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Sheroes, sivas, and other endangered species : black women in higher education
Full text linkJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning Journal Issue 3, Volume 9, 2025 Special IssueBecause of their intersectional identities, African American women in the academy must navigate the many visible and invisible obstacles of racism and sexism. To do so, they might employ several coping mechanisms and strategies to combat deficit-based stereotypes, possibly resulting in the harm of intergenerational trauma and Racial Battle Fatigue. This paper utilizes critical autoethnography and storytelling to interweave my personal narrative that outlines the everyday occurrences of high-performing Black women and the predictable backlash of American white supremacy with supporting literature to illuminate the coping strategies and underpinnings of John Henryism, Armoring, the Superwoman Schema, and Sister Circles
Reflecting on female academics’ narratives on communication strategies in higher education institutions
Full text linkJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning Journal Issue 3, Volume 9, 2025 Special IssueHigher education institutions across South Africa and globally have implemented various strategies to support female academics. These initiatives aim to address gender disparities by fostering mentorship, collaboration, and career development opportunities specifically designed for women. They also seek to enhance publishing rates, employee retention, and engagement. However, achieving a balance between these objectives and the realities of working in historically male-dominated environments remains challenging. Recent research has highlighted the increased responsibilities placed on women during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they had to navigate remote work while managing family care and meeting professional deadlines. Black Feminist Thought and Khan’s Model of Engagement are utilised as appropriate frameworks for exploring the narratives of female academics in higher education institutions. The study conducted a systematic literature review to explore the persistent disparities and systemic barriers women face in South African higher education institutions. Thus, the researcher used Google Scholar, EBSCOhost, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Sabinet, and Taylor & Francis to retrieve and analyse information from scholarly documents published between 2014 and 2024. The study contributes to the broader discourse on transforming education and amplifying the voices of marginalised individuals within academic settings
Student activism and the decolonial discourse in South African higher education: analysis of the #feesmustfall documentary (2018)
Full text linkJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning Journal Issue 2, Volume 9, 2025In the recent past, the South African higher education sector has encountered significant challenges, which have prompted civic and political contestations regarding access to quality education in the context of a complex transformation discourse. This paper analyses the #FeesMustFall (2018) documentary in the backdrop of the transformation challenges that triggered the 2015 student protests in the South African Higher education sector. It adopts the exploratory qualitative design to analyse the context, narrative focus, and characterisation that depict the decolonial nature of student activism in post-apartheid South Africa. Ideological film criticism and framing are used to explore depiction of the socio-economic and political milieu that underpin the contestations within the sector. Qualitative content analysis was used in the collection of secondary data whereas thematic analysis was applicable in the synthesis of discursive themes and generation of the findings. The paper focuses on the ongoing transformation challenges within South African higher education, which continue to mirror colonial inequalities. It appreciates the documentary’s application of nuanced film production techniques to elucidate the limitations that beset post-apartheid education in the context of multiple challenges that inhibit progressive transformation to redress colonial prejudices. These include poor access, inadequate funding, equity disparities, and poor infrastructural support to promote stable and a peaceful educational environment in the sector. In conclusion, the article notes how the film’s cinema verite depicts a precarious socio-economic and political situation that needs an honest comprehensive decolonial discourse in South African higher education
Factors inhibiting and enabling the implementation of inclusive education in selected South African primary schools
Full text linkJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning Journal Issue 2, Volume 9, 2025Inclusive Education (IE) can never be emphasised enough, as it transforms schools by ensuring all learners can learn in the same space regardless of their differences. However, research suggests that rural schools across the globe are lagging, and the factors are not uniform due to varying contextual circumstances. Our study explored teachers' views on the factors that inhibit and enable the implementation of IE in rural schools. A qualitative multiple case study design and the interpretive research paradigm were adopted. Eleven teachers were purposefully selected from three primary schools. Data was collected through in-depth structured interviews and analysed using thematic data analysis. We found that the enablers of IE were workshops and informal curriculum differentiation. In contrast, unproductive workshops, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate resources, and poor parental support were inhibitors. These findings may be helpful to IE teachers and policymakers in their efforts to make primary schools inclusive. This study concludes that, regardless of the few enablers in place, IE is bound to fail in rural schools if rural teachers’ views are abeyant and there are normalised issues such as overcrowded classrooms and insufficient resources. Therefore, it is recommended that responsible education stakeholders solicit rural teachers’ views on what is working and what is not working in rural schools prior to any interventio
