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Platform: in theory
No full textPlatform has moved – and we accept that it will be a while before our new and welcoming location in Acta Academica becomes known, beyond the journal’s regular readers. Even in its short life to date the site has presented itself in projects where conversations will develop over time through active collaboration with contributors. The motivation for Platform and two projects already presented in the first three appearances (archived here under Platform: invitation for collaboration and conversation, and found at https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/aa/issue/view/521) are: first, development and examples of theory deliberately employed; and second, keywords as illuminating change and power in society. Here we are introducing a third, namely temporality, and the dangerous framing of ideas and activism within the rigid boundaries of shortterm thinking.Publisher's versio
The relationship between the emotional intelligence domains and driver behaviour in ESKOM: an adult education perspective
No full textEnglish: Emotions are one of the factors that define us as human yet, many people do not
truly understand the extent to which our emotions are influenced by the external
environment and how we allow emotions to control our behaviour which often
translates into physiological and physical risk. The ability to recognise and manage
our emotions is central to how we perceive and react to everyday life.
Eskom as an organisation is totally committed to providing a safe environment for all
their employees and no cost is spared in provided what they believe to be the best
education and training to support their ZERO HARM philosophy. The question is
however, with the unquestionable commitment to safety from management and staff
alike; why is the vehicle incident rate (VIR) remaining at unacceptably high levels?
This study was intended to identify the degree to which emotional intelligence, with
specific reference to self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and
managing relationship's impact on driver specific attitude and behaviour.
Emotional self-awareness allows individuals to start understanding how and why
they react to specific external stimuli. Only once individuals recognise and
acknowledge their emotions, will they be in a position to control how they react to
these emotions. Understanding one's emotions is only the starting point in learning
how to control your emotions but without this first step, no meaningful change will be
possible.
Emotional self-management is more of a process than a change in one's personality.
It is the ability to accept one's shortcomings and manage the observable external
responses to stimuli for the benefit of self and others. self-management is essentially
a skill and as such, must be learned and practiced before it can be perfected
Social awareness and managing relationships are possibly the more difficult
emotional domains to master from a driver perspective, as it may be considered
strange to think of social reactions with other road users as one's own responsibility.
The social domains however, do have serious implications as to how these incidental
relationships ultimately affect the behaviour of road users. It is clearly documented
that road rage is common place in our driving culture.
Analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data clearly indicates that emotional
inelegance has a significant impact on driver behaviour. The participants in this study
sited driver related emotional behaviour to include characteristics associated with
road rage and general emotional incompetence. The quantitative data was less
significant in determining the impact of emotional intelligence (El) and driver
behaviour in regard to age, gender and race; the fact remains however that the data
identified a significant relationship between persons with a low El and vehicle
incidents. The analysis of the quantitative data relating to group, age, gender and
race, when viewed against the same participant's qualitative response, as well as the
theoretical arguments presented in this study, would suggest that the qualitative data
may be influenced by response bias. The degree to which response bias may have
contaminated the quantitative data will need to be established through further
research.
The recommendations in this study should be addressed in order to test the theories
discussed in the study with the view of authenticating how customised education and
training can positively impact on driver behaviour and how such education and
training should be structured.Afrikaans: Emosies is een van die faktore wat ons as mense definieer en tog besef baie mense
nie die omvang waarmee die eksterne omgewing ons emosies beinvloed , en hoe
ons toelaat dat die emosies ons gedrag beinvloed nie, wat dan baie keer in 'n
fisiologies of fisiese risiko omsit.
Die vermoe om ons emosies te herken en dit te bestuur is sentraal tot hoe ons elke
dag ervaar en daarop reageer.
Eskom as organisasie is daartoe verbind om 'n veilige omgewing vir al sy
werknemers te skep. Geen koste word ontsien om werknemers te voorsien van,
wat hulle glo, die beste opleiding en opvoedings programme is, om hulle filosofie van
GEEN BESERING te ondersteun nie. Die vraag is egter, waarom die voertuig
insident koers, ten spyte van hierdie onwrikbare verbintenis tot veiligheid, steeds op
onaanvaarbare hoe vlakke bly.
Hierdie studie het ten doel om te bepaal tot watter mate emosionele inteligensie met
spesifieke verwysing na self-bewustheid, self-bestuur, sosiale-bewustheid en die
bestuur van verhoudings, voertuig bestuurder gedrag en houding beinvloed.
