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When the National Benchmark Tests (NBTs) were first considered, it was suggested that the results would assess entry-level students' academic and quantitative literacy, and mathematical competence, assess the relationships between higher education entry-level requirements and school-level exit outcomes, provide a service to higher education institutions with regard to selection and placement, and assist with curriculum development, particularly in relation to foundation and augmented courses. We recognise there is a need for better communication of the findings arising from analysis of test data, in order to inform teaching and learning and thus attempt to narrow the gap between basic education outcomes and higher education requirements. Specifically, we focus on identification of mathematical errors made by those who have performed in the upper third of the cohort of test candidates. This information may help practitioners in basic and higher education. The NBTs became operational in 2009. Data have been systematically accumulated and analysed. Here, we provide some background to the data, discuss some of the issues relevant to mathematics, present some of the common errors and problems in conceptual understanding identified from data collected from Mathematics (MAT) tests in 2012 and 2013, and suggest how this could be used to inform mathematics teaching and learning. While teachers may anticipate some of these issues, it is important to note that the identified problems are exhibited by the top third of those who wrote the Mathematics NBTs. This group will constitute a large proportion of first-year students in mathematically demanding programmes. Our aim here is to raise awareness in higher education and at school level of the extent of the common errors and problems in conceptual understanding of mathematics. We cannot analyse all possible interventions that could be put in place to remediate the identified mathematical problems, but we do provide information that can inform choices when planning such interventions.

In order to identify specific, shared sources of meaning and mechanisms with which individuals attempt to make meaning, the objectives of this study were to explore the way in which secondary school teachers perceive, conceptualise and attain meaning in their work. A qualitative design with a phenomenological strategy was used with a convenience sample (n = 20) of teachers. Semi-structured, one-to-one interviews with open-ended questions were used to gather data. Participants were asked to diarise related issues for five working days following the interview, in order to strengthen and validate the interviews' results. The results showed that the participants conceptualise meaning as purpose and significance, and that the main sources of meaning related to work include the transfer of knowledge, and making a positive difference in the learners' lives. Forming relationships based on trust and receiving feedback was also important. The main mechanisms identified were putting effort into preparations, while this group of participants reported that meaning leads to the experience of happiness and personal satisfaction. Although most of these findings support those in the broader literature, there are differences in the emphasis placed on some of the findings, due to the context of education in South Africa. From the results, recommendations were made to create opportunities for teachers to experience more meaning in their work.

The Greater Cape Floristic Region at the southern tip of Africa is a global megadiversity hotspot. The region's biodiversity has been driven by a long history of topographic, climatic, and sea level change coupled with geological uplift, and without being exposed to any major climate events such as glaciations since the breakup of Gondwana. Among arthropods, this long history has led to the survival of many ancient lineages, manifested by much disparity followed by considerable speciation in more recent times, with the emergence of many cryptic species flocks. There is much convergence among the various taxa and functional groups in how they have responded to the various environmental filters of the past. There has also been the development of a great many morphological, behavioral, and microhabitat specialisms, associated with both topography and particular habitats, as well as interactions with other organisms. Morphological and molecular advances are elucidating how this megadiversity came about. There are indications that among the arthropod fauna, especially species that are small‐sized and have cryptic lifestyles, many more taxa remain to be discovered. Here, we review the eco‐evolutionary trends that have occurred in this region and that have resulted in such remarkable arthropod diversity. Conservation of the arthropod fauna requires recognition of this historical biogeography and ecology. Instigation of approaches over wide areas is required so as to encompass all this diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the South African Constitution enshrines both children's right to a basic education and teachers' right to strike, conflict between these two often occurs when the way in which teachers' unions conduct strike actions detracts from learners' education. This article identifies the parties affected by industrial action in the school context, and then proceeds to examine educators' right to strike as defined by the provisions of the Labour Relations Act. The unique implications of picketing in the education environment are then discussed, covering relevant questions such as where pickets may be held, the issue of picketing rules as well as unprotected pickets. Even though we are faced with a qualified right to strike as opposed to an unqualified right to education, the South African reality seems to be that striking teachers are handled with kid gloves. It is therefore concluded that the vast range of existing laws regulating protest action should be applied more effectively. One of the most important aspects should be the picketing rules, which should clearly determine whether picketing in fact contributes to resolution of the dispute, and how learners' interests and rights may best be actualised.

The study reported in this paper investigated foundation phase teacher provision by the public universities in South Africa, with a view to carefully and accurately determine the extent to which foundation phase teacher provision matched national as well as provincial needs. The study draws on data obtained through a survey of teacher provision at the public higher education institutions (HEIs), conducted by the national Department of Education (DoE) in 2009, as well as from data relating to teacher education qualifications and programmes in the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS). The study confirmed perceptions that the number of new foundation phase teachers being produced by the public higher education institutions (HEIs) falls short of national and provincial needs, and that the provision of African language foundation phase teachers is particularly problematic, especially in the context of mother-tongue instruction in the early years.

We describe the evolving learning design of a computer-based exercise called "Director's Cut" that challenges students to create their own video sequence from a set of clips we provide. The context is a film theory course where the community of educators have been interested in introducing practical exercises so students can, for example, experience how their choices influence which character the audience identifies with most strongly. This design process is presented within the theoretical frames of multimodality and production based learning, offering insights into how we balanced constraints and creativity as learning designers in the context of a South African university

Roads have direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity, although the impacts on insects are not yet fully understood. In a plantation forestry-dominated landscape in South Africa, where natural grasslands make up ecological networks of conservation corridors among plantation compartments, we investigated the impact of maintained unpaved roads and unmanaged tracks on dung beetles. We show that these two types of roads have little impact on dung beetle species richness and assemblage structure, indicating that road verges are attractive habitats for dung beetles. Yet, nocturnal dung beetle abundance increased with distance away from roads, suggesting that areas farther away from roads are important to maintain their population sizes. Vegetation characteristics, especially total cover by grasses and overall vegetation height, were important drivers of dung beetles, yet substrate characteristics were unimportant. With vegetation characteristics being related to road maintenance, roads in the landscape have an indirect impact on dung beetle species richness, abundance, and assemblage composition, rather than a direct impact. Road construction in production landscapes is unavoidable, and their edges are attractive to dung beetles. This means that road users should avoid unnecessary road killings by strictly keeping to the road tracks. Habitat heterogeneity across the overall landscape should be encouraged to minimize current and future impacts of roads on dung beetles. The expansion of road networks, or the maintenance of existing road networks, should be done cautiously so as to promote habitat heterogeneity which is important for maintaining regional dung beetle diversity patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The JBCC Principal Building Agreement is the foremost building contract in South Africa, with claims being a regular custom in construction projects where the agreement is used. This study therefore focused on South African construction industry role-players and sought to discover the regularity of claim events under the JBCC Principal Building Agreement. The study adopted a quantitative research approach with an online structured questionnaire being completed by 380 respondents consisting of principal agent practitioners and contractors in South Africa. Descriptive statistics were then used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that the most recurrent claim events are the execution of additional work, contract instructions, and adverse weather. The claim events that occur the least are insolvency of a nominated subcontractor, suspension or termination by a subcontractor due to a default by the employer, and force majeure. The study has therefore recognized and closed the knowledge gap regarding the regularity of claims under the JBCC Principal Building Agreement in South Africa. Principal agents should now be aware of the extent of claims under the agreement, which would help them to prevent and manage these claims to avoid damages to contractual parties. Also, although the study was limited to South Africa, the findings should still be relevant for users of the agreement in neighbouring countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To the modern-day conservationist, knowledge on giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) movement patterns is crucial for the effective management of this increasingly threatened species. The aim of this study was to determine the seasonal distances travelled by giraffes in a highly seasonal semi-arid savanna area and to investigate how specific climatic factors influence their spatial distribution. Distributed over the 95,537-ha reserve, we selected eight adult female giraffes that were equipped with radio transmitter collars using geographical positioning system devices to investigate their movement patterns over a 21-month period in the Kalahari region of South Africa. Climatic data were collected using three weather stations at different locations in the study area. Giraffes moved significantly longer distances and for longer hours during the cool, dry season compared to other seasons. Both temperature and rainfall had statistically significant effects on distances travelled. The giraffes moved significantly longer distances with higher rainfall and temperature. They also moved significantly further during the middle of the day in all seasons, except winter. The reasons for these movement patterns are discussed with special emphasis on the influence of climatic factors on resource availability in a highly seasonal environment with periods of low resource availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landscape fragmentation impacts freshwater habitats and their quality, affecting aquatic insect assemblages. Adjacent terrestrial areas are important secondary habitats where amphibiotic insects mature, feed, find mates, and move to locate aquatic breeding habitats. Using a factorial design with 27 small and large ponds within small and large natural patches in an exotic tree plantation-fragmented landscape of South Africa, and odonates as model organisms, we investigated (1) how pond size/natural terrestrial patch size interaction affects odonate diversity patterns versus habitat quality variables, and (2) determined whether anisopterans and zygopterans respond differently to landscape fragmentation. Species richness was similar among ponds. However, odonate abundance was highest in large ponds regardless of natural terrestrial patch size. Zygopteran functional richness and diversity was driven by pond and natural patch size, suggesting that zygopterans are sensitive to landscape fragmentation. In contrast, anisopterans were more resilient to fragmentation and more likely to select suitable habitats following water chemistry and vegetation characteristics. Overall, large ponds were occupied by different odonate assemblages compared to small ponds, and occupancy was strongly associated with mobility traits. These findings emphasize that ponds in both small and large natural terrestrial patches have conservation value. A pondscape that represents various pond sizes is important for maintaining regional odonate diversity. Pond conservation needs to be considered in the wider terrestrial context, which host a range of important secondary habitats. Adjacent natural terrestrial habitats also connect nearby aquatic habitats, which enable insects to move across the landscape in response to natural and artificial drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very little is known about whether and what kinds of research are being undertaken at private higher education institutions (PHEIs) in South Africa. This article draws on a recent survey of all registered PHEIs undertaken by a group of interested private higher education providers. This survey was facilitated by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and aimed to examine the quantity and quality of research produced by PHEIs from 2008 to 2010. Placing PHEI research output within the broader context of factors that encourage or discourage research in the sector and in the country as a whole, the survey found that, although PHEI research is negligible in comparison with that of public universities, it is much more substantial than previously estimated.

