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Health information seeking behaviour of guardians of blind children living in the rural Free State
No full textDisabilities related to sight are the most common in South Africa and commonly afflict South African children (Lehlola, 2005; 2014; DSD, DWCOD & UNICEF, 2014). In addition to normal parenting tasks, guardians of children living with disabilities are faced with the need to manage uncertainties about their children’s medical, motor, intellectual and social prognosis (Barnett et al, 2003, Gona et al., 2011). Some of these uncertainties can be managed through seeking health information, which can include disability-specific information and information about specialised support that the children may need to ensure optimum development (Eleweke et al., 2008). It is, however, well documented in the literature that guardians of children living with disabilities have unmet health information needs and that these needs are worsened in rural areas by factors including poverty, lack of education, cultural beliefs and limited access to healthcare resources (Sloper, 1999; Rahi, Manaras, Tuomainen & Hundt, 2004; Jackson, Baird, Davis-Reynolds, Smith, Blackburn & Allsebrook, 2007; Skinner & Skilfkin, 2007; Lorenzo, van Pletzen & Booyens, 2015). The culture-centred approach (CCA) to health communication focuses on listening to the voices of cultural members and allowing them to enter into communicative processes by voicing alternative perspectives of health that are relevant to their context (Dutta, 2008). Adopting the tenets of the CCA, this study sought to explore the health information seeking behaviour of guardians of blind and partially blind children who live in rural areas of the Free State province and learn from them how to best meet their health information needs regarding their children’s blindness. The objectives of this study were to (1) identify the role that cultural beliefs play in the guardians’ perception of the causes of their children’s blindness, (2) identify the source(s) of health information that the guardians commonly used and (3) determine the health information source(s) that the guardians preferred and whether the reasons for those preferences were culturally bound. Individual, face-to-face, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 22 guardians of blind and partially blind children who live in rural areas of the Free State province revealed that the guardians’ cultural beliefs shaped how they perceived the causes of their children’s blindness, which in turn influenced their eye-care seeking behaviours and decisions to seek health information. The source of health information that the guardians commonly used was faceto-face communication between themselves and members of their families and communities, religious leaders, traditional healers, allopathic healthcare practitioners and educators from the mainstream schools that their children formerly attended. The source of health information that the guardians preferred the most was face-to-face communication in their native language at central locations within their communities such as at the local clinics, churches, schools, libraries and community halls. This study found that this preference was not culturally bound but rather influenced by the guardians’ literacy levels, socio-economic status and the accessibility of resources available to them. The findings of this study also highlight the importance of understanding the influence of the three key tenets of the CCA – culture, structure and agency- on the guardians’ health information seeking behaviour. An intersectional analysis of culture, structure and agency revealed that these tenets both enable and constrain the guardians’ health information seeking behaviour. This study argues that this understanding may help increase the guardians’ access to and use of health information by allowing for the creation of culturally relevant health information material and the provision thereof through platforms that are commonly used by and easily accessible to the guardians.University of the Free State Postgraduate SchoolIvy Matsepe-Cassabury Foundatio
The influence of environmental and individual factors on the growth intentions of SMMEs in the Free State
No full textGrowth intentions are the entrepreneur’s goals or aspirations for the growth path she or he would like the venture to follow. However, an entrepreneur’s intention to grow his or her business is shaped and influenced by two main forces: internal factors, such as an individual’s behaviour and attitudes, and the external environment. These two main forces can either facilitate or hinder the growth intentions of SMMEs. Given the importance of growth in SMMEs, it is crucial that entrepreneurs have an intention to grow their businesses. The intention to grow is viewed as a commendable attribute in SMMEs and should therefore be encouraged. Yet, despite the gains of growth to an SMME, some entrepreneurs do not want to grow their businesses, thus defeating the goals of job creation and poverty alleviation in South Africa. Thus, it becomes crucial to investigate the influence of the environment and the influence of the entrepreneur’s individual characteristics on the growth intentions of SMMEs. This research study seeks to investigate the influence of environmental and individual factors on the growth intentions of SMME entrepreneurs in the Free State Province of South Africa. This study was an empirical survey via a quantitative research method. Data were obtained by means of a structured questionnaire distributed to the selected sample within the target population. Data were collected in two municipalities of the Free State: the Mangaung Metro Municipality, and the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality. A purposive and snowball sampling method was used to distribute the questionnaires and 354 entrepreneurs completed the questionnaires. The quantitative data were analysed with IBM SPSS version 25 and SmartPLS version 3.2.8, in line with the objectives of the study. The statistical analyses included descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as partial least-square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The main findings of the study were that none of the chosen environmental factors influenced growth intentions and only one individual factor – locus of control – influenced growth intentions significantly (0.112; p=0.023 [one-tailed]; 95% BBCI [0.023 to 0.207]). In addition, the theory of planned behaviour was found to be a good predictor of the growth intentions of SMME entrepreneurs as its antecedents, namely attitude towards growth, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control were all statistically significant and influential towards growth intentions. Furthermore, the main reason why SMME entrepreneurs choose to grow their venture is excitement (0.382; p= 0.000 [one-tailed]; 95% BBCI [0.281 to 0.473]); while the main reasons why they would not want to grow their business was lack of market demand (-0.076, p =0.048 [one-tailed]; 95% BBCI [-0.154 to -0.008]), and not my strategic choice to grow the business (-0.169, p= 0.001 [one-tailed]; 95% BBCI [-0.261 to -0.087]). The study concluded that both environmental (no market demand, subjective norms) and individual factors (locus of control, excitement, not my strategic choice, attitude and perceived behavioural control) greatly influence the growth intentions of SMME entrepreneurs in the Free State. It was recommended that the government, state-owned enterprises, policymakers and educational institutions focus on assisting SMME entrepreneurs to access relevant markets via online platforms, preferential procurement and trade fairs. In addition, the government, via the Department of Small Business Development, should educate entrepreneurs about the provincial and national benefits of pursuing growth in their ventures. In summary, this study made vital contributions to the development of SMMEs in the Free State Province.University of the Free State Post Graduate Schoo
