Employee organizations or trade unions play an important role in the labour relations of various institutions. A crucial function, amongst others, fulfilled by trade unions is their involvement on issues of grievance and disciplinary procedures in the workplace. This study aims to understand the perceptions of rank and file union members, particularly regarding the handling of grievance and disciplinary procedures. The study examines the understanding of the functioning of a union, as well as the approach of a union in representing its members during grievance and disciplinary procedures. In particular, the study looks at the challenges faced by the leadership of the union in dealing with the management of an institution during grievance and disciplinary procedures. Various circumstances which, lead to the lodging of grievances and the scheduling of disciplinary hearings in the workplace were observed. These circumstances could occur in any workplace of any given institution. It is for this very reason that the appropriate measures should be taken in resolving disputes. The measures should be followed and applied by the management of an institution when dealing with grievance and disciplinary procedures regarding its employees. Such procedures must be followed before an employee may be given a warning or be dismissed. Recognized unions represent their members during such proceedings. This study analyzes the understanding of labour relations, regarding issues of grievance and disciplinary procedures, as applied to a tertiary institution. The handling of these procedures and the experiences of union members, during their representation by a union, are assessed. Due to the diversity of scope and the composition of unions (representing both academic and non-academic staff members) which operate in a tertiary institution, the study was limited to one labour union. This research was conducted within the structure and scale of a single union (NEHAWU) operating in an institution. The study found that union representatives faced particular challenges while defending their members during disciplinary hearings. These challenges are apparent when union representatives are confronted by legal experts on labour matters. Union members expressed their dissatisfaction and their lack of confidence in their representatives during grievance and disciplinary proceedings. The union members rated the union poorly, particularly regarding the leadership of the union. They felt that more cases were lost than won. However, despite the low ratings, union members (in general) felt strongly about the right to belong to a union, believing that disciplinary processes were largely affected by “race”. This is simply because most of the union members were black subordinates serving under most white supervisors. AFRIKAANS : Werknemerorganisasies of vakbonde speel ’n belangrike rol in arbeidsverhoudinge in verskeie instellings. ’n Kritieke funksie, onder andere, wat deur vakbonde vervul word is hul betrokkenheid by griewe- en dissiplinêre prosedures in die werkplek. Hierdie studie beoog om die persepsies van gewone vakbondlede, in besonder met betrekking tot die hantering van griewe- en dissiplinêre prosedures te begryp. Die studie ondersoek die begrip van die funksionering van ’n vakbond, asook die benadering van ’n vakbond in die verteenwoordiging van lede tydens griewe- en dissiplinêre prosedures. In besonder, word die uitdagings wat die vakbondleierskap in die gesig staar in die oorlegpleging met bestuur tydens griewe- en dissiplinêre prosedures, oorweeg. Verskeie omstandighede wat tot die oplegging ’n grief en die skedulering van ’n disiplinêre verhoor in die werkplek, lei, is waargeneem. Hierdie omstandighede kan by enige werkplek in enige instelling ontstaan. Dit is om hierdie rede dat gepaste maatstawwe geneem moet word om sulke dispute op te los. Die maatstawwe behoort gevolg en toegepas te word deur die bestuur van die instelling wanneer griewe- en dissiplinêre prosedures, met betrekking tot werknemers, hanteer word. Sulke prosedures behoort gevolg te word voordat ’n werknemer ’n waarskuwing gegee of ontslaan word. Erkende vakbonde verteenwoordig hul lede tydens sulke prosedures. Die studie ontleed die begrip van arbeidsverhoudinge, met betrekking tot griewe- en dissiplinêre prosedures, soos deur ’n tersiêre instelling toegepas word. Die hantering van hierdie prosedures en die ervaringe van vakbondlede gedurende hul verteenwoordiging deur die vakbond word geasseseer. As gevolg van die omvang van reikwydte en die samestelling van vakbonde (wat beide akademiese en nie-akademiese personeel verteenwoordig) wat in die tersiêre instelling funksioneer, is die studie beperk tot een vakbond. Die navorsing is onderneem binne die struktuur en skaal van ’n enkele vakbond (NEHAWU) wat in die instelling werksaam is. Die studie het bevind dat vakbond verteenwoordigers bepaalde uitdagings in die gesig gestaar het in die verteenwoordiging van hul lede tydens dissiplinêre verhore. Hierdie uitdagings is duidelik wanneer die vakbond verteenwoordiger gekonfronteer word deur regskenners oor arbeidsaangeleenthede. Vakbondlede het hul misnoeë uitgespreek en min vertroue in hul verteenwoordigers tydens griewe- en dissiplinêre prosedures geopper. Vakbondlede het die unie, in besonder die leierskap, as swak beoordeel. Hulle voel dat meer sake verloor as gewen is. Ten spyte van hierdie lae taksering, voel vakbondlede sterk oor hul reg om aan ’n unie te behoort (in die algemeen), en glo hulle dat dissplinêre prosesse deur ‘ras’ beïvloed word. Dit is eenvoudig omdat meeste vakbondlede swart ondergeskiktes is wat onder wit toesighouers werk. Copyright / Dissertation (MSocSci)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Sociology / unrestricted

Surgical face masks have been designed to protect health care professionals from the splashes of the patients’ blood or body fluids and also to minimise the transmission of oro- and nasopharyngeal bacteria from the surgical team to the patient’s wounds, thereby decreasing the likelihood of postoperative surgical site infections during a surgical procedure. However, there are several ways in which surgical face masks could potentially contribute to contamination of the wound during a surgical procedure in the operating room. The objectives of this study were to explore and describe the effectiveness of surgical face masks as a protective barrier during a surgical procedure in the operating room in the public hospitals in the North West Province, South Africa and to formulate recommendations regarding surgical face masks worn by health care professionals during a surgical procedure in the operating rooms. A systematic review was conducted, followed by a quantitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual approach. The motivation for a systematic review was to search evidence on surgical face mask efficiency. A search strategy was conducted in February and March 2012 and the total initial search was 9,933 research articles. Screening of articles on effectiveness of surgical face masks during a surgical procedure was done. After six months the search was updated and the final sample of six relevant articles (n=6) was obtained. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were critically appraised based on the scores using standardised critical appraisal tools. The findings of this research project were synthesised and evaluated in order to come to conclusions. Conclusions were integrated and synthesised as the basis of developing a clear overview of the best quality empirical evidence about effectiveness of surgical face masks during a surgical procedure in the operating room. Recommendations were formulated for the nursing practice, education and research focussing on wearing a surgical face mask during a surgical procedure in the operating room. Reviewer’s conclusion: From the limited results it is unclear whether wearing surgical face masks during a surgical procedure in the operating room serve as a protective device for both surgical team and the patient. There is a need for further research. / Thesis (MCur)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Surgical face masks have been designed to protect health care professionals from the splashes of the patients’ blood or body fluids and also to minimise the transmission of oro- and nasopharyngeal bacteria from the surgical team to the patient’s wounds, thereby decreasing the likelihood of postoperative surgical site infections during a surgical procedure. However, there are several ways in which surgical face masks could potentially contribute to contamination of the wound during a surgical procedure in the operating room. The objectives of this study were to explore and describe the effectiveness of surgical face masks as a protective barrier during a surgical procedure in the operating room in the public hospitals in the North West Province, South Africa and to formulate recommendations regarding surgical face masks worn by health care professionals during a surgical procedure in the operating rooms. A systematic review was conducted, followed by a quantitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual approach. The motivation for a systematic review was to search evidence on surgical face mask efficiency. A search strategy was conducted in February and March 2012 and the total initial search was 9,933 research articles. Screening of articles on effectiveness of surgical face masks during a surgical procedure was done. After six months the search was updated and the final sample of six relevant articles (n=6) was obtained. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were critically appraised based on the scores using standardised critical appraisal tools. The findings of this research project were synthesised and evaluated in order to come to conclusions. Conclusions were integrated and synthesised as the basis of developing a clear overview of the best quality empirical evidence about effectiveness of surgical face masks during a surgical procedure in the operating room. Recommendations were formulated for the nursing practice, education and research focussing on wearing a surgical face mask during a surgical procedure in the operating room. Reviewer’s conclusion: From the limited results it is unclear whether wearing surgical face masks during a surgical procedure in the operating room serve as a protective device for both surgical team and the patient. There is a need for further research. / Thesis (MCur)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

A uniplanar balun that transforms unbalanced coplanar waveguide (CPW) to balanced coplanar strip line (CPS) is characterised through simulation and measurement. By illustrating the effect of many of the critical design parameters, the operation of this balun is discussed and a set of design criteria is defined. The parameter study discusses the size and shape of the radial open, the type and length of the CPW taper and the thickness and type of the bond wires. Newly developed etched bond wires are implemented to provide better manufacturing repeatability and reliability. A complete balun testing procedure is developed and described, consisting of three separate tests. The balun is tested in the normal back-to-back configuration, as a terminated single balun, and the magnitude and phase imbalance is also determined by using a three-port test circuit connected to the balun. The advantages of implementing this full test procedure, and thus fully characterising the balun under test, are emphasised throughout. Results obtained by using this procedure show that the basic balun works well over the full operating band, except for the phase imbalance, which is usable but not optimal. A simple technique to correct the phase imbalance of the balun is introduced, and validated through measurements of the balun connected to the three-port test circuit. As a final validation the balun is connected as feed for an etched dipole antenna for which good impedance matching and pattern results are shown. AFRIKAANS : ’n Enkelvlak balon (BALans-na-ONbalans) wat van ongebalanseerde enkelvlak golfgeleier (CPW) na gebalanseerde enkelvlak strooklyn (CPS) transformeer, word gekarakteriseer deur simulasie en metings. Deur die effek van baie van die kritiese ontwerpsparameters te demonstreer, word die werking van die balon bespreek en ’n stel ontwerpskriteria opgestel. Die parameter studie bespreek die radiale ope struktuur se vorm en grote, die tipe en lengte van die CPW transformator and die dikte en tipe van die konneksie drade. Nuut ontwikkelde geëtste konneksie drade word geïmplementeer om beter vervaardigingsherhaalbaarheid en betroubaarheid te verseker. ’n Volledige balon toetsprosedure word ontwikkel en beskryf en bestaan uit drie aparte toetse. Die balon word getoets in die normale rug-aan-rug konfigurasie, as ’n enkel getermineerde balon en die grote asook fase van die wanbalans word bepaal deur die gebruik van ’n drie-poort toetsbaan wat aan die balon gekoppel word. Die voordele verbonde daaraan om hierdie volledige toetsprosedure toe te pas, en daardeur die balon volledig te karakteriseer, word deurlopend beklemtoon. Die resultate wat hierdie prosedure oplewer wys dat die basiese balon goed werk oor die volledige frekwensieband, behalwe vir die fase-wanbalans parameter, wat bruikbaar, maar nie ideaal is nie. ’n Eenvoudige tegniek om die fase-wanbalans van die balon te korrigeer word bekend gestel en getoets deur die drie-poort toetsbaan weer te gebruik. As ’n finale validasie word die balon aan ’n geëtste dipool gekoppel word, waarvan goeie impedansie aanpassings en patrone gewys word. Copyright / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted