Exploring cultural understandings of traumatic stress among the Amaxhosa traditional healers in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Mlonyeni, Makhi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Post-traumatic stress disorder -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Herbalists -- Psychological aspects Herbalists -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45042 , vital:38228
- Description: Psychology is an essentially Eurocentric discipline. In a world that is becoming progressively aware, tolerant and accepting of differences among people, there is growing interest to challenge and amend psychological constructs that are unfairly generalized universally. Literature abounds with appeals for more research to be conducted on nonwestern cultures so that scholars can be at a better position to ‘decolonise’ the PTSD diagnosis as they will then have an improved understanding of understudied non-western societies. The Eastern Cape province of South Africa is home to the AmaXhosa tribe, the second largest ethnic group in the country. This study seeks to explore indigenous understandings and coping strategies of these people in regards to traumatic exposure. This is done through gaining insights of AmaXhosa traditional healers- Amagqirha (Diviners) and AmaXhwele (Herbalists). A sample of eight participants is sourced from Grahamstown (Makhanda) and the rural areas of Peddie (Ngqushwa). Through the use of two case studies that are presented and open ended follow up questions, the traditional healers relate their perspectives on how they interpret symptoms of psychological trauma and the strategies they employ to facilitate coping/healing of their clients in their context. It was discovered that traditional healers perceived traumatic events as phenomena that befalls only those that are spiritually vulnerable, either due to strained relationships with their ancestors, bewitchment by an enemy or jealous person or simply torment by a wandering wicked spirit. Rituals and practices of how to combat this vulnerability are then outlined.
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- Date Issued: 2019
The educational interventions of the NGO Ikamva Youth
- Authors: Nomsenge, Sinazo Onela
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa -- Cape Town , Community development -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9317 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020602
- Description: NGOs continue to play a central role in the delivery of services in South Africa. Many of the gaps left by government in small and vulnerable communities are filled by community and nation-based organisations aimed at providing specific needs for communities. Education-based NGOs, more specifically, play the role of satisfying education and skills-related needs. This treatise is founded on the theoretical assumption that society functions just like a human body with all its different parts, or elements, interdependent: the one cannot function without the other. Central to this study is the understanding that when analysing and evaluating one area or element of society, it is vital to consider the impact of that area or element on other areas or elements of society. Such is the case with IKamva Youth, an NGO situated in Khayelitsha, a township on the outskirts of Cape Town. Although the organisation is independent and exists on its own terms, it is affected and influenced by the community and context within which it exists. Khayelitsha is considered a previously disadvantaged area, characterised by socio-economic challenges such as high levels of crime, poor quality of education, lack of sanitation, illness and disease and unemployment. IKamva Youth, situated in such a community, was founded with the purpose of addressing such issues. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which the organisation has been effective in doing so. Paying specific attention to the community of Khayelitsha and the challenges it faces, the effectiveness of the organisation was evaluated according the overall purpose of NGOs and this organisation’s own vision, mission, purpose and objectives. This evaluation was done using the organisation’s different programs which are tasked with the responsibility of carrying out the purpose of the organisation. These programs were outlined and explained and used as the units of measuring the extent to which the organisation has been effective. In order to obtain an in-depth knowledge of these programs, the organisation was first located within its broader context after which these various programs were evaluated for effectiveness using responses from sampled participants. A questionnaire and in-depth interviews were compiled as measuring instruments for this evaluation. Data collected by means of the instruments formed the central point of reference that crafted the conclusion that in the midst of a number of socio-economic challenges, IKamva Youth has been effective in carrying out its purpose as an NGO and fulfilling its own vision and mission.
