UP Journals (Univ. of Pretoria)
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That which remains: Memorialisation in art and the ‘living’ melancholy object: Stairways and Ruins
No full textAfter the death of a loved one, specific objects transform to assume a unique identity and meaning to the bereaved. These melancholy objects, as articulated by Margaret Gibson (2004), start to have their own afterlife as objects memorialising the deceased, and the bereaved’s own experience of mourning. In this article, I consider how the melancholy object, as an impoverished replacement of the body of the deceased, echoes experiences of bereavement and ruination. I investigate the objects of grief and our changing relationship with them (Mathijssen 2017) through the example of an episode of the British television series Black Mirror (2011-) titled Be Right Back (2013). Furthermore, I consider how artists respond to complex experiences of grief and loss, and how this is influenced by melancholy objects, by generating meaning through visual picture-making and artmaking. I propose that my digital drawing, Sancrosanctity (2019), can address melancholy objects and loss to become a nuanced melancholy object. Although melancholy objects, devices, and acts reiterate and remind us of the devastation – the ruination – of loss, they are the closest we come to tangibly engaging with what remains of the deceased
Special section editorial: Arts activisms and gender-based violence through transnational perspectives
No full textThis editorial focuses on the potential of arts activist practices to raise awareness about gender-based violence (GBV) against women, which is one of the most pervasive human rights violations. It contextualises the discussion by the contributors to this special section of Image & Text, who attend to diverse instances of GBV: from everyday domestic violence, rape and sexual violence, feminicide, institutional misogyny within caste and army, to online abuse. GBV affects women across all socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, class, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, and/or sexuality. And yet there is an increasing global backlash against gender equality and an intensification of GBV, both of which are intimately connected to the rise of exclusionary politics and the widespread anti-gender and far-right rhetoric. This editorial outlines the relationship between violence against women and human rights, arguing for the urgent need to expose the systematic, structural heteropatriarchal conditions around GBV at a time when at least one in three women worldwide has experienced physical, sexual, or psychological abuse in their lives
Exhibition Review: Artefacts
No full textGlass art can uncover multiple visions of reality and hidden narratives that other mediums are rarely capable of. The Artefacts exhibition, held at the Pretoria Art Museum from 26 July 2025 to 31 August, examined these hidden narratives and the difference between the public and private spheres through carefully curated glass installations. Lothar Böttcher and Caitlin Greenberg drew visitors in by mixing glass with other mediums in unique ways to encourage conversations around mass media and quiet resilience. This review investigates how visitors were compelled to engage with their own imagination and past experiences to interpret the works displayed and contemplate their meanings
Suppressed data: The controversy on Lynn Saffery’s enquiry into African living conditions on the Northern Rhodesian Copperbelt, 1942-1945
No full textThis article examines the controversy over Ambrose Lynn Saffery’s enquiry into African living conditions on the Northern Rhodesian Copperbelt during the Second World War. The enquiry was held from August 1942 to January 1943 at the peak of the war, when the colonial government, mineworkers and mine management all faced the worst pressures of the war. The article contributes to scholarship on the impact of the wartime political economy on African living conditions in urban areas. Scholars analysed the surveys conducted on the urban African cost of living and demonstrate how they were shaped by the prevailing political economy. However, they largely overlook the debates that ensued during the enquiries and how they affected their conduct. The article uses archival evidence to demonstrate that Saffery’s enquiry was shaped by the controversy between the Northern Rhodesia Chamber of Mines and the Labour Commissioner. While the former criticised the enquiry to protect the interests of the mining companies, the latter defended the study because it was organised by the Labour Department under his charge. The article reveals how the interests of different stakeholders influenced their perspectives on statistical enquiries. The controversy arose when the colonial government and the mining firms failed to accept and act upon the revelations of the survey. Instead, they suppressed the report to evade its political and economic implications
Compiling Specialised Glossaries: A Case Study of English-isiNdebele Medical Terms
