Numerical analysis of evapotranspiration and its influence on embankments

Imperial Users onl

A discrete graph Laplacian for signal processing

In this thesis we exploit diffusion processes on graphs to effect two fundamental problems of image processing: denoising and segmentation. We treat these two low-level vision problems on the pixel-wise level under a unified framework: a graph embedding. Using this framework opens us up to the possibilities of exploiting recently introduced algorithms from the semi-supervised machine learning literature. We contribute two novel edge-preserving smoothing algorithms to the literature. Furthermore we apply these edge-preserving smoothing algorithms to some computational photography tasks. Many recent computational photography tasks require the decomposition of an image into a smooth base layer containing large scale intensity variations and a residual layer capturing fine details. Edge-preserving smoothing is the main computational mechanism in producing these multi-scale image representations. We, in effect, introduce a new approach to edge-preserving multi-scale image decompositions. Where as prior approaches such as the Bilateral filter and weighted-least squares methods require multiple parameters to tune the response of the filters our method only requires one. This parameter can be interpreted as a scale parameter. We demonstrate the utility of our approach by applying the method to computational photography tasks that utilise multi-scale image decompositions. With minimal modification to these edge-preserving smoothing algorithms we show that we can extend them to produce interactive image segmentation. As a result the operations of segmentation and denoising are conducted under a unified framework. Moreover we discuss how our method is related to region based active contours. We benchmark our proposed interactive segmentation algorithms against those based upon energy-minimisation, specifically graph-cut methods. We demonstrate that we achieve competitive performance

The security sector reform debate in post-independant Africa south of the Sahara : a critical ethical investigation based on the concepts of sovereignty and anarchy.

Doctor of Philosophy in Ethics. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2017.The Security Sector Reform (SSR) is a concept that first emerged in the 1990s in Eastern Europe. It was propagated by Short in the post-cold war era under the guise of a development agenda and the need for democratisation of Security Sector Institutions (SSIs) which would result in enhancing the rule of law in Sub-Saharan Africa. The main argument from its proponents was that this new political and economic dispensation could improve sustainable development, democracy, peace and stability. However, critiques have observed that the SSR concept has been maliciously employed by the West to destroy local governance structures of the Security Sector (SS) in order to benefit the Northern countries’ political and economic policies. Evidence of the negative repercussions of Security Sector Reform initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East can be witnessed in the DRC, Mozambique, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan’s inability to contain rebel or terrorist groups within their territories. This is despite the fact that the above countries underwent Western initiated models of SSR. This thesis argues that proponents of SSR end up prescribing how SSR should be done in their former colonies in Africa with the objective of weakening this sector by advancing a neo-colonial agenda. I further argue that the neo-colonial agenda is propagated by civil society organisations funded by Western countries to advance Western interests in former European colonies in Africa. The call for SSR in Sub-Saharan Africa is done through CSO and neo-liberal academics under the guise of wanting to democratise SSI and directing money to development projects. It has been observed that this sheep-in-wolf concept has been carefully planned to cover the underground Western interests as happened in Libya. In fact, these advocates of SSR want continued substance of their interests which is access to the continent’s natural resources. The study observes that the debate calling for SSR in Sub-Saharan Africa seeks to portray an immediate need for military reforms that might compromise the sovereignty of the continent. The other argument also advanced by the proponents of SSR is that it will enhance and improve democratic oversight and good governance of the SSR. The major claim here is that SSR will end violence in Africa thereby bringing sustainable peace and a secure environment which will later allow economic development. However, despite this noble claim of wanting to create a peaceful situation that allows economic development, evidence to the contrary has been given. Examples of worse scenarios created by such hideous claims are Mozambique, Libya, Central African Republic, Mali and DRC just to mention a few. In these SSIs have resulted in failure to discharge the mandate of protecting national interests and state sovereignty resulting in these countries experiencing anarchic situations. I argue that democratisation of the military, if it means enhancing of institutional capacity to respect humanity while at the same time strengthening the need to protect, defend and safeguard the national interests and state sovereignty can then be regarded as plausible. However, some reformed militaries have nearly totally collapsed in the face of attacks by rebels, insurgents and terrorist groups as exemplified by Islamic State of Iraq,(ISI) in Iraq, Boko Haram in Nigeria, M23 in the DRC and Renamo in Mozambique thereby creating anarchic scenarios that have devastating effects on humanity. There is also the argument of gender equity through which the reformists want to see fifty-fifty women representation in the security sector. The debate on SSR that seeks to increase the women quota in African SSIs with no regards to their competencies seems to be advancing an unethical agenda that has the potential of weakening Africa’s SSIs. In this regard, my critique of SSR is based on that it is against the protection of the principles of the revolutionary struggle which demands a complementary role of the civil authorities and the military. This thesis concludes that the SSR concept is immoral in the sense that it seeks to disconnect and disorient the SSIs from effectively and efficiently safeguarding the continental peace and stability. My special argument therefore is that SSR concepts must be locally designed and the SSR process must be locally owned as well to create a complementary role between stakeholders such as the executive, military and CSOs resulting in the protection of the continent’s liberation principles and values thereby creating an enabling environment for inclusive socio-economic development

Development of an Intelligent Standing Wheelchair with Reclining Characteristics

The widespread of motor neurone weakness has become a major concern as a result of accidents, ageing, birth defects and other hereditary diseases. A huge number of paraplegics can barely do activities for themselves without assistance from helpers. This study seeks to develop an intelligent wheelchair that has an assistive lifting and multi-posture reclining mechanisms to help in elevating the user from sit to stand posture as well as recline the seat for angles between 90 and 180 degrees through use of hydraulic linear actuators. The design would incorporate strain gauge sensors on the lower back area of the seat to enable the user to stand by merely leaning forward; thereby decreasing the strain on the lower back seat to trigger the lift mechanism until the required height is attained. While pressing the sit button on the console would enable the lowering of the user to a sitting position. The wheelchair development would also enable intelligent mobility through use of ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles and assist in the braking effort by the user. An economic analysis was done to assess the feasibility viability of the design for local production. Some user requirement validation was undertaken to establish the extent to which the design would satisfy the key requirements of the intended beneficiaries

The role of city twinning in fostering diplomacy: A case of city of Harare and city of Munich twinning arrangement (2000 -2015)

City twinning arrangements have been viewed by quite a number of scholars as a way to go in the 21st Century in fostering diplomacy of the states. as such the study sought to unearth the role that city twinning arrangements played in fostering Zimbabwe’s diplomacy through a critical study of the twinning arrangements entered between City of Harare and City of Munich. The study at hand was critical in that at state bilateral level Zimbabwe and Germany were not in cordial terms at least from an international relations point of view. By virtue of German being a strategic and critical member of the European Union, she was obliged to honour the economic sanctions and a whole sale package of restrictive measures the 28-memeber bloc had slapped on Zimbabwe with the turning of the new millennium, on allegations of Zimbabwe’s blatant abuse of human rights especially at the height of its land reform programme of the post millennium. Confronted with a research problem on how the levels of demonisation and denigration at state level between Zimbabwe and any other European Union member state such as German could fair diplomatic manoeuvres, the researcher sought to assess the extent at which the Harare-Munich twinning arrangement managed to navigate and thaw the hostile relations that prevailed at the same time. Through the qualitative research approach, the researcher used documentary search and guided questionnaire research methodology to assess the extent at which twinning arrangements could foster diplomacy between Zimbabwe and German. Using a theoretical framework anchored on interdependency theory and the concept of soft power, it was realised that indeed city twinning could help in fostering diplomatic relations. Whereas states have remained and retained the sole legitimate role of being the primary actors of international relations, t was recommended that cities could still play a pivotal role in fostering diplomacy through complementing and not necessarily supplementing states in their diplomatic endeavours. As such the researcher highly recommended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to strongly incorporate the Ministry of Local Government in harnessing diplomacy through riding on the crest of twinning arrangements entered by cities

