A water footprint assessment of dryland pasture based dairy enterprise in the Eastern Cape: a case study
- Authors: Jenje, Paige
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Water supply, Agricultural -- South Africa , Water supply, Agricultural -- Government policy -- South Africa , Water consumption -- Measurement -- South Africa , Water demand management -- South Africa , Water-supply -- Accounting -- South Africa , Cattle -- Water requirements -- South Africa -- Cast studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/5362 , vital:20917
- Description: Water scarcity continues to pose a threat to South Africa, with severe water scarcity predicted within the next fifty years. As a result, national interest has been sparked over the development of market based water resource allocation strategies to alleviate pressures on South Africa's freshwater resources, and ensure compliance with the National Water Act. Agriculture is the largest water user internationally and within South Africa, highlighting the importance of improving the water use efficiency within the industry. This study performed a full water footprint assessment (WFA) of a dryland pasture based dairy enterprise in the Eastern Cape. Following the guidelines of the WFA, this study calculated the blue, green and grey water footprints of dryland pasture based dairy production from crop- to-farm gate by assessing the water footprints of pasture production, bought in feed and concentrates, drinking water and servicing water processes over a period of five years. Following the accounting the of the water footprint, economic and environmental sustainability indicators were used along with the incorporation of the Water Risk Filter tool. This revealed that the case study farm was operating efficiently with the enterprise's highest water related risk being governmental regulation. Water footprint accounting results highlighted that green water was largest contributor to the overall water footprint of over 80%, and grey water contributed the least to the water footprint of dryland pasture based dairy production. Economic productivity results indicated that milk production is highly correlated with annual rainfall due to the breeding strategy undertaken by the farm. Results also indicated little correlation between the monthly water footprint and milk production, with the majority of the enterprise's milk production occurring in the last quarter regardless of the water footprint. The study demonstrated the relationship between the water footprint and economic land and water productivity, along with the value of milk to costs ratio which indicated that approximately R1.00 worth of costs generates between R1.80 and R2.06 value of milk. The sustainability indicators suggested that the farm's management of its effluent dam requires attention to meet the Department of Water and Sanitations effluent waste quality guidelines. The overall analysis of the water footprint suggested that the highest water related risk to dryland dairy production was regulatory risk. This risk suggests that the government cannot be relied upon for the management of freshwater resources within the study area, leaving the onus on the individual dairy farmers. As such, farmers should utilise the water footprint to formulate water stewardship programmes which have the potential to influence the regulation and protection of freshwater resources.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Jenje, Paige
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Water supply, Agricultural -- South Africa , Water supply, Agricultural -- Government policy -- South Africa , Water consumption -- Measurement -- South Africa , Water demand management -- South Africa , Water-supply -- Accounting -- South Africa , Cattle -- Water requirements -- South Africa -- Cast studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/5362 , vital:20917
- Description: Water scarcity continues to pose a threat to South Africa, with severe water scarcity predicted within the next fifty years. As a result, national interest has been sparked over the development of market based water resource allocation strategies to alleviate pressures on South Africa's freshwater resources, and ensure compliance with the National Water Act. Agriculture is the largest water user internationally and within South Africa, highlighting the importance of improving the water use efficiency within the industry. This study performed a full water footprint assessment (WFA) of a dryland pasture based dairy enterprise in the Eastern Cape. Following the guidelines of the WFA, this study calculated the blue, green and grey water footprints of dryland pasture based dairy production from crop- to-farm gate by assessing the water footprints of pasture production, bought in feed and concentrates, drinking water and servicing water processes over a period of five years. Following the accounting the of the water footprint, economic and environmental sustainability indicators were used along with the incorporation of the Water Risk Filter tool. This revealed that the case study farm was operating efficiently with the enterprise's highest water related risk being governmental regulation. Water footprint accounting results highlighted that green water was largest contributor to the overall water footprint of over 80%, and grey water contributed the least to the water footprint of dryland pasture based dairy production. Economic productivity results indicated that milk production is highly correlated with annual rainfall due to the breeding strategy undertaken by the farm. Results also indicated little correlation between the monthly water footprint and milk production, with the majority of the enterprise's milk production occurring in the last quarter regardless of the water footprint. The study demonstrated the relationship between the water footprint and economic land and water productivity, along with the value of milk to costs ratio which indicated that approximately R1.00 worth of costs generates between R1.80 and R2.06 value of milk. The sustainability indicators suggested that the farm's management of its effluent dam requires attention to meet the Department of Water and Sanitations effluent waste quality guidelines. The overall analysis of the water footprint suggested that the highest water related risk to dryland dairy production was regulatory risk. This risk suggests that the government cannot be relied upon for the management of freshwater resources within the study area, leaving the onus on the individual dairy farmers. As such, farmers should utilise the water footprint to formulate water stewardship programmes which have the potential to influence the regulation and protection of freshwater resources.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
A “Horrific Breakdown of Reason": Holmes and the Postcolonial Anti-Detective Novel, Lost Ground
- Authors: Naidu, Samantha
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/157980 , vital:40136 , ISBN 978-1-137-55595-3
- Description: Using the notion of “negative hermeneutics,” this chapter examines how Michiel Heyns’s novel Lost Ground draws on the heritage of the Sherlock Holmes stories. It argues that Heyns’s representation of contemporary South Africa necessitates a shift from the emphasis on the epistemological quests of nineteenth-century detective fiction to the “negative hermeneutics” and ontological concerns of postcolonial anti-detective fiction. An analysis of Lost Ground reveals direct intertextual and metatextual references to “The Silver Blaze,” yet the novel subversively presents a detective figure that is the antithesis of Holmes. Thus the chapter demonstrates how in postcolonial social and cultural contexts the ratiocinative process is hermeneutically inadequate and socio-political analysis comes to replace, or combine with, the feats of reason epitomized by Holmes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Naidu, Samantha
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/157980 , vital:40136 , ISBN 978-1-137-55595-3
- Description: Using the notion of “negative hermeneutics,” this chapter examines how Michiel Heyns’s novel Lost Ground draws on the heritage of the Sherlock Holmes stories. It argues that Heyns’s representation of contemporary South Africa necessitates a shift from the emphasis on the epistemological quests of nineteenth-century detective fiction to the “negative hermeneutics” and ontological concerns of postcolonial anti-detective fiction. An analysis of Lost Ground reveals direct intertextual and metatextual references to “The Silver Blaze,” yet the novel subversively presents a detective figure that is the antithesis of Holmes. Thus the chapter demonstrates how in postcolonial social and cultural contexts the ratiocinative process is hermeneutically inadequate and socio-political analysis comes to replace, or combine with, the feats of reason epitomized by Holmes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
A2B type copper (III) corroles containing zero-to-five fluorine atoms
- Li, Minzhi, Niu, Yingjie, Zhu, Weihua, Mack, John, Fomo, Gertrude, Nyokong, Tebello, Liang, Xu
- Authors: Li, Minzhi , Niu, Yingjie , Zhu, Weihua , Mack, John , Fomo, Gertrude , Nyokong, Tebello , Liang, Xu
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/238275 , vital:50604 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dyepig.2016.10.044"
- Description: Four low symmetric A2B meso-substituted Cu(III)corroles with electron withdrawing meso-aryl rings have been synthesized and characterized. A detailed analysis of the optical and redox properties has been carried out by comparing their optical spectroscopy, electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry to a series of DFT and TD-DFT calculations. A series of experiments demonstrate that these Cu(III)corroles can be used as highly effective catalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs). Moreover, when the number of fluorine atoms at B meso-position is increased, there is a marked enhancement in the catalytic ability of the corrole complexes, which demonstrates that modification to the structures of low symmetry corroles is a useful strategy for developing new HER catalysts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Li, Minzhi , Niu, Yingjie , Zhu, Weihua , Mack, John , Fomo, Gertrude , Nyokong, Tebello , Liang, Xu
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/238275 , vital:50604 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dyepig.2016.10.044"
- Description: Four low symmetric A2B meso-substituted Cu(III)corroles with electron withdrawing meso-aryl rings have been synthesized and characterized. A detailed analysis of the optical and redox properties has been carried out by comparing their optical spectroscopy, electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry to a series of DFT and TD-DFT calculations. A series of experiments demonstrate that these Cu(III)corroles can be used as highly effective catalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs). Moreover, when the number of fluorine atoms at B meso-position is increased, there is a marked enhancement in the catalytic ability of the corrole complexes, which demonstrates that modification to the structures of low symmetry corroles is a useful strategy for developing new HER catalysts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Abalone stock enhancement at Cape Recife, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
- Authors: Witte, Warren
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/45695 , vital:25532
