11613 research outputs found
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Pro-poor local economic development as a development tool to address unemployment and poverty
No full textDissertation (MDS (Development Studies))--University of the Free State, 2021Unemployment, poverty and inequality are the most pressing challenges facing South Africa, and countries globally. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of pro-poor local economic development in addressing unemployment in the uThukela District Municipality. In addition, the study aims to determine how the local economic development agencies contribute to poverty alleviation in the uThukela District Municipality. The study adopts a qualitative research approach to gain an in-depth understanding of the subject matter. It uses participants like municipal officials, local economic development beneficiaries, dialogue groups, community members and local economic development agencies. A sample of 15 participants was selected for the study. The data collection instrument used in the study is interviews. Of the total sample, only 12 participants actually took part in the interviews. The interviews with the participants were audio-taped. The data has been analysed using the NVivo (version 120). Thematic analysis is conducted to identify, organise and report the themes and sub-themes that emerged from the interviews. The study found that local economic development has been introduced globally to achieve four important objectives: to alleviate poverty, to create sustainable jobs, to share important information about government policies and initiatives and to create enabling business environment for investors. Moreover, the findings show that the participants have a common understanding and knowledge of unemployment and poverty. The overall findings show that local economic development interventions contributed to addressing unemployment and poverty in the uThukela District Municipality. The study is unique as it sheds light on how local economic development can help address unemployment and poverty in South African municipalities. The study recommends that the municipality invest in research and development, support local businesses, appoint competent personnel and create awareness about the local economic development interventions
Burned area mapping over the Southern Cape forestry region, South Africa using sentinel data within GEE cloud platform
No full textPlanted forests in South Africa have been affected by an increasing number of economically damaging fires over the past four decades. They constitute a major threat to the forestry industry and account for over 80% of the country’s commercial timber losses. Forest fires are more frequent and severe during the drier drought conditions that are typical in South Africa. For proper forest management, accurate detection and mapping of burned areas are required, yet the exercise is difficult to perform in the field because of time and expense. Now that ready-to-use satellite data are freely accessible in the cloud-based Google Earth Engine (GEE), in this study, we exploit the Sentinel-2-derived differenced normalized burned ratio (dNBR) to characterize burn severity areas, and also track carbon monoxide (CO) plumes using Sentinel-5 following a wildfire that broke over the southeastern coast of the Western Cape province in late October 2018. The results showed that 37.4% of the area was severely burned, and much of it occurred in forested land in the studied area. This was followed by 24.7% of the area that was burned at a moderate-high level. About 15.9% had moderate-low burned severity, whereas 21.9% was slightly burned. Random forests classifier was adopted to separate burned class from unburned and achieved an overall accuracy of over 97%. The most important variables in the classification included texture, NBR, and the NIR bands. The CO signal sharply increased during fire outbreaks and marked the intensity of black carbon over the affected area. Our study contributes to the understanding of forest fire in the dynamics over the Southern Cape forestry landscape. Furthermore, it also demonstrates the usefulness of Sentinel-5 for monitoring CO. Taken together, the Sentinel satellites and GEE offer an effective tool for mapping fires, even in data-poor countries.Publisher's versio
Rural youth and homestead food production practises in Mpindweni village, Eastern Cape
No full textDissertation (MDS (Development Studies))--University of the Free State, 2021Rural poverty is prevalent in developing countries like South Africa. Ill-development of rural areas coupled with a lack of assets are some of the causes of this rural poverty. Realities like hunger and food insecurity are some of the manifestations of rural poverty. This is despite the fact that rural areas are endowed with natural resources like land. Youth, being the majority demographic group, are one of the most adversely affected population groups in the rural areas. Unemployed and out of school rural youth feel the effects of this rural poverty as hunger and food security become prevalent among the rural youth. The potential of homestead food production is hailed as an ameliorating activity for hunger and a source of food security. This is central in the rural areas where land is available. Furthermore, the availability of rural youth as an unemployed cohort could provide the much-needed human capital for the attainment of food security. Youth capabilities like energies, technology and innovation are generic youth attributes that can facilitate homestead food production. Therefore, this study set out to explore the involvement of rural youth in homestead food production activities. It was undertaken to understand whether the rural youth as an asset are utilised for the attainment of food security as a livelihood framework outcome.Generally, the study discovered that rural poverty is well entrenched in rural areas and that hunger is prevalent among the rural youth. The rural youth are not involved in homestead food production, and this is why hunger is widely spread among the rural population. Data gathered shows that rural youth’s aspirations and ambitions are city-based. It is city-based aspirations that disassociate them from rural land-based initiatives like homestead food production
