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1
Lemke, S. "Nutrition security, livelihoods and HIV/AIDS: implications for research among farm worker households in South Africa." Public Health Nutrition 8, no. 7 (2005): 844–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/phn2005739.
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AbstractObjectivePrevious research on the health transition and nutrition security in black South African households revealed the need for further research among farm workers who belong to the poorest population categories. This article gives an overview of the link between nutrition security, livelihoods and HIV/AIDS in South Africa, drawing conclusions for research among farm worker households.Design and setting: A literature review, observations on farms and interviews with farmers and key informants were carried out in 2003 and 2004. Peer examination was done with South African and German researchers from the natural and social sciences.ResultsFarm workers face poverty and nutrition insecurity and continue to be a tragically underserved population group, also in terms of research. There is furthermore a lack of in-depth research on underlying causes for nutrition security in South Africa and on the link with livelihoods, poverty and HIV/AIDS. Micro-social qualitative research from the household and gender perspective is required, as valid data on households, their internal dynamics and therefore the reflection of social realities are missing. A multidisciplinary research approach based on a new conceptual framework was developed to address the situation of farm worker households.ConclusionThe outlined research contributes to existing programmes on farms in the North West Province, with the findings being valid also for other parts of southern Africa facing poverty, nutrition insecurity and HIV/AIDS.
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Durgadoo, Jonathan V., Isabelle J. Ansorge, and Johann R. E. Lutjeharms. "Oceanographic observations of eddies impacting the Prince Edward Islands, South Africa." Antarctic Science 22, no. 3 (2010): 211–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000088.
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AbstractThe ecosystem of the isolated Prince Edward Islands, south of the African continent, is strongly impacted by ocean eddies that are associated with the eastward flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Satellite altimetry has revealed that the archipelago lies in a region of enhanced eddy kinetic energy. In the late 1990s it became apparent that in order to understand the influence of these eddies on the islands’ ecosystem, the source, trajectory and nature of these eddies needed to be studied and understood. To this end a special research project with a strong ocean-going component was designed, the DEIMEC (Dynamics of Eddy Impact on Marion’s ECosystem) programme. In this review we focus on the physical oceanography and summarize the aims, the results and the successes of this South African research initiative. In the vicinity of the Prince Edward Islands, an average of three intense well-defined eddies is observed per year. Their advection speeds are of the order of a few kilometres per day and longevities of 7–11 months. These features, ofc.100 km in diameter and reaching depths of at least 1000 m, transport anomalous water masses across the Polar Frontal Zone.
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Mans-Kemp, Nadia, and Suzette Viviers. "Investigating board diversity in South Africa." Journal of Economic and Financial Sciences 8, no. 2 (2015): 392–414. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/jef.v8i2.100.
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The issue of board diversity has been widely debated. Given the lack of conclusive empirical evidence, this study investigated the relationship between gender and race board diversity and the financial performance of South African companies. The sample covered 1 542 annual observations over the period 2002 to 2012. The percentage of female and black directors of companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange increased significantly over the research period. Board diversity differed considerably across industries. A statistically significant positive relationship existed between the percentage of both female and black directors and earnings per share. In contrast, a statistically significant negative relationship was found between the percentage of both female and black directors and total shareholder return. Given the lack of a clear business case, the question arises as to how board diversity on the JSE can be encouraged. The researchers recommend that more attention should be given to the development and mentoring of diverse board candidates.
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Pududu, Mangakane Lehlogonolo, and Charl De Villiers. "Earnings management through loss avoidance: Does South Africa have a good story to tell?" South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences 19, no. 1 (2016): 18–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajems.v19i1.1124.
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The purpose of this study is to determine whether South African managers manage earnings to avoid reporting small losses (small earnings decreases). The study covers all the companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) from 2003 to 2011. In line with Burgstahler and Dichev (1997), the cross-sectional distributions of earnings and changes in earnings are examined and the distributions are shown in histograms. Previous research (using data from the United States) has shown that the distribution curve for both the earnings and the change in earnings variable had noticeably fewer observations just below zero than would normally be expected, and a significantly higher number of observations just above zero. This pattern in the distributions suggests that managers manage reported earnings to ensure that earnings do not fall below a specific threshold, this being zero or the previous year’s performance. Interestingly, and in contrast with the previous literature, using the Burgstahler and Dichev (1997) research model of analysis, our results show no evidence in South Africa of managers managing earnings to avoid reporting small losses or small decreases in earnings. A possible reason for this could be the relatively smaller size of the JSE (compared with stock exchanges in the United States). In addition, and more important, is the possibility that investors and analysts in South Africa may be fixated on other performance indicators, such as revenue and headline earnings per share, rather than on earnings (profits). This study adds to the limited research on earnings management in South Africa, which is a developing economy. Furthermore, previous research shows an inverse relationship between earnings management and earnings quality. The results of this study may therefore be useful to the users and the regulators of financial reports, both are concerned with earnings for the purposes of assessing the cost of capital and how companies utilise their resources.
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Harte, Wendy, Merle Sowman, Peter Hastings, and Iraphne Childs. "Barriers to risk reduction: Dontse Yakhe, South Africa." Disaster Prevention and Management 24, no. 5 (2015): 651–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/dpm-03-2015-0056.
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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify hazard risks and factors impeding the implementation of disaster risk management policies and strategies in Dontse Yakhe in Hout Bay, South Africa. Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach was selected for this research. Interviews were conducted with community leaders and other relevant government and civil society stakeholders. Insights and perceptions of Dontse Yakhe residents were obtained from a focus group interview. Secondary data sources were reviewed and field observations made. Findings – The findings reveal a number of key risks and a complex web of geographical, political, social and environmental factors, and stakeholder interactions, prioritisations and decision making that has created barriers to the implementation of the aims and objectives of disaster risk management policies and strategies in Dontse Yakhe. Originality/value – The contribution of the research is that it provides insight into the complex factors that are stalling development and infrastructure provision, and implementation of risk reduction strategies, in Dontse Yakhe as outlined in disaster risk management policies and strategies, demonstrating a gap between policy rhetoric and practice.
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Mitchell, J. "Trends in physiotherapy research in South Africa 1980-1989." South African Journal of Physiotherapy 46, no. 4 (1990): 17–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajp.v46i4.780.
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A survey of the main papers published in the South African Journal of Physiotherapy over the past 10 years (1980 to 1989) was conducted to establish the trends in research methodology, subject topic and qualifications of the first authors. It was found that there is a significant increase in the number of experimental trials used and a similar decrease in the number of surveys conducted from the first to the second five-year periods (1980 to 1984 and 1985 to 1989). Statistical analyses of data were more often used in the second period. There is a marked increase in the number of articles on education/administration in the second period. In this period from 1985 to 1989, there are fewer first authors with a Diploma in Physiotherapy only, a medical degree or a technical qualification, while there are more first authors with postgraduate qualifications. These findings support the observation that there is a growing awareness of the need for a more scientific approach to Physiotherapy research.
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Coetzer, Willem, Alexandra Holland, and Ian Engelbrecht. "Biodiversity Data Curation: South Africa Goes Online." Biodiversity Information Science and Standards 2 (May 22, 2018): e25840. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/biss.2.25840.
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The South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) operates several research platforms, which may be used by the broader South African research community (e.g. a marine research vessel and a remotely operated underwater vehicle). SAIAB’s Enterprise-grade data centre, along with expertise in systems administration and biodiversity information management, allow the institute to offer a Biodiversity Information Management Platform. Data hosted by SAIAB is replicated across three data centres, with each centre being at least 250m apart and operating independently. Infrastructure at two data centres replicates in real time, forming a high availability cluster. The third datacentre is dedicated to storing backups. High-capacity tape backup will be added in the near future. As an additional measure, cloud storage is used to store daily extracts of Specify databases, which are retained for one year. In the first instance, the Platform aims to provide SAIAB researchers and associates with biodiversity data curation services. This begins with support for the SAIAB Collections Division, to ensure that voucher specimens, tissue samples and associated media are accurately catalogued and can be easily retrieved. Biodiversity data curation is broader than this. It also means that any biodiversity data/metadata (records of species, events, occurrences/observations and traits) can potentially be curated using Specify Software, and standardised and published (subject to relevant policies) to the GBIF Data Portal using the GBIF Integrated Publishing Toolkit. The use of Specify Software to curate biodiveristy data that do not represent voucher specimens (e.g. underwater images and video) is a new research project within SAIAB, which has the potential to be extended beyond SAIAB. A new national initiative, the Natural Science Collections Facility (NSCF), was launched in 2017 to reinvigorate natural science museums across the country, to halt deterioration of specimens and improve capacity for specimen and data curation. In support of the NSCF, the SAIAB platform is offered to natural science museums in South Africa (excluding herbaria, which are all part of or affiliated with SANBI, and therefore accommodated by a different system). Each museum will be provided with a webserver, Specify 7 database, Specify web portal and IPT server. In offering this platform to the broader South African Biodiversity Science community, SAIAB is primarily motivated by the potential for collaborative research in capacity development for biodiversity data curation / information management, using Specify Software. The first research project will examine participating museums’ capacity to use the Specify Workbench sustainably, to import new voucher/occurrence records generated by fieldwork. The requisite training to enhance this potential will be provided. The Natural Science Collections Facility (NSCF) is an important collaborator in the context of enhancing the general state of South Africa’s specimen collections, and the Specify Collections Consortium is an important collaborator, specifically for support.
