The African Union and the Destiny of Africahood: The Southern Africa Development Community and Neo-colonial Challenges to Pan-Africanism

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"Every small action helps towards the greater cause" : online communities scaling up online community-led citizen science in addressing litter challenges in Scotland

Social media is now a new means of engagement and a catalyst for citizen science; still, less attention has been paid to understanding the influence of online communities on community-led citizen science projects. This study used the Fife Street Champions public Facebook group as a case study to explore how online community-led citizen science projects generate citizen science data to understand littering challenges in Scotland and to examine the impact of the group’s activities and the challenges they face. Data driven-content analysis was used to analyse Facebook user-generated data of 337 posts with comments and images to identify key themes that emerge in the data. Results indicate that group members develop their own data collection tools, share, analyse and present their litter-picking activities to understand the magnitude of littering and the impact of their litter-picking activities. However, the findings highlight inconsistencies in how group members collect and record data from their litter-picking activities. The group also provides informational support, environmental awareness and advocacy, and environmental citizenship. Members also share concerns about eco-anxiety. Lastly, safety and health concerns, COVID-19, and seagulls are challenges experienced by online-based litter pickers. The results contribute to our understanding of the opportunity that social media platforms can provide to build more robust online community-driven citizen science projects that can inform further research. Key stakeholders need to collaborate with such communities to improve on collecting scientifically meaningful data.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Waste governance and campus sustainability : formal and informal waste systems at football tailgates in Michigan

Funding: The project received funding from Michigan State University's Gender Justice and Environmental Change (GJEC) Dissertation Research Fellowship.Purpose Football tailgating is a focus of campus sustainability in the United States because it produces large amounts of waste. In states where recyclables can be redeemed for cash, this waste also is a resource for earning income. University officials face the challenge of encouraging proper waste disposal, cleaning up efficiently and coexisting productively with income-earning recyclers. This paper aims to understand how bridging formal and informal actors can yield improved campus waste management outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Using the institutional analysis and development framework this study combines observational data throughout one football season with semi-structured interviews with informal recyclers, tailgaters and campus officials. Data are analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings The case displays interaction between formal and informal waste management actors and between formal and informal rules of interaction. Campus officials have largely succeeded in encouraging proper waste management by tailgaters, who in turn loosely coordinate with income-earning recyclers under unwritten rules. Officials tolerate recyclers, but waste management could be improved with better communication and coordination and more trust between them. Many recyclers conduct their work with a sense of environmental stewardship that could support waste management efforts. Originality/value Uncoordinated coexistence between formal and informal waste management systems is common in the global South. With few studies in the global North, this is the first the authors know of in a campus sustainability context.PostprintPeer reviewe

Population genetic diversity of Fasciola spp. from Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa.

Master of Science in Genetics. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2017.Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica have been identified as the species causing fascioliasis in ruminants and humans with intermediate species being reported as well. Studies have shown an economic loss in excess of three billion United States dollars annually in the livestock sector due to infection by fasciolids. With the increase in importance of the disease, taxonomic classification and genetic characterization of Fasciola spp. is essential. Molecular markers have shown utility in both identification of species and elucidating phylogenetic patterns. Recent studies have shown utility of mitochondrial markers in elucidating genetic relationships and diversity due to their high variability and rapid analysis. The current study was aimed at elucidating the evolutionary relationships and genetic diversity of Fasciola isolates from the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Mpumalanga provinces in South Africa through analysis of the CO1 mitochondrial sequences. Fifty-five flukes were collected from abattoirs in the KZN and Mpumalanga provinces and DNA was extracted using the Phenol/Chloroform method. PCR amplification using the CO1 primers was performed with amplicons being sequenced at the Central Analytical Facilities of Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Resulting sequences were subjected to phylogenetic and diversity analysis. The study sequences were comparatively analysed with Genbank sequences from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Niger, Egypt and China; with Schistosoma japonicum as an outgroup. Phylogenetic analysis showed that F. hepatica was present in all localities studied whilst F. gigantica was identified only in the Mpumalanga province. A 100% prevalence of F. hepatica was observed in KwaZulu-Natal and the high-veld region of Mpumalanga (21 and 17 isolates respectively). Thirteen (76%) of the seventeen flukes collected from the Belfast region of Mpumalanga were identified as F. hepatica while four isolates were identified as F. gigantica. A total of twenty-two haplotypes were identified with eighteen novel haplotypes being unique to the isolates from South Africa. Two novel F. gigantica haplotypes were identified with none of the study isolates sharing haplotypes with the Genbank isolates from China, Niger and Zimbabwe. Sixteen novel F. hepatica haplotypes were identified and one haplotype was shared between the experimental flukes and the Genbank isolates from China and Niger. Within the study samples, a number of haplotypes were restricted to a few individuals with a haplotype diversity of 0.89 indicating high diversity. Results from this study adds new knowledge to the genetic diversity of Fasciola species and its distribution in the KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa

The potential and prospects of improved cookstoves (ICS) in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, alternatives to grid electricity are being sought in the light of limited electricity supply and under-performance of major electricity generation plants following the economic meltdown affecting the country since the mid-1990s, triggered by the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP), and more recently due to political instability. Extensive black-outs routinely up to 12 hours per day and even for several days are common in some areas. Consequently, the majority of households continue to rely substantially on wood fuel to meet their basic daily energy needs. Yet the provision of modern energy services and technologies to these households does not seem to be a priority for national energy policy makers. Although improved cookstoves (ICS) are in greater use in rural areas than urban settlements of Zimbabwe, their potential remains largely unexploited. This research aims to highlight the marked potential and current prospects of improved cookstoves in rural and urban communities of Zimbabwe. Ultimately, this research will better inform policy makers, government, academia and the public about cookstove technologies with reduced fuel use, reduced energy costs, and user friendly capacity to improve health in rural and urban communities

The state, land reform, old farmers and new farmers : an assessment of farming in the Shangani area of Zimbabwe.

M.A. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2014.After the lapse of the Fast Track Land Reform Program in Zimbabwe, agricultural production slumped and the slump persisted for a decade. An assortment of factors explaining the slump has been brought forward and the new farming strategies of the new farmers were elaborated in passing. This dissertation identified and assessed the farming strategies and practices employed by the new farmers at De Beers Shangani ranch after the Fast Track Land Reform program of 2000. It discussed the land reform process in Shangani and specifically its outcomes mainly on agricultural production. It examined the impact of the socio-political environment in Shangani and explored how the socio-political environment has influenced the choice of strategies hence affecting the farmers‟ production. Guided by the Agricultural Sustainability and Political Ecology conceptual frameworks it assessed how sustainable these strategies were in relation with the soil types, climatic conditions and socio-political milieu in Shangani. In addition, state-farmers relations were explored to ascertain how the relationship has affected agricultural production of the new farmers. In-depth interviews were conducted to a sample population of 20 participants who were purposively selected basing on their knowledge and expertise on farming systems employed by the new farmers at Debshan. Conclusions drawn from this dissertation reveal that some strategies adopted by the well-off farmers have managed to increase production while some strategies adopted by the impoverished and financially struggling farmers have resulted to low production. It concludes that farming strategies employed by the new farmers at Debshan have an impact on the agricultural production of the farmers. The state-farmer relations have also affected agricultural production negatively and led to low utilization of land hence low production

Iodine deficiency: a nutritional crisis or a matter of speculation? : the perfect discourse

During pregnancy, an increase in dietary iodine intake arises due to physiologic adaptation, a phenomenon that is characterised by complex effects that increase metabolic demands and incite hormonal changes. The presence of iodine deficiency (ID) during critical stages of gestation is associated with neurodevelopmental deficits and poses as a risk factor to the development of postpartum depression that can disrupt early mother-infant interaction. A pertinent question is at what stage of pregnancy should pregnant women be advised to take iodine-containing supplements. The narrative review aims to evaluate the recommended level of iodine supply of childbearing age, pregnant and lactating women in relation to foetal brain development and pursues to demonstrate the nutraceutical properties of seaweed as a complimentary supplement for maintaining iodine sufficiency. To achieve this, PICO was used for synthesising foreground research questions, and this was followed up by an electronic search of published data in Embase. As part of the search strategy the exclusion and inclusion criteria for eligible articles took place in Embase. To increase the variation in resources PubMed, Google Scholar, Annual Reviews and Semanticscholar were utilised. Results indicate that the dietary iodine recommendations for pregnant and lactating women are ambiguous, as they fluctuate between 150-300 μg/d and interestingly, the reference urinary iodine concentration (UIC) value of 150 µg/L is not based on direct experimental evidence; this amount is simply the best estimate for ensuring optimal iodine intake. Further observations revealed that children exposed to severe ID are liable to a 12.45 IQ points loss using the Binet or Raven Scales compared to those in iodine sufficient areas (UIC >100 µg/g UI/Cr), were the use of iodine supplementation prior to and during pregnancy could result in an 8.7 IQ point recovery. Relatedly, seaweed supplementation markedly increased urinary iodine excretion from ~266µg/d (SD:155.8) in the control group to ~567µg/d (SD:177.8, p<0.01) post consumption. Importantly these results confirm the bioavailability of iodine in seaweed. Notably, cytoarchitectural development is not exclusive to in utero and exposure to postpartum ID is associated with behavioural disorders (ADHD), learning difficulties and subtle decrements in working memory and auditory processing speed. Overall, a glut of complexities governing ID, emerging themes (dietary trends, metabolic syndrome, psycho-nutrition) and brief encounters (seaweed toxicity, processing and cooking methods) are discussed. In closing, a possible long-term indicator of iodine status is evaluated alongside the novel use of iodised food biofortification to tackle emerging micronutrient deficiencies

The viability of small to medium enterprises in the private security industry in Durban.

