Intermediary liability: evaluating the liability sections of section 53 (7) and (8) of Namibia's draft copyright and related rights bill 2021

Internet intermediaries have enabled the general public to access information easier, including copyrighted work. This however led to right to right holders targeting intermediaries for copyright infringement instead identifying and suing every individual user of internet intermediaries. In order to reduce the liability risks for intermediaries, lawmakers around the world began to amend or adopt their law in particular through the introduction of exemption provisions. Case in point was the U.S The Digital Millennium Copyright Act which introduced safe harbour provisions under which intermediaries can escape liability. Similarly, the EU Electronic Commerce Directive of 2000 contains safe harbour provisions which limit the liability of intermediaries. In 2019, Namibia's Business Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) began its journey of amending the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act order to be suitable for the digital era. After two consultations and reviews with stakeholder, the Draft Copyright and Related Rights Bill was published. Section 53 of the Bill expressly addresses the issue of internet service providers. The inclusion sections 53(7) and 53(8) raises concerns about increasing the liability of intermediaries considering their importance to the general public. This dissertation aims to consider if section 53(7) and (8) is constitute an appropriate liability regime

The very high energy gamma ray burst GRB190114C as observed by MeerKAT

We present the MeerKAT study of the highly energetic gamma ray burst (GRB), GRB190114C, which was the first GRB to have been recorded at teraelectronvolt (TeV) energies by the MAGIC telescope. We have observed this GRB with MeerKAT from as early as within the first day of the burst event, up to nearly a year at over 350 days. Our 13 epoch light curve is the most sampled radio light curve of this GRB at low frequencies (1.28 GHz) in comparison to published results. We detail the evolution of GRB190114C as a forward shock in a homogeneous medium for about 100 days post-burst, followed by a jet-break likely occurring simultaneously with the passage of the characteristic peak frequency across our observing band. We constrain the host galaxy component, and compare our modelled host value to fluxes extrapolated from pre-burst images of the field. As it is often for GRB observations at low radio frequencies, the evolution of GRB190114C is highly affected by strong interstellar scintillation, which we quantitatively constrain as long lasting refractive scattering. We then use the calculated scintillation parameters to put an upper limit on the radial size of the fireball, and compare this to other GRBs. Beyond the GRB, we take a commensal approach to study its intriguing and expansive background. We survey the field for potential radio transients or variables. We apply the LOFAR Transients Pipeline (TraP) in this pursuit. The pipeline has been adapted for MeerKAT data. We discover 11 potential transient or variable candidates. We detail their light curves, images, multi-wavelength counterparts and classifications to reveal their nature. We find that most of the candidates we find are likely active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and their variability in this context is reasonably due to interstellar scintillation as derived for the fiel

Challenging Universality: gender portrayals in television commercials in South Africa and Germany

This study explored gender portrayals in television commercials in South Africa and Germany. Quantitative content analysis is commonly used in cross-cultural advertising research, often relying on codebooks developed in one cultural context and applied universally. Guided by a decolonial perspective, this research aimed to challenge these “methodological universalisms” (Mohanty, 2003) by developing and validating a culturally relevant quantitative instrument. Moreover, this study was the first to compare gender portrayals in television advertising between South Africa and Germany. Adopting a social constructionist viewpoint on gender, the analysis employed Ashmore's (1990) gender domains to examine gender constructions as dynamic and multifaceted phenomena. The research utilised a mixed-methods design, beginning with a qualitative phase followed by a quantitative phase. In the qualitative research phase, a small subsample of 30 South African and 30 German television commercials was analysed using thematic analysis. The qualitative results informed the development of the quantitative codebook during the interim phase of instrument development. This new codebook was then applied to a sample of 459 television commercials in the subsequent research phase, the quantitative content analysis. Key gender related themes from the thematic analysis included demographic characteristics, contexts, roles and activities, advertising-specific aspects, nonverbal expressions, and physical attributes. The final codebook consisted of 15 relevant variables to examine gender constructions in South African and German television commercials. By categorising variables according to Ashmore's (1990) framework within the codebook, the study aimed to capture all relevant aspects of gender as communicated in advertising. As suggested by the results, this context-specific quantitative instrument revealed different outcomes compared to previous research, with German commercials exhibiting more systematically gendered portrayals than South African advertisements. In Germany, nine of the fifteen variables, including product type, setting, age, body type, attire, passive vs. active behaviour, symbolic behaviour, interest, and company, were significant, indicating a focus on specific gender-related expectations, especially for female characters. In South Africa, four variables-product type, age, body type, and relationships status-were significant. The comparative analysis revealed that male characters in German ads tended to be more objectified, while female characters conformed to narrower and more conventional expectations compared to their South African counterparts. Subsequently, findings for select variables (gender, age, relationship status, and race) were contextualised with census statistics, which indicated a notable overrepresentation of young characters in German commercials compared to the population. These findings suggest the need to re-evaluate conventional quantitative codebooks, emphasising the importance of updating measurement tools and critically reviewing their relevance to the specific contexts under analysis

