Art History, Visual Arts & Music / D. Litt. et. Phil. (Art History)

Environmental Education is a foundation in strengthening learners and community awareness in all environmental issues, including water pollution-related diseases. This study aimed at investigating the level of environmental education awareness on water pollution-related diseases by learners who live in the informal settlement. And lastly, if possible and feasible, to propose solutions to the perceived water pollution-related diseases found in this informal settlement adjacent to the Jukskei river in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg. The research focused on the introduction of the dissertation in Chapter 1 Theoretical foundations of the research in Chapter 2 Research methodology in Chapter 3 Data analysis, interpretation and discussion in Chapter 4 Conclusions and recommendations in Chapter 5 The study provided various definitions of environment, Environmental Education, The goal, Aims & Objective, Classification & Outcomes, Environmental literacy; water pollution-related diseases, the integration of Environmental education in the RNCS & water pollution-related diseases awareness; Education for Sustainable Development; and the relationship between the development of informal settlement and water pollution related diseases. The outcomes of the investigation indicated that the level of environmental education awareness on water pollution –related diseases by learners at the informal settlement is less at primary level and partially increases at the high schools. In order to increase learners’ awareness on water pollution-related diseases across the curricula there should be an adequate integration of Environmental Education in the RNCS. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Environmental Education)

The research project investigated whether victims of housebreaking experienced motivational, cognitive and emotional deficits central to the Learned Helplessness phenomenon. In keeping with the Reformulated Learned Helplessness theory the attributional style of victims, were also assessed. The State-Trait Inventory developed by Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg and Jacobs was administered to measure the anxiety levels of victims. Sub-goals served as illustration for the learned helplessness phenomenon. Three- hundred victims, using probability sampling techniques, were interviewed by means of an interview schedule. Support was found for cognitive and some motivational deficits and a common range of emotions experienced by victims. The majority of victims exhibited a global attnbutional style. Burglary victims did not show appreciably higher trait and state scores means, except for females in the 19-39 age group, when compared to a psychological norm. Environmental factors did play a role in rendering homes vulnerable. Recommendations addressing the fear of housebreaking were made at a therapeutic and practical level. / Sociology / M.A. (Criminology)

Background: The South Africa’s reproductive health policy put more emphasis on dual methods in preventing unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission. Regardless of such policies, the uptake of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services remains a personal choice. Aim: The purpose of the study was to determine the accessibility, acceptance and utilisation of VCT services by women on hormonal contraceptives. Methods: About 134 women obtaining hormonal contraceptives were interviewed in a cross-sectional study. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis was applied to analyse the study data. Results: Respondents displayed positive attitudes towards Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) testing. Unavailability and poor access to in-house VCT services was found to be a barrier for use of these services. Conclusion: There’s a need for provider initiated counselling and testing (PICT) strengthening and integration of VCT services into family planning. / Health Studies / M (Public Health) / 362.104256

Text in English / This thesis investigates whether or not the press reported unethically on South Africa’s 2014 General Elections in the weekly national newspapers the City Press, Sunday Times and the Mail & Guardian. This study was undertaken on the basis of the ongoing contention between the press and the state which has resulted in polarised positions between both institutions amid accusations of press bias. It has given voice to measures to regulate the press through a Media Appeals Tribunal (MAT) and proposed state regulation. This could negatively impact free speech, public interest and ultimately democracy. This researcher contends that this will not be in the best interest of South Africa. Through this study, it is argued that an ethical press that executes a libertarian duty to society, integrating a watchdog role over the state, while simultaneously overseeing its social responsibility to society, upholds the welfare of society and democracy and should therefore not be regulated by the state. The elections thus forms an important platform for the press to demonstrate unbiased ethical reportage to the state in the wake of being regulated and prove its fundamental role in society’s interest and democracy. Therefore, to determine whether the election coverage was ethical or unethical, the problem investigated whether the press, that is, the print medium in the form of the newspaper, reported truthfully, in a balanced manner and independently for South Africa’s 2014 General Elections, upholding its watchdog and social responsibility roles. This was done through a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of the front-page news reports of the aforementioned national newspapers for the cross sectional time-frame of 13 April to 11 May, 2014. This study argues that language is the most important channel of communication for the exchange of ideas and can be used as an instrument to calculatedly manipulate message and reinforce a particular viewpoint. Hence, it contends that CDA can effectively be utilised as a conceptual framework for language analysis to determine unethical press coverage by journalists. The study identifies and applies two significant theoretical models that is, the Libertarian and Social Responsibility models for the elections which further serves as a form of triangulation to verify the results of the CDA. The study challenges the conventions of a distinct libertarian or a social responsibility model for the press, arguing that both models are not mutually exclusive for the elections. The analysis shows that the press apply both social responsibility and libertarian roles simultaneously in election reporting. It further maps out the incorporation of the developmental journalism model where the press upholds the best interests of both the electorate and the state ethically, without the requirement of a state-regulated media. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication Science)

