The study was conducted across the four district municipalities in the Free State province of South Africa. The objective of the study was to determine socio-economic factors that affected livestock numbers among smallholder cattle and sheep farmers in the Free State province of South Africa. The research was qualitative and quantitative in nature. Proportionate random sampling method was used to collect data. The population comprised of smallholder cattle and sheep farmers that kept at least 30 livestock. Data between the 2008 and 2012 farming seasons were collected by administering well-structured questionnaires to 250 smallholder cattle and sheep farmers. Data collected were captured and analysed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 22 of 2013) to obtain frequency, cross-tabulation, descriptive statistics and ordinary least square (OLS) regression. Descriptive statistics results indicated that lack of camp systems, drought prevalence, increased feed costs, poor veterinary interventions, insufficient breeding stock, high cost of fuel and transportation, lack of equipment, diseases, stock theft and pilfering, and insufficient grazing land were the prevalent factors that affected cattle and sheep farming in the province.The OLS regression results indicated that the variables that significantly affected livestock numbers were district, household size, livestock numbers in 2008, planted pastures, grazing land condition, grazing land acquisition, service, advice / training, veterinary services, purchase of dosing products and sales per year. The results also indicated that the majority (96.8%) of the smallholder cattle and sheep farmers would like to increase their livestock numbers. It was therefore recommended that extension and veterinary services should be strengthened in the study area. In addition, it was recommended that smallholder livestock farmers should be encouraged to plant pastures to reduce pressure on the natural veld and make forage available throughout the year. Lastly, as a recommendation, government should provide subsidies with distribution policies that will ensure that all smallholder livestock farmers can benefit. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

Thesis (M. Tech. (Public Management)) -- Central University of Technology, free State, [2014] / The primary aim of the proposed study is to investigate the technical problems affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of District Hospitals in the Free State Province. The proposed research therefore stands to contribute to the existing body of evidence on the efficiency and effectiveness of health care services, with regard to the existing problems in the health sector such as high staff turnover, facilities with lack of appropriate equipment, unmanageable workload, lack of appropriate infrastructure, a high absenteeism rate and low morale of the employees in the public health institutions. Therefore the study will identify potential shortcomings that are compromising the efficiency and effectiveness of the district hospitals. The findings of the study will be used to address some of the identified problems and also to describe how progress can be measured. The outcomes of this study are intended to raise important issues and to assist management of the Free State Department of Health to address the challenges that are affecting the functioning of the district hospitals. The findings will also assist the relevant managers in planning and implementation of policies that will address inequalities and problems as highlighted in the study. It will also create opportunities for shared responsibilities that management and the staff need to resolve jointly.

Thesis (M. Tech) (Tourism and Hospitality Management)) Central University of Technology, Free State, 2014 / Job stress and burnout can have a detrimental effect on the health of employees and their job performance. This is especially applicable to the hospitality industry which is a service-intensive industry where customer needs and wants are the most important focus. Organisational culture being defined as the social glue that helps bring the organisation together is seen in this case as the proper mechanism that managers could use to deal with the detrimental effects of job stress and burnout. This study assessed the impact of organisational culture on job stress and burnout in graded hospitality establishments in the Free State Province. The two main economic areas of the Free State, namely Bloemfontein and Clarence, were included in the study. A structured questionnaire was administered to all staff members in 46 graded accommodation establishments, and a total number of 227 questionnaires were collected for data analysis. The questionnaire consisted of a demographic section, an organisational culture section (based on the Competing Value Framework), a job stress section (based on Spielberger’s Job Stress Survey) and a burnout section (based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory). Data were interpreted using both descriptive and inferential statistics (including factor analysis and t-tests). The findings indicate that graded hospitality establishments had a predominantly Rational Culture, which points to strong external positioning and competitiveness. The Rational Culture is externally focused and does not adequately consider the needs of internal constituents – notably the employees. The cultural values associated with the Rational Culture are thus not as conducive in moderating job stress and burnout as the Group and Developmental Cultures. Appropriate recommendations are proposed in mitigating the effect of job stress and burnout in the hospitality industry.

