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An exploration of the plight of households living in informal settlements: a case of Mdantsane Township in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa
No full textEvidence suggested that households who are residing in the Mdantsane informal settlements within the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in South Africa, encounter challenges regarding service delivery. Furthermore, that most of these households lack the basic services and, in some settlements, the following services are inadequately addressed: provision of water on a site-to-site basis; provision of sanitation on a site-to-site basis; electrification of informal settlements; surfacing and or tarring of roads; storm water and drainage systems; and social amenities The aim of this study was therefore to explore the plight of living conditions of households who are residing in informal settlements in the Mdantsane Township, Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa. An empirical study was conducted using structured questionnaires to obtain the necessary information that was analysed to bring findings and results. A total of 202 questionnaires were forwarded to randomly selected households in the Mdantsane informal settlements. Ten questionnaires were distributed to officials at the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, who were directly and indirectly involved in Informal settlement upgrading. Four questionnaires were distributed to health workers in four different sampled clinics that serve the informal settlements in Mdantsane. The purpose of interviewing the health workers was to know the diseases that affect the households residing in the informal settlements. Furthermore, three questionnaires were forwarded to policemen in the three police stations in Mdantsane that serve the formal and informal households. The purpose of interviewing the policemen was to know and gather the data of the types of crimes committed in and around the informal settlements of Mdantsane. However, only one policeman completed and responded to the questionnaire and the other two decided not to cooperate with the research. The key findings included that the majority of the respondents affirmed that the living conditions in the Mdantsane informal settlements we/re not good at all, for instance some of the households reside in old rusty shacks that leak during rainy days, and their shacks and or their roofs are blown by winds during windy and stormy days. Most of the elderly and physically challenged walk to communal toilets and to fetch water. Some residents are affected by diseases, in many cases as a result of the living conditions in the informal settlements. It is therefore recommended that: The BCMM should consider equipping unemployed youth in the informal settlements with the skills that would enable them to keep fires at bay, as an interim measure before municipal fire fighters can get to the scene. The municipality devise alternative means with which to address the issue of providing electricity to the informal settlements in Mdantsane. The BCMM should ensure that the informal settlements in its area of jurisdiction are all supplied with skips for disposing of residents’ domestic waste. The BCMM should improve the collection of waste in the Mdantsane informal settlement. This will also be better facilitated by ensuring that the roads within the informal settlement are surfaced and tarred. The BCMM should consider liaising with the Provincial Department of Health to devise ways with which to address the issue of clinics that have inadequate capacity and are therefore unable to attend to patients timeously. The BCMM and the Department of Education should collaborate to introduce apprenticeship courses that will provide training to the people in the informal settlements so that they may become certified as electricians, carpenters, plumbers, bricklayers, plasterers, motor mechanics, auto-electricians and information technology technicians. In conclusion, there should be sufficient co-operation between the accounting officer and the heads of the directorates at the BCMM with the common aim of ensuring that appropriate services are delivered to the households residing in Mdantsane informal settlements. The portfolio committees responsible for human settlements, infrastructure services, and spatial planning and development, need to collaborate in order to ensure that there is synergy in the three directorates that they oversee. These three committees should meet at least once every two months in order to discuss issues related to informal settlements upgrading and human settlement development in general
Risk assessment for withdrawal from surgical training in South African academic institutions
