Skewed interactions with evidence: a discussion of fixed sexually prejudiced beliefs
- Authors: Kirkaldy, Hannah Tshirukhwe
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Homophobia , Discrimination , Prejudices , Belief and doubt
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7279 , vital:21238
- Description: In this thesis, I will argue that a challenge to the combatting of sexual prejudice (more commonly known as homophobia) through argument and evidence is that those on both sides of the issue are prone to a phenomenon known in psychology as confirmation bias. While the motivating concern of the thesis is sexual prejudice, and while I do discuss sexual prejudice throughout the thesis, I will focus mostly on confirmation bias, with the understanding that the picture I set out will have implications for combatting sexual prejudice at a later stage. The term confirmation bias refers either to the tendency to look for evidence which confirms one's already-held beliefs, or to engage differently with evidence based on whether or not you agree with its conclusion. After dissecting two paradigmatic experiments which explore these two kinds of confirmation bias, and arguing that they can be further broken down into sub-phenomena, I will focus on the latter kind, as I think it is the more relevant to sexual prejudice. Its essential effect on beliefs is to hold them steady in the face of evidence. In an attempt to explore the motivations we might have for engaging in this form of confirmation bias, I will argue that we can understand the tendency through a combination of a picture of beliefs as forming an interconnected web, and an understanding of the effect of affective elements on belief. Furthermore, given this motivational story, it is sometimes reasonable to hold beliefs steady. I will argue that finding the balance between giving up beliefs too easily in the face of contrary evidence, and holding onto them too rigidly, is an epistemic virtue. Finally, defending my picture from the objection that the mental states I discuss do not count as beliefs, I will argue that confirmation bias is a way of maintaining fixed beliefs.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Social entrepreneurship and development in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Authors: Nwauche, Sokeibelemaye
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Social entrepreneurship -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Entrepreneurship -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Economic development -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19817 , vital:28976
- Description: Focusing on the policy context for social entrepreneurship in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), this dissertation examines the processes through which social entrepreneurs participate in the processes of development of the municipality because; social entrepreneurship is increasingly being recognised as a mechanism for creating social and economic value. Social entrepreneurs play a significant role in fulfilling unmet societal needs and in filling gaps, particularly in areas where government and the market fall short. Based on this view, this study raises questions about the integrated policy guiding social entrepreneurship for better development outcomes. It aims to contribute to the body of literature on social entrepreneurship and development by examining the processes through which social entrepreneurs participate in the development of the communities at the local level. Using the Grounded Theory method, this study found that there is no integrated policy on social entrepreneurship in the NMBM and that the deficiency created by the lack of an integrated policy engenders Social Revisioning. The substantive theory of Social Revisioning emerged from the data to explain the processes through which social entrepreneurs participate in the development of communities when there is no integrated policy on social entrepreneurship. In response to the deficiencies in the policy context, differentiated and autonomous entities within and outside of the municipal government step in and support social entrepreneurs to provide services and participate in the processes of development. However, even though Social Revisioning can be used to address the policy deficiencies in social entrepreneurship and development, the differentiations and autonomy that characterise the entities, role players and processes embodied in Social Revisioning prevent cohesion among them and again beg for an integrated policy that will incorporate them.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Social media and development in the rural areas :an overview of the possible effects of socila media on the Thembu youth
- Authors: Matsheke, Masande Siyakudumisa
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Rural youth -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Social media -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tembu (African people) -- History
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45355 , vital:38573
