Cultural factors have been shown to play a role in human decision making and behaviour. The main objective for this research was to identify and evaluate the possible influence of Shangaan cultural beliefs, myths and behaviours, on the spread of HIV within the Mnisi tribe. A qualitative method of investigation was followed; interviews with three participants and observations of the Mnisi culture were used in the construction of the investigation and findings. Through the information obtained two cultures influencing the spread of HIV in the Mnisi tribe were identified, they are (1) The culture of power-rule and fear, and (2) The culture of poverty. / Psychology / M.Sc. (Psychology)

Cultural factors have been shown to play a role in human decision making and behaviour. The main objective for this research was to identify and evaluate the possible influence of Shangaan cultural beliefs, myths and behaviours, on the spread of HIV within the Mnisi tribe. A qualitative method of investigation was followed; interviews with three participants and observations of the Mnisi culture were used in the construction of the investigation and findings. Through the information obtained two cultures influencing the spread of HIV in the Mnisi tribe were identified, they are (1) The culture of power-rule and fear, and (2) The culture of poverty. / Psychology / M.Sc. (Psychology)

Recent language policy developments at the University of South Africa (Unisa) indicate that the language attitudes of its students should be researched, particularly the attitudes of students who have an African language as their first language. This study takes a first but solid step towards meeting this requirement. It conducts exploratory research into the nature of the relevant language attitudes and, based on the findings of this research, constructs an attitude scale that can be usefully employed in the measurement of such attitudes, both at Unisa and other tertiary institutions in South Africa. In order to achieve its aims, the study places much emphasis on the use of proper methodology, in order to counteract the trend in much local language-attitude research of ignoring the complexity of language attitudes and avoiding methodologically sophisticated and rigorous statistical techniques that are equipped to accommodate such complexity. / Linguistics / M.A. (Linguistics)

Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Thesis (MScAgric (Conservation Ecology and Entomology)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Small farm dams (< 20 ha) in the Western Cape Province provide adequate water conditions for intensive cage production of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). A major environmental concern of cage aquaculture, however, is the high inputs of nutrients via commercial diets and the subsequent eutrophication of the water source. Eutrophication can result in the degradation of the general water quality (increasing pH levels, oxygen depletion, increased hydrogen sulphide and free ammonia) and shifts in the phytoplankton structure (increased biomass, single species dominance). Deterioration of water quality will affect the success of the fish farming enterprise as well as the performance of irrigation equipment by increasing the risk of clogging and corrosion. Water quality, phytoplankton and zooplankton compositions were monitored at four sites from June 2005 to November 2006 to determine the effects of cage culture on the farm dam environment, its associated biota as well as irrigation water quality. The distribution of nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, was mainly influenced by the stratification and mixing regime of the water bodies. Nutrient concentrations increased during the winter mixing period while in the summer months, they seem to settle to the lower part of the water column. Nutrient concentrations of production sites and reference sites were comparable except for the ammonia levels that were significantly higher at the production sites. Phytoplankton corresponded with nutrient availability resulting in high biomass during winter. In terms of biomass, phytoplankton was approximately two times more abundant in production sites compared to reference sites. Assemblage dominance by cyanophytes (Anabaena circinalis, Microcystis spp.) was found more often in production sites, while reference sites were dominated by dinophytes (Ceratium hirundinella, Peridinium spp.). Zooplankton biomass concurred with high phytoplankton biomass in winter. Zooplankton assemblages in production sites sustained much higher biomass. Effects of cage culture on irrigation water quality are evident from increased algal biomass and shifts in species composition. These results indicated that at its present production level, cage culture had impacts on the farm dam environment and irrigation water quality. The most significant evidence was given by increased plankton biomass and single species dominance in production sites. However, these findings can not solely be ascribed to the introduction of aquaculture as various other factors may also contribute to the water quality of these ecosystems.

