Fiscal Performance and Sustainability of Local Government in South Africa — An Empirical Analysis

This paper analyses fiscal performance in terms of own-revenue collection and sustainability of local municipalities in South Africa. Criteria such as gross value added, revenue collected from own sources, debtors outstanding, the ageing of debt and dependency on grants are considered. The conclusion is that a large number of municipalities do not comply with the requirement that a “reasonable” amount of current expenditures be financed by means of own resources. Furthermore, local government finances are featured by substantial variance as far as collection of own income is concerned. While close to half of them finance more than 50 percent of their current expenditures from own resources, about one third are largely dependent on grants from upper spheres of government and generate less than 20 percent of current expenditures from own resources. As a whole, the fiscal sustainability of the local government sector, given the current scenario of flows, is a reason for concern. In order to comply with international criteria for solid fiscal performance, a number of municipalities will have to improve their performance with regard to own-revenue collection. The reason for this phenomenon seems to be the problem of “soft budgets” and an historic dependence on grants to finance not only capital expenditures but also most, if not all of, current expenditures. Due to historical and political factors, local governments in South Africa differ substantially in terms of potential revenue base, but it may be that in many cases potential revenue is not exploited and that the high level of dependency on grants is the result of inefficiency and lack of political will to be more self-reliant. In view of the wide-spread protest actions against poor quality of service delivery at the local government level, fiscal authorities should take a fresh look at the extent to which these governments are accountable for being more financially independent. This would help prevent the accumulation of debt as a result of growing backlogs in service payments.Local government, fiscal sustainability, South Africa

Modelling the impact of automatic fiscal stabilisers on output stabilisation in South Africa

This paper investigates ways in which an efficiency model like 'DEA Window analysis' can be utilised, under strictly defined conditions, to assess the level of efficiency of automatic fiscal stabilisers (AFS). The size of AFS is obtained through gaps in both revenue and expenditures variables such as tax revenue (current tax on income and wealth), social grants/benefits, and compensation of employees. The results obtained support evidence of AFS action between 1991 and 2005 and explain distinct cointegrating vectors that exist between the obtained efficiency scores and some selected variables, such as a corruption perception index (CPI), a conversion factor (exports), and the level of openness in the economy.South Africa, Automatic Fiscal Stabilisers, Data Envelopment Analysis, Efficiency scores.

Complex, Dynamic Combination of Physical, Chemical and Nutritional Variables Controls Spatio-Temporal Variation of Sandy Beach Community Structure

Sandy beach ecological theory states that physical features of the beach control macrobenthic community structure on all but the most dissipative beaches. However, few studies have simultaneously evaluated the relative importance of physical, chemical and biological factors as potential explanatory variables for meso-scale spatio-temporal patterns of intertidal community structure in these systems. Here, we investigate macroinfaunal community structure of a micro-tidal sandy beach that is located on an oligotrophic subtropical coast and is influenced by seasonal estuarine input. We repeatedly sampled biological and environmental variables at a series of beach transects arranged at increasing distances from the estuary mouth. Sampling took place over a period of five months, corresponding with the transition between the dry and wet season. This allowed assessment of biological-physical relationships across chemical and nutritional gradients associated with a range of estuarine inputs. Physical, chemical, and biological response variables, as well as measures of community structure, showed significant spatio-temporal patterns. In general, bivariate relationships between biological and environmental variables were rare and weak. However, multivariate correlation approaches identified a variety of environmental variables (i.e., sampling session, the C:N ratio of particulate organic matter, dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations, various size fractions of photopigment concentrations, salinity and, to a lesser extent, beach width and sediment kurtosis) that either alone or combined provided significant explanatory power for spatio-temporal patterns of macroinfaunal community structure. Overall, these results showed that the macrobenthic community on Mtunzini Beach was not structured primarily by physical factors, but instead by a complex and dynamic blend of nutritional, chemical and physical drivers. This emphasises the need to recognise ocean-exposed sandy beaches as functional ecosystems in their own right

Phylogenetic analysis to define feline immunodeficiency virus subtypes in 31 domestic cats in South Africa

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a lentivirus, is an important pathogen of domestic cats around the world and has many similarities to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A characteristic of these lentiviruses is their extensive genetic diversity which has been an obstacle in the development of successful vaccines. Of the FIV genes, the envelope gene is the most variable and sequence differences in a portion of this gene have been used to define 5 FIV subtypes (A, B, C, D and E). In this study, the proviral DNA sequence of the V3-V5 region of the envelope gene was determined in blood samples from 31 FIV positive cats from 4 different regions of South Africa. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the presence of both subtypes A and C, with subtype A predominating. These findings contribute to the understanding of the genetic diversity of FI

The Emmaus narrative and contemporary Christian followership – An empirical case study

This article aims to explore a ‘lived discipleship’ by determining whether and how contemporary communities of faith could implement the norms and principles reflected in the Emmaus narrative of Luke 24:13–35 within a plausible epistemological framework that might facilitate a fresh understanding of Christian followership as discipleship. This was done through an empirical case study using two focus groups as co-researchers, in order to actively listen to their respective understandings of lived theology in their unique South African contexts. The two focus groups consisted of (1) a contemporary Christian grouping of Afrikaans-speaking, active churchgoers situated in Hazeldean, a suburb in Pretoria East, Tshwane, Gauteng and (2) a contemporary Christian grouping of African, active churchgoers situated in Ivory Park, a suburb in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. This article concluded that Luke 24:13–35 nudged the co-researchers to re-evaluate their contemporary understanding of discipleship and moved them to additional and new perspectives in terms of practical expressions thereof that can be best described as ‘lived followership’. A shift from perceiving Jesus in terms of an ‘act to follow’ by gaining the correct knowledge, to following Jesus as ‘a performative act’, a shift from ‘theoretical knowledge’ to ‘heart knowledge’. Contribution: This article is a part of the Festschrift for Prof. Stephan Joubert. This article plays into similar creative interdisciplinary relationship as seen in the work of Prof. Joubert, by looking at the relationship between New Testament and Practical Theology in order to improve practices of faith that is rooted in a biblical understanding of Jesus

Sellulêre biomerkerresponse as maatstaf van gevoeligheid van klipmossels (Mollusca) vir kadmiumbesoedeling

The original publication is available at http://www.satnt.ac.za/Die bioakkumulasie van kadmium in tussengetyspesies kan stres veroorsaak wat op sellulêre vlak meetbaar is. Verskeie klipmosselspesies kom volop op rotse aan die Suid-Afrikaanse kuslyn voor en kan moontlik vir ekotokiskologiese monitering gebruik word. Die oogmerk van die studie was om sensitiwiteitsdata te verkry wat kan bydrae tot die kies van ’n geskikte spesie vir monitering en die uiteindelike daarstelling van ’n model vir spesie sensitiwiteitsverspreiding (SSV) wat ’n biomerkerrespons as eindpunt gebruik. Die klipmossels Cymbula oculus, Scutellastra longicosta, Cymbula granatina en Scutellastra granularis en watermonsters is in Valsbaai versamel. Analises van kadmium in water en biologiese monsters is met behulp van atoomabsorpsiespektrofotometrie uitgevoer. Blootstellings van organismes aan subletale vlakke van kadmium is uitgevoer in statiese vloeitenks oor ’n periode van drie dae. Daar was ’n matige toename in liggaamskonsentrasies van kadmium oor tyd. Resultate wat by drie blootstellingskonsentrasies gekry is, het geen betekenisvolle verskille in metaalkonsentrasies tussen die verskillende C. oculus monsters uitgewys nie. Betekenisvolle verskille tussen die kontrole en die blootstellingsgroepe vir elke individuele blootstellingstyd is vir die spesie verkry behalwe tussen die kontrole en die 1mg/L CdCl2 blootstellingsgroep na 24 en 72 uur van blootstelling. Cd liggaamskonsentrasies (sagteweefsel) het tussen 4.56 en 21.41μg/g (nat massa) gevarieer. Gemiddelde Cd konsentrasies in sagteweefsel van S. longicosta was aansienlik laer (variërend tussen 1.18 en 19.58 μg/g Cd ) as in weefsel van C. oculus. Die kontrolegroep van hierdie spesie het betekenisvol verskil van die 0.8 en 1 mg/L CdCl2 blootstellings na 48 en 72 uur. Gemiddelde Cd liggaamskonsentrasies in S. granularis was die hoogste van al die blootgestelde spesies en het ’n vlak van 148 μg/g Cd by die hoogste blootstellingskonsentrasie bereik en het betekenisvol verskil van die ander monsters se gemiddeldes met die uitsondering van die 0.8 mg/ L CdCl2 blootstellingsgroep by 72 uur en die 1 mg/L CdCl2 groep by 24 uur. Betekenisvolle verskille is ook verkry vir die liggaamskonsentrasies van Cd van C. granatina tussen die drie verskillende blootstellingskonsentrasies en drie blootstellingstye. Integriteit van lisosoommembrane is bepaal met behulp van die neutraalrooi retensiemetode. Drie van die vier spesies het ’n betekenisvolle afname in retentsietye getoon met ’n toename in Cd konsentrasie. Tussenspesieverskille in gevoelighede vir omgewingsrelevante kadmiumkonsentrasies is deur die biomerkerresponse uitgewys. Gebaseer op die verlaging in NRR tye, is die volgorde van relatiewe gevoeligheid vir kadmium as volg: S. granularis > C. oculus> S. longicosta.> C. granatina.Publishers' Versio

Preterm labour - Is Mycoplasma hominis involved?

