2694 research outputs found
Sort by
Effectiveness of Municipal governance systems in promoting local economic and social development in rural areas of South Africa: the case of Mopani District
No full textPhDRDVInstitute for Rural DevelopmentIncreasingly, it has been argued that municipal governance systems designed to promote local economic and social development (LESD) are failing to help improve the quality of people’ lives in rural communities of South Africa. This happens although municipalities would annually prepare Integrated Development Plans (IDP) which serve as strategic roadmaps guiding services delivery and local development. The developed and approved economic growth plans are rarely implemented to satisfaction of communities. In this study, it is argued that the problem of non-implementation of LESD initiatives can be addressed through strengthening the municipal governance systems. A combination of focus groups and a questionnaire were used to collect quantitative data. Purposive sampling was applied from the identified research population sampled as follows: members of community (vulnerable groups such as youth; women; and people with disabilities); community structures; business community; and Traditional Leaders.
The results of the study revealed significant insights into the effectiveness of existing systems, procedures and processes. Key results were that the highest-ranked perceptions among stakeholders were related to the reduction of poverty and inequality, alongside increased acquisition of relevant training (P < 0.05). Conversely, the least effective aspects (P < 0.05) were identified as increased incomes for businesses and the attraction of investment, with effectiveness scores as low as 14% and 21%, respectively. Differences in perceptions were noted among Traditional Authorities and Local Municipalities. For instance, residents of Sekgopo, Sekororo and Mogoboya had a more favourable view regarding infrastructure maintenance compared to other areas. Furthermore, significant disparities were observed in perceptions of poverty reduction and business retention among municipalities (P < 0.05), highlighting the need for targeted interventions tailored to specific local contexts.
The implications of these findings suggest a multifaceted approach to enhance LESD effectiveness. Key recommendations include:
a) Local Municipalities should prioritize areas identified as ineffective, such as business support services and infrastructure development.
b) Training programs and partnerships should be established to enhance skills and knowledge among stakeholders.
c) Enhanced collaboration among Traditional Authorities, Local Municipalities, and other stakeholders is essential for inclusive decision-making.
d) Policymakers should consider reforms to address systemic challenges and promote innovation in LESD.
e) Continuous assessment of initiatives is crucial for tracking progress and ensuring accountability.
vf) Empowering local communities to participate in the design and implementation of development initiatives is vital for effective governance.
In general, the perceived effectiveness of institutional arrangements for LESD is low, underscoring the need for comprehensive reassessment and improvement in collaboration, transparency, and responsiveness to stakeholder needs. Addressing these challenges is essential for fostering sustainable economic and social development within local communities.NR
Educational programme to optimise complementary feeding practices for children under two years by young mothers in Limpopo Province
No full textPhD (Nursing Science)Department of Advanced Nursing ScienceBackground: Breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding are the core indicators of infant and young child feeding for the normal growth, survival, and development of children. Initiating breastfeeding within an hour after birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and introducing complementary feeding at the target age of six months while continuing with breastfeeding up to 24 months or beyond helps prevent malnutrition, which is one of the challenging and critical public health problems.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop an educational programme to optimise complementary feeding practices for children under two years old in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Methodology: This study was done in two phases. Phase one was the situational analysis and phase two was the development of an educational programme. A qualitative approach using explorative, descriptive, and contextual designs was adopted. This study was conducted in four selected hospitals with high admission rates of children suffering from malnutrition in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province. The study population was young mothers between 18 and 26 years with children under two years admitted with malnutrition and professional nurses working at the selected hospitals in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province who managed or treated children with malnutrition. Purposive sampling was used to select the Vhembe District's top four hospitals and 32 young mothers. Convenience sampling was used to select 12 professional nurses. Data were generated using unstructured, in-depth individual interviews with professional nurses and focus group discussions with young mothers. Data were analysed using Tesch’s eight steps of analysis. Measures to ensure trustworthiness were employed. Ethical considerations were adhered to throughout the study. The six elements of practice orientated theory outlined by Dickoff et al., (1968), SWOT (2014) and Building on Strengths, Overcoming Weaknesses, Exploring Opportunities and Minimizing Threats, BOEM action plan (2013) informed the development of the educational programme. The developed education programme was validated following Chinn and Kramer's (2019) five critical questions.
