ResearchSpace

ResearchSpace is the institutional repository of the University of KwaZulu-Natal,
unlocking knowledge, empowering impact, and preserving UKZN's research legacy.


ReseachSpace Libguide

Communities in ResearchSpace

Select a community to browse its collections.

Now showing 1 - 5 of 11

Recent Submissions

Three decades of shoreline change investigation over Lake Sibaya, South Africa, using Landsat imagery and geospatial methods.
(2024) Kemp, Fallon Kagney.; Xulu, Sifiso.
Lake Sibaya has experienced a significant decline in shoreline changes over the past three decades, in part, due to land use/cover (LU/LC) changes and drier climate conditions. In response, this study examined shoreline changes of Lake Sibaya between 1986 and 2020, LU/LC changes surrounding it, and climate variability using Landsat data series, the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) geospatial modelling approaches, and climate data. DSAS provides the unique ability to compute the rate of change statistics using a suite of metrics, but in this thesis, only two variables were used (Net Shoreline Movement (NSM) and End Point Rate (EPR)) to understand shoreline dynamics and predict the future shoreline position over the next decade. The Landsat analysis showed a reduction in Lake Sibaya’s surface area from 70.7 km2 in 1986 to 49.5 km2 in 2020, while the DSAS analysis showed that the changes occurred at a NSM of −1338 m and an EPR average of ±6 m/year. Clear, conspicuous retracted changes were observed near the planted forests of Mbazwana between the southeastern/western basins and Manzengwenya in the northeastern region of the northern arm. Shoreline projections for the future showed the lake would continue to shrink from 49.5 km2 in 2020 to 39.1 km2 by 2030. Field observations and photographs validated DSAS results of declining shoreline changes in the lake and further in the vulnerable edges. Regarding the LU/LC, the results showed an expansion of forest plantations from 155.2 km2 in 1986 to 248.3 km2 in 2020, while water bodies decreased considerably, as indicated above, with a clear increase of barren land from 129.3 to 210.5 km2 over the 34 years, mostly the accumulation of sandbars in areas previously occupied by the lakes’ water. The study established a link between the lake’s surface changes and drier climate conditions during the extreme El Niño phases. During El Niño/La Niña events, the lake surface decreased/increased, with precipitation showing a significant decrease in the 2014/2016 intense drought period. During this period, higher temperatures were in the order of 32°C, and these conditions are believed to have caused further reduction in lake water levels. Overall, this research demonstrates how LU/LC change and drier climate conditions have interacted to shape Lake Sibaya's shoreline over the past 34 years and highlight the importance of integrated management approaches to sustaining this vital ecosystem. Further research is recommended to examine the development of diverse vegetation communities in dry areas of the lake as well as the intensification of illicit forestry practices in this catchment area and how these might impact the ecological function of this water resource.
Assessing the effectiveness of sector education and training authority learnerships in promoting entrepreneurial growth: a case study of AgriSETA, Eastern Cape province, South Africa.
(2025) Nxele, Thando Raymond.; Ngwenya, Charles Tony.
This study examined the effectiveness of AgriSETA-accredited learnerships in developing technical and entrepreneurial capabilities among trainees in the Eastern Cape Province. It further investigated the extent to which these competencies were translated into sustainable post-training employment or enterprise activity. Guided by Institutional Theory, the Resource-Based View, the Functional Theory of Value, and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, the study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. A survey of 230 former learners identified patterns in competence development and early post-training outcomes, followed by semi-structured interviews with facilitators, host employers, and AgriSETA officials that explored how competencies were interpreted and applied within real-world agricultural production and training environments. The findings indicate that the learnerships consistently strengthened technical agricultural skills, which emerged as the most stable and reliably achieved outcome. Entrepreneurial and digital competencies were less consistently developed and more difficult for trainees to apply independently. Structural constraints, including limited access to finance, insecure production space, weak market linkages, and the absence of structured post-training support, significantly restricted the transition from competence to sustainable economic participation. These conditions help explain the limited predictive strength of competence variables in the regression analysis. The study contributes theoretically by integrating Institutional Theory, the Resource-Based View, the Functional Theory of Value, and UTAUT to explain how capability, opportunity and support interact within vocational training systems. Methodologically, it demonstrates the value of mixedmethods designs for identifying how structural conditions shape learner trajectories in rural and resource-constrained settings. Empirically, it provides rare, context-specific evidence on the outcomes of agricultural learnerships in the Eastern Cape Province. Practically, it offers recommendations for strengthening curriculum integration, facilitator preparation, institutional coordination, and post-training support mechanisms. A framework is proposed to illustrate how technical competence must align with opportunity structures and ongoing support for skills development programs to yield meaningful and sustained post-training progression.
