Donor support, electoral dynamics and democratisation in South Africa :the case of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Bosompem, Henry Kofi
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Democratization -- South Africa Elections -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD(Sociology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11243 , vital:37612
- Description: This thesis is on Donor Support, Electoral Dynamics and Democratisation in South Africa with particular focus on the Buffalo City Municipality of the Eastern Cape. The main aim of the thesis is to investigate and highlight the global outlook of donor support perspectives and conditionalities and to examine the basic tenets of democratisation and link them to the interplay of the electoral dynamics that influence grassroots political participation. Furthermore, the study attempts to ascertain the involvement and perceptions of local communities with regard to the role of donor support in democratic governance, development and electoral dynamics. In this era and dispensation of democracy, the fledging democratic institutions require substantial donor support to perform their constitutional mandatory obligations. Most of this support had traditionally come from government. Given the weight and pressure on the government budget, the widening unemployment and inequality in South African communities, there is the need to solicit assistance from development partners for electoral administration and development. The current study, therefore, investigated community voters, political parties and the Elected or Nominated Councillors’ perceptions of donor support and democratisation. This thesis further investigated the roles and functions of the Donor Agency, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) in donor support, electoral administration and democratisation. The study utilized a mixed method approach where 384 structured questionnaires were administered and 52 in-depth interviews conducted with the respondents. The study made use of a systematic empirical inquiry and literature review to understand its subject matter. It did not only scrutinise data previously collected by other researchers but also utilised information from other sources such as tabloid surveys, brochures, bulletins and the internet. Thus, this strategy is ideal for the present study which seeks to capture the views, experiences and feelings and understanding of party officials. This study utilized the Development aid theory, political party and democratisation theories, Gouldner’s theory of Moral Norm of Reciprocity and Social Support in combination with Larzasfeld’s Voters’ behaviour theory and the social justice and equity perspective as elements of the theoretical framework.The purpose of achieving electoral confidence among the citizens is to demonstrate the value of electoral dynamics and perspectives of democratization that forms an expressed vi indicator of the relationship between politics and development. The electoral dynamics that shape political institutions, governance and its discourses in any democratic enterprise include: party affiliation, party and donor support mobilisation, voting patterns, government and the state agency’s performance. In addition, it includes economic policies towards poverty alleviation, service delivery, ethnic politics and all the state democratization policies which are pursued to bring greater relief to its citizens. Correspondingly, it is geared towards creating a balanced relationship on the donor-recipient equation and to ensure socio-economic well-being to the citizens guided by reciprocity, good governance, transparency, accountability and social justice.The emerging findings indicate that most political parties and elected councillors in the municipality receive donor support beside the traditional sources that we know such as membership dues, party subscriptions, levies, state sponsorship,fundraising for special projects and sale of souvenirs. Some of the sources were from international community and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The study found that donors require huge returns on their support and investments. The IEC and BCMM were largely funded by Treasury for their projects and programmes. However, the BCMM also gets substantial support from sister-city relations with other municipalities abroad. Some community voters hold the view that political party funding opens the doors for the hijacking of democracy. Others hold the opinion that dishonest donors corrupt weak governments, undiscerning officials and immoral leaders. Nevertheless, some political party officials felt that donors were not all that evil. They hold the view that genuine donors help to build the capacity of officials and strengthen party structures, thereby deepening democratic ethics and culture. They were of the view that good donors promote transparency, accountability and good governance to strengthen the pillars and the threshold of democracy and the democratisation processes in emerging states in sub-Saharan Africa. On the basis of these findings, the core argument of this study is that donor support induces democratisation which mainly benefit donor communities and municipal elites at the expense of local communities. Nevertheless, the perception that development projects funded by donor agencies are meant for donor poverty alleviation, despite the absence of visible effects of trickle down, account for community members’ participation in the electoral system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Bosompem, Henry Kofi
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Democratization -- South Africa Elections -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD(Sociology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11243 , vital:37612
- Description: This thesis is on Donor Support, Electoral Dynamics and Democratisation in South Africa with particular focus on the Buffalo City Municipality of the Eastern Cape. The main aim of the thesis is to investigate and highlight the global outlook of donor support perspectives and conditionalities and to examine the basic tenets of democratisation and link them to the interplay of the electoral dynamics that influence grassroots political participation. Furthermore, the study attempts to ascertain the involvement and perceptions of local communities with regard to the role of donor support in democratic governance, development and electoral dynamics. In this era and dispensation of democracy, the fledging democratic institutions require substantial donor support to perform their constitutional mandatory obligations. Most of this support had traditionally come from government. Given the weight and pressure on the government budget, the widening unemployment and inequality in South African communities, there is the need to solicit assistance from development partners for electoral administration and development. The current study, therefore, investigated community voters, political parties and the Elected or Nominated Councillors’ perceptions of donor support and democratisation. This thesis further investigated the roles and functions of the Donor Agency, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) in donor support, electoral administration and democratisation. The study utilized a mixed method approach where 384 structured questionnaires were administered and 52 in-depth interviews conducted with the respondents. The study made use of a systematic empirical inquiry and literature review to understand its subject matter. It did not only scrutinise data previously collected by other researchers but also utilised information from other sources such as tabloid surveys, brochures, bulletins and the internet. Thus, this strategy is ideal for the present study which seeks to capture the views, experiences and feelings and understanding of party officials. This study utilized the Development aid theory, political party and democratisation theories, Gouldner’s theory of Moral Norm of Reciprocity and Social Support in combination with Larzasfeld’s Voters’ behaviour theory and the social justice and equity perspective as elements of the theoretical framework.The purpose of achieving electoral confidence among the citizens is to demonstrate the value of electoral dynamics and perspectives of democratization that forms an expressed vi indicator of the relationship between politics and development. The electoral dynamics that shape political institutions, governance and its discourses in any democratic enterprise include: party affiliation, party and donor support mobilisation, voting patterns, government and the state agency’s performance. In addition, it includes economic policies towards poverty alleviation, service delivery, ethnic politics and all the state democratization policies which are pursued to bring greater relief to its citizens. Correspondingly, it is geared towards creating a balanced relationship on the donor-recipient equation and to ensure socio-economic well-being to the citizens guided by reciprocity, good governance, transparency, accountability and social justice.The emerging findings indicate that most political parties and elected councillors in the municipality receive donor support beside the traditional sources that we know such as membership dues, party subscriptions, levies, state sponsorship,fundraising for special projects and sale of souvenirs. Some of the sources were from international community and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The study found that donors require huge returns on their support and investments. The IEC and BCMM were largely funded by Treasury for their projects and programmes. However, the BCMM also gets substantial support from sister-city relations with other municipalities abroad. Some community voters hold the view that political party funding opens the doors for the hijacking of democracy. Others hold the opinion that dishonest donors corrupt weak governments, undiscerning officials and immoral leaders. Nevertheless, some political party officials felt that donors were not all that evil. They hold the view that genuine donors help to build the capacity of officials and strengthen party structures, thereby deepening democratic ethics and culture. They were of the view that good donors promote transparency, accountability and good governance to strengthen the pillars and the threshold of democracy and the democratisation processes in emerging states in sub-Saharan Africa. On the basis of these findings, the core argument of this study is that donor support induces democratisation which mainly benefit donor communities and municipal elites at the expense of local communities. Nevertheless, the perception that development projects funded by donor agencies are meant for donor poverty alleviation, despite the absence of visible effects of trickle down, account for community members’ participation in the electoral system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Enhancing the psychological strength of adolescent rugby players in South African secondary schools : The effects of Rational-Emotive Behavioural Therapy and Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment Therapy
- Munnik, James Barry https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8211-4260
- Authors: Munnik, James Barry https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8211-4260
- Date: 2021-02
- Subjects: Rational emotive behavior therapy , Acceptance and commitment therapy , Psychotherapy
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22111 , vital:51984
- Description: This thesis aimed, firstly, to test the psychological effects of two psychological interventions designed to enhance the psychological strength of competitive athletes; and, secondly, to possibly determine which intervention might be considered superior to the other. The third aim of this thesis was to explore the results of the findings in terms of both their shared and differential theories. The two psychological approaches in question were Rational-Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT) – supplemented with adjunctive Mental Skills Training (MST) techniques and the Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) approach. To test the psychological strengthening effects of both interventions and to compare the results, a non-equivalent pre-test post-test control group design was followed which utilised a control group along with purposive sampling. Various dependent variables were investigated using seven instruments. Variables tested included: - mental wellbeing, irrational beliefs, mental toughness, achievement motivation and competitive anxiety, as well as anger and frustration levels and subjective performance. The instruments used to capture these variables were: - The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF); Shortened General Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (SGABS); the Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ); the Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT); as well as one five-point Likert question written by the researcher and one question from the Psychological Skills Inventory (PSI). Seventy-one male adolescent rugby players, from three different schools were sourced to take part in this study. Thus 32 (Mage = 17.33; SD = 6= .729) participants from one high school completed the seven-session REBT-Based MST intervention. 21 (Mage = 17.23; SD = .669) from another school completed the seven-module MAC intervention and 18 (Mage = 15.52; SD = .326) from an additional school were used as a control group school. All three group participants filled out the instrument questionnaires prior to undergoing the various interventions and just following it. Each intervention’s sessions were about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes long. The control group just filled out the instrument questionnaires in about the same time frame that the other schools had their pre- and post-intervention assessments. The results demonstrated that generally both interventions improved the psychological strength of their players more so than the control group, however, the REBT intervention decreased irrationality and improved subjective performance measures more significantly when compared to the other treatment group. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-02
- Authors: Munnik, James Barry https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8211-4260
- Date: 2021-02
- Subjects: Rational emotive behavior therapy , Acceptance and commitment therapy , Psychotherapy
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22111 , vital:51984
- Description: This thesis aimed, firstly, to test the psychological effects of two psychological interventions designed to enhance the psychological strength of competitive athletes; and, secondly, to possibly determine which intervention might be considered superior to the other. The third aim of this thesis was to explore the results of the findings in terms of both their shared and differential theories. The two psychological approaches in question were Rational-Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT) – supplemented with adjunctive Mental Skills Training (MST) techniques and the Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) approach. To test the psychological strengthening effects of both interventions and to compare the results, a non-equivalent pre-test post-test control group design was followed which utilised a control group along with purposive sampling. Various dependent variables were investigated using seven instruments. Variables tested included: - mental wellbeing, irrational beliefs, mental toughness, achievement motivation and competitive anxiety, as well as anger and frustration levels and subjective performance. The instruments used to capture these variables were: - The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF); Shortened General Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (SGABS); the Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ); the Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT); as well as one five-point Likert question written by the researcher and one question from the Psychological Skills Inventory (PSI). Seventy-one male adolescent rugby players, from three different schools were sourced to take part in this study. Thus 32 (Mage = 17.33; SD = 6= .729) participants from one high school completed the seven-session REBT-Based MST intervention. 21 (Mage = 17.23; SD = .669) from another school completed the seven-module MAC intervention and 18 (Mage = 15.52; SD = .326) from an additional school were used as a control group school. All three group participants filled out the instrument questionnaires prior to undergoing the various interventions and just following it. Each intervention’s sessions were about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes long. The control group just filled out the instrument questionnaires in about the same time frame that the other schools had their pre- and post-intervention assessments. The results demonstrated that generally both interventions improved the psychological strength of their players more so than the control group, however, the REBT intervention decreased irrationality and improved subjective performance measures more significantly when compared to the other treatment group. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-02
Exploring the interplay of sociolinguistic factors in the teaching of esl at secondary school level in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Jhamba , Duren
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Sociolinguistics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15770 , vital:40522
- Description: The researcher noted that earlier second language teaching models tended to treat language as an artefact to be scrutinised and adhered to with grammatical precision. This tended to reduce all language learning to the mere acquisition of grammatical skills. However, since all language behaviour is embedded in sociocultural and contextual frameworks, all teaching should provide cross-cultural awareness of that complexity as well as of the internal variation within language. Therefore, the research explored the interplay of sociolinguistic factors in the teaching of English in Zimbabwe. The Mixed Methods design; a combination of the descriptive survey and the case study was adopted. The questionnaire, interview, observation and document analysis methods were used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to assess the role of sociolinguistic factors in second language teaching pedagogy. A combination of convenient sampling and stratified random sampling was used to come up with a sample representative of the school categories and the gender of teachers in the 38 secondary schools in Gweru District. The data for the research was collected from a random sample of 50 teachers. The data analysis supported the need for a reconceptualisation of ESL teaching in Zimbabwe. Notably, language teaching tended to be exam-centric, unimaginative and not well linked to the needs of the learners in the communicative environment outside the school. This confirmed the initial observation that the secondary school graduates generally lacked sociolinguistic competence skills. The teachers were, however generally not motivated to include culture and sociolinguistics in their teaching. The research therefore recommended a revisit of the 7 | Page allowance for the interplay of sociolinguistic factors at all the planning stages of the ESL curriculum; the status, corpus and acquisition stages.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Jhamba , Duren
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Sociolinguistics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15770 , vital:40522
- Description: The researcher noted that earlier second language teaching models tended to treat language as an artefact to be scrutinised and adhered to with grammatical precision. This tended to reduce all language learning to the mere acquisition of grammatical skills. However, since all language behaviour is embedded in sociocultural and contextual frameworks, all teaching should provide cross-cultural awareness of that complexity as well as of the internal variation within language. Therefore, the research explored the interplay of sociolinguistic factors in the teaching of English in Zimbabwe. The Mixed Methods design; a combination of the descriptive survey and the case study was adopted. The questionnaire, interview, observation and document analysis methods were used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to assess the role of sociolinguistic factors in second language teaching pedagogy. A combination of convenient sampling and stratified random sampling was used to come up with a sample representative of the school categories and the gender of teachers in the 38 secondary schools in Gweru District. The data for the research was collected from a random sample of 50 teachers. The data analysis supported the need for a reconceptualisation of ESL teaching in Zimbabwe. Notably, language teaching tended to be exam-centric, unimaginative and not well linked to the needs of the learners in the communicative environment outside the school. This confirmed the initial observation that the secondary school graduates generally lacked sociolinguistic competence skills. The teachers were, however generally not motivated to include culture and sociolinguistics in their teaching. The research therefore recommended a revisit of the 7 | Page allowance for the interplay of sociolinguistic factors at all the planning stages of the ESL curriculum; the status, corpus and acquisition stages.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Play as an indicator of public opinion in online political commentary : a content analysis of online news forums leading up to the 2014 South African General Elections
- Authors: Moyo, Lungisani
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Online journalism Content analysis (Communication)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10678 , vital:35667
- Description: This study seeks to look at play as an indicator of public opinion in online political commentary of online news forums leading to the 2014 South African general elections. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyse viewers’s comments about 2014 South African general elections posted online. The concepts of critical discourse analysis, frame analysis play theory and network analysis were applied to extend and inform the study. A corpus of all commentary appended to 2014 South African general election news reports published online by Media24, Times Media Group, Mail &Guardian, Independent Newspapers, Caxton CTP, and TNA Media were selected. The study employed a purposive sampling technique and 1000 comments were extracted. The sample began four weeks before the election and ended two weeks after the event. NVIVO 11 was utilized to code these readers’ comments into their respective categories. The core findings of this thesis reflect that online readers do not just engage in play but are more interactive and participative on these online public forums and their political discourse echo political affiliations with different political parties, bearing in mind that South Africa has 13 political parties that participated and are represented in parliament. In addition, the findings revealed that, play cannot be parted with and remains inseparable with "what is real"; instead, play renews the real world by giving it sense and meaning. Play does not "re-present" nor falsify certainty but it enunciates certainty. The findings also revealed that most participants identify themselves with the ANC as the ruling party, the DA as the main opposition, the EFF as the most vocal party and then other parties. The findings further revealed that participants have different perspectives on different economic and socio-political matters such as, entertainment, slate politics, and political affiliation, cadre deployment, political bias, economic meltdown, diaspora, and western influence, abuse of power by those in high places, land reform programme, political power struggles, leadership change and corruption.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Moyo, Lungisani
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Online journalism Content analysis (Communication)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10678 , vital:35667
- Description: This study seeks to look at play as an indicator of public opinion in online political commentary of online news forums leading to the 2014 South African general elections. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyse viewers’s comments about 2014 South African general elections posted online. The concepts of critical discourse analysis, frame analysis play theory and network analysis were applied to extend and inform the study. A corpus of all commentary appended to 2014 South African general election news reports published online by Media24, Times Media Group, Mail &Guardian, Independent Newspapers, Caxton CTP, and TNA Media were selected. The study employed a purposive sampling technique and 1000 comments were extracted. The sample began four weeks before the election and ended two weeks after the event. NVIVO 11 was utilized to code these readers’ comments into their respective categories. The core findings of this thesis reflect that online readers do not just engage in play but are more interactive and participative on these online public forums and their political discourse echo political affiliations with different political parties, bearing in mind that South Africa has 13 political parties that participated and are represented in parliament. In addition, the findings revealed that, play cannot be parted with and remains inseparable with "what is real"; instead, play renews the real world by giving it sense and meaning. Play does not "re-present" nor falsify certainty but it enunciates certainty. The findings also revealed that most participants identify themselves with the ANC as the ruling party, the DA as the main opposition, the EFF as the most vocal party and then other parties. The findings further revealed that participants have different perspectives on different economic and socio-political matters such as, entertainment, slate politics, and political affiliation, cadre deployment, political bias, economic meltdown, diaspora, and western influence, abuse of power by those in high places, land reform programme, political power struggles, leadership change and corruption.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Exploring the standardization of musical and dancing styles in relation to worship styles in the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Blantyre Synod, Malawi
- Authors: University of Fort Hare
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Presbyterian Church -- Malawi Presbyterians -- Malawi Church music -- Malawi
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , Music
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10442 , vital:35468
- Description: The study sought to explore the standardization of music and dance styles in relation to worship styles in the CCAP Blantyre Synod in Malawi. The study further sought to understand the factors that influence the selection of songs during worship, and strategies for standardizing the existing songs in the church. The research was guided by the qualitative research approach. The interpretive research paradigm guided the interpretation of data in this study. A case study research design was used to get an in- depth understanding of the issues related to music and dance in the CCAP. The participants were purposively selected and interviews were conducted. Focus group interviews and observation supplemented the data collected through one on one interviews. Data analysis was achieved through a detailed narration of the participants‟ responses and, thereafter, themes were identified for further discussion. The main findings of the study were: factors influencing selection of music during worship services; lack or availability of music selection guidelines; age of choir members; commercialization and instrumentation of music; the use of traditional and classical music in the church; mixed dancing styles being introduced in the church; and the suggestion to use the Bible as framework for resolving conflicts in the church; and the need to train church members on church music. The study recommends the use of detailed and appropriate music guidelines in selecting songs. In cases of conflicting tastes in music, the study has proposed a process of resolving such conflicts within the CCAP of Blantyre Synod. The study also examined music and dance styles but not on other aspects of worship such as prayer and offering. The findings of this study may be useful in advising and resolving challenges associated with the incorporation of music in the church.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: University of Fort Hare
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Presbyterian Church -- Malawi Presbyterians -- Malawi Church music -- Malawi
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , Music
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10442 , vital:35468
- Description: The study sought to explore the standardization of music and dance styles in relation to worship styles in the CCAP Blantyre Synod in Malawi. The study further sought to understand the factors that influence the selection of songs during worship, and strategies for standardizing the existing songs in the church. The research was guided by the qualitative research approach. The interpretive research paradigm guided the interpretation of data in this study. A case study research design was used to get an in- depth understanding of the issues related to music and dance in the CCAP. The participants were purposively selected and interviews were conducted. Focus group interviews and observation supplemented the data collected through one on one interviews. Data analysis was achieved through a detailed narration of the participants‟ responses and, thereafter, themes were identified for further discussion. The main findings of the study were: factors influencing selection of music during worship services; lack or availability of music selection guidelines; age of choir members; commercialization and instrumentation of music; the use of traditional and classical music in the church; mixed dancing styles being introduced in the church; and the suggestion to use the Bible as framework for resolving conflicts in the church; and the need to train church members on church music. The study recommends the use of detailed and appropriate music guidelines in selecting songs. In cases of conflicting tastes in music, the study has proposed a process of resolving such conflicts within the CCAP of Blantyre Synod. The study also examined music and dance styles but not on other aspects of worship such as prayer and offering. The findings of this study may be useful in advising and resolving challenges associated with the incorporation of music in the church.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Fraud tolerance level as a predictor of insurance claims behavior: A South African Study
- Authors: Chetty,Moonsamy Perumal
