A critical analysis of the management of climate change risk among short-term insurers in South Africa: evidence from company annual reports
- Authors: Banda, Musale Hamangaba
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Insurance companies -- South Africa -- Case studies Risk (Insurance) -- South Africa Risk management -- Evaluation -- South Africa Insurance companies -- South Africa -- Management South Africa -- Economic conditions -- 1991 -- Environmental aspects Climatic changes -- Risk assessment -- South Africa Disaster insurance -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:792 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003943
- Description: This study investigates the extent to which South African short-term insurance companies manage climate change risk, as evidenced in their annual and sustainability reporting. The study context takes into account the fact that the world’s climate has been changing at a more accelerated rate since the early 1970s, causing disasters that have negatively affected world economies in the last ten years. Insurers, due to their huge financial resource base, long history of spurring innovation around risk and encouraging loss-reducing behaviour as well as high levels of vulnerability, have been identified as one industry that could lead societies in finding solutions to climate change risk. A key element of such a corporate resolve involves taking a leadership position which makes business sense for insurers. As such, this research analyses how innovative solutions to change-related problems could result in reduced exposure to climate change in line with corporate triple bottom line objectives. Based on a purposive sampling of short-term insurance companies operating in the South African market during the 2007 financial year, the study uses the companies’ annual and sustainability reports in order to critically assess evidence of climate change-related performance. The assessment is undertaken against the best practice indicators of climate change risk management, as defined by Ceres – a global researcher on climate change management in the business context. The data analysis is largely qualitative, consisting of a narrative presentation of the results and a conceptual application of the results to the triple bottom line which forms the theoretical framework of this study. The study finds that the South African short-term insurers were generally not living up to the climate change management ideals, in comparison to their multinational counterparts. For the South African short-term insurers, corporate strategic product innovation and planning was insignificant. Also negligible was board involvement, as well as CEO involvement, though in at least one case of the 4 local short-term insurance, there was evidence of extensive CEO involvement in climate change risk management. On the whole, these findings represent a lapse in corporate governance inasmuch as climate change risk management is concerned. Local short-term insurers generally performed well in the area of public disclosure, with their scores ranging from insignificant to extensive. In contrast, multinational short-term insurers’ performance with regard to climate change risk intervention ranged from insignificant tointegrated, across the five governance areas of board oversight, management execution, public disclosure, emissions accounting and strategic planning. As such, the study broadly recommends that short-term insurers in South Africa should make climate change part of their overall risk management strategies in order for them to remain competitive in an environment of increased climate change-related risk. More specifically, the research project recommends that the local insurers should proactively lead climate change mitigation measures through, for instance, investing in clean energy projects and incentivising their clients’ participation in the carbon market to prepare themselves for possible regulatory restrictions after the Copenhagen climate change conference planned for December 2009. This study also challenges insurers to help communities and as well as other businesses in their value chain to reduce their negative impacts on the world’s climate and to be more resilient against disasters which may arise from the high levels of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere. Further, it recommends that insurers should create internal board and executive level climate change-related structures, as these will facilitate the integration of the proposed initiatives into their overall sustainability strategies. Above all, the study recommends that insurers should enhance the reporting of their climate change-related risk, opportunities and initiatives to improve their integrity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Banda, Musale Hamangaba
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Insurance companies -- South Africa -- Case studies Risk (Insurance) -- South Africa Risk management -- Evaluation -- South Africa Insurance companies -- South Africa -- Management South Africa -- Economic conditions -- 1991 -- Environmental aspects Climatic changes -- Risk assessment -- South Africa Disaster insurance -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:792 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003943
- Description: This study investigates the extent to which South African short-term insurance companies manage climate change risk, as evidenced in their annual and sustainability reporting. The study context takes into account the fact that the world’s climate has been changing at a more accelerated rate since the early 1970s, causing disasters that have negatively affected world economies in the last ten years. Insurers, due to their huge financial resource base, long history of spurring innovation around risk and encouraging loss-reducing behaviour as well as high levels of vulnerability, have been identified as one industry that could lead societies in finding solutions to climate change risk. A key element of such a corporate resolve involves taking a leadership position which makes business sense for insurers. As such, this research analyses how innovative solutions to change-related problems could result in reduced exposure to climate change in line with corporate triple bottom line objectives. Based on a purposive sampling of short-term insurance companies operating in the South African market during the 2007 financial year, the study uses the companies’ annual and sustainability reports in order to critically assess evidence of climate change-related performance. The assessment is undertaken against the best practice indicators of climate change risk management, as defined by Ceres – a global researcher on climate change management in the business context. The data analysis is largely qualitative, consisting of a narrative presentation of the results and a conceptual application of the results to the triple bottom line which forms the theoretical framework of this study. The study finds that the South African short-term insurers were generally not living up to the climate change management ideals, in comparison to their multinational counterparts. For the South African short-term insurers, corporate strategic product innovation and planning was insignificant. Also negligible was board involvement, as well as CEO involvement, though in at least one case of the 4 local short-term insurance, there was evidence of extensive CEO involvement in climate change risk management. On the whole, these findings represent a lapse in corporate governance inasmuch as climate change risk management is concerned. Local short-term insurers generally performed well in the area of public disclosure, with their scores ranging from insignificant to extensive. In contrast, multinational short-term insurers’ performance with regard to climate change risk intervention ranged from insignificant tointegrated, across the five governance areas of board oversight, management execution, public disclosure, emissions accounting and strategic planning. As such, the study broadly recommends that short-term insurers in South Africa should make climate change part of their overall risk management strategies in order for them to remain competitive in an environment of increased climate change-related risk. More specifically, the research project recommends that the local insurers should proactively lead climate change mitigation measures through, for instance, investing in clean energy projects and incentivising their clients’ participation in the carbon market to prepare themselves for possible regulatory restrictions after the Copenhagen climate change conference planned for December 2009. This study also challenges insurers to help communities and as well as other businesses in their value chain to reduce their negative impacts on the world’s climate and to be more resilient against disasters which may arise from the high levels of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere. Further, it recommends that insurers should create internal board and executive level climate change-related structures, as these will facilitate the integration of the proposed initiatives into their overall sustainability strategies. Above all, the study recommends that insurers should enhance the reporting of their climate change-related risk, opportunities and initiatives to improve their integrity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Coping with xenophobia : Senegalese migrants in Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Barbali, Silvana Claudia
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Xenophobia -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Migrant labor -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Immigrants -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Foreign workers -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Aliens -- South Africa -- Social conditions Immigrants -- Africa -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2102 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002665
- Description: This thesis seeks to investigate Senegalese migrants' experiences of xenophobia in South Africa. It explores prevailing theories used to explain the phenomenon of xenophobia and uses data collected via anthropological fieldwork to support arguments made. It is argued that a culture of migration in Senegal and the significance of migration as a rite of passage in Senegalese masculinity assists migrants to orientate themselves in host countries, and influences the way Senegalese are „received‟ by South Africans. In addition, Senegalese Islam (Sufi Orientation), which organises its members into brotherhoods, assists in the social integration of Senegalese men in Port Elizabeth. The men belong to the Mouride Brotherhood and the thesis shows how membership to the brotherhood provides a strong network of support for migrant men without resulting in the enclaving of the men in the broader social and economic context of Port Elizabeth. This has important implications for the individual and collective migration experience of Senegalese and influences the men's creation of meaning in their experiences as migrants. The thesis makes use of the concept of transnationalism to analyse the complex and multifaceted nature of transnational migration, arguing that migration experiences are influenced by a range of transnational factors and is deeply culturally influenced. The research suggests that migration experts and government departments in South Africa should take these complexities into account when formulating new programmes and policies for migrants.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Barbali, Silvana Claudia
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Xenophobia -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Migrant labor -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Immigrants -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Foreign workers -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Aliens -- South Africa -- Social conditions Immigrants -- Africa -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2102 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002665
