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Influence of Tshinguvhu Dialect on grade 8 learners' speaking skills in Tshivenda Home Language, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Full text linkThesis (M. Ed. (Language Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025Tshiguvhu-speaking learners learn Tshivenḓa Home Language in schools as their home language because their dialect is not a standard version of Tshivenḓa. This study focused on the influence of the Tshiguvhu dialect on Grade 8 Tshivenḓa Home Language learners’ oral presentations. The aim of the study was to determine how the Tshiguvhu dialect influences the learners’ speaking skills during oral presentations in a Tshivenḓa Home Language classroom, and finding ways that teachers, learners and the Department of Basic Education can use to alleviate the problem. The study used the qualitative research approach and was conducted in two schools in the Vhembe West District. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with two Tshivenḓa Home Language teachers and five Tshivenḓa Home Language learners from each school. The researcher also conducted observations at the two schools. Narrative analysis was used to analyse the collected data and elucidated teachers’ and learners’ views on the research problem. The interviews revealed that the two teachers were aware of the influence of the Tshiguvhu dialect on learners’ oral presentations. Tshiguvhu-speaking learners reported that they struggled to speak Tshivenḓa because they only used it at school. Hence the study recommends that teachers should be trained and supported to improve teaching and learning in classes with dialect speakers. Development of language policies that acknowledge existence of dialects and help with strategies to best deal with problems that arise with dialect in the teaching and learning environment
Modelling of water demand and supply to develop future management scenarios for Mokolo River Catchment, Limpopo Province
Full text linkThesis (M.Sc.(Geography and Environmental Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025Effective planning and integrated management of water resources in a rapidly
changing environment under the influence of climate change and anthropogenic
activities relies on consistent monitoring of changes in a river basin from these diverse
impacts. The identification of the root causes of changes in river basins will inform the
development and use of appropriate interventions. In the Mokolo River Basin of
Limpopo, a comprehensive modelling study was conducted to evaluate water demand
and supply dynamics using the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) framework.
This study involved manual calibration of the catchment, yielding calibration results
characterised by a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.80 and a Nash-Sutcliffe
Efficiency (NSE) of 0.55, alongside validation results of R² = 0.70 and NSE = 0.61.
These metrics indicate a fair level of model performance, suggesting that the WEAP
model can effectively simulate the hydrological processes within the basin. The
analysis revealed that water demand was adequately met for the baseline year of
2010, indicating a stable supply-demand equilibrium during this period. However,
projections for the future, specifically from 2025 to 2045, indicate a significant
challenge in meeting water demand, particularly within the mining and industrial
sectors. This anticipated unmet demand highlights the pressing need for strategic
water management interventions in the basin. Five management scenarios were
therefore implemented to address these issues, focusing on reducing water use
across irrigation, domestic, and industrial sectors, while also considering inter-basin
water transfers as a viable solution. The results of these scenarios demonstrated that
implementing such measures could substantially alleviate unmet demand,
accentuating the importance of integrated water resource management strategies in
the face of increasing water scarcity.EWSET
A comparative evaluation of 'Hass' type avocado cultivars on postharvest pericarp colour development and correlation with softening : a case of 'Hass', 'Maluma- Hass' and 'Carmen-Hass'
Full text linkThesis (M.Sc. (Horticulture)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025During ripening, 'Hass' avocado fruit change colour from green to purple/black. However, early-season fruit exhibit a poor colour development, and this issue has not been studied in 'Carmen-Hass' and 'Maluma-Hass' when compared with traditional ‘Hass’ fruit. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the postharvest exocarp colour change for 'Carmen-Hass' and 'Maluma-Hass' avocado with 'Hass' and evaluate their correlation with fruit softening. The early-season fruit were harvested from a commercial farm, thereafter transported to the laboratory for further storage and analysis. At harvest, avocado fruit were assessed for dry matter content, whereas visual and objective colour parameters, firmness, and chilling injury were assessed during 12 days of ripening. The results showed that 'Carmen-Hass' avocado fruit exhibited the highest dry matter content at harvest when compared with 'Hass' and 'Maluma-Hass' cultivars. Furthermore, 'Carmen-Hass' fruit showed the highest visual colour change during ripening, followed by 'Maluma-Hass' after 12 days of ripening. All cultivars exhibited a decrease in lightness (L*) values throughout the ripening period, with 'Carmen-Hass' showing the most pronounced change between days 2 and 4 of ripening. A decrease in chroma (C*) values was observed across all cultivars throughout the ripening period, with 'Maluma-Hass' displaying the lowest C* values from day 8 to 12. There was a notable decrease in hue angle (h°) for all the cultivars throughout the ripening period, with 'Maluma-Hass' showing the most significant decrease from days 6 to 8. With respect to firmness, the three cultivars showed a decrease in firmness during ripening indicating that 'Carmen-Hass' softened the quickest, followed by 'Hass', while 'Maluma-Hass' retained firmness the longest. The 'Carmen-Hass' cultivar exhibited the lowest chilling damage, followed by 'Maluma-Hass', while the highest chilling index was recorded on 'Hass' fruit. In 'Carmen-Hass', firmness was highly negatively correlated with visual colour (R= -0.942, p < 0.01) and greenness (R = -0.904, p < 0.001). There was also a highly positive correlation between firmness and peel colour lightness (R= 0.859, p < 0.001) and chroma (R= 0.79, p < 0.001) as compared with 'Hass ' and 'Maluma-Hass'. In conclusion, 'Carmen-Hass' showed improved colour (black) development during ripening when compared with 'Hass' and 'Maluma-Hass' fruit. The findings suggest that all ‘Hass’ type avocado cultivars ripen and their firmness decreases during storage. However, there was a significant difference in their exocarp colour change.Foodbev SET
Prevalence of hypertension and associated factors amongst chronic psychiatric patients on antipsychotics at Thabamoopo Hospital, Capricorn District, Limpopo
Full text linkThesis (M. Med. (Psychiatry)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypertension and its associated factors amongst chronic psychiatric patients at Thabamoopo Hospital. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study which involved clinical record reviews of 287 patients. Most of the patients were male, single, unemployed with a secondary level of education. Schizophrenia, substance-related disorders, and Intellectual Disability Disorder were the most common psychiatric disorders. The prevalence rate of hypertension was 30,1%, with a strong association with older age, a longer duration of admission, schizophrenia, and being overweight. Diabetes mellitus prevalence was high (22.7%). Risperdal was the commonest antipsychotic prescribed, with olanzapine and clozapine being prescribed less. Sodium Valproate was the most prescribed non-antipsychotic medication. The conclusion is that the findings indicate that the association between hypertension and diabetes mellitus, older age, and long periods of admission indicate that interventions need to be put into place to address and minimize the morbidity and mortality associated with hypertensio
Causes of Grade 10 learners' grammatical errors when writing English essays in a school, Moboke Circuit, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa
Full text linkThesis (M. (Language Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025The purpose of the study was to investigate causes of Grade 10 learners’ grammatical errors when writing English essays at a rural South African high school. The population for the study consisted of 9 secondary schools in the Maboke Circuit, in the Bohlabela District, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. 20 Grade 10 English First Additional Language learners and three English educators were purposefully sampled to participate in the study. A qualitative research approach was adopted to carry out the study from an interpretivist point of view. Semi-structured interviews and documents were used to collect qualitative data from the sampled teachers and learners respectively. The results of the study revealed evidence of grammatical errors in the learners' essays identifiable as errors in punctuation, word order, tenses, spelling and pronoun use. These errors were found to be caused by lack of resources, learners’ lack of interest in the English language, insufficient English instructional time, home language interference, and limited English vocabulary range. The study recommends increased time allocation for grammar teaching, frequent writing practice, the use of more effective teaching methods, and the use of stimulating teaching and learning materials as possible strategies to ameliorate the learners’ writing challenges
Assessment of the knowledge and attitudes of women regarding the use of implanon NXT® as a birth control method in Shotong Local Area Clinics Greater Letaba Municipality, Limpopo Province
Full text linkThesis (M. (Nursing)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025Introduction and Background: Contraceptives remain the pillars for reducing pregnancy among women. Millions of women in undeveloped countries would like to delay or stop childbearing by using long-acting contraceptives such as Implanon NXT®. Despite the multiple benefits offered by long-acting contraceptives - Implanon NXT®, women still choose not to use the implant for various reasons.
Purpose: To determine the knowledge and attitude of women regarding the use of Implanon NXT® as a contraceptive method.
Research method: The study employed a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional research approach. A simple random sampling technique was employed to sample all women receiving contraceptives. The sample size was 252 women who attended the clinics for contraceptives. Data collected using self-administered questionnaires was analysed using the SPSS computer program version 28.1 with the assistance of the statistician at the university. Validity and reliability were ensured, and ethical considerations were adhered to in the study.
Results: The results of the study indicated that most respondents are aware of Implanon NXT®, with 53% having heard about the Implanon NXT® contraceptive method, whereas 47% did not know this contraceptive method. These results indicate that women have poor knowledge about the Implanon NXT® contraceptive method. The results also show that women have a negative attitude towards Implanon NXT®, and most respondents (69.0%) have no intention of using it. The study shows that religion and marital status do not impact Implanon NXT® use.
Conclusion: This study's findings showed that awareness and knowledge of Implanon NXT® contraceptives do not necessarily translate to practice. Health coordinators should conduct an awareness campaign to increase women's understanding and knowledge of Implanon NXT®. Women should be educated on contraceptive methods before the provision of the method of choice, including its side effects and benefits
A framework for corporate sustainability investment, resource efficiency and profitability of companies listed in FTSE/JSE responsible investment index
Full text linkThesis (Ph. D. (Accounting)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025Corporate sustainability rank among leading factors in the agenda for many companies, given that they are compelled to report on it. Thus, companies make investments in activities that concern corporate sustainability to enforce compliance but make profits. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of corporate sustainability investment (environmental investment and social investment) on resource efficiency (water and energy consumption) and profitability (net profit and asset return) of companies listed in the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index. The study adopted quantitative and qualitative methods to generate primary data and secondary data. The primary data was collected through questionnaires while the secondary data was collected from annual integrated reports of participant companies. The secondary data was analysed through multiple regression statistics, and primary data was analysed through thematic analysis. Findings from this study indicate that environmental sustainability investment (renewable energy investment, water investment and recycling investment) negatively affected resource efficiency (water consumption and energy consumption). Also, there existed a positive relationship between corporate social investment and resource efficiency, a positive impact of corporate environmental investment on profitability, and a positive influence of corporate social investment on profitability. Moreover, corporate profitability and eco-efficiency motivated investment in sustainability. Based on these findings, the study contributes to knowledge by developing a new framework of corporate sustainability investment, resource efficiency and profitability. The study recommends that companies should intensify their investment in corporate sustainability to assist in environmental resource conservation and increase in profitability. Furthermore, this study recommend that other research apply the developed framework in wider research across other industries
The effects of mining operations in community development : case study of Mogalakwena Mine in the Limpopo Province, South Africa
Full text linkThesis (M.Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2025Mining operations are a necessity to the economic growth of the country as they bring
about changes and deal with the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and
inequality. Host communities and the country get employment opportunities,
infrastructure development, contribution towards the GDP of the country, better
education, investment, and better life for host communities. However, mining operations
takes place in areas inhibited by the people and in the process, even though there’s
policies and legislations for mining operations, people tend to suffer from resettlement
and the negative effects that the mine has on local people. The negative effects include
house damages caused by mine blasting, health issues caused by pollution, inadequate
infrastructure development, underground water pollution etc. Thus, the study argues that
mining operations affects the resettled and host communities more negatively than they
do positively, and mining operations prioritises profit more than the protection of
community development of the host communities and other benefits. The study thus has
the findings that mining operations have more negative effects than positive, and the
development of host communities is not prioritised. The study therefore recommend that
there must be meaningful and extensive public participation of the host communities in
the development of Social and Labour Plans (SLPs) and the entire mining process,
including their basic needs and problems be prioritised. This study adopted the
interpretivist paradigm as it is based on exploring social reality, understanding of human
behaviour and will contribute to finding solutions to a social problem through reasoning
and observation. This study also adopted mixed method research using a descriptive
enquiry in order to produce better results and obtain a deeper understanding of the effects
of mining operations on the development of host communitie
Relationship between socioeconomic status and Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection amongst adults in selected villages of Capricorn District, Limpopo Province
Full text linkThesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2025Background
Globally, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus continues to pose a serious threat to
public health. particularly in South Africa, where socioeconomic factors are linked to
the prevalence of infection. This study investigates the relationship between
socioeconomic status and HIV infection rates in the selected villages of Capricorn
District in Limpopo Province.
