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Realising the right to healthcare services in South Africa
No full textLLM (Human Rights)Department of Public LawThis study examines the ongoing problems faced in an attempt to enforce the provision of the entitlement to hospital facilities. It outlines the legal and constitutional frameworks that makes provision for the entitlement for having to access healthcare services for all people in the Republic. The need for such provision is a central part of the national vision for healthcare transformation. Therefore, our constitution provides that: “everyone has the right to have access to health care service.” In this regard it is important to note that “ This constitution is the supreme law of the Republic ;law or conduct that is in consistent with it is invalid and obligations imposed by it must be fulfilled”. The study draws on evidence from a range of sources, including published literature, policy, and existing healthcare reforms in South Africa, evaluates their efficiency and the current state of healthcare in the country, and discusses the socio-economic and political issues, including poverty, inequity and inadequate public healthcare infrastructure. Particularly, this study accesses the legal initiatives in South Africa, such as the statutory Health Insurance (NHI), and their potential to improve enforceability of the said right.
The conclusions drawn from this paper suggests that South Africa faces ongoing problems in achieving the objectives of providing for the right to healthcare, including a shortage of healthcare providers, low levels of public financing for health, and inadequate supplies. We are further burdened by the country's limited human resources and infrastructure, inadequate health systems governance, and weak public-private partnerships have all contributed to the slow progress in achieving universal healthcare coverage in the country.
The study concludes by proposing specific recommendations to safeguard the provision of the said right. These strategies include increasing public investment in health, strengthening public-private partnerships, and improving the management of the health system. It also highlights the importance of developing innovative strategies that can engage stakeholders in understanding and addressing these ongoing problems.
The evidence presented throughout this study suggests that substantial effort will be required to overcome the different challenges and ensure universal healthcare coverage in the country.NR
The Role od Ward Committees in community participation: the case of Lepelle-Nkupi Local Municipality, Limpopo Province
No full textM. Admin.Department of Public and Development AdministrationParticipating in the community involves open dialogue and team effort to solve problems in order to make decisions that are better and more acceptable. The focus of this study is to investigate the role that ward committees play in promoting community participation in the Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality, Limpopo Province. This is an attempt to learn how community participation through ward committees can aid basic service delivery which in doing so the community will be effectively playing their part in the integrated development planning. The study was conducted in the Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality. For this study, mixed-method research was used.
The study adopted a pragmatism paradigm and utilized a descriptive and contextual design using questionnaires and interviews as a method of collecting data. The study population consisted of municipal officials, ward councillors, ward committee members, civic organisations, community leaders, and community development workers. Sampling methods such as non-probability sampling in the form of purposive sampling technique were adopted. International business machinery: The statistical package of social sciences (IBM: SPSS) latest version was used to analyse quantitative data collected through questionnaires. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative interview data narratively. To guarantee that all respondents may participate voluntarily and without being forced or intimidated, all ethical considerations were taken into account during the data-gathering process.National Research Foundation (NRF
Genetic diversity of Human Herpesvirus Type 8 in Northern South Africa
No full textM. Sc. (Microbiology)Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyBackground: Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8), is an oncogenic virus responsible for causing all forms of Kaposi`s sarcoma (KS). HHV-8 prevalence varies globally, however, it is more prevalent in African countries, with South Africa having over 50% of HHV-8 infections. HHV-8 encodes a highly diverse open reading frame (ORF) K1 gene, which has led to the identification of seven major genotypes (A-F and Z) that are heterogeneously distributed across the world. The viral genetic landscape of any geographical area is of paramount importance in vaccine development and diagnostics. However, data on HHV-8 genotypes is scarce in northern South Africa. Therefore, this study will provide genetic diversity of HHV-8 in northern South Africa, and this may aid in the selection of genes for vaccine development.
Objective: The main objective of the study was to describe the genetic diversity of human herpesvirus type 8 in northern South Africa.
