21623 research outputs found
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Spatiotemporal analysis of vegetation fires using satellite data.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Although vegetation fires are key in maintaining the savanna ecosystem, their uncontrolled occurrence profoundly threatens ecosystem stability, economies, and human safety. The increased risk of climate change requires robust spatiotemporal analysis methods to understand the impact of fire on ecosystems. Additionally, the accurate prediction of vegetation fire and the associated key drivers are critical in understanding fire regimes and the implementation of effective fire management strategies. This research utilised Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data to analyse the spatiotemporal dynamics of vegetation fires. The first objective focused on systematically reviewing literature on the effects of burning on various ecosystem services. The reviewed articles were extracted from Elsevier’s Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed databases and analysed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) method. The findings from the review highlighted that there has been an increase in publications since 2010 and most studies were carried out in Asia and the United States of America. The most common satellite data used for analysing the effects of burning on ecosystem services was Landsat, whilst information on fire occurrence was extracted from the MODIS satellite data. Very few studies utilised AVIRIS, PlanetScope, and ASTER satellite data. Moreso, findings from the review revealed fire as a threat to grassland, forest, soil and wetland ecosystems with the forest landscapes being widely studied. The atmosphere is also affected by vegetation fires through particulate matter and carbon emissions. The second objective focused on detecting fire intensity hotspots and cold spots in Zimbabwe by utilising spatial statistics and MODIS-derived fire radiative power (FRP), a proxy for fire intensity. The variability of fire intensity clusters within various topographic and vegetation conditions was also analysed. The results indicated that most (44%) of the vegetation fires remotely sensed in Zimbabwe by the MODIS satellite sensor were of low intensity, mostly occurring in the shrublands. On the other hand, high intensity fires (22%) were generally distributed within Zimbabwe’s eastern and western regions. The third objective focused on detecting long-term spatiotemporal fire patterns in Zimbabwe using MODIS fire location data and a spatially explicit method (Emerging Hot Spot Analysis). The study also statistically analysed how the spatiotemporal distribution of vegetation fires is related to environmental factors. The research findings show that the occurrence of vegetation fire varies with seasons with the highest number of fires occurring in September. New information unveiled from the third objective indicated that fire activity tends to be high in June, July, and November despite these months being excluded from the official fire season in Zimbabwe, generally observed from August to October. Persistent, diminishing, oscillating, and historical spatiotemporal fire hotspots were observed in the northern regions of Zimbabwe. The final objective assessed the various topographic, bioclimatic, topographic, vegetation and anthropogenic factors that influence the occurrence of fires in Zimbabwe. The fire hazard levels were also predicted using the Maxent model based on the analysis of MODIS fire location data combined with topographic, bioclimatic, topographic, vegetation and anthropogenic factors. The jack-knife test evaluated the contribution of each variable towards the performance of the model, while the AUC (receiver operating characteristic curve) was used to estimate the model's accuracy. The research findings identified temperature annual range, precipitation seasonality, human influence and elevation as contributing highly to the occurrence of vegetation fires across Zimbabwe’s landscapes. The average AUC of 0.77 demonstrated good model accuracy. Conclusively, results from this thesis reveal the utility of spatial statistics and machine learning methods based on satellite fire data to understand spatiotemporal patterns of fire in Zimbabwe. Specifically, the detection of spatiotemporal patterns of vegetation fires, fire intensity clusters and their predicted hazard levels were successfully mapped. The information derived from this study is valuable in improving fire management in Zimbabwe and other regions. The detection of spatiotemporal patterns of fire, fire intensity and fire hazard levels result in new valuable information important for the mplementation of key fire management policies and strategies in Savanna ecosystems
