Optimizing geochemical sampling sizes and quantifying uncertainties for environmental risk assessment using Anglogold-Ashanti Gold Mines as a case study
- Authors: Chihobvu, Elizabeth
- Date: 2010-04
- Subjects: Environmental risk assessment , Geochemical prospecting
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24443 , vital:62796
- Description: Generally, and particularly in South Africa, limited work done on the development of methodologies for sample sizing and quantifying uncertainties in geochemical sampling and analyses. As a result, little trust is placed on the long-term predictions of geochemical modelling for Environmental Risk Assessment (E.R.A). In addition, this leads to the slow approval of mining authorisations, water use licenses and mine closure plans. This dissertation addresses this deficiency in geochemical sampling and analyses specifically for ERA and proposes two methodologies (i) for quantifying uncertainties in geochemical sampling and analysis as a function of sample size and analyses and (ii) for determining the optimum sample size to ensure data quality. The statistical analysis approach was adopted as the best method for sample size determination. The approach is based on the premise that the size of the study sample is critical to producing meaningful results. The size of the required samples depends on a number of factors including purpose of the study, available budget, variability of the population being sampled, acceptable errors and confidence level. The methodology for estimating uncertainty is a fusion of existing methodologies for quantifying measurement uncertainty. The methodology takes a holistic view of the measurement process to include all processes involved in obtaining measurement results as possible uncertainty components. Like the statistical analysis approach, the methodology employs basic statistical principles in estimating the size of uncertainty, associated with a given measurement result. The approach identifies each component of uncertainty; estimates the size of each component and sums the contribution of each component in order to approximate the overall uncertainty value, associated with a given measurement result. The two methods were applied to Acid-Base Accounting (ABA) data derived from geochemical assessment for ERA of the West Wits and Vaal River (Ashanti Gold mines) tailings dams undertaken by Pulles and Howard de Lange Inc. on behalf of AngloGold Ltd. The study was aimed at assessing and evaluating the potential of tailings dams in the two mining areas to impact on water quality and implications of this in terms of mine closure and rehabilitation. Findings from this study show that the number of samples needed is influenced by the purpose of the study, size of the target area, nature and type of material, budget, acceptable error and the confidence level required, among other factors. Acceptable error has an exponential relationship with sample size hence one can minimize error by increasing sample size. While a low value of acceptable error value and high confidence are always desirable, a tradeoff among these competing factors must be found, given the usually limited funds and time. The findings also demonstrated that uncertainties in geochemical sampling and analysis are unavoidable. They arise from the fact that only a small portion of the population rather than a census is used to derive conclusions about certain characteristics of the target population. This is further augmented by other influential quantities that affect the accuracy of the estimates. Effects such as poor sampling design, inadequate sample size, sample heterogeneity and other factors highly affect data quality and representivity hence measurement uncertainty. Among these factors, those associated with sampling, mainly heterogeneity was found to be the strongest contributing factor toward overall uncertainty. This implies an increased proportion of expenditure should be channelled toward sampling to minimise uncertainty. Uncertainties can be reduced by adopting good sampling practices and increasing sample size, among other methods. It is recommended that more information be made available for proper uncertainty analysis. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010-04
- Authors: Chihobvu, Elizabeth
- Date: 2010-04
- Subjects: Environmental risk assessment , Geochemical prospecting
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24443 , vital:62796
- Description: Generally, and particularly in South Africa, limited work done on the development of methodologies for sample sizing and quantifying uncertainties in geochemical sampling and analyses. As a result, little trust is placed on the long-term predictions of geochemical modelling for Environmental Risk Assessment (E.R.A). In addition, this leads to the slow approval of mining authorisations, water use licenses and mine closure plans. This dissertation addresses this deficiency in geochemical sampling and analyses specifically for ERA and proposes two methodologies (i) for quantifying uncertainties in geochemical sampling and analysis as a function of sample size and analyses and (ii) for determining the optimum sample size to ensure data quality. The statistical analysis approach was adopted as the best method for sample size determination. The approach is based on the premise that the size of the study sample is critical to producing meaningful results. The size of the required samples depends on a number of factors including purpose of the study, available budget, variability of the population being sampled, acceptable errors and confidence level. The methodology for estimating uncertainty is a fusion of existing methodologies for quantifying measurement uncertainty. The methodology takes a holistic view of the measurement process to include all processes involved in obtaining measurement results as possible uncertainty components. Like the statistical analysis approach, the methodology employs basic statistical principles in estimating the size of uncertainty, associated with a given measurement result. The approach identifies each component of uncertainty; estimates the size of each component and sums the contribution of each component in order to approximate the overall uncertainty value, associated with a given measurement result. The two methods were applied to Acid-Base Accounting (ABA) data derived from geochemical assessment for ERA of the West Wits and Vaal River (Ashanti Gold mines) tailings dams undertaken by Pulles and Howard de Lange Inc. on behalf of AngloGold Ltd. The study was aimed at assessing and evaluating the potential of tailings dams in the two mining areas to impact on water quality and implications of this in terms of mine closure and rehabilitation. Findings from this study show that the number of samples needed is influenced by the purpose of the study, size of the target area, nature and type of material, budget, acceptable error and the confidence level required, among other factors. Acceptable error has an exponential relationship with sample size hence one can minimize error by increasing sample size. While a low value of acceptable error value and high confidence are always desirable, a tradeoff among these competing factors must be found, given the usually limited funds and time. The findings also demonstrated that uncertainties in geochemical sampling and analysis are unavoidable. They arise from the fact that only a small portion of the population rather than a census is used to derive conclusions about certain characteristics of the target population. This is further augmented by other influential quantities that affect the accuracy of the estimates. Effects such as poor sampling design, inadequate sample size, sample heterogeneity and other factors highly affect data quality and representivity hence measurement uncertainty. Among these factors, those associated with sampling, mainly heterogeneity was found to be the strongest contributing factor toward overall uncertainty. This implies an increased proportion of expenditure should be channelled toward sampling to minimise uncertainty. Uncertainties can be reduced by adopting good sampling practices and increasing sample size, among other methods. It is recommended that more information be made available for proper uncertainty analysis. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010-04
Adoption of IT Systems by HR professionals in order to enhance efficacy at the University of Fort Hare
- Authors: Ngqubekile, Nolufefe
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Management information systems , Personnel management , Public administration
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27176 , vital:66326
- Description: This study seeks to address the adoption of Integrated Tertiary Software (ITS), ease of use of ITS and continuous usage in Human Resources Departments. The focus of this research project is User Acceptance and Continued Use of ITS within the HR Department - the case of Fort Hare University. The University is a multi - campus operation and the use of paper systems is extremely difficult. The University made a decision to invest in ITS with the objective of improving effectiveness and efficiency of services. The nature of the problem is that ITS is partially used and it is necessary to further explore the specific influence of technological and environmental factors that may change the user’s acceptance and use of this IT System. The nature of this study is Qualitative and follows an Interpretive Approach. The Research Instrument used is an in-depth questionnaire distributed and responded to by all HR Professionals at the UFH. Recommendations based on findings will be used to design the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for the Adoption of IT Systems by HR Professionals in order to enhance efficacy at the University of Fort Hare. The CSFs can be generalized to other settings and were identified for the UFH HR Department to include. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce , 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Ngqubekile, Nolufefe
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Management information systems , Personnel management , Public administration
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27176 , vital:66326
- Description: This study seeks to address the adoption of Integrated Tertiary Software (ITS), ease of use of ITS and continuous usage in Human Resources Departments. The focus of this research project is User Acceptance and Continued Use of ITS within the HR Department - the case of Fort Hare University. The University is a multi - campus operation and the use of paper systems is extremely difficult. The University made a decision to invest in ITS with the objective of improving effectiveness and efficiency of services. The nature of the problem is that ITS is partially used and it is necessary to further explore the specific influence of technological and environmental factors that may change the user’s acceptance and use of this IT System. The nature of this study is Qualitative and follows an Interpretive Approach. The Research Instrument used is an in-depth questionnaire distributed and responded to by all HR Professionals at the UFH. Recommendations based on findings will be used to design the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for the Adoption of IT Systems by HR Professionals in order to enhance efficacy at the University of Fort Hare. The CSFs can be generalized to other settings and were identified for the UFH HR Department to include. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce , 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
An investigation of the impact of the funding strategy of government on the sustainability of NGO work in them health sector: a case of the Eastern Cape province in South Africa
- Authors: Vhutuzah,Miriam.
