Showing items 61 - 80 of 2990

Exploring the views of selected, unafflicted women from Walvis bay and Windhoek, Namibia, regarding intimate partner killing and its effect on their well-being.

  • Authors: Amadhila,Luise Utuhole
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Intimate partner violence , Gender-based violence , Post-traumatic stress disorder in women
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63653 , vital:73575
  • Description: Intimate Partner Killing (IPK), popularly known as passion killing in certain regions, such as in southern parts of Africa, Europe, and America, and also referred to as intimate partner homicide, is a global concern. In Namibia, the rate at which men take the lives of their intimate partners due to failed romantic relationships has sparked apprehension within the communities. This study delves into the perspectives of unafflicted women in Namibia, shedding light on the broader impact of intimate partner killing on female well-being. Using a qualitative approach, the study conducted face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 14 participants. Grounded theory was applied to analyse the collected data and form categories from it. The data were transcribed and analysed using codes, thematic analysis, and interpretation. The theoretical frameworks intersectionality theory, social feminist theory, structuralist theory and systems theory underpin this study. The findings reveal that intimate partner killing severely affects women’s mental health, leading to vicarious trauma characterised by fear and anxiety. Participants reported difficulty experiencing positive emotions in their romantic relationships due to the pervasive uncertainty of this growing issue. Intimate partner killing leaves women feeling scared, unsafe, and traumatised, often prompting them to exercise extreme caution in their relationships to avoid becoming victims themselves. Symptoms such as feeling unsafe, scared, and traumatised align with post-traumatic stress and generalised anxiety. The study recommends implementing policy interventions and stringent laws in Namibia to prevent or discourage men from resorting to violence against their loved ones. Moreover, establishing assistance centres staffed with social work and mental health professionals is crucial to counselling and supporting women experiencing post-traumatic stress and anxiety resulting from intimate partner violence. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of behavioural Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

From Clown Prince to critical phenomenon: Fashioning the Joker as a nomadic war machine

  • Authors: Goldmann, Talya
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Joker -- (Fictitious character) , Comic books, strips, etc. -- United States -- History and criticism , Literature and society -- United States
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62769 , vital:72941
  • Description: Based on the original clown prince of crime in the DC comic books, the Joker is one of the most notorious villains in cinematic history. He originated in the comic book Batman #1 (Finger, 1940) over eighty years ago, and he remains a prominent character across a myriad of media platforms. In film and television, the Joker has appeared in major and minor roles in approximately nine animated series, eighteen animated films, six live-action series, and five live-action films. Indeed, multiple roles, actors, and decades after the character’s first debut in the Batman television series (1966), the Joker continues to be well-received and sought-after, insofar as every time a new Joker is announced, the character garners more intensive publicity and the film as a whole becomes highly anticipated. Thus, what started as a simple clownish character in the role of a minor villain in Batman (1966), has evolved into a multi-faceted villain so captivating that he has recently earned his own stand-alone films, namely Todd Phillips’ Joker (2019), and the sequel, Joker Folie à Deux (2024) – where he is no longer the antagonist, but now the protagonist. In this research, firstly, key features of the Deleuzoguattarian schema relevant to this study will be presented, before capitalism – as the context of Batman’s Gotham – is considered through a Deleuzoguattarian lens. This study will delve into what makes the beloved Joker so extraordinary along with the aesthetic features associated with his meteoric rise to fame. In this regard, what will be theorized is that the Joker constitutes an example of a Deleuzean nomadic war machine: that is, a critical character who borrows aspects of the State Apparatus and then twists and shapes them into weapons through which he questions and mocks society for its authoritarian and ideological flaws, and with which he exposes its conceptual and ethical blind spots. In this way, he acts like a mirror, reflecting what is wrong with society, and by implication, with the human ‘nature’ – not only in the fictional world of Gotham, but also in the contemporary era created therein. More specifically, discourse analysis and film analysis will be used here, to engage critically with the Joker’s persona in relation to the changing contexts in which the various films were made, in order to trace the development of the character through a Deleuzoguattarian lens. As will be discussed, Phillips’ Joker (2019) signals the deterritorialization of the Joker from the ambit of Batman’s influence, and opens up the possibility for his further deterritorialization as an increasingly mobile and nomadic catalyst of critical thinking beyond even Gotham itself. Then, thirdly, an in-depth analysis on the five key cinematic Jokers will be completed in terms of the characters’ historical contexts, character backgrounds, and aesthetics. And thereafter, the deterritorializing ‘line of flight’ already underway – as by Phillips’ Joker (2019) – will be continued through the creative media production component of this study, which will entail the conceptualization, design and illustration of three new Joker manifestations, each of which will reflect critically upon failing systems in South African society across select time periods, and how these failing systems have contributed to the collective trauma of marginalized groups of people. The first South African Joker manifestation, set in the 1980s, will reflect upon the faltering political infrastructure during the Apartheid era. The second Joker manifestation, set in the early 2000s, will encapsulate the repercussions of the post-Apartheid neoliberal economic landscape. And the third Joker manifestation, set in the 2010s, will draw attention to sociocultural collapse particularly in the space of gender-based violence and sexual assault. Thus, the creation of these Jokers will act as an exploration of trauma, insofar as the tragedy and pain caused by the above-mentioned failing systems will manifest physically through their character designs. In terms of this, and in keeping with the dynamics of appropriation and inflection that are definitive of nomadic war machines, here focus will fall on how their character aesthetics pose critical questions about relevant issues in the South Africa. On account of this, although this research is by definition situated within the spectacle/performance paradigm, it also runs counter to the largely apolitical orientation of creative media production that occurs therein, through its emphasis, instead, on how such creative media production can also entail critical thought that is aimed at thematizing socio-cultural and politico-economic issues and the trauma that they create; thus, this creative media component aims to encourage a more trauma-aware society through art. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Language, Media and Communication, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Incorporating emotion detection in text-dependent speaker authentication

