Stream 1: Net Zero Transformation & Environmental Sustainability
Stream 2: One Health
Stream 3: Human Rights, Poverty and Social Justice
Stream 4: Geopolitical Governance: Challenges & Vulnerabilities
Stream 5: Emerging Economies
Stream 6: Transforming Education
Stream 7: Technology: 41R and Digital Transformation
Stream 8: Nanotechnology and Astrophysics
Professor Tyrone Pretorius is the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape. He was Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Pretoria, overseeing Teaching and Learning, all faculties, and the Gordon Institute of Business Science. Previously, he served as Pro Vice-Chancellor at Monash South Africa and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at UWC, where he was also Dean of Community and Health Sciences. He holds doctorates from UWC and the University of the Free State and was a fellow at Yale and Oxford. He is published widely and received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.
In the face of global challenges and the urgent call for sustainable solutions, the 2024 Research Week at the University of the Western Cape represents a source of hope and innovation. Themed Emerging Economies for a Better Tomorrow: SDGs Research and Innovation for Social Change, this conference provides a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and the advancement of research that directly addresses the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The wide range of topics covered at this conference, from One Health and Transforming Education to Human Rights, Poverty and Social Justice, and Technology, 4IR, and Digital Transformation, reflects the interconnectedness of our world and the need for holistic approaches to tackling complex global issues. The diverse and innovative research in these proceedings showcases our academic community’s dedication to positively impact society, particularly within emerging economies. We extend our sincere appreciation to the keynote speakers, presenters, session chairs, and organisers for their invaluable contributions to our Research Week. Your expertise, passion, and commitment to knowledge creation inspire us all. We also acknowledge the tireless efforts of the Department of Research Development and Postgraduate Support in organising this event and creating an environment that encourages intellectual growth and collaboration.
As you explore these proceedings, we invite you to engage with the research, challenge assumptions, and discover new frontiers of knowledge. May the insights lead to meaningful conversations, ignite innovative solutions, and create a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
Prof Tyrone Pretorius Rector and Vice-Chancellor University of the Western Cape
Jose Frantz
As we convene for this year's research week, our atten sustainable and equitable future for all. This year's theme delves into how research and innovation within emerging economies can catalyze positive social change and accelerate progress on key development priorities such as the Sustainable D increasingly at the forefront of both challenges and solutions. Countries like China, India, Brazil, and South Africa, among others, are not only experiencing remarkable economic growth but are also grappling with complex and technological transitions. These nations are uniquely positioned to drive innovation and pioneer approaches that can be adapted and scaled to address global challenges.
Our research and beyond. Our sessions will examine several interconnected areas in the following themes:
•One Health approaches that recognize the links between human, animal and environmental wellbeing
•Advancing human rights, poverty reduction and social justice
•Transformin
•Harnessing technology, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and digital transformation
By translate research into real-world impact. Emerging economies a also possess immense potential to pion for both developed and developing nations alike. Our research week will thus p practitioners, together - across borders, sectors, and fields of study - to create knowledge and drive progress towards a more prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive future for all.
As we navigate the complexities of global developmen economies becomes ever more cru progress presentations, transformative vision of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Prof J Frantz
DVC: Research and Innovation
University of the Western Cape
Dr. Noluthando Mayedwa joined the UWC in December 2023 as a Deputy Director of Research and Development. She earned her PhD in Chemical Science from UWC in 2016. Dr. Mayedwa has dedicated much of her career to leadership roles and engaging scientific research locally and internationally with numerous publications in peer-reviewed articles with an H-index of 14. Her leadership and commitment have earned her recognition nationally and internationally, she is C2 rated by NRF as an established researcher obtained during her employment at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) as a Research Group Leader in 2023. She has worked at CSIR in a leadership position, at IThemba Labs, and UNISA under the UNESCO Chair as a Scientist. Has community engagements as a co-founder of Digital Transformation Africa (a Non-Profit Company). She has professional affiliation through the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP) as a Professional Natural Scientist (Chemical Science). She has successfully supervised and co-supervised Master's and a PhD student in her field.
Welcome to the UWC Research Week 2024, with a focus on “Emerging Economies for a Better Tomorrow: SDGs Research and Innovation for Social Change” (building a better tomorrow, today.) It is with great excitement and pride that we celebrate this year’s University Research Week, a testament to the vibrant intellectual spirit that defines our institution. This annual event is more than a showcase of academic excellence; it is a celebration of curiosity, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge that drives our scholarly community. Throughout this week, we will witness the remarkable contributions of our students, academics, and researchers pushing the boundaries of knowledge across diverse disciplines. From groundbreaking discoveries to innovative projects that address real-world challenges, the work presented here reflects our collective commitment to advancing understanding and fostering positive change in our societies. The research week allows our university to embrace Interdisciplinary research by breaking boundaries for better outcomes. It is to support UWC 7 Faculties in research to ensure we align with the IOP to become a Research lead institution. By leveraging the strengths and perspectives of different disciplines, we can tackle problems that are too intricate for any single field to solve on its own. Research Week 2024 offers a space to discuss new ideas, present findings, and explore potential collaborations. By integrating diverse perspectives and expertise, we can tackle complex challenges, drive innovation, and ultimately improve on social impact. As we move forward, let us commit to fostering collaboration, breaking down barriers, and working together to shape the future of our university towards being a research-led university.
There is a special issue and a scholarly book communicates the amazing work done in our university by students, academics, and researchers. Thank you for being a part of this special week. Together, let us continue to push the boundaries of knowledge and explore new horizons. Let's continue building a better tomorrow, today. Enjoy the Research Week 2024!
Dr Noluthando Mayedwa Deputy Director: Research Development University of the Western Cape
Brief Bio sketch
Julia Sloth-Nielsen is an emeritus professor at the Faculty of Law, UWC, having retired after two decades in 2021. She has published widely on various aspects of children's rights and was awarded NRF A rating in 2021. She was also a member and vice chair of the African Committee of experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child from 2011 until 2016, and continues to work extensively with the Committee, serving Inter alia on its working group on children's rights and business. She has worked on child law in many African countries, including most recently Nigeria and Ethiopia, and was a member of the drafting committee that prepared the Children's Act, 2005, and the Child Justice Act, 2007.
Dag-Håkon Eriksen is the academic director at the Center for Values-based Leadership and Innovation at VID Specialized University in Oslo, Norway. Eriksen is doing research focusing on values and innovation in organisations. He has published on issues like research inspired by phronesis, organizational innovation, innovation and community development, succession of leadership, empowerment, vision and strategy. Before entering academia, he was volunteering in a South African NGO, establishing a national youth organisation in Norway, leading a major reform in the church of Norway, developing theological education in a college in Ethiopia and leading the international programmes of a Norwegian NGO.
Brief Bio sketch
Joeri Both is the head of research support at Vrije University of Amsterdam. His work focuses on open science, research innovation, the research data support network and research intelligence.
Patricia Hayes is the NRF SARChI Chair in Visual History & Theory at the Centre for Humanities Research. She is co-editor of several recent volumes, including Ambivalent. Photography and Visibility in African History (2019), a special issue of the journal Kronos 46 (2020) on ‘Other Lives of the Image,’ and also Love and Revolution in the TwentiethCentury Colonial and Postcolonial World: Perspectives from South Asia and Southern Africa (2021). In 2023-24 she held a FIAS (French Institutes for Advanced Study) fellowship at IEA-Nantes to develop a project on African colonial photographic archives.
Brief Bio sketch
Renier Coetzee is an Associate Professor at the UWC’s School of Public Health (SOPH), his primary research focus is on antimicrobial stewardship, particularly in improving antibiotic utilization in low- and middle-income countries. Dedicated to community engagement, he collaborates with local communities to implement sustainable health interventions, promoting equity and justice. Renier bridges the gap between academia and community, ensuring research translates into action. He collaborates with the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, and serves on various national and provincial Department of Health committees. Renier’s work has earned him multiple awards, including UWC's Community Engagement Award. He is currently the Deputy President of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa.
Maria Florence is an Associate Professor within the Department of Psychology at the UWC. At present, she serves as the Deputy Dean of Learning and Teaching in the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences. Her scholarly pursuits primarily revolve around maternal and adolescent mental health as it relates to quality of life within low-income communities in South Africa. Notably, her recent research endeavours involve the formulation of an intervention designed for pregnant women engaging in substance use within low-income rural areas in the Western Cape. Simultaneously, she is actively involved in research towards the development of a substance use prevention program tailored for early adolescents residing in low-income communities.
Brief Bio sketch
Simphiwe Sesanti is a Professor at the University of the Western Cape (UWC)’s Faculty of Education. He is a former Editor of the International Journal of African Renaissance Studies (IJARS). He holds two PhDs, one in Journalism Studies (Stellenbosch University), and another in Philosophy (Wits University). He has taught at Stellenbosch University’s Journalism Department, at the Nelson Mandela University’s Department of Journalism, Media and Philosophy, and at the University of South Africa (UNISA)’s Institute for African Renaissance Studies (IARS). He has published in accredited journals on a variety of issues, including Education, African Philosophy, Gender, Journalism, Politics and Spirituality (Religion). In 2018, he was awarded an NRF rating, C2. Upon re-rating in 2024, Sesanti was awarded a C1.
Dr Celenkosini Nxumalo is the Academic Coordinator: Research and Development in the Department of Research Development and Postgraduate Support (RDPS). He is the chairperson of the 2024 research week. Dr Nxumalo holds a PhD in Health Sciences from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is an implementation science researcher with an interest in health systems and policy research. He has numerous publications in peer reviewed and accredited local and international journals and has respectable experience in higher education in terms of research development and support for early and mid-career academics.
Dr. Jane C. Diala is a Research Fellow in the Department of Research, Development, and Postgraduate Support and the Faculty of Law at the University of the Western Cape. Dr. Diala holds a doctorate and master’s degree in Public Law and Comparative Law in Africa respectively from the University of Cape Town. Her research focuses on women and children’s rights within a law and development prism. She explores unequal power relations in social justice issues with gender undertones. She is passionate about research, mentoring and supporting postgraduate students to cultivate an enriching learning environment.
Ms. Casey Botha is an Academic Coordinator in the Research Development and Postgraduate Support office (RDPS). She holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of the Western Cape (UWC), obtained in 2022, and is currently pursuing her PhD. In addition to her academic role, Ms. Botha is registered as a Research Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Dr. Olushola is the Academic Coordinator in the Research Development and Postgraduate Support (RDPS) unit at the University of the Western Cape. He has a PhD in Chemistry with research interests in Material Sciences, Polymer Science, Membrane Technology and Hydrogen economy. He possesses several years of experience in providing research skill development support to postgraduate students in the form of training and mentorship at higher education institutional level. He has previously coordinated the university mentorship initiative for postgraduate students with several milestones especially in the context of student throughputs and currently supervises doctoral and master’s students.
Janene has a Master’s in Child and Family Studies, and is completing her PhD in Child and Family Studies at UWC. Her thesis aims to develop an intervention that provides emotional support to parents of children with Intellectual Disabilities. Her peer reviewed publications include research in areas of self-management programmes, higher education during Covid-19, support programmes for parents with intellectual disabilities and academic leadership in higher education. Janene is currently an administrative officer in the Research Development and Postgraduate Support Office at UWC. She h Janene has reviewed for an international journal.
Janine has a Master’s in Research Psychology, and is completing her PhD in Psychology at UWC. Her thesis aims to develop a scale measuring doctoral graduate attributes in the South African higher education context. Her peer reviewed publications include research on: postgraduate education and training, graduate tracer study methodologies, graduate attributes, postgraduate student experiences, interprofessional education, and adolescence psychosocial development and social media. Currently, Janine is an academic coordinator for postgraduate support in the Research Development and Postgraduate Support department at UWC. She has supervision experience at an Honours and Masters level, and she is a reviewer for two journals.
Ms Zinia Siposetu Bunyula is the Coordinator: Research Development and Postgraduate Support. She graduated with a Master of Science Degree in Maritime Affairs specializing in Maritime Education and Training from Malmo, Sweden. Ms Bunyula has worked in the higher education sector (public and private) for over a decade. With distinct expertise in Higher Education Project & Programme Management within local and international markets. In the Research Development Postgraduate Support (RDPS) office she oversees the programmatic and operational components that fall under both the Research Development and Postgraduate Support scope respectively.
Ms Sue-Ellen Roux is the Officer: Research Information in the Research and Postgraduate Support Office with 16 years’ experience working at the University of the Western Cape. She is primarily responsible for the university grants management and administration processes pertaining to local and international funders such as the NRF, SAMRC, WELLCOME trust, NIH. Moreover, she also manages grants processes related to research chairs, units and centres.
Maxine Simpson is the administrative officer in the Department of Research Development and Postgraduate Support. She presently works in the Master Card Foundation program providing support related to operations of the Foundation at UWC.
08:30 - 09:00 Welcome and Opening Remarks
09:00 – 09:10 Address by the DVC Research and Innovation
09:10 – 09:15
Introduction of the Keynote Speaker
09:15 – 09:45 Keynote Address
09:40 – 09:45
Session 1: One Health
10:05 – 10:15
The microbial signature of periodontitis among the Western Cape population
10:20 – 10:30 Sustainable Infection Control: Utilizing Hypochlorous Acid for Saliva Disinfection in Dental Clinics
10:35 – 10:45
Psychology, Religion, and Pandemic Stress: A Study of Lived Experiences
10:45 – 10:50 Q&A Session 10:50 – 11:00 Tea Break
11:00 – 11:10
11:15 – 11:25
Session 2: Transforming Education
Internalising language through play and storytelling: a socio-cultural study of a Cape Town Waldorf kindergarten
Exploring student support for distant, working health professionals studying at a contact-based university: an ecological systems approach
11:30 – 11:40 Alternative voices and teacher identity
12:00 - 12:10
Professor Tyrone Pretorius
Professor Jose Frantz
Professor Jennifer Chipps
Dr. Joeri Both
Chair: Prof Jennifer Chipps
Dr. Salma Kabbashi
Dr. Rukshana Ahmed
Ms. Shannen Ferreira
Dr. Joy Levin
Ms. Ziyanda Mwanda
Enhancing Research Outcomes and Career Readiness through StudentFaculty Collaborations: A Catalyst for Innovation and Postgraduate Growth Dr. Natasha Ross
Enhancing Hybrid Learning Environments through ICT Integration: A Comparative Study of Teaching and Learning Outcomes in Nigerian Higher Education Institutions
12:15 – 12:25 Oral Health and Sustainable Development Goals: Opportunities for interdisciplinary research at a dental school in South Africa
Session 3: Human Rights, Poverty & Social Justice
13:00 – 13:10 Understanding the crisis: Examining violence against women in South Africa as an “event that seriously disturbs public order” in terms of the African Refugee Convention
13:15 – 13:25 The Road Less Travelled: Constitutionalizing Internal Secession in Ethiopia
13:20 – 13:30 Gender-Based Violence In South African Universities: Towards Implementing Governmental, Regional And International Visions
13:35 – 13:45 A qualitative study of the challenges and opportunities for women in the Olympic Movement in South Africa
Ms. Oluwakemi Ruth Olayinka
Prof. Razia Adam
Chair: Dr. Carolien Van Den Berg
Ms. Netjat Hussein
Dr. Windell Nortje
Ms. Stephina Malatjie
13:45 – 13:50 Q&A Session Session 4: Technology, 4IR & Digital transformation; Emerging Economies
14:00 – 14:10
Prolonging lifespan of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a strategy for enhanced biofuel production
14:15 – 14:25 Leveraging AI Chatbots for Mental Health
14:30 – 14:40 Investigating the drivers of consumer willingness to buy local organic food products – An emerging market perspective
14:45 – 14:55 The role of formal retail development on local economic development: The case of Ndwedwe Municipality
15:00 – 15:10 Lessons learnt from a review of the Kuyasa renewable energy-efficient Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project post implementation
15:15 – 15:25 Achieving Carbon Neutrality: Strategies, Challenges, and Global Impact
15:30 – 15:40 Fabrication of iridium nanocomposites for the detection of antidepressants
Mr Gert van Lill
Dr. Faeza Khan
Prof. Mornay Roberts-Lombard
Ms. Nonkazimulo Magwaza
Dr. Thembinkosi Maphosa
Dr. Nokulunga Mashwama
Prof. Fanelwa Ngece-Ajayi
15:45 – 15:55 Fostering commercialization in the Masters in Nanoscience programme Prof. Lindsay
15:55 – 16:00
16:05 – 16:20 Presentation by conversations Africa
16:20 – 16:30
Prof. Pfungwa
08:30 – 08:35
Introduction of the key note speaker
08:40 – 09:10 Keynote Address
09:15 – 09:20 Q&A session
Session 1: Transforming Education
09:25 – 09:35
Professor Jessika Singh
Prof. Patricia Hayes
Chair: Prof. Marchen Van Der Westhuizen
Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Pre-Service Teacher Training: A Pathway to Culturally Responsive Education in South African Universities
09:40 – 09:50 Understanding doctoral graduate attributes in the South African context
09:55 – 10:05 I can buy myself flowers!”: Transformative multimodal methods used to enable first-year students’ literacies skills and practices
10:10 – 10:20 A decolonial perspective on English language teacher education
10:25 – 10:35 Role of academic student success advisors in supporting student success and aligning with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education
Dr. Alvin Riffel
Ms. Janine Senekal
Dr. Lutasha Abrahams-Ndesi & Ms. Parveen Paleker
Ms. Molopetsane Naketsana
Ms. Brittany Adams, Tina Hlanjwa, Michelle Jaftha & Chante Johannes
Dr. Blake Boggenpoel 11:15 – 11:25 Pathways to holistic wellness and well-being
Dr. Janine Hannibal 11:30 – 11:40
Therapeutic use of vibrating insoles for improved plantar sensation in patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus and sensory peripheral neuropathy
11:45 – 11:55 The effect of dual task training on motor and cognitive functions among the aging in long term care facilities in South Africa
12:00 – 12:10 The determinants of postnatal health check among mothers in Sierra Leone: evidence from SLDHS 2019
12:10 – 12:15 Q&A session
12:15 – 13:00
Session 3: Human Rights, Poverty & Social Justice
13:00 – 13:10 The International Bill of Rights Without Rights to Peace: Gap in the Implementation of the United Nations Vision for Global Peace
Prof. Liezel Ennion
Ms Nabilah Ebrahim
Dr Philomene Nsengiyumva
Chair: Prof. Renier Coetzee
Mr. Forkpa 13:10 – 13:20
13:20 – 13:30
Leveraging UAV Remotely Sensed Data to Estimate Crop Water Stress of Underutilised Taro Crops in Smallholder Croplands
Unveiling climate-smart crops for sustainable agriculture
13:30 – 13:40 A retrospective analysis of conflicted mother-daughter relationships
Dr. Mbulisi Sibanda
Prof. Takalani Mulaudzi-Masuku
Dr. Carli Louw 13:40 – 13:50
A constitutional analysis of the position of an apostate minor child for purposes of an Islamic Will and Islamic Distribution Certificate within the South African legal context
13:50 – 13:55 Q&A Session
14:00 – 14:10
Prof Muneer Abduroaf
Session 4: Net Zero Transformation, Technology: 4IR and Digital transformation
Exploring the Impact of Digital Disruption on Organizational Strategy and Employee Resilience in SMEs: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda
14:15 – 14:25 Climate adaptation innovation and governance in South Africa
14:30 – 14:40
The impact of climate change on gender-based violence
14:45 – 14:55 Primary healthcare nurse’s adoption of digital health technology to facilitate healthcare delivery in Cape Town
15:00 – 15:10 Engineering yeast strains for applications in lignocellulosic biorefineries
15:10 – 15:15 Q&A Session
15:20 – 15:50 Poster Session – Part 1
15:50 – 16:00 Q&A Session
Mr. Sive Mange
Prof Desmond O. Oriakhogba
Ms. Tomiwa Fapohunda
Prof. Million Bimerew
Prof. Riaan den Haan
15:20 – 15:30 Closing Remarks for Day Two
08:30 – 08:35
Welcome and Introduction of the key note speaker
08:40 – 09:10 Keynote address
09:10 – 09:20 Q&A session
Session 1: One Health
09:30 – 09:40 Perceptions of nurses on TB with HIV adherence
09:45 – 09:55
10:00 – 10:10
10:15 – 10:25
Professor Jessika Singh
Professor Dr Dag-Håkon Eriksen
Chair: Prof. Angela van der Berg
Knowledge, attitude and practices and self-assessed anxiety of undergraduate physiotherapy students during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
Numerical investigation of some malaria propagation models
Effectiveness of a structured aerobic exercise intervention for adults living with HIV/AIDS on HAART: a single-blinded randomized control trial
10:30 – 10:40 Characterization of salivary exosomes as a Diagnostic Biomarker for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
11:00 – 11:10 Online facilitation of the statistics module for critical skills in South Africa: A critical reflection for future strategies
11:15
11:25 “Response-able Pedagogy”: Connecting Global North to Global South through a Collaborative International Learning (COIL) Course
11:30 – 11:40 Travelling Back Home to the Familiar – Towards Ubuntu Currere as a Lived Body Curriculum
11:45 – 11:55 Dislocating the Body and Transcending the Imperial Eye(I)
the perceptions of health professional students regarding clinical practice, during the COVID-19 pandemic
The Intersection of Local Context and Inclusive Digital Innovation: Exploring Technology Adoption in the Informal Economy
Ms. Ticha
Ms Vuyolwethu Madasa
Dr. Calisto Blessmore Marime
Dr. Tania Steyl
Dr. Dada oluwaseyi Temilola
Mr. Jabulani Chitanga & Nicolette
Dr. Karen Collett
Dr. Karen J. Koopman
Ms. Li’Tsoanelo Zwane
14:05 – 14:15 Investigating the impact of financial aid on decision to pursue postgraduate studies and postgraduate academic performance
14:20 – 14:30 Investigating the Relationships between Perceived Family Support, SelfEfficacy, and Academic Performance among Undergraduate Students at a South African University
14:35 – 14:45 Including Kaaps (Afrikaaps) in our classrooms: early survey results on the Intellectualization of a “Historically Marginalized Language” at UWC
14:50 – 15:00 Public spheres and counter publics of adult postgraduate students: Towards a personal lifelong learning supervisory framework for successful postgraduate supervision
15:05 – 15:15 Behavioural medicine competencies in physiotherapy students’ clinical reasoning: a comparative study
Prof. Derek Yu
Ms. Khelsey Fraser
Prof Quentin Williams
Dr. Colette February
Mrs. Shamila Gamiet 15: 15 – 15:20 Q&A Session
15: 25 – 16:00 Poster session – Part 2 16:00 – 16:05 Q&A Session
DAY FOUR: 19 SEPTEMBER 2024
Time Title Speaker
08:30 - 08:35 Welcome and Introduction of the key note speaker
08:40 – 09:10 Keynote address
09:10 – 09:20 Q&A session
Session 1: One Health
Professor Jessika Singh
Professor. Julia Sloth-Nielsen
Chair: Dr Celenkosini Nxumalo
09:30 – 09:40 Needs Ranking: A qualitative method for social change through giving a voice to vulnerable youth
09:45 – 09:55
Support programmes for parents of children with intellectual disabilities: A scoping review
10:00 – 10:10 Pharmacological and Psycho-social Interventions for Late Adolescents with ADHD in South Africa: A Systematic Review
10:15 – 10:25 Health literacy levels of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in the Western Cape
10:30 – 10:40 Clinical Reasoning of Undergraduate Physiotherapy students in the Intensive Care Unit
10:40 – 10:45 Q&A session
11:00 – 11:10 Higher Education Alignment with the Climate Action in Mozambique: A review of research and outreach university functions
11:15 – 11:25 Integrating SDGs into research, teaching and community engagement
11:30 – 11:40 Transforming education through open scholarship: opportunities and challenges
11:45 – 11:55 LiDAR-Based Augmented Reality Implementation for Library Tours
12:00 - 12:10 Presentation by the National Research Foundation
Prof. Lisa Wegner
Ms. Janene Marais
Ms. Casey Botha
Mr. Thabani Noncungu
Ms. Hudaa Kariem
Prof. Malaquias Zildo António Tsambe and Prof. Herieta Massango
Ms. Pearl Erasmus & Tamara Goliath
Ms. Anelisa Mente-Mpako
Mr. Andrew Maneli
Ms. Edith Shikumo 12:10 – 12:15
The nature and extent of parental involvement in three lowincome school settings in Cape Town, South Africa: Implications for policy
Investigating the Role of Host Genetic Polymorphisms in Periodontitis Susceptibility in a Western Cape Population
Developing Context-Specific Guidelines To Enhance The Physical Activities Of Undergraduate University Students
The State, Hegemony and Ideology: Reflections on the 1976 Soweto Uprisings and the 2015 #FeesMustFall Movement
Cohesion in Ibrahim Al-Koni's Narrative Discourse with Special Reference to Al-Bahth an almakan al-dh yie [In Search of the Lost Place]: A Text linguistics Approach
Workplace Diversity Management: Performance implications at a research institution in South Africa
The use of professional cricket match-play performance analysis to enhance the tactical decision-making of cricket coaches.
From chisungu to the museum: a historical ethnography of the images, objects and anthropological texts of the chisungu female initiation ceremony in the Moto Moto Museum in Zambia, 1931 to 2016.
Salma Kabbashi
Chante Joannes
Lindokuhle Mandyoli
Saleh Abdul Nabi
Chuene Alfred Simomo
Rucia Vern-Clare November
Mary Mbewe Uhlahlubonzulu lwempophomobuciko yale mihla kwiinoveli zesiXhosa: ‘Ukhozi Olumaphiko, Umlimandlela, Inkululeko Isentabeni noLibambe Lingatshoni’
Exploring The Significance Of Artificial Intelligence In The Namibian University Teacher Education Curriculum In The Context Of The Fourth Industrial Revolution
14:30 – 15:00
Mlamli Diko
Sydney Musipili Mutelo
Closing Remarks for Day Four – Research week chair
Thembinkosi Maphosa recently completed PhD Management from the University of the Western Cape (UWC). His study focused on improving the standard of living of low-income communities through energy efficiency interventions. His research explored innovative solutions, including the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism. Thembinkosi holds a Masters’ degree, BCom (Hons), and additional qualifications in Business Management. He published several papers and presented at conferences. Have worked in various roles, including the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship and the Department of Finance at UWC. His passion extends beyond academia, with interests in wall and steel painting, as well as cycling.
Lessons learnt from a review of the Kuyasa renewable energy-efficient Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project post implementation.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13 focus on providing access to affordable and clean energy and advocating for climate action. This study examines lessons learned from a project implemented under the clean development mechanism (CDM) to fund energy-efficient interventions in the Kuyasa low-income community in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. The project involved retrofitting 2,309 Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) houses in Kuyasa with renewable energy-efficient technologies like solar water heaters (SWH), insulated ceilings (IC), and compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). The project aimed to promote access to affordable and clean energy (SDG 7) and contribute to reducing global warming and greenhouse gas emissions (SDG 13). However, post-installation, the project faced financial challenges in sustaining maintenance activities through the CDM financial mechanism. Revenue streams from selling Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) were impacted by delays and a decrease in CERs credit values. The study's theoretical framework integrated Sustainability theory, Systems theory, Community engagement and participation theory, and Energy access and transition theory. Data was gathered from 10 energy experts and over 300 project beneficiaries, analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Most respondents confirmed continued benefits from the renewable energy-efficiency technologies (REETs) installations, noting improvements in household members' health. However, concerns were raised about the ongoing maintenance and repair of REETs. Energy experts highlighted that while the project had social and environmental benefits, it was not financially sustainable, with a negative Net Present Value (NPV) and high transaction costs hindering its financial viability. Recommendations include adopting holistic approaches to engage all stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle, planning for post-project funding needs, and identifying sustainable revenue streams to ensure project financial sustainability.
