Happiness in the South African construction industry
- Authors: Damba, Wayne
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Happiness , Work -- Psychological aspects Psychology, Industrial Construction industry -- Psychological aspects Construction workers -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/38068 , vital:34313
- Description: Studies on Happiness, commonly referred to as Subjective Wellbeing studies, have gained much attention in the past few years. Happiness has been measured from a national level to specific areas or industry. Happiness generally refers to the positive state of wellbeing. Happiness has a positive effect on individuals and society at large. Research has shown that happy employees are purpose driven and productive. They are self-motivated and influence other employees positively. Happiness contributes significantly to economic growth and development. This has resulted in countries and many large institutions being interested in the happiness levels of the citizens and employees. This study focuses on Happiness in the South African Construction industry. South Africa is a developing country; thus, there are many infrastructure development projects. The construction industry is an important industry in the South African economy because of its contribution to employment and infrastructure development. Improving the happiness levels of the construction workers will improve the quality of work produced in the industry as well as reduce the costs that are associated with unproductive employees. Happy employees are innovative and engaged in work. The primary data were collected from a Construction Company in Cape Town. The Questionnaire was developed from the literature on happiness studies. Questionnaires were printed from Question Pro and circulated to the employees. 165 employees successfully completed the survey. A conceptual model was developed and exploratory factor analysis was used to test the model. The results indicate that influence in the workplace, workplace relationships, satisfaction with work-life balance, purpose, optimism, work satisfaction, leisure, SA Pride and trust were some of the variables which positively influences Happiness in the construction industry. The results of this study further indicate that South African construction workers are generally happy. Construction workers generally do not trust the government and management.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Damba, Wayne
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Happiness , Work -- Psychological aspects Psychology, Industrial Construction industry -- Psychological aspects Construction workers -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/38068 , vital:34313
- Description: Studies on Happiness, commonly referred to as Subjective Wellbeing studies, have gained much attention in the past few years. Happiness has been measured from a national level to specific areas or industry. Happiness generally refers to the positive state of wellbeing. Happiness has a positive effect on individuals and society at large. Research has shown that happy employees are purpose driven and productive. They are self-motivated and influence other employees positively. Happiness contributes significantly to economic growth and development. This has resulted in countries and many large institutions being interested in the happiness levels of the citizens and employees. This study focuses on Happiness in the South African Construction industry. South Africa is a developing country; thus, there are many infrastructure development projects. The construction industry is an important industry in the South African economy because of its contribution to employment and infrastructure development. Improving the happiness levels of the construction workers will improve the quality of work produced in the industry as well as reduce the costs that are associated with unproductive employees. Happy employees are innovative and engaged in work. The primary data were collected from a Construction Company in Cape Town. The Questionnaire was developed from the literature on happiness studies. Questionnaires were printed from Question Pro and circulated to the employees. 165 employees successfully completed the survey. A conceptual model was developed and exploratory factor analysis was used to test the model. The results indicate that influence in the workplace, workplace relationships, satisfaction with work-life balance, purpose, optimism, work satisfaction, leisure, SA Pride and trust were some of the variables which positively influences Happiness in the construction industry. The results of this study further indicate that South African construction workers are generally happy. Construction workers generally do not trust the government and management.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
He says, she says: ecosystem services and gender among indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon
- Cruz-Garcia, Gisella S, Cubillos, Martha V, Torres-Vitolas, Carlos, Harvey, Celia A, Shackleton, Charlie M, Schreckenberg, Kate, Willcock, Simon, Navarrete-Frías, Carolina, Sachet, Erwan
- Authors: Cruz-Garcia, Gisella S , Cubillos, Martha V , Torres-Vitolas, Carlos , Harvey, Celia A , Shackleton, Charlie M , Schreckenberg, Kate , Willcock, Simon , Navarrete-Frías, Carolina , Sachet, Erwan
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: South Africa To be catalogued 1836-1909 Maps
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/179627 , vital:43128 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2019.100921"
- Description: Although it has been hypothesized that men and women vary in the way they value ecosystem services, research on ecosystem services rarely incorporates a gender dimension. We conducted research with nine indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon to understand which ecosystem services men and women perceive as most important for their wellbeing and to rank them according to locally-defined criteria of importance. Participants identified a total of 26 ecosystem services and 20 different ranking criteria. Ecosystem services such as land for agricultural fields (a supporting service), and provision of fish and medicinal plants were equally important for both men and women. Wild fruits and resources to make handicrafts were more frequently mentioned by women, whereas timber, materials for making tools and coca leaves were more frequently mentioned by men. There were also differences in the criteria used to value ecosystem services, with 11 criteria mentioned by both men and women, five mentioned exclusively by women and another four only by men. Our results suggest that taking gender differences into account in ecosystem services assessments may result in the prioritization of different services in conservation and sustainable development programs, and may lead to different outcomes for ecosystem service provision and local livelihoods.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Cruz-Garcia, Gisella S , Cubillos, Martha V , Torres-Vitolas, Carlos , Harvey, Celia A , Shackleton, Charlie M , Schreckenberg, Kate , Willcock, Simon , Navarrete-Frías, Carolina , Sachet, Erwan
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: South Africa To be catalogued 1836-1909 Maps
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/179627 , vital:43128 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2019.100921"
- Description: Although it has been hypothesized that men and women vary in the way they value ecosystem services, research on ecosystem services rarely incorporates a gender dimension. We conducted research with nine indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon to understand which ecosystem services men and women perceive as most important for their wellbeing and to rank them according to locally-defined criteria of importance. Participants identified a total of 26 ecosystem services and 20 different ranking criteria. Ecosystem services such as land for agricultural fields (a supporting service), and provision of fish and medicinal plants were equally important for both men and women. Wild fruits and resources to make handicrafts were more frequently mentioned by women, whereas timber, materials for making tools and coca leaves were more frequently mentioned by men. There were also differences in the criteria used to value ecosystem services, with 11 criteria mentioned by both men and women, five mentioned exclusively by women and another four only by men. Our results suggest that taking gender differences into account in ecosystem services assessments may result in the prioritization of different services in conservation and sustainable development programs, and may lead to different outcomes for ecosystem service provision and local livelihoods.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Health literacy test for limited literacy populations (HELT-LL): validation in South Africa
- Marimwe, Chipiwa, Dowse, Roslind
- Authors: Marimwe, Chipiwa , Dowse, Roslind
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/156652 , vital:40035 , https://doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2019.1650417
- Description: The majority of health literacy measures emanate from high-income countries and are inappropriate for use in limited literacy individuals who are usually excluded from participation in health literacy studies. There is currently no appropriate health literacy measure for the educationally diverse South African population. This study, which reports the validation of the Health Literacy Test for Limited Literacy individuals (HELT-LL), was conducted in primary health-care clinics with 210 isiXhosa-speaking patients with a maximum of 12 years of schooling. The HELT-LL has varied cognitive demands, assesses functional literacy skills as well as local burden of disease knowledge, and also includes self-reported questions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Marimwe, Chipiwa , Dowse, Roslind
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/156652 , vital:40035 , https://doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2019.1650417
- Description: The majority of health literacy measures emanate from high-income countries and are inappropriate for use in limited literacy individuals who are usually excluded from participation in health literacy studies. There is currently no appropriate health literacy measure for the educationally diverse South African population. This study, which reports the validation of the Health Literacy Test for Limited Literacy individuals (HELT-LL), was conducted in primary health-care clinics with 210 isiXhosa-speaking patients with a maximum of 12 years of schooling. The HELT-LL has varied cognitive demands, assesses functional literacy skills as well as local burden of disease knowledge, and also includes self-reported questions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Hearing silenced voices: a learning-centred approach to sustainable land rehabilitation and natural resource management
- Authors: Wolff, Margaret Gascoyne
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Watershed management -- South Africa -- Citizen participation , Water-supply -- Management -- Citizen participation , Environmental education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/94958 , vital:31101
- Description: South Africa is a semi-arid country with dysfunctional water management. The National Water Act encourages integrated water resource management and public participation in contributing to strategies for managing water within delineated areas. Various challenges hamper progress of integrated water resource management and meaningful participation by residents in catchments across the country. One of the challenges is the lack of knowledge about their role in water resource management. By viewing catchments as complex social-ecological systems, this case study investigates how to establish a learning-centred approach to catchment management forum (CMF) formation. The study addressed three sub-questions: What activity systems need to be prioritised for community participation in CMF formation? What existing learning can be identified within the activity systems? What are the sources for expansive social learning in and between the activity systems? The study draws on social learning theory, and on cultural historical activity theory as it offers a methodological approach to identifying a learning-centred approach to learning in a catchment context. Drawing on this theoretical framework, for research question 1, I identified five activity systems that are present in the study area, are partly representative of the people who live in the area, and are linked to land and water governance either through their positions as government employees within the sector, or the NLEIP in ways that influence communities’ lives and livelihoods. To address question 2, I ran learning-centred workshops and interviewed people who lived in the study area. Careful, respectful listening and participants’ use of home language created the safe space in which residents revealed that they know which water resources are important to protect and where breakdowns in communication happen. For question 3, I analysed the data from the workshops and interviews using a cultural historical activity theory framework to identify discursive manifestations of contradictions within and between activity systems which illuminate the potential for expansive social learning. This study recommends developing an understanding of the complex social-ecological context and prioritising co-learning and community participation in a learning-centred approach to catchment management forum formation. For this, there is need to develop in-depth insight into activity systems associated with water governance in local contexts. In this study I identified five of these activity systems, but the study points to a further range of activity systems that need to be considered for a learning-centred approach to be fully established. The study also found that communities are learning via engaging in the rehabilitation work, through engagements in workshops and within the municipal structures. Additionally, the study identified a number of contradictions that can provide sources of learning for taking an expansive learning approach further in CMF formation. Such an approach may provide the space to build bridges of trust between diverse knowledge systems, and has the potential to encourage sustainable co-operation in natural resource management.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Wolff, Margaret Gascoyne
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Watershed management -- South Africa -- Citizen participation , Water-supply -- Management -- Citizen participation , Environmental education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/94958 , vital:31101
