The impact of digital platforms and their infrastructure implementation in the rural communities of South Africa
- Authors: Maifala, Morris Thibogang
- Date: Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
- Subjects: Rural development -- Technological innovations , Transformation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/72916 , vital:79277
- Description: The proliferation of digital platforms and infrastructure has transformed various sectors across the globe, yet many rural communities in South Africa still struggle to access and benefit from these advancements. This study explores the impact of digital platforms and their supporting infrastructure on the rural community of Moruleng, located in Rustenburg, South Africa. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, the research examines how digital platforms are integrated into daily activities and the extent to which they influence socioeconomic development, education, healthcare, and local businesses in Moruleng. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews with community members, local businesses, educatorsand healthcare providers. The findings reveal that while digital platforms hold significant potential to improve access to information, economic opportunities, and essential services, infrastructural challenges such as limited internet connectivity, high costs, and lack of digital skills hinder their full utilisation. Furthermore, concerns about data privacy, the reliability of digital platforms, and access to digital literacy programmes were highlighted as barriers to the effective adoption of digital solutions. This research underscores the importance of tailored infrastructure investments and digital literacy initiatives that address the unique needs of rural communities like Moruleng. It also provides recommendations for policymakers, local government, and private sector stakeholders on fostering a digital environment that can contribute to sustainable development in rural South Africa. The study concludes that strategic digital infrastructure implementation, combined with community-based training and support, could bridge the digital divide and facilitate inclusive growth for the people of Moruleng and similar rural areas. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2025
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
The use of social media advertisement platforms for the survival of SMMEs in the VUCA world
- Authors: Jawadu, Atuweni
- Date: Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
- Subjects: Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Management Sciences, 2025 , Advertising -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Business enterprises -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , The use of social media advertisement platforms for the survival of SMMEs in the VUCA world
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/72757 , vital:79255
- Description: In an era characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), the survival of small, Medium, and Micro-Sized Enterprises (SMMEs) has become increasingly challenging. This dissertation investigates the role of social media advertising platforms as vital tools for enhancing the resilience and sustainability of SMMEs in this dynamic landscape. Focusing on the beauty industry within Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB), the study employs a quantitative research design complemented by semi-structured interviews to gather comprehensive data. The research analyses how SMMEs leverage social media platforms - such as Facebook, Instagram, X, and several others - to navigate modern marketing challenges. Through a combination of quantitative surveys and qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews, the findings reveal that SMMEs which effectively harness social media not only enhance their visibility but also develop stronger relationships with their customers. Thematic analysis is utilised to interpret the qualitative data, identifying key themes related to marketing strategies, customer engagement, and adaptability. This study contributes to the understanding of digital marketing strategies in the context of SMMEs, offering practical insights for entrepreneurs seeking to thrive in a VUCA world. The implications of this study’s findings underscore the importance of integrating social media into business models as a means of ensuring long-term success and competitiveness in an ever-evolving marketplace. By highlighting the intersection of quantitative and qualitative methods, this research provides a nuanced perspective on how SMMEs can leverage social media for sustainable growth. The study recommends that SMMEs enhance their social media advertising effectiveness by implementing targeted training programmes for owners and marketing teams, focusing on digital marketing skills and strategies. Forming strategic partnerships with digital marketing experts can provide valuable insights and resources while fostering a culture of continuous learning, through online courses and industry events, will keep teams updated on current trends. Additionally, prioritising data analytics to refine social media advertising strategies and actively engaging with local communities can strengthen brand loyalty and customer relationships. By adopting these approaches, SMMEs can effectively navigate the challenges of a VUCA world and improve their chances of survival and growth. In conclusion, this study underscores the critical role of social media advertising platforms in empowering SMMEs to thrive in a VUCA world. By leveraging targeted training, strategic partnerships, continuous learning, data analytics, and community engagement, SMMEs can enhance their marketing effectiveness and resilience. The insights gained from this research provide a valuable framework for entrepreneurs seeking to adapt to an ever-evolving digital landscape, ultimately fostering sustainable growth and success in their respective industries. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Management Sciences, 2025