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Non-governmental organization , Health services administration , Sustainable development
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25926 , vital:64564
- Description: Under the apartheid regime the blacks suffered from social exclusion whereby the state sought to provide social services to the white community. Blacks used NGOs to fight the apartheid regime after the banning of political parties by the government. The government tried to quell the social unrest by instituting restrictive legislation to the NGOs. However, the NGOs managed to survive by getting funds from external sources that were anti-apartheid and the funding was camouflaged. While the blacks used the NGOs as frontiers to fight apartheid, they also provided services like health, education and others. The white NGOs managed to thrive unabated. After the fall of apartheid, many leaders left the NGO sector to join the government. It has been of great concern to note that after the apartheid, NGOs failed to assume the position that they used to possess during apartheid. The major objective of the study was to assess the funding strategy of the government in relation to the sustainability of the work of NGOs. This was achieved through analysing the guiding principles and prerequisites of the government in terms of procedures of disbursing funds to NGOs and how this affects NGO operations. The research made use of one major approach in the social sciences which is qualitative. The use of a qualitative technique reflects an attempt to ensure an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon in question. This is what was needed by the question under study, to understand the institutional environment of NGOs by looking into their operational experiences and holding in-depth interviews with NGOs and government officials in order to understand their views about the existing funding strategy. The study found out that the pre-requisites of the funding organisations can be met by NGOs which previously thrived under the apartheid government. Due to their more sophisticated nature, it is these types of NGOs that interface most effectively with the donor community and are major beneficiaries of the bulk of donor funding. It also discovered that the rural-based NGOs are not networked and only rely on government funding which is short-lived. Some of the well established NGOs manipulate the existing opportunities to pursue private interests. Moreover, donors are mainly interested in funding popular activities like AIDS but they target well established organisations. In view of the above findings, the study recommends that the pre-requisites for NGOs must be streamlined to the rural-based NGOs and communication from the government should be improved especially for the rural-based NGOs where forms of communication are limited. There is need to establish an independent body, mandated by the government to carry out NGO issues .The government should also introduce incentives to the donors that fund rural-based NGOs and also encourage donors to fund TB activities by introducing incentives. Moreover, there is need for the government to adopt institutional development principles which emphasises on internal organizational development by training NGO members in order to improve their skills. Externally, the institutional impediments like inherited legal instruments that were pro-apartheid should be addressed. Lastly, there is need for the government to engage NGOs in the policy making process. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce , 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Vhutuzah,Miriam.
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Non-governmental organization , Health services administration , Sustainable development
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25926 , vital:64564
- Description: Under the apartheid regime the blacks suffered from social exclusion whereby the state sought to provide social services to the white community. Blacks used NGOs to fight the apartheid regime after the banning of political parties by the government. The government tried to quell the social unrest by instituting restrictive legislation to the NGOs. However, the NGOs managed to survive by getting funds from external sources that were anti-apartheid and the funding was camouflaged. While the blacks used the NGOs as frontiers to fight apartheid, they also provided services like health, education and others. The white NGOs managed to thrive unabated. After the fall of apartheid, many leaders left the NGO sector to join the government. It has been of great concern to note that after the apartheid, NGOs failed to assume the position that they used to possess during apartheid. The major objective of the study was to assess the funding strategy of the government in relation to the sustainability of the work of NGOs. This was achieved through analysing the guiding principles and prerequisites of the government in terms of procedures of disbursing funds to NGOs and how this affects NGO operations. The research made use of one major approach in the social sciences which is qualitative. The use of a qualitative technique reflects an attempt to ensure an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon in question. This is what was needed by the question under study, to understand the institutional environment of NGOs by looking into their operational experiences and holding in-depth interviews with NGOs and government officials in order to understand their views about the existing funding strategy. The study found out that the pre-requisites of the funding organisations can be met by NGOs which previously thrived under the apartheid government. Due to their more sophisticated nature, it is these types of NGOs that interface most effectively with the donor community and are major beneficiaries of the bulk of donor funding. It also discovered that the rural-based NGOs are not networked and only rely on government funding which is short-lived. Some of the well established NGOs manipulate the existing opportunities to pursue private interests. Moreover, donors are mainly interested in funding popular activities like AIDS but they target well established organisations. In view of the above findings, the study recommends that the pre-requisites for NGOs must be streamlined to the rural-based NGOs and communication from the government should be improved especially for the rural-based NGOs where forms of communication are limited. There is need to establish an independent body, mandated by the government to carry out NGO issues .The government should also introduce incentives to the donors that fund rural-based NGOs and also encourage donors to fund TB activities by introducing incentives. Moreover, there is need for the government to adopt institutional development principles which emphasises on internal organizational development by training NGO members in order to improve their skills. Externally, the institutional impediments like inherited legal instruments that were pro-apartheid should be addressed. Lastly, there is need for the government to engage NGOs in the policy making process. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce , 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Assessment of antibiotic production by some marine actinomycetes belonging to the genera norcadia, saccharopolyspora and kibdellosporangium.
- Koba, Siziwe (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6761-6403)
- Authors: Koba, Siziwe (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6761-6403)
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Actinobacteria , Bacteria , Actinomycetales
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25811 , vital:64488
- Description: Antibacterial potency of the extracts of the three marine actinomycetes strains which were isolated in the Nahoon Beach and tentatively identified as the genera Norcadia, Kibdellosporingium and Saccharopolyspora were investigated in this study against a panel of referenced, environmental and clinical bacterial strains. The ethyl acetate extracts of these marine actinomycetes were screened for activity against 32 bacterial isolates. Out of the 32 organisms, 10 were susceptible to one or all the extracts used. Antibacterial activity was mainly observed against Gram-negative organisms with Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.078 mg/ml to >10mg/ml. The killing rates of the active extracts were also elucidated using standard procedures. The two extracts NO64 and NO53 showed rapid bactericidal activity against B. pumilus ATCC 14884 and Serratia marcens with a 3Log10 reduction in counts within 6 hours at 3.75 mg/ml and 5 mg/ml respectively. In conclusion, the ethyl acetate extract of these marine actinomycetes strains possess strong bactericidal and bacteriostatic activities against Gram negative organisms and can be therapeutically useful in the treatment of bacterial infections which are mainly caused by Gram negative bacteria. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Koba, Siziwe (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6761-6403)
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Actinobacteria , Bacteria , Actinomycetales
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25811 , vital:64488
- Description: Antibacterial potency of the extracts of the three marine actinomycetes strains which were isolated in the Nahoon Beach and tentatively identified as the genera Norcadia, Kibdellosporingium and Saccharopolyspora were investigated in this study against a panel of referenced, environmental and clinical bacterial strains. The ethyl acetate extracts of these marine actinomycetes were screened for activity against 32 bacterial isolates. Out of the 32 organisms, 10 were susceptible to one or all the extracts used. Antibacterial activity was mainly observed against Gram-negative organisms with Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.078 mg/ml to >10mg/ml. The killing rates of the active extracts were also elucidated using standard procedures. The two extracts NO64 and NO53 showed rapid bactericidal activity against B. pumilus ATCC 14884 and Serratia marcens with a 3Log10 reduction in counts within 6 hours at 3.75 mg/ml and 5 mg/ml respectively. In conclusion, the ethyl acetate extract of these marine actinomycetes strains possess strong bactericidal and bacteriostatic activities against Gram negative organisms and can be therapeutically useful in the treatment of bacterial infections which are mainly caused by Gram negative bacteria. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Econometric determinants of liquidity of the South African bond market
- Mingiri, Kapingura Forget https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5808-5612
- Authors: Mingiri, Kapingura Forget https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5808-5612
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Economic indicators , Economic forecasting -- Africa , Bond market
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26346 , vital:65243
