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Implementing Supply Chain Management: a case study of the Department of Roads and Public Works - Eastern Cape 2010-2012

  • Authors: Dlova, Vukile
  • Date: 2013
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
  • Identifier: vital:11682 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1013549
  • Description: Supply Chain Management was introduced in 2003 to government departments, municipalities and public entities as means of transforming public sector procurement practices. In some public institutions compliance with the regulatory framework has been limited to mere establishment of Supply Chain Management Units. Some of these units are not compliant with the National Treasury guidelines and are not properly staffed with personnel with the required skills and qualifications. Staff employed in Supply Chain Management units are either not provided with the required training in order to fulfill their employment obligations or do not see self-development in Supply Chain Management as of great importance. Supply Chain Management Policies do not evolve from within the institutions but more copies of the guidelines provided by the National Treasury. Staff do not get involved in policy development processes. This is a non-conclusive case study of the Eastern Cape Department of Roads of Public Works which is aimed at establishing the extent the department has complied with prescribed guidelines pertaining to establishment of Supply Chain Management, training of personnel and the development of policies and procedures on Supply Chain Management.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Spiritual rituals and competitive sport outcomes: a study of South African coaches’ and elite players’ perceptions of spirituality in soccer

  • Authors: Dodo, Emmanuel Oluwafemi
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Sports -- Psychological aspects , Sports -- Religious aspects , Sports medicine -- South Africa , Sports rivalries -- South Africa , Coaches (Athletics) -- South Africa , Soccer players -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (HMS)
  • Identifier: vital:11541 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006780 , Sports -- Psychological aspects , Sports -- Religious aspects , Sports medicine -- South Africa , Sports rivalries -- South Africa , Coaches (Athletics) -- South Africa , Soccer players -- South Africa
  • Description: During sports competitions, especially soccer many players and coaches would pray before, during and after the game. Sometimes they would pray when they score a goal. The behaviour has attracted a research interest wanting to know why they do what they do often. The purpose of the study was to understand and evaluate the perceptions of coaches and elite players who continuously use spiritual rituals before, during and after soccer games to influence competitive outcomes. This study was carried out under the guidance of the following key questions; (a) Do spiritual perceptions of elite players influence outcomes of soccer competitions? (b) Does a divergence in spiritual perception between coaches and players influence competitive outcomes? and (c) Are spiritual (ritual) perceptions of soccer coaches and elite players related to religiosity/psychological interventions? In this study, a mixed method of data collection was used to eliminate the biases inherent in single method research. Specifically, qualitative and quantitative methods involving questionnaire, interview and observation supported by secondary and primary literature were used to gather information that would provide answers to the raised key questions. The results show that spiritual ritual practices would not influence the outcome of soccer competitions. Secondly, the spiritual ritual divergence among players and coaches would not influence outcomes of soccer competitions. Thirdly, the results showed that the use of spiritual rituals among players was purely for personal reasons, while the coaches used spiritual rituals as psychological intervention strategy to prepare the team before a given competitive. The overall results show that coaches and players agreed that spiritual rituals interventions are used for psychological interventions more than spiritual interventions. The implications of these findings to the players and coaches are discussed linked with future research focus.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

The tax treatment of receipts and accruals arising from equity option contracts

  • Authors: Doidge, Stephen
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Derivative securities Options (Finance) Swaps (Finance) Income tax -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Taxation -- South Africa Futures
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:903 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007921
  • Description: In this thesis the tax treatment of equity option contracts is examined. The writer gives an overview of the derivatives market in general and discusses the nature and effect of equity options in detail. Limited amendments have been made to the South African Income Tax Act No 58 of 1962 ('the Act') since the emergence of derivative instruments and at present only three types of derivative instruments are recognised: forward exchange and option contracts relating to forward exchange, interest rate swaps based on notional capital amounts and option contracts. Other than section 241 of the Act which deems all receipts and accruals from foreign exchange contracts to be income, the other sections dealing with derivatives do not concern themselves with capital or revenue classification. Accordingly, the classification of receipts and accruals arising from an equity option transaction is generally governed by the ordinary principles of South African tax law with the added problem of there being limited South African case law applying these general prinCiples to such transactions. The research undertaken in this thesis results in the establishment of a framework designed to determine the classification as revenue or capital the receipts and accruals arising from equity option contracts. Speculating, trading and investing in equity options is examined with regard to the general principles of South African tax and available case law. Hedging transactions are analysed with specific reference to their exact nature as well as general tax principles and available case law. The analogy of Krugerrands is used to draw parallels with the tax treatment of receipts and accruals arising from equity options used for hedging purposes. Once the theoretical framework has been established for revenue or capital classification, the actual tax treatment of both revenue and capital receipts is examined with reference to the Act and issues such as the gross income definition, the general deduction formula, trading stock and timing provisions are analysed and applied to receipts and accruals arising from equity option transactions. The thesis concludes with a summary of the findings and recommendations are made based on the research conducted.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