Methodology: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from 115 archived mouthwash samples collected from five healthcare facilities in northern South Africa. The partial open reading frame (ORF) K1 gene (~840bp) was amplified in a two round conventional PCR using JumpStart REDTaq master mix. The band of interest was extracted by phenol-freeze protocol and enriched using conventional PCR. Enriched amplicons were purified and sequenced in an Illumina MiniSeq platform. K1 genotypes were inferred using an online BioAfrica HHV-8 subtyping tool and confirmed by computing a phylogenetic tree. Intra-genetic diversity among HHV-8 genotypes was described by aligning study sequences with their respective prototype strains. Synonymous and nonsynonymous mutation rates were computed by the online SNAP tool.
Results: K1 gene was successfully amplified in 61.7% (71/115) samples, along with unspecified DNA bands. The band of interest was successfully recovered in 67 amplicons (94.4%). Sixty-five gel extracted products (65/67; 97%) were successfully enriched and purified using magnetic beads. Of the 65 purified samples, 63 were sequenced using Illumina MiniSeq platform. Thirty-seven sequences had an acceptable nucleotide base call. The prevalence of HHV-8 in the study sequences was 94% (35/37) and majority of the sequences (24/35;68%) had sequence reads that span partial or complete K1 gene.
Two major genotypes were detected (A and B); genotype B (19/24;79%) had a higher prevalence than genotype A (5/24; 21%). All sequences which grouped with genotype A were further classified as subtype A5. Interestingly, all sequences that were classified as genotype B did not cluster to any of the B subtypes. A higher genetic drift was observed among the
study sequences reaching up to 33.7% at the amino acid level. Genotypes A and B exhibited 16.67% and 7.41% intra-genetic diversity at the amino acid level, respectively. Several amino acid polymorphisms were observed at the ITAM region of genotype A sequences (OUHC 013 and ODF 029), while the ITAM region of the B sequence was conserved.
Conclusion: In this study, a predominance of HHV-8 genotype B was observed in northern South Africa. Additionally, there was a high degree of evolutionary divergence among the studied sequences. A higher frequency of nonsynonymous mutations was detected at the ITAM region of A5 sequences and these mutations may potentially affect the functionality of ITAM.National Research Foundation (NRF
The Adoption of Learning Management Systems by Private Schools during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Limpopo Province of South Africa
No full textM. Com (Business Information Systems)Department of Business Information SystemsLearning Management Systems (LMS) are becoming essential to the educational process. The continuous adoption and usage of LMS addresses multiple flaws of the traditional education system. LMS became a crucial part of any educational process during the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, as the circumstances made it unsafe to continue with the formal face-to-face educational process. The purpose of the study was to investigate the adoption of learning management systems by private schools during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Limpopo Province of South Africa to come up with an LMS framework that the schools could use to guide the adoption and usage of e-learning during abnormal times such as COVID-19 pandemic. This study adopted a mixed methods research methodology and utilized a cross-sectional survey and case study research designs. The study population included teachers and learners in Limpopo Province private schools. Probability and non-probability sampling methods were employed through cluster and purposive sampling techniques to arrive at the study sample. Survey questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data, while structured interviews were used to collect interview data. Quantitative data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics included frequency distributions, mean, and measures of dispersion, while the inferential statistics used the ANOVA, multiple regression analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient, and F-test. This was computed with STATA version 16. Qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. Both quantitative and qualitative results were converged to obtain a comprehensive assessment. The study found that ICT infrastructure availability and positive organizational and environmental factors are significantly related to LMS adoption. The challenges to LMS adoption include students’ lack of e-learning skills, negative attitudes, teacher unpreparedness, and inequalities among learners and educators. These results indicate that for schools to adopt LMS effectively, they should consider the needs of their institutions, choose user-friendly platforms, ensure that LMS are scalable, provide technical support, encourage engagement, and regularly monitor system usage and performance. The study's limitations were not addressing the long-term effects of LMS use on education or the comparative effectiveness of different LMS. This could also provide a valuable foundation for longitudinal studies tracking the effects of LMS adoption over time.National Research Foundation (NRF
Implications of the nature of governance in developmental local government with specific reference to Vhembe District Municipality
No full textD.AdminDepartment of Public and Development AdministrationThe purpose of the study was to investigate governance and developmental local government with specific reference to Vhembe District Municipality in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study adopted critical theoretical framework to the research. Governance is considered to be involving the totality of theoretical conceptions on governing and it is also regarded as the interactions between the society and the government. Governance focusses essentially on the ingredients for effective public administration, and it should make sure that policies produce the desired results, and it assists in making sure that government functionaries deliver services effectively and efficiently. In a more understandable terms governance is defined as the process of making decisions and the process by which decisions are implemented. In this study, the challenges of governance in developmental local government were identified and analysed. Theoretical framework was developed for the analysis of governance. A mixed method approach was used whereby the qualitative aspects predominated the quantitative elements. Interviews and questionnaires also served as data collection instruments in this study Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with structured questionnaires towards a purposively selected sample in the Vhembe District Municipality and its local municipalities. Newspapers, journals, books, theses, dissertations, and print media were also used to collect data. In this research primary and secondary sources of data were utilised. The thematic and the descriptive methods of data analysis were used in this research.