This thesis examines the complex ways in which notions of the public interest and commercial imperatives intertwine in journalism practice. It does this through a study of the 2004 takeover and relaunch of the Sowetan newspaper, the highest circulation daily in South Africa throughout the 1990s and an institution of black public life. The ‘public interest’ and ‘the commercial’ are recurring ideas in journalism scholarship and practice, and the relaunch appeared to be a challenge to reconcile the Sowetan’s commercial challenges with its historical responsibility to a ‘nation-building’ public. However, the research shows that the public/commercial aspects of journalism were inextricably entangled with Sowetan’s organisational culture, which was the matrix through which its journalism practice was expressed. Conflict in the organisation over the changes was not simply a contest between commercial realities and the public interest, with journalists defending a responsibility to the public and managers pushing commercial solutions, but a conflict between the culture of Sowetan “insiders”, steeped in the legacy of the newspaper, and “outsiders”, employed by the new owners to effect change. Another conclusion of the research is that commercial “realities” – often conceptualised as counter to the public interest – are highly mutable. Basic conditions, such as a dependence on advertising, exist. However, media managers must choose from a range of strategies to be commercially viable, which requires risk-taking, innovation and, often, guesswork. In such situations, the ‘wall’ between media managers and senior editors is porous, as all executives must manage the relationship between business and editorial imperatives. Executives tend to overlook culture as a factor in changing organisations, but I argue that journalism could benefit from engaging with management theory and organisational psychology, which offer ways to understand the specific dynamics of the organisation. Finally, I argue that the case of the Sowetan throws into question the idea that there may be a broadly universal journalism culture. The attachment of Sowetan journalists to their particular values and practice suggests that forms of journalism evolve in certain contexts to diverge from the ‘professional’ Anglo-American modes. These ‘journalisms’ use similar terms – such as the ‘public interest’ – but operationalise them quite differently. The responsibility to the public is imagined in very different ways, but remains a significant attachment for journalists.

In this minithesis I conduct a critical discourse analysis to take on a double-pronged task. On the one hand I explore the social phenomenon of the contestation between supporters of then-ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma and supporters of his rape accuser. The trial, which took place in the Johannesburg High Court between mid-February and early May 2006, stirred intense public interest, both locally and internationally. The performance of thousands of Zuma’s supporters and a far smaller number of gender rights lobby groups, both of whom kept a presence outside the court building throughout the trial, received similar attention. Second, I examine how the Sowetan, a national daily tabloid with a black, middle-class readership, mediated the trial through pictures of the theatre outside the court and letters to the editor. The study is informed by post-Marxist and cultural studies perspectives, both approaches that are concerned with issues of power, ideology and the circulation of meaning within specific sociocultural contexts. A rudimentary thematic content analysis draws out some of the main themes from the material, while the critical discourse analysis is located within a theoretical framework based on concepts from Laclau & Mouffe’s theory of meaning, which assumes a power struggle between contesting positions seeking to invalidate one another and to either challenge or support existing hegemonies. This is further informed by, first, Laclau’s theorisation of populism, which assumes that diverse groupings can unite under a demagogue’s banner in shared antagonism towards existing power, and second, by concepts from Mamdani’s theorisation of power and resistance in colonial and post-colonial Africa, which explicates three overarching ideological discourses of human rights, social justice and traditional ethnic practices. The study, then, explores how these three discourses were operationalised by the localised contestations over the trial.