Thesis (D. Phil. Education) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2011 / After the inception of the new government in 1994, a new curriculum was introduced, replacing the then existing curriculum. This new curriculum brought about challenges confronting the School Management Team (SMT) regarding its management and implementation. The changes required a paradigm shift and a proactive leadership approach by the SMT and particularly the principals of the Further Education and Training Schools (FET Schools). New policies were developed in respect of the management of this curriculum, which necessarily require the SMT to know and understand in order to be able to implement the curriculum. The aspect of training was also important in order for the SMT to be effective and efficient managers and implementers of the curriculum. The research study was therefore, about the investigation of the factors which influence the implementation of this curriculum known as the National Curriculum Statements (NCS) in the selected FET Schools in Motheo district. The literature in this study was informed and guided by both international and South African contexts and perspectives. The researcher in this study pursued a mixed mode approach. Quantitative investigation was conducted in selected FET schools within Motheo district specifically Bloemfontein, Thaba-Nchu and Botshabelo schools for deputy principals and Heads of the Departments (HOD) whilst qualitative, interviews were done with the principals. Data analysis was done through the development of categories and comparisons and contrasts were made. The data analysis also took into cognizance the visibility of contrary or alternative explanation for the findings. The investigation, therefore, discovered that most of the School Management Team particularly the principals were not trained on the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), and schools were also experiencing a shortage of resources. The recommendation was that the training for the SMT be an ongoing process as it will help with the successful and effective implementation of the NCS.

Thesis (Master in Education) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2014 / It is generally believed that Information Communication Technologies can extend knowledge and education to poor and marginalised people in South Africa. However, African countries still face many challenges in trying to provide appropriate and sustainable solutions for improving education and skills that will support the development of educators in all communities; this can be viewed in light of the millennium developmental goal. Thus the Department of Education put measures in place to bridge the gap in knowledge, skills and understanding of Computer Application Technology (CAT) educators through the provision of in-service training (INSET) programmes. The research study aimed at assessing the impact of in-service training programmes offered to CAT educators in Secondary Schools in the Free State province. The study made use of a survey and an evaluation research design. The target population for this study was all Further Education and Training (FET) Phase educators in all secondary schools in the Free State Province. A self-constructed questionnaire was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. The study revealed that the INSET programme still needs to improve on its content relevance to syllabus and it should provide educators with skills in dealing with the challenge of teaching learners with disabilities. The majority of educators were satisfied with the INSET programme as they indicated that it assisted in enhancing their skills and content knowledge; they further indicated that it gave them motivation to go into classrooms and teach. One educator quoted “I am now able to make some functions that usually gave me headaches. It greatly changed and developed the knowledge I had”. This indicates that the challenges that were experienced in classrooms were also met. It can thus be concluded that the INSET programmes did have a positive impact to the skills and challenges that educators experienced. That the study did achieve its v goal which was to assess the impact of INSET programs for CAT educators in the Motheo District, Free State province.

Thesis (Phd. (Education )) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2015 / For learners to be effective computer applications users, they need three basic skills – computer literacy, computer fluency and intellectual and reasoning skills to apply computational techniques or computer applications to the problems and projects in a field. Computational thinking as addressed in the first literature chapter is the description and the promotion of new ways of thinking in an increasingly digital age. A computational thinker must constantly engage in technology advancements. Computational thinking is a way of solving problems and is a cognitive or a thinking process. To flourish in the world of work, computational thinking has to be a fundamental part of the way learners think and understand the world. It describes the mental activity in formulating a problem to allow a computational solution. The solution can be carried out by the learner or the computer or a combination of learner and computers. Problem-solving competency as addressed in the next literature chapter involves the ability to acquire and use new knowledge, or to use old knowledge in a new way to solve problems that are not routine. Problem-solving as a skill involves a range of processes that includes analysing, interpreting, reasoning, predicting, evaluating and reflecting. Learners need profound Computer Applications Technology (CAT) knowledge and a general reasoning ability as well as investigative strategies for solving ill-defined problems. To address the research questions, the researcher employed the QUAN-QUAL design in this study. In this study the quantitative method was used to gather data relating to the education of teachers, in-service training received and answers to certain computational thinking skills and problem-solving skills. It was also used to test the relationship between problem solving and computational thinking skills. A Likert-scale type questionnaire was completed by 150 CAT teachers. In addition, this study also employed the qualitative method with semi-structured interviews to gather data relating Abstract vi to problem solving and computational thinking skills. Eight CAT teachers were interviewed to ascertain the afore-mentioned. A pilot study was conducted with the aim to test the research approach and to identify potential problems that may affect the quality and validity of the results. The wording of some questions in the questionnaire was altered to ensure that the instrument measures what it is supposed to. Descriptive statistics in this study was used to describe the findings and the inferential statistics used to test the hypotheses and draw conclusions from the quantitative statistics. For qualitative data, thematic analysis was used to analyse the original data obtained from the semi-structured interviews. To promote critical thinking skills, teachers must engage learners in higher-order thinking. Findings show that teachers do not always use classroom practices that encourage critical thinking. It was encouraging that the majority of teachers do allow group work in the CAT classroom, as group work is an important facet in computational thinking and problem solving. The study culminates in a computational thinking and problem-solving toolkit developed by the researcher. This toolkit is intended primarily for facilitators (such as CAT subject advisors or CAT mentor teachers) to enable them to conduct workshops for fellow CAT teachers. By using this toolkit, teachers will gain an understanding of what computational thinking skills and problem-solving skills are and how to develop these skills in Grades 10 – 12 CAT learners.

