Southern Africa's viability as a monetary union has long been under discussion. The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) is the world's oldest operating customs union, and one of the most efficient and it has the potential to foster meaningful regional economic integration. A strong foundation has been laid down by the SACU member countries in terms of trade relations, financial cooperation and policy coordination. Using the optimum currency areas (OCA) theory, the study examines the readiness and compatibility of the SACU member countries to establish an optimum currency area. The OCA theory reveals that SACU members are in very good shape and already exhibit some attributes necessary for forming an optimum currency area (OCA). The empirical evidence suggest that, from an economic perspective, it is feasible for SACU countries to move towards a fully-fledge monetary union because of the increasing macroeconomic convergence, and this means that the countries are undergoing similar shocks. The deeper trade relation that exists between SACU member states seems to have important influence on business cycle co-movements. Accordingly, the study concludes SACU has advanced its integration more than what is required in a Customs Union and that a monetary union within SACU is feasible, given the macroeconomic convergence, similar production structures and risk-hedging possibilities of member countries and because peripheral countries are able to resort to South Africa's capital market and overdraft facilities. However, the absence of real political will among the member countries will be a major stumbling block in the formation of a monetary union. It is important to note that even the formation of the EMU was not exclusively driven by economic merits per se, but also by the real political will, which had a major influence on its realisation. Such strong political will and unity on issues around the formation of the common currency would be needed to SACU countries to override issues of national interest and, the study therefore recommends that SACU countries should draw lessons from the EMU and CFA Franc zone model as these are empowered supranational authorities that have counteracted sovereignty and other political concerns to bring about meaningful and deepening economic integration in the region. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

The author wrote a dissertation for the Mmed Sc degree entitled The Clinical Natural History of Snakebite in Southern Africa, which dealt with the epidemiology of snakebite and the clinico-pathological events in snakebite victims. This thesis is a sequel on the management of snakebite victims. Publications on the overall management of snakebite in the Southern African region that include original scientific research are those of F.W. Fitzsimons (1912), F.W. Fitzsimons (1929) (assisted by V.F.M. Fitzsimons), P.A. Christensen (1955, 1966, 1969) and Christensen & Anderson (1967). Subsequent books, pamphlets and journal articles have rehashed this knowledge or advocated methods of treatment developed in other countries. An example of the latter is the pressure immobilisation prehospital measure advocated for snakebites in Australia (Sutherland et aL, 1979, 1981, 1995), which I regard as benefiting less than 1% of snakebite victims here and being deleterious in most cases. In view of the paucity of research done in Southern African in recent years, many questions remain unanswered, and some strongly held views are without logical or scientific foundation. Most of these questions arose prior to the writing of this thesis, and others arose when the data were analysed. The following are some questions on the management of snakebite that have still have to be addressed. Is vaccination against snakebite possible and practical? Are folk and traditional remedies advantageous or deleterious? How commonly are they used? Immobilisation of the bitten part and the patient is an internationally recognised aid measure, but is this relevant to the Southern African situation? Tourniquet use in the case of necrotising venoms is considered to aggravate or precipitate necrosis. Does immediate active movement following a bite ameliorate or prevent necrosis without increasing mortality? The majority of clinicians recommend antibiotic prophylaxis, but is this necessary for all snakebites, against which bacteria should antibiotics be administered, and what is the source of these bacteria? Should antivenom be administered to all snakebite victims: for species-specific bites, only if envenomation is present, for severe envenomation, or not at all? Acute adverse reactions to South African manufactured snakebite antivenom has been variously recorded as less than 1% (Visser & Chapman 1978) up to 76% (Moran et al., 1998). What is the truth? Is syndromic management of snakebite efficacious or is it essential to identify the particular snake species? Is the present liberal use of fasciotomy necessary? Is there an optimum time to debride necrotic areas and is surgery necessary at all? Is paresis or paralysis due to neurotoxic envenomation always the result of a post-synaptic block? Would such a block respond to neostigmine or prostigmine in a similar way to post-synaptic anaesthetic muscle relaxants? Is heparin of value when procoagulant toxins induce a consumption coagulopathy? Do fibrinstabilising agents or fibrinolytics have a role? Does the management of pregnant snakebite patients differ from that of non-pregnant patients? Is snake venom teratogenic? Does snake venom ophthalmia frequently lead to blindness? Are steroids, NSAIDs and antihistaminics, which are commonly used in the management of snakebite, of proven value? This thesis attempts to answer these questions and more, and comprises six sections. The first section deals with pre-hospital management, the second with infection which may occur at the bite site wound, the third with SAIMR snakebite antivenom, the fourth with the three envenomation syndromes, the fifth with snakebite in pregnancy, venom ophthalmia and other treatment modalities, and the sixth section includes a summary, appendix and references. Unless otherwise stated, the materials and methods of each chapter are based on 336 snakebite victims admitted to Eshowe Hospital, KwaZulu-Natal, from January 1990 - July 1993 and other victims treated by the author, the data of which have been prospectively maintained. This has been an ongoing process up to the present time. / Thesis (MMedSc.)-University of Natal, 2000.

