Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Technology: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY in the Faculty of Informatics and Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013 / Governments throughout the world are increasingly under pressure to transform in response to rapid changes in the global economy. They are faced with new and challenging situations as the social world, the economy, demography and technology keep changing. While literature reports some degree of success towards e-government implementation in the developed world, there is lack of empirical research on successes of e-government and information sharing practices of government agencies in developing countries. Designers of e-government solutions in all countries face challenges that are unique to their specific sociocultural, economic, geographic, environmental, political, and technical context. However, the peculiarity of e-government challenges is more evident in developing countries than in developed ones. This research is motivated by the need to investigate an e-government phenomenon in a developing country context like Zimbabwe which is characterised by complex dynamics rooted in politics, economy and social setting. Emphasis is placed on the political nature and the complex institutional environments in which e-government develops and recognition is given to the key concepts of e-government which involve the technological and social aspects. This study has been scoped empirically to explore e-government implementation efforts at government level then a case study of the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality’s e-Administration dimension of e-government, with focus on information sharing. Tourism is an example that e-government’s parameters do not stop at the boundaries of the public sector. The research first conducted a document study of all policies and programmes initiated by the government of Zimbabwe towards public sector modernisation using ICTs. Secondly, in order to identify the status of e-government and information sharing as well as government’s vision in the same, interviews were conducted with the Ministry of ICT’s administration. Thirdly, a case study of the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality was conducted to establish the extent and tools of information sharing between the ministry and other line ministries, departments and other institutions nationally and internationally. Data from the case were analysed using the Activity-Driven Needs Analysis (ADNA). Research findings from all activities have been discussed and further developed in two solutions-oriented focus group meetings with senior managers at both ministries of ICT and tourism in the area of cross-government information sharing, and in feedback sessions with research participants. Literature review, analysis of ICT policy documents and case study analysis were insights which underpinned the development of an e-government framework for developing countries. The emphasis of the framework is for e-government designers to place importance on political and institutional factors ahead of any other determinant. Consistent with ADNA and the critical realist perspective, the aim is not to influence these political and institutional factors, but to understand their modus operandi and hence to construct an e-government solution which recognizes the dictates of all stakeholders.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Technology: Biomedical Technology in the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014 / According to the World Health Organization, cancer is the leading cause of death in the developed world, while it is the second leading cause of death in the developing world. In particular, liver cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, however, it is the second most frequent cause of death, responsible for an estimated 700,000 deaths annually. General limited access to health services, including treatment and the overall management of cancer in developing countries often contribute to the increased mortality rates when compared to developed countries. For centuries, medicinal plants have been used to prevent, and to a certain extent, treat cancer as a readily available and affordable alternative. In many instances, the curative or preventative claims still remain anecdotal. However, increasing evidence suggest that polyphenolic components of plants possess antioxidant activities, which are credited with curative/beneficial properties of medicinal plants. The curative properties could either be related to the primary compounds present in the plant itself, or the bio-activation products of plant components affecting hepatic drug metabolising and antioxidant enzymes systems related to carcinogen metabolism and maintaining oxidative homeostasis, respectively. Similarly, chronic consumption of medicinal plants could also result in hepatotoxicity, either caused by the primary plant components or bio-activation products. Due to these observations it is paramount to understand the mechanisms involved in the metabolism of plant components to critically assess beneficial versus potential harmful properties associated with chronic consumption. The focus of the current study was aimed at elucidating the bio-activity of four multipurpose indigenous plants to Southern Africa, i.e. Adansonia digitata, Agathosma betulina, Siphonochilus aethiopicus and Myrothamnus flabellifolius. Traditionally, A. digitata has been used as an immunostimulant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent, while also as an antipyretic agent