Bicultural voice in three works
- Authors: Nkuna, Musa Duke
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54607 , vital:46769
- Description: This portfolio of compositions is made up of two parts: Part one is a commentary on the works presented in the portfolio. As required by Nelson Mandela University for the degree of DMus, the commentary is a descriptive narrative, rather than an analysis, of the works. It forms a basic guide for the listener as to how these works were conceived and constructed, and how both African and Western music elements have been used in order to achieve a syncretism. My commentary endeavours to show the compositional techniques applied when writing these works, and how my cultural interactions, music training and experience as a professional opera singer influence my compositional output. Part two contains the creative content of the portfolio: a set of scores of the three works themselves, as well as accompanying recordings of these works, with a total duration of ca. 100 minutes of music. It forms the main part of the submission. , Thesis (DMA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Department of Music and Performing Arts, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Nkuna, Musa Duke
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54607 , vital:46769
- Description: This portfolio of compositions is made up of two parts: Part one is a commentary on the works presented in the portfolio. As required by Nelson Mandela University for the degree of DMus, the commentary is a descriptive narrative, rather than an analysis, of the works. It forms a basic guide for the listener as to how these works were conceived and constructed, and how both African and Western music elements have been used in order to achieve a syncretism. My commentary endeavours to show the compositional techniques applied when writing these works, and how my cultural interactions, music training and experience as a professional opera singer influence my compositional output. Part two contains the creative content of the portfolio: a set of scores of the three works themselves, as well as accompanying recordings of these works, with a total duration of ca. 100 minutes of music. It forms the main part of the submission. , Thesis (DMA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Department of Music and Performing Arts, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
An investigation of language choice on Twitter: the case of isiXhosa-speaking users and the o jewa ke eng? Trend
- Authors: Nkunzi, Zindzi
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Twitter , Social media South Africa , Social media and society South Africa , Xhosa language Usage , Mass media and language South Africa , Language choice , Language shift , Language attitude
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406331 , vital:70259
- Description: The study critically examines and discusses language choice on twitter, a social media platform that has a vast number of people from different language groups. This diverse platform allows people to tweet, communicate, and share information online. There are tweets that trend and attract more engagement across different language groups. O jewa ke eng? which translates to ‘what’s bothering you?’ is one of those tweets, and it is communicated in Sesotho. (More discussion about the tweet in the introduction section that follows). According to Eisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) & Eisenstein (2016), “the popularity and ubiquity of social media allows access to a wide variety of spontaneous language enabling researchers to study language variation across space and time at large scale”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2018: 1534). The introduction to the internet and socially mediated platforms such as Twitter and others has changed how information is produced and consumed. Social media allow people to communicate and engage in languages they are comfortable and familiar with. The study discusses language choice at three levels: language choice between isiXhosa verses English; isiXhosa verses other African languages and isiXhosa verses other varieties. The study is pursued with the overarching aim to investigate the possibility of African languages such as isiXhosa being used as dominant languages on social media. Thus, the study explores language use by isiXhosa speaking users on twitter that engaged with the tweet. Moreover, the study investigated why they choose to use one language over the other or multiple languages. To give a broader perspective on the study, language choice, language shift and language attitude are discussed and critically evaluated. Theoretically, the concept of code-switching and code-mixing is used when looking at bilingualism and multilingualism. It is imperative to look at multilingualism because the prevalent use of English is no longer a barrier to communication, social media platforms have created a space where African language users are able to engage in their native languages. Moreover, the study explores the use of standard and non-standard isiXhosa languages. There are varieties of languages such as tsotsitaal, slang and others, and these language varieties are not recognised as standard, used in educational settings and so on. In doing so, language attitude is used as the concept to investigate what propels isiXhosa users to or not to use these language varieties in the online communities. The study is explored with the aim to investigate whether social media either grows and preserves African languages online or these platforms are detrimental to these languages, as the language utilised on them is casual and vague, in terms of both spoken and written speech. , Olu phando luvavanya kwaye luxoxa nzulu ngokhetho lolwimi kuTwitter, ikhasi lonxibelelwano elinenani elikhulu labantu abavela kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. Eli khasi labantu abohlukeneyo libavumela ukuba babhale, banxibelelane, kwaye babelane ngolwazi kwi-intanethi. Kukho ii-tweets (imibhalwana emifutshane) ezihamba phambili kwaye zitsala uthethathethwano phakathi kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. O jewa ke eng? ethetha ukuthi, ‘ukhathazwa yintoni?’ yenye yezo tweets (yalo mibhalwana mifutshane), kwaye idluliselwe ngesiSuthu. (Ingxoxo engakumbi malunga ne-tweet (nombhalwana omfutshane) ifumaneka kwicandelo lentshayelelo elilandelayo). Ngokutsho kukaEisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) kunye noEisenstein (2016), “ukuduma kunye nobuninzi beendaba zoluntu kubangela ezo ndaba ukuba zinwenwele kwiindidi ezininzi zeelwimi nezivumela abaphandi ukuba bafunde ngokwahlukana kolwimi kwindawo kunye nexesha…”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2008: 1534). Ulwaziso kwi-intanethi kunye namakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu afana ne-Twitter kunye namanye, luyitshintshile indlela ulwazi oluveliswa ngayo kunye nendlela olusetyenziswa ngayo. Amakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu avumela abantu ukuba banxibelelane kwaye bazibandakanye ngeelwimi abakhululekileyo ukuzisebenzisa nabaqhelene nazo Olu phando luxoxa ngokukhethwa kolwimi kumanqanaba amathathu: ukukhethwa kolwimi phakathi kwesiXhosa kunye nesiNgesi, isiXhosa kunye nezinye iilwimi ziseNtu, kwakunye nesiXhosa kunye nezinye iindidi zolwimi. Olu phando luqhutywa ngeyona njongo iphambili yokuphanda ukuba ngaba iilwimi zesiNtu ezifana nesiXhosa zingasetyenziswa njengeelwimi eziphambili kamakhasi onxibelelwano na. Kungoko, uphando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kolwimi ngabo bantetho isisiXhosa kuTwitter abanxibelelana ne-tweet (nombhalo omfutshane). Olu phando, lukwaphanda ukuba kutheni bekhetha ukusebenzisa ulwimi oluthile kunolunye okanye iilwimi ezininzi. Ukunika umbono ngokuthe gabalala ngolu phando, ukukhethwa kolwimi, utshintsho lolwimi, kunye nesimo sengqondo solwimi ziyaxoxwa kwaye zihlolwa ngokunzulu. Ngokwethiyori, ingqikelelo yokutshintshatshintsha iilwimi kunye nokuxuba iilwimi (ukusebenzisa iilwimi ezahlukeneyo kumgca okanye umbhalo omnye) ziyasetyenziswa xa kujongwa ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezimbini kunye neelwimi ezininzi. Kunyanzelekile ukuba kujongwe ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezininzi kuba ukuxhaphaka kokusetyenziswa kwesiNgesi akusengomqobo kunxibelelwano, amakhasi onxibelelwano (amaqonga osasazo) oluntu avule indawo apho abasebenzisi beelwimi zesiNtu bakwaziyo ukuthetha ngeelwimi zabo zomthonyama. Ngaphezu koko, olu phando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi zesiXhosa ezisemgangathweni nezingekho mgangathweni. Kukho iintlobo ngeentlobo zeelwimi ezifana neTsotsitaal, ulwimi lwe-slang nezinye, kwaye ezi ntlobo zeelwimi aziqatshelwa njengeelwimi ezisemgangathweni, ezisetyenziswa kumajelo emfundo njalo njalo. Ngokwenza oko, isimo sengqondo solwimi sisetyenziswa njengengcamango yokuphanda ukuba yintoni eyenza abasebenzisi besiXhosa basebenzise okanye bangasebenzisi ezi ntlobo zeelwimi kwi-intanethi. Olu phononongo luphononongwa ngeenjongo zokuphanda apho amaqonga onxibelelwano akhula kwaye agcine khona iilwimi zesiNtu kwi-intanethi okanye lamaqonga onxibelelwano abubungozi kwezilwimi, njengoko ulwimi olusetyenziswa kula maqonga luqhelekile kwaye alucacanga, ngokwentetho ethethwayo nebhaliweyo. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Nkunzi, Zindzi
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Twitter , Social media South Africa , Social media and society South Africa , Xhosa language Usage , Mass media and language South Africa , Language choice , Language shift , Language attitude
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406331 , vital:70259
- Description: The study critically examines and discusses language choice on twitter, a social media platform that has a vast number of people from different language groups. This diverse platform allows people to tweet, communicate, and share information online. There are tweets that trend and attract more engagement across different language groups. O jewa ke eng? which translates to ‘what’s bothering you?’ is one of those tweets, and it is communicated in Sesotho. (More discussion about the tweet in the introduction section that follows). According to Eisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) & Eisenstein (2016), “the popularity and ubiquity of social media allows access to a wide variety of spontaneous language enabling researchers to study language variation across space and time at large scale”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2018: 1534). The introduction to the internet and socially mediated platforms such as Twitter and others has changed how information is produced and consumed. Social media allow people to communicate and engage in languages they are comfortable and familiar with. The study discusses language choice at three levels: language choice between isiXhosa verses English; isiXhosa verses other African languages and isiXhosa verses other varieties. The study is pursued with the overarching aim to investigate the possibility of African languages such as isiXhosa being used as dominant languages on social media. Thus, the study explores language use by isiXhosa speaking users on twitter that engaged with the tweet. Moreover, the study investigated why they choose to use one language over the other or multiple languages. To give a broader perspective on the study, language choice, language shift and language attitude are discussed and critically evaluated. Theoretically, the concept of code-switching and code-mixing is used when looking at bilingualism and multilingualism. It is imperative to look at multilingualism because the prevalent use of English is no longer a barrier to communication, social media platforms have created a space where African language users are able to engage in their native languages. Moreover, the study explores the use of standard and non-standard isiXhosa languages. There are varieties of languages such as tsotsitaal, slang and others, and these language varieties are not recognised as standard, used in educational settings and so on. In doing so, language attitude is used as the concept to investigate what propels isiXhosa users to or not to use these language varieties in the online communities. The study is explored with the aim to investigate whether social media either grows and preserves African languages online or these platforms are detrimental to these languages, as the language utilised on them is casual and vague, in terms of both spoken and written speech. , Olu phando luvavanya kwaye luxoxa nzulu ngokhetho lolwimi kuTwitter, ikhasi lonxibelelwano elinenani elikhulu labantu abavela kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. Eli khasi labantu abohlukeneyo libavumela ukuba babhale, banxibelelane, kwaye babelane ngolwazi kwi-intanethi. Kukho ii-tweets (imibhalwana emifutshane) ezihamba phambili kwaye zitsala uthethathethwano phakathi kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. O jewa ke eng? ethetha ukuthi, ‘ukhathazwa yintoni?’ yenye yezo tweets (yalo mibhalwana mifutshane), kwaye idluliselwe ngesiSuthu. (Ingxoxo engakumbi malunga ne-tweet (nombhalwana omfutshane) ifumaneka kwicandelo lentshayelelo elilandelayo). Ngokutsho kukaEisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) kunye noEisenstein (2016), “ukuduma kunye nobuninzi beendaba zoluntu kubangela ezo ndaba ukuba zinwenwele kwiindidi ezininzi zeelwimi nezivumela abaphandi ukuba bafunde ngokwahlukana kolwimi kwindawo kunye nexesha…”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2008: 1534). Ulwaziso kwi-intanethi kunye namakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu afana ne-Twitter kunye namanye, luyitshintshile indlela ulwazi oluveliswa ngayo kunye nendlela olusetyenziswa ngayo. Amakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu avumela abantu ukuba banxibelelane kwaye bazibandakanye ngeelwimi abakhululekileyo ukuzisebenzisa nabaqhelene nazo Olu phando luxoxa ngokukhethwa kolwimi kumanqanaba amathathu: ukukhethwa kolwimi phakathi kwesiXhosa kunye nesiNgesi, isiXhosa kunye nezinye iilwimi ziseNtu, kwakunye nesiXhosa kunye nezinye iindidi zolwimi. Olu phando luqhutywa ngeyona njongo iphambili yokuphanda ukuba ngaba iilwimi zesiNtu ezifana nesiXhosa zingasetyenziswa njengeelwimi eziphambili kamakhasi onxibelelwano na. Kungoko, uphando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kolwimi ngabo bantetho isisiXhosa kuTwitter abanxibelelana ne-tweet (nombhalo omfutshane). Olu phando, lukwaphanda ukuba kutheni bekhetha ukusebenzisa ulwimi oluthile kunolunye okanye iilwimi ezininzi. Ukunika umbono ngokuthe gabalala ngolu phando, ukukhethwa kolwimi, utshintsho lolwimi, kunye nesimo sengqondo solwimi ziyaxoxwa kwaye zihlolwa ngokunzulu. Ngokwethiyori, ingqikelelo yokutshintshatshintsha iilwimi kunye nokuxuba iilwimi (ukusebenzisa iilwimi ezahlukeneyo kumgca okanye umbhalo omnye) ziyasetyenziswa xa kujongwa ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezimbini kunye neelwimi ezininzi. Kunyanzelekile ukuba kujongwe ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezininzi kuba ukuxhaphaka kokusetyenziswa kwesiNgesi akusengomqobo kunxibelelwano, amakhasi onxibelelwano (amaqonga osasazo) oluntu avule indawo apho abasebenzisi beelwimi zesiNtu bakwaziyo ukuthetha ngeelwimi zabo zomthonyama. Ngaphezu koko, olu phando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi zesiXhosa ezisemgangathweni nezingekho mgangathweni. Kukho iintlobo ngeentlobo zeelwimi ezifana neTsotsitaal, ulwimi lwe-slang nezinye, kwaye ezi ntlobo zeelwimi aziqatshelwa njengeelwimi ezisemgangathweni, ezisetyenziswa kumajelo emfundo njalo njalo. Ngokwenza oko, isimo sengqondo solwimi sisetyenziswa njengengcamango yokuphanda ukuba yintoni eyenza abasebenzisi besiXhosa basebenzise okanye bangasebenzisi ezi ntlobo zeelwimi kwi-intanethi. Olu phononongo luphononongwa ngeenjongo zokuphanda apho amaqonga onxibelelwano akhula kwaye agcine khona iilwimi zesiNtu kwi-intanethi okanye lamaqonga onxibelelwano abubungozi kwezilwimi, njengoko ulwimi olusetyenziswa kula maqonga luqhelekile kwaye alucacanga, ngokwentetho ethethwayo nebhaliweyo. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
