List of Titles

Lipid nanocarriers : a novel approach to delivering ophthalmic clarithromycin

Authors: Makoni, Pedzisai Anotida
Date: 2021
Subjects: Clarithromycin , Nanomedicine , Nanostructures , Antibiotics , Eye -- Diseases -- Treatment , Ocular pharmacology , Ophthalmic drugs , Karatitis -- Chemotherapy
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/171678 , vital:42109 , 10.21504/10962/171678
Description: The feasibility of incorporating clarithromycin (CLA) into innovative solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and nanostructured lipi d carriers (NLC) using hot emulsification ultrasonication (HEUS) was investigated. This approach was investigated in an attempt to address the shortcomings associated with the use of lyophilized parenteral formulations administered via the ocular route suc h as toxic reactions, intolerance and patient discomfort due to frequent insti llation of topical solutions of CLA. In particular, sustained release approaches to delivery may enhance precorneal retention, increase ocular availability and permit dose reduction or use of a longer dosing frequency when treating ocular non - tuberculous m ycobacterial (NTM) keratitis infections. This approach may potentially improve the delivery of CLA to the eye, thereby addressing some or all of the unmet clinical needs described vide infra . Prior to initiating pre - formulation, formulation development a nd optimization studies of CLA - loaded SLN and/or NLC, Design of Experiments (DoE), specifically a Central Composite Design (CCD) was used in conjunction with Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to develop and optimize a suitable method for the quantitative determination of CLA in pharmaceutical formulations and for monitoring CLA release from SLN and/or NLC in vitro . A simple, accurate, precise, sensitive and stability - indicating reversed phase - high performance liquid chromatography (RP - HPLC) method with ele ctrochemical (EC) detection was developed, validated and optimized for the in vitro analysis of CLA loaded SLN and/or NLC formulations. Pre - formulation studies were undertaken to investigate the thermal stability of CLA and bulk lipids to facilitate the s election of lipid excipients for the manufacture of nanocarriers in addition to establishing compatibility of CLA with the excipients. It was established that CLA was thermostable up to a temperature of approximately 300 °C thereby indicating that HEUS cou ld be used for the manufacture of CLA - loaded SLN and/or NLC. Lipid screening revealed that CLA i s, in general, poorly soluble in solid and liquid lipids however a combination of stearic acid (SA) and Transcutol ® HP (THP) exhibited the best dissolution pote ntial for CLA of all lipids tested . Stearic acid appears to exist as polymorphic form B prior to exposure to heat however occurs as the form C polymorph following heating at 85 °C for one hour. The best ratio for the mixture of SA and THP for the manufactu re of CLA - NLC ii was an 80:20 ( w/w ) ratio of SA: THP as the two lipids are miscible in this ratio and exhibited the greatest dissolution potential for CLA. Furthermore, an investigation of binary mixtures of CLA/SA and SA/Transcutol ® HP, in addition to eutect ic mixtures of CLA, SA and Transcutol ® HP, revealed no obvious interaction between CLA and the lipids selected for the production of the nanocarriers. Due to the relatively high solubility of CLA in THP in comparison to SA, NLC are likely to exhibit a hig her loading capacity (LC) and encapsulation efficiency (EE) for CLA than SLN. Consequently the feasibility of incorporating CLA (10% w/w ) into NLC was investigated and evaluation of the production of SLN was not undertaken as the production of these might not result in the manufacture of a delivery technology with a high EE and LC for CLA. Tween ® 20 was used as the surfactant as it is readily available, exhibits little or no cytotoxicity and is relatively cheap. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was used as a coati ng polymer to impart muco - adhesive properties the formulated CLA - NLC. Response surface methodology (RSM) in conjunction with DoE, specifically a Box - Behnken Design (BBD) used as a screening design was used to identify a formulation composition which would produce a product that would meet the pre - defined target critical quality attributes (CQA) for the nanoparticles viz. particle size (PS) in the nano - range, polydispersity index (PDI) < 0.5, Zeta Potential (ZP) ≥ ± 30 mV, and EE > 80%. The formulation composition identified was subsequently used for the optimization of the manufacturing parameters viz. sonication time and amplitude, using a Central Composite Design (CCD) . The LC and EE, in vitro CLA release, cytotoxicity, osmolarity, pH, degree of crystallinity and lipid modification, elemental analysis and surface morphology of the optimized batch was investigated and mon itored to ensure that CLA - loaded NLC, of the desirable quality, had been produced. On the day of manufacture the mean PS and PDI of the optimized CLA - loaded NLC formulation adjusted to physiological osmolarity (250 – 450 mOsm/kg) was 461.9 ± 40.16 nm and 0. 523 ± 0.104, respectively. The ZP for the optimized NLC generated on the day of manufacture using HPLC grade water as the dispersion medium was - 20.5 ± 4.82 mV. The pH and osmolarity of the optimized CLA - loaded NLC formulation was 7.76 ± 0.01 and 316 ± iii 2 m Osm/Kg, respectively and the EE was 88.62 ± 0.23 %. The optimized NLC exhibited a decreased crystallinity in comparison to the bulk lipid materials. DSC, WAXS and FT - IR revealed that CLA was molecularly dispersed in the nanocarriers. The optimized CLA - load ed NLC exhibited muco - adhesive properties, when tested under stationary conditions using laser doppler anemometry (LDA). The optimized formulation also exhibited sustained release of CLA over 24 hours during in vitro release testing and CLA release was bes t described using the Baker - Lonsdale model . The cumulative % CLA released over 24 hours was 56.13 ± 0.23% and mass balance analysis revealed 41.38 ± 0.02% CLA had been retained in the NLC. In vitro cytotoxicity testing revealed that the optimized CLA - NLC w ere less cytotoxic to HeLa cells when compared to CLA alone and further confirmed that the lipids and excipients used in these studies were of GRAS status . Stability studies revealed that the EE reduced over 28 days by 14.42% and 5.14% when stored at 4 °C and 22 °C , respectively. In addition, the particle size increased from the nm to μm range for samples stored at 22 °C. The findings are a good starting point but require further optimization to ensure prolongation of stability. In addition , the technology requires additional developmental studies and a powder for reconstitution for use as a single - dose considered as single dose packaging may be a solution to the compromised formulation stability observed in these studies. The CLA - NLC produced in these stu dies exhibit sound product attributes which serve as a useful foundation for the novel delivery of antibiotics to the eye. The results suggest that the optimized NLC have the potential to enhance precorneal retention and increase ocular availability of CLA , which in turn may be useful to reduce the required dose and dosing frequency when administering CLA as a reconstituted solution to treat susceptible organisms that infect ocular tissues.
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Date Issued: 2021

Prioritising biological control agents for release against Sporobolus pyramidalis and Sporobolus natalensis (Poaceae) in Australia

Authors: Sutton, Guy Frederick
Date: 2021
Subjects: Grasses -- Diseases and pests , Bruchophagus , Wasps , Alien plants -- Biological control -- Australia , Sporobolus -- Biological control -- Africa , Sporobolus -- Biological control -- Australia , Insects as biological pest control agents -- Australia , Insects as biological pest control agents -- Africa
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/172445 , vital:42201 , 10.21504/10962/172445
Description: Sporobolus pyramidalis Beauv. and S. natalensis (Steud.) Th. Dur. and Schinz. (giant rat’s tail grass) (Poaceae), invade rangelands and pastures in eastern Australia, costing the livestock industry approximately AUS$ 60 million per annum in grazing losses. Mechanical and chemical control options are costly and largely ineffective. Biological control is viewed as the most promising control option, however this management strategy has largely been avoided for grasses, due to their perceived lack of suitably host-specific and damaging natural enemies. In this thesis, the prospects for using biological control against S. pyramidalis and S. natalensis in Australia was assessed, in light of these potential challenges. Climate matching models were used to identify high-priority geographic regions within the plants’ native distributions to survey for potential biological control agents. High-priority regions to perform surveys were identified by modelling the climatic suitability for S. pyramidalis and S. natalensis in sub-Saharan Africa (i.e. their potential native ranges’), and climatic compatibility with regions where biological control is intended in Australia. High-priority regions for S. pyramidalis included: (1) coastal East Africa, ranging from north-eastern South Africa to Uganda, including south-eastern DRC, (2) some parts of West Africa, including inland regions of the Ivory Coast and western Nigeria, (3) northern Angola and (4) eastern Madagascar, and for S. natalensis included: (1) eastern South Africa, (2) eastern Zimbabwe, (3) Burundi, (4) central Ethiopia and (5) central Madagascar. Prospective control agents collected from these regions have the highest probability of establishing and proliferating in Australia, if released. In surveys of the insect assemblages on S. pyramidalis and S. natalensis in the climatically-matched region of eastern South Africa fifteen insect herbivores associated with the grasses were identified. Insect feeding guild, geographic distributions, and seasonal abundances suggest that three stem-boring phytophagous wasps, Tetramesa sp. 1, Tetramesa sp. 2 and Bruchophagus sp. 1 (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae), have potential as control agents. Species accumulation curves indicated that additional surveys in South Africa are unlikely to yield additional potential control agents. Field host-range surveys of 47 non-target grass species in South Africa showed that Tetramesa sp. 1, Tetramesa sp. 2, and Bruchophagus sp. 1, were only recorded from S. pyramidalis and S. natalensis. Integrating field host-range with phylogenetic relationships between plant species indicated that no native Australian Sporobolus species or economic crops and pastures are expected to be attacked by these wasps. All three wasp species are predicted to be suitably host-specific for release in Australia. Three other endophagous herbivores attacked non-target native African Sporobolus species that share a close phylogenetic relationship to native Australian Sporobolus species, and therefore, demonstrate considerable risk of non-target damage. These species should not be considered as potential control agents. Under native-range, open-field conditions, Tetramesa sp. 1 caused an approximately 5-fold greater reduction in plant survival and reproductive output than Tetramesa sp. 2 and Bruchophagus sp. 1. Tetramesa sp. 1 in combination with Tetramesa sp. 2 did not significantly increase the level of damage, while Bruchophagus sp. 1 may decrease the efficiency of Tetramesa sp. 1, if released in combination. Tetramesa 1 is therefore the most promising candidate agent. Prioritising potential agents using predicted efficacy allowed otherwise equally suitable prospective agents to be prioritised in a strategic manner. Prioritising which natural enemies to target as biological control agents is a complex task. Field host range and damage assessments in the native range may provide more realistic data than typical studies performed under artificial conditions in a laboratory or quarantine. Moreover, it could assist practitioners in prioritising the most suitable agent(s) at the earliest stage in the programme as possible. This study demonstrated that grasses are suitable targets for biological control as they can harbour host-specific and damaging natural enemies.
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Date Issued: 2021