Reflections of Ubuntu principles in selected Setswana drama texts
No full textThe aim of this study is to investigate the basic principles of Ubuntu in selected Setswana drama texts, and the extent to which the characters maintain or contravene the core values and principles of Ubuntu. Setswana has quite a number of drama texts published by various publishers to ensure that the Setswana speaking learners are also taught with a view to achieve skills in specific literature without any form of exclusion. In these drama texts the philosophy of Ubuntu has been passed on through proverbs, sayings, behaviours and cultural artefacts and cultural practices. In ensuring an understanding of the responsibilities that come up with characters’ interconnectedness, the author ensures that characters interact with one another in order to develop his or her theme and conflict, while casting aside worn out perceptions and outdated thoughts. It has been observed that most of the Setswana drama texts demonstrate principles and values of Ubuntu. As a result, it becomes pertinent to investigate the effects of the principles of Ubuntu in the written Setswana drama texts. Therefore, it is imperative that all the facts that are vital to the interconnectedness of characters in the maintenance or contravention of the principles of Ubuntu be investigated. The characters as actors in the development of theme and conflict in drama texts are, therefore, seen as the key figures for the success of failure of the philosophy of Ubuntu in the drama texts. If characters, however, do not clearly maintain the principles of Ubuntu but contravene these fundamental principles tragedies and disasters can take place. The researcher looks into the real world of characters-in-action and research-on-action in the selected drama texts. The method that is adopted is one of investigating in depth small and distinct groups of characters that would help understand the social behaviour of the characters. In this inquiry, studying the characters in action allows the researcher to determine the general behaviour of the main characters and to what extent the characters maintain or contravene the core values and principles of Ubuntu
The readiness of Lesotho high schools' management teams to implement The Curriculum and Assessment Policy of 2009
No full textThe dynamism of the contemporary life poses a constant need for many countries to adopt new education systems that empower their citizens to keep pace with the rest of the globe in various areas. To achieve this objective, many scholars, and researchers recognise the need for effective management in the education systems to support adaptation of the new educational systems.
Extreme poverty and high rate of unemployment, high rates of HIV and AIDS prevalence, as well as lack of proper skills in technical and managerial areas are among the most challenging issues affecting Lesotho. As such, to respond to these challenges, Lesotho enacted CAP 2009 to guide the introduction and implementation of the new curriculum seen as the vehicle through which the country would respond to its challenges. Therefore, for its effective implementation, the School managers must be ready to support its implementation.
Guided by Critical Rationalism, this study focused on the readiness of the school management teams to implement CAP 2009 in Lesotho schools .Two constructs of Rogan and Grayson (2003) theory of curriculum implementation were used. Rogan and Grayson (2003) propose that when the three constructs are well managed (although two are used in study), they can culminate in the effective implementation of a new curriculum in schools. Besides the theory, I used literature study, policy analysis and a survey, in an empirical study reinforced by mixed methodology strategy. Therefore, within the context of this study, the levels of operation of Rogan and Grayson theory of curriculum implementation constructs namely, Profile of Implementation and Capacity to support Innovation; and their sub constructs acted as standard pointers during the survey. These constructs helped to reveal the realities of the implementation of CAP 2009 and the subsequent IC approach in Lesotho schools during the survey.
The survey revealed that the school management teams were moderately ready on the construct of profile of implementation, which encompasses the nature of classroom interaction, integrated curriculum and assessment. However, on the construct Capacity to support Innovation the survey revealed uncertainty coupled with some challenges manifested by the silences revealed in the policy analysis that may pose a threat to the school management teams within their schools during the implementation of CAP 2009. These challenges include lack of resources, and inadequate training for the managers for them to play their roles effectively. The roles, which involve planning, leading, control and expertise.University of the Free State (UFS
Early career women academics: a case study of working lives in a gendered institution
No full textThesis (Ph.D.(Higher Education Studies))--University of the Free State, 2019This study was informed by my interest in a set of inter-related policy concerns about the academic profession in South Africa. Academic staff in South African universities remain predominantly white and male at senior levels, the pace of demographic change has been slow, and not enough young people are choosing academic careers and being retained in academic jobs. Women, and black women in particular, are significantly under-represented in the professoriate. The imperatives for change in South African higher education in the post-apartheid era have been linked both to social justice demands for a more equitable, representative and transformed system, as well as global pressures for more accountable, productive and competitive universities. Despite progressive policy frameworks, South African universities retain highly gendered and racialised institutional cultures, which create constraints for academic staff in building academic careers. However, policy has limitations, and deeper exploration is needed to understand gender inequity. There is a dearth of research on the working lives of academics in the South African academy, in particular on the experiences of early career academics and women in the early career.
This study explored the working lives of a small group of early career academic women in one faculty at one institution through narrative research, informed by the following research questions:
• How does gender impact on academic working lives, career development choices and professional identities of selected early career academic women?
• How do early career academic women understand, experience and mediate gendered institutional environments and how does this affect their professional functioning and agency?
• What does this reveal about why gender inequalities persist in universities?
This study used a combination of feminist theorisation about organisations and the capability approach as a framework for analysis. Institutions are gendered in multi-dimensional ways and this impacts profoundly on academic lives and career trajectories. Gendered institutions affect the everyday experiences of academic women. Gender is implicated in the way institutions are structured and how they operate. Job structures, expectations and workloads are gendered. Gendered everyday interactions (which can be both overt and invisible) and individuals’ own gendered socialisation, influence how women navigate academic working lives. All these factors affect how early career academic women form professional academic identities and what kinds of career trajectories they follow. While academic careers emerge as multi-dimensional, systems of recognition are relatively one-dimensional. Experiences are diverse – some academics are able to successfully navigate institutions and achieve well-being- while others struggle to achieve a sense of stability.
