Measuring the Sustainability of the African Institutional Repository: A selective case study

Conferencia realizado del 12 al 14 de setiembre en Lima, Peru del 2012 en el marco del 15º Simposio Internacional de Tesis y Disertaciones Electrónicas (ETD 2012). Evento aupiciado por la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) y la Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC).The advent of open access, digitised institutional repositories (IR) changed the way that research at universities and research institutions are stored, archived, accessed and generally managed. Statistics shows that only 3% of IRs in the world is situated in Africa. Most of these are found in institutions in Southern Africa. Nyambi (2011), Anbu (2008) and other authors report that there are more IRs in Africa, but lament that most are not accessible in open access. Research (Van Deventer & Pienaar, 2008; Rieger, 2011; Wells, 2009) and others, shows that effective information- and knowledge management, and an awareness of the value of open access to digital research information are pre-requisites for effective and sustainable IRs operations. Successful planning and implementation of an IR do not guarantee sustainability over time. This paper explores possible indicators of sustainability for IRs who are facing the well documented challenges experienced in African IRs

Vyf en sewentig jaar Kerkreg binne die Fakulteit Teologie vanweë die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika

Seventy-five years of Church Law in the Faculty of Theology of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van AfrikaChurch Law has been taught for seventy-five years in the Faculty of Theology of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika. This task has been done by two ministersof the Church, professors S P Engelbrecht (1921- 1956) and A D Pont (1957-1992). To determine the standard of work done, their publications are judged by comparison with the church law of the Reformation, as defined by the presbyterial-synodal church concept. The study comes to the conclusion that the work was of a very high standard

A review of ethnobotanical research in southern Africa

The diversity of plant species in southern Africa is matched by an equally rich cultural diversity, but traditional uses of plants have not yet been systematically recorded. Available information is fragmentary and widely dispersed in many different journals and books. A survey by Liengme (1983a) has shown several gaps in the scientific literature and some progress has been made towards a more complete record of indigenous plant use in the region. Information on some ethnic groups, such as the Khoi, Ndebele and Swazi, as well as the interaction between plants and people, folk taxonomies, plant-related mythology, ethnoveterinary medicine and pre-colonial plant use are some of the aspects that still remain poorly recorded. In contrast, ethnopharmacology — particularly the testing of biological activity of crude extracts and isolated compounds — has received considerable attention in recent years. The aim of these studies is usually to validate traditional uses rather than to provide information for product development. A review of the literature on various categories of plant use, including recent publications and some hitherto unpublished research, is presented. Ethnobotany remains an underdeveloped discipline in southern Africa and there is an urgent need to systematically document indigenous knowledge on traditional plant use before it becomes irretrievably lost to future generations

The Design And Implementation Of A Strategic Plan In Primary Schools

Many policies, strategies and plans have been introduced in South African schools so as to acquire quality education. A strategic plan, as a mechanism of putting schools on a pathway of development and effectiveness over a period of time, is one of these initiatives. Its introduction is based on a number of reasons inter-alia - the shift to school self-management, the introduction of Norms and Standards, and the introduction of School Governing Bodies (SGBs). A school’s strategic plan is the physical document that embodies the guiding orientation regarding how to manage the school within a larger national and local development perspective. Such a plan can lead to school effectiveness, improvement and development strategies, but not all plans obtain this status because of design efficiencies. A qualitative investigation was done in two primary schools in the Mahikeng Area Office (AO) of the North-West Province in South Africa. Document analysis, in-depth interviews with two principals and two SGB chairpersons, as well as a focus group interview with eight teachers from participating schools, were used to collect data on how primary schools in question design and implement their strategic plans. The investigation seems to suggest that, while an individual school community may craft a strategic plan in its own way, there are common aspects that underpin the entire process. Amongst others, technical knowledge and skill for its execution are necessary. Some policies emphasise the importance of a strategic plan and serve as an integrated implementation framework for its execution. It is concluded that a strategic plan is designed and implemented under three main elements: 1) strategic analysis, which is made up of stakeholder involvement; 2) strategic choices made up of direction-setting, priority determinations, mission, and vision; and 3) strategy in action, which refers to the process of translating the plan into action

A new species of Lotononis section Oxydium (Fabaceae, Crotalarieae)

AbstractA new species, Lotononis macroloba B-E. Van Wyk and H. Kolberg, is described. It is similar to L. rabenaviana Dinter and Harms but differs in its greatly expanded sepals, larger leaves with short petioles, differently shaped petals and the silky rather than strigillose vestiture. The new species appears to be endemic to north-western Namibia, while the putative relatives, L. rabenaviana and L. sparsiflora (E. Mey.) B-E. Van Wyk, are restricted to the southern parts of Namibia and the adjoining dry western region of South Africa

"What does the university have to do with it?”: Perceptions of rape culture on campus and the role of university authorities

In April 2016, the #Endrapeculture protests spread across South African university campuses. These protests raised awareness of university policies regarding rape and sexual assault cases on campus. The protesters accused the university management of perpetuating a rape culture through policies which reinforced victim-blaming and protected perpetrators of sexual assault. Through the use of hashtag campaigns and public demonstrations, the movement quickly gained momentum across social and mainstream media. This momentum served to put pressure on university administrations to be accountable for cases of sexual assault on campuses. Movements calling out universities for perpetuating a rape culture are not unique to South Africa; as similar movements have been initiated at other university campuses across the globe. This article examines the rape culture discourse that emerged on Facebook following the #Endrapeculture protests. Specifically, we look at how people perceived rape culture and the role of university management in handling sexual assault. Naturalistic observation was used on comments from public posts and articles from Facebook relating to the 2016 #Endrapeculture protest. These comments were subjected to qualitative content analysis. Two main themes are discussed in this article: Rape/Rape Culture and The Role of Universities and Law Enforcement. Many commenters indicated that cases of rape and sexual assault should be addressed by law enforcement and should not be handled by university management. We argue that rape culture education should be formalised in South Africa

Of Remedies and Poisons: Recreational Use of Antiretroviral Drugs in the Social Imagination of South African Carers

During an ethnographic study of barriers to, and compliance with, antiretroviral (ARV) treatment in the South Africa’s West Coast region, our team came across a general sense amongst heath care providers that there was a lively illicit trade in antiretroviral medications. In itself, this is seen to be a barrier to adherence for many of their patients whose medication is traded to, or stolen by, drug dealers. Independent anecdotal evidence is emerging about this trade, though there has been little hard data verifying the existence of a recreational market for ARVs. While there are rumours that Efavirenz (some of whose side effects are hallucinogenic) is being used in the manufacture of crystal methamphetamine (locally ‘tik’), such reports, in themselves, do not seem able to explain the ubiquity (and the confidence) of the belief in this trade amongst the health care providers with whom we have interacted. This paper explores aspects of the off-label trade of ARVs (as we have come to know it) and, as importantly, how rumor and knowledge of this trade has gained increasing currency in the social imagination of health and social care workers. This, we argue, could precipitate a real crisis in the Government’s public rollout programme.Keywords: Social Imagination, South Africa, antiretroviral treatment, Recreational drugs, HIV/AID

Kyrgyzian Umbelliferae as part of a critical revision of the Asian representatives of the family

In Kyrgyzstan 193 species of the Umbelliferae, representing 65 genera, have been recorded. A list of Kyrgyzian Umbelliferae is presented. There are no endemic Umbelliferae genera. The number of endemic species is 27, belonging to 11 genera. The concentration of species and genera is presented according to the three floristic provinces and 15 floristic districts of Kyrgyzstan. Biomorphic groups of species and their distributional patterns are presented