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Insurance fraud Fraud -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD(Criminology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17964 , vital:41999
- Description: The insurance sector as a foundation which other sectors depend on is a critical cornerstone of a well-functioning society. An insurer’s strength exists in its ability to foresee, assess, price and mitigate current and emerging risks. Despite the value that insurance brings to maintaining and sustaining society there is large scale abuse of the various insurance products on offer. The abuse is predominately committed through the submitting of either false or inflated claims which negatively impacts the entire insurance value chain from underwriting to claims processes. Insurance claims fraud is classified as opportunistic or organised. Opportunistic claims fraud consists of claims inflation or claims padding for a genuine loss while organised claims fraud involves the lodging a claim for a loss that did not occur and usually involves staging of incidents. Opportunistic fraud is the most common type of fraud experienced by insurers and presents the greatest challenge to the insurance industry. While there are challenges in accurately determining the true costs of insurance fraud; there is consensus that the costs are significant. In response to incidents of insurance fraud insurers have implemented various measures to curb fraud; these measures range from the establishment of insurance crime bureaus, creation of internal investigation teams and the employment of technology as early warning systems. These measures although useful have not been able to be very effective as insurance fraud still continues to rise. Studies indicate that consumer attitudes towards insurance fraud play an important role which must be considered when developing fraud prevention strategies. Tolerance has been identified as an important factor which influence consumer v attitudes towards insurance fraud. Previous studies found that factors such as high insurance premiums, excess payments, consumer relationship with insurers, consumer’s previous claims experience and societal acceptability of insurance fraud played a role in shaping a consumer’s tolerance level. This study was undertaken to explore the role that policyholder tolerance has on predicting claims behaviour in the South African insurance market. The study also aimed at identifying reasons which motivated policyholder’s to commit and deter them from committing insurance fraud. A further aim was to identify the common types of insurance fraud and to measure policyholders’ perceptions towards their primary insurer, the insurance industry, brokers and insurance assessors. The fraud triangle and the theory of planned behaviour were used as theories in support of this study. Primary data for this study was gather through an online self-administered questionnaire and the sample population consisted of policyholders within the shortterm insurance market. A total of 560 completed valid questionnaires were received and analysed. The study shows that respondents have low levels of tolerance for insurance fraud. Results indicated that financial pressure, greed, financial benefit and opportunity were reasons why policyholders’ committed insurance fraud in SA. Factors which deterred policyholders from committing insurance fraud included consumer integrity and honesty, fear of being caught and prosecuted and fairness and value for money. vi Respondents indicated that inflated claims were more prevalent than false claims and it was easier to submit an inflated claim than a false claim. Regarding perceptions the study shows that respondents have a more positive view of their own primary insurer than the insurance industry in general, brokers and insurance assessors. Lastly, the research identified five factors that significantly explain levels of short-term insurance fraud tolerance, namely 'Unfairness/injustice', “Have policyholders’ best interest at heart”, 'Industry relations', ‘Opportunity’ and 'Morality'. The findings of this study could be useful to insurers when developing consumer education and awareness programmes. There exists opportunities for future research regarding several aspects of insurance fraud which was not dealt with in this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Chetty,Moonsamy Perumal
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Insurance fraud Fraud -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD(Criminology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17964 , vital:41999
- Description: The insurance sector as a foundation which other sectors depend on is a critical cornerstone of a well-functioning society. An insurer’s strength exists in its ability to foresee, assess, price and mitigate current and emerging risks. Despite the value that insurance brings to maintaining and sustaining society there is large scale abuse of the various insurance products on offer. The abuse is predominately committed through the submitting of either false or inflated claims which negatively impacts the entire insurance value chain from underwriting to claims processes. Insurance claims fraud is classified as opportunistic or organised. Opportunistic claims fraud consists of claims inflation or claims padding for a genuine loss while organised claims fraud involves the lodging a claim for a loss that did not occur and usually involves staging of incidents. Opportunistic fraud is the most common type of fraud experienced by insurers and presents the greatest challenge to the insurance industry. While there are challenges in accurately determining the true costs of insurance fraud; there is consensus that the costs are significant. In response to incidents of insurance fraud insurers have implemented various measures to curb fraud; these measures range from the establishment of insurance crime bureaus, creation of internal investigation teams and the employment of technology as early warning systems. These measures although useful have not been able to be very effective as insurance fraud still continues to rise. Studies indicate that consumer attitudes towards insurance fraud play an important role which must be considered when developing fraud prevention strategies. Tolerance has been identified as an important factor which influence consumer v attitudes towards insurance fraud. Previous studies found that factors such as high insurance premiums, excess payments, consumer relationship with insurers, consumer’s previous claims experience and societal acceptability of insurance fraud played a role in shaping a consumer’s tolerance level. This study was undertaken to explore the role that policyholder tolerance has on predicting claims behaviour in the South African insurance market. The study also aimed at identifying reasons which motivated policyholder’s to commit and deter them from committing insurance fraud. A further aim was to identify the common types of insurance fraud and to measure policyholders’ perceptions towards their primary insurer, the insurance industry, brokers and insurance assessors. The fraud triangle and the theory of planned behaviour were used as theories in support of this study. Primary data for this study was gather through an online self-administered questionnaire and the sample population consisted of policyholders within the shortterm insurance market. A total of 560 completed valid questionnaires were received and analysed. The study shows that respondents have low levels of tolerance for insurance fraud. Results indicated that financial pressure, greed, financial benefit and opportunity were reasons why policyholders’ committed insurance fraud in SA. Factors which deterred policyholders from committing insurance fraud included consumer integrity and honesty, fear of being caught and prosecuted and fairness and value for money. vi Respondents indicated that inflated claims were more prevalent than false claims and it was easier to submit an inflated claim than a false claim. Regarding perceptions the study shows that respondents have a more positive view of their own primary insurer than the insurance industry in general, brokers and insurance assessors. Lastly, the research identified five factors that significantly explain levels of short-term insurance fraud tolerance, namely 'Unfairness/injustice', “Have policyholders’ best interest at heart”, 'Industry relations', ‘Opportunity’ and 'Morality'. The findings of this study could be useful to insurers when developing consumer education and awareness programmes. There exists opportunities for future research regarding several aspects of insurance fraud which was not dealt with in this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Analysis of the contribution of socio-economic factors on poor academic performance of grade 12 learners: the case of Butterworth education district, Eastern Cape Province South Africa
- Authors: Lubisi, Anathi
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Performance standards -- South Africa Teacher effectiveness -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc (Sociology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/18141 , vital:42236
- Description: The drive of this research project was to discover factors contributing to the poor academic performance of Grade 12 learners at two selected schools in the Butterworth Education District, Eastern Cape province South Africa. The participants were Grade 12 learners, Grade 12 teachers and parents of Grade 12 learners in both schools. Both schools are located in rural areas of Mnquma municipality under the Butterworth education district. The study used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The motivation behind using triangulation was to decrease or offset the deficiency of a specific methodology and for deeper understanding of the discoveries of the study. Use of triangulation in this study was aimed at expanding the legitimacy, dependability and generalizability of the results of the study. The findings of the study revealed that the most determining factor that contributes to the poor academic performance of Grade 12 learners in the Butterworth Education District is the unavailability and inadequacy of instructional resources. This is the most critical school resource which the parents cannot afford to buy for their children. Both teachers and Grade 12 learners indicated that they do not have a school library or a community library. The majority of learners also indicated that they do not have enough textbooks in all subjects and their parents concurred that their children end up sharing textbooks with their peers. Furthermore, the three groups of participants agreed that learners do not have access to computers, and the school does not have a science lab for Grade 12 learners doing science. The core argument of this study is that a poor socio-economic background is a primary contributor to low academic performance of Grade 12 learners at the Butterworth Education District. The findings of this study support this thesis as they indicate that instructional resources are inadequate, a school or community library is vii non-existent, and there is not enough textbooks at the selected schools. With parents from low socio-economic background, the Butterworth community is also not in a position to supplement these insufficient instructional resources. This study utilized the cultural reproduction theory of Bourdieu (1977) to explore a system of education in industrialized communities and the way it works to illuminate class differences in academic performance and achievement of Grade 12 learners. The study made recommendations that should be put in place to improve the academic performance of Grade 12 learners in the Butterworth Education District. The most important of these recommendations is that government officials should provide educational resources (teaching and learning resources). Furthermore, the researcher suggest that for further research, it would be interesting to find out about learners that perform well, regardless of identified factors that cause other learners to perform poorly to help them improve their academic performance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Lubisi, Anathi
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Performance standards -- South Africa Teacher effectiveness -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc (Sociology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/18141 , vital:42236
- Description: The drive of this research project was to discover factors contributing to the poor academic performance of Grade 12 learners at two selected schools in the Butterworth Education District, Eastern Cape province South Africa. The participants were Grade 12 learners, Grade 12 teachers and parents of Grade 12 learners in both schools. Both schools are located in rural areas of Mnquma municipality under the Butterworth education district. The study used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The motivation behind using triangulation was to decrease or offset the deficiency of a specific methodology and for deeper understanding of the discoveries of the study. Use of triangulation in this study was aimed at expanding the legitimacy, dependability and generalizability of the results of the study. The findings of the study revealed that the most determining factor that contributes to the poor academic performance of Grade 12 learners in the Butterworth Education District is the unavailability and inadequacy of instructional resources. This is the most critical school resource which the parents cannot afford to buy for their children. Both teachers and Grade 12 learners indicated that they do not have a school library or a community library. The majority of learners also indicated that they do not have enough textbooks in all subjects and their parents concurred that their children end up sharing textbooks with their peers. Furthermore, the three groups of participants agreed that learners do not have access to computers, and the school does not have a science lab for Grade 12 learners doing science. The core argument of this study is that a poor socio-economic background is a primary contributor to low academic performance of Grade 12 learners at the Butterworth Education District. The findings of this study support this thesis as they indicate that instructional resources are inadequate, a school or community library is vii non-existent, and there is not enough textbooks at the selected schools. With parents from low socio-economic background, the Butterworth community is also not in a position to supplement these insufficient instructional resources. This study utilized the cultural reproduction theory of Bourdieu (1977) to explore a system of education in industrialized communities and the way it works to illuminate class differences in academic performance and achievement of Grade 12 learners. The study made recommendations that should be put in place to improve the academic performance of Grade 12 learners in the Butterworth Education District. The most important of these recommendations is that government officials should provide educational resources (teaching and learning resources). Furthermore, the researcher suggest that for further research, it would be interesting to find out about learners that perform well, regardless of identified factors that cause other learners to perform poorly to help them improve their academic performance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Experiences of Xhosa elderly persons in using public transport and how it effects their quality of life: a case study of Mdantsane township.
