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An evaluation on the implementation of Batho Pele Service Delivery Policy: a case of South African Social Security Agency in Amathole District Municipality

  • Authors: Matiti, Sibongile
  • Date: 2014
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
  • Identifier: vital:11710 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1015241
  • Description: Batho Pele Principles are the most fundamental policy guide-lines of the public sector administration and service delivery. The government uses these principles in improving the service delivery outcomes. The principles are meant to transform the hearts and the minds of public servants and put the citizens at the core of operations. The study succeeded to establish the understanding and implementation of these principles at SASSA Amathole Region. This study was able to determine the level of good governance in the public sector, its transparency, efficiency, effectiveness and accountability. SASSA committed themselves to the agenda of social transformation that is embodied in the principles of Social Justice and Bill of Rights contained in the South African Constitution. The study also looked at other previous literatures that were conducted which sought to better explain the Batho Pele principles and also looked into describing different demographic characteristics and the process of grant application at SASSA. The study looked at the important aspects that the public servants have to know with regards to the understanding and implementation of the Batho Pele principles. These principles came with responsibility and one has to be alert of their vitality in the realisation of rendering a public service that is sound. These principles were measured through grant application at SASSA in Eastern Cape at Amathole District Municipality. The study determined the level of commitment SASSA has in transforming service delivery. Improving service delivery is the ultimate goal of public service transformation programme and every government’s success depends on its effectiveness and efficiency delivery of services to citizens. The study concluded with the emphasis on the need for effective implementation of Batho Pele policy by government agencies such as SASSA.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An examination of validation practices in relation to the forensic acquisition of digital evidence in South Africa

  • Authors: Jordaan, Jason
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Electronic evidence , Evidence, Criminal , Forensic sciences , Evidence, Criminal -- South Africa -- Law and legislation
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4706 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016361
  • Description: The acquisition of digital evidence is the most crucial part of the entire digital forensics process. During this process, digital evidence is acquired in a forensically sound manner to ensure the legal admissibility and reliability of that evidence in court. In the acquisition process various hardware or software tools are used to acquire the digital evidence. All of the digital forensic standards relating to the acquisition of digital evidence require that the hardware and software tools used in the acquisition process are validated as functioning correctly and reliably, as this lends credibility to the evidence in court. In fact the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 in South Africa specifically requires courts to consider issues such as reliability and the manner in which the integrity of digital evidence is ensured when assessing the evidential weight of digital evidence. Previous research into quality assurance in the practice of digital forensics in South Africa identified that in general, tool validation was not performed, and as such a hypothesis was proposed that digital forensic practitioners in South Africa make use of hardware and/or software tools for the forensic acquisition of digital evidence, whose validity and/or reliability cannot be objectively proven. As such the reliability of any digital evidence preserved using those tools is potentially unreliable. This hypothesis was tested in the research through the use of a survey of digital forensic practitioners in South Africa. The research established that the majority of digital forensic practitioners do not use tools in the forensic acquisition of digital evidence that can be proven to be validated and/or reliable. While just under a fifth of digital forensic practitioners can provide some proof of validation and/or reliability, the proof of validation does not meet formal international standards. In essence this means that digital evidence, which is preserved through the use of specific hardware and/or software tools for subsequent presentation and reliance upon as evidence in a court of law, is preserved by tools where the objective and scientific validity thereof has not been determined. Since South African courts must consider reliability in terms of Section 15(3) of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 in assessing the weight of digital evidence, this is undermined through the current state of practice in South Africa by digital forensic practitioners.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An exploration into the use of webinjects by financial malware

  • Authors: Forrester, Jock Ingram
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Malware (Computer software) -- Analysis , Internet fraud , Computer crimes , Computer security , Electronic commerce
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4697 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012079 , Malware (Computer software) -- Analysis , Internet fraud , Computer crimes , Computer security , Electronic commerce
  • Description: As the number of computing devices connected to the Internet increases and the Internet itself becomes more pervasive, so does the opportunity for criminals to use these devices in cybercrimes. Supporting the increase in cybercrime is the growth and maturity of the digital underground economy with strong links to its more visible and physical counterpart. The digital underground economy provides software and related services to equip the entrepreneurial cybercriminal with the appropriate skills and required tools. Financial malware, particularly the capability for injection of code into web browsers, has become one of the more profitable cybercrime tool sets due to its versatility and adaptability when targeting clients of institutions with an online presence, both in and outside of the financial industry. There are numerous families of financial malware available for use, with perhaps the most prevalent being Zeus and SpyEye. Criminals create (or purchase) and grow botnets of computing devices infected with financial malware that has been configured to attack clients of certain websites. In the research data set there are 483 configuration files containing approximately 40 000 webinjects that were captured from various financial malware botnets between October 2010 and June 2012. They were processed and analysed to determine the methods used by criminals to defraud either the user of the computing device, or the institution of which the user is a client. The configuration files contain the injection code that is executed in the web browser to create a surrogate interface, which is then used by the criminal to interact with the user and institution in order to commit fraud. Demographics on the captured data set are presented and case studies are documented based on the various methods used to defraud and bypass financial security controls across multiple industries. The case studies cover techniques used in social engineering, bypassing security controls and automated transfers.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An exploration of James Dreier’s Standard Tune Learning Sequence in a self-directed learning environment : an interpretative phenomenological analysis

