11613 research outputs found
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Coastal Blur: a fish market and community forum conceptualised on the netting of liminal negotiation in Kalk Bay Harbour
No full textDissertation (M.Arch. (Architecture))--University of the Free State, 2022The following research investigates how the liminal negotiation of space can spatially net the phenomenon of thresholds, time and transition space between land and sea at the coast of Kalk Bay. Coastal communities such as Kalk Bay have much more to offer than quaint shops and pretty boats. These communities subconsciously act as nets that negotiate the liminal conversations between land and sea. Over the years, small-scale fisheries have suffered a great deal with the modernisation of fishing technology which inevitably caused the deterioration and fragmentation of small-scale fishing community culture. In order to preserve this coastal culture, an architectural intervention can be conceptualised on the premise of encouraging economic, social, and ecological development and activity. The thesis presents research on how to adopt critical regionalism in architecture in a way that celebrates and sensitively 'nets' a place for gathering for Kalk Bay's fishing community and visitors. The research question for the study is as follows: How can the act of liminal negotiation conceptualize a fish market and community forum which mitigates the transitional space between land and sea in order to reconcile the social fabric of Kalk Bay with the commercial edges of the harbour? The theoretical premise of place and time assists in revealing how Kalk Bay finds itself embodying what Edward Relph coins as 'placelessness' in its fragmented state (Najafi & Shariff, 2011: online). The loss of identity could be counteracted by spatially acknowledging the palimpsest of thresholds that resembled the deterioration and fragmentation the site had endured This helped defamiliarise local culture and environmental aspects to reveal new understandings of old ways of life. These approaches of spatial netting are implemented to achieve a contextual, cultural, and regional-specific design that aims to blur the liminal between land and sea
Towards a reparational, relational, and respectful engagement with the temporal environment: an algae research, design and manufacturing institute at Hartbeespoort Dam
No full textDissertation (M.Arch.(Architecture))--University of the Free State, 2022Algal blooms, or the growth of algae in bodies of water, are a cause of concern around the world, with essential water supplies experiencing more frequent and dangerous blooms over the last decade. During a visit to Hartbeespoort Dam, I was struck by the natural gorge within the ancient Magaliesberg mountain range, the sun shaded by trees and burning red on the “kloof” walls’ quartzites, shales, chert, and dolomite.
For more than 30 years, the Hartbeespoort Dam has been subjected to intense algal blooms. This design dissertation investigates the feasibility of establishing an Algae-related Research, Design and Product Manufacturing Institute at the dam, with a sincere concern for the environment, the permanence it emulates, and the fleeting moments it contains and entertains. The institute is a hypothetical collaboration between the University of Johannesburg, the Department of Water Affairs and the Wits Innovation Centre.
The Dam is a result of the division between human and the natural world. The design research seeks to physically and metaphorically expose the pre-existing natural wound, engage with nature to heal the injury under a protective scab and to naturally decay in place, leaving only a scar - a place of remembrance of the wound that was there
Issues surrounding teachers' readiness in implementing the competency-based 'O' Level Geography Syllabus 4022 in Zimbabwe
No full textThe qualitative study, which involved a multiple case study design, focused on the issues surrounding the readiness of teachers to implement the competency-based O-Level Geography Syllabus 4022 in the Zimbabwe secondary school system. In adopting a multiple case study design, the research sought to solicit the opinions of all Geography teachers in the Kwekwe district of Zimbabwe on their readiness to implement the competency-based O-Level Geography Syllabus 4022. A technique involving an analysis of primary documents published by MoPSE was done, and ten in-depth interviews with Geography teachers drawn from two secondary schools and two Focus Group Discussions (FDGs) from the same schools were adopted to generate data. The study established that the updated O-Level Geography Syllabus 4022 was introduced without enough consideration of the readiness of teachers for its implementation. It also emerged from the study that the breadth and depth of the issues surrounding teacher readiness to implement an updated syllabus require action to be taken from several fronts to ensure that the subject community is ready for its rapid delivery. Finally, the research paper recommends massive advocacy and sensitisation of O-Level Geography teachers who are at the helm of the user system to allow for effective delivery of the O-Level Geography Syllabus 4022 in the secondary school sector in Zimbabwe
Impact of three different processing techniques on the strength and structure of juvenile pulmonary homografts
No full textHomografts are routinely stored by cryopreservation; however, donor cells and remnants contribute to immunogenicity. Although decellularization strategies can address immunogenicity, additional fixation might be required to maintain strength. This study investigated the effect of cryopreservation, decellularization, and decellularization with additional glutaraldhyde fixation on the strength and structure of ovine pulmonary homografts harvested 48 h post-mortem. Cells and cellular remnants were present for the cryopreserved group, while the decellularized groups were acellular. The decellularized group had large interfibrillar spaces in the extracellular matrix with uniform collagen distribution, while the additional fixation led to the collagen network becoming dense and compacted. The collagen of the cryopreserved group was collapsed and appeared disrupted and fractured. There were no significant differences in strength and elasticity between the groups. Compared to cryopreservation, decellularization without fixation can be considered an alternative processing technique to maintain a well-organized collagen matrix and tissue strength of homografts.Publisher's versio
The significance of integration of families of seminarians in the Roman Catholic ministerial formation in South Africa
No full textA family is a basic building block of society created by God and it is crucial for a healthy state and church. In traditional African societies, a family is responsible for the spiritual, emotional, moral, intellectual, and physical empowerment of the child. Parents play a significant role in transmitting knowledge and skills for the survival of the child in their own context. Other structures in society educate the children based on the foundation laid by the family. This article proposes that a family should not be ignored in the formation of ministerial priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) seminary. The delay in involving a family hinders the holistic development of the priest candidate. Involvement of the family in the process of formation challenges the relationship between a seminary and a family and encourages an imbalance of male and female formators in a seminary. This article aims to highlight the significance of the family as an indispensable body in the formation process of an African priest candidate, particularly for the RCC in South Africa.Publisher's versio
Enhancing the role of teachers' trade unions in the culture of teaching and learning
No full textDissertation (M.Ed. (Education Management and Leadership))--University of the Free State, 2022The main objective of this study was to enhance the role of teachers’ trade unions in COLT. The underlying principle was being informed by the noticeable neglect of learners when members of a teacher trade union attend to their union matters during the official teaching and learning time. This has developed into a propensity which gradually meddles with the constitutional provisions of the existing rights of children regarding their interest, notwithstanding the rights of union members as stipulated in the South African Constitution. Following a qualitative research approach, this study adopted the Participatory Research (PR) as a methodology. PR is a self-conscious way of empowering people to take effective action toward improving conditions in their lives. Participatory researchers caution against either dichotomy: “They know, I don’t know.” Or “They don’t know, I know.” Instead, PR offers a partnership: “We both know some things; neither of us knows everything. Working together, we will both know more, and we will both learn more about how to know.” Basically, PR promotes collaboration amongst participants in and of the study. Research paradigm that my study used was Critical Theory which is transformative in nature as such helping the oppressed children in schools to be liberated from teachers’ trade unions activities during COLT. Theoretical framework used was Critical Emancipatory Research helping to understand those without power and affording voice to those without one, was one of the main purposes of CER. Purposeful participant selection was used to select the population and sample all participants stating the reason why they are appropriate for the success of the research. Data collection instrument was interviews to collect data from the participants. For data analysis, Critical Discourse Analysis was used for analysing, interpreting, drawing findings, making conclusions and reporting. My dissertation’s findings were to advance and enhance the existing body of knowledge relating to the role of teachers’ trade unions in COLT. It was also to add new information about my dissertation – thus addressing the gaps in the existing knowledge, like the neglect of the education policies and/or the non-knowledge thereof. Some of the recommendations of the study were for the officials of the Department of Education to familiarise themselves more with the employer’s policies for effective implementation and unions need to regularly induct their new members into their constitutions and many more in the last chapter. The conclusions about the implications of my dissertation was to enhance the relationship between teachers’ trade union members and the Department of Education regarding the interest of the child. This was to diminish and limit the meddling behaviour which the teachers’ trade union members demonstrate when leaving learners unattended during official notional time to attend to their own interests. It was going to benefit all stakeholders in understanding both negative and positive repercussions that teachers’ trade unions have on the education system, but more specifically in COLT
Investigating the role of retail management skills in improving customer satisfaction at a retail group
