo Charity
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: South Africa. Office of the Tax Ombud , Tax administration and procdure -- South Africa , Taxpayer advocates -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/140360 , vital:37882
  • Description: The Office of the Tax Ombud is critical in the protection of South African taxpayers' rights. The office has only been in existence for a little over five years and to ensure that it fulfils the purpose for which it was established, it must be properly structured. This includes that it ought to be independent from any external influence and manipulation. Any such external influence on the Tax Ombud creates the risk that the general public will lose confidence in the Tax Ombud as an independent recourse. The study, therefore, is designed to review the structure relating to the independence and powers of the South African Tax Ombud. The study assesses and evaluates the legislative safeguards of the structure of the Tax Ombud office in order to determine whether the legislative framework (the Tax Administration Act) safeguarding the Office of the Tax Ombud is adequate to ensure its independence and also to ensure a strengthened structure, without interference in the decision-making process of the office. To achieve this, a comparative analysis was made with selected foreign institutions of Tax Ombudsmen, or equivalent institutions, in order to draw from the best international practice. The study found that the structure of the Office of the Tax Ombud is relatively weak and does not fully provide the legislative powers to protect taxpayers from the well-resourced South African Revenue Service. The study also revealed that most of the institutional features in the structure of the South African Tax Ombud were found to be in line with standard international practice. The study has made recommendations aimed at strengthening the structure of the South African Tax Ombud by suggesting reforms in the legislative framework of the Tax Ombud.
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A comparative mineralogical and geochemical study of manganese deposits in the Postmasburg Manganese Field, South Africa

  • Authors: Thokoa, Mamello
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Manganese ores -- South Africa -- Postmasburg , Geology -- South Africa -- Postmasburg
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167609 , vital:41496
  • Description: The Postmasburg Manganese Field (PMF), located in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, is host to some of the largest deposits of iron and manganese metal in the world. These deposits are restricted to a geographical area known as the Maremane Dome, an anticlinal structure defined by folded dolostones of the Campbellrand Subgroup and overlying ironformations of the Asbestos Hills Subgroup of the Neoarchaean-Palaeproterozoic Transvaal Supergroup. Manganese ores associated with the Maremane Dome have been divided into two major classes in the literature: the Wolhaarkop breccia-hosted massive ores of the Eastern Belt, as well as the shale-associated ores of the Western Belt. The Eastern Belt ores have been classed as siliceous in nature, while the Western Belt deposits are reported to be typically ferruginous. These divisions were made based on their varying bulk chemical and mineralogical compositions in conjunction with their different stratigraphic sub-settings. Presently, both deposit types are explained as variants of supergene mineralisation that would have formed through a combination of intense ancient lateritic weathering in the presence of oxygen, extreme residual enrichments in Mn (and Fe), and accumulations in karstic depressions at the expense of underlying manganiferous dolostones. This study revisits these deposits and their origins by sampling representative end-member examples of both Eastern Belt and Western Belt manganese ores in both drillcore (localities Khumani, McCarthy and Leeuwfontein), and outcrop sections (locality Bishop). In an attempt to provide new insights into the processes responsible for the genesis of these deposits, the possibility of hydrothermal influences and associated metasomatic replacement processes is explored in this thesis. This was achieved using standard petrographic and mineralogical techniques (transmitted and reflected light microscopy, XRD , SEM-EDS and EMPA), coupled with bulk-rock geochemical analysis of the same samples using a combination of XRF and LAICP- MS analyses. Combination of field observations, petrographic and mineralogical results, and geochemical data allowed for the re-assessment of the different ore types encountered in the field. Comparative considerations made between the bulk geochemistry of the different end-member ore types revealed no clear-cut compositional distinctions and therefore do not support existing classifications between siliceous (Eastern Belt) and ferruginous (Western Belt) ores. This is supported by trace and REE element data as well, when normalised against average shale. The geochemistry reflects the bulk mineralogy of the ores which is broadly comparable, whereby braunite and hematite appear to be dominant co-existing minerals in both Eastern Belt (Khumani) and Western Belt (Bishop) ore. In the case of the McCarthy locality, manganese ore is cryptomelane-rich and appears to have involved recent supergene overprint over Eastern Belt type ore, whereas the Leeuwfontein ores are far more ferruginous than at any other locality studied and therefore represent a more complex, hybrid type of oxide-rich Mn mineralisation (mainly bixbyitic) within massive hematite iron ore. In terms of gangue mineralogy, the ores share some close similarities through the omnipresence of barite, and the abundance of alkalirich silicate minerals. Eastern Belt ores contain abundant albite and serandite whereas the main alkali-rich phase in Western Belt ores is the mineral ephesite. In both cases, Na contents are therefore high at several wt% levels registered in selected samples. The afore-mentioned alkali enrichments have been variously reported for both these deposit types. The occurrence of high alkalis cannot be explained through classic residual or aqueous supergene systems of ore formation, as proposed in prevailing genetic models in the literature. Together with the detection of halogens such as F and Br through SEM-EDS analyses of ore from both belts, the alkali enrichments suggest possible hydrothermal processes of ore formation involving circulation of metalliferous sodic brines. Selected textural evidence from samples from both ore belts lends support to fluid-related models and allow the proposal for a common hydrothermal-replacement model to have been responsible for ore formation across the broader Maremane Dome region.
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A comparative study of the tax measures for persons with disabilities in South Africa with those of Canada and the Republic of Ireland