- Description: The potential for restocking depleted natural reefs with hatchery abalone, Haliotis midae, to support a commercial ranching venture in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa was investigated. A baseline stock assessment and analysis of historical fishery data provided compelling evidence of significant declines in the abalone stock, attributed to uncontrolled illegal fishing over the last 20 years at the study site. A ranching pilot study was undertaken where small-scale replicated seeding experiments were set up which quantified the effect of seed size, density and habitat on survival and growth of hatchery-reared abalone. Thirty-six experimental plots were seeded with 8400 abalone spread evenly over two broad habitats. Mean retrievals of seeded abalone were 17% ranging from 4 - 42% after a minimum of eight months at large. Release density and large-scale habitat had no significant effect on seed survival, but smaller seed size (40.0 ±3.7mm shell length) achieved higher (F1, 22 = 4.64, p = 0.042) retrievals than larger seed size (53 ±3.7mm). Growth rates were an average of 30% higher in the shallow sites compared deeper sites (t1, 1091 = -2.79, p = 0.005). There was seasonal component in growth with a 0.55 ± 0.04 mm per month higher rate in summer than during winter (t1, 1091 = -12.45, p < 0.001). Abalone seed releases were also conducted on a larger scale, which focused on the economic potential for commercial-scale ranching. Over 160 sites were seeded with 1.4 million hatchery reared abalone or 30 metric tonnes. Seventeen sites underwent long-term monitoring of survival with repeated sampling events on sites over a period of up to 666 days. Nine of these sites were seeded with 140800 small abalone (29 – 40 mm), three sites with 25100 medium abalone (30 – 46 mm) and five sites with 14700 large abalone (60 – 84 mm). There was a significant difference in survival between the seed sizes (F4,6329 = 304.3, P < 0.001). The Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) calculation estimated the instantaneous apparent mortality rate for small, medium and large abalone at 1.19 yr-1 , -0.9 yr-1 and -0.67 yr-1 , which equated to a survival rate of 21%, 28% and 36% per year respectively. The weighted mortality rate calculated according to the seed size differential mortality and the number of seed released for those sizes was 1 yr-1 or 25% survival. In conjunction with a conservative somatic growth rate of 1.2mm.m-1 and plausible emigration rates, a range of biomass harvesting estimates were obtained. Movement and mortality were investigated using video analysis which showed that hatchery seed had the ability to move considerably once released onto natural reefs and confirmed that mortality immediately following releases was due to the heavy predation pressure as confirmed by shell collections. This project has demonstrated that potential exists for ranching in South Africa and highlights critical factors that need to be addressed if ranching is to be an economically viable operation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Witte, Warren
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/45695 , vital:25532
- Description: The potential for restocking depleted natural reefs with hatchery abalone, Haliotis midae, to support a commercial ranching venture in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa was investigated. A baseline stock assessment and analysis of historical fishery data provided compelling evidence of significant declines in the abalone stock, attributed to uncontrolled illegal fishing over the last 20 years at the study site. A ranching pilot study was undertaken where small-scale replicated seeding experiments were set up which quantified the effect of seed size, density and habitat on survival and growth of hatchery-reared abalone. Thirty-six experimental plots were seeded with 8400 abalone spread evenly over two broad habitats. Mean retrievals of seeded abalone were 17% ranging from 4 - 42% after a minimum of eight months at large. Release density and large-scale habitat had no significant effect on seed survival, but smaller seed size (40.0 ±3.7mm shell length) achieved higher (F1, 22 = 4.64, p = 0.042) retrievals than larger seed size (53 ±3.7mm). Growth rates were an average of 30% higher in the shallow sites compared deeper sites (t1, 1091 = -2.79, p = 0.005). There was seasonal component in growth with a 0.55 ± 0.04 mm per month higher rate in summer than during winter (t1, 1091 = -12.45, p < 0.001). Abalone seed releases were also conducted on a larger scale, which focused on the economic potential for commercial-scale ranching. Over 160 sites were seeded with 1.4 million hatchery reared abalone or 30 metric tonnes. Seventeen sites underwent long-term monitoring of survival with repeated sampling events on sites over a period of up to 666 days. Nine of these sites were seeded with 140800 small abalone (29 – 40 mm), three sites with 25100 medium abalone (30 – 46 mm) and five sites with 14700 large abalone (60 – 84 mm). There was a significant difference in survival between the seed sizes (F4,6329 = 304.3, P < 0.001). The Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) calculation estimated the instantaneous apparent mortality rate for small, medium and large abalone at 1.19 yr-1 , -0.9 yr-1 and -0.67 yr-1 , which equated to a survival rate of 21%, 28% and 36% per year respectively. The weighted mortality rate calculated according to the seed size differential mortality and the number of seed released for those sizes was 1 yr-1 or 25% survival. In conjunction with a conservative somatic growth rate of 1.2mm.m-1 and plausible emigration rates, a range of biomass harvesting estimates were obtained. Movement and mortality were investigated using video analysis which showed that hatchery seed had the ability to move considerably once released onto natural reefs and confirmed that mortality immediately following releases was due to the heavy predation pressure as confirmed by shell collections. This project has demonstrated that potential exists for ranching in South Africa and highlights critical factors that need to be addressed if ranching is to be an economically viable operation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Abortion embedded and embodied in social relations: Challenges for feminist psychology
- Marecek, Jeanne, Macleod, Catriona I, Hoggart, Lesley
- Authors: Marecek, Jeanne , Macleod, Catriona I , Hoggart, Lesley
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/444223 , vital:74208 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353517704877"
- Description: Public health and rights-based approaches to abortion advocacy are well established. Feminists are, however, increasingly using a broader framework of ‘reproductive justice’, which considers the intersecting conditions that serve to enhance or hinder women’s reproductive freedoms, including their capacities to decide about the outcome of their pregnancies. Nonetheless, reproductive justice approaches to abortion are, conceptually, relatively under-developed. We introduce a reparative justice approach as a method of further articulating the concept of reproductive justice. We first explain how this approach can be used to conceptualise safe, accessible and supportive abortion as a key element of reproductive justice in relation to the injustice of unwanted or unsupportable pregnancies. Using Ernesto Verdeja’s critical theory of reparative justice and case studies of two countries (South Africa and Great Britain) where abortion is legal, we show how such an approach enables an analysis of reproductive justice within the specificities of particular contexts. We argue that both the rights-based legal framework adopted in South Africa and the medicalised approach of British law have, in practice, limited reparative justice in these contexts. We discuss the implications of reparative justice for abortion advocacy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Marecek, Jeanne , Macleod, Catriona I , Hoggart, Lesley
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/444223 , vital:74208 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353517704877"
- Description: Public health and rights-based approaches to abortion advocacy are well established. Feminists are, however, increasingly using a broader framework of ‘reproductive justice’, which considers the intersecting conditions that serve to enhance or hinder women’s reproductive freedoms, including their capacities to decide about the outcome of their pregnancies. Nonetheless, reproductive justice approaches to abortion are, conceptually, relatively under-developed. We introduce a reparative justice approach as a method of further articulating the concept of reproductive justice. We first explain how this approach can be used to conceptualise safe, accessible and supportive abortion as a key element of reproductive justice in relation to the injustice of unwanted or unsupportable pregnancies. Using Ernesto Verdeja’s critical theory of reparative justice and case studies of two countries (South Africa and Great Britain) where abortion is legal, we show how such an approach enables an analysis of reproductive justice within the specificities of particular contexts. We argue that both the rights-based legal framework adopted in South Africa and the medicalised approach of British law have, in practice, limited reparative justice in these contexts. We discuss the implications of reparative justice for abortion advocacy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Abortion in legal, social, and healthcare contexts
- Marecek, Jeanne, Macleod, Catriona I, Hoggart, Lesley
- Authors: Marecek, Jeanne , Macleod, Catriona I , Hoggart, Lesley
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68478 , vital:29262 , https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353516689521
- Description: Publisher version , From Introduction: The subject of abortion is both timely and of high relevance to feminists. In the past few months, women’s access to abortion has been contested in various parts of the world. In many countries in Latin America, the Zika outbreak raised the demand for abortions among pregnant women who had contracted (or feared contracting) the virus, with its risk of severe foetal abnormalities. In Poland, mass demonstrations by women succeeded in turning back proposed legislation prohibiting abortions. The outcome of the U.S. elections in late 2016 raised grave concerns about the future of American women’s access to abortion, which was already limited by stringent regulations and funding restrictions. We chose the title ‘‘Abortion in Context’’ to signal that we sought to publish work that moved beyond examining abortion as a ‘‘stress experience’’ encountered by individual women or as a possible precursor of mental illness. Our goal was to assemble a set of articles that would prompt readers to think critically about practices and discourses surrounding abortion. We further hoped to include work that would address the meanings and practices of abortion in the global South and among minoritized groups in the global North. We were pleased by the enthusiastic response to our Call for Papers. We note that Eklund and Purewal (2017, this issue) address abortion in China and India. Thoradeniya’s (2017, this issue) review of Abortion in Asia (Whittaker, 2010) provides a glimpse of the complex and varied practices, policies, and experiences of abortion in parts of South and Southeast Asia. Chiweshe, Mavuso, and Macleod (whose work will appear in Part 2 of the Special Issue) take up abortion in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Le Grice and Braun (whose work will also appear in Part 2), examine Maori perspectives on abortion. In this Part 1 of the Special Issue, we present work that locates abortion practices and policies in legal, social, and healthcare contexts. Women’s efforts to exercise agency with regard to bodily integrity in the context of pregnancy are shaped most obviously by the legal regulations in the jurisdictions where they live, but they are also shaped by social and cultural issues, biotechnological advances, and healthcare systems. The articles offer detailed examinations of some of these complex contextual framings of abortion.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Marecek, Jeanne , Macleod, Catriona I , Hoggart, Lesley
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68478 , vital:29262 , https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353516689521
- Description: Publisher version , From Introduction: The subject of abortion is both timely and of high relevance to feminists. In the past few months, women’s access to abortion has been contested in various parts of the world. In many countries in Latin America, the Zika outbreak raised the demand for abortions among pregnant women who had contracted (or feared contracting) the virus, with its risk of severe foetal abnormalities. In Poland, mass demonstrations by women succeeded in turning back proposed legislation prohibiting abortions. The outcome of the U.S. elections in late 2016 raised grave concerns about the future of American women’s access to abortion, which was already limited by stringent regulations and funding restrictions. We chose the title ‘‘Abortion in Context’’ to signal that we sought to publish work that moved beyond examining abortion as a ‘‘stress experience’’ encountered by individual women or as a possible precursor of mental illness. Our goal was to assemble a set of articles that would prompt readers to think critically about practices and discourses surrounding abortion. We further hoped to include work that would address the meanings and practices of abortion in the global South and among minoritized groups in the global North. We were pleased by the enthusiastic response to our Call for Papers. We note that Eklund and Purewal (2017, this issue) address abortion in China and India. Thoradeniya’s (2017, this issue) review of Abortion in Asia (Whittaker, 2010) provides a glimpse of the complex and varied practices, policies, and experiences of abortion in parts of South and Southeast Asia. Chiweshe, Mavuso, and Macleod (whose work will appear in Part 2 of the Special Issue) take up abortion in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Le Grice and Braun (whose work will also appear in Part 2), examine Maori perspectives on abortion. In this Part 1 of the Special Issue, we present work that locates abortion practices and policies in legal, social, and healthcare contexts. Women’s efforts to exercise agency with regard to bodily integrity in the context of pregnancy are shaped most obviously by the legal regulations in the jurisdictions where they live, but they are also shaped by social and cultural issues, biotechnological advances, and healthcare systems. The articles offer detailed examinations of some of these complex contextual framings of abortion.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Abundance, population structure and harvesting selection of two palm species (Hyphaene coriacea and Phoenix reclinata) in Zitundo area, southern Mozambique