Keywords: Clean Development Mechanism, Financial Mechanisms, Lessons Learnt, Low-income community, Renewable Energy-efficiency technology.
Dr. Nokulunga Mashwama is the Head of the Department for the Built Environment at Walter Sisulu University and a Professional Registered Candidate Quantity Surveyor with a PhD in Quantity Surveying from the University of Johannesburg. She has published 54 articles and supervised over 70 students, including 10 master's graduates. Dr. Mashwama contributes to research, serves on a project steering committee, and acts as an external moderator and examiner. She is active in academic and community engagement, having organized career expos and mentored students. She also served on various organizing committees and has applied for NRF rating.
Achieving carbon neutrality is a critical goal in the fight against climate change, involving the balance of carbon dioxide emissions with carbon removal or elimination altogether. This paper explores the comprehensive strategies necessary to attain carbon neutrality, including the adoption of renewable energy sources, enhancement of energy efficiency, carbon sequestration techniques, and the implementation of supportive policies and regulations. It also examines the pivotal role of corporate responsibility and innovation alongside the influence of consumer behaviour and public awareness. Despite the clear benefits, numerous challenges hinder progress toward carbon neutrality. Economic factors, such as the costs associated with transitioning to renewable energy and the impact on fossil fuel-dependent industries, pose significant hurdles. Technological barriers, including limitations in energy storage and efficiency, as well as the need for further research and development, are critical issues that must be addressed. Additionally, political and social obstacles, such as varying levels of commitment among nations and the necessity to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability, complicate efforts. The global impact of achieving carbon neutrality extends beyond environmental benefits, such as the reduction in global temperature rise and a decrease in extreme weather events. Economic and social implications include job creation in green energy sectors and improved public health and quality of life. Through case studies of countries and cities that have successfully implemented carbon neutrality plans, this paper highlights the lessons learned and best practices that can guide future efforts.
Keywords: Carbon neutrality; carbon sequestration; corporate responsibility; policies, regulation
Brief Bio sketch
Gert van Lill is driven to discover methods of enhancing the productivity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, an important microorganism used in a variety of industries, such as the biofuels or pharmaceutical industry. Gert Is a dedicated PhD candidate under supervision of Prof. Riaan den Haan and Prof. Marla Trindade at UWC. His research is focused on enhancing the longevity of S. cerevisiae to optimize productivity. This could improve industrial processes that rely on yeast. Gert is committed to advancing the field of biotechnology through his innovative research.
Prolonging lifespan of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a strategy for enhanced biofuel production
Biofuels offer a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuels, significantly enhancing environmental sustainability. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a widely studied yeast, is the primary organism utilized in alcohol fermentation processes within the biofuel industry. The alcohol produced can be used as a biofuel source. Thus, increasing S. cerevisiae’s overall productivity should boost the alcohol production levels. Yeast cells age and become less efficient over time, leading to reduced yield produced by older cells. The aim for this study was to assess the impact of increasing the lifespan of S. cerevisiae on heterologous expression levels. S. cerevisiae was engineered to express previously reported life extending genes, to make them more productive by rejuvenating the cells. The life extending genes used for this study were SIR2, HAP4, HCM1 and LAG2. Endoglucanase was chosen as a reporter protein, meaning that higher levels of endoglucanase would signify improved performance. A S. cerevisiae Y294 strain was first engineered to express endoglucanase. Subsequently, it was further modified to express each respective longevity gene. Endoglucanase activity assay was then employed to assess reporter protein activity levels. By increasing yeast lifespan, we hoped to rejuvenate the cell and thus see an increase in Endoglucanase activity levels. This would reflect the cells’ ability to function properly. By rejuvenating the cells, we aimed to enhance their productivity.
Keywords: Biofuel production, environmental sustainability, Endoglicanase, Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Prof Desmond O. Oriakhogba is an Associate Professor in the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. He is an independent consultant with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under which capacity he tutors in WIPO Academy’s Distance Learning Program and supervises postgraduate research in the WIPO and Africa University (Zimbabwe) Joint Masters in IP program. Desmond is a Queen Elizabeth Scholar (Canada); and an associate editor of the South African IP Law Journal and African Journal of Legal Studies.
There are increasing regional and national climate adaptation initiatives – including by government, businesses, and communities – aimed at reducing climate risk, building resilience, and helping African societies adjust to the present and future impact of climate change towards attaining the sustainable development goal 13. However, existing finance mechanisms are insufficient to support adaptation actions in Africa. Scaling up technology and innovation systems through appropriate governance regimes, such as intellectual property (IP) law, to foster technology transfer, diffusion, and access can contribute to closing the funding gap for climate adaptation in Africa. To be effective, strategies aimed at ensuring climate adaptation must be guided by evidence of the innovation capabilities and governance systems, among others, existing at the region of LiquidGold Africa (Pty) Ltd to demonstrate Africa’s capacity to innovate climate adaptation solutions. The research also examines the potential of the innovation governance systems in South Africa, such as IP regimes, to harness existing climate adaptation innovation for substantial impact. In this regard, the paper briefly sets out some broad background issues relating to IP, transfer, and access to adaptation innovation in international climate change negotiations. It then surveys South African climate change challenges, the legal, policy, and institutional frameworks on climate adaptation, and the innovation governance landscape before discussing the work of LiquidGold.
Key words: Climate adaption, Governance, Innovation, climate risk
Prof. Riaan den Haan, head of the Department of Biotechnology at UWC, has been with the university for ten years. As the principal investigator of a research group, he leads efforts to create yeast strains capable of converting biomass sugars into second-generation biofuels and high-value chemicals. Their work focuses on enhancing yeast strain robustness, improving foreign protein secretion, and enabling non-sterile fermentations. Additionally, they engineer yeast strains to produce valuable chemicals including xylitol and lactic acid from biomass-derived sugars, aligning with SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), thereby contributing to a circular bioeconomy.
The transition towards a circular bioeconomy is a central theme in our research, emphasizing the use of abundant lignocellulosic biomass to produce green fuels and chemicals while minimizing waste and environmental impact. Our research focuses on developing specialized Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains optimized for consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) within biorefineries. We address key challenges in lignocellulosic biomass conversion, such as cost-effective sugar release, fermentation of toxic pretreated mixtures, and slow conversion rates, by using genetic engineering tools like CRISPR–Cas9 to optimize S. cerevisiae strains for enhanced cellulolytic activities and tolerance to inhibitors present in pretreated biomass. Additionally, adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) techniques will further refine strains to thrive in specific biorefinery conditions, overcoming metabolic bottlenecks and environmental stressors. We have successfully created yeast strains capable of conveting cellulose and hemicellulose to bioethanol. This research embodies the principles of the circular bioeconomy by converting lignocellulosic biomass into green fuels and chemicals, thereby reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainable practices in biofuel and chemical production. The engineered S. cerevisiae strains developed have the potential to significantly advance the bioeconomy towards a more sustainable and economically viable future. This initiative aligns with multiple SDGs, particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), by promoting renewable energy sources and fostering innovation in sustainable industrial practices.
Keywords: Bioeconomy, Linocellulosic biomass, Cellulose, Bioethanol
Brief Bio sketch
Tomiwa Fapohunda is a PhD student in the Department of Statistics and Population Studies at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. She also holds an honours and master’s degree from the same department and institution. Her primary research interests are on climate change, census, sexual and reproductive health, migration and gender-based violence. She is currently studying migration studies for her PhD dissertation under the tutelage of her supervisor, Prof. Nancy Stiegler.
Climate change is the significant alteration in the weather conditions of a place which include wetter, drier or warmer conditions over several years or decades. Human activities are the main cause of climate change. Scientific consensus has stated that unmitigated emissions of carbon will cause global warming of several degrees Celsius by 2100, causing high-impact risks to the natural ecosystem or human society locally, regionally, or globally. The WHO defines GenderBased Violence (GBV) as the intentional use of force, power, and threats against a person or group of people, causing physical, economic, sexual or psychological harm. WHO estimates that one in three women have been victims of GBV in their lifetime. The objective of this study was to comprehensively investigate the multifaceted impacts of climate change on violence against women in diverse societal contexts. A document review was conducted to assess the impact of climate change on GBV. The process of the document review includes strategic database search, abstract screening, full-text assessments, data extraction and narrative synthesis. Our findings indicate that climate change significantly exacerbates gender-based violence. Studies in Arabic, Pacific Island, and East African countries have demonstrated that climate change has led to displacements, economic disruptions, food insecurity, public health issues, and other adverse conditions while also increasing the occurrence of GBV. It is crucial to develop a strategic plan for protecting girls and women during climatic disasters as part of comprehensive climate action. This approach is essential for achieving SDGs 1 to 6, 11, and 13 (poverty alleviation, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, sustainable cities and communities and climate action).
Similarly, climate change will contribute to the escalation of the frequency and intensity of humanitarian emergencies, such as floods, wildfires, heatwaves, hurricanes, and storms. Research has shown that approximately 3.60 billion people are already living in areas highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The impact of climate change is expected to cause an estimated 250,000 additional deaths globally each year between 2030 and 2050, due to the increased prevalence of heat stroke, diarrhoea, malaria, femicide, undernutrition, unemployment and GBV. The direct detrimental cost to health is estimated to be two to four USD billion annually by 2030. Areas with inadequate economic capabilities and infrastructure, such as developing African nations, may struggle to prepare, cope and respond to the impacts of climate disasters. Adhering to the climate action outlined in the 2016 Paris Agreement and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through improved energy, food, and transportation choices can yield significant benefits. This would also prevent several detrimental consequences of climate change, such as forced migration, gender inequality, GBV, undernutrition, forced marriage, children withdrawing from school and unemployment.
Keywords: Climate change, Gender-Based Violence, Physical Harm, Psychological harm
Brief Bio sketch
Prof. Fanelwa Ngece-Ajayi is an Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry and Deputy Dean of Research and Innovation at the University of the Western Cape. Leading research at SensorLab, she focuses on sustainable drug metabolism sensors using green-synthesized metallic nanomaterials. She mentors postgraduate students, hosts workshops, and contributes to academic and funding panels globally. As director of various organizations and consultant at Lady in Red Opera Pty Ltd, she promotes STEM education through her non-profit, AmaQawe ngeMfundo NPO. Recognized with multiple awards, including the 2018 South Africa Inspiring Fifty Women in STEM, she is also an alumnus of prestigious programs like AIMS Next Einstein Forum.
Fabrication of iridium nanocomposites for the detection of antidepressants
A comprehensive study of the development of a novel electrochemical sensor based on iridium- gold nanocomposite (Ir-AuNPs) modified electrodes for the detection and quantification of antidepressants, paroxetine (PAX) and citalopram (CIT) was conducted. Iridium-gold nanocomposites (Ir-AuNPs) along with its counterpart’s iridium nanoparticles (Ir-NPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized using coffee waste extract employing a completely green chemical method. The synthesized nanoparticles and nanocomposites were characterised for their optical properties, size, polydispersity, stability, morphology and crystallinity. The electrochemical properties of Ir-NPs, AuNPs and Ir-AuNPs were determined using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). Electrochemical studies revealed an irreversible behaviour for Ir- NPs with quasi-reversibility for AuNPs and Ir-AuNPs with great stability with increased scan rates. The proposed sensor showed good precision, and accuracy with excellent sensitivity and selectivity of the drugs including rapid analysis time, which is crucial in sensor applications of biological matrices. Thus, this study was successful in fabricating an electrochemical sensor for the detection of paroxetine and citalopram in phosphate buffer solution as well as synthetic urine with excellent recovery, detection and quantification limits. This study speaks to SDG3 since the acquired data illustrates strides to ensure good mental health.
Keywords: Iridium nanocomposites, Antidepressants, Electrochemical senor, Paroxetine, Citalopram
Brief Bio sketch
Prof Lindsay is an Emeritus Professor in the Physics Department at UWC and is now the Director of the Nanoscience Masters programme, an initiative of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). The Programme has its hub at UWC with three other universities that form part of the Masters programme. He obtained a D.Phil at Oxford in theoretical nuclear physics but his research interests are now in Applied Nuclear Physics, and latterly on the possible commercialisation of research at South African universities.
Fostering commercialization in the Masters in Nanoscience programme
The National Nanoscience Teaching and Training Platform (NNPTTP) is a collaboration between four partner universities in South Africa and is funded by the South African Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). The programme has trained over 250 graduates in either nanophysics, nanochemistry, or nanobiology. The programme was established to provide the human capital needed for the Nanotechnology industry in South Africa in general. The DSI has now asked the programme to be more focused and to look at more commercialisation and applications. The themes that have been looked at in this re-focus of the programme will be discussed.
The students do nine months of coursework and a mini thesis. Up to now, the students have mainly worked independently with their supervisor on the research projects. These projects often address vital issues for South Africa such as cancer treatment and bio sensors with major application in Health, as well as membrane studies that are vital in the field of clean water. However, the lack of collaboration leads to only small problem being addressed. The researchers from the universities will in future be encouraged to collaborate on projects where a large group of researchers can work towards a common goal to develop products or techniques that address common goals.
Keywords: Nanoscience, National Nanoscience Teaching Platform, Commercialization
Dr. Salma Kabbashi is the project manager of the Craniofacial biology department, faculty of dentistry (UWC). A clinical periodontist with a strong focus on genetics and molecular fields, she recently submitted her PhD project on genetic and microbial susceptibility to periodontitis, which aims to create a novel reference panel for South African patients. Dr. Kabbashi is a dentist-scientist, co-investigator on multiple projects, and a lecturer in Oral Biology for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. She is involved in developing Craniofacial biology curricula for various postgraduate degrees and currently serves as the secretary of the African Society for Dental and Craniofacial Genetics.
The microbial signature of periodontitis among the Western Cape population
Periodontitis is highly prevalent among the global population and negatively impacts quality of life. The aim of this study was to characterize the sub-gingival bacterial biodiversity of periodontal pockets in patients with periodontitis in a Western Cape population. A case-control study was conducted and included 10 participants (5 case vs. 5 controls). Pooled sub-gingival plaque samples were collected from the participant’s deepest pocket/cervices using sterile paper points. Bacterial analysis was conducted by using paired-end sequencing on Illumina MiSeq device. QIIME software was used in sequence filtration and analysis of sequenced data. Alpha diversity metric was used to analyse the biodiversity and population structure of a sample through Shannon index H', observed species richness, and Chao 1 index. Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA), weighted and unweighted UniFrac distances were used to measure the beta diversity metric between different microbiota datasets. The study findings revealed that in periodontitis cases, Bacteroidota (36%), Fusobacteriaceae (16%), and Fusobacterium (16%) were the most abundant, while Firmicutes (43%), Streptococcaceae (20%), and Streptococcus (20%) dominated in healthy controls. Significant differences in beta diversity were observed, though alpha diversity was higher in periodontitis cases without statistical significance. Periodontitis is a complex inflammatory disease that is initiated by the colonization of sub-gingival perio-pathogens causing irreversible destruction on the periodontium.
Keywords: Microbial signature, Periodontitis, Oral Health, Quality of life
Rukshana Ahmed, a senior lecturer in the Prosthodontics Department within the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of the Western Cape, holds a Master’s in Restorative Dentistry. Currently pursuing a PhD, her research focuses on enhancing disinfection methodologies in dental settings to improve patient safety and infection control. Rukshana is deeply involved in undergraduate teaching, training, curriculum development, and supervises postgraduate research. Her work is published in respected journals and frequently presented at academic conferences, highlighting her dedication to advancing dental education, clinical practice, and overall patient care in the field of dentistry.
Saliva contamination in dental clinics poses a significant risk for nosocomial infections, highlighting the critical need for effective infection control measures to maintain a safe healthcare environment. Hypochlorous acid has emerged as a potent and environmentally friendly disinfectant. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of HOCl in managing saliva contamination in dental clinic. Saliva samples were collected to simulate realistic contamination scenarios in dental clinics. 96 -Microtiter well plates were inoculated with suspensions of whole saliva isolates in various mediums. In this study, various challenge mediums were used: Distilled Water (DW), Phosphate-Buffered Saline (PBS), Yeast Peptone Dextrose Agar (YPD), Brain Heart Infusion Broth (BHI), and Tryptone Soy Broth (TRYP). Plates were subjected to both dry and wet challenge scenarios. Within a ventilated fume cupboard, plates were exposed to vaporized HOCL disinfectant (IvoCLEAN DUWL disinfectant) using an ULV cold fogging sprayer. The medium with high nutritional value (YPD) consistently supported significant microbial proliferation in both dry and wet conditions over 24 hours. Conversely, the medium with low nutritional value (DW)showed minimal growth under both conditions. Wet conditions recorded the higher microbial proliferation compared to dry conditions, indicating a greater challenge for disinfection efficacy. HOCl demonstrated more effective inhibition of whole saliva growth in dry conditions than in wet conditions. These results highlight the differential efficacy of HOCl across different growth mediums and in varying moisture content, emphasizing its potential as a versatile disinfectant depending on environmental factors and application contexts.
Clinical implications:
The clinical implications of these findings are significant for infection control in dental clinics. High nutritional value mediums, which simulate environments rich in organic matter, such as blood and tissue remnants, showed substantial microbial growth, indicating that areas with organic contamination are more challenging to disinfect and will hinder the efficacy of the disinfectant. Conversely, low nutritional value mediums, which represent cleaner surfaces with minimal organic matter, showed minimal microbial growth, suggesting that disinfection is more effective in these conditions. This implies that in clinical settings where organic matter is present, such as after dental procedures, additional disinfection protocols may be necessary to ensure effective infection control. It also highlights the importance of precleaning to remove organic residues before disinfection to maximize the efficacy of HOCl and other disinfectants. The differential efficacy observed between wet and dry conditions suggests that disinfection strategies should account for the moisture content of surfaces, potentially requiring longer contact times or higher concentrations. Overall, these findings emphasize the need for tailored disinfection approaches based on the specific contamination scenario to maintain a safe and hygienic clinical environment.
SDG-Driven Sustainable Disinfection for Safe Healthcare
This research fits into the broader theme of Research Week by emphasizing the importance of sustainable and innovative practices in healthcare. The findings underscore the need for targeted disinfection strategies that not only ensure patient safety but also reduce the environmental impact of healthcare operations.
Key words: Infection control, Hypochlorous Acid, Saliva Disinfection, Dental clinics
Shannen Ferreira holds a Master’s degree in Research Psychology from UWC, where she also contributed to a published article with her class. Her academic journey is bolstered by diplomas in Forensic Psychology, Neuropsychology, and the Psychology of Body Language. With experience as a university lecturer and a solid foundation in research evidenced by two completed theses Shannen is dedicated to advancing psychological science. She aspires to complete her Ph.D. in the next five years and aims to become a professor, furthering her commitment to education and research in the field.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented the world with unprecedented challenges, one such practice is the manner in which individuals were able to practise religion. Intuitive and scholarly appraisals attest to the psychological and existential importance of religion and religious observance, which gives rise to the question as to how the unique stressors of the pandemic affected this important aspect of lived experience. Volunteer and purposive sampling was used in combination to strengthen the study. The 10 participants, whom were female, ranged in religion including Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Tamil, and Hindu, who took part in online interviews using a semi-structured interview guide, which were analysed using Thematic Analysis. Employing a phenomenological qualitative methodological approach, this research explored the dynamics of the relationship between religion and the lived experiences of stress and/or trauma endured during the COVID-19 pandemic. This charts the psychological function of religious observance during times of stress and crisis. The findings of this study point to how religion acts as a coping mechanism for those in dire times, providing its followers with a sense of comfort and solace, and a means of alleviating stress and trauma not only during the COVID-19 pandemic, but throughout individuals’ lives as a whole. Religious practice and observance allowed for a theoretical blueprint for the participants’ lives and provided individuals with a sense of hope for a better future. This study uncovered that such comfort does not preclude expressions of anger and questioning of religion and/or their God(s), but that resolution of such challenges ultimately effects a “stronger” coping response. This submission would fit into the second stream of “One Health” as the study focused on well-being of individuals and how they used their religion as a coping mechanism in times of stress and trauma.
Keywords: Psychology, Religion, Pandemic Stress, Lived Experiences
Brief Bio sketch
Dr. Blake Boggenpoel (BA Sport Science, BSc Physiotherapy, MSc Clinical Epidemiology, PhD Physiotherapy) is a Lecturer within the UWC Physiotherapy department, with a teaching focus on exercise prescription, exercise physiology, and neurology. His research primarily focuses on improving the care processes of persons who have sustained traumatic spinal cord injuries. His other research areas include health systems, evidence-based practice, value-based care and clinical decision-making model
In the pursuit of improving survival of persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI), who are at risk of early mortality, it is important to first identify the factors which may be predisposing them to early mortality. Hence, the aim of this review was to identify the independent predictors of early mortality (i.e., within first year post injury) for persons with TSCI to improve survival. This review utilised a rapid review methodology that was guided by the work of Tricco et al. (2017). The following databases were independently searched: EBSCOhost - (Medline; Academic search complete and Cinahl Plus) and SCOPUS. Databases were searched from inception to July 2024. The literature search yielded 73 articles with 50 articles being excluded leaving 23 articles in total for the full review. This review identified a mix of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors of early mortality with the following three predictors being the most common: age (9/23, 39%, non-modifiable), neurological deficit (5/23, 22%, non-modifiable) and presence of comorbidities (5/23, 22%, modifiable). Several independent predictors relating to early mortality exist for persons who have sustained a TSCI, some of which can be modified to improve patient survival. Furthermore, identifying these predictors of early mortality provides valuable information on how current healthcare processes in managing persons with TSCI can be improved to increase the probability of patient survival, especially in instances where predictors are modifiable. Therefore, further research is required to understand how these modifiable predictors can be addressed.
Keywords: Early Mortality, Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury, Morbidity, Neurological impairment
Dr. Janine Hannibal is a part-time lecturer at the University of the Western Cape, specializing in Ethics and Theological Studies. With a PhD in Philosophy and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of the Western Cape, she combines academic rigor with practical expertise. Dr. Janine Hannibal also manages the EU Gender Project, focusing on logistics, contracts, and gender policy analysis. Her contributions extend to non-profit advocacy for gender equity and peer review for “Inscriptions”. She pioneered research on pilgrimage walking for spiritual well-being, using digital technology to enrich findings on mental and physical health during COVID-19
The interplay between wellness and well-being within the context of nature and self-discovery is a topic of growing interest, especially within the South African context. Walking in nature has long been recognized as a sanctuary for individuals, offering solace, refuge, and protection (Swartz, L., Koenig & Zwingmann, 2017; Hannibal, 2023; Hartig et al., 2003; Berman, Jonides, and Kaplan, 2008). This connection of walking in nature is believed to be essential for both wellness and well-being. Research indicates its ability to reduce stress, improve mood, and promote physical health (Maddrell, 2013; Hannibal, 2023). This study aims to explore how walking is instrumental in fostering individualistic wellness and well-being. By examining the experiences described in the text, we seek to uncover the mechanisms through which engagement with nature and self-exploration contributes to holistic wellness and a sense of fulfillment in individuals. The research methodology employed in this study comprise of a qualitative analysis approach, by actively involving thirty women. To achieve these goals, the project employs autoethnography and participant observation with actively engaged walking women. Key themes highlight the transformative potential of walking in natural environments for self-discovery and endurance, emphasizing aspects such as renewal, rejuvenation, and the importance of present-moment awareness. Through meticulous examination and interpretation, the analysis of these themes intertwines with the promotion of wellness and overall well-being. The research findings emphasize that walking in nature functions as a sanctuary, facilitating solace, reflection, and connection, while fostering transformative self-discovery, endurance, renewal, and rejuvenation, all crucial for wellness, emotional healing, and a sense of purpose. The study emphasizes that living in the present moment, intertwined with nature, self-discovery, and mindfulness, is integral to mental well-being, reducing stress and fostering wholeness, fulfillment, and vitality through embracing challenges, seeking renewal, and immersion in nature. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating nature-based practices and mindfulness techniques into wellness and well-being interventions, ultimately leading to enhanced quality of life and overall flourishing. By addressing these findings, future studies can contribute to advancing the understanding of the connections between walking in nature, sustainable development goals, and promoting good health and well-being for all.
Keywords: Holistic well-being, mental health, wellness, walking, health
Associate Professor Liezel Ennion is an NRF rated (Y2) researcher, and currently the Head of the Department of Physiotherapy. She worked as a clinician for 10 years, graduated with her PhD from UWC in 2015, and has an advocatory approach to research. Her niche is the prevention of lower limb amputation, and prosthetic rehabilitation in rural settings. Prof Ennion has funded research projects, and am providing scholarship opportunities to masters and doctoral studies who are working on her projects. She supervises multiple postgraduate students. She loves being active and spending time with her family and daughter.
Therapeutic use of vibrating insoles for improved plantar sensation in patients with Type II
Diabetes Mellitus and sensory peripheral neuropathy
Globally, non-communicable diseases are the most common cause of death and 2.7% of all deaths can be attributed to Diabetes Mellitus (DM). In 2021, 537 million adults were diagnosed with DM. Sensory peripheral neuropathy (SPN) is a common complication of DM and the biggest risk factor for diabetic foot ulcers and subsequent limb amputation, increasing risk of mortality. There is currently no available treatment that can reverse sensory loss in the diabetic population. The application of mechanical noise has been shown to improve vibration perception threshold (VPT) or plantar sensation in the short term, but the therapeutic use, and longer-term effects have not been explored. The study aimed to determine whether the therapeutic application of vibrating insoles could improve plantar sensation in patients with Type II DM and sensory peripheral neuropathy and whether this improvement could be retained over time. In this cohort study, vibrating insoles were therapeutically used by 22 participants, for 30 min per day, on a daily basis, for a month, by persons with diabetic SPN. Vibration perception threshold measurements were taken at baseline, after the one-month of intervention, and then one month later with no intervention. The therapeutic application of vibrating insoles in this cohort significantly improved VPT (sensation) by an average of 8.5 V (p = 0.001) post-intervention and 8.2 V (p < 0.001) post-washout. This equates to an almost 48% reduction in foot-ulceration risk. This statistically and clinically relevant improvement in sensation can potentially protect against diabetic foot ulcers, subsequent lower-extremity amputation and possible mortality.
Keywords: Plantar sensation, Diabetes Mellitus, Peripheral Neuropathy, vibrating insoles
Ms Nabilah Ebrahim Holds a degree in Sport Science, dual Honours in Sport and Exercise Science and Biokinetics. My Master's degree titled “The Determinants of Falls Among the Elderly Living in Long-Term Care Facilities in the City of Cape Town.” fuelled my passion for disabilities and deepened my commitment to the field of geriatrics. Presently, I am engaged in my doctoral research specializing in geriatrics with a focus on motor and cognitive functions, biomechanics, and rehabilitation. My passion motivates me to support and evolve the studies of holistic health and advanced motion capture systems amongst this high priority community.