- Description: South Africa is a semi-arid country with dysfunctional water management. The National Water Act encourages integrated water resource management and public participation in contributing to strategies for managing water within delineated areas. Various challenges hamper progress of integrated water resource management and meaningful participation by residents in catchments across the country. One of the challenges is the lack of knowledge about their role in water resource management. By viewing catchments as complex social-ecological systems, this case study investigates how to establish a learning-centred approach to catchment management forum (CMF) formation. The study addressed three sub-questions: What activity systems need to be prioritised for community participation in CMF formation? What existing learning can be identified within the activity systems? What are the sources for expansive social learning in and between the activity systems? The study draws on social learning theory, and on cultural historical activity theory as it offers a methodological approach to identifying a learning-centred approach to learning in a catchment context. Drawing on this theoretical framework, for research question 1, I identified five activity systems that are present in the study area, are partly representative of the people who live in the area, and are linked to land and water governance either through their positions as government employees within the sector, or the NLEIP in ways that influence communities’ lives and livelihoods. To address question 2, I ran learning-centred workshops and interviewed people who lived in the study area. Careful, respectful listening and participants’ use of home language created the safe space in which residents revealed that they know which water resources are important to protect and where breakdowns in communication happen. For question 3, I analysed the data from the workshops and interviews using a cultural historical activity theory framework to identify discursive manifestations of contradictions within and between activity systems which illuminate the potential for expansive social learning. This study recommends developing an understanding of the complex social-ecological context and prioritising co-learning and community participation in a learning-centred approach to catchment management forum formation. For this, there is need to develop in-depth insight into activity systems associated with water governance in local contexts. In this study I identified five of these activity systems, but the study points to a further range of activity systems that need to be considered for a learning-centred approach to be fully established. The study also found that communities are learning via engaging in the rehabilitation work, through engagements in workshops and within the municipal structures. Additionally, the study identified a number of contradictions that can provide sources of learning for taking an expansive learning approach further in CMF formation. Such an approach may provide the space to build bridges of trust between diverse knowledge systems, and has the potential to encourage sustainable co-operation in natural resource management.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
High throughput screening, docking, and molecular dynamics studies to identify potential inhibitors of human calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV
- Beg, Anam, Khan, Faez I, Lobb, Kevin A, Islam, Asimul, Ahmad, Faizan, Hassan, M Imtaiyaz
- Authors: Beg, Anam , Khan, Faez I , Lobb, Kevin A , Islam, Asimul , Ahmad, Faizan , Hassan, M Imtaiyaz
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/${Handle} , vital:74587 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2018.1479310"
- Description: Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (CAMKIV) is associated with many diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders and thus being considered as a potential drug target. Here, we have employed the knowledge of three-dimensional structure of CAMKIV to identify new inhibitors for possible therapeutic intervention. We have employed virtual high throughput screening of 12,500 natural compounds of Zinc database to screen the best possible inhibitors of CAMKIV. Subsequently, 40 compounds which showed significant docking scores (−11.6 to −10.0 kcal/mol) were selected and further filtered through Lipinski rule and drug likeness parameter to get best inhibitors of CAMKIV. Docking results are indicating that ligands are binding to the hydrophobic cavity of the kinase domain of CAMKIV and forming a significant number of non-covalent interactions. Four compounds, ZINC02098378, ZINC12866674, ZINC04293413, and ZINC13403020, showing excellent binding affinity and drug likeness were subjected to molecular dynamics simulation to evaluate their mechanism of interaction and stability of protein-ligand complex. Our observations clearly suggesting that these selected ligands may be further employed for therapeutic intervention to address CAMKIV associated diseases.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Beg, Anam , Khan, Faez I , Lobb, Kevin A , Islam, Asimul , Ahmad, Faizan , Hassan, M Imtaiyaz
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/${Handle} , vital:74587 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2018.1479310"
- Description: Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (CAMKIV) is associated with many diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders and thus being considered as a potential drug target. Here, we have employed the knowledge of three-dimensional structure of CAMKIV to identify new inhibitors for possible therapeutic intervention. We have employed virtual high throughput screening of 12,500 natural compounds of Zinc database to screen the best possible inhibitors of CAMKIV. Subsequently, 40 compounds which showed significant docking scores (−11.6 to −10.0 kcal/mol) were selected and further filtered through Lipinski rule and drug likeness parameter to get best inhibitors of CAMKIV. Docking results are indicating that ligands are binding to the hydrophobic cavity of the kinase domain of CAMKIV and forming a significant number of non-covalent interactions. Four compounds, ZINC02098378, ZINC12866674, ZINC04293413, and ZINC13403020, showing excellent binding affinity and drug likeness were subjected to molecular dynamics simulation to evaluate their mechanism of interaction and stability of protein-ligand complex. Our observations clearly suggesting that these selected ligands may be further employed for therapeutic intervention to address CAMKIV associated diseases.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
HIV-related stigma in rural areas: a case of citrus farm workers based in Addo community in Eastern Cape
- Authors: Mazorodze, Tasara
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Stigma (Social psychology) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Discrimination -- Psychology HIV infections -- Psychology AIDS (Disease) -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/41526 , vital:36501
- Description: While South Africa has recently joined the rest of the world in the race to achieve an AIDS free generation by the year of 2030, little has been done to develop the scientific interventions that address HIV-related stigma, which is one of the major barriers to the fight against HIV. To the researcher’s knowledge, this is the first study in the South African context that seeks to assess the forms of HIV- related stigma in a local context and in a rural area in particular, where HIV related stigma research and interventions remains scant. This study acknowledges the dynamic, unique, multidimensional and sensitive nature of HIV-related stigma and, therefore, an explanatory mixed approach enabled the researcher to provide a comprehensive assessment of HIV-related stigma amongst the citrus farm workers who are based in Addo, Eastern Cape. Quantitative data was collected from 200 participants across five farms, whereas 50 employees across the 5 farms were also selected to take part in the focus group discussions. An assessment of the reliability and validity of local HIV-related stigma scales (Kalichman et al., 2005 personal stigma scale-English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans version and Visser et al. 2008 personal and attributed stigma scale-English version) and the UNAIDS (2012) HIV knowledge scale was conducted. The assessment showed that the reliability of these scales of measurement tend to vary according to context. In this study, the Kalichman et al., (2005) personal stigma scale (English version) scored a weaker reliability score (alpha=0.58). Thus, as the scale is not reliable for the rural context, it was not considered. Furthermore, quantitative findings show that citrus farm workers are characterised by lack of/ little knowledge about HIV, which results in the stigmatisation of people who are HIV positive in the form of symbolic, instrumental, personal and attributed stigma, as well as a fear of HIV disclosure. Findings also revealed that participants who display a high personal stigma score are likely to display a high attributed stigma score (r=0.47, p<0.00). This confirm the assumption of social identity theory that people tend to use stigma as a ‘protective function’ to protect their identity by labelling other people as ‘’deviant’ or ‘stigmatising’. This finding is particularly relevant in that it reveals that, while many people are aware that stigmatising people with HIV is not morally acceptable, they rather attribute stigmatising attitudes to their communities. Thus future studies need to consider emphasising the assessment of attributed stigma in a rural context. Quantitative findings also revealed that the effect of the following demographic variables, namely race (F=20.1, p=0.00), marital status (F=3.58, p=0.00), religion (F=7.17, p=0.03) and education (F=2.63, p=0.03) on HIV-related stigma was statistically significant. This provides proof that HIV-related interventions that were developed for the Addo community need to consider the above-mentioned demographics variables. The qualitative findings provided an in-depth analysis of the key quantitative findings. A lack of knowledge about HIV among participants was further confirmed by the following themes that were common during focus group discussions: misconceptions about HIV transmission and prevention; false beliefs that healthy looking people cannot have HIV; HIV symptoms are clearly visible; and HIV can be transmitted through contact with people who are HIV positive. Possible causes of HIV-related stigma as revealed by the qualitative findings include; fear of death; the belief that HIV is a punishment for bad behaviour; and the fear of being isolated and rejected. The qualitative approach revealed other forms of HIV-related stigma that were not common in the quantitative studynamely; healthcare, employment and verbal stigma. The focus group discussions revealed the major reasons why a large number of the farm works may be reluctant to disclose their status, namely fear of the unknown and attributed stigma. The study concluded by offering recommendations for the designing and tailoring of HIV-related interventions in the rural context and in the citrus sector in particular.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mazorodze, Tasara
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Stigma (Social psychology) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Discrimination -- Psychology HIV infections -- Psychology AIDS (Disease) -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/41526 , vital:36501
- Description: While South Africa has recently joined the rest of the world in the race to achieve an AIDS free generation by the year of 2030, little has been done to develop the scientific interventions that address HIV-related stigma, which is one of the major barriers to the fight against HIV. To the researcher’s knowledge, this is the first study in the South African context that seeks to assess the forms of HIV- related stigma in a local context and in a rural area in particular, where HIV related stigma research and interventions remains scant. This study acknowledges the dynamic, unique, multidimensional and sensitive nature of HIV-related stigma and, therefore, an explanatory mixed approach enabled the researcher to provide a comprehensive assessment of HIV-related stigma amongst the citrus farm workers who are based in Addo, Eastern Cape. Quantitative data was collected from 200 participants across five farms, whereas 50 employees across the 5 farms were also selected to take part in the focus group discussions. An assessment of the reliability and validity of local HIV-related stigma scales (Kalichman et al., 2005 personal stigma scale-English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans version and Visser et al. 2008 personal and attributed stigma scale-English version) and the UNAIDS (2012) HIV knowledge scale was conducted. The assessment showed that the reliability of these scales of measurement tend to vary according to context. In this study, the Kalichman et al., (2005) personal stigma scale (English version) scored a weaker reliability score (alpha=0.58). Thus, as the scale is not reliable for the rural context, it was not considered. Furthermore, quantitative findings show that citrus farm workers are characterised by lack of/ little knowledge about HIV, which results in the stigmatisation of people who are HIV positive in the form of symbolic, instrumental, personal and attributed stigma, as well as a fear of HIV disclosure. Findings also revealed that participants who display a high personal stigma score are likely to display a high attributed stigma score (r=0.47, p<0.00). This confirm the assumption of social identity theory that people tend to use stigma as a ‘protective function’ to protect their identity by labelling other people as ‘’deviant’ or ‘stigmatising’. This finding is particularly relevant in that it reveals that, while many people are aware that stigmatising people with HIV is not morally acceptable, they rather attribute stigmatising attitudes to their communities. Thus future studies need to consider emphasising the assessment of attributed stigma in a rural context. Quantitative findings also revealed that the effect of the following demographic variables, namely race (F=20.1, p=0.00), marital status (F=3.58, p=0.00), religion (F=7.17, p=0.03) and education (F=2.63, p=0.03) on HIV-related stigma was statistically significant. This provides proof that HIV-related interventions that were developed for the Addo community need to consider the above-mentioned demographics variables. The qualitative findings provided an in-depth analysis of the key quantitative findings. A lack of knowledge about HIV among participants was further confirmed by the following themes that were common during focus group discussions: misconceptions about HIV transmission and prevention; false beliefs that healthy looking people cannot have HIV; HIV symptoms are clearly visible; and HIV can be transmitted through contact with people who are HIV positive. Possible causes of HIV-related stigma as revealed by the qualitative findings include; fear of death; the belief that HIV is a punishment for bad behaviour; and the fear of being isolated and rejected. The qualitative approach revealed other forms of HIV-related stigma that were not common in the quantitative studynamely; healthcare, employment and verbal stigma. The focus group discussions revealed the major reasons why a large number of the farm works may be reluctant to disclose their status, namely fear of the unknown and attributed stigma. The study concluded by offering recommendations for the designing and tailoring of HIV-related interventions in the rural context and in the citrus sector in particular.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
How do urban dwellers identify with features within urban green spaces in the Eastern Cape?
