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Entrepreneurship framework for the economic commercialisation of smallholder farming in South Africa
Get PDFThe agricultural sector in South Africa could be categorized into two main farming sub-groupings, that is commercial farming [a farming sector that is perceived as sophisticated with advanced technologies and systems, who owns vast hectares of land (87% of agricultural land)] and smallholder farming which are perceived to have limited or little access to land (13% of agricultural land) with low technological systems. The latter farming sector has limited entrepreneurial performance, obscured entrepreneurial leadership, minimal competitive advantage and commercialization because of historical marginalization. Consequently, the sector was often operated to achieve household livelihood relative to economic gains.
Through a variety of the government interventions (such as Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD), Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP), Micro Agricultural Financial Institutions of South Africa (MAFISA) Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS), Agricultural Black Economic Empowerment (Agri-BEE), Operation Phakhisa, etc., the South African government sought to transform this sector to be economically viable such that it could be instrumental in reducing unemployment, poverty, and inequality by increasing their entrepreneurship in poverty-stricken rural areas.
Increasing their entrepreneurial performance implies that these farmers could achieve financial and non-financial benefits by increasing their market shares, profitability, sales growth and return on investment, entrepreneurial information, knowledge, and capacity.
The global experience seems to suggest that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) positively impact the economic growth and competitiveness of different countries because of their flexibility and adaptability to market changes. SMEs have moreover been credited with their impact on employment and knowledge sharing. Although smallholder farming enterprises in South Africa fall within the categories of SMEs, their contribution to employment creation has been limited due to their lack of intellectual and social capital, entrepreneurship, commercialization, and competitiveness. An important limitation of smallholder competitiveness has been identified from their limited information regarding their households and production systems.
To address the afore-said challenges, a comprehensive study that sought to develop the entrepreneurship framework for the economic commercialization of smallholder farming in South Africa was conducted. The study involved two phases. During phase one, secondary research investigating theories of smallholder farming enterprises, entrepreneurship, leadership, and commercialization was investigated. Participatory research involving focus group discussions and personal interviews with farmers was used. Phase two comprised of government officials and non-governmental institutions. The sample size was determined based on the cluster randomized sampling techniques, resulting in 1115 participants. The procedure used to identify the study participants was possible because of the cooperation with the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) and Provincial Departments of Agriculture (PDAs). Only six provinces formed part of the study.
The study results were presented in terms of the research objectives in subsequent chapters. The results of the study that sought to determine the entrepreneurial performance of the smallholder farming sector revealed that for smallholder farming (that has failed to commercialize its production for several decades) to evolve into a high-performance sub-sector will require industrial knowledge, human relations, and managerial skills to be economically viable.
Additional factors that could affect the entrepreneurial competitiveness of the smallholder farming sector in contemporary South Africa are a unique product and service features, the price value of the products, and consumer experience significantly influencing the entrepreneurial competitiveness of this sector. The study established strong evidence of a relationship between social capital and identified factors such as credibility, farming culture, market agency, expertise, leadership readiness, and creativity. The factors that affect entrepreneurial leadership in the smallholder farming sector in South Africa, such as growth, mentorship, government support, and effective communication, were found to affect the entrepreneurial leadership of smallholder farming significantly.
