The design of a Kaolin processing facility in Grahamstown, province of the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Bowles, Brendon Jerome
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Architecture, Modern -- 21st century -- Designs and plans , Architecture -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Designs and plans , Industrial buildings -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Design and construction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15433 , vital:28245
- Description: The Story of clay in the Grahamstown area can be dated as far back as 1812. In 1823 there was conflict between the Xhosa and the British Settlers over clay pits at Coombs valley, an area outside Grahamstown towards East London (Holleman, 1997, p. 50). Since the initial conflict, the mining of the resource has become a commercial activity. Pottery industries, brick making facilities and a kaolin mill were opened, with brick making being the only economically sustained activity which continues to present day. With the largest known deposits of quality kaolin in South Africa, the economic condition of the context of Grahamstown is not benefitting from the abundance of the raw-clay material (Malatji, 2010). The material is currently being mined at Strowan mine, the most active mine in the area, approximately 4km from Grahamstown and is transported to Johannesburg for milling. The transport costs involved in moving the material from the mine to the mill has impeded potential production. In 1988 the production of Kaolin from the Grahamstown area accounted for 55% of total local production in South Africa, but that figure had dropped to 27% by 2008 (Horan, 2008, p.1). The high waste factor and the cost implication involved in the erecting of the required infrastructure and equipment for a mill, become the main impediment to erecting a new Kaolin mill in Grahamstown. The raw material which is milled has a waste factor of approximately 90 percent, meaning that; of the material mined in the open cast mining method, less than 10 percent is transported to be milled (Burchell, 2015). Capital gain from production of kaolin in relation to the cost of the mill is inadequate to financially sustain the costs of erecting a kaolin mill for Grahamstown. A need for a by-product to utilize the high waste content of the mined product in a waste resourceful manner will potentially sustain a new mill economically. With the problem of transport and foreign provincial exploitation of local resources, a kaolin mill for Grahamstown will increase production and potentially become a catalyst for future development around kaolin supporting industries such as ceramics, paper industries, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. This treatise is a strategic approach towards the design of a Kaolin mill with a brick making factory as a by-product of the waste of the high quality kaolin.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Bowles, Brendon Jerome
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Architecture, Modern -- 21st century -- Designs and plans , Architecture -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Designs and plans , Industrial buildings -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Design and construction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15433 , vital:28245
- Description: The Story of clay in the Grahamstown area can be dated as far back as 1812. In 1823 there was conflict between the Xhosa and the British Settlers over clay pits at Coombs valley, an area outside Grahamstown towards East London (Holleman, 1997, p. 50). Since the initial conflict, the mining of the resource has become a commercial activity. Pottery industries, brick making facilities and a kaolin mill were opened, with brick making being the only economically sustained activity which continues to present day. With the largest known deposits of quality kaolin in South Africa, the economic condition of the context of Grahamstown is not benefitting from the abundance of the raw-clay material (Malatji, 2010). The material is currently being mined at Strowan mine, the most active mine in the area, approximately 4km from Grahamstown and is transported to Johannesburg for milling. The transport costs involved in moving the material from the mine to the mill has impeded potential production. In 1988 the production of Kaolin from the Grahamstown area accounted for 55% of total local production in South Africa, but that figure had dropped to 27% by 2008 (Horan, 2008, p.1). The high waste factor and the cost implication involved in the erecting of the required infrastructure and equipment for a mill, become the main impediment to erecting a new Kaolin mill in Grahamstown. The raw material which is milled has a waste factor of approximately 90 percent, meaning that; of the material mined in the open cast mining method, less than 10 percent is transported to be milled (Burchell, 2015). Capital gain from production of kaolin in relation to the cost of the mill is inadequate to financially sustain the costs of erecting a kaolin mill for Grahamstown. A need for a by-product to utilize the high waste content of the mined product in a waste resourceful manner will potentially sustain a new mill economically. With the problem of transport and foreign provincial exploitation of local resources, a kaolin mill for Grahamstown will increase production and potentially become a catalyst for future development around kaolin supporting industries such as ceramics, paper industries, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. This treatise is a strategic approach towards the design of a Kaolin mill with a brick making factory as a by-product of the waste of the high quality kaolin.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Investigating the role of Hsp90 and LRP1 in FN matrix dynamics
- Authors: Boël, Natasha Marie-Eraine
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Extracellular matrix , Molecular chaperones , Heat shock proteins , Cancer , Fibronectins
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/2713 , vital:20319
- Description: Fibronectin (FN), a matrix protein responsible for regulating processes including migration and differentiation, is secreted as a soluble dimer which is assembled into an insoluble extracellular matrix. The dynamics of FN matrix assembly and degradation play a large role in cell migration and invasion contributing to the metastatic potential of cancer cells. Previous studies from our group have shown the direct binding of Hsp90 and FN in vitro and that inhibition of Hsp90 with novobiocin (NOV) caused internalisation of the FN matrix. However, the receptor mediating this internalisation is currently unknown. Low density lipoprotein 1 (LRP1) is a likely candidate as it is a ubiquitous receptor responsible for regulating internalisation of diverse ligands and is known to bind both Hsp90 and FN. We used wild type and knockout LRP1 cell lines to study the endocytosis of FN via this receptor. Here, we demonstrate that LRP1-deficient cells accumulated greatly increased levels of FN and were found to be less sensitive to pharmacological inhibition of Hsp90 by NOV. LRP1-expressing MEF-1 and Hs578T breast cancer cells experienced an increase in total FN in response to NOV, at concentrations below the EC50 value, followed by a dose-dependent loss of FN. We attributed greater FN levels to a loss of extracellular FN matrix coupled with increased internalisation of FN. Cell-surface biotinylation and DOC assays showed that loss of extracellular FN was specific to LRP1-expressing MEF-1 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the loss of extracellular FN is not affected by changes in FN mRNA levels as determined by qRT-PCR, and that treatment with NOV resulted in the accelerated degradation of FN in the presence of cycloheximide. Immunoprecipitation studies reveal a putative complex exists between FN, Hsp90 and LRP1 in both cancer and non-cancer cells which is not perturbed by NOV. Western analyses revealed increased proteolytic processing of LRP1 in response to NOV which we proposed, based on literature, to modulate signalling pathways as a potential mechanism for regulating FN turnover. Moreover, using wound healing assays we identified increased migration to be one of the consequences associated with loss of extracellular FN by Hsp90 inhibition but only in cells containing LRP1. In summary, this study provides new insights into the Hsp90-LRP1 mediated loss of FN matrix and also reveals for the first time the functional consequence related to FN turnover by NOV was an increase in migration in LRP1-expressing cells.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Boël, Natasha Marie-Eraine
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Extracellular matrix , Molecular chaperones , Heat shock proteins , Cancer , Fibronectins
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/2713 , vital:20319
- Description: Fibronectin (FN), a matrix protein responsible for regulating processes including migration and differentiation, is secreted as a soluble dimer which is assembled into an insoluble extracellular matrix. The dynamics of FN matrix assembly and degradation play a large role in cell migration and invasion contributing to the metastatic potential of cancer cells. Previous studies from our group have shown the direct binding of Hsp90 and FN in vitro and that inhibition of Hsp90 with novobiocin (NOV) caused internalisation of the FN matrix. However, the receptor mediating this internalisation is currently unknown. Low density lipoprotein 1 (LRP1) is a likely candidate as it is a ubiquitous receptor responsible for regulating internalisation of diverse ligands and is known to bind both Hsp90 and FN. We used wild type and knockout LRP1 cell lines to study the endocytosis of FN via this receptor. Here, we demonstrate that LRP1-deficient cells accumulated greatly increased levels of FN and were found to be less sensitive to pharmacological inhibition of Hsp90 by NOV. LRP1-expressing MEF-1 and Hs578T breast cancer cells experienced an increase in total FN in response to NOV, at concentrations below the EC50 value, followed by a dose-dependent loss of FN. We attributed greater FN levels to a loss of extracellular FN matrix coupled with increased internalisation of FN. Cell-surface biotinylation and DOC assays showed that loss of extracellular FN was specific to LRP1-expressing MEF-1 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the loss of extracellular FN is not affected by changes in FN mRNA levels as determined by qRT-PCR, and that treatment with NOV resulted in the accelerated degradation of FN in the presence of cycloheximide. Immunoprecipitation studies reveal a putative complex exists between FN, Hsp90 and LRP1 in both cancer and non-cancer cells which is not perturbed by NOV. Western analyses revealed increased proteolytic processing of LRP1 in response to NOV which we proposed, based on literature, to modulate signalling pathways as a potential mechanism for regulating FN turnover. Moreover, using wound healing assays we identified increased migration to be one of the consequences associated with loss of extracellular FN by Hsp90 inhibition but only in cells containing LRP1. In summary, this study provides new insights into the Hsp90-LRP1 mediated loss of FN matrix and also reveals for the first time the functional consequence related to FN turnover by NOV was an increase in migration in LRP1-expressing cells.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The voice of the child in parental divorce: a narrative inquiry
- Authors: Brand, Carrie
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Conversation analysis , Children of divorced parents , Divorced parents
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8923 , vital:26443
- Description: Parental divorce is considered one of the most stressful events in the lives of children. The adult perspective has dominated the discourse on divorce, and only recently has research started to consider the viewpoint of children. Research indicates that the nature of the divorce process as experienced by the child is the most important factor in post-divorce adjustment. It also remains a relatively unexplored area, with research on the manner in which children experience the divorce process being limited. The current study aimed to conduct a narrative inquiry into the experiences and perceptions of parental divorce, of a purposive sample of 9 to 10 year old children. The primary aim of the study was to highlight and honour the voice of the child in a parental divorce process. The current research was qualitative in nature and adopted a narrative paradigm. Five children were interviewed qualitatively using an unstructured interview. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Seven themes were identified. The first theme explored children’s endeavours to describe and explain parental divorce. An additional six themes were developed around the types of stories children told of the divorce process. Themes included, What is a Divorcement, Stories of Loss, Stories of Gain, Stories of Change, Stories of Stability, Healing Stories, and Complicating Stories. This study endeavoured to provide divorced parents and those working with children a greater understanding of the way in which children perceive parental divorce, and insight into the factors that facilitate children’s positive adjustment to parental divorce.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Brand, Carrie
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Conversation analysis , Children of divorced parents , Divorced parents
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8923 , vital:26443
- Description: Parental divorce is considered one of the most stressful events in the lives of children. The adult perspective has dominated the discourse on divorce, and only recently has research started to consider the viewpoint of children. Research indicates that the nature of the divorce process as experienced by the child is the most important factor in post-divorce adjustment. It also remains a relatively unexplored area, with research on the manner in which children experience the divorce process being limited. The current study aimed to conduct a narrative inquiry into the experiences and perceptions of parental divorce, of a purposive sample of 9 to 10 year old children. The primary aim of the study was to highlight and honour the voice of the child in a parental divorce process. The current research was qualitative in nature and adopted a narrative paradigm. Five children were interviewed qualitatively using an unstructured interview. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Seven themes were identified. The first theme explored children’s endeavours to describe and explain parental divorce. An additional six themes were developed around the types of stories children told of the divorce process. Themes included, What is a Divorcement, Stories of Loss, Stories of Gain, Stories of Change, Stories of Stability, Healing Stories, and Complicating Stories. This study endeavoured to provide divorced parents and those working with children a greater understanding of the way in which children perceive parental divorce, and insight into the factors that facilitate children’s positive adjustment to parental divorce.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The chemistry of Algoa Bay ascidians
