The evolution of heteronomous host relationships in Aphelinidaa (Hymenoptera Chalcidoidea) with special reference to the biology of Coccophagus Bartletti Annecke and Insley
- Authors: Walter, Grenville Hugh
- Date: 1984
- Subjects: Hymenoptera
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5620 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003746
- Description: Résumé: Heteronomous host relationships are unique to parasitoids in about 8 aphelinid genera. Males have host relationships quite distinct from those of their females. Females of ALL species are primary endoparasitoids of homopterous hosts. Males, on the other hand, may be either primary ectoparasitoids of the same host species as their conspecific females, or they may be hyperparasitic upon parasitoids within Homoptera, and some are primary endoparasitoids of moth eggs. Species in these groups are termed DIPHAGOUS PARASITOIDS, HETERONOMOUS HYPERPARASITOIDS and HETEROTROPHIC PARASITOIDS, respectively. The selective advantages proposed to explain the evolution of these unusual host relationships are examined in this thesis. The biology of a diphagous parasitoid was examined in detail because diphagous parasitism is considered the most primitive of heteronomous host relationships. Diphagous parasitism is thought to have evolved during a period when ovipositing females continuously encountered large proportions of parasitised hosts. Larval competition may have generated the selection pressures that favoured male ectoparasitism. Ectoparasitoids are known to be superior in competition against other larvae, even older ones. A series of observations was carried out on the diphagous parasitoid, Coccophagus bartletti. Information was gathered on oviposition and host-feeding behaviour, daily activity patterns, and sex ratios in the laboratory and field. This enabled the design and interpretation of a series of observations on the responses of mated C. bartletti females to already-parasitised hosts. The results indicate that competition from other parasitoids probably played no role in the evolution of diphagous host relationships. Heteronomous hyperparasitoids, thought to have evolved from diphagous parasitoids, appear to be strong competitors because their males kill other parasitoids. However, an alternative hypothesis to the competition one, and based on the present study, is presented. Implications for the generally-held view, that competition is important in moulding species' characters, are discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1984
- Authors: Walter, Grenville Hugh
- Date: 1984
- Subjects: Hymenoptera
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5620 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003746
- Description: Résumé: Heteronomous host relationships are unique to parasitoids in about 8 aphelinid genera. Males have host relationships quite distinct from those of their females. Females of ALL species are primary endoparasitoids of homopterous hosts. Males, on the other hand, may be either primary ectoparasitoids of the same host species as their conspecific females, or they may be hyperparasitic upon parasitoids within Homoptera, and some are primary endoparasitoids of moth eggs. Species in these groups are termed DIPHAGOUS PARASITOIDS, HETERONOMOUS HYPERPARASITOIDS and HETEROTROPHIC PARASITOIDS, respectively. The selective advantages proposed to explain the evolution of these unusual host relationships are examined in this thesis. The biology of a diphagous parasitoid was examined in detail because diphagous parasitism is considered the most primitive of heteronomous host relationships. Diphagous parasitism is thought to have evolved during a period when ovipositing females continuously encountered large proportions of parasitised hosts. Larval competition may have generated the selection pressures that favoured male ectoparasitism. Ectoparasitoids are known to be superior in competition against other larvae, even older ones. A series of observations was carried out on the diphagous parasitoid, Coccophagus bartletti. Information was gathered on oviposition and host-feeding behaviour, daily activity patterns, and sex ratios in the laboratory and field. This enabled the design and interpretation of a series of observations on the responses of mated C. bartletti females to already-parasitised hosts. The results indicate that competition from other parasitoids probably played no role in the evolution of diphagous host relationships. Heteronomous hyperparasitoids, thought to have evolved from diphagous parasitoids, appear to be strong competitors because their males kill other parasitoids. However, an alternative hypothesis to the competition one, and based on the present study, is presented. Implications for the generally-held view, that competition is important in moulding species' characters, are discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1984
A century of IsiXhosa written poetry and the ideological contest in South Africa
- Authors: Mona, Godfrey Vulindlela
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Xhosa poetry -- History and criticism , Protest poetry, Xhosa , Ideology and literature
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3651 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017892
- Description: The central argument of this inter-disciplinary study is that IsiXhosa written poetry of 1912 – 2012 is a terrain of the struggle between the contending dominant ideologies of Segregation, Apartheid and Charterism (post-Apartheid); and the subordinate/ subaltern ideologies of Africanism, Charterism (pre-democracy), Pan- Africanism, Black Consciousness Movement and other post Apartheid ideologies. The study highlights the mutual relationship between the text and the context by focussing on the ideological contest which manifests itself in both form and structure (i.e. aesthetic ideology) and the content (i.e. authorial ideology) of the poetry of different epochs between 1912 and 2012. The study is located within the framework of Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural construction. Gramsci postulates that ideology and culture play a significant role in the process of asserting hegemony. Important concepts that constitute Gramsci’s theory of praxis are: ideology, culture, hegemony, organic intellectuals and both ideological and repressive state apparatuses. The first chapter presents the problem, the objectives, the methodology, and the scope of the study. The second chapter presents Gramsci’s theory of cultural construction and the work of scholars who developed his theory further. The tool that is employed for analysis and interpretation of textual significations of IsiXhosa written poetry is the revolutionary aesthetics, which is proposed by Udenta. The third chapter analyses and interprets literature of the epoch of 1912-1934 and exposes the contest between Segregation and Africanism ideologies. The fourth chapter contextualises and analyses the literature of 1934 – 1948, the second phase of contestation between Segregation and Africanism. The fifth chapter deals with literature of the first and second halves of the Apartheid epoch (1948 - 1973). The Apartheid ideology contested with the Africanist ideology which transformed into the Charterism ideology in 1955. In 1960 Pan-Africanism ideology and in 1969 Black Consciousness Movement ideologies entered the contest. The sixth chapter examines literature of the period 1973 – 1994 which is the second phase of the Apartheid epoch that ends with the “glasnost” period of 1990 - 1994. The seventh chapter studies literature of the democracy period of 1994 – 2012. The eighth chapter is the summary and general conclusion. The illumination of the nexus between culture and ideology during the past century (1912 - 2012) will provide insights that will assist us in addressing the challenges we face during the democracy period, and in the development on Arts and Culture in general, and literature in particular
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Mona, Godfrey Vulindlela
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Xhosa poetry -- History and criticism , Protest poetry, Xhosa , Ideology and literature
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3651 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017892
- Description: The central argument of this inter-disciplinary study is that IsiXhosa written poetry of 1912 – 2012 is a terrain of the struggle between the contending dominant ideologies of Segregation, Apartheid and Charterism (post-Apartheid); and the subordinate/ subaltern ideologies of Africanism, Charterism (pre-democracy), Pan- Africanism, Black Consciousness Movement and other post Apartheid ideologies. The study highlights the mutual relationship between the text and the context by focussing on the ideological contest which manifests itself in both form and structure (i.e. aesthetic ideology) and the content (i.e. authorial ideology) of the poetry of different epochs between 1912 and 2012. The study is located within the framework of Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural construction. Gramsci postulates that ideology and culture play a significant role in the process of asserting hegemony. Important concepts that constitute Gramsci’s theory of praxis are: ideology, culture, hegemony, organic intellectuals and both ideological and repressive state apparatuses. The first chapter presents the problem, the objectives, the methodology, and the scope of the study. The second chapter presents Gramsci’s theory of cultural construction and the work of scholars who developed his theory further. The tool that is employed for analysis and interpretation of textual significations of IsiXhosa written poetry is the revolutionary aesthetics, which is proposed by Udenta. The third chapter analyses and interprets literature of the epoch of 1912-1934 and exposes the contest between Segregation and Africanism ideologies. The fourth chapter contextualises and analyses the literature of 1934 – 1948, the second phase of contestation between Segregation and Africanism. The fifth chapter deals with literature of the first and second halves of the Apartheid epoch (1948 - 1973). The Apartheid ideology contested with the Africanist ideology which transformed into the Charterism ideology in 1955. In 1960 Pan-Africanism ideology and in 1969 Black Consciousness Movement ideologies entered the contest. The sixth chapter examines literature of the period 1973 – 1994 which is the second phase of the Apartheid epoch that ends with the “glasnost” period of 1990 - 1994. The seventh chapter studies literature of the democracy period of 1994 – 2012. The eighth chapter is the summary and general conclusion. The illumination of the nexus between culture and ideology during the past century (1912 - 2012) will provide insights that will assist us in addressing the challenges we face during the democracy period, and in the development on Arts and Culture in general, and literature in particular
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The genetic integrity of Labeo capensis and L. umbratus (Cyprinidae) in South Africa in relation to inter-basin water transfer schemes
- Authors: Ramoejane, Mpho
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Cyprinidae -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Cyprinidae -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Labeo -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Labeo -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Fishes -- Hybridisation -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Fishes -- Hybridisation -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Fishes -- Anatomy -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Fishes -- Anatomy -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Water transfer -- South Africa-- Darlington Dam , Water transfer -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5367 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013049
