A critical analysis of Professor Andrew Tracey’s contribution to African music pedagogy and the field of applied ethnomusicology
- Authors: Moyo, Vuyelwa O'Lacy
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Tracey, Andrew T N , Ethnomusicology , Music Instruction and study Africa , Mbira Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406829 , vital:70311
- Description: The research presented in this thesis is based on my interest and experience in forms of African music, ethnomusicology, and studying mbira with Professor Emeritus Andrew Tracey. When I arrived in South Africa in 2019 to join Rhodes University’s Applied Ethnomusicology programme, I chose to study the mbira with Tracey as the idea of learning more about Zimbabwe through music was important to the formation of my identity. Through the lens of embodied learning and a practice-based approach in this research, I evaluate how Tracey’s numerous contributions to African music pedagogy have improved prospects for African music scholars and students in terms of contributing to the goals of applied ethnomusicology. The primary purpose of this thesis is to respond to the absence of serious scrutiny of existing pedagogical approaches to African music at universities across South Africa. The contribution this research makes will be valuable to African music programmes across the continent as well as to practitioners of African traditional instruments, such as the marimba, mbira, timbila xylophones, nyanga pan pipes, and valimba xylophones. The thesis comprises five chapters. The first presents an introduction to the research, and its goals, procedures and approaches, along with an outline of the subsequent chapters. Tracey’s biography is covered in the second chapter. A consideration of the state of African music teaching in other African countries such as Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe; the history of African music; and the state of African music pedagogy in tertiary institutions in South Africa constitutes the third chapter. Chapter 4 comprises an analysis of Tracey’s articles and data gathered from interviews, as well as my personal reflections as Tracey’s student. The final chapter presents a summary of the preceding chapters, the study’s findings, and suggestions for further research. A multidisciplinary approach was used for this thesis. The results finds that Tracey’s articles had six common themes which he wrote about and are a contribution to African music pedagogy. These themes are the history of instruments, the structure of the instrument, the learning/playing technique, structure of the instrument, transcription and dance steps. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Moyo, Vuyelwa O'Lacy
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Tracey, Andrew T N , Ethnomusicology , Music Instruction and study Africa , Mbira Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406829 , vital:70311
- Description: The research presented in this thesis is based on my interest and experience in forms of African music, ethnomusicology, and studying mbira with Professor Emeritus Andrew Tracey. When I arrived in South Africa in 2019 to join Rhodes University’s Applied Ethnomusicology programme, I chose to study the mbira with Tracey as the idea of learning more about Zimbabwe through music was important to the formation of my identity. Through the lens of embodied learning and a practice-based approach in this research, I evaluate how Tracey’s numerous contributions to African music pedagogy have improved prospects for African music scholars and students in terms of contributing to the goals of applied ethnomusicology. The primary purpose of this thesis is to respond to the absence of serious scrutiny of existing pedagogical approaches to African music at universities across South Africa. The contribution this research makes will be valuable to African music programmes across the continent as well as to practitioners of African traditional instruments, such as the marimba, mbira, timbila xylophones, nyanga pan pipes, and valimba xylophones. The thesis comprises five chapters. The first presents an introduction to the research, and its goals, procedures and approaches, along with an outline of the subsequent chapters. Tracey’s biography is covered in the second chapter. A consideration of the state of African music teaching in other African countries such as Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe; the history of African music; and the state of African music pedagogy in tertiary institutions in South Africa constitutes the third chapter. Chapter 4 comprises an analysis of Tracey’s articles and data gathered from interviews, as well as my personal reflections as Tracey’s student. The final chapter presents a summary of the preceding chapters, the study’s findings, and suggestions for further research. A multidisciplinary approach was used for this thesis. The results finds that Tracey’s articles had six common themes which he wrote about and are a contribution to African music pedagogy. These themes are the history of instruments, the structure of the instrument, the learning/playing technique, structure of the instrument, transcription and dance steps. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
A critical analysis of the tax treatment of cryptocurrencies in a South African context
- Authors: Ho, Dau-Ming
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Cryptocurrencies Taxation , Income tax Law and legislation South Africa , Income tax Law and legislation Australia , Financial services industry Security measures , South Africa. Income Tax Act, 1962
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/357504 , vital:64749
- Description: The aim of the present research was to investigate whether, as claimed by the South African Revenue Service in the media release issued in April 2018, the normal income tax provisions could apply to cryptocurrency transactions. To achieve this aim, a literature review was undertaken to describe the nature of cryptocurrencies and related crypto mining activities, providing definitions of cryptocurrencies, blockchains and crypto mining, as well as describing the functioning of the system. The research then proceeded to analyse the provisions of the definition of “gross income” in section 1 of the Income Tax Act, 58 of 1962, as amended, and the requirements of the “general deduction formula” in terms of the preamble to section 11, section 11(a) and section 23(g), as applying to cryptocurrency transactions. The application of other provisions in the Act to cryptocurrency transactions was analysed, including trading stock in terms of section 22, and capital allowances in terms of sections 11(e), 12C and 13quin of the Act, together with capital gains tax consequences in terms of the Eighth Schedule to the Income Tax Act. The regulation for income tax purposes of cryptocurrency transactions in Australia was discussed, with a view to making similar recommendations in South Africa. The research was situated in the interpretative paradigm, a doctrinal methodology was applied, together with a qualitative analysis of documentary data. The discussion was limited to the income tax consequences of cryptocurrencies as applying to individuals. The findings of the research were that, in general, the normal income tax provisions could apply to cryptocurrency transactions, but based on the analysis of the South African and Australian income tax acts as they apply to cryptocurrencies, it was recommended that a Comprehensive Guide on the income tax consequences of cryptocurrency transactions should be issued by the South African Revenue Service, together with amendments to section 25D and paragraph 43 of the Eighth Schedule to the Income Tax Act to deal with the conversion of cryptocurrencies to Rand values, and to section 9C of the Income Tax Act to include the deemed capital nature of the disposal of cryptocurrencies in the three-year rule presently applying to equity shares. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Accounting, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Ho, Dau-Ming
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Cryptocurrencies Taxation , Income tax Law and legislation South Africa , Income tax Law and legislation Australia , Financial services industry Security measures , South Africa. Income Tax Act, 1962
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/357504 , vital:64749
- Description: The aim of the present research was to investigate whether, as claimed by the South African Revenue Service in the media release issued in April 2018, the normal income tax provisions could apply to cryptocurrency transactions. To achieve this aim, a literature review was undertaken to describe the nature of cryptocurrencies and related crypto mining activities, providing definitions of cryptocurrencies, blockchains and crypto mining, as well as describing the functioning of the system. The research then proceeded to analyse the provisions of the definition of “gross income” in section 1 of the Income Tax Act, 58 of 1962, as amended, and the requirements of the “general deduction formula” in terms of the preamble to section 11, section 11(a) and section 23(g), as applying to cryptocurrency transactions. The application of other provisions in the Act to cryptocurrency transactions was analysed, including trading stock in terms of section 22, and capital allowances in terms of sections 11(e), 12C and 13quin of the Act, together with capital gains tax consequences in terms of the Eighth Schedule to the Income Tax Act. The regulation for income tax purposes of cryptocurrency transactions in Australia was discussed, with a view to making similar recommendations in South Africa. The research was situated in the interpretative paradigm, a doctrinal methodology was applied, together with a qualitative analysis of documentary data. The discussion was limited to the income tax consequences of cryptocurrencies as applying to individuals. The findings of the research were that, in general, the normal income tax provisions could apply to cryptocurrency transactions, but based on the analysis of the South African and Australian income tax acts as they apply to cryptocurrencies, it was recommended that a Comprehensive Guide on the income tax consequences of cryptocurrency transactions should be issued by the South African Revenue Service, together with amendments to section 25D and paragraph 43 of the Eighth Schedule to the Income Tax Act to deal with the conversion of cryptocurrencies to Rand values, and to section 9C of the Income Tax Act to include the deemed capital nature of the disposal of cryptocurrencies in the three-year rule presently applying to equity shares. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Accounting, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
A multimodal analysis of the representation of voter disillusionment in social media memes distributed on Twitter in the lead up to the 2019 South African general election
- Authors: Jeftha, Courtney Alexandra
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Elections South Africa 21st century , Culture Study and teaching South Africa , Mass media Study and teaching South Africa , Social media South Africa , Memes South Africa , Visual sociology , Textual Analysis , Critical discourse analysis , Modality (Linguistics)
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405930 , vital:70220
- Description: This study is situated in the context of the 2019 South African general election, which saw the lowest voter turnout since its first democratic election in 1994. Many have questioned the capabilities of the African National Congress (ANC) since they came into power in 1994, due to allegations of corruption, maladministration and poor leadership. The concerns about the party’s ability to manage the country’s various social issues have led to a drop in voter turnout. There was much discussion in the media about the lack of voter turnout amongst young people in South Africa. This topic became a trending topic on social media under the #iwanttovotebut hashtag. The sentiments expressed by South African Twitter users in the #iwanttovotebut memes are explored in this study. The analysis of the memes draws on the works of Kress and van Leeuwen’s (1996; 2006) visual social semiotics, Fairclough’s (1989) approach to Critical discourse analysis (CDA), and Thompson’s operation of ideologies. VSS allows for the description of the various semiotic resources that memers use to construct their meaning from multimodal texts. The tools provided by CDA go beyond the description of VSS and develop a more detailed analysis of how the memers construct their discourses of democracy/governance. Thompson’s (1991) approach to understanding how ideology operates in language enables the deepening of the understanding of the dominant and naturalised notions of democracy/governance. The findings indicate that memers have a limited understanding of democracy. They also have a limited understanding of how political parties operate and their responsibilities in the form of government and various agencies. In addition, it is not surprising that young people are not voting in the 2019 general election. This is a phenomenon that the media has characterized as “apathy.” However, this research indicates that it would be more accurate to describe it as “disillusionment.” , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Journalism and Media Studies, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Jeftha, Courtney Alexandra
