<p>Spousal communication on issues related to family planning and reproductive health is important in influencing fertility limiting behaviour. In South Africa, studies analyzing the relationship between spousal communication and family planning behaviour are virtually nonexistant. Understanding this relationship is critical for less developed countries where fertility remains at substantially high levels. In most countries, the isolation of men's participation in family planning issues is acknowledged as one of the major causes of poor performance of most family planning programs. In addition, lack of spousal communication about family planning is identified as one of the reasons for low levels of contraceptive use among women. The main objective of this study was to assess spousal communication on contraceptive use and family planning behaviour in three distinct areas in the Richtersveld (Northern Cape) area.</p>

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / The aim of the study was to assess the importance of spatial and temporal variation in diet quality and abundance for determining sustainable stocking rates on commercial, communal and game ranches in a semi-arid savanna, with the ultimate goal of avoiding land degradation in the long term, to provide sustainable livelihoods in rangelands and to make policy that will help in managing the available natural resources in the rangelands. Thus, firstly the effects of grazing, fire, nitrogen and water availability on nutritional quality of grass in semi-arid savanna was assessed. Secondly, spatial and temporal variation in plant quantity and quality among management (commercial, communal and game) types and habitat types (open savanna, rocky, shrubby and pans) and stocking rates in different management types were determined. Thirdly, the quality and quantity of variation inside and outside herbivore exclosures among commercial, communal and game management and habitat types in the semi arid savanna were estimated. Fourthly, faecal profiling was used to assess the effects of different management types on diet quality in semi-arid savanna. Lastly, policy based on the results of the present study was formulated.

This research investigated whether local economic development interventions necessarily improve the livelihoods of poor communities. More specifically, the goal of this thesis was to explore some of the reasons why land-based economic development interventions often struggle to meet their main objective of improving the livelihoods of local poor people.

This research investigated whether local economic development interventions necessarily improve the livelihoods of poor communities. More specifically, the goal of this thesis was to explore some of the reasons why land-based economic development interventions often struggle to meet their main objective of improving the livelihoods of local poor people.

This thesis focuses on the development of Gestalt guidelines for alternative caregivers to enhance attachment with the traumatised child. The researcher made use of the intervention research process, consisting of six phases. For the purpose of this study of limited scope, the intervention research process was completed up to step one of the fourth phase. The target group in this study was alternative caregivers of traumatised children where attachment difficulties existed. `Alternative caregivers' refers to people who provide care to these children, either on a voluntary basis or professionally. Focus groups, field notes and observation were used as data collection method, and Creswell's spiral was used to analyse data. Not all aspects regarding attachment were covered in this study and only relevant Gestalt principles were discussed. Gestalt guidelines with an observational system were finally developed. The views of the respondents, those of experts and a literature review were incorporated into the guidelines, as well as some functional elements of existing treatments. / Practical Theology / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

