Magister Artium - MA / Die moeder-dogter-verhouding is ʼn terugkerende en fassinerende tema in resente skryfwerk. Dit is die onderwerp van talle wetenskaplike navorsingsartikels, maar tog het dit tot dusver min aandag ontvang in die Afrikaanse letterkunde. Die verwikkelde moeder-dogter- verhouding is ʼn deurlopende tema in die werk van drie swart Afrikaanse vrouedigters, nl. Ronelda Kamfer, Jolyn Phillips en Shirmoney Rhode. Elkeen plaas ʼn eiesoortige fokus daarop. Die dimensies van hierdie verhouding word ontleed aan die hand van die psigoanalise soos deur Freud en Lacan uiteengesit. Postkolonialisme as raamwerk word ook betrek omdat dit fokus op identiteit en die subalterne wat ʼn kerngegewe in die genoemde digters se werk is. Hierdie raamwerk stel egter beperkings wanneer die sielkundige aspekte ter sprake kom. Hierdie studie maak dus gebruik van ʼn eklektiese benadering waarin insigte uit beide teoretiese raamwerke benut word. / South Africa

The focus of this study was to explore the experiences of secondary school educators concerning the educator-learner relationship. The study hopes to add value in developing sustainable support to enhance the quality of life and well-being of South African educators. The study highlights specific aspects of the educators’ perspective (Koomen et al., 2011; Philip, 2008; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2011; Easter et al., 2008), such as cultural perspective, attachment perspective, career satisfaction perspective and academic perspective. According to Philippson (2009) it is important to understand educators’ holistic experiences concerning the educator-learner relationship. The following research question arose: What are the experiences of secondary school educators in the Gauteng area, South Africa, of the educator-learner relationship? This research was conducted within a Positive Psychology framework and a qualitative method was used. Data were collected via personal interviews and focus group discussions as research techniques. Purposeful sampling was used and six secondary school educators from various secondary schools in the Gauteng Province of South Africa were participants of this study. The objective of this study was to understand and interpret holistic experiences of secondary school educators in the educator-learner relationship that contribute to the educators’ phenomenology. Data were gathered through individual interviews during which each participant was motivated through visual mapping to express his/her hierarchy of ideas contributing to the phenomenon. The collected data were audio-recorded and a narrative analysis was conducted in which trustworthiness was obtained through member checking to ensure that the recorded and observed data were correctly transcribed and evaluated accordingly. Findings of this study are presented by means of the following themes: Different aspects of the supportive educator-learner relationship; awareness of differences in the educator-learner relationship; important perspectives of “a calling” in respect of the educators’ experiences; role of emotions in an educator-learner relationship; challenges for the educator in the educator-learner relationship; role of discipline and values in an educator-learner relationship; phenomenology of the educators’ experiences. Results indicate that educators’ positive experiences of the educator-learner relationship can be viewed as an investment in the well-being and positive functioning of both the educator as well as the learners. A recommendation for future research is to develop a support system for secondary school educators to encourage them in a psycho-social, emotional and spiritual way towards sustainable well-being. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The focus of this study was to explore the experiences of secondary school educators concerning the educator-learner relationship. The study hopes to add value in developing sustainable support to enhance the quality of life and well-being of South African educators. The study highlights specific aspects of the educators’ perspective (Koomen et al., 2011; Philip, 2008; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2011; Easter et al., 2008), such as cultural perspective, attachment perspective, career satisfaction perspective and academic perspective. According to Philippson (2009) it is important to understand educators’ holistic experiences concerning the educator-learner relationship. The following research question arose: What are the experiences of secondary school educators in the Gauteng area, South Africa, of the educator-learner relationship? This research was conducted within a Positive Psychology framework and a qualitative method was used. Data were collected via personal interviews and focus group discussions as research techniques. Purposeful sampling was used and six secondary school educators from various secondary schools in the Gauteng Province of South Africa were participants of this study. The objective of this study was to understand and interpret holistic experiences of secondary school educators in the educator-learner relationship that contribute to the educators’ phenomenology. Data were gathered through individual interviews during which each participant was motivated through visual mapping to express his/her hierarchy of ideas contributing to the phenomenon. The collected data were audio-recorded and a narrative analysis was conducted in which trustworthiness was obtained through member checking to ensure that the recorded and observed data were correctly transcribed and evaluated accordingly. Findings of this study are presented by means of the following themes: Different aspects of the supportive educator-learner relationship; awareness of differences in the educator-learner relationship; important perspectives of “a calling” in respect of the educators’ experiences; role of emotions in an educator-learner relationship; challenges for the educator in the educator-learner relationship; role of discipline and values in an educator-learner relationship; phenomenology of the educators’ experiences. Results indicate that educators’ positive experiences of the educator-learner relationship can be viewed as an investment in the well-being and positive functioning of both the educator as well as the learners. A recommendation for future research is to develop a support system for secondary school educators to encourage them in a psycho-social, emotional and spiritual way towards sustainable well-being. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This study is aimed at looking at the relationship experiences between the adolescent with visual impairment in institutional care and his family. A lack of sufficient guidelines in this field has been identified in the relevant literature. Experts working with these adolescents have confirmed this shortcoming. In order to reach the required goal, a number of objectives were set. By means of a literature study and consultation with experts in the field of blindness as a symptom (in terms of the degree of visual impairment that is experienced), a theoretical framework was set up with regard to the following: adolescence as part of life; the adolescent's relationship with his family; institutional care and institutionalization; as well as play therapeutic assessment and play therapeutic techniques. An empirical study where semi-structured interviews were used as a method of data collection, was undertaken to assess the relationship of the adolescent with visual impairment in institutional care with his family. The following aspects were handled specifically: the way the adolescents with visual impairment in institutional care experience holidays and weekends with their families; their view of their families' perception of them coming home for holidays or weekends; their opinion with regard to family chores and responsibilities that are allocated to them; their experience of participating in the decision making process in the family; their perception of the treatment that they receive from their parents – does it differ in any way from that of their siblings?; their view with regard to “feeling part of” the family as an equal and complete family member; their opinion with regard to things that they would have liked to be done differently during their growing up process; as well as advice that they would give to parents who have children with the same disabilities. Individual semi-structured interviews were used with the ten respondents. Applied research was undertaken as the researcher aimed at establishing solutions for problems that occur with the adolescent with visual impairment in institutional care with regard to his relationship with his family. The researcher used a qualitative approach as research procedure in order to get qualitative empirical data. Considering that in this study a relatively unknown field was researched, a phenomenological strategy within an exploratory study was used to explore, understand and interpret the research question, which is not well known. The research question formulated for this study was: What are the experiences of the adolescent with visual impairment in institutional care with regard to his relationship with his family? Empirical data, which was obtained by using an interview schedule and a play therapeutic technique, showed that: § Adolescents with visual impairment in institutional care are experiencing ambivalent feelings (positive and negative) with regard to spending holidays and/or weekends with their families. There are a variety of factors influencing this experience, whether positively or negatively. § The way adolescents with visual impairment in institutional care view their families' perception with regard to them coming home for holidays or weekends, is mainly influenced by three factors, namely: special activities that are organized during the time that the adolescent is at home, as well as verbal and non-verbal behavior that is communicated towards the adolescent. § Adolescents with visual impairment have a specific opinion with regard to chores and responsibilities that were allocated to them since they were younger. This includes aspects like the adolescents' willingness and ability to complete chores, as well as their willingness to ask for help. They intimated that they are willing to accept chores and responsibilities as they experience positive feelings when they are able to complete such tasks successfully. § Adolescents with visual impairment in institutional care have a specific opinion about their participation in the decision making process in the family. This includes emotions that are experienced with regard to the decision making process (positive emotions are experienced when their opinions are asked in family decisions), their involvement in the decision making process, as well as the influence of decision making on the atmosphere in the house. § Adolescents with visual impairment have a fixed perception with regard to the treatment that they receive from their parents. This perception includes the following aspects: a need for normal treatment, the consequences of preference treatment from their parents, strict treatment (overprotective treatment) from their parents, as well as the emotions they experience about the type of treatment that they are exposed to. § The way adolescents with visual impairment view themselves as “part of” the family - as equals to all household members - is influenced by the following aspects: the influence of institutionalization on the feeling of “belonging to“ (adolescents are away from home for long periods of time and the only contact they have are telephone calls); family events (special activities in which both the family and the adolescent participate during holidays or weekends); family interaction (the families communicational patterns during holidays or weekends); as well as the private space of the adolescents (bedrooms). § Adolescents with visual impairment have a specific opinion with