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Factors influencing rural women’s adoption of climate change adaptation strategies: evidence from the Chivi District of Zimbabwe
(MDPI, 2024) Belle, Johanes; Mapingure, Tendai; Owolabi, Solomon Temidayo
The socio-cultural leadership system in rural communities of developing countries is generally gender-biased, thus rendering female-headed households (FHHs) vulnerable to climate change risk. This study explored the factors influencing FHHs’ adoption of a climate change adaptation strategy (CCAS) in Chivi District, Zimbabwe. We used a multistage sampling technique and logistic regression to evaluate 107 women household heads’ livelihood and their decision to adopt the CCAS in Ward 25 of the Chivi District. The results show that the age of the female head significantly influenced the CCAS decision (𝘙² = −0.073), along with marital status (𝘙² = 0.110), agricultural training (𝘙² = 0.133), club membership (𝘙² = 0.084), and farm size (𝘙² = 0.014). Access to formal agricultural training plays a prominent role. At the same time, the institutional framework showed variations and laxity on the part of the local government, as access to extension services varies significantly. In addition, education level was reported to have an insignificant (𝘱 = 0.098) influence on CCAS adoption. Overall, multiple institutional and socio-economic factors are essential in influencing CCAS decisions. Hence, central and local governments are encouraged to improve outreach strategies on deploying supporting tools, extension agents, and vital stakeholders for strategic information dissemination to sensitize rural dwellers and community leaders on women’s and FHHs’ crucial role in food security and their resilience to climate change risk. Moreover, the educational syllabus can be enhanced at all rural education levels to reshape the norms of future generations against the customary impact of old age on farming approaches and to encourage women’s participation in decision making and interventions, particularly those sensitive to their societal contributions.
Translating quality into practice: insights from South African Instructional Designers
(Unisa Press, 2025/01/16) Du Preez, Isabella; Jacobs, Lynette
The instructional design profession is on the rise in African higher education, but research on instructional designers' practices in Africa is limited compared to in the Global North. Contextual factors play a vital role in shaping instructional design approaches, and understanding how instructional designers perceive and ensure the quality of online learning materials is crucial. This study explores the perspectives of experienced South African instructional designers on quality, particularly in terms of pedagogy, during the creation of online learning content. Using the ADDIE model, and Margaryan, Bianco, and Littlejohn's 10-principle framework expanding the work of Merrill, the study conducted in-depth interviews with nine proficient instructional designers. While it was expected that instructional designers would rely on standardised quality assurance tools, the findings revealed a more eclectic approach, with designers drawing from various resources when crafting online learning materials. A key focus for these designers was establishing “human connectedness” through the intentional incorporation of teaching presence and collaborative learning activities. The quality principles mentioned align with the community-of-inquiry model, ensuring sound pedagogical practices in online education.
Cost efficiency versus disruption: are traditional universities doomed?
(Stellenbosch University, 2025) Serfontein, C.
Internationally, universities face the consequences of the disruption caused by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, accelerated by COVID–19. Traditional universities have lost their competitive advantage due to rapidly changing skills needed and online learning gaining momentum. Historically, universities benefitted from higher levels of enrolments, also increasing their tuition fees above inflation with researchers indicating their concern, but failing to address the reason(s) for this increase.
To assess the extent to which universities are geared to face the disruption of potentially declining enrolments with limited opportunity to increase tuition fees in the future (relevance of skills, more competition, students having more choices), it is imperative to assess why tuition fees increased above inflation in the past. The focus of this quantitative research study is to establish the level of efficiency of managing Expenses amongst a sample of sixteen publicly funded South African universities from 2010 to 2019. The data was secondary data in the public domain.
Serious levels of financial distress caused by declining enrolments have already been reported in many universities in the United Kingdom (UK), Europe, the United States of America (USA) and Australia. The research question addressed in this article is to assess what the reasons are for the abnormal increases in tuition fees in the past with the intent to assist universities in the future if (when) the disruption of declining enrolments and lower tuition fees is realised.
Although this study focused only on South African universities, the unique contribution of this research is the methodology applied using Management and Cost accounting to assess the efficient management of expenses at South African universities from 2010 to 2019.
