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Assessing the knowledge, attitutes and practices of street food vendors with regard to food hygiene and safety in Tobias Hainyeko constituency Windhoek, Khomas region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Public HealthGlobally, the projected number of foods found to be contaminated from street vendors particularly in developing countries is on the increase. It is however unclear; the contribution unhygienic practices make to food contamination. This study sought to determine the practices of food vendors regarding food hygiene, safety and assessed the level of knowledge of street food vendors with regard to food hygiene and safety, as well as to determine the attitudes of street food vendors towards food hygiene and their food safety practices in Tobias Hainyeko constituency in the Khomas region of Namibia.
A cross sectional, descriptive and quantitative study was used. The study recruited 96 food vendors using a stratified sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data about knowledge, attitude and practices of street foods vendors towards food hygiene and safetyof food vendors. Data was collected on 96 respondents and were analyzed and presented using visual aids which include pie charts. The study used several techniques in analyzing the findings relative to the research objectives. In addition, the study used means and standard deviations derived from the various responses to interpret the results. This was facilitated by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS.). Basically, primary data generated by the study was edited and tested for consistency and reliability. The result indicate that there was statistically significant connection between the adherence to good hygiene practice and food vendors undergone a training on food preparation and vending of food hygiene and safety amongst street food vendors with a p-value of 0.001.Results also show that 47% of the vendors do not have knowledge about food preparation and vending and 58% have never participated in a training on food handling and preparation. Most of the street food vendors which is 58% started food vending without going through any trainings. Results also indicate that there is a habit of poor hand washing practice among vendors, with 47% of the vendors who do not believe in washing hands which could lead to food contamination. The study recommends that intervention should target organizing periodic training on food safety, food preparation and hygiene practices for the street food vendors. Additionally, the study also recommends that the municipal assembly must increase awareness about the benefits of observing proper food hygiene practices by food vendors
Students' critical thinking in academic writing: Perspectives of Rukwangali language education lecturers at Rundu campus
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Studies)Nor Shidrah (2012) notes that tertiary writing is very different from secondary school writing by compelling tertiary students to produce writing of a more critical academic nature. Objectivity and conciseness are the goals of such writing that needs to be followed. The purpose of the study was to discover Rukwangali language lecturers’ perspectives on students’ inability of critical thinking in their academic writing at Rundu campus in the Kavango East Region. The study employed a qualitative phenomenological research design which was conducted through purposive sampling and analysed using the content analysis approach. Data was collected using the semi structured interview protocol, document analysis guide and an observation check list with four Rukwangali language lecturers and test scripts and assignment of eight students. The study further revealed that lecturers may use strategies such as the infusion/ explicit approach, teacher questioning, assessment rubrics, writing and peer evaluation that may contribute to their inability to do that if not used correctly during such writings. This study recommends that Lecturers should provide a concrete definition of what constitutes critical thinking as a skill to their students before they drive them to the direction of becoming critical thinkers, they should explain the importance of critical thinking in academic writing to students, the university’s curriculum should explicitly incorporate critical thinking in academic writing as an exit learning outcome for each module offered, Rukwangali lecturers should write more books in their language to equip the library with these books so that their students can use them during research and lecturers should do away with questions that require students to recite content and move to questions that require their students to analyse, synthesise and apply knowledge in different situations
The consolidated diamond mines and the natives in colonial Namibia: A critical analysis of the role of illegal diamonds in the development of Owamboland (1908-1990)
