Of no account?: South Africa's electoral system (non) debate
- Authors: Vincent, Louise
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/141657 , vital:37994 , DOI: 10.1080/02589000500513796
- Description: Accountability can be summarised simply as ‘answerability’ (James and Hadland 2002:1) and is a vital cornerstone of representative democracy. Without accountability, an electorate, once having put into power a particular representative, has no recourse to explanations, justifications or reviews of how that person has performed and whether or not they have fulfilled the promises which secured their election in the first place. In a representative democracy mechanisms of accountability are necessarily multiple and must include both formal and informal dimensions. The electoral system is but one of these. Other key lynchpins in the accountability engine include the role of opposition parties, the committee system, the media, civil society, the courts, and what in South Africa are referred to, on the basis of the 1996 Constitution, as the ‘Chapter Nine Institutions’: the Public Protector, Human Rights Commission, Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities, Commission for Gender Equality, Auditor-General, and the Electoral Commission.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Vincent, Louise
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/141657 , vital:37994 , DOI: 10.1080/02589000500513796
- Description: Accountability can be summarised simply as ‘answerability’ (James and Hadland 2002:1) and is a vital cornerstone of representative democracy. Without accountability, an electorate, once having put into power a particular representative, has no recourse to explanations, justifications or reviews of how that person has performed and whether or not they have fulfilled the promises which secured their election in the first place. In a representative democracy mechanisms of accountability are necessarily multiple and must include both formal and informal dimensions. The electoral system is but one of these. Other key lynchpins in the accountability engine include the role of opposition parties, the committee system, the media, civil society, the courts, and what in South Africa are referred to, on the basis of the 1996 Constitution, as the ‘Chapter Nine Institutions’: the Public Protector, Human Rights Commission, Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities, Commission for Gender Equality, Auditor-General, and the Electoral Commission.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Re-deploying Parker, post-colonially: review essay
- Macleod, Catriona I, Wilbraham, Lindy
- Authors: Macleod, Catriona I , Wilbraham, Lindy
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6275 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008275
- Description: In this paper we review two of Ian Parker’s recent books: Critical discursive psychology and Qualitative psychology: Introducing radical research. Although the books address different audiences (academics versus students) and talk to different problematics (theory versus research), taken together they represent useful resources for those wishing to take a critical stance with regards to the standard fare of psychology, to use critical theory in understanding social and psychological phenomena, and to engage in progressive research. As such, both theory and research methods appear as “tools”, and we suggest reading Parker sideways, shifting his intellectual trajectory into directions that illuminate colonial and post-colonial issues through empirical/textual application to real South African contexts. By way of illustration, we offer a post-colonial reading of Parker’s work on post-modernism. Concluding comments on tactics for a “post-colonial analysis of discourses” are offered.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Macleod, Catriona I , Wilbraham, Lindy
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6275 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008275
- Description: In this paper we review two of Ian Parker’s recent books: Critical discursive psychology and Qualitative psychology: Introducing radical research. Although the books address different audiences (academics versus students) and talk to different problematics (theory versus research), taken together they represent useful resources for those wishing to take a critical stance with regards to the standard fare of psychology, to use critical theory in understanding social and psychological phenomena, and to engage in progressive research. As such, both theory and research methods appear as “tools”, and we suggest reading Parker sideways, shifting his intellectual trajectory into directions that illuminate colonial and post-colonial issues through empirical/textual application to real South African contexts. By way of illustration, we offer a post-colonial reading of Parker’s work on post-modernism. Concluding comments on tactics for a “post-colonial analysis of discourses” are offered.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Spatio-temporal patterns in maturation of the chokka squid (Loligo vulgaris reynaudii) off the coast of South Africa
