In recent times, the texts of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, has attracted the attention of Old Testament scholars, clergy and the laity alike. In my view, such an attention has been inspired by the readers’ quest to the possible light which the text can shed on the subject of homosexuality. The latter topic is one of the burning issues raised in present day South Africa. It thus comes as no surprise, that interpreting texts such as Leviticus18:22 and 20:13 becomes pertinent in our context. This research aims at coming up with a constructive dialogue between the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (hereafter referred to as MCSA)’s readings of this text, scholars’ interpretation of the same and the Xhosas’ reception of homosexuality in the Republic of South Africa. Through the use of methodologies such as the Literary, Textual, Canon, Composition and Redaction Criticism, as well as Socio-Scientific Criticism, Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, will be brought to bear with its MCSA’s readings and Xhosas’ readings with a view to making a necessary contribution to African biblical hermeneutics. / Dissertation (MA(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Old Testament Studies / unrestricted

Global Climate Models (GCMs) and Regional Climate Models (RCMs) represent the atmospheric processes that are nonlinear by nature and are therefore sensitive to small perturbations. The RCMs are provided time dependent Lateral Boundary Conditions (LBCs) either from the GCM or the reanalyses and hence the RCMs are not expected to deviate much from the forcing fields as expected for a free non-linear system. If a GCM is used in a nested system, the nested solutions will be subject to the internal variability of both the GCM and the RCM. The study aims to investigate the variability caused by the internal variability of the GCM and the RCM. The study then looks into the contribution of the RCM’s internal variability to the total variability of the different nested system solutions. In this study four solutions obtained through perturbing the wind fields at initialisation for the ECHAM4.5 are used to force an RCM, the RegCM3, over South Africa. The solutions that are obtained are functions of the internal variability of the ECHAM4.5 as well as of the RegCM3. To determine the amount of the variability that is introduced by the RCM’s internal variability, four other RegCM3 simulations are made through initialising the RegCM3 on different days but using a single realisation from the GCM. The rainfall variability associated with the combined internal variability of both the models is high to an extent that ensemble members produce anomalies that have opposite signs in the same season. However, the sign of the ensemble average anomaly generally corresponds with the observed anomaly. The variability associated with the internal variability of the RCM is negligible when seasonal totals are analysed while with the daily rainfall totals the variability is larger. The variability in areas where small amounts of rainfall occur is smaller than that of the high rainfall regions. The number of events that fall into the three rainfall categories (i.e. below-normal, normal and above-normal) for the RegCM3 ensemble members are close to one another however the timing of the events is different. The results suggest that in operational forecasting making ensemble members associated with the internal variability of an RCM is not necessary because the information obtained from the ensemble members is almost similar. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / MSc / Unrestricted

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Literature on multilevel government is replete with the virtues of decentralisation as a governing model. As a result, the discourse of decentralisation has found its way into the constitutions, legislation and policy documents of most African states, including those that are ostensibly centralised. However, the enthusiasm for the juridical form of decentralisation is not reflected when it comes to the actual distribution of state power. In practice, the distribution of power ebbs and flows as states hover between decentralisation and centralisation. In other words, regardless of juridical commitments, states hardly ever promote decentralisation consistently, but move between cycles of decentralisation and recentralisation. Thus, once reforms that promote decentralisation have been adopted, they are shortly followed by a wave of recentralisation, which lasts until it in turn, is replaced by a further push for decentralisation. Consequently, the cycles are repeated. The central quest of this study is to explain the factors driving this cyclical pattern. It raises the following questions: Why are states seldom consistent with respect to decentralisation? What drives decentralisation? What drives recentralisation? What does this mean for the future of decentralisation? A comparative study of five Anglophone countries in Southern Africa was conducted with a view to analyse the waves of decentralisation and recentralisation both within and across countries over long periods of time. The countries were chosen in terms of their similar historical background and regional concentration. They are the countries of Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The study traced the process of decentralisation in these countries from the precolonial and colonial period up until 2019, examining historical, legal, constitutional, economic and political documentation and scholarship. In some cases, in-depth interviews with key informants were conducted to supplement evidence collected through desk-top research. The central argument of this study is that ruling elites are rational actors who make calculated moves based on external and internal pressures, threats to their power, and opportunities to increase it. Evidence from the five countries under study indicate that governments always prefer to centralise power and would maintain the status quo until a political or economic crisis arises. Such crises tend to open up spaces in which other actors are able to negotiate for decentralisation. These other actors include opposition political parties, minority ethnic groups and donors. However, because decentralisation is driven by crisis resolution negotiations, it faces challenges at the implementation stage, and this is always accompanied by a fresh wave of recentralisation. In the wake of this vicious cycle, it is concluded that decentralisation can be sustained if measures are put in place to contain the reverse wave of recentralisation and its unravelling effects. The measures include constitutional protection, the strengthening of the rule of law, good governance at local levels, and support from political parties.