- Martins, Angelina R O, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Martins, Angelina R O , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/182003 , vital:43789 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.05.005"
- Description: In southern Mozambique, the sap and leaves of the palms Hyphaene coriacea and Phoenix reclinata are harvested by local people as sources of traditional beverages, weaving, roofing, fencing and furniture material. The harvesting of these palm products may affect palm population structure, dynamics and viability. This work evaluates the abundance, population structure and harvesting selection of these two heavily harvested palm species. Hyphaene coriacea was more abundant, with a mean density of 601.5 ± 455.9 stems ha−1 against the 251.9 ± 527.3 stems ha−1 of Phoenix reclinata. Both species exhibited steeper negative slopes in the regression analyses of the size class distribution, indicating the presence of more individuals in smaller size classes. Although there was a dominance of shorter over taller size classes, limited recruitment was observed through low densities of seedling and juvenile size classes compared to the size class 1–50 cm. The Simpson index of dominance, the permutation index, and the fluctuating quotients between the consecutive size classes showed a degree of instability in both populations. Hyphaene coriacea appears to be more resilient to tapping than Phoenix reclinata, evident in the higher rate of stem survival after tapping. Hyphaene coriacea is favored for tapping compared to Phoenix reclinata. Tappers exhibited positive selection for five out of the six Hyphaene coriacea size classes, against only one Phoenix reclinata size class. The most preferred size class to tap for both species was between 101 cm and 150 cm tall. The instability detected by the indices of population stability, the coincidence between the size classes with high numbers of dead stems and the most preferred and the low level of the sexual reproduction encountered in both population emphasizes the need for long-term monitoring as well as management measures that integrate the resource users, to ensure the long-term sustainability of these populations.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Martins, Angelina R O , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/182003 , vital:43789 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.05.005"
- Description: In southern Mozambique, the sap and leaves of the palms Hyphaene coriacea and Phoenix reclinata are harvested by local people as sources of traditional beverages, weaving, roofing, fencing and furniture material. The harvesting of these palm products may affect palm population structure, dynamics and viability. This work evaluates the abundance, population structure and harvesting selection of these two heavily harvested palm species. Hyphaene coriacea was more abundant, with a mean density of 601.5 ± 455.9 stems ha−1 against the 251.9 ± 527.3 stems ha−1 of Phoenix reclinata. Both species exhibited steeper negative slopes in the regression analyses of the size class distribution, indicating the presence of more individuals in smaller size classes. Although there was a dominance of shorter over taller size classes, limited recruitment was observed through low densities of seedling and juvenile size classes compared to the size class 1–50 cm. The Simpson index of dominance, the permutation index, and the fluctuating quotients between the consecutive size classes showed a degree of instability in both populations. Hyphaene coriacea appears to be more resilient to tapping than Phoenix reclinata, evident in the higher rate of stem survival after tapping. Hyphaene coriacea is favored for tapping compared to Phoenix reclinata. Tappers exhibited positive selection for five out of the six Hyphaene coriacea size classes, against only one Phoenix reclinata size class. The most preferred size class to tap for both species was between 101 cm and 150 cm tall. The instability detected by the indices of population stability, the coincidence between the size classes with high numbers of dead stems and the most preferred and the low level of the sexual reproduction encountered in both population emphasizes the need for long-term monitoring as well as management measures that integrate the resource users, to ensure the long-term sustainability of these populations.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Authors: Walker, Roderick B
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/184768 , vital:44270 , xlink:href="https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-98c37d47c"
- Description: It is an honour and a pleasure to report on the activities of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences since the PSSA AGM in 2016. The Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa (APSSA) held their 37th Annual Conference and 38th Annual General Meeting at the All African Congress on Pharmacology and Pharmacy. The conference was jointly organised by the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences of South Africa (APSSA), the South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (SASBCP) on behalf of Pharmacology for Africa (Pharfa) and the Toxicology Society of South Africa (ToxSA). The annual APSSA conference was hosted by the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology under the leadership of Dr Ilze Vermaak and was held from 5-8 October 2016 at Misty Hills Conference Centre, situated close to the Cradle of Humankind.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Walker, Roderick B
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/184768 , vital:44270 , xlink:href="https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-98c37d47c"
- Description: It is an honour and a pleasure to report on the activities of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences since the PSSA AGM in 2016. The Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa (APSSA) held their 37th Annual Conference and 38th Annual General Meeting at the All African Congress on Pharmacology and Pharmacy. The conference was jointly organised by the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences of South Africa (APSSA), the South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (SASBCP) on behalf of Pharmacology for Africa (Pharfa) and the Toxicology Society of South Africa (ToxSA). The annual APSSA conference was hosted by the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology under the leadership of Dr Ilze Vermaak and was held from 5-8 October 2016 at Misty Hills Conference Centre, situated close to the Cradle of Humankind.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Access to information by high school learners in selected schools in the Fort Beaufort Education District, Eastern Cape Province
- Oyediran- Tidings,Stella Olubukunmi, Nekhwevha, F H
- Authors: Oyediran- Tidings,Stella Olubukunmi , Nekhwevha, F H
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Information resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Information services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape nformation technology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Information services Information literacy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2094 , vital:27608
- Description: The level of access to educational information is pertinent to the attainment of quality education by learners. Librarians play a key role in facilitating access to such information. Access to educational information equips the possessor with the power of knowledge to assert their rights under any right regime, and a right to education cannot be fully exercised without corresponding access to educational information. Set in the Fort Beaufort Education District of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, this study evaluates the level of access to educational information as an enabler of quality education. Research revealed that despite the acclaimed educational improvement in South Africa, the quality of education in many black constituencies and provinces remains low. Therefore, the objectives of this study include inter alia an investigation of the educational information needs of high school learners in the Fort Beaufort Education District, the educational information available and accessible to them, how the learners access information, the services and technologies accessible to the learners, challenges confronting their access and means of improving learners’ access to educational information in the district and by extension in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Oyediran- Tidings,Stella Olubukunmi , Nekhwevha, F H
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Information resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Information services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape nformation technology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Information services Information literacy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2094 , vital:27608
- Description: The level of access to educational information is pertinent to the attainment of quality education by learners. Librarians play a key role in facilitating access to such information. Access to educational information equips the possessor with the power of knowledge to assert their rights under any right regime, and a right to education cannot be fully exercised without corresponding access to educational information. Set in the Fort Beaufort Education District of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, this study evaluates the level of access to educational information as an enabler of quality education. Research revealed that despite the acclaimed educational improvement in South Africa, the quality of education in many black constituencies and provinces remains low. Therefore, the objectives of this study include inter alia an investigation of the educational information needs of high school learners in the Fort Beaufort Education District, the educational information available and accessible to them, how the learners access information, the services and technologies accessible to the learners, challenges confronting their access and means of improving learners’ access to educational information in the district and by extension in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Access to information by high school learners in selected schools in the Fort Beaufort Education District, Eastern Cape Province
- Oyediran- Tidings,Stella Olubukunmi
- Authors: Oyediran- Tidings,Stella Olubukunmi
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Information resources Information technology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Information services Information literacy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Degree
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5304 , vital:29186
