M.Sc. / Estuaries are regarded as South Africa's most productive ecosystems due to the important functions that they perform, such as providing nursery areas and feeding sites for juvenile macro-invertebrate and fish species. Furthermore, ecologically healthy estuaries are not only of critical importance since they facilitate the provision and recirculation of nutrients, they also provide conduits for catadromous or anadromous fish and act as buffers during floods. In South Africa these functions are continuously threatened by residential and/or industrial developments. It is thus essential to determine the ecological integrity (structure and function) of these systems. An ecological integrity study was carried out on the Mvoti Estuary, KwaZulu-Natal during 2004/2005. An ecological integrity study was also carried out on the Amatigulu/Nyoni Estuary, KwaZulu–Natal during the same period and was used as a reference study. The ecological integrity of the Mvoti Estuary was assessed in terms of the effects of selected abiotic drivers on specific biological responses. The study was carried out according to the guidelines of the ecological reserve determination methodologies and the resource directed measures for aquatic resources as set out by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. Surveys were carried out during low flow (September 2004) and high flow (March 2005) periods. Abiotic and biotic monitoring was carried out at four sites on the Mvoti Estuary and five sites on the Amatigulu/Nyoni Estuary. The abiotic components, such as the substrate composition and physico-chemical properties of the water and sediment, was analysed using standard methods. Biological monitoring included the study of the benthic macro-invertebrate-, ichthyofaunal- and avifaunal communities. The biotic and abiotic components were analysed using various indices, where applicable. The ecological integrity of a system can be assessed on the basis of its ability to carry out its natural functions. Results show that various anthropogenic activities in the upper reaches of the Mvoti River contributed to the highly modified state of the Mvoti Estuary. The abiotic drivers of the aquatic system that contributed to the modified state of the Mvoti Estuary is unacceptable water quality, a loss and/or modification of habitat and an altered hydrological pattern. As a result of the abiotic drivers, results show that the xi ichthyofaunal-, macro-invertebrate- and, to a lesser degree, the avifaunal communities also reside in a modified state. Physico-chemical, geomorphological and hydrological changes in this system resulted in the Mvoti Estuary suffering a loss in both its biological and ecological function as well as aesthetic value. It is apparent from the above that there is not only a need for rehabilitation, but also a need for an effective and continuous management strategy. This management strategy can only be successful if the biomonitoring of the system includes the effects at both economical and social levels.

This research report is based on the Qualitative Research Study conducted at the Masakhane and Madadeni Circuits in Northern KwaZulu Natal. The purpose of this production is to have a frame of reference for currently practising educators in the main stream and the orientation of the newcomers in the field of primary School Science Education. The report will assist educators to develop their skills, confidence and enthusiasm towards promoting learner-centred and activity-based teaching and learning. I believe that learners learn best when their minds are actively manipulating ideas and their hands are actively manipulating material. I also value the participation of educators to, in a collaborative way, effectively utilise the ideas reflected in this research report. South Africa desperately needs to achieve equitable development, in an ever more competitive world economy. Learners therefore, must be prepared to enter a job market where an increasing number of jobs require scientific understanding. Science education must also ensure scientific literacy, so that every learner is prepared to participate in a democracy where an increasing number of issues have a scientific dimension. Because of poor basic Science Education, most Black learners are already effectively eliminated from a pathway leading to careers in Science and Technology, before they have even reach Secondary School. The legacy of unequal access to quality education cannot be wished away over night. For this reason, this research maintains its focus on historically Black schools. Poor teaching strategies can be traced back to the escalating crisis in Black Education in the 1960s and 1970s. In the absence of a legitimate and caring Government, it was left to interested people in civil society to address the problem. It is for this reason that I became interested in investing in the development of Black primary School Science educators in particular. I presume that the exposure to my findings will propose a broader view of educator development, taking into account the wider range of skills that educators need to implement, and to improve teaching methods in the classroom which include among others: • Subject knowledge • Practical competence with experiments • Classroom management skills • Apparatus management skills • Pedagogical skills • Language skills However, because of our unparalleled and hard won experience in the field, I believe my research will be of interest to all primary School Science educators to enhance their knowledge in the field of primary School Science Education. Apart from the findings that will be discussed in one of the chapters, this report recognises the necessity of: • An activity-based approach to Science teaching and learning underpinned by critical reflection. • The empowerment of educators for self-development and professional growth within a collaborative learning environment. • The institutionalisation of sustainable teaching, learning and management processes driven by self-reliant educators. • Acknowledging the rights of participation of relevant stakeholders in decision-making and corresponding accountability. • The development of a socially responsible, scientific and technological culture that enhances life-skills, vocational opportunities and public commitment to economic development in a healthy environment. Vaughn’s (1976:24) opinion is still relevant when he says: “All individuals have a role in developing and sharing accountability for the effective implementation of the educational goals developed. The result will enhance the process and lead to the ultimate goal of quality education for all children.” / Dr. M.C van Loggerenberg