- Olyott, L J H, Sauer, Warwick H H, Booth, Anthony J
- Authors: Olyott, L J H , Sauer, Warwick H H , Booth, Anthony J
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6763 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007930
- Description: Knowledge of the temporal and spatial characteristics of chokka squid (Loligo vulgaris reynaudii) biology in South African waters is limited, so the possibility of there being a geographically fragmented stock was examined by investigating the distribution of maturity patterns for the species, covering all known spawning areas and using both historical and recent data. Gonadosomatic indices (GSI) varied between year-round consistency and apparent seasonal peaks in both summer and winter; there was no clear spatial pattern. Monthly percentage maturity provided further evidence for two peak reproductive periods each year, although mature squid were present throughout. Sex ratios demonstrated great variability between different areas and life history stages. Male-biased sex ratios were only apparent on the inshore spawning grounds and ranged between 1.118:1 and 4.267:1. Size at sexual maturity was also seasonal, squid maturing smaller in winter/spring than in summer/autumn. Also, squid in the east matured smaller than squid in the west. Although the results from the present study do not provide conclusive evidence of distinct geographic populations, squid likely spawn over a significantly larger area of the Agulhas Bank than previously estimated, and squid on the west coast of South Africa may return to spawn on the western portion of the Agulhas Bank. It remains likely, however, that the east and west coast populations are a single stock and that migration of juveniles to the west coast and their subsequent return as sub-adults is an integral but non-essential and variable part of the life history.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Olyott, L J H , Sauer, Warwick H H , Booth, Anthony J
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6763 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007930
- Description: Knowledge of the temporal and spatial characteristics of chokka squid (Loligo vulgaris reynaudii) biology in South African waters is limited, so the possibility of there being a geographically fragmented stock was examined by investigating the distribution of maturity patterns for the species, covering all known spawning areas and using both historical and recent data. Gonadosomatic indices (GSI) varied between year-round consistency and apparent seasonal peaks in both summer and winter; there was no clear spatial pattern. Monthly percentage maturity provided further evidence for two peak reproductive periods each year, although mature squid were present throughout. Sex ratios demonstrated great variability between different areas and life history stages. Male-biased sex ratios were only apparent on the inshore spawning grounds and ranged between 1.118:1 and 4.267:1. Size at sexual maturity was also seasonal, squid maturing smaller in winter/spring than in summer/autumn. Also, squid in the east matured smaller than squid in the west. Although the results from the present study do not provide conclusive evidence of distinct geographic populations, squid likely spawn over a significantly larger area of the Agulhas Bank than previously estimated, and squid on the west coast of South Africa may return to spawn on the western portion of the Agulhas Bank. It remains likely, however, that the east and west coast populations are a single stock and that migration of juveniles to the west coast and their subsequent return as sub-adults is an integral but non-essential and variable part of the life history.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Synthesis and electrochemical characterisation of benzylmercapto and dodecylmercapto tetra substituted cobalt, iron, and zinc phthalocyanines complexes
- Nyokong, Tebello, Ozoemena, Kenneth I, Agboola, Bolade O
- Authors: Nyokong, Tebello , Ozoemena, Kenneth I , Agboola, Bolade O
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6580 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004143
- Description: The work reports on cyclic voltammetry (CV), square wave voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry of the following complexes: tetrakis (benzyl mercapto) phthalocyanine complexes of Zn(II) (ZnTBMPc, 4a ), Co(II) (CoTBMPc, 5a ), Fe(II) (FeTBMPc 6a ); and tetrakis (dodecylmercapto) phthalocyanine complexes of Zn(II) (ZnTDMPc, 4b), Co(II) (CoTDMPc, 5b) and Fe(II) (FeTDMPc, 6b). More reversible CV couples were observed for complexes 4a, 5a and 6a containing thiol phenyl ring substituents. Complexes 4b, 5b and 6b containing long chain thiol substituents showed less reversible couples. Complexes 6a and 6b showed a relatively large number of redox processes (5 for 6a and 6 for 6b) within the potential window employed in this work. The processes for FePc derivatives (6a) are assigned to FeIIIPc-1/FeIIIPc-2, FeIIIPc-2/FeIIPc-2, FeIIPc-2/FeIPc-2, FeIPc-2/FeIPc-3 and FeIPc-3/FeIPc-4 and for the CoPc derivative (5a) to CoIIIPc-1/CoIIIPc-2, CoIIIPc-2/CoIIPc-2, CoIIPc-2/CoIPc-2 and CoIPc-2/CoIPc-3.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Nyokong, Tebello , Ozoemena, Kenneth I , Agboola, Bolade O
