M.Ed. / Technology is relatively a new learning area that has been phased into grade 7 in 2000 as part of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). Teachers have limited background knowledge in teaching technology, as they did not do technology in their pre-service training. In Mpumalanga, primary school teachers have a limited insight in the understanding of the technological process because they were only trained in the simplified version, namely that stated in the policy document, which has only some stages of the technological process. The purpose of this study was to find out whether the use of the thinking subprocesses and following the ten stages of the technological process can assist a teacher in the planning and teaching of a lesson in technology. A three days intervention was conducted in which twenty-five teachers were trained in the technology outcomes, teaching strategies, lesson planning format, the thinking subprocesses and the ten stages of the technological process. This was a case study following the qualitative research inquiry. One teacher was observed and interviewed, and her lesson plans studied. She was chosen from the group that attended the intervention. The research questions that formed the core of the study were, “how can the thinking subprocesses and the ten stages of the technological process assist teachers with the planning and teaching of the lesson?” and “What are the effects thereof in the planning of lessons?” Data was collected through observations, interviews and a review of documents. The findings revealed that when a teacher was following a technological process when planning the technology lessons, she used it as a framework for the lesson plan. She also used the technological process as a structure for the teaching of the lesson in class. As the teacher had a minimum knowledge of the technology content and teaching approaches, it also became clear that when she knew what aspects should be considered when planning and teaching, she managed to find the content information on what should be taught in her classes. Following the technological process gave her the confidence and guidance in the gathering of resources and the teaching of lessons. / Prof. P.J. Ankiewics

M.Ed. / Despite the proven benefits of activity, people today are living sedentary lifestyles, resulting in a decline in the general health of the population. At the World Summit on Physical Education held in 1999 in Berlin, international delegates presented research evidence on the benefits of Physical Education (PE) and its important role in developing healthy, active children. However, the assumption that the ineffective implementation of PE in many of the schools in the past compromised the value of the subject and its status was lost. PE was a subject in need of review. Change was essential in order to ensure that the holistic benefits of PE were realised and that the knowledge, skills and values necessary to encourage lifetime physical activity participation were developed. In the new democratic South Africa, the need to establish curriculum principles founded on the fundamental values of the Constitution was essential for the growth of individuals, communities and the country as a whole. Although these principles are considered across the curriculum, the development and implementation of a new Learning Area (LA) known as Life Orientation ensured these principles were also entrenched in a specific programme. Of particular interest was the positioning of the PE outcome in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. As a PE specialist who believes in the value and worth of PE, especially in its new guise within Life Orientation, the researcher noted, with concern, the apparent lack of commitment in many schools to uplift the state and status of this vitally important outcome within Life Orientation. Although the new curriculum was only implemented in Grade 10 in 2006, Grade 11 in 2007 and came into effect in Grade 12 in 2008, there were already noticeable gaps developing between policy and practice in some of the schools in South Africa. This study gave the researcher the opportunity to investigate the implementation of the PE outcome in the FET phase in rural schools in Mpumalanga Province where the gap between policy and practice had already been expressed.There were many implementation problems identified by the findings. The lack of the teachers’ relevant knowledge, skills and experience, the poor support received from the district and the schools, insufficient teaching and learning material, the almost non-existent facilities and equipment available and the large class sizes all contributed to implementation difficulties. A comprehensive picture of the many inter-dependent aspects affecting the implementation of PE programmes was acquired. The research conducted gave the researcher the framework to establish both the current level of implementation and the ideal level of implementation to which the schools could aspire.

