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 A review of the literature on various categories of plant use, including recent publications and some hitherto unpublished research, is presented.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

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

Genetic parameters for ewe reproduction with objectively measured wool traits in Elsenburg Merino flock

Reproduction is important for sustainable lamb production in Merino sheep. Data from a Merino flock maintained at Elsenburg Research Farm in the Western Cape, South Africa, were used to investigate the genetic parameters for ewe reproduction traits and their relationship with objectively measured wool traits. Traits included number of lambs born during the first lambing opportunity (NLB1), number of lambs weaned during the first lambing opportunity (NLW1), total weight of lamb weaned during the first lambing opportunity (TWW1), number of lambs born during a ewe’s lifetime (NLB3), number of lambs weaned during a ewe’s lifetime (NLW3), and total weight weaned per ewe’s reproductive life (TWW3) Fixed effects of selection line, birth type, sex, age of the dam in years, year of birth, and the sex*birth year interaction had significant effects on all bodyweight and objectively measured wool traits. Only year of birth and selection line affected ewe reproduction traits. Heritability estimates amounted to 0.10 ± 0.03 for NLB1, 0.07 ± 0.02 for NLW1, 0.10 ± 0.04 for TWW1, 0.25 ± 0.04 for NLB3, 0.12 ± 0.03 for NLW3, and 0.18 ± 0.04 for TWW3. Wool traits were moderately heritable at 0.28 ± 0.05 (staple strength) to 0.60 ± 0.03 (clean yield (CY)) and coefficient of variation of fibre diameter (CVFD). Relationships among ewe reproduction traits were high, ranging from 0.74 between TWW1 and NLB3 to 1.00 between NLW1 and TWW1. The genetic relationships of ewe reproduction traits with wool weights and staple length were positive. Fibre diameter (FD) and CY were unfavourably related to ewe reproduction traits. It seems possible to improve ewe reproduction when selecting on NLB, NLW, and TWW in Merino sheep without unwanted correlated response to selection in wool traits, with the exception of FD and CY.Keywords: Bodyweight, heritability, relationship

Ethnobotanical plant uses in the KwaNibela Peninsula, St Lucia, South Africa

Abstract Ethnobotanical field studies were conducted for the first time in the KwaNibela Peninsula of southern Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal, to document indigenous knowledge about useful plants. The vernacular names and uses of 82 plant species were recorded and compared to published Zulu and Swazi knowledge. Medicines for skin disorders, toothache, wounds, worms, chest and throat ailments, infertility and purgatives are still commonly used. Superstition and divination play a major role in the traditional knowledge system of the people of KwaNibela with 24 plants used for this purpose. Three KwaNibela medicinal plants (Erythroxylum delagoense, Putterlickia verrucosa, and Teclea natalensis) appear to be new records, not previously reported in the general scientific literature. The list also includes 61 novel uses of plants and another 15 new variations on known (published) uses. Ten previously unpublished vernacular names are presented, together with an additional 19 new variants of known names. These new additions to the scientific literature confirm that indigenous knowledge in KwaZulu-Natal is not yet completely recorded

Self-efficacy enhanced in a cross-cultural context through an initiative in under-resourced schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

This paper discusses the Khanyisa Programme, an initiative in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, where learners from under-resourced schools are supported by teachers and high achievers in Grade 11 and 12 from a previously advantaged state school under apartheid. A qualitative, evaluative study was undertaken to identify key elements in the ongoing success of the programme and collect participant suggestions for improvement. The findings, discussed within the framework of self-efficacy theory, identified enormous gains by Khanyisa learners, leading to vastly improved career prospects

Desperate times call for desperate measures: Adapting antiretroviral service delivery in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

On 23 March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a nation-wide lockdown to help curb the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic in South Africa (SA). While these containment measures are considered to have limited the spread of COVID-19 in SA, the economic and social consequences, including the impact on healthcare service delivery, are prominent. Regarding healthcare service delivery, there are concerns about people who could be at risk of experiencing severe COVID-19 infection, and about meeting the needs of people with chronic diseases such as people living with HIV (PLHIV). In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, PLHIV with an unsuppressed viral load may be at increased risk of developing severe COVID-19-related conditions and potentially dying, especially those who are co-infected with tuberculosis (TB)

Adherence to isoniazid preventive therapy among child contacts in Rwanda: A mixed-methods study

The World Health Organization recommends isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) for six months for child contacts without tuberculosis (TB), who are exposed to an adult with active TB. The effectiveness of IPT depends on 80% or greater adherence to medication. In the current study, we assessed IPT adherence and explored barriers to and facilitators of adherence among eligible child contacts in Kigali, Rwanda.A mixed method study design was used to prospectively assess adherence to IPT among eligible child contacts and its associated factors through a quantitative, observational cohort study, and to explore barriers to and facilitators of adherence to IPT through a descriptive qualitative study