- Authors: Bromley, Candice Leigh
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sea squirts -- South Africa -- Algoa Bay , Marine metabolites , Chemistry, Analytic , Liquid chromatography , Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry , Metal ions , Nucleosides , Vanadium
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4560 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020606
- Description: This thesis investigates the chemistry of 25 ascidian species collected from Algoa Bay, South Africa with a concerted focus on metal accumulation by these ascidians and the possible interaction of these metals with ascidian metabolites. Chapter 2 details the screening techniques employed to establish the presence of nitrogenous metabolites (1H- 15N HMBC), hyper-accumulated metal ions (ICP-MS) and potential metal ion/ ascidian metabolite complexes (LC-ICP-MS/ESI-MS). Unfortunately, exhaustive attempts to detect intact metal ion/ascidian metabolite complexes through the use of liquid chromatography with parallel inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry/electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-ICPMS/ ESI-MS) were unsuccessful. However, the LC-ICP-MS/ESI-MS data obtained for the crude organic extracts of six of the Algoa Bay ascidian species, Distaplia skoogi, Aplidium monile, Aplidium sp., Didemnum sp., Leptoclindines sp. and Polycitor sp. enabled identification of a number of ten halogenated metabolites, namely the indoles 2.28-2.30, and the tyramine and tyrosine derivatives (2.31-2.33, 2.41, 2.43, 2.44 and 2.46), within the ascidian extracts. This study confirmed that LC-ICP-MS/ESI-MS is a powerful tool for the dereplication of halogenated metabolites in complex mixtures especially where these compounds are present in very small amounts. This study is also the first report of these compounds (eight of which are known) in African ascidians. Compounds 2.32 and 2.46 have not been reported before from a marine source. Compounds 2.28-2.30 and 2.33 were present in sufficient amounts in the respective ascidian extracts to allow their isolation and structure elucidation using standard spectroscopic techniques Chapter 3 explores the ability of ascidians to accumulate a wide range of metal ions at concentrations which are often orders of magnitude higher than those of the surrounding sea water. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to determine the total ion concentrations of 24 metals in 25 Algoa Bay ascidian species. To the best of our knowledge this is the largest and most extensive investigation of metal concentrations in a group of different ascidians occurring in the same area. Hypotheisizing that the metal ion concentrations for each ascidian specimen screened may represent a unique fingerprint for each specimen principal component analysis (PCA) was used in an attempt to establish whether there were spatial, temporal or phylogenetic relationships associated with the metal concentration fingerprints of the ascidians that formed part of this study. The PCA results showed that there were no statistically significant relationships between ascidian metal ion concentrations and either the collection year or the collection site of the ascidians. However, species from the family Didemnidae provided the clearest statistical evidence supporting a phylogenetic relationship between these ascidians and their hyperaccumulated metal ion profiles. Furthermore, these results suggested that ascidian species are indeed actively concentrating metal ions from the surrounding sea water and are not simply sinks for passively accumulated metal ions. Interestingly, the concentration of vanadium in the set of ascidians studied did not appear to correlate with any of the other metals accumulated by these ascidians suggesting that there is possibly a unique method employed for the accumulation of vanadium by ascidians. Chapter 4 investigated this possibility further after the nucleosides 4.10, 4.11, 4.13, 4.15, 4.17 and 4.40 were isolated from the vanadium accumulating ascidian Aplidium monile. Studies into the interactions between nucleosides and vanadyl are unfortunately rare and usually qualitative in nature with limited information provided about the stability or structures of the complexes formed. The vanadyl accumulating aplousobranch ascidians e.g. Aplidium monile dominated our study of Algoa Bay ascidians therefore providing us with the rationale to investigate the relatively little studied binding ability and stability of vandyl-nucleoside complexes. Potentiometric studies were conducted to determine the stability constants of complexes formed between the oxovanadium ion vanadyl (VO2+) and the commercially available nucleosides 4.10-4.14. The data afforded by this analysis clearly confirmed the complexity of the vanadyl/nucleoside complexation and suggested that guanosine (4.12) formed the most stable complex with oxovanadium ions. We were also able to establish a third protonation constant for the hydroxyl moiety in 4.12 with a logK 8.87 which has not been previously reported. Finally, Chapter 5 revisited the cytoxicity two Algoa Bay ascidians, Clavelina sp. and Atriolum marinense the extracts from which produced promising bioactivity results in previous studies against oesophageal cancer cells. The HP-20 fractionated extracts of Clavelina sp. and Atriolum marinense proved to be similalrly cytotoxic to breast cancer cells. With the exception for the 100% acetone(aq)fractions the NMR data for both species suggested that most active non polar fractions were dominated by what appeared to be structurally unremarkable fatty acid glycerides and as such were not pursued further. Purification of the 100% acetone(aq)fraction of A. marinense resulted in the isolation of a styrene trimer, 5.1, common to both ascidian extracts. The NMR simulation software WIN-DAISY was employed to confirm the structure of 5.1. Attempts to establish if 5.1 was an isolation artefact or a product of marine pollution were inconclusive
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Bromley, Candice Leigh
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sea squirts -- South Africa -- Algoa Bay , Marine metabolites , Chemistry, Analytic , Liquid chromatography , Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry , Metal ions , Nucleosides , Vanadium
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4560 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020606
- Description: This thesis investigates the chemistry of 25 ascidian species collected from Algoa Bay, South Africa with a concerted focus on metal accumulation by these ascidians and the possible interaction of these metals with ascidian metabolites. Chapter 2 details the screening techniques employed to establish the presence of nitrogenous metabolites (1H- 15N HMBC), hyper-accumulated metal ions (ICP-MS) and potential metal ion/ ascidian metabolite complexes (LC-ICP-MS/ESI-MS). Unfortunately, exhaustive attempts to detect intact metal ion/ascidian metabolite complexes through the use of liquid chromatography with parallel inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry/electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-ICPMS/ ESI-MS) were unsuccessful. However, the LC-ICP-MS/ESI-MS data obtained for the crude organic extracts of six of the Algoa Bay ascidian species, Distaplia skoogi, Aplidium monile, Aplidium sp., Didemnum sp., Leptoclindines sp. and Polycitor sp. enabled identification of a number of ten halogenated metabolites, namely the indoles 2.28-2.30, and the tyramine and tyrosine derivatives (2.31-2.33, 2.41, 2.43, 2.44 and 2.46), within the ascidian extracts. This study confirmed that LC-ICP-MS/ESI-MS is a powerful tool for the dereplication of halogenated metabolites in complex mixtures especially where these compounds are present in very small amounts. This study is also the first report of these compounds (eight of which are known) in African ascidians. Compounds 2.32 and 2.46 have not been reported before from a marine source. Compounds 2.28-2.30 and 2.33 were present in sufficient amounts in the respective ascidian extracts to allow their isolation and structure elucidation using standard spectroscopic techniques Chapter 3 explores the ability of ascidians to accumulate a wide range of metal ions at concentrations which are often orders of magnitude higher than those of the surrounding sea water. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to determine the total ion concentrations of 24 metals in 25 Algoa Bay ascidian species. To the best of our knowledge this is the largest and most extensive investigation of metal concentrations in a group of different ascidians occurring in the same area. Hypotheisizing that the metal ion concentrations for each ascidian specimen screened may represent a unique fingerprint for each specimen principal component analysis (PCA) was used in an attempt to establish whether there were spatial, temporal or phylogenetic relationships associated with the metal concentration fingerprints of the ascidians that formed part of this study. The PCA results showed that there were no statistically significant relationships between ascidian metal ion concentrations and either the collection year or the collection site of the ascidians. However, species from the family Didemnidae provided the clearest statistical evidence supporting a phylogenetic relationship between these ascidians and their hyperaccumulated metal ion profiles. Furthermore, these results suggested that ascidian species are indeed actively concentrating metal ions from the surrounding sea water and are not simply sinks for passively accumulated metal ions. Interestingly, the concentration of vanadium in the set of ascidians studied did not appear to correlate with any of the other metals accumulated by these ascidians suggesting that there is possibly a unique method employed for the accumulation of vanadium by ascidians. Chapter 4 investigated this possibility further after the nucleosides 4.10, 4.11, 4.13, 4.15, 4.17 and 4.40 were isolated from the vanadium accumulating ascidian Aplidium monile. Studies into the interactions between nucleosides and vanadyl are unfortunately rare and usually qualitative in nature with limited information provided about the stability or structures of the complexes formed. The vanadyl accumulating aplousobranch ascidians e.g. Aplidium monile dominated our study of Algoa Bay ascidians therefore providing us with the rationale to investigate the relatively little studied binding ability and stability of vandyl-nucleoside complexes. Potentiometric studies were conducted to determine the stability constants of complexes formed between the oxovanadium ion vanadyl (VO2+) and the commercially available nucleosides 4.10-4.14. The data afforded by this analysis clearly confirmed the complexity of the vanadyl/nucleoside complexation and suggested that guanosine (4.12) formed the most stable complex with oxovanadium ions. We were also able to establish a third protonation constant for the hydroxyl moiety in 4.12 with a logK 8.87 which has not been previously reported. Finally, Chapter 5 revisited the cytoxicity two Algoa Bay ascidians, Clavelina sp. and Atriolum marinense the extracts from which produced promising bioactivity results in previous studies against oesophageal cancer cells. The HP-20 fractionated extracts of Clavelina sp. and Atriolum marinense proved to be similalrly cytotoxic to breast cancer cells. With the exception for the 100% acetone(aq)fractions the NMR data for both species suggested that most active non polar fractions were dominated by what appeared to be structurally unremarkable fatty acid glycerides and as such were not pursued further. Purification of the 100% acetone(aq)fraction of A. marinense resulted in the isolation of a styrene trimer, 5.1, common to both ascidian extracts. The NMR simulation software WIN-DAISY was employed to confirm the structure of 5.1. Attempts to establish if 5.1 was an isolation artefact or a product of marine pollution were inconclusive
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The EPR paradox: back from the future
- Authors: Bryan, Kate Louise Halse
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/2881 , vital:20338
- Description: The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) thought experiment produced a problem regarding the interpretation of quantum mechanics provided for entangled systems. Although the thought experiment was reformulated mathematically in Bell's Theorem, the conclusion regarding entanglement correlations is still debated today. In an attempt to provide an explanation of how entangled systems maintain their correlations, this thesis investigates the theory of post-state teleportation as a possible interpretation of how information moves between entangled systems without resorting to nonlocal action. Post-state teleportation describes a method of communicating to the past via a quantum information channel. The resulting picture of the EPR thought experiment relied on information propagating backward from a final boundary condition to ensure all correlations were maintained. Similarities were found between this resolution of the EPR paradox and the final state solution to the black hole information paradox and the closely related firewall problem. The latter refers to an apparent conflict between unitary evaporation of a black hole and the strong subadditivity condition. The use of observer complementarity allows this solution of the black hole problem to be shown to be the same as a seemingly different solution known as “ER=EPR", where ‘ER’ refers to an Einstein-Rosen bridge or wormhole.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Bryan, Kate Louise Halse
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/2881 , vital:20338
