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Background: The field of Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) views researchers as active participants in processes of knowledge mobilization, learning and action. Yet few studies examine how such processes are institutionalized or consider their health system or wider impacts. This paper aims to contribute insights by presenting a South African experience: the Western Cape (WC) HPSR Journal Club (JC). Methods: The paper draws on collective reflection by its authorial team, who are managerial and academic JC participants; reflective discussions with a wider range of people; and external evaluation reports. The analysis has been validated through rounds of collective engagement among authors, and through comparison with the wider sets of data, documentation and international literature. It considers impacts using a framework drawn from the co-production literature. Results: Since 2012, the JC has brought together provincial and local government health system managers and academics to discuss complex systems' and social science perspectives on health system development. The JC impacts encompass the trusting relationships (group micro-level) that have not only strengthened personal confidence and leadership skills (individual micro level), but also led to organizational impacts (meso level), such as practice and policy changes (practitioner organizations) and strengthened research and post-graduate teaching programs (academic organizations). Macro-societal impacts are, finally, judged likely to have resulted from new health system practices and policies and from academic post-graduate training activities. This set of impacts has been enabled by: the context of the JC; aspects of the JC design that underpin trusting relationships and mutual learning; the sustained participation of senior health system managers and academic managers who are able to translate new ideas into practice in their own organizational environments; and our individual and collective motivations - including the shared goal of health system development for social justice. Our challenges include risks and costs to ourselves, and the potential exclusion of challenging voices. Conclusion: The principles and practice of the JC approach, rather than the JC as a model, offer ideas for others wishing to mobilize knowledge for health system development through embedded and co-production processes. It demonstrates the potential for productive human interactions to seed long-lasting systemic change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expanding floating wind into new markets could support emission reduction targets in several national contexts. It furthers the need for adequate assessments to gain a full understanding of the technology's potential in future markets. South Africa is a prime case study as it has seen limited industry and policy developments despite its huge technical potential for floating offshore wind (FOW). This paper assessed the locational potential of floating wind in South Africa through a three-phased approach that evaluated the key technical drivers/barriers of the technology, conducted a Geographic Information System analysis (GIS) using ArcMap 10.8 to exclude unsuitable sites based on a predetermined exclusion criteria (including marine protected zones, underwater cables, major oil and gas deposits, etc.), and estimated the total harvestable capacity in the feasible sites. The study found that 2% (246,105.4 km2) of South Africa's entire Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is suitable for hosting floating wind turbines, with a potential to generate a maximum of 142.61 GW of floating wind power. Although the Western Cape province holds the highest potential (80.52 GW) for floating wind in the country, the Eastern Cape region, with a locational potential of 20.04 GW, is considered most suitable for early-stage developments due to the availability of grid connection points, limited marine traffic, and proximity to appropriate port facilities. Future work can conduct techno-economic assessments to evaluate the technical and economic implications of developing floating wind in distinct sites in the country's EEZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research aimed to assess the leadership role of principals in the implementation of peace education in selected secondary schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. Design/methodology/approach: This study employed qualitative research approach to assess the leadership role of principals in the implementation of peace education in selected secondary schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. Data were gathered from a small sample of six principals from six selected secondary schools which were engaged in the implementation of a peace education programme, and data were analysed using thematic content analyses. Findings: Findings of the study suggest that principals possess a low level of understanding or awareness of their leadership role in the implementation of peace education. The study pointed out the constraints such as time constraints and learners' negative attitudes and social influences hinder the effective implementation of peace education in selected secondary schools. Research limitations/implications: First, the data were self-reported and therefore subject to social desirability bias; participants may have provided socially desirable responses rather than their true belief or experiences. Thus, participants may have overstated their role in and commitment to the peace education programme. Originality/value: Studies that aim to explore alternative approaches to combat violence, such as peace education, are still limited in South Africa. Hence, this paper served to close that gap by contributing to the growing body of research on the leadership role of the principal in the implementation of peace education in the school and exploring barriers hampering its effective implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper investigates the perceptions of medical interns regarding the usefulness of non-mother tongue communication skills taught during the undergraduate curriculum at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. In 2003, the university decided to incorporate Afrikaans and IsiXhosa communication skills into the new MBChB curriculum in order to meet the Faculty of Health Sciences goals to promote quality and equity in healthcare, and to prepare graduating health practitioners for multilingual communities where they would be serving. Despite annual internal evaluations and reviews of the languages courses, the usefulness, if any, of the additional languages in the working clinical environment had not been determined. Methods: Data were collected during the second year of medical internship across a five-year period through survey questionnaires, as well as focus group interviews conducted in the Western Cape, South Africa. Surveys were conducted from 2009 to 2013. Results: The study shows that the usefulness of each of the probed categories was not consistent across both languages. The interns expressed a need for an overall improvement of the isiXhosa course offering, while the outcomes for the Afrikaans language were more positive across all categories except for cultural understanding. Conclusion: The study indicates a positive trend amongst the interns towards developing usefulness in communication skills in Afrikaans and isiXhosa to communicate with their patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021/2022, galls formed by a nematode, Anguina woodi, were found on the stems, leaves and leaf sheaths of dune grass, Ehrharta villosa var. villosa on Milnerton Beach, Blouberg Beach and Langebaan, Western Cape Province, South Africa. These galls were spongy in texture, deep purple to blackish in colour and non-pedunculate. They were found in clusters, but also as single entities. Larger, harder galls varying from beige to dark brown in colour, apparently caused by insects, were also found on the stems of dune grass at Blouberg Beach and Langebaan Nature Reserve. Some nematode galls were found immediately next to or on top of the insect galls. Those found on top of insect galls seemed to be harder and drier than those found on stems not infected by insect galls. The co-infection of insects and anguinid nematodes has not been reported from the current study areas and was thus included in the present study. Both molecular and morphological studies were conducted on the nematodes and wasps leading to the identification of a host specific, gall-forming nematode from all three localities. The wasps were identified morphologically and molecularly to the family Eurytomidae (Hymenoptera). No insect galls were found on dune grass from Milnerton Beach. The paper includes speculations on a probable association between nematodes and insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post-apartheid government in South Africa has provided increased opportunities for public participation at the local government level. Local party politics tend to bedevil these local participatory processes. This paper discusses ANC party politics and how they impact on public participation. It draws on a case study of five municipalities in the Cape Winelands District of the Western Cape that was conducted through semi-structured interviews and secondary data analysis. Local ANC politics has a huge impact on local government structures and their participatory processes. The ANC is a unitary structure in its policy but there is a lack of uniformity in understanding, commitment, and implementation of participatory policies at different levels of