in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery. Similarly, traditional medicinal uses of A. betulina include treatment cholera, haematuria, calculus, kidney diseases, as well as infections of the bladder, urethra, and prostate among others. S. aethiopicus was traditionally employed to treat infections associated with pains and fevers, whereas M. flabellifolius served as treatment of conditions ranging from respiratory ailments, backache, kidney problems, haemorrhoids, chest pain, and asthma. In the first part of this study, the polyphenolic contents and antioxidant capacities of the four plants were characterised. The emphasis was placed on using different solvents, namely water, ethanol and acetone for the extraction of the plant material and different methodologies to assess the antioxidant contents and -capacities of the various extracts as both these factors can influence the outcome. When considering the antioxidant contents, total polyphenols, flavanols, and flavonols of the different solvent extracts prepared from the four plants were determined, whereas three different assays were used for the antioxidant capacities, i.e. oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The A. digitata acetone extract had the highest (7.121 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/milligram (mg) soluble solids), whereas the water extract of the same plant had the lowest total phenolic content (0.008 mg GAE/mg soluble solids). In general, the acetone extracts demonstrated the highest total polyphenol, flavanol, and flavonol contents, followed by the ethanol extracts, with the water extracts having the lowest contents. M. flabellifolius was the only distinct deviation from this rule, where the water extract demonstrated the highest total polyphenol content. Considering antioxidant capacities, the acetone extracts provided the highest antioxidant capacities for all plants when assessed using the TEAC (8.56-32.68 milimole (mmole) trolox equivalent (TE)/mg soluble solids) and FRAP (5.69-37.39 mmole ascorbic acid equivalent/mg soluble solids) antioxidant assays, with the exception of M. flabellifolius where the water extract demonstrated the highest activity (22.73 mmole ascorbic acid equivalent/mg soluble solids). Antioxidant capacity determinations with TEAC and FRAP assays followed similar patterns, which were different from capacities determined by the ORAC (0.46-533.54 mmoleTE/mg of soluble solids) assay. Corroborating the antioxidant content findings, the acetone extracts also demonstrated the highest antioxidant capacities (140.41-533.54 mmoleTE/mg of soluble solids), followed by ethanol (94.62-151.29 mmoleTE/mg of soluble solids) and water (0.46-134.02 mmoleTE/mg of soluble solids). Only M. flabellifolius (TEAC and FRAP) and S. aethiopicus (FRAP) deviated from this trend. Correlations between the polyphenolic contents and antioxidant capacities indicated that acetone and ethanol were more effective in extracting polyphenolic compounds than water, while also providing extracts with superior antioxidant activities. Furthermore, ORAC assay was the antioxidant capacity determining assay of choice for the aqueous plant extracts, whereas the TEAC and FRAP assays were more suitable when determining the antioxidant capacities of the acetone and ethanol plant extracts. These results confirm the notion that no single assay can comprehensively determine the antioxidant activities of plant extracts and that a battery of assays should be used, as the various antioxidant capacity determination techniques use different substrates with different targets for measurement. The second part of this study comprised an in vivo experimental animal model to assess the potential toxicity, antioxidant status and modulation of the hepatic phase 2 drug metabolising enzymes following chronic consumption of the various plant extracts in male Fisher rats. Rats consumed aqueous extracts of the various plants (2% and 5% (w/v)) as the sole source of drinking fluid for 90 days, and the serum chemical pathology parameters for monitoring liver and kidney function conducted. These included alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), total iron (Fe), and creatinine (CREA). Parameters for blood and hepatic redox status included total polyphenols, ORAC, reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidised glutathione (GSSG), their ratio (GSH:GSSG), conjugated dienes (CD) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Assessment of the phase 2 hepatic xenobiotic metabolising enzymes included glutathione S-transferase (GST)  and activity in the cytosolic fraction and, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDP-GT) activity in liver microsomes. When considering the liver and kidney function none of the plant extracts induced any significant toxicity, while 2% A. digitata significantly increased serum Fe. When considering the redox status, the whole blood and liver samples yielded similar results, with significant decreases in oxidised glutathione (GSSG) in rats consuming the 2% M. flabellifolius (82.76 mole/L) and 5% A. digitata (90.42 mole/L) with a resultant significant increase in the glutathione redox status (GSH:GSSG ratio of 5.69 and 5.64, respectively) when compared to rats consuming water (4.77). The GSH:GSSG ratio was also significantly increased by consumption of 2% A. betulina (8.45) and 5% S. aethiopicus (5.99). The consumption of all plant extracts, except 5% A. betulina and M. flabellifolius, significantly increased lipid peroxidation in the plasma CDs assay. These results indicated an increased antioxidant capacity in the liver with/without an associated reduced cellular oxidative stress status, which could be interpreted as a reduced susceptibility to oxidative damage. When considering the phase 2 hepatic enzymes, none of the plant extracts caused any significant changes in GST, GST or UDP-GT activities. The third part investigated the chemoprotective properties against cancer promotion in the liver utilising diethylnitrosamine (DEN) as cancer initiator and maize culture material of Fusarium verticillioides, containing the fumonisin B mycotoxins, as promoters in male Fischer rats. The rats consumed 2% (w/v) aqueous extracts of A. digitata, A. betulina, and S. aethiopicus over 28 days after cancer initiation and liver sections subjected to glutathione-S-transferase placental form positive GSTP+ staining and pre-cancerous liver foci categorised according to size. In addition, blood and liver analyses were done as described in the chronic feeding study above. Consumption of the A. digitata and, to a certain extent, S. aethiopicus extracts, altered the oxidative stress status in the liver as indicated by the increased lipid peroxidation, as determined by significantly increased liver CDs and the decreased GSH:GSSG ratio in the blood. This can be related to a subchronic toxicity due to the high total polyphenol intake as mentioned above. These underlying sub chronic toxic effects of A. digitata and S. aethiopicus are likely to be responsible for the observed inhibitory effect on the proliferation of GSTP+ minifoci in the liver. Hepatic phase 2 metabolising enzyme activities were not significantly altered by A. digitata and S. aethiopicus consumption, while GST activity was significantly increased by A. betulina treatment. Based on the findings of the current study, aqueous extracts of A. digitata, A. betulina, and S. aethiopicus may serve as hepatoprotectors with a potential to modulate liver carcinogenesis, specifically cancer promotion. To our knowledge, no other studies have attempted to describe the possible chemoprevention mechanisms of these indigenous medicinal plants. Assessments of phase 1 hepatic enzymes and other antioxidant enzymes are suggested for future studies to further describe biochemical and molecular mechanisms associated with consumption of these extracts. Additionally, identifying main compounds present in the plant extracts could culminate in development of drugs and novel nutraceuticals. It is also recommended that increasing concentrations of the plant extracts and/or the ethanol extracts to be used in future studies to better describe dose-responses of the different plants in liver carcinogenesis.

Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Technology: Biomedical Technology In the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences At the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014 / Peroxidases are ubiquitous catalysts that oxidise a wide variety of organic and inorganic compounds employing peroxide as the electron acceptor. They are an important class of oxidative enzymes which are found in nature, where they perform diverse physiological functions. Apart from the white rot fungi, actinomycetes are the only other known source of extracellular peroxidases. In this study, the production of extracellular peroxidase in wild type actinomycete strains was investigated, for the purpose of large-scale production and finding suitable applications. The adjustment of environmental parameters (medium components, pH, temperature and inducers) to optimise extracellular peroxidase production in five different strains was carried out. Five Streptomyces strains isolated from various natural habitats were initially selected for optimisation of their peroxidase production. Streptomyces sp. strain BSII#1 and Streptomyces sp. strain GSIII#1 exhibited the highest peroxidase activities (1.30±0.04 U ml-1 and 0.757±0.01 U ml-1, respectively) in a complex production medium at 37°C and pH 8.0 in both cases. Maximum enzyme production for Streptomyces strain BSII#1 was obtained in the presence of 0.1 mM veratryl alcohol or pyrogallol, while 0.1 mM guaiacol induced the highest peroxidase production in Streptomyces sp. strain GSIII#1. As the highest peroxidase producer, Streptomyces sp. strain BSII#1 was selected for further studies. The strain was first characterised by a polyphasic approach, and was shown to belong to the genus Streptomyces using various chemotaxonomic, genotypic and phenotypic tests. Production of peroxidase was scaled up to larger volumes in different bioreactor formats. The airlift configuration was optimal for peroxidase production, with Streptomyces sp. strain BSII#1 achieving maximum production (4.76±0.46 U ml-1) in the 3 l culture volume within 60 hrs of incubation. A protocol for the purification of the peroxidase was developed, which involved sequential steps of acid and acetone precipitation, as well as ultrafiltration. A purification factor of at least 46-fold was achieved using this method and the protein was further analysed by LC-MS. The protein was shown to be a 46 kDa protein, and further biochemical characterisation showed that the peroxidase had a narrower spectrum of substrates as compared to reports on other peroxidases derived from actinomycetes. With 2,4-dichlorophenol as the substrate, the Km and Vmax for this enzyme were 0.893 mM and 1.081 μmol min-1, respectively. The purified peroxidase was also capable of catalysing coupling reactions between several phenolic monomer pairs. Overall, the peroxidase from Streptomyces sp. strain BSII#1 could feasibly be produced in larger scales and there remains further room to investigate other potential applications for this enzyme.

Mini-dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Tourism and Hospitality Management in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2009 / Sport tourism events have grown in prominence globally. Governments increasingly include these activities into their development and tourism strategies. Notably, there are benefits and costs to hosting sport mega-events. The 2010 FIFA World Cup presents South Africa with tangible and intangible benefits. Communities are one of the most important stakeholders of events. Research investigating residents’ perceptions on impacts of mega-events, especially those residing closest to the event location are limited. This study examined Green Point residents’ perceptions of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the impacts of the Green Point Stadium. The aim was to investigate the level of awareness, perceptions and attitudes of residents’ living within one kilometre of the Stadium using a spatially based stratified random sampling method. Interviewer completed questionnaires were administered and 344 responses from residents recorded. Findings reveal that residents have high levels of awareness about the event but more could be done to improve communication and the dissemination of information by stakeholders. Although, the stadium location was initially contested, the majority of residents favour the chosen site. Residents’ primary concern about South Africa hosting the event relate to crime, safety and security of visitors. Overall, residents have high expectations’ regarding social and economic impacts. Moreover, residents have positive attitudes towards the country hosting the mega-event and most believe that lasting legacies will be left for the nation. The findings encourage stakeholders to promote active community involvement and participation by using all communication methods available to regularly engage with residents to address and alleviate concerns about perceived negative impacts of the event and future events.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology in Tourism and Hospitality Management in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / Sport tourism, mega-events and the impacts thereof, especially in developing countries, have, in the past, tended to have been overlooked academically. This study investigated 2010 Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) World Cup™ initiatives in the Eden District Municipality (EDM), Western Cape, South Africa, which is situated between the host cities of Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. The research investigated whether or not planning initiatives being conducted by the district and individual towns in the region were integrated or not, with special reference to the accommodation sector. The sector was the focus of the research, as most plans being conducted in the region were centred on the development of team base camps as accommodation satellites for travelling spectators. The research design consisted of self-administered electronic questionnaires, which were sent to a sample of 587 accommodation establishments. From the survey, a response of 251 valid questionnaires were received. In addition to the questionnaires, five key informant interviews were conducted with representatives from towns in the EDM. The findings indicated that, although stakeholders in the EDM were interested in becoming involved in 2010 FIFA World Cup™ planning, and despite the majority being involved in planning initiatives, little information reached the accommodation establishments in the region. As a result of such paucity of information, establishments were embarking on their own planning initiatives, which were not in conjunction with those being conducted by the EDM. The research also showed that awareness levels of plans being conducted by various stakeholders in the region were very low and that accommodation establishments knew very little about the plans concerned. Moreover, there was scant awareness of the roles of various stakeholders and involved parties in the region. The research established that, although a large number of establishments were aware of the services offered by MATCH Event Services Pty, which was appointed by FIFA to administer its Tour Operator Programme on its behalf, not many had registered with the body, due to any one or more of a range of reasons. Key informant interviews conducted as part of the study found that most of the above-mentioned respondents were working on projects in conjunction with other stakeholders, rather than in isolation, and that the level of buy-in from accommodation establishments was not very high. The majority of key informants agreed that there had not been sufficient or significant communication about the event from the EDM or from local municipalities and that the initiatives of which they were aware lacked a strong legacy focus. From the research conducted, recommendations made were that there should be a more consolidated marketing and planning effort for all towns in the EDM concerned with an event of this nature, while the individual needs, offerings and the nature of each of the towns should still be considered. Planning initiatives in a district municipality should involve all levels of stakeholders, and both communication channels, as well as the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved, must be clearly defined. In planning for the hosting of such an event as the FIFA World Cup™, the long-term needs of the area and the legacy of the event should be the main considerations in ensuring community development and sustainability radiating from the event.

THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR TECHNOLOGIAE ( D Tech ) (TRAVEL AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT) IN THE FACULTY OF BUSINESS AT THE CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, 2008 / This study is aimed at developing and proposing a normative model for cultural tourism, which should be implemented on the Cape Flats. Normative criteria for cultural tourism were identified through a literature search, followed by an empirical study. Responses to various questions and statements were statistically analysed, interpreted and presented. Tourism stakeholders such as tour operators, travel agents, accommodation establishments and cultural tourism suppliers, including the community of the Cape Flats, can benefit from implementation of the normative model for cultural tourism. This study traces the roots of philosophy in the social sciences, provides a philosophical basis for cultural tourism, followed by a discussion of relevant national, provincial and local legislative frameworks for cultural tourism on the Cape Flats. In addition to the above, a comparative conceptual analysis of cultural tourism in The Gambia is made in order to gain a better understanding of successes and challenges that face destinations, which intend to offer cultural tourism as a tourism product. Developing a normative model for cultural tourism on the Cape Flats should seek to invite active participation from the community from inception phase until implementation. The research identifies and explains elements of model theory, discusses models that are applicable to the research area, and presents an adapted normative, input-output systems model with a feedback mechanism. The normative model proposes an implementation mechanism against various external and internal environmental factors as means to ensure sustainability of cultural offerings on the Cape Flats. The normative model proposes an approach that will facilitate employment in the tourism sector on the Cape Flats, as well as poverty alleviation initiatives as part of corporate social responsibility undertakings by tourism stakeholders. Variables identified in the normative model will assist tourism stakeholders, including the Cape Flats community, to develop cultural offerings for consumption by tourists, the cultural market and sustain cultural tourism, which should improve standards of living for people on the Cape Flats. The normative model for cultural tourism addresses the critical shortage of skills amongst tourism practitioners and offers recommendations to alleviate this shortcoming within the tourism industry. The normative criteria, which is identified in the model, addresses the fact that attention should given to improvement and provision of cultural tourism infrastructure on the Cape Flats. An objective of the normative model for cultural tourism is to facilitate the proposal of guidelines for National, Provincial and Local government policy initiatives regarding tourism and, in particular, cultural tourism on the Cape Flats. This model identifies aims and objectives of the White Paper on Sustainable Tourism Development (1996), the Cape Flats Tourism Framework (2005) and the Tourism Development Framework for the City of Cape Town (2006). Finally, the Cape Flats’ diverse community displays a host of unique cultural experiences and offerings in terms of folklore, history, experiences, food, song and a host of other activities that should be shared with tourists.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Technology: Tourism Management Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / There are 11 thermal springs in the Western Cape, seven of which have been developed into eight resorts. Only one of these resorts has a focus on health and wellness, with appropriate facilities, with the others functioning primarily as family leisure resorts. Internationally there has been a move by traditional thermal spring resorts to begin offering a combination of health (medical and wellness) services in combination with leisure activities. In light of current international trends, as well as perceived domestic needs, it appears that the Western Cape‟s thermal spring resources are not being optimally utilized as tourist attractions, neither for domestic nor for international tourist markets. This research sets out to evaluate the potential for health tourism development of thermal springs in the Western Cape. It analyses relevant aspects of both the supply and demand sides of thermal spring tourism in the Western Cape. A database is compiled of thermal spring resorts and undeveloped thermal springs in the Western Cape, which includes facilities and services, and relative locations with respect to tourist attractions and tourism routes. The mineral and radon gas contents of the respective thermal waters are measured and discussed in relation to known medicinal properties. A questionnaire-based survey was undertaken, involving 383 respondents at six resorts, and activity-based market segmentation was carried out using k-means cluster analysis. A four-segment user profile (typology) of current visitors, based on activity preferences, was compiled. It was found that there is considerable potential for the development of thermal spring health (medical and wellness) tourism products in the Western Cape, based on available resources. A framework for thermal spring health tourism product development in the Western Cape is proposed, and recommendations are made for future development and marketing. Key recommendations include the development of balneological treatments, and radon therapies, at certain resorts, and investigating of the availability of local resources that could be incorporated into medical or wellness tourism products.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Public Management in the Faculty of business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013 / The study, which deals with Assessing Contributions of Tourism Development to Poverty Alleviation Programmes in Langa, Western Cape Province, was conducted against the background that Langa Township has all that it takes to be considered as a well developed tourist destination. Despite the great potential of tourism economic clusters in Langa Township, which covers its rich historical contribution in the history making of new the South Africa, cultural tourism and township tourism, the township faces a challenge of unemployment whilst there are few community members that perceive tourism as an escape industry that would create job opportunities for them, and hence contribute to a better life. Conversely, this study locates the tourism industry as key in efforts to uplift the poor standard of living that the Langa township community faces. In South Africa, generally, the tourism industry is recognised as one of the key economic sectors that has great potential to contribute towards eradicating community-based poverty challenges. The central focus of the study involves the viability of tourism business segments in Langa Township, community participation, community understanding and awareness of the tourism industry in the area, as well as basic infrastructure to support tourism industry. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methodology. The quantitative survey was administered by using Likert Scale questionnaires, which were distributed to community members who have stayed in Langa for more than five years. The quantitative survey was distributed to the Langa Local Economic Development Forum, tour operators based in Langa, and those who make use of Langa as a visiting destination, and community leaders. The main findings of the study revealed that there are few tour operators who conduct business based in Langa township, whilst those tourism establishments that exist are not widely marketed and properly planned to both lead and benefit from the potential of tourism economic segments in order to keep these operators highly viable and sustainable. Community understanding and awareness of the tourism industry in the area is at a fair level of understanding and awareness, but with little in-depth knowledge on how these communities can use it for the improvement of their living conditions. However, basic infrastructure to support the tourism industry in Langa is not at a high standard to attract tourist use. For example, the indoor sport centres, playing fields, and cultural yards are of a poor quality. This situation makes it difficult to currently position the tourism industry in Langa township, and drive it as a leading economic sector for poverty alleviation. Nonetheless, the study presents recommendation on how best to improve the current exploration on the tourism industry in Langa township for a positive impact on programmes towards poverty alleviation.

