Locating Blackness: The ‘Township Aesthetic’ and representations of black identity in contemporary South African Cinema

Student Number : 9900639H - MA research report - School of Dramatic Art - Faculty of HumanitiesThis report is concerned with analysing the cinematic representations of the ‘township space’ and its articulation of black masculinity in two post apartheid South African films – Wooden Camera directed by Ntshaveni Wa Luruli and Tsotsi directed by Gavin Hood. I argue that the ‘township space’ has become a fetishised cinematic trope in post-apartheid South African filmmaking. Cinematic representation’s of the space of the township articulates the performance of black identity associated with criminality, excessive violence and deviancy relegating the black experience to one of ‘otherness’. In this report I argue that the ‘Cinematic Township’ predetermines a black identity that appears to be shot through a colonial lens, or from an ‘outsider’s point-of-view’. This space developed on the fringes of major cities was developed - through Afrikaner Nationalist Ideologies - as a ‘port’ into major cities. The township was constructed through a process of ‘othering’ and is often represented as the manageable part of modernity for ‘black identity’. Cinematically there appears to be a ‘fixing’ or ‘freezing’ of an authentic black experience within the ‘township space’ that essentialises black identity and the black experience. Apart from analysing the cinematic representations of the ‘township space’ and the manner in which space determines sexuality and identity, this report speaks to issues of representation and who can claim the rights to representation in post-apartheid South Africa (Thiong’o, 2000 and Axel, 1999). The South African filmmaking landscape is unique because of the interesting mix of ‘white’ and ‘black’ filmmakers. This raises questions about ‘Racialised Africanness’ and what are the implications for ‘African whiteness’? These are important issues in relation to the South African post-apartheid body politic and the role of the filmmaker in post-apartheid South African cinema. In this paper I suggest that the cinematic township is representative of the fetishisation of the ‘township space’ in the imagination and representations of post-apartheid filmmakers. The ‘township space’ has transcended its political memory and appears to be invested with nostalgia and myth-making

The effects of a supplementary high intensity muscle endurance resistance training programme on Comrades Marathon performance

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of philosophy in the Department of human Movement Science in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2007.In this study, the aim was to determine the effects of a high intensity muscle endurance resistance intervention programme as a supplement to normal running training for Comrades Marathoners. A sample voluntary population of 115 subjects were initially distributed at random into two groups of approximately equal size, namely the control (CT) group and the experimental (RST) group. Originally, the CT group constituted 57 subjects, whilst the RST group constituted 58 subjects. However, four subjects from the CT and one subject from the RST group failed to complete the pre-intervention test battery, thereby eliminating themselves from the study. The sample size was therefore reduced to 110 subjects, resulting in 53 subjects in the CT group and 57 in the RST group. Subjects were males between the ages of 25 to 50 years who had successfully completed a minimum of five Comrades Marathons (at least three up runs and two down runs). All subjects completed a PAR-Q as well as an informed consent form prior to participating in the pre-intervention test battery. The pre-and post-intervention test batteries comprised of physical characteristics measurements (age, body mass, height, body fat percentage and percentage of fat-free mass) and physical performance measurements (10km run, 400m-sprint, Wingate anaerobic cycle test, one-minute sit-up test, one-minute press-up test and lower back-leg dynamic strength test). The pre-intervention test battery results indicated comparable, non-significant (p> 0.05) differences between the control and experimental groups' physical characteristics and physical performance parameters. The statistical analyses of the control and experimental groups' previous Comrades Marathon completion times proved to be non-significantly (p> 0.05) different and therefore comparable. Subsequent to the pre-intervention test battery, the experimental group was subjected to the intervention programme for 34 weeks. The experimental group completed the intervention programme twice a week in addition to their normal marathon running training, whilst the control group continued with their normal Comrades Marathon running training. Thereafter both .the groups underwent the post-intervention test battery. The control group's post-intervention physical characteristics and physical performance parameters remained relatively similar, with non-significant (p> 0.05) differences. The control group's average 10km run time was non-significantly (p> 0.05) reduced by 2.1%. The experimental group experienced significant (p< 0.05) changes to both their physical characteristics and physical performance parameters. These changes included: a post-intervention decrease of percentage of body fat by 22.6%; an increase of percentage of fat-free mass by 4.8%; a reduction of 10km run time by 12.1%; a reduction of 400m-sprint time by 28.5%; an increase in Wingate anaerobic cycle test results by 16.3%; an improvement in one-minute sit-up test results by 27.8%; an improvement in one-minute press-up test results by 32.4%; an increase of lower body dynamic strength by 28.9%; and, most importantly, a reduction in their Comrades Marathon completion times by 9.2%. In addition to this, the intervention programme helped the experimental group to reduce their 21.1km and 42.2km completion times. The intervention programme increased the structural/musculoskeleta! joint integrity and stability of the members of the experimental group. It is proposed that the increased structural/musculoskeletal joint integrity and stability reduced the total incidence of overuse injury experienced by the experimental group by 43.3% as compared to the control group. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that the high intensity muscle endurance resistance programme that was used to supplement the primary running training of Comrades Marathon runners (experimental group) did help improve their Comrades Marathon completion times