The effect of dual task training on motor and cognitive functions among the aging in long term care facilities in South Africa
Performing daily activities requires balance for older adults. Age-related declines in balance, however, increase the risk of falls and severe injuries, such as fractured bones and head injuries (Bergen, 2014). In older adults, exercise games (exergames) have been widely used to improve health-related outcomes. The SMARTfit technology focuses on providing a multi-sensory approach for exercise which simultaneously uses visual and auditory stimuli/feedback while providing physical and cognitive training games. The prime purpose of this study is to assess whether cognition, and motor function performance of elderly people in institutionalized facilities have improve through a virtual gaming exercise program The SMARTfit device is a novel technology that provides an opportunity to combine physical training with cognitive training, which will be used This study will investigate the elderly, aged 60 years and older, living in retirement facilities in an 8-week intervention with pre- and post-test evaluations. The Berg Balance Scale, the Dynamic Gait Index and Montreal Cognitive Assessment will be used as the research instruments. An exergaming intervention program will lead to improvements of motor and cognitive functions for older adults as well as the willingness to continue playing games as a means of rehabilitation. The concept of exergaming is to engage participants in physical activity while having fun It is therefore crucial in attempting to decrease the overall fall risk among the elderly population, especially those in lower middle-income countries (LMIC’s).
Keywords: elderly; SMARTfit; exergames; cognitive, motor function; long-term care
Dr Philomene Nsengiyumva is currently a Senior Lecturer and researcher in the department of Statistics and Population Studies at university of the Western Cape. Philomene’s research involves almost all Sustainable Development Goals in South Africa, in Africa, and globally. Her research focus is mainly oriented on issues that affect the women in South Africa, and on African continent. These include housing, water access, employment and other. According to the SDG 5 target, this is to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.
The determinants of postnatal health check among mothers in Sierra Leone: evidence from SLDHS 2019
Postnatal period is a critical phase for both mothers and new born, significantly impacting long-term health outcomes. Existing researches highlights significant disparities in postnatal care, influenced by socioeconomic, demographic, and healthcare-related factors. However, there is limited understanding of how these factors affect who performs postnatal health checks and the quality of care provided. This paper seeks to bridge this gap by examining the determinants of postnatal health checks in Sierra Leone. Drawing on data from the Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey (SLDHS 2019), the study found a sample of 7323 women aged 15-49 who have given birth within 5 years preceding the survey. A quantitative approach was employed using univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses to explore the associations between mothers’ characteristics and the person who performed postnatal healthcare. The key findings highlight that majority of mothers were young aged 25-29 (25,4%), had no formal education (55,4%) were the poorest (24.1%), and living in rural area (66,5%). The study found further that working status, place of delivery, birth order, total children ever born, type of residence, and region were associated with the likelihood of receiving adequate postnatal care from qualified healthcare providers (p<0.05). These findings will inform the policy makers to advance the global agenda on maternal and child health and contribute to efforts aimed at achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Health and well-being). The research has important policy implications, suggesting that targeted interventions are needed to improve postnatal care services for marginalized groups. These include enhancing healthcare infrastructure, providing training for healthcare workers, and increasing awareness about the importance of comprehensive postnatal.
Key words: Postnatal health check, mothers, Demographic and Health Survey, Sustainable Development Goal, Sierra Leone
Ms. Ticha began her career at Khayelitsha District Hospital, where she worked in the maternity unit. She then moved to Wynberg Military Hospital. Ms. Ticha transitioned into clinical trials focused on HIV and TB at Task Applied Science and the Desmond Tutu Centre. Since 2017, Ms. Ticha has served as a lecturer at the School of Nursing, where she is involved in both classroom and clinical facilitation for General Nursing science modules. She is also the Second-Year Level Coordinator. Ms. Ticha has authored and co-authored publications in reputable journals, including Curationis, Health SA Gesondheid, and Nursing Research and Practice. Additionally, she serves as a reviewer for Curationis
Perceptions of nurses on TB with HIV adherence counselling skills in a health sub-district, Cape Town: A qualitative study,
People living with HIV (PLHIV) co-infected with Tuberculosis (TB) account for one in three HIV-related deaths. Retention in care and adherence to medication remain key behaviours that PLHIV co-infected with TB must adopt to achieve better health outcomes. Nevertheless, TB with HIV adherence-counselling services provided by nurses designed to enhance these behaviours remain inadequate. Additionally, limited information is found in the literature on the perceptions of nurses regarding their TB with HIV adherence counselling skills pertaining to PLHIV co-infected with TB. This study aimed to explore and describe the perceptions of nurses regarding their TB with HIV adherence counselling skills of PLHIV co-infected with TB. The study was conducted in a health subdistrict of Cape Town. Method: An exploratory, descriptive qualitative design was followed. A total of 14 purposively sampled nurses were interviewed individually. Nurses caring for PLHIV co-infected with TB were included. All interviews were audio recorded with the participants’ permission followed by verbatim transcriptions. Thematic analysis was done using ATLASti.8 electronic software. It was established that the varied roles of these nurses increased their workload. Nonetheless, despite the gap in their counselling skills, the majority still maintained work expertise, professionalism and empathy towards the patients. Additionally, there were perceived barriers impacting patients’ attendance of their follow up appointments. Based on the findings of this study, there is a need to equip nurses caring for PLHIV co- infected with TB with adherence counselling skills to improve practice. The findings were synthesised with results from an in-depth literature review to stand as the backbone for the development of a training programme for nurses to improve adherence counselling.
Keywords: TB, HIV/AIDS, Treatment adherence, counselling skills, co-infection
Ms Vuyolwethu Madasa is a Lecturer in the Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of CHS. She is a current PhD candidate in the School of Public Health with an interest in disability, school health and inclusive education. She holds a Masters in Physiotherapy from the University of the Western Cape. Ms Madasa has postgraduate research supervision experience, has published in accredited journals and has presented her work at an international conference.
Knowledge, attitude and practices and self-assessed anxiety of undergraduate physiotherapy students during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
Physiotherapy students' contribution to the nation’s future workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic raised questions regarding their knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards COVID-19 and the psychological distress or anxiety experienced. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 and self- assessed anxiety of physiotherapy students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative, cross-sectional online survey design was used with all 271 undergraduate physiotherapy students registered in 2020 at the University of the Western Cape. The online survey included demographics, COVID-19 KAP and General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaires. Data was analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means (standard deviations) and associations tested using t-tests and correlations in SPPSv29. A 45% (n=122) response rate. Mean age was 21.1±2.65years. Majority were female (86.1%, n=105) and living with their parents (56.6%, n=69). The mean knowledge score was high (10.7/12, 89%) and mean GAD-7 score low (11/21, 52%). First year students had significantly lower knowledge scores than the other year levels (p=0.02) with no significant difference in the level of anxiety among year levels (p=0.73). Where students resided, had no significant association with KAP or GAD-7 scores (p>0.05) nor were attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 associated with knowledge scores (p>0.05). The physiotherapy students showed good KAP towards COVID-19 and low levels of anxiety. Positive attitudes and practices towards disease are valuable for patient care promoting good health and preventing disease in populations during a pandemic.
Keywords: Covid-19, physiotherapy, students, knowledge, attitude, practice, anxiety, GAD-7, KAP, South Africa
Calisto Blessmore Marime is currently pursuing an MSc in Mathematical Science at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. He graduated with a BSc (Honours) in Mathematics and Statistics from Chinhoyi University of Technology in Zimbabwe in 2019. His research focuses on mathematical modeling, with a particular emphasis on biological modeling.
Malaria remains a major public health concern, particularly in poorly resourced regions. Researchers may simulate the development of the disease and evaluate the effects of interventions by using numerical methods, which are invaluable tools for solving the intricate models of malaria transmission. Considering that the disease remains endemic in many countries throughout the world, sustained research efforts should be deployed in order to provide more insight into the dynamics of the disease. For a better understanding of the malaria dynamics, researchers have included control measures in the mathematical models. However, these measures bring more intricacy to the models that are already highly nonlinear and difficult to deal with analytically. It is therefore essential to develop numerical techniques in order to understand and predict future trends. In this work, we will develop numerical methods that will help simulate as closely as possible those trends. Thus, the aspects of stability and accuracy are central to this work. We will carry out an extensive numerical inquiry on various malaria propagation models. By gaining a deeper understanding of the numerical methods, the research will inform the development of more accurate and efficient computational tools for studying malaria transmission dynamics and guiding public health interventions.
Keywords: Malaria, Malaria Transmission, Outbreak, Public Health, propagation models
Dr Tania Steyl is a Senior Lecturer and Postgraduate Coordinator of the Department of Physiotherapy at the University of the Western Cape. She joined UWC in 2004 after 13 years in private practice. Her research focuses on health promotion in the prevention and management of risk factors for chronic diseases of lifestyle amongst adolescents (risky behaviour) and the elderly (diabetes mellitus). She has expertise in mixed methods research, the development of interventions, a passion for primary health care and improving health and well-being of individuals. She has published her work in scientific journals and presented at national and international conferences.
Effectiveness of a structured aerobic exercise intervention for adults living with HIV/AIDS on HAART: a single-blinded randomized control trial
A high prevalence of HIV-associated disability, including impairment in mobility are associated with reduced quality of life (QOL). Improving QOL is particularly salient for physiotherapists, given their holistic approach to providing care for PLWHA. Researchers report that exercise is a key management strategy for the improvement of physical function and QOL in different patient cohorts. The aim is to determine the effectiveness of aerobic exercise on physical function and QOL in PLWHA on HAART. Simple randomization was used in a single-blinded RCT with 60 participants that met the inclusion criteria and consented to participate. Thirty participants in the intervention group completed an 8-week aerobic exercise intervention while 30 participants in the control group received standard care. The following outcome measures were used: measures of anthropometry, cardiopulmonary indices, Simmonds battery of function tests and the WHOQOL-BREF. Inferential statistics were employed to compare baseline variables between and within groups as well as to compare post-treatment outcomes between groups. Significance level was set at 0.05. Within the intervention group, median scores for all components of QOL, maxHR, VO2max, 6MWT and balance increased from pre-intervention to post-intervention. The intervention group had a significantly higher median score (8.50) than the control group (7.00) on overall quality of life (Mann-Whitney U = 175.00, z = 4.18, p<0.001) with a large effect size (r = 0.76) Aerobic exercise could potentially improve physical function and QOL of PLWHA. Aerobic exercise is a viable and inexpensive therapeutic treatment option that should be included in the daily management of PLWHA.
Keywords: Aerobic exercises, HIV/AIDS, HAART, Quality of Life
Dr. Dada oluwaseyi Temilola is a postdoctoral fellow at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of the Western Cape. Dr Temilola has PhD in Chemical Biology from University of Cape Town. His PhD, which focused on cancer genomics explored the role of exosomes and other circulating molecules as liquid biopsy for cancer. He has a special interest in oral cancer diagnostic research and the development of liquid biopsy for management of oral cancer in Africa. He is a recipient of the ICGEB Arturo Falaschi PhD Fellowship and SAMRC RCDI-Nested Postdoctoral Fellowship. Dr Temilola has published more than fifteen papers in reputable journals.
Characterization of salivary exosomes as a Diagnostic Biomarker for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Globally, oral cancer remains a non-communicable debilitating disease of major public health concerns in Africa and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). South Africa has the highest incidence and prevalence of oral cancer in Africa. More than 90% of all oral cancer are oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Factors such as the aggressive nature of the disease among Africans, late diagnosis, and access to and limited healthcare resources have contributed to the growing burden of OSCC in Africa and other LMICs. Exosomes play a major intercellular communication role due to their ability to transmit their cargo of proteins, nuclei acids, and lipids from one cell to another. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of salivary exosome cargo as diagnostic biomarkers for OSCC in a South African population. A case control study design with participants grouped into OSCC patients and healthy control groups. Saliva samples were collected from 10 OSCC patients and 5 healthy individuals that consent to be part of the study. Exosomes were isolated from all saliva samples. Characterization of exosomes size and concentration was done using NanoSight NS300. Exosomes samples were also characterized using transmission electron microscope. Salivary exosomes from OSCC patients were found to significantly have higher concentration and size than those from healthy individuals. There are no significant differences in size and concentration of exosomes between male and female OSCC patients. Our study showed the potential uses of exosomes morphological characteristic as diagnostic biomarker tool for OSCC.
Keywords: Salivary exosomes, Diagnostic Biomarkers, Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Casey Botha is an Academic Coordinator in the Research Development and Postgraduate Support office (RDPS). She holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of the Western Cape (UWC), obtained in 2022, and is currently pursuing her PhD. In addition to her academic role, Ms. Botha is registered as a Research Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Pharmacological and Psycho-social Interventions for Late Adolescents with ADHD in South Africa: A Systematic
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects both children and adults. The management of ADHD in late adolescents requires a multifaceted approach that includes pharmacological and psycho-social interventions. In South Africa, the context presents unique challenges and opportunities for the management of ADHD, influenced by socio-economic, cultural, and healthcare system factors. Addressing the unique challenges in the South African context, such as access to medication, availability of qualified therapists, and cultural sensitivity, is crucial for effective treatment. Multi- disciplinary collaboration among healthcare providers, educators, and families is essential to optimise outcomes for adolescents with ADHD. This aligns with SDG goal 3 – the health of the participants and their caregivers, 10- the inequalities that exist with regards to access to healthcare and 17 – the collaboration between the multi-disciplinary sectors. This study aimed to review the effectiveness of stimulant medication for the successful management of ADHD symptoms. UKwazi the University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) online Library Database System was used to conduct initial searches. The articles were critically appraised using The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) and the AMSTAR-2 measurement tool. All three screening phases were conducted using the Covidence software. This process resulted in 11 articles included in the study. This study verified the effectiveness of stimulant medication for the successful management of ADHD symptoms. In addition, the effectiveness of psycho-social measures, particularly when used in conjunction with ADHD medications was found. The findings point to a deficit of research relating to late adolescents with ADHD in South Africa.
Key words: Pharmacological Interventions, Psycho-social Interventions, Adolescents, AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Brief Bio sketch
Janene Marais has a Master’s in Child and Family Studies, and is completing her PhD in Child and Family Studies at UWC. Her thesis aims to develop an intervention that provides emotional support to parents of children with Intellectual Disabilities. Her peer reviewed publications include research in areas of self-management programmes, higher education during Covid-19, support programmes for parents with intellectual disabilities and academic leadership in higher education. Janene is currently an administrative officer in the Research Development and Postgraduate Support Office at UWC. She has presented at an international conference in Norway as part of the Strategic Development Goals (SDG’s). Janene has reviewed for an international journal.
Support programmes for parents of children with intellectual disabilities: A scoping review
Intellectual Developmental Disorder or Intellectual Disability (ID) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood. Intellectual disability has become a public health priority due to its continuation throughout the life cycle and its impact on the family especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Support programmes for parents of children with ID play a crucial role in promoting well-being and development, aligning with multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 – Good health and well-being; and SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities. This scoping review aimed to describe, map and synthesise literature on support programmes for parents of children with ID, examining their characteristics, methodologies, and alignment with SDGs. A three-phase approach utilising Covidence software was employed to conduct the scoping review, five databases available at the University of the Western Cape online Library System was used to search for peer reviewed articles (2003-2024) on support programmes for parents of children (0-18 years) with ID. Data were extracted and analysed using narrative analysis. The process resulted in 40 articles being included in the study with 71% from high-income settings. Only 29% of the studies were from LMIC, highlighting gaps in research and potentially in programme availability. This review demonstrates the potential of parent support programmes to contribute to multiple SGDs, while simultaneously revealing significant gaps, particularly in LMICs. Future research should focus on standardising outcome measures, exploring peer-led interventions, and conducting larger studies in diverse global contexts to promote more inclusive and equitable societies for families affected by ID.
Key words: Intellectual disabilities, neurological disorders, support programs, SDG3
Prof Lisa Wegner is a Full Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the UWC. She is a C2-rated researcher with the NRF. Her clinical and research interests are mental health of vulnerable adolescents and young adults, group therapy, and community development. She has authored more than 78 peer-reviewed articles and 15 book chapters, and is a regular presenter at international and national conferences. Prof Wegner has well established international, collaborative research partnerships with colleagues from the USA and Africa. In 2014, she received the International Collaborative Prevention Science Award from the Society for Prevention Research in the USA. Prof Wegner is inspired by her work with young people to shape them as future occupational therapists and change agents in society
Needs Ranking: A qualitative method for social change through giving a voice to vulnerable youth
Giving a voice to youth and promoting their health and well-being is essential for successful future communities. However, millions of youth, particularly in low-to middle-income countries, are misunderstood, lack a voice, and face many challenges, which maintains their disengagement. Underpinning this project is SDG 3: Good health and wellbeing and SDG 17: Partnerships for goals through a participatory approach to promoting wellbeing in marginalised youth. As approaches for youth engagement evolve, this paper presents an innovative, qualitative methodology to engage vulnerable youth (NEETs – acronym for youth who are Not in Education, Employment or Training) in identifying and ranking their needs and giving them a voice to contribute to prevention programming. Drawing on principles of empowerment theory, the paper expands on the popular youth-adult partnerships’ literature by injecting a new engagement approach that focuses on (i) using a literature-based community needs assessment, (ii) engaging vulnerable youth in small group discussion to rank their needs, (iii) comparing rankings between groups, (iv) creating spaces for youth to include other pressing issues not identified in the literature, and (iv)comparing rankings across surrounding communities. The ideas presented demonstrate that the Needs Ranking activity, as an engagement and data collection tool, may be particularly relevant in gathering viewpoints and opinions of underserved youth. These youth are traditionally not well represented through the more conventional and common methods currently employed in research and community development such as local government community development board meetings and needs assessments, and research interviews. The paper creates awareness around the Needs Ranking activity as a viable and verifiable qualitative approach in youth engagement.
Keywords: Health and well-being, social change, Youth, Needs Ranking activity
Thabani Noncungu, currently a lecturer and coordinator for the 3rd and 4th year research modules (NRS302 & NRS402) in the School of Nursing (SON) at the University of the Western Cape. (UWC). He completed a four-year B-Cur Nursing degree in 2013 and masters in 2017 with Dean's merit award at the School of Nursing (SON) at UWC. He is currently a PHD Nursing candidate. His project aims to develop a health literacy programme for the illiterate pregnant women in a low-income community. His field of interest in research is health promotion and health literacy of pregnant women.
Health literacy levels of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in the Western Cape
Health literacy has enabled to assist pregnant women to understand and to act in the best interest of their unborn baby. The aim of the study was to describe the health literacy of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in the Western Cape. A quantitative descriptive survey of 248 pregnant women was conducted in three purposely selected primary health care facilities in the Western Cape. A validated scale, the Functional Communicative Critical Health Literacy (FCCHL) questionnaire was used to measure functional, communicative, and critical health literacy of pregnant women. Data analyzed according to the scale instructions using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28 for descriptive and inferential statistics. The respondents significantly rated critical health literacy lower than other health literacy levels (functional and communicative health literacy). There was no significant association between mean score of health literacy (functional, communicative and critical) and mother’s employment status and education level of both parents (mother and baby’s father). However, there was a significant association between age of respondents and functional health with respondents between 18 – 45 years of age having significant higher FHL than respondents with 36 – 45 years (2.55 (0.8) vs 1.96 (0.6), U= 3.563, p=.031). The results of the study suggest that the respondents had an inability to read and understand basic health related information. Therefore, this may suggest an additional barrier towards achieving a health pregnancy.
Keywords: Antenatal clinic, Health literacy, pregnant women, Primary Health Care
Joy Levin was born in South Africa but grew up in Canada. Since her return in 1994 she has been an organic community gardener, did her Honours in Environmental studies and studied Waldorf early childhood education. She taught Waldorf kindergarten for 11 years, including making her own community school. Her Masters compared brain based and Waldorf literacy environments. And her recently completed PhD was on the internalization of language in storytelling and play. For the last 6 years she has been a teacher-trainer at a private institution. She has recently begun a post-doc fellowship at UWC.
Internalising language through play and storytelling: a socio-cultural study of a Cape Town Waldorf kindergarten
Early childhood education sets the foundation for the child’s sense of self, early literacy, and communication with others. According to Vygotsky, play is the age appropriate activity in the early childhood period, until 6 to 7 years. This study involved a Waldorf kindergarten in the South Peninsula, and a yearlong ethnographic observation of the methods of storytelling and dialogue during play. It investigated how the storytelling program may have influenced the self-directed play of the children, leading to the internalisation of language. The study used a sociocultural theoretical lens, focusing on the mediation of tools, zones of proximal development, self-regulation and private speech. Neuroscience and child development were also reflected upon in terms of language acquisition and imagination. The results of the study showed that the methods of storytelling, such as repetitive oral telling, puppetry and acting were as important for modelling play as the stories themselves. The study offered an example of a language rich, play-based preschool. This highlight both the classroom environment and curriculum design which can potentially support development, language acquisition and emotional self-regulation.
Keywords: Language, Play, Storytelling, socio-culture, Early childhood education
Ziyanda joined the School of Public Health, UWC in 2012 shortly after completing her undergraduate training at UWC. She leads the school’s innovative efforts in online learning and supports lecturers on the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning. She also coordinates the School’s presence on the University Learning Management System (LMS) – iKamva. Ziyanda has completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Technology and Masters in Education (specialising in Educational Technology) at UCT and is currently registered for a PhD. Her research interests are around exploring responsive ecosystems of support for distant working postgraduate students at traditional campusbased universities.
Exploring student support for distant, working health professionals studying at a contact-based university: an ecological systems approach
The demand for high-skilled health professionals continues to increase in low and middle- income countries such as South Africa. Postgraduate programmes such as the Master of Public Health (MPH) programme, are recognised as critical contributors to strengthening health professionals’ skills to meet healthcare demands. The MPH programme affords health professionals to study while working. However, it does not produce enough graduates as it should because of dropout and low throughput. This study aimed to highlight the challenges and enablers that affect working postgraduate students enrolled at a traditionally contact university studying at a distance. The study employed qualitative methods through a series of semi- structured interviews and a photovoice project with multiple stakeholders. Using Bronfenbrenner ecological systems theory, the study found that distant students’ challenges varied and that they drew support from formal and informal settings of their microsystems. The study found that in the absence of an ecosystem approach, students’ needs often go unmet at traditional contact institutions. The study highlights the complex and dynamic landscape of postgraduate student support which is affected by multiple factors such as cognitive, affective and socio-cultural issues. This study recognises the importance of organic informal support for student success. As such, this study highlights the need for meaningful collaboration between formal and informal settings for responsive support. A recommendation for less rigid and fluid boundaries between settings be established. Multi-stakeholder collaboration can result in meaningful connections and shared learning and communication, which have been identified as key elements for responsive student support.
Keywords: Student support, health professional, distance education, ecological systems approach
Brief Bio sketch
Lu-Ann Kearns has for the past 40 years been active in the education field where she focused on language education. As a high school teacher she taught Afrikaans, English and Business Economics. During her tenure as teacher, she was HOD and Subject Head of the Afrikaans Language Department. Being in the employ of CPUT for the last 15 years, she lectures Afrikaans and is currently Afrikaans Subject Head in the B Ed Intermediate Phase, Education Faculty. She presented conference papers on language issues at EASA (2016); CPUT Literacy Conference (2022) and SAALT (2023). She is currently reading for a PhD titled, Identity, and emergent counter-narratives of teachers of Afrikaans.
The historical relationship between the Afrikaans language, race and teacher identity is representative of the language inequalities as determined by language ideology. Language serves as an instrument of power which can include or exclude, but also has the potential to create different ways of “being”. This presentation offers a theoretical and critical analysis of race, language and identity focusing on teachers of colour. This paper attempts to deconstruct the critical relationship between race, language and identity. The complexities, fluidity and interrelationship of these concepts give rise to a process of reshaping, re-defining and deconstructing teacher identity. Race and language drive the palimpsest of teacher identity enabling the exposure of a diverse and multitude of layers. Narratives are identities; therefore, a narrative approach was employed to study the intersection between teacher identity, race and language. The perception of self and identity are deeply rooted within social systems, which include society, culture and history. Therefore, Critical theory and Critical Race Theory, a LangCrit approach, specifically raciolinguistics form the theoretical underpinning of this study. Semistructured interviews with five teachers of Afrikaans informed the research question. Data is used inductively to construct and enlighten interpretations and theories. This informs counter-narratives which questions representations of identity, especially within an unequal language environment. Preliminary findings suggest that the silences governing the spaces of race and language teaching continue to compromise teachers’ voices. These voices are instrumental in deconstructing the deeply embedded norms and values that impedes the decolonisation agenda.
Keywords: Afrikaans language, raciolinguistics, language, teacher identity, decolonisation
Dr. Natasha Ross is a senior lecturer and dynamic research group leader within the SensorLab of the Chemistry department. Her research niche is developing innovative “smart” nanomaterials to improve Lithium-ion battery renewable energy conversion and storage efficiencies. The contribution Dr Ross has made to science and human capital development is evidenced by her growing research outputs as well as the training and development of post-graduate students under her supervision. Dr. Ross is currently lecturing chemistry at 1st and 3rd year level and Physical Chemistry at Honours level. She is also passionate about science community engagement to increase student enrolment and retention.
Enhancing Research Outcomes and Career Readiness through Student-Faculty Collaborations: A Catalyst for Innovation and Postgraduate Growth
In line with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which aims to ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, the University of the Western Cape is committed to fostering a collaborative academic environment that enhances student engagement and research productivity. This presentation explores how involving student lab assistants in research projects at the Chemistry department contributes to intellectual growth, skill development, and scientific literacy, thereby supporting the university's mission to cultivate future-ready graduates. By actively involving student lab assistants in research within the Chemistry department, we cultivate a dynamic learning environment that promotes intellectual growth, and a deeper understanding of scientific processes. These assistants are chosen based on their academic performance and interest in research. Faculty members mentor them closely, integrating them into ongoing research initiatives within the department. Students receive hands-on training in advanced chemistry laboratory techniques, data analysis, and research methodologies. To further their understanding, we regularly conduct workshops and seminars focusing on the theoretical aspects of the research. Academic performance and research output are closely monitored before and after their involvement in these projects to assess the impact on their development. These student-faculty collaborations has led to higher postgraduate enrolment rates and a more dynamic research environment within the Chemistry department. This synergy has resulted in a substantial increase in research publications. Student lab assistants have experienced notable improvements in their research skills, gained a deeper understanding of theoretical concepts, and enhanced their career readiness. Faculty members, in turn, benefit from the additional support, allowing them to undertake more ambitious and innovative research projects. To continue this positive trajectory, UWC should prioritize increasing funding to support student participation. This investment will create an educational experience that is academically rigorous and emotionally supportive, equipping our students to excel in a rapidly evolving world.
