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A more efficient spatial planning approach towards transport networks determined by the urban structure
Full text linkDoctor of Philosophy in Science with Urban and Regional Planning, North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusThe spatial planning and implementation of transportation systems have been restricted to limited transportation planning (Chapter 4) infrastructure under various urban spatial structures (Chapter 3). This study is the first in South Africa to address transportation systems and implementation within an urban structure, to improve efficiency and connectivity. Limitations on TP have affected numerous components of the urban SS due to the limited modal options and planning thereof. Transportation modes aim to increase efficiency and move towards sustainable cities. However, public transportation has been disregarded as a significant factor in cities, leading to motor vehicle-dominated cities; opposingly, transportation infrastructure has been largely planned under a single urban SS, which can prove problematic. This causes congestion, inefficiency, decreased productivity, increased travel costs, increased travel time, decreased economic growth, numerous safety hazards, lack of sustainable transportation and environmental damage. The problem is evident in the lack of transportation systems being implemented according to the urban SS and the resultant co-dependency on TP. This creates mass inefficiency, which is highly problematic for the urban SS. The spatial implementation of transportation infrastructure is significant for mobility between the central business district (CBD) (places of employment) and residential areas. This is visible in the study area, as South African cities lack effective spatial planning for transportation systems and neglect aspects of the urban SSs. South Africa, as a developing country, is focused on spatial planning of road infrastructure, while lacking pedestrian walkways in various areas of development. Numerous cities within the country are planned according to the same TP perspective but have different urban SSs. South Africa not only lacks TP according to the varying urban SSs but does not include public transportation services in most instances and has resorted to using motor vehicles as the last option to achieve mobility in most cities. This has become problematic since the urban SS lacks appropriate infrastructure and TP which uniquely correlates to each urban SS. Each urban SS has different attributes; thus, one cannot be utilised across the board in all other urban SSs. This study aimed to identify guidelines for several identified urban SSs that could be spatially and practically implemented in the urban structure. The literature research aimed to identify various urban and spatial models that have been used worldwide and, more specifically, in South Africa. Transportation models were assessed to combine both the urban structure and TP. The principles of each SS and the aims and objectives of the design, thus creating a foundation for the various transport models to be incorporated within the urban structure; this involved different principles for implementation. The study’s objectives were all addressed. The empirical research approach was based on a comparative analysis of the implementation of transportation systems within the urban SS of developed countries (as best-practice case studies) and the principles for successful implementation. The comparison between the transport implementation was determined through a comprehensive empirical review of international countries versus cities within South Africa. The comparative analysis approach attempted to identify various spatial implementations, tools, policies, land use and political aspects successfully implemented in a sustainable city. This created various guidelines for TP within each unique urban SS. The study addressed all research components to efficiently implement transportation systems within various urban structures and provided a series of guidelines. The recommendations included efficient implementation strategies and components towards the various urban structures and different transportation systems addressed within the study. The recommendations consisted of an urban model with a theoretical implementation (Cullinan Urban Model, or ‘CUrM’) of all the components of transportation networks implemented within the study. The comprehensive urban model illustrated an understanding towards improving and implementing transportation networks within an urban structure through the research illustrated. The theoretical implementation of the urban model derived various guidelines towards TP and SS planning. In conclusion, a more efficient spatial planning approach towards transport networks could be determined by the urban structure. The guidelines contributed in this study illustrated possible future planning approaches and methods of implementation. The CUrM is, therefore, considered a theoretical urban model based on the developed guidelines and can be used as a template for future TP approaches to improve transportation efficiency.Doctor of Philosoph
Community-based Revitalisation of Nama in Namaqualand
