Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Libraries and state – South Africa – Gauteng'

Fewer than 8% of schools in South Africa have functioning libraries. There is no national policy for school libraries which compels School Governing Bodies and principals to have a library in their schools. This qualitative study, based on grounded theory, investigated ten primary schools in Gauteng that had libraries, or were in the process of setting up a library with the intention of providing a rich description of the issues and challenges facing these schools. The schools were chosen on the basis of location (Soweto and Johannesburg), and the school fees that were paid in a continuum from low/no fee paying schools to the fee paying ex Model-C schools. The resourcing of the school library, the operation of the school library and the role of the library were examined. The findings highlight the lack of a national policy, of school library posts, the theft of computers as a result of the lack of security, as well as the lack of understanding by teachers of the role the library in teaching and learning. Furthermore, there appears to be a disjuncture between the trends evident in the international literature on school libraries and what is actually happening in the primary school libraries in my study. Most significantly low/no fee paying schools with libraries were the exception and those that did have libraries were as a result of the enthusiasm and efforts of one or two individuals with the backing of the principal. Ex-Model C schools had the advantage in terms of the provision and staffing of school libraries as they had the funds to support them and, in some cases, a school librarian, provided that the principal supported the idea of a school library. In all the schools, the belief in the importance of the library regarding reading and literacy was the main motivating factor in establishing or maintaining the school library. A growing public awareness of the value of school libraries was an encouraging trend that emerged from my study.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to assess the state of developments of Information Communication Technologies (ICT's) in the Gauteng Province as a driving factor for evolution into informational economy. Throughout the world the convergence of telecommunications, computing and publishing industries has changed the way in which the world economies and society at large are organized. It is important for every part of society to adapt to these changes. Since 1996 a number of institutional developments at a global, national, provincial, industrial, municipality and community levels have taken place to prepare society for the digital revolution. These institutional initiatives took form of policies and programs that would have an impact on the Gauteng Province. Therefore, it is necessary for Gauteng Province to develop a planning framework that is informed by these changes and initiatives. The theoretical basis of the study was Critical Multiplism. This approach employs multiple perspectives, methods, measures and data sources to arrive at plausible conclusions. The study concludes that the Gauteng Province has reached a critical point for rapid growth of ICT's to take place.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie fokus op die evaluering van die ontwikkeling van die Informasie Kommunikasie Tegnologie in Gauteng as 'n dryffaktor vir die evolusie na 'n informasie ekonomie. Internasionaal het die integrasie van telekommunikasie, rekenarisering en publisieteit industrieë die manier van organisasie van wêreld ekonomie en die samelewing verander. Dit is belangrik vir die sameling se voortbestaan om aan te pas by hierdie veranderinge. Sedert 1996 het verskeie institute en organisasies op globale, nasionale, provinsiale, industrieële, munisipale en gemeenskaps vlak reeds met voorbereidings begin vir die digitale revolusie. Hierdie inisiatiewe het die vorm van voorskrifte en programme aangeneem wat 'n definitiewe impak maak op Gauteng. Dit is belangrik vir Gauteng om 'n voorskriftelike raamwerk op te stel in lyn met hierdie inisiatiewe. Die teoretiese basis van hierdie studie was Kritiese Vermenigvuldiging. Hierdie metode maak gebruik van verskeie sienings, maniere en inligtingsbronne om by 'n werkbare oplossing te kom. Hierdie studie beklemtoon die feit dat Gauteng 'n krietiesie punt bereik het vir vinnige groei in Informasie Kommunikasie Tegnologie.

The study assessed the readiness of the adoption of transformational leadership for South African academic libraries in the Gauteng province. Available literature shows no evidence that assessment has been conducted by academic libraries before the adoption of this leadership style. Academic libraries nationally and internationally are faced with generic challenges like evolutionary technological changes, reduced budget allocations, leadership challenges, and human resources challenges. They are pressured to prove their value to the university due to changing user needs and most academic libraries are faced with a challenge of having to continuously redefine themselves to survive the changing environment. Academic libraries are constantly challenged and must ensure that they have strong leadership that is equipped to face and deal with never-ending challenges. The study surveyed the leadership of the academic libraries in Gauteng. It mainly adopted a descriptive research design. The survey took an exploratory approach to get quality information. The study used a transformative theoretical framework because of its immediate applicability and its focus on the tensions that arise due to unequal power relations. The study is primarily a quantitative study with some qualitative elements as a follow-up to the issues raised in the questionnaire. Quantitative data were analysed with the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS v25) statistical tool, and descriptive data were coded by assigning labels to codes and using Atlas.ti 8. The study results found that history, politics, and different dynamics related to academic universities influence the leadership style adopted at academic libraries. Several leadership characteristics influence and guide the leadership preference of academic libraries. Two academic libraries indicated that they adopted a participative and transformational leadership style. The libraries have clearly-defined communication channels between the management and staff. However, the creativity and innovation of the staff were affected by other issues. The results also showed that academic libraries must focus more on empowerment, skills development, delegating, and mentoring of their staff to prepare staff for managerial and leadership positions.

SMME targeted procurement policies in South Africa gets swapped and changed every couple of years before they take hold and assessed against initially set desired outcomes, this makes them unsustainable. As such, it has become necessary for research to be undertaken to investigate those SMMEs that do business with State Owned Enterprises (SOEs), with the aim of establishing whether the preferential procurement policies are supportive of the growth and sustainability of their businesses. The study also sought to further ascertain whether the targeted procurement policies are achieving the objectives they were created for in the first place, which is to promote growth and empowerment through the growing of the SMME businesses or are they non-responsive. Lastly, this study intended to understand whether the continued swapping and changing of the targeted procurement policies is resulting in their unsustainability to grow a sustainable SMME sector in South Africa which in turn raises a question of whether the designing and implementation of these policies is well informed by the actual challenges bedevilling the sector to be able to address these challenges on the ground. The study was a qualitative study that enabled the expression and description of feelings and opinions regarding whether the targeted policies had achieved their objectives and the concerns respondents would express. From the data was collected through interviews, the respondents indicated that the policies were theoretical and do not address the actual challenges that bedevil small businesses in South Africa. If anything, the policies have not attained their set objectives of growing and empowering SMMEs but rather made doing and growing their businesses difficult due to an unfriendly business environment. In addition, high taxes, inflexible labour laws, access to finance, inability to market their companies and products, delayed payments for services rendered are some of the problems faced by SMMEs. The SMME sector is dwindling, the small businesses are folding, and the targeted policies have proved unsustainable. Based on the findings of this study the targeted procurement policies needs to be reviewed and in certain instance overhauled to improve their efficacy. Policymakers need to establish forums where small business raise their concerns, shortcomings of the policies and put forward their ideas of making the policies more beneficial to them. There is a great need to also identify and address impediments pertaining to the operating environment and make it truly pro SMMEs.