No full textThe inability to access health care because of a language barrier is a matter of concern which this study seeks to address. There is a critical need to access health care communication by amaNdebele, an ethnic group who speak Southern Ndebele known as isiNdebele, one of the official languages of South Africa. IsiNdebele belongs to the Nguni family, alongside isiZulu, isiXhosa and Siswati. The study examines the compilation of a specialised English-isiNdebele glossary of medical terms. It investigates the methodologies and challenges that are involved in the creation of bilingual medical terminologies for English and isiNdebele. A corpus-based approach together with the prescriptive and descriptive lexicographic methods was employed. Medical corpora were compiled, and consultation with the isiNdebele speaking medical community also took place. This was done so that medical terms which are culturally appropriate could be developed. The findings of this study reveal notable gaps in the medical terminology of isiNdebele. The findings further emphasise the significance of term formation in which the medical community (nurses and doctors) and language (isiNdebele) experts are involved. This study contributes to the broader discourse on equity in healthcare. It also contributes to the intellectualisation of African languages in post-apartheid South Africa
Assessing high school learners’ perceptions of climate change in Rwanda: Implications for education and advocacy
Get PDFUnderstanding high school learners’ perceptions of climate change is important for climate scientists since they are the next generation of leaders, policymakers, and citizens who will be responsible for addressing and mitigating the impacts of future climate change. There are few studies on the knowledge and understanding of climate change by learners in Rwanda. This study’s objectives are to assess the perceptions of high school learners in Gisagara District in Rwanda regarding climate change, and explore the implications for education and advocacy. A mixed-methods approach, combining closed and openended questionnaires, was used to gather quantitative and qualitative data from learners. Participants (n=251) were from six different high schools. Results of the study are that high school learners have varying perceptions of climate change and these are most strongly influenced by availability of resources on climate change, including from the internet, and personal motivation or interest in the topic. Suggestions from learners on how to increase understanding of climate change issues include prioritising climate change education within the school curriculum, incorporating real-life examples, interactive learning activities, and collaborative partnerships. Through effective education and advocacy strategies, young people can play a pivotal role in shaping policies, fostering behavioural changes, and raising awareness about the importance of addressing climate change for the well-being of both present and future generations
Association of Meat Importers and Exporters v International Trade Administration Commission (9233/2022) [2023] ZAGPPHC 1790 (12 October 2023)
Get PDFSoewereiniteit van kerklike organisasies – die geval van die Moreletaparkse gemeente van die NG Kerk
Get PDFOn 23 September 2010 the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) handed down unanimous judgments in two similar cases, but reached completely opposite conclusions. Both cases dealt with dismissal of church employees based on aspects of their private lives. In Obst v Allemagne the ECHR ruled that the German Constitutional Court correctly upheld the dismissal of the Public Relations Director of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints due to adultery. On the other hand, the ECHR ruled that the German Constitutional Court violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights when it upheld the dismissal of an organist and choir master of a catholic congregation due to adultery, despite the constitutional guarantee of religious autonomy in the German Basic Law. In South Africa, the Equality Court held that dismissal of an organist due to a homosexual relationship constituted unfair discrimination. While all forms of unfair discrimination must be rejected, legal compulsion may not be the answer to change the prejudices of religious groups. Persuasion should rather be based on ethical arguments, which may hold better results in the long term
How do you determine a fair sanction? Dismissal as appropriate sanction in cases of dismissal for (mis)conduct
Get PDFEvery employee in South Africa has the rights not to be dismissed unfairly. The Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 provides that an employer may fairly dismiss an employee on the grounds of conduct, capacity or operational requirements. However, the employer must also follow a fair procedure prior to the dismissal. The Code of Good Practice: Unfair Dismissal (schedule 8 to the Act) provides that the question whether a reason for dismissal is fair or not, is determined by the facts of each case and the appropriateness of dismissal as a penalty (in particular item 7(b)(iv)). However, it is not easy to determine whether dismissal is an appropriate remedy in a particular case. This article considers this question without reference to procedural fairness. The case of Edcon Ltd v Pillemer NO (Reddy) emphasised that an employer must submit evidence to support the contention that dismissal was indeed the appropriate sanction. This would require evidence, for example, that the trust relationship between the employer and employee had broken down. The employer must therefore be able to show that the employee is guilty of misconduct and that the nature and impact thereof are such that dismissal is the appropriate remedy. This article considers some issues in view of this consideration, namely: i) The onus of proof in dismissal disputes; ii) when dismissal could be an appropriate sanction; iii) the final decision regarding whether or not dismissal was fair (ie whether it was in fact the appropriate sanction); and iv) how to approach the decision whether to impose dismissal as sanction or not. Each of these questions is discussed with reference to principles already established in case law