A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE UTILISATION OF E-GOVERNMENT BY SELECTED MUNICIPALITIES IN SOUTH AFRICA AND RWANDA: DEVELOPMENT OF A MODEL FOR EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT ONLINE SERVICE DELIVERY

Published ThesisIn today’s information age and knowledge society, many countries in the world, including South Africa and Rwanda, have now adopted the use of new Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), especially the internet, in their public sector as one of the main delivery channels for public services. Online service delivery is increasingly seen as a means to reduce costs while providing better services to citizens. Local government, being the centre and cornerstone of service delivery and the channel used by government to improve people’s lives, has to be at the forefront of utilising modern ICTs in order to effectively and efficiently address the changing and increasing needs and expectations of citizens. The utilisation of e-government by local spheres of government in developed countries such as France, South Korea and England has played an important role not only in streamlining public administration but also in enhancing the quality of service delivery to citizens. The end results were, amongst others, improved transparency and accountability, less corruption, and less citizens’ dissatisfaction with government services. However, the local spheres of government in both South Africa and Rwanda are still struggling to deliver effective services to citizens. Citizens express their dissatisfaction with service delivery through strikes and community protests as frequently reported in the media. The researcher assumes that if e-government had effectively been used by the district municipalities in particular, it could have assisted the district municipalities in complying with the Batho Pele Principles, and therefore in delivering better services to the citizens. The aim of the study was to determine and compare the level of utilisation of egovernment by the four selected district municipalities both in South Africa and Rwanda. In addition, from the research findings a model for the effective utilisation of e-government by the selected district municipalities was to be developed. The main objective and the nine co-objectives of the study were achieved through the data collected by means of the three main data collection techniques, namely documentary, survey and structured interviews. As two parties (supply side and demand side) must be involved for the utilisation of e-government to be successful, two types of respondents were targeted. The simple random sampling method was used to select 400 respondents who were ordinary citizens living in the areas known as townships, while the judgemental sampling method was used to select 40 interviewees who were officials from district municipalities. The research findings showed that a limited amount of online information and services are provided and the district municipalities are struggling to make progress in moving to the more advanced stages of e-government development, including the provision of more online services, online payment and online participation. In addition, the level of awareness and the level of utilisation of available online services by the citizens were very low. The main constraints were related to lack or low level of education and low level of income. To address the situation, efforts to promote both provision of online services (supply side) and usage of online services (demand side) must go hand- in- hand. Government efforts to develop e-government services need to go closely together with its efforts to increase demand and usage by the citizens

Microtransplantation of Rat Brain Neurolemma into Xenopus Laevis Oocytes to Study the Effect of Environmental Toxicants on Endogenous Voltage-Sensitive Ion Channels

Microtransplantation of mammalian neurolemma into Xenopus laevis oocytes has been used to study ion channels in terms of their structure and function in the central nervous system. Use of microtransplanted neurolemma is advantageous in that tissue can be obtained from various sources, ion channels and receptors are present in their native configuration and they can be used to evaluate numerous channelpathies caused by environmental toxicants. Here we show that Xenopus oocytes injected with fragments of rat brain neurolemma successfully express functional native ion channels that are assembled in their own plasma membrane. Using a high throughput two electrode voltage clamp (TEVC) electrophysiological system, currents that were sensitive to tetrodotoxin (TTX), omega-conotoxin MVIIC, and tetraethylammonium (TEA) were detected, indicating the presence of multiple voltage-sensitive ion channels (voltage-sensitive sodium, calcium and potassium channels, respectively). In this current research, a “proof-of-principle” experiment was conducted where TTX-sensitive voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC) currents were measured. VSSCs are a well-established site of action for 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-di(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) but not for its non-toxic metabolite 1,1-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloroethene (DDE). A differential sensitivity of DDT versus DDE on TTX-sensitive sodium current in neurolemma-injected oocytes was determined. DDT elicited an increase in depolarization-dependent, TTX-sensitive sodium current while DDE had no significant effect. Additionally, DDT resulted in a slowing of sodium channel inactivation kinetics whereas DDE has no similar effect. These results are consistent with the findings obtained using heterologous expression of single isoforms of rat brain VSSCs by injecting cRNA into Xenopus oocytes. By demonstrating the classic structural activity relationship of DDT and DDE on mammalian voltage-gated sodium channels isolated in rat brain neurolemma, this study supports the use of automated high-throughput electrophysiology to study the effects of various environmental toxicants on multiple mammalian cellular targets. More importantly, using rat brain neurolemma ensures that the proteins of interest have been transcribed and have undergone all the necessary post-translational modifications before they were injected and expressed in the Xenopus oocytes which is not the case for traditional heterologous expression

