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A critical analysis of the right to be forgotten in South African law in light of the rights of freedom of expression and privacy.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.The Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPI) was fully commenced on 1 July 2020. POPI was formed by the principles laid down in the European Union Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC, which has now been replaced by the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR). POPI is designed to regulate the processing of personal information by public and private bodies in a manner that gives effect to the right to privacy subject to justifiable limitations that are aimed at protecting other rights and freedoms of not only the data subject, but also of the general public. POPI provides, under certain circumstances, for the correction as well as deletion of personal information. In terms of digitally stored information, deletion includes the de-indexing/de-listing by search engines as well as the taking down and complete removal and destruction of information, not only from web pages by those that control and process such information, but also information held in storage by public and private authorities. This process is called the right to be forgotten. Europe is one of the leading advocates of the right to be forgotten, with the Court of Justice of the European Union and European Court of Human Rights taking the lead in describing and outlining the scope of the right to be forgotten, especially since Google Spain SL, Google Inc. v AEPD, v Mario Costeja González EU:C:2014:317. The main objective of this thesis is to critically analyse the right to be forgotten in the South African legal context, and investigate how the right is balanced in light of the traditional rights of freedom of expression and privacy, in the digital age. The research involves setting out, as it relates to the right to be forgotten, the various legal principles and relevant legislative instruments from both national and foreign jurisdictions, describing and analysing the arguments from the European Courts, and critically examining how these could be applied in the South African context.Abstract only available in English in PDF document
Framework for sustainable facilities management practices in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Sustainable Facilities Management is crucial in managing facility infrastructure and equipment. The eThekwini municipality suffers from an ageing infrastructure and poor urban management. The steady supply of Facilities Management services is important to reduce the downtime of employees and for the organization’s image as well as to ensure successful service delivery to the public. Sustainable Facility Management practices foster a culture of continuous improvement, drive innovation, adopt new technologies, and contribute to facilities' resilience and risk management. The study investigates current sustainable facilities management practices and examines existing challenges. The case study uses exploratory design and interpretivism paradigms to construct and generate meaning. The study adopted a qualitative research method to generate a new perspective on sustainable facilities management through in-depth Interviews. The target population comprises eThekwini Municipality employees who contribute to the sustainability of facilities management. The sample was selected through a judgemental sampling method. The study adopted thematic analysis and the findings categorized into themes. The findings project standard operating procedure “SOP” as a dominant theme in answering research questions. Findings show that sustainability practices emerge within the SOP and management strategies. The study uncovers benefits identification methods and key factors that drive SFM. Lack of awareness is a dominant barrier that influences the availability of funds, departmental coordination as well as the implementation of sustainability initiatives. eThekwini centralized building services to one department, however, the findings suggest prioritization of facility management structures throughout the units to improve coordination within the departments. The study recommends using computer systems to streamline the municipality's inventory tracking, budgeting, and asset management. The study encountered limitations in governance and ethical concerns
The experience of BEING: an interpretative phenomenological study on the meditative ‘being’ qualities, as experienced by counselling psychologists in therapeutic practice.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.The past few decades have seen a rapid increase in mindfulness meditation as a popular Western mainstream practice, accompanied with a proliferation of studies around the topic of mindfulness, and its practice (mindfulness meditation). A review of relevant literature revealed that within the field of psychology, there is an increasing presence of research around mindfulness-based psychotherapy and its efficacy as an alternative to established psychological treatments for a range of conditions. However, there is currently limited research around the longer-term practice of mindfulness meditation, as may be engaged in by psychologists, and how this may inform their therapeutic practice and the quality of the therapeutic relationship. Given the central role that counselling psychologists place on the therapeutic relationship as an avenue for change, the study reported in this thesis sought to investigate the mindfulness and meditative practice experiences of counselling psychologists in an attempt to better understand its perceived relevance for counselling psychology. This thesis therefore focuses on the related constructs of meditation and mindfulness, and the resulting meditative being qualities. At a macro level, the study pertains to the prevalent problem of human states of disconnection, both within self and between others. Specifically, it asks whether psychologists can connect better with (themselves and) their clients, through meditative being.