- Description: The importance of the bond market to the financial system and broader economy of a country cannot be underestimated. It is important to analyse factors which determine liquidity in this essential market. This study seeks to establish the determinants of liquidity in the South African bond market using monthly data covering the period 1995 to 2009. It begins by providing an updated overview of the South African bond market and an analysis of the relevant literature. Two models linking bond market liquidity to its theoretical determinants were specified. In contrast to the available literature, this study analyses liquidity at both macroeconomic and market microstructure level using two measures of liquidity, volume and the bid-ask spread, applying the VAR approach and two-stage least squares for robust check. All macroeconomic variables (except stock market) were identified to have an impact on bond market liquidity in the long-run. As far as market microstructure factors are concerned, both volume and volatility were established to be important determinants of liquidity in the South African bond market. The study recommended that, as for macroeconomic factors, authorities should keep inflation at low and stables levels as well as a stable currency. Also, offering bond investors certain facilities and the removal of restrictions on foreign investor activities are other important conditions to improve bond market liquidity. As far as market microstructure factors are concerned, we suggest that, ways to safe-guard against excessive volatility include the creation of a vibrant derivative market, development of a more active and well-functioning repurchase market./ , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Mingiri, Kapingura Forget https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5808-5612
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Economic indicators , Economic forecasting -- Africa , Bond market
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26346 , vital:65243
- Description: The importance of the bond market to the financial system and broader economy of a country cannot be underestimated. It is important to analyse factors which determine liquidity in this essential market. This study seeks to establish the determinants of liquidity in the South African bond market using monthly data covering the period 1995 to 2009. It begins by providing an updated overview of the South African bond market and an analysis of the relevant literature. Two models linking bond market liquidity to its theoretical determinants were specified. In contrast to the available literature, this study analyses liquidity at both macroeconomic and market microstructure level using two measures of liquidity, volume and the bid-ask spread, applying the VAR approach and two-stage least squares for robust check. All macroeconomic variables (except stock market) were identified to have an impact on bond market liquidity in the long-run. As far as market microstructure factors are concerned, both volume and volatility were established to be important determinants of liquidity in the South African bond market. The study recommended that, as for macroeconomic factors, authorities should keep inflation at low and stables levels as well as a stable currency. Also, offering bond investors certain facilities and the removal of restrictions on foreign investor activities are other important conditions to improve bond market liquidity. As far as market microstructure factors are concerned, we suggest that, ways to safe-guard against excessive volatility include the creation of a vibrant derivative market, development of a more active and well-functioning repurchase market./ , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Effects of hyperinflation on stock market performance: case of Zimbabwe
- Authors: Mutandwa, Tsitsi Hope
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Stocks--Zimbabwe , Stock exchanges--Zimbabwe , Inflation targeting--Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24980 , vital:63768
- Description: In this study an analysis of the long-term equilibrium relationship between inflation, selected macroeconomic variables and the Zimbabwe stock market (represented by market capitalization) is explored. Using stock market capitalization as a proxy for stock market performance is important for an investigator since it can capture movements in the whole market. The link between stock market performance and macroeconomic variables in particular inflation is well-documented in the literature. However, a void in the literature relates to examining the cointegration between hyperinflation and stock market performance. Although hyperinflation is nothing more than inflation at high rates, clarity on this point is necessary because of the seemingly unclear nature of the relationship in the literature. Inflation has mostly been documented as negatively impacting on financial markets. This is not so clear when it comes to hyperinflation. The Zimbabwean stock market has performed well during the high inflation period. This then raises the question: Does hyperinflation stimulate the growth of the stock market? The analysis is undertaken by employing cointegration and vector error correction modeling approach using quarterly data for the period 1980-2007 Our results show among others, that hyperinflation has impacted negatively on the growth of the stock market in Zimbabwe. However, other driving factors such as foreign direct investment and relatively high bank lending rates may have fuelled the observed growth in the stock market during the period of study. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Mutandwa, Tsitsi Hope
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Stocks--Zimbabwe , Stock exchanges--Zimbabwe , Inflation targeting--Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24980 , vital:63768
- Description: In this study an analysis of the long-term equilibrium relationship between inflation, selected macroeconomic variables and the Zimbabwe stock market (represented by market capitalization) is explored. Using stock market capitalization as a proxy for stock market performance is important for an investigator since it can capture movements in the whole market. The link between stock market performance and macroeconomic variables in particular inflation is well-documented in the literature. However, a void in the literature relates to examining the cointegration between hyperinflation and stock market performance. Although hyperinflation is nothing more than inflation at high rates, clarity on this point is necessary because of the seemingly unclear nature of the relationship in the literature. Inflation has mostly been documented as negatively impacting on financial markets. This is not so clear when it comes to hyperinflation. The Zimbabwean stock market has performed well during the high inflation period. This then raises the question: Does hyperinflation stimulate the growth of the stock market? The analysis is undertaken by employing cointegration and vector error correction modeling approach using quarterly data for the period 1980-2007 Our results show among others, that hyperinflation has impacted negatively on the growth of the stock market in Zimbabwe. However, other driving factors such as foreign direct investment and relatively high bank lending rates may have fuelled the observed growth in the stock market during the period of study. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Implications of a currency board arrangement for the Zimbabwean economy: the lessons of experience
- Authors: Ndlovu, Edwin
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Economic indicators , Inflation targeting , Foreign exchange
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26492 , vital:65480
- Description: Inflation is one of the most important factors for gauging the health of the economy. For production, employment and trade to take place, it is crucial that inflation be low and stable. This study analyses the implications of a currency board system in a hyperinflationary economy, using quarterly Zimbabwean data covering the period 1995 to 2008.An empirical model linking inflation to its identified theoretical determinants is specified. The study employs a cointegration and a vector error correction (VEC) modeling, to provide robust long run and short run dynamic effects of hyper inflation on the economy. The empirical findings reveal a strong significant relationship between inflation and government deficit, expected inflation, money supply growth and the exchange rate. These results corroborate the theoretical predictions and the previous findings that most hyperinflations are deficit-induced. The study thus suggests an implementation of a currency board arrangement for Zimbabwe to eradicate hyperinflation based on its link with exchange rate, money supply and government deficit. A currency board restrains the tendency by most central banks to create money to finance government deficits, and reduces expectations of rising inflation through its instantaneous credibility in reducing inflation. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Ndlovu, Edwin
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Economic indicators , Inflation targeting , Foreign exchange
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26492 , vital:65480
- Description: Inflation is one of the most important factors for gauging the health of the economy. For production, employment and trade to take place, it is crucial that inflation be low and stable. This study analyses the implications of a currency board system in a hyperinflationary economy, using quarterly Zimbabwean data covering the period 1995 to 2008.An empirical model linking inflation to its identified theoretical determinants is specified. The study employs a cointegration and a vector error correction (VEC) modeling, to provide robust long run and short run dynamic effects of hyper inflation on the economy. The empirical findings reveal a strong significant relationship between inflation and government deficit, expected inflation, money supply growth and the exchange rate. These results corroborate the theoretical predictions and the previous findings that most hyperinflations are deficit-induced. The study thus suggests an implementation of a currency board arrangement for Zimbabwe to eradicate hyperinflation based on its link with exchange rate, money supply and government deficit. A currency board restrains the tendency by most central banks to create money to finance government deficits, and reduces expectations of rising inflation through its instantaneous credibility in reducing inflation. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Composition Portfolio
- Authors: Appollis, Sylvester
- Date: 201u
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193476 , vital:45335
- Description: Composition portfolio. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 201u
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 201u
- Authors: Appollis, Sylvester
- Date: 201u
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193476 , vital:45335
- Description: Composition portfolio. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 201u
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 201u
An empirical investigation of the balance sheet channel of monetary policy transmission in South Africa
- Authors: Kelvin, Mudita
- Date: 2009-12
- Subjects: Transmission mechanism (Monetary policy) -- South Africa , Financial statements
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24106 , vital:62375
