The dissertation explores the differences in time spent by women and men in different activities in Matsanjeni Swaziland. We classify the activities under the Systems of National Accounts (SNA), as SNA activities, non-SNA activities and non Productive activities. The study used a 24 hours time diary to collect data from a sample of 50 respondents, 25 of whom were women and 25 were men. The results show that on average, women and men spend almost equal time doing SNA activities, with men spending slightly more time than women. On the other hand, the results show that women spend a lot more time on Non SNA activities compared to men. Finally, the results show that men spend more time on Non Productive activities compared to women. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

The economic environment is rapidly changing worldwide. Large corporations are downsizing and big enterprises are outsourcing. This has made the existence of Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to be of critical importance to many nations. These enterprises play a vital role in the economic growth of their communities through job creation, innovation, poverty reduction and improving the general welfare of citizens. Although SMEs play a crucial role, there are a number of challenges that hinder them from performing up to their full potential. It is disturbing to note that a number of small and medium businesses are struggling to survive and those that are not struggling, are also not growing to become big well established enterprises. This suggests that a better understanding of how to improve performance may be necessary hence a review of the underlying factors affecting their development and performance of SMEs is required. This study was undertaken to explore the challenges facing SMEs in the Manzini region of Swaziland. The main aim was to investigate factors that contribute to the success or failure of these enterprises. The research was conducted in the Manzini city centre and a sample of 25 SMEs was selected. The qualitative approach was used for the collection of data because this study sought to gain better understanding of small businesses from the participants’ point of view. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data and an interview schedule was used to guide the interviews. The findings of the study reveal that lack of access to financial resources, competition and high operating costs were found to be the major challenges faced by SMEs. The findings also indicate that the SMEs are not getting enough support from the government and other development agencies. It is believed that this study will benefit the policy makers, development agencies, and service providers by information that will assist in identifying the challenges facing SMEs in Manzini. It is recommended that the government play a leading role in creating an enabling environment for the development of successful SMEs. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

The study was initially a long term study of the ecology of small mammals at Mlawula Nature Reserve in the eastern part of Swaziland. Due to the drought and dwindling numbers of rodents in the reserve the study was redirected to determining the factors resulting in the low numbers. The impacts of food and cover and grazing by the larger ungulates were studied. In addition, the age class distribution and gastro-intestinal parasites of small mammals were studied. A study of the small mammals in the Siphiso Valley of Mlawula Nature Reserve was conducted over four years from August 2000. The population density, biomass and composition of the small mammal community in the area were studied. The community comprised of Mus minutoides A. Smith, 1834, Mastomys natalensis (A. Smith, 1834), Lemniscomys rosalia (Thomas, 1904), Crocidura hirta Peters, 1952, Steatomys pratensis Peters, 1846 and Graphiurus murinus (Desmarest, 1822). Mus minutoides was the dominant species with pregnant females caught from November to May. Species richness varied significantly with the time of the year. The biomass, density and numbers of small mammals were low and by the end of the second year of the study, small mammal density was close to zero. Mastomys natalensis from a Middleveld study site, Luyengo, Swaziland were used to study the age structure of the population by means of eye lenses. The eye lens to age (in days) curve determined by Leirs (1994) was applied. A large percentage of M. natalensis in winter (June) were 2 months old while in spring/summer (October to March) the population consisted mainly of 3 month old specimens. A very low number of specimens were older than 4 months. This suggests a high mortality/removal rate of the young especially in the winter months. The impact of grazing pressure and rainfall on small mammal densities were investigated. High grazing pressure by ungulates rendered the habitat unsuitable for small mammals as it removed cover and encouraged colonization by alien invasive plant species. This effect was exacerbated by diminishing and unpredictable rains, such that mild grazing pressure negatively impacted on small mammal communities and on individual species. When the small mammals disappeared from the study site, M. natalensis was reintroduced to determine the factors that led to the disappearance. Supplementary food resulted in the longest persistence of the reintroduced mice while the impact of additional cover was small. Predation was likely responsible for the rapid decline of the reintroduced mice. Small mammals were examined for ectoparasites and gut parasites as these were thought to negatively impact on their physiology and reproduction. Ectoparasites collected included the ticks Ixodes sp. and Boophilus sp., the mite Allodermanyssus sp. and another species of mite. The gastrointestinal tracts contained the helminths Syphacia sp., Heligmonina sp., Trichuris sp., Protospirura sp., two unidentified nematode species and different cestode species. A new species of heligmosomoid nematode is described and named. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