- Description: The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) thought experiment produced a problem regarding the interpretation of quantum mechanics provided for entangled systems. Although the thought experiment was reformulated mathematically in Bell's Theorem, the conclusion regarding entanglement correlations is still debated today. In an attempt to provide an explanation of how entangled systems maintain their correlations, this thesis investigates the theory of post-state teleportation as a possible interpretation of how information moves between entangled systems without resorting to nonlocal action. Post-state teleportation describes a method of communicating to the past via a quantum information channel. The resulting picture of the EPR thought experiment relied on information propagating backward from a final boundary condition to ensure all correlations were maintained. Similarities were found between this resolution of the EPR paradox and the final state solution to the black hole information paradox and the closely related firewall problem. The latter refers to an apparent conflict between unitary evaporation of a black hole and the strong subadditivity condition. The use of observer complementarity allows this solution of the black hole problem to be shown to be the same as a seemingly different solution known as “ER=EPR", where ‘ER’ refers to an Einstein-Rosen bridge or wormhole.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
An erosion and sediment delivery model for semi-arid catchments
- Authors: Bryson, Louise Kay
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sedimentation and deposition , Erosion , Watershed management -- South Africa , Water-supply -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:6056 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020331
- Description: Sedimentation has become a significant environmental threat in South Africa as it intensifies water management problems in the water-scarce semi-arid regions of the country. As South Africa already allocates 98% of available water, the loss of storage capacity in reservoirs and degraded water quality has meant that a reliable water supply is compromised. The overall aim of this thesis was to develop a catchment scale model that represents the sediment dynamics of semi-arid regions of South Africa as a simple and practically applicable tool for water resource managers. Development of a conceptual framework for the model relied on an understanding of both the sediment dynamics of South African catchments and applicable modelling techniques. Scale was an issue in both cases as most of our understanding of the physical processes of runoff generation and sediment transport has been derived from plot scale studies. By identifying defining properties of semi-arid catchments it was possible to consider how temporal and spatial properties at higher levels emerged from properties at lower levels. These properties were effectively represented by using the Pitman rainfall-runoff model disaggregated to a daily timescale, the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) model incorporating probability function theory and through the representation of sediment storages across a semi-distributed catchment. The model was tested on two small and one large study catchment in the Karoo, South Africa, with limited observed data. Limitations to the model were found to be the large parameter data set and the dominance of structural constraints with an increase in catchment size. The next steps in model development will require a reduction of the parameter data set and an inclusion of an in-stream component for sub-catchments at a larger spatial scale. The model is applicable in areas such as South Africa where water resource managers need a simple model at the catchment scale in order to make decisions. This type of model provides a simple representation of the stochastic nature of erosion and sediment delivery over large spatial and temporal scales.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Bryson, Louise Kay
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sedimentation and deposition , Erosion , Watershed management -- South Africa , Water-supply -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:6056 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020331
- Description: Sedimentation has become a significant environmental threat in South Africa as it intensifies water management problems in the water-scarce semi-arid regions of the country. As South Africa already allocates 98% of available water, the loss of storage capacity in reservoirs and degraded water quality has meant that a reliable water supply is compromised. The overall aim of this thesis was to develop a catchment scale model that represents the sediment dynamics of semi-arid regions of South Africa as a simple and practically applicable tool for water resource managers. Development of a conceptual framework for the model relied on an understanding of both the sediment dynamics of South African catchments and applicable modelling techniques. Scale was an issue in both cases as most of our understanding of the physical processes of runoff generation and sediment transport has been derived from plot scale studies. By identifying defining properties of semi-arid catchments it was possible to consider how temporal and spatial properties at higher levels emerged from properties at lower levels. These properties were effectively represented by using the Pitman rainfall-runoff model disaggregated to a daily timescale, the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) model incorporating probability function theory and through the representation of sediment storages across a semi-distributed catchment. The model was tested on two small and one large study catchment in the Karoo, South Africa, with limited observed data. Limitations to the model were found to be the large parameter data set and the dominance of structural constraints with an increase in catchment size. The next steps in model development will require a reduction of the parameter data set and an inclusion of an in-stream component for sub-catchments at a larger spatial scale. The model is applicable in areas such as South Africa where water resource managers need a simple model at the catchment scale in order to make decisions. This type of model provides a simple representation of the stochastic nature of erosion and sediment delivery over large spatial and temporal scales.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Media and communication influences on farmers' views of water conservation in the Garden Route, South Africa
- Authors: Buckle, Dorothea Maria
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Water-supply, Agricultural -- South Africa , Sustainable agriculture , Mass media in agricultural extension work
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/9109 , vital:26465
- Description: The Garden Route is situated between a mountain range and the ocean, both within close proximity. These geographic considerations make the farmers in the area vulnerable to extreme weather events, especially droughts and floods, which have been experienced in recent years. Agriculture in the area is predominantly focused on dairy and vegetables, which require intensive irrigation practices. It is this water demand that inspired adaptations to counteract the risks of extreme weather and dwindling water sources. These adaptations and behaviours were investigated to determine the underlying perceptions and influences. The research aimed to understand the way environmental knowledge would disseminate through the use of the Diffusion of Innovation theory, whilst determining the ecological worldviews of the participants through the use of the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale. Both of these theories proved effective in researching the ecological perceptions of and various influences on the participants, with a few minor drawbacks. The data analysis investigated the research questions with a three-pronged approach. Interpersonal interviews and media content analysis of the local and agricultural media in the area was followed by analysing the two sets of findings, in order to find overlaps and relationships between the factors explored. The interviews were designed as semi-structured to allow for themes to emerge and were conducted mainly within the diary and beef industries, consisting of 24 participants. The media content analysis incorporated a niche agricultural magazine (32 articles) as well as the local newspaper (74 articles). The articles were coded for themes to allow for comparison between the two, and to provide an overall understanding of the media coverage. The use of the interviews and media content analysis concurrently, made it possible to determine the farmers’ perceptions of water conservation and the possible influences on these. By exploring this, the research endeavours to understand the dynamics between the farmers’ use of media and interpersonal networks and their water conservation practices. The farmers’ perceptions appeared to be predominantly shaped by agricultural media and interpersonal communities. The NEP scale responses exposed the clash between economic and environmental considerations. The farmers were acutely aware of their ecological impact and were employing various measures to counteract it. However, these were heavily dependent on their financial situation. This is in contrast to the NEP scale’s measuring of NEP statements contrasted with Dominant Social Paradigm (DSP) statements to determine ecological attitudes. These findings confirm previous research and demonstrate that modern farmers are more likely to adopt conservation practices than their traditional counterparts, if it helps achieve their economic, social and environmental goals. The importance of the historical context of South Africa’s water issues emerged, with the past and future proposed changes to water regulation and legislation affecting farmers’ perceptions. The move from agriculturally privileged water legislation to equitable distribution is affecting the farmers negatively, causing distrust towards the government. The research was successful in achieving an understanding of the effect of the mass media and interpersonal communication influences on the farmers’ perceptions of water conservation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Buckle, Dorothea Maria
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Water-supply, Agricultural -- South Africa , Sustainable agriculture , Mass media in agricultural extension work
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/9109 , vital:26465
- Description: The Garden Route is situated between a mountain range and the ocean, both within close proximity. These geographic considerations make the farmers in the area vulnerable to extreme weather events, especially droughts and floods, which have been experienced in recent years. Agriculture in the area is predominantly focused on dairy and vegetables, which require intensive irrigation practices. It is this water demand that inspired adaptations to counteract the risks of extreme weather and dwindling water sources. These adaptations and behaviours were investigated to determine the underlying perceptions and influences. The research aimed to understand the way environmental knowledge would disseminate through the use of the Diffusion of Innovation theory, whilst determining the ecological worldviews of the participants through the use of the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale. Both of these theories proved effective in researching the ecological perceptions of and various influences on the participants, with a few minor drawbacks. The data analysis investigated the research questions with a three-pronged approach. Interpersonal interviews and media content analysis of the local and agricultural media in the area was followed by analysing the two sets of findings, in order to find overlaps and relationships between the factors explored. The interviews were designed as semi-structured to allow for themes to emerge and were conducted mainly within the diary and beef industries, consisting of 24 participants. The media content analysis incorporated a niche agricultural magazine (32 articles) as well as the local newspaper (74 articles). The articles were coded for themes to allow for comparison between the two, and to provide an overall understanding of the media coverage. The use of the interviews and media content analysis concurrently, made it possible to determine the farmers’ perceptions of water conservation and the possible influences on these. By exploring this, the research endeavours to understand the dynamics between the farmers’ use of media and interpersonal networks and their water conservation practices. The farmers’ perceptions appeared to be predominantly shaped by agricultural media and interpersonal communities. The NEP scale responses exposed the clash between economic and environmental considerations. The farmers were acutely aware of their ecological impact and were employing various measures to counteract it. However, these were heavily dependent on their financial situation. This is in contrast to the NEP scale’s measuring of NEP statements contrasted with Dominant Social Paradigm (DSP) statements to determine ecological attitudes. These findings confirm previous research and demonstrate that modern farmers are more likely to adopt conservation practices than their traditional counterparts, if it helps achieve their economic, social and environmental goals. The importance of the historical context of South Africa’s water issues emerged, with the past and future proposed changes to water regulation and legislation affecting farmers’ perceptions. The move from agriculturally privileged water legislation to equitable distribution is affecting the farmers negatively, causing distrust towards the government. The research was successful in achieving an understanding of the effect of the mass media and interpersonal communication influences on the farmers’ perceptions of water conservation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Experiences of university students with symptoms of depression and anxiety in a mindfulness-based intervention
- Authors: Buhrmann, Mimmie Petronella
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy , Stress (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3705 , vital:20456
