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A comparative human rights approach to surrogacy arrangements : a study of India, South Africa and Nigeria
Get PDFSurrogacy is an assisted reproductive technology method that enables a woman to
carry the pregnancy of commissioning parent(s) to term and hand over the child after
birth. This thesis examines the practice regulation of surrogacy in India, South Africa
and Nigeria. The research investigates the human rights issues associated with
surrogacy practice in the three jurisdictions studied. The aim of the research is to
identify the human rights challenges of surrogacy in India, South Africa and Nigeria
and use the findings to formulate a regulatory framework for surrogacy in Nigeria. The
functional comparative method is adopted in this research to evaluate primary,
secondary and tertiary sources relevant to surrogacy practice in the three jurisdictions.
It is found that after years of commercial surrogacy practice in India, legislation to
regulate surrogacy in India was finally enacted in 2021 prohibiting commercial
surrogacy and international surrogacy. The Surrogacy Regulation Act (SRA) of India
adopts a needs-based approach and fails to effectively protect the human rights of
surrogate mothers.
Similarly, surrogate motherhood arrangements are regulated in South Africa by
chapter 19 of the Children’s Act as well as judicial pronouncements which advance
the rights of the parties to such agreements. However, the genetic requirement and
international surrogacy continue to be subjects of debate in South Africa.
While commercial surrogacy is becoming popular in Nigeria with both domestic and
international commissioning parents patronising the industry, surrogate motherhood
arrangements are unregulated in Nigeria. All past efforts to regulate surrogacy in
Nigeria have proved abortive. Human rights issues such as trafficking, the best
interests of the child and reproductive autonomy, among others, are identified and
discussed.
The thesis makes recommendations on surrogacy practice in India and South Africa
and proposes a regulatory framework for surrogacy in Nigeria. Implications for future
research in surrogacy are identified.LL. D. (Private Law)Private La
Search for light long-lived neutral particles that decay to collimated pairs of leptons or light hadrons in pp collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector
No full textAbstract
A search for light long-lived neutral particles with masses in the O(MeV–GeV) range is presented. The analysis targets the production of long-lived dark photons in the decay of a Higgs boson produced via gluon–gluon fusion or in association with a W boson. Events that contain displaced collimated Standard Model fermions reconstructed in the calorimeter or muon spectrometer are selected in 139 fb−1 of
s
= 13 TeV pp collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Background estimates for contributions from Standard Model processes and instrumental effects are extracted from data. The observed event yields are consistent with the expected background. Exclusion limits are reported on the production cross-section times branching fraction as a function of the mean proper decay length cτ of the dark photon, or as a function of the dark-photon mass and kinetic mixing parameter that quantifies the coupling between the Standard Model and potential hidden (dark) sectors. A Higgs boson branching fraction above 1% is excluded at 95% CL for a Higgs boson decaying into two dark photons for dark-photon mean proper decay lengths between 10 mm and 250 mm and dark photons with masses between 0.4 GeV and 2 GeV
The experiences of secondary school principals with regard to the implementation of school improvement programmes
No full textText in English, abstract in English, Tswana and ZuluThe aim of this study was to explore the experiences of principals in implementing the school
improvement programme in rural secondary schools and in improving the quality of education. This study investigates the experiences of principals in both high performing and under
performing rural secondary schools with regard to the implementation of the school
improvement programme in these schools. The literature study/review presented an exploration of theories, programmes, management, leadership and parental participation. Many historically disadvantaged rural schools in South Africa have found educational changes to be more challenging than affluent schools and have also struggled to maintain such changes. The SGB comprises the principal, teachers, non teaching staff, parents and learners of secondary schools. However, the majority of members on the SGB should be parents. To deal with the complex financial issues and tasks brought on by decentralised school governance and management, SGB members should develop a wide range of knowledge, skills and capacity. In the case of rural schools, governance structures usually comprise people who have limited knowledge and skills to effectively govern schools (Pierre & Mestry, 2019).