Lastly, the results of the study, which aimed at developing a commercialization model for the smallholder farming sector of South Africa, showed that entrepreneurial leadership, social capital, and competitive advantage play an essential role in ensuring the enterprise performance of smallholder farming which in turn mediate for commercialization of the enterprises in this sector. The overall results of the current study have practical implications for the present and future smallholder farming sector in South Africa. Firstly, the study identified crucial factors that could affect entrepreneurial performance, competitiveness, social capital, leadership, and commercialization. Secondly, the study also contributed to an entrepreneurship framework for the commercialization of this sector. The framework proposed has the potential to transform this sector to be economically viable so that it can contribute to reducing the socio-economic challenges.D.B.L.Graduate School of Business Leadershi
Measurements of multijet event isotropies using optimal transport with the ATLAS detector
No full textAbstract
A measurement of novel event shapes quantifying the isotropy of collider events is performed in 140 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions with
s
= 13 TeV centre-of-mass energy recorded with the ATLAS detector at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. These event shapes are defined as the Wasserstein distance between collider events and isotropic reference geometries. This distance is evaluated by solving optimal transport problems, using the ‘Energy-Mover’s Distance’. Isotropic references with cylindrical and circular symmetries are studied, to probe the symmetries of interest at hadron colliders. The novel event-shape observables defined in this way are infrared- and collinear-safe, have improved dynamic range and have greater sensitivity to isotropic radiation patterns than other event shapes. The measured event-shape variables are corrected for detector effects, and presented in inclusive bins of jet multiplicity and the scalar sum of the two leading jets’ transverse momenta. The measured distributions are provided as inputs to future Monte Carlo tuning campaigns and other studies probing fundamental properties of QCD and the production of hadronic final states up to the TeV-scale
The role of the presiding officer in South African child justice proceedings : a comparative critique of procedural models
No full textAbstracts in English, Sotho and ZuluThis research explores the role of the presiding officer in child justice proceedings in South Africa, Germany, and Scotland. The researcher investigates the active participation of the presiding officer as a feature of the inquisitorial nature of the proceedings created by the Child Justice Act, 75 of 2008 and its associated regulations. The researcher points out recurrent controversial and procedurally problematic concerns based on the mode or model of justice, which tend toward problematising the child justice space as far as the role of the presiding officer during various stages of the process. The researcher further explores challenges in the application of best interest standard to child offenders by presiding officers and the impact it has on child justice proceedings.
The comparative analysis of different jurisdictions assists in indicating how the best interest standard is applied in practice. It also aids in pointing out the shortfall and inability of the Child Justice Act, 75 of 2008, to fulfil its primary objectives. The researcher makes recommendations and offers solutions to assist presiding officers in applying the best interest standard while prosecuting child offenders in South Africa.Phuputso ena e hlahloba karolo ea ofisiri e okametseng linyeoe tsa toka ea bana Afrika Boroa, Jeremane le Scotland. Mofuputsi o batlisisa bonkakarolo bo mahlahahlaha ba ofisiri e okametseng e le tšobotsi ea botlokotsebe ba linyeoe tse entsoeng ke Molao oa Toka ea Bana, 75 oa 2008 le melaoana e amanang le ona. Mofuputsi o supa lipelaelo tse lulang li phehisana khang le mathata a tsamaiso ho latela mokhoa kapa mohlala oa toka o atisang ho bea bothata boemong ba toka ea bana ho fihlela karolo ea mosebetsi oa ofisiri e okametseng mekhahlelong e fapaneng ea ts'ebetso. Mofuputsi o tsoela pele ho hlahloba mathata a ho sebelisoa ha maemo a molemo ka ho fetisisa ho batlōli ba molao ba bana ke liofisiri tse okamelang le phello eo e nang le eona tsamaisong ea toka ea ngoana. Tlhahlobo ea papiso ea libaka tse fapaneng e thusa ho bonts'a hore na boemo bo botle ba phaello bo sebelisoa joang ts'ebetsong. E boetse e thusa ho supa kgaello le ho se kgone ha Molao wa Toka ya Bana ho phethahatsa maikemisetso a ona a mantlha. Mofuputsi o fana ka likhothaletso le ho fana ka litharollo tse tla thusa ts'ebelisong ea boemo bo holimo ba thahasello.Lolu cwaningo luhlola indima yesikhulu esingamele ekuqulweni kwamacala ezingane eNingizimu Afrika, eJalimane naseScotland. Umcwaningi uphenya ukubamba iqhaza okubonakalayo kwesikhulu esiphezulu njengesici sokuqulwa kwecala lokuqulwa kwecala okudalwe uMthetho Wobulungiswa Bezingane, wama-75 wezi-2008 kanye nemithethonqubo ehambisana nawo. Umcwaningi uveza ukukhathazeka okuphindelelayo okuyimpikiswano kanye nenkinga yenqubo okusekelwe kumodi noma imodeli yobulungisa evame ukufaka inkinga isikhala sobulungiswa bezingane njengoba nje kuyindima yesiphathimandla esiphethe phakathi nezigaba ezihlukahlukene zenqubo. Umcwaningi uqhubeka nokuhlola izinkinga ekusetshenzisweni kwezinga lenzuzo engcono kakhulu kwabenzi bobubi bezingane yizikhulu ezingamele kanye nomthelela enawo ekuqulweni kwecala lezingane.
