Unisa Press Journals (University of South Africa)
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The Rugged Trajectory of Africa’s Reparations Agenda: From Aspiration to Claim and Action
No full textThe first advances of Africa’s reparations agenda are traceable to the First International Conference on Reparations held in Nigeria in 1990. The profile of the subject was promptly raised to that of a regional undertaking at the level of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1991. The continent is henceforth seen to stumble into institutional formulations that lack the support infrastructure and formidability to operate. The momentum for reparations set by the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action of 2001 faltered in Africa, primarily because the continent prioritised development assistance, investment and market reforms with the very powers responsible for reparations. More than two decades after this conference, it is increasingly evident that reparations are crucial for dismantling the structural impoverishment that undermines even the most well-intentioned reforms. The African Union (AU) is currently resuscitating the continent’s reparations agenda, amid some gains by Africa’s diaspora, protracted litigation and advances by certain African societies and the renewal of the UN International Decade for People of African Descent, which is based on the pillars of recognition, justice and development. A continent’s reparations agenda must be guided by clear and established principles of engagement, driven by a formidable and sustainable institution, with continental-wide representation and consensus. A holistic agenda must unify the continent, in its diversity, around the core objective. It should include strategies that exert influence over the nations owing reparations to fulfil their obligations and be supported by authoritative African-centred thought leadership rooted in an authentic African conscience. It is a multi-sectoral, multi-dimensional, multidisciplinary, multi-layered and resilient venture
Bridging Gaps in Open Distance e-Learning: Applying Moore’s Transactional Distance Theory to Support Early Childhood Care and Education Students
No full textOpen distance e-learning (ODeL) provides students who hold multiple roles and are affected by barriers such as distance, cost, and time with an opportunity to pursue their studies; these students are called distance students. In ODeL, the separation between the teacher and students can lead to communication gaps, a psychological space of potential misunderstandings between the behaviours of teachers and those of the students, called transactional distance. This paper explored how the transactional distance theory is used to support early childhood care and education (ECCE) students in ODeL. The study was conducted in one private higher education institution (PHEI) that offers qualifications in ODeL in the Gauteng province, South Africa. Adopting the interpretivism paradigm, the study is grounded in Moore’s theory of transactional distance as a theoretical lens. A purposive sampling strategy was used to target ECCE lecturers in the PHEI. A qualitative methodology was employed, with semi-structured interviews as the primary data collection method. Interviews allowed for an in-depth exploration of the participants’ perspectives and experiences in terms of supporting students in the ODeL context. A multiple case study design was adopted to provide a holistic understanding of student support in the ODeL. Thematic analysis was used to make sense of the data collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that the participants applied Moore’s transactional distance theory by using the Canvas learning management system to initiate communication with students and by designing less structured courses to decrease the transactional distance.
