Thesis (MPhil (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Code switching is a widely observed phenomenon in multilingual and multicultural communities. This study focuses on code switching by teachers in multilingual and multicultural high school classrooms in a particular district in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The aims of this study were to establish whether teachers in the classrooms concerned do code switch and, if so, what the functions thereof are. With these aims in mind, data were collected from four high schools in the Siyanda District, during 13 lessons in total. These lessons were on the subjects Economic Management Sciences, Business Studies and Accounting. The participants in the study were 296 learners in Grades 8 to 12 and eight teachers. Data were collected by means of researcher observations and audio recordings of lessons. These recordings were orthographically transcribed and then analysed in terms of the functions of code switching in educational settings as identified from the existing literature on this topic as well as in terms of the Markedness Model of Myers-Scotton (1993). The answer to the first research question 1, namely whether teachers made use of code switching during classroom interactions was, perhaps unsurprisingly, “yes”. In terms of the second question, namely to which end teachers code switch, it was found that the teachers used code switching mainly for academic purposes (such as explaining and clarifying subject content) but also frequently for social reasons (maintaining social relationships with learners and also for being humorous) as well as for classroom management purposes (such as reprimanding learners). The teachers in this data set never used code switching solely for the purpose of asserting identity. It appears then that the teachers in this study used code switching for the same reasons as those mentioned in other studies on code switching in the educational setting. The study further indicated that code switching by the teachers was mainly an unmarked choice itself, although at times the sequential switch was triggered by a change in addressee. In very few instances was the code switching a marked choice; when it was, the message was the medium (see Myers-Scotton 1993: 138), code switching functioned as a means of increasing the social distance between the teacher and the learners or, in one instance, of demonstrating affection. Teachers code switched regardless of the language policy of their particular school, i.e. code switching occurred even in classrooms in which English is officially the sole medium of instruction. As code switching was largely used in order to support learning, it can be seen as good educational practice. One of the recommendations of this study is therefore that particular modes of code switching should be encouraged in the classrooms, especially where the medium of instruction is the home language of very few of the learners in that school.

M.Sc. (Aquatic Health) / This study took place in the Groot Marico River catchment situated in the North West Province of South Africa. The catchment holds many rivers and associated tributaries that are home to a variety fish species with some being endemic to the catchment. A small minnow species, the Marico barb Barbus motebensis was chosen as the study species due to it being endemic to the catchment with limited information available on them with regards to their reproductive status in terms of their reproductive timing and number of potential offspring. Two tributaries from the upper Groot Marico River were chosen as sampling sites for the collection of B. motebensis across the four seasons. These two tributaries presented two genetically different populations, which allowed for a comparison of the findings to ascertain whether any differences in reproductive aspects occurred between the two tributary populations during the different seasons. The Marico barb is under threat from predation pressure posed by the largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides introduced into the system. Micropterus salmoides is a known alien invasive fish that eats any animal food item it encounters, especially fish. Due to B. motebensis and M. salmoides sharing the same habitat preferences, B. motebensis stands little chance of survival in the same water inhabited by the predatory M. salmoides. Many studies have shown bass to drive other fish species to the point of extirpation from a system through predation pressure. Currently B. motebensis is classified as vulnerable on the Red List of Threatened Species, although this status may be further compromised with the presence of M. salmoides...

In contemporary society, work and home represent the two most significant domains in the life of a working individual. In order to help an individual live optimally, the work and personal life domains must no longer be regarded as separate domains, but as highly interrelated. The work and personal life domains must influence each other in a positive way to assist the individual in his daily responsibilities at work and in his personal life. A high proportion of employed workers, however, have serious difficulties in combining obligations in their work and personal lives. Educators are one of the occupations that may find it difficult to integrate their work and personal life. The objectives of this research were to determine how Afrikaans-speaking educators experienced Work-Personal Life Interaction (WPLI), to determine the domains in Afrikaans-speaking educators' lives that could interact with one another, to determine the main antecedents and consequences of WPLI for Afrikaans-speaking educators and to investigate which strategies Afrikaans-speaking educators used to deal with WPLI issues. A non-probability purposive voluntary sample (N = I I) of Afrikaans-speaking secondary school educators was used from the North West Province (in the Potchefstroom and Promosa areas). A qualitative design from a phenomenological approach was used to determine educators' experience of WPLI. Content analysis was used to analyse, quantify and interpret the research data. The results indicated that educators experienced certain aspects in their work environment and personal lives as demanding. Certain dimensions were identified in both their work and personal lives. As a result of a demanding work environment, they experienced time and strain-based conflict between their work and personal lives. However, it was found that educators possessed various factors that facilitated their WPLI and strategies they used to deal with WPLI issues. Recommendations were made for the organisation and for future research. / Thesis (M.Comm. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Economics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

