The study examines the impact of communication on customer satisfaction at the Transvaal Museum. Customer satisfaction refers to customer's overall satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the organisation based on all encounters and experience with that particular organisation. Communication has an impact on both customer satisfaction and future behavioural actions of consumers. There are four sources of brand messages namely, planned, unplanned, product and service messages. In the quest for increased customer satisfaction, companies are moving away from the traditional 4Ps (product, price, place and promotion) of the marketing mix to the 8Ps. The other four Ps include physical assets, procedures, personnel and personalisation. Integration of all marketing communications to customers is seen as a key activity in companies' attempts to build long term-relationships. On the whole, the study has indicated that customers of the museum are satisfied with its products, services and messages. However, the research has also shown that customers are not happy with the way the museum handles its planned communication activities. / Communication Science / M.A. (Organisational Communication Research Practice)

The purpose of this study was to determine the profile of parents with children in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres using Over the Counter (OTC) homeopathic remedies, specific to the Pretoria East region. Secondary objectives included determining the extent of use of OTC homeopathic remedies, the perceptions of parents regarding homeopathy and natural remedies as well as the positioning of homeopathy. The research was designed around descriptive and exploratory methods using quantitative research techniques. Aspects such as demographic information and the general health of families, attitudes, perceptions and opinions specific to homeopathy, natural remedies and conventional medicine, as well as details on remedy usage and brands, were addressed. From the findings of the study a clear profile could be identified. Further to the profile, the perceptions of respondents regarding OTC homeopathic remedies as well as reasons for using these remedies are discussed. The positioning of OTC homeopathic remedies was done based on spider graphs, exploratory factor analysis, cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling. Several recommendations were made to the homeopathic industry, the Ministry of Health, medical professionals, Medical Aid Schemes, pharmacists and the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the Department of Social Development. The study concludes with details specific to the limitations of the study and further research suggestions. / Economics / M.A. Commerce (Business Management)

Learners’ Physical Science performance in South Africa has been under discussion for several years, the challenge being that it has been exacerbated by continuous changes in the curriculum. Systems that have been put in place have yielded insufficient satisfactory solutions to both underperformance in the subject and sustainable good performance. Although interventions by curriculum policymakers have been ineffective, the issue at hand remains that teachers need to implement good teaching practices in order to ensure that all learners receive quality education. Physical Science teachers are custodians of a subject that may address scarce skills in the education system, so the quality of teaching must be optimised. Teachers need to implement intervention processes put in place by other stakeholders to reduce the negative perceptions that most people have about Physical Science. This study investigates how various factors related to the quality of teachers may affect the performance of Grade 12 learners in this subject. Since past studies have presented a broad spectrum of these factors, this study has categorised them as those directly related to teaching and those indirectly related to teaching. As a basis for data collection the researcher first established the overall status of the Physical Science teachers and investigated how the factors identified affect teaching. A mixed method approach was followed, and given the breadth of the study, available raw data was collected through questionnaires, interviews and observations. Data collected on factors indirectly related to teaching showed that these factors affect factors directly related to teaching and both of them affect the performance of the teacher, and consequently those of learners. These findings revealed that the performance of Physical Science cannot be based on one factor only, but on a combination of factors that are interrelated and should be integrated for effective teaching practices. Recommendations have been made to the National and Provincial Department of Education, District offices, school management teams and Physical Science teachers to reinforce other strategies that have been in place in order to improve or sustain good performance of the subject and to close gaps that have not been identified as possible intervention strategies. They include upgrading qualifications with the current content and methodologies to match the changing curriculum, restructuring workshops so that they are informed by the teacher’s needs, stabilising the curriculum to avoid many changes in short periods of time, retraining of teachers, relevant appointment of Heads of Departments (HoDs) into subject management positions, utilisation of support groups by teachers, proper management of the subject, proper screening of Physical Science learners and provision of teaching and learning resources. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

During the period 1939 -1996 the Anglican Diocese of Pretoria sponsored Missions in disadvantaged commun ies served by the Church. Socio-economic factors were largely responsible for the situation of disempowered communities which lacked adequate resources in the spheres of education, healing and commundevelopment This dissertation deals with Ekutuleni as a first model for later Missions in the Diocese. The Mission at Sophiatown was established in 1927 and has ever since provided a paradigm for the Anglican Chunch's involvement with disad.vantaged communities of the Transvaal. The Chunch was able through the Work of Ekutuleni to meet the needs of the people of Sophiatown. In 1939 Tumelong Mission was established by the Anglican Church at Lady Selbome, Pretoria. The work of the Mission is evaluated against the background of the Anglican Church in the Diocese of Pretoria. The dissertation puts Tumelong ir1 the context of the communities of Mabopane, Temba and Ga-Rankuwa. Finally it puts Tumelong in the wider context of missions in the Transvaal. / Theology / Th. M. (Church History)

Educational Foundations / M. Ed. (Socio Education)

Substance abuse is a pervasive problem across the world. The most commonly abused substanc-es include tobacco, alcohol and dagga. In teenagers, research has found out that substance abuse is often linked to multiple factors such as scholastic problems, mental and health problems, risky sexual behaviour, accidents, crime and violence. The present study aimed to explore the level of knowledge and attitudes of teenagers towards substance abuse in an informal settlement. The target population were teenage girls and boys between the ages of 13 and 19. A mixed method approach was employed in this study. A self-administered questionnaire was designed and used to collect data. This questionnaire contained both closed and open ended questions. The Statis-tical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data. Findings show that teen-agers have adequate knowledge and appropriate attitudes towards substance abuse. However, the results also indicate that the provision of information on substance abuse remains important in shaping attitudes of young people. Interventions such as awareness campaigns, focus group discussions, education and developmental programmes that contribute to knowledge on the impact of and ways to control substance abuse are recommended / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology (Clinical Technology : Cardiology), Department of Clinical Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Introduction Infective endocarditis is a serious disease that needs rapid diagnosis and accurate risk stratification to offer the best therapeutic strategy. Echocardiography plays a key role in the management of the disease but may be limited in some clinical situations. Moreover, this method is insensitive for very early detection of the infection and assessment of therapeutic response because it does not provide imaging at the molecular and cellular levels. Recently, several novel morphological, molecular and hybrid imaging modalities have been investigated in infective endocarditis and offer new perspectives for better management of the disease. Aims and Objectives of the Study This prospective, quantitative and observational study was investigated at Dr George Mukhari Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa. Infective Endocarditis is a serious disease associated with poor prognosis despite improvements in medical and surgical therapies. Infective Endocarditis results in complex pathogenesis that involves many host-pathogen interactions. Indeed, previous endocardial lesions can lead to the exposure of the underlying extracellular matrix proteins, local inflammation and then thrombus formation, which is termed ‘non-bacterial vegetation’. The project aims to compare the echocardiographic findings (transthoracic echocardiographic-TTE) with intraoperative findings on patients with infective endocarditis. If the correlation existed then the echocardiogram findings were accurate when performed in patients with infective endocarditis. Methodology The research participants consisted of forty (40) patients with infective endocarditis at Dr George Mukhari Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa. A cardiologist examined the patient’s clinically for features of infective endocarditis. Two techniques were used to assess the infective endocarditis. These included echocardiography and Intraoperative findings (visual and histology). Bloods were cultured to demonstrate the presence of micro-organisms. Blood was sent to the laboratory for culture in order to detect the presence of micro-organisms. The researcher performed an Echocardiogram to assess which valve was affected, the left ventricular endiastolic diameter (LVED), the left ventricular ensystolic diameter (LVES), the shortening fraction (SF), the ejection fraction (EF) and the size of the vegetation/mass or abscess. For patients requiring a heart surgery, the cardiac surgeon performed the valve replacement, and the intra-operative findings was assessed visually to confirm the presence of vegetation or abscess and leaflets destruction. During the operation, which was performed by the same cardiac surgeon, a biopsy sample was taken for histological examination to confirm the presence of vegetation or abscess. Thereafter, the cardiac surgeon performed the valve repair/ replacement/ bioprosthesis. The researcher was blinded to the findings in the theatre as the researcher was not present in the theatre. The results from the laboratory was sent to the researcher. The researcher was then able to confirm the presence of vegetation or mass/ abscess and leaf destruction. Results The histology confirmed what was seen on echocardiographical findings and intraoperative findings (visual). The intraoperative and echocardiography findings showed thirty two of 40 (80%) vegetation, two of 40 (5%) perforation, four of 40 (10%) pseudoaneursym and two of 40 (5%) abscesses. The prognosis of patients with poor ejection fraction (40-50% EF) was poorer than those with good ejection fraction (60-75%). The clinical findings of all patients confirmed infective endocarditis and thirty two of 40 (80%) blood cultures were positive and eight of 40 (20%) were negative. There were seven of 40 (17,5%) patients who showed poor correlation 40- 50% between echocardiographical findings and post-operative findings. The results of thirty three of 40 (82%) patients showed moderate correlation 69% between the echocardiographical findings and post-operative findings. Conclusion My findings of the study was that eight of 40 (20%) had stenosis and thirty two of 40 (80%) had regurgitation in patients who had infective endocarditis. There was an overall moderate association (r=0.68) between echocardiography and the intraoperative findings in all patients for LVES.