- Description: This thesis seeks to investigate Senegalese migrants' experiences of xenophobia in South Africa. It explores prevailing theories used to explain the phenomenon of xenophobia and uses data collected via anthropological fieldwork to support arguments made. It is argued that a culture of migration in Senegal and the significance of migration as a rite of passage in Senegalese masculinity assists migrants to orientate themselves in host countries, and influences the way Senegalese are „received‟ by South Africans. In addition, Senegalese Islam (Sufi Orientation), which organises its members into brotherhoods, assists in the social integration of Senegalese men in Port Elizabeth. The men belong to the Mouride Brotherhood and the thesis shows how membership to the brotherhood provides a strong network of support for migrant men without resulting in the enclaving of the men in the broader social and economic context of Port Elizabeth. This has important implications for the individual and collective migration experience of Senegalese and influences the men's creation of meaning in their experiences as migrants. The thesis makes use of the concept of transnationalism to analyse the complex and multifaceted nature of transnational migration, arguing that migration experiences are influenced by a range of transnational factors and is deeply culturally influenced. The research suggests that migration experts and government departments in South Africa should take these complexities into account when formulating new programmes and policies for migrants.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
A Comparison Of The Resource Requirements Of Snort And Bro In Production Networks
- Barnett, Richard J, Irwin, Barry V W
- Authors: Barnett, Richard J , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430040 , vital:72661 , https://www.iadisportal.org/applied-computing-2009-proceedings
- Description: Intrusion Detection is essential in modern networking. However, with the increas-ing load on modern networks, the resource requirements of NIDS are significant. This paper explores and compares the requirements of Snort and Bro, and finds that Snort is more efficient at processing network traffic than Bro. It also finds that both systems are capable of analysing current network loads on commodity hardware, but may be unable to do so for higher bandwidth networks. This is ben-eficial in a South African context due to the increasing international bandwidth that will come online with the launch of the SEACOM Cable, and local projects such as SANREN.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Barnett, Richard J , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430040 , vital:72661 , https://www.iadisportal.org/applied-computing-2009-proceedings
- Description: Intrusion Detection is essential in modern networking. However, with the increas-ing load on modern networks, the resource requirements of NIDS are significant. This paper explores and compares the requirements of Snort and Bro, and finds that Snort is more efficient at processing network traffic than Bro. It also finds that both systems are capable of analysing current network loads on commodity hardware, but may be unable to do so for higher bandwidth networks. This is ben-eficial in a South African context due to the increasing international bandwidth that will come online with the launch of the SEACOM Cable, and local projects such as SANREN.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
A Framework for the Rapid Development of Anomaly Detection Algorithms in Network Intrusion Detection Systems
- Barnett, Richard J, Irwin, Barry V W
- Authors: Barnett, Richard J , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2009
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428644 , vital:72526 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Johan-Van-Niekerk-2/publication/220803295_E-mail_Security_awareness_at_Nelson_Mandela_Metropolitan_University_Registrar's_Division/links/0deec51909304b0ed8000000/E-mail-Security-awareness-at-Nelson-Mandela-Metropolitan-University-Registrars-Division.pdf#page=289
- Description: Most current Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS) perform de-tection by matching traffic to a set of known signatures. These systems have well defined mechanisms for the rapid creation and deployment of new signatures. However, despite their support for anomaly detection, this is usually limited and often requires a full recompilation of the sys-tem to deploy new algorithms.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Barnett, Richard J , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2009
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428644 , vital:72526 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Johan-Van-Niekerk-2/publication/220803295_E-mail_Security_awareness_at_Nelson_Mandela_Metropolitan_University_Registrar's_Division/links/0deec51909304b0ed8000000/E-mail-Security-awareness-at-Nelson-Mandela-Metropolitan-University-Registrars-Division.pdf#page=289
- Description: Most current Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS) perform de-tection by matching traffic to a set of known signatures. These systems have well defined mechanisms for the rapid creation and deployment of new signatures. However, despite their support for anomaly detection, this is usually limited and often requires a full recompilation of the sys-tem to deploy new algorithms.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Performance Effects of Concurrent Virtual Machine Execution in VMware Workstation 6
- Barnett, Richard J, Irwin, Barry V W
- Authors: Barnett, Richard J , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/429966 , vital:72655 , https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3660-5_56
- Description: The recent trend toward virtualized computing both as a means of serv-er consolidation and as a powerful desktop computing tool has lead into a wide variety of studies into the performance of hypervisor products. This study has investigated the scalability of VMware Workstation 6 on the desktop platform. We present comparative performance results for the concurrent execution of a number of virtual machines. A through statistical analysis of the performance results highlights the perfor-mance trends of different numbers of concurrent virtual machines and concludes that VMware workstation can scale in certain contexts. We find that there are different performance benefits dependant on the ap-plication and that memory intensive applications perform less effective-ly than those applications which are IO intensive. We also find that run-ning concurrent virtual machines offers a significant performance de-crease, but that the drop thereafter is less significant.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Barnett, Richard J , Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/429966 , vital:72655 , https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3660-5_56
- Description: The recent trend toward virtualized computing both as a means of serv-er consolidation and as a powerful desktop computing tool has lead into a wide variety of studies into the performance of hypervisor products. This study has investigated the scalability of VMware Workstation 6 on the desktop platform. We present comparative performance results for the concurrent execution of a number of virtual machines. A through statistical analysis of the performance results highlights the perfor-mance trends of different numbers of concurrent virtual machines and concludes that VMware workstation can scale in certain contexts. We find that there are different performance benefits dependant on the ap-plication and that memory intensive applications perform less effective-ly than those applications which are IO intensive. We also find that run-ning concurrent virtual machines offers a significant performance de-crease, but that the drop thereafter is less significant.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
An analysis of the money market linkages between South Africa and selected major world economies
- Authors: Barnor, Joel A
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: South African Reserve Bank , Banks and banking, Central -- South Africa , Money market -- South Africa , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Foreign exchange rates -- South Africa , International economic relations , Interest rates -- South Africa , Financial institutions -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:956 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002690 , South African Reserve Bank , Banks and banking, Central -- South Africa , Money market -- South Africa , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Foreign exchange rates -- South Africa , International economic relations , Interest rates -- South Africa , Financial institutions -- South Africa
- Description: Globalisation and financial liberalisation has increased the linkages across countries in recent times. The existence of money market links has important implications for both domestic monetary policy and for investment decisions. This study examines the linkages between South Africa’s money market and selected major international money markets. The objectives of the study are firstly to examine the links between the repo rate of South Africa and the central bank rates of the EU, Japan, UK and US. Secondly, is to compare the influence of domestic and foreign monetary policy decisions on South Africa’s money market. The third objective is to examine the long run relationship between the South African money market and the money markets of its major trading partners. Three estimation techniques are used to examine the different links. Principal components analysis, four tests of cointegration, and stationarity tests of the spreads/risk premium between South Africa’s interest rates and the interest rates of the other countries. All three techniques show that there is no long-run link between South Africa’s central bank rates and the central bank rates of the other countries. This shows that the repo rate does not depend on movements in other central bank rates. Domestic money market interest rates respond strongly to changes in the repo rate whilst showing no dependence on central bank rates of the other countries. This confirms the autonomy of the South African Reserve Bank in carrying out policy objectives. When the risk premium is accounted for under the third technique, evidence of integration is found. This indicates that the risk premium plays a crucial part in the level of integration between South Africa and the countries included in the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Barnor, Joel A
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: South African Reserve Bank , Banks and banking, Central -- South Africa , Money market -- South Africa , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Foreign exchange rates -- South Africa , International economic relations , Interest rates -- South Africa , Financial institutions -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:956 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002690 , South African Reserve Bank , Banks and banking, Central -- South Africa , Money market -- South Africa , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Foreign exchange rates -- South Africa , International economic relations , Interest rates -- South Africa , Financial institutions -- South Africa
- Description: Globalisation and financial liberalisation has increased the linkages across countries in recent times. The existence of money market links has important implications for both domestic monetary policy and for investment decisions. This study examines the linkages between South Africa’s money market and selected major international money markets. The objectives of the study are firstly to examine the links between the repo rate of South Africa and the central bank rates of the EU, Japan, UK and US. Secondly, is to compare the influence of domestic and foreign monetary policy decisions on South Africa’s money market. The third objective is to examine the long run relationship between the South African money market and the money markets of its major trading partners. Three estimation techniques are used to examine the different links. Principal components analysis, four tests of cointegration, and stationarity tests of the spreads/risk premium between South Africa’s interest rates and the interest rates of the other countries. All three techniques show that there is no long-run link between South Africa’s central bank rates and the central bank rates of the other countries. This shows that the repo rate does not depend on movements in other central bank rates. Domestic money market interest rates respond strongly to changes in the repo rate whilst showing no dependence on central bank rates of the other countries. This confirms the autonomy of the South African Reserve Bank in carrying out policy objectives. When the risk premium is accounted for under the third technique, evidence of integration is found. This indicates that the risk premium plays a crucial part in the level of integration between South Africa and the countries included in the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Addressing the idiosyncrasies of contemporary notation in recorder compositions, with specific references to unconventional symbols in Music for a bird by Hans-Martin Linde and Sieben Stucke fur altblokflote by Markus Zahnhausen
- Authors: Bartle, Lynne
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Musical notation , Musical notation -- Study and teaching , Musical notation -- History , Music -- 20th century
