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Discipline and dismissal of employees For testing positive for cannabis

  • Authors: Syce, Donato Burchelle
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Occupational health , Cannabis , Substance use
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63071 , vital:73184
  • Description: Employers are legally obligated to provide a safe working environment for all employees. They are permitted to enforce rules that regulate the use of cannabis, including a total prohibition thereof in the workplace. Most employers adopt a policy with a zero-tolerance approach to substance abuse in the workplace, especially considering the negative effects of substances. Cannabis is regarded as a drug and the effects of cannabis may negatively affect the health of employees. In most instances, users develop cognitive impairment which may result in decreased working memory function. Therefore, employers must test employees when they suspect that an employee have contravened a workplace policy. There are various tests that can be used to detect THC, the preferred method for testing employees is a urine test. Upon testing an employee, the test may show a positive result for the previous use of cannabis, but it does not determine the level of impairment. However, employers are still required to take the necessary disciplinary action against employees. In the following chapter, I shall discuss the judicial approach towards employees who have tested positive for cannabis. , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law,(2024)
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Dislocation imaging of AISI316L stainless steels using electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI)

  • Authors: Pullen, Luchian Charton Morne
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Electron microscopy , Microscopy -- Technique
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64301 , vital:73674
  • Description: This study investigates the use of electron microscopy to image dislocations in high-temperature steels used in the electrical power generation industry. Dislocations play an important role in the mechanical properties of steels, which continuously evolve during component manufacturing and subsequent in-service exposure due to creep and/or fatigue. The dislocation density of the steels can potentially be used as a fingerprint to identify at-risk components that has either reached end-of-life or that was incorrectly manufactured due to forming or heat treatments. Traditionally, dislocation measurements are performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) performed on thin foils samples. However, accurate and precise measurements of the dislocation density in steels using TEM remain a challenge due to the time-consuming nature, small sampling volumes, and effects of sample preparation on the quantitative results. The aim of this study is to evaluate and establish electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) as a scanning electron microscopy method of quantifying the dislocation densities of power plant steels. This method can be applied to conventionally polished bulk samples allowing for large areas to be sampled. Samples consisting of AISI316L stainless steel were used as a model alloy (large grain size ~100 μm) to compare dislocation imaging using annular dark field (ADF)-scanning TEM (STEM) and ECCI. Three materials states consisting of a cold drawn rod (high dislocation density), annealed rod (low dislocation density), and an annealed sample subjected to cyclic fatigue testing (medium dislocation density) were investigated. Systematic investigations into the data acquisition parameters showed that an incident beam energy (20 kV), beam current (~4 nA), pixel size (5 nm), and working distance (4-5 mm) on a JEOL7001F SEM fitted with a retractable BSE detector could successfully image the dislocation structures for the material states used in this study. The ECCI technique was successfully used to determine the dislocation density in the three material states and the quantitative results showed similar trends as the ADF-STEM quantification results, but with less effort. Future studies using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) orientation mapping combined with electron channeling pattern (ECP) calibrations using a single crystal Si sample will allow for ECCI imaging under controlled grain orientations. Furthermore, accurate image segmentation of dislocations from a micrograph remains a key limitation, which can be improved with the use of advanced image analysis based on deep learning approaches. The quantitative dislocation density techniques demonstrated in this study can be adapted not only for studies of other power plant steels (eg. 9-12% Cr Creep Strength Enhanced Ferritic) but also to other materials systems such as aluminium to study the recrystallization processes during annealing. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, 2025
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Early screening for the post intensive care syndrome in a tertiary ICU follow-up clinic in the Eastern Cape

  • Authors: van der Merwe, Elizabeth
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Critical care medicine , Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Patients , Psychology, Pathological
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63915 , vital:73626
  • Description: The Post ICU Syndrome (PICS) is defined as a constellation of new or worsened impairments in physical, cognitive, and/or psychological health which persist after critical care discharge. These deficits are more related to the patients’ intensive care unit (ICU) stay rather than to their original ICU admission diagnosis. Between 25-50% of critical care survivors suffer from PICS. There is a paucity of research on PICS in South Africa (SA). The primary objective of this study is to describe the incidence and co-occurrence of PICS symptoms, as well as the changes in instrumental activities of daily living and life roles in ICU survivors.The study was conducted in a multidisciplinary tertiary ICU in the Eastern Cape. Inclusion criteria were respiratory support for ≥ 48 hours, or a shocked state, and/or organ failure requiring ICU stay for 48 hours. Patients were assessed at six weeks and six months after hospital discharge. Physical impairment was measured by the six-minute walk test and ICU-acquired weakness by the Medical Research Council scale. Instrumental activities of daily living score and employment/educational status were determined. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Impact of Event Scale-Revised questionnaires were used as screening tools for significant psychological symptoms. Screening for neurocognitive impairment was performed with the NeuroScreen application and compared to a matched control group. The Short Form-36 Health-Related Quality of Life questionnaire (HRQOL) was used to determine quality of life at baseline and study visits. 107 patients, half of whom had COVID-19, completed the six-month follow-up. Six months after hospital discharge, six out of ten patients were affected by PICS, five out of every ten suffered from physical impairment, four out of every ten reported significant psychological symptoms, with three out of every ten affected by both. Three out of ten experienced significant chronic pain. Overall, six out of every ten patients experienced significant psychological symptoms at either one or both study visits. Only one in ten had psychological symptoms in isolation at six months. Six out of every ten patients reported a significantly lower health-related quality of life at six months as compared to their baseline. Three out of every ten patients had not returned to their previous remunerative work, studying or home making. Neurocognitive impairment in this cohort was not verified, and this may have been due to the selection of the control group. However, there was a significant improvement in neurocognitive functioning from the six-week to the six-month study visits. Only 15% of patients received rehabilitation therapy after hospital discharge. Female sex, a higher co-morbidity score and an admission diagnosis of trauma were predictors of PICS symptoms. COVID-19 was not found to be associated with a higher incidence of PICS. , Thesis (D.Phil) -- Faculty of Health Science, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Economic complexity and inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: a cross country analysis