Antioxidant, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of selected African indigenous medicinal plants in a type 2 diabetes model of rats.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The study investigated the antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-obesity activities of selected traditional medicinal plants, including Rhus longipes, Celtis africana, Schotia brachypetala, Trema orientalis, and Albizia adentifolia, through in vitro, ex vivo, in silico, and in vivo models using rats. Bioactive compounds in the dry stem bark and leaves of the plants were extracted by serial maceration in water, methanol, ethanol, and ethyl acetate, followed by quantification and identification using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In vitro models assessed the extracts’ electron donation, free radical scavenging, and lipid and carbohydrate digestive enzyme inhibition capabilities. Ex vivo models were used to investigate the extracts abilities to mitigate FeSO4-induced oxidative injury in excised heart, liver, pancreas, kidney, and brain tissues. Furthermore, the extracts' effects on glucose uptake in rat muscle and liver, and sugar absorption in the rat jejunum, were also studied. Molecular docking in silico analysed the binding affinities and interactions of the identified compounds with diabetes-related proteins. The biological activities of extracts showing significant antidiabetic activity (Rhus longipes, Celtis africana, and Schotia brachypetala) in vitro, in silico, and ex vivo were further investigated using model rats with type 2 diabetes in vivo. The results showed that the plant extracts contained a variety of bioactive compounds which may have contributed to their enhanced antioxidant and digestive enzyme inhibitory capabilities. The extracts demonstrated hypoglycaemic potential by modulating glucogenic enzymes, increasing glucose uptake in psoas and liver tissues, and retarding intestinal glucose absorption. The extracts exhibited protective effects against oxidative imbalance in isolated rat tissues by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and augmenting the activity of intrinsic antioxidant enzymes. The in vivo results demonstrated that extracts abated redox imbalance, restored euglycemic levels, mitigated dysregulated lipid metabolism, reversed pancreatic β-cells tissue damage, and linked biochemical parameters to homeostatic levels in treated animals compared with those in the untreated diabetic group. The results of this study revealed the potential of selected plant extracts to ameliorate type 2 diabetes and its associated complications. Further molecular analyses and clinical trials are necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms of antidiabetic action demonstrated in this study
Board-ownership dynamics, dividend policy and shareholders’ wealth of listed firms in sub-Saharan Africa.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Corporate failure in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a testament to adverse board and ownership influence (i.e. board-ownership dynamics). This influence causes the loss of investors’ confidence regarding the maximisation of shareholders’ wealth (SW) through dividend payment. The loss of investors’ confidence has ignited several studies in this field that need appraisal to know their contributions to literature over the years. Thus, this study examines the progress, development, and current issues in the field of board-ownership dynamics (BODy) to determine further research areas. The study further examines the relationships among BODy, dividend policy (DP), and shareholders’ wealth of listed non-financial firms in SSA. The purposive-simple random sampling technique, R Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, and STATA 18 are used to analyse 1,022 Scopus-indexed journals and panel data of 157 listed non-financial firms. The study identifies six streams of research despite contributions from the Corporate Ownership and Control journal, Ntim Collins, the University of Southampton, and the United Kingdom on the subject. Using the post-positivist paradigm and archival data, the study finds that BODy (board size and gender diversity) significantly maximise shareholders’ wealth while CEO duality, managerial, and state ownership diminish SW. DP significantly improves SW directly, but does not mediate the link between BODy (board independence, board meetings, institutional ownership) and SW. However, DP adversely mediates the link between SW and variables like CEO duality, managerial, state, and foreign ownership. Conversely, DP favourably mediates the link between gender diverse