This qualitative case study concerns the educational processes undertaken in an environmental programme of Timeleni Bomake group at Nsingweni, a rural community in Swaziland. At the time of the research most of the group members were elderly women with about four men among whom is the facilitator, a teacher at Nsingweni Primary School. The inquiry occurred through fieldwork involving interviews, observation and photography. Data analysis followed an inductive process that builds concepts. Formed in 1990, the group saw dramatic economic gain in the 1990's through a gardening project supported by Yonge Nawe environmental action group and the facilitator. At the beginning of the new millennium the participants' intrinsic abilities to sustain the group were put to test. Challenges emerged that reduced the enthusiasm of some group members such that the study found the group at the edge of collapse. This report concludes with recommendations on ways to sustain community programmes. / Educational Studies / Thesis (M. Ed. (Environmental Education))

Background Cervical cancer is one of the common cancers worldwide. Despite the available screening services, the uptake of cancer of the cervix is very low. The incidence and mortality in western countries has reduced greatly due to the introduction of cervical cancer screening programmes. However, this is not the same in Africa where cervical cancer is more prevalent in lower resource countries to lack of access to effective screening and services that enhances early detection and treatment. Purpose/Aim of the study The purpose of this research is to determine knowledge of cervical cancer and the level of awareness of screening regimes/routines among HIV positive women in Swaziland. The study was conducted at one hospital specifically at the HIV Care Unit and Public Health Unit between January and June 2015. Methods The questionnaire was administered to collect data and consisted both open and close-ended questions. The questionnaire comprises of three sections: Section A: Socio-demographic data and Section B: Awareness on Cervical Cancer. Section C: Awareness/knowledge on cervical cancer screening. The sample consisted of 123 HIV positive who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) or ART naive. The mean age for the respondents was 35 years. Results From this study, N=28 (23%) out of 123 (77%) reported to have received annual Pap smear for cervical cancer screening. A low proportion of the respondents (45%) had knowledge on cervical cancer screening. In addition, 63% of those who got information about cervical cancer screening through the radio perceived themselves to be at risk of getting cervical cancer. Only 4% heard about cervical cancer at the ART clinic, despite having been followed up for their care at the HIV clinic. Those who screened for cervical cancer were younger in age 25-34 years (80%). This study also revealed that education increased the changes of a woman to be screened for cervical cancer. If a woman had a university or high school education, she perceived herself to be at risk of getting cervical cancer. Conclusion Knowledge is power, cervical cancer campaigns should be conducted at national level in order to promote prevention through screening. Cervical cancer screening should be fully integrated into HIV services / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Magister Public Health - MPH / Background: Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in low and middle-income countries. Traffic police reports indicate that RTAs are amongst the commonest health challenges Swaziland faces. Assessing the magnitude of the challenge, understanding the impact on public health and gaining more insight into the actual risk factors involved in RTAs, and especially RTAs that result in serious injuries and fatalities, is important for the road transport authority, the traffic police and for public health planners, in order to improve road safety, to develop effective countermeasures and to improve preparedness for effective health care, respectively. There is an insufficiency of studies on risk factors associated with RTAs, and particularly those associated with serious and fatal RTAs, in Sub-Saharan countries in general and Swaziland specifically. Manzini, a busy small city in Swaziland with a population of 61000 and an estimate of approximately 12000 vehicles on its roads daily is the setting for this study. RTAs in Manzini, are considered as a major public health problem with many people either seriously injured or killed on the roads annually. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the human (e.g. age, gender, speeding and drunk driving), vehicle (e.g. vehicle types and vehicle defects), infrastructural (e.g. type of roads, road surface defects and road lighting) and environmental risk factors (e.g. rain and darkness) associated with serious and fatal RTAs in Manzini city and surrounding suburbs in Swaziland. Methodology: A case control study, based on data collected from RTA records at Manzini Traffic Police Station, was conducted. The study population was all RTAs in Manzini, with cases being RTAs that resulted in serious or fatal injuries, while RTAs with no injuries (vehicle and property damage only) and minor injuries were categorised as controls. A sample size of 294 consisting of all 143 RTAs with fatal and serious injury that occurred from July 2013 to June 2015 in Manzini city as cases and a random sample of 151 controls from amongst the minor injury and property damage only RTAs, was selected. A standardised data extraction tool was used to collect data from routine traffic police records on all RTAs. Frequencies were calculated for categorical variables. Numerical variables were summarised mathematically, via their central tendencies and distribution as well as collapsed into meaningful categories. Bivariate analysis to ascertain odds ratios was undertaken and all risk factors that showed a significant association with severe and fatal RTAs were further assessed via multivariate logistic regression analysis. Ethical approval for the study was secured from the Swaziland National Ethics Committee and the University of the Western Cape Research and Ethics committee. Results: Factors that had an unconfounded association on multivariate analysis with serious/fatal RTAs, compared to minor RTAs, were: male drivers (AOR = 5.48; 95% CI = 1.63 – 18.43); drivers not wearing a seatbelt (AOR = 5.07; 95% CI = 2.39 – 10.74); pedestrian error (AOR = 2.66; 95% CI = 1.46 – 4.86); accidents occurring on weekends (AOR 3.62; 95% CI = 2.07- 6.33); and accidents occurring between 18:00 – 23:59 time of the day (AOR = 11.68; 95% CI = 4.49 - 30.39). Other factors such as: age of driver, no driver's license at the accident scene, drunk-driving, seasons of the year, driver error, vehicle type, vehicle defect, road surface type, road surface condition, weather condition, street light condition and urban/rural location were not found to be associated with serious/fatal RTAs in our study. Limitations Limitations of the study were that some data collected at the scene of the accident were incomplete and not collected in a standardised manner (alcohol use, speeding, vehicle defects, road defects and environmental factors) and that there was probable misclassification of some serious/fatal RTAs as minor ones and under-reporting of minor RTAs. Also several variables which may affect the severity of RTAs, such as educational level, socioeconomic status, medical illness, marital status and emotional status of the driver, were not routinely collected by the traffic police department and hence were not assessed. Conclusions and Recommendations: Modifiable risk factors that had an unconfounded positive association with serious/fatal RTAs were not using a seatbelt, night-time driving, weekend driving and pedestrian error, while male gender might be a proxy for reckless driving. Hence, education programmes for drivers and the public on behavioural change encouragement, improving pedestrians' road safety by provision of pedestrian sidewalks and crossing sites, coupled with increased traffic law enforcement at critical days and times, may result in reduction of serious/fatal RTAs.