Master of Business Administration. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville 2015.Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are pivotal in employment creation, poverty alleviation, wealth re-distribution and contribution towards the gross domestic product. SMEs in South Africa constitute 91% of all formal businesses, providing 60% employment and contributing 34% to the gross domestic product. Studies conducted reveal that 80% of SMEs in South Africa fail to survive beyond 42 months. Various factors have been identified as contributing to this high failure rate. This research examines factors that affect the viability of Private Security SMEs in Durban, South Africa, with the view of establishing the homogeneity of these viability factors across different industry sectors in South Africa and the pecking order thereof. In conducting this research, quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in data collection. Self-administered questionnaires with some open ended questions were used to collect primary data while interviews were conducted with a selected sample to gather data on perceptions of the regulatory authorities and customers. The research established three approaches to the factors influencing SME success, namely the customer perspective, the business owner perspective and the regulatory institutions’ perspective. Customers and regulators alluded to internal factors such as lack of financial management competencies and lack of infrastructure as key to this high failure rate, whereas the SME business owners identified mostly external factors such as access to finance and regulatory compliance as pushing them out of business. The study generally concluded that SMEs in the private security industry needed to focus mainly on internal factors like improving management competencies and infrastructure that will necessitate execution of a security mandate. Notably no participants had studied beyond a post matric diploma or had acquired a first degree. Other external factors such as the effects of globalisation and technology were found to have minimal influence on the viability of SMEs in the private security industry. The research concluded by making recommendations that could mitigate on the viability factors that affect SMEs in the private security industry

Iodine deficiency: a nutritional crisis or a matter of speculation? : the perfect discourse

During pregnancy, an increase in dietary iodine intake arises due to physiologic adaptation, a phenomenon that is characterised by complex effects that increase metabolic demands and incite hormonal changes. The presence of iodine deficiency (ID) during critical stages of gestation is associated with neurodevelopmental deficits and poses as a risk factor to the development of postpartum depression that can disrupt early mother-infant interaction. A pertinent question is at what stage of pregnancy should pregnant women be advised to take iodine-containing supplements. The narrative review aims to evaluate the recommended level of iodine supply of childbearing age, pregnant and lactating women in relation to foetal brain development and pursues to demonstrate the nutraceutical properties of seaweed as a complimentary supplement for maintaining iodine sufficiency. To achieve this, PICO was used for synthesising foreground research questions, and this was followed up by an electronic search of published data in Embase. As part of the search strategy the exclusion and inclusion criteria for eligible articles took place in Embase. To increase the variation in resources PubMed, Google Scholar, Annual Reviews and Semanticscholar were utilised. Results indicate that the dietary iodine recommendations for pregnant and lactating women are ambiguous, as they fluctuate between 150-300 μg/d and interestingly, the reference urinary iodine concentration (UIC) value of 150 µg/L is not based on direct experimental evidence; this amount is simply the best estimate for ensuring optimal iodine intake. Further observations revealed that children exposed to severe ID are liable to a 12.45 IQ points loss using the Binet or Raven Scales compared to those in iodine sufficient areas (UIC >100 µg/g UI/Cr), were the use of iodine supplementation prior to and during pregnancy could result in an 8.7 IQ point recovery. Relatedly, seaweed supplementation markedly increased urinary iodine excretion from ~266µg/d (SD:155.8) in the control group to ~567µg/d (SD:177.8, p<0.01) post consumption. Importantly these results confirm the bioavailability of iodine in seaweed. Notably, cytoarchitectural development is not exclusive to in utero and exposure to postpartum ID is associated with behavioural disorders (ADHD), learning difficulties and subtle decrements in working memory and auditory processing speed. Overall, a glut of complexities governing ID, emerging themes (dietary trends, metabolic syndrome, psycho-nutrition) and brief encounters (seaweed toxicity, processing and cooking methods) are discussed. In closing, a possible long-term indicator of iodine status is evaluated alongside the novel use of iodised food biofortification to tackle emerging micronutrient deficiencies

Technology and maritime security in Africa : opportunities and challenges in Gulf of Guinea

This research was supported by funding from the St Andrews Research Internship Scheme (StARIS).Maritime security threats undermine safety and security at sea and, in turn, coastal states’ efforts to harness the resources in their maritime domain. This assertion is true for coastal states and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on the African continent, where limited maritime enforcement capabilities have increased security threats at sea, such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, piracy and armed robbery at sea, toxic waste dumping and other illicit activities. African navies and their foreign partners are taking advantage of the opportunities that technology provides to improve safety and security. Technology has led to the identification of criminals at sea, their capture and prosecution, making it crucial in enhancing maritime security. As such, the merits of its use for maritime security are undeniable. However, using technology comes with challenges that need to be considered. With this in mind, our research makes an original contribution by exploring the opportunities for using technology to advance maritime safety and security in Africa, successes and challenges with an emphasis on the Gulf of Guinea region. Drawing from questionnaire data from maritime law enforcement personnel, agencies supporting the implementation of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct (2013), and a review of relevant literature and policy documents, we contend that technology has significantly improved maritime domain awareness and the effective implementation of maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea. However, addressing existing limitations and enhancing human capacity is imperative to sustain this progress.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe