Research report presented for the degree of Master of Arts (Anthropology) at the University of the Witwatersrand, 2016 / According to the 2014 Euromonitor report on black South African haircare trends, the country exhibited a decrease in sales of damaging hair care products. This trend coincided with the exponential influx of imported Indian hair into the country for the purposes of artificial hair integrations i.e. weaves and extensions. To understand the meaning of these patterns, this project seeks to understand the significance Indian hair held for black women. By analysing anthropological literature on commodities, this work reveals how the purchase of Indian hair not only exposed the state of black hair in contemporary South Africa, but how black women engaged with that environment through its usage. Further, hair’s purchase situated women within a transnational exchange network that was buttressed by racial and gendered hierarchies. As such, hair’s consumption placed women within an “economy of otherness”. However women also utilized this economy by converting the racially charged commodity into social and symbolic capital which they leveraged for their own gain. As such, the purchase of Indian hair not only integrated women within an economy of otherness, but also provided them with the capital to participate within it. / GR2017

Submitted in partial fulfilment of a Degree of Master in Education Wits School of Education, Curriculum Studies University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa 2016 / This study considers black female teachers’ conceptions of themselves, their ‘identities’ as teachers and ways in which they negotiate this in relation to their membership in teacher trade unions. Drawing upon Wenger’s model of identity in practice, and recent research into identity construction and teacher activity in trade unions. The study uses a qualitative case study methodology. It uses semi-structured interviews with four Mpumalanga teachers from SADTU and NAPTOSA, within each trade union the study looked at a representative and an ordinary member of the trade union. A major finding of the study was that black female teachers partake in the reconciliation of their various identities, by filtering out what they deemed inappropriate and remaining with those identities which they felt led to less tensions with their teacher identity. It was also found that ordinary members of unions are disengaged with their union identity and therefore do little identity work to reconcile their union and teacher identities. The implications of this for teachers and education in South Africa are discussed. The study calls for further research that explores the process teachers undergo to take ownership of their union identity and therefore develop a sense of agency. / MT2017

Thesis (M.A (Psychology))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, 2016 / Transformation initiatives in South African higher education institutions are informed by literature which has thus far explicated the high failure and attrition rates amongst Black university students with discourses asserting that the major contributing factors are disadvantage and language of origin. The current study endeavoured to investigate the learning histories of a group of high achieving Black female university students from socio- economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in order to inform current transformation initiatives at South African higher education institutions. Seven female students who had previously participated in an academic development programme in the faculty of humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand, the Reaching for Excellent Achievement Programme (REAP), volunteered to participate in this study. Despite being second language students and coming from less advantaged backgrounds, these students achieved excellent academic marks and acceptance into various post- graduate programmes. Semi- structured interviews with an episodic narrative style were conducted. The method of data analysis found to be most appropriate for this study was thematic content analysis. The results revealed the importance of the influence of high school teachers on students’ perceptions of school and school subjects; the pace of adjusting to university; the significance of effective lecturing styles; the formation of an academic identity; acquiring academic literacy; and the importance of having social support (especially from university lecturers) for the successful academic performance of the participants in this study. This study suggests that perhaps there is more than individual effort that is required for academic success at university level. Further, it suggests that higher education institutions need to improve the lecturing styles of their lecturers, should ensure that all students are able to successfully adjust to the university environment early in their first year of study, should offer compulsory academic literacy courses to all first year students, and should consider providing all students with mentors who are university personnel. / MT2017

Adolescent development and adjustment are matters of serious concern not only for parents but also to those involved in education and in the welfare of young people as well as in the progress of our society. Youth represent the energy of the present and hope for the future. However, very little is known about the needs, attitudes, interests and growth potentials of black adolescents in South Africa due to the scarcity of research done in this field. The broad aim of the present study, was to identify and gain understanding of the social sources of influence on adolescent cognitive development as reflected in their value system, their reported role models and anti-models; and. their sources of information about these models. The sample consisted of 409 std 9 female (N = 218) and male (N = 196) pupils selected from two High Schools in Umlazi (N = 203), one High School in KwaMashu (N = 88) and two high schools in KwaNgwanase (N = 118). Subjects from Umlazi and KwaMashu constituted the urban sample (N = 291) and subjects from KwaNgwanase constituted the rural sample (N = 118). Subjects responses to a questionaire were content analysed and the following prominent values were discernible : Educational, Occupational, Altruistic and to a lesser extent Material. The most salient models and antimodels reported were people between the ages of 26 to 35 years, non-relatives, who were known to subjects though Personal Contact. Models were admired mostly for their Social Attributes. The anti-models were rejected because of their negative Social Characteristics. Admired models belonged mostly to the category of Service or Other professions. Antimodels belonged mostly to the category of the unemployed. Sex differences in subjects' responses were observed. Minor differences in the responses of subjects from different geographical, parental educational and occupational backgrounds also appeared to exist. The work presented in this study represents the present researcher's original input.However, quotations and other theoretical information from literature have been used and acknowledged to highlight and clarify major concepts persued by the researcher. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1991.