Bovine Tuberculosis is a chronic debilitating disease of cattle and other animals with a worldwide distribution and transmitted mainly through the inhalation of aerosols. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of BTB in the cattle population of selected dip tanks in Swaziland. Furthermore, the zoonotic risk to farmers whose cattle are infected with BTB was assessed by means of a questionnaire survey. Abattoir surveillance identified 16 dip tanks of study where at least 10 % of the cattle were tested for BTB using the comparative intra-dermal skin. In five of these dip tanks, the same cattle were tested for BTB using the IFN-γ Test. Eight BTB skin test positive animals were slaughtered and a detailed post mortem examination was conducted and samples collected for the isolation of M. bovis. Concurrent with BTB testing, a questionnaire survey was conducted to determine risk factors for humans. The prevalence of BTB was found to be 6.75 % in the study population and 20 % of BTB positive animals were diagnosed by both the CIST and IFN-γ, indicating a correlation for the test positive animals in the two tests. M. bovis was isolated from seven of the eight animals slaughtered. Farmers’ knowledge of BTB as a cattle disease and serious zoonosis is insufficient and inadequate while consumption practices of products of bovine origin exposes them to the risk of infection by M. bovis. There is a need to investigate the extent of M. bovis infections in the human population. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Veterinary Tropical Diseases / unrestricted

Magister Legum - LLM / The impact of cultural practices on the advancement of women in Africa: a study of Swaziland and South Africa / South Africa

Magister Public Health - MPH / The aim of the study was to measure patient waiting and service times, describe the causes of high waiting time as well as to determine staff and patient derived norms on waiting times at the Manzini Regional Hospital HIV Clinic. Literature reviewed show that complaints regarding long waiting time have been effectively dealt with through patient flow analysis studies, which measure patient waiting and service times as well as other characteristics. A descriptive cross sectional quantitative survey methodology was undertaken using a time-delimited sample of all patients attending the HIV clinic over one week and all the staff who were in contact with the patients. Waiting time tracking instruments and short questionnaires were used to collect data from both patients and staff. Data were analysed quantitatively. / South Africa

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MPH)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH) / MPH / Unrestricted