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Electrode modification through click chemistry using Ni and Co alkyne phthalocyanines for electrocatalytic detection of hydrazine

  • Authors: O'Donoghue, Charles S , Shumba, Munyaradzai , Nyokong, Tebello
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/233032 , vital:50049 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1002/elan.201700084"
  • Description: This work reports on the development of sensors for the detection of hydrazine using glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) modified with phthalocyanines through click chemistry. Tetrakis(5-hexyn-oxy) cobalt(II) phthalocyanine (complex 2) and tetrakis(5-hexyn-oxy) nickel(II) phthalocyanine (complex 3) were employed as electrode modifiers for hydrazine detection. The GCE was first grafted via the in situ diazotization of a diazonium salt, rendering the GCE surface layered with azide groups. From this point, the 1, 3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction, catalysed by a copper catalyst was utilised to “click” the phthalocyanines to the surface of the grafted GCE. The modified electrodes were characterized by scanning electrochemical microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The electrografted CoP2-clicked-GCE and NiP3-clicked-GCE exhibited electrocatalytic activity towards the detection of hydrazine. The limit of detection (LoD) for the CoPc-GCE was 6.09 μM, while the NiPc-GCE had a LoD of 8.69 μM. The sensitivity was 51.32 μA mM−1 for the CoPc-GCE and 111.2 μA mM−1 for the NiPc-GCE.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2017

Electrode modification through click chemistry using Ni and Co alkyne phthalocyanines for electrocatalytic detection of hydrazine

  • Authors: O'Donoghue, Charles S , Shumba, Munyaradzai , Nyokong, Tebello
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/242763 , vital:51076 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1002/elan.201700084"
  • Description: This work reports on the development of sensors for the detection of hydrazine using glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) modified with phthalocyanines through click chemistry. Tetrakis(5-hexyn-oxy) cobalt(II) phthalocyanine (complex 2) and tetrakis(5-hexyn-oxy) nickel(II) phthalocyanine (complex 3) were employed as electrode modifiers for hydrazine detection. The GCE was first grafted via the in situ diazotization of a diazonium salt, rendering the GCE surface layered with azide groups. From this point, the 1, 3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction, catalysed by a copper catalyst was utilised to “click” the phthalocyanines to the surface of the grafted GCE. The modified electrodes were characterized by scanning electrochemical microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The electrografted CoP2-clicked-GCE and NiP3-clicked-GCE exhibited electrocatalytic activity towards the detection of hydrazine. The limit of detection (LoD) for the CoPc-GCE was 6.09 μM, while the NiPc-GCE had a LoD of 8.69 μM. The sensitivity was 51.32 μA mM−1 for the CoPc-GCE and 111.2 μA mM−1 for the NiPc-GCE.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Electronic structure and NH-tautomerism of a novel metal-free phenanthroline-annelated phthalocyanine

  • Authors: Martynov, Alexander G , Mack, John , Ngoy, Bokolombe P , Nyokong, Tebello , Gorbunova, Yulia G , Tsivadze, Aslan Yu
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/239643 , vital:50751 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dyepig.2017.01.072"
  • Description: A novel low-symmetry A3B-type phthalocyanine annelated with a pyrazino[2,3-f]phenanthroline ring system and substituted with six solubilizing diisopropylphenoxy-groups (1) was synthesized by metalfree DBU-promoted cross-condensation of diiminoisoindolines derived from 4,5- bis(diisopropylphenoxy)phthalonitrile and pyrazino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthroline-2,3-dicarbonitrile. The use of these particular precursors affords A3B phthalocyanine in 15% yield, while cross-condensation of the corresponding dinitriles yields only trace amounts of the target compound. Comparative studies of the A3B-type phthalocyanine and its symmetrical octa(diisopropylphenoxy)-substituted counterpart 2 reveal striking differences in the Q band regions of their UVevisible absorption (UVeVis) spectra, which could be readily rationalized through a comparison with calculated TD-DFT spectra. Since 1 can have two NH-tautomers with equivalent and non-equivalent NH-groups, and DFT calculations predict that the former tautomer is only 2.3 kcal/mol more stable than the latter one, a comprehensive analysis of 13C NMR spectra was carried out through the application of 1 He13C HMBC and HSQC techniques. It demonstrated that only the tautomer with equivalent NH-groups is present in solution.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Electrostatic discharge and roughness modelling in diamond turning of contact lenses