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This article reports on findings pertaining to scholarship in teacher education drawn from a wider study on all education research in South Africa from 1995 to 2006. The study, which defined education research as broadly pertaining to teaching and/or learning, obtained extensive data from a wide range of sources: universities, non-government organisations (NGOs), education and training authorities and electronic databases. The levels, scale, educational sectors and disciplinary areas of each entry in the resulting 10 315-strong database were identified, and on the basis of a random sample of 600 texts seven primary research themes in teacher education were identified and are detailed here: the re-conceptualisation of teachers as facilitators, the problems and possibilities of cooperative learning or group work, the use of educational support materials and resources, the idea of "teaching for learning", the importance of context, the nature of continuous assessment, and debates on teacher evaluation.

In this paper we propose that learning in engineering involves taking on the discourse of an engineering community, which is intimately bound up with the identity of being a member of that community. This leads to the notion of discursive identity, which emphasises that students' identities are constituted through engaging in discourse. This view of learning implies that success in engineering studies needs to be defined with particular reference to the sorts of identities that students develop and how these relate to identities in the world of work. In order to achieve successful learning in engineering we need to recognise the multiple identities held by our students, provide an authentic range of engineering-related activities through which students can develop engineering identities and make more explicit key aspects of the discourse of engineering of which lecturers are tacitly aware. We include three vignettes to illustrate how some of the authors of this paper (from across three different institutions) have applied this perspective of learning in their teaching practice.

This article reports on findings pertaining to scholarship in education policy drawn from a wider study on all education research in South Africa from 1995 to 2006. This study, which defined education research as broadly pertaining to teaching and/or learning, obtained extensive data from a wide range of sources, including universities, public institutions, NGOs, Education and Training Authorities, museums, publishers, donor agencies, trade unions, conferences, journals and electronic databases. The levels, scale, educational sectors and disciplinary areas of each entry in the resulting 10,315-strong database were identified, and a random sample of 600 texts was analysed in order to distinguish primary research themes. This article summarises seven themes in education policy studies, including policy idealism, policy critiques, language in education policy, higher education policy, further education and training policy, the nature and effects of educational decentralisation and the relationship between education policy and the market. (Contains 20 notes.)

In this paper, we propose that learning in engineering involves taking on the discourse of an engineering community, which is intimately bound up with the identity of being a member of that community. This leads to the notion of discursive identity, which emphasises that students' identities are constituted through engaging in discourse. This view of learning implies that success in engineering studies needs to be defined with particular reference to the sorts of identities that students develop and how these relate to identities in the world of work. In order to achieve successful learning in engineering, we need to recognise the multiple identities held by our students, provide an authentic range of engineering-related activities through which students can develop engineering identities and make more explicit key aspects of the discourse of engineering of which lecturers are tacitly aware. We include three vignettes to illustrate how some of the authors of this paper (from across three different institutions) have applied this perspective of learning in their teaching practice.

Education development in South Africa emerged during the transition from apartheid to democracy, in a context especially marked by political and financial pressures. This case study of the University of Natal (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal) demonstrates how a strategy combining equity with excellence aimed to facilitate increased access to the institution, while maintaining existing standards. Central to this was the creation of a new academic subject, the "disadvantaged student" from an "underdeveloped" background, which provided a justification for an all-encompassing institutional transformation, involving an intensification of institutional governance, a rapidly changing student profile, and power struggles between lecturers and tutors. After having bolstered its scientific credentials, education development was internalized by the institution which it had helped to transform, and is now an integral part of its merged successor.

This article reports on findings pertaining to education scholarship in higher education drawn from a wider study on all education research in South Africa from 1995 to 2006. After briefly outlining pertinent aspects of the wider study, it offers a preliminary and descriptive account of what were found to be primary research themes in higher education studies, including the socio-political implications of higher education transformation, the debate over the "Africanisation" of higher education, the promotion of indigenous knowledges, equity and excellence in higher education policy, increasing participation and access though academic development and the recognition of prior learning, the acquisition of academic literacy, assessment, and accountability and autonomy. (Contains 5 notes.)