- Description: the possible impact on the Thembu through the introduction of information communication technologies (ICTs) as a development tool is the main concern. This is done by unpacking the model of Ubuntu as the foundation of the Thembu’s value system and juxtaposing its values to those found on social media. As Ubuntu is the basis of the Thembu cultural identity, the possible effects of ICTs, more specifically social media, on the cultural identity of the Thembu is a key concept in the treatise. The treatise begins by exploring Ubuntu in different guises so as to understand the concept holistically. This is done by examining the works of Mogobe Ramose and others in unpacking Ubuntu as a way of living. The manifestations of Ubuntu in Thembu culture are also explored so as to appreciate the relevance of Ubuntu in Thembu culture. As ICTs are introduced to the rural Thembu as part of the government’s development efforts, the treatise explores the development policies of South Africa from the RDP to GEAR in order to understand the development stance of the country. The role of ICTs in the development is also looked at. The clashing values and other contradictory factors between social media and Ubuntu are looked at in order to support the main argument of the treatise –that of social media having a negative impact on the Thembu cultural identity through inherent values found therein.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Socio-economic and environmental impacts of small-scale mining in the Sarah Baartman District
- Authors: Mulaudzi, Azwihangwisi
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Mines and mineral resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17559 , vital:28378
- Description: The purpose of this study was to assess, on limited scale, the socio-economic and environmental impact of small-scale mining in the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, a municipality that is predominantly rural in nature and stricken by poverty. The topic of legal and illegal small-scale mining has received considerable attention from both the government and communities in recent years. At the heart of small-scale mining is enshrined the goals of creating employment and promoting the economic growth and development of the district. This study investigates the results of both a legal and an illegal mining operation in the municipality.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Son of a dog
- Authors: Kolawole, Samuel
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) South Africa , South African fiction (English) 21st century , African fiction (English) 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7195 , vital:21228
- Description: Son of a Dog is inspired by a real-life figure whose exploits captured the Nigerian public imagination in the 1980s. Famously known as Ovbigbo (“The Law”), Lawrence Anini unleashed a nationwide reign of terror against law and order. Set against the backdrop of the political turmoil following the Nigerian civil war, the novel traces Anini’s formative years in menial jobs to his rise to the leadership of a notorious criminal gang. It fuses the established facts of his short meteoric career with my imagined version of his inner life and the contemporary myths that sprung up around his legend. It finally crosses the boundary between the real and the mythic as Lawrence Anini becomes truly invincible and elusive after a lust-struck encounter with a fantastical character. I draw inspiration from the dark visceral fiction of Michael Cisco and Brian Evenson, AyiKwei Armah’s unflinchingly descriptive prose and E.C. Osondu’s sharp contemporary humour.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Stakeholder perceptions of participatory process in community development projects in Mdantsane
- Authors: Tyekela, Pumla
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20670 , vital:29370
- Description: Understanding stakeholders’ perception on the participation process is imperative so that strategies that foster people’s participation in community projects are implemented. This will facilitate that community members take part and contribute in their own development projects. In most projects perceptions can influence and impede participation. Most often the challenges experienced include acts of inequalities, lack of financial resources and informal and formal barriers that limit decision making and the capacity of people to participate effectively. As a consequence, authentic participation in community development projects intended to enhance and encourage more people to participate is not possible. The focus of the study was to explore and analyse perceptions of community stakeholders towards participation in community development activities in Mdantsane, a township situated between East London and King William’s Town. The research asked the following question: What are the perceptions of community stakeholders regarding the participation process in community development projects. This study was conducted using the qualitative approach to explore and gain an understanding of the underlying reasons, opinions and motivation for data gathered. The sample groups were the project staff and the government officials that had a better knowledge of the projects. Data was collected through the use of in-depth structured and semi structured interviews. The data showed that a large number of participants believed that participation involvement in project activities was motivated by regular meetings and material and financial incentives. The data further revealed that poor planning, lack of resources, constrained decision-making processes, selective reporting on the project progress were among the limitations of participation. Restraining these participation impediments will enhance and expand participation in community development projects. It is the author’s hope that recommendations made by this study, if implemented will improve participation in community projects in Mdantsane development projects to understand the concept and significance of community participation.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Status of farm dwellers in the Great Kei municipality post implementation of the security tenure act
- Authors: Mfeya, Nontando Hazel
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Eviction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Occupancy (Law) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14002 , vital:27381