Train-Surfing is a high-risk phenomenon that has in recent years, become a trend affecting black male youths in South Africa. This study aimed at examining the motives behind the phenomenon. It also aimed at exploring the role that train-surfing plays in constructing a black, South African, masculine identity and what it means to be a train-surfer. A broader aim of the study was to explore the constructions of masculinity and their influence on high-risk behaviours in men. The reason for the choice of topic was that although train-surfing is not a recent phenomenon it appears to be a growing phenomenon in South Africa. Scientific publications are limited thus far with regard to international and local literature on this issue. This exploratory study used the social constructionist theory as a theoretical framework and presents qualitative research findings based on in-depth interviews of six juvenile train-surfers who reside in Soweto, Gauteng. Thematic Content Analysis was used to analyse the data. The study found that train-surfers tend to show evidence of family discord and are inclined to rely on support from their train-surfing peers. All of the participants lacked a substantial father figure, however many of them showed evidence of consistent support from mother figures. Reasons for participation in train-surfing include impressing young females, a desire for status and fame and peer pressure. Some participants perceived the activity as a sport or hobby, whilst others used symbols of addiction in describing the phenomenon. It was also found that the train-surfing participants used train-surfing as a means to define their identity as young, black males living in South Africa. Train-surfing was found to be associated with other high-risk activities such as taking drugs, drinking alcohol and gang-related behaviours. These findings are important as they highlight the role of high-risk behaviour in adolescents and uncover much needed research regarding men and masculinities in South Africa. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Two moral orientations in men and women‟s reasoning about moral dilemmas have dominated the literature: an orientation to rights, fairness, and justice and another based on care, compassion and concern for others. It is widely accepted that exposure to violence has a number of adverse effects on children and adolescents‟ psychosocial development. Recent research has begun to explore whether, and how, exposure to violence impacts on moral development. Studies examining the nature of this association, however, have yielded contradictory results. While there is evidence to suggest that exposure to violence adversely affects moral development, it has also been shown that exposure to violence simply influences which moral reasoning style is likely to predominate – justice or care. Beginning with a brief review of moral development theories and of the psychosocial effects of exposure to violence, the present research explored the association between exposure to violence and moral development. This study aimed to determine whether there is an association between gender, moral orientation, and exposure to violence. Based on the literature, it was hypothesised that men would exhibit a justice moral orientation, while women would exhibit a moral orientation based on care. Further, it was expected that men would show higher levels of exposure to violence than women. Exposure to violence was expected to be significantly positively correlated with justice reasoning. A significant association was anticipated between gender, exposure to violence and moral orientation. In particular, it was hypothesised that greater exposure to violence would have an adverse effect on moral development. This association, in turn, was expected to be significantly related to gender. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

The ocular complications of vitamin A deficiency have been known for many years, however, recent studies have suggested that marginal vitamin A status enlarges the risk of common childhood infections and increases mortality. It is therefore important to assess the vitamin A status, and some of its consequences, in children who are most likely to be at risk for vitamin A deficiency as this has important implications for promoting the health of children and for formulating appropriate primary health care policies. In South Africa very little data is available on vitamin A nutrition of communities; therefore one of the objectives of this research programme was to document the vitamin A status of African children who, because of historical inequities, are most likely to be at risk for deficiency. Sound, epidemiologically based surveys of vitamin A intake and body levels were conducted in a typical established township (using dietary intake as the measuring tool) and in a typical peri-urban informal settlement (using serum retinol and conjunctival impression cytology as the measuring tools). These studies revealed that the majority (97%) of children living in the established township surveyed had an adequate intake of vitamin A, whereas 44% of the children in the informal settlement had low serum retinol levels (20 ug/dL), and 18% had insufficient