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A proposed framework for the development of urban agriculture in South African cities

  • Authors: Brown, Nicola Jayne
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Urban agriculture -- South Africa , Sustainable development -- South Africa , Food security -- Climatic factors -- South Africa , Resilience (Ecology)
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/174413 , vital:42475
  • Description: While climate change and rapid urbanisation are impacting our cities and existing infrastructure, population growth and resource scarcity are placing unprecedented pressure on our food systems. In light of such challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals, resilient solutions are being sought to move both urban development and food production towards a more sustainable future. In this context, Urban Agriculture (UA) has been identified as a possible mechanism to complement rural food production with many associated social, economic and environmental benefits for urban communities. Some of these benefits include increased food system resilience, better urban environmental management, circular and productive reuse of urban wastes, employment opportunities, reduced food miles and the promotion of social inclusivity. Through a sustainable food system lens and underpinned by Resilience Theory, this research study sets out to investigate and explore the considerations for UA development. The research study reviews UA literature to identify and analyse the common challenges which act as barriers to implementation, as well as the current or potential opportunities which could be leveraged to drive UA development. The insights gained from literature on UA and UA development frameworks; and the data gathered from qualitative interviews with experts working in UA-related fields in South Africa (SA), were used to build a conceptual framework for UA development in SA. The conceptual framework developed is intended to be used as a guide for local municipalities, urban planners, urban farmers, urban communities and UA support organisations in their approach to developing UA initiatives. The findings from this research study reveal that UA development in SA involves numerous actors at both provincial and municipal levels; and within private institutions, businesses, universities, farmer organisations and society. The findings also reveal that UA currently occurs at many levels in SA, with each level drawing a particular range of participants due to the various social, economic and/or environmental features of the initiative. Along with challenges associated with land access, the lack of UA-related knowledge, the threat of theft, vandalism and soil contamination (to name a few); a lack of understanding of how agriculture can fit into urban spaces was found to be a major obstacle. The findings suggest that this lack of understanding has led to an under-realisation of the full potential of UA in South African towns and cities; and an inability to incentivise and optimise the development of UA. Considering the findings derived from the investigation, the study proposes five major considerations for UA development in SA, all of which are unpacked in the conceptual framework. The study concludes by making recommendations for UA decision-makers and UA organisations to consider for future developments.
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

A study of the catalysis of the Diels-Alder and Aldol Condensation Reactions

  • Authors: Ndagano, Urbain Nshokano
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: To be added
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/178525 , vital:42947
  • Description: Access restricted until April 2022. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Chemistry, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

A Systematic Visualisation Framework for Radio-Imaging Pipelines

  • Authors: Andati, Lexy Acherwa Livoyi
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Radio interferometers , Radio astronomy -- Data processing , Radio astronomy -- Data processing -- Software , Jupyter
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177338 , vital:42812
  • Description: Pipelines for calibration and imaging of radio interferometric data produce many intermediate images and other data products (gain tables, etc.) These often contain valuable information about the quality of the data and the calibration, and can provide the user with valuable insights, if only visualised in the right way. However, the deluge of data that we’re experiencing with modern instruments means that most of these products are never looked at, and only the final images and data products are examined. Furthermore, the variety of imaging algorithms currently available, and the range of their options, means that very different results can be produced from the same set of original data. Proper understanding of this requires a systematic comparison that can be carried out both by individual users locally, and by the community globally. We address both problems by developing a systematic visualisation framework based around Jupyter notebooks, enriched with interactive plots based on the Bokeh and Datashader visualisation libraries. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Department of Physics and Electronics, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Alternative approach to controlling citrus black spot disease

  • Authors: Thabede, Jahman Thabo
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: To be added
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/178569 , vital:42951
  • Description: Access restricted until April 2022. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Biochemistry and Microbiology, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

An analysis of employee retention : a study of selected local municipalities in the Sarah Baartman District Municipality