South Africa's North West Province is dependent on gold and platinum exports for its economic growth and employment. Whether this specialisation is optimal from an economic growth, employment creation and welfare point of view, or whether greater export diversification should be encouraged, can most appropriately be evaluated using a general equilibrium framework. Moreover, the answer of whether such specialisation or rather diversification is appropriate may differ depending on the spatial level of analysis that is taken. For instance, export diversification or specialisation on a national level might differ from export diversification or specialisation on sub-national (e.g. provincial) level. A general equilibrium framework is most appropriate for investigating the potential differences between these levels as it takes into consideration a region's economic structure, and the economy-wide linkages between demand, supply, production structure and income distribution. In this light this thesis proposes a regional applied general equilibrium (RAGE) model for the North West Province to address these issues. The question asked is, how can a RAGE model be formulated and implemented for the North West Province of South Africa in order to study the differential impacts of greater export specialisation versus greater export diversification? In answering this question this thesis provides policy makers at regional/provincial level with access to a potentially useful modelling tool, to analyse regional economic issues; it contributes to better understanding the spatial concentration and spatial dynamics of economic activity in the North West Province; and contributes toward the practical policy debate in South Africa. This thesis reviews the literature on export diversification and specialisation, by investigating the extent of export diversification and specialisation in the North West Province over the period 1995-2006 and its relationship to GDP per capita, and using a RAGE model to investigate the economy-wide impacts of greater export diversification versus greater export speciaRsation. These results are contrasted by investigating the economy-wide impacts of greater export diversification versus greater export specialisation on the national level, using a country-wide applied general equilibrium (AGE) model for South Africa. It is found that greater export diversification results in a more substantial increase in exports (of between 0.95 and 1.73 per cent) than in the case of greater export specialisation. In fact it was found that if the North West Province were to specialise in mining exports, such exports would need to grow or increase from the base year by approximately 78 per cent (with no increase in the export demand for other sectors) to result in the same level of growth of total export volumes as is found under export diversification. Avenues for further research are identified. These are a need for more research on elasticities and parameters at regional level, an expansion of the transport services sector in the model, incorporating Tourism Satellite Accounts, BEE and SMME aspects into the model, etc. In conclusion, the thesis implemented the first provincial regional applied general equilibrium model for South Africa, and illustrated that it can make an important contribution to the policy debate on a provincial level in South Africa. The construction of Social Accounting Matrices (SAMs) for all of South Africa's provinces, and the maintenance of these provincial databases could therefore make further contributions to the quantitative assessment of policy options facing government on both the national and provincial level. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Economics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

In contemporary society, work and home represent the two most significant domains in the life of a working individual. In order to help an individual live optimally, the work and personal life domains must no longer be regarded as separate domains, but as highly interrelated. The work and personal life domains must influence each other in a positive way to assist the individual in his daily responsibilities at work and in his personal life. A high proportion of employed workers, however, have serious difficulties in combining obligations in their work and personal lives. Educators are one of the occupations that may find it difficult to integrate their work and personal life. The objectives of this research were to determine how Afrikaans-speaking educators experienced Work-Personal Life Interaction (WPLI), to determine the domains in Afrikaans-speaking educators' lives that could interact with one another, to determine the main antecedents and consequences of WPLI for Afrikaans-speaking educators and to investigate which strategies Afrikaans-speaking educators used to deal with WPLI issues. A non-probability purposive voluntary sample (N = I I) of Afrikaans-speaking secondary school educators was used from the North West Province (in the Potchefstroom and Promosa areas). A qualitative design from a phenomenological approach was used to determine educators' experience of WPLI. Content analysis was used to analyse, quantify and interpret the research data. The results indicated that educators experienced certain aspects in their work environment and personal lives as demanding. Certain dimensions were identified in both their work and personal lives. As a result of a demanding work environment, they experienced time and strain-based conflict between their work and personal lives. However, it was found that educators possessed various factors that facilitated their WPLI and strategies they used to deal with WPLI issues. Recommendations were made for the organisation and for future research. / Thesis (M.Comm. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

South Africa's North West Province is dependent on gold and platinum exports for its economic growth and employment. Whether this specialisation is optimal from an economic growth, employment creation and welfare point of view, or whether greater export diversification should be encouraged, can most appropriately be evaluated using a general equilibrium framework. Moreover, the answer of whether such specialisation or rather diversification is appropriate may differ depending on the spatial level of analysis that is taken. For instance, export diversification or specialisation on a national level might differ from export diversification or specialisation on sub-national (e.g. provincial) level. A general equilibrium framework is most appropriate for investigating the potential differences between these levels as it takes into consideration a region's economic structure, and the economy-wide linkages between demand, supply, production structure and income distribution. In this light this thesis proposes a regional applied general equilibrium (RAGE) model for the North West Province to address these issues. The question asked is, how can a RAGE model be formulated and implemented for the North West Province of South Africa in order to study the differential impacts of greater export specialisation versus greater export diversification? In answering this question this thesis provides policy makers at regional/provincial level with access to a potentially useful modelling tool, to analyse regional economic issues; it contributes to better understanding the spatial concentration and spatial dynamics of economic activity in the North West Province; and contributes toward the practical policy debate in South Africa. This thesis reviews the literature on export diversification and specialisation, by investigating the extent of export diversification and specialisation in the North West Province over the period 1995-2006 and its relationship to GDP per capita, and using a RAGE model to investigate the economy-wide impacts of greater export diversification versus greater export speciaRsation. These results are contrasted by investigating the economy-wide impacts of greater export diversification versus greater export specialisation on the national level, using a country-wide applied general equilibrium (AGE) model for South Africa. It is found that greater export diversification results in a more substantial increase in exports (of between 0.95 and 1.73 per cent) than in the case of greater export specialisation. In fact it was found that if the North West Province were to specialise in mining exports, such exports would need to grow or increase from the base year by approximately 78 per cent (with no increase in the export demand for other sectors) to result in the same level of growth of total export volumes as is found under export diversification. Avenues for further research are identified. These are a need for more research on elasticities and parameters at regional level, an expansion of the transport services sector in the model, incorporating Tourism Satellite Accounts, BEE and SMME aspects into the model, etc. In conclusion, the thesis implemented the first provincial regional applied general equilibrium model for South Africa, and illustrated that it can make an important contribution to the policy debate on a provincial level in South Africa. The construction of Social Accounting Matrices (SAMs) for all of South Africa's provinces, and the maintenance of these provincial databases could therefore make further contributions to the quantitative assessment of policy options facing government on both the national and provincial level. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Economics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.