21 research outputs found
An evaluation of climate change effect on community gardens crop production aimed at enhancing household food security in Dlangezwa, Umdoni Municipality.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.In South Africa, food security at the household level still remains a major challenge (Stats SA,
2020), despite the various initiative programmes provided by the government to help alleviate
poverty among lower-income households. The” One home, one garden’ initiative and the
‘community gardens’ introduced in 2010 have been considered as vehicles to buffer food
insecurity at household level. However, lately the province has been experiencing the episodes of
climate variations. For example, in 2015 the province experienced drought and flooding spells.
This attack brings forth some concern, as the climate change episodes could be deterring the
progression of community/household gardens, thus threatening the household food security. The
aftermath and or continuing attacks of the effect of the climate variation on crop production in
household/gardens, could be aggravating low crop production.
The study aimed to investigate the effect of climate change on community garden crop production
and the farmers' household food security. A survey was conducted among 120 participants of the
community gardens to determine their knowledge, perception, and attitude towards climate
change. A series 10 focus group discussions were held to further probe on experiences,
observations and the behaviors that the farmers have engaged on as the coping strategies to
counteract or mitigate the effects of climate change. Key informant interviews with municipality
and the Department of Agriculture officials provided insight into the interventions and measures
taken by the local Municipality to mitigate the effects of climate change. Moreover, the key
informant interviews, served as the study trustworthiness enhancer, as the data collected from the
participants was further verified through these interviews.
Only 38.3% of the population understood the meaning of Climate Change, which was the minority
of the population. Climate change was understood to be the changes in temperature and rainfall
patterns in the area. The perceived outcomes of climate change was the reduction of crops and the
water supply in the area. The gardens were affected by the onset of pest , diseases and a reduction
of water for irrigation. To overcome these challenges the community gardens relied on the the
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) for support. The most planted crop
by the gardens was spinach, and the least planted crops were beetroot and brinjal. Crops like
spinach have a short growing period and produces large yields, and therefore it was most planted.
The minority of 41.7% received enough food from the community gardens, while the majority
58.3% did not receive enough food. It was determined that the majority, 40% of the surveyed
population, were moderately food insecure and only 15.8% of the population were food secure.
The external help received was mainly from the Department of Agriculture and Rural
Development (DARD) and not the local Municipality. They receive chemicals, seeds, training,
and inputs from the DARD. The issues faced by climate change were the increase of pests and
disease, change in planting seasons of crops and the change in temperatures and rainfall patterns.
It was concluded that the community gardens have not been successful in alleviating food
insecurity among the households. It was recommended that a study be conducted on the
improvement of productivity and resistance to climate change in community gardens. They have
identified the primary alterations associated with climate change as changes in rainfall patterns
and temperatures. Despite their awareness, people are apprehensive and fearful of Climate Change.
To overcome this obstacle, the DARD must promote active climate change awareness in the
community. This will assist community people in learning about climate change and how to reduce
the effects of climate change
Challenges of user data privacy in self-sovereign identity verifiable credentials for autonomous building access during the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textSelf-sovereign identity is an emerging blockchain technology field. Its use cases primarily surround identity and credential management and advocate the privacy of user details during the verification process. Our endeavor was to test and implement the features promoted for self-sovereign identity through open- and closed-source frameworks utilizing a scenario of building access management to adhere to health risk and safety questionnaires during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our investigation identifies whether user data privacy could be ensured through verifiable credentials and whether business practices would need to evolve to mitigate storing personal data centrally
Assessing the Impact of Community Gardens in Mitigating Household Food Insecurity and Addressing Climate Change Challenges: A Case Study of Ward 18, Umdoni Municipality, South Africa
No full textSouth Africa, while nationally acknowledged as food secure, grapples with persistent household food insecurity, particularly in rural areas. Addressing this issue, the implementation of community gardens has gained traction. This mixed methods study focuses on the impact of community gardens on food security at the household level, exemplified by the community gardens in ward 18 of Umdoni Municipality. These gardens not only provide sustenance but also generate supplementary income through surplus crop sales. However, climate change threatens food systems and vulnerable livelihoods, necessitating assessment. A survey of 120 community garden participants was conducted, employing questionnaires and focused group discussions to gauge perspectives on crop production and food security. The survey revealed that 58.3% of participants did not receive sufficient food from community gardens, while 41.7% reported adequate supply. Only 15.8% achieved food security, with the majority (40%) experiencing moderate food insecurity. Challenges cited encompassed shifting rainfall patterns, temperature fluctuations, heightened disease, and pest pressures, and altered planting seasons. Intriguingly, despite their establishment, community gardens appeared ineffective in substantially improving household food security. These findings underscore the need for enhancing productivity and climate resilience within community gardens. Future research could illuminate strategies to bolster garden productivity and mitigate climate change impacts