The physical activity levels among people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome receiving high active antiretroviral therapy in Rwanda

The accessibility of high active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for local human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients is improving in Rwanda. It is well known that this therapy is associated with serious adverse effects, such as metabolic and morphologic changes. One of the recommended preventive modalities for these complications is participation in physical activity. The current study aims to determine the anthropometric profile and physical activity levels among people living with HIV and receiving HAART in Kigali, Rwanda. The study was a cross-sectional, descriptive quantitative survey. The participant’s levels of physical activity participation and their association with anthropometric profiles were measured, using a structured self-administered questionnaire for 407 clients passing through the clinics. Of the participants, approximately 70% were inactive and in addition, 40% were obese and 43% overweight. Obesity was found to be strongly associated with inactivity. Lack of motivation, and time as well as fear of worsening the disease were found to be barriers to participation in physical activity.Keywords: HIV, AIDS, physical inactivity, Rwanda, HAAR

The physical activity levels among people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome receiving high active antiretroviral therapy in Rwanda

The accessibility of high active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for local human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients is improving in Rwanda. It is well known that this therapy is associated with serious adverse effects, such as metabolic and morphologic changes. One of the recommended preventive modalities for these complications is participation in physical activity. The current study aims to determine the anthropometric profile and physical activity levels among people living with HIV and receiving HAART in Kigali, Rwanda. The study was a cross-sectional, descriptive quantitative survey. The participant’s levels of physical activity participation and their association with anthropometric profiles were measured, using a structured self-administered questionnaire for 407 clients passing through the clinics. Of the participants, approximately 70% were inactive and in addition, 40% were obese and 43% overweight. Obesity was found to be strongly associated with inactivity. Lack of motivation, and time as well as fear of worsening the disease were found to be barriers to participation in physical activity.Department of HE and Training approved lis

E-government Challenges Faced by Selected District Municipalities in South Africa and Rwanda

Published ArticleThe use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the different spheres of government is being seen as a way of widening access to government information and services in developed countries. However, e-government development remains at a very low level in the local sphere of government in both South Africa and in Rwanda. This article addresses the issues of ICT use in the local sphere of government and focuses specifically on the constraints in the successful use of ICT for delivering and utilising online government information and services. This article reflects upon the lessons learned from a comparative case study undertaken in the two district municipalities of Lejweleputswa and Fezile Dabi in South Africa and the two district municipalities of Kicukiro and Kamonyi in Rwanda. To determine and compare the challenges faced in the utilisation of e-government by the four selected district municipalities both in South Africa and Rwanda, two types of respondents have been targeted. The simple random sampling method was used to select 400 respondents who were ordinary citizens living in the townships, while the judgemental sampling method was used to select 40 interviewees who are officials in district municipalities. This article identifies a number of constraining factors surrounding practical use of online government information and services, namely ICT illiteracy; lack or limited access to modern ICT devices due to low income, lack or limited access to ICT infrastructures; low level of general literacy among citizens, English illiteracy and lack of awareness of available e-government services. To address the identified constraining factors, policies aimed at enhancing access for all to quality education (primary, secondary and tertiary); policies aimed at improving access for all to ICT infrastructure and electricity; policies aimed at enhancing ICT literacy among citizens as well as local government officials, policies aimed at producing low-cost modern ICT devices to enable the vast majority of citizens to have access; and policies aimed at improving GDP per capita; are crucial

E-government Challenges Faced by Selected District Municipalities in South Africa and Rwanda

Published ArticleThe use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the different spheres of government is being seen as a way of widening access to government information and services in developed countries. However, e-government development remains at a very low level in the local sphere of government in both South Africa and in Rwanda. This article addresses the issues of ICT use in the local sphere of government and focuses specifically on the constraints in the successful use of ICT for delivering and utilising online government information and services. This article reflects upon the lessons learned from a comparative case study undertaken in the two district municipalities of Lejweleputswa and Fezile Dabi in South Africa and the two district municipalities of Kicukiro and Kamonyi in Rwanda. To determine and compare the challenges faced in the utilisation of e-government by the four selected district municipalities both in South Africa and Rwanda, two types of respondents have been targeted. The simple random sampling method was used to select 400 respondents who were ordinary citizens living in the townships, while the judgemental sampling method was used to select 40 interviewees who are officials in district municipalities. This article identifies a number of constraining factors surrounding practical use of online government information and services, namely ICT illiteracy; lack or limited access to modern ICT devices due to low income, lack or limited access to ICT infrastructures; low level of general literacy among citizens, English illiteracy and lack of awareness of available e-government services. To address the identified constraining factors, policies aimed at enhancing access for all to quality education (primary, secondary and tertiary); policies aimed at improving access for all to ICT infrastructure and electricity; policies aimed at enhancing ICT literacy among citizens as well as local government officials, policies aimed at producing low-cost modern ICT devices to enable the vast majority of citizens to have access; and policies aimed at improving GDP per capita; are crucial