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J. Strand, Karla, and Johannes Britz. "The evolving role of public libraries in South Africa in addressing information poverty." Library Management 39, no. 6-7 (2018): 364–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/lm-08-2017-0072.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the historical development of libraries in South Africa against a backdrop of poverty and social inequality. In particular, this paper illustrates how the development of libraries in South Africa both reflected and influenced information poverty and has as its goal to increase awareness of the role of libraries in the alleviation of information poverty. Design/methodology/approach The information in this paper is based on doctoral research completed by the author who investigated the role of libraries in the alleviation of information poverty in South Africa. The methodology for the research included two case studies, interviews, examination of library records, and observation. An extensive review of the professional literature and recorded histories provided imperative context for that research and this paper. Findings Findings indicate that libraries can play an important role in the alleviation of information poverty in South Africa. Libraries are underutilized in this role and in order to increase their capacity in addressing information poverty, one should consider the historical circumstances behind the dispossession of library services. Understanding the development of libraries in South Africa and sociopolitical ramifications of this development can encourage and inform greater participation of libraries in the alleviation of information poverty in the future. Originality/value This paper compiles the work and findings of previous studies on the history of South African libraries. The information provided here offers an accessible and efficient history of libraries in South Africa. In so doing, it provides context that is invaluable to the understanding of how the development of libraries throughout time can have sociopolitical effects on the people and their circumstances. The paper also encourages increased understanding of the value and purpose of libraries in combating information poverty in South Africa.
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Mawonde, Albert, and Muchaiteyi Togo. "Implementation of SDGs at the University of South Africa." International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 20, no. 5 (2019): 932–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijshe-04-2019-0156.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how universities can play a pivotal role in implementing sustainable development goals (SDGs). It recognises the advantage that universities have in responding to social challenges through their functions and operations, mainly through research and innovation and academic prowess. Not much guidance is available on how they can contribute to SDG implementation. The research is a case study of the University of South Africa, a distance education institution. It showcases how its science campus in Johannesburg has incorporated SDGs in its operations. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through interviews with campus operations managers and sustainability office managers, a survey with environmental science honours students was conducted and observations of the Unisa Florida campus environment were undertaken to establish practices that contribute towards SDG implementation. Document analysis assisted in complementing the data collection process. Data were analysed by aligning practices with SDG indicators. Findings The research revealed a number of practices that align with SDGs in teaching, research, community engagement and campus operations management. Unisa is however challenged by financial limitations and as an open distance education and learning (ODeL) institution, it struggles to involve students in these projects. The paper concludes that while the most obvious contribution of universities to SDGs is towards quality education (SDG 4), higher education, including distance education institutions, can play an active role in implementing other SDGs as well. Research limitations/implications This research was limited to one institution, Unisa, owing to time limitations. While this might seem like the research was too selective, it was intentional, as the aim was to research a distance education institution. The research targeted staff involved in campus operations at Unisa’s Florida Campus, which is located in Johannesburg. Interviews were limited to students pursuing BSc Honours in Environmental Management. This was a methodological decision to contain the research, but making sure that the targeted respondents were the most informed. Individual case studies are often critiqued for being insufficiently representative to allow generalisations to other contexts (Jupp, 2006). This applies to this research in terms of “populations and universes” (Yin, 2003, p. 10), but generalisations to “theoretical propositions” (ibid) are possible. Originality/value There are few studies in Africa which researched implementation of SDGs in universities, let alone in ODeL institutions. The research revealed the challenge of involving students in sustainability practices in distance education institutions and serves as a testimony that such institutions can still have successful projects on and off campus. It suggests involving students in applied research based on the current sustainability projects on and off campus.
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Pithouse, Richard Michael. "Forging New Political Identities in the Shanty Towns of Durban, South Africa." Historical Materialism 26, no. 2 (2018): 178–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1569206x-00001644.
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AbstractThis contribution offers some observations with regard to political identities in a popular movement largely based in the shantytowns of Durban, South Africa. It seeks to examine, via more than a decade of immersion and research, one instance of how popular organisation and mobilisation have been mediated through shifting political identities. It argues that if discourse professionals on the left are to become effective actors it will be necessary to take popular political identities a lot more seriously, and to enable mutually transformative engagement between theory and actually-existing forms of popular striving and struggle.
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Singleton, A. T., and C. J. C. Reason. "A Numerical Model Study of an Intense Cutoff Low Pressure System over South Africa." Monthly Weather Review 135, no. 3 (2007): 1128–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/mwr3311.1.
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Abstract Investigations of extreme rainfall events in the southern African region are limited by the paucity of the observational network. Furthermore, the lack of full radar coverage for South Africa makes quantitative precipitation estimation difficult. Therefore, numerical modeling represents the most effective method for improving the understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to extreme rainfall events in this region with the caveat that accurate validation of model simulations is hampered by the limited observations in the region. This paper describes an intense cutoff low event over South Africa that led to record rainfall and flash flooding along the south coast of the country and adjoining hinterland. Analyses from the Global Forecast System model showed that the cutoff aloft was accompanied by a strong low-level jet (LLJ) impinging onto the south coast where rainfall was heaviest, and that lapse rates were steep in the lower troposphere. Simulations of the event were carried out using a numerical model [i.e., the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5)], which showed that severe convection occurred over the ocean on the right-hand side of the LLJ, and at its leading edge where it impinged on the coastal topography. This topography was also very important in providing additional forcing for the ascent of moist air. A factor separation technique was used to show that surface heat fluxes from the warm sea surface temperature (SST) of the Agulhas Current were important in enhancing low-level cyclogenesis, and that topography was important in maintaining the position of the low-level coastal depression, which led to favorable conditions for rainfall remaining in the same area for an extended period of time. It is suggested that improved representation of the tight topographic and SST gradients of the southern African region in NWP models or postprocessing systems would help to provide more accurate forecasts of the amount and location of heavy precipitation during cutoff low events where surface forcing is important.
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Mbhiza, Hlamulo. "Rural Teachers’ Teaching of Algebraic Functions Through a Commognitive Lens." Interdisciplinary Journal of Rural and Community Studies 3, no. 1 (2021): 10–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.51986/ijrcs-2021.vol3.01.02.
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Rural contexts and their schools have continuously been overlooked by researchers of mathematics education in South Africa. This is despite the assumption that the educational landscape may vary markedly in rural areas compared to urban and township areas which have been solely researched in the post-apartheid dispensation. To address the dearth of mathematics education research located within South Africa's rural contexts, the study explored five Grade 10 rural mathematics teachers' discourses and approaches of teaching algebraic functions with five teachers from five different school sites. This qualitative multiple case study, using Sfard's commognitive theory, draws attention to rural mathematics teachers' classroom practices and views about the teaching of algebraic functions which is unexamined in the South African context. Three data generation tools were used to gain insight into teachers' discourses and approaches while teaching the topic. These are individual semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and Video-Stimulated Recall Interviews (VSRI). Research findings focus primarily on the data generated through classroom observations. To analyse the data, I use Sfard's commognitive theory to give meaning to teachers' classroom practices. Focusing on the distinction between two tenets of commognitive theory, ritual and explorative routines, the findings demonstrate that four participating teachers acted in an extremely ritualised way. The other teacher was more explorative in her classroom observable actions. The findings illuminate that teachers need to move more towards the participationist approach during teaching to enable them to think, observe, and communicate about mathematical objects that commognitively link more with explorative routines.
