Reflecting on supervision experiences: Honours students' research projects in development studies at the nelson Mandela University

 This article reflects on my supervision experience of students conducting their one-year research projects at Honours level in the Department of Development Studies at Nelson Mandela University from 2016 to 2018. My conclusion is that students who are enrolled in the block-release1 learning program do not have adequate face-to-face access to various university support systems, such as group work sessions with fellow research students on campus or close to it, regular meetings with supervisors, and research-related workshops. This contributes to students’ feeling of loneliness and exclusion from the university community. As supervisors, we are guilty sometimes, of not encouraging our students to enter the research community by publishing research papers, as they progress towards finishing their research projects. This article proposes strategies to overcome the identified challenges and to exploit emerging opportunities, in order to improve the research supervision practice. The intention of this study is to contribute to the field of teaching and learning in the South African higher education sector, by proposing strategies to improve the practice of research supervision.

A feasibility study of using the AFRODITE Clover detectors as Compton polarimeters

Includes bibliographical references.A technique used to measure the linear polarisation of γ-rays has been described and demonstrated using the AFRODITE (African Omnipurpose Detector For Innovative Techniques and Experiments) Clover detectors at the National Accelerator Centre (NAC), located in Faure near Cape Town. The feasibility study of measuring the linear polarisation of γ-rays using the AFRODITE spectrometer at the NAC has been done for the first time and the sensitivity of the Clover detectors to linear polarisation has been measured by internal calibration of the polarimeter, using γ-rays of known polarisation

The role of mentorship in transference of entrepreneurial learning: Johannesburg exempted micro enterprises and practitioners' perspectives

A research report submitted to Wits Business School May 2017Low levels of entrepreneurial activity and success have led to calls for mentorship as a support mechanism to increase the success rate of entrepreneurial ventures in South Africa’s economic landscape. Mentoring is a crucial aspect of entrepreneurial training and education (Sullivan, 2000; Regis, Falk, & Dias, 2007) and it is entrepreneurial education that is perceived as the solution that will transform South Africans from job seekers into job creators (North, 2002). It is also hoped that entrepreneurship education will contribute to the ideal of empowering as many people as possible in order to unleash the previously stifled human potential of all South Africans (Hanekom, 1995). Unfortunately, South Africans suffer from a ‘dearth of entrepreneurial acumen’, and this has resulted in the frequent lack of growth and high failure rates of businesses (Nieman, 2006; van Aardt & van Aardt, 1997). A two-phase qualitative research approach was utilised with semi-structured mentor and mentee interviews. This study found that mentorship was mutually beneficial to both the mentors and mentees. The latter experienced immense personal benefits on a business and emotional level whereas an increase in revenue and improved operational systems were identified as being positive impacts on business growth. Previous entrepreneurial experience, trust and empathy were stipulated as vital factors in the establishment of a successful relationship.MT 201

Multi-frequency constraints on the non-thermal pressure in galaxy clusters

The origin of radio halos in galaxy clusters is still unknown and is the subject of a vibrant debate both from the observational and theoretical point of view. In particular the amount and the nature of non-thermal plasma and of the magnetic field energy density in clusters hosting radio halos is still unclear. The aim of this paper is to derive an estimate of the pressure ratio X between the non-thermal and thermal plasma in radio halo clusters that have combined radio, X-ray and SZ effect observations. From the simultaneous P_{1.4}-L_X and P_{1.4}-Y_{SZ} correlations for a sample of clusters observed with Planck, we derive a correlation between Y_{SZ} and L_X that we use to derive a value for X. This is possible since the Compton parameter Y_{SZ} is proportional to the total plasma pressure in the cluster (that we characterize as the sum of the thermal and non-thermal pressure) while the X-ray luminosity L_X is proportional only to the thermal pressure of the intracluster plasma. Our results indicate that the average (best fit) value of the pressure ratio in a self-similar cluster formation model is X =0.55 \pm 0.05 in the case of an isothermal beta-model with beta=2/3 and a core radius r_c = 0.3 R_{500} holding on average for the cluster sample. We also show that the theoretical prediction for the Y_{SZ}-L_X correlation in this model has a slope that is steeper than the best fit value for the available data. The agreement with the data can be recovered if the pressure ratio X decreases with increasing X-ray luminosity as L_X^{-0.96}. We conclude that the available data on radio halo clusters indicate a substantial amount of non-thermal pressure in cluster atmospheres whose value must decrease with increasing X-ray luminosity, or increasing cluster mass (temperature). (abridged)Comment: A&A, in press; 10 pages; 10 figure

Assessing perceptions on performance measures and funding processes at a development finance institution in South Africa

The Industrial Development Corporation is the largest provider of development funding in South Africa. Despite having documented processes for assessing funding applications, which include traditional performance measures, the impairments as a percentage of outstanding funding book are increasing. However, scholarly literature indicates that traditional performance measures seem inadequate, with Economic Value Added providing more detailed performance company. The study assesses the Industrial Development Corporation employee’s perceptions on stipulated and additional performance measures and its funding processes. The study followed a quantitative research design using a questionnaire. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used to analyse the data. The study found that stipulated performance measures are mostly used, but not Economic Value Added. Funding processes could be enhanced through more performance measures and additional pre and post investment processes. It is recommended that processes be enhanced and the addition of Economic Value Added be investigated to assist in reducing impairments.Management AccountingM. Phil

Understanding the policy-planning-implementation disjuncture: a case study of the Amathole District Municipality, Eastern Cape Province

