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Financial inclusion and financial stability in Sub-Saharan Africa
Get PDFThis study empirically investigates the impact of financial inclusion on financial stability of the banking sector across 37 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries using country level data from 2005 to 2019. The financial sector plays a crucial role in allocating financial resources to the economy of every nation, and financial stability is a crucial macroeconomic requirement for this function of allocating financial resources to be carried out in a sustainable manner. Therefore, empirical research that tries to understand the link between financial inclusion and financial stability is essential, particularly in SSA, a developing region where few of such studies were conducted. This study uses the Dynamic Common Correlated Effects, the Augmented Mean Group, and the Quantile Regression estimators to estimate the underlying link. The study finds evidence of a positive and statistically significant impact on financial stability of the banking sector in the 37 SSA countries. In line with the institutional theory, financial inclusion has a positive and statistically significant impact on financial stability of the banking sector in SSA countries with low levels of financial stability and economic development. In addition, an increase in banking sector financial stability in the previous period has a positive and statistically significant impact on banking sector financial stability in the current period, ceteris paribus. It is recommended that policymakers should strengthen coordination among regulatory and supervisory institutions to promote financial inclusion in SSA countries and the region in a safe and sustainable way. They should cross-fertilize skills and competencies, target financially excluded populations and increase financial literacy among low-income households.Economic and Management Science
Mediatization of dangerous faith practices in the new prophetic churches in South Africa.
Get PDFPrevious studies on media and Pentecostalism have demonstrated the role of media in the growth of the Pentecostal movement worldwide. A literature review on the mediatization of dangerous practices in the new prophetic churches demonstrates that mass media is pivotal in making the religious sphere more popular in the public sphere. This changes the discourses on the relationship between Pentecostalism and media with some implications for both South African and Global entecostalism. Pentecostalism and media are no longer understood only in terms of the church square but also in terms of the public sphere. Discourses on the relationship between media and Pentecostalism will be explored with particular reference to African Pentecostalism. The different dangerous faith practices and how they were reported by mass media shall be highlighted in detail. The rationale behind this reporting will be discussed to show some implications for both South African and global Pentecostalism.Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiolog
Measurements of W + W - production in decay topologies inspired by searches for electroweak supersymmetry
No full textAbstract
This paper presents a measurement of fiducial and differential cross-sections for
W
+
W
-
production in proton–proton collisions at
s
=
13
TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider using a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb
-
1
. Events with exactly one electron, one muon and no hadronic jets are studied. The fiducial region in which the measurements are performed is inspired by searches for the electroweak production of supersymmetric charginos decaying to two-lepton final states. The selected events have moderate values of missing transverse momentum and the ‘stransverse mass’ variable
m
T2
, which is widely used in searches for supersymmetry at the LHC. The ranges of these variables are chosen so that the acceptance is enhanced for direct
W
+
W
-
production and suppressed for production via top quarks, which is treated as a background. The fiducial cross-section and particle-level differential cross-sections for six variables are measured and compared with two theoretical SM predictions from perturbative QCD calculations
Investigating the impact of ISO 14001 on waste minimisation within South Africa
No full textWaste and pollution emanating from industrial activities is a primary global concern, prompting industries to seek solutions to reduce environmental impacts. Among other proposed environmental measures to reduce environmental degradation, the ISO 14001 standard was established for reducing industrial pollution and waste. The ISO 14001 environmental management system (EMS) is a voluntary management standard that assists companies in enhancing environmental performance (EP). An investigation was conducted to find measures that ISO 14001-certified companies put in place to minimise process waste and pollution, as well as hurdles they experience regarding waste minimisation and their motive to certify to the standard. Data were collected following the completion of questionnaires sent electronically and in person to people working closely on environmental issues, safety, and production processes from 32 companies across different industries in four selected provinces (Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West, and Limpopo Province). The primary motive for companies to certify to the ISO 14001 standard was environmental concern, and they considered pollution prevention measures such as environmental awareness, green procurement policies, materials substitution, and process modification as being important to reduce environmental impacts. The companies practised sustainable waste management, i.e., source separation, onsite and offsite waste recycling, and waste shipping for reuse for another production process to circulate waste longer in the economy.M. Sc. (Environmental Management)Environmental Science
Incorporation of basaltic aggregates from the Sibasa formation in shotcrete for potential use as support in underground mining
No full textNo keywordsThe use of crushed basalt aggregates as an alternative to sand aggregates
is gaining momentum. This is driven by efforts of ensuring sustainable
developments in shotcrete production. The main objective of this study was
to assess the suitability of basalt aggregates as sand replacement through
aggregate physical characteristics tests.