Retrenchment news in the mining sector : a communicative study of selected mining corporations in South Africa
Full text linkThesis (M. A. (Communication Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025This study investigated and explored how retrenchment is communicated in the South
African mining sector through a qualitative analysis of corporate documents such as
annual reports, press statements, and news releases. The mining sector in South
Africa has been retrenching employees for years now, which makes it important to
explore the framing of their messages and communication strategies employed during
retrenchment. The study applied Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) to
retrenchment communication, highlighting the importance of adapting communication
strategies to a crisis. The theory suggests that companies should prioritise
transparency, empathy, and stakeholder engagement to minimise the negative
impacts of retrenchment. The study followed the methodology of document analysis
to collect data and textual analysis to analyse the data collected. The study revealed
that mining corporations tailor their messages using various communication strategies
when announcing retrenchment news to various stakeholders and frame their
messages using transparent, empathetic, and supportive language. The findings
contribute to the development of communication strategies for the mining sector in
enhancing organisational reputation, employees’ well-being, and sectoral
sustainability. The study recommends that companies must always prioritise
transparency and empathy when communicating during retrenchment. They must also
provide support for the retrenched employees. These findings highlight significant
gaps in transparency, empathy, and stakeholder engagement, perpetuating the
negative impacts of retrenchment on affected employee
Satelite-derived assessment of rangeland productivity in Blouberg Municipality in a changing climate
Full text linkThesis (M. Sc. (Geography and Environmental Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025This study investigates rangeland productivity in Blouberg Municipality, Limpopo Province, under changing climatic conditions using satellite-derived data. The research employs MODIS-derived vegetation indices, specifically the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), to analyze trends in vegetation health from 2001 to 2022. By integrating climatic variables such as rainfall and temperature, the study assesses their impact on vegetation dynamics. Data processing was conducted using Google Earth Engine (GEE), enabling large-scale temporal monitoring of rangeland productivity. The findings reveal significant inter-annual variability in vegetation indices, driven primarily by climatic fluctuations. While the overall 20-year period does not exhibit a statistically significant long-term trend, selected years show significant variations, with p-values below 0.05. Notably, drought periods in 2002, 2005, and 2016 led to sharp declines in vegetation productivity, while post-drought recovery phases demonstrated the ecosystem's resilience. Correlation analysis confirmed a strong positive relationship between rainfall and vegetation indices, whereas temperature exhibited a weaker negative correlation. Additionally, the study identified specific areas within the municipality that are highly vulnerable to land degradation. These results underscore the critical need for adaptive land management strategies to sustain rangeland ecosystems in the face of climate variability. By providing valuable insights into vegetation-climate interactions and highlighting the significance of short-term climatic impacts, this research contributes to the development of evidence-based policies aimed at promoting the sustainable management of rangelands in semi-arid regions like Blouberg Municipality
The use of facebook by the National Library of South Africa to promote library services
Full text linkThesis (M. (Information Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025The study aims to explore the use of Facebook to promote library services by the National Library of South Africa (NLSA). The researcher conducted this study at the National Library of South Africa, at the Pretoria Campus. The study employed the interpretivist paradigm, descriptive research design and qualitative research approach. Semi- structured interviews were used to collect data from three participants, whereas content analysis was utilised to evaluate forty Facebook content records from the NLSA Facebook page. The researcher presented the data using thematic analysis and direct quotations. The findings revealed that participants used Facebook to disseminate important updates to users regarding library operations, including announcements such as closures, celebration of commemorative days, provision of general information, and fostering ongoing communication with users. Moreover, the findings from the analysis of Facebook content revealed that the majority of content posted on the NLSA Facebook page is announcements and notices, followed by pictures of the events and vacancies. However, information about library resources such as books, articles, and journals, as well as services such as bibliographic services and collection management, information access service, and reference services, was not updated at the time of data collection on the NLSA Facebook page. The study concluded that Facebook plays an essential role in promoting library services, enhancing community engagement and library visibility. The strategic approach to content creation and user interaction is vital. Moreover, the study recommended that NLSA should post a mix of content, including library resources and library services within the library, to increase content variety. The study further recommended that participants instigate strategies to better manage negative feedback and unauthorised content
The spatial distribution of asbestos and the community awareness and perception of asbestosis risk in Ga-Mathabatha, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Full text linkThesis (M.Sc. (Geography and Environment Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025Asbestos dust exposure poses a significant public health concern, particularly in areas characterised by unrehabilitated asbestos mines. As such, this study aims to evaluate the spatial distribution of asbestos and the community awareness and perception of the risk of asbestosis in Ga-Mathabatha. Remote sensing analysis techniques were adopted to predict areas containing different types of minerals associated with asbestos. Meanwhile, field observations were carried out to validate the presence of asbestos in such areas. Patterns and trends in wind speed and direction - factors critical to asbestos minerals distribution - were analyzed and their potential influence was described. Furthermore, 18 in-depth interviews and 250 survey questionnaires were administered as part of a mixed-methods design for evaluating the community's awareness and perception of asbestosis risk. Remote sensing analysis results predicted that chrysotile asbestos was highly concentrated in the eastern part of the community, meanwhile tremolite asbestos dominated the southern part, and a few of the serpentine in the eastern part. Evidence from field observations concurs with these findings, revealing that asbestos deposits are present in the surrounding villages and along riverbanks. Meteorological data has shown that the asbestos dumping sites lie within the path of dominant winds, suggesting a potential risk of windborne asbestos fiber dispersion into surrounding areas. Conversely, survey results revealed that 66% of participants were aware of the danger of exposure to asbestos dust, while 40.8% (32.8% + 8%) perceived asbestosis as deadly and incurable. The results underscore the importance of education and awareness programs targeting individuals with limited knowledge and negative perceptions, and those engaging in activities that increase their exposure.Mining Qualification Authority (MQA
Challenges experienced by caregivers of children under five admitted with malnutrition at a regional hospital in Waterberg District, Limpopo Province
Full text linkThesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2025Background: For children under five, malnutrition is the most dangerous
consequence of food poverty. Caregivers traditionally play a larger role in food
provision. There are various problems that caregivers can face that result in
malnourished children, such as employment, poverty, and single motherhood.
The purpose of this research was to explore the challenges experienced by caregivers
of children under five who are admitted to a regional hospital in the province of
Limpopo's Waterberg district due to malnutrition. The objectives were to describe the
sociodemographic characteristics of caregivers of children admitted with malnutrition
and explore and describe the challenges experienced by caregivers of children in a
regional hospital in the Waterberg district, Limpopo province.
Methods: The challenges experienced by caregivers of children under five who are
admitted to a regional hospital in the Waterberg district of the province of Limpopo due
to malnutrition were investigated using a qualitative method and an exploratory
design. Using purposeful sampling, participants were chosen. The data was analysed
using Tesch's open coding method, which produced themes and subthemes. Thus,
steps were taken to guarantee credibility, dependability, transferability, conformability,
and trustworthiness. Every ethical guideline was adhered to when conducting the
research. Additionally, utilising the interview guide, semi-structured interviews were
done with caregivers to get data. Interviews with participants continued until data
saturation was achieved.
Data collection: Using an interview guide, semi-structured interviews were utilized to
gather data from caregivers. Interviews with participants continued until data
saturation was achieved.
Results: Four themes emerged regarding caregiver challenges: Caregivers'
knowledge of the child's condition (malnutrition), feeding practices for the children,
handling of food, and food availability.
Conclusions: The study highlights significant gaps in caregiver knowledge and
practices related to child malnutrition. There is a need for improved education on
nutrition, feeding practices, and signs of malnutrition to better support caregivers to
ensure their children’s health and well-being
Exploring lived experiences of female students on intimate partner violence at an institution of higher learning
Full text linkThesis (M. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) as a form of Gender Based Violence (GBV) is considered a societal problem and it occurs in all settings where there is an intimate relationship. IPV is global concern and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are also affected by this problem including South Africa. Researchers have previously studied IPV but there is still lack of studies on female students’ experiences with IPV at HEIs that were conducted in Limpopo, hence the study was conducted at an institution of higher learning in Limpopo. The study took the form of a phenomenological study aided with exploratory research objectives located within the qualitative paradigm. A total of eight female students from an institution of higher learning were interviewed. Participants were selected based on the fact that they have experienced IPV. The researcher made use of an interview guide and employed semi-structured face-to-face interviews using open-ended questions as a guide and as a data collection method. Data was analysed through deductive thematic content analysis. The findings of the study were centred on the experiences of participants and the role and function of the Gender desk, which highlighted the significance of reporting instances of IPV to the appropriate authorities as a crucial approach in tackling this problem. The findings in the study revealed that participants had experienced a diverse range of IPV such as emotional, sexual and sexual violence in the hands of their intimate partners. The participants were expected to possess knowledge of both the gender desk and the fundamental protocols for reporting cases of intimate partner violence. In addition, the findings discussed the subject of comprehending the protocols for reporting occurrences of IPV. Lastly, the findings focused on the intervention platforms implemented within the institution to tackle the problem of intimate relationship abuse. IPV has a substantial negative impact on the academic achievement of its victims due to the stress and trauma they experience