  • Authors: Maholo, Lisa
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee retention -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Labor turnover -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal officials and employees -- Job satisfaction , Career development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Personnel management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal officials and employees -- Salaries, etc. -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Affiliation (Psychology)
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177349 , vital:42813
  • Description: The success of municipalities largely depends on the quality (skills, knowledge and experience) of individuals employed at those institutions. As key role players in the delivery of services, municipalities struggle to retain a high calibre of employees who essentially form the backbone of the public sector due to their skills, knowledge and experiences. There is a need for municipalities to create and foster an environment that encourages existing employees to remain employed. This study adopted an interpretivist research paradigm, given the study’s primary aim of gaining an in-depth understanding of employee retention as experienced by employees in the selected municipalities, together with the key influencing factors of employee retention. The qualitative research approach used a case study methodology within the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, with two category B3 and B4 municipalities selected for the study. The retention factors framework for existing employees by Munsamy and Bosch-Venter (2009) was used as the supporting theoretical structure. Respondents were selected through purposive sampling, and 16 in-depth semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data. Through various content analysis techniques employed, this study identified seven employee retention factors (affiliation, career, work content, direct financial factors, external forces, work–life balance and indirect financial factors) with their associated themes. Affiliation, career and work content were identified as the three key factors which influence employee retention. Management style (relationship and interaction between employees and manager), organisational commitment and work environment were the main themes giving meaning to the affiliation factor. Training, personal growth and advancement emerged as themes related to the career factor. The work content factor was defined in terms of meaningfulness, challenges and autonomy themes. Direct and indirect financial factors, external forces, and work–life balance also emerged as factors that play a role in the retention of employees within a municipal context. Base salary and incentives were the associated themes underlying the direct financial factor. However, base salary has short-term effects on retention. Political climate and organisational reputation, municipal category and organisational structure were interrelated external forces. Flexible work arrangements, access to family, and childcare facilities give meaning to the work–life balance, while the only indirect financial factor to arise was benefits. Although some of the retention factors are clearly more influential than others, key employees attach most importance to a combination of employee retention factors that cater to their holistic needs and desires and generational differences. Therefore, the recommendations need to be implemented simultaneously. Having managers who engage employees in decisions-making and offer guidance and support, together with work environments where the physical and behavioural aspects are attended to, encourages employees to feel valued and appreciated. Municipalities should effectively communicate their mandate of ensuring adequate service delivery, which will allow employees to align their personal values to municipal objectives. Offering on-the-job training, access to career developmental programmes, evaluating job characteristics to include challenging and stimulating work and additional incentives as financial support will foster a conducive working environment for employees. Overall, municipalities face unique challenges depending on a variety of external elements such as political influence and climate. They operate in a challenging environment where they are also accountable to the community. Ultimately, municipalities must create and develop ways to acknowledge, develop and retain key employees in order to adequately deliver services. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Management, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

An analysis of intrasemiotic and intersemiotic relations of textual and visual modes in Namibian school science textbooks

  • Authors: Mateus, Venasius
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Semiotics , Force and energy , Visual learning , Verbal learning , Functionalism (Linguistics) , Science -- Textbooks
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177203 , vital:42799
  • Description: Although science education in Namibia receives much attention, learners’ performance is low in subjects such as Physical Sciences. The topic of Forces is among the topics in Physical Sciences where learners perform poorly. The provision of basic education in Namibia faces many challenges. One of these is that many teachers are not fully qualified for teaching the subjects they currently teach. Another (possibly related) challenge is that the majority of teachers in Namibian schools rely heavily on school textbooks when planning their lessons. In addition, learners use school textbooks as learning aids. The textbooks are developed and published in the private sector and based on the national curriculum statements. Quality of education has been amongst the major goals of education in Namibia. For quality assurance purposes, school science textbooks have to undergo a formal evaluation process. School textbooks, especially science textbooks, are multimodal. This means that they are designed with various modes, such as the textual and visual, often used in expressing scientific meanings. Literature reveals the textual and visual as individual modes having their own affordances, however, when integrated in school science textbooks contribute to strengthened meanings. No study published was found in Namibia or elsewhere that focused on analysing the intrasemiotic and intersemiotic sense relations of the textual and visual modes in Namibian school Physical Sciences textbooks. This study therefore aimed at contributing to filling this knowledge gap. The research is a qualitative case study and employed the interpretive paradigm. The selected Physical Sciences textbooks that constitute the data in this study were explored in depth via document analysis. Related textual and visual modes in the Physical Sciences textbooks were analysed in order to help answer the research questions of the study. Systemic Functional Linguistics was employed as the theoretical underpinning for this study. In this study, the sense relations were explored in terms of the sense relation themes which were coded and developed from common features of scientific discourse. The results reveal that scientific knowledge within the textual mode in the topic of Forces is communicated mostly through synonymy and repetition while within the visual mode it is mostly through antonymy, collocation, and synonymy. This contributed to meaning potential in the topic of Forces for the three Physical Sciences textbooks. The results further indicated that the overall cohesion within the textual and visual modes in the topic of Forces is achieved since repetition, which is the most direct form of lexical cohesion together with synonymy, collocation, and antonymy which are aspects of cohesion, occurred most frequently within these modes. This result further indicates that meaning potential in the topic of Forces in the three Physical Sciences textbooks were strengthened. While some sense relations occurred most frequently within individual modes, they were less frequent in other modes and vice versa. This indicates that different modes have different affordances. Finally, it was found that combining the textual and visual modes in the topic of Forces contributes to intersemiotic complementarity being achieved through the sense relations of collocation, hyponymy, and meronymy. , Thesis (MEd) -- Education, Education, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