Probing the binding sites of novel 2-substituted imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acids : Towards new imidazole-based drugs

Authors: Clark, Candyce Raine
Date: 2021
Subjects: Heterocyclic compounds Coordination compounds
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50848 , vital:42957
Description: A series of benzimidazole and imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acids were prepared using known and adapted protocols. Novel ligands synthesised in this study include 2-tert-butyl-benzimidazole, 2-tert-butyl-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid, an intermediate in the synthesis of 1,2- bis(2-benzimidazyl)-1,2,-dihydroxyethane and 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-benzimidazole with a salicylic acid co-crystallisate. All ligands prepared were reacted with metal salt solutions in order to prepare metal coordination compounds. Complexes with Cu(II), Ag(I), Mn(II), Ni(II) and Cd(II) ions and 2-phenyl-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid were prepared, as well as Cu(II) and Mn(II) with 2-trifluoro-methyl-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid and Cu(II) ions with 2-(2- hydroxyphenyl)-benzimidazole. The ligands and complexes were characterised by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, NMR analysis, UV spectrophotometric analysis and IR spectroscopy. DFT studies were carried out for selected ligands in order to provide theoretical values for comparison. Antimicrobial studies were performed on some of the ligands and complexes and these results show promise for the future development of new imidazole-based drugs.
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Date Issued: 2021

The application of human factors and ergonomics (HFE) to community-sport organisations in resource scarce contexts: a case study of grassroots football in Makana, Eastern Cape

Authors: Bennett, Ryan
Date: 2021
Subjects: Makana Local Football Association (South Africa) , Human engineering , Soccer teams -- South Africa -- Makhanda -- Management , Soccer -- Management -- South Africa
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/172412 , vital:42198 , 10.21504/10962/172412
Description: Background: Modern Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) focuses on the optimisation of complex socio-technical systems and has been challenged to contribute to broader societal issues. An example is within grassroots football organisations in resource-scarce areas such as Makana, South Africa. Through embedded participatory approaches, the research problem was co-constructed: To investigate the socio-technical system of the Makana Local Football Association (LFA). Method: A useful complex system modelling tool is that of Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA), with its 5 phases used to identify constraints and affordances. Three perspectives were adopted for the application of an adapted (to suit participant characteristics) CWA to the Makana LFA: 1) how work is prescribed by the governing body SAFA, 2) how subject matter experts (SME) disclose its current functioning, and 3) how SMEs imagine it could function. Five SMEs attended 12 three-hour workshops to complete the latter two perspectives. Results: The composite work domain analysis between work as prescribed and work as disclosed identified significant mismatches between how policymakers envision the system and how SMEs report its functioning. Key differences in perspectives included the fundamental purpose of the Makana LFA, while only four of 22 functions operate within the Makana LFA. Participants also identified key affordances for the LFA such as reorientation as a community sports organisation. Discussion: Comparison between perspectives indicated four mismatches. 1) SAFA views the LFA as the foundation of the talent identification and development infrastructure of South African football. SMEs view it as a community centred organisation. 2) A lack of human capacity is evident at the community level of Makana football. 3) Funding and assets are absent at this grassroots level. 4) The LFA relies on other stakeholders, but these relationships are not formalised. Policymakers, therefore, have a lack of knowledge of the contextual challenges faced by LFA administrators. It is recommended that SAFA view the LFA as a community sport organisation, focusing on improving human capacity, increasing funding, and formalising stakeholder networks. Furthermore, conceptual models from CWA provide explicit socio-technical system redesign recommendations. Conclusion: Large mismatches between the organising body SAFA and the actual functioning of the LFA significantly hinder the effective management and running of football at a grassroots level in resource-scarce contexts in South Africa. The perspectives approach to CWA was useful in elucidating the constraints and affordances of the Makana LFA socio-technical system and informing redesign opportunities. Systems HFE methodology is therefore well placed to contribute to broader societal issues within resources scarce contexts such as football in Makana. Furthermore, the philosophical underpinnings of systems based HFE were successful in the development of sustainable participatory research within the South African grassroots football context.
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Date Issued: 2021

The electrocatalytic response of metallophthalocyanines when clicked to electrodes and to nanomaterials

Authors: Mpeta, Lekhetho Simon
Date: 2021
Subjects: Phthalocyanines , Nanostructured materials , Electrocatalysis , Nanoparticles , Environmental chemistry , Electrodes , Organic wastes -- Purification
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/172191 , vital:42174 , 10.21504/10962/172191
Description: Conjugates of nanomaterials and metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) have been prepared and their electrocatalytic activity studied. The prepared nanomaterials are zinc oxide and silver nanoparticles, reduced graphene oxide nanosheets and semiconductor quantum dots. The MPcs used in this work are cobalt (II) (1a), manganese(III) (1b) and iron (II) (1c) 2,9(10),16(17),23(24)- tetrakis 4-((4-ethynylbenzyl) oxy) phthalocyaninato, 2,9(10),16(17),23(24)- tetrakis(5-pentyn-oxy) cobalt (II) phthalocyaninato (2), 9(10),16(17),23(24)- tris-[4-tert-butylphenoxy)-2- (4-ethylbezyl-oxy) cobalt (II) phthalocyaninato (3), 9(10),16(17),23(24)- tris-[4-tertbutylphenoxy)-2-(pent-4yn-yloxy)] cobalt (II) phthalocyaninato (4), cobalt (II) (5a) and manganese (III) (5b) 2,9(10),16(17),23(24)- tetrakis [4-(4-(5-chloro-1H-benzo [d]imidazol-2-yl)phenoxy] phthalocyaninato and 9(10),16(17),23(24)- tris tert butyl phenoxy- 2- [4-(4-(5-chloro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-2-yl)phenoxy] cobalt (II) phthalocyaninato (6). Some of these MPcs (1a, 3 and 4) were directly clicked on azide grafted electrode, while some (1b, 1c, 2, 5a and 5b) were clicked to azide functionalised nanomaterials and then drop-dried on the electrodes. One phthalocyanine (5b) was drop-dried on the electrode then silver nanoparticles were electrodeposited on it taking advantage of metal-N bond. Scanning electrochemical microscopy, voltammetry, chronoamperometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are among electrochemical methods used to characterise modified electrodes. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Xray diffractometry, Raman spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy were employed to study surface functionalities, morphology and topography of the nanomaterials and complexes. Electrocatalytic activity of the developed materials were studied towards oxidation of 2-mercaptoethanol, hydrazine and hydrogen peroxide while the reduction study was based on oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. In general, the conjugates displayed superior catalytic activity when compared to individual materials. Complex 2 alone and when conjugated to zinc oxide nanoparticles were studied for their nonlinear optical behaviour. And the same materials were explored for their hydrazine detection capability. The aim of this study was to develop sensitive, selective and affordable sensors for selected organic waste pollutants. Conjugates were found to achieve the aim of the study compared to when individual materials were employed.
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Date Issued: 2021

“Munhu wese ihama yako (everyone is your relative)”: Ubuntu and the social inclusion of students with disabilities at South African universities

Authors: Chiwandire, Desire
Date: 2021
Subjects: College students with disabilities -- Education -- South Africa , Inclusive education -- South Africa
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/170578 , vital:41938 , 10.21504/10962/170578
Description: Background: During apartheid, South African students with disabilities (SWDs) were educated in special schools and taught an inferior curriculum. Black learners with disabilities were discriminated against on grounds of both race and disability. Following South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994, the African National Congress (ANC) government put in place arrange of new laws to address the educational and other needs of those disadvantaged under apartheid, including persons with disabilities (PWDs). The South African government is a signatory of the 2006 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) which has resulted in the country assuming obligations to promote inclusive education for ASWDs. However, research (see, for instance, Chiwandire & Vincent 2019; Chiwandire 2019; Mutanga 2019; Majoko & Phasha 2018; Mutanga et al. 2018; Mutanga 2017a; Chiwandire 2017; Israel 2017) has shown that SWDs continue to fare differently in comparison to their non-disabled peers in terms of participation in education with the likelihood of success. Higher education institutions (HEIs) have thus been urged to create conducive environments for the academic inclusion of SWDs with particular attention being paid to lecturers employing inclusive instructional strategies as well as flexible curricula, if they are to ensure the equal opportunity for academic success of SWDs in the regular classroom setting. The focus, to date, on academic inclusion, while important, has meant that issues relating to the social inclusion of SWDs have received minimal attention. Purpose: To date, there is a dearth of South African studies which have investigated the social inclusion needs of SWDs on South African campuses. Although a number of studies have given voice to the perspectives of SWDs and lecturers, with respect to their experiences in relation to matters of academic inclusion in South African higher education (HE), few have focused on Disability Unit Staff Members(DUSMs) who are pivotal to ensuring fair and equitable policies and practices for SWDs in HEIs. Disability Studies (DS) as a field has been criticised for being dominated by voices from the Global North, which fail to consider or effectively theorise Global South disability experiences in a contextually relevant way. The thesis argues that the failure to recognise the value of diversity and to treat SWDs as valued and welcomed participants in South African HEIs partly stems from policy, practice and relationships being informed by the Western individualist paradigm that prizes individual achievement and success rather than cooperation and mutuality. The African philosophy of Ubuntu, which stresses values of communalism, hospitality and respect for human dignity is offered here as an alternative starting point for achieving genuinely inclusive campuses. Methods: In-depth face-to-face qualitative interviews were conducted with 40 participants, most of whom were, at the time of being interviewed, Heads of Disability Units and DUSMs based at 10 different universities in four of South Africa’s nine provinces. Data were coded and analysed using Braun & Clarke’s (2006) method of inductive and deductive thematic analysis. Results: The findings of this study indicate that South African campuses are ableist spaces in which the social needs of SWDs are not prioritised. The thesis argues that in order for campuses to become genuinely inclusive, South African campuses ought to seek to inculcate in their members the values of the African worldview Ubuntu, in contrast to the dominant Western individualist orthodoxy. SWDs are being excluded and denied a sense of belonging and equal participation despite universities giving lip service to embracing such inclusive education-oriented values as co-operative learning. Non-disabled students steeped in Western individualism, which affirms the solitary pursuit of individual success rather than the value of interdependence and diversity, end up marginalising SWDs who are seen as less capable. DUSMs addressing the needs of SWDs through an ableist/Western individualist lens are not challenging unfair practices which are impairing the dignity of SWDs, particularly students with physical disabilities who are being forced to “fit into” oppressive inaccessible built environments on campuses. These DUSMs may unwittingly re-inscribe ableist assumptions that normalise discrimination against SWDs. Conclusions and Recommendations: Ubuntu values offer a starting point for building mutual respect and interdependence between SWDs and their non-disabled peers. The thesis finds however that as was the case in traditional African communities, which embraced the values of Ubuntu, acts of leadership are required if Ubuntu’s values of human dignity, mutual respect and acceptance are to be fostered on campuses. In a range of important ways, the dignity of SWDs is not respected at HEIs in South Africa. This includes, for example, such practical matters as the inaccessibility of toilets to wheelchair users and the lack of appropriate signage for blind students. Disrespectful attitudes and assumptions about SWDs on the part of non-disabled university members also result in SWDs’ human dignity being impaired. Ubuntu’s value of hospitality stresses the importance of promoting relations of group solidarity and interdependence between SWDs and their non-disabled peers. Both academic inclusion-oriented programmes and the promotion of a wide range of social activities, involving both SWDs and non-disabled students, can play an important role in cultivating the formation of long-term fruitful and respectful friendships between SWDs and non-disabled students. An enabling classroom environment alone is not enough to holistically address the social inclusion needs of SWDs. South African HEIs that embrace the Ubuntu values of communalism, human dignity and hospitality will be in a position to respect the needs of SWDs as “whole persons”. Amongst other things, this requires DUSMs to be fully empowered to make important decisions regarding vital matters such as disability inclusion, and it necessitates university management to relinquish their power, so that they may work collaboratively with DUSMs and SWDs, all on equal footing, to ensure that HE funding allocation, policy and planning also prioritises the social needs of SWDs.
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Date Issued: 2021

A best practice guideline for screening and managing chorioamnionitis

Authors: Du Plessis, Allison Herlene
Date: 2020
Subjects: Bacterial diseases
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/46374 , vital:39575
Description: Due to the complex nature of chorioamnionitis, women are often misdiagnosed, undiagnosed or only diagnosed after birth when it is too late to prevent maternal and neonatal complications. A lack of a comprehensive best practice guidelinefor screening and managing women withchorioamnionitis resultsin delayed treatment and management that could minimise maternal and neonatal complications. Saving Babiesreported that unexplained intra-uterine deathsremained the main primary (obstetric) cause of death for babies with a weight above 1000g (24.4%of all deaths). Of these unexplained uterine deaths, 33% are of normal birth weight (>2500g), and,therefore,most likely term gestation. Saving Babies further reported that 22.9% of all live births in South Africa was premature and 22.8% of birthswere unexplained intra-uterine deaths. Prematurity is one major complication of chorioamnionitis. When susceptibility for chorioamnionitis is considered during early pregnancy, it is possible to intervene and prevent or even reduce the incidences and complications of chorioamnionitis.A qualitative research study was conducted in three phases. In Phase One(Part One), a theoretically constructed patient scenario of chorioamnionitis was presented to ten midwives,and semi-structured individual interviews were done to elicit information regarding how they screen for and manage chorioamnionitis. In Phase One(Part Two), experienced medical practitioners in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology were individually interviewed, also using semi-structured individual interviewsto gain their views regarding chorioamnionitis as a contributing factor to maternal morbidity and mortality. Qualitative findings in Phase Oneindicated that there is a general lack of knowledge regarding chorioamnionitis among midwives, resulting ininadequate screening, misdiagnosis and mismanagement of the condition. Experienced medical practitioners confirmed that chorioamnionitis is underdiagnosed, misdiagnosed or undiagnosed and underreported,and they hold views that it is difficult to treat and control pregnancy-related infections according to current practice.An integrative literature review was conductedin Phase Twoand literature regarding diagnostic biomarkers, screening options to diagnose chorioamnionitis and management of chorioamnionitis were extracted. After evidence synthesisofPhase Oneand Phase Twodata, a best practice guidelinefor screening and managing viiwomen withchorioamnionitiswas developed usingthe National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guideline development approach in Phase Three. The purpose of the best practice guideline for screening and managing women with chorioamnionitis was to provide a guideline onhow to manage women who are at risk and those who present with signs and symptoms of chorioamnionitis at any stage during their pregnancy. Five recommendations were made that involve screening for chorioamnionitisand causative factors, biomarkers to diagnose chorioamnionitis, management of chorioamnionitis that includes pharmacological and non-pharmacological management, and health education to women.Ethics for this research study were guided by the ethical principles and guidelines of the Belmont Report. The trustworthiness of this research study was adopted from Ravitch and Carl,and was based on criticality, reflexivity, collaboration, and rigour. An independent coder and reviewer wereto verify the data that were included in the best practice guideline. Expert reviewersappraised the best practice guidelineusing Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II tools.
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Date Issued: 2020

A classification of large wetlands in Africa’s elevated drylands based on their formation, structure, and hydrological functioning using Earth Observation (EO) data and Geographic Information System (GIS)