Demersal fish distribution in the shallow marine nearshore and estuarine seascape of Algoa Bay: Nursery areas and the effect of environmental drivers
- Authors: Nodo, Phakama
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Groundfishes South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes South Africa Algoa Bay , Marine nurseries South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes Habitat South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes Physiology South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes Effect of pollution on South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes Larvae South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes Effect of human beings on South Africa Algoa Bay
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral thesis , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232399 , vital:49988 , DOI 10.21504/10962/232399
- Description: Estuaries and shallow marine nearshore areas are highly productive and valuable ecosystems, which provide numerous habitats for fish and support fundamental ecological links with other environments. Assessing fish distribution across estuarine and marine nearshore habitats is important to identify ecologically important habitats and develop effective management strategies for coastal fishes, many of which are important fishery species. Despite this, only a few studies have focussed on fish community patterns across an estuary and marine nearshore gradient concurrently, particularly including early life history stages, to determine the nursery value of both environments, and to examine whether these two coastal environments have distinct fish assemblages in relation to physical factors. The main aim of this study was to assess the environmental drivers of demersal fish communities in soft-bottom benthic habitats in two permanently open estuaries and adjacent marine nearshore areas (5 – 10 m) of Algoa Bay, South Africa, as well as to assess the relative roles of these two habitats as settlement and nursery areas for demersal fish species. A 1.5 m, conical shoeless beam trawl net was used to sample the demersal fish community concurrently in each habitat between July 2017 and September 2019. Sampling was conducted in July 2017, February, March, May, July, August, October and November 2019 and February, April and September 2019. DNA barcoding was used to verify identification of the early life history stages of fish caught in the estuarine and marine nearshore areas of Algoa Bay. In addition, since the two estuaries (Swartkops and Sundays) are heavily polluted, the effect of low dissolved oxygen and hypoxia and associated shifts in spatial distribution of demersal species was investigated. The two sampled estuaries had a higher abundance of demersal fishes, with a total of 6437 fishes (28 species) caught (3752 and 2685 individuals with 24 and 20 species recorded in the Sundays and Swartkops estuaries, respectively). Species richness was higher in the marine nearshore of Algoa Bay, with 29 species (797 individuals) caught. Of the 7234 individuals caught, the identification of 100 specimens, in either a larval or early juvenile phase, were uncertain and therefore DNA barcoding was used to verify their identification. Of these 100 individuals, 86 were positively identified to species level using COI sequences. Fourteen failed to amplify by PCR and could only be identified morphologically. The marine nearshore sites were dominated by species which spawn in the marine environment and are not dependent on estuaries (marine species and marine estuary-opportunists), whilst the estuaries were dominated by estuarine spawners or marine spawners dependent on estuaries to some degree. Two discrete demersal fish assemblages were identified representing the marine nearshore and the estuary, with no significant differences observed between the two estuaries (Sundays and Swartkops). The differences observed between the marine nearshore and estuary were mostly driven by salinity, turbidity, silt and organic content of the sediment. These distinct fish assemblages might be considered as indicators for the respective environments they inhabit. Both habitats were dominated by early life history stages (larvae to juveniles), indicating the nursery function of both habitats. Early life stages collectively comprised 97% of the catch in the marine nearshore and 68% in the estuary. Young-of-the-year (YOY) juveniles (< 1-year-old juveniles) and transformation stages (when changes in body shape and pigment pattern occur) dominated the total catch in the marine nearshore, while YOY juveniles dominated the estuarine fish assemblages. Ariidae Galeichthys feliceps, Haemulidae Pomadasys olivaceus, Sciaenidae Argyrosomus inodorus and Cynoglossidae Cynoglossus zanzibarensis, comprised the largest proportion of YOY juveniles in the marine nearshore. The transformation stage in the marine nearshore was numerically dominated by P. olivaceus and G. feliceps. In the estuarine environment, YOY juveniles were mostly dominated by Sparidae Rhabdosargus holubi, Soleidae Heteromycteris capensis and Gobiidae Caffrogobius gilchristi. The greatest abundance of early life stage fishes was observed in the lower reaches of the Sundays Estuary and the upper reaches of the Swartkops Estuary, as well as nearshore sites located in close proximity to the estuary mouths, particularly during spring and summer. Despite the fact that these coastal ecosystems are important nursery areas, they are threatened by a number of factors, including habitat loss and modification due to urban development, intensification of agriculture and subsequent eutrophication, climate change, and overfishing, all of which reduce ecosystem functioning and reduce the ecological and economic value of these habitats around the world. Hypoxia is one of the major threats to the functioning of coastal ecosystems, particularly estuaries. The Sundays and Swartkops estuaries both experience persistent eutrophic conditions, with frequent phytoplankton blooms (> 20 μg Chl-a l-1) that result in instances of bottom water oxygen depletion (< 4 mg/l). During the present study in the Sundays Estuary, low oxygen waters were recorded in the middle reaches (Site S5) mostly during summer (four months of low DO conditions). In the Swartkops Estuary, low dissolved oxygen was recorded in the upper reaches during spring. The lowest dissolved oxygen concentration recorded was 0.5 mg/l and 2.4 mg/l in the bottom waters of the Sundays and Swartkops estuaries, respectively. Selected dominant species were only absent from areas where dissolved oxygen was < 1 mg/l and present in the adjacent sites (for example Site S4, and S3) where DO was higher mostly during January 2019. As such, the low dissolved oxygen concentrations recorded in the Swartkops Estuary did not have a noticeable impact on fish distribution, although the total abundance of species did show a slight decline when dissolved oxygen was < 3 mg/l. This study demonstrates the importance of concurrently examining estuarine and nearshore marine habitats in order to identify ecologically important habitats, which has important implications for the development of effective management strategies for coastal fish populations, particularly in the light of anthropogenic change. In addition, in order to identify nursery hotspots it is crucial to correctly identify all the species occupying these areas. As such, this study confirms the importance of also using DNA barcoding for fish identification, particularly for the early life history stages of cryptic species (e.g. Argyrosomus inodorus and Argyrosomus japonicus). , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology & Fisheries Sciences, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
- Authors: Nodo, Phakama
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Groundfishes South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes South Africa Algoa Bay , Marine nurseries South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes Habitat South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes Physiology South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes Effect of pollution on South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes Larvae South Africa Algoa Bay , Estuarine fishes Effect of human beings on South Africa Algoa Bay
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral thesis , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232399 , vital:49988 , DOI 10.21504/10962/232399
- Description: Estuaries and shallow marine nearshore areas are highly productive and valuable ecosystems, which provide numerous habitats for fish and support fundamental ecological links with other environments. Assessing fish distribution across estuarine and marine nearshore habitats is important to identify ecologically important habitats and develop effective management strategies for coastal fishes, many of which are important fishery species. Despite this, only a few studies have focussed on fish community patterns across an estuary and marine nearshore gradient concurrently, particularly including early life history stages, to determine the nursery value of both environments, and to examine whether these two coastal environments have distinct fish assemblages in relation to physical factors. The main aim of this study was to assess the environmental drivers of demersal fish communities in soft-bottom benthic habitats in two permanently open estuaries and adjacent marine nearshore areas (5 – 10 m) of Algoa Bay, South Africa, as well as to assess the relative roles of these two habitats as settlement and nursery areas for demersal fish species. A 1.5 m, conical shoeless beam trawl net was used to sample the demersal fish community concurrently in each habitat between July 2017 and September 2019. Sampling was conducted in July 2017, February, March, May, July, August, October and November 2019 and February, April and September 2019. DNA barcoding was used to verify identification of the early life history stages of fish caught in the estuarine and marine nearshore areas of Algoa Bay. In addition, since the two estuaries (Swartkops and Sundays) are heavily polluted, the effect of low dissolved oxygen and hypoxia and associated shifts in spatial distribution of demersal species was investigated. The two sampled estuaries had a higher abundance of demersal fishes, with a total of 6437 fishes (28 species) caught (3752 and 2685 individuals with 24 and 20 species recorded in the Sundays and Swartkops estuaries, respectively). Species richness was higher in the marine nearshore of Algoa Bay, with 29 species (797 individuals) caught. Of the 7234 individuals caught, the identification of 100 specimens, in either a larval or early juvenile phase, were uncertain and therefore DNA barcoding was used to verify their identification. Of these 100 individuals, 86 were positively identified to species level using COI sequences. Fourteen failed to amplify by PCR and could only be identified morphologically. The marine nearshore sites were dominated by species which spawn in the marine environment and are not dependent on estuaries (marine species and marine estuary-opportunists), whilst the estuaries were dominated by estuarine spawners or marine spawners dependent on estuaries to some degree. Two discrete demersal fish assemblages were identified representing the marine nearshore and the estuary, with no significant differences observed between the two estuaries (Sundays and Swartkops). The differences observed between the marine nearshore and estuary were mostly driven by salinity, turbidity, silt and organic content of the sediment. These distinct fish assemblages might be considered as indicators for the respective environments they inhabit. Both habitats were dominated by early life history stages (larvae to juveniles), indicating the nursery function of both habitats. Early life stages collectively comprised 97% of the catch in the marine nearshore and 68% in the estuary. Young-of-the-year (YOY) juveniles (< 1-year-old juveniles) and transformation stages (when changes in body shape and pigment pattern occur) dominated the total catch in the marine nearshore, while YOY juveniles dominated the estuarine fish assemblages. Ariidae Galeichthys feliceps, Haemulidae Pomadasys olivaceus, Sciaenidae Argyrosomus inodorus and Cynoglossidae Cynoglossus zanzibarensis, comprised the largest proportion of YOY juveniles in the marine nearshore. The transformation stage in the marine nearshore was numerically dominated by P. olivaceus and G. feliceps. In the estuarine environment, YOY juveniles were mostly dominated by Sparidae Rhabdosargus holubi, Soleidae Heteromycteris capensis and Gobiidae Caffrogobius gilchristi. The greatest abundance of early life stage fishes was observed in the lower reaches of the Sundays Estuary and the upper reaches of the Swartkops Estuary, as well as nearshore sites located in close proximity to the estuary mouths, particularly during spring and summer. Despite the fact that these coastal ecosystems are important nursery areas, they are threatened by a number of factors, including habitat loss and modification due to urban development, intensification of agriculture and subsequent eutrophication, climate change, and overfishing, all of which reduce ecosystem functioning and reduce the ecological and economic value of these habitats around the world. Hypoxia is one of the major threats to the functioning of coastal ecosystems, particularly estuaries. The Sundays and Swartkops estuaries both experience persistent eutrophic conditions, with frequent phytoplankton blooms (> 20 μg Chl-a l-1) that result in instances of bottom water oxygen depletion (< 4 mg/l). During the present study in the Sundays Estuary, low oxygen waters were recorded in the middle reaches (Site S5) mostly during summer (four months of low DO conditions). In the Swartkops Estuary, low dissolved oxygen was recorded in the upper reaches during spring. The lowest dissolved oxygen concentration recorded was 0.5 mg/l and 2.4 mg/l in the bottom waters of the Sundays and Swartkops estuaries, respectively. Selected dominant species were only absent from areas where dissolved oxygen was < 1 mg/l and present in the adjacent sites (for example Site S4, and S3) where DO was higher mostly during January 2019. As such, the low dissolved oxygen concentrations recorded in the Swartkops Estuary did not have a noticeable impact on fish distribution, although the total abundance of species did show a slight decline when dissolved oxygen was < 3 mg/l. This study demonstrates the importance of concurrently examining estuarine and nearshore marine habitats in order to identify ecologically important habitats, which has important implications for the development of effective management strategies for coastal fish populations, particularly in the light of anthropogenic change. In addition, in order to identify nursery hotspots it is crucial to correctly identify all the species occupying these areas. As such, this study confirms the importance of also using DNA barcoding for fish identification, particularly for the early life history stages of cryptic species (e.g. Argyrosomus inodorus and Argyrosomus japonicus). , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology & Fisheries Sciences, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
The evaluation of the Joint Action Project (JAP) waste intervention in Gqeberha township
- Authors: Nqunqa, Likhona Nonopha
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Evaluation
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54266 , vital:46387
- Description: Successful development projects are not only grounded in proper planning and implementation but also in evaluation. Numerous development projects are implemented successfully but lack evaluation. This study evaluates the Joint Action Project (JAP) waste intervention that took place in Gqeberha Township in February 2020. The intervention was designed and implemented by a group of student volunteers from Nelson Mandela University (NMU), Port Elizabeth (PE) College and Wismar University. This was a collaborative project between Development Studies, Human Settlements Development, Electrical Engineering, Communication and Design as well as Architecture students who worked together to construct a workspace for a male informal waste picker residing in Gqeberha township. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and data was collected through interviews and field observation. Although the findings of this study revealed that there were some challenges encountered by the beneficiary and the JAP team during the project implementation, the benefits of the intervention exceeded these challenges. These benefits include the improvement of the beneficiary’s livelihood and waste picking business, improvement of health and improvement of the environment surrounding the intervention site , Thesis (MADS) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Nqunqa, Likhona Nonopha
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Evaluation
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54266 , vital:46387
- Description: Successful development projects are not only grounded in proper planning and implementation but also in evaluation. Numerous development projects are implemented successfully but lack evaluation. This study evaluates the Joint Action Project (JAP) waste intervention that took place in Gqeberha Township in February 2020. The intervention was designed and implemented by a group of student volunteers from Nelson Mandela University (NMU), Port Elizabeth (PE) College and Wismar University. This was a collaborative project between Development Studies, Human Settlements Development, Electrical Engineering, Communication and Design as well as Architecture students who worked together to construct a workspace for a male informal waste picker residing in Gqeberha township. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and data was collected through interviews and field observation. Although the findings of this study revealed that there were some challenges encountered by the beneficiary and the JAP team during the project implementation, the benefits of the intervention exceeded these challenges. These benefits include the improvement of the beneficiary’s livelihood and waste picking business, improvement of health and improvement of the environment surrounding the intervention site , Thesis (MADS) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
The impact of exchange rates on trade balances in SADC countries
- Authors: Nyahokwe, Olivia
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Foreign exchange rates -- Africa, Southern
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54980 , vital:48575
- Description: This study aims to determine the impact of exchange rates on trade balances in SADC countries. Further, the study also aims to determine the existence of the J-curve phenomena in SADC countries. To achieve the objectives of the study, a panel GMM model and quantile regressions were used as a method of data analysis on data covering the period of 1993 to 2018. Panel GMM model and quantile regression were used to determine the relationships between the real exchange rate (XR), world income (WGDP), as well as gross domestic product (GDP), and trade balance (TB) of SADC countries. The SADC countries used in this study are South Africa, Mauritius, Lesotho, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, DRC, Madagascar, Namibia, and Botswana. To provide a conceptual framework for the study, a comprehensive theoretical and empirical literature review was undertaken. Within the framework of the theoretical literature review, Magee’s (1973) J-curve phenomena were tested for its relevance and application within SADC countries. Given the main highlights of the empirical literature review, this J-curve phenomenon as well as the impact of trade balances in SADC countries, has not been addressed optimally. The main focus of previous studies in this area within SADC countries has fallen short of explaining the nature and causality of J-curve phenomena. It is in this respect that this study contributes to the regional and international trade discourse. The main findings from the quantile regression analysis in this study suggest that no evidence of "J-curve" in the case of Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi, and Madagascar. South Africa shows a delayed J curve. Lesotho an inverted J-curve, whilst DRC and Botswana show a sharp V-shape. Contrary to the "J-curve" phenomenon, as explained by the classical textbooks, the findings of the study suggest that the depreciation of Namibia, Mozambique, Angola, Malawi, and Madagascar’s exchange rates produce no J-curve phenomenon, indicating that there is no room for improving these countries’ trade balances through a currency devaluation process. Yet for countries such as South Africa, DRC, Botswana, and Mauritius the findings suggest that the depreciation of these countries’ exchange rates improves the trade balances. Concerning GMM results, the exchange rate and gross domestic product in SADC countries had a positive relationship with the trade balances in SADC countries. Further, the exchange rates also show evidence of a positive relationship with trade balances. On the contrary, the world income (represented as world GDP) has a negative relationship with trade balances in SADC countries. This implies that, as SADC currencies strengthen, the trade balance worsens. This finding presents a serious open macroeconomic challenge in SADC countries, in that the trade balances worsen irrespective of the strengths of the currencies; hence the trade balances in SADC countries have remained negative for prolonged periods. Furthermore, the world economic growth does not necessarily improve the SADC countries' trade balances either, as shown by a negative relation between world income and trade balances in SADC countries. This finding concerning world GDP, suggests that SADC countries lack export diversification and are trapped in primary product exports which, at times, are subjected to low prices. Given the above findings, it is clear that SADC countries will continue to suffer from negative trade balances, which in turn will continue to stifle their growth. To address the continued and persistent trade balances in SADC countries, policymakers should focus on an integrated open macroeconomic strategy. Such a strategy should pay special attention to improving technical skills, research, and development, quality of exports, export diversification, infrastructure; maintain the use of flexible exchange rate regimes, raise the level of productivity; substitute imports of capital equipment and support domestic industries. Furthermore, it is recommended that SADC countries focus on attracting and retaining foreign direct investments. This macroeconomic strategy should not be approached in isolation but as an integrated policy framework. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Nyahokwe, Olivia
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Foreign exchange rates -- Africa, Southern
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54980 , vital:48575
- Description: This study aims to determine the impact of exchange rates on trade balances in SADC countries. Further, the study also aims to determine the existence of the J-curve phenomena in SADC countries. To achieve the objectives of the study, a panel GMM model and quantile regressions were used as a method of data analysis on data covering the period of 1993 to 2018. Panel GMM model and quantile regression were used to determine the relationships between the real exchange rate (XR), world income (WGDP), as well as gross domestic product (GDP), and trade balance (TB) of SADC countries. The SADC countries used in this study are South Africa, Mauritius, Lesotho, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, DRC, Madagascar, Namibia, and Botswana. To provide a conceptual framework for the study, a comprehensive theoretical and empirical literature review was undertaken. Within the framework of the theoretical literature review, Magee’s (1973) J-curve phenomena were tested for its relevance and application within SADC countries. Given the main highlights of the empirical literature review, this J-curve phenomenon as well as the impact of trade balances in SADC countries, has not been addressed optimally. The main focus of previous studies in this area within SADC countries has fallen short of explaining the nature and causality of J-curve phenomena. It is in this respect that this study contributes to the regional and international trade discourse. The main findings from the quantile regression analysis in this study suggest that no evidence of "J-curve" in the case of Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi, and Madagascar. South Africa shows a delayed J curve. Lesotho an inverted J-curve, whilst DRC and Botswana show a sharp V-shape. Contrary to the "J-curve" phenomenon, as explained by the classical textbooks, the findings of the study suggest that the depreciation of Namibia, Mozambique, Angola, Malawi, and Madagascar’s exchange rates produce no J-curve phenomenon, indicating that there is no room for improving these countries’ trade balances through a currency devaluation process. Yet for countries such as South Africa, DRC, Botswana, and Mauritius the findings suggest that the depreciation of these countries’ exchange rates improves the trade balances. Concerning GMM results, the exchange rate and gross domestic product in SADC countries had a positive relationship with the trade balances in SADC countries. Further, the exchange rates also show evidence of a positive relationship with trade balances. On the contrary, the world income (represented as world GDP) has a negative relationship with trade balances in SADC countries. This implies that, as SADC currencies strengthen, the trade balance worsens. This finding presents a serious open macroeconomic challenge in SADC countries, in that the trade balances worsen irrespective of the strengths of the currencies; hence the trade balances in SADC countries have remained negative for prolonged periods. Furthermore, the world economic growth does not necessarily improve the SADC countries' trade balances either, as shown by a negative relation between world income and trade balances in SADC countries. This finding concerning world GDP, suggests that SADC countries lack export diversification and are trapped in primary product exports which, at times, are subjected to low prices. Given the above findings, it is clear that SADC countries will continue to suffer from negative trade balances, which in turn will continue to stifle their growth. To address the continued and persistent trade balances in SADC countries, policymakers should focus on an integrated open macroeconomic strategy. Such a strategy should pay special attention to improving technical skills, research, and development, quality of exports, export diversification, infrastructure; maintain the use of flexible exchange rate regimes, raise the level of productivity; substitute imports of capital equipment and support domestic industries. Furthermore, it is recommended that SADC countries focus on attracting and retaining foreign direct investments. This macroeconomic strategy should not be approached in isolation but as an integrated policy framework. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Ultra-high precision machining of rapidly solidified aluminium (RSA) alloys for optics
- Authors: Odedeyi, Peter Babatunde
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Mechatronics Surface roughness -- Measurement
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55921 , vital:54400
- Description: The advancement of ultra-precision is one of the most adaptable machining processes in the manufacturing of very complex and high-quality surface structures for optics, industrial, medical, aerospace and communication applications. Studies have shown that single-point diamond turning has an outstanding ability to machine high-quality optical components at a nanometric scale. However, in a responsive cutting process, the nanometric machinability of these optical components can easily be affected by several factors. The call for increasing needs of optical systems has recently led to the development of newly modified aluminium grades of non-ferrous alloys characterized by finer microstructures, defined mechanical and physical properties. To date, there has been a lack of sufficient research into these new aluminium alloys. In modern ultra-precision machining, the high demands for smart and inexpensive cutting tools are becoming more relevant in recent precision machines. In monitoring and predicting high-quality surface, cutting forces in single point diamond turning are believed to be as critical as other machining processes due to their potential effects on the quality of surface roughness. Undermining such an important factor is a compromise between the machining process's efficiency and the increased cost of production. Therefore, a comprehensive scientific understanding of the Nano-cutting mechanics is critical, particularly on modelling and analysis of cutting force, surface roughness, chip vii formation, acoustic emission, material removal rates, and molecular dynamic simulation of the rapidly solidified aluminium alloys to bridge the gap between fundamentals and industrial-scale application. The study is divided into three essential sections. First, the development of a force sensor. Secondly, investigation of the effect of cutting parameters (i.e., cutting speed, feed rate, and cutting depth) on cutting force, acoustic emission (AE), material removal rate (MRR), chip formation, Nose radius, and surface roughness (Ra), which play a leading role in the determination of machine productivity and efficiency of single-point diamond turning of rapidly solidified aluminium alloys. Thirdly, a 3-D molecular dynamic (MD) simulation of RSA 6061 is also carried out to further understand the nanometric mechanism and characterization of the alloy. The experiment was mainly conducted using Precitech Nanoform ultra-grind 250 lathe machines on three different advanced optical aluminium alloys materials; these are RSA 443, RSA 905, and RSA 6061. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Information Technology, School of Engineering, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Odedeyi, Peter Babatunde
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Mechatronics Surface roughness -- Measurement
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55921 , vital:54400
- Description: The advancement of ultra-precision is one of the most adaptable machining processes in the manufacturing of very complex and high-quality surface structures for optics, industrial, medical, aerospace and communication applications. Studies have shown that single-point diamond turning has an outstanding ability to machine high-quality optical components at a nanometric scale. However, in a responsive cutting process, the nanometric machinability of these optical components can easily be affected by several factors. The call for increasing needs of optical systems has recently led to the development of newly modified aluminium grades of non-ferrous alloys characterized by finer microstructures, defined mechanical and physical properties. To date, there has been a lack of sufficient research into these new aluminium alloys. In modern ultra-precision machining, the high demands for smart and inexpensive cutting tools are becoming more relevant in recent precision machines. In monitoring and predicting high-quality surface, cutting forces in single point diamond turning are believed to be as critical as other machining processes due to their potential effects on the quality of surface roughness. Undermining such an important factor is a compromise between the machining process's efficiency and the increased cost of production. Therefore, a comprehensive scientific understanding of the Nano-cutting mechanics is critical, particularly on modelling and analysis of cutting force, surface roughness, chip vii formation, acoustic emission, material removal rates, and molecular dynamic simulation of the rapidly solidified aluminium alloys to bridge the gap between fundamentals and industrial-scale application. The study is divided into three essential sections. First, the development of a force sensor. Secondly, investigation of the effect of cutting parameters (i.e., cutting speed, feed rate, and cutting depth) on cutting force, acoustic emission (AE), material removal rate (MRR), chip formation, Nose radius, and surface roughness (Ra), which play a leading role in the determination of machine productivity and efficiency of single-point diamond turning of rapidly solidified aluminium alloys. Thirdly, a 3-D molecular dynamic (MD) simulation of RSA 6061 is also carried out to further understand the nanometric mechanism and characterization of the alloy. The experiment was mainly conducted using Precitech Nanoform ultra-grind 250 lathe machines on three different advanced optical aluminium alloys materials; these are RSA 443, RSA 905, and RSA 6061. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Information Technology, School of Engineering, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Pharmacists’ attitudes and perception of using pictograms as a communication tool in practice