  • Authors: Maxwele, Chuma
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Gross domestic product , Economic development -- Africa , International trade , Balance of trade -- Africa Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Sub-Saharan -- Economic conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65142 , vital:74037
  • Description: The concept of economic complexity is a relatively new term in economics literature, it is used to refer to the magnitude of productive knowledge or capabilities embedded in society. However, because of its potential impact on national prosperity, it is hypothesized that differences in the degree of economic complexity are major factors of inequalities in the growth rates of nations. The approach of economic complexity makes use of fine-grained data on thousands of economic activities to learn both abstract factors of production and the way they combine into thousands of outputs. However, it is only in recent years that studies have started to consider the association between economic complexity and economic growth. As such, there is a lack of robust, vigorous literature that examines the association between economic complexity and inclusive growth, particularly in the context of Sub Sub-Saharan Africa. The extant literature focuses on the relationship between economic complexity and isolated cases of some macroeconomic indicators of growth. As a departure from the existing studies and as a contribution to the field, inclusive growth, in this study, is measured as a composite index from various growth indicators as postulated in the inclusive growth theories and then each indicator is viewed separately. Thus, the general purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between economic complexity and inclusive growth in Sub Sub-Saharan Africa from 1996 to 2019 2019, which is the primary objective of the study. The first objective of the study is to examine the effect of economic complexity on welfare indicators in Sub Sub-Saharan African countries from 1996 to 2019. In examining the effect, the study employed a Pool Mean Group – Autoregressive Distributive Lag (PMG PMG-ARDL) model. The results of the study reveal that economic complexity, economic growth rate, and terms of trade have a positive and statistically significant long-run impact on welfare in Sub Sub-Saharan Africa. The short-run dynamics reveal that economic complexity negatively and significantly affects welfare. The study's second objective examines the impact of economic complexity on economic indicators in Sub-Saharan African countries from 1996 to 2019. To examine the impact, the study employed the Panel Ordinary Least Square (POLS) model. The results of the study demonstrate that economic complexity, foreign direct investment, inflation, and population growth have a negative and significant impact on the economic index. However, government expenditure demonstrates a positive and significant effect on economic indicators. The third objective of the study examines the effect of economic complexity on human development in Sub Sub-Saharan African countries from 1996 to 2019. In examining the effect, the study employed the Panel Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) model for the long-run relationship, and the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) for the short-run relationship. The results of the long long-run relationship show that economic complexity has a negative impact on human development which is significant at 1 percent. Short Short-run relationships reveal that economic complexity has a positive and insignificant impact on human development. The fourth objective of the study investigates the effect of economic complexity on good governance in Sub Sub-Saharan African countries from 1996 to 2019. The study employed the Pool Mean Group – Autoregressive Distributive Lag (PMG PMG-ARDL) model to investigate the relationship. The PMG PMG-ARDL model results reveal that economic complexity, foreign aid, and the Gini coefficient have a positive and statistically significant long-run impact on good governance in Sub Sub-Saharan Africa. The fifth and last objective of the study investigates the effect of economic complexity on inclusive growth in Sub Sub-Saharan African countries from year 1996 to 2019. To investigate the relationship, the study applied the Panel Vector Autoregressive (P-VAR) model. The results from the grangerGranger-causality test show a unidirectional relationship running from economic complexity to inclusive growth, the panel VAR model reveals that economic complexity has a negative and significant effect on inclusive growth at 10 percent level of significance in Sub Sub-Saharan Africa. The present study investigated five objectives, and out of the five objectives, only two (i.e., Welfare and Good Governance ) have a positive and significant relationship with economic complexity in the long long-run. This implies that with more productive structures, these countries would be in a better position to promote institutional quality and later advance welfare regimes in Sub Sub-Saharan Africa. However, for that goal to be realized, the Sub-Saharan African region should first achieve, or have, a certain level of economic development. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Effects of foreign capital inflows on human development in Ghana and the mediating role of institutional quality

