MRDV / Institute for Rural Development

Department of Geography amd Geo-Information Sciences / PhDGEO / This study set out to evaluate the extent of land use change, competition and conflict in Polokwane city and in selected land restitution areas of Limpopo province. The methods of data collection and analysis included document analysis, triangulation of quantitative and qualitative survey methods, use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) techniques and field observations. The restitution studies relied on information from the regional land claims commission regarding land dispossessions, land claims and post settlement activities which were analysed using content analysis. Land use maps and data from department of land affairs were obtained covering different time periods from 1994 to 2002 and GIS analysis was used to document land use change, competition and conflicts. A questionnaire survey involving a sample of 240 residents, 164 business people and 16 government officials was conducted and analysed quantitatively to establish perceptions and experiences with land use changes. In-depth interviews with key informants were also conducted and information analysed qualitatively. The researcher also engaged in extensive field observations in the city and surrounding land restitution areas. The study found that both Polokwane city and the surrounding land reform areas were characterised by rapid land use change, competing interests, conflict, disputes and tensions related to access, control and use of land resources historically and currently. Other key findings include the fact that the structure of Polokwane area is a result of apartheid planning. It has a distorted spatial pattern, the result of political factors that can be identified as: a legacy of apartheid; land use policy; competition among potential users; inadequate legislation and planning; low provisions for land use control and rezoning; land use speculation and lack of adequate public participation in the planning processes. Polokwane interaction with the rural areas is inadequate and does not support development of these areas leading to persistent service delivery issues. A management strategy is recommended with the following features: Capacity building, Conflict resolution, Stakeholders participation and Governance. Adequate land use control mechanism need to be put in place; public policies should minimise conflicts between alternative land development strategies; existing policies and procedures applicable to land management should be reviewed. An effective national land reform programme is required to drive development; public participation is key in all planning activities. Mediation is essential because it is a more efficient and less costly means of concluding land use conflicts. Polokwane needs to play a greater role in managing land use, changes, competition and conflicts both in the capital city and in the surrounding rural areas.

MEDEM / Department of Curriculum Studies and Educational Management

MRDV / Institute for Rural Development

MURP / Department of Urban and Regional Planning / The study evaluates the criteria for allocation of development projects to communities using key guideline documents from municipalities such as the Spatial Development Frameworks and the Integrated Development Plans. Allocation of development projects in local municipalities must be well informed and must prioritise community needs hence the need for an objective process to the allocation of projects in communities. The study focused on one rural local municipality, Thulamela Local Municipality due to the level of service delivery protests and service delivery dissatisfaction experienced in the municipality that led to the 2016 municipal boundary redefinition process and a request of a new municipality called Collins Chabane. In this study, the name Malamulele which was under Thulamela Local Municipality is used interchangeably with the new name Collins Chabane. The study utilised the Evaluation Survey Approach to determine the allocation of projects in different communities in Thulamela local municipality. Both qualitative and quantitative research techniques, using Evaluation Survey Approach to unpack the implications of misbalanced allocation of development projects in rural communities were used. Data was collected through household questionnaires, key informant interviews and field observations. Key informants were selected through purposive random sampling techniques while household surveys were accomplished through stratified random sampling technique. Collected data on the role of government with respect to service delivery, criteria on the allocation, economic and demographic profiles, infrastructure and community service provision and principles of project allocation are presented, discussed, processed and analysed through thematic content analysis, SPSS and Microsoft Excel Packages. Based on the study’s findings of insufficient public participation, misalignment of SDF/SDBIP/IDP, lack of fund and planning, boundary disputes among others, the researcher then makes recommend the strategy for the allocation of development projects that involves outlining the criterion used to allocate development projects, adequate public participation, improved level of SDF alignment and principles for improved developmental project allocations in rural municipalities. / NRF

