A democratic city?: the role of transport networks on social cohesion

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Urban Design, June 2015.Urbanity is political, thus, urbanists have to engage in political issues and systems in order to address the injustice of the past, especially in the context of South African cities. 2014 marks South Africa’s 20th year into democracy, but what are the achievements and advancements in changing the legacy the country inherited? “What is the spatial layout/”blueprint” of a democratic city and society?” “Democratic urban space is derived from the design for all concept” Kurdistan et al, 2012, 71. Burdett, 2013 argues that a multiple scale perspective informs us that social processes are the outcomes of often hidden spatial narratives, alongside more conventional social science considerations. “It is perhaps the role of urban scholarship to bring informal role players and professional agencies closer together, both through theoretical reframing of the contemporary urban crisis and by the identification and explanation of projects and initiatives that are, by default or design, changing our urban world, as they contribute to making cities just and equitable” (Burdett, 2013, 365). This research attempts to act on Burdett’s call above. It discusses the inherited legacy of social, economic, and physical separation, in the goal of understanding the development trajectories proposed by the City of Johannesburg that are focused at addressing this legacy. Regional and neighbourhood projects such as the Gautrain, Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Trainsit, and Alexandra Renewal project are being implemented throughout the city. Very few projects such as the Corridors of Freedom focus both on the regional and metropolitan scale. This research specifically focuses on the metropolitan scale; it unpacks, and expands on the City’s vision of a Socially Cohesive city. Furthermore, it proposes an urban design framework that identifies key projects at a metropolitan level that need consideration in order to change the image of Johannesbur

The "other" Africans : re-examining representations of sexuality in the work of Nicholas Hlobo and Zanele Muholi

Nicholas Hlobo, a sculptor and performance artist, and Zanele Muholi, a photographer and activist, explore different ways of representing sexuality, particularly homosexuality. It is extremely difficult to discuss African sexuality in light of the stain of colonial attitudes that have exoticised and ascribed hypersexuality to African bodies. Moreover, sexuality is often not discussed in the construction of so-called African traditions and this has contributed to rendering African-ness as an exclusive identity. Tensions within and between categories of African-ness are compounded by constituted regulations. For example, Hlobo investigates the obligation of circumcision which seems to contrast the lifestyle and contexts in which he works and resides, and Muholi represents the existence of homosexual and transgender relations, even within conservative categories. The visual imagery of these two artists investigates the boundaries set by different social constructs. These set boundaries have also affected crimes against bisexual, transgender and homosexual individuals, which are reaching an alarming rate. Hlobo questions the validity of structures that marginalise homosexual individuals through drawing attention to the ambivalence of certain statutes. Muholi seeks to publicise the injustices imposed upon homosexual individuals in order to demonstrate the weight of that crisis. Although the South African legal system condones liberated expressions of sexual identity, due to social prejudices homosexual individuals are still treated as if they are not entitled to basic human rights. As a result, hate-crimes are not reported, and when they are they are not taken seriously. Hlobo and Muholi not only bring these issues to light, but also point out the dilemma inscribed in the social and political history of (South) Africa with regards to collective and individual identities. This thesis seeks to provide an analysis of the visual language used by Hlobo and Muholi to subvert the notion that homosexuality is “un-African” and to complicate concepts of gender, sexuality and identity

The role of parent-teacher-student-associations (PTSAs) in the democratic governance of schools : future policy implications

Bibliography: pages 155-164.This research study attempted to gather, present and analyse information regarding the current role of the Parent-Teacher-Student-Associations in the democratic governance of secondary schools for purposes of contributing towards the education governance policy discourse as South Africa moves away from apartheid to democracy. Central to this largely fact-finding exercise was an attempt to make a contribution to an understanding of how the Parent-Teacher-Student-Associations, in the execution of their duties, practice both democracy and accountability; operate; resolve tensions and/or differences among parents, teachers and students; impact upon the schools in general; and relate to both the Department of Education and Training and other organs of civil society. Further, this survey attempted to ascertain m which crucial areas the Parent-Teacher-Student-Associations are most lacking, and how these could be strengthened. And finally, an attempt was made in this study to contribute to the possible future role of the Parent-Teacher-Student Associations in the new democratic education dispensation, and how, in the execution of this new role the Parent-Teacher-Student-Associations should relate to the new, future democratic government. The study concluded with a number of recommendations for policy in the area of democratic school governance. The study used largely a survey method. The Parent-Teacher-Student-Associations of three secondary schools under the auspices of the Department of Education and Training in the Western Cape region were surveyed. The single most important data-gathering instrument used was the interview. Numerous conclusions were arrived at. First, the Parent-Teacher-Student-Associations studied were found to be very powerful and effective in their areas of operation in school governance despite their inability to have access to resources of power, wealth and expertise. These Parent-Teacher-Student-Associations are important education policy actors who are not only influencing policy, but are in total control of very crucial policy areas in their schools. Second, the study concluded that whereas the Parent-Teacher-Student-Associations studied represent an important step towards the full democratisation of education in general, and in their schools in particular, their role in school governance could not be described as an unqualified success. However, despite the problems associated with the PTSAs involvement in school governance, their role does have the potential to make for better schools. And finally, because of the limited nature of the study in terms of the methodology, scope and time, the conclusions arrived at here cannot and should not be generalised beyond the confines of the study as no attempt was made to embark upon regional or national research exercise