- Authors: Sinkintana, Xolisile
- Date: 2021-09
- Subjects: Transportation--Social aspects , Older people--Transportation
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21256 , vital:47437
- Description: This research study was motivated by the fact that little is known about the topic and that older persons living in Mdantsane Township are heavily reliant on public transport such as taxis, trains, mini-taxis and buses which are, arguably, not suitable for transporting older persons. Through this research project, the researcher hoped to provide information which may contribute to better understanding of this phenomena, identify barriers in the transport system and get a better understanding thereof. This study utilized a qualitative research approach with an exploratory research design. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 30 elderly persons living in Mdantsane Township, and thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Three themes and sub-themes were generated and later linked to the research questions namely: What are the experiences faced by older persons in using public transport? How do these experiences and challenges affect the quality of life of older persons using public transport? What do older persons view as potential barriers in using public transport? The findings highlighted that elderly people living in Mdantsane Township rely on public transport for participation in social and economic activities of the community as well as access to essential services. Consequently, lack of sufficient income among older persons affect their quality of life in relation to using public transport in that they cannot access all the services they need. They also indicated that there are several barriers for older persons against using public transport which include, concerns about personal safety, safety of items, public transport running late, behaviour of younger passengers and taxi conductors and lack of cleanliness among some drivers, to name a few. , Thesis (MSoc Sci) (Social Work) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-09
- Authors: Sinkintana, Xolisile
- Date: 2021-09
- Subjects: Transportation--Social aspects , Older people--Transportation
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21256 , vital:47437
- Description: This research study was motivated by the fact that little is known about the topic and that older persons living in Mdantsane Township are heavily reliant on public transport such as taxis, trains, mini-taxis and buses which are, arguably, not suitable for transporting older persons. Through this research project, the researcher hoped to provide information which may contribute to better understanding of this phenomena, identify barriers in the transport system and get a better understanding thereof. This study utilized a qualitative research approach with an exploratory research design. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 30 elderly persons living in Mdantsane Township, and thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Three themes and sub-themes were generated and later linked to the research questions namely: What are the experiences faced by older persons in using public transport? How do these experiences and challenges affect the quality of life of older persons using public transport? What do older persons view as potential barriers in using public transport? The findings highlighted that elderly people living in Mdantsane Township rely on public transport for participation in social and economic activities of the community as well as access to essential services. Consequently, lack of sufficient income among older persons affect their quality of life in relation to using public transport in that they cannot access all the services they need. They also indicated that there are several barriers for older persons against using public transport which include, concerns about personal safety, safety of items, public transport running late, behaviour of younger passengers and taxi conductors and lack of cleanliness among some drivers, to name a few. , Thesis (MSoc Sci) (Social Work) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-09
An audience perception of pentecostal churches’ television programmes on star times and dstv in lagos, Nigeria
- Authors: Olaoye, Adewale Titus
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Religious broadcasting -- Christianity Television in religion Mass media in religion
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Communication)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11418 , vital:39070
- Description: Pentecostal churches in Nigeria are leveraging traditional and new media technologies such as cable or digital satellite television, to broadcast services and programmes to their regular and a growing community of virtual worshippers. Critics of this type of religious outreach now known as televangelism have challenged its predominant, if not exclusive focus on miracle and prosperity message. Using the mixed-method research design involving focus group discussions, key informant interviews and a survey of 255 respondents, this study sought to ascertain Lagos audiences‘ perceptions of Pentecostal Television programmes on two satellite stations, Start Times and DSTV. The findings revealed that audience members perceive Pentecostal churches programme as primarily focused on converting the audience members to the Christian faith. The result revealed that miracle sessions are a common feature of televangelism. Respondents see the miracles as manipulations largely intended to woo and often, hoodwink audience members. The findings revealed that although some of the Pentecostal churches‘ programmes dwell more on the word of God compared to the mainline churches, the programmes and teachings, however, often tended to promote the leadership of the church and not the gospel of Christ. Generally, the study indicates the majority of the audience members are aware of and identify with the atrocities the Pentecostal Churches are accused of perpetrating through their TV programmes. The findings revealed poor awareness and knowledge about the role of the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). The results suggest participants do not believe the NBC is living up to its responsibilities. The findings of this study highlight the need for the NBC, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to work together in formulating new regulations for controlling religious broadcast on television, Pentecostal TV broadcasts, in particular. This is the only way to safeguard vulnerable members of the audience from being manipulated and brainwashed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Olaoye, Adewale Titus
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Religious broadcasting -- Christianity Television in religion Mass media in religion
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Communication)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11418 , vital:39070
- Description: Pentecostal churches in Nigeria are leveraging traditional and new media technologies such as cable or digital satellite television, to broadcast services and programmes to their regular and a growing community of virtual worshippers. Critics of this type of religious outreach now known as televangelism have challenged its predominant, if not exclusive focus on miracle and prosperity message. Using the mixed-method research design involving focus group discussions, key informant interviews and a survey of 255 respondents, this study sought to ascertain Lagos audiences‘ perceptions of Pentecostal Television programmes on two satellite stations, Start Times and DSTV. The findings revealed that audience members perceive Pentecostal churches programme as primarily focused on converting the audience members to the Christian faith. The result revealed that miracle sessions are a common feature of televangelism. Respondents see the miracles as manipulations largely intended to woo and often, hoodwink audience members. The findings revealed that although some of the Pentecostal churches‘ programmes dwell more on the word of God compared to the mainline churches, the programmes and teachings, however, often tended to promote the leadership of the church and not the gospel of Christ. Generally, the study indicates the majority of the audience members are aware of and identify with the atrocities the Pentecostal Churches are accused of perpetrating through their TV programmes. The findings revealed poor awareness and knowledge about the role of the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). The results suggest participants do not believe the NBC is living up to its responsibilities. The findings of this study highlight the need for the NBC, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to work together in formulating new regulations for controlling religious broadcast on television, Pentecostal TV broadcasts, in particular. This is the only way to safeguard vulnerable members of the audience from being manipulated and brainwashed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Attitudes of community stakeholders towards stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS in Highland View, linked to St Patrick's Clinic, Bizana, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Nkalane, Athenkosi
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: AIDS (Disease)-- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape HIV-positive persons -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Stigma (Social psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/9446 , vital:34352
- Description: The researcher attempted to investigate attitudes of community stakeholders towards stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). This is because people living with HIV/AIDS are usually subjected to negative and positive attitudes in South African communities. The study made use of a case study as a specific research design which was explorative and descriptive. The study employed in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and secondary data sources to collect data. The study was a cross-sectional and adopted a non-probability sampling methodology, but specifically purposive technique. The study used 25 participants who consisted of 12 PLWHA, 5 nurses, and 8 selected community members. The data were analyzed through content thematic analysis. The findings that emanated from the study were: awareness of stigmatizing attitudes subjected to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA); the attitudes displayed towards PLWHA, the drivers of stigma; the impact of stigma on PLWHA; PLWHA suffers immense psychosocial deficit; PLWHA face a state of abject poverty; PLWHA faces Psycho-emotional deficit; the secrecy surrounding the virus forms a fertile ground for infection; fear of contagion; stigma confounds chances of HIV/AIDS disclosure and issues of confidentiality. The study recommended that: the government should prioritize the PLWHA’s human rights; adoption of social media platforms to raise awareness and education of HIV/AIDS; collaboration between the Department of Health and the Department of Traditional affairs; invention of a youth-based psycho-emotional programme; and establishment of in-depth community supported interventions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Nkalane, Athenkosi
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: AIDS (Disease)-- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape HIV-positive persons -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Stigma (Social psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/9446 , vital:34352
- Description: The researcher attempted to investigate attitudes of community stakeholders towards stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). This is because people living with HIV/AIDS are usually subjected to negative and positive attitudes in South African communities. The study made use of a case study as a specific research design which was explorative and descriptive. The study employed in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and secondary data sources to collect data. The study was a cross-sectional and adopted a non-probability sampling methodology, but specifically purposive technique. The study used 25 participants who consisted of 12 PLWHA, 5 nurses, and 8 selected community members. The data were analyzed through content thematic analysis. The findings that emanated from the study were: awareness of stigmatizing attitudes subjected to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA); the attitudes displayed towards PLWHA, the drivers of stigma; the impact of stigma on PLWHA; PLWHA suffers immense psychosocial deficit; PLWHA face a state of abject poverty; PLWHA faces Psycho-emotional deficit; the secrecy surrounding the virus forms a fertile ground for infection; fear of contagion; stigma confounds chances of HIV/AIDS disclosure and issues of confidentiality. The study recommended that: the government should prioritize the PLWHA’s human rights; adoption of social media platforms to raise awareness and education of HIV/AIDS; collaboration between the Department of Health and the Department of Traditional affairs; invention of a youth-based psycho-emotional programme; and establishment of in-depth community supported interventions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Psychosocial challenges faced by guardians whose children are involved with substance abuse : a case study of Cofimvaba
- Authors: Mfengwana, Sibabalwe
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Children -- Substance use Social service
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10700 , vital:35701