  • Authors: Currie, Natasha
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: People with disabilities -- Taxation -- South Africa , People with disabilities -- Taxation -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , People with disabilities -- Taxation -- Canada , People with disabilities -- Taxation -- Law and legislation -- Ireland , People with disabilities -- Taxation -- Ireland
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/170746 , vital:41956
  • Description: Literature indicates that tax relief measures for persons with disabilities are important as they align with the principle of equity in the allocation of the tax burden. They are a government intervention that assists in decreasing the financial burden of medical care for persons with disabilities. The right of persons with disabilities to an adequate standard of living is contained in the landmark Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol, a treaty of the United Nations, which South Africa ratified in 2007. The objective of the research was to provide a comparative study of tax relief measures for persons with disabilities in South Africa with those of Canada and the Republic of Ireland, with a view to identifying potential areas for improvement in South Africa. The requisite information was primarily collected through an extensive analysis of the tax legislation in the jurisdictions. The research found that tax relief measures for persons with disabilities and their families in South Africa are limited when compared with those of Canada and the Republic of Ireland. The comparative study identifies a number of potential tax relief measures for implementation in South Africa.
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A comparison between the responsiveness of selected physiological and subjective mental workload indicators during real-world driving scenarios

  • Authors: Schmidtke, Nadia-Jasmine
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Automobile driving -- Physiological aspects , Automobile driving -- Psychological aspects , Automobile drivers -- Health and hygiene , Mental fatigue , Mental work -- Case studies
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148115 , vital:38711
  • Description: Sub-optimal levels of mental workload in automobile drivers is a risk factor for road accidents. However, mental workload as a construct cannot be directly measured. Common indicators of mental workload include heart rate frequency and variability, eye motion and subjective rating tools. Namely, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), its modified, unweighted version called the Raw-TLX, and the Rating Scale of Mental Effort (RSME). Comparisons between the suitability and responsiveness of these mental workload indicators have been almost exclusively examined in driving simulators. However, real-world driving research is important as even high-fidelity simulators cannot capture the complexity of driving scenarios. Hence, this research aimed to compare the suitability and responsiveness of these mental workload indicators in response to real-world driving scenarios. Six participants drove along a set route for an hour while wearing a heart rate monitor and eye tracker. A dashcam was used to capture footage of the different driving scenarios encountered. The set route comprised of driving through the industrial, residential, provincial main road and Rhodes University campus areas. RSME scores were taken during brief stops after driving though each zone. The NASA-TLX questionnaire was administered on completion of the drive and analysed later as the modified Raw-TLX version. The data collected in response to the encountered driving scenarios were sorted into three meta-groupings. (1) Data was segmented according to the different areas that participants drove through. This was termed Area Events and were long duration scenarios of between five and thirty minutes. These driving scenarios were further segmented into two meta-groups with short duration driving scenarios (< 90 seconds). (2) The Common Events meta-group consisted of driving scenarios that were encountered by all participants. These were scenarios were anticipated by drivers. (3) The All Events meta-group was grouped according to all the driving scenarios that were encountered by participants. It consisted of both anticipated and unanticipated driving scenarios of short durations. Data were further analysed using a method of systematically selecting a threshold value for each mental workload indicator. Responses to driving scenarios which surpassed the threshold were considered indicative of an increase in mental workload. The total frequency of higher mental workload events was used as a determiner responsiveness (or ‘sensitivity’) for each mental workload indicator. Mental workload indicators were evaluated for their responsiveness and suitability for assessing mental workload. Results found blink frequency to be a responsive mental workload indicator for all categories of driving scenarios. Blink frequency and duration were the most responsive short duration mental workload indicators. Furthermore, the indicators were able to distinguish between higher and lower mental workload driving scenarios. However, blink parameters are also sensitive to driver fatigue and drowsiness. Further research on distinguishing mental workload from that of fatigue in response to real-world driving was recommended. Pupil diameter, fixation duration, saccade saccade duration and saccade amplitude were found to be responsive short duration mental workload indicators. However, these measures were not determined to be suitable for real-world driving applications. Pupil diameter was confounded by changing illumination levels. Fixation and saccade responses were confounded by the driving task itself as gaze could not be accounted for. For long duration driving scenarios heart rate frequency, heart rate variability: high-frequency power, blink frequency and RSME were found to be responsive and suitable MWL indicators. The Raw-TLX results could not be assessed for responsiveness as it was administered once. However, it was confirmed as a suitable cumulative mental workload indicator in the application of real-world driving. The moderate levels of workload reported by participants agreed with the experimental protocol that prevented inducing sub-optimal mental workload. Blink frequency shows promise as a responsive and suitable mental workload indicator for different types of driving scenarios. More research is needed regarding the assessment of mental workload during short durations using blink frequency and blink duration. For driving durations between five and thirty minutes long, further research into heart rate frequency, heart rate variability: high frequency power, and the RSME was recommended.
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A comparison of representations of the imperative of higher education change as „transformation‟ versus „decolonisation‟ in South African public discourse

