Practical challenges relating to the supervision of small estates

Previously, the supervision of the administration of deceased estates was divided along racial lines. Law reform has, however, seen the establishment of a single system that is fair to all South Africans – or is it? Following a brief contextualisation of the legal position on the supervision of deceased estates prior to, and following the definitive Moseneke judgement of 6 December 2000, this article sets out to examine whether the equality envisaged by that judgement and recent legislation pertaining to the supervision of small estates is actually being achieved.The research reveals some practical challenges, including poor service delivery at service points; banks renouncing their nomination as executor of small estates for a lack of sufficient financial benefit; the non-registration of customary marriages; the poor protection currently afforded to vulnerable minor beneficiaries of deceased estates, and the lack of a more affordable, accessible way than lengthy and costly court procedures to challenge a decision of the Master of the High Court. To address these challenges, it is recommended that service point infrastructure be strengthened; that banks be required to communicate more openly with their clients; that extensive awareness campaigns be launched on the urgent need for all customary marriages to be registered; that the agreement between government and Legal Aid South Africa, which is supposed to serve minor beneficiaries of deceased estates, be revisited, and that the possibility of an estate ombudsman be explored

Viral metagenomics reveals sweet potato virus diversity in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa

Limited studies have been undertaken with regard to virus complexes contributing to the aetiology of sweet potato virus disease (SPVD) in South Africa (SA). In this study, a metagenomic approach was adopted to reveal the genetic diversity of viruses infecting sweet potato. In order to undertake a comprehensive analysis of viral sequences, total RNA was isolated from 17 asymptomatic and symptomatic sweet potato plants that were collected from the Eastern (EC) and Western Cape (WC) provinces of SA. DNase-treated total RNA was depleted of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and deep-sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Genomic DNA, isolated from the same plants, underwent rolling circle amplification (RCA) and deep sequencing. Sequence reads were analysed with the CLC Bio Genomics Workbench. Both de novo and reference-guided assemblies were performed resulting in four near full-length RNA virus genomes. BLAST searches using de novo assembled sequences against published virus genomes confirmed the presence of previously detected begomoviruses in the Western Cape (WC) province, namely Sweet potato mosaic virus (SPMaV) and Sweet potato leaf curl Sao Paulo virus (SPLCSPV). The begomoviruses were detected in mixed infections with two major disease-causing RNA viruses, Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) and Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV). The sequence data further demonstrated mixed infections of RNA and DNA viruses from 11 of the 17 sequenced samples. Metagenomics is a reliable diagnostic tool for virus diversity detection, in particular virus-complexes and synergies affecting disease aetiology

First Report of Sweet potato badnavirus A and Sweet potato badnavirus B in South Africa