The study found out that governance enables and promotes effective service delivery in the municipalities. The research was concluded by stating that poor governance and lack of service delivery remain the challenges that municipalities are facing, including Vhembe District Municipality. The research recommended that principles of good governance should be used by Vhembe District Municipality and its local municipalities as guidelines in their operations of rendering services.NR
Synthesis of sulfonylthioureas containing two carbon linker as potential antidiabetic drugs
No full textM.Sc. (Chemistry)Department of ChemistryTarget compounds (18a-s) from the series (morpholine, piperidine, N-methylaniline, 2,6-dimethylaniline and diethylamine) of novel sulfonylthioureas were designed and synthesized over three reaction steps using different appropriate synthetic methods. Nucleophilic substitutions were employed in order to incorporate amines, three different carbon linkers between amines and sulfonylthioureas moiety. Furthermore, nucleophilic substitution reaction was used to incorporate appropriate substituted isothiocynates as the final main step. Compounds (18a-s) were obtained in good to excellent yields and were characterized using a combination of 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR and HRMS analysis. Compounds (18a-s) were evaluated for their antidiabetic activity against α-glucosidase and α-amylase. The in vitro screening results showed that most compounds had little to moderate activity against α-amylase at the concentrations of 60μM, 120μM and 240μM. When compounds were tested against α-glucosidase, they showed little to moderate antidiabetic activity at the concentrations of 60μM and 120μM but exhibited significant anti-diabetic activities at 240μM. Compounds that have a phenyl group substituent (18j, 18m, 18q, 18r and 18s with inhibition 70.21±5.97, 78±3.03, 76.33±2.03, 69.55±4.11 and 84.67±3.34 respectively at 240 μM) and a methyl group substituent (18q-s) exhibited stronger inhibition activity.NR
Nxopaxopo wa swihoxo swa matsalelo na mapeletelo eka Xitsonga leswi endliwaka hi vadyondzi lava kumekaka eka mivangu leyi ku vulavurinwaka tidziminyingi
No full textPhD (Xitsonga)Department of African LanguagesXikongomelokulu xa ndzavisiso lowu i ku kambisisa swihoxo swa matsalelo na mapeletelo eka Xitsonga leswi endliwaka hi vadyondzi va tigiredi ta 8 na 9 eka swikolo leswi kumekaka eswifundzenitsongo swa Capricorn na Waterberg eka tisekete ta Pietersburg, Sekgosese, Warmbad na Mahwelereng. Swikolo leswi swi kumeka eka mbangu lowu ku vulavuriwaka tindziminyingi. Swihoxo swa matsalelo na mapeletelo leswi nga kambisisiwa swi kongomisile eka swiyenge swa mune swa ririmi, ku nga dyondzo ya fonetiki, fonoloji, mofoloji na vulongoloxamarito. Ku kambisisiwile tinxaka ta mune ta swihoxo swa matsalelo na mapeletelo ku nga ku siviwa, ku siyetiwa, ku engetela, na ku hundzuluxa malongolokelo hi ku kongomisa eka swihluvi swa mbulavulo swa maviti, masivi, maendli, maengetelo, maengeteri na mahlanganisi. Ku tlhele ku langutiwa swihoxo leswi fambelanaka no khomanisa na ku hambanisa marito. Ndzavisiso lowu wu landzelerile dizayini ya maendlelo ma nkoka na ku tirhisa maendlelo ma sekondari ku hlengeleta mahungu. Sampulo yo hlawula hi xikongomelo yi tirhisiwile ku sampula mahungu laha endzhaku ma nga xopaxopiwa hi ku tirhisa endlelo ra nxopaxopo wa vundzeni bya matsalwa. Ndzavisiso lowu wu simekiwile ehenhla ka mianakanyo ya thiyori ya nxopaxopo wa swihoxo. Riviti, risivi, riendli, riengetelo, riengeteri na rihlanganisi i swihluvikulu swa nkoka leswi hi xitalo loko ku tsariwa switsariwa swi talaka ku va kona. Eka riviti, ku kumiwe leswaku vadyondzi va vafana va endla swihoxo swa matsalelo na mapeletelo ku tlula vanhwanyana. Swihoxo swa kona swi katsa ku engetela na ku siva kasi ku susa a swi talangi. Swihoxo swa vanhwanyana swi tele ngopfu eka ku susa. Eka malongolokelo ku kumekile swihoxo switsongo swinene. Eka risivi, ku kumiwe leswaku vafana va ha ya mahlweni na ku endla swihoxo swo tala ku tlula vanhwanyana eka ku engetela na ku siva. Eka riendli ku kumiwe leswaku vafana va ha rhanga emahlweni hi ku endla swihoxo swa ku engetela na ku siva ku tlula vanhwanyana kasi eka riengetelo, riengeteri na rihlanganisi ku kumiwe leswaku vafana va ha ya emahlweni na ku endla swihoxo swa ku engetela na ku siva ku tlula vanhwanyana. Kasi eka ku susa, ku siva na malongolokelo swihoxo swa kona a swi talangi ngopfu. Voxokoxoko lebyi kumiweke eka ndzavisiso lowu i bya nkoka naswona byi nga tirhisiwa ku antswisa timhaka ta dyondzo hitlhelo ra matsalelo na mapeletelo eka vadyondzi lava tshamaka etindhawini leti ku vulavuriwaka tindziminyingi.NR
