A conceptual IT governance framework to guide the development of interoperable health information systems
- Authors: Matshaba, Lebogang
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Information technology Management , Information technology Management Standards , Information technology Security measures , Medical informatics South Africa , Medical records Data processing , Internetworking (Telecommunication) , National health insurance South Africa , Design Science Research (DSR)
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/284570 , vital:56075
- Description: In light of changing health needs, health information systems are presented with a plethora of challenges. For instance, the rise of COVID-19 in the past year has led to the discourse on the strength of current health systems to support health needs and the readiness for the National Health Insurance in South Africa. In addition to operating in resource-constrained environments, the lack of synchrony between health information systems across health facilities led to the fragmentation of health information and diminished access to quality healthcare. This research, following the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) process, developed an IT governance conceptual framework (HISIG-CF), to inform the interoperability of health information systems. The HISIG-CF is developed from literature and qualitative data collected using an expert reviews method from practitioners in the healthcare sector who evaluated the constructs of the HISIG-CF. Thematic analysis and hermeneutics were used to analyse and interpret the data. The results revealed a need for more guidance to inform interoperability interventions and strengthen current health information systems. The contribution of this study is the HISIG-CF which is deemed relevant and potentially fit-for-purpose to improve health information systems interoperability within the healthcare sector in South Africa. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Department of Information Systems, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
- Authors: Matshaba, Lebogang
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Information technology Management , Information technology Management Standards , Information technology Security measures , Medical informatics South Africa , Medical records Data processing , Internetworking (Telecommunication) , National health insurance South Africa , Design Science Research (DSR)
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/284570 , vital:56075
- Description: In light of changing health needs, health information systems are presented with a plethora of challenges. For instance, the rise of COVID-19 in the past year has led to the discourse on the strength of current health systems to support health needs and the readiness for the National Health Insurance in South Africa. In addition to operating in resource-constrained environments, the lack of synchrony between health information systems across health facilities led to the fragmentation of health information and diminished access to quality healthcare. This research, following the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) process, developed an IT governance conceptual framework (HISIG-CF), to inform the interoperability of health information systems. The HISIG-CF is developed from literature and qualitative data collected using an expert reviews method from practitioners in the healthcare sector who evaluated the constructs of the HISIG-CF. Thematic analysis and hermeneutics were used to analyse and interpret the data. The results revealed a need for more guidance to inform interoperability interventions and strengthen current health information systems. The contribution of this study is the HISIG-CF which is deemed relevant and potentially fit-for-purpose to improve health information systems interoperability within the healthcare sector in South Africa. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Department of Information Systems, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
A critical exploration of the attitudes towards and knowledge of natural resource management amongst first-year Natural Resource Management students
- Authors: Jooste, Eileen
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53666 , vital:45688
- Description: Available literature suggests that there is a need to gain more understanding of what students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge are and how they are developed by education systems. Education, in general, plays an important role in students’ attitudes and their knowledge of the world around them. It can shape students’ awareness of their natural environment and contribute to their understanding of environmental issues. Education can also strengthen students’ critical thinking, build awareness, stimulate problem solving, and promote sustainable practices. It has the potential to empower students to address global challenges from their own diverse perspectives and prepare them to uphold the economy. Education can improve and maintain societal wellbeing and can help students to maintain the natural environment, along with achieving sustainable development. Environmental education, specifically, can play a big role in how students deal with the natural environment. The primary aim of this qualitative research study was to examine first-year students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge in the School of Natural Resource Management at the Nelson Mandela University George Campus, South Africa. First-year students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge were examined as they entered the university, and then again at the end of the first semester once they had completed a module in ecology. More specifically, at the outset of the research the objectives were (1) to establish an understanding of the baseline environmental attitudes and knowledge of first-year students who were undertaking three ecological modules being offered by the School of Natural Resource Management; (2) to assess the changes in the first-year students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge, using a post-intervention strategy; (3) to understand what type of teaching approaches were used by the lecturers teaching the ecological modules; and (4) to evaluate how the teaching approaches of the lecturers influenced the baseline environmental attitudes and knowledge of the student group. This research took place in the midst of the Corona Virus pandemic, which had significantly influenced the teaching and learning environment. Multiple education systems, including those of the Nelson Mandela University George Campus, had to rapidly transition to online teaching and learning. So, although unplanned for, this research could not ignore the rapid transition to online teaching and learning and the role it played in shaping the first-year School of Natural Resource Management students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge. It also impacted the teaching approaches of the environmental lecturers. An additional objective in response to the rapid transition to online teaching and learning was, therefore, added: (5) to understand the experiences of the first-year School of Natural Resource Management students and the three environmental lecturers who had to rapidly transition to online teaching and learning. Data was collected via questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with students and staff in the School of Natural Resource Management at Nelson Mandela University George Campus within three different natural resource management programs, namely Agriculture, Nature Conservation, and Forestry. Baseline questionnaires were conducted with 107 students for a baseline assessment as the students entered the university. An online post-intervention questionnaire was conducted with 33 of the initial group of students at the end of the semester for a post-intervention assessment. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with three environmental lectures before they taught their three ecology modules in each of the programs. Additional online semi-structured interviews were also done with the same three environmental lectures after the rapid transition to online teaching and learning took place. The significant findings from this research were analyzed and discussed. This included the baseline environmental attitudes and knowledge of the student body upon arrival at the university and the changes in their environmental attitudes and knowledge after they were exposed to the ecology modules taught in each of the programs. The discussion also included the teaching approaches adopted by the environmental lecturers and the influence their teaching approaches had on the students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge. In addition, the results shed light on the experiences of students and lecturers during the rapid transition to online teaching and learning. The main conclusions reached were that the first-year School of Natural Resource Management students did not have a deep understanding of ecological concepts prior to arriving at university, but they did show a concern for the natural environment. Their lack of understanding was reduced as the students progressed with the ecology module. A greater understanding resulted in a change in students’ perspectives on the ecological module, their program, and the industry they were preparing to enter after being exposed to the ecology module. The environmental lecturers’ teaching approaches contributed to improving the students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge. When it came to the rapid transition to online teaching and learning, both the first-year School of Natural Resource Management students and environmental lecturers experienced benefits and challenges. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Management, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Jooste, Eileen
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53666 , vital:45688
- Description: Available literature suggests that there is a need to gain more understanding of what students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge are and how they are developed by education systems. Education, in general, plays an important role in students’ attitudes and their knowledge of the world around them. It can shape students’ awareness of their natural environment and contribute to their understanding of environmental issues. Education can also strengthen students’ critical thinking, build awareness, stimulate problem solving, and promote sustainable practices. It has the potential to empower students to address global challenges from their own diverse perspectives and prepare them to uphold the economy. Education can improve and maintain societal wellbeing and can help students to maintain the natural environment, along with achieving sustainable development. Environmental education, specifically, can play a big role in how students deal with the natural environment. The primary aim of this qualitative research study was to examine first-year students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge in the School of Natural Resource Management at the Nelson Mandela University George Campus, South Africa. First-year students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge were examined as they entered the university, and then again at the end of the first semester once they had completed a module in ecology. More specifically, at the outset of the research the objectives were (1) to establish an understanding of the baseline environmental attitudes and knowledge of first-year students who were undertaking three ecological modules being offered by the School of Natural Resource Management; (2) to assess the changes in the first-year students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge, using a post-intervention strategy; (3) to understand what type of teaching approaches were used by the lecturers teaching the ecological modules; and (4) to evaluate how the teaching approaches of the lecturers influenced the baseline environmental attitudes and knowledge of the student group. This research took place in the midst of the Corona Virus pandemic, which had significantly influenced the teaching and learning environment. Multiple education systems, including those of the Nelson Mandela University George Campus, had to rapidly transition to online teaching and learning. So, although unplanned for, this research could not ignore the rapid transition to online teaching and learning and the role it played in shaping the first-year School of Natural Resource Management students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge. It also impacted the teaching approaches of the environmental lecturers. An additional objective in response to the rapid transition to online teaching and learning was, therefore, added: (5) to understand the experiences of the first-year School of Natural Resource Management students and the three environmental lecturers who had to rapidly transition to online teaching and learning. Data was collected via questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with students and staff in the School of Natural Resource Management at Nelson Mandela University George Campus within three different natural resource management programs, namely Agriculture, Nature Conservation, and Forestry. Baseline questionnaires were conducted with 107 students for a baseline assessment as the students entered the university. An online post-intervention questionnaire was conducted with 33 of the initial group of students at the end of the semester for a post-intervention assessment. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with three environmental lectures before they taught their three ecology modules in each of the programs. Additional online semi-structured interviews were also done with the same three environmental lectures after the rapid transition to online teaching and learning took place. The significant findings from this research were analyzed and discussed. This included the baseline environmental attitudes and knowledge of the student body upon arrival at the university and the changes in their environmental attitudes and knowledge after they were exposed to the ecology modules taught in each of the programs. The discussion also included the teaching approaches adopted by the environmental lecturers and the influence their teaching approaches had on the students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge. In addition, the results shed light on the experiences of students and lecturers during the rapid transition to online teaching and learning. The main conclusions reached were that the first-year School of Natural Resource Management students did not have a deep understanding of ecological concepts prior to arriving at university, but they did show a concern for the natural environment. Their lack of understanding was reduced as the students progressed with the ecology module. A greater understanding resulted in a change in students’ perspectives on the ecological module, their program, and the industry they were preparing to enter after being exposed to the ecology module. The environmental lecturers’ teaching approaches contributed to improving the students’ environmental attitudes and knowledge. When it came to the rapid transition to online teaching and learning, both the first-year School of Natural Resource Management students and environmental lecturers experienced benefits and challenges. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Management, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
A Critical Review of Environmental Governance, Land Restitution, and Tourism in Protected Areas
- Authors: Ramukumba, Takalani
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Tourism Land use Environmental protection Wildlife conservation Article
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/7029 , vital:52756 , xlink:href=":https://doi.org/10.46222/ajhtl.19770720.200"
