Competition In South Africa Research Articles

The risk factors and predictors of injury among collegiate rugby players under the age of 20.

The risk of injury in rugby is high, due to the contact nature of the game. Players are constantly exposed to impact and collision during training and match-play. Rugby union consists of various risk factors that predispose players to injury. The aim of the study was to determine the risk factors of injury and to predict the risk of injury per playing position during match-play. The study followed a quantitative, non-experimental, and cross-sectional research design. A total of 252 male rugby players, aged 18 to 20 years, who played in a collegiate rugby competition in South Africa (SA) for the 2022 season were conveniently sampled for the study. The playing position, time of injury (whether during a match or training), use of protective equipment, and phase of play in which the injury occurred were recorded. Injury data was captured by qualified healthcare professionals using an adapted injury surveillance questionnaire. The study found that potential risk factors for injury included illegal or dangerous play, playing in the second half of the match (more specifically the third quarter of the match), and playing in the offensive part of the field (more specifically between the opposition-22 and halfway line). Contact events were the most common cause of match injury (91.1%). The half of the match in which an injury was sustained was significantly different between forwards and backs (P=0.011). A statistically significant association was found between playing position and the phase of play in which injury was sustained (P=0.021). Regression analysis showed that playing between the opposition-22 m line and the halfway line was a significant predictor of injury for both forwards and backs (P=0.035). In conclusion, potential risk factors for injury were related to dangerous play, time during the match (specifically the third quarter of the match), and location of play (specifically between the opposition-22 m line and halfway line). The area of play was a significant predictor of injury for all players. It is recommended that greater efforts in collecting epidemiological data need to be made to broaden the knowledge base on injuries and provide strategies to coaches and players to reduce the risk of injury in rugby.

Roadmaps to managed competition: to what extent does South Africa meet the preconditions for equity and efficiency?

South Africa offers universal health coverage through large public and private systems. The private system is characterised by a regulated market for health insurance, referred to domestically as medical schemes. From 2000, the private system was undergoing a reform process consistent with theoretical approaches for regulated competition for health insurance. However, from 2008, the reform process was interrupted, leaving in place a partial framework which included open enrolment, community rating and regulated minimum benefits but excluded, inter alia, risk equalisation. The incomplete reform, however, provides an opportunity to examine the system outcomes that result from a partial approach. This paper therefore reviews the system outcomes of the partial reform using a descriptive data analysis. The findings then inform an evaluation of the extent to which the preconditions for regulated competition have been met as indicated by the theory of regulated competition in healthcare. The paper therefore highlights the areas where regulatory interventions need to be prioritised in South Africa to achieve the objectives of regulatory competition that are able to achieve access, fairness and efficiency. The analysis points to significant failures at the level of health insurance competition in South Africa with resulting outcomes consistent with the theory of regulated competition.

Has the increase in the availability of generic drugs lowered the price of cardiovascular drugs in South Africa?

Background: This research focuses on pharmaceutical competition in South Africa where concurrent pricing legislation is being implemented without monitoring the consequences on generic drug competition and usage.Objective: To examine the relationship between originator drug prices and the number of generic brands within the cardiovascular class of drugs and to compare South African prices with international reference prices.Method: Data on private sector drug prices was sourced from the South African Medicine Price Registry. The relationship between the median proportional price and the number of brands in the therapeutic class was analysed using correlation analysis. International reference prices were obtained from the Management Sciences for Health International Drug Price Indicator Guide (2012 edition).Results: A weak correlation between originator and generic drug prices and the number of available brands was observed, the exception being diuretic drugs. The median prices per strength of the originator generic were still higher than the most expensive generic version manufactured by any other company, the exception being telmisartan. Comparison of price ratios between the originator drug, lowest priced generic and international reference price values revealed that the originator drug prices had a median price ratio of 20.99 (interquartile range 7.31—53.46) and the lowest priced generics had a median price ratio of 4.28 (interquartile range 2.10—8.47).Conclusion: Increased generic competition is not a predictor of lower drug prices. The study also concludes that the current South African pharmaceutical policies have not yet achieved the lowest prices for drugs when compared internationally.

