UCT Open Access Journals (Univ. of Cape Town)
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The future of viral infections
Get PDFSince the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic there is increasing scientific interest in animal viruses and their future cross-species transmission potential. Although viruses are the most diverse and abundant of living organisms, we know less about their diversity, evolution, and cross-species transmission potential than other living organisms. Few animal species, mainly those located in the phylum Chordata have been surveyed for viruses, while surveillance among invertebrate species has mainly focussed on common disease vectors such as ticks and mosquitoes, both located in the phylum arthropoda, one of 21 invertebrate phyla. The recent advent of metagenomic next-generation sequencing has however begun to advance the study of the animal virome, revealing novel biodiversity insights. For example, while bats and rodents have been shown to harbour a wide range of coronaviruses, recent molecular explorations have documented coronaviruses in other vertebrates such as amphibians and fish
Dispute resolution methods adopted by contractors during COVID-19 in Eastern Cape South Africa: A Case Study
Get PDFOver the past months, the socioeconomic consequences of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic reverberated through and affected all segments of life. The construction industry is not left out. The severe impacts of COVID-19 have not only witnessed tragic human losses but have also caused colossal devastating implications for construction procurement and general contract condition. The study examined the dispute resolution methods adopted by contractors in Eastern Cape, South Africa, during the COVID-19 experience to determine their appropriateness and effectiveness. The study employed a snowballing, purposive, non-probability sampling technique with a mixed research design driven by respondents' participatory action. Twelve senior personnel were interviewed, while questionnaires were administered to 30 referred employees on the sites. XLSTAT statistical software and thematic analysis were used for the aggregated questionnaire and qualitative respondents' interviews in drawing inferences. The results revealed that an interest-based rather than a right-based approach are two sides of a coin that can make or mar the wheel of progress in arriving at an amicable agreement to contract terms in construction. The need for re-negotiation in billing, which is at variance with the various construction claim, cannot be over-emphasised. At the same time, the intuitive assertions of negotiation, mediation, and conciliation were used in resolving unforeseen delays, claims, and added costs due to disruptions of COVID-19. The study's main contribution lies in mastering and deploying appropriate dispute resolution methods in project execution. The study is of utmost importance in planning, restoring, and deriving optimal societal benefits from conflict management amidst the adverse effect of Covid -19 on any construction project.
Keywords: Conciliation, Construction dispute, COVID-19; Mediation, Negotiatio
Gender, Socio-Economic and Socio-Cultural Correlates of Entrepreneurial Intentions of Real Estate Students: An Empirical Analysis
Get PDFExtant studies have documented cases of male domination and gender discrimination against women in real estate and construction businesses. It is not clear whether or not the sociocultural barriers to women’s rights to land and even real estate business opportunities have any influence on the entrepreneurial motivations and aspirations of real estate students in emerging Africa markets, and if there are gendered differences to this. Primary data were collected using closed-ended questionnaires administered on final year real estate students from three major universities in Nigeria. The study employed descriptive and inferential techniques, mainly independent sample t-test, factor analysis, correlation analysis and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The study revealed that the influential motivators of entrepreneurial intentions amongst real estate students were financial freedom/flexibility, personal preference/fulfilment, economic interest and prestige/status. However, an examination of the barriers revealed some gendered differences. While “sociocultural barriers to starting a real estate business” was rated 12th by male respondents rated with a mean value of 3.13, it was rated as the third most influential barrier with a mean of 3.59 by the female respondents. This study provides evidence on the entrepreneurial intentions of real estate students in the context of a real estate business environment in an emerging African market; that is particularly characterized by male domination and socio-cultural and bureaucratic discrimination against women, and how such foundations may shape their aspirations and inclinations towards particular aspect of real estate business practice in Nigeria
Reconceptualising teaching portfolios for professional development in engineering education
Get PDFA teaching portfolio is a collection of texts and materials that are intended to represent teaching practice. Many institutions require candidates applying for tenure, ad hominem promotion, or teaching excellence awards to submit a teaching portfolio as part of their application. Building a teaching portfolio engages candidates in reflection on their practice and has been shown to enhance teaching practice. However, less is known about how the socio-cultural contexts of different disciplines and fields shape the representation of candidates’ teaching practice. To address this gap with regard to engineering education, the teaching portfolios of engineering lecturers applying for tenure, promotion, and awards at four different universities were studied, guided by the research question: How does the social context of a teaching portfolio impact the representation of teaching practice? The study found that the social context strongly influenced representations of practice. In the portfolios submitted for tenure or promotion, candidates obscured their teaching practice and instead foregrounded departmental goals or other official documents. In contrast, the award applicants provided detailed, reflective descriptions of their practice. These findings have implications for how engineering educators could be holistically supported towards enhancing their teaching practice, and its representation, in developing portfolios for tenure, promotion or awards
A review of Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Get PDFHuman cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a ubiquitous virus that has a significant impact on the health of children in Africa and globally. It can be acquired antenatally in utero (cCMV) or postnatally (pCMV) via breastmilk, genital secretions, or blood products. CMV can also be transmitted via solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplants. Clinical presentation of CMV varies based on the age and immune status, with children living with HIV exhibiting significant complications from co-infection. Most children with cCMV are asymptomatic but may develop deafness and neurodevelopmental delay later in childhood. pCMV in preterm or low birth weight babies may lead to pneumonitis, necrotizing enterocolitis, or a severe sepsis-like syndrome.