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
Soil erosion in South Africa
- Authors: Kitto, P H
- Date: 1936
- Subjects: Soil erosion South Africa , Soils Analysis , Wind erosion , Water erosion
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193679 , vital:45385
- Description: The development of Soil Science in western Europe, eastern North America, and later in other countries, which, in its modern form only started about the beginning of the last century, might be said to mark the first step in the consideration of Soil Erosion from a scientific aspect, although it was some time before scientists began to concentrate on and study the problem as one which demanded a detailed investigation. Empirically, erosion has been noted and, where the value of the land warranted it, practical methods adopted for its control, in many cases with no small measure of success, for centuries, but the methods adopted were localised to small regions, and the major destruction went on unchecked. The seriousness of this destruction was usually not realised until too late, and striking examples exist of the complete desiccation resulting from this neglect. Those of China, Arabia, Mesopotamia and other countries have often been quoted, and need not be described again here. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Chemistry, 1936
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1936
Argyroploce Leucotreta: “The false Codlin moth”
- Authors: Horne, H M R
- Date: 1939
- Subjects: Cryptophlebia leucotreta , False Codling Moth , Citrus Diseases and pests , Life cycles (Biology)
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193375 , vital:45326
- Description: This introduction and ensuing essay are something in the nature of a personal confession. Deemed as such what I have written concerning Samuel Palmer has not, in any way, been written as an exercise, but rather for the purpose of self-edification. This I will elaborate upon while disclosing my motive for writing on Palmer. Palmer's works - when I first saw them - were something of a revelation. They seemed the alpha and omega of my own artistic endeavour. Perhaps the term which best describes the euphoria I felt is 1deja vu1, because although it describes a connectedness of sorts, the words have in their sound an exotic ring. There is in it an implied equivocation - and equivocality best describes my understanding of Samuel Palmer at that juncture. This euphoria I felt dimmed with the realisation that by purportedly claiming, as I was, Samuel Palmer's visionary landscapes as my goal I was treading on sacred ground; I'd arrived, as it were, in another's Paradise. The effects of this upon my own creativity were completely negative. Worse still, I lacked the necessary means to extricate myself from Palmer's paradisiacal visions. His influence was incapacitating and convoluting my own growth. It was obvious then that I had to be rid of Samuel Palmer. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Zoology and Entomology, 1939
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1939
The Anatomy of Microchaetus Saxatilis: with some notes on allied species
- Authors: Louw, M A
- Date: 1941
- Subjects: Earthworms Anatomy , Microchaetus saxatilis , Glossoscolecidae Classification , Hormogaster
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193666 , vital:45382
- Description: Earthworms of the genus Microchaetus, Rapp.1849, are abundant in the Grahams town district. Microohaetus saxatilis, Rosa, 1S98,has been chosen as a subject for investigation as it is a valuable type for laboratory work, and it showed interesting characters which required detailed study. Members of the genus Micro chaet us are available in many regions of South Africa and are useful for work in South African schools and Universities. Micro chaetus saxatills is an 01igochaete worm belonging to the family Glossoseolecidae. These wonns were originally placed in the Lumbricina by Grube, (1850 p.345), but Rosa in 1887 (p.7) formed a separate family naming it the Geoscolecidae. He divided it into two sub-families :- (1) Geoscolecinae, and (B) Microchaetinae. Beddard was studying the classification of this family at the same time as Rosa. He spelt the name slightly differently, calling the family the Geoscolicidae, but he arrived independently at the same division into subfamilies (1888, pp. £43-278), although he suggests that perhaps an additional sub-family - the Homo gas. tridae - should be formed. Homo gas ter is undoubtedly an aberrant type, and it seems strange that Rosa who studied this genus should not have placed it in a separate sub-family. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Zoology, 1941
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1941
Two dermestid pests of hides and skins in South Africa
- Authors: Walker, J D
- Date: 1941
- Subjects: Dermestidae , Hides and skins , Insect pests Control , Dermestes oblongus , Dermestidae Anatomy
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193702 , vital:45387
- Description: Only two species of Coleoptera have so far been taken in numbers and identified with certainty as causing extensive damage to hides and skins in South Africa. These are Dermestes vulpinus F. and Dermestes oblongus Solier. belonging to the family Dermestidae. Dermestes vulpinus is apparently worldwide in distribution and its ravages are very extensive. It has a considerable range of diet, as it has been reported as doing damage to silkworm cocoons, dried codfish, hams, cork, and even leather as a finished product. Both the adults and the larvae are responsible for the damage, but the latter are the bigger culprits, both because they are more voracious and also because in the prepupal instar the larvae will riddle any available material in order to obtain a secure place in which to pupate. Even the fabric of buildings and ships is destroyed by these creatures. The damage which is most important economically, however, is done to hides and skins of every kind. The Dermestidae are well adapted to this diet in the possession of an enzyme (keratinase) which is capable of digesting keratin. This is extremely rare in the animal kingdom. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, 1941
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1941
Some elements of the arthropod fauna of the soil in South Africa
- Authors: Farquhar, M J
- Date: 1947
- Subjects: Arthropods South Africa , Soil animals South Africa , Soil science
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193691 , vital:45386
- Description: In a paper entitled "Bacteria of the Soil", Dr. Russell of Rothamsted is quoted as saying, ”The top six lashes might almost be called a separate world? 80 great is the number and variety of its inhabitants”• It is with a few forms belonging to this enormous biological complex that the author intends to deal, viz*, representatives of the Orders Pauropoda, Symphyla, Protura, Coleoptera and Hemiptera. Time does not permit the inclusion of a study of the multitude of Arthropod, species that occur in the soil, but a more complete work on these soil groups is intended in the future. McCullogh and Hayes (1922,p.288) state that the soil is an integral factor In the study of biological problems. Hence an understanding of the organic life of the soil, which is of great importance in relation to the other aspects of pedology, is a necessary adjunct to the study of the soil ae a whole. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Botany, 1947
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1947
A study on white leather tannage
- Authors: Williams-Wynn, D A
- Date: 1950
- Subjects: Leather , Tanning , Aluminum sulfate , Mineral tanning
- Language: English
- Type: Diploma theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193713 , vital:45389
- Description: As has been noted in the previous section little or no complex formation occurs with either formate or acetate except possibly above pH 9*0 or so. These anions do not stabilise the aluminium solutions to precipitation - they may* however, be of value in controlling pH, as solutions of these salts buffer strongly in the region pH 4 to 5. The other salts, lactate, tartrate and citrate all show tendencies to complex formation though the degree to which this occurs varies with the anion. The complexes formed by lactate at high pH must be very unstable because on the addition of acid the pH corresponds to the calculated blank. Below pH 9.0 however, the curves deviate quite considerably showing that more acid must be added to reach a certain pH value than is required by the blank. This means complex formation has occurred with loss of -COGH groups. In this system too, buffering is apparent. The same is true of tartrate but this salt is not as efficient a buffering agent. This is probably due to the fact that the excess tartrate is not available as a buffer as it is precipitated as the acid salt which is only sparingly soluble. Citrate on the other hand must form very stable complexes, the effect of which is apparent at even very high pH values. In other words, addition of strong acid liberates free -GOGH groups which are immediately incorporated in the complex. This evidently does not occur with lactate or tartrate until lower pH values are reached. The ratio of lactate and citrate to aluminium appears to have some influence on the degree of masking as greater complex formation is found to occur at the higher ratio levels. Tartrate on the other hand apparently has a fixed complex forming capacity between 1 and 4 mols/mol aluminium, since the same deviation from the blank was observed irrespective of which ratio of the masking agent to aluminium, was employed. However, at ratios of less than 1 mol tartrate/mol aluminium, deviations from the blank were reduced and less stabilisation occurs as evidenced by the formation of precipitates containing aluminium under these conditions. In view of these facts it may be suggested that 1 mol tartrate combines with 1 mol aluminium to form a complex containing equimolar proportions of aluminium and tartrate. The effect of boiling apart from one or two exceptions always has the same effect, i.e. a shift to the acid side of the curve. Free acid must have been liberated which is an indication that olation might have occurred. In the lactate and citrate series dilution appears to reduce the complex forming capacity of these ions but tartrate is unaffected. Thus it would appear that the tartrate complex is more stable than those formed by lactate. Citrate stabilises aluminium solutions with fewer equivalents than tartrate, but the complex does not contain a constant ratio of masking agent to aluminium further quantities of tartrate cannot enter the complex even in the presence of large excess of the anion probably due to the effect of steric hindrance. , Thesis (Dip) -- Leather Industries Research Institute, 1950
