Young people at the margins in Pretoria Central: Are the faith-based organisations making a difference?

The authors’ recent case study work in Pretoria Central as part of the international research project ‘Youth at the margins’ (YOMA) constitutes the focus of this article. From this vantage point, the authors offer a presentation of their research findings in order to ultimately answer the question ‘to what extent the faith-based organisations (FBOs) are making a difference in the lives of young people at the margins in this particular case study locality (Pretoria Central)’. The article begins by contextualising the lives of young people in Pretoria Central against the backdrop of far-reaching socio-economic, demographic and religious change in the area since the end of the apartheid era. After explaining the case study methodology and offering a brief profile of the research participants, the discussion then proceeds with a more detailed discussion of distinctive aspects of the case study findings. In the conclusion, the authors argue that the answer to the article’s guiding question seems to be a negative one when the reality of young people’s seemingly permanent structural exclusion is considered. At the same time, this verdict does not withhold them to also conclude with appreciative remarks about the role that churches and FBOs of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) type are playing with respect to marginalised young people in Pretoria Central

Informality and the context of reception in South Africa's new immigrant destinations

This study examines the context of reception for Zimbabwean migrants who are engaged in South Africa's informal economy. It seeks to contribute to two areas of migration scholarship: (a) the emergence of new immigrant destinations in the global South and (b) the role of the informal economy in shaping the context of reception for migrants in new gateway cities. Through surveys of Zimbabwean day labourers in Tshwane (formerly Pretoria), we document the poverty and the food and housing insecurity these migrants and their dependents endure resulting from underemployment in the informal economy. The analysis presented here suggests that although it has received little attention from migration scholars, the informal economy can play a significant role in shaping the context of reception for immigrants in the new gateway cities of the global South. In many destination countries, the informal economy absorbs large numbers of migrants, making it an important, if flawed, source of employment, earnings, and remittances. With increasing levels of migration to major cities, the informal economy has become a key arena of migrant incorporation, with far‐reaching implications for lives and livelihoods.IBSS & Scopu

Labour productivity in construction SMEs: Perspectives from South Africa

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are strategic to South African economic performance. Despite their strategic role in economic growth, South African construction SMEs are predominantly confronted with the problem of poor performance, which is partly due to poor productivity. This contributes to a negative outlook for construction and undermines its contribution to the nation’s economy. This study determines essential strategies to help improve construction SMEs’ productivity in South Africa. Qualitative data were collected from registered small and medium-sized construction organisations in South Africa, using a semi-structured interview approach. The research data were analysed, using content analysis. The study reported key strategies, including the need for proficiency at managerial and non-managerial levels, effective teamwork, and effective planning, to improve contractors’ productivity. Although existing studies have widely reported major factors influencing contractors’ productivity, there is still a shortage of research on SMEs’ productivity, especially in South Africa. This research determines SMEs-specific productivity challenges and the interventions needed to improve productivity in the SME sector

Surface Properties of Ti

Ti2AlV alloys are commonly employed as structural materials in electronics, metallurgy, and other industries because of their outstanding properties. Knowledge about their surface properties is lacking and limited at the atomic level. In this work, structural, electronic, and stabilities of Ti2AlV surfaces were investigated using the density functional theory approach. This study also looked at the surface energies and work functions of various surfaces. According to our findings, it was found that the (110) surface is thermodynamically stable with lower surface energy than the (100) surface. It was discovered that the surface energy increases with regard to the thickness of the surface slab. Furthermore, the work function of the (110) surface was found to be increasing than that of the (100) surface. Moreover, the work function was found to increase with increasing number of layers in both surfaces. The partial and total density of states of Ti2AlV (100) and (110) were also studied. It was also found that the Fermi level lies at the minimum curve in the TDOS graphs for the Ti2AlV (110) surface while lies at the maximum in (100) surface

Ethylenediamine functionalized waste polyethylene terephthalate-derived metal-organic framework for adsorption of palladium ions from aqueous solutions