- Description: The level of access to educational information is pertinent to the attainment of quality education by learners. Librarians play a key role in facilitating access to such information. Access to educational information equips the possessor with the power of knowledge to assert their rights under any right regime, and a right to education cannot be fully exercised without corresponding access to educational information. Set in the Fort Beaufort Education District of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, this study evaluates the level of access to educational information as an enabler of quality education. Research revealed that despite the acclaimed educational improvement in South Africa, the quality of education in many black constituencies and provinces remains low. Therefore, the objectives of this study include inter alia an investigation of the educational information needs of high school learners in the Fort Beaufort Education District, the educational information available and accessible to them, how the learners access information, the services and technologies accessible to the learners, challenges confronting their access and means of improving learners’ access to educational information in the district and by extension in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Oyediran- Tidings,Stella Olubukunmi
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Information resources Information technology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Information services Information literacy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Degree
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5304 , vital:29186
- Description: The level of access to educational information is pertinent to the attainment of quality education by learners. Librarians play a key role in facilitating access to such information. Access to educational information equips the possessor with the power of knowledge to assert their rights under any right regime, and a right to education cannot be fully exercised without corresponding access to educational information. Set in the Fort Beaufort Education District of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, this study evaluates the level of access to educational information as an enabler of quality education. Research revealed that despite the acclaimed educational improvement in South Africa, the quality of education in many black constituencies and provinces remains low. Therefore, the objectives of this study include inter alia an investigation of the educational information needs of high school learners in the Fort Beaufort Education District, the educational information available and accessible to them, how the learners access information, the services and technologies accessible to the learners, challenges confronting their access and means of improving learners’ access to educational information in the district and by extension in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Accountability of councillors through the batho pele principles in Lukhanji Local Municipality
- Authors: Tshambu, Avela
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Municipal officials and employees -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Local officials and employees -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21384 , vital:29510
- Description: The main objective of the study is to explore the accountability of the ward councillors through the application of the Batho Pele principles in Lukhanji Municipality. Accountability is regarded as the key aspect for any government in which it should be monitored and maintained. The main problem to be addressed by this study is the ways in which the ward councillors can improve accountability applying the Batho Pele principles. To address the research problem and to achieve the aims of this study, an empirical research was done by distributing self-administered questionnaires to the participants in Lukhanji Municipality. The research findings revealed that in Lukhanji Municipality poor accountability of the ward councillors in which it needs improvement. Another finding is that poor accountability is caused by the lack of understanding of the Batho Pele principles, lack of understanding of the accountability mechanisms and poor relations between the community and ward councillors. The research findings of the study pointed to the necessity to make a set of recommendations on improving accountability through the application of Batho Pele principles in Lukhanji Municipality.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Tshambu, Avela
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Municipal officials and employees -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Local officials and employees -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21384 , vital:29510
- Description: The main objective of the study is to explore the accountability of the ward councillors through the application of the Batho Pele principles in Lukhanji Municipality. Accountability is regarded as the key aspect for any government in which it should be monitored and maintained. The main problem to be addressed by this study is the ways in which the ward councillors can improve accountability applying the Batho Pele principles. To address the research problem and to achieve the aims of this study, an empirical research was done by distributing self-administered questionnaires to the participants in Lukhanji Municipality. The research findings revealed that in Lukhanji Municipality poor accountability of the ward councillors in which it needs improvement. Another finding is that poor accountability is caused by the lack of understanding of the Batho Pele principles, lack of understanding of the accountability mechanisms and poor relations between the community and ward councillors. The research findings of the study pointed to the necessity to make a set of recommendations on improving accountability through the application of Batho Pele principles in Lukhanji Municipality.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Action Plan to 2014 (Reviewed to 2019): evaluating the implementation of Goal 11. The case of Cofimvaba education district, 2010 - 2012
- Authors: Makasi, Nomonde Sakhiwe
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Philosophy Education, Primary -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Preschool children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12993 , vital:39414
- Description: This study involved evaluating the extent to which universal access to quality grade R was realised by 2012 in Cofimvaba education district in the Eastern Cape Province. The evaluation was done through the implementation of goal 11 of the Education Sector Strategy - the Action Plan to 2014, revised to 2019. It further sought to find out whether universal access to grade R occurred to all learners who registered for grade 1 and whether the quality of grade R had improved between 2010 and 2012 in Cofimvaba education district. Improving the quality of grade R in this study included an assessment of the level of qualification of grade R practitioners and an improvement of the quality of grade R tuition through the use of textbooks, workbooks and resource packs supplied to grade R by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). The study used both the qualitative and quantitative methods. Questionnaires were used as data collection methods from grade R practitioners and grade 1 teachers. The respondents in this study consisted of twelve grade R practitioners, ten grade 1 teachers and two officials from Cofimvaba district office. The findings of this study revealed that the universal access to grade R, calculated from grade 1 learners who received formal grade R, was not achieved over the three-year period 2010-2012; albeit the target of grade 1 learners who should have received formal grade R by 2012 was a mere 50 percent. The percentage of grade R learners who received access to the required textbooks fell below the expected target of 100 percent. Although 77.61 percent does not signify bad performance, the non-attainment of 100 percent access to the required textbooks could not be acceptable because the absence of textbooks meant that effective teaching and learning could not have taken place. However, these findings uncovered that the supplied textbooks and workbooks were high quality learning and teaching materials. The findings also uncovered that the ECD-grade R practitioners, at the time, had the necessary work experience and limited qualifications as a means to teach the grade R classes. A pressing matter for the Department was the improvement of conditions of service for practitioners; their professionalisation as well as further improvement of their qualifications. It was revealed, through this study, that there was a slight improvement in the universal access to grade R; however, the quality of grade R still needed attention especially in so far as the provision of suitably qualified practitioners is concerned.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Makasi, Nomonde Sakhiwe
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Philosophy Education, Primary -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Preschool children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12993 , vital:39414
- Description: This study involved evaluating the extent to which universal access to quality grade R was realised by 2012 in Cofimvaba education district in the Eastern Cape Province. The evaluation was done through the implementation of goal 11 of the Education Sector Strategy - the Action Plan to 2014, revised to 2019. It further sought to find out whether universal access to grade R occurred to all learners who registered for grade 1 and whether the quality of grade R had improved between 2010 and 2012 in Cofimvaba education district. Improving the quality of grade R in this study included an assessment of the level of qualification of grade R practitioners and an improvement of the quality of grade R tuition through the use of textbooks, workbooks and resource packs supplied to grade R by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). The study used both the qualitative and quantitative methods. Questionnaires were used as data collection methods from grade R practitioners and grade 1 teachers. The respondents in this study consisted of twelve grade R practitioners, ten grade 1 teachers and two officials from Cofimvaba district office. The findings of this study revealed that the universal access to grade R, calculated from grade 1 learners who received formal grade R, was not achieved over the three-year period 2010-2012; albeit the target of grade 1 learners who should have received formal grade R by 2012 was a mere 50 percent. The percentage of grade R learners who received access to the required textbooks fell below the expected target of 100 percent. Although 77.61 percent does not signify bad performance, the non-attainment of 100 percent access to the required textbooks could not be acceptable because the absence of textbooks meant that effective teaching and learning could not have taken place. However, these findings uncovered that the supplied textbooks and workbooks were high quality learning and teaching materials. The findings also uncovered that the ECD-grade R practitioners, at the time, had the necessary work experience and limited qualifications as a means to teach the grade R classes. A pressing matter for the Department was the improvement of conditions of service for practitioners; their professionalisation as well as further improvement of their qualifications. It was revealed, through this study, that there was a slight improvement in the universal access to grade R; however, the quality of grade R still needed attention especially in so far as the provision of suitably qualified practitioners is concerned.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Activities, functions and structure of public sector pharmaceutical and therapeutics committees in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Henge-Daweti, Vatiswa
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Medical ethics committees -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Pharmaceutical policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Pharmaceutical services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Pharmaceutical ethics -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15945 , vital:28293