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6580 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004143
- Description: The work reports on cyclic voltammetry (CV), square wave voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry of the following complexes: tetrakis (benzyl mercapto) phthalocyanine complexes of Zn(II) (ZnTBMPc, 4a ), Co(II) (CoTBMPc, 5a ), Fe(II) (FeTBMPc 6a ); and tetrakis (dodecylmercapto) phthalocyanine complexes of Zn(II) (ZnTDMPc, 4b), Co(II) (CoTDMPc, 5b) and Fe(II) (FeTDMPc, 6b). More reversible CV couples were observed for complexes 4a, 5a and 6a containing thiol phenyl ring substituents. Complexes 4b, 5b and 6b containing long chain thiol substituents showed less reversible couples. Complexes 6a and 6b showed a relatively large number of redox processes (5 for 6a and 6 for 6b) within the potential window employed in this work. The processes for FePc derivatives (6a) are assigned to FeIIIPc-1/FeIIIPc-2, FeIIIPc-2/FeIIPc-2, FeIIPc-2/FeIPc-2, FeIPc-2/FeIPc-3 and FeIPc-3/FeIPc-4 and for the CoPc derivative (5a) to CoIIIPc-1/CoIIIPc-2, CoIIIPc-2/CoIIPc-2, CoIIPc-2/CoIPc-2 and CoIPc-2/CoIPc-3.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Tetracarboxylic acid cobalt phthalocyanine SAM on gold: Potential applications as amperometric sensor for H2O2 and fabrication of glucose biosensor
- Mashazi, Philani N, Ozoemena, Kenneth I, Nyokong, Tebello
- Authors: Mashazi, Philani N , Ozoemena, Kenneth I , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6578 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004141
- Description: This report describes the applications of cobalt tetracarboxylic acid phthalocyanine (CoTCAPc) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) immobilized onto a preformed 2-mercaptoethanol (Au-ME) SAM on gold surface (Au-ME-CoTCAPc SAM) as a potential amperometric sensor for the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H[subscript 2]O[subscript 2]) at neutral pH conditions. The Au-ME-CoTCAPc SAM sensor showed a very fast amperometric response time of approximately 1 s, good linearity at the studied concentration range of up to 5 μM with a coefficient R² = 0.993 and a detection limit of 0.4 μM oxidatively. Also reductively, the sensor exhibited a very fast amperometric response time (~1 s), linearity up to 5 μM with a coefficient R² = 0.986 and a detection limit of 0.2 μM. The cobalt tetracarboxylic acid phthalocyanine self-assembled monolayer was then evaluated as a mediator for glucose oxidase (GOx)-based biosensor. The GOx (enzyme) was immobilized covalently onto Au-ME-CoTCAPc SAM using coupling agents: N-ethyl-N(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxy succinimide (NHS), and the results demonstrated a good catalytic behavior. Kinetic parameters associated with the enzymatic and mediator reactions were estimated using electrochemical versions of Lineweaver–Burk and Hanes equation, and the stability of the sensor was tested. The biosensor (Au-ME-CoTCAPc-GOx SAM) electrode showed good sensitivity (7.5 nA/mM) with a good detection limit of 8.4 μM at 3σ, smaller Michaelis–Menten constant (4.8 mM from Hanes plot) and very fast response time of approximately 5 s.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Mashazi, Philani N , Ozoemena, Kenneth I , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6578 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004141
- Description: This report describes the applications of cobalt tetracarboxylic acid phthalocyanine (CoTCAPc) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) immobilized onto a preformed 2-mercaptoethanol (Au-ME) SAM on gold surface (Au-ME-CoTCAPc SAM) as a potential amperometric sensor for the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H[subscript 2]O[subscript 2]) at neutral pH conditions. The Au-ME-CoTCAPc SAM sensor showed a very fast amperometric response time of approximately 1 s, good linearity at the studied concentration range of up to 5 μM with a coefficient R² = 0.993 and a detection limit of 0.4 μM oxidatively. Also reductively, the sensor exhibited a very fast amperometric response time (~1 s), linearity up to 5 μM with a coefficient R² = 0.986 and a detection limit of 0.2 μM. The cobalt tetracarboxylic acid phthalocyanine self-assembled monolayer was then evaluated as a mediator for glucose oxidase (GOx)-based biosensor. The GOx (enzyme) was immobilized covalently onto Au-ME-CoTCAPc SAM using coupling agents: N-ethyl-N(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxy succinimide (NHS), and the results demonstrated a good catalytic behavior. Kinetic parameters associated with the enzymatic and mediator reactions were estimated using electrochemical versions of Lineweaver–Burk and Hanes equation, and the stability of the sensor was tested. The biosensor (Au-ME-CoTCAPc-GOx SAM) electrode showed good sensitivity (7.5 nA/mM) with a good detection limit of 8.4 μM at 3σ, smaller Michaelis–Menten constant (4.8 mM from Hanes plot) and very fast response time of approximately 5 s.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