- Description: The Orange-Fish and Cookhouse tunnels that are part of a major inter-basin water transfer scheme (IBT) act as a pathway for several fish species from the Orange River system to enter the Great Fish and Sundays River systems in South Africa. These include Labeo capensis and L. umbratus. Labeo capensis was restricted to the Orange River system before the inter-basin water transfer scheme. Labeo umbratus occurred naturally in the Orange River and in southern flowing river systems. Previous studies showed that the two species hybridise in Hardap Dam, located in a tributary of the Orange River system in Namibia. There are also unconfirmed reports of hybrids from Darlington Dam on the Sundays River system. The aim of the thesis was to confirm hybridisation in Hardap Dam, assess whether hybridisation between L. capensis and L. umbratus has occurred in Darlington Dam and to gain a better understanding of the diversity of these two species. Morphology (morphometrics and meristics), a nuclear S7 intron and the mitochondrial cytochrome ♭ gene were used to assess for hybridisation. A total of 275 specimens were analysed from across the geographical range of the two species. The two species could be distinguished using morphometrics (dorsal fin base, interorbital width and operculum to eye distance) and meristics (lateral line, origin of the dorsal fin to lateral line, origin of the pelvic fin to lateral line and caudal peduncle scale counts) characters. Hybrids from Hardap and Darlington dams were placed between the two species clusters. Labeo umbratus from the Orange River and southern flowing rivers formed a single cluster. The two species could also be distinguished from each other with six nuclear DNA mutations and hybrids were heterozygous at such sites in both dams. Labeo umbratus populations from the Orange River and southern flowing rivers (Gouritz, Gamtoos, Sundays, Bushmans, Great Fish and Nahoon) formed a single lineage. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA, however, revealed that L. umbratus populations from the Orange River and southern flowing rivers were two lineages that differ from each other by 5 mutations. Labeo capensis could be differentiated from both these lineages. Being maternally inherited, mitochondrial DNA did not reveal hybridisation, but ten specimens with L. capensis haplotypes were found in the Darlington Dam. In Hardap Dam, however, it appears that only L. capensis mitochondrial DNA haplotypes persist, despite morphological and nuclear DNA analysis suggesting that both morphs and hybrids of the two species occur. The genetic integrity of these Labeo species has therefore been compromised in at least Hardap and Darlington dams. The Great Fish and Sundays populations are considered to be under threat of complete introgression. The Kat River and Slagboom Dam populations that were isolated before the IBTs have to remain isolated to protect the genetic integrity of the southern lineage of L. umbratus in these two systems.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Ramoejane, Mpho
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Cyprinidae -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Cyprinidae -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Labeo -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Labeo -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Fishes -- Hybridisation -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Fishes -- Hybridisation -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Fishes -- Anatomy -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Fishes -- Anatomy -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Water transfer -- South Africa-- Darlington Dam , Water transfer -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5367 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013049
- Description: The Orange-Fish and Cookhouse tunnels that are part of a major inter-basin water transfer scheme (IBT) act as a pathway for several fish species from the Orange River system to enter the Great Fish and Sundays River systems in South Africa. These include Labeo capensis and L. umbratus. Labeo capensis was restricted to the Orange River system before the inter-basin water transfer scheme. Labeo umbratus occurred naturally in the Orange River and in southern flowing river systems. Previous studies showed that the two species hybridise in Hardap Dam, located in a tributary of the Orange River system in Namibia. There are also unconfirmed reports of hybrids from Darlington Dam on the Sundays River system. The aim of the thesis was to confirm hybridisation in Hardap Dam, assess whether hybridisation between L. capensis and L. umbratus has occurred in Darlington Dam and to gain a better understanding of the diversity of these two species. Morphology (morphometrics and meristics), a nuclear S7 intron and the mitochondrial cytochrome ♭ gene were used to assess for hybridisation. A total of 275 specimens were analysed from across the geographical range of the two species. The two species could be distinguished using morphometrics (dorsal fin base, interorbital width and operculum to eye distance) and meristics (lateral line, origin of the dorsal fin to lateral line, origin of the pelvic fin to lateral line and caudal peduncle scale counts) characters. Hybrids from Hardap and Darlington dams were placed between the two species clusters. Labeo umbratus from the Orange River and southern flowing rivers formed a single cluster. The two species could also be distinguished from each other with six nuclear DNA mutations and hybrids were heterozygous at such sites in both dams. Labeo umbratus populations from the Orange River and southern flowing rivers (Gouritz, Gamtoos, Sundays, Bushmans, Great Fish and Nahoon) formed a single lineage. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA, however, revealed that L. umbratus populations from the Orange River and southern flowing rivers were two lineages that differ from each other by 5 mutations. Labeo capensis could be differentiated from both these lineages. Being maternally inherited, mitochondrial DNA did not reveal hybridisation, but ten specimens with L. capensis haplotypes were found in the Darlington Dam. In Hardap Dam, however, it appears that only L. capensis mitochondrial DNA haplotypes persist, despite morphological and nuclear DNA analysis suggesting that both morphs and hybrids of the two species occur. The genetic integrity of these Labeo species has therefore been compromised in at least Hardap and Darlington dams. The Great Fish and Sundays populations are considered to be under threat of complete introgression. The Kat River and Slagboom Dam populations that were isolated before the IBTs have to remain isolated to protect the genetic integrity of the southern lineage of L. umbratus in these two systems.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Predation by alien largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides Lacepéde 1802 (Centrarchidae: Perciformes), on indigenous marine fish species in the Kowie System, South Africa
- Authors: Magoro, Mandla Leon
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Largemouth bass -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Largemouth bass -- Food -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Estuarine fishes -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Estuarine fishes -- Predators of , Centrarchidae , Fishes -- Effect of human beings on
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5851 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011939 , Largemouth bass -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Largemouth bass -- Food -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Estuarine fishes -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Estuarine fishes -- Predators of , Centrarchidae , Fishes -- Effect of human beings on
- Description: Estuaries serve as nursery areas for a large number of estuary-associated fish species. Some of these taxa also use river catchments as nursery areas. During the upstream migration of this latter group, the juveniles are prone to predation by native and alien predatory fish inhabiting the system. The rate of invasion of ecosystems by alien organisms can be directly linked to anthropogenic influences, including both intentional and unintentional introductions by alien organisms into new regions. The largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, is a facultative piscivorous fish that has been successfully introduced worldwide for the main purpose of sport fishing. Where introduced, it has been found to negatively impact native fish and invertebrate species through predation, competitive exclusion and displacement of indigenous fish species. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the predatory impact of largemouth bass on the estuary-associated Cape moony Monodactylus falciformis, Cape stumpnose Rhabdosargus holubi and freshwater mullet Myxus capensis in the lower Kowie River of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. A combination of approaches was employed during this study. Stomach contents, stable isotopes and fatty acid analyses were employed for the reconstruction of the diet of largemouth bass. Acoustic telemetry was used to elucidate largemouth bass movements, particularly their ability to enter the upper reaches of the Kowie Estuary. Stomach contents and stable isotopes analyses showed that M. salmoides exhibit an ontogenic shift in diet, with small and medium sized individuals consuming the higher proportion of fish prey, while large sized individuals mostly consumed invertebrates such as crabs (Potamonautes sidneyi) and Odonata larvae, while consuming only a small proportion of estuary-associated fish. Fatty acid analysis only showed a direct connection between the fatty acid profiles of largemouth bass and those of M. capensis and M. falciformis. The acoustic telemetry results indicated that some M. salmoides individuals periodically move into the upper reaches of the estuary following river flood events. The results obtained from all these approaches highlight the risk posed by largemouth bass introductions on indigenous fish species, particularly those that enter the areas occupied by these top predators.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Magoro, Mandla Leon
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Largemouth bass -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Largemouth bass -- Food -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Estuarine fishes -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Estuarine fishes -- Predators of , Centrarchidae , Fishes -- Effect of human beings on
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5851 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011939 , Largemouth bass -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Largemouth bass -- Food -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Estuarine fishes -- South Africa -- Port Alfred , Estuarine fishes -- Predators of , Centrarchidae , Fishes -- Effect of human beings on
- Description: Estuaries serve as nursery areas for a large number of estuary-associated fish species. Some of these taxa also use river catchments as nursery areas. During the upstream migration of this latter group, the juveniles are prone to predation by native and alien predatory fish inhabiting the system. The rate of invasion of ecosystems by alien organisms can be directly linked to anthropogenic influences, including both intentional and unintentional introductions by alien organisms into new regions. The largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, is a facultative piscivorous fish that has been successfully introduced worldwide for the main purpose of sport fishing. Where introduced, it has been found to negatively impact native fish and invertebrate species through predation, competitive exclusion and displacement of indigenous fish species. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the predatory impact of largemouth bass on the estuary-associated Cape moony Monodactylus falciformis, Cape stumpnose Rhabdosargus holubi and freshwater mullet Myxus capensis in the lower Kowie River of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. A combination of approaches was employed during this study. Stomach contents, stable isotopes and fatty acid analyses were employed for the reconstruction of the diet of largemouth bass. Acoustic telemetry was used to elucidate largemouth bass movements, particularly their ability to enter the upper reaches of the Kowie Estuary. Stomach contents and stable isotopes analyses showed that M. salmoides exhibit an ontogenic shift in diet, with small and medium sized individuals consuming the higher proportion of fish prey, while large sized individuals mostly consumed invertebrates such as crabs (Potamonautes sidneyi) and Odonata larvae, while consuming only a small proportion of estuary-associated fish. Fatty acid analysis only showed a direct connection between the fatty acid profiles of largemouth bass and those of M. capensis and M. falciformis. The acoustic telemetry results indicated that some M. salmoides individuals periodically move into the upper reaches of the estuary following river flood events. The results obtained from all these approaches highlight the risk posed by largemouth bass introductions on indigenous fish species, particularly those that enter the areas occupied by these top predators.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