The theoretical frameworks that informed this study were Epstein‘s theories of overlapping sphere and her typology of parental involvement. These frameworks emerging from the review of literature provided an expressive perspective for the interpretation of data and recommendations in the final chapter of the study. The study used a qualitative methodology approach with a case study research design. This was deemed appropriate, as data was collected through the medium of semi structured individual and focus group interviews with five participants, and data is analysed using content analysis. The findings revealed that in most schools there were not many strategies in place to implement school improvement. In addition, the findings of this study indicate a limited utilisation of teachers' professional development, action research, and school development planning as techniques within school initiatives for enhancing school improvement.
The study recommended that the secondary school leadership and management teams, educators, pupils, parents, and the general community must take action on these issues, which include possibilities as well as obstacles.Maikaelelo a thutopatlisiso eno e ne e le go sekaseka maitemogelo a ditlhogo tsa sekolo mo go tsenyeng tirisong lenaane la tlhabololo ya dikolo mo dikolong tsa sekontari tsa magae le mo go tokafatseng boleng jwa thuto. Phuputso ena e batlisisa liphihlelo tsa baokameli likolong tse mahareng tsa mahaeng tse sa sebetseng hantle le tse sa sebetseng hantle mabapi le ho kengoa tšebetsong ha lenaneo la ntlafatso ea likolo likolong tsena. Boithuto ba lingoliloeng/tlhahlobo e hlahisitse tlhahlobo ea likhopolo, mananeo, tsamaiso, boetapele le ho kenya letsoho ha batsoali. Likolo tse ngata tsa mahaeng tse neng li futsanehile historing tsa Afrika Boroa li fumane liphetoho tsa thuto e le phephetso ho feta likolo tse ruileng ‘me li boetse li sokola ho boloka liphetoho tse joalo. SGB e na le mosuoe-hlooho, matichere, basebetsi bao e seng baruti, batsoali le baithuti ba likolo tse mahareng. Leha ho le joalo, boholo ba litho tsa SGB e lokela ho ba batsoali. Ho sebetsana le litaba tse rarahaneng tsa lichelete le mesebetsi e tlisoang ke taolo le taolo ea likolo tse arotsoeng, litho tsa SGB li lokela ho hlahisa mefuta e mengata e fapaneng ea tsebo, litsebo le bokhoni. Tabeng ea likolo tsa mahaeng, mekhatlo ea puso hangata e kenyelletsa batho ba nang le tsebo le tsebo e fokolang ea ho laola likolo ka katleho (Pierre & Mestry, 2019).
Mekhahlelo ea khopolo-taba e tsebisitseng thuto ena e ne e le likhopolo tsa Epstein tsa sebaka se pota-potileng le mofuta oa hae oa ho kenya letsoho ha batsoali. Merero ena e hlahang tlhahlobisong ea lingoliloeng e fane ka pono e hlakileng bakeng sa tlhaloso ea lintlha le likhothaletso khaolong ea ho qetela ea thuto. Phuputso e sebelisitse mokhoa oa boleng ba mokhoa o nang le moralo oa lipatlisiso tsa boithuto. Sena se ile sa nkoa se nepahetse, kaha lintlha li ile tsa bokelloa ka lipuisano tsa batho ka bomong le lihlopha tse tsepamisisang maikutlo le barupeluoa ba bahlano, 'me boitsebiso bo hlahlojoa ho sebelisoa tlhahlobo ea litaba. Liphuputso li senotse hore likolong tse ngata ho ne ho se na maano a mangata a teng a ho phethahatsa ntlafatso ea sekolo. Ho feta moo, liphuputso tsa phuputso ena li bonts'a tšebeliso e fokolang ea nts'etsopele ea profeshenale ea matichere, lipatlisiso tsa ts'ebetso, le moralo oa nts'etsopele ea sekolo e le mekhoa ea boikitlaetso ba sekolo bakeng sa ho ntlafatsa ntlafatso ea sekolo.
