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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 involvement of school management teams and teachers in managing work-related stress in selected schools, in Soutpansberg North Circuit, in Vhembe District Municipality

(2025-09-05) Muravha, Khathutshelo; Lavhelani, N. P.; Zitha, H. E.

This study was based on the involvement of School Management Teams and teachers in managing work-related stress in selected schools in Soutpansberg North Circuit, in Vhembe District Municipality. The South African Department of Education has been undergoing different challenges which compel an employer to play a dynamic role in improving and preserving the wellbeing of employees. School Management Teams have the responsibility to understand the causes and effects of work-related stress so that they can strategize on how to overcome them. The main aim of the study was to assess the involvement of School Management Teams and teachers in managing work-related stress in selected schools in Soutpansberg North Circuit in Vhembe District Municipality and to propose recommendations to enhance their involvement. A qualitative research approach was used to assess the involvement of School Management Teams and teachers in managing work-related stress. The study adopted a qualitative approach because it is deemed appropriate when collecting and analysing non-numerical data to understand concepts, opinions and experience. Non-probability sampling through purposive sampling was adopted to allow the researcher to focus on in-depth issues essential to the study. The population of this study comprised - School Principals, Heads of Departments (HODs), and senior teachers - of three purposively-selected primary schools in Soutpansberg North Circuit in Vhembe District Municipality. Twelve participants were selected for the study due to their experience and familiarization with the study phenomenon. Self-administered open-ended questionnaires were utilized to allow for unlimited responses and to offer qualitative data, while using thematic analysis on the data. The findings of the study shows that School Management Teams and teachers do not consult the Employee Assistance Practitioners because the former have not experienced challenges that may need such services, while others have no idea of the Employee Assistance Programme. The researcher recommends that senior managers need to initiate sub-branches of the Employee Assistance Practitioners in circuits to ease the programme’s access by all employees in an area.

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In-vitro and in-silico evaluation for phytochemicals and anti-diabetic potentials of Trichodesma zeylanicum ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts

(2025-09-05) Manyuwa, Manase; Tshidino-Vukeya, S. C.; Madala, N. E.; Ramabulana, A. T.