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and Agenda 21 called for improved environmental information for decision making. In response to this demand for information, State of the Environment (SoE) Reporting has since become the globally accepted means of reporting on environmental issues, and of measuring progress towards sustainable development in the countries which have adopted the principles contained in Agenda 21. However, although a wealth of knowledge has been developed in terms of conducting and preparing SoERs there is still very limited research on the actual effects SoE Reporting has had on decision making. The purpose of this mini-dissertation was to investigate the effectiveness of SoE Reporting within Category A, B and C Municipalities in the Gauteng Province. The research results suggest that notwithstanding the extensive time and resources spent on conducting SoERs, the overall effect has been limited within the selected Gauteng Municipalities.
Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since 1995, despite the consultative processes with regards to Rationalisation and Redeployment, many stakeholders did not accept, nor understand the rationale behind the government's drive to redistribute human resources. It is widely known that there existed immense tensions and conflicts between educators and bureaucrats on the issue, which played itself out in the Grove Primary School case, as well as the withdrawal of regulations because of a 'threatened strike', due to government's disregard for participatory democracy. Using a case study, within the Gauteng province, this research investigated the experiences and perceptions of key policy actors on the policy planning and implementation processes by tracking the development of social dialogue during this process. The conceptual framework for this study was provided in the work of Cheng and Cheung (1995), who provided a generic empirical education policy analysis model, which tracks the policy processes within linear phases. Fifty indicators were identified, which were used to measure the efficacy of the policy-making process, as well as the evolution of social dialogue in the policy discourse. This study argues that in an endeavour to implement redress and equity, the policy employed had its inherent weaknesses. The researcher used a structured questionnaire to measure key policy actors (formulators and implementers), experiences and perceptions of the process employed. The qualitative methodology, which was supported by the quantitative data analysis approach, exposed that bureaucratic attitude towards socio-political participation, a technocratic approach to educational imperatives, strong union organisation, empowered parents, and the lack of capacity at certain levels of administration to deal with resistance directly and indirectly, contributed to the ambiguous success of this policy intervention. The purpose of this research was to assist in improving the efficacy of the policy pathways, by proposing a modified strategy, which includes dialogue with all relevant role players. In focusing primarily on the analysis of the Rationalisation and Redeployment Policy process, the findings of this empirical research have therefore shown how opinions and perceptions about the efficacy of a policy process are directly linked to the experiences of policy actors with regards to social dialogue during the process. As any interventionist policy is a negotiated responsibility of all educational role players, in order to promote an enabling educative environment, the consultative, as well as the policy processes proposed in this study, are based on principles grounded in research which makes optimal use of existing structures.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert 1995, ten spyte van die konsultatiewe proses rakende rasionalisasie en her-ontplooing, het min van die rolspelers die proses aanvaar, of die rasionaal agter die regering se poging om menslike hulpbronne te herversprei verstaan. Dit is alombekend dat daar reuse spanning en konflik tussen opvoeders en burokrate, gesentreer rondom die Grove Primêre Skool saak, bestaan het. Dit het saamgegaan met die ontrekking van regulasies -as gevolg van 'n beoogde staking weens die regering se miskenning van deelnemende demokrasie. Hierdie studie maak gebruik van 'n gevalle studie in die Gauteng provinsie. Hiervolgens is daar 'n ondersoek na die ervarings en persepsies van sleutel beleidsrolspleers ten opsigte van beleidsbeplanning en implementeringsprosesse. Die hoofidee is om die ontwikkeling van die sosiale dialoog binne die provinsiale onderwys na te spoor. Die konsepsuele raamwerk word verskaf deur Cheng and Cheung (1995), wie se werk 'n generiese empiriese onderwysbeleidsontleding model voortgebring het. Hierdie model volg die beleidsproses binne liniêre fases. Vyftig aanwysers word geïdentifiseer, wat gebruik word om die effektiwiteit van die beleidsformuleringproses sowel as die evolusie van sosiale dialoog te meet. Hierdie studie voer aan dat in die poging om herverspreding en gelykberegtiging te implementeer, die rasionalisasie en her-ontplooing proses opsigself inherente swakhede gehad het. "n Gestruktueerde vraelys, om sleutel rolspelers se ervarings en persepsies van die beleidsproses te meet, is gebruik. Hierdie navorsing bring na vore die feit dat burokratiese houdings jeens sosiopolitiese deelname, "n tegnokratiese benadering tot opvoedkundige imperatiewe, sterk vakbondorganisasie, bemagtigde ouers, en bestuursvlak se onvermoë om weerstand te hanteer, bygedra het tot die dubbelsinnige sukses van hierdie beleidsintervensie. Die doel van die navorsing is om die effektiwiteit van die beleidsweë te verbeter. Dit word gedoen deur die voorstel van 'n gewysigde strategie, wat die dialoog van alle relevante rolsplers insluit. Deur primêr te fokus op die rasionalisasie en her-ontplooing proses, wys die navorsing dat opinies en persepsies rondom die effektiwiteit van 'n beleidsproses direk gekoppel is aan die ervarings van beleidsrolspelers met betrekking tot sosiale dialoog. Die konsultatiewe sowel as die beleidsprosesse wat voorgestel word in hierdie studie is gebaseer op beginsels wat opsigself gefundeer is in navorsing wat van die bestaande strukture optimaal gebruik maak.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There is a strong pressure for organizations to attaining, maintaining and improving knowledge standards for sustained competitive strategic advantage. This assignment examines the status of knowledge and knowledge management (KM) practices at the Provincial Library Services (PLIS). I approached the topic by collecting data relevant to the management of information and knowledge and benefits of the KM activities using the following methods: A review of literature and research: - addressing the paucity of literature and research that is both current and directly relevant to libraries was one of the motivating factors behind the study; analysis of key documents and information systems; a questionnaire was distributed to the PUS personnel; informal interviews and observations. The results seem to indicate that PLIS has a knowledge infrastructure and a technology infrastructure. This is apparent in its knowledge programmes, e-mail system, web page, library management system (PROLIB), and limited access to the Internet. Staff has some fairly basic knowledge and information needs that must be addressed. Few knowledge contents should be established. The baseline information provides a foundation for more coordination; recognition of the importance and enhancement of its KM related activities. KM activities should focus on individual capabilities. Recommendations are articulated in terms of a proposed KM strategy. It became evident that success of knowledge management depends on an environment, which is conducive to conversion of individual knowledge to organizational knowledge, the value to which employees place on knowledge and their attitude towards KM. Moreover, indicators of success and evidence of effectiveness should take the measuring criteria beyond a checklist of policies and strategies, procedures and processes, systems, activities but professional competence, commitment, benchmarking and adoption of best practices for attainment of KM goals. Important to note, is the reality that a KM activity for PLIS has to take broader transformation imperatives into account.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar word sterk druk geplaas op organisasies om kennis te bekom, te behou en te verbeter vir volgehoue mededingende strategiese voorsprong. Hierdie werstuk ondersoek die status van kennis en kennisbestuur- (Knowledge Management, KM) praktyke van die Provinsiale Biblioteekdiens. Ek het die- onderwerp benader deur data te versamel wat relevant is tot die bestuur van inligting en kennis sowel as die voordele van KM aktiwiteite deur die volgende metodes te gebruik: 'n Oorsig van literatuur en navorsing: - een van die faktore wat die studie gemotiveer het is om die beperkte beskikbare literatuur en navorsing wat op datum sowel as relevant tot biblioteke is aan te spreek; 'n ontleding van die kern dokumente en inligtingsisteme; 'n vraelys wat versprei is onder die personeel van die Provinsiale Biblioteekdiens; informele onderhoude en waarnemings. Die resultate dui daarop dat die Provinsiale Biblioteekdiens 'n kennis en tegnologiese infrastruktuur het. Dit blyk uit die kennisprogram, die e-pos sisteem, die Webtuiste, die biblioteekbestuursisteem (Prolib), en beperkte toegang tot die Internet. Personeel het basiese kennis en inligtingsbehoeftes wat aangespreek moet word. Kennisinhoude moet daargestel word. Die basislyn inligting voorsien 'n grondslag vir meer koôrdinasie; besef van die belangrikheid en die verbetering van die KM verwante aktiwiteite. KM aktiwiteite moet fokus op individuele vermoëns. Aanbevelings word uitgedruk in terme van 'n voorgestelde KM strategie. Dit het duidelik geword dat die sukses van kennisbestuur afhang van 'n omgewing wat bevorderlik is vir die omskakeling van kennis van die individu na organisatoriese kennis, die waarde wat personeel heg aan kennis en hulle houding teenoor kennis bestuur. Aanwysings van sukses en bewys van effektiwiteit moet meetbare kriteria verder neem as 'n lys van beleide en strategieë, prosedures en prosesse, sisteme en aktiwiteite maar moet professionele vermoëns toewyding "benchmarking" en gebruik van die beste praktyke vir die bereiking van KM doelwitte toepas. Dit is belangrik om te let op die realiteit dat 'n KM aktiwiteit van die Provinsiale Biblioteekdiens wyer transformerende imperatiewe in ag moet neem.