- Description: The Council of Australian Therapeutic Advisory Groups (CATAG) (2013) define a Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee (PTC) as a ‘multi-disciplinary team committee with a commitment to the overall governance of the medicines management system in health service organizations to ensure the judicious, appropriate, safe, effective and cost-effective use of medicines’. The multi-disciplinary team includes the health care providers, who are actively participating in the health care systems, such as doctors, pharmacists, nurses, administrators, finance officers, quality improvement managers and other staff members who participate in the medicine use processes according to their knowledge and skills. The major role of this committee is to evaluate and promote rational drug use by health care providers and consumers. In addition, this committee is responsible for developing systems and strategies to prevent adverse medicine reactions and medication errors, enhance rational prescribing and dispensing, provide educational activities and ensure the use of quality and cost-effective medicines. This is a cross-sectional study that was aimed at exploring the structure, activities and functions of public sector institutional Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committees (PTC) in the Eastern Cape (EC) Province in South Africa (SA). The primary objectives of the study were to (i) investigate and describe the structure, functions and the activities of the institutional PTCs, and (ii) explore and describe the perception of PTC secretariats on the functionality of the institutional PTCs. A purpose-designed questionnaire including both quantitative and qualitative aspects adapted from other international studies was piloted prior to being used for data collection. The secretariats of the institutional PTCs were requested to complete the questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics for the quantitative aspects and thematic analysis for the qualitative component of the questionnaire. Data collection commenced after approval by the relevant ethics committees had been granted. The findings of the study reflected that the majority of the PTCs in the EC province, SA are district/sub-district PTCs which are a cluster of a number of health care institutions in close proximity. The PTC members were appointed by the executive authority as recommended by the literature and other guiding documents. As expected the nurses were dominant as the members of the PTCs in these district/sub-district PTCs. The secretariats were the pharmacists where pharmacists were available and chairperson were doctors. These findings correspond to the recommendations by the National Department of Health PTC policy (2015) and the studies conducted in other countries. A number of PTCs had sub-committees formed e.g. ABC analysis review committee, medicine utilization evaluation (MUE) committee and pharmacovigilance committee to optimise their functionality. Out of 15 PTCs only five PTCs with sub-committees reported functions and interventions, establishment of policies and SOPs. The rest had no outcomes or interventions reported. Poor production of policies and SOPs was observed which differs from other countries’ PTCs. The focus of sub-committees in other countries is the development of formulary and policies related to medicine use. These findings pose a question regarding the functionality and effectiveness of the existing institutional PTCs in the province. In addition, the basic documents that are required to run the PTC were unavailable in a number of PTCs. Barriers to the functionality of PTCs were reported i) Lack of pharmacists and training in PTCs. ii) The rural nature of the EC province and iii) Unavailability of resources including lack of re-imbursement of personal costs. These findings reveal that budget allocation for institutional PTCs is crucial for their functionality. It can be concluded that in the EC province the institutional PTCs which are active and effective are low in number and do not cover all geographical areas. Secondly there is a need for training and educating the PTC members on the role of the PTC members, role of sub-committees, development of policies, SOPs and the basic documents for the functionality of the committee. It is also important that during training the monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the committee is emphasised. Therefore, the choice of the PTC objectives should be measurable as they can assist as indicators of effectiveness. Support by the executive authority has been observed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Henge-Daweti, Vatiswa
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Medical ethics committees -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Pharmaceutical policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Pharmaceutical services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Pharmaceutical ethics -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15945 , vital:28293
- Description: The Council of Australian Therapeutic Advisory Groups (CATAG) (2013) define a Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee (PTC) as a ‘multi-disciplinary team committee with a commitment to the overall governance of the medicines management system in health service organizations to ensure the judicious, appropriate, safe, effective and cost-effective use of medicines’. The multi-disciplinary team includes the health care providers, who are actively participating in the health care systems, such as doctors, pharmacists, nurses, administrators, finance officers, quality improvement managers and other staff members who participate in the medicine use processes according to their knowledge and skills. The major role of this committee is to evaluate and promote rational drug use by health care providers and consumers. In addition, this committee is responsible for developing systems and strategies to prevent adverse medicine reactions and medication errors, enhance rational prescribing and dispensing, provide educational activities and ensure the use of quality and cost-effective medicines. This is a cross-sectional study that was aimed at exploring the structure, activities and functions of public sector institutional Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committees (PTC) in the Eastern Cape (EC) Province in South Africa (SA). The primary objectives of the study were to (i) investigate and describe the structure, functions and the activities of the institutional PTCs, and (ii) explore and describe the perception of PTC secretariats on the functionality of the institutional PTCs. A purpose-designed questionnaire including both quantitative and qualitative aspects adapted from other international studies was piloted prior to being used for data collection. The secretariats of the institutional PTCs were requested to complete the questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics for the quantitative aspects and thematic analysis for the qualitative component of the questionnaire. Data collection commenced after approval by the relevant ethics committees had been granted. The findings of the study reflected that the majority of the PTCs in the EC province, SA are district/sub-district PTCs which are a cluster of a number of health care institutions in close proximity. The PTC members were appointed by the executive authority as recommended by the literature and other guiding documents. As expected the nurses were dominant as the members of the PTCs in these district/sub-district PTCs. The secretariats were the pharmacists where pharmacists were available and chairperson were doctors. These findings correspond to the recommendations by the National Department of Health PTC policy (2015) and the studies conducted in other countries. A number of PTCs had sub-committees formed e.g. ABC analysis review committee, medicine utilization evaluation (MUE) committee and pharmacovigilance committee to optimise their functionality. Out of 15 PTCs only five PTCs with sub-committees reported functions and interventions, establishment of policies and SOPs. The rest had no outcomes or interventions reported. Poor production of policies and SOPs was observed which differs from other countries’ PTCs. The focus of sub-committees in other countries is the development of formulary and policies related to medicine use. These findings pose a question regarding the functionality and effectiveness of the existing institutional PTCs in the province. In addition, the basic documents that are required to run the PTC were unavailable in a number of PTCs. Barriers to the functionality of PTCs were reported i) Lack of pharmacists and training in PTCs. ii) The rural nature of the EC province and iii) Unavailability of resources including lack of re-imbursement of personal costs. These findings reveal that budget allocation for institutional PTCs is crucial for their functionality. It can be concluded that in the EC province the institutional PTCs which are active and effective are low in number and do not cover all geographical areas. Secondly there is a need for training and educating the PTC members on the role of the PTC members, role of sub-committees, development of policies, SOPs and the basic documents for the functionality of the committee. It is also important that during training the monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the committee is emphasised. Therefore, the choice of the PTC objectives should be measurable as they can assist as indicators of effectiveness. Support by the executive authority has been observed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Adaptation of the mathematics recovery programme to facilitate progression in the early arithmetic strategies of Grade 2 learners in Zambia
- Authors: Young, Catherine
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Zambia Arithmetic -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Zambia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/4977 , vital:20749
- Description: Research indicates that many children finish primary school in Southern Africa still reliant on inefficient counting strategies. This study extends the research of the South African Numeracy Chair project to early mathematics intervention with Grade 2 learners. It investigated the possible adaptation of the Mathematics Recovery programme to facilitate learner progression in early arithmetic strategies. This study aimed to investigate the possibility of adapting the Mathematics Recovery programme for use in a whole class setting, and to research the effectiveness of such an adapted programme. This study also aimed to investigate the extent of the phenomenon of unit counting and other early arithmetic strategies used in the early years in Zambia. This study was conducted from an emergent perspective. A review of the literature indicated that children who become stuck using unit counting face later mathematical difficulties, and that teacher over-emphasis on unit counting in the early years of schooling may be a contributing factor. This study used a qualitative design research methodology that consisted of a preparation phase, teaching experiment and retrospective analysis. The context of this teaching experiment was a seven week after-school intervention with a class of Grade 2 learners aged seven to eight in a rural Zambian primary school. Data collection and analysis focused on video recordings of a sample of 6 learners. The experimental teaching content focused on the Early Arithmetic Strategies aspect of the Mathematics Recovery programme. Although limited by time and research focus, this study found that all learners made some progress in early arithmetic strategies, and indicates that the Mathematics Recovery programme has potential for adaptation for early intervention in whole class teaching to address the mathematical education challenges in Zambia and beyond. This study also found that unit counting predominated in the sample learners, but that strategies were not yet entrenched, indicating this was a suitable age for early intervention. This study makes methodological contributions to a growing body of research into the adaptation of the Mathematics Recovery in Southern African contexts and suggests avenues for possible further research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Young, Catherine
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Zambia Arithmetic -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Zambia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/4977 , vital:20749