The study is positioned within an existential framework. A qualitative methodological design was employed, and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was selected as the most appropriate methodology with which to explore the personal experience of mindfulness meditation, and the meanings attached to such experience. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit participants, and the final study sample group comprised a total of eleven counselling psychologists based across three geographical provinces in South Africa. The data collection process involved a combination of both semi-structured interviews (either face-toface or online), and a reflective journalling task. The resulting data was analysed using
interpretative phenomenological analysis. The research findings are structured around dominant superordinate and sub-themes.
Participants’ conceptualisation of mindfulness and mindfulness meditation revealed two dominant themes – one related to its sensory nature and one to its personal nature. Consistent with literature reviewed, mindfulness and its practice was experienced to foster certain capacities, perceived to be the essence of mindfulness meditation practice. These include an increased capacity to be present and calm; and an increased capacity for self-awareness (including the relating capacities for non-judgement and nonattachment). A dominant theme related to the capacity mindfulness has to foster open-mindedness, a notion which pertains to self-awareness of one’s own internal narrative, biases and preconceptions. The findings reveal that mindfulness practice is experienced as assisting with valuable therapeutic capacities, including increased attention, a capacity to hold the therapeutic space, and a capacity to shift the therapeutic focus, from an intellectual to a sensory based focus. Such capacities ultimately facilitate a better therapeutic environment. The relevance of mindfulness and its practice in South Africa specifically pertained to its perceived efficacy in trauma work.
In terms of its contribution to the topic of mindfulness and its practice, the study supports the current body of literature which advocates its benefits to counselling psychology, identifying several impacting ways in which mindfulness and its practice offers value – first, its relevance as a multi-cultural approach to healing; second, its value as a means of addressing psychological defence mechanisms that often present in the therapeutic space; and thirdly, the value of mindfulness in the counselling psychology curriculum, both in South Africa and internationally - in order to provide trainee counselling psychologists with a more holistic offering
An information behaviour of school management teams at selected schools in uThukela District, KwaZulu-Natal.
No full textMasters degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.All public schools are managed by the School Management Teams (SMTs). Principals who head the teams have the responsibility to lead their schools efficiently and effectively. The study aimed to assess the information behaviour of the SMTs of the selected schools in the uThukela district, KwaZulu-Natal. The poor performance of these schools for five consecutive years (2014 to 2018) aroused the interest of the researcher to investigate the problem experienced by SMTs. Determining the underlying factors that contributed to this extraordinary situation. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods were employed to identify the information behavior of the SMTs in response to improving poor matric performance. The use of more than one data collecting approach with open ended and semi-structured questions need qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods to anlyse and present the findings. The instruments adopted for collecting data from SMTs were six semi-structured observation checklists. Six face-to-face semi-structured interview schedules for principals. Self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was employed to collect data from 11 departmental heads and six from chairpersons of the School Governing Bodies (SGBs). The total number of the instruments completed and collected during the study were twenty-nine which gave the study a 100% response rate. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to capture quantitative data and thematic analysis was used on qualitative data. Results revealed that 100% of the respondents agreed that the major problem was the underperformance of their schools. The findings suggested that this was caused by a lack of parental support and a lack of learners’ commitment to their schoolwork. It was noted that most of the roles and responsibilities of the SMTs were carried out accordingly. Results showed that respondents trusted and relied on Textbooks and Annual Teaching Plans (ATPs) as their sources of information and content delivery, but information gab was not fulfilled. Findings showed that the SMTs of the schools do not put emphasis on the importance of reading. SMTs do not encourage learners to read for information and enjoyment which develop into a reading habit. As such, learners lacked reading skills, they were unable to read and understand examination instructions and questions, hence, they failed dismally.
