Introduction: Fall risk, occurrence and injury is increasing as the world ages, and Africa and other emerging regions will not be spared. Similarly, the rise of noncommunicable diseases, compressed morbidity and lack of physical activity present major challenges. This novel feasibility study explored the use of an exergaming technology compared with a conventional, evidence-based exercise programme (Otago Exercise Programme) to reduce fall risk by improving balance, and to inform a large-scale randomised control trial. Methodology: Mixed methods study in independent older adults with established fall risk. The quantitative component employed feasibility RCT methodology. Cluster randomisation assigned interventions to sites. Single blinding was used. Both interventions were offered for six months. A variety of balance-related endpoints (e.g., Timed Up and Go, Dynamic Gait Index, Mini-BESTest) were used to find the most applicable. Patient-centred variables included questionnaires regarding depression, physical activity levels, quality of life and estimates of self-efficacy for exercise. Qualitative focus groups explored participants' experiences of falls and the exergaming intervention using a phenomenology lens. Results: Site and participant recruitment was simple and readily achievable, with low numbers need to screen required. Eligibility criteria were confirmed and more added. Adherence and attrition were major challenges. Cluster randomisation appeared to exacerbate between-group differences at baseline. The exergaming intervention produced preliminary evidence in its favour, with results approaching Minimal Clinically Important Difference compared with the evidence-based intervention. The experience of the exergaming intervention was regarded as positive by focus group participants. Barriers and facilitators are reported. Discussion: Methodological issues in the literature have prevented firm consensus on the use of exergaming in falls prevention, although studies are abundant. The current study used rigorous methodology in the novel context of a developing region, which offers numerous challenges for older adults. Implications for a large-scale, fully funded RCT are discussed. Lessons learned can be used to scale up service delivery for an under-served population; and promote the aim of well-being for all at all ages.

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore firefighters' perceptions of how their working experiences and personal lives positively and negatively influence each other. The purpose of this study was also to understand firefighters' perceptions of the support that is currently available to them and what further support they require, in order to cope with the demands of work and personal relationships. The research was conducted in two research settings and permission was gained to conduct the research from the City of Cape Town's Research Department and the Fire Chief of the Fire and Rescue Department. A qualitative research design was used to conduct this study, and purposive sampling was used to select the sample. A total of twenty, male firefighters were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. A digital recorder was used to ensure that the interviews could be recorded accurately. The interviews were transcribed and analysed following Tesch's (1990) method of data analysis. The findings from this study reflect that the participants' work experiences and personal lives do influence each other. The participants reported that the training and education they received to become a firefighter, their relationship with their colleagues, and shift work had a positive influence on their personal lives. At the same time a number of workplace stressors such as shift work, repeated exposure to trauma, challenging aspects of career advancement and the negative consequences of the rank structure, were identified as negatively influencing their personal lives. Positive factors such as social support including support from family and work as well as religious support help buffer the negative effects of stress experienced by firefighters in their work. Personal and family challenges were seen to have a negative influence on firefighters working experience. Lastly, recommendations were made to various stakeholders including the Fire and Rescue Department as well as the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and Wellness branch. These included the need for online surveys, sports days and informal meetings between management and firefighters. Recommendations to EAP and Wellness branch included 2 continuous marketing of EAP services, pro-active interventions such as stress management and building resilience for firefighters, management training as well as wellness events.