The reminiscences of Thomas Stubbs, 1820 - 1877
- Authors: McGeoch, Robert Thomas
- Date: 1965
- Subjects: Stubbs family , British settlers of 1820 (South Africa) -- Personal narratives , South Africa -- History -- Frontier Wars, 1811-1878 , Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) -- History
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2609 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012851
- Description: The "Reminiscences" of Thomas Stubbs are one of several such compositions which have survived from the 1820 Settlers. The manuscript offers one of the fullest and most lively accounts of frontier life, and the experiences of the Settlers as seen through the eyes of Thomas Stubbs. The object of this thesis has been to reconstruct the life of Thomas Stubbs which has proved an arduous yet absorbing task and to comment upon and evaluate some of the views Stubbs expressed when he wrote the "Reminiscences" between 1874 and 1875, as well as to test, where possible, the validity of the opinions and sentiments formed during a half-century's acquaintance with the Eastern frontier of the Cape of Good Hope.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1965
- Authors: McGeoch, Robert Thomas
- Date: 1965
- Subjects: Stubbs family , British settlers of 1820 (South Africa) -- Personal narratives , South Africa -- History -- Frontier Wars, 1811-1878 , Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) -- History
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2609 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012851
- Description: The "Reminiscences" of Thomas Stubbs are one of several such compositions which have survived from the 1820 Settlers. The manuscript offers one of the fullest and most lively accounts of frontier life, and the experiences of the Settlers as seen through the eyes of Thomas Stubbs. The object of this thesis has been to reconstruct the life of Thomas Stubbs which has proved an arduous yet absorbing task and to comment upon and evaluate some of the views Stubbs expressed when he wrote the "Reminiscences" between 1874 and 1875, as well as to test, where possible, the validity of the opinions and sentiments formed during a half-century's acquaintance with the Eastern frontier of the Cape of Good Hope.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1965
Exploring a shift in teacher practices after going through an intervention on the integration of local knowledge in grade 9 physical science lessons
- Authors: Mika, Rauha T
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Physical sciences -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Ethnoscience -- Study and teaching -- Namibia , Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Curriculum planning -- Study and teaching -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/96801 , vital:31323
- Description: It has been advocated by many scholars that the integration of local or indigenous knowledge into science classrooms might make science more relevant and accessible to learners, particularly in culturally diverse classrooms. As a result, the Namibian Grade 9 Physical Science curriculum expects teachers to integrate learners’ local or indigenous knowledge in their science classrooms. Despite these ideals, there are no clear instructions on how to go about doing this. This is exacerbated in part by the poor or lack of continuing professional development for science teachers. It is against this background that this study sought to explore an intervention on the integration of local or indigenous knowledge in Grade 9 Physical Science lessons. The study is underpinned by an interpretive paradigm and is informed by Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and Wenger’s community of practice. Within the interpretive paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was employed. It was carried out in four schools with four Physical Science teachers from Otjiwarongo circuit in Namibia. Qualitative data were generated using workshop discussions, document analysis, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and reflections. A variety of data generation techniques were used for triangulation and validity purposes. Data were subsequently analysed inductively to come up with themes. The findings of the study revealed that before the intervention the teachers involved in this study had little knowledge about the integration of local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons. However, after their voluntary participation in the intervention, they were enabled to develop and mediate model lessons that integrated local or indigenous knowledge in their classrooms which their learners subsequently found to be stimulating. The findings of the study further revealed that integrating local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons had the potential to promote active participation by learners and foster learning using easily accessible resources. The study thus recommends that teachers should, where possible, strive to integrate learners’ local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mika, Rauha T
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Physical sciences -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Ethnoscience -- Study and teaching -- Namibia , Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Curriculum planning -- Study and teaching -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/96801 , vital:31323
- Description: It has been advocated by many scholars that the integration of local or indigenous knowledge into science classrooms might make science more relevant and accessible to learners, particularly in culturally diverse classrooms. As a result, the Namibian Grade 9 Physical Science curriculum expects teachers to integrate learners’ local or indigenous knowledge in their science classrooms. Despite these ideals, there are no clear instructions on how to go about doing this. This is exacerbated in part by the poor or lack of continuing professional development for science teachers. It is against this background that this study sought to explore an intervention on the integration of local or indigenous knowledge in Grade 9 Physical Science lessons. The study is underpinned by an interpretive paradigm and is informed by Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and Wenger’s community of practice. Within the interpretive paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was employed. It was carried out in four schools with four Physical Science teachers from Otjiwarongo circuit in Namibia. Qualitative data were generated using workshop discussions, document analysis, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and reflections. A variety of data generation techniques were used for triangulation and validity purposes. Data were subsequently analysed inductively to come up with themes. The findings of the study revealed that before the intervention the teachers involved in this study had little knowledge about the integration of local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons. However, after their voluntary participation in the intervention, they were enabled to develop and mediate model lessons that integrated local or indigenous knowledge in their classrooms which their learners subsequently found to be stimulating. The findings of the study further revealed that integrating local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons had the potential to promote active participation by learners and foster learning using easily accessible resources. The study thus recommends that teachers should, where possible, strive to integrate learners’ local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
An empirical investigation of the extension of servqual to measure internal service quality in a motor vehicle manufacturing setting
- Authors: Booi, Arthur Mzwandile
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Automobile industry and trade -- Quality control -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Automobile industry and trade -- Customer services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Automobile industry and trade -- Quality control -- Statistical methods Customer services -- Quality control Automobile industry and trade -- Quality assurance -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Consumer satisfaction Industrial productivity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:801 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006139
- Description: This research explores the role, which the construct, service quality plays in an internal marketing setting. This is achieved by evaluating the perceptions and expectations of the production department with regards to the service quality provided by the maintenance department of a South African motor vehicle manufacturer. This was done using the INTSERVQUAL instrument, which was found to be a reliable instrument for measuring internal service quality within this context. A positivist approach has been adopted in conducting this research. There are two main hypotheses for this study: the first hypothesis is concerned with the relationship between the overall internal service quality and the five dimensions of service quality namely: tangibles, empathy, reliability, responsiveness and reliability. The second hypothesis focuses on the relationship between the front line staff segments of the production department and the five dimensions of internal service quality. The results of this research suggest that the perceptions and expectations of internal service customer segments plays a major role in achieving internal service quality. In addition, the importance of the INTSERVQUAL instrument in measuring internal service quality within the motor vehicle manufacturing environment is confirmed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
- Authors: Booi, Arthur Mzwandile
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Automobile industry and trade -- Quality control -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Automobile industry and trade -- Customer services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Automobile industry and trade -- Quality control -- Statistical methods Customer services -- Quality control Automobile industry and trade -- Quality assurance -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Consumer satisfaction Industrial productivity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:801 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006139
- Description: This research explores the role, which the construct, service quality plays in an internal marketing setting. This is achieved by evaluating the perceptions and expectations of the production department with regards to the service quality provided by the maintenance department of a South African motor vehicle manufacturer. This was done using the INTSERVQUAL instrument, which was found to be a reliable instrument for measuring internal service quality within this context. A positivist approach has been adopted in conducting this research. There are two main hypotheses for this study: the first hypothesis is concerned with the relationship between the overall internal service quality and the five dimensions of service quality namely: tangibles, empathy, reliability, responsiveness and reliability. The second hypothesis focuses on the relationship between the front line staff segments of the production department and the five dimensions of internal service quality. The results of this research suggest that the perceptions and expectations of internal service customer segments plays a major role in achieving internal service quality. In addition, the importance of the INTSERVQUAL instrument in measuring internal service quality within the motor vehicle manufacturing environment is confirmed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
The impact of the identification process and the corporate social responsibility process on the effectiveness of multi-racial advertising in South Africa
- Authors: Johnson, Guillaume Desire
