Thesis (M.A. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2012 / Refer to document

This study in Practical Theology has been motivated by a concern that, in post-apartheid South Africa, it has become more difficult for yoling people in general, and university students in particular to have a vision for, and hope in the future, and hence to demonstrate commitment to working for a new world. It therefore seeks to identify ways in which such commitment and leadership can be nurtured, by engaging in a critical reflection on ministry to university students. This is done through the use of the critical hermeneutical method of correlation between the Christian tradition and human life experience as employed by Don S. Browning, lames and Evelyn Whitehead, and Stuart Bate. This involves beginning with concrete practice, going to theory, and then concluding with practice, in an ongoing hermeneutical circle. A case study is presented of the Association of Catholic Tertiary Students (ACTS) at the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg (UNP), and an analysis of their situation is undertaken, using two mediations. A psychological mediation identifies the psychological structures to which university students are capable of evolving at their stage of development, which is characterised by relativism and probing commitment. A socio-cultural mediation explores the roots of the loss of a sense of commmunity, and the growth in a spirit of individualism that epitomise the central issues within the UNP ACTS group. These roots are identified in the globalisation that is taking place at an economic, social and cultural level, resulting in relativisation, rationalisation, and personalisation in all dimensions of life. This gives rise to increasing competition, individualism and cultural dislocation, which are particularly evident since the demise of apartheid and the international integration of South Africa, coupled with the collapse of many of the hopes generated in the struggle against apartheid. A theological judgement of the ministry being employed within ACTS is then made, which points to the forms of ministry which could offer good news, evoke deeper commitment, and build stronger moral leadership amongst the students. The priority emerging is to foster selfesteem amongst them, primarily through building a joyful, accepting community with a small group pedagogy so that they can discover liberating message of the gospel in their quest for God, for survival in a hostile world, and for personal intimacy and acceptance. Such empowerment, it is suggested, makes deeper commitment possible. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

M. Tech. Public Management / The aim of this research is to test different opinions of whether there are instances of unethical and corrupt activities in Academic higher educational institutions in South Africa and to also discover the types of unethical behaviour and corruption taking place if any, in order to come-up with remedial measures. The participants in this research are the academic and administrative personnel. Participants are aware of what is expected of them by management within their different academic higher educational institutions. They can be able to detect instances of unethical and corrupt acts by their colleagues and these will allow them to make a valuable contribution in this research.

Drinking and driving has always been a problem amongst university students. As Rocha-Silva (1981:1) states, drinking and driving accidents are one of the biggest problems that many universities internationally and locally have to deal with. The high level of drinking and driving among students in South African universities has prompted many universities to implement strategies to address the problem, such as the "Buddy Bus" campaign. The Department of Transport (DoT) has also implemented strategies such as the Arrive Alive campaign and Asiphephe to try and reduce the problem of drinking and driving in the country at large. However, studies on drinking and driving behaviour according to Nuntsu (2004) still point to an increase in the number of young people who engage in drinking and driving despite the number of diversified initiatives that have been implemented by educational institutions, communities and by various government bodies to counteract it. This has prompted this study in identifying the implementation approaches used by certain universities in South Africa in addressing drinking and driving among university students and the marketing strategies used to promote the drinking and driving policies. These universities included; the University of Johannesburg, Witwatersrand University and the University of Pretoria (Gauteng Province), University of KwaZulu-Natal campuses (Howard College, Westville campus and Pietermaritzburg campus), and the University of Zululand (KwaZulu-Natal province), the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University and the University of Western Cape (Western Cape province). The method used for this study was qualitative method and the data was collected using face to face in-depth interviews. Both purposive and quota sampling was used to select the sample for the study. The findings showed that all the institutions under investigation had anti-drinking and driving programmes and campaigns such as "Buddy Bus" campaign and utilised music concerts with young famous musicians promoting anti-drinking and driving messages to students. However, they did not have formal, codified drinking and driving policies. Both the "top-down and the "bottom-up" approaches to policy implementation were identified in the institutions investigated. The "top-down" approach is implemented by the people at the top level, for example, in universities the management set the rules and the students have to abide by them. The "bottom-down" approaches are managed by students. The students decide on how the policies should be implemented. This approach is more flexible as it allows negotiation between students and management. The "bottom-up" approach appeared to be more "popular" than the "top-down" approach as it was adopted by seventy percent of the institutions. These institutions saw the "bottom-up" approach as appropriate in implementing the drinking and driving programmes as it allowed the student organisations (street-level bureaucrats) to have input on the policy implementation process. Indeed it also allows for negotiation and consensus building. The sociological theories, e.g. social learning theory, used in the study to explain students drinking were also evident in the findings with some universities adopting some of their suggested preventative measures which include the emphasis on negative social consequences of alcohol use and employment of popular peer role models to discourage alcohol use. However, the availability theory appeared to be more relevant in addressing drinking and driving behaviour, because for students to stop drinking and driving, alcohol should not be available to them - the premise of the theory. It was also evident from the findings that although there are programmes/strategies being implemented by the universities and DoT to address students drinking and driving, this deviant behaviour is still rife amongst the students. There is a need for more interventions from the universities, communities and DoT, all working together in developing and implementing drinking and driving strategies. There is also a need for theory-driven research on this "deviant behaviour", especially studies that use sociological theories to explain this "deviant behaviour" and the factors contributing to it. This will assist in providing important information and an understanding of why students engage in drinking and driving and also help to explain this deviant behaviour using sociological theories. The results of this theory-driven research will aid in highlighting important issues that need to be taken into consideration when designing drinking and driving programmes/policies at universities. The findings show that there is a need for approaches that will equip young people with life skills such as decision-making and peer pressure resistance skills which will allow them to resist the temptation of drinking and driving. Future investigations should thus focus on an evaluation of the drinking and driving strategies and the approaches used to implement them so that new and improved strategies can be developed. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, [2008]

The present study investigated the nature of desegregation as observed by the use of space by the diverse racial groups at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg). The researcher observed and recorded participants as they used the Hexagon Cafeteria at the University. Observations and systematic recordings were conducted in the first week in term on Monday and Tuesday over four consecutive weeks. Participants were recorded as they sat at a table and when they left the table. Their race, gender, time and table number were captured, forming data for the final analysis. The study revealed that black students were the least represented race group, in number, and were the mostly segregated from the other racial groups. Perhaps this study would have yielded different results if there were a higher proportion of black students throughout the six-day observational period. Indian students were the majority at the Cafeteria in comparison to other racial groups. It seems that the Hexagon Cafeteria is a popular meeting place for most Indian students. It can also be speculated that the Hexagon Cafeteria appears to be an ideal meeting place for most female students as they outnumbered the male students throughout the six-day observational period. Despite persistent racial segregation, points of contact (integration) were observed between the three racial groups. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.