The role of digital technology in scaling social impact in South Africa

Social entrepreneurship is an important contributor to South Africa's business environment and social fabric, however scaling social impact continues to be a challenge. To date, very limited studies have considered scaling strategies that social enterprises in South Africa use to grow their impact. In particular, no academic work has been done on how digital technology impacts on these scaling strategies. This thesis uses a descriptive case study method to examine scaling strategies of 21 social enterprises and the role of digital technology on their strategies. The key findings of this research have been summarised into top ten key learnings that can help and guide social enterprises building scaling strategies for social impact in South Africa

Awareness of cervical cancer risk factors and symptoms and lay beliefs amongst women recently diagnosed with cervical cancer in South Africa and Zimbabwe

Background: Despite South Africa (SA) and Zimbabwe having nationwide cervical cancer screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs, the incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer remain high in these countries. We explored awareness of cervical cancer symptoms and risk factors as well as lay beliefs amongst women recently diagnosed with cervical cancer from SA and Zimbabwe. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of data from a descriptive cross-sectional study of women recently diagnosed with cervical cancer in SA and Zimbabwe. Between September 2022 and November 2023 women from selected health care facilities who were either recently diagnosed with cervical cancer or were within four weeks of being told their treatment plan were invited to participate in the study. Data were collected by interviewers using a locally validated questionnaire. Unprompted, open-ended questions were used to assess participant awareness of cervical cancer symptoms and risk factors. In analysis, we described awareness of cervical cancer symptoms and risk factors (zero versus ≥1 known) and reported lay beliefs. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between sociodemographic variables and awareness stratified by country. Results: Among 506 women enrolled (56.1% from SA; 43.9% from Zimbabwe), 54.3% (274) were able to recall ≥1 correct symptom of cervical cancer. This proportion was higher among women from Zimbabwe (73.4%) than SA (26.6%). Only 18.8% (95) of women were able to recall ≥1 correct risk factor for cervical cancer (73.7% from Zimbabwe versus 26.3% from SA). Overall, important risk factors including HPV infection, HIV and not going for screening were known by very few women (0.8%, 3.4% and 1.4% respectively). There were no statistically significant sociodemographic predictors of symptom awareness in Zimbabwe. In SA, women who completed secondary education, lived in a peri-urban setting or who knew a family member or friend with cancer were significantly more likely to know ≥1 cervical cancer symptom compared to those with less than secondary school (aOR 2.84 95% CI 1.33-6.12), those who lived in a rural setting (aOR 4.99 95% CI 1.36-18.81) or those who did not know anyone with cancer (aOR 2.61 95% CI 1.38-4.98). For risk factor awareness, among South African women, those who completed secondary school were significantly more likely to know ≥1 cervical cancer risk factor compared to those with less than secondary school (aOR 2.86 95% CI 1.05- 7.69). Among Zimbabwean women, those in the second highest wealth index or who were known to be living with HIV were significantly more likely to know ≥1 cervical cancer risk factor compared to those in the poorest wealth index (aOR 5.69 95% CI 1.21-29.24) or those who were not living with HIV (aOR 2.14 95% CI 1.04-4.50). Overall, 90 (17.9%) women mentioned at least one lay belief about risk factors for cervical cancer. The most commonly reported risk lay belief was inserting herbs, creams, or objects into the vagina (8.7%). Conclusion: The awareness of cervical cancer symptoms and risk factors amongst women with cervical cancer was low, particularly in SA. There is an urgent need for interventions to improve knowledge around cervical cancer, as low levels of awareness can impact timely cancer diagnosis and limit the uptake of cervical cancer prevention programs

