Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Namibians'

Många av jordens fattigaste människor lever på landsbygden och är beroende av småskaligt jordbruk för sin överlevnad. Förenta nationerna anser att det är en nyckelfaktor att öka produktiviteten hos jordbruken för att minska undernäringen i världen. Under det senaste årtiondet har den akademiska litteraturen gjort framsteg kring produktutveckling för utvecklingsländer men det är fortfarande få studier om hur den bör genomföras. Målet med detta examensarbete är att redogöra för vilka framgångsfaktorer som bör beaktas vid produktutveckling för människor på landsbygden i utvecklingsländer.Den empiriska datan baseras på ett produktutvecklingsprojekt i norra Namibia samt intervjuer med experter inom området. Projektet genomfördes som ett Minor Field Study projekt, sommaren 2016, genom passiva och aktiva fältstudier. Eftersom mycket av den befintliga teorin är generell, analyseras den för hur väl den kan appliceras i Namibia. Examensarbetet resulterade i två kategorier av framgångsfaktorer, projektets organisation och produktdesign. Den första kategorin listar framgångsfaktorer för hur ett lokalt produktutvecklingsprojekt bör organiseras. Den andra kategorin listar framgångsfaktorer kopplade till själva produkten. Genom att redogöra för dessa syftar den här rapporten till att vara ett stöd för småskaliga produktutvecklingsprojekt för Namibias landsbygd utförda av icke-namibiska företag eller organisationer.Intressanta slutsatser är att rekommendationer för tillverkning skiljer sig från vad som rekommenderats i tidigare litteratur. En analys är att det grundar sig i det småskaliga perspektivet som är påtvingat av Namibias låga populationstäthet. För att styrka rapportens slutsatser bör ytterligare studier inom småskalig produktutveckling för landsbygden i utvecklingsländer genomföras.
Many of the poorest people on earth live in rural areas and are dependent on small-scale farming for their survival. The United Nations sees it as key to improve the productivity of these farms in order to reduce undernourishment in the world. Even though the literature has taken a big step forward on product development for developing countries during the past decade, there are still few studies on how to develop products for this specific group. This master thesis aims to state the success factors when developing products for people living in rural areas of Namibia.The empirical data is based on a product development project in northern Namibia as well as interviews with experts within the area. The product development project was carried out as a Minor Field Study during the summer of 2016 and the authors of this report spent two months in Namibia conducting both passive and active field studies. Since much of the existing literature claims to be general, this thesis starts off by analysing the existing literature to see how it applies in the Namibian context. The literature study together with the empirical findings are then formed into two categories of success factors when developing products for rural Namibia. The first category, project organisation, lists the success factors for how to set up a local product development project as a non-Namibian company or organisation. The second category, product design, lists the success factors linked to the actual product. By stating these success factors this thesis aims to be a support for small scale development projects carried out by a non-Namibian company or organisation targeting rural Namibia.Interesting findings are that the recommended production methods differ from what is recommended in previous literature. This report argues that the reason for this is the small scale perspective forced by Namibia’s low population density in contrast to India’s, from where most of the existing literature originates. This raise the need for further studies on small scale product development projects in rural areas to validate the findings of this report.

Textbooks are a universal and central element of teaching and learning mathematics (Namibia. Ministry of Education [MoE], 2008). Steenpaß and Steinbring (2014) state that diagrams in mathematics textbooks are often used as Visualisation Objects (VOs) to enhance learning of mathematical concepts. VOs in textbooks are thus important teaching and learning tools (Fotakopoulou and Spiliotopoulou, 2008). This Namibian interpretive case study analysed the nature of VOs used in the three approved grade 9 Namibian mathematics textbooks namely: y=mx+c to success, Maths for Life 9 and Discover Mathematics 9. The VOs were analysed by using an analytical framework adapted from Fotakopoulou and Spiliotopoulou (2008). This analytic tool was specifically used to interrogate the following categories: the type of VOs, the roles of VOs, the relation of VOs to mathematical content, the relation of VOs to reality, and their properties. The 266 VOs under study were collected from the Algebra and Geometry chapters of each book. This study also included survey questionnaires with the 50 selected mathematics teachers, which sought their views and perceptions on the use of the identified VOs. In addition, the authors’ rationale in selecting the identified VOs used in their textbooks was sought through interviews. This research study is part of the “Visualisation in Namibia and Zambia” (VISNAMZA) project which seeks to research the effective use of visualisation processes in the mathematics classroom in Namibia and Zambia (Schäfer, 2015). It is hoped that this study contributes towards improving the quality of textbook evaluations, and design of suitable and more comprehensive assessment procedures in Namibia. It is also hoped that it creates a critical awareness of the roles of VOs in textbooks amongst teachers, inspiring them to help their learners interpret VOs effectively. It should also inspire potential authors to use suitable and appropriate VOs that enhance conceptual teaching and learning of mathematics. The study discovered that most of the VOs used in the selected textbooks align well with the mathematical content. The VOs can help make abstract ideas concrete, stimulate learning, simplify and clarify written texts. In addition, VOs can also be used as a tool for reasoning and an instrument for problem solving. The findings however also indicate that some of the VOs used are not self-explanatory; they are vague, unfamiliar and confusing, leading to misinterpretations by some learners. Another interesting finding was that some of the learners found it difficult to interpret VOs on their own without the help of the teacher.

Education is one of the deciding factors for poverty alleviation and economic growth. Governments of developing countries is struggling to meet the demand for qualitative education and the nation of Namibia is no exception. Namibia is struggling with the lack of a skilled workforce and the lack of access to qualitative higher education has been identified as one of the prime causes. ICTs have been identified as a potential enabler for an increased access and quality of education in Namibia. This study employed a qualitative approach to examining the success factors and challenges that applies to e-learning at the University of Namibia (UNAM). The study identified a multitude of critical factors within 5 different areas: i) Access, ii) User motivation, -attitude and -awareness, iii) Systematic approach, iv) Evaluation and analytical challenges, and v) Transforming the education. This rapport will discuss the role of e-learning at UNAM, the factors that are critical for e-learning at the learning institution and how this correlate with previous findings made by the scientific community on similar issues.

Before Namibia's independence in 1990 educational programmes and curricula gave little attention to environmental education which was detrimental to the development of environmental literacy in Namibia. The post independence education reform process paid special attention to the inclusion of environmental education in all spheres of learning. Furthermore, Namibia became a signatory to various environmental conventions thereby raising awareness about the environment and the potential challenges to a sustainable future. The initiatives of various environmental education projects since independence have responded to the growing concern of environmental education programmes, resulting in the establishment of the Namibian Environmental Education Course (NEEC). To date few studies have been conducted examining the relevance of EE programmes in relation to the professional practice of EE providers in the non-formal sector. This study focuses on the work done by two environmental education providers and four assistant environmental education tutors in Rundu, in North-Eastern Namibia. The study adopted a qualitative approach to investigate how the NEEC has shaped and informed the practice of EE providers in the non-formal sector and also how the NEEC has responded to the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) programme. The study employed three data collection instruments: interviews, field observations and document analysis. The findings indicated that despite the input of the NEEC programme which provided an understanding and knowledge of environmental problems to the EE providers, there are issues that continue to hamper the effective practice of these providers. The study revealed that the NEEC programme, while within the structure of ESD, does not give explicit guidelines for identifying Namibia's environmental challenges and clear strategies of how to respond to these challenges. The findings of the study have provided valuable insights into aspects of an EE programme that need to be addressed to support EE providers in responding to key environmental challenges in their regions and contribute to the decade of Education for Sustainable Development.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Freedom of association is a constitutional fundamental freedom denied the members of the Namibian Police Service. This led to the researcher to conduct a study on current labour practices in the said organisation. The aim thereof was to establish whether the inexistence of unions has a detrimental effect on labour relations, and also to explore possibilities of introducing trade unions in the Police Service. A study was conducted within a qualitative approach with the data obtained from existing literature as well as through interviewing police officers and other public office bearers. It was ultimately found that the entire organisation is fraught with labour related problems, which would have been handled differently within unionism. The study therefore recommends that a union be formed for the Namibian Police members.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vryheid van assosiasie is 'n konsitusionele fundamentele vryheid wat die lede van die Namibiese Polisiediens ontsê is. Dit was aanleidend tot die navorser se ondersoek van bestaande werkspraktyke in die gemelde organisasie. Die studie is daarop gerig om vas te stel of die bestaan van unies nadelig inwerk op werksverhoudings asook om die moontlikheid van die instelling van vakunies in die polisiediens te ondersoek. Die studie is met 'n kwalitatiewe benadering onderneem en data is bekom uit bestaande literatuur asook onderhoudsvoering met polisiebeamptes en ander openbare ampsdraers. Daar is uiteindelik bevind dat die hele organisasie gebuk gaan ander werksverwante probleme wat binne vakunie-verband anders hanteer sou word. Die studie beveel dan ook aan dat 'n unie vir die lede van die Namibiese Polisie ingestel moet word.