  • Authors: Makgakge, Rebecca Dineo
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Education in mass media -- South Africa , Higher education and state -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- Curricula -- South Africa , Discrimination in education -- South Africa , South Africa -- Colonial influence , Educational change -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/142498 , vital:38085
  • Description: The context of higher education in South Africa which has been shaped by the legacies of the old apartheid system is faced with a paramount task of the continuous process of restructuring and change. In shaping the restructuring and change of the higher education system the concept of transformation has been a constant theme for the post-apartheid government policies. However more recently we have seen the heightened prominence of the concept of change understood as decolonisation of South African higher education – as opposed to “transformation‘. This thesis was concerned with how these concepts of change, “transformation‘ and “decolonisation‘ have been used in debates surrounding higher education in South Africa. The thesis compares and contrasts the ways and context in which they are used. This study of 177 South African newspaper articles taken form independent media stables from the time 2008 to the present provides an analysis of representations of higher education change as “transformation‘ and as “decolonisation‘ evinced in the corpus. This required using both content and framing analysis as a method to analyse the corpus. Three themes emerged from the analysis that are relevant to the comparison between South African higher education institutional change represented as “transformation‘ and South African higher education institutional change represented at “decolonisation‘: the first theme concerns the differences and similarities in how the two terms are defined; the second theme concerns how the two ideas play themselves out when it comes to curriculum change and the final theme concerns the implications of seeing change as “transformation‘ and seeing change as “decolonisation‘ for changing institutional cultures.
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A critical analysis of NGOs in addressing HIV and AIDS in the context of gendered inequality: The case of Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa

  • Authors: Mhavika, Moreblessing
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: AIDS (Disease) -- Sex factors , AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Makhanda , HIV infections -- Sex factors , HIV infections -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Makhanda , HIV-positive women -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa -- Makhanda
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSocSci
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/143225 , vital:38212
  • Description: South Africa has the highest number of people living with HIV and AIDS in the world. The HIV pandemic has, and continues to have, negative implications for communities and individuals, especially women, in South Africa and beyond. HIV and AIDS has left women disproportionately more infected and affected than men because of social, cultural and economic factors, leading to the feminisation of HIV. South African NGOs have tried to fill in the gap and to respond to the HIV pandemic, either independently or in partnership with government departments. In this context, the purpose of this thesis is to provide a critical analysis of NGO programmes in Makhanda (in the Eastern Cape Province) to ascertain whether NGOs address the feminisation of HIV and, if so, how. In doing so, the study utilises qualitative analysis with the use of interviews, a focus group discussion and primary documents as research methods. The study concludes that local government in Makhanda has failed to address women’s vulnerabilities to HIV and that it does not provide a sufficiently enabling environment for NGOs in this regard. In addition, inadequate funding from donors, alongside issues of accountability and the failure to engage in HIV programmes from a perspective founded in feminism, were factors found to contribute to NGOs not fully considering women’s vulnerabilities to HIV. Resultantly, NGOs in Makhanda rarely, at least intentionally, address the feminisation of HIV.
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A critical analysis of social enterprise in Slovenia