Chinese investment in Africa through the One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR): the case of Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya
No full textThis study uses the case studies of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania to examine China-Africa relations through the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative. China-Africa relations have come under the spotlight in recent years and even made news headlines the world over as various stakeholders grapple with the nature of this relationship. Overall, western countries have presented recent Sino-Africa relations as being tilted in favour of the Chinese, who have been at the same time accused of significantly drawing African countries and trapping them in a vicious circle of debt. The study demonstrates that, China has extended and continues to extend huge loans to many African countries though the framework of FOCAC and the OBOR for a number of huge developmental projects linked to infrastructure development as well as technological advancement. A number of factors have pushed African countries to turn to China for loans, mainly because of its hands off approach which is diametrically opposed to the approach used by other bilateral lending institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which attach rather stringent pre-conditions, which in some instances call for good governance and democracy. This is one of the main reasons why African leaders have adopted a look east approaching an attempt to avoid western countries superintending over their governance styles. The three east African countries have been chosen as case studies because of their geographic position which is very strategic for the OBOR connection. These countries provide a useful outlet from Africa, for oil and other crucial raw materials needed by China, and this explains why they are recipients of huge loans for the rehabilitation and construction of port facilities, roads and railway lines. The study is qualitative in nature and uses secondary literature, various institutional reports and newspapers to tell the story of China in Africa through the OBOR lens. It contributes to the growing body of literature by specifically focusing on the OBOR initiative in east Africa and demonstrates the benefits and disadvantages of this kind of investment
Investigating the role of indigenous vegetables on food security and agrobiodiversity in Northern Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
No full textOver the past years there have been concerns over the increasing number of food insecure households resulting from the socio-economic imbalances that exist in society. Literature informs us that it is mostly the small-scale farming communities in rural counties that often face the burden of deprivation – with hunger being the primary challenge. This is not only unique to South Africa but is also observed in other parts of the developing world. The current projections on the world population which are estimated to grow by over 2 billion people by 2050, indicate that the bulk of this growth will take place in Africa (1.9 billion people). These predictions highlight the already existing threat to food security which may not be easy for the developing world to overcome if immediate action is not taken. Thus, the study is underpinned on two theories, the Malthusian and Boserup’s theories of population growth. Both theorists held their views on the impact of uncontrolled populations on food security. Sir Thomas Robert Malthus believed that food production cannot keep up with the growth of the human population and would ultimately result in famine and calamity. This means that since the human population grows at a faster rate than the means of subsistence, and as the growth of agricultural products remains low, it is surpassed by the rising population; thereby creating poverty. Contrastingly, Ester Boserup argued that population growth is a cause for change in agriculture and reference is made to new innovations that would help increase food supply, such as modern technologies. The researcher makes an attempt to show the coexistence of both the Malthusian and Boserup theories. The underpinning of these two theories in the study played a critical role as food insecurity formed part of the problem statement. In the researcher’s view, such research is critical in a country like South Africa that has battled household food insecurity for decades. The second aspect of the problem statement points to the overlooked role of indigenous vegetables on agrobiodiversity which coexists with food security. In modern times, priority in the agroecosystems has been given to conventional farming methods which in their nature are closely associated with the use of transgenic crop varieties, which in this study are referred to as exotic crops since they are not of African origin. It is important to note that the overall significance of maintaining the production of indigenous vegetation as was observed in the communities that formed part of this study, helps with the conservation of the ecosystem and stability of species diversity. This research attempts to eliminate the stigma that is associated with the utilisation of indigenous