The scarcity of financial resources often poses challenges for organisations in both the private and the public sector, which require productive (tangible) resources, in order to thrive. Organisations are developing innovative and cost-effective methods to secure productive resources that are needed to drive performance. Special libraries in the public sector face the same pressures that resulted in some of them being overwhelmed by poor resources. The purpose of the study is to determine the levels of resources available to the libraries in the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) and the extent to which tangible resources can predict information service provision in GPG libraries. The theory of the firm and the resource-based view (RBV) theory were used as theoretical framework to support the study. The study addresses the identified gap of resource adequacy in special libraries by measuring adequacy from the perspective of those responsible for exploiting the resources, instead of the library services (the output) and library users. This approach differs from those in similar studies, which measured adequacy from the perspective of consumers. The study adopted a positivist philosophical assumption, using a quantitative research approach, with questionnaires and interviews as the data collection tools. The population of the study involves all the library officials of the libraries in Gauteng Provincial Government departments, including management. Due to the nature and size of the target population, there was no need for sampling. A total of 30 respondents for both quantitative and qualitative data, participated in the study. In order to achieve acceptable levels of validity of collected and analysed data, the face validity method was used, whereas the representative reliability method was used to ensure reliability and consistency of the measuring instruments. Mean and standard deviation, multiple regression and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient analyses on quantitative data was conducted by using the data analysis tool Statistical Software for Social Sciences (SPSS). Atlas Ti was used to analyse the qualitative data collected. No major limitations were identified. The study found the level of physical, financial, ICT-based resources and staff development and training in the GPG libraries to be low, similarly the level of information services provided was found to be low. The resources were found to have predictive value on one another, but not on information services. Furthermore, the study did find a positive and strong relationship between resources and services at GPG libraries. The study recommended a resourcing model that is based on the collaborative consumption/sharing economy concept and principles.
Information Science
D. Phil (Information Science)

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 31 March 2014
This thesis was designed to examine the South African state’s capacity in the provision of basic services. State capacity is defined as the ability of the political system to enforce rules and deliver services. This reinforcement of control by the state over persons and resources within governments is critical for the performance of a political system. State capacity is therefore vital in ensuring that the provision of basic services is satisfactory and sustainable so as to optimise client satisfaction. Sedibeng is a District Municipality in one of the nine South African provinces called Gauteng Province. In spite of its rich and enduring political history and heavy industry, the situation in Sedibeng is partly attributable to the lack of adequate skills capacity with which to drive service delivery in the area. Within this context, this investigation sought to explore the role of state capacity in the provision of basic services to citizens at local government level by focusing on three local municipalities: Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi. The research was underpinned by four inter-related and mutually reinforcing concepts positioned within the context of local government, namely skills capacity-building, leadership and governance, performance management and service delivery. This conceptual framework was based on the assumption that skills capacity-building is a catalyst or enabler in enhancing leadership, governance and the overall performance of organisations. A qualitative research approach through interviews, focus groups and document analysis was adopted. The researcher also used a case study design and its advantage is that, apart from it enabling understanding of the contextual issues impacting skills capacity-building, it also provided an ideal opportunity for the researcher to tap into the vast municipal experiences of Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi. Of importance was the contribution of executive managers, senior managers and ward councillors regarding the state of skills capacity, the process followed to implement skills capacity and to learn whether skills capacity efforts have been used to improve employee performance in the provision of service. From the cross-case analysis involving the three municipalities, it emerged that despite the common difficulties encountered in organisational culture, resource for capacity-building initiatives, recruitment, selection and retention strategies and aligning skills capacity with the municipal strategic direction, the skills capacity-building initiatives were being implemented with some degree of success. The findings of the study concluded that although there had been significant progress in the implementation of skills capacity-building programmes in Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi, it is not clear whether these training initiatives were producing the desired outputs across Sedibeng’s three municipalities as a step to provide and improve service delivery, as the scope, intensity and sustainability of these efforts varied markedly across the three local municipalities. The investigation also revealed that there was no evidence of monitoring and evaluation with intense feedback and review of the progress made through skills capacity-building. Further findings were the loss of skilled and highly experienced employees and managers, which undermined the organisational memory which is critical for strategic planning and effective service delivery in any institution. Even though the researcher had assumed that skills capacity-building was the most important ingredient in service delivery, the findings of the study revealed that training is not the only important variable needed to improve service delivery in local municipalities. Other crucial variables include the alignment of training with performance management, career management, reward systems, skills transfer, employee welfare and retention strategy for the protection and preservation of organisational memory. The study concludes that learning provides the intellectual basis which stimulates the impetus for effective and sustainable organisational memory, which in turn plays a key role in facilitating strategic planning, skills formation, staff motivation and retention to improve service delivery. This learning emphasises the important consideration to locate the problematic of organisational memory towards possible improvement of service delivery where skills capacity and other related factors play a major role. The contribution of this thesis to the body of knowledge is underpinned by the interface between learning and organisational memory as surfacing beyond skills capacity and as a necessity to enhance service delivery in municipalities.
MT2016

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the literacy environment at home, at school and in the community and the development of voluntary reading and thus a reading habit. This research is relevant as there is an alarming drop out rate, poor matriculation results and low scores in reading performance tests in South African schools. Many factors and possible causes can contribute to this, but a major problem is the lack of a reading habit, low literacy levels and an environment that is not supportive of literacy. As a result, many children are still leaving school functionally illiterate. In order to develop a reading habit, learners must get maximum support and encouragement from their literacy environment, as children learn from what is going on around them. The major role players in the learner's literacy environment, are the home and family (microstructure), the school and teachers, and his community which includes libraries (macrostructure). A literature study on the foundations, contexts and practices of literacy, voluntary reading and environmental factors that affect reading provides the theoretical basis and a conceptual framework for this study. The research method used is a case study with the focus on a sample of learners from Grade 3 - 7 from schools in the Highveld Ridge and Gauteng East area. Due to budgetary and logistical constraints, rural areas are not included. The empirical survey investigates various aspects of the literacy environment. The survey method, with questionnaires for learners, teachers and headmasters, was used. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used to generate data. The findings are that many learners experience difficulties which hinder the development of a reading habit, for example: schools and communities do not have libraries, or access to them is limited; appropriate reading materials are not available; or learners do not have access to them; multilingualism is a major problem in a country with eleven official languages, as many learners have to learn and teachers have to teach in a language other than their mother tongue; parents are not literate and cannot help their children; socio-economic conditions are not conductive to reading; there is a lack of support from governmental at various levels. Although findings in a case study cannot be generalised, certain conclusions and suggestions can guide teachers, parents and librarians to create a more supportive literacy environment to encourage voluntary reading.
Information Science
M.A. (Information Science)

A need to correct the behaviour and deeds of people who have been incarcerated has been in the plans of the South African Government for a number of years now. Shifting from being punishment to rehabilitation centres, the correctional places have the aim to rehabilitate and prepare inmates to be included in and accepted by the society beyond their incarceration period. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were adopted. The case study design was employed to provide the researcher with the flexibility to gather data after an in-depth study of the LIS in Leeuwkop and Johannesburg correctional centres. The targeted population was the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) officials in charge of the LIS, Gauteng Department of Arts and Culture (DAC), City of Johannesburg (CoJ) municipality LIS Department and offenders from the Leeuwkop and Johannesburg correctional services. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample for the study. Interviews were held with six Leeuwkop and Johannesburg DCS officials, one official from the City of Johannesburg LIS Department responsible for project management, and two officials from the Department of Arts and Culture. Questionnaires were administered to Leeuwkop and Johannesburg offenders. Triangulation was used to provide different views and opinions during the data analysis. The qualitative data was analysed thematically while the quantitative data was analysed numerically with tables and graphs. Ethical considerations were taken into account by acknowledging authors and providing consent forms to the participants. The study established that there was a provisional policy for correctional services libraries in Gauteng. However, most libraries did not utilise it as they rather used other policies. This is due to the fact that libraries are not autonomous but are under the formal authority of the Department of Education and Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (SRAC). Most inmates knew about the LIS facilities in their centres. However, the study found out that the materials stored in the libraries were out-dated and limited. Additionally, most centres did not have programmes to rehabilitate offenders while they are within the correctional facilities and to reintegrate them back into the society after their release. The study recommends that another study be done pertaining to the mandate and development of policies for the DCS libraries.
Information Science
M. Inf.