MBChB 5th year student response To E-Learning within orthopaedic surgery during Covid-19

Background. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent country-wide lockdown, South African (SA) universities were forced to quickly adapt to teaching that minimised or eliminated in-person contact. The pandemic period necessitated rapid changes to the way in which learning occurs and resulted in significant shifts in the academic environment. There is limited evidence in the literature to support e-learning in undergraduate orthopaedic training. This is the first study of its kind evaluating e-learning in orthopaedic surgery in a middle-to-low- income country. Objectives. To identify the University of Cape Town fifth-year MB ChB cohort's attitudes towards the e-learning component of blended learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also aimed to investigate whether e-learning facilitates comparable levels of confidence and results among students and face-to-face methods. Methods. Multi-year cross-sectional survey analysis was completed by retrospectively analysing the students' end-of-block evaluations and end-of-block marks. Responses from the cohorts between 2016 and 2020 were compared. Results. Regarding course definition, workload, course organisation, intended preparation and course presentation, the 2020 cohort's responses were similar to those of previous years. The 2020 cohort agreed that the e-learning material was relevant; this response was higher than in previous years. They also agreed that the online practical sessions were useful and that the course stimulated more interest. Significantly, they also strongly agreed that the online course was easier to attend and participate in than in previous years. The 2020 cohort perceived the end-of-block assessment to be somewhat unreasonable; however, this cohort yielded similar grades compared with previous cohorts. Subjectively, the students' responses to e-learning were positive, as many of them welcomed the usefulness and stimulation of online media as a study tool. Students felt that more time should be made available to work through online material and that there was incongruity between the content taught and the content of the endof-block assessments. Conclusion. Subjectively, the students' responses to e-learning were positive, as many of them welcomed the usefulness and stimulation of online media. With comparable outcomes in terms of student confidence and final marks (compared with traditional teaching only), it further encouraged a move towards formulating a novel blended learning curriculum. With these positive findings, we were able to explore the possibilities of developing an e-learning course curriculum incorporating international blended learning practices, using locally sourced SA evidence-based literature to provide orthopaedic teaching relevant to our unique setting

Host somatic variation between women living with HIV with cervical intraepitheial lesions (CIN3) and their HIV negative counterparts

Despite the use of antiretroviral therapy, cervical cancer remains a leading malignancy in women with HIV, who face a six-fold increased risk. Infection with HIV and HPV has been linked to accelerated cervical cancer development. However, there are limited studies on the role of host somatic variations in HIV-positive and HIV-negative women on cervical cancer. Understanding these variations may help identify potential genetic factors that contribute to accelerated cervical cancer development and differential response to treatment. This knowledge is important in targeting interventions and improving outcomes for women with HIV and cervical cancer. Therefore, this study aims to investigate host somatic genetic variation between cervical biopsies obtained from HIV-positive or HIV-negative women with histologically confirmed CIN3 to determine potential differences in genomic landscapes and HPV infection between HIV-positive and HIV-negative women. The matched case-control study utilized archived cervical biopsies from 88 women (44 HIV positive, 44 HIV-negative) attending Groote Schuur Hospital Cancer Clinic between 2020 and 2022. The cases and controls were carefully age matched. HPV infection and type were confirmed using the Anyplex™ II HPV28 Detection kit. In cervical cancer, six hotspot regions in the four commonly mutated genes (TP53, PIK3CA, PTEN, and EGFR) were genotyped using Polymerase Chain Reaction and validated using Sanger Sequencing. Missense variant pathogenicity was assessed using SIFT, Polyphen-2, and ClinVar tools. The median age was [37 years (IQR:34-41)] for HIV-positive women and [35 years (IQR:32- 43)] for HIV-negative women. In the HIV-negative cohort the women reported tobacco smoking (p<0.0001), menstruation irregularities (p=0.005), and contraception usage (p=0.019). These parameters were statistically significant when compared to HIV-positive cohort. Common HPV types identified were HPV 16 (43/88, 49%), 35 (12/88, 14%), and 58 (10/88, 11%). A total of 232 genetic variants were identified, with HIV-positive women having a significantly higher burden of pathogenic variants (31%) compared to 15% among the HIV-negative (p=0.0406). Identified mutations included stop-gain, missense, synonymous, and intron variants. The genes TP53 and PIK3CA had more stop-gain variants among HIV-positive women (4/5) compared to HIV-negative women with 1/5 of the 5 mutations. These damaging variants were more prevalent in women under 50 in both cohorts. In conclusion, younger women (<50 years) showed predominantly damaging variants, indicating more aggressive cancer, and a possible reason for early onset in the younger cohort. HIV-positive women displayed a higher mutation burden in PIK3CA and pathogenic variants in TP53, emphasizing the need to further explore these genes in gene expression studies