boards and SW. BODy is also found to significantly moderate the link between DP and SW. These findings support the dividend relevance, agency, bird-in-hand, resource dependence, outcome, and substitution theories. The study concludes that, other than dividend policy, BODy may maximise shareholders’ wealth in SSA through other strategies like capital gains, CSR initiatives, and risk management. These strategies however require further empirical evidence. The study suggests that policymakers and corporate governance bodies should improve the BODy of listed non-financial firms in SSA through regular board assessment, transparency, accountability, and stakeholder engagement. Further studies should consider the short and long run effects of BODy and DP on SW using Panel Error Correction Model
Oil prices and exchange rates dynamics in South Africa.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The study examines the dynamics between oil prices and exchange rates in an oil-importing country to guide policymakers in their decision making. Furthermore, findings from this study seeks to decision makers to make informed and effective control measures. For this reason, this paper studies the effect of oil prices and oil price volatility on the rand-to-dollar exchange rate. It uses South African monthly data from 2000: M1 to 2023: M12, accessed from the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis (FRED) and the World Bank. It employs the Structural Vector Autoregressive (SVAR) Model and further computes impulse responses and the forecast error variance decomposition (FEVD). The main findings of the study show that South African nominal exchange rates respond asymmetrically to changes in oil prices and that they tend to respond more to negative oil price shocks. The response of the South African nominal effective exchange rate to oil prices contradicts several author’s work. The results further show that oil price volatilities cause the South African rand to depreciate
The impact of external monitoring on teachers’ work and teachers’ identities in high schools.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.The South African education system aims to provide quality education to all learners. There are various methods used to ensure that teachers comply with department-set education standards in education, one of which is external monitoring. The purpose of external monitoring is to provide support and professional development to underperforming schools, enabling them to reduce learner underperformance. In the process, teachers become the centre of external monitoring. This study explores how external monitoring impacts teachers’ work and identities. The study focuses on six grade 12 teachers’ perspectives of external monitoring. This qualitative study was conducted in three high schools. These schools were purposively selected because they were underperforming schools. Data was generated from six participants using semi-structured interviews, collages, and a focus group. A conceptual framework represents the associations between accountability, teacher autonomy and teacher identities. The generated data was analysed using deductive data analysis. The data generated demonstrated that external monitoring is a two-sided phenomenon. External monitoring is a tool used by the Department of Basic Education that aims to provide support and development to underperforming schools and subjects. However, not all teachers see it as a tool that is there to support. Rather, teachers feel exposed and encounter limited teacher autonomy. Themes that emerged from the data were: teachers’ reasons for underperformance, insufficient time for curriculum coverage, teachers’ perception of external monitoring and teachers’ emotional responses to external monitoring. The findings show that most teachers find external monitoring offers limited support for teachers. Rather, external monitoring of teachers increases teacher accountability but decreases teachers’ autonomy. This, in turn, impacts teachers’ identities
Social media activism and simulated democracies: a comparative exploration of # fees must fall (South Africa) and #Jallikattu protests (Tamil Nadu. India).
