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Objectives: The objectives of this study were to ascertain whether the nutrient requirements of 6–11-month-old infants can be met with a food-based approach, and to identify the nutrients of which it is difficult to achieve adequate intakes. Design, setting and subjects: A cross-sectional survey and interviews with mothers and caregivers from the KwaMashu Community Health Centre were conducted. One hundred and thirty-four interviews were completed. This information provided the food consumption input for the model using Optifood software. Results: The results revealed that with the current food pattern of infants from the study group in KwaMashu, iron, zinc and calcium are nutrients whose requirements are likely not to be met in the diet. The percentage RNI (recommended nutrient intake) for iron was 25.2%, zinc 51.3% and calcium 77%. Nutrient intakes for these nutrients of concern improved in the ‘No pattern’ diet but iron and zinc intakes remained below the RNI. According to the best diets modelled by Optifood, it appears that infants in KwaMashu would be able to achieve the recommended intakes of energy, protein, and 8 of the 11 micronutrients, as long as breastfeeding on demand continues during the complementary feeding phase. Conclusions: This study calls into question the continued food-based focus to ensure nutrient adequacy in infants. In conjunction with efforts to improve household food security and continued support and promotion of breastfeeding for the first 2 years of life, targeted micronutrient supplementation may be needed to ensure the optimal growth and development of infants in South Africa.&nbsp

On the 6th of February 2016 at 11:00 hours local time (0900 UTC), KwaZulu-Natal was struck by an earthquake of local magnitude ML=3.8. The epicentre of the earthquake was located offshore in the Durban Basin. The earthquake shaking was widely felt within the province as well as in East London in the Eastern Cape province and was reported by various national media outlets. Minor structural damage was reported. A macroseismic survey using questionnaires was conducted by the Council for Geoscience (CGS) in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) which yielded 41 intensity data points. Additional intensity data points were obtained from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Did You Feel It? programme. An attempt was made to define a local intensity attenuation model. Generally, the earthquake was more strongly felt in low-cost housing neighbourhoods than in more affluent suburbs.

Ntsikeni wetland is one of the largest high-altitude wetlands in southern Africa (~1795 m asl) located in the Swartberg area of the foothills of the Maloti-Drakensberg, southern Africa. The site has been designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance which, with limited anthropogenic influence, renders it ideal for palaeoenvironmental investigation. This study presents a pollen-derived palaeoenvironmental reconstruction for Ntsikeni, spanning the period ~25,100–650 cal BP, one of the longest, continuous records for southern Africa. The record commences with evidence of coldest conditions consistent with the peak of the Last Glacial Maximum. This is followed by progressive climatic amelioration, culminating in a warm, moist period from ~7500 to 5500 cal BP. Pronounced cold periods at ~13,500 cal BP, ~8500 cal BP and ~4000 cal BP are broadly consistent with coeval global scale temperature fluctuations. Two distinct dry events are inferred from the pollen record, spanning ~19,600–18,000 and ~6500-4900 cal BP. Wet events occur more frequently throughout the record, resulting in fluctuations in moisture availability, and are inferred to result in the expansion and contraction of the wetland extent similar to those recorded in the palaeorecords of the Lesotho Highlands. The Ntsikeni record provides a longer-term temporal framework with which the shorter sequences for adjacent sites in the Maloti-Drakensberg can be compared, and supports evidence for the significance of the rugged topography in inducing lags in moisture transitions.

We detected Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) IgM and IgG in human serum samples collected during 2018–2019 in northern KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Our results show recent RVFV circulation and likely RVFV endemicity in this tropical coastal plain region of South Africa in the absence of apparent clinical disease.

Land claims and contests have been central to the construction of political authority across the African continent. South Africa’s post-apartheid land reform program aims to address historical dispossessions, but the program has experienced numerous obstacles and limits—in terms of pace, communal land access, productivity, and rural class divides. Drawing on archival and newspaper sources, Kelly traces how the descendant of a colonially-appointed, landless chief manipulated a claim into a landed chieftaincy and how both the chief and the competing claimants have deployed histories of landlessness and firstcomer accounts in a manner distinct to the KwaZulu-Natal region as part of the land restitution process.

