It is against the social and cultural backdrop of South Africa that I investigate gender performativity in South African films with reference to Leon Schuster’s comedies; There’s a Zulu on my Stoep (1993), Mr Bones (2001); Mama Jack (2005) and Mad Buddies (2012). Leon Schuster is responsible for the most commercially successfully films produced in Africa. The significance of this research lends itself to the notion that the trends and tendencies of contemporary culture are defined by what is represented and learnt through constructed representations in mainstream media such as film. For the purpose of this study, gender representation and comedy within the framework of South African film are the main foci. There appears to be very little written on comedy and gender, specifically in a South African context. Judith Butler’s performativity theory forms the methodological foundation of analysis of the representation of gender in Schuster’s films. In addition, visual textual and constant comparison analysis are used as part of the methodological framework of this study. Due to the lack of literature on South African film comedy, the general understanding of comedy refers to the film genre as being a catalyst for transformation. It is also suggested that social control is reinforced and therefore, upholds societal and cultural ideologies in comedy. Satire is also found to postulate a preferred comedic mechanism to criticise ideologies in countries with repressive regimes. South African comedy is also understood to contribute towards tension relief in such countries through the means of facilitating laughter. In a general framework, as well as Schuster’s film comedies, gender representation and therefore that of gender performativity is found to conform to stereotypical conventions of males and females which ultimately maintains the ideals of the creators and the contextual ideologies they stand to represent and serve. By making representations of gender and that of gender performativity laughable, Schuster’s comedies can be said to raise awareness of the gender differences and inequalities in representations. The stereotypes which ultimately highlight gender inequality in the films, follows that of cultural, social and traditional norms. Keywords; gender; performativity; South African film; Leon Schuster; comedy. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2015. / Afrikaans / Unrestricted

It is generally accepted that interpretation plays a significant role in tourism. It can help to enrich visitors’ experience and their cultural and environmental knowledge so that empathy towards conservation, heritage and culture can develop. However, there is a concern that much of the interpretation practised by the tourism industry is of poor quality. Its significance in ecotourism, cultural tourism, wildlife tourism, heritage and adventure tourism, and the concern about its quality gives rise to the need to examine how effective guides are in its delivery, what makes guides effective or ineffective and what continuing education and training they require for effective interpretive delivery. It is against this background that this study was done in order to investigate the interpretive effectiveness of tour guides in South African national parks. The overall purpose of the study was to design a model for effective interpretation for tour guides operating in South African national parks. To accomplish this, an in-depth literature review was done, followed by an empirical investigation. From the literature, the concept of environmental and cultural interpretation was analysed and the constructs that form the theoretical framework for measuring interpretation identified. A conceptual model was formulated that indicates that the effectiveness of tour guides is related to park policies; knowledge and appropriate application of interpretive delivery techniques; management support, evaluation and tourists’ feedback. A mixed method research design was employed, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods. In-depth interviews were conducted with nominated officials in the parks to solicit their views on what they perceive as critical issues in the delivery of effective interpretation. Tour guides were surveyed to determine their perceptions of problems with interpretive delivery techniques and their continuing education and training needs in regard to interpretive delivery techniques. Tourists were surveyed to determine their perceptions about their general satisfaction as attributed to interpretation, and the extent to which tour guides applied the interpretive delivery techniques during interpretation. Purposive sampling and convenience sampling techniques were used in this study. Data analysis on the qualitative interviews was done by summarising the content and categorising the statements made by the officials from certain which conclusions could be drawn. These interviews generated certain constructs and variables which were included in the survey instrument. Critical factors for effective interpretation, according to officials, were identified. These included communication skills, continuing education and training, knowledge of the area and a passion for the task. Quantitative data was analysed by ranking those factors which proved to be most problematic in effective interpretive delivery, the most important of which is addressing tourists by their names, using the five senses to enhance the experience, gaining the attention of the tourists, encouraging participation of tourists and presenting the content in a simple manner. Tour guides generally did not rate delivery techniques as being “serious” problems. It was taken into account that tour guides may be reluctant to state the level of a perceived problem in applying effective delivery techniques and to overcome this limitation, questions relating to the need for training in the same delivery techniques were included in the questionnaire. The results indicated a higher level of the need for training than the level of the perceived problem. Tourists were generally satisfied with the tour guides’ interpretation although only a few were not satisfied with the interpretation of tour guides. However, to ensure sustainability, there is a need for continuing education and training in interpretive delivery techniques and interpretive content for tour guides. This study makes a valuable contribution in regard to tourism, in both the academic and the professional (interpretive guiding) spheres. It provides clear guidelines for national parks to improve the quality of the visitor’s experience and should contribute to the achievement of the goals of sustainability. It provides information that will assist officials in the national parks and those who provide professional development training for guides to better understand guides’ need for further training skills in interpretation in South Africa, an issue which has not been adequately researched in this country. The study produced a model that could enhance interpretive delivery techniques of tour guides in South African national parks. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Tourism Management / unrestricted

