Force of habit the mystical foundations of the narcotic
- Authors: Howell, Simon Peter
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Drug addiction -- Philosophy -- Research Drug addiction -- Political aspects -- Research Cocaine abuse -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2784 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002994
- Description: This thesis aims to investigate and deconstruct the relationship between the narcotic, its narrative, and western modernity. To reveal the relationship, this thesis argues that it is possible to understand the philosophical, political, cultural and ethical dimensions of western modernity through the ulterior lens of the narcotic. As such, this thesis investigates western modernity's relationship to (a) cocaine as a specific narcotic, and (b) the concept of the narcotic with all its attendant connotations of addictions, illegitimacy, transgression, illegality, and so on. Accordingly, the thesis is both interpretive of the historical narrative of the narcotic of cocaine, and generative in its deconstruction of the relationship between western modernity and the concept of the narcotic. The deconstruction of this relationship ultimately reveals both prior narratives not as oppositional, but as supplementary. This has radical consequences for the manner in which we engage with narcotic use and the user - if the narcotic is supplement to the logic of western modernity, at each attempt to expel the use and user of the narcotic, rather then create difference, we self implicate ourselves in that expulsion and distance. To seek a new and more just means of dealing with the concept of the narcotic, and its use, therefore requires a new epistemological framework which can at once contemplate both narratives at the same time. To this end, the thesis suggests the use of critical complexity theory as one such methodological tool, if supplemented by the thoughts and strategies of Derridian deconstruction and Foucauldian discourse analysis.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Howell, Simon Peter
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Drug addiction -- Philosophy -- Research Drug addiction -- Political aspects -- Research Cocaine abuse -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2784 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002994
- Description: This thesis aims to investigate and deconstruct the relationship between the narcotic, its narrative, and western modernity. To reveal the relationship, this thesis argues that it is possible to understand the philosophical, political, cultural and ethical dimensions of western modernity through the ulterior lens of the narcotic. As such, this thesis investigates western modernity's relationship to (a) cocaine as a specific narcotic, and (b) the concept of the narcotic with all its attendant connotations of addictions, illegitimacy, transgression, illegality, and so on. Accordingly, the thesis is both interpretive of the historical narrative of the narcotic of cocaine, and generative in its deconstruction of the relationship between western modernity and the concept of the narcotic. The deconstruction of this relationship ultimately reveals both prior narratives not as oppositional, but as supplementary. This has radical consequences for the manner in which we engage with narcotic use and the user - if the narcotic is supplement to the logic of western modernity, at each attempt to expel the use and user of the narcotic, rather then create difference, we self implicate ourselves in that expulsion and distance. To seek a new and more just means of dealing with the concept of the narcotic, and its use, therefore requires a new epistemological framework which can at once contemplate both narratives at the same time. To this end, the thesis suggests the use of critical complexity theory as one such methodological tool, if supplemented by the thoughts and strategies of Derridian deconstruction and Foucauldian discourse analysis.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Enhancing the critical reading skills of student teachers in Namibia : An action research project
- Authors: Dikuwa, Alexander
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Reading (Higher education) Critical thinking , Teachers -- Training of -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1912 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007162
- Description: This thesis reports on a responsive action research case study undertaken to teach student teachers to read critically. I undertook this research to gain a basic knowledge about critical reading as well as to form a knowledge base that would enable me to teach it effectively. First, I gave students a diagnostic assessment activity, analyzed the result and established the students’ ability to read a text critically. After I had established the students’ strengths, weaknesses, and the requirements to move students from their existing critical reading competency to an improved one, I reviewed the literature to provide me with a theory of teaching critical reading. The lessons were then planned and taught. The lessons; focus group interviews; researcher’s diary; students’ reflections and non-participant observer comments formed the data of the study. The data were analyzed using the framework of “what went well”, “what did not go well” and “what needs to be improved if the lessons were to be repeated”. The main purpose was to address the goals of the research, which were to find effective ways of teaching critical reading, appropriate critical reading materials, and to identify any pedagogic shortcomings. The 30 students who took part in this research were third-year students studying English Second language and Mother tongue pedagogies to become specialists in the teaching of both at Junior Secondary level (grades 8 – 10). The study was guided by constructivist theory, which underpins learner-centred education, which continues to inform and shape the development of curricula in Namibia.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Dikuwa, Alexander
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Reading (Higher education) Critical thinking , Teachers -- Training of -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1912 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007162
- Description: This thesis reports on a responsive action research case study undertaken to teach student teachers to read critically. I undertook this research to gain a basic knowledge about critical reading as well as to form a knowledge base that would enable me to teach it effectively. First, I gave students a diagnostic assessment activity, analyzed the result and established the students’ ability to read a text critically. After I had established the students’ strengths, weaknesses, and the requirements to move students from their existing critical reading competency to an improved one, I reviewed the literature to provide me with a theory of teaching critical reading. The lessons were then planned and taught. The lessons; focus group interviews; researcher’s diary; students’ reflections and non-participant observer comments formed the data of the study. The data were analyzed using the framework of “what went well”, “what did not go well” and “what needs to be improved if the lessons were to be repeated”. The main purpose was to address the goals of the research, which were to find effective ways of teaching critical reading, appropriate critical reading materials, and to identify any pedagogic shortcomings. The 30 students who took part in this research were third-year students studying English Second language and Mother tongue pedagogies to become specialists in the teaching of both at Junior Secondary level (grades 8 – 10). The study was guided by constructivist theory, which underpins learner-centred education, which continues to inform and shape the development of curricula in Namibia.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An investigation into constraints impacting on small micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) access to finance in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
- Authors: Dlova, Mzwanele Roadwell
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Small business -- South Africa -- East London Small business -- Finance -- South Africa -- East London
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:783 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003904
- Description: Internationally, in both developed and developing countries, it has been accepted that SMMEs are the backbone and the driving force of economic growth and job creation. In South Africa, SMMEs account for approximately 60 per cent of all employment in the economy and more than 35 per cent of South Africa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Ntsika, 1999:38; Gumede, 2000:67 and Berry et ai, 2002 in Kongolo, 2010:235). SMMEs are often the vehicle by which the lowest income people in our society gain access to economic opportunities. The sector represents 97.5 per cent of the total number of business firms in South Africa and that it contributes 42 per cent of total remuneration. SMMEs account for some 3.5 million jobs and have between 500 000 and 700 000 businesses (Abor and Quartey, 2010:2337). Due to the above-mentioned contribution, the South African government initiated a number of SMME support programmes aimed at promoting, growing and developing the SMME sector. As a result, a number of national government agencies such as the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), Khula Finance Limited, the National Development Agency (NDA), the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and many other national , provincial and local government organizations were established post 1994. However, despite the concerted efforts by government to develop the sector, SMMEs are, after 17 years of democracy, still faced with enormous challenges such as access to markets, information, appropriate technology, finance, to mention but a few. Of the above-mentioned challenges, access to finance is on top of the list of these. This study, therefore, is aimed at investigating external, institutional and internal constraints impacting on SMME access to finance in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipal area. The study is also aimed at ascertaining which of the abovementioned constraints have the greatest influence to SMME access to finance. In developing the framework of the study, recent empirical research conducted around the country and internationally on constraints influencing SMME access to finance (Bbenkele, 2007:18; Ganbold, 2008:45; Mahadea and Pillay, 2008:99; Chenesai, 2009:135; Zindiye, 2009:78; Fatoki and Garwe, 2010:2765; Pandula, 2011 :257) was drawn upon. In order to meet the objectives of the study, a simple random sample survey of 50 SMMEs in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) jurisdiction was conducted. The profile of the SMMEs was very similar to that of other studies that focused on constraints to SMME access to finance. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from SMME owner-managers and a response rate of 60 percent was achieved . The results of the study indicated that the high cost of credit and interest rates and Value Added Tax (VAT) registration were the key external factors that impacted on SMME access to finance. Generally, SMMEs are viewed by lending institutions as high risk category. Therefore, even though interest rates have come down significantly, the cost of credit and interest rates still remain a constraint. The study also found that even though the South African Revenue Services (SARS) has increased the VAT threshold to R1 million (South African Revenue Service, 2007: 29), SMMEs still struggled to register for VAT. With regards to the institutional factors, the study revealed that ineffective support services provided by private and public SMME support agencies, the lack of communication of these services (access to information) and the lack of the subsequent follow-up services were the key constraints to SMME access to finance. The results of the study indicate that those firms with good track record, high annual turnover, sophistication and diverse skills, good credit record, good cash flow, proper financial records, bankable and viable business plans, collateral and registered for VAT were more likely to have access to finance than their counterparts. The main conclusion of the study is that the internal factors turned to have the greatest influence to SMME access to finance. However, there is more to be done by private and public SMME support agencies and lending institutions to address the above-mentioned institutional constraints which have a negative influence to SMME access to finance. It is recommended that more in-depth empirical research be conducted on the support services provided by private and public SMME support agencies in terms of the services that they offer the effectiveness of the services and how these are communicated to potential customers. It is also recommended that training workshops aimed at addressing the intemal constraints identified be conducted. Also recommended is the development and implementation of sector-specific mentoring programmes for the owner-managers. Strategies to improve the awareness of support services provided by SMME support agencies need to be developed. This would ensure the effective use of these services by SMMEs. It is also recommended that SMME support agencies and lending institutions staff be trained in order to better understand and be more responsive to the owner managers' needs. Linkages with tertiary institutions in planning and conducting the training needs to be made.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Dlova, Mzwanele Roadwell
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Small business -- South Africa -- East London Small business -- Finance -- South Africa -- East London
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:783 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003904