- Authors: Okeyo, Sam Juma
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Picture-writing South Africa , Communication in public health South Africa , Pharmacists South Africa Attitudes , Health literacy South Africa , Patient education South Africa , Structural equation modeling , Theory of planned behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/290693 , vital:56775
- Description: Pictograms, when used in conjunction with verbal and written information, are known to be effective in improving comprehension and recall of medicines information and in supporting communication between healthcare professionals and patients. However, pictograms are seldom used in routine pharmacy practice, and little is known about pharmacists’ opinions of pictograms and their intention to possibly incorporate pictograms into routine practice. This study aimed to investigate pharmacists’ opinions relating to pictograms as a communication tool, and, by applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), to explore their intention to use pictograms in pharmacy practice as well as the barriers to their use. The quantitative study design involved a two-phase approach. Phase 1 was a descriptive, cross-sectional online national survey of pharmacists. The 70-item, four-section survey was primarily based on the constructs of TPB, which included attitude, intention, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control. The last survey section recruited pharmacists for a follow-up Phase 2 survey. Following a pilot study, the survey was emailed to all pharmacists registered with the South African Pharmacy Council. Descriptive statistics for survey items were generated. Pearson correlation investigated the correlation between participant characteristics, familiarity with pictograms and use of pictograms in practice. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) determined if there was a significant relationship between attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control with intention to use pictograms. A total of 426 pharmacists responded to the Phase 1 survey. Most pharmacists were familiar with the term ‘pictogram’; however, over three-quarters of pharmacists had never observed pictograms being routinely used in a pharmacy setting. When presented with pictograms designed for a low health literate population, most pharmacists thought the design and overall look of the pictograms would be easy for most patients in South Africa to understand (71.6 ± 24.0). Two-thirds of pharmacists (65.0 ± 30.6), felt that pictograms should be used for all patient populations. More than 85% of pharmacists agreed that pictograms should be used for dosage instructions, auxiliary or additional information, warnings, and storage instructions. However, fewer (58-68%) felt that indication, side effects and risk communication information should be accompanied by pictograms. Pharmacists demonstrated positive attitudes towards using pictograms in practice (mean = 4.2 ± 0.9; range: 1 - 5), while perceived behavioural control (mean = 3.0 ± 1.2; range: 1 - 5), subjective norm (mean = 3.8 ± 1.0; range 1 - 5) and intention (mean = 3.3 ± 1.0; range 1 - 5) were all neutral. Attitude (β = -0.25, p < 0.117), however, was not a significant predictor of intention while perceived behavioural control (β = -0.83, p < 0.000) presented with a significant negative correlation with intention. Subjective norm (β = 0.57, p <0.000) was the strongest predictor of intention. Scale reliability ranged from 0.770 to 0.865 for the TPB constructs. Phase 2 aimed to expand on, and further investigate Phase 1 findings relating to current and intended pharmacist behaviour and opinions concerning pictogram usage. As Phase 2 looked to investigate issues in greater depth, questions included open-ended response options. The survey link was emailed to all pharmacists who had voluntarily offered to participate in Phase 2. Frequency data for all questions were generated, and content analysis was undertaken for the free-response comments offered by pharmacists. A total of 35 pharmacists responded to the Phase 2 survey. Most pharmacists who routinely used pictograms initiated their use with support from pharmacists’ colleagues (8/12) and their supervisor/manager (6/7). Pharmacists who stated their intention to use pictograms anticipated receiving support from their pharmacists' colleagues (18/23) and manager/supervisor (15/23). All 12 pharmacists who were routinely using pictograms reported a positive effect on patient communication, with almost all having encountered no negative aspects of using pictograms (11/12). Almost all pharmacists intending to use pictograms could foresee benefits from their use (22/23). Misinterpretation of pictograms was a prevalent barrier common to both pharmacists routinely using pictograms and to those intending to use pictograms. Increased workload was regarded as a prevalent barrier only by pharmacists intending to use pictograms. This study was the first national study of pharmacists to investigate their opinion of pictograms and their use and to adopt a theoretical approach to consider pharmacist intention to use pictograms in routine pharmacy practice. Pharmacists generally expressed positive attitudes to pictograms but showed inadequate understanding of pictogram use. Pharmacists using pictograms reported the positive effect of pictograms on their patient communication, whereas those planning to use pictograms could foresee the benefits of using pictograms despite regarding increased workload as a barrier. As the strongest predictor of intention was subjective norm, this construct should therefore be targeted to motivate pharmacists to adopt the use of pictograms. , Thesis (MPharm) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
- Authors: Okeyo, Sam Juma
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Picture-writing South Africa , Communication in public health South Africa , Pharmacists South Africa Attitudes , Health literacy South Africa , Patient education South Africa , Structural equation modeling , Theory of planned behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/290693 , vital:56775
- Description: Pictograms, when used in conjunction with verbal and written information, are known to be effective in improving comprehension and recall of medicines information and in supporting communication between healthcare professionals and patients. However, pictograms are seldom used in routine pharmacy practice, and little is known about pharmacists’ opinions of pictograms and their intention to possibly incorporate pictograms into routine practice. This study aimed to investigate pharmacists’ opinions relating to pictograms as a communication tool, and, by applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), to explore their intention to use pictograms in pharmacy practice as well as the barriers to their use. The quantitative study design involved a two-phase approach. Phase 1 was a descriptive, cross-sectional online national survey of pharmacists. The 70-item, four-section survey was primarily based on the constructs of TPB, which included attitude, intention, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control. The last survey section recruited pharmacists for a follow-up Phase 2 survey. Following a pilot study, the survey was emailed to all pharmacists registered with the South African Pharmacy Council. Descriptive statistics for survey items were generated. Pearson correlation investigated the correlation between participant characteristics, familiarity with pictograms and use of pictograms in practice. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) determined if there was a significant relationship between attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control with intention to use pictograms. A total of 426 pharmacists responded to the Phase 1 survey. Most pharmacists were familiar with the term ‘pictogram’; however, over three-quarters of pharmacists had never observed pictograms being routinely used in a pharmacy setting. When presented with pictograms designed for a low health literate population, most pharmacists thought the design and overall look of the pictograms would be easy for most patients in South Africa to understand (71.6 ± 24.0). Two-thirds of pharmacists (65.0 ± 30.6), felt that pictograms should be used for all patient populations. More than 85% of pharmacists agreed that pictograms should be used for dosage instructions, auxiliary or additional information, warnings, and storage instructions. However, fewer (58-68%) felt that indication, side effects and risk communication information should be accompanied by pictograms. Pharmacists demonstrated positive attitudes towards using pictograms in practice (mean = 4.2 ± 0.9; range: 1 - 5), while perceived behavioural control (mean = 3.0 ± 1.2; range: 1 - 5), subjective norm (mean = 3.8 ± 1.0; range 1 - 5) and intention (mean = 3.3 ± 1.0; range 1 - 5) were all neutral. Attitude (β = -0.25, p < 0.117), however, was not a significant predictor of intention while perceived behavioural control (β = -0.83, p < 0.000) presented with a significant negative correlation with intention. Subjective norm (β = 0.57, p <0.000) was the strongest predictor of intention. Scale reliability ranged from 0.770 to 0.865 for the TPB constructs. Phase 2 aimed to expand on, and further investigate Phase 1 findings relating to current and intended pharmacist behaviour and opinions concerning pictogram usage. As Phase 2 looked to investigate issues in greater depth, questions included open-ended response options. The survey link was emailed to all pharmacists who had voluntarily offered to participate in Phase 2. Frequency data for all questions were generated, and content analysis was undertaken for the free-response comments offered by pharmacists. A total of 35 pharmacists responded to the Phase 2 survey. Most pharmacists who routinely used pictograms initiated their use with support from pharmacists’ colleagues (8/12) and their supervisor/manager (6/7). Pharmacists who stated their intention to use pictograms anticipated receiving support from their pharmacists' colleagues (18/23) and manager/supervisor (15/23). All 12 pharmacists who were routinely using pictograms reported a positive effect on patient communication, with almost all having encountered no negative aspects of using pictograms (11/12). Almost all pharmacists intending to use pictograms could foresee benefits from their use (22/23). Misinterpretation of pictograms was a prevalent barrier common to both pharmacists routinely using pictograms and to those intending to use pictograms. Increased workload was regarded as a prevalent barrier only by pharmacists intending to use pictograms. This study was the first national study of pharmacists to investigate their opinion of pictograms and their use and to adopt a theoretical approach to consider pharmacist intention to use pictograms in routine pharmacy practice. Pharmacists generally expressed positive attitudes to pictograms but showed inadequate understanding of pictogram use. Pharmacists using pictograms reported the positive effect of pictograms on their patient communication, whereas those planning to use pictograms could foresee the benefits of using pictograms despite regarding increased workload as a barrier. As the strongest predictor of intention was subjective norm, this construct should therefore be targeted to motivate pharmacists to adopt the use of pictograms. , Thesis (MPharm) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
Deconstructing the Challenges of COVID-19 on First-Year Rural University Students in South Africa
- Authors: Omodan, Bunmi Isaiah
- Date: 2021 -12
- Subjects: COVID-1 (Desease) College freshmen Article
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/7664 , vital:54733 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.51415/ajims.v3i1.930"
- Description: Assumptions and facts exist about the various challenges rural learners face when transitioning into university education in South Africa due to the pedagogical differences between secondary and university education. However, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic compounded the transitioning challenges of students because most of the universities, especially the selected university, utilise online learning, which is alien to first-year students who are transitioning from rural high schools to the university. This study explores the challenges and solutions associated with first-year students transitioning to a new level of education during the COVID-19 pandemic. An asset-based approach was used to theorise the study within the Transformative Paradigm (TP), while Participatory Research (PR) was used to design the study. These are relevant because both TP and PR are targeted towards transforming people’s predicaments. The participants consisted of ten first-year students selected using a convenient sampling technique. Data was collected using electronic interviews such as email, WhatsApp messages, and phone calls. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that first-year rural university students’ inability to use online learning tools effectively and unstable internet connections in the rural community are major challenges. The study, therefore, concludes that the provision of internet access and students’ readiness for adaptability are the possible solutions. Keywords: COVID-19; first-year students; rural communities; rural university
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021 -12
- Authors: Omodan, Bunmi Isaiah
- Date: 2021 -12
- Subjects: COVID-1 (Desease) College freshmen Article
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/7664 , vital:54733 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.51415/ajims.v3i1.930"
- Description: Assumptions and facts exist about the various challenges rural learners face when transitioning into university education in South Africa due to the pedagogical differences between secondary and university education. However, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic compounded the transitioning challenges of students because most of the universities, especially the selected university, utilise online learning, which is alien to first-year students who are transitioning from rural high schools to the university. This study explores the challenges and solutions associated with first-year students transitioning to a new level of education during the COVID-19 pandemic. An asset-based approach was used to theorise the study within the Transformative Paradigm (TP), while Participatory Research (PR) was used to design the study. These are relevant because both TP and PR are targeted towards transforming people’s predicaments. The participants consisted of ten first-year students selected using a convenient sampling technique. Data was collected using electronic interviews such as email, WhatsApp messages, and phone calls. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that first-year rural university students’ inability to use online learning tools effectively and unstable internet connections in the rural community are major challenges. The study, therefore, concludes that the provision of internet access and students’ readiness for adaptability are the possible solutions. Keywords: COVID-19; first-year students; rural communities; rural university