Objective. To assess whether Mycoplasma hominis is associated with preterm labour in primigravidae  and multigravidae with previous midtrimester abortion or preterm labour.Design. Cohort analytical study. Setting. Tygerberg Hospital, a tertiary academic hospital in the Western Cape.Methods. Gram's stains were done on smears taken from the posterior vaginal fornix, at the first  antenatal visit, between 16 and 26 weeks' gestation, in primigravidae and multigravidae at risk for preterm labour. Cultures for M. hominis and other commonly occurring organisms were done ·from endocervical swabs taken at the same visit. The outcome of pregnancy in mothers with positive cultures for M. hominis was then compared with outcome in women with negative cultures.Outcome measures. Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, bacterial vaginosis and preterm delivery, birth weight and perinatal deaths.Results. Cultures for M. hominis were positive in 83 patients  (21 %) and negative in 312 (79%).  Significantly more mothers in the positive group (40%) delivered before 37 weeks' gestation than in the negative group (28%, P = 0.0313). Their babies weighed significantly less (2 669 g v. 2 864 g, P = 0.0141). The positive group was also associated with more alcohol use in pregnancy and fewer of them  were married. C. trachomatis was found in 18% of mothers in the positive group but in 8% of the negative group (P = 0.0082). U. urealyticum was cultured in 96% of mothers in the positive group in contrast to 81 % in the negative group (P = 0.001). Bacterial vaginosis was observed on 75% of mothers  with positive cultures for M. hominis but in 22% with negative cultures (P = 0.00001, odds ratio 10.21, 95% confidence interval: 5.63 - 18.65). Conclusion. Positive culture for M. hominis was associated with more preterm deliveries and also with a higher frequency of C. trachomatis, U. urealyticum and bacterial vaginosis

Ondersoek na seleksiemaatstawwe by Afrinoskape. Genetiese parameters van groei- en woleienskappe

Investigation of selection criteria for Afrino sheep. Genetic parameters of growth and wool traits. The data used in this study were obtained from the Carnarvon Afrino stud. The genetic and phenotypic parameters for the various growth and wool traits were estimated by means of Henderson's Method III. The following traits were considered as possible selection criteria for ram selection: weaning weight (h2 = 0,21 ± O,07), yearling weight (h2 = 0,22 ± 0,07), ADG: weaning-year-old (h2 = 0,22 ± 0,07), Kleiber: weaning-year-old (h = 0,23 ± 0,07), and eighteen-month mass (h2 = 0,28 ± 0,08). However, the traits yearling weight, ADG: weaning-year-old and eighteen month mass cannot be considered as possible selection criteria because of their undesirable genetic correlations with birth mass and eighteen-month mass. Kleiber: weaning-year-old had a non-significant negative genetic correlation of -0,12 ± 0,22 with birth mass, a medium positive correlation with yearling weight (0,35 ± 0,21) and it is almost unrelated to eighteen-month mass (rg = 0,10 ± 0,22). At 12 months of age, rams can be selected on the basis of the following selection index: I=3 X weaning mass -- 1 X Kleiber: weaning-year-old- 18 X fibre diameter.Ondersoek is ingestel na geskikte seleksiemaatstawwe vir Afrino-skape. Data vanaf die Camarvonse Afrinokudde is vir hierdie ondersoek gebruik. Genetiese en fenotipiese parameters van die onderskeie groei- en woleienskappe is met behulp van Henderson se Metode III beraam. Die volgende eienskappe is as moontlike seleksiemaatstawwe vir ramseleksie oorweeg: speenmassa (h2 = 0,21 ± 0,07), jaarmassa (h2 = 0,22 ± 0,07), GDT: speen-jaar (h2 = 0,22 ± 0,07), Kleiber: speen-jaar (h2 = 0,23 ± 0,07), en agtienmaandemassa (h2 = 0,28 ± 0,08). Jaarmassa, GDT: speenjaar en agtienmaandemassa is as gevolg van hul ongunstige genetiese korrelasies met geboortemassa en agtienmaandemassa as seleksiemaatstawwe geelimineer. Kleiber: speen-jaar het 'n nie-betekenisvolle negatiewe korrelasie van -0,12 ± 0,22 met geboortemassa, 'n matig-positiewe korrelasie van 0,35 ± 0,21 met jaarmassa en is feitlik onafhanklik van agtienmaandemassa (rg = 0,10 ± 0,22). Ramme kan op 12-maande-ouderdom op grond van die volgende seleksie-indeks geselekteer word: I = 3 X speenmassa + 1 X Kleiber: speen-jaar - 18 X veseldikte.Keywords: Afrino, genetic parameters, growth traits, Kleiber ratio

The humanities in a soulless institutional environment? Thoughts on the contemporary university and the neglect of its educational function