Thesis (MPhil)-- Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This ethical case study of public slaughter has indicated that there is an urgent need to address the issue of public slaughter, because it has resulted in animosity and polarisation between black and white people living in the Goldfields. Black people feel that their rights are violated, and they are not protected by the government because they encounter problems when practising their rituals. White people feel that the government is not protecting them from the health hazards caused by black people. The ultimate aim of the study is to contribute to and amplify the existing body of knowledge with regard to the extent of the problem experienced by people in the Goldfields, its impact in their every day lives and to propose guidelines that will help when regulations governing environmental issues are drawn. In order to accomplish these aims the following objectives should be realised by this study: • South Africa is a multi-racial country so a uniting policy is needed. • Each culture is unique and it has a special value, so no culture must be marginalised. • The old policy needs to be revised and amendments made. • Identify the actual causes of these problems. Are they racist driven or are they driven by genuine health concerns? This ethical study also indicates that the following are central values that should inform decision-making: • Health. • Respect and tolerance. • Communication. • Participation. Transparency. • Commitment. Based on the findings from the research conducted it is clear that both clashing parties (black and white people) need to live in peace at the ultimate end although their description of peaceful life differs, so the following recommendations are made as to how to address and alleviate problems caused by public slaughter. • A formal meeting must be convened to discuss this critical issue. • Drafted proposals must be produced. • The proposals must be debated. • The proposal must be adopted. • The existing bylaws must be changed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie gevallestudie in etiek oor slagtery in die openbaar is bevind dat daar 'n dringende behoefte bestaan om die probleem van slagtery in die openbaar aan te spreek, veralomdat dit in die verlede reeds tot spanning en polarisasie tussen swart en wit groepe in die Goudveld aanleiding gegee het. Swartmense voel dat hulle regte aangetas word en dat hulle nie genoegsaam deur die owerheid beskerm word om hulle rituele uit te voer nie. Witmense voel weer dat die owerheid hulle nie beskerm teen gesondheidsgevare wat geskep word deur swartmense nie. Die uiteindelike doel van hierdie ondersoek is om 'n bydrae te lewer tot die uitbouing van bestaande kennis oor die omvang van die probleem wat mense in die Goudveld ondervind met slagtery in die openbaar, wat die impak daarvan is op die alledaagse lewens van mense, en om voorstelle aan die hand te doen wat gebruik kan word wanneer regulasies opgestel word oor omgewingskwessies soos hierdie. Om hierdie oogmerke te bereik sal die volgende punte in hierdie studie aandag ontvang: • Suid-Afrika is 'n veelrassige land, so 'n beleid word benodig wat mense verenig. • Elke kultuur is uniek en het 'n besondere waarde, dus geen kultuur mag gemarginaliseer word nie. • Die bestaande beleid moet hersien en aangepas word. • Die werklike oorsake van die probleme moet geïdentifiseer word. Is hulle rassisties van aard, of gebaseer op werklike gesondheidsoorweginge ? In hierdie etiese studie is ook vasgestel dat die volgende kern-waardes die proses van besluitneming behoort te beïnvloed: • Gesondheid. • Respek en verdraagsaamheid. • Kommunikasie. • Deelname. • Deursigtigheid. • Verbintenis ("commitment"). Vanuit die bevindinge van die navorsing is dit duidelik dat albei die botsende partye (swart- en witmense) uiteindelik in vrede met mekaar moet saamleef, alhoewel hulle omskrywings van 'n vreedsame lewe verskil van mekaar. Gevolglik is die volgende aanbevelings gemaak om die probleem van slagtery in die openbaar aan te spreek: • 'n Formele byeenkoms moet saamgeroep word om die kritiese probleem te bespreek. • Skriftelike voorstelle moet vir so 'n byeenkoms opgestel word. • Die voorstelle moet bespreek word. • 'n Voorstel moet aanvaar word. • Die bestaande regulasies moet verander word.

