Thesis (M. Tech.) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2007 / The lack of a standardized lighting instrument to be used in conjunction with existing photographic methods to document rock art, is a problem experienced in archaeological circles. Through interviews with archaeologists and an investigation into existing photographic methods concerning the photographing of rock art, a demand for a portable and modular lighting instrument was confirmed. The aim of this study, then, was to develop a prototype lighting instrument to fill this void. The design and manufacture of the modular lighting instrument entailed the harnessing of the technological advances made in the field of rapid prototyping. A brief overview of the San/Bushmen of Southern Africa is given to stress the importance of this study and to emphasise the importance of the art of the Bushman in our collective art heritage. An overview of the documenting of rock art and therewith an investigation into documented works of rock art and rock engravings by the San/Bushmen serves as a point of departure for the present inquiry. Tests undertaken with the modular lighting instrument, and a comparison of the results so obtained with existing photographic methods, showed that with the use of the modular lighting instrument, an improvement in illumination, rock-face texture and colour contrast in the images was obtained. The modular lighting instrument helps to create and regulate a suitable lighting environment irrespective of natural lighting circumstances and environments. It produces better results when it comes to documenting rock art in comparison to existing methods of documentation. Continued study for the development of the modular lighting instrument is recommended in order to produce more constant results.

Thesis (M. Tech. (Communication)) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2015 / The central role of language in governance need not be argued; it is self-evident. Effective communication between the political leadership and the state administration, between individual government bodies and institutions, within these bodies and institutions, and between the government and its citizens, which is a prerequisite for good government, occurs mainly through language.

The thesis seeks to show Andrew Murray's growing understanding of what it meant to be the elect of God in contrast to other prevailing notions. In his confrontation with the Trekker communities, the majority of whom were rigid Calvinists, stressing a divine election based on the notions of biological and cultural identity, Murray found little of the holy behaviour which ought to characterize the people of God. The elect should be seen to be the elect by their fruits. Instead there was divisiveness, discrimination, party spirit and other forms of ungodliness. Faced with the immensity of the task in identifying the true Church and building God's people up in holiness, Murray began to sense the necessity of another 'dimension' within the Church's regular means of grace of preaching, the sacraments, and discipline. The revival of 1860, focussed Murray's attention in a new and vital way on the work of the Holy Spirit in breathing new life into the Church and in empowering believers to live lives pleasing to God. The 'indiscriminate' effects of the Holy Spirit's work convinced Murray that the Gospel and thus the Church was not the possession of the white colonist, Dutch or English, but that the black and brown man had an equal claim on the Gospel and as much right to become a member of Christ's Church. Murray's understanding of the Christian life as continual abiding in Christ by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit meant that the believer came to have the mind of Christ and to partake of His holiness. This holiness evidenced itself in the believer having Christ's concern for the lost. Mission, therefore, became this supreme end of the Church. The struggle with the forces of liberalism raised the new issue that unbelievers could no longer be simply 'heathen blacks' or English but most of all Dutch. The support of the civil courts of those disciplined by the Church brought the whole problem of ecclesiology to the fore and led Murray to the conclusion of the necessary separation of the Church from the State. Murray's discovery that in various ages, nations and Church traditions there were those with the same passionate desire for God' s holiness, led him into an increasing awareness of the catholicity of the Church. True holiness demanded the love and unity of all God's children. Murray's ecclesiology was a biblically-based one at a time when communities were beginning to be formed by other than biblical notions and principles and by a people who were trying to pack more into the notion of a people of God than Scripture gave warrant for. The emphasis for which Murray stood made for an ecclesiology that simply could not be confined.

