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Resilience and sustainability in the informal economy: an exploration of Cape Town's informal food traders amidst disruption
Get PDFThe role of informal food traders in responding to the needs of local communities is crucial to achieving SDG 2: Zero Hunger. Different frameworks, developed by the Global North, have sprung up around the Sustainable Development Goals (a replacement of the Millennial Goals) to measure progress towards sustainability and address different aspects of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) but have a limited look at the role played by the informal economy. This gap highlights a lack of understanding of how informal systems contribute to sustainability, particularly in developing regions. Calls have emerged for increased research into the informal economy within a sustainability context, as previous economic models have largely ignored it. As part of this under-researched landscape, South African informal traders exemplify resilience as they face disruptions, such as rolling blackouts, extreme weather events, a global pandemic, and persistent socioeconomic challenges like high unemployment and inequality. Food security is at risk for millions of South African households as families grapple with high food inflation and low disposable incomes. Building on the strengths of inductive, interpretivist approach, this qualitative study explores how informal traders respond to disruption to increase the sustainability of their businesses in Cape Town, South Africa. Using data collected through semi-structured interviews and observations, this study sheds light on the resilience and adaptability of informal food traders and the crucial role they play in providing food security in low-income areas. It looks at existing sustainable practices within the business and highlights where technology may be used as a tool for scalability and replicability. The significance of this study lies in recognising informal traders as potential catalysts for sustainable practices, influencing larger market trends and environmental stewardship
A consumer neuroscientific method for assessing usability: eye-tracking visual fatigue in visually complex M-commerce applications
Get PDFPurpose: Mobile commerce (m-commerce) applications (apps) need to be studied in terms of their visual element richness, usability and how these impact the visual fatigue that is felt by users and their overall system usage. The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss a conceptual model that seeks to establish a method for measuring visual fatigue using eye-tracking and examine its relationship with usability across varying levels of visual complexity in m-commerce apps. It aims to develop and extend existing research on the design of m-commerce apps in terms of the amount of visual elements to needed to satisfy users while mitigating the effect of visual fatigue and usability issues. Study Design/Methodology/Approach: The study utilised a mixed-methods approach to gather data through utilising consumer neuroscience techniques, specifically eye tracking technology to develop an understanding between usability, visual fatigue and visual complexity when the users engage and experience a m-commerce app. This research explored 96 consumer reactions and responses to different visually complex m-commerce apps. Mixed methods is needed to compliment both qualitative and quantitative results and gather a deeper understanding of the complex data. Findings: A model measuring visual fatigue through eye-tracking technology is established to better understand the impact on users within the 18-35 South African cohort when exposed to different visually complex applications. Relationships between the dimensions of visual fatigue, usability, visual complexity, phone usage and context of use are explored through hypothesis testing. Research limitations/ implications: The first contribution of this study is the addition of research on how users from South Africa experience m-commerce applications. The second contribution stems from the model established to measure visual fatigue through eye-tracking techniques to better understand users and how they navigate and experience an application. Third we established the impact of visually complex, visually simple and visually moderate designs on users satisfaction and wellbeing. Finally the study revealed important elements to users of a m-commerce application through the mixed-methods approach. Originality/Value: The findings of this study have numerous implications for both marketing managers, app developers and user experience experts. The findings supply valuable insight into how multiple visual elements impact a user's experience and satisfaction when navigating a m-commerce application. The study found that a more visually complex system did not hinder a user's experience but instead encouraged positive feedback from users
Investigating the drivers and barriers to implementing green building features and initiatives (GBFIs) in South Africa's private residential housing sector