- Description: Internationally, in both developed and developing countries, it has been accepted that SMMEs are the backbone and the driving force of economic growth and job creation. In South Africa, SMMEs account for approximately 60 per cent of all employment in the economy and more than 35 per cent of South Africa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Ntsika, 1999:38; Gumede, 2000:67 and Berry et ai, 2002 in Kongolo, 2010:235). SMMEs are often the vehicle by which the lowest income people in our society gain access to economic opportunities. The sector represents 97.5 per cent of the total number of business firms in South Africa and that it contributes 42 per cent of total remuneration. SMMEs account for some 3.5 million jobs and have between 500 000 and 700 000 businesses (Abor and Quartey, 2010:2337). Due to the above-mentioned contribution, the South African government initiated a number of SMME support programmes aimed at promoting, growing and developing the SMME sector. As a result, a number of national government agencies such as the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), Khula Finance Limited, the National Development Agency (NDA), the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and many other national , provincial and local government organizations were established post 1994. However, despite the concerted efforts by government to develop the sector, SMMEs are, after 17 years of democracy, still faced with enormous challenges such as access to markets, information, appropriate technology, finance, to mention but a few. Of the above-mentioned challenges, access to finance is on top of the list of these. This study, therefore, is aimed at investigating external, institutional and internal constraints impacting on SMME access to finance in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipal area. The study is also aimed at ascertaining which of the abovementioned constraints have the greatest influence to SMME access to finance. In developing the framework of the study, recent empirical research conducted around the country and internationally on constraints influencing SMME access to finance (Bbenkele, 2007:18; Ganbold, 2008:45; Mahadea and Pillay, 2008:99; Chenesai, 2009:135; Zindiye, 2009:78; Fatoki and Garwe, 2010:2765; Pandula, 2011 :257) was drawn upon. In order to meet the objectives of the study, a simple random sample survey of 50 SMMEs in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) jurisdiction was conducted. The profile of the SMMEs was very similar to that of other studies that focused on constraints to SMME access to finance. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from SMME owner-managers and a response rate of 60 percent was achieved . The results of the study indicated that the high cost of credit and interest rates and Value Added Tax (VAT) registration were the key external factors that impacted on SMME access to finance. Generally, SMMEs are viewed by lending institutions as high risk category. Therefore, even though interest rates have come down significantly, the cost of credit and interest rates still remain a constraint. The study also found that even though the South African Revenue Services (SARS) has increased the VAT threshold to R1 million (South African Revenue Service, 2007: 29), SMMEs still struggled to register for VAT. With regards to the institutional factors, the study revealed that ineffective support services provided by private and public SMME support agencies, the lack of communication of these services (access to information) and the lack of the subsequent follow-up services were the key constraints to SMME access to finance. The results of the study indicate that those firms with good track record, high annual turnover, sophistication and diverse skills, good credit record, good cash flow, proper financial records, bankable and viable business plans, collateral and registered for VAT were more likely to have access to finance than their counterparts. The main conclusion of the study is that the internal factors turned to have the greatest influence to SMME access to finance. However, there is more to be done by private and public SMME support agencies and lending institutions to address the above-mentioned institutional constraints which have a negative influence to SMME access to finance. It is recommended that more in-depth empirical research be conducted on the support services provided by private and public SMME support agencies in terms of the services that they offer the effectiveness of the services and how these are communicated to potential customers. It is also recommended that training workshops aimed at addressing the intemal constraints identified be conducted. Also recommended is the development and implementation of sector-specific mentoring programmes for the owner-managers. Strategies to improve the awareness of support services provided by SMME support agencies need to be developed. This would ensure the effective use of these services by SMMEs. It is also recommended that SMME support agencies and lending institutions staff be trained in order to better understand and be more responsive to the owner managers' needs. Linkages with tertiary institutions in planning and conducting the training needs to be made.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The synthesis of α-alkoxy and α-aminostannanes as precursors to Novel Chromium Fischer Carbenes
- Authors: Meyer, Annalene
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Alkoxides , Organometallic compounds , Carbenes (Methylene compounds) , Chromium , Molybdenum , Tungsten , Organolithium compounds
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4371 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005036 , Alkoxides , Organometallic compounds , Carbenes (Methylene compounds) , Chromium , Molybdenum , Tungsten , Organolithium compounds
- Description: The present study involves the use of main group organometallics: organostannanes and organolithiums as precursors to chromium Fischer carbene complexes. Fischer carbenes are well stabilized by the π‐donor substituents such as alkoxy and amino groups and low oxidation state metals such as Group 6 (Chromium, Molybdenum or Tungsten). Carbenes are an important intermediate in the synthesis of a range of compounds through cyclopropanations, insertions, coupling and photochemical reactions. Synthesis and successful characterisation of three α‐alkoxystannanes was achieved via nucleophilic addition of tributylstannyllithium to the respective aldehydes, followed by an immediate MOM protection of the resulting alcohol. Six α‐aminostanannes were synthesised, consisting of N‐BOC, N‐acetyl and N‐ethyl derivatives of pyrrolidine and piperidine, via α‐lithiation and subsequent tinlithium transmetallation in the presence of TMEDA. The ¹³C NMR analysis highlighted an interesting phenomenon of tin‐carbon coupling that revealed unique structural information of both types of stannanes. DFT analysis was completed on the series of stannanes; a predicted frequency analysis was obtained which complemented the experimental Infra‐red data in elucidation of the compounds. The α‐alkoxy and α‐aminostannanes provided stable precursors to the organolithiums required for the synthesis of the novel Fischer chromium carbenes. The organolithiums were obtained via tinlithium exchange at low temperatures, followed by the addition of chromium hexacarbonyl to form the acylpentacarbonyl‐chromate salt. Alkylation of this intermediate using a Meerwein salt, Me₃OBF₄, gave rise to the novel Fischer chromium carbene complexes. Fischer chromium carbenes derived from the two isomeric butyl and isobutyl stannanes and the two N‐ethyl α‐aminostannanes were successfully synthesised. The difficulty encountered in the purification of the Fischer carbene complexes hindered the full characterisation, due to the presence of a by‐product, tetrabutyltin.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Meyer, Annalene
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Alkoxides , Organometallic compounds , Carbenes (Methylene compounds) , Chromium , Molybdenum , Tungsten , Organolithium compounds
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4371 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005036 , Alkoxides , Organometallic compounds , Carbenes (Methylene compounds) , Chromium , Molybdenum , Tungsten , Organolithium compounds
- Description: The present study involves the use of main group organometallics: organostannanes and organolithiums as precursors to chromium Fischer carbene complexes. Fischer carbenes are well stabilized by the π‐donor substituents such as alkoxy and amino groups and low oxidation state metals such as Group 6 (Chromium, Molybdenum or Tungsten). Carbenes are an important intermediate in the synthesis of a range of compounds through cyclopropanations, insertions, coupling and photochemical reactions. Synthesis and successful characterisation of three α‐alkoxystannanes was achieved via nucleophilic addition of tributylstannyllithium to the respective aldehydes, followed by an immediate MOM protection of the resulting alcohol. Six α‐aminostanannes were synthesised, consisting of N‐BOC, N‐acetyl and N‐ethyl derivatives of pyrrolidine and piperidine, via α‐lithiation and subsequent tinlithium transmetallation in the presence of TMEDA. The ¹³C NMR analysis highlighted an interesting phenomenon of tin‐carbon coupling that revealed unique structural information of both types of stannanes. DFT analysis was completed on the series of stannanes; a predicted frequency analysis was obtained which complemented the experimental Infra‐red data in elucidation of the compounds. The α‐alkoxy and α‐aminostannanes provided stable precursors to the organolithiums required for the synthesis of the novel Fischer chromium carbenes. The organolithiums were obtained via tinlithium exchange at low temperatures, followed by the addition of chromium hexacarbonyl to form the acylpentacarbonyl‐chromate salt. Alkylation of this intermediate using a Meerwein salt, Me₃OBF₄, gave rise to the novel Fischer chromium carbene complexes. Fischer chromium carbenes derived from the two isomeric butyl and isobutyl stannanes and the two N‐ethyl α‐aminostannanes were successfully synthesised. The difficulty encountered in the purification of the Fischer carbene complexes hindered the full characterisation, due to the presence of a by‐product, tetrabutyltin.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An investigation into fraud and corruption risk management policies and procedures at institutions of higher learning
- Authors: Makhooane, Stephen Malefane
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Fraud -- South Africa -- Prevention Corruption -- South Africa -- Prevention Risk management -- South Africa -- Evaluation Education, Higher -- South Africa -- Finance
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:777 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003898
- Description: Fraud and corruption cost South Africa billions of rand yearly. Institutions of higher learning are no less vulnerable to fraud and corruption than other organisations, but are also subject to risks that are unique to academia. The Public Finance Management Act. No.1 of 1999 requires Public entities including the councils (university or college controlling body) of public institutions of higher learning to adopt enterprise risk management, which includes a fraud and corruption risk management policy and procedures. The function of the fraud and corruption policy is to provide an objective strategy to prevent, detect and investigate any possible irregularity in order to prevent further loss in line with Corporate Governance requirements. The anti-fraud and corruption strategy measures include setting the appropriate tone by management of the institution, being proactive (fraud risk assessments), and being reactive (reporting process, investigation and taking appropriate action). The actions include disciplinary action and criminal or civil proceedings in order to recover assets lost. The procedures address the implementation of the policy. This research focused on identifying the relevant issues that could be included in the formulation of fraud and corruption risk management policies and procedures for institutions of higher learning. The research was conducted using a qualitative methodology consisting of a document analysis and interviews. It was found that, out of eleven institutions of higher learning investigated only one institution meets the criteria set out in the framework developed in the research as an assessment tool. The other institutions involved in the research did not have fraud and corruption risk management policies or procedures and therefore did not comply with the Public Finance Management Act.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Makhooane, Stephen Malefane
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Fraud -- South Africa -- Prevention Corruption -- South Africa -- Prevention Risk management -- South Africa -- Evaluation Education, Higher -- South Africa -- Finance
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:777 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003898
- Description: Fraud and corruption cost South Africa billions of rand yearly. Institutions of higher learning are no less vulnerable to fraud and corruption than other organisations, but are also subject to risks that are unique to academia. The Public Finance Management Act. No.1 of 1999 requires Public entities including the councils (university or college controlling body) of public institutions of higher learning to adopt enterprise risk management, which includes a fraud and corruption risk management policy and procedures. The function of the fraud and corruption policy is to provide an objective strategy to prevent, detect and investigate any possible irregularity in order to prevent further loss in line with Corporate Governance requirements. The anti-fraud and corruption strategy measures include setting the appropriate tone by management of the institution, being proactive (fraud risk assessments), and being reactive (reporting process, investigation and taking appropriate action). The actions include disciplinary action and criminal or civil proceedings in order to recover assets lost. The procedures address the implementation of the policy. This research focused on identifying the relevant issues that could be included in the formulation of fraud and corruption risk management policies and procedures for institutions of higher learning. The research was conducted using a qualitative methodology consisting of a document analysis and interviews. It was found that, out of eleven institutions of higher learning investigated only one institution meets the criteria set out in the framework developed in the research as an assessment tool. The other institutions involved in the research did not have fraud and corruption risk management policies or procedures and therefore did not comply with the Public Finance Management Act.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Haul Music : transnationalism and musical performance in the Saharaui refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria
- Authors: Gimenez Amoros, Luis
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Bedouins -- Music -- Research Sahrawi (African people) -- Migrations Social change -- Arab countries Arab countries -- Social life and customs Civilization, Arab
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2637 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002302
