Inaugurele rede Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam. / Lit. opg.: p. 30-32. - Met samenvatting in het Nederlands.

Vetiver grass or Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty (1960) is a sterile grass which can regenerate vegetatively from clumps of the rootstock. This, as well as its vigorous and deep root system and flood tolerance makes it an ideal candidate for the use in soil remediation and erosion control. In South Africa, Hydromulch (Pty) Ltd. is part of the landscape, soil reclamation and erosion control industry. The company uses vetiver grass on a wide scale and has accumulated a collection of isolates to serve as possible germ lines for industrial use. Due to the different approaches in environmental management as well as environmental factors, a variety of ecotypes form during the planting and acclimatisation of this genus. Chrysopogon nigritanus (Benth.) Veldkamp (1999), which is a native species to Africa, is closely related to C. zizanioides and differs only slightly from C. zizanioides on a morphological level. The major difference between the two species is that C. nigritanus is able to seed freely and thus the use of this species should be avoided. The need arose to screen other non-fertile plants to uncover additional genotypic variety to enable diversification of vetiver plantings. The aim of this study was to characterise the genotype of 19 isolates of vetiver obtained from Hydromulch (Pty) Ltd. via sequencing analyses of three DNA fragments, ITS, ndhF and rbcL. In addition, the radial root anatomy was also investigated and compared with the genetic analyses. According to the results generated during this study, very little or no genotypical differences exist amongst the different isolates available from the Hydromulch (Pty) Ltd. plant collection. Only in the case of the ITS inference were differences observed between three of the studied isolates. There was no significant difference between the different isolates based on the root anatomy, with the exception of two of the studied isolates which formed starch granules. / MSc (Botany), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Vetiver grass or Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty (1960) is a sterile grass which can regenerate vegetatively from clumps of the rootstock. This, as well as its vigorous and deep root system and flood tolerance makes it an ideal candidate for the use in soil remediation and erosion control. In South Africa, Hydromulch (Pty) Ltd. is part of the landscape, soil reclamation and erosion control industry. The company uses vetiver grass on a wide scale and has accumulated a collection of isolates to serve as possible germ lines for industrial use. Due to the different approaches in environmental management as well as environmental factors, a variety of ecotypes form during the planting and acclimatisation of this genus. Chrysopogon nigritanus (Benth.) Veldkamp (1999), which is a native species to Africa, is closely related to C. zizanioides and differs only slightly from C. zizanioides on a morphological level. The major difference between the two species is that C. nigritanus is able to seed freely and thus the use of this species should be avoided. The need arose to screen other non-fertile plants to uncover additional genotypic variety to enable diversification of vetiver plantings. The aim of this study was to characterise the genotype of 19 isolates of vetiver obtained from Hydromulch (Pty) Ltd. via sequencing analyses of three DNA fragments, ITS, ndhF and rbcL. In addition, the radial root anatomy was also investigated and compared with the genetic analyses. According to the results generated during this study, very little or no genotypical differences exist amongst the different isolates available from the Hydromulch (Pty) Ltd. plant collection. Only in the case of the ITS inference were differences observed between three of the studied isolates. There was no significant difference between the different isolates based on the root anatomy, with the exception of two of the studied isolates which formed starch granules. / MSc (Botany), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The presupposition of the discourse of the theme is that South Africans experience a moral crisis no matter what one’s ethnic background, social-economic level, education, gender, profession, living conditions or whatever is. Chapter One deals with the matter of ethics in terms of its origin, necessity and purpose. It takes the issue further as it describes the moral situation nationally and abroad. As for other countries, South Africa needs to deal with materialism, individualism, consumerism, criminality, violence and the abuse of power. The spirit of the day in terms of the post-modern ideology implies both positive and negative influences in the well being of the society. Chapter Two describes the complexity of diversity as such. It takes note of the occurrence of this phenomenon as it is experienced through all the ages all over the world, but in particular in our country. We have to respect our historical background even if it is so clear that there were many incidents and processes of misfortune. A major issue is the political system of apartheid and the process of changing it into a new democratic dispensation. Religious diversity is another reality which has an impact on the lives of the people especially in terms of morality. Along with religious diversity, cultural diversity also occurs. It is an extensive practical, emotional and spiritual experience. Chapter Three focuses on culture and religion. These two human phenomena bring about experiences such as identity and morality. The development of new religious and cultural systems is taken into account in describing a new order in terms thereof. Along with traditional and diverse social perspectives, the post-religious way of thinking place new emphasis on being moral. Chapter Four tries to make something of the dynamics of religious and cultural diversity. It is important to understand the underlying energy of conflict, accommodation and unity of different entities. Difficulties like race, racism, exclusivism, inclusiveness, respect, tolerance and contemporary lifestyles are discussed. The dynamics of religious diversity also comes to a point. Chapter Five is set aside for empirical research. It was done on the qualitative basis. Interviews either in person, telephonically or by means of a questionnaire were conducted with the following persons: Prof. Louise du