- Description: Natural areas, when protected, conserve the natural environment and function as social spaces in which tourism brings increased income, employment, and financial support for conservation. The inclusion of local community members in the planning and management of protected areas has been on the rise since the early 1900s. Tourism has been advocated as a strategy that can help in achieving economic development, especially in rural areas. However, governance issues and potential negative impacts of tourism development have been under inspection. Conservation efforts in Southern Africa especially in the late 1800s and early 1900s had negative impacts on the local communities since this led to many communities being displaced or having limited access to these protected areas. This has seen the need for ways and efforts to get local community members' despondency and attitudes towards protected areas change such that in the 20th century, there were efforts to use conservation models that included community members in the decision-making and benefit-sharing process to garner their support for protected areas. This paper reviews literature on environmental governance, land restitution in protected areas, tourism in protected areas, co-management, and the importance of community participation. These concepts are reviewed using Manyeleti Game Reserve as a case study. Keywords: Tourism, land restitution, environmental governance, wildlife resources, and stakeholder participation
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
- Authors: Ramukumba, Takalani
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Tourism Land use Environmental protection Wildlife conservation Article
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/7029 , vital:52756 , xlink:href=":https://doi.org/10.46222/ajhtl.19770720.200"
- Description: Natural areas, when protected, conserve the natural environment and function as social spaces in which tourism brings increased income, employment, and financial support for conservation. The inclusion of local community members in the planning and management of protected areas has been on the rise since the early 1900s. Tourism has been advocated as a strategy that can help in achieving economic development, especially in rural areas. However, governance issues and potential negative impacts of tourism development have been under inspection. Conservation efforts in Southern Africa especially in the late 1800s and early 1900s had negative impacts on the local communities since this led to many communities being displaced or having limited access to these protected areas. This has seen the need for ways and efforts to get local community members' despondency and attitudes towards protected areas change such that in the 20th century, there were efforts to use conservation models that included community members in the decision-making and benefit-sharing process to garner their support for protected areas. This paper reviews literature on environmental governance, land restitution in protected areas, tourism in protected areas, co-management, and the importance of community participation. These concepts are reviewed using Manyeleti Game Reserve as a case study. Keywords: Tourism, land restitution, environmental governance, wildlife resources, and stakeholder participation
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
A data-driven decision-making model for the third-party logistics industry in Africa
- Authors: Moyo, Faith
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53875 , vital:46022
- Description: Third-party logistics (3PL) providers have continued to be key players in the supply chain network and have witnessed a growth in the usage of information technology. This growth has enhanced the volume of structured and unstructured data that is collected at a high velocity, and is of rich variety, sometimes described as “Big Data”. Leaders in the 3PL industry are constantly seeking to effectively and efficiently mature their abilities to exploit this data to gain business value through data-driven decision-making (DDDM). DDDM helps the leaders to reduce the reliance they place on observations and intuition to make crucial business decisions in a volatile business environment. The aim of this research was to develop a prescriptive model for DDDM in 3PLs. The model consists of iterative elements that prescribe guidelines to decision-makers in the 3PL industry on how to adopt DDDM. A literature review of existing theoretical frameworks and models for DDDM was conducted to determine the extent to which they contribute towards DDDM for 3PLs. The Design-Science Research Methodology (DSRM) was followed to address the aim of the research and applied to pragmatically and iteratively develop and evaluate the artefact (the model for DDDM) in the real-world context of a 3PL. The literature findings revealed that the challenges with DDDM in organisations include three main categories of challenges related to data quality, data management, vision and capabilities. Once the challenges with DDDM were established, a prescriptive model was designed and developed for DDDM in 3PLs. Qualitative data was collected from semi-structured interviews to gain an understanding of the problems and possible solutions in the real-world context of 3PLs. An As-Is Analysis in the real-world case 3PL company confirmed the challenges identified in literature, and that data is still used in the 3PL company for descriptive and diagnostic analytics to aid with the decision-making processes. This highlights that there is still room for maturity into using data for predictive and prescriptive analytics that will, in turn, improve the decision-making process. An improved second version of the model was demonstrated to the participants (the targeted users), who had the opportunity to evaluate the model. The findings revealed that the model provided clear guidelines on how to make data-driven decisions and that the feedback loop and the data culture aspects highlighted in the design were some of the important features of the model. Some improvements were suggested by participants. A field study of three data analytics tools was conducted to identify the advantages and disadvantages of each as well as to highlight the status of DDDM at the real-world case 3PL. The limitations of the second version of the model, together with the recommendations from the participants were used to inform the improved and revised third version of the model. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Moyo, Faith
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53875 , vital:46022
- Description: Third-party logistics (3PL) providers have continued to be key players in the supply chain network and have witnessed a growth in the usage of information technology. This growth has enhanced the volume of structured and unstructured data that is collected at a high velocity, and is of rich variety, sometimes described as “Big Data”. Leaders in the 3PL industry are constantly seeking to effectively and efficiently mature their abilities to exploit this data to gain business value through data-driven decision-making (DDDM). DDDM helps the leaders to reduce the reliance they place on observations and intuition to make crucial business decisions in a volatile business environment. The aim of this research was to develop a prescriptive model for DDDM in 3PLs. The model consists of iterative elements that prescribe guidelines to decision-makers in the 3PL industry on how to adopt DDDM. A literature review of existing theoretical frameworks and models for DDDM was conducted to determine the extent to which they contribute towards DDDM for 3PLs. The Design-Science Research Methodology (DSRM) was followed to address the aim of the research and applied to pragmatically and iteratively develop and evaluate the artefact (the model for DDDM) in the real-world context of a 3PL. The literature findings revealed that the challenges with DDDM in organisations include three main categories of challenges related to data quality, data management, vision and capabilities. Once the challenges with DDDM were established, a prescriptive model was designed and developed for DDDM in 3PLs. Qualitative data was collected from semi-structured interviews to gain an understanding of the problems and possible solutions in the real-world context of 3PLs. An As-Is Analysis in the real-world case 3PL company confirmed the challenges identified in literature, and that data is still used in the 3PL company for descriptive and diagnostic analytics to aid with the decision-making processes. This highlights that there is still room for maturity into using data for predictive and prescriptive analytics that will, in turn, improve the decision-making process. An improved second version of the model was demonstrated to the participants (the targeted users), who had the opportunity to evaluate the model. The findings revealed that the model provided clear guidelines on how to make data-driven decisions and that the feedback loop and the data culture aspects highlighted in the design were some of the important features of the model. Some improvements were suggested by participants. A field study of three data analytics tools was conducted to identify the advantages and disadvantages of each as well as to highlight the status of DDDM at the real-world case 3PL. The limitations of the second version of the model, together with the recommendations from the participants were used to inform the improved and revised third version of the model. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
A multimodal analysis of the representation of voter disillusionment in social media memes distributed on Twitter in the lead up to the 2019 South African general election
- Authors: Jeftha, Courtney Alexandra
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Elections South Africa 21st century , Culture Study and teaching South Africa , Mass media Study and teaching South Africa , Social media South Africa , Memes South Africa , Visual sociology , Textual Analysis , Critical discourse analysis , Modality (Linguistics)
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405930 , vital:70220
- Description: This study is situated in the context of the 2019 South African general election, which saw the lowest voter turnout since its first democratic election in 1994. Many have questioned the capabilities of the African National Congress (ANC) since they came into power in 1994, due to allegations of corruption, maladministration and poor leadership. The concerns about the party’s ability to manage the country’s various social issues have led to a drop in voter turnout. There was much discussion in the media about the lack of voter turnout amongst young people in South Africa. This topic became a trending topic on social media under the #iwanttovotebut hashtag. The sentiments expressed by South African Twitter users in the #iwanttovotebut memes are explored in this study. The analysis of the memes draws on the works of Kress and van Leeuwen’s (1996; 2006) visual social semiotics, Fairclough’s (1989) approach to Critical discourse analysis (CDA), and Thompson’s operation of ideologies. VSS allows for the description of the various semiotic resources that memers use to construct their meaning from multimodal texts. The tools provided by CDA go beyond the description of VSS and develop a more detailed analysis of how the memers construct their discourses of democracy/governance. Thompson’s (1991) approach to understanding how ideology operates in language enables the deepening of the understanding of the dominant and naturalised notions of democracy/governance. The findings indicate that memers have a limited understanding of democracy. They also have a limited understanding of how political parties operate and their responsibilities in the form of government and various agencies. In addition, it is not surprising that young people are not voting in the 2019 general election. This is a phenomenon that the media has characterized as “apathy.” However, this research indicates that it would be more accurate to describe it as “disillusionment.” , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Journalism and Media Studies, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Jeftha, Courtney Alexandra
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Elections South Africa 21st century , Culture Study and teaching South Africa , Mass media Study and teaching South Africa , Social media South Africa , Memes South Africa , Visual sociology , Textual Analysis , Critical discourse analysis , Modality (Linguistics)
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405930 , vital:70220
- Description: This study is situated in the context of the 2019 South African general election, which saw the lowest voter turnout since its first democratic election in 1994. Many have questioned the capabilities of the African National Congress (ANC) since they came into power in 1994, due to allegations of corruption, maladministration and poor leadership. The concerns about the party’s ability to manage the country’s various social issues have led to a drop in voter turnout. There was much discussion in the media about the lack of voter turnout amongst young people in South Africa. This topic became a trending topic on social media under the #iwanttovotebut hashtag. The sentiments expressed by South African Twitter users in the #iwanttovotebut memes are explored in this study. The analysis of the memes draws on the works of Kress and van Leeuwen’s (1996; 2006) visual social semiotics, Fairclough’s (1989) approach to Critical discourse analysis (CDA), and Thompson’s operation of ideologies. VSS allows for the description of the various semiotic resources that memers use to construct their meaning from multimodal texts. The tools provided by CDA go beyond the description of VSS and develop a more detailed analysis of how the memers construct their discourses of democracy/governance. Thompson’s (1991) approach to understanding how ideology operates in language enables the deepening of the understanding of the dominant and naturalised notions of democracy/governance. The findings indicate that memers have a limited understanding of democracy. They also have a limited understanding of how political parties operate and their responsibilities in the form of government and various agencies. In addition, it is not surprising that young people are not voting in the 2019 general election. This is a phenomenon that the media has characterized as “apathy.” However, this research indicates that it would be more accurate to describe it as “disillusionment.” , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Journalism and Media Studies, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
A spatial assessment of riparian vegetation density and implications for streambank erosion in relation to land tenure in the Mgwalana Catchment, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Maxama, Asakhile
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53864 , vital:46026
- Description: Riparian vegetation provides an array of various ecosystem functions and has significantly shaped the conditions of catchments. It has strong controls on fluvial geomorphology and erosion processes. The Mgwalana catchment has been intensively studied over the years and the current environmental condition of the study has been linked to land use history. The catchment has been subjected to land use/cover changes (LUCC) over the years. However, spatial variations in riparian vegetation, their implications for stream bank stability and the contribution of land tenure systems to stream channel degradation are poorly understood. The study sought to assess the implications of the spatial variations in riparian vegetation density for stream bank erosion in relation to land tenure on a catchment scale. Land tenure units comprising the catchment of study are traditional and betterment villages (communal lands), and former white commercial farms. A three-pronged approach using GIS and remote sensing, field investigations and laboratory procedures for soil analysis was employed in this study. Variations of riparian vegetation density in the catchment were mapped using ArcGIS for the two land tenure units to assess the spatial variations of riparian density along stream reaches and to determine the spatial relationship between land tenure units and riparian vegetation diminution. Other mapped shape files include sediment accumulation zones to analyse the spatial relationship between riparian vegetation density and sediment sinks. LUCC classification and analysis of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were carried out in IDRISI Selva, using Landsat 8 TM imagery of 2018 to represent the current spatial riparian vegetation variations in the catchment. Field investigations were conducted to determine the coupling among hillslope gully erosion, riparian vegetation density and sink areas; and to assess physical characteristics of soil. This would permit an assessment of the implications of riparian vegetation for stream bank erosion and sediment accumulation within the tenure units. Soil samples were taken from scantily and densely vegetated stream reaches, as well as measurements of channel widths and depths. Analyses of soil physical properties viz; grain size distribution, bulk density, soil texture and aggregate stability were done. Results demonstrated that a sparse riparian vegetation distribution was consistent with the communal villages, confined to the upper catchment area. Dense riparian vegetation distribution was consistent with former commercial farms in the lower catchment area. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Maxama, Asakhile