Background: In Namibia there are a lot of different native languages even if the official language is English. Since communication is an important tool for nurses and studies about communication across language barriers mostly is done in western countries, there is need for more knowledge regarding the nurse's experience with language barriers in multilingual and multicultural context, like Namibia. Aim: To describe the experiences of Namibian nurses caring for patients who speak another native language. Method: Qualitative interviews were held with four nurses and one student nurse at Katutura State hospital in Windhoek, Namibia. Results: Two themes with subthemes were identified in the results. The first theme, Establishing the patient-nurse relationship, describes the importance of trust for communication and what the interviewees found important when creating a bond with the patient. The other theme, Establishing the communication, describes the importance of interpretation and how they tackled the language barrier. Conclusion: When meeting a patient with another native language it is of great importance to establish trust with the patient and that interpreters are used. The use of sublingual nurses, who found interpreting to be a natural part of their work, was beneficial.

This dissertation attempts to bring clarity and certainty in respect of the regulation of the health and safety aspect within the Namibian mining Industry. At the moment, there is lack of legal clarity in Namibia as to which set of laws or regulations applies to the mining industry in so far as health and safety of employees within the extractive industry is concerned therefore making it difficult for the industry to comply or comprehend its legal obligations. The absence of legal clarity culminated into uncertainty over which state functionaries are entrusted with the responsibility to regulate the health and safety aspect of mining in Namibia. It is observed that the uncertainty which prevails in the Namibian mining industry as to which laws or regulations are applicable in respect of health and safety of employees at work is attributed to and aggravated by the misconception of the Ministry of Mines and Energy which fails comprehend its role due to lack of proper legal advice and thereby assuming status quo. This research has found that Ordinance 20 of 1968 and its regulations were repealed to the extent that it dealt with health and safety of employees on mines and consequently the regulations of 1968 do not find application in Namibia since 1 November 1992. This paper further reveals or identifies the Health and Safety Regulations on the Health and Safety of Employees at Work made under Labour Act 6 of 1992 as the applicable law in this regard notwithstanding the fact that the assignment of the administration of functions under the Health and Safety regulations, is vague and contributes to the uncertainty instead of ameliorating the situation. The ordinance continues to be implemented by the ministry as if it is still applicable and very little is actually implemented under the 2007 Labour Act. Therefore, one can clearly say that in the absence of a new regulatory regime which introduces substantial change, there is nothing to measure against unless the Labour Act Regulations are properly assigned with post assignment directives.
Mini Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2017.
Public Law
LLM
Unrestricted

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In Namibia the small business sector is seen to play a very important role in the creation of jobs and the growth of the economy. At the same time small enterprises face a wide range of problems, which keep the failure rates of new ventures high and often prevent dynamic business growth. To address these challenges it is insufficient to have a national strategy for small businesses or to just rely on national government and other national bodies. This is particularly important in a country like Namibia which has a small population, stretched over a vast territory, with huge differences in the resources and development patterns of the various regions. Against that background this study focuses on a particular area of Namibia, viz the Erongo Region along the coastal belt. It is Namibia’s best developed region after the central Windhoek/Khomes area, with the two towns, Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, the harbor of Walvis Bay, the Uranium mines and tourism being the foundation for business growth. After reviewing the spectrum of small business support bodies available in Namibia the study looked at a sample of 100 small enterprises in the Erongo area. They were asked about their business engagement, business prospects, main problems experienced and their awareness and utilization of support programmes. These needs profiles were then compared to the set of actual service suppliers found in the Erongo region. This showed that in practice very few of the problems are addressed, largely due to a lack of awareness, pro-activity and cooperation on both sides: local small enterprises and local support suppliers. The study ends with a range of proposals which should, if tackled on a partnership basis and in closer cooperation between the head offices in Windhoek and local bodies, lead to a steady improvement of the SME support process.

As is the case with many countries, Namibia has an economy dependent on fossil fuels. The country is, however, blessed with abundant and diverse - but as yet unexploited - renewable energy (RE) resources that could be used for improving the livelihood of the vast majority of its 2.2 million people. Today the conflict between energy production from fossil fuels and protection of the environment is intensifying and this compels all countries to search for means of resolving this conflict. Developing RE through the enactment of enabling legislation and implementation of relevant policy is one important step towards attaining the ideal of an energy-secure future. This state of affairs is not unique to Namibia, as most countries with abundant RE sources are striving to promote and deploy RE in their respective regimes through appropriate policies and legal frameworks. This study examines Germany and Ghana from, respectively, the developed and developing world, as leading countries that have established a proactive RE regime. However, such a regime can only be successfully achieved if countries, including Namibia, adopt laws and policies that promote and encourage the use of RE in order to move away from fossil fuel dependence to a greener economy. Thus the study seeks to investigate RE resources in Namibia and their potential development. It outlines the current legislation pertaining to the regulation of RE in Namibia. As such, the study further examines the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines and draws examples from other regimes, particularly Germany and Ghana, in order to provide a guideline for the enactment of a general Energy Act with a particular chapter on RE. It concludes with recommendations as to how Namibia can secure a sustainable energy future.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Livestock production forms a significant part of the agricultural activities in Namibia. This study is an analysis of the red meat (beef and mutton) supply chain in the country, south of the Veterinary Cordon Fence. The supply chain from production of animals on the farms through processing to placing of meat on the market is analyzed. The red meat supply chain is split into three sectors for the purpose of the study. The three sectors are the supply sector involved in the production of animals on the farms, the processing sector involved with the slaughtering and value addition on the livestock products and the demand sector that is involved in the placing on the market of the livestock and livestock products. Each of the sectors is then analyzed as an entity. The three tools that are used to analyze the sectors are: a) The market competitiveness done using the Porter’s 5 force analysis; b) The SWOT analysis for determination of intrinsic and extrinsic environments of the respective sectors and c) Trend review of the activity in each sector for the years 2000-2005. The aim of the analysis is to create a deeper insight into the forces and the impact these forces are having on the meat supply chain.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Veeboerdery vorm ‘n vername deel van landbou-aktiwiteite in Namibië. Hierdie navorsingsverslag is ’n analise van die rooivleis (bees en skaap) leweringsketting in die land suid van die veeartsafbakeningsheining. Die studie ondersoek die leweringsketting van produksie van vee op plase tot by die plaas van vleis op die markte. Die rooivleis leweringsketting is, vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie, in drie dele verdeel. Hierdie drie dele is die lewerings-sektor wat verantwoordelik is vir die produksie van vee op die plase, die prosesserings-sektor wat verantwoordelik is vir die slag en waardetoevoeging tot die vee-produkte, en die vraag-sektor wat verantwoordelik is vir die plasing van vee en vee-produkte op die mark. Elk van hierdie sektore word ontleed as ’n entiteit. Die drie instrumente wat gebruik word om die sektore te analiseeer is: a) Die markkompeterendheid word gedoen aand die hand van Porter se 5 kragte analise; b) Die “SWOT” analise vir die bepaling van die intrinsieke en ekstrinsieke omgewings van die onderskeie sektore, en c) Tendens oorsig van die aktiwiteite in elke sektor vir die jare 2000-2005. Die doel van die analises is om dieper insig te skep van die kragte en die impak wat hierdie kragte het op die vleis leweringsketting.