- Description: The intention of this study is to outline an empirical framework of the balance sheet channel of monetary policy transmission in South Africa. Specifically, this study examines how monetary policy decisions are transmitted, through the balance sheet of business firms, to the real economy. The study is motivated by the fact that credit has now occupied an important role in the funding of new capital investment in South Africa. Thus, the balance sheet channel may become a relevant channel in the monetary policy transmission process. This study augments the co integration and vector auto regression (VAR) analysis with impulse response and variance decomposition analyses to provide evidence for the balance sheet channel. The study employs quarterly South African data covering the period 1980 to 2008. For that purpose, The VAR model will contain the following variables, Bank rate (monetary policy effect), External finance premium (information asymmetry channel), stock market capitalization (to cater for the collateral channel), Changes in industrial and commercial inventories (cashflows channel), credit extension (to cater for the effect of credit demand), and gross domestic product (to cater for the aggregate shock). The study finds evidence in support of the balance sheet channel of monetary policy transmission in South Africa. The channel is weak as proved by the results. Therefore, the balance sheet channel should not be neglected from both the policy perspective and academic literature point of view in South Africa. However, the findings may only pertain to idiosyncratic economic developments during the sample period, while not necessarily serving as a best guide as to how the South African economy would work in the future. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009-12
- Authors: Kelvin, Mudita
- Date: 2009-12
- Subjects: Transmission mechanism (Monetary policy) -- South Africa , Financial statements
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24106 , vital:62375
- Description: The intention of this study is to outline an empirical framework of the balance sheet channel of monetary policy transmission in South Africa. Specifically, this study examines how monetary policy decisions are transmitted, through the balance sheet of business firms, to the real economy. The study is motivated by the fact that credit has now occupied an important role in the funding of new capital investment in South Africa. Thus, the balance sheet channel may become a relevant channel in the monetary policy transmission process. This study augments the co integration and vector auto regression (VAR) analysis with impulse response and variance decomposition analyses to provide evidence for the balance sheet channel. The study employs quarterly South African data covering the period 1980 to 2008. For that purpose, The VAR model will contain the following variables, Bank rate (monetary policy effect), External finance premium (information asymmetry channel), stock market capitalization (to cater for the collateral channel), Changes in industrial and commercial inventories (cashflows channel), credit extension (to cater for the effect of credit demand), and gross domestic product (to cater for the aggregate shock). The study finds evidence in support of the balance sheet channel of monetary policy transmission in South Africa. The channel is weak as proved by the results. Therefore, the balance sheet channel should not be neglected from both the policy perspective and academic literature point of view in South Africa. However, the findings may only pertain to idiosyncratic economic developments during the sample period, while not necessarily serving as a best guide as to how the South African economy would work in the future. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009-12
Housing delivery and empowerment in Post - Apartheid South Africa: The Case of Nkonkobe Municipality
- Authors: Chakuwamba, Kapesi Antony
- Date: 2009-12
- Subjects: Housing -- Development , Nation-Building , Democratization
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23293 , vital:57027
- Description: The core argument in the study is that there have been little prospects of housing delivery in Nkonkobe Municipality. The obstacles for housing development in this area are embedded in the inflexibility of current policies and legacies of the colonial as well as the Apartheid era. Furthermore, the findings indicate that local as well as external sociopolitical practices such as lack of funding, unavailability of land, corruption, politicking, lack of community participation, impact of macro-economic policy, planning and lack of capacity seem to hamper the process of housing delivery. Hence, there is a need for an alternative development strategy which is adopted as the conceptual framework of this study. This is to enhance housing development in most rural areas. This conceptual framework propounds that housing provision in Nkonkobe region should be enhanced in the context of empowerment, nation-building and democratization in the post-Apartheid South Africa. The problem of housing has become a worldwide phenomenon. Compared to other countries, the number of people in need of adequate shelter has remarkably increased and in South Africa the number of people who live in substandard housing and those in desperate need of shelter is enormous. However, in the study a view of housing provision in post-Apartheid South Africa is advocated through looking at the nature of the state and its capacity to deliver quality housing service. A qualitative methodology comprising in-depth interviews and observation was employed in order to gain a deeper understanding of the effectiveness of the municipality in delivering quality service to its people. The ideological perspectives view historical causes and present day reasons for the perpetuation of the housing problem from different angles. A strategy based on alternative development is proposed in this study. The conceptual framework views the poor as active people engaged in the production of their own lives not passive recipients of state development projects. An underlying assumption is that housing provision is influenced by previous state forms and spatial practices. Therefore, the level of community participation could influence the success of housing development projects. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009-12
Housing delivery and empowerment in Post - Apartheid South Africa: The Case of Nkonkobe Municipality
- Authors: Chakuwamba, Kapesi Antony
- Date: 2009-12
- Subjects: Housing -- Development , Nation-Building , Democratization
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23293 , vital:57027
- Description: The core argument in the study is that there have been little prospects of housing delivery in Nkonkobe Municipality. The obstacles for housing development in this area are embedded in the inflexibility of current policies and legacies of the colonial as well as the Apartheid era. Furthermore, the findings indicate that local as well as external sociopolitical practices such as lack of funding, unavailability of land, corruption, politicking, lack of community participation, impact of macro-economic policy, planning and lack of capacity seem to hamper the process of housing delivery. Hence, there is a need for an alternative development strategy which is adopted as the conceptual framework of this study. This is to enhance housing development in most rural areas. This conceptual framework propounds that housing provision in Nkonkobe region should be enhanced in the context of empowerment, nation-building and democratization in the post-Apartheid South Africa. The problem of housing has become a worldwide phenomenon. Compared to other countries, the number of people in need of adequate shelter has remarkably increased and in South Africa the number of people who live in substandard housing and those in desperate need of shelter is enormous. However, in the study a view of housing provision in post-Apartheid South Africa is advocated through looking at the nature of the state and its capacity to deliver quality housing service. A qualitative methodology comprising in-depth interviews and observation was employed in order to gain a deeper understanding of the effectiveness of the municipality in delivering quality service to its people. The ideological perspectives view historical causes and present day reasons for the perpetuation of the housing problem from different angles. A strategy based on alternative development is proposed in this study. The conceptual framework views the poor as active people engaged in the production of their own lives not passive recipients of state development projects. An underlying assumption is that housing provision is influenced by previous state forms and spatial practices. Therefore, the level of community participation could influence the success of housing development projects. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009-12
Synthesis of bioethanol from lignocellulosic materials: A focus on grass and waste paper as raw materials
- Authors: Vala, Mavula Kikwe
- Date: 2009-12
- Subjects: Ethanol as fuel , Biomass energy , Lignocellulose -- Biotechnology
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24499 , vital:63049
- Description: Biofuels are currently recognized as not only a necessity, but an inevitable pathway to secure the planet future energy needs. Food crops have been used (so far) as the biomass for bioethanol and biodiesel production. This has increased concerns over food security and led to the search for diversification and alternative feedstocks for biofuel production. The use of lignocellulosic materials, the most abundant, low cost and easy feedstock to harvest for bioethanol purpose, involves challenging production processes. Several approaches have been used to facilitate the breakdown of the biopolymer structure to produce fermentable sugars that can be converted to ethanol. Most of the approaches have used high temperatures and pressures and have often led to the production of inhibitors of fermentation. In this study, lignocellulosic materials from grass and newsprint were investigated as sources of biomass for bioethanol production using a chemical route (sulfuric acid hydrolysis) which made use of temperatures below 100°C at normal atmospheric pressure. Fermentation of toxic lignocellulosic hydrolyzates was possible after the development of a method for inhibitors removal. The method used treated wood chips as a stationary phase in a chromatographic column to remove inhibitors. This method is expected to be extended to applications such as in municipal wastewater treatment. Sugar yields of 22.26 and 8.9 g/L of hydrolyzate; and an ethanol yield of 184.5 and 130.4 mg/mL of must were achieved for 5g grass and newsprint respectively using optimum conditions of 2percent H2SO4 at 97.5°C for grass and 0.5percent H2SO4 at 97.5°C for newsprint during the hydrolysis process. Pure cellulose was used as a control for the biomass where 254.1 g/L of fermentable sugars were recovered from soluble cellulose and the yield of ethanol was 201.8 mg/mL. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009-12
- Authors: Vala, Mavula Kikwe
- Date: 2009-12
- Subjects: Ethanol as fuel , Biomass energy , Lignocellulose -- Biotechnology
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24499 , vital:63049