The recovery of palladium metal is essential in order to meet its growing global demand and also to address water pollution crisis. Herein, MIL-101(Cr)/ED was fabricated from waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and modified using ethylenediamine (ED) to retrieve divalent palladium (Pd(II)) metal ions from aqueous environment. The successful grafting of ED moieties onto MIL-101(Cr) was established by the appearance of broad bands at around 2800–3300 cm−1 on the Fourier transform infrared spectrum which was supported by the increase in binding energy using density functional theory. The adsorption experiments revealed that higher Pd(II) ion intake occurred using 30 mg of MIL-101(Cr)/ED in acidic media of pH = 3.0. The data fit better on the Langmuir isotherm with the correlation coefficient (R2) 0.9089. At 25 °C, the MIL-101(Cr)/ED achieved a substantial enhancement in the intake capacities of 454.2 mg.g−1. Kinetics data demonstrated to comply with pseudo-second order, achieving a rapid rate of Pd(II) adsorption by the MIL-101(Cr)/ED in less than 3 min given by the rate constant k2 = 0.02065 g.mg−1.min−1. The MIL-101(Cr)/ED has high affinity for Pd(II) ions as more than 80% removal was achieved even in presence of other ions. These observations revealed the potential utilization of MIL-101(Cr)/ED as an adsorbent to efficiently extract Pd(II) ions from wastewater

Adsorption of NH3 and NO2 Molecules on Sn-Doped and Undoped ZnO (101) Surfaces Using Density Functional Theory

The adsorption and interaction mechanisms of gaseous molecules on ZnO surfaces have received considerable attention because of their technological applications in gas sensing. The adsorption behavior of NH3 and NO2 molecules on undoped and Sn-doped ZnO (101) surfaces was investigated using density functional theory. The current findings revealed that both molecules adsorb via chemisorption rather than physisorption, with all the adsorption energy values found to be negative. The calculated adsorption energy revealed that the adsorption of the NH3 molecule on the bare ZnO surface is more energetically favorable than the adsorption of the NO2 molecule. However, a stable adsorption configuration was discovered for the NO2 molecule on the surface of the Sn-doped ZnO surface. Furthermore, the adsorption on the undoped surface increased the work function, while the adsorption on the doped surface decreased. The charge density redistribution showed charge accumulation and depletion on both adsorbent and adsorbate. In addition, the density of states and band structures were studied to investigate the electronic behavior of NH3 and NO2 molecules adsorbed on undoped and Sn-doped ZnO (101) surfaces

Practising chaordic beauty: On embracing strangers in one inner city faith community

In this article I read one inner city faith community – the Tshwane Leadership Foundation (TLF) – through the lenses of literature that reflects on chaordic organisations and chaordic leadership. I explore whether an emphasis on the management of diversity, which is widespread in organisational and ecclesial practices and languages, should not be replaced with a spirituality of vulnerable embrace, as I discover it in this specific faith community. It is a spirituality that combines an invitation and radical embrace of diversity, and a dance with chaos, with a posture of vulnerability and a vision of justice. I bring the reflections of community members in TLF on difference and diversity in their organisation, in conversation with scholars contemplating chaordic organisations and chaordic leadership. I then wonder whether their emphasis on embrace instead of management does not open up the possibility of retrieving and affirming the hidden beauties and potentialities mediated by diversity, which is, I suggest, to practise ‘chaordic beauty’.http://www.hts.org.zaam2017Centre for Contextual MinistryPractical Theolog

A dangerous pedagogy of discomfort: Redressing racism in theology education

This article aims to illustrate how racism could be addressed. Three pedagogies – a dangerous pedagogy as courageous dialogue, a pedagogy of discomfort and a critical pedagogy – are presented as examples to reframe the issue of racism. The contribution of James Cone is applied as a broad descriptive theoretical framework. Cone’s views in this article resonate with the history of contemporary racism in South Africa and will therefore be juxtaposed by the contribution of South African theologians. A fourth pedagogy, namely, a pedagogy of freedom and healing, is introduced to address gaps in the first three pedagogies. The objective is to realise freedom or healing between people of different races