Urban decay and regeneration strategies in small towns : a case study of Thohoyandou , South Africa
No full textM.URPDepartment of Urban and Regional PlanningEvidence of urban decay in small South African towns has been increasingly discernible over the years. Undoubtedly, other small rural towns face a myriad of challenges attributable to historic apartheid planning. They are distressed and underperforming despite having urban regeneration strategies in place. Small towns are faced with high poverty, unemployment, and a lack of economic vitality and diversification, creating a high degree of stagnation and urban decay. This complexity has been exacerbated by the vulnerability to Covid-19 pandemic stress, adding new challenges affecting their liveability and vitality. This resulted in renewed interest in small towns’ regeneration by the South African government to foster the developmental role of small towns. This dissertation contributes to the debate on how to improve current regeneration strategies in small towns focusing on Thohoyandou Town Central Business District (CBD). This study's objectives were threefold: firstly, to characterise urban decay through mapping, secondly, to investigate the causes and thirdly, to recommend a framework for sustainable small town urban regeneration. This study adopted a case study research design, augmented by the mixed method research approach. The SW Maps mobile application was used to gather geospatial data on urban decay in Thohoyandou Town CBD. This was complemented by questionnaire data collected from 202 participants and 3 key informants’ interviews. The spatial data were analysed through ArcMap geospatial analysis tools to produce maps reflecting the spatial extent and intensity of urban decay in Thohoyandou Town CBD. The data attained from study participants were analysed through ATLAS. ti, Microsoft Excel, and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. The study findings are that empirically Thohoyandou Town CBD is grappling with urban decay. This is caused by several key blockages, including poor urban management and planning, poor service delivery, the Covid-19 pandemic, implementation challenges caused by political interference, lack of monitoring and evaluation system, lack of policy alignment, and poor governance and inadequate institutional capacity linked to staff shortages with appropriate expertise. The implications of these findings are that current strategies are limited and outdated. The current urban regeneration strategy needs to be revised to enhance policy alignment, considering other funding modalities and establishment of special public entities to implement the strategies. More importantly, successful regeneration of small towns requires resources, patience, and commitment. Therefore, a stronger political will, effective governance, public-private cooperation, and institutional capacity are required to enable small rural towns to remain viable and transform into viable, vibrant and liveable cities.National Research Foundation (NRF
Framework for smart sustainable farming using the artificial intelligence of things in South Africa: A case of small-scale plant farming