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Marketing -- South Africa Advertising -- South Africa Sales promotion -- South Africa Consumers' preferences -- South Africa Marketing research -- South Africa Consumer behavior -- South Africa Consumption (Economics) -- Social aspect Attribution (Social psychology) South Africans -- Race identity Race awareness -- South Africa Ethnopsychology -- South Africa Group identity Racially mixed people
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1196 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008263
- Description: Selecting actors to appear in an advertisement is an important decision which has a crucial impact on the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. The same message, delivered by different actors, produces varying outcomes among consumers. This dilemma concerning the choice of actors occurs particularly in multi-racial societies, such as South Africa, where advertisers have to target different sectors of the community. In multi-racial societies, the choice of actors in advertisements goes beyond the usual commercial reasons. Indeed, two dimensions are generally conferred to multi-racial advertising. Firstly, the use of multi-racial representations allows for the targeting of a wider population that also owns a wider purchasing power. Marketers who want to market their brand use, for example, white and black actors so that white and black consumers can identify with the actors and recognize themselves as the target of the advertisement. Secondly, the multi-racial representations of this type of advertising hold a social role that counteracts the segregated depiction of the society. Consumers who are exposed to a multi-racial advertisement might perceive this social dimension and attribute a social responsibility to the advertisement. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the influence of the above dimensions on the effectiveness of a multi-racial advertisement. On the one hand, this study investigates the Identification Process followed by a consumer exposed to a multi-racial advertisement. On the other hand, it examines how consumers attribute a social responsibility to a specific multiracial advertisement and how this attribution, in turn, influences their responses to the advertisement and brand. Finally, the impacts of both of these dimensions on consumer behaviour are compared and the most persuasive dimension is identified. This thesis draws on Attribution Theory and Identification Theory in arguing that there are strong economic imperatives for adopting a multi-racial advertising approach. The thesis develops a conceptual framework and tests empirically hypotheses regarding the key constructs and moderating variables. The empirical results point out that both dimensions symbiotically influence the effectiveness of a multi-racial advertisement. Specifically, the results highlight that the social responsibility attributed by the viewers to the advertisement influences their behaviour more than the Identification Process.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Johnson, Guillaume Desire
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Marketing -- South Africa Advertising -- South Africa Sales promotion -- South Africa Consumers' preferences -- South Africa Marketing research -- South Africa Consumer behavior -- South Africa Consumption (Economics) -- Social aspect Attribution (Social psychology) South Africans -- Race identity Race awareness -- South Africa Ethnopsychology -- South Africa Group identity Racially mixed people
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1196 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008263
- Description: Selecting actors to appear in an advertisement is an important decision which has a crucial impact on the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. The same message, delivered by different actors, produces varying outcomes among consumers. This dilemma concerning the choice of actors occurs particularly in multi-racial societies, such as South Africa, where advertisers have to target different sectors of the community. In multi-racial societies, the choice of actors in advertisements goes beyond the usual commercial reasons. Indeed, two dimensions are generally conferred to multi-racial advertising. Firstly, the use of multi-racial representations allows for the targeting of a wider population that also owns a wider purchasing power. Marketers who want to market their brand use, for example, white and black actors so that white and black consumers can identify with the actors and recognize themselves as the target of the advertisement. Secondly, the multi-racial representations of this type of advertising hold a social role that counteracts the segregated depiction of the society. Consumers who are exposed to a multi-racial advertisement might perceive this social dimension and attribute a social responsibility to the advertisement. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the influence of the above dimensions on the effectiveness of a multi-racial advertisement. On the one hand, this study investigates the Identification Process followed by a consumer exposed to a multi-racial advertisement. On the other hand, it examines how consumers attribute a social responsibility to a specific multiracial advertisement and how this attribution, in turn, influences their responses to the advertisement and brand. Finally, the impacts of both of these dimensions on consumer behaviour are compared and the most persuasive dimension is identified. This thesis draws on Attribution Theory and Identification Theory in arguing that there are strong economic imperatives for adopting a multi-racial advertising approach. The thesis develops a conceptual framework and tests empirically hypotheses regarding the key constructs and moderating variables. The empirical results point out that both dimensions symbiotically influence the effectiveness of a multi-racial advertisement. Specifically, the results highlight that the social responsibility attributed by the viewers to the advertisement influences their behaviour more than the Identification Process.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
An evaluation of "on-line" banking web sites in South Africa to determine essential design criteria
- Authors: Palmer, Lydia
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Banks and banking -- South Africa Banks and banking -- Customer services -- South Africa Home banking services -- South Africa Electronic funds transfers -- South Africa Web sites -- Design
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:811 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007667
- Description: The use of the Web to carry out business on the Internet has become a viable option in all business sectors, and Internet banking in South Africa is no exception. The nature of business on the Internet in South Africa and the World is investigated. The extent of Internet banking in South Africa is ascertained and the expectations and perceived problems of online bankers are discussed. The importance of Human Computer Interface and Web Interface Design for successful business is promoted with a discussion of their guidelines and principles. Web Evaluation techniques and Tools are assessed and The "Gartner" Web evaluation tool is selected to evaluate the three bank Web sites. The results of the evaluation indicate that there are several generally well implemented design criteria used by all of the banks while some criteria are not implemented at all. Each bank is discussed individually to identify strong and weak features of their Web site design. Essential aspects of Web design have been proposed for inclusion during the design of "online" Banking Web sites.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
- Authors: Palmer, Lydia
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Banks and banking -- South Africa Banks and banking -- Customer services -- South Africa Home banking services -- South Africa Electronic funds transfers -- South Africa Web sites -- Design
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:811 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007667
- Description: The use of the Web to carry out business on the Internet has become a viable option in all business sectors, and Internet banking in South Africa is no exception. The nature of business on the Internet in South Africa and the World is investigated. The extent of Internet banking in South Africa is ascertained and the expectations and perceived problems of online bankers are discussed. The importance of Human Computer Interface and Web Interface Design for successful business is promoted with a discussion of their guidelines and principles. Web Evaluation techniques and Tools are assessed and The "Gartner" Web evaluation tool is selected to evaluate the three bank Web sites. The results of the evaluation indicate that there are several generally well implemented design criteria used by all of the banks while some criteria are not implemented at all. Each bank is discussed individually to identify strong and weak features of their Web site design. Essential aspects of Web design have been proposed for inclusion during the design of "online" Banking Web sites.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
Appraising the appraisal framework: evidence from Grahamstown property advertisements
- Authors: Beangstrom, Tracy
- Date: 2015
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54744 , vital:26608
- Description: This thesis considers how interpersonal meaning choices in property advertisements are best reflected in a context of constraint in Grahamstown, South Africa, using and appraising Martin & White’s (2005) APPRAISAL Framework. The study is comparative in two senses since the data is analysed using Martin & White’s (2005) APPRAISAL Framework and a revision to it, and property advertisements from two competing estate agencies are analysed: Remax Frontier Properties and Pam Golding Properties. An initial strict application of Martin & White’s (2005) framework is followed by a second, based on analyst difficulties and framework limitations experienced in the first analysis, as well as those experienced by other researchers. Revisions to the original framework include added ‘local’, context-driven features and sub-categories: Exclusivity and Convenience in Attitude, a Scale of Intensity in Graduation, and a category ‘Invite’ in Engagement. These enable a richer, more detailed account of the alignment strategies and interpersonal micro-politics at play in the property advertisements than is possible using the original framework. Findings from the analyses reveal four facts of note. Firstly, that while the original Martin & White (2005) APPRAISAL Framework captures a general level of interpersonal meaning in the data, it does so more fully when it includes contextual and contextually-driven categories that are informed by local knowledge. Secondly, two levels of meaning are expressed in the data. One is aimed at an ‘external’ audience; the other, truer, fuller and more contentious, is aimed at what appears to be the intended audience only. Thirdly, and relatedly, specific contextual and cultural knowledge is needed by the intended audience to access the intended meaning. Fourthly, both estate agencies promote values of high prestige, exclusivity, elitism and wealth as their intended meaning to align a like-minded audience, although Remax Frontier Properties attribute these values to location and features of the home to a greater extent than Pam Golding Properties, who place greater emphasis on the size of the home. The thesis suggests further avenues for research into the discourse of property advertising, as well as into overcoming certain context-specific limitations of the APPRAISAL Framework.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Beangstrom, Tracy
- Date: 2015
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54744 , vital:26608
