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An Appraisal of Gunther Wittenberg’s Theology of Hope in post-1994 South Africa
Get PDFAn Appraisal of Gunther Wittenberg’s Theology of Hope in post-1994 South AfricaSouth Africa's reluctance to deploy religion in the public sphere can be understood in terms of the country's political and socioeconomic trajectories from the apartheid era. Theology has always featured in the struggle history of the majority of the Black population, but has been neglected by most historians and theologians in the face of crises facing the country today. This article examines Wittenberg's theocratisation of the "theology of hope" as a means of redressing this apparent neglect, highlighting the invaluable role of the church in the struggle against apartheid. During the early 1990s, Wittenberg' s ideas became a force to reckon with in challenging the negative impact of apartheid policies on Black people. I focus on Wittenberg because of his rich experience and knowledge of Lutheran theology. The main aim of this article, therefore, is to elaborate on the significance of the theology of hope in the context of a democratic South Africa amid unprecedented political and socioeconomic crises. I have adopted secondary data analysis and experientialism as research approaches for this paper
Analysing the impact of and response to the 2019 tornado in Harry Gwala District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Get PDFA dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts In the field of Geography and Environmental Studies.This study aims to analyse the impact of and response to the 2019 tornado disaster in Harry Gwala District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. To achieve this aim, this research utilized mixed research methods to collect and analyse data. Questionnaires were used to collect data from households while structured interviews were used to gather information from municipal officials. Data was analysed through SPSS and a thematic approach. The findings show that in terms of the occurrence and distribution of tornado disasters in Harry Gwala District Municipality between 1989 and 2019, the most affected municipalities were NDZ and UMzimkhulu. Regarding the socio-economic impacts of the 2019 tornado in the study area, it was discovered that the uMzimkhulu and uBuhlebezwe municipalities had the most adversely affected households because of mud building material used by many households in these municipalities. In terms of coping strategies, the research found that people have no awareness regarding their respective disaster management offices, hence their immediate response was to call their councillors. Concerning the government response, there was a collaboration between all relevant stakeholders from the public and private sectors. The relief provided to households included food parcels and blankets, however, road and network infrastructure were reported to be a challenge, delaying this provision. The results on community perceptions indicate that a large proportion of respondents believed that the tornado was caused by iNkanyamba while others believed that it was caused by God’s anger, only a few understood that it was a result of climatological conditions. This research suggests the disaster management centre should invest in research on these incidences so that they are well documented and understood. It is also suggested that housing development should also be implemented in rural areas and there is a need for continuous community workshops to educate people on natural disasters and effective response strategies
An investigation into marketing activities role on the purchase of private label brands: A systematic review of trends in literature
Get PDFAn investigation into marketing activities role on the purchase of private label brands: A systematic review of trends in literatureThe upsurge of private label brands has allowed retailers to expand their product offerings. However, these brands have been met with varying perceptions among consumers across the world. Therefore, this study investigated the role that marketing might have on the purchase intentions of customers opting to/not to purchase private label brands. The marketing instruments in question for this study were advertising, pricing, and price promotion, and their effect on customers’ purchase intention for private label brands. An integrative systematic review methodology in searching, screening, selecting, including, and excluding research articles; search strings were also formulated in searching for articles was followed. In this paper, a synthesis of the literature was undertaken, and future research
direction was provided, giving future research and retailers three propositions to understand the effect of pricing, price promotions, and advertising in the purchase of private label brands
Exploring the effectiveness of a rural income-generating project in Umhlathuze municipality
Get PDFA dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Social Work, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, at the University of Zululand, 2022.The study examined the effectiveness of a rural income-generating project in uMhlathuze municipality. The study examined potential challenges that the projects face that prevent them from achieving their goals. A qualitative research approach was adopted to examine the effectiveness of the project, and 14 participants were chosen as a sample to represent the members of the income-generating project’s population. The sample was chosen using non-probability sampling techniques. The study conducted original interviews with the selected participants through structured interview questions to collect data. The thematic content analysis approach was used to analyse the acquired data. The findings of this study revealed that various income-generating activities require regular monitoring and assessment visits from Department of Agriculture personnel. Project members must also receive financial management training so that they do not mismanage project funds. The research findings also clearly demonstrated that the Department's existing policies are ineffective in achieving the stated aims of poverty reduction