  • Authors: Malila, Brett
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Social entrepreneurship -- Slovenia , Social entrepreneurship -- Slovenia -- Case studies , Social entrepreneurship -- Law and legilstion-- Slovenia , Business enterprises -- Law and legilstion-- Slovenia
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/166436 , vital:41364
  • Description: This research presents a case study on the nature of social enterprise in Slovenia. From a resource-based view (RBV), the case study has been used to show what some of the intangible resources are that can be used to promote sustainable social enterprise (SE). The purpose of this research study is to analyse social enterprises in Slovenia in order to establish a framework which other social entrepreneurs can use as the basis from which to operate and achieve competitive advantage. It is an important piece of research for both the process of social enterprise development in Slovenia, as well as to provide ideas and thoughts as to the way forward in this sector for other developing societies. Social enterprise is a developing field and it has been be important to develop cases to begin to explore the concept with real life actualities. The goal is to provide a clearer conceptualisation from which other social entrepreneurs can use as the basis to analyse, plan and improve social enterprise in their own specific contexts. The primary purpose of the study is thus to unpack the core elements that identify social enterprise in Slovenia using the resource-based view. The research aims to understand social enterprise within Slovenia in relation to where it occurs, which are the main industries concerned, and what are the unique resources used to promote sustainable growth. To achieve this, the research was guided by the resource-based view for social enterprise as highlighted by Day and Jean-Denis (2016) as well as that proposed by Bacq and Eddleston (2018). A mind map for a possible route towards improved implementation and understanding of social enterprise in Slovenia, was done through accessing registered social enterprises. This database was from the Ministry of Economic Development in Slovenia. An analysis of 2591 social enterprise, a desktop review of the Slovenian legislation on social enterprise and the unpacking of unique resources available to Slovenian social enterprise was done. This provided a perfect test case to show how the provision of legislation, supportive structures; financial targets, a regional vision and government mentoring social enterprise enhance a contested terrain in Slovenia. Findings highlighted that there have been sustainable successes, but not at the levels expected. It is clear that the government has created various unique resources to build and develop the social enterprise (SE) sector. From an RBV analysis of the social enterprise environment in Slovenia, it is essential to have resources such as legislation, mind-set, in migration (labour) and youth skills be created, monitored and supported. However, there is a need for improved monitoring and tighter implementation of the legislation for social enterprise to provide the solution to destructive social ills.
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A critical analysis of the South African turnover tax system

  • Authors: Chiromo, Samuel John
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Small business -- Taxation -- South Africa , Small business -- South Africa -- Finance , Turnover tax -- South Africa , Government aid to small business -- South Africa , Tax incentives -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/166103 , vital:41329
  • Description: The objective of the turnover tax system is to reduce the administrative burden on micro businesses and to contribute positively to boosting these businesses and the economic growth of South Africa. The over-arching goal of this research was to analyse the South African turnover tax to investigate to what extent the turnover tax system complies with generally accepted principles of a good tax system. The research was conducted within an interpretative post-positivism paradigm, applied a qualitative research methodology, and a doctrinal research method. A detailed review of the literature was conducted to establish the nature of South African turnover tax system and the extent of its compliance with generally accepted principles of a good tax system. The literature review included an in-depth analysis of the South African turnover tax system, an in-depth analysis of generally accepted principles of a good tax system, and an investigation of the extent to which turnover tax system complies with various elements of the principles of a good tax system. It was found in this study that the turnover tax system does not comply with certain of the elements of generally accepted principles of a good tax system and the study proposed several recommendations for the improvement of the turnover tax system. These recommendations include the establishment of training initiatives for micro business owners, reviewing the regulations pertaining to turnover tax and providing digital administration of turnover tax.
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A critical appraisal of Saule’s portrayal of women as Amadelakufa (resilient)

  • Authors: Molubo, Rendani
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Women in literature , Feminism -- Africa , Saule, N -- Vuleka Mhlaba , Saule, N -- Inkululeko Isentabeni , Saule, N -- Libambe Lingatshoni , Xhosa fiction -- History and criticism
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/143982 , vital:38300
  • Description: This study seeks to explore how Professor Ncedile Saule’s works Vuleka Mhlaba (2006), Inkululeko Isentabeni (2010) and Libambe Lingatshoni (2017), depict female characters to reveal the inner resilience women embody. It is important to portray females as bold, intelligent and courageous beings as African women are subjected to major patriarchal myths. South Africa prides itself with a progressive Constitution and Bill of Rights that speaks of gender equality and the liberation of all persons. However, in practice women still live under patriarchal bondages and their efforts are side-lined, thus, the essentiality of writings that contributes towards the empowerment of women through displaying their resilience. Women in literature are mostly depicted as subordinate, submissive and emotional. At times they are portrayed as victims. They are very seldom portrayed as heroes or independent beings. They are constantly placed behind a man instead of in front of a man. This research aims to display women as heroes in their own capacity, without having to be dimmed by a man. The researcher decided to utilise writings of a male author so as to provide a different perspective from the norm that most male authors are known to write about in issues pertaining female characters. This is also deliberately done to encourage more male writers to change the mythical narration about women and start admiring their contributions without having them shadow any man. The projection of female resilience through the gaze of a male author gives hope that there are men who see and admire women’s efforts. It also indicates that men realise now that African feminisms are not against men and instead advocate for equality between men and women and recognise the greatness that could come out of a partnership between the two genders. Women’s behaviour and characteristics are mostly socially constructed, hence the need to exhibit the boldness that black women possess, instead of them only being utilised as nurturing sources and household caretakers. One of the purposes of this research study is to illustrate the resilience that women possess and analyse the forms of torment that women in Saule’s chosen novels have experienced and how their experience engenders resilience and a determination to succeed. The women in Saule’s three novels selected for this study break the traditional status quo. The approach that this paper will utilize is that of African Feminisms, focusing on Walker’s Womanism, Ogunyemi’s Africana Womanism, and Stiwanism as the theoretical approaches. This is because African Feminisms concentrates on the issues related to gender, race and class that African women across spectrums face.
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A critical investigation of leadership in a Technical, Vocational Education and Training college in the Eastern Cape

