Social consultation : a personal exploration of working relations and challenges faced by site developers, archaeologists and local communities : using Dzata site as a case study

Includes bibliographical references [leaves 91-101]

Smallholder farmers' perceptions of drought tolerant maize crop in cork village in Mpumalanga province

The study explored smallholder farmers’ perceptions of drought tolerant maize in Cork village, Mpumalanga Province. The study analysed the factors that pushed smallholder farmers to grow drought tolerant maize crops. It examined the maize varieties farmers grow and investigated the benefits and the challenges of growing drought tolerant maize crops. The review of literature found that no similar studies have explored the smallholder farmer’s perceptions of drought tolerant maize. The study was guided by a pragmatic research philosophy and it used mixed research methodology to collect data on the research objectives of the study. Purposive sampling was used to select primary respondents and snowball sampling was used to select key informants. The study found that drought and agro-ecological conditions have pushed farmers to grow drought tolerant maize crops and these crops are improving farmer’s agricultural yields and food security. However, drought tolerant maize crop varieties are inaccessible at shops and they are very expensive to buy given the socio-economic status of people living in rural areas of this village. The study recommends that the price of drought tolerant maize seed varieties should be subsidised, availability and easily accessibility to the market should be improved and future studies could investigate the contribution of drought tolerant maize varieties on household food security.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic science, 202

Common property regimes and land reform in Namibia : a case study of Skoonheid, Omaheke region

Bibliography: leaves 84-90.This dissertation is concerned with the question of local resource use. It explores this question and more specifically common property resource management regimes using Skoonheid Resettlement Project in the Omaheke Region in Namibia as a case study. This study was born out of a Retrospective Assessment of the Environmental Implications of Resettlement in Namibia, commissioned by the Namibian Programme to Combat Desertification (NAPCOD) through the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET)

Smallholder farmers' perceptions of drought tolerant maize crop in cork village in Mpumalanga province

The study explored smallholder farmers’ perceptions of drought tolerant maize in Cork village, Mpumalanga Province. The study analysed the factors that pushed smallholder farmers to grow drought tolerant maize crops. It examined the maize varieties farmers grow and investigated the benefits and the challenges of growing drought tolerant maize crops. The review of literature found that no similar studies have explored the smallholder farmer’s perceptions of drought tolerant maize. The study was guided by a pragmatic research philosophy and it used mixed research methodology to collect data on the research objectives of the study. Purposive sampling was used to select primary respondents and snowball sampling was used to select key informants. The study found that drought and agro-ecological conditions have pushed farmers to grow drought tolerant maize crops and these crops are improving farmer’s agricultural yields and food security. However, drought tolerant maize crop varieties are inaccessible at shops and they are very expensive to buy given the socio-economic status of people living in rural areas of this village. The study recommends that the price of drought tolerant maize seed varieties should be subsidised, availability and easily accessibility to the market should be improved and future studies could investigate the contribution of drought tolerant maize varieties on household food security.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic science, 202

The effects of bureaucracy on the delivery of services within the city of Johannesburg

Thesis (M.M. (Public and Development Management))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Governance, 2014.Since the advent of democracy in 1994, government programmes have improved the quality of lives and living standards of the poorest South Africans, the majority of whom were previously disadvantaged by apartheid segregation policies. On face value, racism and prejudice seem to have declined. Thus society seems to be slowly integrating as equals. However, the legacies of apartheid, combined with poor budgetary and financial management skills, a massive backlog in basic services and infrastructure, regional inequalities in the provision thereof, and sometimes tense social relationships, continue to limit opportunities for social and economic development. Additionally, despite progress made, many people remain vulnerable with poverty, unemployment, and health issues remaining a factor that continues to promote dependency on government The ability of government, municipalities in particular, to deliver such services and meet the expectations of the communities remains a contested notion. Capacity, a lack of suitable skills, bureaucracy and outsourcing of government functions to consultants has been widely blamed for what has been viewed as “shabby service delivery” by municipalities. These they believe are as a result of poor leadership skills, lack of vision and an inability to deliver while outsourcing its functions to unqualified, less experienced contractors who do not have the government’s development goals as their aim. The primary purpose of this research therefore is to determine the effects of internal bureaucracy on the provision of services within the City of Johannesburg. The research will further investigate how that impacts negatively on the City’s quest to provide quality services to its residence. These are leadership role, citizen engagement and governance. With reference to the ongoing public protests in various parts of the City, this ii research will in addition explore and attempt to understand how the City intends to address public violence linked to service delivery demands, and the impact that current internal institutional arrangements, leadership challenges and management systems have on realising the vision to achieve a world class African City that is well governed, resilient, sustainable and liveable for all. Recommendations informed by participant’s views and management theories will be also be made

Fabrication of Silver Nanoparticles Dispersed in Palm Oil Using Laser Ablation

In this study we used a laser ablation technique for preparation of silver nanoparticles. The fabrication process was carried out by ablation of a silver plate immersed in palm oil. A pulsed Nd:YAG laser at a wavelength of 1064 nm was used for ablation of the plate at different times. The palm coconut oil allowed formation of nanoparticles with very small and uniform particle size, which are dispersed very homogeneously within the solution. The obtained particle sizes for 15 and 30 minute ablation times were 2.5 and 2 nm, respectively. Stability study shows that all of the samples remained stable for a reasonable period of time

Long-term Survival of a Case of Rectal Neuroendocrine Carcinoma with Liver Metastasis

Colorectal neuroendocrine carcinoma（NEC）is extremely rare and has a dismal prognosis. However, no standardized treatment strategy has been established for this lesion. For patients with NEC and distant metastasis, disease stabilization is difficult even after treatment with multidisciplinary strategies including chemotherapy. Here we describe a case of rectal NEC that presented as multiple liver metastases; a favorable prognosis was obtained after treatment with a multidisciplinary strategy that included surgery, irradiation, and chemotherapy. A 66-year-old male presented with diarrhea and constipation. Colonoscopy and a computed tomography（CT）scan revealed a rectal mass involving all of the luminal circumference, after which a diagnosis of NEC was confirmed by pathological examination. A CT scan also revealed several liver metastases in S5, S6, and S8. Abdominoperineal resection with total mesenteric excision and lymphadenectomy, including the lateral area, was performed. After resection, we administered radiation for local disease control in the lateral area. We also administered chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin and irinotecan for the liver metastases because only the endocrine cell component constituted this tumor. After chemotherapy, a CT scan was performed to confirm that the liver metastasis in S5 and S6 had disappeared, and it was shown that the other lesion in S8 had shrunk substantially（it eventually disappeared）. Then, 48 months after resection, all metastatic liver tumors were under good control, and no other recurrent lesion was recognized. In conclusion, a multidisciplinary strategy including optimal chemotherapy seems to be important to achieve a favorable prognosis of NEC of the colorectum with distant metastasis