How to do social distancing in a shack: COVID-19 in the South African context

Purpose To examine the business case for corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the South African context.

This article examines the discourses of educational decentralization in the South African context. It considers the shifting and contested definitions of the concept as it relates to three broad dimensions of the policy: administrative, political, and ideological. Further, it discusses understandings of educational decentralization as they are being evidenced in current policy development in South Africa. It also critically examines notions of educational decentralization embedded in recent legislation and the tensions and contradictions contained therein. Last, it highlights a particular manifestation of educational decentralization in the South African context: the tension between national and provincial educational competencies and decision making. INTRODUCTION Decentralization is currently the stated policy of most educational systems throughout the world and is the central plank of major international efforts aimed at restructuring education systems. The thrust toward decentralization is evident in the 1988 Education Reform Act (ERA) of England and Wales (Bash & Coulby, 1991; Bowe, Ball, & Gold, 1992). It is also evident in the Tomorrow's report of the Australian government and in the changes effected as a result of that report (Gordon, 1992; Lauder & Wylie, 1990). It can be seen as well in the changes made to the Dutch educational system since 1982 (Sleegers & Wesselingh, 1993); in Brazilian education since the 1980s (dos Santos Filhos, 1993); and in current South African policy texts (Republic of South Africa Department of Education [RSADE], 1996). Additionally, educational decentralization is supported by international agencies such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (Bloomer, 1991; Prawda, 1993). This article examines the discourses of decentralization in the South African educational context. It begins by reviewing the literature on educational decentralization and highlighting the shifting and contested definitions of the concept as it relates to three broad dimensions of the policy: administrative, political, and ideological. Section two discusses understandings of educational decentralization as they are being evidenced in current policy development in South Africa. This discussion extends the author's previous research on the topic before the 1996 elections (Sayed, 1995), with a specific focus on the impact of the South African Schools Act of 1996 (SASA).' The third section critically examines notions of educational decentralization embedded in the SASA legislation and the tensions and contradictions contained therein. The final section highlights a particular manifestation of educational decentralization in the South African context: the tension between national and provincial educational competencies and decision making. THE NOTION OF EDUCATIONAL DECENTRALIZATION The Administrative Dimension Most publicly justified claims for educational decentralization are based on the administrative dimension. Advocates focusing on structural issues related to a given educational system are principally concerned with the ways in which educational resources are distributed, managed, and utilized. The key questions in this regard are (a) how can education be most efficiently and effectively provided, and (b) what are the most responsive and flexible structures for meeting local and recipient needs (Prawda, 1993; Rodinelli, McCullought, & Johnson, 1987)? These questions point out that administrative decentralization has more to do with the implementation of educational policies and priorities than with their identification and development. Spatial and territorial redistribution of control over these aspects tells very little, however, about the power structures that exist in a particular educational system. In a decentralized system, control over key policy decisions may still be retained at the administrative center. …

The management revue is a peer-reviewed interdisciplinary European journal publishing both qualitative and quantitative work as well as purely theoretical papers that advance the study of management, organisation and industrial relations.

Pentecostal scholarship in the South African context has come a long way if contributions by early historians and biographers are anything to go by. The field is growing in the 21 st century, considering the interdisciplinary inputs made by the current Pentecostal scholars in South African public universities. However, the reviewed literature demonstrated that Pentecostal scholarship is underutilised in the South African theological studies context. This article looked at how the contribution of Pentecostal scholarship to theological studies can be enhanced using the theoretical framework of pneumatological imagination. This framework is basically used to outline a Spirit-inspired scholarship. The background of the Pentecostal scholarship in the South African context was conducted to identify the research gaps. The pneumatological imagination was outlined and applied to Pentecostal scholarship. The main objective was to demonstrate the value of a pneumatological Pentecostal scholarship to theological studies in the present and its potential for the future.

The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) was originally introduced as a standardised, practice-based evidence tool for generating effectiveness data by practitioners within the context of routine clinical practice in the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS) settings. Following wide application across UK NHS sites the CORE-OM has proven to be a pragmatic measure of both a) gross psychological distress and b) the effectiveness of psychotherapy interventions across client populations, presenting problems, clinical settings and therapy models. However in order for South Africa to benefit from this tool, the CORE-OM must be applicable within a South African context. This requires its validation within South African populations. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the cross-cultural validity of the CORE-OM, using a South African student population sample and in so doing to provide preliminary referential data for use in interpreting CORE-OM scores within English-medium, South African University student counselling centre contexts.