Thesis (MBA) -- Stellenbosch University, 2007.
Today we face a reality where existing power relations concerning economical, political and cultural institutions and forces are changing. It is about more than just the right to use a technology in itself; it is a matter of having, or not having, access to infonnation and knowledge. The use of information and communications technology (lCT) is an important and powerful tool when it comes to distributing and sharing these resources (Bridges.arg, 2006). The unequal distribution of and the differences in the possibility to use rer effectively are often referred to by the term digital divide (DDN, 2006). Does this sound quite pessimistic? However, a change is taking place since all countries on earth from the richest to the poorest are actually increasing their Ier usage. The problem is that the developed countries are using convergence (three separate communication sectors: information technology, telecommunications and broadcasting merging to become a single communication service sector) to escalate their access to and use of ICf at a much higher speed, which in fact widens the digi tal divide instead of shrinking it (Bridges.org, 2006). Today no country can afford to neglect investments in ICf if it wishes to raise its living standards or to prevent it from being left behind as other countries exploits the possibilities of ICf. Why is ICf considered to be an effective tool for bridging the international digita1 divide? On the United Nations Development Programme's website one can read: " .. .ICf is an increasi ngly powerful tool for participating in global markets; promoting political accountability; improving the delivery of basic services; and enhancing local development opportunities" (UNOP, 2003). These aspects can be of great importance for developing countries in their effort to gain economic development and improvements. Furthermore, it is also a question about every human's right to have access to infonnation (Sida, 2004). According to Steve Case (AOL Time Warner, Chainnan of the Board) every decade has some word associated with it. In the 'SOs, it was the PC. In the '90s, it was the Internet. For the rest of this decade, the key word is going to be convergence (Thompson, 2003). In Namibia a digital divide exists between income groups as well as between the country's rural and urban population. Namibia is sti ll far from providing equal access to information, but Namibia is well positioned to deploy ICf to its advantage. Namibia has a functional telecommunication infrastructure, political stability and an attractive economic environment for investors. However. the geographic and social challenges of Namibia require innovative approaches and considerable effort. Competition and convergence will improve the situation. recommended to expand the set of potential drivers and specifically focus on the relation between convergence and economic growth.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2007.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Goverment of the Republic of Namibia soon after independence, recognised its cardinal national responsibility to change the orientation of the nation's economy from one of exporting raw materials and importing final-use products to in-country production of goods based on the country's resource endowment. One productive sector for which explicit and far-reaching guiding policies, strategies and programmes have been developed and instituted from the beginning is the promotion of highly competitive industries with special emphasis on SMEs as a major pathway to progressive and sustainable industrialisation and employment and the simultaneous development of entrepreneurial culture. In recognition of the critical role the SMEs can play in the socia-economic development and economic diversification of the country, the Government of Namibia through its Ministry of Trade and Industry has put in place policies and programmes, specifically for the development of SMEs. To this end, the Ministry of Trade and Industry realised that the lack of bankable business plans limited entrepreneurs' access to finance and this posed the biggest challenges to the growth of the SME sector in the country. This has been conceived as a daunting factor and stems from the reality that entrepreneurs cannot provide bankable business plans to back up their applications. Given the prevailing condition, the Government of Namibia initiated the MSME Feasibility Studies and Business Plan Support programme ~ specifically geared to assist the SME sector with bankable business plans in order to induce financial institutions to provide loans to entrepreneurs with viable project ideas and prospects for success. The objective of the study is to explore the extent to which this support programme has facilitated the access to finance by SMEs and the creation of sustainable businesses. The findings of the study have established that worldwide some of the developed and developing countries initiated and implemented similar govemmental programmes in the form of subsidies to the services rendered by third parties to SMEs in business-plan formulations and related advisory services.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kort na onafhanklikheid het die regering van Namibia besef dat die landsekonomie minder afhanklik moet word van grondstof-uitvoere en die invoer van vervaardigde goedere, met groter klem op die verwerking van plaaslik vervaardigde grondstowwe. In die verband is kleinsake as 'n belangrike ontwikkelingsinstrument beskou en 'n vername skepper van nuwe werksgeleenthede, wat juis in die uitvoer-georienteerde landbou- en mynbou-sektors aan die kwyn is. Om hierdie herorientasie van die ekonomie te bevorder het die Ministerie van Handel en Nywerheid verskeie programme ontwikkel, veral vir die bevordering van kleinsake. In die verband is die probleem van bankfinansiering as 'n besondere knelpunt beskou , met die gebrek aan omvattende sakeplanne vir finansierbare projekte gesien as kemprobleem. Met die oogmerk het die Ministerie die "SME Feasibility Studies and Business Plan Support programme" ontwikkel, ten einde finansiele instellings te motiveer om meer geredelik finansiering te verskaf. Hierdie studie ontleed die bestaande program, sy agtergrond, ontwikkeling en probleme asook die baie beperkte sukses wat tot sover bereik is. Vergelykings met programme in ander lande suggereer dat verreikende aanpassings nodig is om die program meer betekenisvol en suksesvol te maak

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD
This study critically examines the political, social and institutional settings in which archaeology was introduced in Namibia. I re-examine the idea of archaeology as a scientific and objective discipline that could be practiced without input from the knowledge systems of local communities. Archaeology developed alongside colonialism in Africa. Archaeology became an apparatus for knowing about the strategic resources that could be found in Namibia. Through the processes of recording sites and artefacts archaeology provided information that was useful to the colonial administration.

Magister Legum - LLM
This paper argues that there is a need for an improved cross-border insolvency regime as the common law principles applied in Namibia are outdated and thus ill-equipped to deal with present-day complex issues of cross-border insolvency. The lack of literature on issues of crossborder insolvency belies the importance of cross-border insolvency in African developing countries like Namibia who seek to encourage trade and investment in the hope of achieving economic development. In the final section of chapter one, the paper will consider the Model Law as the basis needed to develop clear, fair and predictable rules to effectively deal with the various aspects of cross-border insolvencies in Namibia.