Keywords: Research outcomes, career readiness, student-faculty collaborations, innovation, postgraduate growth
Oluwakemi Ruth Olayinka is a Nigerian social development expert with extensive experience in advocacy, policy review, youth and women’s development. Currently, she serves as the Operating Officer at iLEAD AFRICA and a Youth Panellist with the EU Youth Empowerment Fund, supporting youth-led initiatives globally. Oluwakemi volunteers with Muse Peace Foundation as a Community Engagement Officer having passion for youth, women participation in decision making processes. Aside this, she is a Research Intern with Redbridge MS, 2024 AMEL alumnus, 2023 Changemakers Fellow with Youth Hub Africa, She holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Diplomatic Studies from the University of Abuja
Enhancing Hybrid Learning Environments through ICT Integration: A Comparative Study of Teaching and Learning Outcomes in Nigerian Higher Education Institutions
An utmost significant prerequisite for prosperity for an individual is education. From creche to higher institutions, it is an amazing tool of political, social, and fiscal advancement. Over the years, the offline (traditional) education system has been prominent in most Nigerian higher education institutions due to poor ICT infrastructure and insufficient ICT personnel. With globalization and the COVID-19 lockdown, ICT has become an irreplaceable piece of the modern world. It permitted quicker, and better techniques for learning. The study assessed the offline to the online (Zoom, Google Classroom) teaching and learning method among students and staff of Nigerian higher education institution, comparing the traditional learning outcomes to the online learning method. A quantitative survey method of 200 Nigerian students and qualitative approach of literature reviews, and interviews involving key stakeholders was conducted. Few respondents are uncomfortable with online learning due to poor internet, poor ICT infrastructure, and unstable electricity. On the other hand, the findings show that teaching and learning with ICT integration is advantageous as it is costand stress-free. However, there is preference for those who cannot afford the expenses and ICT stress. The online learning and teaching method is achievable within the higher education system if proper structure is implemented. It is recommended that Federal Government and higher institution bodies enhance and complement a hybrid learning environment where teaching and learning with ICT are more engaging and interactive through videos, such as live facilitation.
Keyword: ICT, Teaching, Learning, Higher Education
Dr. Alvin Daniel Riffel holds a PhD degree and is a distinguished academic and lecturer at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) at the Faculty of Education. He pursued his undergraduate studies in 1990 at UWC where he excelled academically and demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities. His research includes Argumentation Theoretical frameworks to the Nature of Science practical classroom teaching applications, reflecting his multidisciplinary approach and commitment to incorporate Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into the South African schools’ curriculum. His scholarly work has been presented at local and international conferences and published in numerous reputable international journals, earning him recognition and acclaim from peers and colleagues alike.
Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Pre-Service Teacher Training: A Pathway to Culturally Responsive Education in South African Universities
This research aims to address the critical gap in pre-service teacher training by integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into the South African school curriculum. Recognizing the significance of indigenous perspectives in education, this research seeks to develop a comprehensive training program that equips future educators with the necessary skills and knowledge to engage with indigenous communities and incorporate their wisdom into classroom practices. The literature on indigenous education highlights the importance of incorporating IKS into educational practices to promote cultural diversity and equity. Scholars emphasize the significance of Indigenous ways of knowing and learning, arguing for their integration into curriculum and pedagogy. The two theoretical frameworks that underpin the study is Toulmin’s Argumentation Pattern (PAT) and Contiguity Argumentation Theory – CAT. Through a combination of local indigenous knowledge data, literature reviews, stakeholder consultations, and curriculum policy documents, this research endeavours to develop an IKS resources pre-service teacher training book that can foster cultural humility and competence among university pre-service teachers, ultimately leading to more inclusive and culturally responsive educational environments. The study contributes to the broader discourse on decolonizing education and promoting social justice within the educational system aiming to create tangible resources and foster meaningful educational experiences for pre-service teachers in training. The IKS resources book, meticulously curated to provide comprehensive insights into Indigenous cultures, histories, and worldviews. This IKS resource book will serve as a foundational text, offering pre-service teachers a deep understanding of Indigenous knowledge and its relevance to contemporary educational practices.
Keywords: Indigenous knowledge, Teacher training, culturally responsive education, school curriculum
Janine has a Master’s in Research Psychology, and is completing her PhD in Psychology at UWC. Her thesis aims to develop a scale measuring doctoral graduate attributes in the South African higher education context. Her peer reviewed publications include research on: postgraduate education and training, graduate tracer study methodologies, graduate attributes, postgraduate student experiences, interprofessional education, and adolescence psychosocial development and social media. Currently, Janine is an academic coordinator for postgraduate support in the Research Development and Postgraduate Support department at UWC. She has supervision experience at an Honours and Masters level, and she is a reviewer for two journals.
Understanding
Doctoral education is a strategic focus area, for transforming the HE sectors, engaging in the knowledge economy and contributing towards sustainable development. International concern for doctoral employability relates to the concerns that the doctorate is too specialised and that graduates lack relevant and transferable skills. International literature reflects that doctoral graduate attributes (DGAs) include a range of academic, soft skills and personal qualities. The recent doctoral review in South Africa flags DGAs as needing additional consideration. The aim of this study was to explore and describe multi-stakeholder understanding and subjective experiences of DGAs. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted, with four doctoral students, three doctoral graduates, six doctoral supervisors, and one academic in higher education quality assurance. Participants were from four South African universities, and represented a range of disciplines. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. The emerging themes focused on the understanding of the term “DGA”, and DGAs discussed by participants, grouped as either academic or implicit attributes. Findings indicate that participants had varying levels of understanding of and comfort in defining DGAs, and this was generally in relation to undergraduate attributes. There were differing foci with regards to experiences of DGAs. In general, supervisors were more focused on the academic attributes, for example, knowledge, communication, and research skills, whereas students and graduates tended to focus more of the personal growth and development that took place during their doctorate. South African higher education institutions need to consider a more comprehensive definition of DGAs, and provide developmental support for both academic and non-academic attributes.
Keywords: Doctoral education, Graduate attributes, Higher education, academic attributes
Lutasha Abrahams-Ndesi is a senior lecturer who facilitates the learning and teaching of academic literacies in collaboration with cognate discipline specialists for commerce students enrolled in the three-and four-year degree programmes at UWC. She has also taught Ethics and Theology in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in large classroom settings for almost two decades. She is currently a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) at the University of Pretoria (UP). Her research interests include decolonised hybrid language practices, multilingualism, embedding academic literacies into cognate disciplines, academic development and ethics towards the enhancement of student success in higher education.
Parveen Paleker is a lecturer who facilitates the learning and teaching of academic literacies for first-year students in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). She holds a Master’s Degree in Language Education from UWC. She is also an entrepreneur and business philanthropist who has a keen interest in developing an entrepreneurial mindset in students and underprivileged communities and small home businesses. Her research interests include embedding literacies into the commerce discipline, the theories and praxis of entrepreneurship for youth in national and international contexts and small business ownership and management.
“I can buy myself flowers!”: Transformative multimodal methods used to enable first-year students’ literacies skills and practices
Literacy rates among the youth in South Africa has continued to decrease. This decrease can be attributed to various factors in the home, at basic and tertiary levels of education. Local and international studies have established that reading at all levels of education is imperative for academic success. South Africa’s racial segregation and deprivation continues to impact the youth negatively contributing to high levels of illiteracy. This paper explores the use of creative and innovative multimodal methods in enabling first-year students to improve their comprehensive and critical reading skills. The main research question was: Are first-year students’ reading skills and practices being enhanced through innovative multimodal pedagogical methods at a historically disadvantaged university? This study was positioned in a qualitative research paradigm where a case study design was employed. The theory and model underpinning this study is that of Gutiérrez’s (1999), three-tiered scaffolded hybrid-learning and teaching spaces as employed in the hybrid academic literacies model. This study aligns with Stream 6 and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 4. Students are heavily influenced by pop modern culture that is infused with modern technology and digitisation. This offers them rich visual and auditory stimulation that improves their comprehensive and critical reading skills and practices required for academic success.
Keywords: literacy, multimodal, reading, hybrid-learning and teaching spaces, hybrid academic literacies model, academic success
Brief Bio sketch
Molopetsane Naketsana is a PhD student at the University of the Western Cape in the faculty of education (Language Department). She is currently working at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) as a lecturer in the SPFET phase. The dissertation is conceived against the aim to disrupt settled knowledges and provide strategies decolonise English language teaching (ELT) curricula and ascertain the relevancy of the curriculum within South African higher education institutions. A particular focus is given to interests of emancipatory teaching approaches in language education
A decolonial perspective on English language teacher education.
The purpose of this paper is to interrogate the English language curriculum of teacher education using a decolonial lens. Teacher education should conceptualise a language curriculum which is relevant to the social context of students and that develops students’ formative pedagogical knowledge. Teacher education should be underpinned by critical educational studies and critical theory as form of its transformative agenda. A decolonised approach to multilingualism in teacher training is advocated. Language pedagogy in teacher education should consider multilingual classroom and emancipatory teaching and learning approaches. This paper will reflect on a study that used critical pedagogy and decolonial theories to analyse the English language curriculum. Critical language development remains valuable to address the issue of multilingualism in teacher education as it develops individual agency among students, especially those that will teach in disadvantaged public schools. Recommendations include the disruption of settled knowledge in language curricula, foreground decolonial perspectives in pedagogy and consider the reality of South African multilingual classrooms in teacher training.
Keywords: Curriculum, decoloniality, critical pedagogy, transformative pedagogy
Presenters: Brittany Adams, Tina Hlanjwa, Michelle Jaftha & Chante Johannes.
Ms Brittany Adams is the Academic Student Success Advisor within the Law, Economic and Management Sciences, and Natural Sciences Faculties, dedicated to empowering students to achieve their academic goals.
Mrs. Michelle Jaftha is the Academic Student Success Advisor for Dentistry, Education, and Natural Sciences. She is a Masters graduate in the Education Faculty and will be pursuing my PhD in 2025.
Ms. Tina Hlanjwa is the Academic Student Success Advisor working with students in Arts & Humanities, Economic Management Sciences, and Natural Sciences, providing tailored support and guidance to enhance their academic success.
Role of academic student success advisors in supporting student success and aligning with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) aims to ensure inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all, which remains a critical challenge in South Africa's Higher Education landscape. At the University of the Western Cape (UWC), the Academic Student Success Advisors (ASSAs) play a pivotal role in addressing the educational and psycho- social barriers through personalised support. This paper explores the strategies that were employed by ASSAs, to align with SDG 4's objectives and enhance student success. Emphasising the empowerment of student voices, agency, and self-efficacy, the ASSA program at UWC utilises holistic support and data analytics to provide targeted support to students, fostering proactive and personalised advising. By adopting a reflective, qualitative, single case study approach, the study employed the 3-I Process of Inquire, Inform, and Integrate to promote collaboration between advisors and students. Data collection methods included reflective notes, student feedback, and observations, analysed through thematic analysis. Findings revealed that engagement with individual students allowed ASSAs to actively tailor their sessions while engaging through guidance, recommendations, and referrals to meet specific student needs while enhancing the students' advising experience. Key strategies identified include time management, personalised examination preparation, and adaptation of learning styles. These strategies were found to improve, exam-related stress, and student organisational skills and foster a deeper understanding and critical thinking skills among students. The findings underscore and align with SDG 4 by fostering, student agency, help-seeking behaviour, and responsible decision-making during advising sessions. It is imperative and impactful that holistic support strategies be integrated into academic advising practices to promote inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all students which is crucial for achieving the educational standards outlined in SDG 4.
Keywords: Academic, Student, Success, Advising, Sustainable Development Goal 4.
Brief Bio sketch
Mr Jabulani Chitanga As a Senior Psychology Lecturer at Cornerstone Institute, I bring nearly a decade of experience in lecturing, research supervision, and retail industry management. Skilled in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, and online teaching, I have contributed to curriculum and assessment development in various institutions. My academic journey includes a B.Sc. Honours in Psychology from the University of Zimbabwe, a BA in Psychology Honours from Cornerstone Institute, and an M.A. in Research Psychology from the University of the Western Cape where I am currently a PhD candidate. I have previously presented at the Council on Higher Education, the Psychological Society of South Africa and Monash University conferences.
Nicolette has a Master's in Research Psychology from the UWC. She specialises in research methodology, statistics and research supervision. Aside from teaching and supervising, she has also trained staff at various higher education institutions in the use of research methodology. She enjoys collaboration and cross-disciplinary work. Her research interests center around the improvement of the higher education space
Online facilitation of the statistics module for critical skills in South Africa: A critical reflection for future strategies
In South Africa, where psychology and education are vital for achieving UNESCO's Sustainability Development Goals 2030 and the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030, statistics is a critical research skill. This study focused on the complexities of teaching statistics to psychology and education students over the past five years, considering evolving technologies and the disruptions caused by Covid-19 restrictions. Despite its importance, existing literature largely focuses on studies from other countries and different educational settings, often at the high school level. This study addresses this gap by drawing on facilitators' experiences in delivering a statistics module at a private higher education institute in South Africa. Enhancing statistical literacy among future psychologists and educators is crucial for fostering evidence-based practices, critical engagement with research, employability, and socio-economic progress. The module's online facilitation includes lesson notes, resources, and platforms for student engagement, such as Padlet exercises. This cross-sectional tracer study emphasizes the need for ongoing evaluation and adaptation of quality education to improve students' understanding and application of statistical concepts for economy growth implementing the critical skills. Data from the Sakai Learning Management System showed fluctuating engagement over five years, with a significant increase during the Covid-19 restrictions. This trend was observed across psychology and education modules. The findings suggest the importance of sharing resources that align with student preferences. This study's insights are valuable for stakeholders in the educational landscape, particularly those involved in online learning, to enhance the delivery and effectiveness of statistics education.
Keywords: Online facilitation, statistics module, Psychology, Education
Brief Bio sketch
Brief bio sketch
Dr. Karen Collett is a senior lecturer in the school leadership and management in the Educational Studies Department at the UWC. She has worked in the areas of school/teacher development through NGEO's and higher education institutions (HEIs) in South African and Namibia. She has a particular interest in teacher well-being, school leadership development and the development of schools as thinking and learning organizations. She was the South African coordinator and co-initiator of an Erasmus Plus partnership focused on teacher well-being and language diversity in collaboration with partners in HEI's and schools in Norway, Denmark and Ireland. A new recent research interest is in the areas of Collaborative Online International Learning and the development of student academic literacies. In the recent years, she has partnered with a professor from the United States on COIL and internalization of the curriculum projects in teacher education.
“Response-able Pedagogy”: Connecting Global North to Global South through a Collaborative International Learning (COIL) Course
"Response-able Pedagogy" is a concept that emphasizes the importance of educators being able to respond effectively to the diverse needs of students in a world that is increasingly interconnected, it is essential for educators to foster connections between the Global North and Global South. Collaborative International Learning (COIL) courses provide a unique opportunity for students to engage with peers from different parts of the world in the internationalization of the curriculum from a “home” base. In this presentation we share findings from our empirical research on the role of a COIL course in promoting inclusivity and equity in the internationalization of the curriculum in higher educations. Colleagues from US and South African Colleges of Education conducted a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) course to enhance students' global competencies. This presentation highlights the impact of the COIL course on preservice and in-service students' intercultural and global citizenship competencies, as well as strategies to strengthen COIL partnerships. A mixed methods approach was employed, including qualitative and quantitative data sources such as student videos, reflections, selfassessments, and post-surveys. Results indicated a positive impact on students' global competencies, though limitations included time constraints and differences in teaching experiences. The study underscores the value of COIL in promoting a "response-able" pedagogy and supporting UN sustainable development goals in teacher development programs.
Keywords: Pedagogy, Global North, Global South, COIL, Internationalization
Karen J. Koopman is a Senior Lecturer in Commerce Education in the Department of Educational Studies, in the Faculty of Education, at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa. She completed her PhD at Stellenbosch University on the lived experiences of Accounting teachers. Her research mainly focusses on phenomenology and curriculum studies. Dr. Koopman has published both locally and internationally. In 2020 she published a co-authored book with Dr Oscar Koopman titled Phenomenology and Educational Research: Theory and Practice. In 2023, she published Decolonizing the South African University: Towards Curriculum as Self Authentication with Dr Oscar Koopman. In 2023, she was also the main editor of a Special Issue for the Journal of Education.
This paper reflects on how currere suppressed and erased an understanding of the self and how it became a tool used to impose control over our journeys home. The paper ventures into how curriculum models in our universities today, emphasised through policy documents, what Deleuze and Guattari (2005) term as the ghost in the machine, that promotes new forms of being that reinforce a strange place. The paper describes how Wang’s observation by Pinar as an estrangement of self resonates with our (authors’) experiences as learners, students and academics. The paper concludes by arguing for a return to Ubuntu-currere as a decolonising strategy to travel back home to the familiar territories of our being, one that embraces our historical consciousness that could decentre Western knowledge. Such an approach to the curriculum could take the student on a journey of self-discovery through the familiar places – the intersection of body, intellect and context – that enable a renewal of understanding the self through African ways of being. Thus, this paper argues that a decolonised curriculum should focus on finding (or reinventing) the self as an intersubjective individual who understands or at least finds herself. This is her home where she grew up. Only this time does she look at home with understanding, with the self, finding a place of belonging.
Keywords: Currere, Ubuntu, Lived Body Curriculum, Curriculum models, Higher Education
Tammy-Lee Williams is a lecturer in the Department of Physiotherapy at the University of the Western Cape, a member of the health professional’s council of South Africa and has received her Master of Science in Physiotherapy, in 2019. Tammy-Lee is currently a PhD candidate and submitted her dissertation for examination in July 2024. Her research interests include chronic pain and mental health. She often volunteers to attend community outreaches organized by UWC to supervise students while they manage chronic pain at the community level. Tammy-Lee has presented her PhD findings at local and international conferences.
Exploring the perceptions of health professional students regarding clinical practice, during the COVID-19 pandemic
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic altered the landscape of health professions education, necessitating a change in teaching, learning, and clinical practice. While research has highlighted the broader impacts of COVID-19 on education, little attention has been given to the perceptions of physiotherapy students regarding clinical practice during the pandemic. The study aimed to explore the perceptions of physiotherapy students, at the University of the Western cape, regarding their return to clinical practice amidst the pandemic. A qualitative explorative approach was used to conduct the study. Data saturation was reached following online semi-structured interviews with nine fourth-year physiotherapy students, purposely recruited. The data was analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke. Four main themes were identified which consisted of fears, challenges, readiness and recommendations. Students were concerned about contracting the COVID-19 virus, infecting family members, losing focus on learning opportunities on the clinical platform and not completing their physiotherapy degree in time. Students expressed that the online learning mode and lack of practical preparation opportunities were challenges faced. The students reported adequate support from the Physiotherapy Department in preparation for the clinical rotation. Recommendations from the students included the need for a buddy system, support from clinicians, and immediate access to support from lecturers at the Physiotherapy Department. The findings of the study emphasize the need for higher education institutions to remain flexible and sensitive to student needs during crises. Furthermore, the study highlights the recommendations for increased clinical practice educational support, which may assist students beyond the pandemic.
Keywords: Clinical practice, Health professional students, COVID-19 Pandemic, Health Professions Education
Maria Van Staden Maria holds a Diploma in Social Work and a MPhil in Women's and Gender Studies. She has extensive experience in the psychiatry and disability sectors where she was involved in clinical and development interventions.Maria has a special interest in rural development and worked in projects aimed at the eradication of poverty in Northern Cape.She previously was also the provincial coordinator for disability and therefore has expertise on working with people who are differently abled. As the transformation manager of the Scouts she developed a gender programme so that girl children could join. As a qualified social worker, she is bringing her extensive knowledge and experience concerning social justice, people with disabilities, women and street people to the Gender Equity Unit. Maria intends to study towards her PhD in the near future.
Non-Formal Education for Girls in Rural and Farm Communities as a Catalyst for Economic Growth in Emerging Economies.
Non-formal education for girls in rural and farm communities represents a strategic investment for emerging economies striving to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of non-formal education in addressing systemic barriers faced by rural girls, assess its impact on participants' personal development and community dynamics, and analyse its potential to contribute to multiple Sustainable Development Goals. A Western Cape, South Africa case study explores a non-formal education programme designed to empower girls facing intersecting inequalities based on gender, poverty, geography, and cultural norms. The programme aimed to raise awareness about discrimination, equip participants with essential skills and provide mentorship. Findings reveal significant improvements in participants' confidence, communication abilities, and self-expression. These changes positively influenced family relationships and challenged patriarchal gender norms within communities. The study highlights the crucial role of mentorship in supporting girls' growth beyond family provisions. Participants transferred their acquired knowledge within their communities, catalising intergenerational dialogue on gender and other inequities. This ripple effect demonstrates the potential of investing in girls' non-formal education to address multiple SDGs simultaneously, including quality education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), and reduced inequalities (SDG 10). The paper concludes that non-formal education for rural girls is a powerful tool for social transformation and sustainable development in emerging economies, warranting increased investment and policy support.
Keywords: Non-formal education, girl-child, rural, farm, emerging economies
Brief Bio sketch
Prof Derek Yu is Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Economics at the EMS Faculty. His main research areas are Labour Economics, Development Economics and Scholarship of Learning and Teaching. He is also currently an NRF C2-rated researcher.
Investigating the impact of financial aid on decision to pursue postgraduate studies and postgraduate academic performance
The study first analysed the financial aid receipt status and academic performance of the EMS postgraduate students in 2019 (the last 'normal' year before COVID-19 took place) and found that 46% of these students received financial aid. The financial aid recipients were predominantly African female full-time students who are South African citizens. The descriptive statistics indicated that the financial aid receipt was associated with a significant shorter studies completion time at PGDip level, while the econometric analysis showed that PGDip and Honours students were significantly more likely to successfully complete studies, after controlling for differences in other characteristics. The study proceeded to use primary data collected on the 2023 final-year UG, Hons/PGDip and Masters students on their intention to pursue Hons/PG, Masters and PhD studies, respectively, in 2024. A total of 159 students took place, and the results showed that 88% of final-year UG students indicated interests to apply for Hons/PG studies, but this proportion was only 64% in the case of Hons/PG studies (on intention to apply for Masters studies) and an even lower 45% in the case of Masters studies (on intention to pursue PhD studies). The primary reason for not intending to pursue Masters and PhD studies was that the students would need to work immediately to support their families financially. Lastly, a high proportion of finalyear UG students reported that meeting minimum entry requirements and receipt of financial aid were the two key factors influencing their decision to pursue Hons/PGDip studies.
Keywords: Financial aid, Postgraduate studies, Academic Performance, COVID-19
Khelsey Fraser is a dedicated psychology professional with a Master's in Research Psychology from the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Currently an intern at UWC's Community and Health Sciences Faculty, she holds a Bachelor of Social Science in Counselling and Psychology from the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP) and a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology from Cornerstone Institute. Driven by a passion for understanding human behaviours and its environmental interactions, Khelsey is committed to lifelong learning and making a positive impact through her work. She values integrity, teamwork, and effective communication in her professional endeavors.
Investigating the Relationships between Perceived Family Support, Self-Efficacy, and Academic Performance among Undergraduate Students at a South African University
In SA, the university dropout rates are alarmingly high, indicating that many students struggle to complete their degrees. Identifying the underlying factors that cause students to drop out is important to lowering these rates. SDG 4: Equal access to quality education by 2030. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between perceived family support, self-efficacy, and academic performance among undergraduate students at a South African university. The phase of the broader doctoral study in which the current study was embedded employed a cross-sectional correlational design. Online questionnaires were administered to 274 undergraduate students aged 18-35 from the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences and other faculties taking psychology. The sample was selected by simple random sampling, and secondary data was used. The study used Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) as the theoretical framework. A demographic questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the General Self-Efficacy Scale were used to assess perceived family support, selfefficacy, and academic performance. Data were analysed using Pearson product-moment correlation and multiple linear regression in SPSS software. The study found a statistically significant relationship between perceived family support, self-efficacy, and academic performance among undergraduate university students. Additionally, perceived family support and self-efficacy were identified as predictors of academic performance. The study concluded that perceived family support and self-efficacy are important factors related to and predictive of academic performance among undergraduate students at a South African university. The findings suggest that these factors should be considered in efforts to support students and lower dropout rates.
Keywords: Family support, Self-efficacy, Academic Performance, Undergraduate students, Higher education
Prof Quentin Williams is Director of the Centre for Multilingualism and Diversities Research (CMDR) and an Associate Professor of Sociolinguistics in the Linguistics Department at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). He is also the Chairperson of the Society for the Advancement of Kaaps (SAK) and Co-Editor of the journal Multilingual Margins. In 2023, the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) awarded him the national Language Activism award for contributions to multilingualism and the promotion of Kaaps (Afrikaaps). His latest books is Struggles for Multilingualism and Linguistic Citizenship with Tommaso Milani and Ana Deumert (Multilingual Matters, 2022). He leads the development of the Trilingual Dictionary of Kaaps (TWK) (see here: www.dwkaaps.co.za).
Including Kaaps (Afrikaaps) in our classrooms: early survey results on the Intellectualization of a “Historically Marginalized Language” at UWC
This presentation reports on preliminary results of a mixed methods and action- orientated project investigating the intellectualization of Kaaps by developing scientific terminology and bilingual learning materials at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). As part of an ongoing process to transform and decolonise South African Higher Education (HE), and linked to the SDG Goal 4: that is, to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, the project aims to inform language policy and curriculum developers on how to transform the curriculum and linguistic landscapes of UWC with the inclusion of Kaaps (Afrikaaps). The eventual, overall aim of this project is to enhance the use, value and academic functions of Kaaps (Afrikaaps) in higher education institutions such as UWC, ensuring full participation and success in the knowledge economy of South Africa. In this talk, I first elaborate on this background and aims of the project. I then proceed to present the methodology and discuss the findings of preliminary survey data collected from undergraduate students, tutors and lecturers on the inclusion of Kaaps (Afrikaaps) in the curriculum, linguistic landscape and classroom spaces at UWC. I draw in the notion of decolonial communication proposed by Gabriella Veronelli (2016) to propose that the study of the intellectualisation of historically marginalised and indigenous languages such as Kaaps (Afrikaaps) need linguistic infrastructures that not only intellectualise the language but suggests strongly the need to put in place decolonial communication resources that centres the agency and voices of the speakers in permanent ways. I close the talk by charting the next steps of the project and provide conclusions on the important trajectories for the study of Kaaps (Afrikaaps) in our higher education context, but also how can we proceed to bring into place permanently decolonial communication resources in such a way that we challenge linguistic fixities and hierarchies of language.
Keywords: Afrikaaps, decolonial communication, linguistic infrastructures, indigenous languages
Herieta Massango is a Professor at the Department of Studies in Environmental Technologies at Pedagogic University of Maputo. She holds a PhD in Arts and Science Education with a specialty in metamaterials and Master in Science, Technology and Society, both from the University of Hiroshima in Japan. Her main research interest focus is on Energy and Environmental Sustainability; Critical Analysis of Science Textbooks, Gender and Climate Change; Gender Issues in Science, Engineering and Technology, and research on Higher Education and Sustainability, with focus on higher education institutions contribution to the materialization of SDGs.
Malaquias Zildo António Tsambe is a Postdoctoral fellow Research at CHEPIS Post-Doctoral Programme. He is Assistant Professor at Department of Studies in Environmental Technologies at Pedagogic University of Maputo, Mozambique. He has a Ph.D in Environmental Sanitation and Water Resources, Master in Educational Chemistry and undergraduate in Chemistry and Biology
Higher Education Alignment with the Climate Action in Mozambique: A review of research and outreach university functions
Abstract:
This study analyzes the alignment of higher education institutions' research and outreach activities with Mozambique’s Climate Actions. More specifically, the article examines Goal 13 pertaining: Climate Action. A content analysis, using NVivo 12 software, of scientific reports and interviews with main key actors engaged in Climate Action projects was conducted. The assessment tool for the analysis was based on UN goal 13: Climate Action SDG and on Mozambique's indicators to the goal. Six universities from a total of twenty-one were selected, two in each of Mozambique’s three (southern, central and northern) regions. The study reveals that universities are carrying out different research and outreach projects on Climate Action. However, more than 50% of these projects do not align with Mozambique’s Climate Action indicators and Climate Action targets, not even with local indicators. There is misalignment between UN SDG goal 13 indicators and local indicators reported in the activities carried out by Mozambican Higher Education Institutions.
