Exploring the lived experiences of women with disabilities and policy response toward mitigating challenges faced during coronavirus pandemic alert levels 5-3: a case study of the city of Johannesburg.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Pandemics and outbreaks have different impacts on vulnerable groups, particularly those with disabilities. From the risk of exposure to biological and physical vulnerability to infection to the economic and social implications, individuals’ experiences are likely to vary according to their physical and gender characteristics and their interaction with other social determinants. Women with disabilities stand a higher risk of suffering the consequences of any global pandemic. These challenges faced by women with disabilities during the coronavirus pandemic include issues related to their health and well-being, profoundly impacting barriers already faced while creating new ones as well. In addition, some women with disabilities were at a higher risk of becoming infected or experiencing complications from the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, global and national strategic plans for COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and response needed to be grounded in solid gender and disability analysis. Through the national government’s response to curb the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, there were no specific policies aimed at addressing issues faced by women with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, their challenges persisted, leaving them in dire situations. The study laid a foundation for this qualitative inquiry and employed the feminist disability theory, agenda setting, policy formulation, public participation, and policy implementation. This qualitative study seeks to bridge the gap between the challenges and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on women with disabilities. This attempt aims to add other aspects of disability from a marginalized population. In examining this issue, the study seeks to lay the foundation for understanding the lived experiences of women with disabilities during a pandemic. The study utilized a case study approach; data was collected through semi-structured interviews with women with disabilities, state actors, family members, and non-government organizations of Gauteng, the City of Johannesburg. Augmented by extensive literature and policy reviews, the research findings reveal that women with disabilities are more likely to face various challenges during times of emergency, like the COVID-19 pandemic. The results confirm the feminist disability theory’s view that the functioning of women with disabilities is determined by broader contextual, social, historical, and gendered power relations. Therefore, the study recommends that it is crucial for the government to take an intersectional and disability-inclusive approach to mitigate the impact of disasters and should be aware of the effects of their mitigation regulations on vulnerable members of society

Public transport infrastructure spending and provincial economic growth in South Africa: a panel auto-regressive distributed lag approach.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This study investigates the relationship between public transport infrastructure spending and provincial economic growth in South Africa using the panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) framework. Set against the backdrop of South Africa’s persistent regional economic disparities and infrastructure gaps, the research explores how transport infrastructure investments impact growth across the country’s nine provinces, each marked by distinct economic structures and historical contexts. Literature examined infrastructure impacts at the national level, this research addresses a critical gap by focusing on provincial-level dynamics in the post-apartheid era. The study employs panel data from 2008 to 2023, covering public transport infrastructure spending obtained from national allocations, provincial budgets, and state-owned enterprise investments. It examines both the direction of causality and the short and long-run relationships between infrastructure investment and economic growth. The analysis adopts a panel ARDL methodology to account for cross-sectional dependence, non-stationarity, and regional heterogeneity. The study further draws on evaluating the channels through which infrastructure impacts emerge; namely, production function effects, endogenous growth mechanisms, spatial economic shifts, network externalities, and reductions in transaction costs. Findings reveal that transport infrastructure investment produces varying economic returns across provinces, highlighting the differentiated impact of infrastructure depending on local conditions. These results provide important empirical insights for improving infrastructure allocation in a resource-constrained environment and contribute to the broader goal of addressing historical spatial inequalities and promoting inclusive, provincial balanced economic development