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Elections South Africa 21st century , Culture Study and teaching South Africa , Mass media Study and teaching South Africa , Social media South Africa , Memes South Africa , Visual sociology , Textual Analysis , Critical discourse analysis , Modality (Linguistics)
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405930 , vital:70220
- Description: This study is situated in the context of the 2019 South African general election, which saw the lowest voter turnout since its first democratic election in 1994. Many have questioned the capabilities of the African National Congress (ANC) since they came into power in 1994, due to allegations of corruption, maladministration and poor leadership. The concerns about the party’s ability to manage the country’s various social issues have led to a drop in voter turnout. There was much discussion in the media about the lack of voter turnout amongst young people in South Africa. This topic became a trending topic on social media under the #iwanttovotebut hashtag. The sentiments expressed by South African Twitter users in the #iwanttovotebut memes are explored in this study. The analysis of the memes draws on the works of Kress and van Leeuwen’s (1996; 2006) visual social semiotics, Fairclough’s (1989) approach to Critical discourse analysis (CDA), and Thompson’s operation of ideologies. VSS allows for the description of the various semiotic resources that memers use to construct their meaning from multimodal texts. The tools provided by CDA go beyond the description of VSS and develop a more detailed analysis of how the memers construct their discourses of democracy/governance. Thompson’s (1991) approach to understanding how ideology operates in language enables the deepening of the understanding of the dominant and naturalised notions of democracy/governance. The findings indicate that memers have a limited understanding of democracy. They also have a limited understanding of how political parties operate and their responsibilities in the form of government and various agencies. In addition, it is not surprising that young people are not voting in the 2019 general election. This is a phenomenon that the media has characterized as “apathy.” However, this research indicates that it would be more accurate to describe it as “disillusionment.” , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Journalism and Media Studies, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
A nasty chamber
- Authors: Jwara, Fortunate
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) South Africa , South African fiction (English) 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406262 , vital:70253
- Description: Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Jwara, Fortunate
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) South Africa , South African fiction (English) 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406262 , vital:70253
- Description: Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
A psycholinguistic investigation of orthographic neighbourhood effects in reading and spelling in isiXhosa
- Authors: Cox, Paige Samantha
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Literacy , Xhosa language Orthography and spelling , Psycholinguistics , Word recognition , Reading , Orthographic neighbourhood effects
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/404916 , vital:70121
- Description: Despite increased research interest in recent years in the metalinguistic skills underpinning reading in the Southern Bantu languages, little work has been done on the underlying microlinguistic layer. This refers to the actual mechanical underpinnings of linguistic skills; zooming in on micro-language structures so as to explicate our understanding of how reading works. One such microlinguistic phenomenon is the effect of orthographic neighbours on reading and writing. Research has found predominantly faciliatory neighbourhood effects for English word reading (Andrews, 1997; Siakaluk, Sears & Lupker, 2002; Yarkoni, Balota & Yap, 2008). Specifically, words with more orthographic neighbours have faster response times in lexical decision and naming tasks. However, in languages such as Spanish and French, inhibitory neighbourhood effects are reported (Grainger & Jacobs, 1996; Carreiras, Perea & Grainger, 1997). These findings highlight the language-specific nature of orthographic neighbourhood effects (Andrews, 1997), and the necessity for language- specific investigations of these effects. This thesis investigates the linguistic properties of orthographic neighbours in isiXhosa, thereby developing a database of orthographic neighbourhoods in isiXhosa. Further, this research explores the interaction between orthographic neighbourhood density and neighbourhood frequency with three literacy skills: lexical decision response time, word reading accuracy, and spelling accuracy. Data were collected from 97 isiXhosa grade three learners from five schools in KwaNobuhle Township in the Eastern Cape. A corpus of 170 000 tokens of isiXhosa words (Rees & Randera, 2017) was used to compile a database of orthographic neighbourhoods for 30 real, and 30 pseudowords which ranged in orthographic neighbourhood density and neighbourhood frequency, whilst controlling for word length and word frequency. Using this database, lexical decision, word reading, and spelling tasks were designed and administered to the participants. Findings indicate a significant inhibitory effect of orthographic neighbourhood frequency on spelling accuracy. Words with high neighbourhood frequencies are more likely to be spelt incorrectly. There was no observed effect of orthographic neighbourhoods on lexical decision response time and word reading accuracy. These results are interpreted within connectionist and search models of orthographic processing. Specifically, the findings indicate a partial reliance on lexical processing strategies when spelling. That is, orthographic neighbours compete for lexical access when spelling. Education practitioners may wish to present learners with lists of orthographic neighbours when introducing novel words so as to make explicit the fine grain differences between words in the language. This also means that future research will need to develop a larger repository of orthographic neighbours in isiXhosa that can be made available for pedagogical purposes. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Cox, Paige Samantha
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Literacy , Xhosa language Orthography and spelling , Psycholinguistics , Word recognition , Reading , Orthographic neighbourhood effects
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/404916 , vital:70121
- Description: Despite increased research interest in recent years in the metalinguistic skills underpinning reading in the Southern Bantu languages, little work has been done on the underlying microlinguistic layer. This refers to the actual mechanical underpinnings of linguistic skills; zooming in on micro-language structures so as to explicate our understanding of how reading works. One such microlinguistic phenomenon is the effect of orthographic neighbours on reading and writing. Research has found predominantly faciliatory neighbourhood effects for English word reading (Andrews, 1997; Siakaluk, Sears & Lupker, 2002; Yarkoni, Balota & Yap, 2008). Specifically, words with more orthographic neighbours have faster response times in lexical decision and naming tasks. However, in languages such as Spanish and French, inhibitory neighbourhood effects are reported (Grainger & Jacobs, 1996; Carreiras, Perea & Grainger, 1997). These findings highlight the language-specific nature of orthographic neighbourhood effects (Andrews, 1997), and the necessity for language- specific investigations of these effects. This thesis investigates the linguistic properties of orthographic neighbours in isiXhosa, thereby developing a database of orthographic neighbourhoods in isiXhosa. Further, this research explores the interaction between orthographic neighbourhood density and neighbourhood frequency with three literacy skills: lexical decision response time, word reading accuracy, and spelling accuracy. Data were collected from 97 isiXhosa grade three learners from five schools in KwaNobuhle Township in the Eastern Cape. A corpus of 170 000 tokens of isiXhosa words (Rees & Randera, 2017) was used to compile a database of orthographic neighbourhoods for 30 real, and 30 pseudowords which ranged in orthographic neighbourhood density and neighbourhood frequency, whilst controlling for word length and word frequency. Using this database, lexical decision, word reading, and spelling tasks were designed and administered to the participants. Findings indicate a significant inhibitory effect of orthographic neighbourhood frequency on spelling accuracy. Words with high neighbourhood frequencies are more likely to be spelt incorrectly. There was no observed effect of orthographic neighbourhoods on lexical decision response time and word reading accuracy. These results are interpreted within connectionist and search models of orthographic processing. Specifically, the findings indicate a partial reliance on lexical processing strategies when spelling. That is, orthographic neighbours compete for lexical access when spelling. Education practitioners may wish to present learners with lists of orthographic neighbours when introducing novel words so as to make explicit the fine grain differences between words in the language. This also means that future research will need to develop a larger repository of orthographic neighbours in isiXhosa that can be made available for pedagogical purposes. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
A review of the Siyakhula Living Lab’s network solution for Internet in marginalized communities
- Muchatibaya, Hilbert Munashe
- Authors: Muchatibaya, Hilbert Munashe
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Information and communication technologies for development , Information technology South Africa , Access network , User experience , Local area networks (Computer networks) South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/364943 , vital:65664
- Description: Changes within Information and Communication Technology (ICT) over the past decade required a review of the network layer component deployed in the Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL), a long-term joint venture between the Telkom Centres of Excellence hosted at University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University in South Africa. The SLL overall solution for the sustainable internet in poor communities consists of three main components – the computing infrastructure layer, the network layer, and the e-services layer. At the core of the network layer is the concept of BI, a high-speed local area network realized through easy-to deploy wireless technologies that establish point-to-multipoint connections among schools within a limited geographical area. Schools within the broadband island become then Digital Access Nodes (DANs), with computing infrastructure that provides access to the network. The review, reported in this thesis, aimed at determining whether the model for the network layer was still able to meet the needs of marginalized communities in South Africa, given the recent changes in ICT. The research work used the living lab methodology – a grassroots, user-driven approach that emphasizes co-creation between the beneficiaries and external entities (researchers, industry partners and the government) - to do viability tests on the solution for the network component. The viability tests included lab and field experiments, to produce the qualitative and quantitative data needed to propose an updated blueprint. The results of the review found that the network topology used in the SLL’s network, the BI, is still viable, while WiMAX is now outdated. Also, the in-network web cache, Squid, is no longer effective, given the switch to HTTPS and the pervasive presence of advertising. The solution to the first issue is outdoor Wi-Fi, a proven solution easily deployable in grass-roots fashion. The second issue can be mitigated by leveraging Squid’s ‘bumping’ and splicing features; deploying a browser extension to make picture download optional; and using Pihole, a DNS sinkhole. Hopefully, the revised solution could become a component of South African Government’s broadband plan, “SA Connect”. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Muchatibaya, Hilbert Munashe
