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A WEAP MODEL ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS ON THE WATER QUALITY OF KLEIN WINDHOEK RIVER, NAMIBIA.
No full textThesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Integrated Water Resources Management at the Namibia University of Science and TechnologyIn Namibia, there have been problems of water scarcity, water pollution and water shortages. Despite Swakoppoort reservoir being one of the important sources of surface water in central Namibia, water quality in the reservoir has continued to deteriorate due to urban wastewater pollution. In this research, Klein Windhoek River one of the rivers flowing into the reservoir was studied with the aim of evaluating if a water quality change trend forecast can be a useful tool for water quality management. Water samples were collected from Klein Windhoek River with a focus on industries sited along the river including Ujams Wastewater Treatment Plant, a biological nutrient remover which discharges effluent into Klein Windhoek River. Water quality samples were collected downstream and upstream of Ujams WWTP from Klein Windhoek River to analyse the impact of industrial effluents discharged into the river after treatment at Ujams WWTP. The samples were tested for physical and chemical parameters pH, chemical oxygen demand(COD), dissolved oxygen(DO), total dissolved solids(TDS), conductivity, total phosphate(TP) and chromium. Water quality concentrations in tested samples at times exceeding standards stipulated in Act No.11 of 2013 for COD, DO, TDS, TP and electrical conductivity. WEAP21 modelling software was used to analyse the impact of industrial effluents on Klein Windhoek River by modelling a wastewater treatment plant for four parameters (COD, DO, TDS, TP) for years 2015 to 2021. Results showed unsatisfactory Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency results of below 0.7 with a value of 0.62 for COD, 0.62 for TDS and 0.29 for TP. WEAP21 model showed deficiency in forecasting the ephemeral river’s water quality
AN EXPLORATION OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE PUBLIC RELATIONS PROFESSION AMONG SELECTED CORPORATE ORGANISATIONS IN WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA
No full textPublic relations (PR) is seen as an intrinsic part of every organisation because it provides the
opportunity to monitor, have dialogue, and respond to issues that affect key publics of the
organisation. PR practitioners have used communication to uphold and maintain a favourable image
and build beneficial relationships between an organisation and its public. Despite the value that is
ascribed to public relations, negative perceptions about the practice prevail, at the same discussions
on the professionalisation of public relations continue in different contexts. The purpose of this
study was to explore perceptions of the public relations profession among selected corporate
organisations in Windhoek, Namibia, in order to understand how they construct public relations as a
profession. Using a qualitative approach, the study adopted an exploratory research design. Face-to face in-depth interviews were conducted with participants and the following observations were
made: Stakeholder management and information management were perceived as some of the main
roles and functions of PR. The placement of PR, in terms of the organisational structure, was seen as
a matter of concern and an aspect that revealed how organisations perceive PR. The study also
found that having a professional body to advance the profession, and support the interests of people
working within the profession, is imperative towards the professionalisation of PR. The importance
of having the relevant qualification was emphasised as another important aspect that can increase
the credibility of theprofession. The study concludes that the definition and role of public relations is
well understood in some organisations while the placement of the public relations role away from
the management role reveals a limited understanding of the role and function of PR. The study
argues that understanding perceptions on public relations is a starting point towards building and
maintaining the credibility of the profession. This is imperative as perceptions about the public
relations profession affect how PR is practiced and its ultimate contribution to the success of the
organisation
A contrastive linguistic analysis of the essays of Oshindonga speaking grade 9 learners of Jan Möhr Secondary School
No full textA THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER OF ENGLISH AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS DEGREE AT THE NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
September 2022
SUPERVISOR: PROF. HAILELEUL ZELEKE WOLDEMARIAM
CO-SUPERVISOR: DR THULHA HN FRANSUsing the Contrastive Analysis Theory of language, the study sought to analyse Grade 9 Oshindonga L1 learners’ essays, written in English, at Jan Möhr Secondary School (Windhoek, Namibia) and to compare the writing/pronunciation systems, punctuation and noun formation processes of the two languages with the ultimate goal of examining causes of errors made by Oshindonga learners in their English essays. Systematically comparing the structures of English and Oshindonga can be a good avenue to identify the areas of difficulty that English as a Second Language may present to Oshindonga L1 learners when they write essays in English. Employing the qualitative research method design to collect data, the study identified multiple word choice errors, word formation errors and spelling errors in written essays in English by the Grade 9 Oshindonga L1 learners, which were established to culminate from L1 interference. The selection of the appropriate words to use when writing in English was observed to be difficult for the learners because such decisions are frequently based on L1 knowledge, which is frequently, partially or completely contradictory to L2 knowledge. The study found that a majority of Grade 9 Oshindonga L1 learners have difficulties with the spelling English words. The study revealed that the errors made by learners in their English essays are attributed to the following factors: inter-lingual interference, intra-lingual inference, limited knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary, carelessness and over-generalisation