No full textThis article explores community-based revitalisation efforts of the Nama language in the Northern Cape region of South Africa by applying UNESCO's (2003) nine factors of language vitality assessment. A realist approach is applied to understanding how these factors interact and gauge the progress of revitalisation efforts. The study uses UNESCO's factors, broadly categorised as major evaluative factors for vitality, language attitudes and policies, and urgency for documentation as its theoretical framework, and utilises Atlas.ti™ to build a comprehensive network of these factors' interactions. By integrating empirical data with UNESCO's factors and recent findings, such as those by Wiltshire et al. (2022), the study provides novel insights on Nama's maintenance, development, revitalisation, and perpetuation through dynamic community-based revitalisation efforts in a South African selected context. Results indicate that Nama communities in the Northern Cape are making notable progress in language awareness, revitalisation, and maintaining community control over language revitalisation endeavours. Recommendations for the improvement of revitalisation efforts are made based on the results where the study underscores the importance of gradual progress and adequate time for sustainable language revitalisation. Overall, the findings highlight the significant achievements of the Nama community in advancing their language revitalisation efforts
Die Pad van Suid-Afrika: ʼn Analise van die sosiale mitologie van Afrikaner kulturele nasionalisme en gepaardgaande vaderlandsliefde gedurende die 1938 Voortrekker Eeufees
Full text linkPhilosophiae Doctor in Geskiedenis, Noordwes-Universiteit-- Potchefstroom CampusIn South African historiography the 1938 Voortrekker Centenary is regarded as one of the most important events in South African history. The reason for this is the unprecedented scale of the festival and the accompanying emotional outburst that took place in Afrikaner circles during the festivities across South Africa. In terms of the festival’s importance, historians draw a direct causal link with the electoral success of the Reunited National Party in 1948 and the emotional nature of the festival is singled out in almost every study. The festival has certainly not been neglected in historiography. In terms of the external form and content of the festival, the events are well covered, and a wide range of themes are touched upon. However, studies of an explanatory nature are not only severely lacking, but the answers they offer are also inadequate. Not only are the affective characteristics and impact of the festival not explained, but it is also not considered that the emotional is not the only or most important aspect that calls for explanation, but also the Afrikanerdom’s extraordinary overidentification with the Voortrekkers in 1938. Furthermore, there is a lack of engagement with the kind of context that is necessary for a phenomenon such as the Voortrekker Centenary to take place in such a spontaneous manner. Against this background, the aim of this thesis is twofold: firstly, to analyse the formation, content and functioning of Afrikaner cultural nationalism’s social mythology – specifically the volk’s myth of origin – during the 1938 Voortrekker Centenary by secondly, assessing the multifaceted influence of cultural entrepreneurs, as the fashioners and interpreters of the historical-mythological, linked to the volk’s ethos and to a specific understanding and articulation of ethnic patriotism. The role of the cultural entrepreneurs as rediscoverers and ethnic revivalists is assessed through an analysis of their influence as the dynamic agents behind the process of cultural mobilisation that preceded the Centenary. I also evaluate their fashioning of the volk during the Symbolic Trek where they acted as the interpreters of the Afrikaner’s national mythology, specifically pertaining to ethnohistory, symbol and ritual. However, I also focus the reciprocal participation of the volk in this process. The Symbolic Trek was the culmination of a historical and ethnic consciousness that, over a long period of time, was fuelled by an interplay between socio-economic realities, communal memories and the fashioning and continuous imagining of the volk whose Afrikaner historians and artists provided the discursive content – the narratives, irrespective of the medium – for the resonating form it took during the Centenary. I focus in particular on the influence of Gustav Preller, C.J. Langenhoven and the iconography of W.H. Coetzer’s commemorative visual artworks commissioned for the Voortrekker Centenary. The content and functioning of Afrikaner cultural nationalism’s social mythology are analysed using the main approaches of John Hutchinson, Anthony D. Smith and Gérard Bouchard. I analyse four archetypal components of the Afrikaner’s myth of ethnogenesis through a thematic approach that analyses the interpretations of symbol, ritual and mythology (which consisted of seven elements of mythopoesis) guided by the symbolic wagons’ visits to core historical landmarks along the Path of South Africa during 1938. This is done through an integrated narrative based on C.J. Langenhoven’s three nationalist artworks, Eerste skoffies op die Pad van Suid-Afrika, Die Hoop van Suid-Afrika and Die Vrou van Suid-Afrika. Langenhoven was directly inspired by the historical work of Gustav Preller, in particular Piet Retief: Lewensgeskiedenis van die grote Voortrekker. The central argument of my study is that a mythological account of ethnohistory during the Centenary, as a climax of cultural Afrikaner nationalism, became a way through which deep existential meanings were attributed to the unique ethnic characteristics of the Afrikaner as a separate nation with its own culture, ethos and its own destiny rooted in a distinctive understanding of ethnicity, culture, ethnohistory and the affective dimension attached to this. It provided potent answers to the questions ‘who are we?’ and ‘where do we come from?’ This social mythology – particularly embodied in the Afrikaner’s myth of ethnogenesis as existential reference point – was expressed in the powerful idea of the ‘Path of South Africa’, continually evolving ‘myth of becoming’, and rooted in a distinctive understanding of patriotism – referred to by contemporaries as ‘vaderlandsliefde’ – which forged a mythological bond between South Africa and the Afrikaner, sustained by the mythological cultural ideological and genealogical ties that linked the Afrikaners in spirit with the Voortrekkers in 1938.Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.
