This dissertation describes a study undertaken in Limpopo Province and is based on the GPAP project which was created under the auspices of LIMPAST through an established working partnership of ARC-GCI and LDA extension services. The study aimed at analysing the impact of the Grain Production Advancement Project on farmers’ production efficiency; and to determine factors that could have possibly affected the implementation of improved maize cultivars and essential maize production practices at farmer level. In essence, two important phenomena of the study are addressed: train-the-trainer, and also train the farmer. Through the GPAP project, farmer groups were formed and capacitated. Extension officers seconded to the project were also capacitated to implement the project through On-farm trials, Demonstrations and Farmer Field Schools. A combination of explorative and conceptual analytical techniques was used for data analysis. Explorative analysis was meant to present frequency analysis, and descriptive statistics. In conceptualization analysis, content analysis was used to confirm the descriptions of behaviour and content of documents. Three checklists were administered to respondents. The first checklist was used to ensure efficient group functioning of farmer groups, the second checklist was used to determine mobilisation of farmer groups and the third checklist determined the extent to which leader farmers implemented the training program for Aganang leader farmer group. A questionnaire was also used to determine extension officers’ perceptions on the following aspects: <ul> <li> Farmer participation;</li> <li> Implementation tools;</li> <li> Production efficiency; and</li> <li> Factors that led to poor implementation.</li> </ul> A Screening Instrument was used to predict the chances of the selected individual leader farmers from the Aganang district, to be successful in farming. Findings from the study indicate that 12 on-farm trials were successfully implemented and managed by extension staff and Farmer Field days were well attended in the first two seasons on the project. Farmer groups were formed and respondents revealed that the utmost reason for the formation of a group was to improve their maize production and to increase knowledge and skills. Only 33% of the groups have reached the task/performance stage of group effectiveness. The farmer groups performed on an average level due to the following reasons; there is still a dependency syndrome in farmer groups and a need to improve ownership acceptance by farmers. Extension respondents perceive that for a farmer group to perform efficiently the following needs to be in place: cohesiveness and teamwork, common goal, commitment, interest, self-reliance, participation and ownership. A total of 63% of small-scale farmers have only access to less than one (1) ha of arable land. Adoption of maize cultivars was to a moderate extent and 40% of farmers implemented the recommended farming practices to a great extent. The utmost farmer constraints that were attributed to farmers’ low implementation of farming practices included; drought, land shortage, financial support and labour shortage. However, there was a positive increase in the use of hybrid seed which also improved farmer’s maize productivity levels. In the Aganang municipality, a total of 20 leader farmers were selected for a leadership development program. Nineteen leader farmers completed a Screening Instrument to determine their chances to be successful in farming. The Screening Instrument revealed that only one (1) respondent had a 50% chance to be successful, and three respondents revealed a 26-49% chance to be successful. The Aganang leadership development program provided skills and knowledge to farmers and it was revealed that the leader farmers implemented the skills only to a moderate extent. Overall, the GPAP project had a positive impact on farmer’s productivity efficiency but there is need for a re-look at the project with special attention to the following: <ul> <li> Identification of high potential dry land production areas;</li> <li> The majority of farmer groups are too large and should be divided into smaller groups with clear, specific and measurable objectives; and</li> <li>Serious attention should be given to selected farmers with the best chance of success to participate in the project.</li></ul> Copyright / Dissertation (MSc(Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