This thesis deals with the ten years preceding Namibia's independence in March 1990. It examines the various characters and groups in this process, and how their roles delayed or promoted it. The era of Pieter W. Botha is very significant in that his rule brought many changes to the decision-making process and content of South African foreign policy. This period, 1978 - 1989, marked the formulation of the Total National Strategy in response to the Total Onslaught being waged on South Africa by perceived hostile external forces. Namibia's transition to independence suffered under this military-oriented policy as did the rest of the region. Never before in South Africa's policy-making history had the security sector played such a major role. Regional relations changed subsequent to the policy changes because of the distorted vision the Botha regime had of black-ruled states. Namibia was seen as an important pawn in the Total National Strategy as the last buffer state in Southern Africa protecting South Africa's white minority regime

Genetic variation is crucial for the long-term survival of the species as it provides the potential for adaptive responses to environmental changes such as emerging diseases. The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is a gene family that plays a central role in the vertebrate’s immune system by triggering the adaptive immune response after exposure to pathogens. MHC genes have become highly suitable molecular markers of adaptive significance. They synthesize two primary cell surface molecules namely MHC class I and class II that recognize short fragments of proteins derived respectively from intracellular (e.g. viruses) and extracellular (e.g. bacteria, protozoa, arthropods) origins and present them to immune cells. High levels of MHC polymorphism frequently observed in natural populations are interpreted as an adaptation to detect and present a wide array of rapidly evolving pathogens. This variation appears to be largely maintained by positive selection driven mainly by pathogenic selective pressures. For my doctoral research I focused on MHC I and II variation in free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) and leopards (Panthera pardus) on Namibian farmlands. Both felid species are sympatric thus subject to similar pathogenic pressures but differ in their evolutionary and demographic histories. The main aims were to investigate 1) the extent and patterns of MHC variation at the population level in both felids, 2) the association between levels of MHC variation and disease resistance in free-ranging cheetahs, and 3) the role of selection at different time scales in shaping MHC variation in both felids. Cheetahs and leopards represent the largest free-ranging carnivores in Namibia. They concentrate in unprotected areas on privately owned farmlands where domestic and other wild animals also occur and the risk of pathogen transmission is increased. Thus, knowledge on adaptive genetic variation involved in disease resistance may be pertinent to both felid species’ conservation. The cheetah has been used as a classic example in conservation genetics textbooks due to overall low levels of genetic variation. Reduced variation at MHC genes has been associated with high susceptibility to infectious diseases in cheetahs. However, increased disease susceptibility has only been observed in captive cheetahs whereas recent studies in free-ranging Namibian cheetahs revealed a good health status. This raised the question whether the diversity at MHC I and II genes in free-ranging cheetahs is higher than previously reported. In this study, a total of 10 MHC I alleles and four MHC II alleles were observed in 149 individuals throughout Namibia. All alleles but one likely belong to functional MHC genes as their expression was confirmed. The observed alleles belong to four MHC I and three MHC II genes in the species as revealed by phylogenetic analyses. Signatures of historical positive selection acting on specific sites that interact directly with pathogen-derived proteins were detected in both MHC classes. Furthermore, a high genetic differentiation at MHC I was observed between Namibian cheetahs from east-central and north-central regions known to differ substantially in exposure to feline-specific viral pathogens. This suggests that the patterns of MHC I variation in the current population mirrors different pathogenic selective pressure imposed by viruses. Cheetahs showed low levels of MHC diversity compared with other mammalian species including felids, but this does not seem to influence the current immunocompetence of free-ranging cheetahs in Namibia and contradicts the previous conclusion that the cheetah is a paradigm species of disease susceptibility. However, it cannot be ruled out that the low MHC variation might limit a prosperous immunocompetence in the case of an emerging disease scenario because none of the remaining alleles might be able to recognize a novel pathogen. In contrast to cheetahs, leopards occur in most parts of Africa being perhaps the most abundant big cat in the continent. Leopards seem to have escaped from large-scale declines due to epizootics in the past in contrast to some free-ranging large carnivore populations in Africa that have been afflicted by epizootics. Currently, no information about the MHC sequence variation and constitution in African leopards exists. In this study, I characterized genetic variation at MHC I and MHC II genes in free-ranging leopards from Namibia. A total of six MHC I and six MHC II sequences were detected in 25 individuals from the east-central region. The maximum number of sequences observed per individual suggests that they likely correspond to at least three MHC I and three MHC II genes. Hallmarks of MHC evolution were confirmed such as historical positive selection, recombination and trans-species polymorphism. The low MHC variation detected in Namibian leopards is not conclusive and further research is required to assess the extent of MHC variation in different areas of its geographic range. Results from this thesis will contribute to better understanding the evolutionary significance of MHC and conservation implications in free-ranging felids. Translocation of wildlife is an increasingly used management tool for conservation purposes that should be conducted carefully as it may affect the ability of the translocated animals to cope with different pathogenic selective pressures.
Genetische Variabilität ist entscheidend für das langfristige Überleben von Arten, denn es ermöglicht dem Organismus sich Umweltveränderungen, wie z.B. neu aufkommende Krankheiten, schneller anzupassen. Der Haupthistocompatibilitätskomplex (MHC) ist eine Familie von Genen, der eine zentrale Rolle im Immunsystem von Wirbeltieren zukommt, da sie nach Pathogenkontakt das adaptive Immunsystem aktivieren. Zudem sind MHC Gene geeignete molekulare Marker um Anpassungsfähigkeiten aufzuzeigen. MHC Gene kodieren primär für Zelloberflächenmoleküle, die kurze Peptidfragmente erkennen und den Immunzellen präsentieren, die im Falle der Klasse I Gene intrazellulären (z.B. von Viren) oder im Falle der Klasse II Gene extrazellulären (z.B. von Bakterien, Protozoen, Arthropoden) Ursprungs sein können. In der Regel wird in natürlich vorkommenden Populationen ein hoher Grad an Polymorphismus im MHC beobachtet, was als Anpassung an das Erkennen und Präsentieren einer großen Anzahl sich schnell entwickelnder Pathogene interpretiert wird. Das Bestehen vieler MHC Varianten über große Zeiträume hinweg wird hauptsächlich durch positive Selektion bewirkt, der ein pathogengetriebener Selektionsdruck zugrunde liegt. In meiner Doktorarbeit habe ich mich mit der Variation von MHC I and MHC II in freilebenden Geparden (Acinonyx jubatus) und Leoparden (Panthera pardus) in Farmgebieten innerhalb Namibias beschäftigt. Beide Felidenarten leben sympatrisch und sind so demselben Pathogendruck ausgesetzt, sie unterscheiden sich allerdings in ihrem evolutionären und demographischen Hintergrund. Mein Hauptziel war es 1) das Ausmaß und Muster der MHC Variation auf Populationsebene beider Feliden zu untersuchen; 2) einen möglichen Zusammenhang zwischen dem Grad der MHC Variation und der Krankheitsresistenz in frei lebenden Geparden aufzudecken und 3) zu untersuchen, welche Rolle der Selektion auf die MHC Variabilität beider Arten in der Vergangenheit wie auch gegenwärtig zukommt. Geparden und Leoparden repräsentieren die größten frei lebenden Carnivoren Namibias. Beide Arten kommen hauptsächlich in Farmgebieten vor, die sich in Privatbesitz befinden, und können dort mit anderen Wild- aber auch Haustieren zusammentreffen und potentiell Krankheitserreger austauschen. Die Kenntnis über die adaptive genetische Variation, die für Krankheitsresistenzen mitverantwortlich ist, kann für den Schutz beider Felidenarten von Bedeutung sein. Geparden werden häufig in Lehrbüchern als klassische Beispiele für eine Tierart mit einer generell geringen genetischen Diversität verwendet. Neben neutralen Markern ist bei Geparden auch eine geringe Variabilität der MHC Gene beschrieben worden, die als Ursache einer hohen Anfälligkeit für infektiöse Krankheiten gesehen wird. Bisher wurde allerdings eine erhöhte Krankheitsanfälligkeit nur bei Geparden aus Gefangenschaft beschrieben, wohingegen neuste Studien an frei lebenden Geparden diesen einen guten Gesundheitsstatus attestierten. Dadurch stellt sich die Frage, ob die MHC I und II Diversität in frei lebenden Geparden nicht höher sein könnte als bisher angenommen. In dieser Arbeit konnten insgesamt 10 MHC I und vier MHC II Allele in 149 frei lebenden Geparden aus ganz Namibia nachgewiesen werden. Die Zugehörigkeit zu funktionellen MHC Genen wurde durch Expressionsanalysen bei allen Allelen, außer einem, bestätigt. Durch phylogenetische Analysen konnten die Allele vier MHC I und drei MHC II Genen zu geordnet werden. Das Wirken von positiver Selektion in der Vergangenheit konnte an spezifischen Aminosäuren des Proteins, die in direktem Kontakt zu den pathogenen Antigenen stehen, festgestellt werden. Dies traf für beide MHC Klassen zu. Des Weiteren konnte eine starke genetische Differenzierung des MHC I zwischen Geparden aus einer nord-zentralen und einer ost-zentralen Region festgestellt werden, von denen auch bekannt ist, dass sie unterschiedlichen, felidenspezifischen, viralen Pathogenen ausgesetzt sind. Das lässt vermuten, dass die unterschiedlichen Muster der MHC I Variation in der gegenwärtigen Population den unterschiedlichen pathogengetriebenen Selektionsdruck durch Viren in den beiden Regionen widerspiegelt. Verglichen mit anderen Säugetierarten, insbesondere andere Feliden, zeigen Geparden einen geringen Grad an MHC Diversität, doch das scheint die derzeitige Immunkompetenz frei lebender Geparden in Namibia nicht einzuschränken und widerspricht der bisherigen Meinung dass Geparden ein typisches Beispiel für eine krankheitsanfällige Tierart sind. Es kann allerdings nicht ausgeschlossen werden, dass bei neu auftauchenden Krankheiten die geringe MHC Variation eine erfolgreiche Immunkompetenz verhindert, da möglicherweise keines der gegenwärtigen Allele die Fähigkeit besitzt neue Pathogene zu erkennen. Im Gegensatz zu Geparden kommen Leoparden in allen Teilen Afrikas vor und sind wahrscheinlich die am weitverbreiteste Großkatze des afrikanischen Kontinents. Es scheint, dass Leoparden, im Gegensatz zu anderen afrikanischen Großkatzen, einer ausgedehnten Dezimierung durch Tierseuchen in der Vergangenheit, der einige Populationen afrikanischer Großkatzen ausgesetzt waren, entkommen sind. Bisher fehlten Information über die MHC Variabilität in afrikanischen Leoparden. In dieser Studie konnte ich die genetische Variation der MHC I und MHC II Gene frei lebender namibischer Leoparden charakterisieren. In 25 Tieren aus einer Population der ost-zentralen Region konnten sechs MHC I sowie sechs MHC II Sequenzen nachgewiesen werden. Aus der maximalen Anzahl Allele pro Tier kann auf drei MHC I und auf drei MHC II Gene geschlossen werden. Außerdem konnten die typischen Kennzeichen einer variationserhaltenden MHC Evolution betätigt werden, wie positive Selektion in der Vergangenheit, Rekombination und über Artgrenzen hinaus bestehender Polymorphismus. Der geringe Grad an MHC Variation in namibischen Leoparden ist jedoch noch nicht endgültig und weitere Untersuchungen in unterschiedlichen Regionen aus der gesamten geographischen Verbreitung des Leoparden sind notwendig um die MHC Variation der Leoparden in Gänze einschätzen zu können. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit werden zu einem besseren Verständnis des evolutionären Stellenwerts des MHC und in Folge zu einem besseren Schutz von frei lebenden Feliden beitragen. Die Umsiedelung von Wildtieren ist ein zunehmend angewendetes Hilfsmittel im Natur- und Artenschutz, welches jedoch mit Sorgfalt eingesetzt werden sollte, da die umgesiedelten Tiere möglicherweise einem anderen pathogenen Selektionsdruck ausgesetzt sind, dem sie nichts entgegenzusetzen haben.