This dissertation examines the meanings that young adults give to their mobile phones in the township of Hooggenoeg in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape. The research was predominantly conducted through individual interviews with nine young adults as well as two small gender-based focus groups. Participant observation as well as a close reading of the popular mobile website Outoilet also contributed to the study. Drawing on Silverstone, Hirsch and Morley’s (1992) work into the meanings attributed to the mobile phone through the domestication processes of appropriation, objectification, incorporation and conversion, the study argues for the heterogeneous roles defined for mobile phones as they are integrated into different cultural contexts. The term ‘raw phones’ in the thesis title refers to a particular cultural understanding of respectability in mainly working-class ‘coloured’¹ communities in South Africa, as described by Salo (2007) and Ross (2010), in which race, class and gender converge in the construction of the respectable person’s opposite – a lascivious, almost certainly female, dependent, black and primitive ‘raw’ Other. The study argues that in Hooggenoeg, the mobile phone becomes part of semantic processes that define both respectability and ‘rawness’ , thus helping to reproduce social relations in this community along lines of race, class and gender. A major focus of the study is the instant messaging application MXit, and how it assists in the social production of space, by helping to constitute both private and dispersed network spaces of virtual communication, in a setting where social life is otherwise very public, and social networks outside of cyberspace are densely contiguous and localised. In contrast, gossip mobile website Outoilet seems to intensify this contiguous experience of space. My findings contest generalised claims, predominantly from the developed world, which assert that the mobile phone promotes mobility and an individualised society, and show that in particular contexts it may in fact promote immobility and create a collective sociability.

Hierdie studie is gebaseer op die behoefte wat bestaan aan dienslewering wat regerings-departemente behoort te lewer en meer spesifiek ten opsigte van hierdie studie die diens wat die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD) lewer. Gevolglik is die primêre navorsingsdoelstelling egter om 'n evaluasie van strategiese bestuur te doen ten einde te bepaal watter bydrae en waarde dit kan hê vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens ten einde dienslewering te optimaliseer. Hierdie studie vervul die volgende navorsingsdoelwitte:  Die waarde en belang van strategiese bestuur is bepaal,  Die waarde en belang van leierskap is bepaal,  Die waarde van organisasiekultuur is bepaal en die rol wat dit vervul ten einde dienslewering te optimaliseer. Die navorser het 'n nie-empiriese (teoretiese) navorsingsontwerp gevolg wat fokus op 'n sistematiese oorsig van nasionale media-artikels as bronne. Die navorser het vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie dokumentêre bronne, in die vorm van nasionale gedrukte media en persoonlike ondervinding gebruik as datainsamelingsmetode. Volgens Punch (2014:158) mag dokumentêre bronne vir data op verkeie maniere in die sosiale wetenskaplike navorsing gebruik word. Somige studies kan en mag moontlik totaal afhanklik wees van dokumentêre data, met hierdie data dan die fokus in eie reg. Hierdie studie het verder aanbevelings gemaak dat strategiese bestuur wel voordele inhou vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens. Strategiese bestuur kan in enige organisasie toegepas word. Die waarde daarvan is dat organisasies wat strategies bestuur word, die eksterne invloede van die omgewing proaktief kan bestuur. Die sosio-politieke en ekonomiese omstandighede in Suid-Afrika maak beleidsaanpassings in openbare organisasies noodsaaklik as gevolg van die dinamiese verandering op hierdie terrein. Met die hulp van 'n strategiese plan kan bestuur die organisasie proaktief bestuur na gelang van wat die interne en eksterne omgewing vereis. Die