ResearchSpace

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Human rights and peace building media reporting in the Kenyan Kerio Valley conflict: local radio perspectives.
(2026) Langat, Gilbert Kiprotich.; Dyll, Lauren Eva.
The Kerio Valley, situated in the North Rift region of Kenya, has experienced sporadic inter-ethnic conflict documented since the pre 1870s, driven by fight for land resources and cattle rustling among the Pokot, Marakwet, Tugen, and Turkana communities (Chelal 1969). Although efforts to resolve the conflict have been made by the government, non-governmental organisations and religious institutions, it continues unabated, resulting in killings and displacements of many people. The resultant humanitarian issues necessitate resolute efforts at various levels for conflict prevention and resolution. The mass media, including radio, can play an important role in this regard if they communicate news and feature stories through the Peace Journalism framework (Joseph, 2014; Maweu 2019). Although radio is a major source of information in Kenya, there is inadequate research on it, especially with respect to human rights and peacebuilding reporting (Okinda 2017). Even more scarce are studies focusing on local-language radio reporting of this conflict, which create knowledge, practical and theoretical gaps in this critical area of journalism practice. Through a qualitative design, this study addressed these gaps in media reporting of both human rights and peacebuilding by analysing 53 news and feature stories from two selected radio stations, Kass FM and Alpha Radio. The media texts were complemented with in-depth interviews with four selected journalists from the two stations. The objectives of the study were to: identify what narratives and discourses the selected news and feature stories use in reporting the Kenyan Kerio Valley conflict; examine the factors that influence the selection of discourses on human rights and peacebuilding reporting in the Kenyan Kerio Valley conflict; provide suggestions on how human rights and peacebuilding reporting can be framed within the peace journalism framework in Kenya and similar contexts using local language radio stations. Theoretically, the study was guided by Peace Journalism, Representation theory and the slow violence concept. Data were analysed through Reflexive Thematic Analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis, which examines how language is used to enact power and ideology in specific contexts such as the newsroom. Findings show that journalists are aware of human rights issues and peace journalism practices, but are not consistent in their use, hence the presence of derogatory, dehumanising and hate speech-promoting narratives in the selected media reports. Peace journalism reporting was hindered due to external factors that negatively impacted the safety and security of journalists. The study argues that representing the slow violence effects of the conflict works towards peace journalism principles and practice. However, while there was some evidence that the wider contextual and temporal effects were reported, it was secondary to sensationalism. Despite the practice-led limitations noted, this study explains the reason for why peace journalism remains an appropriate guide in conflict reporting. The study concludes that peace journalism is feasible in the Kerio Valley conflict and ought to be consistently applied in media reports to promote human rights, peace, and to represent its slow violence effects. Thus, this study contributed to the extant literature in radio reporting of human rights and peacebuilding in the sporadic inter-ethnic conflict in Kerio Valley.
Rearticulating cultural myths across time? A semiotic comparison of Shaka Zulu (1986) and Shaka iLembe (2023) television series posters and pilot episodes.
(2026) Maphanga, Fredmoses Simphiwe.; Dyll, Lauren Eva.
This study investigates how the image of Shaka Zulu is visually and narratively constructed and re-articulated across time through a comparative semiotic analysis of promotional posters and pilot episodes from Shaka Zulu (1986) and Shaka iLembe (2023). Situated within a constructivist paradigm and employing a qualitative textual approach, it approaches media texts as culturally constructed through which meaning, ideology, and historical consciousness are relationally produced with their context, rather than merely reflected. Theoretically drawing on representation theory and especially the processes of myth making, the study adopts a basic semiotic visual methodology to analyse television promotional imagery and the meanings they connote and symbolise. The findings reveal that the 1986 series constructs Shaka through a militarised and conquest-centred myth that fixes meaning around warrior masculinity and exceptionalism, reflecting apartheid-era representational logics. In contrast, the 2023 series re-articulates Shaka through Afrocentric visual and narrative codes that foreground lineage, land, ritual, and becoming, allowing greater polysemy and cultural depth in a post-apartheid context. By placing posters and pilot episodes in direct dialogue, the study demonstrates how promotion and narrative function as an integrated system of signs that stabilise or reconfigure preferred readings. The research contributes to media and cultural studies by showing how myth-making adapts across historical moments and by bridging a gap between analyses of visual promotion and television narrative. Ultimately, the study underscores the role of visual media in negotiating African historical representation, identity, and cultural memory across generations.
Land use and land cover change detection and assess future change using remote sensing and machine learning algorithms: a study of uMgeni river catchment.
(2024) Bhungeni, Orlando.; Gebreslasie, Michael Teweldemedhin.