Keywords: Climate Change (CC); Climate Change Action (CCA); Higher Education (HE)
Pearl Erasmus, serves as the Coordinator for Research Capacity Development and Leadership Programmes in the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research & Innovation. She holds a BA Degree, an Honours Degree, and is working towards completing her Masters.
Tamara Goliath is a driven young South African female, poised to immerse herself in the dynamic world of academia. With a commitment to excellence and effective communication, She thrives in collaborative environments, yet also relishes tackling individual projects as platforms for growth. Eager to explore education and administration, She seeks opportunities to contribute meaningfully and expand her horizons in the academic sphere
Integrating SDGs into research, teaching and community engagement
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are increasingly crucial in higher education, yet awareness and implementation often lag. This study explores the impact of SDG awareness workshops on students, staff, and community members in higher education settings. The workshops aimed to integrate SDG knowledge into research, teaching, and community engagement activities. Participants included postgraduate students, academics, and community organizations. The workshops focused on identifying SDG relevance to research topics, understanding work impacts on global challenges, recognizing interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities, aligning research with development priorities, and strengthening grant applications with SDG language. The methodology employed in the study was an ethnographic/qualitative approach. Post-workshop evaluations through focus groups revealed that participants found the experience enlightening, gaining valuable insights into SDG applications in their work. Many reported a shift in perspective, viewing their efforts through a multisectoral lens that considers impacts on various SDGs simultaneously. This newfound awareness motivated integration of SDG principles into research, teaching, and community engagement activities. This approach is adding to a new body of knowledge of how to implement SDG focus beyond HEI’s including communities, stakeholders and government. The workshops fostered a sense of solidarity among participants, emphasizing the interconnectedness of global challenges and the need for collaborative approaches. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the initiative promoted partnerships for sustainable development, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and alignment with national and international priorities. Overall, the SDG workshops proved valuable in empowering participants to contribute more effectively to sustainable development through their academic and research endeavors, fostering a renewed commitment to addressing global challenges collaboratively.
Keywords: Higher Education, SDG Awareness, Community Engagement, Interdisciplinary collaboration
Brief Bio sketch
Ms. Anelisa Mente-Mpako, PL (SA), is a professional librarian and Manager: Open Scholarship at the UWC Library. She holds a BA(RU), PGDipLIS (UCT), and is currently completing an MLIS at UCT. Her experience spans Rhodes University and Nelson Mandela University prior joining UWC. Her professional interests include disseminating information, student academic development, research capacity building, scholarly communication, and educational technologies. Ms Mente-Mpako received the DVC R&I Research Recognition Award for Best Librarian Research Support & Open Science (2022) and is the current recipient of the UKS LIASA Librarian of the Year Award (2023).
Transforming education through open scholarship: opportunities and challenges
Open scholarship, encompassing access, data, and educational resources, significantly impacts higher education institutions (HEIs) by enhancing access to knowledge, increasing research dissemination, and ultimately transforming education. Open Scholarship fosters interdisciplinary research and partnerships, promoting collaborative opportunities. The University of the Western Cape is committed to making research more accessible through the implementation of the institution’s Open Access Policy. This paper explores the multifaceted benefits of open scholarship, with a focus on open access. Open access publishing contributes to increased collaboration, knowledge sharing, and it contributes to achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The role of technological infrastructure, including digital repositories and interoperability standards, will be highlighted as critical to supporting open scholarship. By addressing these key areas, the paper aims to provide an overview of how the UWC stakeholders can support and sustain open scholarship, ultimately fostering an environment where research is more accessible, equitable, and impactful. Ethically, open access promotes equity by reducing knowledge inequalities and enhancing public engagement. However, challenges such as ensuring the quality of open educational resources, open access publications, and developing sustainable funding models remain.
Keywords: Open scholarship, educational resources, Scholarship, interdisciplinary research
Brief Bio sketch
Andrew Maneli is a lecturer at the University of the Western Cape. He received the National Diploma and Advanced Diploma degrees in software development from Nelson Mandela University, South Africa. He completed his Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) degree in e-skills development with immersive technology and M.Sc. degree in computer science from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
LiDAR-Based Augmented Reality Implementation for Library Tours
This paper presents a prototype augmented reality (AR) application tailored for the University of the Western Cape (UWC) library, addressing challenges in awareness of library resources and engagement utilizing Light Detection and Ranging - Augmented Reality (LiDAR-AR) technology. Based on rigorous tests conducted involving accuracy and user testing, the prototype demonstrated successful integration, promising heightened user interaction, and exhibited robust performance in quality and accuracy assessments. Despite the noted challenges in AR Android applications, including device-specific limitations, the study emphasizes the imperative for further research to quantitatively measure engagement and awareness. The findings highlight the prototype's potential to establish interactive learning environments within academic libraries, emphasizing the iterative nature of AR application development.
Keywords: Augmented Reality, Library Tours, Learning Environments
Dr Colette February is a lecturer in Adult Education at the University of the Western Cape. She has a master’s degree in Literacy Studies from the University of Cape Town, and a master’s degree in Adult Learning and Global Change from the University of the Western Cape. Since 2017 she teaches on an intercontinental, intentionally online, adult education postgraduate programme, which has become a successful twenty four-year international collaboration between the Universities of British Columbia, Linköping and the Western Cape. Her PhD dissertation allowed her to explore her interest in nontraditional students and lifelong learning in higher education. Dr February is also interested in findings ways to make lifelong learning personally and socially meaningful, and believes that authenticated forms of lifelong learning may assist in democratizing the public spheres and educational contexts she knows and seeks to build.
Public spheres and counter publics of adult postgraduate students: Towards a personal lifelong learning supervisory framework for successful postgraduate supervision
As a relatively new postgraduate supervisor I am persuaded that appreciable knowledge of a spectrum of experiences of the students whom I supervise would contribute insightfully towards successful supervision practices as well as the flourishing scholarly communities of practice. Reflecting on my experience as a fledgling supervisor, I draw attention to the kind of postgraduate-supervisor lifeworld experiences informing the supervisory journey, and show ideally which experiences ought to be informing a robust, and mutually meaningful, scholarly experience. My aim for an intended qualitative research project would be to consider the views of selected postgraduate supervisors similar in orientation to my own and student participants towards understanding the kind of “inner resources” students feel they may have to rely on in order to be successful in their respective research undertakings. I would be interested to know the extent to which university life as a public sphere has a role in contributing towards the “inner resources” of postgraduate students and their supervisors, or whether counter publics play a more meaningful role in sustaining student success. Historically, the public sphere is generally and theoretically considered to be a vibrant and democratic space that potentially allows a range of ideas to flourish. My proposed research project also aims to explore whether a re-imagined form of lifelong learning could contribute towards informing such an ethos at a university, and how authenticated models of lifelong learning may be able to inform adult postgraduate supervision that contribute in the most meaningful way to the scholarly problems our students seek to address.
Keywords: Postgraduate supervision, postgraduate students, scholarship, communities of practice
Li'Tsoanelo Zwane, from Gugulethu, Cape Town, holds education degrees from the University of the Western Cape and University of Cape Town. She's pursuing a doctorate at UWC as an International Research and Training Group fellow and works as an Associate Lecturer in Religion and Theology. Her research focuses on African Initiated Churches, African Metaphysics, traditional healers, and indigenous knowledge systems. Zwane is a practicing Sangoma, Gobela, prophetess, high priestess, and faith-healer. She serves on the South African Human Rights Commission's advisory board for Diversity Education and Training and is a member of the Traditional Healers Organization and Association of the Study of Religions in Southern Africa.
Dislocating the Body and Transcending the Imperial Eye(I)
In this study, I establish myself as both researcher and respondent and I use the literal and figurative interpretations of the word ‘body’ to discuss how canonical epistemological paradigms, through their construction of Indigenous knowledge systems, construct African bodies and how this impacts knowledge and research methods. I discuss how the corporeal bodies of Sangomas have been constructed, particularly through problematic research approaches which focus on observations of the corporeal body. Critical here, is how the imperial gaze is unrelenting in its deconstruction and reconstruction of African bodies. By engaging with the cosmology of Sangomas and their interaction with ancestors, I discuss the ineptitude of western-centric hegemonic research approaches in providing substantial responses to the variety of social phenomena with which the Social Sciences grapple. I focus on Sangoma practices of inhlolo (divination), ukuphupha (dreams and dream analysis) and the valorization of umbilini (intuition) as useful tools for the reimagination of research methodologies which have the power to transcend the corporeal lens with which canonical research approaches have become synonymous. Critical to the cosmology of Sangomas is community and the communal production and sharing of knowledge which I propose is a useful framework for transcending the individualistic researcher-focused approach which dominates Social Science research. Through an engagement with the fallaciousness of bifurcated knowledge systems, I argue that it is untruthful to assume that Indigenous knowledge systems and western knowledge systems do not interact with each other or have never interacted with each other in the past. I recommend an approach to research which invites an integration of various knowledge systems and diverse ways of knowing. Furthermore, I propose, through a discourse analysis on my reflexive practice as a Sangoma, the concept of Ubungoma (as praxis) with its related theoretical and methodical approaches to decolonising the knowledge archive through ukuphupha as a pathway to insights, inhlolo as a quest for knowledge and ukuphahla as a decolonial research methodology.
Keywords: Corporeal bodies, Sangomas, Ubungoma, Western-centric research, Decolonial research
Brief Bio sketch
Mrs. Shamila Gamiet is a lecturer in the Interprofessional Education Unity, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences. She is a current PhD candidate in the Department of Physiotherapy with an interest in interprofessional education, primary health care, clinical supervision, collaborative practice and behavioural medicine. She holds a Masters in Physiotherapy from the University of the Western Cape. Mrs Gamiet has postgraduate research supervision experience and has presented both at local and international conferences
Behavioural medicine competencies in physiotherapy students’ clinical reasoning: a comparative study
Evidence of physiotherapy students’ knowledge, clinical reasoning (CR) skills and competencies related to behavioural medicine theory and practice is unknown in the South African setting. This study aims to compare undergraduate physiotherapy students’ CR skills regards to patients’ activity related behaviour change (BC) between two University settings including South Africa (SA) and Sweden. The study used a quantitative, crosssectional study design. Final year undergraduate SA physiotherapy students (N=49) were invited to complete the Reasoning for Change (R4C) questionnaire. Data, collected in a previous study (Elvén et al., 2019), from 61 Swedish students, who attended programmes with behavioural medicine content and competencies (BMCC) in the curricula were included for comparison. R4C data was analysed descriptively using frequencies, percentages and comparisons made using independent t-tests and Pearson's correlations in SPSSv29. Results were significant at p-value 0.05. Thirty-eight SA responded. The SA cohort scored significantly higher for Self-efficacy in CR focused on BC (77.8±12.5 vs 70.4±12.6; p=0.005), Contextual factors (clinical workplace barriers and facilitators for CR for BC) (20.2±2.7 vs 14.9±4.7; p<0.001) and significantly lower for Knowledge (32.6±5.1 vs 35.7±4.8; p=0.003), Cognition (31.7±6.0 vs 34.9±5.8; p=0.012), Input from client (34.2±6.3 vs 38.5±7.2; p=0.003), Functional behaviour analysis (21.8±2.6 vs 23.8±2.9; p<0.001) and Strategies for behaviour change (16.2±1.9 vs 19.6±3.7; p<0.001) when compared to Swedish students. SA physiotherapy students may benefit from the inclusion of behavioural medicine curricula in order to improve CR skills focused on BC and strengthen their behavioural competencies in CR that may improve patient care and outcome. Further research with a larger sample for generalisability is needed.
Keywords: Behavioural medicine, competencies, clinical reasoning, Physiotherapy students
Brief Bio sketch
Ms Hudaa Kariem is a clinical coordinator and co asssiting lecturer in the Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of CHS.Ms Kariem has 16 years of clinical experience in intensive care and cardiopulmonary physiotherapy and has been a clinical educator in this area for the last eight years to date. She will graduate with her Masters in Physiotherapy in September 2024, in the area of Clinical Education in intensive care. Ms Kariem’s expertise extends to her involvement in clinical education and training related to both qualified and student physiotherapist in the management and care of the acute spinal cord injured patient in intensive care. This is her first conference presentation.
The process of clinical reasoning (CR) of undergraduate physiotherapy students may be different in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) settings, due to the complexity of critically ill patients. This study aims to explore the process of CR and process of clinical decision making (CDM) of undergraduate physiotherapy students in the ICU. A Qualitative, exploratory research design was used. The population (N=36) included final year physiotherapy students from a University in Cape Town who completed an ICU clinical rotation in one of two central academic training hospitals in Cape Town between February-June 2022. Audiotaped semi-structured individual interviews were conducted. Transcribed data was analysed using thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured. Seven students, three males and four females participated. Four themes emerged. 1. Understanding the concept of CR –variation in CR definitions, decision-making during CR affected by the multidisciplinary nature of ICUs, time constraints affecting effective CR. 2. Process of CR - gathering information, patient observation, problem identification, planning and executing treatment and patient goal setting. 3. Facilitators and 4 Barriers to CRapplying theory to practice, online teaching and learning practices, exposure to ICU environments, rapid changes in ICU patient condition, clinician/supervisor/peer support, fear, stress, anxiety, level of preparedness and knowledge base for ICU training. Clinical reasoning for physiotherapy in ICU is different. Educational Interventions incorporating new technologies into teaching and learning to improve data gathering, patient observation, problem identification, data processing skills and strategies to improve cognitive and reflective practices to assist CR in intensive care area is recommended.
Keywords: Clinical Reasoning, Clinical decision making, Intensive care unit, Physiotherapy student
Razia Adam is an Associate Professor and Deputy Dean of Research at the Faculty of Dentistry, UWC. Razia is also the current coordinator for the Postgraduate Diploma in Aesthetic Dentistry and an Executive member of the World Oral Health Collaboration Executive Committee since 2017. Razia is a passionate clinical teacher with more than a decade’s experience in the higher education sector. She is a lecturer in Dental Materials with research experience in the field of green nanotechnology and dental biomaterials. She also has a keen interest in dental education and the internationalization of higher education. Her wealth of experience has led to her expertise in operative dentistry specifically cariology and antimicrobial resistance, dental education and dental biomaterials.
Oral Health and Sustainable Development Goals: Opportunities for interdisciplinary research at a dental school in South Africa
Sustainable Development Goals create a foundation for a sustainable future for all, encompassing various fields, including the role of oral health in the human population. Dental research and education are crucial in undertaking challenges associated with promoting a sustainable future for the South African population. This effort requires support by interdisciplinary collaboration with relevant stakeholders across disciplines. Oral health continues to be a neglected health challenge and is often perceived as a privilege rather than a fundamental right for most of the population. Higher education institutions, such as the Faculty of Dentistry at UWC, play a pivotal role in advancing SDG research by fostering innovation, cultivating interdisciplinary collaboration, and equipping future professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to address complex sustainability challenges, ultimately contributing to improved oral health outcomes and overall well-being for the South African population. The project aims to identify opportunities for interdisciplinary research at a dental school to further sustainable development goals. All DHETapproved publications from the Faculty of Dentistry, UWC that were uploaded onto the Converis platform for the period 2013-2023 were analysed using the JRC SDG Mapper. The SDG Mapper tool was developed by the Joint Research Centre and Directorate General for International Partnerships. Preliminary analysis reveals that research conducted at the Faculty of Dentistry, UWC contributes to the following SDGs: SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG,16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions).
Keywords: Interdisciplinary research, Higher education, Oral Health, Dentistry
Brief Bio sketch
Karin Chinnian is a senior lecturer in the Department of Criminal Justice and Procedure in the Law Faculty at UWC. She researches human rights and gender and refugee law within the context of social justice.
Shunelle Grosch is an LLM candidate at UWC, where she also serves as a Graduate Lecturing Assistant in the La Faculty. Her thesis examines African refugee law, focusing on how violence against women in South Africa constitutes public disorder. Her research is dedicated to deepening the understanding of the African Refugee Convention and contributing to academic discourse and practical solutions in refugee law and gender rights.
Understanding the crisis: Examining violence against women in South Africa as an “event that seriously disturbs public order” in terms of the African Refugee Convention
Abstract
Violence against women violates numerous human rights and significantly reduces women’s structural economic equality and integration, as articulated in SDG 5. The consistent failure of a government to protect women may compel them to flee their country of origin in search of asylum. Domestic, regional and international laws define the term “refugee” and the grounds on which an individual could be granted refugee status. The African Refugee Convention is lauded for expanding the refugee definition of the UN Refugee Convention. This expanded refugee definition includes incidents where the asylum-seeker is compelled to flee due to “events seriously disturbing public order” but this criterion is not defined in the African Refugee Convention. The lack of case law and interpretive guidance on the African Refugee Convention impedes its theoretical understanding and practical application. Such interpretation and analysis are crucial for African jurisprudence development, yet scholars and jurists omit this African instrument from writings and decisions. This paper first critically examines the protective scope of the expanded refugee definition by analysing whether women escaping violence may use the “events seriously disturbing public order” criterion to claim asylum. Secondly, this paper investigates the prevalence of violence against women in South Africa, despite the advanced constitution, legislation, policy and SDG targets. Thirdly, this paper proposes a model for interpreting and applying the “public order” criterion as a regional remedy for South African women escaping violence and seeking refuge. The paper concludes that applying human rights and social justice principles would broaden the interpretation of the African instrument, enabling women victims of domestic violence to claim asylum. Recommendations include member States engaging with the African Commission to strengthen domesticising the African Refugee Convention and the African Union’s legal instruments that uphold gender equality and freedom from violence.
Keywords: Gender-Based Violence, African Refugees, Domestic abuse, Economic equality
Brief Bio sketch
Netjat Hussein is doctoral student at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), South Africa. She holds a master’s degree in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the University of Cape Town (UCT). Her professional endeavours include serving as a lecturing assistant in the Department of Law at UWC, research assistant, and junior editor of the African Student Law Journal. She is also currently a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow. Her research investigates the role of constitutional provisions in divided societies, with a particular focus on the African context, where divisions typically fall along ethnic lines.
The Ethiopian Constitution uniquely elevates the demand for internal secession to the status of a constitutional right. This right, enshrined in Article 47 of the Constitution, allows the Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (NNPs) of Ethiopia, the term the Constitution uses to refer to ethnic groups, to establish their own states, at any time. The right to internal secession is exclusively granted on the sole basis of ethnicity. This approach inextricably links ethnic rights to territorial claims, overlooking other relevant factors such as population size, geography, and administrative efficiency. Moreover, according to the procedures outlined in Article 47(3), it appears as though the federal and state governments are not empowered to play a decisive role in the internal secession process. This represents a significant departure from procedures outlined in other federal jurisdictions, as they impose limitations on the creation of new constituent units by allowing federal parliaments and/or other concerned constituent units to participate in the process. As demands for internal secession continue to surge in the country, the practical implications of this approach in Ethiopia’s volatile political landscape are called into question.
Keywords: Ethiopia, ethnic federalism, territorial claims, internal secession, constitutional design
Brief Bio sketch
Windell Nortje is a senior lecturer at the Department of Criminal Justice and Procedure at the Faculty of Law at UWC. He is a member of the African Centre for Transnational Criminal Justice, the SAPS University Forum as well as the Public International Law Research Group hosted by University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. He is a journal editor of four law journals. He teaches Law of Criminal Procedure, Advanced Criminal Law and Anti-Money Laundering Law. He has over 25 peer-reviewed publications. His most recent publication focuses on the prevention of gender-based violence in South Africa.
Gender-Based Violence In South African Universities: Towards Implementing Governmental, Regional And International Visions
Gender-based violence is a scourge on the African continent and particularly in South Africa. A culture of GBV exists in South Africa and the government has been unable to prevent the rise in GBV cases. Universities in South Africa have not been spared of this pandemic. In May 2024, the Department of Higher Education and Training published a damning report on matters of sexual harassment, GBV and harm in South African universities. While the report is well received, it does not implement or refer to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) nor the African Union Agenda 2063. In fact, it does not even refer to the National Development Plan 2030 (NDP). This study aims to fill this gap. The results of the study indicate that the current approach to GBV in South African Universities adopted by the 2024 Report is void of any reference to international or regional policies or aspirations, apart from the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. These policies are important because the SDGs and Agenda 2063 was established to assist states in ensuring peace and prosperity for all people, including students on South African campuses. It is argued in this study that we cannot proclaim to have a solid and sustainable African GBV policy within out universities if we fail to incorporate the relevant aspirations of Agenda 2063 and the SDGs. Apart from the NDP and Agenda 2063, this study proposes a GBV policy which includes SDG Goal 5 (Gender Equality) as well as Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). This will result in a well-rounded policy aimed at sustaining gender equality, peace and justice in South African universities, aspects which the current policy is lacking. A sociolegal approach will be adopted to examine the rise of GVB in South African universities. This will be accompanied by a doctrinal research method aimed at analysing how the SDGs, Agenda 2063 and the NDP should be implemented to address matters of GBV in South Africa universities.
Keywords: Gender-based Violence, South African Universities, Sustainable Development goals, Equality
Brief Bio sketch
Stephina Malatjie is a certified Recreation and Leisure Provider and emerging researcher, completing her MPHIL Sport for Development at the University of the Western Cape. Her research focuses on women’s challenges and opportunities in the South African Olympic Movement, supervised by Prof Marion Keim & Prof Tamara Shefer (UWC). She is part of the University of Venda Volleyball Club assisting with Volleyball, and a Secretary for the Vhembe Volleyball Association, Vhembe District, Limpopo.
With the Olympic Games only a month away, this study applies a gender justice lens to the contemporary Olympic Movement, originally created to honor and promote masculine athleticism. Globally the Olympic Movement is still predominately male-dominated in terms of governance, such as the small proportion of women on the executive board of the International Olympic Committee. In the South African Olympic Movement, women have always been marginalized and, in most circumstances have had to work extra hard to establish their value and suitability for the games with respect to managers' responses to them and in relation to male athletes. Thus, this study aims to explore women's challenges and opportunities (including female athletes, officials, managers, and coaches) in the South African Olympic Movement. The study aligns with SDG 5, gender equality, and SDG 10, reduced inequalities since it explores gender equality in sport, offering possibilities to address gender and other inequalities through local and global leading sports forums. This study will adopt a qualitative research methodology, using semi-structured interviews to gather the data from the participants. Purposive sampling will be adopted in the study to select participants. The study will use qualitative thematic analysis to analyze the results from the data obtained. The study will adapt the Transformation charter to better understand if the goals of the SA Olympic Movement align with the charter's policies. The study will report on the extent of the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions and what factors support or undermine their successes or failures. Further, the study will investigate the gendered representation of women in the SA Olympic Movement and assess to what extent they continue to be judged based on their physical appearance. The study will propose recommendations that will help the SA Olympic Movement achieve gender equality and align with the Transformation charter. In my presentation, I will outline the context and the rationale of the study and present the proposed methodology for meeting the gaps in the literature. I will focus here specifically on elaborating on what we currently know about the challenges and opportunities facing women in this SA Olympic Movement, while also revealing the gaps that this study hopes to address.
Keywords: Olympic games, gender justice, Olympic committee, SDG5
Brief Bio sketch
Mr. Forkpa is a licensed Liberian lawyer with an LL.M. from the University of the Western Cape and two undergraduate degrees in general laws and Sociology from the University of Liberia. He currently works with USAID Liberia, where, for over a decade, he has led the design and implementation of governance projects. Before joining USAID in 2016, he assisted the Liberian government in coordinating the drafting of the Land Rights Law and Liberia Land Authority Act, two critical pieces of legislation that established Liberia’s land regulatory agency and the framework for land reform
The International Bill of Rights Without Rights to Peace: Gap in the Implementation of the United Nations Vision for Global Peace
The United Nations (UN), established in 1945 to promote human rights through international corporations, paved the way for the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. Nearly two decades later, two binding treaties, including the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights were adopted in 1966. These three human rights instruments are collectively known as the International Bill of Human Rights (IBHR). In this article, I argue that the Rights to Peace are omitted from the IBHR, creating a gap in human rights enforcement. To reach this conclusion, I analyze the UN Charter's quest for global peace and contend that the framers of the Charter could not have imagined an IBHR that would omit the right to peace. I acknowledge the UN’s efforts for global peace and human rights through interventions such as Sustainable Development Goal 16 but point out that moves contrary to the recognition of the human rights to peace merely amount to treating symptoms rather than the actual sickness. In conclusion, the article notes that recognizing the right to peace as a human right could remedy the gap and ultimately align with the UN’s original vision of promoting world peace and human rights, providing a more holistic approach to human well-being and dignity.
Keywords: International Bill of Rights, UN Charter, Human Rights & Peace
Brief Bio sketch
Dr Mbulisi Sibanda is an NRF-Y rated researcher transitioning to mid-career status at the University of the Western Cape's Department of Geography, Environmental Studies, and Tourism. His research focuses on Environmental Science, particularly GIScience and Earth Observation in agroecological landscapes. He specializes in plant water use, productivity analysis, and land-use change. Passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration, Sibanda’s work contributes to debates on remote sensing, machine learning, and their roles in sustainable agro-ecosystems amid climate change. Currently, he is focused on using drones to enhance smallholder farming systems' resilience to climate variability.
Considering climate change challenges, mainstream crops such as maize are struggling, increasing food and nutrition insecurities, particularly in regions such as Southern Africa, which are overly vulnerable. Least popular nutrientdense crops such as taro are suitable alternatives with high prospects of being highly productive despite high climate variability. Despite their promise, these neglected and underutilized crops face obstacles such as limited research and market interest, compounded by the limited knowledge of how their water stress varies in space and time. There is therefore a need to extend research efforts towards establishing spatially explicit and robust approaches to characterizing their water stress variability, especially in small, highly fragmented, and heterogeneous smallholder croplands. It is in this regard that this study sought to leverage UAV remotely sensed data to estimate the crop water stress index of taro at selected growth stages across selected phenological stages. To address the overarching objective, the CWSI of taro was computed using weather data and foliar temperature data. Soil moisture content and stomatal conductance were correlated with CWSI data to assess the crop and soil water relations. CWSI of taro was then estimated using simple random forest. Results showed a strong negative relationship between the CWSI and soil moisture (r = -0.73) as well as stomatal conductance (r = -0.58). These findings suggest that CWSI increases as soil moisture content decreases and stomatal conductance activities also decrease. Findings suggest that the Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) was estimated with RMSE ranging between 0.1 to 0.8 and R2 ranging between 0.68 to 0.82 based on thermal, red edge, NIR, and their derivatives as optimal predictor variables. These findings demonstrate the prospects and usefulness of UAVs in predicting crop water stress of traditional crops in smallholder croplands. Additionally, this study highlights the potential of integrating neglected and underutilised crop species popularly known as future smart crops, especially in improving crop diversity and resilience of food systems in marginalised rural communities in the light of climate change especially in regions struggling with water, food and nutrition insecurities.
