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Sustainable development and the Southern African development community - European Union economic partnership agreement
No full textThe stated goals of international trade agreements have increasingly included provisions pertaining to the achievement of sustainable development. The thesis discusses the concept of sustainable development in the context of trade liberalisation agreements entered into in terms of Article XXIV of GATT. It explores whether the inclusion of sustainable development provisions has changed the fundamental nature of RTAs to makes these agreements development friendly. The inclusion of sustainable development in the SADC-EU EPA is of particular importance because the EU is the biggest trading partner for the SADC states. Agreements with the EU also have a disproportionate effect on their other agreements. In addition, the effects of BREXIT on the SADC EPA states will be explored.
The concept of sustainable development has also been included in AfCFTA, which indicates a paradigm shift as this concept on the continent is no longer restricted to North-South agreements. It is now one of the key factors which will influence the content of intra African trade agreements.
The thesis investigates the concept of sustainable development and the potential to use this concept to either encourage or stifle the economic growth of developing countries and LDCs. It also explores the adequacy of sustainable development provisions in addressing the inequalities which exist in global trade, such as the unequal capacity of states to participate in the trading system. The policy space effects of these agreements on the possibility of sustainable development occurring are discussed.
The thesis draws conclusions that the inclusion of the term sustainable development does not inherently change the nature of North-South RTAs, and in some instances its inclusion can restrict the policy space available to attain sustainable development. It provides recommendation that in order to achieve sustainable development, the African continent needs to create standardised provisions for sustainable development in RTAs. A template is provided, which if used when entering into RTAs which include sustainable development will in all
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likelihood lead to fairer trade terms in the EPA agreements that the SADC states enter into.LL. D. (Law)Public, Constitutional, and International La
Implementation of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) towards infrastructure improvement: a case of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan municipality
No full textThe study investigated the propensity of the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) to contribute to infrastructure improvement, using the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality as the case study.
To achieve its objective, the study employed a qualitative research method, using the case study research design where data was collected through semi-structured interviews.
The study found that the city has been able to achieve its infrastructure improvement plans through the implementation of the EPWP and revealed the ability of the EPWP's infrastructure sector to foster the improvement and development of infrastructure, as discovered in the case of the city of Johannesburg.
From its findings, the study concludes with a few recommendations, including the need for the CoJMM to strengthen its implementation, clarify its guidelines and policies, and increase the capacitation of the EPWP unit through resource allocation in the form of labour and funding. Areas for future study may include (based on the findings of this study) the need for the programme to be established as an independent entity that focuses on infrastructure development.Public Administration and Managemen
Semantic web-based healthcare framework for digital healthcare in a resource-constrained environment
Get PDFInformation and communication technology (ICT) have significantly changed our daily life during the last 20 years. ICTs have advanced through research interventions to the point that they now impact every aspect of our daily lives. Among the technologies used in ICT development are artificial intelligence (AI) and the Semantic Web. As opposed to the Semantic Web, which organises web pages so they can be directly read by computers that are connected to the network, artificial intelligence (AI) focuses on creating computer systems that mimic human behaviour. Research on the use of Web 3.0 technology in rural South Africa's healthcare system is still lacking. The Semantic Web and artificial intelligence are combined in Web 3.0. This study project demonstrates how Web 3.0 might help underprivileged communities in Dutywa Health District, Eastern Cape, receive healthcare. The semantic web directs the computer to access legitimate data, which matures into AI when the information is used. Semantic Web can help public healthcare overcome information overload caused by a lack of facilities and qualified medical workers. Fragmented medical clinical information impedes acute care. To model a Semantic Web-Based Healthcare Framework for rural healthcare, this research study uses a Design Science Methodology. Protégé, an Apache Jena Fuseki Server, is used to design and deploy a prototype to the framework for proof of concept. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Semantic Web-Based Healthcare Framework development, its development is compared to the BioMedLib Search Engine using economic projections. The assessment demonstrates that the suggested Semantic Web-Based Healthcare Framework is efficient, furthermore, over time, the Semantic Web-Based Healthcare Framework will have a respectable Return on InvestmentM. Sc. (Computing)School of Computin
The development and implementation of budget in selected secondary schools in Limpopo Province, South Africa
Get PDFThe development and implementation of budget is a challenge in schools. The aim of the study was to assess the challenges of budget development and its implementation in selected schools in Sekhukhune East District in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study explored qualitative research methodology to help the researcher to gather in-depth information on the challenges that public schools face when developing and implementing budget. It adopted a case study approach to understand the participants’ perceptions of the phenomenon being studied. Participants consisted of schools’ principals and schools’ treasurers of selected schools. The District Deputy Chief Governance Officers (DCGOs) also participated.