M.Sc. / The Elands River (Incomati System, Mpumalanga) is a biologically diverse and ecologically important riverine system. In terms of the South African National Water Law, the river can be regarded as an aquatic resource, with social, ecological and economical benefits to the local population and the environment itself. The ecological status of the system has, however been questioned, whereby concerns relating to the water quality and the ecological health of the Elands River has been raised. Initially, the concerns focused on an accidental industrial spill of “black liquor” into the Elands River by the Paper Mill at Ngodwana. Subsequently the groundwater in the vicinity of the Ngodwana Mill has possibly been contaminated with chlorides. The contaminated subsurface water has been discharged into the river, and is suspected to be impacting, primarily in the form of increased salinity, the integrity of the Elands River. This study assessed the ecological integrity of a segment of the Elands River between Waterval- Boven and the confluence of the Elands River with the Crocodile River. In addition this study investigated the possibility that increased chloride-based salinity levels were the factors affecting the ecological integrity of the Elands River. The study is divided into three main components. The environmental component involves the assessment of the surface water quality and flow, physical profile, current aquatic habitat status and a biotic integrity assessment of the Elands River and the Crocodile River directly above and below the confluence with the Elands River. An ecotoxicological component incorporated a bioassay of selected chloride-based salts, using daphnids and selected fish species as test organisms. Finally an Ecological Risk Assessment was carried out to evaluate the likelihood that adverse effects were impacting on the Elands River, as a result of the activities of the Ngodwana Mill. The water quality was assessed by implementing the methodology for the determination of present ecological status: water quality, as part of the preliminary determination of the ecological reserve. Historical water quality data were obtained from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and from Sappi. During the study, current water quality parameters were obtained from Sappi and parameters were independently sampled. Analyses of the water quality indicated that the Elands River has been subjected to eutrophication and increased levels of chloride-based salinity. Habitat integrity was analysed by constructing two dimensional site transects of the riparian zone and instream channel. Additional habitat indices, the Integrated Habitat Assessment System, the Habitat Cover Ratings and the Site Habitat Integrity system were applied. Habitat results indicate that the in stream habitats of the Elands River are abundant and linked to the flow regime. Additionally the assessments indicated that the habitat makeup of the Elands and Crocodile rivers is primarily riffle, run and rapids habitats, which facilitate the requirements of numerous invertebrate and vertebrate aquatic communities. Biotic assessments studied the integrity of the vegetation, invertebrates and ichthyofaunal communities. The integrity of the vegetation community was assessed by implementing the Riparian Vegetation Index. Results indicated that the riparian vegetation community was modified in varying degrees due to the encroachment of exotic and terrestrial vegetation elements and by anthropogenic activities. The integrity of the invertebrate communities were assessed by implementing the South African Scoring System. Results indicated that the integrity of the invertebrate community was exceptionally high in the vicinity of Hemlock. The invertebrate community structure changed however in areas were a water quality contamination was observed. The ichthyofaunal attributes were assessed by implementing the Fish Assemblages Integrity Index and the Sensitivity Weighted Index of Biotic Integrity. The ichthyofauna assessment revealed two aspects that have conservation importance. These aspects are the occurrence of an endangered species, Chiloglanis bifurcus, and a potentially geologically isolated subspecies of Labeo-barbus polylepis. The index results indicated that the ichthyofauna community structure followed similar trends to the invertebrates by responding to the mentioned stressors. Toxicological assessments were carried out using the standard Daphnid 48-hour LC50 and fish 96-hour LC50 tests. The species selected for the tests were the currently recognized test organisms (Daphnia pulex and Poecilia reticulata) in South Africa. Additional fish species were included in the tests, these species were Oreochromis mossambicus and Clarias gariepinus. Chloride-based salts were selected as the toxicants; these included calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride and sodium chloride. The tests were carried out under controlled conditions using standardised protocols. Results indicated that in excess, chloride-based salinity is toxic to invertebrate and vertebrate organisms. Additionally findings indicated that potassium chloride was the most toxic and sodium chloride the least toxic of the salts. Calcium chloride was selected as the most representative salt to represent salinity. The Ecological Risk Assessment was implemented after international and national frameworks were considered. The assessment was primarily based on the results obtained from the integrity assessment of the Elands and Crocodile rivers. Results obtained indicated that the localised biological template of the Elands River, in the vicinity of the Ngodwana Mill is moderately impacted by the activities of the Mill. The impact is primarily associated with the increased salinity content of the Elands River. Effects of the stressors were modified in relation to a dilution effect. Risks posed by the stressors are deemed to be restricted to a localised area, and it is highly improbable that the stressors would result in the loss of the biotic diversity and thus the ecosystem of the Elands River as a whole. Should the current situation prevail, the intensity and spatial extent or distribution of the stressor could increase. / Dr. V. Wepener