Water catchment areas are the key regional strategic water source with a range of ecological benefits such as providing habitat for biodiversity, climate change mitigation, sport, and recreation. Detailed temporal information on the spatial attributes of the catchment areas is paramount for water resource managers to support water resource conservation strategies. Data from remote sensing provide a good playground for the advanced statistical tools to study land cover patterns in the water catchments. Thus, our study leveraged remote sensing data and explored options of Machine Learning Algorithms (MLAs) for the classification of thematic Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) classes within the uMngeni River Catchment area. This study used Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (L8-OLI) data along with Naïve Bayes (NB), Random Forests (RF), Support Vector Machine SVM), and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). The RF model proved its robustness with high accurate overall accuracy and kappa of 97.02% and 0.96, respectively. Hence, the RF was subsequently utilised to assess LULC change detection for 20 years (from 2003-2023). The interplay among the land use classes was observed, with common transitions to built-up class and a noticeable constant decline of the forest land use class. Change detection maps enabled the modelling of 2032 land cover maps using the hybrid model from Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Network (MLPNN) and Markov Chain (MLNN-Markov). The combination of RF and L8-OLI is suitable for mapping the LULC in the case of a South African complex landscape. The uMngeni River catchment possesses fair land cover distribution with an alarming built-up land cover class at the cost of indigenous forests, which is expected to increase by 3.7% in 2032. The findings of this work will also demonstrate the practical application of MLAs in mapping LULC and support the water resource managers in formulating management strategies aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the water resources.
The effect of blue accounting on South African Ocean-Based companies’ environmental performance: evidence from Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed companies.
(2025) Mbiza, Ntombizandile.; Nomlala, Bomi Cyril.; Mvunabandi, Jean Damascene.
Marine resources are vital for economic, social, and recreational use but are often undervalued because the measures for assessing and reporting on their usage are limited. Blue accounting seeks to systematically identify, measure, value, recognise, and report on marine resource use and impact. This study examines blue accounting practices in South African marine-sensitive companies, such as those in fishing, aquaculture, and logistics, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The research assesses factors influencing blue accounting adoption and the way blue accounting disclosures in integrated reports impact environmental performance. Stakeholder, signalling, and legitimacy theory underpin this study. A hybrid methodology combining qualitative and quantitative research, including scoping reviews, correlational analysis, pooled regression, and content analysis, was used to identify factors influencing blue accounting adoption and how blue accounting influences environmental performance. Key factors influencing blue accounting adoption include stakeholder pressure, alignment with sustainable development goals, and a lack of frameworks and regulatory guidelines. Significant positive correlations were found between environmental performance and firm size (coefficient: 16.07; p-value: 0.00), adherence to environmental guidelines (coefficient: 7.48; pvalue: 0.02) and reporting costs (coefficient: 6.35; p-value: 0.01). Conversely, environmental obligations (coefficient: -3.92; p-value: 0.02) and firm age (coefficient: -0.18: p-value: 0.00) negatively correlated with performance, reflecting legacy challenges. Findings suggest that blue accounting enhances environmental performance through transparency and accountability. However, inconsistent regulatory enforcement and lack of uniform frameworks hinder adoption, highlighting the need for stronger oversight and standardised practices. The findings align with stakeholder, signalling, and legitimacy theories, demonstrating that blue accounting disclosures are valuable for meeting stakeholder expectations and legitimising corporate actions. Marine-sensitive companies are encouraged to adopt sustainability guidelines, like the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). At the same time, policymakers should develop a blue accounting framework and enforce compliance to promote sustainable marine practices. This study contributes to the field of blue accounting, providing a foundation for future research on sustainable marine resource management in corporate reporting.
The South African Firms' relationship between carbon emissions and corporate financial performance.
(2025) Gcwensa, Lungani Mthobisi.; Sibanda, Mabutho.
Over the last decades, the primary objective of the business was to purely to generate profit for shareholders. However, this paradigm is shifting due to growing pressures from stakeholders and regulators on companies to manage their carbon emissions and adopt a triple bottom-line framework that balances economic objectives with social and environmental objectives. In line with this, the study examines the relationship between financial performance and carbon emissions for 17 JSE-listed industrial metal and mining companies over the period 2018 to 2022. Applying panel data analysis, financial performance measures (return on assets, Tobin’s Q, and return on equity) were used as dependent variables. As a carbon emissions measure, carbon intensity was used as an independent variable, with leverage, firm growth and size identified as control variables. The findings indicate that entities that significantly emit carbon generally have weaker financial performance, as evidenced by the negative relationship. This implies that companies that engage in carbon emissions reduction activities can increase their financial performance. The study offers valuable insight for companies, governments, and policymakers and contributes to the existing literature. Future studies are encouraged to include different studies, extend the time frame and apply different financial performance indicators.