- Description: Parents/ guardians are facing major problems in South Africa as their children are involved in substance abuse. Both genders are involved in substance abuse meaning therefore that guardians are facing huge challenges especially now that the girls are also involved in substance abuse. This research explored the psycho social challenges faced by guardians whose children are involved with substance abuse at Cofimvaba, in the Eastern Cape Province. The study was premised by four objectives, firstly the study was aimed to examine the challenges that guardians face since their children are involved with substance abuse. Secondly the study was aimed to assess the emotional consequences of the guardians since their children are involved with substance abuse. Thirdly to establish the community perceptions with regard to the involvement of the children with substance abuse. Lastly, to establish the support services the guardians get from professionals. The researchers used qualitative method because it provides a deep understanding of what is under investigation. The design used in the study was exploratory, descriptive and contextual in nature. The study was conducted through qualitative research instruments of in-depth interviews and focus group in collecting the data. The study utilized social learning theory and the systems theory. The population in this study was made up of 20 participants, as well as 5 members forming up a focus group. All the participants were originally from Cofimvaba. The data was analyzed using content thematic analysis. The study revealed the following findings that there are support services given to the guardians at all. The support service is solely meant for the children when reported to be affected by substance abuse. There is high rate of labelling and discrimination to guardians from community members when the child is involved with substance abuse. There is an element of isolation with regard to the guardians whose children are involved with substance abuse. Guardians are sometimes isolating themselves and are scared about the comments that are impose to them because of their children who are involved in substance abuse. All the guardians are not happy and are feeling helpless now that their children are involved in substance abuse. The following are the challenges faced by guardians with regards to their children’s involvement with substance abuse; (i) overspending money because they have to repay all the damages done by their children. When the children are not well, the guardians have to take the children to the doctors. (ii) Behavioural challenges, the guardians are (iii) School performance dropping from the children is affecting the health and welfare of the guardians. Not a single guardian is not ambitious about the future and education of the children. Some of the guardians are not having any income and are really struggling to meet the ends means. The study made the following recommendations: The guardians as well as community members need to be equipped with information with regard to substance abuse. More strategies should be put in place with regard to support services by professionals to render to guardians. Guardians should be involved in the development of the children. Guardians should be involved in the schoolwork of the children to monitor and evaluate the performance. All the community members should be involved and should come up with strategies that could bring preventative services to the community members including children.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Mfengwana, Sibabalwe
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Children -- Substance use Social service
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10700 , vital:35701
- Description: Parents/ guardians are facing major problems in South Africa as their children are involved in substance abuse. Both genders are involved in substance abuse meaning therefore that guardians are facing huge challenges especially now that the girls are also involved in substance abuse. This research explored the psycho social challenges faced by guardians whose children are involved with substance abuse at Cofimvaba, in the Eastern Cape Province. The study was premised by four objectives, firstly the study was aimed to examine the challenges that guardians face since their children are involved with substance abuse. Secondly the study was aimed to assess the emotional consequences of the guardians since their children are involved with substance abuse. Thirdly to establish the community perceptions with regard to the involvement of the children with substance abuse. Lastly, to establish the support services the guardians get from professionals. The researchers used qualitative method because it provides a deep understanding of what is under investigation. The design used in the study was exploratory, descriptive and contextual in nature. The study was conducted through qualitative research instruments of in-depth interviews and focus group in collecting the data. The study utilized social learning theory and the systems theory. The population in this study was made up of 20 participants, as well as 5 members forming up a focus group. All the participants were originally from Cofimvaba. The data was analyzed using content thematic analysis. The study revealed the following findings that there are support services given to the guardians at all. The support service is solely meant for the children when reported to be affected by substance abuse. There is high rate of labelling and discrimination to guardians from community members when the child is involved with substance abuse. There is an element of isolation with regard to the guardians whose children are involved with substance abuse. Guardians are sometimes isolating themselves and are scared about the comments that are impose to them because of their children who are involved in substance abuse. All the guardians are not happy and are feeling helpless now that their children are involved in substance abuse. The following are the challenges faced by guardians with regards to their children’s involvement with substance abuse; (i) overspending money because they have to repay all the damages done by their children. When the children are not well, the guardians have to take the children to the doctors. (ii) Behavioural challenges, the guardians are (iii) School performance dropping from the children is affecting the health and welfare of the guardians. Not a single guardian is not ambitious about the future and education of the children. Some of the guardians are not having any income and are really struggling to meet the ends means. The study made the following recommendations: The guardians as well as community members need to be equipped with information with regard to substance abuse. More strategies should be put in place with regard to support services by professionals to render to guardians. Guardians should be involved in the development of the children. Guardians should be involved in the schoolwork of the children to monitor and evaluate the performance. All the community members should be involved and should come up with strategies that could bring preventative services to the community members including children.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Aetiological factors that lead to suicide attempts among the youth of Lusikisiki area
- Authors: Zweni, Mzamile Benute
- Date: 2022-10
- Subjects: Grahamstown (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27544 , vital:69314
- Description: The general aim of this study was to investigate the aetiological factors that lead to suicidal attempts among the youth of Lusikisiki area in the Eastern Cape Province. A sample of hundred and fifty participants with an average age of 24 years old was selected using convenient sampling. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires. After the data were collected, it was then analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings show that various factors lead to suicide ideation and suicide attempts among youth of Lusikisiki. Economic hardship, depression and substance abuse to name few, were found to be among factors that lead to suicide attempt. Based on the research findings, the researcher recommends that various stakeholders such as the Department of Social development should work in corroboration. Departments such as Department of Education and Sports, Recreation and Culture should make awareness campaigns that will psycho-educate youth in rural areas, possibly alleviating drug and substance abuse. Those awarenesses may also tap into strengthening psychosocial well-being of youth. Furthermore, Department of Social Development should come up with community outreach programs aimed at alleviating poverty as the contributory factor towards suicide attempt. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10
- Authors: Zweni, Mzamile Benute
- Date: 2022-10
- Subjects: Grahamstown (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27544 , vital:69314
- Description: The general aim of this study was to investigate the aetiological factors that lead to suicidal attempts among the youth of Lusikisiki area in the Eastern Cape Province. A sample of hundred and fifty participants with an average age of 24 years old was selected using convenient sampling. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires. After the data were collected, it was then analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings show that various factors lead to suicide ideation and suicide attempts among youth of Lusikisiki. Economic hardship, depression and substance abuse to name few, were found to be among factors that lead to suicide attempt. Based on the research findings, the researcher recommends that various stakeholders such as the Department of Social development should work in corroboration. Departments such as Department of Education and Sports, Recreation and Culture should make awareness campaigns that will psycho-educate youth in rural areas, possibly alleviating drug and substance abuse. Those awarenesses may also tap into strengthening psychosocial well-being of youth. Furthermore, Department of Social Development should come up with community outreach programs aimed at alleviating poverty as the contributory factor towards suicide attempt. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10
A hermeneutic exploration of men's narratives of manhood
- Authors: Brown, Jade Draylene Thelma
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Men -- Identity Hermeneutics Men -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13620 , vital:39685
- Description: Manhood is a construction which must be ‘achieved’ by men and boys (Gilmore, 1990). A male child must learn to perform these constructions early in life, and then sustain this performance throughout life (Gilmore, 1990; Hurley, 2004). Booth (2012) argues that manhood is a subjective concept particular to each man’s unique set of identifications. This includes the influences of various contexts upon these life performances. Within South African historical and cultural contexts, the impact of apartheid upon manhood has to be acknowledged (Vandello, Bosson, Burnaford & Weaver, 2010; Morrell, 2001 & 2005). This study qualitatively takes a look into what manhood is perceived to mean, within various social contexts. A hermeneutic methodology is utilised within a poststructuralist framework to unpack the meaning and unique identifications of each participant interview. The data findings emphasise that there are multiple modes of manhood, which are enacted by different men as well as by the same men within different situations. Gender identity is therefore significantly flexible in principle although it is formed into specific categories under certain historical and cultural conditions (Barker, 2012). Manhood in South Africa can therefore be understood to be influenced by different historical and cultural elements. South African men may live within a conflictual space between historical and cultural discourses of manhood as well as western discourses of manhood.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Brown, Jade Draylene Thelma
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Men -- Identity Hermeneutics Men -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13620 , vital:39685
- Description: Manhood is a construction which must be ‘achieved’ by men and boys (Gilmore, 1990). A male child must learn to perform these constructions early in life, and then sustain this performance throughout life (Gilmore, 1990; Hurley, 2004). Booth (2012) argues that manhood is a subjective concept particular to each man’s unique set of identifications. This includes the influences of various contexts upon these life performances. Within South African historical and cultural contexts, the impact of apartheid upon manhood has to be acknowledged (Vandello, Bosson, Burnaford & Weaver, 2010; Morrell, 2001 & 2005). This study qualitatively takes a look into what manhood is perceived to mean, within various social contexts. A hermeneutic methodology is utilised within a poststructuralist framework to unpack the meaning and unique identifications of each participant interview. The data findings emphasise that there are multiple modes of manhood, which are enacted by different men as well as by the same men within different situations. Gender identity is therefore significantly flexible in principle although it is formed into specific categories under certain historical and cultural conditions (Barker, 2012). Manhood in South Africa can therefore be understood to be influenced by different historical and cultural elements. South African men may live within a conflictual space between historical and cultural discourses of manhood as well as western discourses of manhood.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Consensus and contentions around community engagement in a South African tertiary institution: University of Fort Hare
- Mudefi, Elmon (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3448-5432)
- Authors: Mudefi, Elmon (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3448-5432)
- Date: 2011-02
- Subjects: Community and college , Education Higher
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23487 , vital:57937
