No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Thesis (M.A. (Political Studies)) - Rhodes University, 2008.

This study investigated the Ethic, Law, and Human rights (ELH) dilemmas of researchers involved in preparing for and/or conducting HVTs in African countries. Furthermore it investigated availability of ELH material resources and infrastructure necessary for the successful conduct of HVTs. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The main ethical challenges that researchers face when conducting HVTs include; high seroconversion rates, determining social value, working collaboratively with participants and communities, and paying trial participants. Legal challenges faced by researchers included; termination of participants who meet study inclusion criteria due to demands to do so from their parents and/or male partners, and in some countries lack of support from health care service providers when it comes to caring form trial participants. Understanding of consent age in African countries by communities was reported as a human right concern for researchers. The study concludes that researchers conducting or preparing to conduct HVTs in African countries face different ethics, law and human rights challenges when conducting HVTs at their sites and these challenges need to be addressed in order to improve the conduct of HVTs in Africa.

That the HIV and AIDS epidemic is fuelled by structural injustices is not a new discovery. Several studies reveal the link between the HIV transmission and the spread of the epidemic and the structural inequalities created by human beings themselves in terms of economic and political structures sustained by the patriarchal socio-cultural and religious beliefs systems. In most African rural contexts, faith communities have the potential to alter the course of the epidemic given their moral authority in community and their direct connection with people. However, they are seldom theologically equipped to address the structural inequalities that fuel the spread of HIV and AIDS. This study critically analyses the specific factors driving the HIV and AIDS epidemic in Burundian context and the challenge that they pose to the Burundian Pentecostal churches‘ theology of mission. The study argues that Burundian Pentecostal churches are not responding the epidemic as they should because their responses are informed by a theological framework of mission that was elaborated in the early years of the 20th century and which was responding to theological and social questions quite different to the questions raised by the current HIV context. To overcome this theological irrelevancy that has led to a failure to respond to the political, socio-economic, and cultural factors that fuel the spread of HIV infection, the study suggests that there is a need to adopt a theological framework rooted in a holistic understanding of the mission of the church in the world as defined by the concept of missio Dei. The practical implication of this theological framework is that it challenges faith communities in general and Burundian Pentecostals in particular to become transforming agents not only interested in right relationships between God and humans but also committed to the transformation of political, economic, socio-cultural and religious structures that sustain unequal relationships between humans and between humanity and the rest of creation. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

According to the 2012 UNAIDS global report, sub-Saharan Africa hosts 69% of the world’s total population living with HIV, South Africa being the most affected with a reported 24% incidence rate. To date, extensive research is being conducted globally, particularly involving anti-HIV treatment that targets the retroviral enzymes: reverse transcriptase, integrase and protease. The discovery of inhibitors to HIV protease which disrupts virion protein assembly has made this enzyme a prime target of anti-retroviral therapies, thus there exists a concerted research initiative to identify compounds with HIV protease inactivation potential. This study employs HIV protease that is isolated and purified from a genetically modified HIV protease overexpressing Escherichia coli strain to monitor the inhibitory capacity of new lead compounds. Optimized growth conditions for HIV protease production displayed that the use of chemically defined media resulted in higher yields of the enzyme. Recent research studies have shown that peptide-based cage and glycosylated compounds displayed HIV protease inhibitor activity in cell free enzymatic reactions that are comparable to commercially available HIV protease inhibitors. However, in contrast it has also been reported that these inhibitors are inactive in whole T-cell assays, when employing HIV infected CD4 cells. It is a well-known fact that