vitamin A, as assessed by 2 abnormal disc specimens, using the conjunctival impression cytology test. In order to investigate the interrelationsnips between vitamin A, other micronutrients and some risk factors, an analysis was undertaken of anthropometry, parasite infestation and blood concentrations of vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, albumin, haemaglobin, serum iron and ferritin and percent transferrin saturation. Significant positive correlations were found between serum retinol and all the biochemical indicators of iron metabolism studied except for serum ferritin. Ninety one percent of the children sampled were infested with parasites. These results highlight the fact that in this population close interconnections exist among nutrients and suggest that attempts at correcting vitamin A deficiency in such communities should be based on comprehensive intervention programmes rather than on single nutrient replacement. The impact of infections on blood levels of vitamin A was investigated in African children with severe measles. In addition, substances related to vitamin A metabolism such as other micronutrients (zinc, vitamin E) and proteins (retinol binding protein, prealbumin, albumin) were measured in serum. In addition the changes induced in these substances by vitamin A supplementation (offered in a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial) were studied. Serum retinol as well as the other nutrients measured were significantly reduced early in the exanthem in measles patients as compared to healthy controls. Vitamin A and prealbumin levels on day 8 (of the intervention trial) were significantly increased in the supplemented group compared to the placebo group. vitamin A levels in serum correlated with those of retinol binding protein (RBP), prealbumin and zinc. These findings strengthen the hypothesis that hyporetinaemia during measles is the consequence of impaired mobilisation of retinol stores from the liver. The effect of reversing the temporary lowering of serum retinol concentrations during acute measles infections by supplementation with vitamin A was investigated in a hospital based, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. The two groups were comparable in known covariates of measles severity : weight/age centiles; overcrowding; rash; total 90% of the patients had blood lymphocytes; serum levels pre-albumin, RBP, vitamins A and E. of zinc, albumin, hyporetinaemia. Integrated Morbidity Scores ( IMS) derived from diarrhoea, herpes and respiratory tract infection (radiologically confirmed) were assigned on day 8, at 6 weeks and 6 months - these were reduced by 82%, 61% and 85% respectively in the supplemented group. This was mainly due to reduced respiratory tract infection. There was one death in the placebo group. At 6 weeks there was significant weight gain in the supplemented group. Despite the selected sample, attention to multiple covariates enhances the validity of the data obtained and supports the current WHO recommendations for vitamin A supplementation during measles. There are several mechanisms by which vitamin A is thought to have its effect of reducing morbidity, one of which is by improving immune responsiveness. This particular mechanism has not been adequately studied in children; most of the studies having been conducted in animals. The effect of vitamin A supplementation on selected factors of immunity in African children with complicated measles was therefore investigated during the randomized double-blind, placebo controlled, intervention trial described above. Placebo and treated groups had similar baseline characteristics. In the treated group there was a significant increase in total number of lymphocytes (day 42, P = .05) and measles IgG antibody concentrations (day 8, p = .02), both of which have consistently been shown to correlate more closely with outcome in measles than other immunological, clinical and radiological factors. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and plasma complement (C3 ) values were unaffected by vitamin A supplement.at.Lon , These findings reinforce results from animal studies which show that the pathways of vitamin A activity in decreasing morbidity and mortality are partly founded on selective immunopotentiation. In conclusion epidemiological and biochemical methods which were used to assess the vitamin A status of African children in South Africa revealed that overt vitamin A deficiency is not a Public health issue to the extent it is in the poor rice eating nations of the world. Marginal vitamin A deficiency is however prevalent in informal settlements. Interventions to reverse this marginal vitamin A deficiency should be incorporated in comprehensive programmes to ensure food security. Infections such as measles which increase utilisation and inhibit mobilisation from body stores are damaging to vitamin A homeostasis in the individual. The morbidity associated with measles can be reversed by high dose vitamin A supplementation during the acute phase of the infection. Improving immune responsiveness is one of the likely paths of vitamin A activity in decreasing morbidity from measles. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1993.

