Challenges in water provision in Mbulwane area of uMvoti Municipality.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Clean water provision is a challenge around the world. The aim of this study was to explore the challenges to water provision in Mbulwane area of uMvoti Municipality. The study sought to explore water provision, challenges and possible solutions in Mbulwane area. The study used the Social Justice and Human Right Theory as an anchor. The study employed the qualitative research approach by interviewing key informants and community members as well as examining documents related to water provision. The findings of the study revealed that that in Mbulwane there water is scarce and is of poor quality. This is due to poor governance and corruption. The study recommended community empowerment; improved distribution of infrastructure, concrete government approaches public participation as well as environmental change mitigating factors

Exploring challenges to safe sex for men in long-term relationships living in KwaZulu-Natal who have sex with both men and women.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Numerous research studies continue to show that HIV/AIDS is still a burden in South Africa. Although in recent years there have been breakthroughs in biomedical research, leading to the development and improvement of HIV treatment, a vaccine and a cure have yet to be found. Research has further suggested that people in long-term relationships are at a heightened risk of HIV infection owing to decreased condom use within these relationships. In addition, the majority of studies that investigated sexual safety in South Africa have focused on heterosexual relationships. This creates a problem, as international literature and some South African-based surveys have suggested that men who have sex with men (MSM) are at an increased risk of HIV infection when compared to men who have sex with women only (MSWO). This means that there is a gap in our current understanding of barriers to safe sex for MSM, particularly within the South African context. This gap is further problematised by the presence of homophobia and the persistent concealment of same-sex sexual activities within the South African context. This study focused on a subset of MSM, called men who have sex with men and women (MSMW), because even though in South Africa the burden of the HIV pandemic is still largely carried by women, there is reason to believe that MSMW could be at an intersection of HIV infection risk, which is yet to be understood fully. This study used a social constructionist approach as a theoretical lens that undergirded the study’s conceptual framework throughout the research process. Qualitative research methodology was selected as the method of inquiry, and 12 African MSMW were sampled for one-on-one interviews and seven MSMW for an online focus group discussion. The sampling of participants was conducted using convenience and non-random purposive sampling techniques, and the data were transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was conducted using a combination of inductive thematic analysis underpinned by social constructionism, and the sex script theory as contemporary analytical tools. The findings of this study showed that long-term romantic relationships were important in the lives of MSMW for varying reasons. The findings further showed that MSMW’s understanding of safe sex was related to condom use. This study adds to the already existing body of research, which highlights that condom use within long-term relationships is problematic. The findings indicated that the construction of these relationships relied heavily on the dynamic concept of trust, and, as such, MSMW within these relationships drew on the trusted partner is a safe partner script, which mediated condom use within the relationships. The main findings in this study suggested that challenges to safe sex for MSMW in long-term relationships are rooted in the nature of how gender norms are socially constructed. The current heteronormative gender norms affected the way the participants understood their same-sex sexualities and how they navigated these within a social context that still bore negative attitudes towards same-sex behaviours. The findings indicated that the participants’ understanding of their gender and sexuality led to the enactment of the desire script, the redefined traditional sex script, and the understanding male partner script. These scripts allowed for sexual agreements to exist between male partners that permitted a form of polyamorous sexual relationships. The risk of HIV infection thus seems to rest on the intersectional enactment of different scripts while the expectation to enact the trusted partner is a safe partner script remains. This trusted partner is a safe partner script was not abandoned even in the presence of HIV infection risk. This study highlighted the need for research to focus on diverse populations such as MSMW in the response to the HIV epidemic. Keywords: Men who have sex with men and women,social constructionism,sex script theory,HIV,sexual agreements