Sosiale Darwinisme as katalisator vir ontluikende nasionalistiese sentimente onder Afrikaners ná die Anglo-Boereoorlog: ʼn Histories-analitiese beskouing van die jare 1902 tot 1914
Full text linkMagister Artium in Geskiedenis (Master of Arts in History), North-West University, Vanderbijlpark CampusSome scientific discoveries in the 18th and 19th centuries brought about significant changes in European thought and debates. Most notably was the development of evolutionary theories that overturned the entire origin and understanding of mankind. The impact of these findings was profound, leading to active evolutionary discourses, from church squares to parliamentary corridors. This thesis investigates the way in which European evolutionary theories and their various applications obtained a foothold (economic, social and political) in South Africa. Darwinism was controversial and not openly accepted by everyone. However, there were more than enough supporters of the theory to consider it one of the most influential theories in the 19th and 20th centuries. Social Darwinism and imperialism later began to develop a symbiotic relationship with the integration of concepts such as survival of the fittest and natural selection. British imperialism became significantly more militaristic and aggressive after 1870. It was classified as New Imperialism, that especially regarded notions such as “survival of the fittest” as justification for British colonisation and expansion. It was this form of British imperialism that surfaced in the late 19th to early 20th century during and after the Anglo-Boer War. In the thesis the historiographical analysis of the presence of this form of imperialism in South Africa during and after the war will be emphasised. The conflict became known among Afrikaner groups as an overarching theme in nationalist discourses. The lived experiences among Afrikaners under British dominance and “superior” mentality fuelled a resistance movement among the Afrikaners, which was focused on the inculcation of self-respect for language and culture. The need for establishing cultural movements and education systems that were not under imperial influence was emphasised. Upliftment and a dawning nationalist identity under a new political system, i.e., the political change to the Union of South Africa, was one of the ways in which Afrikaners were able to escape the social Darwinistic discourse of 1902 to 1914. The thesis thus investigates the (hidden) catalytic influence that social Darwinist approaches by British imperial rule had on the development of Afrikaner nationalist sentiments
Global distribution of tabanid flies, characterization and microbiome insights of Tabanus par (Diptera- Tabanidae)
No full textDoctor of Philosophy in Science with Environmental
Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusTabanid species, commonly known as horse flies, are blood-feeding insects belonging to the family Tabanidae. These flies are significant pests due to their painful bites and their role as biological and mechanical vectors for various medical and veterinary pathogens, including parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Despite their importance, insufficient data exists regarding their classification and identification. This study addresses this gap by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of the global prevalence and distribution, followed by morphological, morphometric and genetic characterization using Tabanus par (T. par) as a model species. Additionally, the study explored the microbiome of T. par, including bacterial, viral, fungal and eukaryotic protozoan species. The systematic review revealed the presence of tabanid species across five continents and from 16 countries, with notable contributions from the USA, Croatia, and Bulgaria. An increasing trend in tabanid research was observed over the decades, with 209 species identified across five tribes. Morphological and genetic analyses of 30 T. par specimens confirmed species identification through mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) gene sequencing. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis from the CO1 gene region showed that T. par collected from KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa are closely related to those of Mozambique as compared to those from West Africa. Metagenomic analysis of the T. par revealed distinct microbial diversity in the whole body (WB) and legs (L). Bacteria from the phylum Pseudomonodota were dominant, with Wolbachia sp. (34%) prevalent in WB and Burkholderia vietnamiensis (10%) in legs. The eukaryotic microbiome was dominated by the phylum Euglenozoa, with Trypanosoma theileri (32%) identified as a key pathogen. Fungal diversity was marked by Ascomycota, with Synchytrium and Fusarium proliferatum predominating in WB and legs, respectively. Viral metagenomics identified bacteriophages from Mycobacterium, Escherichia and Pseudomonas, with ten complete phage genomes characterized, indicating both lytic and temperate viral lifestyles. Additionally, three draft genomes of Spiroplasma species were identified from T. par. Pangenomics analysis revealed core genes associated with translation and replication, reflecting their endosymbiotic adaptation. In conclusion, findings of this entire study will contribute to the development of a comprehensive checklist of the family Tabanidae based on the systematic review and meta-analysis. Furthermore, data generated in this study documented a wide variety of microbial communities (bacterial, viral and fungal) harboured by South African T. par and will go a long way in playing a role in the formulation of solutions for the biological management of tabanid populations.-Agricultural Research Council (ARC)
