UCT Open Access Journals (Univ. of Cape Town)
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First observation of Cape Batis Batis capensis on Robben Island
Get PDFWith the addition of this observation, the total number of avian species recorded on Robben Island is now 165, and the number reported since 2000 is 134
Editorial
Get PDFWelcome to the second issue of the Journal of Construction Business and Management (JCBM) in 2017. The issue contains six articles that were written by authors based in the United Kingdom, South African and Nigerian universities. Altogether, twelve authors produced these papers aimed at strengthening the discourse in and enhancing construction business and management research. The themes covered are varied and related to management theory and practice in the construction industry. These papers fill critical gaps in the knowledge and practice of construction businesses and project management by exposing the reader to innovative technologies, safety interventions, human resource management strategies and advances in housing development. The first paper by Onugwa and Uduma-Olugu examines how Building Information Modelling (BIM) is improving collaboration among stakeholders in the construction industry. The paper establishes that a country has to adopt BIM to develop an internationally competitive construction sector. Paper two by Dosumu et al. seeks to understand the issue of continual poor project performance in the construction industry by investigating the frequent causes of errors in construction contract documents and suggests that all designs should go through a quality assurance process to prevent errors prevalent on construction contract documents and thereby improve project performance. Ogbu’s paper highlights the need for low-income housing end-users to make inputs at the design and planning stages of their buildings based on the findings that the perception of a building by its occupants, rather than the physical features of the building is the main driver of maintenance cost. Paper four by Oladokun and Komolafe establishes that rural factors were the primary drivers of the housing choice by rural dwellers and recommends the inclusion of cultural values of the people such as kinship and social relations into integrated approaches to rural housing development. Housing development is a National strategy of most African countries needs to be improved in rural areas. The paper by Ameh and Daniel suggests that although the due process is followed in recruitment processes, the selection of suitable candidates is often hampered by interferences and competitive work conditions. The authors propose different methods through which human resource management can be improved in Nigerian construction firms. The final paper by Okoro and Musonda establishes the underlying structures of safety performance measures related to construction workers' unhealthy and unsafe eating behaviour and provides useful evidence for the psychometric evaluation of construction workers' safety and behaviours on construction sites. I wish to thank all authors who submitted papers for consideration, members of the Editorial Board and Panel of Reviewers for their assistance, timeous feedback and comments that helped shape and improve the quality of the submitted manuscripts. Finally, we welcome your feedback and suggestions that will help improve the quality of the journal and maintain the integrity of our published findings
Bird distribution dynamics 6 - Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland
Get PDFOverall, the conclusion has to be that the Cape Vulture is extremely likely to have experienced a major decrease in abundance in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland in the two-decade period between SABAP1 and SABAP2
Bird distribution dynamics 7 - Sociable Weaver Philetairus socius in South Africa
Get PDFWith its enormous nest structures, the Sociable Weaver is a unique species, an avian engineer. The nests modify climate within the nest chambers, and create substantial areas of shade beneath the nests. Besides the weavers themselves, these structures are exploited and taken advantage of by a remarkable diversity of animals. Thus bird atlas monitoring of the Sociable Weaver is an important initiative, with interest and significance beyond this single species of bird
Cape Sparrows roosting in Cape Weaver nests in Cape Town
Get PDFNight checks were conducted at seven Cape Weaver Ploceus capensis colonies in Pinelands to determine if the rate at which other species used the nests for roosting increased as it became colder. Cape Sparrows Passer melanurus roosted in nests, but the number roosting did not increase as night temperatures dropped, probably as temperatures were cool but not extreme. Cape Weavers were found to roost in nests, and their numbers increased as the breeding season approached. There were more male than female weavers, suggesting that males secured their territories ahead of breeding. Usually sparrows and weavers roosted singularly per nest, but sometimes Cape Sparrow pairs were seen. This study shows that Cape Sparrows may roost in Cape Weaver nests more frequently than previously thought. Additional colonies were monitored in Rondebosch, where there was one record of two Cape Sparrows roosting in two Cape Weaver nests. No Cape Sparrows were found roosting in Southern Masked Weaver P. velatus nests in Rondebosch, although not all these nests were checked. Cape and Southern Masked Weavers were not found to roost in the Rondebosch nests until June. Weavers and sparrows roosted with the head facing the nest entrance, with one weaver facing the other way
