This essay is written in response to a lacuna that appears to exist within the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa with regard to the ancient and highly regarded ministry of spiritual direction. My primary assertion is that, in the light of what might be perceived of as a crisis of relevance in Presbyterian life and spiritual practice, spiritual direction offers one particular way of fostering an exciting and existentially relevant spirituality for the denomination. Through the hoped-for renewal brought about by direction, Presbyterians may well have something to say to a South Africa racked not only with violence and poverty, but also bored by an increasingly irrelevant Christianity. The essay traces that history of spiritual direction most apposite to Presbyterianism in South Africa. This includes an overview of aspects of the Celtic and African spiritual traditions with a view to finding any correspondence that would help to narrow the distance between the spirituality of its black and white members. It then asks questions about the character and tasks of directors. Highlighted is the task of fostering an awareness of God that is not purely ''heavenly minded", but is able to speak into the real issues facing Presbyterians today. The essay goes on to explore the relationship that should exist between director and directee, focussing for a moment on the direction necessary in the directee's prayer life. The essay comes full circle as it considers the implications of introducing direction more widely in this largely "directionless" denomination. As a microcosm of the country, divergent cultures are as much a reality in the P.C.S.A. as in the rest of South Africa. So respect for uniqueness and the practice of interpathy are encouraged as part of the familiarisation process. Throughout the essay, I attempt to show that spiritual direction is a means of allowing the directee to more clearly discern the voice of the Spirit, who constantly encourages the transcendence of self - viz. the breaking of and dying to old perceptions, habits and beliefs so that s/he might more fully enter into the mystery that one usually refers to as God.

Please read the abstract in the 00front part of this document / Dissertation (MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

No abstract available. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

From May 1994 until the end of August 1994, pieces of decomposing wood and twigs were collected from different locations in the Northern Cape Province, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and in the Western Cape. Fifty-nine taxa were recorded (one new genus, one new species and 43 new records from southern Africa). This study reviews the development of the taxonomy of the mitosporic fungi, in particular the Huyphomycetes, makes some comments on the structure-function relationships and functional diversity that occur and describes a large number of new Hyphomycete records for southern Africa. The classification of these micro-fungi has been controversial since inception. As the asexual phase of a sexually reproducing organism (the ascomycete or basidiomycete states), the taxonomy is covered by a dualistic nomenclature whidh is an exception of Principle IV (one organism: one name) of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN). Alth9ough the role of morphological features in the development of anamorph taxonomic theory has evolved as microscopic image technology has advanced, inadequately defined characters, obscure distinctions between morphologically similar species and a weak theoretical base undermine the usefulness of this system. Molecular systematic studies are yielding a wealth of new fungal taxonomic characters. Molecular technology can generate the data required to verify phylogenetic relationships in this artificial classification system, but is subject of the constraints of time, money and expertise. Neither morphological nor molecular based taxonomy is inherently superior. The utilitarian aspect of morphological systematics, in fact, is the great advantage over molecular methods. However, from the viewpoint of applied mycology, the biochemical profiles of these organisms offer the most useful identification system. The taxonomic significance of the results from such investigations and their contribution to a better understanding of the complex situation are undeniable. All earlier views and systems were based on the knowledge and technology available at that time. Current students of this group can similarly only base their views and proposals on the information available. Current knowledge is advanced to what was known then. This will also be true about today’s concepts and those still to come. The now redundant systems were created to serve science and not because of human inadequacies. The nature of these fungi dictates to scientists an arbitrary species concept and user-friendly taxonomic systems. Various opinions about terms, and especially the conidiogenic processes, appear to be confusing, but led to a functional, although phylogenetically inadequate, system. What Kananaskis could not do for phylogenetics, it did for standardization of terms. / Thesis (PhD (Botany))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Plant Science / unrestricted