Background: Over the years, the traditional academic library has been the quintessential repository for hard-copy materials and relevant information resources to support the teaching, learning and research activities of their parent universities. Accordingly, the reinvention of the academic library and its transition to the research commons model was induced by the combined effect of historical and momentous developments such as :globalisation; the worldwide democratisation of societies; the advent of mass higher education; as well as the irreversible proliferation of information and communication technologies and their tectonic impact on the knowledge economy. Purpose: This research study investigated strategies applied when converting traditional university libraries to the research commons service delivery model in South Africa. The study also sought participants’ perspectives in the identification of success factors and constraints to such conversion strategies. Methodology :The study adopted a combined qualitative-quantitative approach involving interviews, observations and questionnaires. Three public university libraries in Gauteng Province were involved as case studies to determine the extent of their orientation to the research commons model. In this regard, the study sample consisted of a manager/librarian from each of the three university libraries. Data was collected primarily by means of a survey questionnaire and semi-structured individual interviews. Explorative, descriptive and interpretive elements were applied to complement the data collection and analysis processes. Thematic data analysis was used for the ultimate categorisation and merging of both the questionnaire- and interview-based data accrued rom the selected participants. Results: Overall, the study found that careful planning and identification of positive conversion factors were critical aspects for successful implementation and evolution of any current or future research commons model. Critical factors included :formation of a research library consortium; establishing one-stop multifunctional spaces; and ongoing user and space assessment to adjust services, resources and spaces accordingly to suit changing technologies, postgraduate needs and contemporary learning styles on time and as required .Meanwhile, conversion hindrances included: model misconception by university leadership; strategic planning and change management deficiencies; poor communication; homogeneous staffing models and budgetary constraints.
Information Science
M.A. (Information Science)

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 238- 250)
People who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) in the Gauteng province are faced with a number of challenges that have many detrimental effects. One major issue is the large number of NEET people who are information illiterate to operate information services that are largely web based. Previously, information services used to be more static in nature, but ICT advancement have enabled flexibility in terms of how people actively search for developmental and work opportunities information. Scholars and research institutions have conducted extensive studies on developing the capacity of NEET people. However, there was little evidence of studies that focus on services that serve information to this community of NEET people. Therefore, this thesis aims to propose an information services framework and provide an insightful discussion about information services and NEET people. Data were collected primarily through semi-structured interviews with NEET people and, in the process, observations transpired along, with document analysis. The study adopted qualitative research and the findings were analysed thematically in line with the objectives of the study. The study revealed that intervention programmes are important to support NEET people to gain confidence and prepare them for work by refining their skills. In addition, there are initiatives that offer support and training at no cost. The major findings of the study were that there are inequalities experienced by NEET people because of socio-economic issues. It was also discovered that there are NEET people who are self-taught to utilise information services on ICT platforms. The study concludes that information literacy is important for NEET people to proficiently make use of information services to search for information. Work experience topped the agenda in terms of challenges experienced by NEET people when seeking for work. Furthermore, seeking for work or developmental opportunities information is an emotionally draining exercise for most NEET people. Such that some of the NEET people have indicated that they feel discouraged, particularly when continuously being rejected by potential organisations. Good education remains important as it has the capacity to build the individual’s mind and better place the individual’s mind to demonstrate passion towards what the persons envisage to do. A further study is recommended to investigate the extent to which lack of ICT skills has an impact on increasing the risk of NEET people remaining NEET.
Information Science
D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

A Master’s degree research report presented in partial fulfilment for the award of Master of Management in Public Policy At University of the Witwatersrand, Wits School of Governance
Preschool education is arguably one of the most important phases of education throughout the entire education system. This research report was aimed at exploring broad implications of dissemination of public funds (or lack thereof) in the earliest years of learning, what is generally known as Early Childhood Development Education. It found that whilst current public funding modalities have played a tremendous role in helping ECD practitioners reach more children, the magnitude of these funds and overall investments on the sector have been very little. Of the three sub-categories of ECD centres (registered, unregistered, and Grade R) sampled in this study, the latter was found to have gained the most from the recent increases (albeit small) in funding of ECDs. The study found that a large majority (80%) of preschool practitioners know about funding support offered by the state, however, they were not sure how it was allocated, and how they could access it. Central to the findings of this research report is the turbulent policy environment that the ECD sector has been facing due to uncoordinated interventions which only culminated into a single overarching draft national policy of 2015, which is still under scrutiny. Second to this, are the structural and operational challenges such as inadequate monitoring and evaluation of preschools by government, poor management of financial records by preschools, lack of adequate infrastructure and learning materials, and widespread red tape in registration and application of funds processes.
MT2017

Three years into the human territory, the fight against HIV/AIDS still prevails. According to Fuller (2008), it is estimated that by 2025, 80 million Africans will have been killed by this pandemic, while 90 million are estimated to be infected by HIV. Close to 3 thousand women are infected with HIV daily. In the beginning of 2008, some 22,5 million sub-Saharan Africans were living with HIV (Fuller 2008). In South Africa, 5 million people are estimated to be infected with HIV, 250 thousand die each year due to AIDS-related deaths, while a thousand people die daily and 17 hundred get infected daily. South African women are the hardest hit population group, compared to their male counterparts (Fuller 2008; Zuberi 2004). In South Africa this epidemic crawled under the shadow of denial, fear, ignorance, stigma and discrimination, which disrupted efforts to prevent further spread and care for the infected and the affected individuals and groups. South African women are subjected to gender inequality, sexual violence and rape, and in the presence of HIV/AIDS their plight became exacerbated. They became subjected to blame and rejection because people do not want to associate themselves with this group, who possess the deadly infectious disease which is associated with commercial sex workers, intravenous drug users and homosexuals. The aim of this research was to investigate the plight of anticipated and enacted stigma among the South African women who receive treatment as outpatients in the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. The study was conducted among six women who are living with HIV/AIDS over a period of four weeks, with a qualitative research design adopted as research method. In-depth interviews were used as the primary tool for data collection. This study was conducted in order for the researcher to obtain insight into the subject of HIV- and AIDS-related stigma and to highlight the experiences of participants for policy and programme designing and development purposes.

The use of the digital school library depends on many factors, including end-users‘ acceptance. The issue of designing information systems that will be used appropriately is growing and thus user acceptance of new technology is now receiving much attention by researchers. Without acceptance, discretionary users will seek alternatives, while even dedicated users will most likely manifest dissatisfaction, negating many, if not all, the presumed benefits of the digital library. Whereas the traditional focus of digital libraries has drawn research on technological developments, there is a call for user-focused research. This study sought to identify the dynamics of elementary children‘s (11- to 13- year olds) decision-making in the context of accepting or resisting making use of digital school libraries at Crawford Preparatory Pretoria School in Gauteng. To be accepted, the digital library must satisfy basic usability requirements and be perceived as useful by the children. The constructs of the Technology Acceptance Model, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness were used to generate an understanding of acceptance of the digital school libraries. The study adopted a quantitative case study research approach to compare the empirical data and the TAM theory. Data triangulation of a wide range of data collection methods, including observation, questionnaires, focus groups and tasks given to the children to work on using the International Children‘s Digital Library was analysed. The findings revealed that, just like adults, children make decisions regarding accepting and using the digital school library based on how easy it is to use and how relevant it is to their needs. The study recommends that software designers, teachers and librarians work with the children when designing digital school libraries to ensure that their acceptance factors are taken into consideration when designing for them.
Information Science
M. Inf.