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53864 , vital:46026
- Description: Riparian vegetation provides an array of various ecosystem functions and has significantly shaped the conditions of catchments. It has strong controls on fluvial geomorphology and erosion processes. The Mgwalana catchment has been intensively studied over the years and the current environmental condition of the study has been linked to land use history. The catchment has been subjected to land use/cover changes (LUCC) over the years. However, spatial variations in riparian vegetation, their implications for stream bank stability and the contribution of land tenure systems to stream channel degradation are poorly understood. The study sought to assess the implications of the spatial variations in riparian vegetation density for stream bank erosion in relation to land tenure on a catchment scale. Land tenure units comprising the catchment of study are traditional and betterment villages (communal lands), and former white commercial farms. A three-pronged approach using GIS and remote sensing, field investigations and laboratory procedures for soil analysis was employed in this study. Variations of riparian vegetation density in the catchment were mapped using ArcGIS for the two land tenure units to assess the spatial variations of riparian density along stream reaches and to determine the spatial relationship between land tenure units and riparian vegetation diminution. Other mapped shape files include sediment accumulation zones to analyse the spatial relationship between riparian vegetation density and sediment sinks. LUCC classification and analysis of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were carried out in IDRISI Selva, using Landsat 8 TM imagery of 2018 to represent the current spatial riparian vegetation variations in the catchment. Field investigations were conducted to determine the coupling among hillslope gully erosion, riparian vegetation density and sink areas; and to assess physical characteristics of soil. This would permit an assessment of the implications of riparian vegetation for stream bank erosion and sediment accumulation within the tenure units. Soil samples were taken from scantily and densely vegetated stream reaches, as well as measurements of channel widths and depths. Analyses of soil physical properties viz; grain size distribution, bulk density, soil texture and aggregate stability were done. Results demonstrated that a sparse riparian vegetation distribution was consistent with the communal villages, confined to the upper catchment area. Dense riparian vegetation distribution was consistent with former commercial farms in the lower catchment area. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
A value alignment smart city stakeholder model
- Van der Hoogen, Anthea Vivian
- Authors: Van der Hoogen, Anthea Vivian
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54129 , vital:46309
- Description: The concept of a Smart City has evolved over the last three decades and has attracted the increasing interest of the scientific research community. Unfortunately, many Smart City projects and initiatives do not provide the value expected by all the stakeholders. Many of the reasons for this relate to a lack of data management, data integration, data access and stakeholder participation. People are an integral part of any city’s ecosystem, and the Smart City concept was introduced to address the challenges of an ever-growing global population leading to the risk of depletion of economic, environmental and social resources. The problem addressed in this study is based on the challenges preventing the creation of the value of smart cities or stakeholders. Limited research has been published on the status of Smart City initiatives or on the impact of various success factors on the potential value creation for stakeholders including citizens. Studies on initiatives in developing countries, such as South Africa are even less. Whilst some challenges and constraints related to smart cities in Africa have been reported, there are no studies reporting on initiatives across the data value chain that consider all types of stakeholders, nor the impact of these initiatives. This study addressed this gap in research and designed a theoretical Value Alignment Smart City Stakeholder (VASCS) Model based on a Systematic Literature Review and a review of related theories. The model has important components that should form part of any Smart City project or Smart City initiative. These five main components are: 1) nine Smart City dimensions with related success factors; 2) four stakeholder roles (enablers, providers, utilisers and users); 3) the data value chain; and 4) the five phases of stakeholder benefits/value realisation that can be linked to; 5) stakeholder value alignment. This study applied the VASCS Model to Smart City initiatives in two case studies in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, which were the Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City to investigate and understand the status of such initiatives and the alignment of value thereof. The stakeholder interviews were conducted in two rounds with various stakeholders of Smart City initiatives, referred to as cases in the two case studies. An expert review of the VASCS Model was conducted with eight experts in the field of Information Systems and Smart Cities. The findings of this review served to confirm the components of the model, with only minor improvements recommended. It was confirmed that all of the components need to be considered in planning Smart City projects. The first round consisted of six interviews with enablers and providers and the second round consisted of 22 interviews with users, utilisers and citizens. The interviews investigated the value and impact experienced by stakeholders of these initiatives, with a particular focus on the users, utilisers and citizens of the cases. The interview data was transcribed and qualitatively analysed by using Atlas.tiand Excel. The data was analysed according to the Technological, Organisational and Environmental theory constructs and other identified themes. The interview analysis findings revealed several drivers for these initiatives, which were primarily cost reduction, integration and quality assurance. The results also highlighted access to resources, such as technical skills as a challenge. Another challenge identified was connectivity related to access to data and the digital and physical divide that can impact decision making. The main benefits of Smart City initiatives highlighted were the provision of infrastructure, education and training and digitalisation. The theoretical contribution of this study is the VASCS Model, which can assist other researchers and practitioners with knowledge of the factors, drivers, challenges and value obtained in Smart City initiatives. The model has two supplementary components: A Stakeholder Classification Model and a Smart City Success Factor Evaluation Template. The practical contribution of this study is the potential use of the VASCS Model by practitioners, city management, researchers and other stakeholders, who can use the model, with the related model and template for planning and evaluating Smart City initiatives. The model can be used to classify the digital activities according to a Smart City’s success factors while evaluating the value created by these activities. The impact of these initiatives can then be assessed through value realisation and alignment for stakeholders. The scientific contribution is the adoption of the model to the cases in the Eastern Cape. To reveal in depth, rich, interview findings that provide important lessons learnt relating to the value created for the stakeholders and the addition of these findings to the body of knowledge. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Van der Hoogen, Anthea Vivian
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54129 , vital:46309
- Description: The concept of a Smart City has evolved over the last three decades and has attracted the increasing interest of the scientific research community. Unfortunately, many Smart City projects and initiatives do not provide the value expected by all the stakeholders. Many of the reasons for this relate to a lack of data management, data integration, data access and stakeholder participation. People are an integral part of any city’s ecosystem, and the Smart City concept was introduced to address the challenges of an ever-growing global population leading to the risk of depletion of economic, environmental and social resources. The problem addressed in this study is based on the challenges preventing the creation of the value of smart cities or stakeholders. Limited research has been published on the status of Smart City initiatives or on the impact of various success factors on the potential value creation for stakeholders including citizens. Studies on initiatives in developing countries, such as South Africa are even less. Whilst some challenges and constraints related to smart cities in Africa have been reported, there are no studies reporting on initiatives across the data value chain that consider all types of stakeholders, nor the impact of these initiatives. This study addressed this gap in research and designed a theoretical Value Alignment Smart City Stakeholder (VASCS) Model based on a Systematic Literature Review and a review of related theories. The model has important components that should form part of any Smart City project or Smart City initiative. These five main components are: 1) nine Smart City dimensions with related success factors; 2) four stakeholder roles (enablers, providers, utilisers and users); 3) the data value chain; and 4) the five phases of stakeholder benefits/value realisation that can be linked to; 5) stakeholder value alignment. This study applied the VASCS Model to Smart City initiatives in two case studies in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, which were the Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City to investigate and understand the status of such initiatives and the alignment of value thereof. The stakeholder interviews were conducted in two rounds with various stakeholders of Smart City initiatives, referred to as cases in the two case studies. An expert review of the VASCS Model was conducted with eight experts in the field of Information Systems and Smart Cities. The findings of this review served to confirm the components of the model, with only minor improvements recommended. It was confirmed that all of the components need to be considered in planning Smart City projects. The first round consisted of six interviews with enablers and providers and the second round consisted of 22 interviews with users, utilisers and citizens. The interviews investigated the value and impact experienced by stakeholders of these initiatives, with a particular focus on the users, utilisers and citizens of the cases. The interview data was transcribed and qualitatively analysed by using Atlas.tiand Excel. The data was analysed according to the Technological, Organisational and Environmental theory constructs and other identified themes. The interview analysis findings revealed several drivers for these initiatives, which were primarily cost reduction, integration and quality assurance. The results also highlighted access to resources, such as technical skills as a challenge. Another challenge identified was connectivity related to access to data and the digital and physical divide that can impact decision making. The main benefits of Smart City initiatives highlighted were the provision of infrastructure, education and training and digitalisation. The theoretical contribution of this study is the VASCS Model, which can assist other researchers and practitioners with knowledge of the factors, drivers, challenges and value obtained in Smart City initiatives. The model has two supplementary components: A Stakeholder Classification Model and a Smart City Success Factor Evaluation Template. The practical contribution of this study is the potential use of the VASCS Model by practitioners, city management, researchers and other stakeholders, who can use the model, with the related model and template for planning and evaluating Smart City initiatives. The model can be used to classify the digital activities according to a Smart City’s success factors while evaluating the value created by these activities. The impact of these initiatives can then be assessed through value realisation and alignment for stakeholders. The scientific contribution is the adoption of the model to the cases in the Eastern Cape. To reveal in depth, rich, interview findings that provide important lessons learnt relating to the value created for the stakeholders and the addition of these findings to the body of knowledge. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Administrative justice and the implementation of the reconstruction and development program in Berlin Town, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Makie, Fundiswa
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54460 , vital:46577
- Description: Housing delivery in South Africa is a crucial and topical issue affecting many citizens. The primary objective of the study was to determine the role of administrative justice in the implementation of the Reconstructive and Development Programme (RDP) in Berlin Town, in the province of the Eastern Cape in South Africa. In addition, the aim of this study was to explore the challenges of RDP housing in the study area, as a way of probing whether housing needs were being met. The study was conducted using a qualitative research methodology in gathering data from Berlin Town residents, Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality staff and Berlin Town councillors. The data analysis revealed that respondents affirmed the importance of administrative justice and the effective implementation of the RDP with regard to housing. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality prioritise the full implementation of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) in dealing with the housing backlog and challenges in Berlin Town. Moreover, the findings of this study revealed that it is possible to highlight specific recommendations that can be used by various other local municipalities. Thus, the research study showed that efficient local municipal operations have a direct impact on the delivery of RDP houses. Relating to ethical considerations, the researcher ensured that all the requirements for credible research were met throughout the study. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Makie, Fundiswa
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54460 , vital:46577
- Description: Housing delivery in South Africa is a crucial and topical issue affecting many citizens. The primary objective of the study was to determine the role of administrative justice in the implementation of the Reconstructive and Development Programme (RDP) in Berlin Town, in the province of the Eastern Cape in South Africa. In addition, the aim of this study was to explore the challenges of RDP housing in the study area, as a way of probing whether housing needs were being met. The study was conducted using a qualitative research methodology in gathering data from Berlin Town residents, Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality staff and Berlin Town councillors. The data analysis revealed that respondents affirmed the importance of administrative justice and the effective implementation of the RDP with regard to housing. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality prioritise the full implementation of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) in dealing with the housing backlog and challenges in Berlin Town. Moreover, the findings of this study revealed that it is possible to highlight specific recommendations that can be used by various other local municipalities. Thus, the research study showed that efficient local municipal operations have a direct impact on the delivery of RDP houses. Relating to ethical considerations, the researcher ensured that all the requirements for credible research were met throughout the study. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