Optimizing the master recession curve for watershed characterization and drought preparedness in Eastern Cape, South Africa
(MDPI, 2024) Owolabi, Solomon T.; Belle, Johanes A.
Regions grappling with water scarcity are compelled to fortify their hydrological analytical protocols for efficacious drought disaster preparedness, considering the escalating influence of climate change on river periodicity and the sustainable management of water resources. Hence, this study presents a novel optimization and standardization approach for master recession curve (MRC) parameterization to improve the existing MRC computation for environmental flow (EF) parameterization. The study framework is based on constructing MRC using the RECESS computational tool. The concept involved normalizing quadratic improvement in the digitally filtered, smoothed, and automatically extracted MRC parameters from 24 long-term winter streamflows (2001–2020) in South Africa. The optimum recession length suitable for MRC computation obtained was ten days based on the significant proportion of the variance in streamflow as a function of flow timing (R2 > 0.935), EF consistency in most watersheds (p-value < 0.00), optimum standard error, and the appreciable years of significant discharge. The study obtained the MRC index, EF threshold, and the probable diminution period of 3.81–73.2, 0.001–20.19 m3/s, and 3.78 to 334 days based on the periods of significant discharge ranging between 4 and 20 years, respectively. The concurrent agreement of rainfall trend and baseflow (p-value < 0.05) with MRC parameters validate their performance as tools for EF conservation. The intra-variation in MRC across the 24 stations alluded to the overriding influence of river aquifer connectivity on watershed viability. The study provides profound insight into perennial and ephemeral rivers’ viability/vulnerability, indispensable for watershed prioritization, policy formulation, early warning systems, and drought preparedness.
ABCC1 and ABCC10 as predictive biomarkers of docetaxel treatment response in prostate cancer
(Elsevier, 2025) Ngesi, Nandi; Abrahams, Beynon; Shoko, Aubrey; Sekhoacha, Mamello
Prostate cancer (PCa) is a leading global health burden, with a particularly high prevalence in South Africa. Despite therapeutic advancements, chemoresistance remains a major challenge, limiting the efficacy of docetaxel and contributing to treatment failure and disease progression. Multidrug resistance (MDR), primarily mediated by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters such as ABCC1 and ABCC10, has been implicated in reduced chemotherapy effectiveness. This study aimed to evaluate the association between ABCC1 and ABCC10 expression levels and docetaxel treatment response in PCa patients. A retrospective case-control study was conducted using pre-treated formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue biopsies from PCa patients. Patients were classified into good responders (cases) and poor responders (cases) based on treatment outcomes. For each patient, tumour and adjacent normal sections were excised from FFPE samples, with normal sections serving as the control group. RNA was extracted and subjected to quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to assess ABCC1 and ABCC10 expression levels. ABCC1 and ABCC10 were significantly upregulated in tumour sections of poor responders, whereas good responders exhibited downregulated expression in tumour sections. Importantly, normal tissue sections (controls) displayed significantly lower expression levels of both transporter genes compared to tumour sections. The overexpression of ABCC1 and ABCC10 in tumour tissues, particularly in poor responders, suggests their potential role in mediating docetaxel resistance. These findings highlight ABCC1 and ABCC10 as potential predictive biomarkers for docetaxel treatment response in PCa, warranting further investigation in prospective clinical studies.
Chemical analyses and geographical origins of residential attic dust in central South Africa
(Springer, 2025) van der Westhuizen, Deidré; Welman-Purchase, Megan; Wichmann, Janine; von Eschwege, Karel G.
Particulate matter (PM) is a widely used air pollution proxy indicator. Substantial supporting evidence links exposure to PM with adverse health effects. This study compares long-term accumulated particulate matter's chemical and morphological properties and possible sources from various locations in Bloemfontein, Kimberley, and the Vanderbijlpark residential areas. As the first study of this kind in South Africa, dust samples were collected from the attics of houses built over fifty years ago. Potential area PM sources located far away were identified by analyzing every tenth year from 1972 to 2022, representing five decades of backward Long-Range Transport (LRT) clusters, for air masses that passed the sampling sites. Several PM sources were determined by combining LRT geographic origin studies and chemical analyses of collected samples. Elemental compositions of samples were determined by the use of scanning electron microscopy, and electron dispersive spectroscopy. Mineral content was determined by X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and electron probe microscopy techniques, revealing airborne sources that moved significantly due to climate change, over the 5-decade period. Potential area PM sources located far away included various South African provinces, neighboring states to the north, and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans west and east of South Africa. Elemental composition included: Al, Ag, C, Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, O, S, Si, Ti, and Zn. Mineral composition included SiO₂, TiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na₂O, K₂O, P₂O₅, SO₃, Cr₂O₃ and NiO. The most prominent minerals found were quarts and plagioclase. While considering relevant mining activities, combining methods allowed a successful study of change in source distribution associated with climate change.