To this end, shotcrete mixes of proportions 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%
replacement of sand by basalt aggregates were prepared. The shotcrete
mixes were then tested for compressive and flexural strengths over curing
ages 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Basalt aggregates used for the purpose were
collected from the Sibasa Formation in Limpopo Province. They were
subjected to crushing, milling and sieving to size of 425 µm as well as
physical characterisation for fineness, water absorption, moisture content,
specific gravity, bulk density, petrographic and geochemical properties. In
addition to this, fresh mixes were evaluated for workability while hardened
sand-based and basalt-based shotcrete mixes were studied for hardened
density, compressive and flexural strengths.
Results indicated that basalt aggregates have favourable characteristics
that influence the mechanical properties of shotcrete when compared to
sand. Furthermore, fresh mixes with elevated basalt content exhibited
higher consistency. Increased flexural and compressive strengths were also
observed for shotcrete mixes at high basalt content. Conversely, lower
compressive and flexural strengths were recorded for mixes at high sand
content. Water immersion curing and curing age also contributed to a gain in strength for basalt-based shotcrete. Equally, basalt content and curing
age were found to enhance shotcrete strength with notable interaction
between the two parameters. Lastly, high deformations were observed for
sand-based shotcrete compared to basalt-based mixes suggesting that
basaltic aggregates lead to shotcrete of superior properties.M.A. (Engineering)Electrical and Mining Engineerin
The relationship between performance management system effectiveness, job satisfaction and organisational commitment in a public service organisation
No full textAbstract in English with Afrikaans and Northern Sotho translationsThis study examined the relationships between performance management system effectiveness, job satisfaction and organisational commitment in a public service organisation. The investigation of the relationship between these variables is important considering the changes in terms of the performance management system that was introduced by legislative amendments. Although some research relating to the public service performance management system has been conducted, its perceived effectiveness, as reflected in employees’ views about the accuracy and fairness of the system required further investigation. The study used a deductive research approach that was supported by a cross-sectional quantitative research design. A purposive sampling strategy was used to obtain data from a sample (n = 304) of permanent employees of the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) which served as the context for the study. Descriptive statistics revealed that these employees perceived the organisation’s performance management system as moderately accurate and fair, and displayed ambivalence or uncertainty about their overall job satisfaction. In terms of organisational commitment, they reported higher levels of continuance commitment than affective and normative commitment. Bivariate correlation analysis and mediation analysis confirmed a positive relationship between performance management system effectiveness and organisational commitment and indicated that this relationship is indirect through job satisfaction. Therefore, employees who regard their organisations’ performance management systems as accurate and fair, will experience greater job satisfaction and will, in turn, display higher levels of commitment towards these organisations.
The study provides some insights into employees’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the performance management system and how these perceptions relate to their job satisfaction and commitment to the organisation. The findings may be useful to human resource practitioners who wish to enhance performance management practices in their organisations and thereby contribute to the development of positive employee attitudes towards their jobs and the organisation.Die verband tussen die doeltreffendheid van prestasiebestuurstelsels, werksbevrediging en die verbintenis tot ʼn organisasie wat ʼn openbare diens lewer, is in hierdie studie ondersoek. Veranderings aan prestasiebestuurstelsels as gevolg van wetswysigings noodsaak ʼn ondersoek na hierdie verband. Hoewel navorsing reeds gedoen is oor die prestasiebestuurstelsel van organisasies wat ʼn openbare diens lewer, verg die doeltreffendheid daarvan op grond van werknemers se siening van die akkuraatheid en billikheid daarvan verdere ondersoek. ʼn Deduktiewe navorsingsbenadering gerugsteun deur ʼn kwantitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gevolg. Data is deur middel van doelbewuste steekproefneming ingesamel uit ʼn steekproef (n = 304) van permanente werknemers van die Departement Landbou, Bosbou en Visserye (DLBV), wat ook as die studiekonteks gedien het. Beskrywende statistiek het aangetoon dat die organisasie se prestasiebestuurstelsel volgens die werknemers taamlik akkuraat en billik is. Van hulle algemene werksbevrediging was hulle egter nie so seker nie. Wat hulle verbintenis tot die organisasie betref, was hulle verbintenis tot voortdurendheid hoër as hulle affektiewe en normatiewe verbintenis. Tweeveranderlike korrelasieontleding en bemiddelingsontleding het ʼn positiewe verband tussen die doeltreffendheid van die prestasiebestuurstelsel en werknemers se verbintenis tot die organisasie bevestig. Hierdie verband is egter indirek deur werksbevrediging. Derhalwe sal werknemers wat hulle organisasie se prestasiebestuurstelsel as akkuraat en billik beskou, se werksbevrediging groter en se verbintenis tot die organisasie sterker wees.
