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Women in Namibia
No full textWomen and gender in Namibia: concise introduction and literature review: Women have had a significant role throughout Namibian history. Prior to colonization men were generally dominant, but certain women of high rank attained powerful posi¬ tions. Namibian societies and politics became thoroughly gendered during the German and South African colonial periods. After independence the postcolonial Namibian state drew on the intensive involvement of women in the liberation struggle and adopted a le¬ gal framework and policies that emphasized gender equality. Nonetheless, little real im¬ provement has been achieved for the majority of women in postcolonial Namibia. The country's high level of social inequality continues to be profoundly gendered
A universal framework to evaluate community-based rehabilitation interventions
No full textCommunity-based rehabilitation (CBR) aims to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities by promoting social inclusion and equal opportunities. Despite its widespread use, there is no standardised framework to evaluate CBR interventions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This gap limits the ability to assess programme effectiveness and inform policy and practice. This study aimed to develop and pilot a universal evaluation framework for CBR interventions. A pragmatic, multi-method approach was used across four phases. Phase One involved a scoping review to explore existing CBR evaluation frameworks. Phase Two was a systematised review to identify suitable generic patient-reported outcome measures (GPROMs). Phase Three employed a Delphi study to achieve expert consensus on GPROMs and refine the framework. Phase Four piloted the framework in an LMIC setting to assess feasibility. Thematic analysis was conducted on qualitative data from the reviews and pilot study. The Delphi study involved iterative rounds of quantitative and qualitative analysis to establish expert consensus. The scoping review identified a lack of standardised frameworks, and the systematised review highlighted several relevant GPROMs. The Delphi study reached consensus on integrating selected GPROMs into the framework. Pilot testing confirmed the framework’s feasibility, adaptability, and relevance in resource-limited settings. The findings highlight the need for a standardised yet adaptable framework to assess CBR outcomes effectively. The developed framework addresses current gaps by offering consistency and contextual flexibility. This study contributes to the development of a universal CBR evaluation framework, with the potential to improve programme assessment, inform policy, and enhance practice in LMICs
Periodontal health and metabolic status of type 1 diabetic children and adolescents
No full textBackground Several meta-analyses of children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) have shown that periodontal disease (PD) is linked to metabolic control. In South Africa, the prevalence of PD and its impact on T1DM children is however unknown. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of PD in T1DM children and adolescents attending the Paediatric Diabetic Clinic at Tygerberg Hospital and to assess the impact of metabolic control on the periodontal status. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the periodontal status of T1DM patients. A basic periodontal examination (BPE) was performed and information on the HbA1c level, type and duration of T1DM, age, sex, BMI percentile, and pubertal status was gathered from patient records. A logistic regression model was used to identify associations between periodontal health status and risk factors. Results All 169 T1DM participants [median age 11.0 (9.0, 14) years] presented with PD. Based on BPE codes, 124 (73%) had gingivitis and 45 (27%) had periodontitis. The median HbA1c was significantly higher in the periodontitis group [12.6% (IQR: 10.4–13.6)] compared to the gingivitis group [8.9% (IQR: 8.1–9.9)] was statistically significant p = <0.001. Age was identified as risk factors (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.1–1.4; p = 0.002), with children in the periodontitis group being older [13.0 (10, 15) years] than those with gingivitis [11.0 (8.0, 13.5) years; p < 0.001]. Additionally, the periodontitis group had a lower median BMI percentile [59 (IQR: 29–78)] than the gingivitis group [74 (IQR: 42–92); p < 0.001]. Conclusions Besides the limitations inherent to the study design, every child and adolescent with T1DM presented with periodontal disease. Older age and poorer metabolic control were significantly associated with increased odds of periodontal disease, highlighting a strong link between metabolic control and periodontal health in this population. Longitudinal studies or clinical trials with adequate sample sizes are recommended. These findings underscore the need to intensify both diabetes management and dental care through integrated, long-term approaches
A phenomenological exploration of transformational leadership practices of selected programme managers at a TVET college in the Western Cape province
No full textAs individuals working together, employees share a common humanity and interact within shared workspaces. In today’s fast-paced and demanding work environment, the success of organisations and the well-being of employees are highly dependent on the development of a supportive and collaborative work environment. Leaders in organisations have a responsibility to cultivate and sustain a culture of collaboration and support that fosters success. True leadership is not just about control, but about inspiring others and fostering a collaborative atmosphere where everyone feels empowered to achieve greatness. However, creating such an environment can be challenging in practice. This study explored the transformational leadership practices employed by a selected group of Programme Managers in a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College, specifically to understand how these practices contribute to the development of a supportive and collaborative work environment. Theoretically, this study draws on the work of David Rock’s Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, Fairness (SCARF) model of engagement, integrating it with Edmund Husserl’s ‘lifeworld’ theory and Martin Heidegger’s notion of Dasein. The study followed a qualitative research approach, specifically applying a phenomenological research design to investigate the transformational leadership practices of selected Programme Managers. To answer the main research question, “What do the lived experiences of selected Programme Managers at a TVET college reveal about transformational leadership practices?”, five research participants were purposively selected. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and field notes. The data were analysed using Heidegger’s interpretive phenomenology, integrated with David Rock’s SCARF model of engagement. By exploring the lived experiences of selected Programme Managers, this study identifies the underlying factors that contribute to successful transformational leadership practices in fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment. The findings reveal that three of the Programme Managers incorporate transformational leadership practices and elements of the SCARF model, creating a supportive and collaborative work environment. A noteworthy observation is that all three have participated in leadership training, including a neuroscience-based leadership course, and have since been promoted to Head of Department. The fourth participant relies heavily on her years of experience; however, she demonstrates some core elements of transformational leadership. The fifth participant appears to struggle with leadership, likely due to a combination of inexperience, limited knowledge, a lack of confidence, and a language barrier. This participant has since resigned from the role. Additionally, the study highlights a strong link between each participant’s upbringing and their leadership style, indicating that early life experiences significantly influence their transformational leadership
Persistent pharmaceuticals in a South African urban estuary and bioaccumulation in endobenthic sandprawns (Kraussillichirus kraussi)
No full textPharmaceuticals are increasingly being detected in coastal ecosystems globally, but contamination and bioaccumulation levels are understudied in temporarily closed estuaries. In these systems, limited freshwater inputs and periodic closure may predispose them to pharmaceutical accumulation. We quantified in situ water column pharmaceutical levels at five sites in a temporarily closed model urban estuary (Zandvlei Estuary) in Cape Town, South Africa, that has been heavily anthropogenically modified. The results indicate an almost 100-fold greater concentration of pharmaceuticals in the estuary relative to False Bay, into which the estuary discharges, with acetaminophen (max: 2.531 µg/L) and sulfamethoxazole (max: 0.138 µg/L) being the primary pollutants. Acetaminophen was potentially bioaccumulative, while nevirapine, carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole were bioaccumulated (BAF > 5000 L/kg) by sandprawns (Kraussillichirus kraussi), which are key coastal endobenthic ecosystem engineers in southern Africa. The assimilative capacity of temporarily closed estuarine environments may be adversely impacted by wastewater discharges that contain diverse pharmaceuticals, based upon the high bioaccumulation detected in key benthic engineers
An analysis of the children’s act 38 of 2005: has it improved the position of unmarried fathers?
No full textThe rights of unmarried fathers in South Africa have always been an issue of contention. In terms of legislation, the rights of biological mothers, married and unmarried, have always been seen as superior in comparison to the rights of unmarried fathers. Due to their biological capabilities, biological mothers automatically acquire responsibilities and rights towards their children at birth. The same can be said for fathers who were married to the biological mother at the time of birth. Unmarried fathers do not enjoy the same treatment as they must acquire these responsibilities and rights through the fulfilment of Section 21 of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. This research paper critically analyses Section 21 of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 to determine whether the differentiation amounts to unfair discrimination. It examines the various pieces of legislation which have been passed up until the enactment of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 to determine whether true progress has been made. It further examines issues faced by the judiciary when determining the application of 21 of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. It compares South African legislation concerning the responsibilities and rights of unmarried fathers with similar legislation of Uganda and the United Kingdom to determine where the South African legislature has fallen short and where it has improved
Access to electricity within the South African Legal and Constitutional Context: lessons to be learnt from the Netherlands
No full textThe provision of electricity is essential for the promotion of healthcare, employment, food production and educational outcomes. The right to access electricity forms the basis of quality to life and various other rights. The ability of people to receive education, communication between people and the process of preparing food is impacted by access to electricity. 1 South Africa implemented load shedding to maintain the integrity of the electric grid and prevent further grid failure.2 South Africa has, however, coined the term ‘load shedding’ and defined it as ‘planned rolling blackouts based on a rotating schedule in a period where short supply threatens the integrity of the grid.’3 This implementation was the consequence of the failure to build new power stations which would keep up the economic growth and phase out older power plants.4 However the frequency of this load shedding has led to the current electricity crisis in South Africa. The frequency of load shedding has become a highly political and ideological topic due to its impact on various sectors of the economy.5 Load shedding is defined as the deliberate shutdown of electric power in a part of a power-distributing system, generally to prevent failure of the entire system when the demand strains the capacity of the system.6 There have been various factors which has heightened the discussion around the electricity crisis in South Africa. Politics and corruption have been noted as a big issue in the power sector of other African countries and now South Africa has also become one of these countries
One size does not fit all: an examination of the legal and policy framework for differentiated powers and functions of municipalities in South Africa