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8516 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/920 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012065 , Musical notation , Musical notation -- Study and teaching , Musical notation -- History , Music -- 20th century
- Description: This treatise provides recorder performers and teachers with a guide to understanding the unconventional notation symbols encountered in Music for a Bird by Hans-Martin Linde and Sieben Stücke Für Altblockflöte by Markus Zahnhausen. Given the context of the overall history of notation, it argues that the idiosyncrasies of the unconventional notation symbols encountered in the recorder repertoire of contemporary composers such as Linde and Zahnhausen are by no means an anomaly. Throughout history, notated scores have functioned merely as incomplete guides to the reconstruction and the realization of musical works. Along with the decoding of these instructions, a host of acculturated meanings have always been taken for granted on the part of the writers of such guidelines. In the light of the modernist crisis and the resultant exacerbation of the gulf between composers and their audience, however, it would seem that the need for such acculturated intervention is greater then ever before. This treatise serves to bridge the gulf between the works of Linde and Zahnhausen on the one hand, and the average performer and teacher of the recorder on the other, by offering an analysis both of the meaning of the unconventional symbols these works contain as well as of the method according to which they should be executed on the recorder.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Bartle, Lynne
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Musical notation , Musical notation -- Study and teaching , Musical notation -- History , Music -- 20th century
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8516 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/920 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012065 , Musical notation , Musical notation -- Study and teaching , Musical notation -- History , Music -- 20th century
- Description: This treatise provides recorder performers and teachers with a guide to understanding the unconventional notation symbols encountered in Music for a Bird by Hans-Martin Linde and Sieben Stücke Für Altblockflöte by Markus Zahnhausen. Given the context of the overall history of notation, it argues that the idiosyncrasies of the unconventional notation symbols encountered in the recorder repertoire of contemporary composers such as Linde and Zahnhausen are by no means an anomaly. Throughout history, notated scores have functioned merely as incomplete guides to the reconstruction and the realization of musical works. Along with the decoding of these instructions, a host of acculturated meanings have always been taken for granted on the part of the writers of such guidelines. In the light of the modernist crisis and the resultant exacerbation of the gulf between composers and their audience, however, it would seem that the need for such acculturated intervention is greater then ever before. This treatise serves to bridge the gulf between the works of Linde and Zahnhausen on the one hand, and the average performer and teacher of the recorder on the other, by offering an analysis both of the meaning of the unconventional symbols these works contain as well as of the method according to which they should be executed on the recorder.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
The link between economic development programmes (RDP & GEAR) and poverty reduction : (Airport Valley as an illustrative case)
- Authors: Bayti, Thelma Thokozile
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Poverty -- Social aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: vital:8225 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/921 , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Poverty -- Social aspects -- South Africa
- Description: The key debates after apartheid have been on the successes and shortcomings of the social and economic policies that were adopted after apartheid. The ANC government decided to approach poverty reduction by closing the inequality gap between racial groups in the country. It planned to provide services that would improve the poor people’s lives and also create employment to sustain development. To provide the necessary services, the government formulated two broad, but linked macroeconomic policies namely: the RDP and GEAR which focused on the demand and supply side respectively (Venter and Landsberg (2006). This indicated the importance with which the people’s welfare and growth were regarded by the South African government. It indicated that the government believed in pro-poor growth. The purpose of this study was to gain better and deeper understanding about poverty reduction since the 1994 political transition, from the poor people of Airport Valley (in the Nelson Mandela Metropolital Municipality), who experience poverty from the real world. The study attempted to find out from these people if there was improvement in their lives since democratisation. This qualitative and quantitative study used three methods of collecting data namely: a questionnaire, interviews and observation. The results of the study suggest that there has been lack of commitment by RDP and GEAR, as the conditions under which the people live and therefore their standard of living have not improved. The study recommends that the government should speed up the process of service delivery at Airport Valley and also include the people in decision making about the future of Airport Valley.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Bayti, Thelma Thokozile
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Poverty -- Social aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: vital:8225 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/921 , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Poverty -- Social aspects -- South Africa
- Description: The key debates after apartheid have been on the successes and shortcomings of the social and economic policies that were adopted after apartheid. The ANC government decided to approach poverty reduction by closing the inequality gap between racial groups in the country. It planned to provide services that would improve the poor people’s lives and also create employment to sustain development. To provide the necessary services, the government formulated two broad, but linked macroeconomic policies namely: the RDP and GEAR which focused on the demand and supply side respectively (Venter and Landsberg (2006). This indicated the importance with which the people’s welfare and growth were regarded by the South African government. It indicated that the government believed in pro-poor growth. The purpose of this study was to gain better and deeper understanding about poverty reduction since the 1994 political transition, from the poor people of Airport Valley (in the Nelson Mandela Metropolital Municipality), who experience poverty from the real world. The study attempted to find out from these people if there was improvement in their lives since democratisation. This qualitative and quantitative study used three methods of collecting data namely: a questionnaire, interviews and observation. The results of the study suggest that there has been lack of commitment by RDP and GEAR, as the conditions under which the people live and therefore their standard of living have not improved. The study recommends that the government should speed up the process of service delivery at Airport Valley and also include the people in decision making about the future of Airport Valley.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
An investigation of the implementation of integrated development planning (IDP) as a mechanism to alleviate poverty in Port Elizabeth in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality
- Authors: Befile, Temibsa
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Social planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9076 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1268 , Poverty -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Social planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: South Africa is characterised by inequitable growth and development, a high degree of poverty, increasing demands and limited resources and the challenge of integration. The need for improved standards of living and access to better infrastructure which are seen as crucial issues in addressing poverty have necessitated the introduction of Integrated Development Planning (IDP). The IDP looks at the economic and social development of the area as a whole. It aims to coordinate the work of the local government in a coherent plan to improve the quality of life for all the people living in an area. In view of the above there is a need for proper planning and implementation of projects, as well as monitoring and assessment of success on the part of local government in order to help to eliminate poverty in the community. In this study I investigated the implementation of IDP as a mechanism to alleviate poverty in Port Elizabeth in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. Due to the vastness of the problem and the extensive nature of the geographical area of Port Elizabeth, this study focused exclusively on Motherwell and KwaZakhele. For the purposes of this study, a mixed methods research approach was employed. This means that the study followed both the qualitative and quantitative approaches for in-depth understanding and verification. The data collection tools/techniques and instruments used in this study were mainly closed-ended questionnaire and structured interview questions. Data was collected from residents by conducting surveys, making use of questionnaires. Structured interviews were conducted with municipality officials and councillors in order to understand the situation better. The findings of the study revealed that there is a lack of adequate public consultation. It is indicated that people are left in the dark and projects are implemented without proper consultation with the community.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Befile, Temibsa
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Social planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9076 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1268 , Poverty -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Social planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: South Africa is characterised by inequitable growth and development, a high degree of poverty, increasing demands and limited resources and the challenge of integration. The need for improved standards of living and access to better infrastructure which are seen as crucial issues in addressing poverty have necessitated the introduction of Integrated Development Planning (IDP). The IDP looks at the economic and social development of the area as a whole. It aims to coordinate the work of the local government in a coherent plan to improve the quality of life for all the people living in an area. In view of the above there is a need for proper planning and implementation of projects, as well as monitoring and assessment of success on the part of local government in order to help to eliminate poverty in the community. In this study I investigated the implementation of IDP as a mechanism to alleviate poverty in Port Elizabeth in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. Due to the vastness of the problem and the extensive nature of the geographical area of Port Elizabeth, this study focused exclusively on Motherwell and KwaZakhele. For the purposes of this study, a mixed methods research approach was employed. This means that the study followed both the qualitative and quantitative approaches for in-depth understanding and verification. The data collection tools/techniques and instruments used in this study were mainly closed-ended questionnaire and structured interview questions. Data was collected from residents by conducting surveys, making use of questionnaires. Structured interviews were conducted with municipality officials and councillors in order to understand the situation better. The findings of the study revealed that there is a lack of adequate public consultation. It is indicated that people are left in the dark and projects are implemented without proper consultation with the community.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
The effect of tulbaghia violacea plant extract on the growth of aspergillus species
- Authors: Belewa, Xoliswa Vuyokazi
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Plant products , Plant extracts , Traditional medicine
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10315 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008186 , Plant products , Plant extracts , Traditional medicine