- Description: This study explored and described the experiences of students with self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression who participated in a mindfulness-based intervention. The study was conducted in collaboration with the Student Counselling Career and Development Centre (SCCDC) at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). The study utilised a qualitative research approach and nine participants were selected through purposive, non-probability sampling. The data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and participants‟ brief written reflections of their individual experiences. Content analysis produced ten themes categorised according to the components of the biopsychosocial/spiritual (BPSS) model. The most prevalent theme identified, describing participants‟ experience of the mindfulness-based intervention, was an enhanced perception of emotional regulation. This finding confirmed the outcomes of previous studies that also found an increase in emotional regulation related to mindfulness-based interventions. Results also shed new light on the perceived personal changes participants experienced in relation to body awareness, increased attentional regulation, social interactions, and spiritual experiences. In addition, participants verbalised present moment awareness and an accepting non-judgmental attitude as central to the biopsychosocial/spiritual changes and benefits they experienced. Recommendations for further research include investigating the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on attentional control and social interactions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Buhrmann, Mimmie Petronella
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy , Stress (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3705 , vital:20456
- Description: This study explored and described the experiences of students with self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression who participated in a mindfulness-based intervention. The study was conducted in collaboration with the Student Counselling Career and Development Centre (SCCDC) at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). The study utilised a qualitative research approach and nine participants were selected through purposive, non-probability sampling. The data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and participants‟ brief written reflections of their individual experiences. Content analysis produced ten themes categorised according to the components of the biopsychosocial/spiritual (BPSS) model. The most prevalent theme identified, describing participants‟ experience of the mindfulness-based intervention, was an enhanced perception of emotional regulation. This finding confirmed the outcomes of previous studies that also found an increase in emotional regulation related to mindfulness-based interventions. Results also shed new light on the perceived personal changes participants experienced in relation to body awareness, increased attentional regulation, social interactions, and spiritual experiences. In addition, participants verbalised present moment awareness and an accepting non-judgmental attitude as central to the biopsychosocial/spiritual changes and benefits they experienced. Recommendations for further research include investigating the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on attentional control and social interactions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Ukuzotywa kwabalinganiswa ababhinqileyo abaziintloko kwiidrama zolwimi lwesiXhosa bezotywa ngababhali abasini sobuduna kwakunye nabo babhinqileyo
- Authors: Bukula, Andiswa
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Xhosa literature -- Research Gender identity in literature , Gender nonconformity Women -- South Africa -- Drama
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18431 , vital:28645
- Description: Eli phepha lithiywe “Ukuzotywa kwabalinganiswa ababhinqileyo, abazintloko kwidrama zolwimi lwesiXhosa, bezotywa ngababhali besini sobuduna nesini sobukhomokazi liza kube lijongene nendlela apho ababhali abasini esohlukileyo, abathi babazobe ngayo abalinganiswa abayintloko, abangamabhinqa kwizibhalo zabo zedrama zelwimi lwesiXhosa. Apha kuzobe kujongwe ingakumbi ababhali abasini sobuduna, ngenjongo yokuveza umba wokuba ababhali besini sobukhomokazi babazoba abalinganiswa ababhinqileyo nje ngabantu abangenamiqolo okuzimela ngaphandle kokuba kubekho indoda obomini babo. Aba babhali babazoba abalinganiswa ababhiqileyo phansti kwala ngcamango yokuba, apho umntu obhinqileyo ekumela afumaneke khona kusezimbizeni apho baphekela usapho lwabo rhoqo, ekucoceni umzi nasekukhuliseni abantwana, hayi enye into engaphaya koko. Ngoko ke eli phepha libhalwe ngenjongo yokuphelisa oku dodobalisa loo ngcamango. Baninzi kea bantu abaphikisana nale ndlela yaphotho lwamabhinqa ngamadoda abo, nangamanye amadoda nje jikilele, eli phepha lizobe lingqinelana nolo ninzi lwabantu abathi loo mpatho mbi yamabhinqa mayiphele, kuvezwe imeko yokuba kukho ulingano phakathi kwamabhinqa kunye nababt abasini sobukhomakazi. Int ethetha ukuba eli phepha lizakuti ligqithele lijonge kwaye liveze indlela apho kungati kuekho ulingwano phathi kwezini zimbini, nendlela apho uwonke wonke angakwazi ukuphila ngentlonipho omnye komnye kungekho zimpatho mbi, okanye sini sinesikhundla esiphakamileyo kunesinye.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Bukula, Andiswa
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Xhosa literature -- Research Gender identity in literature , Gender nonconformity Women -- South Africa -- Drama
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18431 , vital:28645
- Description: Eli phepha lithiywe “Ukuzotywa kwabalinganiswa ababhinqileyo, abazintloko kwidrama zolwimi lwesiXhosa, bezotywa ngababhali besini sobuduna nesini sobukhomokazi liza kube lijongene nendlela apho ababhali abasini esohlukileyo, abathi babazobe ngayo abalinganiswa abayintloko, abangamabhinqa kwizibhalo zabo zedrama zelwimi lwesiXhosa. Apha kuzobe kujongwe ingakumbi ababhali abasini sobuduna, ngenjongo yokuveza umba wokuba ababhali besini sobukhomokazi babazoba abalinganiswa ababhinqileyo nje ngabantu abangenamiqolo okuzimela ngaphandle kokuba kubekho indoda obomini babo. Aba babhali babazoba abalinganiswa ababhiqileyo phansti kwala ngcamango yokuba, apho umntu obhinqileyo ekumela afumaneke khona kusezimbizeni apho baphekela usapho lwabo rhoqo, ekucoceni umzi nasekukhuliseni abantwana, hayi enye into engaphaya koko. Ngoko ke eli phepha libhalwe ngenjongo yokuphelisa oku dodobalisa loo ngcamango. Baninzi kea bantu abaphikisana nale ndlela yaphotho lwamabhinqa ngamadoda abo, nangamanye amadoda nje jikilele, eli phepha lizobe lingqinelana nolo ninzi lwabantu abathi loo mpatho mbi yamabhinqa mayiphele, kuvezwe imeko yokuba kukho ulingano phakathi kwamabhinqa kunye nababt abasini sobukhomakazi. Int ethetha ukuba eli phepha lizakuti ligqithele lijonge kwaye liveze indlela apho kungati kuekho ulingwano phathi kwezini zimbini, nendlela apho uwonke wonke angakwazi ukuphila ngentlonipho omnye komnye kungekho zimpatho mbi, okanye sini sinesikhundla esiphakamileyo kunesinye.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Optimisation of clearcoat viscosity
- Authors: Bukula, Nwabisa Asanda
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Coating processes , Automobiles -- Bodies -- Maintenance and repair
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4814 , vital:20707
- Description: Modern automobiles are painted with basecoat, technology which is either metallic, solid colour or pearlescent. This requires protection from chemicals, scratching, weathering and UV light by applying a protective top coat (clearcoat) over the basecoat. For the clearcoat to cure into a hard protective shell it undergoes an irreversible crosslinking process. This usually takes place over the first four to five hours, depending on the formulation and weather conditions. The speed of crosslinking can be enhanced by temperature. Pot life is important as it can affect the overall quality of the painted surface. If crosslinking occurs too quickly, before the clearcoat is applied onto the surface, the clearcoat cannot be used to produce a good quality finish. The “expired” mixture is thus discarded. If used, the quality of the finished product cannot be guaranteed to last, and the paintwork may have to be redone. This often means removing the underlying paint and primer as well with the clearcoat film. Besides the time lost, the discarded clearcoat mixture often lands in the landfill, polluting ground water and the environment. It is thus important from the point of view of both the environment preservation and waste management, that as much clearcoat as possible is used without being wasted. It was proven in an earlier study (BSc Hon Formulation Science Treatise, 2011) that adding eugenol to a clearcoat mixture after crosslinking had started could reduce its viscosity, which is an indicator of crosslinking progress. Crosslinking subsequently resumed at a lower rate than in traditional blends. If stored away from oxygen and high temperatures, this blend could maintain optimum viscosity indefinitely. In this follow up study an optimum formulation was developed using D - optimal experimental design. It sought to extend the pot life to avoid waste to spray painters while saving the environment from pollution. The formulation that gave the desired viscosity after five hours of pot life was adopted. It was hypothesised that the optimum formulated clearcoat mixture would have a longer pot life than its traditional counterparts, and that it would perform just as well as the traditional clearcoat mixtures. To study the rate of crosslinking (disappearance of functional groups and appearance of the urethane bond), FTIR spectrometry was performed on a mixture produced from the optimized formula in comparison to that of a traditional mixture (the control). The rate of disappearance of functional groups was found to be lower in the eugenol mixture than in the control mixture. After six hours, eugenol was added into the control mixture, and this seemed to reduce the viscosity with the re-emergence of functional groups in the mixture. After 24 hours of crosslinking, an FTIR scan was done on the solid sample and this revealed that the eugenol mixture had crosslinked fully, with no detectable functional groups in the sample.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Bukula, Nwabisa Asanda
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Coating processes , Automobiles -- Bodies -- Maintenance and repair
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4814 , vital:20707
- Description: Modern automobiles are painted with basecoat, technology which is either metallic, solid colour or pearlescent. This requires protection from chemicals, scratching, weathering and UV light by applying a protective top coat (clearcoat) over the basecoat. For the clearcoat to cure into a hard protective shell it undergoes an irreversible crosslinking process. This usually takes place over the first four to five hours, depending on the formulation and weather conditions. The speed of crosslinking can be enhanced by temperature. Pot life is important as it can affect the overall quality of the painted surface. If crosslinking occurs too quickly, before the clearcoat is applied onto the surface, the clearcoat cannot be used to produce a good quality finish. The “expired” mixture is thus discarded. If used, the quality of the finished product cannot be guaranteed to last, and the paintwork may have to be redone. This often means removing the underlying paint and primer as well with the clearcoat film. Besides the time lost, the discarded clearcoat mixture often lands in the landfill, polluting ground water and the environment. It is thus important from the point of view of both the environment preservation and waste management, that as much clearcoat as possible is used without being wasted. It was proven in an earlier study (BSc Hon Formulation Science Treatise, 2011) that adding eugenol to a clearcoat mixture after crosslinking had started could reduce its viscosity, which is an indicator of crosslinking progress. Crosslinking subsequently resumed at a lower rate than in traditional blends. If stored away from oxygen and high temperatures, this blend could maintain optimum viscosity indefinitely. In this follow up study an optimum formulation was developed using D - optimal experimental design. It sought to extend the pot life to avoid waste to spray painters while saving the environment from pollution. The formulation that gave the desired viscosity after five hours of pot life was adopted. It was hypothesised that the optimum formulated clearcoat mixture would have a longer pot life than its traditional counterparts, and that it would perform just as well as the traditional clearcoat mixtures. To study the rate of crosslinking (disappearance of functional groups and appearance of the urethane bond), FTIR spectrometry was performed on a mixture produced from the optimized formula in comparison to that of a traditional mixture (the control). The rate of disappearance of functional groups was found to be lower in the eugenol mixture than in the control mixture. After six hours, eugenol was added into the control mixture, and this seemed to reduce the viscosity with the re-emergence of functional groups in the mixture. After 24 hours of crosslinking, an FTIR scan was done on the solid sample and this revealed that the eugenol mixture had crosslinked fully, with no detectable functional groups in the sample.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
A situational survey of Siyazondla homestead food production programme and food security, poverty alleviation in selected communities of Nkonkobe local municipality of the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Bulelani, Phezisa
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/723 , vital:26491