  • Authors: van Rensburg, Ebenhaeser Otto Janse , Von Solms, Rossouw
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Automatic speech recognition , Biometric identification , Computer networks -- Security measures , Computer networks -- Access control
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64566 , vital:73767
  • Description: Biometric authentication allows a person to access sensitive information using unique physical characteristics. Voice, as a biometric authentication method, is gaining popularity due to its unique characteristics and widespread availability on smartphones and other devices. It offers a secure and user-friendly alternative to traditional password-based authentication and allows a less intrusive authentication method than fingerprint authentication. Furthermore, a vast amount of information is portrayed through voice, such as age, gender, health, and emotional state. Gaining illegitimate access to information becomes significantly more difficult as biometrics are difficult to steal, and countermeasures to techniques such as replay attacks are constantly being improved. However, illegitimate access can be gained by forcing a legitimate person to authenticate themselves through voice. This study investigates how the emotion(s) carried by voice can assist in detecting if authentication was performed under duress. Knowledge is contributed using a three-phased approach: information gathering, experimentation, and deliberation. The experimentation phase is further divided into three phases to extract data, implement findings, and assess the value of determining duress using voice. This phased approach to experimentation ensures minimal change in variables and allows the drawn conclusions to be relevant to each phase. The first phase examines datasets and classifiers; the second phase explores feature enhancement techniques and their impact; and the third phase discusses performance measurements and their value to emotion detection. , Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty Of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Information Technology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Learners’ understanding of their linguistic resources as a basis for learning natural sciences

  • Authors: Thorne, Rochelle Eugenia
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Linguistic analysis (Linguistics) , Science -- Study and teaching -- Methodology , Science -- Study and teaching (Elementary)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64049 , vital:73646
  • Description: With eleven official languages, South Africa is known for its multilingual environment. Despite this, the country's educational system heavily favours English and Afrikaans. Despite the varied linguistic backgrounds of learners, English continues to be used as the Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT), which raises questions regarding fair access to education. Within the context of South Africa's constitution and policy frameworks, particularly the Language in Education Policy (LiEP), this study aims to investigate how group work activities in a Natural Sciences classroom can give learners an opportunity to mobilise their multilingual repertoires. Three formerly Afrikaans-medium high schools in the Northern Areas of Gqeberha, were the sites for this research which focuses on Grade Nine Natural Sciences learners. Through the use of both quantitative and qualitative methods such as questionnaires, classroom observations, and focus groups, the study explores how learners make use of their language resources to navigate science instruction in English. The results contest the idea that languages are distinct entities and show that learners use language interchangeably as a learning tool, a practice known as translanguaging. Group work becomes an important space in which learners exercise agency in language selection, enabling the link of dialogical, multilingual, and cultural responses. Sociocultural theory offers insights into group work relationships and provides the theoretical foundation for understanding how learners use language to understand scientific topics. Building on Gibbons' mode continuum (2003), which maps the shifts in discourse in classroom contexts from every day talk at the “here and now” to more specialized talk, the study also explored an expanded continuum which aimed at clarifying the nuances of language and cognitive progression among learners working in collaborative groups. This study adds to the conversation about language ideologies by recognising the ideologies of inclusion, access and identity which informed learners’ thinking and attitudes to language choice in education. Thus, the study emphasises the importance of a sophisticated comprehension of multilingual repertoires in the classroom. In order to better accommodate the changing linguistic patterns of multilingual learners, the study recommends re-evaluating language policies and encouraging educators to exploit the potential of group work to develop understanding of scientific concepts. , Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty of Education, School of Post Graduate Education, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Micro-insurance and rural micro-enterprises in the North West Province of South Africa