This thesis focuses on the development of Gestalt guidelines for alternative caregivers to enhance attachment with the traumatised child. The researcher made use of the intervention research process, consisting of six phases. For the purpose of this study of limited scope, the intervention research process was completed up to step one of the fourth phase. The target group in this study was alternative caregivers of traumatised children where attachment difficulties existed. `Alternative caregivers' refers to people who provide care to these children, either on a voluntary basis or professionally. Focus groups, field notes and observation were used as data collection method, and Creswell's spiral was used to analyse data. Not all aspects regarding attachment were covered in this study and only relevant Gestalt principles were discussed. Gestalt guidelines with an observational system were finally developed. The views of the respondents, those of experts and a literature review were incorporated into the guidelines, as well as some functional elements of existing treatments. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In recent years scholars and researchers have been paying specific attention to the performance and results produced by government activities. This is seen as a direct consequence of trends in the public policy field, specifically the New Public Management (NPM) approach. The South African Government has demonstrated its commitment to the NPM approach by advocating the assessment of government’s performance and putting in place substantial guiding, policy and discussion documents that would promote the monitoring and evaluation of public outputs and outcomes. This research study takes its cue from the NPM approach and evidence-based public policy analyses as it sought to evaluate the performance of a government programme by considering reported performance outputs. The researcher evaluated the performance for the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature’s (NCPL) Administration programme over a 3-year period as a case study. The research methodology is evaluative in nature and the specific design employed is programme evaluation. To solicit data from respondents, an Organisational Profile Survey was conducted. The survey responses from participants were combined with a review of media reports and scrutiny of documented reports to provide comprehensive evidence about the performance of the NCPL Administration. The overall aim of the study was to evaluate performance with a view to the improvement of future performance. The findings of the thesis indicate that the planned services and activities of the NCPL Administration are not being implemented effectively and that the overall programme is not functioning effectively. The effectiveness of the NCPL Administration can be improved by means of the resolution of organisational challenges. Recommendations are made to address performance deficiencies and further research opportunities are also identified. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Navorsers het oor die afgelope paar jaar spesifiek begin fokus op die prestasie en uitslae van regeringsaktiwiteite. Die onlangse tendens kom as ‘n direkte gevolg van huidige openbare hervorming, en meer spesifiek die Nuwe Openbare Bestuurs- (NOB) benadering. Die Suid-Afrikaanse regering demonstreer hul toewyding aan die NOB benadering deurdat die evaluasie van regerings prestasie voorgestaan word, asook deur die instelling van substansiële beleid-, leidings- en gespreksdokumente wat die monitering en evaluasie van publieke uitsette en uitkomste bevorder. Hierdie navorsingsstudie volg die NOB benadering en bewys-gebaseerde publieke beleidsontleding na. Dit is gemik daarop om die prestasie van ‘n regeringsprogram te evalueer deur die gerapporteerde prestasie uitsette in ag te neem. As deel van hierdie gevallestudie evalueer die navorser die prestasie van die Noord-Kaap Provinsiale Wetgewer (NKPW) se administrasie program oor ‘n drie jaar tydperk. Die studie se navorsingsmetodologie is waardeoordelend die spesifieke navorvingsontwerp wat gebruik word is Programevaluering. Om data van respondente te bekom was ‘n Organisasie Profiel Opname onderneem. Hierdie data was gekombineer met ‘n oorsig van koerant berigte en die noukeurige ondersoek van verslae met die oog daarop om omvattende bewyse te lewer oor die prestasie van die NKPW Administrasie. In geheel poog die studie om prestasie lewering te evalueer met die doel om toekomstige prestasie te verbeter. Die bevindinge van die tesis dui aan dat die implementering van beplande dienste en aktiwiteite van die NKPW Administrasie nie doeltreffend is nie en dat die program in geheel nie effektief is nie. Die prestasie van die NKPW Administrasie kan verbeter word deur die aanspreking van uitdagings wat in die organisasie ondervind word. Aanbevelings word gemaak om die prestasiegapings aan te spreek en verdere navorsinggeleenthede is ook geïdentifiseer.

The study aimed to identify factors that cause unprofessional conduct among trainers at the training establishments in the Northern Cape Province of the South African Police Service. The researcher focused on the status of trainers in the SAPS and aimed to determine whether In-Service Education and Training can assist in enhancing trainers’ professional status. The aim of this study was to identify how the levels of trainer professionalism within the South African Police Service could be improved. The objectives of the study were to:  identify the expected levels of trainer professionalism within the South African Police Service  describe the current levels of trainer professionalism within the South African Police Service and  make recommendations for improving the levels of professionalism within the South African Police Service. A literature review on adult learning, training and development, as well as SAPS professionalism, was conducted. The literature review subscribes to the premise that if effective facilitation methods are implemented in adult learning centres, the attempt to motivate adults to participate in learning programmes could be successful. The qualitative research methodology that was conducted involved both one-on-one and focus-group interviews with senior management, middle management and trainers. Three themes were identified from the research question and sub-questions of the study and are discussed in detail. After the empirical data were analysed, the results of the empirical evidence were interpreted. Findings revealed that there are trainers in the SAPS whose behaviour is severely lacking in professionalism. Trainers do not exhibit appropriate ethical conduct towards their adult learners and do not follow the code of conduct as prescribed for division training as is the norm. Finally, based on the research, both future studies and improved trainer professionalism programmes with specific reference to the SAPS are recommended. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Educational Management)