An analysis of inland fisheries resource use in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Matam, Ncumisa Yanga
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Fisheries South Africa Eastern Cape , Fishery law and legislation South Africa Eastern Cape , Small-scale fisheries South Africa Eastern Cape , Small-scale fisheries Social aspects South Africa Eastern Cape , Small-scale fisheries Economic aspects South Africa Eastern Cape , SADC Inland Fisheries Sector , Subsistence fishing South Africa Eastern Cape , Draft Inland Fisheries Policy (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Master's thesis , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232215 , vital:49972
- Description: South Africa’s Draft Inland Fisheries Policy identifies inland fisheries as an opportunity for socio-economic benefits such as jobs, food security and economic development, based on small-scale fishing and recreational value chains. Using roving creel surveys, this study examined various fishing groups in publicly accessible dams in both an urban and a rural settlement in the Makana Municipal area, Eastern Cape, South Africa. While inland fisheries are particularly relevant for rural communities, there is very little information on the current use of these resources, irrespective of inland fisheries’ importance. This thesis presents a conceptual framework for a study that: (1) reviews available information of inland fisheries and development attempts in South Africa; (2) provides an assessment of the use of inland fisheries on publicly accessible dams in the Makana Municipal area and (3) evaluates case studies of current and past utilization of selected inland fisheries initiatives in the Eastern Cape. The results of this project provide insights into the current conditions and development potentials of inland fisheries in the Eastern Cape. There was a difference in species composition between the dams, but no difference in the CPUE between dams. For example, in Grey dam many species were present, but as the dam size is only one hectare, this would result in an estimated yield harvest of only 207 kg/ha/year. Anglers were encountered at all dams, although fish were only retrieved by anglers in the rural dams of Committees Drift. Dam usage in the rural area was mostly subsistence angling, and this was significantly greater than in the urban area. Subsistence fishers utilised the fish to sustain themselves and their families and for better livelihoods. Anglers from outside the area tended to utilise the dam for recreational angling. Dams found in the urban area were also mostly used by subsistence anglers, though there were a few uses for aesthetic purposes. The urban dams were also utilised recreationally (picnics, year-end functions, swimming), as opposed to the rural dams which were only used for angling. A total of 10 interviews were administered to key respondents in the form of a questionnaires to determine the importance of the fisheries to them. Catch documented from the questionnaires, interviews and logbooks constituted 1238 species and 978 020 kg. Of all the anglers encountered from the interviews, the gill net catch species varied by dam. The fate of fish caught by anglers was dependent on employment status, with most unemployed anglers selling their fish for income and most employed anglers consuming their catch. The findings show that dams were used mostly by small-scale fishers and recreational anglers. Ichthyological surveys revealed that popular fish harvested were moggel, common carp, largemouth bass and Mozambique tilapia. The results are discussed in the context of appropriate development of fisheries in small dams in the province, with recommendations to continue monitored surveys to better inform the inland fisheries policy. The findings from this thesis show that having small scale fisheries in place and providing good access to the dams is essential for rural populations, in turn, providing better livelihoods through hunger alleviation and generating household income. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Matam, Ncumisa Yanga
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Fisheries South Africa Eastern Cape , Fishery law and legislation South Africa Eastern Cape , Small-scale fisheries South Africa Eastern Cape , Small-scale fisheries Social aspects South Africa Eastern Cape , Small-scale fisheries Economic aspects South Africa Eastern Cape , SADC Inland Fisheries Sector , Subsistence fishing South Africa Eastern Cape , Draft Inland Fisheries Policy (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Master's thesis , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232215 , vital:49972
- Description: South Africa’s Draft Inland Fisheries Policy identifies inland fisheries as an opportunity for socio-economic benefits such as jobs, food security and economic development, based on small-scale fishing and recreational value chains. Using roving creel surveys, this study examined various fishing groups in publicly accessible dams in both an urban and a rural settlement in the Makana Municipal area, Eastern Cape, South Africa. While inland fisheries are particularly relevant for rural communities, there is very little information on the current use of these resources, irrespective of inland fisheries’ importance. This thesis presents a conceptual framework for a study that: (1) reviews available information of inland fisheries and development attempts in South Africa; (2) provides an assessment of the use of inland fisheries on publicly accessible dams in the Makana Municipal area and (3) evaluates case studies of current and past utilization of selected inland fisheries initiatives in the Eastern Cape. The results of this project provide insights into the current conditions and development potentials of inland fisheries in the Eastern Cape. There was a difference in species composition between the dams, but no difference in the CPUE between dams. For example, in Grey dam many species were present, but as the dam size is only one hectare, this would result in an estimated yield harvest of only 207 kg/ha/year. Anglers were encountered at all dams, although fish were only retrieved by anglers in the rural dams of Committees Drift. Dam usage in the rural area was mostly subsistence angling, and this was significantly greater than in the urban area. Subsistence fishers utilised the fish to sustain themselves and their families and for better livelihoods. Anglers from outside the area tended to utilise the dam for recreational angling. Dams found in the urban area were also mostly used by subsistence anglers, though there were a few uses for aesthetic purposes. The urban dams were also utilised recreationally (picnics, year-end functions, swimming), as opposed to the rural dams which were only used for angling. A total of 10 interviews were administered to key respondents in the form of a questionnaires to determine the importance of the fisheries to them. Catch documented from the questionnaires, interviews and logbooks constituted 1238 species and 978 020 kg. Of all the anglers encountered from the interviews, the gill net catch species varied by dam. The fate of fish caught by anglers was dependent on employment status, with most unemployed anglers selling their fish for income and most employed anglers consuming their catch. The findings show that dams were used mostly by small-scale fishers and recreational anglers. Ichthyological surveys revealed that popular fish harvested were moggel, common carp, largemouth bass and Mozambique tilapia. The results are discussed in the context of appropriate development of fisheries in small dams in the province, with recommendations to continue monitored surveys to better inform the inland fisheries policy. The findings from this thesis show that having small scale fisheries in place and providing good access to the dams is essential for rural populations, in turn, providing better livelihoods through hunger alleviation and generating household income. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
An epistemic justice account of students’ experiences of feedback
- Authors: Vilakazi, Bella Phetheni
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Feedback (Psychology) , Experience , Narrative inquiry (Research method) , Critical thinking , Caring Moral and ethical aspects , Epistemic access
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral thesis , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232599 , vital:50006 , DOI 10.21504/10962/232599
- Description: I am a storyteller. I believe in the power of stories to share experiences and to elucidate thoughts and ideas and to help us to make sense of complex social practices. This thesis includes the stories of five young women who were learning to become teachers. As they shared their stories with me, I share them with you. This study includes their stories of receiving feedback. These stories are structured within the Narrative Inquiry dimensions of temporality, place and context. These dimensions suggest that stories are historical and move through time, stories are shaped by place and the context in which they unfold (Clandinin, 2013). Furthermore, these stories demonstrate how feedback can serve to give access to powerful knowledge and can serve to recognise who our students are and what they bring to the academy (Hordern, 2018). But feedback can also serve to misrecognise. Much has been written and reported about the barriers preventing students from acting on the feedback on their assignment tasks in higher education. In this study, I argue that feedback is a pedagogic practice that can support students to gain epistemic access. Feedback can only achieve this if it makes the expectations explicit for students to make sense of and make meaning for themselves and if it is offered in a dialogical format which recognises the students, their attempts, their identities, and their knowledge. The research question of this study, ‘How do experiences of forms of feedback affect female undergraduate student teachers’ chances of epistemic access?’, is not unusual. There have been many research projects that have been carried out that examine students’ experiences of feedback (for example, Evans, 2013; Basey, Maines, & Francis, 2014; Nicol et al.; 2014; Carless, 2019; Winstone et al., 2021). But I identified a gap where feedback has not, to my knowledge, been studied directly through the lenses of Epistemic Justice towards Parity of Participation. This study interpreted five undergraduate student teachers’ feedback experiences through these lenses. Narrative inquiry enabled me to design this study in ways that foregrounded experience. Data was collected through multiple conversations during which I organised the participants’ life stories of feedback within the dimensions of temporality, place and context, and sociality. Miranda Fricker’s (2007) theory of Epistemic Justice and Fraser’s norm of Parity of Participation (2000) framed this study. I engaged with Fricker and Fraser’s literature meaningfully as a reader and researcher. I established an understanding of how the lenses offered by Fraser and Fricker allowed me to make sense of the literature more generally, in social life and on the pedagogic practice of feedback. Fricker’s theory of Epistemic Justice considers the epistemically unjust, gendered, raced and classed, experiences of epistemic agents. Fricker (2007) draws on two central concepts to account for epistemic injustices: Testimonial Injustice and Hermeneutical Injustice. Fricker (2007; 2003) explains that testimonial injustice occurs within a testimonial exchange setting, when an epistemic agent as a speaker gives testimony of the epistemic agent’s experiences and knowledge but is not awarded the credibility the speaker deserves (Fricker, 2003). Epistemic agents who participate in a testimonial exchange need to overcome bias and prejudice in order to evaluate testimonies with the degree of fairness the testimony deserves (Fricker, 2013; 2016). Hermeneutical injustice occurs when an epistemic agent is unable to make sense and make meaning of their social experiences. Hermeneutical injustice strengthens when the epistemic agent is prevented from gaining access to resources that might help with sense making and meaning making of these social experiences (Dielman, 2012; Fricker, 2016). To ensure that meaning can be made between people and groups of people, there needs to be some shared understandings of the purpose and process of sense making and meaning-making – or a willingness to co-create such shared understandings. Fraser’s norm of Participatory Parity enabled a consideration of the larger world of political and economic systems that give rise to social injustice. In this study, the theories of Fricker and Fraser are used to illuminate experiences of feedback of the five undergraduate student teachers who are the participants in this study and how these translate to epistemic and social injustice. The norm of Participatory Parity is considered where feedback allowed or restricted participants from participating on an equal footing in the feedback process. Narrative inquiry, a research methodology that is used to study experiences, was used to inform research strategies of this study. Participants’ experiences, data collection and organising the narratives demonstrated the dimensions of temporality and space. The thesis includes biographical vignettes for each of the participants in the study, interspersed with data from across all five participants. The key findings of this study show that feedback generally operates at the surface levels of grammar correction. In light of the theoretical lenses of this study, I argue that the feedback experiences they shared generally did not recognise their attempts and the identities and knowledges they brought to the tasks. Because the focus was on superficial correction of the specific task, the feedback failed to create conditions for the (re)distribution of knowledge. At times the feedback exerted power on participants. Because the feedback was generally in the form of one directional correction (with little space for interaction with the feedback or dialogue with the assessor), this caused status subordination of participants in the epistemic spaces of teaching practice. Lastly, the lack of clarity of feedback was harmful to the potential for dialogical feedback. Such feedback caused participants to experience forms of epistemic injustice in the form of hermeneutical injustice where it failed to create conditions for the distribution of knowledge. Feedback also caused participants to experience testimonial injustice where it failed to create conditions for recognising participants’ processes of sense-making and meaning-making in the various assignment tasks. Participatory Parity could not occur because the processes of recognition and redistribution were constrained. Feedback then created fertile conditions of epistemic injustice to occur, and participants were likely to have failed to gain the much needed epistemic access. This study is not the story of bad, uncaring academics; the study acknowledges the context of large classes and heavy workloads in which feedback is or is not given. Rather, this is the story of five women trying to make their way through the university and out into the world as teachers. The study calls for better theorising of feedback and more support for both academics and students to develop feedback literacy so that feedback might serve as a dialogical pedagogic practice that enables epistemic justice. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
- Authors: Vilakazi, Bella Phetheni