Timely uptake of Antiretroviral therapy considerably improves the health of people living with the Human Immunodeficiency virus. We conducted a cross-sectional study of newly HIV diagnosed individuals in four clinics in eThekwini municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. Data was collected between June 2020 and December 2020. Participants completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire after HIV testing, on the day of HIV diagnosis. We evaluated factors influencing uptake of same-day ART initiation in eThekwini clinics, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Demographic information, health status, sexual behaviour, knowledge of universal test and treat (UTT), ART initiation uptake, and disclosure data was collected. Among the 403 participants, same-day initiation (SDI) was 69.2% (n = 279). We observed the number of sexual partners (aOR 0.35; 95% CI 0.15–0.81), HIV status of the partner (aOR 5.03; 95% CI 2.74–9.26) and knowledge of UTT (aOR 1.97; 95% CI 1.34–2.90) were identified as major factors influencing uptake of same-day ART initiation. More strategies are needed to achieve the SDI uptake within the framework of UTT.

The Population reference Bureau policy brief, (Gribble and Bremmer, 2012):1) described the demographic dividend as “…the accelerated economic growth that may result from a decline in a country’s mortality and fertility and the subsequent change in the age structure of the population. With fewer births each year, a country’s young dependent population grows smaller in relation to the working-age population. With fewer people to support, a country has a window of opportunity for rapid economic growth if the right social and economic policies developed and investments made”. Several South Africa based studies have explored age structure and the prospects of a demographic dividend. These studies range from those that explore timing of the dividend to those that investigate readiness to harness the dividend. Three aspects of the demographic dividend are investigated by this research. Firstly, the paper will explore the age structure of KwaZulu-Natal population to ascertain the timing of the age-structure (youth bulge) that is a pre-requisite for the dividend. Secondly, demographic, health and education characteristics that are knows to affect the achievement of the dividend will be examined. Lastly, the extent of integration of the demographic dividend into Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) in the province will be explored.

Background Introduction of tenofovir (TDF) plus lamivudine (3TC) and dolutegravir (DTG) in first- and second-line HIV treatment regimens in South Africa warrants characterization of acquired HIV-1 drug resistance (ADR) mutations that could impact DTG-based antiretroviral therapy (ART). In this study, we sought to determine prevalence of ADR mutations and their potential impact on susceptibility to drugs used in combination with DTG among HIV-positive adults (≥ 18 years) accessing routine care at a selected ART facility in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods We enrolled adult participants in a cross-sectional study between May and September 2019. Eligible participants had a most recent documented viral load (VL) ≥ 1000 copies/mL after at least 6 months on ART. We genotyped HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and protease genes by Sanger sequencing and assessed ADR. We characterized the effect of ADR mutations on the predicted susceptibility to drugs used in combination with DTG. Results From 143 participants enrolled, we obtained sequence data for 115 (80%), and 92.2% (95% CI 85.7–96.4) had ADR. The proportion with ADR was similar for participants on first-line ART (65/70, 92.9%, 95% CI 84.1–97.6) and those on second-line ART (40/44, 90.9%, 95% CI 78.3–97.5), and was present for the single participant on third-line ART. Approximately 89% (62/70) of those on first-line ART had dual class NRTI and NNRTI resistance and only six (13.6%) of those on second-line ART had major PI mutations. Most participants (82%) with first-line viraemia maintained susceptibility to Zidovudine (AZT), and the majority of them had lost susceptibility to TDF (71%) and 3TC (84%). Approximately two in every five TDF-treated individuals had thymidine analogue mutations (TAMs). Conclusions Susceptibility to AZT among most participants with first-line viraemia suggests that a new second-line regimen of AZT + 3TC + DTG could be effective. However, atypical occurrence of TAMs in TDF-treated individuals suggests a less effective AZT + 3TC + DTG regimen in a subpopulation of patients. As most patients with first-line viraemia had at least low-level resistance to TDF and 3TC, identifying viraemia before switch to TDF + 3TC + DTG is important to avoid DTG functional monotherapy. These findings highlight a need for close monitoring of outcomes on new standardized treatment regimens.

The degradation of freshwater ecosystems can be attributed to stressors associated with the increased demand for water and other aquatic resources. Freshwater ecosystems face such challenges in sup...