- Description: Biofuels are currently recognized as not only a necessity, but an inevitable pathway to secure the planet future energy needs. Food crops have been used (so far) as the biomass for bioethanol and biodiesel production. This has increased concerns over food security and led to the search for diversification and alternative feedstocks for biofuel production. The use of lignocellulosic materials, the most abundant, low cost and easy feedstock to harvest for bioethanol purpose, involves challenging production processes. Several approaches have been used to facilitate the breakdown of the biopolymer structure to produce fermentable sugars that can be converted to ethanol. Most of the approaches have used high temperatures and pressures and have often led to the production of inhibitors of fermentation. In this study, lignocellulosic materials from grass and newsprint were investigated as sources of biomass for bioethanol production using a chemical route (sulfuric acid hydrolysis) which made use of temperatures below 100°C at normal atmospheric pressure. Fermentation of toxic lignocellulosic hydrolyzates was possible after the development of a method for inhibitors removal. The method used treated wood chips as a stationary phase in a chromatographic column to remove inhibitors. This method is expected to be extended to applications such as in municipal wastewater treatment. Sugar yields of 22.26 and 8.9 g/L of hydrolyzate; and an ethanol yield of 184.5 and 130.4 mg/mL of must were achieved for 5g grass and newsprint respectively using optimum conditions of 2percent H2SO4 at 97.5°C for grass and 0.5percent H2SO4 at 97.5°C for newsprint during the hydrolysis process. Pure cellulose was used as a control for the biomass where 254.1 g/L of fermentable sugars were recovered from soluble cellulose and the yield of ethanol was 201.8 mg/mL. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009-12
Citizenship, social capital and HIV/AIDS: a sociological analysis derived from the experience of the Umkhanyakhude district community, Kwazulu-Nata
- Nyawasha, Tawanda Sydesky https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4854-9989
- Authors: Nyawasha, Tawanda Sydesky https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4854-9989
- Date: 2009-02
- Subjects: Social capital (Sociology) , AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26208 , vital:64965
- Description: This thesis is a multi-level analysis that seeks to examine the utility of applying the concept of social capital in dealing with a complexity of challenges and problems caused by HIV/AIDS in areas of social marginality. It examines social capital in the context of rurality and how its usage can successfully mediate on the effects of all structural factors fuelling the HIV/AIDS epidemic including poverty and social marginality. It does this against the background of scholarly research findings on the relevance of community or neighbourhood social structure in resolving a host of issues affecting its citizens. The study establishes that the ‘public benefit’ of social capital lies in resource connectivity, meso-level interactions and reciprocal transactions useful for HIV/AIDS prevention. Social capital is therefore identified in this study as civic engagement, neigbourliness, voluntary association or civic membership and collective action. The central thesis or argument advanced by this study is that community or village level interactions and associations among people and groups can greatly influence community cohesion and action towards HIV/AIDS prevention, avoidance and mitigation. In its pursuit of a deeper enquiry and understanding of the most often misunderstood concept or rather elusive in both the social science and public health lexicon, the thesis identifies the major sources of social capital as voluntary civic membership or associations in community groups, local village or community assemblages, exchanges of HIV/AIDS specific information, public discussions and other social spaces useful in helping community citizens to get an awareness of HIV/AIDS thereby making them adopt an HIV/AIDS protective behaviour. In this thesis, community or village-level social capital is seen as having a significant effect on household and HIV/AIDS. The study establishes that the prevalence of norms of ‘civicness’ and the vibrancy of horizontal ties at the community or village level generates the needed stocks of social capital for poverty reduction and HIV/AIDS mitigation.Building on Habermas’s(1992) theories of the ‘public sphere’ and ‘communicative action’ andthe Freirian(1996) discourse of ‘dialogue and praxis’, the study highlights the need for social for communication and dialogue in order to break the silence around HIV/AIDS in rural societies. Deliberative discussions or community conversations are suggested to build a critical awareness and consciousness on HIV/AIDS within the community or village context. In this study, quantifiable evidence tends to suggest that there is a strong correlation between lack of HIV/AIDS specific knowledge and HIV/ AIDS vulnerability. The study underscores the need forpublic communication on HIV/AIDS through community-level dialogues and conversations.Community dialogues and conversations are suggested to be active forms of interaction generating significant levels of social capital in the form of public knowledge on HIV/AIDS. This form of public knowledge is perceived as generating action oriented towards HIV/AIDS prevention and fostering the adoption of safer behavioural practices. The thesis also highlights the often muted link or correlation between human capital in the form of education and social capital. In several instances, the study has proven that human capital and education in particular helps in the creation of high stocks of social capital that can be applied to counteract both household and village level HIV/AIDS. The research further establishes the need for citizenship education which is more contextual and calls for critical enquiry, reflection and thinking on the part of all citizens or villagers. All in all, the research extends the existing knowledge on collective efficacy, village or neighbourhood advantage, associational or group membership, village governance and HIV/AIDS in the developing economies. It sheds more light on how village-level processes, interactions and exchanges within the ‘public sphere’ can be streamlined to deal with issues of marginality and rural HIV/AIDS. These study findings on social capital contribute to the ongoing debate about social capital, its relevance and applicability, in solving public health issues and challenges in developing societies. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009-02
- Authors: Nyawasha, Tawanda Sydesky https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4854-9989
- Date: 2009-02
- Subjects: Social capital (Sociology) , AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26208 , vital:64965
- Description: This thesis is a multi-level analysis that seeks to examine the utility of applying the concept of social capital in dealing with a complexity of challenges and problems caused by HIV/AIDS in areas of social marginality. It examines social capital in the context of rurality and how its usage can successfully mediate on the effects of all structural factors fuelling the HIV/AIDS epidemic including poverty and social marginality. It does this against the background of scholarly research findings on the relevance of community or neighbourhood social structure in resolving a host of issues affecting its citizens. The study establishes that the ‘public benefit’ of social capital lies in resource connectivity, meso-level interactions and reciprocal transactions useful for HIV/AIDS prevention. Social capital is therefore identified in this study as civic engagement, neigbourliness, voluntary association or civic membership and collective action. The central thesis or argument advanced by this study is that community or village level interactions and associations among people and groups can greatly influence community cohesion and action towards HIV/AIDS prevention, avoidance and mitigation. In its pursuit of a deeper enquiry and understanding of the most often misunderstood concept or rather elusive in both the social science and public health lexicon, the thesis identifies the major sources of social capital as voluntary civic membership or associations in community groups, local village or community assemblages, exchanges of HIV/AIDS specific information, public discussions and other social spaces useful in helping community citizens to get an awareness of HIV/AIDS thereby making them adopt an HIV/AIDS protective behaviour. In this thesis, community or village-level social capital is seen as having a significant effect on household and HIV/AIDS. The study establishes that the prevalence of norms of ‘civicness’ and the vibrancy of horizontal ties at the community or village level generates the needed stocks of social capital for poverty reduction and HIV/AIDS mitigation.Building on Habermas’s(1992) theories of the ‘public sphere’ and ‘communicative action’ andthe Freirian(1996) discourse of ‘dialogue and praxis’, the study highlights the need for social for communication and dialogue in order to break the silence around HIV/AIDS in rural societies. Deliberative discussions or community conversations are suggested to build a critical awareness and consciousness on HIV/AIDS within the community or village context. In this study, quantifiable evidence tends to suggest that there is a strong correlation between lack of HIV/AIDS specific knowledge and HIV/ AIDS vulnerability. The study underscores the need forpublic communication on HIV/AIDS through community-level dialogues and conversations.Community dialogues and conversations are suggested to be active forms of interaction generating significant levels of social capital in the form of public knowledge on HIV/AIDS. This form of public knowledge is perceived as generating action oriented towards HIV/AIDS prevention and fostering the adoption of safer behavioural practices. The thesis also highlights the often muted link or correlation between human capital in the form of education and social capital. In several instances, the study has proven that human capital and education in particular helps in the creation of high stocks of social capital that can be applied to counteract both household and village level HIV/AIDS. The research further establishes the need for citizenship education which is more contextual and calls for critical enquiry, reflection and thinking on the part of all citizens or villagers. All in all, the research extends the existing knowledge on collective efficacy, village or neighbourhood advantage, associational or group membership, village governance and HIV/AIDS in the developing economies. It sheds more light on how village-level processes, interactions and exchanges within the ‘public sphere’ can be streamlined to deal with issues of marginality and rural HIV/AIDS. These study findings on social capital contribute to the ongoing debate about social capital, its relevance and applicability, in solving public health issues and challenges in developing societies. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009-02
Numerical quadrature of oscillatory and non-oscillatory integrals
- Dukuza, Kenneth Njengele https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4525-7390
- Authors: Dukuza, Kenneth Njengele https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4525-7390
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Oscillations , Numerical integration , Numerical analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24304 , vital:62600