- Description: This thesis considers how interpersonal meaning choices in property advertisements are best reflected in a context of constraint in Grahamstown, South Africa, using and appraising Martin & White’s (2005) APPRAISAL Framework. The study is comparative in two senses since the data is analysed using Martin & White’s (2005) APPRAISAL Framework and a revision to it, and property advertisements from two competing estate agencies are analysed: Remax Frontier Properties and Pam Golding Properties. An initial strict application of Martin & White’s (2005) framework is followed by a second, based on analyst difficulties and framework limitations experienced in the first analysis, as well as those experienced by other researchers. Revisions to the original framework include added ‘local’, context-driven features and sub-categories: Exclusivity and Convenience in Attitude, a Scale of Intensity in Graduation, and a category ‘Invite’ in Engagement. These enable a richer, more detailed account of the alignment strategies and interpersonal micro-politics at play in the property advertisements than is possible using the original framework. Findings from the analyses reveal four facts of note. Firstly, that while the original Martin & White (2005) APPRAISAL Framework captures a general level of interpersonal meaning in the data, it does so more fully when it includes contextual and contextually-driven categories that are informed by local knowledge. Secondly, two levels of meaning are expressed in the data. One is aimed at an ‘external’ audience; the other, truer, fuller and more contentious, is aimed at what appears to be the intended audience only. Thirdly, and relatedly, specific contextual and cultural knowledge is needed by the intended audience to access the intended meaning. Fourthly, both estate agencies promote values of high prestige, exclusivity, elitism and wealth as their intended meaning to align a like-minded audience, although Remax Frontier Properties attribute these values to location and features of the home to a greater extent than Pam Golding Properties, who place greater emphasis on the size of the home. The thesis suggests further avenues for research into the discourse of property advertising, as well as into overcoming certain context-specific limitations of the APPRAISAL Framework.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The future direction of Rhodes University
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2007-07-01
- Subjects: Rhodes University
- Language: English
- Type: Text
- Identifier: vital:7687 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015832
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007-07-01
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2007-07-01
- Subjects: Rhodes University
- Language: English
- Type: Text
- Identifier: vital:7687 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015832
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007-07-01
Learners' perceptions of creating a collaborative hypermedia product: an exploratory case study at Mount Pleasant Primary School
- Authors: du Plessis, André
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Computer-assisted instruction -- South Africa Computers -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Education, Elementary -- Activity programs Competency-based education -- South Africa Educational technology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1663 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003546
- Description: The Ministry of Education (SICTE, 2002) states that the widespread introduction of computers in schools should support Curriculum 2005 and that computer technology is part and parcel of making schools the center of community life. The vision is to establish Smart Schools: schools that are reinvented in terms of teaching-learning practices to prepare learners for the information era (SICTE, 2002). Kafai (1996:71) has found that conventional school assignments rarely give learners the opportunity to spend a great deal of time on complex projects. As a result, many learners have little experience in design: planning, problem solving, researching, dealing with time constraints, modifying expectations and synthesizing everything in a project. Research by Carver, Lehrer, Connell and Erickson (1992); Lehrer, (1993); Lehrer, Erickson and Connell (1994); Kafai (1996); Liu and Hsiao (2002) and Liu (2002) indicates that the design of hypermedia artefacts can assist in providing experience in design. To date, no equivalent research has been conducted in South Africa to ascertain the perceptions of learners regarding the creation of a hypermedia artefact over an extended period of time and whether some of the critical outcomes specified in Curriculum 2005 can be addressed in such a learning-by-design hypermedia project. This study shows that design skills and aspects related to the critical outcomes of Curriculum 2005 can be achieved. Furthermore, it indicates that this kind of project encourages interest, motivation and collaboration. In addition, it suggests that learners experience the role of the teacher as different and prefer such a learning environment. In spite of the positive results, some aspects that need attention for future implementation are suggested.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
- Authors: du Plessis, André
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Computer-assisted instruction -- South Africa Computers -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Education, Elementary -- Activity programs Competency-based education -- South Africa Educational technology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1663 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003546
- Description: The Ministry of Education (SICTE, 2002) states that the widespread introduction of computers in schools should support Curriculum 2005 and that computer technology is part and parcel of making schools the center of community life. The vision is to establish Smart Schools: schools that are reinvented in terms of teaching-learning practices to prepare learners for the information era (SICTE, 2002). Kafai (1996:71) has found that conventional school assignments rarely give learners the opportunity to spend a great deal of time on complex projects. As a result, many learners have little experience in design: planning, problem solving, researching, dealing with time constraints, modifying expectations and synthesizing everything in a project. Research by Carver, Lehrer, Connell and Erickson (1992); Lehrer, (1993); Lehrer, Erickson and Connell (1994); Kafai (1996); Liu and Hsiao (2002) and Liu (2002) indicates that the design of hypermedia artefacts can assist in providing experience in design. To date, no equivalent research has been conducted in South Africa to ascertain the perceptions of learners regarding the creation of a hypermedia artefact over an extended period of time and whether some of the critical outcomes specified in Curriculum 2005 can be addressed in such a learning-by-design hypermedia project. This study shows that design skills and aspects related to the critical outcomes of Curriculum 2005 can be achieved. Furthermore, it indicates that this kind of project encourages interest, motivation and collaboration. In addition, it suggests that learners experience the role of the teacher as different and prefer such a learning environment. In spite of the positive results, some aspects that need attention for future implementation are suggested.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
Botha's Post Fort from distance
- Subjects: Botha's Post -- Fort Beaufort -- Pictorial works
- Type: Image
- Identifier: vital:14074 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017998 , MS 10 542 , CD 55
- Full Text: false
- Subjects: Botha's Post -- Fort Beaufort -- Pictorial works
- Type: Image
- Identifier: vital:14074 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017998 , MS 10 542 , CD 55
- Full Text: false
The thermal physiology of Stenopelmus rufinasus and Neohydronomus affinis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), biological control agents for the invasive alien aquatic weeds Azolla filiculoides and Pistia stratiotes respectively
- Authors: Mvandaba, Sisanda F
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Beetles -- South Africa , Curculionidae -- South Africa , Azolla filiculoides -- South Africa , Water lettuce -- South Africa , Aquatic weeds -- Biological control -- South Africa , Stenopelmus rufinasus , Neohydronomus affinis
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62362 , vital:28158
- Description: Water lettuce, Pistia stratiotes L. (Araceae), and red water fern, Azolla filiculoides Lam. (Azollaceae), are floating aquatic macrophytes that have become problematic invaders in numerous South African waterbodies. Two weevils, Neohydronomus affinis Hustache 1926 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Stenopelmus rufinasus Gyllenhal 1936 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), are successful biological control agents of these two species, respectively, in South Africa. However, nothing is known about the thermal physiology of these two species Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the thermal physiologies of these two species to explain their establishment, distribution and impact in the field. Laboratory based thermal physiology trials showed that both weevils were widely tolerant of cold and warm temperatures. The CTmin of N. affinis was determined to be 5.5 ± 0.312°C and the CTmax was 44 ± 0.697°C, while the CTmin of S. rufinasus was 5.4 ± 0.333°C and the CTmax was 44.5 ± 0.168°C. In addition, the lower lethal temperatures were -9.8 ± 0.053°C and -7.2 ± 0.19°C, and the upper lethal temperatures were 42.8 ± 0.053°C and 41.9 ± 0.19°C respectively. These results suggest that both species should not be limited by cold winter temperatures, as previously thought. This is evident in the field, where S. rufinasus has established widely on A. filiculoides, despite local cold climates in some areas of the plant’s distribution. Even though N. affinis has a similar thermal range, and should therefore theoretically reflect a similar distribution to S. rufinasus throughout South Africa, its distribution is limited by the range of its host, which is restricted to the warmer regions of the country, as is its biocontrol agent. Using the reduced major axis regression method, the development for N. affinis was described using the formulay=12.976x+435.24, while the development of S. rufinasus was described by y=13.6x+222.45. These results showed that S. rufinasus develops much faster, in fact almost twice as quickly, than N. affinis. Using these formulae and temperature data obtained from the South African Weather Service, N. affinis was predicted to complete between 4 and 9 generations per year in South Africa, while S. rufinasus was predicted to complete between 5 and 14 generations per year around the country. This study showed that although the native range of these two species is warm temperate to tropical, they possess sufficient thermal plasticity to not only establish, but also damage their respective host plants in far cooler climates. Thus, in South Africa N. affinis and S. rufinasus are limited by the distribution of their target weeds and not climate.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Mvandaba, Sisanda F
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Beetles -- South Africa , Curculionidae -- South Africa , Azolla filiculoides -- South Africa , Water lettuce -- South Africa , Aquatic weeds -- Biological control -- South Africa , Stenopelmus rufinasus , Neohydronomus affinis
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62362 , vital:28158