A new species of Crassula (Crassulaceae subfam. Crassuloideae), C. stylesii that belongs in C. sect. Rosulares, is described from the Maputaland-Pondoland Region of Endemism in KwaZulu-Natal in southeastern South Africa. Crassula stylesii shows similarities with the autonymic varieties of C. setulosa and C. obovata. However, it grows taller than both these species, and pseudo-rosettes do not develop basally in the case of C. stylesii, but are characteristically present in both C. setulosa and C. obovata, particularly the former. Crassula stylesii is illustrated and differences among the three species are tabulated.

The layout of a store is an important aspect influencing consumer buying behaviour and a significant determinant in the formation of a retail image. Well-designed store layouts are critical because they have a strong influence on in-store movement designs, shopping environment, shopping behaviour, and operational productivity (Behera & Mishra, 2017). When there is inconsistency in the layout of the store, some clients will abandon that establishment in search of one that delivers faster, more convenient, and better services. Taking a more thoughtful approach to retail layout can pay huge returns in terms of higher sales, customer loyalty, and, ultimately, turnover (Clark, 2003). The overarching study goal was to determine whether independent convenience stores in Kwa Mashu are aware of the effects of store layout on consumer purchasing patterns. To achieve the study's aims, a quantitative study was undertaken at Kwa Mashu convenience stores using self-administered questionnaires. A total sample of 400 respondents participated in the study. Non-probability sampling was used to select the respondents, and convenience sampling was utilized. Following that, conclusions and recommendations were derived from the literature and the study's findings. According to the findings of this survey, consumers have issues with store layout. It was discovered that the appearance of the store, merchandise display, retail atmosphere, in-store service, and accessibility are the key contributors to this pain. As a result, it is recommended that convenience shop owners in Kwa Mashu attend to the above-highlighted areas and ensure that strategies are implemented to assist customers where there is a need.Keywords: consumer buying behaviour, merchandise display, merchandise mix, retail strategy, store layoutJEL Classifications: M3, M30, M31, M310 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.11583

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) represents a major health-related problem in South Africa and throughout the world. The management goals of diabetes are first to maintain normal blood glucose levels and second to prevent the development of complications. Local guidelines developed by the Society for Endocrine Metabolism and Diabetes South Africa (SEMDSA) have shown that tight glycaemic control and appropriate monitoring can prevent or delay the development of diabetic complications. The demographic profile of patients with type 2 DM and the compliance of doctors to the guidelines were determined.Methods: Five hundred records of patients with type 2 DM were selected from the medical outpatients’ department (MOPD) by systematic sampling. Demographic information on age, sex and ethnicity was obtained. The performance and timing of recommended investigations were recorded and compared with the 2012 SEMDSA guidelines.Results: The mean age of patients was 61 years. Black and Indian patients formed the majority, comprising 44.4% and 43.0% respectively. Glycated haemoglobin was measured in 29.2% of patients once and 13.2% of patients twice in the past year. Lipid studies were done on 40.4% of patients. A serum creatinine (sCr), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and serum potassium were done on 38.2% of patients. Eye examinations were done on 13.60% patients and examination of the foot was done on 7.8% of patients. Some 15% had a urine dipstick test done at least once in the past year and 10.4% had a urine albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) requested. Only 21 patients (4.2%) were compliant with the SEMDSA guidelines. Measurements of blood pressure and blood glucose were 100% compliant. Anthropometric measurements (height, weight and body mass index), dietitian referral and foot examinations were the least compliant, being performed 4.2%, 5.0% and 7.8% of the time respectively.Conclusion: Black and Indian patients formed the majority of the study population. The screening for chronic complications of type 2 DM was poor in the majority of patients. Evaluation of selected records demonstrated compliance with the SEMDSA guidelines in only 4.2% of patients. There is an urgent need to review barriers to the implementation of guidelines in South Africa.

Background: Despite a substantial diabetes mellitus (DM) burden, there are few data regarding the relationship between DM and hyperglycaemia on COVID-19 severity and outcome in African populations. This study aimed to describe this relationship in the local context, and to determine whether our data correlated with observations made globally.Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients admitted to King Edward VIII Hospital with COVID-19 during June–September 2020 was undertaken. The sample was subdivided into three cohorts: DM; hyperglycaemia only (HO); and neither DM nor hyperglycaemia (NDNH). Patients living with DM (PLWD) were further subdivided into those with hyperglycaemia (PLWDH) versus normoglycaemia (PLWDN). Comparisons were made across groups.Results: The 236 participants enrolled comprised 79 with DM, 22 with HO, and 135 with NDNH. Half of patients with HO, 26.6% of PLWD and 15.6% of NDNH died. A log-rank test revealed significantly lower survival rates for those with HO compared with PLWDN (p = 0.001) and NDNH (p = 0.002). PLWDH also had significantly lower survival rates when compared with these two groups (p = 0.018 and p = 0.039 respectively). PLWD were significantly more likely to receive steroids (odds ratio [OR] 2.03) and oxygen therapy (OR 2.93). Patients with HO were significantly more likely to receive mechanical ventilation (MV) (OR 7.7) and die (OR 5.43). Compared with PLWDN, PLWDH were significantly more likely to receive MV (OR 10.83) and die (OR 4.24). When compared with PLWDN, patients with HO were significantly more likely to receive oxygen (100% vs. 70.4%), MV (63.6% vs. 3.7%) or die (50% vs. 11.1%).Conclusion: This study concurred with global findings, highlighting the importance of glycaemia as a prognostic marker in patients hospitalised with COVID-19. We recommend that all patients admitted with COVID-19 have a random glucose on admission and strict glycaemic control in those with hyperglycaemia to improve outcomes.

Climate change manifesting in inconsistent rainfall has affected subsistence agriculture, posing a threat to food security in South Africa. Women are central in food production, hence this study ex...

Abstract South African small mammals are under-represented in DNA barcoding efforts, particularly from the eastern forested regions of the country. This study reports DNA barcoding of Rhabdomys taxa from previously unsampled parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. The complete mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene was sequenced for 101 Rhabdomys sp. individuals from 16 localities from all three main forest groups (coastal, mistbelt, and scarp forests). Molecular data were supplemented with external morphological measurements, including those deemed potential taxonomically diagnostic characters. Findings indicate the area to be inhabited solely by Rhabdomys dilectus chakae. Haplotypes distributed across the three forest groups were separated by shallow sequence divergences ranging from 0.001–0.015 (Kimura 2-parameter model) and displayed very little population genetic structure (FST= 0.071787). Morphological data revealed some regional metric differences in external morphology, but all the head-and-body to tail (HB: tail) ratios match that of R. d. chakae, and consequently, molecular and morphological data are congruent. These data confirm a range extension of R. d. chakae, supporting the utility of COI barcodes in the identification of small mammalian species.

Destinations with strong brands will possibly perform better and hold more value than destinations with unbranded offerings. As sub-Saharan Africa's tourism destinations are becoming increasingly similar, competition among them has become very intense. This research aims to measure tourists' perceptions of KwaZulu-Natal destinations' brand image and brand loyalty. A questionnaire survey of 411 respondents revealed that most tourists are attached to the KwaZulu-Natal destination and will likely return. Furthermore, they are willing to recommend KwaZulu-Natal as a preferred tourism destination to their family and friends. Therefore, it is recommended that KwaZulu-Natal tourism destination marketers capitalise on the destination‘s brand attributes that make the destination a strong brand to strengthen its role in South Africa and globally as a cultural and natural destination.

The handicraft industries are of great significance and economic value to many poor households but are still being neglected without enough support from the government and non-government institutio...

We assessed the prevalence, distribution, and antibiotic resistance patterns of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. isolated from raw and treated wastewater of a major wastewater treatment plant...

