Victimisation of African Foreign Nationals in Durban, South Africa

Media reports of the continued violence and discrimination experienced by African Foreign Nationals1 in South Africa have brought into the forefront victimisation of this sector, despite pledges by the government and law enforcement agencies to put a stop to it. This is also linked to current social milieu debates taking place within international trends on migration. Studies and evidence have shown that although the attitudes towards foreign nationals vary across South Africa's socio-economic and ethnic spectrum, foreigners who live and work in South Africa do face discrimination by citizens, some government officials, members of the police, and by private organisations who are contracted to manage their detention and deportation. This research, with a qualitative approach, explores the persistent issues that threaten African Foreign Nationals. Fifty participants were selected through a purposive sampling technique. The main aim of this research was to examine the issues that threatened the safety and security of African Foreign Nationals in Durban, South Africa. It was found that offences such as physical assault (i.e. Grievous Bodily Harm - GBH), arson, rape, verbal abuse, house robberies, property damage as well as discrimination were serious crimes perpetrated against African Foreign Nationals which was often characterised by xenophobic violent attacks against them

The Role and Place of Covid-19: An Opportunistic Avenue for Exponential World’s Upsurge in Cyber Crime

An evidence-based analysis of COVID-19 suggests that the ailment is a bio-medically inclined natural mystic blowing through the world. To this end, this study focuses solely on the role the pandemic plays as an outbreak of cybercrime vector. The study presents a number of the world’s most recent cyber insecurity cases that accompanied the onset of the pandemic and findings were discussed within the context of situational opportunity theory of crime. It provides a framework for emergency management approach to protect global citizens and institutions from cyberattacks, as well as, mitigating the outbreak of the crime being propagated by the presence of the novel virus. Global sensitization and awareness programmes across various communities on the potential dangers of cyber insecurity accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic should be helpful. Of most significance, the fight against the invisible warfare should continue with high spirits of relentlessness until absolute peace, relief, resilience and normalcy are able to take root in the global communities

Poor Education and Unemployment Implications for Youth Crimes in Nigeria

Research on the correlation between education, occupation and criminality among the youth has grown both in length, and complexity in the last two decades. Using a mixed-method analysis, this study concurs that educational and occupational variables are significant determinants of criminal propensities but maintains two sides of the same coin by contending that the level of educational attainment of the youth does not grossly influence their involvement in criminal activities, whereas it draws on occupational attainment as a strong factor for the pervasive involvement of youth in criminality. Taking evidence from Nigeria, the study recommends policies that will review and implement youth entrepreneurial development, educational re-orientation and creation of more job opportunities, as a life-changing instrument against crime

Solving Environmental Crimes through Restorative Justice Approaches

Environmental crimes pose a grave threat to our everyday lives, our planet, and future generations. Environmental crimes are any illegal trade in wildlife, forestry and fishery, illegal dumping of waste including chemicals, smuggling of ozone-depleting substances and illegal mining. Protecting and improving the quality and safety of our environment is one of our critical outcomes aimed at ensuring that the current and future generations will continue to enjoy their right to an environment that is not harmful. However, the traditional criminal justice approach has challenges in establishing culpability in environmental crimes and does not always make it possible to repair the injustice done by the wrongdoers. Using case studies from Australia, the findings of this study demonstrate that the use of a restorative justice approach makes it possible to resolve the multidimensional nature of environmental injustices and help to implement different needs of victims such as reparation, recognition, participation in Court proceedings and assistance. Furthermore, it places the justice process in a transformative logic that makes it possible to prevent future injustices

A Critical Analysis on Offenders Rehabilitation Approach in South Africa: A Review of the Literature

The South African Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has a constitutional mandate to provide rehabilitation programs that address offenders’ criminal conducts. The treatment approach currently used to deliver this mandate is grounded on the Needs-Based Model where dynamic factors associated with recidivism are systematically targeted in treatment of offenders’ criminal behaviors. But the reality of the matter is that there are systemic problems that challenge the DCS both conveying its moral messaging and fulfilling its legal commitment on the rehabilitation of offenders. The DCS mission is far to be accomplished due to its failure to reduce recidivism. Along these lines, it is subsequently important to develop and to implement new approaches that meet the goals of the South African Green and White Papers on Corrections. In this manner, this article analyses the current DCS approach on offenders’ rehabilitation by taking into consideration programs used to reduce recidivism and proposes alternative pathways for an effective offenders’ rehabilitation approach. This article demonstrates that for successful offenders’ rehabilitation, the DCS must introduce new offenders’ rehabilitation programs based on Restorative Justice and on Good Lives Model approach. Considering post-Apartheid governments’ commitment to human rights, we suggest these two approaches to offenders’ rehabilitation as the conceptual resources to resolve the above issues faced by the DCS to deliver its mandate on offenders’ rehabilitation

Solving Environmental Crimes through Restorative Justice Approaches

Environmental crimes pose a grave threat to our everyday lives, our planet, and future generations. Environmental crimes are any illegal trade in wildlife, forestry and fishery, illegal dumping of waste including chemicals, smuggling of ozone-depleting substances and illegal mining. Protecting and improving the quality and safety of our environment is one of our critical outcomes aimed at ensuring that the current and future generations will continue to enjoy their right to an environment that is not harmful. However, the traditional criminal justice approach has challenges in establishing culpability in environmental crimes and does not always make it possible to repair the injustice done by the wrongdoers. Using case studies from Australia, the findings of this study demonstrate that the use of a restorative justice approach makes it possible to resolve the multidimensional nature of environmental injustices and help to implement different needs of victims such as reparation, recognition, participation in Court proceedings and assistance. Furthermore, it places the justice process in a transformative logic that makes it possible to prevent future injustices