Indigenous knowledge systems, spatial planning and planning legislation: the case of Windhoek, Namibia
(University of the Free State, 2021) Billawer, Wilson Hungiree; Nel, Verna
Since the independence of Namibia in 1990, the social problems of the low-income areas persist despite the amendments of the laws to improve their well-being. However, planning in Namibia adopted a market-led approach to solve urban problems, and the good intentions of the various new policies and programmes did not reach all the residents in urban areas. The case study of the Havana settlement, a low-income area in Windhoek containing both formal and informal sections, exemplifies the skewed relationships between planning officials and residents. Although planning focuses on the provision of services and housing in low-income areas, the Havana case study demonstrated that there are other pressing needs which planning does not take into consideration. The lack of accessible and useful community open spaces for various sociocultural activities is a major concern. As a result, increased stress levels were observed in the Havana community, with negative consequences for the well-being of both the area and its residents.
Having adopted an indigenous knowledge system (IKS) lens, the study first elaborated on the past planning practices to illustrate how planning was involved in creating such deficits in the low-income areas, and how such approaches were re-adopted by the post-apartheid administrations and continue in different forms, despite amended legislation and policies. The evolution of the conventional modernist planning approaches was elaborated upon, followed by various post-modern critiques raised against planning tools such as collaborative and participatory planning practices.
To foreground IKS as an alternative or complementary planning approach, the study explored various cultural open spaces of two indigenous communities as case studies. The exploration was to identify which spatial IKS, still existing and useful, could be harnessed by planning as important tools that can assist in improving the well-being of the communities in low-income areas. The two cultural open spaces, the 𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘦 of the Ovawambo community, and the 𝘰𝘮𝘶𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢 with its 𝘰𝘬𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘶𝘰 of the Ovaherero community, provided important insights in this regard. Aspects such as community respect, well-being, cooperation, environmental respect and care, are all issues which are being taught, lived and experienced at these cultural open spaces; hence their foregrounding in this study as essential spaces. The spatial IKS aspects revealed that planning, despite being caught up in neoliberal market-led policies, could still engage local knowledges to address the plight of the majority residents in low-income areas. These spatial IKS include cultural frameworks that empower local communities to help themselves and craft a better future for themselves and their long-term well-being. The study thus proposed for these spatial IKS to be included in legislation, policies and practices in Windhoek and the rest of the country.
The study was largely qualitative research. Interviews, informal discussions, group circles (focus groups) storytelling approaches, and participant observation in various traditional events were engaged to obtain as much information as possible. The findings and analysis deduced that planning policies and practices continue to exclude the marginalised urban communities such as those in Havana, some due to reliance on a single rational process of solving problems. The study revealed that spatial IKS does exist and could help planning in addressing the well-being of low-income residential areas and their residents.
It is hoped that the recommendations made in this study will enable, and lead to the improvement of relations through additional IKS input, between planners and their local communities, which could eventually lead to low-income areas such as Havana to be treated differently than in its current practice form. It is in this light, and the low levels of spatial IKS research and awareness in Namibia, that suggestions were made for further research on this topic be given increased consideration.
Corporate governance and corporate collapse: the failure of Steinhoff
(University of the Free State, 2023) De Kock, Hyla Magdalena; Snyman-Van Deventer, E.
This research will evaluate the corporate governance practices of Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. from December 2017, when the scandal started, until 30 April 2023. The assessment contains several newspaper articles that reflected the timeline of the events as they unfolded. The annual reports of Steinhoff are the most important documents that were produced by the company reflecting the corporate governance policy and practices during a specific financial year.