Rutherford's research demonstrates that "the poor can save, do save, and want to save money" (Rutherford, 1999: 7). Furthermore, if given a formal bank account this correlates with the poor being more likely to save (Porteous and Hazelhurst, 2004: 63). But in 2004, the unbanked made up 54.5% of the South African adult population (FinScope, 2006: 18). In the same year, to draw more people into the realm of the banked the Mzansi account was launched. The account is a first order transactional product and a saving service which targets poor clients from LSM 1-5. Mzansi account holders are found to be significantly more likely to be informally employed or unemployed (Porteous, 2007: 10). Yet there is a research gap about the financial behaviour of those working informally. This study draws on the experiences of women working in the informal economy who utilise the Mzansi account. It aims to determine the limitations and benefits of the account. It also seeks to learn what role the Mzansi account plays in the savings habits of the women and how it influences their livelihood strategies. This is with a view to recommending how the services of the Mzansi account can be improved so as to maximise its support of informal workers. The research suggests that the intrinsic benefits of the Mzansi account are that the account's bank charges are lower compared to other bank accounts, a small initial deposit is needed to open the Mzansi account and a proper address is not required to open the account. The interviewees highlight five day-to-day limitations on the Mzansi account. First, interviewees identify the lack of a bank book to view the transactional activities occurring in the account as a problem. Second, the cap on the account where a maximum of Rl5 000 is only permitted hinders the potential to save money in the account and receIve insurance pay outs. Third, the cost and frequency of bank charges are still expensive. Fourth, the distance to access banks or ATMs for the women in semi-rural areas makes it difficult and costly for them to access their bank account. Lastly the issue of crime is a problem when utilising ATMs. Savings from the Mzansi account influence livelihood outcomes by enabling investment in funeral insurance through debit orders. This investment helps mitigate future vulnerability. In terms of livelihoods and the women's businesses, the savings from the Mzansi account are used for the purchasing of stock. This may not improve livelihood outcomes by generating further income but it maintains the women's business stability. money" (Rutherford, 1999: 7). Furthermore, if given a formal bank account this correlates with the poor being more likely to save (Porteous and Hazelhurst, 2004: 63). But in 2004, the unbanked made up 54.5% of the South African adult population (FinScope, 2006: 18). In the same year, to draw more people into the realm of the banked the Mzansi account was launched. The account is a first order transactional product and a saving service which targets poor clients from LSM 1-5. Mzansi account holders are found to be significantly more likely to be informally employed or unemployed (Porteous, 2007: 10). Yet there is a research gap about the financial behaviour of those working informally. This study draws on the experiences of women working in the informal economy who utilise the Mzansi account. It aims to determine the limitations and benefits of the account. It also seeks to learn what role the Mzansi account plays in the savings habits of the women and how it influences their livelihood strategies. This is with a view to recommending how the services of the Mzansi account can be improved so as to maximise its support of informal workers. The research suggests that the intrinsic benefits of the Mzansi account are that the account's bank charges are lower compared to other bank accounts, a small initial deposit is needed to open the Mzansi account and a proper address is not required to open the account. The interviewees highlight five day-to-day limitations on the Mzansi account. First, interviewees identify the lack of a bank book to view the transactional activities occurring in the account as a problem. Second, the cap on the account where a maximum of Rl5 000 is only permitted hinders the potential to save money in the account and receIve insurance pay outs. Third, the cost and frequency of bank charges are still expensive. Fourth, the distance to access banks or ATMs for the women in semi-rural areas makes it difficult and costly for them to access their bank account. Lastly the issue of crime is a problem when utilising ATMs. Savings from the Mzansi account influence livelihood outcomes by enabling investment in funeral insurance through debit orders. This investment helps mitigate future vulnerability. In terms of livelihoods and the women's businesses, the savings from the Mzansi account are used for the purchasing of stock. This may not improve livelihood outcomes by generating further income but it maintains the women's business stability. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