Boithuto bona bo khothalelitse hore lihlopha tsa boetapele le botsamaisi ba likolo tse mahareng, barupeli, bana, batsoali le sechaba ka kakaretso ba nke khato litabeng tsena, tse kenyeletsang menyetla le litšitiso.Inhloso yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuhlola amava othishanhloko ekuqaliseni uhlelo lokuthuthukisa izikole ezikoleni zamabanga aphezulu zasemakhaya kanye nasekuthuthukiseni izinga lemfundo. Lolu cwaningo luphenya ngamava othishanhloko kuzo zombili izikole zasemakhaya ezingenzi kahle nezingenzi kahle mayelana nokuqaliswa kohlelo lokuthuthukisa izikole kulezi zikole. Ucwaningo/ukubuyekezwa kwemibhalo yethule ukuhlola kwemibono, izinhlelo, abaphathi, ubuholi kanye nokubamba iqhaza kwabazali. Izikole eziningi zasemakhaya ebezincishwe amathuba phambilini eNingizimu Afrika zithole ukuthi izinguquko zemfundo ziyinselele kunezikole ezidla izambane likapondo futhi zithwale kanzima ukugcina lolu shintsho. I-SGB ihlanganisa uthishanhloko, othisha, abasebenzi abangafundisi, abazali nabafundi bezikole zamabanga aphezulu. Nokho, iningi lamalungu ku-SGB kufanele kube abazali. Ukubhekana nezinkinga zezezimali eziyinkimbinkimbi kanye nemisebenzi elethwa ukubusa nokuphathwa kwezikole, amalungu e-SGB kufanele athuthukise ulwazi olubanzi, amakhono kanye namandla. Endabeni yezikole zasemakhaya, izinhlaka zokubusa ngokuvamile zihlanganisa abantu abanolwazi olulinganiselwe namakhono okuphatha izikole ngempumelelo (Pierre & Mestry, 2019).
Izinhlaka zetiyori ezazisa lolu cwaningo kwakuyithiyori ka-Epstein ye-sphere eyeqanayo kanye nohlobo lwakhe lokubandakanyeka kwabazali. Lezi zinhlaka ezivela ekubuyekezweni kwezincwadi zinikeze umbono ocacile wokuchazwa kwedatha nezincomo esahlukweni sokugcina socwaningo. Ucwaningo lusebenzise indlela yekhwalithethivu enomklamo wocwaningo lwecala. Lokhu kubonwe kufaneleka, njengoba idatha yaqoqwa kusetshenziswa inhlolokhono yomuntu ngamunye engahlelekile neyeqembu okugxilwe kuyo nabahlanganyeli abahlanu, futhi idatha ihlaziywa kusetshenziswa ukuhlaziya okuqukethwe. Okutholakele kuveze ukuthi ezikoleni eziningi awekho maningi amaqhinga akhona okuthuthukisa izikole. Ukwengeza, okutholwe kulolu cwaningo kubonisa ukusetshenziswa okulinganiselwe kokuthuthukiswa kochwepheshe kothisha, ucwaningo lwezenzo, kanye nokuhlelwa kokuthuthukiswa kwesikole njengamasu phakathi kwezinhlelo zesikole zokuthuthukisa ukuthuthukiswa kwesikole.