The geology and geochemistry of the Palaeoproterozoic Makganyene diamictite
- Polteau, S, Moore, John M, Tsikos, Harilaos
- Authors: Polteau, S , Moore, John M , Tsikos, Harilaos
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6740 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007556
- Description: The Palaeoproterozoic Earth experienced a global glacial event at 2400 Ma that occurred during the transitional period from anoxic to aerobic conditions in the atmosphere and oceans. The Transvaal Supergroup in the Griqualand West Basin, South Africa, hosts glacial deposits and associated major iron and manganese deposits that are apparently related to these global changes. The focus of this study is to assess the stratigraphy and geochemistry of the glaciogenic Makganyene Formation, in order to constrain its palaeoenvironmental settings. The Makganyene Formation forms the base of the Postmasburg Group and has been regarded as resting on an erosive regional unconformity throughout the Northern Cape Province. Systematic regional field observations and regional mapping carried out during this study demonstrate that this stratigraphic relationship is not universal. The Makganyene Formation is, in fact, conformable with underlying formations of the Koegas Subgroup in the deep southern Prieska basin and rests on an unconformity only on the shallow Ghaap platform to the north-east. The Makganyene Formation displays lateral facies changes that reflect the palaeogeography of the study area, and the advance and retreat of ice sheets/shelves. Geochemical investigations of glacial strata of the Makganyene Formation demonstrate that underlying banded iron formations of the Transvaal Supergroup acted as the main clastic source for the diamictite detritus. Geographic variations in bulk composition of the diamictites correlate well with field observations, and show that sorting processes were controlled largely by the morphology of the palaeobasin. Carbon isotope results emphasize the transitional nature of the Makganyene Formation in terms of the environmental conditions that resulted in widespread global glaciation in the Palaeoproterozoic. On the basis of the above geological evidence, it is proposed that the Transvaal Supergroup in the Northern Cape Province represents a continuous depositional event that lasted approximately 250 Ma and hence provides a unique opportunity for assessing the transitional changes experienced by the Palaeoproterozoic Earth.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Polteau, S , Moore, John M , Tsikos, Harilaos
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6740 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007556
- Description: The Palaeoproterozoic Earth experienced a global glacial event at 2400 Ma that occurred during the transitional period from anoxic to aerobic conditions in the atmosphere and oceans. The Transvaal Supergroup in the Griqualand West Basin, South Africa, hosts glacial deposits and associated major iron and manganese deposits that are apparently related to these global changes. The focus of this study is to assess the stratigraphy and geochemistry of the glaciogenic Makganyene Formation, in order to constrain its palaeoenvironmental settings. The Makganyene Formation forms the base of the Postmasburg Group and has been regarded as resting on an erosive regional unconformity throughout the Northern Cape Province. Systematic regional field observations and regional mapping carried out during this study demonstrate that this stratigraphic relationship is not universal. The Makganyene Formation is, in fact, conformable with underlying formations of the Koegas Subgroup in the deep southern Prieska basin and rests on an unconformity only on the shallow Ghaap platform to the north-east. The Makganyene Formation displays lateral facies changes that reflect the palaeogeography of the study area, and the advance and retreat of ice sheets/shelves. Geochemical investigations of glacial strata of the Makganyene Formation demonstrate that underlying banded iron formations of the Transvaal Supergroup acted as the main clastic source for the diamictite detritus. Geographic variations in bulk composition of the diamictites correlate well with field observations, and show that sorting processes were controlled largely by the morphology of the palaeobasin. Carbon isotope results emphasize the transitional nature of the Makganyene Formation in terms of the environmental conditions that resulted in widespread global glaciation in the Palaeoproterozoic. On the basis of the above geological evidence, it is proposed that the Transvaal Supergroup in the Northern Cape Province represents a continuous depositional event that lasted approximately 250 Ma and hence provides a unique opportunity for assessing the transitional changes experienced by the Palaeoproterozoic Earth.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
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