vegetables and develops a framework that influencers and policymakers in the politics of food could adopt in order to integrate these undervalued foods to the food systems. To achieve this, a mixed methods approach was adopted wherein the triangulation of qualitative and quantitative findings was made. Quantitative data was gathered through the use of a survey wherein a questionnaire was administered to 195 participants. Qualitative data on the other hand, adopted a phenomenology research design and was collected through interviews from six focus group discussions which comprised a total of five participants in each group. Using the Microsoft Excel software package (version 2016), a Pearson Correlation Coefficient analytic approach was used to test the nature, strength and direction of key variables being measured. This was complemented by a Chi Square Test of Independence that was useful in determining cause and effect outcomes, while a correlation coefficient was used to calculate the frequency and direction of interaction between variables.University of the Free State Research fun
Practitioner conceptions of mathematical knowledge in early childhood development
No full textThesis (Ph.D. (Curriculum Studies))--University of the Free State, 2021The study explored practitioner conceptions of mathematical knowledge in Early Childhood Development (ECD) in the Oliver Reginald Tambo Inland District of the Eastern Cape Province. The study adopted a qualitative research design. Specifically, the study explored how practitioners of rural ECD centres use their conceptions of mathematical knowledge to enhance the learning of early mathematics in ECD settings. The study’s theoretical underpinning was Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), which was used to explore how early mathematical content and pedagogy were being utilised. The qualitative research design used was situated within an interpretivist paradigm. A purposive sample of five early childhood practitioners from five ECD centres in the OR Tambo Inland District, Eastern Cape Province, participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews and observations were used as data generation tools for the study. Data were analysed using thematic analysis in which themes were formed. There were also sub–themes that emerged from the themes. The findings of the study revealed that practitioners in the five ECD centres lacked a conception of mathematical knowledge in that they use traditional methods of enhancing early mathematics learning. This study amplifies the call for empowering practitioners with the knowledge of early mathematics curriculum, content and pedagogical knowledge, and cultural knowledge
Isotherm, kinetic, thermodynamics and reusability data on the adsorption of antidepressant onto silver nanoparticle-loaded biowaste
No full textThere has been an increase in the use of antidepressant drugs owing to significant economic challenges across the globe. Consequently, the increase in production of such drugs has impacted pharmaceutical pollution of industrial wastew- aters discharged into the environment. Hence, there is a need to develop efficient adsorbents for antidepressant wastewa- ter treatment. The impregnation of silver nanoparticles on biowaste was found to be highly effective in the treatment of oil-polluted water but has not been utilized in the adsorp- tion of drugs. Herein, the dataset associated with the adsorp- tion of antidepressants onto Ananas Comosus Peel (AP) and Silver nanoparticle-loaded Ananas Comosus peel (AgAP) was reported. Batch adsorption methodology was used to study the effect of antidepressant concentration (10–50 mg/L), son- ication time (10–120 min), temperature (300–320 K) and adsorbent dosage (0.10–0.18 g). The concentration of an- tidepressant (Nortriptyline) in solution before and after ad- sorption was determined by the UV-Spectrophotometer at a maximum wavelength of 239 nm. The isotherm dataset was obtained from the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Raduskevich models, while kinetic data was eval- uated by the pseudo-first order-pseudo-second-order, film diffusion and intraparticle diffusion rate equations. The data on the thermodynamics and adsorbent reusability were also provided. The dataset showed an adsorption capacity of 3.27 mg/g and 4.74 mg/g for AP and AgAP, respectively. The dataset is important to material and environmental scientists and revealed the efficiency of AP and AgAP in the treatment of antidepressant wastewater.Publisher's versio
Instructional leadership roles of school management teams: an exploratory study of five township secondary schools
No full textDue to its direct and indirect impact on learner attainment, the principal's role as instructional leader is crucial. However, given that instructional leadership is complex and involves a multitude of tasks as it deals with every aspect of school functionality, the principal has to work closely with the entire School Management Team (SMT) as instructional leaders. Since most South African secondary school learners and especially those in township schools perform considerably below average as determined by benchmarking conducted by local and international education assessment agencies, the role of the SMT as instructional leaders in boosting learner achievement is a hot topic. The function of the principal and the SMT as instructional leaders in secondary schools in the city of Cape Town Metropole, Western Cape Province, was investigated in this descriptive exploratory study. A literature assessment of local and international sources was used to guide the study, which included theoretical perspectives on instructional leadership, elements of instructional leadership that affect learner accomplishment, and selected