- Description: Water lettuce, Pistia stratiotes L. (Araceae), and red water fern, Azolla filiculoides Lam. (Azollaceae), are floating aquatic macrophytes that have become problematic invaders in numerous South African waterbodies. Two weevils, Neohydronomus affinis Hustache 1926 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Stenopelmus rufinasus Gyllenhal 1936 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), are successful biological control agents of these two species, respectively, in South Africa. However, nothing is known about the thermal physiology of these two species Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the thermal physiologies of these two species to explain their establishment, distribution and impact in the field. Laboratory based thermal physiology trials showed that both weevils were widely tolerant of cold and warm temperatures. The CTmin of N. affinis was determined to be 5.5 ± 0.312°C and the CTmax was 44 ± 0.697°C, while the CTmin of S. rufinasus was 5.4 ± 0.333°C and the CTmax was 44.5 ± 0.168°C. In addition, the lower lethal temperatures were -9.8 ± 0.053°C and -7.2 ± 0.19°C, and the upper lethal temperatures were 42.8 ± 0.053°C and 41.9 ± 0.19°C respectively. These results suggest that both species should not be limited by cold winter temperatures, as previously thought. This is evident in the field, where S. rufinasus has established widely on A. filiculoides, despite local cold climates in some areas of the plant’s distribution. Even though N. affinis has a similar thermal range, and should therefore theoretically reflect a similar distribution to S. rufinasus throughout South Africa, its distribution is limited by the range of its host, which is restricted to the warmer regions of the country, as is its biocontrol agent. Using the reduced major axis regression method, the development for N. affinis was described using the formulay=12.976x+435.24, while the development of S. rufinasus was described by y=13.6x+222.45. These results showed that S. rufinasus develops much faster, in fact almost twice as quickly, than N. affinis. Using these formulae and temperature data obtained from the South African Weather Service, N. affinis was predicted to complete between 4 and 9 generations per year in South Africa, while S. rufinasus was predicted to complete between 5 and 14 generations per year around the country. This study showed that although the native range of these two species is warm temperate to tropical, they possess sufficient thermal plasticity to not only establish, but also damage their respective host plants in far cooler climates. Thus, in South Africa N. affinis and S. rufinasus are limited by the distribution of their target weeds and not climate.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Constraining simulation uncertainties in a hydrological model of the Congo River Basin including a combined modelling approach for channel-wetland exchanges
- Authors: Kabuya, Pierre Mulamba
- Date: 2021-04
- Subjects: Congo River Watershed , Watersheds -- Congo (Democratic Republic) , Hydrologic models , Rain and rainfall -- Mathematical models , Runoff -- Mathematical models , Wetland hydrology
- Language: English
- Type: thesis , text , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177997 , vital:42897 , 10.21504/10962/177997
- Description: Compared to other large river basins of the world, such as the Amazon, the Congo River Basin appears to be the most ungauged and less studied. This is partly because the basin lacks sufficient observational hydro-climatic monitoring stations and appropriate information on physiographic basin properties at a spatial scale deemed for hydrological applications, making it difficult to estimate water resources at the scale of sub-basins (Chapter 3). In the same time, the basin is facing the challenges related to rapid population growth, uncontrolled urbanisation as well as climate change. Adequate quantification of hydrological processes across different spatial and temporal scales in the basin, and the drivers of change, is essential for prediction and strategic planning to ensure sustainable management of water resources in the Congo River Basin. Hydrological models are particularly important to generate the required information. However, the shortness of the available streamflow records, lack of spatial representativeness of the available streamflow gauging stations and the lack of understanding of the processes in channel-wetland exchanges, are the main challenges that constrain the use of traditional approaches to models development. They also contribute to increased uncertainty in the estimation of water resources across the basin (Chapter 1 and 2). Given this ungauged nature of the Congo River Basin, it is important to resort to hydrological modelling approaches that can reasonably quantify and model the uncertainty associated with water resources estimation (Chapter 4) to make hydrological predictions reliable. This study explores appropriate methods for hydrological predictions and water resources assessment in ungauged catchments of the Congo River Basin. In this context, the core modelling framework combines the quantification of uncertainty in constraint indices, hydrological modelling and hydrodynamic modelling. The latter accounts for channel-wetland exchanges in sub-basins where wetlands exert considerable influence on downstream flow regimes at the monthly time scale. The constraint indices are the characteristics of a sub-basin’s long-term hydrological behaviour and may reflect the dynamics of the different components of the catchment water balance such as climate, water storage and different runoff processes. Currently, six constraint indices namely the mean monthly runoff volume (MMQ in m3 *106), mean monthly groundwater recharge depth (MMR in mm), the 10th, 50th and 90th percentiles of the flow duration curve expressed as a fraction of MMQ (Q10/MMQ, Q50/MMQ, Q90/MMQ) and the percentage of time that zero flows are expected (%Zero), are used in the modelling approach. These were judged to be the minimum number of key indices that can discriminate between different hydrological responses. The constraint indices in the framework help to determine an uncertainty range within which behavioural model parameters of the expected hydrological response can be identified. Predictive equations of the constraint indices across all climate and physiographic regions of the Congo Basin were based only on the aridity index because it was the most influential sub-basin attribute (Chapter 5) for which quantitative information was available. The degree of uncertainty in the constraint Q10/MMQ and Q50/MMQ indices is less than 41%, while it is somewhat higher for the mean monthly runoff (MMQ) and Q90/MMQ constraint indices. The established uncertainty ranges of the constraint indices were tested in some selected sub-basins of the Congo Basin, including the Lualaba (93 sub-basins), Sangha (24 sub-basins), Oubangui (19 sub-basins), Batéké plateaux (4 sub-basins), Kasai (4 sub-basins) and Inkisi (3 sub-basins). The results proved useful through the application of a 2-stage uncertainty approach of the PITMAN model. However, it comes out of this study that the application of the original constraint indices ranges (Chapter 5) generated satisfactory simulation results in some areas, while in others both small and large adjustments were required to fully capture some aspects of the observed hydrological responses (Chapter 6). Part of the reason is attributed to the availability and quality of streamflow data used to develop the constraint indices ranges (Chapter 5). The main issue identified in the modelling process was whether the changes made to the original constraints at headwater-gauged sub-basins can be applied to ungauged upstream sub-basins to match the observed flow at downstream gauging stations. Ideally, only gauged sub-basin’s constraints can be easily revised based on the observed flow. However, the refinement made to gauged sub-basins alone may fail to substantially affect the results if ungauged upstream sub-basins exert a major impact on defining downstream hydrological response. The majority of gauging stations used in this analysis are located downstream of many upstream ungauged sub-basins and therefore adjustments were required in ungauged sub-basins. These adjustments consist of shifting the full range of a constraint index either towards higher or lower values, depending on the degree to which the simulated uncertainty bounds depart from the observed flow. While this modelling approach seems effective in capturing many aspects of the hydrological responses with a reduced level of uncertainty compared to a previous study, it is recommended that the approach be extended to the remaining parts of the Congo Basin and assessed under current and future development conditions including environmental changes. A 2D hydrodynamic river-wetland model (LISFLOOD-FP) has been used to explicitly represent the inundation process exchanges between river channels and wetland systems. The hydrodynamic modelling outputs are used to calibrate the PITMAN wetland sub-model parameters. The five hydrodynamic models constructed for Ankoro, Kamalondo, Kundelungu, Mweru and Tshiangalele wetland systems have been partially validated using independent estimates of inundation extents available from Landsat imagery. Other sources of data such as remote sensing of water level altimetry, SAR images and wetland storage estimates may be used to improve the validation results. However, the important objective in this study was to make sure that flow volume exchanges between river channels and their adjacent floodplains were being simulated realistically. The wetland sub-model parameters are calibrated in a spreadsheet version of the PITMAN wetland routine to achieve visual correspondence between the LISFLOOD-FP and PITMAN wetland sub-model outputs (Storage volumes and channel outputs). The hysteretic patterns of the river-wetland processes were quantified using hysteresis indices and were associated with the spill and return flow parameters of the wetland sub-model and eventually with the wetland morphometric characteristics. One example is the scale parameter of the return flow function (AA), which shows a good relationship with the average surface slope of the wetland when the coefficient parameter (BB) of the same function is kept constant to a value of 1.25. The same parameter (AA) is a good indicator of the wetland emptying mechanism. A small AA indicates a wetland that slowly releases its flow, resulting in a highly delayed and attenuated hydrological response in downstream sub-basins. This understanding has a practical advantage for the estimation of the PITMAN wetland parameters in the many areas where it is not possible, or where the resources are not available, to run complex hydrodynamic models (Chapter 7). The inclusion of these LISFLOOD-FP informed wetland parameters in the basin-scale hydrological modelling results in acceptable simulations for the lower Lualaba drainage system. The small wetlands, like Ankoro and Tshiangalele, have a negligible impact on downstream flow regimes, whereas large wetlands, such as Kamalondo and Mweru, have very large impacts. In general, the testing of the original constraint indices in the region of wetlands and further downstream of the Lualaba drainage system has shown acceptable results. However, there remains an unresolved uncertainty issue related to the under and over-estimation of some aspects of the hydrological response at both Mulongo and Ankoro, two gauging stations in the immediate downstream of the Kamalondo wetland system. It is difficult to attribute this uncertainty to Kamalondo wetland parameters alone because many of the incremental sub-basins contributing to wetland inflows are ungauged. The issue at Mulongo is the under simulation of low flow, while the high flows at the Ankoro gauging station are over-simulated. However, the pattern of the calibrated constraint indices in this region (Chapter 8) shows that the under simulation of low flow at Mulongo cannot be attributed to incremental sub-basins (between Bukama, Kapolowe and Mulongo gauging stations), because their Q90/MMQ constraint indices are even slightly above the original constraint ranges, but maintain a spatial consistency with sub-basins of other regions. Similarly, sub-basins located between Mulongo, Luvua and Ankoro gauging stations have high flow indices slightly below the original constraint ranges and therefore they are unlikely to be responsible for the over simulation of high flow at the Ankoro gauging station. These facts highlight the need for a further understanding of the complex wetland system of Kamalondo. Short-term data collection and monitoring programme are required. Important tributaries that drain to this wetland need to be monitored by installing water level loggers and periodically collecting flow data and river bathymetry. This programme should lead to the development of rating curves of wetland input tributaries. This would partially solve the unresolved uncertainty issues at the Ankoro and Mulongo gauging stations. The integrated modelling approach offers many opportunities in the Congo Basin. The quantified and modelled uncertainty helps to identify regions with high uncertainty and allows for the identification of various data collection and management strategies that can potentially contribute to the uncertainty reduction. The quantified channel-wetland exchanges contribute to the improvement of the overall knowledge of water resources estimation within the regions where the effects of wetlands are evident even at the monthly time scale. In contrast, ignoring uncertainty in the estimates of water resources availability means that water resources planning and management decisions in the Congo Basin will continue to be based on inadequate information and unquantified uncertainty, thus increasing the risk associated with water resources decision making. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Institute for Water Research, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-04