  • Authors: Dadzie, Sylvester Kwesi
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Capital movements -- Ghana , Economic development -- Ghana , Structural equation modeling -- Case studies
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64929 , vital:73987
  • Description: The issue of financing for human development has been crucial for governments and stakeholders. The financing mechanisms for human development have been broadly categorised into domestic and foreign. The foreign capital inflows are to complement domestic resources for development. However, despite the heterogeneity of past studies, several studies have proved that with adequate institutional quality, an inflow of finance can positively impact human development. This study sought to examine the effect of foreign capital inflows on human development and the role of institutional quality in Ghana using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) on selected quartered secondary data from 1996 to 2020, primarily incorporating World Development Indicators (WDI) and World Governance Indicators (WGI). It reveals firstly that foreign capital inflows have significant positive influence on institutional quality in Ghana; secondly, institutional quality has insignificant positive effects on human development; thirdly, the direct effects of foreign capital inflows on human development are negative and insignificant. Finally, the effects of foreign capital inflows on human development are not mediated by institutional quality despite the positive effects of institutional quality. The study concludes that institutional quality does not mediate between the effects of foreign capital inflows and human development in Ghana. However, this study recommends that the government design and implement appropriate policies to create an enabling environment to strengthen institutions and regulations while attracting foreign capital as a supplementary source of domestic investment to enhance human development. , Thesis (MPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Elephant impacts on plant diversity and structure in the Shamwari Private Game Reserve

  • Authors: Halvey, Andrew Lloyd
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Elephants -- Nutrition -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Elephants -- Habitat -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Shamwari Game Reserve (South Africa)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63777 , vital:73597
  • Description: Many African landscapes rely on processes such as fire, tree-fall and drought in addition to herbivores to initiate change across the landscape. In the Eastern Cape, elephant have a significant impact on the community structure and diversity of the vegetation they live in. This is most likely the case for the Albany Valley Thicket and azonal riparian vegetation of Shamwari Private Game Reserve, where browsing animals, particularly megaherbivores like the black rhinoceros and elephant, are the main cause of defoliation. The presence of large herbivores creates challenges when it comes to long-term sustainability and biodiversity of the vegetation in Shamwari. Vegetation monitoring provides essential information for effective management of megaherbivores not only in Shamwari but in many other similar reserves. The aim of this study was to design a monitoring plan for the Albany Valley Thicket and riparian vegetation in Shamwari using available vegetation metrics. The vegetation was measured in permanent plots (90 m line intercept analysis per plot) in the Albany Valley Thicket and riparian vegetation of Shamwari. Plot selection was based on thicket structural integrity using NDVI score as a proxy. In all plots, thicket structure was assessed using canopy heights measured every 50 cm along the line. Detrended correspondence analysis of the species abundance data suggested three distinct structural and compositional vegetation states for thicket and riparian vegetation: dense, intermediate and open. Significant relationships between NDVI and vegetation structural metrics across the condition states indicated that NDVI could be used as a proxy for vegetation condition. Vegetation compositional metrics, however, were not always correlated to NDVI and determining species diversity for the vegetation presents additional information useful for monitoring. The monitoring recommended for the reserve is to evaluate vegetation structural integrity annually in summer using NDVI. Areas of change could then be measured for diversity as well as for change in the abundance of selected plant indicator species. This information should be used to initiate management actions if unwanted change has occurred. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Enabling legislative coherence in the Eswatini construction industry

  • Authors: Hlatshwayo, Thandiwe Ncam'sile
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Construction industry -- Law and legislation -- Swaziland , Construction workers -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Swaziland , Industrial safety -- Law and legislation -- Swaziland
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64544 , vital:73748
  • Description: The construction industry is an age-old and highly dynamic sector that contributes to the betterment of human life through the development of infrastructure. The presence of regulations is crucial in ensuring the provision of quality, standardization, efficiency, and effectiveness in service delivery. Inadequate regulation of the construction industry has been identified as the primary cause of construction failures in both developing and developed nations. Eswatini is no exception to this issue of legislative failure. The Construction Industry Council (CIC) was established by the Government of Eswatini without initially determining the specific challenges faced by the construction industry in Eswatini. The unique legislative needs pertaining to Eswatini were not explored to ensure that the framework is tailor-made for the Eswatini sector. Given the industry's diverse and intricate nature, a generic approach would not be sufficient to create a unified legislative framework. The study was aimed at developing a coherent legislative framework for the Eswatini construction industry. This study used a mixed-methods research design, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data. A total of 297 participants were randomly selected from the CIC database for the quantitative survey. A total of 45 interviewees were purposively selected for the semi-structured interviews. Descriptive and inferential analysis were used for the interpretation of the quantitative data. Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data. Exploratory Factor Analysis, using the maximum likelihood method with Varimax Rotation was employed to analyse the factor structure and correlation between items of the quantitative data. Additionally, the KMO and Bartlett's Tests were conducted. The ANOVA Test was used to test the hypothesis. Thematic analysis was employed for the qualitative data analysis. The findings of this study revealed that contractors in Eswatini recognised the significance of a well-functioning legislative framework and expressed dissatisfaction with the existing legislative measures implemented in the country. The key informant interviews highlighted various challenges, including the absence of regulations for the implementation of the CIC Act, lack of accountability and transparency in the management of funds for CIC operations and inadequate grading criteria. Other challenges that were revealed were insufficient oversight, unfair competition, corruption and limited stakeholder engagement. , Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, School of Built Environment and Civil Engineering, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Estimation of a generalist meso-carnivore (black-backed jackal) population from a fenced protected area