- Description: People living in rural areas are continually losing their value, dignity, ubuntu and rural nature of livelihood. Agriculture in these areas characterises the nature of rural livelihood. Traditionally, people living in rural areas were highly dependent on their production from gardens for food, income (barter exchange), and other social activities. Nowadays, that motive and interest is no longer operating at its full potential, so to revive that history and nature, household (homestead) production, certain programmes were introduced to greatly improved the standard of living of the poor, and it has proved to have an impact as it has generated income, and created food stability and employment through the project. Home gardens are there and can be used as the method and the strategy toward improvement and development of the people around the world, more especial to developing countries. Certain programmes that are initiated for acting against the challenges faced by rural people have failed to materialise and operate on their fully potential. The Siyazondla homestead food production programme is the one of the programmes practiced by the government of South Africa to act against such challenges, affecting especially poor people. This study was aimed at assessing the role of Siyazondla homestead food production programme in food security and poverty alleviation in selected communities of Nkonkobe local municipality of the Eastern Cape. It took the form of a case study in Msobomvu, Ngcothoyi and Binfield locations. The Nkonkobe local municipality is demarcated into five major areas: Middledrift, Alice, Seymour, Fort Beaufort and Balfour. The study sample was collected from beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the Siyazondla programme. The sample size was 90 respondents, from which in one area, a 15 beneficiaries and anticipated non-beneficiaries were targeted. The target sample from each village was collected from 15 beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Many farmers from the study area benefited from the programme, though a limited number was targeted. Therefore, a probability sampling was applied and employed, where there were more than required number of beneficiaries of the programme and anticipated beneficiaries of the programme. The study was effectively and efficiently carried out and achieved with the use of personal interviewing of the recipients by use of questionnaires. The study was analysed by a computerised programme of analyses called SPSS v.2.1 and excel. The objectives of the study based on food security, poverty alleviation and reduction, and also improving nutritious status. The finding of the research clearly indicates the outcome of the programme on livelihood basis of the beneficiaries. Some of the objectives of the programme were achieved, such as food security and nutritious levels, whilst other objectives had shortcomings. The finding of the study also shows that programme, though had original benefits but also there are the anticipated and probable benefits of the programme Siyazondla, such as income, skill of farming, improving social status, and there are some possibilities when the programme is properly implemented. Though the majority of people are concentrated in rural areas, the programme on its own had shortcoming to meet needs of the whole population, as food insecurity, unemployment and poverty are taking its course. The programme on its own had shortcoming such as lack of adequate resource and as results, very few people benefited from the programme. Another shortcoming of the programme is the effectiveness of agricultural extension personnel to certain aspect such as marketing of farmers produce and proper monitoring and evaluation of the programme. Therefore, in the long run programmes of this nature are promising, there will be some development and improvement toward growth and better standards of livelihood. It is through this study that had to assess the structure, procedure, strategies implemented of the programme and impact of the programme to both beneficiaries and anticipated beneficiaries of the programme. Keywords: rural area, social challenges, home garden, home based food production and Siyazondla.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Bulelani, Phezisa
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/723 , vital:26491
- Description: People living in rural areas are continually losing their value, dignity, ubuntu and rural nature of livelihood. Agriculture in these areas characterises the nature of rural livelihood. Traditionally, people living in rural areas were highly dependent on their production from gardens for food, income (barter exchange), and other social activities. Nowadays, that motive and interest is no longer operating at its full potential, so to revive that history and nature, household (homestead) production, certain programmes were introduced to greatly improved the standard of living of the poor, and it has proved to have an impact as it has generated income, and created food stability and employment through the project. Home gardens are there and can be used as the method and the strategy toward improvement and development of the people around the world, more especial to developing countries. Certain programmes that are initiated for acting against the challenges faced by rural people have failed to materialise and operate on their fully potential. The Siyazondla homestead food production programme is the one of the programmes practiced by the government of South Africa to act against such challenges, affecting especially poor people. This study was aimed at assessing the role of Siyazondla homestead food production programme in food security and poverty alleviation in selected communities of Nkonkobe local municipality of the Eastern Cape. It took the form of a case study in Msobomvu, Ngcothoyi and Binfield locations. The Nkonkobe local municipality is demarcated into five major areas: Middledrift, Alice, Seymour, Fort Beaufort and Balfour. The study sample was collected from beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the Siyazondla programme. The sample size was 90 respondents, from which in one area, a 15 beneficiaries and anticipated non-beneficiaries were targeted. The target sample from each village was collected from 15 beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Many farmers from the study area benefited from the programme, though a limited number was targeted. Therefore, a probability sampling was applied and employed, where there were more than required number of beneficiaries of the programme and anticipated beneficiaries of the programme. The study was effectively and efficiently carried out and achieved with the use of personal interviewing of the recipients by use of questionnaires. The study was analysed by a computerised programme of analyses called SPSS v.2.1 and excel. The objectives of the study based on food security, poverty alleviation and reduction, and also improving nutritious status. The finding of the research clearly indicates the outcome of the programme on livelihood basis of the beneficiaries. Some of the objectives of the programme were achieved, such as food security and nutritious levels, whilst other objectives had shortcomings. The finding of the study also shows that programme, though had original benefits but also there are the anticipated and probable benefits of the programme Siyazondla, such as income, skill of farming, improving social status, and there are some possibilities when the programme is properly implemented. Though the majority of people are concentrated in rural areas, the programme on its own had shortcoming to meet needs of the whole population, as food insecurity, unemployment and poverty are taking its course. The programme on its own had shortcoming such as lack of adequate resource and as results, very few people benefited from the programme. Another shortcoming of the programme is the effectiveness of agricultural extension personnel to certain aspect such as marketing of farmers produce and proper monitoring and evaluation of the programme. Therefore, in the long run programmes of this nature are promising, there will be some development and improvement toward growth and better standards of livelihood. It is through this study that had to assess the structure, procedure, strategies implemented of the programme and impact of the programme to both beneficiaries and anticipated beneficiaries of the programme. Keywords: rural area, social challenges, home garden, home based food production and Siyazondla.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Financial characteristics of the nonprofit organisation: theory and evidence for the assessment of the financial condition of South African public universities
- Authors: Bunting, Mark Bevan
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:923 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021298 , http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3392-554X
- Description: In this thesis, an analytical framework is developed for the assessment of the financial condition of South African public universities. Foundational constructs of nonprofit economics are applied in the consideration of financial theories of nonprofit organisations in general, and public universities in particular. From this review, a number of hypotheses are developed. Each of these specifies a positive or negative association between a university's financial condition and a particular dimension of its assets, liabilities, equity, revenues, expenses and surplus. From the nonprofit financial analysis literature, ratios and indicators relevant to these hypotheses are selected. Audited data from the annual financial statements of the universities for the seven year period 2007 to 2013 are substantially transformed in mitigation of failures in accounting, auditing and accountability. The adjusted accounting numbers are used to calculate the financial indicators applicable to each university. Exploratory factor analysis is implemented to categorise and organise this large indicator set on the basis of identified associations with a smaller number of factors. It is found that the financial condition of South African public universities is defined by two broad financial characteristics, capital and revenue. Assessment of the capital dimension is informed by a focus on institutional equity, with particular emphasis on expendable equity and its proportionate relationships with surplus, total capital, and total expenses. The revenue dimension is appropriately evaluated in the context of a comparative and interactive consideration of the three main components of South African public university revenue, as well as the proportionate relationship between non-staff operating expenses and total expenses. The framework displays considerable levels of stability and consistency over the seven year review period, and its constructs are, in addition, robust to the application of multiple alternative confirmatory tests involving financial data that are independent of the factor solutions. The financial condition assessment framework developed in this thesis offers a contribution to a broader discourse in nonprofit finance and accounting, with a focus on public university finances.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Bunting, Mark Bevan
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:923 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021298 , http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3392-554X
- Description: In this thesis, an analytical framework is developed for the assessment of the financial condition of South African public universities. Foundational constructs of nonprofit economics are applied in the consideration of financial theories of nonprofit organisations in general, and public universities in particular. From this review, a number of hypotheses are developed. Each of these specifies a positive or negative association between a university's financial condition and a particular dimension of its assets, liabilities, equity, revenues, expenses and surplus. From the nonprofit financial analysis literature, ratios and indicators relevant to these hypotheses are selected. Audited data from the annual financial statements of the universities for the seven year period 2007 to 2013 are substantially transformed in mitigation of failures in accounting, auditing and accountability. The adjusted accounting numbers are used to calculate the financial indicators applicable to each university. Exploratory factor analysis is implemented to categorise and organise this large indicator set on the basis of identified associations with a smaller number of factors. It is found that the financial condition of South African public universities is defined by two broad financial characteristics, capital and revenue. Assessment of the capital dimension is informed by a focus on institutional equity, with particular emphasis on expendable equity and its proportionate relationships with surplus, total capital, and total expenses. The revenue dimension is appropriately evaluated in the context of a comparative and interactive consideration of the three main components of South African public university revenue, as well as the proportionate relationship between non-staff operating expenses and total expenses. The framework displays considerable levels of stability and consistency over the seven year review period, and its constructs are, in addition, robust to the application of multiple alternative confirmatory tests involving financial data that are independent of the factor solutions. The financial condition assessment framework developed in this thesis offers a contribution to a broader discourse in nonprofit finance and accounting, with a focus on public university finances.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The design of a digital resource centre in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Bursey, Rowan
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Community centers -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Designs and plans Community centers -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MArch
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/38874 , vital:35009
- Description: This treatise is centered on the design of a digital resource centre in the township of Motherwell, Port Elizabeth. The building is concerned with providing a civic space which promotes access to and effective use of digital information and communication technologies. The treatise explores the issues and methods involved in the design of a public digital resource centre. The research starts with an investigation into the nature of public space and civic facilities within a South African township context before exploring the development of the library typology and its evolution in the digital age, while exploring the issues and processes involved in the design of a civic building in a township environment. The architectural design is seen as an appropriate response to the identified architectural issues. Relevant precedents are chosen based on the nature of these issues and the context in which they are situated. The buildings are analyzed in terms of these key issues and will thereby provide an understanding of the architectural identity of the civic building archetype. An understanding of the architectural typology and an analysis of relevant precedents leads to the identification of a set of site selection criteria which can be used to select an appropriate site within the Motherwell precinct. The nature of Motherwell and the identified issues related to the selected site are then investigated in order to develop a set of informants and constraints. Specific elements which are unique to the selected site are then investigated individually while using relevant precedents to establish an appropriate response to the issues involved. An appropriate architectural response is then developed through an understanding of the physical and spatial qualities of the building typology while also responding to the specific issues related to the site.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Bursey, Rowan