- Description: This study examines the nature and character of consensus and contentions around the discourse of community engagement in a South African university context. This is against the background of the growing body of literature that advocates for the need for universities to make their impact felt in communities in more direct ways than through teaching and research. The examination is also against the background of the assumption that the success or failure of community engagement initiatives is, in part, a function of how stakeholders agree/disagree on the meaning and purpose of community engagement. The University of Fort Hare is used as a case study. Interviews and Focus Group Discussions were used for qualitative data collection, whilst a survey was conducted for gathering quantitative data. The study revealed that stakeholders attach different meanings to community engagement, with those possessing power and influence acting as key decision makers. Thus powerful stakeholders (in this case, the university and donor organizations) are at the core of the decision making process, while beneficiaries are pushed to the periphery. Moreover, both the meanings and the activities within which they cohere have important implications for the way beneficiary communities perceive university-community partnerships. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2011
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011-02
- Authors: Mudefi, Elmon (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3448-5432)
- Date: 2011-02
- Subjects: Community and college , Education Higher
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23487 , vital:57937
- Description: This study examines the nature and character of consensus and contentions around the discourse of community engagement in a South African university context. This is against the background of the growing body of literature that advocates for the need for universities to make their impact felt in communities in more direct ways than through teaching and research. The examination is also against the background of the assumption that the success or failure of community engagement initiatives is, in part, a function of how stakeholders agree/disagree on the meaning and purpose of community engagement. The University of Fort Hare is used as a case study. Interviews and Focus Group Discussions were used for qualitative data collection, whilst a survey was conducted for gathering quantitative data. The study revealed that stakeholders attach different meanings to community engagement, with those possessing power and influence acting as key decision makers. Thus powerful stakeholders (in this case, the university and donor organizations) are at the core of the decision making process, while beneficiaries are pushed to the periphery. Moreover, both the meanings and the activities within which they cohere have important implications for the way beneficiary communities perceive university-community partnerships. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2011
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011-02
Pursuing socio-economic rights in post-apartheid South Africa : a case study of the Buffalo City metropolitan municipality, Eastern Cape province
- Authors: Makapela, Sicelo Leonard
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Civil rights -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Human rights -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Social justice -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12881 , vital:39387
- Description: The overall aim of this research was to investigate the extent to which a wide range of socio-economic rights such as housing, education, healthcare, water, sanitation, electricity, food security, social security and the right to work are enjoyed in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province. South Africa has nine provinces and the Eastern Cape is considered as one of the poorest with high levels of the triad of poverty, inequality and unemployment. The study used a rights-based approach (RBA) which examines the quality of human life from a rights perspective. Survey questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 500 respondents who were selected through a cluster random sample and six in-depth interviews were further conducted with government officials who were selected through purposive sampling. The study was guided by four main objectives and the first sought to explore citizens’ perceptions of the intersection between service delivery protests and socio-economic rights. The findings revealed that the majority of the survey respondents had no sense of the intersection between service delivery and socio-economic rights. Many did not know anything about the South African Constitution and could not relate to its content. Most critically, the majority did not know the socio-economic rights enshrined in the Constitution. The majority was more comfortable with the phrase service delivery over socio-economic rights and this was so because the former was the most commonly used by the politicians, the media and community leaders. In short, the majority of respondents had a poor understanding of the Constitution and socio-economic rights. On the contrary, the in-depth interview participants showed an excellent knowledge of the Constitution and its socio-economic rights content and saw a strong intersection between service delivery protests and socio-economic rights. Both the questionnaire respondents and the in-depth interview participants regarded employment as the most import demand that the government should address urgently. The second objective sought to describe the extent to which the government has fulfilled various rights. Caution was needed in interpreting this objective. While the majority of the questionnaire respondents had rated the government’s efforts negatively in many socio-economic rights, however, further probing revealed that the government had done well. The questionnaire respondents continued to rate the government negatively even in instances where they indicated that the government had done well. Thus, the findings revealed mixed results that the government had done pretty well in some, not so well in others and very bad in some cases. The in-depth interview participants, on the contrary, were all positive about the government’s fulfilment of various socio-economic rights and rated it favourably. The findings, therefore, dismiss the views shared by the majority of the questionnaire respondents that the government had fulfilled various socio-economic rights to a smaller extent and equally challenge the idea that the government was highly successful in all its efforts to fulfil various socio-economic rights. The evidence shows that the government was successful in some and not so in others. Third, the study revealed a number of factors affecting the enjoyment of socio-economic rights in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality including lack of democracy, lack of human rights knowledge, poor performance by Ward Councillors etc. Finally, the study identified a number of challenges which inhibited the enjoyment of socio-economic rights and these included corruption, crime, lack of participation by the poor in decision-making, alienation of the masses, but the most single serious threat identified by both the questionnaire respondents and in-depth interview participants was the rampant corruption. Most disturbingly, the respondents did not know what to do, how or where to go to claim their rights. This was revealed by the majority who pointed out that they have never approached the government, Constitutional Court or any court and don’t talk to their Ward Councillors about socio-economic rights. Moreover, they have never used the rights language during service delivery protests. All these point to the significant lack of knowledge about rights despite being familiar with the phrase (amalungel’ethu), a Xhosa expression for our rights. Thus, the questionnaire respondents were simply passive citizens and were not doing enough to pursue their socio-economic rights. Since corruption has been indicated as a major challenge affecting the enjoyment socio-economic rights, it is therefore recommended that alternative institutions should play a critical role not only in exposing corruption but the state should prosecute those found guilty of corruption especially on issues that affect the enjoyment of socio-economic rights. It is also recommended that there should be a dialogue between community representatives and the citizens to talk about socio-economic rights during community meetings. The study further, recommends that human rights education should be incorporated in school curricula, especially in secondary and tertiary institutions. Finally, it is recommended that the development of a comprehensive tool for monitoring and evaluating socio-economic rights should be put in place. At present, no such tool exists.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Makapela, Sicelo Leonard
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Civil rights -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Human rights -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Social justice -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12881 , vital:39387
- Description: The overall aim of this research was to investigate the extent to which a wide range of socio-economic rights such as housing, education, healthcare, water, sanitation, electricity, food security, social security and the right to work are enjoyed in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province. South Africa has nine provinces and the Eastern Cape is considered as one of the poorest with high levels of the triad of poverty, inequality and unemployment. The study used a rights-based approach (RBA) which examines the quality of human life from a rights perspective. Survey questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 500 respondents who were selected through a cluster random sample and six in-depth interviews were further conducted with government officials who were selected through purposive sampling. The study was guided by four main objectives and the first sought to explore citizens’ perceptions of the intersection between service delivery protests and socio-economic rights. The findings revealed that the majority of the survey respondents had no sense of the intersection between service delivery and socio-economic rights. Many did not know anything about the South African Constitution and could not relate to its content. Most critically, the majority did not know the socio-economic rights enshrined in the Constitution. The majority was more comfortable with the phrase service delivery over socio-economic rights and this was so because the former was the most commonly used by the politicians, the media and community leaders. In short, the majority of respondents had a poor understanding of the Constitution and socio-economic rights. On the contrary, the in-depth interview participants showed an excellent knowledge of the Constitution and its socio-economic rights content and saw a strong intersection between service delivery protests and socio-economic rights. Both the questionnaire respondents and the in-depth interview participants regarded employment as the most import demand that the government should address urgently. The second objective sought to describe the extent to which the government has fulfilled various rights. Caution was needed in interpreting this objective. While the majority of the questionnaire respondents had rated the government’s efforts negatively in many socio-economic rights, however, further probing revealed that the government had done well. The questionnaire respondents continued to rate the government negatively even in instances where they indicated that the government had done well. Thus, the findings revealed mixed results that the government had done pretty well in some, not so well in others and very bad in some cases. The in-depth interview participants, on the contrary, were all positive about the government’s fulfilment of various socio-economic rights and rated it favourably. The findings, therefore, dismiss the views shared by the majority of the questionnaire respondents that the government had fulfilled various socio-economic rights to a smaller extent and equally challenge the idea that the government was highly successful in all its efforts to fulfil various socio-economic rights. The evidence shows that the government was successful in some and not so in others. Third, the study revealed a number of factors affecting the enjoyment of socio-economic rights in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality including lack of democracy, lack of human rights knowledge, poor performance by Ward Councillors etc. Finally, the study identified a number of challenges which inhibited the enjoyment of socio-economic rights and these included corruption, crime, lack of participation by the poor in decision-making, alienation of the masses, but the most single serious threat identified by both the questionnaire respondents and in-depth interview participants was the rampant corruption. Most disturbingly, the respondents did not know what to do, how or where to go to claim their rights. This was revealed by the majority who pointed out that they have never approached the government, Constitutional Court or any court and don’t talk to their Ward Councillors about socio-economic rights. Moreover, they have never used the rights language during service delivery protests. All these point to the significant lack of knowledge about rights despite being familiar with the phrase (amalungel’ethu), a Xhosa expression for our rights. Thus, the questionnaire respondents were simply passive citizens and were not doing enough to pursue their socio-economic rights. Since corruption has been indicated as a major challenge affecting the enjoyment socio-economic rights, it is therefore recommended that alternative institutions should play a critical role not only in exposing corruption but the state should prosecute those found guilty of corruption especially on issues that affect the enjoyment of socio-economic rights. It is also recommended that there should be a dialogue between community representatives and the citizens to talk about socio-economic rights during community meetings. The study further, recommends that human rights education should be incorporated in school curricula, especially in secondary and tertiary institutions. Finally, it is recommended that the development of a comprehensive tool for monitoring and evaluating socio-economic rights should be put in place. At present, no such tool exists.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The effects of Zimbabwe’s economic crises on child welfare: a case of Chitungwiza Town