- Description: Traditional medicine has become an important part of healthcare worldwide. It is estimated that about 25 percent of prescribed medicines contain plant products or active compounds derived from plants. In South Africa, traditional medicine forms part of the culture and tradition of most communities. Garlic compounds have been shown to have a variety of antimicrobial properties. Amongst these are antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and anti protozoal activities. Allicin and its breakdown products have been shown to be the main active compounds which possess these properties. Tulbaghia violacea has been used for the treatment of a variety of illnesses including asthma, fever, oesophageal cancer, constipation and hypertension. This study investigated the antifungal nature of T.violacea on the morphology, spore germination and lipid synthesis of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. The results of this study showed that the plant extract inhibited A. flavus growth at a minimal inhibitory concentration of 15mg/ml and was fungicidal at 20mg/ml and above. A. parasiticus was not inhibited at 25mg/ml indicating resistance to the inhibitory component of the plant extract. A measure of metabolic activity using the XTT assay showed reduced metabolic activity in the presence of increasing concentrations of the plant extract. Higher extract concentrations resulted in higher percentage inhibition of fungal growth for both fungal species with up to 98 percent inhibition being observed for the highest extract concentrations for both fungi. Germination was also delayed in the presence of 15mg/ml plant extract concentration by up to 60hr for A. flavus and 48hr for A. parasititcus. The TEM results showed increased thickening of the cell wall with higher extract concentrations. The thickening was greater for A. flavus than for A. parasiticus. Cell wall thickening may be the reason for the delay in germination in both species. Lipid production was reduced in the presence of plant extracts when compared to the control. The plant extracts inhibited triglyceride production at 15mg/ml for both A. flavus and A. parasiticus. The results therefore indicate that T. violacea extracts are antifungal and probably affect germination through interactions with the cell wall. It is possible that the extract affects lipid production in Aspergillus species.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Belewa, Xoliswa Vuyokazi
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Plant products , Plant extracts , Traditional medicine
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10315 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008186 , Plant products , Plant extracts , Traditional medicine
- Description: Traditional medicine has become an important part of healthcare worldwide. It is estimated that about 25 percent of prescribed medicines contain plant products or active compounds derived from plants. In South Africa, traditional medicine forms part of the culture and tradition of most communities. Garlic compounds have been shown to have a variety of antimicrobial properties. Amongst these are antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and anti protozoal activities. Allicin and its breakdown products have been shown to be the main active compounds which possess these properties. Tulbaghia violacea has been used for the treatment of a variety of illnesses including asthma, fever, oesophageal cancer, constipation and hypertension. This study investigated the antifungal nature of T.violacea on the morphology, spore germination and lipid synthesis of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. The results of this study showed that the plant extract inhibited A. flavus growth at a minimal inhibitory concentration of 15mg/ml and was fungicidal at 20mg/ml and above. A. parasiticus was not inhibited at 25mg/ml indicating resistance to the inhibitory component of the plant extract. A measure of metabolic activity using the XTT assay showed reduced metabolic activity in the presence of increasing concentrations of the plant extract. Higher extract concentrations resulted in higher percentage inhibition of fungal growth for both fungal species with up to 98 percent inhibition being observed for the highest extract concentrations for both fungi. Germination was also delayed in the presence of 15mg/ml plant extract concentration by up to 60hr for A. flavus and 48hr for A. parasititcus. The TEM results showed increased thickening of the cell wall with higher extract concentrations. The thickening was greater for A. flavus than for A. parasiticus. Cell wall thickening may be the reason for the delay in germination in both species. Lipid production was reduced in the presence of plant extracts when compared to the control. The plant extracts inhibited triglyceride production at 15mg/ml for both A. flavus and A. parasiticus. The results therefore indicate that T. violacea extracts are antifungal and probably affect germination through interactions with the cell wall. It is possible that the extract affects lipid production in Aspergillus species.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
The effect of load and technique on biomechanical and psychophysical responses to level dynamic pushing and pulling
- Authors: Bennett, Anthea Iona
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Work -- Physiological aspects , Human engineering -- Case studies , Lifting and carrying -- Case studies , Biomechanics -- Case studies , Musculoskeletal system -- Wounds and injuries
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5110 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005188 , Work -- Physiological aspects , Human engineering -- Case studies , Lifting and carrying -- Case studies , Biomechanics -- Case studies , Musculoskeletal system -- Wounds and injuries
- Description: Pushing and pulling research has yet to fully elucidate the demands placed on manual workers despite established epidemiological links to musculoskeletal disorders. The current study therefore aimed to quantify biomechanical and perceptual responses of male operators to dynamic pushing and pulling tasks. Three common push/pull techniques (pushing, one handed and two handed pulling) were performed at loads of 250kg and 500kg using an industrial pallet jack in a laboratory environment. Thirty six healthy male subjects (age: 21 ±2 years, stature: 1791 ±43 mm and body mass: 77 ±10 kg) were required to perform six loaded experimental and two unloaded control conditions. Hand force exertion, muscle activity and gait pattern responses were collected during 10m push/pull trials on a coefficient controlled walkway; body discomfort was assessed on completion of the condition. Horizontal hand force responses were significantly (p<0.05) affected by load, with a linear relationship existing between the two. This relationship is determined by specific environmental and trolley factors and is context specific, depending on factors such as trolley maintenance and type of flooring. Hand force exertion responses were tenuously affected by technique at higher loads in the initial and sustained phases, with pushing inducing the greatest hand forces. Comparison of the motion phases revealed significant differences between all three phases, with the initial phase evidencing the greatest hand forces. Muscle activity responses demonstrated that unloaded backward walking evoked significantly higher muscle activation than did unloaded forward walking whilst increased muscular activity during load movement compared to unloaded walking was observed. However increasing load from 250kg to 500kg did not significantly impact the majority of muscle activity responses. When considering technique effects on muscle activity, of the significant differences found, all indicated that pushing imposed the least demand on the musculoskeletal system. Gait pattern responses were not significantly affected by load/technique combinations and were similar to those elicited during normal, unloaded walking. Perceptually, increased load led to increased perception of discomfort while pushing resulted in the least discomfort at both loads. From these psychophysical responses, the calves, shoulders and biceps were identified as areas of potential musculoskeletal injury, particularly during one and two handed pulling. Pushing elicited the highest hand forces and the lowest muscle activity responses in the majority of the conditions whilst psychophysical responses identified this technique as most satisfactory. Current results advocate the use of pushing when moving a load using a wheeled device. Suitability of one and two handed pulling remains contradictory, however results suggest that one handed pulling be employed at lower loads and two handed pulling at higher loads.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Bennett, Anthea Iona
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Work -- Physiological aspects , Human engineering -- Case studies , Lifting and carrying -- Case studies , Biomechanics -- Case studies , Musculoskeletal system -- Wounds and injuries
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5110 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005188 , Work -- Physiological aspects , Human engineering -- Case studies , Lifting and carrying -- Case studies , Biomechanics -- Case studies , Musculoskeletal system -- Wounds and injuries
- Description: Pushing and pulling research has yet to fully elucidate the demands placed on manual workers despite established epidemiological links to musculoskeletal disorders. The current study therefore aimed to quantify biomechanical and perceptual responses of male operators to dynamic pushing and pulling tasks. Three common push/pull techniques (pushing, one handed and two handed pulling) were performed at loads of 250kg and 500kg using an industrial pallet jack in a laboratory environment. Thirty six healthy male subjects (age: 21 ±2 years, stature: 1791 ±43 mm and body mass: 77 ±10 kg) were required to perform six loaded experimental and two unloaded control conditions. Hand force exertion, muscle activity and gait pattern responses were collected during 10m push/pull trials on a coefficient controlled walkway; body discomfort was assessed on completion of the condition. Horizontal hand force responses were significantly (p<0.05) affected by load, with a linear relationship existing between the two. This relationship is determined by specific environmental and trolley factors and is context specific, depending on factors such as trolley maintenance and type of flooring. Hand force exertion responses were tenuously affected by technique at higher loads in the initial and sustained phases, with pushing inducing the greatest hand forces. Comparison of the motion phases revealed significant differences between all three phases, with the initial phase evidencing the greatest hand forces. Muscle activity responses demonstrated that unloaded backward walking evoked significantly higher muscle activation than did unloaded forward walking whilst increased muscular activity during load movement compared to unloaded walking was observed. However increasing load from 250kg to 500kg did not significantly impact the majority of muscle activity responses. When considering technique effects on muscle activity, of the significant differences found, all indicated that pushing imposed the least demand on the musculoskeletal system. Gait pattern responses were not significantly affected by load/technique combinations and were similar to those elicited during normal, unloaded walking. Perceptually, increased load led to increased perception of discomfort while pushing resulted in the least discomfort at both loads. From these psychophysical responses, the calves, shoulders and biceps were identified as areas of potential musculoskeletal injury, particularly during one and two handed pulling. Pushing elicited the highest hand forces and the lowest muscle activity responses in the majority of the conditions whilst psychophysical responses identified this technique as most satisfactory. Current results advocate the use of pushing when moving a load using a wheeled device. Suitability of one and two handed pulling remains contradictory, however results suggest that one handed pulling be employed at lower loads and two handed pulling at higher loads.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Journalism takes flight developments
- Authors: Berger, Guy J E Gough
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/455026 , vital:75397 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC139933
- Description: A kind of bird flu is back, albeit in different guise. It's afflicting millions with addiction and dizziness. It's converting otherwise sane people into an ever-expanding flock of Twitterers whizzing around like the swallows of an eve at Durban's new airport. Maybe now, as swine flu gains ground, we'll start to see the media piggies heaving into the air, leaving their pokes to be prodded on Facebook.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Berger, Guy J E Gough