Get PDFThe construction industry has long been criticised for being a significant contributor to global carbon emissions and a large consumer of energy. Economies around the world, however, have taken an active role in addressing the construction industry's carbon footprint and high energy demands by incorporating green technologies and practices in construction projects. Over the years, Green Building Features and Initiatives (GBFIs) have provided a solution to the construction industry's challenges, particularly in the building sector which is a notable consumer of energy. The Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) manages and applies tools such as Green Star, EDGE, and Net-Zero to assist in the incorporation and certification of GBFIs in buildings. The study seeks to identify the drivers and barriers of implementing GBFIs in South Africa's private residential sector. A literature review was conducted to identify key drivers and barriers for the adoption of GBFIs from a global perspective. The study employed a qualitative research approach comprising multiple case study analysis, where semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders in the construction industry. The case studies (limited to South Africa) involved five major residential developments in municipalities located in the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces. The study highlighted socio-cultural factors such as client awareness, enhanced standard of living, and developer initiative as being the key drivers to the adoption of GBFIs, followed by increased international investment. However, the study yielded numerous barriers, with key barriers being government related barriers in the form of inadequate renewable energy (RE) green building regulations and low levels of municipal involvement; followed by human related barriers in the form of a lack of education concerning GB principles and practices by construction stakeholders; and lastly market related barriers in the form of high financial cost of RE generation. The study identified key strengths and weaknesses of the green building rating tools that in turn contribute to the drivers and barriers. This study adds to the existing literature pertaining to GBFIs by providing insight within the context of the private residential property sector in a developing country
Sustainability for lower risk: examining ESG scores as indicators of credit risk in African firms
Get PDFIn light of the growing consideration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics in credit appraisal, this study investigates the relationship between ESG performance and credit risk for African firms from 2012 to 2022. Using Refinitiv ESG scores and Altman's Z”-score as the primary credit risk measure, this analysis employs OLS, fixed effects, random effects, instrumental variables, and GMM estimations. While the combined ESG score shows no significant relationship with credit risk, the study makes original contributions as one of the first African emerging market studies to examine ESG as a non-financial credit risk determinant. It uniquely applies a multi-model econometric approach and combines multiple credit risk proxies, including the National University of Singapore Credit Research Initiative's Probability of Default. This triangulation enhances analytical robustness and contributes to the empirical foundation for ESG-credit risk research in emerging markets. Accounting for endogeneity through GMM, the Governance pillar shows a short-term, significant negative impact on credit risk, indicating governance's time-sensitive role in creditworthiness. The Environmental and Social pillars show no significant impact, with mixed results in static models, highlighting sensitivity to model selection. Industry-specific analysis reveals no significant relationship between aggregated ESG scores and default risk. However, the Environmental pillar positively impacts credit risk in Industrials, while Governance negatively impacts credit risk in Basic Materials. No significant ESG effects are found in Consumer Staples, Consumer Discretionary, or Real Estate sectors. The study is limited by constrained ESG data coverage for African firms, reflecting broader challenges in ESG reporting across the continent. These findings emphasise the need for mandatory, standardised ESG disclosures to enable nuanced credit risk assessments, critical for African markets where development capital and effective risk management frameworks are in high demand
Jazz and Visual Abstraction: The Artworks of Mongezi Ncaphayi
Get PDFThis study aims to theorize the intersections between jazz music and abstraction in the visual arts. Its focus is to analyse phenomenological aspects in the selected works of South African contemporary visual artist and jazz saxophonist Mongezi Ncaphayi (b.1983), as a means to understand the nature of the relationship between the 'visual' and 'sonic' in his work. This includes: locating visual art practice within a wider constellation of imagery production, which I refer to as jazz visual culture, encompassing album cover art, photography, and graphic scores, to outline a culturally informed and constructed view of jazz and visual art practices. By paying particular attention to Ncaphayi's iconography and the explications of his work, this study aims to clarify the resonances between the visual and the sonic, while demonstrating the significance of both in the realm of signification. Although non-figurative abstraction lacks the conventional motifs found in figurative works, such as the depiction of instrumentation and portraiture, or even the symbolic stability of music notation, it continues to play a role in mediating the musical, aesthetic, and cultural meanings of jazz, despite its idiosyncrasy. This study is conducted by examining existing literature on jazz visual histories, criticism, music theory, and interviews with Mongezi Ncaphayi as research tools. Additionally, specific artworks are analysed to support an investigation of the cross- modal encounters between visual and sonic elements. These are then interpreted through the lenses of phenomenology, formalism, iconography, and black studies