- Description: The thesis presents ethnographic data and musical analysis (in the form of transcriptions) of Haul music which is the music style performed by Bedouin societies in Trab el Bidan region (Mauritania, Western Sahara, northern Mali, southern Algeria and northern Morocco). It is based on field research undertaken in Algeria in 2004-05 in the refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria, where Saharaui people (a Bedouin society)live in exile. This research is unique and original as Haul has not, until now, been explored in depth by any scholar. My research on Haul reveals that the changes in Saharaui music in the refugee camps of Tindouf reflect changes in the musical traditions of Bedouin societies as whole; changes that can be traced to the revolution which occurred in Western Sahara in 1975, and changes that are a result of the migrations and life in exile that followed. I argue that these changes occurred due to the transnational experiences undergone by Saharaui people in their forced exile (caused by the Moroccan state) from their homeland in Western Sahara to Algeria. Further, I assert that the invocation of memory in Bedouin musical styles is evidence of past musical practices being retained in contemporary Haul performance, although other musical changes are similarly in progress.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Gimenez Amoros, Luis
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Bedouins -- Music -- Research Sahrawi (African people) -- Migrations Social change -- Arab countries Arab countries -- Social life and customs Civilization, Arab
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2637 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002302
- Description: The thesis presents ethnographic data and musical analysis (in the form of transcriptions) of Haul music which is the music style performed by Bedouin societies in Trab el Bidan region (Mauritania, Western Sahara, northern Mali, southern Algeria and northern Morocco). It is based on field research undertaken in Algeria in 2004-05 in the refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria, where Saharaui people (a Bedouin society)live in exile. This research is unique and original as Haul has not, until now, been explored in depth by any scholar. My research on Haul reveals that the changes in Saharaui music in the refugee camps of Tindouf reflect changes in the musical traditions of Bedouin societies as whole; changes that can be traced to the revolution which occurred in Western Sahara in 1975, and changes that are a result of the migrations and life in exile that followed. I argue that these changes occurred due to the transnational experiences undergone by Saharaui people in their forced exile (caused by the Moroccan state) from their homeland in Western Sahara to Algeria. Further, I assert that the invocation of memory in Bedouin musical styles is evidence of past musical practices being retained in contemporary Haul performance, although other musical changes are similarly in progress.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An investigation into how cell phones can be used in the teaching of mathematics using VITALmaths video clips: a case study of 2 schools in Grahamstown, South Africa
- Authors: Ndafenongo, Gerhard
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Educational innovations -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Telecommunication in education -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Teaching -- Aids and devices -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Mathematics Software -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Mobile communication systems in education -- South Africa -- Grahamstown
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1596 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003478
- Description: Cell phones have become a ubiquitous part of daily life for both teachers and learners alike. The educational potential afforded by cell phones is diverse. The challenge for teachers is to capitalise on this ubiquity and make use of cell phones for educational purposes. This study investigates how cell phones can be used in the teaching of Mathematics using VITALmaths video clips. Five VITALmaths video clips were uploaded onto cell phones which were used in the classroom to explore the Theorem of Pythagoras in a visually appealing way that supported a conceptual understanding of the basis of the theorem. The study was conducted in two high schools in Grahamstown, South Africa. It involved two teachers from each school and a total number of 47 Grade 10 Mathematics students. The participating teachers were chosen from a group of Mathematics teachers taking part in the Mathematics Teacher Enrichment Programme (MTEP) of the FirstRand Foundation Mathematics Education Chair hosted by Rhodes University. This study is framed as a case study and is grounded within the interpretive paradigm. The study captures teachers’ and learners’ experiences in using cell phones as instructional aids within the pedagogical context of the classroom. This research suggests that cell phones can be a useful resource to support teaching and learning in the classroom, particularly in under-resourced schools. The use of VITALmaths video clips as mathematical content, and cell phones as a vehicle of delivery, enhanced active participation and concentration, sped up lessons, encouraged collaboration as well as interaction and hands-on exploration, and promoted both student autonomy as well as teacher enrichment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Ndafenongo, Gerhard
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Educational innovations -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Telecommunication in education -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Teaching -- Aids and devices -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Mathematics Software -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Mobile communication systems in education -- South Africa -- Grahamstown
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1596 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003478
- Description: Cell phones have become a ubiquitous part of daily life for both teachers and learners alike. The educational potential afforded by cell phones is diverse. The challenge for teachers is to capitalise on this ubiquity and make use of cell phones for educational purposes. This study investigates how cell phones can be used in the teaching of Mathematics using VITALmaths video clips. Five VITALmaths video clips were uploaded onto cell phones which were used in the classroom to explore the Theorem of Pythagoras in a visually appealing way that supported a conceptual understanding of the basis of the theorem. The study was conducted in two high schools in Grahamstown, South Africa. It involved two teachers from each school and a total number of 47 Grade 10 Mathematics students. The participating teachers were chosen from a group of Mathematics teachers taking part in the Mathematics Teacher Enrichment Programme (MTEP) of the FirstRand Foundation Mathematics Education Chair hosted by Rhodes University. This study is framed as a case study and is grounded within the interpretive paradigm. The study captures teachers’ and learners’ experiences in using cell phones as instructional aids within the pedagogical context of the classroom. This research suggests that cell phones can be a useful resource to support teaching and learning in the classroom, particularly in under-resourced schools. The use of VITALmaths video clips as mathematical content, and cell phones as a vehicle of delivery, enhanced active participation and concentration, sped up lessons, encouraged collaboration as well as interaction and hands-on exploration, and promoted both student autonomy as well as teacher enrichment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of copper (II) complexes of some hydroxybenzaldimines and their derivatives
- Authors: Sobola, Abdullahi Owolabi
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Copper , Schiff bases , Ligands
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4534 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016258
- Description: This study focuses on the antimicrobial activity of Cu(II) complexes of some orthohydroxybenzaldimines and its derivatives. Four different categories of Schiff base ligands were prepared by condensing salicylaldehyde, o-vanillin, p-vanillin and vanillin with p- and osubstituted anilines; 1-aminonaphthalene; 2- and 3-aminopyridine; 2- and 3- aminomethylpyridine as well as 2-aminobenzimidazole. The last category was prepared from ophenylenediamine and o-vanillin. The Schiff base ligands have been characterized by a combination of elemental analysis and spectral (¹H- and ¹³C-NMR, UV/Visible, infrared and Raman) data. The existence of strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the orthohydoxybenzaldimines was evident from the chemical shift values of the hydroxyl proton in the ¹H-NMR spectra of the Schiff base ligands. The hydroxyl proton resonates at high frequency and thus absorbed far downfield at 13.46-11.83 ppm, reflecting the presence of hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl proton and the imine nitrogen. In the p-substituted aniline analogues of the Schiff base, a plot of the chemical shift values of the hydroxyl proton against the Hammett's substituent parameters gave a linear correlation between the electronegativities of the substituents and the chemical shift values. The nitro group with the highest electronegativity caused the least deshielding of the hydroxyl proton and thus absorbed upfield compared to the less electronegative substituents such as the CH3 and OCH3 analogues. Likewise, in the solid state infrared spectra of the ligands, the hydroxyl stretching band of the ortho-hydroxyl Schiff base ligands was observed as a very broad band and at much lower frequency, 3100-2100 cm⁻¹, indicating the existence of strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding. In the same vein, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectral data for the Schiff base ligands indicated that the prepared compounds exist in the enol form in aprotic solvent, chloroform. The methine proton appeared as singlet and there was no carbonyl signal in the ¹³C-NMR spectra of the Schiff base ligands. This was supported by the infrared data having no vibrational band attributable to the carbonyl stretching of the keto-form of the Schiff base ligands in solid state. However, the UV/Visible study of the Schiff base ligands in protic solvent, methanol, suggested the existence of some of the Schiff base ligands in keto-enol form. A band at greater than 400 nm was observed in the UV/Visible spectra of the ligands and this has been attributed to the presence of the keto form of orthohydroxyl Schiff base ligands in solution. A plot of the molar absorptivity (ε) of the band at greater than 400 nm against Hammett substituent parameters revealed that the intensity of the bands increased with the electronegativity of the substituents. The Cu(II) complexes of salicylaldehyde, o-vanillin and a few p-vanillin based Schiff base ligands are reported in this work. It was observed that introduction of Cu(II) ions into the ligand system resulted in the hydrolysis of the imine band in few cases. All the isolated complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, conductivity measurement, infrared and UV/Visible spectral data. The structures of three of the Cu(II) complexes were further confirmed by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The Schiff base ligands either coordinated as neutral base through the imine nitrogen or via the imine nitrogen and the phenolic oxygen atoms. In addition, the benzimidazole-based and ovan-2-pico analogues equally coordinated through the imidazole N-3 nitrogen and the azine nitrogen respectively; thus acted as tridentate. In general, the synthesized Cu(II) complexes fell into seven categories viz: [Cu(LH)Cl(H₂O)]Cl; [Cu(LH)₂Cl₂].xH₂O; [CuL₂]; [Cu₂L₂]; [Cu(LH)Cl(H₂O)]Cl; and [MLCl]. The Cu(II) complexes of the form, M(LH)₂Cl₂.xH₂O were either 1:1 or non-electrolyte in methanol and DMF. The third category, CuL₂, was however, non-electrolyte existing as neutral four coordinate Cu(II) complexes. X-ray single crystal structure of Cu(II) complexes derived from the ammonia-based Schiff bases revealed a square planar geometry for the complexes and this agreed with the planar geometry that has been reported for Cu(II) complexes of N-arylsalicylaldimines of the type studied in this work. The complexes, [Cu₂L₂], resulted from the ortho-hydroxyaniline analogues and were polymeric with the Schiff base ligands coordinating to the Cu(II) ions as tridentate dibasic via the imine nitrogen, phenolic oxygen and the aminophenolic oxygen atoms. Cu(II) complexes prepared from ovan-2-ampy and ovan-2-pico Schiff bases were of the forms [Cu(LH)Cl(H₂O)]Cl and [CuLCl] respectively. The X-ray crystal structure of [Cu(ovan-2- pico)Cl] revealed a four-coordinate square planar geometry for the complex. In the same vein, the o-phenylenediamine complexes were of the form [Cu(L)(H₂O)], with the X-ray crystal structure of [Cu(bis-ovanphen)(H₂O)] revealing a square pyramidal geometry. The Schiff base ligands and the isolated Cu(II) complexes have been evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against three bacterial strains (Escherichia coli ATCC® 8739™*, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC® 6538™* and Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizeni ATCC® 6633™*) and one fungal strain, Candida albicans ATCC® 2091™*, using agar disc diffusion and broth dilution techniques. It was observed that the presence of the methoxyl group at the ortho-position of the aldehyde moiety of the Schiff base ligands enhanced the activity of the ligand tremendously and thus the o-vanillin analogues showed the highest potency against the tested organisms. In addition, the hydroxyaniline analogues were equally the most promising of all the substituted aniline based Schiff bases. The o-vanillin analogues of the aminopyridines and aminomethylpyridines also exhibited significant activity against the tested organisms. All the 2-aminobenzimidazole series were active against the tested organisms. It should be noted that E. coli was the least susceptible of all the microorganisms while the highest potency was exhibited against the fungus of choice, Candida albicans. Lastly, chelation of the Schiff base ligands with Cu(II) ions did not have significant influence on the activity of the free ligands.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Sobola, Abdullahi Owolabi
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Copper , Schiff bases , Ligands
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4534 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016258
