Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) are often perceived as the backbone of an economy. There is widespread consensus on their significant contribution to economic growth, employment creation, poverty alleviation and local and regional development. In South Africa, a lack of access to funding, especially to the Previously Disadvantaged Individuals (PDIs), often hinders small businesses from developing their full potential. Funding limitation of SMMEs is mainly due to the high risk attributed to small businesses and their lack of collateral. The fact that SMMEs often receive inadequate financial support or the total lack of it puts them at a competitive disadvantage and tend to harm their long-term growth and development, a waste of entrepreneurial resources and edge, a reduction of productivity and a lower economic growth rate. Restricted access to funding is one of the main problems faced by tourism-related SMMEs in the North West Province, and can ultimately have an adverse effect on economic growth and overall welfare of the people. This research study presents a sociological evaluation of SMME access and participation in the North West Province, South Africa, tourism industry. The study appeals to an outcome-based evaluation approach of measuring and assessing the degrees and levels to which tourism SMMEs, since the all-inclusive 1994 democratic elections in South Africa, have benefitted . or otherwise from the provincial tourism industry. The study reveals that, ten years after the fall of apartheid, black entrepreneurs' access and participation in the provincial tourism industry, is still limited due to stringent qualification criteria that serve as barriers to accessing financial and developmental support needed to enhance and fast-track meaningful participation in the tourism industry, particularly in the North West Province. The virtual failure to help small business entrepreneurs creates a great controversy about their very existence and effectiveness of such financial institutions with the task of helping up-and-coming black entrepreneurs. This thesis stresses the need for comprehensive evaluation of such institutions so that their existence would have a meaning, more importantly to the PDIS within the tourism industry. The criticisms levelled against these financial support institutions are extensively explored in this study. In conclusion, the study recommends that, in order to make use of the full potential of small business entrepreneurs in the provincial tourism industry, thereby participating meaningfully in the industry, there is the need to provide them with an enabling environment, which encompasses the access to capital and relaxation of the set qualification criteria for financial support. / (M.Soc.Sc.) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2005

The aim of this study was to examine the fertility differentials between migrants and non-migrants in the North West province of South Africa. Evaluation of fertility behavior of migrants at the destination area and the causes of fertility differentials of migrants and non-migrants was also undertaken. Data used in · this study were obtained from the 1996 Census and the 1998 South African Demographic and Health Survey. It was found that migrant behavior at the destination areas tends to be influenced by the new environment, which motivated them to, adapt to the norms and values that would affect their fertility. Although South Africa has a lower fertility rate than to the rest of Sub Saharan Africa, It appeared that fertility differentials have existed between migrants and non-migrants. Fertility was higher among migrants than non-migrants and the difference between the two population groups has declined between 1996 and 1998. However fertility differentials were vividly observed with respect to Education, income age and employment status among both migrants and non-migrants in 1996 and income and age at first intercourse among both migrants and non-migrants in 1998. The study concludes by recommending that further research be done particularly on the issue of ethnicity and its impact on fertility since there is no concrete evidence to suggest that there is any marked link between migrants and non-migrants. Also, this kind of research should be done in other provinces to establish the state of migrant and non-migrant fertility and any variations among different socio-economic and demographic groups of Household society. Furthermore, Education should be universalized as a powerful tool to regulate fertility as it has shown to affect fertility, particularly in areas where fertility is still relatively high among both migrants and non-migrants. / (M.Soc.Sc.) North West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2004

