Research Output Repository (HSRC)
Not a member yet
21078 research outputs found
Sort by
What are we witnessing? student protest and the politics of the unknowable
No full textSouth African public higher education has been dogged by student protests since 2015. Many of these disruptions raise pertinent issues for the sector, as well as bring about valued awareness and change.
Critical scholars have remarked that in every social or political movement, something of pronounced importance is being said - usually emerging from representatives of groups that have been marginalised, subordinated or even muted. In this article, a "logosemantic" theoretical perspective (Visagie, 2006), which is also referred to as "key theory" (Visagie, 2006; Van Reenen, 2013) is utilised to determine some driving conceptualisations emerging in the "languaging strategies" (Stewart, Smith & Denton, 2012) of contemporary student movement culture in South Africa. Not discounting significant research that investigates the impact of the digital age on the communication, mobilisation and sustaining of social movements, this article takes a critical look at grounding concepts that may be identified in the discursive formations of the movements. These are taken to be neither new nor unique, either in essence or manifestation. However, the divisions and polarisations they expose, signal an urgent need for some communicative reform in the "imagined community" (Anderson, 2016) of the academy
Variability and impacts of hydrometeorological variables on surface water resources in Mokolo river catchment, South Africa
No full textSouth Africa’s water resources are increasingly threatened by climate variability and climate change, particularly in semiarid regions such as the Mokolo River Catchment in Limpopo Province. This study analyzed 30 years (1990–2020) of monthly rainfall, temperature, and streamflow data to assess variability and trends using the Modified Mann-Kendall and Sequential Mann-Kendall tests. Results revealed a statistically significant decreasing trend in rainfall (p < 0.05) across all seven monitoring stations and a significantly increasing trend in temperature (p < 0.05). Temperature variability was moderate (CV = 19.7%), while rainfall and streamflow exhibited much higher variability, with coefficients of variation exceeding 130% and 350%, respectively. The highest recorded streamflow (133.8 m3/s) at Station A4H005 occurred in February 1996, corresponding with peak rainfall, highlighting the direct relationship between rainfall and runoff. Streamflow at Station A4H010 showed a significant decreasing trend (p < 0.05), whereas other stations exhibited mixed trends, likely influenced by local land use and geomorphology. The 1992/1993 drought reflected markedly low flows across all stations. The results reveal rainfall as the primary driver of hydrological responses in the catchment, although rising temperatures intensify evapotranspiration losses, further stressing water resources. The findings advocate for integrated, climate-resilient water management strategies to ensure the sustainability of the Mokolo River’s vital services.
Disease priorities and rapid diagnostics testing preferences among community members in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a formative qualitative study
No full textTo explore and understand the disease priorities and preferences for rapid diagnostic testings (RDTs) among community members and stakeholders. Qualitative study using focused group discussions and in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was applied to identify themes of disease priorities and RDT preferences.
uMsunduzi Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. 49 community members and five community stakeholders were recruited through a combination of convenience and purposeful sampling using community events and meetings. Participants prioritized both communicable diseases (HIV, tuberculosis) and non-communicable diseases (diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and cancer), aligning with national health priorities. They supported RDTs for early diagnosis and home-based testing to mitigate barriers to accessing diagnostic care. A need for post-test support, such as digital support tools, was also highlighted. Community perspectives highlighted a demand for accessible, rapid and decentralized diagnostic tools for high-burden diseases in KwaZulu-Natal. RDTs have the potential to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities through improved access to diagnostic healthcare services. The community members are potential end users of RDTs, especially in resource-constrained settings. Therefore, their perspectives should be considered in the development and implementation of RDTs to enhance acceptability and public health impact.
Introduction: the people shall govern&#63;: Democracy at 30 through the eyes of South African communities
No full textThe year 2024 marked a significant milestone in South Africa’s history as the country celebrated 30 years of democracy. This moment presents an opportunity not only to reflect on the achievements of the past three decades but also to address the challenges that remain. South Africa’s transition to democracy in 1994 was a globally celebrated breakthrough. This transition ended an oppressive system and ushered in a constitutional democracy grounded in equality, human rights and dignity. Since then, the country has made remarkable progress, particularly in expanding access to education, healthcare, housing and basic services. The resilience of South Africans, their commitment to democratic ideals, and their active participation in shaping their future remain key strengths.