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Ratnam, J. V., S. K. Behera, S. B. Ratna, et al. "Dynamical Downscaling of Austral Summer Climate Forecasts over Southern Africa Using a Regional Coupled Model." Journal of Climate 26, no. 16 (2013): 6015–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/jcli-d-12-00645.1.
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Abstract The prediction skill of dynamical downscaling is evaluated for climate forecasts over southern Africa using the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. As a case study, forecasts for the December–February (DJF) season of 2011/12 are evaluated. Initial and boundary conditions for the WRF model were taken from the seasonal forecasts of the Scale Interaction Experiment-Frontier Research Center for Global Change (SINTEX-F) coupled general circulation model. In addition to sea surface temperature (SST) forecasts generated by nine-member ensemble forecasts of SINTEX-F, the WRF was also configured to use SST generated by a simple mixed layer Price–Weller–Pinkel ocean model coupled to the WRF model. Analysis of the ensemble mean shows that the uncoupled WRF model significantly increases the biases (errors) in precipitation forecasted by SINTEX-F. When coupled to a simple mixed layer ocean model, the WRF model improves the spatial distribution of precipitation over southern Africa through a better representation of the moisture fluxes. Precipitation anomalies forecasted by the coupled WRF are seen to be significantly correlated with the observed precipitation anomalies over South Africa, Zimbabwe, southern Madagascar, and parts of Zambia and Angola. This is in contrast to the SINTEX-F global model precipitation anomaly forecasts that are closer to observations only for parts of Zimbabwe and South Africa. Therefore, the dynamical downscaling with the coupled WRF adds value to the SINTEX-F precipitation forecasts over southern Africa. However, the WRF model yields positive biases (>2°C) in surface air temperature forecasts over the southern African landmass in both the coupled and uncoupled configurations because of biases in the net heat fluxes.
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Nomlala, Bomi. "Financial Socialisation of Accounting Students in South Africa." International Journal of Finance & Banking Studies (2147-4486) 10, no. 2 (2021): 01–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.20525/ijfbs.v10i2.1128.
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The purpose of the study is aimed at determining the financial socialisation of accounting students at South African universities and the factors that influence financial socialisation. The research used statistical techniques such as the structural equation modelling methodology to identify financial socialisation influencers and regression analysis to analyse associations between financial socialisation and socio-demographic variables among 1582 students. The study's results indicate that financial socialisation agents such as relatives, friends, and social media have little impact on most students' financial decisions. The majority of accounting students are often found to be financially socialised by their immediate family members rather than peers or social media factors. The regression analysis results confirmed this observation, revealing a statistically significant association between the parents' level of education and the students' financial socialisation. This study recommends that financial socialisation can be greatly improved by raising parents' educational levels and instilling financial education in university students' curricula, especially in South Africa.
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Marini, Lisa, Jane Andrew, and Sandra van der Laan. "Tools of accountability: protecting microfinance clients in South Africa?" Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 30, no. 6 (2017): 1344–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/aaaj-04-2016-2548.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which accountability is operationalised within the context of a South African microfinance institution (MFI). In particular, the authors consider the introduction of a tool to enhance consumer protection, the Client Protection Card (CPC), to deliver accountability within the case organisation. In contrast to prior research, the authors focus on accountability from the perspective of clients and fieldworkers. Design/methodology/approach A single in-depth case study of the introduction and implementation of a CPC in an MFI operating within South Africa was conducted. The case study and timing afforded an opportunity to gather unique data, given the MFI’s client-centred philosophy and the recent introduction of the CPC. The qualitative approach adopted for this research allowed collection of data through direct observations, interviews, a fieldwork diary and documentation. The theoretical framing for this paper views accountability as involving social practices, allowing us to foreground the existence of interdependencies among people interacting within the same organisation or system (Roberts, 1996). Findings The case study demonstrates that three aspects are critical to the success of the card: the design, which requires sensitivity to the local culture; the distribution, which demands for significant “sensemaking” work to be undertaken by fieldworkers; and the drivers for introducing the card, which need to be responsive to the clients’ perspective. The paper illustrates how well-intended tools of accountability can fail to deliver effectively, both for the organisation and the users, if they are not tailored appropriately to the needs of clients. Originality/value This paper differs from prior research as it explores the ways in which fieldworkers and MFI clients make sense of a tool of accountability, the CPC. Given that the CPC was designed to meet guidelines produced by international policymakers and domestic legislators, the paper provides a grassroots analysis of the effectiveness of the implementation of such tools from the perspective of clients and fieldworkers. This local focus allows the authors to examine the ways in which mounting global expectations for increased accountability of MFIs are being operationalised in practice.
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Bohman, D. M., Neltjie Van Wyk, and S. Ekman. "EXISTING AND EVOLVING IN TWO MINDS: BELIEFS IN RELATION TO HEALTH AND ILLNESS EXPRESSED BY OLDER SOUTH AFRICANS." Africa Journal of Nursing and Midwifery 16, no. 2 (2015): 139–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.25159/2520-5293/37.
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The aim of the study was to illuminate beliefs in relation to health and illness expressed by older Africans within the context of a society in transition – South Africa. An ethnographic research approach influenced by the interpretive phenomenological tradition was selected to gain an understanding of the participants’ experiences. A focused ethnographic design was employed, using group and individual in-depth interviews and participant observations. Sixteen elderly persons (ten females and six males) from Hammanskraal, a rural area north of Pretoria were involved in the research. The findings illuminate a world understanding, where body and mind are inseparable and relationships provide the foundation for improving and maintaining health and being cured from illness. The ongoing transition that the elderly in South Africa experience influences health and illness beliefs, with a need to adapt to existing parallel health care systems, Western biomedicine and African traditional medicine. As the study draws attention to the importance of caring for the elderly to be contextualised, it is recommended that the care of the elderly be applied to the unique needs of the individual involved. Failure to do so may otherwise have severe consequences such as an apparent high risk of developing stereotypes, which can lead to cultural misunderstandings, prejudice and discrimination.
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Masoga, Mogomme Alpheus, and Allucia Lulu Shokane. "Socio-economic challenges faced by traditional healers in Limpopo province of South Africa: conversations from below." AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples 16, no. 4 (2020): 315–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1177180120956718.
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Traditional healing remains core to many local communities in South Africa. This research was aimed at fostering stronger relationships between traditional healers and biomedical medicine focusing on their socio-economic challenges. This research involved collaboration between two Universities in South Africa and the USA, focusing on the social welfare and traditional healing, by articulating the experiences and positions of 40 selected traditional healers. Afro-sensed and developmental social welfare approaches were used for this study. Qualitative research approaches using focus group discussions, direct observations and in-depth interviews with selected traditional healers were applied. A thematic analysis approach was used to cluster emerging themes and sub-themes. Carefully presented themes were sifted from the data that referred to traditional healers’ experiences of their socio-economic realities. It should be noted that, while the socio-economic status of healers was significant, the scope of spiritual and philosophical dimensions related to traditional healing could not be ignored.
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Carton, Benedict. "Fount of Deep Culture: Legacies of theJames Stuart Archivein South African Historiography." History in Africa 30 (2003): 87–106. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0361541300003156.
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The 2001 launch of the fifth volume of theJames Stuart Archivereinforces this publication's reputation as a mother lode of primary evidence. TheArchive'sexistence is largely due to the efforts of two editors, Colin De B. Webb and John Wright, who transformed a tangle of notes into lucid text. They deciphered the interviews that Natal colonist James Stuart conducted with a range of informants, many of them elderly isiZulu-speaking men. Transcribed by Stuart between the 1890s and 1920s, these discussions often explored in vivid detail the customs, lore, and lineages of southern Africa. Although references to theArchiveabound in revisionist histories of southern Africa, few scholars have assessed how testimonies recorded by Stuart have critically influenced such pioneering research. Fewer still have incorporated the compelling views of early twentieth-century cultural change that Stuart's informants bring to a post-apartheid understanding of South Africa's past.Well before the University of Natal Press published volume 5, the evidence presented in theArchivehad already led scholars of South African history into fertile, unmarked terrain. One example of groundbreaking data can be found in the statements of volume 4's master interpreter of Zulu power, Ndukwana kaMbengwana. His observations of the past anchor recent studies that debunk myths surrounding the early-nineteenth-century expansion of Shaka's kingdom. Ever timely, the endnotes in volume 5 discuss these reappraisals of historical interpretation and methodology. Editor John Wright elaborates in his preface: “By the time we picked up work on volume 5, we were starting to take note … that oral histories should be seen less as stories containing a more or less fixed ‘core’ of facts than as fluid narratives whose content could vary widely.”