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1950
The artistic forms of the image of war
- Authors: Graham, H J
- Date: 1968-03
- Subjects: Violence in art , War in art , Warrior , Ancient warfare
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/191267 , vital:45077
- Description: War is a condition of this world. From man to the smallest insect, all are at strife, yet man has a "quality which makes him overlord of all; for whereas the creatures of the forest and plain kill only to eat, or to lead the herd ... man will kill for no reason at all. This makes him terrible among the creatures, for he is the very God of Destruction. And from man's pride in his weapons that give him power has grown his art." Warfare in its primeval state is a direct result of a natural phenomenon, springing from the discovery that certain grass seeds could be cultivated and that certain grass feeding animals could be domesticated. From these roots sprouted two very differently organised communities, the agricultural and the pastoral, who clashed for the first time in the third millenium B.C. , Thesis (MFA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Fine Art, 1968
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- Date Issued: 1968-03
The construction of a swept-frequency polarimeter for observing decametric radiation from Jupiter
- Authors: Baker, Dirk E.
- Date: 1970-01
- Subjects: Polariscope , Jupiter (Planet) Radiation , Faraday effect
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/447507 , vital:74652
- Description: This thesis describes the design and construction of a swept-frequency polarimeter for observing Jupiter’s decametric radiation in the frequency range from 15 to 45 MHz. The frequency band is tuned in two parts using two receivers for observing the left- and right-circular components of the radiation in the 15 to 26 MHz range and two receivers for observing the circular components in the 30 to 45 MHz range. The receivers are tuned electronically by means of varactor diodes and are of novel design in that they do not have any intermediate-frequency stages. The frequency band can be swept 10 times per second or 100 times per second. The antennas used for the polarimeter are helical beam antennas, two for each of the circular components in the 15 to 26 MHz range and two for the 30 to 45 MHz range. Model studies of the antennas were conducted to establish whether they have suitable characteristics for observing the polarisation of Jupiter’s decametric radiation over a wide frequency range. Many spectral records of Jupiter’s decametric radiation were obtained using a preliminary version of the swept-frequency receiver and a log-periodic dipole antenna. Some of the records are presented and one record which shows an interesting case of Faraday rotation is analysed. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Physics, 1970
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1970-01
Violence and destruction as an important part of artistic action with reference to the two Great Wars
- Authors: Hallier, Michael Glen Thomas
- Date: 1971-11
- Subjects: Violence in art , War in art , World War, 1914-1918 Art and the war , World War, 1939-1945 Art and the war
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/190329 , vital:44984
- Description: A well known fact about any work of art of any significance is its power to upset current conventions and disturb certain of our normal emotional patterns. The artist frequently achieves this by deliberately expressing emotions that are violent. There is nothing, however, new about the existence of violence in the arts, a large number of works in the history of art being painted with blood. One has only to think of the many battles, rapes, murders, martyrdoms and catastrophes that have been the subjects of many great paintings. Since the beginning of this century, and especially since the work of the Impressionists, in which violence is entirely excluded, violence has taken on a role of great importance and has been used to a greater or lesser extent by artists and group movements. It would appear initially that there are two main reasons in this century for the use of violence: one as a means of using it as a weapon against the academic and avant-garde in the arts, which in turn reflects attitudes found in society, and secondly as a direct reflection of the corrupt society in which we live. This is not to say that the twentieth century is an age in which more violence and sadism is found than in any other era of history, but never has it received so much publicity. I do not believe that man has change so much over the years, but it is my view that the apparent increase in this century is due to the vast changes in communications, it is due to the publicity it receives that violence has in recent times become a focal point, with murders, assassinations and war part of our daily lives. , Thesis (MFA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Fine Art, 1971
