The feeding and reproductive biology of a South African Anabandid fish Sandelia bainsii

#Sandelia bainsii est un prédateur euryphage opportuniste. Il atteint sa maturité sexuelle à deux ans et se reproduit plusieurs fois entre octobre et février. La saison de reproduction est étroitement liée aux augmentations de température et des précipitations et s'accompagne d'une augmentation de l'alimentation. Certains grands traits de la biologie de cette espèce sont comparables à celles d'autres #Anabandidae. (Résumé d'auteur

Age and growth of Sandelia bainsii Castelnau (Pisces: Anabantidae) in the Tyume River, Eastern Cape (South Africa)

Otoliths and scales were used for age and growth determination of Sandelia bainsii. There was a linear relationship between fish length and both scale and otolith radii. Growth rings were deposited annually in spring. Otoliths provide a more reliable estimate of age and growth than scales. Males grow faster, reach a larger size and have a longer lifespan than females. Based on otoliths the growth of males is described by Lt = 287(1-e-0,186(t-0,15 )t = 214(1-e -0,223(t-0,18)) mm SL

Public participation : a South African local government perspective

The need for enhanced community consultation and participation is clearly articulated in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Constitution), and also in terms of a variety of developmental local government legislation. Community members are now expected to play a more meaningful role in terms of their involvement in civic matters. Community members who play an active role in local government matters and who are well-informed, will have greater confidence in their local government structures. However, various recent studies on community participation reveal that the envisaged participatory role has generally not met the expectations of government. A great deal of apathy still exists, especially regarding matters pertaining to local government. The article reviews the need for community consultation and participation from a variety of perspectives within the South African context. Certain strategies to enhance public participation are reviewed with emphasis on the third sphere of government

Local Community and Stakeholder Participation in Post-Apartheid Urban Renewal Development Projects in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Beginning from the mid-1990, the implementation of South African development projects witnessed remarkable changes. Driven primarily by government policy, particularly after 1994, these changes among other things offered opportunities for the people to participate in the development of their areas. This study evaluates the impact of local community and stakeholder participation in urban renewal initiatives during post-apartheid South Africa. The results show the critical role of community participation in the effective implementation of development initiatives. Participation provides communities with a platform to raise concerns  thereby enabling critical and constructive dialogue among the relevant stakeholders and government officials. The study concludes that limited community participation in the planning and  implementation of sustainable development projects contributes to creation of resistance among affected stakeholder

The Impact of Dwindling Donor Funding on HIV and AIDS Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa

This study seeks to investigate the impact of dwindling donor funding on HIV and AIDS projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study surveyed literature on theeffects of diminishing donor funding on people living with HIV and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. Factors associated with reduced donor funding identified in this study were the global financial crisis, governance issues, the shift in research interests, and the politics of medical research and patenting. These factors were discussed as perennial problems that tend to discourage the donor community from extending further humanitarian assistance to the continent. The study suggested ways of indigenising the production of medicines, and financing HIV and AIDS projects in Sub-Saharan Africa

An Assessment of Community Members` Knowledge of Drug-resistant Tuberculosis and HIV and AIDS in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

The aim of this study was to assess community members’ knowledge of drug-resistant tuberculosis and HIV and AIDS. Accordingly, community  members’ knowledge of drug resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) and HIV and AIDS was assessed in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. The study sample was made up of residents of Ward 40, Greenbushes, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. Participants in this study were at least 18 years old. There were 100 participants, 47 male and 53 female. The results revealed that female respondents were more aware and knowledgeable about DR-TB and HIV and AIDS than male respondents

Fear and Guilt in HIV and AIDS Prevention

The social learning theory concepts of fear and guilt are regarded as inhibitory factors in disease prevention, and this article examines the possibility of incorporating fear and guilt training courses into HIV and AIDS prevention programmes. HIV and AIDS educators could help participants understand the role of fear and guilt in health promotion, and that fear of external negative reinforcement does not adequately protect them from HIV and AIDS. It is posited in this article that the development of guilt in individuals is alearning process that can result in the inhibition of risky sexual behaviour, arguing that fear–guilt interaction in individuals is a social control mechanism that can be facilitated through social learning processes and moral developmen

A Locus of Control-based HIV and AIDS Risk Reduction Training among University Students

The aim of this study was to investigate the effi cacy of a locus of control-based training programme in reducing HIV and AIDS risk among university students. The locus of control-based variables that formed the training programme were social systems control, deferment of gratifi cation,personal values and expectancies, and social alienation. The study was a pretest post-test repeated measures design. Data were analysed using Levene’s test of homogeneity of variance and Friedman’s test to assess the impact of the training programme. The results showed that the locus of control-based training programme signifi cantly reduced locus of control-related health risks and HIV and AIDS risk among the participants

Professionalism in Meeting Social Assistance: Interventions Adopted by the South African Social Security Agency

The aim of this article is to explore the organisational professionalism that  will result in the provision of service quality in meeting social assistance at theSouth African Social Security Agency. It is postulated that service quality and professionalism are inversely related. The article explores a conceptual defi nition of organisational professionalism. Attention is then turned to training initiatives that have been implemented for the various managerial levels within the Agency in respect of new strategies that have been introduced to yield improved service quality. The article draws on the empirical findings oaf study conducted during 2011 and 2012

A Public Participation Model for Enhanced Local Governance

In this article, a normative model to improve the role of public participation in local government is proposed. It is envisaged that this model could be implemented by municipalities throughout South Africa. The model attempts to expound a set of basic points of departure within a specific normative framework that could be employed for the purpose of enhanced public participation in local government. The model possesses inherent potential for further research. Components of model construction are reviewed with emphasis on the proposed normative model for improved public participation in local government