PhD (African Studies) / Centre for African Studies / This interdisciplinary study examined witchcraft beliefs and criminal responsibility in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The unshakeable deep rooted and profound cultural beliefs of African people do not find expression in written law and therefore introduce a mismatch between law as the people live it and law as contained in the statute books. The aim of this interpretive doctrinal (legal) and qualitative research study was two-fold. Firstly, it sought to evaluate and assess the influence of African value systems particularly ethical ideas on the development of criminal responsibility. Secondly, it undertook a comparative examination of the criminal responsibility of actors who commit crimes while labouring under belief in witchcraft. The research, therefore, undertook a comparative examination of the criminal responsibility of actors who commit crimes while labouring under the overpowering fear of belief in witchcraft. In that regard, the study was premised on and informed through theories of criminal punishment, a Human Rights Based Approach, psycho-analytic theory and socio-cultural theory. The primary motivation for the study was the need to address the mismatch of laws and African value systems and to add knowledge to the scholarly legal writing on beliefs in witchcraft. Explorative qualitative research methods of collecting data (case studies, semi-structured interviews and focus groups discussions) and the doctrinal methods of data collection (case law observation, newspaper reports and witchcraft legislations) were employed as the research methodologies for the purposes of this study. For social empirical findings to be useful in integrating with the legal issues, the study adopted an Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) perspective. Although customary practices play a very important role in the lives of the African people, some of the rules can no longer withstand constitutional scrutiny. The research findings confirmed the mismatch that exists between the African value systems and the law. The study unveiled that the African value systems of the two countries have been affected by modernity. Also, the two countries have similar laws governing the aspect of belief in witchcraft that are weak and archaic thus introducing a lacuna in the

MA (African Studies) / Centre for African Studies / This study explored indigenous medicinal knowledge of Phonda in the Vhembe District. It has been noticed that phonda is becoming a scarce crop. The objectives entail seeking to solicit information on the uses of phonda, to understand the attitudes of local households towards phonda and to establish what can be done to restore the cultivation of phonda. The study used qualitative method involving unstructured interviews to collect and thematically analyse data. Purposive sampling and snowballing methods were used to make up the study sample. From literature, it is known that traditional health practitioners used phonda for treatment of certain diseases and illnesses. Phonda is no longer common, but the study sought to encourage the cultivation of phonda. The study employed an Afrocentric paradigm of social change as the conceptual framework. The study found that many households no longer plough phonda as they used to in the past. The study recommends that people should be educated on the importance of phonda to encourage them to plough it. Additionally, the researcher recommends further studies into different purposes of phonda and areas to boost its farming.

MAAS / Centre for African Studies / The aim of the study was to examine the challenges experienced at male initiation schools in the Eastern Cape Province, Mthatha District. It is alleged that during the month of June every year, some boys die at initiation schools mostly in Eastern Cape Province. One of the reasons of the cause of death is because some of them attend illegal initiation schools. The overall objectives were to explore the role of initiation schools, to assess the regulations that govern the opening and running of initiation schools, to identify palliatives that can be put in place to curb negative implications at initiation schools. The study was founded on the following theoretical framework to attain its findings; the socio-cultural theory. This study utilised the qualitative research design. Data collection methods included one-on-one interviews, un-structured interviews and focus groups. The study informants were selected using purposeful sampling technique and snow-balling sampling. The study of examining the challenges experienced at male initiation schools submits appropriate recommendations which may help in the effective indigenous knowledge management, curb unethical practices and challenges associated with the running of male initiation schools and sharing strategies in South Africa, other African countries and the world at large, particularly communities that still follow the cultural practice of male initiation. The study recommends that parliamentary legislative framework (policy) on initiation rite should be standardised and promulgated. Also, traditional leadership must have the powers over all matters of initiation rite and initiation schools in particular. Lastly, the study recommends that for future research, the use of male researchers would be advisable to allow more probing.