Thesis (MPA (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
The focus of this research is on the analysis of Namibian land reform policy. The primary objective is to identify the prevailing values behind the land reform, formulate precise objectives that reflect the inherent values, and analyse the existing options with a view to identifying the delivery mechanism(s) most appropriate to meeting the land reform objectives and to delivering the desired outcomes in a sustainable way. Namibia inherited skewed land ownership. The land reform debate focuses mainly on the redistribution of commercial farms, which are mostly owned by whites, and the tenure reform in the communal areas. The Namibian land reform rests on a tripartite scheme: Resettlement, Affirmative Action Loan Scheme (AALS) and the Development of Communal Areas (DCA). These approaches are governed by a number of policies and laws. Land reform is a very complex and emotion-laden phenomenon with multiple dimensions, which include moral, historical, social, economic, environmental and technical aspects. The land question in Namibia is a race question. While politicians argue publicly that land reform is important to boost the economy and reduce poverty, in reality the focus is on having more black Namibians own more of Namibia’s commercial farmland. This discrepancy between public pronouncements and actual motive may be responsible for the lack of clear objectives for the land reform policy. The analysis of Namibian land reform policy will require formulation of precise objectives. Because Namibia is the driest country south of the Sahara, sustainable management of land is imperative. Finding ways of achieving a politically acceptable racial balance of commercial land ownership and sustainable utilisation of redistributed land within an optimum time span is a challenge. The formulation of Namibian land reform policy was not preceded by any attempt at prior policy analysis. An ad hoc and crisis-management approach prevailed. A policy issue analysis approach has been used in this study. It is based primarily on a literature review augmented with questionnaires and interviews with selected key stakeholders. A stratified sampling technique was applied in the selection of the key stakeholders. The three groups identified were the policy-formulation and implementation group, the commercial farmers and the emerging farmers. VISA, a multi-criteria decision analysis package, was used to analyse and compare the three land reform approaches, while PolicyMaker software was used to analyse political actors and suggest strategies that can enhance the policy’s feasibility. The literature review and questionnaires revealed that the objectives of the land reform policy include correcting the skewed ownership of commercial farmland to reflect the demography of Namibia, alleviating poverty and achieving social and economic equity for all citizens. The programme should be sociologically, economically and environmentally sustainable. Combining all these objectives as criteria for evaluation, VISA demonstrates that the affirmative action loan scheme has the greatest potential for meeting the objectives followed by resettlement and development of communal areas respectively. Using the PolicyMaker software, stakeholders were categorised into supporters, opponents and non-mobilised; opportunities and obstacles were identified and strategies devised to harness opportunities and diffuse opposition.
cmc2010