Ukuhlaziywa okuqhathanisayo kwezindawo ezahlukene kusiza ukukhombisa ukuthi izinga lenzuzo engcono lisetshenziswa kanjani ekusebenzeni. Usiza futhi ekuvezeni ukushoda kanye nokwehluleka koMthetho Wezobulungiswa Bezingane ukufeza izinjongo zawo eziyinhloko. Umcwaningi wenza izincomo futhi anikeze izixazululo ezizosiza ekusetshenzisweni kwezinga lenzuzo engcono kakhulu.LL.D.Criminal and Procedural La
Factors affecting academic success among first year students in southern universities in Ethiopia
No full textThe study intended to assess factors affecting academic success among first-year students in southern universities in Ethiopia. The challenges faced by the university first-year students are made worse to the point that some students decide they cannot handle the adjustment and quit during or after their first year. The assessment serves as a springboard to establish a model to improve first-year students’ academic success. A mixed-method concurrent design was employed in the current study. Self-designed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data. A sample of eight hundred and twenty-six first-year students was selected using stratified simple random sampling. Besides, fourteen lecturers who taught first-year students, seven department heads, and seven college deans or freshmen coordinators participated in the study purposefully. The Social Sciences Statistics Package (IBM SPSS) version 25 was employed to analyze quantitative data. Qualitative data were analyzed with a thematic approach. This study employed Bandura’s social cognitive theory, Vygotsky’s social constructivism, Tinto’s theory of social and institutional integration and Astin’s theory of Student involvement. The study revealed that most first-year students’ inadequate self-efficacy, low perceived academic control, and severe stress influenced their current academic success negatively. The study also showed that first-year students had poor prior academic success that negatively affected their university performance. Students’ experiences in institutional commitment, engagement, and active involvement were positively and strongly associated with enhanced perception of academic control and academic achievement. On the other hand, students’ gender did not show a significant difference in their academic success. The study finally established that students’ healthy and improved adaptive coping mechanisms positively affected their academic success. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should have a binding policy that clarifies and specifies services and strategies that could help improve first-year students’ academic success in university settings. It is encouraged that Universities should be empowered by policies that mandate lecturers’ methodology for first-year students' academic achievement in students’ curricula. Besides, universities should establish first-year academic success support offices within their premises. It is further recommended that universities review curricula in tandem with the theory of academic achievement pedagogy. Finally, the study recommended a proposed model to increase first-year students' academic success.D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)Psychology of Educatio
Hybrid corporate social responsibility disclosure assessment and measurement framework: evidence from Zimbabwe
No full textText in English with summaries and keywords in English, Afrikaans and ZuluThe study proposes a hybrid corporate social responsibility disclosure assessment and measurement framework from the perspective of developing economies in Southern Africa, particularly in the context of Zimbabwe, being guided through the lenses of the stakeholder and legitimacy theory. The study was guided by seven research objectives. The first objective established the current CSR disclosure frameworks being used in financial reporting, the second objective identified the themes and constructs best applicable for assessing and measuring CSR disclosure, the third objective explored the CSR disclosure information required for inclusion in corporate reports, the fourth objective ascertained whether CSR reporting should be made mandatory in Zimbabwe, the fifth objective determined the level and extent of CSR disclosure by ZSE firms during the 2022 reporting period, the sixth objective tested the applicability of the hybrid CSR disclosure assessment and measurement framework and objective seven presented the final proposed CSR disclosure assessment and measurement framework. To achieve these research objectives, the study followed the pragmatism research philosophy and adopted an exploratory sequential mixed method research design. A Delphi Inquiry consisting of 20 CSR experts was used to gather qualitative data, and quantitative data to test the applicability of the developed CSR framework was derived through content analysis of annual reports of Zimbabwe Stock Exchange listed firms.