The current Government of South Africa faces many challenges emanating from the legacy of the policies of the pre-1994 apartheid era and the earlier periods. One of these challenges is the skewed distribution of agricultural land, in favour of White commercial farmers. In 1995, the current democratic government, in an attempt to redress this historical imbalance in terms of ownership of agricultural land, introduced a land policy for South Africa. The policy is anchored to three programmes, namely land restitution, land redistribution and tenure reform. In terms of land redistribution, the Government set a target to redistribute 30% of White-owned agricultural land to historically disadvantaged individuals by March 2014. The land redistribution programme was designed for the state to play a major role in the administration of the programme. The programme was also structured to recognise the complementary roles played by the national Department of Agriculture (DOA) and provincial departments of agriculture, the Department of Land Affairs (DLA) and its Provincial Land Reform Offices (PLROs), the municipalities and the Land Bank, in policy administration. Due to the fact that the Settlement/Land Acquisition Grant (SLAG) programme, by the end of 2000, failed to deliver the number of hectares that would meet the land redistribution target for the remaining years up until March 2014, it was abolished. In its place, the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD) programme was introduced in 2001. It was anticipated by the Government that the LRAD programme will fast track the redistribution of White-owned agricultural land to Black farmers. Because administrative processes are as important as policy outcomes, it is important to examine the administrative aspects impacting on the LRAD programme, given the prominent role played by the state in the administration of the programme. The research thus focused on establishing the extent to which the administration of the LRAD programme enables the Government to achieve its land redistribution goals and objectives. The LRAD programme is not on course to meet the land redistribution target set for 2014. The North West Province in particular has been transferring White-owned agricultural land on an annual basis at an average of 13% of what it should if its target of the 30% of White-owned agricultural land to be redistributed is to be met by March 2014. Among the critical factors impacting on successful administration of the LRAD programme in the North West Province is policy integration. The White Paper on Land Policy (1995) recognises that the success of the land reform programme does not depend only on access to land, but also on the achievement of other instrumental objectives, namely the provision of integrated government policy with respect to support services, infrastructural and other development programmes; and the development of an effective and accessible institutional framework for service delivery, characterised by a strong partnership between national, provincial and local spheres of government. Data was collected through structured interviews from key respondents, namely deputy-directors in the department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Environment (the DACE) and the North West Provincial Land Reform Office (the NWPLRO), as well as from the chief director for the NWPLRO. Methodological, participant and interdisciplinary triangulation was applied during data collection and analysis. There was ineffective integration of policies, programmes, systems, and procedures between the DACE and the NWPLRO, which undermined the administration of the LRAD programme in the North West Province. In addition, the DACE in particular suffered from administrative incapacity. This was in part due to the nature of the governance regime pertaining to LRAD programme administration. This situation was also affected by the administration of the Government policy generally, the most important of which was the intergovernmental relations, which imposed limits in terms of allocation of financial resources. The administrative incapacity also undermined the endeavour to collaborate as far as LRAD programme administration was concerned. This negatively impacted mostly on the planning phase, as a result of shortage of critical personnel. In order to effect effective administration of the LRAD programme, it is recommended as follows: <ul><li> the budget allocation for the LRAD programme should be increased; </li><li> the administrative capacity of the DACE and the NWPLRO should be increased; </li><li> the systems and procedures for administering the LRAD and CASP programmes should be aligned; and</li><li> the alignment of administrative systems and procedures should become one of the integral factors for measuring and rewarding performance of senior public service managers in institutions administering the programme. </li></ul> / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) / unrestricted

Since the end of October 2010, the Bank of Japan has been pursuing a new Asset Purchase Programme, which includes, among other things, direct intervention in the domestic stock market through the purchase of exchange-traded funds. This research study evaluated the impact of the Bank of Japan’s exchange-traded fund purchase programme on market returns using an event study methodology. An investigation into a sample of 33 intervention events in the Nikkei 400 exchangetraded fund and 303 intervention events in the Nikkei 225 exchange-traded fund, found that the average abnormal one-day return is -1.36% for the Nikkei 400 exchange-traded fund and -1.39% for the Nikkei 225 exchange-traded fund, while the average abnormal five-day return is -0.63% and -1.11% for each exchange-traded fund respectively. Due to the high volatility, statistically the returns are indistinguishable from zero. However, this study presents evidence that the Bank of Japan intervenes predominantly during large decreases in the market. Hence, there is suggestive evidence that the Bank of Japan’s policy is effective at reducing market losses, but is not extensive enough to significantly increase returns.