  • Authors: Ellis, Stephen James
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Dreier, James Drum -- Performance -- Studies and exercises Drum -- Methods -- Self-instruction Drum -- Instruction and study Drummers (Musicians)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
  • Identifier: vital:2680 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011312
  • Description: This qualitative case study was undertaken in order to explore the experiences of drum set students who apply themselves to James Dreier’s Standard Tune Learning Sequence (STLS) in a self-directed learning environment. These experiences ultimately shed light on how best to implement Differentiated Instruction to the STLS. The study draws on the experience of three adult drum students under the instruction of the author. The students were provided with the STLS and left to proceed with it on their own. They were asked to keep a record of their progress in the form of a learning journal. These learning journals were used, in conjunction with transcribed interviews and learner profiles, as data for this study and as such were subjected to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The study recognizes three factors which affect the student’s successful progression through the STLS: readiness, interest and meaning. Each factor is discussed in relation to literature on differentiated Instruction. Recommendations are made regarding the implementation of Differentiated Instruction to the STLS.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An exploration of the other and the disruption of self in schizophrenia

  • Authors: Stopforth, Penny
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Self , Schizophrenia
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:3254 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016362
  • Description: Hermans’ (2002) Dialogical model of Self advocates for a construction of Self that is fluid, diverse and dialogically constructed. He argues that development of ongoing dialogues from within and without the Self constitute the Self. These parts of Self that participate in this internal dialogue are referred to by Hermans (2002) as I-positions. Healthy, dynamic internal dialogue between I-positions is argued to contribute to maintaining a unified sense of Self. The Self is also argued to be socially constructed, in so far as Others outside the Self participate in these internal dialogues and are able to influence and occupy I-positions. Research has shown that people with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia experience a unique form of Self disruption. It has been postulated that this disruption is due to disruptions in this internal dialogue. To date, seminal research has primarily focussed on the internal mechanisms and phenomenological accounts of these disruptions. However, little research has focused on the role that Others outside the Self play in these disruptions. Since the Self is also constructed as a social entity, the aim of this research is to explore in what ways the Other contributes and/or minimises this disruption in people with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia. In order to achieve this, I made use of archival data which was made up of the transcripts from semi-structured interviews previously conducted with people with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia as part of a Self and Schizophrenia study. The interviews were analysed using deductive thematic analysis, and utilised Herman’s theory of the Dialogical Self as the theoretical lens for this study. The emergent themes were organised according to those that were present before a diagnosis of Schizophrenia was given and those themes that were present post-diagnosis. The themes reflected that the Other plays a significant role in the both the maintenance of healthy dialogue post diagnosis and well as in the disruption of dialogue. This disruption was primarily observed throughthecompromising of previous I-positions and in the development of new performative and deficit I-positions that contributed to the disruption in internal dialogue.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An exploration of the way in which values and valuing processes might strengthen social learning in water stewardship practices in South Africa

  • Authors: Barnes, Garth
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Integrated water development -- South Africa -- Case studies , Water conservation -- South Africa -- Case studies , Water-supply -- Moral and ethical aspects -- South Africa , Environmental education -- South Africa , Social learning -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1975 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012940
  • Description: This qualitative study, focussing on the way in which values and valuing processes might strengthen social learning in water stewardship practices in South Africa, is located within the broader global narrative that describes the scale of human impact on our Earth systems and that is setting humanity on a trajectory that threatens to place us beyond the safe operating spaces called planetary boundaries. For humanity to live within planetary boundaries – one of which is global freshwater use –will take a new way of relating to the environment called Earth stewardship, which calls for a new ethic of responsibility towards Earth systems. It is at the local level of stewardship within a global approach to water resources management called integrated water resources management that this qualitative study is contextually bound. Two case studies, located in the catchment management forums (CMFs) of the Upper Vaal catchment of Gauteng, South Africa, are used in an exploration of the way in which values and valuing processes might strengthen social learning in water stewardship practices in South Africa. The meta-theory of critical realism is used to help explore this relationship between values, practice and social learning. The study uses document analysis, interviews and observation of selected water stewardship practices to identify held and assigned values, and valuing processes and their influence on social learning, and the framing and de-framing processes that occur in social learning oriented towards water stewardship practices. The study differentiates between held and assigned values and identifies a strong altruistic-held values tendency that characterises forum participants who practice water stewardship in the two case study sites. Most water stewardship practice, identified in the case study sites, manifests as compliance activities in the public – or forum – space, while private-sphere environmentalism is mostly left to the confines of the individual’s private household. Lastly, the CMFs seem to have the potential to provide a space for social learning that is not yet maximised. Drawing from these key findings, the study’s major recommendation is that forums that facilitate learning, either using the current CMF structure or creating new opportunities, need to be provided as a conduit for social learning and reflexivity to make the existing boundaries between private and public forms of water stewardship more porous. This social learning may expand social practice and thus strengthen social change processes that expand water stewardship practices.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An exploratory study of the implementation of a decentralized water provision model: a case of Chris Hani District Municipality