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/455026 , vital:75397 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC139933
- Description: A kind of bird flu is back, albeit in different guise. It's afflicting millions with addiction and dizziness. It's converting otherwise sane people into an ever-expanding flock of Twitterers whizzing around like the swallows of an eve at Durban's new airport. Maybe now, as swine flu gains ground, we'll start to see the media piggies heaving into the air, leaving their pokes to be prodded on Facebook.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Salinity induced physiological responses in juvenile dusky kob, Argyrosomus japonicus (Sciaenidae)
- Authors: Bernatzeder, Andrea Katinka
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Osmoregulation , Argyrosomus -- Effects of salt on -- South Africa , Sciaenidae -- Effects of salt on -- South Africa , Argyrosomus -- Physiology , Sciaenidae -- Physiology , Fishes -- Physiology , Biological control systems , Marine ecology -- South Africa , Fishery management -- South Africa , Mariculture -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5318 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005163 , Osmoregulation , Argyrosomus -- Effects of salt on -- South Africa , Sciaenidae -- Effects of salt on -- South Africa , Argyrosomus -- Physiology , Sciaenidae -- Physiology , Fishes -- Physiology , Biological control systems , Marine ecology -- South Africa , Fishery management -- South Africa , Mariculture -- South Africa
- Description: Fisheries management regulations for dusky kob Argyrosomus japonicus, an important commercial and recreational fisheries species, have failed and the stock is considered collapsed. It is important to take an ecosystems approach to management which includes understanding the effect of environmental factors on recruitment, abundance and distribution. The distribution of early juveniles (20-150 mm TL) in the wild appears to be restricted to the upper reaches of estuaries at salinities below 5 psu. Food availability could not explain the distribution of early juveniles. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of salinity on the distribution of early juvenile dusky kob (<150 mm TL) by examining physiological responses of juveniles exposed to a range of salinities under laboratory conditions. The hypothesis was that the physiological functioning of early juveniles would be optimised at the reduced salinities which they naturally occur at. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of salinity on: i) plasma osmolality; ii) growth, food conversion ratio and condition factor; and iii) gill histology with emphasis on chloride cell size and number. A preliminary study was undertaken to determine whether the use of 2-phenoxyethanol had an effect on plasma osmolality. Juveniles pithed prior to blood sampling were used as the control. Plasma osmolality was not affected by exposure or duration of exposure (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 min) to 2-phenoxyethanol. The ability of teleosts to regulate plasma osmolality over a wide range of salinities indicates their degree of ‘physiological euryhalinity’. Plasma osmolality of juveniles exposed to 5, 12 and 35 psu was measured every two weeks over a total of six weeks. Although juveniles were able to regulate plasma osmolality over the duration of the experiment, plasma osmolality at 5 and 12 psu was significantly lower than in fish maintained at 35 psu. Growth is used as an indicator of the relative energy used for osmoregulation at different salinities, as the energy used for osmoregulation becomes unavailable for growth. A nineweek growth experiment was conducted on juveniles exposed to 5, 12 and 35 psu. Juveniles grew and survived at all three salinities. However, growth of juveniles at 5 psu was significantly lower than at 12 and 35 psu. Other than a significantly greater weight gain at 35 psu relative to 12 psu, there was no significant difference in specific growth and length gain between juveniles at 12 and 35 psu. Food conversion ratio and condition factor at 12 and 35 psu were not significantly different, but food conversion ratio and condition factor at 5 psu was significantly greater and lower than at 35 psu respectively. In fish, gills are considered the major organ involved in osmoregulation. Within the gills, chloride cells are the predominant site of ion exchange which is driven by the Na⁺, K⁺- ATPase enzyme. Gill samples of juveniles exposed to 5, 12 and 35 psu for six weeks were examined histologically using light microscopy. Chloride cells of juveniles maintained at 5 psu were significantly more abundant than in juveniles at 12 and 35 psu. Chloride cells of juveniles at 5 psu were significantly larger than in juveniles kept at 12 psu, but not significantly different to those of juveniles kept at 35 psu. The ability of the juvenile fish to regulate plasma osmolality indicates that they are 'physiologically euryhaline', but the reduced growth and proliferation of chloride cells at 5 psu suggests that energy expenditure for osmoregulation is increased at hypoosmotic salinities. Salinity induced physiological responses could therefore not explain the natural distribution of early juvenile dusky kob and it is proposed that other environmental factors (e.g. temperature) are also important. It is also hypothesised that the high conductivity of an estuary in South Africa, to which our understanding is limited, may negate the effect of reduced salinity. Although freshwater input into estuaries is an important factor, further investigations to explain the distribution and abundance of early juveniles is required to make management recommendations. Dusky kob is also becoming an increasingly popular aquaculture species in South Africa. In this regard, early juvenile dusky kob can be grown at salinities as low as 12 psu without negatively affecting growth and production.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Bernatzeder, Andrea Katinka
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Osmoregulation , Argyrosomus -- Effects of salt on -- South Africa , Sciaenidae -- Effects of salt on -- South Africa , Argyrosomus -- Physiology , Sciaenidae -- Physiology , Fishes -- Physiology , Biological control systems , Marine ecology -- South Africa , Fishery management -- South Africa , Mariculture -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5318 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005163 , Osmoregulation , Argyrosomus -- Effects of salt on -- South Africa , Sciaenidae -- Effects of salt on -- South Africa , Argyrosomus -- Physiology , Sciaenidae -- Physiology , Fishes -- Physiology , Biological control systems , Marine ecology -- South Africa , Fishery management -- South Africa , Mariculture -- South Africa
- Description: Fisheries management regulations for dusky kob Argyrosomus japonicus, an important commercial and recreational fisheries species, have failed and the stock is considered collapsed. It is important to take an ecosystems approach to management which includes understanding the effect of environmental factors on recruitment, abundance and distribution. The distribution of early juveniles (20-150 mm TL) in the wild appears to be restricted to the upper reaches of estuaries at salinities below 5 psu. Food availability could not explain the distribution of early juveniles. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of salinity on the distribution of early juvenile dusky kob (<150 mm TL) by examining physiological responses of juveniles exposed to a range of salinities under laboratory conditions. The hypothesis was that the physiological functioning of early juveniles would be optimised at the reduced salinities which they naturally occur at. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of salinity on: i) plasma osmolality; ii) growth, food conversion ratio and condition factor; and iii) gill histology with emphasis on chloride cell size and number. A preliminary study was undertaken to determine whether the use of 2-phenoxyethanol had an effect on plasma osmolality. Juveniles pithed prior to blood sampling were used as the control. Plasma osmolality was not affected by exposure or duration of exposure (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 min) to 2-phenoxyethanol. The ability of teleosts to regulate plasma osmolality over a wide range of salinities indicates their degree of ‘physiological euryhalinity’. Plasma osmolality of juveniles exposed to 5, 12 and 35 psu was measured every two weeks over a total of six weeks. Although juveniles were able to regulate plasma osmolality over the duration of the experiment, plasma osmolality at 5 and 12 psu was significantly lower than in fish maintained at 35 psu. Growth is used as an indicator of the relative energy used for osmoregulation at different salinities, as the energy used for osmoregulation becomes unavailable for growth. A nineweek growth experiment was conducted on juveniles exposed to 5, 12 and 35 psu. Juveniles grew and survived at all three salinities. However, growth of juveniles at 5 psu was significantly lower than at 12 and 35 psu. Other than a significantly greater weight gain at 35 psu relative to 12 psu, there was no significant difference in specific growth and length gain between juveniles at 12 and 35 psu. Food conversion ratio and condition factor at 12 and 35 psu were not significantly different, but food conversion ratio and condition factor at 5 psu was significantly greater and lower than at 35 psu respectively. In fish, gills are considered the major organ involved in osmoregulation. Within the gills, chloride cells are the predominant site of ion exchange which is driven by the Na⁺, K⁺- ATPase enzyme. Gill samples of juveniles exposed to 5, 12 and 35 psu for six weeks were examined histologically using light microscopy. Chloride cells of juveniles maintained at 5 psu were significantly more abundant than in juveniles at 12 and 35 psu. Chloride cells of juveniles at 5 psu were significantly larger than in juveniles kept at 12 psu, but not significantly different to those of juveniles kept at 35 psu. The ability of the juvenile fish to regulate plasma osmolality indicates that they are 'physiologically euryhaline', but the reduced growth and proliferation of chloride cells at 5 psu suggests that energy expenditure for osmoregulation is increased at hypoosmotic salinities. Salinity induced physiological responses could therefore not explain the natural distribution of early juvenile dusky kob and it is proposed that other environmental factors (e.g. temperature) are also important. It is also hypothesised that the high conductivity of an estuary in South Africa, to which our understanding is limited, may negate the effect of reduced salinity. Although freshwater input into estuaries is an important factor, further investigations to explain the distribution and abundance of early juveniles is required to make management recommendations. Dusky kob is also becoming an increasingly popular aquaculture species in South Africa. In this regard, early juvenile dusky kob can be grown at salinities as low as 12 psu without negatively affecting growth and production.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Curiosity first, applications later
- Berold, Robert, Limson, Janice L
- Authors: Berold, Robert , Limson, Janice L
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Nyokong, Tebello
- Language: English
- Type: Article , text
- Identifier: vital:7188 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006281 , http://www.sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/1-4-1-PB.pdf , Nyokong, Tebello
- Description: Tebello Nyokong speaks to Robert Berold and Janice Limson about her career as a chemist. Tebello Nyokong, who holds a research chair in medicinal chemistry and nanotechnology at Rhodes University, has become the first South African scientist to win the L’Oreal-UNESCO award for women in science, in the physical sciences. Only one laureate is selected from each of five world regions, and Nyokong is the 2009 laureate for Africa and the Arab states. She and the winners from the other four regions travel to Paris in March to each accept the award and a generous prize of close to R1 million. Nyokong now heads the new Nanotechnology Innovation Centre for medical sensors: the biggest single research investment in the history of Rhodes. Linked to other nanotechnology centres in the country, it is designed to bridge the gap between research and the market.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Berold, Robert , Limson, Janice L
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Nyokong, Tebello
- Language: English
- Type: Article , text
- Identifier: vital:7188 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006281 , http://www.sajs.co.za/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/1-4-1-PB.pdf , Nyokong, Tebello