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Lyon, Bradfield. "Southern Africa Summer Drought and Heat Waves: Observations and Coupled Model Behavior." Journal of Climate 22, no. 22 (2009): 6033–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/2009jcli3101.1.
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Abstract Observations of daily maximum temperature (Tx) and monthly precipitation and their counterpart fields from three coupled models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 3 (CMIP3) archive have been used for exploratory research into the behavior of heat waves, drought, and their joint occurrence across the southern Africa subcontinent. The focus is on seasonal drought and heat waves during austral summer [December–February (DJF)] for land areas south of 15°S. Observational results (Tx available only for South Africa) are compared with those based on CMIP3 twentieth-century climate runs for a common analysis period of 1961–2000 while climate projections for the twenty-first century are also considered using the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A1B forcing scenario. Heat waves were defined when daily Tx values exceeded the 90th percentile for at least 3 consecutive days, while drought was identified via a standardized index of seasonal precipitation. When assessed over the entire study domain the unconditional probability of a heat wave, and its conditional probability given drought conditions, were similar in the models and (for a smaller domain) observations. The models exhibited less ability in reproducing the observed conditional probability of a heat wave given El Niño conditions. This appears to be related to a comparatively weak seasonal precipitation teleconnection pattern into southern Africa in the models during El Niño when drought conditions often develop. The heat wave–drought relationship did not substantially change in climate projections when computing anomalies from future climate means. However, relative to a 1981–2000 base period, the probability of a heat wave increases by over 3.5 times relative to the current climate. Projections across the three models suggest a future drying trend during DJF although this was found to be a model-dependent result, consistent with other studies. However, a decreasing trend in the evaporative fraction was identified across models, indicating that evaluation of future drought conditions needs to take into account both the supply (precipitation) and demand (evaporation) side of the surface water balance.
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Klingberg, Sonja, Catherine Draper, Lisa Micklesfield, Sara Benjamin-Neelon, and Esther van Sluijs. "Childhood Obesity Prevention in Africa: A Systematic Review of Intervention Effectiveness and Implementation." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 7 (2019): 1212. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16071212.
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Childhood obesity is of increasing concern in many parts of Africa. We conducted a systematic search and review of published literature on behavioural childhood obesity prevention interventions. A literature search identified peer-reviewed literature from seven databases, and unindexed African journals, including experimental studies targeting children age 2–18 years in African countries, published in any language since 1990. All experimental designs were eligible; outcomes of interest were both behavioural (physical activity, dietary behaviours) and anthropometric (weight, body mass index, body composition). We also searched for process evaluations or other implementation observations. Methodological quality was assessed; evidence was synthesised narratively as a meta-analysis was not possible. Seventeen articles describing 14 interventions in three countries (South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda) were included. Effect scores indicated no overall effect on dietary behaviours, with some beneficial effects on physical activity and anthropometric outcomes. The quality of evidence was predominantly weak. We identified barriers and facilitators to successful interventions, and these were largely resource-related. Our systematic review highlights research gaps in targeting alternative settings to schools, and younger age groups, and a need for more rigorous designs for evaluating effectiveness. We also recommend process evaluations being used more widely.
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Marsh, Sophia E., and Ilse Truter. "Fit for the future? Status of health-related quality of life research in South Africa." International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care 36, no. 5 (2020): 508–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266462320000690.
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ObjectiveTo provide insights into the attributes of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) research within the context of economic evaluations for a potential national health technology assessment process in South Africa, and make evidence generation recommendations.MethodsA systematic review was conducted in January 2019 using Medline, the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection and the South African SciELO collection via the WoS Platform, and in the Cochrane Library. No time restrictions were applied. Duplicate records were removed before first- and second-pass screening by two reviewers working independently.ResultsThe review identified 123 publications representing 104 studies since the first-published article appeared in 1996. Only eight studies were randomized controlled trials, most were cross-sectional (n = 54). The EQ-5D, SF-36, and WHOQOL-BREF were the most used HRQoL instruments (n = 35, n = 23, and n = 10, respectively). Instruments were frequently administered in multiple languages, reflecting the cultural groups in which the study was conducted, with the English version of instruments used most often. Studies were predominantly conducted within the public health sector (n = 67), in the Western Cape province (n = 46), in adults (n = 92) and people with HIV (n = 24).ConclusionSouth African specific HRQoL studies have been conducted in a range of settings and populations using mostly generic HRQoL instruments in multiple languages. These studies may provide generalizable, real-world data due to their observational nature. However, more comparative and longitudinal studies should be conducted as this is preferred for economic evaluations and patient, disease, and treatment characteristics should be reported in full.
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Valenti, Michael. "Tracking Africa’s Inferno." Mechanical Engineering 122, no. 12 (2000): 66–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/1.2000-dec-6.
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This article focuses on instruments aboard an orbiting satellite and high-flying aircraft study grass fires that straddle a continent. NASA designed its $1.3 billion Terra to be the flagship in a new series of Earth-observing satellites that will study phenomena affecting the climate. The instruments carried by Terra that were most active during the Safari 2000 field experiment were Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MODIS), Multi-Angle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MISR), and Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT). MOPITT accomplishes its mission by using gas correlation spectroscopy to measure rising and reflected infrared radiance in three absorption bands of carbon monoxide and methane. The Terra’s Safari 2000 observations were augmented by measurements taken by instruments aboard several aircraft, including the high-altitude Lockheed-Martin ER-2 that NASA flew from Pietersburg, South Africa, as part of the African field experiment. The South African Weather Bureau contributed two Aerocommander 690A aircraft to Safari 2000. One of the twin-engine, turboprop planes was used for aerosol research, while the other one helped validate the carbon monoxide measurements obtained by MOPITT.
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Shikwambana, Lerato, and Venkataraman Sivakumar. "Observation of Clouds Using the CSIR Transportable LIDAR: A Case Study over Durban, South Africa." Advances in Meteorology 2016 (2016): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/4184512.
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The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) transportable Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) was used to collect data over Durban (29.9°S, 30.9°E) during 20–23 November 2012. Aerosol measurements have been carried out in the past over Durban; however, no cloud measurements using LIDAR have ever been performed. Therefore, this study further motivates the continuation of LIDAR for atmospheric research over Durban. Low level clouds were observed on 20–22 November 2012 and high level clouds were observed on 23 November 2012. The low level cloud could be classified as stratocumulus clouds, whereas the high level clouds could be classified as cirrus clouds. Low level cloud layers showed high extinction coefficients values ranging between 0.0009 and 0.0044 m−1, whereas low extinction coefficients for high level clouds were observed at values ranging between 0.000001 and 0.000002 m−1. Optical depth showed a high variability for 20 and 21 November 2012. This indicates a change in the composition and/or thickness of the cloud. For 22 and 23 November 2012, almost similar values of optical depth were observed. Cloud-Aerosol LIDAR and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) revealed high level clouds while the CSIR LIDAR could not. However, the two instruments complement each other well to describe the cloudy condition.
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Carvalho, António, Paulo Ferrinho, and Isabel Craveiro. "Towards post-colonial capacity-building methodologies – some remarks on the experiences of health researchers from Mozambique and Angola." Ciência & Saúde Coletiva 24, no. 5 (2019): 1617–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232018245.04442019.
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Abstract This paper analyzes capacity building in practice, addressing the expectations, imaginaries and experiences of health researchers from Mozambique and Angola. The empirical data stems from the Erasmus+ funded project “University Development and Innovation – Africa (UDI-A)”, a consortium established between European and African institutions to promote the mobility and empowerment of African academics, the establishment of North/South research partnerships and the strengthening of African institutions. Through qualitative research methods – semi-structured interviews and a focus group with African participants, and participant observation – this article analyzes the experiences of African academics working in the health field, their perceptions of capacity building and aspirations during their stay in Portugal in 2018. By addressing some of their concerns and achievements, this paper reflects on the performativity of capacity building methodologies, exploring a wide range of issues that emerge within the framework of North/South partnerships, inquiring whether it would be possible to decolonize capacity-building methodologies.