Anthropogenically-induced climate change has the potential to have serious implications on aquatic ecosystems and may ultimately affect the supply and quality of freshwater lakes and rivers throughout the world. As a class of ecosystems, inland waters are vulnerable to climatic change and other pressures, due to their small size and their position in the landscape. There is therefore a need to assess the impact of projected climatic change on aquatic ecosystems. Owing to this need, ecological indicators have been developed as a method of quantifying, identifying, monitoring and managing the ecological integrity of aquatic environments. The aim of this research was to develop techniques in order to conceptualise the higher order impacts of projected climate change on environmentally related streamflows and water temperature in South Africa, and to simulate these using an appropriate hydrological model. For this dissertation the downscaled daily climate output from the ECHAM5/MPI-OM General Circulation Model (GCM) was used as an input into the daily time step conceptualphysical ACRU Agrohydrological Modelling System in order to simulate the impacts of projected climate change on selected eco-hydrological indicators at the Quinary Catchment spatial scale. In this research these indicators were grouped into two broad categories: 1. Ecological Flow Indicators and 2. Water Temperature Indicators. The results of this research took the form of maps and time series graphs. The ecological flow indicator results investigate the magnitude and duration of flow events and were analysed spatially for the 5 838 hydrologically interlinked and cascading Quinary Catchments constituting the southern Africa study region. The ECHAM5/MPI-OM GCM projects the magnitude and duration of both annual subcatchment runoff and accumulated streamflows to increase in the eastern parts of southern Africa for the intermediate future climate scenario (2046 - 2065), with this trend strengthening in the distant future climate scenario (2081 - 2100). The computationally intensive water temperature indicator results were analysed spatially at the scale of the Thukela Catchment. The Thukela catchment was selected as a case study area because of its diversity - in altitude, rainfall, soils and ecological regions, as well as in its population geography and levels of education and employment. This diversity presents a challenge to studies of impacts of projected climate change, including its potential impacts on water temperatures. The spatial analyses indicate that subcatchment runoff, accumulated streamflows and mixed maximum water temperature are all likely to increase under projected future climate conditions. A temporal investigation, in the form of time series analyses, focused on four water temperature indicators and was performed for 15 selected Quinary Catchments, located within the Thukela Catchment. These temporal analyses indicate that the absolute variability (i.e. standard deviation) of both individual subcatchment runoff and accumulated catchment streamflows, are projected to increase in the future, while the relative variability (i.e. coefficient of variation) is likely to remain much the same or even decrease slightly over time period. These temporal analyses also indicate that there is a noticeable difference in the mixed maximum water temperature within a single Quaternary Catchment due to hydrological flow routing, with an increase in water temperatures as the water cascades downstream from the upper Quinaries to the Quinaries at lower altitudes. The techniques developed and used in this research could aid decision makers involved in ecological and water management planning. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / MSc / Unrestricted

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The central question that this research report attempts to answer is how southern African countries can leapfrog from agrarian to knowledge-based economies. There is no single answer to this question, but rather a complex solution. This can best be answered using scenario planning; hence the title 'Scenario planning 2020 for southern African economic empowerment'. Scenario planning is not the only way of answering the central question, but is the one preferred by the author. The scenario-building process helps to identify a number of key forces or factors that impact on the region. Culture and openness were top of the list with regard to importance and uncertainty in answering the central question. Using culture and openness, the author was able to develop a matrix with four quadrants. With these quadrants the author developed four plausible futures for the region, using the other forces identified and listed as characters, guided by the technique developed by experts in the field of scenario planning. The scenario process gives insightful information that helps one appreciate the dynamic forces, both positive and negative, and how they interact with each other to translate into an outcome - be it a desirable or undesirable outcome. There is a strong business case for recognising and appreciating the existence of culture and that this is the reason why people (and their culture) cannot be separated from the way of business. People have a way of life and, in order to do business with them, their culture must be understood. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die sentrale vraag wat hierdie navorsingsverslag probeer beantwoord, is hoe lande in Suider Afrika die sprong van landbou- tot kennis-gebaseerde ekonomiee kan bewerkstellig. Daar is geen enkel-antwoord tot hierdie vraag nie, maar eerder 'n komplekse oplossing. Dit kan die beste beantwoord word deur scenariobeplanning; daarom die titel 'Scenario planning 2020 for Southern African economic empowerment. Scenario-beplanning is nie die enigste wyse om die sentrale vraag te beantwoord nie, maar is die een wat deur die skrywer verkies word. Die scenariobouproses help om 'n aantal sleutelkragte of -faktore te identifiseer wat 'n impak op die streek het. Kultuur en openheid was bo aan die lys met betrekking tot belangrikheid en onsekerheid. Met die gebruik van kultuur en openheid, was dit vir die skrywer moontlik om 'n matriks te ontwikkel met vier kwadrante. Met hierdie kwadrante het die skrywer vier geloofwaardige toekomsbeelde vir die streek ontwikkel, met gebruikmaking van die ander kragte wat geldentifiseer en gelys is as karakters, gelei deur die tegniek deur kenners ontwikkel in die veld van scenariobeplanning. Die scenarioproses hied insig wat 'n mens help om die dinamiese kragte te waardeer, positief sowel as negatief, en hoe hulle met mekaar in wisselwerking is om'n uitslag te bewerkstellig - wenslik of nie-wenslik. Daar is 'n sterk saak uit te maak vir sakeondememings om herkenning en waardering te gee vir die bestaan van kultuur en dat dit die rede is waarom mense (en bulle kultuur) nie geskei kan word van die wyse waarop sakebelange bedryf word nie. Mense het 'n leefwyse en om sake met hulle te bedryf, moet hul kultuur verstaan word.

The hypothesis that underpins this dissertation is that a holistic helping model relevant to addressing Burnout in the ministry needs to have as its major focus, the prevention of Burnout. Adequate internal and external supports need to be in place to act as buffers and mitigate against the unique stressors of ministry. A reactive response, seeking to address the consequences of Burnout is considered an inadequate response. Preventative measu res are viewed as far more effective and desirable. Recently the writer's car engine overheated. The problem began in an insignificant way, a rubber hosepipe began to perish, nobody noticed . Eventually under constant and intense pressure from superheated water flowing powerfully through the engine's cooling system, the hosepipe burst. It only took a few moments for the engine to overheat, causing serious damage. The cost of replacing the rubber hose would have been under one hundred rand. The labour time would have been under a half an hour. To repair the damaged engine after the pipe had burst and the engine had overheated cost thousands and the labour took several days. To repair or heal a person is far more complex and not always possible. When the stressors build up and nobody appears to notice or care, when the person is unable to diagnose for themselves, that they are near to breakdown or Burnout. When the person does not know who, what or where to turn to , and when the person has inadequate internal and external coping mechanisms - this type of emotional breakdown is far more serious than any burst pipe. Unlike in the example above some things cannot be repaired. Therefore the emphasis needs to be on preventing the ' hosepipe from ever perishing '. In the writer's opinion the many stressors that are common to ministry can become so overwhelming that breakdown or Burnout become a real possibility . Adequate internal and ext ernal coping mechanisms can be effective buffers to prevent such stressors becoming catastrophic. To ascerta in how serious the problem of stress is and its main consequence in the context of th is dissertat ion, Burnout, twenty of the fifty active Methodist ministers in the Nat al West District were asked to participate in a study. All twenty received the Burnout Inventory found in Appendix B of this document . The ministers approached were select ed in order to adequately represent a cross - section of the Meth odist Ministers in the District. A fair representation of gender, race and age were key considerations. The respondents were however, all white ministers, men and women, many of whom had worked in cross - cultural contexts. The available experts in the field, the woman psychologist , the professor and the minister with a history of successful cross - cultural work, were also white. In the writer's opinion black academics in the Methodist Church have focused more upon social issues and issues of social justice, than intrapersonal or psychological stresses with in the ministers themselves. This dissertation is therefore the outcome of mainly the experiences and insights of white ministers and therefore its response to the impact of Burnout among black Methodist ministers is limited. The ministers were asked to indicate which, if any of the twenty four responses that make up the Burnout Inventory, they agreed with. The respondents were also asked to indicate their gender, age and race, but not to record their names to ensure confidentiality. The limited number of twenty was important as all who responded were given the opportunity, if they chose to, of discussing their responses with the writer in a confidential environment. Some of these responses, with the permission of the respondents, provide the personal insights on Burnout recorded in Chapter One (p13). Chapter One deals with the nature of stress and th e unique stressors of ministry. Chapters Two and Three are in the writer 's opinion vital, in that in addition to the unique stressors common to all who minister, the specific stress of cross - cultural ministry is considered in Chapter Two. In Chapter Three the complexities of being a woman in ministry are discussed with reference to facing the sin of patriarchy. Both Chapter Two and Chapter Three have suggested Models presented at the end of each to address the very specific stressors people who engage in cross - cultural ministry and women who minister encounter. In Chapter Four the Burnout of the Prophet Elijah is discussed and a Holistic model towards the prevention of Burnout in the ministry is proposed . This model is called the Tripod model. Six in - depth interviews are recorded. In Chapter Two an Indian pastor suggests insights into the traps and pitfalls associated with cross - cultural ministry . Two women ministers in Chapter Three, express their thoughts and experiences of being a woman in ministry and in Chapter Four three experts in the field of ministry Burnout are interviewed, whose thoughts and ideas are integrated in order to develop the Tripod Model and the additional suggestions associated with a holistic model towards the prevention of Burnout in the ministry . What of the responses received? Is stress and Burn out really such a big issue? Is the ministry really so stressful? Five of the black ministers approached failed to respond. Fourteen of the fifteen responses received indicated that it really is a serious issue. Eight out of the fifteen indicated more than six areas of concern in the Burnout Inventory . Six out of the remaining seven indicated between two and five of the statements, questions were relevant to them and their experience of ministry . Only one, a woman minist er who was later interviewed in - depth and whose interview is recorded in Chapter Three, indicated none of the statements, questions as relevant to her life. The reason for this response is most surprising and totally unexpected. This dissertation focuses on a preventative model in relation to Burnout in the ministry. What of those who are experiencing or who have already Burned out? Is there hope? At the end of Chapter Four God's response to the prophet Elijah is considered and how God ministered to him to facilitate healing . This however is far from the ideal. When it comes to the concept of deep wounds to the human soul, prevention is most definitely preferable to cure. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

Title: Managing an emerging region – A study of how MNCs manage uncertainty in a Southern African context Authors: Markus Axelsson & Andreas Olofsson Supervisor: Cecilia Pahlberg Research question: How are Swedish business-to-business MNCs reducing perceived uncertainty when operating in the Southern African Development Community? Purpose: Provide a deeper understanding of how Swedish MNCs from diverse industrial backgrounds are managing uncertainty when operating in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This study further aims to add to an acknowledged theoretical gap in international business research by providing a contextual contribution towards the Southern African region to the field of internationalization management. Method: A qualitative research method including semi-structured interviews was used to gain in- depth understanding of how Swedish B2B MNCs manages uncertainty within SADC markets. For the analysis, a theoretical framework based on uncertainty management, knowledge and network theory was developed into a conceptual model, carried out when gathering empirical data. Conclusions: The findings suggest that gaining experiential knowledge was vital to reduce perceived uncertainty among Swedish B2B MNCs operating in SADC markets. Experiential knowledge was obtained through operations within the markets, which over time resulted in enhanced market commitments and thereafter increased experiential knowledge. Knowledge was further exclusively shared within networks, where gaining network insidership was essential. To gain network insidership in SADC markets, findings suggest that becoming localized in the market to gain legitimacy is beneficial and achieved over a longer period of time. Finally, findings indicate that South Africa could be used as a gateway into Southern Africa, where firms’ can gain valuable experiences, relationships and an understanding of business practices, which can reduce the perceived uncertainty towards other SADC markets.