No full textIntroduction: Countries world-wide, including South Africa are facing a huge problem of few graduating surgical professionals and high attrition rates. The loss of a training registrar represents a waste of resources and effort as well as having implications for future workforce planning. Furthermore, South African already has a problem of few surgical professionals; hence the high attrition rate puts a severe strain on an already inadequate health system and this in turn impact, health delivery, health outcomes, and dissatisfaction for both patients and healthcare staff. This suggests that aggressive interventions are urgently needed to address this problem so that trainees can be retained. Hence this study aimed to investigate the risk factors that contribute to surgical trainee’s attrition by 1) determining the contemplated attrition rate of general surgical registrars; 2) investigating reasons for considering leaving training before completing; and 3) investigating the overall attitude and satisfaction of South African surgical registrars towards their training program. Method: The study enrolled 80 general surgery registrars who had attended the 47th Surgical Research Society Meeting and annual registrar symposium that was held at the University of Pretoria in June 2019. Our study comprised a fair representation of registrars from the different medical schools across South Africa. The data was collected using questionnaires which were administered over four days, which was the duration of the meeting. 75 of 80 Registrars (94%) completed the questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SAS software and (FREQ procedure) to determine statistical significance. The level of significance for all test was P < 0.05. Differences in outcome between categorical groups was analyzed using Chi-square or Fisher’s Exact Test if cell count is < 5. Analysis of data was done by the University of Free State Biostatistics department. Results: The study found that 60% of the participants were contemplating withdrawing from surgical training. The study also found that majority of the participants who contemplated withdrawing were in their 2nd year (39%) and 1st year (35%) of study. Suggesting that surgical trainees are most likely to contemplate withdrawal on their 1st and 2nd year of surgical training. Our study also revealed that the most common reasons for potential withdrawal were poor lifestyle and quality of life during surgical training (16%), excessive working hours, workload /intensity/hours (29%), lack of support (12%), high level of stress/anxiety and pressure (15%). Interestingly, when looking at job satisfaction as the reason for contemplating to withdraw, we found that only 3% of the surgical trainees indicated job dissatisfaction as the reason to contemplate withdrawing. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that surgical trainees are most likely to withdraw from the training in their first and second year of training, suggesting that interventions to retain surgical trainees should prioritize first and second-year trainees. Additionally, this study demonstrated that majority of the surgical registrars were satisfied with their jobs, suggesting that the main reasons for withdrawing was not due to job dissatisfaction but mostly the intensity of the workload, the long hours, the lack of support and high stress/pressure. Findings of these study can be used to improve the overall general surgery training programs and lifestyle to prevent future catastrophic events of the shortage of general surgeons
Feasibility of using the Residential Environment Impact Scale (REIS) and the Assessment for Occupation and Social Engagement (ATOSE) as assessment tools within Engo Residential Aged Care Facilities in the Free State province, South Africa
No full textIntroduction: The occupational wellbeing of elders is influenced by the physical and social long-term care environments in which they live. Elders living in Residential Aged Care Facilities are often exposed to occupational injustices and become institutionalised as a result of an environment that does not provide adequate occupational opportunities, support and stimulation. Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of two occupation-based assessment tools, the REIS and ATOSE within Residential Aged Care Facilities affiliated with the Engo organisation. The REIS and ATOSE have not previously been used within the South African aged care sector or the Engo organisation. Methods: An embedded mixed methods approach with a qualitative focus was employed. The research was conducted in two phases. The first phase saw the researcher administering the two assessment tools within three participating facilities and providing each participating facility with their report containing the REIS and ATOSE findings. The reports contained quantitative statistics as yielded by each assessment, supported with descriptive information yielded by qualitative notes made by the researcher during the assessment period of phase one. During the second phase a discussion group employing the nominal group technique, was held with leadership staff of the participating facilities. Leadership staff considered and deliberated on the findings presented in the reports in order to identify possible enablers and obstacles of using the REIS and ATOSE assessment tools. A thematic analysis was employed during data analysis. Findings: The findings were categorised into two main themes, i.e. organisational culture and occupational justice issues. The findings of the REIS and ATOSE assessments (phase 1) and the nominal discussion group (phase 2) indicated an organisational culture which is dominated by a top-down management approach and distinguished by a medicallydominated care approach. Leadership staff struggled to directly conclude what enablers and barriers exist for using the REIS and ATOSE assessments. The findings of the research process, however, indicate that the assessments yield practical and usable information but the current Engo organisational culture are not receptive to implement the findings. Conclusions: The main contribution of this study is the exploration of two previously unused occupation-specific tools in the South African aged care sector, which presented information about elder communities that occupational therapists should consider when practicing in these environments to effect person-centred culture change.Engo (Non Governmental Organisation