Emosionele self-bewustheid stel individue in staat om te verstaan hoe en hoekom
hulle tot 'n eksterne stimulus reageer. Slegs wanneer individue hul emosies kan
erken en definieer, sal hulle in 'n posissie wees om beheer uit te oefen oor hoe hulle
teenoor die emosies reageer. Om jou emosies te verstaan is slegs die begin punt
van om te leer hoe om jou emosies te beheer en te bestuur. Sonder die erkenning
van hierdie eerste stap, sal geen betekenisvolle verandering in gedrag of houding
moontlik wees nie.
Emosionele self-bestuur is eerder 'n proses as 'n verandering van persoonlikheid. Dit
is die vermoe om jou eie tekortkominge te aanvaar en jou sigbare, uiterlike reaksies
to 'n stimulus so te beheer en te bestuur dat dit tot voordeel van ander en jouself sat
strek. Self-bestuur is 'n vaardigheid wat aangeleer en geoefen moet word om dit
sodoende effektief te kan toepas.
Sosiale bewustheid en die bestuur van verhoudings is moontlik die moeilikste velde
om te bemeester uit 'n voertuig bestuurder se oogpunt, omdat dit vreemd is om aan
sosiale interaksie met ander padgebruikers as jou verantwoordelikheid te dink. Die
sosiale veld het egter ernstige implikasies op hoe hierdie toevallige verhoudings
uiteindelik die gedrag van padgebruikers beinvloed. Padwoede word opgeteken as
algemene gedrag in die voertuig bestuur kultuur
Analisering van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data toon duidelik dat emosionele
inteligensie 'n belangrike rol speel in die gedrag van voertuig bestuurders.
Deelnemers aan hierdie studie het dan ook bevestig dat bestuurder verwante
emosionele gedrag met padwoede en emosionele wangedrag ge-assosieer word.
Die kwantitatiewe data was minder belangrik in die bepaling van die impak van
emosionele inteligensie en bestuurder gedrag in verband met ouderdom, ras en
geslag; feit bly egter staan dat die data 'n noemenswaardige verband tussen
persone met 'n lae emosionele inteligensie vlak en voertuig insidente toon.
Analisering van die kwantitatiewe data met verband tot ouderdom, ras en geslag, dui
daarop dat die kwalitatiewe data beinvloed is deur respondent vooroordeel wanneer
dit met dieselfde respondente se kwalitatiewe reaksies en teoretiese argumente in
die studie vergelyk word. Die mate waarin die respondent vooroordeel die
kwantitatiewe data besoedel het sal in verdere navorsing bepaal moet word.
Die aanbevelings in hierdie studie moet aangespreek word ten einde die teorie soos
in die studie bespreek te toets met die oog op verifiering van hoe spesifiek
aangepaste opvoeding en opleiding 'n positiewe impak op bestuurder gedrag kan
uitoefen en hoe hierdie opvoedings en opleiding gestruktureer behoort te word
(Rutaceae: Diosmeae) - a new species endemic to the Kamdebooberge, Sneeuberg Massif (Eastern Cape, South Africa)
No full textBartl. & H.L. Wendl. (Rutaceae: Diosmeae) is a genus of 33 aromatic shrub species, which—with the exception of at least three species—is endemic to the Core of the Greater Cape Floristic Region and contributes to the exceptional richness of the Core of the Greater Cape Floristic Region, which is also part of a biodiversity hotspot. We describe the 34th known species, A. V.R. Clark & J.D. Vidal—a narrow endemic confined to the Kamdebooberge (Camdeboo Mountains) in the south-western Sneeuberg massif, near Aberdeen (Eastern Cape, South Africa). Morphologically, it is closest to A. sheilae I. Williams, but differs by the smaller, obovate-lanceolate leaves; alternate phyllotaxy; adpressed to patent leaf insertion; shorter sepals and bracts; and a rounded apical anther gland. Also, occurs primarily on Karoo Supergroup dolerites—rather than on Cape Supergroup sandstones. contributes to a local node of endemism in the western Sneeuberg—including the other, highly localised Kamdebooberge endemic Faurea recondita Rourke & V.R. Clark—and is the only found north of the Great Karoo, on the Great Escarpment. is the second Eastern Cape endemic in the genus—both being in summer/bimodal autumn–spring climates—out of three species recorded in the province. The Kamdebooberge deserves further botanical exploration and may contain further novelties.Publisher's versio
Managing the classroom with heart: role of teacher praise in building attachment among progressed learners in underprivileged secondary schools
No full text/. The scientific basis for positive reinforcement is clear: when a behaviour is accompanied by a desirable outcome, such as attention, a tangible reward, or a sensory experience, the probability of that behaviour being repeated in the future is heightened. Praise is a motivating strategy to cultivate a robust relationship between teachers and learners while promoting inclusive classroom management. Nonetheless, there is a paucity of research about the precise application of praise in South African secondary schools. This article examined learners' experiences about teachers' use of praise.