Analysis of factors influencing the technical efficiency of maize small-scale farmers of Kavango East Region
No full textThesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Agribusiness Management at the Namibia University of Science and TechnologyThis study analysed the factors affecting the technical efficiency of the small-scale maize farmers of Kavango East Region with the aim of generating reliable information about the level of technical efficiency and the factors affecting technical inefficiency of small-scale maize farmers. Cross-sectional data was collected from a total of 72 small-scale maize farmers located in four (4) different irrigation schemes in the Kavango East Region (i.e. Uvhungu Vhungu Green Scheme Project, Ndonga-Linena Green Scheme Project, Shadikongoro Green Scheme Project and Salem Irrigation Project). This number of small-scale maize farmers in the Kavango East region was relatively low, hence there was no need for sampling, and as such all the 72 farmers were interviewed. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire in formal face-to-face interviews. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to generate descriptive statistics from quantitative data. Stochastic Frontier Analysis technique was employed for analysing technical efficiency of the farmers and its determinants. From the empirical estimation, it was found that inorganic fertilisers are an important input that can increase maize productivity significantly. Seed and labour inputs were statistically insignificant in explaining maize production. The estimated value of γ, which is a parameter used to indicate the proportion of total variance attributed to technical inefficiency is 0.99 and significant. This means that 99% of the random variation in output of maize production is attributed to the technical inefficiency component, which indicates the importance of examining technical inefficiencies in maize production. The estimated mean technical efficiency score of the sample is 0.584 or 58.4%. This indicates that on average, the interviewed small-scale maize farmers are able to obtain only 58.4% of potential output from the given mix of production inputs. This finding suggests the presence of a considerable level of technical inefficiency of about 41.6% among the sampled farmers. While examining the determinants of technical efficiency, age, highest education attained, access to formal sources of credit, seed type, weeding frequency, extension office visit and training were found to be important factors affecting the technical efficiency of the small-scale maize farmers of Kavango East Region. The study, therefore, recommends enforcing extension service visits to the small-scale farmers more so that all small-scale farmers are up to date with the current, relevant and important farming information. The study also recommends improving farmers’ education through provision of continuous training programs to the farmers as well as follow up on the application of improved farming and farm management practices
The concept of leadership in two autobiographies, Where others waivered and Long walk to freedom: A postcolonial reading
No full textTHESIS PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ENGLISH AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS AT THE NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
SUPERVISOR: DR MAX MHENE
OCTOBER 2022The study sought to establish the concept of Leadership in two autobiographies, Where Others Wavered and Long Walk to Freedom, autobiographies of Nelson Mandela and Sam Nujoma, respectively. The study utilised secondary research in the form of qualitative desktop research in order to establish leadership roles, leadership styles and leadership concepts of these two African leaders. Content analysis was used to analyse research text and subsequent themes were generated. In terms of leadership concept, they shared the same values, as indicated that leadership is defined by commitment, training and observation, representing rights of the oppressed and responsibility. It was established that leadership is defined by commitment, training and observation, representing rights of the oppressed and responsibility. These concepts were shared by both Nelson Mandela and Sam Nujoma. Nelson Mandela was defined as a largely transformational leader who debatably demonstrated charismatic leadership style as presented in Long Walk to Freedom. Sam Nujoma hugely demonstrated an authoritarian leadership style as outlined in Where Others Wavered. Equally, Nelson Mandela had several roles such as supporting, planning, networking and advocating for change through the activities of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League. The study established that Sam Nujoma had several leadership roles which included networking, planning and problem-solving roles as the front-line leader for South- West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO) in the fight for independence for Namibia. The study concluded that their leadership concepts differed but they share some similarities in networking, planning and problem-solving roles for pursuit of their country’s independence. The study recommends that future studies can compare countries that share regional boundaries such as Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Economic Community of West- African States (ECOWAS) in order to bring out an enhanced picture of African leadership
