Article-Processing Fees and Subsidies: The Colonial Entanglement of Knowledge Production in South Africa—The Case of Gender-Based Violence Research

Eggs offer nutritional benefits and are a vital source of proteins for humans globally. Therefore, the study examined the relationship between egg production and population growth in South Africa using secondary time series data from the year 2013 to 2022. The number of observations amounted to 10 and the data was obtained from Statistics South Africa and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development in South Africa. The data was analyzed using various analytical models, such as the descriptive statistics and Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test to assess the unit root. In addition, the Johansen cointegration test, Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model to test for the relationship was employed. The results show that egg production displayed a significant variation with population growth. The average tons is between 445 and 594 per annum while the average population growth is 1.195 annually. The cointegration results confirmed a long-term relationship between the variables. The VAR model demonstrates that past population growth predicts egg production which suggests that population trends forecast the output of agricultural production in South Africa. Therefore, this emphasizes the need for strategic planning to meet the yearly demand for products such as eggs in South Africa as the population grows.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparative effects of good governance and public health expenditure on the economic growth of Nigeria and South Africa, spanning 1996 to 2023. Secondary data were sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria 2023 annual bulletin (CBN), World Development Indicators 2023 (WDI), and World Governance Indicators 2023 (WGI). The data underwent both pre- and post-estimation techniques to ascertain its reliability. The study employed a two-stage least square estimation technique to estimate the equation and pairwise Granger causality to check the spillover effect among both countries. At the end of the findings, the study discovered an inverse and statistically significant relationship between Corruption and actual gross domestic product in South Africa. Compared to the case of Nigeria, the findings indicate a positive and statistically significant relationship between Corruption and actual gross domestic product in Nigeria. However, public health expenditure positively correlated with actual gross domestic product in both South Africa and Nigeria. Furthermore, the findings show an inverse relationship between government effectiveness and real gross domestic product in South Africa compared to Nigeria; there is a positive relationship between government effectiveness and real gross domestic product. Based on the findings, the study recommended that the South African government create an environment that is less conducive to Corruption and more supportive of economic growth and development. It should also establish an independent and well-resourced anti-corruption agency to investigate and prosecute corruption cases. Also, the Nigerian government should increase its health sector budgetary allocation and ensure prudent and effective implementation to achieve long-term economic growth. Finally, Nigeria and South Africa's governments should implement transparent and accountable governance practices to build trust and confidence in government institutions. Received: 18 July 2024 / Accepted: 27 August 2024 / Published: 7 September 2024

Transport accounts for about one quarter of South Africa's final energy consumption. Most of the energy used is based on fossil fuels causing significant environmental burdens. This threat becomes even more dominant as a significant growth in transport demand is forecasted, especially in South Africa's economic hub, Gauteng province. The South African government has realized the potential of biofuel usage for reducing oil import dependency and greenhouse gas (GHG) and has hence developed a National Biofuels Industrial Strategy to enforce their use. However, there is limited experience in the country in commercial biofuel production and some of the proposed crops (i.e. rapeseed and sugar beet) have not been yet cultivated on a larger scale. Furthermore, there is only limited research available, looking at the feasibility of commercial scale biofuel production or abatement costs of GHG emissions. To assess the opportunities of biofuel production in South Africa, the production costs and consumer price levels of the fuels recommended by the national strategy are analysed in this article. Moreover, the lifecycle GHG emissions and mitigation costs are calculated compared to the calculated fossil fuel reference including coal to liquid (CTL) and gas to liquid (GTL) fuels. The results show that the cost for biofuel production in South Africa are currently significantly higher (between 30% and 80%) than for the reference fossil fuels. The lifecycle GHG emissions of biofuels (especially for sugar cane) are considerably lower (up to 45%) than the reference fossil GHG emissions. The resulting GHG abatement costs are between 1000 and 2500 ZAR2007 per saved ton of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is high compared to the current European CO2 market prices of ca. 143 ZAR2007 t−1. The analysis has shown that biofuel production and utilization in South Africa offers a significant GHG‐mitigation potential but at relatively high cost.