Climate change projections of increases in lightning activity are an added concern for lightning-prone countries such as South Africa. South Africa’s high levels of poverty, lack of education, and awareness, as well as a poorly developed infrastructure, increase the vulnerability of rural communities to the threat of lightning. Despite the existence of national lightning networks, lightning alerts and warnings are not disseminated well to such rural communities. We therefore developed a community-based early warning system (EWS) to detect and disseminate lightning threats and alerts in a timely and comprehensible manner within Swayimane, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The system is composed of an electrical field meter and a lightning flash sensor with warnings disseminated via audible and visible alarms on site and with a remote server issuing short message services (SMSs) and email alerts. Twelve months of data (February 2018–February 2019) were utilized to evaluate the performance of the EWS’s detection and warning capabilities. Diurnal variations in lightning activity indicated the influence of solar radiation, causing convective conditions with peaks in lightning activity occurring during the late afternoon and early evening (between 1400 and 2100) coinciding with students being released from school and when most workers return home. In addition to detecting the threat of lightning, the EWS was beneficial in identifying periods that exhibited above-normal lightning activity, with two specific lightning events examined in detail. Poor network signals in rural communities presented an initial challenge, delaying data transmission to the central server until rectified using multiple network providers. Overall, the EWS was found to disseminate reliable warnings in a timely manner.

We explored nuanced gender perceptions regarding the influences that business capabilities may have on tourism-related business operations in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. We used structured questionnaire to collect data from 150 tourism-related entrepreneurs and managers. This study made no conclusive finding that gender does play a role with regard to differentiating business success or performance, as reported in some literature. However, marketing capability is the main factor that influence business performance.

Dental amalgam has been used as a restorative material in dentistry for the past 150 years. This material has been used to restore posterior teeth throughout the world and is also used in South Africa. Dental amalgam has been the material of choice for patients presenting with large tooth decay areas, including the loss of cuspal areas. The reason for this is that dental amalgam was always considered strong and durable. Compared to alternate dental materials, this material could also withstand the significant forces associated with chewing and biting. Dental amalgam is also considered more cost-effective than alternate dental materials such as conventional glass ionomers, resin-modified glass ionomers, resin composite and ceramic restorations, making it more feasible and material of choice in lower economic countries, including South Africa.

The majority of patients living with diabetes mellitus (PLWD) are diagnosed and managed at primary care level. Much research has focused on diabetes mellitus, its complications and the need for ear...

Anthonomus santacruzi Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) was released in South Africa in 2008 to curb the spread of the invasive alien weed Solanum mauritianum Scopoli (Solanaceae) and is widely ...

The fruitfly Bactrocera dorsalis is an economically important pest that requires management for the sustainability of agriculture in South Africa. This pest has spread from the country's Northern parts within a decade, where it has completely established and spread to other neighbouring provinces. The pest spreads at various rates due to different factors given biotic and abiotic factors. Understanding factors that influence pest prevalence will assist with practical management strategies. Temperature is one of the factors that assist the invasive potential of B. dorsalis. KwaZulu Natal province is among the hotspot provinces in the country besides Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Trap catches in Northern KwaZulu Natal, uMkhanyakude and King Cetshwayo districts show that the seasonal populations of B. dorsalis are continuously present all year round, even with the application of management options to reduce pest populations. Host availability plays a significant role in the invasion and total outcompeting of other native fruitflies e.g. Ceratitis punctata.

Municipalities are faced with poverty, unemployment and inequality, to the detriment of growth and development. As specified in the South African Constitution (1996), municipalities are obligated to advance Local Economic Development (LED). Municipalities cannot accomplish this task alone; therefore, participation of all stakeholders is required. The aim of this study is to investigate bridging the urban–rural gap in facilitating LED within uMgungundlovu District Municipality in KwaZulu–Natal in understanding this phenomenon. The district is made up of seven urban and rural local municipalities. Using a qualitative research method through an interpretive paradigm, data were collected from purposely selected participants through in-depth open-ended interviews. Collected data were analysed through induction using thematic and content analysis. Results revealed gaps in understanding LED planning, facilitation and implementation, including gaps in resource planning and provision. The study revealed numerous stakeholders were relevant in facilitating LED within the District. It is recommended that the District improves rural service delivery and infrastructure provision enabling access of opportunities and creating platforms for stakeholder engagement, with inclusion of traditional leaders driving LED facilitation. Priority areas for enhancing LED initiatives are suggested, with LED viewed as a good initiative in achieving sustainable development in district municipalities.

Teenage pregnancy in South African communities is on the increase and poses serious socio-economic and public health problems. The aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial challenges associated with teenage pregnancy amongst high school learners at eMondlo Township, Zululand District in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The study utilised a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 pregnant and previously pregnant learners drawn from two schools, who were selected using purposive and snowball sampling. Following data analysis using Tesch’s method, specific themes emerged including lack of support and stigma, self-judgement, mental health wellbeing, physical health, interruption of education and training, skills, and support. Mental health well-being during teenage pregnancy was found to be a major concern, which resulted in psychosocial challenges that learners faced during pregnancy.