The fantastic subject: a visio-cultural study of Nollywood video-film

The increasing popularity of Nigerian video-film, defined as the ‘Nollywood phenomenon’ (Barrot 2008, Haynes 2010, Adesokan 2011), has attracted recent interdisciplinary academic attention, now known as ‘Nollywood Studies’. The aesthetics and ideological approach of Nollywood video-film are often differentiated from those of the long-established and illustrious African Cinema. Films of Africa are, however, generally characterised by seemingly unique forms of the fantastic – an uneasy theme in scholarship on Nollywood. Although Nollywood video-film is commended by some scholars, its representation of the supernatural and the fantastic is often perceived to be demeaning. Considering the complexity of fantastic themes in creative arts of Africa, this study contributes to this field of study by positioning Nollywood as an interventionist artistic practice that subverts the division between art and popular culture. Further, it considers how this positioning could shift our thinking about what constitutes art and creative practice in Africa. The distinctions between art and popular culture have been inherited from particularly Western disciplines. A critical analysis of the fantastic in Nollywood could expand interpretations of the broader uses of new media and appropriation and develop the discourse on contemporary creative practices of Africa and the parameters of the art history discipline. I interrogate the visual language of the video-film medium through a discussion of other forms of artistic media such as photography, video art, and performance art. The fantastic themes, such as ‘magic’, ‘fetishism’ and violence, conveyed through new media open up a field of questions regarding contemporary social-political dynamics. The cultural value of Nollywood video-film is often based on who makes it. As a proletarian product, Nollywood has been underestimated as a ‘low’ form of culture. Its use of appropriated material connotes the complex dialectics that formulate class difference. I consider how a positioning of video-film as a creative practice could be complicated by the fact that it also operates as a theocentric implement that is used by churches to evangelise. Moreover, I examine how ‘epic’ films construct idyllic notions of ‘ethnicity’ based on dialectics of rational/irrational or real/fantastic. Nollywood video-film also creates images of fantastic spaces. In this thesis, I address concepts of space in Nollywood from which fantastic desire is constructed

Comparative analysis of the known Hop1b and the novel Hop1a isoforms of the Hop gene

Thesis (PhD)--Rhodes University, Faculty of Science, Biochemistry and Microbiology, 202

Teachers's views on the role of literature-in-English in English language teaching : a case study of one senior secondary school in Manzini.

Master of Education in Language and Media Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2017.This paper presents an investigation into the utilization of Literature in English in the teaching of English as a second language in Swaziland schools. The study makes use of Swaziland’s English teachers’ opinions to gain insight into the role played by Literature in English in the teaching of English as a Second Language, with both being school subjects. After drawing a sample of 10 teachers of English, and using open-ended questions to collect teachers’ views on the stated phenomenon, the study found that Swaziland teachers are for the teaching of English as a Second Language using Literature in English. It also attempted to gain insight into what teachers thought of Literature in English being allocated the status of optional subject, and how prepared the same teachers were with regard to using Literature in English to teach English as a Second Language themselves. The study was framed within an eclectic mode of inquiry, in which Literature was regarded as one of the possible methods of teaching. Based on the eclectic research framework, the study adopted this research approach to find what the concerned teachers thought of the role Literature played in their teaching of language. The findings presented mixed feelings regarding the teachers’ preparedness to use Literature in English in teaching English as a Second Language. The discussion of the findings offered a theoretically oriented discussion of the findings based on a content analysis method to analyse the gathered data. The responses gathered also demonstrated that teachers are reluctant to endorse Literature as an optional subject in schools, thus suggesting, by inference that it may be included as a compulsory subject. Upon drawing conclusions, the study formulated recommendations with regard to the role that Literature may play in the teaching of language, particularly from a teacher perspective. The recommendations culminated with suggestions for further study in related contexts and knowledge fields

An evaluation of the impact of public participation on good governance: a case of Buffalo City Municipality