Salt Rock Lifesavers Club, architectural interface: a gateway to a temporary realm of play
No full textThe proposed development seeks to pay homage to the temporary realm of play that is the beach. It intends to play on the user experience by utilizing thresholds to channel interactions with both the building and landscape in an interface like manner as the user journeys through the intervention and into this temporary realm of play. The design suggests ‘a user interpretive realisation’ of the landscape as a social, natural, and economic incubator and stimulus whereby a sustainable interdependency between the user and the site is established. The proposal calls for the redevelopment of the Salt Rock Lifesavers Club which acts as the primary portal and entrance to Salt Rock Main Beach. Currently the Club exists in a constant state of repair vs disrepair, and offers very little benefit to its primary users and the public at large functionally, visually and as an experience. The development seeks to accommodate two primary clients: the existing Salt Rock Lifesavers Club which currently is the primary caretaker of the beach; and the KZN Sharks Board, which uses Salt Rock Main Beach as one of their launching sites for shark net maintenance and research. Salt Rock Main Beach is the primary public beach for Salt Rock. It is one of the two Dolphin Coast beaches currently used to host the Ballito Pro Surf Competition which is a World Surf League (WSL) event, this ranks it as one of the best surfing spots in South Africa. The Dolphin Coast, and in particular the stretch spanning from Salt Rock to Ballito attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. The beach is extremely busy over the December and April Holiday periods. The site is unique in that it offers a large enough park to accommodate music concerts which other beaches lack. Furthermore, the site has an ephemeral stream dissecting the beach which is currently dammed and separates the park and beach
Hydrogeochemical assessment, water treatment and revalorization of dumps, tailings and drainages produced at Phalaborwa Industrial Complex
No full textThe Phalaborwa Industrial Complex is formed by several mines and factories that extract value out of the geological formation named Phalaborwa (or Palabora) Igneous Complex (PIC). The industrial activity started in 1950’s with the extraction of phosphate rocks and Cu. Since then, more than 4500 Mt of solid waste enriched in magnetite, Zr, Ni, Au, Ag, Pt and rare earth elements (REE), the latter unexplored yet, have been accumulating in PIC area in the form of tailings and waste rock dumps, as well as above 3 Mm3 of industrial wastewater, including rock drainages and process water, as described in chapter 1. Due to the industrial activities, the water quality of the aquifers underneath PIC has been deteriorated reaching up to 10 g/L of sulphate, particularly surrounding the impoundment dams of the phosphoric acid plant from the fertilizer industry. Chapter 2 introduces the study area and addresses the groundwater quality at PIC and the efforts to restrain the contamination plume by using abstraction boreholes, which resulted in a continuous rise of pollution within PIC facilities but it helped to control the migration of the plume beyond the industrial area. In addition, chapter 3 describes the state of the art in passive water treatments that might deal with such water pollution. However, this study goes beyond the environmental assessment, it is a comprehensive evaluation of PIC’s wastes, which led to the revalorization of the mining wastes as potential REE resources and as neutralization reagent and culminated with the design of a system that would bring benefit from both characteristics of the wastes. Chapter 4 encompasses a mineralogical and geochemical study of the PIC’s mine wastes that assessed all the waste rock dumps and tailings. The study was conducted under the hypothesis that the abundance of REE from the ore and host rocks mined from PIC might be preserved or even enriched in the mining wastes. The abundance of REE minerals (mainly monazite) and REE-bearing minerals (mainly fluorapatite, calcite and dolomite) confirmed that hypothesis and suggests the economic potential of PIC wastes as secondary source of REE. The most profitable REE are Nd, Dy, Pr and Tb (87% of net value). The tailings are economically more attractive than the WRDs because the mineral processing has generated tailings of mostly monomineralic particles enriched in REE. The environmental characterization of PIC wastes, described in chapter 5, was carried out in order to evaluate its potential as neutralizing reagent for passive water treatment. The mining waste used to treat acid industrial wastewater (AIW) need to accomplish two main characteristics i) high neutralization potential and ii) low toxicity. National and international procedures were carried out to assess the neutralization potential and the toxicity of the leachate that could be released from each rock and each tailing. The results of this investigation showed that none of the PIC rocks have the potential to produce acid rock drainage. It also demonstrated that the carbonatite rocks and the tailings from the copper plant (herein named East tailing) exhibit the highest neutralization potential (up to 800 kg CaCO3 eq/t). According to the National Environmental Management Waste Act (59/2008) of South Africa, PIC wastes classify as Type 3 waste (non-hazardous). PIC wastes would mostly release non-toxic