An analysis of the countervailing measures used to address the anti-competitive effects of Government subsidies in the African Continental Free Trade Area

  • Authors: Matsimbi, Rhulani Shaun
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Subsidies -- Law and legislation -- Africa , Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (1994 April 15) , Trade regulation -- Africa , World Trade Organization , Antitrust law -- Africa , Restraint of trade -- Africa , African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA) Agreement
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , LLM
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/178330 , vital:42930
  • Description: Government subsidies are becoming more prevalent on the African continent. Subsidies allow the government to intervene in markets to incentivise more investment into nascent and struggling industries by improving the efficiency of firms in such industries. As such, subsidies form an essential part of some African countries’ industrialisation policies. However, the use of subsidies faces a challenge because of the prohibition contained in the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM Agreement). The SCM Agreement prohibits the granting of subsidies that are contingent on export performance or the use of domestic over imported content. While African countries have not faced challenges in the WTO for their use of these subsidies, this may change with the operation of the African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA) Agreement. This is because the AfCFTA Agreement localises the WTO’s rules on subsidisation. This study critically examines the provisions in the AfCFTA Guidelines on the Implementation of Trade Remedies that regulate the use of export subsidies and subsidies contingent on the use of domestic content. It discusses how the absolute prohibition of these subsidies in the AfCFTA Agreement is not the most effective way to regulate their anti-competitive effects in the African continent. Specifically, this study discusses the role that competition policy might play in ensuring that export subsidies and local content subsidies are regulated in a manner that suits Africa’s context. Ultimately, this study concludes and recommends that the AfCFTA must develop unique rules to regulate subsidies in a way that caters to the needs of the continent. , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, Law, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

An analysis of ways in which the South African tax system could be simplified

  • Authors: Young, Gail Jeni
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Taxation -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Income tax -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , South African Revenue Service , Tax administration and procedure -- South Africa , Tax accounting -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/178235 , vital:42923
  • Description: It has been said that the fundamental paradox of tax simplification is that, despite consensus, almost every year tax rules become more complex. This thesis considers tax simplification measures which have been implemented internationally, in order to provide a basis for an analysis of ways in which the South African tax system could be simplified. A doctrinal methodology is applied, and an analysis is carried out of possible tax simplification measures, based on the commentary of experts in the field of tax law. Simplification measures adopted in the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States of America, Egypt, and certain European countries are discussed, together with their possible adoption in South Africa. Tax simplification has a broad scope. This research identifies four areas in which the South African tax system could simplified: the simplification of tax legislation, addressing the role of accounting in the simplification process, reducing the number of taxes currently levied, and finally addressing the complexities evident in the SARS e-filing system. This thesis illustrates several measures which could be used to address the current areas of complexity. Re-writing tax legislation to assist the understanding of taxpayers is suggested. An increase in the inclusion rate for individuals of capital gains in taxable income from 40% to 60% is suggested, to compensate for the loss of revenue due to the recommended repeal of donations tax and estate duty. Aligning tax legislation with accounting standards is identified as a possible area for simplification, as there are many similarities between the two systems. To address the usability of SARS’ e-filing platform, suggestions are made regarding the further pre-population of returns, introducing e-invoicing and providing a “sandbox” function that taxpayers could use to familiarise themselves with how e-filing works. This research highlights tax simplification as a process that needs to be prioritized in order to achieve the associated benefits. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Accounting, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

