Research Output Repository (HSRC)
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The pandemic of poverty: analysing the economic legacies of the pandemic
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented disruption to South African livelihoods. However, this Disruption was unequally felt. During the height of the pandemic lockdown, most could not work, while many lost their employment. In a labour force that was already characterised by a myriad of poorly paid and precarious work, this disruption exacerbated poverty in the country. This study explores the economic impacts of the
pandemic using quantitative data. It examines pandemic-related intertemporal relative deprivation (IRD); that is the feeling of deprivation that arises when individuals compare their current situation with their past circumstances. The study examines IRD during the heart of the pandemic (i.e. between early 2020 and late 2021). Data from the South African Social Attitudes Survey (N = 2996) was used for this study. Data analysis shows that levels of IRD are unevenly felt across South Africa. The analysis finds that IRD was negatively correlated with support for the political system in the country. Experiencing IRD bred distrust in the African National Congress, reduced satisfaction with political leaders, and increased democratic discontent. The article
investigates the main drivers of pandemic-related IRD. Study analysis showed that IRD was associated with coronavirus exposure as well as micro-level inequality.
Engaging South Africa: Building access and trust in science and technology information
No full textAccess to and trust in science and technology information play key roles in shaping public knowledge, attitudes and engagement. Using data from the 2022 South African Public Relationship with Science Survey, this article examines sources of, and trust in, science and technology-related information among the public. The findings
highlight that traditional media, particularly television and radio, remain a primary source of information in South Africa, even in an increasingly digital world.
Embedding gender equity in G20 health systems: from commitments to continuity for resilience and justice
No full textHSRC Policy Brief, OctoberHealth equity is both a moral imperative and a social and economic necessity. This brief calls for systemic reforms to embed gender equity as a permanent principle within the health systems of G20 member countries. Building on foundations laid by the W20, it advocates a shift from episodic advocacy towards durable
institutional resilience.N/
Drivers of COVID-19 infections: perspectives of managers in the Gauteng Department of Health, South Africa
No full textThis study investigated the perceptions and experiences of Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) senior managers about factors that contributed to the high incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Gauteng, the hardest hit province in South Africa. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted using online in-depth interviews with senior managers in Gauteng. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim, coded and thematically analyzed in NVivo 10. Data saturation was reached at 13 participants (n = 13). Findings were reported in line with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Results: Two main themes emerged from the analysis. Theme I: Perceptions of the burden of COVID-19 in Gauteng. Theme II: Key health and behavioral factors, including poor protocol adherence, exacerbated the spread of COVID-19. Economic challenges such as limited employment prospects and informal settlements, sociocultural enablers like vaccine hesitancy, social media misinformation, limited vaccine and treatment options, and environmental factors such as the OR Tambo International Airport contributed to high population density and heightened the infections and transmission of COVID-19. Governance issues, including corruption in personal protective equipment procurement and embezzlement of COVID-19 funds, undermined the GDoH response. Understanding perceptions of factors that influence disease transmission is crucial for effectively managing infectious diseases like COVID-19 and future outbreaks. Addressing infrastructure gaps in underserved communities and strengthening government regulations could help to reduce congestion in Gauteng, ultimately reducing the spread of contagious diseases. Contribution: The study presents a model for investigating and addressing the human factors that drive the transmission of infectious diseases.
Factors influencing early detection of lung cancer in patients in low‑ and middle‑income countries: a scoping review protocol
No full textCancer is a leading cause of mortality globally. It is increasingly becoming a public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and a major societal and economic problem worldwide. Approximately three quarters of all cancer-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with lung cancer being the most frequently diagnosed cancer in 2022. Given the poor health outcomes associated with late diagnosis, early detection for lung cancer should be prioritized to rekindle hope for improved health outcomes. This is a scoping review protocol paper aimed at mapping evidence on factors influencing early identification of lung cancer in patients in low and middle-income countries. In conducting the proposed scoping review, we will follow the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley and recommendations by Levac et al. We will also be guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. The following electronic databases will be searched: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. The following grey literature sources will be searched: conference proceedings, other relevant government reports, and dissertations/thesis. Key themes from the literature will be extracted and analysed using thematic analysis supported by NVivo version 14. Evidence gathered will be used towards advocating for early screening of patients suspected of lung cancer. This review is exempt from ethical approval as it uses data that is in the public domain. Additionally, there will be no human or animal participants in this review; hence, informed consent is not required. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals, in print, and through conference presentations.
Violent ecotropes: petroculture in the Niger Delta
No full textThe Niger Delta, the crude oil extraction centre of Nigeria, has become an archetype of global consumption happening at the expense of local communities and habitats. Much is made of the spectacle of violence in this region: environmental devastation, local community protests and youth violence on account of the perceived injustice associated with the oil extractive industrial complex. The involvement of a global cartel of oil smuggling from this region, known as bunkering, fuels and finances local militancy, which in turn exacerbates the atmosphere of violence in this beleaguered landscape of oil.
This book provides a unique frame through which it views the cultural aspects of the oil extraction industry within societies that it operates. It highlights the complexity of the universal environmental challenge of our time, and provides three research lenses with which to understand this complex challenge: who and what are represented in this oil culture, the charged and often clashing contexts of globalised fossil fuel extraction industry versus the ecologies of directly affected people and places, and the environmental challenges that will persist as long as carbon based economies persist.N/
Towards a prioritization screening framework for chemicals, wastes and pollution
Get PDFWith constrained resources and many issues at hand, various prioritization mechanisms will be needed to
determine issues to be addressed for the upcoming Science Policy Panel (SPP) for chemicals, waste and pollution, currently mandated for development by the UN Environment Assembly. This proposed rapid review sets out one way to assist in prioritization. A screening of the current or expected impact - the actual harm caused to human health, biodiversity, food and water supply systems or economic cost - of the chemical or pollution issue can be made with a literature search and inputs from knowledgeable groups and experts. Issues reaching thresholds that indicate high impact can be recommended for assessment by the Panel. This approach is useful to highlight issues that may especially be of concern in low and middle-income countries, and is complementary to risk management methodologies of regulatory agencies in high-income countries.
Skilling, reskilling and upskilling: reflections from experts
No full textIn 1996, we adopted a new STI policy that foregrounded the knowledge economy and the national system of innovation. In 2019, we designed a new white paper that sets out the framework within which we are working with policy instruments and mechanisms and so on. Our policy aims to promote innovation for inclusive and sustainable development that promotes transformation in society, and we also have foregrounded the fourth industrial revolution. Our presidential commission has submitted its completed report in December 2020.