elements such as Ca, Mg, SO4, Na, P, K and Fe. Although there are radionuclides such as U and Th in the non-labile fraction of PIC wastes, leachable concentrations were always below 0.006 mg/L. Among PIC wastes, East tailing would the best option as alkaline reagent to neutralize AIW because of its neutralization potential and non-harmful leachate composition predicted. The knowledge acquired at this point of the investigation served to develop a system that could remediate the extremely acidic wastewater from the neighbouring phosphoric acid plant. This system would be a near-zero waste if the substrate used get enriched in REE and become a marketable by-product. In chapter 6, the material from East tailing was selected for its abundance of REE minerals and REEbearing minerals, as well as for its neutralization potential (reactor A). A BDAS reactor (Barium carbonate Dispersed Alkaline Substrate) was added to the system to reduce the hardness and to further improve the water quality (reactor B). The system, developed at bench scale, was able to remediate the extremely AIW from the phosphoric acid plant and, at the same time, to concentrate the REE contained in both the water and the tailing. The treated water complies with WHO (World Health Organization) guideline for drinking water for all the parameters except Ni, Cd and occasionally Ba. Mineralogical and geochemical analyses showed that the REE concentration increased from the initial1.3 g/kg up to 2.1 g/kg in the central area of reactor A. Most REE precipitated as newly formed REE-rich Ca-Al-F phosphate. Minor concentrations of REE were found in reactor B, together with most of the radionuclides. Altogether, the findings of the thesis bring to the table an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to concentrate REE in a circular economy approach, while improving the quality of the extremely acidic wastewater. Therefore, the implementation of this system in PIC would have positive impacts to both the economy and the environment of Phalaborwa and the surroundings. This approach to an environmental problem caused by industries could be extrapolated to other carbonatite deposits in South Africa and abroad as a feasible environmental solution with little to none economic imbursement implications. Further feasibility studies of the marketable substrate are recommended in order to estimate if the remediation of acid water using East tailing could be a profitable and sustainable activity.Department of Science and Technology, South AfricaThe Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnolog
A wildlife photographic hub in Kasane, Botswana: creating awareness of wildlife conservation by means of wildlife photography using the concept of exposure through architecture
No full textThe foundation of this dissertation derives from a personal love for nature; specifically, wildlife. This coupled with a great passion for photography leads to the reasoning and idea behind this project. Using Wildlife photography as a tool for creating greater awareness of conservation and the need for humans to enhance their support of nature (or then wildlife) conservation. The client is a company that attempts doing exactly that, photography as a means of giving exposure to wildlife conservation, this makes them the ideal client; Pangolin Photo Safaris. They already use their photographic networks and powers to raise money for wildlife conservation through their non-profit pangolin Africa. This dissertation aims to equip them better with their required services needed to enable their efforts of conservation. This leads to the idea of a new central hub for their operations base in Kasane, Botswana. The new architectural intervention aims to improve the workings of Pangolin Photo Safaris, to optimise and allow them to further their efforts in conservation through Wildlife photography. This dissertation starts with the gathering of information about all relative subjects as per chapter one. Chapter two leads to a more detailed analysis of said information and relating it to architecture. Chapter three involves the exploration of possibilities by means of touchstone and precedents which is then grounded by a theoretical underpinning. Chapter four is the technical investigation into structures, materiality etc. Chapter five tries to tie in the investigations and research to a design methodology to approach the design process. Chapter six is the design process combined with the final design iteration and this is followed by a conclusion and personal reflection of the process of this dissertation
Analysis of general groundwater flow equation with non-local operators
No full textThe main aim of this research was to analyze the general groundwater flow equation with nonlocal operators. Non-local operators are able to introduce the mathematical formulation of memory and random walk. Recently, Mashudu and Mathobo (2017) introduced a more general groundwater flow model which considers the forgotten terms by Theis; however, their model uses the concept of classical differential operators and therefore could not help capture complexities of the media through which the sub-surface water flows. It is in this regard that their model was extended to the concept of non-local operators. The general groundwater flow equation for a confined aquifer was analyzed using the Caputo fractional derivative, Caputo-Fabrizio fractional derivative, AtanganaBaleanu fractional derivative and fractal-fractional differential operators. New numerical schemes were developed using the classical Adam Bash fort method and the newly developed Newton Polynomial method which was developed by Atangana and Araz in 2019. Stability analysis of the numerical schemes were presented. Numerical simulations were developed and showed evidence of three different types of flow according to fractional orders. Slow flow was observed in fractional order from 0.99 to 0.51, depicting that the geological media is not well connected and thus not helping water to pass easily. When the fractional order is below 0.5, fast flow was observed and when the fractional order is 1, normal flow was recovered and the geology was assumed to be homogenous.Environmental Resource Management (ERM)University of Free State Postgraduate SchoolWSP AfricaNational Research Foundation (NRF