The study employed purposive sampling in selection of participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather information from participants in their own setting. The information was analysed using thematic analysis where themes and sub-themes were created. The study found that there are various challenges in the development and implementation of the budget in selected schools. It pointed out lack of financial background knowledge and training on financial management as key to successful development and implementation of school budgets. It also found other factors such as poor understanding of legislative instruments, oversight financial controls and lack of transparency as having limiting effect on development and implementation of budgets in schools.
The researcher’s recommendations customised financial training for SGB members training on annual basis in order to cover legislative framework and financial management to encourage members of the SGB to take decisive responsibilities in the development and implementation of budget. Implementation of effective financial controls is an important consideration in school financial management. The research articulates that lack of accountability and transparency can be attributed to lack of financial management. It highlighted monopoly of financial controls by some principals as the challenge that stems from poor financial background knowledge.M. Ed. (Education Management)Educational Studie
Precise test of lepton flavour universality in W -boson decays into muons and electrons in pp collisions at s = 13 Te V with the ATLAS detector
No full textAbstract The ratio of branching ratios of the W boson to muons and electrons, R W μ / e = B ( W → μ ν ) / B ( W → e ν ) , has been measured using 140 fb - 1 of pp collision data at s = 13 Te V collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, probing the universality of lepton couplings. The ratio is obtained from measurements of the t t ¯ production cross-section in the ee, e μ and μ μ dilepton final states. To reduce systematic uncertainties, it is normalised by the square root of the corresponding ratio R Z μ μ / e e for the Z boson measured in inclusive Z → e e and Z → μ μ events. By using the precise value of R Z μ μ / e e determined from e + e - colliders, the ratio R W μ / e is determined to be R W μ / e = 0.9995 ± 0.0022 ( stat ) ± 0.0036 ( syst ) ± 0.0014 ( ext ) . The three uncertainties correspond to data statistics, experimental systematics and the external measurement of R Z μ μ / e e , giving a total uncertainty of 0.0045, and confirming the Standard Model assumption of lepton flavour universality in W-boson decays at the 0.5% level
(South) African perspectives on the prevention, monitoring, and combating of hate victimisation.
Get PDFThis paper aims to provide an overview of South African perspectives on preventing, monitoring and combating hate victimisation, towards informing international understandings.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a general review approach, this paper provides a historical examination of measures proposed by the South African Government and civil society since 1994, to prevent, monitor and combat hate crime, hate speech and intentional unfair discrimination.
Findings
Regardless of a constitutional commitment to social inclusion, diversity and minority rights, significant progress remains lacking after almost three decades of related advocacy, lobbying and limited government intervention. Findings of the South African Hate Crimes Working Group (HCWG) longitudinal Monitoring Project emphasise the need for decisive legal responses to hate victimisation.