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Information and communication technologies for development , Information technology South Africa , Access network , User experience , Local area networks (Computer networks) South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/364943 , vital:65664
- Description: Changes within Information and Communication Technology (ICT) over the past decade required a review of the network layer component deployed in the Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL), a long-term joint venture between the Telkom Centres of Excellence hosted at University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University in South Africa. The SLL overall solution for the sustainable internet in poor communities consists of three main components – the computing infrastructure layer, the network layer, and the e-services layer. At the core of the network layer is the concept of BI, a high-speed local area network realized through easy-to deploy wireless technologies that establish point-to-multipoint connections among schools within a limited geographical area. Schools within the broadband island become then Digital Access Nodes (DANs), with computing infrastructure that provides access to the network. The review, reported in this thesis, aimed at determining whether the model for the network layer was still able to meet the needs of marginalized communities in South Africa, given the recent changes in ICT. The research work used the living lab methodology – a grassroots, user-driven approach that emphasizes co-creation between the beneficiaries and external entities (researchers, industry partners and the government) - to do viability tests on the solution for the network component. The viability tests included lab and field experiments, to produce the qualitative and quantitative data needed to propose an updated blueprint. The results of the review found that the network topology used in the SLL’s network, the BI, is still viable, while WiMAX is now outdated. Also, the in-network web cache, Squid, is no longer effective, given the switch to HTTPS and the pervasive presence of advertising. The solution to the first issue is outdoor Wi-Fi, a proven solution easily deployable in grass-roots fashion. The second issue can be mitigated by leveraging Squid’s ‘bumping’ and splicing features; deploying a browser extension to make picture download optional; and using Pihole, a DNS sinkhole. Hopefully, the revised solution could become a component of South African Government’s broadband plan, “SA Connect”. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
A sea is brewing
- Authors: Mama, Sibongakonke
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) South Africa , Xhosa poetry 21st century , South African poetry (English) 21st century , Psychic trauma in literature , Women in literature , Diaries -- Authorship , Books Reviews
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406281 , vital:70255
- Description: My thesis is a collection of poems that draws on the complexity of not belonging in places, with people, or within families. I engage my own alienation as well as that of my parents, black people generally, and women in particular. I take inspiration from Uruguayan poet Fabián Severo’s autobiographical long poem, Night in the North, which chronicles the poet’s experience of growing up in linguistic and cultural borderlands. I am also influenced by Chilean poet Carmen García’s ability to move between the concrete and the abstract in translations of her poems from the collection Gotas sobre loza fría. As much as my poems traverse a metaphysical space, they are also set in concrete places – Tutura, Gcuwa, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. Like Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuña’s Spit Temple, I move between the physical and spiritual realms for a better understanding of my estrangement. I also draw on South African poet Mangaliso Buzani’s book, a naked bone, for its fluid combination of line and prose poetry. I write in isiXhosa and English as a reflection of my mixed cultural and linguistic existence. I seek to harness rhythm and harmony, as well as the quiet, between words. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Mama, Sibongakonke
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) South Africa , Xhosa poetry 21st century , South African poetry (English) 21st century , Psychic trauma in literature , Women in literature , Diaries -- Authorship , Books Reviews
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406281 , vital:70255
- Description: My thesis is a collection of poems that draws on the complexity of not belonging in places, with people, or within families. I engage my own alienation as well as that of my parents, black people generally, and women in particular. I take inspiration from Uruguayan poet Fabián Severo’s autobiographical long poem, Night in the North, which chronicles the poet’s experience of growing up in linguistic and cultural borderlands. I am also influenced by Chilean poet Carmen García’s ability to move between the concrete and the abstract in translations of her poems from the collection Gotas sobre loza fría. As much as my poems traverse a metaphysical space, they are also set in concrete places – Tutura, Gcuwa, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. Like Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuña’s Spit Temple, I move between the physical and spiritual realms for a better understanding of my estrangement. I also draw on South African poet Mangaliso Buzani’s book, a naked bone, for its fluid combination of line and prose poetry. I write in isiXhosa and English as a reflection of my mixed cultural and linguistic existence. I seek to harness rhythm and harmony, as well as the quiet, between words. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
A sociological exploration of whether culture inhibits comprehensive sexual education in schools: the case of urban schools in Mpika district of Zambia
- Authors: Nyoni, Kaliza
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Sex instruction Zambia , Sex instruction Social aspects Zambia , Culture , High school students Attitudes , Sex educators Attitudes , Influence (Psychology) , Language and culture Zambia
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406796 , vital:70308
- Description: This study investigated the impact and influence of culture in the provisioning of comprehensive sexuality education , the case of urban schools of Mpika district of Zambia. The specific objectives were to investigate the frameworks that inform the teaching of CSE in schools, explore ways in which influence of culture on the framework affects the leaners participation in learning CSE, explore the influence of cultural norms, metaphors, and values on that framework, explore whether cultural norms have an impact and influence on teachers and explore whether there is a discrepancy between cultural values and CSE. The methodology which was used in carrying out the research was descriptive research design and purposive sampling was used in which a sample of 21 respondents who are leaners were picked and 5 teachers who teach CSE were chosen. The interview schedule was used to collect data from the sample which was drawn. The data gathered was analysed using concepts and themes as well as observer impression. The findings of this research are that there is a framework that informs the teaching of CSE in schools whose aim is to curb school drop outs by reducing teen pregnancies and high infection rates of STIs and HIV/AIDS. The framework seeks to empower knowledge on the adolescents in relation to gender norms, rights in relationships and sexuality. The major findings of the research are that culture has an influence on the teachers and leaners. Of particular discovery is the use of symbols through charts which display human private parts. This is construed by the teachers and learners to be against their cultural beliefs. Furthermore, language that this subject uses is culturally seen to be too strong and vulgar , to both teachers and leaners. This study found out that open discussion in class of the topic on sexuality does not sit well with the leaners as it is against their cultural orientation. The research also found out that there are lessons in CSE that are beneficial to the learners such as , how to prevent contracting of STIs and HIV/AIDS and prevention of unwanted pregnancies. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Sociology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Nyoni, Kaliza
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Sex instruction Zambia , Sex instruction Social aspects Zambia , Culture , High school students Attitudes , Sex educators Attitudes , Influence (Psychology) , Language and culture Zambia
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406796 , vital:70308
- Description: This study investigated the impact and influence of culture in the provisioning of comprehensive sexuality education , the case of urban schools of Mpika district of Zambia. The specific objectives were to investigate the frameworks that inform the teaching of CSE in schools, explore ways in which influence of culture on the framework affects the leaners participation in learning CSE, explore the influence of cultural norms, metaphors, and values on that framework, explore whether cultural norms have an impact and influence on teachers and explore whether there is a discrepancy between cultural values and CSE. The methodology which was used in carrying out the research was descriptive research design and purposive sampling was used in which a sample of 21 respondents who are leaners were picked and 5 teachers who teach CSE were chosen. The interview schedule was used to collect data from the sample which was drawn. The data gathered was analysed using concepts and themes as well as observer impression. The findings of this research are that there is a framework that informs the teaching of CSE in schools whose aim is to curb school drop outs by reducing teen pregnancies and high infection rates of STIs and HIV/AIDS. The framework seeks to empower knowledge on the adolescents in relation to gender norms, rights in relationships and sexuality. The major findings of the research are that culture has an influence on the teachers and leaners. Of particular discovery is the use of symbols through charts which display human private parts. This is construed by the teachers and learners to be against their cultural beliefs. Furthermore, language that this subject uses is culturally seen to be too strong and vulgar , to both teachers and leaners. This study found out that open discussion in class of the topic on sexuality does not sit well with the leaners as it is against their cultural orientation. The research also found out that there are lessons in CSE that are beneficial to the learners such as , how to prevent contracting of STIs and HIV/AIDS and prevention of unwanted pregnancies. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Sociology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
A systematic methodology to evaluating optimised machine learning based network intrusion detection systems
- Authors: Chindove, Hatitye Ethridge
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Intrusion detection systems (Computer security) , Machine learning , Computer networks Security measures , Principal components analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/362774 , vital:65361
- Description: A network intrusion detection system (NIDS) is essential for mitigating computer network attacks in various scenarios. However, the increasing complexity of computer networks and attacks makes classifying unseen or novel network traffic challenging. Supervised machine learning techniques (ML) used in a NIDS can be affected by different scenarios. Thus, dataset recency, size, and applicability are essential factors when selecting and tuning a machine learning classifier. This thesis explores developing and optimising several supervised ML algorithms with relatively new datasets constructed to depict real-world scenarios. The methodology includes empirical analyses of systematic ML-based NIDS for a near real-world network system to improve intrusion detection. The thesis is experimental heavy for model assessment. Data preparation methods are explored, followed by feature engineering techniques. The model evaluation process involves three experiments testing against a validation, un-trained, and retrained set. They compare several traditional machine learning and deep learning classifiers to identify the best NIDS model. Results show that the focus on feature scaling, feature selection methods and ML algo- rithm hyper-parameter tuning per model is an essential optimisation component. Distance based ML algorithm performed much better with quantile transformation whilst the tree based algorithms performed better without scaling. Permutation importance performs as a feature selection method compared to feature extraction using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) when applied against all ML algorithms explored. Random forests, Sup- port Vector Machines and recurrent neural networks consistently achieved the best results with high macro f1-score results of 90% 81% and 73% for the CICIDS 2017 dataset; and 72% 68% and 73% against the CICIDS 2018 dataset. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Chindove, Hatitye Ethridge