This study focused on analysing the production and marketing constraints that often prevent smallholder farmers from accessing high-value markets in the agribusiness value chain. Access to markets is an essential requirement for the poor in rural areas to enjoy the benefits of agricultural growth. Limited access to agricultural markets by smallholder farmers in rural areas represents one of the most important challenges confronting policymakers in developing countries. Several studies have indicated how smallholder farmers can be linked to markets, but they have failed to address issues of how to increase the likelihood of smallholder farmers benefiting from high-value markets. Due to the stringent sourcing criteria of formal markets, small-scale farmers are excluded from the agricultural value chains. It may be easy to access the market, but it is very difficult for smallholder farmers to retain that market. This is attributed to the fact that smallholder farmers face various constraints along the value chain such as production and marketing constraints. The main objective of this study was to identify and analyse the constraints confronting smallholder farmers in the Limpopo Province and to suggest different strategies that can be used to make it easier for smallholder farmers to access high-value markets in the agribusiness value chain. This was achieved through personal interviews in two districts, i.e. the Capricorn and Vhembe districts. Primary data was obtained through structured questionnaires in both districts. These two districts were chosen due to their uniqueness with regard to agricultural potential, with smallholder farmers in both districts being heterogeneous and confronting different constraints in producing and marketing their products. Producing for the market calls for production resources, including production means such as land, water, on-farm and off-farm infrastructure, labour force, capital, and good management of these resources. Poor access to these resources affects the way in which smallholder farmers can benefit from opportunities in agricultural markets, especially in terms of the volume of products traded and the quality and quantity of those products. Based on the surveys employed for purposes of this study, the participation of smallholder farmers in high-value markets is constrained as a result of poor access to comprehensive agricultural support services. There are relatively few direct linkages between smallholder farmers and fresh produce markets, supermarkets, and agro-processors. The majority of sales by farmers are at either the local market or the farm gate level. Few farmers have access to basic production equipment and infrastructure. A range of impediments to participation in high-value markets were identified. These include lack of access to sufficient and productive land for expansion, sufficient water, modern irrigation systems, mechanisation, transport logistics, and market information. These constraints constitute the greatest barrier for smallholder farmers when it comes to accessing high-value markets, and overcoming these constraints is critical if smallholder farmers are to access lucrative markets. There is relatively low participation among farmers in collective action, more especially at production and marketing levels. The study found that smallholder farmers in the Vhembe district have a comparative advantage in terms of vegetable production compared to those in the Capricorn district. Smallholder farmers in the Vhembe district are better linked to agro-processors, fresh-produce markets and supermarkets as compared to farmers in the Capricorn district – even though this is the case for only a few individual farmers. The study also found that individual producers have greater access to on-farm infrastructure and also perform better and have closer links to formal markets compared to projects owned by groups of households. The results of the study suggest that smallholder farmers who are currently not participating in high-value markets could improve their participation if they are given access to comprehensive agricultural support services. More attention must be given to supporting smallholder farmers in both districts to ensure that they engage in commercial production and participate in high-value markets on a sustainable basis. This could only happen if their constraints along the value chain are addressed. The major challenge confronting policymakers is to create an enabling environment for smallholder farmers and empower them to produce high volumes of good-quality products on a consistent and sustainable basis. / Dissertation (MInstAgrar)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

The Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) is the largest layered mafic intrusion in the world and contains the largest known deposits of vanadium, chromium and Platinum group elements on the planet, as well as large deposits of iron, nickel, copper, tin and fluorite. To aid and improve our understanding of the tectonics that prevailed during the emplacement of the Bushveld Complex relevant data can still be extracted from the metamorphic aureole of the Complex, not the least among which are accurate determinations of pressure conditions during peak metamorphism. A relatively large number of geothermobarometric investigations have been performed on the Bushveld Complex aureole. The summation of all the thermobarometric studies on the Bushveld Complex aureole produces a dataset with largely divergent pressure-estimates, ranging from 1.5 kbar to 5.5 kbar. This study’s main aim was to produce new thermobarometric data for the Eastern Bushveld Complex aureole. To this ends metapelites from the aureole were sampled between Lydenburg and somewhat northwest of Penge. Polished thin-sections were produced for a number of samples and studied under microscope. After XRF analyses were performed on a refined number of samples, pseudosections for these samples were produced using Perplex. Electron microprobe analyses were used to analyze mineral chemistries of five samples and the resultant data used to construct isopleths for these samples in Perplex. The isopleth data was then used to scrutinize and, where possible, refine PT-estimates. The principal results obtained from mineral equilibrium modeling were the pseudosections and isopleths of samples DY09-54 and DY09-56. These samples’ cumulate results suggest that the metapelites of their sampling locality, which lies roughly ~36 km northwest of Penge, reached 530-565 ºC and 2230-2960 bar during peak metamorphism. Modelled isopleths of MnO/(MnO+CaO+FeO+MgO) suggest that these estimates be refined to 550 ± 5 ºC and 2650 ± 20 bar. These pressure estimates agree well with the majority of barometric studies in the literature that post-date the nineteen-eighties. The pressure estimates of 2230-2960 bar suggest that DY09-54 and DY09-56 were at a crustal depth of 7.9-10.4 km during peak metamorphism, assuming that a roughly 1.5 km thick load of rock, mainly of the Rooiberg Group and/or the Lebowa Granite Suite, were situated above the Rustenburg Layered Suite and at the top of the pile that overlay the samples. In such a case the Rustenburg Layered Suite’s contribution to the load would have represented a 4.2-6.7 km thick pile of these mafic rocks and, assuming that the load of Pretoria Group strata in the floor to the Complex had a thickness of 2350 m, the base of the Rustenburg Layered Suite would have been at a crustal depth of 5.6-8.0 km during peak metamorphism and directly above samples DY09-54 and DY09-56. Modelled palaeogeotherms together with the peak-metamorphic crustal depths estimated for samples DY09-54 and DY09-56 suggest that at peak metamorphism the samples’ temperatures had been elevated by no less than 320-355 °C, assuming that no thermal metamorphic effect was active on the samples just prior to the intrusion of the Bushveld Complex. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Geology / unrestricted