This study was aimed at assessing the adequacy of the management development activity and its support by top management in the public service of the North West province. The South African public service is a key instrument by which service delivery can be ensured, as a result there is a need to enhance its capacity. Management development, particularly for senior management, should be seen as the most important component of human resource development in the public service, which should be improved. Certainly there are considerable benefits to be derived from an effort by any developing country to develop its public service senior managers. Current research reveals that management development is accepted as a contributor to organisational performance. Whilst this is the case, often not all management development programmes meet the needs of the organisation. Some management development programmes fail because of lack of top management support, together with organisational conditions and practices that are supposed to contribute to their effectiveness and overall organisational effectiveness. Thus, an assessment of the adequacy of the management development activity of the public service of the North West province should often be conducted so as to improve on it and thereby contribute to the enhancement of service delivery. In terms of research design and methodology, this study was evaluative in nature. The study involved the systematic collection of information on the worth of the management development programme, which has to make value judgements concerning the worth of such a programme. The target population for this study was all senior managers in the public service of the North West province. The accessible population comprises of those senior managers who were based in Mafikeng, the capital of the province and the seat of government in which all-administrative head offices of all provincial departments are located. The research sample was drawn from senior managers within some departments that form the North West provincial administration. Structured questionnaires and unstructured interviews were used in this study as data collection instruments. Combinations of both qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis are used. To interpret the data collected from the Management Development Audit section of the Questionnaire, a scoring and interpretation worksheet was adapted for use. Some managers were also interviewed in order to find out their opinions about management development effectiveness. The findings of the study revealed that the management development activity in the public service of the North West is inadequate and requires to be improved. The recommendations based on the findings of this study can be summarised by stating that 88% of the management development activity requires improvement. / Thesis (M. Phil.) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2004

Acacia erioloba (synonym: Acacia giraffae) commonly known as Mpatsaka (Sotho), Mokala (Tswana), Kameeldoring (Afrikaans) and camel Thorn (English) is an indigenous leguminous tree that is adapted and commonly found in semi-arid savanna environments of South Africa. Being a leguminous plant, Acacia erioloba can fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil. The objective of this study was to quantify the concentration of plant nutrients in soils beneath the canopies of Acacia erioloba trees in three land-use practices viz: fallow, grazing and bare land. Three trees were randomly selected in each land-use practice and soil samples were collected from beneath and beyond the tree canopies at depths of 0-10 and 10-20 cm. Consistently, soil analysis revealed that the concentration of nutrients (N, P, Ca, Mg, Zn and Mn) and soil biological properties (organic carbon, particulate organic matter, microbial biomass nitrogen and microbial biomass carbon) among the land-use practices were in the order: fallow > grazing > bare. Differences in the concentration of soil nutrients between the land-use practices seemed to be influenced by management within the land-use practices. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and zinc were significantly higher (p<0.05) in land under grazing while calcium and magnesium, were significantly higher (p<0.05) under fallow land. As expected, bare land had the lowest concentration of all the nutrients studied. The presence of animals around Acacia erioloba trees contributed to higher concentration of nutrients in land under grazing. The differences in the values of biological properties were considered to be likely due to higher plant biomass on the topsoil compared to the subsoil that increased the microbial activity. The improved biological properties are thought to have improved the nutrient concentration through processes such as mineralisation of nutrients from organic matter. With the exception of phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and zinc (Zn), concentration of all other nutrients (N, Ca, Mg and Mn) was not significantly different (p<0.05) in soil from beneath the tree canopy and those from beyond the tree canopies in all land-use practices. Topsoil (0-1 0 cm) had, significantly higher (p<0.05) concentration of all nutrients and biological properties that were measured compared to the sub soil (10-20 cm). This was attributed to the fact that much of the decomposition of soil organic matter takes place on the surface layer of the soil where most of the organic materials are added. Nutrient uptake from deep soil layers by roots of the trees may be another important mechanism that could enrich surface soils beneath Acacia erioloba tree with nutrients. The availability to a wheat crop of the nutrients found beneath the canopies of Acacia erioloba was evaluated using a "Neubauer" seedling technique in a glasshouse. Wheat seedlings were grown into PVC pots filled with soils collected from beneath and beyond the tree canopies. The wheat that was grown in soils collected beneath Acacia erioloba trees had significantly higher (p<O.OS) growth ~d nutrient uptake than that grown in soils from beyond tree canopies. Plant height, dry matter yields and nutrient uptake by the wheat seedlings were in the order fallow>grazing>bare land. The plant height were 20.9, 16.4 and 14.2 cm for fallow, grazing and bare, respectively. This was attributed to the high accumulation of organic matter from different sources such as leaf litter, grass residues and animal wastes under fallow and grazing land. Fallow and grazing promotes large organic matter inputs and therefore create conditions that favour rapid decomposition of organic matter and mineralisation of nutrients. Correlation coefficients between soil nutrients and nutrients in the tissues of wheat show that there was a strong and significant relationship between the two. It was suggested from these results that Acacia erioloba trees has a potential to be used in agroforestry systems within the farming systems of the small-scale farmers in the semi-arid savanna ecosystem of the North-West Province. Such systems could include agrislviculture and sylvopastoral. If Acacia erioloba trees are to be included in agroforestry systems, the densities need to be increased. This would imply increasing their propagation. More techniques of propagating the tree need to be researched. The nitrogen fixing potential of Acacia erioloba needs to be thoroughly investigated. / Thesis (M.Sc (Agric.) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2003

The focal point on this research project is restructuring which is intended at producing an efficient public service capable of meeting developmental and socio economic challenges facing the National Department of Public Works in the North West Province. The problem facing the department is that the department's operational plans could not be met due to high vacancies within the management/supervisory levels. One other problem that related to restructuring was that there was no clear description of what the department's strategic vision and plans were. Qualitative method was identified as the most suitable method for this research. The data was collected by means of questionnaires given to both senior and junior managers. A sample of 71 respondents randomly selected from a population of 182 employees. Questionnaires and interviews were conducted in order to get the perception of how people think about restructuring. The aim was to collect information from both senior managers and lower levels. The findings from the collected data is that employees do not understand the business processes in order to gain confidence in what the Department wants to achieve. The expectation from employees was that Human Resource division will develop an HR plan which will accommodate employees with lower qualifications, current and past experience expertise in the relevant fields of work. This emphasizes the need for more engagement between management and staff. Some of recommendations are:- • Information technology infrastructure must fully support new processes thereby enabling the achievement of departmental objectives. • Restructuring must create a conducive environment which encourages or facilitates effective utilization of resources. • Policies to be clear and applied uniformly • The department must consider the constitutional obligation to transform the Public Service to ensure the delivery of quality service in accordance with the mandate of a better life for all. / (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2005

The researcher is motivated by the numerous concerns raised by public officials in South Africa for an answer to performance management in the public service. There are numerous misconceptions in regard to performance management in public institutions. The objective of writing on this topic is to enlighten both the employer and employee of their obligations, rights and legal framework in the management of performance. The focus of the study is on the impact of performance management systems, the existence of training and development of staff as well as the availability of the physical resources on performance management. Poor management of performance translates into lost productivity, increased absenteeism, lower morale of employees and it further hampers service delivery. The study comprises of five chapters, containing the orientation of the study; literature review; research design and methodology; data analysis and results and summary, findings and recommendation, respectively. The instrument employed to gather data was applied in five divisions, and data was gathered from a sample of 39 out of a target population of 66 employees. / M. Admin. (HRM) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2005

This research study investigates some of the problems or challenges faced by SMMEs in the Mafikeng and Mmabatho area of the North West province. It strives to find out the extent as to which these problems occur and the impact they have on these businesses. The research focuses on two major problems considered to be hindering the growth of SMMEs in this area, namely the lack of entrepreneurial management and financial skills. The lack of these skills in the running of small businesses results into poor business management, poor quality products or services. lack of demand for produce, lack of access to credit as well as poor marketing techniques. The absence of entrepreneurial education or sensitizing young people in a way that could encourage them to enter businesses and acquire a culture of entrepreneurship is one of the causes of the lack of these skills. A stratified random sampling method was employed, with stratifying variables being area and size of the business. Primary data were sought for this study, and gathered through structured questionnaires which were distributed to owners and managers of the sampled businesses. The descriptive statistics method of analysis was employed using a computer aided statistical analysis, the SPSS programme. Some of the significant findings of this research study are; that majority of entrepreneurs in the area do not have the necessary entrepreneurial, management and financial skills to run their businesses; that the educational and training levels of the members of top management of small businesses are relatively low; and many businesses do not have access to credit. The lack of entrepreneurial, management and financial skills can hamper the performance and growth of SMMEs in the area, which can cause many businesses' failure or closure. Education plays an important role in the overall running of a business enterprise in terms of revenues. Many entrepreneurs are unable to finance their own businesses. yet there is little support from financial institutions and government bodies. SMMEs in the Mafikeng and Mmabatho area need to be assisted in every way in order to enhance their performance, growth and sustainability. In order to achieve this. government needs to take the initiative to form collaborations with these business enterprises, in order to identify areas of need such as training and funding. This endeavour will impact positively to the economic growth, in tem1s of job creation to the entire province. / (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2005