Impact of transformational leadership mediated by self-efficacy on employee innovation in the South African local government sector.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The study investigated the impact of transformational leadership as a ‘predictor variable’ on employee innovation ‘predicted variable’. The relationship is mediated by self-efficacy. Studying these variables in isolation is helpful but the challenge is posed by limited resources especially when employee innovation has been identified as an imperative to organizational strategy and a desired positive organizational behaviour. Municipalities will know which predictor variable to primarily focus on in order to enhance innovation. In the previous study conducted by the researcher involving leader member exchange (LMX), self-efficacy and employee innovation, the statistical results from the regressions revealed an R square of .20. This showed that LMX and self-efficacy only had a 20% effect on employee innovation. It indicated that 80% of employee innovation is explained by other constructs hence the inclusion of transformational leadership as one of the predictor variables (Msweli, 2015). The study further recommended examining different predictor variables for future research. A random sample of 141 employees from Mandeni Municipality and the City of Umhlathuze was used in this study. A cross-sectional design was adopted. The analysis included the correlation and regression analysis which examined in isolation the relationships of transformational leadership with self-efficacy, self-efficacy with employee innovation, transformational leadership with employee innovation and finally all three constructs combined. Regressions were also used to examine the main relationship model of transformational, employee innovation with self-efficacy as a mediator. The research findings provide leaders in the South African local government sector with an understanding of the relationship of the constructs. They will also contribute to the body of knowledge by furnishing a better insight with regards to the impact of transformational leadership on employee innovation. Primarily, it provides a prototype that clarifies the relationship of transformational leadership, work self-efficacy with employee innovation in the South African local government context

Digital Natives Still Need Intentional Digital Skills in the 4IR: Comparing the General and ICT Self-Efficacy of South African Youth

In as much as youth unemployment is a global challenge, and with the increasing embeddedness of digital technologies in most forms of work, it is often assumed that the youth are digital natives who are naturally attuned to accomplishing tasks using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). This paper therefore sought to compare the general self-efficacy (confidence to accomplish general tasks) to ICT self-efficacy (confidence to accomplish tasks using ICT) of the youth in South Africa. The study adapted the validated general self-efficacy (GSE) scale to develop the ICT self-efficacy (ISE) scale. Confirmatory Factor Analysis reliably validated the developed ISE scale. The ANOVA results from 1,948 youths show that overall, the youth of South Africa have a higher general self-efficacy compared to their ICT self-efficacy. Specifically, the youth in township areas have the lowest ISE and GSE. The findings suggest that although the youth are regarded as digital natives, their confidence in using ICT to accomplish tasks remains lower than their non-ICT competencies to accomplish tasks. The study points to intentional digital and non-digital skills efforts for the youth similar to other age groups rather than making the assumption that they will naturally use ICT. Further studies on factors such as demographic and social influences that might influence GSE and ISE among the youth in Africa, are recommended

Assessing mixed-income housing as a mechanism for social integration: a case study of the Durban Point area.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.South Africa has a history of socio-spatial segregation which has been a major problem when it comes to addressing urban issues and housing delivery. Twenty years into democracy, it has been evident that there has been a huge backlog in the delivery of housing. Moreover, the rolledout policies have not addressed issues but rather perpetuated the legacy of Apartheid namely social, racial and economic segregation. However, the South African government, throughout the years, has been working tirelessly to rectify these past injustices. For these reasons, the mixed income approach has become popular in urban transformation interventions in South Africa. Such an approach aims to bridge the gap of socio-spatial, and economic integration by bringing people of different races and social classes into one environment whilst also providing affordable housing for citizens. This dissertation sought to formulate an argument that assesses and challenges the notion that social integration can be established and sustained through the mixing of incomes into one environment through the mixed-income approach. The significance of the study is to contribute to the understanding of the policy of mixed-income housing and its correlation to fostering social integration. It seeks to provide an assessment of whether the assumptions, that mixing of incomes into one neighbourhood, results in positive social patterns and integration amongst people in South Africa. This will be evident in the relations created including the level of interactions amongst the residents of Point. The dissertation provides a snapshot of the impact of the mixed-income ideology as well as the state of integration in the Durban Point Area and future prospects. To obtain the findings, the researcher used a mixed-method approach which involved qualitative and quantitative research; however, the bulk of the information was obtained from the qualitative research. The study made use of primary and secondary data collection methods. The secondary data includes statistics, online publications, books, and newspaper articles whilst the primary data includes interviews, focus groups and observations. After engaging the mentioned methodological approaches, the findings have shown that there is little to no integration fostered in the Durban Point as it is evident that little to no interactions occur in the area. The approach of mixed-income housing in the Durban Point area is further perpetuating social isolation which is the opposite of the envisioned outcome of this approach. According to the eThekwini Municipality, once the area is fully developed, then interactions will naturally occur. With the adoption of this neo-liberal approach, the municipality, unfortunately, has failed to take into consideration various factors that will continue hindering the establishment of integration in such areas such as inequality, race, social backgrounds, unemployment as well as historical aspects. Therefore, the researcher concludes it is important that the South African government needs to focus on making these adopted Western approaches more tailor-made to fit the South African context, for them to achieve the intended outcomes

Friendly neighbours? Investigating ecological facilitation between Thunbergia atriplicifolia (Acanthaceae) and Exochaenium grande (Gentianaceae).