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Intrusion detection systems (Computer security) , Machine learning , Computer networks Security measures , Principal components analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/362774 , vital:65361
- Description: A network intrusion detection system (NIDS) is essential for mitigating computer network attacks in various scenarios. However, the increasing complexity of computer networks and attacks makes classifying unseen or novel network traffic challenging. Supervised machine learning techniques (ML) used in a NIDS can be affected by different scenarios. Thus, dataset recency, size, and applicability are essential factors when selecting and tuning a machine learning classifier. This thesis explores developing and optimising several supervised ML algorithms with relatively new datasets constructed to depict real-world scenarios. The methodology includes empirical analyses of systematic ML-based NIDS for a near real-world network system to improve intrusion detection. The thesis is experimental heavy for model assessment. Data preparation methods are explored, followed by feature engineering techniques. The model evaluation process involves three experiments testing against a validation, un-trained, and retrained set. They compare several traditional machine learning and deep learning classifiers to identify the best NIDS model. Results show that the focus on feature scaling, feature selection methods and ML algo- rithm hyper-parameter tuning per model is an essential optimisation component. Distance based ML algorithm performed much better with quantile transformation whilst the tree based algorithms performed better without scaling. Permutation importance performs as a feature selection method compared to feature extraction using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) when applied against all ML algorithms explored. Random forests, Sup- port Vector Machines and recurrent neural networks consistently achieved the best results with high macro f1-score results of 90% 81% and 73% for the CICIDS 2017 dataset; and 72% 68% and 73% against the CICIDS 2018 dataset. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
An African language in the public sphere – the use of isiZulu on Yilungelo Lakho online platforms
- Authors: Bramdeo, Aasra
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Zulu language , News Web sites South Africa , South African Broadcasting Corporation , Facebook (Firm) , Social media and journalism South Africa , Public sphere South Africa , Mass media and language South Africa , Yilungelo Lakho
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405919 , vital:70219
- Description: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is mandated as the public broadcaster to provide news content in all South Africa’s official languages. While this has been a challenge on traditional broadcast platforms, online resources, such as social media pages, present an opportunity for the SABC to support the creation and sharing of content in African languages. With relatively little national news and current affairs content available online in indigenous languages, this study investigates the way that SABC News online offerings in the isiZulu language have the potential to contribute to public debates in terms of Habermas’ concept of a public sphere and its adaptation to the online domain, taking into consideration scholarly critiques of its suitability in the African context. The SABC News Current Affairs programme Yilungelo Lakho serves as a case study to examine the potential for the SABC to share African-language news content online. The programme is broadcast primarily in the Nguni languages, and the online audience on Facebook often choose to respond in isiZulu or other African languages. Semi-structured indepth interviews were conducted with three members of the production team and three contributors to the Facebook page. A textual analysis of Facebook posts across 13 episodes, with a total of 497 comments from 306 online contributors highlights the manner in which online interaction promotes or hampers the inclusion of isiZulu speakers in SABC News and Current Affairs discussions, rational deliberation on the SABC Current Affairs programme, and fragmentation and overlap across different online platforms. While multilingual interactions on the Yilungelo Lakho Facebook page make for complex curation, the findings suggest the need for African language content to support public discussions and point to an opportunity for the public broadcaster to fulfil its mandate. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Journalism and Media Studies, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Bramdeo, Aasra
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Zulu language , News Web sites South Africa , South African Broadcasting Corporation , Facebook (Firm) , Social media and journalism South Africa , Public sphere South Africa , Mass media and language South Africa , Yilungelo Lakho
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405919 , vital:70219
- Description: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is mandated as the public broadcaster to provide news content in all South Africa’s official languages. While this has been a challenge on traditional broadcast platforms, online resources, such as social media pages, present an opportunity for the SABC to support the creation and sharing of content in African languages. With relatively little national news and current affairs content available online in indigenous languages, this study investigates the way that SABC News online offerings in the isiZulu language have the potential to contribute to public debates in terms of Habermas’ concept of a public sphere and its adaptation to the online domain, taking into consideration scholarly critiques of its suitability in the African context. The SABC News Current Affairs programme Yilungelo Lakho serves as a case study to examine the potential for the SABC to share African-language news content online. The programme is broadcast primarily in the Nguni languages, and the online audience on Facebook often choose to respond in isiZulu or other African languages. Semi-structured indepth interviews were conducted with three members of the production team and three contributors to the Facebook page. A textual analysis of Facebook posts across 13 episodes, with a total of 497 comments from 306 online contributors highlights the manner in which online interaction promotes or hampers the inclusion of isiZulu speakers in SABC News and Current Affairs discussions, rational deliberation on the SABC Current Affairs programme, and fragmentation and overlap across different online platforms. While multilingual interactions on the Yilungelo Lakho Facebook page make for complex curation, the findings suggest the need for African language content to support public discussions and point to an opportunity for the public broadcaster to fulfil its mandate. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Journalism and Media Studies, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
An appraisal analysis of a selection of Zapiro’s political cartoons
- Authors: Hussey, Thomas Davey
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406725 , vital:70302
- Description: Thesis embargoed. To be released in 2025. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Hussey, Thomas Davey
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406725 , vital:70302
- Description: Thesis embargoed. To be released in 2025. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
An ethnomedical study of the role and impact of cannabidiol (CBD) treatment of women living with endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
- Authors: Norman, Paige Sarah
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Polycystic ovary syndrome Alternative treatment , Endometriosis Alternative treatment , Cannabidiol , Cannabis , Pain management , Traditional medicine , Feminist anthropology , Women's health services
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/408652 , vital:70513
- Description: Over the last few years, there has been a notable increase in popularity in the use of cannabidiol (CBD) as a form of alternative medicinal treatment for various illnesses. CBD, a by-product of the cannabis plant, is an isolate and does not contain the psychoactive agent, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) are chronic reproductive health sicknesses that are increasingly experienced by women. In the absence of cures, biomedical treatment for these diseases aim to manage symptoms, for example; heavy bleeding, heightened levels of pain, and insomnia. CBD offers an alternative to women who feel that biomedical interventions are no longer able to maintain their health and well-being. CBD positions itself as a natural remedy claiming to be safe and effective. This research study, mainly through qualitative data collection, focused on experiences of Zimbabwean and South African women living with endometriosis and/ or PCOS, who have turned to CBD to manage their symptoms. The importance of this study was to position itself within patients’ lived experiences. The research study found that CBD indeed has numerous benefits, including pain management, alleviating stress, and anxiety. Through the emergent themes from the data, it became clear that women are marginalised and treated unequally in the biomedical healthcare sphere. Feminist Anthropology and Structural Violence was applied to analyse the data collected to explore the patriarchal nature of the biomedical healthcare system and the experiences that women have, which has led them to turn to alternative treatments. , Thesis (MSocSci) -- Faculty of Humanities, Anthropology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Norman, Paige Sarah
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Polycystic ovary syndrome Alternative treatment , Endometriosis Alternative treatment , Cannabidiol , Cannabis , Pain management , Traditional medicine , Feminist anthropology , Women's health services
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/408652 , vital:70513
- Description: Over the last few years, there has been a notable increase in popularity in the use of cannabidiol (CBD) as a form of alternative medicinal treatment for various illnesses. CBD, a by-product of the cannabis plant, is an isolate and does not contain the psychoactive agent, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) are chronic reproductive health sicknesses that are increasingly experienced by women. In the absence of cures, biomedical treatment for these diseases aim to manage symptoms, for example; heavy bleeding, heightened levels of pain, and insomnia. CBD offers an alternative to women who feel that biomedical interventions are no longer able to maintain their health and well-being. CBD positions itself as a natural remedy claiming to be safe and effective. This research study, mainly through qualitative data collection, focused on experiences of Zimbabwean and South African women living with endometriosis and/ or PCOS, who have turned to CBD to manage their symptoms. The importance of this study was to position itself within patients’ lived experiences. The research study found that CBD indeed has numerous benefits, including pain management, alleviating stress, and anxiety. Through the emergent themes from the data, it became clear that women are marginalised and treated unequally in the biomedical healthcare sphere. Feminist Anthropology and Structural Violence was applied to analyse the data collected to explore the patriarchal nature of the biomedical healthcare system and the experiences that women have, which has led them to turn to alternative treatments. , Thesis (MSocSci) -- Faculty of Humanities, Anthropology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
An exploratory study of King IV™: The effect of Principle Four and its practices in achieving good performance by selected JSE-listed companies
- Authors: Rohlandt, John
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Corporate governance South Africa , Organizational performance , value creation , Business planning , Social responsibility of business South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/403047 , vital:69917