Results: Five themes emerged from the analysed data, namely sub-optimal feeding practices, factors influencing nutrition and feeding practices, interventions needed by young mothers from health care professionals, views of professional nurses regarding complementary feeding, and the needs for young mothers as perceived by professional nurses.
Recommendation: This study recommends further research to evaluate the effectiveness of the developed educational programme to optimise complementary feeding practices for children under two years by young mothers.NR
Strategies for promoting effective financial management practices in public schools: a case of Ehlanzeni District Mpumalanga Province
No full textM.Com (Accountancy)Department of AccountancyEffective financial management practices are crucial for public schools to operate efficiently and achieve educational goals. However, many public schools in South Africa, particularly in rural areas, struggle with financial management due to limited resources and expertise. The aimed at identifying and evaluating strategies for promoting effective financial management practices in public schools in the Ehlanzeni district of Mpumalanga province. The study adopted a qualitative approach within the interpretative paradigm guidelines. A semi-structured interview was conducted with school principals, and questionnaires were administered to financial officers and SGB members to collect data. A purposive sampling method was used to select a sample of 30 participants from 10 public schools in the Ehlanzeni district. The study revealed challenges such as parental disengagement, skill gaps among school governing body members, lack of exposure to training, and limited fundraising in public schools within the Ehlanzeni District, Mpumalanga. Parental disengagement has caused a lack of oversight and accountability in public schools, leading to poor financial decisions and poor management of finances as a result.
In response to these challenges, the study identifies a set of strategies aimed at promoting effective financial management practices. These include parental involvement strategies, training initiatives tailored to local needs, technology integration, community engagement events, financial literacy programmes, capacity building, regular internal audits, collaborative partnerships, and transparent reporting systems. These strategies are designed to enhance transparency, accountability, and financial literacy among stakeholders, thereby improving financial decision-making and management practices in public schools. By addressing these challenges and proposing actionable solutions, this research contributes to the body of knowledge on public school financial management in South Africa. It offers practical insights that can benefit public schools in the Ehlanzeni district of Mpumalanga province and serve as a model for improving financial management in similar contexts nationwideNR
Economic optimization of assurance in stochastic yield analysis of water resource systems
No full textMESHWRDepartment of Earth SciencesAllocation of water from South Africa’s already straining water resources systems is a complex task given the ever-increasing water demand. The situation is made worse because of diminishing suitable sites for water resources infrastructure development, limited financial resources, and effects of climate change. To mitigate failure of water supply and ensure progressive water allocation, South Africa adopted a risk-based water allocation system in which it allocates water at different assurances of supply. Since assurance of supply is inversely proportional to yield, some water authorities tend to allocate water at relatively excessive high assurances of supply to mitigate total failure of water resources. This practice of allocating water at excessively high assurances of supply in turn reduces the amount of allocable water from the water resource. Consequently, the practice in turn results in either emerging users being denied access to water and/or lowly prioritised users being curtailed more early/frequently to satisfy the highly prioritised users. This study, therefore, examined prospects of optimizing existing water resources by specifically investigating the prospects of increasing the economic benefits from a water resource through reduction of its assurance of supply.
The study therefore conducted a comparative analysis on the Western Cape Water Supply System (WCWSS) to assess if the yield of the system could be increased for more economic benefits by either reducing the assurance of supply only or by adopting an infrastructural development. To achieve this objective, the study compared the net benefits derived from the Berg River Voelvlei Augmentation Scheme (BRVAS) infrastructural development project that would increase the yield of the WCWSS by 23 x106 m3/a, and the net benefits that could be derived from an increase in yield due to reduction of assurance of supply by a margin that would result in a yield similar to that of the intended BRVAS infrastructural project. The second section determined incremental yields from Tzaneen Dam and their corresponding net economic benefits due to reduction of assurance of supply. The third section tested if the optimum assurance of supply of Tzaneen Dam was sensitive to other water resources systems characterized by different hydrological regimes. To conduct this sensitivity analysis, incremental yields and corresponding net benefits due reduction of assurance of supply from, Midmar, Goedertrouw, Mokolo and Boegeberg dams were determined.