  • Authors: Dyasi, Nobuhle Marjorie Pretty
  • Date: 2014
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/18532 , vital:22353
  • Description: It is notable that successful implementation of strategy is very important in any organization - private or public. As such it is not surprising that public sector managers are expected to implement strategies to improve organizational performance and service delivery. Consequently, strategy implementation in the public sector has become an increasingly relevant and topical issue, especially because public sector organizations exist to meet the needs of particular stakeholder groups and maximize organizational performance rather than realize profits. Despite this growing focus of public sector management literature on strategy, “there have so far been few explanations about how public sector managers develop and implement new strategic approaches” (Pablo, Reay, Dewald and Casebeer, 2007:687). This qualitative study explores the implementation of a decentralised water service provision model at Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) which is located in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. The Chris Hani District Municipality is comprised of eight local municipalities: Lukhanji, Lady Frere, Sakhisizwe, Inkwanca, Tsolwana, Inxuba Yethemba, Intsika Yethu and Engcobo. All eight municipalities were delegated to perform the water service provision function of CHDM. The research questions are: How effective was the implementation of the CHDM decentralised water services provision model? and What are the enablers of and barriers to implementing a decentralised water provision model in CHDM? The study used the McKinsey 7S framework of strategy execution to evaluate the implementation of the decentralised water services provision model in CHDM, enablers and barriers to executing this model were also identified. Purposively, a total of seven area managers were interviewed as the eighth Area Manager resigned and left the employment of CHDM during the time of the study. Data was gathered from Area Managers who are intimately involved in the daily operation of water services provision. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews which were audio recorded, transcribed and data was coded and categorised according to the theoretical perspectives of the McKinsey 7S framework. The draft report was given to the research participants for verification or comments not only as input but also as a member check before the final report. Predominantly most of the Area Managers reflected that the implementation of the decentralised water services provision model by CHDM manifested four cornerstones: (a) reducing distance to water services, (b) delegating of water provision function and accountability, (c) improving delivery of water services, and (d) putting people first in water provision. Drivers and barriers of the implementation of the decentralized water provision strategy were identified to empower local municipalities and enhance operational efficiencies and service quality. Recommendations were made to CHDM on how the implementation of the decentralised water services provision model could be enhanced for better performance. This study will benefit CHDM on improving and strengthening the alignment of all the 7S’s elements of strategy execution to enhance the performance of the decentralised water provision model. Since no studies had been conducted previously to evaluate the implementation of a decentralised water services provision strategy at CHDM, this research is valuable to CHDM as it provides insight on the effectiveness of implementing the decentralised water provision model. Furthermore, the use of the McKinsey 7S framework to evaluate the decentralised model is valuable as it identifies and highlights the gaps where there is misalignment of the 7S’s of strategy execution. These are areas which CHDM needs to address in order to enhance or improve strategic performance.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An expression of South African youth identity : understanding deliquency, violence and vandalism amongst the youth in selected informal settlements

