39624 research outputs found
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Reflections on Africa’s Digital Governance: forging resilient and inclusive futures
No full textThis concluding chapter offers a synthesis of Africa's Digital Transformation and its Governance, threading together the volume's critical insights into a cohesive narrative about the continent's digital journey. Moving beyond mere summary, we reflect on the complex tensions between technological potential and governance realities, between global pressures and local agency. The analysis reveals digital transformation as neither a panacea nor a predetermined path, but rather as a contested terrain where Africa's developmental aspirations intersect with historical inequalities and emerging power dynamics. Drawing from diverse disciplinary perspectives across the chapters, we articulate key lessons while acknowledging the persistent tensions: the promise of innovation against risks of exclusion, the allure of efficiency versus demands for justice, and the imperative of sovereignty amidst global dependencies. Ultimately, this reflection calls for governance frameworks that are as dynamic and pluralistic as the societies they aim to serve – frameworks capable of nurturing resilient digital futures that are truly African in conception and inclusive in realization.PM202
How Creative Engagement and Innovation Drive Growth in Manufacturing SMEs in South Africa
No full textTeeth from the Middle Jurassic of Morocco reveal the oldest turiasaurian sauropods from Africa
No full textSpatiotemporal Dynamics of Afrotemperate Forests in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
No full textA research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, to the Faculty of Science, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025This study investigated Afrotemperate forests’ extent and composition from 1940 to 2022 in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Thirty patches were examined (10 small patches (~one hectare), 10 medium patches (~ between 1 and 1000 hectares ) and 10 large patches (~1000 hectares)) over three time periods (1940s, 1980s and 2020s). Aerial photographs, with their high spatial resolution and long temporal extent, were used to estimate forest extent, composition (indigenous versus non-indigenous) and the surrounding land cover. Georeferencing and digitising of aerial photographs was done in QGIS. Fire extent and frequency from 1990-2024 was calculated seasonally using the difference in Normalised Burn Ratio (dNBR) on Landsat and Sentinel images in Google Earth Engine and ArcGIS Pro. Generalised Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) were run to determine the relationship between forest extent, surrounding land cover and fire. The results of this study indicated that changes in forest extent were patch size specific, with smaller and larger patches increasing in extent and medium patches decreasing in extent. Smaller forests’ expansion in extent was due to the invasion of non-indigenous vegetation. The invasion of non-indigenous vegetation was aided by the high fire extent and frequency that the small forests experienced. Medium sized patches had the highest amount of non-indigenous vegetation in their surrounding matrix which can contribute to the reduction of available water and the degradation of indigenous forests. Larger forest patches are able to buffer the effects of changes in fire and land cover patterns which can aid in indigenous forest expansion. The surrounding matrix of the larger forests had the highest amount of abandoned agricultural land which can promote forest expansion and bush encroachment. Fire extent was highest for the smaller forests possibly due to the high amounts of non-indigenous vegetation found within them. Fire frequency was highest in medium forests’ matrices possibly due to the medium forests having the highest levels of non-indigenous vegetation in the surrounding matrix and the lowest reduction in herbaceous vegetation in the surrounding matrix. Statistically fire extent and land cover were found to impact forest extent independently. The results of this study indicate that small and medium sized forests are at a higher risk of degradation in comparison to larger forests. Therefore the results of this study can be used to inform decisions around where to focus prioritisation efforts for forest conservation.MMM202
Gender inclusivity towards a just energy transition in South Africa
No full textA research report submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Management in the field of Digital Business, in the Faculty of Commerce Law and Management, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025To avoid the escalating impacts of climate change, governments have increasingly committed to a net zero decarbonisation trajectory by 2050. As a country which is the largest carbon emitter in Africa due to its high fossil fuel dependence, South Africa committed to a just energy transition at the Conference of the Parties (COP 26) in 2021. This commitment was conditional on pledges being honoured by international partners to support South Africa in capacity building, technology and finance. Premised on the intention for the energy transition to be just and inclusive, this study investigated how gender inclusivity could be advanced. Based on the theoretical framework of energy justice theory, this study used the lens of the adapted engendered energy justice conceptual framework to inform its qualitative study of South Africa’s just energy transition to clean energy. The qualitative study interviewed a selected sample of 11 key informant interviewees (KII) and examined the barriers to gender inclusion. The findings confirm that the Just energy transition is underway and has accelerated recently. While it potentially may offer more opportunities for women, there is a need to introduce gender mainstreaming and the integration of broader energy justice principles into the transition. The development of a long-term energy vision and strategy is recommended. Finally, the study proposes that the energy strategy and gender mainstreaming should be part of a national dialogueMM202
Causal Inference in Water Distribution Networks to Quantify the Effects of Network Damage