Factors Affecting the Choice and Level of Adaptation Strategies Among Smallholder Farmers in KwaZulu Natal Province
No full textSmallholder vegetable farmers grow diverse crops for family use and surplus sales. These farming activities contribute to enhancing local food security and the economy, but the farmers face challenges like limited resources and climate vulnerability. These smallholder farmers are more susceptible to climate variability and therefore need effective adaptation strategies to mitigate the challenges. This study sought to determine the factors that influence the choice and level of adaptation strategies among smallholder vegetable farmers in KwaZulu Natal Province. Primary data utilized in this study were obtained from 200 participants that were selected through random sampling. The descriptive results indicated that the majority of the farmers experienced climate variability and employed carbon and water-smart agricultural practices. The study employed the Multivariate Probit Model and Count Data Model/GLM Correlation Test to analyze the adaptation strategies and the level of their implementation by the selected vegetable farmers. The first hurdle of the probit model results showed that education level and land size positively and significantly influence smallholder farmers’ adaptation strategies, while marital status, household size, income source, soil type, membership of the association, and supply chain involvement had a significant and negative effect on adoption of adaptation strategies. The results from the second hurdle showed that household size, the total size of land used for vegetable production, sandy, silt, and loam soil had a significant and negative effect on the level of adaptation strategy used, whilst the total size of land owned had a positive and significant impact on the level of adaptation strategy used by the smallholder vegetable farmers. The study concludes that education level and total land size are associated with improved farmers’ climate variability adaptative capacity. The vegetable farmers’ ability to adapt to climate variability challenges was negatively influenced by factors like marital status, household size, and soil type negatively impacted these strategies. The study recommends that the government considerably supports the Climate Smart Agriculture initiatives, such as alternatives like hot houses, training, credit access, and sustainable practices to enhance farmers’ resilience and national food security. These may include but are not limited to alternatives like hot houses, as well as addressing barriers through training, credit access, and sustainable practices to enhance farmers’ resilience and national food security
Noise-induced hearing loss and hearing protection : Attitudes at a South African coal mine
No full textDATA AVAILABILITY : The data that support the findings of this study are available
on request from the corresponding author, K.N.BACKGROUND : Negative attitudes and beliefs are major contributing factors to the rising numbers of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) cases in coal mines both locally and internationally. International literature confirms limited knowledge surrounding employees’ attitudes and beliefs regarding NIHL and hearing protection devices (HPDs), hence the need for the study.
OBJECTIVES : To ascertain the attitudes and beliefs about NIHL and HPD use among employees at a large scale underground coal mine in Mpumalanga.
METHOD : A descriptive and exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire, developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) on Beliefs about Hearing Protection and Hearing Loss (BHPHL). Participants (n = 241) included employees from a coal mine in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
RESULTS : Out of 241 completed surveys, this study found that 84% were aware of when to replace earmuffs; 95% believed wearing HPDs could prevent hearing loss in noisy environments; 83% felt their hearing was impacted by loud noise. Additionally, 86% mentioned discomfort from earmuff pressure; 95% emphasised HPD importance; and 95% used HPDs around loud sounds. Moreover, 98% knew how to properly wear earplugs, while lower education levels were linked to higher susceptibility to NIHL.
CONCLUSION : The study identified positive attitudes towards NIHL and HPD use, but existing NIHL cases must be acknowledged. Organisations can use the findings to develop tailored hearing conservation programmes (HCP), including education, involving employees in protection decisions and promoting diligent HPD usage.
CONTRIBUTION : This study contributes to the limited literature on noise perceptions, NIHL, and HPD use in mining, emphasising the impact attitude has on HPD use and assessing the effect of miners NIHL knowledge on compliance. The findings, unique to coal mining, hold significance for enhancing hearing conservation and reducing NIHL.http://www.sajcd.org.zahj2024School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH)Non
Selecting the most appropriate container handling infrastructure for Durban Container Terminal
No full textSubmitted in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering: Civil Engineering and Surveying, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2018.Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) is investing 33 billion rand to improve the infrastructure at terminals over the next seven years and the bulk of this expenditure will be invested in Durban Container Terminal (DCT). A plan to boost productivity to 3.3 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) per year at Pier 2 in DCT is targeted (Transnet Port Terminals, 2012). To achieve this target, advanced container handling infrastructure will need to be introduced. Seven new Zhenhua Port Machinery Company (ZPMC) ship-to-shore cranes have already been purchased for Pier 2 at DCT. Greve (2013), states that these cranes are expected to improve gross crane moves per hour (GCH) from 26 GCH to 33 GCH.
An in-depth literature review was conducted to examine various ports around the world and the type of technology that is currently being used before investigating the most appropriate container handling infrastructure for the Port of Durban (POD). Future plans for the POD were also taken into consideration.
This study established that the two most common pieces of equipment used for container handling in ports around the world are Straddle Carriers (SC) and Rubber Tyred Gantries (RTG). This is largely due to their flexibility and efficiency. Rail Mounted Gantries (RMG) were discussed very briefly, however were not considered as an option for DCT due to their exorbitant costs to construct, operate and maintain as well as the type of layout of the Port. The production outputs for Pier 1 and Pier 2 were obtained and reviewed to assist in selecting the most efficient piece of equipment from ship to shore. The world is currently leaning towards an environmentally friendly era therefore other options such as Electric-Rubber Tyred Gantries (E-RTG) and Automated Straddle Carriers (ASC) were considered in this study. The government’s National Development Plan (NDP) was then reviewed to determine if automation would be a viable option, considering the vision that South Africa (SA) has in reducing the rate of unemployment by 2030.
A visual assessment was carried out and the results were analyzed based on an evaluation of the current pavement to determine whether or not it would be sufficient to carry the loading of the proposed container handling options. An investigation was carried out to determine the possible causes of damaged panels that were discovered during the assessment and alternative solutions were proposed for repair.
To stimulate this study the author has presented papers in various renowned journals and conference proceedings.
In conclusion, this study deduced that the most appropriate container handling infrastructure would be manual handling RTGs due to their flexibility, reliability, cost effectiveness and efficiency.
Single surgeon case series of myelomeningocele repairs in a developing world setting: Challenges and lessons
No full textPurpose: Neural Tube Defects are the second most common group of birth malformations following congenital heart anomalies, with myelomeningoceles being the most severe manifestation (MMC). They require expedited surgical repair, preferably within 72 h of birth. In low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where resources are limited, timing to MMC repair is not optimal and leads to undesirable outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a proactive approach in a setting from a LMIC could achieve repair within 72 h. Methods: A concerted effort to expedite repair of all neonates referred with a MMC was undertaken from 01 January 2014 to 1 August 2015. A consensus was reached between neonatologists and neurosurgeons that neonates born or admitted with a MMC are referred immediately to surgeons and that repair will be performed within 72 h of birth. Hospital records of neonates who had MMC repaired during this period were reviewed for infant characteristics and hospital outcomes. Results: 24 patients with a MMC were operated upon by the senior author (CP) during the study period. Only 13 of these patients were born at the treating institution and 11 were referred from outside hospitals. Most MMCs were in the lumbosacral region and mean MMC surface area was 19.4 cm2. Mean time to repair for the entire series was 13.6 days. Patients born at the treating institution has a mean time to repair of 10.5 days and patients referred from outside had a mean time to repair of 17.3 days. Series wide, only 21% of neonates were operated upon in less than 72 h. Conclusion: Despite a pro-active commitment to repairing MMCs within 72 h for the duration of this series, satisfactory time to repair was not achieved. Late referral, referral from outside hospitals and operating theatre availability were the predominant factors leading to delay in MMC repair. Nevertheless, time to repair in our series was significantly shorter than that reported in MMC repair series based in similar environments. This suggests that even if the gold-standard of a 72-h window cannot be achieved, neonates benefit from much quicker repair when a concerted effort to minimise repair time is employed. This study also highlights the urgent need to address health care constraints in LMIC to improve outcomes for this vulnerable group
Digital Leadership in Education: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends from 1993 to 2024 [version 2; peer review: 2 approved, 1 not approved]
No full textThe Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rapidly digitising educational system due to advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have made a change in leadership imperative. A key framework for improving organisational effectiveness in handling these changes is digital leadership. It combines technological competencies with traditional leadership. Even with increased scholarly interest, there remains a gap in the thorough analysis of the field’s intellectual framework, thematic evolution, and collaborative dynamics. This study addresses this gap by conducting a bibliometric analysis of digital leadership research in education from 1993 to 2024, employing RStudio to map publication trends, influential sources, author productivity, conceptual themes, and social structures. Data from 338 Scopus-indexed documents reveal a significant rise in publications post-2010, peaking in 2023, with core journals such as Education and Information Technologies and Cogent Education dominating the field. However, the notable decline observed in 2024 indicates that the decline in publications may be due to research saturation, a change in research priorities, or funding. Prolific authors like Karakose T., Altinay F., and Z. underscore the centrality of collaborative research, while thematic mapping identifies key clusters: digital competence, virtual leadership, and institutional innovation. Thematic evolution highlights a post-pandemic pivot toward digital transformation and AI integration, though niche areas like K-12 digital leadership remain underdeveloped. Social network analysis reveals dispersed yet growing global collaborations, with the United States, Turkey, and the United Kingdom as dominant hubs, while disparities persist in Global South participation. The study’s implications emphasize the need for interdisciplinary research, equitable global partnerships, and policy frameworks that prioritize digital leadership training for educators. Practitioners are encouraged to implement adaptive strategies to leverage emerging technologies, ensuring sustainable learning outcomes. This analysis provides a foundation for future research and practice in digital leadership by delineating the field’s conceptual and social networks, thereby bridging the divides between theory, policy, and institutional practice
An assessment of the quantum for financial provision of mine closures: a Monte Carlo approach.
No full textIncludes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.Poor mine closure policy threatens both society and the environment. Some of the more prominent threats that have manifested are acid mine drainage, slimes dams and toxic dust from dumps. Current legislation requires that new mines set aside funds to cover their rehabilitation costs at closure