No full textA dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political ScienceWhilst the ‘natural resource curse’ theory has been an enduring theory in the study of the relationship between natural resources endowment and economic development, the economics approach to this theory, which privileges the economic explanation focusing on the Dutch disease and revenue volatility, has been dominant. The political economy approach has proven to be more useful not only in political science but also in the study of the African political economy and developing countries such as Namibia where the political conditions played an influential role than the Dutch disease and revenue volatility. At the theoretical level, this study aligns and pursued the political economy approach to the ‘natural resource curse’ research and provides further explanations from a decolonial perspective. The decolonial explanations are useful for it is evident that the ‘natural resource curse’, as is the case with other Eurocentric theories, does not dwell on the agency and subjectivity of the natives, in this case those involved in the illegal diamond trade. Because of the political conditions in colonial Namibia, the political economy explanations such as rent-seeking, agency and moral cosmopolitanism are insufficient in explaining the relationship between the natives and CDM in colonial Namibia in general and the role of illegal diamonds in the development of Owamboland in particular. As such, decolonial insights such as alternative epistemology, indigenous resurgence and alternative conceptualization of development are used to provide understanding of the political economy of illegal diamonds in Owamboland. Using a mixed method, the study was exposed to a rich data set ranging from interviews, archival records, court records and secondary data. This allowed for cross pollination and verification of the data thus improving the validity and reliability of the data and findings. The study found, across all four data sets, comprehensive evidence confirming illegal diamond operations at CDM involving the Aawambo workers and the Portuguese masterminds. It is found that illegal diamonds made a contribution in the development of Owamboland in colonial Namibia. It is also found that prominent business personalities credited for the development of Owamboland, referred to in the study as the ‘Diamond Princes’, were involved in the underground diamond economy in Owamboland. Illegal diamonds led to increased
purchasing power, widespread mercantilism and provided several economic opportunities for the natives in Owamboland including the transformation of Owamboland rural economy. The evidence further suggests that Namibia’s liberation movement and the progenitor of the present-day ruling party, SWAPO, was a direct and indirect beneficiary of the illegal diamond economy rents during the fight against apartheid colonialism. CDM, which maintained a symbiotic relationship with the colonial state and implemented its policies, stands accused of and associated with the death and disappearance of CDM workers who remain unaccounted for to date. In summary, the study responds to a clarion call for decolonial and Afrocentric perspectives on African development. Its end result is a compound that brings together several aspects of Namibian political economy to advance the case for of the role of illegal diamonds in the development of Owamboland. Given that the study took place in ‘unchartered territory’, its greatest contribution, beyond decolonial and Afrocentric pleas, is that of ‘ground-breaking’ research for there has been no record of research, at this level, that looked at the role of illegal diamonds in the development of Owamboland in colonial Namibia
Assessment of the impact of chemical de-bushing on herbaceous vegetation and ground-dwelling invertebrate communities at Neudamm farm
No full textA mini thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Rangeland Resources Management (Animal Science)This study aimed at assessing the impacts of chemical de-bushing on herbaceous plants and ground-dwelling invertebrates at Neudamm farm. Three experimental sites (camp’s 5, 6 and 7) treated in 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively with a general purpose arboricide were selected alongside one (camp 4) untreated site. Pitfall traps were placed under 15 Senegalia mellifera trees which were strategically selected in each site. Three quadrates, two placed contiguous under the canopy and one outside the canopy of fifteen Senegalia mellifera trees were used to identify and record the herbaceous plants. The herbaceous species diversity was higher in the control camp than in the other camps (H=29.285, d.f = 3, p < 0.000), while the ground- dwelling invertebrate diversity (H= 2.497, d.f = 3, p < 0.5) and Family richness (H = 0.285, d.f = 3, p =0.963) did not differ significantly between the camps. However, species richness was higher in camp 5 (treated in 2016) than in the control camp (H= 13.085, d.f = 3, p < 0.000). The HCA on binary data separated the herbaceous plant species into 6 clusters and the pitfall traps into 7 clusters indicating the significant changes in herbaceous species and invertebrate family composition due to chemical treatment, among other factors. Grass biomass was higher in camp 5 (p < 0.001) and the control camp had the highest ground cover (H= 8.5 and p- value= 0.037). This study has shown that arboricides have significant direct negative effect on herbaceous vegetation and, to a lesser extent, on the ground- dwelling invertebrates
A comparative analysis of the effects of public tax education and tax amnesty on tax compliance in Windhoek
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration FinanceThis study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effects of public tax education
and tax amnesty on tax compliance. The Ministry of Finance (MoF) as the custodian of
the management and administration of state funds grapples with a widening budget deficit
which is becoming untenable. The Revenue department has accumulated massive tax
debts spanning over many decades. This has been aggravated by the imposition of
compound interest on outstanding amounts. In most cases, the amount owing now exceeds
the capital amount. The causal-comparative research design was adopted in this study as
it identifies differences between dependent variables and independent variables.