A framework for the integration of simulation in undergraduate physiotherapy: contextualised for South Africa
No full textThesis (Ph.D.(Physiotheraphy))--University of the Free State, 2020This thesis aims to describe the process of developing a framework for integrating simulation in the South African undergraduate physiotherapy programme. An exploratory multi-method research design comprising three study phases was utilised in the framework development. A systematic review, utilising deductive content analysis, identified the key elements making up the frameworks that were designed to facilitate the curricular integration of simulation. Following the review, a Delphi survey was compiled to develop a conceptual framework for integrating simulation in the South African undergraduate physiotherapy programme. Contextualisation and credibility were ensured by means of a validation meeting. The systematic review included eight articles, which have an almost equal distribution of low and high finding reliability. In total 18 descriptive themes, grouped under four analytical themes, were identified. Analytical themes identified were planning, implementation, evaluation and revision. All articles noted thoughtful planning of simulation-based learning experiences (SBLEs), including stipulating learning outcomes, considering resources and debriefing. Only three articles included the execution of needs analyses and identified the need for simulation-based educator training prior to simulation integration. Data obtained from the review was formulated into a Delphi survey and distributed to purposively selected international and national experts in healthcare education and/or simulation. Results from the Delphi survey confirm the importance of curriculum development, SBLE design, resource availability and development of learning outcomes. Panel members also highlighted educator competence as essential. Analysis of both institutional and student needs were deemed essential, with societal needs being regarded as merely useful. The majority of statements pertaining to student preparation, student assessment and mastery learning/deliberate practice only achieved stability during the Delphi survey. Following the Delphi survey, the conceptual framework was developed by the researcher, and it was refined further during a validation meeting. Participants in the validation meeting suggested modifying the unidirectional framework illustration, which resulted in adjustment of the framework. Noteworthy was the importance of addressing all stakeholder needs, including societal needs. A collaborative approach to simulation integration was emphasised by participants especially in a resource-restricted South African setting. Participants refined terminology, so that it was more applicable to the South African education environment. The framework was finalised by the researcher, who applied constructive and cognitive load education theories and the data of the current study. A framework depicting both the fluidity between framework elements and the need to adjust education approaches to optimise student training was designed/developed. The framework emphasises the preparation required by both educators and students. Curriculum and SBLE authenticity are essential framework components for optimising preparation of graduates for practice, which expects graduates to possess increased and complex skills early in their careers. The final product is a credible and contextualised framework for the integration of simulation in the South African undergraduate physiotherapy programme. Though it is generic in nature, it may be applicable for use in any healthcare programme. It is recommended that a dedicated simulation expert, who is well versed in simulation-based education, is appointed to drive framework implementation; to ensure that all stakeholder needs are addressed, and to promote the sustainability of the integrated framework. Engagement with national regulating bodies regarding the inclusion of simulation as part of the mandatory undergraduate physiotherapy training requirements is recommended. Further research, exploring the practical use of SBLEs for mastery learning/deliberate practice and assessment purposes, is required. Investigation into a standardised approach to peer assessment in SBLEs is advised, to encourage student participation. In light of national resource restrictions, the researcher recommends research is undertaken in relation to the development and/or identification of validated outcome measures that calculate the return on investment of simulation integration at institutional level
Designing for vibrant and robust communities of practice in blended learning environments