- Authors: Manyani, Amanda
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Land use, Urban -- South Africa , Greenbelts -- South Africa , City planning -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/95596 , vital:31174
- Description: Public urban green spaces contain natural and artificial features which play crucial roles in supporting urban social-ecological systems, a fact now recognized globally. The various natural and artificial features contained in public urban green spaces are said to be key contributors to the quality of life and well-being of urban dwellers. Nevertheless, this has been largely ignored in urban design in South Africa, especially in the poorer township and Reconstruction Development Program (RDP) areas. At the individual household and community levels within the poorer communities, the provision of green spaces and trees, as well as recreation facilities, is well below world standards, and much less than what is available in the more affluent areas of South African towns. Additionally, most research on the links between nature and human well-being in urban contexts comes from developed world contexts which adopt a westernized view of the relationship. Yet, in many societies of the Global South, including South Africa, worldviews and experiences of nature in green spaces and use of other recreational features takes on different meanings to those of the Global North. To show these differences, a combination of methods was used in this study, different types of green spaces were assessed and evaluated by structured observations so as to record the features present within the spaces. A survey of 360 households was conducted by targeting green space users and households within 100 metres from a green space. Results indicated that, across all the green space types, formal green spaces had a low cover of shrubs, trees and herbs whilst having high lawn cover. Furthermore, vegetation had poor rating across all the green spaces since the vegetation was either overgrown herbs, dense thickets of shrubs and mostly alien trees that were either diseased or forked. Similar to the disparity in the composition and structure of vegetation within the green spaces, there was a wide variability in the composition of recreational features and amenities across the green spaces. The formal green spaces had the most amenities like play equipment, shelter and seating. Informal green spaces and commonages had little or no recreational features available. The attributes of these spaces therefore influenced the reasons for visiting as more than 90 % of the respondents simply used the spaces for transit. With regards to attitudes and preferences towards particular features, they were emerging sense of strong negative feelings towards natural features. Most respondents emphasized the need for green spaces that are well laid out with maintained lawns, recreational facilities and open vegetation. Thus, the current design and available features within the studied urban green spaces do not meet local needs and aspirations and thus do not contribute to better well-being and quality of life as much as they could. Specifically, the various health benefits linked with being in contact with nature in the public green spaces were not evident in this study. The South African specific context in green space use, perception and people’s preferences is thus crucial for urban planning and sustainability.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Manyani, Amanda
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Land use, Urban -- South Africa , Greenbelts -- South Africa , City planning -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/95596 , vital:31174
- Description: Public urban green spaces contain natural and artificial features which play crucial roles in supporting urban social-ecological systems, a fact now recognized globally. The various natural and artificial features contained in public urban green spaces are said to be key contributors to the quality of life and well-being of urban dwellers. Nevertheless, this has been largely ignored in urban design in South Africa, especially in the poorer township and Reconstruction Development Program (RDP) areas. At the individual household and community levels within the poorer communities, the provision of green spaces and trees, as well as recreation facilities, is well below world standards, and much less than what is available in the more affluent areas of South African towns. Additionally, most research on the links between nature and human well-being in urban contexts comes from developed world contexts which adopt a westernized view of the relationship. Yet, in many societies of the Global South, including South Africa, worldviews and experiences of nature in green spaces and use of other recreational features takes on different meanings to those of the Global North. To show these differences, a combination of methods was used in this study, different types of green spaces were assessed and evaluated by structured observations so as to record the features present within the spaces. A survey of 360 households was conducted by targeting green space users and households within 100 metres from a green space. Results indicated that, across all the green space types, formal green spaces had a low cover of shrubs, trees and herbs whilst having high lawn cover. Furthermore, vegetation had poor rating across all the green spaces since the vegetation was either overgrown herbs, dense thickets of shrubs and mostly alien trees that were either diseased or forked. Similar to the disparity in the composition and structure of vegetation within the green spaces, there was a wide variability in the composition of recreational features and amenities across the green spaces. The formal green spaces had the most amenities like play equipment, shelter and seating. Informal green spaces and commonages had little or no recreational features available. The attributes of these spaces therefore influenced the reasons for visiting as more than 90 % of the respondents simply used the spaces for transit. With regards to attitudes and preferences towards particular features, they were emerging sense of strong negative feelings towards natural features. Most respondents emphasized the need for green spaces that are well laid out with maintained lawns, recreational facilities and open vegetation. Thus, the current design and available features within the studied urban green spaces do not meet local needs and aspirations and thus do not contribute to better well-being and quality of life as much as they could. Specifically, the various health benefits linked with being in contact with nature in the public green spaces were not evident in this study. The South African specific context in green space use, perception and people’s preferences is thus crucial for urban planning and sustainability.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
How to engage with challenges facing Water and Sanitation Services (WSS) in small municipalities
- Clifford-Holmes, Jai K, Carnohan, Shane, Slinger, Jill W, Palmer, Carolyn G
- Authors: Clifford-Holmes, Jai K , Carnohan, Shane , Slinger, Jill W , Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437869 , vital:73418 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0988-0 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP 120-18 web.pdf
- Description: Smaller South African municipalities have many urgent calls on their resources AT THE SAME TIME. • The need to pay salaries is sometimes more important than other concerns. • It is not always clear how different problems affect each other. • It is difficult to decide what to do each day. • There are always urgent crises to attend to. • There are many meetings to attend. • Operational and political priorities can be different. Thinking of, and talking about your municipality as a SYSTEM will help you to ACT in ways that reduce the impact of these issues. This handbook relates specifically to water and sanitation issues.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Clifford-Holmes, Jai K , Carnohan, Shane , Slinger, Jill W , Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437869 , vital:73418 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0988-0 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP 120-18 web.pdf
- Description: Smaller South African municipalities have many urgent calls on their resources AT THE SAME TIME. • The need to pay salaries is sometimes more important than other concerns. • It is not always clear how different problems affect each other. • It is difficult to decide what to do each day. • There are always urgent crises to attend to. • There are many meetings to attend. • Operational and political priorities can be different. Thinking of, and talking about your municipality as a SYSTEM will help you to ACT in ways that reduce the impact of these issues. This handbook relates specifically to water and sanitation issues.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
How to engage with coal mines through Catchment Management Forums
- Munnik, Victor, Holleman, Helen, Wolff, Margaret G, Palmer, Carolyn G
- Authors: Munnik, Victor , Holleman, Helen , Wolff, Margaret G , Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437882 , vital:73419 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0990-3 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP 122-18 web.pdf
- Description: This book was written for the catchment management forum (CMF) in the Upper Komati Forum (UKF), and they share their experience in order to help other CMFs understand the damage coal mining does to our water resources. This booklet should be used with How to think and act in ways that make Adaptive IWRM practically possible and How to establish and run a Catchment Management Forum.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Munnik, Victor , Holleman, Helen , Wolff, Margaret G , Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437882 , vital:73419 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0990-3 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP 122-18 web.pdf
- Description: This book was written for the catchment management forum (CMF) in the Upper Komati Forum (UKF), and they share their experience in order to help other CMFs understand the damage coal mining does to our water resources. This booklet should be used with How to think and act in ways that make Adaptive IWRM practically possible and How to establish and run a Catchment Management Forum.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
How to manage water quantity and water quality together
- Retief, Hugo, Holleman, Helen, Palmer, Carolyn G
- Authors: Retief, Hugo , Holleman, Helen , Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437907 , vital:73421 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0987-3 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP%20119-18%20web.pdf
- Description: All over the world water resources are under pressure due to over-use and pollution, and finding ways to meet the need for water is becoming increasingly difficult. Nat-ural variation in rainfall also contributes to making planning and management of flow and water quality, and especially these together, complex and difficult. People have realised that it is important to consider many factors when managing water – they call this Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM). Integrating many factors is in line with the ideas that all the “How to” handbooks are based on. Please do read the foundation handbook: “How to think and act in ways that make Adap-tive IWRM practically possible”. In this handbook we consider how to integrate flow and water quality. Although some writers think taking account of all the many fac-tors is too difficult, others – including the authors of this handbook – believe it is essential to try if we want to find the balance between use and protection. IWRM also recognises that it is vital to involve stakeholders in decision-making if protec-tion of our water resources is going to be successful.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Retief, Hugo , Holleman, Helen , Palmer, Carolyn G
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437907 , vital:73421 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0987-3 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP%20119-18%20web.pdf
- Description: All over the world water resources are under pressure due to over-use and pollution, and finding ways to meet the need for water is becoming increasingly difficult. Nat-ural variation in rainfall also contributes to making planning and management of flow and water quality, and especially these together, complex and difficult. People have realised that it is important to consider many factors when managing water – they call this Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM). Integrating many factors is in line with the ideas that all the “How to” handbooks are based on. Please do read the foundation handbook: “How to think and act in ways that make Adap-tive IWRM practically possible”. In this handbook we consider how to integrate flow and water quality. Although some writers think taking account of all the many fac-tors is too difficult, others – including the authors of this handbook – believe it is essential to try if we want to find the balance between use and protection. IWRM also recognises that it is vital to involve stakeholders in decision-making if protec-tion of our water resources is going to be successful.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
How to think and act in ways that make Adaptive IWRM practically possible
- Palmer, Carolyn G, Biggs, Harry, Rogers, Kevin H, du Toit, Derick, Pollard, Sharon
- Authors: Palmer, Carolyn G , Biggs, Harry , Rogers, Kevin H , du Toit, Derick , Pollard, Sharon
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437937 , vital:73423 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0984-2 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP 116-18 web.pdf
- Description: “We cross the river by feeling the stones with our feet” (Chinese proverb). Most of the ideas in this handbook you already know from living your life. Here we put your everyday experience and knowledge into the language of managing water. In the last twenty years, there has been a lot of talk about new ways to make Integrated Water Resource Management or “IWRM” work, but not nearly as much useful knowledge about how to put those ideas into practice. We now know how to use a set of ideas and ways of understanding that help us to make IWRM really work prac-tically. We call this practical way of working: Adaptive IWRM. This is the first in a series of handbooks to come out of a WRC project Practising Adaptive IWRM (Inte-grated Water Resource Management (IWRM) in South Africa: towards practising a new paradigm* [TPNP]). The TPNP project researchers have had experience with many different situations in southern Africa, where people have grappled* with put-ting the ideas of complexity* and integration into practice.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Palmer, Carolyn G , Biggs, Harry , Rogers, Kevin H , du Toit, Derick , Pollard, Sharon
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437937 , vital:73423 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0984-2 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP 116-18 web.pdf