- Description: Research indicates that many children finish primary school in Southern Africa still reliant on inefficient counting strategies. This study extends the research of the South African Numeracy Chair project to early mathematics intervention with Grade 2 learners. It investigated the possible adaptation of the Mathematics Recovery programme to facilitate learner progression in early arithmetic strategies. This study aimed to investigate the possibility of adapting the Mathematics Recovery programme for use in a whole class setting, and to research the effectiveness of such an adapted programme. This study also aimed to investigate the extent of the phenomenon of unit counting and other early arithmetic strategies used in the early years in Zambia. This study was conducted from an emergent perspective. A review of the literature indicated that children who become stuck using unit counting face later mathematical difficulties, and that teacher over-emphasis on unit counting in the early years of schooling may be a contributing factor. This study used a qualitative design research methodology that consisted of a preparation phase, teaching experiment and retrospective analysis. The context of this teaching experiment was a seven week after-school intervention with a class of Grade 2 learners aged seven to eight in a rural Zambian primary school. Data collection and analysis focused on video recordings of a sample of 6 learners. The experimental teaching content focused on the Early Arithmetic Strategies aspect of the Mathematics Recovery programme. Although limited by time and research focus, this study found that all learners made some progress in early arithmetic strategies, and indicates that the Mathematics Recovery programme has potential for adaptation for early intervention in whole class teaching to address the mathematical education challenges in Zambia and beyond. This study also found that unit counting predominated in the sample learners, but that strategies were not yet entrenched, indicating this was a suitable age for early intervention. This study makes methodological contributions to a growing body of research into the adaptation of the Mathematics Recovery in Southern African contexts and suggests avenues for possible further research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Addressing constraints in promoting wild edible plants’ utilization in household nutrition: case of the Congo Basin forest area
- Ngome, Precillia Ijang Tata, Shackleton, Charlie M, Degrande, Anne, Tieguhong, Julius Chupezi
- Authors: Ngome, Precillia Ijang Tata , Shackleton, Charlie M , Degrande, Anne , Tieguhong, Julius Chupezi
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: article , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60822 , vital:27836 , DOI 10.1186/s40066-017-0097-5
- Description: It is worth raising the question, why are wild edible plants (WEPs) which are rich in diverse nutrients and widely abundant underutilized despite the increasing rate of undernourishment in poor regions? One reason is that their culinary uses are not quantified and standardized in nutrition surveys, and therefore, they are not properly included in household diet intensification and diversification across regions and cultures. Active steps are needed to bridge this gap. This paper outlines the constraints to including WEPs in nutritional surveys as the lack of standard ways of food identification of diverse WEPs, lack of specific food categorization and therefore difficult dissemination across regions and cultures. As a way forward, a functional categorization of 11 subgroups for WEPs is introduced and discussed. In labeling these sub-food groups, the paper advocates that more WEPs food items and culinary uses should be enlisted during household nutrition surveys. Food researchers could then capitalize these enlisted species and disseminate them to promote diverse food use of WEPs in other regions where they exist but are not utilized as food.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Ngome, Precillia Ijang Tata , Shackleton, Charlie M , Degrande, Anne , Tieguhong, Julius Chupezi
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: article , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60822 , vital:27836 , DOI 10.1186/s40066-017-0097-5
- Description: It is worth raising the question, why are wild edible plants (WEPs) which are rich in diverse nutrients and widely abundant underutilized despite the increasing rate of undernourishment in poor regions? One reason is that their culinary uses are not quantified and standardized in nutrition surveys, and therefore, they are not properly included in household diet intensification and diversification across regions and cultures. Active steps are needed to bridge this gap. This paper outlines the constraints to including WEPs in nutritional surveys as the lack of standard ways of food identification of diverse WEPs, lack of specific food categorization and therefore difficult dissemination across regions and cultures. As a way forward, a functional categorization of 11 subgroups for WEPs is introduced and discussed. In labeling these sub-food groups, the paper advocates that more WEPs food items and culinary uses should be enlisted during household nutrition surveys. Food researchers could then capitalize these enlisted species and disseminate them to promote diverse food use of WEPs in other regions where they exist but are not utilized as food.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Adjusting lion diet estimates to assess lion impacts on small prey in Addo Elephant National Park
- Authors: Gerber, Amarein Judith
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Wildlife conservation -- South Africa -- Addo Elephant National Park , Lion -- Behavior -- South Africa -- Addo Elephant National Park Lion -- Conservation -- South Africa -- Addo Elephant National Park
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14311 , vital:27542
- Description: Populations of small prey species (< 92 kg) can be regulated by competition, habitat-mediated responses, climate change, disease and predation. Populations of small prey species have declined in the Addo Elephant National Park Main Camp Section since the reintroduction of apex predators (lion and spotted hyaena). One possible explanation is predation by lion and spotted hyaena. However, small prey species are not generally considered preferred prey items of these predators, hence their contribution to predator diets needs to be explored. Global Positioning System (GPS) cluster analysis has emerged as a viable approach to locate lion kills for lion diet estimation in AENP, however this technique is known to bias diet estimates to large prey species. Understanding the impact of lion predation on populations of small prey in Main Camp therefore requires better estimates of lion diets. This study investigated the potential underestimation of small prey species in lion diet estimates by combining the data from scat analysis and carcasses located at GPS clusters. The adjusted lion diets were then used to investigate if the impact of lion predation could explain declines in small prey, by relating lion prey preferences to prey population trends in Nyathi. Using the results from Nyathi, it could then be inferred whether lions could have been responsible for the declines observed in Main Camp. Six GPS-collared lions provided location data used to construct individual movement paths, along which spatio-temporal clusters of GPS locations (n = 4896) were identified for ground investigation. Carcasses (n = 643) were recorded at the GPS clusters and scats (n = 256) were collected at GPS clusters with or without carcasses. Data from the located carcasses and scat collections were then used to create a history of feeding events for each collared lion in Main Camp-Colchester and Nyathi from a) carcasses alone or b) a combination of scats and carcasses, based on an estimated short and long lion throughout period. Relative prey availability was estimated based on camera trapping in Nyathi in high lion, low lion and no lion use areas, as lions may encounter some prey species more than other prey species. Jacobs’ index prey preference was used to investigate the importance of prey species to lion diets at three landscape scales: 1) Nyathi, 2) lion UD and 3) core lion UD. Lastly, prey population trends were investigated in Nyathi to provide an indication of possible changes in prey populations. Large prey species dominated the adjusted diets of lions in Main Camp-Colchester and Nyathi. However, when comparing the GPS carcass-derived lion diet estimate to the combined lion diet estimate, small prey were underestimated more often than large prey in the GPS carcass-derived lion diet estimate. Missed feeding events were therefore a function of prey body size. In addition, missed feeding events were also representative of the lion diets based on carcasses, with the tendency for species more often consumed to be missed more often in the diet record. However, even though small prey species were underestimated, they represented the minority of species consumed by lions and were predominantly avoided by lions in Nyathi. Lion prey preferences thus did not correlate to the declines in small prey species in Naythi, suggesting other potential drivers are important for small population trends in Nyathi. Lion predation cannot be ruled out as a driver of the decline in small prey species in Main Camp, due to different ecological conditions (e.g. vegetation density) in Main Camp compared to Nyathi, during the observed small prey population declines. Lion prey preferences in Nyathi revealed fine-scale variations in species specific preferences by lions, as well as site-specific differences in prey preferences when compared to published lion prey preference meta-analyses. These findings suggest that metaanalysis studies should be used as a guideline from which hypotheses about local predatorprey interactions can be developed rather than as an absolute measure of prey preference.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Gerber, Amarein Judith
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Wildlife conservation -- South Africa -- Addo Elephant National Park , Lion -- Behavior -- South Africa -- Addo Elephant National Park Lion -- Conservation -- South Africa -- Addo Elephant National Park
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14311 , vital:27542
- Description: Populations of small prey species (< 92 kg) can be regulated by competition, habitat-mediated responses, climate change, disease and predation. Populations of small prey species have declined in the Addo Elephant National Park Main Camp Section since the reintroduction of apex predators (lion and spotted hyaena). One possible explanation is predation by lion and spotted hyaena. However, small prey species are not generally considered preferred prey items of these predators, hence their contribution to predator diets needs to be explored. Global Positioning System (GPS) cluster analysis has emerged as a viable approach to locate lion kills for lion diet estimation in AENP, however this technique is known to bias diet estimates to large prey species. Understanding the impact of lion predation on populations of small prey in Main Camp therefore requires better estimates of lion diets. This study investigated the potential underestimation of small prey species in lion diet estimates by combining the data from scat analysis and carcasses located at GPS clusters. The adjusted lion diets were then used to investigate if the impact of lion predation could explain declines in small prey, by relating lion prey preferences to prey population trends in Nyathi. Using the results from Nyathi, it could then be inferred whether lions could have been responsible for the declines observed in Main Camp. Six GPS-collared lions provided location data used to construct individual movement paths, along which spatio-temporal clusters of GPS locations (n = 4896) were identified for ground investigation. Carcasses (n = 643) were recorded at the GPS clusters and scats (n = 256) were collected at GPS clusters with or without carcasses. Data from the located carcasses and scat collections were then used to create a history of feeding events for each collared lion in Main Camp-Colchester and Nyathi from a) carcasses alone or b) a combination of scats and carcasses, based on an estimated short and long lion throughout period. Relative prey availability was estimated based on camera trapping in Nyathi in high lion, low lion and no lion use areas, as lions may encounter some prey species more than other prey species. Jacobs’ index prey preference was used to investigate the importance of prey species to lion diets at three landscape scales: 1) Nyathi, 2) lion UD and 3) core lion UD. Lastly, prey population trends were investigated in Nyathi to provide an indication of possible changes in prey populations. Large prey species dominated the adjusted diets of lions in Main Camp-Colchester and Nyathi. However, when comparing the GPS carcass-derived lion diet estimate to the combined lion diet estimate, small prey were underestimated more often than large prey in the GPS carcass-derived lion diet estimate. Missed feeding events were therefore a function of prey body size. In addition, missed feeding events were also representative of the lion diets based on carcasses, with the tendency for species more often consumed to be missed more often in the diet record. However, even though small prey species were underestimated, they represented the minority of species consumed by lions and were predominantly avoided by lions in Nyathi. Lion prey preferences thus did not correlate to the declines in small prey species in Naythi, suggesting other potential drivers are important for small population trends in Nyathi. Lion predation cannot be ruled out as a driver of the decline in small prey species in Main Camp, due to different ecological conditions (e.g. vegetation density) in Main Camp compared to Nyathi, during the observed small prey population declines. Lion prey preferences in Nyathi revealed fine-scale variations in species specific preferences by lions, as well as site-specific differences in prey preferences when compared to published lion prey preference meta-analyses. These findings suggest that metaanalysis studies should be used as a guideline from which hypotheses about local predatorprey interactions can be developed rather than as an absolute measure of prey preference.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Adolescent mothers’ breastfeeding experiences in Nelson Mandela Bay health district