The JBCC Principal Building Agreement is widely used as the primary building agreement in South Africa, and claims are frequently encountered in construction projects where this contract is implemented. This study, therefore, set out to determine the perspective of principal agents, who are professional consultants acting as contract administrators within the South African construction industry, regarding the magnitude of claim incidents under the JBCC Principal Building Agreement. The research adopted a quantitative approach, involving the completion of a virtual structured questionnaire by 164 respondents who were practising principal agents in South Africa. The collected data was thereafter analysed by means of descriptive statistics. The following claim events were identified as noteworthy in terms of regularity and severity: adverse weather, the execution of additional work, rectification of physical losses and damages to the works where contractors are not at risk, causes beyond the reasonable control of contractors, and the inability to obtain materials and goods in time. By identifying the knowledge void regarding the frequency and impact of claims in South Africa under the JBCC Principal Building Agreement, this study provides contracting parties with updated insights that can assist them in averting and effectively managing such claims, thereby minimising damages to all parties involved. Furthermore, while the study was confined to South Africa, the findings may still hold relevance for users of the contract in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: To ensure successful introductions and translocations of giraffes, more scientific information is needed on their diet selections, especially concerning the availability of browsing material. To our knowledge, this 15-month study is one of the first to assess giraffe diet selection by fitting global positioning system collars on this species to monitor the spatial distribution and identify the most utilised vegetation and areas. The study population resided in the Khamab Kalahari Nature Reserve in the northwestern Kalahari region of South Africa. The results indicated the clear utilisation of specific plant species of specific areas during different seasons and between different vegetation types and species. This study provides innovative information to understand better how this giraffe population from the northwestern Kalahari region has adapted its diet selections, especially when compared to other giraffe populations from different regions. Diet selection concerning browse availability of giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) was studied over 15 months in an arid environment in South Africa. A global positioning system collar was fitted to a giraffe individual to assess the specific areas, consisting of different vegetation types, that the population utilised during different seasons. Results are provided on diet selection in relation to browse availability between seasons and vegetation types, including tree densities and the amount of the total evapotranspiration tree equivalents. Diet selections of the giraffe population changed in response to the availability of browse material from July to October. The availability of important resource areas had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on the spatial ecology, and an increase in home range size was noted. Information that is important for the well-being of giraffes was identified. This included nutritional stress and the limited variety of the most utilised tree species available for browsing, especially during critical dry periods. The results demonstrate the importance of assessment of giraffes' diet selection in relation to browse availability, especially before introduction to a new area, to limit the lack of population growth and underperformance. This study provides valuable information towards understanding the resources and habitats required for successful giraffe management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Type 1 diabetes is primarily researched as a medical condition; an examination of the subjective experience of it appears to be neglected. This study explored young women's meaning-making of living with type 1 diabetes in an attempt to uncover possible positive outcomes of growth and optimism. Design: Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) enabled the in-depth exploration of the journeys of a group of young female adults living with type 1 diabetes from distress to positive outcomes. Six participants between the ages of 18 and 25 were recruited from a Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology, in Parktown, South Africa, to participate in semi-structured interviews about their meaning-making process. Results: Three superordinate themes emerged: (1) the process of reappraising a life with diabetes; (2) the development of diabetes as a lifestyle; and (3) positive outcomes of living with diabetes. Conclusion: Findings in this study demonstrate how the meaning-making process has a significant impact on positive adjustment to living with diabetes. While participants experienced distress, they reframed living with diabetes as an opportunity for empowerment and personal growth. Actively seeking and promoting of the positive outcomes of meaning-making could assist young adults to improve their quality of life while living with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Managing diabetes is especially challenging for adolescents, and they often struggle to believe they can manage the condition. Illness perception has been widely associated with better diabetes management outcomes, but the influence of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) on adolescents has been largely neglected. Aim: The study aimed to explore the illness perception of a group of adolescents living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) using CGM. Setting: The study was conducted at a medical centre that provides diabetes care services to youth living with T1D in Parktown, South Africa. Methods: A qualitative research approach using semi-structured online interviews was used to gather data that was thematically analysed. Results: Themes emerging from the data confirmed that CGM creates a sense of control over diabetes management as blood glucose measures were more visible. A sense of normalcy was established as CGM influences a new routine and a way of life, integrating diabetes into a young person's identity. Despite the users' awareness of being different due to diabetes management, CGM assisted in creating a sense of belonging, contributing to developing a better quality of life. Conclusion: Findings of this study support the use of CGM as a means of empowering adolescents struggling with diabetes management to achieve better treatment outcomes. The important role of illness perception in facilitating this change was also evident. Contribution: By listening to the adolescent's voice, CGM was identified as a possible intervention to empower adolescents to improve diabetes management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Joint Building Contracts Committee Principal Building Agreement is the leading construction contract in South Africa, and