/. The study employed an interpretive paradigm with a qualitative approach and a phenomenological, multiple-case study design. Data was collected through focus group discussions from two secondary schools in quintiles 2 and 3, with 12 progressed learners selected using purposive sampling.
. The study revealed three primary themes: how learners respond to praise, the conditions prompting teachers to praise learners, and the emotions and behaviours associated with the absence of praise. The study indicated that learners experience encouragement and reinforcement towards commitment after receiving praise. Nonetheless, it also indicated that teachers predominantly praised learners for their academic achievements, resulting in progressed learners feeling marginalised due to their poor performance. The study also revealed that the absence of any kind of acknowledgement in the form of praise leads to the development of anger, deviant conduct, and a mixed-feeling attitude about attending school.
. This research offers a novel viewpoint contesting other findings that progressed learners are disruptive and unmotivated due to their expectation of automatic progression to the next grade without exerting effort. The study introduces a novel idea that teachers' use of praise may lead to exclusions, causing progressed learners to feel somewhat excluded from the school community.Publisher's versio
Chitosan-based materials as effective materials to remove pollutants
No full textChitosan is a natural polymer derived from chitin through the deacetylation process. It has emerged as a key ingredient in sustainable wastewater treatment, due to its biodegradability, non-toxicity, and low cost. This biopolymer possesses abundant functional groups, such as -NH2 and -OH, that efficiently interact with pollutants. This review offers a comprehensive evaluation of pollutant separation techniques involving chitosan-based materials, including adsorption, membrane filtration, flocculation, and photocatalysis. It further examines the underlying adsorption mechanisms, emphasizing how pollutants interact with chitosan and its derivatives at the molecular level. Special focus is given to various modifications of chitosan, alongside a comparative assessment of different chitosan-based adsorbents (hydrogels, nanoparticles, nanocomposites, microspheres, nanofibers, etc.), highlighting their performance in removing heavy metals, dyes, and emerging organic pollutants. The reviewed performance of these polymeric materials from 2015–2025 not only gives an insight about the recent advancement but also points the need for the design of high-performing chitosan-based adsorbents with applications in real water matrices.Publisher's versio
ABCC1 and ABCC10 as predictive biomarkers of docetaxel treatment response in prostate cancer
No full textProstate cancer (PCa) is a leading global health burden, with a particularly high prevalence in South Africa. Despite therapeutic advancements, chemoresistance remains a major challenge, limiting the efficacy of docetaxel and contributing to treatment failure and disease progression. Multidrug resistance (MDR), primarily mediated by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters such as ABCC1 and ABCC10, has been implicated in reduced chemotherapy effectiveness. This study aimed to evaluate the association between ABCC1 and ABCC10 expression levels and docetaxel treatment response in PCa patients. A retrospective case-control study was conducted using pre-treated formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue biopsies from PCa patients. Patients were classified into good responders (cases) and poor responders (cases) based on treatment outcomes. For each patient, tumour and adjacent normal sections were excised from FFPE samples, with normal sections serving as the control group. RNA was extracted and subjected to quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to assess ABCC1 and ABCC10 expression levels. ABCC1 and ABCC10 were significantly upregulated in tumour sections of poor responders, whereas good responders exhibited downregulated expression in tumour sections. Importantly, normal tissue sections (controls) displayed significantly lower expression levels of both transporter genes compared to tumour sections. The overexpression of ABCC1 and ABCC10 in tumour tissues, particularly in poor responders, suggests their potential role in mediating docetaxel resistance. These findings highlight ABCC1 and ABCC10 as potential predictive biomarkers for docetaxel treatment response in PCa, warranting further investigation in prospective clinical studies.Author(s
Black Justice, White Fear: when Reparations are framed as Genocide
No full textThis month, in an unprecedented move in U.S. refugee policy, the United States granted refugee status to Afrikaners on the grounds that the white minority in South Africa is facing racial persecution—even genocide. American officials welcomed the first wave of at least 49—citing claims that they are, “being brutally killed,” and “their land confiscated.” This narrative is unsubstantiated, historically dishonest, and morally corrosive.