- Description: The period preceding and after the enactment of ESTA marks an increase in the difficulties faced by the farm dwellers in South Africa. They are still faced with illegal evictions. Their difficulties are marked with loss of land for food farming, loss of work, income and homes. Nevertheless, the introduction of ESTA in 1997 aimed at protecting and restoring the land rights of farm dwellers working on farms. Despite its existence there are still challenges of illegal evictions. This research focuses on difficulties faced by farm workers after the enactment of ESTA and investigate the process and effects of illegal evictions. The thesis adopts a qualitative research methodology that takes the form of a case study on two farms, Killarney farm and Shellford farm, where farm workers experienced evictions. The findings confirm that the farm workers are subject to illegal evictions. The evictions are due to the conversion of agricultural farms to game farming and also due to labour disputes. Poor living conditions are evident and farm owners conduct tacit evictions by imposing restrictions and threatening the farm workers who wish to stay on the farms. This thesis concludes by presenting suggestions that may restrict or put an end to illegal evictions. ESTA needs to be amended in order to ensure the security of farm workers who live on the farms.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Storytelling and social commentary in a comparison of Zakes Mda's Ways of Dying (1995) and Black Diamond (2009)
- Authors: Thackwray, Sarah
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: South African literature (English) -- Black authors -- History and criticism , Politics in literature , Storytelling -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7149 , vital:21265
- Description: In a comparison of two novels, Ways of Dying (1995) and Black Diamond (2009), this dissertation examines Zakes Mda's ongoing use of fiction in presenting incisive social commentary in the post-apartheid literary context. Mda's debut novel is a complex magic realist tale of Toloki, the professional mourner, who journeys from the village to the urban township. It is markedly different from his post-millennial satire, which invokes the social realist form, constructing a rapidly unfolding plot of urban gangsters, crime and sex, in which the characters are more representational than well-developed. While Ways of Dying has been praised as Mda's thought-provoking novel of the transition, Black Diamond has sometimes been criticised as being less able to comment significantly on the state of post-millennial South Africa. Subsequently, this dissertation evaluates the potential of Mda's most recent fictional portrayal of post-apartheid society to provide a meaningful interpretation of and commentary on post-apartheid South Africa, alongside his earlier novel.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Student discourses: influences on identity and agency
- Authors: Ackerdien, Raeesah
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: English language -- Rhetoric -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Psychological aspects , Psychoanalysis and education Identity (Psychology) in youth Educational sociology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13625 , vital:27258
- Description: South Africa‟s racialised history dates back to a colonial period where South Africans were separated by race, language and laws which prevented people of colour from mixing with those who were termed White. 22 years after the end of apartheid, race and language remain a painful part of history and a topic which is always visible in our private and public discourses. Students, as of recent, have pointed to the challenges and legacies of apartheid they face in higher education and broader society. The lack of broader transformation and racial prejudice leave a great divide amongst different groups of students. Given this background, this study sought to examine how students were making sense of themselves and others. The participants of this study included 50 second year students from the Department of Language Studies at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth. This research study focused on the identity development of students and how these factors impacted their identities taking into account aspects of race, language, sense of agency and those impacting their sense of agency and sense of self. This study used a qualitative research method which involves an interpretive approach to research as this method was best suited for this study‟s analysis of student narratives. This study is a case study of the single case of second year students. The research, furthermore, used a Poststructuralist approach as theoretical underpinning and Critical Discourse Analysis for analysis of the data. Relevant literature were read and reviewed to determine what studies were saying about factors impacting on youth identity. Student narratives were analysed in order to determine which factors impacted on their identity formation, as well as the perceptions of their own identities and those of others. The results of the findings showed that students‟ identity development was affected by factors such as cultural background, parents, death of loved ones, aesthetic interest, race and language. Socio-economic inequalities in South Africa, race and language strongly defined student identities. Identities were found to be multiple and dynamic. The impact on student agency was as a result of the influences of their parents but also because of the inequalities in society. The only commonality students identified as having with other students was study. Students revealed that they did not cross racial or language boundaries to socialise with other students. There were students who indicated that they resisted racial categorisations and spoke of the celebration of diversity in South Africa but these were in the minority. Unlike