  • Authors: Chagi, Nonkonzo
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Technical education -- South Africa , Vocational education -- South Africa , Educational leadership -- South Africa , Postsecondary education -- South Africa -- Administration
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/140045 , vital:37827
  • Description: Far-reaching reforms of the TVET college system – including a merger and frequent revisioning of the colleges’ role in the educational landscape of South Africa – have focused renewed attention on this sector. The fact that the sector has been plagued by poor performance – even to the extent that several colleges have been placed under administration – suggests problems at the level of leadership. This study sought to explore key role-players’ understanding of the leadership and management challenges faced by a TVET college and, by examining responses to these challenges, develop a sense of what leadership means in the sector. The study drew on three leadership theories – distributed leadership, transactional leadership as depicted in political models of management, and critical leadership – to help make sense of the findings. A qualitative case study design was used to explore key respondents’ views and lived experiences. The respondents were the principal, two deputy principals, a council member, three campus managers and a programme head. Interviews, questionnaires and document analysis were the chief data collection tools. The study found that critical leadership was the dominant approach at the college. This was revealed in the college leadership’s awareness of broader societal needs and its own role in operating in a socially just manner. College leadership also revealed signs of rejecting the status quo and opposing state control and bureaucracy, in favour of reactionary initiatives. There was limited evidence of distributed and transactional leadership. In fact, ‘leadership’ as such, seemed not to be part of the college discourse, suggesting that the concept and habit of leadership was not broadly discussed, shared and promoted. This sense was strengthened by the fact that at the time of the study, the college was headed by a charismatic and visionary leader. Indeed, the problem at the college seemed to be the Department of Higher Education and Training, which has failed the college in a number of ways.
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A critique of translated (isiXhosa to English) sworn statements by the South African Police Service

  • Authors: Mvabaza, Aviwe
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Forensic linguistics , Translators -- South Africa , Xhosa language -- Translating , Police administration -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/122869 , vital:35361
  • Description: The thesis provides a critique of sworn statement translations in the South African Police Service. The study is a mixed method study, which is rooted in Translation and Forensic Linguistics. It focuses on translations of two languages, IsiXhosa and English, an activity that was observed by the researcher at the Ndevana Police Station under the Buffalo City Municipality near King William’s Town in the Eastern Cape Province. In addition to the data collection strategies, among others, the study also collected data through the use of questionnaires responded to by the Ndevana Location’s community members. Furthermore, it used a method of consented interviews with the police officers. The main aim of these interviews was to unearth the police officers’ views on whether they require Translators and Forensic Linguists to assist them. Moreover, the other data collection strategy used was the consented recordings of verbal statements made by complainants, facilitated by the capturing of translated written dockets after the reporting of an incident. The police officers involved and who were available in the precinct were Constables, Sergeants, Detectives, Warrant officers and the Captain. The study period was 90 days, and the data presented in the form of graphs is contained in the relevant upcoming chapters. The findings of the study were that there was indeed a need for Translators and/or Forensic Linguists in the precinct, as the statistics revealed, by both the police officers and the community members. An analysis of the transcribed material, the interviews with the police and the verbal statements made by the complainants written by the police were evidence of the need for Translators and Forensic Linguists by the South African Police Services.
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A five year comparative analysis of annual baseline neurocognitive test scores for South African high school athletes

  • Authors: Reichling, Marcelle Antoinette
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: High school athletes -- Intelligence testing , Sports -- Psychological aspects , Neuropsychological tests , Brain -- Wounds and injuries -- Psychology , Sports injuries -- Psychological aspects , Brain -- Concussion , Head -- Wounds and injuries
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/145863 , vital:38473
  • Description: The primary objective of this study was to assess the pattern of change in neurocognitive performance for adolescent athletes on baseline measures of the Immediate Post Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) test, over five consecutive years, with a view to providing an indication of the optimal interval for repeat baseline testing of high school athletes. Participants were non-clinical, predominantly South African high school athletes in the overall age range 13 to 18 years (N = 108), divided into five groups (Grades 8,9, 10, 11 and 12), and tested at five test intervals. Repeated-measures ANOVA analyses examined differences in score performance across the test intervals for each of the five composite scores of the ImPACT test (Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Visual Motor Speed, Reaction Time, Impulse Control). For the Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Visual Motor Speed and Reaction Time composites there were significant neurocognitive score changes between several test intervals. Taking these results into account, in conjunction with substantial variability in performance, it is concluded that there is a need for annual baseline testing throughout the high school years. The secondary objective was to generate normative tables (Means and Standard Deviations) on the ImPACT test for the five participant groups at each of the five test intervals, including data for: the five composite scores (Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Visual Motor Speed, Reaction Time, Impulse Control); for the twelve subtest scores test that go to make up the composite scores; and for four additional memory subcomponent scores (Word Memory immediate recall, Word Memory delayed recall, Design Memory immediate recall, Design Memory delayed recall). The results provide a clinical and heuristic normative platform for future use with brain injured individuals, which can be used to facilitate clinical interpretations of postconcussion assessments.
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A formative intervention study of how learner voice and leadership can be developed within a Learner Representative Council (LRC) in an urban combined school, Namibia