Recommendations were based on the provision of more funds by the Department of Education for one school, one library with resources and one librarian
Remote access, use, and management of library resources by select School of Social Sciences postgraduate students and librarians in the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Pietermaritzburg campus.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.The study aimed to investigate the remote access, use and management of library resources by the select school of social sciences postgraduate students and librarians at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg campus. The study adopted a quantitative and qualitative research approach, with quantitative being the major approach. The post-positivism research paradigm was used and applied Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process model, anchored on the social constructivism approach and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology developed by Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, and Davis (2003) based on social cognitive theory. The study target was 108 respondents, which included 100 postgraduate students and eight Subject Librarians from the UKZN, Pietermaritzburg campus. A purposive sampling technique was adopted for the study, and a mathematical formula suggested by Taro Yemen (1970), n = N/1+N(e)2 was used to determine the sample size of the postgraduate students. The total response rate of the respondents was 75(69%). Survey questionnaires were used to solicit quantitative data from postgraduate students, while interview schedules were used for qualitative data from the subject librarians. Self-administered questionnaires were sent to participants (students) via email to complete and return, and interviews were conducted with service providers via Zoom. Quantitative data were analysed through Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), and the qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The findings of the study revealed that postgraduate students accessed and used library electronic resources remotely, and the findings also indicate the availability of e-resources and services at the UKZN library. However, the electronic resources were not used to the maximum due to challenges such as inadequate literacy skills, financial constraints, technical and network problems, lack of search skills and inadequate knowledge to navigate through the databases. Moreover, students experienced download delays and limited subscribed titles. The researcher recommends that the university devise ways to help students get on board for training, as this will enable them to know what’s available and how to get access to the library’s e-resources. Likewise, the study proposed the need for extensive marketing and awareness of library e-resources, and most importantly the use of databases. Furthermore, strategies should be employed to enhance information literacy and self-efficacy
The meaning of healing in the gospel of Mark vs the testimony of Hadebe: a correlation and comparison.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.This thesis compares and correlates the function of healing in the Gospel of Mark (8:22–26) and in Gunner (2002:189c–191a). Healing, an important discourse in the Gospel of Mark and regarded
as the cornerstone of Shembe’s Church in Gunner (2002), and the growth of Shembe’s church among the African Initiated Churches (AICs), is inclined to have many functions, both literary and symbolic. The type of healing referred to in these two religions are namely the illnesses that affect African people (ukufa kwabantu) and somatisation, an expression of psychological or emotional
factors manifesting as physical (somatic) symptoms; stress can cause some people to develop headaches, chest pains, backache, nausea and fatigue, similar to the illnesses researched in the
Gospel of Mark. The thesis discourses on this symbolism – particularly in (Mk 8:22–26, exposing its function in the healing narratives. The texts that discuss the cases of illness in the Gospel of
Mark are discussed and compared with those found in the AICs from the early twentieth-century isiZulu setting. However, due to the influence of the bible and the African Traditional Religions
on the AICs, the study intends to investigate the degree of the presence of these influences in the healing system as per the testimony of Hadebe in Gunner (2002). Similarly, the influence of other
healing traditions of the first-century Mediterranean region in the Gospel of Mark is also reviewed. The literature review on the anthropological and socio-cultural illness and traditional healerphysician distinctions leads the discussion to a comparison between Jesus and Shembe as belonging to the same sect in the traditional healers’ enclave, particularly where Jesus is compared
to a [Galilean] Shaman. A verse-by-verse exegesis of Mark’s healing of blindness is presented where the similarities between symbolic illness and the characters in other texts in the Gospel are
examined. The two-stage attempts of Jesus in healing blindness with saliva and prayer and its symbolic meaning are also debated on. The symbolic nature of the narrative presented in (Mk 8:22-
26) promotes the search for and insight into the comparative significance of the tourniquet, song and dance in the testimony of Hadebe. (Gunner, 2002:189c-191a). A pursuit of the notion of the
function of healing, where the healing of the blind man of Bethsaida (Mk 8:22-26) is discussed, compared and correlated with that of Shembe’s healing of Mqhanganyi, a young woman who was
bitten by snake in Hadebe’s narrative in Gunner (2002:189c- 191a). The study presents an analysis of the appropriation of Scripture by both Mark and Hadebe, providing the reader with an in-depth understanding of the structure of the work of both authors in relation to their theology. The study concludes with a comparison on the conversion of candidates in both Shembe and Mark churches
Engineering geological assessment of lateritic soils as landfill liners in Ekiti State, Southwestern Nigeria.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The quantity of waste generated in Ekiti state, southwestern Nigeria, has been increasing dramatically due to a rapid urban expansion resulting from population growth and associated economic activities. However, these increasing wastes produced are disposed of into large open dumpsites located in the premises of urban and peri-urban centres, which lack engineered control systems designed to prevent environmental degradation, especially contamination of groundwater and the ecosystem. Thus, there is a need for an affordable and viable long-term solution to protect the environment, including the groundwater system. Landfilling of waste in engineered facilities has gained a wide acceptance especially in developing countries, where it is almost the only viable way of solid waste disposal. Landfills usually require the emplacement of liners, which are constructed with geosynthetic materials and or the use of compacted natural soils. Due to the low cost, good contaminant attenuation capacity and ease of use, compacted soil liners (CSLs) are more attractive options than Geosynthetic Clay Liners (GCLs). However, the unavailability of clay soils for the construction of CSLs has necessitated the search for alternative materials such as lateritic soils. Lateritic soils are the most common construction soils in tropical environments where their formation and nature are determined by different environmental factors. These soils are very diverse in their physicochemical properties and it is essential that their suitability as potential CSLs must be carefully evaluated.