The effects of exercise on the aged.

Thesis (M.Sport Sc.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.This study aimed to document the effects of regular exercise and physical activity on the aged. Subjects (n=S8) over the age of sixty-five participated in the study. All subjects were patrons from various retirement centers of the DAFTA organization (Durban Association for the Aged). The subjects completed a PAR-Q and informed consent form, which allowed the eligible to participate in the study. A pre and post-test battery was administered to measure the following parameters; body mass, height, girth measurement, agility and dynamic balance, muscle strength and endurance, flexibility, co-ordination, dynamic grip strength and aerobic capacity. During the experimental period the subjects engaged in a structured intervention exercise programme of 30 weeks. The intervention programme composed of games, walking, stretching, flexibility and resistance training exercises aimed at improving the following fitness components; agility and dynamic balance, strength, flexibility, co-ordination and aerobic capacity. Inferential and differential statistical methods were employed in order to analyzethe data. The study indicated that regular exercise and physical activity positively impacted the senior citizens' functional capacity and improved their quality of life (p<O.OS). The intervention programme served its purpose well. There are, however, many changes to be made to suit specific institutions and individuals. To ensure similar positive effects, follow-up exercise programmes would be necessary

A Conceptual Framework for the Inclusion of Recreational Therapy within South African Healthcare Paradigms

Final-phase rehabilitation in South Africa is synonymous with the professions of Physiotherapy and Biokinetics; no consideration is given to the contribution of the profession of Recreational Therapy, which successfully contributes to other international healthcare paradigms. The primary aim was to determine whether collaborative relationships exist between South African recreational therapists and physiotherapists or biokineticists. A secondary aim was to review the potential inclusion of the profession of Recreational Therapy within the existing South African patient referral system of the multidisciplinary healthcare paradigm. An electronic search of the Google Scholar and Sabinet databases identified no records regarding interprofessional collaborative relationships between Recreational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Biokinetics. The authors therefore used two indirect records that prescribe interprofessional collaboration among South African healthcare practitioners during final-phase exercise rehabilitation. The quality of these individual records was appraised using the modified Downs and Black Scale in order to reduce bias. While there is a paucity of literature identifying the absence of interprofessional collaborative relationships between Recreational Therapy, Biokinetics, and Physiotherapy, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) guide nevertheless allows for dynamic overlap among final-phase exercise therapists, thereby providing an opportunity for the inclusion of Recreational Therapy within the existing dynamic, multidisciplinary, South African healthcare paradigm. The inclusion of the profession of Recreational Therapy, as part of a collaborative team effort, can be helpful in order to address the multifaceted challenges experienced by many South African patients

Interprofessional knowledge and perceptions of selected South African healthcare practitioners towards each other