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- Date Issued: 2014
An evaluation of urban poverty and its alleviation in the Nelson Mandela Metro with special reference to prostitution as an income generator
- Authors: De Bruin, Mbulelo Douglas
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Economic conditions -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Poverty -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Prostitution -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9001 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011663 , Economic conditions -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Poverty -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Prostitution -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality
- Description: This paper is set to evaluate the factors leading to prostitution and provide the understanding of the hardships that are experienced by prostitutes in their pursuit for income generation. However, this will be preceded by the background to the study. Secondly, this paper will lament or touch on the strategies employed by the Nelson Mandela Metro and other countries in an attempt to alleviate poverty. Thirdly, the views of academics and other experts in the fields of both the prostitution and poverty will be put into perspective. The relevant research methodology used to this study was found to be a descriptive study. The concluding remarks and recommendations on what is needed in order to improve the situation in the Nelson Mandela Metro are provided for the purpose of this study. Towards the end of this study, bibliography has been provided followed by the relevant annexures which will serve as evidence that inform this study.
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- Date Issued: 2012
An exploration of the LED programme on the Blue Crane Route Municipality with specific reference to Cookhouse
- Authors: Sonkwala, Mxolisi
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Local Economic Development (Programme) , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Cookhouse , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape (South Africa) -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9221 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020926
- Description: There is a growing consensus globally about the significance of developing local and regional economies in order to create sustainable livelihood for local communities. The policy discourse in South Africa and elsewhere as well as the immense body of literature on local economic development bears testimony to this reality (Nel 1994,Tomlinson 1994, Rogerson 2003, World Bank 2002). The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) and the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act (Act 36 of 2000) enshrine the role of municipalities in enhancing the economic growth and development, and harnessing the social wellbeing of the communities ‘through creation of employment opportunities and redistribution of resources’. Importantly, this legislative framework must be accompanied by, on the one hand proper structures and political will, and on the other hand provision of resources and institutional capacity for realization of the long term objectives of Local Economic Development (LED). In order to be successfully mainstreamed and implemented the LED must be embodied within the legally prescribed Integrated Development Plans. In addition, the LED strategy must be incorporated within the Provincial Growth and Development Strategies (PGDS). In this research an exploration of the Local Economic Development Programme on the Blue Crane Route Municipality with specific reference to Cookhouse was investigated. The primary aim of this study was to establish the views of the residents regarding their perceptions of the LED and its effects in terms of addressing current poverty related problems and their view on the proposed wind farm project, to investigate the proposed implementation process of LED project, specifically at Cookhouse. The second objective of this research was to present empirical data from both a questionnaire completed by 18 respondents and two interviews, that helps amplify and verify the impact of LED at BCRM. The question answered was whether the proposed wind farm will make an impact on the lives of the ordinary people at Cookhouse. The final objective of this research to identify the shortcomings in the LED development process in the BCRM and to make recommendations on feasible actions that could be employed to alleviate poverty. The findings of the research suggest that the proposed project should be evaluated taking the themes of social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainable development into account. Also the findings of the research have noted that community members are not aware of what opportunities this project will bring to the community of Cookhouse. It should be noted that when this project was identified, the community was never consulted and now it’s very difficult at this stage to reject the project since there employment opportunities. Therefore local authorities are constitutionally obliged create space for community participation, which warrants accessibility and availability of information to local communities to enable to participate effectively.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Evaluating the Public Employment Services, administered by the Department of Labour in Mthatha
- Authors: Mntuyedwa, Ntandokazi Miranda
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Labor market , Unemployment -- South Africa -- Mthatha , Employment agencies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9093 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011638 , Labor market , Unemployment -- South Africa -- Mthatha , Employment agencies
- Description: The Public Employment Service of South Africa (PES-SA) registers unemployed work seekers and placement opportunities to enable the Department of Labour (DoL) to place as many of these work seekers as possible in work. The aim of the present study is to identify challenges in the implementation of PES-SA, and to identify and make recommendations on areas for improvement and strengthening. The study is restricted to two of the six main PES-SA service offerings: (a) Registration Services and (b) Recruitment and Selection Services. The study was partially a process evaluation and partially an impact evaluation. The process evaluation assessed the quality of PES-SA‟s systems, structures, capacity, management and strategic focus. The purpose of the impact evaluation was to understand the challenges and gaps in delivery and implementation, the reasons behind the low matching success, and the extent of uptake by users. The evaluation therefore had a technical data-evaluation component and a component which assessed the reasons behind statistical and other quantitative data patterns. The study was conducted in Mthatha Department of Labour, Eastern Cape. The sample of the study was drawn from workseekers that are in the database and the Researcher drawn 40 respondents and the use of quantitative method was done. A questionnaire was developed and issued out to respondents. The Public Employment Service staff in Mthatha, Department of Labour was also interviewed. All five Employment Service Practitioners and a Career Counsellor were interviewed. A qualitative study was used for these respondents. In the responses of both teams it was deduced that the intention of the service is good but up to this far it has not proven any impact on the reduction of unemployment. Reasons behind the failure of the service were outlined to be the reluctance of the employers to utilise the service and the IT systems that is failing. The staff also mentioned that they were never trained on the service and therefore finds it difficult to render some of the services. Another challenge that was picked up from staff members is that the service is not yet legislated.