regard to things that they would have liked to be done differently during their process of growing up. They feel that their families should have more insight into the world of people who are visually impaired. They also have the need to be treated in the same way as other family members – they do not want to be overprotected. § Adolescents with visual impairment want to give relevant advice to parents of children who have the same disability. The advice that they suggested are: The child must function more independently; parents must be honest with their child at all times; the child must be treated normally; a feeling of unconditional, positive acceptance must be revealed to the child; no unnecessary restriction must be imposed on the child. They also gave advice with regard to general information (to expand parents' knowledge). The study revealed the experience of the adolescent with visual impairment in institutional care of his relationship with his family, which holds further research possibilities. The desired information was acquired and can be used in further studies of the adolescent in a similar situation. / Dissertation (MSD (Play Therapy))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MA (Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Psychology / unrestricted

The purpose of this study is to analyse the development of inventory investment in South Africa and to investigate the factors that have an influence on it. Although the size of inventory investment relative to gross domestic product is very small, the contribution of inventory investment to the growth in gross domestic product is significant. This study has found that, although the cyclical behaviour of inventory investment in South Africa is similar to that in developed countries, the relationship of inventories, production and sales differ. The variance of sales exceeds the variance of production and there is a negative correlation between inventory investment and sales. This difference with developed countries is also found in other developing countries. On this basis the production-smoothing hypothesis is accepted as relevant to describe inventory investment in South Africa. Furthermore, inventory data are only available on a quarterly basis. The features of inventory investment were therefore investigated with an inventory adjustment approach. The econometric model describes how the level of inventories adjusts when it deviates from the desired level. The desired inventory level is a function of the ratio between inventories and sales, which can change during the business cycle. The ratio between sales and prices, unfilled orders, interest rates and production has an influence on this ratio. In addition, the model describes the adjustment of inventories when actual sales deviate from expected sales. The results of the model confirm that unfilled orders, the level of prices, current interest rates, production, actual sales and expected sales have an influence on the development of inventory investment. Of significant importance is the ability to identify unplanned inventory investment and the finding that interest rates have an impact on inventory investment. The contribution of this study is the identification of factors that have an impact on the development of inventory investment in South Africa. With this it is possible to improve the explanation of changes in inventories and its impact on the gross domestic product, therefore helping to improve economic policy formulation. / Thesis (DCom(Ekonomie))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Economics / unrestricted

This study examines D.P.S Monyaise’s short story titled Omphile Umphi Modise which were scrutinized by Mogapi (1992), Pretorius (1990), Manyaka (1992), Shole (1997) and Malimabe (1998). Their investigation did not only focus on the content of the short story, but also concentrated on the structure and style of the author. When scrutinizing Omphile Umphi Modise, the focus mainly falls on content and characterization of the characters. This research is based on an adopted narratological model, which is used by Groenewald (1993) and Mojalefa (1994).. When investigating the content, emphasis is put on the topic as a theme and part of the plot, which is imperative in the analysis of Omphile Umphi Modise. Two terms which are to define and describe are used to explain and unravel ideas that were used by the writer to simplify the problems a reader would encounter in this investigation. When analyzing the content as theory, the following four elements are noticed: characters, events, time and place. Another important aspect on the level of content is the division of the characters into two subgroups, namely quarrelsome and kindhearted.. In Omphile Umphi Modise, the kindhearted is Motlalepule, while the quarrelsome is rraModise who blatantly refuses to see Motlalepule’s good side. These two characters are described by the following: intention, patronage abilities, success and resistance. The investigation explains that the theme, which is ‘keeping a secret can lead to one’s doom’, is the one that connects the events and the plot, with the intention of highlighting the message to attract the reader. Design is one of the most important aspects of the plot. It is herewithin divided into two sections which highlight the characterization of the protagonist and antagonist as well as the revelation of the aspect of tragedy in Omphile Umphi Modise. The characters are divided into two sections, namely main and minor characters. The main characters are the protagonist, the antagonist and the tritagonist. The antagonist in Omphile Umphi Modise is rraModise/Mosimane yo o tedu tsebeng/ tedu tsa katse who is portrayed to be evil because he mandated Thandi, a minor character, to put drugs in the tea Motlalepule was about to drink, and sadly ended up drinking it herself. After she was drugged, mosimane yo tedu tsebeng/tedu tsa katse raped and impregnated her. The writer uses techniques to explain the personality