Development Studies Working Paper, no. 5

A rural development project is currently under way in the Amatola Basin, Ciskei. This paper introduces the project and outlines the socio-economic and agricultural conditions current in the area. An overview of present project activities is included. It then attempts to identify a number of potential and actual human and structural constraints operating on the implementation of the project. Such constraints arise out of the existing agricultural system in the project area, as well as out of the state bureaucratic structures operating in Ciskei, and the agency implementing the project itself. One aim is to identify the units involved in dryland cultivation. This is done by tracing ties of cooperation between cultivating households in one Amatola village. It will be shown, in this village at least, that the household does not form the main unit of cultivation. A second aim of this paper is to show that checks on rural development in general should not be sought solely within the area under consideration, but derive to an important degree from outside sources.Digitised by Rhodes University Library on behalf of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER

Afrikaans and Dutch as closely-related languages: A comparison to West Germanic languages and Dutch dialects

Following Den Besten‟s (2009) desiderata for historical linguistics of Afrikaans, this article aims to contribute some modern evidence to the debate regarding the founding dialects of Afrikaans. From an applied perspective (i.e. human language technology), we aim to determine which West Germanic language(s) and/or dialect(s)  would be best suited for the purposes of recycling speech resources for the benefit of developing speech  technologies for Afrikaans. Being recognised as a West Germanic language, Afrikaans is first compared to  Standard Dutch, Standard Frisian and Standard German. Pronunciation distances are measured by means of  Levenshtein distances. Afrikaans is found to be closest to Standard Dutch. Secondly, Afrikaans is compared to 361 Dutch dialectal varieties in the Netherlands and North-Belgium, using material from the Reeks  Nederlandse Dialectatlassen, a series of dialect atlases compiled by Blancquaert and Pée in the period  1925-1982 which cover the Dutch dialect area. Afrikaans is found to be closest to the South-Holland dialectal variety of Zoetermeer; this largely agrees with the findings of Kloeke (1950). No speech resources are  available for Zoetermeer, but such resources are available for Standard Dutch. Although the dialect of  Zoetermeer is significantly closer to Afrikaans than Standard Dutch is, Standard Dutch speech resources might be a good substitute.Keywords: human language technologies, speech resources, Afrikaans, Dutch, acoustic distanc

Origins of Sinuous and Braided Channels on Ascraeus Mons, Mars - A Keck Geology Consortium Undergraduate Research Project

Water has clearly played an important part in the geological evolution of Mars. There are many features on Mars that were almost certainly formed by fluvial processes -- for example, the channels Kasei Valles and Ares Vallis in the Chryse Planitia area of Mars are almost certainly fluvial features. On the other hand, there are many channel features that are much more difficult to interpret -- and have been variously attributed to volcanic and fluvial processes. Clearly unraveling the details of the role of water on Mars is extremely important, especially in the context of the search of extinct or extant life. In this project we built on our recent work in determining the origin of one channel on the southwest rift apron of Ascraeus Mons. This project, funded by the Keck Geology Consortium and involving 4 undergraduate geology majors took advantage of the recently available datasets to map and analyze similar features on Ascraeus Mons and some other areas of Mars. A clearer understanding of how these particular channel features formed might lead to the development of better criteria to distinguish how other Martian channel features formed. Ultimately this might provide us with a better understanding of the role of volcanic and fluvial processes in the geological evolution of Mars

A Comparison and Analog-Based Analysis of Sinuous Channels on the Rift Aprons of Ascraeus Mons and Pavonis Mons Volcanoes, Mars

The origin of sinuous channels on the flanks of the Tharsis volcanoes on Mars is debated among planetary scientists. Some argue a volcanic genesis [1] while others have suggested a fluvial basis [2-4]. The majority of the studies thus far have focused on channels on the rift apron of Ascraeus Mons. Here, however, we broadly examine the channels on the rift apron of Pavonis Mons and compare them with those studied channels around Ascraeus. We compare the morphologies of features from both of these volcanoes with similar features of known volcanic origin on the island of Hawai i. We show that the morphologies between these two volcanoes in the Tharsis province are very similar and were likely formed by comparable processes, as previous authors have suggested [5]. We show that, although the morphologies of many of the channels around these volcanoes show some parallels to terrestrial fluvial systems, these morphologies can also be formed by volcanic processes. The context of these features suggests that volcanic processes were the more likely cause of these channels

Dose-dependent effects of exogenous gonadotrophins on the endometrium of the rat

We compared the serwn levels of oestrogen and progesterone and the endometrial morphology of normal pregnant rats at 5,5 days' gestation with those of pregnant rats given either low (10 IU) or high (20 IU) doses of two gonadotrophins: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and hwnan chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). Evidence of ovarian hyperstimulation was observed in the high- but not the low-dose group; both treatment regimens caused significant changes in the endometrial surface, epithelial height, the microvillous border, the glycocalyx, the subepithelial stromal cells and the mitotic activity of the surface epithelial and stromal connective tissue cells. The effects of the highdose treatment were Inore severe than those of the low-dose treatment. The serum oestradiol and progesterone levels of the treated groups were not significantly different from those of the control group. The changes in the endometrium after both treatment regimens may interfere with normal trophoblastic-endometrial interactions and could influence the maintenance of pregnancy. This investigation demonstrated that even low doses of gonadotrophins, which do not cause obvious ovarian stimulation, affect uterine morphology. The findings haveimportant implications for in vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer programmes

Economic vulnerability and poor service delivery made it more difficult for shack-dwellers to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.