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Bauters, Marijn, Hans Verbeeck, Miro Demol, et al. "Parallel functional and stoichiometric trait shifts in South American and African forest communities with elevation." Biogeosciences 14, no. 23 (2017): 5313–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5313-2017.
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Abstract. The Amazon and Congo basins are the two largest continuous blocks of tropical forest with a central role for global biogeochemical cycles and ecology. However, both biomes differ in structure and species richness and composition. Understanding future directions of the response of both biomes to environmental change is paramount. We used one elevational gradient on both continents to investigate functional and stoichiometric trait shifts of tropical forest in South America and Africa. We measured community-weighted functional canopy traits and canopy and topsoil δ15N signatures. We found that the functional forest composition response along both transects was parallel, with a shift towards more nitrogen-conservative species at higher elevations. Moreover, canopy and topsoil δ15N signals decreased with increasing altitude, suggesting a more conservative N cycle at higher elevations. This cross-continental study provides empirical indications that both South American and African tropical forest show a parallel response with altitude, driven by nitrogen availability along the elevational gradients, which in turn induces a shift in the functional forest composition. More standardized research, and more research on other elevational gradients is needed to confirm our observations.
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Maluleka, Jan Resenga, and Patrick Ngulube. "The preservation of knowledge of traditional healing in the Limpopo province of South Africa." Information Development 34, no. 5 (2017): 515–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0266666917723956.
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The study aimed to investigate the methodologies employed by traditional healers to preserve knowledge of traditional healing. Organisational knowledge conversion theory was employed to guide the study. The study adopted the hermeneutic phenomenological research method and utilised snowball-sampling to identify participants. Data collection was done through observations and interviews. The findings indicate that there is some consensus among healers that ancestors control knowledge of traditional healing and pass it down to the chosen healers through dreams and visions. However, even though ancestors are believed to be the ones who preserve knowledge of traditional healing, there are healers who document their knowledge using different mediums chosen by them. The study concludes that even though the knowledge of traditional healers is largely preserved orally, and faces challenges, there are some initiatives globally and in South Africa to have this knowledge externalised and documented.
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Mojapelo, Samuel Maredi. "Challenges faced by libraries in a democratic South Africa." Information Development 34, no. 4 (2017): 408–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0266666917712337.
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Community libraries are crucial for people to have access to information to satisfy their multiple needs. As custodians of information and knowledge in diverse spheres, they play a role in the socio-economic development of nations. This article attempts to investigate challenges faced by libraries in three different settings in post-apartheid South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative research design. The users, librarians and a well-placed official of the relevant department were interviewed. Convenience sampling was used to select users and librarians while purposive sampling was used to select an official. Face-to-face interviews and observation and a checklist were used to collect data. Senior officials of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture need to study challenges revealed by the findings and to take action to remedy the situation.
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Lange, Samantha Louise, Tobias George Barnard, and Nisha Naicker. "Effect of a simple intervention on hand hygiene related diseases in preschools in South Africa: research protocol for an intervention study." BMJ Open 9, no. 12 (2019): e030656. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030656.
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IntroductionHand hygiene (HH) related illnesses such as diarrhoea and respiratory diseases, contribute to the burden of disease and are included in the top five causes of mortality in children under 5 years in South Africa. Children attending preschools are more susceptible to these infections due to the higher number of children in preschools. HH interventions have shown to reduce HH-related diseases by improving HH practices. In South Africa, there are no documented HH interventions or studies in children under 5 years. The purpose of the study is to determine whether an HH intervention can reduce HH-related diseases among 4–5-year-old preschool children and to improve HH practices in these children, their caregivers and their parents.Methodology and analysisThis is a protocol for a controlled intervention study to be conducted at preschools in Kempton Park, City of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa. Preschools will be randomly distributed into control and experimental groups (n=70). The intervention includes interactive simulation learning, educational emails and education and poster reminders obtained from the WHO and the Global Handwashing Day website. Data collection, including the intervention, will take place during the calendar year as this coincides with the school year. Data will be analysed both preintervention and postintervention in the experimental group as well as between the experimental and control group. Data collected by means of questionnaires, observations, disease registers, hygiene inspections, semi-structured interviews and hand swabs will be analysed to determine these outcomes.Ethics and disseminationPermission has been obtained from the University of Johannesburg Ethics Committee and Ministerial Consent for Non-Therapeutic Research on Minors from the Department of Health National Ethics Research Council. Permissions for use of copyright protected materials has been obtained. Results of the study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, and feedback within relevant structures through conference proceedings.
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Posada, Rafael, Domingos Nascimento, Francisco Osvaldo S. Neto, Jens Riede, and Frank Kaspar. "Improving the climate data management in the meteorological service of Angola: experience from SASSCAL." Advances in Science and Research 13 (June 20, 2016): 97–105. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/asr-13-97-2016.
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Abstract. The knowledge on climate variability in parts of Southern Africa is limited because of the low availability of historic and present-day ground-based observations (Niang et al., 2014). However, there is an increased need of climate information for research, climate adaptation measures and climate services. To respond to the challenges of climate change and related issues, Angola, Botswana, Germany, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia have initiated the interdisciplinary regional competence centre SASSCAL, the "Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management". As part of the initiative, Germany's national meteorological service (Deutscher Wetterdienst, DWD) cooperates with the meteorological services of Angola, Botswana and Zambia in order to improve the management and availability of historical and present-day climate data in these countries. The first results of the cooperation between the German and the Angolan Meteorological Services are presented here. International assessments have shown that improvements of the data management concepts are needed in several countries. The experience of this cooperation can therefore provide hints for comparable activities in other regions.
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SETOKOE, Tshepiso Jonathan. "COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM: A PANACEA FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN NQILENI VILLAGE, EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA." GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites 34, no. 1 (2021): 28–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.30892/gtg.34104-615.
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This article investigates the viability of community-based tourism (CBT) in support of socio-economic development and poverty alleviation through a case study in Nqileni Village, Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. This was done through data solicited using a qualitative research approach amongst residents of Nqileni village in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The data collected was then analysed using NVivo system, version 11, which provided substance to the research through the creation of a comprehensive observation report. The results indicated a positive view of members of the community relating to the contribution of CBT to community development (socio-economics) and poverty alleviation.
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CURTIS, ODETTE, ROBERT E. SIMMONS, and ANDREW R. JENKINS. "Black Harrier Circus maurus of the Fynbos biome, South Africa: a threatened specialist or an adaptable survivor?" Bird Conservation International 14, no. 4 (2004): 233–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270904000310.
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Black Harrier Circus maurus is a rare southern African endemic that may have lost over 50% of its core breeding habitat in the last century as a result of extensive land transformation by agriculture, invasive alien vegetation and urbanization in the Fynbos biome. We partially surveyed both the western (Swartland) and southern (Overberg) coastal plains of south-western South Africa, over 3 years (2000–2002) for breeding Black Harriers, and found a distinctly polarized distribution. Nests were concentrated either along the coastal strip or inland in montane habitats, and generally absent from heavily cultivated and transformed inland plains areas. Limited evidence (direct observations, prey remains) suggests that harriers forage in cereal croplands but generally do not breed in these modified environments. We recorded breeding success at nests in coastal (Dune Thicket) and montane (Mountain Fynbos) habitats. Harriers bred successfully along the coast and nests were aggregated in loose colonies around wetlands. Harriers in montane environments bred poorly, took a wide range of prey, and were subject to high levels of nest predation. We propose that Black Harriers have been displaced from lowland Renosterveld and Fynbos habitats (characterized by better foraging and nesting opportunities), primarily by the advent and spread of cereal agriculture. The conservation and future research implications of this hypothesis are discussed.
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Dass-Brailsford, Priscilla. "Exploring Resiliency: Academic Achievement among Disadvantaged Black Youth in South Africa." South African Journal of Psychology 35, no. 3 (2005): 574–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/008124630503500311.