Exploring the current English language needs of medical students in the School of Medicine at Hage Geingob UNAM campus
No full textA THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER OF ENGLISH AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS
BY
NAME OF THE STUDENT: EBEN EZER KALOLA
STUDENT NUMBER: 214073777
SUPERVISOR: PROF HAILELEUL ZELEKE WOLDEMARIAM
October 2022The goal of this study was to examine the English language needs of medical students at the Hage Geingob UNAM campus. The English language is crucial in the medical field because it helps doctors be able to interact with patients and colleagues whose first language is not English. In many situations, medical professionals in Namibia communicate with their patients in English. They also frequently deal with papers that are written in English. The English spoken in the workplace and the English spoken by university students are mismatched. The medical students' linguistic needs are not met by the English for Academic Purpose module that is currently available, and even the School of Medicine is now revising its undergraduate curriculum in order to include a medical language module. As a result, the results of this study will assist the School of Medicine in developing a medical language course, ideally in English for Medical Purpose, that especially addresses the linguistic needs of medical students. The objectives of the study were to explore the communication challenges encountered by medical students; analyse the English language needs of medical students during the period of their studies (onset situation) and investigate the English language needs of medical doctors in their professional careers (target situation). The study notes that medical students experience communication challenges in their studies and also during practicals at the hospital. Additionally, the study observes that medical students need language skills with an emphasis on medical linguistics. The study also submits that medical doctors are faced with communication challenges and limited medical vocabulary. The study recommends that an English for Medical Purposes course should be offered to medical students and that it should focus on language skills with the incorporation of medical terminologies and medical scenarios to help the students excel in the medical industry
DEM simulations of critical state behaviour of granular materials under various drained triaxial stress path tests
No full textThe present study investigates the critical state behaviour of granular assemblies composed of
clumped particles under four different drained axisymmetric triaxial stress paths, using the discrete element
method (DEM). A series of numerical samples were prepared at initial states with different density indexes ()
and different initial confining pressures (
′
). These samples were sheared to large strains, at which constant
stresses and volumes were maintained to reach the critical state. The evolution of stress ratio under the same
loading mode (for the same intermediate principal stress ratio, b) is shown to yield an almost identical behaviour
independent of stress paths, whereas the stress-strain response depends on the stress paths. Four different
axisymmetric stress paths all share the same unique friction angle at critical state, indicating the Mohr-Coulomb
failure criterion is the appropriate critical state strength criterion, which is at least true for the axisymmetric stress
conditions. A unique coordination number (CN) is achieved at the critical state for a given
′
, which is
independent of the stress path. The critical state CN is found to increase with the increase in
′
, which could be
attributed to the decrease in the critical state void ratio (ec) as mean effective stress (
′
) increases. Interestingly,
a unique linear functional relationship is found between the critical state values of CN and ec, and a unique
polynomial functional relationship is found between the critical state values of CN and
′
. These functional
relationships indicate no dependency on the stress paths or loading modes, thus characterizing unique features
at critical states at both macroscopic and microscopic levels for a given type of granular material
Exploring cyberfeminism and technology as recrafting tools of the girl child’s image and identity in Where the Lion Stalks and When You Dance with the Crocodile, and Americanah
No full textSupervisor: Dr Juliet Pasi
Co- Supervisor: Dr Vida De VossThis research is an exploration of cyberfeminism and technology as recrafting tools of the girl child’s image and identity in Where the Lion Stalks and When You Dance with the Crocodile, and Americanah. Hence, the study applied the Literary theory of cyberfeminism to the selected texts. This study posited that using technology can empower the girl child to narrate her individual experiences and the collective experiences (discrimination, oppression, abuse, and trauma) of other women. Using the selected texts, the study showed that the girl child deconstructs stereotypical ideas that still exist in various parts of Africa portraying technology as a complex phenomenon for women and cyberspace as a dangerous platform for women especially the girl child.