Sweet potato is an important root crop, having significant nutritional and economic value in sub-Saharan countries such as South Africa. Sweet potato badnaviruses were first discovered in Peru using small RNA deep sequencing (Kreuze et al. 2009) and were later detected in Tanzania (Mbanzibwa et al. 2014), Honduras, and Guatemala (Kashif et al. 2012). Badnaviruses are pararetroviruses (family Caulimoviridae) with circular double-stranded DNA genomes (dsDNA) that range between 7.2 and 8.5 kb in size (Bhat et al. 2016). In this study we report the detection of sweet potato badnaviruses in plants collected during a survey in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. Symptomatic plants exhibited leaf curling, chlorotic spots, and chlorotic spots with purple rings. Small RNAs (sRNA) were isolated from five symptomatic and two asymptomatic plants using the Ambion mirVana miRNA RNA Isolation Kit (Ambion, Naugatuck, CT). The sRNA samples were prepared for sequencing using the Illumina TruSeq Small RNA Sample Preparation Kit (Illumina, San Diego, CA). The seven libraries were independently sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform (Illumina). Each of the seven libraries underwent quality trimming and downstream analysis. Over 6.9 million sequence reads from the seven libraries remained after quality control analysis. Sequence reads were assembled into contiguous (contigs) sequences using Velvet (Zerbino and Birney 2008). BLASTn and BLASTx searches against viral sequences revealed the presence of sweet potato badnavirus A (SPBVA) and sweet potato badnavirus B (SPBVB) in all seven libraries. The total number of SPBVA specific reads was 12,050, whereas 16,279 reads were identified as SPBVB. Both badnaviruses were detected in the symptomatic and asymptomatic samples as coinfections. The identity of the badnaviruses was confirmed by conventional Sanger sequencing of amplified polymerase chain reaction products. Virus-specific primers targeting the polyprotein gene of SPBVA and the ORF3b gene of SPBVB were designed using the CLC Bio Genomics Workbench (version 7.5.1) (CLC bio, Aarhus, Denmark). Amplification was achieved using the following primers: SPBVA-F (5′-TCCCACCTAAGGCTCAAGAA-3′), SPBVA-R (5′-GCAAACTGTTGCCCCTGTAT-3′), SPBVB-F (5′-TGGGTGCAATTTCATCAGAA-3′), and SPBVB-R (5′-GTGCATTTACCAGCCCAAAT-3′). The expected amplicons of 593 and 679 bp for SPBVA and SPBVB, respectively, were amplified and sent to Inqaba Biotechnical Industries for direct Sanger sequencing. The SPBVA sequence shared 100% nucleotide (nt) identity with the SPBVA isolate from China (GenBank accession no. KT448733), and the SPBVB sequence shared 99% nt identity with the Spanish isolate (GenBank accession no. KU511272). The sequences were submitted to GenBank under the accession numbers KY829453 and KY829454, for SPBVA and SPBVB, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report of sweet potato badnaviruses in South Africa. Future studies are necessary to determine what role badnaviruses play in the etiology of sweet potato disease, because they are known to trigger infections and cause emerging diseases

Framing rights and responsibilities: accounts of women with a history of AIDS activism

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In South Africa, policy with respect to HIV/AIDS has had a strong rights-based framing in line with international trends and in keeping with the constitutional overhaul in the post-Apartheid era. There have also been considerable advances since 1994 towards legal enshrinement of sexual and reproductive health rights and in the provision of related services. Since HIV in this setting has heavily affected women of reproductive age, there has been discussion about the particular needs of this subgroup, especially in the context of service integration. This paper is concerned with the way in which HIV positive women conceptualise these rights and whether they wish and are able to actualise them in their daily lives.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 2003 a group of women involved with the Treatment Action Campaign and Medicines Sans Frontières participated in an initiative to ‘map’ their bodies as affected by the virus. A book containing the maps and narratives was published and used as a political tool to pressure the government of the day to roll out antiretroviral therapy (ART) to the population. In 2008, the authors coordinated an initiative that involved conducting follow-up in-depth interviews in which five of these women reflected on those body maps and on how their lives had changed in the intervening five years since gaining the right to treatment through the public sector.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Drawing upon this qualitative data and published sources, these new accounts are analysed in order to reflect the perspectives of these women living with chronic HIV with respect to their sexual relations and fertility desires. The paper reveals difficulties faced by these women in negotiating sexual relationships and disclosure of their HIV positive status. It focuses on how they perceive relative responsibilities in terms of taking preventative measures in sexual encounters. Women adopt tactics within a context characterised by various inequalities in order to ‘make do’, such as by remaining silent about their status. Concerns about childbearing can be addressed by information and support from a health care worker.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Women’s experience of HIV as a chronic illness and the need to adhere to ART, is linked to the way in which the language of responsibility can come to counter-balance a language of rights in treatment programmes.</p

Study of chemically peculiar stars – I. High-resolution spectroscopy and K2 photometry of Am stars in the region of M44

ABSTRACT We present a study based on the high-resolution spectroscopy and K2 space photometry of five chemically peculiar stars in the region of the open cluster M44. The analysis of the high-precision photometric K2 data reveals that the light variations in HD 73045 and HD 76310 are rotational in nature and caused by spots or cloud-like co-rotating structures, which are non-stationary and short-lived. The time-resolved radial velocity measurements, in combination with the K2 photometry, confirm that HD 73045 does not show any periodic variability on time-scales shorter than 1.3 d, contrary to previous reports in the literature. In addition to these new rotational variables, we discovered a new heartbeat system, HD 73619, where no pulsational signatures are seen. The spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric analyses indicate that HD 73619 belongs to the peculiar Am class, with either a weak or no magnetic field, considering the 200-G detection limit of our study. The least-squares deconvolution profiles for HD 76310 indicate a complex structure in its spectra, suggesting that this star is either part of a binary system or surrounded by a cloud shell. When placed in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, all studied stars are evolved from the main sequence and situated in the δ Scuti instability strip. This work is relevant for further detailed studies of chemically peculiar stars, for example on inhomogeneities (including spots) in the absence of magnetic fields and the origin of the pulsational variability in heartbeat systems

The majority legal status of women in Southern Africa: Implications for women and families

Women in many countries of southern Africa do not have majority status or have only recently gained this right. Majority status grants individuals adult legal status and the right to bring matters to court, own and administer property, have legal custody of children, and contract for marriage. This article summarizes the legal status of women in Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Lack of majority status contributes to the ongoing risk of poverty for women and makes them overly dependent on men. Compounding the situation in these countries is the presence of a dual legal system. Improving the situation of women and their families involves targeting changes in the legal system, influencing implementation of laws, educating women about their rights, and giving women needed support to seek their legal rights. The legal status of women must be viewed in the context of historical changes in the economic, educational, political, and cultural developments of society.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44657/1/10834_2005_Article_BF02267045.pd

Current integration of tuberculosis (TB) and HIV services in South Africa, 2011.

SETTING: Public Health Facilities in South Africa. OBJECTIVE: To assess the current integration of TB and HIV services in South Africa, 2011. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of 49 randomly selected health facilities in South Africa. Trained interviewers administered a standardized questionnaire to one staff member responsible for TB and HIV in each facility on aspects of TB/HIV policy, integration and recording and reporting. We calculated and compared descriptive statistics by province and facility type. RESULTS: Of the 49 health facilities 35 (71%) provided isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) and 35 (71%) offered antiretroviral therapy (ART). Among assessed sites in February 2011, 2,512 patients were newly diagnosed with HIV infection, of whom 1,913 (76%) were screened for TB symptoms, and 616 of 1,332 (46%) of those screened negative for TB were initiated on IPT. Of 1,072 patients newly registered with TB in February 2011, 144 (13%) were already on ART prior to Tb clinical diagnosis, and 451 (42%) were newly diagnosed with HIV infection. Of those, 84 (19%) were initiated on ART. Primary health clinics were less likely to offer ART compared to district hospitals or community health centers (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: As of February 2011, integration of TB and HIV services is taking place in public medical facilities in South Africa. Among these services, IPT in people living with HIV and ART in TB patients are the least available

The CCR5 and CXCR4 Coreceptors Are Both Used by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Primary Isolates from Subtype C

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype C viruses with different coreceptor usage profiles were isolated from 29 South African patients with advanced AIDS. All 24 R5 isolates were inhibited by the CCR5-specific agents, PRO 140 and RANTES, while the two X4 viruses and the three R5X4 viruses were sensitive to the CXCR4-specific inhibitor, AMD3100. The five X4 or R5X4 viruses were all able to replicate in peripheral blood mononuclear cells that did not express CCR5. When tested using coreceptor-transfected cell lines, one R5 virus was also able to use CXCR6, and another R5X4 virus could use CCR3, BOB/GPR15, and CXCR6. The R5X4 and X4 viruses contained more-diverse V3 loop sequences, with a higher overall positive charge, than the R5 viruses. Hence, some HIV-1 subtype C viruses are able to use CCR5, CXCR4, or both CXCR4 and CCR5 for entry, and they are sensitive to specific inhibitors of entry via these coreceptors. These observations are relevant to understanding the rapid spread of HIV-1 subtype C in the developing world and to the design of intervention and treatment strategies