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- Date Issued: 1971-11
South Africa, the prospects of peaceful change: an empirical enquiry into the possibility of democratic conflict regulation
- Authors: Hanf, Theodor, 1936- , Weiland, Heribert, 1942- , Vierdag, Gerda , Schlemmer, Lawrence 1936-2011 , Hampel, Rainer , Krupp, Burkhard , Richardson, John , Orkin, Mark
- Date: 1981 , 2021
- Subjects: South Africa Race relations , South Africa Politics and government 1961-1978
- Language: English
- Type: Book , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/179720 , vital:43164
- Description: Our aim in this book is not to tell black or white South Africans what they ought to do. Rather, we try to establish through empirical social research what the various groups would like to do, and what they are in fact able to do. The overall issue which we consider is whether conflict can be regulated both peacefully and democratically. The events of 1976 and 1977 established beyond doubt that conflict exists on a large scale in South Africa. The conflict is both open and latent. Its causes include the distribution of income and wealth between different groups, the enforced social segregation of the groups from each other, and the monopoly of power by one of the groups. This one group has used and continues to use its power to regulate the conflict, and does so unilaterally and towards its own ends. Now conflict can be regulated in this way for a considerable period of time—longer than the whites dare hope and the blacks concede. But it is unlikely that power can be exercised indefinitely without the consent of the majority. Indeed, the longer a group exercises power without consent, the more likely is violent change. Given the distribution of power in contemporary South Africa, violent change would involve enormous sacrifices all round. So we consider the chances of peaceful change. Unfortunately, the chances seem slim. A glance at history shows that minorities tend to cling obstinately to their privileges, and then lose everything in defending them. One is far less likely to find minorities who have made timely sacrifices of some things in order to hold onto others. Similarly, once the tables are turned, the majorities that have been exploited and maltreated more often give vent to their long-suppressed feelings of hate and revenge than explore the possibilities for a peaceful take-over of power. Even so, however likely such developments may be when seen from a historical perspective, there is no ‘iron law of history’ which categorically excludes the possibility of peaceful change under the conditions obtaining in South Africa. And the ‘social costs’—a euphemism in social science for human suffering—of violent change are so high that one is surely justified in exploring the constraints, however narrow they might be, within which the current system of conflict regulation in South Africa might be peacefully transformed. This consideration is even more important in the present global political situation; for change by violent means will not only endanger the parties directly concerned, but may also endanger the peace of the African continent and perhaps that of the rest of the world. We also want to know whether conflict can be regulated democratically. We assume that the rule of law, social justice, and democratic rights are not the prerogatives of wealthy Western states. We believe that all the members of a society should be able to decide freely on how they want to shape their economic, cultural, and political coexistence. This study is thus motivated by a specific interest: we want to ascertain what scope there is in contemporary South Africa for changing the existing system of domination, so as to allow the democratic regulation of conflict, more social justice, a greater diversity of cultural expression, and wider freedom for all South Africans. We stress that we are concerned with the democratic regulation of conflict. For this purpose, the context in which conflict originated in South Africa is only relevant to the extent that it may still influence the present situation. Similarly, explanations of the phenomenon of conflict will be relevant only if they let us formulate more precisely the problem of how conflict may be peacefully and democratically regulated. This problem is important not because it contributes to the progress of social science—that contribution may be modest—but because it bears on the fate of many human beings. We have tried to offer answers which can be supported by empirical inquiry. Although the literature on conflict regulation in South Africa has expanded rapidly in recent years, it is characterized by a lack of empirical data on the attitudes and opinions of the groups and individuals involved in the political process. We felt it would be useful if we lessened these gaps in our knowledge by empirical means. But data on the attitudes and opinions of black and white South Africans are hardly a sufficient basis for reliable predictions about South Africa’s future. Events in South Africa will not only be determined by the opinions and wishes of its inhabitants but also, as is becoming increasingly evident, by forces and influences outside the country. However, the latter have been expressly excluded from the present study; it is concerned, ceteris paribus, with internal South African developments. But even with respect to internal developments, what actually