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Welcome to the University of Venda Institutional Repository, an open digital archive of the research output of the University of Venda. Univen IR contains theses and dissertations, research papers as well as conference papers. For further information and assistance please contact Mr Keith Malabi at +27 15 9628564 or +27 15 962 8314 during office hours

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The impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on teaching and learning: a case of secondary schools in Lulekani Circuit, Mopani District, Limpopo Province

(2024-09-06) Mavunda, Stefani Steven; Mafenya, N. P.; Sikhwari, M. G.

The advent of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was unexpected the world over. On the 11th of March 2020, the World Health Organizations (WHO) declared the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic (World Health Organization (WHO), 2019). COVID-19 first emerged in the Chinese Province of Wuhun in December 2019. The advent of COVID-19 was followed by stringent measures on attempts to curb the spread of the virus, among them was the lockdown measures. There were also various health responses on attempts to fight COVID-19, with various countries around the world implementing several Public Health and Social Measures (PHSM), which included movement restrictions, closure of schools and businesses and international travel restrictions (Spaull & Van der Berg, 2020). From 27 March 2020, South Africa was compelled into a national lockdown following all the business, private and public institutions being closed (Schleicher, 2020). Primary and secondary schools were the first to be closed on 18 March 2020 in an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19. The current study is set to examine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on teaching and learning at two selected secondary schools in Lulekani Circuit, Mopani District in Limpopo Province. A qualitative case study research design will be adopted for this study, where the interview guide will be used to collect the data through interviews. The study participants who will be purposefully sampled will include School Management Team members (SMT) – principals or deputy principals, Heads of Department (HoD), educators and learners of these selected two Secondary Schools. The data collected will be analysed using thematic analysis where text will be analysed and coded into themes. The findings on the perceived implications of COVID-19 on education will be presented as results. Recommendations and suggestions will be provided based on the findings. Recommendations will be provided to assist the Heads of Schools, the Department of Basic Education, and other relevant departments on how situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic could be dealt with in the future.

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Strategies for promoting effective financial management practices in public schools: a case of Ehlanzeni District Mpumalanga Province

(2024-09-06) Madalane, Kgothatso; Munzhelele, N. F.; Katekwe, G.

Effective financial management practices are crucial for public schools to operate efficiently and achieve educational goals. However, many public schools in South Africa, particularly in rural areas, struggle with financial management due to limited resources and expertise. The aimed at identifying and evaluating strategies for promoting effective financial management practices in public schools in the Ehlanzeni district of Mpumalanga province. The study adopted a qualitative approach within the interpretative paradigm guidelines. A semi-structured interview was conducted with school principals, and questionnaires were administered to financial officers and SGB members to collect data. A purposive sampling method was used to select a sample of 30 participants from 10 public schools in the Ehlanzeni district. The study revealed challenges such as parental disengagement, skill gaps among school governing body members, lack of exposure to training, and limited fundraising in public schools within the Ehlanzeni District, Mpumalanga. Parental disengagement has caused a lack of oversight and accountability in public schools, leading to poor financial decisions and poor management of finances as a result. In response to these challenges, the study identifies a set of strategies aimed at promoting effective financial management practices. These include parental involvement strategies, training initiatives tailored to local needs, technology integration, community engagement events, financial literacy programmes, capacity building, regular internal audits, collaborative partnerships, and transparent reporting systems. These strategies are designed to enhance transparency, accountability, and financial literacy among stakeholders, thereby improving financial decision-making and management practices in public schools. By addressing these challenges and proposing actionable solutions, this research contributes to the body of knowledge on public school financial management in South Africa. It offers practical insights that can benefit public schools in the Ehlanzeni district of Mpumalanga province and serve as a model for improving financial management in similar contexts nationwide

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Genetic divesity of Human Herpesvirus Type 8 in Northern South Africa

(2024-09-06) Raphalalani, Mulalo; Bessong, Pascal Obong; Mavhandu-Ramarumo, Lufuno Grace