- Description: The research conducted for the dissertation entitled “An exploratory study of King IVTM: The effect of principle four and its practices in achieving good performance by selected JSE-listed companies”, aimed to determine whether principle four, namely the creation of value, and the application by an organisation of the recommended practices as set out in King IVTM, contribute to the achievement of good performance. The research outlined the background to the research by describing the history of the development of corporate governance internationally and in South Africa, dating back to 1932 and culminating with the King IV™ report. It described the problem statement, defined the aims and objectives of the study, and demonstrated that the significance of the study lies in its exploration of the relationship between the King IV™ practices and good performance. The research also provided a review of the related literature, describing the theoretical background for the research, which includes the conceptual framework and propositions of the research. The research was situated in the post-positivist paradigm, the methodology was qualitative, and the method adopted was a theory-based evaluation, based on a deductive thematic analysis with pattern matching. From a detailed reading of the integrated reports and the King IVTM compliance registers of the fifteen selected listed companies for the years 2017 to 2019, hits and misses in relation to the six capitals and the eight associated practices were recorded. From this, the resulting descriptive statistics were calculated and set out in the form of tables, and a regression analysis was used to support the findings. The research revealed, based on the descriptive statistics data that there is a moderate relationship between good performance and the application of the eight practices set out in King IVTM, that contribute to the achievement of good performance. It was, therefore, concluded that the adoption of corporate governance principles and practices has an effect on performance, although it may not be significant. It is also concluded that the application of the practices in terms of principle four as set out in King IVTM is achieving its intended outcome - the creation of value. The research also concluded that good performance constitutes more than just a company performing financially and that all companies need to comply with the requirements of King IVTM, as the Code is designed to guide organisations in achieving good corporate governance. Governance principles and practices should be adopted in a way that does not unduly constrain them and is appropriate to a company’s particular circumstances. Complying with corporate governance principles and implementing the recommended practices might not guarantee positive outcomes (good performance), but it will guide the board of directors in the pursuit of ethical and effective leadership, and that of sustainable development in order to meet the needs of all stakeholders. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Rohlandt, John
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Corporate governance South Africa , Organizational performance , value creation , Business planning , Social responsibility of business South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/403047 , vital:69917
- Description: The research conducted for the dissertation entitled “An exploratory study of King IVTM: The effect of principle four and its practices in achieving good performance by selected JSE-listed companies”, aimed to determine whether principle four, namely the creation of value, and the application by an organisation of the recommended practices as set out in King IVTM, contribute to the achievement of good performance. The research outlined the background to the research by describing the history of the development of corporate governance internationally and in South Africa, dating back to 1932 and culminating with the King IV™ report. It described the problem statement, defined the aims and objectives of the study, and demonstrated that the significance of the study lies in its exploration of the relationship between the King IV™ practices and good performance. The research also provided a review of the related literature, describing the theoretical background for the research, which includes the conceptual framework and propositions of the research. The research was situated in the post-positivist paradigm, the methodology was qualitative, and the method adopted was a theory-based evaluation, based on a deductive thematic analysis with pattern matching. From a detailed reading of the integrated reports and the King IVTM compliance registers of the fifteen selected listed companies for the years 2017 to 2019, hits and misses in relation to the six capitals and the eight associated practices were recorded. From this, the resulting descriptive statistics were calculated and set out in the form of tables, and a regression analysis was used to support the findings. The research revealed, based on the descriptive statistics data that there is a moderate relationship between good performance and the application of the eight practices set out in King IVTM, that contribute to the achievement of good performance. It was, therefore, concluded that the adoption of corporate governance principles and practices has an effect on performance, although it may not be significant. It is also concluded that the application of the practices in terms of principle four as set out in King IVTM is achieving its intended outcome - the creation of value. The research also concluded that good performance constitutes more than just a company performing financially and that all companies need to comply with the requirements of King IVTM, as the Code is designed to guide organisations in achieving good corporate governance. Governance principles and practices should be adopted in a way that does not unduly constrain them and is appropriate to a company’s particular circumstances. Complying with corporate governance principles and implementing the recommended practices might not guarantee positive outcomes (good performance), but it will guide the board of directors in the pursuit of ethical and effective leadership, and that of sustainable development in order to meet the needs of all stakeholders. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
An exploratory study on the impact of three critical incidents on SMEs within the Petroleum retail sector in South Africa
- Authors: Makhaya, Humbulani Portia
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Strikes and lockouts Petroleum industry South Africa , Motor fuels Taxation South Africa , Stockout South Africa , Small and medium enterprises South Africa , Service stations Location South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/403025 , vital:69915
- Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of three critical incidents with a direct effect on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within the Petroleum retail sector in South Africa. This study assessed three specific areas: (1) the impact of fuel levy increase on Petroleum retailers, (2) explore how fuel stock-outs are experienced by the SMEs, and (3) the effects of fuel distributors' strike on SMEs in the petroleum sector in South Africa. To address the research objectives, the study employed a qualitative research approach, based on a narrative research design. Primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with six SMEs in the fuel retail business in Johannesburg. An interview guide was used. Findings highlighted that the location of fuel retail SMEs is an important determinant of how the fuel retailers are affected by these three critical incidents of fuel levy increases, stock-outs and strikes. The study found that while the fuel levy increases are felt through reduced sales volumes, the impact is not the same across fuel retailers. The study revealed that the elasticity of demand varies depending on the location for which it is elastics for those retailers in high Living Standards Measure (LSM) locations and inelastic for those located in lower LSM locations. It was found that the impact is much less for those fuel retailers located in affluent suburbs with a high LSM. In locations such as Beyers Naude and Radiokop in Northern Johannesburg with a high LSM, the demand for fuel remains constant irrespective of price increases. The locations are also less likely to be adversely affected by protest actions. Concerning SMEs’ experiences of fuel stock-outs, the study found that stock-outs impact fuel retail business operations through overhead costs that are incurred while the fuel stations are out of stock. The small margins make it impossible for fuel retailers to quickly recover, as their profitability is dependent on sales volumes, which are compromised when there are stock-outs. Fuel retailers also suffer from reduced future sales volumes due to waning customer loyalty. Finally, the study found that the occurrence of wage-related strikes is minimal due to the nature of collective agreements that are signed within the sector. However, protests actions were found to have deleterious effects on the fuel retailer situated in lower LSM locations. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Makhaya, Humbulani Portia
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Strikes and lockouts Petroleum industry South Africa , Motor fuels Taxation South Africa , Stockout South Africa , Small and medium enterprises South Africa , Service stations Location South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/403025 , vital:69915
- Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of three critical incidents with a direct effect on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within the Petroleum retail sector in South Africa. This study assessed three specific areas: (1) the impact of fuel levy increase on Petroleum retailers, (2) explore how fuel stock-outs are experienced by the SMEs, and (3) the effects of fuel distributors' strike on SMEs in the petroleum sector in South Africa. To address the research objectives, the study employed a qualitative research approach, based on a narrative research design. Primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with six SMEs in the fuel retail business in Johannesburg. An interview guide was used. Findings highlighted that the location of fuel retail SMEs is an important determinant of how the fuel retailers are affected by these three critical incidents of fuel levy increases, stock-outs and strikes. The study found that while the fuel levy increases are felt through reduced sales volumes, the impact is not the same across fuel retailers. The study revealed that the elasticity of demand varies depending on the location for which it is elastics for those retailers in high Living Standards Measure (LSM) locations and inelastic for those located in lower LSM locations. It was found that the impact is much less for those fuel retailers located in affluent suburbs with a high LSM. In locations such as Beyers Naude and Radiokop in Northern Johannesburg with a high LSM, the demand for fuel remains constant irrespective of price increases. The locations are also less likely to be adversely affected by protest actions. Concerning SMEs’ experiences of fuel stock-outs, the study found that stock-outs impact fuel retail business operations through overhead costs that are incurred while the fuel stations are out of stock. The small margins make it impossible for fuel retailers to quickly recover, as their profitability is dependent on sales volumes, which are compromised when there are stock-outs. Fuel retailers also suffer from reduced future sales volumes due to waning customer loyalty. Finally, the study found that the occurrence of wage-related strikes is minimal due to the nature of collective agreements that are signed within the sector. However, protests actions were found to have deleterious effects on the fuel retailer situated in lower LSM locations. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
An Investigation into Speaker and Headphone-Based Immersive Audio for VR and Digital Gaming Applications
- Authors: Marais, Kyle Donald
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/365246 , vital:65720
- Description: Thesis embargoed. Possible release date set for early 2024. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Marais, Kyle Donald
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/365246 , vital:65720
- Description: Thesis embargoed. Possible release date set for early 2024. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
An investigation into water and sanitation in the Eastern Cape Province and potential for implementation of biotechnology platforms
- Authors: Gumunyu, Wilbert
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Sewage South Africa Eastern Cape , Sanitation South Africa Eastern Cape , Algae Biotechnology , Biotechnology , Sewage Purification Biological treatment , Algal biofuels
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/362830 , vital:65366