traits of the characters. He employs a distinguishing technique to highlight personality traits of Motlalepule which are beauty, misfortune, suffering, and poverty. These are explained by the following techniques: focus, differentiation, conflict, use of the possessive, use of the adjective form, point of view, use of diminutive form, exaggeration, use of the pronoun, use of idioms, proverbs and, similes and omission. Differentiation is employed to highlight leadership as a personality trait of the antagonist, mosimane yo o tedu tsebeng/ tedu tsa katse/rraModise is which is explained by two techniques: indicative mood and point of view. AFRIKAANS : In hierdie ondersoek word D.P.S Monyaise se kortverhaal getiteld Omphile Umphi Modise ontleed. Dié kortverhaal is krities ontleed deur Mogapi (1992), Pretorius (1990), Manyaka (1992), Shole (1997) en Malimabe (1998). Hulle ondersoeke het nie slegs die inhoud van die kortverhaal betrek nie, maar het ook op die struktuur van die kortverhaal en die styl van die skrywer gefokus. Met die ontleding van Omphile Umphi Modise, word daar gekonsentreer op twee aspekte, naamlik inhoud en karaktarisering van die karakters. Hierdie navorsing word gebaseer op die aangenome narratologiese model wat gebruik word deur Mojalefa (1994) en Groenewald (1993).. Wanneer die inhoud ondersoek word, word daar klem gelê op die onderwerp as ‘n tema en as deel van die plot, wat van belang is in die analise van Omphile Umphi Modise. Idees wat deur die skrywer gebruik is om die probleme van die leser ten opsigte van die verstaan van die ondersoek te vereenvoudig, word twee terme naamlik en defineer en te interpreteer verduidelik en geanaliseer. Wanneer die inhoud as teorie ontleed word, word die volgende vier elemente betrek: karakters, gebeure, tyd en plek. ‘n Ander belangrike aspek is die vlak van inhoud – die karakters word in twee subgroepe verdeel, naamlik. antagonis en protagonis. In Omphile Umphi Modise, is Motlalepule die protagonis, terwyl rraModise die antagonis is wat blatant weier om Motlalepule se goeie kant raak te sien. Hierdie twee karakters word beskryf deur intensie, vermoë, sukses en teenstand. Die ondersoek verduidelik dat die tema ‘om ‘n geheim te hou wat tot ‘n mens se ondergang kan lei’, die een is wat gebeure en plot koppel, met die doel om die boodskap uit te lig om sodoende die leser te interesseer. Ontwerp is een van die belangrikste aspekte van die plot. Dit word onderverdeel in twee afdelings wat die karakterisering van die protagonis en antagonis, sowel as die tragedieaspek van Omphile Umphi Modise beklemtoon. Die karakters word in twee groepe verdeel, naamlik. hoofkarakters en newekarakters. Die hoofkarakters is die protagonis, die antagonis en die tritagonis. Die antagonis in Omphile Umphi Modise is rraModise/Mosimane wa tedu tsebeng/ tedu tsa katse wat uitgebeeld word as boos, omdat hy Thandi, ‘n newekarakter, oorreed het om ‘n dwelmmiddel in Motlalepule se tee te gooi, en dit toe self gedrink het. Nadat sy bedwelm is, het mosimane yo tedu tsebeng/tedu tsa katse haar verkrag en swanger gemaak. Die skrywer gebruik verskillende tegnieke om die persoonlikheidskenmerke van die karakters uit te beeld. Hy gebruik ‘n spesifieke tegniek om die persoonlikheidskenmerke van Motlalepule uit te lig, naamlik skoonheid, ongeluk, swaarkry en armoede. Hierdie kenmerke word uitgelig deur die volgende tegnieke: fokus, differensiasie, konflik, die possessiewe vorm die adjektiewe vorm, perspektief, die diminutiewe vorm,, oordrywing, die gebruik van die voornaamwoord, die gebruik van idiome, spreekwoorde en vergelykings en elisie. Differensiasie is gebruik om leierskap as ‘n persoonlikheidskenmerk van die antagonis, mosimane yo o tedu tsebeng/ tedu tsa katse/rraModise uit te lig en wat verder verduidelik word deur twee tegnieke naamlik indikatiewe modus en perspektief. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / African Languages / unrestricted

The focus of this study is on pastoral counselling and mentorship in the South African context and how it can contribute to the improvement of parent-child relationships. The Practical Theological model of Osmer is used as a framework in which the study is conducted. It consists of the Descriptive-empirical, Interpretative, Normative and Pragmatic tasks (which, for the purpose of the study, are called methods of approximation). In the first chapter the emphasis is on the way in which the study will be conducted with the aim of obtaining positive outcomes. This is also addressed in Chapter 2 by means of empiric research. Interviews are conducted with 24 participants that consist of parents and children. The aim of this is to determine how many problems really occur within families in a South African context. Many problems in this regard have come to light. The third chapter is mainly dedicated to a literature study that discusses the effect of positive and negative outcomes through the application of Biblical principles and mentorship within families. The effect of negative or positive parenthood is discussed as well as the effect it has on the child in his/her development process. Parents can learn many lessons from this chapter so that their children won’t have to grow up with emotional anguish. In the fourth chapter the theological aspects are discussed and proof is given for the value of these aspects as addressed by theological experts. Moral values, pastoral models, the value of the Holy Spirit and how God is portrayed are discussed here. These principles also contribute to happier families. In the fifth chapter attempts are made to find summarising solutions for this study’s initial problem statement, research question and central theoretical argument. Various results and conclusions can be made to find answers to the different key terms. Problem identification and problem solving techniques are discussed. A typical counselling session is held on the basis of a pastoral phase model in order to provide clarity to the solution of the abovementioned problems. / PhD (Pastoral Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The focus of this study is on pastoral counselling and mentorship in the South African context and how it can contribute to the improvement of parent-child relationships. The Practical Theological model of Osmer is used as a framework in which the study is conducted. It consists of the Descriptive-empirical, Interpretative, Normative and Pragmatic tasks (which, for the purpose of the study, are called methods of approximation). In the first chapter the emphasis is on the way in which the study will be conducted with the aim of obtaining positive outcomes. This is also addressed in Chapter 2 by means of empiric research. Interviews are conducted with 24 participants that consist of parents and children. The aim of this is to determine how many problems really occur within families in a South African context. Many problems in this regard have come to light. The third chapter is mainly dedicated to a literature study that discusses the effect of positive and negative outcomes through the application of Biblical principles and mentorship within families. The effect of negative or positive parenthood is discussed as well as the effect it has on the child in his/her development process. Parents can learn many lessons from this chapter so that their children won’t have to grow up with emotional anguish. In the fourth chapter the theological aspects are discussed and proof is given for the value of these aspects as addressed by theological experts. Moral values, pastoral models, the value of the Holy Spirit and how God is portrayed are discussed here. These principles also contribute to happier families. In the fifth chapter attempts are made to find summarising solutions for this study’s initial problem statement, research question and central theoretical argument. Various results and conclusions can be made to find answers to the different key terms. Problem identification and problem solving techniques are discussed. A typical counselling session is held on the basis of a pastoral phase model in order to provide clarity to the solution of the abovementioned problems. / PhD (Pastoral Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The loss of ecosystem resilience and rangeland (often referred to as veld in South Africa) productivity is a major problem in the semi-arid Savanna environments of southern Africa. The over-utilization of rangelands in the Molopo region of the North- West Province in South Africa has resulted in profound habitat transformations. A common regional indicator of rangeland degradation is the imbalance in the grasswoody ratio, characterized by a loss of grass cover and density with increased shrub or tree density. This can result in major reductions of rangeland productivity for the grazing animal, forcing land users to apply active or passive restoration actions to improve rangeland condition, control the thickening of woody species (bush thickening), mitigate economic losses and restoring the aesthetical value of the Savanna environment for ecotourism and game hunting aspects. This study formed part of the multinational EU-funded PRACTICE project (“Prevention and restoration actions to combat desertification: an integrated assessment”). The first aim of the study was to evaluate locally applied restoration actions using a participatory approach, followed by interviews with certain stakeholders that formed part of a multi-stakeholder platform (MSP) related to the livestock and game farming community in the Molopo. Participants of the MSP ranked indicators according to their relative importance regarding the restoration actions on an individual basis. The individual ranking results were combined with quantitative bio-physical and qualitative socio-economic measurements for each indicator in a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), whereby the alternative actions were ranked according to their relevancy and performance. The results were then shared with members of the MSP in order to stimulate discussion among the members and contribute to the social learning of the project outcome. The overall positive response and acceptance of results by members of the MSP changed the perceptions and objectives of the land users regarding rangeland management. This type of participatory assessment was therefore found to be very promising in helping to identify more sustainable actions to mitigate rangeland degradation in the Molopo Savanna region. There is, however, still an urgent need to create legal policy frameworks and institution-building, to support local-level implementation in all socio-ecological and economic settings, particularly in communal areas. The second aim was to evaluate the effect of two chemical bush control actions (chemical hand- (HC) and aeroplane control (AC)) as well as rotational grazing (RGM) on the Molopo Savanna vegetation. Results show that rangeland productivity, i.e. forage production and grazing capacity, was found to be negatively related to the woody phytomass in the savanna system studied. Bush thickening influenced grass species composition which was commonly associated with a decline in the abundance of sub-climax to climax grasses, respectively. All three actions (HC, AC & RGM) significantly reduced the woody phytomass and increased forage production and grazing capacity. Although AC resulted in the highest reduction of woody phytomass, the highest forage production and grazing capacity was found under RGM. The second highest grazing capacity was found in HC sites, which was due to a high abundance of perennial, palatable climax grass species. Results from this study also show that the patterns and compositions of grass species, grass functional groups (GFGs) and woody densities indicated by RGM and chemical HC, best resemble a productive and stable savanna system that provides important key resources to support both grazing and browsing herbivores. / MSc (Environmental Sciences), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014