Social implications
A Bill, recognising hate crime and hate speech as distinct criminal offences, has been in development for almost 15 years and will soon serve before Parliament. Enactment of this legislation will be ground-breaking in Africa.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the field of hate studies by providing an overview of the journey towards current conceptual understandings of hate in (South) Africa. It sets the stage for evaluating the potential of the redesigned HCWG monitoring tool, which holds promise for early identification and intervention in hate hotspots and targeted sectors. This instrument can establish trends not only in South Africa but also across the African continent.Psycholog
Utilization of health management information system for data driven decisions in maternal healthcare in Addis Ababa
No full textText in EnglishA Health Management Information System (HMIS) is the essential component of the country's Health Information System (HIS) and is vital for the functioning of the country’s healthcare system. It consists of prescribed data management processes, including utilization of data for informed decisions. One of its key applications is the recording, storing, retrieval, and processing of maternal health data to enhance decision-making processes. The study intended to evaluate the utilization of the HMIS for data-driven decisions in maternal healthcare in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The study was conducted in six selected public hospitals. The hospitals were tertiary hospitals offering comprehensive curative and tertiary care, including maternal healthcare services, and they have implemented the Health Management Information System. All these facilities fall under the administration of the Addis Ababa City Administration Health Bureau. An explanatory sequential mixed method design was employed to evaluate the utilization of the HMIS. A modified Delphi technique was used to validate the proposed strategies to improve maternal HMIS data management. The population for the study was physicians, midwives and nurses. Multistage cluster and stratified sampling, purposive sampling using maximum variation, and purposive sampling were used to select the health facilities, healthcare professionals, and experts, respectively. Data collection methods included self-administered questionnaires, focus group interviews, and the modified Delphi technique. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software for Windows, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Additionally, descriptive statistics were applied during Phase III of the study.
The theoretical framework guided the data collection, analysis and interpretation. The results revealed dissatisfaction with the HMIS's ability to capture comprehensive maternal healthcare data. Some of the key issues were a lack of integration and seamless exchange of information between different systems. This had the potential to create silo data-generating units. The hybrid system appeared to be not well coordinated as participants seemed to struggle with some basic HMIS tasks such as data collection, analysis and using information for decision-making.
Dissatisfaction with the level of HMIS training and the shortage of specialized HIS skills appeared to be a barrier to effective HMIS utilization, as healthcare professionals focused more on clinical care than HIS tasks. Some variations were observed in the utilization of HMIS among different professionals. Most participants generally believed that strengthening the HMIS and improving monitoring and evaluation was essential for accurate, timely information on healthcare interventions. The majority acknowledged ex- istence of guidelines that provided directives for data management processes. However, they lamented poor implementation.
The findings confirmed the relationships between different concepts of the theoretical framework, including their impact on HMIS utilization, information use and decision- making. Strategies were developed to address the factors affecting the utilization of HMIS for data-driven decision-making, aiming to improve maternal HMIS data management.D. Phil. (Public Health)Health Studie
Effects of magnetic force energy and ultraviolet radiation on animal feed preservation
No full textApplication of best practices in animal husbandry systems is critical for safe and good quality food production. Feed preservation methods such as drying, ensiling, pelleting and fermenting has been used to ensure that animals receive nutritious and safe feeds free from pathogens. In South Africa, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development (DALRRD) oversee and implement the regulations, to ensure compliance with safety and quality standards to safeguard the public and animal health. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of sun ultraviolet (UV) radiation and Magnetic force energy (MFE) in preserving the quality of beef cattle concentrate feeds to improve animal health and production.
The methodology: Experimental Design was Complete Randomized Design.
Treatments: sun UV radiation, MFE and Control (untreated feeds)
Three feed levels: Low Starch (15%)/ Low Protein (10%); Medium Starch (25%)/ Medium Protein (18%); and High Starch (30%)/ High Protein (25%) beef cattle concentrate feeds
Two seasons: Summer (60 feed samples) and Winter (40 feed samples)
Collection period: day 0, 1, 10, 20, 30
Study area: Subtropical Climatic Zone
Feeds were each exposed to sun UV, MFE and were treated over different time periods of 0, 1, 10, 20, 30 during summer and winter for 4 hours. The sun UV treatment feeds were kept in closed individual bags of 5 kg, placed on wooden crates, and exposed to the sun’s high intensity afternoon rays between 11 am to 3 pm (GMT -South African time) and the bags turned hourly during the exposure period. The MFE treatment was applied by adding one Neodymium magnet, grade N52 in the core of each bag of feeds (5 kg) and kept under room temperature. Control bags (5 kg each) were stored under room temperature on wooden crates for the duration of the study. From each feed bag, three random samples were collected for analysis of TBC and mould counts. Data was transformed to log10 and results expressed as cfu/g.