Keywords: UAV Remote Sensing, Smallholder Croplands, Taro, Soil Moisture, Stomatal Conductance, Random Forest, Sustainable agriculture
Brief Bio sketch
Takalani Mulaudzi-Masuku, is an Associate Professor of Biotechnology at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) at the department of Biotechnology. She is the Principal Investigator for the Molecular Sciences and Biochemistry Research Laboratory (MSBLab), with the main focus to elucidate the mechanisms of stress tolerance in plants towards the development of staple crops to eradicate food insecurity. she has trained over 30 postgraduate students & successfully raised over R 3M of national and international research grants in the past 8 years. She is recognized nationally and international by her publication record in high impact factor journals and as an invited keynote speaker.
Climate change poses a threat to global agriculture as it intensifies the occurrence and duration of abiotic stresses. This threatens food security, and intensify hunger and poverty, especially in underdeveloped countries. It is imperative to shift towards climate-smart crops. Sorghum is a staple food crop that is drought tolerant, however its productivity is affected by severe and prolonged droughts [1]. Recently, our laboratory embarked on understanding the roles of signalling molecules in ameliorating the effects of salt stress in sorghum. These molecules include calcium (Ca2+), chitosan (CS), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and carbon monoxide (CO). This was achieved by germinating sorghum under salt (200, 250, 300 mM NaCl) stress. To alleviate the effects of salt stress, sorghum seedlings were treated with different concentrations of Ca2+ (5, 15, 35 mM), Chitosan (0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL), MeJa (10 and 15 µM) and CO (1 and 1.5 µM). This was followed by measuring several traits including growth, biochemical (oxidative stress markers and antioxidant enzyme activities), and molecular (expression of stress responsive genes) using spectrophotometric and gel-based techniques. Results showed that sorghum’s improved growth under stress was mediated by Ca2+ [1], CS [2], MeJa [3], and CO [4], which led to the activation of the salt overlay sensitive pathway, silicon-transporters, hormone signalling, antioxidants and proline biosynthesis. Sustainable agriculture is also dependent on the cultivation of highly nutritious crops, with enhanced antioxidant capacity and drought tolerance, such as the Amaranths. In South Africa, Amaranths is a fringe crop that is mainly utilised and consumed in rural areas, which might be due to the scarce research on its agronomic traits. This study also reports on recent research advances of Amaranthus genotypes that were sourced globally. The availability of this dataset will provide awareness of the benefits of both crops as alternatives for food security.
Keywords: Climate-smart, Sustainable agriculture, Climate change, Food Security
Brief bio sketch
Dr. Carli Louw is a lecturer in the Department of Language Education at the University of the Western Cape, specializing in Afrikaans within the Foundation Phase programme. She earned her PhD from the University of Pretoria, focusing on conflicted mother-daughter relationships and the impact of trauma and childhood adversity. With nearly eight years of teaching experience in the Foundation Phase context, Dr. Louw is dedicated to inclusive education and student engagement. She has presented her research at seminars and actively supervises postgraduate students. Dr. Louw's work continues to contribute to language education and Early Childhood Education.
This qualitative study delves into the intricate dynamics of conflicted mother-daughter relationships, an area significantly underrepresented in South African research. The mother-daughter relationship is considered one of the most significant and enduring connections in a daughter's life, providing a unique and secure space for identity exploration, yet it is also complex and resilient, making it essential to study and understand its dynamics. Understanding these relationships is crucial because they shape the emotional and psychological development of individuals across generations. By examining how disagreements and childhood adversities impact the bond from childhood to adulthood, this study sheds light on the long-term effects of unresolved trauma within families. Involving fourteen mother-daughter pairs, the research adopts a qualitative, symbolic interactionist approach, utilizing Dollahite’s ABCD-XYZ crisis management model. Data collection methods include semi- structured interviews, observations, life maps, and the Mmogo method. Through retrospective analysis, significant life events influencing these relationships over time are identified. Findings reveal an intergenerational cycle of unresolved trauma, especially from early maternal adversity and prolonged separation. Conflict peaks during key developmental stages like adolescence, and although support from communities and extended networks proves crucial during hardships, childhood trauma often hinders relationship development. This research underscores the enduring bond between mothers and daughters, but also highlights a reluctance among participants to change behaviours that could improve their relationships, making it vital to explore interventions that can break these cycles. Despite challenges, the study confirms the enduring bond between mothers and daughters.
Keywords: Adversity- Conflict - Conflicted relationships – Disagreement - Mmogo method as projective method - Mother–daughter relationship - Relationship dynamics - Retrospective research
Brief bio sketch
Prof Muneer Abduroaf is an associate professor at the UWC, Department of Private Law. He is an admitted Attorney and a Sworn Translator of the High Court of South Africa. He is a Marriage Officer for the Department of Home Affairs, and has obtained an LLD Law Degree in Constitutional Theory, an LLM Law Degree in Transnational Justice, an LLB Law Degree in South African Law, and an LLB in Shariah Law during his academic career. He is a member of the Muslim Judicial Council Fatwaa Department and presides as one of the ad hoc judges within its’ Shariah Court.
A constitutional analysis of the position of an apostate minor child for purposes of an Islamic Will and Islamic Distribution Certificate within the South African legal context
Freedom of testation within the South African context allows a person to bequeath his or her estate as he or she pleases, subject to some limitations. One of these limitations is that the freedom must be practiced within the framework of the South African Constitution. A Muslim testator could draft a will stating therein that (based on his freedom of religion) that his or her estate must devolve in terms of Islamic law, and that the executor of his or her estate must obtain an Islamic Distribution Certificate from a qualified Islamic law expert that should list the Islamic law beneficiaries of his or her estate, at the time of his or her demise (Islamic Will). The Islamic Distribution Certificate would then be binding upon the executor of the estate. This article looks at a situation where a minor child (who was born Muslim) is not listed in the Islamic Distribution Certificate (disqualified) due to having left the fold of Islam (apostasy) and becoming a Christian. It is noted that the South African Constitution prohibits discrimination based on religion and beliefs. An overview of the application of the Islamic law of succession in South Africa is looked at by way of introduction. The issue of apostasy within the Islamic law context is then looked at with a focus on it being a disqualification for purposes of inheriting. The article then looks at whether a disqualified minor child could successfully challenge the validity of an Islamic Will and Islamic Distribution Certificate based on South African Constitutional principles. The article concludes with an overall analysis of the findings and makes a recommendation.
Key words: Constitutional analysis, apostate minor child, Islamic Will, Islamic Distribution Certificate
Dr Nomvuyo Lukelelo is a lecturer in the Department of Social Work at the University of the Western Cape since 2010. She is the coordinator of the undergraduate BSW program and is involved in postgraduate research supervision. Prior to this, she worked for the Western Cape Department of Health as a clinical social worker and training coordinator in the HIV/AIDS/STI/TB (HAST) Directorate. She graduated with her PhD from UWC in 2023 focusing on developing guidelines for social work interventions for children affected by HIV & AIDS. Her research interest is on Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC), families affected by illnesses, HIV & AIDS, community-based care and psychosocial support for OVC.
Children are often left orphaned and without adult supervision when the parent or caregiver dies from HIV and AIDS-related illnesses. There is very little information available in South Africa on the type of interventions to reinforce the care and support provided to children affected by HIV and AIDS. Social workers play a crucial role in ensuring the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3 which aims to promote good health and wellbeing for people of all ages. The study aimed to explore existing interventions provided to children affected by HIV and AIDS and the experiences of social workers in implementing interventions.The study used a qualitative research approach with an exploratory research design and the data was collected in two stages, using semistructured interviews. A purposive sampling method was used to select 22 participants from organizations that provide psychosocial support programmes to orphaned and vulnerable children, including those made vulnerable by AIDS. The sample consisted of social workers, program coordinators, professional nurses, youth workers and counsellors. The data from the interviews were recorded, transcribed an analysed through thematic analysis. Findings indicate that social workers must conduct a proper needs assessment before planning and conducting an intervention. A needs assessment involves identifying children needing care and deciding on the structure and beneficiaries of the intervention. Social workers indicated that interventions are a continuous and collaborative process between social workers, stakeholders and communities to promote the health and well-being of children affected by HIV and AIDS. The Children’s Act 38 of 2005 does not give clear guidelines on how interventions should be implemented with children affected by HIV and AIDS. Collaboration with communities where interventions are implemented ensures that the interventions are adopted and supported by the communities. This indicates that community- based interventions should not be underestimated as a significant source of support for children affected by HIV and AIDS.
Keywords: Needs assessment, Social work, HIV/AIDS, AIDS-related illnesses
Dr Msuthukazi Makiva is an academic and a senior lecturer at the School of Government, University of the Western Cape, Republic of South Africa. Makiva completed her PhD degree in Public Administration, from the University of the Western Cape. She is a scholarly researcher with a major focus on public policy analysis & transformation impact, monitoring and evaluation, legislative oversight and accountability, and public participation. She has presented papers at conferences and has published academic book chapters and journal articles in accredited Public Administration journals. Makiva serves on various editorial boards of higher education institutions. Makiva is a member of professional bodies such as ASSDPAM and AAPAM Southern Africa.
Gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) is a method to tackle the differences between men and women and girls and boys in terms of equality. The biological differences between men and women are at the root of gender inequality. Certain women can do things that men cannot do due to biological disparities. Gender inequality is not only a social construct but also contributes to the reinforcement of social exclusion and deprivation by creating inequalities and constraining people's potential. The social construction of gender is demonstrated through the allocation of roles in society, intentional oppression, and lack of regard for women's potential. The United Nations (UN) placed the effort to address inequality within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, 2030), as goal number 5, which advocates for ‘achieving gender equality and empowerment for all women and girls’ among UN members. This SDG is further reinforced by SDG 7, which calls for all nations to have access to electricity. GRB, as a technique to address gender inequality adopted widely worldwide, is central to this study. This framework is used in this study as an analytical tool to determine its ability to track and address inequalities in terms of access to electricity, and equal benefits on renewable technologies investments, and ownership, by the rural communities of South Africa. According to Oxfam International (2018), the GRB is basically for both fiscal justice and gender justice. The existing qualitative and quantitative research literature and methodologies provide the basis for this research. Stats SA reports, departmental annual reports, and accredited literature provided an anchor for this research. The findings of the research suggest that gender mainstreaming is not strongly reflected in policies, as they fail to consider factors like politics, socioeconomics, cultural norms, and technological advancement that have influenced the electrical sector and their impact on women. The lack of gender-aggregated data information is hindering the development of evidence-based policies for decision-making in the electricity sector. The lack of gender-specific budgets has led to the halting of GRB initiatives at the community level. As a result, women are often left with the task of collecting firewood in unsafe areas, putting them at risk of assault and taking away time from other responsibilities that could contribute to their empowerment. The lack of a community liaison structure was also observed to be an issue that obstructs effective communication. This unit, for instance, would serve as an umbilical cord between the department and communities of concern. Even though the GRB approach was adopted in 1995, in SA, the deepness of its impact on rural communities is minimal, chiefly, for women. The Department of Electricity and Energy, especially its GRB structure require face-lifting. This structure needs three more units and these are: The Community Liaison Unit, the GenderAggregate Data Unit, and the Gender-Specific Budget Unit. Additionally, there should be a greater focus on identifying and nurturing the capabilities that rural women possess, particularly driven through the electricity sector.
Keywords: Gender Responsive Budgeting, Equality, Electricity Sector, South Africa, Rural Communities.
Brief Bio sketch
Sive Mange is a joint PhD researcher at the University of the Western Cape and Vrije Universiteit Brussels. He also serves as a research assistant in the Colab for E-Inclusion and Social Innovation Unit. His research focuses on exploring the societal impact of emerging technologies and the influence of digital transformation on the people agenda of medium-sized companies. This includes investigating topics such as digital skills development practices for the future world of work, employee digital resilience, and employee digital well-being in the digital economy.
Exploring the Impact of Digital Disruption on Organizational Strategy and Employee Resilience in SMEs: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda
Digital disruption in small and medium enterprises leads to positive outcomes such as expansion and growth. Emerging technologies enable organizations to improve customer service and products, pursue opportunities, and respond faster to market changes and customer demands. Moreover, the value creation, growth, and competitiveness of SMEs in the digital economy depend heavily on the support of these new technologies. As a result, the contribution and impact of these emerging technologies on SMEs have received considerable attention from scholars, especially for growth and expansion. However, the impact of these new technologies on employee resilience and strategy in SME tech companies is minimal. Especially considering the pace of technological innovation in the tech sector. This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review that answers the following research questions: (1) How do emerging technologies impact organizational strategy and employee resilience? (2)What are the practices of SMEs to develop employee resilience in response to digital disruptions? This study employs a unique approach, the PRISMA method, to conduct a systematic literature review. This approach, combined with insights from a quick scan assessment of employee resilience of 50 medium-sized tech organizations' practices, allows us to answer the research questions and propose a comprehensive research agenda for future studies.
Keywords: Digital disruption, Organisational strategy, Employee Resilience, SMEs
Dr. Faeza Khan is a Student Affairs Practitioner with over a decade of experience in higher education in South Africa, holding a PhD in social work. She excels in conceptualizing, designing, and implementing student affairs programs and is an experienced facilitator and trainer. Dr. Khan has taught at the University of Western Cape and supervises postgraduate students. She has served on various NGO boards and previously worked as a Director in an NGO focused on crime prevention. Passionate about social justice, her work advocates for gender rights and the elimination of violence against women and children, with research highlighting disparities in higher education.
Mental health challenges among university students are a growing concern globally. In South Africa, a national study revealed that a significant percentage of students experience clinical trauma, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these issues, highlighting the need for innovative mental health interventions. The University of the Western Cape (UWC) has responded by integrating Artificial intelligence driven mental health chatbots into their support services, aiming to provide scalable and accessible mental health care. This study aimed to examine the adoption dynamics and implications of integrating AI chatbots as a mental health intervention at UWC. It focused on analysing dashboard data and user patterns to understand the effectiveness of the chatbot platform in promoting mental health among students and staff. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining: • Dashboard Data Analysis: Secondary data from the chatbot platform dashboard was analysed to gain insights into usage patterns, engagement levels, and outcomes. • User Patterns Survey: Feedback from students and staff was gathered to understand their perceptions, experiences, and satisfaction with the chatbot service. The findings presented a comprehensive understanding of the adoption and effectiveness of the AI chatbot platform at UWC. The analysis revealed usage trends, user demographics, and key metrics related to the chatbot impact on mental health outcomes. The user patterns survey provided qualitative insights into the user experience, perceived benefits, and areas for improvement. This study offered valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and mental health practitioners on the potential of AI chatbots in addressing mental health challenges in South African universities. The findings had implications for the design, implementation, and scaling of similar technology- driven mental health interventions in higher education contexts.
Keywords: Mental Health, University Students, Anxiety, Emotional Trauma, AI Chatbots
Million Bimerew is an associate professor at the School of Nursing, University of the Western Cape. He is the coordinator of Postgraduate Programmes. He taught nursing subjects for undergraduate and master’s students. Currently he teaches nursing education to postgraduate diploma students. He supervises masters and PhD students on their research projects. His research interest is health informatics education and practice, and TB/HIV care. He has been involved in several research projects in these focus areas. He has published several research papers in peer reviewed Journals and presented research papers at national and international conferences.
Primary healthcare nurse’s adoption of digital health technology to facilitate healthcare delivery in Cape Town
A series of studies found that nurses working in resource-limited areas have little or no access to healthcare technology to facilitate their healthcare practice. Access to digital technology helps to utilize the best available evidence-based healthcare? for patient care and enables professional nurses to make sound decision when providing healthcare. The study investigated primary healthcare nurse’s adoption of digital health technology to facilitate the delivery of healthcare. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from ninety-three (n=93) nurses. They were asked to report on technology adoption for healthcare practices, barriers and enablers of technology adoption. Descriptive and regression analysis was conducted using the SPSS version 27 program. Nurse’s adoption of digital technology is hampered with lack of access to internet and computer technology, workload, time constraints, and lack of skills on how to use computer technology. Overall technology acceptance of nurses was good. Two-thirds of the respondents had positive attitudes towards the use of technology, 58 % were confident in the ability to use digital technology for patient care, however the actual usage of technology was low. Nurses had a low level of technology adoption due to barriers, such as limited access to technology, workload, and lack of skills. Providing proper technological access and skills training will improve the adoption of technology in healthcare delivery.
Keywords: Primary Healthcare, Nurses, digital technology, Healthcare delivery
Brief Bio sketch
Prof Mornay Roberts-Lombard holds a PhD in Business Management) from the North West University in South Africa. He has authored multiple journal articles published in international and local journals. He is an Associate editor for the European Business Review and section editor for the Acta Commercia Journal, both SCOPUS indexed international journals. Mornay also served as HOD at multiple South African institutions of higher learning and is currently a full Professor in the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship at UWC in South Africa. He also serves on the boards of the International Business Conference (IBC) and the African Social Sciences Conference and currently has 3249 citations to his research works, and reflect a Google scholar h-index of 28 and an i-10 index of 76.
Investigating the drivers of consumer willingness to buy local organic food products – An emerging market perspective
Drawing from social identity theory, this study investigates the influence of dominant consumer values –patriotism, cosmopolitanism, and ethnocentrism within international marketing – on willingness to purchase locally produced organic food. Employing a quantitative method, an online survey was administered to 584 South African consumers actively engaging with organic food. Structural equation modelling, alongside mediation and moderation analyses, scrutinised the hypothesised relationships embedded in the proposed conceptual model. The results unveil intriguing dynamics in the interactions between patriotism, consumer cosmopolitanism, and ethnocentrism, elucidating their role in cultivating trust in the home country. This significantly heightens consumers’ willingness to embrace locally produced organic food. The study enhances knowledge of the drivers of trust and materialism and the impact of the latter on consumer willingness to purchase locally produced organic foods. In addition, the moderating role of perceived greenwashing is also explored. The study guides retailers in emergent markets of the mediating roles of trust and materialism and its influence on consumer willingness to buy local organic food products, through the application of selected drivers. It furthermore also emphasises the relevance of perceived greenwashing on selected relationships. The findings contribute novel insights into the relationships underpinning consumer preferences for local products, paving the way for a deeper understanding of the complexities associated with domestic organic food consumption in the South African context.
Keywords: Patriotism, Cosmopolitanism, Ethnocentrism, Trust, Willingness to buy, South Africa
Brief Bio sketch
Nonkazimulo Magwaza is an assistant lecturer at the Durban University of Technology, the Centre for General Education. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Sciences – Community Development and is currently enrolled for a PhD in Human Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Her research interests are in community development, retail development, Local Economic Development (LED), quality higher education, and project management. Miss Magwaza is an aspiring academic and community worker, she has worked at the University of KwaZulu-Natal as an assistant lecturer, for the community development department.
The role of formal retail development on local economic development: The case of Ndwedwe Municipality
The informal sector has employed a lot of underprivileged people for about two decades in South Africa. As a result, the informal retail sector is one of the significant contributors to local economic development in township and rural areas. Rural areas already have the informal trading sector as a means of employment for locals. Formal retail centres tend to create competition that local/small businesses fail to compete with. Using qualitative research methodology, pro-market local economic development was adopted as a lens to guide this study. The study aimed to explore the roles of mall-based commerce on local economic development, considering the overarching unemployment rates in rural areas. The study used the case study method, based at Ndwedwe Municipality ward-15, iLembe district. The study sampled 10 informal traders (street hawkers, taxi drivers, and spaza shop owners. Retail-based development in community development has been overlooked, thus the significance of this paper is its contribution to the discipline’s body of knowledge. Moreover, over the past decade, rural and township areas have been experiencing the emergence of formal retail centres, thus their role in the economy is worth research. The findings suggest that formal retail centres have a significant role in job creation for the local youth, diversifying goods and services, infrastructural development, and rural development.
Keywords: Local Economic Development, Ndwedwe Municipality, Pro-Market, retail centers, informal and form economy
Brief Bio sketch
Dr Carolien van den Berg is the Chair of the Department of Information Systems at UWC. Her areas of specialisation encompass digital sustainability, inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship, ethics and Artificial Intelligence and innovative pedagogies. She has an interdisciplinary approach that allows her to explore the intersection of technology, business, and society in pursuit of sustainable solutions within the African context. Before her current role, she served as a Senior Manager in a Management Consultancy that specialised in the implementation of large technology transformation projects. Her main focus has been on the role of sustainable-smart innovations within marginalised communities emphasising digital sustainability and inclusive innovation. She is also involved with local and international researchers in projects related to the societal impact of digitalisation, digital inequalities, digital skills and digital inclusion policies.
Informal businesses significantly contribute to the economy but operate with limited resources, restricting their ability to adopt and leverage technology. This limitation hinders their growth and innovation, affecting their overall contribution to economic development and the alleviation of socio-economic challenges. This study aims to explore various innovation approaches targeting marginalised communities, with a specific focus on inclusive digital innovation and its impact on the informal economy. The research employs a longitudinal Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology, utilising data from interviews, participatory observations, and project artefacts. It investigates enablers and barriers to implementing inclusive digital innovations within the informal economy and examines collaborative design thinking processes, interdisciplinary approaches, and community engagement involving multiple stakeholders from academia, local government, and community representatives. The findings reveal that inclusive innovation necessitates recognising informal economies as complete systems rather than mere resources for corporate low-cost business ecosystems. The interaction between design processes and community contexts creates a complex environment where co-created technological solutions emerge, integrating into and empowering the local community. Key enablers include inclusion, co-creation, and partnerships that assume a complementary relationship between formal and informal economies. Effective implementation of inclusive digital innovations within the informal economy requires understanding the competencies that drive sustainability, such as the values and motivations of the community. Recognising and leveraging these factors can foster technology adoption, growth, and innovation, ultimately enhancing the informal economy's contribution to broader economic and socio-economic development.
Keywords: Digital Innovation, Technology adoption, Informal economy, Socio-economic development
Nandipha Gana is an emerging researcher, she completed her Honors degree in psychology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is currently completing her Masters degree in Development studies at the University of Western Cape. She is a project coordinator in the Health Systems Research Unit at the South African Medical Research Council. In this role, she has been actively involved in data collection for quantitative and qualitative studies and writing of research outputs. Nandipha wants to create an impact among adolescents and young people in the field of sexual and reproductive health and HIV using research.
Access to abortion care services among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Cape Town: Implications for policy and practices
Globally, high rates of unintended pregnancies among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) continue to increase. Recent evidence shows that lots of unintended pregnancies end in abortion, while access to abortion care services is low, particularly in the sub-Saharan region. This study aimed to explore (a) the accessibility of abortion care services among AGYW and (b) service providers' perspectives on the barriers and facilitators for access and use of abortion care services by AGYW. The study employed qualitative research methods using in-depth interviews with AGYW aged 15-24 years and health service providers. The study used a purposive convenience sampling technique to recruit and enroll AGYW and health service providers from the public health facilities in Western Cape province. A thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that at an intrapersonal level, AGYW felt not being ready to have a child facilitated them to access abortion. At an interpersonal level lack of support from parents was a barrier to access abortion care services. At an institutional level, findings showed that lengthy referral systems’ processes for abortion care services led AGYW to miss the legal gestational window for termination. To ensure accessibility of abortion services, existing systems and guidelines need to be reviewed to strengthen the current policies and implementation practices. Access to safe abortion care services among AGYW is an important strategy to mitigate unintended pregnancies
Keywords: Abortion care, adolescent girls, Unintended pregnancy, Healthcare acess
I am Elizabeth Avosuahi Dania, a second-year doctoral student at the Faculty of Natural Science, Department of Statistics and Population Studies. My research interest is Household Women and Drinking Water: Comparative Studies between Nigeria and Burundi. Dr. Philomene Nsengiyumva guides and supervises my work. This study has resulted in a book chapter that examines household women’s travel times to water sources in Burundi. The second book chapter, which explores Nigerian women’s household choices for drinking water, is in progress. This study investigated various types of water sources and the duration of women’s access to them.
Household choice of drinking water sources: A case study of women heading households in Nigeria.
Elizabeth Avosuahi Dania , Philomene Nsengiyumva
Water is indispensable in every community and critical in maintaining health and societal function. Lack of clean drinking water can lead to disease and ill health. Potable water is essential for various aspects of society, including agriculture, industry, education, and small businesses. Despite the health risks associated with untreated water, many low- and middle-income households still use it. Women often bear the brunt of water scarcity, being responsible for water management and collection, especially in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. This burden impacts their time and productivity as they devote significant efforts to securing water for their families. This study aims to understand the factors influencing women’s choices of household water sources in Nigeria, using data from 7207 women aged 15-49 collected through a national survey. We extracted the datasets from the Demographic and Health Survey website, which is the sixth and most recent survey. The data set was analysed using three levels of analysis: univariate analysis, such as descriptive statistics; bivariate analysis which investigates significant relationships between the dependent variables and the independent variables; and Chi-square test statistics, which measure the association between two variables. Therefore, we employed logistic regression analysis to pinpoint the factors linked to water access in Nigeria. Furthermore, the study identified that 64.5% of women heading households had access to improved water, and 35.5% of women had access to unimproved water in Nigeria. On this basis, this study profiles the critical challenges associated with women’s choice to access drinking water, and this knowledge may pinpoint intervention programs and awareness of the importance for policymakers to improve water supply sources within the closer proximity of the households of women and young girls.
Keywords: Improved sources, Unimproved sources, Women, Secondary data, Household
Mr. Hlulani Alloy Nghayo holds a Diploma in Oral Hygiene (MEDUNSA), Advanced Diploma in Community Dentistry (SMU), Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health (UWC), and Master of Medical Science in Dental Therapy (UKZN). He began academic career as a Junior Lecturer at SMU. He is currently serving as a lecturer and program coordinator for Dental Assisting at TUT. He is registered with the HPCSA. He is also pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Dental Public Health at UWC. He has published an article in a peerreviewed journal.
Knowledge and attitudes of health facility managers regarding oral health community engagement activities in the Vhembe district, Limpopo province
Rural communities face oral health challenges1. Therefore, Health Facility Managers (HFMs) can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by advancing Oral Health Community Engagement Activities (OHCEAs). This involves prioritizing oral health needs in rural communities, promoting oral health equity, improving access, integrating oral health into primary healthcare services, and encouraging multisectoral collaboration. This study aimed to determine the knowledge and attitudes of OHCEAs among HFM in Vhembe district, Limpopo province. A descriptive, cross-sectional mixed-methods study was conducted with a purposive sample of 12 HFM. A 26-item self-administered questionnaire, consisting of Likert-scale survey questions and openended questions was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics was applied to analyse the quantitative data, as ATLAS.ti was used for thematic analysis. HFM (n=11) believed that collaboration between oral health professionals and rural population can improve OHCEAs. HFM (n=10) believed that the rural populations’ oral health needs influenced the implementation of OHCEAs. Despite HFM (n=12) believing their facilities implemented oral health initiatives, (n=8) were uncertain about the implementation of oral health policies. HFM cited insufficient resources, in which (n=10) reported a shortage of oral health professionals, (n=8) revealed insufficient budgets, (n=11) revealed insufficient mobile dental trucks, and (n=10) reported their non-functionality when available. Despite HFM-positive attitudes towards OHCEAs, their strive to achieving SDGs by advancing OHCEAs in rural communities remains stagnant due to resources constraints.
Keywords: Oral Health, Rural Communities, Oral Health Community Engagement, SDG3
Brief Bio sketch
Paul Jideani is a PhD student in the Department of Computer Science at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). With a strong foundation in software development, he holds a master's degree in information technology. He is an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner and a Python Certified Entry-Level Programmer. His research interests focus on the application of AI in healthcare, aiming to innovate and improve health outcomes through advanced technology.