Lolu cwaningo luncome ukuthi ubuholi nabaphathi bezikole zamabanga aphezulu, othisha, abafundi, abazali kanye nomphakathi jikelele kumele bathathe izinyathelo ngalezi zinkinga, ezihlanganisa okungenzeka kanjalo nezithiyo.M. Ed.Educational Management and Leadershi
An investigation into the causes of failure and strategies for survival and growth of small medium and micro enterprises (SMMES) in South Africa : the case of Msunduzi Local Municipality
No full textMotivated by the alarming rate of failure of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), despite the significance accorded to them, in the economic growth and development of economies, this study sought to investigate factors contributing to SMME failures and identify effective survival and sustainable growth strategies for SMMEs in Msunduzi Local Municipality (MLM). The significance of this study lies in its potential to identify impediments to small business growth and propose strategies to enhance their performance in MLM. Contributing to the existing knowledge on SMMEs, the research informs small business policy development and benefits businesses through the implementation of identified strategies. Utilising a quantitative method approach, the results of the study highlight challenges faced by SMMEs as limited access to finance and skilled labour, inadequate marketing and promotional strategies, and complying with regulatory requirements. Survival strategies uncovered include adapting to changing market trends, engaging in research and development, and exploring new market segments; while sustainable growth was found to be enabled by fostering positive organisational cultures and encouraging innovation, continuous improvements of products/services, and effective risk management practices. In conclusion, the study emphasised challenges like inadequate access to finance for small business and underscores that survival strategies require adapting to market trends, while sustainable growth involve cultivating positive organisational cultures. The design of financial support with low interest, especially by financiers, is, therefore, recommended to address challenges like inadequate access to finance. The SMMEs in MLM are recommended to establish robust systems for continuous monitoring of internal and external environments for survival strategies like adapting to market trends; and provide leadership training for owners for sustainable growth like fostering positive organisational culture.M.B.A.Business Managemen
Microfinance institutions and female entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa: avoidable female unemployment thresholds
No full textThe present study contributes to the extant literature by assessing how microfinance institutions (MFIs) affect female entrepreneurship, contingent on female unemployment levels. The study focuses on 44 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for the period 2004 to 2018. The empirical evidence is based on interactive quantile regressions, which put emphasis on nations with high, low and intermediate levels of business constraints. The analysis is tailored to provide avoidable female unemployment levels in the implementation of policies designed for MFIs to promote female business ownership. The hypotheses that MFIs are favorable for female business owners and some critical rates of female unemployment should be avoided in order for the favorable incidence to be maintained is exclusively valid in the 10th quantiles of the cost of business by females and time to start-up a business by females. Policy implications are discussed. This study has complemented the extant literature by providing actionable female unemployment critical masses that governments can act upon in tailoring the nexus between the relevance of MFIs in the doing of business by females.Economic
An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the lived experiences of family members caring for dementia patients
No full textDementia affects an estimated 55 million people globally. The dearth of dementia care facilities and the costs associated with them mean more families are having to shoulder the responsibilities of caring for family members with dementia at home, thus adversely affecting carers’ quality of life. Using a phenomenological approach, this study aimed to explore how family caregivers develop the coping skills necessary to foster the resilience required to care for a family member with dementia. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit eight participants with whom semi-structured interviews were conducted. The analysis revealed five themes that highlighted coping strategies employed by participants that foster resilience, namely (1) positive personality characteristics, (2) an experiential understanding of caregiving, (3) the impact of information, (4) accessing external resources as a key factor, and (5) coping with the impact of caregiving. This study contributes to a better understanding of the experiences of familial dementia caregivers.M.A. (Psychology)Psycholog
Semiparametric modelling of diabetic retinopathy among people with type II diabetes mellitus
No full textAbstract
Background
The proportion of patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) has grown with increasing number of diabetes mellitus patients in the world. It is among the major causes of blindness worldwide. The main objective of this study was to identify contributing risk factors of DR among people with type II diabetes mellitus.
Method
A sample of 191 people with type II diabetes mellitus was selected from the Black Lion Specialized Hospital diabetic unit from 1 March 2018 to 1 April 2018. A multivariate stochastic regression imputation technique was applied to impute the missing values. The response variable, DR is a categorical variable with two outcomes. Based on the relationship derived from the exploratory analysis, the odds of having DR were not necessarily linearly related to the continuous predictors for this sample of patients. Therefore, a semiparametric model was proposed to identify the risk factors of DR.