An assessment of the wild cyclopia subternata (vleitee) resource

  • Authors: Van der Walt, Wouter
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Legumes -- South Africa , Fynbos -- South Africa , Fynbos ecology -- South Africa , Fynbos -- Harvesting -- South Africa , Biodiversity conservation -- South Africa , Traditional ecological knowledge -- South Africa , Wild Cyclopia Subternata (Vleitee) , Honeybush tea industry
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/176874 , vital:42767
  • Description: Cyclopia spp. is used for the production of Honeybush tea, an herbal tea which is used in many cases as a substitute for rooibos tea. The wild harvesting of this fynbos plant still brings in up to 85% of the annual crop and as such needs to be carefully monitored in order to avoid over harvesting and the destruction of biodiversity within the Eastern and Western Cape mountain regions of Southern Africa. Due to the concerns of overharvesting and unsuitable use of the wild resource issues of supply security have been raised. There is a lack of formal knowledge relating to the plant, its harvesting, the industry and its economic potential. This study aimed to amend this scarcity by contributing to the knowledge of C. subternata as a wild harvested plant, the physical environment favoured by C. subternata, sustainable use through harvesting of the wild plant and harvesting methods specific to this honeybush species. The research concludes by presenting a guideline for best harvest practices of the wild C. subternata plant. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Department of Geography, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

An exploration of working with grade 11 life sciences educators on the use of Virtual Lab to mediate learning of energy transformations

  • Authors: Shambare, Brian
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Life sciences -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Energy conversion -- Study and teaching , Educational technology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Teaching -- Aids and devices , Virtual Lab
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/174388 , vital:42473
  • Description: The Department of Basic Education (DBE) examiners’ diagnostic reports for 2012-2019 indicate that National Senior Certificate (NSC) learners mostly perform poorly in examination questions based on scientific investigations. The low performance by learners in these questions has been attributed to the failure by teachers to effectively mediate the learning of scientific concepts due to lack of science laboratories or poorly resourced laboratories in most rural schools. As a result, most learners are finding that scientific concepts are decontextualized and hence abstract. Thus, this study explored making use of Virtual Lab to mediate learning of scientific investigations using the topic Energy transformations. The study was located within an interpretive paradigm and a qualitative case study approach was employed. The study was conducted in four different rural schools in the Joe Gqabi district and seven Grade 11 Life Sciences teachers participated. Data was generated using semi-structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, lesson observation, workshop discussions, and journal reflections. The study was informed by Vygotsky’s (1978) Socio-Cultural Theory (SCT) as the theoretical framework, and Thompson and Mishra’s (2006) Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) as the analytical framework. The results of this study showed that most educators have a positive predisposition towards the integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in their practice. The study found that using the Virtual Lab to teach Life Sciences has several benefits such as safe environment for conducting experiments; convenience and accessibility; positive teacher and learner attitudes and improvement on learner performance; elimination of physical limitations of a real lab; and availability top-class lab equipment and up-to-date reagents. The study also revealed some shortcomings that were associated with the use of the Virtual Lab. These are; lack of lab partner and peer-learning; and lack of direct supervision by a more knowledgeable facilitator. This study concluded that using the Virtual Lab enhances the quality of teaching scientific experiments in the selected under-resourced rural secondary schools. The study recommends the adoption of the Virtual Lab as a viable alternative to the conventional lab.
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

An exploratory investigation into an Integrated Vulnerability and Patch Management Framework