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the quest to attract foreign investments which is seen as one way of alleviating poverty by creating employment opportunities and earning foreign currency many countries have implemented the EPZ regime. Though the concept remains the same throughout the world, it has adopted different names depending on the country. In Mexico the EPZ's are called the "Maquiladoras" and in Bulgaria EPZ's are called Free Trade Zones. No matter the differences in names the concept is principally the same: EPZ is an enclave which operates outside the normal economic framework of the country. At independence Namibia faced a high unemployment rate and poverty. In 1995 the Namibian government passed the EPZ Act in order to pave the way for the development of EPZ industrial parks. The need for passing the EPZ Act was necessitated by the acute unemployment rate which the country faced at the time, which had the potential to threaten the political stability the country enjoyed. Thus, amongst other policy instruments, the EPZ Act was passed with the principle objective of attracting the much needed foreign investments which would result in creation of the needed employment opportunities. The government set a very ambitious target for the EPZ regime; it was expected that by 1999 the EPZ regime would have created about 25 000 job opportunities. Thus, the anticipated number of job opportunities was quite frequently used as a justification for the massive investments provided for the development of infrastructures in the EPZ industrial parks and hefty subsidies which were extended to some EPZ companies. It is important to note that unlike other countries who adopted the location-based EPZ model, Namibia has adopted a flexible EPZ model implying that a company which acquires the EPZ status is free to locate or set-up its facility anywhere in the country. In 2003 a Malaysian textile company called Ramatex closed its operations in South Africa and relocated to Namibia. In terms of employment creation the EPZ reached its peak in 2004 when about 10 057 persons / individuals were actively employed in the EPZ companies. Ramatex accounted for about 80% of the total of 10 057 EPZ jobs. Since 2004 the number of jobs in the Namibian EPZ regime started to decline at an alarming rate; at the end of 2007 there were only 5 248 people employed by the EPZ companies. Many times Ramatex threatened to close its operations, citing decline in the demand of its products and low productivity, but after some closed-door negotiations the government initially managed to convince it to continue its operation. Regrettably the success of the Namibian government to convince Ramatex to continue with its operation in Namibia was short-lived, when in the first quarter of 2008; the inevitable closure of Ramatex became a reality. The closure of Ramatex has resulted in the retrenchment of about 3 000 people. The overall performance of the Namibian EPZ regime leaves a lot to be desired. The Namibian EPZ regime so far failed to attract enough investments to create the anticipated job opportunities and to increase the export of manufactured goods. On a positive note, EPZ regime compelled the authority to invest in infrastructures which it might otherwise not have invested in.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die soeke na 'n wyse om buitelandse beleggings te trek as een van die maniere om armoede te verlig deur die skepping van werksgeleenthede en die verkryging van buitelandse valuta, het baie lande die EPZ-regime geimplementeer. Hoewel die konsep dwarsdeur die wereld dieselfde bly, het dit verskillende name in verskillende lande. In Meksiko word dit die UMaquiladoras' genoem en in Bulgarye is dit Vryehandelsones. Ongeag wat dit genoem word , bly die konsep in wese dieselfde: EPZ is 'n enklave wat buite die normale ekonomiese raamwerk van die land opereer. Toe Namibia onafhanklik geword het, het die land gebuk gegaan onder 'n hoe werkloosheidskoers en armoede. In 1995 het die Namibiese regering die Wet op EPZ uitgevaardig om ruimte te skep vir die ontwikkeling van EPZ-nywerheidsparke. Die akute werkloosheidskoers van die land op daardie tydstip het dit noodsaaklik gemaak dat hierdie wet uitgevaardig word, aangesien die werkloosheid potensieel die politieke stabiliteit in die land kon bedreig. As deel van ander politieke instrumente is die Wet op EPZ dus uitgevaardig, met as hoofdoelwit die 10k van broodnodige buitelandse beleggings wat sou lei tot die skepping van die ewe nodige werksgeleenthede. Die regering het 'n baie ambisieuse doelwit vir die EPZregime gestel; dit sou na verwagting teen 1999 nagenoeg 25 000 werksgeleenthede skep. Die verwagte getal werksgeleenthede is dus dikwels gebruik as regverdiging vir die massiewe beleggings wat voorsien is vir die ontwikkeling van die infrastrukture in die EPZ nywerheidsparke asook die groot subsidies toegestaan aan sommige EPZ-maatskappye. Dit is belangrik om daarop te let dat, anders as ander lande waar die EPZ-model plekgebonde was, Namibia 'n buigsame EPZ-model aanvaar het. Dit het geimpliseer dat 'n maatskappy wat EPZ-status verwerf het, sy fasiliteit enige plek in die land kon vestig. 'n Maleisiese tekstielmaatskappy met die naam Ramatex het in 2003 sy bedryf in Suid Afrika toegemaak en na Namibie verhuis. Sover dit die skepping van werksgeleenthede aangaan, het die EPZ in Namibie in 2004 sy hoogtepunt bereik, toe ongeveer 10 057 persone / individue aktief in diens van die EPZ-maatskappye was. Ramatex het ongeveer 80% van die totale 10057 EPZ-werksgeleenthede voorsien. Sedert 2004 het die getal werksgeleenthede in die Namibiese EPZ-regime teen 'n ontstellende koers afgeneem, sodat daar teen die einde van 2007 net 5248 mense in diens van die EPZ-maatskappye was. Ramatex het by verskeie geleenthede gedreig om sy bedrywighede te sluit weens die afname in die vraag na sy produkte en lae produktiwiteit, maar na onderhandelinge agter geslote deure het die regering aanvanklik daarin geslaag om Ramatex te oortuig om voort te gaan. Hierdie sukses van die Namibiese regering was ongelukkig van korte duur, aangesien die onafwendbare sluiting van Ramatex in die eerste kwartaal van 2008 werklikheid geword het. Die gevolg was die afdanking van ongeveer 3 000 mense. Die oorkoepelende prestasie van die Namibiese EPZ-regime is ver van bevredigend. Hierdie regime het tot nou toe nie daarin geslaag om genoeg beleggings te lok om die verwagte werksgeleenthede te skep en die uitvoer van vervaardigde produkte te verhoog nie. Aan die positiewe kant het die EPZ-regime die owerheid gedwing om te bele in infrastrukture waarin hulle andersins nie sou bele het nie.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Gender inequity in mathematics performance is a global phenomenon. In both the developed and the developing world, females perform more poorly in mathematics than males at senior secondary school level. In Namibia, the situation is no exception. Examination results for the past few years have shown that males outperform females in mathematics at senior secondary school level. This has resulted in more males taking mathematics as a major subject at tertiary level, with the consequence that they subsequently find better jobs than females. For the purpose of this study, a literature research was done to investigate the factors that might influence the mathematics performance of females and males. The search did not show any significant biological differences between males and females that could explain the differences in performance. Several other factors were, however, identified to playa role in how females perform in mathematics. The factors identified were: interest in mathematics, a person's self-concept, mathematics anxiety, attitude towards mathematics, gender stereotyping, and the roles of the family and teachers. These factors were tested in the Namibian situation by means of a questionnaire that was given to Grade 12 students who do mathematics and it was found that: 1. males and females' attitudes towards mathematics differ significantly. Males seem to have a much more positive attitude towards mathematics; 2. Females experience mathematics anxiety at a higher level than males; 3. Gender stereotyping influences the mathematics performance of females more negatively than males' performance; Family members' influence contributes significantly to the poorer performance of females; 5. Interest in mathematics seems to be higher in males than in females; 6. Teacher influence does not seem to play a significant role in the mathematics performance of males and females. (This is in contrast with the results of the literature review.); and 7. There is no difference in the self-concept of Namibian males and females. To help make mathematics more appealing to girls, the first step is to recognise the disparities. Each person in a girl's circle of family, teachers, community and friends can begin, even before she reaches primary school, to hold high expectations of her and praise her performance. Sophisticated technology is increasingly significant to our nation's economic, political and social health. Almost every element of society - in fields as diverse as music, sports and agriculture - is being touched by technology. To prepare them for.these jobs, we must present science, engineering and mathematics as non-intimidating subjects to every student, so that they will feel encouraged to gain the skills and knowledge necessary for technical careers. As we increasingly become part of the global economy, we must engage the intellectual potential of all our young people.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geslagsongelykheid in wiskunde prestasies is a globale verskynsel. Daar is bevind dat meisies swakker doen as seuns in wiskunde in die senior sekondere skoolfase in beide die ontwikkelende sowel as die ontwikkelde lande. Namibia is geen uitsondering nie. Eksamenuitslae van die afgelope paar jare het gewys dat seuns baie beter vaar as meisies in wiskunde, spesifiek in die senior sekondere skoolfase. Dit het tot gevolg gehad dat meer seuns wiskunde neem as hoofvak na skool en dat hulle gevolglik beter werksgeleenthede as meisies kry. Vir die doel van hierdie studie is 'n Literatuurstudie gedoen om uit te vind watter faktore beinvloed die wiskunde prestasies van studente. Die literatuurstudie het geen noemenswaardige biologiese verskille tussen seuns en meisies uitgewys wat moontlik die verskil in prestasies kan verklaar nie. Verskeie ander faktore is egter geidentifiseer wat beslis 'n rol speel in wiskunde prestasies van meisies. Die faktore wat geidentifiseer was, is: belangstelling in wiskunde, 'n persoon se selfbeeld, wiskunde angs, 'n persoon se houding teenoor wiskunde, geslags stereotipes, die rol van die familie en onderwysers. Bogenoemde faktore is getoets in die Namibiese situasie by wyse van 'n vraelys wat uitgegee is vir graad 12 leerlinge wat wiskunde doen. Die resultate wat verkry is, is as volg: 1. Daar is 'n groot verskil tussen seuns en meisies se houding teenoor wiskunde. Dit wil voorkom as seuns se houding meer positief is as die van meisies; 2. Meisies ondervind wiskunde angs in 'n groter mate as seuns; 3. Geslagstereotipes het 'n negatiewe invloed op die wiskunde prestasies van meisies; 4. Familielede se invloed speel 'n groot rol in die swakker prestasies van meisies; 5. Seuns stel meer belang in wiskunde as meisies; 6. Dit blyk asof die invloed van onderwysers nie 'n noemenswaardige rol speel in die wiskunde prestasies van studente nie; Dit is teenstrydig met die bevindinge in die literatuurstudie. 7. Daar is geen verskil in die selfbeeld van meisies en seuns nie. Die eerste stap om wiskunde meer aantreklik vir meisies te maak, is om die dispariteit tussen seuns en meisies te erken. Elke persoon wat op enige manier met meisies in aanraking kom, hetsy familie, onderwysers, gemeenskap of vriende kan, selfs voorskool al, begin om hoë verwagtinge van hulle te koester en hulle te prys vir goeie prestasies. Gesofistikeerde tegnologie raak al hoe meer belangrik vir ons nasie se ekonomiese, politiese en sosiale welslae. Bykans elke sektor in ons gemeenskap, so divers soos musiek, sport en landbou, word geraak deur tegnologie. Die wetenskappe, ingenieurswese en wiskunde moet dus, sonder intimidasie, aan elke student aangebied word, om hulle sodoende aan te moedig om die nodige vaardighede te ontwikkel vir tegnies beroepe. Ons moet al ons jongmense se intellektuele potensiaal ten volle benut om in lyn te kom met die wereld ekonomie.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
Namibian ports are state-owned and have fallen behind in terms of port reform The ports are increasingly pressurised by port users and even more so by shipping lines for infrastructure investment and technological advancement without any guarantee of return on investments. Increased competition amongst ports as well as a shift in the balance of power to port users, demands of Namibia to review its port governance and ownership structure to ensure that the country remains responsive to the changing global marketplace contribute to these pressures. This study deals with the complexities associated with port reform and port competition. The paper presents a synthesis of literature on port governance models and port reform. In addition, this paper also presents an analysis of the port choice decisions made by port users and reviewed port reform case studies of two African ports. Drawing from the lessons in case studies, it is clear that various options of port reform have emerged over the years, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The study further shows similarities in the objectives of port users when choosing a port but applying different strategies to achieve their objectives.