Background. Interprofessional collaboration is internationally and popularly envisioned as a successful paradigm for the management of disease, disabilities and injuries. Despite this, the opinion of South African (SA) healthcare practitioners towards this idea is incoherent; this division of opinion needs to be changed to serve the common goal of better patient care.Objective. To provide a narrative overview of literature-based evidence of interprofessional knowledge and perceptions of SA doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, speech and hearing therapists, as well as biokineticists regarding interprofessional collaboration.Methods. An electronic search of Google Scholar, Crossref, PubMed and Sabinet databases identified 701 records, which were synthesised to 11 articles that were published during 2005 - 2016. Individual article quality was appraised using the modified Downs and Black scale.Results. Of the 11 records, 3 were Master’s theses reviewing the interprofessional knowledge and perceptions of doctors, physiotherapists and biokineticists towards the profession of chiropractic therapy; 3 examined the perceptions of chiropractic therapy, occupational therapy, speech and hearing therapy and biokinetics towards physiotherapy and chiropractic therapy; while the remaining 5 were supportive of interprofessional collaboration. The nature of the research designs of the selected studies were: survey (n=6), short communication (n=1), clinical commentary (n=1), randomised controlled trial (n=1) and focus group interview (n=2). An incoherence underlies the perceptions of the abovementioned practitioners regarding interprofessional collaboration owing to lack of interprofessional knowledge regarding each given discipline’s scope of profession (SoP). This is compounded by uneasiness with regard to patient competition. Some physiotherapists are against collaborative relationships, while occupational therapists, biokineticists and chiropractors are inclined to support the notion of a multidisciplinary physical rehabilitation team. There is a paucity of literature-based evidence reviewing the knowledge and perceptions of medical doctors, nurses and physiotherapists with regard to the SoP of occupational therapists, speech and hearing therapists, biokineticists, dieticians and chiropractors, thereby warranting future investigation.Conclusions. There are mixed perceptions of interprofessional collaboration among the selected healthcare practitioners owing to negative perceptions

Coronary Heart Disease Risk Profile among University of Kwa-Zulu Natal Students

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the primary aetiological factors of mortality in many countries. People are no longer as physically active as they were a few decades ago, because of their sedentary lifestyles. Thisstudy was conducted to determine the coronary heart disease risk profile of students studying at the Westville campus of the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN). Two hundred and twenty-three students who volunteered participated in the study. Participants underwent a health screening and risk stratification assessment which included an interview (to determine exercise history, and prevalence of hypokinetic diseases),  kinanthropometric measures (body mass, stature and skinfold), resting2 heart rate and blood pressure measures and a bicycle ergometer PWC test (indirectly 170 estimate VO max). Descriptive statistics which included mode, mean, frequency, percentages and inferential statistics comprisingchi-square (p# 0.05) were employed in the statistical analysis. All  participants reported no history of hypokinetic disease and perceived they were not at risk of CHD (p&lt;0.001). The exercise history of males revealed that 86.66% participated in exercise, cricket, soccer, rugby and hockey, while 13.34% were sedentary (X2 p-value; 1.58E-17). Females (88.64%) were more physically active participating in netball, hockey, athleticsand exercise, whilst 11.36% were sedentary (X2p-value; 4.2E-13). Active female participants exercised and played sport for 2.38 sessions per week for an average duration of 34.28 minutes per session. The active maleparticipants exercised and played sport for 0.65 sessions per week for an average of 30 minutes per session. Descriptive statistical analyses identified the female participants’ mean BMI (24.34 kg/m²), percent body2 fat (20.72%), resting heart rate (78.19 bpm), mean arterial pressure (87.85 mmHg) and V0 max (38.93 ml/kg/min) as being within their age and gender norms. Similarly male participants’ mean BMI (23.05 kg/m²),2 percent body fat (12.29%), resting heart rates (73.14 bpm), MAP (87.75 mmHg) and VO max (39.03 ml/kg/min) complied with their age and gender norms. The study concluded that the participants are not at risk of CHD.KEYWORDS: coronary heart disease, healt