Thesis (M. Sc. (Physiology)) --University of Limpopo, 2019 / Introduction: There is an increased trend in the prevalence of hypertension in children and adolescents in African countries. There are complications in diagnosing hypertension in children and adolescents due to the variation of blood pressure (BP) values with age, gender and height. The progression of the health transition with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) adds significantly to the disease burden, despite infectious diseases and undernutrition remaining persistent in both low and middle-income countries. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a global problem associated with the clustering of several cardiovascular risk factors. South African evidence suggests an upsurge of NCDs amidst the existence of communicable diseases (CDs) such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Moreover, NCDs and CDs in the country are influenced by socio-demographic factors; and thus tend to be more prominent in certain segments of the population. Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study was to perform blood pressure to height ratio and to determine lifestyle risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome among the Ellisras rural population aged 6-30 years, who are part of the ELS. Methods and materials: The current study is based on secondary data analysis of the Ellisras Longitudinal Study (ELS) and was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 included data analysis of all the participants in the ELS. This sample included a total number of 9002 children and adolescents (4678 boys and 4324 girls), aged 6-17 years. Parents or guardians provided written informed consent. Phase 2 consisted of biochemical analysis from a subsample of participants in the ELS. The subsample included 624 participants (306 males and 318 females) aged 18-30 years at the time the study was conducted. All participants underwent a series of anthropometric measurements (waist circumference and height) according to the standard of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). The waist circumference (WC) measurements were taken to the nearest 0.1 cm, using a soft measuring tape. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Metabolic syndrome risk factors included total cholesterol (TCHOL), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), elevated fasting blood glucose (FBG), elevated blood pressure (BP) and high waist circumference (WC). A dietary intake questionnaire was also administered to each participant and self‑administered questionnaire was used to collect data on lifestyle factors, including smoking and alcohol intake. Dietary intake variables used in the linear regression method were log transformed prior to analysis because of their skewed distribution. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the accuracy of BPHR to screen children with prehypertension and hypertension. The optimal systolic BPHR (SBPHR) and diastolic BPHR (DBPHR) cut-off points for hypertension were determined. Sensitivity/specificity, positive predictive values and negative predictive values were calculated. Results: The optimal thresholds for defining prehypertension was 0.77 in children aged 6-10 years and 0.73 in adolescents aged between 11 and 17 years for systolic BPHR and 0.55 in children and 0.53 in adolescents for diastolic BPHR, respectively. The corresponding values for hypertension stage 1 were 0.76 and 0.73 for SBPHR and 0.50 and 0.58 for DBPHR, respectively. The BPHR is an accurate tool for screening elevated BP in Ellisras children aged 6-17 years. This can help to prevent the misclassification of children and adolescent hypertension. Furthermore, this tool can be used to screen children before the development of prehypertension and hypertension. Moreover, it can be used to manage hypertension in Ellisras children, ultimately reducing the risks of developing hypertension and associated cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Overall, the prevalence of metS was 23.1% (8.6% males and 36.8% females). Females appeared to have higher mean values for WC, FBG, TCHOL and LDL-C than males (82.14, 5.62, 4.62 and 2.97, respectively). The only significant gender difference observed was on WC (p<0.001). Males on the other hand had higher mean values for HDL-C, TG, SBP and DBP than females (1.20, 1.06, 125.91 and 71.44, respectively). The only significant difference observed in this case was on SBP (p<0.001). No significant age group differences were observed in all the metabolic risk factors with the exception of DBP where the older (25-30 years) participants presented with high SBP than the younger age group (18-24 years) (70.96 mmHg vs 68.78 mmHg, p<0.05). While, majority of females had significantly high WC, elevated total cholesterol and LDL-C, and reduced HDL-C; majority of males had elevated BP, SBP and DBP. No significant age and gender differences were observed on dietary intake. However, according to the linear regression analysis, no association between log total energy, log added sugar, log SFA and log MUFA with metabolic risk factors. There was a low and negative significant association between log fibre with SBP and DBP (β:-0.004, p=0.003 and β:-0.004, p=0.046), respectively, crude. After adjusting for the potential confounding factors, log fibre was also associated with FBG (β:-0.028, p=0.046). Log PUFAs was inversely associated with FBG, HDL-C and SBP crude. Log trans fatty acids was inversely associated with WC, HDL-C and SBP crude. Both log PUFAs and log trans fatty acids were not associated with any metabolic risk factors after adjusting for potential cofounding factors. Log protein was inversely associated with SBP both crude and adjusted for potential cofounding factors. On predicting the actual risk using the logistic regression analysis, participants who had high dietary energy intake were significantly less likely to present with larger WC, low HDL-C and high LDL-C (OR: 0.250 95%CI [0.161;0.389], OR: 0.306 95%CI [0.220;0.425] and OR: 0.583 95%CI [0.418;0.812], respectively), but more likely to presents with elevated FBG, high TCHOL, high TG and hypertension (OR: 1.01 95%CI [0.735;1.386], OR: 1.039 95%CI [0.575;1.337], OR: 1.186 95%CI [0.695;2.023], OR: 5.205 95%CI [3.156;8.585], respectively) crude. After adjusting for age, gender, smoking and alcohol status, high energy intake was more likely to increase two times high the large WC and elevated FBG among study participants (OR: 2.766 95%CI [0.863;3.477] and OR: 2.227 95%CI [1.051;3.328], respectively). Furthermore, low dietary fibre intake was nearly four times more likely to increase the low HDL-C, crude (OR: 3.864 95%CI [1.067;13.988]) crude. Those participants who consumed high trans fats were more likely to present with high FBG (OR:1.424 95%CI [0.985;2.060]), but less likely to present with LDL-C (OR: 0.540 95%CI [0.321;0.906]) crude. However, after adding potential cofounding factors, participants with high fatty acid were less likely to present with high FBG (OR: 0.672 95%CI [0.441;1.023]). Conclusions: MetS is prevalent in young adults in Ellisras and is differentiated by age and gender with more females at an increased rate by virtue of their body size status, reduced HDL-C, elevated FBG and high LDL-C and the diet they consume that is in most cases high energy, more carbohydrates, high added sugar and SFA. Therefore, identifying groups that are at an increased risk and those that are in their early stages of MetS will help improve and prevent the increase of the metS in the future. These results have high policy implications. KEY CONCEPTS Metabolic syndrome; risk factors; blood pressure; blood pressure to height ratio; cardiovascular disease; dietary intake; rural South African.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Physiology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are major public health problems nowadays in Africa. From prospective studies, it is also known that risk factors for CVDs start early in life and increase morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan African adults. Mostly the risk factors of CVDs are malnutrition and hypertension. Economic development in South Africa leads to lifestyle changes that contribute to a high prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) and malnutrition. However, little is known about the relationship of anthropometric indicators and BP in children from the developing countries. Therefore the aim of this study was to determine the association between anthropometrics indicators and BP among rural children in Ellisras area of Limpopo province, South Africa. All 1961 children (n=1029 boys, n=932 girls) aged 5-12 years underwent anthropometric and BP measurements using standard procedure. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used to assess the ability of anthropometric indicators to discriminate children with high BP. ROC was used to determine the area under curve (AUC), cut-off value, sensitivity and specificity for underweight in children for each age and gender. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between anthropometric indicators and BP. ROC curve showed that height (AUC = 0.700, 95%Cl 0.581 to 0.818), SH (AUC= 0.690, 95%Cl 0.573 to 0.786) and SH/H (AUC=0.670, 95% 0.533 to 0.807) can significantly (P<0.05) identify Ellisras children with hypertension. AUC for neck circumference (NC) (0.698), mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) (0.677) and body mass index (BMI) (0.636) for boys were statistically significant (P<0.05) for high systolic blood pressure (SBP), while in girls AUC of BMI was not significant (P>0.05) for high diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The regression analysis showed a positive significant (P<0.05) association of SBP with NC (β=0.764, 95%CI 0.475 to 1.052) and MUAC (β=1.286, 95% Cl 0.990 to 1.581) for unadjusted and adjusted age and gender. NC (β=0.628 95% Cl 0.303 to 0.953) and MUAC (β=1.351 95% CI 1.004 to 1.697) showed a significant association with SBP. However, MUAC had a significant association with DBP for both unadjusted and adjusted age and gender. Sitting height (SH) was significantly associated with SBP (β = 0.134, 95% Cl 0.210 to 0.416) and DBP (β = 0.088, 95% Cl 0.086 to 0.259) for unadjusted. After adjusted for age and gender, SH was significantly associated with both SBP (β = 0.161, 95% Cl 0.220 to 0.532) and DBP (β = 0.101, 95% Cl 0.066 to 0.329). There was a positive significant association between BP and anthropometric indicators in this population study, though the association of DBP and NC disappeared after adjustments for age and gender. Furthermore, there is a positive significant association between DBP and SBP with the components of height amongst Ellisras rural children. NC and MUAC are the simplest techniques with good interrater reliability and could be used to screen underweight in children. / Vrije University, Amsterdam, The netherlands University of Limpopo National Research Foundation (NRF)

The South African Schools' Act No 84 (SASA 1996) replaced Parents, Teacher and Students' Associations ( PTSAs) with School Governing Bodies whose members are democratically elected to perform mandated duties. The study focused on the role of SGBs in improving school performance in rural areas. The purpose was to investigate the role SGBs play in improving school performance in the rural areas of Taung. The SGB, as a concept and praxis, emanated from the need to involve communities, especially parents, in education. The assumption was that school improvement is dependent on responsibilities delegated to community members, especially parents, in the affairs of public schools. The study investigated the topic by a literature review on school governance, observation and interviews conducted with SGB members in three selected schools. Six focus group interviews were conducted on parents and educator components of the SGBs. The principals of the three selected schools were interviewed individually for the views on the topic. The data collected were arranged under selected themes and manually analysed and interpreted. The study reveals that * community members, particularly parents, caregivers and guardians are beginning to see themselves as equal partners with educators in education of children * the improvement in learner performance is the co-responsibility of the home and the school * community members (parents and guardians) must be empowered with relevant skills to enable them perform their tasks as school governors. The study recommends further research into greater representivity and involvement in Education. / Educational Studies / M. Ed (Education Management)

The South African Schools' Act No 84 (SASA 1996) replaced Parents, Teacher and Students' Associations ( PTSAs) with School Governing Bodies whose members are democratically elected to perform mandated duties. The study focused on the role of SGBs in improving school performance in rural areas. The purpose was to investigate the role SGBs play in improving school performance in the rural areas of Taung. The SGB, as a concept and praxis, emanated from the need to involve communities, especially parents, in education. The assumption was that school improvement is dependent on responsibilities delegated to community members, especially parents, in the affairs of public schools. The study investigated the topic by a literature review on school governance, observation and interviews conducted with SGB members in three selected schools. Six focus group interviews were conducted on parents and educator components of the SGBs. The principals of the three selected schools were interviewed individually for the views on the topic. The data collected were arranged under selected themes and manually analysed and interpreted. The study reveals that * community members, particularly parents, caregivers and guardians are beginning to see themselves as equal partners with educators in education of children * the improvement in learner performance is the co-responsibility of the home and the school * community members (parents and guardians) must be empowered with relevant skills to enable them perform their tasks as school governors. The study recommends further research into greater representivity and involvement in Education. / Educational Studies / M. Ed (Education Management)

MSc (Microbiology) / Department of Microbiology / See the attached abstract below