This study examines the historical and contemporary sociolinguistic status of three minority languages, namely Shangani, Kalanga and Tonga in Chiredzi, Plumtree and Binga respectively within the civil courts of Zimbabwe. This research problematizes the issue of language choice and usage in civil courtroom discourse by native speakers of the languages under study. The background to this research endeavor is the historical dominance of English, Shona and Ndebele in public institutions as media of communication even in areas where minority languages are dominant, a situation that has resulted in minority languages having a restricted functional space in public life. Respondents in this research included native speakers of the languages under study who have attended civil courtroom sessions either as accused persons or complainants, members of rural communities including community leaders, court interpreters stationed at Binga, Chiredzi and Plumtree magistrates‟ courts and members of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). Data was also collected from minority language advocacy groups including Tonga Language and Cultural Committee (TOLACCO), Shangani Promotion Trust (SPAT) and Kalanga Language and Culture Development (KLCDA) using semi-structured interviews. In addition, participant observation of civil courtroom proceedings involving native speakers of Kalanga, Tonga and Shangani was done. Documentary analysis of colonial and postcolonial language policies in Zimbabwe was also done. Data was analyzed using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and Ecology of Language theories. The findings for this research revealed that historically, language policy making in Zimbabwe has impacted negatively on the functional roles of Shangani, Tonga and Kalanga in civil courtroom communication because of the lack of implementation clauses in national constitutions. Furthermore, language attitudes that were analyzed in conjunction with a number of factors including age, demographics, naming of provinces, awareness of constitutional provisions on language and language-in-education policies were found to be key determinant factors influencing the sociolinguistic status of Kalanga, Tonga and Shangani in civil courtroom discourse. Court interpreting and initiatives by language advocacy groups also impacted on the sociolinguistic status of the languages under study in civil courtroom interaction. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / D. Phil. (Language, Linguistics and Literature)

With the establishment of the Directorate of Special Operations (Scorpions), the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Departmental Investigating Unit (DIU), questions were asked as to whether this is a creation of new units of the Police Service. These questions were exaggerated by the fact that the media uses the term "Scorpions" whenever the Scorpions, the AFU, SIU and the DIU perform their functions. South African legislation that governs organised crime does not demarcate activities to be dealt with by the SAPS, AFU, DIU, Scorpions and the SIU. The Constitution of South Africa lays down the objects of the police, but it is silent about the objectives of the Scorpions, AFU, SIU, DIU and other investigative institutions except that it only mentions the creation of a single National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). A literature study was used as the basis for this study. In addition, unstructured interviews and observation were used to gather evidence from the relevant stakeholders. An analysis of the SAPS Detective Service, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), the Scorpions, the Departmental Investigating Unit (DIU) of the Department of Correctional Services and the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), was done in order to establish the overlapping of functions. Indeed, overlapping was discovered between the Scorpions and the SAPS Detective Service, the AFU and the SIU, as well as between the SAPS and the DIU. In order to make a proper finding, an analysis was done of anti-corruption agencies in Botswana, Nigeria, Malawi and Hong Kong. The findings indicate that the better way of fighting corruption, fraud, economic and financial crimes, is through the establishment of a single agency that will work independently from the police, with a proper jurisdiction. / Criminology and Security Science / D.Litt. et Phil.(Police Science)

This study is based on a need for community involvement in farm schools to enhance effective teaching and efficient learning. The rationale behind it was to determine the current state of community involvement in farm schools in the Pietermaritzburg area, with a view to determining the extent to which the current community i nvolvement, namely, the active participation of parents, teachers, the farmer, the church, the state and the private sector could be extended on a large scale. The study revealed that the community involvement dimension of schooling is central to the teaching profession. If neglected, no effective teaching and efficient learning can materialise. The role of the farm school principal in the realisation of this goal is indispensable. The empirical survey and literature revealed that farm school principals can address the serious shortcoming concerning the participation of community members in the affairs of farm schools. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Public programming initiatives are considered as an integral part of archival operations because they support greater use of archival records. This study investigated public programming practises in the ESARBICA region. The findings of the study were determined after applying methodological triangulation, within a quantitative research context. This included the use of self-administered questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and the analysis of documents and websites. Participants in this study were ESARBICA board members, Directors of the National Archives and archivists from the ESARBICA region. Nine (69.2%) national directors representing different member states completed the questionnaire and eight archivists from the same region were interviewed. Furthermore, three ESARBICA board members were also interviwed. Legislation and country reports from ESARBICA member states were reviewed, together with websites of institutions within the ESARBICA region that offered archival education and training. Findings of the study indicated that public programming initiatives were not a priority. Reasons for this included lack of public programming policies, budgetary constraints, shortage of staff and lack of transport. Furthermore, the national archives were reluctant to rope in technology to promote their archives. Collaboration efforts with regard to promoting archives were shallow. Moreover, the investigation of user needs was restricted to existing users of the archives. In addition to all this, the archivists felt that they needed to improve their public programming skills. The study therefore suggests that the national archives of ESARBICA should focus on: legislation, public programming policies, advocacy, users, partnerships and skills. Taking these factors into consideration, an inclusive and integrated public programming framework was developed and proposed as a possible measure for improving public programming efforts in the ESARBICA region. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