previous studies that showed students wanting to move on to a new unified South Africa while simultaneously using old apartheid discourses, this study showed that students remained rooted in these discourses but reverted to these discourses because of societal inequalities. They did not foresee any moves to a new unified South Africa if inequalities not addressed. They were more radical about what a new future looks like with the battle against privilege won. Language was identified as a barrier and the fallacies of English being linked to superior intelligence was pointed out. The divides between White and Black students were apparent in the data. The study therefore recommended that curriculation of modules be undertaken with teaching of fluidity of identities and providing of critical tools for students to deconstruct race and language. The South African context should be foregrounded in all faculty study areas so that students work to a public good that seeks to eradicate inequalities. Safe spaces need to be provided for debating of these issues as well as social spaces for interaction across racial divides.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Students’ perspectives of the relationship between the university and a community partner in the context of a service learning psycho-education programme
- Authors: Sibiya, Gillian
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/6968 , vital:21205
- Description: This qualitative case study aims to understand students’ perspectives of the relationship between the university and a community partner in the context of a service-learning programme. The study explores the experiences of three postgraduate psychology students that were involved in a service-learning programme at an under resourced school in the Eastern Cape. The data gathered was analysed thematically and major analytic themes were identified. The findings highlight the usefulness of service-learning for the student participants. However, student participants also argued that structural difficulties can make it harder for the community partner to enjoy the same benefits. The analysis brings forth the students’ concerns about managing stakeholder perceptions and the importance of broad-based participation and constant communication to ensure a good working relationship between partners. The findings highlight the students’ awareness of some of the difficulties of working in resource-constrained settings.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Subjectivity and social resistance: a theoretical analysis of the Matrix Trilogy
- Authors: Jamal, Ahmad
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Matrix (Motion picture) , Matrix reloaded (Motion picture) , Matrix revolution (Motion picture) Baudrillard, Jean, 1929-2007. Simulacres et Simulation , Science fiction -- Philosophy , Mass media -- Social aspects , Culture in motion pictures , Dystopian films
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7011 , vital:21209
- Description: The Matrix (1999) is a science-fiction film that successfully bridges modern cinematic action sequences with philosophical parables. It recalls the tradition of philosophical elaboration through science-fiction narratives; a tradition that has existed since the time of Plato. This study aims to bridge the divide between philosophy and psychology by using a theoretical analysis to discuss and explore the ideas of social thinkers (featured in the Matrix Trilogy) and critically analyse them alongside established psychological theories. More specifically, this study provides an in-depth and critical exploration of the ways in which the philosophical works of Jean Baudrillard and Karl Marx, and the widely used and recognised psychological perspectives on human development, cognition and learning offered by both Urie Broffenbrenner and Jean Piaget to simultaneously elucidate a model of human subjectivity and development in today's techno- consumerist society with specific attention to critical resistance. This study suggests that with the rise of the internet and modern communication media; sociocultural and political issues that Broffenbrenner conceptualised as existing in the macrosystem, now have a presence in the microsystem, and correspond to Broffenbrenner's requirements as to what constitutes a proximal process. These processes, according to Broffenbrenner, have the most longstanding effects on our development and contribute the most to our personality. This study also argues that the pre-operational stage and the process of symbolisation both of which Piaget identified are important phases in the child's life that see the accrual and development of signs and discourses. These signs and discourses then contribute to the development of our mind's cognitive structures which Piaget called schema. These structures are developed as we grow and help us make sense of the world by processing information and organising our experiences. This would mean that we perceive and interpret our world through ideologically shaped mental structures. These findings stress the importance of ideological influences and their impact on development and hearken more closely towards ideas about the presence and the effects of ideology by thinkers like Plato and Marx, as well as the dystopian futures explored in science-fiction media like the Matrix Trilogy, George Orwell's 1984 (1948) and Aldous Huxley's A Brave New World (1932), and also the options for critical social resistance explored in the narratives and heroic deeds of these books and their characters.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Supportive supervision: the experiences of social workers in the field of child protection
- Authors: Vetfuti, Nkosinathi Oscar
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Social workers -- Supervision of -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Child welfare -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14433 , vital:27595