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This study attempted to understand how a group of black youth in South Africa who experienced poverty achieved academic success and demonstrated a resilient trajectory. Through a qualitative research design that included ethnographic interviewing, case studies and observation, an insider's perspective was gained. This method was chosen for its ability to generate rich descriptive accounts and use multiple data sources. The results of this study indicated that this group of black students who achieved academic success in South Africa was high achieving, had strong initiative and motivation, was goal orientated and experienced the self as having agency. The atmosphere in the family, usually characterised by strong support also influenced a resilient response. Relationships with teachers, role models and supportive community members were viewed as protective factors. The findings of this research are helpful for educators; in the formulation of child and family policy, and for future comparative studies.
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Van Wyk, Brenda, and Janneke Mostert. "AFRICAN INSTITUTIONAL REPOSITORIES AS CONTRIBUTORS TO GLOBAL INFORMATION: A SOUTH AFRICAN CASE STUDY." Mousaion: South African Journal of Information Studies 32, no. 1 (2016): 98–114. http://dx.doi.org/10.25159/0027-2639/1704.
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Globally, institutional repositories (IRs) have become part of the services offered in academic libraries. This is, however, not yet the case in African academic libraries. In South Africa, the majority of academic libraries have embarked on digitising their research output. The aim of the study reported on in this article was to describe the IR of the University of Zululand (commonly known as Unizulu). A literature review, personal experience and observations were used to gather information for the study. It was found that although there were a number of challenges in the beginning stages, the project known as UZSpace was launched successfully. It was also found that due to the fact that the open access principle was embraced, and through the use of harvesters, the IR was heavily utilised especially during the first few months after going live – a trend that is still continuing. The article points out the challenges experienced; highlights the current status of the project; and shows the strengths and weaknesses of the project. Recommendations include that the IR management should form its own department under the auspices of the library; staff issues be resolved; and contingency plans be put in place for when a staff member leaves the project. The digitisation of the research materials should also be done in-house instead of being outsourced in order to save time and finances.
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Carr, Matthew, Tarron Lamont, and Marjolaine Krug. "Satellite Sea Surface Temperature Product Comparison for the Southern African Marine Region." Remote Sensing 13, no. 7 (2021): 1244. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs13071244.
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Several satellite-derived Sea Surface Temperature (SST) products were compared to determine their potential for research and monitoring applications around the southern African marine region. This study provides the first detailed comparison for the region, demonstrating good overall agreement (variance < 0.4 °C2) between merged SST products for most of the South African marine region. However, strong disagreement in absolute SST values (variance of 0.4–1.2 °C2 and differences of up to 6 °C) was observed at well-known oceanographic features characterized by complex temperature structures and strong SST gradients. Strong seasonal bias in the discrepancy between SST was observed and shown to follow seasonal increases in cloud cover or local oceanographic dynamics. Disagreement across the L4 products showed little dependence on their spatial resolutions. The periods of disagreement were characterized by large deviations among all products, which resulted mainly from the lack of input observations and reliance on interpolation schemes. This study demonstrates that additional methods such as the ingestion of additional in situ observations or daytime satellite acquisitions, especially along the west coast of southern Africa, might be required in regions of strong SST gradient, to improve their representations in merged SST products. The use of ensemble means may be more appropriate when conducting research and monitoring in these regions of high SST variance.
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Pieterse, H. J. C., Malan Nel, and B. A. Njumbuxa. "The role of Christian church leaders in the peace process in South Africa." Religion and Theology 1, no. 1 (1994): 65–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157430194x00060.
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AbstractThe objective of this article is to progress descriptively within the first phase of the research process, namely observation towards a problem statement. On the basis of interviews with Dr LouwAlberts and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, literature, a survey on violence by the HSRC, and press reports we describe the role of Christian church leaders in the peace process which culminated in the National Peace Accord. Our research identified a problem which needs further research: there is a discrepancy between the religious understanding of peace by the church leaders and the religious understanding of peace by the people on grassroots level.
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Lumadi, Mutendwahothe Walter. "Teachers Exodus In South African Schools: A Smoke With Burning Fire." Contemporary Issues in Education Research (CIER) 1, no. 3 (2011): 31. http://dx.doi.org/10.19030/cier.v1i3.1192.
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African teachers in general and South Africans in particular face tremendous challenges, several of which are curriculum related. These challenges manifest themselves at various levels and in various areas, that is, from national level to within the classroom. There are various role players who may make a contribution towards overcoming these challenges. It is imperative that each role player must be able to make a significant contribution. Clair and Adgers (2001:17) are of the opinion that school reform efforts must ensure that schools become centres of excellence for all students. This creates certain challenges for teachers, and in turn, demands a certain empowerment of them in order to achieve the vision of excellence in a diverse society with diverse needs (Carl, 2002:03). The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges experienced by South African teachers in the school curriculum and the causes of their poor performance in the teaching-learning situation. It became evident that some of the challenges are as a result of current and recurrent changes in the school curriculum. The researcher used a qualitative research methodology whereby a case study design was followed. The study used purposive sampling where four schools including both primary and secondary schools from the Eastern Cape (hereafter referred to as EC) Province were selected as sites for the study. EC Province is more disadvantaged in terms of resources as compared to the other Provinces in South Africa. Four teachers from each school were chosen as respondents. Data was collected through interviews and observations. Although the study was conducted in EC, it became evident from the findings that it is still a mammoth task country wide for teachers to implement the curriculum effectively. In the South African context, the problem manifests itself in a special way and the question remains, namely, what challenges do teachers in primary and secondary schools experience? The following challenges were identified when research was conducted; inadequate resources, a poor career path, HIV and AIDS pandemic, contractual employment, low remuneration, heavy workload and placement. These are critical issues of compliance if South Africa is going to overcome its past and build a culture of learning and tolerance that embraces and defines its political and educational future. The imbalances of international influences at the expense of teachers need to be rigorously redefined at school level. The study recommends that the National Ministry of Education (MOE) should have some mechanisms in place for remedying this unenviable situation.
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de Klerk, Vivian, and Gary P. Barkhuizen. "English in the South African Defence Force." English World-Wide 19, no. 1 (1998): 33–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1075/eww.19.1.04dek.
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The article reports on research carried out at an army camp in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa in 1996; it aimed to examine language use at the camp across all levels and in all contexts, in order to assess the degree to which South Africa's new multilingual language policy of 1994 has taken root, and in particular to ascertain the extent to which English was being used, and what troops and staff felt about its use. Questionnaires, interviews and observation techniques were used to provide a full description of linguistic practices, views and attitudes at all levels and in a wide range of activities in the camp. Results suggest that despite the national language policy, and despite a very low number of L1 English speakers in the camp, English is playing a very significant role across all levels as lingua franca for efficient communication, and this is matched with a pervasively positive view about its continued use.
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Mayer, Claude-Hélène, and Rudolf M. Oosthuizen. "CONCEPTS OF CREATIVE LEADERSHIP OF WOMEN LEADERS IN 21ST CENTURY." Creativity Studies 13, no. 1 (2020): 21–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.3846/cs.2020.10267.
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This article presents the subjective perspectives of women leaders working in higher education institutions in the 21st century in South Africa. It focuses in particular on creativity as demonstrated by women leaders working in culturally and gender diverse post-apartheid settings. The aim is to contribute to the discourse on the creativity of women leaders from diverse cultural backgrounds within South Africa higher education institutions by examining how women leaders experience creativity and what creativity means to them from a qualitative perspective. The study reported on assessed the experiences of creativity of 23 women leaders and their views on creativity and creative leadership by means of a research paradigm based on Wilhelm Dilthey’s modern hermeneutics. It used qualitative research methods, such as semi-structured interviews, as well as observations within one selected higher education institution. Data was analysed by means of content analysis. Quality research criteria and ethical considerations were upheld. The findings highlight the creative skills and attitudes of women leaders underlying successful leadership and the types of creative leadership applied. They suggest that women leaders’ creativity manifests in facilitating creativity in higher education institutions by fostering the creativity of others rather than directing their own creative vision through or integrating it in the work of employees.
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Petersen, Inge, Christopher G. Kemp, Deepa Rao, et al. "Implementation and Scale-Up of Integrated Depression Care in South Africa: An Observational Implementation Research Protocol." Psychiatric Services 72, no. 9 (2021): 1065–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202000014.
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Antwi Bosiakoh, Thomas. "Nigerian Immigrants as ‘Liminars’ in Ghana, West Africa: Narratives on Mobility, Immobility and Borderlands." Journal of Asian and African Studies 54, no. 4 (2019): 554–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0021909619827036.