We present a 1:50 000 scale geomorphological map of the upper Mkhomazi River basin, located in the foothills of the Drakensberg mountains in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The sub-horizontal strata of the Permo-Triassic Beaufort Group forms plateau interfluves with a concave valley slope morphology. Locally, thick sequences of late Pleistocene colluvial deposits and associated buried paleosols (Masotcheni Formation) infill first-order tributary stream valleys and extend across the adjacent lower slopes. Surface runoff processes preferentially incise into the poorly consolidated, highly erodible sediments causing severe gully erosion that is responsible for widespread land degradation and desertification phenomena. The main purpose of this work is to derive a geomorphological map of the study area focussing on the erosional landforms to understand their spatial distribution and their relation to the colluvial deposits. Finally, a local and regional stratigraphic correlation of colluvial deposits and associated buried palaeosol profiles is proposed.

This paper censoriously assesses the role of women in improving access to food at the household level. The role of women is essential in the production of food as caretakers of household food security. However, their role is not well recognised, more especially in policymaking and resource allocation. This study was conducted through a qualitative approach with an exploratory research design. The participants were sampled with convenience sampling and interviewed with semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was employed as a tool for data analysis. The study adopted feminisation of poverty as a primary theory of this paper. Certain aspects of the study reveal that women have been struggling to access food from the diversity of retail vents that are obtainable in town because of low income and limitations of transport service. This is a constraint to women who depend on the off-farm sources of income because their household’s livelihood depends on purchasing food from retail vents. Those who rely on home gardens were experiencing low productivity and the unsustainability of their gardens. This has been caused by water scarcity and climate change. Therefore, women must be provided with training that seeks to develop their skills on how to make effective use of home gardens so that food security can be ensured.

Radiography is one of the allied healthcare professions known to be stressful. It is often associated with long working hours, ethical dilemmas, high patient demands and frequent disruptions from ancillary departments, which are all known to result in negative physical and psychosocial effects that may motivate migration. In this context, migration means; leaving one health sector to seek employment in another (i.e. private and public), resignation to join other professions or moving to a foreign country to practise radiography. The aim of this study was to identify occupational-risk factors that contribute to the migration of radiographers in order to provide input for mechanisms that can be put in place to alleviate the negative physical and psychosocial effects identified, thereby improving staff wellbeing and service delivery in KwaZulu-Natal. A cross-sectional, quantitative study, using a questionnaire as the data collection instrument was employed. The study targeted three categories of respondents: radiographers who left the profession (n=19), those who emigrated (n=29) and those who were employed in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) (n=300). The results revealed that of the 348 participants, 221 (63 %) responded. The ages ranged from 19 to 60 (mean 39) years. The common negative occupational risk factors found across the three categories of radiographers included headaches, neck pain and spasms, lower back pain, knee pain and painful feet. The negative psychosocial effects identified were; job dissatisfaction, anxiety, stress, insomnia, depression and a sense of isolation. The study revealed that the identified occupation-related risk factors resulted in negative physical and psychosocial effects that could contribute to the migration of KZN radiographers. The introduction of employee assistance programmes and improved reporting systems are recommended to reduce the negative impact of occupation-related factors on radiographers and thereby improve staff wellbeing and reduce migration. Keywords: Radiography; workload; physical; psychosocial; migration

Most grasshopper species have simple and similar life cycles and histories; however, different environmental and ecological factors have different effects on their distribution, sexes, and developmental stages, with effects varying among species. If we are to conserve grasshoppers, we need to understand their ecology and life histories. The aim of this study was to investigate aspects of the life histories and ecology of two recently described co-occurring, congeneric species of wingless grasshoppers, Eremidium armstrongi (Brown, 2012) and Eremidium browni Otte & Armstrong, 2017, at the Doreen Clark Nature Reserve near Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. These two species have limited extents of occurrence, only being known from an endangered forest type in parts of the midland area of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, and therefore may need conservation action to ensure their long-term survival. No significant differences in the abundances of the two Eremidium grasshoppers were found, but their phenologies differed, with the adults of E. armstrongi being present before the adults of E. browni, with some overlap in presence over time. The Eremidium grasshoppers were only found in the forest and were more abundant in the forest margin. The Eremidium grasshoppers fed on soft plants from several families. Information on dietary differences between the species is required to determine whether there is potential competition between them. An adult E. browni female kept in an ex situ terrarium laid eggs in the soil, and nymphs took approximately two months to hatch.