Over the past few decades vocational training has increasingly become the norm within our universities. This, together with the demand for democratisation and “social” equality, resulted in the eclipse of the classical ideal of a comprehensive humanist education (Lat. studia humanitatis, German Bildung). This had a particularly detrimental (if not devastating) effect on the teaching of the humanities. Traditionally it was accepted that a thorough schooling in the humanities was only meant for the few. Not everybody was deemed equal to the task – not on grounds of principle, but rather because of circumstance. Factors such as talent, interestedness, intellectual and cultural background, as well as the level of aspiration and commitment together play a decisive role in preparing a person for such a schooling. However, the idea of such an education as the exclusive preserve of the few is now widely rejected as outmoded, too elitist and hence totally unacceptable. Education should be accessible to all “because we are all equal”. And if the latter seems not to be the case, everybody can and should be made equal by means of “progressive” and “transformative” education. This is called the “democratisation of the university”, but in reality it means a popularisation and even a form of demagoguery by means of which far too high and unrealistic expectations are aroused among our young people. At the root of this levelling process in education, and of the egalitarian dogma in general, lies the fallacy of the zero sum. It rests on the assumption that if something or someone fails, it is the result of another that has succeeded. The other’s success was the cause of my failure. All gains are paid for by the losers. This fallacy plays an important role in supporting many a social reform programme or transformation initiative and the false hopes it arouses. The makers of current higher education policy (also those in university positions) increasingly appeal to didactic principles and practices in order to make young people fit for and amenable to study at a university. Thus they give expression to one of the most persistent superstitions of our time, i.e. the belief that there is a technical solution for each and every conceivable problem. More than ever before people believe that by applying the appropriate didactical techniques, somehow everyone can be successfully schooled. This goes hand in hand with unprecedented forms of coercion and manipulation that are completely at odds with a truly humanist education. Moreover, a humanist education in the traditional sense is regarded as useless and obsolete. Under the influence of the ideology of economic profit-seeking and technical efficiency the emphasis is on knowledge that has practical utility value, and this signifies a shift towards training at the expense of a humanist education – training which is geared towards the mastering of skills that are necessary for one’s job or profession. For this very reason there is a continuous search for new and more efficient teaching methods. In contrast to this, a humanist education requires a kind of initiation which cannot be accomplished merely by means of controlled methodological procedures. Both types of teaching (humanist education and vocational training) have their own merits. They need not compete with one another. However, an alarming tendency exists at universities to become mere training institutions, providers of “high level manpower” that comply with the demands of industry, the business sector and the professions. Thereby universities could find themselves wholly in the grip of economic-technical rationality. This would result in the loss of academic freedom and the rise of “educated philistinism” (Hannah Arendt). The decline of a truly humanist education in our universities must be arrested. To my mind this can only happen insofar as universities succeed in maintaining their autonomy. If our universities wish to do justice to the name “university” in any credible way, they must provide sufficient scope for free intellectual activity, thus allowing students to freely commit themselves to the discipline of scholarship, with no other motive than their love for a specific field of study which they deem important for their own cultivation as human beings. Universities must insist on being islands of academic freedom, safeguarded against all sorts of illusions, unrealistic expectations and interferences of interest groups and lobbies, and averse to any form of ideological and technological expediency. However, the autonomous status of universities can only prevail as long as they maintain strict entrance requirements.Aan die hedendaagse universiteite het beroepsopleiding toenemend die norm geword. Dit, tesame met die eis om “demokratisering” en “maatskaplike” gelykheid, het die klassieke ideaal van ’n omvattende humanistiese vorming van studente na die agtergrond geskuif. Veral die geesteswetenskappe (in die sin van die humaniora) word nadelig hierdeur beïnvloed. Hierdie tendens moet gestuit word. Dit kan myns insiens slegs gebeur indien universiteite waarlik onbevoogde (outonome) instellings bly. Dit beteken dat universiteite, indien hulle hoegenaamd nog met enige geloofwaardigheid wil aanspraak maak op die titel “universiteit”, genoegsame ruimtes moet verskaf vir vrye intellektualiteit – ruimtes waar studente hulleself vryelik aan die dissipline van geleerdheid onderwerp, om geen ander rede nie as die liefde vir ’n (bepaalde) vakgebied wat hulle vir hulle vorming nodig ag. Sulke ruimtes moet eilande van akademiese vryheid wees – gevrywaar van allerlei illusies, onrealistiese verwagtinge en bemoeienisse van drukgroepe, en wars van ideologiese en tegnologiese pretensies. Dosente en studente sou daar byeenkom uitsluitlik om te studeer, om te lees en te skryf, om na mekaar te luister en diskussies te voer in die gees van die ensiklopedie, die algemene vorming. Sodanige ruimtes sal egter slegs in hulle doel slaag vir sover daar streng toelatingsvereistes gestel word.http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_akgees.htmlcp201