Learners in South-African secondary schools face challenges of growing into mature, responsible and healthy human beings amidst all the changes and societal problems in schools. There are so many problems, referred to as the mental health crisis among children in South Africa that confront secondary school learners, such as poverty, violence, crime, suicide, involvement in gangs, teenage pregnancies but to name a few. Education does not stand in isolation from the wider society around it but it is constantly influenced and moulded by the forces of cultural and social and economic development. The educational task of the school is synonymous with the educational aim of adulthood and social responsibility. Many children are experiencing challenges in coping with their emotions such as aggression and managing anger in their daily lives that a need has arisen for the facilitation of aggression management for secondary school learners through a Psycho-Educational Programme. This programme included new skills that are necessary for successful living and learning, thus focusing on life skills that enable secondary school learners to apply their knowledge, attitudes and values – what humans think, feel and believe and how to cope with an emotion like aggression. The researcher followed a structured framework in four steps in order to conduct the research, which adhered to the requirements of a qualitative and quantitative strategy. In step one the researcher followed an inductive reasoning strategy with a contextual, descriptive and exploratory focus (situation analysis). Secondary school learners' experience of aggression in their school was explored through individual phenomenological interviews conducted with a purposively selected sample and by means of field notes made at the conclusion of the interview process. The interviews proceeded until data were saturated. Guba’s model of trustworthiness strategies: credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability were applied. Each interview was audio taped and then transcribed. The data were then analysed according to Tesch’s (Creswell, 1994:154-155) descriptive, qualitative and systematic approach to data reduction where after a literature control was conducted. According to the data analysis four themes were identified: - learners experience aggression as part of their life; - aggression encompasses interpersonal relationships; - learners describe aggression as a negative experience; and - learners articulate measures to manage aggression. In step two the collected data from phase one was used to develop a Psycho-Educational Programme for secondary school learners who experience aggression in order to facilitate aggression management. During step three, two secondary schools were chosen. After selection the schools were randomly assigned as an experimental and control group. Secondary school learners were then randomly selected as participants from grade eleven learners at their schools. A questionnaire was used for pre-test and post-test purposes. Adherence to internal validity, external validity, reliability and objectivity ensured the trustworthiness of the process. The programme was presented to the experimental group only. The control group was treated exactly like the experimental group except that they did not receive the experimental treatment but a placebo programme as the group was only included for comparison reasons. In step four the evaluation of the Psycho-Educational Programme was done which enabled the researcher to focus clearly on the ultimate purpose of meeting the aims and purpose of this research study. The researcher can confidently express his trust and confidence in the Psycho-Educational Programme that was developed, implemented and evaluated. The evaluation of the data indicated that the questionnaires that were used as a measuring tool were reliable, appropriate and valid. The results indicated that the variables: self-awareness, interpersonal relationships and management of conflict were effectively included in the Psycho-Educational Programme and had a significant impact on the participants who took part in the experimental group. The placebo programme had no significant effect on the participants of the control group. In conclusion, mixed research methods of the qualitative and quantitative approaches were effective as it supported each other during this research study. / Prof. C.P.H. Myburgh Prof. M. Poggenpoel

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / MA / Unrestricted

This thesis forms part of the emerging studies on the backlogs in municipal services delivery and the attendant emergence of the new social movements in post-apartheid South Africa. It examines four areas. These are: the backlogs in water services delivery; the consequent politicisation of the water services struggles; the breakdown of social citizenship; and the nature, forms and the repertoire of the collective action of the new social movements. The thesis is based on fieldwork research I undertook in 2002 on the water services struggles in Mpumalanga, an African township located outside the small town of Hammarsdale in Durban. The fieldwork research results reveal the demographic characteristics of Mpumalanga and, more crucially, the extent of the water services crisis. The results evaluate the nature and the gravity of the water services delivery backlogs. More importantly, they gauge the depth of their involvement in the water services struggles in Mpumalanga and the extent of their success. These are weighed against the reports of the new social movements' involvement in the township by the leftist-cum-intellectual activists in Durban and by the leftist and mainstream media reports. They also revealed a detailed picture of the state of collective action in Durban, unearthing the nature and functioning of the Concerned Citizens' Forum (CCF), an umbrella-body of Durban-based social movements. The study questions the hallowed standing of the CCF, by claiming, through detailed study and fieldwork observation, that the CCF is given to 'crowd renting', lack of transparency, disorderly decision-making, racial and leadership crises. The thesis also contextualises the collective action programmes of the CCF by situating them in Mpumalanga's neighbourhood politics. By doing so, the reader encounters ruling party local councillors, opposition party local councillors, CCF leaders and intellectual-cum-activists, youth activists and local council officials and bureaucrats. The collusion and conflicts between these parties and stakeholders bring into the equation political opportunism, careerism, and the ruthless pursuit of financial gains. All these parties and variables reveal a complex and ever-shifting picture of collective action and the contentious politics of the new social movements in Mpumalanga and Durban, amidst the looming crisis of the breakdown of social citizenship, cost recovery and the water services struggles.