the organisation and government spheres. Some deployed public representatives work to advance themselves and their factions, at the expense of the ANC and the communities they are supposed to be leading. The findings of this study have as much significance for civil society as for the local state and its representatives. They show that it is not always the case that the state is bad and civil society is good as leaders of civil society get involved in clientelist relationships and blatant corruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on the adoption of rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV) by high-income households and businesses in the Western Cape, South Africa, the article analyzes its effects on the hybridization of urban electricity systems and the ability of municipalities to drive a just transition in cities where inequality remains very high. By reducing municipal electricity sales, decentralized solar technologies threaten the surpluses generated from charges paid by grid customers, which are essential to subsidize electricity services for the poor and support other municipal services. Based on fieldwork in four Western Cape cities, the paper shows that municipalities are implementing a variety of local arrangements (regulatory, tariff, and technical) to control distributed electricity generation and are seeking, with mixed success, to avoid a post-carbon transition model that undermines grid benefits by creating a new energy divide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on a qualitative study that investigated Grade 9 learners’ experiences of creative writing in English first additional language (FAL). Following a social constructivist approach to learning, the paper argues that creative writing is a complex process that demands cognitive and metacognitive skills, so that the language in which learners write matters, since it determines the quality and level of creativity that learners portray in their writing. The study was conducted in a township school in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, and its aim was to investigate Grade 9 learners’ experiences of creative writing in English FAL. Data was collected by means of focus group interviews with selected Grade 9 learners. The key findings of the study indicate that while the learners experienced language-related challenges, they also acknowledged the linguistic and cognitive benefits of creative writing in English. The study concludes that while learners portray positive attitudes towards English, this language remains a barrier to their learning, especially with regard to creative writing that demands imagination and critical thinking. This article recommends that creative writing be given more attention in schools, and that writing in the official languages be encouraged to enhance learners’ creativity and literacy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HIV diagnosis in South Africa is based on a point-of-care testing (PoCT) algorithm with paper-based record-keeping. Aggregated testing data are reported routinely. To facilitate improved HIV case-based surveillance, the Western Cape Province implemented a unique pilot intervention to digitise PoCT results, at an individual level, and generate an electronic register using the newly developed Provincial Health Data Centre (PHDC). We describe the intervention (phased) and present an evaluation of the operational feasibility of the intervention. We also offer implementation insights into establishing electronic capture of individual level testing data.Methods: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on records of all patients attending a local Community Health Centre who had an HIV-PoCT during the study period. Data from the intervention were linked to the PHDC using a unique identifier and compared with aggregate data from the paper-based register. Correlation coefficients were calculated to quantify the correlation between the two monthly datasets. To support an understanding of the findings, the Department of Health project management team generated reflections on the implementation process, which were then grouped thematically into implementation lessons.Results: In total, 11,337 PoCT records were digitised (70% (7954) during Phase I; and 30% (3383) during Phase II). Linkage of forms to the PHDC was 96% in Phase I and 98% in Phase II. Comparison with aggregate data showed high correlation during Phase I, but notable divergence during Phase II. Divergence in Phase II was due to stringent data quality requirements and high clinical staff turnover. Factors supporting implementation success in Phase I included direct oversight of data capturing by a manager with clinical and operational insight. Implementation challenges included operational, health system, and high cost-related issues.Conclusions: We demonstrate that rapid digitisation of HIV PoCT data, without compromising currently collected aggregate data, is operationally feasible, and can contribute to person-level longitudinal HIV case-based surveillance. To take to scale, we will need to improve PoCT platforms and clerical and administrative systems. Although we highlight challenges, we demonstrate that electronic HIV testing registers can successfully replace manual registers and improve efforts to monitor and evaluate HIV testing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of compliance units in the adoption of a combined assurance framework within provincial government departments in the Western Cape. It strives to avoid risks being managed in silos and ensure risks are efficiently managed collaboratively. A combined assurance framework provides a coordinated approach to all assurance activities. It aims to optimise the assurance coverage obtained from management and internal and external assurance providers on the risk areas affecting an organisation. Compliance is an independent function that supervises and participates in placing internal procedures in conformity with regulations within the context of the integrity policy covering fields such as corporate governance and fields possibly required by respective Boards of Directors, taking account of risks in various activities. This study followed a qualitative approach, and data was collected by interviewing various officials within the provincial government departments. A sample of 10 respondents ranging from CAEs, Internal Auditors, and Directors was selected to participate in the face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The study aimed to conclude that a combined assurance framework undeniably incorporates the efforts of management and external and internal assurance providers. It builds their alliance and develops a combined and more holistic breakdown of the organisation's risk profile. The general view is that the assurance gap is significant. However, the combined assurance framework will furnish a clear process and criteria for recognising each department's assurance gap and degree of risk coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the usefulness of Google search patterns with Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques for timely influenza-like illness (ILI) forecasting for each of the nine South African provinces. Traditional surveillance methods are limited by delay in reporting. Existing digital disease surveillance studies that employ alternative online data have scarcely explored sub-Saharan African countries. In South Africa, Google search data has only been recently studied for ILI surveillance at the national level. Meanwhile, the differences in socio-economic and technological conditions across provinces call for finer spatial investigation. We perform correlation analysis between Google trends (GT) data for 21 ILI-related terms and real-life ILI surveillance data for each province. Next, we develop models to assess the predictive performance of these GT data for forecasting ILI rates, using time series, machine learning, and deep learning methods. We observe sufficient correlation for only two of the nine provinces: Gauteng and Western Cape. Thus, GT data could only be used to forecast ILI in these two provinces. Interestingly, these two provinces are regarded as the most economically developed. In the other seven provinces, LSTM, a deep learning technique, gives more accurate predictions than a baseline autoregressive model when only past ILI data are used for forecasting future ILI trends. The results reveal that, for provinces for which GT data is sufficiently available, it is not only free and fast, but is an effective predictor on its own as well as when added to past ILI data for forecasting future ILI infection rates. The correlation analysis suggests an association between provincial socio-economic development and the use of digital platforms for disease surveillance. Overall, the study established the need for finer scale ILI forecasting which will inform targeted planning for disease surveillance and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing delivery in South Africa continues to dominate conversations on human rights and social development. Using a social development lens, this paper presents the findings of a qualitative study that aimed at exploring the housing experiences of social rental housing (SRH) beneficiaries and how this interlinked with human rights and social development in South Africa. Using the purposive sampling method, the study selected three social housing institutions (SHIs) in Gauteng and two in the Western Cape province. With each SHI, a focus group discussion was conducted with its tenants to establish if there are any linkages with human rights and social development. Participants shared positive sentiments