  • Authors: Carstens, Duane
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Computer security , Computer security -- Management , Computer networks -- Security measures , Patch Management , Integrated Vulnerability
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177940 , vital:42892
  • Description: In the rapidly changing world of cybersecurity, the constant increase of vulnerabilities continues to be a prevalent issue for many organisations. Malicious actors are aware that most organisations cannot timeously patch known vulnerabilities and are ill-prepared to protect against newly created vulnerabilities where a signature or an available patch has not yet been created. Consequently, information security personnel face ongoing challenges to mitigate these risks. In this research, the problem of remediation in a world of increasing vulnerabilities is considered. The current paradigm of vulnerability and patch management is reviewed using a pragmatic approach to all associated variables of these services / practices and, as a result, what is working and what is not working in terms of remediation is understood. In addition to the analysis, a taxonomy is created to provide a graphical representation of all associated variables to vulnerability and patch management based on existing literature. Frameworks currently being utilised in the industry to create an effective engagement model between vulnerability and patch management services are considered. The link between quantifying a threat, vulnerability and consequence; what Microsoft has available for patching; and the action plan for resulting vulnerabilities is explored. Furthermore, the processes and means of communication between each of these services are investigated to ensure there is effective remediation of vulnerabilities, ultimately improving the security risk posture of an organisation. In order to effectively measure the security risk posture, progress is measured between each of these services through a single averaged measurement metric. The outcome of the research highlights influencing factors that impact successful vulnerability management, in line with identified themes from the research taxonomy. These influencing factors are however significantly undermined due to resources within the same organisations not having a clear and consistent understanding of their role, organisational capabilities and objectives for effective vulnerability and patch management within their organisations. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

An investigation into the current state of web based cryptominers and cryptojacking

  • Authors: Len, Robert
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Cryptocurrencies , Malware (Computer software) , Computer networks -- Security measures , Computer networks -- Monitoring , Cryptomining , Coinhive , Cryptojacking
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/178248 , vital:42924
  • Description: The aim of this research was to conduct a review of the current state and extent of surreptitious crypto mining software and its prevalence as a means for income generation. Income is generated through the use of a viewer's browser to execute custom JavaScript code to mine cryptocurrencies such as Monero and Bitcoin. The research aimed to measure the prevalence of illicit mining scripts being utilised for “in-browser" cryptojacking while further analysing the ecosystems that support the cryptomining environment. The extent of the research covers aspects such as the content (or type) of the sites hosting malicious “in-browser" cryptomining software as well as the occurrences of currencies utilised in the cryptographic mining and the analysis of cryptographic mining code samples. This research aims to compare the results of previous work with the current state of affairs since the closure of Coinhive in March 2018. Coinhive were at the time the market leader in such web based mining services. Beyond the analysis of the prevalence of cryptomining on the web today, research into the methodologies and techniques used to detect and counteract cryptomining are also conducted. This includes the most recent developments in malicious JavaScript de-obfuscation as well as cryptomining signature creation and detection. Methodologies for heuristic JavaScript behaviour identification and subsequent identification of potential malicious out-liars are also included within the research of the countermeasure analysis. The research revealed that although no longer functional, Coinhive remained as the most prevalent script being used for “in-browser" cryptomining services. While remaining the most prevalent, there was however a significant decline in overall occurrences compared to when coinhive.com was operational. Analysis of the ecosystem hosting \in-browser" mining websites was found to be distributed both geographically as well as in terms of domain categorisations. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

An investigation into the role of lesson study in developing teachers’ mathematics content and pedagogical content knowledge

  • Authors: Kgothego, Naomi Ntsae
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa -- Bojanala Platinum District Municipality , Pedagogical content knowledge , Lesson planning -- South Africa -- Bojanala Platinum District Municipality , Mathematics teachers -- Training of -- South Africa -- Bojanala Platinum District Municipality , South Africa. Department of Basic Education , Kokusai Kyōryoku Jigyōdan
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/178019 , vital:42899
  • Description: Results of international assessments conducted with South African learners, both in primary and secondary schools, suggest that South African learners underperform in mathematics (Spaull, 2013). While there are numerous explanations for this, one of the key explanations is that teachers are deemed to have inadequate knowledge of both mathematics content and pedagogy. Poor content and pedagogical knowledge are indications that teachers are not adequately trained to teach mathematics (Green, 2011). To improve teachers' content and pedagogical knowledge, well-planned and researched professional development programmes need to be put in place. Current professional development opportunities that centre on workshops are not working as they provide little opportunity for teachers to connect the workshop content to the contexts in which they teach. Through a collaboration between the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), the Lesson Study approach is being introduced to support teachers' professional development. This research seeks to research this approach within the context of Foundation Phase mathematics education. The research asks: How does Lesson Study contribute to the development of teachers' mathematics content and pedagogical content knowledge? Two sub-questions were developed to support the main question: • What mathematics content knowledge do teachers develop as the engage in LS? • What pedagogical content knowledge do teachers develop as they engage in LS? Using a qualitative interpretivist case study approach, I worked collaboratively with four Grade 1 teachers from two schools. Data was generated through observations, semi-structured interviews and document analysis as we engaged in the Lesson Study process. The Mathematics Knowledge for Teaching (Ball, Thames & Phelps, 2008) and the Knowledge Quartet (Rowland, Turner, Thwaites & Huckstep, 2009) frameworks were used as analytic and explanatory tools in this research. This study's findings showed that participation in the interactive cycles of Lesson Study developed the teachers’ confidence, their pedagogical content knowledge and skills and provided them with the opportunity to collaborate and reflect on their knowledge. The study's findings suggest that lesson study can be used as a strategy for improving teacher professional development. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