Background: Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8), is an oncogenic virus responsible for causing all forms of Kaposi`s sarcoma (KS). HHV-8 prevalence varies globally, however, it is more prevalent in African countries, with South Africa having over 50% of HHV-8 infections. HHV-8 encodes a highly diverse open reading frame (ORF) K1 gene, which has led to the identification of seven major genotypes (A-F and Z) that are heterogeneously distributed across the world. The viral genetic landscape of any geographical area is of paramount importance in vaccine development and diagnostics. However, data on HHV-8 genotypes is scarce in northern South Africa. Therefore, this study will provide genetic diversity of HHV-8 in northern South Africa, and this may aid in the selection of genes for vaccine development. Objective: The main objective of the study was to describe the genetic diversity of human herpesvirus type 8 in northern South Africa. Methodology: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from 115 archived mouthwash samples collected from five healthcare facilities in northern South Africa. The partial open reading frame (ORF) K1 gene (~840bp) was amplified in a two round conventional PCR using JumpStart REDTaq master mix. The band of interest was extracted by phenol-freeze protocol and enriched using conventional PCR. Enriched amplicons were purified and sequenced in an Illumina MiniSeq platform. K1 genotypes were inferred using an online BioAfrica HHV-8 subtyping tool and confirmed by computing a phylogenetic tree. Intra-genetic diversity among HHV-8 genotypes was described by aligning study sequences with their respective prototype strains. Synonymous and nonsynonymous mutation rates were computed by the online SNAP tool. Results: K1 gene was successfully amplified in 61.7% (71/115) samples, along with unspecified DNA bands. The band of interest was successfully recovered in 67 amplicons (94.4%). Sixty-five gel extracted products (65/67; 97%) were successfully enriched and purified using magnetic beads. Of the 65 purified samples, 63 were sequenced using Illumina MiniSeq platform. Thirty-seven sequences had an acceptable nucleotide base call. The prevalence of HHV-8 in the study sequences was 94% (35/37) and majority of the sequences (24/35;68%) had sequence reads that span partial or complete K1 gene. Two major genotypes were detected (A and B); genotype B (19/24;79%) had a higher prevalence than genotype A (5/24; 21%). All sequences which grouped with genotype A were further classified as subtype A5. Interestingly, all sequences that were classified as genotype B did not cluster to any of the B subtypes. A higher genetic drift was observed among the study sequences reaching up to 33.7% at the amino acid level. Genotypes A and B exhibited 16.67% and 7.41% intra-genetic diversity at the amino acid level, respectively. Several amino acid polymorphisms were observed at the ITAM region of genotype A sequences (OUHC 013 and ODF 029), while the ITAM region of the B sequence was conserved. Conclusion: In this study, a predominance of HHV-8 genotype B was observed in northern South Africa. Additionally, there was a high degree of evolutionary divergence among the studied sequences. A higher frequency of nonsynonymous mutations was detected at the ITAM region of A5 sequences and these mutations may potentially affect the functionality of ITAM.

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Attributes of Ideal Grassroots Community Leaders for Sustainable Rural Development: The Case of Ward Committees in Vhembe District Municipality of South Africa

(2024-09-06) Nemathithi, Awelani Jeannette; Francis, J.; Kone, L. R.; Lavhelani, N. P.

Most municipalities in South Africa have been struggling to put in place functioning Ward Committees across the country. It is crucial to have an effective Ward Committee that can facilitate processes that lead to the improved well-being of the residents of the local community. The study explored the attributes of ideal grassroots community leaders for sustainable development, focusing on the case of ward committees in Ha-Mashau area. The specific objectives were to determine the community-preferred qualities of persons eligible to serve in ward committees and to determine whether age and gender of community members influence their perceptions. An exploratory sequential mixed method design was adopted for this study. Purposive sampling and stratified random sampling were applied to draw a sample of 57 and 120 participants from the residents of Ha-Mashau community for Phase 1 and Phase 2 respectively. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and a Likert-type scale questionnaire were used to collect data. Thematic content analysis, Descriptive statistics, Man Whitney & Kruskal Wallis tests from (SPSS) were run for analysis. The findings revealed several crucial attributes of ideal grassroots community leaders, including strong communication skills, a genuine commitment to community development, a strong personality, fair educational background, and accessibility to the community. Age influenced community members' perceptions of the need (1) to consider women for ward committee membership, (2) for aspiring leaders to be empathic, and (3) for leaders to show love and respect for the people. Furthermore, adult community members prefer ward committee members who are “dedicated to community development work” than their youthful counterparts. These findings contribute to the existing literature on grassroots leadership and offer practical insights for policymakers, development practitioners and community members aiming to foster sustainable development in similar contexts. It is recommended that policymakers and practitioners consider the importance of the identified attributes and their contribution to sustainable development when implementing programs aiming to enhance leadership capacity. Keywords