- Description: Supervision in social work is composed of educational, administrative and supportive functions. Supportive supervision is particularly important for child protection social workers, given their work with vulnerable children. Supportive supervision facilitates the child protection social worker’s reflection on practice issues with a designated supervisor who, through this process, addresses their personal and professional development as well as their emotional needs; this, in turn, contributes to sound ethical practice. The sparse literature available on the topic and practice observations pointing to the lack of supportive function in the area of Child Protection Services gave rise to this study. The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study was thus toenhance an understanding of the experiences of social workers in Child Protection Services in respect of supportive function of supervision within the public sector in the Nelson Mandela Bay region. A non-probability purposive sampling strategy was used to identify social workers working in the field of child protection for an uninterrupted minimum period of three years. The final sample consisted of ten child protection social workers. Data was collected through semi-structured, in-depth, individual, face-to-face interviews, which were guided by an interview schedule. The data was analysed using Tesch’s (1990) model as outlined in Creswell (2014:198). The trustworthiness of the research process and the findings was enhanced by using a range of data verification techniques. The main themes that emerged from the process of data analysis are: 1) Social workers’ experiences of working in Child Protection Services; 2) Social workers’ perceptions and experiences of social work supervision in general and supportive supervision in particular; and 3) Social workers’ recommendations on how supportive supervision needs can be addressed. The findings of this study yielded valuable scholarly knowledge in respect of the supportive supervision function in Child Protection Services.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Sustainable livelihoods, employment and poverty alleviation: the case of the Good News Ark Project
- Authors: Nkwakwa, Bandlakazi Beira
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Sustainable development -- South Africa Rural development -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19784 , vital:28965
- Description: Income generating projects play a significant role in the lives of rural people and make a significant contribution to rural development in South Africa. Although, income generating projects play a major contribution to rural development, problems of funding for such projects and the high levels of unskilled personnel to run those projects is still a challenge in most, if not all rural areas of South Africa. Therefore this study has undertaken with the objectives of assessing income generating projects in relation to its contribution to rural development in the study area. The sustainable livelihoods and basic needs approaches were used to assess the contribution of income generating projects in poverty alleviation in rural areas. Such approaches to rural development can help in reducing the poverty gap that exists in society and at the same time help achieve sustainable rural development. Findings show that there are a number of challenges and constraints that are experienced by the Thaba Nchu community, like poverty and unemployment. However, the main findings of the research study suggested that the contribution made by the Good News Ark Project toward poverty alleviation and community development is to empower the project members and casual workers. To have a successful rural development, there is need for the government to support these projects in the form of skills training programmes and finance. The study recommends that intervention should occur and the coordination between the relevant stakeholders should be strengthened as the development of the rural poor depends on both social development and food production.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The ability of nurse unit managers to manage conflict in the Nelson Mandela Bay public hospitals
- Authors: Moeta, Mabitja Elias
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Conflict management -- Hospitals -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Nursing -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Nursing -- Practice -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Hospitals -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality -- Employees
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19168 , vital:28779
- Description: Conflict exists in all health care settings across the world. In a profession such as nursing, where there is constant interaction among staff, conflict is a common and often unavoidable challenge. Conflict represents a state where two parties have differing views on issues considered important to each of them. There are various forms of conflict such as intrapersonal, interpersonal, inter-group and/or inter-organisational conflict. While not all conflict can be managed or requires the need to be managed, learning how to manage it, may reduce the chances of it recurring or producing negative consequences. The inappropriate management of conflict has been reported to contribute to decreased productivity, poor morale and financial loss in and for healthcare organisations. The goal of this study was to make recommendations regarding how to optimise conflict management by Nurse Unit Managers (NUMs). A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research study was conducted to explore and describe the ability of NUMs to