Thesis (M. Tech) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2008 / In terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996), local government in South Africa is obliged to ensure that sustainable services are provided to communities. Without any doubt, the effective and efficient execution of this responsibility would bring about an environment conducive to service excellence on local government level. However, South African municipalities are characterised by poor service provision; and the various incidents arising from dissatisfaction on the part of residents in respect of the services rendered are daily becoming a greater challenge to municipalities in the Free State Province. In order to meet the service provision standards, as stipulated in the Constitution, the development and implementation of municipal policies is essential. Policy is defined, inter alia, as the setting out of basic principles that must be pursued in order to achieve specific objectives. Local government has the legislative and executive competency to develop and implement policies. As a result of the diversity and complexity of policy-making, a conceptual framework for the policy-making process at local government level is an essential requirement. This process is described in the dissertation as a sequential pattern consisting of the following phases: policy agenda-setting, policy formulation, policy adoption, policy implementation and execution and policy evaluation. However, municipalities do not have the institutional capacity, skills and experience necessary for the development and implementation of municipal policies. A further aspect that complicates the creation and implementation of policies is the large amount of legislation that regulates local government in South Africa. This legislation also requires municipalities to develop and implement various policies. There are several factors that influence policy-making at local government level. Aspects such as the political environment, the financial environment and community needs have a direct and significant effect on policy-making at this level of government. Capacity shortages probably comprise the factor that has the most detrimental effect on policy-making at local government level; and therefore the necessity for the relevant skills and knowledge relating to policymaking is indisputable. It is just as essential, however, that the other two spheres of government, namely national and provincial government, should carry out their constitutional obligation to support municipalities and strengthen their capacity. Therefore, the aim of this study is, firstly, to identify specific actions that could be implemented by local and district municipalities to improve the policy-making process. Secondly, to determine the reasons for the inadequate formulation, adoption and implementation of the municipal policies. Thirdly, to determine the specific role of national and provincial government, as well as that of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), in supporting municipalities in the policy-making process. In addition, strategies that could be implemented in order to improve the institutional capacity, skills and experience at local government level, with a view to developing and implementing appropriate policies, have also been identified.

Thesis (M. Ed.(Educational Psychology)) - Central University of technology, Free State, 2010 / The purpose of this study was to: * Investigate how school management understands and responds to the impact of HIV and AIDS on educators at Botshabelo primary schools. * Formulate recommendations, based on the findings of the study, for the design of programmes to develop school principals and heads of department so that they can proactively deal with HIV and AIDS. The method of research consists of an investigation in which a sample of thirty (30) primary schools at Botshabelo in the Free State Province was used. Questionnaires were distributed among the principals and heads of department. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the experiences and perceptions of the principals and heads of department towards understanding and responding to the impact of HIV and AIDS on educators. The empirical research was undertaken so as to gather information that could provide answers to the following research questions: * What is the impact and effect of HIV and AIDS on educators? * How can educators be assisted to cope with the impact that HIV and AIDS may have on their lives? * What impact do HIV and AIDS infected educators have on school management? The literature study showed that HIV and AIDS impact on education in various ways. It also indicated that the pandemic has a psychological-social impact on educators. Questionnaires revealed that most educators lose interest in their career. The study also revealed that HIV and AIDS education has not been extensively covered and standardised at the primary schools in Botshabelo. The findings derived from questionnaires provided several implications for planning, teaching and implementation of HIV and AIDS awareness programmes. Although the majority of the principals and heads of department believed that it is necessary to implement the HIV and AIDS policies in their schools, the results revealed that some are neglecting the implementation of HIV and AIDS policies. Lastly, the specific HIV and AIDS programmes should be co-ordinated by the Free State Department of Education in order to ensure that the support programmes achieve what they are intended to achieve. Principals and heads of department should be encouraged to take the lead in the fight against the impact of HIV and AIDS on education.

Thesis (M. Tech.) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2008 / Local government (LG) is under increasing pressure from the milk industry and consumers regarding their ability and willingness to carry out their mandate with regard to the quality control of milk, especially in the informal sector. The government and the milk industry currently have programmes underway to stimulate economic activities in the informal sector, targeting emerging cattle farmers for the production of milk as part of government’s Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA). These initiatives further increase the number of informal milk producers and distributors, which holds a further challenge to regulatory authorities. At the same time, the quality of milk from the informal milk-producing sector poses a serious public health concern. Most of the milk produced and sold by the informal sector is raw (unpasteurised), which does not meet the minimum statutory requirements, and the milking practices applied by the informal sector also do not comply with best practice compliance standards. Local authorities (LAs) are statutorily responsible for registering milking parlours and controlling milk hygiene quality from production stage to purchase stage in order to ensure safe and wholesome dairy products to the consumer. Therefore, LG should play an increasingly important role in ensuring that safe and wholesome milk is produced and distributed to the consumers. All metropolitan municipalities (metros) and district municipalities (DMs) should be authorised by the Ministry of Health to enforce the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act 54 of 1972) through their authorised officials – mainly environmental health practitioners (EHPs). Secondly, LG should have specific programmes, systems and resources to register, monitor, evaluate and control milk production and distribution outlets for continued compliance