  • Authors: Kopi, Fundiswa
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Diamond turning Contact lenses
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEng
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18783 , vital:28723
  • Description: With the increased application of ultra-high precision machining of polymers and the limited research in single point diamond turning (SPDT) of contact lens polymers, it became imperative to gather understanding on the production of contact lenses using the above-mentioned technology. A limiting factor in SPDT of polymers is wear of the diamond tool, resulting into poor surface finish due to unintended charges generated as a result of the contact/rubbing action between the cutting tool and the cut material. Central Composite Design (CCD) Face Centred experimental design was developed and applied to the SPDT of ONSI-56 and Polymethly methacrylate (PMMA) contact lens buttons. An electrostatic sensor coupled to a computer monitored the electrostatic discharge generated and a profilometer measured the surface roughness. The Response Surface Method (RSM) was utilised during the development of predictive models for both the surface roughness and the electrostatic discharge generated, to deduce the effects of cutting parameters during machining. The cutting speed and the feed rate deemed as the influential parameters on the surface roughness and electrostatic discharge, for both materials. The depth of cut induced more charge generation for PMMA. Predictive models were successfully developed and they were aimed at creating a database a guide to the SPDT of contact lens polymers.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Elephant space use and impacts on vegetation in response to habitat expansion in succulent thicket

  • Authors: Lochner, Christiaan Stefanus
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Grasses -- South Africa -- Addo Elephant National Park , Vegetation mapping -- South Africa -- Addo Elephant National Park Nature conservation -- South Africa -- Addo Elephant National Park Ecology -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18597 , vital:28687
  • Description: Elephant alter vegetation composition and structure, and at high densities biodiversity declines. While habitat expansion is one of several tools proposed to mitigate such effects, its effectiveness remains untested. Despite previous incremental expansions of the Addo Main Camp section of the Addo Elephant National Park to reduce the impacts of elephant on vulnerable Succulent Thicket habitats, significant declines in plant species richness, density and biomass were recorded. During 2010 the addition of the Colchester section effectively doubled the area (120 km2 to 230 km2) available to elephant, presumably releasing browsing intensity in the Addo Main Camp section, hence allowing for the regeneration (through growth and resprouting) of the vulnerable canopy shrubs (a key functional guild). I aim to test this hypothesis. I use space use data from before and after expansion to track the distribution of elephant utilization across the park. Additionally, I use data collected between 2008 and 2015 on shrub composition and structure and the structure of individual canopy species, to illustrate the long-term trends in elephant impact. I firstly show that although elephants shift a proportion of their utilization distribution into novel habitat, they continue to show a strong preference for the Addo Main Camp section, with its higher water availability yet heavier utilized vegetation. I also illustrate that within 5 years of the expansion, effects on the canopy shrub community declined, presumably by spreading impacts to novel areas. Specifically, I show that vegetation composition and structure (volume and density) remained stable during this period. While these results indicate that range expansion might be a viable tool to mitigate the impact of elephant on vegetation composition and structure, at least in the short-term, the consequences for ecological functioning remain to be measured. In the long-term, I predict that attempts to use range expansion as a management tool may fail if implemented without limiting population numbers and controlling the distribution of local densities (e.g. by managing surface water availability).
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Elicitation of risk preferences of smallholder irrigation farmers in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