Machine Learning-based NLP for Emotion Classification on a Cholera X Dataset
The recent cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal has sparked a wide range of emotional responses on social media, reflecting the public's varying levels of awareness and knowledge about the disease. Despite extensive research on cholera, there is a noticeable gap in studies focused on classifying these emotions. This study aims to address this gap by analyzing the emotions expressed in 23,000 social media posts related to the outbreak. The dataset was pre-processed and analyzed using the VADER sentiment analyzer to assess the emotional tone of each post. Several Machine Learning (ML) models, including Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Logistic Regression, Decision Trees, and the Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model, were employed for emotion classification. Among these, the LSTM model achieved the highest accuracy at 76%. The study underscores the potential of emotion classification as a valuable tool for understanding the societal impact of cholera. The findings could have broader implications for public health strategies, particularly in crafting interventions sensitive to affected communities' emotional responses. By understanding the emotional landscape surrounding a public health crisis like cholera, health authorities can tailor their communication strategies to address specific concerns, fears, and misconceptions prevalent within the population. This approach can lead to more effective dissemination of information, fostering greater public trust and compliance with health advisories.
Keywords: Cholera, Machine Learning Models, Public Health Crisis, Public Health
Dr. Abubaker Mohamed is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Dentistry, UWC. His research focuses on endodontics, with a particular interest in endodontic biomaterials. His doctoral work explores the sustainability of nanomaterials, aligning with the university's SDGs related to good health and well-being. Dr. Mohamed holds an MSc in Dental Public Health from “Queen Mary University of London”, 2016. He earned his Bachelor of Dental Surgery in 2009. As an emerging researcher in the field of dentistry, he has participated in national and international conferences, including the IADR-SA Division Conference, 2023. Notably, he was recognized as the 2022 Cornelis H. Pameijer Fellow by the IADR-SA.
A comparison of the antimicrobial efficacy of conventional root canal sealers and green synthesized nanomaterial-based sealers: A systematic review
BIn the past decade, nanotechnology has had a significant impact in various fields including dental applications. The incorporation of nanoparticles (NPs) in endodontics reveals different merits due to their unique properties, and powerful antibacterial capacities. There is great attention to the green synthesis of the NPs via different green approaches rather than using the traditional physical and chemical methods. The aim of this review is to compare the antimicrobial properties of conventional root canal sealers to those incorporated with green synthesized nanoparticles. A structured protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): (CRD42021286373) and ethics approval was obtained by the Biomedical Research and Ethics Committee (BMREC) (BM22/1/4) at the Faculty of Dentistry, at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), South Africa. The methods followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). In the current study, the inclusion criteria include all in vitro studies exploring the inclusion of green synthesized nanoparticles in root canal sealers. While systematic reviews, book chapters, case reports, and expert opinions were excluded. The medical subject subheading (MeSH) was used to develop the search strategy. A systematic electronic search was conducted in PubMed, Ebscohost, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus, Wiley Online, and SpringerLink databases for articles published in English from 2010 to 2024. A risk of bias assessment tool for laboratory studies was used among the included studies. This systematic review has great importance as the results revealed the deficiency in the use of green synthesized nanoparticles in endodontic sealers. A total of 926 records were identified and screened for eligibility. 15 studies remained for the final round of screening and 12 studies were excluded. 3 studies were included in this systematic review. The 3 selected articles covered in vitro studies only. A current systematic review summary of the selected articles revealed an enhancement of the antimicrobial properties of the sealers incorporated with green synthesized NPs compared to the conventional sealers. The concentration of the tested NPs has a positive impact on the antimicrobial activity. The addition of green synthesized nanoparticles to root canal sealers revealed enhanced biological activity of the sealer compared to the conventional ones. The results revealed the further potential of the incorporation of the green NPs into root canal sealing. The current systematic review evaluated only 3 included papers, and it was clear the lack of using green nanoparticles in root canal sealers. This reflects the importance of conducting further laboratory and clinical research in the use of green synthesized nanoparticles in root canal sealers.
Keywords: Antimicrobial efficacy, nanotechnology, Conventional root canal sealers, Endodontic sealers
Ammaarah Gamieldien is a second-year PhD student in Medical Bioscience at UWC, under Dr. Juley De Smidt. She holds a BSc (2017), Honours (2019), and MSc (2022) from UWC. Her Honours research explored cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents, while her MSc focused on these factors and their link to mental health in university students. Her PhD, part of the PURE study in collaboration with UWC’s School of Public Health, investigates how cardiometabolic risk factors, frailty, and mental health are associated with carotid artery measurements (cIMTs) in rural and urban isiXhosa populations.
Title: The relationship between frailty and mental health symptoms, cardiometabolic risk factors and nutrition with carotid artery measurements in an isiXhosa South African urban and rural population: a comparative study.
The study investigates the relationship between frailty, mental health symptoms, and carotid artery health in an isiXhosa South African population across urban (Langa) and rural (Mount Frere) settings. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), mainly caused by atherosclerosis, disproportionately affect Black South Africans due to lifestyle factors, genetics, and lipid distribution. A cross-section, observational design is used to collect qualitative and quantitative data. The study utilizes ultrasonography to assess carotid artery health through carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) and peak systolic velocity (PSV). cIMT measures vessel wall thickness, identifying plaque accumulation and arterial stiffness, while PSV indicates blood flow velocity and potential stenosis. Frailty is evaluated via grip strength and walking speed, and mental health through the MINI-Cog questionnaire and related inquiries. Secondary measurements encompass lipid profiles, anthropometric data, blood pressure, heart rate, and glucose levels. Data will be analysed using the SPSS statistics program. Descriptive statistics will be generated to describe the relationships between the different variables. Independent T-tests will be used to compare means between groups. Pearson correlation will be used to study the relationship between the variables. Further analysis, such as, liner regression analyses and Chi-squared analyses would thereafter be performed. Preliminary findings reveal significant differences in left cIMT measurements between Langa (0.82mm) and Mount Frere (0.89mm), highlighting regional disparities in arterial health that necessitate further investigation through statistical analysis using SPSS software. In conclusion, this study not only aims to deepen the understanding of the complex interplay between frailty, mental health, and carotid artery health but also strives to inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing the burden of CVDs in South Africa. By identifying modifiable risk factors and potential avenues for intervention, the research aims to contribute to improved health outcomes and quality of life among the studied population.
Keywords: Cardiometric risk factors, Frailty, mental health, nutition
Nthabeleng Mary Brown is a PhD candidate in Medical Biosciences at the University of the Western Cape, specializing in indigenous Medicinal plants for Type 2 Diabetes management. With an MSc (Cum Laude) in Medical Bioscience, she has conducted research that promotes equitable health solutions and innovation. She has presented her work at international conferences and has a strong background in coaching, statistics, and academic writing. Her work experience includes roles as a Clinical Research Associate, Writing and Statistics Coach which reflects a commitment to advancing healthcare, fostering quality education, and contributing to sustainable development.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become an epidemic in South Africa (SA) and China, with an increasing reliance on traditional medicine for diabetes management in both countries. In South Africa, particularly, a significant portion of the rural African population consults Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) alongside allopathic treatments. Within African Traditional Medicine (ATM), many THPs believe diabetes is curable and recommend herbal mixtures as adjuncts to diabetic medication. However limited studies have been conducted to systematize the ATM knowledge and to validate this indigenous knowledge in T2DM treatment. This study aims to investigate the diagnosis, herbal selection, and management methodologies of T2DM by THPs to develop and systematize ATM in T2DM management. A qualitative research design was used to explore the diagnosis, herbal selection, and management of diabetes by THPs. Data collection included questionnaires on THPs' demographics, diabetes knowledge, and management practices; face-to-face indepth interviews; and participation and observation of THPs' practices. The study focused on herbalists registered under the South African Traditional Health Practitioners Act. Findings indicate that herbalists take patient medical history, however do not have a standard diagnostic kit and process. They manage diabetes symptomatically and holistically, using various Indigenous herbs to create a compound, which are provided to patients with preparation and dosage instructions. Several Indigenous herbs were found common in diabetes management amongst the THPs. THPs do not have a standardized diagnostic process for managing diabetes, but rely on their traditional training and symptom-based herb selection, using three to eight Indigenous medicinal plants to manage diabetes. This study represents the first phase of the project, the second phase will conduct in vivo studies of the top three medicinal plants to further evaluate their efficacy.
Keywords: African Traditional Medicine, Diabetes Mellitus, Indigenous Medicinal Plants, Traditional Health Practitioners
I am Yuvir Naidoo, I am an associate lecturer at the University of the Western Cape. I am currently a master’s student pursuing an MCom degree in Health Economics, with a specialization in tuberculosis (TB) treatment pathways. I am dedicated to advancing the understanding of TB patient treatment pathways and the economic impacts of TB care. Combining analytical rigour with strategic insights, I am committed to driving impactful improvements in public health and economic policies related to TB in Western Cape, and ultimately the rest of South Africa.
This paper describes the qualitative methods used to create a taxonomy of pathways patients use to access firstline tuberculosis (TB) treatment in Western Cape, South Africa. Our goal is to demonstrate a methodological approach that co-creates research with frontline TB staff, which ensures more robust and relevant research. We used the Participatory Action Research (PAR) method, alongside the Delphi method, to validate consensus among frontline TB staff on the process mapping, impact, prioritisation and feasibility of TB treatment pathways currently used. Through a consensus-building workshop that used the SynNovation technique which involves integrating diverse perspectives and expertise to generate creative solutions, we reached agreement among participants on the TB treatment pathways, which included naming the pathways. The importance of this study lies in the methodology used because it facilitates the co-creation of TB knowledge with frontline staff and key stakeholders. By describing our methods, this methodological paper provides valuable insights into the usefulness of participatory action research and the Delphi method to build consensus and deconstruct the language used when developing a taxonomy of TB treatment pathways.
Key words: tuberculosis (TB); participatory action research (PAR); Delphi method; co-creation; decolonisation, indigenous knowledge
Lumka Magidigidi is a dedicated researcher with over 8 years of experience in public health and non-profit sectors. She holds a Master's degree in Child and Family Studies from the University of Western Cape and is pursuing a PhD in the same field. Lumka has worked with organizations such as TASK Applied Sciences, Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, and the Western Cape Government Department of Education. Her expertise includes community engagement, research assistance, and program management, with a focus on HIV/AIDS awareness and clinical trials. Lumka is committed to bridging gaps between traditional and modern healthcare approaches in African communities.
The rising prevalence of developmental disabilities (DD) globally presents unique challenges for caregivers. Despite existing policies, parents of children with DD often face inadequate support, affecting their well-being and caregiving capacity. To develop guidelines strengthening the human capabilities of parents/caregivers with children with DD using an interdisciplinary approach. This study employed a mixed-method approach including qualitative exploration, a systematic review, and a Delphi technique. It investigated parental experiences, available healthcare interventions, and the impact of interdisciplinary approaches on parenting children with DD. The study identified key challenges faced by parents, gaps in existing support systems, and effective interdisciplinary strategies to enhance parental capabilities. Effective interdisciplinary strategies to enhance parental capabilities were highlighted, including family-centred care models, ongoing parent education, peer support networks, and improved collaboration among professionals. Based on these findings, guidelines were developed to address the identified issues, focusing on improving access to information through multilingual resources and workshops, enhancing community support, developing coordinated healthcare services, advocating for policy changes, and promoting interdisciplinary training for professionals. These guidelines aim to comprehensively support parents and improve outcomes for children with developmental disabilities.The developed guidelines offer a comprehensive, capabilityfocused framework to support parents of children with DD. This research contributes to SDGs 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 4 (Quality Education), and 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by promoting inclusive support systems and reducing inequalities faced by families affected by DD.
Keywords: Developmental Disabilities (DD), Human Capabilities, Interdisciplinary Approach, SDG3
Cassandra, a Research Psychologist and Registered Counsellor has completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at UWC. She has recently completed her PhD in Psychology at UWC, with a focus on factors contributing to the relation between alcohol use and risky sexual behaviour among young adults. Over the past decade, she has worked extensively in the sport for good sector focusing on therapeutic techniques and intervention strategies through sport, particularly for older teenagers and young adults. Her work specifically focused on low-income communities within the South African context.
The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between alcohol consumption (AC) and risky sexual behaviour (RSB). This study further aimed to examine whether alcohol use, gender, and employment status predicted RSB among young adults. Drinking alcohol continues to be a significant barrier to achieving 13 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, including SDG 10, which calls for the reduction of inequalities, the elimination of poverty, gender equality, good jobs and economic growth. Additionally, drinking fuels inequality within and between nations by impeding progress towards SDG 10, which calls for less inequality. Alcohol was used as a tool for land expropriation and removal during colonialism, which has a long history in South Africa and contributes to the country’s current problematic alcohol use. The evolution of alcoholism in South Africa from colonial times to the present can be better understood in light of the apartheid laws, which shaped the country’s social and political landscape for nearly half a century. The effects of apartheid are experienced as a generational trauma that significantly motivates a variety of undesirable behaviours, including drug and alcohol abuse. Alcohol consumption has thus become embedded in numerous social activities. Thus, a better understanding of these predictors could potentially lead to a more thorough comprehension of the relation between AC and RSB among young adults within the South African context. The bio-ecological model was used to frame the structure of the discussion of the key findings. The study employed a cross-sectional correlational survey design, with a sample of 1001 participants aged 18 to 25 (51% women), using the street intercept method. Purposive sampling was utilized, with age and geographical location employed as inclusion criteria. We used the Self-Report Risky Sexual Behaviours Scale (SRSBS) and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), which were cognitively tested and modified, in English and Afrikaans. The data were analysed via multivariate multiple regression analysis in Stata. The key findings indicate that AC is an important predictor of RSB. AC accounted for 23.22% of the variation in RSB. We also found that AC and gender were significant (p < 0.1) predictors of RSB, but not employment status (p > 0.01). Being a woman decreased RSB. The model indicates that AC and gender explain 18.41% of the variance in RSB. The study supports the growing research evidence linking AC to RSB, emphasizing the need for longitudinal studies to identify risky drinking patterns in the general population.
Keywords: Alcohol use, Generational Trauma, Risky Sexual Behaviors, SDG13
Robynne Abrams is a second-year PhD student in the Population Studies Department at UWC, focusing her research on the demographic factors that affect access to healthcare facilities for women with disabilities in South Africa. Her academic journey began in 2018, during which she completed her undergraduate, honours, and master’s degrees at UWC. Robynne also works for a UK-based company operating in South Africa, where she applies her statistical and acquired knowledge to empower women by helping them develop new skills.
Utilization of Antenatal Care (ANC) is crucial in reducing maternal mortality, with various socio-economic and demographic factors influencing it. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends eight ANC visits to ensure adequate care for mother and child. This study examines demographic, social, and economic factors influencing ANC visits among pregnant women in Malawi, comparing patterns between married and unmarried women. This study utilized UNICEF's Malawi Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019-2020, encompassing 6183 women aged 15-46 who underwent ANC during their most recent pregnancy. SPSS software enabled data analysis, incorporating univariate and bivariate analysis techniques. Furthermore, graphical figures were employed to illustrate variations between married and unmarried women within the study area. Most women attended 1-4 ANC visits, with socioeconomic status and demographic characteristics influencing ANC utilization; lower-educated, lower-income, and older women attended fewer visits. Despite overall low utilization of more than 5 ANC visits, married women were likelier to participate in 5 to 8 visits than unmarried women. This trend is attributed to greater financial stability and social support often associated with marriage. Higher socioeconomic status among married women correlated with increased ANC utilization, unlike their unmarried counterparts. Mass media had a negligible impact on ANC utilization for both groups. The study recommends further investigation into the specific factors contributing to the disparity in ANC utilization between married and unmarried women, including the roles of age, social support, and access to healthcare resources. Additional research should focus on identifying strategies to increase ANC attendance among older, unmarried, and lower-income women. Promoting compulsory ANC and institutional delivery could significantly reduce infant and maternal mortalities by addressing these disparities.
Keywords: Antenatal care, Healthcare resources, Infant mortality Maternal mortality,
Ms. Cairncross is a PhD candidate in the Department of Biotechnology at the UWC. She holds a BSc in Medical Bioscience, majoring in Anatomy, Physiology, and Medical Microbiology (cum laude, 2013), and a BSc Honours in Medical Bioscience (cum laude, 2014), In 2015 she received a Dean’s Merit Award. She also completed an MSc in Nanoscience in 2018, where she was the postgraduate representative in the Medical Bioscience Department. Currently pursuing her PhD, Ms. Cairncross’s research is centered on the personalization of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer patients. In collaboration with Ithemba Labs and the University of Cape Town, her work aims to identify genetic markers that influence radiotherapy-induced toxicities.
The Genetic Association of ERCC5 rs17655 and CHEK1 rs11220184 and XRCC1 rs3547 with Radiation-Induced Mucositis
Personalized medicine has emerged as a revolutionary approach to cancer treatment, utilizing the genetic makeup of each patient to customize treatment strategies. Radiotherapy (RT) is a standard treatment for head and neck cancers (HNC), but its benefits are not uniformly distributed across patient risk groups due to varying susceptibility to severe side effects. One such side effect is mucositis, a serious complication that decreases a cancer patient’s quality of life and can cause treatment delays, ultimately worsening prognosis. The onset of mucositis is influenced by genetic factors, yet there are currently no clinical biomarkers to identify patients at risk. Thus, this study aimed to identify genetic markers associated with radiation-induced severe mucositis. In this study, 142 patients with HNC from Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa were included. Patient demographic, behavioural, clinical, and toxicity data were collected. Statistical significance, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals were determined using binary logistic regression. All statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26. p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. The study found that ERCC5 rs17655 and CHEK1 rs11220184 were associated with an increased risk for severe mucositis, while XRCC1 rs3547 was associated with a decreased risk for mucositis. Genetically- based tailored medicine protocols enable clinicians to maximize therapeutic benefits while minimizing RT-induced toxicities, ultimately improving outcomes for cancer patients. Furthermore, to our knowledge, this is the first radiogenomics study conducted in South Africa, highlighting the importance of exploring genetic profiles in underrepresented populations for personalized RT strategies.
Keywords: Genetic association, ERCC5, CHEKI, Radiation Induced Mucositis
Mr Ikechukwu Oji is a final year PhD student at the Institute for Social Development. He is an author, former teacher at Cornerstone Institute Cape Town and is currently a research assistant at UWC. His research area of focus is Sustainable Development Goal (4), with the view of improving parental involvement in education in low-income communities to bridge the gap in learner outcome. Effective parental involvement is one of the crucial factors amongst others in providing equitable and quality education.
The extent and nature of parental involvement in 3 low-income school settings in Cape Town, South Africa: Implication for policy
The involvement of parents in the education of their children has been a steady concern for public schools, policymakers and the Department of Education. This is due to the link between parental involvement and learner success. This study investigated the nature and extent of parental involvement in 3 township schools to understand, teachers’ and parents’ perceptions about parental involvement and the enablers of and barriers to meaningful parental involvement. Among these low-income schools, one of the schools has been performing well in matric exams against all odds, more than the others over the years. A mixed-method research approach was used in this PhD study, informed by economic/ parental involvement theories. 170 Grade 12 learners were sampled participants in the quantitative phase of the study, while 9 parents and 9 teachers from the schools participated in the qualitative/interview phase. Findings suggested that the level of parental involvement in lowincome schools is limited and should be improved given the significant relationship between effective parental involvement and learner success. Findings revealed that teachers and parents have a limited understanding of what parental involvement should be. Key barriers to parental involvement were revealed and all related to poverty issues. Parents and teachers suggested many ways to enhance parental involvement like providing parental involvement training for parents/teachers’ partnerships, increment of social grants, school feeding schemes, PTA meetings, etc. Moreover, findings revealed that the differentials between learner achievement across the 3 lowincome schools is associated with various activities and leadership style of the principal at performing school. In addition, the study findings also, revealed that the full commitments of school principals and young teaching staff members can turn around the issues of learner outcomes in low-income schools and can also promote active parental involvement in Township schools in Cape Town, South Africa.
Keywords: Education, learner achievement, parental involvement, teaching staff
Brief Bio sketch
Ms Ilze Steenkamp is a skilled nursing professional with over ten years of experience in various nursing roles both in South Africa and internationally. In addition to her academic accomplishments, she holds a master’s in nursing education and is currently pursuing a PhD in Digital Health within Nursing. Ilze is particularly interested in the mental well-being of nurses and students, as demonstrated by her by her published work on this subject.
“Digital Health Readiness” – insights from healthcare leaders in operational management.
Developing countries’ public health systems struggle with digital health implementation, and there are reports of low digital health readiness within the workforce. The study investigates the perceived digital health readiness of healthcare leaders in operational management to implement digital health tools. The cross-sectional survey using the E-Ready 2.0 scale measured digital health readiness (n = 329) in 11 hospitals in the Western Cape, South Africa (September2023 to March 2024). Descriptive statistics summarised respondent characteristics and the E-Ready 2.0 subscales: conditions for change at the workplace and among individuals, support and engagement from management, colleagues’ readiness, consequences on status quo and workplace attitudes. Statements scoring 60% and more were considered to have higher readiness. Chi- squared and Mann–Whitney U tests examined associations between demographic variables and subscale statements. A total of 143 healthcare leaders responded (56.1% response rate) (n=114 nurses [79.7%], n=29 medical doctors [20.3%]). The average age was 46.4±10.0 years. Overall, higher levels of readiness (above 70%) were observed with statements relating to workplace attitudes, while conditions for change at the workplace and among individuals showed lower readiness (below 50%). Despite significant investment in digital health tools, there remains limited digital readiness among those responsible for leading these implementations. These findings underscore the challenges of digital transformation in developing countries, particularly in advancing toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in emerging economies.
Keywords: Digital Health, Digital Health Readiness, operational management, Public Health,
Brief Bio sketch
Dr Raeesa Parker is a general dentist engaged in undergraduate and postgraduate training within the prosthodontics and paedodontics clusters. Her research interests are centered around material science, implantology, and temporomandibular disorders. She is a member of the International Team for Implantology and has published in this domain.
Emeritus Professor Geerts graduated as a prosthodontist and also obtained a doctoral degree in the specialty based on the first and largest randomised controlled trial of a well-established concept in the treatment of edentulous patients. She has extensive experience of undergraduate and postgraduate training and was programme coordinator for the specialty for many years graduating numerous specialists. She occupied leadership positions within training institutions, as well as in professional and research organisations. She has a diverse research and publication portfolio
The biopsychosocial profile of patients with painful temporomandibular disorder in the Western Cape
Globally, the application of the biopsychosocial model of pain in clinical care, research, and education is recommended. The aim of this study was to develop and analyse the biopsychosocial profile of a Western Cape population with painful temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). A retrospective, cross-sectional study using patient records from the TMD-clinic at Mitchells Plain, and one private clinic, was performed. A repository of biological (symptoms, assessment, diagnosis – ‘axis-1’), demographic, and social information, as well as five axis-2 instruments making up the evidence-based ‘Diagnostic Criteria for TMDs’ was developed in REDCap. Axis-2 instruments were: Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS), Jaw Functional Limitation (JFL), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Physical Symptoms (PHQ-15), Oral Behavior Checklist (OBC)). This database was used to compare diagnosis and pain experience with axis-2 instrument scores using Kruskall-Wallis rank sum test. In a sample size of 187 patients, 84% were female, 36% were married or in domestic partnership. Majority of patients had a combination of two or more TMD diagnoses: myalgia+arthralgia+disc displacement (DD) (18%), myalgia+arthralgia (16%), myalgia+DD (13%), myalgia only (12%), DD only (8,6%), myalgia+arthralgia+degenerative joint disease (DJD) (6.4%), other (25,9%). The myalgia+arthralgia-group scored highest in pain intensity; the myalgia+arthralgia+DD-group highest in JFL (mobility and communication), PHQ-9 (depressed mood), and OBC (parafunctional behaviour); the myalgia+DD-group highest in anxiety; the myalgia+arthralgia+DJD-group highest in physical symptoms. However, the difference in scores of all axis-2 instruments among diagnostic groups was not significant. Although not significantly, the myalgia+arthralgia+DD-group scored highest in most axis-2 instruments and may benefit most from a multipronged pain management approach.
Keywords: Biopsychosocial model, clinical care, Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS) Pain management
Désireé Eva Moodley is a PhD candidate. She is researching ways in which critical thinking pedagogy is engaged in education. She is a lecturer of Philosophy, Sociology, English and Didactic subjects in teacher education. She is academically and professionally qualified as research and academic writing consultant working with postgraduate masters and PhD students in all faculties at universities in the Cape and abroad. She has extensive experience in curriculum design and development and was deeply involved in the schools’ curriculum transformation processes post-Apartheid. She has been in education leadership and management and has taught in all phases of schooling.
Since 1994, South Africa has endeavoured to improve the quality of education. Crime, poverty and unemployment among other socio-economic conditions decry quality living. While politics and economics have driven education policy and transformation for a better life, these have been symbolic in practice. Critical pedagogical practices embedded in theory are needed for sustainable transformation in education. Critical pedagogy emphasises the importance of developing and enabling critical thinking education in healthy citizenry. It claims to support the interconnection among ideology, power and culture. Teacher education should be central in this concern. In line with the UN SDG 4 on quality education, this study, employing interviews and classroom observations, investigates critical pedagogical practices of literacy teachers in disadvantaged schools in the Cape Flats, Western Cape. Using Freire’s critical dialogue and Lipman’s Philosophy for Children through communities of inquiry as conceptual frameworks, data reveal three key factors inhibiting quality teaching and learning. These are a lack of appropriate physical and financial resources, the issue of novice under-experienced teachers, and, local socio-economic complexities. There is a dire need for quality education to be addressed both at initial teacher education and inservice professional development programme support. This study contends that quality education and educational transformation could be addressed through a new humanistic critical pedagogical approach in consideration of these factors.
Key words: Quality education, critical pedagogy, critical thinking, philosophy for children, quality teaching and learning.
Ms Lynn Goodman is a Senior Education Specialist at College of Cape Town. She is over 26 years experiences in education having worked in South Africa and the UK. She holds a Masters degree in Maths and Science education and is currently completing her PhD. She is also a focus group coordinator for Mathematics at TVET colleges in the Western and Northern Cape Colleges. Throughout her career she has engaged various levels of academics on the implementation of innovative teaching methodoloigies.
An investigation of the Dialogical Argumentation Instructional Blended Learning Model (DAIBLM) in the Vocational Engineering Mathematics classrooms at selected Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges in South Africa.
This paper is part of a Ph.D. study that investigated the impact of a new teaching and learning model that combines traditional face-to-face and blended learning approaches to enhance student engagement and academic performance. The study focused on a group of first-year engineering students enrolled at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training college in the Western Cape, South Africa. The face-to-face component involves a dialogical argumentation instruction approach while the blended learning component incorporates the use of computermediated instruction via TikTok. The Dialogical Argumentation Instructional Blended Learning Model (DAIBLM) replicated the combination of the Dialogical Argumentation Instruction Model (DAIM) from the master's study of the researcher and the blended learning approach via the usage of computers. The motivation for doing this study was because of the low performances in passes, retention, and throughput rate which continue into the TVET band. According to Newman-Ford, Lloyd &Thomas (2015), the annual graduation rate in engineering has decreased steadily whilst there has been a gradual rise in engineering jobs. This study is directed by three questions: 1)What conceptions do the selected students hold on functions before DAIBLM and is it related to their everyday life experiences? 2) Is there a significant difference in the performances about the understanding of functions of the experimental group(E-group) after being exposed to DAIBLM? 3) How does the E-group perceive the DAIBLM? The theoretical framework used in this study was social constructivism theory as espoused by Vygotsky (1978) and Connectivism as a learning theory (Siemens, 2005). The analytical tools that the study used were Toulmin’s (1958) Argumentation Pattern (TAP) and Ogunniys (2007) Contiguity Argumentation (CAT). The study was limited to three engineering campuses from one college and province out of the 50 TVET colleges in South Africa and therefore could not necessarily be representative of all the TVET colleges in the study area. The study adopted a case study approach where data was analyzed both quantitative and qualitatively.
