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Collective bargaining challenges in the public service sector
Get PDFThe 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 placeThesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, Department of Mercantile Law, 202
Exploring healthcare service quality in the eastern cape: a case of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
Get PDFEminent access to healthcare services has excessive social benefits to the poor, which in return result to many spill-over economic development of a country. A healthy society is a fundamental component of strategies of contesting poverty. Hence, improved ease of access to quality healthcare succeeds the reduction in poverty through a development of more productive human capital. It is in this context that the South African Democratic Government has ensured that amongst the orders of the day, quality healthcare is position as one of the highest priorities that require special focus. This study aims to identify and provide an understanding and appreciation of possible means, presented by the emerging 4IR Technologies, endeavoured to improve the quality of healthcare service in public healthcare institutions within South Africa. It is a reality that the future of medical care is most likely to change due to these emerging 4IR Technologies that are constantly transforming our daily lives. As a result, there is an evolution that is already going in the medical space, aimed at working with healthcare practitioners to find alternative solutions to deliver quality healthcare services. Amid these advancements, Information and Communication Technology’s solutions have taken a centre stage, providing means to increase access to quality healthcare, decrease costs, eliminate medical errors, and bridge the digital divide between rural and urban healthcare centres. Hence, the primary objective of this research is to identify new ways that will be fundamental in providing prominence future healthcare services. Qualitative Research Methodology, which applies a case study approach, was identified as the preferred methodology to be utilised to respond to the research objectives of this study. This research will therefore be of value to various stakeholders, more specifically to Government and Policy Makers, who are tasked to transform the country’s healthcare services. It will identify selected areas to be improved, and then recommend solutions and action plans to be implemented, in pursuit of enhancing quality of service provided in public healthcare centres.Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 202
Micro-insurance and rural micro-enterprises in the North West Province of South Africa
Get PDFThe Provision of micro-insurance in developing countries' rural areas is quite important, but not without its share of challenges. Among those challenges are logistics and demand. Several problems experienced by developing countries, including moral hazards, adverse selection, correlated risks, high transaction costs, and lack of data, negatively impacting access to insurance, were identified. Other researchers are, however, hard at work trying to come up with solutions to address those challenges. The selective coverage by insurance providers leaves a large segment of the world’s poor population in the hundred poorest countries with limited or no access to micro-insurance. North West province of South Africa, was identified as one of the top four rural provinces, with a higher percentage of people living in poverty. The province was selected for the study, with the purpose of determining the relationship between micro-insurance and micro-enterprises. The study followed a mixed methodology design, with pragmatism as a research paradigm. The research instruments used were interviews focus group discussions (18 participants), and survey questionnaires (112 respondents). Data was collected using concurrent triangulated mixed methods from both strands, qualitative and quantitative were analyzed, and the results were merged and corroborated. The main finding is that micro-entrepreneurs do not have business micro-insurance and would be willing to have one if it existed. What emerged from other findings is that there is a positive relationship between trust and willingness to purchase insurance, as well as a positive relationship between risk and insurance demand. Furthermore, there are negative relationships between shocks and insurance demand, demand and prevalence, and the inclusion and demand for insurance. This is contrary to what is in literature. There is further, evidence of more dependence on funeral and death benefits, other than on investment and savings micro-insurance policies. This study recommended that there should be a national policy in place to address challenges experienced by micro-entrepreneurs in terms of access to insurance. Also, potential micro-insurance service providers deserve leniency through the lowering of entry barriers such as capital adequacy requirements. Furthermore, the issue of illegal or unregistered service providers must be addressed to protect consumers. It was also recommended that more awareness be created through tribal administrations, by micro-insurance regulators and service providers, to promote inclusion among micro-entrepreneurs and other rural low-income earners in general. In conclusion, it is envisaged that this exploration will lead to an applicable model that can assist insurance service providers and other stakeholders in coming up with innovative micro-insurance product packages.Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, 202
The impact of covid-19 on SMEs: a case study of the pay-TV installation sector in Johannesburg
Get PDFSmall, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMES), generally abbreviated as SMEs, are enterprises that have revenues, assets or number of employees that are below a certain level. Each country applies an industry-specific criteria when determining enterprises that meet the definition of an SME (Ward, 2020). According to Faye and Goldblum (2022), SMEs are essential employers, and they are vital in job creation. In creating jobs, SMEs thus, contribute to alleviation of poverty and this leads to an improvement in the standards of living of a country’s inhabitants. Through improved employment levels from job creation contributed by SMEs, a country’s economy also grows. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted to extensive job losses in developing countries because many SMEs contracted their workforce during the pandemic (Faye & Goldblum, 2022). Many non-essential service businesses were prohibited from operating during the pandemic. Governments around the world introduced strict measures to contain the impact of the coronavirus and these included restrictions on travel, business operations and face-to-face interactions (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2020). The president of South Africa announced that people needed work permits that would allow them to go to work if they were essential workers, or provided essential services if they were self-employed (Pretorius, 2020). This is how strict the restrictions were, thereby completely blocking non-essential service SMEs from operating. Hence, the objective of the study was to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the Pay TV installation sector in Johannesburg and inferences were made for SMEs in general, with regards to how they were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the research primary and secondary objectives, literature review was conducted, identifying the contribution of SMEs on a country’s social status and economic growth. Other aspects that were reviewed in existing literature included but not limited to factors that contribute to the success and failure of SMEs, challenges faced by SMEs in South Africa, SMEs resilience at times of crises and impact of COVID-19 on SMEs. The study followed a qualitative research approach, and six open-ended questions were asked during the interviews with participants. The aim was to allow participants to express themselves genuinely and authentically to gain a better insight of the impact of COVID-19 on SMEs.Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 202
The role of solid waste management in economic development: a case of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole, South Africa
Get PDFThe issue of poor Solid Waste Management (SWM) continues to be a challenge in the world, as waste is always generated through daily human activities, and it needs to be properly managed. This study aimed to examine the role of solid waste management in enhancing the urban settlements’ economic development. Guided by the findings and the Circular Economy Model (CEM), the study proposed a waste management framework that can be used to achieve Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) while permitting economic development for the urban poor. The study utilized the mixed methods approach, which involves the collection and the integration of both quantitative and qualitative data to scrutinize the study from multiple points of view to improve accuracy. A mixed methodology with a structured questionnaire was employed. Data was obtained from 256 respondents out of a total of 303 households and one landfill was targeted. The research findings are therefore based on an 84% response rate of the targeted sample size. The study assessed the role that solid waste management can play in economic development using Walmer E, Summerstrand, Gqeberha Central and Arlington Landfill in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) as the case study areas. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to generate the descriptive summary statistics for the survey results, and it was also used to analyse the frequency, the correlation, and the factor analysis. The factor analysis was tested using Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and the Initial Eigenvalues, while the data correlation was examined using the Chi-Square Tests and the Symmetric Measures. The narrative thematic method was used for qualitative data, where raw data becomes the actual data presented. This study proves that the current waste management practices in the NMBM area are not sustainable as there is an increasing demand for landfills and the land filled waste has environmental challenges. Therefore, a new waste management framework for tackling these difficulties is proposed with the aid of study findings and CEM. Various theories of economic development and waste management were used and CEM was found more applicable, since it promotes the relationship between waste management systems and economic development. The proposed framework involves four significant factors that were found to positively influence waste to wealth. Those are; social behaviour, education, economic feasibility and governance of Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM). The Waste To Wealth (WTW) framework might help to improve solid waste management and shore up the present urban economy. The proposed framework would be applicable not only in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) but also in South Africa and in other countries.Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, School of Built Environment and Civil Engineering, 202
Trophic ecology and breeding success of Brown Skuas (Catharacta antarctica)
Get PDFInvasive species can impact island ecosystem processes by altering species interactions through direct competition for the same resources or by predation on insular species. Seabirds on sub-Antarctic islands are naïve to any new predators and are most at risk of local extirpation. Successful eradications of invasive mammals have yielded positive ecological responses from several seabird species. On sub-Antarctic Marion Island, populations of burrowing petrels, largely targeted by Feral Cats Felis catus, have indicated slow recovery despite the successful eradication of cats in the early 1990s. House Mice Mus musculus, have since proliferated on Marion Island, aided by a warmer climate, and are severely impacting several defenceless populations of burrowing petrels. In this thesis, I investigated the contemporary breeding productivity and diet of Brown Skuas Catharacta antarctica. At Marion Island, Brown Skua breeding productivity was associated to diet, which varied between years. Skuas feeding mostly on burrowing petrels exhibited higher breeding success than pairs mostly feeding on penguins. Higher contributions of burrowing petrels were seen in the contemporary diet of skuas compared to previous diet work. The importance of penguin prey compared to their 1980 and 2010/11 diet, was largely reduced during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 breeding seasons (53 and 51%, respectively) despite a historically high dependence on this prey (78% in 1980 and 67% in 2010/11). Penguin populations have been decreasing at the island and this may be reflected in the current skua diet. Breeding productivity was not influenced by the other factors tested, i.e. weather data (daily minimum, average and maximum air temperature; daily minimum, average, maximum wind speed; daily precipitation), distance to closest penguin colony, species of penguin or number of conspecifics in a 100 m radius around the nest. Brown Skuas breeding on Marion, Gough and Mayes islands were also used as biosamplers of burrowing petrels. These birds form a large part of the skua diet and are reflected in regurgitated skua pellets. Temporal comparisons for Marion Island indicated significant changes in burrowing petrel composition since the 1980s. Blue Petrels Halobaena caerulea and Salvin’s Prions Pachyptila salvini remained the highest contributors of skua pellets, but their proportions differed with three-fold increase in Blue Petrel and 25% decrease in Salvin’s Prion remains compared to previous studies. Further, my study indicated that smaller species of burrowing petrels such as the storm-petrels and diving petrels may be returning to Marion Island, 30 years after the eradication of cats. Pellet analyses at Marion, Gough and Mayes islands also indicated that skua diet may underrepresent larger species of petrels and soft-bodied prey. Despite these limitations, skua diet can indicate the presence of burrowing petrels during summer months, more so at Marion and Mayes islands than Gough Island, where pellet collection is difficult due to dense vegetation. Prey remains, such as wings in middens, may be a more appropriate method to investigate skua diet at Gough Island. Dominant burrowing petrels indicated by pellets at each island generally reflected the most abundant breeding species; Blue Petrels and Salvin’s Prions at Marion Island, Great Shearwaters Puffinus gravis and prion Pachyptila spp. at Gough Island, and Blue Petrels and Slender-billed Prions Pachyptila belcheri at Mayes Island. Pellets provide a non-invasive method for studying species of burrowing petrels that are challenging to monitor. This method is appropriate for studies conducted during summer months, while other studies (e.g., observations, camera traps, acoustic recordings and genetics) may be more reflective of the presence of burrowing species that breed in winter or could be used in combination with skua pellets during summer months. Population monitoring is an important part of conservation as it provides insights into population change. This thesis adds to the baseline data in terms of breeding productivity and updated trophic ecology of Brown Skuas, which will be used to inform the recovery of burrowing petrels once mice have been eradicated from Marion Island.Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 202
The effects of selected samples on the bio-stimulatory capacity and anti-aging effects of red light on human skin cells