  • Authors: Modjadji, Mathlo Itumeleng
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Irrigation farming -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Risk-return relationships -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4846 , vital:28534
  • Description: Although several studies have investigated commercial farmers’ risk preferences, there is still lack of information on the risk attitudes and risk preferences of smallholder farmers in South Africa. Risks associated with the adoption of new agricultural technology need to be explored in order to address the transition from homestead food gardening to smallholder irrigated farming. This study seeks to understand risk perception of smallholder irrigation farmers by linking constraints to commercialisation, adoption of new agricultural technologies and risk preferences of smallholder farmers in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The overall objective of this research is to determine risk preference patterns and attitudes that influence the transition from homestead food gardening to irrigated farming of smallholder farming systems in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Specifically the study was to pursue the following objectives: (i) describe the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of smallholder farmers; (ii) describe existing farming systems among smallholder farmers in the study area; (iii) analyse the adoption of new agricultural technology by smallholder irrigation farmers; (iv) assess the risk perception of smallholder irrigation farmers and elicit farmers risk preferences, and (v) empirically analyse farmers sources of risk and risk management strategies. The outcome of this will inform policy formulation that have implications for technology adoption, increase smallholders capacity to bear risk and enable government and other role players have a clear understanding of smallholder farmers decisions. A total of 101 respondents were surveyed, consisting of 38 smallholder farmers and 63 homestead food gardeners in the Eastern Cape. Questionnaires were used to record household activities, socio-economic and institutional data as well as household demographics through personal interviews. The ordered probit model was applied due to the ordered nature of the dependent variable. The analysis was used to empirically analyse the determinants of farmers ‘risk preference status. The ordered probit model successfully estimated the significant variables associated with the farmer‘s adoption decisions. These were the farmer‘s age, household size, land size, locational setting, risk attitude, number of livestock (goats and chicken) and asset ownership. Homestead food gardeners were less risk averse that the smallholder farmers. Farmers who reside in the sub-wards Binfield and Battlefield were more likely to take risk than those who reside in Melani. This suggests the presence of local synergies in adoption which raises the question about the extent to which ignoring these influences biases policy conclusions. The negative correlation between land size and adoption implies that smaller farms appear to have greater propensity for adoption of new agricultural technology. This finding is supported by several studies reviewed in the literature that allude to the fact that homestead food gardeners tend to be smaller than smallholder farmers. By means of the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), seven principal components (PCs) that explained 66.13 percent of the variation were extracted. According to the loadings, the factors 1 to 7 can best be described as ‘financial and incentives index’, ‘input-output index’, ‘crop production index’, ‘labour bottleneck index’, ‘lack of production information index’, ‘lack of market opportunity index’, and ‘input availability index’ respectively. In general, price, production and financial risks were perceived as the most important sources of risk. Socio economic factors having a significant effect on the various sources of risk are age, gender, education, location, information access and risk taking ability. The most important traditional risk management strategies used by the surveyed smallholder farmers in Eastern Cape are crop diversification, precautionary savings and participating in social network. The findings are consistent with economic theory which postulates that in the absence of insurance markets, poor farm households tend to be risk averse and are reluctant to participate in farm investment decisions that are uncertain or involve higher risk.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Ellipsis in the vP domain in Mandarin and Xhosa

  • Authors: Ma, Xiujie
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Grammar, Comparative and general -- Ellipsis , Chinese lanaguage -- Ellipsis , Chinese lanaguage -- Grammar, Comparative -- Xhosa , Xhosa lanaguage -- Ellipsis , Xhosa lanaguage -- Grammar, Comparative -- Chinese
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/43105 , vital:25266
  • Description: This thesis provides a unified analysis of ellipsis in the vP domain in two typologically different languages, Mandarin and Xhosa from a generative perspective. It starts with the V-stranding Verb Phrase Ellipsis (VPE) assumption and shows that Mandarin and Xhosa do not have V-stranding VPE. The evidence for this is that in both languages, the constituents that remain in vP obligatorily are not allowed to be deleted, whereas the ones that can/must move out of vP can be deleted. The deleted constituents display the characteristics of PF-deletion, i.e. they have an internal syntactic structure. Based on the parallel between movement and ellipsis of the vP-internal constituents, I propose the Ellipsis EPP Hypothesis to account for ellipsis in the vP domain. The Hypothesis predicts that there is an Ellipsis Phrase at the left periphery of vP. The EP bears an Ellipsis-EPP (EEPP) feature, which must be satisfied. Maximal phrases in the c-command domain of EP are all potential candidates for satisfying the EEPP feature by moving to [Spec, EP]. However, only the phrases that are allowed to move out of vP can move to [Spec, EP] as EP is located above vP. Moreover, the movement to [Spec, EP] is subject to the syntactic and semantic restrictions in structure-building in that ellipsis is one operation in the course of structure-building and the derivation will continue after ellipsis takes place. The EEPP feature renders an XP in the specifier phonetically empty and syntactically frozen; therefore, a constituent will be deleted as soon as it moves to [Spec, EP]. The Hypothesis is schematically represented below. The Ellipsis EPP Hypothesis adequately accounts for the ellipsis of various vP-internal constituents - NPs, DPs, infinitive complements and CP complements - in both Mandarin and Xhosa. At the same time, it reveals the reasons why vP is precluded from being elided in these two languages. In Mandarin vP moves to [Spec, AspPi] to check the uninterpretable [asp] feature and in Xhosa vP moves to [Spec, FocP] to realize the focus; consequently, vP may not move to [Spec, EP] for ellipsis.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Emancipatory politics and the Mpondo revolts

  • Authors: Bruchhausen, Sarah
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Pondo Revolt, South Africa, 1960-1963 , South Africa -- History -- 20th century , South Africa -- Politics and government -- 20th century
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/5093 , vital:20765
  • Description: This thesis aims to offer a revised view of the Mpondo revolts. The central theoretical concept of the thesis is that of emancipatory politics. Drawing predominantly on archival sources the primary concern of the thesis is to expose and interrogate certain aspects of this historical moment of popular politics which can be seen as emancipatory. In particular the notions of egalitarianism and universal human dignity will be analysed in relation to the popular political subjectivities, formations and praxes of the Mpondo revolts. In so doing this thesis attempts to make a meaningful contribution to present day debates concerning alternative theories of human emancipation by showing what emancipatory politics looked like historically and in practise within the context of the Mpondo revolts.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Emathunjini omhlaba kuhlala abantu