it is common for claims to arise during projects where this agreement is used. This research aimed to investigate the claim events that most severely impact project performance under the agreement in the South African construction industry. The study employed a quantitative research approach and distributed an online structured questionnaire that was completed by 380 respondents, which included principal agent practitioners and contractors in South Africa. The collected data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The results revealed that the most impactful claim events are contract instructions, additional work, and adverse weather. On the other hand, the least impactful claim events are the exercise of statutory power, opening and testing of work, materials and goods, and the insolvency of a nominated subcontractor. This study addresses the knowledge gap around the types of claims that most severely impact project performance under the Joint Building Contracts Committee Principal Building Agreement in South Africa. It provides especially principal agents with a good base level understanding of the critical claims under this agreement, assisting them to prevent and effectively manage such claims to mitigate potential damages for all parties involved. Although this study focused on South Africa, the findings may also be applicable to users of the agreement in other contextual settings especially neighbouring countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: It is known that the death rate amongst giraffes during immobilisation, capture and transportation is high. However, during this study period (2011 to 2021), 75 giraffes were captured for the collection of various samples and purposes and none of these individuals died. General experiences and lessons learned during these captures are described. Data on the knockdown times on 43 occasions of giraffe immobilisation were recorded and analysed. We hope that this shared information could help in shaping future standard operating procedures to increase the success of handling giraffes and ultimately contribute to the conservation of the species. One of the highest occurrences of mortalities among giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) takes place during immobilisations, captures and translocations. Common mistakes, human error, unforeseen risks, the awkward anatomy and the sheer size of the animal are leading factors for giraffes' mortalities during these operations. Many risks can be circumvented but some risks are unpreventable, often due to terrain characteristics (rivers, deep ditches, holes and rocky terrain). From 2011 to 2021, seventy-five giraffes were successfully immobilised and captured to collect biological and physiological data from eight different study areas across South Africa. A 0% mortality and injury rate was achieved and, therefore, the techniques described in this paper are testimony to the advances and improvements of capture techniques and drugs. Biological information and capture experiences were noted for 75 immobilised giraffes, of which, knockdown time data were recorded for 43 individuals. Effective and safe immobilisation requires a competent team, proper planning, skill and knowledge. In this manuscript, we address procedures, techniques, ethical compliance, welfare and safety of the study animals. General experiences and lessons learned are also shared and should benefit future captures and immobilisations by limiting the risks involved. The sharing of experiences and information could influence and improve critical assessments of different capture techniques and can likely contribute to the success rate of immobilisation and translocation success for giraffes in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mountainous areas are attractive for human colonization. • In South Africa, mountains host high levels of aquatic arthropod endemism. • There are often trade-offs between urbanization and biodiversity conservation. • Urbanization presents several novel threats to freshwater conservation. • Threats can and have been mitigated to encourage arthropods in urban spaces. Mountains supply essential resources, making them attractive areas for human settlement. Variation in elevation in mountainous areas determines local and regional climates, leading to complex biodiversity patterns. Mountains in the Cape Floristic Region have high species richness and beta diversity, and very high levels of local endemism. Table Mountain is an iconic mountain in the region, and unusual, as it is in the centre of the city of Cape Town. It is exceedingly rich in biodiversity, including many localized endemic species. However, increasing urbanization in the area is adversely affecting the local biodiversity, especially in the lowlands. Climate change effects to date are minimal, but projected to interact with the impacts of urbanization. Here we review the biodiversity patterns of green and blue spaces in and around Cape Town, including Table Mountain, focusing on aquatic arthropods. We also review the major threats that lead to biotic impoverishment, and provide information on current conservation efforts aimed at protecting the rich biodiversity of Table Mountain and its surrounds. Finally, we focus on the shortcomings of existing conservation actions, and then provide conservation strategies to limit aquatic arthropod biodiversity losses, based on actions that have already worked well. To ensure protection of all arthropods, freshwater habitats across all elevations require further conservation action. Education and creating awareness must continue to close the gaps between scientists, conservation practitioners and civil society as a crucial part of the conservation plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Living with diabetes is challenging, especially for adolescents at risk of poor glycaemic control. Understanding the illness perceptions of this group is important to be able to develop interventions for this growing population in need. Aim: This study explored the illness perception amongst adolescents living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and how these perceptions interacted with the management of T1D. Setting: This study was conducted at a medical centre providing care for adolescents living with T1D in Parktown, South Africa. Methods: A qualitative, explorative design with semi-structured interviews was followed. A non-random purposive sampling method was utilised. The illness perception amongst eight adolescents, aged 12–18 years, at risk of poor glycaemic control, was analysed through thematic analysis. Results: Two subthemes related to illness perception were generated, namely (1) illness perception of T1D is negative and (2) living with T1D leads to a sense of being different. Furthermore, two subthemes were generated in relation to how illness perceptions interacted with diabetes management, namely (3) management of T1D is challenging and (4) management of T1D is motivated by fear. Conclusion: This group of adolescents with at-risk glycaemic control believed that T1D is difficult to manage, leading to a largely negative perception of the disease. This study contributes to the body of literature on adolescents where