-The National Research Foundation (NRF)Doctor of Philosoph
Characterising Land Use and Land Cover Change in South African National Parks’ Buffer Zones
No full textMaster of Science in Geography and Environmental Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusThis study investigates Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes in the buffer zones of South African National Parks (SANParks) to establish their impact on biodiversity conservation and inform management strategies. By utilising Earth Observation (EO) and Remote Sensing (RS) technologies, alongside the spatial and temporal capabilities provided by latest LULC datasets, the research identifies trends and intensities of changes across multiple national parks. The findings revealed significant anthropogenic influences on buffer zones, underscoring challenges in implementing effective conservation measures. Key contributions include the development of a replicable monitoring framework to evaluate LULC dynamics, supporting adaptive management strategies for SANParks. This work enhances the understanding of the intricate relationships between Protected Areas (PAs) and their surrounding landscapes, providing actionable recommendations that balance biodiversity conservation with the socio-economic development of adjacent communities.Master
Parsimonious airfoil Parameterisation: A deep learning framework with Bidirectional LSTM and Gaussian Mixture models
Full text linkJournal Article, Faculty of Engineering, Potchefstroom CampusThe choice of airfoil parameterisation method significantly influences the overall wing optimisation performance by affecting the flexibility and computational efficiency of the process. Ideally, one should be able to intuitively constrain airfoil shape and structural characteristics as input to the optimisation process. Current parameterisation techniques lack the flexibility to generate airfoils efficiently by specifying parsimonious shape and structural features. To address this limitation, a deep learning framework is proposed, enabling conditional airfoil generation from an airfoil’s shape and structural feature definition. Specifically, we demonstrate the application of Bidirectional Long Short Term Memory models and Bayesian Gaussian Mixture models to derive airfoil coordinates from a compact set of shape and structural characteristics that we define. The proposed framework is shown to achieve favorable airfoil performance optimisation due to
improved exploration and exploitation of the design space, compared to traditional approaches. Overall, the proposed optimisation framework is able to realise a 9.04% performance improvement over an airfoil design optimised with traditional parameterisation techniques
The advertising and labelling of unhealthy foodstuffs: towards a balance between government regulation and industry self-regulation
Full text linkDoctor of Laws with Perspectives on Law, North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusNon-communicable diseases (“NCDs”) are the leading cause of illness, death and disability in South Africa. In addition to the severe threat to public health, NCDs have dire implications for socio-economic development, which impedes sustainable development. Unhealthy diet is a risk factor contributing to the prevailing NCD burden. Consumers currently live in an obesogenic food environment where food manufacturers aggressively market unhealthy foodstuffs. The government has, therefore, committed to implementing measures that restrict the advertising and simplify the labelling of unhealthy foodstuffs. These measures aim to reduce consumers’ exposure to unhealthy foodstuffs whilst empowering them to make healthier food choices. It has been acknowledged that a multi-sectoral approach is required to achieve this result. Whilst statutory reform is ongoing, a legislative gap exists in regulating unhealthy foodstuffs labelling and advertising. It is on this basis that this study considers the role that self-regulation within the advertising industry, through the operations of the Advertising Regulatory Board, can play in assisting with the regulation of unhealthy foodstuffs advertising and labelling in South Africa. The study finds that industry self-regulation complements government regulation where it may be outdated, where legislative reform is pending, or where there are challenges in providing effective redress to consumers. Government regulation, on the other hand, provides a crucial backdrop for self-regulation in the instance of a rogue trader, or where the ARB does not have the mandate to consider an advertising complaint. In this way, government regulation and self-regulation mutually reinforce and complement each other, each having its own strengths and challenges. In the broader context, the complementary nature of government regulation and self-regulation in the advertising industry ultimately furthers consumer protection regarding unhealthy foodstuffs labelling and advertising. Several recommendations are made here to strengthen coordination and cooperation between government and industry towards achieving a balance between government regulation and self-regulation in addressing diet-related NCDs through unhealthy foodstuffs advertising and labelling restrictions.Doctor of Philosoph