Hierdie studie bied insig in werknemers se persepsie van die prestasiebestuurstelsel se doeltreffendheid en hoe hulle persepsie met hulle werksbevrediging en verbintenis tot ʼn organisasie verband hou. Hierdie bevindings kan nuttig wees vir menslikehulpbronpraktisyns wat prestasiebestuurspraktyke in hulle organisasie wil verbeter en sodoende by werknemers ʼn gunstige gesindheid jeens hulle werk en organisasie wil kweek.Nyakišišo ye e sekasekile dikamano magareng ga sestemo ya taolo ya phethagatšo ya mošomo ye e šomago gabotse, kgotsofalo ya mošomo le boikgafo bja mokgatlo go mokgatlo wa ditirelo tša setšhaba. Nyakišišo ya kamano magareng ga dibariabole tše e bohlokwa ge go elwa hloko diphetogo tša sestemo ya taolo ya phethagatšo ya mošomo ye e tsebišitšwego ka diphetogo tša molao. Le ge dinyakišišo tše dingwe ka sestemo ya ditirelo tša setšhaba ya taolo ya phethagatšo ya mošomo di dirilwe, dipego tša bašomi mabapi le go šoma gabotse, go nepagala le go hloka bošaedi ga sestemo go hlohleleditše dinyakišišo tše dingwe.
Nyakišišo e šomišitše mokgwa wa nyakišišo wa go fokotša wo o thekgilwego ke tlhamo ya nyakišišo ya khwanthithethifi ya go kgoboketša datha go batho ba bantši ka nako e tee. Mokgwa wa go kgetha dikemedi ka morero o šomišitšwe go hwetša datha go tšwa go dikemedi (n = 304) tša bašomelaruri ba Kgoro ya Temo, Dithokgwa le Boreahlapi (DAFF) yeo e šomilego bjalo ka dintlha tša nyakišišo. Dipalopalo tša go hlaloša di utollotše gore bašomi ba bona sestemo ya mokgatlo ya phethagatšo ya mošomo e nepagetšego e bile e šoma gabotse, gomme ba tšweleditše maikutlo a go se swane ka kgotsofalo ya mošomo wa bona ka kakaretšo.
Mabapi le boikgafo bja bona go mokgatlo, ba begile maemo a godimo a go nyaka go tšwela pele go feta maikutlo ka, le maikarabelo a bona go mokgatlo. Tshekatsheko ya tswalano ya diphetogo tša dilo tše pedi le tshekatsheko ya botsenagare e laeditše kamano ye botse magareng ga sestemo ya taolo ya phethagatšo ya mošomo ye e šomago gabotse le boikgafo bja mokgatlo gomme ya laetša gore kamano ye ga e lebanye twii go kgotsofalo ya mošomo. Ka fao, bašomi bao ba bonago disestemo tša mokgatlo wa bona tša taolo ya phethagatšo ya mešomo di nepagetšego e bile di šoma gabotse, ba tla itemogela kgotsofalo ya mošomo kudu gomme ba tla laetša boikgafo bja maemo a godimo mekgatlong ye.
