Submitted in fulfillment for the degree of Magister Technologiae: Civil Engineering: Civil Engineering and Surveying, Durban University of Technology. Durban. South Africa, 2015. / Invariably, a high percentage of the population of South Africa depends on public transport. In order to continue to satisfy commuters in terms of comfort, travel time, reliability of service and traffic congestion, there is a need to improve the efficiency of moving passengers to reduce travel time, delay time and number of stops. In the quest for advancement and improvement in public transport, many countries now embark on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems based on the successful implementation of the system by cities like Curitiba (Brazil) and Bogota (Columbia). Government departments/transport authorities are often faced with the challenge of selecting the most suitable BRT system relative to the unique features of its transport demands and urban layout. Hence, this study proposes the determination of the most appropriate BRT system for the eThekwini Municipal Area (EMA). An in-depth literature review was conducted in order to determine the most adoptable BRT system amongst median, kerb side and segregated BRT systems, taking into consideration cost implications, safety of the passengers, pedestrian crossing, physically challenged commuters, vehicle option and manoeuvres. Physical assessment and critical review of the current operating BRT systems in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth in South Africa was employed in this study as well as a critical comparison among these systems. The pros and cons of the three functional BRT systems in South Africa were stated and a way forward for EMA was recommended. Lastly, an assessment of the proposed BRT system in EMA was conducted on the existing Phase 1 and the remaining three phases. The review conducted was based on route inspection, access to property, factors considered in the selection of a BRT system, demand analyses of the routes and the evaluation of Johannesburg, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth BRT systems. Guidelines were also provided for the remaining proposed BRT routes which could be adopted by the eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA) in order to enhance a better performance in EMA over the three functional BRT systems in South Africa using the aforementioned criteria.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Engineering - Chemical, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Industrial wastewater containing organic compounds and/or substances is an increasing problem due to its increasing toxic threat to humans and the environment. The removal of organic compounds has become an imperative issue due to stringent measures that are introduced by the Department of Environmental Affairs in South Africa to enforce regulations concerning wastes that emanate from petrochemical industries. Thus, wastewater containing these compounds must be well understood so as to device adequate treatment processes. In this study, the adsorptive capacity of PAD 910 polystyrenic resin originating from China and granular activated carbon (GAC) was evaluated for the removal of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and isomers of xylene (BTEX) from an aqueous solution. Batch studies were performed to evaluate the effects of various experimental parameters such as mixing strength, contact time, internal diffusion, adsorbates and initial concentration on the removal of the BTEX compounds. The experiments were conducted at the mixing strength of 180 rpm, in order to comfortably assume negligible external diffusion. The equilibrium isotherms for the adsorption of the adsorbates on the PAD 910 polystyrenic resin were analyzed by the Langmuir, Freundlich and linearized Dubinin-Radushkevich models at a pH of 5.86. The Langmuir model fitted the data adequately; this result was supported by the work done by Site (2001) which concluded that the Langmuir is the most practical model in representing the adsorption of aromatic compounds. The Langmuir model indicated that resin has the highest adsorption capacity of 79.44 mg/g and GAC has 66.2 mg/g. Resin was found to adsorb 98% of benzene, 88% of toluene, 59% of ethylbenzene, 84% m-;p-xylene and 90% o-xylene at an initial concentration of 14.47 mg/l. BTEX adsorption was a two-stage process: a short, fast initial period then followed by a longer, slow period corresponding to the intra-particle diffusion of BTEX molecules in macropores and micropores. The adsorption capacity was determined by total surface area accessible to BTEX and the availability of active surface chemical groups. The dependence of adsorption capacity on the surface of the two adsorbents and temperature was observed, suggesting the chemical nature of the BTEX adsorption. The interaction between BTEX/activated carbon was however weak and energetically similar to that of hydrogen bonds. Generally, BTEX adsorption was an exothermic process that combined physisorption and chemisorption. The PAD 910 polystyrenic resin had a greater specific surface area (SSA) of 1040 m2/g which yielded in higher capacity compared to GAC which had a low SSA of 930 m2/g. The normalized adsorption capacity was found to be higher for PAD 910 polystyrenic resin than GAC (0.66 and 0.27 mg/m2 respectively) which suggests that the resin has a good potential of the adsorbent for removing BTEX compound compared to GAC. Fixed bed columns were used to evaluate the dynamic adsorption behaviour of BTEX/PAD 910 polystyrenic resin through a dynamic column approach. The performance of small-scale fixed bed columns, each containing PAD 910 polystyrenic resin and the other containing GAC were evaluated using 14.47 mg/L of BTEX concentration. The columns with 32 mm diameter, studied bed depths of 40, 80 and 120 mm and flow rate of 6 ml/min were used in order to obtain experimental breakthrough curves. The bed depth service time (BDST) model was used to analyze the experimental data and design parameters like adsorption capacity, adsorption rate and service time at 20% and 60% breakthrough. BDST was also used to predict the service times of columns operated under different influent concentrations and flow rates to produce theoretical values that were compared