Accessing audiology: epistemological experiences of newly qualified audiologists.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Audiology was introduced in South Africa in 1936, originally to train exclusively White, Afrikaans, and English-speaking students to serve hearing-impaired patients from the same demographics. Although South Africa’s democratic transition has expanded access to higher education, including Audiology training for Black African First Language Speaking (BAFLS) students, the extent of epistemological access (the ability to engage with knowledge, meaningfully) remains largely unexplored empirically. As a result, this study addressed this gap by examining the experiences of newly qualified BAFLS Audiologists as they navigated undergraduate Audiology curriculum and the subsequent impact of those experiences on their professional practice. Guided by the hermeneutic phenomenological approach, this qualitative study drew on semi structured interviews with 10 newly qualified Audiology graduates from a South African university. These graduates were purposively selected to reflect their diversity in terms of linguistic and socio-economic backgrounds. Through content analysis, data were analysed into pre-existing parent themes derived from the theoretical framework. Thereafter, thematic analysis was used to identify emergent themes. Participants reported significant barriers to epistemological access during their undergraduate studies. These barriers included linguicism, racism, classism, and a Eurocentric curriculum that excluded Afrocentric perspectives. Teaching and assessment practices were often perceived as biased against the BAFLS students, leading to surface learning. Hence, the BAFLS students felt underprepared for a more Afrocentric clinical practice, citing insufficient theoretical grounding and difficulty bridging academic knowledge with professional skills. Participants also highlighted positive experiences with BAFLS lecturers, who, in their experiences, exercised more relatable mentorship and teaching approaches. In professional settings, they continued to face systemic exclusion, particularly in private practice, alongside ongoing racism, and classism. The persistence of Eurocentrism in both academic and clinical environments was a dominant theme. Overall, the undergraduate Audiology curriculum at the University of Interest (pseudonym) remains predominantly Eurocentric, limiting the epistemological access for BAFLS students and their preparedness for Afrocentric or contextually relevant practice. Although existing models of transformation have been proposed to recontextualise the profession, they largely remain unimplemented. As a result, this study calls for a Radical Implementation of Fundamental Transformation (RIFT) framework, which emphasises enforcing and operationalising these models to ensure a more inclusive and Afrocentric Audiology curriculum. Such transformation is critical for equipping BAFLS students with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the diverseneeds of South Africa’s population

Xenophobia in South Africa: the perspectives and experiences of African international students at the University of KwaZulu Natal (Pietermaritzburg campus).

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Xenophobia is a problematic issue that has affected the social, economic, and political atmosphere in South Africa. The end of apartheid and the new democratic status of South Africa have brought substantial economic, social, and political changes that continue to affect the issue of migration in the country. After the apartheid transition, South Africa faced an increase in its migrant population from African countries. A substantial rise in xenophobia and numerous attacks on foreigners have accompanied this increase in migration. This study examines the issue of xenophobia in South Africa based on the views and experiences of African international students at the University of KwaZulu Natal (PMB Campus). This study employs a qualitative approach to collect in-depth and personal experiences and views of African international students at UKZN. The study uses semi-structured interviews by interviewing a total of [33] participants, [17] African international students, [16] local students, and [1] representative from the international office. This study uses convenience, purposive, and snowball sampling techniques to recruit the participants, and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data collected from the selected participants. This study adopts [4] theoretical frameworks due to the complex nature of xenophobia in South Africa; these include scapegoat theory, isolation hypothesis, biocultural hypothesis, and power conflict theory as the main analytical tools to examine the nature of xenophobia in South Africa and institutions of higher education based on the views and experiences of African international students at UKZN. The findings of the study revealed that the nature of xenophobia within institutions of higher education is covert xenophobia, which is a form of discrimination that is disguised and subtle rather than public or obvious. Covert xenophobia discriminates against African international students through often unnoticeable or seemingly passive methods, and it is expressed in xenophobic attitudes and discriminatory practices. It is not expressed in violent attacks like in the South African communities. The study reveals that African international students experience xenophobia on campus through discrimination, institutional exclusion when seeking employment or scholarships/funding, stereotyping, language barrier, isolation and social exclusion from campus activities, and fear of reporting xenophobic practices. However, most of the participants stated that on campus is a much better space than the nature of xenophobia experienced off campus, which is more intense and violent in nature. The findings reveal that African international students face a high level of xenophobia off campus, especially in the healthcare sector, for example, in public hospitals and public clinics, in such a way that some choose to self-medicate to avoid going to clinics of hospitals. The study recommends that it is essential for universities and governments to address these issues by implementing policies and programs aimed at promoting integration, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Educational institutions such as UKZN should offer resources and support for students who experience xenophobia and actively work to create a safe and inclusive environment for all students, regardless of their background or nationality. This study recognizes that xenophobia in South Africa is a complex issue that transcends national boundaries. Therefore, the author advocates for a collective effort by African states to find sustainable solutions to this African problem. By highlighting the need for African nations to work together, the study positions itself as a proponent of African-based initiatives and interventions tailored to the unique socio-political landscape of the African continent. The study recommends that by fostering a sense of shared responsibility within Africa, the researcher encourages the development and implementation of strategies that reflect the various perspectives and experiences within Africa, eventually contributing to a united and effective response to the issue of xenophobia in South Africa and institutions of higher education such as UKZN

