Unisa Press Journals (University of South Africa)
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More than Mere Playing: A Conceptual Reflection on Mahunḓwane in Tshivenḓa Culture
No full textMost children in this modern era witness playing house on television or listening to stories on the radio. Those who are even more fortunate acquire information from storytellers in their homes, which is rare. For this reason, when they grow up, every step into their adult world is new, and they find themselves in a strange, mysterious, and unusual world. This could be one of the reasons why most young adults are unprepared for their adult life and fail to adjust to their parental role. This paper applies a multidisciplinary approach involving the Social Constructionist and Ethnography of Communication Theories to delve into the cultural history and folklore of Vhavenḓa on the importance of mahunḓwane, a game in which children build a miniature village for playing house. The article applies both theories to unpack family and societal kinterms to illustrate how children were taught morals, values, vertical, horizontal and hierarchical relationships within families and communities, and in the process, they made the adult world their world stage, as well as a model which they impersonated
Opposition Political Party and Electoral Performance: Nigeria and South Africa in Comparative Perspective
No full textOpposition political parties perform various functions in a democratic society, including the alternation of power and deepening, strengthening, and consolidating democracy through constructive criticism of public policies. All opposition parties hope to win elections and become ruling parties to further consolidate democracy. This article examines how opposition political parties in Nigeria and South Africa have fared in these functions, with emphasis on their electoral performance since the two countries returned to democracy. Content analysis of extant literature was conducted and elections in the two countries were analysed through simple frequency to achieve the research objective. The study found that opposition political parties in South Africa seem to be doing better in engaging the government compared to their counterparts in Nigeria. However, opposition political parties in the former have not been able to alternate power compared to those in Nigeria. This article concludes by advocating for a merger of opposition political parties in South Africa for possible alternation of power. In addition, Nigeria’s opposition parties need to be more engaging and vibrant to consolidate democracy
Exploring the Role of Social Support in Coping With Challenges Faced by Stepmothers: A Case Study in South Africa Using the Social Support Theory
No full textStepmothers often face unique challenges in stepfamily dynamics and require coping strategies to navigate their roles effectively. This study explores the role of social support in helping stepmothers cope with the challenges that they face within father–stepmother families. Using the social support theory as a conceptual framework, the research investigates the ways in which emotional, informational and instrumental support networks influence stepmothers’ coping strategies and well-being. Through a qualitative case study approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with five stepmothers in father–stepmother families in the eThekwini district, South Africa. The findings reveal that stepmothers rely on various social support sources, such as extended family, friends, colleagues, domestic workers and traditional healers, to manage the complexities of their role. These support networks provide essential emotional, instrumental and informational support that enables stepmothers to manage the unique stressors that they face. The study also reveals the range of coping strategies that stepmothers employ, which are influenced by their sources of support and the necessity of preventing family violence. Indeed, while stepmothers adopted various strategies to navigate their role, some of these strategies also served to prevent family violence. The study emphasises the importance of fostering robust support systems for stepmothers, not only to improve their overall coping abilities and well-being but also to help prevent family violence. The findings contribute to the broader understanding of family dynamics and offer valuable insights for practitioners, policymakers and researchers interested in enhancing support for stepfamilies
The Role of E-Learning Policy in Academics’ Professional Development in African ODeL Institutions
No full textE-learning has undoubtedly become one of the major solutions to address the many challenges that higher education institutions face. Some of these challenges have led to the demand for distance education and the development of e-learning as a complementary and alternative teaching and learning system. This study explored the ways in which the e-learning policy in two African open distance e-learning (ODeL) higher education institutions drives academic professional development. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants, and the policy documents from the selected institutions were thematically analysed. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology guided this study. The study’s findings revealed that comprehensive and robust e-learning policies may contribute to improving the adoption of online teaching in higher education. The findings also indicate that the e-learning policy should contribute to the capacity-building activities of the lecturers to prepare them for the new online systems. The study consequently recommends that ODeL higher education institutions in developing countries develop and continuously update an e-learning policy
Developing Reading Skills Through Semantic Proficiency: A Case of Learners with Mild Hearing Impairment in a South African Mainstream School
No full textThis article reports the findings of a study that examined the teaching strategies employed to teach English semantics to enhance the reading skills of learners with mild hearing impairment included in mainstream classrooms in a South African public school. The learners were to be assisted to understand the meaning of words, improve their reading ability, and develop the literacy skills needed to make their learning successful. The study aimed to investigate how semantic proficiency contributes to the reading skills of learners with mild hearing impairment and to determine what teaching strategies teachers employ to teach semantics in inclusive settings. A quantitative case study design was adopted. The study involved two teachers and 13 grade 8 learners with a hearing impairment. A systematic sampling technique was used to select suitable participants. The data were collected through classroom observations and unstructured interviews. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. The study found that the teachers believed that exposure to understanding the meaning of words would encourage reluctant learners to read more. To a large extent, the teachers embraced the significance of adopting different teaching strategies to teach semantics, for example, repeated reading. Learners participated actively during the activities and in most instances responded positively to the questions posed by the teachers. This was demonstrated by the learners’ understanding of the words that they encountered. The conclusion drawn from the study is that the teachers comprehended the significance of understanding words and reading them fluently
Academic Libraries and Research Data Management Services in Ghana
No full textThis study, as part of a larger study, examined the provision and impact of research data management (RDM) services in Ghanaian academic libraries—an underexplored area in developing countries. The study employed a mixed methods research approach. Data were collected from graduate students, lecturers, and librarians across public and private universities. The study found that academic libraries in Ghana’s universities have contributed immensely and diversely to RDM services. These include RDM policy development, data repository development, data storage and reuse, and research data sharing. The study also found that university libraries organise RDM training for both staff and students, covering metadata and data curation, ICT use, funding requirements for data research, thesis writing, research publications, collaborative partnership and research, and data security and storage. The study further established that RDM services have had a positive impact on data reuse and collaborative research among students and lecturers, resulting in improved data quality, access, accuracy, consistency, and reliability. RDM services have also led to increased efficiency of data handling, reduced risk of data loss in databases, and enhanced collaboration among students and lecturers. To sustain and improve RDM services in academic libraries, management of universities must enhance RDM services with an emphasis on improving access and utilisation through effective collaboration between libraries and researchers. To enhance RDM services, it is further recommended that the capacities of library and IT staff should be enhanced to keep pace with evolving trends and technologies, such as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in research data management
Factors Motivating Early Antenatal Care Attendance in Lesotho: A Qualitative Study
No full textIntroduction: Early antenatal care is key to the World Health Organization’s strategy to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. However, the rate of early antenatal attendance remains low in Lesotho. Few studies have been conducted on the reasons for late antenatal care attendance, but there is a dearth of information on the factors motivating early antenatal care in Lesotho.