relating to SRH. The authors of this article note that SRH is implemented from a rights-based perspective, in line with international law and the social development perspective. In concluding the article, the authors provide policy recommendations for government and civil society actors operating in the arena of SRH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports on a study investigating the efficacy of policy and legal framework for cooperative governance and LED to facilitate and coordinate responses to socio-economic concerns in the selected small towns in South Africa. The policy and legal framework place the onus for development on the local municipalities and urge the municipalities to partner with other stakeholders such as the business and the civil society to manage and respond to socio-economic concerns within the municipalities. The purpose of this paper is to review the 'efficacy of the policy and legal framework' to facilitate 'cooperative governance' and 'LED', specifically in six municipalities in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Data were collected from government officials, private and civil sector through three data collection instruments, namely, document review, interviews and focus group discussions. The key findings from the study are mixed. The policy design and implementation were established problematic in multifarious ways. However, the findings also provide a glimpse of hopes in matters of public accountability by providing policy guidelines aimed at promoting accountability amongst government role-players. Given the backdrop, some recommendations are provided in this paper. This paper provides feedbacks for policy makers and implementers on the performance of policy and legal framework that informs the cooperative governance of local economies, specifically in small towns, to establish as to what is effective to replicate in form of good practice and what is under-performing for possible review. This assist in improving the understanding of the context that may inhibit or enable stakeholders in taking full advantage of collaborative-led developmental interventions to further peoples' lives and to enhance their opportunities to partake in matters of development in their municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an analysis of Francophone immigrant parents' experiences of child language brokering in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Using a qualitative research design, data was collected by means of semistructured interviews from nine immigrant parents who were selected through a convenience and snowball sampling technique. Through the lens of sociocultural theory and acculturation, the key findings indicate that the Francophone immigrant parents displayed positive feelings and had optimistic expectations concerning their children's language brokering skills in English and their future prospects in South Africa. The paper concludes that Francophone immigrant parents' experiences of child language brokering are complex and dynamic and are influenced by the context and purpose of communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syzygium australe (Australian brush-cherry; the names Eugenia australis and Syzygium paniculatum have been misapplied to this species in some regions) is native to Australia. It has been introduced and used as an ornamental plant in several regions outside its native range and is invasive in Hawaii and New Zealand. The species was first recorded in South Africa in 1968 and has become a popular and widely traded and planted ornamental species. The first reports of naturalisation in the country appeared in the first decade of the 21st century; the species was subsequently flagged as a priority for investigation and potential regulation as an invasive species. In this paper we mapped the current distribution of S. australe in South Africa, determined its introduction status, and modelled its potential distribution. We also investigated whether cultivated plants are producing fertile seeds and compared such seeds with those produced by plants growing outside cultivation. We recorded S. australe at 268 sites across the country, clustered primarily in the Western Cape province. Naturalised populations have established at three sites, all in the Western Cape. Surveys of these established populations revealed ~ 4000 plants covering an area of ~ 7 ha (representing ~ 2 ha condensed canopy area). These populations were flourishing in riparian habitats in urban areas. Species distribution models suggest that S. australe has the potential to expand its current range in South Africa, primarily in coastal regions. Seeds of both cultivated and naturalised plants showed similar high levels of germinability (both 100%). Building on these findings, we conducted a risk analysis using the Risk Analysis of Alien Taxa Framework, and found S. australe to be of high invasion risk in South Africa. We recommend that all populations outside cultivation be controlled, and that propagation and trade be prohibited. However, except where they occur near riparian habitats, garden plantings do not need to be prioritised for immediate control, and can rather be phased out over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the learning and teaching of English as a first additional Language (EFAL) using digital resources. It was a qualitative study conducted in a Grade 10 township classroom in the Western Cape, South Africa. Data were collected through observation of a traditional classroom, a computer laboratory and a media room. In addition, using semi-structured interviews, an EFAL teacher, the head of department for languages and the school principal, were interviewed. The research aimed to understand whether the pedagogical digital literacy practices and the use of digital resources enhance the learning of EFAL. In South Africa, English is the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) for the majority of learners that are non-English speakers. Through the lens of computer assisted language learning (CALL) theory and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), this article argues that the integration of technology helps teachers to deliver the EFAL content in a flexible and enhanced way. The findings reveal that teachers who teach in impoverished backgrounds and in other languages need to be equipped with digital literacy skills. These skills will address the challenges of literacy currently faced by the country. In conclusion, the amalgamation of an e-education policy with the Language in Education Policy (LiEP) and the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for the implementation of language digital teaching practices in basic and higher education, should be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa's basic education system is dysfunctional. It scores last or close to last in a myriad of metrics and delivers learners with some of the worst literacy and numeracy competencies worldwide. A bimodal distribution in the results exists when learners from the richest socioeconomic quintile are performing adequately well, while learners from the poorest quintiles are failing. This paper presents a system dynamics simulation model to describe the causal linkages between improved early childhood and pre-school learning practices on the education system as a whole. The paper investigates the difference in performance between rich and poor communities. Three interventions explore the research question of whether it is the number of enrolments into early childhood development programs that increases a cohort's school readiness, or rather the quality of the early childhood development programs into which they were enrolled. The results answer the research question for the Western Cape province by showing that increasing the quality of the formal ECD programs leads to a greater percentage of school-ready five year olds than increasing the percentage of enrolled children, but that decreasing community poverty leads to better results than either intervention. The results show the simulation model to be a powerful tool to assist with policy setting and intervention testing for any other province or country by simply changing the input data and calibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy responses to the challenges associated with environmental change, including more frequent and severe climatic events, have interlinked environmental and social impacts. Less attention has been afforded to the latter, and specifically to the question of not just whether but how such responses create or entrench inequality. This paper examines policy responses to drought events in California, United States, and the Western Cape Province, South Africa, in terms of their effects on inequality, revealed in relationships to water access networks. We use concepts of water justice and hydraulic citizenship to evaluate how and why these policy responses reproduced water injustices in the two settings. We focus particularly on two mechanisms linking responses to widened inequalities: values‐reinforcement and strategic communication. Using interviews, policy documents, and media reports, we employ process tracing methods to illustrate these mechanisms through which drought policy impacts hydraulic citizenship experiences, manifesting water injustice. We contribute to emerging examinations of environmental policy responses and maladaptation by demonstrating how concepts of hydraulic citizenship and an emphasis on mechanisms can help us better understand and identify experiences of water injustice. We note policy implications and areas for future research, highlighting droughts as consequential policy sites for