instructional leadership models. The empirical investigation was further framed by a review of contextual and school factors that influence learner achievement in secondary schools in township communities. Interviews, observations, and qualitative questionnaires were used in this qualitative study. One of the major findings indicated that the SMTs operated at different levels of efficiency, correlating with the systems for accountability that are in place in the respective schools. This speaks to the need for professional development of the SMTs in the establishment of systems for accountability. A second important result was that schools confront numerous systemic issues, including limited infrastructure and resources, as well as a lack of finances to upgrade infrastructure and lower learner-educator ratios by employing SGB paid educators. Given the fiscal constraints of the national treasury the only alternative is for the disadvantaged schools to access funds from the private sector and to do this the principal will need some form of training in fund raising. The third major finding was that the contextual factors, such as poverty, crime, alcohol and drug abuse, as well as teenage pregnancies, have a massive impact on the emotional and cognitive well-being of learners. The fourth and most alarming finding is the significant lack of parental involvement in their children's education. Finally, while there is widespread acknowledgement that there is very good support forthcoming from the curriculum pillar of the district office, there is almost total agreement that the Circuit Manager focuses mostly on administrative issues and offers very little support in instructional leadership and support from the social and psychological services pillar is tantamount to being non-existent
The socio-economic impacts of floods in Kudube informal settlement in the city of Tshwane, Gauteng province of South Africa
No full textFlooding is a common natural disaster around the world, and the City of Tshwane is not excluded from this commonality. Both informal and formal settlements in the city are affected by flooding though the impacts are not the same. Flooding has a potential to damage properties, disrupt normal daily activities, and is responsible for loss of life. It is against this background that this study assessed how flooding affects the Kudube Unit 9 community socially and economically. Data was collected using semi structured questionnaires, observations and focus group interviews. This study utilised two conceptual models namely the Community Capitals Framework (CCF) and Pressure and release (PAR). CCF model examined the seven capitals for analysing Kudube informal settlement conditions. On the other hand, PAR models examined the flood vulnerability conditions of Kudube informal settlement. The raw quantitative data was analysed using SPSS statistical model. The research findings show that the most vulnerable groups are people living with disabilities as reported by participants (questionnaire). This is contrary to focus group, which reported children as the most vulnerable group in this community. Furthermore, this study found that most of the respondents are unemployed and rely on either temporary jobs or some social grants for survival. This study established that flooding has negatively affected the residents economically and socially as floods were found to be contributing to severe economic loss in this community
Randomised observer-blind controlled clinical trial of the effect of static stretching versus static stretching with self-myofascial release on hamstring flexibility
No full textIntroduction: Flexibility is an important component in everyday life, especially for athletes. Flexibility is related to improved quality of life, better performance and reduced risk of injuries, and better functionality are associated with improved ROM. Static stretching (SS) is one of the most frequently used mechanisms with self-myofascial release (SMR) being a newly implemented mechanism. Both these interventions are seen as an effective way of flexibility improvements, each with their own set of downfalls. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of SS alone versus SMR + SS on hamstring flexibility. To assess the difference, SS alone and SMR + SS were evaluated over a 4-week period.Methods: This was a randomized control study. Fifty-six (56) male high-performance athletes from the University of the Free State were recruited and were randomly assigned into the two intervention groups, 28 participants in group one who represented SS and 28 participants in group two who represented SMR + SS. Data collection took place over a period of one month, with three data collections taking place. Outcome measures for this study were hamstring flexibility, which was assessed with an active knee extension (AKE) test and a straight-leg raise test (SLR). The two groups received three sets of one-minute stretching and/or foam rolling with 30-second rests for at least 3 days out of a 7-day week. Results: Both groups showed improvement in both AKE and SLR when comparing Week 0 to Week 4. However, the improvement seen when comparing SS alone versus SMR + SS was the same; the only exception was the pace at which improvement was seen at Week 2 and Week 4. Improvement at Week 2 was at a faster pace for both interventions than that of Week 4. When comparing the sport codes with one another, all showed improvements with both interventions; one intervention was not superior to another. Conclusion: The results of this study show that the addition of SMR before SS does not show a significant improvement in hamstring flexibility than that of SS alone. Actually, SMR + SS improved hamstring flexibility quicker than SS only when analysing Week 2 versus Week 4