The South African white maize market is considered to be significantly more volatile than any other agricultural product traded on the South African Futures Exchange (SAFEX). This accentuates the need to effectively manage price risk, by means of hedging, to ensure a more profitable and sustainable maize production sector (Geyser, 2013:39; Jordaan, Grové, Jooste, A. & Jooste, Z.G., 2007:320). However, hedging at lower price levels might result in significant variation margins or costly buy–outs in order to fulfil the contract obligations. This challenge is addressed in this study by making use of technical analysis, focusing on the development of a practical and applicable composite technical indicator with the purpose of improving the timing of price risk management decisions identified by individual technical indicators. This may ultimately assist a producer in achieving a higher average hedge level compared to popular individual technical indicators. The process of constructing a composite indicator was commenced by examining the prevailing tendency of the market. By making use of the Directional Movement Index (DMI), as identified in the literature study, the market was found to continually shift between trending prices (prices moving either upwards or downwards) and prices trading sideways. Consequently, implementing only a leading (statistically more suitable for trading markets) or lagging (statistically more suitable for trending markets) technical indicator may generate false sell signals, as demonstrated by the application of these technical indicators in the white maize market. This substantiated the motivation for compiling a composite indicator that takes both leading and lagging indicators into account to more accurately identify hedging opportunities. The composite indicator made use of the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Stochastic oscillator as leading indicators, and the Exponential Moving Average (EMA) and Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) as lagging indicators. The results validated the applicability of such a composite indicator, as the composite indicator outperformed the individual technical indicators in the white maize market. The composite indicator achieved the highest average hedge level, the lowest average sell signals generated over the entire period, as well as the highest average hedge level as a percentage of the maximum price over the entire period. Hence, the composite indicator recognised hedging opportunities more accurately compared to individual technical indicators, which ultimately led to higher achieved hedging levels. / MCom. (Risk management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Internationally, the debate on business and human rights has evolved within the last decade, with more efforts being made to address the issue of what role corporations play in the human rights domain. The latest international effort to address the issue was the adoption of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework” by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2011. In brief, the Guiding Principles observe that the state must protect human rights, that businesses must respect human rights, and that there should be effective remedies for human rights violations. Locally, the Constitutional Court of South Africa ruled that mineworkers who are eligible to get compensation under the Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act had a common law right to sue the employer for injuries sustained at work. This was despite the fact that legislation was put in place to replace the common law liability of an employer for injuries or death sustained at work. On a broader scale, the Guiding Principles then formed the yardstick for the determination of whether there are adequate and effective remedies for human rights violations in the South African mining industry. The investigation essentially leads to the conclusion that the South African state has not fallen short of its duty to protect and to provide sufficient remedies for businessrelated human rights violations in the mining industry. The forums are in place and there is legislation that also provides for compensation as remedies for either injuries or death at work. Some issues of concern are the accessibility of the structures in place to address human rights violations, the disparity between compensation provided for in different legislation, and the lack of a more proactive approach by the Human Rights Commission. / LLM (Import and export Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The South African white maize market is considered to be significantly more volatile than any other agricultural product traded on the South African Futures Exchange (SAFEX). This accentuates the need to effectively manage price risk, by means of hedging, to ensure a more profitable and sustainable maize production sector (Geyser, 2013:39; Jordaan, Grové, Jooste, A. & Jooste, Z.G., 2007:320). However, hedging at lower price levels might result in significant variation margins or costly buy–outs in order to fulfil the contract obligations. This challenge is addressed in this study by making use of technical analysis, focusing on the development of a practical and applicable composite technical indicator with the purpose of improving the timing of price risk management decisions identified by individual technical indicators. This may ultimately assist a producer in achieving a higher average hedge level compared to popular individual technical indicators. The process of constructing a composite indicator was commenced by examining the prevailing tendency of the market. By making use of the Directional Movement Index (DMI), as identified in the literature study, the market was found to continually shift between trending prices (prices moving either upwards or downwards) and prices trading sideways. Consequently, implementing only a leading (statistically more suitable for trading markets) or lagging (statistically more suitable for trending markets) technical indicator may generate false sell signals, as demonstrated by the application of these technical indicators in the white maize market. This substantiated the motivation for compiling a composite indicator that takes both leading and lagging indicators into account to more accurately identify hedging opportunities. The composite indicator made use of the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Stochastic oscillator as leading indicators, and the Exponential Moving Average (EMA) and Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) as lagging indicators. The results validated the applicability of such a composite