The interest rate elasticity of credit demand and the balance sheet channel of monetary policy transmission in South Africa

  • Authors: Doig, Gregory Graham
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Monetary policy -- South Africa Banks and banking -- South Africa Bank loans -- South Africa Finance -- South Africa Vector autoregression (VAR) approach to econometric modeling Financial statements Interest rates -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:1052 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006482
  • Description: It has long been accepted that changes in monetary policy have real economic effects; however, the mechanism by which these policy changes are transmitted to the real economy has been the subject of much debate. Traditionally the transmission mechanism of monetary policy has consisted of various channels which include the money channel, the asset price channel and the exchange rate channel. Recent developments in economic theory have led to a relatively new channel of policy transmission, termed the credit channel. The credit channel consists of the bank lending channel as well as the balance sheet channel, and focuses on the demand for credit as the variable of interest. The credit channel is based on the notion that demanders and suppliers of credit face asymmetric information problems which create a gap between the cost of external funds and the cost of internally generated funds, referred to as the wedge. The aim here is to determine the size and lag length effects of changes in credit demand, by both firms as well as households, as a result of changes in interest rates. A secondary, but subordinate, aim is to test for a balance sheet channel of monetary policy transmission. A vector autoregressive (VAR) model is used in conjunction with causality tests, impulse response functions and variance decompositions to achieve the stated objectives. Results indicate that the interest rate elasticity of credit demand, for both firms and households, is interest inelastic and therefore the monetary policy authorities have a limited ability to influence credit demand in the short as well as medium term. In light of the second aim, only weak evidence of a balance sheet channel of policy transmission is found.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Human capital: workforce level of education in non-profit organisations operating in South Africa; a comparative study of civil societies in Cape Town

  • Authors: Dominic, Mario-Princewill Patrick
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Nonprofit organizations -- South Africa -- Cape Town , Human capital -- South Africa -- Cape Town
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:9230 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021000
  • Description: A descriptive research with quantitative approach examined human capital in Non-profit organisations with three objectives: to ascertain the qualifications and skills essential in the non-profit sector; to determine if Non-profit organisations provide training and education support for its workforce and to describe formal education level of NPO workforce in South Africa. The study population were employees of Non-Profit organisation (NPO’s) operating in Cape Town. In order to evaluate human capital, workforce level of education of the non-profit organisations in South Africa, significant to addressing most Non-profit organisations challenges in recent time, a survey has been conducted among the South Africa non-profits, identified on the basis of the simple random sampling. 300 questionnaires were sent out, and 147 valid responses received. Empirical results from the selected civil society organisation seem to suggest and concluded that Non-profit organisations workforce are educated up to Honours degree level on average. However, that education may not be priority for the workforce, rather passion for the job and that satisfactory human capital management reduces turnover, in order word attract and enable retention of productive workforce for non-profit organisation effectiveness.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Mathematics teachers' experiences of designing and implementing a circle geometry teaching programme using the van Hiele phases of instruction as a conceptual framework: a Namibian case study

  • Authors: Dongwi, Beata Lididimikeni
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Geometry -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia Mathematics -- Study and teaching -- Namibia
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1412 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003133
  • Description: The aim of this case study was to examine, analyze and report on the findings of the experiences of selected mathematics teachers when they used the van Hiele phases of instruction in designing and implementing a Grade 11 circle geometry teaching programme. The sample consisted of three selected mathematics teachers from the school where the researcher teaches. This school is located in the Oshikoto Education Region in Namibia. The school serves a multicultural group of 759 learners from a middle-class economic background. The site and participants were selected conveniently as the researcher had unrestricted access to both the facilities and the participants. This research takes the form of a case study and is underpinned by the interpretive paradigm. Data for this research was collected using a variety of techniques such as interviews, classroom observation and document analysis. This facilitated easy triangulation of the data. The findings of this research make four claims with regard to the experiences of the mathematics teachers with designing and implementing the circle geometry teaching programme using the five van Hiele phases of instruction as a conceptual framework. The findings revealed that firstly, all three participating mathematics teachers used and implemented all the five van Hiele phases of instruction in their lessons I observed. Secondly, the teachers navigated quite freely from one phase of instruction to the next, but also returned to the earlier phases for clarification and reinforcement in their teaching. Thirdly, the teachers saw the phases of instruction as a good pedagogical tool or template for planning and presenting lessons. Fourthly, the majority of the learners followed the instructions and seemed to obtain the answers faster than expected. The lesson presentations were lively and both teachers and learners communicated at length to discover angle properties of circles while developing and nurturing the technical language of geometry.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