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- Date Issued: 2011
The migration of the term "civil war" : a social constructivist explanation
- Authors: Bailie, Lawrence Craig
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Civil Wars United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 Iraq -- History -- Civil War, 1991
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2845 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006022 , DOI http://doi.org/10.21504/10962/d1006022
- Description: Although the occurrence of wars between states has been in decline, the same cannot be said of conflict within states – especially when considering the innumerable ‘Civil Wars’ said to have occurred since the end of the Cold War. In this context the use of the word ‘innumerable’ is qualified more by the variance in how ‘Civil War’ is understood as a concept (leading to different claims as to how many conflicts of this kind may have occurred over a period of time) and less by their large number. Claims regarding the occurrence of ‘Civil War’ suggest this type of conflict to be the dominant form at least since the end of World War Two. This prevalence in the face of a decline in inter-state warfare has afforded greater interest to ‘Civil War’ as a topic of inquiry. The understanding that ‘Civil Wars’ have with time increased in their occurrence and changed in their nature comes under investigation in this thesis and is seen as problematic in that the means by which a phenomenon is measured (i.e. through its nature) must be fixed so as to measure the frequency of that phenomenon. Using Social Constructivism as a theoretical lens of inquiry, sense is made of this understanding and, furthermore, the true meaning behind the claim that ‘Civil War’ has changed is revealed. The empirical evidence that accompanies this theoretical work exists in the American Civil War of 1861–1865 and the debate over the conflict in Iraq following the U.S. invasion in 2003. This debate is used as a means by which to bring the contestation over the notion of ‘Civil War’ to the fore, while a comparison of this conflict with the quintessential American Civil War reveals the migration of the term.
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- Date Issued: 2010
Repetitive symbolic play as a therapeutic process
- Authors: Campbell, Megan
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Play therapy Symbolic play Child psychology Developmental psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2944 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002453
- Description: Child centred play therapy theory explains that the facilitative environment of the relationship between child and play therapist allows the child the opportunity to confront emotional pain imbedded in lived, relational experiences, and in so doing process and gain mastery over it. However very little research exists into how the child, through his use of repetitive, symbolic play, as a therapeutic process, achieves this resolution. This research project aims to address this gap in research by exploring and describing repetitive symbolic play as a therapeutic process within child centred play therapy that facilitates change in the child‟s sense of self, assisting him towards healthy adjustment. The research project uses a young boys‟ therapeutic process as a case study, employing a qualitative research design that draws from interpretative research. Fourteen repetitive play sequence themes were analysed within the context of the case formulation and follow-up feedback meetings that took place throughout the therapy process. Using a hermeneutic enquiry the researcher illustrates how the child‟s sense of self, dependent on his perceptions of his external environment, became far more congruent, as evident through his behaviour, when his environment, first in play therapy, then at home and at school became more consistent, supportive and nurturing. Within this facilitative environment the researcher then describes how the child used repetitive symbolic play to address and process emotional issues relating to earlier experiences within his external environment. Hermeneutic analysis suggests that the child‟s use of repetitive symbolic play within the facilitative relationship between him and his therapist became a therapeutic process in and of itself that contributed towards self-directed healing, and change within his sense of self, that promoted healthier adjustment within his environment.
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- Date Issued: 2009