The capability approach offered a normative social justice framing of the data, allowing for an exploration of individual experiences. It highlighted valued aspects of working lives, explored constraints and enabling factors, and ultimately arrived at a set of contextual and multi-dimensional valued capability dimensions. From the narratives and engagement with other capability sets, five capability dimensions emerged, based on the valued and aspirational functionings of the nine participants:
• navigation: to be able to navigate academic life successfully;
• recognition: to be able to be recognised and valued for one’s academic work;
• autonomy: to be able to achieve professional autonomy;
• affiliation: to be able to participate in social and professional networks; and
• aspiration: to be able to aspire to a professional academic career.
The usefulness of these five dimensions is that they provide a way of understanding what kinds of careers early career academic women want, and therefore suggest ways in which institutions can reduce institutional barriers and enhance opportunities for career development and well-being.
___________________________________________________________________Hierdie studie is ingelig deur my belangstelling in 'n stel interverwante beleidsbekommernisse oor die akademiese beroep in Suid-Afrika. Akademiese personeel aan Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite bly oorwegend wit en manlik op senior vlakke, die tempo van demografiese verandering was stadig, en nie genoeg jongmense kies akademiese loopbane en word in akademiese poste behou nie. Vroue, en veral swart vroue, is aansienlik onderverteenwoordig in die professoraat. Die vereistes vir verandering in Suid-Afrikaanse hoër onderwys in die post-apartheidera is gekoppel aan sosiale geregtigheidseise vir 'n meer regverdige, verteenwoordigende en getransformeerde stelsel, sowel as globale druk vir meer verantwoordbare, produktiewe en mededingende universiteite. Ten spyte van progressiewe beleidsraamwerke, behou Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite hul hoogs geslagtelike en rasgebaseerde institusionele kulture, wat beperkings daarstel vir akademiese personeel om akademiese loopbane te bou. Beleid het egter beperkings, en dieper ondersoek is nodig om geslagsongelykheid te verstaan.
Daar is 'n gebrek aan navorsing oor die werkslewe van akademici in die Suid-Afrikaanse akademie, veral oor die ervarings van vroeë loopbaanakademici en vroue vroeër in hul loopbaan.
Hierdie studie het die werkslewe van 'n klein groepie akademiese vroue vroeër in hul loopbaan in een fakulteit by een instelling ondersoek, deur narratiewe navorsing, ingelig deur die volgende navorsingsvrae:
•Hoe beïnvloed geslag die akademiese werkslewe, loopbaanontwikkelingskeuses en professionele identiteite van geselekteerde akademiese vroue vroeër in hul loopbaan?
•Hoe verstaan, ervaar en bemiddel akademiese vroue vroeër in hul loopbaan, geslagtelike institusionele omgewings en hoe beïnvloed dit hul professionele funksionering en agentskap?
•Wat openbaar dit oor hoekom geslagsongelykheid in universiteite voortduur?
Hierdie studie het 'n kombinasie van feministiese teorieë oor organisasies en die vermoë-benadering as 'n raamwerk vir analise gebruik. Instellings handhaaf op multi-dimensionele maniere geslagsongelykheid en dit het 'n groot impak op akademiese lewens en loopbaantrajekte. Geslagtelike instellings beïnvloed die alledaagse ervarings van akademiese vroue. Geslag word geïmpliseer in die manier waarop instellings gestruktureer is en hoe hulle funksioneer. Posstrukture, verwagtinge en werkladings is geslagtelik. Geslagtelike alledaagse interaksies (wat openlik en onopsigtelik kan wees) en individue se eie geslagtelike sosialisering, beïnvloed hoe vroue hul akademiese werkslewe navigeer.
Al hierdie faktore beïnvloed hoe akademiese vroue vroeër in hul loopbaan professionele akademiese identiteite vorm en watter soort loopbaanrigtings hulle volg. Terwyl akademiese loopbane as multidimensioneel na vore kom, is stelsels van erkenning relatief eendimensioneel. Ervarings is uiteenlopend – sommige akademici is in staat om suksesvol deur instellings te navigeer en welstand te bereik – terwyl ander sukkel om 'n gevoel van stabiliteit te verkry. Die vermoë-benadering het 'n normatiewe sosiale geregtigheid-raamwerk van die data gebied, wat 'n verkenning van individuele ervarings moontlik gemaak het. Dit het gewaardeerde aspekte van die werkslewe uitgelig, beperkings en bemagtigende faktore ondersoek, en uiteindelik by 'n stel kontekstuele en multi-dimensionele gewaardeerde vermoë-dimensies uitgekom.
Uit die narratiewe en betrokkenheid by ander vermoëns het vyf vermoë-dimensies na vore gekom, gebaseer op die gewaardeerde en aspirerende funksionering van die nege deelnemers:
•navigasie: om die akademiese lewe suksesvol te kan navigeer;
•erkenning: om erken en gewaardeer te kan word vir 'n mens se akademiese werk;
•outonomie: om professionele outonomie te kan bereik;
•affiliasie: om aan sosiale en professionele netwerke deel te neem; en
•aspirasie: om 'n professionele akademiese loopbaan na te kan streef. Die bruikbaarheid van hierdie vyf dimensies is dat hulle 'n manier bied om te verstaan watter soort beroepe akademiese vroue vroeër in hul loopbaan wil hê, en dus maniere voorstel waarop instellings institusionele hindernisse kan verminder en geleenthede vir loopbaanontwikkeling en -welstand kan verbeter.