Quantitative research methods with a self-administered questionnaire were used to collect
data from taxpayers. A probability sampling frame was then used to ensure that every
taxpayer had an equal chance ofbeing selected. Analysis ofVariance (ANOVA) was used
to test the research hypothesis because it requires fewer measurements to discover
significant effects. Furthermore, descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages
were used in order to explain the effects of public tax education and tax amnesty on tax
compliance among Windhoek CBD taxpayers. Based on the outcomes, it comes out
clearly that the Inland Revenue Department had no educational programs in place to
provide training, teaching, and education to taxpayers. All that they do currently is to
remind taxpayers about their tax obligations and compliance while the public lack basic
skills and knowledge regarding tax. Whilst it seems that the tax amnesty is aimed at
increasing tax revenues in the State Budget, only a handful of taxpayers came forward to
participate in the program and the Inland Revenue Department did not collect as much
debt owed as expected. The Inland Revenue Department needs to do more to come up
with educational strategies to educate tax-payers and ensure that tax-payers gain basic
knowledge, especially on filling tax-return forms. They also need to educate taxpayers
and create awareness on the importance of tax amnesty programs by ensuring that the
public understands the benefits and consequences of the program. Both tax amnesty and
tax education programs if well implemented could help to enhance the level of compliance
which would help taxpayers to comply voluntarily through all possible way
Investigating corporate governance practices and challenges in Namibia: A case study of NamPower
No full textA research thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Business AdministrationThe aim of the study was to investigate corporate governance practices and
challenges at NamPower, Namibia. The main and specific objectives of the study
were: to have an in depth investiga.tion into the corporate governance practices and
challenges at NamPower; to determine the relationship between corporate
governance practices used and performance level at NamPower; to determine
successes and challenges facing the current corporate governance practices at
NamPower; and to determine the determinant factors for implementing good
corporate governance at NamPower.
· The study adopted a mixed method approach for the collection of data on the
investigation of corporate governance practices and challenges in Namibia. The
finding of the study indicated a significant negative relationship between corporate
governance practices used and performance level at NamPower (beta = -1.63, p <
0.00 I). The findings imply that a 1% increase in the current corporate governance
practices would result in a 1.63% reduction in the firm performance ofNamPower.
This study recommends that NamPower should consider finding the best model of
corporate governance to induce positive level of performance. The study also
recommends that NamPower should invest on corporate governance awareness
which is critically important to the successful implementation of corporate
governance practices at NamPower, this would induce enhancement of firm
performance, corporate governance practices and corporate governance outcomes.
Since NamPower's implementation of a successful corporate governance depends on
external factors, it is also recommended that it should monitor external influences
from politics and the environment from time to time.
It is further recommended that a study be conducted, to investigate the relationship
between corporate governance and performance level on NamPower in the energy
secto
A comparative analysis of customer expectations and service quality of retail banking in Namibia: A case study of commercial banks in Windhoek
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration (Management Strategy)The SERVQUAL instrument was developed in 1988 by Zeithaml, Parasuraman and
Berry as a multi-item scale to assess customer perceptions of service quality in the
service industry. Customers judge service quality as low or high depending on whether
· the service performance meets their expectations or not. The main objectives of study
are to evaluate the service quality dimensions with respect to perception and expectation
of customers in retail banking sector at the Windhoek CBD , to ascertain the gap
between perception and expectation and to Identify the impact of customer
perception/expectation on Perceived service quality.
A Purposive and convenience sampling methods were adopted by the researcher to
select 200 bank customers for the study. The researcher applied Gap analysis to
determine if there was significant difference between customers perception/expectation
on perceived service quality. The results indicate the significant difference between all
the dimensions in customer perceptions and expectations. Responsiveness, assurance
and empathy showed an average negative difference of -0.3,-0.02 and -0.12 for the four
banks which means customer expectations are higher than' perception in every
dimension. Also, the Tangibility and Reliability showed a positive difference of 0.12 and
0.03. The fmdings seem to suggest that retail banks put attention to improve these
dimension's performance and to achieve their _goals in these ,competitive business
environment.