Unpaid care work: calculating its value to the South African economy.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.All households partake in unpaid care work (UPCW) of varying degrees. This work falls outside of the production possibilities frontier because there is no payment for the products made or services rendered within the unpaid care work category of time use. Systematically does not get accounted in the UN System of National Accounts framework, and therefore, not included in the computation of the GDP index. Consequently, this sector is invisible thereby making it hard for governments to develop and implement policies to support those who engage in it most. This study investigates how unpaid care work contributes to the South African economy. A quantitative approach using a non-experimental research strategy is used to estimate the imputed value of the unpaid care work as a share of GDP without attempting to determine possible causality or correlation between the variables. First, aggregate annual time use for UPCW activity is calculated. Then, the market equivalent wage is estimated for each of the respective UPCW activities. Then, obtaining a product of these produces the imputed value. The imputed value is measured against the GDP figures to estimate unpaid care work’s potential share to GDP. Three datasets: the 2010 Time Use Survey (TUS), the 2010 Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) and the 2010 Quarterly Gross Domestic Product (QGDP) data are used. The TUS produces the time estimates measuring how much time is spent on paid and unpaid work activities and the QLFS is used to estimate the market-related wages payable for activities of paid work similar to unpaid work. Lastly, the QGDP data is used to compare the contribution of unpaid care work to the South African gross domestic product (GDP). The results of four valuation methods inform that unpaid care work contributed 36.83% using the Economy Wide Mean Wage, 3.87% for Men and 6.89% for Women using the Opportunity Cost method, 25.82% using the Generalist and 26.47% using the Specialist wage methods to the South African real GDP of 2010. The monetary value of the unpaid care work sector for the year 2010, was R 3.97 1.463 trillion using the Economy Wide Mean wage, R153.9 billion for Men and R273 billion for Women when using the Opportunity Cost method, and R1 trillion 26 billion for the Generalist wage method, as well as R1 trillion and 52 billion when using the Specialist Wage method

Is the Transnet National Ports Authority due for corporate restructuring?: a study of the imperatives for the authority’s corporate structure and functions.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This mini dissertation critically analyses the corporate structure and functioning of the Port Authority, which is responsible for the South African port system, which is key to trade, and the country’s economy. The current Port Authority is known as the Transnet National Ports Authority (“TNPA”), because it is a division within Transnet SOC Limited. This study considers how this state of affairs came about, looks at the performance of the TNPA, examines the founding legislation for the Port Authority followed by a critical analysis focused on literature and best practices. The findings point to the legislation, the National Ports Authority Act 12 of 2005 not being aligned with the Commercial Ports Policy in terms of which it was drafted. They also point to the non-implementation of the legislation, specifically in terms of the corporate structure that the Ports Authority should have. Thirdly, the findings are that the TNPA, in its current form, results in a conflict of interest in its relationship with Transnet Ltd and the sister divisions. Thus, the incorrect corporate structure is a contributing factor to the sub-par performance of the TNPA. This study concludes with recommendations on what the appropriate corporate structure is for the Port Authority, and the corrective measures that government must take, which may not necessarily include introducing new legislation before the policy issues are resolved