- Description: In this dissertation we develop efficient new methods and techniques to numerically evaluate integrals of both oscillatory and non oscillatory kind. We have done a comprehensive literature review on the existing methods and made some modifications to them so as to cope with difficulties such as oscillations and strong singularities. In the numerical algorithms we have used mainly the MATLAB source code. Our results have been compared with well known methods by renowned authors in this field. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Dukuza, Kenneth Njengele https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4525-7390
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Oscillations , Numerical integration , Numerical analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24304 , vital:62600
- Description: In this dissertation we develop efficient new methods and techniques to numerically evaluate integrals of both oscillatory and non oscillatory kind. We have done a comprehensive literature review on the existing methods and made some modifications to them so as to cope with difficulties such as oscillations and strong singularities. In the numerical algorithms we have used mainly the MATLAB source code. Our results have been compared with well known methods by renowned authors in this field. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Assessment of the implementation of performance management system at Mnquma Local municipality of the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Mbiko, Khanyiso Livingstone
- Date: 2008-12
- Subjects: Performance -- Management , Personnel management
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24165 , vital:62439
- Description: The intention of this study was to assess the implementation of performance management system at the Mnquma local municipality. The municipality of Mnquma has in the past been plagued by service delivery challenges and thus the study sought to ascertain whether the challenges could be attributed to the failures of the performance management system within the municipality. It became apparent from the literature review that for any local municipality to play a meaningful role in ensuring that South Africa achieves the goal of becoming a developmental state, capable of confronting service delivery challenges, there needs to be a proper implementation of the performance management system. The study was also aimed at identifying the factors that support or hinder the implementation of the performance management system within the Mnquma local municipality. In order to achieve this objective, scheduled interviews were conducted with various respondents in the municipality. The respondents included the councilors from the four political parties comprising the municipality council, municipal manager and the rest of the Section 57 managers. The key findings that emerged from the data collected, was that the implementation of the performance management system has not been successful. It is also became apparent that there are brewing political tensions that are likely to affect the political stability of the municipality. In addition, it was also evident that there was a minimal or lack of involvement of the local communities in the municipal affairs such as the development of the Municipal Key Performance Indicators. It would therefore be critical important for the management of the Mnquma local municipality to take into account the results of this study and its recommendations so as to ensure that there is a proper implementation of the performance management system within the municipality. , Thesis (MPA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008-12
- Authors: Mbiko, Khanyiso Livingstone
- Date: 2008-12
- Subjects: Performance -- Management , Personnel management
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24165 , vital:62439
- Description: The intention of this study was to assess the implementation of performance management system at the Mnquma local municipality. The municipality of Mnquma has in the past been plagued by service delivery challenges and thus the study sought to ascertain whether the challenges could be attributed to the failures of the performance management system within the municipality. It became apparent from the literature review that for any local municipality to play a meaningful role in ensuring that South Africa achieves the goal of becoming a developmental state, capable of confronting service delivery challenges, there needs to be a proper implementation of the performance management system. The study was also aimed at identifying the factors that support or hinder the implementation of the performance management system within the Mnquma local municipality. In order to achieve this objective, scheduled interviews were conducted with various respondents in the municipality. The respondents included the councilors from the four political parties comprising the municipality council, municipal manager and the rest of the Section 57 managers. The key findings that emerged from the data collected, was that the implementation of the performance management system has not been successful. It is also became apparent that there are brewing political tensions that are likely to affect the political stability of the municipality. In addition, it was also evident that there was a minimal or lack of involvement of the local communities in the municipal affairs such as the development of the Municipal Key Performance Indicators. It would therefore be critical important for the management of the Mnquma local municipality to take into account the results of this study and its recommendations so as to ensure that there is a proper implementation of the performance management system within the municipality. , Thesis (MPA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008-12
Re-imagining rural agrarian transformation in the Eastern Cape
- Mwangolela, Tafadzwa Fungayi
- Authors: Mwangolela, Tafadzwa Fungayi
- Date: 2008-11
- Subjects: Agricultural development projects , Agricultural innovations , Rural development
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26559 , vital:65642
- Description: The research report is submitted to the School of Public Management and Development, University of Fort Hare as part of Masters in Public Administration requirements. The Provincial Growth and Development Plan 2004 2014 has identified agriculture as a critical pillar strategy of poverty reduction and growth in the Eastern Cape Province. The main aim of the study was to assess the viability of the agrarian transformation initiatives in the Eastern Cape. The study therefore was measuring the progress made by the agrarian transformation initiatives in selected areas versus the following variables food security, household community growth, participation and community involvement, and production support. In the attempt to achieve the main objectives, the study focused on the political economy of the rural as the policy context. The literature was an in-depth engagement with body of knowledge on agrarian transformations, with particular interest in governance participation and the impacts of agrarian initiatives in some countries. The product of literature analysis is the hypothetical model, termed the democratised rural agrarian transformation that should shape the policy implementation of agrarian reform. The study also undertook a field work that was guided by research methodology protocols from social science. The study thus collected primary data from 54 farmers participants drawn from 4 local municipalities within Chris Hani and Amathole District Municipalities. The findings of the study showed that there is still a challenge on the potential of rural agriculture to stimulate the improvement of food security status, and rural incomes. This reality is due to various factors such as poor farmer participation, weakness in coordination of the projects, limited access to extension services as a matter of capacity building. The study makes recommendations which are outlined a building local linkages integration with Local Economic Development initiatives and improvement of agrarian social infrastructure dynamic extension services, and political interventions. Conclusively there is need for an intergovernmental approach to the redress of the agrarian question in rural Eastern Cape. , Thesis (MPA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008-11
- Authors: Mwangolela, Tafadzwa Fungayi
- Date: 2008-11
- Subjects: Agricultural development projects , Agricultural innovations , Rural development
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26559 , vital:65642
- Description: The research report is submitted to the School of Public Management and Development, University of Fort Hare as part of Masters in Public Administration requirements. The Provincial Growth and Development Plan 2004 2014 has identified agriculture as a critical pillar strategy of poverty reduction and growth in the Eastern Cape Province. The main aim of the study was to assess the viability of the agrarian transformation initiatives in the Eastern Cape. The study therefore was measuring the progress made by the agrarian transformation initiatives in selected areas versus the following variables food security, household community growth, participation and community involvement, and production support. In the attempt to achieve the main objectives, the study focused on the political economy of the rural as the policy context. The literature was an in-depth engagement with body of knowledge on agrarian transformations, with particular interest in governance participation and the impacts of agrarian initiatives in some countries. The product of literature analysis is the hypothetical model, termed the democratised rural agrarian transformation that should shape the policy implementation of agrarian reform. The study also undertook a field work that was guided by research methodology protocols from social science. The study thus collected primary data from 54 farmers participants drawn from 4 local municipalities within Chris Hani and Amathole District Municipalities. The findings of the study showed that there is still a challenge on the potential of rural agriculture to stimulate the improvement of food security status, and rural incomes. This reality is due to various factors such as poor farmer participation, weakness in coordination of the projects, limited access to extension services as a matter of capacity building. The study makes recommendations which are outlined a building local linkages integration with Local Economic Development initiatives and improvement of agrarian social infrastructure dynamic extension services, and political interventions. Conclusively there is need for an intergovernmental approach to the redress of the agrarian question in rural Eastern Cape. , Thesis (MPA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008-11
An evaluation of citizen participation in policy implementation in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality
- Authors: Pafa, Zolekile Willie
- Date: 2008-09
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Citizen participation , Policy sciences -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24476 , vital:62980