In South Africa, demand for housing close to viable/sustained sources of employment has far outstripped supply; and the size of the population living in temporary structures/shacks (and in poorly serviced informal settlements) has continued to increase. While such dwellings and settlements pose a number of established risks to the health of their residents, the present study aimed to explore whether they might also undermine the potential impact of regulations intended to safeguard public health, such as the stringent lockdown restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021. Using a representative sample of 1381 South African households surveyed in May–June 2021, the present study found that respondents in temporary structures/shacks were more likely to report non-compliance (or difficulty in complying) with lockdown restrictions when compared to those living in traditional/formal houses/flats/rooms/hostels (OR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.45). However, this finding was substantially attenuated and lost precision following adjustment for preceding socio-demographic and economic determinants of housing quality (adjusted OR: 1.20; 95% CI: 0.78, 1.87). Instead, respondents were far more likely to report non-compliance (or difficulty in complying) with COVID-19 lockdown restrictions if their dwellings lacked private/indoor toilet facilities (adjusted OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.22) or if they were ‘Black/African’, young, poorly educated and under-employed (regardless of their socio-economic position, or whether they resided in temporary structures/shacks, respectively). Restrictions imposed to safeguard public health need to be more sensitively designed to accommodate the critical roles that poverty and inadequate service delivery play in limiting the ability of residents living in temporary structures/shacks and inadequately serviced dwellings/settlements to comply.Significance:• South Africans living in temporary structures/shacks are more likely to be poorly educated and underemployed, with fewer assets and limited access to basic household services.• Poverty and inadequate service delivery were more important determinants of compliance with COVID-19 restrictions than housing quality.• In the absence of improvements in economic circumstances and the delivery of basic household services, restrictions imposed to safeguard public health need to be more sensitively designed to take account of the structural barriers to compliance experienced by households where poverty and/or inadequate service delivery limit their ability to stay at home; maintain hygiene; and/or practise social distancing

An evaluation of software project risk management in South Africa

Global research indicates that the success rate of software projects worldwide is currently very low, and has been low for the past few decades. The application of risk management has improved the success rate of software projects in the developed world. This study investigated whether the success rate of software projects in South Africa is also low, and whether risk management might improve these success rates. The results indicate that the average success rate of software projects in South Africa is indeed very low, and that software projects in South Africa often experience the same risks as in the developed world. It was also found that, where risk management is applied, software projects produce better results than software projects with no risk management. The majority of South African software companies use ad hoc internally developed risk management procedures rather than formalised procedures.Die suksestempo van sagteware ontwikkelingsprojekte oor die wêreld is tans laag en volg die tendens reeds vir ’n aantal dekades. Die toepassing van projek risikobestuur het die suksestempo vir sagteware projekte wel verbeter in ontwikkelde lande. Hierdie studie het ’n ondersoek gedoen om te bepaal of die suksestempo van sagteware projekte in Suid Afrika ook laag is, en of die toepassing van risikobestuur vir sagteware projekte die suksestempo kan verbeter. Die resultate van die studie het aangetoon dat die gemiddelde suksestempo van sagteware projekte in Suid Afrika wel baie laag is, en dat die projekte dikwels soorgelyke risiko’s ervaar as in die ontwikkelde wêreld. Die studie het ook bevind dat sagteware projekte waar risikobestuur toegepas is beter presteer het as projekte sonder risikobestuur. Die studie het ook aangedui dat die meerderheid sagteware maatskappye in Suid Afrika gebruik maak van ad hoc risikobestuur prosedures wat intern ontwikkel is, en dus nie formele prosedures gebruik nie.http://sajie.journals.ac.za/am2013ai201

An evaluation of software project risk management in South Africa

Global research indicates that the success rate of software projects worldwide is currently very low, and has been low for the past few decades. The application of risk management has improved the success rate of software projects in the developed world. This study investigated whether the success rate of software projects in South Africa is also low, and whether risk management might improve these success rates. The results indicate that the average success rate of software projects in South Africa is indeed very low, and that software projects in South Africa often experience the same risks as in the developed world. It was also found that, where risk management is applied, software projects produce better results than software projects with no risk management. The majority of South African software companies use ad hoc internally developed risk management procedures rather than formalised procedures.Die suksestempo van sagteware ontwikkelingsprojekte oor die wêreld is tans laag en volg die tendens reeds vir ’n aantal dekades. Die toepassing van projek risikobestuur het die suksestempo vir sagteware projekte wel verbeter in ontwikkelde lande. Hierdie studie het ’n ondersoek gedoen om te bepaal of die suksestempo van sagteware projekte in Suid Afrika ook laag is, en of die toepassing van risikobestuur vir sagteware projekte die suksestempo kan verbeter. Die resultate van die studie het aangetoon dat die gemiddelde suksestempo van sagteware projekte in Suid Afrika wel baie laag is, en dat die projekte dikwels soorgelyke risiko’s ervaar as in die ontwikkelde wêreld. Die studie het ook bevind dat sagteware projekte waar risikobestuur toegepas is beter presteer het as projekte sonder risikobestuur. Die studie het ook aangedui dat die meerderheid sagteware maatskappye in Suid Afrika gebruik maak van ad hoc risikobestuur prosedures wat intern ontwikkel is, en dus nie formele prosedures gebruik nie.http://sajie.journals.ac.za/am2013ai201