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Attitude of physical sciences teachers towards the role of formal assessment of practical work: a case study in Buffalo City metropolitan district in the Eastern Cape

  • Authors: Mzinyane, Lindiwe
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Physical sciences -- Study and teaching , Life sciences -- Study and teaching , Science -- Study and teaching -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64016 , vital:73639
  • Description: The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for Physical sciences in South African states that learners should carryout formal experiments Formal experiments contribute immensely to the development of laboratory skills and scientific knowledge, as well as understanding science concepts and theories. However, research shows that many teachers do not support and/or guide learners in formal experiments. The aim of this study was to explore and understand the attitude of Grade 11 Physical sciences teachers in Buffalo City Metropolitan District (BCM), in the Eastern Cape province regarding formal experiments. The TALIS framework was used to unpack teachers’ perceptions and understanding of formal experiments and related practical activities. A qualitative approach within the interpretative paradigm was employed in which an open-ended questionnaire and face to face interviews were conducted as data collection tools. The sample comprised ten participants (4 males and 6 females) of ages ranging from 20 to 54 years The data collection process involved three phases that included a pre-intervention questionnaire, an intervention workshop and post intervention face to face interview. Most of the participants 7(70%) confirmed that they did not carry out all formal experiments as prescribed in the CAPS document. The results revealed that most teachers do not understand the purpose of practical work and /or formal experiments, which is a possible explanation for the negative attitude towards the formal experiments teachers hold. The study also revealed that some participants 4(40%) did not understand the link between science pedagogy and the nature of science. It was discovered from the results that negative attitude towards formal experiments was due to lack of resources, lack of knowledge to guide learners to carry out the experiments, lack of time, and overcrowded classes. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, School of Postgraduate Education, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Augmenting encoder-decoder networks for first-order logic formula parsing using attention pointer mechanisms

  • Authors: Tissink, Kade
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Translators (Computer programs) , Computational linguistics , Computer science
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64390 , vital:73692
  • Description: Semantic parsing is the task of extracting a structured machine-interpretable representation from natural language utterance. This representation can be used for various applications such as question answering, information extraction, and dialogue systems. However, semantic parsing is a challenging problem that requires dealing with the ambiguity, variability, and complexity of natural language. This dissertation investigates neural parsing of natural language (NL) sentences to first-order logic (FOL) formulas. FOL is a widely used formal language for expressing logical statements and reasoning. FOL formulas can capture the meaning and structure of natural language sentences in a precise and unambiguous way. The problem is initially approached as a sequence-to-sequence mapping task using both LSTM-based and transformer encoder-decoder architectures for character-, subword-, and wordlevel text tokenisation. These models are trained on NL-FOL datasets using supervised learning and evaluated on various metrics such as exact match accuracy, syntactic validity, formula structure accuracy, and predicate/constant similarity. A novel augmented model is then introduced that decomposes the task of neural FOL parsing into four inter-dependent subtasks: template decoding, predicate and constant recognition, predicate set pointing, and object set pointing. The components for the four subtasks are jointly trained using multi-task learning and evaluated using the same metrics from the sequence-tosequence models. The results indicate improved performance over the sequence-to-sequence models and the modular design allows for more interpretability and flexibility. Additionally, to compensate for the scarcity of open-source, labelled NL-FOL datasets, a new benchmark is constructed from publicly accessible data. The data consists of NL sentences paired with corresponding FOL formulas in a standardised notation. The data is split into training, validation, and test sets. The main contributions of this dissertation are: an in-depth literature review covering decades of research presented with a consistent notation, the formation of a complex NL-FOL benchmark that includes algorithmically generated and human-annotated FOL formulas, proposal of a novel transformer encoder-decoder architecture that is shown to successfully train at significant depths, evaluation of twenty sequence-to-sequence models on the task of neural FOL parsing for different text representations and encoder-decoder architectures, the proposal of a novel augmented FOL parsing architecture, and an in-depth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of these models. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics , 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Augmenting the Moore-Penrose generalised Inverse to train neural networks