Summer results within feed levels: Both Sun UV and MFE treatments reduced TBC in Low S-P, Medium S-P and High S-P feeds (from 7.68a±0.04 to 5.95d±0.03; 6.68a±0.04 to 4.66d±0.06; 6.44a±0.03 to 4.56e±0.03 cfu/g ) and (from 7.68a±0.04 to 6.13d±0.02; 6.68a±0.04 to 4.99e±0.04; 6.44a±0.03 to 5.09d±0.11 cfu/g ) respectively. In moulds, different (p ˂ 0.05) reductions by sun UV were seen in Low S-P ( from 3.88a±0.02 to 3.73d±0.03 cfu/g), Medium S-P (from 2.49a±0.05 to 2.41b±0.04 cfu/g) and High S-P ( from 2.48a±0.05 to 2.20d±0.03 cfu/g) feeds in summer, while MFE mould reductions were also different (p ˂ 0.05) in Low S-P (from 3.88a±0.02 to 3.71d±0.01 cfu/g), Medium S-P (from 2.49a±0.05 to 2.30c±0.04 cfu/g) and High S-P (from 2.48a±0.05 to 2.27c±0.04 cfu/g) feeds.
Summer treatment comparison results: The sun UV and MFE treatments had similar effects on Low S-P and Medium S-P feeds, but in High S-P feeds, sun UV (4.97c±0.37 cfu/g) was more effective in reducing TBC than MFE (5.40b±0.0.38 cfu/g). In moulds, treatments effect was similar in Low S-P feeds, but in Medium S-P, MFE (2.32b±0.04 cfu/g) was more effective than sun UV (4.44a±0.03 cfu/g). Both treatments were superior to Control on both TBC and moulds.
Winter results within feed levels: The MFE treatment showed different (p ˂ 0.05) TBC reductions in Low S-P (from 7.41a±0.03 to 5.61d±0.41 cfu/g), Medium S-P (from 6.49a±0.05 to 5.58d±0.10 cfu/g) and High S-P (from 5.42a±0.04 to 4.89c±0.12 cfu/g) feeds, and different (p ˂ 0.01) mould reductions in Low S-P (from 6.36a±0.02 to 5.66e±0.07 cfu/g), Medium S-P (from 6.83a±0.01 to 6.58d±0.07 cfu/g) and High S-P (from 2.12a±0.01 to 1.83c±0.04 cfu/g).
Winter treatment comparison results: There was differences (p ˂ 0.05) between Control and MFE across all feed levels, highlighting the effectiveness of MFE treatment on both TBC and moulds.
Interaction results: There was interaction between season and organism in Low S-P (p ˂ 0.001), Medium S-P (p ˂ 0.0001) and High S-P (p ˂ 0.01) feeds. However, no interactions were seen between season and treatment and between organism and treatment in all feed levels.