- Description: This study focuses on the antimicrobial activity of Cu(II) complexes of some orthohydroxybenzaldimines and its derivatives. Four different categories of Schiff base ligands were prepared by condensing salicylaldehyde, o-vanillin, p-vanillin and vanillin with p- and osubstituted anilines; 1-aminonaphthalene; 2- and 3-aminopyridine; 2- and 3- aminomethylpyridine as well as 2-aminobenzimidazole. The last category was prepared from ophenylenediamine and o-vanillin. The Schiff base ligands have been characterized by a combination of elemental analysis and spectral (¹H- and ¹³C-NMR, UV/Visible, infrared and Raman) data. The existence of strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the orthohydoxybenzaldimines was evident from the chemical shift values of the hydroxyl proton in the ¹H-NMR spectra of the Schiff base ligands. The hydroxyl proton resonates at high frequency and thus absorbed far downfield at 13.46-11.83 ppm, reflecting the presence of hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl proton and the imine nitrogen. In the p-substituted aniline analogues of the Schiff base, a plot of the chemical shift values of the hydroxyl proton against the Hammett's substituent parameters gave a linear correlation between the electronegativities of the substituents and the chemical shift values. The nitro group with the highest electronegativity caused the least deshielding of the hydroxyl proton and thus absorbed upfield compared to the less electronegative substituents such as the CH3 and OCH3 analogues. Likewise, in the solid state infrared spectra of the ligands, the hydroxyl stretching band of the ortho-hydroxyl Schiff base ligands was observed as a very broad band and at much lower frequency, 3100-2100 cm⁻¹, indicating the existence of strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding. In the same vein, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectral data for the Schiff base ligands indicated that the prepared compounds exist in the enol form in aprotic solvent, chloroform. The methine proton appeared as singlet and there was no carbonyl signal in the ¹³C-NMR spectra of the Schiff base ligands. This was supported by the infrared data having no vibrational band attributable to the carbonyl stretching of the keto-form of the Schiff base ligands in solid state. However, the UV/Visible study of the Schiff base ligands in protic solvent, methanol, suggested the existence of some of the Schiff base ligands in keto-enol form. A band at greater than 400 nm was observed in the UV/Visible spectra of the ligands and this has been attributed to the presence of the keto form of orthohydroxyl Schiff base ligands in solution. A plot of the molar absorptivity (ε) of the band at greater than 400 nm against Hammett substituent parameters revealed that the intensity of the bands increased with the electronegativity of the substituents. The Cu(II) complexes of salicylaldehyde, o-vanillin and a few p-vanillin based Schiff base ligands are reported in this work. It was observed that introduction of Cu(II) ions into the ligand system resulted in the hydrolysis of the imine band in few cases. All the isolated complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, conductivity measurement, infrared and UV/Visible spectral data. The structures of three of the Cu(II) complexes were further confirmed by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The Schiff base ligands either coordinated as neutral base through the imine nitrogen or via the imine nitrogen and the phenolic oxygen atoms. In addition, the benzimidazole-based and ovan-2-pico analogues equally coordinated through the imidazole N-3 nitrogen and the azine nitrogen respectively; thus acted as tridentate. In general, the synthesized Cu(II) complexes fell into seven categories viz: [Cu(LH)Cl(H₂O)]Cl; [Cu(LH)₂Cl₂].xH₂O; [CuL₂]; [Cu₂L₂]; [Cu(LH)Cl(H₂O)]Cl; and [MLCl]. The Cu(II) complexes of the form, M(LH)₂Cl₂.xH₂O were either 1:1 or non-electrolyte in methanol and DMF. The third category, CuL₂, was however, non-electrolyte existing as neutral four coordinate Cu(II) complexes. X-ray single crystal structure of Cu(II) complexes derived from the ammonia-based Schiff bases revealed a square planar geometry for the complexes and this agreed with the planar geometry that has been reported for Cu(II) complexes of N-arylsalicylaldimines of the type studied in this work. The complexes, [Cu₂L₂], resulted from the ortho-hydroxyaniline analogues and were polymeric with the Schiff base ligands coordinating to the Cu(II) ions as tridentate dibasic via the imine nitrogen, phenolic oxygen and the aminophenolic oxygen atoms. Cu(II) complexes prepared from ovan-2-ampy and ovan-2-pico Schiff bases were of the forms [Cu(LH)Cl(H₂O)]Cl and [CuLCl] respectively. The X-ray crystal structure of [Cu(ovan-2- pico)Cl] revealed a four-coordinate square planar geometry for the complex. In the same vein, the o-phenylenediamine complexes were of the form [Cu(L)(H₂O)], with the X-ray crystal structure of [Cu(bis-ovanphen)(H₂O)] revealing a square pyramidal geometry. The Schiff base ligands and the isolated Cu(II) complexes have been evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against three bacterial strains (Escherichia coli ATCC® 8739™*, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC® 6538™* and Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizeni ATCC® 6633™*) and one fungal strain, Candida albicans ATCC® 2091™*, using agar disc diffusion and broth dilution techniques. It was observed that the presence of the methoxyl group at the ortho-position of the aldehyde moiety of the Schiff base ligands enhanced the activity of the ligand tremendously and thus the o-vanillin analogues showed the highest potency against the tested organisms. In addition, the hydroxyaniline analogues were equally the most promising of all the substituted aniline based Schiff bases. The o-vanillin analogues of the aminopyridines and aminomethylpyridines also exhibited significant activity against the tested organisms. All the 2-aminobenzimidazole series were active against the tested organisms. It should be noted that E. coli was the least susceptible of all the microorganisms while the highest potency was exhibited against the fungus of choice, Candida albicans. Lastly, chelation of the Schiff base ligands with Cu(II) ions did not have significant influence on the activity of the free ligands.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Developing marine pollution awareness among new recruits at SAS Saldanha Naval Gymnasium: a training needs analysis
- Authors: Kwak, Gerrit Werner
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Marine pollution -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Naval education -- South Africa -- Evaluation Training needs -- Armed forces -- South Africa -- Evaluation S.A.S. Saldanha (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:774 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003895
- Description: This dissertation focuses on the marine pollution awareness training needs of newly recruited SAN employees. It uses Training Needs Analysis (TNA) as a tool to gain a better understanding of what knowledge, skills and attitude (KSA) recruits should have about the marine environment and if their level of competency meets the requirement to effectively and efficiently contribute to the sustainable use of the maritime environment in which they will be deployed. Ultimately, their individual and collective abilities will be a determining factor in the strategic intent of the SAN to be unchallenged at sea. The absence therefore of a Marine Pollution Awareness Training Programme (MPTAP) within the Basic Military Training (BMT) curriculum of new recruits at SAS SALDANHA Naval Gymnasium necessitated a TNA. Based on prior research on training conducted by subject matter experts both internal and external to the SAN it was decided to conduct a TNA on the KSA‟s required in terms of marine pollution awareness amongst newly recruited members. The literature provided discusses education, training, development of employees and focuses then on the role and importance of TNA‟s. Information was gathered from various subject matter experts, archival records, policy documents, internet-based resources and newly recruited naval learners consisting of a sample of 25 new recruits. Theory was used to determine the KSA expected from naval employees in terms of marine pollution awareness. Data obtained from each of the research resources was coded and grouped in order to establish themes. This allowed the researcher to determine what KSA‟s recruits should have about the marine environment and if their level of competency meets the requirement to effectively and efficiently contribute to the sustainable use of the maritime environment in which they will be deployed. The researcher therefore found that first priority in terms of KSA‟s should be given to a basic legal understanding of the regulatory framework that is applicable on marine pollution. This understanding will form the foundation for recruits to have the ability to know “what to do when” during observed transgressions. The legal understanding in combination with the Sector Education Training Authority (SETA) unit standards will help new recruits to be skilful when applying safe working practices thereby ensuring their own and others' safety. Ultimately, a basic but well entrenched knowledge about marine pollution together with applied skills on how to use the knowledge should influence the attitude of new recruits in a positive manner. The researcher concluded that there is a need on the macro, meso and micro level for a MPATP amongst new recruits at SAS SALDANHA. It is recommended that since this research appears to establish the first empirical confirmation of the training need amongst new recruits, it will require further research in terms of curriculum design, curriculum implementation and the evaluation thereof. It would therefore be in the best interest of the SAN to ensure the integration of a MPATP into the planning phase of future BMT Curriculum‟s. It would also be advisable to communicate this intent with all the relevant stakeholders in order to ensure alignment with governmental organisations as well as the private sector where these new recruits can be employed based on their newly acquired competencies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Kwak, Gerrit Werner
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Marine pollution -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Naval education -- South Africa -- Evaluation Training needs -- Armed forces -- South Africa -- Evaluation S.A.S. Saldanha (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:774 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003895
- Description: This dissertation focuses on the marine pollution awareness training needs of newly recruited SAN employees. It uses Training Needs Analysis (TNA) as a tool to gain a better understanding of what knowledge, skills and attitude (KSA) recruits should have about the marine environment and if their level of competency meets the requirement to effectively and efficiently contribute to the sustainable use of the maritime environment in which they will be deployed. Ultimately, their individual and collective abilities will be a determining factor in the strategic intent of the SAN to be unchallenged at sea. The absence therefore of a Marine Pollution Awareness Training Programme (MPTAP) within the Basic Military Training (BMT) curriculum of new recruits at SAS SALDANHA Naval Gymnasium necessitated a TNA. Based on prior research on training conducted by subject matter experts both internal and external to the SAN it was decided to conduct a TNA on the KSA‟s required in terms of marine pollution awareness amongst newly recruited members. The literature provided discusses education, training, development of employees and focuses then on the role and importance of TNA‟s. Information was gathered from various subject matter experts, archival records, policy documents, internet-based resources and newly recruited naval learners consisting of a sample of 25 new recruits. Theory was used to determine the KSA expected from naval employees in terms of marine pollution awareness. Data obtained from each of the research resources was coded and grouped in order to establish themes. This allowed the researcher to determine what KSA‟s recruits should have about the marine environment and if their level of competency meets the requirement to effectively and efficiently contribute to the sustainable use of the maritime environment in which they will be deployed. The researcher therefore found that first priority in terms of KSA‟s should be given to a basic legal understanding of the regulatory framework that is applicable on marine pollution. This understanding will form the foundation for recruits to have the ability to know “what to do when” during observed transgressions. The legal understanding in combination with the Sector Education Training Authority (SETA) unit standards will help new recruits to be skilful when applying safe working practices thereby ensuring their own and others' safety. Ultimately, a basic but well entrenched knowledge about marine pollution together with applied skills on how to use the knowledge should influence the attitude of new recruits in a positive manner. The researcher concluded that there is a need on the macro, meso and micro level for a MPATP amongst new recruits at SAS SALDANHA. It is recommended that since this research appears to establish the first empirical confirmation of the training need amongst new recruits, it will require further research in terms of curriculum design, curriculum implementation and the evaluation thereof. It would therefore be in the best interest of the SAN to ensure the integration of a MPATP into the planning phase of future BMT Curriculum‟s. It would also be advisable to communicate this intent with all the relevant stakeholders in order to ensure alignment with governmental organisations as well as the private sector where these new recruits can be employed based on their newly acquired competencies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Photophysicochemical studies of phenylthio phthalocyanines interaction with gold nanoparticles and applications in dye sensitised solar cells and optical limiting
- Authors: Forteath, Shaun
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Phthalocyanines , Nanoparticles , Photochemistry
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4334 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004995 , Phthalocyanines , Nanoparticles , Photochemistry
- Description: The syntheses, spectroscopic characterisation, photophysical and photochemical studies have been conducted for a variety of phenylthio substituted phthalocyanines (Pcs). Comparisons have been made taking into consideration the influence of the central metal ion, solvent properties and substituent type. The optical limiting properties were also determined for all the Pcs synthesised. A low-symmetry metallophthalocyanine complex was similarly characterised and the photoelectrochemical parameters determined when used as a sensitiser of nanoporous ZnO. The symmetric analogue was conjugated to gold nanoparticles to determine the influence of interactions on its photophysical properties and distinct differences occurred in the absorption and fluorescence spectra suggesting successful formation of conjugates.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Forteath, Shaun
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Phthalocyanines , Nanoparticles , Photochemistry