Methods: A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive design study was conducted to explore and describe the factors motivating women to attend antenatal care services before 16 weeks gestation. The study was conducted at a healthcare centre in Lesotho, where 14 participants were purposely selected, and data was collected using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used following Tesch’s protocol.
Results: Six themes were identified as the factors motivating early antenatal attendance in Lesotho, namely 1) confirmation of pregnancy, 2) concern for foetal well-being, 3) optimising maternal well-being, 4) awareness raising through health education, 5) motivation from family and friends and 6) cultural and social expectations. The findings from this study can inform the development of interventions to promote early antenatal care attendance in Lesotho and reduce maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality
Female-Headed Households and Their Nuanced Meanings of Housing in Kathrada Park, Johannesburg
No full textIn South Africa and globally, families have undergone social and economic transformation owing to globalisation, apartheid, and migration, among other factors. Female-headed households (FHHs) have become a common permutation of African families. While urbanisation has presented multiple social and economic opportunities for women, a nexus of structural constraints still presents challenges for many FHHs from accessing social welfare services such as housing. Informed by a social exclusion lens, this qualitative study employed an exploratory design to collect and analyse data from eight heads of FHHs in a low-income community in Johannesburg to explore the different nuanced meanings that FHHs attach to housing. Participants were selected through snowball sampling, and one-on-one semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, which were transcribed verbatim. A thematic content analysis found that FHHs attach explicit and nuanced meanings to housing. Although located in a low-income community, their housing gives them a sense of self-worth and dignity, offers them some level of safety and security for their children, and is conveniently located for their livelihood. Among others, this study recommends more social work research that focuses on the intersection of feminisation, housing, and FHHs. More importantly, the authors argue that the meaning of housing in relation to the poor and vulnerable such as FHHs is relevant to social work as a discipline that is informed by human rights and social justice, because housing is key to the politics of safety, security, and belonging
A Comparative Analysis of the Upbringing of Children as Portrayed in Selected Tshivenda Folktales and Novels
No full textThis study explores the portrayal of children’s upbringing in selected Tshivenḓa folktales and novels, highlighting the cultural narratives that shape perceptions of child-rearing practices. The problem statement addresses the alarming prevalence of child abuse and neglect depicted in these literary forms, raising concerns about the societal implications of such portrayals. The study aims to analyse and compare the themes surrounding children’s upbringing across these two distinct genres, utilising a phenomenological approach to capture the lived experiences of folktale narrators and novel authors. Data was collected from purposefully sampled three folktales and three novel books, employing Neuman’s analytical comparison method, specifically focusing on the method of agreement to identify common themes. The study is grounded in Comparative Literature Theory, which facilitates understanding how different literary forms reflect and critique societal norms regarding child-rearing. Findings reveal significant themes, including the physical and psychological abuse of children, parental neglect, and the silencing of children’s voices. These narratives reflect broader societal issues and cultural values surrounding childhood in Tshivenḓa society. The study recommends future longitudinal research to investigate the long-term effects of these abusive environments on children’s psychological and emotional development, emphasising the need for systemic changes to prioritise children’s rights and well-being
Analysis of the Cultural Meaning of Okulamusa Practice of the Basoga People of Uganda
No full textProlonged greeting practices of various communities particularly in Africa offer insights about the deeper meaning of social interactions among people in a modern global society where individualism and its attendant challenges to humankind are increasing. This study was about okulamusa, an indigenous greeting practice of the Basoga people of Uganda. Although this heritage embeds deep Basoga sociocultural values, there is barely any scholarly analysis of its meaning to the community and application in a contemporary context. This study aimed at finding out the nature of interactions and relationships that okulamusa engenders, its cultural value, and what could be learnt about and from the engagements in this practice. The study employed phenomenological and auto-ethnographic methods, and involved 22 participants. Data was obtained through observation, interviews, focus group discussions, auto-ethnographic reflection, and analysis of extant YouTube videos and online audio files that were widely publicised. The inquiry revealed that okulamusa is a contextual asking of questions and telling of holistic human experiences, which embed construction of individual and collective identity, and nurturing of a socio-collectivist community spirit, understanding, unity, cohesion, and coexistence in society. These virtues are transmitted in an intergenerational manner as a means of sustaining the community’s ethical and social fabric. The study concluded that okulamusa, just like other similar prolonged greeting cultures, is a central cultural practice that shapes human interactions and relations, which have implications for contemporary social development initiatives