Nyakišišo ye e fa tshedimošo enngwe ka dikarabo tša bašomi ka sestemo ya taolo ya phethagatšo ya mošomo ye e šomago gabotse le gore se se ama bjang kgotsofalo ya bona ya mošomo le boikgafo bja bona go mokgatlo. Dikutollo di ka hola bašomi ba merero ya bašomi bao ba ratago go tlhabolla taolo ya phethagatšo ya mošomo mekgatlong ya bona gore bašomi ba be le maikutlo a mabotse ka mešomo ya bona le ka mokgatlo.M. Com. (Business Management)Business Managemen
An evaluation of the value of preliminary investigation in insurance loss adjusting
Get PDFThe aim of this research is to evaluate the degree to which the loss adjusters are engaging in preliminary investigation in insurance loss adjusting at TIH. The preliminary investigative phase is regarded as the cornerstone of criminal and other investigative processes. This includes the investigative process followed in the insurance industry which directs a case that is being investigated with the main objective of gathering accurate evidence to ensure that the entire investigation is not jeopardised. Literature confirms the importance of the preliminary investigative phase, which includes the collection of information and evidence and interviews. To answer the primary research question, the researcher used a qualitative research approach and conducted one-on-one interviews with knowledgeable loss adjusters based in KwaZulu-Natal and one expert. In addition, national and international literature sources were consulted. The study found that the preliminary investigative phase is a vital part of an investigation into a short-term insurance claim.Injongo yolu phando kukuphonononga iqondo apho abalungelelanisi belahleko babandakanyeka khona kuphando lokuqala kulungelelaniso lwelahleko yeinshorensi kwi-TIH. Isigaba sokuqala kuphando sithathwa njengesibalulekileyo kwiinkqubo zolwaphulomthetho kunye nezinye iinkqubo zophando. Oku kuquka inkqubo yophando elandelwayo kushishino lweinshorensi ekhokela ityala eliphandwayo ngenjongo ephambili yokuqokelela ubungqina obuchanekileyo ukuqinisekisa ukuba uphando lulonke alukho sengozini okanye aluchithwa. Uncwadi luyakungqina ukubaluleka kwesigaba sokuqala kuphando, esibandakanya ukuqokelelwa kolwazi/iinkcukacha, ubungqina kunye nokwenziwa kodliwanondlebe. Ukuphendula umbuzo ophambili kolu phando, umphandi usebenzise indlela yophandontyilazwi waze wenza udliwanondlebe lobuqu nabalungelelanisi belahleko abanolwazi kunye nengcali enye KwaZulu-Natal. Ukongeza, kolu phando kusetyenziswe imithombo yoncwadi yesizwe neyamazwe ngamazwe. Uphando lufumanise ukuba isigaba sokuqala kuphando siyinxalenye ebalulekileyo yophando lwebango kwi-inshorensi yexeshana.Inhloso yalolu cwaningo ukuhlola izinga abalungisi bokulahlekelwa abahlanganyela ngalo ophenyweni lokuqala ekulungisweni kokulahlekelwa komshwalense e-TIH. Isigaba sokuqala sophenyo sithathwa njengesisekelo sobugebengu nezinye izinqubo zophenyo. Lokhu kuhlanganisa nenqubo yophenyo elandelwa embonini yomshwalense eqondisa icala eliphenywayo ngenhloso enkulu yokuqoqa ubufakazi obunembile ukuqinisekisa ukuthi lonke uphenyo aluphazamiseki. Imibhalo iqinisekisa ukubaluleka kwesigaba sokuqala sophenyo, esihlanganisa ukuqoqwa kolwazi nobufakazi kanye nezingxoxo. Ukuphendula umbuzo oyinhloko wocwaningo, umcwaningi usebenzise indlela yocwaningo olusezingeni eliphezulu futhi wenza inhlolokhono yomuntu ngamunye nabalungisi bokulahlekelwa abanolwazi abazinze KwaZulu-Natal kanye nochwepheshe oyedwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwaxhunyanwa nemithombo yezincwadi kazwelonke neyamazwe ngamazwe. Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi isigaba sokuqala sophenyo siyingxenye ebalulekile yophenyo mayelana nesimangalo somshwalense wesikhathi esifushane.M.A. (Criminal Justice)Criminology and Security Scienc
Mediated representations of violence against women (VAW) in the South African public broadcasting service: a study of cognitive effects of gendered communication
Get PDFThis research seeks to investigate, in an explanatory nature, how South Africa’s
broadcast media represents the narrative of gender equality amid the culture of violence
against women (VAW) within this society. Feminist scholars have over the years seen
the emergence of work concerned with the representation of gender with specific focus
on women. The crucial argument is that gender politics are central to the project of
representation. In a way representations of women, mostly negative, such as
domesticated roles, submissiveness and powerlessness have encouraged this inquiry.
The South African Broadcasting Service (SABC), owing to its wide audience reach, has
been a key catalyst for the progression and limitations regarding the representation of
women. The South African society has been deeply and consistently exposed to the
public broadcaster as it has entrenched itself in the living rooms of the nation and
created an intimate resonance through daily soap operas that seek to illuminate the
populace’s lived experiences. However, dramas and soap operas have not been a
passive agent of entertainment. It is either they are a direct expression of social reality
or an actual distortion of that reality. They have psychological and social weavings that
inform how we attach meaning to the world, each other, and our own selfhood. Thus, in
a country spotlighted for Violence Against Women (VAW) and femicide, this study,
using four soap operas and three tv dramas investigates how the SABC represents
women in its programming content. This qualitative study employs the critical political
economy of the media (CPEM) as its theoretical framework to explore gendered
dimensions of texts in television representation. Further, an inquisition of gendered
production is drawn from Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding model as the interpretive
framework that unpacks the process of representation both at the production/encoding of texts by producers and decoding/consumption by the audiences to map out the true
effects.M.A. (Communication Science)Communication Scienc
Strategies to enhance indigenous men's support for the utilisation of long-acting reversible contraceptives amongst rural women in Uganda
Get PDFWorldwide, unintended pregnancies remain a critical public health challenge, with 74
million women in low- and middle-income countries getting these pregnancies yearly.