The research study focused on the service delivery challenges regarding water and sanitation in the Gauteng Province. Two metropolitan municipalities including the City of Johannesburg and the City of Tshwane were investigated and used for this research study. The study used a qualitative research design and the methodology includes literature reviews and structured interviews to highlight the challenges from an international, South African, and provincial perspective, particularly in Gauteng. An interview schedule was developed and structured interviews were conducted to collect primary data from the selected participants. Although the literature review conducted indicate that the provision of water and sanitation in the Gauteng Province had improved, significant challenges remain. Areas such as informal settlements are still experiencing shortcomings as compared to the metropolitan areas. Institutional challenges such as a lack of appropriate skills still exist. Other challenges such as poor financial management and non-payment for services by the communities persist. Furthermore, the literature indicates that community protests over basic services occur more in the Gauteng Province than in other provinces. This indicates that the challenges of providing basic services such as water and sanitation are still persistent. To deal with the challenges of providing water and sanitation services, the government and agencies involved in the provision of these services implemented several measures. To alleviate the challenges, not only government help is needed, but also help from other sectors, including non-governmental organisations, agencies, and communities. The findings of this study might assist the municipalities to improve the services through its recommendations. The study is also meant to help public officials and political office bearers to understand the dynamics and challenges they are faced with when carrying out their duties. This study will be used to add to the current literature on the basic service delivery challenges in the Gauteng Province, it will also contribute to academic and government related publications for further references and broadens research on the subject. / Public Administration / M. Admin. (Public Administration)