Let’s be clear:
There is no campaign of extermination against Afrikaners.
There are no mass land seizures.
There is no humanitarian crisis.
What exists is a shared vulnerability to crime that affects both Black and White rural South African farmers—driven by geography, poverty, and policing gaps, not race.
There is unfinished business of South Africa’s democratic transition that left land reform untouched. The South African government finally seeks to correct what colonial conquest and apartheid codified: the violent dispossession of land that engineered Black landlessness into a permanent system of poverty and racial capitalism.
There is a growing, global discomfort among formerly unassailable white communities whose inherited privileges are finally—symbolically more than materially—being named, questioned, and historicized.
And there is a symbolic shift among conscious African youth—moving the ideological center of gravity toward justice, repair, and Black political self-determination. That shift alone has proven intolerable to some.Publisher's versio
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.Publisher's versio
Curriculum concepts appropriate in addressing “How” and “Why” knowledge in Agricultural Sciences Pedagogical Practice
No full textSouth Africa’s Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) specifies the content to teach and confines pertinent curriculum concepts to addressing the questions of “what”, “how” and “why” in teaching practice. Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) was used as a lens, because it is driven by human activity (teachers) and the six principles teachers should embrace in the activity system (the classroom). The prescriptive, communal and habitual perspectives (PCHP) framework personalises CHAT principles by producing curriculum concepts that underpin Agricultural Sciences (AGRIS) practice, while addressing the questions of “how” and “why”. The study presents emancipating action research of six AGRIS teachers to explore curriculum concepts they use to address the questions of “how” and “why” when teaching AGRIS in secondary schools. Reflective activities and semi-structured interviews were used to generate data. Purposive sampling was used to select the most convenient six participants. The findings indicate that teachers’ teaching is dominated by content, which addresses the “what” question; teachers were unaware of other concepts that underpin AGRIS practice. This suggests that teachers mainly impart scientific knowledge when teaching AGRIS and neglect skills and values/attitudes. Consequently, this study recommends an intervention from AGRIS curriculum developers in South Africa to infuse curriculum concepts to address the questions of “how” and “why” in CAPS. The study will contribute to scholarship by bringing an in-depth understanding of curriculum concepts pertinent to the needs of learners and society. It will further assist AGRIS curriculum developers and teachers in producing globally competent learners with the right skills and values/attitudes.Publisher's versio
Global trends in contributing factors to Mathematics performance in secondary schools: lessons for South Africa 2015 – 2024
No full textThis review of the literature examines global trends related to factors contributing to mathematics performance in secondary schools from 2015 to 2024, to draw lessons for South Africa. The study identifies key issues in South African mathematics education, such as insufficiently trained teachers, inadequate facilities, and lack of resources. It contrasts these factors with those of high-performing countries such as Singapore, China, Taipei, and Korea, which consistently excel in international assessments such as the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study). The theoretical framework is grounded in complexity and chaos theory, emphasising the non-linear and dynamic nature of educational systems. The butterfly effect and chaos theory are used metaphorically to illustrate how small changes in initial conditions can lead to significant long-term impacts. Methodologically, the review employs a thematic analysis of literature sourced primarily from the Scopus database, covering a decade of research. After the initial selection procedure, 24 relevant articles were selected according to the predetermined selection criteria. The findings highlight the critical role of teachers, including their qualifications, professional development, and the establishment of a growth mindset. Furthermore, the importance of teaching and learning support, teacher-student relationships, resources, learning environment, and socioeconomic status is underlined. The review concludes that South Africa can improve its mathematics performance by ensuring that all mathematics teachers are well-qualified, providing adequate resources, and fostering a conducive learning environment. The study also recommends further research into early childhood development and a broader database search to enhance the understanding of factors influencing mathematics performance.Publisher's versio