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South Africa's new era of coalition government and multi-party democracy
No full text29 May 2024 marked South Africa’s seventh national general elections since the end of apartheid in 1994 and there are questions surrounding the outcomes of the elections. These questions are underscored by the 2016 local government election outcomes which saw the ruling party, African National Congress (ANC) lose its majority in metropolitan municipalities. This resulted in the formation of a coalition government in key municipalities. Even though the South African political system does not have provisions and processes to coalitions. As a response, this paper will discuss what South Africa needs to ensure a stable coalition government at national government
level as the ANC has lost its majority in the national elections. Drawing from the local government experiences, we argue that democratic institutions, institutional control, and oversight mechanisms can be used to manage these coalition agreements. This transition will test the strength of South Africa’s democracy and democratic institutions.
The meaning of a life: a South African scientist's tale
No full textThis book is an autobiography/memoir of a South African scientist and academic leader who honestly explores the inter-relation between professional/public and private life, revealing what happens to a person’s inner being and family as a career unfolds over a lifetime. It shows how chance and opportunity affect such a life, how the elusive qualities responsible for repeated survival and success can be retrospectively identified, with lessons for the young and hopeful who might wish to tread on a similar path. The story also maps onto the country’s history, by including crucial aspects of the closely linked spheres of higher education, research and scholarship in both the protagonist’s home country, South Africa and some of the strongest centres in Britain and America. It describes the life-path of an individual citizen who sought to change, and in some key instances did change, the basic workings of higher education and research as the country went through the post-apartheid transition. The author developed a special interest and skill in building new institutions such as the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and a number of highly successful research institutes and consortia in a changing country. The major part of the book amounts to a concise history of higher education and research in the democratic era in SA, but, unusually, readers of the book will be able to see into many aspects of workings that are usually hidden from the public gaze, yet may significantly affect their own lives or those of their communities. The story of a love-marriage impacted by prolonged health tragedy is fully interwoven with the professional narrative in a completely open and telling manner. It is the authors’ belief that a diverse market for such an autobiography/memoir exists in South Africa and possibly abroad. There are few ‘warts and all’ memoirs in this domain, and few understand how scientists and university leaders function as people in their apparently uncomplicated ‘white-coated’ or ‘ivory tower’ public lives.N/
Step one: evidence for democratised research in South Africa
No full textEngaged research transforms knowledge creation and application by actively and meaningfully involving communities and stakeholders in the research process. This collaborative approach ensures research addresses
real-world challenges, fosters trust and empowers participants. The HSRC is committed to bridging the gaps between academia and society by fostering innovative, inclusive and co-created research and solutions that
drive significant change in South Africa and beyond.N/
Gender, informality and innovation: insights from research in Sweetwaters, KwaZulu-Natal
No full textWomen in South Africa are disproportionately affected by unemployment and poverty and must often find alternative means for their livelihoods. Many rely on informal employment as their primary source of income. A policy brief based on findings from HSRC research in Sweetwaters, KwaZulu-Natal, points to underlying structural and socioeconomic constraints shaping gender differences in learning and innovation.N/
Social media helped me overcome my fear of taking HIV treatment: men’s experiences and perspectives on linkage to and retention in HIV care following reactive HIV self-testing results: preliminary findings from a qualitative study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Get PDFPaper presented at the INTEREST Conference, Windhoek, Namibia, 13-16 MayDespite the many interventions that have been implemented in sub-Saharan Africa to improve the uptake of HIV testing and antiretroviral (ART) initiation services, the rates at which men are tested for HIV and initiated on ART have remained consistently lower compared to those for women. We aimed to investigate barriers and facilitators for linkages to and retention in HIV care following HIVST positive results among men aged between 18 and 49 years, and use these findings to inform the design of an intervention to improve linkages to and retention in HIV care among men in a high-HIV prevalent district in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.N/
South African national survey of research and experimental development: science councils at a glance, 2022/2023. Fact sheet 65
No full textSouth African science councils are an essential component of the country’s innovation system, each established by an act of parliament, and given a specific and unique research mandate. In accordance with their obligation, science councils spent the most on R&D in the areas of economic development, health, and education in
2022/23, closely mirroring national priorities in the country.N/
Navigating young fatherhood in contemporary South Africa: does the provider status still matter?
No full textHistorically, fathers were often expected to be the primary providers of their families; however, the role of men has evolved substantially. Increasingly, men are changing and so are their responsibilities. The aim of this study is to explore the role that young fathers play in contemporary families and the challenges they are exposed to. This study focuses on 20 young men living in Durban, South Africa. The young men suggested that being able to provide for their children was still an important part of their role. However, being unable to maintain this was not only a financial struggle but also one that affected them emotionally. The young men demonstrated their renewed commitment of wanting to do and be better, even in the absence of finances. More family-centred support should be implemented in communities, especially in lower-income contexts
Reporting and dissemination of survey findings
No full textThis chapter outlines the main challenges associated with disseminating survey findings and provides guidance on reporting survey findings, including a suggested table of contents for the main survey report. Often, in addition to the main report (and often in advance of that report), a country will also have prepared summary reports and other summaries of key findings. This chapter also provides examples of dissemination of survey results, including presentation of the main survey results at different forums, at subnational, national and international level, and a list of publications related to national prevalence surveys since 2007.
AI as a catalyst for good governance: combatting corruption with AI
Get PDFPaper presented at the Digital Governance and Public Administration: Global and Interdisciplinary Perspectives Conference, 5-6 JuneN/
Investigating the relationship between well-being, engagement and learning experiences among South African publicly funded students in higher education
No full textStudent engagement and positive learning experiences are important determinants of academic performance
in higher education. While the role of well-being is also acknowledged, it is not comprehensively addressed as an
antecedent for both engagement and learning experience. In fact, interventions to improve academic performance in higher education tend to ignore well-being support. A further problem relates to the dominance of literature from the Global North predicated on relationships between wellbeing, engagement and learning experience among students with much higher levels of socio-economic status. This stands as a severe limitation in identifying the right kinds of interventions towards ensuring better learning outcomes for African higher education students. Using structural equation modelling, we explored the relationship between psychological and social well-being with student engagement and learning experiences among a sample of 6877 South
African higher education students (females=54.7%; mean age=23.83; SD=4.89). Our fndings showed that both facets of well-being were positively related to student engagement and learning experiences highlighting psychological and social well-being promotion as a clear responsibility of higher education systems.