The purpose of this study is to explore procurement practices employed within the commuter bus industry in Gauteng. The contemporary procurement practices employed within the commuter bus industry in Gauteng have propagated a number of challenges for this industry, including a deficit in the allocated funds and a lack of coordinated relationship between the relevant stakeholders. This study is both descriptive and exploratory in nature and employed a mixed-method research approach to collect the research data. The data was collected from a sample of 18 respondents who are key stakeholders directly involved in the procurement of subsidised commuter bus services in Gauteng by means of a face-to-face interview using a semi-structured questionnaire. The findings of the study revealed that there are three types of procurement practices employed within the commuter bus industry, namely, interim, negotiated and tender contracts. However, all these contracts are now outdated, due to the complex implementation of the policies guiding procurement. The study also revealed that there are minimal contributions towards the socio-economic objectives within the commuter bus industry. This has led to uncoordinated relations between the government officials and the subsidised commuter bus operators. Furthermore, there are challenges hindering effective procurement in the commuter bus industry, such as under-funding, fronting activities, frequent reshuffling of transport personnel and inconstant allocation of funds. The study also noted differences in the application of procurement practices between the government officials and the subsidised commuter bus operators, in terms of the industry’s contribution towards socio-economic objectives, policies and regulations, relationship and the challenges faced within the industry. Efficient procurement practices can contribute significantly to the commuter bus industry, especially towards job creation and economic growth. The study concludes with a recommended framework for enhancing the procurement practices of the commuter bus services in Gauteng.
Economics
M. Com. (Transport Economics)

Background: Many infants in developing countries are faced with poverty, poor nutrition, limited access to healthcare, and exposure to communicable diseases that place them at risk for negative developmental consequences. Dysphagia is estimated to occur in 25-40% of normally developing, and 80-90% of infants with disabilities. International studies report the common causes of dysphagia to be of gastro-intestinal and neurological origin, yet limited research exists into the profile of paediatric dysphagia within developing contexts. Objective: To describe the profile of paediatric dysphagia in state hospitals, Gauteng. Methods: By means of a retrospective record review, this study investigated paediatric dysphagia (0-18 months) in state hospitals, Johannesburg. Hospital records of 263 infants with feeding impairments were analysed using descriptive statistics, phi correlations and logistical regression. Results: Findings revealed 214 underlying aetiological combinations whereby 65% (n=171) of infants experienced dysphagia secondary to a systemic illness, predominantly communicable diseases. The health professionals, management strategies and procedures employed in the assessment and intervention of paediatric dysphagia were context specific and related to the aetiological and social factors influencing the infants. Conclusion: Results differ significantly to those reflected in studies from developed countries. Of concern is the fact that 65% of infants experienced dysphagia secondary to a systemic illness, since with adequate nutrition, sanitation and health care, these conditions are potentially preventable. By improving social circumstances, the effects of systemic illnesses may be minimised, and may consequently decrease the number of infants affected by dysphagia. This implies that paediatric dysphagia in South Africa is no longer merely a health dilemma, but one which involves basic human rights.

M.Ed.
South Africa’s current transformation process has effected momentous policy changes that have been designed under extreme pressure of redesigning a whole society. The process of transforming the Education system has been characterised by the passing of new legislation, restructuring of management systems and the decentralisation to a school level authority to make decisions related to the allocation of resources. Implementation problems arose when the policy has been misunderstood by managers at various levels of the department, or at school, perhaps because of insufficient explanation and socialisation from the National Department of Education and the Provincial Education Department. The current financial climate in South Africa has resulted in the responsibility for the financing of education being devolved to the private sectors, particularly the parent and business communities of the institutions. Schools therefore have to generate more funds to supplement the resources supplied by the State to be administered and managed as school funds. It is against the background of a fragile financial foundation for the funding of public education as well as the implementation problems experienced by various levels of the Education Department, that the remedy may then point to the development of awareness campaigns, or a rewording though not a redesign of policies. Therefore we need to look at the process of policy implementation from time to time in order to assess the degree of alignment with policy and effect various changes timeously in our attempt to fine-tune our systemic and individual capacities on an ongoing basis. Chapter one outlines the content of the research study, the declaration of the problem, the objectives of the study and the clarification of the concepts. Chapter two comprises of a thorough literature study which outlines the perspectives of various stakeholders regarding current financial management procedures in public schools in South Africa. Chapter three outlines the research methodology that is used in this research study. A valuable method was used to gather research material for the study of financial management at public schools. Chapter four is about the collection of information, its analyses and its interpretation. Themes and categories are identified and information analysed. Themes are also used as sub-categories during the analyses of the information. Chapter five is the findings of the research study. Theoretical information from the research study was compared with information consolidated from questionnaires and interviews. The last chapter consist of a summary, recommendations and the conclusion of the study.

The importance of formal education in socioeconomic development is an established fact. Formal education leads to better living standards through improved productivity, health and earnings. However, opportunities to acquire quality education are a function of a country's economic policy. This study inquires into the capacity ofthe South African macroeconomic strategy of Growth, Employment and Redistribution( GEAR) to afford people the opportunities to get quality education. The study shows close linkages between GEAR and structural adjustment programmes( SAPs). The study argues that SAPs and thus GEAR tend to have negative impact on the poor as social spending is reduced and education gets affected. This study concludes that GEAR is likely to impoverish the public formal education system, particularly in poorer communities.
Development Studies
M. Admin. (Development Administration)

In the new democratic dispensation, the Gauteng Education and Training Council (GETC) is the first statutory council instituted in South Africa, allowing civil society to participate in education policy-making. Against this background, this study explored the policy process and the participation of stakeholders. A literature study investigated the theory on policy and the participation of civil society in the policy process. The inception of the GETC was fully documented and a qualitative study undertaken to determine the role of the GETC in education policy-making. Data gathering was done mainly through semi-structured interviews with GETC members. The data was analysed, discussed and synthesised. The major findings were that stakeholders valued the opportunity to participate and members had high expectations of the contribution they could render in the policy-making process. Although most members had a good grasp of the policy process, lack of administrative resources and participative skills founded in the exclusion of large segments of society from partaking in such consultative structures in the past, was evident in some organisations. The function of the Administrative Secretary is deemed important in facilitating the functions of the GETC and training for this incumbent was emphasised. The lines of communication between the GETC and the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) need to be clearly structured in order to expedite the movement of documents between them. The MEC needs to be more visible to GETC members. The GETC, MEC and the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) have to explore ways and means of establishing a sound relationship to serve the cause. Consensus between the GETC and the GDE should be reached regarding the role and place of the GETC in the GDE Policy Route. Areas for further investigation that would enhance the role of the GETC in the policy-making process have been identified. The study concluded that the GETC renders a valuable contribution empowering citizens to become involved in formal participative structures which will contribute towards broadening the basis of acceptance of responsibility for education, by society This will assist in attaining its declared vision to improve the level of education in South Africa.

Public programming initiatives are considered an integral part of archival operations across the world because they support a greater use of archival records. In South Africa, public archival institutions are mandated in terms of section 5(1)(c) of the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa Act (Act No. 43 of 1996) (NARSSA Act), to reach out to the less privileged sectors of society, by making known information concerning records by means such as publications, exhibitions and lending of records. This also includes taking archives to young people, especially school learners. As a result, public archives repositories in South Africa have designed programmes to take archives to school learners for the purpose of creating future users and expanding the use of archival sources. Despite efforts to take archives to the people in South Africa, it would seem that public programming methods that repositories use at schools are not effective in creating awareness and promoting public archives to attract school learners. This qualitative study utilised semi-structured interviews and observation as data collection tools to investigate schools as conduits for taking public archives to learners in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The study targeted learners and teachers in schools which participated in the archival public programming in Gauteng province, as well as staff members of the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa (NARSSA) and Gauteng Provincial Archives responsible for public programming. The key findings suggest that the public archives repositories in Gauteng do not use technology, particularly social media, to market their services to school learners. The main method of taking archives to learners is through invitations and participation in the annual archives week, which do not yield any positive results, as learners do not visit the archives afterwards. It is recommended that NARSSA and Gauteng Provincial Archives consider using school learners who participated in archives week and are interested in archives to be ambassadors to further recommend the use of archives to potential users and their peers. Furthermore, collaboration between archivists and teachers from neighbouring schools should be considered by including school projects that involve the use of “archives’’. The study concludes that failure to adopt social media platforms to market archives would result in school learners not using archives. A further study covering all provinces in South Africa is recommended.
Information Science
M. inf. (Archival Science)