Analysis of Systemic Social Injustices Perpetuated against Vulnerable Populations by the Healthcare System in South Africa: Eclectic Contexts
No full textThirty years after democratisation, inequalities continue to impact the African populace mainly. Collected empirical data substantiates the enduring patterns of apartheid, which, in certain instances, manifest as inequality. The imbalance indicates that what prevails is not genuine freedom but rather a covert form of apartheid that ultimately results in the premature demise of many South Africans due to preventable causes, and statistics indeed prove this. The objective of this study was to examine the prevailing social injustices encountered, including the mental health challenges associated with the vulnerable demographic, by illuminating the inequities and inequalities to draw conclusions about the existence of systemic oppression. The article relies on a wide-ranging compilation of literature obtained from numerous esteemed research databases, including, but not limited to, the National Institutes of Health, EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, Research Gate, and others, in order to furnish a thorough analysis of the pertinent issues. The findings indicate the presence of systemic components that sustain the marginalisation of black individuals, leading to adverse mental health outcomes, underscoring a concerning trend that necessitates immediate intervention. These factors manifest through rights violations, exacerbated mental health deficits, and the absence of adequate healthcare services in rural regions. Furthermore, it concludes that the social injustices within the healthcare system in South Africa are intricately constructed and sustained by Western ideologies that shape governmental policies focused on privatisation and market-oriented solutions. The proposal articulated is to reinstate progressive social workers, who have unfortunately been supplanted by more traditional practitioners, to promote the liberation and empowerment of South Africans within the domains of mental health and social justice
Overcoming Employee Retention Barriers in Municipality Libraries in Gauteng Province for Sustainable Development: A Herculean Task
No full textMunicipality libraries face significant barriers such as a lack of legislative framework and political interference that impede the provision of library services for sustainable development. To overcome these barriers, it is imperative for public libraries to retain skilled librarians to enhance organisational performance. This study aimed to investigate barriers hindering the implementation of employee retention strategies and practices in the context of public libraries. An interview schedule was used to collect qualitative data from 13 purposively selected library managers. The data were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that administrative bureaucratic processes and red tape, political interference, a highly unionised environment, and non-competitive salary structures affect employee retention practices in the public library context. This study recommends that library leaders should develop a red tape reduction strategy and comply with staff regulations applicable to local government to thwart undue political interference and deprofessionalisation in the public library sector. This study further recommends that municipalities that do not have a retention policy must craft one within an approved legislative framework to retain skilled librarians and mitigate against the loss of tacit knowledge
Utilisation of Acoli Folktales for Mindset Modification in Post-LRA Incursions: A Sociological Perspective
No full textThis study explores the sceptre of Acoli folktales on mentality adjustment among the Acoli people of northern Uganda. The overarching terminus of the study was to analyse the implications of Acoli folktales in mentality adjustment in the post-Lord Resistance Army (LRA) infringements in Acoliland. This was accomplished by conducting a literature review of some selected Acoli folktales, with a quintessence on the underlying concepts such as deceit, boredom, boastfulness, rebelliousness, and treachery. Like any other traditional edification, the traditional Acoli community has preserved group cohesiveness and unconscious acceptance of customary codes articulated and encoded in their oral narratives (myths, legends, and folktales) to ensure a peaceful life in the genealogy and community. The study found that folktales have momentousness in kinfolk regulation. Furthermore, the study claims that a commune with a strong awareness of folktales and their implications for mentality adjustment would view squabbles as an integral aspect of human existence and harmonious living and would hence avoid actions and inactions that foster antipathy
Leveraging Paradiplomacy for Enhanced Cooperation and Sustainability: Analysing Cross-Border Cooperation in the Maloti–Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area Through its Working Groups
No full textThis article examines the role of paradiplomacy in the Maloti–Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area through the strategic interventions of its working groups. The Maloti–Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area is also referred to as the Maloti–Drakensberg Transfrontier Project/Programme (where Project was later changed to Programme). The study uses a qualitative desktop-based approach. It analyses literature, policy documents and stakeholder communications to assess the ways in which these working groups facilitate cross-border cooperation among subnational actors, including local governments, NGOs, private companies and community organisations in South Africa and Lesotho. The study focuses on four key working groups, namely, Biodiversity and Protected Areas, Tourism, Cultural Heritage, and Bilateral Security. It explores their contributions to biodiversity conservation, sustainable tourism, cultural heritage preservation, and regional security. The findings demonstrate the ways in which paradiplomacy strengthens institutional collaboration, enhances local governance and fosters inclusive community participation. Based on these insights, the study provides policy recommendations for improving multilevel governance, securing sustainable funding and advancing transfrontier cooperation in similar ecological and socio-economic contexts
The Kafkaesque Wall: The Construction of Jewish Identity in “Beim Bau der chinesischen Mauer”
No full textIn his short story “Beim Bau der chinesischen Mauer” Franz Kafka creates a highly distinctive, Kafkaesque image of China and the Great Wall. Although Kafka never visited China, he referred to the distant country multiple times in his letters and writings, even once describing himself as “a Chinese” in a postcard. This allegorical self-identification reflects his use of the country as a cultural Other. In “Beim Bau der chinesischen Mauer,” Kafka deliberately constructs a fictional image of China, using the Great Wall as a means to explore themes of Zionism and Judaism. This study aims to examine how Kafka’s imagined China functions as an allegory, reflecting his complex and nuanced reflections on Jewish identity and Zionist concerns
Global Stage for IsiXhosa Poetry: Is the Current Visibility of IsiXhosa Poetic Elements in South African Music a Legitimate Sign of Globalisation?