  • Authors: Mohale, Keneuoe
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Youth and violence -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Squatter settlements -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Child rearing , Identity (Psychology) in youth
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
  • Identifier: vital:8321 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020155
  • Description: This study sought to explore the perceptions of violence by the youth and to investigate the causes and consequences of violence amongst the youth. Specifically, the study aimed at exploring why the youth are predisposed to violence and violent crimes in informal settlements. A qualitative research design was used in this study. The researcher made use of the qualitative design because it allows for the richness of the personal experiences and meanings of the respondents to be explored, allowing the researcher to uncover variations between respondents. Based on the qualitative design, the study utilised the in-depth interview to solicit the views of young people living in New Brighton Township in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape Province. The objectives of the study were - To identify consequences of violence.- To assert if violence is normalised within a particular social environment.- To explore what predisposes the youth to violence.- To find out if parenting styles influence youth violence.- To explore the role of models in youth violence and crime. The respondents were selected through purposive sampling as the researcher sought typical and divergent data from the respondents. Data was collected through focus group interviews with nine young people aged nineteen to twenty- four years. The study established the following: Firstly, that violence is high in South African communities. It also found the following factors to be contributing to these high levels of violence: socialisation, unemployment, and family structures. The findings also indicated that some kinds of violence are normalised within the societies in which young people grow up in. Findings also indicate that, as a result of these violent behaviours, many South African youth lose their lives while others are imprisoned. This study also found that the environment in which a child grows up in has a greater impact on the child’s later behaviour in life. Overall, the study concluded that violence amongst the young people is a major problem facing South African communities. As one of the recommendations, the researcher indicated that punishing young people through imprisonment is not the solution, especially in a country where so many people are living in wretched poverty. Rather, the researcher recommended that minimising the levels of violence to which young people are exposed to on a daily basis could be one of the effective intervention strategies for decreasing this pandemic. This can be achieved by involving families, schools and communities in minimising this kind of exposure.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An impact assessment of the youth "development through football" project in Nelson Mandela Bay

  • Authors: Tsotetsi, Mampho
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Youth development -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Soccer -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality -- Prevention
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4664 , vital:20627
  • Description: Football as the most popular sport, serves as a medium through which development issues can be addressed in a variety of ways. The potential and limitations of sport as a vehicle for change are widely recognized for informing YDF and partner organisations for change and capacity building at all levels of engagement. The YDF on HIV prevention project brought about a close working relationship between GIZ/YDF, Volkswagen groups South Africa, NGO’s, federations and government institutions. Volkswagen formed a PPP (Public Private Partnership) to promote HIV prevention among the youth in the Eastern Cape Province. The aim of the cooperation was to raise awareness and improve the knowledge of the youth on HIV prevention. The project combined peer education through football with life-skills education on HIV Prevention in schools. The present study aimed at evaluating the impact and effectiveness of the YDF project in addressing HIV prevention awareness in the selected schools of Nelson Mandela Bay. The sample consisted of fifty grades six and seven learners of the ages of twelve and over. In this mixed methods research, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used and data was collected by means of questionnaires and interviews where pre and post-test studies were conducted. The results suggest that there has been an improvement in the learners’ awareness and therefore the YDF on HIV prevention programme has been effective in improving the participants’ level of HIV prevention awareness in Nelson Mandela Bay. These findings should make a meaningful contribution to the debate on sports based participation programmes on HIV/AIDS education, with regard to the stakeholders and implementing parties, as well as to the public.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An investigation into second language Learners’ proficiency in Mathematical language

  • Authors: Ngibe, Ntsikelelo Hector
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Second language acquisition -- Teaching and learning -- Mathematics Mathematics -- Language -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/845 , vital:29936
  • Description: The purpose of the study was to investigate second language learner‟s proficiency in mathematical language. The study was conducted using the Grade 12 learners in a senior secondary school in the district of Mthatha, Eastern Cape. The researcher used a case study approach and a questionnaire was used to investigate whether or not learners understood the language rather than to assess their mathematical ability. English was the language in question and used as the medium of instruction (MOI). In this study, aspects of the language used for mathematics are highlighted, the importance of mathematical vocabulary is discussed and reference is made to some recent research concerned with the understanding of mathematical language. The importance of language as a factor in the learning of mathematics is established through a consideration of bilingualism and the writer‟s own research into the understanding of mathematical language. Perhaps the most obvious educational difficulty which students encounter is that of language. Teachers and curriculum planners need to assess whether this is desirable, and to attempt to find ways in which learners in bilingual education programmes can learn mathematics in a meaningful way. Theories on the interaction between language and mathematical thinking, as well as the studies conducted with bilingual students can inform one‟s thinking about this issue. These ideas have important implications for teaching, texts and curriculum development. The study examined some of the above aspects in the context of South African Education.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An investigation into the impact of citizen’s protests on the performance of municipalities: a case of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality

  • Authors: Ncipha, Bukiwe
  • Date: 2014
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
  • Identifier: vital:11692 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1014677
  • Description: The aim of this paper is to establish the impact of citizen’s protests on the performance of municipalities with particular reference to Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. The basis for this study is the wave of strikes that are directed towards municipalities bearing demands for the delivery of basic services. The protests give an indication that municipalities throughout the country are faced with challenges in carrying out their constitutional mandate of delivering basic services and developing the socio-economic status of their constituencies. It thus becomes crucial to get a grasp of the causal factors and to understand the impact of such protest on the performance of municipalities, in order to develop relevant intervention strategies. The research aims to identify the trends and define the nature of these service delivery protests. In order to preserve democracy government ought to take note of the demonstrations because they are a re-occurrence of the past. During the apartheid regime, non-voting civilians used violent protests to raise their dissatisfaction with the government of the day; primarily the protests were aimed at disorganizing and bringing pressure to the government. The situation is different because nowadays citizens have various platforms to raise their concerns hence it becomes crucial to analyse the protests because they may be an indication that the various platforms are not functional and that people want to raise a vote of no confidence to the reigning party. The research entails an overview of local government, the constitutional mandate and developmental role of local government. The paper will also provide a brief synopsis on the state of affairs with regards to the delivery of basic services in Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. In conclusion there is going to be a list of recommendation based on the findings of this investigation. The recommendations will assist Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality and other municipalities in developing their strategies of delivering services in an effective and efficient manner thus giving meaning to the objectives of the constitution.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An investigation into the nature of grade 4 learners’ evolving mathematics learning dispositions: a case study of 3 learners participating in an after school mathematics club

  • Authors: Hewana, Diliza Ronald
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Case studies , Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Psychological aspects , After-school programs -- South Africa -- Grahamstown , Students -- Attitudes -- Case studies , Education, Elementary -- South Africa -- Grahamstown
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1983 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013140
  • Description: Through a qualitative case study approach this research investigated the nature of three Grade 4 learners’ mathematical learning dispositions. It further explored how these dispositions evolve within the context of their participation in a weekly after school mathematics club over time. Of particular significance the research drew on the dispositional frameworks of Kilpatrick, Swafford and Findell’s (2001) and Carr & Claxton (2002) and pointed to ways in which these framework can be usefully brought together to provide a richer picture of learning dispositions. Kilpatrick, Swafford and Findell’s (2001) framework of mathematical proficiency involves five interrelated strands of which productive disposition is the fifth strand and largely underresearched (Graven, 2012). This strand is defined as ‘the tendency to see sense in mathematics, to perceive it as both useful and worthwhile, to believe that steady effort in learning mathematics pays off, and to see oneself as an effective learner and doer of mathematics’ (Kilpatrick, Swafford and Findell, 2001, p. 131). Carr & Claxton (2002) similarly argue for the importance of learning dispositions and point to the importance of resilience, playfulness and resourcefulness as three key indicators. The research outlines findings of the three case study learners in terms of data obtained from a questionnaire and interview about students’ learning dispositions. The interview asked learners various questions including for example, complete the sentence ‘Maths is…’, describe an effective learner of mathematics and say what you do if you don’t know an answer. The instrument was first administered orally and learners were asked to write their answers (in May 2012) and a year later it was administered as an interview by the club facilitator (in May 2013). While there is the limitation of comparison due to the different ways in which learners responded in 2012 (written) and 2013 (oral) the shifting nature of responses in certain respects provides some indication of shifts towards increasingly productive dispositions. Additionally the research analysed detailed transcripts of video recordings of several club sessions over a five-month period. Findings suggest ways of extending dispositional frameworks and that learners have restricted dispositions particularly in terms of sense making and resourcefulness across time. The findings also suggest shifts in dispositions over time especially in terms of seeing steady effort as paying off.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An investigation into the relationship of job satisfaction, organisational commitment and the intention to quit among academics and administrative employees at the University of Fort Hare

  • Authors: Gomomo, Nokuzola Ruth
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Job satisfaction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Employee retention -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Employees -- Resignation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Labor turnover -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , M Com
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1730 , vital:27553
  • Description: University of Fort Hare Human Resource Department reports show evidence relating to high labour turnover. Between 2009 and 2012 there was a high degree of labour turnover. A total 1127 staff left the University. This study investigated the relationship between job satisfaction, organisational commitment and intention to quit among academics and administrative employees at the University of Fort Hare. Data was collected from a random sample of 289 employees of the University staff. To obtain data in this study a questionnaire was utilised. This questionnaire was divided into four sections viz, biographical information, measured ten-items which range from age to condition of employment, Halpern’s (1966) seven-level evaluation scale was utilised to measure job satisfaction, to measure organisational commitment, Meyer, and Allen (1984) 24-item rating point scale was applied and Canmann, Fichman, Jenkins and Klesh’s questionnaire was used to measure intention to quit. Data analysis was performed by way of several statistical techniques, including the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Technique and Multiple Regression analysis. The results obtained revealed that job satisfaction has a significant positive correlation with intention to leave while organisational commitment showed no substantial correlation with intention to quit work.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An investigation into the use of a ceramifiable Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) co-polymer formulation to aid flame retardency in electrical cables

  • Authors: Bambalaza, Sonwabo Elvis
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Vinyl acetate , Polymeric composites , Inorganic compounds
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:10433 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020159
  • Description: The concept of a unique ceramifiable Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) based polymer composite was based on the incorporation of inorganic compounds such as aluminium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, muscovite mica, and calcined kaolinite within a 95 percent EVA/ 5 percent Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer matrix such tha t upon heating to elevated temperatures of about 1000 oC, a solid end-product with ceramic-like properties would be formed. The ceramifiable EVA based polymer composite was developed to be used as electric cable insulation or sheath as the formation of a ceramic based material at elevated temperatures would provide flame retardant properties during fire situations. The flame retardant properties at elevated temperatures would ensure that the insulation remains at such temperatures due to some of the properties of the resultant ceramic such as reasonably high flexural strength, high thermal stability, non-reactivity and high melting point. During a fire this would ensure that flames would not be propagated along the length of the cable and also protect the underlying conducting wires from being exposed to the high temperatures of the fire. Its application as a cable insulation also required that the material functions as a cable insulator under ambient temperature conditions where the ceramifiable polymer composite should retain certain polymer properties such as the post-cure tensile strength (MPa), degree of polymer elongation (percent), thermal expansion, thermal slacking, limited oxygen index and electrical insulation. This study made use of a composite experimental design approach that would allow for the optimization of the amounts of the additives in the ceramifiable polymer composite giving both the desired mechanical properties of the material under normal operating temperatures as a polymer and also as a ceramic once exposed to elevated temperatures. The optimization of additives used in the ceramifiable polymer composite was done by using a D-optimal mixture design of experiments (DoE) which was analyzed by multiple linear regression.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An investigation into understanding of academic literacies of students registered in Early Childhood Development courses

  • Authors: Hackmack, Karin Erna
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Academic writing -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Grahamstown , Discourse analysis , Information literacy -- Study and teaching (Higher) , Information literacy -- Social aspects , Early childhood education -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa -- Grahamstown , Education -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa -- Grahamstown
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1996 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013548
  • Description: Purpose and research questions- This research was based on students enrolled on courses at Rhodes University's Centre for Social Development, an Institute delivering Early Childhood Development courses in the Grahamstown area. Having provided the students with access to a career path and its courses, it was imperative to assist the students to develop a standard of academic literacy comparable to that of in-service education students, in the Intermediate and Senior Phases. This study was influenced by Gee's (2004) definition of literacy as 'mastery over a discourse'. Gee (1990) termed discourse as the socially accepted way of thinking, believing and being. The study therefore investigated the enablers which assisted students to produce academic texts. This was achieved by finding out how the students and the course facilitators construct academic literacy; in other words what their discourses were regarding academic literacy. In order to ascertain this information, the students and the course facilitators were asked what reading and writing the students had done prior to enrolling on the course, what they had brought to the course, what the students and the course facilitators thought comprised a successful academic assignment, and how the students were supported in their academic literacy during the course. Data was gathered through interviews with both students and course facilitators, analysis of course assignments, and assessment reports written by the course facilitators. This data was analysed, looking for discourses on similarities and contradictions. Critical Discourse analysis was used to investigate the discourses that the course facilitators and students were using. Findings: It was evident from the data that the autonomous view of literacy was predominantly used. The course facilitators and, to a limited extent, the students, saw literacy as a set of technical skills that needed to be mastered. The students and course facilitators did not take into account that literacy is a social practice, and that literacy occurs within a particular social context and cultural context. The course facilitators tended to hold a deficit discourse related to the perception of inferior education under Bantu Education, which was seen as an inhibiting factor to academic literacy and academic success. The discourse of second language was also an issue that both the course facilitators and the students noted which prevented students' academic literacy. Christie's (1985) Received Tradition of Literacy, which focused on the forms and functions of literacy, was a discourse that both the students and the course facilitators ascribed to. Conclusions and recommendations: The course facilitators' and students' discourses were very similar, both being embedded within the autonomous and deficit models of literacy. It is recommended that course facilitators become cognisant with the models of academic literacy and that they become aware of the various discourses evident on the course and articulate these discourses for themselves. Furthermore they should assist the students by clearly articulating and unpacking the course requirements regarding academic literary.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An investigation of a mathematics recovery programme for multiplicative reasoning to a group of learners in the South African context : a case study approach

An investigation of stakeholder participation and learning in two schools within the Seychelles Eco-School programme