Authors: Lidzhegu, Zwidofhelangani
Date: 2020
Subjects: Wetlands -- Africa -- Classification , Wetlands -- Africa -- Research , Wetlands -- Africa -- Monitoring , Topographical surveying -- Africa , Hydrological surveys == Africa
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/142668 , vital:38100
Description: Due to wetland inaccessibility and limited wetland geomorphological studies, there is limited information on the geomorphological origin and hydrological functioning of different types of wetlands in Africa’s elevated drylands. As a result, there is limited information for the development of a comprehensive wetland classification system that classifies wetlands based on long-term geomorphic processes that determine their formation and shape, their structure and hydrological functioning. Therefore, the current study was designed to classify large wetlands in Africa’s elevated drylands based on processes that determine their formation, and shape their structure and hydrological functioning using remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. Although wetlands perform a number of hydrological functions including groundwater recharge and water purification, the current study focuses mainly on their flood attenuation function. Detailed analysis of topographic information was undertaken using Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) elevations measured at the scale of 30 m x 30 m. LandsatLook and Google Earth images, tectonic as well as geological data were used as supplementary data for developing an understanding of the origin, structure and hydrological characteristics of wetlands. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of wetland environmental variables was used to identify and explain wetland heterogeneity. The results of the study showed that fluvial processes, tectonic history and the evolution of Africa’s landscape played a fundamental role in the formation and evolution of wetlands. This study demonstrates a wide range of processes that contribute to wetland formation, structure and functioning. At one extreme it is clear that tectonic processes may be primarily responsible for the creation of basins that host wetlands. At another extreme, wetlands may be structured primarily by fluvial processes. At a third extreme are wetlands that superficially appear to be structured by fluvial processes, but which have their structures modified by gradual rising of the base level at their distal ends, either through marginal uplift adjacent to rift valleys, or through aggradation of a floodplain that blocks a tributary valley. Overall, the classification of wetlands considered in this study can be summarised into four distinct groupings, with two of these divided further into two groupings each: (1) Tectonic basins with little or no indication of fluvial development (Bahi and Wembere wetlands), (2) Tectonic basins evolving towards a wetland with a structure increasingly shaped by fluvial characteristics (Usangu wetland), (3) Fluvially modified valleys with a local base level at the toe of the wetland such as a resistant lithology or a tectonic control that limits the rate of incision of easily weathered and eroded lithologies, leading to valley widening and longitudinal slope reduction, which are of two distinct types: (a) With a catchment on Kalahari Group sediment that is transported fluvially as bedload, and therefore with no prominent alluvial ridge or backwater depressions (Upper Zambezi and Barotse wetlands), (b) With a catchment that produces abundant fine sediment that is deposited as overbank sediments, leading to channel migration via meandering and to the construction of an elevated alluvial ridge (Lufira wetland), (4) Fluvially modified basins with evidence of gradual elevation of the base level at the toe of the wetland, which are of two types: (a) Tectonic marginal rift valley uplift such that they behave more as depression wetlands rather than as wetlands shaped by fluvial processes (Kafue and Luapula wetlands), (b) Tributary valley wetlands blocked by aggradation of the trunk valley (Lukanga wetland). In conclusion, although few geomorphological studies have been conducted on southern African wetlands because of their inaccessibility, Africa’s surface topography and its historical evolution, as well as aridity, provide an opportunity for illustrating the important role that the long-term tectonic, geological and geomorphological processes play in determining wetland origin, structure and dynamics. GIS methodology and Earth Observation (EO) data on the other hand, provide a practical means for acquiring information on inaccessible and hard to traverse wetland systems. A novel cut-and-fill approach for delineating wetlands from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was presented as another way in which GIS methodology and Earth Observation (EO) data can provide practical means for assessing inaccessible and hard to traverse wetland systems.
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Date Issued: 2020

A combined modelling approach for simulating channel–wetland exchanges in large African river basins

Authors: Makungu, Eunice J
Date: 2020
Subjects: Watersheds -- Africa , Watershed management -- Africa , Water resources development -- Africa -- International cooperation , Floodplain management -- Africa , Wetland ecology -- Simulation methods -- Africa , Wetland management -- Africa
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/123288 , vital:35424
Description: In Africa, many large and extensive wetlands are hydrologically connected to rivers, and their environmental integrity, as well as their influence on downstream flow regimes, depends on the prevailing channel–wetland exchange processes. These processes are inherently complex and vary spatially and temporally. Understanding channel–wetland exchanges is therefore, indispensable for the effective management of wetlands and the associated river basins. However, this information is limited in most of the river basins containing large wetlands in Africa. Furthermore, it is important to understand the links between upstream and downstream flow regimes and the wetland dynamics themselves, specifically where there are water resource developments that may affect these links (upstream developments), or be affected by them (downstream developments). Hydrological modelling of the entire basin using basin-scale models that include wetland components in their structures can be used to provide the information required to manage water resources in such basins. However, the level of detail of wetland processes included in many basin-scale models is typically very low and the lack of understanding of the wetland dynamics makes it difficult to quantify the relevant parameters. Detailed hydraulic models represent the channel-wetland exchanges in a much more explicit manner, but require relatively more data and time resources to establish than coarser scale hydrological models. The main objective of this study was, therefore, to investigate the use of a detailed hydraulic wetland model to provide a better understanding of channel–wetland exchanges and wetland dynamics, and to use the results to improve the parameterisation of a basin-scale model. The study focused on improving the water resource assessments modelling of three data-scarce African river basins that contain large wetlands: the floodplains of the Luangwa and Upper Zambezi River basins and the Usangu wetland in the Upper Great Ruaha River basin. The overall objective was achieved through a combined modelling approach that uses a detailed high-resolution LISFLOOD-FP hydraulic model to inform the structure and parameters of the GW Pitman monthly hydrological model. The results from the LISFLOOD-FP were used to improve the understanding of the channel–wetland exchange dynamics and to establish the wetland parameters required in the GW Pitman model. While some wetland parameters were directly quantified from the LISFLOOD-FP model results, others, which are highly empirical, were estimated by manually calibrating the GW Pitman wetland sub-model implemented in excel spreadsheets containing the LISFLOOD-FP model results. Finally, the GW Pitman model with the inclusion of the estimated wetland parameters was applied for each basin and the results compared to the available downstream observed flow data. The two models have been successfully applied in southern Africa, with the GW Pitman model being one of the most widely applied hydrological models in this region. To address the issue of data scarcity, during setup of these models, the study mainly relied on the global datasets which clearly adds to the overall uncertainty of the modelling approach. However, this is a typical situation for most of the data scarce regions of the continent. A number of challenges were, however, faced during the setup of the LISFLOOD-FP, mainly due to the limitations of the data inputs. Some of the LISFLOOD-FP data inputs include boundary conditions (upstream and downstream), channel cross-sections and wetland topography. In the absence of observed daily flows to quantify the wetland upstream boundary conditions, monthly flow volumes simulated using the GW Pitman monthly model (without including the wetland sub-model) were disaggregated into daily flows using a disaggregation sub-model. The simulated wetland inflows were evaluated using the observed flow data for downstream gauging stations that include the wetland effects. The results highlighted that it is important to understand the possible impacts of each wetland on the downstream flow regime during the evaluations of the model simulation results. Although the disaggregation approach cannot be validated due to a lack of observed data, it at least enables the simulated monthly flows to be used in the daily time step hydraulic model. One of the recommendations is that improvements are required in gauging station networks to provide more observed information for the main river and the larger tributary inflows into these large and important wetland systems. Even a limited amount of newly observed data would be helpful to reduce some of the uncertainties in the combined modelling approach. The SRTM 90 m DEM (used to represent wetland topography) was filtered to reduce local variations and noise effects (mainly vegetation bias), but there were some pixels that falsely affect the inundation results, and the recently released vegetation-corrected DEMs are suggested to improve the simulation results. Channel cross-section values derived from global datasets should be examined because some widths estimated from the Andreadis et al. (2013) dataset were found to be over-generalised and did not reflect widths measured using high-resolution Google Earth in many places. There is an indication that channel cross-sections digitised from Google Earth images can be successfully used in the model setup except in densely vegetated swamps where the values are difficult to estimate, and in such situations, field measured cross-section data are required. Small channels such as those found in the Usangu wetland could play major role in the exchange dynamics, but digitising them all was not straightforward and only key ones were included in the model setup. Clearly, this inevitably introduced uncertainties in the simulated results, and future studies should consider applying methods that simplify extractions of most of these channels from high-resolution images to improve the simulated results. The study demonstrated that the wetland and channel physical characteristics, as well as the seasonal flow magnitude, largely influence the channel–wetland exchanges and wetland dynamics. The inundation results indicated that the area–storage and storage–inflow relationships form hysteretic curves, but the shape of these curves vary with flood magnitude and wetland type. Anticlockwise hysteresis curves were observed in both relationships for the floodplains (Luangwa and Barotse), whereas there appears to be no dominant curve type for the Usangu wetlands. The lack of well-defined hysteretic relationships in the Usangu could be related to some of the difficulties (and resulting uncertainties) that were experienced in setting up the model for this wetland. The storage–inflow relationships in all wetlands have quite complex rising limbs due to multiple flow peaks during the main wet season. The largest inundation area and storage volume for the Barotse and Usangu wetlands occurred after the peak discharge of the wet season, a result that is clearly related to the degree of connectivity between the main channel and those areas of the wetlands that are furthest away from the channel. Hysteresis effects were found to increase with an increase in flood magnitudes and temporal variations in the wetland inflows. Overall, hysteresis behaviour is common in large wetlands and it is recommended that hysteresis curves should be reflected in basin-scale modelling of large river basins with substantial wetland areas. At a daily time scale, inflow–outflow relationships showed a significant peak reduction and a delayed time to peak of several weeks in the Barotse and Usangu wetlands, whereas the attenuation effects of the Luangwa floodplain are minimal. To a large extent, the LISFLOOD-FP results provided useful information to establish wetland parameters and assess the structure of Pitman wetland sub-model. The simple spreadsheet used to estimate wetland parameters did not account for the wetland water transfers from the upstream to the next section downstream (the condition that is included in the LISFLOOD-FP model) for the case when the wetlands were distributed across more than one sub-basin. It is recommended that a method that allows for the upstream wetland inflows and the channel inflows should be included in the spreadsheet. The same is true to the Pitman model structure, and a downstream transfer of water can be modelled through return flows to the channel. The structure of the wetland sub-model was modified to allow an option for the return flows to occur at any time during the simulation period to provide for types of wetlands (e.g. the Luangwa) where spills from the channel and drainage back to the channel occur simultaneously. The setup of the GW Pitman model with the inclusion of wetland parameters improved the simulation results. However, the results for the Usangu wetlands were not very satisfactory and the collection of additional field data related to exchange dynamics is recommended to achieve improvements. The impacts of the Luangwa floodplain on the flow regime of the Luangwa River are very small at the monthly time scale, whereas the Barotse floodplain system and the Usangu wetlands extensively regulate flows of the Zambezi River and the Great Ruaha River, respectively. The results highlighted the possibilities of regionalising some wetland parameters using an understanding of wetland physical characteristics and their water exchange dynamics. However, some parameters remain difficult to quantify in the absence of site-specific information about the water exchange dynamics. The overall conclusion is that the approach implemented in this study presents an important step towards the improvements of water resource assessments modelling for research and practical purposes in data-scarce river basins. This approach is not restricted to the two used models, as it can be applied using different model combinations to achieve similar study purpose.
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Date Issued: 2020