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is a critical issue in South African universities, affecting students' access to safe and quality education. Despite universities’ reputations for inclusivity, societal expectations have made them less welcoming, and GBV cases continue to rise with insufficient policy enforcement. This study was motivated by the rising cases of GBV in South African universities. Drawing on social norms’ theory, the study aimed to identify the drivers, effects, and potential mitigation strategies for addressing GBV. The goal was to build a stronger basis for improving policies and creating safer, more inclusive university environments. A qualitative approach was used to gather secondary data from various sources, including journal articles, books, government documents, and news reports. The literature revealed that GBV in South African and other universities has sparked frequent protests centred on issues of sexual, physical, and emotional violence. Moreover, it was also highlighted that many students refrained from reporting GBV incidents due to concerns about stigma and the impact on their careers, with victims often facing anxiety, depression, and physical symptoms, which further impeded their participation in university life and restricted their educational opportunities. This study concluded that GBV restricted students' access to quality education and, if unaddressed, might lead to declining university enrolment. Thus, it recommended collaboration between universities, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and families to tackle GBV and called for a review of policies to improve enforcement and provide better protection for students.

This article investigates the trends in South Africa`s sugar production and exports and determines the drift rate within the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) between 1996 and 2024. Trend analysis is crucial for informing policy to ensure that the competitiveness of the sugarcane industry is enhanced. To achieve this objective, it was, therefore, hypothesized that there were no trends in South Africa’s sugar production and exports within the TFTA member states, there was no drift rate variation in South Africa’s sugar exports within the TFTA member states and there was a significant positive correlation between South Africa’s sugar production and exports between 1996 and 2024. Secondary data used in this study were obtained from the Economic Analysis and Agricultural Statistics Directorate of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) as well as the TradeMap database. Using time series data, the trend analysis results revealed that there were regular fluctuations in sugar production in South Africa during the period under review. Similar fluctuations were concurrently noted for the raw and refined sugar exports. It is important to note that factors of a seasonal nature generally explain such fluctuations, hence, it was concluded that seasonal variations accounted for these fluctuations in the sugar industry. The Johansen test model was employed to determine the drift rate and the results revealed a drift rate variation of 32% for raw sugar and 56% for refined sugar indicating potential for growth in South Africa’s sugar exports. The Pearson correlation test results revealed that there was a positive correlation between sugar production and export in South Africa at the time. Further analysis using bivariate correlation analysis between sugar production and exports confirmed the results, clearly indicating a positive relationship. Improving productivity through appropriate government interventions can be expected to have a positive impact on sugar exports and South Africa’s balance of payments. Key words: drift rate, exports, Johansen test, production, South Africa, sugarcane, trend analysis

Agenda for future business resilience and survival avenues in crisis times: A systematic literature review of the effects of COVID-19 on SMEs’ productivity in South Africa

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a crime that violates the right to life, equality, human dignity, freedom and security of a person (South African Constitution, Act No 108 of 1996). The prevention and management of GBV is a critical transformation imperative and has in recent years (2014 to 2021) come under the spotlight at South African universities. The National Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) developed a policy framework to guide post-school education and training institutions to address GBV in 2020. This article is a practitioner’s assessment and reflection of how the DHET policy framework on GBV can be implemented at Stellenbosch University, a public higher education institution (HEI) in South Africa. We look at how to integrate recommendations made in the GBV policy framework at South African universities and what are the current constraints that throttle GBV interventions. We reflect on existing mechanisms and policy recommendations that still need to be operationalised to effectively respond to GBV at universities. This article further assesses how institutional policy development, professional administrative and support services, and senior leadership structures can be leveraged to include, and efficiently implement, some of the GBV policy framework recommendations to address GBV at HEIs and in South Africa more broadly.

Cement is one of the most produced materials globally. Population growth and urbanization cause an increased demand for the cement needed for expanding infrastructures. As a result of this circumstance, the cement industry must find the optimum compromise between increasing cement production and reducing the negative environmental impact of that production. Since cement production uses a lot of energy, resources and raw materials, it is essential to assess its environmental impact and determine methods for the sector to move forward in sustainable ways. This paper uses an integrated life cycle assessment (LCA) and a system dynamics (SDs) model to predict the long-term environmental impact and future dynamics of cement production in South Africa. The first step used the LCA midpoint method to investigate the environmental impact of 1 kg of Portland cement produced in South Africa. In the cement production process, carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), methane (CH4) and particulate matter (PM) were the major gases emitted. Therefore, the LCA concentrated on the impact of these pollutants on global warming potential (GWP), ozone formation, human health, fine particulate matter formation and terrestrial acidification. The system dynamics model is used to predict the dynamics of cement production in South Africa. The LCA translates its results into input variables into a system dynamics model to predict the long-term environmental impact of cement production in South Africa. From our projections, the pollutant outputs of cement production in South Africa will each approximately double by the year 2040 with the associated long-term impact of an increase in global warming. These results are an important guide for South Africa’s future cement production and environmental impact because it is essential that regulations for cement production are maintained to achieve long-term environmental impact goals. The proposed LCA–SD model methodology used here enables us to predict the future dynamics of cement production and its long-term environmental impact, which is the primary research objective. Using these results, a number of policy changes are suggested for reducing emissions, such as introducing more eco-blended cement productions, carbon budgets and carbon tax.