Ganciclovir and valganciclovir, its oral prodrug, are the only anti CMV drugs available in most African countries though their use is not widespread. New drugs and vaccines are being developed to improve treatment options and prevent the transmission of CMV. Strategies to manage cCMV include the use of longer durations of ganciclovir as a treatment option to prevent deafness
Adoption of Automated Valuation Models in Malawi; Valuers' Perception
Get PDFValuation profession is historically known for being more traditional and extensively uses traditional methods of valuation. Despite this, in the recent past, there have been strides to incorporate automated valuation methods (AVMs) in the valuation profession especially for rating, mortgages and revaluation purposes. This new approach, however, attracted controversy when it was piloted in one of the cities in Malawi. This study sought to explore property valuers’ perceptions on the adoption of AVM in rating valuation against the use of traditional methods of valuation. The researchers used a descriptive study design with qualitative data collection and analysis methods. Semi-structured interview guides were used to collect data on valuers' perceptions on AVM. A total of 20 in-depth interviews were conducted with professional valuers. The valuers were asked how they perceive AVM approach to rating valuation compared to the use of traditional methods of valuation in terms of its accuracy, reliability and easiness. Data was manually analysed using content analysis. The general perception of the valuers towards AVM was mixed. One school of thought gave AVM the benefit of doubt for future incorporation into the profession if modified to suit the local environment. On the other hand, AVM was considered as posing threat to the valuation profession since anyone may be deemed qualified to carry out property valuation. However, the valuers are of the perception that the models will never replace traditional methods of valuation, hence suggestions to incorporate AVM as a supplement to traditional methods of valuation so that the former is used as a verification and auditing tool for the latter
First nesting records for Black Sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucus in the Northern Cape, South Africa
Get PDFBlack sparrowhawks Accipiter melanoleucus have expanded their range westwards into areas previously unsuitable due to a lack of ap-propriate tree cover. They now occur in areas where exotic trees (mainly Eucalyptus and Pinus species) have become established: for-estry plantations, urban areas and infestations along rivers. This pa-per reports the status of black sparrowhawks in the Northern Cape, and the discovery of two nests in Pinus plantations close to Nieu-woudtville in 2019. It is likely that this area was colonised from the Western Cape
Change in moult behaviour of African penguins Spheniscus demersus on Robben Island
Get PDFThis paper reports a change in the location of moulting adult African penguins on Robben Island over the period 1998 to 2020. Until 2004, the birds tended to moult along the coastline. By 2020, nearly all the birds moulting on the island appear to do so inland at or near to their nest sites. This behavioural change has implications for estimates of total population size made using counts of moulting birds that do not include the inland moulters
Editorial for JARER Vol 6, Issue 2, 2021
Get PDFWelcome to Volume 6 (2021), Issue 2 edition of the Journal of African Real Estate Research (JARER). JARER has provided valuable resources that support academics and professional researchers in Africa and those interested in the African continent. Our journal offers an exciting platform for disseminating scholarly and the different types of applied research engaged within the real estate sector in Africa. This issue is coming as the first regular issue of 2021. The journal's first issue gave way for the Special Issue published in June 2021. For this reason, we want to apologize to the authors whose papers were accepted earlier in the year for the delay in publication. To forestall this situation in the future, the JARER management team has decided to start publishing individual papers in digital format on our website once accepted and while waiting to be published with a full issue at the appointed time.
Karen Gibler and Geci Karuri-Sebina's diligent and painstaking efforts in supporting the journal with the successful publication of the special issue titled: Women in African Real Estate and Urban Development Research are highly appreciated. Our gratitude also goes to the journal editorial board members and the anonymous reviewers, who have been supporting and inspiring the management team, making it possible for us to improve the rate of submissions. We appreciate the continued support of the African Real Estate Society board members. Similarly, we appreciate the constant support we receive from the team and colleagues at the Library Services for the University of Cape Town, South Africa. We like to put on record the assiduous efforts of our former managing editor - Mr Luke Boyle - whose diligence and teamwork we so much enjoyed, and as he heads on to other endeavours in his life, we wish him the best. The untiring efforts of our new managing editor - Ms Lesedi Kgaka - with a view to moving the journal's operation forward and onto the next level are highly appreciated. Our thanks go to Prof. Karl-Werner Schulte and his team from the IREBS at Regensburg University, the IRES, ERES, from whom JARER continues to receive strong support.