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Feedback (Psychology) , Experience , Narrative inquiry (Research method) , Critical thinking , Caring Moral and ethical aspects , Epistemic access
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral thesis , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232599 , vital:50006 , DOI 10.21504/10962/232599
- Description: I am a storyteller. I believe in the power of stories to share experiences and to elucidate thoughts and ideas and to help us to make sense of complex social practices. This thesis includes the stories of five young women who were learning to become teachers. As they shared their stories with me, I share them with you. This study includes their stories of receiving feedback. These stories are structured within the Narrative Inquiry dimensions of temporality, place and context. These dimensions suggest that stories are historical and move through time, stories are shaped by place and the context in which they unfold (Clandinin, 2013). Furthermore, these stories demonstrate how feedback can serve to give access to powerful knowledge and can serve to recognise who our students are and what they bring to the academy (Hordern, 2018). But feedback can also serve to misrecognise. Much has been written and reported about the barriers preventing students from acting on the feedback on their assignment tasks in higher education. In this study, I argue that feedback is a pedagogic practice that can support students to gain epistemic access. Feedback can only achieve this if it makes the expectations explicit for students to make sense of and make meaning for themselves and if it is offered in a dialogical format which recognises the students, their attempts, their identities, and their knowledge. The research question of this study, ‘How do experiences of forms of feedback affect female undergraduate student teachers’ chances of epistemic access?’, is not unusual. There have been many research projects that have been carried out that examine students’ experiences of feedback (for example, Evans, 2013; Basey, Maines, & Francis, 2014; Nicol et al.; 2014; Carless, 2019; Winstone et al., 2021). But I identified a gap where feedback has not, to my knowledge, been studied directly through the lenses of Epistemic Justice towards Parity of Participation. This study interpreted five undergraduate student teachers’ feedback experiences through these lenses. Narrative inquiry enabled me to design this study in ways that foregrounded experience. Data was collected through multiple conversations during which I organised the participants’ life stories of feedback within the dimensions of temporality, place and context, and sociality. Miranda Fricker’s (2007) theory of Epistemic Justice and Fraser’s norm of Parity of Participation (2000) framed this study. I engaged with Fricker and Fraser’s literature meaningfully as a reader and researcher. I established an understanding of how the lenses offered by Fraser and Fricker allowed me to make sense of the literature more generally, in social life and on the pedagogic practice of feedback. Fricker’s theory of Epistemic Justice considers the epistemically unjust, gendered, raced and classed, experiences of epistemic agents. Fricker (2007) draws on two central concepts to account for epistemic injustices: Testimonial Injustice and Hermeneutical Injustice. Fricker (2007; 2003) explains that testimonial injustice occurs within a testimonial exchange setting, when an epistemic agent as a speaker gives testimony of the epistemic agent’s experiences and knowledge but is not awarded the credibility the speaker deserves (Fricker, 2003). Epistemic agents who participate in a testimonial exchange need to overcome bias and prejudice in order to evaluate testimonies with the degree of fairness the testimony deserves (Fricker, 2013; 2016). Hermeneutical injustice occurs when an epistemic agent is unable to make sense and make meaning of their social experiences. Hermeneutical injustice strengthens when the epistemic agent is prevented from gaining access to resources that might help with sense making and meaning making of these social experiences (Dielman, 2012; Fricker, 2016). To ensure that meaning can be made between people and groups of people, there needs to be some shared understandings of the purpose and process of sense making and meaning-making – or a willingness to co-create such shared understandings. Fraser’s norm of Participatory Parity enabled a consideration of the larger world of political and economic systems that give rise to social injustice. In this study, the theories of Fricker and Fraser are used to illuminate experiences of feedback of the five undergraduate student teachers who are the participants in this study and how these translate to epistemic and social injustice. The norm of Participatory Parity is considered where feedback allowed or restricted participants from participating on an equal footing in the feedback process. Narrative inquiry, a research methodology that is used to study experiences, was used to inform research strategies of this study. Participants’ experiences, data collection and organising the narratives demonstrated the dimensions of temporality and space. The thesis includes biographical vignettes for each of the participants in the study, interspersed with data from across all five participants. The key findings of this study show that feedback generally operates at the surface levels of grammar correction. In light of the theoretical lenses of this study, I argue that the feedback experiences they shared generally did not recognise their attempts and the identities and knowledges they brought to the tasks. Because the focus was on superficial correction of the specific task, the feedback failed to create conditions for the (re)distribution of knowledge. At times the feedback exerted power on participants. Because the feedback was generally in the form of one directional correction (with little space for interaction with the feedback or dialogue with the assessor), this caused status subordination of participants in the epistemic spaces of teaching practice. Lastly, the lack of clarity of feedback was harmful to the potential for dialogical feedback. Such feedback caused participants to experience forms of epistemic injustice in the form of hermeneutical injustice where it failed to create conditions for the distribution of knowledge. Feedback also caused participants to experience testimonial injustice where it failed to create conditions for recognising participants’ processes of sense-making and meaning-making in the various assignment tasks. Participatory Parity could not occur because the processes of recognition and redistribution were constrained. Feedback then created fertile conditions of epistemic injustice to occur, and participants were likely to have failed to gain the much needed epistemic access. This study is not the story of bad, uncaring academics; the study acknowledges the context of large classes and heavy workloads in which feedback is or is not given. Rather, this is the story of five women trying to make their way through the university and out into the world as teachers. The study calls for better theorising of feedback and more support for both academics and students to develop feedback literacy so that feedback might serve as a dialogical pedagogic practice that enables epistemic justice. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
An investigation of language choice on Twitter: the case of isiXhosa-speaking users and the o jewa ke eng? Trend
- Authors: Nkunzi, Zindzi
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Twitter , Social media South Africa , Social media and society South Africa , Xhosa language Usage , Mass media and language South Africa , Language choice , Language shift , Language attitude
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406331 , vital:70259
- Description: The study critically examines and discusses language choice on twitter, a social media platform that has a vast number of people from different language groups. This diverse platform allows people to tweet, communicate, and share information online. There are tweets that trend and attract more engagement across different language groups. O jewa ke eng? which translates to ‘what’s bothering you?’ is one of those tweets, and it is communicated in Sesotho. (More discussion about the tweet in the introduction section that follows). According to Eisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) & Eisenstein (2016), “the popularity and ubiquity of social media allows access to a wide variety of spontaneous language enabling researchers to study language variation across space and time at large scale”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2018: 1534). The introduction to the internet and socially mediated platforms such as Twitter and others has changed how information is produced and consumed. Social media allow people to communicate and engage in languages they are comfortable and familiar with. The study discusses language choice at three levels: language choice between isiXhosa verses English; isiXhosa verses other African languages and isiXhosa verses other varieties. The study is pursued with the overarching aim to investigate the possibility of African languages such as isiXhosa being used as dominant languages on social media. Thus, the study explores language use by isiXhosa speaking users on twitter that engaged with the tweet. Moreover, the study investigated why they choose to use one language over the other or multiple languages. To give a broader perspective on the study, language choice, language shift and language attitude are discussed and critically evaluated. Theoretically, the concept of code-switching and code-mixing is used when looking at bilingualism and multilingualism. It is imperative to look at multilingualism because the prevalent use of English is no longer a barrier to communication, social media platforms have created a space where African language users are able to engage in their native languages. Moreover, the study explores the use of standard and non-standard isiXhosa languages. There are varieties of languages such as tsotsitaal, slang and others, and these language varieties are not recognised as standard, used in educational settings and so on. In doing so, language attitude is used as the concept to investigate what propels isiXhosa users to or not to use these language varieties in the online communities. The study is explored with the aim to investigate whether social media either grows and preserves African languages online or these platforms are detrimental to these languages, as the language utilised on them is casual and vague, in terms of both spoken and written speech. , Olu phando luvavanya kwaye luxoxa nzulu ngokhetho lolwimi kuTwitter, ikhasi lonxibelelwano elinenani elikhulu labantu abavela kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. Eli khasi labantu abohlukeneyo libavumela ukuba babhale, banxibelelane, kwaye babelane ngolwazi kwi-intanethi. Kukho ii-tweets (imibhalwana emifutshane) ezihamba phambili kwaye zitsala uthethathethwano phakathi kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. O jewa ke eng? ethetha ukuthi, ‘ukhathazwa yintoni?’ yenye yezo tweets (yalo mibhalwana mifutshane), kwaye idluliselwe ngesiSuthu. (Ingxoxo engakumbi malunga ne-tweet (nombhalwana omfutshane) ifumaneka kwicandelo lentshayelelo elilandelayo). Ngokutsho kukaEisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) kunye noEisenstein (2016), “ukuduma kunye nobuninzi beendaba zoluntu kubangela ezo ndaba ukuba zinwenwele kwiindidi ezininzi zeelwimi nezivumela abaphandi ukuba bafunde ngokwahlukana kolwimi kwindawo kunye nexesha…”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2008: 1534). Ulwaziso kwi-intanethi kunye namakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu afana ne-Twitter kunye namanye, luyitshintshile indlela ulwazi oluveliswa ngayo kunye nendlela olusetyenziswa ngayo. Amakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu avumela abantu ukuba banxibelelane kwaye bazibandakanye ngeelwimi abakhululekileyo ukuzisebenzisa nabaqhelene nazo Olu phando luxoxa ngokukhethwa kolwimi kumanqanaba amathathu: ukukhethwa kolwimi phakathi kwesiXhosa kunye nesiNgesi, isiXhosa kunye nezinye iilwimi ziseNtu, kwakunye nesiXhosa kunye nezinye iindidi zolwimi. Olu phando luqhutywa ngeyona njongo iphambili yokuphanda ukuba ngaba iilwimi zesiNtu ezifana nesiXhosa zingasetyenziswa njengeelwimi eziphambili kamakhasi onxibelelwano na. Kungoko, uphando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kolwimi ngabo bantetho isisiXhosa kuTwitter abanxibelelana ne-tweet (nombhalo omfutshane). Olu phando, lukwaphanda ukuba kutheni bekhetha ukusebenzisa ulwimi oluthile kunolunye okanye iilwimi ezininzi. Ukunika umbono ngokuthe gabalala ngolu phando, ukukhethwa kolwimi, utshintsho lolwimi, kunye nesimo sengqondo solwimi ziyaxoxwa kwaye zihlolwa ngokunzulu. Ngokwethiyori, ingqikelelo yokutshintshatshintsha iilwimi kunye nokuxuba iilwimi (ukusebenzisa iilwimi ezahlukeneyo kumgca okanye umbhalo omnye) ziyasetyenziswa xa kujongwa ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezimbini kunye neelwimi ezininzi. Kunyanzelekile ukuba kujongwe ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezininzi kuba ukuxhaphaka kokusetyenziswa kwesiNgesi akusengomqobo kunxibelelwano, amakhasi onxibelelwano (amaqonga osasazo) oluntu avule indawo apho abasebenzisi beelwimi zesiNtu bakwaziyo ukuthetha ngeelwimi zabo zomthonyama. Ngaphezu koko, olu phando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi zesiXhosa ezisemgangathweni nezingekho mgangathweni. Kukho iintlobo ngeentlobo zeelwimi ezifana neTsotsitaal, ulwimi lwe-slang nezinye, kwaye ezi ntlobo zeelwimi aziqatshelwa njengeelwimi ezisemgangathweni, ezisetyenziswa kumajelo emfundo njalo njalo. Ngokwenza oko, isimo sengqondo solwimi sisetyenziswa njengengcamango yokuphanda ukuba yintoni eyenza abasebenzisi besiXhosa basebenzise okanye bangasebenzisi ezi ntlobo zeelwimi kwi-intanethi. Olu phononongo luphononongwa ngeenjongo zokuphanda apho amaqonga onxibelelwano akhula kwaye agcine khona iilwimi zesiNtu kwi-intanethi okanye lamaqonga onxibelelwano abubungozi kwezilwimi, njengoko ulwimi olusetyenziswa kula maqonga luqhelekile kwaye alucacanga, ngokwentetho ethethwayo nebhaliweyo. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Nkunzi, Zindzi
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Twitter , Social media South Africa , Social media and society South Africa , Xhosa language Usage , Mass media and language South Africa , Language choice , Language shift , Language attitude
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406331 , vital:70259