An investigation of support services available for black female owners of bed & breakfasts in Makhanda

  • Authors: Mdluli, Lukhona Silubonile
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Bed and breakfast accommodations -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Businesspeople, Black -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Business enterprises, Black -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Women-owned business enterprises -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Government aid to small business -- South Africa , Small business -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Racism -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Businesswomen -- South Africa -- Makhanda
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177181 , vital:42797
  • Description: Over the last 26 years, the South African government has committed to SMME development. To do this, policies and support institutions were put in place which would create a favourable environment for SMME development. This was particularly important as after 1994, when the South African economy was re-integrated into global markets after years of having sanctions imposed against the country as a result of the apartheid system. The tourism industry was identified as one of the key economic drivers which would strengthen the economy and assist in job creation, especially since South Africa would be able to attract international tourists. Further, it created the opportunity for new participants to enter the industry, including black entrepreneurs who previously could not enter the industry as a result of the apartheid laws. The opening up of the country to international markets and the focus on the tourism industry also presented the opportunity for new forms of tourism to be explored including township tourism, which gave rise to the black-owned bed & breakfast sector. Over time, it has become evident that black entrepreneurs in this sector are facing a number of challenges, in spite of the pro-SMME policies and support institutions that are in place. Because this study seeks to investigate the support services available for black female bed & breakfast owners in Makhanda, a qualitative research approach using the interpretative theoretical framework was applied. By using semi-structured interview questions, to establish what challenges do black female bed and breakfast owners face the researcher was able to respond to the following; what participants identify as their needs; and whether they are able to access the support services that are made available by the Government. Results indicated that the majority of entrepreneurs have difficulty accessing funding to develop their businesses. The seasonality of Grahamstown/ Makhanda tourism businesses has its pros and cons for tourism entrepreneurs. Despite efforts by government to transform the tourism industry, black female entrepreneurs in this industry still experience a myriad of challenges, including passive racism. Insufficient institutional support and inaccessible support services for women have made it difficult to manage in this this environment. Thus, a recommendation is put forward for female focused entrepreneurship policy, which is more responsive in terms of a judicial and legal system(s) aimed at addressing women’s particular needs and challenges. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Anisotropic copper oxide nanorods decorated with gold and palladium nanoparticles and their enzymatic properties

  • Authors: Sicwetsha, Simbongile
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: To be added
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/178547 , vital:42949
  • Description: Access restricted until April 2023. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Chemistry, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Baculovirus synergism for improved management of false codling moth Thaumatotibia leucotreta Meyr. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