No full textM. Com (Business Information Systems)Department of Business Information SystemsThe 4.0 green revolution in agriculture, also known as "smart farming," combines agricultural methodologies with technology such as sensors, actuators, information, and communication technology (ICT), the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and drones, to achieve desired production efficiencies at controlled costs. It is considered an important factor in disseminating farming to small-scale plant farmers across the globe. Even though some large-scale farmers in South Africa have previously embraced Artificial Intelligence of Things to support their agricultural processes. Small-scale plant farmers are still unable to operate due to some circumstances, such as inappropriate skills, knowledge, and services. There is no proper framework to assist small-scale plant farmers in the Vhembe district of Limpopo to develop a quality and smart farming environment. This study focused on discovering factors that influence the implementation of Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) systems towards small-scale plant farmers and its challenges. The researcher collected data from 10 participants through interviews and guided by a structured interview guide. The collected data was transcribed using Microsoft word and analysed through thematic framework analysis using ATLAS ti. The findings of this study intended to bring new insights and guidelines to small-scale plant farmers on the best method to utilise AIoT tools and skills they would require throughout. The study recommended that the government must assist the small-scale farmers with funding, maintenance and awareness towards the automation of their farms. The study found that AIoT is an essential tool for sustaining farming. The findings revealed that the effective adoption of AIoT shall improve productivity and sustainability for small-scale farmers to serve the globe without relying solely on commercial farms. Eventually, this study proposed a framework for smart sustainable farming specified at integrating farming practices, technologies and its stakeholders based on the UTAUT model.NR
Perceptions of cannabis entrepreneurs on South Africa’s cannabis masterplan: a case study of Limpopo Province
No full textM.A. (Business Management)Department of Business ManagementThis study delves into the emerging discourse surrounding the decriminalisation and commercialisation of cannabis, particularly within the context of South Africa's Cannabis Master Plan. With global shifts toward legalisation for both medicinal and recreational purposes, understanding the perceptions and challenges faced by cannabis entrepreneurs becomes paramount. In the Limpopo Province, like many other regions of South Africa, one of its strategic plans is to promote entrepreneurship and small-scale businesses, thus there is a need to interrogate the cannabis masterplan of the country. The main objective of the study was, therefore, to explore the perceptions of cannabis entrepreneurs on South Africa’s cannabis Master Plan. In this study a qualitative research method was used, and participants were selected using non-probability snowball sampling. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview guide through face-to-face interviews. An audio recorder and a notebook were used to capture the responses of the participants and data was collected from 16 cannabis entrepreneurs in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The adequate number of the sample size was guided by the point of saturation. The collected data was transcribed using Microsoft Word version 26 and analysed using ATLAS.ti.23 and the results found were used to make conclusions and recommendations of the study. The research findings highlight challenges faced by cannabis entrepreneurs, particularly, compliance with the country’s laws and regulatory bodies. For instance, to obtain a cannabis operating license, one is expected to pay a minimum of R25 000 and build a cannabis facility with high security and a sensory detector which is estimated could be over a million rand. The participants emphasised the need for unrestricted cannabis commercialisation, citing its benefits, such as income generation, economic growth and employment creation amongst others; also, entrepreneurs face issues with society not being informed about cannabis’ potential benefits. One of the recommendations made from this study is that policymakers and industry stakeholders should foster a sustainable, inclusive cannabis industry through full implementation of the Cannabis Master plan.NR