  • Authors: Molefe, Samuel Seabelo
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Insurance -- South Africa -- North West Province , Small business -- South Africa -- North West Province , Business enterprises -- Insurance
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65208 , vital:74049
  • Description: The Provision of micro-insurance in developing countries' rural areas is quite important, but not without its share of challenges. Among those challenges are logistics and demand. Several problems experienced by developing countries, including moral hazards, adverse selection, correlated risks, high transaction costs, and lack of data, negatively impacting access to insurance, were identified. Other researchers are, however, hard at work trying to come up with solutions to address those challenges. The selective coverage by insurance providers leaves a large segment of the world’s poor population in the hundred poorest countries with limited or no access to micro-insurance. North West province of South Africa, was identified as one of the top four rural provinces, with a higher percentage of people living in poverty. The province was selected for the study, with the purpose of determining the relationship between micro-insurance and micro-enterprises. The study followed a mixed methodology design, with pragmatism as a research paradigm. The research instruments used were interviews focus group discussions (18 participants), and survey questionnaires (112 respondents). Data was collected using concurrent triangulated mixed methods from both strands, qualitative and quantitative were analyzed, and the results were merged and corroborated. The main finding is that micro-entrepreneurs do not have business micro-insurance and would be willing to have one if it existed. What emerged from other findings is that there is a positive relationship between trust and willingness to purchase insurance, as well as a positive relationship between risk and insurance demand. Furthermore, there are negative relationships between shocks and insurance demand, demand and prevalence, and the inclusion and demand for insurance. This is contrary to what is in literature. There is further, evidence of more dependence on funeral and death benefits, other than on investment and savings micro-insurance policies. This study recommended that there should be a national policy in place to address challenges experienced by micro-entrepreneurs in terms of access to insurance. Also, potential micro-insurance service providers deserve leniency through the lowering of entry barriers such as capital adequacy requirements. Furthermore, the issue of illegal or unregistered service providers must be addressed to protect consumers. It was also recommended that more awareness be created through tribal administrations, by micro-insurance regulators and service providers, to promote inclusion among micro-entrepreneurs and other rural low-income earners in general. In conclusion, it is envisaged that this exploration will lead to an applicable model that can assist insurance service providers and other stakeholders in coming up with innovative micro-insurance product packages. , Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Relationship management in all-boys fee-paying public Schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: experiences and perspectives of LGBTQ alumni

  • Authors: Mahlangu, Nhlakanipho
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Single-sex schools -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sex differences in education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Customer relations -- Management , Sexual minorities -- Education -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65108 , vital:74024
  • Description: This study explores the perspectives and experiences of LGBTQ alumni of all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape. The context of increased competition between schools in the education sector and the importance of inclusion within the sector necessitated a study to investigate the extent to which relationship management is conducted with an orientation towards LGBTQ inclusion in all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape. Student protests in South Africa over the past 10 years have expanded concerns about student belonging beyond the widely studied lenses of race and class. A growing body of literature and wider discourse emphasises student belonging as a challenge in the South African education sector. Marginalised students continue to experience educational spaces negatively. LGBTQ student experiences in the South Africa are characterised by violence and ostracisation, thus warranting further investigation and inquiry. The study locates itself in the intersections between gender and sexual diversity and economic citizenship in the broader discourse of school inclusivity. A qualitative research approach was employed, making use of semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews. The sample was derived from alumni of all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape through snowball sampling. Ten LGBTQ-identifying alumni of boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape were interviewed. The findings reveal the need to question the extent to which LGBTQ alumni can enjoy the fullness of the value proposition of all-boys’ schools, and what can be done to ensure LGBTQ belonging. The findings of this study concur with existing literature about LGBTQ experiences. Participants defined their school experiences as exclusionary and characterised by fear of failing to assert themselves in a hypermasculine school environment. LGBTQ alumni of all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape view relationship management as under-utilised as a tool to facilitate LGBTQ belonging. Instead, relationship management is used to affirm those who fit the mould of the quintessential ‘old boy’ network, by defining the masculine behaviours that learners in all-boys’ schools are compelled to aspire towards. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Management Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Relationship Management in All-Boys’ Fee-paying Public Schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa : Experiences and Perspectives of LGBTQ Alumni