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Community centers -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Designs and plans Community centers -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MArch
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/38874 , vital:35009
- Description: This treatise is centered on the design of a digital resource centre in the township of Motherwell, Port Elizabeth. The building is concerned with providing a civic space which promotes access to and effective use of digital information and communication technologies. The treatise explores the issues and methods involved in the design of a public digital resource centre. The research starts with an investigation into the nature of public space and civic facilities within a South African township context before exploring the development of the library typology and its evolution in the digital age, while exploring the issues and processes involved in the design of a civic building in a township environment. The architectural design is seen as an appropriate response to the identified architectural issues. Relevant precedents are chosen based on the nature of these issues and the context in which they are situated. The buildings are analyzed in terms of these key issues and will thereby provide an understanding of the architectural identity of the civic building archetype. An understanding of the architectural typology and an analysis of relevant precedents leads to the identification of a set of site selection criteria which can be used to select an appropriate site within the Motherwell precinct. The nature of Motherwell and the identified issues related to the selected site are then investigated in order to develop a set of informants and constraints. Specific elements which are unique to the selected site are then investigated individually while using relevant precedents to establish an appropriate response to the issues involved. An appropriate architectural response is then developed through an understanding of the physical and spatial qualities of the building typology while also responding to the specific issues related to the site.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Image of Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB): an external stakeholder's perspective
- Authors: Bush, Charmel Lolita
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Tourism -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , South Africa -- Description and travel
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/9097 , vital:26464
- Description: A distinctive destination image is required in order to compete with other destinations for tourists and investors alike. This main objective of this study is to develop a model for destination image formation for Nelson Mandela Bay as a secondary economy to boost its global competitiveness. Several researchers have studied destination image and based on the fact that tourists and investors usually have a limited knowledge of destinations they have not previously visited, destination image fulfils an important function insofar as destinations with strong, positive, discriminatory and recognisable images. A literature study was conducted to identify the key influencers on destination image as well as to identify which forces are likely to influence the destination image of Nelson Mandela Bay. The different factors of destination image were identified from the literature sources and these factors provided a basis for an empirical study that was conducted amongst external stakeholders. The primary research objective was to create a model of destination image for Nelson Mandela Bay and to explain the cause and effect relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Added to the primary research objective, eight secondary research objectives were identified. The primary research question for this study was to identify what influences the destination image of Nelson Mandela Bay. Added to the primary research question, the researcher also identified eight research questions as part of the study. The empirical analysis was used to test the hypotheses and ultimately develop a model for destination image formation for Nelson Mandela Bay. This study was exploratory in nature and thus used a limited sample to gain insights for further research. Data were obtained through questionnaires that were distributed electronically to 120 respondents. This study concluded with the development of a destination image model for Nelson Mandela Bay that can be expanded upon with further research. The results indicate that general infrastructure and social environment; leisure and recreation; and culture influence the Affective component of Nelson Mandela Bay. Information sources and Political stability and risk influence the Cognitive component of Nelson Mandela Bay. Together the Affective and Cognitive component makes up the overall image of Nelson Mandela Bay.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Bush, Charmel Lolita
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Tourism -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , South Africa -- Description and travel
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/9097 , vital:26464
- Description: A distinctive destination image is required in order to compete with other destinations for tourists and investors alike. This main objective of this study is to develop a model for destination image formation for Nelson Mandela Bay as a secondary economy to boost its global competitiveness. Several researchers have studied destination image and based on the fact that tourists and investors usually have a limited knowledge of destinations they have not previously visited, destination image fulfils an important function insofar as destinations with strong, positive, discriminatory and recognisable images. A literature study was conducted to identify the key influencers on destination image as well as to identify which forces are likely to influence the destination image of Nelson Mandela Bay. The different factors of destination image were identified from the literature sources and these factors provided a basis for an empirical study that was conducted amongst external stakeholders. The primary research objective was to create a model of destination image for Nelson Mandela Bay and to explain the cause and effect relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Added to the primary research objective, eight secondary research objectives were identified. The primary research question for this study was to identify what influences the destination image of Nelson Mandela Bay. Added to the primary research question, the researcher also identified eight research questions as part of the study. The empirical analysis was used to test the hypotheses and ultimately develop a model for destination image formation for Nelson Mandela Bay. This study was exploratory in nature and thus used a limited sample to gain insights for further research. Data were obtained through questionnaires that were distributed electronically to 120 respondents. This study concluded with the development of a destination image model for Nelson Mandela Bay that can be expanded upon with further research. The results indicate that general infrastructure and social environment; leisure and recreation; and culture influence the Affective component of Nelson Mandela Bay. Information sources and Political stability and risk influence the Cognitive component of Nelson Mandela Bay. Together the Affective and Cognitive component makes up the overall image of Nelson Mandela Bay.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Ways of seeing over time: the construction and imagination of ‘historic separation’ in Israeli and Palestinian cultures
- Authors: Butler, Nina Melissa
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/474 , vital:19962
- Description: There exists an international consensus that Palestinian and Israeli societies are ceaselessly and essentially acrimonious. This thesis argues that the conceptualisation of ‘historic separation’ in Palestine/Israel is supported and nourished by national narratives that follow classic historicism and a linear trajectory of essentialised culture progressing over time. Given these patterns in historiography and cultural expressions, conceptualisations of the future are argued to be dominated by the ‘overdetermined’ and ‘sacralised’ pasts that arrest the ability to conceive of alternative horizons. These national narratives are analysed borrowing from the theorisation of Edward Said on hegemonic culture, and Ranjit Guha’s Subaltern critique of historicism. Zionism is argued to function as a cultural hegemony that operates in a mercurial, selfsustaining and vibrant manner that has the effect of what this thesis terms ‘centrifugal magnetism’ on discourse in the region. Palestinian national narratives are held to be in tangential relation to Zionism (a classic colonial master-narrative), thus entering into a ‘terrible embrace’ of destructive colonial/postcolonial repetition that tends towards violent conflict and the discrimination of minorities. This thesis then proposes a ‘way out’ of this historiographical pattern that is argued to tangibly inform the cultural fabric of the region. By drawing on the later works of Mahmoud Darwish, Mustaffa Hallaj and Said, it is proposed that there are traces of a notion of self and community that can be described as postnational. This demands a reconstruction of narratives of the past in the region in a pluralistic fashion that is based upon shared exilic identity in flux over what Darwish termed an ‘open historical space’. Crucially, this alternative postnational narrative opens up conceptualisations of the future and is founded upon a renewed disposition to temporality. This thesis thus concludes by proposing that an understanding of temporality as ‘ecstatic’ and essential to being (Martin Heidegger) should be included as a crucial consideration for the end to conflict and the attainment of just and equitable futures.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Butler, Nina Melissa
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/474 , vital:19962
- Description: There exists an international consensus that Palestinian and Israeli societies are ceaselessly and essentially acrimonious. This thesis argues that the conceptualisation of ‘historic separation’ in Palestine/Israel is supported and nourished by national narratives that follow classic historicism and a linear trajectory of essentialised culture progressing over time. Given these patterns in historiography and cultural expressions, conceptualisations of the future are argued to be dominated by the ‘overdetermined’ and ‘sacralised’ pasts that arrest the ability to conceive of alternative horizons. These national narratives are analysed borrowing from the theorisation of Edward Said on hegemonic culture, and Ranjit Guha’s Subaltern critique of historicism. Zionism is argued to function as a cultural hegemony that operates in a mercurial, selfsustaining and vibrant manner that has the effect of what this thesis terms ‘centrifugal magnetism’ on discourse in the region. Palestinian national narratives are held to be in tangential relation to Zionism (a classic colonial master-narrative), thus entering into a ‘terrible embrace’ of destructive colonial/postcolonial repetition that tends towards violent conflict and the discrimination of minorities. This thesis then proposes a ‘way out’ of this historiographical pattern that is argued to tangibly inform the cultural fabric of the region. By drawing on the later works of Mahmoud Darwish, Mustaffa Hallaj and Said, it is proposed that there are traces of a notion of self and community that can be described as postnational. This demands a reconstruction of narratives of the past in the region in a pluralistic fashion that is based upon shared exilic identity in flux over what Darwish termed an ‘open historical space’. Crucially, this alternative postnational narrative opens up conceptualisations of the future and is founded upon a renewed disposition to temporality. This thesis thus concludes by proposing that an understanding of temporality as ‘ecstatic’ and essential to being (Martin Heidegger) should be included as a crucial consideration for the end to conflict and the attainment of just and equitable futures.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Parents' perceptions of their adolescent children's internet use
- Authors: Butler, Zoe Ann
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Parent and child -- South Africa , Internet users -- South Africa , Cyberbullying -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7134 , vital:21246
- Description: Parents’ perceptions of their adolescent children’s Internet use significantly influences the parental mediation strategies they choose to use with their children. The motivation for this explorative research study was to understand the impact of psychological and social influences on users of the Internet in South Africa. Both locally and internationally, there is a focus on the use of digital Internet devices to facilitate education. Access of South Africans to the Internet, whether for social or educational use does not exist in a vacuum, exempt from the bidirectional forces of the individual and the environment they use the Internet in, whether it is family or academic. This study firstly focusses on how parents perceive their adolescent children’s Internet use, and secondly, how they parent their children’s use of the Internet. The common topics and themes that emerged from this study allow for the development and provision of professional services that individuals, couples, families, and groups require for the use of, or exposure to the Internet. This study uses an explorative-descriptive qualitative research design with an interpretive paradigm and snowball sampling. The qualitative research design focussed on the concepts of self-reflexivity, context, and thick description while utilizing multivocality of 1) international and South African research on cyber citizenship, including cyberbullying, cyber harassment, and legal consequences, with 2) psychological aspects of the psychosocial developmental challenges of adolescents from the iGeneration including the benefits, risks, and dangers of using the Internet, and 3) qualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews with parents from Generation X who are raising and educating a generation of children on the other side of the Digital Divide. Tracy’s 8 ‘Big-Tent’ criteria for guiding excellence in qualitative research and Tesch’s model of content analysis was used during the content analysis process. Themes and sub-themes that emerged from the analysis of the participants’ narratives included 1) experiences: positive and negative, 2) observations: behavioural changes and gender differences, 3) parenting methods: parental interaction, rules, and limits, 4) concerns: risks, and 5) opinions: personal views. This research study provides a thick description of South African and international literature and combines the literature with the voices of the participants and the researcher to produce discussions based on the findings of this qualitative study. Conclusions, recommendations, and limitations of this study informed future research on cyber citizenship by providing a detailed understanding of the context of South African parents and children, the psychosocial developmental challenges of adolescents and, how educational programmes can be best created to effectively impact on the generations of parents, teachers and children in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Butler, Zoe Ann