Toit, Br. Peter Just, Prof. Willem Landman, Rev. Cedric Mayson, Prof. Piet Strauss, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Prof. Marinus Wiechers. Their contributions were compiled for further use. Chapter Six explores the possibility of a new moral consciousness which should contribute to a better moral understanding of our social environment as well as the development of new and acceptable moral fabric. It incorporates the issue of leadership, opinion formers, individuals, world ethics and the importance of individual and shared responsibility. Closer to the point, Chapter Seven takes the phenomenon of religious and cultural diversity to the influence that it has on certain social levels and orders. Morality is a very practical thing which is present in all forms of human existence and function. Chapter Eight concludes with the discussion of the Christian church’s influence on the morality in South Africa. The church should on the one hand stick to its theological roots and prophetic calling, but on the other hand adapt to the new world in which it has a very important role to play. In its God-given task the church should live up to its destiny by being futuristic, creative, innovative and opportunistic. The ongoing process of secularisation of the world within which the church dwells, should be taken as a serious challenge for consistent and enduring moral healing. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / unrestricted

Membership of school governing bodies is a new experience for many communities in South Africa, because the election system for school governing bodies was only introduced during 1997 for the purpose of a decentralised management and governing system for schools in the country. The new dispensation of democracy brought about some unique challenges, for example, how to deal with diversity effectively. In this sense, the successful management of diversity in education is viewed as one ·of the toughest challenges in the South African education system. The aforementioned challenge led to the rationale for this research, which focused on the influence of diversity on the functionality of school governing bodies and how to manage diversity in the school governing bodies from the Laingsburg education region. The strategy for the research was based on a qualitative research approach that took the form of an interactive investigation of the views and experiences of the participants in relation to the research topic. The research was further undertaken from an interpretative approach which is appropriate, because the social experiences of the participants were central to this research. Some of the most important findings were that prejudices and stereotyping with regard to diversity posed a stumbling block for the effective functioning of school governing bodies. To the contrary, it was also found that the perspective of diversity as variety, is an advantage due to the multiplicity of available talents and competencies which can be utilised to the benefit of education. Policy frameworks for the management of diversity and I appropriate communication were also part of the findings that have an influence on the functionality of school governing bodies. The recommendations included amongst other that all role players should be represented in the school governing body; training is regarded as a priority; members should be willing to accept the role of servant leadership and finally the roles of the principal and school governing body should be clarified to avoid friction and possible conflict. The value of the research is in the first place a contribution to a better understanding of the concept of diversity and it also supports the management of diversity in school governing bodies of rural areas. / MEd (Education Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Membership of school governing bodies is a new experience for many communities in South Africa, because the election system for school governing bodies was only introduced during 1997 for the purpose of a decentralised management and governing system for schools in the country. The new dispensation of democracy brought about some unique challenges, for example, how to deal with diversity effectively. In this sense, the successful management of diversity in education is viewed as one ·of the toughest challenges in the South African education system. The aforementioned challenge led to the rationale for this research, which focused on the influence of diversity on the functionality of school governing bodies and how to manage diversity in the school governing bodies from the Laingsburg education region. The strategy for the research was based on a qualitative research approach that took the form of an interactive investigation of the views and experiences of the participants in relation to the research topic. The research was further undertaken from an interpretative approach which is appropriate, because the social experiences of the participants were central to this research. Some of the most important findings were that prejudices and stereotyping with regard to diversity posed a stumbling block for the effective functioning of school governing bodies. To the contrary, it was also found that the perspective of diversity as variety, is an advantage due to the multiplicity of available talents and competencies which can be utilised to the benefit of education. Policy frameworks for the management of diversity and I appropriate communication were also part of the findings that have an influence on the functionality of school governing bodies. The recommendations included amongst other that all role players should be represented in the school governing body; training is regarded as a priority; members should be willing to accept the role of servant leadership and finally the roles of the principal and school governing body should be clarified to avoid friction and possible conflict. The value of the research is in the first place a contribution to a better understanding of the concept of diversity and it also supports the management of diversity in school governing bodies of rural areas. / MEd (Education Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