  • Authors: Mahlangu, Nhlakanipho
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Gay men , Teenage boys , Public schools -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62237 , vital:72364
  • Description: This study explores the perspectives and experiences of LGBTQ alumni of all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape. The context of increased competition between schools in the education sector and the importance of inclusion within the sector necessitated a study to investigate the extent to which relationship management is conducted with an orientation towards LGBTQ inclusion in all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape. Student protests in South Africa over the past 10 years have expanded concerns about student belonging beyond the widely studied lenses of race and class. A growing body of literature and wider discourse emphasises student belonging as a challenge in the South African education sector. Marginalised students continue to experience educational spaces negatively. LGBTQ student experiences in the South Africa are characterised by violence and ostracisation, thus warranting further investigation and inquiry. The study locates itself in the intersections between gender and sexual diversity and economic citizenship in the broader discourse of school inclusivity. A qualitative research approach was employed, making use of semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews. The sample was derived from alumni of all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape through snowball sampling. Ten LGBTQ-identifying alumni of boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape were interviewed. The findings reveal the need to question the extent to which LGBTQ alumni can enjoy the fullness of the value proposition of all-boys’ schools, and what can be done to ensure LGBTQ belonging. The findings of this study concur with existing literature about LGBTQ experiences. Participants defined their school experiences as exclusionary and characterised by fear of failing to assert themselves in a hypermasculine school environment. LGBTQ alumni of all-boys’ schools in the Eastern Cape view relationship management as under-utilised as a tool to facilitate LGBTQ belonging. Instead, relationship management is used to affirm those who fit the mould of the quintessential ‘old boy’ network, by defining the masculine behaviours that learners in all-boys’ schools are compelled to aspire towards. v ABSTRACT The findings illustrate that the culture of silence around non-confirming sexuality is sustained in the post-schooling relationship management life-cycle and results in the absence of the LGBTQ customer voice in the drafting of school strategy and policy. LGBTQ alumni who speak out about controversial issues often face admonition from their former teachers and peers. LGBTQ alumni criticise the relationship management of their former schools for the over-emphasis on fundraising and the complete absence of discussions on diversity. LGBTQ alumni are therefore marginalised in the process of value co-creation, as LGBTQ alumni feel they will never be viewed as legitimate collaborators by their former schools. The suggested recommendations emerging from this study include the need to codify school policies that speak specifically to LGBTQ marginalisation. Furthermore, schools must endeavour to make specific enquiries into LGBTQ student experiences and include LGBTQ concerns in wider school discourse. , Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

The curious case of Albert Ellis: a psychobiographical case study

  • Authors: van Rensburg, Philip
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Psychotherapy , Ellis, Albert -- Interviews , Rational emotive behavior therapy
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63928 , vital:73627
  • Description: Although much has been written on the life and work of American psychologist Albert Ellis, none of the literature adopts a specific psychobiographical framework and no instrumental case studies on the life of Ellis exist. The primary aim of this psychobiographical case study is to provide a psychobiographical exploration and description of aspects of Albert Ellis’ life within his sociohistorical context. More specifically, Ellis’ upbringing with an immigrant past and the role this has played relating to Ellis’ curiosity towards issues of sex and women. The findings of this psychobiographical case study will also be conveyed to inform on the role that culture and cultural diversity has on how an individual experiences and deals with conflict in their life. A specific area of interest in this study is the culture of the twentieth century, with a special focus on the relationship individuals had with sex, as well as examining the lived experience of immigrants during this time. Aspects of Albert Ellis' life within the sociohistorical context of the twentieth century is illustrated by using certain psychological techniques to the available biographical data. This is accomplished by looking at Ellis' experiences and how they influenced the creation of his own paradigm of rational emotive behaviour therapy. Furthermore, Ellis is conceptualised using Karen Horney’s theory of the dynamic relationship, which exists between cultural processes and conflicting human character traits and their impact on behavioural motivation. This study adopts an inductive research approach. Therefore, it implements an instrumental, single-case research design and is exploratory-descriptive in nature. The subject was chosen through purposive sampling and data will be analysed utilising three linked subprocesses theorised by Miles and Huberman. , Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty of Health Science, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

The effectiveness of implementing mediation resolutions in Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA) in Kariega 1994-2021

  • Authors: Makasi, Lwando
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Volkswagen (Firm) , Conflict management -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Organizational behavior -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63207 , vital:73233
  • Description: This study aimed to generate an in-depth understanding of how the resolutions are being implemented post-mediation process and the labour union, which in this study is the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and the mediator in the process of managing collective disputes between the employer and employee utilising mediation. The study was limited to the Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA) Kariega plant, therefore, the findings are contextually limited to the VWSA Kariega plant. The theoretical frameworks for this study were relative deprivation theory, frustration-aggression theory, Marxism, and dysfunctional and functional social conflict. These were utilised to explore and describe the phenomenon under investigation. This study employed a qualitative method to answer the research questions and address its problem statement. The data were collected through focus group discussions and elite interviews. The study used a purposive sampling technique, and the sample included 33 participants. The primary research question was: Were the agreements mediated at the VWSA Kariega plant effectively implemented between 1994 and 2021? The study’s findings imply that for the effective implementation of mediation resolutions, the following should be considered: implementing resolutions within the given timeframe, parties at mediation adapting and accommodating new technological changes and disasters at the National Bargaining Forum (NBF) level, prioritising the education and training of shop stewards and VWSA management representatives on NBF agreements, including the implementation thereof. Managing pertinent issues concerning NUMSA and the Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation (AMEO), interpreting NBF agreements, and ensuring that parties differentiate between the Labour Relations Act No. 66 of 1995 (LRA) and NBF processes. At the policy level, the findings imply that parties need to understand the LRA’s role and the process of resolving conflict utilising the formal processes stipulated in the LRA and why the LRA cannot override the NBF agreement as an informal process of managing conflict. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