___________________________________________________________________Diphuputso tsena di susumetswa ke thahasello ya mofuputsi maanong a hokahaneng a botsebi ba barutehi ba Afrika Borwa. Basebetsi ba barutehi Afrika Borwa diyunivesithing boholo ke batho ba basweu mme banna ke bona ba maemong a hodimo. Mehato ya ho tlisa diphetoho e tsamaya butle, hape ha se batho ba dilemong tse tlase ba kgethang ho ba barutehi kapa ho tiisetsa ka hara mosebetsi wa borupedi. Basadi ba batho ba batsho haholoholo, ha ba na boemedi maemong a ditsebihadi. Diphephetso tsa diphetoho Afrika Borwa thutong e phahameng kamora nako ya kgethollo ya mmala di hokahantswe le twanelo ya kabo ya toka ho bohle ka tekano, boemedi le bosebeletsi bo fetileng, le tshusumetso ya lefatshe e hlokang hore ho be le boikarabelo ho bohlahisi diyunivesithing tse hohelang. Ho sa natswe maano a tswelopele diyunivesithing tsa Afrika Borwa, di amana le maano a kgethollo ya botona le botshehadi le moetlo tse bakang tshitiso ho basebetsi ba barutehi ho tswela pele ho intlafaletsa bokamoso. Leha ho le jwalo, maano a na le dikgaello, hape ho a utlwisisa ka botlalo, ho hlokeha ho utlwisisa tekatekano ya botona le botshehadi. Diphuputso ka basebetsi ba barupedi ha di yo diphuputsong mona Afrika Borwa; haholoholo ho tseo barutehi ba kopanang le tsona mabapi le tswelopele ya bona thutong e le basadi nakong eo ba sa leng maemong a tlase thutong.
Boithuto bona bo sibolotse bophelo ba basebetsi ba sehlotshwana sa basebetsi ba tlase thutong ka hara le leng la mafapha setsing se seng sa thuto e phahameng; ka mokgwa wa diphuputso tsa ho mamela meqoqo, mme ba tataiswa ke dipotso tse latelang:
•botona kapa botshehadi di susumetsa barutehi jwang, kgetho ya tswelopele boitlafatsong ba basebetsi ba sa le tlase thutong ya basadi?
•Basadi bao e leng hona ba ntseng ba hola thutong ba utlwisisa jwang tseo ba fetileng ho tsona le ditsi tse kenang pakeng tsa botona le botshehadi le hore tsee di thusa kapa ho sitisa ho intlafatsa ho ya pele jwang?
•Na see se utulla hore nakong yee hobaneng ha tekatekano ya botona le botshehadi di kgomaretse diyunivesithi?
Boithuto bona bo sebedisitse mawa a kopaneng a thusang ho hlahloba ditaba tsa basadi le lewa la bokgoni e le mawa a tla sebediswa ho qhaqholla le ho toloka ditaba. Ditsi di toloka botona le botshehadi ka ditsela tse fapaneng mme sena se susumetsa ditaba tsa bophelo ba basebetsi ba basadi. Botona le botshehadi di hlahile di theilwe ka hara ditsi le mokgwa o di sebetsang ka oona. Sebopeho sa mosebetsi, ditebello, le boleng ba mosebetsi di ya ka botona le botshehadi. Kopakopano ya botona le botshehadi (tse bonahalang le tse sa bonahaleng), le tsa bomong bo shebang botona kapa botshehadi ba ho theha setswalle, di susumetsa hore na basebetsi ba basadi ba sebetsa mosebetsi wa borutehi jwang. Tsena tsohle di ama hore na basadi ba itseng ba hola boithutong ba bopa boitshepo le boitsebo ba bona jwang le hore na ba latela metjha ya tswelopele ya bokamoso ba thuto ya bona. Ha bointlafatso bo le dikarolokarolo, maemo a ho hlokomeleha ekare a motjha o mong.
Tseo ba fetileng ho tsona ekare di a fapana. Ba bang ba barutehi ekare ba kgona ho ya pele ditsing mme ba atleha ho tsitsa ha ba bang ba thulana le diphephetso tsa ho tsitsa. Lewa la botsebi le fana ka tokelo ya setjhaba e tlwaelehileng e bopilweng ka ditaba tse dumellang ho senolwa ha tseo motho ka mong a fetileng ho tsona.
E bontshitse ditshiya tsa bohlokwa tsa bophelo ba basebetsi, ya senola diphephetso ekasitana le tse thusang, mme ha fihlelwa sehlotshwana sa lehae le dikarolokarolo tsa bohlokwa. Ho tswa ditabeng tse phetilweng ke sehlotshwana sa ditsebi, ditsebo tsa tse fapaneng di ile tsa hlahella ho ipapisitswe le tsa bohlokwa hape le tse sebetsang ka ho kgothaletsa ba bileng le seabo ba robong ho kenella: ho aha bophelo ba barutehi bo atlehileng ho ka elellwa , ho ba boemong a ho elellwa, le ho nkelwa hloohong ha mosebetsi wa motho,
boikemelo: ho ba boemong ba ho fihlela boikemelo ba botsebi,
Kamano: ho kenya letsoho dinthong tsa setjhaba le ho hokahana le ditsebi tse ding le tshepo: ya ho ba boemong ba ho fana ka tshepo ho barutehi ba bang ho tswela pele.
Bohlokwahadi ba mafapha ana ke ho tlisa mokgwa wa kutlwisiso mefuteng e fapaneng ya tswelopele bokamosong ba thuto ho basadi ba ntseng ba le tlase thutong, kahoo boithuto bona bo hlahisa mekgwa eo ditsi di ka fokotsang mathata mme tsa phahamisa menyetla ya ho hodisa bointlafatso thutong ho bophelo le boiketlo bo botle.