The Namibian education system is at the crossroads as a result of the demands of the Education and Training Sector Improvement Programme (ETSIP), a programme initiated by the Government to address shortcomings in the education and training sector. ETSIP requires that school principals play a much more significant role to realize the goal of quality education, which is one of the major goals of education reform. In view of the ever-increasing responsibilities of the principals for ensuring the quality of education, the need for management development has become more apparent. Although management development for principals in the African context is a recent phenomenon, it has been a subject of extensive research over the years in many developed countries. The findings of these studies suggest that it has the potential to improve the quality of school leadership and ultimately lead to school improvement. In Namibia, literature suggests that little has been done to determine the needs of school principals with regards to their management development. This study therefore seeks to address that need. The study is situated in the interpretive research paradigm whose central purpose is to interpret and understand the phenomenon through the perceptions and experience of the participants. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The findings generally suggest that principals perceive management development as vehicle to empowerment and capacity building. The findings further suggest that principals would prefer management programmes that are more experienced-based and offer opportunities for reflection. The findings also brought to light the aspect of monitoring and support as a critical element in the success of management development programmes. As far as the management development needs of school principals are concerned, the findings highlighted the following needs: the need to be trained on how to manage change which include the new curriculum and policies, training in information communication and technology and training in the management of human and financial resources which include instructional leadership and budgeting.

The introduction of inflation-targeting frameworks around the world prompts the question whether Central Banks focus solely on inflation. The paper uses the Taylor rule to characterize the Namibian Monetary Policy and to see whether the Bank of Namibia considers the economy in setting the Bank rate. Based on this rule, the Bank rate follows the Taylor rule over the sample period but there are several deviations. My results point to the following: Firstly, the Bank increases the policy rate to counter rising inflation but keeps the rate constant when inflation declines. Secondly, the Bank tends to smooth their rate adjustments. Using the lags of right hand side variables, hints at the fact that past inflation is important for the Bank to adjust the policy rate. Thirdly, the Bank of Namibia seems to focus more on inflation compared to the output gap. This is confirmed by the weight allocation which seems to be larger for inflation. Finally, the inclusion of additional variables that are deemed important in setting the Bank rate, improves the overall fit. Therefore, the model could be utilized to indicate where the policy rate should be.

Research on psychological abuse is still in the early stages; the nature of it renders it difficult to define, and even at times to detect. This thesis examines psychological abuse in a Namibian context using in-depth interviews with six women who experienced domestic violence. The aim was to examine the women‟s perceptions of psychological abuse and the response received from various networks of support. Additionally, I investigated whether Western theories of domestic violence could be usefully applied in a non-Western setting. I found that the women perceived and experienced psychological abuse, however society at large placed their focus on physical forms of abuse. I argue that while the processes of abuse may be similar across different cultures, the context within which they exist differs, thereby altering the very nature of these processes. Thus, Western research and theories can be useful in providing insight into the basic processes of abuse. However, the solutions cannot be uniform and need to be adjusted in order to apply to various cultural contexts.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Medical BioScience)
Namibia is the driest sub-Saharan country in Africa and it is characterised by low and variable rainfall. As a result, potable water in this mostly semi-arid country is considered an extremely valuable resource. Given the variety of anthropogenic and natural chemicals released into the environment by a growing human population, many water resources worldwide present health risks to both man and wildlife. Many of these chemicals are classified as endocrine disruptors which are chemicals with the ability to adversely affect the physiological systems regulated by the endocrine systems of organisms. These include, among others, reproductive, neurological and immunological effects. Endocrine disrupting chemicals include: natural and synthetic hormones such as estrogen, estrone, estriol and testosterone; heavy metals such as tri-butyltin, lead and cadmium; pesticides such as organophosphates and organochlorides; and a number of compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls.

This Bachelors thesis has been written with the goal to learn how five Namibian newspapers are portraying ethnic minorities. A secondary goal has been to earn knowledge in how Namibian journalists think when writing about ethnic minorities. The analysed newspaper, Informanté, Namibian Sun, New Era, The Namibian and Windhoek Observer, are all written in English and has their head offices in the capital of Namibia, Windhoek. Both editors and reporters have been interviewed from these five newspapers.Two methods have been used in this thesis. Quantitative content analysis of articles found in newspapers during three weeks in November, 2011, a total of 55 articles were found containing the names of minorities. A qualitative method of interviews was then conducted with reporters and editors at the newspapers that were part of the research.The main theories of the thesis are Denis McQuail‟s version of agenda-setting, McQuail‟s theory on communicator-audience relations and Teun A. van Dijk‟s theory about the media‟s role as a reproductive part in the construction of stereotypes.The results show that 12.3 % of the analysed articles are mentioning ethnic minorities. In these, persons from the minorities seldom play an active part. The most featured minority was the Herero. Politics is the dominant subject in articles mentioning ethnic minorities, followed by racism/tribalism and tribal culture.In the interviews with the Namibian journalists, it is evident that there is a great will to emphasize the issues of the ethnic minorities. Most journalists regard their role as important in influencing people and therefore have a responsibility towards their readers.