advancing social and environmental justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land is a fundamental resource that provides a foundation for the economy. Despite a wide range of studies on land governance systems, there is a lack of literature that analyzes the ability of communities to manage a change to different land governance systems. The study aimed to analyze the potential for the Goedverwacht communal settlement in the Western Cape province, South Africa, to transition from a hierarchical governance structure to one based on a communal land governance system. This aim was addressed by answering the research question: What are the roles, expectations and management strategies of the institutions and stakeholders participating in land governance? The study considered the community's desire to maintain its communal settlement's existence, and the choice between communal or individual freehold land governance. To understand these issues, the study utilized a framework that includes three theories: the theory of planned behaviour, the theory of institutional capacity, and the critical theory. (2) Methods: Through a survey, qualitative interviews, and focus group discussions, the study analyzed various underlying factors that influenced land governance and the land governance system desired by the community. (3) Results: The findings reveal that power dynamics and conflicting interests significantly affected the community's ability to manage potential modernization resulting from land reform. While establishing land rights can positively impact economic growth and social mobilization, the lack of the communal settlement's central government's capacity to manage modernization effectively can lead to instability. (4) Conclusions: The paper concludes that balancing institutionalization and modernization is crucial for effectively managing the transition to new land governance systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for effective teaching and learning. Access to ICT is a complex and dynamic phenomenon that significantly impacts teachers' technology practices. There is a need for more extensive studies to explore the dynamics of access and teacher technology practices in various contexts. This study explored the influence of access on the technology practices of secondary school teachers in the Western Cape, South Africa. A qualitative online survey was used to explore the lived experiences of teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A diverse sample, in terms of gender, age, years of experience of teachers, and socio-economic status of schools, of 22 teachers voluntarily participated in the study. Van Dijk's cumulative model of access to ICT provided a useful lens to explore how and when the dimensions of access supported or hindered teachers' appropriation of ICT. This study found that most respondents were primarily exposed to traditional face-to-face teaching before March 2020. The suspension of in-school teaching, however, caused a dramatic shift in the way teachers interacted with technology, learning materials and learners. Three dimensions of digital inequality, associated with physical access, manifested in South Africa, namely the Virtual Classroom, WhatsApp, and Radio-Television groups. Most participants in this study returned to traditional teaching practices with increased use of technology when schools reopened again. The findings of this study suggest that access to technology is not a linear progression of successive stages that by default culminates in usage. This paper proposes a more holistic contextualised approach to access to create enabling environments for the use of ICT and empower teachers to use ICT in their teaching practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To better understand the aetiologies of epileptic spasms in infants, as well as the safety and efficacy of high dose corticosteroids in tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) endemic resource‐limited settings. Method: This was a retrospective analysis of infants with epileptic spasms managed at the tertiary referral centres in the Western Cape, South Africa. Results: Of 175 children with epileptic spasms, the median age at onset was 6 months (interquartile range 4–8 months). Structural aetiologies were most common (115 out of 175 [66%]), with two‐thirds related to perinatal insults. A lead time to treatment (LTTT) of less than 1 month was more likely in the epileptic encephalopathy/developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) group: 58 out of 92 (63%), compared to 28 out of 76 (37%) of those with developmental encephalopathy (p = 0.001). Failure to recognize preceding developmental delay was common. Ninety‐nine children (57%) received first line hormonal therapy such as adrenocorticotropic hormone. A total of 111 out of 172 children (65%) from the developmental encephalopathy and epileptic encephalopathy/DEE groups had clinical and/or electroencephalogram resolution of spasms within 14 days. In our population, children in whom an aetiology could not be identified were statistically more likely to have moderate to profound developmental delay at 1 year of age: 33 out of 44 (p = 0.001). Based on reported incidence of epileptic spasms, 23 to 58 cases per annum would be expected but a far smaller proportion presented to our centres. Interpretation: Whilst this is the largest cohort of infants with epileptic spasms from sub‐Saharan Africa, the study size is less than expected; this may reflect misdiagnosis and failure of referral pathways. Despite a reported shorter LTTT, infants with DEE had worse developmental outcomes compared to international studies. Hormonal therapy was safe and effective in our setting, despite exposure to high levels of tuberculosis and HIV. What this paper adds: The number of unreferred cases of epileptic spasms in South Africa remains high.Caregivers and health care workers in primary care facilities often fail to recognize developmental delay.The burden of disease from hypoxic‐ischaemic encephalopathy remains high in our resource‐limited setting.Hormonal treatment (e.g. adrenocorticotropic hormone) was safe and effective despite the high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risk that a borrower may not fulfil his/her borrowing obligation presents credit owner (lender) a default risk management opportunity to maximize the risk-adjusted rate of return and to maintain minimum exposure to default associated cost. This paper investigated respondents' perception of the cost of credit default and examines requirements for default risk management (DRM) in the vehicle finance industry in South Africa. It is noted that with an increased level of consumer indebtedness, unstable economy, high unemployment, opportunistic risks like health pandemics, vehicle financing faces a higher probability of default from borrowers. This descriptive investigation utilised quantitative approach using a survey method to collect data from 381 purposive randomly selected respondents who are vehicle finance customers in South Africa, Cape Town specifically. Data collection took place in the Western Cape over a nine-month period, utilising personal interview, and emails to administer questionnaires to vehicle finances' customers as data collection instruments. Responses received were codified and quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS version 25) The paper found mixed and variable respondents' perception of the cost of credit default. In conclusion, it is perceived that South Africa debt would become more costly with credit default. It can be recommended that a default risk management intervention be applied to manage credit default risk within the context of the unified credit assessment policy in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article invetigates the relationships between budget, on the one hand, and technical, quality, scope and stakeholder management project specifications, on the other hand. It argues that budgeting is a viable management instrument that ought to be used as a directing tool towards executing organisational plans and procedures. Budgets are unavoidable strategic tools used in the planning of an organisation's effective supply of services or goods. Therefore, budgets serve as financial representations of the work, services or goods that will be generated and/or delivered by organisation. On the off-chance that budgeting is carried out and monitored appropriately, and in this manner taking every one of the elements affecting legitimate management of budgets plans into account, the organisation ought to have the option to use its resources ideally to achieve its objectives. The strategic imperatives and the type of leadership in an organisation determine the budgeting processes, which vary from one organisation to the next. "Hence, genuine perspectives and sentiments should be solicited from budget managers at all levels of the organisation as well as their expectations regarding planning as an administration tool." This article takes note of issues that managers are concerned with, in relation to the budgetary process in the Public Sector. Also, the paper explains the reasons underlying the current situation and it makes future-oriented suggestions that could have a significant impact on the uses of budget planning as a compelling management tool in project execution. The objectives of this article are to: identify the relationship between budget and technical specifications; discuss the relationship between budget and quality specifications; analyse the relationship between budget and scope specifications; and, examine the relationship between budget and stakeholder management. Data was