happens in a society is only partly determined by what the members of the society think and want. It would thus be foolhardy to base a comprehensive prognostication on opinion surveys alone. On the other hand, empirical surveys may facilitate a precise answer to the overall problem we have set ourselves. Empirical research can indicate how far white South Africans are prepared for peaceful change and democratic conflict regulation, and similarly, what change black South Africans expect and what means of conflict regulation they are prepared to accept. Does the preparedness of the whites match or fall far short of the expectations of the blacks? The question is crucial to change without violence. Thus, in respect of our motivation and of the limitations we have set on the nature of our inquiry, this study must be seen as an empirical contribution to research into conflict and peace.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1981
Aspects of the ecology and biology of Gilchristella aestuarius (G & T) (Pisces: Clupeidae) in the Swartkops estuary, Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Talbot, Marie Marcel Jean-Francois
- Date: 1982-12
- Subjects: Fishes -- Ecology -- South Africa -- Swartkops River Estuary , Swartkops River Estuary (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Manuscripct
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/52352 , vital:43613
- Description: The Department of Zoology at the University of Port Elizabeth has an ongoing programme on the Swartkops estuary with the eventual aim of drawing up the energy pathways of the system. Marais (1976) has investigated the nutritional ecology of the grunter Pommadasys cormersoni while Melville-Smith (1978) and Melville-Smith and Baird (1981) reported on the ecology of larval fish. Winter (1979) studied the ecological parameters of fish populations, but this work was not a detailed account of each population. Wooldridge (1979) studied components of the 3 zooplankton community in some detail. It became evident that there was a significant lack of understanding of the ecological relationships between plankton and piscivorous fish, which was crucial to the elucidation of the interactions and trophodynamics of the Swartkops estuarine system. Since G. aestuarius is an important link in the energy pathway from the plankton to the nekton, and in terms of numbers dominates the seine net catches made in the estuary (Winter, 1979), this study was motivated. The aim was to investigate the important biological parameters of the estuarine round herring population namely the population structure, distribution and abundance, individual growth rate from field data, the food and feeding habits, reproduction and respiration, all of which are essential for the understanding of the dynamics of a species. These parameters were later converted into energy terms and the construction of an energy budget was attempted. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, 1982
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1982-12
"Burnout" in children's home houseparents
- Authors: Bath, Peter John
- Date: 1983
- Subjects: Burn out (Psychology) , Children Institutional care , Houseparent , Foster parents , Child care workers Mental health
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193118 , vital:45300
- Description: Aimed at replicating the results of an American study into "Burnout" in Group Home houseparents, this research had the following aims: 1) To ascertain the validity and reliability of the instrument used in the original study and presented as a "useful measure of burnout”. 2) To establish whether this line of research, within a highly problematic research field, can at present offer any guidelines in the resolution of the current staffing crisis faced by South African children's homes. 3} To describe more closely the burnout syndrome. 4) To study possible etiological factors within a local context. Sixty three houseparents completed questionaires and three independent measures of burnout were obtained. The results were regarded as having failed to replicate those of the original study. The reason for this was found to be the low validity of the original instrument. The main conclusion drawn was that the line of research adopted in the original study can offer only very tentative guidelines towards the resolution of the staffing crisis faced until such time as valid and reliable instruments to measure burnout have been developed. Many of the suggested relationships between situational variables and ones of personal characteristics were confirmed for the local population of houseparents. , Thesis (MSocSci) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 1983
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1983
The biology of the sand shark Rhinobatos Annulatus, in Algoa Bay with notes on other elasmobranchs
- Authors: Rossouw, Gideon Johannes
- Date: 1983
- Subjects: Sand sharks , Guitarfishes
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/52802 , vital:44061