  • Authors: Moya, Mlandeli Wellington
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Short stories, Xhosa
  • Language: Xhosa , English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7235 , vital:21231
  • Description: My short stories are about the circumstances in which black gold miners in Welkom in the 1980s and 1990s found themselves. These mineworkers - I was one of them - made up a large, uneducated segment of personnel because our work required strength and good health only. We came from all over the African continent. The places we had to live in were like jails or military barracks, sometimes with twenty or more of us sharing a single room. Because of these conditions, we shared our pains, and the pains of wives, children and relatives of those who were killed or disabled by their work, the repatriation of those who lost their capacity to continue working because of accidents and work, and work-related illnesses. We did not share the same language, and so we had to learn Fanakalo, the language of South African mine workers. My stories show how pain and happiness rub shoulders with each other in the miners' life, because besides the dangerous work there was also cultural entertainment, religious practices, robbery by tsotsis, and many prostitutes. The book Buzani Kubawo by Witness K. Tamsanqa has been an important influence on my writing. Other influences have been L.L. Sebe's Ucamngco and P.T. Mtuze's Alitshoni Lingaphumi. , La mabali angeemeko zabembi-migodi baseWelkom phaya kwiminyaka ephakathi koo-1980 noo-1990. Aba basebenzi, endandingomnye wabo, babeliqela elivisayo elingafundanga — bezingca ngamandla. Sasiphuma mbombo zonke zeli lase-Afrika. Indawo esasihlala kuyo ibifana nqwa nezisele zentolongo okanye izindlu zasemkhosini. Amashumi amabini amadoda elala ndlwini - nye. Ngenxa yaloo meko sachubelana amabali ngeemeko zobomi bethu, ngabafazi nabantwana, nezizalwane, nangeengozi esasingena kuzo nokugoduswa kwabo bagulayo. Kwathi kuba sasithetha iilwimi ngeelwimi safundiswa isiFanakalo. Amabali am abonisa iintlungu ezayame kulonwabo kuloo meko yasemigodini kuba yayikho nemidlalo nemigcobo ezonwabisayo ngokweentlanga ngeentlanga. Sasikwajongene nootsotsi kunye neentwazana ezithengisa ngemizimba. Ababhali abathe banefuthe ekubhaleni kwam baquka aba: uW.K. Thamsanqa ngencwadi yakhe ethi "Buzani kubawo," uP.T. Mtuze ngeyakhe ethi "Alitshoni Lingaphumi," kunye no L.L. Sebe ngencwadi yakhe ethi "Ucamngco."
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Emergent literacy profiles of learners with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in a grade one classroom: a South African context

  • Authors: Geswint, Mildred Sharmell
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Children with mental disabilities -- Education Literacy -- Study and teaching , Educational psychology Problem children -- Education -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15869 , vital:28283
  • Description: A vulnerable group, learners with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) within the Foundation Phase learner population, has often been neglected with regards to literacy development. These learners in many cases do not get optimal teaching and learning due to an inability of teachers to address the literacy needs adequately within the mainstream classroom context. The purpose of this study was to determine the emergent literacy profile of learners with FASD in a Grade One classroom in a selected rural farming community. This study aimed to understand the socio-economic elements that may contribute to barriers in the families of learners with FASD that contribute to the possible emergent literacy problems. As well as highlight the strengths present in the socio-economic context of these families that can be used to support learners with FASD. Bronfenbrenner’s and Morris (1977; 1992) ecological systems theory provided a framework for understanding the complexity of influences, interactions and interrelationships between an individual and various other systems that are linked to the individual. A mixed methods research design was used in order to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Multi-method data collection strategies were employed in this study. The multi-method approach involved: baseline assessment, interviews and drawings. An interpretive data analysis style was employed for the qualitative data analyses and the quantitative data analysis was statistical. The results of the quantitative and qualitative data were interpreted together. The findings suggest that the participants showed significant challenges in the areas pertaining to phonemic awareness, print awareness, oral language and reading skills. And according to the mothers’ adverse socio-economic environmental conditions also daze the effects of FASD on the learners emergent literacy profile.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as a context for social work practice placement