  • Authors: Shipopyeni, Salomo S M
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Education, Secondary -- Namibia , Student government -- Namibia -- Case studies , Student participation in administration -- Namibia -- Case studies
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/144934 , vital:38393
  • Description: The Namibian Education system, after the country gained independence, introduced various reforms to ensure the attainment of the educational goals of access, quality, equity and democracy in schools. One of the policies introduced to promote democracy in our schools was The Educational Act 16 of 2001, which gave birth to the establishment of Learners Representatives Councils (LRC) in schools. The LRC body is the legal learner leadership body established to ensure learners are represented in school leadership. However, various studies have revealed that this legal body of learners in many schools has been merely ‘rubber-stamping’ decisions made by teachers; learners have had very little input in decisions that affect them as learners. Thus, I was prompted to conduct this formative intervention study on learner leadership at an urban combined school in Namibia. Informed by distributed and transformative leadership theories, the study aimed to develop leadership within the LRC members and the needed expansive transformation regarding leadership practices in school. The intention was for learners to be enabled to practice their democratic right in decision-making processes in matters that concerned their schooling and learning. This study was theoretically and analytically framed by second generation CulturalHistorical Activity Theory. The participants included 12 LRC members, the LRC liaison teacher, the class register teacher, three school management team members and the principal. The research method was a case study, underpinned by the critical paradigm to bring about the fundamental expansive transformation in learner leadership practices at the case study school. This qualitative study was divided into two phases, a contextual profiling phase and an intervention phase. Data were generated through document analysis, observation, questionnaires, focus group interviews and Change Laboratory Workshops. The data were generated to answer the over-arching question: How learner voice and leadership can be developed within a Learner Representative Council (LRC) in an urban combined school, Namibia. The data were analysed inductively and abductively. The key findings were: first, there were a variety of understandings of the concept learner leadership; second, the involvement of LRC members in decision-making processes was limited to involvement in organising extracurricular activities and controlling of other learners at school; third, leadership development opportunities for learners at the case study school were only provided through training at the beginning of the year and the LRC carrying out various activities and roles at the case study school. Several challenges that constrained the LRC voice and leadership development were surfaced and, through Change Laboratory Workshops, the participants of the activity system together with me (the researcher-interventionist), identified the expansive learning opportunities to develop leadership amongst Learner Representative Council (LRC) members. In the final analysis, this study will contribute to the production of knowledge on the concept of learner leadership in the context of Namibia. Fellow scholars, professionals, colleagues and policy makers in education are requested to engage with this thesis to contribute to our understanding of this important aspect of our field and speak back to policy.
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A genetic analysis of the species and intraspecific lineages of Dactylopius Costa (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae)