Master of Science in Biological Sciences. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2018.Wildflowers that co-exist, share similar floral signals and flower simultaneously, may interact with the same pool of pollinators, therefore sharing pollinator species and individuals. Floral similarity could be a result of a common ancestor, convergent floral syndrome or mimicry. Pollinator sharing may have consequences for the pollination success and fecundity of one or more of the interacting wildflowers. This study was conducted in grassland vegetation of southern KwaZulu-Natal to investigate an observed floral similarity between Thunbergia atriplicifolia and Exochaenium grande, document pollinator sharing between the two species and investigate the consequences of pollinator sharing on (1) interspecific pollen transfer between the two species and (2) seed set of individuals of E. grande that grow within sparse and dense populations of T. atriplicifolia. It was hypothesized that E. grande is a mimic of T. atriplicifolia. Investigated aspects of floral similarity include: flowering phenology, flower colour, flower size and nectar production. Weekly surveys indicated that both species flower simultaneously but E. grande occurs at much lower density and peaks in flowering later than does T. atrplicifolia. Flowers of the two species have similar spectral reflectance and in terms of a bee vision model can be considered indistinguishable to bees. There is also overlap in flower size of the two species. They provide similar amounts of nectar but nectar of E. grande has a higher sugar concentration. Both species are dependent on pollinators for seed production and are pollinated by generalist solitary bees belonging to the Apideae and Hactilidae family, with some species shared by both plant species. Stigmas of T. atriplicifolia and E. grande carried heterospecific pollen in varying degrees. Estimates of pollen production indicated that E. grande produces more pollen than T. atriplicifolia. Although interspecific pollen transfer was confirmed, it is not yet clear whether this improper pollen transfer affects seedset. Plant density of E. grande and T. atriplicifolia was not a significant predictor of seed set in E. grande. However, there were very high levels of seed predation in E. grande, and that hinders our ability to rule out the any effects of pollinator sharing in seed set. These findings reveal a striking similarity and pollinator sharing between the two species, but despite this, there appears to be no negative or positive effects of this on seed set. Seed set only accounts for half of fitness, however, and the effects of pollinator sharing may therefore be evident on other measures of fitness. The role of trait similarity for pollinator attraction still requires further experimental investigation before the hypothesis of ecological facilitation (or mimicry) can be accepted

Role and effects of wild southern African ungulates on seed dispersal of selected alien invasive plants.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Abstract available in PDF

Investigating potential aquifers for managed aquifer recharge using treated wastewater around the greater Ethekwini District Municipality.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Abstract available in PDF

The experiences of African men who have sex with men and women (MSMW): of navigating sexual identities within the presence of homophobia in KwaZulu-Natal

Research on sexual minority experiences has traditionally documented harrowing accounts of homophobia, harassment, and discrimination. While sexual minority’s experiences are typically imbued with physical, mental and emotional consequences, men who have sex with men and women or, MSMW may be subject to a unique homophobic experience due to their sexual identity Hence, research shows that these men may have to devise strategies to insulate themselves from discrimination and possible physical harm. This study explored how MSMW navigate their sexual identities in the presence of homophobia. The study adopted a social constructionist perspective as a theoretical lens to study these sexual navigations. A qualitative research methodology was utilised. Six male participants from KwaZulu-Natal were sampled using a combination of convenience and purposive sampling techniques. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of this study suggest that MSMW experience forms of homophobic attitudes across different spheres of their lives. As a result, these men may draw from normative gender performances present within their communities, conceal their sexual identity by presenting themselves in heteronormative ways, and limiting disclosure of their sexuality to those closest to them, regardless of the emotional burden they may consequently carry. The findings of the study further point out that more research is needed to further understand sexual minorities’ navigation of their sexual identities in contexts that are not accepting and the social and psychological implications that this has on them