No full textIn this article, I interrogate the visibility of isiXhosa poetry and its poetic elements in global music, particularly in the context of cultural globalisation, which frequently results in the commodification, commercialisation, and distortion of indigenous cultural forms to serve the desires of a global capitalist system. Specifically, I focus on how isiXhosa poetic tradition, vastly entrenched in native contexts and the socio-political and economic struggles of amaXhosa, is now being reshaped to fit the commercial appetites of global audiences. Having said this, I then explore the extent to which globalisation influences the representation and legitimacy of isiXhosa poetry in contemporary South African music, applying cultural globalisation as a theoretical framework. Three notable findings emerge. First, isiXhosa poetic elements, as featured in global music by various South African musicians, undergo sanitisation to make them palatable for global markets. Second, the political and cultural significance of isiXhosa poetry risks being diminished as it is reduced to marketable fragments. Third, while global visibility offers opportunities for cultural recognition, it demands conformity to Western market expectations. Ultimately, this article concludes by advocating for the preservation of isiXhosa poetry’s integrity, calling on musical productions and cultural stakeholders to defy commodification and commercialisation, and maintain the integrity of indigenous cultural forms on global platforms
A Critical Thought on Paternity Leave for Working Fathers
No full textPaternity leave is one of the crucial aspects of employment relations that fosters paternal involvement in family life and raising children. Contrary to the importance of paternity leave in our modern societies, laws can be promulgated on wrong perceptions that women must stay at home and take care of the household and children, while men are obliged to work to provide for their families. The current reality of life calls for a paradigm shift in traditional gender roles of men and women that both are equal and have become career- and family-orientated. In many democratic societies, constitutionally entrenched rights prohibit unfair discrimination based on sex or gender. However, labour laws in some jurisdictions do not expressly provide for paternity leave for working fathers the way women are given a reasonable period to take maternity leave for the caring of their newborn babies. This warrants a debate on whether excluding paternity leave in laws and policies aligns with constitutional values. We investigate how existing paternity legislation is regulated and the impact that failure to provide paternity leave has on the children. Paternity leave in South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania is discussed within an international, regional, and national legal framework and compared with the Western countries of Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The article concludes that effective measures and policies are essential in Africa to dismantle traditional gender stereotypes and promote equal roles in the workplace
The Promotion of Lifelong Learning Through the Ethekwini Municipal Public Libraries in the Digital Era
No full textThe advent of the digital age has provided public libraries with opportunities to support users in accessing diverse information services and engaging in continuous lifelong education. In today’s rapidly changing digital landscape, lifelong learning is essential for information users to survive and adapt. This study examines how public libraries contribute to lifelong learning in the digital era by analysing the services and programmes they offer as well as the technological resources they utilise and proposes ways to promote lifelong learning in these institutions. The study used the positivism research paradigm and a quantitative research approach was employed in the form of closed-ended questionnaires to gather primary data from 25 library users as study participants. Cluster sampling was used to select the participating public libraries, while a convenience sampling method was used to select library users. The study found that public libraries provide various lifelong learning programmes, including literacy classes and storytelling. However, these services are not offered online, despite a growing demand for digital access. The study also highlights a shortage of technological equipment, such as computers, which hinders the promotion of lifelong learning in the digital era. This research is significant to the field of librarianship as it proposes feasible solutions for public libraries to promote lifelong learning in the digital era.