  • Authors: Fang, Bobby
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Neural networks (Computer science) , Machine learning , Mathematical optimization -- Computer programs
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63755 , vital:73595
  • Description: An Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) is a non-iterative and fast feedforward neural network training algorithm which uses the Moore-Penrose generalised inverse of a matrix to compute the weights of the output layer of the neural network, using a random initialisation for the hidden layer. While ELM has been used to train feedforward neural networks, the effectiveness of the MP generalised to train recurrent neural networks is yet to be investigated. The primary aim of this research was to investigate how biases in the output layer and the MP generalised inverse can be used to train recurrent neural networks. To accomplish this, the Bias Augmented ELM (BA-ELM), which concatenated the hidden layer output matrix with a ones-column vector to simulate the biases in the output layer, was proposed. A variety of datasets generated from optimisation test functions, as well as using real-world regression and classification datasets, were used to validate BA-ELM. The results showed in specific circumstances that BA-ELM was able to perform better than ELM. Following this, Recurrent ELM (R-ELM) was proposed which uses a recurrent hidden layer instead of a feedforward hidden layer. Recurrent neural networks also rely on having functional feedback connections in the recurrent layer. A hybrid training algorithm, Recurrent Hybrid ELM (R-HELM), was proposed, which uses a gradient-based algorithm to optimise the recurrent layer and the MP generalised inverse to compute the output weights. The evaluation of R-ELM and R-HELM algorithms were carried out using three different recurrent architectures on two recurrent tasks derived from the Susceptible- Exposed-Infected-Removed (SEIR) epidemiology model. Various training hyperparameters were evaluated through hyperparameter investigations to investigate their effectiveness on the hybrid training algorithm. With optimal hyperparameters, the hybrid training algorithm was able to achieve better performance than the conventional gradient-based algorithm. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Balancing an educator’s right to strike and a child’s right to basic education.

  • Authors: Maluleke, Mongwena John
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Educational law and legislation , Children's right to education , Basic education
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/66128 , vital:74400
  • Description: This thesis examines how a fair balance can be realised between the educator’s right to strike and the child’s right to education. International and constitutional frameworks are analysed to uncover South Africa’s position on the two opposing rights and the various balancing approaches available. The study recommends a consensus-based approach to balance the rights of educators with that of the child’s right to education. It further proposes the establishment of a structured and organised forum or institution with the sole purpose of dealing with the rights of educators that compete with the rights of learners. , Thesis (LLD) -- Faculty of Law, Department of Mercantile law, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Barriers faced by women in public sector leadership roles

  • Authors: Khoza, Zelda
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Women construction workers -- South Africa -- Management , Construction industry -- South Africa -- Management , Leadership -- South Africa , Equality
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64599 , vital:73770
  • Description: This research aims to analyse barriers that hinder women from occupying senior leadership posi-tions and to identify strategies that can be utilised to enable women to be appointed in these posi-tions at Transnet. The study identifies implementable strategies to assist women who aspire to be part of senior leadership and face barriers that hinder them from progressing to leadership posi-tions. The research adopts a pragmatic research paradigm, including quantitative and qualitative meth-ods, to explain the barriers associated with women advancing to leadership positions within the company. The data was collected through survey questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The analysis indicates that women are still under-represented in Transnet, even though efforts are being made to close this gap. Ineffective implementation of policies, due to lack of facilitating roles by HRM and line managers as expected, and lack of required support from the organisation play a significant role in creating barriers hindering senior leadership positions. The research findings can inform Human Resource Management (HRM) about the need for effec-tive implementation of policies and intensified monitoring to address the identified barriers that hin-der women from occupying senior leadership positions. Transnet should foster an organisational culture to build solid connections and engage diverse stakeholders to increase their impact and access to resources and drive positive organisational change. Transnet can leverage these find-ings to develop programmes and initiatives that support women’s career advancement and skills development. With these findings, Transnet should consider implementing strategies that provide flexible working conditions. Lastly, these findings aid Transnet in providing mentorship to women as a valuable leadership opportunity in the organisation. This study contributes to the existing literature on barriers that hinder women from occupying sen-ior leadership positions within organisations. The study also provides vital insights into the rolling out of women’s development programmes and the encouragement they bring. It offers implications for future research, policy changes, professional practices, and strategies to assist women in lead-ership positions. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Built Environment and Civil Engineering, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Barriers that prevent effective implementation of physical asset management in a ferrochrome smelter

  • Authors: Mulaudzi, Zwivhuya Phumudzo
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Asset management accounts -- South Africa , Asset-liability management , Asset allocation
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65263 , vital:74083
  • Description: The systematic management of fixed assets, such as equipment, vehicles, machinery, and buildings, is referred to as physical asset management. Effective physical asset management helps equipment intensive organisations, such as smelters, to obtain the most value from their assets, while reducing the risks associated with their ownership and operation of these assets. Physical asset management ensures that assets are safe, cost-efficient, reliable, compliant with relevant regulations and standards. The primary objective of this study was to investigate barriers that prevent the effective implementation of physical asset management in the ferrochrome smelter environment. The researcher used the qualitative phenomenological approach to conduct the study with 12 participants selected for the study and data collected through in-depth interviews, to achieve the study’s objectives. The collected qualitative data was analysed and emerging themes from the data were presented. The findings of the study established several barriers that hinder or prevent effective implementation of physical asset management within a smelter environment. Issues, such as risk assessment, competencies, awareness and training were found to have a major impact on the effectiveness of the physical asset management system. The study offered recommendations, such as the generation of an asset specific risk management strategy to manage the risks associated with physical assets. Continuous training and development for the workforce remain effective in delivering the objectives of a physical asset management system. The recommendations proposed to the organisation in this study, can be used as a guide to help the top leadership in decision making and developing a future asset management policy, strategy, and objectives. Periodic management reviews are essential in addressing challenges relating to the physical asset management system. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Challenges faced tourism small micro and medium-sized enterprises in greater Letaba Local Municipality area Mopani, Limpopo Province