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Parent and child -- South Africa , Internet users -- South Africa , Cyberbullying -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7134 , vital:21246
- Description: Parents’ perceptions of their adolescent children’s Internet use significantly influences the parental mediation strategies they choose to use with their children. The motivation for this explorative research study was to understand the impact of psychological and social influences on users of the Internet in South Africa. Both locally and internationally, there is a focus on the use of digital Internet devices to facilitate education. Access of South Africans to the Internet, whether for social or educational use does not exist in a vacuum, exempt from the bidirectional forces of the individual and the environment they use the Internet in, whether it is family or academic. This study firstly focusses on how parents perceive their adolescent children’s Internet use, and secondly, how they parent their children’s use of the Internet. The common topics and themes that emerged from this study allow for the development and provision of professional services that individuals, couples, families, and groups require for the use of, or exposure to the Internet. This study uses an explorative-descriptive qualitative research design with an interpretive paradigm and snowball sampling. The qualitative research design focussed on the concepts of self-reflexivity, context, and thick description while utilizing multivocality of 1) international and South African research on cyber citizenship, including cyberbullying, cyber harassment, and legal consequences, with 2) psychological aspects of the psychosocial developmental challenges of adolescents from the iGeneration including the benefits, risks, and dangers of using the Internet, and 3) qualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews with parents from Generation X who are raising and educating a generation of children on the other side of the Digital Divide. Tracy’s 8 ‘Big-Tent’ criteria for guiding excellence in qualitative research and Tesch’s model of content analysis was used during the content analysis process. Themes and sub-themes that emerged from the analysis of the participants’ narratives included 1) experiences: positive and negative, 2) observations: behavioural changes and gender differences, 3) parenting methods: parental interaction, rules, and limits, 4) concerns: risks, and 5) opinions: personal views. This research study provides a thick description of South African and international literature and combines the literature with the voices of the participants and the researcher to produce discussions based on the findings of this qualitative study. Conclusions, recommendations, and limitations of this study informed future research on cyber citizenship by providing a detailed understanding of the context of South African parents and children, the psychosocial developmental challenges of adolescents and, how educational programmes can be best created to effectively impact on the generations of parents, teachers and children in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Parents' perceptions of their adolescent children's internet use
- Authors: Butler, Zoe Ann
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Parent and child -- South Africa , Internet users -- South Africa , Cyberbullying -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4575 , vital:20619
- Description: Parents’ perceptions of their adolescent children’s Internet use significantly influences the parental mediation strategies they choose to use with their children. The motivation for this explorative research study was to understand the impact of psychological and social influences on users of the Internet in South Africa. Both locally and internationally, there is a focus on the use of digital Internet devices to facilitate education. Access of South Africans to the Internet, whether for social or educational use does not exist in a vacuum, exempt from the bidirectional forces of the individual and the environment they use the Internet in, whether it is family or academic. This study firstly focusses on how parents perceive their adolescent children’s Internet use, and secondly, how they parent their children’s use of the Internet. The common topics and themes that emerged from this study allow for the development and provision of professional services that individuals, couples, families, and groups require for the use of, or exposure to the Internet. This study uses an explorative-descriptive qualitative research design with an interpretive paradigm and snowball sampling. The qualitative research design focussed on the concepts of self-reflexivity, context, and thick description while utilizing multivocality of 1) international and South African research on cyber citizenship, including cyberbullying, cyber harassment, and legal consequences, with 2) psychological aspects of the psychosocial developmental challenges of adolescents from the iGeneration including the benefits, risks, and dangers of using the Internet, and 3) qualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews with parents from Generation X who are raising and educating a generation of children on the other side of the Digital Divide. Tracy’s 8 ‘Big-Tent’ criteria for guiding excellence in qualitative research and Tesch’s model of content analysis was used during the content analysis process. Themes and sub-themes that emerged from the analysis of the participants’ narratives included 1) experiences: positive and negative, 2) observations: behavioural changes and gender differences, 3) parenting methods: parental interaction, rules, and limits, 4) concerns: risks, and 5) opinions: personal views. This research study provides a thick description of South African and international literature and combines the literature with the voices of the participants and the researcher to produce discussions based on the findings of this qualitative study. Conclusions, recommendations, and limitations of this study informed future research on cyber citizenship by providing a detailed understanding of the context of South African parents and children, the psychosocial developmental challenges of adolescents and, how educational programmes can be best created to effectively impact on the generations of parents, teachers and children in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Butler, Zoe Ann
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Parent and child -- South Africa , Internet users -- South Africa , Cyberbullying -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4575 , vital:20619
- Description: Parents’ perceptions of their adolescent children’s Internet use significantly influences the parental mediation strategies they choose to use with their children. The motivation for this explorative research study was to understand the impact of psychological and social influences on users of the Internet in South Africa. Both locally and internationally, there is a focus on the use of digital Internet devices to facilitate education. Access of South Africans to the Internet, whether for social or educational use does not exist in a vacuum, exempt from the bidirectional forces of the individual and the environment they use the Internet in, whether it is family or academic. This study firstly focusses on how parents perceive their adolescent children’s Internet use, and secondly, how they parent their children’s use of the Internet. The common topics and themes that emerged from this study allow for the development and provision of professional services that individuals, couples, families, and groups require for the use of, or exposure to the Internet. This study uses an explorative-descriptive qualitative research design with an interpretive paradigm and snowball sampling. The qualitative research design focussed on the concepts of self-reflexivity, context, and thick description while utilizing multivocality of 1) international and South African research on cyber citizenship, including cyberbullying, cyber harassment, and legal consequences, with 2) psychological aspects of the psychosocial developmental challenges of adolescents from the iGeneration including the benefits, risks, and dangers of using the Internet, and 3) qualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews with parents from Generation X who are raising and educating a generation of children on the other side of the Digital Divide. Tracy’s 8 ‘Big-Tent’ criteria for guiding excellence in qualitative research and Tesch’s model of content analysis was used during the content analysis process. Themes and sub-themes that emerged from the analysis of the participants’ narratives included 1) experiences: positive and negative, 2) observations: behavioural changes and gender differences, 3) parenting methods: parental interaction, rules, and limits, 4) concerns: risks, and 5) opinions: personal views. This research study provides a thick description of South African and international literature and combines the literature with the voices of the participants and the researcher to produce discussions based on the findings of this qualitative study. Conclusions, recommendations, and limitations of this study informed future research on cyber citizenship by providing a detailed understanding of the context of South African parents and children, the psychosocial developmental challenges of adolescents and, how educational programmes can be best created to effectively impact on the generations of parents, teachers and children in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
A qualitative study: educator-targeted bullying by learners in a high school in Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Campher, Roelof Petrus
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Bullying in schools -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Educators -- Abuse of -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4709 , vital:20655
- Description: This study explores the phenomenon of educator targeted-bullying (ETB) by learners as an educational problem in terms of the incidence, frequency, severity and the impact on effective teaching and learning in classrooms. Abuse or bullying in schools usually happens amongst learners or to learners targeted by educators. However, the phenomenon of educator abuse by learners is escalating, internationally as well as nationally, and is experienced by many educators, especially by those teaching in secondary schools. An extensive literature review on numerous research national and international studies reports on the fact that the bullying of educators in all its forms, including physical, verbal, emotional and cyber bullying, impacts negatively on the emotional and psychological well-being of educators who are also stressed by other work demands, resulting in ineffective teaching and learning experiences in schools. The over-arching purpose of this local study was to determine the impact of ETB by learners on the effectiveness of teaching and learning in classrooms. In addition, other aspects of ETB were examined, namely the types of bullying, its severity and frequency, and the emotional and psychological effects on educators’ general well-being as victims. The study was conducted in a private high school in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area, Eastern Cape, South Africa. A qualitative methodology was used and all the educators employed at this particular school took part in the study. Convenience sampling was thus applied in the selection of the participants and questionnaires and written narratives were used as data gathering instruments. Twelve educators completed questionnaires to gather information-rich qualitative data to investigate the abovementioned aspects of this study. Four educators wrote narratives on their experiences of ETB by learners in this school context. The results of this research provided valuable evidence that ETB by learners in this school has a distressing impact on the educators and their psychological well-being, impairing teaching quality and learning outcomes in classrooms and, ultimately, with adverse educational consequences for all learners. The theoretical framework for this study was based on the ecological systems theory of the developmental psychologist and theorist, Urie Bronfenbrenner. Bronfenbrenner (1979) suggested that the process of human development is shaped and moulded by a person’s v environment and all the people and institutions that play a role in that environment. In my view, this theory may explain to some extent why some children are moulded and shaped as bullies as a result of the child’s exposure to and interaction with his/her environment. The main findings of this study include the fact that ETB is a serious phenomenon that an increasing number of educators are exposed to. It also appears that the incidences are becoming more severe and involve serious physical threats and bodily harm. Educators are also exposed to ETB on a regular basis, with many educators being bullied on a daily basis. It is clear that verbal abuse is the most prominent form of ETB leading to emotional damage, feelings of incompetence and reduced motivation to teach with innovation and enthusiasm. This in turn leads to the very concerning fact that ETB negatively affects successful teaching and learning in classrooms, adding more problems to an already embattled education system. Participants also provided some guidelines to reduce and possibly prevent ETB by learners. In doing so, these data can hopefully be used in the formulation of anti-bullying programmes for educators, which can result in safer working environments and more effective teaching and learning for learners.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Campher, Roelof Petrus