The role of microfinance in women empowerment in Gqeberha, South Africa

  • Authors: Munyoro, Ruvimbonashe Doreen
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Microfinance -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Empowerment -- Women , Women executives , Businesswomen
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65274 , vital:74085
  • Description: This research studied the role of microfinance in women empowerment in Gqeberha, in Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Various development strategies and approaches have been devised across the world, aimed at empowering women and eradicating poverty, particularly in developing countries. One of these development strategies is microfinance. Microfinance has provided financial assistance through loans to people, unable to access formal financial banks. Empowering women to participate fully in their economies is not only essential to building economies but to achieving the internationally agreed goals for development, human rights and sustainability. The inclusion of women empowerment and poverty alleviation in the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals demonstrates the importance of poverty alleviation (SDG1) and women empowerment (SDG5) in the development of economies across the world. This qualitative research study collected data, using semi-structured questionnaires and interviews with 30 beneficiaries of MFIs and three MFI managers in Gqeberha. The sampling method used were non-probability purposive sampling, and the data were analysed through content analysis and descriptive statistics. The results suggest that microfinance through micro-loans and micro-business loans has had a positive role in the empowerment of women through the ease of access to finance through small loans. However, a gap exists in the market for long-term loans which could aid with starting small businesses and give the beneficiary more financial independence, improving their livelihood. It is recommended that MFIs across Gqeberha offer loans in the form of start-up capital and financial advice or education. , Thesis (MPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Rhodes University Calender 2024

The rise of ‘violent non-state actors’ in South Africa: an analysis of the taxi industry in the Eastern Cape Province

  • Authors: Mato, Myalezo
  • Date: 2024
  • Subjects: Transportation and state -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape. , Black people -- South Africa -- Economic conditions. , Taxicabs -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape.
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/28979 , vital:75701
  • Description: This study investigated the rise of ‘violent-non state actors’ in South Africa, with specific focus on the taxi industry in the Eastern Cape Province. Contemporary South Africa has been a playground for violent non-state actors often evidenced by sporadic service delivery protests and gun violence in public spaces. Many authors attribute these to the failure of the state to provide public services such as security, water, employment, etc. Amongst these non-state actors, are taxi associations called mother-bodies. The deregulation of the taxi industry by the then apartheid government in 1987 resulted in the exponential inflow of previously oppressed black people into the taxi industry, which had now become the most accessible form of informal business for previously disadvantaged people. This resulted in the formation of many mother-bodies that subsequently became ‘law unto themselves’ due to the absence of formal state regulation amongst other things. Since then, violent conflicts amongst these mother bodies have become the order of the day. The study sought to determine the commuter’s perspectives about the taxi industry and violence in the Eastern Cape Province, to determine ways in which the taxi industry has challenged the monopoly of the state over the legitimate use of force and to explore the reasons why taxi violence has largely gone unchecked by the state. Part of the key findings of the study were that there is a general sense of fear and insecurity amongst commuters especially female commuters who use taxis. Various cases of sexual assault, intimidation and psychological traumas caused by exposure to violence amongst commuters have been reported. It has also been determined that in order to effectively challenge the monopoly of the state over the legitimate use force, some taxi operators have resorted to the use of self created laws to intimidate their competitors, use of mafia-like tactics, extortion and coercion amongst other things in order to impose monopoly over some lucrative routes, individuals and associations. In resolving some of these challenges, the study inter alia recommends for the formalization of the taxi industry by government, which will result in the subsidisation of the industry. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024

Rationalisation of magisterial districts to transform the judiciary and widen access to justice under the RSA constitution of 1996

  • Authors: Skosana, Jacob
  • Date: 2024-01
  • Subjects: Justice, Administration of , Law and socialism , Human rights -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/28162 , vital:72777
  • Description: The study examines how pre-1994 magisterial districts jurisdictions denied access to justice to many South Africans, and ongoing efforts to reverse this injustice. Delayed rationalisation of the judiciary and reform of the courts territorial jurisdiction during the apartheid era exacerbated the problem. The courts administered justice along spatial racial divide, and given the location of the courts, many black communities had to commute long distances to access justice and at a great cost and inconvenience. The Constitution of South Africa of 1996 provides not only for the right to equality before the law and equal protection and benefit of the law but also the right to access the courts and seek recourse. In a period spanning eight years from December 2014, new magisterial districts were proclaimed in all the nine provinces of South Africa. Despite this milestone and the imperative of the 1996 Constitution, the rationalisation process is still in its infancy: old legislation and judicial structures remain intact; divisions of the High Court continue to exercise jurisdictions determined for the pre-1994 constitutional dispensation. The status quo continues to perpetuate the denial of access to justice to communities especially those living in areas that hitherto formed part of the former homelands and self-governing ‘states’. The study was conducted through a desktop survey of primary and secondary material relevant to the rationalisation process. It drew lessons from the re-demarcation of municipal boundaries which, like magisterial districts, were based on racial laws and policies of the past. It also contrasted rationalisation principles in comparable jurisdictions. The findings provide a useful contribution to the ongoing effort to effect rationalisation of the court system. They also contribute to knowledge and enriches our understanding of the relationship that underpins the administration of justice in a dispensation driven by democratic, human rights and constitutional ethos. , Thesis (PhD (LLD)) -- Faculty of Law, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-01