D.Phil. / The SA clothing industry shed over 67 000 jobs in the past three years (Bell, 2006). There was a possibility that more jobs may be shed in the South African clothing industry over the next few years (Bell, 2006). The SA Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU) reached a wage agreement with nine clothing employer associations for a 5% increase in urban areas and between 6.4% and 8.3% for non-metro areas in 2006 (Reeder, 2006).The cut, make and trim (CMT) industries who were registered with the bargaining council found it a financial burden to negotiate wage increases yearly as production costs were escalating and organisations found it difficult to compete both nationally and internationally. If laying off of workers in the clothing industry continues, the unemployment rate would continue to rise, thus increasing the poverty levels in South Africa. The SA clothing industry in particular was being challenged by forces both externally and internally. Global competition, market performance and the changing technology were some of the factors that affected the industry. This study aims to highlight the importance of existing practices that, if implemented systematically, could improve the current plight of clothing manufacturers (Urbach, 2006). The methodology of the research comprises a qualitative exploratory and descriptive design. The purpose of exploration was to gain insight into current manufacturing practices by systematic observation and discussions at clothing manufacturers in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Personal and telephonic interviews, discussions and direct observation were used to gain insight into the issues and strategies employed. Relevant literature in conjunction with national and international manufacturing trends was used to create a framework of best practices. Parts of the framework were tested at clothing manufacturers in the Durban region. A sample of clothing manufacturers were targeted by categorizing them into three groups, namely small, medium and large manufacturers. Case study type comparisons were made at various locations to analyse the strategies employed. The objective of the framework aims to enhance current practices through the employment of best practices found in industrial engineering, operations management and quality management. This would assist manufacturers in improving their productivity levels, meeting lead times, reducing costs of manufacture and providing the customer with a quality product at a market related price. By implementing a systematic approach to continuous improvement, manufacturers would be able to distinguish themselves from competitors.

M.Comm. / The aim of this study was to analyse and discuss the importance of rural advancement in the development of developing regions or countries, and KwaZulu-Natal was used as a case study. The literature focused on the backwardness of the rural areas and the importance of rural advancement for the development of less developed regions or countries. Development cannot be said to have taken place unless people's lives in general have improved. Large parts of developing regions or countries consists of rural areas. Furthermore, it appears that a large proportion of the population in the developing regions or countries live in rural areas. Rural advancement will, therefore, play a crucial role in the development of developing regions or countries. Amongst other things, it will improve the lives of the people living in rural areas, it will provide markets for both local factor inputs and locally produced goods and services, it will redistribute national income, it will reverse rural-urban migration by providing employment opportunities in the rural areas, and in general it will stimulate the rural economy. KwaZulu-Natal is one of the poorest provinces in South Africa, and a large proportion of KwaZulu-Natal's population live in non-urban areas. The development of KwaZulu-Natal will therefore to a great extent depend on the development of its rural parts. The rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal are subject to a number of factors that results in underdevelopment. Rural KwaZulu-Natal is poverty-stricken, low levels of human development prevail, there are high rates of unemployment, low productivity, low economic activity, and in general people in rural KwaZulu-Natal are subject to low standards of living. Economic activities in the province are concentrated to a large extent in the urban areas of the province. This suggests that development initiatives of the past were not focused on rural KwaZulu-Natal. Rural KwaZulu-Natal is also subject to high rates of political conflict, crime and violence which have hindered the development of the province. The provision of social and basic services in rural KwaZulu-Natal is inadequate, and the province is subject to environmental degradation. The study confirmed that rural advancement - through stimulation of the economic, social, political, and environmental dimensions of development - will play a crucial role in the future development of less developed regions or countries, in general.

D. Litt et Phil. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

HIV/AIDS has exacted a devastating death toll on sub-Saharan Africa. Of the African countries South Africa has been the hardest hit by the epidemic. Young people between the ages 15-24 have been identified as the group most at risk for contracting HIV. The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been shown to decrease opportunistic infections and increase lifespan and quality of life of HIV infected people. VCT is an entry point to accessing life saving treatment as well as psycho-emotional and social support. A concern is that not all people who are at risk for VCT get tested. It is important to examine which psychosocial factors affect the uptake of VCT. A questionnaire that measures willingness to test for HlV and various other psychosocial and socio-demographic factors affecting VCT uptake, was administered to a group of first year psychology students, (N= 181). Chi Square (X2 ) analysis determined that knowledge of HIV transmission, knowledge of VCT, fear of testing, perceived social support and perceived social stigma were significantly associated with willingness to test for HIV (p / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

Objective: To determine the role of candidate gene polymorphisms in patients who sustained myocardial infarction at a young age and examine their relationship, if any, to risk factors. Since angiotensin II is known to play a pathophysiological role at the myocardial and vascular level, the genes to be studied are those regulating the renin angiotensin system and tissue metabolism. Design: The risk factors and genetic profile is described in 117 young Indians with myocardial infarction recruited over a period of thirty months (Dec 1997 - Jun 1999). Controls comprised 80 normal subjects with no clinical evidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and with a normal effort response. The key features of this study are the selection of young subjects with myocardial infarction, (mean age 43 ± 6.8 years) in whom the possibility of a genetic basis for the disease was felt to be more likely since the confounding effect of age as a risk factor was reduced. Setting: Patients recruited 3 -12 months after myocardial infarction from Addington Hospital, Durban. This hospital subserves the Indian community in the north of Durban. The majority of patients were from the Phoenix settlement area. Results: 1. The clinical profile of the young Indian with myocardial infarction is a young man, slightly overweight with a high prevalence of risk factors, particularly smoking and diabetes, coupled with sedentary behaviour and risk-prone dietary patterns characterised by high red meat intake and low fruit and vegetable consumption, resulting in increased BMI and W/H ratios. 2. There were no differences in the patterns of gene polymorphism in the reninangiotensin system between the study and control groups. This finding extended across all candidate gene loci studied i.e. those involving aldosterone, G-protein, TGF-B and homocysteine metabolism. Serum triglycerides, haemoglobin AlC and urine microalbumin levels were elevated in the probands together with low HDL-C levels (p = 0.001). 3. A striking finding of this study was the substantial proportion of patients found to have diabetes mellitus, totalling 47% of the proband group. Of the 53 diabetic patients, (45 males and 8 females) four (3 males, 1 female) had impaired glucose tolerance. Cigarette smoking, a positive family history of hypertension/diabetes and a family history for premature CHD emerged as important risk predictors for MI. Conclusion: This study, the first to report candidate gene polymorphisms in young Indians with coronary heart disease, has shown no obvious association between the genetic loci studied and acute myocardial infarction. Instead a high prevalence of risk factors, particularly smoking and diabetes mellitus, coupled with coronary-prone behavioural patterns was observed. In the light of these findings, genome-wide screening of unaffected siblings of subjects with early onset CHD cannot be recommended in this population until common polymorphisms can be clearly identified as risk factors. Indeed this study again supports the dire need for early, school level, education in behavioural lifestyle patterns and disease predisposition. The Indian community is a very high-risk group who should be targeted, not for secondary, but for primordial disease prevention measures. The study does not rule out the role of other candidate gene polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of CHD in these subjects. The high prevalence of diabetes and insulin resistance suggests that studies of genes regulating glucose and lipid metabolism should be pursued. Such candidate genes should include genes for lipoprotein lipase and paraoxonase polymorphisms which may explain the dyslipidaemia patterns in this group. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.

No abstract available. / Thesis (MPA)-University of Durban-Westville, 2003.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 375-396). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Central Florida, 2008. / Adviser: Ezekiel Ayodele Walker. Includes bibliographical references (p. 86-88).