A comparative analysis of the use of participatory practices by indigenous trusts and mainstream development NGOs in Zvimba Communal Area Zimbabwe

Authors: Mbanje, Bowden Bolt
Date: 2020
Subjects: Caritas Zimbabwe , Zvimba Community Share Ownership Trust (ZvCSOT) , Non-governmental organizations -- Zimbabwe -- Zvimba District , Community development -- Zimbabwe -- Zvimba District , Rural development -- Zimbabwe -- Zvimba District , Zvimba Communal Land (Zimbabwe)
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167099 , vital:41437
Description: This thesis compares the extent to which participatory practices have been used by Caritas Zimbabwe, a mainstream NGO, and the Zvimba Community Share Ownership Trust (ZvCSOT), an indigenous Trust, in Zvimba District, Zimbabwe. Participatory development initiatives are common practice in NGO and government development work in Zimbabwe. The thesis begins with a discussion of two aspects of participatory development (PD). Firstly, PD is discussed in relation to decentralization processes where central government transfers administrative and financial authority to sub-national government units in order to enhance the participation of rural communities in development interventions. Secondly, PD is discussed in relation to the increased role of NGOs in development work. During the 1980s and 1990s, shifts in development thinking resulted in NGOs being perceived as important actors who could attend to the development gaps left by an economically incapacitated state. Both NGOs and sub-national government units were seen to be closer to rural communities and so were thought to be in a better position to enhance the participation of these communities in meaningful development projects. An analysis of the practices of the NGO and CSOT under consideration in this study shows that while there has been much rhetorical commitment to participation, community participation in the development interventions of the NGO and the CSOT is inadequate. In introducing and implementing development interventions, there has been a tendency by both the NGO and CSOT to give priority to organizational preferences over local needs. While recognizing the participatory efforts made by mainstream development NGOs (Caritas in particular) and indigenous Trusts (Zvimba Community Share Ownership Trust in particular) in Zimbabwe, this thesis also considers the impact of other factors on participatory development initiatives. A major observation from the study is that in as much as we expect genuine participatory approaches which include grassroots communities’ inputs from the project’s conceptualization all the way to its evaluation, the challenge is that the elites at the higher level (central government and donor offices) have their own development preferences and interests while the elites at the lower levels (local government and NGO offices) also have their own priorities and needs. Consequently, local communities tend to be confined to implementing development projects foisted on them by elites at the higher level as well as those at the lower level. Worse still, the study shows that elites at the lowest level (community) sometimes hijack or take advantage of the imposed projects. Participation has been stalled by elites at various levels of the participatory development ladder. Thus, unless power imbalances are seriously addressed at all levels, participatory development will remain elusive.
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Date Issued: 2020

A comparative study of conceptualisations and practices of inclusion as an aspect of social justice in three teacher education institutions in Canada, South Africa and Zimbabwe

Authors: Musara, Ellison
Date: 2020
Subjects: Social justice and education , Teachers -- Training of -- Canada , Teachers -- Training of -- South Africa , Teachers -- Training of -- Zimbabwe , Educational sociology -- Canada , Educational sociology -- South Africa , Educational sociology -- Zimbabwe , Educational equalization , Inclusive education , Education -- Moral and ethical aspects , Critical realism
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/144138 , vital:38314
Description: This study sought to examine understandings and practices of inclusion as social justice in teacher education programmes in three countries: Canada, South Africa and Zimbabwe. While inclusive education has become an issue of increasing importance globally, contemporary research shows that not much attention has been given to the preparation of teachers as a key element in developing inclusive education systems. Recognising that pre-service teacher education is vital to the success and continued development of inclusive educational practice, the purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the ways in which inclusion is understood and practiced in the field of teacher education. Using Roy Bhaskar’s (1978) critical realism as a metatheory and drawing on Fraser’s substantive theory of social justice (2008, 2009) and Tronto’s ethic of care (1993, 2013), this study explored the extent to which teacher education faculty and teacher candidates understood and practiced inclusion as an aspect of social justice. The data used in this study was generated through individual and focus group interviews and document analysis in three higher education institutions, one in each of the three countries. In Canada, four teacher educators took part in the interviews while five teacher candidates participated in the focus group. Similarly, in South Africa, three teacher educators and eight teacher candidates participated, and in Zimbabwe, four teacher educators and eight teacher candidates took part in the study respectively. Findings from the study revealed that inclusion still means different things to different people, reflecting contrasting theoretical and ideological orientations from which inclusion is considered, while still remaining a major educational policy concern in all three countries. In the Canadian and South African institutions, inclusion is viewed more in terms of systemic educational change in pursuit of equity, social justice and equal educational opportunities for all learners. In the Zimbabwean institution, the primary focus of inclusion remains creating conditions that make it possible for students with disabilities to overcome barriers to learning and participation by providing specialist educational measures and interventions intended to respond to specific forms of impairment. As a comparative study, it is hoped that this study will contribute to the knowledge of variations and patterns in the ways in which inclusive education is shaped by societal forces such as political, economic and cultural conditions.
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Date Issued: 2020

A critical analysis of the de-peasantisation process in Nepal with specific reference to the role of state land policies since the 1950s

Authors: Basnet, Jagat
Date: 2020
Subjects: Land tenure -- Nepal , Land reform -- Law and legislation -- Nepal , Nepal -- Politics and government , Peasants -- Nepal -- Economic conditions , Panchayat -- Nepal
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/138716 , vital:37667
Description: The principal objective of this thesis is to offer a critical analysis of the process of de-peasantisation in Nepal since 1950, with a particular focus on the capitalist neo-liberal restructuring of the economy beginning in the early 1990s. The analysis begins by tracing the legacy of feudal land practices and landholdings from the pre-1950 Rana and Shah dynasties. It was under these feudal dynasties that economic and political institutions of extraction first emerged, leading to a landlord-peasant agrarian economy in which peasants (often as tenants/sharecroppers and smallholders) were subordinate to the power nexus between feudal landlords and the ruling dynasties. After 1950, a window of democratic opening was soon interrupted by the formation of the party-less Panchayat system, which lasted from 1960 to 1990. In 1964, a major land reform measure was enacted under the Lands Act, with the goal of enhancing the security and livelihood of the peasantry. However, this process was met with significant resistance by feudal landlords, and actually led to deepening insecurity and the loss of land by peasants, with farmers belonging to lower castes and indigenous groups experiencing this with a greater degree of intensity. The overall result of this period was the beginnings of what is referred to in this study as de-peasantisation. This line of analysis shows that the institutions of extraction remained firmly in place even after the reforms of this period. Finally, the neo-liberal period, which was marked by land titling, the marketisation of land, and the commercialisation of agriculture, represents the late entry of capitalism into Nepal. This period saw the deepening and widening of the process of de-peasantisation, including further loss of peasants’ access to land and a general turn to wage-labour. In this regard, despite propagating the slogan ‘land to the tillers’, the major political parties in Nepal (including the Maoist party) have failed to defend the interests of the peasantry. Some progressive civil society groups have recently sought to do better, but there is also evidence of peasant organisations themselves seeking to resist and oppose the de-peasantisation effects of neo-liberal restructuring. This thesis thus considers the form and extent of de-peasantisation in Nepal, and some responses to it, over an extended period. A broad Marxist-based political economy perspective has been adopted in pursuing the principal thesis objective, but one which argues that there is a symbiotic relationship between economic and political power, such that the latter is not reducible to the former. The thesis draws upon original fieldwork in twenty districts of Nepal, including through the use of a survey, interviews, observations, case studies, and focus group discussions, thus combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Based on this fieldwork, it becomes clear that (i) there are major social, economic, and political forces behind the processes of de-peasantisation in the studied districts (and in Nepal more broadly), and that (ii) the Nepali peasantry is becoming increasingly landless, or land-short, and subject to processes of proletarianisation.
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Date Issued: 2020

A critique of the language of record in South African courts in relation to selected university language policies