lojale, effektiewe, opgeleide, doeltreffende leiers en polisiebestuurders behoort daardie beamptes te wees wat strategiese bestuur optimaal benut en daadwerklik toepas sodat doeltreffende dienslewering optimal aan die diverse gemeenskappe gelewer kan word. Dit blyk ook verder dat die strategiese bestuur en beplanningstegnieke waardevolle hulpmiddels is vir die professionele polisiebestuurder in terme van die verwesenliking van doelstellings en doelwitte van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens. Die strategiese plan (2014-2019) van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens bevat alle fokusareas wat nodig is vir sukses en die uitvoering daarvan op operasionele vlak bly die maatstaf. Daar word opsommend volstaan dat al vier geformuleerde hipoteses wetenskaplik geverifieer kon word in hierdie teoretiese literatuurstudie en dat al vier die geformuleerde hipoteses wat gestel is aan die begin van hierdie navorsing, wel aanvaar kan word vir die suksesvolle implementering van strategiese bestuur in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens ten einde dienslewering te optimaliseer. Hierdie navorsing lewer ‘n bydrae tot die kennis verwant aan ‘n meer strategiese rol van leiers om dienslewering te optimaliseer. / This study has been based on the need for service delivery by government departments and more specific for this study the service delivery of the South-African Police Service. Consequently, the primary research goal was to evaluate strategic management to establish what contribution and value it could have for the South-African Police Service to optimize service delivery. This study fulfilled the following objectives:  The value and importance of strategic management was ascertained,  The value and importance of leadership was ascertained,  The value and importance of organisational culture was ascertained and the role it fulfills to optimize service delivery. The researcher followed a non-empirical (theoretical) research design that focused on a systematic overview of national media articles as sources. The researcher for the purpose of this study used documented sources, in the form of national printed media and personal experience as data collection method. According to Punch (2014:158), documentary sources of data might be used in various ways in social science research. Some studies might depend entirely on documentary data, with such data the focus in their own right. This study further provided recommendations that strategic management have essential benefits for the South African Police Service. Strategic management can also be implemented in any organisation. The value for organisations using strategic management is actually to be able to manage the influences from the external environment proactively. It is neccessary for public organisations to adjust policy due to the changes in the socio-political and economical circumstances. Management will be able, with the strategic plan, to manage the organisation proactively with regard to the ongoing needs and changes from the external environment. The loyal, efficient, effective, trained leaders and police managers should be those officials to use strategic management optimally and implement the strategic plan so that effective service delivery can be rendered to all diverse communities. Further more strategic management and planning techniques serve as valuable support for professional police managers in terms of reaching the goals and objectives of the South African Police Service. The strategic plan (2014-2019) of the South African Police Service includes all the focus areas that are needed for success, but the executing on operational level will be the measure. Thus, in summary, the researcher accepts that the four formulated hypotheses could be verified scientifically in this theoretical literature research. All four hypotheses are accepted for the successful implementation of strategic management in the South African Police Service to be able to optimise service delivery. This study contributes to the knowledge relating to a more strategic role of leaders to optimise service delivery. / Penology / M.Tech. (Policing)