Mini-thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF TECHNOLOGY: MARKETING MANAGEMENT in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2010 / This study examines the validity of the mystery shopper research method, which was applied in the context of wine tourism. In the process of achieving this objective, the service quality of selected wine estates along the Stellenbosch Wine Route (SWR) was also established. Furthermore, the findings reveal whether this research method is beneficial to facilitate customer relationships. Wine tourism is considered a special interest tourism that has received heightened global attention in the past decade, both practically and academically. This growth is also mirrored domestically, as wine tourism is one of the major attractions in the Western Cape. Since 2006, the number of wine estates in the Stellenbosch region rose by 12.3%, resulting in more than 140 wine estates that are currently available. This ultimately means that there are more wine estates, which all compete for the same customer base, and this increases competitiveness. Moreover, being a relatively homogenous product offering, with the key differential point being the actual winescape, it is important that wine estates focus on delivering superior service quality in order to achieve competitive advantage. This also calls for a need to systematically test service quality and procedures to ensure that desired levels are maintained. The research methodology that was used is exploratory in nature, comprising of two in-depth interviews and sixteen mystery visits via judgmental sampling. The mystery visits were conducted at the Stellenbosch Hills and Bottelary Hills sub-routes. One popular and one less recognised wine estate per sub-route were observed. Findings showed that service quality at these estates are generally high, yet experiences at all estates were vastly different. The most important discovery is that the concept of mystery visitors is, in fact, an appropriate vehicle to assess service quality and to facilitate customer relationships. This method was successful in identifying the source of problems that led to sub-optimal performance, which allowed for corrective action to be taken. As a result, the service quality of the estates can be further increased to ensure a perfect experience on each occasion, which, over time, builds the reputati~n of the wine estate. Ultimately, this research has demonstrated that mystery visitors can be applied in the context of tourism on both an individual and collective scale. Key words: wine tourism, special interest tourism, wine tourists, Western Cape, Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch Wine Route, service quality, research method, mystery shopper and mystery visitor.

Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Human Resources Management in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2008 / Spirituality has made its mark in the global business world. For a long time the spiritual component has been ignored by organisations, possibly out of fear that the workplace will be turned into a religious war-zone. However, the time has arrived for organisations to start engaging their employees spiritually, and give attention to the concept of bringing the whole person to work. In most workplaces today the environment is fertile with elements of materialism, competition, distrust, insecurity, suspicion, corruption and dishonesty. These elements normally manifest in the behaviour of individuals which create a misalignment to the organisations’ values. The value system of an organisation is an important tool for steering the actions of employees in the direction of its mission and purpose. It is crucial however, for organisations to firstly understand the personal or spiritual values of its employees and then attempt to align those values with the organisations’ values. This research established a link between the personal values of employees and the company values however, the value of Integrity was misaligned. Organisations should note that spiritual employees are concerned with values relating to moral or ethical conduct such as Integrity, Honesty, Respect, Equality, Empathy, Trust and Openness. If the moral or ethical values of spiritual employees are perceived to be dishonoured in the workplace, it may cause a negative effect on the organisation as a whole if one considers that employees spend most of their time at work. Spiritual employees will strive to integrate their spiritual beliefs and values in their daily activities at work as it is fundamental to their being. Such employees regard their spiritual beliefs and values as their moral compass which guides factors such as their decision making, attitude at work and overall their mission and purpose in life. Leaders should set an example in living the organisations’ values by acting with integrity, honesty, respect and trust. When this alignment in the leaders conduct is perceived by employees, it builds employees’ confidence and trust in the leadership and organisation as a whole. Organisations today may need to consider taking an inside-out approach to changing employees’ behaviour addressing it at the core, which is the spirit. Integrating spirituality in the workplace must be done with authenticity. The true intent of spirituality is having employees functioning as whole persons in the workplace.