manage conflict in the nursing units of the Nelson Mandela Bay public hospitals. NUMs working in the three (3) public hospitals of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality situated in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa were interviewed using unstructured individual interviews to collect meaningful data on how the NUMs would manage conflict based on a conflict scenario presented to them. Data was directly collected from the participants. The researcher developed a conflict scenario and the model answer in consultation with experts in both nursing management and human resource management. This was done to relate the responses and themes from the data collected with what literature suggest as the appropriate management of conflict. Tesch’s method of thematic synthesis was utilised to analyse this data. Recommendations were developed for nursing practice, nursing education and nursing research. Data was collected from eleven NUMs with each of the participating hospitals represented in the interviews. Unstructured interviews were conducted. The unstructured interview consisted of one central question and probing questions. This was done for all the interviews until data saturation was reached. The data collected was then transcribed and coded yielding the themes and sub-themes for this study. The model answer was then used to gauge the responses of the participants in comparison to what literature suggests regarding effective conflict resolution and management. The three themes that emerged from the data were Nurse Unit Managers managed the conflict in an appropriate manner, Nurse Unit Managers avoided the conflict and Nurse Unit managers did not apply the accepted process to manage the conflict. Thereafter the ability of NUMs to manage conflict in a nursing unit was described based on the findings. The researcher ensured trustworthiness by using Guba and Lincoln’s criteria, namely credibility, dependability, conformability, transferability. The participants’ rights and dignity were protected and the integrity of the study safeguarded by complying with the following ethical principles: autonomy, beneficence and non-maleficence, justice, privacy and confidentiality as well as authenticity. The limitations of the study were that only NUMs from the general hospitals in the public sector participated in the study and therefore the ability of NUMs in other types of hospitals and the private sector are not known. Other levels of nursing management were not included in the study. The findings in this study could be integrated into the orientation, training and preparation of nurse managers by health care organisations and educational institutions as well as Human Resource Management practices.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The association between sedentary behaviour, physical activity and coronary artery disease risk factors in employees at tertiary institute in South Africa
- Authors: Marais, Mione
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Coronary heart disease -- Risk factors Physical fitness , Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Employees
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13823 , vital:27311
- Description: Background Sedentary behaviour has incrementally increased over the past few years. The scientific community recognises this behaviour as a twenty first century disease which reflects the detrimental effects of excessive sitting on several adverse functional and clinical health outcomes, such as chronic disease, in the general adult population. Many evolving contemporary occupations require that employees sit an average of eight hours per day at work stations or office desks, especially when using communication technology. Even after accounting for the self-reported time spent in recommended physical activity, the negative dose-response relationship between time spent in sedentary behaviour and the all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality still remain. Aim: To establish a profile of sedentary behaviour as well as levels of physical activity and coronary artery disease risk factors in employees at a tertiary institute in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Another aim is to determine whether an association exists between the aforementioned variables.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The clinical utility of the Kinetic School Drawing (KSD)
- Authors: Mohammed, Raghshanda
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Kinetic Family Drawing Test , Art therapy for children , Kinetic-House-Tree-Person Technique , Children's drawings -- Psychological aspects , Projective techniques for children , Psychological tests for children
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/4433 , vital:20669
- Description: This study aimed to establish the clinical utility of the Kinetic School Drawing (KSD) projective technique. It attempted to do so by using an existing self-report measure of children’s self-perceptions in the school environment (Harter’s Self-Perception Profile for Children) by which to corroborate the projections derived from the KSD’s. Following the development of this measure (in 1984) limited research has been undertaken to assess its validity, reliability and clinical utility despite promising initial findings. The KSD has therefore not received much attention and as a result, it has yet to be established as a useful psychological assessment tool. This study sought to revive interest and discussion around the KSD. Qualitative methods and specifically thematic analysis was employed to explore the usefulness of the KSD in an attempt to address the gap in the literature in a meaningful way. The sample consisted of 26 grade 5 learners from a private school in the Eastern Cape. The themes were presented under the following headings: scholastic competence, athletic competence, social competence, physical appearance and behavioural conduct.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The contribution of agriculture to rural development in Mbashe Municipality