Programmatic Approach to Hearing Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Graduate tracer studies may be an appropriate research method for responding to various problems in the South African higher education context, including difficulties associated with higher education transformation and graduate employability. However, there is little context-relevant literature on the implementation of the various methodologies that may be used, and no assessment of the relevance of these methods for the South African context. In an attempt to synthesise graduate tracer study research, and to recommend potential models for conducting graduate tracer studies in South Africa, a systematic quantitative literature review was conducted of 23 graduate tracer studies from 13 countries, published between 1995 and 2016. The findings from this review point to three potential models for implementation in the South African context: a large-scale model, a smaller-scale model, and a mixed-method model. These recommended models may allow for the more efficient and effective implementation of graduate tracer studies across the South African context.

Globalization has made it essential for businesses to understand the values that guide behavior in diverse cultural settings to foster effective and harmonious relationships. To comprehend the behaviors of indigenous African family businesses (IAFBs), an understanding of the fundamental values that drive them is needed. This qualitative study explored the nature of values in a Black South African family business context through semi-structured interviews with participants from seven cases. The South African context is particularly relevant as more IAFBs integrate into formal economic systems. However, their value systems often remain misunderstood, leading to misinterpretations by non-indigenous African business leaders. The findings revealed that the values in these businesses were complex, influenced by economic interests, spiritual beliefs, ethical principles, cultural traditions, and strategic objectives. Many of these values were collectivistic, ethical, and humanistic as well as being deeply rooted in the philosophy of Ubuntu. Our study highlights the significant role of African cultural philosophy, Ubuntu, in shaping these values and offering a unique lens through which the values of indigenous African family businesses could be more authentically understood. Therefore, the study emphasizes the importance of contextual indigenous knowledge systems in shaping the formation and transmission of values in the African context.

The under-representation of minoritized or previously oppressed groups in research challenges the current universal understanding of professional identity formation (PIF). To date, there has been no recognition of an African influence on PIF, which is crucial for understanding this phenomenon in places like South Africa, a society in which the inequity of the apartheid era still prevails. In addition, there is little data examining how social upheaval could impact PIF. This study uses interviews with medical students to explore PIF within the context of social upheaval during the 2015–2016 protests that rocked South Africa when students challenged asymmetries of power and privilege that persisted long after the country’s democratic transition. The combination of the primary author’s autoethnographic story, weaved into the South African sociohistorical context and ubuntu philosophy, contributes to this study of PIF in the South African context. The use of an African metaphor allowed the reorientation of PIF to reflect the influence of an ubuntu-based value system. Using the calabash as a metaphor, participants’ experiences were framed and organized in two ways: a calabash worldview and the campus calabash. The calabash worldview is a multidimensional mixture of values that include ubuntu, reflections of traditional childhoods, and the image of women as igneous rocks, which recognizes the power and influence on PIF of the women who raised the participants. Introducing an African ubuntu-based perspective into the PIF discourse may redirect the acknowledgement of context and local reality in developing professional identity.

The African continent, especially the sub-Saharan region, is lagging behind in terms of addressing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets of the United Nations. Agriculture, especially the farming sector could assist in addressing the problem as it is linked to most of the SDGs. Employees are crucial resources in any organisations, making farmworkers to be key role players in ensuring the success of the farming sector. However, their tendency to engage in negative behaviours may make it impossible for the sector to grow. It is therefore important for the farming sector to devise mechanisms to manage various forms of employees’ negative behaviour to ensure its success. This study was aimed at investigating the managerial strategies that can be implemented to address farmworkers’ destructive deviant behaviours in the South African context. A qualitative approach within the social constructivist epistemology was used. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 39 farmworkers from three selected fruit farms. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the collected data. The findings revealed sixteen themes: close supervision, disciplinary and remedial actions, teamwork and knowledge sharing, compensation management, provision of training, autonomy and creativity, distribution of produces, work re-allocation, performance management, proper placement, revising lunch break, consistency in the application of rules, emotional support and workers’ involvement as well as health and safety management. These possible strategies may not only assist the South African farming sector to curb destructive deviant behaviours, but also in improving the performance and productivity of the farms as well as the well-being of the farmworkers.

Studies in organisational conflict management have gained interest in business and management sciences in the past decade. At the same time, the potential for transcultural conflict has grown. The challenge for South African managers is to find creative solutions for managing a highly diverse workforce and the transcultural conflicts that occur. In order to reduce this transcultural conflict potential in a globalised work environment, it is important to redefine individual and cultural values and identities and make possible the construction of multiple, transcultural identities that are aligned with adaptive value concepts. The purpose of this article is to assess managerial perspectives on transcultural conflict, values and identity in a selected organisation in the automotive industry in the South African context. This study adopts an exploratory research approach by using qualitative methodologies within the phenomenological and interpretative research paradigms. With this approach, the article aims at gaining a deeper understanding of transcultural conflict in the South African organisational work context. The research findings lead to conclusions and recommendations with regard to managing transcultural conflicts in the selected context, which are of importance for researchers and practitioners in Europe who focus on transcultural business management in South Africa.