M.Sc. / The decommissioning of mines and mining-related activities brings about the onset of rehabilitation. A legacy that most coal mines must address is the rehabilitation of the coal discard dumps that are generated by the beneficiation process of the raw coal. Rehabilitation involves the shaping and covering with a topsoil layer of these coal discard dumps. The topsoil layer is then revegetated to provide a stable form of protection against erosion. Considerations taken into account regarding the rehabilitation of coal discard dumps include the final slope angle, physical constraints i.e. railways or rivers, a source of topsoil and the grass species to be sown. Once the dump has been shaped, capped and seeded, regular applications of fertilizer take place for a defined period of time. This is to accelerate the growth of the grasses, as well as to stabilise the nutrient levels in the topsoil capping. Ingwe Mine Closure Operations (MCO), part of Ingwe Collieries Limited, is the business unit entrusted with the management and successful rehabilitation of Ingwe’s defunct operations. All of the coal discard dumps sampled in this study are found on such defunct operations. These coal discard dumps have been rehabilitated to a very high standard by MCO, and in most cases exceed the minimum requirements stipulated by law and guideline documents. This study and the results obtained from it reflect this. This study investigated, in terms of defined types of cover, whether or not there is a statistically significant difference between the: • six coal discard dumps from which data were collected; • five different defined slope aspects; • two groups of slope angles; and • slope angle and slope aspect in terms of cover. The data collected was analysed statistically, so as to determine whether significant differences (95 percentile confidence level), in terms of cover, exist. The purpose of this was to determine whether or not a preferred slope aspect or slope angle group could be identified for the six coal discard dumps sampled. By identifying a preferred slope aspect or slope angle group, companies could alter the design of operational or defunct dumps so as to maximise these. This would make the rehabilitation of the dump more sustainable and could possibly reduce aftercare costs. Through statistical analysis of the data collected it was determined that: • of the six coal discard dumps sampled, significant differences did exist between some of the dumps regarding basal cover, plant litter cover and bare ground. As each dump is different with its own specific micro-climate, this can be expected. The age of the dumps could also have played a role in terms of development; • of the five different defined slope aspects analysed, no significant differences existed between any of them; • of the two groups of slope angles analysed, no significant difference existed between them; and • no relationship between slope angle and slope aspect, in terms of cover, could be established. The analysis of the data collected was done by means of ANOVA one-way tests, coupled with Post Hoc Tests and Contrast Tables. The results of the statistical analysis were evaluated by the STATCON Department of the Rand Afrikaans University for accuracy. The data and the statistical analysis thereof were found to be satisfactory and correct. Various other statistical analyses were conducted on the data, but the results obtained from these tests were all the same as that of the original data analysis. These analyses included the Univariate Analysis of Variance, T-tests and Mann-Whitney tests.

This research was based on the question of how Foundation Phase teachers in the schools received the new curriculum for implementation. Current developments in introducing the new curriculum in South Africa have led to the hope that it would be received eagerly and become well implemented by its utilisers. The common trend of thinking was that if South Africa receives a new system of education, it will obviously be in keeping with changes cherished by its population that voted for such changes. However, these changes in education did not come as expected. In this research paper, the researcher made the case that receiving the new curriculum for implementation by teachers is a risk-taking exercise, especially at the entry level of the school, i.e. the Foundation Phase. He also problematised the notion of receiving a new curriculum by interrogating the ways or methods of implementation, the degree of knowledge and skills of teachers and their concomitant perceptions and attitudes towards the implementation of the new curriculum. In presenting this argument, the researcher firstly discussed the different perspectives of and the ‘rationale’ for introducing a new curriculum in the country, which in this case happens to be South Africa. Secondly, he highlighted the role of competent, receptive and enthusiastic Foundation Phase teachers in dealing with the new curriculum. And thirdly, alluded to the challenges facing South African schools in implementing the new curriculum, and made a claim that the present implementation in the country is making a mess out of education. The aims were to examine the manner in which the new curriculum was presented to teachers at entry level into the school(s), which in this case would be the Outcomes-Based Education curriculum in the Foundation Phase. The problems that were associated with the introduction of the new curriculum were investigated; the level of teachers’ participation in the implementation of the new curriculum was looked into; and the findings of the research provided a set of conclusions and recommendations for the Department of Education, Curriculum Specialists and teachers, that will hopefully enlighten them on this burning issue in the Foundation Phase. For this study a qualitative approach was used, and the methods applied included observation of the targeted population while engaging with its work, which happened to be the implementation of Curriculum 2005/the Revised New Curriculum Statement; and interviews with the Foundation Phase teachers in township settings. The researcher believes that through these interviews the respondents have unveiled many unmentioned and well kept secrets of teachers who are teaching in the Foundation Phase. Teaching is a proud profession, and it is not so easy for experienced teachers to acknowledge that they are struggling with the implementation of the new curriculum in their classrooms. And when the teachers are well qualified to teach on top of their long experience in the Foundation Phase, so much the more the feelings of inferiority and incompetence as far as the new curriculum and OBE and all the new assessment requirements are concerned. This study also broke the silence of the teachers’ frustrations and discomfort surrounding the attendance of in-service training opportunities and workshops. It should encourage the authorities to take heed of these remarks of the teachers, as this can easily and painlessly be rectified to serve the loyal teachers as best and fast as they can. One of the strongest pleas that were made concerns the upkeep and sustenance of the school’s physical facilities and playgrounds. The neatness and even aesthetic countenance of the classrooms have an enormous role to play in the general education of learners, and to this the SGBs and SMTs must seriously and hastily attend. The parents can also play an important role in this regard. As far as the limitations go, there are a few, namely the contextual factors, financial constraints and time factors. Nevertheless, the findings of this study can for sure be generalised and made applicable to Foundation Phase teachers’ problems in other regions, circuits and even provinces, as the results from the teachers came over very strongly, resounding the same difficulties that teachers all over are experiencing. / Dr. M.C. van Loggerenberg