Result
From the sample of 191 people with type II diabetes mellitus, 98 (51.3%) of them had DR. The results of semiparametric regression model revealed that being male, hypertension, insulin treatment, and frequency of clinical visits had a significant linear relationships with the odds of having DR. In addition, the log- odds of having DR has a significant nonlinear relation with the interaction of age by gender (for female patients), duration of diabetes, interaction of cholesterol level by gender (for female patients), haemoglobin A1c, and interaction of haemoglobin A1c by fasting blood glucose with degrees of freedom
3.2
,
2.7
,
3.6
,
2.3
and
3.7
, respectively. The interaction of age by gender and cholesterol level by gender appear non significant for male patients. The result from the interaction of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) by fasting blood glucose (FBG) showed that the risk of DR is high when the level of HbA1c and FBG were simultaneously high.
Conclusion
Clinical variables related to people with type II diabetes mellitus were strong predictive factors of DR. Hence, health professionals should be cautious about the possible nonlinear effects of clinical variables, interaction of clinical variables, and interaction of clinical variables with sociodemographic variables on the log odds of having DR. Furthermore, to improve intervention strategies similar studies should be conducted across the country
Designing and implementing a strategy for blended teaching and learning for Physical Science teachers in rural schools
No full textAbstracts in English, Tsonga and Northern SothoThis study aimed to design and implement a Rural Blended Learning Strategy (RBLS) to assist Physical Sciences teachers with blended teaching and learning in rural schools. The study was navigated by the research question: What is the nature and impact of the designed strategy on blended learning of Physical Sciences teachers in rural schools? Literature was reviewed on available opportunities, challenges, and existing strategies from different contexts. Theories such as social constructivism, and community of inquiry were visited. The Analyse, Develop, Design, Implement, and Evaluation (ADDIE) model was key in developing the Rural Blended Learning Strategy (RBLS). A qualitative case study design was employed, relying on observation field notes and interview guides as data collection instruments and the conceptual framework, Detailed Analysis System, and literature as analysis methods. The purposeful sampling strategy was employed by selecting participants with the required features that the study targets. The findings revealed that network signals, lack of devices, poor institutional support, poor technology skills, workload, and teacher-centred methods acted as barriers for the implementation of the RBLS. However, the availability of devices and computer lab, exposure to the Learning Management Systems (LMSs), Social Media (SM), and Videoconferencing (VC) platforms by some teachers and learners presented a good opportunity for the implementation of the strategy. Even though some teachers tried to implement the RBLS, none did it with distinctions. It is recommended that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) provide schools with sufficient classes and computer laboratories with devices, employ more Educator Assistants (EAs) with sufficient Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills, train teachers and all stakeholders on blended learning and its implementation, empower Senior Education Specialists (SESs) on the use LMSs, SM and VC platforms in teaching Physical Sciences and engage network service providers on the provision of zero-rated LMSs and VC platforms. The university should organise community engagement and in-service learning on the RBLS. It also recommended that the School Governing Bodies (SGBs) invest in back-up electricity, include in their policies the implementation of the RBLS, and strengthen their institutional support to both learners and teachers.Dyondzo leyi a yi kongomisiwile eka ku dizayina na ku tirhisa Qhinga ra Dyondzo yo