Authors: Docrat, Zakeera
Date: 2020
Subjects: Language policy -- South Africa , Forensic linguistics -- South Africa , Communication in law -- South Africa , Language planning -- South Africa , Linguistic rights -- South Africa , Court interpreting and translating -- South Africa , Multilingual education -- South Africa , Language and education -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- Social aspects -- South Africa
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PHD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/141394 , vital:37968
Description: This interdisciplinary research located in the research area of forensic linguistics seeks to provide a critique of the monolingual language of record directive for courts in South Africa, while investigating how university language policies contribute the formulation of a monolingual language of record policy for courts, by graduating monolingual LLB students. The research commences with identifying the research problem, goals and objectives and how the language of record policy for courts is linked to university language planning. The research proceeds to an overview of scholarly literature concerning the historical developments of language planning in both the legal system and higher education in South Africa. The theoretical principles concerning the enacting of language legislation and policies is advanced in relation to the constitutional framework. This research furthermore provides a thorough critique of the constitutional framework where the language rights the other related language provisions are discussed in relation to the theory and the application thereof in case law. The research explicates that the language rights of African language speaking litigants is unfairly limited and that access to justice for these litigants is either unattainable or achieved to a lesser extent. The disparities between language, law and power are brought to the fore, where the relevant legislation and language policies fail to determine the language of record in courts as well as legislate the African language requirements for legal practitioners in giving meaning to the constitutional language rights. The language policies of six selected universities is discussed in relation to the legal system’s legislative and policy frameworks, outlining the need to transform the language of learning and teaching and develop the curriculum to support the legal system. In doing so, the shortcomings of the interpretation profession in South Africa are highlighted and the effects thereof on the language rights of litigants. This thesis advances seven African and international case studies, comprising Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Australia, Belgium, Canada and India. Each of the case studies provides an in-depth analysis of the language of record/proceedings in courts and the language competencies of legal practitioners and judicial officers in relation to their university education. The African case studies are illustrative that English on the African continent in courts and higher education is dominate and the resultant loss of indigenous languages marginalises people from mainstream society. The international case studies provide two models, Belgium and Canada, which South Africa can emulate, in enacting new legislation and policies and the amendment of current legislation, to ensure bilingual/ multilingual language policies are drafted for courts per province, where the language demographics present majority spoken languages alongside English. Furthermore, where courts interpret language rights and legislative and policy provisions in a purposive manner, where African language speakers are able to, fully realise their rights. Australia and India as multilingual models serve as important case studies where South Africa can learn from what to avoid, how to subvert challenges or adequately address these. These case studies highlight the dangers of a political elite who pursue an English only agenda at the expense of the indigenous languages and the speakers thereof. This thesis in conclusion provides interdisciplinary recommendations that need to be implemented in order to address the language question in South African courts and higher education.
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Date Issued: 2020

A framework for enhancing the transgenerational potential of indigenous african family businesses

Authors: Matchaba-Hove, Mtonhodzi
Date: 2020
Subjects: Family-owned business enterprises -- Succession Indigenous peoples -- Economic conditions
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DCom
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/48894 , vital:41168
Description: Family businesses are the backbone of many economies around the globe and are believed to constitute over two-thirds of all businesses worldwide. For nearly 300 years, the Southern African economy has been developing as a consequence of the contribution of family businesses to the region’s economy. Despite their importance to the economies of countries, their overall failure rate remains high. Given the important economic and societal contribution that family businesses make, their survival rates are a matter of concern. As far as can be established, little research has been conducted among indigenous African family businesses. The research done to date lacks depth in terms of the topics covered and the countries sampled. The majority of studies on family businesses have been done in European, American and Asian settings. Notably, the research project on Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practices (STEP) has investigated transgenerational entrepreneurship among family businesses around the world. The STEP project proposes a theoretical framework, known as the STEP framework, which to date has not been applied to the indigenous African context. There is a great need for deeper insights into, and an increased understanding of the practices implemented among indigenous African family businesses that have survived across the generations, and of the context in which these businesses operate. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to explore and describe the factors that influence the transgenerational potential of indigenous African family businesses so as to assess the appropriateness of an existing non-African framework, namely the STEP framework, and to reconfigure it for the African context. The STEP framework proposes that various contextual factors influence both the entrepreneurial orientation and the familiness resource pools of family businesses, which in turn influence each other, and ultimately the transgenerational potential of the family business. The underlying theory applied in the study is Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions model. Hofstede’s model provides theoretical support for the belief that the context in which a theory or framework is applied has a big influence on the successful application of such a framework. Therefore, a need exists to contextualise the STEP framework to the context in which it is being applied. An interpretivist research paradigm and a qualitative methodological approach were deemed the most suitable for the current study, as this paradigm and approach enabled the researcher to address the dynamics and invisible issues within family businesses. The current study adopted a multiple case study methodology. Adopting this methodology allowed for a deeper understanding of the object of interest. The three cases were systematically selected, using purposive sampling, to ensure that a credible and indicative sample was obtained. The criteria used for selection were based on the STEP project guidelines and the three businesses selected were from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana, of indigenous African heritage and have showed sustained growth and success since their establishment. The reason for these selection criteria was to ensure that the study appropriately addressed the defined research objectives and the gap in the body of knowledge on transgenerational entrepreneurship in the African context. The instrument used to guide the key-informant interviews in this research was a semi-structured interview schedule adapted from the STEP project interview schedule. Once all the data was collected, a combination of directed content analysis and explanation building was used to analyse the data. A framework for enhancing the transgenerational potential of indigenous African family businesses is proposed in this study, based on the practices adopted by the successful indigenous African family businesses which participated. The framework developed adapts the STEP framework for the indigenous African family business context. As in the STEP framework, the framework proposed for indigenous African family businesses highlights several external contextual factors as influencing both the familiness resource pools and the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation. In the context of indigenous African family businesses, the external contextual factors most influential are the philosophy of Ubuntu, the collectivist national culture, as well as the community and extended family commitments. The external contextual factors, namely, the business environment and the industry in which the business operates, were found to be particularly influential on the entrepreneurial orientation displayed by the participating family businesses. All eight familiness resource pools, as well as the five dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation as proposed in the STEP framework, still form part of the framework proposed for indigenous African family businesses. However, for some the nature thereof differed somewhat from the original descriptions. Therefore, the original names were adapted to better describe these concepts as applicable to an indigenous African family business context. The proposed framework supports the multi-dimensional nature of performance outcomes among indigenous African family businesses. It proposes that in an indigenous African family business context, entrepreneurial performance outcomes are important to the extent that they contribute to achieving the financial performance outcomes, while the financial performance outcomes are important to the extent that they contribute to achieving the social performance outcomes. This study contributes to a greater understanding of successful indigenous African family businesses and their best practices, specifically an understanding of the practices adopted with regards to the familiness resource pools and entrepreneurial orientation. Furthermore, this study has expanded on the understanding of paternalism in that it has provides greater clarity on the nature of this leadership style, as well as the positive outcomes associated with it, in an African context. The study also has significance for educators, who can incorporate the lessons learned from it into their entrepreneurship and family business teaching.
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Date Issued: 2020

A framework for price tariffs in the costing structures of South African private hospitals

Authors: Botha, Gideon
Date: 2020
Subjects: Hospitals, Proprietary
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/47489 , vital:40126
Description: The increase of South African health care costs can be extrapolated into the global healthcare cost challenge, with various factors contributing to this problem. One of the factors viewed as being central to the rising cost of health care is the inability of health care provider organisations to accurately measure unit costs of resources used to treat a patient for their medical condition and patient outcomes. The measurement of an accurate unit cost and patient outcomes is imperative to improving value, which is seen as an improvement in outcomes for every rand spent. The determination of price tariffs and the price tariff payment model used to onward bill the price tariff for medical services have also been identified as having a central role in improving value in health care. In order for price tariffs to improve value, they should be reflective and be based on an accurate unit cost that reflects the cost of resources used to provide efficient and effective care for a patient’s medical condition. For the price tariff payment model to improve value, it needs to reward providers for delivering superior patient outcomes at a lower cost by making price tariffs contingent on achieving specified outcomes as well as incorporating performance payments or holdbacks based on outcomes achieved. This study provides a framework for price tariffs in the costing structures of South African private hospitals. Secondary research was conducted in the form of a comprehensive literature search in order to do an interpretative analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the various combinations of unit costing models and price tariff payment models used to determine prices in private hospitals. The literature review was followed by primary research that involved three phases, all of which used a qualitative research approach. In Phase 1, primary data were collected using unobtrusive measures that consisted of a data request first, followed by unstructured interviews with representatives of Hospital A and Hospital B to obtain an analysis of the combinations of unit costing model and price tariff payment model used for a laparoscopic appendectomy. In Phase 2, data were collected by means of an unstructured interview with a surgeon describing a laparoscopic appendectomy procedure in detail and based on this process description, the approximate costs for the various resources that were sourced from different suppliers could be calculated. The data analysis and interpretation were done in three phases, with each phase having different research objectives. The data were first coded and then interpreted. In the first primary research phase, the combinations of unit costing models and price tariff payment models used by private Hospital A and Hospital B were evaluated. In the second phase, the recommended combination of unit costing model and price tariff payment model was applied to a hypothetical example and evaluated. In the final phase, based on the outcome of the first and second research phases, a combination of unit costing model and price tariff payment model for private hospitals was recommended. The results showed that the recommended combination of unit costing and price tariff payment model namely time-driven activity-based costing with the global fee price tariff payment model was the most appropriate to determine price tariffs in private hospitals when compared to the unit costing models and price tariff payment models used by Hospital A and Hospital B for a laparoscopic appendectomy. Furthermore, the recommended combination of unit costing model and price tariff payment model was found to be usable for the determination of price tariffs in the costing structures of private hospitals. The time-driven activity-based costing model and global fee price tariff payment model should be adopted or used as guidelines for determining price tariffs in private hospitals in South Africa. Price tariffs would be more transparent as they would reflect the actual resource cost of treating the patient and the resources used and treatment provided could then be assessed against the delivery value chain that charts the principal activities involved in a patient’s care for a medical condition to ensure that patient best-practice protocols are followed. The proposed framework enables the determination of price tariffs based on an accurate unit cost reflecting the actual resources used to provide efficient and effective care and also improve value for the patient.
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2020