Assessing the effectiveness of smart solutions on potable water in rural areas within Ngqushwa local municipality

  • Authors: Fodo, Portia Noluthando
  • Date: 2023-12
  • Subjects: Potable water -- tap water , water infrastructure
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63298 , vital:73245
  • Description: Providing potable water is a critical reposition towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. In addition, the use of smart solutions facilitates towards guaranteeing smart cities aligned with SDG11 which is aimed at making cities and human settlements inclusive, secure, resilient and viable. Access to potable water is a challenging issue in most rural areas as these areas were affected by the Apartheid regime where services were distributed according to the colour of the skin. In rural areas where many black people reside, the challenge of service delivery still exists. Ngqushwa Municipality is faced with several trials in the management of water, including water scarcity, lack of water infrastructure as well as illegal water connections. Despite more than 25 years of democracy, rural dwellers in Ngqushwa Municipality still suffer from a deficiency of access to potable water, which results in other health problems, such as Cholera. This study was aimed at assessing the role of smart solutions in the effective management of potable water in rural areas in Ngqushwa Local Municipality. The objectives to be achieved include identification of the policies that support the implementation of smart solutions in the provision of potable water in Ngqushwa Local Municipality, as well as determining the opportunities and challenges associated with smart solutions in the delivery of potable water. Moreover, identifying the existing difficulties affecting the execution of smart solutions in the delivery of potable water, along with developing recommendations on how smart solutions can effectively be put into operation in rural areas to control water. A qualitative research approach was applied as the chosen research methodology most appropriate to achieving the objectives of the research study. Data was collected using secondary sources and was analysed using thematic content analysis. The study revealed that opportunities available include accurate billing, smart metering and information availability. Furthermore, the obstacles included capacity constraints, cost factors and resistance to change. The investigation recommended, inter alia, that the municipality should accurately train its employees on matters relating to change management and establish effective debt controlling mechanisms to enhance water supervision in rural areas. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2023-12

Current harmonic compensation of nonlinear loads in a three phase, four wire system

  • Authors: Mtakati, Sibulele Morgen
  • Date: 2023-12
  • Subjects: Harmonics (Electric waves) , Electric power system stability , Electric power -- Conservation
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/66574 , vital:75608
  • Description: Nonlinear loads, in low voltage distribution networks, inject current harmonics which affect the quality of supply voltages. In this work, the power usage of a university student residential complex was logged over a four day period for analysis of harmonic currents injected by nonlinear loads. Student residents use nonlinear loads such as lighting, televisions, computer power supplies, and other household appliances. The harmonic analysis was performed on the quality of voltages in the university’s distribution network, the level of current distortion in the load current and the contribution of triplen harmonics to the neutral current. Standards such as the NRS048-2 (2007), IEEE-519 (2014) and IEC61000-3-2 (2009) are helpful in regulating harmonic levels in the distribution network, however, they cannot guarantee good quality supply. This work further investigates two methods of current harmonic cancellation, i.e. a shunt passive and an active current harmonic cancellation technique. A passive power filter was designed, built, and evaluated for a given nonlinear load to provide selective filtering of the dominant current harmonics. A four branch, shunt, passive filter was considered in this work for implementation in a three phase four wire distribution network due to its attractive possibility to be tuned to two different harmonic components with a minimum number of passive elements. While passive filters may be inexpensive, they suffer from several disadvantages, such as providing fixed compensation, performance that is source impedance dependent, has an inherent risk of system resonance and detuning due to ageing and component variation. To overcome the disadvantages of passive filters, a shunt connected active power filter was designed, built and evaluated to provide adjustable, wide bandwidth and dynamic correction to nonlinear loads for the compensation of harmonic currents, reactive power, and neutral currents. The controller used was an indirect FFT-based technique with a second order generalized integrator (SOGI) filter for voltage synchronization. It was digitally implemented in an FPGA programmed in VHDL to allow for fast parallel processing of input variables. , Thesis (M.Eng) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, School of Engineering, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2023-12

Current harmonic compensation of nonlinear loads in a three phase, four wire system