This thesis seeks to explore the concepts of humanity within Wesley’s soteriology and African perspectives in response to the call of the leadership of the Methodist church of Southern Africa (MCSA) to develop theology that is informed by our Southern African context. The central problem of the paper attempts to understand how people within the life of the MCSA interact with an understanding of humanity that is formed within the frameworks of Nguni and Sotho culture as well as Christian perspectives. The thesis maps Wesley’s anthropology through his own experience of God and particularly within the trajectory of his soteriology. It also seeks unpack an understanding of humanity within the framework of Ubuntu. In attempt to ground the conversation within the lived experience of the MCSA the paper also draws in data from two focus groups that are comprised of laity and ministers in training, respectively as well as through feedback from questionnaires that the participants in the two focus groups completed. The thesis makes use of an interpretive qualitative approach to explore the interplay of the different world – views in the lives of the participants as they share who they understand themselves to be and why they hold those particular views. The paper concludes with the observation of a pattern within the feedback from the participants that within the lives of the participants there seems to be a difference in their theoretical conception of humanity and their lived experience of their humanity. Within their theoretical understanding the participants were able to draw equally from their cultural perspectives and their Christian understanding, whilst within their lived experience, participants drew their understanding mainly from their Christian perspectives. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of southern Africa is one of the world’s most unique biodiversity hotspots. However, this biodiversity continues to be threatened by habitat loss due to rapid urbanisation, agriculture and alien vegetation encroachment, and now, by future groundwater extraction and climate change. Previous work had shown that soil moisture is important in structuring wetland plant communities at fine-scale. What is not fully known, however, is how the spatial distribution of species at a local scale is related to soil hydrology and what the response in the future of species distributions will be to perturbations arising from changes in climate or subsurface moisture in the future. The current research investigated the water regime of the Restionaceae which is a key family in the Fynbos biome and the implications of possible changes in soil hydrology caused by climate change in communities within this region. The Restionaceae were particularly appropriate because they are shallow rooted perennials with the ability to tolerate a wide range of water regimes which allows them to successfully co-habit within mixed plant communities as segregated clusters along fine-scale hydrologic gradients. Vegetation survey counts for the presence of these species along with measurements of soil water table depth and moisture content data generated from eight small-scale plots (50 x 50 m) were used to investigate the possible hydrological niches and to envision the potential impacts of a substantial reduction in rainfall and an increase in temperature as projected by Global Climate Models (GCMs) on the structure of Restionaceae communities in seasonal wetlands by 2100. A comparative analysis of the effects of two extreme Representative Concentration emission Pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5) on significant hydrological variables to plant water regimes was carried out. The IPCC AR5 report describes the RCP8.5 emissions scenario as the likely ‘business as usual’ scenario where emissions continue to rise through the 21st century while the RCP2.6 scenario assumes that emissions peak between 2010 and 2020 and substantially subside thereafter.