___________________________________________________________________Lolu cwaningo lwakhiwe intshisekelo yami eqoqweni lezinqubomgomo mayelana nomkhakha womsebenzi wezemfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrikha. Abasebenzi bezemfundo emanyuvesi aseNingizimu Afrikha kusalokhu kungabamhlophe kakhulu kanye nabesilisa ezikhundleni eziphezulu, ijubane lokushintshwa kwezibalo zabantu lihamba kancane, futhi abanele abantu abasha abakhetha imikhakha yezemfundo futhi bagcinwe emisebenzini yezemfundo. Abesifazane, ikakhulukazi abesifazane abamnyama bancane emkhakheni. Izidingo zoguquko emfundweni ephakeme yaseNingizimu Afrikha esikhathini sangemuva kobandlululo zixhunyaniswe nezimfuno zobulungiswa bezenhlalakahle zohlelo olulinganayo, olumele futhi oluguquliwe, kanye nezingcindezi zomhlaba wonke zamanyuvesi anokuziphendulela, akhiqizayo naqhudelanayo. Ngaphandle kwezinhlaka zenqubomgomo eziqhubekayo, amanyuvesi aseNingizimu Afrikha agcina amasiko ezikhungo acheme ngobulili kakhulu futhi acwaswa ngokwebala, okudala imigoqo kubasebenzi bezemfundo ekwakheni imisebenzi yezemfundo. Nokho, inqubomgomo inemikhawulo, futhi ukuhlola okujulile kuyadingeka ukuze kuqondwe ukungalingani ngokobulili. Kunokuntuleka kocwaningo mayelana nempilo yokusebenza kwezifundiswa emkhakheni yemfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrikha, ikakhulukazi okuhlangenwe nakho ezifundisweni ezisencane kanye nezifundiswa zabesifazane abasebasha.
Lolu cwaningo luhlole izimpilo zokusebenza zeqembu elincane lezifundiswa zabesifazane abasebasha esikhungweni esisodwa ngocwaningo olulandisayo, olusekelwe kule mibuzo yocwaningo elandelayo:
•Ngabe ubulili bunamthelela muni ezimpilweni zokusebenza emkhakheni wezikhungo zemfundo ephakeme, ukukhetha izifundo zokuzithuthukisa kanye nezifundiswa ezikhethiwe zabesifazane abasebasha?
•Ngabe izifundiswa zabesifazane abasebasha zikuqonda kanjani, zibhekana kanjani futhi zingenelela kanjani ezikhungweni ezicheme nobulili obuthile futhi lokhu kuthinta kanjani ukusebenza kwabo ngendlela efanele?
•Lokhu kwembulani ngokuthi kungani ukungalingani ngokobulili kuqhubeka emanyuvesi? Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise inhlanganisela yethiyori yabesifazane mayelana nezinhlangano kanye nendlela yokukwazi njengohlaka lokuhlaziya.
Izikhungo zenziwa ukuba zicheme nobulili obuthile ngezindlela ezihlukene futhi lokhu kuba nomthelela omkhulu ezimpilweni zezemfundo nasemigudwini yemisebenzi. Izikhungo ezicheme nobulili obuthile zizilimaza zonke izinsuku izifundiswa zabesifazane. Ubulili buyathinteka endleleni izikhungo ezakhiwe ngayo kanye nendlela ezisebenza ngayo. Izakhiwo zemisebenzi, okulindelekile kanye nenani lomsebenzi lihlukaniswa ngokobulili. Ukusebenzisana kwansuku zonke okucheme ngokobulili (ngendlela esobala noma ecashile) kanye nokuxhumana kwabantu ngabanye ngokobulili, kuthonya indlela abesifazane abaphila ngayo emsebenzini.
Zonke lezi zici zithinta indlela izifundiswa zabesifazane abasebasha abakhula babe yiyo nokuthi yiziphi izinhlobo zezifundo abazilandelayo. Ngenkathi izifundo zokufundela umsebenzi zivela zinezinhlangothi eziningi, izinhlelo zokuqashelwa zinohlangothi olulodwa. Izipiliyoni zezifundiswa azifani ezinye izifundiswa ziyakwazi ukusebenza ngempumelelo ezikhungweni futhi ziphile kahle, kuyilapho ezinye ziyazabalaza ukuba zithole nje ukukwazi ukuzimela. Indlela yekhono inikeze uhlaka olujwayelekile lobulungiswa bezenhlalo kokwakhiwa ulwazi, okuvumela ukuhlolwa kwesipiliyoni somuntu ngamunye. Igqamise izici ezibalulekile zempilo yokusebenza, yahlola izingqinamba kanye nezici ezivumelayo, futhi ekugcineni yafika eqoqweni lobukhulu bekhono obunomongo nobunezinhlangothi eziningi. Kusukela ekulandiseni nasekuzibandakanyeni namanye amasethi amakhono, izilinganiso zamakhono ezinhlanu zavela, ngokusekelwe ekusebenzeni okubalulekile nokulangazelelayo kwababambiqhaza abayisishiyagalolunye:
•ukuzulazula: ukukwazi ukuzulazula empilweni yezemfundo ephakeme ngempumelelo;
•ukuhlonishwa: ukukwazi ukuhlonishwa kanye nokwaziswa ngomsebenzi womuntu wezemfundo;
•ukuzimela: ukukwazi ukuzuza ukuzimela;
•ukuzihlanganisa: ukukwazi ukubamba iqhaza ezinkundleni zokuxhumana nezomsebenzi; kanye
•nesifiso: ukukwazi ukulangazelela umsebenzi wezemfundo okhokhelwayo. Usizo lwalezi zindlela ezinhlanu ukuthi zinikeza indlela yokuqonda ukuthi hlobo luni lwemisebenzi efunwa yizifundiswa zabesifazane abasebasha, ngakho-ke baphakamisa izindlela izikhungo ezinganciphisa ngazo izithiyo zezikhungo futhi zithuthukise amathuba okuthuthukiswa kwemisebenzi kanye nokuphila kahle.
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Nutritional assessment of professional rugby players in Mpumalanga: are requirements being met according to current sports nutrition standards?
No full textOptimal sports nutrition is directly linked to success in sporting activities, yet research indicates that adequate knowledge of nutrition is often lacking in athletes. The results of several studies have shown that the dietary intakes and eating habits of rugby players often leave much to be desired.
Evidence-based nutrition principals and recommendations for athletes are continuously summarised by a number of organisations including the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN). The current study aimed to assess the nutritional status of professional rugby players in Mpumalanga and compared the results to current sports nutrition guidelines.