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021 -12
The use of lesson study to assist junior primary ‘in-service training teachers’ to develop learners’ number sense using number talks
- Authors: Ortman-Gaweseb, Dominika
- Date: 2023-03-30
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/408750 , vital:70522
- Description: Thesis embargoed. To be released in 2025. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-03-30
- Authors: Ortman-Gaweseb, Dominika
- Date: 2023-03-30
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/408750 , vital:70522
- Description: Thesis embargoed. To be released in 2025. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-03-30
Bayesian spatio-temporal zero-inflated mixed models for overdispersion on chronic disease mapping
- Osuji, Georgeleen O https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8408-3928
- Authors: Osuji, Georgeleen O https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8408-3928
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Medical mapping , Bayesian statistical decision theory
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23644 , vital:58230
- Description: Background: Life expectancy in most developing countries has remarkably increased and decreased in mortality, but under 5 years old mortality has increased due to HIV and Tuberculosis incidence. Many factors have been established to influence the mortality rate among HIV patients and understanding the factors contribution to the risk of under 5-year-old mortality is important for designing appropriate health interventions. Excess zeros usually occur in such HIV mortality count data. Mixed models consisting of count part and zero part are often used to describe the observed excess zero in the data. Poisson models are popular modeling inference, but Negative-Binomial models are more flexible in analyzing count data and dealing with overdispersion. Method: This research proposed to develop two-part hurdle models in analyzing areal zero count data. A spatial Bayesian lognormal-logit hurdle model (BLLHM) with random effects characterizes and cross-spatial dependencies were introduced. The parameter inferences and predictions were evaluated using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm. The model proposed was applied to HIV-positive under 5-year-old mortality collected from the Eastern Cape Department of Health. Results: Bayesian lognormal-logit hurdle model is selected as the best model fit. It is observed that the total number of HIV patients not on ART-HIVnotTB (0.000612, p <0.000) was positively and statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients. Both CD4 counts were done on newly diagnosed HIV rate (CD4count) and HIV-positive new patients screened for TB rate (HIVTBrate) were negatively and statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients (-0.6294, p = 0.000 and -0.00056, p = 0.0052). However, the covariate HIV positive Tuberculosis Preventive therapy (TPT) uptake rate (HIVandTB) was not statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients (-0.00155, p = 0.5392). Conclusion: The model is flexible to deal with zero-inflated and over-dispersed count data. There is a need to consider the risk of cause-specific under-5-year-old mortality in terms of spatial effects. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Osuji, Georgeleen O https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8408-3928
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Medical mapping , Bayesian statistical decision theory
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23644 , vital:58230
- Description: Background: Life expectancy in most developing countries has remarkably increased and decreased in mortality, but under 5 years old mortality has increased due to HIV and Tuberculosis incidence. Many factors have been established to influence the mortality rate among HIV patients and understanding the factors contribution to the risk of under 5-year-old mortality is important for designing appropriate health interventions. Excess zeros usually occur in such HIV mortality count data. Mixed models consisting of count part and zero part are often used to describe the observed excess zero in the data. Poisson models are popular modeling inference, but Negative-Binomial models are more flexible in analyzing count data and dealing with overdispersion. Method: This research proposed to develop two-part hurdle models in analyzing areal zero count data. A spatial Bayesian lognormal-logit hurdle model (BLLHM) with random effects characterizes and cross-spatial dependencies were introduced. The parameter inferences and predictions were evaluated using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm. The model proposed was applied to HIV-positive under 5-year-old mortality collected from the Eastern Cape Department of Health. Results: Bayesian lognormal-logit hurdle model is selected as the best model fit. It is observed that the total number of HIV patients not on ART-HIVnotTB (0.000612, p <0.000) was positively and statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients. Both CD4 counts were done on newly diagnosed HIV rate (CD4count) and HIV-positive new patients screened for TB rate (HIVTBrate) were negatively and statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients (-0.6294, p = 0.000 and -0.00056, p = 0.0052). However, the covariate HIV positive Tuberculosis Preventive therapy (TPT) uptake rate (HIVandTB) was not statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients (-0.00155, p = 0.5392). Conclusion: The model is flexible to deal with zero-inflated and over-dispersed count data. There is a need to consider the risk of cause-specific under-5-year-old mortality in terms of spatial effects. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
The effectiveness of the Land Redistribution programme on women’s quality of life: A case of Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape: a case of buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Qayiso, Okuhle
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Land reform -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Women's rights -- South Africa -- Buffalo City
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54277 , vital:46392
- Description: The land question is a highly contentious issue in post-apartheid South Africa. Land is considered as a valuable resource for sustaining the livelihoods of people yet it remains one of the most sought after and contested resource in Africa owing to her colonial past. Black South Africans were also immensely subjected to land dispossession during the colonization by the Dutch and later the British and forced land removals during the apartheid era. Although this historical context from a lens of “race" is important to note here given how it shaped the South African geography of land ownership, there is nonetheless another dimension; that of gender. The main assertion driving this study is that due to a number of contextual factors (such as women's cultural status, economic inequality and poverty), land ownership between women and men is highly unequal whereby the former owns less and is mostly marginalized from land rights. This study thus looks at the extent to which land redistribution improves the quality of life for women in Buffalo City. The land redistribution program is part of the land reform policy which is a post-apartheid design and implemented for the purpose of redressing historical land dispossession and create redistributive land equality and tenure. This study employed a qualitative approach to ‘explore’ the experiences of women who are the beneficiaries of the land redistribution program as well as the perspectives of key informants who are the officials of the Rural Development and Reform Department. The thesis used an exploratory research design which was suitable for the understanding and unpacking of women's experiences with the land redistribution program. A major finding of this study is that the women who benefited from the land redistribution program have successfully progressed from small scale subsistence farming to large scale commercial farming, significantly improving their livelihoods. Nonetheless, the lack of financial capital is a critical challenge as the land redistribution program gives access to farms that need maintenance and renewal with financial grants that are barely enough for starting up. This study therefore argues that access to land should be accompanied by access to financial resources and capacity building to empower beneficiaries to use the land and other resources effectively and efficiently. It is recommended herein that the department should give beneficiaries full ownership of the land allocated to them as opposed to the thirty- year leasehold. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Qayiso, Okuhle
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Land reform -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Women's rights -- South Africa -- Buffalo City
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54277 , vital:46392
- Description: The land question is a highly contentious issue in post-apartheid South Africa. Land is considered as a valuable resource for sustaining the livelihoods of people yet it remains one of the most sought after and contested resource in Africa owing to her colonial past. Black South Africans were also immensely subjected to land dispossession during the colonization by the Dutch and later the British and forced land removals during the apartheid era. Although this historical context from a lens of “race" is important to note here given how it shaped the South African geography of land ownership, there is nonetheless another dimension; that of gender. The main assertion driving this study is that due to a number of contextual factors (such as women's cultural status, economic inequality and poverty), land ownership between women and men is highly unequal whereby the former owns less and is mostly marginalized from land rights. This study thus looks at the extent to which land redistribution improves the quality of life for women in Buffalo City. The land redistribution program is part of the land reform policy which is a post-apartheid design and implemented for the purpose of redressing historical land dispossession and create redistributive land equality and tenure. This study employed a qualitative approach to ‘explore’ the experiences of women who are the beneficiaries of the land redistribution program as well as the perspectives of key informants who are the officials of the Rural Development and Reform Department. The thesis used an exploratory research design which was suitable for the understanding and unpacking of women's experiences with the land redistribution program. A major finding of this study is that the women who benefited from the land redistribution program have successfully progressed from small scale subsistence farming to large scale commercial farming, significantly improving their livelihoods. Nonetheless, the lack of financial capital is a critical challenge as the land redistribution program gives access to farms that need maintenance and renewal with financial grants that are barely enough for starting up. This study therefore argues that access to land should be accompanied by access to financial resources and capacity building to empower beneficiaries to use the land and other resources effectively and efficiently. It is recommended herein that the department should give beneficiaries full ownership of the land allocated to them as opposed to the thirty- year leasehold. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Using PESTEL analysis as a framework for analysing the VUCA environment in the Pretoria automotive industry
- Authors: Quanson, Matthew
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa -- Pretoria
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54308 , vital:46424
- Description: The term VUCA, is an acronym for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. VUCA has become one of the “buzz words” in the business sector in the last few years. VUCA however is more than just an acronym, it is a concept that describes an environment in which business operates. It is an environment that is plagued with more volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity than ever before. There are numerous factors which have contributed and continue to have an influence on the VUCA environment. PESTEL, another acronym, describes the macro-environment and its components namely: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal. The PESTEL analysis has become a tool used in business to effectively analyse the macro-environment in detail by grouping these factors into the six components. The Pretoria automotive industry has faced significant challenges in the last few years, and these challenges have been heightened in complexity. These challenges include volatility with customer demand, adapting to new technological advancements in automation and digital trends, political and labour uncertainty as well as supply chain constraints as a result of global geo-political pressure. The main objective of this paper is to use the PESTEL analysis as a framework for analysing the VUCA environment in the Pretoria automotive industry. The Pretoria automotive industry is the most important region for the automotive industry in South Africa and adds significant economic stimulation to the South African Gros Domestic Product (GDP) and economy according to Automotive Export Council, (2020). , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Quanson, Matthew
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa -- Pretoria
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54308 , vital:46424
- Description: The term VUCA, is an acronym for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. VUCA has become one of the “buzz words” in the business sector in the last few years. VUCA however is more than just an acronym, it is a concept that describes an environment in which business operates. It is an environment that is plagued with more volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity than ever before. There are numerous factors which have contributed and continue to have an influence on the VUCA environment. PESTEL, another acronym, describes the macro-environment and its components namely: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal. The PESTEL analysis has become a tool used in business to effectively analyse the macro-environment in detail by grouping these factors into the six components. The Pretoria automotive industry has faced significant challenges in the last few years, and these challenges have been heightened in complexity. These challenges include volatility with customer demand, adapting to new technological advancements in automation and digital trends, political and labour uncertainty as well as supply chain constraints as a result of global geo-political pressure. The main objective of this paper is to use the PESTEL analysis as a framework for analysing the VUCA environment in the Pretoria automotive industry. The Pretoria automotive industry is the most important region for the automotive industry in South Africa and adds significant economic stimulation to the South African Gros Domestic Product (GDP) and economy according to Automotive Export Council, (2020). , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
The governance of schools for internally displaced learners in Puntland, Somalia: a top-down or bottom-up approach to education peacebuilding?