South Africa is a developing country that contends with a serious skills deficit that hampers its economic growth prospects. To address this skills deficit particularly at intermediate level, the government identified the public Further Education and Training (FET) College sector to serve as a medium to counter the challenge. Subsequent to the aforementioned decision by the government, political and financial support was pledged to the sector. Legislation that is attributed to the sector was also enacted and amended to capacitate the sector to perform optimally. The focus of this research was the capability of the public FET College sector in the province of Gauteng to respond credibly and qualitatively to the skills needs of the province‟s labour markets. Thus, the primary purpose was to evaluate the role that the sector in the province plays to address the skills shortage. The research design for the study was triangulation in nature, encompassing qualitative and quantitative methods. Nine public FET colleges, six companies and the Indlela Training Centre were sampled for gathering information regarding the responsiveness, articulation and efficiency of the province‟s public FET College sector. Students, lecturers, HODs and company‟s skills development managers were interviewed and sampled for the completion of questionnaires. Some significant differences in perceptions relating to the role played by the province‟s public FET college sector in addressing the skills shortage were found. Findings indicated that the massive financial and political support pledged to the sector by the government did not translate into efficiency, credibility and responsiveness nor capacitate the sector. In terms of the findings employers are skeptical about the quality of graduates that the province‟s public FET colleges ect or produces. Further, it was found that the sector‟s lecturers are inappropriately qualified and this contributes to the inefficiency of the sector in performing optimally. The lack of a formal skills development partnership between the sector and the labour markets hampers the articulation and the responsiveness of the sector to the skills needs of labour market. However, the current development whereby all the skills development institutions have been placed under one department has the potential to add value to the skills development landscape, particularly the public FET College sector.
Educational Leadership and Management
D. Ed. (Educational Management)

The transition, in 1994, in South Africa from an authoritarian ethno-nationalist Apartheid state where racial categories determined inclusion and exclusion to a liberal democratic state, raised the promise of greater inclusion within society. The post-Apartheid state formally abandoned racism and discrimination, at least in its legal sense. Paradoxically, in a context which enabled greater engagement with Africa, the new ‘Rainbow Nation’ with an emphasis on nation-building and emerging nationalism, led to manifestations of discrimination and exclusion of a different kind. An escalation in incidents of xenophobia within post-Apartheid South Africa has been fully documented. However, it could be argued, not all immigrants are subject to incidents of xenophobia. In the new South Africa, targeting the black African immigrant, in particular, has resulted in a new cycle of exclusion. As Nyamnjoh puts it these black African immigrants are associated with “the Heart of Darkness north of the Limpopo”. In contrast, foreign whites seem to be more acceptable in the new South Africa. Experiences of xenophobia and the concomitant exclusion and/or discrimination have been raced. African immigrants, however, are not a monolithic grouping. The dissertation argues that whilst all black African immigrants potentially experience xenophobia, socio-economic status may mitigate the extent and immediacy of this, as well as the ability to escape or avoid such experiences to some extent. AFRIKAANS : Die oorgang vanaf 'n outoritêre etno-nasionalistiese Apartheid-staat, waar rasse-kategorieë insluiting en uitsluiting bepaal het, na ’n liberale demokratiese staat in 1994, het die belofte van groter insluiting in die samelewing gehuldig. Die “post-Apartheid” staat het rassisme en diskriminasie ten minste op wetlike-vlak, formeel afgeskaf. In 'n konteks wat groter verbintenis met Afrika moontlik gemaak het, het die nuwe "Reëboog nasie" met die klem op nasiebou, nasionalisme ontketen. Paradoksaal het dit tot manifestasies van diskriminasie en uitsluiting van 'n ander aard gelei. 'n Toename in die voorvalle van xenofobie in “post-Apartheid” Suid-Afrika is ten volle gedokumenteer. Tog kan dit aangevoer word dat, nie alle immigrante onderworpe is aan voorvalle van xenofobie nie. In die nuwe Suid-Afrika is dit gerig op die swart Afrika-immigrant, in die besonder. Dit het tot 'n nuwe siklus van uitsluiting gelei. Soos Nyamnjoh dit stel word hierdie immigrante van Afrika met die "Heart of Darkness north of the Limpopo" geassosieer. In teenstelling blyk dit dat blankes van die buiteland meer aanvaarbaar in die nuwe Suid-Afrika beskou word. Ervarings van xenofobie en die gepaardgaande uitsluiting en/of diskriminasie is ras-gebonde. Immigrante van Afrika is egter nie 'n eenvormige groepering nie. Die verhandeling voer aan dat alhoewel alle swart immigrante van Afrika potensieel xenofobie ervaar, sosio-ekonomiese status, die omvang en die onmiddelikheid hiervan versag, sowel as die vermoë om van sulke ervaringe, tot 'n mate, te kan ontsnap of dit te kan vermy. Copyright
Dissertation (MSocSci)--University of Pretoria, 2010.
Sociology
unrestricted

‘n Algemene inleiding en motivering vir die studie, asook die faktore wat onder¬wysermoraal belemmer word in Hoofstuk Een aangestip. ‘n Algemene agtergrond tot onderwysermoraal word gegee. ‘n Verslag oor die transformasie van die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel en die afname in onderwysermoraal in Suid-Afrika en oorsee word in hierdie hoofstuk gereflekteer. Die navorsingspro¬bleem en doel¬stellings word geformuleer en die navorsingsmetodologie bespreek. Die fokus van die navorsing is duidelik afgebaken. Hierdie hoofstuk word afgesluit deur konsep¬te wat met die navorsingsonderwerp verband hou, te verhelder en die hoofstuk indeling te bespreek. Hoofstuk Twee is ‘n literatuuroorsig waarin gepoog word om die essensie van onderwysermoraal vas te stel. Faktore wat ‘n bydrae tot onderwysermoraal maak, naamlik die samelewing, politiek, media en onderwysveranderings, en die rol wat deur onderwysbestuurders gespeel word in die aanspreek van onderwysermoraal word bespreek, asook die implikasie hiervan vir die praktyk. Hoofstuk Drie gee ‘n oorsig oor die navorsingsmetodologie waardeur data inge¬samel is. Daar is ‘n beskrywing van die aard en doel van kwantitatiewe navorsing, gevolg deur ‘n bespreking van die verhouding tussen die navorser en die onderwerp. Die gestruktureerde vraelys wat gebruik is om data in te samel, word bespreek. Die data is onderwerp aan die Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin-meting om te bepaal of die steekproef voldoende was. Verder is 37 items deur middel van twee opeen¬volgende faktor-analitiese prosedures gereduseer tot twee faktore. Hierdie twee fakatore is genoem “sosio-politieke aspekte wat onderwysermoraal belem¬mer” en “skoolgebaseerde aspekte wat onderwysermoraal belemmer”. Items wat met elkeen van die faktore verband hou, word getabelleer, in rangorde gerangskik en bespreek. Die empiriese ondersoek word ook bespreek. Dit sluit ‘n bespreking van die steekproef, biografiese besonderhede en die terugstuur van die vraelys in. Hoofstuk Vier voorsien ‘n ontleding en interpretasie van die empiriese data. Die geldigheid en betroubaarheid van die gestruktureerde vraelys as navorsings¬instrument word kortliks bespreek. Hipoteses word geformuleer. ‘n Vergelyking van twee onafhanklike groepe en drie of meer onafhanklike groepe word gedoen. Die statistiese beduidenheid van verskille tussen alle onafhanklike groepe word in tabelvorm weergegee en daarna bespreek ten opsigte van die twee faktore by onderwysermoraal betrokke. Levene se toets vir die gelykheid van afwykings word gebruik om die gemiddelde tellings van die twee faktore ten opsigte van onderwysermoraal te vergelyk. Die faktor-gemiddelde tellings van die verskeie onaf¬hanklike groepe word in tabelle gegee en die ANOVA vir die ontleding van afwykings bereken en kortliks bespreek. Hoofstuk Vyf gee ‘n oorsig oor die navorsing. Belangrike bevindings uit die literatuuroorsig en die empiriese navorsing word bespreek. Aanbevelings word op grond van die literatuur- en empiriese bevindings gemaak vir die verbetering van onderwysermoraal.
Prof. B.R. Grobler