  • Authors: Sethwana, Mahlatse Victor
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Small business -- Limpopo (South Africa) , Business enterprises -- Limpopo (South Africa) , Tourism -- Management -- Limpopo (South Africa) , Tourism -- Limpopo (South Africa)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65412 , vital:74133
  • Description: The aim of the study was to examine the challenges faced by tourism Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) and provide recommendations to the government and other institutions to support these enterprises. It is organized into chapters, including an introduction, literature review, methodology, findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The theoretical framework of the study is based on the finance gap theory and the resource dependency theory. The literature review in Chapter Two of the study provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges faced by tourism SMMEs. It highlights both internal challenges, such as limited managerial competency, lack of financial knowledge, and inadequate business management training, as well as external challenges, including the lack of marketing skills and inefficient use of resources. The study emphasizes the importance of improving managerial competencies, financial knowledge, and marketing skills for the successful operation and development of these enterprises. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, which involves collecting quantitative data followed by qualitative data. The population for the study consists of tourism SMMEs registered in the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment, and Tourism database, with a sample size of 100 tourism SMMEs selected through purposive sampling. The study utilizes an online survey for quantitative data collection and follow-up online interviews for qualitative data collection. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, with the findings integrated through triangulation. In terms of the data analysis, the study utilizes descriptive statistics for the quantitative data and thematic analysis for the qualitative data. Most respondents in the online survey identified themselves as owners of tourism SMMEs, followed by managers and those with dual roles. Most respondents have an Honours degree or B-Tech as their highest qualification, indicating a relatively high level of education among the participants. Additionally, most respondents have worked in the tourism SMME sector for 11-20 years, suggesting a significant amount of experience in the industry. Guesthouses are the most common type of tourism business in the Greater Letaba Municipality (GLM), followed by , Thesis (MPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Challenges facing cooperatives in community development in Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape Province

  • Authors: Nxesi-Noxonya, Fundiswa
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Cooperative societies -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65357 , vital:74094
  • Description: Cooperatives are becoming prominent local economic development agents responsible for addressing economic and social problems experienced by communities in developing countries and sustaining livelihoods. Cooperatives in South Africa contribute significantly to poverty reduction and job creation. The purpose of this study was to understand the operations of cooperatives in community development in Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape province, so that interventions could be implemented to improve cooperatives' performance in the district. The study used a qualitative approach to enable the researcher to investigate cooperatives' challenges in community development and how these have influenced their operations in Graaff-Reinet. The study adopted a case study design. Individual, face–to–face, semi-structured interviews with 12 participants were conducted. Ten participants were cooperative members, and the other two were government officials. These participants were purposively selected because of their involvement in cooperative support programmes. The study's findings revealed that cooperatives contribute to an increase in household income, food security and job creation and improve the quality of life of members of cooperatives in the Graaff-Reinet community. The study also found that cooperatives can address economic and social problems experienced by communities, such as providing training and counselling to community members. However, the study found that the major challenges are limited training opportunities for members of cooperatives, insufficient funds and the mismanagement of funds. This study advocates for meaningful strategies that may be adopted to promote cooperatives as sources of income, namely, improved project management, self-reliance and commitment, funding, secured premises, the employment of young people and elders and the use of learning networks. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Collective bargaining challenges in the public service sector