- Description: Tebello Nyokong speaks to Robert Berold and Janice Limson about her career as a chemist. Tebello Nyokong, who holds a research chair in medicinal chemistry and nanotechnology at Rhodes University, has become the first South African scientist to win the L’Oreal-UNESCO award for women in science, in the physical sciences. Only one laureate is selected from each of five world regions, and Nyokong is the 2009 laureate for Africa and the Arab states. She and the winners from the other four regions travel to Paris in March to each accept the award and a generous prize of close to R1 million. Nyokong now heads the new Nanotechnology Innovation Centre for medical sensors: the biggest single research investment in the history of Rhodes. Linked to other nanotechnology centres in the country, it is designed to bridge the gap between research and the market.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
The feasibility of starting a dating company in South Africa
- Bezuidenhout, Jacques Du Mont
- Authors: Bezuidenhout, Jacques Du Mont
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Online dating -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8686 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1114 , Online dating -- South Africa
- Description: The purpose of the research is to determine the feasibility of starting a dating company, which focuses specifically on the South African market. Further sub problems were defined as follow: • Which South Africans would use a dating service, that is, who will be the main customers? • Is there specifically identifiable information that can help to recognise customers? Or can a profile be created for to identify customers? • How much are the customers willing to pay? • Does or can technology play a role in in courtship? The role of technology was investigated, in which it was found that globalisation affects everyone. One of the core factors that caused many other technologies to evolve from it, is the Internet. The intranet was a natural evolution from the Internet, which is normally specific to a company. A further literature survey was conducted to gain an understanding of dating companies globally and locally, to gain an understanding of the subject, which was used to create a questionnaire. The questionnaire reached a 120 participants, with 52 participants responding, which relates to a response rate of 43.3 percent. The questionnaire produces 37 variables, which were correlated, and as a result it was recommended that it is feasible to start a dating company in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Bezuidenhout, Jacques Du Mont
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Online dating -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8686 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1114 , Online dating -- South Africa
- Description: The purpose of the research is to determine the feasibility of starting a dating company, which focuses specifically on the South African market. Further sub problems were defined as follow: • Which South Africans would use a dating service, that is, who will be the main customers? • Is there specifically identifiable information that can help to recognise customers? Or can a profile be created for to identify customers? • How much are the customers willing to pay? • Does or can technology play a role in in courtship? The role of technology was investigated, in which it was found that globalisation affects everyone. One of the core factors that caused many other technologies to evolve from it, is the Internet. The intranet was a natural evolution from the Internet, which is normally specific to a company. A further literature survey was conducted to gain an understanding of dating companies globally and locally, to gain an understanding of the subject, which was used to create a questionnaire. The questionnaire reached a 120 participants, with 52 participants responding, which relates to a response rate of 43.3 percent. The questionnaire produces 37 variables, which were correlated, and as a result it was recommended that it is feasible to start a dating company in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Creating a virtual classroom: evaluating the use of online discussion forums to increase teaching and learning activities
- Authors: Bezuidenhout, L Peta
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Conference paper
- Identifier: vital:6070 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004635
- Description: In teaching large classes, the educationally beneficial informal interaction between students and between lecturer and students is generally reduced, while effective use of both students’ and lecturer’s time is often a challenge. During student consultations, especially over the already stressful test and examination periods, many of the questions asked by the students are the same or similar. The lecturer needs to respond to each query by providing the same detailed explanation for the problem, resulting in ineffective use of time for the lecturer, while students waste time waiting for an appointment, or more often, simply don’t bother to follow up on any queries they may have. Having a social presence is important for students’ cognitive development, but in a large class posing questions or interrogating issues during a lecture appears to be challenging for many students. It is often not easy for students to initiate discussions or establish relationships with peers or the lecturer due to feelings of vulnerability and due to the size and impersonal atmosphere of the lecture theatre. This paper deals with the introduction of online discussion forums in an introductory accounting course and the benefits and problems experienced by the students, tutors and lecturer as a result thereof. Feedback received from these participants is discussed. The introduction and use of these forums resulted in a virtual classroom being created, where significantly more teaching and learning activities took place, to the benefit of all participants. Participation could have been peripheral -in the form of simply reading discussions; or active – through posting questions, or responding to questions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Bezuidenhout, L Peta
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Conference paper
- Identifier: vital:6070 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004635
- Description: In teaching large classes, the educationally beneficial informal interaction between students and between lecturer and students is generally reduced, while effective use of both students’ and lecturer’s time is often a challenge. During student consultations, especially over the already stressful test and examination periods, many of the questions asked by the students are the same or similar. The lecturer needs to respond to each query by providing the same detailed explanation for the problem, resulting in ineffective use of time for the lecturer, while students waste time waiting for an appointment, or more often, simply don’t bother to follow up on any queries they may have. Having a social presence is important for students’ cognitive development, but in a large class posing questions or interrogating issues during a lecture appears to be challenging for many students. It is often not easy for students to initiate discussions or establish relationships with peers or the lecturer due to feelings of vulnerability and due to the size and impersonal atmosphere of the lecture theatre. This paper deals with the introduction of online discussion forums in an introductory accounting course and the benefits and problems experienced by the students, tutors and lecturer as a result thereof. Feedback received from these participants is discussed. The introduction and use of these forums resulted in a virtual classroom being created, where significantly more teaching and learning activities took place, to the benefit of all participants. Participation could have been peripheral -in the form of simply reading discussions; or active – through posting questions, or responding to questions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Critical analysis of the 2007 public service strike and its impact on the evolution of formalised collective bargaining in South Africa
- Authors: Bhe, Vuyisile
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Collective bargaining -- South Africa , Dispute resolution (Law) -- South Africa , Strikes and lockouts -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa , Industrial relations -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: vital:10192 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1043 , Collective bargaining -- South Africa , Dispute resolution (Law) -- South Africa , Strikes and lockouts -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa , Industrial relations -- South Africa
- Description: Section 213 of the Labour Relations Act defines ’strike’ as the partial or complete concerted refusal to work, or the retardation or obstruction of work, by persons who are or have been employed by the same employer or by different employers, for the purpose of remedying a grievance or resolving a dispute in respect of any matter of mutual interest between the employer and employee, and any reference to “work” this definition includes overtime work, whether it is voluntary or compulsory. According to Mcllroy: “As long as our society is divided between those who own and control the means of production and those who only have the ability to work, strikes will be inevitable because they are the ultimate means workers have of protecting themselves.” 1 The Constitutional Court justified the exclusion of a constitutional right to lock out and the inclusion of a constitutional right to strike by indicating that the right to strike is not equivalent to a right to lock out and is essential for workplace democracy. 2 The right to strike is essential to bolster collective bargaining and thereby to give employees the power to bargain effectively with employers. The employers on the According to the Constitutional Court employers enjoy greater social and economic power compared to individual workers and may exercise a wide range of power against workers through a range of weapons, such as dismissal, the employment of alternative or replacement labour, the unilateral implementation of new terms and conditions of employment, and the exclusion of workers from the workplace. To combat this and have a say in the workplace, the Constitutional Court held that “employees need to act in concert to provide them collectively with sufficient power to bargain effectively with employers and exercise collective power primarily through the mechanism of strike action”. The importance of the right to strike in creating workplace democracy is also reflected in a number of Labour Court and Labour Appeal Court judgments. other hand have economic strength that is used to bargain effectively. That is why the strike enjoys constitutional protection, whereas the lock-out does not. , Abstract
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Bhe, Vuyisile
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Collective bargaining -- South Africa , Dispute resolution (Law) -- South Africa , Strikes and lockouts -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa , Industrial relations -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: vital:10192 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1043 , Collective bargaining -- South Africa , Dispute resolution (Law) -- South Africa , Strikes and lockouts -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa , Industrial relations -- South Africa
- Description: Section 213 of the Labour Relations Act defines ’strike’ as the partial or complete concerted refusal to work, or the retardation or obstruction of work, by persons who are or have been employed by the same employer or by different employers, for the purpose of remedying a grievance or resolving a dispute in respect of any matter of mutual interest between the employer and employee, and any reference to “work” this definition includes overtime work, whether it is voluntary or compulsory. According to Mcllroy: “As long as our society is divided between those who own and control the means of production and those who only have the ability to work, strikes will be inevitable because they are the ultimate means workers have of protecting themselves.” 1 The Constitutional Court justified the exclusion of a constitutional right to lock out and the inclusion of a constitutional right to strike by indicating that the right to strike is not equivalent to a right to lock out and is essential for workplace democracy. 2 The right to strike is essential to bolster collective bargaining and thereby to give employees the power to bargain effectively with employers. The employers on the According to the Constitutional Court employers enjoy greater social and economic power compared to individual workers and may exercise a wide range of power against workers through a range of weapons, such as dismissal, the employment of alternative or replacement labour, the unilateral implementation of new terms and conditions of employment, and the exclusion of workers from the workplace. To combat this and have a say in the workplace, the Constitutional Court held that “employees need to act in concert to provide them collectively with sufficient power to bargain effectively with employers and exercise collective power primarily through the mechanism of strike action”. The importance of the right to strike in creating workplace democracy is also reflected in a number of Labour Court and Labour Appeal Court judgments. other hand have economic strength that is used to bargain effectively. That is why the strike enjoys constitutional protection, whereas the lock-out does not. , Abstract