The final proposed CSR disclosure assessment and measurement framework emerged with nine CSR themes consisting of 57 CSR constructs that should be disclosed for CSR disclosures to be regarded as adequate in annual reports. The study concludes that CSR disclosures by firms listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange are still inadequate although there is significant improvement. The study therefore recommends the adoption of the current proposed hybrid CSR disclosure assessment and measurement framework to ensure adequate, consistent, standardised and comparable CSR disclosures by firms listed on Zimbabwe Stock Exchanges rather than referring to various CSR frameworks. The study further recommends that CSR disclosure in Zimbabwe should be mandatory as there is still evidence of inadequate variability in the disclosure of CSR information in annual reports.Die studie stel ’n hibriede openbaarmakingsassessering en -metingsraamwerk vir korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid (KSV) voor vanuit die perspektief van ontwikkelende ekonomieë in Suider-Afrika, veral in die konteks van Zimbabwe, deur die lens van die belanghebber- en legitimiteitsteorie. Die studie word gelei deur sewe navorsingsdoelwitte. Die eerste doelwit het die huidige KSV-openbaarmakingsraamwerke bepaal wat in finansiële verslagdoening gebruik word, die tweede doelwit het die mees toepaslike temas en konstrukte geïdentifiseer vir die assessering en meting van KSV-openbaarmaking, die derde doelwit het die KSV-openbaarmakingsinligting ondersoek wat vereis word vir insluiting in korporatiewe verslae, die vierde doelwit het vasgestel of KSV-verslagdoening verpligting gemaak moet word in Zimbabwe, die vyfde doelwit het die vlak en omvang van KSV-openbaarmaking deur firmas op die Zimbabwe-aandelebeurs gedurende die 2022-verslagdoeningstydperk bepaal, die sesde doelwit het die toepaslikheid van die hibriede KSV-openbaarmakingsassessering en -metingsraamwerk getoets, en doelwit sewe het die finale voorgestelde KSV-openbaarmakingsassessering en -metingsraamwerk aangebied. Om hierdie navorsingsdoelwitte te bereik, het die studie die pragmatisme-navorsingsfilosofie gevolg en ’n verkennende opeenvolgende gemengde metode-navorsingsontwerp aangeneem. ’n Delphi-ondersoek wat uit 20 KSV-kundiges bestaan het, is gebruik om kwalitatiewe data in te samel, en kwantitatiewe data om die toepaslikheid van die ontwikkelde KSV-raamwerk te toets, is verkry deur inhoudsontleding van jaarverslae van genoteerde firmas op die Zimbabwe-aandelebeurs.
Die finale voorgestelde KSV-openbaarmakingsassessering en -metingsraamwerk het na vore gekom met nege KSV-temas wat bestaan het uit 57 KSV-konstrukte wat openbaar gemaak moet word sodat KSV-openbaarmakings as voldoende in jaarverslae beskou kan word. Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat KSV-openbaarmakings deur firmas wat op die Zimbabwe-aandelebeurs genoteer is, steeds onvoldoende is, hoewel daar aansienlike verbetering is. Die studie beveel dus die aanvaarding van die huidige voorgestelde hibriede KSV-openbaarmakingsassessering en -metingsraamwerk aan om voldoende, konsekwente, gestandaardiseerde en vergelykbare KSV-openbaarmaking te verseker deur firmas wat op die Zimbabwe-aandelebeurs genoteer is eerder as om na verskeie KSV-raamwerke te verwys. Die studie beveel verder aan dat KSV-openbaarmaking in Zimbabwe verpligtend moet wees aangesien daar steeds bewyse is van onvoldoende wisselvalligheid in die openbaarmaking van KSV-inligting in jaarverslae.Ucwaningo luhlongoza ukuhlolwa kokudalulwa kwesibophezelo sebhizinisi emphakathini okuxubile kanye nohlaka lokulinganisa ngokombono wezomnotho ezisathuthuka eNingizimu Afrika, ikakhulukazi endabeni yeZimbabwe, eqondiswa ngemibono yababambe iqhaza kanye nombono osemthethweni.Ucwaningo beluholwa yizinjongo zocwaningo eziyisikhombisa. Injongo yokuqala yasungula izinhlaka zamanje zokudalulwa kwe-CSR ezisetshenziswa ekubikeni kwezimali, injongo yesibili ihlonze izingqikithi futhi yakha okusebenza kangcono kakhulu ekuhloleni nasekulinganiseni ukudalulwa kwe-CSR, injongo yesithathu yahlola ulwazi lokudalulwa kwe-CSR oludingekayo ukuze lufakwe emibikweni yebhizinisi, injongo yesine yathola ukuthi ukubika kwe-CSR kufanele yini kwenziwe kube yimpoqo eZimbabwe, injongo yesihlanu yanquma izinga kanye nokwandisa kokudalulwa kwe-CSR yizinkampani ze-ZSE ngesikhathi sokubika sika-2022, injongo yesithupha yahlola ukusebenza kokuhlolwa kokudalulwa kwe-CSR okuxubile kanye nohlaka lokulinganisa kanye nenjongo yesikhombisa yethula uhlolo lokugcina oluhlongozwayo lokudalulwa kwe-CSR kanye nohlaka lokulinganisa.