No full textA dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Data Science), to the Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science & Applied Mathematics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025Water Distribution Networks (WDNs) are engineered systems of interconnected pipes, pumps, and reservoirs that deliver potable water from treatment plants to consumers. These networks are critical to public health but are highly vulnerable to structural damage (e.g., leaks, pipe corrosion), which disrupts water flow and complicates impact prediction. Current methods for assessing damage—such as hydraulic simulations and machine learning—rely on statistical correlations or optimisation, failing to model causal relationships. This limits their ability to predict cascading effects or guide repairs under uncertainty. This study addresses these limitations by applying a causal inference framework for analysing WDNs. The framework leverages graphical causal models to represent the network’s structure and quantifies the impact of damage on water flow predictions. Using Average Treatment Effect (ATE) and Mean Squared Error (MSE) metrics, we analyse how structural damage affects prediction accuracy across different network regions. The framework focuses on three critical areas: source nodes (reservoirs and entry points), mid-network nodes (junction points and main distribution pipes), and consumer nodes (end-user connection points). Experiments on a simulated WDN reveal that damage affecting 40% or more of the network significantly compromises predictive accuracy. Mid-network and consumer nodes prove particularly vulnerable, with damage to these locations causing the greatest disruption to flow predictions. In contrast, source nodes demonstrate greater resilience due to built-in redundancies. Additionally, the study finds that treatment locations closer to outcome variables maintain predictive accuracy longer under damage conditions. By integrating causal inference into WDN analysis, this research provides network operators with a robust methodology for evaluating damage impacts and offers actionable insights for improving network resilience. The findings contribute to both infrastructure management practices and the broader application of causal inference to complex systems analysis.MMM202
Presence and Risk Assessment of Legacy Organochlorine Pesticides Residue in Water and Sediments from Lake Kariba Implications for Multiple Uses of the Lake
No full textThrough a Horses Eyes Investigating Cognitive Bias and Responses to Humans in EquineAssisted Interventions
No full textInertial Stochastic Reflected Forward Backward Method with Applications to Traffic Network Problems
No full textThe Demographics of Cardiovascular Mortality Among Cardiac Patients admitted in a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (2010-2017) at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital
No full textA research report submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Medicine, in the Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory biochemical findings and the prevalence of associated risk factors among patients with coronary artery disease, who demised in the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) Coronary Care Unit (CCU) during the period 2010–2017. Overview Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally, with more than four out of five CVD deaths being attributable to stroke and heart attack. The prevalence of total CVD cases has almost doubled from 271 million in 1990 to 523 million in 2019. Furthermore, it is estimated that 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019, representing 32% of all global deaths. An increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has been noted in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with a higher incidence in CVDs noted to be affecting the general SSA population. Of the top ten causes of natural death in South Africa, CVDs ranked third and showed an increase over the past years. In 2011, the Word Economic Forum (WEF) projected a US$47 trillion loss in economic output by 2030 due to the increasing burden of NCDs. A reduction in mortality from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has occurred with the development of the coronary care unit (CCU). The CCU has been termed the most significant innovation in cardiology concerning the management of AMI. Its contribution to the decrease in mortality from AMI has been well documented in the literature over the past 30 years. However, the CCU has evolved remarkably over the past decades. The modern-day CCU has transformed into a blended integration between the CCU and cardiology wards, and CCU and intensive care units (ICU) or high care units. Cardiologists must be trained and competent in skills generally mastered by ICU specialists, such as the management of septic shock, critical illness neuropathy, renal replacement therapy (RRT), provision of ventilatory support and neuropsychiatric complications such as delirium. Despite the increasing burden of NCDs and the changing face of the CCU, SSA is still confronted with an insufficient healthcare infrastructure, poor delivery systems, lack of specialist cardiology services and drug shortages. There is a severe shortage of percutaneous iv coronary intervention (PCI) capable facilities in South Africa, with a total of less than 70 facilities in both the public and private healthcare sectors. Currently, there is no standardised source of data for CVD mortality in SSA and, in particular, South Africa. Locally, there is also a paucity of data reporting mortality rates in CCUs, with specific emphasis on risk factors related to acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study provides vital information regarding the demographic and clinical characteristics, biochemical parameters and risk factors of the non-surviving patients admitted to a modern- day CCU. The aim of the study was to contribute towards the development of management guidelines, resource allocation, employing severity scoring systems for predicting mortality in the CCU population, as well as developing patient selection criteria for CCU admission based on mortality risk scoring, to improve overall patient care. In this retrospective study, a cohort of patients who died at the CMJAH CCU from January 2010 to December 2017 was identified. Data were collected from the patients' CCU discharge summary forms and the cardiology department database. Data from this study will be submitted for publication in the Cardiovascular Journal of Africa and presented to the relevant health authorities.MM202