- Authors: Malusi, Phaphama Paul
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture and state -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18123 , vital:28578
- Description: Despite the decreasing contribution of agriculture to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Africa, agricultural activities are critical in the development of rural households. These activities are an important route through which these rural communities can reduce poverty. This is mainly because agriculture has been the main source of income and employment in rural areas in South Africa and other less developed countries (LDC). However, it has not generated sufficient income to sustain rural households. Rural areas are characterised by factors such as low socio-economic conditions, low standards of living, lack of access to markets and inadequate infrastructure that does not create an enabling environment for private sector involvement. The private sector is not actively involved or engaged in rural development. Rural development involves improvement in the economic security of people in rural areas. It is poor households that look for employment in agriculture. The poor are portrayed in terms of qualifications, employment, access to resources, basic health services, skills possessed, self- sustaining activities, and income and expenditure patterns. Many individuals in rural areas are pushed into non-agricultural activities due to lack of opportunities in agricultural activities. Lack of opportunities in agriculture can be caused by subsistence agriculture in small holdings of land and lack of appropriate skills sets for certain agricultural activities. Ultimately, it is poor individuals who increase their dependence on agriculture. The primary objective of this research was to obtain a better understanding of the contribution of agriculture in rural development in the Mbhashe Local Municipality (MLM). Furthermore, the necessary conditions required to sustain livelihoods in the rural areas were identified. This was mainly done in an attempt to improve the quality of life in the rural areas. The study was based on three objectives. The first objective was to identify the constraints to agricultural activities in the Mbashe Local Municipality; the second was to investigate the plight of rural people in the Mbhashe Local Municipality. Lastly, the third objective was to investigate the contribution of agriculture in rural development in the study area. The main finding with regards to the first objective is that facors such as lack of infrastructure, low socio-economic conditions, lack of appropriate skills and lack of opportunities in agriculture are some of the constraints to agricultural activities. Investments in basic infrastructure need to be significant so that funds can flow into the rural areas to be invested in livelihood activities in order to create more employment opportunities. With regard to the second objective, the main finding is that rural people need to be empowered through increased knowledge and skills. This involves improving literacy and skills training, because the outcome of this training is that they are able to stand on their own feet and provide for their families. The main finding with regard to the third objective is that rural areas, by nature, are not easy to service but have indigenous knowledge that can be used in agriculture. However, the government must support them with the necessary infrastructure. Agriculture has been a major source of income and employment in the Mbashe Municipality.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The Daily Dispatch's political coverage of the Eastern Cape Provincial government: 1 January 2013 – 31 December 2013
- Authors: Ramncwana, Ayanda
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Journalism -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Mass media -- Political aspects -- South Africa , Press -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19905 , vital:29004
- Description: The Daily Dispatch, a newspaper based in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, has a long history of political reporting. Arguably, it reached the zenith of its prominence during the era of political activism of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM), under the leadership of Bantu Steve Biko, who was martyred by the apartheid government in 1977. Biko was at the time based in King William’s Town, in the Eastern Cape. The newspaper, at the time edited by Donald Woods, held the view that Biko was preaching a doctrine of hatred against White people, and Woods took it upon himself to challenge Biko. This saw Woods gaining a better understanding of the BCM and Biko, and hiring into the Daily Dispatch’s newsroom a number of pro-Black Consciousness journalists. The newspaper then proceeded to cover not only the BCM, but also other pro-democracy movements until the demise of apartheid and the emergence of the African National Congress-led government under the presidency of Nelson Mandela. With the emergence of the ANC-led government, there was an expectation that newspapers and journalists that had opposed apartheid and supported the liberation struggle would continue supporting the freedom fighters-turned-career-politicians. This was especially so because some pro-ANC politicians-turned-businessmen acquired a stake in media ownership. It is against this background that this study investigated the political coverage by the Daily Dispatch of the Eastern Cape Provincial Government during the period 1 January – 30 December 2013. Taking into cognisance the changing hands of the ownership of the Daily Dispatch, the Political Economy theory, which focuses on the link between ownership of the media and its role in society, was employed as a theoretical framework. The study utilised the qualitative research methodology, specifically interviews and content analysis, as research techniques (methods). The research found that despite the changes in the ownership of the Daily Dispatch, the newspaper provided independent political coverage of the ANC-led government in the Eastern Cape during the research period.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The design of a boarding school for displaced children near Graaff-Reinet