On the Accuracy of the Private Sector Macroeconomic Forecasts of the South African Economy

This paper evaluates the forecasting accuracy of private sector forecasters who participate in the annual “Media24 Economist of the Year” forecasting competition in South Africa. Our primary aim is to examine whether the accuracy of private sector forecasters improved over time, particularly their ability to predict the 2008/2009 recession and whether there was a distinct change in forecasting accuracy along this turning point of the business cycle. Our estimates from a forecasting error measure known as Theil's U-Statistic show that, on the average, the Root Weighted Mean Squared Error (RWMSE) of the growth forecast for the current period was 0.62 of an adaptive-naïve forecast, whereas the inflation forecast was 0.71 of an adaptive-naïve forecast. In order to determine whether there was an improvement in forecasting accuracy after the recession, we segregate the sample period along this break date and compare the size of the forecast errors between the two periods. To this end, we find that with respect to the growth predictions, there was a marginal reduction in the magnitude of the forecasting errors. However, in the case of inflation forecasts (both current and year-ahead), there was a marked reduction in the size of both the RWMSE and Theil's U-Statistic, implying that the post recessionary period was characterized by an improvement in accuracy of inflation forecasts made by the private sector. Furthermore, with respect to year-ahead forecasts, the results from both the nonparametric and the more formal parametric test allows us to reject the hypothesis of equality between the mean squared errors of the competing forecasts. Although the private sector forecasters were unable to accurately predict the recession, they were at the least able to produce forecasts that were more accurate than the adaptive-naïve model.

Has the increase in the availability of generic drugs lowered the price of cardiovascular drugs in South Africa?

BackgroundThis research focuses on pharmaceutical competition in South Africa where concurrent pricing legislation is being implemented without monitoring the consequences on generic drug competition and usage. ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between originator drug prices and the number of generic brands within the cardiovascular class of drugs and to compare South African prices with international reference prices. MethodData on private sector drug prices was sourced from the South African Medicine Price Registry. The relationship between the median proportional price and the number of brands in the therapeutic class was analysed using correlation analysis. International reference prices were obtained from the Management Sciences for Health International Drug Price Indicator Guide (2012 edition). ResultsA weak correlation between originator and generic drug prices and the number of available brands was observed, the exception being diuretic drugs. The median prices per strength of the originator generic were still higher than the most expensive generic version manufactured by any other company, the exception being telmisartan. Comparison of price ratios between the originator drug, lowest priced generic and international reference price values revealed that the originator drug prices had a median price ratio of 20.99 (interquartile range 7.31–53.46) and the lowest priced generics had a median price ratio of 4.28 (interquartile range 2.10–8.47). ConclusionIncreased generic competition is not a predictor of lower drug prices. The study also concludes that the current South African pharmaceutical policies have not yet achieved the lowest prices for drugs when compared internationally.

The economic and pricing impact of authorized generic medicines in South Africa

Purpose – This paper aims to examine whether authorized generics (AGs) have influenced prices and market shares in markets for molecules facing generic competition in South Africa. AGs (clones), which are identical to the originator brands, offer a solution for originator companies to protect their markets from independent generic (IG) competition. IG competitors have claimed that AGs have a negative impact on pricing and competition. Design/methodology/approach – In a retrospective analysis, pricing and quantity data for 24 months post generic entry were extracted for oral solid dosage form products which experienced generic entry into their markets between 2005 and 2011, divided into “Authorized generic affected” and “no authorized generic” markets. A series of indices was calculated, as well as market shares of competing originator and generic products, and the number of generic competitors determined. Indices and market share data for clone affected and unaffected groups were tested at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months using unmatched t-tests, at a 95 per cent significance level. Findings – None of the evaluated pricing indices showed a consistently significant difference existing between AG-affected and no-AG samples. The only variable for which the two samples consistently differed was market shares, with originator brands experiencing significantly more market share erosion in AG-affected markets. Pricing levels of generics and originator products as well as growth of numbers of generic competitors were similar in both AG-affected and no-AG groups. Originality/value – A study of this nature on the impacts of AGs in the South African generics has not been previously published and reflects the situation particular to the country.

An Analysis of Critical Success Factors in Managing the Tourist Experience at Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park (KNP) attracts over 1 million tourists per annum and is one of the top five international destinations in South Africa. However, there is a lot of competition in South Africa and, together with the 22 national parks managed by SANParks, there are also local and provincial parks and more than 9,000 game farms with neighboring countries such as Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana competing for ecotourists. This implies the need for higher quality products and services that must be delivered to the tourist to fulfill the expectations of tourists. This can be achieved by determining the critical success factors (CSFs) in managing the tourist experience at KNP, since knowledge of these factors can lead to a satisfied tourist experience that will keep visitors loyal to the park and thus ensure the competitiveness and sustainability of the KNP. The purpose of this research is therefore to determine the CSFs of managing the tourist experience at KNP. To achieve this goal, a questionnaire survey was conducted at KNP from December 27, 2010 to January 4, 2011. Questionnaires were distributed at the chalets and camping areas in the following rest camps: Skukuza (152), Berg & Dal (98), Lower Sabie (85), and Satara (101). A total of 436 questionnaires were obtained from the rest camps. The results showed that nine CSFs can be identified, which KNP management can use to improve on quality service delivery, giving the tourists a memorable experience at KNP. Three of the nine CSFs that have not yet been identified in previous research are wildlife experience, interpretation, and luxuries.