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4334 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004995 , Phthalocyanines , Nanoparticles , Photochemistry
- Description: The syntheses, spectroscopic characterisation, photophysical and photochemical studies have been conducted for a variety of phenylthio substituted phthalocyanines (Pcs). Comparisons have been made taking into consideration the influence of the central metal ion, solvent properties and substituent type. The optical limiting properties were also determined for all the Pcs synthesised. A low-symmetry metallophthalocyanine complex was similarly characterised and the photoelectrochemical parameters determined when used as a sensitiser of nanoporous ZnO. The symmetric analogue was conjugated to gold nanoparticles to determine the influence of interactions on its photophysical properties and distinct differences occurred in the absorption and fluorescence spectra suggesting successful formation of conjugates.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Teachers' leadership roles at a public rural school in the Ohangwena Region, Namibia
- Nauyoma-Hamupembe, Ladipaleni Ndadiinina
- Authors: Nauyoma-Hamupembe, Ladipaleni Ndadiinina
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Educational leadership -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Rural schools -- Namibia -- Ohangwena School management and organization -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Teachers -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Teacher-principal relationships -- Namibia -- Ohangwena
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1794 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003679
- Description: The changing global and local circumstances and shift for democracy posed particular problems for school administration and leadership and made it difficult for principals to fulfil leadership responsibilities in schools alone. Hence principals require the assistance of all stakeholders in the school, and teachers in particular, to work together as a team and share the diverse leadership load for the improvement of schools. Thus, leadership in schools needs to be shared and distributed in a collaborative manner among teachers and principals working as a group to accomplish the primary objective of their schools, which is to improve learners’ achievement. For this idea to be embraced, I suggest it may require an urgent need for advanced knowledge and understanding of teacher leadership in schools, among teachers and principals, if schools are to thrive. This research studied the phenomenon of teacher leadership at a public rural school in the Ohangwena region of Namibia. It explored the teachers’ experiences of their leadership roles, and specifically the challenges inherent within the practice of teacher leadership in a school. A qualitative interpretive case study was conducted, employing document analysis, semi‐structured interviews and observations to produce data with regard to teachers’ experiences of their leadership roles, challenges inherent within its practice and possible strategies to promote teacher leadership. The analysis and the triangulation across the data sets suggested that teacher leadership existed in the case study school where it appeared in four different areas of leadership practice. These areas of leadership practices (Grant, 2008, p. 93) were, for example, in the classroom, outside the classroom in curricular and extra‐curricular activities, in school‐wide leadership development and between other neighbouring schools in the community. The school had a view of teacher leadership which was strongly located within the classroom and outside the classroom in curricular and extra‐curricular activities where teachers worked and interacted with their colleagues and learners. Teacher leadership was severely limited in the area of whole school development and almost non‐existent in the area outside the school between teachers across neighbouring schools, at circuit or district level and in the community. The study suggested that the nature of teacher leadership in the case study school was a restricted form of teacher leadership (Harris and Muijs, 2005) due to a range of factors which impeded its practice. The factors were, for example, a lack of involvement of all teachers in whole school leadership and school‐wide decision‐making. Other factors were limited time for teachers in the school, a lack of leadership development amongst the principal and teachers as well as resistance for teachers to leadership in the case study school.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Nauyoma-Hamupembe, Ladipaleni Ndadiinina
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Educational leadership -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Rural schools -- Namibia -- Ohangwena School management and organization -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Teachers -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Teacher-principal relationships -- Namibia -- Ohangwena
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1794 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003679
- Description: The changing global and local circumstances and shift for democracy posed particular problems for school administration and leadership and made it difficult for principals to fulfil leadership responsibilities in schools alone. Hence principals require the assistance of all stakeholders in the school, and teachers in particular, to work together as a team and share the diverse leadership load for the improvement of schools. Thus, leadership in schools needs to be shared and distributed in a collaborative manner among teachers and principals working as a group to accomplish the primary objective of their schools, which is to improve learners’ achievement. For this idea to be embraced, I suggest it may require an urgent need for advanced knowledge and understanding of teacher leadership in schools, among teachers and principals, if schools are to thrive. This research studied the phenomenon of teacher leadership at a public rural school in the Ohangwena region of Namibia. It explored the teachers’ experiences of their leadership roles, and specifically the challenges inherent within the practice of teacher leadership in a school. A qualitative interpretive case study was conducted, employing document analysis, semi‐structured interviews and observations to produce data with regard to teachers’ experiences of their leadership roles, challenges inherent within its practice and possible strategies to promote teacher leadership. The analysis and the triangulation across the data sets suggested that teacher leadership existed in the case study school where it appeared in four different areas of leadership practice. These areas of leadership practices (Grant, 2008, p. 93) were, for example, in the classroom, outside the classroom in curricular and extra‐curricular activities, in school‐wide leadership development and between other neighbouring schools in the community. The school had a view of teacher leadership which was strongly located within the classroom and outside the classroom in curricular and extra‐curricular activities where teachers worked and interacted with their colleagues and learners. Teacher leadership was severely limited in the area of whole school development and almost non‐existent in the area outside the school between teachers across neighbouring schools, at circuit or district level and in the community. The study suggested that the nature of teacher leadership in the case study school was a restricted form of teacher leadership (Harris and Muijs, 2005) due to a range of factors which impeded its practice. The factors were, for example, a lack of involvement of all teachers in whole school leadership and school‐wide decision‐making. Other factors were limited time for teachers in the school, a lack of leadership development amongst the principal and teachers as well as resistance for teachers to leadership in the case study school.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Constraints to the implementation of a market development approach to the delivery of business Development Services within the Makana municipal area
- Authors: Van Heerden, Garth William
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Makana Municipality Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Growth Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Public opinion Small business marketing -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Unemployment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:814 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007746
- Description: South Africa's biggest challenge remains the high rate of unemployment especially among the country's youth. Small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) have been shown to be instrumental in many third world economies as a sustainable means not only to address unemployment but also to contribute significantly to economic growth. Despite government's good intentions and support, the South African SMME sector is not growing as expected and this is impacting negatively on unemployment creation in the country. Good business development services (BDS) is necessary to support SMMEs and specifically the Market Development Approach to the provision of BDS, where subsidies are replaced by private payment for services. Makana municipal area provided scope for analysing the constraints to the implementation of such business development services. Analysing the scope and magnitude of the constraints in this setting would contribute to understanding the constraints also in other parts of the country and help officials in local economic development make better informed decisions regarding support to SMMEs. Authors like Rogerson (2011), UNDP (2004), Miehlbradt and McVay, (2003), the Committee of Donor Agencies for SME Development (Blue book) (2001) and Bear et al., (2001) Gibson (2001), propose that the key to sustainable BDS is the implementation of the Market Development approach which focusses on for-profit activities in the provision of BDS to SMMEs. The aim of this study was to examine perceptions of key stakeholders towards SMME support and development, to identify the constraints to the implementation of a Market Development approach to the provision of business development services to SMMEs in the Makana area and to make recommendations to the Makana LED office of possible intervention strategies to address identified constraints. Purposive sampling was used to identify key stakeholders in SMME support in the Makana area in the categories of, big institutional buyers, public and private BDS providers as well the municipal LED office. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each stakeholder using questions shown in appendixes A to D. Perceptions of all key stakeholders were very positive with good intentions to support SMMEs. However, this was not consistent with procurement practice at the big institutional buyers. Constraints are summarized in the following five themes: Theme 1. Inconsistent practice in dealing with SMMEs across the organisation. Theme 2. Absence of a cooperative body or Chamber of Commerce. Theme 3. Fragmented Business Development Services. Theme 4. A lack of a culture of cost recovery. Theme 5. Limited awareness of BDS in the Makana area. A number of recommendations were suggested. Big institutional buyers like Rhodes University and Makana municipality need to take a longer term view and move the focus from employment creation to enterprise support which is a more sustainable and empowering source of employment (ILO, 2009). The Grahamstown Chamber of Commerce should become more representative and big institutional buyers also need to be convinced of the value of private BDS. Stakeholders should work together to combine resources to offer a comprehensive one-stop BDS for the Makana area (Chetty, 2009) and this comprehensive BDS should be provided according to the Market Development approach focusing on those services that lend themselves better to this approach whilst using subsidies only for those services with a low potential for cost recovery (UNDP, 2004).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Van Heerden, Garth William
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Makana Municipality Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Growth Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Public opinion Small business marketing -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Unemployment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:814 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007746
- Description: South Africa's biggest challenge remains the high rate of unemployment especially among the country's youth. Small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) have been shown to be instrumental in many third world economies as a sustainable means not only to address unemployment but also to contribute significantly to economic growth. Despite government's good intentions and support, the South African SMME sector is not growing as expected and this is impacting negatively on unemployment creation in the country. Good business development services (BDS) is necessary to support SMMEs and specifically the Market Development Approach to the provision of BDS, where subsidies are replaced by private payment for services. Makana municipal area provided scope for analysing the constraints to the implementation of such business development services. Analysing the scope and magnitude of the constraints in this setting would contribute to understanding the constraints also in other parts of the country and help officials in local economic development make better informed decisions regarding support to SMMEs. Authors like Rogerson (2011), UNDP (2004), Miehlbradt and McVay, (2003), the Committee of Donor Agencies for SME Development (Blue book) (2001) and Bear et al., (2001) Gibson (2001), propose that the key to sustainable BDS is the implementation of the Market Development approach which focusses on for-profit activities in the provision of BDS to SMMEs. The aim of this study was to examine perceptions of key stakeholders towards SMME support and development, to identify the constraints to the implementation of a Market Development approach to the provision of business development services to SMMEs in the Makana area and to make recommendations to the Makana LED office of possible intervention strategies to address identified constraints. Purposive sampling was used to identify key stakeholders in SMME support in the Makana area in the categories of, big institutional buyers, public and private BDS providers as well the municipal LED office. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each stakeholder using questions shown in appendixes A to D. Perceptions of all key stakeholders were very positive with good intentions to support SMMEs. However, this was not consistent with procurement practice at the big institutional buyers. Constraints are summarized in the following five themes: Theme 1. Inconsistent practice in dealing with SMMEs across the organisation. Theme 2. Absence of a cooperative body or Chamber of Commerce. Theme 3. Fragmented Business Development Services. Theme 4. A lack of a culture of cost recovery. Theme 5. Limited awareness of BDS in the Makana area. A number of recommendations were suggested. Big institutional buyers like Rhodes University and Makana municipality need to take a longer term view and move the focus from employment creation to enterprise support which is a more sustainable and empowering source of employment (ILO, 2009). The Grahamstown Chamber of Commerce should become more representative and big institutional buyers also need to be convinced of the value of private BDS. Stakeholders should work together to combine resources to offer a comprehensive one-stop BDS for the Makana area (Chetty, 2009) and this comprehensive BDS should be provided according to the Market Development approach focusing on those services that lend themselves better to this approach whilst using subsidies only for those services with a low potential for cost recovery (UNDP, 2004).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An analysis of the determinants and recent decline of private savings in South Africa