An investigation of the discursive construction of the Tanganyika-Zanzibar Union as nation in the Union Day coverage in The Citizen and Daily News newspapers from 2005 to 2011

  • Authors: Dotto, Paul Casmir Kuhenga
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Newspapers -- Research -- Tanzania , Press and politics -- Tanzania , Tanzania -- Politics and government -- 1964- , Zanzibar -- Politics and government -- 1964- , Press , Daily News , The Citizen , Union Day , Nation building
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:3412 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001843
  • Description: This study is concerned with the constructions of the Tanzanian nation in the press. It has confined its focus, first, to the coverage from 2005 to 2011 on Union Day that marks the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar and the formation of the United Republic of Tanzania and, second, to two prominent Tanzanian newspapers, namely the state-owned Daily News, and the privately-owned The Citizen on Union Day. As the Union remains a contentious issue, the relevance of this research relates to the press’s considerable power to shape understandings and influence attitudes. The study works within a broad cultural and media studies framework and is informed by a constructionist approach to representation and to culture, and to nation in particular. It also draws of journalistic theories of agenda-setting and the normative roles of the press to probe the agendas set by the press on Union Day and to interrogate how the two newspapers construct and frame the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar as nation. The research responds to the question: ‘How has the Tanganyika-Zanzibar Union been represented in The Citizen and Daily News newspapers from 2005 to 2011?’ It employs quantitative and qualitative (thematic) content analysis to investigate the coverage in the editorials and feature articles of The Citizen and Daily News newspapers on Union Day (26 April) of 2005 to 2011. This study finds that the government-owned newspaper, Daily News, publishes more articles related to Union on Union Day than the privately-owned, The Citizen and collaborates more determinedly with the state in the process of constructing the nation. However, both newspapers adopt a collaborative role consistent with the development journalism tradition that endorses an informal partnership between media and the state in the process of development (Christians et al, 2009:201). Both publications tend to emphasise the hegemonic ideology pertaining to Union while giving limited attention to challenges to such constructions. While both newspapers do identify certain problems of the Union and thus exercise a monitorial role to varying extents, it is apparent that the press in Tanzania tends to be largely acritical, perhaps attributable to a long period under single party rule
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  • Date Issued: 2013

An intervention study to develop a male circumcision health promotion programme at Libode Rural Communities in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

  • Authors: Douglas, Mbuyiselo
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Circumcision Health promotion Penis surgery South Africa -- Libode
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Ph D
  • Identifier: vital:18476 , http://hdl.handle.net/11260/d1007187
  • Description: The purpose of this study was to develop an intervention health promotion programme to prevent circumcision related health problem such as sepsis, botched circumcision, dehydration, penile amputation and reduce the number of deaths. The intervention programme was aimed at promoting a safe male circumcision practice affecting boys aged 12-18 years at Libode rural communities in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. This was achieved through a mixed method design using both quantitative and qualitative approaches utilizing sequential transformative strategy to allow for the convergence of multiple perspectives of the traditional male circumcision in Libode. The study was conducted in 22 schools of the rural communities of Libode because most of the participants are still attending school. Frequencies and percentages were used to analyse the quantitative data, utilizing the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). A total of 1036 participants, AmaXhosa circumcised young men (abafana) and uncircumcised boys (amakhwenkwe) participated in the cross-sectional survey, quantitative phase of the study. Qualitative phase of this study was composed of 7 focus group discussions with a total of 84 circumcised and uncircumcised male participants and 10 key informants’ interviews were conducted. In analysis qualitative data, the researcher found the most descriptive words for each topic and turned them into categories or sub-themes. Topics that related to each other were then grouped in order to reduce the number of categories and to create themes. The similar categories of data were grouped and analysed using Tesch’s method. Findings indicated that traditional circumcision is performed during winter and summer holidays in order to cater for the boys who are attending schools. The circumcision age at Libode ranges from 12 and 18 years of age which is against the Health Standards in Traditional Circumcision Act (Act No. 6 of 2001). Although the participants were aware of the complications of male circumcision in Libode, there was a high preference for traditional circumcision (92.3% of participants) to hospital circumcision. The participants were of the view that the benefits of traditional circumcision outweigh the complications or challenges related to traditional circumcision. They wanted to be socially accepted and wanted to learn about manhood values in the traditional circumcision which are values that cannot be achieved through the hospital based circumcision. As male circumcision initiation is seasonal and the intervention programme needed to be approved by different stakeholders, the testing of intervention programme could not happen before the programme was approved by all the stakeholders.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Simple, illustrated medicines information improves ARV knowledge and patient self-efficacy in limited literacy South African HIV patients:

  • Authors: Dowse, Roslind , Barford, Kirsty-Lee , Browne, Sara H
  • Date: 2014
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/156698 , vital:40039 , DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2014.931559
  • Description: Few studies have investigated antiretroviral (ARV) knowledge and self-efficacy in limited literacy patients. Using a randomized controlled study design, we investigated the influence of a simple pre-tested patient information leaflet (PIL) containing both text and illustrations on HIV- and ARV-related knowledge and on self-efficacy over six months in a limited literacy African population. The recruited patients were randomly allocated to either control (standard care) or intervention group (standard care plus illustrated PIL). HIV and medicines-related knowledge was evaluated with a 22-question test at baseline, one, three, and six months. Self-efficacy was assessed using a modified version of the HIV Treatment Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

A critical evaluation of the quality of social development interventions with specific reference to social assistance

  • Authors: Draai, Enaleen Enchella
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: South African Social Security Agency , Social security -- South Africa , Social service -- South Africa , Public welfare -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
  • Identifier: vital:8277 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016210
  • Description: Citizens interact with government departments and agencies for public services and goods which lead to a service encounter between a public official and client. Various initiatives and policies have been developed and are being implemented in the public service to adopt a client-centred approach to service delivery. The White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service of 1997, identifies the eight Batho Pele principles which sets the framework for implementation of service quality within the South African public service. Government departments are expected to implement measurable service standards to determine levels of service quality to be met that will define levels of client satisfaction with service provision. The assessment of the service encounter by the client informs perceived levels of satisfaction held. This assessment of service quality by clients is therefore value-laden, subjective and periodic. The study focused on the implementation of measures to create and maintain a clientcentric public service in South Africa that would lead to levels of client satisfaction with service quality. The study assessed the implementation and maintenance of service quality at the Social Security Agency of South African the Eastern Cape. The SASSA is responsible for the disbursement of various social grants to facilitate a quality of life as enshrined by the Bill of Rights in the Constitution of South Africa, 1996. The focus of the study was linked to beneficiary maintenance and customer care at SASSA. The study included three different sample groups namely the clients, officials engaged in grant administration and different levels of management which included senior management, district and area managers. The findings revealed that the SASSA has implemented numerous new programmes aimed at a client-centric approach to service delivery. Analysis of the findings revealed expectation as well performance gaps which indicated that officials do not comply with the protocols of the agency and the Batho Pele principles. The promised service standards specified within the SASSA Customer Care Charter is not being realised which fundamentally indicate inefficient and ineffective monitoring of compliance with norms and standards. A conclusion drawn therefore is that the human dignity of clients in search of socials assistance who chiefly constitute vulnerable groups is being infringed. Three key service quality dimensions are identified that needs intervention for improved service quality. These dimensions include tangibility, assurance and responsiveness of functional components identified in respect of nine themes.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

China's African FDI safari : opportunistic exploitation or muturally beneficial to all participants

  • Authors: Dreier, Tina , Rhodes University
  • Date: 2013 , 2013-04-10
  • Subjects: Africa -- Foreign economic relations -- China , China -- Foreign economic relations -- Africa , Investments, Foreign -- China , Foreign direct investment
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:929 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001455 , Africa -- Foreign economic relations -- China , China -- Foreign economic relations -- Africa , Investments, Foreign -- China
  • Description: When implemented within a favourable legislative framework, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) can produce domestic growth-enhancing spillovers in host countries. Other potential positive effects include the provision of investment capital, the creation of local employment and the transfer of sophisticated technology or advanced knowledge. African nations in particular have been historically reliant on externally-provided funds. Prevailing low income levels, marginal savings rates and the absence of functioning financial markets necessary to provide local start-up capital continue to keep Africa reliant on foreign inflows. Considering China’s increasing financial commitments to Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA) over the last decade, this study examines the state of current Sino-African investment relationships. Specific attention is paid to the outcomes of this strategic bilateral alliance in order to determine whether or not a mutually beneficial investment relationship has evolved. The distinct nature and structure of, the motivation behind and the most significant determinants of Chinese FDI to SSA are all analysed in accordance with traditional FDI theories. A case study approach is used to establish whether China’s contemporary interest in SSA differs from historical investments and to also investigate country-specific commonalities and differences. Of particular relevance to SSA are resource-backed Chinese loans that finance major infrastructure projects in host nations. Interestingly, a lot of the Sino-African investment packages resemble similar deals struck between China and Japan in the 1970s. The results of this study indicate that China’s investment motives seem more diverse than initially expected. Resource-seeking, profit-seeking and market access-seeking reasons appear to be the most important motives. After establishing the Top- Ten recipients of Chinese FDI in SSA, these nations are then classified into three major categories: resource-, oil- or agricultural-rich nations. Undiversified resource- or oil-rich economies are found to have secured the largest shares of Chinese FDI. This study suggests that China’s contemporary “African Safari” is an unconventional way of providing financial assistance. Rather than solely supplying FDI, China finances a diverse mix of instruments, the most important being concessional loans, export credits, zero-interest loans and the establishment of Special Economic Zones. A profound difference to traditional Western investment packages is China’s non-interference approach. Accordingly, Beijing not only refrains from intervening in host countries’ domestic affairs but also refuses to attach formal conditionalties to its loans. China’s “financial safari” into Africa has produced many positive as well as negative effects in host countries. Nevertheless, it would seem that the positive effects outweigh the negative and China’s FDI could contribute to sustainable development in SSA
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  • Date Issued: 2013