Assessing the feasibility and prerequisites for establishing a sovereign wealth fund in South Africa
Get PDFIn 2023, the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) Institute reported that assets under management for the 173 global SWFs totalled in excess of US 132.69 billion. These funds are invested both domestically and internationally, resulting in a favourable impact on their own countries. The objective of the present study was to determine what the prerequisites to create a SWF in South Africa. The research delineates a SWF and analyses the history thereof. The study additionally examines investment methods, governance structures, and frameworks for SWF. Within the South African context, a well-managed SWF may enhance intergenerational equity, foster inclusive growth, and bolster fiscal resilience amid global volatility and domestic socioeconomic problems. Revenue from mineral resources or the divestiture of state-owned assets may enable a SWF to stabilise South Africa's economy against foreign shocks, diminish reliance on debt, and furnish a sustainable source of revenue for social and infrastructure development. The 2020 announcement by the former Minister of Finance set an intention for the South African Government to establish a SWF by allocating ZAR 30 billion, as well as exploring various funding solutions through the sale of spectrum, allocation of petroleum, gas, and mineral rights, sale of non-core state assets, and future budget surpluses. The announcement was received with enthusiasm; however, a persistent question lingered: can South Africa establish a SWF, or is it simply an elusive ambition? The present study gathered data through semi-structured interviews with diverse industry executives in finance, development finance, and asset management. The researcher employed a qualitative exploratory research methodology to obtain insights regarding South Africa's potential for establishing a SWF. The study's major findings indicated that a SWF should be seen as a savings vehicle capable of aiding future generations considering the country's escalating debt. The SWF may potentially support South Africa during economic difficulties. For South Africa to establish a SWF, it must be founded on a robust legislative framework that enables the fund to be agile, competitive, sustainable, governed effectively, and insulated from political interference. South Africa possesses a pre-existing model from which it can derive insights and enhance to establish the fund
Domestic deeming provisions and double tax treaties: lessons from Tradehold and Fowler
Get PDFThis thesis examines the complex interaction between domestic deeming provisions in South African domestic tax law and double tax treaties (‘DTTs'), focusing on the legal and interpretative challenges that arise when statutory fictions are applied within an international tax framework. Using a comparative analysis of Commissioner for the South African Revenue Service v Tradehold Ltd (‘Tradehold') and Fowler v HMRC (‘Fowler'), the research investigates whether South African courts' reasoning in Tradehold could have been influenced by the approach taken in Fowler. The thesis explores whether key judicial principles or other factors justify the different outcomes in the cases or if the uncertainties in interpretation highlight the need for more explicit guidance. By assessing the principles governing the application of DTTs where domestic tax law incorporates statutory fictions, this research aims to contribute to a more structured and predictable approach to resolving cross-border tax disputes. Research Methodology: A doctrinal legal research approach is employed, drawing on legislative analysis, case law, and academic commentary. The thesis applies comparative legal analysis to examine the South African and United Kingdom (‘UK') courts' reasoning in Tradehold and Fowler, evaluating how statutory deeming provisions interact with DTT principles. Particular attention is paid to purposive interpretation as applied by the courts, assessing whether South Africa's approach aligns with international best practices. The research also explores broader interpretative frameworks, including the role of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (‘OECD') Model Tax Convention principles, to assess their impact on the resolution of tax treaty disputes. Results and Conclusions The findings illustrate the South African courts in Tradehold adopted an approach that sought to retain the domestic statutory fiction within the DTT provisions, whereas the UK courts in Fowler limited the influence of the domestic deeming provision in favour of treaty autonomy and did not retain the fiction created by the deeming provision. This divergence underscores the absence of a universal standard for interpreting DTT provisions when domestic law incorporates statutory fictions. The analysis highlights the risks of inconsistent