- Authors: Fordjour Afriyie, Vera
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Breastfeeding -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children -- Nutrition -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Teenage mothers -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13879 , vital:27316
- Description: Rationale: There is limited research available in South Africa that explores the breastfeeding experience among adolescent mothers; most of the studies were conducted in developed countries. One such study relating to the above mentioned developed countries stated that social and commitment factors influence the decision to breastfeed by adolescents. Furthermore, while adolescent mothers appreciate the benefits of breastfeeding, pain, public exposure and perceived complexities related to breastfeeding create barriers for them. The researcher was unable to ascertain if similar ambiguities exist among adolescent mothers in South Africa, and in the Eastern Cape (EC) in particular with its high rates of adolescent pregnancy. In order to attempt to develop age appropriate recommendations to assist adolescent mothers with their breastfeeding journey, the researcher undertook this research study to answer the following question: What are the breastfeeding experiences of adolescent mothers in the Nelson Mandela Bay Heath District (NMBHD)? Aim: The research aim was to determine the experiences of adolescent mothers regarding breastfeeding in NMBHD. Methods: The study implemented a qualitative research approach. To enhance the design, the researcher utilised an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design. The ethical principles that guided this study were autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence and justice. Fourteen adolescent mothers, attending PHC facilities in the NMBHD participated in the study. Participants were chosen from a purposive sampling technique and data were collected from semi-structured interviews, compromising of individual interviews. The researcher analysed the data using the using the eight steps of the Tesch analysis technique. Data was also analysed by an independent coder. Results obtained from the Tesch approach were compared to that of the independent coder results. Thereafter, the major themes and sub-themes that related to the study objectives were identified. Results: Three themes and 10 sub-themes were identified. Lack of knowledge and poor adherence to EBF, perceived breastmilk insufficiency, as well as incorrect infant feeding advice given by maternal mothers and grandmothers were associated with early introduction of complementary feeding. Most participants were motivated to breastfeed due to its economic and bonding benefits, as well as seeing their infant‟s progress in growth. Challenges of breastfeeding mentioned by the participants include: lack of support from the fathers of their infants and from health care providers, breast milk leakage, and the foul smell associated with the leaking of breast milk. The participants of the study also had suggestions to help improve the support given to adolescent mothers by health care providers in PHC facilities. Conclusions and recommendations: In conclusion, this study‟s findings revealed that adolescent mothers may need extra age appropriate education and support to assist them in breastfeeding successfully at PHC facilities, the community and schools. Maternal mothers and grandmothers were found to be the primary source of a support network for most adolescent mothers as opposed to health care providers who were categorised as being the secondary source of support. Thus, breastfeeding promotion tailored at maternal mothers and grandmothers would be beneficial in improving their knowledge about the recommended infant feeding practices and consequently aid in providing appropriate support and advice to adolescent mothers. Additionally, training and attitude modification of health care providers is needed to provide adolescent mothers with age-appropriate, effective and sensitive care and counselling.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Fordjour Afriyie, Vera
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Breastfeeding -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children -- Nutrition -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Teenage mothers -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13879 , vital:27316
- Description: Rationale: There is limited research available in South Africa that explores the breastfeeding experience among adolescent mothers; most of the studies were conducted in developed countries. One such study relating to the above mentioned developed countries stated that social and commitment factors influence the decision to breastfeed by adolescents. Furthermore, while adolescent mothers appreciate the benefits of breastfeeding, pain, public exposure and perceived complexities related to breastfeeding create barriers for them. The researcher was unable to ascertain if similar ambiguities exist among adolescent mothers in South Africa, and in the Eastern Cape (EC) in particular with its high rates of adolescent pregnancy. In order to attempt to develop age appropriate recommendations to assist adolescent mothers with their breastfeeding journey, the researcher undertook this research study to answer the following question: What are the breastfeeding experiences of adolescent mothers in the Nelson Mandela Bay Heath District (NMBHD)? Aim: The research aim was to determine the experiences of adolescent mothers regarding breastfeeding in NMBHD. Methods: The study implemented a qualitative research approach. To enhance the design, the researcher utilised an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design. The ethical principles that guided this study were autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence and justice. Fourteen adolescent mothers, attending PHC facilities in the NMBHD participated in the study. Participants were chosen from a purposive sampling technique and data were collected from semi-structured interviews, compromising of individual interviews. The researcher analysed the data using the using the eight steps of the Tesch analysis technique. Data was also analysed by an independent coder. Results obtained from the Tesch approach were compared to that of the independent coder results. Thereafter, the major themes and sub-themes that related to the study objectives were identified. Results: Three themes and 10 sub-themes were identified. Lack of knowledge and poor adherence to EBF, perceived breastmilk insufficiency, as well as incorrect infant feeding advice given by maternal mothers and grandmothers were associated with early introduction of complementary feeding. Most participants were motivated to breastfeed due to its economic and bonding benefits, as well as seeing their infant‟s progress in growth. Challenges of breastfeeding mentioned by the participants include: lack of support from the fathers of their infants and from health care providers, breast milk leakage, and the foul smell associated with the leaking of breast milk. The participants of the study also had suggestions to help improve the support given to adolescent mothers by health care providers in PHC facilities. Conclusions and recommendations: In conclusion, this study‟s findings revealed that adolescent mothers may need extra age appropriate education and support to assist them in breastfeeding successfully at PHC facilities, the community and schools. Maternal mothers and grandmothers were found to be the primary source of a support network for most adolescent mothers as opposed to health care providers who were categorised as being the secondary source of support. Thus, breastfeeding promotion tailored at maternal mothers and grandmothers would be beneficial in improving their knowledge about the recommended infant feeding practices and consequently aid in providing appropriate support and advice to adolescent mothers. Additionally, training and attitude modification of health care providers is needed to provide adolescent mothers with age-appropriate, effective and sensitive care and counselling.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Adoption and up scaling of conservation agriculture in Malawi
- Authors: Paul, John Mussa
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Agricultural conservation -- Malawi , Conservation of natural resources -- Malawi Agriculture -- Malawi
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19717 , vital:28943
- Description: Conservation agriculture (CA) has been widely recommended as one of the best ‘climate smart’ agriculture (CSA) practices in many regions of Africa and beyond. It helps to cushion smallholder farmers from the impacts of climate variability and change manifested through erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spells and droughts. CA is a preferred strategy for rehabilitating degraded agricultural land by improving its soil health for optimal crop production. However, adoption and upscaling of this farming practice in many African countries, which face critical challenges of food insecurity and soil degradation, including Malawi, is not significantly expanding despite these established benefits. This participatory action research study therefore explored factors limiting CA adoption and upscaling among the smallholder farmers in Khombedza Extension Planning Area where Total LandCare, the Malawian Ministry of Agriculture and other NGOs have been supporting farmers to adopt CA practices for more than five years. Participatory approaches were used throughout the research process for data collection, with farmers acting as co-researchers as they are best placed to identify the farming challenges and recommend solutions. Key informant interviews and field observations complemented and validated some of the results from the participatory rural appraisal (PRA) activities. The study findings revealed a number of factors behind low CA adoption and upscaling, with many relating to the poor extension system promoted by NGOs and government extension staff. Other factors relate to farmers’ perceptions and are linked to the CA system itself. The on-farm participatory training clarified the majority of farmers’ understanding and changed their mindset towards CA practices, which in turn increased its visibility in terms of adoption and scale of upscaling across the villages under study. In trying to address the poor extension system, as observed and reported by the majority of participants, the research practically tested a “Farmer Neighbourhood (FN) model”, which provided a greater opportunity for farm level interactive learning and provision of better farmer-to-farmer and farmer-to-field staff extension support. The majority of participants and field staff, as well as members of the National Conservation Agriculture Task Force (NCATF) in Malawi, made a recommendation to replicate this model of targeting and supporting farmers in order to increase CA visibility throughout the country. Participation and interactive farmer learning emerged as major themes, which guided successful implementation of the research whilst addressing the research questions and objectives.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Paul, John Mussa
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Agricultural conservation -- Malawi , Conservation of natural resources -- Malawi Agriculture -- Malawi
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19717 , vital:28943