The pouched mouse, Saccostomus campestris Peters, 1846 from southern Africa shows a high degree of karyotypic variation where up to 16 variants (2n = 30–50) have been reported. This has led to a systematic uncertainty that the present study attempts to assess using: 1) cytochrome b (cyt b; 1077 bp) and 16S rRNA (528 bp) partial sequences; 2) G-banding cytogenetic data; and 3)geometric morphometric data of various views of the cranium and mandible. The results from these multidisciplinary analyses are broadly similar with phylogenetic analyses of the molecular data revealing the presence of two major lineages. The first lineage comprises the high diploid numbered 2n = 46 cytotype from KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa that is considered to be ancestral. The second lineage consists of multiple inland populations that are subdivided into: 1) a sub-lineage comprising samples from a large semi-arid area in the west; and b) a sub-lineage of small distinct populations of low migrations from the east. The cytogenetic data suggest that karyotypic variation within S. campestris from southern Africa is due to autosomal Robertsonian fusions, with evidence of geographic structuring where cytotypes with high diploid numbers originate from the mesic east, while those with low diploid numbers originate from the arid west. The reduction in chromosome number appears to be due to adaptation to cold and dry conditions in the arid west. The X-chromosome revealed three variants that arose from a single pericentric inversion followed by the addition of genetic material, possibly heterochromatin. Variant 1 is only present in the ancestral cytotype and is found in all cytotypes throughout southern Africa, variant 2 is found in cytotypes from areas with < 600 mm of annual rainfall, while variant 3, although only found in females, is sympatric with variant 2. Geometric morphometric analysis of karyotyped specimens showed no discernible patterns of variation among karyotypic variants except for some subtle but equivocal indication of the morphological distinctiveness of the 2n = 46 cytotype from KwaZulu-Natal. Collation of the molecular, cytogenetic, and geometric morphometric data in the present study suggest that S. campestris from southern Africa is monotypic. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted

The general architecture of the skin of the southern right whale, Eubalaena australis, is comparable to that described for other cetacean species. As found in bowhead whales, Balaena mysticetus, of the same family, southern right whales possess an acanthotic epidermis and a notably thick hypodermis. Epidermal rods and extensive papillomatosis support these unique characteristics. A "fat-free" reticular dermis makes the integument of southern right whales more like that of odontocetes than that described for balaenopterids. Skin samples taken in South African and Antarctic waters showed evidence of superficial moultin'g throughout the austral winter and in mid-summer. Unidentified "microfIora" and fungal microbes were detected on the skin of whales sampled in both South African and Antarctic waters. The predominance of "microfIoral" aggregations on cows and calves in OctoberlNovember suggests that these micro-organisms are acquired in coastal waters. A Candida-like invasive fungal infestation of the skin of a stranded neonate was recorded for the first time in this species and may be related to the demise of this animal. The film-forming diatom, Bennettella [Cocconeis] ceticola, was not detected on any skin samples. This may imply that southern right whales exhibit high cellular proliferation rates, which prevent diatomaceous films from forming. Neonatal southern right whales undergo a spectacular form of ecdysis approximately 6-7 days after birth. Histologically, "rough-skinned" neonates possess a distinct "fault line" above the distal tips of the dermal papillae, that becomes characterised by intercellular oedema, which causes all the cell layers above the plane to separate from those below it. The fatty acid composition of the dermal and hypodermal layers provides indications of prey species consumed as well as reflecting physiological processes within the digestive system of the southern right whale. Total lipid values in the blubber of late season cows and calves are reported for the first time. A new hand¬held biopsy system for collecting deep-core integument samples from free-swimming balaenids is described. It is a practical and cheaper alternative to projectile systems and the head design allows for the collection of samples that can be used for multidisciplinary research on right whales (e.g. histology, toxicology and blubber composition studies). / Thesis (PhD (Zoology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted

With the aim of better understanding the history of ocean closure and suturing between India and Asia, we conducted a geologic investigation of a siliciclastic matrix tectonic melange within the western Yarlung suture zone of southern Tibet (Lopu Range region, similar to 50 km northwest of Saga). The siliciclastic matrix melange includes abundant blocks of ocean plate stratigraphy and sparse blocks of sandstone. Metapelite and metabasite blocks in the melange exhibit lower greenschist fades mineral assemblages, indicating that they were not deeply subducted. We obtained detrital zircon U-Pb geochronologic and sandstone petrographic data from sandstone blocks in the melange and sandstone beds from Tethyan Himalayan strata exposed to the south of the suture. The sandstones from both units are all similar in U-Pb detrital zircon age spectra and petrography to the nearby Tethyan Cretaceous-Paleocene Sangdanlin section, which records the earliest appearance (at similar to 59 Ma) of arc-affinity strata deposited conformably on Indian-affinity strata. Two Paleocene sandstones, one of which is a schistose block incorporated in the siliciclastic matrix melange, yielded indistinguishable maximum depositional ages of similar to 59 Ma. Mesozoic Asian-affinity sandstone blocks previously documented in the siliciclastic matrix melange 200-500 km along strike to the east are notably absent in the Lopu Range region. We documented a gradational transition in structural style from the block-in-matrix melange in the northeast to the south-vergent Tethyan thrust belt in the southwest. Blocks of Tethyan Himalayan strata increase in size and the volumetric proportion of matrix decreases from northeast to southwest. We conclude that no arc-affinity sandstone blocks were incorporated into the subduction complex until India-Asia collision at similar to 59 Ma when the Xigaze forearc basin became overfilled and Tethyan Himalayan strata entered the trench. As collision progressed, there was a gradual transition in structural style from block-in-matrix melange formation to imbricate-style thrust belt formation. (C) 2017 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The thesis traces Southern African security dimensions from the Cold War and the period of apartheid in South Africa to the post-apartheid era. It makes an attempt to investigate the prospects of Southern Africa becoming a security community and the processes and practices underlying these efforts. Using the constructivist theory approach to international relations, the thesis argues that the preoccupation with principles of sovereignty and non-interference, a lack of political will and the absence of common values that could help SADC institute binding rules and decision-making are the main blocks that prevent the region from asserting itself as a security community. All these militate against the idea of mutual accountability among SADC member states and have a negative impact on the institutional and functional capacity of SADC. This also prevents SADC from dealing with the emerging non-military human security threats in the region. In consideration of this, the thesis argues that the idea of security community building in Southern Africa remains not only a regional issue, but also requires the involvement of extra-regional actors.

The seasonal pattern of ice motion in response to wind forcing and potential consequences to upwelling on the Mackenzie Shelf are considered using satellite-derived ice motion data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center and the NCEP 10 m wind data. The frequency of strong upwelling-favorable alongshore ice motion is high in early winter (November and December) compared to middle and late winter (January to May).For periods when the alongshore component of the wind is upwelling-favorable, the ratio of ice drift divided by wind speed on the Mackenzie Shelf is 0.024 in November and0.008 in March; we conjecture that this ratio decreases as winter progresses because the internal ice stress becomes stronger as both ice thickness and ice concentration increase. This constitutes a possible 10-fold decrease in the seasonal transmission of wind stress to the underlying water from November to March. This ratio in May (0.015) is higher than that in March. We suggest that it is because the internal ice stress becomes weaker as ice concentration decreases on the Mackenzie Shelf in May. Hence, under the same wind forcing, the potential for winter upwelling on Mackenzie Shelf may be enhanced if climate warming results in reduced ice thickness and/or ice concentration. Numerical model results show that the stress on the shelf could be reduced because of the internal ice stress from the pack ice over the deep ocean when the ice moves like a rigid body. We found that the model results are not realistic when the ice strength is 5,000 Nm-2. When the ice strength is 27,500 Nm-2, the model results are more realistic. / Science, Faculty of / Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of / Graduate

Africa’s international marginalization is preponderantly conceptualized through world systems approaches, particularly structural dependency. Consequently, the region’s socioeconomic quagmire, characterized by economic stagnation, abysmal poverty, inequality and foreign dependency, is often attributed to its colonial heritage. Particular reference is made to the small size of the African state and its structural specialization in primary production. Collective self reliance based on mutual interdependence (regional integration) thus suggests itself as a logical way to overcome the structural constraints imposed by the small size of the state, while at the same time representing a viable alternative to asymmetric trade with developed countries. It is within the context of this theoretical framework that this study critiques the predisposition of the regional body in Southern Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), towards a trade biased approach to regional integration (market integration). This critique is based on theoretical and empirical findings showing that trade led strategies are primarily suited for developed countries with robust manufacturing industries and complimentary production structures. Countries in Southern Africa are however characterized by a near absence of manufacturing industries, are at different levels of development and show low levels of trade complementarities. This study therefore concludes that market integration is an inappropriate strategy for regional integration in Southern Africa and in the process suggests development integration – a political economy approach, as an alternative.