Thesis (M. A. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Though recent South African legislation and policy documents have called for closer collaboration between Western-trained and traditional health practitioners, there is little evidence to show that there is a formal collaboration between the two categories of health care providers. Located within the interpretivist paradigm, and using an exploratory descriptive design, the researcher sought to explore the perceptions of Western-trained health practitioners (WTHPs) in Sekhukhune District (Limpopo Province) towards collaboration between themselves and traditional health practitioners (THPs) in treating mental illness. Seventeen WTHPs (males = 07; females = 10) from three hospitals in Sekhukhune District were selected through purposive sampling and requested to take part in the study. The sample comprised of five clinical psychologists, five medical officers working in psychiatric units, and seven psychiatric nurses. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed through thematic analysis. Specifically, Renata Tesch’s eight steps were used to analyse the data. The following psychological themes emerged from the study: (a) shared goals on collaboration; (b) a good effect on collaboration is anticipated; (c) managing interdependence between traditional and Western-trained practitioners; (d) proposed ideal structures of governance to govern the collaboration; (e) recommended legislations and policies on collaboration; (f) suggested factors that may foster collaboration; (g) proposed factors that hinder collaboration; and, (h) referral systems that exist in the health care. The findings suggest that some WTHPs are willing to collaborate with THPs, especially if proper guidelines for collaboration could be provided by the government. Some recommendations on an ideal structure of governance and legislation on collaboration were made by the WTHPs. The WTHPs highlighted factors that may hinder or facilitate closer collaboration between themselves and THPs in providing mental health services to communities.

Against the background of evidence that parent involvement benefits learners, parents, schools and communities, a need has arisen for effective parent involvment strategies to be developed particularly in rural and disadvantaged communities. A literature study investigated models of parent involvementand the provision of education in North West Province. Barriers to parent involvement in schools were also investigated. A qualitative methodology was used to investigate parent involvement in three rural schools in North West Province. Data were gathered by means of observation, semi-structures focus group interviews with parents and educators and semi-structures in-depth interviewswith principals of participating schools. Thus parents and educators blame each other for lack of participation. Other findings relate to the lack of resources and facilities in schools. Guidelines for proper parent involvement were proposed. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Comparative Education)

Thesis (MA (Political Science))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) have become increasingly important actors since the end of the Cold War. They provide a wide range of services and are therefore difficult to classify. Many view them as new front companies for mercenaries, which this thesis argues is not the case. Few states have put in place legislation to deal with the problems caused by these companies, and they are therefore generally not accountable to states. This is problematic because their services are within an area where states have traditionally had monopoly. This thesis studies the new South African legislation, the Prohibition of Mercenary Activities and Regulation of Certain Activities in Country of Armed Conflict Act of 2006, which was put in place in order to ban mercenaries and regulate the services offered by the private military and security companies based in the country. By comparing it to the older South African legislation, the thesis evaluates the extent to which the new legislation has been able to close loopholes inherent in the old legislation. The new South African legislation is also compared to the international conventions which bans mercenaries. By banning these actors, South Africa is very much in line with the international community when it designed the conventions. However, PNSCs are not mercenaries. The thesis then compares the new South African legislation to the domestic regulation in place in the United States of America. It finds that despite having many of the same weaknesses as the South African legislation, it is more likely that the American regulation will be abided by than the South African. This is due to the positive relationship between the US government and American PMSCs, and the fact that the government is a major client of the companies. South Africa does not enjoy the same positive relationship with its companies. Finally, the new South African legislation is compared to the UK Green Paper of 2002, which presented options of how to deal with the companies. The ban on mercenaries put in place by the new South African legislation was discouraged in the Green Paper. The licensing regime (as in the USA) that was proposed by the Green Paper, however, is similar to the authorisation scheme established in South Africa.

Against the background of evidence that parent involvement benefits learners, parents, schools and communities, a need has arisen for effective parent involvment strategies to be developed particularly in rural and disadvantaged communities. A literature study investigated models of parent involvementand the provision of education in North West Province. Barriers to parent involvement in schools were also investigated. A qualitative methodology was used to investigate parent involvement in three rural schools in North West Province. Data were gathered by means of observation, semi-structures focus group interviews with parents and educators and semi-structures in-depth interviewswith principals of participating schools. Thus parents and educators blame each other for lack of participation. Other findings relate to the lack of resources and facilities in schools. Guidelines for proper parent involvement were proposed. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Comparative Education)