Methodology
This study employed a retrospective cohort approach using secondary data from HIV
testing results and socioeconomic assessments of adults in the in the selected villages
of Capricorn District in Limpopo Province. The SPSS version 28.0 was used to analyse
the data. 1. The findings and sociodemographic traits pertaining to HIV prevalence are
clearly displayed using tables, pie charts, and bar graphs. This study further utilised a
multivariate binary regression model to investigate the relationship between HIV
infection and various socio-economic factors, including age group, gender, marital
status, education level, employment status, financial status, household assets, and
SES. The analysis incorporated p-values and odds ratios to evaluate the significance
of the relationships between socio-economic variables and HIV status, enhancing the
understanding of factors influencing HIV infection within the study population.
Results
The study revealed an overall HIV prevalence of 3.8% in the selected villages of
Capricorn District in Limpopo Province falling under DIMAMO catchment area, with
higher rates among older individuals, particularly females. The results indicated that
higher educational attainment correlates with lower HIV positivity rates, while older
adults (ages 45-59) and individuals from economically vulnerable households are at
greater risk. Notably, a significant gender disparity was identified, with women
comprising 80% of the positive cases. While the data suggested a protective effect of
higher education levels against HIV infection, the associations between socio economic status factors and HIV status were not statistically significant. Economic
stability and employment did not demonstrate a clear relationship with HIV prevalence.
However, statistical analyses did not reveal significant associations between socio-
vi
economic status variables (education, financial status, or employment and HIV
infection).
Conclusion
This study highlights the complex interplay between socio-economic status and HIV
infection, suggesting that while certain socioeconomic factors may influence risk, they
do not uniformly predict infection rates. Targeted interventions are necessary to
address age-specific vulnerabilities and broader socioeconomic challenges to
enhance HIV prevention efforts in high-risk populations
Teacher perceptions of skills development for curriculum change: training and empowerment of accounting teachers for effective Accounting curriculum delivery
Full text linkJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning Journal Issue 4, Volume 9, 2025Post 1994, education reform has become a key priority for South Africa bringing a shift in teaching approaches. This has entailed curriculum change in various subjects, inclusive of Accounting, in an attempt to transform the curriculum to democratise education. The transition from Curriculum 2005 (Outcomes-Based Education) to the Revised National Curriculum Statement, then to the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), and now the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), marked a significant change from the older NATED 550 curriculum. These shifts deeply impacted teachers, many of whom were not trained in the new curriculum, especially in Accounting where pedagogical approaches changed considerably. Consequently, this raised concerns about teachers’ ability, readiness and skills to deliver the updated curriculum effectively. This paper investigates that gap through a qualitative study which entailed interviews with 17 Accounting teachers and five principals from secondary schools in the Umlazi district, KwaZulu-Natal. The analysis revealed a lack of sufficient training and ongoing professional development which hindered effective curriculum implementation. In addition, the findings underscore the critical importance of professional teacher skills development for effective Accounting curriculum implementation. The findings further highlight the urgent need for the Department of Education (DoE) to invest in continuous and inclusive professional development. This should include upskilling in both curriculum content and technological integration in line with curriculum requirements. Furthermore, proper and clear policies and investing in inclusive professional development can empower teachers to enhance their teaching practices and drive effective Accounting curriculum change and delivery in secondary schools