- Description: In contemporary South Africa, a country in transition, destruction rather than reconstruction seems commonplace. Electricity supply is at an all-time low and ‘load shedding’ is an almost daily occurrence. Similarly, more fragility of water delivery and sanitation service is being reported with the likelihood of ‘water shedding’ a soon-to-be reality. In view of the ever-increasing reported mismanagement of South Africa’s water and sanitation infrastructure, which is likely nearing the point of collapse if not already collapsed, this thesis set out to interrogate at a provincial and municipal level the status of water and sanitation in Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM), Eastern Cape Province. One major driver behind this study was to evaluate provincial and municipal water/wastewater infrastructure as a platform to support implementation of locally developed bioprocess technologies. First, publicly available historical data was used to derive a baseline or benchmark from which to determine gains/losses in compliance, water quality and efficiency. The period 2009-2013/4 during which Blue and Green Drop reporting was routine, was used as an appropriate start point. Data thus derived indicated that, at provincial and district municipality (DM) level, potable water supply was by bulk water schemes and, sanitation was typically by waste stabilization pond (WSP) treatment of municipal sewage. The derived benchmark for the period 2009-2013/14 indicated that most plants were not compliant (~75% of the Eastern Cape Province water treatment plants (WTP) operating between average performance to critical state), operated either at- or above design capacity (Eastern Cape Province, 16%; CHDM, 19%). A large number of plants for the province (62.4%) and district (81.25%) had hydraulic design capacity or average daily flows that were unknown (information not provided in available literature or plant reports) and final effluent did not always meet the general standard (70.3% of the CHDM wastewater treatment works (WWTW)). To determine the contemporary state (2020 - 2022) of water and sanitation within CHDM, a scoping exercise of WTP and WWTW in selected local municipalities was carried out. This was done along a west-east transect by appraising WTP and WWTW in the towns of Cradock, Tarkastad, Komani, Tsomo, Cacadu, and Ngcobo. Furthermore, targeted assessment of the Queenstown WTP and the Cradock WWTW was used to derive real-time data on the status of water and sanitation infrastructure. Results showed that water and sanitation services within CHDM had, in the years between 2009-2013/14 to date, deteriorated. Freshwater demand significantly exceeded capability of water supply schemes, where demand was as much as three times greater than reported available supply. For most WWTW, operation was in excess of capacity and between 1.52 and 12 times installed hydraulic loading. The targeted scoping exercise revealed that Queenstown WTP is a moderate risk plant (Cumulative risk rating, CRR = 11 and maximum risk rating, MRR = 47.8%), whereas Cradock WWTW was in working condition but with challenges and some infrastructural dysfunction. Assessment of water/effluent quality revealed that turbidity and TOC were above SANS 241 general limit. Non-compliance in terms of nitrate/nitrite-N, ammonium-N, phosphate-P, TSS, total coliforms, E. Coli, and free chlorine was evident at Cradock WWTW. Unstructured interviews with plant operators corroborated these findings. The overwhelming support for bulk schemes for potable water provision and WSP for sanitation indicated a partially water secure municipal district but derelict in terms of its sanitation services. The later, it was concluded, in particular provides an ideal opportunity for implementation of platform technologies to support bioprocesses for entrepreneurship, employment, economic benefit and to secure a closed circular economy for regional water and sanitation through valorisation of co-product streams. Among the co-product streams considered in this thesis are biomass, biogas, biofertilizers, biofuels and several high value chemical products. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Institute for Environmental Biotechnology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Gumunyu, Wilbert
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Sewage South Africa Eastern Cape , Sanitation South Africa Eastern Cape , Algae Biotechnology , Biotechnology , Sewage Purification Biological treatment , Algal biofuels
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/362830 , vital:65366
- Description: In contemporary South Africa, a country in transition, destruction rather than reconstruction seems commonplace. Electricity supply is at an all-time low and ‘load shedding’ is an almost daily occurrence. Similarly, more fragility of water delivery and sanitation service is being reported with the likelihood of ‘water shedding’ a soon-to-be reality. In view of the ever-increasing reported mismanagement of South Africa’s water and sanitation infrastructure, which is likely nearing the point of collapse if not already collapsed, this thesis set out to interrogate at a provincial and municipal level the status of water and sanitation in Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM), Eastern Cape Province. One major driver behind this study was to evaluate provincial and municipal water/wastewater infrastructure as a platform to support implementation of locally developed bioprocess technologies. First, publicly available historical data was used to derive a baseline or benchmark from which to determine gains/losses in compliance, water quality and efficiency. The period 2009-2013/4 during which Blue and Green Drop reporting was routine, was used as an appropriate start point. Data thus derived indicated that, at provincial and district municipality (DM) level, potable water supply was by bulk water schemes and, sanitation was typically by waste stabilization pond (WSP) treatment of municipal sewage. The derived benchmark for the period 2009-2013/14 indicated that most plants were not compliant (~75% of the Eastern Cape Province water treatment plants (WTP) operating between average performance to critical state), operated either at- or above design capacity (Eastern Cape Province, 16%; CHDM, 19%). A large number of plants for the province (62.4%) and district (81.25%) had hydraulic design capacity or average daily flows that were unknown (information not provided in available literature or plant reports) and final effluent did not always meet the general standard (70.3% of the CHDM wastewater treatment works (WWTW)). To determine the contemporary state (2020 - 2022) of water and sanitation within CHDM, a scoping exercise of WTP and WWTW in selected local municipalities was carried out. This was done along a west-east transect by appraising WTP and WWTW in the towns of Cradock, Tarkastad, Komani, Tsomo, Cacadu, and Ngcobo. Furthermore, targeted assessment of the Queenstown WTP and the Cradock WWTW was used to derive real-time data on the status of water and sanitation infrastructure. Results showed that water and sanitation services within CHDM had, in the years between 2009-2013/14 to date, deteriorated. Freshwater demand significantly exceeded capability of water supply schemes, where demand was as much as three times greater than reported available supply. For most WWTW, operation was in excess of capacity and between 1.52 and 12 times installed hydraulic loading. The targeted scoping exercise revealed that Queenstown WTP is a moderate risk plant (Cumulative risk rating, CRR = 11 and maximum risk rating, MRR = 47.8%), whereas Cradock WWTW was in working condition but with challenges and some infrastructural dysfunction. Assessment of water/effluent quality revealed that turbidity and TOC were above SANS 241 general limit. Non-compliance in terms of nitrate/nitrite-N, ammonium-N, phosphate-P, TSS, total coliforms, E. Coli, and free chlorine was evident at Cradock WWTW. Unstructured interviews with plant operators corroborated these findings. The overwhelming support for bulk schemes for potable water provision and WSP for sanitation indicated a partially water secure municipal district but derelict in terms of its sanitation services. The later, it was concluded, in particular provides an ideal opportunity for implementation of platform technologies to support bioprocesses for entrepreneurship, employment, economic benefit and to secure a closed circular economy for regional water and sanitation through valorisation of co-product streams. Among the co-product streams considered in this thesis are biomass, biogas, biofertilizers, biofuels and several high value chemical products. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Institute for Environmental Biotechnology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
An investigation of how newly appointed team leaders in an automotive manufacturing organisation experience the role transition from specialists to team leaders
- Authors: Mzelemu, Patrick Sbusiso
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Leadership , Automobile industry executives , Role expectation , Identity (Psychology) , Personnel management , Organizational behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/403036 , vital:69916
- Description: The purpose of this study is to investigate and understand how specialists who are newly appointed team leaders in an automotive manufacturing organisation experience the transition from specialists to team leaders. The role of leading others in an organisation is linked to human resource leadership. The human resource is highlighted as a valuable resource as it is the only thinking resource in an organisation. It also influences cost and quality and it is central to the organisation's competitive advantage. Consequently, any interruptions or lack of effective management of the human resource will result in a loss of value that the human resource brings into the organisation since they maximise the use of all other resources. The role transitioning process takes place in three phases. These are the separation, transitioning and incorporation phases. In the separation phase, the transitioning individuals have difficulty detaching from their previous role; the individuals still having the urge to do the work for their subordinates instead of delegating illustrate this. In the transition phase, the individuals in the study experienced the anxiety of wanting to make the new role a success whilst experiencing a sense of lack of belonging due to not being in the familiar old role and not entrenched in the new role. In the incorporation phase, the transitioning individuals experience a sense of stability where they are comfortable acting in the new role. Problem: This study aims to answer the question of how newly appointed team leaders in an automotive manufacturing organisation experience role transition from specialists to team leaders Method: The study will be employing the qualitative thematic deductive method. The target population consists of team leaders who have transitioned into the team leader position in the past two years in different departments. The data was collected by way of face-to-face semistructured interviews with a sample size of seven participants. Data analysis was conducted with a method that is consistent with thematic analysis. 3 Key Findings: Individuals transitioning have urgencies to perform their previous roles in the early phase; during the transition phase, they have anxiety because they are not yet successful in the new role, and in the final phase, they have become comfortable with their new roles and their new identities. Implications: The study's outcome is to identify insights and resultant recommendations for non-leading specialists transitioning into roles where they have to lead others. The study will add to the research in the field of leadership behaviour and organisational behaviour. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Mzelemu, Patrick Sbusiso
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Leadership , Automobile industry executives , Role expectation , Identity (Psychology) , Personnel management , Organizational behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/403036 , vital:69916