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
A public-private partnership model for the improvemnet of local economic development in South African metropolitan government
- Binza, Mzikayise Shakespeare
- Authors: Binza, Mzikayise Shakespeare
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Economic development -- South Africa , Public-private sector cooperation -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:8159 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/923 , Economic development -- South Africa , Public-private sector cooperation -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Description: The post-apartheid developmental state of South Africa had a challenge of turning around an economy that was on deficit which it inherited in 1994, to a positive growth that will be sustainable and shared. The process followed in creating a sustainable economic development was first establishing a constitutional democratic government which was constituted in terms of the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, as three equal spheres of government, viz: the national, provincial and local spheres of government. Initiatives on innovative economic development become a reconstruction programme not only of the national and provincial spheres of government, but also of the local sphere of government which is closest to the people it governs and deliver municipal goods and services to. For an example, section 152 (1) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, provides that the local sphere of government which is constituted by 283 wall-to-wall municipalities must “improve social and economic development” of the people. Out of the 283 municipalities, 6 are metropolitan municipalities, and are the: City of Cape Town, City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Ethekwini, and Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. This research project is limited to the City of Cape Town (CCT) and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipalities (NMBM). In the second process, a number of legislations and policies providing for external mechanisms to be used to improve local economic development (LED) in an inclusive, shared and equitable manner were introduced. Policies that were introduced by the democratic government and serve as policy directive for economic development are: the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) of 1994; the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) of 1996; and the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA) of 2006. The relevant legislations to the local sphere of government which were introduced and provided for the appropriate mechanism for enabling sustainable growth of local economies by developmental local government in partnerships with other stakeholders such as private sector and civil society movements are: the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000); Municipal Service Policy of 2000; Guidelines on Municipal Service Partnerships of 2006-2010; and the National Framework for Local Economic Development in South Africa (NFLED) of 2006-2010. The above xviii legislations provide the following external mechanisms to improve local economic development in municipal areas, viz: public-private partnerships; public-public partnerships, and public-community partnerships. This research project is about the first external mechanism which is the public-private partnerships (PPPs) to enable municipalities to improve local economies that provide for job creations and employment for the local inhabitants. According to the National Treasury Regulation 16 (2004:1), PPP means a “commercial transaction between an institution, for example a metropolitan government, and a private party in terms of which: 1. The private party either performs an institutional function on behalf of the institution [in this regard a metropolitan government] for a specified or indefinite period or acquires the use of a state property for its own commercial purposes for a specified or indefinite period. 2. The private party receives a benefit for performing the function or by utilising state property, either by way of compensation from a revenue fund, or by charges or fees collected by the private party from users or customers of a service provided for them; or a combination of such compensation and such fees”. The first goal of this research project is to develop the most appropriate public-private partnership model for South African metropolitan government with special reference to the City of Cape Town (CCT) and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) in enabling and guiding them to improve and sustain local economic development (LED) in their respective areas of jurisdiction. The application of public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a policy strategy to achieve local economic development (LED) in CCT and NMBM was investigated, in order to determine whether these activities can be improved. Followed is the development of a conceptual framework for optimal PPP implementation in order to improve local economic development in the CCT and NMBM and other metropolitan and municipal areas in South Africa. A more appropriate PPP model called the Participatory Development Systems Model (PDSM) has been constructed for this purpose from a number of sources and proven good practices both locally in South Africa and internationally. The PDSM model uses the strategic prioritisation and management by a municipality of the integrated development of physical, economic, human and social capital in its region in a more participatory way, as a point of departure for PPPs. The PDSM model for PPPs also emphasises consistent systematic assessment of these strategies against the strategic LED goals of the municipality concerned in order to ensure that lessons are learnt from these experiences and used to refine or revise future LED and PPP strategies accordingly. This thesis makes an original contribution to the existing body of knowledge about the promotion of LED through PPPs in metropolitan municipalities in South Africa and elsewhere, by conceptualising PPPs in a clear and coherent way as an integrated dimension of strategic management processes in municipalities that need to be implemented in a more participatory way in order to achieve the overall strategic goal of sustainable LED.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Binza, Mzikayise Shakespeare
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Economic development -- South Africa , Public-private sector cooperation -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:8159 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/923 , Economic development -- South Africa , Public-private sector cooperation -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Description: The post-apartheid developmental state of South Africa had a challenge of turning around an economy that was on deficit which it inherited in 1994, to a positive growth that will be sustainable and shared. The process followed in creating a sustainable economic development was first establishing a constitutional democratic government which was constituted in terms of the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, as three equal spheres of government, viz: the national, provincial and local spheres of government. Initiatives on innovative economic development become a reconstruction programme not only of the national and provincial spheres of government, but also of the local sphere of government which is closest to the people it governs and deliver municipal goods and services to. For an example, section 152 (1) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, provides that the local sphere of government which is constituted by 283 wall-to-wall municipalities must “improve social and economic development” of the people. Out of the 283 municipalities, 6 are metropolitan municipalities, and are the: City of Cape Town, City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Ethekwini, and Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. This research project is limited to the City of Cape Town (CCT) and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipalities (NMBM). In the second process, a number of legislations and policies providing for external mechanisms to be used to improve local economic development (LED) in an inclusive, shared and equitable manner were introduced. Policies that were introduced by the democratic government and serve as policy directive for economic development are: the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) of 1994; the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) of 1996; and the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA) of 2006. The relevant legislations to the local sphere of government which were introduced and provided for the appropriate mechanism for enabling sustainable growth of local economies by developmental local government in partnerships with other stakeholders such as private sector and civil society movements are: the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000); Municipal Service Policy of 2000; Guidelines on Municipal Service Partnerships of 2006-2010; and the National Framework for Local Economic Development in South Africa (NFLED) of 2006-2010. The above xviii legislations provide the following external mechanisms to improve local economic development in municipal areas, viz: public-private partnerships; public-public partnerships, and public-community partnerships. This research project is about the first external mechanism which is the public-private partnerships (PPPs) to enable municipalities to improve local economies that provide for job creations and employment for the local inhabitants. According to the National Treasury Regulation 16 (2004:1), PPP means a “commercial transaction between an institution, for example a metropolitan government, and a private party in terms of which: 1. The private party either performs an institutional function on behalf of the institution [in this regard a metropolitan government] for a specified or indefinite period or acquires the use of a state property for its own commercial purposes for a specified or indefinite period. 2. The private party receives a benefit for performing the function or by utilising state property, either by way of compensation from a revenue fund, or by charges or fees collected by the private party from users or customers of a service provided for them; or a combination of such compensation and such fees”. The first goal of this research project is to develop the most appropriate public-private partnership model for South African metropolitan government with special reference to the City of Cape Town (CCT) and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) in enabling and guiding them to improve and sustain local economic development (LED) in their respective areas of jurisdiction. The application of public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a policy strategy to achieve local economic development (LED) in CCT and NMBM was investigated, in order to determine whether these activities can be improved. Followed is the development of a conceptual framework for optimal PPP implementation in order to improve local economic development in the CCT and NMBM and other metropolitan and municipal areas in South Africa. A more appropriate PPP model called the Participatory Development Systems Model (PDSM) has been constructed for this purpose from a number of sources and proven good practices both locally in South Africa and internationally. The PDSM model uses the strategic prioritisation and management by a municipality of the integrated development of physical, economic, human and social capital in its region in a more participatory way, as a point of departure for PPPs. The PDSM model for PPPs also emphasises consistent systematic assessment of these strategies against the strategic LED goals of the municipality concerned in order to ensure that lessons are learnt from these experiences and used to refine or revise future LED and PPP strategies accordingly. This thesis makes an original contribution to the existing body of knowledge about the promotion of LED through PPPs in metropolitan municipalities in South Africa and elsewhere, by conceptualising PPPs in a clear and coherent way as an integrated dimension of strategic management processes in municipalities that need to be implemented in a more participatory way in order to achieve the overall strategic goal of sustainable LED.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Human-river relationships in the Kat River catchment and the implications for integrated water resource management (IWRM) : an exploraratory study