A framework for price tariffs in the costing structures of South African private hospitals

Authors: Botha, Gideon
Date: 2020
Subjects: Medical care, Cost of -- South Africa , Medical economics -- South Africa Medical care -- South Africa -- Cost control Cost accounting
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50432 , vital:42167
Description: The increase of South African health care costs can be extrapolated into the global healthcare cost challenge, with various factors contributing to this problem. One of the factors viewed as being central to the rising cost of health care is the inability of health care provider organisations to accurately measure unit costs of resources used to treat a patient for their medical condition and patient outcomes. The measurement of an accurate unit cost and patient outcomes is imperative to improving value, which is seen as an improvement in outcomes for every rand spent. The determination of price tariffs and the price tariff payment model used to onward bill the price tariff for medical services have also been identified as having a central role in improving value in health care. In order for price tariffs to improve value, they should be reflective and be based on an accurate unit cost that reflects the cost of resources used to provide efficient and effective care for a patient’s medical condition. For the price tariff payment model to improve value, it needs to reward providers for delivering superior patient outcomes at a lower cost by making price tariffs contingent on achieving specified outcomes as well as incorporating performance payments or holdbacks based on outcomes achieved. This study provides a framework for price tariffs in the costing structures of South African private hospitals. Secondary research was conducted in the form of a comprehensive literature search in order to do an interpretative analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the various combinations of unit costing models and price tariff payment models used to determine prices in private hospitals. The literature review was followed by primary research that involved three phases, all of which used a qualitative research approach. In Phase 1, primary data were collected using unobtrusive measures that consisted of a data request first, followed by unstructured interviews with representatives of Hospital A and Hospital B to obtain an analysis of the combinations of unit costing model and price tariff payment model used for a laparoscopic appendectomy. In Phase 2, data were collected by means of an unstructured interview with a surgeon describing a laparoscopic appendectomy procedure in detail and based on this process description, the approximate costs for the various resources that were sourced from different suppliers could be calculated. The data analysis and interpretation were done in three phases, with each phase having different research objectives. The data were first coded and then interpreted. In the first primary research phase, the combinations of unit costing models and price tariff payment models used by private Hospital A and Hospital B were evaluated. In the second phase, the recommended combination of unit costing model and price tariff payment model was applied to a hypothetical example and evaluated. In the final phase, based on the outcome of the first and second research phases, a combination of unit costing model and price tariff payment model for private hospitals was recommended. The results showed that the recommended combination of unit costing and price tariff payment model namely time-driven activity-based costing with the global fee price tariff payment model was the most appropriate to determine price tariffs in private hospitals when compared to the unit costing models and price tariff payment models used by Hospital A and Hospital B for a laparoscopic appendectomy. Furthermore, the recommended combination of unit costing model and price tariff payment model was found to be usable for the determination of price tariffs in the costing structures of private hospitals. The time-driven activity-based costing model and global fee price tariff payment model should be adopted or used as guidelines for determining price tariffs in private hospitals in South Africa. Price tariffs would be more transparent as they would reflect the actual resource cost of treating the patient and the resources used and treatment provided could then be assessed against the delivery value chain that charts the principal activities involved in a patient’s care for a medical condition to ensure that patient best-practice protocols are followed. The proposed framework enables the determination of price tariffs based on an accurate unit cost reflecting the actual resources used to provide efficient and effective care and also improve value for the patient.
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2020

A framework for the implementation of e-government as a service delivery mechanism in South Africa: The case of the Eastern Cape Thusong Service Centres

Authors: Madyibi, Ayanda
Date: 2020
Subjects: Electronic government information Technological innovations Information technology
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD(Information Systems)
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/18908 , vital:42997
Description: E-government has emerged as an effective means of delivering much-needed online services to the citizens, businesses and other government institutions. This emanates from the advancement of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the internet and the emerging technologies associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). E-government has essentially transformed the culture, structure and the way of doing business by public institutions in providing government services. In the past, e-government has been popular in developed countries but recently many developing countries are starting to appreciate the need to implement the initiative. However, the implementation of e-government has various challenges that have been identified through research and include technological, organisational and environmental aspects. Therefore, the researcher was motivated to study e-government to improve the delivery of services to citizens in South Africa. The objective of the research was to develop a framework for the implementation of egovernment as a service delivery mechanism in South Africa. The research process led to the identification of challenges that impact the implementation of e-government by applying an underlying Information Systems (IS) theoretical model, namely the Technology-OrganisationEnvironment (TOE) framework. The review of literature allowed the researcher to construct a conceptual theoretical framework which was then applied to the case study in order to understand the factors affecting the implementation of e-government in South Africa. Qualitative research data was collected using Thusong Service Centres in the Eastern Cape as a case study. Thusong Service Centres are government service centres based in rural communities which are used for the provision of online government services to these communities. The empirical data was collected using 22 respondents from five organisational and user perspectives: (1) State Information Technology Agency (SITA) as an agency of government responsible for ICT in South Africa, (2) the Senior ICT Managers from various National, Provincial and Local government entities, (3) Thusong Service Centre Managers, (4) Thusong Service Centre End-Users and (5) Expert Reviews. Documents that included the National e-Government Strategy, e-Government Policy, National Broadband Policy, ICT Policy White Paper were also consulted as secondary data. The conceptual theoretical framework was then revised based on the empirical evidence using the interpretive exploratory approach and triangulated data. The consolidated data from both the literature review and empirical evidence assisted in closing the gap between e-government implementation theory and practice. A detailed e-government implementation framework was then developed with the critical factors that impact the successful implementation of e- ii | P a g e government. E-government subject experts were also given the mandate to review the interview questions and the framework. The use of this framework was then explained in terms of how it can assist government decision-makers in South Africa for the effective and efficient delivery of services to the citizens. The research study has contributed to the e-government body of knowledge through the identified factors utilising the TOE framework at an organisational level for developing countries like South Africa.
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Date Issued: 2020

A gendered analysis of conditional cash based transfers: a case study of Puntland Technical Vocational Skills Training Programme, Somalia

Authors: Chitombi, Rumbidzai
Date: 2020
Subjects: Puntland Technical Vocational Skills Training Programme , Transfer payments -- Somalia -- Case studies , Economic assistance, Domestic -- Somalia , Economic development -- Social aspects -- Somalia , Women -- Somalia -- Social conditions
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167335 , vital:41469
Description: As part of the worldwide development system, conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes have become an increasingly popular policy and development approach in seeking to address poverty, especially in developing countries. Under the CCT programmes, beneficiaries are given assistance in the form of either cash or cash vouchers after fulfilling certain obligations of the development programme, such as attending training, enacting proper health care, or ensuring regular school attendance of children. The programmes have been described as a ‘double-edged sword’ since they aim to address poverty and, at the same time, reduce reliance on government largesse. In this regard, they are seen as potentially effective, and more empowering, alternatives to more traditional social assistance programmes whereby poor people receive welfare assistance in the form of ‘in kind’ and ‘unconditional’ assistance, receiving this as either food or shelter commodities, and without having to meet any conditions in doing so. This ‘traditional’ way of assisting poor people has largely been criticised for creating a dependency syndrome amongst the beneficiaries. In certain cases, CCT programmes focus specifically on women, either in receiving the cash transfer or in meeting the conditions attached to the programme, or both. In this context, considerable debate exists in the scholarly literature about the effects of such CCT programmes on the situation and status of women, specifically in terms of possibly empowering women. While some scholars claim that these programmes enhance the human and financial assets of women, others argue that focusing specifically on women, and as care-givers within households, tends to reproduce gender-based inequalities and subordination. Since gender equality and female empowerment are now key issues in global development spheres, and at national levels, this thesis aims to contribute to literature on the effects of CCTs on gender and women’s empowerment. This is pursued by way of a gendered perspective on CCTs as a development methodology for empowering women with reference to Somalia, using the Puntland Technical Vocational Skills Training programme as a case study. This programme focused, in the main, on internally-displaced people in Somalia, with a particular emphasis on women in meeting the programme conditions (i.e. participating in a training programme) and in being the cash recipients. The study used both quantitative and qualitative approaches for data collection and analysis, focusing on sixty selected beneficiaries who participated in the Puntland Technical Vocational skills training programme in Somalia from 2013. The thesis examines the prevailing structures (including cultural dynamics and socio-economic factors) in Somalia which lead to women’s subordination, notably in the light of significant internal displacement because of war and conflict and the emergence of internally-displaced camps. On this basis, from a gendered perspective, there is a critical appraisal of the manner in which the Puntland CCT programme affected women’s subordinate status, including how it may have led to the restructuring of gendered relations at both household and community levels. In offering this appraisal with reference to the Puntland programme, the thesis argues that women’s subordination and, by extension, women’s empowerment, is multi-faceted, and that continuity and change along the dimensions of subordination is often uneven and contradictory. Further, as also demonstrated in the Puntland case study, women’s subordination (as a social totality) is not a totalising system, such that women regularly make use of gaps in the system as opportunities to enhance their well-being without confronting the totality of the system.
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Date Issued: 2020

A holistic approach in understanding the effects of dietary protein sources on the growth and reproductive development of farmed abalone, Haliotis midae