Although much has been written on the subject of Apartheid, much of it has usually been concerned with the social and political aspects of segregation. Apartheid, however, is essentially a geographical solution to a cultural problem, It takes the position that friction between the various races of South Africa cats be eliminated by their physical segregation.The ultimate success of Apartheid will be determined by the Bantustans -- which are the areas set aside for the settlement of the black people of South Africa. If these can become self-sufficient independent areas then much of the uncertainty facing the future of South Africa would be diffused.In researching the chances for the success of Separate Development, the following questions become apparent:1. Is Separate Development economically feasible?This question emphasizes the point that the future possibilities of the policy of Apartheid, and their instrument the Bantustan, have to be evaluated with the needs of industrial South Africa in mind. The question becomes concerned not only with the possibilities for the success of the Bantustans, but the possibilities for the continued success of white industrial South Africa in the envisaged fragmented condition.2. Are the Whites of South Africa the guardians of western civilization in South Africa?The argument is central to the theoretical basis of Apartheid, because it implies an inherent ability on the part of black South Africans to incorporate western values into their cultures. The validity of this question has to be determined in order to attempt to Judge the soundness of the reasoning behind Apartheid and, consequently, its instrument the Bantustan.The dissertation deals with the settlement patterns of South Africa, the climatic and soil features of South Africa, as well as the political development of Apartheid, and the Bantustans. Each of the aforementioned areas is essential to any attempt to evaluate the practicalities of Separate Development.After examining the problems associated with Apartheid, I came to the following conclusions. Apartheid really does not have much chance of becoming totally successful, The main reason for this is that the Bantustans, as they are presently organized, have very little possibility of becoming viable independent states.I further found that the whole policy of Separate Development is fraught with uncertainties and appears to be breaking down in certain areas. A good example is Job Reservation -- an act whereby certain types of employment are reserved for Whites has been almost eliminated.Apartheid also has problems in its theoretical formation. The theory supports the position that the differences between the various ethnic groups of South Africa are so fundamental that they could not be overcome so that all races could live in ore political entity. There is considerable evidence, of cultural syncretisms for example, which tends to refute this position.

The objective of this research was to examine how SADC states can attain goal 8 of the Millennium Development Goals set up by the international community through the United Nations in the year 2000, using trade under the mechanism envisaged by the World Trade Organization by the target date of 2015.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1951. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

This study assessed the importance of overwash and breaching events on the ichthyofaunal community structure in the medium-sized temporarily open/closed Mpekweni Estuary located on the southeast coastline of southern Africa. The fish in the littoral zone of the estuary were sampled using a 5m seine net while the channel region was sampled using two nets, a smaller meshed 30m seine net to target the estuarine spawning species and the juvenile estuarine-dependant marine spawners, and a larger meshed 50m seine net to target the larger marine and freshwater spawning species. Intensive monthly sampling over two years provided data on selected physico-chemical and biological parameters. During the two year sampling period from November 2005 to October 2007 the estuary breached in late July 2006 and remained open till the sandbar re-formed across the mouth in late December 2006. Thus, sampling encompassed three open/closed phases 1) initial closed period, 2) open period and 3) re-closed period after the berm was re-formed. The open period was divided into two phases 1) the out-flow phase and 2) the tidal phase. A total of 36 fish species representing 19 families were sampled using the various seine nets employed during the investigation. In the littoral zone, the estuarine spawners (Estuarine Utilisation Category, [EUC] I), mainly the Gobiidae, Glossogobius callidus, dominated the samples numerically and by biomass. The smaller estuarine spawning species sampled in the channel were numerically dominated by Gilchristella aestuaria in conjunction with two other EUC I species, Atherina breviceps and G. callidus. The estuarine-dependant marine spawners (EUC II), however, dominated the ichthyofaunal biomass of the channel. The abundance and biomass of the larger species targeted were dominated by estuarine-dependant marine spawning species (EUC II), principally Rhabdosargus holubi. During the closed periods of the estuary, total fish abundance and biomass displayed weak seasonal patterns. The breaching event and subsequent open period was associated with a decrease in the total abundances of fish in the littoral zone and channel of the estuary, reflecting the out-flow of estuarine biomass-rich water into the marine environment. The breaching event coincided with a shift in the community composition of the ichthyofauna, reflecting the recruitment of marine spawning species into the estuary. Numerical analysis identified two distinct spatial fish communities within the estuary, a community associated with the mouth region and one comprising the rest of the estuary. The absence of any further spatial patterns in the ichthyofaunal community structure within the Mpekweni Estuary appear to be ascribed to the virtual absence of horizontal patterns in physico-chemical and biological parameters recorded in the system. Cohort analyses were employed to determine possible recruitment events for selected estuarine and marine spawning species. The estuarine spawning species displayed continuous recruitment patterns throughout the study, which appeared to be unaffected by the breaching event. Conversely, the larger marine spawning species displayed multiple cohorts, indicating non-continuous recruitment. Subsequent retrospective analysis of cohorts for the different species identified summer recruitment peaks that coincided with the breaching event and open period. Minor recruitment of marine spawning species also occurred during overwash events. The recruitment of ichthyofauna into the estuary was quantified during three distinct hydrological events: overwash, out-flow phase immediately after breaching and tidal phase during the period when the mouth was open. Estimates of fish recruitment were highest during the outflow phase immediately after the estuary breached and declined as the estuary became tidally inundated with marine water. Although not as high as the outflow and tidal phases, recruitment was evident during overwash events. Results of the current study highlight the importance of both breaching and overwashing events in structuring the ichthyofaunal community composition in a medium-sized southern African temporarily open/closed estuary. These results are broadly in agreement with similar studies conducted both locally and in other regions of the world.