Professional training in psychology typically focuses on competencies and learning outcomes. However, this does not necessarily translate into long-term employability. Graduate tracer studies are recommended for exploring employment destinations and employability. Graduate tracer studies are noted to be of particular use for investigating health professionals’ career paths and examining field-specific issues. The reported study examined the employability and employment destinations of 29 alumni from two psychology Master’s programmes at a South African higher education institution, by incorporating best practices for tracer studies and survey research. Results indicated that 86.2% had secured employment in various fields and sectors, suggesting their skills and training were relevant and transferable. Differential patterns of registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa were reported. Most respondents identified their studies as closely related to their work, and pragmatic reasons were provided by those pursuing work in unrelated fields. Entrepreneurial skills were identified as a gap in their training, that, if included, has the potential to boost employability. Graduate employability was identified to be a complex, non-linear issue. Professional competencies are, therefore, not sufficient for conceptualising employability within the South African context. A broader and more nuanced understanding of employability is needed. Practically, this means that educational processes need to prepare students for securing long-term employment. The tracer study methodology applied in this study may be utilised by other institutions and disciplines to explore key issues of employment and employability in the South African health professions and higher education context.

ABSTRACTAim:The study explored the South African healthcare context for ototoxicity assessment and management from the audiologists’ perspectives.Materials and Methods:This was done through a survey research methodology that adopted a cross-sectional research design. South African audiologists were recruited from professional associations databases using specific inclusion criteria; and 31 audiologists from across the country participated. The study used an 18-item web-based survey guided by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) (2018) guidelines. Data were analyzed through both descriptive and inferential statistics.Results:Findings revealed serious contextual challenges influencing the implementation of assessment and management programs within the South African context. Over two-thirds of the participants engage with ototoxicity monitoring and management, but the practices adopted are not aligned to international standards nor the national HPCSA guidelines on assessment and management of patients on ototoxic medications. Findings speak to the frequency of practice; the referral pathways audiologists use; prevention and promotion methods used; availability of resources for the implementation of ototoxicity assessment and management; barriers to ototoxicity assessment and management; the influence of language and culture in ototoxicity assessment and management; as well as information management practices within this context. No relationship could be established between knowledge regarding ototoxicity, communication, caseload, and ototoxicity assessment and management on the chi-square.Conclusion:Implications for strategic planning, budget allocation, collaborative multidisciplinary within the same institution approaches; training; policy formulation; and translation of policies and guidelines into practice are raised by these findings.

In the South African context, education has emerged from missionary, colonial and Afrikaner ideology (Euro-centric education) (Gelderblom, 2003) to outcomes-based education without tapping into the rich knowledge base of the African population. An African philosophy of education has not yet been embraced and it is deemed necessary in an effort to understand the African way of life (Mkabela & Luthuli, 1997). The aim of the study was to document and analyze indigenous Zulu games for possible curriculum enrichment of physical education in schools and the promotion of cross-cultural interaction between learners. This necessitated the identification and description of indigenous Zulu games in order to assess their potential in obtaining overt educational outcomes related to the cognitive, affective, psychomotor and social development of school learners. Quantitative (questionnaires) and qualitative data (focus group discussions, interviews, video and audio tape recordings) were triangulated to constitute context and gather data from isiZuluspeaking participants (N=274). A sample of 217 grade seven learners (10-17 years old) and 57 adults (40 years and older) participated in the research. The majority of the most prominent clans from six communities, three urban and four rural schools in selected areas in KwaZulu-Natal (Northern, Southern and Western areas) were represented in the sample. The dissemination and presentation of indigenous Zulu games as means for reaching educational outcomes hold significant potential and value for curriculum enrichment and social inclusion in the South African school context. Indigenous Zulu games, a symbolic representation of the Zulu cultural expression, hold potential to be utilized and to meaningfully contribute to the physical, cognitive, affective, social and cultural developmental needs of learners. Keywords: Indigenous games; Zulu culture; Curriculum.SAJRSPER Vol. 30 (1) 2008 pp. 89-103

Section 2B of the Wills Act 7 of 1953 states that “[i]f any person dies within three months after his marriage was dissolved by a divorce or annulment by a competent court and that person executed a will before the date of such dissolution, that will shall be implemented in the same manner as it would have been implemented if his previous spouse had died before the date of the dissolution concerned, unless it appears from the will that the testator intended to benefit his previous spouse notwithstanding the dissolution of his marriage.” This note looks at the application of section 2B of the Wills Act to a divorced Muslim spouse in the event that on his or her death, he or she leaves behind a will stating that his or her estate should be distributed in terms of the Islamic law of succession. An overview of the application of the Islamic law of succession within the South African context is looked at by way of introduction. The impact of section 2B of the Wills Act on the right of a divorced Muslim spouse to inherit in terms of an Islamic will is then analysed. Possible constitutional challenges in the application of the Islamic law of succession within the South African legal context are also highlighted. The note concludes with an overall analysis of the findings and makes a recommendation.