The work for this thesis was conducted on the basement lithologies of the Limpopo Province in South Africa. An investigation into the correlation between structural geology and the flow/occurrence of groundwater was conducted on these lithologies. Field measurements of geological structures were recorded and compared graphically and statistically to existing groundwater borehole data. Data analysis revealed that the structural geology in the basement lithologies of the Limpopo Province of South-Africa does not have a clearly identifiable influence in terms of spatial patterns in groundwater flow and occurrence at a regional scale. Groundwater targets created through weathering rather than tectonics were evidently more easily recognized. Structural controls on groundwater in the granitic aquifers from this specific area are not totally negligible, although it is believed that such influences will be better identified through intensive local scale investigations. As drilling for groundwater is an expensive practice, the knowledge gained through this study and the possibility of a correlation between groundwater flow/occurrence compared to structural geology might improve the odds of finding groundwater for the communities and farmers in the area. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Geology / unrestricted

The main objectives of this study are to investigate the feasibility of using Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry and to determine the extent to which the environment favours the use of Northern Sotho as a language of marketing, advertising, business and acquiring entrepreneurial skills. The investigation is characterised by a two-pronged approach to data collection: a questionnaire survey and focus group interviews. A wealth of data was produced by these means. The data from the first phase were captured and decoded in categories set out in frequency tables. The categories were reduced to thematic constructs. Data from the second phase were captured and encoded in transcripts that were later decoded and reduced to themes, categories and sub-categories. The identified themes are consolidated as follows: · The exclusive hegemonic use of English or Afrikaans as a communication barrier to non-native speakers of these languages in commerce and industry · Socio-economic background of respondents · Existence of language policies for workers in commerce and industry · Dispositions of mother-tongue speakers of Northern Sotho and other languages towards the prospective development and use of Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry · Feasibility of developing Northern Sotho lexicography and terminology for the purposes of commerce and industry. The question here is: How does one determine feasibility? Before this issue could be addressed another important and sensitive matter had to be considered: to determine whether native speakers of Northern Sotho and the other South African languages are favourably disposed towards the prospective development and use of Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry. A negligible percentage of respondents expressed negative sentiments in this regard (cf. outcomes of focus group interviews). A distinct majority (64,7%) of respondents who filled in questionnaires was not favourably disposed but a significant minority (35,3%) was positive. However, it should be noted that the questionnaire was not designed to reveal explicit allegiances; hence responses in this regard are somewhat open to interpretation. The first step towards determining the feasibility of developing and using Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry was to determine the current situation in this regard. English and Afrikaans were naturally found to be dominant in commerce and industry while Northern Sotho was used among friends and colleagues in informal situations. Only 3% of the respondents to the questionnaire survey indicated that they used Northern Sotho for transactional purposes in commercial and industrial settings, while 46,8% reported using a smattering of Northern Sotho in a variety of situations. The second step was to determine the effects that could be expected on the current hegemonic use of English or Afrikaans as languages of commerce and industry. Most respondents reported that a lack of proficiency in English prevented them from performing well in their jobs in commerce and industry and some reported that it had been a significant impediment to their efforts to secure employment. In most instances they had no option but to use English to interact with potential employers because it was the only language in common use in commercial and industrial settings. The third step was to determine whether the respondents were proficient in Northern Sotho. It transpired that 68% of them had no command of the language while some reported that they were still learning it. This could be the contingent of 17,8% referred to above since 50,2% reported that they never use Northern Sotho for purposes relating to commerce and industry. The fourth step was to look for a model of language acquisition that would suit the communication needs of anyone who wished to acquire a command of Northern Sotho for use in commerce and industry. Models have been discussed and one has been recommended. The researcher also conducted a survey to establish the extent to which language policy documents exist in commerce and industry. The results of the questionnaire survey revealed that 42 of the 201 respondents are familiar with the language policy or language practice of the company at their place of work. This was in contrast to all the respondents (in the focus group interviews) who seemed to be unaware of the existence of such policies at their places of work. The need to develop and extend targeted/dedicated lexicographic and terminological resources for the use of Northern Sotho in commerce and industry was also identified. / Prof. L. C. Posthumus