The study was limited to customers from the four commercial banks in the Windhoek
CBD, where the greater part of the research ·was undertaken. Other limitations are that
the sample size of the current study. is 200. Out of ~56 targeted. sample size from
qomputed statistical formula. Although this sample · size meets the minimum
requirement, a bigger sample size should have given more accurate results that could be
generalized to environments beyond the Windhoek CBD. Namibia. Again, the study
covers only customers from Windhoek Namibia, yet the four banks operate in the retail
banking industry country-wide. Hence, other customers of the four banks were excluded
from this stud
Analysis of frames used by Namibian newspapers in their reportage of the San community
No full textThis study involves an analysis of the representation of San people of Namibia in news stories published in The Namibian, New Era, Informanté, The Southern Times, The Villager, The
Windhoek Observer and Namibian Sun newspapers over a two-year period - January 2012 to December 2013. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the stories. Content
analysis and critical discourse analysis (CDA) were used to analyse data and point out binaries and dichotomies inherent in selected articles. The study found that balanced reportage of issues that affect San people is conspicuously absent. Much of the reportage is event-driven, lacking analysis and balance. The study recommends new media discourse
Assessment of natural radioactivity in the soils of the Ohorongo Cement plant and the town of Otavi, Namibia
No full textA mini thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Nuclear ScienceThe activity concentrations of the naturally occurring radionuclides 238U, 232Th, and
40K in soil samples collected from the Ohorongo Cement plant and the town of Otavi,
Namibia have been determined using a High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. In
addition, an assessment of the radiological hazards due to these natural radionuclides
in the soils of the plant and town was carried out. The plant was divided into three
geographical areas, and fifty soil samples were collected across the areas. Also, the
town of Otavi was divided into ten geographical areas, and fifty soil samples were
collected across the areas. These soil samples were processed and 500 g of each sample was placed in a well-labelled 500 ml polythene bottle and analyzed using an HPGe detector. The average activity concentrations of the radionuclides 238U, 232Th, and 40K in the soil samples from the Ohorongo Cement plant were 15.0 ± 4.7 Bq/kg, 25.1 ± 9.9 Bq/kg, and 310.7 ± 97.2 Bq/kg respectively. Similarly, the average activity concentrations of the radionuclides in the soil samples from Otavi were 21.6 ± 7.2 Bq/kg for 238U, 20.3 ± 8.5 Bq/kg for 232Th, and 256.4 ± 113.7 Bq/kg for 40K. The average activity concentrations of 232Th and 40K were found to be higher in the Ohorongo Cement plant than in Otavi. In contrast, the average activity concentration of 238U was higher in Otavi than in the Cement plant. These concentrations were used to calculate the absorbed dose rates and the effective dose rates in air across the different geographical areas in the plant and town. The values of (4.3 ± 1.5) × 10−2 mSv/y and (4.0 ±1.5) × 10−2 mSv/y obtained respectively for the mean effective dose rates in the Cement plant and town are both less than the maximum permissible effective dose rate of 1.0 mSv/y recommended for the public by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. In order to evaluate the associated health hazard, the concentrations were also used to calculate the mean Radium equivalent activity (Raeq) and the mean external hazard index (Hex) for the plant and for the town. The values obtained for Raeq in the Cement plant and town were 74.9 ± 25.6 Bq/kg and 70.4 ± 26.7 Bq/kg, respectively. These values are below the maximum permissible limit of 370 Bq/kg. Furthermore, the values of 0.20 and 0.19 obtained respectively for Hex in the Cement plant and town are again below the maximum permissible limit of 1.0. It is therefore concluded that radiation hazards are negligible in the plant and town and hence the plant and town have normal background radiation. The data generated in this study will contribute to the baseline data on radiological hazards in Namibia
The Owambo campaign memorial in context: Who is being commemorated
No full textThis paper focuses on the Owambo Campaign Memorial in Windhoek which was
erected to commemorate the British South Africa troops who died during the
campaign against King Mandume at Oihole on the 6th of February 1917. It explores
the origin of the Owambo Campaign memorial project and interprets the memorial’s
significance to Owambo people. Upon its erection in 1919, the monument was
appropriated as a memorial to King Mandume because many Owambo people,
particularly the Kwanyama, believed, and still believe, that the king was decapitated
and that his head was later taken to Windhoek where it was buried under the
monument. This paper examines the significance of the monument’s location, the
events surrounding its unveiling, and the subsequent activities amid the political
turbulence in the capital city. Windhoek served as an intersection point between the
north, the south and the coast, with labour coming from the north to mines, harbours
and farms in the south. Thus, during colonial rule many Owambo came to Windhoek
as migrant labourers where they lived in compounds. The end of colonial rule,
however, created a space in the city’s symbolic landscape for a new layer of
postcolonial narratives to overwrite the inscribed colonial identities, memories and
meanings. This paper argues that the Owambo Campaign Memorial is an important
site for understanding the change of meaning process attached to monuments
dedicated to colonial heroes