  • Authors: Davidson-Phillips, Samuel Ralph
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Wildlife conservation , Carnivorous animals -- Conservation , Carnivorous animals -- Ecology
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63698 , vital:73589
  • Description: Since 2017, landowners, field guides, and management staff have reported large groups of black-backed jackals (Lupullela mesomelas) (here-forward jackal) in the Welgevonden Game Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa. This is linked with several observations of jackals predating on various ungulate species, potentially leading to unintended consequences on prey populations. These observations combined with an apparent poor survival rate of impala (Aepyceros melampus) and continuous declines in their number led to the perception that jackals could be partly responsible. Several studies have attempted to describe the ecological role of jackals within multiple environments, most of which have proven to be variable and context dependent. Human-modified landscapes along with the fencing of protected areas, may have manipulated the role of jackal within these scenarios. Jackals are wide-ranging and generally not confined by fencing, therefore their population trends possibly fluctuate within these anthropogenic landscapes. Re-introduced apex predators have been shown to facilitate food (provision of carrion) and simultaneously suppress jackal (active killing), this, however, remains difficult to predict. Jackals are classified as facultative cooperative hunters, and the term describes how they hunt in groups opportunistically when suitable resources of prey are available. The indication by several studies that jackals do actively predate rather than only scavenge, illustrates that the species has the potential to cause declines in an ungulate population. It therefore appears erroneous to exclude the species in terms of predator-prey relationships, particularly for land managers of fenced protected areas. The first step to any ecological management is the understanding of population size and trends over time. Unfortunately, little to no reliable methods exist to assess or monitor jackal populations. A popular tool for cryptic and wide-ranging terrestrial carnivores is Spatial Capture Recapture (SCR) models, typically through a camera trap array. These often rely on individual identities and an imperfect detection process to derive a statistical estimate of a given area. Jackals have been assumed to be individually unidentifiable and therefore these methods have largely been excluded. To address this a pilot-targeted camera-trap survey was conducted to improve capture and image quality. Following the role of this procedure, semi-automated software was applied to test the feasibility of individual identifications of captured images. This resulted in a subset of 58 right and left identifiable flank images, compiled from the highest graded images (n = 220) using the open-source Interactive Individual IdentificationSystem Beta Contour 3.0 (I3S Contour). I3S Contour assists users by distinguishing between unique contours on independent flanks without omitting observer effort and ranking. The effectiveness of the identification procedure was evaluated using three software tool trials, namely Computer-aided Annotation, Manual Contour Annotation, and Manual Contour Annotation (MA-2), where MA-2 included additional user-defined meta-data to images. Results showed that jackals could be individually identified from camera trap images and thus opened up the use of previously excluded SCR methodologies. Utilising the jackal database derived from the identification procedures described a total of 28 complete identifications (both flanks matched), 32 left-sided and 36 right-sided captures were used. These were derived from two independent survey periods split between seasonality (Winter & Spring). Two SCR methods were compared, namely, the Spatially Explicit Camera Recapture (SECR) and the newly developed Spatial Presence-Absence (SPA) modelling approach. SECR relies on full individual identification linked to spatial locations to derive spatial parameters to estimate population densities. The SECR methodology has been considered the most precise and was thus used as the benchmark. SPA relies on detections only (i.e., without individual identities), along with informative or uninformative priors. This must be across a spatial array that has detectors close enough to allow for simultaneous detections during each occasion (< 24 hours). Comparisons between these model outputs indicated a high degree of confidence interval overlap; however, SPA had a consistently higher posterior mode density estimate (63-64% higher), where the coefficient of variation between outputs also indicated the SPA having a closer relative precision. The targeted survey results for both model outputs for 2021 did not appear unusually high when compared to other studies. To assess the WGR population size over the long term, opportunistic by-catch data from a nine-year leopard (Panthera pardus) camera survey (Panthera organisation) was utilised. Model outputs from each of the years indicated that population estimates remained relatively stable. This was an unexpected result as the SPA densities did not follow the detection observations. This could be attributed to M not being set high enough (200) and the model reaching the limit, resulting in similar outputs between years. An alternative explanation is where the station spacing is larger than the diameter of the home range, which may reduce spatial correlation. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Science & Management, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Evaluating elephant, Loxodonta africana, space-use and elephant-linked vegetation change in Liwonde National Park, Malawi