- Description: The study critically examines and discusses language choice on twitter, a social media platform that has a vast number of people from different language groups. This diverse platform allows people to tweet, communicate, and share information online. There are tweets that trend and attract more engagement across different language groups. O jewa ke eng? which translates to ‘what’s bothering you?’ is one of those tweets, and it is communicated in Sesotho. (More discussion about the tweet in the introduction section that follows). According to Eisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) & Eisenstein (2016), “the popularity and ubiquity of social media allows access to a wide variety of spontaneous language enabling researchers to study language variation across space and time at large scale”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2018: 1534). The introduction to the internet and socially mediated platforms such as Twitter and others has changed how information is produced and consumed. Social media allow people to communicate and engage in languages they are comfortable and familiar with. The study discusses language choice at three levels: language choice between isiXhosa verses English; isiXhosa verses other African languages and isiXhosa verses other varieties. The study is pursued with the overarching aim to investigate the possibility of African languages such as isiXhosa being used as dominant languages on social media. Thus, the study explores language use by isiXhosa speaking users on twitter that engaged with the tweet. Moreover, the study investigated why they choose to use one language over the other or multiple languages. To give a broader perspective on the study, language choice, language shift and language attitude are discussed and critically evaluated. Theoretically, the concept of code-switching and code-mixing is used when looking at bilingualism and multilingualism. It is imperative to look at multilingualism because the prevalent use of English is no longer a barrier to communication, social media platforms have created a space where African language users are able to engage in their native languages. Moreover, the study explores the use of standard and non-standard isiXhosa languages. There are varieties of languages such as tsotsitaal, slang and others, and these language varieties are not recognised as standard, used in educational settings and so on. In doing so, language attitude is used as the concept to investigate what propels isiXhosa users to or not to use these language varieties in the online communities. The study is explored with the aim to investigate whether social media either grows and preserves African languages online or these platforms are detrimental to these languages, as the language utilised on them is casual and vague, in terms of both spoken and written speech. , Olu phando luvavanya kwaye luxoxa nzulu ngokhetho lolwimi kuTwitter, ikhasi lonxibelelwano elinenani elikhulu labantu abavela kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. Eli khasi labantu abohlukeneyo libavumela ukuba babhale, banxibelelane, kwaye babelane ngolwazi kwi-intanethi. Kukho ii-tweets (imibhalwana emifutshane) ezihamba phambili kwaye zitsala uthethathethwano phakathi kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. O jewa ke eng? ethetha ukuthi, ‘ukhathazwa yintoni?’ yenye yezo tweets (yalo mibhalwana mifutshane), kwaye idluliselwe ngesiSuthu. (Ingxoxo engakumbi malunga ne-tweet (nombhalwana omfutshane) ifumaneka kwicandelo lentshayelelo elilandelayo). Ngokutsho kukaEisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) kunye noEisenstein (2016), “ukuduma kunye nobuninzi beendaba zoluntu kubangela ezo ndaba ukuba zinwenwele kwiindidi ezininzi zeelwimi nezivumela abaphandi ukuba bafunde ngokwahlukana kolwimi kwindawo kunye nexesha…”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2008: 1534). Ulwaziso kwi-intanethi kunye namakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu afana ne-Twitter kunye namanye, luyitshintshile indlela ulwazi oluveliswa ngayo kunye nendlela olusetyenziswa ngayo. Amakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu avumela abantu ukuba banxibelelane kwaye bazibandakanye ngeelwimi abakhululekileyo ukuzisebenzisa nabaqhelene nazo Olu phando luxoxa ngokukhethwa kolwimi kumanqanaba amathathu: ukukhethwa kolwimi phakathi kwesiXhosa kunye nesiNgesi, isiXhosa kunye nezinye iilwimi ziseNtu, kwakunye nesiXhosa kunye nezinye iindidi zolwimi. Olu phando luqhutywa ngeyona njongo iphambili yokuphanda ukuba ngaba iilwimi zesiNtu ezifana nesiXhosa zingasetyenziswa njengeelwimi eziphambili kamakhasi onxibelelwano na. Kungoko, uphando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kolwimi ngabo bantetho isisiXhosa kuTwitter abanxibelelana ne-tweet (nombhalo omfutshane). Olu phando, lukwaphanda ukuba kutheni bekhetha ukusebenzisa ulwimi oluthile kunolunye okanye iilwimi ezininzi. Ukunika umbono ngokuthe gabalala ngolu phando, ukukhethwa kolwimi, utshintsho lolwimi, kunye nesimo sengqondo solwimi ziyaxoxwa kwaye zihlolwa ngokunzulu. Ngokwethiyori, ingqikelelo yokutshintshatshintsha iilwimi kunye nokuxuba iilwimi (ukusebenzisa iilwimi ezahlukeneyo kumgca okanye umbhalo omnye) ziyasetyenziswa xa kujongwa ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezimbini kunye neelwimi ezininzi. Kunyanzelekile ukuba kujongwe ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezininzi kuba ukuxhaphaka kokusetyenziswa kwesiNgesi akusengomqobo kunxibelelwano, amakhasi onxibelelwano (amaqonga osasazo) oluntu avule indawo apho abasebenzisi beelwimi zesiNtu bakwaziyo ukuthetha ngeelwimi zabo zomthonyama. Ngaphezu koko, olu phando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi zesiXhosa ezisemgangathweni nezingekho mgangathweni. Kukho iintlobo ngeentlobo zeelwimi ezifana neTsotsitaal, ulwimi lwe-slang nezinye, kwaye ezi ntlobo zeelwimi aziqatshelwa njengeelwimi ezisemgangathweni, ezisetyenziswa kumajelo emfundo njalo njalo. Ngokwenza oko, isimo sengqondo solwimi sisetyenziswa njengengcamango yokuphanda ukuba yintoni eyenza abasebenzisi besiXhosa basebenzise okanye bangasebenzisi ezi ntlobo zeelwimi kwi-intanethi. Olu phononongo luphononongwa ngeenjongo zokuphanda apho amaqonga onxibelelwano akhula kwaye agcine khona iilwimi zesiNtu kwi-intanethi okanye lamaqonga onxibelelwano abubungozi kwezilwimi, njengoko ulwimi olusetyenziswa kula maqonga luqhelekile kwaye alucacanga, ngokwentetho ethethwayo nebhaliweyo. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
Applying a systems analysis approach to support marine spatial planning in Algoa Bay, South Africa
- Authors: Vermeulen, Estee Ann
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54121 , vital:46312
- Description: Ocean health provides the foundation for human health through the provisioning of ecosystem services. Increasing demands on ocean space and resources are, however, resulting in a decline in ocean health, with direct and indirect knock-on effects on marine uses and ultimately on human health. In response, there is a growing need to acknowledge and better manage complex human-ocean interactions. This has been recognised in global sustainable development goals and in integrated ocean management processes, leading to widespread endorsement of an ecosystem-based marine spatial planning (MSP) process, including in South Africa. In support of the national MSP process, significant progress has been made in understanding the spatial extent of marine activities and associated marine pressures, but the temporal dynamics of marine activities and interconnections with the marine environment are less well understood. To plan for the growth of marine activities and associated user conflicts, the drivers of these temporal dynamics and associated feedback effects need to be analysed and potential policy and management interventions identified and tested. To support South Africa’s national MSP process, this study adopts a systems analysis approach, using system dynamics modelling, to explore the temporal change in marine uses under alternative growth scenarios in Algoa Bay. Algoa Bay is an appropriate study area because it is experiencing a rapid expansion of marine activities, coupled with a growing uncertainty regarding marine sustainability outcomes. To assist future marine management decisions, the Algoa Marine Systems Analysis Tool (Algoa MSAT) was developed, comprising seven sub-models. Five of the sub-models represent selected marine uses in Algoa Bay, whereas the sixth and seventh integrate the outputs from each marine use in terms of sustainable management indicators (marine health, marine wealth and marine labour). Model development primarily adopted an expert-based model ling approach, although the involvement of stakeholders, through a collaborative modelling process, assisted in integrating knowledge on different marine sectors’ activities, impacts and planning visions into the model framework. Model results were generated under different scenarios to investigate changes in the growth of marine activities and marine sustainability indicators under different levels of ocean governance. Under the baseline (or business-as-usual) model scenario, marine activities were shown to grow increasingly within their respective management limits, with an increase in marine wealth and labour and a consequential decrease in marine health. This scenario particularly highlights that current ocean governance practices are ineffective in sustaining the projected growth of the marine uses, particularly for those that are vulnerable to negative changes in marine health. Conversely, sectors that hold more value in marine wealth and are more resilient to changes in marine health, may continue to grow regardless of negative knock-on effects of the health of the marine environment and on other uses in the bay. This emphasises that an alternative governance strategy is needed to achieve the long-term goal of an ecosystem-based MSP process, as required by South African MSP legislation. To achieve this will require multiple, adaptive cross-sectoral management interventions that are directed towards the ‘deeper leverage points’ that are able to maintain the growth of marine activities within appropriate limits defined by marine health. Using the model interface developed in this project, decision-makers and stakeholders can use the model to explore the temporal dynamics in marine activities under different governance scenarios. Although the model is limited to Algoa Bay, the model boundary can be adapted to assist in marine planning processes at national or trans-national scales. Such analytical assessments and tools are critical to progress the ecosystem-based management approach in MSP, as is required to achieve global sustainable development goals. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Coastal and Marine Research Unit, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Vermeulen, Estee Ann
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54121 , vital:46312
- Description: Ocean health provides the foundation for human health through the provisioning of ecosystem services. Increasing demands on ocean space and resources are, however, resulting in a decline in ocean health, with direct and indirect knock-on effects on marine uses and ultimately on human health. In response, there is a growing need to acknowledge and better manage complex human-ocean interactions. This has been recognised in global sustainable development goals and in integrated ocean management processes, leading to widespread endorsement of an ecosystem-based marine spatial planning (MSP) process, including in South Africa. In support of the national MSP process, significant progress has been made in understanding the spatial extent of marine activities and associated marine pressures, but the temporal dynamics of marine activities and interconnections with the marine environment are less well understood. To plan for the growth of marine activities and associated user conflicts, the drivers of these temporal dynamics and associated feedback effects need to be analysed and potential policy and management interventions identified and tested. To support South Africa’s national MSP process, this study adopts a systems analysis approach, using system dynamics modelling, to explore the temporal change in marine uses under alternative growth scenarios in Algoa Bay. Algoa Bay is an appropriate study area because it is experiencing a rapid expansion of marine activities, coupled with a growing uncertainty regarding marine sustainability outcomes. To assist future marine management decisions, the Algoa Marine Systems Analysis Tool (Algoa MSAT) was developed, comprising seven sub-models. Five of the sub-models represent selected marine uses in Algoa Bay, whereas the sixth and seventh integrate the outputs from each marine use in terms of sustainable management indicators (marine health, marine wealth and marine labour). Model development primarily adopted an expert-based model ling approach, although the involvement of stakeholders, through a collaborative modelling process, assisted in integrating knowledge on different marine sectors’ activities, impacts and planning visions into the model framework. Model results were generated under different scenarios to investigate changes in the growth of marine activities and marine sustainability indicators under different levels of ocean governance. Under the baseline (or business-as-usual) model scenario, marine activities were shown to grow increasingly within their respective management limits, with an increase in marine wealth and labour and a consequential decrease in marine health. This scenario particularly highlights that current ocean governance practices are ineffective in sustaining the projected growth of the marine uses, particularly for those that are vulnerable to negative changes in marine health. Conversely, sectors that hold more value in marine wealth and are more resilient to changes in marine health, may continue to grow regardless of negative knock-on effects of the health of the marine environment and on other uses in the bay. This emphasises that an alternative governance strategy is needed to achieve the long-term goal of an ecosystem-based MSP process, as required by South African MSP legislation. To achieve this will require multiple, adaptive cross-sectoral management interventions that are directed towards the ‘deeper leverage points’ that are able to maintain the growth of marine activities within appropriate limits defined by marine health. Using the model interface developed in this project, decision-makers and stakeholders can use the model to explore the temporal dynamics in marine activities under different governance scenarios. Although the model is limited to Algoa Bay, the model boundary can be adapted to assist in marine planning processes at national or trans-national scales. Such analytical assessments and tools are critical to progress the ecosystem-based management approach in MSP, as is required to achieve global sustainable development goals. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Coastal and Marine Research Unit, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Applying insights from machine learning towards guidelines for the detection of text-based fake news
- Authors: Ngada, Okuhle
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Machine learning , Fake News
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60243 , vital:64141
- Description: Web-based technologies have fostered an online environment where information can be disseminated in a fast and cost-effective manner whilst targeting large and diverse audiences. Unfortunately, the rise and evolution of web-based technologies have also created an environment where false information, commonly referred to as “fake news”, spreads rapidly. The effects of this spread can be catastrophic. Finding solutions to the problem of fake news is complicated for a myriad of reasons, such as: what is defined as fake news, the lack of quality datasets available to researchers, the topics covered in such data, and the fact that datasets exist in a variety of languages. The effects of false information dissemination can result in reputational damage, financial damage to affected brands, and ultimately, misinformed online news readers who can make misinformed decisions. The objective of the study is to propose a set of guidelines that can be used by other system developers to implement misinformation detection tools and systems. The guidelines are constructed using findings from the experimentation phase of the project and information uncovered in the literature review conducted as part of the study. A selection of machine and deep learning approaches are examined to test the applicability of cues that could separate fake online articles from real online news articles. Key performance metrics such as precision, recall, accuracy, F1-score, and ROC are used to measure the performance of the selected machine learning and deep learning models. To demonstrate the practicality of the guidelines and allow for reproducibility of the research, each guideline provides background information relating to the identified problem, a solution to the problem through pseudocode, code excerpts using the Python programming language, and points of consideration that may assist with the implementation. , Thesis (MA) --Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Applying insights from machine learning towards guidelines for the detection of text-based fake news
- Authors: Ngada, Okuhle
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Machine learning , Fake News
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60243 , vital:64141