- Description: “We cross the river by feeling the stones with our feet” (Chinese proverb). Most of the ideas in this handbook you already know from living your life. Here we put your everyday experience and knowledge into the language of managing water. In the last twenty years, there has been a lot of talk about new ways to make Integrated Water Resource Management or “IWRM” work, but not nearly as much useful knowledge about how to put those ideas into practice. We now know how to use a set of ideas and ways of understanding that help us to make IWRM really work prac-tically. We call this practical way of working: Adaptive IWRM. This is the first in a series of handbooks to come out of a WRC project Practising Adaptive IWRM (Inte-grated Water Resource Management (IWRM) in South Africa: towards practising a new paradigm* [TPNP]). The TPNP project researchers have had experience with many different situations in southern Africa, where people have grappled* with put-ting the ideas of complexity* and integration into practice.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
How to use Strategic Adaptive Management (SAM) and the Adaptive Planning Process (APP) to build a shared catchment future
- Palmer, Carolyn G, Rogers, Kevin H, Holleman, Helen, Wolff, Margaret G
- Authors: Palmer, Carolyn G , Rogers, Kevin H , Holleman, Helen , Wolff, Margaret G
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437965 , vital:73425 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0991-0 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP 123-18 web.pdf
- Description: For members of Catchment Management Forums (CMFs) and Catchment Manage-ment Agencies (CMAs). CMFs are made up of people who represent all the stake-holders in a catchment. They are the people who know the catchment best, and therefore are in the best position to alert CMAs to local issues and to help develop the strategic plans for their local catchment. However, catchments are dynamic*, complex* systems that need a special planning approach – and that is what this handbook is about. If one part of a catchment is neglected and damaged, it affects the whole system and everyone living in it. We use and recommend a flexible, adap-tive approach in which everyone involved in the planning is both a teacher and a learner, and where everyone contributes their special wisdom to developing a sustainable plan for the catchment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Palmer, Carolyn G , Rogers, Kevin H , Holleman, Helen , Wolff, Margaret G
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , report
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437965 , vital:73425 , ISBN 978-1 4312-0991-0 , https://wrcwebsite.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SP 123-18 web.pdf
- Description: For members of Catchment Management Forums (CMFs) and Catchment Manage-ment Agencies (CMAs). CMFs are made up of people who represent all the stake-holders in a catchment. They are the people who know the catchment best, and therefore are in the best position to alert CMAs to local issues and to help develop the strategic plans for their local catchment. However, catchments are dynamic*, complex* systems that need a special planning approach – and that is what this handbook is about. If one part of a catchment is neglected and damaged, it affects the whole system and everyone living in it. We use and recommend a flexible, adap-tive approach in which everyone involved in the planning is both a teacher and a learner, and where everyone contributes their special wisdom to developing a sustainable plan for the catchment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Human resources competencies, employability and career success in South Africa: reflections of a sample of senior human resource practitioners
- Hlatywayo, Clifford Kendrick
- Authors: Hlatywayo, Clifford Kendrick
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Personnel management Career development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Industrial Psychology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13474 , vital:39671
- Description: Orientation: The research was a reflection on the careers of senior human resources (HR) personnel registered with the SABPP as master or chartered human resources practitioners. The study identified the human resources competencies in South Africa which are attributed to employability and subsequently career success; the study also tested the applicability of the competency model proposed by the SABPP. Purpose: The study explored human resource competencies, employability and career success in South Africa. It targeted participants registered as master or chartered practitioners with the SABPP. As human resource management is professionalising, there is a need to align the requirements of the profession to what the stakeholders (employers, universities, graduates and professional bodies) require. Without a set baseline for competencies which are instrumental to human resource employability and career success, it becomes challenging to identify human resource shortcomings in the workplace. Method: The study made use of an interpretive orientation. This interpretivist approach was adopted for two reasons – it could provide useful insight to human resource employability and secondly, to gain insight into the experiences of participants. Purposive sampling was used to solicit participants as the researcher decided to select practitioners registered as master or chartered HR professionals with the SABPP. In the study, 35 practitioner interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data and themes were derived from this. Main findings: The study identified: Volunteering; Work experience; Internships; Networking; Recommendations; Easy access to job market; Extracurricular activities; Resilience; Research; Having the right qualification; Recruitment agencies; Creativity; Further education; Willingness to learn; Attitude; Work ethic; Equity legislation; Work readiness; Passion for the job; Emotional intelligence; Personality; Positive psychology; Critical thinking; Emotional maturity; Behavioural competencies; Emotional intelligence; Technology; Entrepreneurial orientation; Technology and Entrepreneurial orientation as the factors which make one employable. Lack of work experience, Lack of jobs, Expectations of the world of work, Flooded market and No right qualification for HR professionals were identified as factors which make one unemployable. The competencies which are essential for HR employability and career success were identified. The meaning of career success for human resource practitioners was identified as: contribution to strategy. Being entrepreneurial, enjoying what one does, support from organisation, mastering HR competencies, income, v career planning and career were the themes identified to infer the meaning of career success. Areas of dissatisfaction were also identified from practitioners as: being underutilised; lack of a concise career path; always greener ‘on the other side’; monetary dissatisfaction; glass ceiling; and lack of contribution to strategy. After the SABPP model had been introduced, it enhanced organisation efficiency and guidance to HR strategy. It was used by practitioners to meet organisation objectives and to set objectives for personal development; however, in some organisations, the model was yet to be implemented and the public sector was putting in place a framework to be in line with the SABPP competency model. Some had no model in place and thus there was no impact on such organisations’. With regards to the competency model, its applicability to the human resource context and its shortcomings were deliberated upon. Practitioners gave their opinions of the applicability of the SABPP competency model: Model lays a solid foundation for HR as the Model justifies HR to the boardroom; Model covers all essential HR competencies. However, the model was also criticised as it was: too academic, lacked personal characteristics; nothing new here and it is relatively unknown by other practitioners. Practitioners also identified competencies they regarded as key: these were classified as traditional, modern and behavioural. Lastly, practitioners suggested competencies they think must be added into the SABPP competency model: the human touch; work ethic; love for people, passion for the profession, personality, emotional intelligence, attitude, behavioural competencies, positive psychology and arithmetic numeracy were identified as key items to be added. Human resource practitioners were content with the state of the model; the general weakness was the omission of personal attributes which are crucial for effective performance within the HR profession. Contribution: The study is a step towards enhancing sector-specific employability. In attaining employability, the generic skills, which are crucial, have to be cemented by disciplinespecific knowledge. Attaining a mark of 65% and above is a reflection of trainability of a job seeker. The meaning of career success is derived from the areas of dissatisfaction and satisfaction of practitioners. HR practitioners value contribution to strategy and are acknowledged for what they are doing. The legal framework in South Africa hinders career progression. There are 12 traits (networking, positive psychology, interpersonal strength, human touch, work ethic, love for people, passion for the profession, personality, emotional intelligence, arithmetic competency, attitude, behavioural competencies and being vi entrepreneurial) which are essential for effective performance which must be incorporated in the SABPP competency model. From the study, HR must go back to basics, master the basics and in doing so, create a solid foundation for HR ascendancy to the boardroom Managerial implication The implications of the study are synonymous to universities and the HR curriculum, the professional body and the future HR professional. HR graduate employability links labour market requirements to higher education. Higher education offers HR degrees for candidates who are willing to work in HR. The study is a contribution to the global professionalisation of human resource management. South Africa is setting the trend as the SABPP is actively involved in the certification of human resource curricula, setting standards and providing a sound code of ethics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Hlatywayo, Clifford Kendrick
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Personnel management Career development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Industrial Psychology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13474 , vital:39671
- Description: Orientation: The research was a reflection on the careers of senior human resources (HR) personnel registered with the SABPP as master or chartered human resources practitioners. The study identified the human resources competencies in South Africa which are attributed to employability and subsequently career success; the study also tested the applicability of the competency model proposed by the SABPP. Purpose: The study explored human resource competencies, employability and career success in South Africa. It targeted participants registered as master or chartered practitioners with the SABPP. As human resource management is professionalising, there is a need to align the requirements of the profession to what the stakeholders (employers, universities, graduates and professional bodies) require. Without a set baseline for competencies which are instrumental to human resource employability and career success, it becomes challenging to identify human resource shortcomings in the workplace. Method: The study made use of an interpretive orientation. This interpretivist approach was adopted for two reasons – it could provide useful insight to human resource employability and secondly, to gain insight into the experiences of participants. Purposive sampling was used to solicit participants as the researcher decided to select practitioners registered as master or chartered HR professionals with the SABPP. In the study, 35 practitioner interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data and themes were derived from this. Main findings: The study identified: Volunteering; Work experience; Internships; Networking; Recommendations; Easy access to job market; Extracurricular activities; Resilience; Research; Having the right qualification; Recruitment agencies; Creativity; Further education; Willingness to learn; Attitude; Work ethic; Equity legislation; Work readiness; Passion for the job; Emotional intelligence; Personality; Positive psychology; Critical thinking; Emotional maturity; Behavioural competencies; Emotional intelligence; Technology; Entrepreneurial orientation; Technology and Entrepreneurial orientation as the factors which make one employable. Lack of work experience, Lack of jobs, Expectations of the world of work, Flooded market and No right qualification for HR professionals were identified as factors which make one unemployable. The competencies which are essential for HR employability and career success were identified. The meaning of career success for human resource practitioners was identified as: contribution to strategy. Being entrepreneurial, enjoying what one does, support from organisation, mastering HR competencies, income, v career planning and career were the themes identified to infer the meaning of career success. Areas of dissatisfaction were also identified from practitioners as: being underutilised; lack of a concise career path; always greener ‘on the other side’; monetary dissatisfaction; glass ceiling; and lack of contribution to strategy. After the SABPP model had been introduced, it enhanced organisation efficiency and guidance to HR strategy. It was used by practitioners to meet organisation objectives and to set objectives for personal development; however, in some organisations, the model was yet to be implemented and the public sector was putting in place a framework to be in line with the SABPP competency model. Some had no model in place and thus there was no impact on such organisations’. With regards to the competency model, its applicability to the human resource context and its shortcomings were deliberated upon. Practitioners gave their opinions of the applicability of the SABPP competency model: Model lays a solid foundation for HR as the Model justifies HR to the boardroom; Model covers all essential HR competencies. However, the model was also criticised as it was: too academic, lacked personal characteristics; nothing new here and it is relatively unknown by other practitioners. Practitioners also identified competencies they regarded as key: these were classified as traditional, modern and behavioural. Lastly, practitioners suggested competencies they think must be added into the SABPP competency model: the human touch; work ethic; love for people, passion for the profession, personality, emotional intelligence, attitude, behavioural competencies, positive psychology and arithmetic numeracy were identified as key items to be added. Human resource practitioners were content with the state of the model; the general weakness was the omission of personal attributes which are crucial for effective performance within the HR profession. Contribution: The study is a step towards enhancing sector-specific employability. In attaining employability, the generic skills, which are crucial, have to be cemented by disciplinespecific knowledge. Attaining a mark of 65% and above is a reflection of trainability of a job seeker. The meaning of career success is derived from the areas of dissatisfaction and satisfaction of practitioners. HR practitioners value contribution to strategy and are acknowledged for what they are doing. The legal framework in South Africa hinders career progression. There are 12 traits (networking, positive psychology, interpersonal strength, human touch, work ethic, love for people, passion for the profession, personality, emotional intelligence, arithmetic competency, attitude, behavioural competencies and being vi entrepreneurial) which are essential for effective performance which must be incorporated in the SABPP competency model. From the study, HR must go back to basics, master the basics and in doing so, create a solid foundation for HR ascendancy to the boardroom Managerial implication The implications of the study are synonymous to universities and the HR curriculum, the professional body and the future HR professional. HR graduate employability links labour market requirements to higher education. Higher education offers HR degrees for candidates who are willing to work in HR. The study is a contribution to the global professionalisation of human resource management. South Africa is setting the trend as the SABPP is actively involved in the certification of human resource curricula, setting standards and providing a sound code of ethics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Humor, innovation, and competition in Jamaican music:
- Authors: Stanley Niaah, Sonjah
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146398 , vital:38522 , ISBN 9781351266628
- Description: Book abstract. An essential part of human expression, humor plays a role in all forms of art, and humorous and comedic aspects have always been part of popular music. For the first time, The Routledge Companion to Popular Music and Humor draws together scholarship exploring how the element of humor interacts with the artistic and social aspects of the musical experience. Discussing humor in popular music across eras from Tin Pan Alley to the present, and examining the role of humor in different musical genres, case studies of artists, and media forms, this volume is a groundbreaking collection that provides a go-to reference for scholars in music, popular culture, and media studies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Stanley Niaah, Sonjah
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146398 , vital:38522 , ISBN 9781351266628
- Description: Book abstract. An essential part of human expression, humor plays a role in all forms of art, and humorous and comedic aspects have always been part of popular music. For the first time, The Routledge Companion to Popular Music and Humor draws together scholarship exploring how the element of humor interacts with the artistic and social aspects of the musical experience. Discussing humor in popular music across eras from Tin Pan Alley to the present, and examining the role of humor in different musical genres, case studies of artists, and media forms, this volume is a groundbreaking collection that provides a go-to reference for scholars in music, popular culture, and media studies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
I want them to be confident, to build an argument: an exploration of the structure of knowledge and knowers in Political Studies
- Hlatshwayo, Mlamuli Nkosingphile
- Authors: Hlatshwayo, Mlamuli Nkosingphile
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Political science -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- Curricula -- South Africa , Rhodes University. Department of Political Studies
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/92392 , vital:30719
- Description: The 2015-2016 student movements in South African higher education sharply critique what was perceived to be the slow pace of institutional transformation and decolonisation in institutions of higher learning (see Badat, 2016; Heleta, 2016b; Mbembe, 2016). One of the academic fields that has come under scrutiny is Political Studies, which has been accused of being un-transformed, irrelevant and not reflecting local, indigenous scholarship in curricula or pedagogy (see for example Matthews, 2018; Mngomezulu & Hadebe, 2018; Tselapedi, 2016). Although this literature critiques neo-colonial predominance of western thought within the field, and the need to re-centre non-Western modes of being, thinking and intellectualising, I argue that this literature actually considers epistemologies without necessarily making a razor sharp critique at the underlying mechanisms and processes of Political Studies knowledge, and the extent to which it can be decolonised and transformed. It is on this gap that I make a contribution to the field.This study is positioned in the field of higher education decolonisation, with a specific focus on exploring knowledge and knower structures in Political Studies. I explore the various ways in which knowledge is valued and legitimated in the field of Political Studies by asking the “how” question – that is, how is knowledge legitimated in Political Studies? This includes a consideration of how the Postgraduate Diploma in International Studies (PDIS) programme, designed to promote and enable an “expert in African International Studies”, legitimates a certain kind of knower in the field. I employ Basil Bernstein’s pedagogic device as a theoretical foundation for exploring 1) what the field of Political Studies knowledge production looks like, 2) how knowledge is recontextualised from the field of production and into the PDIS curriculum, and 3), how that knowledge is legitimated and evaluated through the programnme’s assessment documents, and what they revel as valued and legitimate curriculum knowledge in the field. Karl Maton’s Legitimation Code theory (LCT), specifically Specialisation, is called upon to offer sharp analytical tools for investigating the underlying mechanisms and processes of the knower and knowledge structures that the programme legitimates. It particularly sheds some insight on the kinds of gazes that are valued in the field of Political Studies in general, and in the PDIS programme in particular. The case study for this research is Rhodes University, a historically white university which offered insight and contested history into the kinds of being, knowledges and knowers that were historically legitimated and valued in the institution, as well as the current institutional landscape, and challenges that the institution is grappling with. The data generation included the formally planned curriculum as contained in the programme’s curriculum documents. These included course outlines, seminar critiques, presentations, class participation; class discussions; essay questions and exams/exam portfolio. The data generation also included semi-structured interviews with the lecturers who were regarded as the “recontextualising agents”, who taught in the programme and who offered key insights on some of the curriculum choices regarding selection, pacing, sequencing and evaluation of the curriculum knowledge in the PDIS programme.This study revealed that that the PDIS programmes values and legitimates curriculum knowledge by ensuring that students have a critical understanding of African political economy, war and conflict on the African continent, as well as the challenges of peacekeeping and peace building in new and fragile African states. This was also seen in how the attributes and dispositions of knowers were also valued in how students needed to have social and cultural gazes in order to access the curriculum and to successfully participate as knowers in the field. This suggested that access to both curriculum knowledge and to being a valued knower in the field, could be said to be relatively open and unrestrictive. In this study, I first argue that looking critically at how Political Studies knowledge is recontextualised from the field of production and into the PDIS curriculum can be seen as a decolonising process as it enables us to see the underlying mechanisms and processes of how Political studies knowledge and knowers are valued and legitimated in the field. This offers us an insightful space to see to what extent the fields of production, recontextualisation, as well as reproduction of Political Studies in general, and the PDIS programme in particular, could be said to have a colonising gaze. It also offers insight on how we can go about exploring, transforming and decolonising Political Studies and the PDIS programme. Secondly, exploring the knowledge and knower structures of the PDIS programme can help curriculum designers, lecturers and students identify the knowledge and knower codes of the curriculum, and to critically reflect on their curriculum codes and how to enable epistemological access to students. Furthermore, this study can help lecturers and curriculum designers construct their curriculum in ways that are inclusive, open, and socially just, by being critically aware of the kind of knowledge that they choose to legitimate, and those they choose to disregard in their knowledge recontextualisation and its evaluation. , Unyaka wezi 2015-2016 wombhikisho wabafundi eningizimu afrika zemfundo ephakeme umcwaningi nokungabikhona kakhulu ukuthi kube kancane awuhambi zesikhungo kanye decolonisation ezikhungweni of higher learning (bheka badat, nowezi-2016; Heleta, 2016b; Mbembe, nowezi-2016). Enye yenkambu yezemfundo ephakeme ethe yaba ngaphansi kokuhlolisiswa kabanzi izifundo zezombusazwe, ebhekene nezingqinamba zokungashinsthi, ukungabi lusizo endaweni, ukungabi yisithombe somphakathi, nokukungangeneleli isifundo somdabu kwezemfundo noma i-pedagogy (bheka isibonelo Matthews, 2018; Mngomezulu & Hadebe, 2018; Tselapedi, nowezi-2016). Nakuba lo mbhalo ugxeka ineo-kholoni ikakhulukazi imicabango yasentshonalanga, nokudinga ukubuyekezwa indlela yokucabanga nobuhlakani okungasibo baseNtshonalanga. Ngiyaphikisana nokuthi lo mbhalo ubuyekeza i-epistomology ngempela ngaphandle kokucwaninga kabanzi ukusetsenziswa kobuhlakani nolwazi lwezemfundo yombusazwe, kanye nokwandisa izinguquko noshintsho. Ngizophonsa esivivaneni kulolu gebe olulapho. Lolu cwaningo lusesimeni sokwenza izinguquko kwinkundlazwelo yemfundo ephakeme, ikakhulu ukuhlola ulwazi kanye nezakhiwo ze-knower kwezemfundo yombusazwe. Ngibheka izindlela ezahlukene ngolwazi kanye nokuba semthethweni kwinkundlazwelo yezemfundo zombusazwe ngokubuza umbuzo “kanjani”-ngokuthi, ulwazi lubekwa kanjani ngokomthethwo wezemfundo yombusazwe? Lokhu kubandakanya inkokhelo yombuzo wokuthi kwenzakala kanjani ukuthi ipostgraduate Diploma in International Studies (pdis), yenzelwe ukukhuthaza kanye nokuba wumpetha kwi African International studies”, ukwenza semthethweni eminye yenkundlazwelo yama-knower. Ngisebenzisa ithiyori ya Basil Bernstein ukuhlola 1) Ibukeka kanjani inkundla yokuhkiqiza yezemfundo zezombusazwe, 2) ngolwazi lobuhlakani enkundleni lapho nasesikhathini uhlelo lwezemfundo PDIS yenza umkhiqizo kanye 3), futhi ukwazi ukuthi khona lusemthethweni uhlelo nokuhlola, nokuthi yini abayiveza ukuthi isemthethweni kwizifundo zolwazi. Ithiyori ka Karl matonâ legitimation code theory (lct), ikakhulu Specialisation, yiyona enganikeza kafuphi izinsiza zokuphenya indlela kanye nenqubo ye-knower kanye nolwazi lwesakhiwo esisemthethweni. Iveza kabanzi izindlela zokubheka ezisemqoka nezisematheni kwinkundla yezemfundo zombusazwe kanye nohlelo lwe PDIS ikakhulukazi Indawo lapho ngizoqhuba khona lolu cwaningo iNyuvesi yaseRhodes, ngokomlando iNyuvesi yabamhlophe enikezana ukuqonda nokuncintana komlando kokungena kwezinhlobo, ubuhlakani kanye nama-knower omlando osemthethweni kanye nokhethekile kulesi sikhungo, kanjalo ne-Landscape yesikhungo samanje, kanye nezinselelo lesi sikhungo sikahulumeni esibheke nazo. Idatha equkethwe ifaka izifundo ezihleliwe ngokomthetho njengokuba zitholakala ezifundweni ezihleliwe kumbhalo. Lokhu, kubandakanya isifundo esinye, amasemina abuyekeziwe, izethulo, nokubamba iqhaza ekilasini; izingxoxo zekilasi; imibuzo yendaba kanye nezivivinyo / nokuhlolwa kwezivivinyo. Idatha yesizukulwane iphinde ibandakanye izingxoxo ezihleliwe kanye nabafundisi abathathwa njengabantu abayizingcithabuchopho, abafundisiwe kulo mkhakha kanye naba neso ekukhethweni kwamanye amakharikhulamu abhekelele ukuhlunga, i-pacing, ukulandelela kanye nokuhlolwa kwekharikhulamu kulwazi lohlelo i-PDIS Lolu cwaningo ludalule ukuthi izinhlelo ze-PDIS zikubeka emqoka kanye nokubeka emthethweni ubuhlakani bekhurikhulamu ngokucophelela ukuthi abafundi bakuqonda ukubaluleka okulunzulu ngezomnotho wombusazwe wase Afrika, yimpi nokungqubuzana ezwenikazi lase-Afrika, ukugcina ukuthula kanye nezinkinga ekwakheni uxolo kanye nobuthakathaka / nophukayo kwezwekazi i-Afrika. Lokhu futhi kubonakele ngendlela yokubambisana kanye nokuziqhathulula kwama-knower aabalulekile ekufundiseni abafundi ngokudinga kokuba nezenhlalo kanye nesiko ukuze bakwazi ukuthola ikhurikhulamu kanye nokubamba iqhaza ngempumelelo njengama-knower kule nkundla. Lokhu kuchaze ukuthi ukufinyelela kuhlelo lokufunda kanye nokuba yilunga lama-knower, kungaba ukuba babonisane ngendlela evulelekile kanye nengenamkhawulo. Kulolu cwaningo, ngaqala ngabheka kabanzi ngokubalulekile ukuthi izifundo zezombusazwe ngolwazi lobuhlakani kwinkundlazwelo yokukhiqiza kanye nePDIS kungabonwa njengenguquko eyenza ukuba sikwazi ukubona ezinye izindlela zokusebenza kwezemfundo zombusazwe kanye nokubeka phambili ama-knower. Lokhu kusenza sibone ukubaluleka komkhiqizo wale nkundla, ukubuyekezwa kwezobuhlakani, kanye nomkhiqizo wezemfundo zombusazwe, kanye nohlelo lwe PDIS ikakhulukazi, kungathiwa ingaba nokubanjwa kokubheka. Iphinde isambulele kabanzi ukuthi singahlola, sense izinguquko kanye noshintsho kwezemfundo zombusazwe kanye nohlelo lwe PDIS. Okwesibili, ukuhlola ulwazi kanye nezakhiwo ze-knower ze-PDIS kungasiza abaklami bekhurikhulamu, abafundisi kanye nabafunsi ukukwazi ukuhlonza ulwazi nekhurikhulamu yekhodi ye-knower, kanye nokwazi ukubuyekeza kabanzi amakhodi ekhurikhulami yabo kanye nokwazi ukwenza i-epistemology ukuba abafundi bafinyelele kuyo. Ngaphezu kwalokhu, lolu cwaningo lungasiza abafundisi kanye nabaklamu bekhurikhulamu ukuba bakwazi ukwakha ikhurikhulamu yabo ngendlela ekhethekile, evulelekile, ngokwenhlalo nje, okubalulekile ukuthi uhlobo lophi lolwazi abakhetha lube semthethweni, kanye nalabo abakhetha ukungayilandeli inqubomgomo yolwazi kanye nokuhlola.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Hlatshwayo, Mlamuli Nkosingphile
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Political science -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- Curricula -- South Africa , Rhodes University. Department of Political Studies
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/92392 , vital:30719