- Authors: Midzi, Tendai
- Date: 2021-01
- Subjects: Child welfare -- Economic aspects , Crisis management -- Economic aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22401 , vital:52045
- Description: This study examined the effects of Zimbabwe’s economic crisis on the welfare of children (analysed in terms of two indicators of health and education) in Chitungwiza. The study endeavoured to achieve the following specific objectives: (i).to assess the effect of Zimbabwe’s economic crisis on the welfare of children in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. (ii). to examine child support strategies that are implemented to sustain children during economic crisis in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. The economic exigencies and shocks spawned by economic crisis on the weak welfare systems of the developing world countries drastically undermine the wellbeing of children. Therefore, this study focused on analysing the economic crises-spawned form and scale of child vulnerabilities at the household and national level because these units provide primary child care in Zimbabwe. This study was underpinned by two frameworks namely, the Social Risk Management Approach (SRMA) and the Transformative Social Protection Framework (T.S.P). The study used a mixed methods or triangulation approach, through use of primary data (quantitative and qualitative data) and secondary data (archival data) as the basis for data collection as well as the analysis. This was guided by a mixed research design specifically a case study and a mini survey. Complementarity of the research methods was achieved through the use of data from household surveys with 100 heads of households (selected through a combination cluster and random sampling) in Chitungwiza Town and in-depth interviews with 1 official from each of the following units; Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the Ministry of Public Service Labor, and Social Welfare, Ministry of Health and Child care, UNICEF, the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) and Child Line Zimbabwe (selected through a purposive sampling technique). Data was analyzed qualitatively through thematic analysis, while descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data through the use of SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Version 25) and Microsoft Excel 2007. The study revealed that there are so many child vulnerabilities entrenched by the country’s chronic economic crisis that include poor education and health outcomes, drug abuse and juvenile delinquency, early pregnancies and child marriages, child labour and exploitation among others. Social safety nets in place such as BEAM, AMTO and HSCT are to some extent helping vulnerable children but currently these are not covering a significant percentage of children from poor households due to budget, capacity and fund appropriation challenges at the behest of the country’s economic crisis. Household child support strategies such as smallholder agriculture and gardening, informal trading and jobs are to some extent helping in promoting child wellbeing but their potential is undercut by challenges relating to inter alia the hyperinflationary economic environment, regulation and suppressed markets. The study inter alia recommends the institution of transparency and accountability as provided in the 2013 constitution to curb leakages and misallocation of the few resources, the reinstatement of the multicurrency monetary system in order to stabilise the country’s hyperinflationary environment, a transformation of the delivery of social safety nets in terms of targeting and coverage of the poor households, more effective budgeting and resource allocation system, supporting the informal sector and enhanced integration of social work practise in government social protection programs. , Thesis (MSW) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-01
- Authors: Midzi, Tendai
- Date: 2021-01
- Subjects: Child welfare -- Economic aspects , Crisis management -- Economic aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22401 , vital:52045
- Description: This study examined the effects of Zimbabwe’s economic crisis on the welfare of children (analysed in terms of two indicators of health and education) in Chitungwiza. The study endeavoured to achieve the following specific objectives: (i).to assess the effect of Zimbabwe’s economic crisis on the welfare of children in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. (ii). to examine child support strategies that are implemented to sustain children during economic crisis in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. The economic exigencies and shocks spawned by economic crisis on the weak welfare systems of the developing world countries drastically undermine the wellbeing of children. Therefore, this study focused on analysing the economic crises-spawned form and scale of child vulnerabilities at the household and national level because these units provide primary child care in Zimbabwe. This study was underpinned by two frameworks namely, the Social Risk Management Approach (SRMA) and the Transformative Social Protection Framework (T.S.P). The study used a mixed methods or triangulation approach, through use of primary data (quantitative and qualitative data) and secondary data (archival data) as the basis for data collection as well as the analysis. This was guided by a mixed research design specifically a case study and a mini survey. Complementarity of the research methods was achieved through the use of data from household surveys with 100 heads of households (selected through a combination cluster and random sampling) in Chitungwiza Town and in-depth interviews with 1 official from each of the following units; Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the Ministry of Public Service Labor, and Social Welfare, Ministry of Health and Child care, UNICEF, the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) and Child Line Zimbabwe (selected through a purposive sampling technique). Data was analyzed qualitatively through thematic analysis, while descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data through the use of SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Version 25) and Microsoft Excel 2007. The study revealed that there are so many child vulnerabilities entrenched by the country’s chronic economic crisis that include poor education and health outcomes, drug abuse and juvenile delinquency, early pregnancies and child marriages, child labour and exploitation among others. Social safety nets in place such as BEAM, AMTO and HSCT are to some extent helping vulnerable children but currently these are not covering a significant percentage of children from poor households due to budget, capacity and fund appropriation challenges at the behest of the country’s economic crisis. Household child support strategies such as smallholder agriculture and gardening, informal trading and jobs are to some extent helping in promoting child wellbeing but their potential is undercut by challenges relating to inter alia the hyperinflationary economic environment, regulation and suppressed markets. The study inter alia recommends the institution of transparency and accountability as provided in the 2013 constitution to curb leakages and misallocation of the few resources, the reinstatement of the multicurrency monetary system in order to stabilise the country’s hyperinflationary environment, a transformation of the delivery of social safety nets in terms of targeting and coverage of the poor households, more effective budgeting and resource allocation system, supporting the informal sector and enhanced integration of social work practise in government social protection programs. , Thesis (MSW) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-01
The rise and fall of long serving African leaders: a comparative analysis of Libya and Zimbabwe
- Maciko, Mihle https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5091-4949
- Authors: Maciko, Mihle https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5091-4949
- Date: 2022-10
- Subjects: African leaders , Muammar Gaddafi , Robert Mugabe
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27066 , vital:66264
- Description: Africa has recently faced a wave of dethroning of long serving leaders after many years of these leaders being in power. Some of the names which have been victims to this wave include Muammar Gaddafi, Omar Al Bashir, and Robert Mugabe. This study aims to examine this new wave as to the reasons behind it and what it means for existing long serving leaders in Africa. It will study the rise to power of Muammar Gaddafi and Robert Mugabe and what led to their demise, as hopes of providing advice to remaining dictators on how they can consolidate power so that they do not suffer the same fate as those already dethroned. A qualitative study has been carried out using secondary sources for data collection, to study this wave. From the data analysed, it showed that these leaders rose through ways of good governance and progressive economic policies. Various tactics were used to consolidate power, some being aggressive while others were aligned with democratic principles. These tactics are explained using two theories: informational theory of authoritarianism and theory of revolution. The data also pointed out that these methods eventually proved to be fuelling a fire of revolt amongst citizens, who found themselves in unbearable situations, eventually removing Gaddafi and Mugabe from power. This study provided lessons to existing long-serving leaders of having respect for human rights, being able to adapt with democracy and prioritising the welfare and wellbeing of their citizens. This is to ensure they do not suffer the same fate as Muammar Gaddafi and Robert Mugabe. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10
- Authors: Maciko, Mihle https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5091-4949
- Date: 2022-10
- Subjects: African leaders , Muammar Gaddafi , Robert Mugabe
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27066 , vital:66264
- Description: Africa has recently faced a wave of dethroning of long serving leaders after many years of these leaders being in power. Some of the names which have been victims to this wave include Muammar Gaddafi, Omar Al Bashir, and Robert Mugabe. This study aims to examine this new wave as to the reasons behind it and what it means for existing long serving leaders in Africa. It will study the rise to power of Muammar Gaddafi and Robert Mugabe and what led to their demise, as hopes of providing advice to remaining dictators on how they can consolidate power so that they do not suffer the same fate as those already dethroned. A qualitative study has been carried out using secondary sources for data collection, to study this wave. From the data analysed, it showed that these leaders rose through ways of good governance and progressive economic policies. Various tactics were used to consolidate power, some being aggressive while others were aligned with democratic principles. These tactics are explained using two theories: informational theory of authoritarianism and theory of revolution. The data also pointed out that these methods eventually proved to be fuelling a fire of revolt amongst citizens, who found themselves in unbearable situations, eventually removing Gaddafi and Mugabe from power. This study provided lessons to existing long-serving leaders of having respect for human rights, being able to adapt with democracy and prioritising the welfare and wellbeing of their citizens. This is to ensure they do not suffer the same fate as Muammar Gaddafi and Robert Mugabe. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10
Analysing writing competence of learners in selected secondary schools in Zimbabwe
- Dube, Precious https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9715-4609
- Authors: Dube, Precious https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9715-4609
- Date: 2021-01
- Subjects: English language -- Composition and exercises , English language -- Rhetoric
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21246 , vital:47436
- Description: Writing has been identified as one of the most essential skills that learners require for their personal development and academic success because the world has become so text-oriented. However, learning to master writing skills is a problem that learners face in Zimbabwean secondary schools. Subsequently, the purpose of this study was to analyse the writing competence of learners in selected secondary schools in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe. Using some aspects of the product-process approach and the cognitive process theory of writing, the study intended to assess the level of writing competence of learners in selected schools in Zimbabwe. The study followed a qualitative approach and adopted a case study research design. A purposive selected sample for the interviews consisted of 40 learners and 8 teachers. Another set of data were collected through document analysis. Both sets of data were analysed thematically. Findings indicated that the secondary school learners in Zimbabwe had challenges related to contextualising the topic, coherence and cohesion. The results further revealed that the language of instruction had an effect on the writing competence of learners and primary school background influenced competence later in secondary schools. The results also showed that although competent and not-so-competent learners shared some similar writing strategies, most of the strategies they used when writing were different. It was also noted that most secondary school teachers did not teach writing skills and most of their teaching methods were teacher centred and therefore unlikely to promote competence in learners. The researcher recommended professional training courses and workshops for teachers, which would help them to teach learners to become competent in writing and in incorporation of ICT in the learning of English Language in secondary schools. It was further recommended that learners should be trained and encouraged to develop a culture of reading, as this is likely to effectively promote their writing skills. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-01