No full textDissertation (MBA (Business Administration))--University of the Free State, 2022Organisations in the recent economic era face an increasing need for their responsiveness to radical changes in market demands as well as the effective utilisation of new technology and ways of working. The workforce is becoming more diverse and educated, and technology is driving productivity within organisations. On the other hand, consumers are becoming more demanding of certain products and services and are better informed about competitive or alternative products/ services, hence the reason to satisfy them and retain them as long-term customers. The speed of change in the modern age is rapid, and innovation being at its centre has created an environment of instability and transformation, thereby cementing the emphasis of having well-skilled managers to lead its workforce into an age of rapid change and having to remain agile. Amongst the many skills that exist to aid managers in leading successful businesses, the researcher has focused on retail management skills, customer satisfaction in retail, a skills development framework to enhance retail management skills and innovative technological systems to support the store's operations. These areas have provided a supporting background to the most requisite skills needed for retail under this research study: how to achieve satisfactory customer service and experience. This research aimed to investigate the role of retail management skills in improving customer satisfaction in a retail group. The study aimed to achieve an in-depth understanding of customer satisfaction and retention drivers, with specific relation to management's retail skills in the customer service aspect. Data collection from floor employees of the store, customers and store managers was completed through in-depth, semi-structured interviews via purposive non-probability sampling. Interviews were conducted in value stores, superstores, and hyper stores, all based in Gaborone, Botswana. Themes and interpretive analysis were performed. The limitation of the study included time constraints, sample size and data collected through perceptions. The challenges that faced the retail store included the visibility of pricing, the difficulty of handling difficult customers, and a lack of fresh products being sold. The recommendations include adopting a hybrid pricing strategy, understanding why customers become difficult and how to deal with them and lastly, effective management and monitoring the quality of products sold to customers
Compliance of tourism SMME accommodation establishments in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality
No full textDissertation (MDS (Development Studies))--University of the Free State, 2022Since the global economy has experienced a decline in economic activity over the past few years due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which negatively impacted on the lives and livelihoods of people across the world, it was important to intervene via research to assist the tourism accommodation sector. Globally, governments had to devise contingency measures to resuscitate economic activity. In RSA, President Ramaphosa highlighted that one of the key interventions that can revive the economy is to support the tourism Industry which has potential to create jobs due to its labour-intensive nature of its operations and its interconnectedness with other sectors. Because the tourism industry suffered great loss during lockdown (since March 2020), the South African Government introduced relief funds for SMMEs including SMMEs in the tourism Industry, specifically the accommodation subsector which consists of guesthouses, lodges, B&Bs, and hotels, amongst others. However, most establishments could not secure the relief funds due to the difficulty of complying with various legislations. Hence, this study investigated the compliance of SMMEs (aligned to tax, labour, and B-BBEE legislation, as well as company registration) as Tourism Accommodation Establishments in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. A quantitative study was undertaken to elicit data via survey questionnaires which were disseminated electronically via email, together with conducting face-to-face interviews. After data collection and analysis, the findings indicated that there was poor monitoring and evaluation from the Government's side which highlighted the disconnect in communication platforms between SMMEs and Government agencies. It was concluded that there was a need for regular and accurate information dissemination, intensive training, and better networking between entrepreneurs and Government agencies. Recommendations included the improvement of communication lines by exploiting the opportunities available on the 4th IR's digital platforms, and Government agencies earnest involvement and commitment to conduct more effective mentorship and coaching, ongoing training, and relevant information sessions to connect with SMMEs by promoting the DDM model
Unemployment and youth development pathways: A case study of Botshabelo, Free State, South Africa
No full textDissertation (MDS (Development Studies))--University of the Free State, 2022Unemployment is a serious socio-economic challenge for many countries, thereby
warranting international interest as evidenced by the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDG), wherein the promotion of sustainable, inclusive, and decent jobs for all is
advocated (World Bank, 2015). Cloete (2012) defines unemployment as an economic
issue that possesses a threat to human dignity. The focus on youth unemployment is
motivated by the fact that youth are the biggest cohort with an unemployment rate of
43.2% of new jobseekers in the first quarter of 2021 and are therefore the most