Investigating the effect of overcrowding on the application of Covid-19 rules and regulations at Westville Correctional Facility.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Correctional centres in many countries, globally, are notorious for constant overcrowding, unhygienic, and lacking necessary facilities that allow for a dignified existence. In South Africa, it is speculated that inmates in each correctional facility have 2m2 of space between them, which contributes significantly to the transmission of diseases and viruses such as HIV, AIDS, TB, and even COVID-19 in correctional centres. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a viral infection presumed to be developed by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 also mainly known as SARS-Cov-2. This viral infection is considered to be predominantly circulate between people via close contact, aerosols and particles from the air expelled when talking, breathing, or just exhaling, in addition to those generated when coughing or sneezing. In an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19, governments in different countries worldwide introduced protective COVID-19 protocols to which its citizens are to abide by in order to prevent as well as stop the spread of the virus, such as: individuals ought to practice social distancing at all times by avoiding crowded areas, encouraged the normalisation of no-contact greetings, and physically distancing themselves from others; quarantines should one encounter the virus; and travel restrictions. Unfortunately, such rules and regulations may not be easy to practice in correctional facilities due to overcrowding. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of overcrowding on the implementation of the COVID-19 rules and regulations at the Westville Correctional Facility, with the objective of gathering inmates' and administrators' perspectives on the different detrimental effects of overcrowding. Key findings: The COVID-19 rules and regulations were entirely impossible to be appropriately practiced due to the non-permitting environment in correctional facilities, such as the high density population which does not allow for Social Distancing; lack of resources to cater for those who those inmates who needed to be isolated for quarantine purposes; and but not least the inefficient medical assistance as not all inmates test and/or vaccinated. Recommendations: The main issue in correctional facilities is the number of inmates detained in each correctional institution and largely impacts the successes of the inmate’s rehabilitation stages as well as health and mental wellbeing. Therefore, to ensure subsequent housing of inmates, more correctional facilities ought to be built. Also, focus on increasing the availability of mental and physical health services in correctional facilities since COVID-19 brought attention to how vulnerable people in custodial environments are to health hazards, particularly those who already have a medical condition. Building strong healthcare systems in facilities ought to be a primary concern

The perspectives on the impact of corruption on service delivery: a case study of a KwaZulu Natal municipality.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.KwaZulu-Natal, which is one of South Africa's largest provinces in terms of population density, is home to numerous municipalities which are local government structures that are mandated to ensure basic service delivery to all the citizens in its area of responsibility. However, this province has reportedly faced unique challenges in its ability to ensure equitable and sustainable service delivery. While the municipalities in this region are tasked with improving the quality of life for their residents, the pervasive nature of corruption undermines their efforts. Corruption poses a significant challenge to effective governance and service delivery in many municipalities across South Africa, including iNdumiso Municipality1 in KwaZulu-Natal. Corruption in local governance has emerged as a significant barrier to effective service delivery by municipalities across South Africa. Acts of corruption do not only redirect essential resources away from critical community needs, but also reinforce inequality and impose the marginalisation of certain groups in the population. Due to the broad nature of corruption as an academic topic, it was deemed important and instructive to narrow down the scope of this investigation to a particular case to ensure that contextual factors would be suitably considered. In this instance, the case on the impact of corruption in service delivery was the iNdumiso Municipality. Local governments play a vital role in managing the delivery of basic services such as sanitation, water, and housing and form the government tier that is closest to communities (Sekibuule, 2012). Poor governance in municipalities can greatly affect public service delivery, either directly through higher pricing or indirectly through lower quality or frequency of available services. However, the high levels of corruption in local governments are associated with service delivery, therefore it was important to examine irregularities in service delivery to determine how a local community was affected by such malpractices, which unnecessarily impoverish citizens. The choice of iNdumiso as the study location was significant due to recent reports of corruption within this local government structure. These reports raised concerns about the efficiency and effectiveness of public service provision in this area. By focusing on this municipality, the study aimed to gain a deep understanding of the specific challenges faced by residents in accessing quality services and the role of corruption in exacerbating these issues. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, a pseudonym is used to refer to the municipality under study. The research aimed to explore the prevalence, forms, and drivers of corruption within the municipality and analysed how these factors hindered the provision of essential services. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews involving 18 participants, including 10 municipal workers and 8 community members. The findings revealed that corruption in the iNdumiso Municipality manifested in several ways, including bribery, nepotism, and embezzlement. These corrupt practices had a direct and detrimental impact on the quality and accessibility of services such as water, sanitation, and infrastructure. Economic pressures, weak institutional frameworks, and cultural norms that tolerate unethical behaviour were identified as the key drivers of corruption. While the study found that some efforts had been made to address corruption, it was highlighted that these initiatives had been largely ineffective due to weak governance and lack of accountability. The research therefore emphasises the need for a more robust and collaborative approach to service delivery through initiatives that involve local government, community members, and civil society. It seems essential to combat corruption and improve service delivery in iNdumiso Municipality, and possibly other municipalities that experience similar challenges