The endangered oribi antelope Ourebia ourebi is highly dependent on privately owned lands for its continued survival in South Africa. Despite the fact that conserving oribi may result in costs to farmers in the form of land use restrictions and pressures from illegal hunting, there is evidence that South African farmers are willing to conserve oribi on their lands. However, to date, no research has been conducted to examine farmers’ understanding of how to manage their lands for oribi or their motivations for conserving this species. We conducted 50 in-depth interviews with private landowners in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to investigate why farmers are willing to protect oribi, their perceptions of the threats to the species, and their understanding of how land should be managed to benefit oribi. Respondents’ willingness to conserve oribi was driven primarily by an affinity for the species and wildlife in general. Respondents perceived illegal taxi hunting to be the greatest threat to oribi. Taxi hunts are organized, illegal hunting events that involve multiple participants and packs of dogs, who hunt at night on farms without the permission or knowledge of farmers. Although some respondents managed their lands specifically to benefit oribi, most were unsure which land management practices would support oribi conservation efforts. Farmers require legal support to more effectively conserve oribi. In addition, they would benefit from outreach and awareness programs on how to manage their lands for oribi.

Environmental and climatic changes have become issues of global concern partly because of their ability to disrupt activities connected to people’s livelihood. Yet, the emotional distress caused by these changes and the factors responsible for place-based attachment, especially in the Global South, have received scant attention to date. Drawing on the theories of ‘solastalgia’—sadness caused by environmental change and the ensuing emotions it evokes—and place-based attachment, this article analysed the embodied experiences of climatic and environmental changes on rural households in KwaMaye, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Primary data was obtained qualitatively. Findings indicate that environmental and climatic changes, which have manifested in the form of increased soil infertility, soil erosion, mole and termite infestations and increased drought conditions, have undermined farmers’ ability to produce food and engage in livestock production effectively. These circumstances evoked frustrations, increased anxiety, sadness, reduced self-value and self-worth as well as helplessness. Nonetheless, place-based attachment is underpinned by kinship bonds and ancestral heritage. These issues have been discussed within the wider theoretical debates revolving around solastalgia and place-based attachment.

South Africa (SA) is considered as the second largest economies in Africa with well-developed agricultural food production system. But food security is still a challenge at household level. Currently, in Africa, smallholder agriculture is recognized to contribute food security at household level. This study investigates the prevalence of food insecurity and nutritional knowledge of 78 local smallholder farmers in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) province of South Africa. The results from this study indicated that nutrition knowledge was poor and food insecurity was prevalent at >40% at the household level. It is therefore recommended that future agricultural training should include nutrition education based on FBDG (Food Based Dietary Guidelines) in their respective programs so as to attain a balanced diet for healthy and productive smallholder farmer communities

Unintended pregnancy impacts many young women in South Africa, and rates of consistent contraceptive use among this population are suboptimal. Limited empirical work has investigated reasons for inconsistency between pregnancy intention and contraceptive use behaviour with data collected during pregnancy. We explored pregnancy intentions and discordance between intentions and contraceptive use prior to conception among young pregnant women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 35 women during pregnancy (mean age = 19.3; range = 18–21) in 2011 and 2012. Data were analysed using content analysis. All participants reported unintended pregnancies; almost half were not using contraception near conception. Reasons for not intending to become pregnant spanned personal, social, health, and economic domains. Participants living with HIV (n = 13) expressed specific concerns related to impacts of pregnancy on HIV disease management and fear of transmission of HIV to the infant. Discordance between pregnancy intentions and contraceptive use prior to conception was attributed to personal, social, health and structural domains. Findings indicate a need for interventions that address barriers to contraceptive use in order to minimise unintended pregnancy and support safe, desired pregnancies among young women.