The aims of this research are to evaluate the suitability of lateritic soils from Ekiti State, southwestern Nigeria for use as landfill liners, and examine the influence of various parent rocks on the geotechnical and geochemical properties of these soils. Field observations, petrographic, geochemical and mineralogical analyses of the various rock types were undertaken to ascertain the different parent rocks that are present in the study area. Geochemical and geotechnical analyses as well as batch equilibrium tests were conducted on representative soil samples derived from the different parent rock types in order to determine the clay mineralogy of the different soil types, their index and geotechnical properties, and their contaminant attenuation capacities.
Petrographic and geochemical analyses show that the dominant parent rocks present on site are porphyritic granite, charnockite, migmatite, granite-gneiss, schist and quartzite. The dominant clay minerals present in the lateritic soils are kaolinite and dickite, implying low desiccation cracking and low shrink-swell behaviour. The tested soils have cation exchange capacities that range from 10.3 to 15.9 meq/100g, indicating good contaminant attenuation potential. The batch equilibrium sorption analysis undertaken to assess the competitive sorption of trace metals, namely, Cd, Pb, Cr, Mn and Cu found commonly in landfill leachate of the study area showed that the lateritic soils derived from granite-gneiss and charnockite exhibit better sorption potential than those derived from schist and quartzite as indicated by their maximum adsorption capacity, which is closely related to the goethite content in the soils. The sorption isotherms of these trace metals onto the lateritic soils are described by the Langmuir equation and these isotherms deviate from the corresponding desorption isotherms to different degrees which is indicative of various extents of hysteresis. The sorption hysteresis indices for these trace metals range from 0.63 to 0.99 and imply that the trace metals may be re-released and leached to the surrounding soils and groundwater.
The geotechnical index test results indicate that the lateritic soils are well graded and could be classified as inorganic clays and silts of low to high plasticity. Furthermore, the lateritic soils derived from porphyritic granite possess the lowest average Maximum Dry Density (MDD) of 1.45 mg/m3, while the highest MDD of 1.61 mg/m3 was obtained for lateritic soils derived from granite-gneiss. Lateritic soils derived from charnockite, migmatite and quartzite are found to have MDD of 1.48 mg/m3, 1.50 mg/m3 and 1.51 mg/m3, respectively. The total shear strength parameters indicate that the average values of the total cohesion of the soils derived from porphyritic granite, charnockite, migmatite, granite-gneiss and quartzite are 45.6 kPa, 44.7 kPa, 40.3 kPa, 42.7 kPa and 35.2 kPa, respectively. The average total angle of internal friction obtained for the lateritic soils derived from porphyritic granite, charnockite, migmatite, granite-gneiss and quartzite friction are 10.8º, 10.9º, 11.3º, 11.1º and 9.6º, respectively. These shear strength parameters indicate that the soils derived from the various parent rocks have adequate shear strength as they display results above the required minimum for landfill liners. The measured coefficient of permeability (K) values of the lateritic soils tested range from 1.1x10-8 m/s for soils derived from porphyritic granite to 1.3×10-8 m/s for soils derived from quartzite. Although, these K values indicate very low degree of permeability, they do not conform to the required limit (≤1×10-9 m/s) for landfill liners.