A report on a research study presented to the Department of Social Work School of Human and Community Development Faculty of Humanities University of the Witwatersrand In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Social Work
This qualitative, exploratory study sought to determine whether non-clinical staff, generally referred to as “support staff”, perceived their working environment – a psychiatric inpatient facility in Gauteng – as threatening and, if so, whether this perception could be attributed to constant exposure to male state patients (“MSPs”). The MSPs have a history of violence, with charges of assault with an intent to do grievous bodily harm, rape and murder being the most prevalent. Support staff members (ward clerks, administrative staff, cleaners and groundsmen), encountered MSPs during the execution of their daily duties, but appeared to receive little or no training which could foster the skills needed to interact safely with potentially dangerous MSPs. Data was obtained through in-depth interviews and semistructured interview guides were used. Twelve participants were recruited through purposive sampling and three key informants provided additional data to support triangulation. During thematic analysis, it emerged that patient unpredictability, having experienced direct threats, having experienced vicarious trauma, an apparent lack of security measures and lack of support from clinical staff and management contributed to the participants’ perception of the threat of violence. Findings suggest that frequent exposure to MSPs elicited fear in some of the support staff. Participants expressed the desire for improved security measures, comprehensive training and general education about mental illness in order to empower themselves to better understand mental illness. Moreover, occupational social workers (“OSWs”) have a vital role to play in bridging the gap between management and staff, and empowering vulnerable employees. An OSW framework to ensure Employee Wellness and Safety in Safety-Sensitive Environments was designed from the output of this study which might be useful in other safety-sensitive settings.
NG (2020)

Abstract in English, Zulu and Sesotho
The study set out to investigate the state of teacher-learner relationships in a culturally diverse Grade 10 classroom from a social wellness perspective. The views of teachers and learners who were purposively sampled as study participants were explored on issues relating to the phenomena under study. A triple integrative theoretical lens comprising three theories, namely, Ubuntu theory, the self-system theory and the social wellness theory were used to guide this study. These theories collectively view the social system as influencing individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, feelings, and relationships with others, and as determining individuals’ development of the total self and identity, ultimately. The study is qualitative in nature and hence employed the interpretivist paradigm as well as the case study design. The case was a multicultural secondary school located in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Data were collected from participants using an open-ended questionnaire and structured interviews. Data collected through the open-ended questionnaire were analysed using Creswell’s (2009) sequential steps for data analysis, while data from structured interviews were analysed through Tesch’s (1990) steps of data analysis. Analysed data was interpreted from the participants’ viewpoint and discussed in relation to related literature. Several themes were identified from the analysed data and these answer the research questions. Generally, the findings reveal that in the case school, the teacher-learner relationship is positive, and that the cultural diversity in the school is recognised, acknowledged, valued, and embraced. Basically, the case school embraces the values of Ubuntu. The researcher managed to generate a new theory called the ‘Self with Others Wellness Theory, derived from the study’s findings which embraces the African values of Ubuntu. Therefore, the study contributes and adds to existing theory, and is valuable for guiding and informing policy. The study also therefore adds value to the practice of education and other disciplines to which it is applicable.
Ucwaningo lolu luqonde ukuhlaziya isimo sobudlelwano bothisha nabafundi bebanga leshumi abanamasiko ahlukile egumbini labo lokufundela esifundazweni saseGauteng. Imibono yothisha neyabafundi ababambiqhaza ocwaningweni bekhethwe ngokwenhloso iye yahlolwa, yaphenyisiswa ngokuphathelene nobudlelwano babo basegumbini lokufundela. Uhlaka oluhlangene lwemibono olunemibono emithathu lusetshenzisiwe kwaba yilo oluqondisa lolucwaningo. Loluhlaka lwemibono ehlangene lugoqela umbono woBuntu, uhlelo lokuzenzela kanye nempilo yenhlalo. Imibono le yomithathu ithi inkolelo yabantu, isimo sabo sengqondo nemizwa yabo kuthuthukiswa luhlelo lwezenhlalo. Ephenyweni lolu kusetshenziswe ucwaningo lokuqonda yingakhonje kuye kwasetshenziswa futhi neparadigm yomhumushi kunye nomklamo wesifundo sesigameko. Isigameko sesifundo yisikole samabanga aphezulu esinabafundi nothisha abanamasiko ahlukile esifundazweni saseGauteng, eMzansi Africa. Imininingo yophenyo yathathwa kwababambiqhaza ocwaningweni kusetshenziswa uhla lwemibuzo evulekile kunye nezingxoxo ezihlelekile ezinemibuzo evulekile. Indlela ka Creswell (2009) yokuhlaziya imininingo yophenyo yasetshanziswa ukuhlaziya imininingo yophenyo eyaqoqwa kusetshenziswa uhla lwemibuzo evulekile; ikanti imininingo yocwaningo eyaqoqwa kusetshenziswa izingxoxo ezihlelekile ezinemibuzo evulekile yona yahlaziywa kusetshenziswa indlela ka Tesch (1990) yokuhlaziya imininingo yophenyo. Imininingo yocwaningo ehlaziyiwe yaxoxwa yabuye yachazwa ngendlela ababambiqhaza ocwaningweni abayibona ngayo, yasisekelwa yimibhalo yabacwaningi bangaphambilini. Imibono embalwa yavela kumininingo yophenyo ehlaziyiwe, kanti lemibono izimpendulo kwimibuzo yocwaningo loluphenyo oluqonde ukuyiphendula. Jikelelenje, kutholakala ukuthi ubudlelwano phakathi kothisha nabafundi egumbini lokufundela esikoleni sesigameko buhle, nokuthi futhi ukwehluka kwamasiko kulesikole kuyabonakala, kuyavunywa, kuyamukelwa ikanti njalo kuyabalulekiswa. Kuye kwavelake futhi kuloluphenyo ukuthi isikole sesigameko siyabubalulekisa Ubuntu. Umcwaningi wenelisile ukwakha umbono esebenzisa impumela yalolucwaningo wawubiza ngokuthi yi ‘African Self with others wellness theory’, okuchaza ukuthi mina nabanye kumele siphilisane njalo sihlalisane kahle. Lokhu kuyingxenye yobuntu. Lolucwaningo luyelwengeza imibono ekhona ngakhoke lubalulekile futhi luyakwazi ukwazisa inqubomgomo. Lolucwaningoke luyawuphakamisa umkhuba wezemfundo kunye neminye iminyango ehambisana nawo.
Peyakanyo ya dipoelo tša dinyakišišo tše tša thutho e tšweleditšwe go nyakišiša seemo sa phedišano magareng ga morutwana le morutiši ka phaphušing ya bolesome yeo e swerego bana bao ba tšwago ditšong tše di fapanego, gagologolo go lebedišišwa phedišano go ya ka maitswaro a botho. Mebono ya barutwana le barutiši e šomišitšwe bjalo ka mohlala go bakgatha tema mo dinyakišišong tše, go lekodišišwa ditabanatabana tšeo di sepelelanago le peyakanyo ya mongwalo wo. Setšweletšwa sa go bonagatša sa mmono seo se hlagišago ke megopolo e meraro yeo e kopanego, se šomišitšwe go hlahla peyakanyo ya mongwalo wo e le ge gothwe ke mogopolo wa botho, mokgwa wo motho a ipotšago ka gona le boemo ba tšhumišo ya botho bathong. Megopolo ye e tšweletša mokgwa wo re phelago ka gona, go na le seabe mo go fekeetšeng mokgwa wa motho, maitshwaro a motho, maikutlo a motho le go phedišana le ba bangwe e bile go bonagatša tswelopele ya motho gore ke mang ge se a feleletše ka bo yena go fihla bofelong. Peyakanyo ya mongwalo wo e tšweletšwa gabotse ke tlhago, e šomišitše mekgwana ya go hlalosa ka setlwaedi e le ka mokgwa wo mongwalo wo o kgabišitšwego ka gona. Tirelo ya mongwalo wo e diretšwe mo sekolong sa bana ba batšwago ditšong tše fapanego, gona Provenseng ya Gauteng, Afrika borwa. Kgoboketšo ya ditaba e humanwe gotšwa dipoledišanong tše beyakantšweng le mekgwana yeo e šomišiwago go botšišana ka go lokologa mo bakgathatemeng. Kgoboketšo ya ditaba tšeo di tšwago go wona mokgwa wa go botšišana ka go lokologa, dilekodišitšwe e le ge go berekišitšwe mokgwa wa tekodišišo ya kgato ka kgato ka go latelelana ya go lekodišiša ya Creswell (2009), mola kgoboketšo ya ditaba tšeo di tšwago go poledišano tšeo di beyakantšwego di lekudišišitšwe ka mokgwa wa tekudišišo ya dikgato ya Tesch (1990). Tekodišišo ya ditaba e be e lebeletše gagolo mebono ya bakgathatatema gammogo le go boledišana ga bona mo mongwalong wo. Tlhogo ya ditaba e bile ya lemogiwa gotšwa go ditekedišišo tšeo di dirilwego e le ge di araba dipotšišo mo dinyakišišong tše. Ka kakaretšo go humanegile gore maitshwaro a morutiši le morutwana ke a mabotse ka maatla e bile le ditšo tše fapanego di ya kgona go lemogiwa, di amogelegile, di dumeletšwe, e bile di ya hlomphiwa le go ratiwa. Gabotse mongwalo wo o kgantšha maemo a godimo a botho bathong. Monyakišiši wa tša dipuku o kgonne go tšweletša mogopolo o moswa wo o bitšwago gore ‘’Motho ke Motho ka Batho’’ e le ge o etšwa dinyakišišong tše humanegilego tša go kgantšha botho ba Mafrika bathong. Peakanyo ya mongwalo woo e ba le seabe le go oketša megopolo yeo e bego e le gona, e bile e bohlokwa go šomišwa go hlahla le go beya melao yeo go ka phelwago ka yona. Peakanyo ya mongwalo wo e oketša mokgwa woo thuto le mekgwa ye mengwe e mebotse e tšwelelago ka gona.
Psychology of Education
Ph. D. (Psychology of Education)