collected using questionnaires, which was analysed using MS Excel spreadsheet and the results were interpreted. The findings point to the necessity for intensive training and empowerment of budget holders in order to ensure that budgets, budgeting processes, project implementation and anticipated service delivery to the public are all in line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the wealth of Late Pleistocene archaeology that exists across southern Africa's open landscape, it is routinely neglected in favour of rock shelter (re)excavation, biasing interpretation of human–environment interaction. This is compounded by the scarcity of open-air studies that use geoarchaeological methods to investigate the history and processes involved in their formation. The open-air archaeology of the Doring River Valley is an example of this, despite nearly a decade of dedicated study and publication. Consequently, there remains a limited and untested understanding of the valley's formation history. This paper rectifies this by providing a sedimentary context for the surface archaeology exposed across one of the Doring River Valley's artefact-baring localities, Uitspankraal 7 (UPK7). Characterisation, particle size, mineralogical, morphometric, and geophysical analysis of UPK7′s sand mantle resulted in the identification of four artefact-bearing sedimentary units, the aeolian and pedogenic processes involved in their formation, and their proposed order of deposition. This provides a stratigraphic, taphonomic, and environmental context against which chronometric dating and an analysis of the taphonomic, spatio-temporal, and technological composition of UPK7′s surface archaeology can be compared. This work is the first vital step towards understanding the depositional and behavioural history of a landscape, irrespective of context type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the responses available to urban and rural community members in the Western Cape Province of South Africa after witnessing, experiencing, or hearing about intimate partner violence (IPV) against women. It explores the social and material spaces that make IPV against women possible in these communities, which have a complex history of multiple forms of violence, including institutional, symbolic, and interpersonal. Seven focus group discussions with community members are analysed, using thematic narrative analysis, to explore the social and collective features of IPV and how it emerges within community responses to this violence. Constructions of IPV as an "everyday" event surfaced in the data, and mutualising language was often employed to construct IPV as a reciprocal activity with no clear distinction between attacker and victim. Also, a reconciliatory "kiss-and-make-up" narrative emerged in the data, representing how community members responded to this violence. In addition, the temporary nature of the violent event was emphasised by participants, and the aftermath was described as an opportunity for the victim and perpetrator to "reunite", thereby providing justification for non-intervention in future violent events. By asking questions about responses to IPV, this paper offers insight into, and recommendations about, key forms of community intervention and engagement for gendered violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa has been identified as having a high potential for solar powered irrigation. However, there has been a lag in the development of solar powered irrigation systems (SPIS) there, mainly due to the high investment cost associated with solar technology. South Africa has frequently implemented load shedding, which has affected many farmers. The work reported in this paper sought to determine the extent of solar powered irrigation and characteristics of the system types in use. The extent of SPIS in South Africa was determined using a questionnaire, and categorised in terms of farm size, SPIS configuration (storage of energy), type of irrigation, and location of the system. These were established mainly from a literature search. The questionnaires were administered on Survey Monkey®. The sample size of the study was 138 755 potential respondents. The number that participated and completed the questionnaires included a total of 18 SPIS engineers, installers and designers and 13 SPIS users (farmers). The main problem encountered with the distribution of the survey was finding SPIS users to participate. Results from SPIS engineers, installers and designers showed that most SPIS they implemented were in the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape, at 33% of the responses for both provinces. The total area under SPIS was found to be 364 ha, while the area under irrigation is South Africa is 1 300 00 ha, indicating a high potential for SPIS development. Some details on the extent of SPIS in South Africa were determined in this paper, but more SPIS users need to be identified to determine the details of their SPIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phlyctinus callosus and P. xerophilus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are two cryptic species of native entimine weevils, previously grouped together under the P. callosus sensu lato concept, that are pests of economic importance to the deciduous fruit and vine industry in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Laboratory bioassays were conducted using entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) isolates of Beauveria and entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), Heterorhabditis indica and Steinernema yirgalemense, to determine differences in susceptibility of adult P. callosus and P. xerophilus to potential biological control agents. The test arena used was 24‐well bioassay plates with an inoculation rate of 200 infective juveniles (IJs)/insect for EPNs and 5 × 105 conidia/insect for EPF. Insects were inoculated using a 12.7 mm filter paper impregnated with 50 μL of entomopathogen suspension. Infection was determined after 96 h incubation for EPNs through dissection of cadavers. Insects inoculated with EPF were incubated in the wells for 18 days and mortality recorded daily. Cadavers were surface sterilized and observed for overt mycosis. Differential susceptibility between P. callosus and P. xerophilus was observed in EPF but not in EPN bioassays. Differential susceptibility to EPF could be due to methodology. Low adult weevil pathogenicity was found for all entomopathogens, with variable results obtained from different bioassay batches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correlation between the level of difficulty of assessments, Bloom's Taxonomy as well as pass rates of courses has been a seriously under-researched area in South Africa. In this study, we proposed the revised Bloom's taxonomy level of difficulty index, before we examined 112 firstyear 2017-2019 final and supplementary assessment papers from the Economic and Management Sciences Faculty of a university in Western Cape. The descriptive statistics showed that these assessment papers are different in terms of duration, total marks, type of questions asked as well as pass rates. It was also found that these first-year summative assessments asked questions mainly at levels two (understand) and three (apply) of the revised Bloom's Taxonomy. In addition, the correlation and econometric analysis did not find a strong correlation between the level of difficulty index and pass rates. Nonetheless, the above-mentioned results need to be interpreted with great caution, because strictly speaking, one should also control for differences in other characteristics (e.g., students' personal characteristics, school characteristics and lecture attendance). To conclude, there is no explicit national policy that guides higher education institutions (HEIs) on how to use Bloom's or any other taxonomy to assess students at the appropriate National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level. Hence, our findings suggest that there is a need for a national assessment policy framework to guide HEIs on how to assess undergraduate students at different cognitive levels as required by the NQF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on 18-months of ethnographic fieldwork in South Africa's Western Cape province, we suggest ways in which marine resource law enforcement activities can be evaluated at the level of individual fisheries compliance inspectors, to gain a more accurate understanding of the state of marine resource law enforcement. We show that these individual assessments can be scaled up to speak about specific compliance stations, and further, that these local-level assessments can be scaled up to the regional and provincial levels, without losing sight of the needs and value of the individual inspector. This paper contributes to the broader conversation on compliance in marine resource governance, as well as opening a new avenue of discussion: how to incorporate inspector-focussed social indicators. We show that this can be done in ways that take the overlap of the ecological, economic and social dimensions into account, while still being practical in terms of application and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While intersectoral collaboration is considered valuable and important for achieving health outcomes, there are few examples of successes. The literature on intersectoral collaboration suggests that success relies on a shared understanding of what can be achieved collectively and whether stakeholders can agree on mutual goals or acceptable trade-offs. When health systems are faced with negotiating intersectoral responses to complex issues, achieving consensus across sectors