Tracing the Normative Framework of South Africa s response to Early Childhood Development and Long-Term Care During the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the crucial role of social care and its fundamental importance in shaping our lives. This research employs a critical political ethics of care approach to evaluate the South African government's response to mandated social care provision during the pandemic. Through a systematic analysis of the state's actions in managing and coordinating Early Childhood Development programs and Long-Term Care facilities for Older Persons throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, this investigation uncovers a pervasive lack of attentiveness, responsibility, competence, and responsiveness. Furthermore, this study delves into the factors contributing to the neglect of these vital care sectors. To do so, it examines the normative approaches to care as delineated in policy documents. Specifically, this research draws upon the White Paper on Social Welfare (1997) and the White Paper on Families (2013) to contextualise the government's response and reveal a predominant familialist approach to care. Within these documents, the study employs the insights of Selma Sevenhuijsen and colleagues (2003) and the Trace method to unearth the conceptualization of welfare and the allocation of caregiving responsibilities. Finally, the research investigates the correlation between the state's response to Early Childhood Development programs and Long-Term Care facilities and the rhetoric, norms, and discourses embedded in the aforementioned policy documents

The feasibility of a commercial-scale recirculating aquaculture system integrating sea urchins (Tripneustes gratilla) and seaweed (Ulva)

It has been proposed that the highly valued sea urchin, Tripneustes gratilla, and the green macroalga, Ulva, could be suitable co-candidates for a land-based recirculating Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system. This IMTA system is suggested to be sustainable and efficient, primarily because the Ulva would simultaneously provide bioremediation of effluent and a substantial feed source for T. gratilla. While evidence for these proposed benefits does exist, it is dispersed and incomplete. The primary aim of this thesis is to create a farm-scale model to provide clear evidence of the biotechnical feasibility of a T. gratilla-Ulva IMTA system. To develop this model, literature gaps needed to be filled. These gaps became the auxiliary initial objectives, specifically; to determine optimal T. gratilla basket depth, stocking density and quantification methodology to allow for the accurate prediction of T. gratilla nitrogen emissions. The literature indicates that production of various urchin species is reduced when cultivated in deeper baskets, in contrast to shallower baskets. Thus, if and why basket depth has this effect was investigated and an ideal basket depth for T. gratilla culture was determined. Deeper baskets (30 cm deep) resulted in significantly lower consumption of various feed types (formulated feed, Ulva lacinulata and Ecklonia maxima; W > 38, p < 0.026). This is likely the consequence of lower feed accessibility, which in turn causes the observed reduced yield. Therefore, shallow baskets (±15 cm deep) enhance production of T. gratilla and were applied in subsequent stocking density trials. The stocking density of T. gratilla expected in commercial systems has not been clarified or optimised. Two trials were conducted where production parameters were compared between urchins stocked at various densities. The first trial was a three-month grow-out trial where only fresh Ulva lacinulata was supplied and the objective was to maximise urchin size. The subsequent trial focused on maximising gonad production where predominantly a formulated feed with a 20% Ulva inclusion was provided over two-months. While higher stocking densities did significantly reduce the specific growth rates of average individual urchin mass in both trials (p < 0.044), there was no indication that mortality, cannibalism or gonad size and quality was influenced by the densities tested in this study. Thus, it was concluded that the optimal stocking density for both the grow-out and gonad enhancement phases of T. gratilla is approximately 20% coverage (surface area of urchins' tests by surface area of basket), regardless of urchin size. During the above trials it became apparent that the implementation of a commercial T. gratilla culture would not be feasible in the absence of a reliable and precise method to measure large quantities of live urchins, which is necessary for the successful development and management of such an industry. Therefore, to avoid this future bottleneck, this study also developed an accessible, accurate and efficient protocol for the reliable and precise measurement of large quantities of sea urchins using computer vision. For a larger-scale context, this open-source software could easily be incorporated into various tools, such as a grading machine, to completely automate farm processes. Additionally, this protocol can be used in a research context to greatly enhance the accuracy and