The main objective of this study was to explore cyberfeminism and technology as recrafting tools of the girl child’s image and identity in selected female authored texts. The sub-objectives were: Firstly, to interrogate how the girl child utilises technology to conscientise society on issues affecting women in the selected female authored texts. Secondly, to explore how cyberspace recrafts the girl child’s image in the selected female authored texts. Thirdly, to examine how technology empowers the girl child and reconstructs her identity in the selected female authored texts.
This research employed a qualitative research design and found that, in the three selected texts (Americanah, When you Dance with the Crocodile and When Lion Stalks), the girl-child protagonists (Ifemelu and Helena) have no position to voice the issues encountered in a patriarchal and Marxist society because it is prohibited. To this end, it is revealed that through the use cyberspace as a platform to vocalise issues that affect women in the present and in the past, as well as in Africa and in the diaspora. Moreover, the study discovered that Adichie’s Americanah (2013) and Muller’s (2012) When you Dance with Crocodile and Where the Lion Stalks (2016) depicts the girl-child redefining and liberating her image using cybersace and technology. As Ifemelu use her blog she is able to affirm her stance and cultures thus creating her own image as opposed to allowing herself to get diverted into a foreign culture. Thus, with re-emphasis, she gains support from the online community. Lastly, the findings revealed that Adichie focused attention on the facet of cyberfeminism which deals with the cybernetic identity formation as a novel way of mediating a sense of self. The cyberspace created by technology in Adichie’s novel facilitated an alternative space for the girl child to find self-expression. Identity formation seemed quite crucial as it encompassed several traits, one of which centred on the hair
A forensic linguistic investigation of witness statements on murder cases at Windhoek police station
No full textTHESIS PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ENGLISH AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS AT THE NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYThis study presents the applications of forensic linguistics with special emphasis on the interpretation of articulated interpretation of intended meanings in written statements, discourse analysis, authorship identification, and meaning in legislation and legal texts are only a few examples. This study investigated the primary written witness statements, following the objectives of the study. The study aimed to examine the witness statements' grammatical patterns in order to assess the lexical evidence, as well as investigate discourse structures in witness statements. It used forensic linguistic as its theoretical framework using the qualitative approach as defined by Creswell (2013). An explanatory study methodology was used for this study. The sample size of 100 witness statements from 20 dockets were analysed, using the content analysis checklist.
Considering the lexical analysis as one of the study objectives, the findings of the study indicated that witnesses use words such as cellphone face cover, check-up, disembark, reraxeces, heared, stoep, tailed, just to mention but few, that investigators, lawyers, prosecutors, magistrates, and judges might find confusing and lead to misinterpretation, making it difficult for them to comprehend the meaning. Following the second objective of the study, which is the syntactic structure, the findings also revealed that, some witnesses have no knowledge on the murder cases they are interviewed about, which results in them giving irrelevant phrases which may prolong cases. Furthermore, the data collected indicated that, witness statements’ sentences are full of grammatical errors which legal experts might not be able to get the intended meaning. Additionally, regarding the objectives of study, the discourse in witness statements showed that language structure remains a problem within witness statements, and this is because police officers and investigators are not forensic linguistics experts to write comprehensive statements. The researcher also found out that correspondence (which is the communication between the witnesses and the police) within witness statements and the relationships might lead to wrongful arrest. The study recommends that, police officers who write statements need to be fluent in English to avoid grammatical errors and direct translation and misleading information. Witness statements need to be written either in the vernacular languages of the witnesses in order for them to be able to express themselves fully and to avoid misinterpretation of intended meaning. A forensic linguist should be present to provide an unbiased assessment of the procedure. The study concluded that, the language structure is believed to play a critical role in analysing witness statements
Critical cartographies of the green hydrogen rush in Namibia
No full textDr. William Monteith, Queen Mary University of LondonExplores historical and contemporary (dis)connections between
the twin global crises of unemployment and ecological collapse
Critically examines recent investments in ‘green frontier’ industries and the ‘green jobs’
they are predicted to create (24 million by 2030)
Seeks to understand how the benefits of the green hydrogen economy will be
distributed along the value chain
Project team: Prof. Kavita Datta, Prof. Nicola Piper, Prof. Adrian Smith, Prof. Liam
Campling , Dr. Elena Baglioni, Dr. Carlo Inverardi Ferri , Dr. Will MonteithQueen Mary University of Londo