Thesis (M. Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2006 / The demand for continuing reform to technical and vocational education system and its products and services had been inevitable. The challenge for both the Lesotho Ministry of Education and Training Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training and the Lerotholi Polytechnic had been to develop strategies, which would enable both economic and social goals to be realized. However, it had been a major concern that the present training system had been having some limitations and the Government’s investments in technical and vocational education produced un-healthy results and returns. The private sector had a poor few of the quality and relevance of the training offered by the public technical institutions; more specifically the Lerotholi Polytechnic, and majority of the labour market had been reluctant to employ the graduates from the institution. If quality assurance and relevance prevailed the private sector would send their employees, supervisors and managers for skills upgrading to the Lerotholi Polytechnic. The Government of Lesotho could promote its economic growth and poverty alleviation objectives if the existing tailored training substantiated to impact on the socio-economic development. The study was intended to investigate the impact of the Lerotholi Polytechnic programmes on the socio-economic development on Lesotho with special reference to Maseru district. The premises lied upon access to the Lerotholi Polytechnic technical and vocational education programmes, relevance of these programmes towards socioeconomic development, their quality assurance for the contribution towards the socioeconomic development and the training and learning strategies employed in the Lerotholi Polytechnic. Management issues such as planning, control and coordination also had to be envisaged with respect to the legal framework of technical and vocational education. Both the Lesotho Ministry of Education and Training Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training and the Lerotholi Polytechnic formed the sample population whose responses had been triangulated in the quest for the imperative epistemic of the impact of technical and vocational education on the socio-economic development of Lesotho with special reference to Maseru district. Results had been presented and findings acknowledged. Recommendations had been advocated for the better functioning of the Lerotholi Polytechnic programmes in the contribution towards socio-economic development of Lesotho with special reference to Maseru district.

Thesis (D. Tech.) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2008 / The purpose of this study was to evaluate brewing and consumption practices and to screen for micro-organisms and mycotoxins associated with traditional beer produced and consumed in the marginal urban settlements of the city of Kimberley in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The survey study revealed that traditional beer is no longer being brewed for traditional purposes only, as was the case in the past, but rather for commercial gain. Both brewers and consumers, however, appeared to be largely unaware of disease-causing micro-organisms present on the hands or bodies of handlers that can be transferred to the beverage during the handling process, and were seemingly not conversant with regard to the effects of hazardous ingredients sometimes incorporated during the brewing process. Unemployment and a lack of education emerged as pivotal factors related to the production of traditional beer and the ignorance of the associated safety thereof. The survey further indicated that although facilities such as the availability of potable water (taps in yards) and flushing toilets were sometimes in place, other facilities such as basins with hot running water were often not available. In commercially produced and homebrewed traditional beer the mean counts for total coliforms and Staphylococcus spp. were circa 105 cfu.ml-1 whereas the TVC (Total Viable Counts) and total fungi counts were 106 and 107 cfu.ml-1 respectively. The total coliforms and Staphylococcus spp. counts for homebrewed traditional beer were approximately one log-phase higher than the commercial version. The counts in the homebrewed beer probably originated from contamination during handling, while in the commercial product contamination originated either in the raw ingredients or during postprocessing and consumption. Apart from staphylococci, considerable numbers of total coliforms indicating faecal contamination were noted. A rapid, easy, reliable and accurate technique that could be used to quantify the level of mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol and citrinin) in the beer was developed through validation of the ELISA Ridascreen methodology. Using this method, the deoxynivalenol (DON) level in the beer samples was found to exceed the recommended levels suggested by the European Union, while citrinin levels in the samples varied between 35.6 ppb and 942.2 ppb. In the case of citrinin there were statistically significant differences between spring, summer and winter samples, confirming the seasonal impact on fungal growth and consequent mycotoxin production. An R2-value of 0.409 was noted between DON and citrinin, indicating a weak positive association. Finally, an awareness programme in the format of a poster with accompanying subscripts was developed to address issues of safety and hygiene of traditional beer in the study area. The poster utilises animatedstyle colour images of selected practices that need to be addressed, accompanied by slogans summarising the particular image in English, Afrikaans and Setswana. It is envisaged that, as part of a comprehensive awareness programme, the poster will contribute greatly to the quality, safety and promotion of traditional beer in the area.