- Authors: Akom, Chelcie Jade
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: School buildings -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School buildings -- Specifications -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Architecture -- Designs and plans Graaff-Reinet (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17888 , vital:28479
- Description: The treatise developed from a preoccupation with regards to the theories rooted around the human need for a sense of embeddedness in a specific place. This need lies deep within the human heart, as humans have a psychological and phenomenological need for a sense of comfort and security. The preoccupation lead to the notions pertaining to place to place making. The treatise acknowledges that certain places have the ability to evoke certain moods in human beings as a result of their extension and character, and when a place possesses a certain character it becomes meaningful to man. In order for man to fulfill his need to dwell amid the earth and sky, he has to orientate himself and identify with the natural place in which he is located.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The design of a brick factory at Swartkops, Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Birkholtz, Matthew Carl
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Factories -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Designs and plans , Architecture, Industrial -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Designs and plans , Architecture, Modern -- 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17866 , vital:28462
- Description: This treatise is preoccupied with the nature of industrial architecture and its impact on the landscape. The study is informed by the need for an ecocentric approach to the nature of cradle-to-grave modes of production (McDonough 2002) from the 1900s that contaminate the environment with the waste produced and through the ways in which raw materials are obtained for production. The project developed out of an interest in the effects of industry on the landscape, with the researcher initially identifying a type of industry, the way its processes are managed, and its effects on the environment. Clay brick manufacturing has been a local tradition for many years. Brick is one of the oldest construction materials, but the ways in which bricks are manufactured can be improved, particularly in terms of energy efficiency and the environmental impact of mining. The selection of a suitable site involved a study of the city of Port Elizabeth to identify a site that has been contaminated through industrial processing within a threatened critical biodiversity area on the periphery of the city. The EP Brick site in the Swartkops area met all the criteria for a suitable site and programme that can be managed by a system of phased planning over a period governed by the availability of clay material for brick making. Moreover, a common problem with the nature of the industrial landscape is the mono-functionality of industrial buildings that outlive their design intention and become vacant eyesores on the landscape, inevitably decaying over time due to the undesirable and costly implementation of reuse strategies. By 2017, the EP Brick yard had entered its third generation of family ownership, according to co-owner Billy Martin (2017). In addition, because the brickyard site contained only 35 years’ worth of clay within its boundaries at this time, the limited availability of resources encourages a building that is flexible in nature to allow the transformation of its programme and function. Due to the destructive nature of clay mining and the adjacent industrial Enviroserv waste management dumpsite, the site provides the opportunity for a building that is adaptive for future reuse, specifically from an ecosystemic brick factory to a waste management facility, to extend its lifespan and begin remediation of the waste dump site. The building will be designed with a system of impermanent and permanent structures to allow it to be demountable. The permanent structure will be left on the landscape to be reused once the building transforms. The transformed building on the remediated site will be presented to the public to be used for recreation and for the purchasing of biogas and recycled products from waste. Furthermore, the new energy-efficient brick factory strives to create a harmonious working environment for its staff, making use of natural light and air to invite nature indoors. It uses renewable energy sources to minimize its impact by excluding fossil fuels and national power, which supports its function as part of the ecosystem to provide remediation of the fractured landscape damaged by mining and waste disposal on the adjacent site. Creating a new model for the industrial typology within the precinct will establish ecocentric regulations that redefine industrial production and waste management techniques to alleviate the pressure on threatened critical biodiversity areas. This will encourage the implementation of similar regulations in surrounding factories.
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- Date Issued: 2017