  • Authors: Cummings, Nicki
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Social service -- Fieldwork -- South Africa Social work education -- South Africa , Employee assistance programs -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15314 , vital:28218
  • Description: The Bachelor of Social Work degree is a four year course consisting of classroom and field practicum training. In 2013, the Automotive Information and Development Centre (AIDC) and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University agreed upon placing fourth year social work students within the Employee Assistance Programs affiliated with the AIDC. The research goal of this study is to enhance an understanding of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) as a context for practicum training for (4th) fourth year social work students by exploring and describing the perceptions and experiences of students, campus supervisors and EAP company representatives. In this respect, the study seeks to determine whether EAP provides the opportunity to meet the Exit Level Outcomes for the Bachelor of Social Work degree. This study is focussed on the practical application of social work knowledge and skills; it is framed within the principles of the Outcomes Based Educational Approach to Education. It was thus considered relevant to introduce a literature review on this particular approach with the focus on the achievement of outcomes. In order to understand whether EAP is an effective learning context the researcher needed to understand how students apply the experience and bridge the gap between theory and practice to gain meaning and understanding and, essentially, learn from the practicum training experience thus further enhancing the framework. The experiential learning cycle presented by Kolb (1984) extended the framework to provide an appropriate model for facilitating learning by linking practice to theory and knowledge. Kolb’s experiential learning cycle was thus explored. The study utilised an exploratory, descriptive, qualitative approach, which is contextual in nature. Non-probability, purposive sampling was utilised to select fourth year social work students, supervisors and company representatives who were involved with EAPs and fourth year social work students at their company. Data collection incorporated semi-structured interviews. Data analysis resulted in themes, sub-themes, categories and sub-categories emerging. Upon analysis of these themes, it was clear that with the appropriate support and creativity, students were able to meet the required Exit Level Outcomes of the Bachelor of Social Work degree. The study concludes that the overall the experience of fourth year social work students placed at EAP companies has been a positive one, with students meeting the Exit Level Outcomes for the Bachelor of Social Work degree. Although this was a positive experience, greater preparation is required and communication between the relevant parties needs to be improved.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Employee commitment towards safety measures implementation in the Public Health institutions

  • Authors: Mbengo,Nomatshawe Josette
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Health facilities--safety measures Employee health promotion-- Safety measures Hospitals--Employees-- Health and hygiene
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44482 , vital:37845
  • Description: Healthcare services are important to maintaining and improving the wellbeing of a country’s citizens. Nurses are part of medical professionals who ensure that the health and wellbeing of patients are maintained, improved and restored. In order to ensure that nurses provide quality services to patients, healthcare institutions are required to address the health and safety needs within their institutions. This implies that public health institutions are required to protect the health and wellbeing of nurses by implementing safety measures within the institutions. The commitment towards the implementation of safety measures in public health institutions is crucial in order to protect the health of nurses, patients and their families. Should public health institutions neglect the implementation of safety measures, and safety management, it will lead to exposure to risks and hazards, high nurse turnover, an increase in costs and a decrease in profitability. This study investigated employee commitment towards the implementation of safety measures in public healthcare institutions. Furthermore, this study investigated the influence of employee commitment towards the implementation of safety measures on employee retention and organisational performance. This study utilised questionnaires to gather primary data from a total number of 1400 nurses from public healthcare institutions located in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. The primary data was subjected to five types of analysis, namely, reliability, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis and correlation analysis. The empirical results of this study reveal that there is a relationship between migration, role considerations, health environment, organisational support, work conditions (enabling environment and benefits) and employee commitment to the implementation of safety measures related to safety compliance.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Employee engagement in small medium micro enterprise in the Buffalo City Municipality

  • Authors: Mlakalaka, Bulelwa Ndileka
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Employee empowerment -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Buffalo City
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18959 , vital:28760
  • Description: The purpose of the study was to identify the factors that affect the engagement of the employees in Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in Buffalo City. The quantitative data gathering was conducted in the form of questionnaires accompanied by a covering letter and was distributed amongst the SMMEs in the Buffalo City Area. The companies selected were those that had been operational for longer than four years with an employee complement of more than five. Employee engagement is given different definitions by different authors. The Kenexa Work Trends Report, (2012 cited by Bhuvanaiah and Raya) explain employee engagement as the extent to which employees are motivated to contribute to organisational success and are willingly applying their efforts to accomplish the organisational goals (Bhuvanaiah and Raya 2014:65). Dubrin says that engagement is the employee’s commitment and willingness to stay in the company they work for and to deliver beyond what is expected of them (Dubrin 2013: 205). The variables identified in literature that affect employee engagement are: Nature of continuous learning, Revenue transparency, Employee value proposition, Job satisfaction, Leadership style, Equitable rewards, Supportive colleagues, Supportive working conditions, Compensation and job security and Policies and procedures. The study proved that different variables cannot be looked at in isolation by the SMMEs. This is because the study showed some form of dependency, which was weak, moderate or strong, that existed in these variables. The research proved a weak relationship exists between working conditions and leadership management. A moderate relationship existed between: Continuous learning and Leadership style, Leadership style and Revenue transparency, Working conditions and Continuous improvement, Job security and Leadership style, Leader and Management, Working conditions and Revenue transparency A strong relationship was seen to exist between Continuous learning and Revenue Transparency. A strong relationship also exists between Continuous learning and Management innovation and leadership and revenue transparency. The final recommendations provide the SMMEs in the Buffalo City Municipality with the opportunity to take their businesses from good to great.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Employee happiness at a financial institution