- Authors: Linde, Kathryn Leigh
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Saving and investment -- Research -- South Africa Finance, Personal -- Research -- South Africa Corporations -- Finance -- Research -- South Africa Economic development -- Research -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1007 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002742
- Description: Low domestic saving rates make South Africa highly dependent on foreign capital inflows to fund higher investment levels. These inflows are highly volatile and may prove to be unsustainable in the long-run. This study analyses the determinants of private saving in South Africa, with specific reference to the decline in private saving rates that occurred at a time of higher economic growth prior to the 2008 global financial crisis. The Johansen cointegration method is used to estimate separate vector error correction models (VECM) in order to assess the effect of specific variables on both corporate and household saving. The results obtained that are common to both corporate and household savmg show that the govemment budget balance negatively impacts private saving rates though the offset is less than one. The real prime overdraft rate positively impacts private saving, although the result is small . The impact of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is positive. In recent years, however, private saving rates fell alongside higher economic growth, which may reflect a structural change in corporate saving behaviour. The results distinct to the corporate saving model show that commodity prices have a negative impact on corporate saving. This does not conform to a priori expectations, but is supported by the behaviour of these two variables in recent years. Foreign savings were found to impact negatively on corporate saving. This result is important, since the dependence of the South African economy on foreign capital inflows to fund higher investment levels is reflected by high current account deficits during recent periods of economic growth. Evidence of financial liberalization negatively impacting on private saving in South Africa due to the removal of borrowing constraints was found. A negative relationship was found between corporate saving and investment demonstrating that corporations have reduced levels of retained eamings for funding investment expenditures. The results distinct to the household saving model provide evidence of a negative wealth effect in South Africa, with rising housing wealth found to increase consumption. Evidence of households "piercing the corporate veil" in South Africa was found. Therefore, households view corporate saving behaviour as essentially being conducted on their behalf. This finding and the finding that the offset between the budget deficit and private saving is less than one suggest that counter-cyclical fiscal policy will be an important policy response for achieving higher domestic saving rates in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Linde, Kathryn Leigh
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Saving and investment -- Research -- South Africa Finance, Personal -- Research -- South Africa Corporations -- Finance -- Research -- South Africa Economic development -- Research -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1007 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002742
- Description: Low domestic saving rates make South Africa highly dependent on foreign capital inflows to fund higher investment levels. These inflows are highly volatile and may prove to be unsustainable in the long-run. This study analyses the determinants of private saving in South Africa, with specific reference to the decline in private saving rates that occurred at a time of higher economic growth prior to the 2008 global financial crisis. The Johansen cointegration method is used to estimate separate vector error correction models (VECM) in order to assess the effect of specific variables on both corporate and household saving. The results obtained that are common to both corporate and household savmg show that the govemment budget balance negatively impacts private saving rates though the offset is less than one. The real prime overdraft rate positively impacts private saving, although the result is small . The impact of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is positive. In recent years, however, private saving rates fell alongside higher economic growth, which may reflect a structural change in corporate saving behaviour. The results distinct to the corporate saving model show that commodity prices have a negative impact on corporate saving. This does not conform to a priori expectations, but is supported by the behaviour of these two variables in recent years. Foreign savings were found to impact negatively on corporate saving. This result is important, since the dependence of the South African economy on foreign capital inflows to fund higher investment levels is reflected by high current account deficits during recent periods of economic growth. Evidence of financial liberalization negatively impacting on private saving in South Africa due to the removal of borrowing constraints was found. A negative relationship was found between corporate saving and investment demonstrating that corporations have reduced levels of retained eamings for funding investment expenditures. The results distinct to the household saving model provide evidence of a negative wealth effect in South Africa, with rising housing wealth found to increase consumption. Evidence of households "piercing the corporate veil" in South Africa was found. Therefore, households view corporate saving behaviour as essentially being conducted on their behalf. This finding and the finding that the offset between the budget deficit and private saving is less than one suggest that counter-cyclical fiscal policy will be an important policy response for achieving higher domestic saving rates in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
'Becoming citizens': young people making sense of citizenship on a South African community radio station youth show
- Karamagi, Sharon Benna Kyakyo
- Authors: Karamagi, Sharon Benna Kyakyo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Citizenship -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Youth -- Social conditions Community radio -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3444 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002898
- Description: This research set out to investigate the role that community radio can potentially play as a space in which young people engage with their own role as citizens and, in so doing, participate in discussions that seek to address social problems in a community divided by class, income, gender and race. The study examines how a local community radio station - Radio Grahamstown - developed a youth programme Y4Yin which the producers of the show and its audience came together to negotiate the meaning of citizenship. The study examines whether this interactive programme was able to function as something like a public sphere where in young people were able to develop a greater sense of agency, at least in the realm of citizenship. Using evidence gathered through focus group discussions with a group of young school-going leamers, interviews conducted with the producers of the show Y4Y, and drawing on Dahlgren's elaboration of a functional public sphere, the research concludes that the show provided a useful platform for Grahamstown high school students to develop their own notions of citizenship and to, at least partially and tentatively, build some 'bridges' across the vectors of socio-economic division in the town. However, the research also concludes that the Y4Y producers often failed to use a mode of address contemporary to the youth and often did not use production techniques congruent with young people's cultural tastes. This limited the programme's appeal and its potential as an enabler of discussion about notions of citizenship and as a platform for social bridging. In addition, because of the producers' control over the choice of topics put up for discussion, open interaction was more limited than could have been expected. In addition, the study also concludes that various limitations to the leamers' freedom of expression (including their fear that teachers might be listening in to the shows) inhibited the programme's role as a deliberative public sphere where issues could be aired, common ground found, and solutions discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Karamagi, Sharon Benna Kyakyo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Citizenship -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Youth -- Social conditions Community radio -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3444 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002898
- Description: This research set out to investigate the role that community radio can potentially play as a space in which young people engage with their own role as citizens and, in so doing, participate in discussions that seek to address social problems in a community divided by class, income, gender and race. The study examines how a local community radio station - Radio Grahamstown - developed a youth programme Y4Yin which the producers of the show and its audience came together to negotiate the meaning of citizenship. The study examines whether this interactive programme was able to function as something like a public sphere where in young people were able to develop a greater sense of agency, at least in the realm of citizenship. Using evidence gathered through focus group discussions with a group of young school-going leamers, interviews conducted with the producers of the show Y4Y, and drawing on Dahlgren's elaboration of a functional public sphere, the research concludes that the show provided a useful platform for Grahamstown high school students to develop their own notions of citizenship and to, at least partially and tentatively, build some 'bridges' across the vectors of socio-economic division in the town. However, the research also concludes that the Y4Y producers often failed to use a mode of address contemporary to the youth and often did not use production techniques congruent with young people's cultural tastes. This limited the programme's appeal and its potential as an enabler of discussion about notions of citizenship and as a platform for social bridging. In addition, because of the producers' control over the choice of topics put up for discussion, open interaction was more limited than could have been expected. In addition, the study also concludes that various limitations to the leamers' freedom of expression (including their fear that teachers might be listening in to the shows) inhibited the programme's role as a deliberative public sphere where issues could be aired, common ground found, and solutions discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Transgressive Christian iconography in post-apartheid South African art
- Authors: Von Veh, Karen Elaine
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Art -- South Africa -- 20th century Art -- South Africa -- 21st century Christian art and symbolism Apartheid in art Art and society -- South Africa -- History -- 20th century Art and society -- South Africa -- History -- 21st century Parody in art
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2424 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002220
- Description: In this study I propose that transgressive interpretations of Christian iconography provide a valuable strategy for contemporary artists to engage with perceived social inequalities in postapartheid South Africa. Working in light of Michel Foucault’s idea of an “ontology of the present”, I investigate the ways in which religious iconography has been implicated in the regulation of society. Parodic reworking of Christian imagery in the selected examples is investigated as a strategy to expose these controls and offer a critique of mechanisms which produce normative ‘truths’. I also consider how such imagery has been received and the factors accounting for that reception. The study is contextualized by a brief, literary based, historical overview of Christian religious imagery to explain the strength of feeling evinced by religious images. This includes a review of the conflation of religion and state control of the masses, an analysis of the sovereign controls and disciplinary powers that they wield, and an explication of their illustration in religious iconography. I also identify reasons why such imagery may have seemed compelling to artists working in a post-apartheid context. By locating recent works in terms of those made elsewhere or South African examples prior to the period that is my focus, the works discussed are explored in terms of broader orientations in post-apartheid South African art. Artworks that respond to specific Christian iconography are discussed, including Adam and Eve, The Virgin Mary, Christ, and various saints and sinners. The selected artists whose works form the focus of this study are Diane Victor, Christine Dixie, Majak Bredell, Tracey Rose, Wim Botha, Conrad Botes, Johannes Phokela and Lawrence Lemaoana. Through transgressive depictions of Christian icons these artists address current inequalities in society. The content of their works analysed here includes (among others): the construction of both female and male identities; sexual roles, social roles, and racial identity; the social expectations of contemporary motherhood; repressive role models; Afrikaner heritage; political and social change and its effects; colonial power; sacrifice; murder, rape, and violence in South Africa; abuses of power by role models and politicians; rugby; heroism; and patricide. Christian iconography is a useful communicative tool because it has permeated many cultures over centuries, and the meanings it carries are thus accessible to large numbers of people. Religious imagery is often held sacred or is regarded with a degree of reverence, thus ensuring an emotive response when iconoclasm or transgression of any sort is identified. This study argues that by parodying sacred imagery these artists are able to disturb complacent viewing and encourage viewers to engage critically with some of its underlying implications.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Von Veh, Karen Elaine