This research evaluates the causes for the failure of DoL training projects to produce a skilled and employable workforce after being trained through the Skills Development Act initiatives. The actual teaching process during training is a focal point in this research, unlike the past Job Placement Verification Studies which ignored this development. The fundamentals of evaluation are discussed with emphasis placed on the purpose of a training programme offered by the DoL. In this study, a qualitative paradigm that in essence entails the systematic noting and recording of events, behaviours and artefacts in the social setting was the design and methodology which underpins my choice of case study and observations. I targeted a particular group in the full knowledge that it does not represent the wider population but simply represented itself, thus I cannot make generalizations from the results. Different theories on programme evaluation, adult learning and learning theories are highlighted and a link between different theories and approaches to training programmes is created. Analysis of data has shown that peripherals and antecedents have been largely ignored by the previous studies, and influenced the actual training programme, trainees and training outcomes adversely. Additionally the enquiry has uncovered several instructional related factors that have contributed to non-delivery. These range from the level of readiness of trainees, the competency of the instructor and adequacy of the learning material to the actual instructional context and learning environment. All revealed that every aspect mentioned has a critical role to play in achieving the training objectives. The research concludes with a brief discussion on recommendations to review the entire process of DoL training programmes. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / unrestricted

HIV and AIDS stigma has become a vital challenge for all stakeholders in the workplace. Although government has developed policies on managing HIV and AIDS, indications are that the implementation of these policies and strategies has not been effective in mitigating HIV and AIDS workplace stigma. The key thrust for conducting this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of Employee Wellness Practitioners concerning HIV and AIDS stigma in the Gauteng Provincial Government [GPG] departments. The study was geared towards ascertaining empirically the Employee Wellness Programme [EWP] practitioners’ perceptions regarding the manifestation of HIV and AIDS stigma, the context of stigma in a government department, and insight into whether workplace interventions have been effective in mitigating stigma. The general orientation to the study in Chapter 1 provides an overview of the definition of the problem of stigma, and also of the goals and objectives of the study, the research question, empirical approach, research design and methodologies used, pilot testing of data collection instrument, research population, sampling methods, ethical considerations and the structure of the study report. Fourteen EWP practitioners from the 13 GPG departments were interviewed by the researcher. The literature review in Chapter 2 theoretically scrutinises the problem of HIV and AIDS stigma with specific reference to the types, forms sources, causes and consequences of stigma. The conjectural context of HIV and AIDS stigma in the workplace is expounded and workplace interventions are explored. Chapter 3 of this study presents and analyses the data collected from the respondents. Findings indicate that HIV and AIDS stigma is widespread in the GPG departments and that workplace responses as per EWP practitioners’ perceptions are diverse. HIV and AIDS stigma mitigation strategies necessitate the use of multi-dimensional, multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approaches which should be tailored to address the challenges and needs of relevant stakeholders. From the results of this study it is apparent that HIV and AIDS stigma has an immense impact on the performance of government employees, and that current HIV and Employee Wellness policies are not sufficient to enhance stigma mitigation in the workplace. Lack of support, commitment and visionary leadership in government departments impede the hard EWP practitioners’ efforts to de-stigmatise HIV and AIDS in the GPG. Chapter 4 presents the conclusions and recommendations for prioritisation and implementation through workplace interventions. Copyright / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

This paper is an attempt to reconstruct how C.V. Raman, a peripheral scientist in the early 20th century colonial India, managed to develop a research programme in physical optics from his remote colonial location. His attempts at self-training and self-education eventually led him to the discovery of the Raman Effect and to the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. In trying to re-construct an account of the ways in which Raman developed his research programme in optics by grasping various elements of a scientific practice from the Western scientific community, we see how a newcomer in science could be surprisingly creative in achieving new breakthroughs, and how through such efforts he or she can establish new trading zones with another established community that has the potential to develop into independent practices.