  • Authors: Evers, Emma Else Maria
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Elephants -- Nutrition -- Malawi , Ecological heterogeneity , Vegetation and climate
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63744 , vital:73594
  • Description: Heterogeneity, the spatio-temporal variation of abiotic and biotic factors, is a key concept that underpins many ecological phenomena and promotes biodiversity. Ecosystem engineers, such as African savanna elephants (hereafter elephant), Loxodonta africana, are organisms capable of affecting heterogeneity through the creation or modification of habitats. Thus, their impacts can have important consequences for ecosystem biodiversity, both positive and negative. Caughley’s “elephant problem” cautions that confined or compressed, growing elephant populations will inevitably lead to a loss of biodiversity. However, a shift in our understanding of elephants suggests that not all elephant impacts lead to negative biodiversity consequences, as long as there is a heterogeneous spread of elephant impacts that allows for spatio-temporal refuges promoting the persistence of both impact-tolerant and impact-intolerant species. To date, little empirical evidence is available in support of managing elephants under this paradigm and few studies are available that infer the consequences of the distribution of elephant impacts on biodiversity. In addition, most studies use parametric statistics that do not account for scale, spatial autocorrelation, or non-stationarity, leading to a misrepresentation of the underlying processes and patterns of drivers of elephant space-use and the consequences of their impacts on biodiversity. Here, I evaluate spatio-temporal patterns and drivers of elephant space-use, and how the distribution of their impacts affects biodiversity through vegetation changes, using a multi-scaled spatial approach, in Liwonde National Park, Malawi. My study demonstrates that elephant space-use in Liwonde is heterogeneous, leading to spatio-temporal variation in the distribution of their impacts, even in a small, fenced reserve. The importance of the drivers of this heterogeneous space-use varied based on the scale of analysis, water was generally important at larger scales while vegetation quality (indexed by NDVI) was more important at smaller scales. When examined using local models, my results suggest that relationships exhibit non-stationarity, what is important in one area of the park is not necessarily important in other areas. The spatio-temporal variation of the inferred impacts of elephants in Liwonde still allowed for spatio-temporal refuges to be created, no clear linear relationship was found between elephant return intervals and woody species structural and functional diversity (indexed by changes in tree cover and changes in annual regrowth using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index as a measure, respectively) throughout the park. My study provides support for adopting the heterogeneity paradigm for managing elephants and demonstrates that not all elephant impacts result in negative vegetation change. I also demonstrate the crucial implications of accounting for scale, non-stationarity, and spatial autocorrelation to evaluate how animals both respond to, and contribute to, environmental heterogeneity. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Evaluating factors affecting development and implementation of innovation practices at Eastcape Midlands TVET College

  • Authors: Momoza, Ncedo Prince
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Vocational education -- Technological innovations , Technical education -- Technological innovations , Education, Higher -- Technological innovations , Education, Higher -- Computer-assisted instruction Educational technology
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65219 , vital:74052
  • Description: This study underscores the dearth of effective innovation practices in South African higher educational institutions. The research delves into the key factors that influence the development and implementation of innovation practices in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, with a particular focus on the Eastcape Midlands TVET College in the Midlands region. The study aims to identify the primary drivers and barriers to innovation adoption within the context of a TVET college; it also evaluates the impact of innovation practices on student outcomes, institutional performance, and industry partnerships. This study used qualitative research methods, including interviews with key stakeholders such as college administrators, faculty members, and industry partners. Quota sampling was used to select interview participants based on their expertise, experience and roles in the college's innovation efforts. This approach ensured that the selected participants offered valuable insights into the topic under investigation. The participation rate for this study was 93.3%, with the results revealing that the matter was complex. Among the insights gained from the research was the identification of major obstacles to innovation, such as a lack of resources, tedious bureaucratic processes, as well as staff and faculty resistance to change. Furthermore, the research found successful strategies that stimulate innovation, such as cultivating an environment of experimentation, improving cooperation with business associates, and introducing adaptable teaching methods. The leadership team of the college may use these findings as a guide, which provides focused tactics to overcome obstacles and to develop effective methods. This research recommends that utilizing knowledge of resistance to change could result in customized change management plans, while knowledge of successful innovation projects could guide the creation of programs and policies that promote and support innovative practices within the institution. Furthermore, by providing context-specific insights and practical suggestions that could enhance the promotion of innovation in comparable educational environments, these findings contribute to the existent body of knowledge on the subject and help similar institutions achieve excellence in innovation and long-term success. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Evaluating factors affecting the effectiveness of the tender system In Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality

  • Authors: Gastile, Nosikhumbuzo
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Contractors -- South Africa , Government purchasing , Business logistics -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64986 , vital:74001
  • Description: The tender system is a complex process requiring attention to detail; when followed correctly, it is advantageous for both the vendor/service provider and the customer (public or private sector). However, many factors affect it and end up contributing to its ineffectiveness. This study mentions political interference and bureaucracy, maladministration, fraud, corruption, flawed tender practices, delay in payments and lack of skills by tender administrators. Against this background, the primary objective of this study is to contribute to improving the tender system in Buffalo City Municipality by investigating the factors that make it ineffective. A quantitative research design was used, and a sample was taken from contractors carrying out work for Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province. Convenience sampling was used while conducting this study. This study’s demographic data is analysed in percentage form using simple descriptive statistics. Once data had been gathered from the independent and dependent variables, the researcher used it to draw a conclusion and inferences using inferential statistics to show relationships between multiple variables to generalise results and make predictions. A multiple regression analysis was also employed. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Evaluating factors influencing quality of service delivery in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