- Description: The purpose of this study is to investigate and understand how specialists who are newly appointed team leaders in an automotive manufacturing organisation experience the transition from specialists to team leaders. The role of leading others in an organisation is linked to human resource leadership. The human resource is highlighted as a valuable resource as it is the only thinking resource in an organisation. It also influences cost and quality and it is central to the organisation's competitive advantage. Consequently, any interruptions or lack of effective management of the human resource will result in a loss of value that the human resource brings into the organisation since they maximise the use of all other resources. The role transitioning process takes place in three phases. These are the separation, transitioning and incorporation phases. In the separation phase, the transitioning individuals have difficulty detaching from their previous role; the individuals still having the urge to do the work for their subordinates instead of delegating illustrate this. In the transition phase, the individuals in the study experienced the anxiety of wanting to make the new role a success whilst experiencing a sense of lack of belonging due to not being in the familiar old role and not entrenched in the new role. In the incorporation phase, the transitioning individuals experience a sense of stability where they are comfortable acting in the new role. Problem: This study aims to answer the question of how newly appointed team leaders in an automotive manufacturing organisation experience role transition from specialists to team leaders Method: The study will be employing the qualitative thematic deductive method. The target population consists of team leaders who have transitioned into the team leader position in the past two years in different departments. The data was collected by way of face-to-face semistructured interviews with a sample size of seven participants. Data analysis was conducted with a method that is consistent with thematic analysis. 3 Key Findings: Individuals transitioning have urgencies to perform their previous roles in the early phase; during the transition phase, they have anxiety because they are not yet successful in the new role, and in the final phase, they have become comfortable with their new roles and their new identities. Implications: The study's outcome is to identify insights and resultant recommendations for non-leading specialists transitioning into roles where they have to lead others. The study will add to the research in the field of leadership behaviour and organisational behaviour. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
An investigation of language choice on Twitter: the case of isiXhosa-speaking users and the o jewa ke eng? Trend
- Authors: Nkunzi, Zindzi
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Twitter , Social media South Africa , Social media and society South Africa , Xhosa language Usage , Mass media and language South Africa , Language choice , Language shift , Language attitude
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406331 , vital:70259
- Description: The study critically examines and discusses language choice on twitter, a social media platform that has a vast number of people from different language groups. This diverse platform allows people to tweet, communicate, and share information online. There are tweets that trend and attract more engagement across different language groups. O jewa ke eng? which translates to ‘what’s bothering you?’ is one of those tweets, and it is communicated in Sesotho. (More discussion about the tweet in the introduction section that follows). According to Eisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) & Eisenstein (2016), “the popularity and ubiquity of social media allows access to a wide variety of spontaneous language enabling researchers to study language variation across space and time at large scale”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2018: 1534). The introduction to the internet and socially mediated platforms such as Twitter and others has changed how information is produced and consumed. Social media allow people to communicate and engage in languages they are comfortable and familiar with. The study discusses language choice at three levels: language choice between isiXhosa verses English; isiXhosa verses other African languages and isiXhosa verses other varieties. The study is pursued with the overarching aim to investigate the possibility of African languages such as isiXhosa being used as dominant languages on social media. Thus, the study explores language use by isiXhosa speaking users on twitter that engaged with the tweet. Moreover, the study investigated why they choose to use one language over the other or multiple languages. To give a broader perspective on the study, language choice, language shift and language attitude are discussed and critically evaluated. Theoretically, the concept of code-switching and code-mixing is used when looking at bilingualism and multilingualism. It is imperative to look at multilingualism because the prevalent use of English is no longer a barrier to communication, social media platforms have created a space where African language users are able to engage in their native languages. Moreover, the study explores the use of standard and non-standard isiXhosa languages. There are varieties of languages such as tsotsitaal, slang and others, and these language varieties are not recognised as standard, used in educational settings and so on. In doing so, language attitude is used as the concept to investigate what propels isiXhosa users to or not to use these language varieties in the online communities. The study is explored with the aim to investigate whether social media either grows and preserves African languages online or these platforms are detrimental to these languages, as the language utilised on them is casual and vague, in terms of both spoken and written speech. , Olu phando luvavanya kwaye luxoxa nzulu ngokhetho lolwimi kuTwitter, ikhasi lonxibelelwano elinenani elikhulu labantu abavela kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. Eli khasi labantu abohlukeneyo libavumela ukuba babhale, banxibelelane, kwaye babelane ngolwazi kwi-intanethi. Kukho ii-tweets (imibhalwana emifutshane) ezihamba phambili kwaye zitsala uthethathethwano phakathi kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. O jewa ke eng? ethetha ukuthi, ‘ukhathazwa yintoni?’ yenye yezo tweets (yalo mibhalwana mifutshane), kwaye idluliselwe ngesiSuthu. (Ingxoxo engakumbi malunga ne-tweet (nombhalwana omfutshane) ifumaneka kwicandelo lentshayelelo elilandelayo). Ngokutsho kukaEisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) kunye noEisenstein (2016), “ukuduma kunye nobuninzi beendaba zoluntu kubangela ezo ndaba ukuba zinwenwele kwiindidi ezininzi zeelwimi nezivumela abaphandi ukuba bafunde ngokwahlukana kolwimi kwindawo kunye nexesha…”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2008: 1534). Ulwaziso kwi-intanethi kunye namakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu afana ne-Twitter kunye namanye, luyitshintshile indlela ulwazi oluveliswa ngayo kunye nendlela olusetyenziswa ngayo. Amakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu avumela abantu ukuba banxibelelane kwaye bazibandakanye ngeelwimi abakhululekileyo ukuzisebenzisa nabaqhelene nazo Olu phando luxoxa ngokukhethwa kolwimi kumanqanaba amathathu: ukukhethwa kolwimi phakathi kwesiXhosa kunye nesiNgesi, isiXhosa kunye nezinye iilwimi ziseNtu, kwakunye nesiXhosa kunye nezinye iindidi zolwimi. Olu phando luqhutywa ngeyona njongo iphambili yokuphanda ukuba ngaba iilwimi zesiNtu ezifana nesiXhosa zingasetyenziswa njengeelwimi eziphambili kamakhasi onxibelelwano na. Kungoko, uphando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kolwimi ngabo bantetho isisiXhosa kuTwitter abanxibelelana ne-tweet (nombhalo omfutshane). Olu phando, lukwaphanda ukuba kutheni bekhetha ukusebenzisa ulwimi oluthile kunolunye okanye iilwimi ezininzi. Ukunika umbono ngokuthe gabalala ngolu phando, ukukhethwa kolwimi, utshintsho lolwimi, kunye nesimo sengqondo solwimi ziyaxoxwa kwaye zihlolwa ngokunzulu. Ngokwethiyori, ingqikelelo yokutshintshatshintsha iilwimi kunye nokuxuba iilwimi (ukusebenzisa iilwimi ezahlukeneyo kumgca okanye umbhalo omnye) ziyasetyenziswa xa kujongwa ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezimbini kunye neelwimi ezininzi. Kunyanzelekile ukuba kujongwe ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezininzi kuba ukuxhaphaka kokusetyenziswa kwesiNgesi akusengomqobo kunxibelelwano, amakhasi onxibelelwano (amaqonga osasazo) oluntu avule indawo apho abasebenzisi beelwimi zesiNtu bakwaziyo ukuthetha ngeelwimi zabo zomthonyama. Ngaphezu koko, olu phando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi zesiXhosa ezisemgangathweni nezingekho mgangathweni. Kukho iintlobo ngeentlobo zeelwimi ezifana neTsotsitaal, ulwimi lwe-slang nezinye, kwaye ezi ntlobo zeelwimi aziqatshelwa njengeelwimi ezisemgangathweni, ezisetyenziswa kumajelo emfundo njalo njalo. Ngokwenza oko, isimo sengqondo solwimi sisetyenziswa njengengcamango yokuphanda ukuba yintoni eyenza abasebenzisi besiXhosa basebenzise okanye bangasebenzisi ezi ntlobo zeelwimi kwi-intanethi. Olu phononongo luphononongwa ngeenjongo zokuphanda apho amaqonga onxibelelwano akhula kwaye agcine khona iilwimi zesiNtu kwi-intanethi okanye lamaqonga onxibelelwano abubungozi kwezilwimi, njengoko ulwimi olusetyenziswa kula maqonga luqhelekile kwaye alucacanga, ngokwentetho ethethwayo nebhaliweyo. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Nkunzi, Zindzi
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Twitter , Social media South Africa , Social media and society South Africa , Xhosa language Usage , Mass media and language South Africa , Language choice , Language shift , Language attitude
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406331 , vital:70259
- Description: The study critically examines and discusses language choice on twitter, a social media platform that has a vast number of people from different language groups. This diverse platform allows people to tweet, communicate, and share information online. There are tweets that trend and attract more engagement across different language groups. O jewa ke eng? which translates to ‘what’s bothering you?’ is one of those tweets, and it is communicated in Sesotho. (More discussion about the tweet in the introduction section that follows). According to Eisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) & Eisenstein (2016), “the popularity and ubiquity of social media allows access to a wide variety of spontaneous language enabling researchers to study language variation across space and time at large scale”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2018: 1534). The introduction to the internet and socially mediated platforms such as Twitter and others has changed how information is produced and consumed. Social media allow people to communicate and engage in languages they are comfortable and familiar with. The study discusses language choice at three levels: language choice between isiXhosa verses English; isiXhosa verses other African languages and isiXhosa verses other varieties. The study is pursued with the overarching aim to investigate the possibility of African languages such as isiXhosa being used as dominant languages on social media. Thus, the study explores language use by isiXhosa speaking users on twitter that engaged with the tweet. Moreover, the study investigated why they choose to use one language over the other or multiple languages. To give a broader perspective on the study, language choice, language shift and language attitude are discussed and critically evaluated. Theoretically, the concept of code-switching and code-mixing is used when looking at bilingualism and multilingualism. It is imperative to look at multilingualism because the prevalent use of English is no longer a barrier to communication, social media platforms have created a space where African language users are able to engage in their native languages. Moreover, the study explores the use of standard and non-standard isiXhosa languages. There are varieties of languages such as tsotsitaal, slang and others, and these language varieties are not recognised as standard, used in educational settings and so on. In doing so, language attitude is used as the concept to investigate what propels isiXhosa users to or not to use these language varieties in the online communities. The study is explored with the aim to investigate whether social media either grows and preserves African languages online or these platforms are detrimental to these languages, as the language utilised on them is casual and vague, in terms of both spoken and written speech. , Olu phando luvavanya kwaye luxoxa nzulu ngokhetho lolwimi kuTwitter, ikhasi lonxibelelwano elinenani elikhulu labantu abavela kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. Eli khasi labantu abohlukeneyo libavumela ukuba babhale, banxibelelane, kwaye babelane ngolwazi kwi-intanethi. Kukho ii-tweets (imibhalwana emifutshane) ezihamba phambili kwaye zitsala uthethathethwano phakathi kumaqela eelwimi ezahlukeneyo. O jewa ke eng? ethetha ukuthi, ‘ukhathazwa yintoni?’ yenye yezo tweets (yalo mibhalwana mifutshane), kwaye idluliselwe ngesiSuthu. (Ingxoxo engakumbi malunga ne-tweet (nombhalwana omfutshane) ifumaneka kwicandelo lentshayelelo elilandelayo). Ngokutsho kukaEisenstein, O’ Connor, Smith & Xing (2010) kunye noEisenstein (2016), “ukuduma kunye nobuninzi beendaba zoluntu kubangela ezo ndaba ukuba zinwenwele kwiindidi ezininzi zeelwimi nezivumela abaphandi ukuba bafunde ngokwahlukana kolwimi kwindawo kunye nexesha…”, (Preotiuc-Pietro & Ungar, 2008: 1534). Ulwaziso kwi-intanethi kunye namakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu afana ne-Twitter kunye namanye, luyitshintshile indlela ulwazi oluveliswa ngayo kunye nendlela olusetyenziswa ngayo. Amakhasi onxibelelwano oluntu avumela abantu ukuba banxibelelane kwaye bazibandakanye ngeelwimi abakhululekileyo ukuzisebenzisa nabaqhelene nazo Olu phando luxoxa ngokukhethwa kolwimi kumanqanaba amathathu: ukukhethwa kolwimi phakathi kwesiXhosa kunye nesiNgesi, isiXhosa kunye nezinye iilwimi ziseNtu, kwakunye nesiXhosa kunye nezinye iindidi zolwimi. Olu phando luqhutywa ngeyona njongo iphambili yokuphanda ukuba ngaba iilwimi zesiNtu ezifana nesiXhosa zingasetyenziswa njengeelwimi eziphambili kamakhasi onxibelelwano na. Kungoko, uphando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kolwimi ngabo bantetho isisiXhosa kuTwitter abanxibelelana ne-tweet (nombhalo omfutshane). Olu phando, lukwaphanda ukuba kutheni bekhetha ukusebenzisa ulwimi oluthile kunolunye okanye iilwimi ezininzi. Ukunika umbono ngokuthe gabalala ngolu phando, ukukhethwa kolwimi, utshintsho lolwimi, kunye nesimo sengqondo solwimi ziyaxoxwa kwaye zihlolwa ngokunzulu. Ngokwethiyori, ingqikelelo yokutshintshatshintsha iilwimi kunye nokuxuba iilwimi (ukusebenzisa iilwimi ezahlukeneyo kumgca okanye umbhalo omnye) ziyasetyenziswa xa kujongwa ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezimbini kunye neelwimi ezininzi. Kunyanzelekile ukuba kujongwe ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi ezininzi kuba ukuxhaphaka kokusetyenziswa kwesiNgesi akusengomqobo kunxibelelwano, amakhasi onxibelelwano (amaqonga osasazo) oluntu avule indawo apho abasebenzisi beelwimi zesiNtu bakwaziyo ukuthetha ngeelwimi zabo zomthonyama. Ngaphezu koko, olu phando luphonononga ukusetyenziswa kweelwimi zesiXhosa ezisemgangathweni nezingekho mgangathweni. Kukho iintlobo ngeentlobo zeelwimi ezifana neTsotsitaal, ulwimi lwe-slang nezinye, kwaye ezi ntlobo zeelwimi aziqatshelwa njengeelwimi ezisemgangathweni, ezisetyenziswa kumajelo emfundo njalo njalo. Ngokwenza oko, isimo sengqondo solwimi sisetyenziswa njengengcamango yokuphanda ukuba yintoni eyenza abasebenzisi besiXhosa basebenzise okanye bangasebenzisi ezi ntlobo zeelwimi kwi-intanethi. Olu phononongo luphononongwa ngeenjongo zokuphanda apho amaqonga onxibelelwano akhula kwaye agcine khona iilwimi zesiNtu kwi-intanethi okanye lamaqonga onxibelelwano abubungozi kwezilwimi, njengoko ulwimi olusetyenziswa kula maqonga luqhelekile kwaye alucacanga, ngokwentetho ethethwayo nebhaliweyo. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
An investigation of the English language demands of mathematical texts on data handling used in intermediate phase mathematics
- Authors: Jones, Angela Peta
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Mathematics Study and teaching (Elementary) South Africa , Middle school education South Africa , Information storage and retrieval systems Mathematics , Language complexity , Textbooks Readability , Language arts Correlation with content subjects South Africa , Content area reading South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405259 , vital:70155
- Description: In the Intermediate Phase the majority of South African learners are transitioning from learning in their mother tongue to learning in English as well as from learning to read to reading to learn, and this is a major challenge. Textbooks are a key mediating artefact in the learning of mathematics and they present a challenge to the learner in terms of the language comprehension demands The data handling sections of mathematics textbooks are particularly dense in text. This is an important part of the mathematics curriculum as it is the beginning of statistical literacy learning. We need to be able to question, evaluate claims based on data, create arguments we can defend and use data meaningfully, it is thus crucial that learners acquire statistical literacy. This research sets out to examine the text in the data handling sections of four Intermediate Phase Mathematics book series in order to answer the following research question: What are the language comprehension demands of English mathematical texts on data handling that are used in South African Intermediate Phase Mathematics? The theories framing the study are Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Cummins’ second language acquisition theory. It is an interpretivist mixed method case study that takes the form of a document analysis.. The findings indicate that many units in the books analysed have a higher readability level than the grade level and will thus present a challenge to learners in terms of their ability to access the mathematical content. An analysis of the linguistic complexity revealed that the features contributing most to the complexity of the texts included words with seven or more letters, prepositional phrases, infinitives, complex verbs and complex/compound sentences. An examination of the non-textual elements revealed that most of them are accurate, connected, concise, contextual and these add to the comprehensibility although there were a few which could be possibly be distractors. It is hoped that the empirical findings of this study, will sensitise educators and publishers involved with the design of textbooks and workbooks to the type of language currently found and that they might give attention to the needs of English language learners when developing these texts. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Jones, Angela Peta
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Mathematics Study and teaching (Elementary) South Africa , Middle school education South Africa , Information storage and retrieval systems Mathematics , Language complexity , Textbooks Readability , Language arts Correlation with content subjects South Africa , Content area reading South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405259 , vital:70155
- Description: In the Intermediate Phase the majority of South African learners are transitioning from learning in their mother tongue to learning in English as well as from learning to read to reading to learn, and this is a major challenge. Textbooks are a key mediating artefact in the learning of mathematics and they present a challenge to the learner in terms of the language comprehension demands The data handling sections of mathematics textbooks are particularly dense in text. This is an important part of the mathematics curriculum as it is the beginning of statistical literacy learning. We need to be able to question, evaluate claims based on data, create arguments we can defend and use data meaningfully, it is thus crucial that learners acquire statistical literacy. This research sets out to examine the text in the data handling sections of four Intermediate Phase Mathematics book series in order to answer the following research question: What are the language comprehension demands of English mathematical texts on data handling that are used in South African Intermediate Phase Mathematics? The theories framing the study are Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Cummins’ second language acquisition theory. It is an interpretivist mixed method case study that takes the form of a document analysis.. The findings indicate that many units in the books analysed have a higher readability level than the grade level and will thus present a challenge to learners in terms of their ability to access the mathematical content. An analysis of the linguistic complexity revealed that the features contributing most to the complexity of the texts included words with seven or more letters, prepositional phrases, infinitives, complex verbs and complex/compound sentences. An examination of the non-textual elements revealed that most of them are accurate, connected, concise, contextual and these add to the comprehensibility although there were a few which could be possibly be distractors. It is hoped that the empirical findings of this study, will sensitise educators and publishers involved with the design of textbooks and workbooks to the type of language currently found and that they might give attention to the needs of English language learners when developing these texts. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
Application of systems theory for analysing the sustainability foci and practices of the Faculty of Economics and Information Technology Systems: (A Case Study of Walter Sisulu University: Komani campus)
- Authors: Klishi, Konwaba Bomikazi
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Sustainable development Study and teaching (Higher) South Africa Mthatha , System theory , Curriculum evaluation South Africa Mthatha , Community engagement , Walter Sisulu University for Technology and Science
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405281 , vital:70157
- Description: Sustainable development is a global concern that intertwines several factors, including poverty, biodiversity, inequality, water, and energy. This interconnection does not only affect the current generation but may have long term implications for future generations as we see the rapid spread of environmental risk in our local communities. In this study, systems theory was adapted for analysing the sustainability focus of the Faculty of Economics and Information Technology Systems (FEITS) at Walter Sisulu University. A qualitative research method was used during this research, and data collected from a purposive sample of staff, activities and documentation. In this study, Von Bertalanffy’s systems theory is applied to analyse the sustainability foci and practices of the FEITS. The study describes sustainability practices and concerns that emerge from research activities, community engagement activities and work-integrated learning. The theory is also used to analyse the connection between various subsystems of the faculty when addressing emerging local sustainability concerns. Education for sustainable development is an important aspect of this study as it considers the sustainability concerns in the curriculum from the perspective of current and future alternatives for the economy and socio-ecological aspects of communities. The following findings have emerged from the study: Contextual realities related to inequality were foci of discussion and concern in various qualifications. Socioecological issues and risks were found to be related to water and sanitation, food security and climate change. Sustainability discourse is related to health and wellbeing, peace, and security. There is an alignment of green skills to the curriculum of the faculty and pedagogical practices which relate to sustainability. The faculty participates in stakeholder platforms to respond local sustainability challenges and is developing courses in response to local development needs. This study has implications for the faculty’s curriculum in terms of the content of various qualifications, future research, and community engagement activities of the university. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Klishi, Konwaba Bomikazi
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Sustainable development Study and teaching (Higher) South Africa Mthatha , System theory , Curriculum evaluation South Africa Mthatha , Community engagement , Walter Sisulu University for Technology and Science
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405281 , vital:70157
- Description: Sustainable development is a global concern that intertwines several factors, including poverty, biodiversity, inequality, water, and energy. This interconnection does not only affect the current generation but may have long term implications for future generations as we see the rapid spread of environmental risk in our local communities. In this study, systems theory was adapted for analysing the sustainability focus of the Faculty of Economics and Information Technology Systems (FEITS) at Walter Sisulu University. A qualitative research method was used during this research, and data collected from a purposive sample of staff, activities and documentation. In this study, Von Bertalanffy’s systems theory is applied to analyse the sustainability foci and practices of the FEITS. The study describes sustainability practices and concerns that emerge from research activities, community engagement activities and work-integrated learning. The theory is also used to analyse the connection between various subsystems of the faculty when addressing emerging local sustainability concerns. Education for sustainable development is an important aspect of this study as it considers the sustainability concerns in the curriculum from the perspective of current and future alternatives for the economy and socio-ecological aspects of communities. The following findings have emerged from the study: Contextual realities related to inequality were foci of discussion and concern in various qualifications. Socioecological issues and risks were found to be related to water and sanitation, food security and climate change. Sustainability discourse is related to health and wellbeing, peace, and security. There is an alignment of green skills to the curriculum of the faculty and pedagogical practices which relate to sustainability. The faculty participates in stakeholder platforms to respond local sustainability challenges and is developing courses in response to local development needs. This study has implications for the faculty’s curriculum in terms of the content of various qualifications, future research, and community engagement activities of the university. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14