This dissertation focuses on investigating the relationship between organisational culture and employee engagement in a Public Service department. In this quantitative study, undertaken in a South African Public Service department (North West province), dimensions of organisational culture (measured by the South African Culture Instrument) were correlated with the dimensions of employee engagement (measured by the South African Engagement Measurement). Correlational analyses revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between each of the dimensions of organisational culture and employee engagement, respectively. ANOVA statistical technique was used to determine whether significant differences exist between groups. Regression analyses revealed that leadership, employee needs and objectives, vision and mission, management processes and internal relationships would predict employee engagement. Leadership made the most significant predictor of employee engagement. The means to achieve objectives dimension showed no effect in predicting employee engagement. This indicates that positive perceptions of organisational culture are likely to be related to higher levels of employee engagement. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Text in English with abstracts in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa / The collections-based research reported upon in this dissertation focuses on three sites in the Eastern Cape: Huntley Street in Grahamstown, Farmerfield, a nearby Wesleyan mission station, and Fort Double Drift, a British fortification on the Great Fish River. The collection, which is housed in the Albany Museum, derives from Patrice Jeppson’s excavations, completed in the 1980s. Analyses of the excavated glass and metal, augmented by a close reading of tender and shopkeepers’ advertisements in The Graham’s Town Journal, chronicle how merchants, settlers, soldiers, missionaries and local African communities were involved in, and affected by, trade between 1820 and 1860. The study explores aspects of the mercantile economy, consumerism and military provisioning relating to a wide range of imported glass and metal merchandise. The burgeoning trade linked various enterprises, groups and individuals through monetary and social transactions, reflecting the steady incorporation of the Eastern Cape into the British colonial trading network. / Die versamelingsgebaseerde navorsing waaroor in hierdie verhandeling verslag gedoen word, fokus op drie terreine in die Oos-Kaap: Huntley-straat in Grahamstad, Farmerfield, ’n nabygeleë Wesleyaanse sendingstasie, en Fort Dubbeldrif ’n Britse vesting aan die Groot-Visrivier. Die versameling, wat in die Albany-museum gehuisves word, is afkomstig van Patrice Jeppson se opgrawings, wat in die 1980's voltooi is. Ontledings van die opgegraafde glas en metaal, aangevul deur ’n grondige studie van tender- en winkelieradvertensies in The Graham’s Town Journal, boekstaaf hoe handelaars, setlaars, soldate, sendelinge en plaaslike Afrika-gemeenskappe by handel tussen 1820 en 1860 betrokke was, en daardeur beïnvloed is. Die studie verken aspekte van die handelsekonomie, verbruikerisme en militêre bevoorrading met betrekking tot ’n wye verskeidenheid ingevoerde glas- en metaalhandelsware. Die bloeiende handel het verskeie ondernemings, groepe en individue deur monetêre en sosiale transaksies met mekaar verbind, wat die geleidelike opname van die Oos-Kaap in die Britse koloniale handelsnetwerk weerspieël. / Uphando lwezinto eziqokelelweyo ekunikwe ingxelo ngalo kule disetheyishini, lugxile kwiindawo ezintathu eziseMpuma Koloni ezizezi: eHuntley Street eRhini, eFarmerfield, esisitishi seMishini yamaWesile, naseFort Double Drift, eyinqaba yamaBhilitane ekwiGreat Fish River. Le ngqokelela, egcinwe eAlbany Museum, isuka kwizinto ezazigrunjwe nguPatrice Jeppson, grunjo olo olwagqitywa phaya koo1980. Uphononongo lweeglasi neentsimbi ezagronjwayo, oluxhaswa nakukufundwa kweentengiso ezakhutshwayo zeethenda nezoonovenkile kwi-The Graham’s Town Journal, lunika iinkcukacha zeendlela abarhwebi, abemi ababesuka kwamanye amazwe aphesheya kweelwandle, abefundisi ababesuka kwamanye amazwe, amajoni noluntu olumnyama lwaloo mimandla ababebandakanyeka ngayo nebabechatshazelwa ngayo lurhwebo olwaqhubeka phakathi ko-1820 no-1860. Olu phando luvelela imiba yoqoqosho lorhwebo, ukhuselo lwabathengi, nobonelelo lwezinto zomkhosi lwezinto eziliqela zeeglasi nezentsimbi. Olu rhwebo olwaluhlumile lwahlanganisa amashishini ahlukileyo, amaqela kunye nabantu nje abazimeleyo ngokuthi barhwebelane ngeemali nangezinto zentlalo, yaye oku kubonisa ukungeniswa kweMpuma Koloni kuthungelwano lorhwebo lobukoloniya lwamaBhilitane. / Anthropology and Archaeology / M.A. (Archaeology)

Recent language policy developments at the University of South Africa (Unisa) indicate that the language attitudes of its students should be researched, particularly the attitudes of students who have an African language as their first language. This study takes a first but solid step towards meeting this requirement. It conducts exploratory research into the nature of the relevant language attitudes and, based on the findings of this research, constructs an attitude scale that can be usefully employed in the measurement of such attitudes, both at Unisa and other tertiary institutions in South Africa. In order to achieve its aims, the study places much emphasis on the use of proper methodology, in order to counteract the trend in much local language-attitude research of ignoring the complexity of language attitudes and avoiding methodologically sophisticated and rigorous statistical techniques that are equipped to accommodate such complexity. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Linguistics)