  • Authors: Maleka, Reuben Mpono
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Collective bargaining -- South Africa , Collective labor agreements -- South Africa , Arbitration, Industrial -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/66283 , vital:74474
  • Description: The concept of collective bargaining is a very old employment relations concept that has evolved and developed over the years. The concept originated in the British trade union and other related labour movement,1 but it was Samuel Gompers, an American labour leader, who developed its common use in his country. Over the years the use and development of collective bargaining has spread over the world and therefore “collective bargaining has a long history, evidenced by developments in different countries, as well as by the importance it has played in granting workers a greater voice in organizations”.2 The Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995 (“LRA”) was enacted with the view to facilitate collective bargaining3 between employers, employers' organizations, trade unions, and employees in order to set working conditions, develop industrial policy, and deal with other issues that are of common interest.4 In practice, collective bargaining involves demand and concession between parties up until a compromise can be found.5 Hence, collective bargaining may not be reduced to mere consultations, as it requires each party to not simply attend to and consider the representations of the other, but also sacrifice fixed positions whenever possible in order to reach a compromise.6 Notably, traditional collective bargaining is a mechanism to negotiate the terms and conditions of employment and is not a vehicle to facilitate joint decision making.7 The greatest net benefit from collective bargaining can be obtained when a system that promotes good faith bargaining and the efficient enforcement of collective agreements is in place , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, Department of Mercantile Law, 2024 , The concept of collective bargaining is a very old employment relations concept that has evolved and developed over the years. The concept originated in the British trade union and other related labour movement, but it was Samuel Gompers, an American labour leader, who developed its common use in his country. Over the years the use and development of collective bargaining has spread over the world and therefore “collective bargaining has a long history, evidenced by developments in different countries, as well as by the importance it has played in granting workers a greater voice in organizations”. The Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995 (“LRA”) was enacted with the view to facilitate collective bargaining between employers, employers' organizations, trade unions, and employees in order to set working conditions, develop industrial policy, and deal with other issues that are of common interest. In practice, collective bargaining involves demand and concession between parties up until a compromise can be found. Hence, collective bargaining may not be reduced to mere consultations, as it requires each party to not simply attend to and consider the representations of the other, but also sacrifice fixed positions whenever possible in order to reach a compromise. Notably, traditional collective bargaining is a mechanism to negotiate the terms and conditions of employment and is not a vehicle to facilitate joint decision making. The greatest net benefit from collective bargaining can be obtained when a system that promotes good faith bargaining and the efficient enforcement of collective agreements is in place
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Community perceptions on teenage pregnancy: the case of Kamvelihle Township in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

  • Authors: Mtakati, Faith
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Teenage pregnancy -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Teenage mothers -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Teenagers -- Sexual behavior
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63368 , vital:73263
  • Description: Increasingly, teenagers in South Africa get pregnant while studying and this disrupt their schooling program. The above problem in many instances ended up affecting their performance at school and they drop-out of the school. This study investigates the community perceptions on teenage pregnancy in Kamvelihle Township. The study objectives are as follows: to investigate the community perception on teenage pregnancy in Kamvelihle Township, to contribute within the South African Sociological field with specific reference to Kamvelihle Township in the Eastern Cape and to come up with the recommendations with the view to addressing some of the problem in Kamvelihle Township. The research methodology employed in this study is qualitative in approach and it included amongst others, individual interviews using an interview guide containing relevant questions posed to participants. Research ethics protocol has been adhered to from the initial up to the last stages of the study. To supplement the above, relevant secondary sources were consulted ranging from scholarly journal articles as well as scholarly books including other available reading material. In this study, sex education has been used as a conceptual framework to understand the problem of teenage pregnancy in Kamvelihle Township. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Community violence and mental health symptoms among adolescents in South Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

  • Authors: Jameson, Stacey
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Violence -- Psychological aspects , Adolescent psychology , Community psychology , Mental health services
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63868 , vital:73621
  • Description: There is a global prevalence of youth exposure to community violence. This is notably pronounced in South Africa, where children and adolescents face elevated levels of violence. Existing systematic reviews have predominately focused on international contexts, leaving a gap that requires comprehensive analysis within the South African context to understand the situation in comparison to global trends. The objective of this study was to synthesise the available literature on adolescent exposure to community violence and its impact on mental health outcomes in South Africa. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of such exposure among South African adolescents, explore associated internalising and externalising mental health symptoms, and assess the extent of this relationship. A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted, encompassing studies published between 2010 and 2022. Eighteen studies focusing on adolescents aged 10 to 19 years, investigating exposure to community violence and mental health outcomes were included. Meta-analytical procedures revealed that South African adolescents face elevated levels of both witnessing and direct victimisation of community violence, accompanied by heightened mental health symptoms, particularly in depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Although a moderate positive correlation between community violence exposure and depression was identified, statistical significance was not achieved. Subgroup analyses, to explore gender as a potential moderating factor was conducted. This study underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions and policy measures to address the impact of community violence on adolescent mental wellbeing in South Africa. These findings contribute to the existing literature by providing an understanding of the situation in the South African context compared to global estimates, offering recommendations for future research to inform more effective public health strategies. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Science, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Comparative study of the effect of iloprost on neuroinflammatory changes in c8-b4 microglial cells and murine model of trypanosomiasis