An integrated business intelligence model for automotive component manufacturers in South Africa

  • Authors: Du Plessis, Jacobus van Gend
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Business -- Models , Automobile supplies industry
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:8757 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011667 , Business -- Models , Automobile supplies industry
  • Description: Organisations face increasing economic pressures from local and global competitors because of changing and increasing customer demands. Demands include improved product quality, flexibility, increasing price competitiveness and attaining higher levels of customer satisfaction. Businesses must have strategic and operational plans in place to combat these pressures to remain competitive. The South African automotive component manufacturing industry is particularly susceptible to such factors. The nature of the industry further lends itself to attracting high levels of political and economic attention, as it is an important contributor to economic growth. Harsh economic conditions pose problems in supply, internal supply and distribution and force organisations to be resourceful to survive. Ninety percent of the world’s information was generated within the last two years, a figure that equates to 2.5 quintillion bytes per day. The proliferation of data sources and the fine level of granularity at which this data is collected, present organisations with new challenges to benefit from this information. Market volatility presents shorter windows of opportunity and demands an unprecedented level of agility from the organisation. Delays in decision making, which is becoming more complicated and complex, cannot be tolerated. Advances in Technology have made it possible and affordable to store vast volumes of data; data that can be manipulated and transformed by any number of technology tools. Business intelligence (BI) provides valuable information to management and decision makers by reducing the latency between business events and the ability to report and act on prior events. This treatise will investigate the business intelligence systems of an automotive component manufacturing company and propose a model to improve BI utilisation. The true name of the company that will be researched will not be disclosed for confidentiality reasons, instead it will be called My Company. Research consists of a preliminary study to identify the problems in the business intelligence system within My Company. Literature reviews of critical success factors for business intelligence systems, maturity models, and characteristics of integrated business intelligence systems, will lead to the development of a proposed integrated business intelligence systems model to improve the current situation at My Company. The major findings of this research are presented as deliverables within each chapter and contribute to the development of the integrated BI systems model for automotive component manufacturing organisations. The major findings are: a list of critical success factors of BI from literature; list identifying gaps between the literature reviewed and the problems identified from the preliminary study conducted; selection of the HP (2009) maturity model as a preferred tool to be incorporated into the proposed model; the evaluation of the proposed integrated BI systems model by means of a case study; and the updated integrated BI systems model.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

The impact of minimum sentence legislation on South African criminal law

  • Authors: Du Plessis, Jan Andriaan
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Sentences (Criminal procedure) -- South Africa , Capital punishment -- South Africa , Human rights -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
  • Identifier: vital:10182 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020037x
  • Description: The Criminal Law Amendment Act introduced a scheme where minimum sentences are prescribed for serious offences into the South African Criminal Law. The limitations put on the courts’ sentencing discretion were not received with unanimous approval from all quarters. The Constitutional Court declared the general working of the Act to be constitutional soon after its inception. Specific provisions pertaining to certain offences remained unpopular. The hefty sentence of 15 years imprisonment prescribed for the possession of a semi-automatic firearm is put forward as an example in this regard. High Courts avoid the minimum sentence prescribed for this offence by using different interpretational methods. Despite the sense of animosity towards the unfair contents of this provision, no ruling is made on the constitutionality thereof. An apparent deference towards the legislature could be detected on the part of the judiciary. South African jurisprudence discourages our courts to rule on the constitutionality of a law. It is only done when the defect could not be remedied by any other available means. The reluctance of our courts to make a ruling on the constitutionality of the semi-automatic provision does not promote legal certainty. High Courts attach different interpretations to the “true intention” of the legislature in order to bypass this provision. Logic dictates that inexperienced presiding officers with inferior interpretational skills would continue to hand down the minimum sentence while it remains on the law books. A sentence of fifteen years is also prescribed for robbery with aggravating circumstances. The existing common law on the interpretation of the definition of this offence provides for a wide range of human conduct to be included. Case law could be expected where the courts deviate from the prescribed sentence on a regular basis. This unscientific approach should be discouraged and a rethinking of the boundaries of this offence is suggested. The Act is doing more harm than good to our Criminal Law. The legislature could still provide other visible measures against serious crime without invading the sentencing discretion of the judiciary.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Explaining the endurance of poverty and inequality : social policy and the social division of welfare in the South African health system