In this study I explored depictions of diversity in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course at North-West University in South Africa. South Africa was and is still is facing the challenge of inequalities such as getting access to higher education institutions that were previously dominated by a white Christian Afrikaans-speaking group. The first democratic election in South Africa in 1994 brought about structural changes in society. These structural changes included the merging of tertiary education institutions such as colleges of education, technikons and universities. In view of South Africa’s history of divisions and injustices such as patriarchy, mono-religiosity and mono-ethnicism, it therefore seemed valuable to explore how diversity is depicted in higher education institutions. In 2012 a task team was set up by the dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences at the Potchefstroom Campus of North-West University. This team investigated how diversity was expressed in selected study guides of the undergraduate BEd degree programme offered at the Potchefstroom Campus to contact mode students. This study identified the need to explore how diversity is depicted at a postgraduate degree level. The primary purpose of my research was to explore empirically the extent to which diversity nuances of gender, religion and ethnicity are depicted in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course. This involved exploring the depictions of diversity in study guides of the modules presented in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course. In addition, I also looked into the depictions of diversity by lecturers presenting modules and students enrolled for the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course. The study was situated in a critical theory paradigm and utilised a qualitative research design with a critical ethnographic methodology. Three sets of data generation methods were employed: document research, semi-structured one-on-one interviews and focus group interviews. The two campuses of North-West University offering this programme were purposefully selected as my research environments. I employed purposeful sampling, and study guides utilised by lecturers and students in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course formed the sample. Lecturers presenting modules and students enrolled for the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course were participants. Critical discourse analysis, underpinned by Fairclough’s (1992) three-dimensional conception of discourse, was the method of analysis. The conclusions were derived predominantly from the diversity nuances acculturation and rationality. Some of the conclusions were also derived from diversity as a nuance but to a limited extent. The conclusions vary from depictions on the chosen discourse of diversity, depictions relating to curricula and the multifaceted aspect of diversity. With regard to the depictions on the chosen discourses of diversity, it was evident that some lecturer participants were only fostering the aspects gender, religion and ethnicity of certain cultural groups, which caused some groups to be invisible. Student participants’ depictions were ideologically embedded as they preferred not to engage with diversity to eliminate certain issues. Lecturer participants also tended to include disadvantaged minority/majority groups to such a limited extent that they were almost non-existent. Furthermore, it appeared that lecturer participants excluded diversity to foster inclusion. Separation was also emphasised by student participants in that they were being forced to engage with diversity rather than wanting to or having a choice to engage with diversity or not. Reflecting on the conclusions arising from my study, I put forward a theoretical stance focusing on curriculum-making for social justice. / MEd (Curriculum Development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Until recently, the health professions have largely followed a medical model, which seeks to treat patients by focusing on medicine and surgery, and gives less importance to beliefs and to the faith in healing, in the physician, and in the doctor-patient relationship. This reductionist view of patients being only material body is no longer satisfactory. Patients and healthcare professionals have begun to value the role of elements such as faith, spirituality, hope and compassion in the healing process. The effect of such spiritual elements in health and quality of life has led to research in this field in an attempt to move towards a more holistic view, which included the non-material dimension. The goal of this study was to explore the understanding of spirituality among healthcare professionals and patients at the CHBAH. The primary research question, which this study attempted to answer, was: What is the understanding of spirituality among the healthcare professionals and patients at CHBAH? In view of this primary research question, the following secondary research questions were formulated: * What does a literature review produce regarding spirituality in healthcare and what are the current practices related to spirituality in healthcare. * What are the views of healthcare professionals and patients concerning the relevance of spirituality in their day-to-day lives and healthcare interventions? * What are the spiritual needs of patients and to what extent does spirituality contribute towards their coping with health-related issues? * Which practical and scientific recommendations can be offered to healthcare professionals regarding including/incorporating spirituality in healthcare services in CHBAH? In view of the aim, the researcher identified the following specific objectives for this study: * To explore spirituality in healthcare by means of a literature review; * To explore and describe the views of medical social workers and other healthcare professionals about the relevance of spirituality in a healthcare setting; * To explore and describe the understanding of spirituality among healthcare professionals and patients in CHBAH; * To propose a protocol as an organizational framework on the incorporation of spirituality in healthcare at CHBAH. This protocol should be implemented during social workers‟ and other healthcare professionals‟ interactions with patients. Chapter 1 provides an introduction, problem formulation, goal, research question and the objectives of this study and a brief overview of the methodology. Chapter 2 focuses on the description of research methodology that was utilised in this study. Chapter 3 is composed of a literature study on spirituality and the religions identified and explored in CHBAH, as well as existing practices related to spirituality in health care. In Chapter 4, the data generated through narratives from focus-group discussions and healthcare professionals‟ spiritual journey is processed and reported. In Chapter 5 a proposed protocol for inclusion of spirituality in healthcare services in CHBAH is presented and discussed in detail Chapter 6 consists of the conclusions and summary of this study. / PhD (Social Work), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The aim of this study was to identify how organisational support, diversity, burnout and work engagement influence organisational commitment and turnover intention, and if perceived organisational support and diversity act as moderators to influence the outcomes of these relationships. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Data (N = 4,658) was gathered from a survey data archive that contains responses to survey questions as well as the demographical data regarding the respondents that was completed during wellness audits. The South African Employee Health and Wellness Survey (SAEHWS©) was used during the gathering of the data (Rothmann & Rothmann, 2006). Statistical analysis was done by means of descriptive statistics and relationships were determined by means of the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients (Clark & Watson, 1995). Regressions were used to predict the outcome variables of turnover intention and organisational commitment and the interaction effects were plotted, using organisational support and diversity as moderators on burnout as well as engagement. Burnout shows a strong inverse relationship with both organisational support and commitment. A strong direct relationship exists between burnout and turnover intention. On the other hand, a strong inverse relationship was found between turnover intention and organisational commitment. It was found that engagement relates positively to enhanced commitment and support, as well as decreased turnover intention. Diversity is a statistically significant predictor but does not moderate any relationship. It thus directly influences turnover intention as well as organisational commitment. However, diversity problems were also found to be positively linked with symptoms of burnout as well as an increased turnover intention A strong inverse relationship exists between diversity problems and work engagement. Organisational support was found to moderate the effect of burnout and engagement on both turnover intention and organisational commitment and seems to negate diversity problems. As conclusion, recommendations for future research are made. / MA (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

In this study I explored depictions of diversity in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course at North-West University in South Africa. South Africa was and is still is facing the challenge of inequalities such as getting access to higher education institutions that were previously dominated by a white Christian Afrikaans-speaking group. The first democratic election in South Africa in 1994 brought about structural changes in society. These structural changes included the merging of tertiary education institutions such as colleges of education, technikons and universities. In view of South Africa’s history of divisions and injustices such as patriarchy, mono-religiosity and mono-ethnicism, it therefore seemed valuable to explore how diversity is depicted in higher education institutions. In 2012 a task team was set up by the dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences at the Potchefstroom Campus of North-West University. This team investigated how diversity was expressed in selected study guides of the undergraduate BEd degree programme offered at the Potchefstroom Campus to contact mode students. This study identified the need to explore how diversity is depicted at a postgraduate degree level. The primary purpose of my research was to explore empirically the extent to which diversity nuances of gender, religion and ethnicity are depicted in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course. This involved exploring the depictions of diversity in study guides of the modules presented in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course. In addition, I also looked into the depictions of diversity by lecturers presenting modules and students enrolled for the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course. The study was situated in a critical theory paradigm and utilised a qualitative research design with a critical ethnographic methodology. Three sets of data generation methods were employed: document research, semi-structured one-on-one interviews and focus group interviews. The two campuses of North-West University offering this programme were purposefully selected as my research environments. I employed purposeful sampling, and study guides utilised by lecturers and students in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course formed the sample. Lecturers presenting modules and students enrolled for the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course were participants. Critical discourse analysis, underpinned by Fairclough’s (1992) three-dimensional conception of discourse, was the method of analysis. The conclusions were derived predominantly from the diversity nuances acculturation and rationality. Some of the conclusions were also derived from diversity as a nuance but to a limited extent. The conclusions vary from depictions on the chosen discourse of diversity, depictions relating to curricula and the multifaceted aspect of diversity. With regard to the depictions on the chosen discourses of diversity, it was evident that some lecturer participants were only fostering the aspects gender, religion and ethnicity of certain cultural groups, which caused some groups to be invisible. Student participants’ depictions were ideologically embedded as they preferred not to engage with diversity to eliminate certain issues. Lecturer participants also tended to include disadvantaged minority/majority groups to such a limited extent that they were almost non-existent. Furthermore, it appeared that lecturer participants excluded diversity to foster inclusion. Separation was also emphasised by student participants in that they were being forced to engage with diversity rather than wanting to or having a choice to engage with diversity or not. Reflecting on the conclusions arising from my study, I put forward a theoretical stance focusing on curriculum-making for social justice. / MEd (Curriculum Development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015