The most converging findings of this study are that most of the lateritic soils in Ekiti state in southwestern Nigeria meet the index and engineering quality requirements stipulated by the USEPA (2021) for soil liner materials except for the hydraulic conductivity. The coefficient of permeability observed in some lateritic soils was significantly reduced by mixing of lateritic soils of various provenances having low coefficient of permeability. Furthermore, the significant adsorption capacity of the lateritic soils for Cd and Pb indicates the remarkable efficiency of the soils to sorb these trace metals if it comes in contact with leachate. However, the sorption hysteresis indices of the soils are very high and close to unity for some soils, indicating a high reversibility of the sorption process. Hence, it is recommended that landfills that utilize these lateritic soils adopt a composite containment design by integrating liners and leachate collection systems coupled with routine monitoring
An exploratory study of bullying in the University of KwaZulu-Natal residences.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Bullying in university residences is a pervasive but often overlooked issue even though it disrupts the academic success and overall well-being of students. At the University of KwaZulu-Natal, bullying takes many forms and creates a hostile environment for students living in both on-campus and off-campus residences. This study investigated the nature, causes, and impacts of bullying in UKZN residences and it also explored intervention strategies that could help reduce incidences of bullying. Fifteen undergraduate students (n = 15), two Risk Management Services personnel (n = 2), and two Residence Liaison Officers (n = 2) with personal experiences of bullying were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. This approach was aligned with the study's qualitative research design, which aimed to explore participants' experiences in depth. These interviews provided crucial insights into the nature of the bullying problem in UKZN residences. The routine activity theory was employed to analyse why certain environments made students more vulnerable to bullying than others, while the social learning theory explained how bullying behaviours were acquired and reinforced within the residential settings under study.
The findings were that emotional, cyber, and physical bullying were the most prevalent forms of bullying that the students encountered. Factors that contributed to bullying included power imbalances, social hierarchy, substance abuse, and negative childhood experiences. These behaviours had severe consequences for the victims and significantly impacted their mental health, academic performance, and social lives. Many victims reported experiencing depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. They also struggled academically due to stress, lack of concentration, and absenteeism, while socially they experienced isolation and withdrawal from peer interactions. To address these issues, the study recommends implementing awareness campaigns and student-centred programs that foster positive relationships and reduce the occurrence of bullying in residences. Creating a safer and more inclusive living environment is essential for enhancing student well-being and academic success
Drug resistant eskapee pathogens in clinical isolates and hospital effluent.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Background: The ESKAPEE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp, and Escherichia coli) is a group of Gram-negative and -positive pathogens that exhibit antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to commonly used antibiotics. Aim: This study compared clinical ESKAPEE isolates from patients and hospital effluent in terms of antibiotic resistance patterns, antibiotic resistance genes, mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and phylogenomic relationships. Methodology: Samples were collected and pooled from the final effluent point of a regional hospital in the uMgungundlovu district, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. Clinical isolates were also collected from the same hospital. Selective culture media was used for isolation and identification. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed using the VITEK® 2 system. DNA was extracted using the GenElute extraction kits prior to whole genome sequencing. The resistome, mobilome and phylogenetic lineages of sequenced isolates were assessed using bioinformatics analysis. ResFinder, PlasmidFinder, INTEGRALL and PGAP & ISFinder were used to annotate and identify resistance genes, plasmids, integrons and insertion sequences and transposons, respectively. MLST was used to identify sequence types, BV-BRC was used to construct the phylogenetic trees, and iTOL was used to view, edit and annotate the generated phylogenetic trees. Results: A total of 112 presumptive ESKAPEE constituted the sample of which 42 were clinical isolates and 70 were isolates from hospital effluent. Of these, 36 isolates consisting of 16 K. pneumoniae, 9 E. faecium, 7 Enterobacter hormaechei, 3 E. coli and 1 P. aeruginosa were positively identified as ESKAPEE pathogens by WGS. The effluent E. faecium isolates were totally resistant to six of the antibiotics tested (tetracycline, doxycycline, erythromycin, azithromycin, fosfomycin and levofloxacin). They also harboured antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) that confer resistance to