M.Sc. (Botany) / The subtribe Phymasperminae forms one of the six earliest diverging lineages within the tribe Anthemideae (Asteraceae/ Compositae). It comprises three genera, Eumorphia DC. (6 spp.), Gymnopentzia Benth. (1 sp.) and Phymaspermum Less. (ca. 19 spp.), all endemic to southern Africa. Generic and species delimitations and relationships within the subtribe are, however, uncertain. Anatomical, morphological and molecular characters are therefore explored in an attempt to resolve taxonomic delimitations and relationships within the subtribe. Two fruit characters, namely the presence of a papillose surface and more than 10 ribs are confirmed as synapomorphies for the subtribe. Phymaspermum is the largest and most complex genus within the subtribe and has been identified as one of the priority groups for taxonomic revision in South Africa. It is distinguished from the other two genera within Phymasperminae by the unique stalked myxogenic trichomes on the fruit surfaces. This character is shown to be a synapomorphy for Phymaspermum although subsequently lost in two species where it is replaced by resin canals in the fruit ribs. The species can be distinguished by a combination of habit, leaf, involucral and fruit characters. A taxonomic revision of Phymaspermum is presented, including comprehensive descriptions, a key to the species, nomenclature, typification, diagnostic characters with illustrations and maps with accurate geographical distribution data. Four new species are described, namely P. aphyllum, P. comptonii, P. oppositifolium and P. trifidum. Five previously recognised species, namely P. bolusii, P. montanum, P. equisetiodes, P. pubescens and P. villosum have been reduced to synonomy.

The dissertation reviews the present knowledge regarding diamonds, from its formation in the lithospheric upper mantle at depths between 150 and 300 km, to its final valuation in terms of US$/carat by diamantaires in London, Antwerp, Tel Aviv and New York. The dissertation is divided into two complimentary sections. Section one focuses on the formation, emplacement, occurrence and characteristics of kimberlites and, when present, their associated trace amounts of diamonds. The section follows a logical sequence from the regional tectonic-, local structrual- and geodynamic controls on kimberlite formation and emplacement to the characteristics of individual kimberlite morphology, mineralogy, petrography and geochemistry. Finally, the environment or diamond formation, resorption and the characteristics that have led to the marketability of diamonds are discussed. Section two reviews the current exploration techniques used in locating diamondiferous kimberliies and the subsequent economic evaluation of these kimberlites. A brief history of known Southern African kimberlite occurrences, grades, tonnages, tectonic settings, ages and regional structural controls is given. The prospective countries mentioned are Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Exploration techniques considered are ; the application of a landscape analysis and investigation of the surface processes active in a given area, indicator mineral sampling (with reference to their mineralogy and exploration significance), remote sensing techniques (subdivided into satellite imagery and aerial photography), geophysical techniques (including the magnetic-, gravity-, electrical-, radiometric- and seismic methods as well as heat flow models), geochemical techniques, petrographic- and electron beam techniques as well as geobotanical- and geobiological techniques. Finally, a brief summary of current evaluation techniques employed on diamondiferous kimberlite deposits is presented. The review covers kimberlite sampling methods, sample processing, diamond grade distributions (with reference to the experimental variogram model, statistical methods used in grade distribution calculations as well as block definition and local grade estimation). Stone size distributions, including microdiamond counts and value estimation, are also discussed. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

The striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba, is an oceanic dolphin found worldwide in tropical to warm temperate waters. Globally populations are threatened through direct fishing, bycatch and pollution. Little is known about the life history of this species in South African waters and it is currently listed as ‘Data Deficient’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Critical to the conservation and management of this species is an understanding of basic life history parameters. For the present study, metadata and tissues from 101 stranded S. coeruleoalba along the south-east coast of southern Africa between 1969 and 2012 were analyzed to examine age and growth, male and female reproduction and sexual dimorphism. Age and growth were determined by counting the number of growth layer groups (GLG’s) present in their teeth. A von Bertalanffy growth curve gave the best fit to the data and indicated that physical maturity was reached around 21 years in males and 18 years in females. Additionally, asymptotic lengths were reached at 231cm and 224cm in males and females, respectively. The maximum ages obtained were 21 years for males and 20 years for females. Length at birth was estimated to be between 116cm and 119cm for males and between 112cm and 114cm for females. The reproductive status of the adult dolphins was assessed by histological and macroscopic analyses of gonadal tissue. Sexual maturity was attained before physical maturity in both sexes. The males reached sexual maturity between 8 and 12 years of age and between 209 and 224cm in total body length. The maximum combined testis weight comprised about 0.24% of the total body weight and sexual maturity was reached between a combined testis weight of 16 and 41g, a mean testis length of 8 and 10cm, and a mean seminiferous tubule diameter of 44 and 70μm. Females attained sexual maturity between 7 and 8 years of age and between 213 and 216 cm in total body length. The ovulation rate was 0.32 per year and the majority of ovulations occurred in the left ovary, with ovulations occurring in the right ovary only in individuals older than 10 years of age. The annual pregnancy rate was calculated to be 26%. Reproductive seasonality could not be established due to the small sample size and the absence of samples throughout the year. However, both conceptions and births appear to occur in both August and December/January. Additionally, testis weight and seminiferous tubule diameters appear to fluctuate throughout the year, which could suggest reproductive seasonality in this species. Sexual size dimorphism in mature adults was evident for a number of external measurements, however, sexual shape dimorphism was not present in this species. Mature males had significantly longer and wider pectoral fins, dorsal fins and flukes than females (p<0.05 in all cases). It was suggested that the larger appendages are required for male on male combat during intraspecific competition for females. Additionally, larger appendages aid in thermoregulation, propulsion and maneuverability. Females had a significantly greater distance between the tip upper jaw and the genital aperture and anus, which was expected due to differences in anatomy between male and female genital openings. Overall, S. coeruleoalba did not exhibit distinct sexual dimorphism and together with the relatively small testes in relation to the total body weight (0.24%) it was proposed that this species demonstrates a less extreme form of polygyny. Additionaly, the results of this study are important to the understanding of the basic biology of the species.

The alpha taxonomy of the southern African Synodontis is reviewed, based on the analysis of 48 characters. The previously descriptive characters of barbel branching and humeral process shape are compared by various quantitative methods. The variation in colour pattern is recorded with the aid of detailed line drawings. The definitions of head length, head width and humeral process length are altered slightly from their traditional descriptions to ensure greater consistency and precision in measurement. New characters include the size of the caudal fork, the number, shape and arrangement of the premaxillary teeth, and two measurements between the cranium and pectoral girdle. Both uni- and bivariate methods are used to record and compare the intraspecific variation of each character. Principal components analysis of 19 morphometric characters is used to assess the degree of similarity of nine allopatric populations of S. zambezensis. Ten species are recognized from the study area, two of which are described as new: S. nebulosus Peters 1852, S. zambezensis Peters 1852, S. nigromaculatus Boulenger 1905, S. njassae Keilhack 1908, S. woosnami Boulenger 1911, S. macrostigma Boulenger 1911, S. leopardinus Pellegrin 1914, S. thamalakanensis Fowler 1935, S. macrostoma sp.n. and S.vanderwaali sp.n. A key to their identification is provided. Characters are discussed in terms of their contribution to the identification of the southern African species and, where possible, suggestions made concerning the value of these characters to the taxonomy of the genus as a whole. The rejection of certain characters previously used in Synodontis keys is discussed and alternatives proposed. The state of southern African Synodontis taxonomy is assessed and recommendations for future research are given