- Authors: Kabuya, Pierre Mulamba
- Date: 2021-04
- Subjects: Congo River Watershed , Watersheds -- Congo (Democratic Republic) , Hydrologic models , Rain and rainfall -- Mathematical models , Runoff -- Mathematical models , Wetland hydrology
- Language: English
- Type: thesis , text , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177997 , vital:42897 , 10.21504/10962/177997
- Description: Compared to other large river basins of the world, such as the Amazon, the Congo River Basin appears to be the most ungauged and less studied. This is partly because the basin lacks sufficient observational hydro-climatic monitoring stations and appropriate information on physiographic basin properties at a spatial scale deemed for hydrological applications, making it difficult to estimate water resources at the scale of sub-basins (Chapter 3). In the same time, the basin is facing the challenges related to rapid population growth, uncontrolled urbanisation as well as climate change. Adequate quantification of hydrological processes across different spatial and temporal scales in the basin, and the drivers of change, is essential for prediction and strategic planning to ensure sustainable management of water resources in the Congo River Basin. Hydrological models are particularly important to generate the required information. However, the shortness of the available streamflow records, lack of spatial representativeness of the available streamflow gauging stations and the lack of understanding of the processes in channel-wetland exchanges, are the main challenges that constrain the use of traditional approaches to models development. They also contribute to increased uncertainty in the estimation of water resources across the basin (Chapter 1 and 2). Given this ungauged nature of the Congo River Basin, it is important to resort to hydrological modelling approaches that can reasonably quantify and model the uncertainty associated with water resources estimation (Chapter 4) to make hydrological predictions reliable. This study explores appropriate methods for hydrological predictions and water resources assessment in ungauged catchments of the Congo River Basin. In this context, the core modelling framework combines the quantification of uncertainty in constraint indices, hydrological modelling and hydrodynamic modelling. The latter accounts for channel-wetland exchanges in sub-basins where wetlands exert considerable influence on downstream flow regimes at the monthly time scale. The constraint indices are the characteristics of a sub-basin’s long-term hydrological behaviour and may reflect the dynamics of the different components of the catchment water balance such as climate, water storage and different runoff processes. Currently, six constraint indices namely the mean monthly runoff volume (MMQ in m3 *106), mean monthly groundwater recharge depth (MMR in mm), the 10th, 50th and 90th percentiles of the flow duration curve expressed as a fraction of MMQ (Q10/MMQ, Q50/MMQ, Q90/MMQ) and the percentage of time that zero flows are expected (%Zero), are used in the modelling approach. These were judged to be the minimum number of key indices that can discriminate between different hydrological responses. The constraint indices in the framework help to determine an uncertainty range within which behavioural model parameters of the expected hydrological response can be identified. Predictive equations of the constraint indices across all climate and physiographic regions of the Congo Basin were based only on the aridity index because it was the most influential sub-basin attribute (Chapter 5) for which quantitative information was available. The degree of uncertainty in the constraint Q10/MMQ and Q50/MMQ indices is less than 41%, while it is somewhat higher for the mean monthly runoff (MMQ) and Q90/MMQ constraint indices. The established uncertainty ranges of the constraint indices were tested in some selected sub-basins of the Congo Basin, including the Lualaba (93 sub-basins), Sangha (24 sub-basins), Oubangui (19 sub-basins), Batéké plateaux (4 sub-basins), Kasai (4 sub-basins) and Inkisi (3 sub-basins). The results proved useful through the application of a 2-stage uncertainty approach of the PITMAN model. However, it comes out of this study that the application of the original constraint indices ranges (Chapter 5) generated satisfactory simulation results in some areas, while in others both small and large adjustments were required to fully capture some aspects of the observed hydrological responses (Chapter 6). Part of the reason is attributed to the availability and quality of streamflow data used to develop the constraint indices ranges (Chapter 5). The main issue identified in the modelling process was whether the changes made to the original constraints at headwater-gauged sub-basins can be applied to ungauged upstream sub-basins to match the observed flow at downstream gauging stations. Ideally, only gauged sub-basin’s constraints can be easily revised based on the observed flow. However, the refinement made to gauged sub-basins alone may fail to substantially affect the results if ungauged upstream sub-basins exert a major impact on defining downstream hydrological response. The majority of gauging stations used in this analysis are located downstream of many upstream ungauged sub-basins and therefore adjustments were required in ungauged sub-basins. These adjustments consist of shifting the full range of a constraint index either towards higher or lower values, depending on the degree to which the simulated uncertainty bounds depart from the observed flow. While this modelling approach seems effective in capturing many aspects of the hydrological responses with a reduced level of uncertainty compared to a previous study, it is recommended that the approach be extended to the remaining parts of the Congo Basin and assessed under current and future development conditions including environmental changes. A 2D hydrodynamic river-wetland model (LISFLOOD-FP) has been used to explicitly represent the inundation process exchanges between river channels and wetland systems. The hydrodynamic modelling outputs are used to calibrate the PITMAN wetland sub-model parameters. The five hydrodynamic models constructed for Ankoro, Kamalondo, Kundelungu, Mweru and Tshiangalele wetland systems have been partially validated using independent estimates of inundation extents available from Landsat imagery. Other sources of data such as remote sensing of water level altimetry, SAR images and wetland storage estimates may be used to improve the validation results. However, the important objective in this study was to make sure that flow volume exchanges between river channels and their adjacent floodplains were being simulated realistically. The wetland sub-model parameters are calibrated in a spreadsheet version of the PITMAN wetland routine to achieve visual correspondence between the LISFLOOD-FP and PITMAN wetland sub-model outputs (Storage volumes and channel outputs). The hysteretic patterns of the river-wetland processes were quantified using hysteresis indices and were associated with the spill and return flow parameters of the wetland sub-model and eventually with the wetland morphometric characteristics. One example is the scale parameter of the return flow function (AA), which shows a good relationship with the average surface slope of the wetland when the coefficient parameter (BB) of the same function is kept constant to a value of 1.25. The same parameter (AA) is a good indicator of the wetland emptying mechanism. A small AA indicates a wetland that slowly releases its flow, resulting in a highly delayed and attenuated hydrological response in downstream sub-basins. This understanding has a practical advantage for the estimation of the PITMAN wetland parameters in the many areas where it is not possible, or where the resources are not available, to run complex hydrodynamic models (Chapter 7). The inclusion of these LISFLOOD-FP informed wetland parameters in the basin-scale hydrological modelling results in acceptable simulations for the lower Lualaba drainage system. The small wetlands, like Ankoro and Tshiangalele, have a negligible impact on downstream flow regimes, whereas large wetlands, such as Kamalondo and Mweru, have very large impacts. In general, the testing of the original constraint indices in the region of wetlands and further downstream of the Lualaba drainage system has shown acceptable results. However, there remains an unresolved uncertainty issue related to the under and over-estimation of some aspects of the hydrological response at both Mulongo and Ankoro, two gauging stations in the immediate downstream of the Kamalondo wetland system. It is difficult to attribute this uncertainty to Kamalondo wetland parameters alone because many of the incremental sub-basins contributing to wetland inflows are ungauged. The issue at Mulongo is the under simulation of low flow, while the high flows at the Ankoro gauging station are over-simulated. However, the pattern of the calibrated constraint indices in this region (Chapter 8) shows that the under simulation of low flow at Mulongo cannot be attributed to incremental sub-basins (between Bukama, Kapolowe and Mulongo gauging stations), because their Q90/MMQ constraint indices are even slightly above the original constraint ranges, but maintain a spatial consistency with sub-basins of other regions. Similarly, sub-basins located between Mulongo, Luvua and Ankoro gauging stations have high flow indices slightly below the original constraint ranges and therefore they are unlikely to be responsible for the over simulation of high flow at the Ankoro gauging station. These facts highlight the need for a further understanding of the complex wetland system of Kamalondo. Short-term data collection and monitoring programme are required. Important tributaries that drain to this wetland need to be monitored by installing water level loggers and periodically collecting flow data and river bathymetry. This programme should lead to the development of rating curves of wetland input tributaries. This would partially solve the unresolved uncertainty issues at the Ankoro and Mulongo gauging stations. The integrated modelling approach offers many opportunities in the Congo Basin. The quantified and modelled uncertainty helps to identify regions with high uncertainty and allows for the identification of various data collection and management strategies that can potentially contribute to the uncertainty reduction. The quantified channel-wetland exchanges contribute to the improvement of the overall knowledge of water resources estimation within the regions where the effects of wetlands are evident even at the monthly time scale. In contrast, ignoring uncertainty in the estimates of water resources availability means that water resources planning and management decisions in the Congo Basin will continue to be based on inadequate information and unquantified uncertainty, thus increasing the risk associated with water resources decision making. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Institute for Water Research, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-04
Waterloo Bay near Mouth of Fish River
- Subjects: Waterloo Bay (South Africa) -- Pictorial works
- Type: Image
- Identifier: vital:14123 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018047 , MS 10 542 , CD 55
- Full Text: false
- Subjects: Waterloo Bay (South Africa) -- Pictorial works
- Type: Image
- Identifier: vital:14123 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018047 , MS 10 542 , CD 55
- Full Text: false
Beautiful noise at University under threat
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2014-03-12
- Language: English
- Type: Text
- Identifier: vital:7862 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016411
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014-03-12
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2014-03-12
- Language: English
- Type: Text
- Identifier: vital:7862 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016411
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014-03-12
Plaatje's African romance: the translation of tragedy in Mhudi and other writings
- Authors: Walter, Brian Ernest
- Date: 2001
- Subjects: Plaatje, Sol. T. (Solomon Tshekisho), 1876-1932. Mhudi Race in literature Politics in literature