The comparative analysis demonstrated that the yield of the WCWSS could also be increased by reducing the assurance of supply from the existing 1 in 50 years (1:50) to 1 in 30 years (1:30). It also demonstrated that adoption of reduction of assurance of supply as a method of increasing assurance of supply more economic benefits when compared to yield augmentation through infrastructural interventions as reduction of assurance of supply had a net benefit of R 96.2 x106 while the BRVAS infrastructural intervention had a net benefit of R 15.5 x106. Results established that Tzaneen Dam could be optimised at 1:18 assurance of supply. It was therefore concluded that not all reductions of the assurance of supply result in an incremental increase of the net benefits. Results from the sensitivity analysis revealed that each water resources system is unique as different water resources used in the sensitivity analysis, Midmar, Goedertrouw, Mokolo and Boegeberg Dams had their optimum assurances of supply at 1:12, 1:12, 1:8 and 1:10 levels, respectively.
Both the comparative analysis and the sensitivity analyses acknowledge the role played by water availability in socio-economic development, however, for ease of analysis due to challenges of quantifying contribution due to sufficient or insufficient water, the socio-economic aspect was not included in the analysis. Overall, the study highlighted that the economic benefits of a water resource may be optimized by reducing the assurance of supply up to a certain level. The study therefore recommended that this practice should also be considered as an alternative method of increasing water availability from a system.National Research Foundation (NRF
An assessment of the role of traditional leadership in service delivery with specific reference reference to DR J. S. Moroka Local Municipality
No full textMPMO. R. Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy StudiesAs a third branch of government, this study looked into the role traditional leaders play in assisting with service delivery in Dr. JS Moroka Local Municipality communities. Moreover, not much research has been done in this field, especially in the Province of Mpumalanga. In a democratic and civilized society, public services are a right, not a privilege, according to the most current strategy paper on Transforming Public Service Delivery. Consequently, meeting everyone's fundamental needs is one of the government's five main macro policy initiatives. The literature research indicates that traditional leaders and the municipality are crucial to the provision of services in communities. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the issues and barriers that the community encounters when delivering services and to consider the strategic significance of the municipality in service delivery. With the use of this data, traditional leaders and municipalities may gauge how well they are serving the community by seeing how satisfied the people are and how they see their communities. Face-to- face interviews and official documents like the Integrated Development Plan were employed by the study to gather data in the chosen villages. Traditional leaders, ward council members, the council speaker, and a few senior citizens of the village were present. A data analysis showed that community members were negatively impacted by inadequate service delivery. It is advised that the municipality pay attention to these conclusions and issues. There are initiatives underway to guarantee and enhance efficacy in this domain, as delineated in the papers of the Reconstruction and Development Programme and the White Paper on Transforming Public Service Delivery. This leads one to the conclusion that the level of services provided by the municipality is below par and that the provision of high-quality services within the municipality is necessary. Municipalities, community members, and traditional leaders can all assist in achieving this.NR
Undergraduate Students's Experiences with Blended Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic at a Rural Based University in South Africa
No full textM.A. (Sociology)Department of Arts and Social SciencesThis qualitative study aimed to investigate the undergraduate students’ experiences of Blended Learning at one rural based university in Thulamela municipality in the Vhembe district, Limpopo province. The study draws from the transitional distance and social learning theory to investigate how the undergraduate students in the university adjusted from face-to-face learning to online learning. Non-probability sampling was used to select thirty participants. Telephonically semi-structured interviews were used to collect data and the data was thematically analysed following the six stages of thematic data analysis. The data indicate that students were unable to actively take part in online learning, mostly because of low signal strength, poor infrastructural facilities, financial constraints, which characterises students’ life in rural-based universities in South Africa. Hence, they devised coping strategies such as consultations with returning students, learning independently, going to places where there is a stable internet connectivity, attending classes in groups, searching for information where they felt that the information provided by the lecturers were unsatisfactory, consulting with fellow classmates and asking lecturers to use other online platforms to deliver lessons. The data also showed that the University also tried to help the students by devising significant orthodox support systems. These includes faculty student online support services and provision of internet data and, financial support to the students. Together, these innovative inputs made it possible for the students to navigate particularly from face-to-face learning to online learning during the pandemic. Insights regarding students’ experiences from this study, potentially provides policy direction for both universities in South Africa, as well as the Department of Higher Education and Training on the use of Blended Learning in rural based universities in South Africa.NR
Guidelines to support professional nurses in managing aggressive patients within a mental health care unit of Limpopo Province, South Africa
No full textD. NURDepartment of Advanced Nursing ScienceThe prevalence of workplace violence is a serious challenge for developed and developing nations, particularly in Africa, putting more workers in danger. Due to the nature of the mental illnesses that patients are admitted with, acute psychiatric wards are stressful places to work in. As members of the frontline workforce, nurses have frequent interactions with patients, which increases their chance of experiencing violent occurrences. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate guidelines to support professional nurses in managing aggressive patients within the acute mental health care unit (MHCU) of Limpopo Province, South Africa.