Ukufeza lezi zinjongo zocwaningo, ucwaningo lulandele umqondo wocwaningo ogcizelela okungokoqobo futhi lwamukela umklamo wocwaningo lwendlela exubile elandelanayo yokuhlola. Ucwaningo lweDelphi oluhlanganisa ochwepheshe be-CSR abangama-20 lwasetshenziswa ukuqoqa imininingwane ngokuchazwayo, futhi imininingwane yezinombolo ukuhlola ukusebenza kohlaka oluthuthukisiwe lwe-CSR lwatholakala ngokuhlaziya okuqukethwe kwemibiko yonyaka yezinkampani ezisohlwini lweZimbabwe Stock Exchange. Uhlolo lokugcina oluhlongozwayo lokudalulwa kwe-CSR kanye nohlaka lokulinganisa lwavela nezindikimba eziyisishiyagalolunye ze-CSR ezihlanganisa ukwakhiwa kwe-CSR okungama-57 okufanele kudalulwe ukuze ukudalulwa kwe-CSR kuthathwe njengokwanele emibikweni yonyaka. Ucwaningo luphetha ngokuthi ukudalulwa kwe-CSR yizinkampani ezisohlwini lweZimbabwe Stock Exchange akukalungi nakuba kunokuthuthuka okukhulu.
Ngakho-ke lolu cwaningo luphakamisa ukuthi kwamukelwe uhlelo oluhlongozwayo lwamanje lokuhlola ukudalulwa kwe-CSR kanye nohlaka lokulinganisa ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukudalulwa kwe-CSR okwanele, okungaguquki, okulinganiselwe nokuqhathanisekayo yizinkampani ezisohlwini lweZimbabwe Stock Exchange kunokuba kubhekiselwe ezinhlakeni ze-CSR ezihlukahlukene. Ucwaningo luphinde luphakamise ukuthi ukudalulwa kwe-CSR eZimbabwe kufanele kube yimpoqo njengoba kusenobufakazi bokuhlukahluka okwanele ekudalulweni kolwazi lwe-CSR emibikweni yonyaka.PhD. (Accounting Sciences)Accounting Studie
A study on fractional tumor-immune interaction model related to lung cancer via generalized Laguerre polynomials
No full textAbstract
Background
Cancer, a complex and deadly health concern today, is characterized by forming potentially malignant tumors or cancer cells. The dynamic interaction between these cells and their environment is crucial to the disease. Mathematical models can enhance our understanding of these interactions, helping us predict disease progression and treatment strategies.
Methods
In this study, we develop a fractional tumor-immune interaction model specifically for lung cancer (FTIIM-LC). We present some definitions and significant results related to the Caputo operator. We employ the generalized Laguerre polynomials (GLPs) method to find the optimal solution for the FTIIM-LC model. We then conduct a numerical simulation and compare the results of our method with other techniques and real-world data.
Results
We propose a FTIIM-LC model in this paper. The approximate solution for the proposed model is derived using a series of expansions in a new set of polynomials, the GLPs. To streamline the process, we integrate Lagrange multipliers, GLPs, and operational matrices of fractional and ordinary derivatives. We conduct a numerical simulation to study the effects of varying fractional orders and achieve the expected theoretical results.
