Showing items 1 - 20 of 7197

The exploration of Black and Brown drag performance communities: an artistic tool for creating safe spaces

  • Authors: Adriaan, Aaron Robert
  • Date: 2025-04-25
  • Subjects: Uncatalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/478383 , vital:78182
  • Description: This research investigates the role of drag performance in South Africa, particularly its contribution to the fostering and maintenance of safe spaces for Black and Brown Queer communities. Inspired by the community building legacy Kewpie. This research project employs auto-ethnographic research practice to generate a better understanding of modes of Queer drag praxis drawing on Linda Tuhiwai Smith's (1999) concept of the "insider/outsider" researcher. The project acknowledges the ethical challenges of researching vulnerable communities. This research is guided by self-reflection and information gathered from fieldwork; informed by an awareness of the theory of ‘intersectionality’ (Carbado, Crenshaw, Mays, Tomlinson 2013) exploring the complexities of race, class, and sexuality within Cape Town’s Queer community. In this way, the study navigates the complexities of race, class, and sexuality within the drag context of Cape Town through the viewpoint of this researcher. The contextual exploration of drag unfolds across two interconnected disciplinary avenues: Firstly, the historical context of drag and its evolution within the performance art canon: to understand the place of contemporary drag in the broader artistic and cultural discourse. Secondly, the study investigates theatrical histories and conventions that have influenced and transformed drag practices. This is done to frame drag performance with forms of theatrical performance. This historical and disciplinary background is used to formulate a distinction that is at the centre of this research: proposing that contemporary drag practice in the City of Cape Town can be understood and to some extent distinguished by the categories of embodied costume and embodied performance. Embodied costume within the scope of this research view the use of drag aesthetics and visual elements in artistic expressions and performances that fall outside of traditional ‘drag show’ culture. Embodied performance refers to drag performances that fall within the context of traditional ‘drag show’ genres, communities, and venues − reminiscent of cabaret performance. This conception highlights the performative aspects of the drag persona, which is an extension of the performer’s identity. While some performers and performances can exemplify either embodied performance or embodied costume, these categories are not mutually exclusive, with incalculable overlaps in keeping with the rich possibilities of drag practice. The purpose of highlighting these distinctions is to create a critical framework for exploring the unique position drag occupies between fine art and theatre, incorporating both fields of practice, and synthesising them into a unique language for the expression of alternate gender narratives. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Fine Art, 2025
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  • Date Issued: 2025-04-25

Strategies to optimize quality of nursing care of patients in public hospitals in the Bono Region, Ghana

  • Authors: Atinga Ba-Etilayoo
  • Date: 2024-12
  • Subjects: Nursing -- Ghana , Nurse and patient , Communication in nursing
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/69749 , vital:78016
  • Description: The quality of nursing care delivery is closely tied to positive patient outcomes and satisfaction. However, in Ghana's public hospitals, particularly in the Bono region, the standard of nursing care often falls short. Media reports have highlighted instances of poor nursing care, leading to increased patient morbidity and mortality in this area. Consequently, this study aimed to develop strategies that could be implemented by stakeholders to optimize the quality of nursing care for patients in public hospitals within the Sunyani municipality in the Bono region of Ghana. The Donabedian model of quality was the theoretical framework that underpinned this study. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was employed. The study was conducted in four phases: Phase One: This empirical phase explored and described participants' perceptions of nursing care quality in Bono region's public hospitals. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews including purposively selected patient participants (n=18), professional nurses (n=18) and nurse managers (n=3) and analysed qualitatively following Creswell and Tesch’s (2021) six-step process. From this analysis, three main themes related to perceptions emerged-facilitators of, barriers to and outcomes of quality nursing care—and were thoroughly discussed. Phase Two: An integrative literature review was conducted to search, select, appraise, extract, and synthesise existing relevant literature on quality nursing care in public hospitals of lower to middle-income countries (LMICs). This review followed four stages recommended by Whittemore and Knafl (2005). The identified literature was critically appraised using the John Hopkins Nursing Evidence and Non-Research Evidence appraisal tools. The appraised literature was analysed, yielding nine strategies for optimizing the quality of nursing care in public hospitals from 12 articles under two themes: “Daily nursing care-related strategies” and “Organizational related strategies”. Phase Three: The findings from Phases One and Two were synthesised to develop a conceptual framework for strategies to optimize quality nursing care in Bono region's public hospitals. This framework was based on Dickoff et al.’s (1968) theory development outline. The resulting framework guided the drafting of the (I-CARE) strategies, an acronym for Implementing ABSTRACT v organizational strategies, Commitment to attributes and practices, Augmenting outcomes, Rendering holistic and patient-centered care, and Enhancing resources and support for quality nursing care. Phase Four: The I-CARE strategies were reviewed and validated by four experts with extensive backgrounds in strategy development and quality nursing care. The experts' modifications and recommendations were incorporated in finalizing the strategies. The strategies, when implemented, are expected to enhance the optimization of nursing care quality in Bono region's public hospitals, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and satisfaction. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Care & Medicinal Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-12

A conspiracy of silence: the authorial potential of full masks in performer training, dramaturgy and audience perception in South African visual theatre