No full textThis paper provides insight into the thinking that informed the design of a programme delivered in blended learning mode with the explicit intent to establish a learning environment conducive to the development of vibrant and robust communities of practices (CoPs). Within the higher education context, the explicit articulation of learning design principles as derived from theory is not often offered for dissemination and are regarded as implicit to programme development. This paper begins by exploring the association between CoPs and learning design; considers various approaches to blended learning; offers a blended learning programme as an exemplar for interrogation and then presents learning design principles that informed the development of vibrant and robust CoPs within the blended learning programme. Placing CoPs central to the design of the blended learning programme afforded students an authentic learning experience with an opportunity to make design decisions explicit, thereby contributing to the overall impact of the programme in the education sector. Four emerging learning design principles that underpin the design decisions in this programme are offered for interrogation: provide opportunities to model professional behaviour; develop social foundations from which to build the CoP; sustain guided and self-regulated learning;
and realign and reinforce the course objectives. Drawing from the knowledge gained in their vibrant and robust CoPs, institutional leaders – as students in this programme – embraced new models of professional development to bring sustainable change at schools in all districts across South Africa.Publisher's versio
Complexities of adolescent learner behaviour within multicultural indigent societies
No full textThis study was prompted by school principals and teachers complaining about bullying, gangsterism, drug abuse and excessive masculinity, as demonstrated by initiates returning from traditional initiation schools. They reported that this situation was exacerbated by the abolition of corporal punishment, without alternative means of disciplining learners. Literature shows that in South Africa, as in other countries, negative learner behaviour takes the form of drug and alcohol abuse, bullying and disrespect from the side of traditional initiates, to mention a few examples. I identified gaps related to multiculturalism and learner behaviour, the linking of adolescent learner behaviour to poverty, and the lack of understanding of the legal framework for learner discipline. The main aim of the study was to critically examine the complexities of adolescent learner behaviour within multicultural indigent societies. The study was done in the poverty-stricken area of the Joe Gqabi District within the Elundini Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape. Participants from six schools from the townships, rural areas and semi-urban areas took part in the study. Interviews targeted principals, LRCs, SGBs, TLO, LO teachers, government officials and community members. The research and paradigm approaches used in this study were the qualitative approach and interpretivism, respectively. The study was premised on three theories: Social Discipline Model, Psychosocial Development Theory, and Theory of Lower Class Culture. Common among the theories is that they all stress the negative influence of identity, culture, and the need for belonging on learner behaviour. The integrity of the study was ensured by paying attention to ethical issues, and the question of credibility, consistency and transferability. The findings of this study include that the complexities of adolescent learner behaviour take the form of a complex inter-connection of forms of behaviour. For instance, gangsterism was found to be connected to bullying, disrespect for teachers, learner-on-learner violence, reckless sexual behaviour, substance abuse, defiance from young men returning from the initiation school, machismo, occult beliefs and learners misbehaving to please their peers in order to believe themselves belonging and being acceptable. Issues that contribute to the complexities of adolescent learner behavior can be classified as teacher-related, home/parent related, those related to culture, and social relations and peer group influence emanating from the need for identity. Socio-economic conditions is a unique factor impacting on the complexities of adolescent learner behaviour in the context of indigent societies. A serious disjuncture exists between the intended values of the initiation school and the actual values learned at the initiation school, on the one hand, and the values of the formal schooling system, on the other. Based on the findings and theories, I recommend a multidimensional approach that includes many categories of stakeholders. I also recommend a model based on democratic principles entitled Equal Partnership for Winning Co-operation: Shared Responsibility in a Democratic Setting. In conclusion, all stakeholders need to be involved in crafting policies that regulate learner behaviour. This study revealed the powerful influence of culture on adolescent learner behaviour. Poverty renders adolescent learners, and girl learners in particular, vulnerable in their need to support themselves and their families. In extreme cases parents even approve of some of the complexities of adolescent learner behaviour, such as cross-generational affairs of girls with older men for the sake of material gain. Some parents even allow the marriage of their daughters by abduction. It is my sincere wish that fighting poverty should not just be used as cliché or as a tool for electioneering by politicians. A concerted effort should be exerted to save these learners’ futures from poverty