A qualitative approach using descriptive, explorative and contextual design was used in this study. Multiphase sampling was used to sample the districts, hospitals, and participants. Districts were purposively sampled. The hospitals were sampled in two stages, namely, sampling of district hospitals and regional hospitals that were purposively selected. The participants were sampled using convenience sampling. The study population was professional nurses with psychiatric nursing science qualifications who were allocated to the acute MHCU.
The study was conducted in two phases. Phase one was situational analysis, where multiple theories (The Roy Adaptation Model and Dickoff's six elements of practice) were used to guide the study. Data were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s six steps, and four themes emerged from data generation, namely, management of aggressive patients, care of patients in a seclusion room, challenges faced by professional nurses when managing aggressive patients, and type of support needed by professional nurses when managing aggressive patients. Trustworthiness and ethical principles were adhered to throughout the study.
The second phase was developing guidelines to support professional nurses in managing aggressive patients within MHCU and validation. Multiple theories were used to develop the guidelines, namely, Dickoff et al., six elements, SWOT analysis, and BOEM action plan. A team of professionals who are experts in mental health and psychiatric nurses who are the end users validated the guidelines according to Chinn and Kramer’s steps.
The study recommends that there should be in-service training and workshops that will enhance knowledge and skills to support professional nurses in managing aggressive patients.NR
Prevalence of Injectable Anti-Tuberculosis Drugs and Drug Resistance Amongst TB Patients in The Vhembe District (Limpopo, South Africa
No full textM.Sc (Microbiology)Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyBackground: Tuberculosis is one of the most infectious diseases and a major contributor to high
mortality and morbidity rates worldwide. The rise of human immunodeficiency virus cases also
compounds to the tuberculosis burden, as human immunodeficiency virus patients are thought to
be more susceptible to tuberculosis, since the disease is an opportunistic infection and makes an
individual’s immune system less capable of fighting off infections. Drug resistance tuberculosis
makes transmission and combatting of disease challenging, particularly multi-drug resistant
strains that are resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin, pre-XDR, resistant to isoniazid,
rifampicin and a fluoroquinolone and extensively-drug resistant, a rare form of multidrug
resistance tuberculosis that is resistant to isoniazid, rifampicin, fluoroquinolone, and a secondline
injectable (amikacin, capreomycin, and kanamycin). Resistance to fluoroquinolone and
injectable drugs is not frequently tested due to budget constraints and the ongoing high
tuberculosis burden in developing nations. Furthermore, there is insufficient knowledge about
extensively-drug resistant strains and mutations connected to fluoroquinolone and injectable
drugs in South Africa. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of genetic
mutations in M. tuberculosis obtained from tuberculosis positive patients attending medical
facilities in the Vhembe region of the province of Limpopo, South Africa, with respect to genotype
conferring resistance for INH, RIF, EMB, PZA, FQs, all of which are linked to resistance to
second-line drugs.
Methods: Ethical clearance was obtained, a total of 50 morning sputum samples were collected
from health-care facilities. Structured questionaries were also administered to collect additional
information. Collected data was analysed to investigate the risk factors associated with drug
resistance tuberculosis. Allplex Multiplex polymerase chain reaction permitted simultaneous
amplification and detection of target sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In order to
determine genetic mutations, 8 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were targeted using
MassARRAY (Agena) system.