A cross-sectional study design was applied in a total population (n=41) of professional rugby players, the Steval Pumas. Participants were over 18 years old and permanent team members. The study was approved by the Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee of the University of the Free State and the team management. All participants signed written informed consent.
A self-developed questionnaire and three 24-hour recalls were used to obtain information related to dietary intake and lifestyle behaviours (smoking and alcohol intake), as well as information related to socio-demographics (age, home language, level of education and current playing position in the team). This was completed by the researcher in a structured interview with each participant. Food Finder, a dietary analysis software program, was then used to estimate energy, macronutrient and micronutrient intake. Anthropometric measurements were taken by a level one accredited International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) biokineticist, according to standardised techniques, to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat percentage and waist circumference.
The median age of participants was 26.1 years and the majority spoke Afrikaans (83%), while half had completed a tertiary qualification (51%). Player postions were fairly equally distributed with 54% of participants being forwards (prop, hooker, lock, flanker, or number 8 position), while the remaining 46% were backs (wing, centre, or full back).
The mean body weight of participants was 101kg and 12% were classified as “overweight” according to Boksmart standards (>118 kilogram [kg] for forwards; >100kg for backs). The mean body fat percentage of participants was 12.5%, well within the international recommendations for professional rugby players (8 – 17%), although median body fat percentages for the forwards (13.9%) and backs (10.1%) were slightly lower than national Boksmart standards.
Based on the recommendations of the ISSN, energy requirements for rugby players are 200 to 350 kilojoules (kJ) per kg body weight per day. In terms of carbohydrate requirements, 5 to 7 grams (g) per kg body weight are needed on an off day, and 6 to 10g per kg body weight are required on training and game days. The ISSN and ACSM further recommend a protein intake of 1.2 to 2.0g per kg body weight per day, while 30% of total daily energy intake should be from fat.
Only 37% of participants perceived their eating habits as “good.” This was confirmed by the fact that the majority of participants did not meet energy (95%), carbohydrate (100%), or fibre requirements (about 75%) on training and off days. In contrast to carbohydrate intake, all participants exceeded protein requirements. In terms of micronutrient intake, about 50% of participants had an intake of Thiamine and Vitamin E below the recommendations on training and off days, while 75% of participants consumed insufficient Vitamin C, as well as Calcium (85%) on these days.
In terms of associations, no significant difference was found between level of education and energy, carbohydrate, protein, fat, as well as micronutrient intake. There was also no significant difference in median energy and macronutrient intake of forwards and backline players. Although not statistically significant, there did seem to be a trend for backline players to consume slightly more energy on training days (12816kJ versus 11334kJ), with forwards consuming slightly more protein on training days (249g versus 228g). Interestingly, the micronutrient intake of participants that were using a supplement was not significantly different to that of participants that were not using a supplement, except for Thiamine on a training and off day, Vitamin B6 on a training day, Vitamin B12 on a training day, Iron on an off day and Zinc on a training day.
As expected, participants with a body fat percentage in the low category had a significantly lower BMI compared to those with a fat percentage in the normal category (95% CI = [0.3kg/m² ; 4.6kg/m²]). Participants with a body fat percentage in the low category also had a significantly lower waist circumference compared to those with a fat percentage in the normal category (95% CI = [2.0cm ; 7.0cm]). Similarly, participants with a body fat percentage in the low category had a lower median fat percentage compared to those in the normal category (95% CI = [2.4% ; 6.0%]). The median body fat percentage of backline players was significantly lower than that of the forward players, with a 95% CI for the median difference of [-5.3% ; -2.3%]. Finally, the median running distance covered by the backline players on an average field-work day was significantly higher than that of the forwards (p=0.0005).
In conclusion, although most participants maintained the desired body composition, dietary guidelines were not optimally adhered to and the importance of optimal nutrition did not enjoy the same level of attention as their physical training. The findings of the present study can provide valuable and useful information to the players and their coaches on adherence to dietary requirements for provincial rugby players. It is recommended that nutrition-related issues be addressed, since inadequate dietary intakes and unhealthy eating behaviours can negatively impact on nutritional status, overall health, quality of training, performance and recovery. Further research related to the barriers that prevent rugby players from following the guidelines is warranted, in order to motivate practical, cost-effective and relevant interventions
Social, ecological and personality factors influencing bat-eared fox foraging behavior
No full textThe foraging behaviour of carnivores has been extensively studied and while we know quite a bit about the foraging behaviour of generalist carnivores, there are still many unanswered questions about the foraging behaviour of dietary specialists. There’s renewed interest in dietary specialists as their specialization not only constrains dietary options, but in some cases their social behaviour as well. The bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) is a group-living, group-foraging mesopredator that forages almost exclusively on termites (Hodotermes sp.). Diet plays a pivotal role in the social dynamics of these canids, contributing to the cohesiveness of this group-living species and impacting on their parenting behaviour, as males cannot provision females or offspring with large food items, like many canid males do. However, most information on its diet comes mainly from scats and stomach content analyses and we know little about its foraging behaviour in the wild, diet choices across seasonal variations and how social, environmental and phenotypic factors impact on these foxes’ foraging behaviour. To address these gaps in literature, I documented the foraging behaviour of 20 free-living adult foxes, on a daily basis, over a 2-year observational period, making it the first study to date to have such a fine scale data on the diet and foraging behaviour of this canid. I found that while they foraged on no fewer than 18 different food categories in varied quantities across seasons, termites (Hodotermes mossambicus) constituted the majority of fox diet, ranging from 57 % in warmer seasons to 82 % in the colder seasons. Importantly, I simultaneously documented the invertebrate prey communities within their home ranges using varied assessment techniques, linking prey choice with prey availability. I found that their utilisation of supplementary food may not have been purely opportunistic as they would selectively feed on larger prey such as beetles, when available. Furthermore, I demonstrated through a literature review that local conditions had considerable effects on their diet types, and that despite being termite specialists, they showed dietary flexibility based on both temporal and spatial variations in food abundance. To understand how individual phenotype influenced their foraging behaviour, I evaluated individual differences (repeatability) and behavioural syndromes (correlations) in a