- Description: The 2015-2016 student movements in South African higher education sharply critique what was perceived to be the slow pace of institutional transformation and decolonisation in institutions of higher learning (see Badat, 2016; Heleta, 2016b; Mbembe, 2016). One of the academic fields that has come under scrutiny is Political Studies, which has been accused of being un-transformed, irrelevant and not reflecting local, indigenous scholarship in curricula or pedagogy (see for example Matthews, 2018; Mngomezulu & Hadebe, 2018; Tselapedi, 2016). Although this literature critiques neo-colonial predominance of western thought within the field, and the need to re-centre non-Western modes of being, thinking and intellectualising, I argue that this literature actually considers epistemologies without necessarily making a razor sharp critique at the underlying mechanisms and processes of Political Studies knowledge, and the extent to which it can be decolonised and transformed. It is on this gap that I make a contribution to the field.This study is positioned in the field of higher education decolonisation, with a specific focus on exploring knowledge and knower structures in Political Studies. I explore the various ways in which knowledge is valued and legitimated in the field of Political Studies by asking the “how” question – that is, how is knowledge legitimated in Political Studies? This includes a consideration of how the Postgraduate Diploma in International Studies (PDIS) programme, designed to promote and enable an “expert in African International Studies”, legitimates a certain kind of knower in the field. I employ Basil Bernstein’s pedagogic device as a theoretical foundation for exploring 1) what the field of Political Studies knowledge production looks like, 2) how knowledge is recontextualised from the field of production and into the PDIS curriculum, and 3), how that knowledge is legitimated and evaluated through the programnme’s assessment documents, and what they revel as valued and legitimate curriculum knowledge in the field. Karl Maton’s Legitimation Code theory (LCT), specifically Specialisation, is called upon to offer sharp analytical tools for investigating the underlying mechanisms and processes of the knower and knowledge structures that the programme legitimates. It particularly sheds some insight on the kinds of gazes that are valued in the field of Political Studies in general, and in the PDIS programme in particular. The case study for this research is Rhodes University, a historically white university which offered insight and contested history into the kinds of being, knowledges and knowers that were historically legitimated and valued in the institution, as well as the current institutional landscape, and challenges that the institution is grappling with. The data generation included the formally planned curriculum as contained in the programme’s curriculum documents. These included course outlines, seminar critiques, presentations, class participation; class discussions; essay questions and exams/exam portfolio. The data generation also included semi-structured interviews with the lecturers who were regarded as the “recontextualising agents”, who taught in the programme and who offered key insights on some of the curriculum choices regarding selection, pacing, sequencing and evaluation of the curriculum knowledge in the PDIS programme.This study revealed that that the PDIS programmes values and legitimates curriculum knowledge by ensuring that students have a critical understanding of African political economy, war and conflict on the African continent, as well as the challenges of peacekeeping and peace building in new and fragile African states. This was also seen in how the attributes and dispositions of knowers were also valued in how students needed to have social and cultural gazes in order to access the curriculum and to successfully participate as knowers in the field. This suggested that access to both curriculum knowledge and to being a valued knower in the field, could be said to be relatively open and unrestrictive. In this study, I first argue that looking critically at how Political Studies knowledge is recontextualised from the field of production and into the PDIS curriculum can be seen as a decolonising process as it enables us to see the underlying mechanisms and processes of how Political studies knowledge and knowers are valued and legitimated in the field. This offers us an insightful space to see to what extent the fields of production, recontextualisation, as well as reproduction of Political Studies in general, and the PDIS programme in particular, could be said to have a colonising gaze. It also offers insight on how we can go about exploring, transforming and decolonising Political Studies and the PDIS programme. Secondly, exploring the knowledge and knower structures of the PDIS programme can help curriculum designers, lecturers and students identify the knowledge and knower codes of the curriculum, and to critically reflect on their curriculum codes and how to enable epistemological access to students. Furthermore, this study can help lecturers and curriculum designers construct their curriculum in ways that are inclusive, open, and socially just, by being critically aware of the kind of knowledge that they choose to legitimate, and those they choose to disregard in their knowledge recontextualisation and its evaluation. , Unyaka wezi 2015-2016 wombhikisho wabafundi eningizimu afrika zemfundo ephakeme umcwaningi nokungabikhona kakhulu ukuthi kube kancane awuhambi zesikhungo kanye decolonisation ezikhungweni of higher learning (bheka badat, nowezi-2016; Heleta, 2016b; Mbembe, nowezi-2016). Enye yenkambu yezemfundo ephakeme ethe yaba ngaphansi kokuhlolisiswa kabanzi izifundo zezombusazwe, ebhekene nezingqinamba zokungashinsthi, ukungabi lusizo endaweni, ukungabi yisithombe somphakathi, nokukungangeneleli isifundo somdabu kwezemfundo noma i-pedagogy (bheka isibonelo Matthews, 2018; Mngomezulu & Hadebe, 2018; Tselapedi, nowezi-2016). Nakuba lo mbhalo ugxeka ineo-kholoni ikakhulukazi imicabango yasentshonalanga, nokudinga ukubuyekezwa indlela yokucabanga nobuhlakani okungasibo baseNtshonalanga. Ngiyaphikisana nokuthi lo mbhalo ubuyekeza i-epistomology ngempela ngaphandle kokucwaninga kabanzi ukusetsenziswa kobuhlakani nolwazi lwezemfundo yombusazwe, kanye nokwandisa izinguquko noshintsho. Ngizophonsa esivivaneni kulolu gebe olulapho. Lolu cwaningo lusesimeni sokwenza izinguquko kwinkundlazwelo yemfundo ephakeme, ikakhulu ukuhlola ulwazi kanye nezakhiwo ze-knower kwezemfundo yombusazwe. Ngibheka izindlela ezahlukene ngolwazi kanye nokuba semthethweni kwinkundlazwelo yezemfundo zombusazwe ngokubuza umbuzo “kanjani”-ngokuthi, ulwazi lubekwa kanjani ngokomthethwo wezemfundo yombusazwe? Lokhu kubandakanya inkokhelo yombuzo wokuthi kwenzakala kanjani ukuthi ipostgraduate Diploma in International Studies (pdis), yenzelwe ukukhuthaza kanye nokuba wumpetha kwi African International studies”, ukwenza semthethweni eminye yenkundlazwelo yama-knower. Ngisebenzisa ithiyori ya Basil Bernstein ukuhlola 1) Ibukeka kanjani inkundla yokuhkiqiza yezemfundo zezombusazwe, 2) ngolwazi lobuhlakani enkundleni lapho nasesikhathini uhlelo lwezemfundo PDIS yenza umkhiqizo kanye 3), futhi ukwazi ukuthi khona lusemthethweni uhlelo nokuhlola, nokuthi yini abayiveza ukuthi isemthethweni kwizifundo zolwazi. Ithiyori ka Karl matonâ legitimation code theory (lct), ikakhulu Specialisation, yiyona enganikeza kafuphi izinsiza zokuphenya indlela kanye nenqubo ye-knower kanye nolwazi lwesakhiwo esisemthethweni. Iveza kabanzi izindlela zokubheka ezisemqoka nezisematheni kwinkundla yezemfundo zombusazwe kanye nohlelo lwe PDIS ikakhulukazi Indawo lapho ngizoqhuba khona lolu cwaningo iNyuvesi yaseRhodes, ngokomlando iNyuvesi yabamhlophe enikezana ukuqonda nokuncintana komlando kokungena kwezinhlobo, ubuhlakani kanye nama-knower omlando osemthethweni kanye nokhethekile kulesi sikhungo, kanjalo ne-Landscape yesikhungo samanje, kanye nezinselelo lesi sikhungo sikahulumeni esibheke nazo. Idatha equkethwe ifaka izifundo ezihleliwe ngokomthetho njengokuba zitholakala ezifundweni ezihleliwe kumbhalo. Lokhu, kubandakanya isifundo esinye, amasemina abuyekeziwe, izethulo, nokubamba iqhaza ekilasini; izingxoxo zekilasi; imibuzo yendaba kanye nezivivinyo / nokuhlolwa kwezivivinyo. Idatha yesizukulwane iphinde ibandakanye izingxoxo ezihleliwe kanye nabafundisi abathathwa njengabantu abayizingcithabuchopho, abafundisiwe kulo mkhakha kanye naba neso ekukhethweni kwamanye amakharikhulamu abhekelele ukuhlunga, i-pacing, ukulandelela kanye nokuhlolwa kwekharikhulamu kulwazi lohlelo i-PDIS Lolu cwaningo ludalule ukuthi izinhlelo ze-PDIS zikubeka emqoka kanye nokubeka emthethweni ubuhlakani bekhurikhulamu ngokucophelela ukuthi abafundi bakuqonda ukubaluleka okulunzulu ngezomnotho wombusazwe wase Afrika, yimpi nokungqubuzana ezwenikazi lase-Afrika, ukugcina ukuthula kanye nezinkinga ekwakheni uxolo kanye nobuthakathaka / nophukayo kwezwekazi i-Afrika. Lokhu futhi kubonakele ngendlela yokubambisana kanye nokuziqhathulula kwama-knower aabalulekile ekufundiseni abafundi ngokudinga kokuba nezenhlalo kanye nesiko ukuze bakwazi ukuthola ikhurikhulamu kanye nokubamba iqhaza ngempumelelo njengama-knower kule nkundla. Lokhu kuchaze ukuthi ukufinyelela kuhlelo lokufunda kanye nokuba yilunga lama-knower, kungaba ukuba babonisane ngendlela evulelekile kanye nengenamkhawulo. Kulolu cwaningo, ngaqala ngabheka kabanzi ngokubalulekile ukuthi izifundo zezombusazwe ngolwazi lobuhlakani kwinkundlazwelo yokukhiqiza kanye nePDIS kungabonwa njengenguquko eyenza ukuba sikwazi ukubona ezinye izindlela zokusebenza kwezemfundo zombusazwe kanye nokubeka phambili ama-knower. Lokhu kusenza sibone ukubaluleka komkhiqizo wale nkundla, ukubuyekezwa kwezobuhlakani, kanye nomkhiqizo wezemfundo zombusazwe, kanye nohlelo lwe PDIS ikakhulukazi, kungathiwa ingaba nokubanjwa kokubheka. Iphinde isambulele kabanzi ukuthi singahlola, sense izinguquko kanye noshintsho kwezemfundo zombusazwe kanye nohlelo lwe PDIS. Okwesibili, ukuhlola ulwazi kanye nezakhiwo ze-knower ze-PDIS kungasiza abaklami bekhurikhulamu, abafundisi kanye nabafunsi ukukwazi ukuhlonza ulwazi nekhurikhulamu yekhodi ye-knower, kanye nokwazi ukubuyekeza kabanzi amakhodi ekhurikhulami yabo kanye nokwazi ukwenza i-epistemology ukuba abafundi bafinyelele kuyo. Ngaphezu kwalokhu, lolu cwaningo lungasiza abafundisi kanye nabaklamu bekhurikhulamu ukuba bakwazi ukwakha ikhurikhulamu yabo ngendlela ekhethekile, evulelekile, ngokwenhlalo nje, okubalulekile ukuthi uhlobo lophi lolwazi abakhetha lube semthethweni, kanye nalabo abakhetha ukungayilandeli inqubomgomo yolwazi kanye nokuhlola.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Ict literacy skills and demographic factors as determinants of electronic resources use among the undergraduate students in the selected universities the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Olatoye , Oluwayemi IbukunOluwa
- Authors: Olatoye , Oluwayemi IbukunOluwa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Electronic information resources
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16176 , vital:40675
- Description: In today’s world, information is the foundation on which every strata in society is built and established. As we are in the jet age, the use of Information Communications Technology (ICT) is sine-qua-non to academic development. It is equally important to acquire skills and build capacity in ICT applications, as well as reflect on the demographic factors that determine the utilization of electronic resources among the undergraduate respondents. ICT has also evolutionalized professionalism in librarianship by providing delivery of appropriate, suitable and value-added information services in digital format. This research, therefore, investigated undergraduate students’ ICT literacy skills and demographic factors as determinants of electronic resources use, with selected tertiary institutions of learning in Eastern Cape South Africa as a case study. The study was premised on the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) with the aim of appraising undergraduate students’ ICT literacy skills and demographic factors as causative elements of e-resources utilization in designated Eastern Cape universities in South Africa, as well as to unravel the impact of the theories on the adoption of technology and the perceived utilization of the electronic resources. The application of DOI, TAM and TRA theories for this study exemplifies the acceptance and usage of technological innovations by envisioned users in ICT literacy skill and electronic resources research, and these theories formed the theoretical basis to strengthen the study. The specific x objectives of the study are: To ascertain how undergraduate students in selected Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Eastern Cape access e-resources; to determine the level of influence of ICT literacy skills on the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; to determine the regularity levels of use and problems encountered in the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; to ascertain the contributions of demographic factors on the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; and to determine the attitudes and perceptions of undergraduate students towards the use of eresources. The approach of the study was in threefold; one, general discussion regarding ICT literacy skills of the respondents and secondly the demographic factors that determine electronic resources use of undergraduate students in the University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University. Finally, ICT literacy skills and demographic factors were investigated with the applicability of TAM, DOI and TRA theories Specifically, under these theories (TAM, TRA and DOI), TAM and TRA models were used to explain behavioural intention and to envisage user acceptance of technology usage (electronic resources), and to elucidate the correlation between the respondent’s (undergraduate students) perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and ultimately system utilization. DOI was conceptualized in this study as a valued tool for appraising the effect of demographic factors on the utilization of electronic resources among the undergraduate students in their academic pursuit. The major findings of the study specifies that ICT literacy skills and demographic factors determine the use of electronic resources. Hence, it is reasoned in the thesis that ICT xi literacy and demographic factors affects the frequency of electronic resources with those, for instance, who have obtained high ICT literacy skill levels when compared to others who are yet to develop their ICT literacy skills. Further, it has been disclosed elsewhere in the study that in terms of age, the younger undergraduate students (from 21 to 30 years) utilize electronic resources more regularly than their older colleagues (those who are 30 years of age and above).The study was approached with the adoption of the mixed-method research technique. The administration of a total of 377 copies of the questionnaire to undergraduate respondents in the aforementioned HEIs, (out of which 266 copies were returned), was conducted with in-depth interview conversations comprising of ten participants, with six respondents selected in the University of Fort Hare and four respondents from Rhodes University. Data acquired from the study were processed and analyzed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for the quantitative data. In the light of the theoretical frameworks of the study, research results established that the ICT experience of the undergraduate respondents greatly influences their proficiency levels. This hypothesized assertion was subjected to statistical validity test through regression analysis. The result depicts that the p-value is 0.49 (which means that p≤ 0.05), and interprets to mean that the hypothesis is accepted. Also, the findings of this study depicts that the utilization of electronic resources by the respondents is mostly for entertainment purposes (such as viewing online videos, listening to sport commentaries, music and video downloads, e-mail communications, chatting with other people) had the highest rankings from the component matrix analysis which were greater than 0.5. From the forgoing, this is interpreted to mean that the respondents possess excellent proficiency in ICT literacy skills as well as in the use of Microsoft packages. xii Also, in the course of the in-depth research interview, it was discovered that most of the interviewees have excellent proficiency in ICT literacy skills. Generally, gender is an essential element that determines accessibility and e-resource utilization of respondents to electronic resources through the home and from other sources. Furthermore, it was discovered that that language is not a determinant regarding respondents’ accessibility and e-resource utilization from other sources of access to respondents. The analysis of this study revealed that more males, who are within the active e-resource using age bracket of 21 to 30 years old access and utilize electronic resources through the residences than their female counterparts. This age bracket is followed in terms of access and use of e-resources through residences by the respondents that are 20 years and below. A chi-square test of independence was also performed to survey the level of correlation between age and access to E-resources. A small p-value (typically ≤ 0.05) indicates strong evidence against the null hypothesis, so you reject the null hypothesis. A large p-value (> 0.05) shows weak evidence against the null hypothesis, so you reject the null hypothesis i.e. X2 (3, N=53) = 7.82. The Pearson chi-square (p-value) generated was .294, which is construed to mean that it is insignificant. Therefore, the explanation is that age has no influence on access of respondents to electronic resources through cybercafé. In order to make ICT literacy skills more beneficial to the undergraduate students in the selected HEIs, recommendations were made in this study. Firstly, there is a need for mass enlightenment campaigns on the use and benefits of E-resources among undergraduate respondents, the building of capacity of the undergraduate students in the use of electronic resources ICT literacy skill development programmes, need for intervention programmes focusing on the application xiii of some E-resources and software where the students are ranked low. Further, it is recommended that female students need to be encouraged to use E-resources. Also, delivery and empowering of Wi-Fi services, as well as the provision of CD- ROM databases should be considered.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Olatoye , Oluwayemi IbukunOluwa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Electronic information resources
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16176 , vital:40675
- Description: In today’s world, information is the foundation on which every strata in society is built and established. As we are in the jet age, the use of Information Communications Technology (ICT) is sine-qua-non to academic development. It is equally important to acquire skills and build capacity in ICT applications, as well as reflect on the demographic factors that determine the utilization of electronic resources among the undergraduate respondents. ICT has also evolutionalized professionalism in librarianship by providing delivery of appropriate, suitable and value-added information services in digital format. This research, therefore, investigated undergraduate students’ ICT literacy skills and demographic factors as determinants of electronic resources use, with selected tertiary institutions of learning in Eastern Cape South Africa as a case study. The study was premised on the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) with the aim of appraising undergraduate students’ ICT literacy skills and demographic factors as causative elements of e-resources utilization in designated Eastern Cape universities in South Africa, as well as to unravel the impact of the theories on the adoption of technology and the perceived utilization of the electronic resources. The application of DOI, TAM and TRA theories for this study exemplifies the acceptance and usage of technological innovations by envisioned users in ICT literacy skill and electronic resources research, and these theories formed the theoretical basis to strengthen the study. The specific x objectives of the study are: To ascertain how undergraduate students in selected Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Eastern Cape access e-resources; to determine the level of influence of ICT literacy skills on the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; to determine the regularity levels of use and problems encountered in the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; to ascertain the contributions of demographic factors on the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; and to determine the attitudes and perceptions of undergraduate students towards the use of eresources. The approach of the study was in threefold; one, general discussion regarding ICT literacy skills of the respondents and secondly the demographic factors that determine electronic resources use of undergraduate students in the University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University. Finally, ICT literacy skills and demographic factors were investigated with the applicability of TAM, DOI and TRA theories Specifically, under these theories (TAM, TRA and DOI), TAM and TRA models were used to explain behavioural intention and to envisage user acceptance of technology usage (electronic resources), and to elucidate the correlation between the respondent’s (undergraduate students) perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and ultimately system utilization. DOI was conceptualized in this study as a valued tool for appraising the effect of demographic factors on the utilization of electronic resources among the undergraduate students in their academic pursuit. The major findings of the study specifies that ICT literacy skills and demographic factors determine the use of electronic resources. Hence, it is reasoned in the thesis that ICT xi literacy and demographic factors affects the frequency of electronic resources with those, for instance, who have obtained high ICT literacy skill levels when compared to others who are yet to develop their ICT literacy skills. Further, it has been disclosed elsewhere in the study that in terms of age, the younger undergraduate students (from 21 to 30 years) utilize electronic resources more regularly than their older colleagues (those who are 30 years of age and above).The study was approached with the adoption of the mixed-method research technique. The administration of a total of 377 copies of the questionnaire to undergraduate respondents in the aforementioned HEIs, (out of which 266 copies were returned), was conducted with in-depth interview conversations comprising of ten participants, with six respondents selected in the University of Fort Hare and four respondents from Rhodes University. Data acquired from the study were processed and analyzed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for the quantitative data. In the light of the theoretical frameworks of the study, research results established that the ICT experience of the undergraduate respondents greatly influences their proficiency levels. This hypothesized assertion was subjected to statistical validity test through regression analysis. The result depicts that the p-value is 0.49 (which means that p≤ 0.05), and interprets to mean that the hypothesis is accepted. Also, the findings of this study depicts that the utilization of electronic resources by the respondents is mostly for entertainment purposes (such as viewing online videos, listening to sport commentaries, music and video downloads, e-mail communications, chatting with other people) had the highest rankings from the component matrix analysis which were greater than 0.5. From the forgoing, this is interpreted to mean that the respondents possess excellent proficiency in ICT literacy skills as well as in the use of Microsoft packages. xii Also, in the course of the in-depth research interview, it was discovered that most of the interviewees have excellent proficiency in ICT literacy skills. Generally, gender is an essential element that determines accessibility and e-resource utilization of respondents to electronic resources through the home and from other sources. Furthermore, it was discovered that that language is not a determinant regarding respondents’ accessibility and e-resource utilization from other sources of access to respondents. The analysis of this study revealed that more males, who are within the active e-resource using age bracket of 21 to 30 years old access and utilize electronic resources through the residences than their female counterparts. This age bracket is followed in terms of access and use of e-resources through residences by the respondents that are 20 years and below. A chi-square test of independence was also performed to survey the level of correlation between age and access to E-resources. A small p-value (typically ≤ 0.05) indicates strong evidence against the null hypothesis, so you reject the null hypothesis. A large p-value (> 0.05) shows weak evidence against the null hypothesis, so you reject the null hypothesis i.e. X2 (3, N=53) = 7.82. The Pearson chi-square (p-value) generated was .294, which is construed to mean that it is insignificant. Therefore, the explanation is that age has no influence on access of respondents to electronic resources through cybercafé. In order to make ICT literacy skills more beneficial to the undergraduate students in the selected HEIs, recommendations were made in this study. Firstly, there is a need for mass enlightenment campaigns on the use and benefits of E-resources among undergraduate respondents, the building of capacity of the undergraduate students in the use of electronic resources ICT literacy skill development programmes, need for intervention programmes focusing on the application xiii of some E-resources and software where the students are ranked low. Further, it is recommended that female students need to be encouraged to use E-resources. Also, delivery and empowering of Wi-Fi services, as well as the provision of CD- ROM databases should be considered.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Identification and evaluation of bioactive natural products as potential inhibitors of human microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 (MARK4)
- Mohammad, Taj, Khan, Faez I, Lobb, Kevin A, Islam, Asimul, Ahmad, Faizan, Hassan, M Imtaiyaz
- Authors: Mohammad, Taj , Khan, Faez I , Lobb, Kevin A , Islam, Asimul , Ahmad, Faizan , Hassan, M Imtaiyaz
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/447159 , vital:74588 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2018.1468282"
- Description: Microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 (MARK4) has recently been identified as a potential drug target for several complex diseases including cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders. Inhibition of MARK4 activity is an appealing therapeutic option to treat such diseases. Here, we have performed structure-based virtual high-throughput screening of 100,000 naturally occurring compounds from ZINC database against MARK4 to find its potential inhibitors. The resulted hits were selected, based on the binding affinities, docking scores and selectivity. Further, binding energy calculation, Lipinski filtration and ADMET prediction were carried out to find safe and better hits against MARK4. Best 10 compounds bearing high specificity and binding efficiency were selected, and their binding pattern to MARK4 was analyzed in detail. Finally, 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation was performed to evaluate; the dynamics stability of MARK4-compound complex. In conclusion, these selected natural compounds from ZINC database might be potential leads against MARK4, and can further be exploited in drug design and development for associated diseases.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mohammad, Taj , Khan, Faez I , Lobb, Kevin A , Islam, Asimul , Ahmad, Faizan , Hassan, M Imtaiyaz
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/447159 , vital:74588 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2018.1468282"
- Description: Microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 (MARK4) has recently been identified as a potential drug target for several complex diseases including cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders. Inhibition of MARK4 activity is an appealing therapeutic option to treat such diseases. Here, we have performed structure-based virtual high-throughput screening of 100,000 naturally occurring compounds from ZINC database against MARK4 to find its potential inhibitors. The resulted hits were selected, based on the binding affinities, docking scores and selectivity. Further, binding energy calculation, Lipinski filtration and ADMET prediction were carried out to find safe and better hits against MARK4. Best 10 compounds bearing high specificity and binding efficiency were selected, and their binding pattern to MARK4 was analyzed in detail. Finally, 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation was performed to evaluate; the dynamics stability of MARK4-compound complex. In conclusion, these selected natural compounds from ZINC database might be potential leads against MARK4, and can further be exploited in drug design and development for associated diseases.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Identification of Novel Potential Inhibitors of Pteridine Reductase 1 in Trypanosoma brucei via Computational Structure-Based Approaches and in Vitro Inhibition Assays
- Kimuda, Magambo Phillip, Laming, Dustin, Hoppe, Heinrich C, Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Authors: Kimuda, Magambo Phillip , Laming, Dustin , Hoppe, Heinrich C , Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124675 , vital:35647 , https://doi:10.3390/molecules24010142