  • Authors: McConnell, Daniel Matthys
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Job satisfaction -- South Africa Happiness -- South Africa -- Employees , Positive psychology -- Employees Corporate culture -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19026 , vital:28766
  • Description: Happiness, or the concept of well-being can be traced back to the era of Aristotle (384 to 322 BC), Epicuruss (341 to 270 BC), John Locke (1632 to 1704) and more recently Ed Diener (DOB 1946), who played an integral part in the well-being revolution. People have very different ways in seeking happiness, whether it is closely associated to their personal life, the work environment or in society, they are constantly striving towards a goal of experiencing happiness at its purist form. Bursts of absolute joy and the purist form of immediate gratification cannot provide a path to finding happiness and well-being. The process is intricate and requires a variety of variables integrated into a combination of events and lifestyle experiences to culminate into an existence which produces a feeling of inner peace and fulfillment. Current research suggests that this is not an attainable state of existence, but human nature drives every individual to seek out a path to finding true happiness. The advent of the modern day economic crisis has changed the global environment to the extent where society is attempting to find a new norm to operate in. As a consequence, individuals are presented with new challenges which have forced them to re-evaluate their path to finding a balance in their lives. These changes have added new challenges to deal with and adapt to as new forces in the global environment start to shape a new tomorrow. People spend a large portion of their existence working to earn an income and to provide a means of supporting themselves and their dependents. The challenges they face are enhanced by the strains of working in stressful and pressurised working environments as their employers are also adapting to the changing global environment. Economic pressure is passed on to employees, as they are pushed to achieve the financial results demanded by shareholders. The last ten years has seen a wealth of research being conducted in the space of well-being and how it relates to business has gained popularity. The study of epidemiology refers to the study of components of human behaviour, which have a negative impact on individual functioning, like stress and anxiety disorders. Well-being in the workplace can counter these ailments and create a working environment absent of these negative afflictions which damage the productivity of a workforce. Employers who understand the positive aspects associated with well-being are in a position to effectively deploy their employees to produce improved financial results. The starting point for many organisations is to determine the current level of happiness in their businesses and to establish what variables are responsible for the current state of well-being. The main objective of the empirical study was to determine the level of happiness at a financial institution. The target population (354 potential respondents) is the regional office the financial institution based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Potential respondents received electronic requests by email, requesting their participation in the study. A total of 164 completed questionnaires were returned (46.33%) and analysed. Literature was reviewed to develop a conceptual model. Seven variables were identified as having an influence on employee happiness and have the potential to change employee well-being levels to aid organisations in their quest to adapt to the prevailing economic conditions and stress people have to deal with on a daily basis. The results from the study show that Work-life, Safety and Security, Growth and Development, Health, Recognition and Reward, Autonomy and Social Connectedness are all closely associate with employee well-being. Safety and security, Autonomy and Recognition and Reward have direct positive associations with the concept of well-being and have a significant relationship and potential to enhance well-being. The end result is that with the correct interventions by an employer, well-being can be measured and applied in the working environment. The correct combination of variables can have a positive impact in the work environment. A happy workforce can be an advantage to an organisation, their interventions can add great value to employees by increasing their commitment to the organisation and ultimately the business can benefit from their Interventions by seeing their efforts being realised in their financial results.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Empowerment of women victicms of domestic violence in Ntabethemba ,Tsolwana Municipality:an ecclesiastical function of Evangelical Presbyterian church of South Africa