  • Authors: Van Steenderen, Clarke Julian Mignon
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Dactylopius
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/151491 , vital:39135
  • Description: The Cactaceae family comprises 15 genera and nearly 2000 species. With one exception, these are all native to the Americas. Numerous cactaceous species are invasive in other parts of the world, resulting in considerable damage to ecosystem functioning and agricultural practices. The most successful biological control agents used to combat invasive Cactaceae belong to the Dactylopius genus (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae), comprising eleven species. The Dactylopiidae are exclusively cactophagous and are usually host-specific. Some intraspecific lineages of dactylopiids, often referred to as `biotypes', also display host-specificity, and are used to control particular species of invasive Cactaceae. To date, two lineages within Dactylopius opuntiae (`ficus' and `stricta'), and two within D. tomentosus (`cholla' and `imbricata') have been released in South Africa to control Opuntia ficus-indica and O. stricta, and Cylindropuntia fulgida and C. imbricata, respectively. The `californica var. parkeri' lineage is currently under consideration for release in South Africa for the control of C. pallida. Australia has already released these five lineages, and approved the release of an additional three in 2017; namely D. tomentosus `bigelovii', `cylindropuntia sp.', and `acanthocarpa x echinocarpa'. Many of the Dactylopius species are so morphologically similar, and in the case of lineages, identical, that numerous misidentifications have been made in the past. These errors have had serious implications, such as failed attempts at the biological control of cactus weeds. This thesis aimed to generate a multi-locus genetic database to enable the identification of the species and lineages in the Dactylopiidae family, and to test its accuracy. Seven species were included in the analysis, including two lineages within D. opuntiae and six within D. tomentosus. Genetic characterisation was achieved through the DNA sequencing of three gene regions; namely mitochondrial 12S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase I (COI), nuclear 18S rRNA, and fragment analysis using two inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs). Nucleotide sequences were very effective for species-level identification, where the 12S, 18S, and COI regions showed 100%, 94.59%, and 100% identification accuracy rates, respectively. Additionally, the 12S and COI markers distinguished between half of the D. tomentosus lineages (`californica', `cholla', and `imbricata'), with identification accuracies of 100%. The `echinocarpa x acanthocarpa', `bigelovii', and `cylindropuntia sp.' lineages formed one clade. None of the DNA genetic markers showed a separation between the `ficus' and `stricta' lineages within D. opuntiae. Fragment analysis through the use of ISSRs provided higher-resolution results, and addressed this gap by showing a well-supported separation between the two lineages, and between wild populations collected in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. The identification accuracy of the `ficus' and `stricta' lineages was 81.82%. This is the first time that a method has been developed that can distinguish between these lineages. An additional component of this thesis was the creation of three user-friendly R-based programs to assist with: 1. ISSR data processing. 2. The identification of query Dactylopius nucleotide sequences relative to the gene databases created here. 3. A graphical user interface (GUI) version of the R package `SPIDER', which is useful for the assessment of the accuracy of genetic barcode data. A successful biological control programme relies on the correct identification of the agent in question, and so it is imperative that cactus biological control practitioners are able to distinguish between Dactylopius species and lineages in order to release the most effective ones onto target Cactaceae. The laboratory protocols reported, and data processing tools created here, have largely addressed this need and offer valuable practical applications. These include: 1. The flagging of potential new species, cryptic species, and lineages of dactylopiid species released as new biocontrol agents. 2. Validating the identifications made by taxonomists based on morphology. 3. Confirming to which species, and, where applicable, to which lineage, a field-collected sample belongs. 4. Identifying hybrids resulting from lineage crosses. Ensuring that the correct Dactylopius species are utilised for biological control will improve the control of invasive Cactaceae and protect biodiversity and agricultural productivity.
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A mixed methods investigation of students’ attitudes towards statistics and quantitative research methods: a focus on postgraduate psychology students at a South African university

  • Authors: Ngantweni, Xolelwa
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders -- South Africa , Statistics , Psychology -- Research , College students -- South Africa -- Attitudes , Psychology -- Research -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/140490 , vital:37894
  • Description: Many University programs offer a course in either basic or intermediate statistics as part of the degree requirements prior to graduation (McGrath, Ferns, Greiner, Wanamaker and Brown, 2015). These statistics or quantitative research methods courses are integral in helping students gain vital skills in analysing quantitative data. Research (Schau, Stevens, Dauphinee, and Del Vecchio, 1995) does however indicate that most students have a perfunctory disposition towards these courses. My study sought to particularly investigate attitudes towards statistics and quantitative research methods amongst a sample of 61 postgraduate Psychology students at Rhodes University undertaking a ‘Quantitative Research Methods’ course as part of their degree offering. A mixed methods approach was used to investigate students’ attitudes towards statistics and quantitative research methods. The Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics (SATS-36) (Schau, 2003) captured student’s attitudes towards statistics using a Likert Scale instrument; whereas detailed qualitative interviews accentuated findings from the SATS-36. Key quantitative findings from the SATS-36 including students’ perceptions of statistics being a difficult course as well as students having a low affect towards statistics are detailed. Key qualitative findings related to why students experience statistics anxiety such as students’ (1) fear of failing statistics, (2) The late introduction of statistics in the Psychology curriculum, and (3) The role of educator/s in alleviating or promoting feelings of statistics anxiety are noted. The significance of these findings as well as the contributions of the study to the teaching and learning of statistics and quantitative research methods courses at Rhodes University are explored, in light of other studies on the topic of statistics anxiety and attitudes towards statistics/ quantitative research methods.
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A morphogenetic study of ESD inclusion in Namibia’s Senior Primary English curriculum: a case study of the Khomas Region