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The mobility/immobility research frontier in migration scholarship has gained ascendancy since the beginning of this century with some studies highlighting the need for broader global trends in cross-border mobility/immobility research. This article on Nigerian immigrants as ‘liminars’in Ghana, West Africa, is an attempt to join the global cross-border mobility/immobility discourse on mobile people. It is anchored in the qualitative research tradition with the empirical data generated through in-depth interviews, observations and market conversations with 41 Nigerian immigrant entrepreneurs in Accra (the capital of Ghana), Kumasi (the second largest city after Accra) and Ashaiman (a sprawling sub-urban settlement). In a three-theme analysis approach, the paper shows three intersections in mobilities, immobilities and borderland accounts, namely mobility/borderland, trapped/living in a borderland space, and immobility in temporal-spatial borderland, and places the immigrants into a liminar category. This article is a contribution to understanding the mobility/immobility research frontier from the perspective of the global south and its impact on global southern ‘citizens’.
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Olusanya, NR, U. Kolanisi, A. Van Onselen, and N. Ngobese. "Preparation, storage, and utilization of mahewu (a non-alcoholic maize meal beverage) in Ntambanana, South Africa." African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 21, no. 02 (2021): 17492–508. http://dx.doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.97.18855.
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Maize is among the top three grain crops in the world. In Africa, especially Southern Africa,maize is the basic ingredient in fermented soft porridge known as Mahewu. Mahewu is a refreshing drink, produced at the household level using various practices and ingredients as a fermentation enhancer. The underprivileged consume Mahewuas the main meal of the day and hence, Mahewuisasource of dietary nutrients for many populations in Africa and South Africa. The ingredient and practices of making Mahewudiffer from one ethnic group to another. However, some of the indigenous practices are not well reported. These practices are fading away, hence, there is limited information on some indigenous practices. This paper reports some traditional practices of making MahewuinZulu-based households in Ntambanana, a rural municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. An ethnographic research approach was adopted for the study to gain insight into the traditional practices of making Mahewu. Probing of key informants, interviews, and observations were complemented by four focus group discussions, within the range of 10-12 regular consumers of Mahewu. Four focus group discussions were conducted in Buchanana and LuwambainNtambanana; findings consistently reveal that Mahewuis popularly known as “umdokwe” and is consumed by all age groups beginning from four months to the aged. Irish potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), imbiliso, inserting a saucer, or a spoon deep down into the Mahewucontainer were mentioned and identified as fermentation enhancers which are lacking in other studies. Therefore, indigenous practices are diminishing while some practices are being lost between generations. Inadequatetransfer of these practices might make the drink, to soon be accessible only commercially. To prevent this dilemma, the retention of traditional techniques of making Mahewu with sweet potatoes could promote food and nutrition security while retaining the indigenous practices. This study reports the preparation, storage, and utilization of Mahewu, a non-alcoholic maize meal beverage in Ntambanana, South Africa. It is recommended that campaigns promoting indigenous food consumption should form part of health, social development, as well as welfare, hence, food and nutrition interventions should be implementedin rural communities.
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Mnif Sellami, Yosra, and Imen Slimi. "The effect of the mandatory adoption of IAS/IFRS on earnings management: Empirical evidence from South Africa." International Journal of Accounting and Economics Studies 4, no. 2 (2016): 87. http://dx.doi.org/10.14419/ijaes.v4i2.6121.
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This research investigates the effect of mandatory transition of South African companies to IFRS on earnings management, essential attribute of accounting quality. Specifically, the study examines whether the mandatory adoption of IFRS is associated with reduction of earnings management and therefore, an improvement of accounting quality. In addition, the paper focuses on the effect of corporate governance factors on earnings management.Earnings management is assessed by the magnitude of discretionary accruals and accruals quality. The paper compares earnings management in the pre-mandatory IFRS adoption period; 2002-2004 and the post IFRS adoption period; 2010-2012. This study focuses on a sample of 276 firm-year observations, 46 firms drawn from the 413 South African listed companies. A regression model was applied to examine the relation between mandatory adoption of IFRS, corporate governance mechanisms and discretionary accruals controlling for other some factors explaining earnings management.Our findings show that mandatory adoption of IFRS by South African companies is associated with lower earnings management. This result suggests that mandatory transition to IFRS contribute to an improvement in the quality of accounting information. Furthermore, results show that the percentage of independent outside directors, the separation of roles of CEO and Chairman of the board and company size have significant influence on reducing discretionary accruals.
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Weigel, R., S. Borrmann, J. Kazil, et al. "In situ observations of new particle formation in the tropical upper troposphere: the role of clouds and the nucleation mechanism." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions 11, no. 3 (2011): 9249–312. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acpd-11-9249-2011.
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Abstract. New particle formation which generates ultrafine aerosol was observed in the continental tropical Upper Troposphere (UT) and Tropical Tropopause Layer (TTL), particularly at the bottom of the TTL, by in situ airborne measurements over South America (January–March, 2005) and West Africa (August, 2006). Measurements with a set of condensation particle counters with different dp50 (50% detection efficiency cut-off particle diameter) were conducted in the altitude range of 12.0–20.5 km on board the high altitude research aircraft M-55 "Geophysica" and at up to 11.5 km altitude on board the research aircraft DLR Falcon-20. Concentrations of ultrafine particles in the size range of 6 to 15 nm were derived from these measurements and several events of new particle formation (NPF) were identified. For two flight segments (24 February 2005 and 7 August 2006, at 12.5 km altitude) when recent lifting had influenced the probed air mass, the concentration of ultrafine particles reached up to 16 000 particles cm−3 (ambient concentration). A sensitivity study by using an aerosol model which includes neutral and ion induced nucleation processes revealed predicted concentrations of ultrafine particles in reasonable agreement with the in situ observations. NPF over South America was observed in cloud free air, above thin cirrus, while over West Africa, in the outflow of a Mesoscale Convective System (MCS), newly formed particles in the range of several hundred per cm3 were found to coexist with ice cloud particles as long as the concentration of cloud particles (dp>2 μm) remained below 2 cm−3. The occurrence of NPF within the upper troposphere and the TTL was generally confined within an altitude band extending from 340 K to 380 K potential temperature, of particular strength between 350 K and 370 K. By means of a heated aerosol inlet line (at 250 °C) measurements of particle volatility were performed which show that within the TTL over South America and West Africa, on average 10–25% of the particles contained non-volatile cores. In background UT/TTL conditions the fractions of non-volatile particles typically ranged up to 50%. Our measurements provide further evidence for the hypothesis that the tropical UT and the TTL are aerosol source regions supplying freshly nucleated particles which, if lifted, may contribute to maintain the stratospheric background aerosol. These particles can become important for cloud formation in the tropical upper troposphere, if they further grow such that they can act as cloud condensation nuclei.
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Molepo, John Ntshaupe. "Global Town to Town Relations: An Exploratory Study of the City of Tshwane in South Africa." Journal of Business and Economics 9, no. 12 (2018): 1034–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.15341/jbe(2155-7950)/12.09.2018/003.
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The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 describes its government as national, provincial and local sphere which are distinctive, interdepend and interrelated. The national and provincial government, by legislative and other measures must support and strengthen the capacity of the municipalities (Local Government) to manage their affairs, to exercise power and to perform their functions. Towns across the world make relationships with other towns. International relation is a complex field, its practice and scope involves numerous role players whether in government or non-governmental organizations. City of Tshwane is like other towns which seek investment opportunities for its citizens. City of Tshwane has several relations with different countries. The paper seeks to examine the impact of the relations, whether they are beneficial for the city or not. For the purpose of this paper, the study used qualitative research approach. The views and opinions of the officials were directly and indirectly captured by means of interviews and observations. The study adopted the use of data triangulation approach.
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Goodall, Victoria L., Sam M. Ferreira, Paul J. Funston, and Nkabeng Maruping-Mzileni. "Uncovering hidden states in African lion movement data using hidden Markov models." Wildlife Research 46, no. 4 (2019): 296. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr18004.