potential new chemical entities that do not possess oral bioavailability, in terms of their absorption properties, are not successful candidates within the drug discovery industry. Following this, the current study was designed to determine if inefficient membrane permeability of these promising anti-HIV protease lead compounds could result in their inactivity in whole T-cell assays. Two different methods were considered, a cell-based method using the Madin Darby Canine Kidney strain I (MDCKI) cell line and a non-cell based method, the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA). MDCKI cells have been extensively used to form monolayers that mimic human intestinal membranes whilst the PAMPA utilizes an artificial lipid membrane composition on a filter support. Data from permeability assays using the novel chemically synthesized inhibitors have been compared to commercially available drugs, antipyrine, metoprolol and caffeine, which displayed efficient membrane permeability characteristics, thereby validating the assay. The results indicated that novel cage-derived and glycosylated peptide inhibitors do not possess sufficient passive diffusion properties which may explain their inactivity in whole T-cell assays. / M.Sc. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2014.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / NO ABSTRACT / INTRODUCTION: All over the world there are millions of desperate people who seek refuge in other countries and so these countries are all affected by the situations of refugees. These people we call “refugees” are human beings who leave their countries and cross borders to find a place to secure their lives. The realities of the refugees are at the same time global, regional or local. They are in fact treated differently depending on the policies of the countries of refuge though they might, to some extent, be treated in the same ways according to the UNHCR charter. Whilst they run for their lives, they face all other challenges of life that affect the globe and the countries of refuge.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis deals with the concept of Ũtugi in relation to the HIV and AIDS pandemic and its contribution to the ecclesial praxis of the Anglican Church of Kenya. The thesis scrutinizes the HIV and AIDS context in Kenya, examines the origins, the nature, the characteristics and the definition of Ũtugi and its role in socio-economic, political, cultural, moral and religious life of the Agĩkũyũ community in Central Kenya and assesses the ecclesial praxis of the Anglican Church of Kenya. This concern is prompted by the need for the Anglican Church of Kenya to marshal Ũtugi (traditional resources) to complement Christian hospitality (church resources), to enhance human dignity of PLWHA and to fight the HIV and AIDS pandemic. By employing a hermeneutical tool as a praxis approach to pastoral care and counselling to interpret theological and assess the Agĩkũyũ cultural concepts and using a non-empirical research method (a qualitative research) based on conceptual analysis, the study explores critically the role of Ũtugi within the context of HIV and AIDS and its appropriateness as a tool for pastoral care and counselling in the Anglican Church of Kenya. The study poses the following research questions: In which way can the Agĩkũyũ concept of Ũtugi be used to create a healing space? How can Ũtugi be used to reframe the prevailing ecclesiological paradigms applied by the Anglican Church of Kenya? How can Ũtugi as a cultural concept help the Anglican Church of Kenya to become relevant and contextual in her endeavour to respond to the challenges posed by the HIV and AIDS pandemic in the twenty-first century? The thesis unveils that the principles of Ũtugi can complement Christian hospitality to network and help the church to carry the burden of PLWHA, thus, enhancing their human dignity, sharing their joy and comfort, and journeying with them in their pain, sorrow and healing. It was also found that Ũtugi as a contextual model which is culturally rooted, is relevant to the Agĩkũyũ people and that it can help in transforming the existing ecclesial praxis of the Anglican Church of Kenya. Drawing from Daniël Louw's existential model for spiritual healing, the study assesses the appropriateness of Ũtugi as a model for pastoral care and counselling to PLWHA. It is revealed that Ũtugi is not only a paradigm that can augment their physical, social, psychological, economic, moral and spiritual aspects but that it has the capacity to deal with the existential threat of anxiety, guilt and shame, disillusionment and anger, despair and doubt, helplessness and vulnerability. Thus it can enable them to shift from their existential threats to a position of love, care, support, compassion, accommodativeness, liberation and hope. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing gaan oor die kultuur-bepaalde konsep Ũtugi met betrekking tot die MIV en VIGS - pandemie en oor die bydrae van hierdie konsep tot die kerklike gebruike en ekklesiologiese-self-verstaan van die Anglikaanse Kerk in Kenia. In die navorsing word indringend gekyk na die MIV en VIGS konteks in Kenia, en die oorsprong, aard, eienskappe en definisie van Ũtugi en sy rol in die sosio-ekonomiese, politieke, kulturele, morele en godsdienstige lewe van die Agĩkũyũ-gemeenskap in Sentraal-Kenia gekyk. Die navorsing evalueer voorts die gemeentelike bediening van die Anglikaanse Kerk in Kenia. Hierdie ondersoek is noodsaaklik gemaak deur die behoefte van die Anglikaanse Kerk in Kenia om Ũtugi (tradisionele hulpbronne) te gebruik in aanvulling tot die Christelike verstaan van gasvryheid (kerklike hulpbronne) om die menswaardigheid van mense wat met MIV en VIGS saamleef, te verhoog en die MIV- en VIGS pandemie te beveg. Die navorsing sluit metodologies aan by die hermeneutiek. Die volg 'n praktykbenadering tot pastorale versorging en berading. Dit wil teologiese konsepte en die Agĩkũyũ se kulturele konsepte interpreteer, en deur middel van kwalitatiewe, kritiese analises vir die pastorale bediening aan mense wat positief met MIV getoets is, help sorg. In die lig van konseptuele analise, word daar in hierdie hierdie studie krities gekyk na die rol van Ũtugi binne die konteks van MIV en VIGS en na die gepastheid daarvan as instrument vir pastorale versorging en berading in die Anglikaanse Kerk van Kenia. In hierdie studie word die fundamentele vraag gestel: Hoe kan die Agĩkũyũ-konsep Ũtugi gebruik word om ruimte vir heling te skep en die heersende ekklesiologiese paradigmas in die Anglikaanse Kerk in Kenia omskep word sodat dit relevant en kontekstueel kan wees in die strewe om te reageer op die uitdagings van die MIV en VIGS pandemie in die 21ste eeu? Die navorsing toon aan dat die beginsels van Ũtugi Christelike gasvryheid kan aanvul om netwerke te vorm en die kerk te help om die las van mense wat met MIV en VIGS saamleef, te help dra. Só kan hulle menswaardigheid verhoog word, in hulle vreugde en gerief gedeel word, en saam met hulle deur hulle pyn, hartseer en soeke na heling pastoraal gereis word. Daar is ook bevind dat Ũtugi as 'n kontekstuele model wat kultureel gegrond is, relevant is vir die Agĩkũyũ-mense. Dit kan inderdaad bydra en kan help om die bestaande kerklike gebruike van die Anglikaanse Kerk in Kenia te verander. Deur gebruik te maak van Daniël Louw se eksistensiële model vir christelik-spirituele geestelike heling, word die gepastheid van Ũtugi as 'n model vir pastorale versorging en berading aan mense wat positief met MIV en VIGS saamleef, evalueer. Daar is bevind dat Ũtugi nie net 'n paradigma is wat hulle liggaamlike, sosiale, sielkundige, ekonomiese, morele en spirituele lewe kan versterk nie, maar dat dit ook die vermoë het om die eksistensiële bedreiging van angstigheid, skuld en skaamte, ontnugtering en woede, wanhoop en twyfel, hulpeloosheid en kwesbaarheid, pastoraal te hanteer. Dit kan 'n verskuiwing vanaf eksistensiële bedreigings na 'n posisie van liefde, sorg, medelye ondersteuning, tegemoetkomendheid, vryheid en hoop meebring.

This thesis begins by outlining the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the Southern African region, together with the challenges it poses to the Church in Southern Africa. The thesis will therefore reflect on a selected number of complex social issues related to the retrovirus. These issues include poverty, gender, the breakdown of family systems, orphans, stigma and discrimination. Also included is a theological reflection to the HIV/AIDS pandemic together with the related social issues. As the thesis builds up, I will develop a contextual approach to the HIV/AIDS crisis which I will also pose as a challenge for the Southern African Church to consider in its strategies in the battle against the retrovirus. In developing this contextual approach indigenous resources and assets which includes talents, skills, gifts, and values, especially those embedded in the ubuntu-hunhu way of life will be considered. Guiding this reflection and exploration into the capacity of ubuntu-hunhu way of life together with the resources and assets embedded in it and the development of the contextual approach will be the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The current situation around widowhood sexuality is unspeakably painful. It has been established through literature review in this study that widows are the most neglected group in many societies. In Zimbabwe the unprecedented rise in the number of widows has been caused by the proliferation socio-economic, political climate coupled with the devastating effects of HIV and AIDS pandemic. HIV and AIDS pandemic has caused unimaginable suffering among all segments of society