can be a challenging and uncertain process. Stakeholders may present divergent framings of the problem based on their disciplinary background, interests and institutional mandates. This raises an important question about how different frames of problems and solutions affect the potential to work across sectors during the initiating phases of the policy process.Methods: In this paper, this question was addressed through an analysis of the case of the First 1000 Days (FTD) Initiative, an intersectoral approach targeting early childhood in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. We conducted a documentary analysis of 34 policy and other documents on FTD (spanning global, national and subnational spheres) using Schmidt's conceptualisation of policy ideas in order to elicit framings of the policy problem and solutions.Results: We identified three main frames, associated with different sectoral positionings - a biomedical frame, a nurturing care frame and a socioeconomic frame. Anchored in these different frames, ideas of the problem (definition) and appropriate policy solutions engaged with FTD and the task of intersectoral collaboration at different levels, with a variety of (sometimes cross) purposes.Conclusions: The paper concludes on the importance of principled engagement processes at the beginning of collaborative processes to ensure that different framings are revealed, reflected upon and negotiated in order to arrive at a joint determination of common goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gated developments are a defining feature of the post-apartheid residential landscape. The fortification practices witnessed in gated developments are part of a wider securitisation of the South African urban- and ruralscapes. This research resides in the ambit of the theory of crime and violence as a precursor to the growth in gated developments. Research on gated developments has tended to focus on their proliferation in larger urban settlements, with scant attention being paid to gated developments in smaller settlements and in rural areas. However, non-metropolitan gated developments are a reality, and they display similar security features as those found in metropolitan areas. This paper compares the security levels of gated developments in a suburb of Cape Town with those in small towns in the Western Cape province. Security features are quantified to determine whether differences in securitisation levels exist between the locales. The gated developments in the city display higher levels of security than those in small towns. However, a closer analysis of small-town gated developments reveals high security levels in towns where tourism is the mainstay of the local economy. As the technology of security migrates from military applications to residential applications, a securified small-town future is a real possibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In South Africa it is compulsory to submit a satisfactory portfolio of learning to gain entrance to the national exit examination of the College of Family Physicians and to qualify as a family physician. A paper-based portfolio has been implemented thus far and the need for an electronic portfolio (e-portfolio) was identified. The aim of the study was to describe and evaluate the implementation of an e-portfolio for the training of family medicine registrars in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Methods: Mixed methods were used. A quasi-experimental study evaluated paper- and e-portfolios from the same 28 registrars in 2015 compared to 2016. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 registrars or supervisors to explore their experiences of using the e-portfolio. Quantitative data was analysed in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences and qualitative data in Atlas.ti. Results: Most respondents found the e-portfolio easier to use and more accessible. It made progress easier to monitor and provided sufficient evidence of learning. Feedback was made easier and more explicit. There were concerns regarding face-to-face feedback being negatively affected. It was suggested to have a feedback template to further improve feedback. Several aspects were significantly better in the e-portfolio such as feedback on the registrar's general behaviour, alignment with learning outcomes, less feedback based on hearsay and acknowledgement of the feedback by the registrar. Although not statistically significant, there was an increase in the usage of the e-portfolio, compared to the paper portfolio. Conclusion: In general, the e-portfolio is an improvement on the paper-based portfolio. It is easier to access, more user-friendly and less cumbersome. It makes feedback and monitoring of progress and development of registrars easier and more visible and provides sufficient evidence of learning. Its implementation throughout South Africa is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ordinary archive of the racially oppressed in South Africa offers a critical lens through which to interrogate notions of resistance, subjectivities and freedom. This paper considers these questions by examining the phenomenon that is the annual Spring Queen pageant which, for more than 46 years, has proffered a potential real-life 'Cinderella' experience to the poorly-paid, industrious women of the Western Cape's clothing and textile trade. Initiated by their union, the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers' Union (SACTWU) in the late 1970s as a response to worker agitation, the social significance of the pageant runs incontrovertibly deeper than a one-night spectacle. Despite a dearth of subject-specific formal research, this paper draws on available literature analysing the impact of apartheid on culture and society in South Africa, along with extensive relevant media coverage of the Spring Queen pageant, and personal interviews with those involved and impacted. It goes beyond describing the experiences of working class 'coloured' women who contributed to the anti-apartheid struggle through their union activities. It also highlights how an enduring annual gala event has afforded the 'invisible' clothing production line workers who underpin a multi-billion rand South African export industry an opportunity to envision a yet-to-be realised freedom, while reflecting the power and resilience of the ordinary to transform in extraordinary times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents prospective of using solar energy resources to produce hydrogen for feeding hydrogen vehicles at a refuelling station in South Africa. Solar energy sources from Vredendal, located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, were used for the study. Assessment was performed for a refuelling station having capacity to meet the hydrogen needs of 25, 50 and 100 number of vehicles per day. The results showed that the annual daily average solar irradiation on the horizontal surfaces and optimally tilted surfaces were 5.77 kWh/m2 and 5.933 kWh/m2, respectively. The solar power required to meet the hydrogen production demand for each of the three refuelling number of vehicles were determined to be 2.24, 4.24 and 8.95 MW, respectively. The cost of energy from the solar PV system as well as the cost of hydrogen production at the refuelling station for each of the three hydrogen vehicle capacities was calculated as (0.24, 0.239 and 0.237) $/kWh and (16.52, 15.95 and 15.67) $/kg, respectively. The PV system would displace 387, 774 and 1548 tons of coal per annum for each of the capacity, respectively. This will result in the avoidance of 780, 1560 and 3120 tons/yr of CO2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic identity and phylogenetic relationships of several southern African perennial taxa related to Frankenia repens are discussed. In particular, F. nodiflora Lam., a misunderstood species described from the Cape region and synonymised to F. pulverulenta, is restored for plants endemic to salt-pans and riverbeds in the coastal lowlands across the Cape Flats (Western Cape province, South Africa). Further, a revision of morphologically close plants, usually identified as F. pulverulenta or F. repens, also occurring in similar saline ecosystems of the inland western South Africa revealed the existence of two distinct new entities not matching any described taxa of the genus. Molecular analyses of nuclear ribosomal (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region) DNA sequence data together with morphological divergence allow recognition of those taxa at species rank, within an independent lineage close to F. repens. In consequence, two new sea-heath species are described in the so-called "F. repens group": F. nummularia from the Nama-Karoo Biome (Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces), and F. anneliseae from the Succulent Karoo Biome (Northern Cape province). Full morphological description and type designation are reported for each accepted species as well as data on ecology, habitat, distribution, and taxonomic relationships to other close relatives are given. Further, an identification key is presented to facilitate recognition of the southern African taxa of Frankenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a growing interest in implementing intersectoral approaches to address social determinants especially within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) era. However, there is limited research that uses policy analysis approaches to understand the barriers to adoption and implementation of intersectoral approaches. In this paper we apply a policy analysis lens in examining implementation of the first thousand days (FTD) of childhood initiative in the Western