Rare And Unexplored Ethnozoological Practices of Tangkhul Naga Community of Manipur: A North Eastern State of India

Ethnozoology is an applied discipline that integrates both the basic and social sciences which observe the aspects of nature, socioeconomic, anthropological and historical aspects of the animal and human relationship exist in that community. Tangkhul Naga community of the Ukhrul district of Manipur have a rich heritage of using animal products in their folklore medicines for the treatment of various human ailments since time immemorial. The present study was carried out with an intention to find out various animal-based products uses in the traditional healing system among the Tangkhul Naga community of Manipur, India. A survey for the data collection was carried out for a period of one year through semi-structural questionnaires, interactions through oral conversations with local medicinal practitioners, old men and women. The study reveals that a total 21 different animal species and their products are used for the treatment of different human ailments. Of the total 21 numbers of animals, 9 belongs to the invertebrate groups and 12 to the vertebrate groups. Out of the 9 animals from the invertebrate group, 1 annelid, 7 arthropods and 1 mollusc comprise 4.76%, 33.3% and 4.67% fauna respectively while in the vertebrate group, 2 amphibians, 1 reptile, 3 Aves and 6 mammals contributed 9.5%, 4.76%, 14.28% and 28.57% fauna respectively. The finding shows that the ethnozoological practices of using animal derived medicines employed by Tangkhul community in Manipur plays an important part in the primary health care system of this community which are rare as well as undocumented till today. Proper documentation and sustainable exploration of such rare traditional information on ethno-zoological practices of the Tangkhul community of the Manipur will be helpful in the integration of the traditional knowledge system in the modern medicines and ultimately in the formation of strategies for sustainable exploration and conservation of such bio resources

FORMULATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HPMC AND HPMCAS BASED SOLID DISPERSIONS OF FENOFIBRATE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of novel polymeric carriers and to develop solid dispersion formulation that could improve in vitro profile of Fenofibrate (FB). Methods: Spray drying technique was used to fabricate solid dispersions with hydrophilic carriers, mainly hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS). Solid dispersions in the form of spray-dried powder were characterized with respect to the pure drug and the corresponding physical mixtures by optical microscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Size and morphology of optimized solid dispersion were performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, in vitro dissolution comparisons were carried out between the optimized solid dispersion against the pure drug and the physical mixtures. Results: Solubility studies demonstrated that the solubility of FB was not affected by pH change. The transformation of crystalline FB into an amorphous solid dispersion powder has been clearly demonstrated by optical microscopy. The molecular dispersion of drug in the dispersion matrix prepared by spray drying was confirmed in XRD and DSC studies. IR spectroscopy was observed with negligible incompatibility of the drug with polymers. Spherical morphology was observed in SEM with no evidence of FB crystals. The prepared solid dispersions exhibited dissolution improvement as compared to the pure drug and spray dried FB in 0.05 M SLS, with HPMCAS as the superior carrier over HPMC. Conclusion: The present study vouches better in vitro profile of FB from spray-dried HPMCAS based solid dispersions

The Impact of the Private Security Industry Regulation Act and other Legislative Frameworks on Private Securities Operating in Drinking Establishments in South Africa

This paper seeks to explore the legislation and regulatory frameworks that guides the functionality and operation of private securities placed in drinking establishments in South Africa. Prior research has indicated lack of clarity regarding private security personnel regulation in drinking establishments, otherwise known as bouncers. For instance, the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) is the current regulatory structure which is mandated to monitor and regulate all the private security industries in South Africa. Private security players in South Africa are obligated to comply with the PSIR Act and related laws in general. For this reason, the duty of PSIRA to oversee and monitor private securities and to ensure that they comply with the law is paramount. However, a major concern is whether nightclub security is regulated in adherence to this Act or not. Research evidence has shown that security legislation and guidelines are either not in place or not enforced at nightclubs. The purpose of this article is to examine critical legislations that South African nightclub securities must comply with to ensure legitimacy. Furthermore, it assesses the regulatory body, PSIRA, in relation to South African nightclub securities. It further explores the training requirements needed to qualify as a nightclub security. Arguably, a limited number of studies address the skills and legal requirements nightclub securities need to meet to fully qualify to work as a nightclub security in South Africa. Thus this paper will add to the body of knowledge in the field of nightclub security regulation. Strengthening the regulatory framework and increasing the authority's enforcement capacity to regulate the industry more effectively have become inevitable obligations, especially in light of the continued growth in the private security industry. The article finds that nightclub security is not adequately regulated, leading to non-compliance of the regulatory framework from the private security industry. This paper is an extensive review of literature focusing on South African legislative frameworks that regulate private security operations in drinking establishments

Efficient conjugate addition of 3-methyl-5-pyrazolones to chalcones in water extract rice straw ash (WERSA)

94-98Conjugate addition of 5-methyl-pyrazolones to chalcone has been described with Water Extract Rice Straw Ash (WERSA) as the reaction medium. Various chalcones have been used as Michael acceptors against 5-methyl-pyrazolones. The products have been isolated in analytically pure form by simple filtration in good to excellent yields under green reaction conditions with good substrate scope. This general eco-friendly method uses waste material for organic transformation. The synthesised compounds could be further utilised for the synthesis of bioactive molecules and pharmaceutical products