- Authors: Birkholz, Sharon Alice
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Aquatic ecology -- South Africa -- Kat River , Rivers -- South Africa -- Kat River -- Sociological aspects , Rivers -- South Africa -- Kat River , Water supply -- South Africa -- Kat River -- Management , Human ecology -- South Africa -- Kat River , Stream ecology -- South Africa -- Kat River
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4838 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005514
- Description: Through out this study ‘relational scenarios’ were seen as the possible outcomes of the expression of human-river relationships in a catchment. Working within Inglis’s (2008, pg. 10) comment that ‘the Human World Relationship is expressed through a person’s views and behaviour towards the natural world, which can be either constructive or destructive’, two relational scenarios were selected to represent these two predicted outcomes of human-environment (or in the case of this thesis human-river) relationships: IWRM, seen as constructive and mutually beneficial to both the social and ecological system, and the Tragedy of the Commons, seen as destructive and parasitic in nature. In respect to this assertion, a conceptual framework or model was developed and used to guide the inductive process of this research. Through a social survey (administered via semi-structured interviews) of stakeholders (water-users) in the Kat River Catchment, Eastern Cape, South Africa, social attitudes towards the Kat River were explored. These attitudes were considered as variables that relate to the expression of ‘Human World Relationships’ namely ‘values and behaviour’ (Inglis, 2008, pg. 10). The findings of this thesis confirm that attitudes are influential components of human-river relationships in the Kat River Catchment. It was observed from the findings that the attitudes individuals have towards the Kat River have the potential to influence the ways people interact with the River and its associated resources, and are in turn influenced by the condition of the River and connections people have or make with the River within their daily lives. Such relationships in turn affect the management of the River and its water resources and influence how individuals approach water-related issues and undertake the associated activities. Given this understanding it was then proposed that attitudes could provide information that enables the prediction of likely ‘relational scenarios’ (IWRM or the Tragedy of the Commons) in a catchment. The findings appear to support this proposal, and three main attitude groups (utilitarian, associative and dissociative) were identified and used to further the discussion into how this knowledge could be used in predicting possible relational scenarios based on human-river relationships. Further exploration of the identified attitude groups suggested that these variables are significantly influenced by environmental ethics and place attachment (present in the community) and a series of guiding frameworks were developed to facilitate the exploration of the attitude groups relative to these concepts. The frameworks were generated from the hypothesis that knowledge of attitude groups in a catchment, in connection with the relative degrees to which moral values and worldviews are expressed, could provide insight into the readiness of a catchment system for the implementation of IWRM and/or the facilitative steps needed to shift the influence of unfavourable attitude groups (i.e. dissociative attitudes). Such steps would most likely involve extensive educational, awareness and capacity building programs. Finally, given the above theoretical frameworks, inductively developed from the findings of the social survey and related literature, the conceptual model was reevaluated and extended to include the thesis findings and hypotheses. It is suggested that in a catchment where there is a balance between the expression of utilitarian and associative attitude groups, then there is a high probability of finding present evidence of mutually beneficial human-river relationships already in play, as well as ‘fertile soil’ for the promotion of IWRM and philosophies and skills that generate such relationships. Alternatively in an area with a strong expression of dissociative attitudes, it is more likely to find evidence of destructive, more parasitic-like relationships being expressed, and a lack of commitment and interest in being involved in changing the status quo. It is likely that where both associative and dissociative attitudes are present there will be an overlap of elements of both scenarios – a situation that is probable in most catchments – depending on the strength of expression of either attitude group the balance will shift (be shifting) between the two relational scenarios.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Birkholz, Sharon Alice
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Aquatic ecology -- South Africa -- Kat River , Rivers -- South Africa -- Kat River -- Sociological aspects , Rivers -- South Africa -- Kat River , Water supply -- South Africa -- Kat River -- Management , Human ecology -- South Africa -- Kat River , Stream ecology -- South Africa -- Kat River
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4838 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005514
- Description: Through out this study ‘relational scenarios’ were seen as the possible outcomes of the expression of human-river relationships in a catchment. Working within Inglis’s (2008, pg. 10) comment that ‘the Human World Relationship is expressed through a person’s views and behaviour towards the natural world, which can be either constructive or destructive’, two relational scenarios were selected to represent these two predicted outcomes of human-environment (or in the case of this thesis human-river) relationships: IWRM, seen as constructive and mutually beneficial to both the social and ecological system, and the Tragedy of the Commons, seen as destructive and parasitic in nature. In respect to this assertion, a conceptual framework or model was developed and used to guide the inductive process of this research. Through a social survey (administered via semi-structured interviews) of stakeholders (water-users) in the Kat River Catchment, Eastern Cape, South Africa, social attitudes towards the Kat River were explored. These attitudes were considered as variables that relate to the expression of ‘Human World Relationships’ namely ‘values and behaviour’ (Inglis, 2008, pg. 10). The findings of this thesis confirm that attitudes are influential components of human-river relationships in the Kat River Catchment. It was observed from the findings that the attitudes individuals have towards the Kat River have the potential to influence the ways people interact with the River and its associated resources, and are in turn influenced by the condition of the River and connections people have or make with the River within their daily lives. Such relationships in turn affect the management of the River and its water resources and influence how individuals approach water-related issues and undertake the associated activities. Given this understanding it was then proposed that attitudes could provide information that enables the prediction of likely ‘relational scenarios’ (IWRM or the Tragedy of the Commons) in a catchment. The findings appear to support this proposal, and three main attitude groups (utilitarian, associative and dissociative) were identified and used to further the discussion into how this knowledge could be used in predicting possible relational scenarios based on human-river relationships. Further exploration of the identified attitude groups suggested that these variables are significantly influenced by environmental ethics and place attachment (present in the community) and a series of guiding frameworks were developed to facilitate the exploration of the attitude groups relative to these concepts. The frameworks were generated from the hypothesis that knowledge of attitude groups in a catchment, in connection with the relative degrees to which moral values and worldviews are expressed, could provide insight into the readiness of a catchment system for the implementation of IWRM and/or the facilitative steps needed to shift the influence of unfavourable attitude groups (i.e. dissociative attitudes). Such steps would most likely involve extensive educational, awareness and capacity building programs. Finally, given the above theoretical frameworks, inductively developed from the findings of the social survey and related literature, the conceptual model was reevaluated and extended to include the thesis findings and hypotheses. It is suggested that in a catchment where there is a balance between the expression of utilitarian and associative attitude groups, then there is a high probability of finding present evidence of mutually beneficial human-river relationships already in play, as well as ‘fertile soil’ for the promotion of IWRM and philosophies and skills that generate such relationships. Alternatively in an area with a strong expression of dissociative attitudes, it is more likely to find evidence of destructive, more parasitic-like relationships being expressed, and a lack of commitment and interest in being involved in changing the status quo. It is likely that where both associative and dissociative attitudes are present there will be an overlap of elements of both scenarios – a situation that is probable in most catchments – depending on the strength of expression of either attitude group the balance will shift (be shifting) between the two relational scenarios.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Reform in defence of sovereignty: South Africa in the UN Security Council, 2007–2008
- Authors: Bischoff, Paul, 1954-
- Date: 2009
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/161431 , vital:40626 , https://0-doi.org.wam.seals.ac.za/10.1177/000203970904400205
- Description: After 1994, South Africa became the sine qua non of an internationalist state, willing to promote cooperation amongst a plurality of actors, believing common interests to be more important than their differences. This raised the hopes of constitutionalists, and those who believed in the expansion of a liberal democratic peace. South Africa has acted out two seemingly contradictory roles: those of a reformer and those of a conserver. By 2007–2008 she had shifted towards the latter, conservative-reformist position. Thus, South Africa's voting record at the General Assembly expressed her overriding concern to regionalise African issues and minimise the US and the West shaping political events. This brought her foreign policy into sharper relief. But while in some sense successful, it came at a price: a controversy about her surrendering her internationalism and principles on human rights for African unity and traditional sovereignty. But it also marked the arrival of South Africa in the world of international Realpolitik.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Bischoff, Paul, 1954-
- Date: 2009
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/161431 , vital:40626 , https://0-doi.org.wam.seals.ac.za/10.1177/000203970904400205
- Description: After 1994, South Africa became the sine qua non of an internationalist state, willing to promote cooperation amongst a plurality of actors, believing common interests to be more important than their differences. This raised the hopes of constitutionalists, and those who believed in the expansion of a liberal democratic peace. South Africa has acted out two seemingly contradictory roles: those of a reformer and those of a conserver. By 2007–2008 she had shifted towards the latter, conservative-reformist position. Thus, South Africa's voting record at the General Assembly expressed her overriding concern to regionalise African issues and minimise the US and the West shaping political events. This brought her foreign policy into sharper relief. But while in some sense successful, it came at a price: a controversy about her surrendering her internationalism and principles on human rights for African unity and traditional sovereignty. But it also marked the arrival of South Africa in the world of international Realpolitik.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009