(MBA) North West University, Mafikeng campus, 2005

The study of interculturality ("intercultural competence"), its foundations and its effects in francophone Western Africa reveals the need for a reconceptualization of intercultural communication. A theory of interculturality should be interdisciplinary, non-positivist, critical and reflexive. Because conventional approaches and their applications create a spatial and temporal distance, and undervalue endogenous knowledges, they limit understanding and hamper reciprocal intercultural exchanges. / The observation of communication processes around a sub regional West African organization (the "Communaute economique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest") reveals that interculturality is not a characteristic of better educated Africans or of those most exposed to foreign cultures, and even less of Whites or of other members of dominant groups. Rather, it is more pronounced among women, members of marginalized ethnic groups and, above all, among urban marginals. Interculturality manifests itself through interactions. It is the result of singular positions (standpoints) rooted in endogenous knowledges, in training (in its broadest sense) and in the experience of subordination in pluriethnic contexts. / The texts that inform the dominant definitions of situations create a communicational and intercultural handicap, also linked to a superior status in the informal hierarchy. On the opposite, the mobility of an insider-outsider position confers an advantage, an aptitude for conversation, or for an egalitarian exchange in various local and imported spaces of culture and power. Such a position is a condition for intercultural studies and practices. Individually, it can be developed through a formal or informal initiation, empathy and an awareness of one's own limits. / In development programs, the interculturality acquired by certain members of marginal groups is at the origin of processes of diversion--a reorientation of resources towards locally negotiated ends--which reveal the endogenous conceptions of participation and social change. The study of interculturality in Africa thus supports the idea that a communicational approach to intercultural problems could be fruitfully applied in other contexts.

Das West-Nil-Virus (WNV) ist eine Zoonose mit weltweit zunehmender Verbreitung. Natürliches Reservoir dieses Flavivirus sind Vögel, aber auch Säugetiere wie z.B. Menschen können infiziert werden. In einigen Fällen führt eine WNV-Infektion zu schweren neurologischen Erkrankungen. Infolgedessen werden effektive und biologisch sichere Impfstrategien gegen dieses Virus benötigt. Eine Alternative zu herkömmlichen Impfmethoden beschreibt die DNA-Immunisierung. In dieser Arbeit wurde ein potentieller DNA-Impfstoff gegen das WNV hergestellt. Die Immunisierung des DNA-Vektors induzierte starke zelluläre und humorale Immunantworten in Mäusen. Zudem waren die Tiere gegen eine WNV-Infektion geschützt. Zusätzliche Impfungen mit rekombinantem WNV-Protein führten zu einer weiteren Steigerung der Immunogenität des DNA-Impfstoffkandidaten. Des Weiteren sollte der nicht-virale Gentransfer im Allgemeinen optimiert werden. Ein neu entwickeltes Transportsystem für Plasmid-DNA, bestehend aus natürlichen Histonextrakten und Polyethylenimin, resultierte in einer verbesserten Proteinexpression in in vitro transfizierten Zellen und wurde von diesen sehr gut toleriert. Daher wäre diese Strategie auch für zukünftige DNA-Impftechniken denkbar. Der Einfluss von WNV auf die Expression zellulärer miRNAs in Wirtszellen wurde bisher noch nicht untersucht. Dennoch könnten auf diese Weise potentielle molekulare Biomarker für eine frühe WNV-Diagnose identifiziert werden. Mittels Microarray-Technik wurde die Expression zellulärer miRNAs analysiert. Verschiedene miRNA-Spezies waren infolge einer WNV-Infektion leicht herunter- bzw. hochreguliert und stellen mögliche diagnostische Biomarker für das Virus dar.