indicator, as the composite indicator outperformed the individual technical indicators in the white maize market. The composite indicator achieved the highest average hedge level, the lowest average sell signals generated over the entire period, as well as the highest average hedge level as a percentage of the maximum price over the entire period. Hence, the composite indicator recognised hedging opportunities more accurately compared to individual technical indicators, which ultimately led to higher achieved hedging levels. / MCom. (Risk management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Internationally, the debate on business and human rights has evolved within the last decade, with more efforts being made to address the issue of what role corporations play in the human rights domain. The latest international effort to address the issue was the adoption of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework” by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2011. In brief, the Guiding Principles observe that the state must protect human rights, that businesses must respect human rights, and that there should be effective remedies for human rights violations. Locally, the Constitutional Court of South Africa ruled that mineworkers who are eligible to get compensation under the Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act had a common law right to sue the employer for injuries sustained at work. This was despite the fact that legislation was put in place to replace the common law liability of an employer for injuries or death sustained at work. On a broader scale, the Guiding Principles then formed the yardstick for the determination of whether there are adequate and effective remedies for human rights violations in the South African mining industry. The investigation essentially leads to the conclusion that the South African state has not fallen short of its duty to protect and to provide sufficient remedies for businessrelated human rights violations in the mining industry. The forums are in place and there is legislation that also provides for compensation as remedies for either injuries or death at work. Some issues of concern are the accessibility of the structures in place to address human rights violations, the disparity between compensation provided for in different legislation, and the lack of a more proactive approach by the Human Rights Commission. / LLM (Import and export Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Text in Afrikaans / Alhoewel die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika die bestaande reg op regsverteenwoordiging uitgebrei het tot sy logiese eindpunt, is daar geen vaste inhoud aan hierdie reg gegee nie en sal die howe die omvang daarvan moet ontwikkel. Hierdie reg kan weens die heersende sosiale en ekonomiese omstandighede nie 'n absolute reg wees nie. Indien 'n beskuldigde nie 'n regsverteenwoordiger kan bekostig nie, sal een op staatsonkoste aan horn verskaf word, maar slegs indien <lit andersins tot wesentlike onreg sal lei. In so 'n geval het die beskuldigde nie die reg op 'n regsverteenwoordiger van sy keuse nie. Effektiewe regsverteenwoordiging word ook nie gewaarborg nie. Daar word derhalwe steeds nie aan die sine qua non van 'n volledige strafregplegingstelsel soos <lit oor tyd in die Verenigde State van Amerika ontwikkel het, <lit is die verskaffing van kostelose regsverteenwoordiging aan elke behoeftige persoon beskuldig van 'n emstige misdaad, voldoen nie / Although the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa has extended the existing right to legal representation to its logical conclusion, no definitive substance has been given to this right and the courts will have to develop the purview thereof. This right cannot be an absolute right because of ruling social and economic circumstances. Should an accused not be able to afford a legal representative, one will be supplied to him at state expense, but only if substantial injustice would otherwise result. In such an event the accused is not entitled to a legal representative of his choice. Effective legal representation is also not guaranteed. There is therefore still not compliance with the sine qua non of a comprehensive criminal justice system as has developed over time in the United States of America, that is the provision of free legal representation to every indigent person accused of a serious crime / Criminal & Procedural Law / LL.M. (Straf en Prosesreg)

This study addresses the fatigue life of the head–to–skirt welds of tall distillation columns. Fatigue tests were done on two types of weld geometries which approximate the head–toskirt configurations. From the fatigue tests it was determined that the fatigue life of the experimental samples can be substantially improved by applying weld build–up between the head and the skirt. The expected fatigue life of the test samples was determined by way of calculation employing the so called Nominal–Stress–Approach, the Effective–Notch–Stress–Approach and the Stress–Life–Approach. For both the Nominal–Stress–Approach and the Effective–Notch–Stress–Approach the predicted fatigue life was found to be overly conservative compared to the experimental results. The Stress–Life–Approach predicted the fatigue life to within a factor of 1.3 for both the geometries under investigation when displacements due to welding are taken into account. If displacements due to welding is omitted this factor is increased, for the geometry without weld build–up, to 2. For the geometry with weld build–up the factor remains 1.3. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Mechanical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