- Description: Conservation agriculture (CA) has been widely recommended as one of the best ‘climate smart’ agriculture (CSA) practices in many regions of Africa and beyond. It helps to cushion smallholder farmers from the impacts of climate variability and change manifested through erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spells and droughts. CA is a preferred strategy for rehabilitating degraded agricultural land by improving its soil health for optimal crop production. However, adoption and upscaling of this farming practice in many African countries, which face critical challenges of food insecurity and soil degradation, including Malawi, is not significantly expanding despite these established benefits. This participatory action research study therefore explored factors limiting CA adoption and upscaling among the smallholder farmers in Khombedza Extension Planning Area where Total LandCare, the Malawian Ministry of Agriculture and other NGOs have been supporting farmers to adopt CA practices for more than five years. Participatory approaches were used throughout the research process for data collection, with farmers acting as co-researchers as they are best placed to identify the farming challenges and recommend solutions. Key informant interviews and field observations complemented and validated some of the results from the participatory rural appraisal (PRA) activities. The study findings revealed a number of factors behind low CA adoption and upscaling, with many relating to the poor extension system promoted by NGOs and government extension staff. Other factors relate to farmers’ perceptions and are linked to the CA system itself. The on-farm participatory training clarified the majority of farmers’ understanding and changed their mindset towards CA practices, which in turn increased its visibility in terms of adoption and scale of upscaling across the villages under study. In trying to address the poor extension system, as observed and reported by the majority of participants, the research practically tested a “Farmer Neighbourhood (FN) model”, which provided a greater opportunity for farm level interactive learning and provision of better farmer-to-farmer and farmer-to-field staff extension support. The majority of participants and field staff, as well as members of the National Conservation Agriculture Task Force (NCATF) in Malawi, made a recommendation to replicate this model of targeting and supporting farmers in order to increase CA visibility throughout the country. Participation and interactive farmer learning emerged as major themes, which guided successful implementation of the research whilst addressing the research questions and objectives.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Aesthetic and spiritual ecosystem services provided by urban sacred sites
- De Lacy, Peter J G, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: De Lacy, Peter J G , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: article , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60919 , vital:27891 , http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su9091628
- Description: The range and use of ecosystem services provided by urban sacred sites has hardly been considered in studies of urban ecology, sustainability and human wellbeing. This paper examines the perceived ecosystem services supplied by green spaces or gardens associated with places of religious worship and appreciated by worshippers in a mid-sized town in South Africa. A questionnaire with open, closed and Likert scale questions was administered at 30 places of worship (25 with gardens and five without). Respondents identified a wide diversity of ecosystem services provided by gardens, with social ones being more recognized than ecological, and economic services the least. Approximately two-thirds of respondents visited a sacred site garden weekly or more often. The majority of respondents (96%) felt that a garden was necessary because it added to their feelings of connection with God, or helped them relax and so be better able to concentrate, and 54% stated that a garden enhanced their overall spiritual experience. Regression analysis revealed that aesthetic appreciation of a garden was significantly related to woody plant species richness, number and basal area in the garden. On the other hand, spiritual experience was positively related to woody plant basal area, but not species richness nor tree number. Neither size of the garden, nor number of years the respondents had been vising a particular sacred site had any influence on the rated spiritual or aesthetic experiences. These results reveal the widely appreciated ecosystem services provided by urban sacred spaces and their centrality in enhancing spiritual satisfaction for some.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: De Lacy, Peter J G , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: article , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60919 , vital:27891 , http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su9091628
- Description: The range and use of ecosystem services provided by urban sacred sites has hardly been considered in studies of urban ecology, sustainability and human wellbeing. This paper examines the perceived ecosystem services supplied by green spaces or gardens associated with places of religious worship and appreciated by worshippers in a mid-sized town in South Africa. A questionnaire with open, closed and Likert scale questions was administered at 30 places of worship (25 with gardens and five without). Respondents identified a wide diversity of ecosystem services provided by gardens, with social ones being more recognized than ecological, and economic services the least. Approximately two-thirds of respondents visited a sacred site garden weekly or more often. The majority of respondents (96%) felt that a garden was necessary because it added to their feelings of connection with God, or helped them relax and so be better able to concentrate, and 54% stated that a garden enhanced their overall spiritual experience. Regression analysis revealed that aesthetic appreciation of a garden was significantly related to woody plant species richness, number and basal area in the garden. On the other hand, spiritual experience was positively related to woody plant basal area, but not species richness nor tree number. Neither size of the garden, nor number of years the respondents had been vising a particular sacred site had any influence on the rated spiritual or aesthetic experiences. These results reveal the widely appreciated ecosystem services provided by urban sacred spaces and their centrality in enhancing spiritual satisfaction for some.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Affirmative action as a strategy for social justice in South Africa
- Authors: Sinuka, Zamile Hector
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Affirmative action programs -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Social justice -- South Africa , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa , South Africa -- Employment Equity Act -- 1998
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20362 , vital:29268
- Description: The purpose of this treatise is to develop a spirit of understanding affirmative action as a strategy that gives South Africa a human face of equality. The strategic development of affirmative action as part of Employment Equity Act is based on equality at workplace. This work takes note of the need to integrate human resource development for employment, productivity and education system that is based on formal education, prior knowledge education (RPL) and previous experience. The imbalances were designed to be of racial reflection therefore the redress process is racial in character but non-racial in content as the envisaged society is a non-racial society. The historical background of inequality and racial discrimination is noted in the environment of employment and on how other laws were enforcing the inequality. The arguments against affirmative action are debated and valid points of such arguments are noted as points of concern that must be considered in the process to attain equality. This work views affirmative action as a process that goes beyond employment relations and work as an instrument to change society by addressing social needs and services that have a reflection of inequality. Education is viewed as the out most important process to change the lives of people as affirmative action has a requirement of suitably qualified candidates to be affirmed. In South Africa problems of inequality were political designed but were enforced by various laws that were having material and psychological impact on the previously disadvantaged. The designated groups were divided into Africans, Indians and Coloureds, in Naidoo v Minister of Safety and Security this principle of defining designated racial groups was promoted in correction to the direction that was taken in Motala v University of Natal.Affirmative action is a legal process that addresses political designed problems. It is also a process that is exposed to abuse. Corrupt officials and managers appoint employees that do not qualify for posts on the bases of political affiliation or any other ground of discrimination. This is discussed with reference to the allegations of SADTU selling posts for principals, senior managers appointed in state co-operatives. The above mentioned tendencies are noted as part of negative indicators on the process that is meant to bring equality and non-racial society where all the citizens are given equal opportunities. This work views affirmative action as a strategy that is based on achieving a society that has a human face where race shall not be a point of reference.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Sinuka, Zamile Hector
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Affirmative action programs -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Social justice -- South Africa , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa , South Africa -- Employment Equity Act -- 1998
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20362 , vital:29268
- Description: The purpose of this treatise is to develop a spirit of understanding affirmative action as a strategy that gives South Africa a human face of equality. The strategic development of affirmative action as part of Employment Equity Act is based on equality at workplace. This work takes note of the need to integrate human resource development for employment, productivity and education system that is based on formal education, prior knowledge education (RPL) and previous experience. The imbalances were designed to be of racial reflection therefore the redress process is racial in character but non-racial in content as the envisaged society is a non-racial society. The historical background of inequality and racial discrimination is noted in the environment of employment and on how other laws were enforcing the inequality. The arguments against affirmative action are debated and valid points of such arguments are noted as points of concern that must be considered in the process to attain equality. This work views affirmative action as a process that goes beyond employment relations and work as an instrument to change society by addressing social needs and services that have a reflection of inequality. Education is viewed as the out most important process to change the lives of people as affirmative action has a requirement of suitably qualified candidates to be affirmed. In South Africa problems of inequality were political designed but were enforced by various laws that were having material and psychological impact on the previously disadvantaged. The designated groups were divided into Africans, Indians and Coloureds, in Naidoo v Minister of Safety and Security this principle of defining designated racial groups was promoted in correction to the direction that was taken in Motala v University of Natal.Affirmative action is a legal process that addresses political designed problems. It is also a process that is exposed to abuse. Corrupt officials and managers appoint employees that do not qualify for posts on the bases of political affiliation or any other ground of discrimination. This is discussed with reference to the allegations of SADTU selling posts for principals, senior managers appointed in state co-operatives. The above mentioned tendencies are noted as part of negative indicators on the process that is meant to bring equality and non-racial society where all the citizens are given equal opportunities. This work views affirmative action as a strategy that is based on achieving a society that has a human face where race shall not be a point of reference.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017