Magister Public Health - MPH / Malnutrition continues to be a major public health problem in Africa, yet the compliance to the IMAM, a treatment protocol that began in KwaZulu-Natal and viewed as a highly efficacious approach to treat malnutrition, is very low. The Dietetics outpatient department at a regional hospital in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, where the study was conducted, has about 375 children enrolled in the outpatient nutrition programme. The outpatient nutrition programme enables patients with stable Severe Acute Malnutrition and Moderate Acute Malnutrition to access nutritional supplements and to manage malnutrition outside the hospital. It is estimated that about 124 children between the age of 6 to 59 months default from the outpatient nutrition programme annually, accounting for a defaulter rate of 33%.

Employee Assistance Programme is a programme designed to assist employees who have a variety of problems affecting their productivity. It is a fact that for the programme to be effective and functional there should be enough referrals to the programme. It is without doubt that supervisors play a pivotal role in the success of the programme. However, this research focuses on explaining and understanding the perception of supervisors within the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) about EAP referrals. DFA is one of the Governmental departments within South Africa. Their core function is implementing the South African Foreign Policy. The mission of DFA is mainly to promote South Africa‘s national interests and values, the African Renaissance and the creation of a better world for all. To alleviate problems and enhance productivity, the Department introduced EAP system, but from statistics received from the EAP centre, it was evident that the utilisation rate is very low. It is unknown whether the low utilisation rate is due to a lack of referrals by supervisors, a lack of knowledge from both the employer and employees, or if the programme was not marketed properly. The researcher utilised a qualitative research approach because she was interested in describing and understanding the perceptions rather than explaining them. She developed a semi-structured interview schedule and the respondents were interviewed and given a chance to comment and widely define issues. It was a one-on-one interview using a semi-structured interview schedule and the respondents were free to expand on the topic. The researcher interviewed and tape recorded the responses of the respondents. The respondents were informed of the rationale for using a tape recorder and were requested to give consent in writing. The research findings revealed that the EAP within the DFA was under-utilised and not effective. Supervisors were passive role players and were not confident of their role as referral agents. The supervisors clearly highlighted that they were not trained as referral agents and were also not aware of different types of referrals. They did not know about the referral procedures and the programme was not property marketed to them. Their main concern was that the programme did not receive enough support from management hence they were not confident of the services rendered by the Programme. The researcher therefore recommended that the Department should review the policy on an ongoing basis to reach all levels of employee within the Department. A training programme to be developed and implemented, focusing on all aspect of the programme, as well as a training manual to be developed and made available to all levels of employees. The researcher further recommended that the EAP, within the DFA, be marketed, visible and accessible, with ongoing utilisation surveys to monitor the utilisation rate on an ongoing basis be conducted. / Dissertation (MSD)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Social Work and Criminology / MSD (EAP) / Unrestricted

This dissertation explores the University of Cape Town’s Global Citizenship (GC) Programme as a site for teaching citizen leadership. We live in times that are marked by complexity, uncertainty, and a plethora of global challenges, many of which have resulted in injustices in people’s lived experiences. Increasingly ordinary citizens are calling for new ways of leading change which combats social injustices. This form of leadership values social justice, democracy, equity, shared agency, active and engaged citizenship – this is regarded as citizen leadership. Higher education institutions have a role to play in developing student leaders who are equipped with the capacities to confront uncertainty and thrive in a changing world. This study recruited student participants of the GC programme courses. In total, ten students participated in one of four focus group discussions which were guided by semi-structured interviews, and ninety students consented to have their reflective essays on the GC programme courses analysed. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the participants’ experience of the programme, in the focus group discussions and reflective essays, was examined to determine how they understood citizenship, social justice and leadership in relation to the programme’s teachings. The findings revealed that most students regarded the programme as developing their capacities for active and engaged global citizenship. Most students did not view the programme as teaching leadership; however, based on the definition of citizen leadership, I argue that the programme is indeed a site for teaching this form of leadership. It is recommended that the programme staff make the connection between active and engaged citizenship, social justice, and leadership more explicit in their curricula and teaching. It is believed that this change to the programme will enable students to have a clearer understanding of themselves as leaders prepared for the world beyond university and enabled to bring purposeful change to the world.