Public administration theory suggests that public participation in good governance plays a critical role in the socio-economic development of communities. This study seeks to investigate the impact of public participation in good governance; identify hindrances for public participation in the good governance; examine current efforts and processes in place to promote public participation in municipal governance of Buffalo City Municipality. A qualitative research methodology that considered a comprehensive review of literature and secondary data was adopted for this research. The literature review explored the theoretical, conceptual and legislative framework for public participation in good governance. Regardless of the importance of public participation in good governance, the research has shown that public participation is not being implemented at the level that enables the nation to achieve its good governance vision. It is therefore recommended in the dissertation that, when municipalities draft Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) that embrace public participation in good governance, they should firstly analyse current context of municipal area; establish strategic objectives and vision of the municipality; identify and design the actual projects to carry out. Moreover, municipalities should consolidate all project proposals from local and district municipalities, and ultimately consider and integrate all the submissions received in relation to the draft IDP

‘This land is not for sale’: Post-1994 resistance art and interventionism in Cape Town’s precarious publics

The control, regulation and commodification of space has been fundamental in reinforcing structural racism and social identities. In a city such as Cape Town, where colonial architecture and heritage as well as apartheid racial zoning forms part of the spectacularisation of the city, racial conflict seems to have deepened. Through dis- cussing public protest, artistic public interventions and live art, we argue that young black artists in South Africa are heralding a new phase of post-1994 resistance art which exposes conflictual cultural politics of public space in Cape Town rather than a healing democracy and multi-culturalism. As protesters and activists, artists deface the myth of a reconciled non-racial post-Apartheid society by targeting officially sanctioned art. Drawing from Faranak Miraftab’s notion of ‘invited’ and ‘invented’ spaces as well as Chris Dixon and Angela Davis’ concept of prefigurative politics, we argue that precarious South African publics are experienced as a ‘battleground’ rather than a space for liberal deliberation and democracy. New resistance art, therefore, tends to be protest-centred in engaging with the conflictual nature of the city

The fantastic subject: a visio-cultural study of Nollywood video-film

The increasing popularity of Nigerian video-film, defined as the ‘Nollywood phenomenon’ (Barrot 2008, Haynes 2010, Adesokan 2011), has attracted recent interdisciplinary academic attention, now known as ‘Nollywood Studies’. The aesthetics and ideological approach of Nollywood video-film are often differentiated from those of the long-established and illustrious African Cinema. Films of Africa are, however, generally characterised by seemingly unique forms of the fantastic – an uneasy theme in scholarship on Nollywood. Although Nollywood video-film is commended by some scholars, its representation of the supernatural and the fantastic is often perceived to be demeaning. Considering the complexity of fantastic themes in creative arts of Africa, this study contributes to this field of study by positioning Nollywood as an interventionist artistic practice that subverts the division between art and popular culture. Further, it considers how this positioning could shift our thinking about what constitutes art and creative practice in Africa. The distinctions between art and popular culture have been inherited from particularly Western disciplines. A critical analysis of the fantastic in Nollywood could expand interpretations of the broader uses of new media and appropriation and develop the discourse on contemporary creative practices of Africa and the parameters of the art history discipline. I interrogate the visual language of the video-film medium through a discussion of other forms of artistic media such as photography, video art, and performance art. The fantastic themes, such as ‘magic’, ‘fetishism’ and violence, conveyed through new media open up a field of questions regarding contemporary social-political dynamics. The cultural value of Nollywood video-film is often based on who makes it. As a proletarian product, Nollywood has been underestimated as a ‘low’ form of culture. Its use of appropriated material connotes the complex dialectics that formulate class difference. I consider how a positioning of video-film as a creative practice could be complicated by the fact that it also operates as a theocentric implement that is used by churches to evangelise. Moreover, I examine how ‘epic’ films construct idyllic notions of ‘ethnicity’ based on dialectics of rational/irrational or real/fantastic. Nollywood video-film also creates images of fantastic spaces. In this thesis, I address concepts of space in Nollywood from which fantastic desire is constructed

Dealing with sexually abused children: a framework for social workers in the South African justice system

The South African Justice System is a broader system that brings law and order to society. This law and order also includes the constitutional rights of the sexually abused children. A special court dealing with cases of children who are sexually abused is functioning throughout the country. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework for social workers working with children in these special courts. The problem identified is that in these courts no framework exists for social workers focusing on the guidance of the child through the processes of the Justice System. This includes the therapeutic guidance by means of brief or directive therapy. The research methodology for this study focused on developmental research by using the Intervention research model of Rothman and Thomas (1994). The phases implemented in the study were Problem analysis and project planning, information gathering and synthesis and design. Qualitative data was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews and integrated in phase two of the research report. A proto-type guideline was developed and needs to be evaluated in future research.Social WorkM.Diac. (Play Therapy