Greenhouse gas emissions from different crop production and management practices in South Africa

Sclerocarya birrea (marula) forms an integral part of the diet, tradition and culture of rural communities in southern Africa and also is central to various commercial initiatives. This second part of a review on the species provides an overview of current commercial activities, the policy framework within which commercialisation occurs, and future prospects with regard to domestication. Much work has been conducted over the years on the properties of S. birrea fruit, juice, nuts and oil. Despite this research there has been little commercialisation. Two main commercial enterprises trade marula products in South Africa: one, a large corporation, and the other, a rural development project. In Namibia, marula commercialisation is undertaken through a collaborative project between primary producers, a cooperative, contract processors and a local NGO. Commercialisation is influenced by a wide set of customary and government laws which regulate marula use in southern Africa, comprising different tenure systems, access rights, and levels of protection. Strong customary rules can be linked to the long history of marula use in the region, with clear evidence of early domestication and the selection of desirable traits by local people. Such knowledge has been applied in the development of marula domestication strategies, both by private plant breeders in Israel and southern Africa, and by the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), which works with small-scale farmers to develop agroforestry options. A number of issues are raised by the domestication of marula which relate to intellectual property and benefit-sharing. They include the compensation of small-scale farmers and original holders of local knowledge for the commercial use of such knowledge; the impact of Plant Breeder's Rights on communities using marula; and the possibility of domestication shifting benefits from poorer groups of farmers to richer ones. Current and future commercialisation strategies clearly need to take these factors into account, and to balance associated costs and benefits.

Despite the growing sales of heated tobacco products (HTPs) in South Africa (SA), limited information is available on HTP use in SA and generally in Africa. The aim of this study is to describe individuals who currently and formerly used HTPs, including the association between HTP use and perceived relative harm of HTPs to combustible cigarettes (CCs), and CC cessation among an online SA population. Data were obtained from an online survey conducted in 2021 among SA adults ≥18years (n= 12 674). The dependent variables were HTP-use status, past-year quit attempts and cigarettes-per-day (CPD). Primary independent variables were CC-smoking status and relative harm perceptions. Weighted proportions, multivariable logistic, and Poisson regression models were used to examine the association between dependent and independent variables. In this online sample, 2.82% of SA adults indicated current HTP-use. Among current CC-smokers, 6.57% indicated current HTP-use compared to 0.50% among those who have never smoked cigarettes. Current CC-smoking was associated with higher odds of current HTP-use (aOR = 2.66; 95% CI = 1.11 to 6.39). Conversely, perceiving HTPs as more/equally harmful than CCs was associated with lower odds of current HTP-use (aOR = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.14 to 0.40). HTP-use was not associated with previous CC quit attempts, and there was no difference in CPD between current and never HTPs users who smoked (aIRR = 1.02; 95% CI = 0.91 to 1.14). HTP users in the studied SA online population were mostly current cigarette smokers who believed HTPs were less harmful than cigarettes. However, HTP-use was not associated with higher previous quit attempts nor smoking fewer CPD. This study provides early data on the behaviors and beliefs associated with HTPs in SA, a significant yet understudied tobacco market for novel nicotine products. It reveals that individuals with lower harm perceptions, polytobacco use, and individuals who currently smoke CCs are more likely to consume HTPs. However, HTP use was not associated with higher odds of past-year cigarette quit attempts or a reduction in the number of CPD. These findings offer valuable evidence for surveillance and policy efforts aimed at emerging tobacco products and protecting public health.