suite of virtually unexplored behavioural traits (foraging and movement traits) in this species. I demonstrated that there were low individual differences in these traits thus showcasing a foraging specialist that has evolved to behave similarly in these behavioural traits. Furthermore, I demonstrated a lack of correlations between these traits, suggesting that these traits are unlikely to constrain each other and likely to evolve independently. Finally, previous research has suggested that females require extensive foraging periods to meet with the energetic demands of lactation, while males “baby-sit” offspring. However, there has been no investigation of changes in physiological stress or foraging behaviour in bat-eared fox parents. I demonstrate for the first time how parents utilised varied foraging strategies to maintain fairly low levels of physiological stress (as measured by faecal glucocorticoid metabolites). Presumably due to the shorter foraging periods available to them, male parents consumed more large food items than the female parent and non-parents when they were not at the den with offspring. The mother in this study population, by contrast, exhibited some unusual hunting behaviour, including caching rodents. This research is the first recording of surplus killing and caching behaviour ever documented in these myrmecophagous canids. My research therefore provides evidence of limited flexibility in the foraging behaviour of a dietary specialist, as it changes with seasonal and reproductive demands. Importantly, limited flexibility in dietary specialists as shown here in the bat-eared fox may have extensive implications for their survival in the face of rapid environmental changes and social stressors
The development and validation of a reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification assay for detection of flaviviruses
No full textFlaviviruses have been of clinical importance since ancient times. Five flaviviruses are known to occur or have been identified historically in South Africa (SA) namely, West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV), Wesselsbron virus (WSLV), Spondweni virus (SPOV) and Banzi virus (BANV). Medically significant flaviviruses, WNV and WSLV, are known to occur annually in SA. Development of isothermal assays, such as recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), plays an important role in performing surveillance studies and increasing diagnostic capacity for emerging viral pathogens in limited resource settings. In their native form, WNV and WSLV can only be handled in a biosafety laboratory level 3 and this restricts laboratories that lack such resources, hence transcribed RNA controls were successfully prepared for WNV, USUV and WSLV to develop and validate a RT-RPA for the detection of flaviviruses. A lateral-flow RT-RPA was developed by identifying theoretical cross reactivity between the probe and primer candidates by sequence alignments of the conserved NS5 protein of WNV, USUV and WSLV. It was determined that a few mismatches were present between WNV and USUV in the probe binding region and in the reverse primer, as well as between WNV and WSLV, hence different probe and reverse primer regions were identified for WNV/USUV and WSLV. A limitation of the study was the selection of a reference strain of WNV belonging to lineage 1 as a lineage 2 isolate would have been a more suitable representative of SA lineages. Nonetheless, RNA from SA isolate 93/01 was amplified using the RT-RPA. The sensitivity of the assay was determined by diluting RNA control ten-fold, and was found that the WNV RT-RPA could detect WNV and USUV transcribed RNA diluted 109 fold, whereas the WSLV RT-RPA detected WSLV transcribed RNA diluted 1010 fold. Testing RNA from other arboviruses suggested that despite the binding tolerability of the assay there was good specificity as no other arboviruses were amplified. However because of similarity in sequence data, USUV transcribed RNA was detected with the WNV RT-RPA and WSLV RT-RPA. Theoretical cross reactivities with other flaviviruses were determined by sequence alignments of the NS5 region and it was proposed that Japanse encephalitis virus (JEV), Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus (DENV) RNA will not be detected by either the WNV RT-RPA or WSLV RT-RPA. Seventeen pools of Culex spp mosquitoes were screened for flavivirus RNA, although no flaviviruses were expected within such a small cohort. Lack of amplification inhibitors in the mosquito samples was confirmed by spiking known negative mosquito samples with transcribed flavivirus RNA and performing a RT-RPA using the spiked samples. Detecting WNV by RT-RPA will not only be useful for surveillance studies in SA, but can also be used as a diagnostic tool for veterinary diagnostics, especially equine. In conclusion, the development and validation of a RT-RPA for the detection of WNV, WSLV and USUV flaviviruses was successful. The RT-RPA proved to be a robust, rapid and sensitive assay that might have potential as a diagnostic tool in the field or resource limited settings.National Research Foundation (NRF)Poliomyelitis Research Foundation (PRF
Searching for new very high energy emitting AGN among the unclassifed and unassociated Fermi-LAT sources
No full textEnglish: Jet dominated Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are the most energetic persistent sources of emission
in the universe, emitting radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. When these jets
are pointed towards the observer, they become known as blazars. Blazar emission is dominated
by the beamed non-thermal emission from the relativistic jet and are the brightest sources in the
extragalactic sky. Blazars, sub-categorized into BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs) and Flat Spectrum
Radio Quasars (FSRQs) exhibit variability at all wavelengths on diverse timescales, high
polarization and weak or featureless optical spectra. These extreme sources provide a laboratory
to test some of the most energetic physical processes in the known universe. In order to study the
processes responsible for the highest energy emission originating from blazar jets, more Very High
Energy (VHE) emitting blazars must be found and studied with Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes
(IACTs). The small sample of currently known VHE emitting blazars, studied for many years,
has not yet provided a complete understanding of blazar physics. A study to monitor 17 VHE
blazars detected by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) with the Watcher Robotic
Telescope has been underway since May 2015. A fast reduction and analysis pipeline, written in
python and using PyRAF to interface with IRAF, was developed to perform aperture photometry
on 14 of these sources and search for long-term variability (LTV). In addition, to search for new
VHE emitting blazars observable with IACTs, a sample of 11 Blazar Candidates of Uncertain
Type (BCUs) listed in the Third Fermi Large Area Telescope Source Catalog (3FGL), 11 BCUs
and an unassociated source listed in the Third Catalogue of Hard Large Area Telescope sources
(3FHL), selected based on hard
-ray spectra and lack of redshift measurements were identi ed
for spectroscopic follow-up with the aim of classifying them. The selected sources were observed
with the SpUpNIC grating spectrograph mounted on the SAAO 1.9-m telescope. A selection of
6 3FHL sources identi ed for spectroscopic study were also observed with the Sutherland Highspeed
Optical Camera (SHOC) mounted on the SAAO 1.0-m telescope to search for intra-day
variability (IDV). All 22 of the BCUs were classi ed as BL Lac objects based on the absence of
strong emission lines and a diluted Ca break (less than 40%). Further, redshifts were calculated
for 11 BCUs and potential redshifts for 4 BCUs. Further searches for photometry variability were
undertaken for all sources. Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) were constructed to determine
which of the observed BCUs were good candidates to be observed with IACTs. The 50h H.E.S.S.
and Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) South sensitivity curves were overlayed on the SEDs. Of
the BCUs observed, 8 of the sources have
-ray emission above the CTA detection threshold and
are good candidates for VHE observation.Afrikaans: Spuitstraal gedomineerde Aktiewe Galaktiese Kerne (AGN) is die mees energieke permanente
stralingsbronne in die heelal en produseer straling wat strek oor meeste van die elektromagnetiese
spectrum. Wanneer die spuitstraal in die rigting van die waarnemer geori enteer is, staan die
AGN as blazars bekend. Blazar straling word gedomineer deur nie-termiese straling vanaf die
relativistiese spuitstraal en is die helderste voorwerpe in in die buitegalaktiese hemelruim. Blazars,
verdeel in BL Lacertae voorwerpe (BL Lacs) en Plat Spectrum Radio Kwasars (FSRQ), varieer
op diverse tydskale, het ho e polarisasie en swak of afwesige optiese emissielyne. Hierdie eksotiese
voorwerpe verskaf `n laboratorium om die mees energieke siese prosesse in die heelal te toets.
Om die prosesse verandwoordelik vir die hoogste energie uitstraling van die spuitstraal te toets,
moet meer Baie Ho e Energie (VHE) bronne ondek word en met Beelding Atmosferiese Cherenkov
Teleskope (IACT) bestudeer word. Die klein populasie reeds bekende VHE blazars wat al vir baie
jare bestudeer word het nog nie `n volledige begrip van blazar Fisika openbaar nie. `n Studie om
17 VHE blazars wat voorheen deur die Ho e Energie Stereoskopiese Sisteem (H.E.S.S.) waargeneem
is te monitor met die Watcher robotiese teleskoop is al besig vanaf Mei 2015. `n Vinnige analiese
pyplyn, ontwikkel in python, wat gebruik maak van PyRAF om met IRAF te kommunikeer, was
gebruik om die lang-termyn variasie van 14 van die blazars gemonitor deur Watcher te ondersoek.
`n Soektog na nuwe blazars wat deur IACTs waargeneem kan word is ook begin. 11 blazars van
onbekende tipe (BCU) gelys in die \Third Fermi Large Area Telescope Source Catalog" (3FGL),
11 BCUs gelys in die \Third Catalogue of Hard Large Area Telescope sources" (3FHL) en `n
3FHL voorwerp sonder enige genootskap met bronne by ander gol
engtes wat gekies is gebaseer
op hulle harde
-straal emissie en afwesige rooiverskuiwing is waargeneem met die SAAO 1.9-m
SpUpNIC spektrograaf met die doel om hulle te klasi seer. `n Groep van 6 3FHL bronne was
ook waargeneem met die SAAO 1.0-m Ho e Spoed Optiese Kamera (SHOC) om hulle intra-dag
variasie (IDV) te ondersoek. Al 22 van die BCUs is as BL Lac voorwerpe geklasi seer, gebaseer
op die afwesigheid van sterk emissie lyne en `n swak Ca breuk. Rooiverskuiwings was vir 11 BCUs
bepaal en potensiale rooiverskuiwings vir 4 BCUs. Spectraal Energie Verspreidings was gebou vir
die BCUs om te bepaal of hulle sigbaar mag wees met IACTs. Die 50 uur instrument sensitiwiteit
kurwes van die Cherenkov Teleskoop Opstelling (CTA) is op die SEDs gepas om te bepaal watter
BCUs helder genoeg is om sigbaar te wees. Net 8 van die BCUs se
-straal emissie is helder
genoeg om deur CTA waargeneem te word.National Research Foundation (NRF
An assessment of corporate governance in state-owned enterprises in Zimbabwe within the period 2005-2015: the case of the Hwange Colliery mine (2010-2014)
No full textLeadership in any sphere of life, is a given constant. All entities - either political, social, economic or corporate – require some form of leadership to direct its affairs and maintain its focus on its aims and objectives. The presence of leadership therefore, equally demands a sense of responsibility, which is what corporate governance entails. This study thus, aims to identify and evaluate the existence of corporate governance in state-owned enterprises in a sub-Saharan African socio-economic setting. It makes use of the Hwange Colliery in the North-Western part of Zimbabwe as a specific case study.
The study tries to establish the presence (or otherwise) of all characteristics of proper corporate governance; how they have impacted on the operations - and running – of the colliery over the years and how the current state of the colliery has affected its most-important stakeholders such as staff and immediate (host) community.
Making use of primary and secondary research methods - such as interviews and pictorial data - the study attempts to determine if the brand of leadership/governance adopted in the running of Hwange Colliery meets required standards and has made it attractive to investors, as well as other stakeholders such as employees, clients and the government of Zimbabwe, which remains its major shareholder.
The findings ultimately proved that the attempts by Hwange Colliery Limited to practise corporate governance have proved very inadequate – with far-reaching and painful consequences. These findings were followed by recommendations, which aimed at improving both the financial state of the Colliery, as well as its corporate governance scorecard