Qualitative analyses of feeds peptide and glycosidic bonds showed no visible changes on treated and untreated feeds. However, better chemical tests need to be done to actually validate this. In view of the challenges associated with antimicrobial resistance, chemical residues in feed, utilisation of sun UV and MFE could have potential for minimising these challenges. In addition, no differences were noted on feeds chemical composition before and after treatments in both seasons. From this study, we noted that both exposure to sun UV and MFE had a drastic effect on pathogenic bacteria and moulds, and it is noted from the basic tests that there were no differences in feed quality pre and post treatment, as noted by also intact peptides and glycosidic bonds. In the current situation where the feed industry faces challenges of microbial resistance, high carbon footprint and feed preservation, these two methods therefore offer possibly innovative ways of addressing these major challenges. However, I would recommend further analysis under different conditions because radiation varies. Application of this study results may be limited due to the variation in amount of sun radiation received on the different latitudes. The sun UV radiation and MFE treatments can be a safe and affordable means of feed sterilisation that could decrease harmful microorganisms and avoid feed wastages.D. Phil. (Agriculture)College of Agriculture and Environmental Science
Evaluating the rehabilitation programmes offered to male parolees who were sentenced for intimate femicide in community corrections in the Gauteng region
Get PDFText in English with summaries and keywords in English, Afrikaans and ZuluIntimate femicide happens in all settings and amongst all socio economic, cultural and religious groups. Literature also reveals that most perpetrators of femicide are male intimate partners; and I, as a female researcher was inspired by my insider position as a social worker employed by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS). This is a phenomenological study where I explored the lived experiences of male parolees, recruited via purposive sampling in Community Corrections in Gauteng who attended the rehabilitation programmes in the correctional centres. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of rehabilitation programmes offered by (DCS) to male parolees who were sentenced for intimate partner femicide (IPF). The data were collected from ten parolees using in depth semi structured interviews and analysed via thematic analysis. The findings showed that the rehabilitation programmes offered by DCS are effective even though some recommendations were made by the participants. These recommendations included, among others, that there should be a specific programme addressing femicide and that group work must be an option for offenders of intimate femicide.Intieme vrouemoord vind plaas in alle omgewings en onder alle sosio-ekonomiese, kultuur- en ekonomiese groepe. Literatuur dui aan dat die meeste vrouemoorde deur hul manlike intieme maats gepleeg word. As ‗n vroulike navorser is ek geïnspireer deur my binnestanderposisie as ‘n maatskaplike werker in diens van die Suid-Afrikaanse Departement van Korrektiewe Dienste (DKD). Dit is ‘n fenomenologiese studie, waar ek die geleefde ervarings verken het van manlike paroolgangers in Gemeenskapskorreksies in die Gauteng-provinsie wat die rehabilitasieprogramme in verskeie korrektiewe sentrums bygewoon het. Die studie was daarop gerig om die effektiwiteit van rehabilitasieprogramme wat deur die DKD aangebied word vir manlike paroolgangers wat aan intieme vrouemoord skuldig bevind is, te evalueer. Die data is van tien paroolgangers ingewin deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde diepte-onderhoude, en deur tematiese ontleding ontleed. Die bevindings het getoon dat die rehabiltasieprogramme wat deur die DKD aangebied word effektief is, alhoewel etlike aanbevelings deur die deelnemers gemaak is. Hierdie aanbevelings het ingesluit dat daar ‘n spesifieke program moet wees wat op vrouemoord fokus en dat groepswerk ‘n opsie moet wees vir oortreders wat vir intieme vrouemoord gevonnis is.Ukubulawa kwabesifazane kwenzeka kuzo zonke izimo naphakathi kwawo wonke amaqembu ezenhlalo mnotho, amasiko kanye nezenkolo. Imibhalo ikhombisa ukuthi iningi labaphehli bokubulalana kwabesifazane ngabantu besilisa abathandana nabo. Njengomcwaningi wesifazane, ngagqugquzelwa isikhundla sami sokuba wusonhlalakahle oqashwe uMnyango Wezokuhlunyeleliswa Kwezimilo eNingizimu Afrika (UWK). Lolu wucwaningo olwenziwa ngendlela enzulu lapho ngike ngahlola khona okwenzeka kwabesilisa abakhululwa ngoshwele ekujezisweni esifundazweni saseGauteng ababethamele izinhlelo zokuhlunyeleliswa kwezimilo ezikhungweni ezahlukene. Lolu cwaningo lwaluhlose ukuhlola ukusebenza kahle kwezinhlelo zokuhlunyeleliswa kwezimilo ezinikezwa yi UWK kwabakhululwe ngoshwele besilisa ababegwetshelwe ukubulawa kwabesifazane ababesondelene nabo. Imininingwane yaqoqwa kwabayishumi abaphume ngoshwele, kusetshenziswa izingxoxiswano ezijulile ezihleliwe futhi zahlaziywa ngokuhlaziywa kwendikimba. Okutholakele kubonise ukuthi izinhlelo zokuhlunyeleliswa kwezimilo ezihlinzekwa yi UWK ziyasebenza nakuba ezinye izincomo zenziwe ngabahlanganyeli. Lezi zincomo zazihlanganisa ukuthi kufanele kube nohlelo oluthize oludingida ukubulawa kwabesifazane nokuthi umsebenzi weqembu kumele kube yinto ekhethwa yilabo abephula umthetho abagwetshwe ukubulawa kwabantu besifazane.