Preconditions of a Competitive Pay-TV Market: The Case of South Africa

In 2007 five new entrants were awarded licences to compete with the incumbent firm in South Africa’s pay-TV market. This paper assesses whether the pay-TV market could be competitive by studying the South African market and European Commission’s case involving Newscorp and Telepiu. The pay-TV market meets the requirements of a liberalised market that requires ex ante regulatory interventions for competitive outcomes to be realised, as it is susceptible to destructive competition. In the main, conditions of access to programming content (particularly premium content) and interoperability of set-top-boxes may require ex ante regulations for competition to prevail. Without meeting these key pre-conditions, prospects for competition in South Africa’s pay-TV market may be dampened.

Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948, by Karen E. Flint.

<i>Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948</i>, by Karen E. Flint.

Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948

Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948

South Africa: The Cyclical Behavior of the Markups and its Implications for Monetary Policy

The study looks at the cyclical behavior of the markups and assesses its impact on inflation dynamics. The analysis finds that the aggregate level of the private sector's markup is relatively high, thus pointing to the lack of strong competition in South Africa's product markets. Additionally, the results suggest that the markups tend to move in a countercyclical manner, with a short-term positive impact on inflation. This implies that the countercyclical pattern of the markups is one factor among others that contribute to the relatively weak output gap-inflation co-movement. In the context of South Africa's inflation targeting framework, the counter-cyclical markups may also generate an asymmetric response of monetary policy to the fluctuations in economic activity.

South Africa: The Cyclical Behavior of the Markups and its Implications for Monetary Policy

The study looks at the cyclical behavior of the markups and assesses its impact on inflation dynamics. The analysis finds that the aggregate level of the private sector's markup is relatively high, thus pointing to the lack of strong competition in South Africa's product markets. Additionally, the results suggest that the markups tend to move in a countercyclical manner, with a short-term positive impact on inflation. This implies that the countercyclical pattern of the markups is one factor among others that contribute to the relatively weak output gap-inflation co-movement. In the context of South Africa's inflation targeting framework, the counter-cyclical markups may also generate an asymmetric response of monetary policy to the fluctuations in economic activity.

Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948 (review)

Reviewed by: Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948 Jonathan Roberts (bio) Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948. By Karen E. Flint. Athens: Ohio University Press, 2007. Pp. xiv+274. $55/26.95. Karen Flint's Healing Traditions is an intriguing story of the customs and practices of healing at the cultural crossroads of South Africa. The product of several years of primary research, the book is based on voluminous archival data, supplemented by oral testimonies from healers. Flint knows her topic intimately, having cultivated relationships with informants from both the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal and the urban medicine shops of Durban. The book is divided chronologically into two parts, the first covering the Zulu Kingdom during the nineteenth century. Flint demonstrates how diverse healing ideas of the izAngoma (diviners) and iziNyanga (herbalists) from around Natal were amalgamated under Zulu rule, and how royal medicines (muthi) were deployed as a means of challenging rivals to the throne. This was a period when Zulu medical thought dominated southern Africa, and when white settlers were beholden to the interests of indigenous [End Page 533] healers and priests. The Zulu polity, from Flint's perspective, was overtly medicalized, a place where healing power intertwined with royal authority. The second part of Healing Traditions opens in 1876, with a tea party at the farmhouse of Lady Barker, a British settler in Natal. To entertain her guests, Barker invited a group of healers to dance, perform rituals, and divine the whereabouts of the missing pipe stem of one of her white guests. This is a snapshot of a time when whites regarded Zulu medicine with an exoticized respect, a status that rapidly diminished as African healers were vilified by white doctors. At the turn of the century, the British colonial government passed a series of laws restricting witchfinding and outlawing practices of spirit possession (which subsequently went underground, maintained largely by women). In the independent Union of South Africa, only registered native herbalists were permitted to practice medicine. But as Flint carefully notes, the narrative of state medical hegemony belies the healing syncretism that developed during this period. By the early twentieth century, the medical landscape of Natal was crowded with African, Western, Ayarvedic, and Islamic healing ideas. This was a period of leakage between cultural boundaries, a time when whites sought out African herbal remedies, Indians hired African diviners to cure spiritual illnesses, and Africans used Indian medicines to guard against witchcraft. From this polycultural setting emerged a number of prominent Indian and African healers, whose biographies form a key part of Flint's book. Highlighted is the life of Mafavuke Ngcobo, a wealthy herbalist in Durban who owned five muthi shops and operated a lucrative mail-order medicine business. Ngcobo ran afoul of the white medical authorities who patrolled medical traditions in Natal when he advertised himself as a "doctor." For blurring the boundaries between Western and African medicine, Ngcobo was fined £25. In protest, Ngcobo and other vendors formed the Natal Native Medical Association to define their right to practice, but, as Flint notes, the African-ness of the organization served to increase distinctions between black and white medicines. This is one example of the way Flint historicizes the promiscuous concept of the "traditional," exposing it as a discursive tool of racial ideology. The closing chapter of the book addresses some contemporary issues, including the licensing of traditional healers by the African National Congress and the story of bioprospecting for hoodia gordonii (an appetite sup-pressant) in the Kalahari Desert. These issues are somewhat tangential to the specific history of medicines in Natal. An incident that is mentioned but begs further coverage is the establishment of "Freedom Hospital" in Durban in 1996, a center for divination and herbalism founded by isangoma Queen Ntuli. Intriguingly, the clinic closed down after two years because, in Ntuli's paradoxical words, its services were "too new" (p. 196). It would be interesting to know whether Durban is becoming more or less medically hybrid in post-apartheid South Africa. [End Page 534] Flint might also have provided a more precise chronology of the...

Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948 (review)

Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948 (review)

Karen E. Flint . Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820–1948.(New African Histories.)Scottsville, South Africa : University of KwaZulu–Natal Press . Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press. 2008 . Pp. xiv, 274. Cloth $55.00, paper $26.95.

Karen E. Flint . Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820–1948.<i>(New African Histories.)</i>Scottsville, South Africa : University of KwaZulu–Natal Press . Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press. 2008 . Pp. xiv, 274. Cloth $55.00, paper $26.95.

Healing traditions: African medicine, cultural exchange, and competition in South Africa, 1820-1948

In August 2004, South Africa officially sought to legally recognize the practice of healers. Largely in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and limited both by the number of practitioners and by patients' access to treatment, biomedical practitioners looked toward the country's healers as important agents in the development of medical education and treatment. This collaboration has not been easy. The two medical cultures embrace different ideas about the body and the origin of illness, but they do share a history of commercial and ideological competition and different relations to state power. Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948 provides a long-overdue historical perspective to these interactions and an understanding that is vital for the development of medical strategies to effectively deal with South Africa's healthcare challenges. Between 1820 and 1948, healers in Natal, South Africa, transformed themselves from politically powerful men and women who challenged colonial rule and law into successful entrepreneurs who competed for turf and patients with white biomedical doctors and pharmacists. Carefully crafted, well written, and powerfully argued, Flint's analysis of the ways that indigenous medical knowledge and therapeutic practices were forged, contested, and transformed over two centuries is highly illuminating, as is her demonstration that many traditional practices changed over time. Her discussion of African and Indian medical encounters opens up a whole new way of thinking about the social basis of health and healing in South Africa.

Performance analysis of immigration operation by discrete event modelling and simulation

Discrete event modelling and simulation were used to analyse the performance of immigration operation in Botswana. The relationships between length of queues of immigrants, queuing time, service time and engagem-ent of duty officer were investigated. Data collected by direct observation and clock-timing of processing immi-grant request at an inland office on a normal working day was used to determine whether to increase or reduce the number of serving officers to balance the operations. The findings indicated that the system of operation was balanced or fairly matched by 75 % utilization of the officer, average immigrant queuing time of 4.2 min, and required no changes. The pilot study could be replicated at other boarder posts and airports prior to the expected influx of tourists during the 2010 World Cup Football Competition in South Africa.

An application of attractiveness measures to evaluate the optimal structure of Currie Cup rugby

Recent remarks in the media suggest that the Currie Cup competition, the premier rugby union competition in South Africa, is in need of a revamp. This paper uses new measures of the attractiveness of rugby union matches to argue that the Currie Cup has become one of the less attractive competitions in the rugby-playing world and that the participation of weak teams has contributed significantly to this tendency. Against this background, the paper discusses two proposals for restructuring the competition to restore its attractiveness: a competition with only the five teams that have historically dominated Currie Cup rugby, and a competition with this five andone additional team. It is found that that the five-team structure should yield the most attractive outcomes, but a six-team competition also would be relatively more attractive than most rugby union competitions and would be more likely to be acceptable to key decision makers in South African rugby.