- Description: Pteridine reductase 1 (PTR1) is a trypanosomatid multifunctional enzyme that provides a mechanism for escape of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibition. This is because PTR1 can reduce pterins and folates. Trypanosomes require folates and pterins for survival and are unable to synthesize them de novo. Currently there are no anti-folate based Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) chemotherapeutics in use. Thus, successful dual inhibition of Trypanosoma brucei dihydrofolate reductase (TbDHFR) and Trypanosoma brucei pteridine reductase 1 (TbPTR1) has implications in the exploitation of anti-folates. We carried out molecular docking of a ligand library of 5742 compounds against TbPTR1 and identified 18 compounds showing promising binding modes. The protein-ligand complexes were subjected to molecular dynamics to characterize their molecular interactions and energetics, followed by in vitro testing. In this study, we identified five compounds which showed low micromolar Trypanosome growth inhibition in in vitro experiments that might be acting by inhibition of TbPTR1. Compounds RUBi004, RUBi007, RUBi014, and RUBi018 displayed moderate to strong antagonism (mutual reduction in potency) when used in combination with the known TbDHFR inhibitor, WR99210. This gave an indication that the compounds might inhibit both TbPTR1 and TbDHFR. RUBi016 showed an additive effect in the isobologram assay. Overall, our results provide a basis for scaffold optimization for further studies in the development of HAT anti-folates.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Kimuda, Magambo Phillip , Laming, Dustin , Hoppe, Heinrich C , Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124675 , vital:35647 , https://doi:10.3390/molecules24010142
- Description: Pteridine reductase 1 (PTR1) is a trypanosomatid multifunctional enzyme that provides a mechanism for escape of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibition. This is because PTR1 can reduce pterins and folates. Trypanosomes require folates and pterins for survival and are unable to synthesize them de novo. Currently there are no anti-folate based Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) chemotherapeutics in use. Thus, successful dual inhibition of Trypanosoma brucei dihydrofolate reductase (TbDHFR) and Trypanosoma brucei pteridine reductase 1 (TbPTR1) has implications in the exploitation of anti-folates. We carried out molecular docking of a ligand library of 5742 compounds against TbPTR1 and identified 18 compounds showing promising binding modes. The protein-ligand complexes were subjected to molecular dynamics to characterize their molecular interactions and energetics, followed by in vitro testing. In this study, we identified five compounds which showed low micromolar Trypanosome growth inhibition in in vitro experiments that might be acting by inhibition of TbPTR1. Compounds RUBi004, RUBi007, RUBi014, and RUBi018 displayed moderate to strong antagonism (mutual reduction in potency) when used in combination with the known TbDHFR inhibitor, WR99210. This gave an indication that the compounds might inhibit both TbPTR1 and TbDHFR. RUBi016 showed an additive effect in the isobologram assay. Overall, our results provide a basis for scaffold optimization for further studies in the development of HAT anti-folates.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Identification of possible natural compounds as potential inhibitors against Plasmodium M1 alanyl aminopeptidase
- Soliman, Omar Samir Abdel Ghaffar
- Authors: Soliman, Omar Samir Abdel Ghaffar
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Plasmodium , Malaria -- Chemotherapy , Plasmodium -- Inhibitors , Drug resistance in microorganisms , Aminopeptidases
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/72284 , vital:30026
- Description: Malaria is a major tropical health problem with a 29% mortality rate among people of all ages; it also affects 35% of the children. Despite the decrease in mortality rate in recent years, malaria still results in around 2000 deaths per day. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites and is transmitted to humans via the bites from infected female Anopheles mosquitoes during blood meals. There are five different Plasmodium species that can cause human malaria, which include Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium knowlesi. Among these five species, the most pathogenic ones are Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. Malaria is usually hard to diagnose because the symptoms are not exclusive to malaria and very similar to flu, e.g., fever, muscle pain, and chills, which lead to the misdiagnosis of malaria cases. Malaria is lethal if not treated because it can cause severe complications in the respiratory tract, liver, metabolic acidosis, and hypoglycemia. The malaria parasite life cycle includes two types of hosts, i.e., a human host and female Anopheles mosquito host. Malaria continuously develops resistance to the available drugs, which is one of the major challenges in disease control. This situation confirms the need to develop new drugs that target virulence factors of malaria. The malarial parasite has three main life cycle stages, which include the host liver stage, host blood stage and vector stage. In the blood stage, parasites degrade hemoglobin to amino acids, which is important as these parasites cannot produce their own amino acids. Different proteases are involved in this hemoglobin degradation process. M1 alanyl aminopeptidase is one of these proteases involved at the end of hemoglobin degradation. This study focused on M1 alanyl aminopeptidase as a potential drug target. M1 alanyl aminopeptidase consists of four domains: N-terminal domain, catalytic domain, middle domain and C-terminal domain. The catalytic domain remains conserved among different Plasmodium species. Inhibition of this enzyme might prevent Plasmodium growth as it can’t produce its own amino acids. In this study, sequence analysis was carried out in both human and Plasmodium M1 alanyl aminopeptidase to identify conserved and divergent regions between them. 3D protein models of the M1 alanyl aminopeptidase from Plasmodium species were built and validated. Then the generated models were used for virtual screening against 623 compounds retrieved from the South African Natural Compounds Database (SANCDB, https://sancdb.rubi.ru.ac.za/). Virtual screening was done using blind and targeted docking methods. Docking was used to identify compounds with selective high binding affinity to the active site of the parasite protein. In this study, one SANCDB compound was selected for each protein: SANC00531 was selected against P. falciparum M1 alanyl aminopeptidase, SANC00469 against P. knowlesi, SANC00660 against P. vivax, SANC00144 against P. ovale and SANC00109 against P. malariae. It was found that Plamsodium M1 alanyl aminopeptidase can be used as a potential drug target as it showed selective binding against different inhibitor compounds. This result will be investigated in future work though molecular dynamic analysis to investigate the stability of protein-ligand complexes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Soliman, Omar Samir Abdel Ghaffar
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Plasmodium , Malaria -- Chemotherapy , Plasmodium -- Inhibitors , Drug resistance in microorganisms , Aminopeptidases
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/72284 , vital:30026
- Description: Malaria is a major tropical health problem with a 29% mortality rate among people of all ages; it also affects 35% of the children. Despite the decrease in mortality rate in recent years, malaria still results in around 2000 deaths per day. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites and is transmitted to humans via the bites from infected female Anopheles mosquitoes during blood meals. There are five different Plasmodium species that can cause human malaria, which include Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium knowlesi. Among these five species, the most pathogenic ones are Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. Malaria is usually hard to diagnose because the symptoms are not exclusive to malaria and very similar to flu, e.g., fever, muscle pain, and chills, which lead to the misdiagnosis of malaria cases. Malaria is lethal if not treated because it can cause severe complications in the respiratory tract, liver, metabolic acidosis, and hypoglycemia. The malaria parasite life cycle includes two types of hosts, i.e., a human host and female Anopheles mosquito host. Malaria continuously develops resistance to the available drugs, which is one of the major challenges in disease control. This situation confirms the need to develop new drugs that target virulence factors of malaria. The malarial parasite has three main life cycle stages, which include the host liver stage, host blood stage and vector stage. In the blood stage, parasites degrade hemoglobin to amino acids, which is important as these parasites cannot produce their own amino acids. Different proteases are involved in this hemoglobin degradation process. M1 alanyl aminopeptidase is one of these proteases involved at the end of hemoglobin degradation. This study focused on M1 alanyl aminopeptidase as a potential drug target. M1 alanyl aminopeptidase consists of four domains: N-terminal domain, catalytic domain, middle domain and C-terminal domain. The catalytic domain remains conserved among different Plasmodium species. Inhibition of this enzyme might prevent Plasmodium growth as it can’t produce its own amino acids. In this study, sequence analysis was carried out in both human and Plasmodium M1 alanyl aminopeptidase to identify conserved and divergent regions between them. 3D protein models of the M1 alanyl aminopeptidase from Plasmodium species were built and validated. Then the generated models were used for virtual screening against 623 compounds retrieved from the South African Natural Compounds Database (SANCDB, https://sancdb.rubi.ru.ac.za/). Virtual screening was done using blind and targeted docking methods. Docking was used to identify compounds with selective high binding affinity to the active site of the parasite protein. In this study, one SANCDB compound was selected for each protein: SANC00531 was selected against P. falciparum M1 alanyl aminopeptidase, SANC00469 against P. knowlesi, SANC00660 against P. vivax, SANC00144 against P. ovale and SANC00109 against P. malariae. It was found that Plamsodium M1 alanyl aminopeptidase can be used as a potential drug target as it showed selective binding against different inhibitor compounds. This result will be investigated in future work though molecular dynamic analysis to investigate the stability of protein-ligand complexes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Identify strategies that tourism entrepreneurs can utilise to tap into the growing Eastern Cape tourism industry through exploration of craft beer tourism in Eastern Cape South Africa
- Authors: Matiti, Dibakazi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Tourism industry -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44545 , vital:38135
- Description: The Eastern Cape is regarded as one of the poorest provinces in South Africa. This has resulted in the province experiencing high unemployment rates. Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) have an important role to play in the creation of employment to alleviate the population’s dependence on government and to grow the economy of the Province of the Eastern Cape. Recent years have seen the growth of new registrations of micro manufactures. These businesses are independently owned and are appearing in all areas of the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape has also experienced growth in the tourism industry. Given the growth in these industries, gave rise to the objective of the study which was to formulate strategies that can be used by tourism entrepreneurs to tap into the growing Eastern Cape tourism industry through exploration of craft beer tourism in the Eastern Cape. To achieve the objective a review of the literature found that little has been done in the field of craft beer research. A further review of the literature showed that the Western Cape had a successful wine route and a craft beer route. Both were studied to determine the framework used in establishing the routes in order to liken it to what can be similarly applied to the Eastern Cape. A comparison was drawn between the craft-beer tourism in other parts of South Africa and the establishment and sustainability techniques employed in the South African wine tourism industry. The study followed an exploratory approach and data collection was carried out by taking the whole population of micro manufacturers. The insights of micro manufacturers were deemed crucial in the process of formulating the necessary strategies for the industry. Although there is growth in the number of craft-brewers registered with the Eastern Cape Liquor Board, the number is still very small and necessitated the use of the qualitative method in data collection. The feedback from the interviews was used to outline the strategy that can be used to ensure that craft brewers can enter the tourism industry and remain sustainable. Recommendations from the study show that the craft beer route and tourism can merge and create a profitable market for the Eastern Cape.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Matiti, Dibakazi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Tourism industry -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44545 , vital:38135
- Description: The Eastern Cape is regarded as one of the poorest provinces in South Africa. This has resulted in the province experiencing high unemployment rates. Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) have an important role to play in the creation of employment to alleviate the population’s dependence on government and to grow the economy of the Province of the Eastern Cape. Recent years have seen the growth of new registrations of micro manufactures. These businesses are independently owned and are appearing in all areas of the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape has also experienced growth in the tourism industry. Given the growth in these industries, gave rise to the objective of the study which was to formulate strategies that can be used by tourism entrepreneurs to tap into the growing Eastern Cape tourism industry through exploration of craft beer tourism in the Eastern Cape. To achieve the objective a review of the literature found that little has been done in the field of craft beer research. A further review of the literature showed that the Western Cape had a successful wine route and a craft beer route. Both were studied to determine the framework used in establishing the routes in order to liken it to what can be similarly applied to the Eastern Cape. A comparison was drawn between the craft-beer tourism in other parts of South Africa and the establishment and sustainability techniques employed in the South African wine tourism industry. The study followed an exploratory approach and data collection was carried out by taking the whole population of micro manufacturers. The insights of micro manufacturers were deemed crucial in the process of formulating the necessary strategies for the industry. Although there is growth in the number of craft-brewers registered with the Eastern Cape Liquor Board, the number is still very small and necessitated the use of the qualitative method in data collection. The feedback from the interviews was used to outline the strategy that can be used to ensure that craft brewers can enter the tourism industry and remain sustainable. Recommendations from the study show that the craft beer route and tourism can merge and create a profitable market for the Eastern Cape.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019