The traditional concept of security has broadened over the past decades. Food security in South Africa is an imperative for human and non-human survival. In the contemporary political economy, there is a real nexus between globalisation, exploitation, the state, scarcity of resources, the market, peoples’ need to feel secure, notions of state responsibility and food production. Political economy and human security in theoretical debates and face-to-face politics are intrinsically linked. The notion of a ‘secure community’ changed. Food security and the right to quality living became a social imperative. Understanding current agricultural economics requires the ability to link security and access to food for all. In this case study, wheat production in South Africa is addressed against the interface of the global and the local including South Africa’s transition to a democratic and constitutional state with a Bill of Rights. The current security approach represents a more comprehensive understanding of what security is meant to be and include, amongst others, housing security, medical security, service delivery and food security, as set out in the Millennium Development Goals and the subsequent Sustainable Development Goals. The issue of food security is addressed here with particular reference to wheat production, related current government policies and the market economy. The authors chose to limit their socio-economic focus to a specific sector of the agricultural market, namely wheat, rather than discuss food security in South Africa in general. Wheat was chosen as a unit of analysis because as a crop, wheat used in bread is one of the staples for the majority of South Africans and given the current negative economic developments, wheat as a staple is likely to remain integral, if not increasing its status of dependability

This study analyses the impact of research and development (R&D) on total factor productivity (TFP) in South Africa from 1970 to 2013. The study tests the Schumpeterian theory of growth which suggests that TFP growth results from interalia R&D. The study uses autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) procedure to study TFP impact of R&D investment in South Africa. To take into account the changing structure of South African economy, the entire sample (1970-2013) and two sub-samples: 1970-1994 and 1990-2013 capturing resource-based and knowledge-based South Africa respectively are estimated. The ARDL test results revealed that cointegration exists between TFP and R&D for all the samples; implying that domestic and foreign R&D played a positive role on TFP growth of South Africa. Based on the results, the South African policy makers are encouraged to use policy instruments to improve R&D investment, particularly domestic R&D to achieve higher TFP growth.

This review summarises the properties, nutritional requirements, and production of a natural fibre called mohairs produced by Angora goats. One of the most valuable natural fibres is mohair, produced by Angora goats. Angora goats, also known as Ankara, have their origin in Asia Minor, but today, South Africa is home to over 23% of the global population of Angora goats, where it produces over 60% of the world's mohair, generating about 4 million kilograms annually. Eastern parts of South Africa account for over 72% of the total Angora goats in the country, hence producing the highest number of mohair. The physical properties of Angora mohair, such as lustre, non-inflammable, breathable, durability, elasticity, and resistance to soiling, make it unique and different from other natural fibres of other animal sources. These properties are affected by age, nutrition, and management. The role of nutrition is particularly crucial, as Angora goats require 3-4% of their body weight DM, whilst meat goats and lactating dairy goats require 3-5% and 4-6% of their body weight DM. When Angora goats were fed diets with 18% crude protein, mohair growth increased by about 33% annually compared to diets containing 12-15% CP, while feed intakes were the same. Also, copper, sulphur, molybdenum, and water intake affect the quality of mohairs. In conclusion, inadequate nutrition significantly impedes productivity and sustains financial losses. Hence, promoting sustainable farming practices is vital, investing in research to develop resilient grazing systems and drought-tolerant feed crops, and building capacity for small-scale farmers to improve mohar production and quality in South Africa. Keywords: Angora goats, Mohair, Nutrition, Physical Properties, Processing.

ABSTRACTThis study evaluates the occurrence of decoupling of CO2 emissions from Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Africa (SA) for the period of 1990 to 2012 by using the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Tapio methods, and identifies the primary CO2 emissions driving forces by the Kaya identity. The results showed a strong decoupling during the period of 2010–2012, which is considered as the best development situation. In 1994–2010 SA had a weak decoupling; while during the period 1990–1994, the development in SA presented an expansive negative decoupling state. The comparison of the OECD and Tapio’s methods showed well-correlated results but differed in their applications; however, the OECD method appeared as the simpler one. The results of Kaya identity demonstrated that the increase in population, GDP per capita and deteriorating energy efficiency were the main primary driving forces for the increase of CO2 emissions. It is suggested that SA can expand the share of renewable energy and promote green energy technology in addition to better strategies of the demand side management (DSM) to raise the efficiency of energy consumption as well as CO2 emission reductions. The methods used in this research can be applied to other countries with similar situations to evaluate the trends of energy consumption and CO2 emissions and an aid to decision-making tool for better sustainable development.