Thesis (M. Ed. Educational management) -- Central University of technology, Free State, 2012 / The purpose of the study was to investigate Life Skills as an intervention strategy in the fight against HIV/AIDS among the teenagers at Senakangwedi Senior Secondary School in Botshabelo, Free State. Life Skills as an intervention strategy were implemented in one secondary school in Free State Province in Motheo District. A cohort of 30 learners and 10 educators from secondary schools in Botshabelo, Free State Province participated in the study. The respondents comprised of 10 learners from Grade 10, 10 from grade 11 and 10 learners from Grade 12 as well as ten educators. Learners were between the ages of 15 and 20 years. Between these ages their cognitive development allows them to be more aware of Life Skills as an intervention strategy to combat HIV/AIDS at school. Thus, it was easy for them to verbalise Life Skills as an intervention strategy to fight HIV/AIDS. Due to their ages, their operational thinking allowed them to develop hypotheses about the possible outcomes of problems and to evaluate these outcomes comparatively. Educators were controlled by the level of their education, being respondents with a diploma or university degree. Comparatively learners who are 18 years of age were themselves concerned as they were heads of households. To arrive at the reported findings the study used the qualitative research approach methodology. This qualitative approach enabled the researcher to access information relating to the learners’ and educators' perceptions about HIV/AIDS. A life history approach was adopted in conducting the interviews to obtain a holistic understanding of participants’ life events in relation to their home environment. The interview guide covered such dimensions as family background and schooling. In the interviewing process, the researcher used the techniques of crystallisation and confrontation to enhance the clarity and trustworthiness of the narratives. In cases of ambiguity, the researcher asked the respondents for detailed and concrete examples and, in case of inconsistence, for further clarification and re-interpretation. The interview data were later transcribed for data analysis. The grounded theory approach was adopted to analyse the interview data, through which the categories of learner’s perceived motivations emerged naturally from their narratives. The evolving process comprised the following steps: (1) careful and repeated reading of transcriptions; (2) open content coding to signify any units of meaningful narratives in the passages. Ethical approval to conduct the study was sought and obtained from participating respondents and institutions. The results showed that most learners in the sample are orphans as result of AIDS and that many households are now headed by teenagers who have had to take on parental responsibilities. The results showed that Life Skills reduce teenage pregnancy and absenteeism at school. According to the results, life skills changed the behaviour of the learners and their attitude towards HIV/AIDS and therefore, learners should be educated about HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy and its prevention, as a strategy to reduce HIV/AIDS in schools. Life Skills is fundamental in empowering learners to live meaningful lives in a society that demands rapid transformation that enhances the community. The pandemic undermines the efforts of poverty reduction, part of the manifesto of the African National Congress (ANC) led Government; which aims at improving economic growth. In addition, the study revealed that learners feel free to talk to one another and that coaching by a Life Skills educator, assists in ensuring that HIV/AIDS-related topics are discussed with ease. The results showed that most learners agree that Life skills empower them with a sound and helpful background to prevent HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, learners admitted that the Life Skills programme effectively empowered them with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions regarding sexuality. From the study a few valuable lessons were learned by the learners’ as an awareness of the pandemic and its consequences for their lives.

Thesis (M. Tech.) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2009