Innovation strategies for agricultural resilience: a dynamic capabilities approach to innovation during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
No full textThis study integrates the concepts of innovation strategies and dynamic capabilities as an analytical framework to investigate the innovation strategies agricultural businesses employed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study assesses how these strategies influenced their resilience and innovation performance. Using data from the South African Agricultural Business Innovation Survey (AgriBIS 2019-2021), the study combined explorative data analysis techniques with an ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model, to assess the relationship between different innovation strategies and key outcomes such as revenue growth, cost reduction, market expansion, and the development of new intellectual property. The findings revealed the complex ways in which innovation strategies are shaped by dynamic capabilities in the face of disruptions. Specifically, this study found, contrary to conventional beliefs, that proactive innovation strategies are not always the best suited or volatile environments. Instead, the study found that innovation strategies that promote simplicity and adaptability proved more effective in shielding firms from external shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic. Firms with active innovation strategies, supported by strong dynamic capabilities of internal R&D and collaboration, showed the greatest resilience, while those relying on passive or reactive strategies were more vulnerable to disruption. These findings suggest that policymakers should encourage flexible and adaptable innovation strategies, particularly in sectors like agriculture that are prone to high volatility and external shocks of climate change. The findings of this study call for the importance of aligning innovation strategies and dynamic capabilities with the specific challenges of the sector to ensure long-term innovation success.
Unconstitutional changes of government in Africa: dilemmas for democratisation and peacebuilding
No full textHSRC Policy Brief, OctoberOne of the major governance challenges in Africa today relates to unconstitutional changes of government (UCGs), which have compromised democracy and fueled instability. This policy brief critically examines the African Union’s (AU) responses to UCGs across Africa. UCGs accentuate democratic backsliding in Africa, threatening peace, security, and stability at national, regional, and continental levels. At a national level, civil liberties and political rights are violated and the civic space is shrunk. At the regional level, interstate security is
threatened. At the continental level, the AU’s expansive normative framework against UCGs is reduced to mere rhetoric the more the gulf widens between norm-setting and norm implementation.N/
Using videos to tell stories
No full textPaper presented at the Youth Futures Community of Practice Skills Sharing Webinar, 4 AugustN/
Regulating political finance in South Africa: perspectives on the Political Finance Act and its implementation
No full textThe HSRC, commissioned by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), studied the evolving political funding framework under the Political Funding Act (PFA), originally the Political Party Funding Act of 2018.
The Act regulates public and private funding, mandates disclosure of large donations, limits annual contributions, and established the Multi-Party Democracy Fund (MPDF). Using a literature review, surveys and expert interviews, the study examined oversight, underuse of the MPDF, gender equity in representation, disclosure thresholds, donation limits, incentives, and potential regulatory reforms. This article discusses some findings and insights from the research study.
“Teens want tech: exploring app solutions for adolescent health”
No full textPaper presented at the GYA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and International Conference of Young Scientists “Confluence of Visionaries: Empowering Science for Global Change”, 10-13 June, Hyderabad, IndiaCo-hosted and organized by the GYA, the Indian National Young Academy of Sciences and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad, the 2025 GYA International Conference will take place in-person from 10 - 13 June 2025. This year’s conference will focus on the heme, “Confluence of Visionaries: Empowering Science for Global Change,” which aligns with the many facets of the city of Hyderabad: an academic, IT, and pharmaceutical hub.
The Conference aims to serve as a platform for young and visionary minds from diverse fields and geographical locations to converge, share insights, and explore strategies for harnessing the power of science to drive positive global transformations. In the spirit of collaboration and innovation, the conference will empower young scientists to address pressing global challenges, such as climate change, public health, technology advancement, and sustainable development
Thirty years of democracy in a former homeland: insights, experiences, transitions and contestations of development in QwaQwa
No full textThe declaration of QwaQwa as a self-governing nation occurred on 1 November 1974. This declaration had internal and external socio-political ramifications in South Africa of the day. Firstly, externally, it resulted in the continuation of an apartheid system of homelands, which were geographical spaces for ethnic and cultural encirclement. Timothy Gibbs (2014) argues that the bantustan (or homeland) political strategy was a continuation of the divideand-rule tactic of the apartheid government to maintain its hegemonic position of ‘separate development’. Internally, though, this resulted in the formation of a bantustan that was inherently designed for Southern Sotho-speaking people living in South Africa, in line with the ethnic divisions of the apartheid state.
Secondly, it also witnessed the establishment of a local government with Chief Prime Minister TK Mopeli (1954–1914), who had governance and administrative responsibility over this new self-ruled territory. Until 1994, this territory could, to some extent, decide its development fate, despite being intricately linked, as will be shown in this chapter, to the circumstances and the situation in the rest of South Africa. Using a multi-method qualitative approach, we seek to explore narratives rooted in locality experiences and unpack continuities and discontinuities in the experiences of democracy in contemporary QwaQwa post-1994. By emphasising the development experiences of QwaQwa at the grassroots, this chapter discusses the tensions between memory and nostalgia, service delivery and self-directed development, as well as between traditional and democratic
governance systems, to analyse key transitional shifts influencing the development prospects of
QwaQwa in the 30-year democratic period.