illness perception may play a role in adhering to diabetes care plans. This research may give additional insights into the awareness of illness perception in designing successful interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex steroids are pervasive in mammals and evolutionarily conserved, but differences in the nuances of endocrine profiles characterize distinct species. Two sex steroids, testosterone and progesterone, feature prominently in the life history of mammalian taxa, but neither one has been analyzed from wild giraffes. Our study was designed to address this gap in knowledge by examining how these sex steroids are related to biological features and giraffe life history. We conducted the research at Rooipoort Nature Reserve a 44,000 ha private nature reserve in South Africa on a population of South African giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa). Eleven adult giraffe cows and seven adult bulls were immobilized and various biological samples and morphological measurements were obtained. We analyzed both testosterone and progesterone using Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromotography – Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). We found that non-pregnant females had lower progesterone concentrations than pregnant females and that those in the last trimester of pregnancy showed a slight drop in progesterone, as well as an increase in testosterone. Among males, chronological age was correlated with testicle size, testosterone concentrations, and ossicone volume. We propose that the progesterone decline functions partly to accelerate resumption of ovulation because giraffes become pregnant while lactating, and that the testosterone elevation provides an endocrine mileu for female defense of neonatal calves, given that lion predation is a major threat to calf survival. We suggest that male reproductive strategies are mediated by the age-related impacts of testosterone on growth in both body mass and ossicone volume as a consequence of sexual selection. We conclude by noting that the robust and solid ossicones of male giraffes function in mate competition as wedges that are used to topple opponents by raising their legs and placing them in an off-balanced position that can seriously injure them when falling to the ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of long-term studies remains a limiting factor in understanding the home range, spatial ecology and movement of giraffes. We equipped eight giraffes with GPS satellite units and VHF capacity, which were built in to the collars for the remote collection of data on their movements and home ranges over two years on Khamab Kalahari Nature Reserve (KKNR) within the Kalahari region of South Africa. Giraffe numbers in KKNR dropped from 135 individuals to 111 in just five years, revealing the lack of knowledge about their required habitat needs, space use and diet. With over 1000 km 2 available for roaming within the reserve, habitat selection, principle and preferred food species played a significant role in home range size and overlap between individuals. These giraffes used an average annual home range of 206 km 2 (20 602 ha) as calculated by a 95% minimum convex polygon (MCP) with a standard deviation core home range calculated by a 50% MCP of 10.1 km 2 to satisfy their annual needs for survival and reproduction in their preferred vegetation. In the wet, hot season (summer: December–February) when food was abundant, giraffes frequented smaller areas (average 177 km 2 ), while in the dry, cool season (winter: June to August) the mean home range size increased to approximately 245 km 2 . Rainfall influenced spatial distribution since it determined vegetation productivity and leaf phenology. The different seasons influenced giraffe movements, while different vegetation types and season influenced their home range size. Season and food availability also influenced home range overlap between different giraffe herds. Home range overlap occurred when giraffes were forced to roam in overlapping areas during the dryer months when the winter deciduous nature of the majority of the tree species resulted in lower food availability. In winter, the overlap was approximately 31% and in autumn approximately 23%. During the wet and warmer months, overlapping was 15% in summer and 19% in spring, respectively. The percentage of time spent in different vegetation type areas was influenced by the abundance of the principal food species of that plant community. It is thus concluded that the movements of giraffes were primarily influenced by a combination of environmental factors such as season, rainfall and vegetation density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various physical landscape features across local and regional spatial scales contribute to heterogeneity. This means that ostensible maintenance of physical landscape features as representatives of heterogeneity (i.e., a meso-filter conservation approach) can contribute to conservation of insect assemblages. Using butterflies as model organisms, we investigate the conservation value of specific physical landscape feature types (rocky areas, wetlands, and gullies) relative to open grasslands, across 32 study sites in a natural grassland-plantation forestry mosaic in South Africa. We found that all considered landscape feature types had equal species richness and diversity levels compared to open grasslands. Yet, β-diversity (mostly accounted for by species turnover) was overall high between rocky areas, wetlands, and open grasslands, resulting from associations between some butterfly species and certain landscape feature types. Gullies were occupied by nested assemblages of rocky areas and open grasslands, suggesting that gullies have lower conservation importance, and should be targets for restoration. Topography and butterfly food plant availability further influenced β-diversity patterns and should also be considered when adopting a meso-filter conservation approach. β-diversity was also high among similar feature types, suggesting that a variety of landscape features that encapsulates environmental variation at a landscape scale can best conserve regional butterfly assemblages. While our focus was on butterflies, we anticipate these findings to be relevant to other insect groups, given that butterflies have successfully been used as conservation surrogates for other terrestrial insect taxa (e.g., grasshoppers) in the same area. • Species associate with landscape features, which should reflect in conservation planning. • Features should be considered with topography and vegetation characteristics. • Feature variety in transformed landscapes promotes diverse butterfly assemblages. • Inclusion of landscape features in regional planning better protects butterfly assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large numbers of adult Nile crocodiles, Crocodylus niloticus (Laurenti), died from pansteatitis during autumn and winter 2008 in the lower Letaba and Olifants River gorge in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Consequently, the health status of fish from these waters was investigated. The study presents the pathological findings in fish inhabiting these rivers within