- Description: Web-based technologies have fostered an online environment where information can be disseminated in a fast and cost-effective manner whilst targeting large and diverse audiences. Unfortunately, the rise and evolution of web-based technologies have also created an environment where false information, commonly referred to as “fake news”, spreads rapidly. The effects of this spread can be catastrophic. Finding solutions to the problem of fake news is complicated for a myriad of reasons, such as: what is defined as fake news, the lack of quality datasets available to researchers, the topics covered in such data, and the fact that datasets exist in a variety of languages. The effects of false information dissemination can result in reputational damage, financial damage to affected brands, and ultimately, misinformed online news readers who can make misinformed decisions. The objective of the study is to propose a set of guidelines that can be used by other system developers to implement misinformation detection tools and systems. The guidelines are constructed using findings from the experimentation phase of the project and information uncovered in the literature review conducted as part of the study. A selection of machine and deep learning approaches are examined to test the applicability of cues that could separate fake online articles from real online news articles. Key performance metrics such as precision, recall, accuracy, F1-score, and ROC are used to measure the performance of the selected machine learning and deep learning models. To demonstrate the practicality of the guidelines and allow for reproducibility of the research, each guideline provides background information relating to the identified problem, a solution to the problem through pseudocode, code excerpts using the Python programming language, and points of consideration that may assist with the implementation. , Thesis (MA) --Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Assessing service delivery protests in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality: the case of Walmer Township
- Authors: Mdanyana, Esethu
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54492 , vital:46609
- Description: In many South Africa’s areas, citizen’s frustration with poor or slow service delivery has resulted in a surge of service delivery protests. Some of these service delivery protests are violent in nature, resulting in the damage of public and private property. Therefore, it is imperative to scrutinize service delivery protests. The South African constitution states that municipalities have the responsibility to make sure that all citizens are provided with services to satisfy their basic needs. These services include water supply, sewage collection and disposal electricity, gas supply health services, roads, storm water drainage, street lighting, municipal parks and recreation. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2021
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Mdanyana, Esethu
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54492 , vital:46609
- Description: In many South Africa’s areas, citizen’s frustration with poor or slow service delivery has resulted in a surge of service delivery protests. Some of these service delivery protests are violent in nature, resulting in the damage of public and private property. Therefore, it is imperative to scrutinize service delivery protests. The South African constitution states that municipalities have the responsibility to make sure that all citizens are provided with services to satisfy their basic needs. These services include water supply, sewage collection and disposal electricity, gas supply health services, roads, storm water drainage, street lighting, municipal parks and recreation. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2021
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Assessing the implementation of environmental education school policy in Buffalo City Metro Education District South Africa
- Authors: Damoah, Benjamin
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Environmental education , Environmental policy -- South Africa , Education and state -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21602 , vital:51703
- Description: Environmental Education (EE) is essential for addressing environmental challenges.The advantages of EE are undeniable; it might be used to address specific environmental concerns and their implications, as well as to modify behaviours that lead to environmental catastrophes.EE strengthens people's resilience to climaterelated hazards. Global environmental issues have heightened interest in educational policy outcomes and their implications for economic growth and social citizenship. It is worth noting that an effective EE policy has a significant influence on the development of learners' environmental literacy. This study assessed the implementation of environmental education school policy in the Buffalo City Metro Education District, South Africa. This study adopted the pragmatism paradigm of Mixed Method Research(MMR). Concurrent triangulation, which is a design that employs a single data collection technique in which quantitative and qualitative data gathering and analysis are carried out independently yet concurrently, was used for this study. The target population of this study involved 60,412 teachers, 1,770,289 learners in 5205 public schools, and 1 Pro-EE civil society organisation in the Eastern Cape province. This was narrowed down to over 268 public and independent schools, teachers, and principals within the enclave of the Buffalo Metropolitan education district. The study adopted stratified purposeful and simple random probability sampling. In this technique, the sampling frame of the study was divided into strata or groups (principals, teachers, learners, and CSOs) and a sample was purposefully selected from each stratum (Migiro & Magangi, 2011). The stratified purposeful random sampling techniques draw data from 10 principals, 175 teachers, 1500 learners, and 1 CSO. Structured questionnaire; Implementation of EE Policy Questionnaire (IEEPQ) whose reliability co-efficient value using Cronbach Alpha was 0.74, semi-structured interview and documents were the instruments used to collect data for this study. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics of percentage, mean, and standard deviation for the quantitative data while the thematic approach of sorting, coding, transcribing, and categorization was used for the qualitative data. The study revealed the following. When asked whether teachers had studied environmental education in tertiary institutions as part of their professional training, the majority of the teachers'respondents, 108, representing 61.7percent, disagreed with this view. On the flip side, a handful of teachers 67, (38.3percent) agreed with the view of having had some sort of EE knowledge during their professional training as teachers. With regards to the view that learners learn environmental issues through other subjects, most of the learner respondents, 1316 representing 87.7percent, agreed with this view. On the contrary, a minority of the respondents 184 (12,3percent) had a dissenting opinion. This indicates that most learners in school learn about environmental concerns through other traditional subjects. The study established that EE content is manifest in teachers' and learners' textbooks, teaching methods, and co-curricular activities. However, the study identified lapses in how teachers and learners integrate EE into their day-to-day practices. Therefore, the implementation of the EE policy seems to be an exercise in futility. The absence of a policy guideline document has made teachers and school administrators incapacitated in the implementation of EE school policy. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Damoah, Benjamin
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Environmental education , Environmental policy -- South Africa , Education and state -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21602 , vital:51703
- Description: Environmental Education (EE) is essential for addressing environmental challenges.The advantages of EE are undeniable; it might be used to address specific environmental concerns and their implications, as well as to modify behaviours that lead to environmental catastrophes.EE strengthens people's resilience to climaterelated hazards. Global environmental issues have heightened interest in educational policy outcomes and their implications for economic growth and social citizenship. It is worth noting that an effective EE policy has a significant influence on the development of learners' environmental literacy. This study assessed the implementation of environmental education school policy in the Buffalo City Metro Education District, South Africa. This study adopted the pragmatism paradigm of Mixed Method Research(MMR). Concurrent triangulation, which is a design that employs a single data collection technique in which quantitative and qualitative data gathering and analysis are carried out independently yet concurrently, was used for this study. The target population of this study involved 60,412 teachers, 1,770,289 learners in 5205 public schools, and 1 Pro-EE civil society organisation in the Eastern Cape province. This was narrowed down to over 268 public and independent schools, teachers, and principals within the enclave of the Buffalo Metropolitan education district. The study adopted stratified purposeful and simple random probability sampling. In this technique, the sampling frame of the study was divided into strata or groups (principals, teachers, learners, and CSOs) and a sample was purposefully selected from each stratum (Migiro & Magangi, 2011). The stratified purposeful random sampling techniques draw data from 10 principals, 175 teachers, 1500 learners, and 1 CSO. Structured questionnaire; Implementation of EE Policy Questionnaire (IEEPQ) whose reliability co-efficient value using Cronbach Alpha was 0.74, semi-structured interview and documents were the instruments used to collect data for this study. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics of percentage, mean, and standard deviation for the quantitative data while the thematic approach of sorting, coding, transcribing, and categorization was used for the qualitative data. The study revealed the following. When asked whether teachers had studied environmental education in tertiary institutions as part of their professional training, the majority of the teachers'respondents, 108, representing 61.7percent, disagreed with this view. On the flip side, a handful of teachers 67, (38.3percent) agreed with the view of having had some sort of EE knowledge during their professional training as teachers. With regards to the view that learners learn environmental issues through other subjects, most of the learner respondents, 1316 representing 87.7percent, agreed with this view. On the contrary, a minority of the respondents 184 (12,3percent) had a dissenting opinion. This indicates that most learners in school learn about environmental concerns through other traditional subjects. The study established that EE content is manifest in teachers' and learners' textbooks, teaching methods, and co-curricular activities. However, the study identified lapses in how teachers and learners integrate EE into their day-to-day practices. Therefore, the implementation of the EE policy seems to be an exercise in futility. The absence of a policy guideline document has made teachers and school administrators incapacitated in the implementation of EE school policy. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Bayesian spatio-temporal zero-inflated mixed models for overdispersion on chronic disease mapping
- Osuji, Georgeleen O https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8408-3928
- Authors: Osuji, Georgeleen O https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8408-3928
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Medical mapping , Bayesian statistical decision theory
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23644 , vital:58230
- Description: Background: Life expectancy in most developing countries has remarkably increased and decreased in mortality, but under 5 years old mortality has increased due to HIV and Tuberculosis incidence. Many factors have been established to influence the mortality rate among HIV patients and understanding the factors contribution to the risk of under 5-year-old mortality is important for designing appropriate health interventions. Excess zeros usually occur in such HIV mortality count data. Mixed models consisting of count part and zero part are often used to describe the observed excess zero in the data. Poisson models are popular modeling inference, but Negative-Binomial models are more flexible in analyzing count data and dealing with overdispersion. Method: This research proposed to develop two-part hurdle models in analyzing areal zero count data. A spatial Bayesian lognormal-logit hurdle model (BLLHM) with random effects characterizes and cross-spatial dependencies were introduced. The parameter inferences and predictions were evaluated using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm. The model proposed was applied to HIV-positive under 5-year-old mortality collected from the Eastern Cape Department of Health. Results: Bayesian lognormal-logit hurdle model is selected as the best model fit. It is observed that the total number of HIV patients not on ART-HIVnotTB (0.000612, p <0.000) was positively and statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients. Both CD4 counts were done on newly diagnosed HIV rate (CD4count) and HIV-positive new patients screened for TB rate (HIVTBrate) were negatively and statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients (-0.6294, p = 0.000 and -0.00056, p = 0.0052). However, the covariate HIV positive Tuberculosis Preventive therapy (TPT) uptake rate (HIVandTB) was not statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients (-0.00155, p = 0.5392). Conclusion: The model is flexible to deal with zero-inflated and over-dispersed count data. There is a need to consider the risk of cause-specific under-5-year-old mortality in terms of spatial effects. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Osuji, Georgeleen O https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8408-3928
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Medical mapping , Bayesian statistical decision theory
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23644 , vital:58230
- Description: Background: Life expectancy in most developing countries has remarkably increased and decreased in mortality, but under 5 years old mortality has increased due to HIV and Tuberculosis incidence. Many factors have been established to influence the mortality rate among HIV patients and understanding the factors contribution to the risk of under 5-year-old mortality is important for designing appropriate health interventions. Excess zeros usually occur in such HIV mortality count data. Mixed models consisting of count part and zero part are often used to describe the observed excess zero in the data. Poisson models are popular modeling inference, but Negative-Binomial models are more flexible in analyzing count data and dealing with overdispersion. Method: This research proposed to develop two-part hurdle models in analyzing areal zero count data. A spatial Bayesian lognormal-logit hurdle model (BLLHM) with random effects characterizes and cross-spatial dependencies were introduced. The parameter inferences and predictions were evaluated using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm. The model proposed was applied to HIV-positive under 5-year-old mortality collected from the Eastern Cape Department of Health. Results: Bayesian lognormal-logit hurdle model is selected as the best model fit. It is observed that the total number of HIV patients not on ART-HIVnotTB (0.000612, p <0.000) was positively and statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients. Both CD4 counts were done on newly diagnosed HIV rate (CD4count) and HIV-positive new patients screened for TB rate (HIVTBrate) were negatively and statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients (-0.6294, p = 0.000 and -0.00056, p = 0.0052). However, the covariate HIV positive Tuberculosis Preventive therapy (TPT) uptake rate (HIVandTB) was not statistically significantly associated with the HIV-positive mortality of under 5 years patients (-0.00155, p = 0.5392). Conclusion: The model is flexible to deal with zero-inflated and over-dispersed count data. There is a need to consider the risk of cause-specific under-5-year-old mortality in terms of spatial effects. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Beneficiation of pyrolysis-derived waste tyre char by blending with torrefied wood and microalgae to produce solid fuel
- Authors: Dube, Cleopatra Thulani
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Pyrolysis , Solid fuel reactors