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Bullying in schools -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Educators -- Abuse of -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4709 , vital:20655
- Description: This study explores the phenomenon of educator targeted-bullying (ETB) by learners as an educational problem in terms of the incidence, frequency, severity and the impact on effective teaching and learning in classrooms. Abuse or bullying in schools usually happens amongst learners or to learners targeted by educators. However, the phenomenon of educator abuse by learners is escalating, internationally as well as nationally, and is experienced by many educators, especially by those teaching in secondary schools. An extensive literature review on numerous research national and international studies reports on the fact that the bullying of educators in all its forms, including physical, verbal, emotional and cyber bullying, impacts negatively on the emotional and psychological well-being of educators who are also stressed by other work demands, resulting in ineffective teaching and learning experiences in schools. The over-arching purpose of this local study was to determine the impact of ETB by learners on the effectiveness of teaching and learning in classrooms. In addition, other aspects of ETB were examined, namely the types of bullying, its severity and frequency, and the emotional and psychological effects on educators’ general well-being as victims. The study was conducted in a private high school in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area, Eastern Cape, South Africa. A qualitative methodology was used and all the educators employed at this particular school took part in the study. Convenience sampling was thus applied in the selection of the participants and questionnaires and written narratives were used as data gathering instruments. Twelve educators completed questionnaires to gather information-rich qualitative data to investigate the abovementioned aspects of this study. Four educators wrote narratives on their experiences of ETB by learners in this school context. The results of this research provided valuable evidence that ETB by learners in this school has a distressing impact on the educators and their psychological well-being, impairing teaching quality and learning outcomes in classrooms and, ultimately, with adverse educational consequences for all learners. The theoretical framework for this study was based on the ecological systems theory of the developmental psychologist and theorist, Urie Bronfenbrenner. Bronfenbrenner (1979) suggested that the process of human development is shaped and moulded by a person’s v environment and all the people and institutions that play a role in that environment. In my view, this theory may explain to some extent why some children are moulded and shaped as bullies as a result of the child’s exposure to and interaction with his/her environment. The main findings of this study include the fact that ETB is a serious phenomenon that an increasing number of educators are exposed to. It also appears that the incidences are becoming more severe and involve serious physical threats and bodily harm. Educators are also exposed to ETB on a regular basis, with many educators being bullied on a daily basis. It is clear that verbal abuse is the most prominent form of ETB leading to emotional damage, feelings of incompetence and reduced motivation to teach with innovation and enthusiasm. This in turn leads to the very concerning fact that ETB negatively affects successful teaching and learning in classrooms, adding more problems to an already embattled education system. Participants also provided some guidelines to reduce and possibly prevent ETB by learners. In doing so, these data can hopefully be used in the formulation of anti-bullying programmes for educators, which can result in safer working environments and more effective teaching and learning for learners.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Measures of success of small and medium-sized family and non-family-owned businesses in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Carelsen, Mispah
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Success in business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Family-owned business enterprises -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3479 , vital:20434
- Description: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are recognised internationally and in South Africa as a critical component of the economic development of a country as a result of their contribution to job creation, alleviation of poverty, sustainability and innovation. Furthermore, the majority of SMEs are also family-owned and play an increasingly important role in the South African economy, making up approximately 84 per cent of businesses in the country. Despite the critical role that family and non-family SMEs play in economic development, they are still plagued with high failure rates and unique challenges that make it difficult for them to survive. These challenges include, amongst others, regulatory burdens, restrictive labour policies, a lack of access to finance, markets and technology, as well as an overwhelmingly constant emphasis on survival. As a result of the added dynamic of family relationships within family-owned SMEs, they face additional challenges such as conflict between family members and inadequate succession planning. Focus is often placed on the factors leading to failure, but little is known about success-aiding behaviours that could reduce the high failure rate and improve the success rate of these businesses. As a result, it is important to examine what determines success and how it is measured. Success can be defined as the attainment of goals, therefore the achievement of goals plays a critical role in the success of the business.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Carelsen, Mispah
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Success in business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Family-owned business enterprises -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3479 , vital:20434
- Description: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are recognised internationally and in South Africa as a critical component of the economic development of a country as a result of their contribution to job creation, alleviation of poverty, sustainability and innovation. Furthermore, the majority of SMEs are also family-owned and play an increasingly important role in the South African economy, making up approximately 84 per cent of businesses in the country. Despite the critical role that family and non-family SMEs play in economic development, they are still plagued with high failure rates and unique challenges that make it difficult for them to survive. These challenges include, amongst others, regulatory burdens, restrictive labour policies, a lack of access to finance, markets and technology, as well as an overwhelmingly constant emphasis on survival. As a result of the added dynamic of family relationships within family-owned SMEs, they face additional challenges such as conflict between family members and inadequate succession planning. Focus is often placed on the factors leading to failure, but little is known about success-aiding behaviours that could reduce the high failure rate and improve the success rate of these businesses. As a result, it is important to examine what determines success and how it is measured. Success can be defined as the attainment of goals, therefore the achievement of goals plays a critical role in the success of the business.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Foraging ecology of the gentoo penguin, pygoscelis papua, at Marion Island
- Authors: Carpenter-Kling, Tegan
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Gentoo penguin -- Food
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4912 , vital:20766
- Description: The distribution and subsequent availability of marine predators’ prey is highly variable and is linked to fluctuating oceanographic parameters. It is well documented that annual breeding success of seabirds is related to the temporal availability of prey. Knowledge of a seabird’s diet and at sea distribution is therefore critical in deducing the effect of a fluctuating environment on a seabirds’ population and, furthermore, to understand seabirds role in the environment. The gentoo penguin population at sub-Antarctic Marion Island experienced a decline of 52% between 1994 and 2012. It has been speculated that long term changes in the local marine environment, due to a southward shift of the sub-Antarctic Front (SAF), and subsequent changes in prey availability is the ultimate causal factor. Therefore, this thesis investigates the temporal variation in the diet these birds over three years, through the use of stomach content samples. It then investigates whether the composition of the diet has changed over the long term (approximately 18 years). Additionally, the at sea distribution of these birds was investigated using temperature-depth recorders (TDRs) and global positioning system (GPS) devices. This study represents the first to investigate variation in the diet over three years and over the long term. It is also the first study to track these birds fine scale movement. Over three years, the diet exhibited a high degree of variability. The birds primarily foraged on the fish, Lepidonotothen larseni and the crustaceans, Nauticaris marionis and Euphausia vallentiniy. Over three years, L. larseni became increasingly more important during the breeding season. This was attributed to an increase in availability of these fish during this time, as this time corresponded to the transition of these fish from the larval pelagic phase to the benthic adult phase. Furthermore, the proportions of N. marionis and E. vallentini in the diet varied significantly among years. This variation is possibly a result of the highly variable latitudinal position of the SAF. The diet changed over the long term. There was significantly less N. marionis and more E. vallentini in the diet during more recent years. The long term southward shift of the SAF is considered to be a leading cause of these significant changes in the diet. The shallow inter-island shelf between Marion and Prince Edward Island was an important foraging area possibly due to predictable prey resources. In addition, these birds exhibited an important and possibly unique foraging strategy. They performed short self-maintenance trips where after they return to land to roost for the night. The following day these trips were followed by a longer foraging trip that was followed by chick provisioning. This strategy is unique among seabirds longer trips are associated with self-maintenance and not chick provisioning. This study has provided important knowledge of the foraging ecology of the gentoo penguin at sub-Antarctic Marion Island. It highlights the necessity for continuation of diet and tracking studies of these birds if we are to fully understand the ultimate factors that are causing the decline in their breeding success and population numbers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Carpenter-Kling, Tegan
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Gentoo penguin -- Food
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4912 , vital:20766
- Description: The distribution and subsequent availability of marine predators’ prey is highly variable and is linked to fluctuating oceanographic parameters. It is well documented that annual breeding success of seabirds is related to the temporal availability of prey. Knowledge of a seabird’s diet and at sea distribution is therefore critical in deducing the effect of a fluctuating environment on a seabirds’ population and, furthermore, to understand seabirds role in the environment. The gentoo penguin population at sub-Antarctic Marion Island experienced a decline of 52% between 1994 and 2012. It has been speculated that long term changes in the local marine environment, due to a southward shift of the sub-Antarctic Front (SAF), and subsequent changes in prey availability is the ultimate causal factor. Therefore, this thesis investigates the temporal variation in the diet these birds over three years, through the use of stomach content samples. It then investigates whether the composition of the diet has changed over the long term (approximately 18 years). Additionally, the at sea distribution of these birds was investigated using temperature-depth recorders (TDRs) and global positioning system (GPS) devices. This study represents the first to investigate variation in the diet over three years and over the long term. It is also the first study to track these birds fine scale movement. Over three years, the diet exhibited a high degree of variability. The birds primarily foraged on the fish, Lepidonotothen larseni and the crustaceans, Nauticaris marionis and Euphausia vallentiniy. Over three years, L. larseni became increasingly more important during the breeding season. This was attributed to an increase in availability of these fish during this time, as this time corresponded to the transition of these fish from the larval pelagic phase to the benthic adult phase. Furthermore, the proportions of N. marionis and E. vallentini in the diet varied significantly among years. This variation is possibly a result of the highly variable latitudinal position of the SAF. The diet changed over the long term. There was significantly less N. marionis and more E. vallentini in the diet during more recent years. The long term southward shift of the SAF is considered to be a leading cause of these significant changes in the diet. The shallow inter-island shelf between Marion and Prince Edward Island was an important foraging area possibly due to predictable prey resources. In addition, these birds exhibited an important and possibly unique foraging strategy. They performed short self-maintenance trips where after they return to land to roost for the night. The following day these trips were followed by a longer foraging trip that was followed by chick provisioning. This strategy is unique among seabirds longer trips are associated with self-maintenance and not chick provisioning. This study has provided important knowledge of the foraging ecology of the gentoo penguin at sub-Antarctic Marion Island. It highlights the necessity for continuation of diet and tracking studies of these birds if we are to fully understand the ultimate factors that are causing the decline in their breeding success and population numbers.
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- Date Issued: 2016