No full textSocial media's transformation into public spheres has influenced activism and shifted protests and social movements into digital spaces. The #FeesMustFall movement (2015) campaigned for free education in South Africa. #FMF was precipitated by the #RhodesMustFall movement (2015) which called for the removal of the statue of Cecil Rhodes at the University of Cape Town, which represented colonialism. #RMF called for the decolonisation of education and #FMF reiterated the same. In parallel, the #Jallikattu protests (2017) in Tamil Nadu was against the Supreme Court's ban of 'Jallikattu’ a 2000-year-old cultural sport with bulls. The protests were triggered by the cumulative grievances of the people of Tamil Nadu against India's union government. The temporal proximity, student-led activism, social media influence of the protests and the nations being post-colonial democracies invoked the interest for this inter-continental comparison of protest cultures. This study explores a unique comparison of democracies via protest movements in South Africa and India. The researcher has collected data from blogs, e-newspapers, e-magazines, online news aggregators, e-editions of mainstream media, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and personal interviews to compare the discourses, which emerged from both these social campaigns. A snowball sampling method and open-ended interviews were used to collect data from student protestors, university faculty, media persons and the general citizenry. Foucault's discourse analysis and Yin's explorative case study analysis were used to analyse the collected data. Gidden's structuration theory provided a theoretical lens to how colourism, police brutality, racism, casteism, sexism, centres of protests, media bias, and diaspora support affected the social movements. Baudrillard’s simulacra and simulation theory afforded further analysis of the levels of democracies in both these nations. Drawing from the above events and narratives the researcher posits a simulation of democracy in South Africa and India disrupting normative ideals
The naming of business place names in the city of Pietermaritzburg after 1994
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg.Lolu cwaningo lubheka ukuqanjwa kwamagama ezindawo zamabhizinisi edolobheni lasePietermaritzburg emva konyaka we-1994, lugxile emagameni aqanjwe ngolimi lwesiZulu. Lolu cwaningo luqhutshwa ngaphansi komkhakha wezilimi zase-Afrika eNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natal, lucubungula izizathu eziholela ekuqanjweni kwamagama ezindawo zamabhizinisi ngolimi lwesiZulu, incazelo yawo kanye nomqondo awuqukethe. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuphendula le mibuzo: Yiziphi izizathu ezenza izindawo zamabhizinisi ziqanjwe ngolimi lwesiZulu? Zithini izincazelo zamagama amabhizinisi aqanjwe ngesiZulu futhiaqukethe muphi umondo? Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuhlaziya izizathu zokuqanjwa kwamabhizinisi ngesiZulu kanye nokuhlola imithelela yencazelo yalawa magama naloko ahlotshaniswa nako Lolu cwaningo lulandela idizayini eyikhwalithethivu, umcwaningi uqoqa ulwazi ngokubuza imibuzo kubabambiqhaza, esebenzisa uhla lwemibuzo esakuhleleka elungiselelwe kusengaphambilini. Luphinde lubuyekeze ucwaningo oselwenziwe ngaphansi kwalo mkhakha okuhlukaniswe ngezigaba ezintathu, okungukuthi sihlolisisa imisebenzi yocwaningo eyenziwe ngamagama ezindawo emhlabeni wonke jikelele, kulandele imisebenzi yocwaningo ngamagama ezindawo ezwekazi i-Afrika, siphethe ngemisebenzi yocwaningo eyenziwe eNingizimu Afrika. Injulalwazi esetshenziswe kulolu cwaningo injulalwazi yesifundoncazelo (Semantic Theory). Le njulalwazi isetshenziswa ukuhlaziya incazelo ngokukaRaper (1987) othi amagama anencazelo ehlukene kabili okukuqala uthi angamalebuli nje amele loko aqanjwe kona, kanti eyesibili yona uthi igama linika incazelo ephelele yalokho elikumele. Bese siphinda sibuka ngokukaNicolaisen (1974) othi incazelo yegama ihlukana izigaba ezintathu okuyi yilekzikhali, yi-asosiyethivu, ne-onomastiki. Indlela esetshenziswe ukwenza lolu cwaningo yipharadayimu eqondayo (interpretivism), idizayini yona eyikhwalithethivu,kanti ulwazi luqoqwe kusetshenziswa, isampula eqoka ngenhloso (purposive sampling). Lolu cwaningo lusebenzisa isampula eqoka ngenhloso kubanikazi bamabhizinisi, abangabaqambi bamagama acwaningwayo atholakala edolobheni iPietermaritzburg, njengoba kuyibo abanolwazi oludingekayo. Umcwaningi uqoke lawo mabhizinisi abona ukuthi ulwazi uyoluthola kuwo futhi luzokwenela ocwaningweni esebenzisa izindlela ebaluliwe ngenhla. Kutonyulwe ababambiqhaza abangama-50. Ulwazi luqoqwe ngokuqhuba izingxoxo ezihlelekile kusetshenziswa imibuzo elungiselelwa ngaphambilini ngokulawulwa ucwaningo oselwenziwe kulomkhakha. Ulwazi lube seluhlaziywa lwahlukaniswa ngezindikimba ezigqamile namasu anembayo njengokuqhathanisa inani lamagama aqanjwe ngendlela efanayo ngokuwahlukanisa ngamaqoqo kuqala amaningi kuye ngokulandelana kugcine amancane. Okutholakele kuveza izindikimba ezinhlanu zokuqanjwa kwamagama ngesiZulu: (1) Ukuqanjwa kusetshenziswa amagama abantu nezibongo.Kutholakale ukuthi iyona ndikimba evela kakhulu kunezinye uma kuza kunani lezindawo eziqanjwe ngamagama nezibongo zabantu. Avele kuyindlela esetshenziswa kakhulu.