This study examined the impact of the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) on the livelihood of land and agrarian reform farmers in Sedibeng District Municipality of Gauteng Province, South Africa. The programme serves as a post settlement support to agricultural projects. Post settlement support is very critical to achieving many projects of South Africa and other neighbouring countries. The study diagnosed the key variables that could be used in reforming, correcting and tightening in order to have a sustainable agricultural project. The study also indicated the variables that could have positive and negative contributions on the effects of obtaining the socio-economic deliverables of the CASP agrarian reform farmers. A comprehensive structured questionnaire was designed and used to collect data from 300 agrarian reform farmers in Sedibeng District Municipality. The study employed Probit Regression model and Propensity Score Matching to estimate the impact of CASP on farmers’ income. The key findings were that CASP promoted the livelihood of the rural economy by increasing farmers’ incomes. CASP had a high impact on the income of agrarian reform farmers who benefited on it than non-benefited. Socio-economic and institutional factors were found to influence participation in CASP. The survey data indicate that the majority of respondents who participate in CASP (74.4%) were males while 25.6% were female. About (32%) of CASP participants had attained primary school education, 28.3% had secondary school education, and 23.3% had education at the college level while 16.4% acquired high school education. For non- CASP participant, 71.6% was male and 28.4% was female. About (32.1%) of non-CASP participants had acquired primary education, 23.5% had secondary school education, 25.9% had education at the college level while 18.5% acquired high school education About 53.9% representing the CASP participants was married while only 6.8% was single, 19.2 was divorced and 20.1 are widowed. The percentage of non-CASP participant that were married was about 51.9% and 8.6% are single, 23.5% are divorced while 16.0 are widowed. About 22.8% of the CASP participant indicated that their household heads were employed while 77.8% are unemployed. About16.9% of CASP participants had obtained qualification in agriculture while the majority (83.1%) did not have any qualification in agriculture. Only 18.5% of non-CASP participant obtained qualification in agriculture while 81.5% have not obtained any qualification in agriculture. The study recommended that CASP be extended to more agrarian reform farmers and it will promote food security and sustainable strategy to achieve the post 2015 development agenda (2030 agenda-succeed the Millennium Development Goals) for sustainable development goals targets ending poverty and hunger. In order to achieve more participation, factors identified to influence CASP participation needed to be given more attention critical in policy formulation.
Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology
M. Sc. (Agriculture)

Educators are experiencing problems in effectively implementing RNCS in the public primary schools in the Ekurhuleni-West district. These problems, in both the Foundation and Intermediate Phases, include poor educator training and development, the scarcity of resources, the added educator workload in implementing the new curriculum and the poor leadership styles of the SMTs. The inability to effectively implement RNCS in the classroom is further exacerbated by minimal educator participation and consultation when the new curriculum was being drafted. Such problems could lead to educator frustration, low morale and demotivation that would negatively affect the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom. It is on this basis that a research study is justified. The research question is “How effective is the implementation of RNCS in the public primary schools in the Ekurhuleni-West district?”
Mr. T.S Hlongwane

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Sesotho
This work explores the continuous professional teacher development point system policy and the implications it has on the professional development of teachers. A qualitative study was undertaken in two secondary schools on the West Rand in Gauteng. Data was collected through document analysis, observations and semi-structured interviews. Results indicated that there is a mismatch between what is outlined in the policy and what the teachers are practising. It became evident that the majority of teachers in this study had limited knowledge of the policy although implementation of the policy began in 2014. It was concluded that the point system policy is not contributing effectively to the professional development of teachers in Gauteng.
Hierdie werk ondersoek die deurlopende professionele onderwyser-ontwikkelingspuntstelselbeleid en die implikasies daarvan op die professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers. 'n Kwalitatiewe studie is onderneem in twee sekondêre skole aan die Wes-Rand in Gauteng. Data is ingesamel deur middel van dokument analise, waarnemings en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude. Resultate het aangedui dat daar 'n wanverhouding bestaan tussen wat in die beleid uiteengesit word en wat die onderwysers praktiseer. Dit het duidelik geword dat die meerderheid onderwysers in hierdie studie beperkte kennis van die beleid gehad het, hoewel die implementering van die beleid in 2014 begin het. Daar is bevind dat die puntestelselbeleid nie effektief bydra tot die professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers in Gauteng nie.
Mosebetsi ona o hlahloba ts'ebetso ea litsebi tsa ntswetsopele ea litsebi le liphehello tsa eona ho ntlafatso ea litsebi tsa matichere. Thuto e ntle e ile ea etsoa likolong tse peli tsa sekondari ho West Rand Gauteng. Lintlha li ile tsa bokelloa ka ho hlahloba litokomane, litlhaloso le lipuisano tse sa tšoaneng. Lipatlisiso li bontšitse hore ho na le phapang pakeng tsa se boletsoeng polelong le seo matichere a se etsang. Ho ile ha totobala hore matichere a mangata thutong ena a na le tsebo e fokolang ea leano le hoja ts'ebetsong ea pholisi e qalile ka 2014. Ho ile ha fihleloa qeto ea hore leano la tsamaiso ea motheo ha le tlatse ka katleho ho ntlafatso ea litsebi tsa matichere Gauteng.
Educational Management and Leadership
M. Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management)

In the 21st century, there is a growing realisation that providing principals with the necessary opportunities of training in leadership and management skills has become increasingly important as a way to increase school effectiveness and achieve quality performance. Central to this argument is the fact that principals are merely accorded a status and role without the necessary training. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore the effectiveness of state-funded professional development programmes of school principals with specific reference to Soshanguve secondary schools and also to ascertain the extent to which principals’ training meets the schools’ and principals’ needs given the changed conditions that exist in the country. The study employed a quantitative research methods approach to collect data from 100 educators and 20 Head of Departments (HoDs). This was done through administration of questionnaires. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), which was used to generate the frequencies and descriptive statistics that were used to answer research questions. While it is expected that principals should effectively and rigorously be developed to enable them to improve teaching and learning at their schools, the study, however, found that training of school principals in Soshanguve was elusive and ineffective, and as result, the majority of these principals lack basic management training prior to and after their entry into principalship. The study has shown that apart from being faced with various challenges and being promoted to principalship without the necessary leadership experience, principals rely on trial-and-error experience and common sense in leading and managing schools. The study also showed that a majority of principals are in great need of being professionally developed in some specific areas. Furthermore, the study discovered that the Department of Basic Education does not seem to be making efforts in ensuring that principals are professionally developed. Consequently, principals develop on their own through informal professional development strategies. In conclusion, the study recommended, amongst others, that principals should be encouraged to take personal responsibility and initiative in preparing and developing school leadership through self-study, reading literature, attending seminars and workshops out of their own personal volition. That Department of Basic Education (DoBE) needs to look into ways of subsidising the training of school principals. DoBE should also find ways of formally incorporating more of the private sector and non-governmental organisations to help in the preparation and development of principals for school leadership by allowing them to offer in-service courses for potential principals and serving principals.
Educational Leadership and Management
D. Ed. (Education Management)