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Art -- South Africa -- 20th century Art -- South Africa -- 21st century Christian art and symbolism Apartheid in art Art and society -- South Africa -- History -- 20th century Art and society -- South Africa -- History -- 21st century Parody in art
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2424 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002220
- Description: In this study I propose that transgressive interpretations of Christian iconography provide a valuable strategy for contemporary artists to engage with perceived social inequalities in postapartheid South Africa. Working in light of Michel Foucault’s idea of an “ontology of the present”, I investigate the ways in which religious iconography has been implicated in the regulation of society. Parodic reworking of Christian imagery in the selected examples is investigated as a strategy to expose these controls and offer a critique of mechanisms which produce normative ‘truths’. I also consider how such imagery has been received and the factors accounting for that reception. The study is contextualized by a brief, literary based, historical overview of Christian religious imagery to explain the strength of feeling evinced by religious images. This includes a review of the conflation of religion and state control of the masses, an analysis of the sovereign controls and disciplinary powers that they wield, and an explication of their illustration in religious iconography. I also identify reasons why such imagery may have seemed compelling to artists working in a post-apartheid context. By locating recent works in terms of those made elsewhere or South African examples prior to the period that is my focus, the works discussed are explored in terms of broader orientations in post-apartheid South African art. Artworks that respond to specific Christian iconography are discussed, including Adam and Eve, The Virgin Mary, Christ, and various saints and sinners. The selected artists whose works form the focus of this study are Diane Victor, Christine Dixie, Majak Bredell, Tracey Rose, Wim Botha, Conrad Botes, Johannes Phokela and Lawrence Lemaoana. Through transgressive depictions of Christian icons these artists address current inequalities in society. The content of their works analysed here includes (among others): the construction of both female and male identities; sexual roles, social roles, and racial identity; the social expectations of contemporary motherhood; repressive role models; Afrikaner heritage; political and social change and its effects; colonial power; sacrifice; murder, rape, and violence in South Africa; abuses of power by role models and politicians; rugby; heroism; and patricide. Christian iconography is a useful communicative tool because it has permeated many cultures over centuries, and the meanings it carries are thus accessible to large numbers of people. Religious imagery is often held sacred or is regarded with a degree of reverence, thus ensuring an emotive response when iconoclasm or transgression of any sort is identified. This study argues that by parodying sacred imagery these artists are able to disturb complacent viewing and encourage viewers to engage critically with some of its underlying implications.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Literacy, orality and recontextualization in the parliament of the Republic of South Africa : an ethnographic study
- Authors: Siebörger, Ian
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: South Africa. Parliament (1994- ) -- Language , Bill drafting -- South Africa , South Africa -- Languages -- Political aspects , Sociolinguistics -- South Africa , Language and languages -- Variation , Linguistic analysis (Linguistics) , Functionalism (Linguistics) , Systemic grammar
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2384 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016140
- Description: In parliaments, the tasks of drafting legislation and conducting oversight are accomplished by means of complex chains of spoken, written and multimodal texts. In these genre chains, information is recontextualized from one text to another before being debated in sittings of the houses of parliament. This study employs the point of view afforded by linguistic ethnography to investigate critically the ways in which meanings are recontextualized in one section of such a genre chain, namely the process by which committees of South Africa's National Assembly oversee the budgets of government departments and state-owned entities. It does this to identify possible sources of communication difficulties in this process and suggest ways in which these can be minimized. In so doing, it develops a theoretical model of the discursive effects of recontextualization informed by Latour's (1987) notion of black-boxing as well as Maton's (2011) Legitimation Code Theory. This model uses Interactional Sociolinguistics and elements of Systemic Functional Linguistics, including APPRAISAL and Transitivity as tools to describe the realization of these effects in language. This study finds that ideational and interpersonal meanings are condensed and decondensed at particular points in the genre chain in ways that lead to some MPs’ voices being recontextualized more accurately than others’. It also shows that common sources of communication difficulties in the committee process include differences in political background and understandings of committee procedure and participant roles. It recommends that representatives of departments and entities reporting to the committees should receive a fuller prebriefing on their roles; that MPs should receive training on asking clear, focused questions; and that the role of committee secretaries as procedural advisors should be strengthened.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Siebörger, Ian
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: South Africa. Parliament (1994- ) -- Language , Bill drafting -- South Africa , South Africa -- Languages -- Political aspects , Sociolinguistics -- South Africa , Language and languages -- Variation , Linguistic analysis (Linguistics) , Functionalism (Linguistics) , Systemic grammar
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2384 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016140
- Description: In parliaments, the tasks of drafting legislation and conducting oversight are accomplished by means of complex chains of spoken, written and multimodal texts. In these genre chains, information is recontextualized from one text to another before being debated in sittings of the houses of parliament. This study employs the point of view afforded by linguistic ethnography to investigate critically the ways in which meanings are recontextualized in one section of such a genre chain, namely the process by which committees of South Africa's National Assembly oversee the budgets of government departments and state-owned entities. It does this to identify possible sources of communication difficulties in this process and suggest ways in which these can be minimized. In so doing, it develops a theoretical model of the discursive effects of recontextualization informed by Latour's (1987) notion of black-boxing as well as Maton's (2011) Legitimation Code Theory. This model uses Interactional Sociolinguistics and elements of Systemic Functional Linguistics, including APPRAISAL and Transitivity as tools to describe the realization of these effects in language. This study finds that ideational and interpersonal meanings are condensed and decondensed at particular points in the genre chain in ways that lead to some MPs’ voices being recontextualized more accurately than others’. It also shows that common sources of communication difficulties in the committee process include differences in political background and understandings of committee procedure and participant roles. It recommends that representatives of departments and entities reporting to the committees should receive a fuller prebriefing on their roles; that MPs should receive training on asking clear, focused questions; and that the role of committee secretaries as procedural advisors should be strengthened.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
A systematic revision of selected genera of afrotropical curtonotidae (Diptera: schizophora: ephydroidea) : a phylogenetic approach
- Authors: Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Curtonotidae -- Research Diptera -- Research Flies -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5627 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004747
- Description: The first comprehensive phylogeny of the family Curtonotidae is presented based on molecular markers and morphology. This enabled assessment of evolutionary relatedness, species radiation and zoogeography. A revised classification of the world fauna of the family, based on the results of this study is outlined. Nomenclatural acts flowing from these analyses include: the recognition three new Afrotropical species of Axinota van der Wulp; four new species of a new genus, Tigrisomyia Kirk-Spriggs; and nineteen new species of Curtonotum (six Madagascan and thirteen African). Ten informal species-groups of Curtonotum are recognised. Identification keys are provided for the Afrotropical species of these genera and errors in previous interpretations and designation of type specimens are resolved. Species distributions are mapped and interpreted and discussion is made of the historical biogeographical significance of these distributions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Curtonotidae -- Research Diptera -- Research Flies -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5627 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004747
- Description: The first comprehensive phylogeny of the family Curtonotidae is presented based on molecular markers and morphology. This enabled assessment of evolutionary relatedness, species radiation and zoogeography. A revised classification of the world fauna of the family, based on the results of this study is outlined. Nomenclatural acts flowing from these analyses include: the recognition three new Afrotropical species of Axinota van der Wulp; four new species of a new genus, Tigrisomyia Kirk-Spriggs; and nineteen new species of Curtonotum (six Madagascan and thirteen African). Ten informal species-groups of Curtonotum are recognised. Identification keys are provided for the Afrotropical species of these genera and errors in previous interpretations and designation of type specimens are resolved. Species distributions are mapped and interpreted and discussion is made of the historical biogeographical significance of these distributions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An investigation of the learning processes that take place during practical work activities when using electrical circuit boards in grade: a case study
- Authors: Accom, Gerald Charles
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Competency-based education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Educational tests and measurements -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Education -- Evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1961 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1009687
- Description: Since the introduction of Outcomes Based Education (OBE) as a preferred method of teaching and learning with Curriculum 2005 in 1997, its existence has come under continuous threat for the past thirteen years. Its teething experiences included a revision in 2004 which saw the introduction of the Revised National Curriculum Statements (RNCS) and most recently, we are now standing on the threshold of the implementation of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) in 2012. Throughout the turbulent educational milieu, social constructivism has always been upheld as the preferred teaching and learning methodology and millions of rands have been invested in this regard. This study is thus premised on the concern that now after all the years of actively promoting social constructivist methodologies, the implementation of the CAPS could seriously negate reasonable strides made in this regard. Triggered by these curricular issues, a qualitative case study was conducted at a school in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, investigating the learning processes occurring in group work sessions during lessons involving practical work in electricity using circuit boards in grade 8. Underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm, the study took place in two phases. The data was mainly generated through audio and video recording of two focus groups. An open coding system was employed to derive analytical categories and frequency tables were used to establish trends. In order to validate the data, two observer teachers were involved throughout the research process and this was followed up with semistructured interviews after the second phase. The two case studies, involving learners fitting a similar profile in respect of mother-tongue and age group, were engaged in a similar activity for almost a year apart. This study anticipated the revelation of the extent to which group practical activities in electricity promoted learning, how knowledge is constructed in group-settings and whether practical activities involving electrical circuit boards in grade 8 enhance learning? The main findings of my study revealed that these practical activities can promote learning and therefore should remain a preferred method of teaching.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Accom, Gerald Charles
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Competency-based education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Educational tests and measurements -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Education -- Evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1961 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1009687