Conclusion
The findings of this study demonstrate that the optimization methods used can effectively predict and analyze complex phenomena. This innovative approach can also be applied to other nonlinear differential equations, such as the fractional Klein–Gordon equation, fractional diffusion-wave equation, breast cancer model, and fractional optimal control problems
The challenges experienced by educators in addressing violence in schools : a social work perspective
No full textText in English with summaries and keywords in English and Northern Sotho.Violence in schools is becoming prevalent. Violence within schools is not a new social problem but is emerging as a cause for sincere concern due to the recent spate of attacks within South African schools that have claimed the lives of both pupils and educators. These attacks indicate that school violence has now moved beyond mere bullying to become a form of victimisation with a more serious and violent nature.
The purpose of this study was to develop an in-depth understanding of the challenges experienced by educators in addressing violence in schools. This study applied a qualitative research approach to explore, describe, and contextualise the challenges educators encounter in addressing violence in schools. Only educators from four schools in Soweto (Braamfischerville) participated in the study. The participants were selected by employing purposive sampling. The data collection method used was semi-structured interviews, eased by open-ended questions and probing skills where the participants were not limited in providing answers. Data was analysed with Tesch’s eight steps and ethical concerns were considered. The findings highlight that violence in schools is increasing daily without the resources and effective disciplinary measures to address the challenges of violence in schools. The findings also highlighted that social workers are needed in schools to help educators address the challenges of violence. Lastly, the findings indicated that having social workers in schools will help to eradicate the challenges of violence in schools, because social workers have better skills and are well-trained to help people and communities to work through the challenges they face in everyday life, such as violence in schools. Little has been documented about the social support services offered to the schools to deal with the violence.Dintwa (megabaru le dikgaruru) ka gara dikolo le ditikologo tša tšona di fetoga setlwaedi. Dintwa (megabaru) ka gare ga dikolo ga se bothata bjo boswa bja kgokaganyo efela bo tšwela pele go hlola mahloko go ya ka di poelo/ ditsebišo tša dihlaselo ka gare ga dikolo tša Afrika Borwa tšeo di tšerego maphelo a baithuti le barutiši. Dihlaselo tše di laetša gore dintwa (megabaru le digaruru) dikolong di feteletxe go feta le bongwete goba mokgwa wa go tlaitŠwa le bontŠi bja maikemišetšo ga dintwa (megabaru le digaruru) ka hlago.
Mohola wa dithuto tŠe ebe e le go godiŠa kweŠiŠo ya maleba ka ga mathata a o barutiši ba kopanago le gona go lwantŠhana/ go fediša dintwa (megabaru le digaruru) ka dikolong. Dithuto tŠe di diriŠitŠe mokgwa wa qualitative go nyakiŠiŠa, gohlaloŠa, le go kgonthiŠiŠa ka a mathata ao barutuŠi ba kopanago le gona go lwantŠheng/ go fediŠeng ga dintwa (megabaru le digaruru) ka gare ga dikolo. Ke barutiŠi ba dikolong tŠa Soweto (Bramfischerville) fela bao ba tŠerego karolo dithutong tŠe. Ba tŠea karolo ba kgethilwe ka mokgwa wa go ithaopa go ya ka dinyakwa tŠa monyakiŠiŠi. Mokgwa wa o goboketŠa tshedimoso ebe e le wa go bulega le go dumelela dikgopolo tŠe diswa nakong ya polediŠano, di dirilwe bofefo ke dipotŠiŠo tŠeo di bego di bulegile le dinyakiŠiŠo tŠa botsebi, moo ba tŠea karolo ba bego ba sa fokoletŠwe gofana ka di karabo. DigobokeletŠwa di hlophollotŠwe ka di karolwana tŠe seswai tŠa Tesch. Melao ya maleba ka moka e latetŠwe. Dinyakišišo di laetša gore dintwa, megabaru le di garuru ditšwela pele o golela godimo ka dikolong, ka ge o hlokagala mehwa le di dirišwa tša go galema le go lwantšha bothata bjo bja dintwa ka dikolong. Dinyakišišo di laeditše gape gore o nyakega badirela leago ka dikolong go thuša barutiši go lwantšha, dintwa, megabaru le digaruru ka dikolong. Bofelong dinyakišišo di laeditše gore goba le badirela leago dikolong o tla thuša go lwantšhana le go fediša dintwa, megabaru le digaruru ka dikolong ka ge badirela leago ba ena le bokgoni le maitemogelo a go thuša batho le badudi go lwantšha mathata ao ba itemogelago gona letšatši ka letšatši mo maphelong a bona, bjalo ka dintwa, mekgabaru le digaruru dikolong. Bonyane bo gobokeditšwe ka ga kgokaganyo ya hloleletšo ya di dirišwa tšeo di abelwago dikolong tšeo di lwantšhanago le dintwa (megabaru le digaruru).M.A. (Social work)Social Wor
Copper nanowires as alternative flexible transparent electrodes for organic solar cells
Get PDFCopper nanowires (CuNWs) were synthesized using hydrothermal method and deposited onto flexible polymer substrates to make films acting as electrodes for organic solar cells (OSCs). Substrates used were polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethersulfone (PES), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Aluminium and gallium doped ZnO nanoflakes (AZO and GZO-NFs) were coated onto CuNWs to act as a protective layer against oxidation.