The purpose of this study was to explore how consumer’s perception of women’s golfing apparel qualities influenced consumer’s purchase decisions. In fact Swinker and Hines (2006) pointed out that consumer perceptions of apparel quality are viewed as a multi-dimensional concept and should be evaluated on several levels. Numerous apparel quality studies have examined how perception of apparel quality has influenced consumer purchase decisions. However, there has been little or no research documented on how female consumers perceive women’s golfing apparel quality and how this may influence consumer purchase decisions in a South African context. Evaluation of apparel quality occurs at two stages during the consumer decision-making process. Apparel quality is evaluated in-store at the decision-making process stage and at the post-purchase evaluation stage. The apparel qualities that women golfers use during these stages may not be the same. In light of this a phenomenological approach was used to explore apparel quality for women’s golfing apparel which allowed the researcher to focus on the actual experience and perception of participants in their natural environment. Moreover, this approach allowed participants to describe their thoughts on physical (intrinsic) apparel qualities, extrinsic apparel qualities as well as behavioural (functional and aesthetic) apparel qualities found in women’s golfing apparel. Data were collected through means of a multi-method approach whereby different data collection instruments were applied. In this regard focus group discussions, design card sort and a sentence completion task were used which addressed the objectives set out in the study. A convenient sampling strategy was used to recruit participants for the focus group discussions. This sample consisted of women golfers from the Woodhill and Silverlakes Clubs situated in the East of Pretoria. From the results of the study on the perceptual exploration of women’s golfing apparel qualities and the influence on consumer purchase decisions, it was indicated that participants viewed apparel quality as a multidimensional concept. Physical, behavioural and extrinsic apparel qualities were used to evaluate women’s golfing apparel on which they based their purchase decisions. / Life & Consumer Sciences / M. Consumer Science

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa boasts significant cumulative public-private partnership experience when compared to other African countries. However, little has been done to investigate the success and failure of implemented projects versus those registered on the National Treasury database. There is a limited amount of documented progress of public-private partnerships in South Africa, these being successes and failures in project implementation as well as the contributing factors for such outcomes, and these would serve as critical lessons for future partnerships. The main objective of this study is to investigate the challenges faced in the implementation of municipal public-private partnerships, especially concerning the City of Tshwane’s accommodation public-private partnership. A case study approach was adopted, reviewing the City of Tshwane’s public-private partnership initiative by looking at some of the reported challenges faced as well as the process followed during the implementation of the project. The results of this research assignment indicate that major strides have been made in acquiring sufficient experience and knowledge relating to public-private partnerships as they relate to the South African environment, and the main project team members, who have been involved long enough to understand the objectives of the project. However, of concern is the constant change of project team members taking into account that for each project phase a new team is established. The implication of this is that project knowledge may be lost due to changes in the structure of the project team. It should be noted that at the submission of this assignment the City of Tshwane accommodation public-private partnership was still in progress and in the initial stages of physical construction.

D. Tech. Education / Although vast disparities in education were inherited from the "apartheid" government, the enactment of the South African Schools Act No.84 of 1996 (SASA) attempted to democratise school governance, redress past inequalities and improve overall school management, including financial management. Despite these efforts by government, in Tshwane there are still disparities in the financial functioning of different schools. For instance, whilst one school was establishing a science laboratory of R2 million, another school lacked basics such as chairs and desks, resulting in learners having to sit on the floor, 18 years after the new political dispensation. This study was undertaken with the aim of providing guidelines to ensure the fair and effective financial management of schools in Tshwane. The study revealed that the new Constitution of South Africa and the concept of free education were positive attempts by government to adhere to the social justice principle in education. It was however, evident from the data that the ineffective quintile rankings, vast variations in school fees, varied income from fundraising projects and lack of financial knowledge and skills, contributed to current disparities in school finances, which proved to be detrimental to the social justice principle.