Results: Among the 50 tuberculosis recruited patients (from the pool of main study August 2022-
June 2023), 60% were males and 40% were females. HIV was highly (66%) prevalent amongst
study population; susceptible tuberculosis 4%, MTB & NTM 28% (co-infection), NTM 58% and
4% drug resistance were observed. Overall, of the SNPs designed only 8 related gene mutations
could be successfully detected. Overall, from the study population, 2 samples were detected to
be pre-XDR (FQ-R and RIF-R + INH-R + FQ-R).
Conclusion: The findings of the study provide valuable insights into the characteristics and
prevalence of tuberculosis, along with associated risk factors and co-morbidities among the study
population in Vhembe district. The emergence of drug resistance highlights the necessity for
continued pattern monitoring and the application of suitable treatment approaches in order to stop
the spread of drug-resistant strains. To draw firm conclusions about drug-resistant tuberculosis
risk factors in patients in the Vhembe region, further information is still required.National Research Foundation (NRF
A Critical Analysis of the Enforcement of Human Rights in Addressing Workplace Discrimination Against the LGBTQIA+ Community in South Africa
No full textLLMDepartment of Public LawSection 9(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa indicates that everyone is equal before the law and no one should be discriminated against on the grounds of gender, sex, race, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, conscience, belief, culture, or language. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community are discriminated against in their homes, within their communities, and in their workplaces. This happens despite South Africa having progressive laws that support the LGBTQIA+ community compared to other countries around the world.
In order to answer the research questions, this study adopted the doctrinal research methodology for its effectiveness in critiquing, assessing, and developing law. The aim of the study was to examine the extent to which the LGBTQIA+ community is protected against discrimination based on their sexual orientation at their workplaces. The objectives of the study were to explore discrimination within the work environment, workplace policies, and all other legislation protecting the LGBTQIA+ community; to explore the nature and determine forms of discrimination and other human rights violations against the LGBTQIA+ community in the workplace; and to analyse LGBTQIA+ anti-discrimination provisions and court judgements from other jurisdictions.
The South African constitution and labour-related acts are there to ensure that the LBGTQIA+ community is protected from workplace discrimination. The Employment Equity Act, Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, Labour Relations Act, and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act are available to prevent discrimination. However, LGBTQIA+ people still experience discrimination in the workplace.
When employees encounter discrimination because of their sexual orientation, they must first talk to their supervisor, and when no assistance has been provided, the employee must make use of the courts. The outreach awareness campaign for LGBTQIA+ rights in the workplace is also recommended. Equal pay for equal work done should apply to the LGBTQIA+ community in the workplace. Name-calling and
harassment should be treated with severe punishment among co-workers who inflict discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community.National Research Foundation (NRF
Constitutional protection of animal “rights” in South Africa and India: A legal comparison
No full textLLMDepartment of Public LawThe human-animal relationship has several inconsistencies. This is because of the contradictions on how human beings treat animals. In certain instances, human beings have shown love and affection towards animals, while in some instances, there has been a highest level of cruelty towards animals. Animal cruelty has long been a concern; however, society has occasionally accepted this behaviour as usual. This is because humans have power over animals and view them as property. A number of anti-cruelty Acts have been passed in South Africa in response to the current trend in the plight of animals. However, South Africa's anti-cruelty laws are insufficient, incoherent, and disjointed. Their anthropocentric as opposed to the ecocentric nature raises ethical and legal concern relating to the adequacy of legal protection of animals. Yet, ecocentric focus has emerged as a feature of legal protection in several legal systems; including India, which has used progressive interpretation of its Constitution for legal protection of animals. Using a doctrinal methodology, this study interrogates the various ethical and legal approaches that support the protection of animal rights. It then determines whether the legal protections for animals under South African law are adequate, and whether there are any lessons to be learned from India's constitutional protection of animals. It was found that Courts in South Africa prefer anthropocentric arguments to protect animals, while Courts in India prefer ecocentric viewpoints. Various provisions in the South African Constitution have been used to protect animals. There are, however, some constitutional provisions that can be used to protect animals, taking into account lessons in India, where Courts have readily extended constitutional provisions that protect humans to cover animals as well.National Research Foundation (NRF