Hlanganisiwa ya le Matikoxikaya (RBLS) leswaku ku ta pfuna vadyondzisi va Sayense ya Miri eka ku dyondzisa na ku dyondza loku pfanganisiweke, eswikolweni swa le makaya. Dyondzo leyi yi fambisiwa hi xivutiso xa ndzavisiso lexi nge: Hi wihi muxaka na vuyelo bya maqhinga lama endliweke eka dyondzo leyi pfanganisiweke ya vadyondzisi va Sayense ya Miri eswikolweni swa le makaya? Matsalwa ya kamberiwile eka minkarhi leyi nga kona, mintlhontlho, tindlela leti nga kona ku suka eka swiyimo swo hambana. Tithiyori to fana na social constructivism, community of inquiry ti endzeriwe. Modele wa Nxopaxopo, Hluvukisa, Dizayina, Tirhisa, na Ku Kambisisa (ADDIE) a wu ri wa nkoka eka nhluvukiso wa Qhinga ra Dyondzo yo Hlanganisiwa ya le Matikoxikaya (RBLS). Dizayini ya dyondzo ya xiyimo xa xiyimo yi tirhisiwile, ku titshege hi tinotsi ta nsimu ya ku langutisisa na swiletelo swa mimbulavurisano tanihi switirhisiwa swo hlengeleta datha, na rimba ra miehleketo, Sisiteme ya Nxopaxopo wa Vuxokoxoko na matsalwa tanihi tindlela ta nxopaxopo. Qhinga ra ku tekela swikombiso leri nga na xikongomelo ri tirhisiwile hi ku hlawula vatekaxiave lava nga na swihlawulekisi leswi lavekaka leswi dyondzo yi swi kongomisaka. Swikumiwa swa the swi paluxa leswaku swikombiso swa netiweke, ku pfumaleka ka switirhisiwa, nseketelo wo biha wa nhlangano, vuswikoti bya thekinoloji byo biha, ntirho, tindlela leti kongomisiweke eka vadyondzisi swi tirhile tanihi swihinga eka ku tirhisiwa ka RBLS. Hambiswiritano, ku kumeka ka switirhisiwa na lebu ya khompyuta, ku hlangana na tipulatifomo ta Tisisiteme ta Vulawuri bya Dyondzo (LMS), Vuhangalasi bya Mahungu bya Vanhu (SM), na Vhidiyokhonferense (VC) hi vadyondzisi van’wana na vadyondzi swi nyikile nkarhi lowunene wa ku tirhisiwa ka maqhinga. Hambi leswi vadyondzisi van’wana va ringeteke ku tirhisa RBLS, a nga kona loyi a swi endleke hi ku hambana. Swibumabumelo swa endliwa.Thuto ye e be e ikemiseditse go hlama le go phethagatsa Leano la Thuto ye e Hlakantswego ya Dinagamagaeng (RBLS) ka nepo ya go thusa barutisi ba Mahlale a Mmele ka ga go ruta le go ithuta mo go hlakantswego, dikolong tsa dinagamagaeng.
Thuto e ile ya sepetswa ke potsiso ya nyakisiso ye: Ke mohuta le khuetso efe ya leano leo le hlamilwego go thuto ye e hlakantswego ya barutisi ba Mahlale a Mmele dikolong tsa dinagamagaeng? Dingwalo di ile tsa lekolwa gape ka ga dibaka tse di lego gona, ditlhohlo, maano ao a lego gona go tswa maemong a go fapana. Diteori tsa go swana le social constructivism, setshaba sa nyakisiso di ile tsa etelwa. Mohlala wa Sekaseka, Hlabolla, Rala, Phethagatsa, le Tekolo (ADDIE) e bile senotlelo sa tlhabollo ya Leano la
Thuto ye e Hlakantswego ya Dinagamagaeng (RBLS). Moralo wa thuto ya mohlala wa boleng o ile wa thwala, go ithekgile ka dintlha tsa tshemo ya go lebelela le ditlhahlo tsa poledisano bjalo ka didiriswa tsa kgoboketso ya datha, le tlhako ya kgopolo, Tshepediso ya Tshekatsheko ye e Dintsi le dingwalo bjalo ka mekgwa ya tshekatsheko. Leano la go tsea mehlala leo le nago le morero le somisitswe ka go kgetha batswasehlabelo bao ba nago le diponagalo tse di nyakegago tseo nyakisiso e di nepisitsego. Dikutollo tsa go utolla gore matshwao a netweke, go hloka didiriswa, thekgo ye mpe ya setheo, mabokgoni a theknolotsi a mabe, mosomo, mekgwa ye e lebanego le barutisi e somile bjalo ka mapheko a phethagatso ya RBLS. Le ge go le bjalo, go hwetsagala ga didiriswa le laboratori ya khomphutha, go pepentshwa ga Ditshepediso tsa Taolo ya Thuto (LMS), Methopo ya Leago (SM), le diforamo tsa Videoconferencing (VC) ke barutisi ba bangwe le baithuti go tsweleditse sebaka se sebotse sa phethagatso ya leano. Le ge barutisi ba bangwe ba ile ba leka go phethagatsa RBLS, ga go le o tee yo a e dirilego ka dipharologantsho. Ditshisinyo di a dirwa.D. Phil. (Education)Curriculum and Instructional Studie
Ground states of triton and alpha nuclei
No full textThe few-body integrodifferential equations are approximations to the few-body Schr¨odinger
equation in hyperspherical coordinates. The few-body integrodifferential equations for
identical particles reduce to a single integrodifferential equation in two variables only.