(2) Kulandele ukuqanjwa kusetshenziswa amagama esiZulu abuyisa ubunye, kubantu bomdabu waseNingizimu Afrika emveni konyaka we-1994. lendlela ibonisa ukushintsha okubanzi emphakathini wasePietermaritzburg ekubuyiseleni ukuzigqaja namasiko. (3) Okwesithathu kutholakale ukuthi ukuqanjwa kwezindawo zamabhizinisi abangcwabi ngamagama anika ithemba, kuvela kungezinye zezindikimba ezigqamile edolobheni iPietermaritzburg. Kutholakale ukuthi le ndlela iyasiza ukududuza labo abasuke belahlekelwe ithemba ngenxa yokushiywa izihlobo nemindeni yabo. (4) Bese kuba eyesine, yona evele ingeyokugcina uma zilandelana ngamanani kusuka kweziningi kuye ngokwehla. Lawa ngamagama eqanjwe ngenxa yomthelela wendawo nomgwaqo ibhizinisi elikuwo. Isizathu esenza le ndikimba igqame kangaka kungenxa yoMkhandlu kaMasipala wedolobha oqanjwe ngomfula uMsunduzi. Lokhu kukhombisa umthelela omkhulu wegama lesigodi noma lomfula ekuqanjweni kwamagama ezakhiwo zamabhizinisi, njengoba amagama afana nelithi "Duzi" asehlotshaniswa kakhulu nedolobha. (5) Okokugcina ukuqanjwa kwamagama kusetshenziswa iziqubulo zokubambisana emphakathini lawa asebenzisa ukuheha amakhasimende ngokuqoka isiqubulo esiletha umuzwa wobunye nenqubekela phambili Izincomo ngokungenziwa, ziningi izinhlaka ezibambe iqhaza ekubuyiseni isithunzi sezinto zomdabu kuleli ngemuva kokuphela kobandlululo ngonyaka we-1994. Ukuqanjwa kwamagama ezindawo zamabhizinisi ngezilimi zomdabu ikakhulukazi ezindaweni ezingamadolobha, abonakala enohlonze kakhulu ekubuyiseni isithunzi sabasebenzisi bolimi, nokuzigqaja nje kubantu bomdabu. • Ukusetshenziswa kwalawa magama ngendlela okuyiyona yona. • Ukugqugquzela ukuqanjwa kusetshenziswe izilimi zomdabu • Ukugcineka kwalawa magama kusetshenziswa izinhlelo ezahlukene okumele zisungulwe umkhandlu. Izincomo zocwaningo lwangesikhathi esizayo, kusanegebe ocwaningweni lwamagama edolobheni iPietermaritzburg kanye nezindawo ezakhele idolobha. Nakuba lolu cwaningo lucwaninga amagama aqanjwe kusetshenziswa ulimi lwesiZulu, asekhona namanye amagama aqanjwe ngezinye izilimi kanye nemigwaqo. • Ucwaningo olusengenziwa ngesikhathi esizayo, kucwaningo azakhiwo zezindawo ezingama tuckshop, amahholo, izndawo zokhonzela, kanye namagama amafemu. • Kusangacwaningwa amagama ezigodi eziqanjwe ngesiZulu zezindawo ezakhele iPietermaritzburg. • Ukuguquka kwamagama ezindawo zikahulumeni kanye nokuqanjwa kabusha kwazo
Health inequality and healthcare policies’ efficacy across areas with different deprivation levels within South Africa.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Despite South Africa's efforts to reduce socio-economic inequalities since 1994 through policies like the Reconstruction and Development Programme and the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, significant disparities remain. While these policies aimed to improve access to services and provide economic opportunities for marginalised communities, their impact has been limited. As a result, health disparities persist, challenging the effectiveness of existing health policies. This thesis seeks to fill a research gap by assessing health inequalities and the efficacy of healthcare policies across regions with varying levels of deprivation in South Africa. It is structured around four interconnected analyses. The first analysis investigates the impact of localised deprivation on adult health across different areas (traditional authority, formal rural, and formal and informal urban regions) using ordered probit models and data from the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS). The findings reveal significant health disparities, especially in informal urban areas, where increased deprivation is strongly correlated with poor self-rated health. This highlights the need for targeted health interventions in these regions. The second analysis explores socio-economic inequalities in chronic illnesses and disabilities among children utilising concentration indices, Oaxaca-Blinder Decomposition, and NIDS data from the 2008 and 2017 waves. The results show stark disparities, with children from wealthier households in formal urban areas benefiting from better health outcomes, while poorer children in informal urban areas are disadvantaged. The third analysis examines diabetes prevalence among South African adults using standardised concentration indices, decomposition techniques and NIDS data. It uncovers varying socio-economic disparities across regions, with some areas showing reduced inequalities while others show increasing disparities. The final analysis looks at the relationship between public health expenditure and health outcomes from 2005 to 2019 across South African provinces employing two-way fixed effects panel models data from multiple sources. It finds that higher per capita health spending is paradoxically associated with lower life expectancy, indicating inefficiencies in resource allocation. Overall, the study underscores the need for tailored, region-specific healthcare policies to address the diverse challenges and reduce health inequalities across South Africa