vulnerable group regarding unemployment (StatsSA, 2021). Unemployment here
refers to those who can work and are looking for work, but cannot find work (Cloete,
2012). Cloete (2012) continues to describe unemployment in the South African context
as having an indisputable structural or systemic character. Systemic unemployment
refers to a pattern, practice, or policy of discrimination that has a broad impact on a
class or category of persons within an industry, profession, company, or geographic
area. For example, when older employed workers are pushed to leave their jobs in
order to accommodate young employees on jobs like internships, learnership, and
apprenticeships (Lopez, Hart & Katz, 2021). Structural unemployment on the other
hand, implies the total inability of an economy to provide opportunities for the overall
labour force. This is the type of unemployment that is the hardest to address because
of limited available resources. This can be seen by the increasing number of
unemployed youths in South Africa. This has resulted in the strain of the unstable
economy and lack of jobs in the country. In addition to clarifying the term "unemployment" it is necessary to define "youth" as a concept. Youth is a broad and disputed concept because of its operational definition,
which differs widely from country to country. The United Nations defines "youth" as
people between 15 and 24 years of age (United Nations, 1992). In South Africa, youth
are defined as people aged 14 to 35 (National Youth Act, 1996). According to Du Toit
(2003:4), "the age of 15 years is the stage at which children are permitted to enter the
labour market in South Africa." Having explained these different definitions, it will be
proper to use the South African definition for the purpose of this study. The South
African definition of youth seems ideal, given the context in which the study is taking place. The study will explore development pathways and how unemployment impacts
these youth development pathways. A Pathways Framework will be used to provide
clear, explicit experiential goals for youth. The pathways approach believes that it is
never too late to start with the development of youth (Chi, 2010). The pathways lens
looks at how individuals move within, across, and through learning spaces toward
possible futures. It therefore means that pathways are the yardsticks of how an
individual's future is designed, shifted, or facilitated by external structures (Bell &
Blauflower, 2012). The study will continue to investigate the effect of unemployment
on these development pathways globally, in South Africa, and eventually in
Botshabelo township. The concepts, causes, and development pathways will be
thoroughly discussed in the literature review chapter. It is important to note that South
Africa’s concept of youth development is influenced by the historical conditions,
particularly apartheid, that have shaped the country and its democratic goals. This
history is based on the need to attain the principles of social and economic justice,
human rights, empowerment, and participatory citizenship. In this study, youth
development refers to the process of finding employment and developing young
people's livelihoods so that they can participate in economic activities (Hill, Skattebol,
Griffiths & Wong, 2015). Development determines South Africa’s future; hence, it is at
the core of its development agenda (UNFPA, 2006; Moultrie & McGrath, 2007). Youth
unemployment and development should be addressed and attained through
integrated and sustainable policies and programs that seek to improve the quality of
their lives
A complexity approach to the incipient sign system of Zephaniah in the 1983 Afrikaans bible translation
No full textDissertation (M.A.(Bible Translation))--University of the Free State, 2022Traditionally a translation is considered to be the result of the interaction between only two elements – the source text and the target text, each defined as being a single text. From the perspective of complexity, the current study argues that the source of a translation should not be viewed as just one text. The current study demonstrates that a translation emerges from a complex source that consists of various elements such as various texts and other factors. These could include other translations apart from the source text that translators consulted.
The current study uses the Book of Zephaniah in the Afrikaans Bible Translation of 1983 as an example to detect instances where the translators deviated from their source text. Using principles of Descriptive Translation Studies, the current study compares the translation to its explicitly stated source text (i.e. 1977). is a scholarly edition of the Hebrew Bible that contains a critical Hebrew text based on supplemented by a text critical apparatus. Using principles of Descriptive Translation Studies, the translation was compared to its source text to determine the translators’ translation strategies. Describing translation strategies revealed that translators used the strategies of addition, deletion, specification, and transposition. In cases where the Hebrew source text of was problematic, the translators sometimes deviated from their source text by following neither the Hebrew text nor the text critical apparatus. In such instances, the translators were forced to base their translation on sources beyond their stated source text; at least some of these additional sources can be identified. This study thus demonstrates the presence of a complex source for the Afrikaans 1983 translation of the Bible in particular, but it also has implications for Bible translations in general