Histology-based health assessment and estrogenic effect on Labeobarbus natalensis in the uMgeni River system.
(2024) Nkala, Mandlenkosi.; Lebepe, Jeffrey.; Vosloo, Dalene.; Luus-Powell, Wilmien.
The uMgeni River is home to more than 40 fish species and is highly polluted due to anthropogenic activities. The study aimed to assess the overall health and oestrogenic effect on Labeobarbus natalensis in the uMgeni River system and information will benefit the community located along uMgeni River catchment area. The physical parameters of water were measured at Nagle and Inanda dams, and the tributaries feeding the uMgeni River (i.e., uMsunduzi, uMngcweni, and eSikelekehleni rivers) before it empties into the Inanda Dam. Water and sediment samples were also collected for chemical analyses in conjunction with physical parameters. Fish were sampled at the Nagle and Inanda dams riverine using an electro-shocker, and indices such as condition factor, organosomatic, and health assessment index were used to assess the health of fish. Moreover, a histopathologic assessment was done on the liver and gills, and organ indices were calculated. The oestrogenic effect was assessed by measuring vitellogenin concentration in the liver of male Labeobarbus natalensis. A high alkaline pH level was recorded at Inanda Dam and uMsunduzi River with a neutral pH recorded at other sites. Nutrients showed significant differences between sites with Inanda Dam showing significantly higher concentrations for most nutrients. Higher sulphate concentration was recorded in the uMsunduzi River with higher phosphate concentration recorded in the uMngcweni River. Inanda Dam showed significant differences for most metals in the water and sediment with lower concentrations being recorded for Nagle Dam. Coinciding with water quality parameters, the health of fish was generally better at Nagle Dam compared to Inanda Dam. However, negative allometric growth was observed for both Inanda Dam and Nagle Dam populations. The health assessment index and gonadosomatic index (female population) were significantly different between the Inanda and Nagle dams, with the Inanda Dam population exhibiting higher indices than the Nagle Dam population. Histopathologic alterations showed a higher prevalence in the gill and liver for the Inanda Dam population compared to the Nagle Dam population. Gill histopathologies such as necrosis, deposits, oedema, architectural and structural alterations, nuclear alterations, hypertrophy, and hyperplasia were the most common pathologies at Inanda Dam. In the liver, architectural and structural alterations, necrosis, nuclear alterations, vacuolar degeneration, and hypertrophy were the most prevalent pathologies at Inanda Dam. Similarly, organ indices were higher for the Inanda Dam population. However, both populations exhibited gill and liver indices >40, denoting, severe alterations. Nevertheless, no significant difference was observed for vitellogenin (VTG) levels between the Inanda and Nagle dams (p>0.05). However, some individuals showed increased VTG level at Inanda Dam. Generally, the poor water quality from tributaries seems to have impacted the water quality in the Inanda Dam. Although the overall fish health seemed to be in an acceptable state, it is evident that these fish populations are living in stressful conditions, with Inanda Dam showing to be rapidly deviating from normal conditions. There is a need to urgently address the water pollution issue in this river system for the sustainability of Labeobarbus natalensis and possibly other sensitive species.
Evaluation of good governance, corporate governance and consequence management in KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Administrations of South Africa.
(2025) Radebe, Motlalepula Ethel.; Dubihlela, Jobo.
This study investigates the state of good governance, corporate governance, and consequence management within the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Administration (KZNPA) in South Africa (SA), motivated by ongoing governance failures, audit findings, and weak accountability structures. The study sought to: assess current levels of governance and consequence management in the KZNPA; analyse their relationship; test how consequence management affects governance practices; review existing governance strategies; and propose a multi-stakeholder framework to enhance governance and accountability. To achieve these objectives, a convergent parallel mixed-methods research design, grounded in the pragmatism philosophy, was employed using both exploratory and descriptive approaches. Quantitative data were collected through a structured survey questionnaire, administered to 182 respondents of a targeted 250 professionals from Provincial Treasury shared services, departments of Education, Transport, and Community Safety and Liaison accounting, legal and ICT officers, auditors, forensic investigators, and other technical staff. For the qualitative strand, in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 senior officials purposively and conveniently selected to include Heads of Departments and Provincial Audit and Risk Committee members. The literature and primary data revealed that although formal governance frameworks exist, their implementation is uneven and often compromised by political interference, selective accountability, and inadequate capacity. Good governance practices are strongly and positively related to effective consequence management, whereas corporate governance structures—though widely established—had limited impact on enforcement outcomes. Both quantitative and qualitative results revealed inconsistent consequence management, specifically protecting senior officials from disciplinary action, with existing governance systems functioning more symbolic than substantive, and shallow and compliance-driven stakeholder engagement lacking mechanisms for meaningful participation and accountability. The study concludes bridging the gap between policy and practice is crucial, proposing an Integrated Multi-Stakeholder Governance and Consequence Management Framework (IMGCF-KZN) that addresses institutional weaknesses, embeds ethical leadership, promotes stakeholder participation, and institutionalises fair and transparent consequence management. Key recommendations include establishing an independent Provincial Internal Auditor General (PIAG), revising the PFMA to integrate stronger governance provisions, and developing digital monitoring systems. The framework and its associated tools offer a practical and theoretical contribution to enhance public sector governance, with potential applicability across other provincial administrations in South Africa and beyond.
Development and validation of a Children’s Visual Function Quality of Life (CVF-QoL) instrument for rural school-going children with visual impairment within a South African context.
(2025) Magakwe, Tshubelela Sello Simon.; Hansraj Singh, Rekha.; Xulu-Kasaba, Zamadonda Nokuthula Queen.
Background: Vision problems that arise early in life can significantly impact children's performance in school, sports and recreation, and social interactions. Evaluating visual function and quality of life in children with visual impairments is crucial for understanding the effects on their lives and assessing interventions' effectiveness. Although several tools exist to measure these aspects in children, they have been compiled largely within developed countries, resulting in a lack of similar instruments specifically designed for rural school-going children, particularly in middle- to low-income countries. Purpose: This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument measuring Children's Visual Function Quality of Life (CVF-QoL) for rural school-going children aged 6 to 17 in South Africa with uncorrected refractive errors, visual impairments and blindness. Methods: The development of the CVF-QoL instrument involved several steps. First, items were generated through a literature review. Next, focus group discussions were conducted to explore the role of vision in children's lives, involving experts and the children themselves. The readability of the instrument was assessed, leading to the creation of two versions of the CVF-QoL instrument, one for 6-9-year-olds and the other for 10-17-year-olds. The content of both versions underwent validation by experts, and pretesting with children was carried out for each version. Each version was administered to 40 learners, after which internal consistency was evaluated using the Cronbach alpha test. Additional questionnaires were taken home for completion 10 days later, and the results were compared to assess the stability of the versions. The validated English versions of the CVF-QoL instruments were then translated into Sepedi using a forward-backwards translation method. Further validation was achieved by comparing the original English versions with the Sepedi versions of the CVF-QoL instrument. Results: 769 items were identified from the literature review, while 477 statements were generated from the focus group discussions and converted into items. After merging similar items and eliminating duplicates, 91 items were retained and classified into eight domains based on the literature. These items were divided into two versions of the CVF-QoL: Version 1.1 for ages 10-17 years and Version 2.1 for ages 6-9 years. Both versions demonstrated clarity, coherence, and relevance, with item content validity indices (I-CVI) of 0.85 for Version 1.1 and 0.86 for Version 2.1. Following pretesting, the version for ages 10-17 years contained 89 items, while the version for ages 6-9 years included 63 items. After administering the two versions, the overall Cronbach score was 0.946 for Version 1.1 and 0.777 for Version 2.1. Test-retest results indicated stability for both versions, with Cronbach alpha scores of 0.940 for Version 1.1 and 0.800 for Version 2.1. The Sepedi versions of the CVF-QoL were also found to be valid, with internal consistency scores of 0.930 for Sepedi Version 1.1 and 0.762 for Sepedi Version 2.1. The English versions of the CVF-QoL were compatible with the translated Sepedi versions. Conclusion: The CVF-QoL instruments are valid for assessing the quality of life-related to visual function in rural school-going children with visual impairments within the South African context.