M.Ed. / The advent of computers and information technology in society has generally contributed to the rethinking of a range of the practices in the education system. Today’s students live in an increasingly complex technological world, and there has been an increase of the importance of technology in the world. The importance of computers in business and the society cannot be overemphasized and there is much need to incorporate them into the school curriculum to assist learners with expected skills. The effect of the global economy has influenced the importance of Information Technology in education. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the integration of computers in a selected rural South African secondary school in the Limpopo Province, situated in the Mopani District, one of the six in the province. Qualitative research approach is used in this study and the research method is a case study method. Data collection techniques for this study were done by means of interviews, observations, conversations and questionnaires. The research findings in this study indicated that learners and educators alike at the selected school are aware of the benefits of computers in education in general. Learners are aware that possessing computer skills might assist them one way or another when they search for employment after they finish their school. However it emerged that they are not provided with adequate opportunities to be able to acquire the necessary skills. Among the factors that emerged as obstacles to computer integration at the selected school were lack of teacher development, lack of government support, shortage of funds and skilled staff. Teacher training emerged as the most important aspect to be addressed because teachers play an important role in the education of learners. Continuous educator development should be a priority of the department of education. It is further recommended that there should be a way to look at the feasibility of policy frameworks.

The topic of the study is The Impact of HIV/AIDS and STIs in Secondary Schools in the Limpopo Province. The impact of HIV/AIDS and STDs on educators and learners in secondary schools is problematic. These epidemics are associated with an increase in absenteeism, requests for time off, emotional problems, changes in attitudes, overload on the side of teachers, unexpected deaths, increasing demands being made on medical aid schemes, as well as disability and malfunctioning of people and structures. The standard of education is deteriorating because of these diseases. Similarly, there is the need for managing the effects of these epidemics. This study employs participatory action research. The quantitative method is utilized in the study. The questionnaire is used as an instrument of measurement. The most important findings are as follows: • There is an increase in absenteeism for both learners and educators. • Learners’ performance is deteriorating. • Participation of learners in sport and extra-mural activities is decreasing. • Teachers’ productivity is deteriorating. • Depression is taking its toll both among learners and educators. • There is a high rate of dropouts. / Dr. M.C. van Loggerenberg

