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Extension Study With rVIIISingleChain in Previously Untreated Patients PUPs With Severe Haemophilia A
No full textWho counts as a worker? The politics of claim-making in Africa’s gig economy
No full textAs member states of the International Labour Organization begin negotiations on minimum labour standards for the platform economy, the question of who qualifies as a “worker” has emerged as a central issue. Until now, platform companies have largely operated outside of national regulatory frameworks, circumventing labour and social protections. While there is broad consensus that regulation is necessary, disagreement persists over how platform workers should be classified and what rights they should be entitled to. Employers’ representatives argue that workers are independent contractors and should be excluded from fundamental rights at work; while workers’ organisations contend that they are disguised employees and should be covered by standard labour protections (ILO, 2025). Research with African platform workers reveals a more complex dynamic. While many platform workers lack autonomy over the labour process, they identify as self-employed and organise politically around this identity (Castel-Branco et al., 2023; Omolo, 2022). How then to extend labour protections to platform workers, without undermining their individual and collective power? This question has been at the heart of longstanding debates about the regulation of the gig economy (Chen, 2023; Meagher, 2021). Drawing on three empirical case studies – domestic work in Angola, platform work in Kenya and street vending in Mozambique – this paper reflects on what we have learnt from past regulatory experiences. The first section explores the contradictions that arise when gig workers are made legible to the state for the purposes of regulation. The second examines the challenges of extending protections to workers who embody contradictory class identities. The third reflects on the implications of regulations for gig workers’ individual and collective power. Ultimately, the paper argues that "worker” is a contested political category rather than a fixed technical classification, the outcome of which reflects the balance of power between competing social forces.This research was made possible with the support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and South Africa’s Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI). The author wishes to thank Mohammad Amir Anwar and Hannah Dawson for their insightful comments on earlier versions of this paper. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author.TM202
Unlocking academic success through translanguaging Summary writing at a South African university
No full textEffective Digitalisation of Export Promotion Initiatives by the South African Public Sector
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, 2025The South African government’s export promotion initiatives are currently not operating at their full potential, seemingly hindered by factors such as inadequate digitalisation of export promotion services, including the limited use of digital tools like online trade portals and virtual communication platforms. This qualitative research employs a case study approach to investigate this issue, focusing on the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (the dtic). The study is underpinned by the Technology Fallacy theory, which highlights the interplay between technology adoption and organisational dynamics. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit 17 participants, including internal senior managers, non-management employees, exporters, and industry experts. Data was gathered through triangulation using semi-structured interviews and observations, which were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. The findings reveal that while existing export promotion instruments, such as the Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) scheme, are effective, the lag in digitalisation within export promotion services has introduced inefficiencies, reducing their overall utility. Participants expressed an apparent need, expectation, and demand for greater automation and modernisation of digital tools. The study concludes with the recommendation of a high-level roadmap (amongst others) to propel digitalisation efforts in export promotion, fostering enhanced efficiency, global competitiveness, and economic growth within the public sector.MM202
Factors influencing the effective integration of secure development practices in agile teams
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, 2025The integration of secure development practices (SDPs) within agile teams is critical to mitigating security risks in the software development lifecycle (SDLC), particularly in industries such as South African financial services, where cybersecurity threats are prevalent and ever-evolving. This qualitative study explored the factors influencing the effective integration of SDPs, focusing on organisational structure and culture, leadership commitment and support, and tools and technology. Using the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework and validated by the OWASP Software Assurance Maturity Model (SAMM), this study established a conceptual framework that comprehensively analysed and assessed the integration of SDPs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a diverse range of IT professionals working in agile teams. These individuals, including software engineers, quality assurance (QA) engineers, architects, product owners, project managers, and IT managers, play a role in delivering working software. The research identified key themes through thematic data analysis: the need for a security-conscious organisational culture, proactive leadership support and commitment, and effective deployment of security tools integrated within CI/CD pipelines. The TOE framework provided a holistic lens for understanding how technological, organisational, and environmental factors collectively influence the effective integration of SDPs. At the same time, OWASP SAMM offered a structured approach to measure and validate the maturity of these practices across the Governance, Design, Implementation, Verification, and Operations pillars. While organisations emphasised cybersecurity, inconsistencies in training, communication gaps, and prioritisation of feature delivery over security often hinder SDP integration. Proactive leadership that allocates resources and fosters collaboration and continuous learning positively impacts outcomes. Similarly, when effectively integrated, modern security tools enhance agility and security but face challenges such as legacy system compatibility and the risks of overreliance. iii This study contributes to the theoretical and practical body of knowledge on secure software development by using the TOE framework and aligning practical recommendations with OWASP SAMM.MM202
A Technique to Solve a Parabolic Equation by Point Symmetries that Incorporate Initial Data
No full textA scriptwriting Incubator course in South Africa : the 'educational dividend' in rapidly evolving media landscape
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The influence of digital customer experience on loyalty to traditional banks 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, 2025This study investigates the factors that influence customer loyalty in the South African digital banking landscape. Digital banking has revolutionised financial management, offering convenient 24/7 access to services. However, adoption rates in developing countries such as South Africa are significantly lower than in developed nations. Given the escalating competition from new digital banks in South Africa, a crucial research problem is to pinpoint how traditional banks can leverage specific digital banking experience elements to cultivate and sustain customer loyalty. This research aims to understand the drivers of customer loyalty within this context. Drawing upon the "experience economy" framework, the study explores how various stimuli constructs, such as perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, trust, convenience, customer support, app/web attributes, and social influence, influence digital customer experience and, ultimately, customer loyalty. A quantitative approach was used to collect data through a structured questionnaire from a sample of South African digital banking customers. The data were analysed using statistical methods such as regression analysis to determine the relationships between the variables and identify significant predictors of customer loyalty. The results revealed that perceived usefulness, convenience, app/web attributes, and social influence had a significant influence on digital customer experience, while perceived ease of use, trust, and customer support did not exhibit a significant influence. These findings suggest that digital customer experience is primarily shaped by factors such as perceived usefulness, convenience, app/web design, and social influence. While perceived ease of use, trust, and customer support are important, their direct influence on the immediate digital experience appears of less consequence in this context. The study recommends that South African banks should focus on enhancing the practical benefits of their digital platforms, ensuring convenience and user-friendliness, and fostering positive social influence to improve overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.MM202