  • Authors: Jacobs, Ashleigh
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Trypanosomiasis -- South Africa , DNA -- Methylation -- Research -- Methodology , Central nervous system -- Diseases , Nervous system -- Degeneration
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64077 , vital:73651
  • Description: Neurodegenerative conditions significantly impact well-being and quality of life in individuals with major symptoms including mood disorders, cognitive decline, and psychiatric disturbances, often resulting from neuroinflammation triggered by immune responses to bacterial or parasitic infections such as gram-negative bacteria or Human African Trypanosomiasis. Microglia play a crucial role in both neurotoxicity and cellular processes involved in restoring the neural health. Exploring the therapeutic potential of prostacyclin and its analogues in regulating microglia responses to inflammatory insult and treating Trypanosoma brucei (T.b) infection remains an unexplored area. The aim of this study was to assess the potential neuroprotective effects of Iloprost through comparative analysis of neuroinflammatory responses in both microglial cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and mouse brains infected with T.b brucei. In phase I of this study both resting and LPS treated C8-B4 microglial cells were exposed to varying concentrations of Iloprost. The effects of Iloprost on LPS-induced inflammation were analysed using immunofluorescence to detect microglial activation and differentiate between pro and anti-inflammatory phenotypes. Furthermore, pro and anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion was determined using an ELISA, in addition gene expression analysis was carried out using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Also, DNA methylation status of C8-B4 cells exposed to LPS challenge alone or in combination with various concentrations of Iloprost were determined using bisulfite sequencing technique followed by qPCR. In phase II of the study, a total of twenty-four Albino Swiss male mice (8-10 weeks old) were divided into four treatment groups with 6 mice in each group. All treatment groups except the non-infected control were inoculated with the T.b brucei parasite. One group received a single intraperitoneal injection of Diminazene aceturate (4 mg kg-1) while the remaining group received repeated intraperitoneal injections of Iloprost (200 μg kg-1). On day ten of the study, mouse brains were removed on ice using forceps. The hippocampal tissues were dissected out and processed for quantification of gene expression changes in pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNF-α and IL-1β, secretion and gene expression is down-regulated in C8-B4 microglial cells treated with Iloprost. Furthermore, there was a significant up-regulation in the expression of anti-inflammatory genes, particularly ARG-1, CD206, BDNF and CREB in response to Iloprost treatment following LPS-induced inflammation. This study is also the first to confirm M2 microglial polarization with Iloprost treatment in both resting and LPS treated cells. However, hypermethylation at CREB and BDNF promoter regions was observed 24 hours after Iloprost treatment. Additionally, Iloprost reversed hypomethylation at the BDNF promoter region that had been induced by LPS treatment. The rodent model also indicated a downregulation in the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-1β, expression and upregulation of BDNF transcription in T.b brucei infected mice treated with repeated doses of Iloprost. In conclusion, determining the immunomodulatory roles of Iloprost in both in vitro and in vivo models of neuroinflammation could assist in the development of alternative therapy for neurodegenerative disease. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Biomolecular & Chemical Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Comparing stable isotope ratios and metal concentrations between components of the benthic food web: a case study of the Swartkops Estuary South Africa

  • Authors: Ndoto, Asiphe
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Swartkops River Estuary (South Africa) , Estuarine ecology -- South Africa -- Swartkops River Estuary , Fishes -- Ecology -- South Africa -- Swartkops River Estuary
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64256 , vital:73669
  • Description: Estuarine systems are highly productive ecosystems; however, they are subjected to high anthropogenic pressure such as metal contamination and: increased nutrient loads. The contamination sources of metals and nutrients in urban estuaries are derived: from industrial waste. agricultural and urban runoff that flows into estuaries. An example of such a system is the Swartkops Estuary. industry and three wastewater treatment plants within the Swartkops River catchment are major sources of metal. and nutrient pollution, respectively. The metals accumulate in the environment, are biomagnified up the food web, and transferred from one trophic level to another. At lethal concentrations, metals pose a threat to organisms using the estuary by affecting their physiological and biochemical processes. Stable Isotope analysis has proven to be an effective tool for investigating, trophic linkages in the food chain from a variety of environments. By assessing both metals and stable _isotopes in the. estuary it can provide a more robust understanding of the pathway metals accumulate, biomagnified, and transfer from the environment through the estuarine food web. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2022
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Computer vision as a tool for tracking gastropod chemical trails