  • Authors: Mtakati, Sibulele Morgen
  • Date: 2023-12
  • Subjects: Electric utilities -- Quality control , Electric power systems , Electric power system stability
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/66581 , vital:75607
  • Description: Nonlinear loads, in low voltage distribution networks, inject current harmonics which affect the quality of supply voltages. In this work, the power usage of a university student residential complex was logged over a four day period for analysis of harmonic currents injected by nonlinear loads. Student residents use nonlinear loads such as lighting, televisions, computer power supplies, and other household appliances. The harmonic analysis was performed on the quality of voltages in the university’s distribution network, the level of current distortion in the load current and the contribution of triplen harmonics to the neutral current. Standards such as the NRS048-2 (2007), IEEE-519 (2014) and IEC61000-3-2 (2009) are helpful in regulating harmonic levels in the distribution network, however, they cannot guarantee good quality supply. This work further investigates two methods of current harmonic cancellation, i.e. a shunt passive and an active current harmonic cancellation technique. A passive power filter was designed, built, and evaluated for a given nonlinear load to provide selective filtering of the dominant current harmonics. A four branch, shunt, passive filter was considered in this work for implementation in a three phase four wire distribution network due to its attractive possibility to be tuned to two different harmonic components with a minimum number of passive elements. While passive filters may be inexpensive, they suffer from several disadvantages, such as providing fixed compensation, performance that is source impedance dependent, has an inherent risk of system resonance and detuning due to ageing and component variation. To overcome the disadvantages of passive filters, a shunt connected active power filter was designed, built and evaluated to provide adjustable, wide bandwidth and dynamic correction to nonlinear loads for the compensation of harmonic currents, reactive power, and neutral currents. The controller used was an indirect FFT-based technique with a second order generalized integrator (SOGI) filter for voltage synchronization. It was digitally implemented in an FPGA programmed in VHDL to allow for fast parallel processing of input variables. , Thesis (MEng) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, School of Engineering, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2023-12

Enhancing the optimal use of the properties for revenue generation at the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure

  • Authors: Twala, Zolile Donald Linda
  • Date: 2023-12
  • Subjects: Buildings -- Maintenance and repair , Buildings -- Maintenance , Public works -- South Africa , Infrastructure (Economics) -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/66068 , vital:74329
  • Description: Literature on property management revealed that it became a challenge in many countries to manage and maintain properties, especially in the public sector. Concerning public infrastructure, research has confirmed that even in the most developed states, such as Canada and the United States of America (USA), the maintenance of public properties and related services was in danger due to fewer funds being budgeted for maintenance during their life cycle (Kaganova & Telgarsky, 2018). It was noted that there needed to be more studies conducted in South Africa under public infrastructure. This study aimed to explore how the NDPWI could improve the optimal use of properties under its custodianship to maximise revenue generation by carrying out the identified critical success factors from the property managers (internal) and client departments (external). Trying to find a well-maintained property creates more chances for the client departments or tenants to occupy the property for a more extended period while delivering their service to its clients and the NDPWI maximising the revenue generation. “The research applied a literature review and other sources, such as internal or media reports, as a background to discover meaning-making of insights from the property manager’s experiences, which were associated with their perceptions of property management challenges”. This research applied a qualitative research approach. Qualitative content was analysed, utilising a mixture of a deductive and inductive approach. The main reason for utilising both deductive and inductive approaches is that the researcher tried to understand and develop the theory around the NDPWI low-income generation utilising state properties to their optimal use and find out if all properties were well maintained and could, which allowed the NDPWI to maximise income generation. Five conclusions emerged from the findings of this study on insight from twenty-five (25) property managers who have been in their role for a minimum of five (5) years. The proof to substantiate these conclusions came directly from insights shared by the twenty-five (25) participants from their experience in property management. Conclusions were linked to the theories and reports that informed this study. Firstly, this study revealed that the majority of the participants agreed that the role of leadership in property management was critical for giving strategic direction within the organisation, ensuring that there were clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and ensuring there were no contradictions and confusion among the staff while executing their functions. Adequate talent was recruited, but skills were required to be strengthened. Secondly, the study revealed that the non-maintenance of state buildings contributed negatively to the client departments when executing their constitutional mandate efficiently and effectively in a safe environment. Poor building conditions were revealed as among the issues that the client departments needed to be occupying and optimally utilising; instead, they relied on leased inn properties from the private sector. Thirdly, the study revealed that the client relationship and quality of service they received from the NDPWI needed to be improved to ensure that clients were prioritised on their needs and expectations. NDPWI was taking too long to respond to the instruction of the client departments, and it was frustrating the client departments leading to some client departments proposing to devolve the power of the NDPWI to assist them. Fourthly, accessibility of the state properties was not as good as it was supposed to be, as the client departments would need the properties in specific areas, they needed to offer their services, and they could not get such properties under the NDPWI. They ended up looking for leased properties that meet their specification in the procurement instruction in good condition and safety. Fifthly, innovative technology could improve communication between the clients and help save time on conducting meetings in one common place. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2023-12

Factors influencing employee engagement in a flexible work environment: a study of the Road Accident Fund