The aim of this study is to investigate why well planned policies are not getting implemented as intended. The study was conducted in the offices of Amathole District Municipality (ADM) in the Eastern Cape Province, including the cooperative project in Alice as one of the projects that was coordinated by the ADM. Concerning the research design and methodology, a qualitative research design was used. The data collection process involved conducting unstructured interviews with the officers from the Amathole District Municipality office (the ADM officers / the municipality officers) and the members of cooperative projects (cooperatives/projects). Mainly, an ethnographic approach was used; it involved embracing participant observation in the ADM offices for approximately 6 months. As the researcher, I participated as one of the ADM’s officers in different activities, namely: attending meetings and one workshop, and accompanying the development officer while conducting an observation of various projects in Butterworth. The findings in the study disclose that the disjuncture between policy planning and implementation may be attributed to 4 factors, which are associated with the ADM office as the development agency for the Amathole region. These are: the incapability to respond to policy implementation complexities, failure to exploit policy implementation complexities as learning opportunities, the insufficient understanding of ‘process monitoring’ as a tool that could be integrated in projects management, as well as the execution of policy implementation in the absence of policy documents as a guide in implementation processes. Moreover, these factors are examined as being related to each other, and they will be discussed in detail in the course of the thesis

Assessing the constitutionality of section 56A of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Amendment Act, 2011 (Act 7 of 2011)

Magister Legum - LLMIn the South African local government context, municipalities are operationally governed through two arms: the political arm and the administrative arm. Both arms work simultaneously in ensuring that the municipality ‘move[s] progressively towards the social and economic upliftment of communities and the provision of basic services. Even though these arms work together, there has to be a separation of powers and adherence to the rule of law. Each arm must operate within its functions and do so without any favour or prejudice. Municipal managers head the administrative arm of the municipality. They are appointed by the political structure, known as the municipal council, of each municipality. Their role includes accountability and responsibility for, inter alia: the formation and development of an economical, effective, efficient and accountable administration; the management of municipal administration in accordance with the law; the appointment of staff and managing the communications between the municipality administration and its political structures. In consultation with the municipal manager, the municipal council appoints managers directly accountable to the municipal managers. The managers are referred to as section 56 managers (managers). Municipal managers and section 56 managers are the glue that holds the administrative side of municipalities together and are custodians of municipal finances

Outbursts of EX Hydrae Revisited

We present optical spectroscopy of EX Hya during its 1991 outburst. This outburst is characterised by strong irradiation of the front face of the secondary star by the white dwarf, an overflowing stream which is seen strongly in HeII and by a dip in the light curves, which extends from 0.1-0.6 in the binary and spin phases. Strong irradiation of the accretion curtain and that of the inner regions of the disc led to strong emission of HeII and to the suppression of the Hg and Hb emission. Disc overflow was observed in quiescence in earlier studies, where the overflow stream material was modulated at high velocities close to 1000 km/s. In outburst, the overflowing material is modulated at even higher velocities (~1500 km/s). These are streaming velocities down the field lines close to the white dwarf. Evidence for material collecting near the outer edge of the disc and corotating with the accretion curtain was observed. In decline, this material and the accretion curtain obscured almost all the emission near binary phase 0.4, causing a dip. The dip minimum nearly corresponds with spin pulse minimum. This has provided additional evidence for an extended accretion curtain, and for the corotation of material with the accretion curtain at the outer edge of the disc. From these observations we suggest that a mechanism similar to that of Spruit & Taam, where outbursts result due to the storage and release of matter outside the magnetosphere, triggers the outbursts of EX Hya. This is followed by the irradiation of the secondary star due to accretion induced radiation.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures, 1 table. Figures 6, 7, 8 and 11 at low resolution. Paper accepted by the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

Spectroscopic observations of the intermediate polar EX Hydrae in quiescence

Results from spectroscopic observations of the intermediate polar (IP) EX Hya in quiescence during 1991 and 2001 are presented. Spin-modulated radial velocities consistent with an outer disc origin were detected for the first time in an IP. The spin pulsation was modulated with velocities near ∼500–600 km s−1. These velocities are consistent with those of the material circulating at the outer edge of the accretion disc, suggesting co-rotation of the accretion curtain with the material near the Roche lobe radius. Furthermore, spin Doppler tomograms have revealed evidence of the accretion curtain emission extending from velocities of ∼500 to ∼1000 km s−1. These findings have confirmed the theoretical model predictions for EX Hya, which predict large accretion curtains that extend to a distance close to the Roche lobe radius in this system. Evidence for overflow stream of material falling on to the magnetosphere was observed, confirming the result of Belle et al. that disc overflow in EX Hya is present during quiescence as well as outburst. It appears that the Hβ and Hγ spin radial velocities originated from the rotation of the funnel at the outer disc edge, while those of Hα were produced due to the flow of the material along the field lines far from the white dwarf (narrow component) and close to the white dwarf (broad-base component), in agreement with the accretion curtain model

The discovery of a persistent quasi-periodic oscillation in the intermediate polar TX Col

We report on the detection of an ∼5900 s quasi-periodic variation in the extensive photometry of TX Col spanning 12 yr. We discuss five different models to explain this period. We favour a mechanism where the quasi-periodic variation results from the beating of the Keplerian frequency of the ‘blobs’ orbiting in the outer accretion disc with the spin frequency and from modulated accretion of these ‘blobs’ taking place in a shocked region near the disc/magnetosphere boundary