Text in Afrikaans / After taking her severely incapacitated husband to Europe immediately after the cessation of hostilities to obtain specialist medical treatment, Mrs Rachel Isabella Steyn (Tibbie) in 1905 brought the partially recovered Pres Steyn back to South Africa. She joined forces with her husband to revive the defeated Afrikaner socially, spiritually and materially. Tibbie assisted her husband with establishing the Oranje School for Girls in 1906, and in 1907 the Oranje Association for Women (OVV) was formed with Tibbie as chairperson. Although she was English speaking by birth, she openly identified herself with efforts to promote Afrikaans as a cultural language. Alongside her husband she worked for the building of the National Women's Monument to commemorate those who had died during the war. During all these activities she conscientiously cared for the health and spiritual needs of Pres Steyn. After Pres Steyn's death in 1916 she emerged more forcefully in public life. After the First World War in co-operation with Emily Hobhouse she collected money for the needy in Central Europe. She was constantly occupied with alleviating the needs of people, e.g. by collecting small donations from her people who had been impoverished by the war. In this manner a home could be acquired for Emily Hobhouse and Mrs De Wet, widow of the famous war general, could be assisted in her need. In 1926 Tibbie also arranged the burial of Emily Hobhouse at the Women's Monument. As a leader among her people Tibbie experienced the tensions of the Rebellion and two world wars without becoming involved publicly. Despite sharp political differences between the two language groups and amongst members of her own fam~ly, she successfully maintained her role as binding force. She preferred acting behind the scenes. She was the patroness of many organisations, and while she was often involved in ceremonial situations she always performed her duties with grace. Among both English and Afrikaans speaking peoples she was held in high esteem and among Afrikaners she spontaneously became accepted as Volksmoeder. When she was 83 years of age the Government asked her to act as South Africa's official representative at the abdication of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. She was accorded a state funeral at the Women's Monument when she died on 3 January 1955. / Nadat sy haar ernstig ongestelde man na die einde van die Anglo-Boereoorlog vir gespesialiseerde mediese behandeling na Europa geneem het, het mev. Rachel Isabella Steyn (Tibbie) die gedeeltelik herstelde pres. M. T. Steyn in 1905 na Suid-Afrika terug gebring. Sy het haar saam met pres. Steyn beywer om die verslane Afrikanervolk op maatskaplike, geestelike en stoflike gebied weer op te hef. Tibbie het pres. Steyn bygestaan met die oprigting van die Meisieskool Oranje in 1906. In 1907 het die stigting van die Oranje-Vrouevereniging (OVV) onder haar voorsitsterskap geskied. Hoewel sy van afkoms Engelssprekend was, was sy een van die eerstes wat Afrikaans tot skryftaal verhef het. Aan die sy van haar eggenoot het sy gewerk vir die oprigting van die Nasionale Vrouemonument om die gestorwe vroue en kinders van die oorlog te gedenk. Te midde van dit alles het sy nougeset gewaak oor pres. Steyn se gesondheid en sy geestelike welsyn. Na pres. Steyn se dood in 1916 tree sy sterker na vore in die openbare lewe. In samewerking met Emily Hobhouse samel sy na die Eerste Wereldoorlog geld in vir noodlydendes van Sentraal-Europa. Sy het haar voortdurend beywer vir die verligting van die lot van haar mense, o.a. met die insameling van halfkrone by 'n oorlogsverarmde volk. So is o.a. 'n huis vir Emily Hobhouse bekom, en is die nood van genl. De Wet se weduwee verlig. Tibbie het ook in 1926 die leiding geneem met die begrafnis van Emily Hobhouse by die Vrouemonument. As leiersfiguur het sy die spanning van die Rebellie en die twee wereldoorloe sonder enige omstredenheid deurleef. Te midde van skerp politieke verskille tussen die taalgroepe en onder haar eie familie tree sy met sukses as saambindende krag op. Hoewel sy geweldige invloed gehad het, het sy by voorkeur agter die skerms opgetree. Sy was beskermvrou van verskeie organisasies en waar sy dikwels by seremoniele geleenthede betrek was, het sy haar pligte met groot grasie vervul. Onder sowel Engelse as Afrikaners is sy sonder voorbehoud geeer, en by die Afrikaners het sy spontaan die eretitel van Volksmoeder verwerf. Op drie-en-tagtigjarige ouderdom is sy in 1948 deur die Regering afgevaardig as Suid-Afrika se gesant tydens die plegtighede verbonde aan die abdikasie van koningin Wilhelmina van Nederland. Sy is 'n staatsbegrafnis by die Vrouemonument gegee toe sy op 3 Januarie 1955 oorlede is. / History / D. Litt. et Phil. (Geskiedenis)