Get PDFPhotobiomodulation (PBM) has gained a remarkable interest in the cosmeceutical industry, with research demonstrating supporting evidence for its use as anti-aging and skin-rejuvenating strategies. It is defined as photons at a non-thermal irradiance or non-ionizing photonic energy that trigger photochemical changes within the cellular structure to alter certain biological activities. Lasers were the main focus during the developmental years of light-based treatments, but since the introduction of non-ablative, light-emitting diode (LED) devices, the focus has changed because of the reduced concerns associated with lasers, such as costs, ablation cutting, thermally coagulating tissue, no downtime needed after treatment, and no trained staff needed for operation. The precise biochemical mechanism for PBM is still to be elucidated; however, accepted theories suggest that it has an influence on the activity of cytochrome c oxidase, a complex located in the electron transport chain, or on the viscosity of the interfacial water layer (IWL) of the mitochondrial membrane. The interaction of those cellular components with the light then leads to the primary responses of increased ROS, ATP production, and intracellular calcium, which ultimately leads to the stimulation of secondary responses that are desired for skin rejuvenation and anti-aging, such as cell proliferation and collagen production. There is controversy surrounding photobiomodulation (PBM), mostly because of the incomplete understanding behind its biochemical mechanism and the number of parameters that require optimization; however, it still poses as a promising field for research into anti-aging properties, as seen in the literature. Besides the use of devices for skin rejuvenation and anti-aging strategies, it is not uncommon to see plant extracts and other natural products being used in current skin care products for the same reason? This is mostly because of their promising bioactivities, some of which include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, collagen-stimulating, and cell-proliferating activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the bio-stimulatory capacity of red light on skin cells and to evaluate possible effects it could have in combination with samples that already show promising anti-aging properties in research. The samples that were selected for this study are: Aspalathus linearis (rooibos) unfermented extract, L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, mangrove bee honey, stingless bee honey, Sargassum oligocystum (brown seaweed) and Ulva fasciata (green seaweed).It was found that red light irradiation did indeed stimulate the primary responses of ROS, ATP production, and intracellular calcium levels in HaCaT keratinocytes, as proposed in the hypothesised theory. However, none of the proposed secondary responses to cell proliferation or collagen production were demonstrated. In fact, the opposite was observed for cell proliferation and collagen production, where red light irradiation seemed to be cytostatic towards Hs27 fibroblast cells and caused significant decreases in collagen production. Red light energy dosages of 10, 20 and 30 J/cm2, yielded different primary responses with 20 and 30 J/cm2 generally causing more significant stimulation than that of 10 J/cm2. It should also be noted that even if the desired secondary responses were not observed in this study, it does not mean that red light does not have the capacity to still stimulate them. It is clear that the responses are energy dosage-dependent, and it is suggested that lower energy dosages could possibly lead to cell proliferation and that longer incubation periods post-irradiation are required before measuring the endpoint of collagen production. For the combination of red light irradiation and selected test samples, it was demonstrated that the order of samples that yielded the best outcomes is: stingless bee honey > mangrove bee honey > U. fasciata > S. oligocystum > 2-PAA > green rooibos. Unexpected results were demonstrated for green rooibos in the presence and absence of red light, which included decreased ATP production and collagen biosynthesis. Further investigation is therefore needed to have a better understanding of these unanticipated results.Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Biomolecular & Chemical Sciences, 202
Investigating the anti-inflammatory effect of blueberry-AuNP on microglial cells and obese rat brains
Get PDFNanotoxicology is a field of study that investigates how nanomaterials interact with biological systems. It focuses on understanding the correlation between the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials, such as size and stability, and their potential toxic effects. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), for instance, have a variety of applications in the biological sciences. Therefore, there is a great deal of attention given to evaluating their toxicity to ensure their safe and effective use in biological systems. Anti-inflammatory AuNPs have shown to be a desirable application in obesity treatments since obesity is associated with systematic inflammation. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of BE-AuNPs on C8-B4 microglial cell lines and, to validate the results, the grey matter of brain tissue of obese rats treated with BE-AuNPs. Following the synthesis and characterization of BE-AuNPs, C8-B4 microglial cells were treated with the BE-AuNPs and were evaluated through MTT, HRTEM imaging, qPCR, and ROS. LPS was used to activate the cells. Concentration-dependent toxicity of BE-AuNPs and cellular uptake was observed. The qPCR results showed that the BE-AuNPs decreased the LPS-induced inflammation in the cells. The BE-AuNPs were shown to reduce ROS in inflammatory conditions in the cells. Rat brain tissue analysis through qPCR and ROS demonstrated that BE-AuNPs reduce HFD-induced inflammation and had no ROS effects on the brain, respectively. Thus, leading to a conclusion the BE-AuNPs used in this study are anti-inflammatory.Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Biomolecular & Chemical Sciences, 202