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/58439 , vital:59241
- Description: he thermal decomposition of waste tyres via pyrolysis is considered to be amongst the most promising methods of recycling tyres due to its minimal environmental impact (in terms of reduction in pollution). During pyrolysis, tyres are thermally degraded in an inert environment to produce gas, oil and char. The gas and oil have promising commercialization prospects while the char remains a pollutant despite the strides made in a lot of research to upgrade the char to carbon black, activated carbon and even for reuse as a filler in tyre manufacture. For pyrolysis to be profitable, or worthy of investments, all three of its products (oil, char and gas) need to be valorised. Pyrolysis-derived tyre chars (PT-char) have an energy value equivalent to high rank coals, however, the use of PT char as a solid fuel is uncommon due to the high contents of sulphur and mineral matter as well as low volatile matter content of the PT-char. As such, the combustion of PT-char is characterised by high ignition temperature, low thermal reactivity, and no flame formation due to the low amounts of volatile matter. On the other hand, biomass are clean, renewable feedstock, having low sulphur and mineral matter contents, as well as high thermal reactivity. The blending of PT-char with biomass could potentially improve the combustion properties of PT-char and minimise the release of toxic emissions from the char, and thus, could make PT-char suitable for use as a fuel source. In this study, PT-char was blended with torrefied wood and microalgae biomass to demonstrate the suitability of using PT-char-biomass-fuel blend as an energy feedstock. To this effect, a mixture design of experiments was used to formulate the PT-char biomass blends and regression analysis was employed to select an optimum blend formulation for the combustion and mechanical properties of the blends. Proximate analysis results showed a non-linear increase in the volatile matter and a non-linear decrease in the fixed carbon and ash yield as the biomass ratio increased. The calorific value also increased on an additive basis with increasing biomass proportion. The elemental analysis results showed a decrease in the calcium, zinc and bromine contents and an increase in the potassium and iron contents increased with increasing biomass proportion. Likewise, the sulphur content decreased while the oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen contents increased with increasing biomass ratio. vi Thus, the fuel properties of the blends improved with increasing biomass ratio and without compromising the calorific value of the PT-char. Moreover, the TG-MS analysis showed that the PT-char and the respective blends did not show any release SO2 up to 650°C. Thus, making the fuel suitable for use in low temperature applications such as household and certain boilers. The results of the regression analysis showed that the blend formulation with the highest proportions of biomass, thus C55-T30-M15, is the optimum blend to produce a solid fuel with a low initial decomposition (214°C) and char ignition temperatures (532°C) as well as maximum burn-out temperature (640°C). In essence, the high thermal reactivity of PT-char is improved when both biomasses are loaded at maximum ratios as per the experimental design. The results of the MS showed a decrease in CO2 and NO2 emissions with increasing biomass proportion. The optimum blend (C55-T30-M15) was found to have a comparably higher gross calorific value (26 MJ/kg), lower sulphur content (1.1 wt.%), low ash yield (11wt.%) and lower concentration of minerals (i.e. zinc) than raw PT-char. In addition, the volatile matter content of the blend (20 wt.%) was found to be higher than that of PT-char and the ignition temperature of the optimum fuel blend was relatively lower and its burnout temperature higher than that of PT char. The MS results revealed that the CO2 and NO2 emissions were higher in the optimum blend than the PT-char. The mechanical properties of the pellets; impact resistance and compressive strength increased with increasing biomass blending ratio and even more so with increasing microalgae ratio. The C55-T30-M15 and C75-T10-M15 were selected as optimum blends using regression analysis and both blends exceeded the benchmark for mechanical properties except for water resistance. The blending did not improve the water resistance and all the blends did not meet the minimum threshold for water resistance. Overall, the blending of PT-char with torrefied wood and microalgae biomass has shown to improve the fuel properties PT-char, and therefore, making it a suitable potential fuel source. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Dube, Cleopatra Thulani
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Pyrolysis , Solid fuel reactors
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/58439 , vital:59241
- Description: he thermal decomposition of waste tyres via pyrolysis is considered to be amongst the most promising methods of recycling tyres due to its minimal environmental impact (in terms of reduction in pollution). During pyrolysis, tyres are thermally degraded in an inert environment to produce gas, oil and char. The gas and oil have promising commercialization prospects while the char remains a pollutant despite the strides made in a lot of research to upgrade the char to carbon black, activated carbon and even for reuse as a filler in tyre manufacture. For pyrolysis to be profitable, or worthy of investments, all three of its products (oil, char and gas) need to be valorised. Pyrolysis-derived tyre chars (PT-char) have an energy value equivalent to high rank coals, however, the use of PT char as a solid fuel is uncommon due to the high contents of sulphur and mineral matter as well as low volatile matter content of the PT-char. As such, the combustion of PT-char is characterised by high ignition temperature, low thermal reactivity, and no flame formation due to the low amounts of volatile matter. On the other hand, biomass are clean, renewable feedstock, having low sulphur and mineral matter contents, as well as high thermal reactivity. The blending of PT-char with biomass could potentially improve the combustion properties of PT-char and minimise the release of toxic emissions from the char, and thus, could make PT-char suitable for use as a fuel source. In this study, PT-char was blended with torrefied wood and microalgae biomass to demonstrate the suitability of using PT-char-biomass-fuel blend as an energy feedstock. To this effect, a mixture design of experiments was used to formulate the PT-char biomass blends and regression analysis was employed to select an optimum blend formulation for the combustion and mechanical properties of the blends. Proximate analysis results showed a non-linear increase in the volatile matter and a non-linear decrease in the fixed carbon and ash yield as the biomass ratio increased. The calorific value also increased on an additive basis with increasing biomass proportion. The elemental analysis results showed a decrease in the calcium, zinc and bromine contents and an increase in the potassium and iron contents increased with increasing biomass proportion. Likewise, the sulphur content decreased while the oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen contents increased with increasing biomass ratio. vi Thus, the fuel properties of the blends improved with increasing biomass ratio and without compromising the calorific value of the PT-char. Moreover, the TG-MS analysis showed that the PT-char and the respective blends did not show any release SO2 up to 650°C. Thus, making the fuel suitable for use in low temperature applications such as household and certain boilers. The results of the regression analysis showed that the blend formulation with the highest proportions of biomass, thus C55-T30-M15, is the optimum blend to produce a solid fuel with a low initial decomposition (214°C) and char ignition temperatures (532°C) as well as maximum burn-out temperature (640°C). In essence, the high thermal reactivity of PT-char is improved when both biomasses are loaded at maximum ratios as per the experimental design. The results of the MS showed a decrease in CO2 and NO2 emissions with increasing biomass proportion. The optimum blend (C55-T30-M15) was found to have a comparably higher gross calorific value (26 MJ/kg), lower sulphur content (1.1 wt.%), low ash yield (11wt.%) and lower concentration of minerals (i.e. zinc) than raw PT-char. In addition, the volatile matter content of the blend (20 wt.%) was found to be higher than that of PT-char and the ignition temperature of the optimum fuel blend was relatively lower and its burnout temperature higher than that of PT char. The MS results revealed that the CO2 and NO2 emissions were higher in the optimum blend than the PT-char. The mechanical properties of the pellets; impact resistance and compressive strength increased with increasing biomass blending ratio and even more so with increasing microalgae ratio. The C55-T30-M15 and C75-T10-M15 were selected as optimum blends using regression analysis and both blends exceeded the benchmark for mechanical properties except for water resistance. The blending did not improve the water resistance and all the blends did not meet the minimum threshold for water resistance. Overall, the blending of PT-char with torrefied wood and microalgae biomass has shown to improve the fuel properties PT-char, and therefore, making it a suitable potential fuel source. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Bicultural voice in three works
- Authors: Nkuna, Musa Duke
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54607 , vital:46769
- Description: This portfolio of compositions is made up of two parts: Part one is a commentary on the works presented in the portfolio. As required by Nelson Mandela University for the degree of DMus, the commentary is a descriptive narrative, rather than an analysis, of the works. It forms a basic guide for the listener as to how these works were conceived and constructed, and how both African and Western music elements have been used in order to achieve a syncretism. My commentary endeavours to show the compositional techniques applied when writing these works, and how my cultural interactions, music training and experience as a professional opera singer influence my compositional output. Part two contains the creative content of the portfolio: a set of scores of the three works themselves, as well as accompanying recordings of these works, with a total duration of ca. 100 minutes of music. It forms the main part of the submission. , Thesis (DMA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Department of Music and Performing Arts, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Nkuna, Musa Duke
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54607 , vital:46769
- Description: This portfolio of compositions is made up of two parts: Part one is a commentary on the works presented in the portfolio. As required by Nelson Mandela University for the degree of DMus, the commentary is a descriptive narrative, rather than an analysis, of the works. It forms a basic guide for the listener as to how these works were conceived and constructed, and how both African and Western music elements have been used in order to achieve a syncretism. My commentary endeavours to show the compositional techniques applied when writing these works, and how my cultural interactions, music training and experience as a professional opera singer influence my compositional output. Part two contains the creative content of the portfolio: a set of scores of the three works themselves, as well as accompanying recordings of these works, with a total duration of ca. 100 minutes of music. It forms the main part of the submission. , Thesis (DMA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Department of Music and Performing Arts, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Bioethical analysis of COVID19, WASH/waste and related disaster management implications
- Authors: Iheanetu, Chidinma Uchenna
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232250 , vital:49975
- Description: Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Biotechnology Innovation Centre, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
- Authors: Iheanetu, Chidinma Uchenna
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232250 , vital:49975
- Description: Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Biotechnology Innovation Centre, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
Bond market integration in the Common Monetary Area (CMA)
- Ramoriting, Retšelisitsoe Silvia
- Authors: Ramoriting, Retšelisitsoe Silvia
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Globalization , Globalization Economic aspects , Bond market , Rand area , Africa, Southern Economic integration , Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/284592 , vital:56077
- Description: The study reviews the phenomenon of financial integration. During the late 1980s and 1990s, financial market integration around the world increased due to globalisation of investments and the need for higher returns and international risk diversification. The increase was accompanied by a significant increase in private capital flows into developing countries from developed countries. The main goal of the study is to examine bond market integration in the common monetary area The study therefore investigates the co-movement of government bond returns within the CMA using data from Eswatini, Namibia, and South Africa. The study attempts to find the short-run and long-run relationship of these government bond returns using the ARDL cointegration technique. The study uses daily data of 10-year government bond yields spanning from August 2014 to September 2019. The empirical results reveal that there exists a short-run and long-run relationship between South Africa and Eswatini. Between South Africa and Namibia, there only exist a short-run relationship. Just like the previously mentioned studies, the short-run relationship is a result of policy convergence. The lack of long-run relationship between South and Namibia was due to poor institutional developments and limited investment opportunities. In this case, policy measures (or reforms) and a review of the union are necessary to increase integration of these bond markets. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Economics and Economic History, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
- Authors: Ramoriting, Retšelisitsoe Silvia
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Globalization , Globalization Economic aspects , Bond market , Rand area , Africa, Southern Economic integration , Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/284592 , vital:56077
- Description: The study reviews the phenomenon of financial integration. During the late 1980s and 1990s, financial market integration around the world increased due to globalisation of investments and the need for higher returns and international risk diversification. The increase was accompanied by a significant increase in private capital flows into developing countries from developed countries. The main goal of the study is to examine bond market integration in the common monetary area The study therefore investigates the co-movement of government bond returns within the CMA using data from Eswatini, Namibia, and South Africa. The study attempts to find the short-run and long-run relationship of these government bond returns using the ARDL cointegration technique. The study uses daily data of 10-year government bond yields spanning from August 2014 to September 2019. The empirical results reveal that there exists a short-run and long-run relationship between South Africa and Eswatini. Between South Africa and Namibia, there only exist a short-run relationship. Just like the previously mentioned studies, the short-run relationship is a result of policy convergence. The lack of long-run relationship between South and Namibia was due to poor institutional developments and limited investment opportunities. In this case, policy measures (or reforms) and a review of the union are necessary to increase integration of these bond markets. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Economics and Economic History, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06