  • Authors: Mraji, Thomakazi
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Church work with abused women - - South Africa Abused women -- Pastoral counseling of Family violence -- Religious aspects -- Christianity
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Th
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10382 , vital:35443
  • Description: This research study investigated the empowerment of women victims of domestic violence in Ntabethemba, Tsolwana Municipality: An Ecclesiastical Function of Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Africa. The study intended to achieve the following objectives: (i) to examine the intervention and involvement of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Africa in social development of women victims of domestic violence; and (ii) to investigate whether there are any available programs within the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Africa to empower women victims of domestic violence in Ntabethemba. This study used a qualitative paradigm and an exploratory research approach. It also employed in-depth one-on-one interviews complemented by focus group discussions as a method of data collection. The study used non-probability sampling, specifically purposive sampling technique. 32 participants were sampled, including: participants from Focus Group Discussions, which consisted of 7 clergy members, 7 members of Association of Presbyterian Women Executive Committee, 6 members of Men’s Christian Guild Executive Committee, 7 members of Imanyano Yee-Ntombi ZamaRabe Avangelayo Executive Committee, 5 members of Presbytery Council and 65 participants from Focused Group Discussions. These 65 participants derive from four congregations, namely; Trinity congregation, St. James congregation, St. Phillips congregation and Calvin congregation and from three associations, namely; APW, IYZA and MCG. The data was analysed qualitatively through content thematic analysis which used the interpretative approach and textual presentation.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Enabling green skills: Pathways to sustainable development

  • Authors: Ramsarup, Presha , Ward, Mike , Rosenberg, Eureta , Jenkin, Nicola P , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , book
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/436702 , vital:73294 , ISBN 978-0-620-79605-7 , https://www.vetafrica4-0.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Green-Skills-Sourcebook-Jul18.pdf
  • Description: The purpose of this source book is to support skills planning entities to work with employers to identify and anticipate green skills needs and to build these needs into occupational de-scriptors and sector skills plans. Thus, the source book com-plements the existing Enabling Document (DEA, 2010b) and provides guidelines to support Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) to embed environmental considerations, related occupations and green skills into their skills planning processes.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Enantioselective electrochemical carbon-chloride bond cleavage of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) catalyzed by Mn (III) Cl-phthalocyanine

  • Authors: Wen, Junxia , Yu, Baoqui , Huang, Tingting , Mack, John , Wildervanck, Martijn , Nyokong, Tebello , Li, Minzhi , Zhu, Weihua , Liang, Xu
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/189252 , vital:44831 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelechem.2017.09.020"
  • Description: A lipophilic and electron-rich metallophthalocyanine Mn(III)Cl(α,α′-n-OC5H11)8Pc has been synthesized and characterized. A series of electrochemical experiments demonstrate that the Mn(III)Cl(α,α′-n-OC5H11)8Pc complex can be used as a catalyst for highly efficient carbon-chloride bond cleavage of environmental toxic hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) through electrochemical catalysis, and that the increased catalytic efficiency is related to the enantiomeric carbon-chloride σ-bond of HCHs.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Energy services and energy poverty for sustainable development in Zimbabwe

  • Authors: Mupindu, Chipo
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8408 , vital:32743
  • Description: This study examines the effects of energy poverty on sustainable development in Zimbabwe. The principal objective of this study was to analyse Zimbabwe energy poverty as a contributing factor impacting on sustainable development. Access to energy was viewed as a human right in this study and attributes of ecological modernization and energy ladder theories were incorporated in the study so as to foster sustainable development. The study developed a symbiosis between energy poverty and human development in Zimbabwe. The power shortages have caused a lot of energy poverty and load shedding in the country and this has had adverse consequences on the transformation of the economy as well as the general human capacity development in the country. The supply shortage was as a result of many factors which include the lack of investment in the power sector by government for expanded generation capacity, ageing equipment, incorrect pricing, bad debts, droughts, internal conflicts, skills flight, and government energy sector regulation, vandalisation of equipment and under supply of coal to thermal power stations. The country needs to commit itself towards improving the current situation by revising the energy policy to include alternative sources, the integration of regional power systems and construction of more power stations, and by putting research monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in place so as to improve power generation capacity which meets the demand of the country. The evidence from the findings gathered in this study led to the conclusion that the Zimbabwe energy and power sector lacks the capacity to provide adequate reliable clean energy to the nation and this has affected the development of the country.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

English first additional language teachers' understanding and implementation of reading strategies in senior classes of Mthatha District : South Africa