aminoglycosides (aac(6')-Ii, aac(6')-aph(2''), aph(2'')-Ia), macrolides (msr(C)), tetracycline (tet(M), tet(L)), and trimethoprim (dfrG), none of which were carried on any MGEs. In the K. pneumoniae isolates, ARGs conferring resistance to ß-lactam antibiotics were the most common among the clinical isolates while effluent K. pneumoniae carried markedly fewer ARGs. Aminoglycoside resistance genes (aph(6)-Id, aph(3'')-Ib, aac(6')-Ib-cr aadA16), quinolone (qnrB1, qnrB6, qnrS1, OqxA and oqxB), ß-lactam (blaSHV group, blaCTX-M-15, and blaTEM group) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (sul1, sul2, and dfrA27, drfA14) were common among the clinical K. pneumoniae isolates. ARGs were associated with diverse MGEs, particularly in the clinical isolates and a common plasmid replicon IncFIB(K) was identified in both clinical and effluent isolates. MLST showed no relation between the K. pneumoniae clinical and effluent isolates. The clinical P. aeruginosa isolate harboured ß-lactam [blaOXA-50, blaPAO], aminoglycoside (aph(3')-Iib), and fluoroquinolone (crpP) ARGs that were not associated with MGEs. The isolate had a sequence type ST275, which showed no relation with other isolates it was compared with. The majority of clinical E. hormaechei isolates showed total resistance to aminoglycosides, ß-lactams and tetracycline antibiotics. The E. hormaechei isolates, except one, harboured [blaOXA-1, blaCTX-M-15, blaACT-5 and blaTEM-1B], dfrA14, tet(A), [aph(6)-Id, aph(3'')-Ib, aac(3)-Iia, aac(6')-Ib-cr] and sul2 ARGs conferring resistance to ß-lactams, trimethoprim, tetracycline, aminoglycoside, and sulfamethoxazole, respectively. Clinical and effluent isolates of E. coli displayed similar resistance patterns. ARGs conferring resistance to ß-lactam (blaCTXM-15 and blaOXA-1), aminoglycosides (aph(6)-Id, aph(3'')-Ib, aac(6')-Ib-cr, aadA5 and aac(3)-IId), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (dfrA14, dfrA17, sul1 and sul2), and tetracycline (tet(A) and tet(B)) were observed among the clinical isolates; while the effluent isolate harboured ß-lactam (blaCTXM-15, blaOXA-1, blaTEM-1B and blaOXA-10), aminoglycosides (aac(3)-Iid, aac(3)-IIa, aac(6')-Ib-cr, aph(6)-Id, aph(3'')-Ib), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (dfrA14, dfrA23, sul1 and sul2), and tetracycline (tet(A)). The clinical E. coli isolates had sequence types ST69 and ST131 and the effluent isolate belonged to ST10. The clinical and effluent isolates from this study that did not cluster together were not closely related and belonged to different sequence types. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the prevalence of ESKAPEE pathogens in hospital effluent. While the effluent did not mirror AMR in the clinical setting, presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in the effluent cannot be overlooked. This study highlights the need for continuous monitoring of the effluent to track the spread of resistant bacteria from the hospital to the environment
Cohesive living: exploring the value of Ubuntu among students staying in residences at a University in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
No full textMaster's Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Transitioning from secondary to tertiary education is often challenging for students. Despite embracing newfound autonomy, many students face difficulties due to a lack of parental support and unfamiliar social networks in institutions of higher learning. University residences are increasingly seen as problematic and unsafe due to reported murder cases stemming from a lack of cohesive living among students. This study explored the value of Ubuntu in fostering cohesive living among students residing at a university residence in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Using qualitative approaches and grounded in the Afrocentrism Paradigm, in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 undergraduate and postgraduate students, selected through purposive non-probability sampling. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and participants voluntarily provided informed consent. During the interviews, participants reflected on their experiences in university residences and how they uphold Ubuntu values. The data underwent multiple stages of coding, quality assurance and validity measures, and was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that participants have a solid understanding of Ubuntu principles, as they cited terms such as respect, humanity, sharing, and harmony to describe its values. However, understanding Ubuntu alone is insufficient, as putting it into practice presents challenges. Participants mentioned that while some students find it easy to apply Ubuntu values to cope with university life challenges, others resort to alcohol and substance abuse due to feelings of isolation or familial and socio-economic issues they prefer not to share. The influence of Eurocentric values at university residences was also noted, which was anticipated as universities often impart Eurocentric and Western ideas through the curriculum, and some students lack exposure to Ubuntu from older generations at home. The study emphasises the importance of promoting Ubuntu values systems across all spheres of an African society and recommends further research that would investigate how the current generation can impart Ubuntu values to future generations, considering the evolving world and new technologies that sometimes challenge and undermine African value systems