  • Authors: Du Plessis, Ulandi
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Health system , Private health , Public health , Poor , Subsidies , Profit motive , Quality , Efficiency , Public health -- Finance -- Research -- South Africa , Medical care -- Research -- South Africa , Poverty -- Research -- South Africa , Equality -- Research -- South Africa , South Africa -- Social conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:2755 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002002
  • Description: This thesis examines the structure and flow of public funding between the public and private sectors in the South African health system and the consequences thereof for the achievement of equity. The conceptual framework used to undertake the analysis derives from Richard Titmuss’ core theoretical framework, the Social Division of Welfare. The application of the Social Division of Welfare applied to the South African health care context demonstrates how state resources end up benefitting the non-poor and, as a result, reproduce inequality. Those who access public institutions such as public health care are assumed to be ‘dependent’ on the state, whilst those who access private health facilities claim to be ‘independent’ of the state. However, this thesis shows that these assumptions are flawed. Access to the formal labour market, and subsequently the paying of taxes, authorises one to access state subsidies not available to those who do not. The application of the Social Division of Welfare shows that tax-paying private health care patients benefit considerably from state resources. This thesis argues that due to cost escalation in the private health sector, a consequence of the commodification of health care, these private health care ‘consumers’ as well as the private health industry in general are dependent upon state resources. This thesis analyses the role played by the profit motive present in the private health industry and the consequences for equity, quality, access and efficiency in health care provision
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Standards to facilitate optimal experiences of short-term study abroad nursing students at a higher education institution

  • Authors: Du Rand, Sussara Maria
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Nursing -- Study and teaching -- United States , Transcultural nursing , Nursing -- Cross-cultural studies , Foreign study , Nursing students
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: vital:10066 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020659
  • Description: Advances in technology have made globalization and internationalization a reality in the world. National borders are becoming more permeable and migration of goods, services, and health care workers takes place more readily. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have become competitors and vendors in the global knowledge economy and are expected to develop job seekers that are responsible and engaged global citizens and employees. Offering study abroad programmes is one of the ways that HEIs achieve this goal. It is estimated that in 2010, 4.7 million people studied abroad (OECD, 2012:360), and it is anticipated that this number will grow to 15 million by the year 2025 (Altbach & Knight, 2006:9). South Africa is emerging as a regional hub for study and research in sub-Saharan Africa (UNESCO: 2012b). Many organizations that train nurses are internationalizing their curriculum which effectively means that Schools of Nursing are seeking placement for students to study, gain insight into other cultures and practices, and to gain clinical experience in other countries. Students, the customers of the Higher Education Institutions, often pay large sums of money to undertake these study abroad programmes and therefore expect good quality learning experiences in return. The aim of this qualitative, contextual, exploratory, and descriptive study was to explore and describe the expectations and experiences of international nursing students and faculty members at a Higher Educational Institution in South Africa in order to develop standards that will enable HEIs to optimize the experiences of short-term study abroad nursing students. An in-depth contextual investigation was conducted on globalization and internationalization, as well as the higher education and health systems of three countries to understand the context of the study abroad programmes. Qualitative data was gathered from students and faculty members using focus groups and individual interviews to establish their expectations and experiences of the programme. Thematic synthesis was carried out on the contextual data and the qualitative data. Thereafter, thematic synthesis analysis was conducted using both sets of results to develop standards that can be used to optimize the experience of short-term study abroad nursing students at a HEI. A total of 35 standards were developed around the following main themes: the objectives of study abroad programmes should be stated clearly before arrival and include the expectations of the global, national, and local communities, the higher education institution and the staff and students; study abroad programmes should be managed in an ethical manner and in an enabling environment, as part of their strategic goals and plans of a HEI; students should be exposed to a variety of experiences and differences between the sending and hosting countries during their study abroad programmes; Standards to Facilitate Optimal Experiences of Short-term Study Abroad Nursing Students at a HEI; study abroad programmes should be evaluated at different intervals and levels to ensure quality of the programmes and to ensure that the objectives/outcomes are met. A limitation of the study was the sampling of the clinical mentors which did not include representatives from the overseas universities. It is recommended that the standards that were developed in this study be introduced and tested in HEIs and that more research be conducted on different levels and groups with regard to study abroad programmes in future.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

A study of South African journalists' perceptions of their roles in reporting on social conflict and how these relate to concepts of peace journalism