This study looks at what Sasol must do to retain senior black managers. The findings of this study are based on the perspectives of a group of black professionals who went through a two year program referred to as Sasol's Accelerated Leadership Development Program (ALDP). Given the fact that the company has acknowledged the problem of having senior black managers in its ranks, the objective is to use their own perspectives on what Sasol must do to retain them. The question of retaining employees is critical given the stiff competition that Sasol operate in and also taking into account the fact that Sasol is expanding outside the borders of South Africa. The respondents pointed out that there are a number of issues which Sasol's management must look at in order for them to stay in the company. The issues raised relate to Sasol's corporate culture which is perceived not to be accommodative of a diverse work force, the management style which is seen as conservative and bureaucratic. Over and above that, the predominant use of Afrikaans, whilst English is the official business language is seen as an obstacle for non-Afrikaans employees to stay in the company. Other issues raised are the Senior Mannekrag Beplanning Kamer (SMBK), a process used for the promotion of senior managers which is seen as not representative. The respondents felt that they need to be given challenging work assignments and be given opportunities for career growth and development. Equally important is the question of the work environment in general which is not seen as embracing diversity and remuneration and benefits which are seen to be fair and competitive. The findings are indicative of the importance of informing retention strategies with the views of the very employees that must be retained. These results further suggest that a planned approach which is inclusive of stakeholders is appropriate rather than an imposed plan. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

This paper looks at the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) transaction at TransUnionITC. The transaction was concluded in 2005 however TransUnionITC has been involved in BEE activities and initiatives for the past decade. TransUnionITC has been instrumental in enhancing BEE policies in that they have been involved in rural training and awareness programs aimed at making consumers aware of their account history profiles and how they affect their economic participation. The TransUnionITC BEE transaction is analysed here in terms of the following: TransUnionITC Considerations, the BEE partners, equity holding effectiveness, management after the BEE transaction, beneficiaries of the transactions, the BEE implementation process, Financial Services Charter scorecard, the DTI's generic scorecard or compliance issues, problems encountered, stakeholder expectations management and survey of TransUnionITC staff. The company strategy will also be analysed to see if it has changed as a result of the transaction and how this has affected the company's strategic focus. Factors that have been influenced by the transactions such as profitability and new opportunities will be explored. There are at least 24 laws as well as policy and regulatory provisions dealing with empowerment (Business Map, BEE Rationale and evaluation - 2005), these include sector charters, various tender boards, small business promotion bodies, labour relations institutions and regulatory councils. Some of these include: Maritime transport and services industry charter, Forwarding and clearing Industry charter, Mining sector charter, Tourism industry charter, Petroleum and liquid fuels industry charter and Financial Sector Charter, Information Communication Analysis of the implementation of Black Economic Empowerment: The case of TransUnionITC. Technology (lCT) charter. These charters are still under review, and will be finalised after the revision of the codes of Good Practice after December 2005. TransUnionITC falls within the FSC charter and as a result their BEE transaction will be analysed to see if it complies with this specific charter. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2006.