  • Authors: Emilie, Shane Antonio
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Environmental education -- Seychelles Schools -- Environmental aspects -- Seychelles Education, Primary -- Parent participation -- Seychelles Education, Secondary -- Parent participation -- Seychelles Student participation in administration -- Education (Primary) -- Seychelles Student participation in administration -- Education (Secondary) -- Seychelles Student participation in curriculum planning -- Education (Primary) -- Seychelles Student participation in curriculum planning -- Education (Secondary) -- Seychelles Education, Primary -- Seychelles Education, Secondary -- Seychelles
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1969 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011961
  • Description: The aim of this study was to investigate stakeholder participation and learning in the Seychelles Eco-School programme within a primary school context and a secondary school context. Findings from each Eco-School have been presented in two case studies with the goal to explore and describe how teachers, students, parents and organizations are participating and learning in the Eco-School programme. Six elements of school community were used to deepen understanding of the participatory and learning processes in each Eco-School, namely, leadership, management and administration, curriculum planning, teaching and learning, resource use and management, management of physical surrounds of the school and networks and partnerships. Some of the contextual variables in each Eco-School that were constraining and enabling stakeholder participation and learning in the programme have also been explored within this study. Data in this study was generated from historical documents analysed, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and field notes. Data was also generated from questionnaires completed by organizations involved in the programme at each Eco- School. Data was analysed in two phases, the first phase involved reading across data generated from the methods mentioned above to organize the data under broad themes in relation to the elements of school community. The second phase of analysis involved the use of the conceptual framework of situating learning in a community of practice to interpret and discuss the participatory and learning processes across the two cases. The study showed that in each Eco-School there is a community of practice with the active involvement of teachers and students and the occasional involvement of parents and organizations. Students and adults are learning as they engage together in classroom and field-work interactions, environmental projects, environmental activities to commemorate environmental theme days, environmental campaigns and co-curricular activities through the practices of each Eco-School community. It was also discovered that students and adults are making different contributions in the Eco-School community based on their level of participation in the programme. It is hoped that the findings in this research contribute information regarding community participation in environmental education programmes like the Seychelles Eco-School programme. In addition, findings will inform the Seychelles Government and its partners to consider the possibility of enhancing school and community partnerships to respond to some of the challenges of participation and learning in the Eco-School programme.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An investigation of the expectations held by retail tenants with regards to the internal marketing function performed by their shopping centre landlord

  • Authors: Bosman, Jiminy-Ann Ashurde
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Shopping centers , Retail trade , Stores, Retail , Consumer satisfaction
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3725 , vital:20458
  • Description: While much has been written about retail stores and the retail environment, franchises and organisational marketing, not much can be found on “host” organisations such as shopping centres and their role within the marketing mix. A unique disparity exists within shopping centres in that not only are they an organisation with their own brand identity and culture, but they also play host to numerous retailers and franchises with very clear brands and messages of their own. The question that is often posed to the landlord is therefore whose message or what message is the correct one to market to the common consumer-base targeted by both the shopping centre (landlord) and the tenant (retailers). When considering this, it is important to understand that a symbiotic relationship exists between landlord and tenant within shopping centres in that if a tenant is successful this will result in greater rentals for the landlord and if the landlord’s property is successful, i.e. popular, this will result in greater revenue for the tenant. Both parties therefore actively engage in marketing of their businesses and whilst the message is often noticeably different, what is unique is that this is often to the same consumer-base. Tenants in many shopping centres contribute towards centre marketing expenses as part of their lease agreements and as a result have certain expectations in terms of what message is being marketed. Shopping centres varying in size and tenant numbers make the landlords marketing role that much more complex and often generic messaging is employed to umbrella the wide offering available. This study aims at investigating the expectations held by retail tenants of their shopping centre landlords through the internal communications function. Corporate communication theory as well as public relations theory was used as a grounding.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An investigation of the intention to leave or stay of health care professionals at St. Andrews Hospital