- Authors: Ramaite, Adivhaho Florence
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Peace-building Somalia Puntland , Internally displaced persons Education Somalia Puntland , School management and organization Somalia Puntland , Educational governance , Top-down and bottom-up design
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406807 , vital:70309
- Description: This study examines educational governance in schools for internally displaced learners in Puntland, Somalia. Many Somalis have been internally displaced from the south and central of Somalia and neighbouring regions because of armed insurgence, as well as climate and ecological disasters. Communities of internally displaced Somalis who have settled in the north-eastern region of Somalia, together with the Ministry of Education and nongovernmental organisations such as Relief International, have established schools for internally displaced learners. The study uses interviews with teachers, school principals and school committee members to examine their experiences of how schools are governed, specifically in terms of the bottom-up and top-down approaches to peacebuilding education. This research study is the first of its kind to examine the experiences of education actors in internally displaced person schools in Somalia. It provides crucial, new information on northern NGOs and how they shape the governance of knowledge and resources in Somali schools and how Somali education actors interpret and respond to these interventions. Drawing on education studies and international relations, it develops a transdisciplinary framing of peacebuilding education and specifically focuses on the top-down and bottom-up approaches to peacebuilding education provision. It weaves these two disciplinary perspectives together to help establish the implications of the security sector in education and broadly post-conflict reconstruction. The study finds that donors, international NGOs and government actors use a top-down approach to education, which may sit at odds with local needs and priorities. It finds that Somali knowledge and values are marginalised in the curriculum and teachers’ professional development and that the distribution of resources such as teacher salaries and school feeding programmes is fragmented, opaque and lacking in accountability. The study emphasises that the exclusion of local voices may further contribute to the causes underlying conflict. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Political and International Studies, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Ramaite, Adivhaho Florence
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Peace-building Somalia Puntland , Internally displaced persons Education Somalia Puntland , School management and organization Somalia Puntland , Educational governance , Top-down and bottom-up design
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406807 , vital:70309
- Description: This study examines educational governance in schools for internally displaced learners in Puntland, Somalia. Many Somalis have been internally displaced from the south and central of Somalia and neighbouring regions because of armed insurgence, as well as climate and ecological disasters. Communities of internally displaced Somalis who have settled in the north-eastern region of Somalia, together with the Ministry of Education and nongovernmental organisations such as Relief International, have established schools for internally displaced learners. The study uses interviews with teachers, school principals and school committee members to examine their experiences of how schools are governed, specifically in terms of the bottom-up and top-down approaches to peacebuilding education. This research study is the first of its kind to examine the experiences of education actors in internally displaced person schools in Somalia. It provides crucial, new information on northern NGOs and how they shape the governance of knowledge and resources in Somali schools and how Somali education actors interpret and respond to these interventions. Drawing on education studies and international relations, it develops a transdisciplinary framing of peacebuilding education and specifically focuses on the top-down and bottom-up approaches to peacebuilding education provision. It weaves these two disciplinary perspectives together to help establish the implications of the security sector in education and broadly post-conflict reconstruction. The study finds that donors, international NGOs and government actors use a top-down approach to education, which may sit at odds with local needs and priorities. It finds that Somali knowledge and values are marginalised in the curriculum and teachers’ professional development and that the distribution of resources such as teacher salaries and school feeding programmes is fragmented, opaque and lacking in accountability. The study emphasises that the exclusion of local voices may further contribute to the causes underlying conflict. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Political and International Studies, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
Studies on seed germination and response to fertilization of Amaranthus accessions collected in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Ramangoele, Mpaballeng Alinah
- Authors: Ramangoele, Mpaballeng Alinah
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54112 , vital:46307
- Description: Studies were conducted at Döhne Agricultural Development Institute (D.A.D.I.), geographically located between latitude 32°31'34.077"S and longitude 27°27'37.473"E in Stutterheim, Eastern Cape Province from summer 2018 until autumn 2019.The objectives were to determine seed germination and seedling vigour of four local Amaranthus accessions and to evaluate the effect of organic and inorganic fertilization on the growth, yield and nutrient composition. In the germination studies, herein referred to as Experiment 1,laboratory assessments were laid out in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) replicated four times to test seed germination, seedling emergence and seedling vigour of four Amaranthus accessions namely: A. Hypochondriacus, A. Retroflexus 1, A. Hybridus and A. Retroflexus 2. Data collection included germination percentage, radicle length, co-efficient of velocity of germination and seedling vigour. A.Retroflexus2 gave the highest germination percentage in summer (85%) and autumn (87.75%).Seed weight resulted in the highest germination percentage and was observed to have shown a high positive correlation of {R2=0.91} in summer and{R2=0.92} in autumn respectively. The highest seedling vigour (p<0.001) in summer was attained from A. Hypochondriacus and A. Retroflexus2.In the greenhouse in summer, the highest emergence percentage was observed from A. Hypochondriacus(93.00%), whilst in autumn it was A.Retroflexus2 (88.38%).A. Retroflexus1 was the least performer in both seasons. In summer, A. Hypochondriacus and A. Retroflexus2 resulted in very high seedling vigour. In autumn A. Hypochondriacus, A. Retroflexus2 and A. Hybridus resulted in high seedling vigour and A. Retroflexus1 in moderate seedling vigour. The relationship observed between seed weight and seedling vigour showed a negative (inverse)correlation in summer {R2=0.58} and autumn {R2=0.62}.In Experiment 2, seedlings of A. Hypochondriacus and A. Retroflexus 2were transplanted in 5litrebasal perforated plastic pots which were filled with soil. The experimental layout was a CRD replicated four times. The treatments were: control (no amendment), goat manure, cattle manure and NPK fertilizer. Growth performance data were collected for plant height, the number of leaves and stem girth. In summer, when goat manure was applied both accessions resulted in the tallest plants (78.80cm) yet A. Retroflexus 2 and vA. Hypochondriacus gave the greatest stem girthand highest number of leaves respectively. In autumn, the tallest plants and highest number of leaves were observed from A. Retroflexus 2fertilized with NPK and the greatest stem girth was observed from A. Hypochondriacus fertilized with goat manure. The interaction of fertilization and accessions resulted in A. Retroflexus 2 fertilized with goat manure generating the greatest fresh shoot biomass (137.27g plant-1) and the least from the control. Both accessions fertilized with goat manure attained the greatest dry leaf biomass. Insummer, A.Retroflexus2 outperformed A. Hypochondriacus in calcium content despite the treatments. Unfertilized A. Retroflexus2 produced leaves with high potassium. Both unfertilized accessions showed the highest magnesium content. All A. Retroflexus2 treatments outperformed A. Hypochondriacus treatments on iron content except the control. The summer season was the best in terms of growth and yield of the tested accessions. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Management, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Ramangoele, Mpaballeng Alinah
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54112 , vital:46307
- Description: Studies were conducted at Döhne Agricultural Development Institute (D.A.D.I.), geographically located between latitude 32°31'34.077"S and longitude 27°27'37.473"E in Stutterheim, Eastern Cape Province from summer 2018 until autumn 2019.The objectives were to determine seed germination and seedling vigour of four local Amaranthus accessions and to evaluate the effect of organic and inorganic fertilization on the growth, yield and nutrient composition. In the germination studies, herein referred to as Experiment 1,laboratory assessments were laid out in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) replicated four times to test seed germination, seedling emergence and seedling vigour of four Amaranthus accessions namely: A. Hypochondriacus, A. Retroflexus 1, A. Hybridus and A. Retroflexus 2. Data collection included germination percentage, radicle length, co-efficient of velocity of germination and seedling vigour. A.Retroflexus2 gave the highest germination percentage in summer (85%) and autumn (87.75%).Seed weight resulted in the highest germination percentage and was observed to have shown a high positive correlation of {R2=0.91} in summer and{R2=0.92} in autumn respectively. The highest seedling vigour (p<0.001) in summer was attained from A. Hypochondriacus and A. Retroflexus2.In the greenhouse in summer, the highest emergence percentage was observed from A. Hypochondriacus(93.00%), whilst in autumn it was A.Retroflexus2 (88.38%).A. Retroflexus1 was the least performer in both seasons. In summer, A. Hypochondriacus and A. Retroflexus2 resulted in very high seedling vigour. In autumn A. Hypochondriacus, A. Retroflexus2 and A. Hybridus resulted in high seedling vigour and A. Retroflexus1 in moderate seedling vigour. The relationship observed between seed weight and seedling vigour showed a negative (inverse)correlation in summer {R2=0.58} and autumn {R2=0.62}.In Experiment 2, seedlings of A. Hypochondriacus and A. Retroflexus 2were transplanted in 5litrebasal perforated plastic pots which were filled with soil. The experimental layout was a CRD replicated four times. The treatments were: control (no amendment), goat manure, cattle manure and NPK fertilizer. Growth performance data were collected for plant height, the number of leaves and stem girth. In summer, when goat manure was applied both accessions resulted in the tallest plants (78.80cm) yet A. Retroflexus 2 and vA. Hypochondriacus gave the greatest stem girthand highest number of leaves respectively. In autumn, the tallest plants and highest number of leaves were observed from A. Retroflexus 2fertilized with NPK and the greatest stem girth was observed from A. Hypochondriacus fertilized with goat manure. The interaction of fertilization and accessions resulted in A. Retroflexus 2 fertilized with goat manure generating the greatest fresh shoot biomass (137.27g plant-1) and the least from the control. Both accessions fertilized with goat manure attained the greatest dry leaf biomass. Insummer, A.Retroflexus2 outperformed A. Hypochondriacus in calcium content despite the treatments. Unfertilized A. Retroflexus2 produced leaves with high potassium. Both unfertilized accessions showed the highest magnesium content. All A. Retroflexus2 treatments outperformed A. Hypochondriacus treatments on iron content except the control. The summer season was the best in terms of growth and yield of the tested accessions. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Management, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Bond market integration in the Common Monetary Area (CMA)
- Ramoriting, Retšelisitsoe Silvia
- Authors: Ramoriting, Retšelisitsoe Silvia
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Globalization , Globalization Economic aspects , Bond market , Rand area , Africa, Southern Economic integration , Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/284592 , vital:56077
- Description: The study reviews the phenomenon of financial integration. During the late 1980s and 1990s, financial market integration around the world increased due to globalisation of investments and the need for higher returns and international risk diversification. The increase was accompanied by a significant increase in private capital flows into developing countries from developed countries. The main goal of the study is to examine bond market integration in the common monetary area The study therefore investigates the co-movement of government bond returns within the CMA using data from Eswatini, Namibia, and South Africa. The study attempts to find the short-run and long-run relationship of these government bond returns using the ARDL cointegration technique. The study uses daily data of 10-year government bond yields spanning from August 2014 to September 2019. The empirical results reveal that there exists a short-run and long-run relationship between South Africa and Eswatini. Between South Africa and Namibia, there only exist a short-run relationship. Just like the previously mentioned studies, the short-run relationship is a result of policy convergence. The lack of long-run relationship between South and Namibia was due to poor institutional developments and limited investment opportunities. In this case, policy measures (or reforms) and a review of the union are necessary to increase integration of these bond markets. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Economics and Economic History, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
- Authors: Ramoriting, Retšelisitsoe Silvia
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Globalization , Globalization Economic aspects , Bond market , Rand area , Africa, Southern Economic integration , Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/284592 , vital:56077