The efficacy of prison farms towards food security at Chikurubi Maximum Prison

The research sought to find out the contribution of Chikurubi Farm Prison Towards Food Security in the ZPCS. The ZPCS has been affected by food insecurity and due to several factors that include the nation’s economic problems and successive droughts. The concept of food insecurity caused immense suffering to inmates. This has caused the student to research how Chikurubi Farm Prison can contribute to food security in the ZPCS. This research sought to explain the food security situation in the ZPCS. Causes of food security and insecurity were also highlighted. A detailed explanation and analysis of the production systems in the ZPCS was made with potential production systems being highlighted. Factors that affect production were listed and explained. The challenges that are faced by the ZPCS as far as food security is concerned were explained with a view of finding a way forward for prisons to successfully tackle the issue of food insecurity in future

The study of institutionalisation of a national monitoring and evaluation system in Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.ENGLISH SUMMARY: The aim of the study was to assess the extent to which Zimbabwe and Botswana’s national M&E systems are institutionalised. This was done through answering the following research questions: 1) What is currently known about the development of national M&E systems in Botswana and Zimbabwe; 2) What are the existing theories and frameworks that could be applied to investigate the development and institutionalisation of national M&E systems; 3) Where are the countries at in terms of the institutionalisation of their national M&E system.These research questions were addressed by conducting a study design enshrined within the revised atlas framework of Furubo, Rist and Sandahl (2002). The International Atlas of Evaluation framework is the first of its kind to provide a systematic overview of M&E systems in various parts of the world. I adopted the atlas (with high levels of confidence in terms of its reliability and validity) as the framework of choice to implement the study. An exploratory concurrent nested mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) was employed in this study with both primary and secondary data collected and analysed.The results show that the overall score against the revised atlas for Botswana was 40% andZimbabwe 53% indicating a rather average level of institutionalisation for both countries. The main driver emerged to be public sector reforms adopted and implemented by the two countries post-independence. Major stakeholders providing technical and financial support to the development and institutionalisation process were NGOs. Though for Zimbabwe the development was mainly driven by external pressure from the donors and other multilateral organizations such as UNDP, for Botswana the pressure was internal,and the government played a greater role in terms of providing the required financial support for the system. The main findings of the study show that both countries have made progress in institutionalising their national M&E systems. However, more is yet to be realised and it requires deliberate efforts to address all those important institutional constraints highlighted in this study. The key recommendation for Botswana is that the country should develop a national M&E policy whilst for Zimbabwe is that it should create a more democratic system that promote generation and utilisation of M&E information at all levels. Lastly it is recommended that more research of similar nature be done as more work is still needed to contribute to a better understanding of the African M&E landscape.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om die mate van institusionalisering van nasionale M&E stelsels in Zimbabwe en Botswana te evalueer. Dit is gedoen deur die volgende navorsingsvrae te beantwoord: 1) Wat is huidiglik bekend rakende die ontwikkeling van nasionale M&E stelsels in Botswana en Zimbabwe; 2) Wat is die bestaande teorieë en raamwerke wat gebruik word om die ontwikkeling en institusionalisering van nasionale M&E stelsels te evalueer?; 3) Wat is die stand van institusionalisering van nasionale M&E stelsels in hierdie lande?; Die navorsingsvrae is ondersoek deur ‘n navorsingsontwerp wat ingebed is in die hersiene ‘atlas’-raamwerk van Furubo, Rist and Sandahl (2002). Die “International Atlas of Evaluation” benadering is die eerste raamwerk wat ʼn sistematiese oorsig te gee van evaluasiekulture in verskeie wêrelddele. In my studie het ek hierdie beandering gevolg deur gebruik te maak verkennende gelyktydige gemengde navorsingsmetode (kwalitatief en kwantitatief) met primêre en sekondêre data wat versamel en ontleed is. Die resultate toon dat the finale telling gemeet aan die hersiene atlas vir Botswana op 40% neergekom en vir Zimbabwe op 53% wat dui op ‘n uiters gemiddelde graad institusionalisering in beide lande. Die belangrikste drywer in beide lande was die hervormings wat in die openbare sektor geïniseer en geïmplementeer is na onafhanklikheidswording. Nie-regerings organisasies was die belangrikste belangegroepe wat tegniese en finansiële ondersteuning gebied het aan die ontwikkelings –en institusionaliserings proses. Alhoewel die ontwikkeling in Zimbabwe hoofsaaklik gedryf is deur eksterne druk vanaf die donateurs en ander multilaterale organisasies soos UNDP, was die druk in Botswana intern, en het die regering ‘n groter rol gespeel deur die nodige finansiële ondersteuning aan die stelsel te verleen. Die hoofbevindinge van die studie is dat beide lande ‘n mate van vordering gemaak met die institusionalisering van hul nasionale moniterings-en evaluasiestelsels. Daar moet egter nog heelwat meer werk gedoen word en dit vereis doelbewuste pogings om die belangrikste institusionale beperkings wat in hierdie studie uitgelig word, aan te spreek. Die belangrikste aanbeveling vir Botswana is die ontwikkeling van ‘n nasionale M&E beleid, terwyl Zimbabwe ‘n meer demokratiese sisteem in plek moet stel wat die voorbereiding en gebruik van M&E inligting op alle vlakke insluit .Doctora