  • Authors: Du Toit, Peter Andrew
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Journalists -- South Africa , Social conflict -- South Africa , Peace-building -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
  • Identifier: vital:8247 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011639 , Journalists -- South Africa , Social conflict -- South Africa , Peace-building -- South Africa
  • Description: Set against a backdrop of ongoing social conflict in the country, this study sets out to explore how South African journalists understand their roles and responsibilities when it comes to reporting on conflict. The study seeks to determine whether journalists believe they have a constructive contribution to make in the peaceful management and resolution of social conflict. It also seeks to establish whether journalists see themselves as being able to contribute to creating conditions that can facilitate dialogue and constructive engagement. Furthermore the study aims to explore the extent to which the views and perceptions of South African journalists could be said to be consistent with the ideas put forward in the emerging field of peace journalism. In seeking to address these questions the study begins by identifying a core set of guidelines that could be said to characteristic of peace journalism. It then draws on in-depth interviews conducted with 12 experienced reporters to gain a sense of how journalists understand their roles. The 12 reporters were drawn from mainstream newspapers from South Africa’s main metropolitan areas. Following an analysis of these interviews the study found that many journalists see themselves as having a positive contribution to make towards peacemaking and peace building. However, these contributions, they argue, must be seen as the product of good reporting rather than as emanating from deliberate attempts to intervene in conflict. The study then contrasted the journalists’ perceptions with the principles and normative guidelines proposed by peace journalism and found that many of the journalists’ beliefs are consistent with peace journalism. It appears that, while they may not directly call themselves peace journalists, many of the reporters interviewed saw themselves as playing roles similar to those advocated by peace journalism.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Phytochemical screening and thin layer chromatographic profiling of aloe vera (l) burn. f growing in South Africa

  • Authors: Dubeni, Zimasa Busisiwe
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Phytochemicals -- South Africa , Aloe vera -- South Africa , Thin layer chromatography -- South Africa , Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Infrared spectroscopy -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (Botany)
  • Identifier: vital:11310 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1016169 , Phytochemicals -- South Africa , Aloe vera -- South Africa , Thin layer chromatography -- South Africa , Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Infrared spectroscopy -- South Africa
  • Description: The chemical profiling, characterization of Aloe products and phytochemical properties of Aloe vera were studied. The adulteration of commercial products derived from medicinal plants has been a major muddle for both the society and the pharmaceuticalindustry. Economically motivated adulteration includes the potential for contaminated, sub‐potent or counterfeit medication to enter the supply chain at several levels, from the production of raw ingredients through to the point of retail sale. Darwin’s theory of evolution states that, species undergo genetic variation with time to adapt to environmental changes. Therefore, the same species growing in widely different habitats may drift from the original genetic makeup as a mechanism of adaptation and that may result in them having different chemical profiles. Therefore this study aimed at investigating the phytochemical properties of Aloe vera growing in South Africa. Also, this study aims to utilize Thin Layer Chromatography to profile this plant, as well as use Infra Red spectroscopy to characterize commercial Aloe vera products. A large quantity of Aloe vera plant was collected from AloeWay, Iphofolo Game Farm, Polokwane in the Limpopo province of South Africa. The identity of the plant was confirmedrom literature and authenticated by Professor DS Grierson of Botany Department, University of Fort Hare, Alice. The plant leaves were divided into two portions. One portion was extracted fresh while the other was cut into pieces and oven dried at 400C then and milled to a homogenous powder once dried completely. The phytochemical composition of the gel and leaf extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins and phenols at different concentrations. Results showed that the dry plant material yielded more phytochemicals than the fresh plant material. In particular, it was found that the acetone extract showed much more amounts ofphychemicals than the dichloromethane and aqueous extracts. The percentage compositions of phenols (71.86), flavonols (36.61), proanthocyanidins (82.71), saponins (37.73) and alkaloids (13.29) were significantly high in the acetone extract, followed by the dichloromthane extract with values of 46.85, 37.73, 49.51, 89.0 and 11.11 respectively, while the least composition was found in the aqueous extract. Furthermore, flavonoids were somewhat high in composition in both the aqueous extract of the dried and of the fresh plant material while others were very low. Tannins levels were significantly very low in all the solvent extracts. It was found that the acetone extract showed great amounts of phytochemicals than dichloromethane and aqueous extracts. Since A. vera is used in the treatment of different ailments such as skin wounds and abrasions, eczema, constipation, rheumatoid arthritis etc, the medicinal uses of this plant could be associated to such analysed bioactive compounds. Acetone, hexane, ethanol, water and dichloromethane were used to extract the Aloe vera leaf and the best solvent extract was determined. Thin layer chromatography was used to profile the leaf extracts with the aim of documenting the main phytochemicals present in the Aloe vera growing in South Africa. The best spraying reagent was determined. Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer was used to validate the presence of Aloe vera ingredients in commercial products. The yield extraction ability of the solvent was the order: water>ethanol> hexane >dichloromethane and acetone for the dry portion. However, for the plant extracted fresh, the order of yield produced was ethanol-acetone-dichloromethane > and water. The different solvent systems separated the compounds differently. Hexane: acetone: ethanol (20 : 5: 2) and Benzene: ethanol: ammonium (80): ethanol (10): ammonium solvent systems were noted to be the best mobile phase as they gave the best separation compared to other systems.EMW [ethyl acetate (81): methanol (11): water (8)] showed better separation than the other two separating solvent systems. Vanillin- sulphuric acid spray was seen to be the best spraying reagent as compared to vanillin- phosphoric acid. Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer validated the presence aloe ingredients in aloe vera commercial products.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Financial viability of sustainable infrastructural development at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