The structure of the integrodifferential equation does not dependent of the number of
particles in the system. The integrodifferential equation has previously been solved
using the adiabatic approximation method, the projection method and the perturba tion method. In this dissertation we solve the few-body integrodifferential equations
directly using the Lagrange mesh method. We apply the equations to Triton and alpha
nuclei which are three-body and four-body systems, respectively. We treat the nucleons
as interacting through spin-dependent nucleon-nucleon potentials. The few-body inte-grodifferential equations develop into a system coupled integrodifferential equations in
the case of spin-dependent potentials. All our results are compared to those found in
literature.M. Sc. (Physics)Physic
A comparative knowledge map of PhD research in relation to priority environmental issues in South Africa
Get PDFNo keywordsThe content, nature and characteristics of South African PhDs in environmental
management are unknown. It is not clear what the research themes or trends between
1998 and 2017 were, and if the strategic research themes that are important for South
Africa (included in legislation, policies and plans) were taken into consideration. The
PhDs and the strategic driver documents were compared to establish if there is any
alignment between the two. There is no synthesised document that compares the
current body of knowledge, in the form of PhDs, to that of the key strategic drivers that
South Africa ascribes to, which in turn may guide future research needs and identify
niche research areas. The study aimed to establish the level of alignment between
South African environmental management and science PhD knowledge production
and priority environmental issues in South Africa. The philosophy that underpinned
this research was interpretivism, which involves a researcher to interpreting elements
of a study and focusing on meaning, which mostly only materialises at the end of the
study. The method used for this study was a systematic literature review and content
analysis. The data, in this case completed PhDs, were manually examined, and then,
to ensure objectivity, the text-mining software program, Leximancer, was used for
further analysis. A comparative knowledge map was then generated from the data
analyses as a strategic tool to support knowledge translation to address the future
priority research areas that needs to be addressed. The results of the study indicated
that research mostly focused on biodiversity, habitat and resources, and social
environmental aspects relating to the people of South Africa. Two major issues that did not receive much attention was the waste and greenhouse gas and the green or
low carbon economy, renewable energy themes. In terms of the government
documents, the Biodiversity Act and Air Quality Act were well represented. Many
PhDs addressed aspects in the themes that were identified from the State of the
Environment reports. The aspects identified by a report from Kok and Pietersen from
1999 and the NDP 2030, received less coverage in the completed PhDs. This study
identified research gaps that need to be explored to ensure that PhDs are relevant to
the development goals of South Africa, as stipulated in the strategic environmental
documents. It is recommended that prospective PhD students consider the national
environmental strategic drivers and objectives when considering research themes,
especially the NDP 2030. This will ensure that greater alignment is achieved between the knowledge production of PhD studies and the strategic environmental goals,
legislation, policies and plans for developing the country.Ph. D. (Environmental Management)Environmental Science