in Zimbabwe but impacts more on women and girls. HIV has increased the number of young widows in the country. This is the group which is still sexual active and they are in the church in quest to find meaning in God. The study also explored how the patriarchal society and religious norms control and manipulate women‟s sexuality. The church and the community views sex and sexuality issues as private matters. Hence, the dilemmas of widowhood sexuality are created by widows‟ failure to publicly and or share their challenges with church leadership. However, it was made clear during the study that the quest for sexual meaning becomes a challenge due to the complexities caused by HIV and AIDS pandemic. The challenge shown in this study was how to do theology and be a church where we accept that all theological formulations and institutional designs are influenced by their context. Therefore, could it be moral for the church to teach that widows embrace other sexual alternatives that are less risk to contract or transmit HIV; such as masturbation, use of sex toys and vibrators? Can these help widows reduce their sexual tension and evoke pleasure? If such or more suitable means are availed by the church how should widows be enriched to live meaningful in their faith in God? For the church to teach widows to say “no” to sexual intimacy outside marriage sound irresponsible and unrealistic to prevailing statistics of widows and their ages in church. However, the dilemma is for them to engage in sexual intimacy without creating other existential issues leading them to live in guilt- feelings and in the process lose their meaning in their God. Is the church willing to look closely to widowhood sexuality in this era of HIV and AIDS pandemic? The HIV and AIDS pandemic challenges the church to formulate policies and reframe pastoral theology in a way that is relevant to allow widows discover a God who can be compassionate and trusted to give meaning in suffering. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige situasie in verband met weduweeskap en seksualiteit is onbeskryflik pynlik. Dit het duidelik geword uit die literatuuroorsig in hierdie studie dat weduwees die mees afgeskeepte groep in baie gemeenskappe is. In Zimbabwe is die ongehoorde styging in die aantal weduwees te wyte aan die groei in die slegte sosio-ekonomiese en politiese klimaat tesame met die verwoestende gevolge van die MIV en VIGS pandemie. Die MIV en VIGS pandemie het ondenkbare lyding veroorsaak in alle areas van die gemeenskap in Zimbabwe, maar dit het 'n groter invloed op vroue en jong meisies. MIV het veroorsaak dat die getal jong weduwees in hierdie land gestyg het. Dit is ook die groep wat steeds seksueel aktief is en hulle kom na die kerk in 'n soeke om betekenis te vind in God. Hierdie studie ondersoek ook hoe die patriargale gemeenskap en sy godsdienstige norme vroue se seksualiteitbeheer en manipuleer. Die kerk en die gemeenskap beskou seks en seksualiteit as 'n private aangeleentheid. Die gevolg is dat die dilemma van weduweeskap en seksualiteit geskep word deur die weduwee se versuim om haar uitdagings in die openbaar of by die kerkleiers bekend te maak. Dit het egter gedurende hierdie studie duidelik geraak dat die soeke na seksuele betekenis 'n groot uitdaging is as gevolg van die kompleksiteite wat veroorsaak word deur die MIV en VIGS pandemie. Die uitdaging wat met hierdie studie beklemtoon word, is hoe om teologie toe te pas en 'n kerk te wees wat aanvaar dat alle teologiese formulering en institusionele ontwerpe ook deur hul konteks beïnvloed word. Is dit derhalwe 'n morele probleem vir die kerk om vir weduwees aan te beveel om seksuele alternatiewe te ondersoek wat minder risiko's inhou vir die opdoen of oordra van MIV; soos masturbasie, die gebruik van seksspeelgoed en vibrators? Kan hierdie alternatiewe metodes weduwees help om hul seksuele spanning te verminder en seksuele genot te ervaar? Indien hierdie, of ander geskikte metodes, deur die kerk benut word, hoe kan weduwees verryk word deur betekenisvol tot hul geloof in God te leef? Vir die kerk om weduwees te leer om “nee” te sê vir seksuele intimiteit buite die huwelik klink onverantwoordelik en onrealisties as die heersende getal weduwees in die kerk en hul ouderdomme in ag geneem word. Die dilemma is egter vir hulle om seksuele intimiteit te beleef sonder om ander eksistensiële vraagstukke te skep, wat hulle dwing om saam te leef met skuldgevoelens en in die proses betekenis in hul God verloor. Is die kerk bereid om noukeurig te kyk na weduweeskap en seksualiteit in hierdie era van die MIV en VIGS pandemie? Die MIV en VIGS pandemie daag die kerk uit om beleide te formuleer en pastorale teologie te herdefinieer op 'n manier wat relevant is tot die ontdekking van 'n God wat medelydend en betroubaar is en wat betekenis kan gee aan lyding.

Not available / text