The African continent alone contributes about 25% of all unintended pregnancies
globally (Bain, Zweekhorst, & Buning 2020). Even though not all unintended
pregnancies are unwanted, they can lead to many health problems for mothers and
children, like malnutrition, sickness, neglect, or abuse, as well as maternal and infant
morbidities and mortalities. Globally, many women die due to complications related to
childbirth, either during or after pregnancy. Contraceptives, especially for long-acting
reversible methods (LARCs), are among the best interventions to reduce maternal
death. LARCs help the mother delay pregnancy and allow for longer intervals in
childbirth spacing. However, utilising LARCs globally and in Uganda remains low
because of limited male partner support.
The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research study was to elicit an
understanding of the perceptions and beliefs of rural indigenous Ugandan men
towards the use of LARCs by rural women. Ultimately the study designed strategies
to enhance the uptake of those methods. Purposive sampling was used to identify 65
participants for focus group interviews and 30 for individual interviews comprising
married men aged 20 to 49 years. The study was conducted in the Rubanda and
Kiboga districts of Uganda. The researcher used semi-structured questions for
individual and focus group interviews.
The data analysis was done by transcribing the interviews, sorting the field notes,
organising, and storing the data, listening to recordings, reading field notes and
interviews and then coding and categorising the data to build themes emerging on the
phenomenon.
The study established negative perceptions and belief systems among rural
indigenous Ugandan men regarding the use of LARCs by their rural women, and these
acted as barriers to utilisation. These perceptions included side effects, fears, desires,
and cultural and religious beliefs. The study recommends strengthening social,
behavioural change communication, strengthening service provision for LARCs and
monitoring and evaluation systems for LARCs. Additionally, policymakers should provide a conducive environment for LARCs services provision, and the Ministry of
Education and Sports, through health training institutions and universities, should
prepare pre-service and in-service healthcare workers to provide LARC services.Ph.D. (Public Health)Health Studie
The development of undoped alkaline silicate and doped alkaline aluminate phosphors for white phosphorescence, dosimetry, and persistent luminescence applications
Get PDFThe undoped SrSiO3/SiO2 phosphors prepared by both co-precipitation and
hydrothermal methods at different Sr/Si molar ratios are reported. Undoped and
Mn doped BaAl2O4 phosphor synthesized using combustion method are also
reported. The X-ray diffraction measurements confirmed hexagonal phases of the
SrSiO3,SiO2 and BaAl2O4:Mn in the prepared phosphors. The particle morphology
of the prepared phosphors was observed to be somewhat agglomerated partcles
in the alkaline silicate phosphors, whereas nano-sheets with uneven morphology
with both nano-rods and hexagonal particles were observed in the BaAl2O4:Mn
phosphor. EDS measurements confirmed the presence of Sr, Si, and O in the
SrSiO3/SiO2 phosphors, together with their homogenous dispersion in the
phosphors. The presence of Ba, Al, O, and Mn in the BaAl2O4:Mn phosphor was
also confirmed by EDS measurement.
PL measurements confirmed that the undoped phosphors possess room
temperature phosphorescence properties with a 2:1 Sr/Si molar ratio sample
prepared by co-precipitation method showing excellent white phosphorensce. A
combination of two emission bands (495 and 687 nm) make up a white
phosphorescence that cover a wide range of the spectrum, making this phosphor
a potential candidate in solid state lighting applications. These emission bands
were attributed to the intrinsic defects in the prepared SrSiO3/SiO2 phosphors.
PL measurements also confirmed green room temperature phosphorescence
from the BaAl2O4:Mn phosphor.
Thermoluminescence studies showed more than one overlaping peaks in all
samples except for the 2:1 Sr/Si molar ratio sample which showed only one peak
at 100 oC. For this reason, further thermoluminescence studies on this phosphor
were carried out to assess prospects of applications in dosimetry. In addition to
the observation of a single peak in this phosphor, linearity in a wide range of dose
in it also proved that this has a potential for application in dosimetry. Also, the emission band of this phosphor at 495 nm falls within the dosimetric
requirement of emission range of 400 – 500 nm. Both the methods used to
calculate the activation energy, the initial rise and variable heating rate yielded
comparable results.Ph. D. (Physics)Physic