- Description: The new political dispensation in South Africa requires that the municipal authorities should involve citizens in policy implementation. In this mini-dissertation, a study is undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of the citizen participation in policy implementation at the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality. The study emanates from the assumption that citizens are not effectively involved in municipal matters. The main objectives of the study are provide a theoretical framework for policy implementation by describing and explaining its nature and place in Public Administration; provide a constitutional framework for citizen participation in South Africa; evaluate the role of citizens in policy implementation in the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality; evaluate the interaction between citizens, the councillors and the chief officials in the above municipal authority; and where possible, include recommendations for the improvement of citizen participation in policy implementation in the above municipal authority. The study is envisaged as providing possible solution to the ineffective participation of citizens in municipal matters. The study presents an overview of the legislative framework and the role citizens can play. This is followed by the theoretical framework of the policy implementation within the municipal policy process. Based on the theoretical framework presented, an analysis is then made to prove whether citizens do participate in municipal matters in King Sabata Dalindyebo. It is envisaged that this study will promote the involvement of citizens in municipal matters in King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality. Finally, the study ends by providing recommendations to the problem of ineffective citizen participation in King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality. , Thesis (MPA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008-09
- Authors: Pafa, Zolekile Willie
- Date: 2008-09
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Citizen participation , Policy sciences -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24476 , vital:62980
- Description: The new political dispensation in South Africa requires that the municipal authorities should involve citizens in policy implementation. In this mini-dissertation, a study is undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of the citizen participation in policy implementation at the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality. The study emanates from the assumption that citizens are not effectively involved in municipal matters. The main objectives of the study are provide a theoretical framework for policy implementation by describing and explaining its nature and place in Public Administration; provide a constitutional framework for citizen participation in South Africa; evaluate the role of citizens in policy implementation in the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality; evaluate the interaction between citizens, the councillors and the chief officials in the above municipal authority; and where possible, include recommendations for the improvement of citizen participation in policy implementation in the above municipal authority. The study is envisaged as providing possible solution to the ineffective participation of citizens in municipal matters. The study presents an overview of the legislative framework and the role citizens can play. This is followed by the theoretical framework of the policy implementation within the municipal policy process. Based on the theoretical framework presented, an analysis is then made to prove whether citizens do participate in municipal matters in King Sabata Dalindyebo. It is envisaged that this study will promote the involvement of citizens in municipal matters in King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality. Finally, the study ends by providing recommendations to the problem of ineffective citizen participation in King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality. , Thesis (MPA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008-09
An investigation into the effect of corporate philanthropy on staff wellbeing at a small company in the South African marketing industry
- Authors: Schepers, Deborah Christine
- Date: 2008-03
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/191412 , vital:45095
- Description: In many service industries, the source of a company’s value has shifted from capital to knowledge and ideas, the quality of which is dependent on its employees (Wooldridge, 2006). In fact, human resources can be considered part of factor conditions which can positively impact on a firm’s competitive context. This impact can ultimately translate into improved financial results (Porter and Kramer, 2002). There is therefore a growing interest in ways to attract and retain talent. According to the managers of many big companies, well communicated corporate responsibility practices can improve staff attraction as well as retention rates by improving morale (CSRwire, 2002). To explore this, a small, creative company in Johannesburg which engages in charity work was selected as a case study, with the goal being to understand whether their culture of good deeds has a positive impact on staff wellbeing. While the owner of the company actively attempts to make the company an enjoyable place to work at, he appears to have initiated the philanthropic activities in a true spirit of giving, rather than with the motive of engaging staff in order to make more money. Nevertheless, the researcher’s investigative stance is that of an enlightened egoist, and the study focuses on the business case of giving being beneficial to the giver (ultimately the company) in the long term, as well as to the recipient. While the danger of suggesting that philanthropy could be instrumentalised is acknowledged (Morton, 2004), the investigation explores the possibility because such evidence could persuade other companies to become more socially concerned. Through a qualitative approach involving interviews, observation and analysis of video footage, it becomes apparent that there is clearly value for the staff in the charity work they do. Unfortunately the multiple initiatives undertaken to keep staff morale high at the company make it impossible to establish a clear link between the philanthropy and overall wellbeing, but as the study was conducted in the phenomenological paradigm the main concern was with understanding the experience of participants. However, an unexpected finding was that the employees derive great satisfaction from using their professional skills for charity work rather than just donating money to the charity. They feel that their skills uniquely position them to make significant changes to the lives of others, which gives them a sense of pride and achievement that they don’t necessarily experience in their ordinary activities at work. On the basis of this, it is recommended that companies look to involve staff with projects that require their specific expertise when evaluating philanthropic initiatives. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Investec Business School, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008-03
- Authors: Schepers, Deborah Christine
- Date: 2008-03
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/191412 , vital:45095
- Description: In many service industries, the source of a company’s value has shifted from capital to knowledge and ideas, the quality of which is dependent on its employees (Wooldridge, 2006). In fact, human resources can be considered part of factor conditions which can positively impact on a firm’s competitive context. This impact can ultimately translate into improved financial results (Porter and Kramer, 2002). There is therefore a growing interest in ways to attract and retain talent. According to the managers of many big companies, well communicated corporate responsibility practices can improve staff attraction as well as retention rates by improving morale (CSRwire, 2002). To explore this, a small, creative company in Johannesburg which engages in charity work was selected as a case study, with the goal being to understand whether their culture of good deeds has a positive impact on staff wellbeing. While the owner of the company actively attempts to make the company an enjoyable place to work at, he appears to have initiated the philanthropic activities in a true spirit of giving, rather than with the motive of engaging staff in order to make more money. Nevertheless, the researcher’s investigative stance is that of an enlightened egoist, and the study focuses on the business case of giving being beneficial to the giver (ultimately the company) in the long term, as well as to the recipient. While the danger of suggesting that philanthropy could be instrumentalised is acknowledged (Morton, 2004), the investigation explores the possibility because such evidence could persuade other companies to become more socially concerned. Through a qualitative approach involving interviews, observation and analysis of video footage, it becomes apparent that there is clearly value for the staff in the charity work they do. Unfortunately the multiple initiatives undertaken to keep staff morale high at the company make it impossible to establish a clear link between the philanthropy and overall wellbeing, but as the study was conducted in the phenomenological paradigm the main concern was with understanding the experience of participants. However, an unexpected finding was that the employees derive great satisfaction from using their professional skills for charity work rather than just donating money to the charity. They feel that their skills uniquely position them to make significant changes to the lives of others, which gives them a sense of pride and achievement that they don’t necessarily experience in their ordinary activities at work. On the basis of this, it is recommended that companies look to involve staff with projects that require their specific expertise when evaluating philanthropic initiatives. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Investec Business School, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008-03
A comparison of ethical models for conflict resolution in the African context
- Authors: Mbangu, Muyingi
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Africa -- Politics and government , Conflict management
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25052 , vital:63948
- Description: Remarkably little research has been done about the potential of ethical models for violent conflict resolution in the African context. I will argue here that ethical models such as Utilitarianism, Deontologism, Virtue ethics, and African ethics can exert influence to help resolve conflict situations peacefully for the sake of African civilians generally and the DRC civilians in particular. This influence firstly becomes visible in the fact that ethical models can guide conflict resolution attempts to bring about conditions of peace, justice and freedom among African civilians in whichever nations state they find themselves. Secondly, ethical models can be established in the resolution of conflict for a lasting peace in the African context, and lastly, ethical models can be proposed as a guideline for all African leaders to lead their countries in peace. The conclusion I draw is that a normative framework of ethical models can be applied in conflict resolution in the African context. This framework draws on all four models, but leans toward deontology because of its strictness or rigour of universal rules or principles in any situation. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Mbangu, Muyingi