Synthesis and Fabrication of Alpha Phase Iron Oxide (α-Fe2O3) Nanostructured doped with Ruthenium for Highly Sensitive and Selective Flammable and Toxic Gas Sensor
Get PDFDissertation submitted in partial-fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science to the: Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering Department of PhysicsThe increase in the number of manufacturing industries in recent times had both positive and negative impacts on our environment and human health. The use of heavy-duty machines in manufacturing industries causes the release of flammable and hazardous gases, which affect human health, into the atmosphere. Many research efforts have been focused on detecting and monitoring these gases using metal oxide semiconductor materials. This study investigates the gas sensing performance of ruthenium-doped alpha iron oxide towards flammable and hazardous gases. The chemical precipitation method synthesised the alpha iron oxide doped with a different weight percentage of ruthenium. The samples underwent some characterisation techniques, such as X-ray diffractometry, thermogravimetric analysis, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer-emmett-teller surface area analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, to study certain properties of the material. The sensors were fabricated by using the drop casting method, and the sensors were tested for gas sensing performance at 225 ⁰C operating temperature, towards liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), ethanol, propanol, ammonium (NH3), and hydrogen sulphide (H2S). The pure sample alpha iron oxide (α Fe2O3) was more sensitive to the target gases with the response being 26.01 towards the ammonia gas. The selectivity shift towards LPG while the response decreases upon the addition of different weight percentage of the ruthenium to alpha iron oxide ruthenium was found to be unsuitable as a dopant material in alpha iron oxide for gas sensing applications
Running for God as a Dialogue between Self and Soul
Get PDFRunning for God as a Dialogue between Self and SoulThis study is about the physical and spiritual aspects of running. In addition to the human physical activity of running, there is a special reference to God-consciousness. Although the paper reflects an African, Christian, psychological bias, from an interfaith perspective, it concerns a simple, natural, human activity, within a broader energetic field of consciousness, which is usually and simply referred to as Love. The deliberate choice of the broad generic terms, God, or Godhead, is intended to include such terms as Allah, Brahman, Tao, Spirit, Divine, etc. While the terms “self” and “soul” may be used in different ways by various wisdom, spiritual and religious traditions, here they essentially refer to the interior, social and spiritual dimensions of human relationships. The study adopts a phenomenological, psychological, and biographical methodology with special reference to the spirituality of running as experienced by participants and reported by the heroic figures of Allyson Felix, Eliud Kipchoge, and Teilhard de Chardin, respectively. Its humble intention is to inspire all concerning the benefits of physical activity in general and running in particular, for physical, mental, social, and spiritual health promotion
A text-immanent, narrative-critical and logotherapeutic reading of the book of Amos and the necessity of a scientific approach by its readers to prevent terror deeds
No full textA text-immanent, narrative-critical and logotherapeutic reading of the book of Amos and the necessity of a scientific approach by its readers to prevent terror deedsA text-immanent and narrative critical approach to the Biblical book of Amos reveals that the prophet Amos had addressed the social injustices of his time. He addressed the issues of his day with the belief that it was the Lord God (Elohim) Almighty who had instructed him to do so. The leaders of the well-known terror groups, Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram and the Islamic State (IS) are also addressing contemporary social issues that confront them with the belief that Allah (God) has prompted them to do so. While Amos had discovered meaning through what he had seen and what he had said about the Lord and his interventions, the terror groups find their meaning in jihad (holy war). The book of Amos confronts modern readers to take scientific contextual analyses seriously and it also makes them aware that believers need to do what is right without making use of any violence to effect some societal change. In contrasts to this, the jihadists’ interpretation of the Quran and their quest for a world under Sharia law are not in line with sound scientific contextual analyses and as a result led to unacceptable terror and violent deeds in practice – something that must be rejected at all cost
Enhancing cognition of circle theorems via adaptive technology in rural-based Eswatini: pre-service teachers' usage and acceptance of geogebra
No full textA thesis submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2022With the mandate of addressing the inadequacy of research establishments in rural
college settings of Eswatini, this study designed and employed the “Rural Eswatini
Pre-service Teachers' Acceptance of GeoGebra” Model to examine the characteristics
that influence rural Eswatini pre-service teachers' usage of GeoGebra. Additionally,
the Rural Eswatini Pre-service Teachers' Acceptance of GeoGebra was used to
assess the significant difference between male and female pre-service teachers’ use
of GeoGebra. This model was also utilised in examining the effect of rural Eswatini
pre-service teachers’ system quality, system compatibility, and user satisfaction on
their Technology Task Fit of GeoGebra for circle theorems cognition. A pretest posttest was employed to assess the effects of GeoGebra on pre-service teachers’
cognition of circle theorems. The study used a one-group quasi-experimental research
design, with 187 pre-service teachers taking a pre-test on circle theorems before using
GeoGebra, followed by a post-test. Option-related data were collected from the pre service teachers using a 7 Likert-scale questionnaire. These data were analysed by
making use of SmartPLS3.3’s Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling.