  • Authors: Tlali, Bernard
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (South Africa) , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Local government -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Municipal officials and employees -- Job satisfaction -- South Africa Job satisfaction Employee motivation
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65478 , vital:74159
  • Description: The provision of quality service continues to be a challenge in South Africa. This research was triggered by the quality of service delivery, which indicated a downward trend in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality during the past five years. Notably, deficiencies in the quality of service delivery are a prevalent problem for municipalities, including the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. Insufficient strategic leadership skills in management lead to a lack of satisfaction, motivation and a loss of loyalty among employees, which leads to poor quality of services delivered to the community. In order to understand the relationship between employee loyalty, employee satisfaction, leadership styles, and quality of service delivery, this study aimed to evaluate the factors influencing the quality of service delivery in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality with the intention to enhance these from the employee’s perspective. This study followed a quantitative approach with stratified random sampling. Online surveys were used to collect data from sampled Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality employees. The sample size was 110 respondents, and a 66.09% response rate was achieved. Data analysis techniques used in the study included exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to extract statistically significant factors. Multiple regression analysis was employed to evaluate the predictive power of independent variables (Employee Empowerment, Loyalty of Employees, Employee Satisfaction, Transformational Leadership) over the dependent variable (Quality of Service). The Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The findings revealed that Employee Empowerment did not influence the quality of service in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. The study's findings reveal that at 95% confidence level and alpha = 0.05, Loyalty of Employees, Employee Satisfaction, and Transformational Leadership significantly positively influence the Quality of Service. The study recommends that Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality management must embark on initiatives like life-work balance, organisational commitment, innovation behaviour, and benchmarking to improve the quality of service delivery. The study has contributed to the existing body of knowledge on quality of service by introducing Loyalty of Employees, Employee Satisfaction, and Transformational Leadership as factors significantly positively influencing the quality of service delivery compared to the renowned SERVQUAL dimensions (Empathy, Responsiveness, Assurance, Reliability, and Tangibility). The study's finding indicated , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Evaluation of leadership stimulus on employee intrinsic motivation in the Transnet locomotive maintenance business at Swartkops

  • Authors: Mdluli, Ignatius Mlanza
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Leadership -- South Africa , Intrinsic motivation , Employee motivation , Transnet
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65164 , vital:74039
  • Description: This research evaluated the leadership styles' stimulus on employee intrinsic motivation, focusing on the Transnet Locomotive Maintenance Business in Swartkops as there are leadership and motivation challenges in the organisation. Furthermore, the study explored the stimulus of three distinct leadership styles which are transactional, transformational and charismatic leadership on employees' levels of intrinsic motivation. The primary objective was to explore how these leadership styles nurtured or hindered the internal drive of employees, contributing to the organisation's overall performance. A qualitative research approach was used in the study. Semi-structured interviews were employed to collect insights from participants within the Transnet Locomotive Maintenance Business in Swartkops. Ten participants were selected using purposive selection. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the collected data, revealed patterns and connections between leadership styles and intrinsic motivation outcomes. The study unearthed that transactional leadership, often linked with reward-based approaches, unfavourably stimulated intrinsic motivation for most participants. Conversely, transformational leadership emerged as a potent positive force, constructively stimulating the intrinsic motivation of most employees. Charismatic leadership, known for its persuasive and emotionally engaging attributes, presented a mixed picture, constructively and destructively stimulating intrinsic motivation; therefore, the outcomes of this research have implications for leadership development, organisational strategy and employee engagement practices. The study recommends a transformational leadership style, emphasising inspiration, empowerment and a shared vision, and this enhances employees' intrinsic motivation and, consequently, organisational performance. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Evaluation of road surface distresses using GPS and GIS techniques: a case study of the City of Johannesburg, South Africa

Exploring 3d printing of brass instruments: a comparative study of French horn mouthpieces

  • Authors: Barker, Dylan Bruce
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Horn (Musical instrument) , Three-dimensional printing , Instrumentation and orchestration (Band)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62755 , vital:72939
  • Description: The French horn is an orchestral instrument with a rich history that spans centuries, undergoing notable transformations in its design and functionality. A short overview of this history is provided in Appendix A. Originating as a simple coil, the French horn has evolved to encompass a complex valve system, multiple harmonic series, and a diverse range of modifications tailored to players' preferences and requirements. These modifications include mutes, grips, extra keys, and even the exploration of different materials for mouthpieces. The use of plastic rims on mouthpieces, for reasons such as allergies, thermal conductivity, and tactile sensation, has already gained traction among horn players (Tuckwell, 2002). In the realm of manufacturing and technology, the concept of additive manufacturing has emerged as a promising avenue. Referred to as the next "industrial revolution” (Berman, 2012), additive manufacturing has become increasingly accessible through desktop-scale 3D printers. This technology offers a viable method for producing cost-effective musical instruments and enhancers without compromising quality (Kantaros, 2018). As evidenced by a 2018 Roundtable report from the South African Parliament, additive manufacturing aligns with the trajectory of the fourth industrial revolution, prompting governments to develop policies and strategies to harness its potential. Given the significance of additive manufacturing, a comprehensive investigation into applying these new technologies for the horn is warranted. Specifically, material choice, quality of sound, and the experience of performing on a printed mouthpiece is investigated and compared to a traditional metal mouthpiece. While the horn is comprised of many individual components, this study relates specifically to the mouthpiece. A brief appraisal of the significance of the mouthpiece will follow in the next section. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Visual and Performing Arts, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring healthcare service quality in the eastern cape: a case of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality

  • Authors: Tatanqu, Camagu
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Medical care , Customer services -- Management , Customer services -- Quality control
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65456 , vital:74154
  • Description: Eminent access to healthcare services has excessive social benefits to the poor, which in return result to many spill-over economic development of a country. A healthy society is a fundamental component of strategies of contesting poverty. Hence, improved ease of access to quality healthcare succeeds the reduction in poverty through a development of more productive human capital. It is in this context that the South African Democratic Government has ensured that amongst the orders of the day, quality healthcare is position as one of the highest priorities that require special focus. This study aims to identify and provide an understanding and appreciation of possible means, presented by the emerging 4IR Technologies, endeavoured to improve the quality of healthcare service in public healthcare institutions within South Africa. It is a reality that the future of medical care is most likely to change due to these emerging 4IR Technologies that are constantly transforming our daily lives. As a result, there is an evolution that is already going in the medical space, aimed at working with healthcare practitioners to find alternative solutions to deliver quality healthcare services. Amid these advancements, Information and Communication Technology’s solutions have taken a centre stage, providing means to increase access to quality healthcare, decrease costs, eliminate medical errors, and bridge the digital divide between rural and urban healthcare centres. Hence, the primary objective of this research is to identify new ways that will be fundamental in providing prominence future healthcare services. Qualitative Research Methodology, which applies a case study approach, was identified as the preferred methodology to be utilised to respond to the research objectives of this study. This research will therefore be of value to various stakeholders, more specifically to Government and Policy Makers, who are tasked to transform the country’s healthcare services. It will identify selected areas to be improved, and then recommend solutions and action plans to be implemented, in pursuit of enhancing quality of service provided in public healthcare centres. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring resilience of social workers working within the healthcare system in the Nelson Mandela Metropole, South Africa

  • Authors: Deliwe, Olwethu Paul
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Social workers -- Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Resilience (Personality trait) , Health services administration -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (South Africa)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63824 , vital:73617
  • Description: Social workers working in the health care setting must respond to complex patient needs, a fast paced and multidisciplinary work environment, that are frequently not experienced as equalising platforms for the social work discipline. This requires a high level of resilience in social workers to remain responsive to compassionate human care, quality service delivery and selfcare. This study aimed to explore the resilience of social workers in the healthcare sector, in order to address the knowledge and practice gap and contribute to a better understanding of mental healthcare needs and coping resources of social workers, working in this field of service. The study was guided by two theoretical frameworks: The ecological systems theory and resilience theory. Informed by a constructivism research paradigm, the study employed semi-structures in-depth research interviews as a method to collect data with eight social workers as research participants, recruited via purposive research sampling from health and mental health care settings. The key findings indicate that social workers experience various challenges at work that leads to burnout as a result of the complex work that they do, and they are required to contain these and be resilient using different mechanism. All the ethical protocols were observed, and the necessary measures taken to enhance the trustworthiness of the study. The findings make a valuable contribution to the curriculum input for social work training and valuable insights for continuous professional development for social work practitioners in the health care sector. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Science, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring senior phase teachers’ use of Kahoot! Gamification as a formative assessment tool to scaffold mathematical understanding

  • Authors: Balele, Silence
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Kahoot! Algebra by DragonBox , Mathematics Computer-assisted instruction , Pedagogical content knowledge , Mathematics Study and teaching (Secondary) South Africa , Gamification , Educational technology , Mathematics teachers Training of South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/423891 , vital:72102
  • Description: In South Africa, digital technology, particularly gamification, continues to become an important teaching and learning tool. Its importance lies in scaffolding mathematical understanding, improving the quality of assessment, and developing twenty-first-century technological skills for effective mathematics assessment. To explore this importance, senior phase mathematics teachers are encouraged to adopt gamification technology such as Kahoot! in assessment. The study adopted a case study research design with a interpretivist research paradigm, as this method allows detailed exploration and understanding of a specific context through a close connection with the participants. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires, focus group interviews, non-participant observations, and reflective journals. The research involved ten purposively selected senior-phase mathematics teachers from two schools in the Sarah Baartman District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study drew upon Vygoysky's Sociocultural Theory for its theoretical framework, while the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge was used for analysis. The data analysis pursued an inductive approach. Adopting a thematic analysis included coding participant responses, organizing codes into concepts and categories, and developing a theoretical framework from the resultant categories. A four-phase process was involved: coding, conceptualizing, categorizing, and theorizing, was employed. This process and using NVivo software for data organization and management helped identify patterns, themes, and significant concerns surrounding the study's core subject. The findings from the study were as follows: Firstly, it was revealed that most teachers have a positive perception and attitude towards using Kahoot! for formative assessment, believing that it enhances teaching and learning quality. However, they showed scepticism due to insufficient Information and Communication Technologies knowledge and training. Second, teachers' pedagogical and technological experiences were predominantly enjoyable. Kahoot! was accepted as beneficial for promoting collaboration, interaction, and immediate feedback. Third, the study identified enabling and constraining factors in using Kahoot! for formative assessment. The enabling factors include Kahoot!, which was convenient and accessible, promoted immediate feedback and fostered collaboration and interaction. The constraining factors include Information and Communication Technologies and network interference, which posed limitations. The research concluded that Kahoot! as a platform for formative assessment indeed scaffold mathematical understanding. The study recommends increasing teachers' access to educational technology, incorporating continuous professional development programs, providing subject-specific training, and encouraging teachers to adapt to emerging technologies. The study also provided recommendations for future research to explore learner perceptions, employ a mixed methods approach to help quantify learner performance and investigate the pedagogical and technological experiences of senior phase mathematics teachers regarding formative assessment. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring the continued importance of technique in the co-production of art with A.I.