Physical activity levels among people living with HIV/AIDS treated with high active antiretroviral therapy in Rwanda

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio)The use of high active antiretroviral therapy in people living with HIV/AIDS is increasing worldwide. In Rwanda, above 70 % of people in need of antiretroviral therapies is getting them. This drug therapy is associated with abnormal fat redistribution and metabolic complications which increase the risks of cardiovascular and diabetes diseases among these patients. The best recommended preventive and treating modality for these complications is physical activity participation. Despite this recommendation, there is lack of information about physical activity in HIV individuals under high active antiretroviral therapy. The current study aims to determine physical activity levels among people living with HIV treated with high active antiretroviral therapy in Kigali, Rwanda. A cross-sectional design using quantitative method was used. The participant's levels of physical activity participation and their association with anthropometric profiles were measured, using a structured self-administered questionnaire adapted from the Sub-Saharan Africa Activity Questionnaire. Based on a scientific calculation, 407 clients passing through the clinics were included in the study. A convenient sample of people attending the clinics approached to participate voluntarily in the study. The statistical package for social sciences version 19.0 and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Inferential statistics like Chi-square test was used to determine the associations between physical activity levels and anthropometric profiles (p<0.05). Of the participants, 77% were female with a mean age of 38.82 years (SD=8.9. According to body mass index and weight hip ration, approximately 40% and 43% were obese and overweight respectively. Obesity was more common amongst the females (45%). The study found a high prevalence of inactivity in the following activities, of leisure-time (82.6%), household (71%), walking to/from work (61.7%) and work related physical activities (75%). Obesity was found to be strongly associated with inactivity in all types of activity. The findings of the current study highlighted the lack of motivation, lack of time and fear of worsening the disease amongst the strong barriers to physical activity participation. The current study recommends education about the benefits of physical activity participation and encouragement of patient treated with high active antiretroviral therapy in Rwanda to be emphasized on to improve their lives.South Afric

Covariant Affine Integral Quantization(s)

Covariant affine integral quantization of the half-plane is studied and applied to the motion of a particle on the half-line. We examine the consequences of different quantizer operators built from weight functions on the half-plane. To illustrate the procedure, we examine two particular choices of the weight function, yielding thermal density operators and affine inversion respectively. The former gives rise to a temperature-dependent probability distribution on the half-plane whereas the later yields the usual canonical quantization and a quasi-probability distribution (affine Wigner function) which is real, marginal in both momentum p and position q.Comment: 36 pages, 10 figure

The velocity distribution of nearby stars from Hipparcos data I. The significance of the moving groups

We present a three-dimensional reconstruction of the velocity distribution of nearby stars (<~ 100 pc) using a maximum likelihood density estimation technique applied to the two-dimensional tangential velocities of stars. The underlying distribution is modeled as a mixture of Gaussian components. The algorithm reconstructs the error-deconvolved distribution function, even when the individual stars have unique error and missing-data properties. We apply this technique to the tangential velocity measurements from a kinematically unbiased sample of 11,865 main sequence stars observed by the Hipparcos satellite. We explore various methods for validating the complexity of the resulting velocity distribution function, including criteria based on Bayesian model selection and how accurately our reconstruction predicts the radial velocities of a sample of stars from the Geneva-Copenhagen survey (GCS). Using this very conservative external validation test based on the GCS, we find that there is little evidence for structure in the distribution function beyond the moving groups established prior to the Hipparcos mission. This is in sharp contrast with internal tests performed here and in previous analyses, which point consistently to maximal structure in the velocity distribution. We quantify the information content of the radial velocity measurements and find that the mean amount of new information gained from a radial velocity measurement of a single star is significant. This argues for complementary radial velocity surveys to upcoming astrometric surveys