Numerical analysis of evapotranspiration and its influence on embankments

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The African Pitocin - a midwife’s dilemma: the perception of women on the use of herbs in pregnancy and labour in Zimbabwe, Gweru

Introduction: the use of natural health products is gradually increasing all over the world with up to 50% of the general population having tried at least one herbal product. This becomes a dilemma to the midwife who has limited or no knowledge on their effects in pregnancy, hence the need to explore the perceptions of women on the use herbs in pregnancy and labour. Methods: the research, which was a case study of a Claybank Private Hospital in Gweru, Zimbabwe, adopted a qualitative approach with a triangulation of data from interviews, observations and analysis of maternal records. A sample of 20 women, admitted to using herbs, was purposively selected from the labour and post natal wards. Results: a variety of substances, but mainly the elephant's dung, was used. The family, (mother) prescribed the herbs. The women did not have knowledge on how the substances work but believed in them, as they have stood the test of time. Conclusion: the African women in Zimbabwe cannot be stopped from taking herbs as it is engraved in their culture and have absolute faith in them. Whilst the herbs are assumed by the women to be effective, their safety is questionable, especially in women with underlying obstetric complications. It is therefore recommended to scientifically explore the safety and effectiveness of the most commonly used herbs if pregnancy is to be safe. Whilst the women can not be stopped from taking these herbs, it is important to build a trusting relationship between the midwife and the mother so that communication about the use of herbs can be done freely without fear or judgement.The Pan African Medical Journal 2016;2

Adaptive Social Protection: A justification for enhancing social protection effectiveness in Lesotho

The purpose of this Independent Practitioner Inquiry Capstone (IPIC) is to generate evidence that scaling up social protection systems in response to humanitarian emergencies minimizes negative shock impacts on affected populations and reduces the need for separate humanitarian responses. The study used case comparison of food security and livelihoods outcomes for households in three categories (i.) households receiving separate emergency assistance, (ii.) with those receiving emergency and social protection programs, and (iii.) a model case of targeted and early scaled up social services. The research hypothesis is that well-targeted social protection interventions that are easily scalable during crisis periods are a more efficient and effective form of response to emergencies compared to separate humanitarian action. The research used secondary data methods through a review of academic and professional literature on social protection in general and on Adaptive Social Protection. The literature review was also done on the social protection policy and strategy implementation in Lesotho. The additional secondary method was a re-analysis of vulnerability data collected by the Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee as a way of generating quantitative evidence on the case comparisons to demonstrate the research hypothesis. Additionally, interviews with key informants from organizations in Lesotho were done to gather further insights into the research. The research revealed several key findings; (i) there is need for targeting of social protection activities based on vulnerability, (ii.) targeting will allow multiple transfers of resources to the poorest, (iii.) in the event of disasters, top-up of existing well-targeted social protection is a cheaper and effective way of responding to the disasters, and (iv.) reforming social protection will enhance efficient use of resources and enable households to build adaptive capacity in non-emergency years and facilitate quick recovery post disasters. In Lesotho, this reform is possible for child grants program, public assistance and public works programs which are more flexible and fit in the design of Adaptive Social Protection. In using Adaptive Social Protection designs, this research provides evidence that the emergency response that took place in Lesotho in 2016 could have adequately addressed the needs of the population at $12 million dollars cheaper than the separate emergency