This master's thesis deals with the potential impact of natural resources on intrastate conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa. The major aim is to investigate the general validity of the resource curse theory and of Ross's hypothesis about selling booty futures in civil wars. The presumed negative influence of both theories is tested on the cases of recent intrastate conflicts in the region, namely in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Liberia and Sierra Leone. However, the main contribution of the thesis is probably the analysis of another case, namely Botswana, which, unlike other countries, appears to be out of the generally valid standards of the resource curse theory, as the only one experiencing long-term positive economic growth. The partial aim of the thesis is also to analyze the Botswana's success in managing natural resources and then to suggest some possible recommendations for other states in the region. The thesis is written in the qualitative approach, particularly in the form of thorough work with academic literature. The research method is the Method of Difference by John Stuart Mill, in its revised form of the Most Similar Systems Design.

Summaries in Engish and Afrikaans / Many learners of Arabic in Southern Africa have been unable to achieve communicative competence. An investigation into a possible link between teaching methodology and Arabic acquisition was undertaken. In the literature study, theories of language acquisition and related teaching methodologies and approaches were scrutinized. A questionnaire was developed to determine current practices in the teaching of Arabic. The results of the empirical investigation indicated that grammar-translation is the dominant teaching method. Majority of the learners are taught in a medium other than Arabic, have inadequate exposure to Arabic native speakers, are given very little opportunity to communicate in the language and spend the largest proportion of time translating to and from Arabic. The educational implications of the findings are discussed, and guidelines regarding methods of improving the acquisition of all four skills in Arabic are provided, both for teachers at schools and at tertiary academic institutions. / Meeste leerders van Arabies in Suidelike Afrika bereik nie komrnunikatiewe bevoegdheid in Arabies nie. 'n Ondersoek na 'n moontlike verband tussen die onderrigmetodes wat tans gebruik word en die verwerwing van Arabies is in hierdie studie ondemeem. In die literatuuroorsig is 'n aantal taalverwerwingsteoriee en verbandhoudende onderrigmetodologiee ondersoek. 'n Vraelys is ontwikkel om huidige praktyke met betrekking tot die onderrig van Arabies te bepaal. Die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek het aangedui dat die grammatika-vertaalmetode die dominante onderrigmetode is. Die meerderheid leerders word nie deur middel van Arabies onderrig nie, word nie voldoende aan Arabiese moedertaalsprekers blootgestel nie, het min of geen geleentheid om in Arabies te komrnunikeer nie en bestee die meeste van hul tyd aan die vertaling uit en na Arabies. Die opvoedkundige implikasies van die bevindinge is bespreek en voorstelle vir die verbetering van onderrigmetodes in Arabies is gemaak vir sowel onderwysers by skole en vir tersiere onderwysinstellings. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Summaries in Engish and Afrikaans / Many learners of Arabic in Southern Africa have been unable to achieve communicative competence. An investigation into a possible link between teaching methodology and Arabic acquisition was undertaken. In the literature study, theories of language acquisition and related teaching methodologies and approaches were scrutinized. A questionnaire was developed to determine current practices in the teaching of Arabic. The results of the empirical investigation indicated that grammar-translation is the dominant teaching method. Majority of the learners are taught in a medium other than Arabic, have inadequate exposure to Arabic native speakers, are given very little opportunity to communicate in the language and spend the largest proportion of time translating to and from Arabic. The educational implications of the findings are discussed, and guidelines regarding methods of improving the acquisition of all four skills in Arabic are provided, both for teachers at schools and at tertiary academic institutions. / Meeste leerders van Arabies in Suidelike Afrika bereik nie komrnunikatiewe bevoegdheid in Arabies nie. 'n Ondersoek na 'n moontlike verband tussen die onderrigmetodes wat tans gebruik word en die verwerwing van Arabies is in hierdie studie ondemeem. In die literatuuroorsig is 'n aantal taalverwerwingsteoriee en verbandhoudende onderrigmetodologiee ondersoek. 'n Vraelys is ontwikkel om huidige praktyke met betrekking tot die onderrig van Arabies te bepaal. Die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek het aangedui dat die grammatika-vertaalmetode die dominante onderrigmetode is. Die meerderheid leerders word nie deur middel van Arabies onderrig nie, word nie voldoende aan Arabiese moedertaalsprekers blootgestel nie, het min of geen geleentheid om in Arabies te komrnunikeer nie en bestee die meeste van hul tyd aan die vertaling uit en na Arabies. Die opvoedkundige implikasies van die bevindinge is bespreek en voorstelle vir die verbetering van onderrigmetodes in Arabies is gemaak vir sowel onderwysers by skole en vir tersiere onderwysinstellings. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)