application, including double taxation or double non-taxation, which could undermine DTT objectives. This thesis concludes that clearer legislative and judicial frameworks are needed to ensure predictability and equity in tax treaty interpretation. It recommends that South African tax authorities provide more explicit guidance on the treatment of deeming provisions in an international tax context to enhance certainty for taxpayers and tax practitioners alike. To mitigate the inconsistencies highlighted in this thesis, it is recommended that South African Revenue Service issues binding guidance on the interpretation of deeming provisions within the context of DTTs. This could take the form of interpretative notes, similar to the OECD Commentary, which clarify when statutory fictions should be retained under DTTs and when they should not. Additionally, legislative amendments should be considered to ensure alignment between South Africa's domestic framework and international treaty obligations, particularly to prevent scenarios of double non-taxation or unintended fiscal arbitrage
A novel cough aerosol sampling device for sputum-scarce individuals with tuberculosis
Get PDFIntroduction In 2021, there were 10.6 million tuberculosis cases worldwide, with 1.6 million deaths. Bacterial infection occurs when aerosol droplets enter the respiratory tract and travel to the lungs, causing pulmonary disease. If untreated, the disease has a 50% mortality rate. TB diagnostics require a sputum sample to conduct tests to confirm the presence of Mtb but more than 15% of patients have difficulty producing this sample. A cough aerosol sampling system (CASS) can collect aerosol droplet samples for testing when sputum sampling is not possible. These systems rely on inertial impaction whereby particles are sorted based on their diameter. Thus, CASS also offers information regarding the infectivity of the patient based on their expelled aerosol sizes. This is because smaller respiratory droplets can travel to the smallest structures of the lung and are more likely to cause infection. CASS is a useful technology in field sampling in place of sputum sampling. However current systems are bulky, heavy and not optimised for field testing in resource limited settings – which this project aims to address. Methods & Materials The methodology included designing and developing a physical prototype of a novel miniaturised cough aerosol sampling system (Mini CASS). This device was designed in subsystems, namely the impaction cascade, pump system, mask part and casing. All subsystems followed a rapid prototyping approach characterised by multiple design iterations. The impaction cascade design was guided by Marple and Liu's methodology (1976). This included testing various impaction substrates. Furthermore, it was optimised by computational fluid dynamics. The entire design was evaluated against a set of predefined needs criteria developed through identification of inadequacies in current devices. Verification testing at the Medical Devices Lab (University of Cape Town) included confirmation of the aerosol size fractionation capacity of the cascade impactor. Validation testing was conducted at the Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity (Groote Schuur Hospital) to confirm the ability of Mini CASS to collect culturable bioaerosols (M. smegmatis). Results & Discussion A partially disposable, portable and miniaturised CASS was built with a weight and size of less than 1 kg & 40 cm2 respectively. Results of in-silico and verification testing have confirmed the ability of the device to perform size fractionation with atleast a 30% efficiency per stage. The device successfully collected nebulised M. smegmatis & M. bovis. Culture confirmation of the bacteria proves this as a viable impactor with atleast 3 colony forming units on each stage, comparable to current CASS systems. Conclusion The final Mini CASS prototype exhibited favourable characteristics of being lightweight and easily portable. It fared well in tests conducted to assess viability, proving its capability to collect bioaerosol samples for culture from coughing. It exhibited the ability to fractionate aerosol samples to provide a semi-quantitative measure of infectiousness with known particle sizes and efficiencies. This proof-of-concept device shows CASS technology can be optimised for use in the clinical setting, thereby enabling it to become a more powerful sampling and research tool. The lightweight, easy to use technology has the potential for use at home or temporary sampling sites
Dental pathology and macrowear: a biocultural analysis of southern African holocene hunter-gatherers and hunter-herders