- Description: The study reviews the phenomenon of financial integration. During the late 1980s and 1990s, financial market integration around the world increased due to globalisation of investments and the need for higher returns and international risk diversification. The increase was accompanied by a significant increase in private capital flows into developing countries from developed countries. The main goal of the study is to examine bond market integration in the common monetary area The study therefore investigates the co-movement of government bond returns within the CMA using data from Eswatini, Namibia, and South Africa. The study attempts to find the short-run and long-run relationship of these government bond returns using the ARDL cointegration technique. The study uses daily data of 10-year government bond yields spanning from August 2014 to September 2019. The empirical results reveal that there exists a short-run and long-run relationship between South Africa and Eswatini. Between South Africa and Namibia, there only exist a short-run relationship. Just like the previously mentioned studies, the short-run relationship is a result of policy convergence. The lack of long-run relationship between South and Namibia was due to poor institutional developments and limited investment opportunities. In this case, policy measures (or reforms) and a review of the union are necessary to increase integration of these bond markets. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Economics and Economic History, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
A Critical Review of Environmental Governance, Land Restitution, and Tourism in Protected Areas
- Authors: Ramukumba, Takalani
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Tourism Land use Environmental protection Wildlife conservation Article
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/7029 , vital:52756 , xlink:href=":https://doi.org/10.46222/ajhtl.19770720.200"
- Description: Natural areas, when protected, conserve the natural environment and function as social spaces in which tourism brings increased income, employment, and financial support for conservation. The inclusion of local community members in the planning and management of protected areas has been on the rise since the early 1900s. Tourism has been advocated as a strategy that can help in achieving economic development, especially in rural areas. However, governance issues and potential negative impacts of tourism development have been under inspection. Conservation efforts in Southern Africa especially in the late 1800s and early 1900s had negative impacts on the local communities since this led to many communities being displaced or having limited access to these protected areas. This has seen the need for ways and efforts to get local community members' despondency and attitudes towards protected areas change such that in the 20th century, there were efforts to use conservation models that included community members in the decision-making and benefit-sharing process to garner their support for protected areas. This paper reviews literature on environmental governance, land restitution in protected areas, tourism in protected areas, co-management, and the importance of community participation. These concepts are reviewed using Manyeleti Game Reserve as a case study. Keywords: Tourism, land restitution, environmental governance, wildlife resources, and stakeholder participation
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
- Authors: Ramukumba, Takalani
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Tourism Land use Environmental protection Wildlife conservation Article
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/7029 , vital:52756 , xlink:href=":https://doi.org/10.46222/ajhtl.19770720.200"
- Description: Natural areas, when protected, conserve the natural environment and function as social spaces in which tourism brings increased income, employment, and financial support for conservation. The inclusion of local community members in the planning and management of protected areas has been on the rise since the early 1900s. Tourism has been advocated as a strategy that can help in achieving economic development, especially in rural areas. However, governance issues and potential negative impacts of tourism development have been under inspection. Conservation efforts in Southern Africa especially in the late 1800s and early 1900s had negative impacts on the local communities since this led to many communities being displaced or having limited access to these protected areas. This has seen the need for ways and efforts to get local community members' despondency and attitudes towards protected areas change such that in the 20th century, there were efforts to use conservation models that included community members in the decision-making and benefit-sharing process to garner their support for protected areas. This paper reviews literature on environmental governance, land restitution in protected areas, tourism in protected areas, co-management, and the importance of community participation. These concepts are reviewed using Manyeleti Game Reserve as a case study. Keywords: Tourism, land restitution, environmental governance, wildlife resources, and stakeholder participation
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
The relationship between digitisation, customer service and customer loyalty in the South African banking industry
- Authors: Reddy, Denzil
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Banks and banking -- Information technology -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- Digitization -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54319 , vital:46426
- Description: Digitisation has forced modernisation across many industries over the last decade; it has created a world of trade without boundaries, seamless integration with technology, improving business and quality of life in general. The banking industry in South Africa has been impacted by the rapid emergence of financial technology (Fintech) companies who are challenging the status quo of traditional banking. Their fundamental difference from traditional banks is their ability to create a solution for problems in the market at rapid speed; they use digitisation as their core foundation when developing products to satisfy consumer needs. They are introducing banking capabilities faster and more efficiently than traditional banks, creating a new breed of client needs. Customers want a more robust, seamless, and quicker client experience from traditional banks, which are being offered via Fintechs. The objectives of this study were to identify what impact does digitisation have on customer service and customer loyalty in the South African banking environment, it aimed to establish what role digitisation embodies in a face to face customer service environment, whilst exploring if there is a need for physical banker engagement to reduce attrition and build loyalty. To achieve the objectives, data was collected via electronic surveys, which was distributed to 250 participants in which 103 completed surveys was received. Participants were South African adults who owned a bank account. Quantitative methodology was used given the population size of South African banked individuals. The overall conclusion is that digitisation directly affects customer service and customer loyalty, decisions are made factoring in digitisation when considering a bank as a service provider. Whilst it has a direct influence, and affects the overall decision-making process by consumers, good customer service, irrespective of the delivery channel, is still critical and fundamentally the key driver when opting to use a bank. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Reddy, Denzil
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Banks and banking -- Information technology -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- Digitization -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54319 , vital:46426
- Description: Digitisation has forced modernisation across many industries over the last decade; it has created a world of trade without boundaries, seamless integration with technology, improving business and quality of life in general. The banking industry in South Africa has been impacted by the rapid emergence of financial technology (Fintech) companies who are challenging the status quo of traditional banking. Their fundamental difference from traditional banks is their ability to create a solution for problems in the market at rapid speed; they use digitisation as their core foundation when developing products to satisfy consumer needs. They are introducing banking capabilities faster and more efficiently than traditional banks, creating a new breed of client needs. Customers want a more robust, seamless, and quicker client experience from traditional banks, which are being offered via Fintechs. The objectives of this study were to identify what impact does digitisation have on customer service and customer loyalty in the South African banking environment, it aimed to establish what role digitisation embodies in a face to face customer service environment, whilst exploring if there is a need for physical banker engagement to reduce attrition and build loyalty. To achieve the objectives, data was collected via electronic surveys, which was distributed to 250 participants in which 103 completed surveys was received. Participants were South African adults who owned a bank account. Quantitative methodology was used given the population size of South African banked individuals. The overall conclusion is that digitisation directly affects customer service and customer loyalty, decisions are made factoring in digitisation when considering a bank as a service provider. Whilst it has a direct influence, and affects the overall decision-making process by consumers, good customer service, irrespective of the delivery channel, is still critical and fundamentally the key driver when opting to use a bank. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
The diversity and dry season habitat associations of fish communities in the Kabompo River Basin, Upper Zambezi, Zambia
- Authors: Rennie, Craig Lawrence
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Biodiversity Zambia Kabompo District , Ecology Zambia Kabompo District , Fish communities Zambia Kabompo District , Fishes Ecology Zambia Kabompo District , Freshwater habitats Zambia Kabompo District , Fishes Effect of human beings on Zambia Kabompo District , Fishes Climatic factors Zambia Kabompo District , Mesohabitat
- Language: English
- Type: Master's thesis , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232261 , vital:49976
- Description: The Zambezian headwaters contain diverse fish communities which support thriving fisheries. This region and its fishes are under pressure from multiple anthropogenic threats, including overexploitation and large-scale developments with potential knock-on effects for the riparian communities. Previous studies have focused on known fisheries areas and the mainstem Zambezi River, neglecting large tributaries such as the Kabompo River. Consequently, little literature is available on the diversity and ecology of the fishes that inhabit these large tributaries, hindering the effective management and protection of biodiversity. This study aimed to fill the current knowledge gaps in the diversity and habitat associations of fish communities in the Upper Zambezi, using the Kabompo River as a case study. The first objective was to provide an updated checklist of the fishes of the Kabompo River basin using a compilation of historical data and field surveys. This study detailed the occurrence and distribution of 83 fish species within the Kabompo River basin. All these species have been recorded in the Upper Zambezi, with some of their ranges extending into the Middle (29 species) and Lower Zambezi (23 species) while others have more restricted distributions. The most diverse families were the Cyprinidae (26 species) and the Cichlidae (15 species). A number of potential undescribed species, whose taxonomic distinctiveness need further investigation were also collected. Taxonomic conflicts are also highlighted for some of the taxa that were previously considered to have broad geographic ranges or disjunct distributions. Consistent with findings from other studies within the region, the current taxonomy underestimates the diversity of fishes in the Kabompo River and Upper Zambezi. The second objective was to assess the habitat use of small-bodied fish communities during the low-flow period in 2019. Reconnaissance trips identified dominant mesohabitats along the middle Kabompo River around Jivundu. A total of 139 mesohabitats were sampled across the five dominant mesohabitats identified; Phragmites mauritianus, wood, rock, Vallisneria aethiopica and bare substrate. Catch per unit effort, species richness, Shannon diversity and Pielou’s evenness differed significantly between these mesohabitats. Twenty-six species showed significant associations (p < 0.05) with a specific mesohabitat type or environmental variable (current velocity or depth). Eight species were associated with the woody habitat, with three of these, E. radiatus, E. unitaeniatus, and P. ngamensis being almost exclusively associated with this habitat. Enteromius kerstenii, E. lineomaculatus and S. depressirostris were almost exclusively associated with P. mauritianus and represent potential indicator species for this habitat. A number of species were also with both P. mauritianus and woody habitats. Nine species showed statistically significant associations with the rocky mesohabitat, with Amphilius uranoscopus and Petrocephalus longicapitis, being almost exclusive to rocky sections of the river. Therefore, species such as A. uranoscopus are potential indicators for monitoring the integrity of rocky habitats under threat from sedimentation. The strong associations indicate that this comprehensive baseline may be valuable indicators/ proxies for identifying anthropogenic induced change in the Kabompo basin. This would provide a basis to determine fish responses to regional environmental changes associated with human activities. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology & Fisheries Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
- Authors: Rennie, Craig Lawrence
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Biodiversity Zambia Kabompo District , Ecology Zambia Kabompo District , Fish communities Zambia Kabompo District , Fishes Ecology Zambia Kabompo District , Freshwater habitats Zambia Kabompo District , Fishes Effect of human beings on Zambia Kabompo District , Fishes Climatic factors Zambia Kabompo District , Mesohabitat
- Language: English
- Type: Master's thesis , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232261 , vital:49976