- Authors: Dube, Precious https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9715-4609
- Date: 2021-01
- Subjects: English language -- Composition and exercises , English language -- Rhetoric
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21246 , vital:47436
- Description: Writing has been identified as one of the most essential skills that learners require for their personal development and academic success because the world has become so text-oriented. However, learning to master writing skills is a problem that learners face in Zimbabwean secondary schools. Subsequently, the purpose of this study was to analyse the writing competence of learners in selected secondary schools in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe. Using some aspects of the product-process approach and the cognitive process theory of writing, the study intended to assess the level of writing competence of learners in selected schools in Zimbabwe. The study followed a qualitative approach and adopted a case study research design. A purposive selected sample for the interviews consisted of 40 learners and 8 teachers. Another set of data were collected through document analysis. Both sets of data were analysed thematically. Findings indicated that the secondary school learners in Zimbabwe had challenges related to contextualising the topic, coherence and cohesion. The results further revealed that the language of instruction had an effect on the writing competence of learners and primary school background influenced competence later in secondary schools. The results also showed that although competent and not-so-competent learners shared some similar writing strategies, most of the strategies they used when writing were different. It was also noted that most secondary school teachers did not teach writing skills and most of their teaching methods were teacher centred and therefore unlikely to promote competence in learners. The researcher recommended professional training courses and workshops for teachers, which would help them to teach learners to become competent in writing and in incorporation of ICT in the learning of English Language in secondary schools. It was further recommended that learners should be trained and encouraged to develop a culture of reading, as this is likely to effectively promote their writing skills. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-01
The experience of a black baptist township pastor in the apartheid: the case study of Reverend Simon Lukwe from the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Mkonwana, Vuyo Patrick
- Date: 2015-06
- Subjects: Church and state
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25205 , vital:64007
- Description: The role of the Church in politics is always a contentious issue, this is not only the case in South Africa but all over the world. Christian traditions vary in their understanding and interpretation of Biblical teaching on what role Christians and clergy should play in city politics. The primary gist or objective of this thesis revolves around the birth, calling and the ministry of Reverend Simon Lukwe as a representation of black ministers in the Baptist Church. The secondary objective is to look at the pastoral methods that he employed based on the challenges of the day. It is acknowledged that there have been autobiographies and biographies written on the experiences of well-known clergy like Dr. Frank Chikane, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Reverend Beyes Naude and others, but there is puzzling silence about other Christian permanent persuaders who played a pivotal role in the public life in South Africa. This individual is one of those like many who were able to trounce the inferior and oppressive education that was offered to black ministers in the Baptist Union of Southern Africa. This dissertation is a narrative of a heart-breaking but fascinating account of a black minister who was detained and tortured by security forces; sadly, he was even forsaken by his own brothers and sisters in Christ (Baptist church members). It also seeks to examine what might be the call to the modern religious ministers based on the current socio-economic and political challenges, and what pastoral methods might be relevant to effectively minister in this context. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2015
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015-06
- Authors: Mkonwana, Vuyo Patrick
- Date: 2015-06
- Subjects: Church and state
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25205 , vital:64007
- Description: The role of the Church in politics is always a contentious issue, this is not only the case in South Africa but all over the world. Christian traditions vary in their understanding and interpretation of Biblical teaching on what role Christians and clergy should play in city politics. The primary gist or objective of this thesis revolves around the birth, calling and the ministry of Reverend Simon Lukwe as a representation of black ministers in the Baptist Church. The secondary objective is to look at the pastoral methods that he employed based on the challenges of the day. It is acknowledged that there have been autobiographies and biographies written on the experiences of well-known clergy like Dr. Frank Chikane, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Reverend Beyes Naude and others, but there is puzzling silence about other Christian permanent persuaders who played a pivotal role in the public life in South Africa. This individual is one of those like many who were able to trounce the inferior and oppressive education that was offered to black ministers in the Baptist Union of Southern Africa. This dissertation is a narrative of a heart-breaking but fascinating account of a black minister who was detained and tortured by security forces; sadly, he was even forsaken by his own brothers and sisters in Christ (Baptist church members). It also seeks to examine what might be the call to the modern religious ministers based on the current socio-economic and political challenges, and what pastoral methods might be relevant to effectively minister in this context. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2015
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015-06
Water Struggles and Rural People’s Experiences of Waiting in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Twalo, Lindani
- Date: 2021-10
- Subjects: Water security , Right to water
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21201 , vital:47394
- Description: This study examined water struggles and rural people’s experiences of waiting in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. Primarily, it investigated how such struggles connect to people’s experiences of waiting for water services. In essence, the study demonstrates how experiences of waiting are profoundly shaped by subjective meanings that the rural people attach to water at a local level. Thus, the study connects rural water politics to contested meanings over natural resources in South Africa’s communal areas. The empirical analysis in this study goes beyond the largely urban focus in the focus in the politics of waiting – mainly in the informal settlements, slums and other urban peripheries. The study presents some of the less known struggles of rural dwellers, particularly their experiences of waiting for water service provision from the state. South Africa’s Constitution promotes the right to clean water. Despite all the progress made by the democratic government, it is still evident that people in deep rural areas of South Africa are in a very precarious situation when it comes to accessing clean water. The study utilised Auyero (2011) concept of the politics of waiting to examine the poor people’s experiences of waiting for water. The study adopted a case study of Lower Didimana village. The researcher conducted a range of qualitative research techniques – the key informant interviews, focus group discussions, observations and semi-structured interviews. The study found that rural residents of South Africa continue to wait for long periods for water service provision in the current democratic era. Moreover, they are still faced with severe challenges of accessing water; as a result, they are left with no better option but to use traditional ways of retrieving water. It also found that there are strong cultural and spiritual claims that rural dwellers attach to water. To them water is not just only a physiological need which could be addressed through efficient state service – the provision of sufficient tap water. Water is deeply connected in human existence. Just like land, water is a cultural as well as spiritual resource. As such, rural experiences of waiting are not limited to state agency and how the poor experience the state, but are also influences by local struggles over meanings of water. Finally, the study reveals the limitation in state policy on water provision, which is locked in a purely engineering use based paradigm, which mainly strives to address (technically) scarcity of drinking water. However, the findings of this study demonstrates that drinking is just one function of water. Although villagers try to mobilise to engage the state while waiting for water service they articulate other claims that connect to diverse water meanings. Such meanings are barely captured in contemporary literature on rural politics of water. As such, although water is increasing becoming scarce in rural South Africa and the state intervention is increasingly demanded, villagers’ experiences of waiting in Lower Didimana remain strongly connected to what water means to locals. , Thesis (MSoc Sci) (Rural Development) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-10
- Authors: Twalo, Lindani
- Date: 2021-10
- Subjects: Water security , Right to water
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21201 , vital:47394
- Description: This study examined water struggles and rural people’s experiences of waiting in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. Primarily, it investigated how such struggles connect to people’s experiences of waiting for water services. In essence, the study demonstrates how experiences of waiting are profoundly shaped by subjective meanings that the rural people attach to water at a local level. Thus, the study connects rural water politics to contested meanings over natural resources in South Africa’s communal areas. The empirical analysis in this study goes beyond the largely urban focus in the focus in the politics of waiting – mainly in the informal settlements, slums and other urban peripheries. The study presents some of the less known struggles of rural dwellers, particularly their experiences of waiting for water service provision from the state. South Africa’s Constitution promotes the right to clean water. Despite all the progress made by the democratic government, it is still evident that people in deep rural areas of South Africa are in a very precarious situation when it comes to accessing clean water. The study utilised Auyero (2011) concept of the politics of waiting to examine the poor people’s experiences of waiting for water. The study adopted a case study of Lower Didimana village. The researcher conducted a range of qualitative research techniques – the key informant interviews, focus group discussions, observations and semi-structured interviews. The study found that rural residents of South Africa continue to wait for long periods for water service provision in the current democratic era. Moreover, they are still faced with severe challenges of accessing water; as a result, they are left with no better option but to use traditional ways of retrieving water. It also found that there are strong cultural and spiritual claims that rural dwellers attach to water. To them water is not just only a physiological need which could be addressed through efficient state service – the provision of sufficient tap water. Water is deeply connected in human existence. Just like land, water is a cultural as well as spiritual resource. As such, rural experiences of waiting are not limited to state agency and how the poor experience the state, but are also influences by local struggles over meanings of water. Finally, the study reveals the limitation in state policy on water provision, which is locked in a purely engineering use based paradigm, which mainly strives to address (technically) scarcity of drinking water. However, the findings of this study demonstrates that drinking is just one function of water. Although villagers try to mobilise to engage the state while waiting for water service they articulate other claims that connect to diverse water meanings. Such meanings are barely captured in contemporary literature on rural politics of water. As such, although water is increasing becoming scarce in rural South Africa and the state intervention is increasingly demanded, villagers’ experiences of waiting in Lower Didimana remain strongly connected to what water means to locals. , Thesis (MSoc Sci) (Rural Development) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-10