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2188 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002230
- Description: This study brings together Plaatje’s politicaland literary visions, arguing that the one informs the other. Plaatje’s literary work is used as a starting point for the discussion, and the first chapter explores the relationship of his political and artistic visions. Mhudi is his definitive romance text, and it is argued that Plaatje’s romance visionin this text is reflected in his political thinking, and in turn reflected by it. His romance work was part of a literary romance tradition which Plaatje both drew upon and transformed, and thus the basic features of romance are explored in Chapter Two. Plaatje’s work is situated between two influential romance models, therefore Chapter Two also discusses the romances of Shakespeare, whomPlaatje read as reflectinga non-racial humanism that was translatable into the African context, in terms of political vision and of literary text. His other models were the colonial romances of Haggard. It is argued that, while Plaatje could glean many elements fromHaggardthat suited his purposes as an African, specifically a SouthAfrican, writer, he nevertheless—despite his own pro-British leanings, qualified though they might have been by the complexities of his colonial context—would not have represented Africa and Africans in terms of the exotic other in the way Haggard clearly did. Thus Plaatje, in terms of his romance vision, may have usedmanyofthe themesand techniques of Haggardianromance, but consistently qualified these colonial works by using the more classically shaped Shakespearean romance structure at the deep level of his work. The third chapter examines Haggard’s romance, but differentiates between two Haggardian types, the completed or resolved romance, whichis more classical in its form, and evokes an image of a completed quest, as well as the necessity of the quester entering the world again. Haggard’s “completed” African romance, it is argued, is resolved only in terms of a colonial vision. Chapter Four, by contrast, examines examples of his unresolved African romance, in which African ideals implode, and show themselves to be inneed of foreign intervention. It is argued that Haggard’s image of Africa was based on the unresolved or incomplete romance. His vision of Africa was such that it could not in itself provide the materialfor completed romance. This vision saw intervention as the only option for South Africa. While Plaatje uses elements of Haggard’s “incomplete” romance models when writing Mhudi, he handles both his narrative and politicalcommentaryin this text in terms of his own politicalthought. This non-racial politicalvisionis guided by his belief that virtue and vice are not the monopoly of any colour, a non-racialism he associates with Shakespeare. However, within the context of the South Africa of his fictionand of his life, this non-racial ideal is constantly under threat. It is partly threatened by political forces, but also challenged by moral changes within individuals and societies. In Chapter Five the examination of Plaatje’s work begins withhis Boer War Diary, inwhicha romance structure is sought beneath his diurnal observations and political optimismduring a time of warfare and siege. The discussion of this text is followed by a reading of Native Life in South Africa in which it is argued that Plaatje looks, in the midst of personal and social suffering, for that which can translate a tragic situation into romance resolution. “Translation” is used in a broad sense, echoing Plaatje’s view of the importance of translation for cross-cultural understanding and harmony. The arguments of Chapter Five are extended into Chapter Six, where a reading of Mhudi places emphasis on the possibilities of change implied in romance. Plaatje’s non-racial humanism recognizes the great potential for injustice and human suffering within the context of South African racism, but constantly seeks to translate such suffering into the triumph of romance. While the narrative of Mhudi concludes on a romance peak, tensions between the tragic and romance possibilities alert the reader to the sense that, despite its romance resolution, something has been lost in the translation of the potential tragedy into romance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
- Authors: Walter, Brian Ernest
- Date: 2001
- Subjects: Plaatje, Sol. T. (Solomon Tshekisho), 1876-1932. Mhudi Race in literature Politics in literature
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2188 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002230
- Description: This study brings together Plaatje’s politicaland literary visions, arguing that the one informs the other. Plaatje’s literary work is used as a starting point for the discussion, and the first chapter explores the relationship of his political and artistic visions. Mhudi is his definitive romance text, and it is argued that Plaatje’s romance visionin this text is reflected in his political thinking, and in turn reflected by it. His romance work was part of a literary romance tradition which Plaatje both drew upon and transformed, and thus the basic features of romance are explored in Chapter Two. Plaatje’s work is situated between two influential romance models, therefore Chapter Two also discusses the romances of Shakespeare, whomPlaatje read as reflectinga non-racial humanism that was translatable into the African context, in terms of political vision and of literary text. His other models were the colonial romances of Haggard. It is argued that, while Plaatje could glean many elements fromHaggardthat suited his purposes as an African, specifically a SouthAfrican, writer, he nevertheless—despite his own pro-British leanings, qualified though they might have been by the complexities of his colonial context—would not have represented Africa and Africans in terms of the exotic other in the way Haggard clearly did. Thus Plaatje, in terms of his romance vision, may have usedmanyofthe themesand techniques of Haggardianromance, but consistently qualified these colonial works by using the more classically shaped Shakespearean romance structure at the deep level of his work. The third chapter examines Haggard’s romance, but differentiates between two Haggardian types, the completed or resolved romance, whichis more classical in its form, and evokes an image of a completed quest, as well as the necessity of the quester entering the world again. Haggard’s “completed” African romance, it is argued, is resolved only in terms of a colonial vision. Chapter Four, by contrast, examines examples of his unresolved African romance, in which African ideals implode, and show themselves to be inneed of foreign intervention. It is argued that Haggard’s image of Africa was based on the unresolved or incomplete romance. His vision of Africa was such that it could not in itself provide the materialfor completed romance. This vision saw intervention as the only option for South Africa. While Plaatje uses elements of Haggard’s “incomplete” romance models when writing Mhudi, he handles both his narrative and politicalcommentaryin this text in terms of his own politicalthought. This non-racial politicalvisionis guided by his belief that virtue and vice are not the monopoly of any colour, a non-racialism he associates with Shakespeare. However, within the context of the South Africa of his fictionand of his life, this non-racial ideal is constantly under threat. It is partly threatened by political forces, but also challenged by moral changes within individuals and societies. In Chapter Five the examination of Plaatje’s work begins withhis Boer War Diary, inwhicha romance structure is sought beneath his diurnal observations and political optimismduring a time of warfare and siege. The discussion of this text is followed by a reading of Native Life in South Africa in which it is argued that Plaatje looks, in the midst of personal and social suffering, for that which can translate a tragic situation into romance resolution. “Translation” is used in a broad sense, echoing Plaatje’s view of the importance of translation for cross-cultural understanding and harmony. The arguments of Chapter Five are extended into Chapter Six, where a reading of Mhudi places emphasis on the possibilities of change implied in romance. Plaatje’s non-racial humanism recognizes the great potential for injustice and human suffering within the context of South African racism, but constantly seeks to translate such suffering into the triumph of romance. While the narrative of Mhudi concludes on a romance peak, tensions between the tragic and romance possibilities alert the reader to the sense that, despite its romance resolution, something has been lost in the translation of the potential tragedy into romance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
Seasonal changes in the physiological and hormonal aspects of reproduction in the male long-fingered bat, Miniopterus schreibersii (Mammalia : Chiroptera)
- Authors: Paton, Joy Carol
- Date: 1989
- Subjects: Bats -- Reproduction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5590 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002040
- Description: The reproductive cycle of Miniopterus schreibersii is modified as a consequence of a period of torpor/hibernation over the winter months. This bat is one of three genera which employ the reproductive strategy of delayed implantation in which the blastocyst remains free in the uterine lumen during the winter months. Spermatogenesis is initiated in February, with spermiogenesis occuring in March. Copulation, ovulation and fertilization takes place between March and May after which the testes regress and remain in an inactive condition until the following summer. Activity in the accessory gland complex is initiated in March and continues until early June. Plasma testosterone concentrations reach a peak in May, decline over the winter months and reach a second, unexplainable peak in October. Leydig cells are secretorily active in February/early March after which they undergo vacuolation and final degeneration. The question of the life cyle of Leydig cells is addressed and an increase in a certain cell after Leydig cell activity suggests that this cell type may be the precursor of Leydig cells.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1989
- Authors: Paton, Joy Carol
- Date: 1989
- Subjects: Bats -- Reproduction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5590 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002040
- Description: The reproductive cycle of Miniopterus schreibersii is modified as a consequence of a period of torpor/hibernation over the winter months. This bat is one of three genera which employ the reproductive strategy of delayed implantation in which the blastocyst remains free in the uterine lumen during the winter months. Spermatogenesis is initiated in February, with spermiogenesis occuring in March. Copulation, ovulation and fertilization takes place between March and May after which the testes regress and remain in an inactive condition until the following summer. Activity in the accessory gland complex is initiated in March and continues until early June. Plasma testosterone concentrations reach a peak in May, decline over the winter months and reach a second, unexplainable peak in October. Leydig cells are secretorily active in February/early March after which they undergo vacuolation and final degeneration. The question of the life cyle of Leydig cells is addressed and an increase in a certain cell after Leydig cell activity suggests that this cell type may be the precursor of Leydig cells.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1989
Comparative analysis of the known Hop1b and the novel Hop1a isoforms of the Hop gene
- Authors: Makhubu, Portia
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: thesis , text , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164311 , vital:41108 , doi:10.21504/10962/164311
- Description: Thesis (PhD)--Rhodes University, Faculty of Science, Biochemistry and Microbiology, 2020
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Makhubu, Portia
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: thesis , text , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164311 , vital:41108 , doi:10.21504/10962/164311
- Description: Thesis (PhD)--Rhodes University, Faculty of Science, Biochemistry and Microbiology, 2020
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020