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Unlocking innovation: government funding for innovation-active firms in South Africa. Fact sheet 52
No full textThis fact sheet provides insight into the state of innovation funding in the industry and services sectors during the period 2019-2021, which coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on the South African Business Innovation Survey (BIS) 2019-2021 data, the analysis shows that a notable proportion of innovation-active firms relied heavily on internal funds to finance their innovation activities. Businesses indicated a gap between their knowledge of the availability of government financial support and the application procedures required. Most
firms that did apply for government funding relied on Covid-19 government support. Overall, the data highlight the need for greater awareness and understanding of government funding opportunities, to facilitate better utilisation of available resources to foster firm innovation.N/
South Africa's unemployment conundrum: implications for the 2024 national elections
No full textSouth Africa faces a complex socio-economic dilemma of reducing the high unemployment rate while allowing democracy to thrive. This article explores the complex dynamics of the democratic unemployment status quo in South Africa and the important effect it had on the national elections in 2024. The nation?s democratic transition in 1994 was a watershed event that promised economic growth and political freedom for all its residents. But despite the progress made towards democratisation, unemployment is still shockingly high, particularly for young people and marginalised communities. To show how the nation’s social stability and democratic values are at risk, this article examines the intricate correlation that exists between democratic government, economic policy, and the labour market. Moreover, the article also sheds light on the consequences that the ongoing unemployment problem had for the 2024 national elections. A mixed methods design was used in the study done for the article, with quantitative and qualitative techniques being used to conduct exploratory analysis, as well as a systematic literature review. The article concludes that voter behaviour may have been greatly influenced by the dissatisfaction and disillusionment of the populace resulting from unemployment, which could change the political landscape and priorities. Comprehending the fundamental connection between joblessness and the democratic system is essential for developing well-informed policies that not only tackle the severe unemployment issue, but also reinforce South Africa’s democratic base.
The sixth South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI): key findings for KwaZulu-Natal early and unintended pregnancies in Eastern & Southern Africa conference 2024
No full textPaper presented at the Early and Unintended Pregnancies in Eastern & Southern Africa Conference, Durban, South Africa, 28-29 NovemberN/
Innovation trends in the manufacturing sector, 2019-2021
Get PDFThis brief examines how much innovation happened in the manufacturing sector from 2019 to 2021, including the types of technologies manufacturing businesses used, the innovation challenges they faced, and the outcomes of their innovations
Evaluation of C-Reactive protein and computer-aided analysis of chest x-rays as tuberculosis triage tests at health facilities in Lesotho and South Africa
Get PDFTo improve tuberculosis case-finding, rapid, non-sputum triage tests need to be developed according to the
World Health Organization target product profile (TPP) (>90% sensitivity, >70% specificity). We prospectively evaluated and compared artificial intelligence–based, computer-aided detection software, CAD4TBv7, and C-reactive protein assay (CRP) as triage tests at health facilities in Lesotho and South Africa. Adults (≥18 years) presenting with ≥1 of the 4 cardinal tuberculosis symptoms were consecutively recruited between
February 2021 and April 2022. After informed consent, each participant underwent a digital chest X-ray for CAD4TBv7 and a CRP test. Participants provided 1 sputum sample for Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra and Xpert TB/RIF and 1 for liquid culture. Additionally, an expert radiologist read the chest X-rays via teleradiology. For primary analysis, a composite microbiological reference standard (ie, positive culture or Xpert Ultra) was used. We enrolled 1392 participants, 48% were people with HIV and 24% had previously tuberculosis. The receiver operating characteristic curve for CAD4TBv7 and CRP showed an area under the curve of .87 (95% CI: .84–.91) and .80 (95% CI: .76–.84), respectively. At thresholds corresponding to 90% sensitivity, specificity was 68.2% (95% CI: 65.4–71.0%) and 38.2% (95% CI: 35.3–41.1%) for CAD4TBv7 and CRP, respectively. CAD4TBv7 detected tuberculosis as well as an expert radiologist. CAD4TBv7 almost met the TPP criteria for tuberculosis triage. CAD4TBv7 is accurate as a triage test for patients with tuberculosis symptoms from areas with a high tuberculosis and HIV burden. The role of CRP in tuberculosis triage requires further research.