the boundaries of the Park. Changes typical of steatitis were diagnosed in many of the larger specimens of sharptooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell), caught within the Olifants River gorge. These fish carried large amounts of mesenteric fat with characteristic small brown granulomata within the adipose tissue. Necrosis and inflammation of the adipose tissues, with characteristic ceroid accumulation within the resultant granulomata and the associated aggregation of ceroid-containing macrophages, were demonstrated histologically and were typical of steatitis. Other changes included mild thickening and pallor of the gill tissues and swollen, orange, fatty livers. Focal hepatic lipidosis was demonstrated histologically, and special stains revealed storage of large amounts of iron in the livers. Blood smears revealed chromatin clumping in erythrocyte nuclei and nuclear and cell membrane irregularities. This is the first record of steatitis in wild-caught C. gariepinus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orientation: The work of industrial/organisational (I/O) psychologists presents an interesting and relevant context for studying meaning and engagement as components of happiness. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to determine how I/O psychologists experience the meaning of their work and to investigate the relationships between their experiences of work-role fit, meaning of work, psychological meaningfulness and work engagement, utilising the happiness framework proposed by Seligman (2002). Motivation for the study: I/O psychologists spend more than 88% of their working day with people, and they are primary role models for happiness in the workplace. Information about their work engagement and experiences of meaning is therefore needed. Research design, approach and method: A survey design was used. A convenience sample (n = 106) was taken of I/O psychologists in South Africa. A biographical questionnaire, the Work-Role Fit Scale, the Work-Life Questionnaire, the Psychological Meaningfulness Scale, the Work Engagement Scale and a survey measuring the actual and desired time spent on six broad categories of work were administered. Main findings: Work-role fit predicted psychological meaningfulness and work engagement. The calling orientation to work predicted both psychological meaningfulness and work engagement. Work-role fit mediated the relationship between the meaning of work and psychological meaningfulness. Work-role fit partially mediated the relationship between a calling orientation to work and work engagement. Practical implications: A calling orientation to work should be fostered in I/O psychologists because it contributes to experiences of work-role fit, psychological meaningfulness and work engagement. Contribution/value-add: The results of this study contribute to scientific knowledge about workrole fit, engagement and meaning as components of happiness of I/O psychologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cape Town Open Education Declaration and other visionary documents seek to unify and challenge educators in the creation and use of open learning resources. We rhetorically analyse the Declaration which idealizes the educational process and contrast this with the practical challenges which affect the development and use of open educational resources. We draw on classical rhetoric and hermeneutics as analytical tools of such visionary documents that contain little factual information. Without an initial vision, an enabling environment, complete with policies and funding, means very little. We argue that analysing such vision documents is important part in persuading educators to take further steps towards creating, shaping and evolving their own educational practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Will participatory local government structures help deepen democracy in South Africa? That is the proclaimed purpose of the ward committee system, the centre-piece of post-apartheid local government reform, intended to facilitate deliberative democratic decision making. Drawing on a case study of the Msunduzi municipality, it is argued here that ward committees, as yet barely functional seven years since first being established, have from the outset been caught up in relations of dependency with ward councillors, political parties and the municipality itself, and that these relations threaten to undermine the democratic dividends that the committees are expected to yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fragmentary human remains representing a number of individuals and associated with artefacts of the Middle Stone Age were recovered in the 1967-8 excavations of Ronald Singer and John Wymer at Klasies River. Most finds were made in Cave 1, but others came from Caves 1A and lB. A revision of the stratigraphic context of the 1967-8 finds in Cave I is proposed, based on published plans and sections, and afield study including more recent excavations. The finds are all from the lower SAS member and there is evidence that they are from the same horizon zoithin that member. The conclusion is that these specimens accumulated in a single episode of interpersonal violence some 90 000 years ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this article we argue that theories of transnationalism have value in exploring the historical context of migration and that historical contexts help to shape such theoretical conceptualizations. Historians of migration have now begun to engage more directly with the literature of transnationalism, focusing on the networks that linked settler and home communities. Here we add to this by examining a nineteenth-century migrant community from a British region through the lens of transnationalism, applying the concept to the case of the Cornish, whose economic specialization produced culturally distinct Cornish communities on the mining frontiers of North America, Australia and South Africa. In doing so, we bring together the issues of scale and time. We review the multiple levels of the Cornish transnational space of the late nineteenth century, which exhibited aspects of both core transnationalism and translocalism. This waned, but in the later twentieth century, a renewed interest in a transnational Cornish identity re-emerged, articulating with changing identity claims in Cornwall itself. To capture better the experience of the Cornish over these two very different phases of transnationalism we identify another subset of transnationalism - that of transregionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robben Island Museum officially commemorates 'the triumph of the human spirit over adversity', relating especially to the period of political imprisonment between 1961 and 1991 when Robben Island was most notorious as a political prison for the leaders of the anti-apartheid struggle. Robben Island became a World Heritage Site in December 1999 because of its universal symbolic significance--its intangible heritage. This paper explores the implications for conservation management planning of interpreting and managing the intangible heritage associated with such sites. Examples will be drawn from the conservation planning exercise