Get PDFDental macrowear quantity, direction, and oral pathology were assessed against demographic factors in southern African Holocene hunter-gatherers and -herders (sAHGH). This is the first study to investigate inter-related implications of diet, health, and behaviour across time and space using only teeth on a large sAHGH sample. This aim was accomplished through a systematic assessment of macroscopic dental examinations, particularly including direction, a method not yet addressed for sAHGH teeth. Data were obtained using a multimethod approach on 369 individuals and 6271 teeth and statistically analysed using R (version 4.1.3) and IBM© SPSS. The results showed a need for an adaptation of the Brabant index; therefore, I created a novel adaption to the method inclusive of a visual guide. Individuals were better preserved from coastal regions (n = 313) and young/middle-ages (n = 71), and sex and temporal divisions were similarly distributed, with fewer individuals dating to the earlier Holocene (n = 50). Wear quantity advanced rapidly, with increased odds in anterior teeth (OR=18, p≤0.01) and first molars (OR=4.6, p≤0.01). Horizontal and plane wear directions frequently occurred (n = 8321 teeth), and combined wear results reflected a plant-based diet and using teeth as tools. Tool use was further demonstrated by non-masticatory wear (n = 22) and microchipping (n = 55), elucidating behaviours such as occupational tasks and dental hygiene. Generally, the teeth demonstrated good health; however, the first molar was affected most frequently with antemortem tooth loss (OR=13.6, p≤0.01), infections (OR=4.4, p≤0.01), and caries (OR=28.7, p≤0.01). Overall, pathological lesions post-2000 BP reduced, suggesting health improvements. Notably, incidence rates for enamel hypoplasia on the first molars (n = 26) alluded to increased infant stress possibly related to herding. Interestingly, amelogenesis imperfecta was found, demonstrating a hereditary condition associated with comorbidities. Despite increasing oral pathology and wear into old age, good survival rates suggest biological resilience. The results of this study support resource-sharing practices regardless of developmental stage between sexes, as sAHGH retained homogeneous diets and labour-based contributions from childhood. This research contributes to holistic inferences on health and behaviour through the direct analyses of sAHGH, integrating biology with the environment, and elaborates on the discussion of the role of dental wear and behaviours contributing to pathology susceptibility. A macroscopic, multimethod approach proved effective in analysing the interplay of masticatory mechanisms and systematic assessments using non-destructive methods. These results demonstrated how hunter-gatherer groups thrived over millennia, and that sAHGH are a good adaptive representation of dental analyses for precontact population
Demographic and neuropsychological profile of HIV-positive children referred for an assessment at a local clinic over a 5-year period
Get PDFIndividuals in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) relative to high-income countries (HICs). Children are particularly vulnerable given the impact of HIV on brain development. Neuropsychology is still in its infancy in South Africa and there are limited services dedicated to addressing neuropsychological difficulties, including the assessment of children living with HIV. At the pediatric neuropsychology clinic (PNC) at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RXH) in Cape Town, South Africa, free services related to neuropsychological assessments are available to those referred by health professionals, an offering that is rare in South Africa. Considering the impact of HIV on the brain, the PNC offers services and resources to support the study of the effect of HIV (and other pathologies that result in neuropsychological impairments) on the developing brain and its influence on children more broadly in the South African context. Given how limited such services of this nature are in this context and the related opportunity for research and knowledge based on such services, I aimed to the describe the demographic, medical, developmental, and neuropsychological profiles of children referred to RXH PNC over a 5-year period (with an in depth focus on those who are HIV-positive). I investigated a series of neuropsychological reports from the PNC, retrospectively from the year 2012 to 2016, using qualitative and quantitative methods. I report on all the children referred to the clinic within this period (N= 158) and then specifically report in depth on the proportion of children who were HIV-positive (n= 73, 45%) and describe their demographic profiles. I then compared the neuropsychological outcomes of the HIV-Positive Subsample to a separate demographically matched typically developing Control Group (n=41) recruited from local communities. Overall, there were no significant differences in the demographic profile between the HIV- Positive Subsample and the Control Group. However, in the neuropsychological profile there were significant differences found between these two groups in all of the neuropsychological domains except visual memory. The evidence from this study supported the association between cognitive deficits found in children with HIV often discussed in literature. Given the dearth of specialist neuropsychological assessment facilities that are accessible to the public, this highlights the importance of clinics such as the PNC. More specifically the PNC is at the forefront of providing pediatric neuropsychology services in South Africa. The benefits of the PNC include a hub for data of cognitive fall out seen at the clinic which can inform research and other collaborative projects with clinicians and universities. Further, having detailed neuropsychological and demographic profiles/data of children living with HIV can inform intervention-based studies. Intervention-based studies can include a practical component in assisting HIV-positive children attaining a better quality of life considering their neuropsychological difficulties