  • Authors: Amanambu, Rochelle Aneeta
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Medical personnel -- Job satisfaction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Medical personnel -- Job stress -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Hospitals -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Administration Hospitals -- Medical staff -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Hospitals -- Officials and employees -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Turnover Health services administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Health planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:823 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011091
  • Description: Background: The demand for and retention of talent worldwide is aggravated by revolutionary trends that include global competition, demographic changes and technological advances. In South Africa this phenomenon according to Frost (2002) is further challenged by the emigration of skilled people; the relative scarcity of specialist and managerial employees; employment equity and affirmative action procedures. But the development of strategies first requires an understanding of the factors which influence decisions to leave or stay particularly in rural and remote areas. St. Andrews Hospital is a rural district hospital in Ugu District, KZN. Its remoteness from urban areas and the lack of resources contributes towards challenges of attracting and retaining health care professionals to the area. It is the aim of this study to identify the ten most prevalent turnover and retention factors in a rural district hospital with the intention of making recommendations towards strategies to mitigate turnover and improve retention of health care professionals. This study will not only serve the local Human Resource Department but may also be used to inform district and provincial policies as well as departments’ decisions in the design or the review of current retention strategies aimed at reducing turnover. Method: The survey method was used to collect the primary data by distribution of self-administered questionnaires to Health Care Professionals at St. Andrews Hospital. Of the one hundred and fifty questionnaires distributed, one hundred and seven were returned (71% response rate) and formed the basis of the study. Results: Based on the impact scores, the top three turnover factors identified were, the way the organisation is led by top management (0.934); the size of the workload (0.862); and the way problems are dealt with by managers in the organisation (0.817). No statistically significant relationships were found between turnover factors and biographical variable. Availability of quality health services was ranked as the external factor that had the highest influence (78%) on turnover, while geographical location was ranked the lowest. The main reason given by respondents for leaving their previous employment was promotion, followed by distance and personal/family reasons. The top three retention factors identified from the impact scores were the quality of relationships with colleagues (1.698); the amount of support received from managers and colleagues (1.484); and the level of engagement and involvement with the job (1.390). This demonstrates that the salary package often thought to be a first priority factor Mobley, Horner and Hollingsworth (1978); Mobley (1982) and Herzberg (2003) is far less of a determining factor at St. Andrews Hospital than management support, job involvement and person-organisation fit as well as the social relationships formed in the workplace. A positive relationship was found between leadership and job dimension factors at the 1% level of significance. This supports the strong social bond (person-organisation fit) formed in the work environment between management and colleagues that supports retention and increases level of commitment. An important result of the study was that 46% of the respondents were thinking of leaving the town within the year while 29% were considering resigning from St. Andrews Hospital within the year. Conclusion: The results reveal a complex interaction of factors impacting on turnover and retention. The Human Resource Management function has a pivotal role to play in improving its ability to attract and retain professionals through developing comprehensive strategies based on external and internal and environmental factors. The study conveys to the St. Andrews Hospital management that turnover and retention factors are unique to the location and the working environment and differs amongst Health Care Professionals – this should be deliberated on when formulating Hospital Human Resource retention policies.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An investigation of the potential anti-diabetic (insulinomimetic) activity of anti-oxidant compounds derived from Sargassum heterophyllum

  • Authors: Nyambe, Mutenta Nsokolo
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Sargassum , Diabetes -- Chemotherapy , Diabetes -- Africa , Antioxidants -- Therapeutic use , Marine algae , Endemic plants -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:3874 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021020
  • Description: In Africa, non-communicable diseases such as diabetes mellitus have been generally neglected. This problem has worsened over the years owing to continuous threats from infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Despite this, statistics have shown that by 2030, the African region will have the highest proportional increase in diabetes prevalence. Over 80% of all diabetic deaths occur in developing countries probably not only due to poor equity of access to medication but also due to limited efficacy and side effects associated with the commonly available anti-diabetic agents. Therefore, this creates the desperate need for the development of new anti-diabetic agents that are more efficacious and can be sourced from within the continent. With oxidative stress as a suggested mechanism underlying the cause of diabetes mellitus and diabetic complications, the discovery of natural anti-oxidants that prevent free radical mediated damage is important for developing new treatment strategies. Marine algae have been identified as good sources for natural anti-oxidants. Unfortunately, very few studies have embarked on the discovery of marine-derived anti-oxidant compounds with potential anti-diabetic activity. In this project, we investigated the potential anti-oxidant activity of the South African endemic algae Stypopodium multipartitum, Dictyopterus ligulata, Cystophora fibriosa, Bifurcariopsis capensis, Sargassum sp. and Sargassum heterophyllum. From these studies, Sargassum heterophyllum yielded prenylated compounds, the main compound being sargahydroquinoic acid (3.6) and the carotenoid metabolite fucoxanthin (3.8), which are in part responsible for the radical scavenging activity of the crude extract. Sargahydroquinoic acid (3.6) and fucoxanthin (3.8) also exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity. Sargaquinoic acid (3.1), sargachromenoic acid (3.9) and sarganaphthoquinoic acid (3.10) were then semi-synthesized from sargahydroquinoic acid (3.6) and their in-vitro cytotoxicity profiles evaluated using Chang Liver, HT-29, Caco-2 and 3T3-L1 cell lines prior to antidiabetic testing. From the semi-synthetic derivatives, sargachromenoic acid (3.9) exhibited the most potent anti-oxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 6.99 μg/mL). After the evaluation of antidiabetic activity using 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation, sarganaphthoquinoic acid (3.10) showed the most potent insulinomimetic activity at 1.19 μM by inducing a PPARγ response similar to that of rosiglitazone at 1 μM.
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  • Date Issued: 2014
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