No full textThe allocation and exercise of local government responsibilities is central to the effective delivery of basic services, promotion of participatory governance, and the realisation of socio-economic rights. The division of powers and functions between levels of government is not meant to be static, as seen by the entrenchment of assignment provisions in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Shifts occur in response to changing circumstances. However, the changes are often uniformly applied to local government. A uniform transfer of powers and functions is either under-inclusive or over-inclusive for municipalities because they are different in size, geographical location, societal needs, and capacity. Yet, consideration of these factors has often been undermined by tensions between the three spheres of government, inconsistent or non-implementation of assignment procedures, and persistent unfunded or underfunded mandates. The study explores whether there are principles for differentiation and how the constitutional and legislative frameworks for differentiated powers and functions should be interpreted and applied. The thesis examines the policy, constitutional and legislative frameworks for differentiated powers and functions, and assignment of powers and functions to municipalities. It identifies gaps between the formal requirements of assignments in sections 99, 126 and 156(4) of the Constitution – which mandates capacity-based assignments – and the realities of governance, where the national and provincial governments bypass the prescribed constitutional framework for assignments. It establishes that the policy and legislative frameworks for assignments cannot be applied correctly if there is no clear appreciation of their constitutional basis. Although the Constitution makes the assignment of a Schedule 4A or 5A function compulsory, it is unclear how section 156(4) of the Constitution should be interpreted. The study adopts a doctrinal legal methodology, analysing constitutional provisions, legislation, relevant regulations, policy documents, and key judicial decisions. The approach is interpretive and analytical. The study finds that the government acknowledges the need for differentiation. Yet, the constitutional and legislative frameworks do not provide conceptual clarity as to when to assign functions to municipalities. There is, overall, an absence of a coherent set of principles for differentiation. The study also finds that there have been manifestations of the transfer of additional responsibilities to municipalities through sectoral instruments in housing, electricity, and public transport. These transfers do not follow the procedure required for executive assignments as per the Constitution. Safeguards for this are provided in the constitutional and legislative frameworks, but these same safeguards are not emphasised and guaranteed in sectoral instruments. Without a coherent set of principles to guide differentiation and clarify when assignments should take place, functions would be shifted to municipalities without the necessary safeguards being in place. This thesis contributes to scholarly and policy debates by proposing ten normative principles to guide the differentiation of responsibilities to municipalities, an interpretation of the ‘capacity’ requirement, an interpretation of ‘section 156(4) of the Constitution’, and advancing targeted recommendations. These include the development of a coherent government-wide devolution and iv https://uwcscholar.uwc.ac.za/homecapacity-building framework, rooted in the constitutional framework for assignment; amendments to relevant assignment legislation; and proposals for increased involvement of key stakeholders. Ultimately, the study argues that the constitutional and legislative framework for differentiation is currently not utilised because the government is not activating it. Multiple institutions, such as the Presidency, NT, DCoGTA, FFC, Parliament, the AG, the courts, ministers, MECs, and municipalities, need to be part of the solution. The system itself does not need to change: the government just needs to start using it
Trauma exposure, insomnia, and fatigue: a cross‐sectional study of the pathways to burnout among South African first responders
No full textBackground and Aims: First responders are disproportionately vulnerable to the development of insomnia, fatigue and burnout, due to chronic exposure to trauma inherent in their occupational roles. This study examined the mediating roles of insomnia and fatigue in the relationship between trauma exposure and burnout among South African first responders. Methods: Participants included police officers (n = 309) and paramedics (n = 120) in the Western Cape province of South Africa. They completed an online survey comprising the Life Events Checklist, the Insomnia Severity Index, the Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Mediation analyses were conducted using the Hayes PROCESS macro in SPSS Version 30.Results: Mediation analysis provided evidence of both parallel as well as serial mediation roles for insomnia and fatigue in the relationship between trauma exposure and burnout. Insomnia fully mediated the relationships between trauma exposure and emotional exhaustion as well as personal accomplishment and partially mediated the relationship with depersonalization. Fatigue fully mediated the relationships between trauma exposure and emotional exhaustion and depersonalization but did not mediate the relationship with personal accomplishment. Serial mediation analysis indicated that insomnia and fatigue, in sequence, fully mediated the effects of trauma exposure on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Conclusions: Insomnia and fatigue are critical pathways linking trauma exposure to burnout among South African first responders. Early identification and treatment of sleep disturbances may be crucial for preventing burnout and enhancing resilience in this population
Covid-19 and the right to social security for self-employed and informal workers in South Africa
No full textThe year 2020 brought the world to a standstill when the Covid-19 pandemic was declared. Like in many other nations all over the world, one of the most drastic forms of intervention was the implementation of a national lockdown within South Africa. This in essence meant that all nonessential places of work were closed for business. As a result of this lockdown, those in the informal and self-employed economy found themselves unable to work and unable to gain an income. Job and income losses also occurred within the formal economy; however, an important distinction is that those within the informal economy had no protection under the available social security framework. The South African Government put measures in place to assist those impacted by the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic, however it was found that those measures were based on the existing social security framework that inherently disadvantaged those in the informal and self-employed economy. There are various international and regional instruments that are in support of extending social protection to the informal and self-employed economy. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the vulnerabilities of those in the informal and self-employed economy were exacerbated as they found themselves unable to provide for the basic needs of themselves and their families and as a result suffered the most. This study therefore focuses on the need to extend the right to social security towards the informal and self-employed economy