Text in English, with summaries in English, Xhosa and Zulu / This research was directed towards investigating if the metropolitan police mandate, as it is collectively perceived by senior metropolitan police officials in Gauteng, is constructive and aligned to the notion of a democratic South Africa. Qualitative data was collected from all metropolitan police departments in Gauteng through an extensive series of semi structured interviews. By adopting a phenomenographic research approach, collected data was transcribed, analysed and hierarchically arranged into a variety of qualitatively different but intrinsically related categories of description. From these categories of description, multiple collective understandings relating to democracy in South Africa, democratic policing and the metropolitan police role emerged. Further analysis revealed that the senior metropolitan police managers collectively fosters a significantly limited understanding of democracy, predominantly based on rudimentary and general democratic principles and values. The collective understanding participants held in relation to democratic policing was also significantly rudimentary and limited, as it principally revolved around the notion of police accountability. Again, the absence of an explicit relationship between participants and South Africa’s democracy was notable. Sequentially, it emerged that participants predominantly do not understand or perceive the metropolitan police department or its mandate as is appropriate within the framework of South Africa’s constitutional democracy. The democratic features of a preventative and proactive focus, objective professionalism and individual and situational responsiveness are thus remarkably absent from these departments. Subsequently, the metropolitan police mandate, as it is collectively perceived by senior metropolitan police officials in the Gauteng Province, is neither appropriate nor constructive to a democratic South Africa. / Olu phando lwalujoliswe ekuphandeni ukuba ingaba igunya lamapolisa esixeko, njengoko libonwa njalo ngawo wonke amagosa aphezulu obupolisa besixeko eGauteng, liyakha kwaye lingqamene na nombono woMzantsi Afrika wedemokhrasi. Kwaqokelelwa iinkcukacha zolwazi lomgangatho kuwo wonke amasebe amapolisa esixeko eGauteng, oko kusenziwa ngothotho lodliwano ndlebe olunzulu nolungaqingqwanga ncam. Kwasetyenziswa indlela yophando ejonga iimeko ngobunjalo bazo, iinkcukacha zolwazi ezaqokelelwayo zahlalutywa zacwangciswa ngokwamanqwanqwa olandelelwano, zangamaqela enkcazelo aneempawu ezingafaniyo nangona zizalana. Ukususela kula maqela enkcazelo kwaqondakala iqela lezimvo eziphathelene nedemokhrasi eMzantsi Afrika, ukugcina umthetho ngokwedemokhrasi kwaze kwavela indima yamapolisa esixeko. Uhlalutyo lwaqhuba lwavelisa ukuba abaphathi bamapolisa esixeko ewonke abonakalisa ukungayiqondi kakuhle idemokhrasi, ikakhulu asekeleze iinqobo ezingacolekanga zedemokhrasi. Uluvo lwabo bonke abathathi nxaxheba xa luthelekiswa nokugcina umthetho ngokwedemokhrasi lwafumaniseka ukuba nalo alucolekanga ngaye lulwazana oluncinci, kuba lwalungqonge ingcinga yokuba amapolisa amele izenzo zawo. Ngaphezu koko, kwaqapheleka ukungabikho kobudlelwane phakathi kwabathathi nxaxheba nedemokhrasi yoMzantsi Afrika. Okulandelayo yaba kukuqaphela ukuba abathathi nxaxheba abaliqondi iSebe okanye igunya lamapolisa esixeko njengoko libekiwe kwisakhelo sedemokhrasi yoMgaqo Siseko yoMzantsi Afrika. Azikho kwaphela kula maSebe iimpawu zedemokhrasi zokuthintela nokulungiselela kungekaqhambuki bubi, ukusebenza kakuhle nokuvelela izinto macala onke kwanokukwazi ukusabela kwimeko ethile. Ngoko ke, igunya lamapolisa esixeko, njengoko libonwa njalo ngawo wonke amagosa aphezulu amapolisa esixeko kwiPhondo iGauteng, alifanelekanga kwaye aliwakhi uMzantsi Afrika wedemokhrasi. / Lolu cwaningo lwaluqondiswe ekuhloleni ukuthi isijubo samaphoyisa edolobhakazi, ngendlela esibonwa ngayo yizikhulu zasemaphoyiseni edolobhakazi eGauteng singesakhayo na nokuthi siyahambisana yini nombono weNingizimu Afrika yentando yeningi. Imininingwane yocwaningo emayelana namaqiniso yaqoqwa kuyo yonke iminyango yamaphoyisa edolobhakazi eGauteng ngokusebenzisa uchungechunge olubanzi lwezingxoxo ezihleliwe. Ngokulandela indlela yocwaningo ebheka ukuthi abantu bacabangani noma bayithola injani into ethile, imininingwane eqoqiwe yashicilelwa yaba ngumbhalo, yahlaziywa yabe seyihlelwa ngokulandelana kokukhula kwayo yaba yizinhlobonhlobo zemikhakha yencazelo engamazingahle ahlukahlukene kodwa futhi zibe zihlobene ngokwemvelo. Kule mikhakha yencazelo, kuvele ukuqonda okwahlukene kaningi eqoqweni elilodwa ngokufanayo maqondana nentando yeningi eNingizimu Afrika, ukuqapha okuhambisana nentando yeningi kanye nendima edlalwa ngamaphoyisa edolobhakazi. Olunye uhlaziyo luveze ukuthi izikhulu zasemaphoyiseni edolobhakazi, ngokuhlanganyela, zinokuqonda okunomkhawulo maqondana nentando yeningi, ikakhulukazi kokuphathelene nemigomo nezimiso ezejwayelekile zentando yeningi. Ukuqonda kweqoqo lababambiqhaza ngokuhlanganyela maqondana nokuqapha okuhambisana nentando yeningi nakho kwaba ngokwejwayeleke kakhulu futhi kwaba nomkhawulo, njengoba kwakugxile kakhulu embonweni wokuziphedulela kwamaphoyisa. Kanti okunye, ukungabi khona kobudlelwano obucacile phakathi kwababambiqhaza kanye nentando yeningi yeNingizimu Afrika nakho kwabonakala. Okwalandela lapho kwaba ngukuthi ababambiqhaza abaningi abaqondi kahle kumbe babona umnyango wamaphoyisa edolobhakazi noma isijubo sawo njengefanelekile ngokohlaka lwentando yeningi yeNingizimu Afrika elandela umthethosisekelo. Ngakho-ke, izinto ezihambisana nentando yeningi maqondana nokugxila ekuvimbeleni nasekwenzeni izinto ngaphandle kokutshelwa, ukuqeqesheka kahle ngokubheka wonke amacala kanye nokubhekana nezinto eziqondene nomuntu ngamunye noma nezimo, azitholakali kule minyango. Ngenxa yalokho, isijubo samaphoyisa edolobhakazi, ngendlela esibonwa ngayo yizikhulu zasemaphoyiseni edolobhakazi esifundazweni saseGauteng, singesingafanelekile nesingakhi eNingizimu Afrika yentando yeningi. / Police Practice / D. Lit. et Phil. (Police Science)

Art History, Visual Arts and Music / D. Litt. et. Phil. (Art History)