Key Terms: Dialogical Argumentation Instruction Model (DAIM), Mathematics Education,
Anthea J. Carelse is the principal and a teacher at London Village Christian Academy (Grades R-10), a school she started in 2020 after returning from the USA (2015 – 2019). She holds a B.Ed. (Int. & Sen.) from UNISA (2016), BA in Biblical Studies from Bear Valley Bible Institute, Denver, CO (2017), B.Ed. Hons in Language and Literacy (UWC) (2022) and is a 2nd year MEd student at UWC. Anthea is a qualified hairstylist (1997 – present), was the principal of the Kids Play Daycare from 2007- 2013, a part-time lecturer at Education for Life Hair Salon, Christel House Academy from 2011 – 2013 and in 2020-2023, a Grade 5 teacher at Prince George Primary in 2014 and a Grades 3 – 5 teacher at Eastridge Christian Academy in 2015.
While there has been significant progress in education, there is still a major concern to improve the quality of education. In line with the UN SDG 4, this article investigates the use of critical pedagogy in literacy teaching in Grade 4 classrooms in two Quintile 1 schools in the Cape Flats, Western Cape. The purpose is to provide Grade 4 teachers in disadvantaged schools an opportunity to share their experiences of teaching literacy. The exploration determines the critical pedagogy practices of literacy teachers and how the socioeconomic backgrounds of learners influence literacy achievement. The article provides an overview of critical pedagogy concepts and employed critical literacy theory as the theoretical framework, in conjunction with Freire’s (1970) theory of practice. Semi-structured interviews with four purposively sampled Grade 4 literacy teachers were conducted and three lessons (30 minutes each) per classroom were observed. The study reveals the lack of resources, parental support, novice teachers, curriculum demands, language policy, time, overwhelmed, overworked and exhausted teachers, support from management, learners’ barriers of learning, including poverty and socioeconomic challenges as key factors for literacy underachievement and inferior education. Considering these factors is crucial for quality education, social transformation and the implementation of critical pedagogical strategies in literacy teaching classrooms.
Keywords: Quality education, critical pedagogy, critical theory, literacy teaching, disadvantaged school, teacher voice
Ms Loren Hans Ms Loren Hans graduated in 2019 with a BSc in Dietetics from the University of the Western Cape (UWC). She is currently a first-year master’s student studying towards a Master in Public Health Nutrition (MPHN) at UWC. Ms Hans is a Registered Dietitian by profession, and her current role is as a research assistant within the Food Environment Research (Food E.R.) Team at the School of Public Health (SOPH).
The Health Promotion Levy (a sugary beverage tax) was implemented in South Africa in 2018, which led to product reformulation by the food industry to reduce the amount of sugar in beverages. In 2023, a draft Regulation (R3337) on food labelling was published in South Africa. This draft regulation proposes a front-of-package (FOP) warning label, including a warning label for non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) on packaged foods containing NSS. Currently, very little is known about the prevalence of packaged foods that contain NSS in South Africa, or how the prevalence of NSS has changed over time. This study aims to evaluate the presence, and types of NSS in the South African packaged food supply, and how the prevalence of various types of NSS has changed between 2018 and 2022. This is a crosssectional study, evaluating NSS content, i.e. the presence, types, and number of NSS, in all packaged foods and beverages sold in the six largest supermarket chains in South Africa, using packaged food data collected in 2018, 2020, and 2022. The analysis for this study is still underway (and will be completed before the research week). It will provide information on the food and beverage categories with the highest prevalence of NSS, the types of NSS commonly used in South Africa, as well as an evaluation of changes to the number of products carrying NSS over time.
Keywords: Health promotion, non-sugar sweeteners, Sugary beverage tax, Food industry
Brief Bio sketch
Metron Ziga is a PhD student at the Institute for Social Development at the University of the Western Cape. Her PhD research focuses on food choices, healthy diets and the food security synergy in Zimbabwe’s informal settlements. Her research interests are in food security, sustainable livelihoods and poverty alleviation strategies in urban areas.
The water scarcity-food insecurity-unhealthy diet nexus in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe: A Complex Adaptive Systems Approach
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the interplay between water scarcity, food insecurity, and unhealthy dietary patterns presents a significant public health challenge, especially in urban informal settlements. This study focuses on how water scarcity impacts food security and dietary patterns in two informal settlements of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The central question is how water scarcity influences food availability, food choices, and overall nutritional health, contributing to the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). While previous research has established that both water and food insecurity independently contribute to poor health outcomes, there is limited understanding of their interconnected dynamics in urban informal settlements. This study investigates these interrelationships using a mixed methods approach and the Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) framework, enabling an in-depth exploration of the non-linear interactions and feedback loops present in these systems. The analysis uncovers a correlation between access to clean water and the key pillars of food security safety and availability. The findings indicate that water scarcity exacerbates food insecurity, leading to a reliance on caloriedense, nutrient-deficient foods, thereby increasing the risk of NCDs. Adopting the CAS framework highlights the need for holistic, adaptive strategies to improve both water and food security, ultimately promoting healthier dietary patterns and reducing the burden of NCDs in urban informal settlements. This study aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2, 3, and 6 by highlighting the need to address the root causes of hunger, good health and well-being, and ensuring access to clean water and sanitation.
Keywords: Food insecurity, dietary patterns, Food choices, Non-communicable diseases, water scarcity,
Kago Moganane has recently completed a Masters degree in Mercantile Law, specialising in Corporate Governance and Finance. Kago possesses both an LLB degree and a BA in Political Studies. She currently holds the position of Research Assistant in the Research Development and Postgraduate Support department of the University of the Western Cape. Kago’s main interest is in corporate governance in State Owned Entities, demonstrating a strong commitment to strengthening and advancing governance frameworks and practices in the public sector. With her robust academic background, she has a keen interest in the intersection of law and governance. In her future pursuits, she intends to tackle the distinct obstacles encountered by StateOwned Entities in fostering transparency, accountability, and sustainable management practices.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development acknowledges the significance of anti-corruption initiatives in attaining SDG goals It recognises that corruption has the potential to hinder growth in various aspects, such as social, economic, and environmental. This paper seeks to determine whether the new Government of National Unity henceforth (GNU) will have the ability to eradicate the widespread corruption that has plagued State Owned Entities (SOEs) in South Africa, specifically in the context of corporate governance. Furthermore, this article will examine the measures that the GNU administration can adopt to improve corporate governance This entails enhancing anti-corruption efforts and implementing robust supervision mechanisms, such as the establishment of independent boards of directors for SOEs. In addition, enhancing the legal and regulatory frameworks of specific SOEs through the amendment of laws that regulate them. This paper will also examine the adverse consequences associated with a GNU regime, including the potential for conflicts and instability due to the involvement of various parties with divergent policies and ideologies. Within the context of SOEs, the presence of instability could impede the ability to make effective decisions. Furthermore, there is concern about the possibility of reduced accountability due to authority being distributed among multiple parties, making it difficult to hold individuals accountable for misconduct in SOEs
Keywords: Corruption, Government of National Unity, SOEs and Corporate Governance.2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Faith Mbamba is a PhD candidate with five years of experience in quantitative research. Faith Mbamba has written professional papers, one of them has been published with Journal of African Population Studies (JAPS) and some are under review. His research interests include land, agriculture, ICT, rural development, food security, and livelihoods. He majored in Population studies and Sociology at NorthWest University where he scored a Cum Laude for his undergraduate degree which comprised of research methods and academic writing. He was awarded by the Golden Key International Society for academic excellence. He attained his master’s degree from University of the Western Cape.
Exploring the factors influencing internet usage among women smallholders to access buyers of agricultural products in South Africa
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) place a strong emphasis on ending poverty. In endeavouring to empower rural women in smallholdings, the utilization of modern information and communication technology (ICT) is deemed essential. The study seeks to ascertain the factors affecting internet access among women smallholders in South African households. The study adopted a nationally representative secondary data collected by Statistics South Africa. The 2018 General Household Survey (GHS) was employed to meet study objectives. The GHS questionnaire was used for data collection. A stratified design was used to sample primary units, and systematic sampling for dwelling units. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS 29) was manipulated to analyze data. The descriptive statistics indicates highest internet usage among women in younger ages, 12-23yrs (50.1%), access buyers from formal markets and international buyers. Likewise, White women farmers (100,0%), have access to both formal market and international purchasers for their agricultural products. The Phi and Cramer's V tests revealed a strong correlation between internet usage to access agricultural product buyers, with predictor variables including age (0.321), population group (0.638), and educational level (0.212). Logistic regression shows that women with tertiary education are most likely to access internet within their households to access agricultural product buyers. The study suggests that interventions utilizing ICT-based information sources should consider the needs of female smallholders in South Africa, particularly rural women, and recommend collaboration between community, government, and non-governmental organizations through facility subsidies and public education campaigns.
Keywords: food security; ICT; women farmers; non-metropolitan areas; livelihoods
Brief Bio sketch
Mark Volmink has extensive leadership and management experience in the private, government and civil society sectors. He has a passion for development and assisting those experiencing exclusion, hunger or poverty. Mark is pursuing his PhD at UWC on the application of the water, energy and food (WEF) nexus in food security.
Advancing sustainable food production through cooperative food systems governance and management at local government level
There have been several calls for sustainable food systems governance to maximize food production and address food insecurity and hunger in low-income countries. Food systems transformation has received even greater attention due to the effects of climate change, and rising hunger and inequalities in Africa. This article highlights the problem of growing food insecurity at community level, being attributed to the absence or inadequate WEF nexus thinking in municipal food systems governance and management. Based on a literature review we clarify concepts and theoretical frameworks relevant to food systems governance. Qualitative research methods were used to collect primary data through semi-structured key informant interviews and a focus group discussion, as well as available secondary data in the form of literature, various official reports, and statistics. The sample that was studied was selected out of choice and purpose. Sample selection was premised on the researchers’ knowledge of the population, its components, and the primary aim of the study. Through the application of content and thematic analyses, the impact of the City of Cape Town’s governance system on the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA) was explored. While the findings of this study pronounce the inefficiencies in the City of Cape Town’s governance and management of WEF resources in the PHA, it also presents a few ideas for the City of Cape Town to consider to improve the governance of the PHA food system, rooted in WEF nexus thinking. Seen against the complex, interwoven needs to access food, energy, land, and social benefits while protecting human and economic rights, the results of this study revealed the potential for realizing food security benefits for the poor by adopting a WEF nexus approach to sustainable food production and food security within food systems.
Keywords: Food systems, Food insecurity, Climate change, Food systems Governance
Participation,
Dr. Meseret Kifle Ande specializes in children's rights law, with a particular focus on the rights of children with disabilities in Africa. She holds an LL.M. and LL.D. in International Protection of Human rights from the University of the Western Cape, as well as a Bachelor of Laws degree from Jimma University, Ethiopia. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Children’s Rights Project of the Dullah Omar Institute for Constitutional Law, Governance and Human Rights, where she is undertaking research on the protection of children’s rights in the context of climate change.
While no one is immune to the adverse impacts of climate change, marginalized populations, particularly children with disabilities in Africa are disproportionately impacted by climate change. Historically, children with disabilities in Africa face stigma and discrimination and face multiple barriers to accessing basic services such as education and health care. These existing inequalities coupled with the impact of climate change further pose unique vulnerabilities to children with disabilities. Nonetheless, disability issues continue to be overlooked in national climate mitigation and adaptation policies, which has significant implications not only for the effective implementation of the rights of children with disabilities as outlined in the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (Charter), but also for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 13.The research aims to critically analyse the extent to which the principles of non-discrimination, participation, and accountability of the Charter advance disability-inclusive climate mitigation and adaptation policies that protect the rights of children with disabilities in the context of climate change, in keeping with SDG 13 (climate action).The research employs a desktop-based review of literature and a doctrinal research methodology to critically analyse the normative content of the relevant provisions of the Charter, in conjunction with their authoritative interpretations, to systematically examine the legal framework and its application in determining whether it supports a disability-inclusive approach that protects and promotes the rights of children with disabilities in the context of climate change. The analysis shows that although the Charter lacks an explicit provision mandating States to protect children with disabilities from the impacts of climate change, the principles of non-discrimination, child participation, and accountability promote a disability-inclusive approach by imposing implicit obligations on States to take into account and address existing inequalities, remove barriers to full inclusion, ensure their views are considered in the design and implementation of climate policies, and guarantee access to remedies for rights violations.
Keywords: Climate change, Child Protection, Marginalized populations, SDG13
Tasné Marshall holds an LLB degree from the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and is an LLM candidate in the Criminal Justice and Procedure Department, where she also serves as a Graduate Tutor in the Law Faculty. Her thesis is titled: Reducing Recidivism in South Africa: Towards a Needs-Based Approach to the Rehabilitation of Offenders. As a dedicated graduate tutor at UWC, Tasné tutors Company Law and Commercial Transactions for finalyear students. Tasné is committed to advancing in academia and is passionate about contributing to the field of criminal justice through both teaching and research.
Offender rehabilitation seeks to transform individuals who have contravened the law into law-abiding citizens. This approach employs several intervention strategies to address the underlying causes of criminal behaviour. Effective rehabilitation programmes can reduce recidivism rates, enhance public safety and security, and provide offenders with the opportunity for personal growth and development. It is important to understand that offender rehabilitation should be considered a right, not a privilege. This article aims to highlight this right and its significance for offenders in South Africa. To achieve this, the article will examine the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 and the White Paper on Correction, 2005. Additionally, the article will examine Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The right to offender rehabilitation recognises the potential for positive change in offenders which is vital as it underpins essential elements of the justice system such as balancing public safety, human dignity, and societal progress. Nevertheless, a major concern is that South Africa's domestic laws merely hint at offender rehabilitation, without explicitly stating it as a right. This article will first critically examine offender rehabilitation and punishment as well as their contrasting approaches. It will thereafter investigate the right to offender rehabilitation within South Africa’s legal framework. Lastly, it will highlight Goal 16 of the SDG and discuss how this goal encourages offender rehabilitation. In conclusion, the article asserts that offender rehabilitation ought to be deemed a fundamental right rather than being implied through provisions in the White Paper and sections in the Constitution. This article recommends the development of new rehabilitation policies. By treating rehabilitation as a right, we recognise the worth of all individuals and their capacity for change while addressing the societal need for reduced crime and improved public safety. This will be a qualitative study based on a review of primary and secondary source material.
Keywords: Criminal Behaviour, Offender Rehabilitation, Public Safety, SDG16
Sindiswa Portia Vikilahle, a MA student and assistant lecturer at UWC, is pursuing her dreams of becoming a lecturer, author, or news presenter. Despite facing challenges and discouraging comments about her late return to university, she remains resilient and motivated by her passion for teaching and giving back to her community. Sindiswa is particularly inspired by her work in the IsiXhosa department, where she seeks to motivate and encourage the youth to appreciate their native languages and culture. Her ultimate goal is to use her scholarly expertise to address societal issues like gender-based violence and substance abuse, and contribute to the betterment of her country.
The Analyzing and Comparison of Gender Base Violence and Substance Abuse in isiXhosa Literature Text: Buzani kuBawo and Ilifa
Gender-based violence (GBV) and substance abuse are pressing social issues that resonate deeply within isiXhosa literature. "Buzani kuBawo" by Witness K. Tamsanqa and "Ilifa" by S.E.K. Mqhayi offer poignant explorations of these themes, reflecting their prevalence and impact in Xhosa communities. This analysis aims to compare and contrast the depiction of GBV and substance abuse in "Buzani kuBawo" and "Ilifa," highlighting how these texts address these social issues. Furthermore, it seeks to align the discussion with the Sustainable Development Goal, Gender Equality, focusing on eliminating violence against women and girls. A comparative literary analysis was conducted, examining the portrayal of GBV and substance abuse in both texts. The characters, plot development, and thematic elements were analysed to understand how these issues are represented and their implications for Xhosa society. Secondary sources, including scholarly articles and critiques, were also reviewed to support the analysis. In "Buzani kuBawo," GBV is depicted through the oppressive patriarchal structures that govern familial and social relationships. The text illustrates the cycle of violence perpetrated by cultural expectations and substance abuse as a coping mechanism. "Ilifa," on the other hand, portrays substance abuse as a destructive legacy that exacerbates familial conflicts and perpetuates GBV. Both texts reveal the interconnectedness of these issues and their detrimental effects on individuals and communities. The comparative analysis of "Buzani kuBawo" and "Ilifa" underscores the critical need for addressing GBV and substance abuse within Xhosa society. By shedding light on these issues, the texts contribute to the discourse on gender equality and support the goals of SDG 5. Addressing these themes in literature not only raises awareness but also calls for cultural and societal change to eliminate violence and promote gender equality.
Keywords: Buzani kuBawo, Gender-based violence (GBV), Substance Abuse, isiXhosa Literature,
Brief Bio sketch
Isaiah Owoeye is a doctoral candidate at the School of Nursing, University of the Western Cape, South Africa. He holds both degrees in nursing from the University of Nigeria. He has over a decade cognate experience as a lecturer. In 2018, he was the best nurse educator, Neuropsychiatric hospital, Nigeria and most supportive lecturer of the year 2021 at Faculty of Nursing science, Afe Babalola University, Nigeria. He is a registered nurse educator, mental health nurse and a Fellow of the West African PostGraduate College of Nursing & Midwives. He is an examiner, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
The use of digital education technology has permeated educational settings globally. The competence of nurse educators to use digital technology depends on their technical skills, content expertise, pedagogical skills, and cultural competence. Integration of these areas of competence in nurse education is essential for the delivery of quality education. However, the competence in and use of digital education technology by nurse educators in Nigeria is unknown. The aim of this study was to explore nurse educators’ use of and competence in the use of digital education technology. A qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted. Twelve nurse educators were purposively sampled across five nursing education institutions. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, imported and analysed inductively using ATLAS.ti version 23 software. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of the UWC, and all ethical principles were adhered to Seven themes with 27 categories which relates to pedagogical, digital and ethical competence emerged: Qualities, and or roles of nurse educators; Student roles and responsibilities in the learning process; Educators’ understanding, philosophy, use and experience, and learning needs; Use of digital education technology in clinical education/administration in the current and future digital era; Digital education technology utility; Educators and students’ competence and use of digital education technology; and Promoters and inhibitors of ethical competence. Students and educators have roles in the teaching-learning process. Both used digital education technology, but educators are lagging with an urgent need for digital literacy, provision of devices, and skills to address ethical issues for users in education.
Keywords: Digital competence, digital education technology, nurse educator, pedagogical competence
Ruvarashe Madzime is a BSc (Hons) Computer Science student at the University of the Western Cape. She specializes in Artificial Intelligence, focusing on enhancing Electronic Health Records (EHR) summarization processes using Large Language Models. Her current research involves developing a system that generates clinician-preferred, focused EHR summaries, leveraging advanced techniques such as fine-tuning the Google Flan-T5 model. Ruvarashe has been recognized for her academic excellence with awards like the KnowB4 Women Cybersecurity Scholarship and multiple Dean's Merit Awards. Her work contributes to improving healthcare data management and supports digital transformation in the field
The development of Electronic Health Records (EHR) summarization systems has revolutionized healthcare documentation and patient data management. Stanford University's research significantly advanced this field by adapting Large Language Models for clinical tasks, using diverse datasets to generate general EHR summaries. However, clinicians often require specific, focused summaries for quicker insights. This project aimed to enhance Stanford's research by creating a system that generates clinician-preferred, focused summaries, improving EHR summarization for more efficient patient care. The proposed system leverages the Google Flan-T5 model to generate tailored EHR summaries based on clinician-specified topics. The approach involved fine-tuning the FlanT5 model on a dataset formatted in the SQuAD style, combining multiple EHR sources to create a comprehensive training set. Fine-tuning utilized the Seq2SeqTrainer from the Hugging Face Transformers library, with optimized hyperparameters. The system was designed to recognize and prioritize clinicians' specific data needs within the EHR. Evaluation metrics showed promising results: the system achieved an Exact Match (EM) score of 73.81%, strong ROUGE metrics with Rouge1 at 91.58%, Rouge2 at 73.41%, and RougeL at 91.93%. Additionally, the BLEU score was 0.39, indicating the model's coherence in producing summaries. This system also incorporates an interactive user interface, allowing clinicians to easily input their preferences and receive the desired summaries. By enhancing EHR summarization through LLMs, this project supports digital transformation efforts in healthcare, streamlining workflows and enabling more personalized patient care. The project's potential to improve clinical decision- making and reduce information overload highlights its significance in healthcare environments.
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHR), Clinical tasks, Healthcare, Patient data management,
Mayimunah Nagayi is a postgraduate student currently pursuing her Honors degree in Computer Science at the University of the Western Cape. Her academic journey has provided her with a diverse skill set in various aspects of computer science, with a particular interest in exploring practical applications of machine learning techniques. Her recent research project focused on sentiment analysis using Affinity Propagation clustering, where she applied unsupervised learning methods to analyze large-scale textual data. Mayimunah is committed to expanding her knowledge in Artificial intelligence and exploring its potential to solve current real-world problems.
Understanding public sentiment is crucial for market analysis, political campaigns, and social research. Most traditional sentiment analysis methods require large, annotated datasets and supervised learning techniques, which can be time-consuming and costly. This project investigates the application of unsupervised learning techniques, specifically Affinity Propagation (AP) clustering, for sentiment analysis. It evaluates AP's effectiveness in grouping unlabeled textual data by sentiment and assesses its scalability and efficiency when processing large social media datasets. K-means clustering is used as a benchmark and the project uses TF-IDF Vectorization to convert text data into numerical representations. The entire dataset trains the models, with new tweets used for testing. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is applied for dimensionality reduction. Both K-means and AP clustering algorithms are implemented and for a fair comparison, Agglomerative Clustering with three clusters is applied to AP-derived cluster centers, matching K-means' cluster count. Performance is evaluated using Silhouette Score and Calinski-Harabasz Score. Preliminary results show that AP clustering, combined with Agglomerative Clustering, performs better in identifying sentiment clusters compared to K-means. K-means achieves a Silhouette Score of0.165 and a Calinski-Harabasz Score of 0.717. In contrast, AP combined with Agglomerative Clustering achieves a Silhouette Score of 0.001 and a Calinski-Harabasz Score of 1.579, indicating more coherent and well-defined clusters. AP clustering, combined with Agglomerative Clustering, is more effective than K-means for sentimentbased clustering of textual data and this hybrid approach's performance so far highlights its potential as a strong tool for unsupervised sentiment analysis in large-scale datasets.
Keywords: Affinity Propagation, Market Analysis, Political Campaigns, Social Research
Mr Nododile is a Blockchain developer and Master's student in Computer Science at the UWC, specialising in blockchain technology and its applications in smart utility management. He completed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Statistical Science (with Cum Laude) and a Bachelor of Science Honours in Computer Science at UWC. Thandile co-authored a blockchain-based secure data collection mechanism for smart water meters with Dr. Clement Nyirenda, which was practically implemented and presented at the IST-Africa Conference. He co-authored a paper titled "Advancing Blockchain-Enabled InterPlanetary File System with Substrate for Distributed Data Storage," presented at the ETNCC Conference in Namibia. He has gained industry experience as a software engineer intern at Amazon and as a blockchain developer at Igoria Trade S.A. in Poland. His ongoing work and future focus include developing real-world systems and applications that leverage blockchain and artificial intelligence, particularly in the environmental sector for sustainable development.
Advancements in technology have ignited an interest in smart water meters, enabling water utilities to collect meter readings wirelessly from premises more efficiently and accurately. This innovation not only enhances data accuracy but also leads to significant cost reductions or cost savings for water management utilities. However, the potential for tampering with meter readings during transmission or at utility facilities remains a critical concern. To address this, a secure data collection mechanism using a blockchain-based distributed ledger has been proposed for smart water meters. This study initially employed a Substrate blockchain framework, creating a node with a custom pallet and integrating python-based FastAPI for functional calls to store and retrieve data. Functional testing focused on ensuring data integrity through data hashing, resulting in a blockchain hash used to query on-chain data. The methodology included performance evaluations under different data load conditions to measure the effectiveness of Substrate and Ethereum (Decentralised blockchain for building smart contracts and decentralised applications) in maintaining data security. Ethereum's widespread adoption and smart contract capabilities offer enhanced security and flexibility, addressing potential vulnerabilities in the data collection process. The comparative analysis between Substrate and Ethereum was conducted using a set of key performance indicators, including data storage size, block confirmation time, and latency. Initial results suggest that while Ethereum offers better support for complex smart contacts, Substrate-based Blockchain provides a significant reduction in data storage size and faster block confirmation times. This work is relevant for countries looking to implement blockchain solutions in water management systems. The findings indicate that the dual blockchain approach can be practically implemented and significantly enhance data security and integrity in smart water meter systems.
Keywords: Blockchain Systems, Data security, Smart water meters, Water management Utilities
Ruvimbo Chigada is a Master's student specializing in anomaly detection in network traffic using Simplicial and Convolutional Neural Networks. She is passionate about cybersecurity, digital innovations, and driving impactful change in the digital space. Her work focuses on enhancing information security, mitigating risks, and exploring cutting-edge ICT solutions that address today’s challenges. She is also committed to leveraging technology for meaningful advancements and fostering a safer, more secure digital environment.
In recent years, cyberthreats have become increasingly sophisticated, necessitating advanced techniques for anomaly detection in network traffic to ensure robust network security and performance. Traditional approaches, such as statistical models, rule-based systems, and classical machine learning techniques, have been less successful in identifying these threats due to the complex topological structures and multi-dimensional relationships inherent in network data. This study introduces the use of Simplicial Convolutional Neural Networks (SCNNs) for effective anomaly detection in network traffic. SCNNs extend conventional Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) by leveraging simplicial complexes to model higher-dimensional interactions within data, providing a robust framework for identifying anomalies. The research conducts a comparison between a Graph Neural Network (GNN) and SCNN model using the BETH dataset. The SCNN outperformed the GNN in anomaly detection, exhibiting superior metrics across the board. While the GNN achieved accuracy of 53.92%, precision of 53.28%, recall of 99.28%, and an F1-score of 59.32%, the SCNN demonstrated markedly better results with 91.55% accuracy, 100.0% precision, 83.90% recall, and a 91.25% F1-score One notable advantage of SCNNs is their ability to capture intricate patterns and dependencies in network traffic that are often missed by GNNs. These results suggest that SCNNs can effectively identify various types of network anomalies, and unusual traffic patterns. This research not only highlights the potential of SCNNs in network anomaly detection but also paves the way for future exploration of higherdimensional neural network architectures in other domains.
Keywords: Anomaly Detection, BETH Dataset, Graph Neural Network, Cyber Security, Simplicial Neural Network, Convolutional Neural Network, Network Traffic, classification