Cape province of South Africa. This initiative aims to improve child outcomes through a holistic intersectoral approach, referred to as nurturing care. Methods: The case of the FTD initiative was constructed through a triangulated analysis of document reviews (34), in depth interviews (22) and observations. The analysis drew on Hall's 'ideas, interests and institutions' framework to understand the shift from political agendas to the implementation of the FTD. Results: In the Western Cape province, the FTD agenda setting process was catalysed by the increasing global evidence on the life-long impacts of brain development during the early childhood years. This created a window of opportunity for active lobbying by policy entrepreneurs and a favourable provincial context for a holistic focus on children. However, during implementation, the intersectoral goal of the FTD got lost, with limited bureaucratic support from service-delivery actors and minimal cross-sector involvement. Challenges facing the health sector, such as overburdened facilities, competing policies and the limited consideration of implementation realities (such as health providers' capacity), were perceived by implementing actors as the key constraints to intersectoral action. As a result, FTD actors, whose decision-making power largely resided in health services, reformulated FTD as a traditional maternal-child health mandate. Ambiguity and contestation between key actors regarding FTD interventions contributed to this narrowing of focus. Conclusion: This study highlights conditions that should be considered for the effective implementation of intersectoral action - including engaging cross-sector players in agenda setting processes and creating spaces that allow the consideration of actors' interests especially those at service-delivery level. Networks that prioritise relationship building and trust can be valuable in allowing the emergence of common goals that further embrace collective interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I argue against contemporary South African representations of the elderly as people at the fringes of society, as frail, withdrawn from social activity or "invisible." Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork carried out in Nuwerus, in the Matzikama Local Municipality of Western Cape Province, I highlight the way the elderly maintain their sense of vitality. I unpack the personal, religious and social dimensions of old age through the local notion of vitality. I draw attention to the subtle ways with which they push the boundaries of old age, consequently challenging conventional notions of health and wellness amongst the aged. The vigour with which the elderly go about their everyday life ultimately makes them the pillars and knowledge holders of the community. This paper examines the practices of the elderly in Nuwerus in order to evaluate the presentation of old age in terms of frailty in the literature with self-conceptions of strength, health and independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled tourism businesses to rapidly adjust operations in newer and more resilient ways as firms have to change priorities and respond to challenges, including of shifts in consumer demand. Extant research on tourism business responses and adaptations to COVID-19 highlights the significance of organizational resilience and ability of businesses to respond to uncertainty. Using a qualitative approach this paper investigates tourism business responses in Sout h Africa, seemingly the country worst hit on the African continent by the COVID-19 crisis. The research analyses tourism business responses occurring in one of South Africa's tourism-dependent areas and thus most exposed to the radical effects of COVID-19. Key findings are of the self-reliant character of the community of tourism enterprises in and around Overstrand cluster in the Western Cape. Product diversification, reductions of prices, reduced staffing, changed marketing, greater inter -enterprise cooperation are several of the most significant business adjustments undertaken. With the negative financial impacts of COVID-19 on local tourism enterprises exacerbated by South African government measures for alcohol bans and beach closures there is evidence of a disconnect and lack of trust between the area's local businesses and national government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy remains a major component of households' expenditures, which is also intricately linked to many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Inadequate access to clean energy has been linked to some health problems, which disproportionately affect women and children. This paper analyzed the determinants of energy poverty in South Africa using the General Households Survey data of 2019 to 2021. The Alkire-Foster method of multidimensional poverty decomposition and Tobit regression model were used. The results showed that deprivation in access to electricity declined from 5.94% in 2019 to 4.51% in 2021, while heating with unclean energy increased 46.43% in 2019 to 49.67% in 2021. In the combined dataset, energy poverty incidence was highest in Western Cape (0.5281), while Northern Cape has the highest intensity (0.5965). Alkire-Foster multidimensional energy poverty indicator (MEPI) declined from 0.2183 in 2019 to 0.1814 in 2021. Black households, and farm households showed the highest deprivation with MEPI of 0.2250 and 0.3662 respectively in the combined data. The Tobit results showed that social grants, Western Cape province, black respondents, male headed households, tribal and farm areas residents had significantly higher MEPI. Also, increase in monthly income significantly reduced MEPI. It was concluded that although average MEPI in South Africa is generally low, attainment of the SDG on energy requires integration of programmes and interventions to promote clean energy access among black population, tribal and farm areas residents and those on social grants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are numerous small towns and countryside areas that fail to develop in South Africa. A case in point in this paper is the province of the Western Cape. Two separate studies using different methodologies determined the growth potential of small towns in this relatively better-off province: in the studies of Van der Merwe et al. (2004) and Van Niekerk et al. (2010), data collection formed the basis for statistical analyses and spatial modelling to provide an objective overview of the growth potential of settlements in the Western Cape. Both the studies came to the same conclusion insofar as they identified specific towns in need of alternative interventions for growth and development. It is the main aim of this paper to provide theoretical and practical discussion on recommendations for potential development strategies, particularly for those towns with a low and very low development potential. As a backdrop to the changing nature of the countryside (and in essence, therefore, small towns) the paper suggests a number of generic intervention strategies for Western Cape small towns with low development and growth potential. These suggestions include cross-boundary collaboration, renewable energy, waste recycling, investing in the creative class, investing in rural markets and exploring tourism resources opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study emerged from a desire to understand the motivation of teachers to teach in challenging school contexts on the Cape Flats of South Africa where the legacy of apartheid continues to impact the quality of teaching and learning as the communities experience abject poverty, violence, and gang activity and have little regard for schooling, teachers, or education. This qualitative study employed an interpretative paradigm to understand the personal, lived experiences of teachers teaching in three purposively selected primary schools in Manenberg on the Cape Flats. The participants agreed to at least one semi-structured interview with follow-up questions for clarity if required. The findings suggest that the motivation of the teachers to teach at schools in a marginalised community is positively linked to the relationships they develop with their teacher community and the students and their families. If these relationships are positive, teachers are able to live out their beliefs and remain committed to the school community, which increases their perceived levels of self-efficacy and therefore their motivation to teach in the Manenberg area. Where they have support from the larger school community, their motivation is further enhanced. This motivation can be applied to countries with marginalised communities, particularly countries in the global south. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a first report on species of endosymbiotic ciliates (Litostomatea, Trichostomatia) inhabiting the intestine of zebras in South Africa. Ciliates from Mountain Zebra were investigated for the first time in the world. The wild population of mountain zebras in general and the Cape Mountain Zebra subspecies in particular is low in numbers: this species is included as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. Approximately 15 species of trichostome ciliates from 9 different genera were found in the samples collected from wild zebras in Western Cape, South Africa. Some of the ciliate species are also common to horses and other equids, while others are unique for zebras. The ciliates of Triplumaria genus common to elephants and rhinoceroses, and the species Blepharosphaera ceratotherii previously described in rhinoceroses were found in equids for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: High rates of pre-treatment loss to care among persons diagnosed with HIV persist. Linkage to care can be improved through active digitally-based surveillance. Currently, record-keeping for HIV diagnoses in South Africa is paper-based. Aggregated testing data are reported routinely, and only discordant findings result in a specimen being tested at a laboratory and digitised. The Western Cape Province in South Africa has a Provincial Health Data Centre (PHDC) where person-level routine electronic data are consolidated in a single database, leveraging the existence of a unique patient identifier. To facilitate improved HIV surveillance, a pre-carbonated point-of-care test (PoCT) form was piloted, where one copy was routed to a central point and digitised for PHDC inclusion. Methods: We evaluated the utility of the intervention using cross-sectional and retrospective cohort analyses, as well as comparisons with aggregate data. Data were linked to the Patient Master Index of the PHDC using unique identifiers. Prior evidences of HIV within the PHDC were used to differentiate newly diagnosed patients and those retesting, as well as linkage to care and treatment. Results: From May 2017 to June 2018, 11337 digitised point-of-care HIV testing records were linked to the PHDC. Overall, 96% of records in the aggregate dataset were digitised, with 97% linked to the PHDC. Of those tested, 79% were female (median age 27 years). Linkage demonstrated that 51.3% (95% CI 48.4–54.1%) of patients testing HIV-positive were retesting. Of those newly diagnosed, 81% (95% CI 77.9–84.3%) were linked to HIV care and 25% (95% CI 21.6–28.7%) were initiated on antiretroviral therapy immediately. Conclusion: Digitisation of PoCT results provides individuated HIV testing data to assist in linkage to care and in differentiating newly diagnosed patients from positive patients retesting. Actionable and accurate data can improve the measurement of performance towards the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the impact of various factors on teacher effectiveness is considered in the South African context. The Teacher Effectiveness Model is constructed to answer the research question whether it is the low quantity of teachers or predominantly their low quality that contributes to the basic education crisis of Quintile 1 to 3 schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. The model illustrates the impact of improving the quantity and quality of teachers within the province. This research question is answered when the system exhibits an increase of 13% in the success measure when the quantity is improved and an increase of 10% in the success measure when quality is improved. Improvement in both factors, however, gives the best result with a 17% increase in the success measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communal areas in South Africa invariably lack cadastre and other information needed for sustainable planning. Usually land ownership is unclear and only limited state capacity exists in providing basic services infrastructure. This paper describes community mapping as a participatory means to encourage development. The impact of community-based mapping is assessed and if participatory methodology can fulfil its well-known objectives. Reflections on two community-based mapping projects facilitated with residents show that in these circumstances, community-based mapping is effective in bringing about change. Flamingo Crescent is an urban informal settlement located in Lansdowne, Cape Town. Informal settlements such as these are high density and organic, making service delivery difficult due to the lack of space. Re-blocking is an in-situ method of upgrading an informal settlement so that basic service and access can be provided. The Goedverwacht Moravian Mission Station in the Western Cape has no internal cadastral boundaries and therefore the spatial framework is fuzzy and confusing. The objective of the study is to use a mapping technique that is economically viable, fast and at an accuracy determined by purpose rather than technical and legal requirements for formal land registration. Findings spotlight some of the advantages of community-based mapping during these projects by assessing their impact using critical outcomes of participation, empowerment and ownership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: South Africa has one of the highest incidences of Tuberculosis (TB) globally. High co-morbid HIV prevalence complicates TB management and treatment outcomes. Growing evidence suggests that integrating the TB and HIV programmes will improve the overall results. Objectives: To describe how TB programme staff at various levels of the South African health system responded to the transition from a paper-based to an electronic register of TB data integrated with HIV programme data. Method: Three primary health service facilities in the Cape Winelands district, Western Cape province, South Africa served as pilot sites for implementation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 TB programme staff purposively selected at facility, sub-district, district and provincial levels of the health system, based on their involvement in implementing electronic TB data. An objective-driven thematic frame was used to analyse the data. Results: Fears about the transition included reductions in data quality, changes to the status quo and a lack of computer literacy. Participants acknowledged benefits of reduced workloads, speed of accessing patient-level data and click-of-a-button reporting. Three factors influenced the ease of adopting the new system: firstly, implementation challenged the vertical position of the TB programme, TB data and staff's conventional roles and responsibilities; secondly, perceptions of the paper-based register as functional and reliable made the transition to electronic seem unnecessary; and thirdly, lack of a process of change management challenged staff's ability to internalise the proposed change. Conclusion: A process of change management is critical to facilitate the efficiency and effectiveness with which the electronic in-facility TB register is implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Western Cape Government (WCG) has recently implemented its seventh (7th) Provincial Evaluation Plan that is aligned to the National Evaluation Policy Framework adopted by South Africa in November 2011. The National Evaluation System (NES) and its evolution at the provincial level has been aligned to its Province-wide Monitoring and Evaluation System (PWMES). The Department of the Premier in the WCG centrally drives this system. The institutionalisation of a Provincial Evaluation System (PES) serves as a model for any sub-national government to practice government evaluations at provincial, regional or local levels. To date, thirty-three (33) evaluations have been completed and a further eleven (11) are at various stages of implementation. Objectives: Since the initial rollout of the PES in the WCG, the system has developed, strengthened and matured. This comes from a need for better access to, and understanding of, evaluations. Method: The paper has drawn on the recent evaluation of the NES which selected the Western Cape as a case study; and uses the findings to put improvements in place in the areas of policy, methodology, organisation, capacity, participation with other actors, and use. Results: The main value in sharing this work, is the building of an enabling environment to roll out evaluations on a regional level, that are in line with the national evaluation approach, whilst at the same time facilitating integration with provincial strategic priorities. Conclusion: This paper reflects on the way in which the WCG of South Africa has undertaken the implementation and maturation of the NES at a sub-national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: As child sexual abuse haunts South African communities, this paper aims to present the nature of empowerment services rendered by the non-profit sector for child sexual abuse in the Western Cape, South Africa. METHODS: A qualitative research approach was applied to interview 20 participants at six non-profit organisations (NPOs) who render empowerment services in communities haunted by child sexual abuse. OUTCOMES: Findings of the study indicate that participants execute an empowerment approach by means of a process which entails building relationships, determining goals, identifying strengths, developing action plans, executing plans, attaining goals and ending relationships. The findings also indicate that sexually abused children in South African communities are empowered with micro level intervention to deal with the consequences of their abuse. SOCIAL WORK IMPLICATIONS: Service providers should be equipped to empower sexually abused children with meso and macro level intervention in addition to micro level intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a general sentiment against the idea of marketing among architectural professionals. This paper argues for the necessity of a marketing approach particularly in times where the workload is declining. This paper looks at the marketing strategies that the Western Cape architects follow. It examines their efforts in building a successful marketing portfolio that defines marketing targets, utilizes proper marketing tools, and carry on helpful image building tasks. The data were collected using a mailed questionnaire to all principals of architectural offices in the Western Cape Province. The concluding section relates these strategies with the perception of growth over a five-year period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]