  • Authors: Taylor, David Graham
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Baculoviruses , Cryptophlebia leucotreta , Cryptophlebia leucotreta -- Biological control , Biological pest control agents , Citrus -- Diseases and pests , Codling moth , Cryptophlebia peltastica nucleopolyhedrovirus (CrpeNPV)
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/176942 , vital:42774
  • Description: Baculoviruses are an environmentally friendly and effective agent for managing lepidopteran pests. This includes the management of Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a serious pest of citrus in Southern Africa and a major threat to the South African citrus export industry. For more than 15 years, CrleGV-SA- based biopesticides have been used as part of an integrated pest management strategy for the control of T. leucotreta in citrus orchards in South Africa, under the names Cryptogran™ and Cryptex®. While these biopesticides have been effective during this period, there are some areas in which baculovirus use could potentially be improved. Baculoviruses are notoriously slow to kill in comparison to chemical-based pesticides, and lately, pest resistance to baculoviruses has become a major concern with the development of resistance by Cydia pomonella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to its granulovirus occurring in the field in Europe. The consistent use of CrleGV-SA for more than 15 years in the field has raised concern that T. leucotreta could develop resistance to this virus, and has made it necessary to alter baculovirus-based management strategies to prevent this from occurring. A second baculovirus, Cryptophlebia peltastica nucleopolyhedrovirus (CrpeNPV), has recently been isolated and was shown to be effective against T. leucotreta. However, the interactions between CrleGV-SA and CrpeNPV are not yet understood and so it is important to test these interactions before both viruses are applied on the same orchards. Not only is it important to know whether these viruses could negatively impact each other, but it is also important to test whether they could interact synergistically. A synergistic interaction could not only provide a potential tool for the management of resistance, but it could also be exploited to improve baculovirus-based management of T. leucotreta. In this study, a stock of CrleGV-SA was purified by glycerol gradient centrifugation from T. leucotreta cadavers, while a stock of CrpeNPV purified from Cryptophlebia peltastica (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) cadavers was provided by River Bioscience (Pty) Ltd. These stocks were screened for purity by a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) protocol designed to detect CrleGV-SA and CrpeNPV. The occlusion body (OB) density was then calculated using darkfield microscopy and a counting chamber. Both stocks were shown to be pure within the limits of the mPCR protocol, and the CrleGV-SA and CrpeNPV stocks were calculated to contain 3.08 × 1011 OBs/mL and 1.92 × 1011 OBs/mL respectively The first aspect of the interaction between CrleGV-SA and CrpeNPV that was investigated was the dose mortality, in terms of lethal concentration. This was calculated using 7-day surface-dose biological assays for each virus and a 1:1 mixture of OBs of the two against T. leucotreta neonates. The lethal concentrations of each treatment required to kill 50 % of larvae (LC50) and 90 % of larvae (LC90) for each treatment were then calculated and compared using a probit regression. The mixed infection performed significantly better than either virus by itself, while each virus by itself did not differ significantly from the other. The LC50 for CrleGV-SA, CrpeNPV and the mixed infection were 1.53 × 104 OBs/mL, 1.15 × 104 OBs/mL and 4.38 × 103 OBs/mL respectively. The LC90 of CrleGV-SA, CrpeNPV and the mixed infection were calculated to be 4.10 × 105 OBs/mL, 1.05 × 105 OBs/mL, and 4.09 × 104 OBs/mL respectively. The second aspect of the interaction between CrleGV-SA and CrpeNPV that was investigated was the speed of kill. A time-response biological assay protocol was created that allowed for effective observation of the larvae. This was then used to generate time-mortality data that were analysed by a logit regression function to calculate and compare the treatments at the time of 50 % larval mortality (LT50) and the time of 90 % mortality (LT90). Each virus by itself did not differ significantly from the other, while the mixed infection took significantly longer to kill 50 % and 90 % of the larvae, suggesting that there is competition for resources between viruses during the secondary, systemic phase of infection. The LT50 for CrleGV-SA, CrpeNPV and the mixed infection were 117.5 hours, 113.5 hours and 139.0 hours respectively. The LT90 for CrleGV-SA, CrpeNPV and the mixed infection were 153.2 hours, 159.3, and 193.4 hours respectively. Finally, the composition of OBs recovered from the cadavers produced by the time-response biological assays were investigated by mPCR. A method for extracting gDNA from OBs in neonate-sized T. leucotreta larvae is described. The presence of CrpeNPV along with CrleGV-SA was noted in 4 out of 9 larvae inoculated with only CrleGV-SA. The presence of CrleGV-SA as well as CrpeNPV was noted in all but one larva inoculated with only CrpeNPV, and both CrleGV-SA and CrpeNPV were noted in all but one larva inoculated with a 1:1 mixture of the two, with one larva only being positive for CrleGV-SA. This suggests either stock contamination or the presence of covert infections of CrleGV-SA and CrpeNPV in the T. leucotreta population used in this study. This is the second study to report an improved lethal concentration of a mixed infection of CrleGV-SA and CrpeNPV against T. leucotreta neonates, and the first study to report the slower speed of kill of a mixed infection of CrleGV-SA and CrpeNPV against T. leucotreta neonates. While the improved lethal concentration of the mixed infection is a promising step in the future improvement of baculovirus-based biopesticides, it is at the cost of a slower speed of kill. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology and Entomology, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Bioethical analysis of selected biomedical issues in South Africa and other countries

  • Authors: Rusere, Jean
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: To be added
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MPharm
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/178530 , vital:42948
  • Description: Access restricted until April 2023. , Thesis (MPharm) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Biology, ecology and management of the Keurboom moth, Leto venus Cramer and the leafhopper Molopopterus sp. Jacobi in cultivated Honeybush (Cyclopia spp.)