Unpacking blended learning in higher education: an inductive analysis of English second language teaching practices at Tabuk University.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.As a result of COVID-19, universities worldwide, including Tabuk University in Saudi Arabia, have adopted blended learning for teaching English as a second language. This study explored the implementation of blended learning in English as a Second Language (ESL) education, focusing on its impact on language learning outcomes. Qualitative methodology was selected or its suitability. This study adopted an interpretive paradigm and employed an inductive approach to analyse data. The study investigated the perceptions of both educators and students regarding the effectiveness of blended learning practices. The research objectives included examining the benefits and challenges of blended learning, exploring how educators integrate technology into their teaching practices, and evaluating the impact of blended learning on language learning outcomes. Data generation methods included interviews, classroom observations, and focus group discussions, providing rich insights into participants' experiences. The findings suggest that blended learning offers numerous benefits for ESL education, such as enhanced student engagement, high cognitive presence, and positive teaching presence. Educators leverage digital technologies and innovative instructional approaches to create engaging and interactive learning environments that cater to diverse student needs. However, challenges related to technology integration, cultural barriers, and limited English usage outside the classroom were also identified. Despite these challenges, educators firmly commit to overcoming barriers and supporting student learning through blended learning initiatives. The study highlights the importance of ongoing training and support for educators to effectively integrate technology into their teaching practices. Recommendations for further research include exploring the design and implementation of assessment strategies in blended learning environments, investigating the impact of cultural factors on language learning outcomes, and examining best practices for promoting language usage outside blended learning settings. By addressing these areas, future research can contribute to improving ESL education through blended learning approaches
A virtual deliberative public engagement study on heritable genome editing among South Africans.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Throughout human endeavour, balancing ethics and safety with progress has historically been challenging to achieve, and this remains true for heritable human genome editing (HHGE). While HHGE holds the potential to revolutionise medicine, it has also sparked a global debate regarding its ethical, social and regulatory implications. This study emphasises the importance of incorporating the South African perspective into this ongoing global debate by exploring the opinions of an informed South African public on the acceptable applications of HHGE for genetic health conditions, immunity and genetic enhancements through a deliberative public engagement study.
A qualitative thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase method was conducted on participant responses, revealing a global theme: ‘Balancing health benefits (including improvements to the quality of life) with unanticipated risks to individuals and society.’ Seven principal themes emerged, reflecting key concerns: ‘The potential benefits of HHGE’, ‘impact on natural immune responses’, ‘equitable access to HHGE for everyone’, ‘HHGE and discrimination in society’, ‘the right to autonomy’, ‘going against human nature’ and ‘ambiguity in reasons for opinion changes’. These findings highlight the necessity of public engagement in shaping HHGE policies, emphasising that legitimacy extends beyond legal validity to include moral authority and societal acceptance. Additionally, the results of the study may be advantageous to policymakers as evidence-based research for the future regulation of HHGE in South Africa, especially given its current legal position on HHGE