Background: Trichodesma zeylanicum (Burm. f) R.Br. belongs to the Boraginaceae family. It is an annual shrub native to Australia, Africa, and Asia. This plant contains phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties of interest to people with T2DM. The present study was aimed at an in-vitro and in-silico evaluation of phytochemicals and anti-diabetic potentials of ethyl acetate (EA) and ethanol extracts from the leaf, stem, and root of T. zeylanicum. Materials and methods: Trichodesma zeylanicum was collected from Maungani village near the University of Venda. Its leaf, root, and stem were washed, dried in the shade, and ground into powder. Plant part powders were weighed separately and extracted using absolute EA and ethanol. Plant extract filtrates were concentrated using the rotary evaporator. Qualitative biochemical methods, including Thin-layer chromatography (TLC), were used for phytochemical and antioxidant analyses using ascorbic acid, gallic acid, and rutin as standards. The liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-qTOF-MS) technique was used for phytochemical analyses and identifications. In-silico α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) inhibitory potentials of selected identified phytochemicals were screened using the Protein Data Bank available α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and VEGFR2 by molecular docking methods using acarbose and sorafenib as standard inhibitors. Results: Known and unknown phytochemicals in EA extracts of all of T. zeylanicum organs were analysed and identified. In comparison to EA, it was commonly observed that ethanol showed its potential to extract more bioactive chemicals from T. zeylanicum root (59 mg), stem (58 mg) and leaf (67 mg) extracts, as both percentage yields are high. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of EA root, stem and leaf extracts exceeds that of ethanol plant extracts at low to high concentrations, with the EA leaf extract displaying superior radical scavenging activity of up to 70.259±2.029% at 40 μg/mL when compared to ascorbic acid (86.057±0.610%) [p≤0.001] at the same concentration. Although the ethanol radical scavenging activity of root, stem and leaf extracts was extremely low, the leaf extract radical scavenging activity was moderately promising. TPC in ethanol root (11.489±0.545 μg GAE/mg dried extract), stem (10.753±1.116 μg GAE/mg dried extract) and leaf (47.187±2.300 μg GAE/mg dried extract) extracts surpass the EA root (1.604±0.206 μg GAE/mg dried extract, p ≤ 0.001), stem (2.280±0.844 μg GAE/mg dried extract, p ≤ 0.001) and leaf (2.760±0.086 μg GAE/mg dried extract, p ≤ 0.0001) extracts with ethanol leaf extract depicting significantly higher amount of the phenolic content compared to those of ethanol root and stem extracts (p ≤ 0.001). Among the selected compounds docked against two enzyme markers for diabetes and one protein for wound development, ligand 1A (4-[2,6-Dihydroxy-4-(6,7,8-trihydroxy-2-naphthyl) phenoxy]-3-hydroxy-7-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl) naphthalene-1,2-dione) from EA root extract of T. zeylanicum showed the highest binding affinities when docked against α-amylase (-11,0 kcal/mol), α-glucosidase (-10,2 kcal/mol), and VEGFR2 (-9,6 kcal/mol) in comparison with acarbose (positive control) for α-amylase (-7.4 kcal/mol) and α-glucosidase (-7.8 kcal/mol), and sorafenib (positive control) for VEGFR2 (-8.1 kcal/mol) as inhibitors. The molecular networking displayed closely related human pancreatic α-amylases (AMY2A and AMY2B) and intestinal α-glucosidase (GAA) participating in the metabolism of carbohydrates, together with the involved interacting enzymes leading to T2DM, whereas the kinase VEGFR2 is not in association with these enzymes, although playing a role in wound formation from diabetic patients. Multiple sequence alignment data demonstrated the α-amylase, α-glucosidase and VEGFR2 fully conserved regions (Trp, Lys, Val, Pro, Gly, Ala, Gln, and Ser), which can support their role in digesting carbohydrates and wound formation. Conclusion: Findings in this study demonstrated that the EA root extract of T. zeylanicum contains phytochemicals with anti-diabetic potentials associated with wound healing and antioxidants, suggesting that the root of this plant can serve as a source of phytochemicals with antidiabetic and wound healing properties. Cytotoxicity of ethanol and EA extracts from different organs of T. zeylanicum, molecular dynamic simulation (MD) and an in-vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity test are recommended for further research to validate and explore the findings of the molecular docking and safety and efficacy of these plant extracts.

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Efficacy of district development model in coordination of support to land redistribution projects: a case of Makhado Local Municipality, South Africa

(2025-09-05) Maphiri, Khutso; Moffat, Frank; Ingwani, Emmaculate

The efficacy of the District Development Model (DDM) in coordinating support for land reform in South Africa is uncertain. This study sought to examine the efficacy of the DDM in coordinating support for land reform projects in Makhado local municipality, South Africa. Specifically, the study was guided by the following objectives: to outline and describe the institutional arrangement for the provision of support to land reform projects; to identify challenges that prohibited institutional coordination; to evaluate measures provided by the DDM to address inadequate institutional coordination against these challenges; and to recommend suggestions on how the DDM could improve coordination in land reform support. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, including document analysis and key informant interviews with officials from national and provincial Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), Vhembe district, Makhado local municipality and the land reform beneficiaries from Mulelu, Muananzhele and Tshivhazwaulu farm projects. Findings revealed that the DDM had not effectively resolved coordination challenges, as sector departments continued to operate in silos despite its introduction. Furthermore, the absence of clear legislative frameworks defining the role of local governments in land reform, coupled with inadequate financial and human resources, hindered meaningful collaboration. The study underscored that without structural reforms and enhanced accountability mechanisms, the DDM would remain an ineffective tool for intergovernmental coordination in land reform. Key recommendations included establishing structured engagement platforms to foster intergovernmental collaboration; introducing legislative amendments to clearly define and fund local government’s role in land reform; enhancing collaboration between national and provincial DALRRD to prevent siloed operations and strengthen municipal involvement; implementing performance monitoring mechanisms to track commitments and ensure accountability; and integrating land reform initiatives into municipal Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and budgets. Future research should explore strategies to improve collaboration, assess potential legislative reforms, and investigate mechanisms for strengthening intergovernmental coordination.

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Molecular characterization of microbial communities in small-scale biodigesters using whole genome shotgun metagenomic approach

(2025-09-05) Matamela, Tendani; Mathomu, L. M.; Matambo, T.

Increasing attention has been directed towards the role of microbial communities in anaerobic digestion (AD). During AD, microorganisms degrade organic waste, such as animal excrement, through four key phases: hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis, resulting in digestate and biogas production. Advances in metagenomic techniques, surpassing traditional culture-based methods, have enabled a deeper characterization of the microbial populations involved in this process. However, a knowledge gap remains regarding small-scale biodigesters, particularly those in rural areas. This study employs whole-genome shotgun metagenomics integrating data from metagenomic reads, contigs, and metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) can achieve a more comprehensive understanding of microbial taxonomy and functional capabilities in biodigesters. This study investigates the microbial communities in small-scale biodigesters, using taxonomic data from various sources to reveal the functional roles of the microorganisms. The research identified 4 superkingdoms, 115 phyla, 107 classes, 189 orders, 322 families, 738 genera, and 2046 species. Bacteria dominated ranging from 79 to 89%, whereas archaea accounted for 11 to 20% of the community. The eukaryotic microbial’s relative abundance was less than 1%. Both read-based and contig-based classifiers found Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes to be the most abundant bacterial phyla, followed by Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi in cow dung-fed biodigesters. The archaeal community was dominated by Euryarchaeota, with Methanomicrobiales and Methanobacteriales as the predominant orders. Functional analysis reveals that most identified microorganisms contribute indirectly to methanogenesis by playing crucial roles in hydrolysis and acidogenesis through genes involved in the metabolism of organic molecules broken down during the four phases of anaerobic digestion. RAST analysis annotated 11 methanogen-related enzymes and their abundance across different samples. Future research should focus on cultivating and monitoring these identified microbes to determine optimal conditions for maximizing biogas production in laboratory settings, thus advancing environmental bioaugmentation strategies.

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Comprehensive evaluation of cow dung digestate composition for potential soil fertilization: Advanced analytical techniques

(2025-09-05) Phaphana, Fhumulani Edna; Mathomu, L. M.; Madala, N. E.

Cow dung digestate, a nutrient-rich byproduct of anaerobic digestion, offers a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and Goal 13 (Climate Action). This study aims to evaluate the physicochemical composition, nutrient bioavailability, and agronomic potential of CDD (Cow Dung Digestate) in South African agriculture, focusing on its impact on soil fertility, microbial activity, and environmental sustainability. A multi-faceted analytical approach was employed, incorporating pH measurement, gravimetric moisture determination, and UV-VIS spectroscopy for organic matter analysis. Advanced techniques, including FT-IR, ICP-OES, GC-MS, and UHPLC-QTOF-MS, characterized functional groups, elemental composition, volatile organic compounds, and metabolomic profiles. Multivariate data analysis provided a comprehensive assessment of nutrient interactions and biochemical complexity. Results indicate that CDD maintains a moisture content of 45.95%–48.72% and an alkaline pH range of 7.73–8.62, conditions that promote microbial proliferation and nutrient solubilization. Spectroscopic analyses confirm the retention of nitrogenous compounds, humic substances, and bioactive metabolites, contributing to both immediate and long-term soil fertility. Metabolomic profiling highlights the presence of oxaluric acid, proline, and nopaline compounds associated with stress tolerance, nitrogen metabolism, and plant-microbe interactions emphasizing the bio-stimulatory potential of digestate. Structural and elemental analyses reveal strong organic-mineral interactions that enhance soil moisture retention and nutrient stability. Compared to synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, digestates particularly UD, exhibit higher levels of potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Elevated sodium and chromium concentrations in certain digestates necessitate careful application strategies to mitigate salinity and toxicity risks. Additionally, lipid-derived compounds enhance microbial activity, while volatile organic compounds suggest the need for optimized composting strategies to minimize gaseous emissions. This study establishes CDD as a scientifically validated biofertilizer that reduces reliance on synthetic fertilizers while enhancing soil health, microbial diversity, and crop productivity. However, precise application protocols must be developed to balance nutrient delivery with potential ecological risks.