This study investigated rural livelihoods in two contrasting environments in the upper and lower reaches of the Gariep River: Sehlabathebe in the Lesotho highlands, and the Richtersveld in the Northern Cape, and how these have changed over time. Livelihoods were examined using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework in conjunction with the household development cycle. This study therefore adopted a multi-scale approach, where a micro-level household analysis was framed within the macro level social, political, environmental, economic and institutional context, while taking into account the role of temporal scale of livelihood change. A multi-scale approach facilitated the identification of the major drivers of change, both exogenous and endogenous. The combination of livelihood strategies pursued differed between the two sites. Households in Sehlabathebe are reliant mainly on arable and garden cultivation, livestock in some households, occasional remittances, use of wild resources, petty trading and reliance on donations. Households in the Richtersveld relied primarily on livestock, wage labour, use of wild resources and State grants or pensions. The livelihood strategies pursued in each site have not changed markedly over time, but rather the relative importance of those strategies was found to have changed. The assets available to households, the livelihood strategies adopted and the changes in these livelihood strategies are influenced by a households stage in the development cycle and differing macro-level factors. Drivers of change operate at multiple spatial and temporal scales, and are often complex and interrelated. The major drivers of livelihood change were identified as macro-economic, demographic, institutional and social and climatic. This study highlights the importance of using historical analysis in the study of livelihoods, as well as the complexity and diversity of rural livelihoods. Ecosystem goods and services were found to play a fundamental role in rural livelihoods and are influenced by institutional factors. Rural households are heavily reliant on the formal economy, and macro-economic changes have had a significant impact on livelihoods. This is highlighted by how the drastic decline in migrant labour opportunities for households in Sehlabathebe has negatively affected them. Vulnerability was shown to be a result of external shocks and trends, such as institutional transformation, a decline in employment opportunities, theft and climatic variation; and differed between the two sites. The role of institutional breakdown was shown to be a major factor influencing rural livelihoods, and this is related to broader economic and political changes. This study contributes to the growing literature on rural livelihoods by allowing for an appreciation of how differing environments and contextual factors influence livelihood strategies adopted, and which different factors are driving change.

MESMEG / Department of Mining and Environmental Geology / Solar energy development is experiencing significant growth due to national interest in increasing energy efficiency, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, increasing domestic energy production, and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Northern Cape is generally known to be one of the preferred areas for the generation of solar energy in South Africa, and even in the world, due to its abundant solar radiation. Although this area has abundant potential for solar power generation, not all the areas are suitable for construction of solar plant facilities especially those that are prone to sand storm and dust accumulation. Consequently, site evaluation is very crucial for planning, design and construction of the solar facility. The main objective of this study was to determine the suitability of a proposed site at Kakamas in the Northern Cape for construction of a photovoltaic solar facility. The specific objectives of this research were to assess and establish all the geotechnical aspects that may have an impact on the development of the site, to explore the surface conditions at the proposed site and to establish the soil properties and comment on the use of the on-site soils in the construction of the solar facility. Other specific objectives included to determine the variability of ground conditions and effects of such variability on the proposed development and to provide foundation recommendations for the design and construction of the solar facility. In order to obtain this information, methods such as desktop studies, geological survey, soil survey, magnetic survey and soil profiling were employed to obtain information about the geotechnical aspects of the study area and properties of the on-site soil. Field tests such as cone penetration and resistivity survey and laboratory tests such as foundation indicator test, California Bearing Ratio, pH and permeability test were also performed in order to determine the engineering, behavioral and hydraulic properties of the soil. The results of the geologic and magnetic survey indicated that the study area is underlain by mainly igneous and metamorphic rocks such as gneiss, quartzite, pegmatite, gneiss and calcrete. The results of the soil profiling and the resistivity survey showed that the study area is comprised of sandy soil with either two or three horizons while the cone penetration results revealed high variable soil consistency and stiffness which ranged from very loose to very stiff soils. The particle size distribution, atterberg limits and grading modulus indicated that the study area is characterized mainly by dry, cohesionless and non-plastic to slightly plastic coarse-grained sandy soil with sand content ranging from 71- 96%. From the CBR results, it was found that the soils in the study area generally classifies as G6 material and can be used as base, sub base and backfilling material in accordance with the TRH 14 specifications. The permeability test results indicated moderately permeable sandy silt soils with coefficient of permeability ranging between 1x10-3 to 8x10-3 cm/sec and ground water was encountered at 1.3 m depth. The material excavatability indicated variable material on site ranging from soft calcretes with soft excavation to highly competent material such as quartz and dorbank which require hard excavation while the side wall stability of trial pits indicated stable pit walls during the investigation giving an indication of stability of long pit excavations. The foundation analysis showed that driven piles and earth screws are the ideal foundation types for this site and that the site is generally suitable for construction of the solar facility provided all the recommendations are implemented. / NRF