The role of fruit trees in reducing food insecurity and improving nutrition security of rural households: a case study of the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa
No full textDespite calls to increase fruit consumption, food and nutrition security strategies often overlook the inclusion of
fruit trees in the rural food systems. Hence, this study investigated the role of fruit trees in reducing food
insecurity and improving nutrition security among rural households in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Descriptive statistics, household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS), household food insecurity access
prevalence (HFIAP), food consumption score (FSC), principal component analysis (PCA), and ordered logit model were used to analyze survey data from 305 households. The results showed that only 29.8% of the households were food secure, while the rest were either mildly (36.4%), moderately (27.9%), or severely (5.9%) food insecure. Moreover, 4.6% of the households consumed poor diets, 23.0% of the sampled households were at the borderline, and 72.5% consumed an acceptable diversity of food groups. The ordered logit model findings
showed that growing fruit trees, consumption of wild fruits, household size, off-farm income, access to irrigation,
access to training, livestock ownership, and psychological capital significantly influenced household food insecurity and nutrition security. The study recommends the implementation of awareness campaigns promoting the planting of fruit trees and the consumption of locally available wild fruits. There is a need for nutrition-related
training programs and workshops to enhance awareness of the importance of growing and consuming fruits
among rural households. The collective participation of the private sector, government, researchers, civil society
organizations, policymakers, politicians, and farming rural households in building awareness is also
recommended.
The paradox of renewable energy integration in South African' smart cities
No full textPaper presented at the International Conference on Energy Systems, Cairo, Egypt, 29-30 AprilThe rapid development of urban centres presents a unique opportunity for countries to embrace innovative technologies and create sustainable futures. However, many developing countries, like South Africa, face a complex challenge: their aspirations for smart cities with advanced infrastructure often clash with their current energy realities. This paper explores the paradoxical situation hindering South Africa s progress in both smart city development and renewable energy integration. While the country aspires to create advanced, sustainable urban centres, its reliance on fossil fuels and existing infrastructure challenges this goal. The study employed a secondary data review analysis to examine the factors contributing to this paradox, including economic constraints, political instability, and social inequalities. Additionally, it analyses the role of vested interests and regulatory barriers. Finally, the study proposes actionable recommendations to overcome this paradox, encouraging innovative financing mechanisms, stakeholder engagement, acknowledging urban realities, and policy coherence.N/
Determinants of the market channel choice by smallholder maize farmers in Zimbabwe: a case of the Mazowe District
No full textMarketing is crucial in alleviating poverty and achieving food security and sustainable agriculture goals, especially among smallholder maize farmers. Household demographics and transactional costs are critical in understanding the smallholder farmers’ choice of specific market channels. This paper aimed to determine which marketing alternatives are being used by the smallholder maize farmers in the Mazowe District, the relative extent of their use and what personal characteristics of the respondents may affect their choice of a market outlet. Data were collected from 382 smallholder maize farmers in the Mazowe District, one of Zimbabwe's main maize-producing districts. The study used a structured questionnaire for data collection. The Multinomial Logit Model was used as the analytical tool. Three distinct maize marketing channel options were identified: the farm gate, the local market and the Grain Marketing Board. The results indicated that the factors that significantly influenced the market choice by the smallholder farmers are the age of the household head, extension contacts, market information, the distance to the market and the maize market price. An increase in the number of visits by extension workers significantly increased the likelihood that a maize producer will choose the local market when selling the maize produce. The distance to the market significantly influenced the probability of selecting the local market to the farm gate. As the distance to the local market increases, the smallholder farmers in Mazowe will prefer the farm gate for selling their produce. The producer’s price was also statistically significant in determining the smallholder farmers’ channel choice. In this study, the farm gate was the popular marketing channel for smallholder farmers. However, the price offered is often not competitive; the farmers opt for it due to a lack of storage facilities and low transaction costs.
Forging resilience in a fractured world: science diplomacy for energy, food, and water security
No full textHere in 2025, we are living in a time of extraordinary disruption. A confluence of forces, including climate variability, population growth, technological shifts, and geopolitical tensions is reshaping global societies and challenging the capacity of institutions to address urgent, interconnected problems. For those of us in research and higher education, this era is marked by a worrying decline in trust in experts and deep societal divisions that challenge the very social license of our institutions. These existential disruptions are not abstract; they directly threaten our collective ability to address the urgent, interconnected challenges of energy, food, and water sustainability, which form the bedrock of climate resilience. These interconnections make building climate resilience increasingly complex, demanding integrated solutions informed by robust evidence and cross-sectoral collaboration. 1 In this volatile landscape, we argue for the application of science diplomacy as a mitigation. Science Diplomacy is the use of scientific collaboration to advance diplomatic objectives and solve shared problems. This emerges not as a lofty ideal, but as an essential tool for survival and progress. Yet, this vital tool is itself at risk and has long been framed as a tool to transcend political divides.
Conducting systematic and evidence reviews
No full textPaper presented at the Sixth Annual Emerging and Established African Researchers Training Academy, Pretoria, 31 JulyN/