M.Sc. / This work documents the lithostratigraphy and interpreted depositional environments of the Permian Vryheid Formation in the most northern proximal setting yet studied in the Witbank Coalfield. Data from 924 boreholes from two mining companies (Anglo Operations Ltd. and Xstrata Coal Ltd.) drilled over 50 years, covering an area of 910km2 revealed a 35m sequence of terrigenous clastic sedimentary rocks containing two coal seams. These seams are numbered No. 1 at the base and No. 2 at the top. Delineation of facies type, facies assemblages, lateral facies distributions and computer-based three-dimensional modeling facilitated the interpretation of the palaeodepositional environments. Eleven lithofacies are defined and interpreted hydrodynamically. Facies classification is based primarily on grain size and sedimentary structures. The modeling of the borehole information uses the finite element method to interpolate the thickness, roof and floor surfaces and trend of each seam and inter-seam parting between boreholes. The spatial position of the boreholes is defined using a digital terrain model that represents the current surface topography. Lateral distributions were correlated by repositioning the boreholes using the base of the No. 2 seam as a datum. Glaciofluvial, glaciolacustrine, bed-load (braided) fluvial and constructive progradational deltaic environments are interpreted in the study area. Fluvial channel sequences are dominant and cause the thinning of the coal seams below channel axes as well as splitting of both the No. 1 and No. 2 seams. Glaciofluvial influences also affect the lower portion of the No. 1 seam. Basement palaeotopography restricts the distribution of the lower splits of the No. 1 seam. The coals either ‘pinch-out’ or are absent above basement highs but blanket the adjacent low-lying areas. In contrast to the greater Witbank Coalfield, but concurrent with other studies in the more northern proximal regions, fluvial systems dominate over deltaic systems in the study area. Glaciodeltaic, fluviodeltaic and anastomosed channel fluvial systems recognized in the remainder of the Karoo Basin were fed by the braided fluvial systems in the study area. The close proximity of the study area to the northern edge of the basin accounts for the subtle differences in lithostratigraphy and interpreted depositional environments when compared with more distal sites to the south. For example, glaciofluvial clastic sediment input in the lower portions of the No. 1 seam and post-Karoo erosion that has removed the overlying seams; the deltaic progradational sequence, above the No. 2 seam, occurs twice in succession and the bioturbation, that has become characteristic of sedimentary sequence of the Vryheid Formation above the No. 2 seam in the central and southern parts of the Karoo Basin, is not as identifiable. These differences are explained by the extreme proximal location of the study area on the northern basin margin relative to the remainder of the Karoo Basin.

M.A. / A stable environment for future economic growth in South Africa will depend on curbing violence, crime and poverty. Government has started to address the development backlog by initiating programmes such as the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). Urgent problems such as housing shortages, the education crisis, unemployment, violence and poverty are receiving priority. This has had a further effect on the policy of service delivery in the field of Social Work, hence there is a paradigm shift towards development social work as emphasized in the White paper for Social Welfare (Government Gazette, 1997). Communities establish development projects with the aim of creating jobs, etc but are not aware of the process involved (e.g. management) for such a project to be successful. For this reason the researcher is of the opinion that many community development projects fail due to the fact that they are not managed properly. The main goal of the study is to develop guidelines on how to manage development projects in deprived communities. A qualitative exploratory study was used to address the following main question: “How do you manage your project?” A non-probability sampling procedure was used to select two projects that were under study. The data collection methods that were employed were face-to-face and focus group interviews, observation and the analysis of project documents. The method of data analysis utilized was data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing. The following main themes were identified as important entities in the management of community development projects: teamwork, planning, implementation, monitoring and control, leadership and evaluation. All these themes are considered to be very important in ensuring project success. / Prof. J.B.S Nel