Racial discrimination among high school learners: a case of a selected high school, Durban.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.In South Africa, many parents choose to enrol their children in multiracial schools where they believe that they will learn more about diversity and celebrate the freedom to study where they desire. However, this study was conceptualized in the belief that the Rainbow Nation is facing an undesirable occurrence among learners in such schools, as various reports and studies have claimed that racial discrimination continues to persist in high schools. Media reports have also affirmed that this widespread issue is prevalent across the country in multiracial schools. This means that learners are suffering because there are persistent incidences of racial discrimination among them. Schools are meant to be a secondary home for learners where they feel safe and learn more about the rich history of South Africa, and here they are educated not to make the same mistakes that our forefathers did. This study explored the extent, causes, and effects of racial discrimination among learners in a selected high school located on the Bluff in Durban. A qualitative research approach was adopted to understand the causes of racial discrimination in the 21st century, and data were collected using semistructured one-on-one interviews. The study recruited eighteen (18) participants: 6 teachers and 12 learners. The social learning, the ecological systems, and the racial trauma theories were used to support the research questions. The findings in this study show that Black learners are not the only race facing racism as White learners are equally exposed to racial discrimination. The study exposed what is commonly referred to as ‘reverse racism’, and the White learners found it hard to raise their concerns. Most scholarly works and the literature support the notion that it is Black learners, or learners of colour, who are exposed to racist slurs, while White learners are the perpetrators. Furthermore, the learners were more outspoken than the teachers. When the teachers were asked to comment on cases of racism in the school, most of them said they had not witnessed any such incidents. However, the learners confidently said that racial discrimination was everywhere and that it was not only prevalent among learners. They argued that teachers discriminated against learners when they said, “I see no colour”. This made them feel invisible and unrecognised. It is evident that racial integration and tolerance should be encouraged among learners and teachers alike

Applying participatory mapping approaches to assess local communities’ perceptions of climate change and implications on their adaptation strategies: the case of communal rangeland community, Vulindlela, South Africa.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.This study investigated the role of Participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS) and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) in understanding local perceptions on the causes and impacts of climate change on communal rangeland communities and how local perception shapes communities’ responses. First, a systematic literature review was conducted to assess PGIS's contribution to elucidating local rangeland communities' vulnerability and adaptation in Africa. Analysis of 18 papers from ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus revealed a slow pace in the integration of PGIS in climate change research, thus indicating a knowledge gap. Despite this, PGIS has the potential to empower local communities in co-producing knowledge and creating adaptation solutions. The study then explored the effectiveness of integrating PGIS with PRA techniques in elucidating communal rangeland communities’ perceptions of and responses to the effects of climate change on rangeland resources and livelihoods using Vulindlela, South Africa, as a case study. Using focus group discussions, participatory mapping, key informant interviews, transect walks, and household questionnaires, the study uncovered diverse perceptions of climate change's drivers and impacts on livelihoods. It found that local perceptions are influenced by factors such as experience, age, education, and dependency on rangeland resources, which shape community responses to climatic risks. The PGIS mapping exercise highlighted areas most susceptible to events like floods and droughts. Overall, the study demonstrated PGIS as a valuable tool for capturing spatial insights and facilitating local participation. The integration with PRA and PGIS techniques provided a comprehensive understanding of climate change impacts and responses, offering both non-spatial and spatial perspectives. Participatory mapping has the potential to enhance the co-design and formulation of inclusive adaptation plan