  • Authors: Venter, Simon Denis
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Art and technology , Mass media and culture , Artificial Intelligence
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63573 , vital:73504
  • Description: n Plato’s Republic, artists are criticised for their perceived lack of rationality, since “art encourages and appeals to emotion,” insofar as “its ruling principle is the passions, which in a happy and well-ordered life must be controlled by reason;” indeed, on this basis, “the aesthetic experience” is even said to be “a psychological anarchy, [and] an orgy of misrule” (Collingwood, 1925: 156). However, this reification of reason in Plato’s hypothesized world,1 informed as it was by static hierarchy, has remained dissonant with the path of history toward entropy, as evinced by the chaotic flux of postmodernity. Certainly, this is exemplified in our own postmodern world, characterized as it is by ever greater degrees of disintegration into diversity, as the economic, social, and geo-political orders established in the mid-twentieth century are challenged and transformed into new paradigms through the increasing multiplicity of demands being made on them (Fowlie & Sills, 2011: 120-121). Accordingly, far from being a source of delusion and dissimilation, it could equally be argued that, collectively and individually, artists’ works reflect this kaleidoscopic trace of time more truthfully than the lens of reason, precisely because life – like art – is also largely psychological anarchy and an orgy of misrule. And within this dynamic environment, the reflections of artists, in turn, assume their value, as traces of what, for want of a better term, will henceforth be referred to as living dialogical time. That is, from this perspective, artists are not the political problem Plato suggested them to be, but rather as a whole comprise a reflection of the living dialogical time that, today, recognises itself collectively as humanity. However, while art has always involved material marks, digitality has recently changed this requirement, in ways which have raised a series of important and difficult questions for the world of art. That is, digitality has changed the wall of the cave into the digits of ones and zeros, which are eradicated at the click of an icon, only to be reconstructed at the click of an icon. Thus, the interface between art and digitality involves the former being presented with increasing opportunities for dynamism, but only at the expense of its materiality – insofar as such dynamism requires art to transition to cyber-virtual platforms. But in this regard, it must be remembered that, by definition, an icon is something which connects us to what cannot ever be represented, because it is beyond our everyday living reality, in an atemporal plane. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Language, Media and Communication, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring the perceptions of coloured Christian lesbian Women of the influence of Christianity on their identity development

  • Authors: Grootboom, Kim Jodie
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Lesbians -- Counseling of. , Homosexuality -- Religious aspect , Gays -- Social conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63857 , vital:73620
  • Description: South Africa is a nation of which the greater number of its citizens are followers of the Christian faith. Coloured people form part of this population, as the majority of Coloured people in South Africa consider themselves to be Christians. In the Christian faith, homosexuality is considered to be a sin and is frowned upon which may result in difficulty navigating identity development of members of the LGBTQIA+ community. This conflict may, in turn, greatly affect the identity development and overall wellness of these individuals who may want to hold onto a religious identify, but are in conflict, as their sexuality falls outside of what is considered acceptable. This research study sought to explore the perceptions of South African Coloured lesbian women, who follow Christianity, regarding the influence of religion on their identity development. This exploration was considered necessary as it contributes to a gap in the literature on the influence that religion has on identity development for a queer person. The research study was qualitative in nature and research participants were recruited by way of the purposive sampling strategy and 12 participants were interviewed. Semi-structured virtual interviews were conducted as the data collection tool to the research study. Ethical clearance to conduct this study, informed consent, voluntary participation, the right to withdraw participation from the research study, anonymity and confidentiality, and no harm of the participants are the ethical points that this study adhered to. The research study used thematic analysis to identify patterns in the data and Braun and Clarke’s data analysis technique was employed. The trustworthiness of this study, was guided by Lincoln and Guba’s four constructs; credibility, dependability, transferability and confirmability. The themes identified in this study were as follows: 1) The imposition on identity (subthemes of guilt and confusion; feelings of being lost and isolated); 2) The significance of race in prejudice against lesbian women; 3) Spiritual transition. The main finding of the aforementioned themes included an underlying understanding amongst they have at some point experienced uneasiness to “coming out” for fear of judgement as Christian lesbians. Although some participants were able to navigate through their identity development, they have experienced confusion and conflict in accepting all the different facets of their identity, simultaneously, due to judgement of other Christians who have imposed a “choose one or the other” mindset upon them. In addition, added minority stress within race factors were identified as a pinning point amongst participants, who felt that their experiences within their sexuality and religious interactions would be different, if they were other races. This highlights the triple minority stress that is faced by marginalised communities in South Africa. Finally, the participants expressed a transition away from religious communities, to a more spiritual relationship with their God, signifying a shift in religious interaction. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Science, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04
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