- Description: The biology of the lesser sand shark, Rhinobatos annulatus, was studied off sandy beaches in Algoa Bay over a period of two years. Tagging studies, due to low numbers tagged, did not reveal major movements. However, comparison of numbers of sand sharks caught off the beach and deep water during summer and winter months suggested that migration occurred during these seasons with the animals being inshore in summer. Annual rings on the vertebral centra were used to determine age. Both sexes can reach a maximum age of seven years. Conventional growth curves could not be fitted and empirical curves were used to illustrate growth. The reproductive cycle was investigated and indicated that both sexes matured after three years of age. The breeding season was during late summer when the shallow water was utilized as a nursery area. The sand shark is an aplacental viviparous species with a gestation period of 10 months. Breeding occurred every year and fecundity increased with total body length to a maximum litter size of 10 young. The most important prey items taken inshore were the mysid Gastrosaccus psammodytes, the prawn Macropetasma africanum, the crab Ovalipes punctatus and the sand mussels Donax spp. Differential predation by different length classes of sand shark resulted from a dynamic zonation of these different size classes in the surf zone. Smallest individuals fed closest inshore. Seasonal variation recorded in the hepatosomatic index was primarily due to the accumulation of hepatic lipids. This variation showed significant correlations with the breeding cycle in adult sand sharks. The contribution of liver lipids to the formation of egg yolk was estimated and found to be secondary to lipid reserves for maintenance. Liver colour varied depended on the amount of liver lipids. Ancillary observations were made of other elasmobranchs in the surf zone. , Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty of Science, 1983
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1983
Samuel Palmer and Romanticism
- Authors: Chapman, Anton
- Date: 1985
- Subjects: Palmer, Samuel, 1805-1881 Criticism and interpretation , Romanticism in art , Blake, William, 1757-1827 Influence , Landscape painting, English 19th century
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193269 , vital:45316
- Description: This introduction and ensuing essay are something in the nature of a personal confession. Deemed as such what I have written concerning Samuel Palmer has not, in any way, been written as an exercise, but rather for the purpose of self-edification. This I will elaborate upon while disclosing my motive for writing on Palmer. Palmer's works - when I first saw them - were something of a revelation. They seemed the alpha and omega of my own artistic endeavour. Perhaps the term which best describes the euphoria I felt is ‘deja vu’, because although it describes a connectedness of sorts, the words have in their sound an exotic ring. There is in it an implied equivocation - and equivocality best describes my understanding of Samuel Palmer at that juncture. This euphoria I felt dimmed with the realisation that by purportedly claiming, as I was, Samuel Palmer's visionary landscapes as my goal I was treading on sacred ground; I'd arrived, as it were, in another's Paradise. The effects of this upon my own creativity were completely negative. Worse still, I lacked the necessary means to extricate myself from Palmer's paradisiacal visions. His influence was incapacitating and convoluting my own growth. It was obvious then that I had to be rid of Samuel Palmer. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Fine Art, 1985
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1985
A phenomenological investigation of the beginning therapist's experience of the first session of psychotherapy with the first patient
- Authors: Allen, Jennifer Ann
- Date: 1987
- Subjects: Psychotherapy , Feedback (Psychology) , Psychotherapist and patient
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193129 , vital:45301
- Description: The aim of this project is to come to an understanding of how the situation of the first session of psychotherapy with the first patient is lived by the beginning therapist and what meaning this situation holds for him. The writer's interest in this phenomenon grew out of her own experience of this situation as a clinical Masters coursework student, an experience which was of important to the writer and meaningful still as a therapist in training. In dialogue with experienced therapists the importance of this situation was again made apparant. It was the opinion of these therapists that although for some the details of this experience had become dulled by time, what remained meaningful to them was that this experience was seen as the beginning of a project which remains important to them - they identified this situation as an important moment in the history of their development as psychotherapists. In the hope that the literature pertaining to psychotherapy would throw some light on this situation, the writer turned to a number of sources in this area to discover that no literature available to her elucidated this situation in a holistic manner. This led the writer to go back to the beginning therapists themselves so that they may speak for themselves of their experience of this situation. A phenomenological method of enquiry is implemented in this study as it renders the subject matter accessible to investigation, and allows it to reveal itself as it essentially is. This project is then an attempt to come to a general description of the beginning therapist's experience of the first session of psychotherapy with the first patient and thus to articulate the structure of the beginning therapist's lived situation (world) in this context. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 1987
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- Date Issued: 1987