  • Authors: Malua, Anelly Ndapewa
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Sustanable development -- Study and teaching -- Namibia , Environmental education -- Namibia , English language -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Namibia , Schools -- Namibia -- Curricula , Social change
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/142865 , vital:38124
  • Description: Education policies are designed to structure and direct the content and process of the education that citizens receive. This includes the advancement of the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) policy in formal school curricula. If effectively implemented, ESD can be a significant educational intervention in southern African countries’ development trajectories. ESD incorporates the environmental, social and economic pillars of Sustainable Development and it has the potential to curb issues such as poverty reduction, climate change, biodiversity loss and unsustainable patterns of consumption and production. This qualitative case study investigated factors that have historically shaped, and currently shape, the emergence of ESD implementation in the Senior Primary English curriculum in the Khomas Region of Namibia. As a critical realist enquiry, the study sought to go beyond interpretations of the empirical to identify causal mechanisms in the domains of ‘the actual’ and ‘the real’. The study was guided by Margaret Archer’s theory of Morphogenesis / Morphostasis and her methodological tool of ‘analytical dualism’. The case record consisted of educational documents, teacher questionnaires and semistructured interviews. The morphogenetic approach highlighted how the implementation of ESD through the Senior Primary English curriculum from 1990 to 2018 was conditioned by the interplay of social and cultural structures and mechanisms and human agency, particularly teachers’ agency. The study revealed that although ESD implementation has emerged in the Senior Primary English curriculum, its emergence is not synchronous with the structural and agential entities. The findings point to a policy-structure mismatch which has relevance for policy makers, practitioners and other ESD stakeholders. The significance of this study is that it stands to fill a research gap regarding ESD implementation in Namibia’s Senior Primary English curriculum. The study makes recommendations for tangible ways to strengthen ESD practice in Senior Primary English teaching in Namibia such as increasing professional development opportunities to orientate teachers to ESD, strengthening networks that can build teacher agency in relation to ESD, and promoting a theme-based approach to ESD practice in English Language teaching.
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A multimodal analysis of the representations of gender in contemporary South African children’s picture books produced by Book Dash

  • Authors: Heydenrych, Ellen Frances
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Book Dash (South Africa) , Picture books for children -- South Africa , Sex role in literature , Patriarchy in literature , Children's literature, South African (English) -- 21st century -- History and criticism
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164284 , vital:41106
  • Description: In response to a demand for quality children’s picture books written and published by South Africans for local children, Book Dash – a South African non-profit organisation – has devised a publishing model in which they produce high quality children’s picture books in a twelve-hour period. Their aim is to publish books that represent a diverse range of South African children. However, while their objective is to create books that are representative of many races, this representation happens through gendered characters. In this thesis, I explore the representation of gender in Book Dash’s picture books. I use a combination of visual social semiotics, narrative theory, and critical discourse analysis, specifically focusing on the gendered ways in which the characters are represented. My analysis of these books shows how complex it can be to contest regimes of representation that work to fix patriarchal discourses and gender inequality. My findings reveal a paradox in the representation of gender norms in female characters, as some girl child characters are represented in roles that challenge gender norms, while female adult characters are consistently represented as conforming to the patriarchal feminine ideal. There is also a notable lack of father figures in these books. Such portrayals may contribute to the perpetuation of patriarchal discourses and gender inequality, particularly if these books are held up as examples of equality.
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A q-metholological approach to audience reception of public awareness messages on sexual violence

  • Authors: Bennie, Rachel
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Psychology -- Research -- Methodology , Psychology -- Research , Communication in social action -- South Africa , Psychology -- Research -- South Africa , Women -- Violence against -- South Africa , Women -- Violence against -- South Africa -- Prevention
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/140805 , vital:37920
  • Description: Public awareness poster campaigns are an often-used method for raising awareness about, and engaging audiences on the topic of rape and other forms of sexual violence (Potter, 2012). However, poster campaigns, as social artefacts, operate in a public arena in which numerous discourses about a phenomenon are produced, reproduced and interact with each other, with sometimes unintended/unanticipated discursive consequences (Böhmke, Bennie, Minnie, Moore, Pilusa & Pollock, 2015). How messages aimed at raising awareness of sexual violence are framed has the potential to reproduce dominant social narratives and gendered subject positions in ways that reinforce notions of men as active sexual agents and potential perpetrators, and women as sexually passive and potential victims (Gavey, 2005). Other approaches, such as bystander intervention, seek to move away from a focus on victims and perpetrators to emphasise the role that community members can play in risk detection, safety promotion and the prevention of sexual violence (McMahon & Banyard, 2012). Since a range of possible messages about sexual violence can be communicated through poster campaigns, it is important to critically examine the content and orientation of campaign material. This study focused on intended audience views regarding messages about sexual violence contained in anti-sexual violence poster materials. The purpose was to collaborate with a selected audience to better understand which messages are effective and which strategies of communication are perceived to be less so. Through the use of Q-methodology, volunteer participants were invited to express their opinions in relation to messages about sexual violence from a range of posters from several international campaigns. The analysis focused on uncovering the discursive subject positions that participants’ express in their attitudinal responses to the poster messages, providing not only a description of these positions, but also illustrating the level of resonance that the poster messages may find with intended audiences. The aim of the study is to potentially inform the development of more focused campaign material, tailored to the specific context from which participants were drawn. Analysis shows clear patterns of audience resistance towards stereotypical representations of sexual violence and messages that are geared towards the simple prohibition of behaviours. The findings highlight the need for the development of alternative strategies of engagement that focus on specific engagement with understandings of sexual violence in the context of intimate and/or acquaintance relationships and which are aimed at inviting audiences to take up a position in relation to sexual violence phenomena that troubles the reproduction of received notions of gendered subjectivities and (hetero) sexuality
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