Living in isolation - observations on African Rock Pipits in the Northern Cape
Get PDFMy study so far shows that the song differences between different African Rock Pipit populations may be attributed to the isolation of populations of this species on hilly areas separated by unsuitable plains habitat (see de Swardt 2010). This is a remarkably adaptable species, with western birds occurring in semi-arid karroid shrub on barren hills, while in the eastern parts of its range this pipit inhabits mesic, temperate alpine grasslands
Bird distribution dynamics 10 - Pale-crowned Cisticola Cisticola cinnamomeus in South Africa
Get PDFOverall, the Pale-crowned Cisticola is extremely unlikely to have experienced a dramatic increase in range and reporting rate due to rapid colonisation of new areas in the two-decade period between SABAP1 and SABAP2. Instead, the observed expansion needs to be attributed to a dramatic growth in observer skill. Citizen scientists, in both SABAP1 and especially in SABAP2, have probably had a larger, more profound effect on our knowledge of the status and distribution of the Pale-crowned Cisticola in South Africa than any ornithologists have managed since its discovery in 1904
Interactions between birds of prey and the Cape Parrot in the Eastern Cape
Get PDFWorldwide, parrots are most vulnerable to attack when congregating around feeding and drinking sites. Flocking is a way of minimising vulnerability to predation, but can increase predation risk when flocks are unusually large and conspicuous. The Cape Parrot Poicephalus robustus is endemic to South Africa and is listed as endangered, with an estimated 1250 mature individuals remaining in the wild. Predation attempts have been previously documented on individuals flying over natural forests. However, unusually large flocks gather during autumn and winter to feed on exotic Pecan Carya illinoinensis nuts growing in orchards in Eastern Cape, South Africa, and this may increase their risk to predation. Observations conducted on 13 mornings and seven afternoons during March-June 2017 revealed frequent flushing and chasing by raptors such as African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro and Black Sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucus. No predation events were witnessed, and carcasses found on the ground beneath pecan trees suggests either predation or individuals that succumbed to Psittaccine Beak and Feather Disease. Ongoing observations at pecan orchards during the pecan season would better evaluate predation levels, and other threats to this endangered species at these feeding sites away from Afromontane habitat
Differences between Violet and Green Woodhoopoe mantle feathers
Get PDFTaxonomic status of Namibian Violet Woodhoopoe Phoeniculus d. damarensis was determined by microscopic differences in violet and green mantle feathers. Outer iridophore diameters from Green Woodhoopoe P. p. purpureus barbules (0.22 ? 0.03 ?m, n = 244) were smaller than those from violet barbules (0.28 ? 0.04 ?m, n = 248) whereas the inner diameters were similar in both cases
Causes of Errors in Construction Contract Documents in Southwestern, Nigeria
Get PDFThe issue of continual poor project performance in the construction industry remains unresolved and there is need for improvement. In view of improving project performance, the study aims at investigating the frequent causes of errors in construction contract documents. The survey research design and mixed research methods were used for the study. The respondents for the study consist of 86 consulting and 98 contracting firms that have been engaged on building projects that is above one floor between 2012 and 2015. Fifty one (51) interviews were also conducted on contractors, project managers and consultants on the projects they were involved and can equally provide necessary information for the study. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20) was used for the analysis of the study. The study found that the frequent causes of the errors in contract documents are frequent design changes by clients, lack of adequate time to prepare documents and design management experience among others. Based on the findings, it was concluded that the causes of errors in contract documents vary from one state to the other. It was also concluded that there is difference in the causes of errors in contract documents based on types of building, services rendered by construction organisations and states in South West, Nigeria. However, there is no significant difference in the causes of errors in contract documents based on procurement method except where there is incomplete documentation or contracting organisations have overlapping activities. The study recommends that the frequent errors identified should always be prevented from occurring if cost and time overrun are to be minimized. Also since most of the causes identified are related to consultants, it was recommended as suggested by interviewees that all designs must go through quality assurance process.Keywords: Building projects, Construction, Contract documents, Errors, project performanc