Thesis (MTech (Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013.
This study explores information sharing in government departments from a developing country's perspective. Efforts to understand the relationship between information sharing as a concept and the e-government(s) phenomenon are made and discussed. Literature reviewed in this study indicates that information sharing is a core component of the eadministration part of e-government. E-government initiatives are intended to enable information sharing between and within government departments. ICT initiatives under the egovernment umbrella facilitate information sharing within government departments. However, such initiatives fail to or do not achieve their intended objectives due to technological, organisational, environmental and people related limitations. The process to overcome such barriers can begin by analysing activities focusing on information sharing processes as a means of identifying needs for improvement. There is a need to discuss work activities, actors, aims of activities and the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in government departments, in order to identify information sharing needs and make possible recommendations for effective information sharing processes. A conceptual model is recommended to improve information sharing in government departments, and it has shown promise when applied to a selected work activity in this study. The results of the work activity case study show that technology, organization, environmental and people related factors indeed exist in the government's department and can have both a positive and a negative influence on information sharing between the three governing levels of the Namibian government. A pair of recommendations is given in this study. Firstly, a technology-organisationalenvironmental- people framework is recommended to government departments for effective information sharing. Secondly, recommendations are given to facilitate the information sharing needs of the Child Allowance (CA) department in the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MGECW). Limitations of the study and opportunities for further research that have been identified are stated at the end of this study.

Indigenous to Southern Africa, the Aloe Dichotoma, most commonly known as the Quiver tree, are species of Aloe found mostly in the southern parts of Namibia and the Northern Cape Province in South Africa. Researchers noticed that Quiver trees assumed very different shapes depending on their geographical location. This project aims to model the observed differences in structural form of the trees between geographically spate populations with functional regression analysis using climate variables at each location. A number of statistical challenges present themselves such as the multivariate nature of the data. Functional data analysis was used in this project to display the data so as to highlight various characteristics while allowing us to study important sources of pattern and variation among the data. Functional data analysis can be best summarised as approximating discrete data with a function by assuming the existence of a function giving rise to the observed data. The underlying function is assumed to be smooth such that a pair of adjacent data values are necessarily linked together and unlikely to be too different from each other. There are a number of smoothing methods used to fit a function to the discrete data. In this project we use Roughness Penalty Smoothing methods which are based on optimising a fitting criterion that defines what a smooth of the data is trying to achieve. The meaning of smooth is explicitly expressed at the level of the criterion being optimised, rather than implicitly in terms of the number of basis functions used. Once the continuous functions for the climate variables have been fitted, these are used as predictors in a functional regression model with the structural variables as responses. This allows for the estimation of regression coefficients to describe the effect of the climate variables on each structural variable. The functional models suggest that maximum temperature has an effect on the structural form of Aloe Dichotoma. Further, the structural form of Aloe Dichotoma does differ in geographically spate locations. Trees found in the warmer Northern regions are more likely to have taller trees. The results did not necessarily prove the hypothesis that the number of branches found on trees in the North is fewer than those in the South, but these trees are more likely to have more dichotomous branches which may be translated to more branches.

Magister Bibliothecologiae - MBibl
The core traditional functions of the library namely collecting, processing, disseminating, storing and the utilization of documented information in order to supply information services and resources, have changed. In the information / knowledge society era, the library manages both external and internal knowledge of the host organization. This can be achieved through the process of collection of relevant information, processing, organizing and dissemination to ensure that information / knowledge contents housed in the library are retrievable and accessible to the targeted audience, using various dissemination channels. Librarians ensure that the targeted audiences are equipped with the skills to locate, evaluate, and use available and useful information / knowledge effectively, by providing information literacy training to them. Studies have found the visibility of librarians in the knowledge management environment to be very low and the utilization of their skills to be minimal. Therefore, this study investigated the practice of knowledge management by ministerial librarians in Namibia. The study relied on the Bukowitz and Williams Knowledge Management (KM) framework (2000). This framework is appropriate to the study because it consists of different stages (GET, USE, LEARN, CONTRIBUTE, ASSESS, BUILD / SUSTAIN, AND DIVEST) that address the themes of the focus of the study,thus making it relevant to effective and efficient knowledge management in an enterprise such as the government ministries.The method of data collection and analysis employed was qualitative, with semi structured interviews. The results of the study revealed that few ministerial librarians are practicing knowledge management by ensuring that they are identifying, capturing, evaluating, retrieving, and sharing the ministry’s knowledge/information assets, for it to add value and improve the performance of employees as they contribute to the strategic missions of the ministries. Viewed from that perspective, the findings reveal some barriers which prohibit ministerial librarians to effectively practice knowledge management, which among of them include: inadequate training; limited resources for ICT infrastructure adaption and purchasing of resources meeting the needs of the ministry; staffing shortage, bureaucratic system, and others. Based on the findings, the researcher therefore recommends that certain measures need to be put in place to address the short comings to effective knowledge management so that ministerial librarians are able to render services to their users for them to become independent lifelong learners.

2012 Nutrition country profile. HDI ranking: 128th out of 182 countries, Life expectancy: 61 years, Life time risk of maternal death: 1 in 1702 Under-five mortality rate: 42 per 1,000 live births, Global ranking of stunting prevalence: 56th highest out of 136 countries. Over one-third of child deaths are due to under nutrition mostly from increased severity of disease. Children who are undernourished between conception and age two are at high risk for impaired cognitive development, which adversely affects the country’s productivity and growth. Survey in 2012 shows 29% of children under the age of five are stunted, 17% are underweight, 8% are wasted and 16% of infants are born with a low birth weight.

2012 Nutrition country profile. HDI ranking: 128th out of 182 countries, Life expectancy: 61 years, Life time risk of maternal death: 1 in 1702 Under-five mortality rate: 42 per 1,000 live births, Global ranking of stunting prevalence: 56th highest out of 136 countries. Over one-third of child deaths are due to under nutrition mostly from increased severity of disease. Children who are undernourished between conception and age two are at high risk for impaired cognitive development, which adversely affects the country’s productivity and growth. Survey in 2012 shows 29% of children under the age of five are stunted, 17% are underweight, 8% are wasted and 16% of infants are born with a low birth weight.

This field guide covering 20 plants native to Namibia, located between Angola and South Africa on the Atlantic Coast, with medicinal uses by indigenous tribes, was written to help preserve the traditional knowledge that is presently passed orally from generation to generation. As indigenous tribes transition from a nomadic, pastoralist lifestyle this traditional knowledge is at risk of being lost. Thus, the purpose of this field guide is to explain the medicinal uses of 20 selected plants by the indigenous tribes of Namibia and present botanical and ecological information about these plants. It is important for members of the scientific community to help preserve this knowledge and this field guide will help in this by consolidating research. The Namibian tribes use many plants, but only 20 are covered in this field guide because these are the ones that have been seen and documented by the author, and for which information is available from multiple sources. The format will include each plant organized alphabetically by genus and accompanied by photographs taken by the author. The order of information for each entry will follow: Plant: Genus species, Family, Common names, Range, Diagnostic characteristics, Governmental protection status, and Indigenous medicinal uses.