This dissertation investigates labor demand constraints and labor supply barriers to informal employment opportunities in Johannesburg using a micro-macro linkage methodology. Existing literature often characterizes the “informal sector” as voluntarist, or as the result of rationing due to labor market imperfections. Such models acknowledge no explicit role for macroeconomic factors to affect employment outcomes. I argue that, far from being structurally disconnected, both formal and informal employment conditions, including those in street trading, are shaped by the macroeconomic environment. The results highlight mechanisms through which conditions in the informal economy, in which traders operate and make decisions, are shaped by macroeconomic policies, and how these policies affect employment security. Based on qualitative field research on self-employed street traders conducted in 2008, I develop an analysis of trading from the level of the macroeconomy, through the retail sector, to traders and their households. The macroeconomic analysis estimates a consumption function to model impacts of alternative fiscal policy to that adopted in the post-apartheid years. The analysis uses an input-output model to isolate the impact of deficit spending on consumption by industrial sector and assess earnings and employment effects in the retail sector. Interview-based survey data enrich and contextualize the analysis, incorporating traders’ experiences and perceived challenges to self-employment. I find evidence of multiple interacting constraints on labor demand and labor supply, which helps make sense of the South African paradox of high unemployment coincident with a small informal economy. Street traders have limited profitability due, in part, to constrained consumption demand, which provides some explanation for the persistence of the paradox despite low barriers to entry. Further, constraints have disproportionate impacts on certain groups: female traders perceive their self-employment as significantly more threatened by demand constraints because their households tend to rely more on trading income than do male traders' households.

Background and Aim: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the leading cancer diagnosis amongst South African men. The incidence of PCa is 68.0 per 100 000 Age Standardized Rate (ASR) and the mortality rates are 27.9 per 100 000 ASR; Globocan 2018. Diagnosis of PCa is based on a combination of digital rectal examination, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and histology. Several biomarkers have been used to increase the sensitivity and specificity of PSA in distinguishing patients with PCa from those with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). These include fractionated PSA, free/total PSA ratio, −2proPSA, prostate cancer antigen 3 and prostate health index amongst others. Biomarkers are needed to differentiate BPH from PCa due to a lack of specificity of these markers with PSA levels above 4.0 ng/ml. The aim of this study is to investigate gene expression patterns of South African men in 9 PCa and 10 BPH patients in order to distinguish between the two groups. Methods: Ethical approval was obtained (HREC 454/2012). Patients scheduled for transurethral resection of the prostate were recruited from the Western Cape. RNA was extracted from prostate tissue using the AllPrep DNA/RNA/miRNA Universal Kit (Qiagen). Complementary DNA was synthesized from RNA using the SuperScript IV VILO Master Mix (Thermo Fischer Scientific). Gene expression was analyzed with the Human Prostate Cancer RT2 Profiler PCR Array and SYBR Green Master Mix. Data were analyzed with the GeneGlobe RT2 and miScript PCR Array Data Analysis Centre from Qiagen. Results: The cohort included patients from different ethnic groups namely, Caucasians, Mixedand African ancestry. The PCa group has an age range from 56 to 75 years (mean 65) while the BPH group was slight older ranging from 60 to 76 years (mean 68). PSA levels range from 24 to 5000 ng/ml (mean 1252 ng/ml, median 185) for the PCa group and 11 to 58 ng/mL (mean 25 ng/ml, median 22) for the BPH group. The following genes were downregulated 2-fold in the PCa group with p values s <0.05; IGF1, PTEN, GSTP1, SOCS3, EGR3, GPX3, TIMP3, ZNF185, DKK3, PTGS2, FOXO1, ARNTL, TNFRSF10D, CCND1, and DLC1, upregulated genes included; CDH1, MKI67, TMPRSS2, ERG, CDKN2A, FASN, and AR but were not statistically significant. At a fold change threshold of 1.5, the following additional genes were downregulated in the PCa group with p values <0.05; DAXX, EGFR, RASSF1, SOX4, and TIMP2, upregulated genes were ACACA, AR, CDKN2A, ERG and FASN but were also not statistically significant. The study shows similarly differentially expressed genes as seen in international studies. Of note PTEN, MKI67 and FASN which are associated with poor prognosis. EGR3 was downregulated in our study and this has been associated aggressive disease and predict relapse after PCa treatment. This could explain the high mortality demonstrated in South African epidemiological studies. Conclusion: We identified a group of differentially expressed genes that have potential in distinguishing PCa and BPH patients with PSA values above 10 ng/ml. A larger population study is needed to further evaluate the clinical significance of our findings.

Masters in Public Administration - MPA / Grassroots participation in the domain of public policy is assuming global significance particularly in the fields of welfare and development. Revived by the United Nations' resolution in the 1970s, many governments both in developed and underdeveloped countries have endorsed the grassroots participation ideals as contained in the United Nations' policy statements and resolutions. Accordingly, many governments have declared their support for grassroots participation and in number of cases, grassroots participation has featured conspicuously in their national development plans. _. A late arrival on the grassroots participation discourse, grassroots participation and civil society's involvement have also featured predominantly in the national development plans of the new South African government. The new democratically elected government pronounced in various policy documents and on public platforms, a commitment towards grassroots participation. Although many governments have employed the rhetoric of grassroots participation in their national·. development plans, there is however an accumulative literature which points to the fact that grassroots participation endeavors have· often been undertaken in a top-down fashion, with marginalized groups of communities often excluded. The central objective of this study has therefore been a critical evaluation of the manner in which the Western Cape Provincial Department of Social Services has implemented its grassroots approach in the context of policy. formulation and implementation and service delivery. An evaluation of the Department's grassroots approach has been attempted by assessing the grassroots structures, which the Department has established as vehicles for grassroots participation in its policy processes and service delivery. To this end, of Fourteen District Committees established by the Department throughout the Western Cape province, four have been evaluated. Through reviewing literature Oh grassroots participation, the project's findings highlighted a discrepancy between the Department's prevailing rhetoric of grassroots participation and the reality of the grassroots participation as operationalized through these committees. The findings indicated that the grassroots participation through these committees is far from the ideal of authentic grassroots participation as discussed in Chapter Two, as it is replete with elements of unrepresentativeness of the marginalized groups, co-option, political manipulation, centralized and top-down decision-making styles. The study also attempted to provide recommendations tailored to bring the Department's grassroots participatory process closer to the ideals of authentic

The purpose of this research was to explore the fundamental elements that constitute, shape and define the thinking and creative processes embodied in musical style of ten prominent South African jazz pianists. The study was qualitative and underpinned by an exploratory research design. Using a collection of case studies, the study used semi-structured interviews to probe participants’ backgrounds, formative influences, and musical style within a South African context. An analysis of the findings resulted in the emergence of three main themes, namely; Developing a musical identity; Negotiating a personal style; and, Finding the South Africanness in jazz. The first main theme outlined the core influences that shaped the participants’ earliest conceptions of musical style, and thus their developing identities. Family members: modelling their parents’ and siblings’ musical interests, immediate environment, interacting with professional jazz musicians, and the socio-political environment, were found to be highly influential. Other factors included; learning which happened through formal, informal, social and self-directed. Listening and musical preferences were also found to be key to the forming identities of the pianists. The second main theme reflected a progression from an ‘outward’ technical understanding of style to an assimilated ‘inner’ one. The first manifested in the descriptions of noticeable elements in jazz music that have been shaped over time, while the second describes ways in which the pianists’ individual social and cultural experiences inform their musical styles. The third theme highlights participants’ challenge in defining a South African style, resulting in a need to conceptualise a term(s) that would better describe the nature of the music. South African works were found to be at the core of acquiring an understanding of the musical styles of South African jazz pianists. External influences within the South African musical style, and idiosyncratic features based on indigenous musical influences were key to the musical identities of South African jazz pianists. Furthermore, understanding the metanarratives that serve as creative inspirations for these compositions is vital. The study concludes that a South African jazz style represents an amalgam of internal and external musical influences, evolving over time. The incorporation of eclectic musical elements from the indigenous ‘musics’ of the various South African ethnic cultures add an inimitably South African articulation and prosody to the jazz language. The unique histories and narratives of South African jazz pianists have resulted in their distinct approach to the jazz style. / Thesis (DMus)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Music / DMus / Unrestricted

Milk protein polymorphisms have a significant influence on milk quantity and composition. Kappa-casein is of special interest due to its known relationship with milk quality. In goats, a number of allelic variants have been identified, primarily classified into two groups. Group BIEF alleles (D, E, K, and M) have been shown to have a positive effect on milk yield and technological properties, while group AIEF, the remaining alleles, have a less positive influence on milk composition. The aim of this study was to investigate genetic variation in the kappa-casein genotype of South African goats. PCR-RFLP and DNA sequencing were performed on 68 and 77 samples, respectively. In addition, 84 milk samples were analyzed for milk composition. RFLP analysis revealed that the A and/or B alleles were the most frequent in the populations studied. A frequency of 0.00 was observed for the BIEF variants using DNA sequencing. In all goat types included, the B allele was the most common, with frequencies ranging from 60% in SA Boer goats to 100% in Saanens. The B’ allele had lower frequencies of 0.357 and 0.207 in SA Boer goats and local goat types, respectively. The H allele was present at low frequencies in local goat types (10.3%) and in SA Boer goats (3.6%), but was absent in Saanens. AMOVA results indicated that most of the total variation occurred within populations (80.66%) with the remainder of the variation (FST = 0.1934; p < 0.01) occurring due to genetic differences between populations. / Dissertation (MSc(Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Animal and Wildlife Sciences / unrestricted

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / Throughout recorded history, women have resorted to abortion to terminate unwanted pregnancies, despite religious and legal sanctions, and frequently at significant personal risk. Abortion is, therefore, one of the oldest and at the same time most controversial of approaches to fertility control. More than most procedures, abortion is embedded in a social context that has implications for psychological responses of women. However, whilst South Africa's restrictive abortion legislation has come to the forefront of public scrutiny in recent years, research on the psychological aspects of induced abortion among black South African women has received minimal attention from social science researchers. This consideration requires redress since South Africa's abortion policy has undoubtedly had an impact on black women's mental health. Although unwanted pregnancy and the decision to abort are frequently perceived as stressful, evidence to date suggests that women do not experience severe negative reactions to abortion. Nevertheless, research has shown that some women do experience negative reactions following abortion. The responses of these women, placed within the context of the large numbers of black women who procure abortions and the immense social significance of the issue, point to a need to identify those women who are at risk for experiencing difficulties after abortion. This thesis, therefore, aimed to explore women's interpretations of the factors that influence short-term post-abortion adjustment. Five women who had procured illegal abortions were interviewed. A thematic analysis was utilised to explore participants' accounts of their abortion experiences. Furthermore, the present inquiry attempted to identify, through participants' discourses, psycho-social factors that may serve as 'risk factors' for poor post-abortion adjustment. The findings revealed that the abortion experience varies in the amount and type of stress it engenders for women. The manner in which these women responded to the procedure was found to be a joint function of their psychological state and of the social milieu in which the abortion occurred. Participants' post-abortion adjustment was found to be significantly influenced by the extent to which they experienced decision difficulty, the nature of the social environment surrounding the abortion process and individual coping responses. Thus, the findings of the study accentuate the need for counselling interventions designed to facilitate adjustment to abortion. These issues are likely to become of increased importance as the South African government deliberates on its public policy on abortion.

African Languages / M.A. (Bantoetale)

The coal mining industry has played a significant role in the development of the South African economy. Coal supplies about 70% of South Africa's primary energy and is likely to remain the country's major source of energy despite the increasing trends towards renewable energy. Even though the industry has significantly contributed to the development of the country, it has also caused significant impacts on the environment with concomitant socio-economic impacts. Historically, once a coal measure was exhausted, mining companies would cease production and abandon the mines without proper rehabilitation of the environmental degradation caused by their mining activities. As a result of this, the South African Government introduced mining and rehabilitation legislation to mitigate the environmental and associated socio-economic impacts of mining. Rehabilitation guidelines for opencast coal mines were developed to provide detailed guidance for achieving successful and sustainable rehabilitation, to mitigate pollution post-mining. Despite the more stringent legislative framework and the development of international standard rehabilitation guidelines, successful mine rehabilitation remains a challenge. This research project aims to develop a better qualitative understanding of the status, challenges, gaps and opportunities pertaining to current rehabilitation practices in the case of opencast coal mines in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa, and in so doing, establish the contributing factors of unsuccessful rehabilitation. The dissertation draws on a comprehensive review of published literature and an analysis of semi-structured interviews with rehabilitation experts. The study found that the current rehabilitation practices in the Mpumalanga opencast mines are not to the standard required by the legislative framework nor prescribed by rehabilitation guidelines. As such, the current rehabilitation practices are not yielding successful and sustainable rehabilitation. According to the findings, the rehabilitation practices are hampered by physical and non-physical systemic challenges that thwart the achievement of successful rehabilitation. The study analysis shows that shortcomings in the application and enforcement of the legislative framework contributes to the legislation not achieving its intended objectives as well as the development of other physical and non-physical systemic challenges that hamper the achievement of successful rehabilitation.