Ukuphononongwa kokushiywa nokubuyelwa ziinkumbulo kwababhali abachongiweyo kwiincwadi zeothobhayografi KaMtuze nomagona
Get PDFOlu phando lugxile ekuphononongeni ukukhumbula nokulibala kwii-othobhayografi ezibhaliweyo ekaMagona (1995) noMtuze (1976). Ii-othobhayografi eziza kusetyenziswa luphando zithi: Indlel’ Ebhek’ Enkundleni ngokukaPeter Mtuze (1976) nethi, Kubantwana Babantwana Bam ngokukaSindiwe Magona (1995). Xa kusenziwa uphando kuza kuhlalutywa amanqanaba okukhumbula nokulibala ukusukela ebuntwaneni ukuya kutsho ebudaleni kubabhali bee-othobhayografi. Uhlalutyo luza kube lugxininise ekujongeni iinkumbulo zababhali, luhamba nabo ngokwamanqanaba okukhula kwabo, amanqanaba okukhumbula nokulibala njengoko bekhula. Uphando luza kungqiyama ngengcingane yokukhumbula nokulibala eyasungulwa nguEbbinghaus (1885) kuphando lwakhe awayelwenza. Iinjongo zikaEbbinghaus ongumsunguli wengcingane zokuzisa ulwazi ngengcingane yokukhumbula nokulibala kukubonisa indlela ukulibala okwenzeka ngayo. UEbbinghaus uye wasebenzisa ikhevu yokulibala ukuvelisa banzi ingcingane. Lo msunguli wale ngcingane yokukhumbula nokulibala uthi, le khevu yokulibala ibonisa ukwehla kwezinga lokukhumbula okanye iqondo lokukhumbula xa luthe ulwazi lwalahleka ngenxa yokungenziwa kwamatiletile okulugcina nokukhunjulwa ngumninilo. Oku uEbbinghaus (1885) ukucacisa kwincwadi yakhe ethi Memory (1850-1909). Uphando njengokuba lubandakanya okwenzeka kwingqondo luza kube lukhatshwa yingcingane yokuqonda. Ingcingane yokuqonda yingcingane enkulu nengcingane ethe yajongwa kakhulu ziingcali ezininzi, ikwaphuhliswa ziingcaphephe ezininzi nezifundiswa. Uphando lukhethe ukuvelisa uEbbinghaus ukubonisa ingcingane yokukhumbula nokulibala, kodwa yona iphefumlelwe ziingcaphephe ezininzi mandulo. NgokukaGuyer (1998:1) enye yeengcaphephe abhale ngayo ethetha ngengcingane yokukhumbula nokuqonda nguKant (1724-1804) owaziwa ngomsebenzi wakhe othi: The Critique of Pure Reason. Lo msebenzi ucatshulwe apha kulapho uKant (1724-1804) athetha ngendlela yokuqonda ulwazi nokuzisa izizathu. Emva koko iingcali ezininzi ziye zaqhuba nengcingane yokuqonda ukuza kuthi ga kule mihla. Oku kuquka ingcali uChart (2017) obhale ngengcinane yokuqonda ngokwale mihla. Uphando luza kuvelisa ingcingane yesini njengengcingane ekhaphayo. Ingcingane yesini iza kusetyenziselwa ukuthelekiswa kwababhali bee-othobhayografi kujongwa indlela yokukhumbula nokulibala kugudlwe isini. Ngonyaka we-1955 uMoney (1955) waye wapapasha iphepha kunye nabo asebenza nabo kwiSebe lezeNgqondo uJoan G. Hampson nomyeni wakhe uJohn L. Hampson apho babeqala ukwazisa ngenkquleqhu yendima yesini besithi: Zonke izinto azithethayo okanye azenzayo umntu ukuze azichaze njengenkwenkwe okanye indoda, intombazana okanye ibhinqa, ngokulandelelanayo, zibizwa ngokuba ziindima zesini. Kulapho uMoney (1955) wathi wasungula khona le ngcingane yesini eza kuthi ithathe inxaxheba kolu phando ngokubonisa ukukhumbula nokulibala kwisini. Olu phando luza kuthi lwenziwe ngohlobo olubizwa ngokuba yintyilazwi. Intyilazwi ilunge kakhulu kolu hlobo lophando kuba luphando olufundisayo njengokuba luvelisa unobangela wokukhumbula nezizathu zokulibala. Intyilazwi iyagqitha ize ijonge amava ababhali, indlela abazicacise ngayo iinkumbulo zabo nendlela abazibhale ngayo iiothobhayografi zabo bechaza iziganeko zokukhula kwabo. Olu hlobo luza kube lungajongi zigrafu okanye manani kodwa lujonga kakhulu indlela yokuhlalutya oko kubhaliweyo. Iincwadi ezisetyenziswa kuphando ziza kushwankathelwa zibuye zihlalutywe ngokwendlela yokuhlola iziganeko zokukhumbula nokulibala kwababhali.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Langauge, Media and Communication, 202
Exploring youth unemployment through entrepreneurship education: a case study of Biziniz in the box in Newcastle
Get PDFYouth unemployment is a long-standing social and economic issue in South Africa. One possible drive behind the ever-increasing rate of youth unemployment is the school curriculum that is still tainted by the so-called “bantu education” which is training learners to be job seekers rather than job creators. Government-led initiatives have served to empower the youth through capacity-building projects and financial assistance. One such example is the Bizniz in the Box initiative. Using a qualitative research methodology, and by examining Bizniz in the Box as a case study, this study sought to explore the types of methods, strategies, and outcomes that the Bizniz in the Box initiative used and produced, along with its role in imparting entrepreneurship knowledge and skill to its participants. Through such strategies, the study aimed also to find the possible role the government could have in the imparting of entrepreneurship education. By employing Vygotsky’s Activity Theory (1978) and drawing extensively on Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970), the study seeks to make recommendations on how government initiatives could critically engage with school curricula and the ways in which government intervention and initiatives can aid school teachers that are ill-trained to impart entrepreneurship skill and knowledge, which is vital to abate the problem of youth unemployment.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 202