According to the South African White Paper 5 on Early Childhood Development (ECD), the initiative of the Department of Education (DoE), whereby grade R is being implemented as part of compulsory education, is directed at the poorest of the poor. Grade R teachers responsible for the education of 5/6 year old learners will therefore have to possess knowledge and skills to enable them to lead grade R learners from deprived circumstances to optimal development and learning readiness. For under-or unqualified Foundation Phase teachers who work and live in rural areas, distance learning is often the only option for professional development and concurrent increase in compensation. The School of Continuing Teacher Education of the North-West University designed an open distance learning model to provide in the educational needs of under and unqualified teachers. The Foundation Phase Curriculum within the Professional Educator Development programme of the Advanced Certificate in Education presented by the North West University (hereafter referred to as the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme) is delivered via open distance learning. The National Curriculum Statements (Grade R-9) include grade R to three in the Foundation Phase Curriculum and therefore the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme will be a financially viable option to train a large number of grade R teachers to provide in the need for qualified grade R teachers. This study investigates the way in which the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme enables grade R teaching competency as programme outcome. To attain the research aims of the study a literature and empirical study were performed. The research aims of the literature study include the establishment of the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be included in a training programme with the aim of capacitating grade R teachers to facilitate the optimal development of five/six year olds from deprived circumstances. The literature is further researched to determine national and international criteria for effective design and content for training programmes for teachers of 5/6 year old learners. Through the literature study the criteria for effective training programmes for grade R teachers are determined and more specific the criteria for the effective implementation of distance learning for the training of grade R teachers. A comparative study between the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme and similar distance learning programmes implemented internationally also serves as benchmarking for the evaluation of the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme. Findings from the literature study serves as benchmark for the evaluation of the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme and for the designing of questionnaires as measurement instruments for the empirical study. The empirical research has as its first aim to determine how the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme provides grade R teacher-students the opportunity to develop the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to facilitate the optimal development and learning readiness of five/six year olds from deprived circumstances. Secondly the empirical study aims to determine how the design and content of the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme accommodates the profile and educational needs of the target population namely the teacher who will be responsible for the education of five/six year old learners from deprived circumstances. Although a combination of both qualitative and quantitative statistical methods is used in the empirical study, this evaluation research is primarily seen as a quantitative study grounded in the post-positivist epistemology. The mixed method serves as verification of findings on the data. Empirical data were captured by means of questionnaires comprising structured and open questions. Data captured through structured questions were statistically analysed Iwhile responses in open questions were interpreted qualitatively by the researcher. Data triangulation serves as verification of findings as the researcher gathered data from three study populations namely the NWU Foundation Phase ACE teacher-students, the facilitators who facilitate the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme at the various contact centres countrywide as well as lecturers presenting a similar Foundation Phase ACE programme at other tertiary institutions in the country. A comparison of responses from the structured questions and open questions with data from related literature further provides for methodological triangulation and verification of findings. Data from the literature study as well as from all three study populations in the empirical investigation converged regarding inadequacies in the way the design and content of the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme enable the development of grade R teaching competencies as outcome. Deficiencies were identified in the way the programme accommodates the situated and personal circumstances of the teacher student. The opportunity provided by programme design and content for an inexperienced grade R teacher-student to develop grade R knowledge and skills through experience learning, social learning and learning through reflection within the grade R teaching and learning context, was also found to be lacking. Recommendations based on the findings are made for consideration of future programme design. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

This study addresses the fatigue life of the head–to–skirt welds of tall distillation columns. Fatigue tests were done on two types of weld geometries which approximate the head–toskirt configurations. From the fatigue tests it was determined that the fatigue life of the experimental samples can be substantially improved by applying weld build–up between the head and the skirt. The expected fatigue life of the test samples was determined by way of calculation employing the so called Nominal–Stress–Approach, the Effective–Notch–Stress–Approach and the Stress–Life–Approach. For both the Nominal–Stress–Approach and the Effective–Notch–Stress–Approach the predicted fatigue life was found to be overly conservative compared to the experimental results. The Stress–Life–Approach predicted the fatigue life to within a factor of 1.3 for both the geometries under investigation when displacements due to welding are taken into account. If displacements due to welding is omitted this factor is increased, for the geometry without weld build–up, to 2. For the geometry with weld build–up the factor remains 1.3. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Mechanical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