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Africa -- Politics and government , Conflict management
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25052 , vital:63948
- Description: Remarkably little research has been done about the potential of ethical models for violent conflict resolution in the African context. I will argue here that ethical models such as Utilitarianism, Deontologism, Virtue ethics, and African ethics can exert influence to help resolve conflict situations peacefully for the sake of African civilians generally and the DRC civilians in particular. This influence firstly becomes visible in the fact that ethical models can guide conflict resolution attempts to bring about conditions of peace, justice and freedom among African civilians in whichever nations state they find themselves. Secondly, ethical models can be established in the resolution of conflict for a lasting peace in the African context, and lastly, ethical models can be proposed as a guideline for all African leaders to lead their countries in peace. The conclusion I draw is that a normative framework of ethical models can be applied in conflict resolution in the African context. This framework draws on all four models, but leans toward deontology because of its strictness or rigour of universal rules or principles in any situation. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
The impact of aid dependence on social development: the case of Zimbabwe
- Authors: Nyatoro, Tinashe
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Economic assistance , Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26649 , vital:65735
- Description: The purpose of this study was to look at how a foreign aid dependent economy is vulnerable to external manipulations. This study came up with the conclusion that foreign capital dependence is detrimental to long-term social, economic, and sustainable development of developing countries. The study also noted how foreign aid is used as a foreign policy instrument by western countries to influence the behaviour of the developing countries. The study noted that Zimbabwe is an aid dependent country hence its vulnerability to external manipulation. This has been demonstrated by capital flight from Zimbabwe since 1997. Multilateral Financial Institutions, the European Union, United States of America and other bilateral donors withdrew their financial support to the country due to policy disagreements with the Zimbabwean government. This incidence of donors withdrawing their financial support to Zimbabwe raises fundamental questions as to whether the African state is autonomous or is it possible for the African state to delink itself from the current global international market and at what costs? What has come out very clearly from this study is that a dependent state has no autonomy to decide on its domestic and foreign policies without considering the interests of its donors, and hence its vulnerability to external manipulations. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Nyatoro, Tinashe
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Economic assistance , Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26649 , vital:65735
- Description: The purpose of this study was to look at how a foreign aid dependent economy is vulnerable to external manipulations. This study came up with the conclusion that foreign capital dependence is detrimental to long-term social, economic, and sustainable development of developing countries. The study also noted how foreign aid is used as a foreign policy instrument by western countries to influence the behaviour of the developing countries. The study noted that Zimbabwe is an aid dependent country hence its vulnerability to external manipulation. This has been demonstrated by capital flight from Zimbabwe since 1997. Multilateral Financial Institutions, the European Union, United States of America and other bilateral donors withdrew their financial support to the country due to policy disagreements with the Zimbabwean government. This incidence of donors withdrawing their financial support to Zimbabwe raises fundamental questions as to whether the African state is autonomous or is it possible for the African state to delink itself from the current global international market and at what costs? What has come out very clearly from this study is that a dependent state has no autonomy to decide on its domestic and foreign policies without considering the interests of its donors, and hence its vulnerability to external manipulations. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2008
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
Photovoltaic-powered wireless communication system for rural schools outside national utility grid
- Kaseke, Richmore https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8295-5016
- Authors: Kaseke, Richmore https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8295-5016
- Date: 2007-02
- Subjects: Photovoltaic system
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25483 , vital:64284
- Description: Access to global information is inarguably one of the key ways of bringing development to any community. In developing worlds, many rural schools lie outside both the Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) cable network and the national utility grid. Rapid developments in information and communication technology (ICT) continue to widen the digital divide between urban and rural schools. In South Africa, although these rural areas are outside the ISP’s cable network, they enjoy excellent mobile (cellular) communications network coverage. Fortunately, leading mobile operators in the country (MTN and Vodacom) have incorporated mobile data packet services into their cellular communication networks since 2002. A stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system for powering ICT equipment in off grid rural schools was designed and installed; and its performance monitored. Performance of the system was considered in two categories, which are; cost and service performance. In cost performance, return on investment (ROI) and payback period (PB) are the two critical considerations. The PV system designed in this study gave an impressive ROI and PB of 286percent and 5 years, respectively. In order to monitor and evaluate the service performance a data acquisition system (DAS) was designed and installed. Besides proving the potential of PV in powering ICT equipment, results from the DAS also suggested a more efficient way of employing PV as a power source for powering equipment that is based on Switched-Mode Power Supply Units. Concurrent and continuous change in irradiance and temperature result in a four-segment pattern of rising and falling module efficiency throughout the day. Generally, modules produce more energy on cooler sunny days than hotter sunny days. Infrared (IR) Thermography was also used as part of both indoor and outdoor module tests. During indoor tests at pre-deployment stage, IR Thermography showed development of hot spots in mismatched cells of reverse-biased modules. On the outdoors, IR Thermography reiterated the effect of bird droppings on module surfaces by showing hot spots forming on areas covered by the droppings. For internet connectivity, a customized Mobile Internet Device (MIDevice) was designed, built and tested. The device allows remote computer systems to be connected to the Internet via the already existing mobile communication network k using General Packet Radio Services (GPRS). An entire rural school local area network (LAN) can be connected to the Internet via a single MIDevice. An experimental setup was designed in order to monitor and evaluate performance of GPRS in specific and mobile Internet solutions in general. Results obtained proved that GPRS can indeed be a solution for remote Internet connectivity in rural schools. In order to improve performance of GPRS or mobile Internet connections, caching, pop-up blocking and proxy filtering are necessary. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2007
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007-02
- Authors: Kaseke, Richmore https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8295-5016
- Date: 2007-02
- Subjects: Photovoltaic system
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25483 , vital:64284
- Description: Access to global information is inarguably one of the key ways of bringing development to any community. In developing worlds, many rural schools lie outside both the Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) cable network and the national utility grid. Rapid developments in information and communication technology (ICT) continue to widen the digital divide between urban and rural schools. In South Africa, although these rural areas are outside the ISP’s cable network, they enjoy excellent mobile (cellular) communications network coverage. Fortunately, leading mobile operators in the country (MTN and Vodacom) have incorporated mobile data packet services into their cellular communication networks since 2002. A stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system for powering ICT equipment in off grid rural schools was designed and installed; and its performance monitored. Performance of the system was considered in two categories, which are; cost and service performance. In cost performance, return on investment (ROI) and payback period (PB) are the two critical considerations. The PV system designed in this study gave an impressive ROI and PB of 286percent and 5 years, respectively. In order to monitor and evaluate the service performance a data acquisition system (DAS) was designed and installed. Besides proving the potential of PV in powering ICT equipment, results from the DAS also suggested a more efficient way of employing PV as a power source for powering equipment that is based on Switched-Mode Power Supply Units. Concurrent and continuous change in irradiance and temperature result in a four-segment pattern of rising and falling module efficiency throughout the day. Generally, modules produce more energy on cooler sunny days than hotter sunny days. Infrared (IR) Thermography was also used as part of both indoor and outdoor module tests. During indoor tests at pre-deployment stage, IR Thermography showed development of hot spots in mismatched cells of reverse-biased modules. On the outdoors, IR Thermography reiterated the effect of bird droppings on module surfaces by showing hot spots forming on areas covered by the droppings. For internet connectivity, a customized Mobile Internet Device (MIDevice) was designed, built and tested. The device allows remote computer systems to be connected to the Internet via the already existing mobile communication network k using General Packet Radio Services (GPRS). An entire rural school local area network (LAN) can be connected to the Internet via a single MIDevice. An experimental setup was designed in order to monitor and evaluate performance of GPRS in specific and mobile Internet solutions in general. Results obtained proved that GPRS can indeed be a solution for remote Internet connectivity in rural schools. In order to improve performance of GPRS or mobile Internet connections, caching, pop-up blocking and proxy filtering are necessary. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2007
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007-02