  • Authors: Viviers, Andre
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Computers , Electronic data processing , Machine learning
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64863 , vital:73934
  • Description: The difficulties encountered in previous gastropod research with human intervention (Raw, Miranda, & Perissinotto, 2013) inspired this dissertation. More specifically the tedious task of human intervention in the tracking of gastropod chemical trails, which is a time-consuming and error-prone exercise. In this study, computer vision is proposed as an alternative to human intervention. A machine learning literature review was conducted to identify relevant methodologies and techniques for the research. Furthermore, it investigates data preprocessing techniques on a variety of different data types. This sets the stage for a deeper investigation of techniques used for pre-processing image and video data. Following that, another literature review delved deeper into the computer vision pipeline. The review is divided into two parts: data pre-processing and model training. First, it provides a deeper investigation into relevant data pre-processing techniques for use in constructing a dataset comprised of gastropod images. Following that, it delves into the complexities of training a computer vision model. The study then investigates convolutional neural networks, revealing the neural networks’ suitability in image/video processing. A convolutional neural network is selected as the foundation for the best-effort model. This serves as the foundation for the subsequent experimental research. The first part of the experimental work involves creating a labelled dataset from the video dataset provided by Raw et al. (2013). By employing data preprocessing techniques in a strategic manner, an unlabeled dataset is generated. Then a labelled dataset is generated using a simple K-Means clustering algorithm and manual labelling. Thereafter, a best-effort model is trained to detect gastropods within images using this dataset. After making the labelled dataset, the next step in the exploration is to build a prototype that can find gastropods and draw trace lines based on their movement. Five evaluation runs serve to gauge the prototype’s effectiveness. Videos with varying properties from the original dataset are purposefully chosen for each run. The prototype’s trace lines are compared to the original dataset’s human-drawn pathways. The versatility of the prototype is demonstrated in the final evaluation by generating fine-grained trace lines post-processing. This enables the plot to be adjusted to different parameters based on the characteristics that the resulting plot should have. Through the versatility and accuracy demonstrated by the evaluation runs, this research found that a gastropod tracking solution based on computer vision can alleviate human intervention. The dissertation concludes with a discourse on the lessons learned from the research study. These are presented as guidelines to aid future work in developing a gastropod tracking solution based on computer vision. , Thesis (MIT) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, School of Information Technology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Conceptual framework of African immigrant entrepreneurship in South Africa

  • Authors: Ngota, Bernard Lama
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Immigrant business enterprises -- South Africa , Entrepreneurship -- South Africa , Foreign workers -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctorate theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65298 , vital:74090
  • Description: Most previous research on immigrant entrepreneurship has focused on investigating and describing immigrant entrepreneurship challenges, characteristics, and drivers of success. Immigrant entrepreneurship research that focuses on Africa, includes the challenges African immigrant entrepreneurs face, and their innate ability to start new ventures in their host countries compared to their native-born counterparts. However, literature on the conceptual framework explaining African immigrant entrepreneurship in South Africa is still nascent. This study assisted to develop a framework that will explain African immigrant entrepreneurship in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework of African immigrant entrepreneurship in South Africa. The aim was achieved through a qualitative research approach that provided insights into African immigrant entrepreneurs and their perceptions thereof; the home country context, the entrepreneur, the resources, business opportunities, the immigrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, new business creation and operations, and the contributions to economic development to the South African economy were explored. Data was collected from a total of twenty-two participants using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were self-administered on a face-to-face contact by the researcher. Participants included African immigrant entrepreneurs; owner/managers and their employees comprised of twelve African immigrant entrepreneurs and ten employees. Data was collected using an interview guide and analysed by means of content and thematic analyses. A conceptual framework of African immigrant entrepreneurship in South Africa was created from the literature, and the collected data was then fitted to match the components of the model. The findings reveal how the different components of home country context, entrepreneur, resources, business opportunity, immigrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, new business creation and operations, were all interlinked to contribute to the economic development of South Africa. Furthermore, the findings revealed that African immigrant social ethnic groups provides support to their members such as “njangi”, loans, emotional support, protection, information, and helping them adjust to their new surroundings. These supports might promote African immigrant entrepreneurship and the creation of a new business in a host country like South Africa. Other findings complement how other employees benefit from African immigrant entrepreneurship in , Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Management Sciences, 2023 , Most previous research on immigrant entrepreneurship has focused on investigating and describing immigrant entrepreneurship challenges, characteristics, and drivers of success. Immigrant entrepreneurship research that focuses on Africa, includes the challenges African immigrant entrepreneurs face, and their innate ability to start new ventures in their host countries compared to their native-born counterparts. However, literature on the conceptual framework explaining African immigrant entrepreneurship in South Africa is still nascent. This study assisted to develop a framework that will explain African immigrant entrepreneurship in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework of African immigrant entrepreneurship in South Africa. The aim was achieved through a qualitative research approach that provided insights into African immigrant entrepreneurs and their perceptions thereof; the home country context, the entrepreneur, the resources, business opportunities, the immigrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, new business creation and operations, and the contributions to economic development to the South African economy were explored. Data was collected from a total of twenty-two participants using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were self-administered on a face-to-face contact by the researcher. Participants included African immigrant entrepreneurs; owner/managers and their employees comprised of twelve African immigrant entrepreneurs and ten employees. Data was collected using an interview guide and analysed by means of content and thematic analyses. A conceptual framework of African immigrant entrepreneurship in South Africa was created from the literature, and the collected data was then fitted to match the components of the model. The findings reveal how the different components of home country context, entrepreneur, resources, business opportunity, immigrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, new business creation and operations, were all interlinked to contribute to the economic development of South Africa. Furthermore, the findings revealed that African immigrant social ethnic groups provides support to their members such as “njangi”, loans, emotional support, protection, information, and helping them adjust to their new surroundings. These supports might promote African immigrant entrepreneurship and the creation of a new business in a host country like South Africa. Other findings complement how other employees benefit from African immigrant entrepreneurship in South Africa. This was evidence in the entrepreneurs’ responsibilities, improved employees’ skills development, improved employee economic status and improved employee-employer relationships. The proposed framework serves as a valuable resource for scholars and practitioners, especially those involved with the making of legislations in the country. The study recommends that broad-based integrated public policy interventions and strategies be developed and implemented to have a positive impact on the country's economic success in terms of job creation, skills transfer, poverty reduction, and economic growth to achieve the socio-economic well-being of the people.
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Credit accessibility and enabling policies for SMMEs in King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality South Africa