Amagama abalulekile:M.Phil. (Gender Studies)Gender Studie
Methods development for determination of neonicotinoid pesticides from selected vegetable oils using hplc-dad
Get PDFThe neonicotinoid pesticides (NEOs) have been used over the years for plant protection. The use of these NEOs on crops and oil seed plants has led to vegetable oil and crop produce contamination. The four selected NEOs for this study are acetamiprid, imidacloprid, thiacloprid and thiamethoxam. Their accumulation in oil crops is through absorption via roots and plant leaves. The presence of NEOs in the vegetable oils results in human health problems, hence there is a need for monitoring and control of their concentration levels present in agricultural products. Different organisations like World Health Organization (WHO), Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and European Union (EU) have maximum residue limits set for NEOs in countries like Japan, China and US at less than 0.5 mg.kg-1. Different chromatographic techniques have been used for determination of NEOs in various sample matrices. The high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was among the most reported chromatographic techniques for detection of NEOs. However, due to the complexity of vegetable oils and the trace concentration levels of NEOs, sample preparation step is required prior to chromatographic detection. The solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) methods are popular for extraction of various targeted analytes. However, these two extraction methods suffer from different limitations like use of large amount of organic solvents, tediousness, costly adsorbents and production of hazardous waste.
Therefore, the aim of the study was to develop rapid, greener, and efficient extraction methods followed by HPLC-DAD analysis for determination NEOs in selected vegetable oils. The magnetic solid phase microextraction (MSPME) was the first extraction method to be investigated. A novel magnetic adsorbent (Fe3O4@Al2O3/AC) was synthesized using maize waste material and characterized using various techniques such Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), Powdered X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Scanning electron microscope coupled to energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) to confirm the formation of the adsorbent material. The proposed MSPME method achieved high accuracy (80-119.21 %) and precision (≤10 %) for all the investigated NEOs. Furthermore, the obtained limit of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.5-1.76 ng.μL-1, limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 1.87-6.62 ng.μL-1, with satisfactory high
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preconcentration factors (73.02-407) were comparable with literature reported studies. The Analytical GREEness calculator (AGREE) analysis confirmed the 0.54 greenness scale, suggesting that the MSPME was environmentally friendly.
Deep eutectic solvent- dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DES-DLLME) was the second examined extraction method prior to chromatographic determination of NEOs in vegetable oils. The GREEness of the proposed DES-DLLME was attributed using “greener” more environmentally friendly solvent known as deep eutectic solvents. The method achieved good limit of detection (LOD) ranging from 0.4 to 4.95 ng. μL-1 and limit of quantification (LOQ) ranging from 1.43 to 9.7 ng.μL-1. The method also showed good accuracy (79-119.6 %) and precision (0.1 to 0.9 %). Method greenness was studied using the Analytical GREEness calculator (AGREE) in full tool and the greenness was 0.67 scale.
The DLLME method has proved to be greener compared to the AGREE calculator as reported above. The method detection limits for MSPME were lower compared to that for DES-DLLME. The MSPME also shows the high preconcentration factors than the DES-DLLME. The accuracy for the DES-DLLME was good and higher compared to that for MSPME. Both the methods were conducted under room temperature. The precision for DES-DLLME was lower compared to that of MSPME which shows that DES-DLLME is more sensitive than the MSPME.M. Sc. (Chemistry)College of Engineering, Science and Technolog