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Environmental Impacts of Tin Mine Waste: A Case Study of the Zaaiplaats Tin Mine, Limpopo Province, South Africa

(2024-09-06) Nemadodzi, Matodzi Bridget; Mundalamo, H. R.; Ogola, J. S.

This research focused on the potential impacts of the Zaaiplaats tin mine waste on the environment and on human health. It investigated the heavy metals and their distribution pattern at the Zaaiplaats tin mine. Heavy metals were investigated in the tailings, water and plants found at the mine. A radiation survey was also conducted to check for the possibility of potential radionuclides induced by the mine. Fieldwork involved collection of tailings within the old river channel, Heap A, B and C. A total of 65 samples were collected, 15 of them, across the river profile, while 6, 24 and 20 were collected from Heap A, B and C respectively. Samples were prepared and analysed at the Mining and Environmental Geology laboratory at the University of Venda using X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry. The maximum values were 2842.4 ppm, 885.1 ppm, and 740.7 ppm for lead from Heap B followed by copper, and zinc from the river channel respectively. The distribution pattern of some metals like lead, zinc and copper were increasing with depth. The highest Pi (Environmental quality index of the pollutant) was registered by Pb followed by Cu and As and the values are 47.11, 29.95 and 26.89 respectively. Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Th and U had shown a higher degree of pollution which is presented by Pi values of 3 and above in all the different sampling locations of the tailings. The total water samples collected were depending on the availability. Therefore, only 3 water samples were obtained by use of 250 ml bottles. Water samples were prepared and analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. There are no values for metals such as Cr, Ni and Co in water samples collected at Zaaiplaats tin mine. However, the maximum values of Pb and Cu metals were 0.67 ppm and 0.59 ppm respectively which is higher as compared to the South African water quality guidelines and it is thus polluted. A plant commonly known as horsetail (Equisetum ramosissimum) was collected during dry and wet season for comparison purposes. A total of 9 plant samples were collected, prepared and analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Bioaccumulation factor of these plant samples were higher during the dry season and lower during the wet season. The trend in the BAF for heavy metals during dry season are in the ranking order of Cr > Cu > Pb > Co. The trend in the BAF for heavy metals during wet season are in the ranking order of Co > Cu > Pb > Cr. Cr was transferred effectively in dry season while cobalt was transferred effectively in wet season. Cr and Cu metals were absorbed and accumulated during dry season as opposed to wet season wherein Co was absorbed and accumulated in wet season than in dry season. BAF and TF values were lower in both dry and wet season. The horsetail plant is a hyper-accumulator of these metals and can be used for their clean up as a remediation strategy paired with other remediation measures. Radiation dose rate and dose surveying was also conducted by means of a portable radiation survey meter DP802i-RAYTECH Radiation Detector. Radiation dose is increasing from a higher elevation which is the first surveying point along the river channel to low elevation. Radiation dose rate is inconsistent and does not have a general trend. The radiation dose rate mean, minimum, maximum values in microsievent per year (mSv/y) were 4.03 mSv/y, 0.96 mSv/y, and 11.65 mSv/y respectively. The maximum value of radiation dose rate was slightly higher compared to UNSCEAR background radiation of 2.4 mSv/y to 10 mSv/y. However, Zaaiplaats tin mine tailings are of no immediate concern since there are some areas that have had a radiation dose rate of 10 times higher than that of UNSCEAR and no deleterious health effects were associated with this elevated radiation exposure.