Authors: Wu, Yu
Date: 2020
Subjects: Abalones -- Nutrition , Abalones -- Reproduction , Abalones -- Growth , Abalone culture , Haliotis midae -- Nutrition , Haliotis midae -- Reproduction , Haliotis midae -- Growth , Haliotis midae fisheries
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167719 , vital:41506
Description: The combination of fishmeal and soya in the formulated feed of farmed South African abalone, Haliotis midae, not only improved abalone growth, but also the sustainability of the compound diets by reducing the reliance on fishmeal. However, the presence of soya produced larger gonads compared to those of abalone fed kelp or single-source protein diets. There is an increasing drive to control sexual maturation and reduce undesirable spawning events in farmed abalone. However, the reasons for the reported effects of soya inclusion on the reproductive development of farmed H. midae remain unresolved. The aim of this research was to use a combination of techniques to contribute to the understanding of the relationship between growth, reproductive and nutritional physiology of farmed H. midae fed diets of varying protein sources. These techniques included stable isotope analysis (SIA), fatty acid analysis, gonad histological assessments and haemolymph sexsteroid hormone analysis. The objectives were to examine the allocation of protein and nutritional components to somatic and reproductive tissues. This study also included the first attempt to investigate the role that sex steroid hormones play during gametogenesis. Abalone (40 – 50 g abalone-1) were fed one of four diets: either a single-source protein-based diet, i.e., (1) fishmeal-only (FM) or (2) soya-only (S), or a combination diet of (3) fishmeal-soya (FM S) or (4) fishmeal-sunflower meal (FM SM). Sampling occurred in 45-day intervals over one year. Dietary protein source had an effect on the growth of abalone, with enhancements in growth linked to the combination of fishmeal and a plant-protein source. The fishmeal ingredient was the most utilised protein source throughout the temporal changes in protein allocation into somatic and reproductive tissue, followed by soya and then sunflower meal. The mean whole- body mass of abalone was significantly influenced by an interaction between time and dietary treatment, with average whole-body mass changing differently over time between treatments (RM-ANOVA, F(24, 96) = 2.13, p = 0.005). Overall, abalone that were fed FM S had higher mean whole-body mass values than abalone that were fed the single-protein based diets, while abalone that were fed FM SM were similar to animals from all dietary treatments (RMANOVA, F(3, 12) = 5.75, p = 0.01). Male abalone had significantly higher gonad bulk index (GBI) values compared to females (RM-ANOVA, F(1, 24) = 49.03, p < 0.001) and this was independent of dietary treatment. Within each sex, female abalone fed the FM S diet (15.92 ± 1.88 mm3 g-1) had significantly higher GBI values than abalone fed S (9.76 ± 1.08 mm3 g-1), while abalone fed FM (11.96 ± 1.71 mm3 g-1) and FM SM (11.90 ± 0.80 mm3 g-1) were similar to abalone from all other dietary treatments (Tukey’s HSD, p < 0.05). Male abalone fed the FM S (21.59 ± 2.10 mm3 g-1) and FM SM diet (19.30 ± 2.63 mm3 g-1) had similar GBI values and they were significantly higher than in abalone fed the S diet (14.74 ± 1.27 mm3 g-1), while abalone fed FM S had significantly higher GBI values than abalone that consumed the FM diet (15.08 ±1.63mm3 g-1) ( Tukey’s HSD, p < 0.05). Although sunflower meal was poorly utilised, it produced similar overall growth to abalone that were fed the FM S diets. Yet, feed conversion ratio values were significantly lower for abalone fed FM S (1.30 ± 0.13) compared to those in the other three treatments, with ratios ranging from 1.65 – 1.72 over the one-year. The fatty acid compositions of the somatic and gonadal tissues were similar between treatments (PERMANOVA, p = 0.21), while fatty acid composition was influenced by sampling day, tissue type and abalone sex (PERMANOVA, p < 0.05). The essential fatty acids (EFAs) eicosadienoic acid and a-linolenic acid were present in abalone tissue, but they were not detected in the diets, suggesting the important role that an alternate food source (e.g. farmed abalone also had access to diatoms) may have played and the ability that H. midae may have in converting long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids from C18 precursors. A change in the abundance of EFAs in the gonad tissue during highest and lowest GBI values suggested that arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, g-linolenic and linoleic acid were important in females, while eicosapentaenoic, eicosadienoic and a-linolenic acid were important for male reproductive development. Dietary protein sources had an effect on the frequency distribution of maturity stages, where females that were fed FM S produced more ripe gonads and more males that were fed FM SM contained testes that showed signs of ripeness over the one-year study. Although dietary protein influenced the sex steroid concentrations in females and males, exhibiting fluctuations throughout the one-year period, no distinct pattern linked to gametogenesis were observed. The results from this study illustrate: (1) the importance of conducting laboratory studies when implementing SIA and mixing models in aquaculture nutrition; (2) conducting nutritional studies on mature, grow-out abalone; and (3) assessing the importance of naturally occurring diatoms in their diet and their contribution to growth and reproduction. The novel contribution of this research towards abalone nutritional physiology, the implications of these findings to industry as well as potential considerations for future studies were addressed.
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Date Issued: 2020

A housing affordability and tenure of choice quantum deliverable model in South Africa

Authors: Kabundu, Emmanuel Kizito
Date: 2020
Subjects: Housing -- Prices -- South Africa Housing -- Economic aspects -- South Africa
Language: English
Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/49606 , vital:41740
Description: The aim of this research was to develop a model that practically determines the tenure of choice and affordability of households in South Africa, which will thus help towards informed decision making by analysts and housing officials. Presently, there is no clear systematic means (except for simplistic ratios) of determining the degree of the effect of changes in the housing market (such as implemented policies) on the tenure of choice and affordability decisions of households. The research set out to improve upon the usage of ratios by basing its analysis on the theoretical underpinnings of both user costs of occupancy and an assumption of endogeneity between tenure of choice and affordability. The research used the general household survey data from Statistics South Africa for the analysis and validation. Generalized joint binary regression (on assumption of endogeneity between tenure of choice and affordability) was used as a check against the user costs of occupancy modelling. An independent market analysis carried out showed that South Africa has consistently faced increasing problems of acute housing shortages and housing affordability. Never the less, apart from subsidy programs, the option to promote renting, coupled with use of innovative building technologies showed promise of significantly alleviating these problems. More living space is especially more vital than ever, amid the current crisis of COVID-19 pademic. Statistical tests indicated strong evidence suggesting that the developed user costs of occupancy model (dynamic tenure model) is reliable at correctly recovering the tenure statuses of the households, with its recovery rates being better than those of the regression model. Both models provided useful unique, but different insights into the housing market and also correctly predicted the behavioural patterns of South African housing markets, such as significantly worsening affordability, and a market that is biased towards home ownership. The analysis also showed that affordability and tenure of choice were significantly affected by locational factors, household characteristics (such as race and age of household head), and most significantly, the age of the household head (which is a proxy to household income). The research successfully met its goal of model building but also recognized the need to merge these two models (dynamic tenure model and the regression model) into one model for more comprehensive housing related analysis. The research also recognized a need to fully operationalize the optimization, Monte Carlo and parallelization modules in order to improve the practical usefulness and effectiveness of the model. The significance of the study is that it it underpins the basis for proper tenure and affordability analysis, by assuming endogeneity between the two (2), and provides a modelling framework based on these criteria, that are useful for meaningful housing market analysis.
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Date Issued: 2020

Showing items 41 - 60 of 3123

Lipid nanocarriers : a novel approach to delivering ophthalmic clarithromycin

Prioritising biological control agents for release against Sporobolus pyramidalis and Sporobolus natalensis (Poaceae) in Australia

Probing the binding sites of novel 2-substituted imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acids : Towards new imidazole-based drugs

The application of human factors and ergonomics (HFE) to community-sport organisations in resource scarce contexts: a case study of grassroots football in Makana, Eastern Cape

The electrocatalytic response of metallophthalocyanines when clicked to electrodes and to nanomaterials

“Munhu wese ihama yako (everyone is your relative)”: Ubuntu and the social inclusion of students with disabilities at South African universities

A best practice guideline for screening and managing chorioamnionitis

A classification of large wetlands in Africa’s elevated drylands based on their formation, structure, and hydrological functioning using Earth Observation (EO) data and Geographic Information System (GIS)

A combined modelling approach for simulating channel–wetland exchanges in large African river basins

A comparative analysis of the use of participatory practices by indigenous trusts and mainstream development NGOs in Zvimba Communal Area Zimbabwe

A comparative study of conceptualisations and practices of inclusion as an aspect of social justice in three teacher education institutions in Canada, South Africa and Zimbabwe

A critical analysis of the de-peasantisation process in Nepal with specific reference to the role of state land policies since the 1950s

A critique of the language of record in South African courts in relation to selected university language policies

A framework for enhancing the transgenerational potential of indigenous african family businesses

A framework for price tariffs in the costing structures of South African private hospitals

A framework for price tariffs in the costing structures of South African private hospitals

A framework for the implementation of e-government as a service delivery mechanism in South Africa: The case of the Eastern Cape Thusong Service Centres

A gendered analysis of conditional cash based transfers: a case study of Puntland Technical Vocational Skills Training Programme, Somalia

A holistic approach in understanding the effects of dietary protein sources on the growth and reproductive development of farmed abalone, Haliotis midae

A housing affordability and tenure of choice quantum deliverable model in South Africa