  • Authors: Goqo, Nondumiso Zama
  • Date: 2023-12
  • Subjects: Road Accident Fund (South Africa) , Employee motivation , Flexible work arrangements , Work-life balance Personnel management
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65600 , vital:74200
  • Description: Employee engagement is a critical aspect of organisational success, and with the increasing adoption of flexible working arrangements (FWAs), understanding its determinants becomes crucial. However, many organisations are struggling to keep employees engaged while offering them flexible working patterns. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the factors that influence employee engagement among employees of the Road Accident Fund (RAF) in South Africa after the introduction of flexible working arrangements. To achieve the main aim of this study, a literature study was undertaken on employee engagement and a flexible working environment. The main focus of the literature study was to determine the factors with the most potential to influence employee engagement in the context of a flexible working environment. These factors emerged as work-life balance, employee wellbeing, leadership, rewards and recognition, learning and development, employee involvement, effective communication and workplace flexibility. This led to conducting an empirical study utilising a self-administered online survey as the data collection instrument to determine the influence of these factors on the engagement of RAF employees. A scale was developed to determine these factors and the current engagement level of employees at the RAF was measured using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) (2002). A descriptive and correlational research design was employed, utilising a convenience sampling method with a final sample of 413 achieved. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential techniques, including Cronbach’s Alpha, frequency distributions, measure of central tendencies and exploratory factor analysis (EFA), product moment correlation, t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square tests. This included the testing for potential relationships between the variables of interest.The results of the empirical study revealed some of factors that were identified in the literature review of this study were found to have a positive influence on the engagement of employees working in the flexible working environment offered by the RAF. These factors are employee well-being, leadership, reward and recognition, learning and development, employee involvement, effective communication and workplace flexibility (time). The factors that were excluded by the results were work-life balance and workplace flexibility (place). These exceptions imply that these factors have less influence on the overall employee engagement levels at the RAF. Moreover, the levels of engagement of RAF employees were found to be at a moderate level. Furthermore, the results indicated that regardless of whether employees utilised FWAs or not, their levels of engagement remained at a moderate level. In other words, the utilisation of FWAs did not appear to significantly impact on the overall engagement levels of employees, and both groups exhibited similar moderate engagement levels. The findings also suggest that the RAF should maintain and enhance the factors that have a positive influence on employee engagement. In addition, the organisation should work on addressing those factors that do not play as significant a role in influencing engagement as the other factors. By taking these steps, the RAF can effectively enhance the overall level of employee engagement among its workforce. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resources, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2023-12

Strategies used by the female principals to manage learner discipline in selected primary schools in the Buffalo City Education District

  • Authors: Manyika, T
  • Date: 2023-12
  • Subjects: Women school principals , Complex organizations , School management and organization -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/28277 , vital:74098
  • Description: School safety is regarded as one of the key drivers of quality teaching and learning. There is however evidence that schools worldwide experience violence and learner disruptive behaviours. The South African education system is amongst other areas, focusing on gender equity in leadership and management positions. Hence this paper explored the strategies used by female principals to manage learner discipline in selected primary schools in the Buffalo City Education District. The Complexity Leadership Theory underpinned the study in conjunction with the Intersectionality theory. Complexity Leadership Theory emphasises the identification and exploration of strategies and behaviour that nurture creativity, learning, and adaptability in the organisation. Data were collected from fourteen participants ranging from female principals, HOD and Vice Principals. Interpretive qualitative and descriptive case study design was used. Data were collected through the use of one-on-one semi-structured interviews, and document review was the second research instrument used in this study. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data and all ethical issues were observed. The participation of participants was voluntary, and anonymity was guaranteed. Some of the major findings were the participants’ use of their gender (female) as a resource in administering discipline, and their awareness and consciousness of the vulnerability of the school context. Parental involvement, community involvement and closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera systems aided the participants in maintaining learner discipline. Rewarding learners for good behaviour or good work habits (behaviourism) was discouraged due to its inability to intrinsically motivate learners to behave and accomplish goals. Instead, it was reported to be a form of a bribery system which teaches learners to work hard to receive something. The findings suggested that tertiary institutions introduce mandatory counselling courses to equip prospective teachers with necessary skills to effectively deal with issues of learner discipline in schools. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2023-12

The contribution of generic coaching to self-leadership

  • Authors: Govindjee, Kavita
  • Date: 2023-12
  • Subjects: Employees -- Coaching of -- Research , Mentoring in business , Leadership -- South Africa , Organizational behavior
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65610 , vital:74204
  • Description: The working landscape underwent significant changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to an increased need for employees to enhance their self-leadership skills. The advancement of these skills could assist individuals to adapt and thrive in the face of relentless change. While self-leadership skills have traditionally been cultivated through training, coaching research has typically not considered it as a process of contributing to the growth of self-leadership. This study aims to explore the contribution of generic coaching to self-leadership. A qualitative research design using a purposive sampling method was applied to a sample group consisting of nine coachees. Coaches from the researcher’s network in South Africa had referred coachees who had previously been engaged in an individual generic coaching process, such as life, health, career, business or executive coaching. This exploratory study involved conducting semi-structured online interviews to collect data. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was adopted to learn about the lived coaching experiences of the participants. A thematic analysis approach was applied to the data to extract repeated themes that could provide answers to the research questions. The themes that emerged from the data included (1) the generic coaching process, (2) the factors that facilitate effective coaching, (3) the impact of coaching, and (4) the understanding of self-leadership. The findings of the research had, to a large extent, indicated that generic coaching contributed to self-leadership. The connection between the three self-leadership strategies, the coaching process and the tools that were used made this apparent. Coaching is another method of development that can enhance employees’ self-leadership skills, accelerate growth and facilitate learning. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resources, 2023
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2023-12
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