Results showed that user satisfaction and system compatibility are the determinants
of rural Eswatini pre-service teachers' Technology Task Fit. Rural Eswatini pre-service
teachers' perceived attitude toward use, perceived ease of use, and Technology Task
Fit were found to have a direct effect on their actual use of GeoGebra for learning
circle theorems. Perceived usefulness, satisfaction and system compatibility had
indirect effects on the actual use of GeoGebra. The Rural Eswatini Pre-service
Teachers' Acceptance of the GeoGebra Model explained 74.9% of the variance in
rural Eswatini pre-service teachers' actual use of GeoGebra. The results moreover
revealed a significant difference between male and female pre-service teachers’ actual
use of GeoGebra. There was likewise a significant difference between rural Eswatini
pre-service teachers' pretest-posttest marks. Ultimate findings implied that GeoGebra
can be used to enhance rural Eswatini pre-service teachers' circle theorem cognition
Assessing the challenges that hinder the provision of services in Newcastle Local Municipality
No full textA thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Administration and Law in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Public Administration in the department of Public Administration at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2022.One of the major challenges facing South African municipalities today is the
provision of services to the local communities in a sustainable manner. The main
focus of this study is therefore to assess the challenges that hinder the provision of
services in local government using the case of Newcastle Local Municipality
Qualitative research approach was employed in the study where data was collected
using in-depth interview. Non-Probability sampling was used and Purposive
sampling strategy was employed to select 1 key official of the municipality because
they are the ones who are responsible to provide services to the local communities.
Convenient sampling was employed to select 20 community members from different
wards within the municipality included 2 wards councillors and 1 which in total makes
23 participants of the study.
The results showed that corruption is one of the factors that cause challenges in the
delivery of services, which is the factor that is happening within the municipality. The
result also shows that the employment of family and friend within the municipality
also contributes a lot in the challenges that hinder the delivery of services to local
communities. .
The findings show that the majority of the participants are not happy with the way the
municipality render services to the community. The findings further reveal that the
municipality does not involve people in local affairs so that they can take part in
decision- making, and also that people with qualifications are jobless while the
municipality is employing those who do not deserve because of the political party
they follow. In conclusion, the study recommends that the municipality uses the
prescribed criteria of employing public officials by the South African legislative
framework, using merits and qualifications
Cyberethical behaviour of high school students in selected schools in Umhlathuze municipality
Get PDFDissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in accordance with the requirements for the master’s degree in library and information science in the Department of Library and Information Studies, at the University of Zululand, 2022.Cyber technology has become a basic aspect of schools and universities, with students' habitual use of these tools to communicate, learn, and play. However, schools and universities have faced numerous issues as a result of cyber ethics activities in various settings. This study has examined the cyber ethical behaviour of high school students in selected schools in uMhlathuze Municipality. The objectives of this study were to: explore the level of awareness of cyber ethical behaviour prevalent at the selected high schools in uMhlathuze Municipality; identify the forms of cyber ethics behaviour shown by the selected high school students; demonstrate the application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) on cyber ethical behaviour intentions of high school students and establish the challenges faced by high school students to act ethically when using the Internet and cyber technologies.
The study adopted a quantitative approach through survey research design. Probability sampling was used to sample students through the simple random technique. A sample for the study was drawn from Grade 11 students from three conveniently selected high schools in uMhlathuze Municipality. 214 questionnaires were distributed among Grade 11 students. Data was collected through questionnaires. The data analyses were carried out largely using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28.0.
The findings of the study show that 68.2% of the respondents were aware of their cyber ethical behaviour. Less than half (68;31,8%) of the respondents showed less awareness. A high percentage of the respondents (82,7%) said that their teachers hardly teach them about cyber ethics. The respondents submitted that cyberbullying (57%), using another user’s password (16,4%) and dissemination of fake news (8.4%) are the common types of cyber ethical transgressions. The study discovered a substantial number of challenges related to effective cyber ethical behaviour. The findings indicated a need for awareness of cyber ethical technology and how to mitigate its misuse.
This study's originality stems from its scope, subject matter, and application. The study is significant because it provides a theoretical basis for future studies in the following areas: high schools in the uMhlathuze municipality, the levels of awareness of teachers and principals pertaining to cyber ethics. The study has implications for cyber ethical technologies and cyber ethical behaviour in high schools’ research and responses by stakeholders