  • Authors: Busakwe, Lomso
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Credit -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Finance -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Small business -- Management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64884 , vital:73938
  • Description: Small, medium and micro enterprises contribute significantly to the economy, approximately 34% to South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product. They also play a vital role in the economy as drivers for reducing unemployment. In a modern transforming globe, small, medium and micro enterprises depend on funding. Categorically, credit in South Africa is limited to small, medium and micro enterprises from banks, this has to do with the credit histories, policies and collateral. The issue of policies that make it convenient for Small, medium and micro enterprises to obtain loans have proven to be difficult. These policies aspects have verified to be specifically difficult for regulations meant to increase asset-based total lending. The aim of the study was to assesses the role, adequacy and gaps of current policies to enhance credit accessibility by SMMEs in the KSDLM. The following research objectives are pursued: to identify the challenges faced by small businesses in the KSDLM, specifically from a credit access perspective; to identify the role of policies in assisting SMMEs to access credit for their small businesses in the KSDLM; to identify the policy gaps that hinder access to credit by SMMEs in the KSDLM; to draft a policy framework that enhances access to credit by SMMEs. A mixed method approach was adopted in this study. A questionnaire for quantitative approach, as well as an interview schedule for qualitative approach, was used to collect data. A sample of 145 small, medium, and micro enterprises, as well as 5 financial institutions, was utilised for the study. The study revealed numerous challenges that are hindering small, medium and micro enterprises from accessing credit and they are compliant, lack of proper record keeps, poor adjustment to technology, collateral and stability. Most small, medium and micro enterprises mentioned are facing challenges in accessing credit owing to the policies that are in place that do not cater for all their challenges and shortcomings. The study recommend that the Government can provide financial assistance to small businesses through grants, loans, tax incentives, and subsidies. These initiatives can reduce the financial burden on small businesses, allowing them to invest in growth, innovation and sustainability. , Thesis (MPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Cyber security compliance in South Africa’s maritime sector

  • Authors: Steenberg, Wynand
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Computer security -- Management , Computer networks -- Security measures , Cyberspace -- Security measures , Shipping -- Security measures
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65445 , vital:74152
  • Description: Globally, cyber attacks on the maritime industry have escalated exponentially, indicating that cyber security should be an international priority. The majority of maritime digital systems are connected to the cloud through information technologies, creating vulnerability to cyber attacks. Cyber security is critical to protect and ensure resiliency in the maritime industry’s operations. In July 2021, a cyber attack targeted the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and caused significant disruption to operations at multiple South African ports. Port operations were reduced to manual processes, which resulted in severe congestion. Transnet declared a force majeure during the two weeks it took to reinstate minimal operations. The TNPA cyber attack emphasised the need for effective strategies and procedures to prevent and recover from cyber attacks in the South African maritime industry. As maritime transport contributes significantly to South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP), the incident had a detrimental effect on the country’s economy. It is, therefore, important to ensure that the South African maritime industry remains aware of the latest strategies and guidelines for cyber risk management. This study set out to establish if South Africa’s maritime industry complies with international standards for cyber risk management by analysing the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) guidelines for cyber risk management. South Africa’s cyber risk management strategies were evaluated, and recommendations were made to improve the cyber risk management strategies and procedures currently employed in the South African maritime industry. , Thesis (MPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Defining and regulating de facto and shadow directors: lessons from New Zealand