- Description: The Zambezian headwaters contain diverse fish communities which support thriving fisheries. This region and its fishes are under pressure from multiple anthropogenic threats, including overexploitation and large-scale developments with potential knock-on effects for the riparian communities. Previous studies have focused on known fisheries areas and the mainstem Zambezi River, neglecting large tributaries such as the Kabompo River. Consequently, little literature is available on the diversity and ecology of the fishes that inhabit these large tributaries, hindering the effective management and protection of biodiversity. This study aimed to fill the current knowledge gaps in the diversity and habitat associations of fish communities in the Upper Zambezi, using the Kabompo River as a case study. The first objective was to provide an updated checklist of the fishes of the Kabompo River basin using a compilation of historical data and field surveys. This study detailed the occurrence and distribution of 83 fish species within the Kabompo River basin. All these species have been recorded in the Upper Zambezi, with some of their ranges extending into the Middle (29 species) and Lower Zambezi (23 species) while others have more restricted distributions. The most diverse families were the Cyprinidae (26 species) and the Cichlidae (15 species). A number of potential undescribed species, whose taxonomic distinctiveness need further investigation were also collected. Taxonomic conflicts are also highlighted for some of the taxa that were previously considered to have broad geographic ranges or disjunct distributions. Consistent with findings from other studies within the region, the current taxonomy underestimates the diversity of fishes in the Kabompo River and Upper Zambezi. The second objective was to assess the habitat use of small-bodied fish communities during the low-flow period in 2019. Reconnaissance trips identified dominant mesohabitats along the middle Kabompo River around Jivundu. A total of 139 mesohabitats were sampled across the five dominant mesohabitats identified; Phragmites mauritianus, wood, rock, Vallisneria aethiopica and bare substrate. Catch per unit effort, species richness, Shannon diversity and Pielou’s evenness differed significantly between these mesohabitats. Twenty-six species showed significant associations (p < 0.05) with a specific mesohabitat type or environmental variable (current velocity or depth). Eight species were associated with the woody habitat, with three of these, E. radiatus, E. unitaeniatus, and P. ngamensis being almost exclusively associated with this habitat. Enteromius kerstenii, E. lineomaculatus and S. depressirostris were almost exclusively associated with P. mauritianus and represent potential indicator species for this habitat. A number of species were also with both P. mauritianus and woody habitats. Nine species showed statistically significant associations with the rocky mesohabitat, with Amphilius uranoscopus and Petrocephalus longicapitis, being almost exclusive to rocky sections of the river. Therefore, species such as A. uranoscopus are potential indicators for monitoring the integrity of rocky habitats under threat from sedimentation. The strong associations indicate that this comprehensive baseline may be valuable indicators/ proxies for identifying anthropogenic induced change in the Kabompo basin. This would provide a basis to determine fish responses to regional environmental changes associated with human activities. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology & Fisheries Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
Foraging ecology of Kelp Gulls in natural and anthropogenically modified environments
- Authors: Reusch, Katharina
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54106 , vital:46303
- Description: Humans are having a profound impact on the natural environment through a myriad of activities, such as land use change or direct exploitation of resources. Some species are able to adapt to these changes and thrive in deeply modified environments. They are often considered winners of global change. Among these are Kelp GullsLarus dominicanus in South Africa, which have a generalist foraging nature. Despite their abundance and potential role in the ecosystem, knowledge on their foraging ecology is limited, with no understanding of the role of natural and anthropogenic food resources during breeding. The aim of this thesis was to assess the foraging movements, diet and health of Kelp Gulls breeding in seven different colonies varying in proximity to landfills. GPS loggers were deployed on incubating adults to assess foraging trip patterns, effort, and habitats. Diet and trophic ecology of adults and chicks was determined during the breeding season by combining conventional diet analysis (i.e. stomach content samples and regurgitated pellets) with stable isotope analysis of blood plasma. Finally, population health was estimated using indices of body condition for adults and chicks, and blood and faecal parasites were examined. The first successful tracking data from Kelp Gulls in South Africa revealed that birds from all colonies spent more time foraging in natural environments (marine, coastal and terrestrial) than in anthropogenically modified ones, irrelevant of the distance to the nearest landfill, potentially reflecting prey profitability or availability around thebreeding colonies. Gulls also had higher foraging effort when foraging at sea (longer travelling distance), which might be balanced by foraging on high energy prey in themarine environment (e.g. fish). Diet and trophic ecology data confirmed the wide range of resources Kelp Gulls were capable of exploiting. Anthropogenic items were important food sources at some colonies, while annual differences in trophic level targeted were apparent at some other colonies, possibly reflecting varying predation levels on other seabirds. Diet and trophic ecology generally differed between adults and chicks, with chicks being fed a more marine, i.e. fish, and higher trophic level diet, potentially due to the higher energy content of fish being important for chick growth. Despite differences between colonies in foraging effort and diet, body condition of both adults and chicks was similar across colonies. Birds from one of the urban colonies, foraging at the local landfill, tended to have slightly higher body condition values, possibly due to the high fat content of anthropogenic items, although this was not significant. Blood parasites were very scarce, with only one genus identified, Haemoproteus spp. Parasite abundance was significantly lower in chicks than in adults, implicating that adults might get infected in areas outside the colony. Faecal smears revealed the presence of yeast cells (Candida spp.) in birds, coinciding with higher body condition values, possibly linked to foraging habitat choice, as birds might ingest yeast cells when feeding in urban areas contaminated with human excrement.Kelp Gulls breeding in South Africa forage on a wide variety of resources and habitats, with limited apparent impact on their parasite load and body condition. All colonies foraged to some extend on natural sources, although some colonies located in very urban areas seemed to depend more closely on anthropogenic items as food resource. Therefore, changes in e.g. landfill management might cause changes in population dynamics, with possible repercussions on neighbouring bird populations. Theirgeneralist foraging nature, among others, makes Kelp Gulls winners of global change and is partly responsible for their increased population numbers. As they are often perceived as pests, information on the foraging ecology is important to manage gull populations effectively. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Reusch, Katharina
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54106 , vital:46303
- Description: Humans are having a profound impact on the natural environment through a myriad of activities, such as land use change or direct exploitation of resources. Some species are able to adapt to these changes and thrive in deeply modified environments. They are often considered winners of global change. Among these are Kelp GullsLarus dominicanus in South Africa, which have a generalist foraging nature. Despite their abundance and potential role in the ecosystem, knowledge on their foraging ecology is limited, with no understanding of the role of natural and anthropogenic food resources during breeding. The aim of this thesis was to assess the foraging movements, diet and health of Kelp Gulls breeding in seven different colonies varying in proximity to landfills. GPS loggers were deployed on incubating adults to assess foraging trip patterns, effort, and habitats. Diet and trophic ecology of adults and chicks was determined during the breeding season by combining conventional diet analysis (i.e. stomach content samples and regurgitated pellets) with stable isotope analysis of blood plasma. Finally, population health was estimated using indices of body condition for adults and chicks, and blood and faecal parasites were examined. The first successful tracking data from Kelp Gulls in South Africa revealed that birds from all colonies spent more time foraging in natural environments (marine, coastal and terrestrial) than in anthropogenically modified ones, irrelevant of the distance to the nearest landfill, potentially reflecting prey profitability or availability around thebreeding colonies. Gulls also had higher foraging effort when foraging at sea (longer travelling distance), which might be balanced by foraging on high energy prey in themarine environment (e.g. fish). Diet and trophic ecology data confirmed the wide range of resources Kelp Gulls were capable of exploiting. Anthropogenic items were important food sources at some colonies, while annual differences in trophic level targeted were apparent at some other colonies, possibly reflecting varying predation levels on other seabirds. Diet and trophic ecology generally differed between adults and chicks, with chicks being fed a more marine, i.e. fish, and higher trophic level diet, potentially due to the higher energy content of fish being important for chick growth. Despite differences between colonies in foraging effort and diet, body condition of both adults and chicks was similar across colonies. Birds from one of the urban colonies, foraging at the local landfill, tended to have slightly higher body condition values, possibly due to the high fat content of anthropogenic items, although this was not significant. Blood parasites were very scarce, with only one genus identified, Haemoproteus spp. Parasite abundance was significantly lower in chicks than in adults, implicating that adults might get infected in areas outside the colony. Faecal smears revealed the presence of yeast cells (Candida spp.) in birds, coinciding with higher body condition values, possibly linked to foraging habitat choice, as birds might ingest yeast cells when feeding in urban areas contaminated with human excrement.Kelp Gulls breeding in South Africa forage on a wide variety of resources and habitats, with limited apparent impact on their parasite load and body condition. All colonies foraged to some extend on natural sources, although some colonies located in very urban areas seemed to depend more closely on anthropogenic items as food resource. Therefore, changes in e.g. landfill management might cause changes in population dynamics, with possible repercussions on neighbouring bird populations. Theirgeneralist foraging nature, among others, makes Kelp Gulls winners of global change and is partly responsible for their increased population numbers. As they are often perceived as pests, information on the foraging ecology is important to manage gull populations effectively. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
The benefits of community music on individuals in Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Rossouw, Carolyn
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54552 , vital:46703
- Description: Countless research studies have outlined the benefits of Community Music engagement. Community Music is a global phenomenon that offers benefits to and across both international and national music projects. There are many forms of Community Music, including choral groups, instrumentalists, bands, and other ensembles. A variety of reasons or perspectives exist as to why participants engage in Community Music activities, such as the benefits that they gain when engaging in a project and/or the experiences of learning music in a social context. Characteristics of Community Music entail voluntary participation for individuals from all walks of life (e.g., those of high or low socio-economic standing, different races, and/or different levels of mental and/or emotional well-being). This study investigated three Community Music projects that take place at three different churches in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The Community Music projects described in this study were different to those that are usually described in academic studies in so far as they are not aimed at social reform, social intervention, creative possibilities, or self-expression. Instead, this study focussed on investigating Community Music in Port Elizabeth based purely on creative possibilities and self-expression in order to better understand the benefits it can have on the individuals and community taking part therein. The Community Music projects described in this study involve both adult and youth participants and all fall under ‘church music’. Specifically, the projects consist of an adult church choir, a youth worship band, and an instrumental ensemble. In this qualitative study, a multiple case study approach was adopted, and data were gathered through observations, unstructured interviews, and both audio-visual and written materials. Themes emerged from the study that have been categorised as follows: social benefits, well-being benefits, spiritual benefits, musical skills development benefits, and leadership benefits. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Visual and Performing Arts, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Rossouw, Carolyn
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54552 , vital:46703
- Description: Countless research studies have outlined the benefits of Community Music engagement. Community Music is a global phenomenon that offers benefits to and across both international and national music projects. There are many forms of Community Music, including choral groups, instrumentalists, bands, and other ensembles. A variety of reasons or perspectives exist as to why participants engage in Community Music activities, such as the benefits that they gain when engaging in a project and/or the experiences of learning music in a social context. Characteristics of Community Music entail voluntary participation for individuals from all walks of life (e.g., those of high or low socio-economic standing, different races, and/or different levels of mental and/or emotional well-being). This study investigated three Community Music projects that take place at three different churches in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The Community Music projects described in this study were different to those that are usually described in academic studies in so far as they are not aimed at social reform, social intervention, creative possibilities, or self-expression. Instead, this study focussed on investigating Community Music in Port Elizabeth based purely on creative possibilities and self-expression in order to better understand the benefits it can have on the individuals and community taking part therein. The Community Music projects described in this study involve both adult and youth participants and all fall under ‘church music’. Specifically, the projects consist of an adult church choir, a youth worship band, and an instrumental ensemble. In this qualitative study, a multiple case study approach was adopted, and data were gathered through observations, unstructured interviews, and both audio-visual and written materials. Themes emerged from the study that have been categorised as follows: social benefits, well-being benefits, spiritual benefits, musical skills development benefits, and leadership benefits. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Visual and Performing Arts, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12