  • Authors: Ducie, Gregory Justin
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Finance , Education, Higher -- South Africa -- Finance , Infrastructure (Economics)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:9302 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015063
  • Description: Sustainable environmental practices need to be integrated into a university's infrastructural operations. Universities are entities that function within financial constraints with varying priorities across both administrative and educational functions. Unfortunately, these financial constraints often imply that a university's potential leadership role can only be realised should the viability (business case) of a proposed intervention be determined. This study focuses on the determination of a relational sustainable indicator and a relational cost factor. A relational sustainable indicator demonstrates how a university can collectively determine the contribution made to sustainability by various sectors of infrastructure. This is developed by means of a secondary study. Two components are important for calculating the relational sustainability indicator, namely, green infrastructure attributes and the basic elements of sustainability systems, namely, the environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainability. The determination of a relational cost factor involves the quantification of the costs associated with alternative infrastructure provision. In particular, attention is paid to demand-side management costs, rationalising spatial growth costs, green building development costs, operation and maintenance of existing buildings costs, wastewater infrastructure costs, water infrastructure costs, energy infrastructure costs and transport infrastructure costs. Once the actual costs of each intervention category are determined, a relational sustainable cost factor can be calculated. Utilising the costs in the eight categories identified, a relational sustainable cost factor is determined. A resultant relational cost benefit as per the eight defined categories of sustainable infrastructure provision is derived from the relevant costs of sustainable infrastructure provision, the resultant relational cost factors and, finally, the relational sustainability indicators. It is proposed that that the determination of a budget split between the various interventions based on the resultant relational cost factor occur as follows: - Demand side management interventions: 15.97percent - Rationalising spatial growth: 6.72percent - Construction of green buildings: 24.37percent - Operations and maintenance: 21.85percent - Wastewater: 7.56percent - Water: 1.68percent - Energy: 12.61percent - Transport: 9.24percent. This study provides a platform to guide how and where to invest in sustainable infrastructure and provide direction in determining a budget split between various categories of sustainable infrastructure development.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Veracity, transparency and inclusivity plus engagement and empowerment: regulations, ethics, accountability

  • Authors: Dugmore, Harry , Smith, Jade
  • Date: 2013
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/158564 , vital:40207 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC141577
  • Description: As a centre with a brief to encourage "more and better" health journalism in South Africa, we've had to think hard about definitional issues and about balancing subjective and objective gauges of quality. We've developed an initial appraisal of health journalism, locally and internationally, and we've created a normative framework that we hope will enable journalists and educators to have better discussions about what is meant by quality in health journalism. This framework will hopefully inform what kind of journalism education - degrees, short courses, topic guides, symposia - might promote higher levels of quality in reporting on medical science.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Amakrwala experiences as learners in a Buffalo City secondary school: implications for school leadership and management

  • Authors: Duka-Ntshweni, Nomonde
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Xhosa (African people) -- Social life and customs , Initiation rites -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rites and ceremonies -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Education, Secondary -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Identity (Psychology) , Leadership
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
  • Identifier: vital:16191 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006252 , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Xhosa (African people) -- Social life and customs , Initiation rites -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rites and ceremonies -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Education, Secondary -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Identity (Psychology) , Leadership
  • Description: ‘Ulwaluko’ (the male initiation custom) has been practised for generations by many cultures in South Africa and in Africa as a whole. AmaXhosa are amongst the population groups in South Africa within whom this custom has survived pre colonially and through the colonial and apartheid eras up to the current democracy. While this custom was reserved for older, mature and senior boys in the past, there is evidence that nowadays immature and junior boys as young as 12 years are taken to the initiation school. This study sought to understand how these newly graduated initiated men (amakrwala) cope with their multifaceted identities, as learners in a secondary school and as adults in the community. The study also seeks to explore a leadership style that can be sensitive to the needs of ‘amakrwala’ at school. This is a qualitative study which used interpretivism as the research paradigm. Phenomenology is the research design and phenomenological interviews were used as the data gathering tools. The findings reveal that there are tensions that exist between modernity and tradition in socialising amakrwala. The school represents the modern space and the home and community are the traditional spaces. In the formal school environment there is minimal or no recognition of the new identity of the ‘amakrwala’. At school ‘amakrwala’ are seen as learners. Their identity and status remain unchanged from what they were before they went to the initiation school. However, in the community and at home, they are elevated from a childhood to an adult status and their identities are thus re-shaped.
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  • Date Issued: 2013
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