M.Tech. / The World Health Organization (WHO) defines African Traditional Medicine (ATM) as comprising of indigenous experiences of different cultures, approaches, knowledge and beliefs, which incorporates plant, animal and mineral-based medicines together with spiritual therapies in the treatment, diagnostic and the prevention of disease (WHO, 2008). It is estimated that up to 70-80% of the black population in South Africa consult African Traditional Healers (ATH) for their health care needs before or together with the use of other health care providers (Truter, 2007). According to Truter (2007) this is because many in the black population find ATH to be more accessible, familiar and more knowledgeable concerning culture-bound syndromes and traditions. Homoeopathy is a form of natural medicine that takes a holistic approach to the treatment of patients. As part of a holistic approach, Homoeopaths are required to understand their patient’s frame of reference and their life world. As many of the black patients who consult Homoeopaths also consult ATH, it is important for the Homoeopathic practitioner to understand these patients in order to ensure positive doctor-patient relationships. The aim of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and describe the experiences of black people consulting ATH in Tshwane and from this information, make guidelines for improved meaningful interactions between Homoeopathic practitioners and their patients who consult ATH. This was a contextual, qualitative and phenomenological research design. Ten black participants who consulted with ATH were interviewed. The participants were recruited by means of purposive sampling. African Traditional Healers were identified through the Kara Heritage Institute in Tshwane, an institution dealing with indigenous knowledge systems. Volunteers were recruited through advertisements (Appendix A) which were placed at the designated working areas of ATH with their permission. Participants completed the information and consent form (Appendix C).

The characteristics (chemical, microbiological and organoleptic) of commercial fresh and mature Halloumi cheeses were examined. In addition, the effect of the feeding regime of lactating animals on the flavour of fresh Halloumi cheeses was also assessed. Three different brands of Halloumi cheese (industrial, Traditional 1 and Traditional 2), based on milk origin and location of the dairies, were selected for subsequent analysis. The industrial cheese was made with bovine milk as the major ingredient (an insignificant mixture of ovine/caprine milk might be included), while the traditional cheeses were primarily manufactured with ovine milk (a small amount of caprine milk might be included). The traditional cheeses also differed in the location of the dairies, in that Traditional 1 cheese was manufactured in the province of Paphos while Traditional 2 cheese was made in Nicosia province. Differences were revealed both between the types of cheese and age, i.e. fresh versus mature. The characteristics that differed included the microbiological load of fresh samples, the type and quantity of flavour compounds, and the rate of proteolysis. Some of the volatile compounds present in Traditional 1 cheese probably originated from plants present in the grazing plains (thyme and burnet), while the mint added during manufacture contributed, almost exclusively, to the plant volatile compounds that were present in Traditional 2 cheese. The sensory analysis identified significant differences between the three brands. Moreover, the panels (young and older) assessed the cheeses in a different way, reflecting a probable effect of panel age on sensory testing. During the microbiological analysis of the mature traditional Halloumi cheeses a new Lactobacillus species was recovered, which was named Lactobacillus cypricasei. In order to improve the organoleptic characteristics of bovine Halloumi cheese, two 'natural starter cultures' were isolated from raw milks and incorporated into bovine milk for the manufacture of cheese in the laboratory. One selected starter culture, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, was used to ripen the bovine milk prior to Halloumi cheese manufacture, but its activity failed to bring about the anticipated results. The degradation of protein and fat was monitored throughout the maturation of the cheese, and only minor differences were observed between 'experimental' (starter culture) and 'control' (no starter culture) Halloumi cheeses. The sensory analysis of fresh and mature Halloumi cheeses reflected the results of the instrumental analysis, for the panel did not detect any significant differences between 'experimental' and 'control' cheeses. In the light of the high frequency of occurrence of Enterococcus faecium in the fresh samples of traditional commercial samples and ovine milks, it was decided to assess the survival of the micro-organism under normal cheesemaking conditions. Hence, Halloumi cheese with a starter culture of E. faecium was produced in the laboratory. The results showed that some cells of E. faecium survived the harsh cooking treatment (90°CI 1 h) of the cheese blocks during Halloumi cheese manufacture. The experiments were not completed due to the controversy about using Enterococcus spp. in cheesemaking. Overall, the analysis of commercial and laboratory cheeses has given an insight into the special characteristics of Halloumi cheese, and provided with a better understanding of how flavour and texture develops with cheese maturation.

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A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 2016 / This study was conducted in an indigenous community of Tendera in Chiweshe District of Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe. It pursued the possibilities of integrating indigenous knowledge of plant healing (IKoPH) into classroom science at The Zimbabwe Junior Certificate (ZJC) level. The study has documented this knowledge and has suggested ways that it could be integrated into the ZJC science curricula. My own background and the challenges of integrating indigenous knowledge into school science curriculum reform in Zimbabwe and elsewhere motivated me to undertake this study. This research journey preceded my full knowledge that these reforms encompass many complexities arising from two different knowledge systems. The integration process of indigenous knowledge in Zimbabwean schools has been very slow because of these complexities, which include lack of curriculum frameworks to guide teachers on what to teach, where to teach this knowledge in the westernised syllabi, how to access this knowledge from the community and how to teach it. Hence, the study argued that science teachers are in dire need of these guidelines and training. If this problem is left unattended, curriculum reform in Zimbabwe will remain a pipe dream. The study was framed within a self-developed Culturally Aligning Classroom Science (CACS) framework. It used a qualitative approach to research specifically engaging the Indigenous African Interpretive (IAI) methodology. Qualitative data were generated with purposely sampled teachers, healers and learners as core participants and community Elders, Ministry officers/practitioners and researchers as key participants. It was generated through video/audio and/or diarised observations, conversations, personal experiences and objects (documents and artefacts). The “kitic” analysis of data generated three major themes that are: (1) the community of Tendera is rich in IKoPH and its members have disparate views of integration that are significant for integrative classroom science. This IKoPH, however, emerged to be a sensitive, secretive, diverse and complex body of knowledge which requires access through culturally appropriate strategies, which demand collaboration between the community and the school; (2) The ZJC science curriculum presents several opportunities for integration of IKoPH that shows that this integrated curriculum is possible in Zimbabwe; and (3) oral pedagogical frames grounded in the parallel pathway to integration are potentially supportive of effective integrative classroom science. The study offers two models that could help integrators to overcome the complexities inherent in this reform. Further research into different aspects of these models and teacher capacitation to adopt them is needed to develop an integrative classroom science discourse.

M.Sc. (Med.), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2008. / One hundred caregivers/parents were interviewed in the survey to find out treatments children who visited the traditional healers received and the outcome of such treatments, fees paid and motivation for soliciting the services of traditional healers. The mean age of respondents was 28.8 years and 22.4 months for children. Seventy five percent of respondents visited the traditional healer voluntarily while 25% were pressurised by family. The majority of respondents (70%) sent their children to the traditional healers for treatment for either inyoni (sunken anterior fontanel) or ibala (capillary naevus). Six-four percent of the children were given oral herbal preparations, 57% had scarification while others had talisman/amulet for protection. Seventy-five percent of the children recovered after visiting the traditional healers. Six-three percent of the caregivers/parents were satisfied with the treatment received and expressed their willingness to visit again. Recommendations have been offered to improve collaboration between western medical and traditional medical practices for the benefit of children.