to the experimental values. Adsorption model by Dubinin and colleagues (Dubinin, 1960), based on the theory of volume filling micropores was used to fit the measured adsorption isotherms. Agreement between the modelled and experimental results for GAC and PAD 910 polystyrenic resin using Dubinin-Radushkevich equation generally improved with increasing the surface area and produced reasonable fits of the adsorption isotherms for both GAC and PAD 910 polystyrenic resin. Granular activated carbon had a lesser performance compared to the PAD 910 polystyrenic resin, in terms of kinetic studies, and this finding was attributed to the pore structure which made accessibility of BTEX molecules more difficult in this study. The results indicate that PAD 910 polystyrenic resin show potential as an adsorbent for removing low concentrations of BTEX from wastewater. It is suggested that necessary treatment of GAC might improve the performance of this adsorbent by creating more mesopore volume and fraction which is essential to enhance adsorption rate. A substantial different SSA could be achieved through high porosity development in GAC by using templating method with a higher potassium hydroxide mixture ratio.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Department of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is a major health problem and a leading cause of disability worldwide, accounting for numerous medical and chiropractic consultations. Risk factors for developing as well as perpetuating LBP have been recognised, including psychosocial factors and to a lesser extent organic diseases. There is good evidence for the role of biological, psychological, and social factors in the aetiology and prognosis of back pain. The biopsychosocial model developed by Waddell (1987) has become a dominant consideration in determining the aetiology and prognosis of back pain, and has led to the development and testing of many back pain care interventions. This includes a focus on identifying and treating ‘yellow flags’ which are psychosocial factors that may result in LBP becoming chronic, and incorporating the treatment of these ‘yellow flags’ as a component of LBP care. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine a psychometric profile of patients attending the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Chiropractic Day Clinic (CDC) with non-specific LBP using the Keele STarT Back Screening Tool (SBST) and Bournemouth Questionnaire (BQ). METHODOLOGY: Once ethical clearance was obtained to conduct the research study at the DUT CDC, all patients over the age of eighteen presenting to the DUT CDC with non-specific LBP as new patients, or as former or current patients presenting with non-specific LBP as a new complaint, were directly approached by the researcher. The prospective participants were asked a series of screening questions in order to ensure that they qualified for the study. A total of 132 participants completed an informed consent, a pre-validated questionnaire, the SBST and the BQ. The questionnaires took approximately ten to fifteen minutes to complete; participants were given the choice to complete them either before or after their appointment so as not to interrupt the treatment time. All informed consents and completed questionnaires were collected by the researcher and stored in separate sealed ballot boxes. All questionnaires were kept confidential and only seen by the researcher and supervisor. A code was allocated to each questionnaire before data was captured on a spreadsheet for data analysis. The IBM SPSS version 22 was used for data analysis by a biostatistician. RESULTS: A total of 132 questionnaires were utilised for statistical analysis. Based on the SBST, 47.7% (n = 63) of the total population (N = 132), had a low risk of developing chronic LBP, 28.8% (n = 38) had a medium risk of developing chronic LBP, and 23.5 % (n = 31) had a high risk of developing chronic LBP. The BQ indicated that 63.6% (n = 84) of the total population (N = 132) scored 35 or less and thus had a low risk of developing chronic LBP, while 36.4% (n = 48) scored above 35 and thus had a medium to high risk of developing chronic LBP. A very strong association was found between the SBST and BQ risk groups (p = <0.001). A total of 87.1% (n = 27) of the participants who had a high risk of chronicity according to the SBST (N = 31) also had a high risk of chronicity according to the BQ. The female gender, being a current smoker and partaking in little or no physical activity were found to be statistically significant risk factors for chronic LBP. CONCLUSION: The results in this study suggest that patients presenting to the DUT CDC supports the notion that chronic LBP is a multifactorial condition with significant psychosocial implications and should be approached as such. / M

Questions have been raised regarding factors influencing fertility in South Africa, particularly within the different population groups. Various studies have focused on fertility in South Africa and other developing countries, based on racial differences, socio-economic statuses and geographical or environmental factors. It is clear that the major omission in the existing studies is the much-needed investigation of cultural influences on fertility outcomes. Therefore, this study is an investigation of the role of culture in influencing fertility behaviour among young women at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban. The central question of this paper is therefore: how does culture influence fertility behaviour among young university women? To respond to this question, the study used John Bongaarts' theory on proximate determinants of fertility as lenses for this investigation. A qualitative research design was used to collect data through 14 individual in-depth interviews with multiracial and multicultural women between the ages of 22 and 31. A thematic analysis revealed that culture still plays a significant role in determining fertility outcomes. Although the participants are aware of the conservative stand of their cultures and religions, the results indicate that their personal choices for fertility behaviour are influenced by education and desire for success in their careers. In addition, the findings showed that the extent to which culture influences fertility behaviour is different across the various racial groups in South Africa. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree of Technology: Marketing in the Department of Marketing, Technikon Natal, 2001. / The purpose of this investigation is to define the level of socio-economic empowerment of South African women by identifying their lingerie buying behaviour in the Durban area. This research set out to establish if there are relationships between the following three variables: * The level of emancipation of women - If they are high or low In socio-economic emancipation according to criteria identified in the literature review * Their buying motivations - When buying lingerie, do they consider it as a pleasurable and enjoyable experience or a task to complete? * The type of shops they patronise - Shops with a high level of service or self-service shops In order to reach this aim, the literature review provided information about the evolution of women since the beginning of the 1960's, about the evolution of South African women, especially since the end of the Apartheid system, and finally, about the influence of these evolutionary changes on fashion and on the lingerie field in particular. The purpose was to emphasise the link that exists between the level of empowerment of women and their fashion buying habits. Thus, it has been established that women do not only buy to please the members of their family, but also to affirm their personal identity. Moreover, four categories of women were identified according to their level of emancipation; that is, whether they are career oriented (plan to work or career women) or whether they are home ivprevent / M

Mini-dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Education, Technikon Natal, 2002. / South Africa has been undergoing political change and this has impacted on education. There have been major shifts in education policy, structures and curriculum. Stakeholders in education and teachers, in particular, have had to cope with this new reality. As a result of the changes in education, teachers have been confronted with a variety of problems such as fewer resources, an increase in working hours and having to perform numerous administrative and fund-raising tasks. New school management structures have been established, class sizes have been altered and Outcomes-based Education has been introduced. Poor working conditions, increased workload, role conflict and ambiguity, the threat of redundancy and re-deployment, time pressures and pupil problems are additional stressors that teachers find themselves exposed to at school. These are but some of the stressors that have contributed towards teachers experiencing stress at school and which have impacted negatively on their work performance. However, at both the Education Department level as well as at school level, very little appears to be done to address the problem of teacher stress despite the negative impact that teacher stress has on the work performance of teachers. In order for schools to function efficiently and effectively, school management authorities will have to devise appropriate strategies to manage teacher stress. This study is confined to those aspects of teacher stress that impact negatively on teacher performance and that are within the scope of the principal's responsibilities at school. It Page vii investigates whether teacher stress is a management issue by examining its impact on the work performance of teachers at school, identifies school-based and school-related stressors and presents a set of recommendations that can be used by school principals to manage teacher stress in secondary schools. The findings of this study are also compared with the / M

Apartheid helped create enclaves of safety and familiarity for some communities in South Africa, making those communities impermeable to outside influences, preserving class, culture, caste, religion and race into neat little packages. The demise of apartheid broke those enclaves, changing the landscape of those comfort zones and forcing them to reimagine a new sense of community. Clutching onto the remnants of this past, yet wanting liberation and economic change, these communities are fast learning that some things have got to give. Tongaat, a town constituted like most other South African Indian townships, is one that I grew up in. This research project is my personal journey in which I recount my own memories of the town’s culture, caste system and racial divides using the safety net of being an outsider yet having the privilege of being an insider. Through interviews I investigate if the residents of the town have taken possession of their new political freedoms since the end of apartheid from a class, culture, caste, race and economic perspective. I examine the policy interventions that were introduced in relation to land reform, housing, education and socio-economic empowerment to enable change on the social front. Have these interventions impacted on the lives of the towns inhabitants and what is the future of Tongaat? / XL2018

Throughout history the discipline of psychology has been dominated by the study of mental illness as opposed to mental wellness. The introduction of positive psychology has caused a shift from the bias towards mental illness to a focus on psychological wellbeing. The aim of positive psychology is to begin to catalyse a change in the focus of psychology from preoccupation only with repairing the worst in life to building positive qualities. This has resulted in an increase of studies on positive traits and feelings. In light of this, work engagement has become a focus area particularly given that research has shown that disengagement or alienation at the workplace is central to the problem of employees’ lack of commitment and motivation. It is therefore important to understand why some employees stay engaged at work even whilst facing challenges with constant change and why others disengage at work. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between three psychological conditions namely psychological meaningfulness, psychological safety, and psychological; availability; job characteristics; and work engagement. Furthermore, the study sought to investigate the mediating effects of psychological conditions on the relationship between work engagement and job characteristics. A survey design was used with a questionnaire as a data gathering instrument. The sample consisted of 150 employees of a university. Descriptive statistics (e.g. mean and standard deviations), Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients and multiple regressions were used to analyse the data. The results showed that psychological meaningfulness was the strongest predictor of work engagement and that it fully mediated the relationship between job characteristics (job enrichment, work role fit and rewarding co-worker relations). Psychological availability did not predict work engagement but indicated a statistically significant correlation with cognitive, emotional and psychical resources. Limitations in this research are identified and recommendations are made for future research. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Orientation: Teachers have a vital role to play within any society. Of late, it can be seen that, generally, teachers within South African schools are becoming increasingly unhappy and dissatisfied with their work. This can be seen as a result of the various strikes and protests over the recent years. Since the South African education system is still very much fragmented and unequal, a legacy of the apartheid era, teachers working within former model C schools, in particular, can be seen as having numerous job demands placed on them in spite of low levels of job resources with which to cope. It is thus important to determine the impact that certain job resources and job demands have on the levels of work engagement and organisational commitment of teachers working within former model C schools in particular. Research Purpose: The purpose of this research was three-fold. Firstly, to determine the relationship between work engagement, organisational commitment, job resources and job demands. Secondly, to determine whether a differentiated approach to job demands (challenge demands and hindrance demands) impacted on positive organisational outcomes, such as work engagement. Thirdly, to determine the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between certain job resources and organisational commitment; and between challenge job demands and organisational commitment. Motivation for the Study: This study was aimed at enabling an identification of the relationship between work engagement, organisational commitment, job resources and job demands. Further, the study was aimed at identifying the impacting role that specific job resources and job demands have on positive organisational outcomes, such as work engagement and organisational commitment. Research Design, Approach and Method: A cross-sectional survey design was used. A sample (n= 117) was taken from teachers working at former model C high schools in Durban North, KwaZulu-Natal. A demographic questionnaire, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) and Job Demands-Resources Scale (JDRS) were used to collect data from the sample. Main Findings: The findings of the study suggest that job resources are positively related to work engagement. The differentiated classification of job demands within the study was tested in terms of its relationship with work engagement. Interestingly it was found that overload (a challenge job demand) was both statistically as well as practically significantly related to work engagement; while job insecurity (a hindrance job demand) was not. Further, it was found that the job resources of organisational support and growth opportunities held predictive value for work engagement. Lastly, findings suggested that work engagement mediated the relationship between job resources and the positive organisational outcome of organisational commitment. The hypothesised mediating role that work engagement could play in the relationship between overload (a challenge job demand) and organisational commitment could not be tested in the present study. Practical/Managerial Implications: Job resources play a vital role in harnessing positive organisational outcomes such as work engagement and organisational commitment. Further, some job demands are positively related to work engagement. Therefore, managers and heads of schools need to look seriously at evaluating the state of the job demands and resources that are available to their teaching staff, and implement interventions that could increase various job resources and decrease major hindrance demands faced by teachers. These interventions could go a great way in developing more work-engaged as well as organisationally committed teachers. Contribution/Value-Add: The present research study contributes greatly to the knowledge pertaining to teachers working within former model C high schools within South Africa. Further the present study can be seen to extend the existing literature with regards to the Job Demands-Resource Model by adopting a differentiated approach to job demands and thus consequently investigating the positive relationships that certain job demands may have in terms of organisational outcomes. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

This study was a qualitative exploration of women’s work – life balance over the life course in retail management. Ten women who worked in the centre management of a mall in Durban were interviewed between June 2011 and August 2011. Through the use of thematic analysis, five themes were identified. These themes are: (a) the integration of work and life roles (b) the career as a learning process which is personally meaningful, (c) the retail industry and people dynamics (d) the value of time and (f) perceived autonomy among options for work and life development. The experiences of the participants were integrated with literature to arrive at an in depth understanding of the experiences of women’s work- life balance within retail. The findings suggest that work-life balance within retail is perceived as a subjective, continuous experience which changes over time. Moreover, there is integration of work and life roles. The study contributes to the evolving body of knowledge on work-life balance of women within the retail sector; it also provides a unique context specific perspective to the understanding of work- life balance. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.