According to the South African White Paper 5 on Early Childhood Development (ECD), the initiative of the Department of Education (DoE), whereby grade R is being implemented as part of compulsory education, is directed at the poorest of the poor. Grade R teachers responsible for the education of 5/6 year old learners will therefore have to possess knowledge and skills to enable them to lead grade R learners from deprived circumstances to optimal development and learning readiness. For under-or unqualified Foundation Phase teachers who work and live in rural areas, distance learning is often the only option for professional development and concurrent increase in compensation. The School of Continuing Teacher Education of the North-West University designed an open distance learning model to provide in the educational needs of under and unqualified teachers. The Foundation Phase Curriculum within the Professional Educator Development programme of the Advanced Certificate in Education presented by the North West University (hereafter referred to as the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme) is delivered via open distance learning. The National Curriculum Statements (Grade R-9) include grade R to three in the Foundation Phase Curriculum and therefore the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme will be a financially viable option to train a large number of grade R teachers to provide in the need for qualified grade R teachers. This study investigates the way in which the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme enables grade R teaching competency as programme outcome. To attain the research aims of the study a literature and empirical study were performed. The research aims of the literature study include the establishment of the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be included in a training programme with the aim of capacitating grade R teachers to facilitate the optimal development of five/six year olds from deprived circumstances. The literature is further researched to determine national and international criteria for effective design and content for training programmes for teachers of 5/6 year old learners. Through the literature study the criteria for effective training programmes for grade R teachers are determined and more specific the criteria for the effective implementation of distance learning for the training of grade R teachers. A comparative study between the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme and similar distance learning programmes implemented internationally also serves as benchmarking for the evaluation of the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme. Findings from the literature study serves as benchmark for the evaluation of the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme and for the designing of questionnaires as measurement instruments for the empirical study. The empirical research has as its first aim to determine how the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme provides grade R teacher-students the opportunity to develop the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to facilitate the optimal development and learning readiness of five/six year olds from deprived circumstances. Secondly the empirical study aims to determine how the design and content of the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme accommodates the profile and educational needs of the target population namely the teacher who will be responsible for the education of five/six year old learners from deprived circumstances. Although a combination of both qualitative and quantitative statistical methods is used in the empirical study, this evaluation research is primarily seen as a quantitative study grounded in the post-positivist epistemology. The mixed method serves as verification of findings on the data. Empirical data were captured by means of questionnaires comprising structured and open questions. Data captured through structured questions were statistically analysed Iwhile responses in open questions were interpreted qualitatively by the researcher. Data triangulation serves as verification of findings as the researcher gathered data from three study populations namely the NWU Foundation Phase ACE teacher-students, the facilitators who facilitate the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme at the various contact centres countrywide as well as lecturers presenting a similar Foundation Phase ACE programme at other tertiary institutions in the country. A comparison of responses from the structured questions and open questions with data from related literature further provides for methodological triangulation and verification of findings. Data from the literature study as well as from all three study populations in the empirical investigation converged regarding inadequacies in the way the design and content of the NWU Foundation Phase ACE programme enable the development of grade R teaching competencies as outcome. Deficiencies were identified in the way the programme accommodates the situated and personal circumstances of the teacher student. The opportunity provided by programme design and content for an inexperienced grade R teacher-student to develop grade R knowledge and skills through experience learning, social learning and learning through reflection within the grade R teaching and learning context, was also found to be lacking. Recommendations based on the findings are made for consideration of future programme design. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Text in Afrikaans / Alhoewel die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika die bestaande reg op regsverteenwoordiging uitgebrei het tot sy logiese eindpunt, is daar geen vaste inhoud aan hierdie reg gegee nie en sal die howe die omvang daarvan moet ontwikkel. Hierdie reg kan weens die heersende sosiale en ekonomiese omstandighede nie 'n absolute reg wees nie. Indien 'n beskuldigde nie 'n regsverteenwoordiger kan bekostig nie, sal een op staatsonkoste aan horn verskaf word, maar slegs indien <lit andersins tot wesentlike onreg sal lei. In so 'n geval het die beskuldigde nie die reg op 'n regsverteenwoordiger van sy keuse nie. Effektiewe regsverteenwoordiging word ook nie gewaarborg nie. Daar word derhalwe steeds nie aan die sine qua non van 'n volledige strafregplegingstelsel soos <lit oor tyd in die Verenigde State van Amerika ontwikkel het, <lit is die verskaffing van kostelose regsverteenwoordiging aan elke behoeftige persoon beskuldig van 'n emstige misdaad, voldoen nie / Although the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa has extended the existing right to legal representation to its logical conclusion, no definitive substance has been given to this right and the courts will have to develop the purview thereof. This right cannot be an absolute right because of ruling social and economic circumstances. Should an accused not be able to afford a legal representative, one will be supplied to him at state expense, but only if substantial injustice would otherwise result. In such an event the accused is not entitled to a legal representative of his choice. Effective legal representation is also not guaranteed. There is therefore still not compliance with the sine qua non of a comprehensive criminal justice system as has developed over time in the United States of America, that is the provision of free legal representation to every indigent person accused of a serious crime / Criminal and Procedural Law / LL.M. (Straf en Prosesreg)