  • Authors: Madikiza, Nophawu
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Reading (Secondary English language -- Study and teaching English language
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/6422 , vital:29671
  • Description: Reading is a skill that teachers have to enthusiastically teach to encourage learning of complex set of reading skills, knowledge and understanding. Teaching of reading strategies to students to improve their reading ability is very important. However, surveys conducted in South Africa during 2001 and 2004 by the Department of Basic Education to establish literacy and numeracy levels in primary schools showed shockingly low levels of reading ability across the country. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to ascertain English First Additional Language teachers’ understanding and implementation of reading strategies. Obtaining teachers’ perceptions and challenges on reading strategies was vital for this study as a way of establishing their competency towards teaching reading. Four research questions were sought to determine namely; reading strategies currently adopted by teachers in their classes, teachers’ perceptions of reading strategies, reading problems or challenges that teachers were facing. A mixed method research was chosen for this study which involves both the qualitative and quantitative approaches. The study followed a survey research design and a case study research design. A purposive sampling was used to select 126 teachers from which questionnaires were administered to collect data and 10 teachers were randomly drawn from the sample to be interviewed and observed in class. Both qualitative and quantitative data were analysed concurrently using coding and categorization of themes for qualitative data and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for quantitative data. The results indicated that a majority of teachers seemed not to understand and implement certain reading strategies and there were few teachers who asserted to the understanding and implementation of these strategies. The teachers mentioned that they were not trained continuously on reading strategies and the schools had no libraries. A majority of teachers highlighted that there were indeed problematic reading strategies and they simply did away with the strategies that were not suitable for their learners and would try the ones they found relevant or suitable. The study presents a proposed reading enhancement model to assist teachers in the teaching of reading. English First Additional Language teachers may benefit from the model and incorporate some or all of the aspects to develop their reading strategy use programmes.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

English first additional language writing competency among grade 12 learners : the case of two Eastern Cape rural public schools

  • Authors: Besman, Shirley
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Competency-based education English language -- Study and teaching
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/6403 , vital:29656
  • Description: Contextualized in the South African Language in Education Policy (LiEP) and the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), the study aimed at investigating the writing competency of EFAL Grade 12 learners in the two rural public schools. It was the researchers‘ hunch that the learners‘ socio-cultural conditions at which they learn EFAL are not taken into consideration by teachers and that hampers or impedes the development of language and writing. Further, the research sought to unearth the strategies and techniques used by teachers to teach writing in EFAL, and whether these facilitate the development of writing competency, that enhances better performance in other Grade 12 subjects taught through English as a Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT). The study is informed by the socio-cultural theory, language acquisition theories, and the language learning theories. The study also drew from the writing strategies, writing in the curriculum, and second language learning discourses Framed in the interpretive paradigm and the qualitative approach, the research adopted a case study design. The sample of the study comprised of seven teachers of which two were EFAL teachers and five of these teach content subjects. Twenty four Grade 12 learners constituted the four Focus Groups. The data collection tools comprised of interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), observation and document analysis. Learners wrote essays and free writing exercises which formed transcripts for document analysis. The purposively selected teachers and the Grade 12 learners were granted interview questions in advance. The collected data was analysed and put under themes as determined by the study‘s research questions. Such themes included; challenges faced by learners when writing in EFAL, strategies used by teachers in teaching writing , perceptions of teachers and learners on learners‘ writing competency and the connection or linkage between learners‘ writing competency in EFAL and content subjects. Learners‘essays and free writing revealed that the learners have limited vocabulary in their FAL. Furthermore, the study made known that learners experience anxiety when they have to answer questions in English and that results in them being incompetent in writing in the target language. Other hindrances to EFAL writing that were revealed by the study included the detrimental effect of social media on the writing competency and lack of motivation to read for writing in English. In addition, the study established that there were teaching approaches that were employed by teachers when teaching writing which included the process writing and integration. Content subject teachers made known to the study that they were not teaching writing to the learners but assess them in essay writing and summaries as required by the school-based assessments in their respective subjects. It was also disclosed in the study that writing encompasses other language skills especially reading. The study also revealed that writing is a skill that is obligatory to be taught because it becomes beneficial to other subjects and that it enhances learners‘ writing for a variety of reasons. Overall, the study made known that there are complex circumstances that Grade 12 learners in rural public schools encounter when engaging in writing in the EFAL. The study concluded that although English could be perceived as a dominant language, it is embedded with multiplicity of challenges in the rural secondary schools where it is used as a LoLT. Such hindrances mostly find expression when learners have to engage in writing activities and encompass; lack of motivation, anxiety, limited vocabulary and the influence of social networks. The study recommended that the EFAL policy makers should not use a blanket approach on how EFAL should be taught but consider the demographic situations of the various sections of South Africa. The study also recommended that code switching which is practiced in bilingual classrooms appears inevitable and therefore should be formalized.
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  • Date Issued: 2017
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