X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed formation of CuNWs, AZO and GZO-NFs. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed long and smooth CuNWs with average diameter of 112.82 ± 1.2 nm and length of over 50 μm. PET substrate showed ~88.64% light transmittance, while PC showed ~87.93%, PES (~85.78%) and PEN (~81.78%). Upon coating CuNWs, transmittance was slightly low indicating minimum influence on the electrodes’ light transmission. From atomic force microscopy (AFM) results, CuNWs on PEN substrate showed lower roughness value of ~46.35 nm. Tensile strength results showed that PET substrate would be the optimal choice due to better flexibility and mechanical strength.M. Sc. (Physics)Physic
Gender equality in customary marriages: Is the deregulation of customary marriages the solution?
Get PDFAlthough the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998 (RCMA) contains provisions to ensure equality between the spouses in a customary marriage, the RCMA has serious deficiencies that are detrimental to the weaker party in customary marriages. To rectify the deficiencies in customary marriages and other relationships, the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC) and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) are conducting simultaneous investigations into South African marriage law. This article critically discusses the proposals of the SALRC and the DHA to determine whether the proposed legislation will address the current deficiencies in the RCMA. As an alternative to the proposals of the SALRC and the DHA, the deregulation of customary marriages is advanced as a solution to the inequitable position of spouses in customary marriages under the RCMA.Private La
Forced displacement and community resilience: the case South Sudanese refugees in the Benishangul Gumuz region of Ethiopia
Get PDFForced displacement has continued to be a security and development concern, and different interventions are undertaken to address the needs of the displaced people. Yet, there is debate on the impact of these interventions and on factors that could affect the resilience of displaced populations in a refugee context. Thus, this study intended to examine the resilience of South Sudanese refugees and the factors that impact their recovery in the Benishangul Gumuz region of Ethiopia. The study applied a qualitative research design with data from both primary and secondary sources. The overall research finding is that due to policy restrictions, funding constraints, limited livelihood opportunities, and limited options to use refugee human capital, the resilience capacity of the South Sudanese refugees hosted in the Benishangul Gumuz region is not fully developed. Other factors such as access to social support, peaceful co-existence interventions also found to be influencing the resilience and recovery of the refugees. The results also show that the refugees are using mechanisms such as selling food rations, illegal gold mining and farming which involve child labour, low-paid incentive work with humanitarian organizations, small-scale farming inside the camp, remittances from abroad, farm activities with the host community, and running small shops in the camps to cope with the displacement related challenges. Therefore, it is recommended that UN organizations, donors, regional organizations, NGOs, the host government, and the refugees take practical actions of advocacy, allocation of adequate funding, utilisation of the refugee human capital, and easing policy-related barriers and restrictions. It is also recommended that a context-specific framework – the Refugee Resilience(2R) Framework and Matrix, which this study created, to be applied for studying and building resilience in refugee displacement caused by armed conflict.Ph. D. (Developments Studies)Development Studie