- Description: Since the introduction of Outcomes Based Education (OBE) as a preferred method of teaching and learning with Curriculum 2005 in 1997, its existence has come under continuous threat for the past thirteen years. Its teething experiences included a revision in 2004 which saw the introduction of the Revised National Curriculum Statements (RNCS) and most recently, we are now standing on the threshold of the implementation of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) in 2012. Throughout the turbulent educational milieu, social constructivism has always been upheld as the preferred teaching and learning methodology and millions of rands have been invested in this regard. This study is thus premised on the concern that now after all the years of actively promoting social constructivist methodologies, the implementation of the CAPS could seriously negate reasonable strides made in this regard. Triggered by these curricular issues, a qualitative case study was conducted at a school in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, investigating the learning processes occurring in group work sessions during lessons involving practical work in electricity using circuit boards in grade 8. Underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm, the study took place in two phases. The data was mainly generated through audio and video recording of two focus groups. An open coding system was employed to derive analytical categories and frequency tables were used to establish trends. In order to validate the data, two observer teachers were involved throughout the research process and this was followed up with semistructured interviews after the second phase. The two case studies, involving learners fitting a similar profile in respect of mother-tongue and age group, were engaged in a similar activity for almost a year apart. This study anticipated the revelation of the extent to which group practical activities in electricity promoted learning, how knowledge is constructed in group-settings and whether practical activities involving electrical circuit boards in grade 8 enhance learning? The main findings of my study revealed that these practical activities can promote learning and therefore should remain a preferred method of teaching.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Movements of sub-adult sicklefin lemon sharks Negaprion acutidens in a remote Indian Ocean atoll
- Authors: Filmalter, John David
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Silky shark , Silky shark -- Habitat , Sharks -- Amirante Islands (Seychelles)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5383 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018229
- Description: The sicklefin lemon shark Negaprion acutidens is a large-bodied (> 3m) coastal shark species, widely distributed in tropical and sub-tropical Indo-Pacific waters. Despite its large size and wide distribution, very little is known about its movement behaviour throughout ontogeny. The primary aim of this thesis was to gain an understanding of the movements of sub-adult N. acutidens, in and around the St. Joseph Atoll, Republic of Seychelles, to facilitate the effective conservation of this vulnerable species. A total of 22 sharks (139 – 202 cm TL) were equipped with coded acoustic transmitters and passively monitored using moored acoustic receivers for a period of 20 month from March 2009 to October 2010. The use of passive acoustic telemetry arrays to study behavioural ecology has increased in popularity in recent years and been successfully applied to study a host of teleost and elasmobranch species in a diversity of habitats, ranging from sheltered estuaries to the offshore pelagic environment. However, the practicalities of designing an effective network of receivers to optimally monitor animal movements can be challenging. In this study the receiver array was optimised through a series of incremental steps to achieve an efficient design that allowed for the specific objectives to be addressed. The specific objectives of this study were to i) gain an understanding of the long term space use patterns and site fidelity of sub-adult N. acutidens within degree of use of the St. Joseph Atoll lagoon and surrounding habitats, and ii) investigate their short term behavioural patterns in response to natural rhythmic cycles. The important role the atoll plays in the sub-adult stage of this species was demonstrated by the very low numbers of detections outside the atoll compared to the very large numbers of detections inside the atoll. Over the course of a year the tagged sharks showed a high degree of site fidelity to the atoll, with 79 – 100% of the individuals detected during each month and 50% being detected on a near daily basis. This result provides testimony of the nursery role of the atoll and importance of these habitats in the early life history for this species. Individual area use was generally found to be restricted to the eastern part of the atoll incorporating a portion of the central deep lagoon and a nearby adjacent area of the sand flats. The movements of sub-adult N. acutidens on and off of the shallow flats surrounding the central lagoon (likely for foraging) were found to be strongly influenced by the tidal height and the diel cycle. Tagged sharks were found to utilise the flats more regularly when the tidal height was greater than 90 cm and particularly more so during the night and early morning than during daylight times. The combined results of this study expose the vulnerability of this species to rapid local depletion. Similarly, the effectiveness of spatial management measures, such as no-take marine protected areas is highlighted as an efficient tool for the future conservation of this species. In the St. Joseph Atoll in particular, the use of a multi-levelled protection approach, where the eastern portion on the atoll is completely restricted while the remaining area is utilized for non-consumptive tourism activities, could be highly effective. Future research should investigate changes in area use throughout the ontogeny of this species as well improve the understanding of the breeding site fidelity and population size of reproductive females using the St. Joseph Atoll.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Filmalter, John David
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Silky shark , Silky shark -- Habitat , Sharks -- Amirante Islands (Seychelles)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5383 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018229
- Description: The sicklefin lemon shark Negaprion acutidens is a large-bodied (> 3m) coastal shark species, widely distributed in tropical and sub-tropical Indo-Pacific waters. Despite its large size and wide distribution, very little is known about its movement behaviour throughout ontogeny. The primary aim of this thesis was to gain an understanding of the movements of sub-adult N. acutidens, in and around the St. Joseph Atoll, Republic of Seychelles, to facilitate the effective conservation of this vulnerable species. A total of 22 sharks (139 – 202 cm TL) were equipped with coded acoustic transmitters and passively monitored using moored acoustic receivers for a period of 20 month from March 2009 to October 2010. The use of passive acoustic telemetry arrays to study behavioural ecology has increased in popularity in recent years and been successfully applied to study a host of teleost and elasmobranch species in a diversity of habitats, ranging from sheltered estuaries to the offshore pelagic environment. However, the practicalities of designing an effective network of receivers to optimally monitor animal movements can be challenging. In this study the receiver array was optimised through a series of incremental steps to achieve an efficient design that allowed for the specific objectives to be addressed. The specific objectives of this study were to i) gain an understanding of the long term space use patterns and site fidelity of sub-adult N. acutidens within degree of use of the St. Joseph Atoll lagoon and surrounding habitats, and ii) investigate their short term behavioural patterns in response to natural rhythmic cycles. The important role the atoll plays in the sub-adult stage of this species was demonstrated by the very low numbers of detections outside the atoll compared to the very large numbers of detections inside the atoll. Over the course of a year the tagged sharks showed a high degree of site fidelity to the atoll, with 79 – 100% of the individuals detected during each month and 50% being detected on a near daily basis. This result provides testimony of the nursery role of the atoll and importance of these habitats in the early life history for this species. Individual area use was generally found to be restricted to the eastern part of the atoll incorporating a portion of the central deep lagoon and a nearby adjacent area of the sand flats. The movements of sub-adult N. acutidens on and off of the shallow flats surrounding the central lagoon (likely for foraging) were found to be strongly influenced by the tidal height and the diel cycle. Tagged sharks were found to utilise the flats more regularly when the tidal height was greater than 90 cm and particularly more so during the night and early morning than during daylight times. The combined results of this study expose the vulnerability of this species to rapid local depletion. Similarly, the effectiveness of spatial management measures, such as no-take marine protected areas is highlighted as an efficient tool for the future conservation of this species. In the St. Joseph Atoll in particular, the use of a multi-levelled protection approach, where the eastern portion on the atoll is completely restricted while the remaining area is utilized for non-consumptive tourism activities, could be highly effective. Future research should investigate changes in area use throughout the ontogeny of this species as well improve the understanding of the breeding site fidelity and population size of reproductive females using the St. Joseph Atoll.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
High pressure liquid chromatographic quantification of nitrile biocatalysis
- Authors: Mathiba, Kgama
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: High performance liquid chromatography , Rhodococcus , Biocatalysis , Organic compounds -- Industrial applications
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4129 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015710
- Description: Nitrile biocatalysts are of use in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries for the synthesis of carboxyamides and carboxylic acids. In particular, the application of biocatalysts in the synthesis of single enantiomer compounds is of increasing interest, but requires novel substrate specific highly stereoselective biocatalysts. Addition to the limited toolbox of known nitrile biocatalysts requires definitive characterisation of the biocatalysts through accurate determination of the substrate profiles and quantification of activity. The accurate quantification of stereoisomers chiral mixtures to determine biocatalyst stereoselectivity remains a significant challenge due to the difficulty in separating stereoisomers by physical methods. The known nitrile metabolising organism, Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870, was grown in a defined medium and harvested, providing whole cell biocatalyst. Additional biomass was disrupted to provide a cell free enzyme extract, which was put through an enzyme purification protocol to provide a solution with specific activity of 351 U.mg⁻¹. A portion of the enzyme was self immobilised using the SphereZyme™ technique. The nitrile hydratase SphereZymes™ (1.2 U.mg⁻¹ initial activity) that were prepared had pH and temperature optima of 6 and 30°C respectively, and could be recovered by repeated washing. The particles retained activity in the presence of the organic solvents isooctane and n-hexadecane saturated with 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.5). An initial analytical system was devised for quantification of the nitrile hydratase activity using the non-chiral substrate benzonitrile. An improved reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography method was developed to separate and quantify benzamide, benzoic acid and benzonitrile. The mobile phase consisting of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in H₂O and acetonitrile (70:30, %v/v), at a flow rate of 0.5 ml.ml⁻¹, 25°C, resolved all three analytes in 3.5 minutes on a Waters X-Terra MS C18 3.5μm column. UV detection was carried out at 210 nm. Analytical methods to determine activity and enantioselectivity of the whole cell biocatalyst were subsequently developed for both β-amino nitriles and β-hydroxy nitrile substrates and hydrolysis products.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mathiba, Kgama
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: High performance liquid chromatography , Rhodococcus , Biocatalysis , Organic compounds -- Industrial applications
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4129 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015710
- Description: Nitrile biocatalysts are of use in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries for the synthesis of carboxyamides and carboxylic acids. In particular, the application of biocatalysts in the synthesis of single enantiomer compounds is of increasing interest, but requires novel substrate specific highly stereoselective biocatalysts. Addition to the limited toolbox of known nitrile biocatalysts requires definitive characterisation of the biocatalysts through accurate determination of the substrate profiles and quantification of activity. The accurate quantification of stereoisomers chiral mixtures to determine biocatalyst stereoselectivity remains a significant challenge due to the difficulty in separating stereoisomers by physical methods. The known nitrile metabolising organism, Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870, was grown in a defined medium and harvested, providing whole cell biocatalyst. Additional biomass was disrupted to provide a cell free enzyme extract, which was put through an enzyme purification protocol to provide a solution with specific activity of 351 U.mg⁻¹. A portion of the enzyme was self immobilised using the SphereZyme™ technique. The nitrile hydratase SphereZymes™ (1.2 U.mg⁻¹ initial activity) that were prepared had pH and temperature optima of 6 and 30°C respectively, and could be recovered by repeated washing. The particles retained activity in the presence of the organic solvents isooctane and n-hexadecane saturated with 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.5). An initial analytical system was devised for quantification of the nitrile hydratase activity using the non-chiral substrate benzonitrile. An improved reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography method was developed to separate and quantify benzamide, benzoic acid and benzonitrile. The mobile phase consisting of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in H₂O and acetonitrile (70:30, %v/v), at a flow rate of 0.5 ml.ml⁻¹, 25°C, resolved all three analytes in 3.5 minutes on a Waters X-Terra MS C18 3.5μm column. UV detection was carried out at 210 nm. Analytical methods to determine activity and enantioselectivity of the whole cell biocatalyst were subsequently developed for both β-amino nitriles and β-hydroxy nitrile substrates and hydrolysis products.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012