standardisation of live urchin measurements.The foundation of the T. gratilla-Ulva IMTA model is a total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) sub-model, as TAN is the most limiting exchanged resource. Due to the lack of literature on T. gratilla nitrogen emissions and its complexity, an empirical ‘black box' approach using regression models was used for predicting TAN concentrations in T. gratilla effluent. Training and validation data were acquired from an extensive trial where water samples were collected from urchin systems with different treatments hypothesized to influence water quality, such as flow rates, feed type and quantity of urchins. Additionally, additional water quality parameters were observed, thereby providing an indepth understanding of how T. gratilla aquaculture systems will influence water quality. The nitrogen concentration in T. gratilla effluent was low by aquaculture standards (average 0.001 mg/lTAN) while the high dissolved CO2 concentrations were of concern (maximum of 525 μATM). This provides novel insights, from which valuable management recommendations are made. As the literature gaps were filled as described above, it became possible to create the T. gratillaUlva farm-scale IMTA model, which would not only assist justifying the integration of these species but also estimate the production capabilities of this system. To ensure its applicability and practicality, the model was developed as a digital twin of the established and extensively validated commercial abalone-Ulva IMTA farm systems in South Africa. The model suggests that, based on the proposed monthly culture cycle, the T. gratilla capacity of the 42 tanks (8.5 m3 each) is approximately 360 000 individuals of seven successive cohorts, which could result in a monthly gonad harvest between 0.31 and 0.88 t per month, depending on finishing feed. The model revealed that while the simulated 300 m2 Ulva raceway could remove all the TAN emitted by T. gratilla (average of 0.009 mg/l), it cannot be considered efficient as a biofilter as it requires considerably more farm surface area (land footprint) than necessary. The projected TAN emissions from the T. gratilla production system are insufficient to sustain the Ulva population, let alone enable substantial Ulva production for T. gratilla feeding. Hence, the farm-scale model indicates there is inadequate nitrogen emissions from the T. gratilla production unit to justify the integration of Ulva with T. gratilla production, based on the existing abalone-Ulva IMTA systems. Yet a nitrogen retention model provides evidence that the nitrogen supplied in the urchin feed is sufficient for substantial Ulva production. Most of this nitrogen is likely deposited as particulates and thus cannot be utilized by Ulva. However, this nitrogen could be converted into a dissolved form via mineralization. While further investigation is required, this indicates the potential to create a circular and efficient IMTA system if designed and managed correctly. Importantly, the model indicates that T. gratilla farming using this land-based system would not be limited by ammonia toxicity and would likely be highly productive when compared to aquaculture of other high value species. Therefore, this study indicates that this recirculating T. gratilla-Ulva IMTA system may be feasible if the correct design or management adjustments are made. The recommended basket design, stocking density, quantification method, water quality insights and the farm-scale model could greatly assist establishing this potential industry. Additionally, with further development, the model could be used as a tool for environmental impact assessors, farmers, entrepreneurs and investors to design farms or conduct economic, environmental and social analyses across various scales

Using survey data to estimate the prevalence of Diabetes in South Africa - from risk factor analysis to action

South Africa is a developing country which has in the last decades experienced a sharp rise in the number of diagnosed diabetes cases. Significant uncertainty exists about the true prevalence of diabetes in South Africa, since many of those suffering from diabetes remain undiagnosed. The large financial burden imposed by diabetes on the public health sector places significant pressure on its ability to effectively deliver quality healthcare to all who rely on it. The Indian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS) was developed as a low-cost screening tool to assess the potential undiagnosed case prevalence of type 2 diabetes using analysis of risk factors and their association to diabetes. The South African General Household Survey (SAGHS) (StatsSA, 2021a) is used to analyse the risk factors of diabetes on a population through a generalised linear regression model. A synthetic IDRS was calculated from the available population trends and an illustrative prediction of the diabetes prevalence rate was performed using this score. The IDRS could be modified and used in South Africa to model undiagnosed cases of diabetes. Furthermore, the IDRS would allow for government screening to be targeted, thereby allowing for the potential healthcare cost savings