  • Authors: Mushore, Tapiwa Gift
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Legumes , Legumes -- Diseases and pests , Hepialidae , Leafhoppers , Pests -- Biological control , Entomopathogenic fungi , Leafhoppers -- Biological control , Hepialidae -- Biological control , Keurboom moth (Leto venus Cramer) , Molopopterus sp. Jacobi , Honeybush (Cyclopia spp.)
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177125 , vital:42792
  • Description: Honeybush, Cyclopia spp. Vent (Fabaceae), farmers have raised pest concerns following commercial cultivation. The Keurboom moth Leto venus Cramer (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) and the leafhopper Molopopterus sp. Jacobi (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), are two of the major pests identified in cultivated Honeybush. Laboratory and field studies were conducted to gain an understanding of the biology of these two pests to inform future pest management solutions. Additionally, entomopathogenic fungi were isolated from Honeybush farms and screened for virulence against Molopopterus sp. as a possible management strategy. This study showed that the L. venus infestation on Honeybush was a product of four fixed effects; stem diameter, species of Cyclopia, Farm location and age of the plants. Cyclopia subternata, had the highest likelihood of infestation. Increase in age of the plants resulted in an increase in the stem diameter and therefore a higher probability of infestation. Stem diameter was also shown to be a significant predictor of infestation likelihood. Infestation severity, determined by the number of larvae per plant, was shown to be influenced by three fixed effects; stem diameter, plant species and Farm location. The results also showed that L. venus prefers to initiate penetration at, or just aboveground level. Laboratory studies showed that the leafhopper Molopopterus sp. undergoes five nymphal instars with an average egg incubation time of 20 days, development time from 1st instar to adult of 26 days and average generation time of 47 days. Laboratory experiments revealed variations in host preference by the leafhopper over a period of 15 days. Cyclopia longifolia was identified to be the most preferred species for feeding compared to the two other commonly cultivated species, C. subternata and C. maculata. The results were consistent with those obtained from the field survey which showed that leafhopper density was influenced by four fixed effects; plant species, age of the plant, Farm location and harvesting practices. There were significant differences in leafhopper density in different species with C. longifolia having the highest number of leafhoppers per plant. There were differences in leafhopper density in different farms as 57% of the sampled farms had leafhopper infestations, of these farms, Lodestone and Kurland had the highest leafhopper densities. Harvested plants were shown to have significantly higher leafhopper density than non-harvested plants. Age was also shown to influence leafhopper density, which reduced with an increase in the age of the plants. A total of 20 fungal isolates were recovered from 98 soil samples of which 70% were from Honeybush fields and 30% were from surrounding refugia. Fusarium oxysporum isolates comprised 20% of the recovered isolates, with Metarhizium anisopliae isolates making up the remainder. Laboratory bioassays against adults and nymphs of the leafhopper, Molopopterus sp., showed that F. oxysporum isolates induced 10 – 45% mortality and M. anisopliae isolates induce 30 – 80% mortality. Metarhizium anisopliae isolates J S1, KF S3, KF S11, KF S13, LS1 and LS2 were the most virulent and induced over 60% mortality in both Molopopterus sp. nymphs and adults. The results of this study showed pest preference towards different Cyclopia species. As such, they should be managed differently. Furthermore, L. venus was observed to occur in low densities, hence, it cannot be considered a major pest. However, Molopopterus sp. recorded high population densities making it a major pest in Honeybush production. Positive results indicated that some of the isolated fungal isolates have potential for control, an avenue worth investigating further. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology and Entomology, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Characterization of the diversity and metabolic potential of hypolithic communities in dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

  • Authors: Mikhari, Rito Leanah
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: To be added
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/178490 , vital:42944
  • Description: Access restricted until April 2022. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Biochemistry and Microbiology, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04
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