  • Authors: Botha, Bernardus Hermanus
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Business law , Companies Act 71 of 2008. , Company Management
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63059 , vital:73182
  • Description: The term ‘director’ is commonly limited to those persons who have been validly appointed as directors. These directors are referred to as de jure directors. However, this is not the only type of director found in practical corporate settings. There are also those who have not been validly appointed as a director, who nonetheless act as directors and who are held out by companies as such. These persons are known as de facto directors. An individual who has not been validly appointed as a director, who is not held out by a company as such, but who still exercises some measure of control over the affairs of a company, is known as a shadow director. The existence of de facto and shadow directors is not peculiar to South Africa. New Zealand has seen fit to regulate de facto and shadow directors and has done so for over 70 years. Owing to the ambiguous wording of the definition of ‘director’ contained in the Companies Act, there is uncertainty whether the current definition in the Companies Act 71 of 2008 extends to de facto and shadow directors. This uncertainty resulted in the non-regulation of these forms of directorship. The Act only applies to those individuals who fall within the definition of ‘director’. The practical effect of this is the absence of clear avenues of accountability to those who occupy a position of power within a company without being appointed as a de jure director. Considering this, the core objectives of this research are to illustrate the far-reaching consequences of the non-regulation of de facto and shadow directors and how this problem may be remedied. , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Development of a numerical geohydrological model for a fractured rock aquifer in the Karoo, near Sutherland, South Africa

  • Authors: Maqhubela, Akhona
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Hydrogeology -- South Africa -- Northern Cape , Groundwater -- South Africa -- North Cape -- Management , Evapotranspiration
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64164 , vital:73658
  • Description: The regional scale method in groundwater storage observation introduces uncertainties that hinder the evaluation of the remaining lifespan of depleted aquifers. The scarcity of precipitation data presents significant global challenge, especially in semi-arid regions. This study constructs a regional numerical hydrogeological model that identifies the potential impacts of climate change on the water balance for the South African Gravimetric Observation Station in Sutherland. The purpose of this study is to understand mechanisms controlling groundwater in the fractured rock aquifer. The climate data from the Weather forecast data over the last ten years was collected from the South African Weather Service. and groundwater levels data assessed the potential impacts of climate change on water balance components, especially precipitation and evapotranspiration. Precipitation is the primary recharge parameter in this study and had the highest level recorded in winter, with May having the highest precipitation rates of 24,62mm. The instrument conducted two profile investigations in a single day to detect geological abnormalities at various depths, achieving an impressive accuracy of up to 0.001 mV. The fact that groundwater flows from regions of higher hydraulic heads to areas of lower hydraulic charges, confirms that riverbeds in Sutherland act as preferential conduits for subsurface recharge. The profile and processed geophysical maps show low chances of getting groundwater in this observed area due to extensively great depth, approximately 150 – 210 m. The river package from MODFLOW model shows little inflow to the study nearby well locations. These model results showed a negative difference between water flowing in and out of the system of about -7m3 between 2002 and 2020. Groundwater flows faster at borehole five, where the hydraulic conductivity is large. The resulting regional hydrogeological model offered valuable insights into how climate change might influence the distribution and accessibility of groundwater resources. In the context of Sutherland, a negative groundwater budget value signaled that groundwater extraction or consumption surpassed the natural replenishment or recharge of the aquifer. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2024
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Development of a numerical geohydrological model for a fractured rock aquifer in the Karoo, near Sutherland, South Africa

  • Authors: Maqhubela, Akhona
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Groundwater -- South Africa -- Northern Cape , Hydrogeology -- South Africa -- Northern Cape , Remote sensing , Geographic information systems
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64163 , vital:73659
  • Description: The regional scale method in groundwater storage observation introduces uncertainties that hinder the evaluation of the remaining lifespan of depleted aquifers. The scarcity of precipitation data presents significant global challenge, especially in semi-arid regions. This study constructs a regional numerical hydrogeological model that identifies the potential impacts of climate change on the water balance for the South African Gravimetric Observation Station in Sutherland. The purpose of this study is to understand mechanisms controlling groundwater in the fractured rock aquifer. The climate data from the Weather forecast data over the last ten years was collected from the South African Weather Service. and groundwater levels data assessed the potential impacts of climate change on water balance components, especially precipitation and evapotranspiration. Precipitation is the primary recharge parameter in this study and had the highest level recorded in winter, with May having the highest precipitation rates of 24,62mm. The instrument conducted two profile investigations in a single day to detect geological abnormalities at various depths, achieving an impressive accuracy of up to 0.001 mV. The fact that groundwater flows from regions of higher hydraulic heads to areas of lower hydraulic charges, confirms that riverbeds in Sutherland act as preferential conduits for subsurface recharge. The profile and processed geophysical maps show low chances of getting groundwater in this observed area due to extensively great depth, approximately 150 – 210 m. The river package from MODFLOW model shows little inflow to the study nearby well locations. These model results showed a negative difference between water flowing in and out of the system of about -7m3 between 2002 and 2020. Groundwater flows faster at borehole five, where the hydraulic conductivity is large. The resulting regional hydrogeological model offered valuable insights into how climate change might influence the distribution and accessibility of groundwater resources. In the context of Sutherland, a negative groundwater budget value signaled that groundwater extraction or consumption surpassed the natural replenishment or recharge of the aquifer. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2022
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2024-04
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