The current issue contains seven papers focusing on a wide range of topics covering diverse areas of interest in gender differential in real estate entrepreneurship, integrated rural development, housing affordability, indoor environmental quality, tenure security, resource utilization and automation in valuation.
The first paper's focus is on the potential of integrated rural development schemes for improving rural housing infrastructure. A case study of the Rural Development Programme (RUDEP) of Justice Development and Peace Makers' Centre (JDPMC), a non-governmental organization in Osun State, Nigeria, was conducted. The findings led to the conclusion that the RUDEP integrated scheme could be a viable policy option for improving the condition of rural housing in Nigeria.
The second paper takes a holistic view of the housing affordability problem in Africa. It considered the multifaceted nature of the problem vis-à-vis the political, social, institutional, economic and financial milieu of Africa. The paper concluded that the enormity of the problem of housing affordability in Africa is a function of, among others, the vested interest of the power brokers who were profiting from it, the market, the unwitting application of western models to Africa, poverty, and the sheer neglect by the housing policymakers of Africa of the time-tested African means of affordable housing delivery.
The apparent domination of the real estate business environment by the male gender and the entrepreneurial intentions of men and women in the real estate sector are the concerns of the third paper from Nigeria. The paper studied the intentions of real estate students at three Nigerian universities to understand better barriers and supporters that shape students' entrepreneurial intentions. In doing this, the paper showed how gendered differences might impact students' entrepreneurial aspirations. The conclusion suggests gender-based differences in the entrepreneurial aspirations of real estate students in Nigeria.
The fourth paper evaluated the Nigerian Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) intervention projects and space utilization in Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic (NUBAPOLY), Zaria, Kaduna state, Nigeria. The results revealed that the construction of new buildings and laboratory equipment and furniture provided the main focus of TETFund intervention projects. At the same time, the overall space utilization for NUBAPOLY stood at 43.60%. The paper recommended that TETFund ensure adequate utilization of its intervention projects through supervision and inspection. At the same time, the management of Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic should make optimum utilization of TETFund intervention projects.
The fifth paper examines property valuers' perceptions of the adoption of automated valuation models (AVM) in rating valuation against the use of traditional valuation methods in Malawi. The findings showed that the general perception of Malawi's valuers towards AVM was mixed. While one school of thought gave AVM the benefit of the doubt for future incorporation into the profession if modified to suit the local environment, the other hand considered AVM a threat to the valuation profession since anyone may be deemed qualified to carry out property valuation. The conclusion was that AVM could be adopted as a supplement to the traditional valuation methods but not a replacement.
The problem of land tenure security with a view to promoting and motivating land-based investment has been the focus of many countries and development partners and calls for a continuous effort at addressing this critical issue. This is the focus of the sixth paper. The paper explored the factors affecting tenure security for legal landholders in Bahir Dar City in Ethiopia. The results suggest that the perception of landholders about land tenure security was low, with consequences of disinvestment and lack of confidence of ownership on the land and property held in the city and fear of expropriation or involuntary relocation.
The seventh paper is a literature review of research methods that seek to establish the measurement of individual productivity and organizational performance in office buildings containing enhanced green building features and initiatives that specifically focus on indoor environmental quality (IEQ). The paper used the PRISMA framework and included thirty-nine academic papers from 2000 to 2020 to discuss different research instruments such as post-occupancy evaluations (POE), longitudinal surveys, and interviews. The key findings highlighted that previous research measured individual productivity via self-assessment. At the same time, no research had successfully measured organizational performance within the context of green building features and initiatives.
Our sincere hope that you will find the papers in this issue of the Journal of African Real Estate Research interesting, thought-provoking, and informative. We appreciate and encourage feedback from readers on their views of this and previous issues of the journal.
Prof. Abel Olaleye
Editor-in-Chie
Factors Influencing Access to Urban Land for Private Housing Development in Minna, Nigeria
Get PDFLand is a major factor of production and a vital asset in the socio-economic development of any country or society. Due to the continuous increase in urban population, resulting in rapid urbanisation, access to urban land has become a challenge in Minna. This paper examines the factors that influence access to urban land for private housing development in the city. The study adopted descriptive and causal research designs. Data for the study were obtained from field survey through structured questionnaire administered to private housing developers in the study area using simple random sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used to analyse the data. The study found that titling and locational factors, socio-economic factors, procedural bottlenecks, land condition and accessibility are the significant factors that drive access to land for private housing development in the city. It recommends that stakeholders in land administration and management in the city should consider these factors in the land administration system to facilitate private developers’ access to land for private housing development in the city