Biokinetics: A South African Health Profession Evolving from Physical Education and Sport

This chapter describes the South African profession of Biokinetics, which operates within the pathogenic and fortogenic health paradigms. Biokinetics is an exercise therapy profession that exclusively prescribes individulaised exercise and physical activity for rehabilitation and promotion of health and quality of life. Biokinetics differs from physiotherapy primarily due its management of injuries, illnesses and disabilities within the final-phase of rehabilitation. A brief history of the profession and its scope of profession and its alignment within the South African National Health statutory and professional bodies will be presented. The two pedagogic models adopted for the teaching and training of Biokinetics will also be discussed. Interprofessional collaborative partnerships within the medical-rehabilitation fraternity, sport, health and fitness industries and educational employment opportunities will be reviewed. Finally, the idea of internationalisation of the profession of Biokinetics to similar exercise therapy professions such as Clinical Exercise Physiology and Athletic Training will be presented

Design Goals for Playful Technology to Support Physical Activity Among Wheelchair Users

Playful technology has the potential to support physical activity (PA) among wheelchair users, but little is known about design considerations for this audience, who experience significant access barriers. In this paper, we leverage the Integrated Behavioural Model (IBM) to understand wheelchair users’ perspectives on PA, technology, and play. First, we present findings from an interview study with eight physically active wheelchair users. Second, we build on the interviews in a survey that received 44 responses from a broader group of wheelchair users. Results show that the anticipation of positive experiences was the strongest predictor of engagement with PA, and that accessibility concerns act as barriers both in terms of PA participation and technology use. We present four design goals - emphasizing enjoyment, involving others, building knowledge and enabling flexibility - to make our findings actionable for researchers and designers wishing to create accessible playful technology to support PA

Role of Biokinetics Rehabilitation among Spinal Cord Injured (SCI) Patients

Spinal cord rehabilitation is a complex and consuming pathology, requiring the skillsets of numerous experts to ensure optimal treatment. To this end, the expertise of an exercise therapist (biokineticist) can play a significant role in health maintenance, as well as in the prevention of the co-morbidities often experienced by this population (elevated risk for metabolic syndrome and coronary heart disease associated with SCI), positively improving patients’ overall quality of life. Biokinetics can furthermore help to lower cardiometabolic risks through the prescription of individualized exercise programs and by working in conjunction with other members of the patients’ health team. Physically active spinal cord injured individuals who use their wheelchairs as an exercise machine can benefit from the expertise of a biokineticist as far as these physically active spinal cord injured individuals often experience upper limb neuro-musculoskeletal overuse injuries. In so far as biokineticists are final-phase rehabilitation exercise therapists who prescribe structured physical activity to improve the physical and physiological conditioning of the patient, they are similar to other exercise therapists, such kinesiotherapists, physical therapists, or physiotherapists, and function within a multi-disciplinary rehabilitation team to improve the quality of life of a spinal cord injured individual

Common running musculoskeletal injuries among recreational half-marathon runners in KwaZulu-Natal

Objective. To document the prevalence and nature of running-related  musculoskeletal injuries among recreational half-marathon runners over a 12-month period (1 July 2011 - 31 June 2012).Methods. Data were collected from runners (N=200) who officially ran half-marathon road races during February - June 2012. Runners, whose participation in the study was dependent on voluntary informed consent, were required to complete a self-report questionnaire probing the prevalence and nature of running musculoskeletal injuries in the 12  months preceding recruitment. Probability was set at p≤0.05.Results. One hundred and eighty (90%) runners reported sustaining  musculoskeletal injuries (p&lt;0.001). The anatomical site most vulnerable to injury was the knee (26%), followed by the tibia/fibula (22%) and the  lower back/hip (16%) (p&lt;0.001). The intrinsic factors predisposing runners to musculoskeletal injuries were deviant quadriceps and hip flexion angles (p≤0.05).Conclusion. Recreational runners in our cohort sustained a high prevalence of knee, tibia/fibula and lower back/hip injuries