Text in Afrikaans / After taking her severely incapacitated husband to Europe immediately after the cessation of hostilities to obtain specialist medical treatment, Mrs Rachel Isabella Steyn (Tibbie) in 1905 brought the partially recovered Pres Steyn back to South Africa. She joined forces with her husband to revive the defeated Afrikaner socially, spiritually and materially. Tibbie assisted her husband with establishing the Oranje School for Girls in 1906, and in 1907 the Oranje Association for Women (OVV) was formed with Tibbie as chairperson. Although she was English speaking by birth, she openly identified herself with efforts to promote Afrikaans as a cultural language. Alongside her husband she worked for the building of the National Women's Monument to commemorate those who had died during the war. During all these activities she conscientiously cared for the health and spiritual needs of Pres Steyn. After Pres Steyn's death in 1916 she emerged more forcefully in public life. After the First World War in co-operation with Emily Hobhouse she collected money for the needy in Central Europe. She was constantly occupied with alleviating the needs of people, e.g. by collecting small donations from her people who had been impoverished by the war. In this manner a home could be acquired for Emily Hobhouse and Mrs De Wet, widow of the famous war general, could be assisted in her need. In 1926 Tibbie also arranged the burial of Emily Hobhouse at the Women's Monument. As a leader among her people Tibbie experienced the tensions of the Rebellion and two world wars without becoming involved publicly. Despite sharp political differences between the two language groups and amongst members of her own fam~ly, she successfully maintained her role as binding force. She preferred acting behind the scenes. She was the patroness of many organisations, and while she was often involved in ceremonial situations she always performed her duties with grace. Among both English and Afrikaans speaking peoples she was held in high esteem and among Afrikaners she spontaneously became accepted as Volksmoeder. When she was 83 years of age the Government asked her to act as South Africa's official representative at the abdication of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. She was accorded a state funeral at the Women's Monument when she died on 3 January 1955. / Nadat sy haar ernstig ongestelde man na die einde van die Anglo-Boereoorlog vir gespesialiseerde mediese behandeling na Europa geneem het, het mev. Rachel Isabella Steyn (Tibbie) die gedeeltelik herstelde pres. M. T. Steyn in 1905 na Suid-Afrika terug gebring. Sy het haar saam met pres. Steyn beywer om die verslane Afrikanervolk op maatskaplike, geestelike en stoflike gebied weer op te hef. Tibbie het pres. Steyn bygestaan met die oprigting van die Meisieskool Oranje in 1906. In 1907 het die stigting van die Oranje-Vrouevereniging (OVV) onder haar voorsitsterskap geskied. Hoewel sy van afkoms Engelssprekend was, was sy een van die eerstes wat Afrikaans tot skryftaal verhef het. Aan die sy van haar eggenoot het sy gewerk vir die oprigting van die Nasionale Vrouemonument om die gestorwe vroue en kinders van die oorlog te gedenk. Te midde van dit alles het sy nougeset gewaak oor pres. Steyn se gesondheid en sy geestelike welsyn. Na pres. Steyn se dood in 1916 tree sy sterker na vore in die openbare lewe. In samewerking met Emily Hobhouse samel sy na die Eerste Wereldoorlog geld in vir noodlydendes van Sentraal-Europa. Sy het haar voortdurend beywer vir die verligting van die lot van haar mense, o.a. met die insameling van halfkrone by 'n oorlogsverarmde volk. So is o.a. 'n huis vir Emily Hobhouse bekom, en is die nood van genl. De Wet se weduwee verlig. Tibbie het ook in 1926 die leiding geneem met die begrafnis van Emily Hobhouse by die Vrouemonument. As leiersfiguur het sy die spanning van die Rebellie en die twee wereldoorloe sonder enige omstredenheid deurleef. Te midde van skerp politieke verskille tussen die taalgroepe en onder haar eie familie tree sy met sukses as saambindende krag op. Hoewel sy geweldige invloed gehad het, het sy by voorkeur agter die skerms opgetree. Sy was beskermvrou van verskeie organisasies en waar sy dikwels by seremoniele geleenthede betrek was, het sy haar pligte met groot grasie vervul. Onder sowel Engelse as Afrikaners is sy sonder voorbehoud geeer, en by die Afrikaners het sy spontaan die eretitel van Volksmoeder verwerf. Op drie-en-tagtigjarige ouderdom is sy in 1948 deur die Regering afgevaardig as Suid-Afrika se gesant tydens die plegtighede verbonde aan die abdikasie van koningin Wilhelmina van Nederland. Sy is 'n staatsbegrafnis by die Vrouemonument gegee toe sy op 3 Januarie 1955 oorlede is. / History / D. Litt. et Phil. (Geskiedenis)