A review of case studies in community-based tourism (CBT) indicates that most initiatives emerged from a rather comprehensive critique of the international tourism industry and were part of the community’s movements searching for solutions to the many worrisome impacts generated by increasing mass tourism (Christensen, 2002&Pleumarom, 2002&Christ, 1998). These alternative tourism projects were certainly not without problems, but what is important to note is that they were genuinely owned and controlled by local people and their organizations without interference from government, business and international agencies. Commercialisation was seen as the main cause of tourism-related problems, so the motivation was not to establish profitable businesses. Rather, the priority was to expose visitors to the realities of Third World countries and to engender understanding and solidarity for peoples’ struggle against injustices and unwanted development schemes. This kind of community attitude is often rooted in tourism developers’ and researchers’ lack of understanding of community views and perceptions. A literature review revealed that resident perceptions of tourism are an important planning and policy consideration for the successful development, marketing, and operation of existing and future tourism programmes and projects. The research undertaken for this study aims to provide a better understanding of community perceptions surrounding tourism, as perceived by the residents of the Tshivhase area, a relatively newly established tourism destination in Venda, Limpopo Province, and draws implications for future marketing and sustainable tourism development. The study indicates variables that influenced community perceptions of tourists, tourism and their own cultural heritage and indicates its significance for the study area. It provides insights into community perceptions towards tourists, tourism and their cultural heritage in the tourism context by discussing research findings that were identified in the study area during the field research. Furthermore, the study identifies how the community perceive their own culture in respect to tourists’ culture and finally, how they perceive tourism to influence their own cultural traditions (socio-cultural Impacts of tourism). Finally, the study provides guidelines for an appropriate marketing approach for Community-based Tourism (CBT) and indicates the significance of community perceptions for sustainable CBT development. The semi-structured interviews produced a very large range of responses that were categorised by grouping community members according to their common socio-demographic characteristics. Education, age group and occupation Emerged as the most important variables. Community members in the Tshivhase area with similar socio-demographic characteristics in terms of education, age and occupation demonstrate similar perceptions, thus enabling the researcher to draw clear distinctions among them. On the one hand, the findings suggest that there is a high degree of agreement among respondents with regard to the positive economic and socio-cultural impacts of tourism on the area. On the other hand, despite their very favourable disposition towards the industry, respondents recognise the possibility that some negative social effects may ensue, despite their absence in the area thus far. In most cases, however, respondents are convinced that these negative consequences of tourism will not emerge in the area because of certain African practices such as the custodian role of the chief and the strong moral codes and values generally upheld within the community. Another important conclusion is that certain socio-demographic characteristics play an important role in understanding significant perceptual differences between Category A, B and C. The most crucial and explanatory of these were education, age, and occupation. Category B and C in particular demonstrate little understanding of the tourism industry as a result of low levels of education and limited exposure to the tourism industry. / Dissertation (MHCS (Heritage and Culture Tourism))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Anthropology and Archaeology / unrestricted

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / Introduction The aim of the study was to determine the knowledge and practices of health care workers on medical waste disposal at George Masebe Hospital, Waterberg District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Method A cross sectional study was conducted and simple random sampling was used to select participants. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaire which where total of 141 participants were sampled using the Slovin formula. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Version 22 and both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to answer the study objectives. Results The study shows that 43% of the respondents had good knowledge on medical waste disposal, 13% were not sure and 44% had insufficient knowledge. Forty nine percent (49%) of the respondents practiced safe medical waste disposal, 4, 3% were moderate in practice and 46, 1% had insufficient practice in place. There was no statistical significant relationship between knowledge and practice of medical waste disposal control measures of health care workers. Conclusion The study concluded that knowledge of the respondents on medical waste disposal was insufficient, there were satisfactory medical waste practices and there was no relationship between knowledge and practice.

Thesis (M.A. (Psychology)) ---University of Limpopo, 2017 / The aim of this study was to determine the notions of manhood by adolescent African boys in Ngove Village, Limpopo Province. The study sought to describe what it means to be a man according to African boys in a rural community. The study also described critical routes through which African boys transit from boyhood to manhood. The qualitative method was used. The sample consisted of 10 participants from Ngove Village, and was selected through purposive sampling. Data was collected through individual semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Data was analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Common themes around what it means to be a man were clearly delineated. Findings of this study suggest that manhood is a status that is earned when a male person possesses specific qualities that one’s community and culture consider to be in keeping with being a man. The findings of this study further suggested that from early childhood, African boys experience social pressure that compels them into channeling their behaviours into standards set by the community. Meanwhile it is maintained that the male gender is the primary element of manhood, it is strongly emphasised that the male person will need to display his manhood behaviourally.