The research aims to examine the role of corporate governance measures in South African company law to prevent future corporate collapses. The failure of Steinhoff International N.V.¹ ("Steinhoff") will serve as a case study to indicate the success or failure of corporate governance measures in South Africa.This study investigates corporate governance and the board of directors’ responsibilities in South African companies with specific reference to Steinhoff to investigate whether the directors of Steinhoff fulfilled these responsibilities. Therefore, the thesis's primary objective is to investigate and evaluate corporate governance measures and interventions in order to determine why the measures do not prevent corporate collapses. Secondly, the thesis aims to evaluate legislation and other measures in South Africa, Germany, Australia and the United States of America to make recommendations for preventing future corporate catastrophes. The global corporate governance failures were severe. It seems as if fraud and corruption may be the major sources of these corporate collapses. In most instances, there is either the active involvement of the directors and managers in these fraudulent or corrupt practices, or there is either a negligent or even intentional failure to act by directors to prevent these activities.
The study shows that the prevention of corporate failure remains a complex endeavour. Legislation, codes of conduct, structures, and processes cannot resolve all problems on their own. The ethical and responsible behaviour of company directors, managers, and officers is crucial. Regardless of the outcome of any legal proceedings, the collapse of Steinhoff demonstrates the crucial role of the companies’ board, company secretary, auditors, directors, shareholders, and other stakeholders in assuring compliance with all applicable legislation and it operates with integrity and transparency. I believe that, similar to Enron, Steinhoff will become the new benchmark for corporate governance failures.
Assessing Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) model fit for forecasting air traffic movements using log transformation: a case study on ATNS air traffic movement dataset during COVID-19 pandemic
(University of the Free State, 2024) Masekoameng, John Lehlaka; Girmay, Elizabeth
The COVID-19 pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges to the aviation industry, significantly impacting air traffic movements (ATM). This study investigates the effectiveness of log transformation in evaluating the goodness of fit of multiple regression models in predicting ATM within the South African aviation sector. Specifically, it compares the performance of a standard Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) model with a log-transformed MRA model to determine whether log transformation enhances model accuracy and reliability.
The research explores traditional model fit assessment techniques, including R-squared (R²), Adjusted R-squared (R²adj), p-values, F-tests, residual analysis, Mean Squared Error (MSE), and normality tests such as the Shapiro-Wilk Test. Using data from Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), the study applies MRA to assess the impact of key predictors such as revenue, lockdown levels, confirmed COVID-19 cases, COVID-19-related deaths, exchange rates, GDP, and population on ATM.
Findings indicate that the standard MRA model outperforms the log-transformed model in terms of explained variance, predictive accuracy, and coefficient significance. While the log-transformed model offers slight improvements in residual normality and insights into non-linear relationships, it does not surpass the standard model in overall predictive power. As a result, the study concludes that, for practical forecasting and decision-making in air traffic management, the standard MRA model is preferable. However, future research exploring non-linear relationships may benefit more from advanced modeling techniques, such as polynomial regression or machine learning, rather than a simple log transformation.
A rhetorical analysis of South African presidents' state of the nation addresses post-1994
(University of the Free State, 2024) Nkosi, Robson Siphosihle; du Plessis, R.; Breshears, D.
In South Africa, a State of the Nation Address (SONA) is considered an important speech in the nation’s political calendar. As notable and consequential as the SONA is, it remains a limitedly explored research avenue, especially from a dramatistic criticism point of view. This dramatistic criticism study was conducted to bridge this gap by unveiling and developing an in-depth understanding of the underlying motive behind each democratically elected South African President’s first State of the Nation Addresses post-apartheid. The study employed a pentadic analysis approach owed to Kenneth Burke (Cholid et al., 2019) to analyse a corpus of four purposively selected State of the Nation Addresses. The findings suggested the pentadic element Scene as the motive behind all the analysed State of the Nation Addresses. However, the label for the pentadic element Scene slightly varied across the four SONA speeches. Consequently, the study concludes that the underlying motive behind each democratically elected South African President’s first State of the Nation Address was to induce cooperation of the SONA audiences in addressing the sociopolitical and economic challenges of the state post-apartheid.