undertaken by the Robben Island Museum between 2000 and 2002. The paper will look specifically at how Robben Island's symbolic significance has been defined and how competing interpretations should be included in the management plan. It then discusses the challenges around managing historic fabric whose significance is defined as primarily symbolic, and ways of safeguarding the intangible heritage associated with it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early-nineteenth century, the professionalisation of medicine at the Cape began in earnest. Although there were key legislative and professional developments in this period, the notion, outlined in Burrows' seminal work on South African medical history, that it was a 'golden' age of medical reform underplays the extent of intra-professional differentiation and draws attention away from the politics of professional regulation at the Cape.The period was a time of inter- and intra-professional conflict as doctors, druggists and shopkeepers competed to sell drugs and medical advice and it spawned a profession that was deeply divided. In spite of early, general and monopolistic legislation passed in 1807, the process of medical professionalisation at the Cape was very uneven, cementing an intra-professional distinction between doctors in Cape Town and doctors or druggists in the rest of the colony.The special status of Cape Town provided the bedrock for an urban-rural divide in professional regulation and services still present in South Africa today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increase in population and in colonial revenues after the discovery of diamonds and gold in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, public and private hospitals proliferated, particularly in larger centres such as Cape Town. The numbers of practitioners engaged in public health also increased. Perhaps as important, doctors were now accepted as skilled professionals and remunerated accordingly. At the same time there was also a greater demand for doctors in the employment of business and industry, particularly the insurance industry and the railways. These opportunities for salaried employment somewhat reduced doctors' professional autonomy and occasionally encouraged intra-professional squabbles.Yet they also provided a springboard for general professional regulation, growing professional status in specialisms like psychiatry, and a solid base for the economic survival of country doctors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter discusses the restrictions and opportunities which salaried employment offered Cape doctors in the pay of government and charitable organisations during the first two thirds of the nineteenth century. Although Cape doctors often acted as agents of the colonial state there were many nuances within this relationship. While military doctors played an important role in the profession during the first few decades of the century, by the 1840s civilian doctors were beginning to assert greater influence in Cape Town, if not yet in the Eastern Cape. Hospital posts and an expanding network of charitable organisations and government-funded district surgeoncies provided part-time employment for some doctors throughout the colony.This helped urban-based doctors to sustain practices and encouraged more doctors to practice in the smaller country towns serving large farming areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Film and media courses appear well placed to exploit technology convergence in exposing students both to practical skills and to theoretical concepts. For the University of Cape Town's (UCT) large film and media studies courses, it is impractical simply to use the technology of professionals as this would typically be too expensive to purchase and time-consuming to run. Our approach has been to develop activities that can run with large classes in generic computer laboratories and which simulate environments and tools of the real world. Two illustrative examples, emphasising writing skills in context, involve the production of a TV news story and the development of a proposal for an educational soap opera. Using these, we reflect on our experience of integrating practical skills into the curriculum of a traditional academic institution, where these skills have a lower status and must be sufficiently flexible to accommodate changes in the higher-status academic components. This suggests that such flexibility has to be part of the design of practical interventions and that they should additionally aim to provide a challenge to some of the more theoretical aspects of these courses. While developing one's own interventions allows for some of this flexibility to be incorporated into the design, it remains difficult for academic departments to adopt these solutions as their own, thus requiring continued involvement of the original developers to adapt to changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maintenance of health in industrial communities presents special problems and priorities, which are exacerbated in developing countries by socio-economic realities. Lifestyle, communicable diseases, alcohol and drug abuse are issues, which extend far beyond the boundaries of society, impacting on individuals' performance in the workplace. The aim of health promotion is to persuade people to adopt and maintain healthy life practices, thus preventing ill-health and promoting health and overall performance. Given the aforementioned, a descriptive survey was conducted among general contractors (GCs) to determine: the extent of health promotion; the extent to which employees would benefit there from, and the perceived holistic benefits. The findings indicate that little or no health promotion is undertaken in South African construction. However, GCs perceive that health promotion would benefit employees, the benefits including improved health and project performance manifested in, inter alia, lower absenteeism, and improved productivity and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the connection between racism and medical science in South Africa. Examination of indigenous medical traditions; History of racial discrimination; Elaboration of racist ideologies on various colonial context.

Opinion. Shows how each of the three distinct but overlapping discourses in the field of South African education is underpinned by fundamentally similar modernist assumptions about the nature of knowledge, language, reality and human subjects. The three discourses, Fundamental Pedagogies, People's Education, and various critical pedagogies.

Examines the emergence of racial segregation in two colonial institutions of 19th-century Cape Town, South Africa. Breakwater Prison; General Infirmary on Robben Island; Timing and nature of segregation.

Focuses on the history of midwifery and physicians at the Cape Colony, with emphasis on the increasing interest being made on social history of medicine, abortion, rape and infanticide and motherhood in South Africa. Details on the social acceptance of midwifery; Reference to the relationship between midwives and accoucheurs, man-midwives in Europe; Information on the power relations between male and female birth attendants.