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Context Direct observations of animals are the most reliable way to define their behavioural characteristics; however, to obtain these observations is costly and often logistically challenging. GPS tracking allows finer-scale interpretation of animal responses by measuring movement patterns; however, the true behaviour of the animal during the period of observation is seldom known. Aims The aim of our research was to draw behavioural inferences for a lioness with a hidden Markov model and to validate the predicted latent-state sequence with field observations of the lion pride. Methods We used hidden Markov models to model the movement of a lioness in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. A three-state log-normal model was selected as the most suitable model. The model outputs are related to collected data by using an observational model, such as, for example, a distribution for the average movement rate and/or direction of movement that depends on the underlying model states that are taken to represent behavioural states of the animal. These inferred behavioural states are validated against direct observation of the pride’s behaviour. Key results Average movement rate provided a useful alternative for the application of hidden Markov models to irregularly spaced GPS locations. The movement model predicted resting as the dominant activity throughout the day, with a peak in the afternoon. The local-movement state occurred consistently throughout the day, with a decreased proportion during the afternoon, when more resting takes place, and an increase towards the early evening. The relocating state had three peaks, namely, during mid-morning, early evening and about midnight. Because of the differences in timing of the direct observations and the GPS locations, we had to compare point observations of the true behaviour with an interval prediction of the modelled behavioural state. In 75% of the cases, the model-predicted behaviour and the field-observed behaviour overlapped. Conclusions Our data suggest that the hidden Markov modelling approach is successful at predicting a realistic behaviour of lions on the basis of the GPS location coordinates and the average movement rate between locations. The present study provided a unique opportunity to uncover the hidden states and compare the true behaviour with the inferred behaviour from the predicted state sequence. Implications Our results illustrated the potential of using hidden Markov models with movement rate as an input to understand carnivore behavioural patterns that could inform conservation management practices.
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Rogerson, Christian M. "Rethinking slum tourism: tourism in South Africa’s rural slumlands." Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series 26, no. 26 (2014): 19–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/bog-2014-0042.
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Abstract Slum tourism is an expanding domain of research focused on organized tours to poorer areas of cities in the global South, such as South Africa’s urban townships. The aim is to contribute towards a reframing of scholarship on slum tourism by directing attention to the phenomenon of tourism development occurring in rural slums or poverty areas of South Africa, namely the former rural Bantustan or Homeland areas. These rural areas are presently the focus of government attention for tourism promotion as part of economic upgrading and employment creation. The key findings are that the expanding tourism economy of these rural slumlands is dominated by domestic tourists rather than international visitors with most tourists engaged in VFR travel including trips to rural second homes. In addition, these areas are important foci for religious pilgrimage. In terms of international scholarship on slum tourism the paper offers the significant observation that the largest share of tourists originate in the country’s urban township areas which are the attractions for international slum tourists. The destinations for visits by international slum tourists are therefore the essential source regions of tourists for visits to the rural poverty areas or slumlands of South Africa. This points to an imperative for broadening the research agenda of slum tourism to incorporate research which examines the tourism mobilities of ordinary residents of townships or favelas.
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Prinsloo, Reineth, and V. Pillay. "Impact of the Integrated Food and Nutrition Programme in Kungwini, South Africa." Social Work and Social Sciences Review 17, no. 2 (2014): 6–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1921/swssr.v17i2.552.
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This article discusses the impact of the Integrated Food and Nutrition Programme (IFNP) in light of collaborative partnerships for poverty reduction in a developing municipal area in South Africa. The programme aimed to develop home, community and school food gardens to meet the daily nutritional needs of poor households and the process was then to be broadened into marketing surplus garden produce, providing employment and income-generating opportunities. The programme thus aimed to address more than just basic food and nutrition. The purpose of the research was to obtain data through participant observation, focus group discussions and extended household interviews. Drawing on the qualitative interviews conducted with the beneficiaries of the IFNP, the article describes the manner in which poverty can continue to entrench the social exclusion of the poor (despite a specific policy intervention to improve their circumstances) when appropriate stakeholder collaboration is not fully developed and harnessed. The research recommendations include improving weak institutional environments, which may hinder effective service delivery, identifying appropriate skills development for the poor, ensuring community involvement in policy processes, maintaining efficient communication in collaborative partnerships, and maintaining personnel training on policy development and in project management skills.
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Opoku-Mensah, Evans, Yuming Yin, Asantewaa Ampofo Sandra, and Priscilla Tuffour. "Mergers and Acquisitions Antecedents in BRICS." Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies 11, no. 3 (2019): 202–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0974910119887241.
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This study proposes merger and acquisitions (M&A) antecedents’ model using observations from BRICS countries. It is expected that BRICS countries will remain a hotbed of M&A activity in the future and hence by analyzing BRICS research, we seek to provide a deeper insight into the current state of research, outline new insight, and propose future directions. Using a systematic literature review (SLR) method, we found that antecedents including top leadership role, self-interest of managers, targeted firm’s characteristics, and the dyadic relationship between M&A partners have been limited in BRICS research. We also found that less attention has been devoted to analyzing the antecedents of M&A in countries, such as Russia, Brazil, and South Africa. We construct M&A antecedent’s model with these findings.
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CHAZAN, MAY. "Everyday mobilisations among grandmothers in South Africa: survival, support and social change in the era of HIV/AIDS." Ageing and Society 34, no. 10 (2013): 1641–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0144686x13000317.
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ABSTRACTIn many sub-Saharan African communities, caring for vulnerable children in the era of HIV/AIDS appears to be creating deep financial, physical and psychological strains for care-givers, the great majority of whom are ageing women or ‘grandmothers’. Yet, limited primary research has been carried out with older women in specific communities, and therefore grandmothers' collective responses, sources of support, complex lived experiences, and diverse family situations are not well understood. This paper presents the findings of research undertaken in four communities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, between 2006 and 2010. The purpose was to understand the daily stresses, collective responses and mobilisations of older women in these communities. The research involved repeated focus groups, interviews and participant observation involving approximately 100 older women. In the analysis, attention is given to the diversities among participants, the ways in which HIV/AIDS intermingles with other stresses in their lives to drive their mobilisations, and their collective responses, even amidst highly constrained conditions. Through these lenses, the paper illuminates how older women in these communities are organising in response to the combined, devastating and diverse effects of HIV/AIDS, poverty, violence and illness. It also suggests that, counter to some stereotyping of ‘African grandmothers’ as frail or passive, these women are forming associations in order to generate incomes, resist stigma, connect with broader support networks and provide care to hundreds in their communities.
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Wandiga, Steve, Janet Agaya, Ouma S. Gurrion, et al. "PO 8446 COLLABORATIVE TUBERCULOSIS RESEARCH AGENDA AT KEMRI CENTER FOR GLOBAL HEALTH RESEARCH, KISUMU, KENYA." BMJ Global Health 4, Suppl 3 (2019): A38.2—A38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-edc.100.
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BackgroundDeveloping countries grapple with inadequate funding amidst high burden of diseases. Africa is home to 9 of the 22 countries with a high tuberculosis (TB) burden and to 29 of the 41 countries with a high TB-HIV burden. Kenya is among the high TB and high TB-HIV burden countries. The Western Kenya region has the highest burden of TB and HIV. North-South partnerships are pivotal in ameliorating funding gaps in clinical research.MethodsWhile optimising existing infrastructure and organising programme support (i.e sensitisation and awareness creation, leading to study participant recruitment), from 2005 to date we conducted with multiple North-South collaborators capacity strengthening, TB prevalence survey, observational studies, operational research, and vaccine and drug trials.ResultsTB prevalence survey showed 600 cases per 100,000 population, TB epidemiological studies among adolescents and infants yielded 680 and 900/100,000 population respectively while 2 TB vaccine trials among infants and adults were conducted in Siaya. Three TB drug trials and a TB patient observational cum bio-bank study were concluded in Kisumu. KEMRI TB laboratory was upgraded from BSL2 to BSL3, was ISO-accredited in 2013, renewed in 2015 and 2017 and supports TB programme health facilities with retreatment specimens, supervision and mentorship. Over 25 operational TB studies grouped into community and case detection (increasing case detection), diagnostic and molecular (new diagnostic methods) and epidemiology studies (testing and monitoring cohorts for epidemiological questions) were implemented. Five PhDs, 9 Master’s, 2 Postgraduate Diplomas, 6 Bachelor’s degrees and 10 Diplomas have been supported. Siaya clinical research center was built while in Kisumu an adolescent clinic was constructed. This work involved 18 northern and 26 southern partners. Over 35 publications have been published out of these collaborations.ConclusionNorth-South collaborations provided funding, expertise and resources to harness research capacity of KEMRI; hence the need to foster a global networking culture.