A comparison of the self-esteem of black and white high school pupils
- Authors: Morrow, Brian Robert
- Date: 1988
- Subjects: High school students, Black South Africa , High school students, White South Africa , Self-esteem in adolescence , Rosenberg self-esteem scale
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193033 , vital:45292
- Description: This study investigated the level of self-esteem of black and white high-school students using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. One hundred and eighty six subjects were used, 63 of them being white while 118 were black. A validation of the Rosenberg scale for the black sample was attempted using a correlation between the scale score and a rating of the subjects by teachers. The results of the study showed no significant difference between the self-esteem levels, while the validation study failed to confirm the validity of the test for black subjects in South Africa. However, the validation study v/as rejected as inconclusive and the results of the comparison accepted as confirmatory of previous research. An incidental positive finding revealed that white males have higher self-esteem than white females,. The theory and past research of self-esteem comparisons between racial groups is reviewed. The conclusion is reached in this study that the concept of self-esteem has outlasted its usefulness in the field of comparisons between racial groups and research of a qualitative nature .can provide further data for the understanding of differences between racial groups. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 1988
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- Date Issued: 1988
Towards an essential description of the experience of psychotherapy
- Authors: Letlaka, Kedibone Tembisa
- Date: 1988
- Subjects: Psychotherapy , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Prison psychology , Stress (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193183 , vital:45307
- Description: The aim of this thesis is to explore and clarify what the experience of psychotherapy with ex-detainees entails. This investigation and analysis is conducted within the framework of a phenomenological method. The researcher elicits both the ex-detainees' and the therapist's experiences of psychotherapy. Initially the problematic nature of research in psychotherapy is layed out. This is followed by an overview of literature and theory on trauma and its conceptualizations from various psychotherapeutic perspectives. The treatment implications in each case are mentioned. Trauma occurs in the detention experience so detention is then briefly looked at in terms of torture basically and the detention syndrome, post traumatic stress disorder. Core personality processes in relation to this diagnosis are given and the stress recovery process is summarized. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 1988
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- Date Issued: 1988
Bulimia Nervosa: a case study in cognitive psychotherapy
- Authors: Kanfer, Josephine
- Date: 1990
- Subjects: Bulimia , Psychotherapy , Cognitive therapy , Eating disorders in adolescence , Interpersonal psychotherapy
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/192988 , vital:45287
- Description: This project uses the case-study method to illustrate the application of integrating varied accepted modes of psychotherapeutic interventions. It concentrates on the first 22 out-patient sessions of therapy with a diagnosed bulimic, spanning a 6 month period. A brief summary of the subsequent 10 follow-up sessions is also given. The case presented is of a 22 year old female student diagnosed as bulimic (of 7 year duration), dysthymic and with a dependent personality disorder. She has symptoms of anxiety. She has a history of anorexia nervosa. Fairburn's (1985) cognitive-behavioural programme for bulimia was used initially. Its structured framework with the emphasis on the eating behaviour was an essential aspect in contributing to the success of the initial phase of the therapy. This patient had had previously experienced 8 sessions of non-directive depth psychotherapy which had confused and compounded her problems. The structure had provided her with a sense of control. In implementing the second stage of Fairburn's programme, where the focus is cognitive, the patient could no longer work in this this structured manner. The attempts to implement the standard cognitive techniques provided the catalyst for activating deeper underlying emotions and cognitions. Furthermore, this gave impetus to work actively with the interpersonal aspect of the therapeutic relationship. Young's (1989) model for identifying Early Maladaptive Schemas could be applied. The focus then moved from the behaviours and dealt with these schemas as activated in the therapeutic relationship. The patient was able to make links to her family and her past. The therapy proved successful, as not only were the behavioural symptoms alleviated, but also the patient's interpersonal problems which underlay her personality disorder were accessed. The patient had become more self-assertive, her mood had improved considerably, she was less concerned with body image and more accepting of herself. She had become more reality based and her interpersonal relational abi1ity had improved. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 1990
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- Date Issued: 1990