  • Authors: Murray, Robert Ian
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Liezl de Kock , People with disabilities and the performing arts , Experimental theater South Africa , Actors Training of , Theater for deaf people South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/467083 , vital:76813 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/467083
  • Description: Silent Mask Theatre in South Africa has the potential to cut across linguistic divides and deliver a product that offers an intimate, unique experience for the audience as well as the actor. South Africa not only has a complicated history, but also 11 languages (12 if one counts South African Sign Language – SASL -, which still holds a curious position of being counted official or not), and the one that theatre-makers choose to present in gives a certain “authority” to the production. Silent masks remove the need for linguistic understanding, something necessary for more abstract thought, and focusses instead on the emotional relevance and interplay between characters. In doing so, it proves an important way to create relevance for an audience, creating a delicate dance between the Mask (character and thereby text), how the actor plays it, and then the closing of meaning through the audience experience. Thus, is created a trialogue between these elements that gives the production the opportunity to speak to the hearts and minds of the audience. Globally, the study of silent character masks is still relatively new, with proponents of it only coming to the fore in the past few years (Wilsher, 2007). Mask Theatre has grown exponentially in the UK and Europe with companies like Vamos Theatre, exploring PTSD in works like A Brave Face (2018) or death in Dead Good (2021), and Familie Flöz either on the more whimsical side like Hotel Paradiso (2011) or the more hard-hitting Infinito (2006), gaining popularity and exposure. In South Africa, there is strangely not an indigenous tradition of masks, as opposed to other parts of Africa. This is fascinating, and probably points towards a more “oral tradition” of South Africa/Africa. However, the author aims to point out the ways that the silent mask entered South African consciousness at a time where more attention was being paid to “performing objects” (Proschan, 1985), and particularly in Cape Town with the advent of the Out the Box Festival. This thesis aims to contextualise Visual Theatre and Mask Theatre in a South African context, seeing within it a movement towards a more global perspective of puppetry, material performances, and performing objects. Although “ghettoised” for a long time (Taylor, 2004), performing objects emerged and became a leading case for the primal “text” of a performance. Handspring Puppet Company, Janni Younge, and the author’s company, FTH:K, became primary grounds of contestation against more conventional, text-based theatre. Starting with a reflective account of the author’s journey towards masks, the thesis branches out into a reflection on its author’s pedagogical praxis, and how silent masks work, before critically reflecting on and analysing his key works, such as Pictures of You (2008-2013), which deals with home invasions and grief, and Benchmarks (2011), which deals with the wave of xenophobia that hit South Africa around that time. . This were built from the ground up, working with current issues both in the author’s, and the country’s, mileau. In the last two decades, performing object work in South Africa has begun to flourish. This is the first thesis to investigate mask work in the country during this period. Its possibilities for Screen and Stage Acting are still being explored. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Drama, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Church music as pedagogy: An investigation through digital storytelling into the role that Southern African Christian Church music praxis played in the musical development of five professional musicians

  • Authors: Mathebula, Praise Ntsako
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Church music Africa, Southern , Indigenous music , Digital storytelling , Music of Southern Africa , Musicians Africa, Southern , Western education
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/465975 , vital:76673
  • Description: Using an ethnographic and autoethnographic approach, this study investigated how the church has influenced the development and practice of five professional musicians practicing in South Africa. This research resulted from discussions with numerous musicians who had their music genesis at church, some of them well-known professionals in the country. Reflecting on the history of church music education that can be traced back to the arrival of the missionaries on the African continent and the different types of music education settings that can be found in South Africa, this thesis analyses the approach and delivery of music pedagogy that exists in the South African church setting. Discussing the introduction of Western musical tools such as tonic-solfa, choral music and four-part singing, this research contextualises the historical effect of mission education of several South African composers, including Tiyo Soga, Enoch Sontonga and John Knox Bokwe. Thereafter, using Digital Storytelling (DS) as a methodology for data collection and Ethnographic Content Analysis (ECA) as an analytic tool, co-researchers were given the opportunity to create data or share their stories in a novel manner, which has proven to develop powerful, honest and self-reflexive results. Important pedagogic themes that emerged as being part of a shared church-led approach to music teaching and learning include practice and consistent performance; collaboration; imitation; embodied and experiential learning, rote learning, and memorisation. Central to using DS as a methodology, this study found that musical identity and early pedagogical approaches to learning music play an important factor in further musical development and education. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Composition portfolio

  • Authors: Musambasi, Richie Andile
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Composition (Music) , Ethnoscience , Oral tradition , Traditional knowledge , Marimba , Music Zimbabwe
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466094 , vital:76684
  • Description: Indigenous Zimbabwean music is complex in its make up and reveals spiritual beliefs, modes of expression, communication patterns, and forms of entertainment. The goal of this composition portfolio is to create pieces that are imbued with the spirit of indigenous Zimbabwean music making as passed on from father to son. The pieces composed include thorough-composed (pre-determined) solo and ensemble frameworks using mostly marimbas based largely on Shona scales and tuning, but also adding mbira, hosho and djembe. All of this is presented within complex structural manipulations that include African and some Western elements of formal music structure. The compositions feature two interlocking parts, known as kushaura and kutsinhira (call and respond), which are traditionally played in a simultaneous manner by two or more musicians. In this portfolio, these voices are spread across a range of players where the interplay between the parts produces complex polyphonic and polyrhythmic musical relationships. The compositions explore modal changes which add excitement, variety and an extra layer of complexity to the pieces. The final artefact is presented as a multimedia submission recorded as a documentary in real time, which is a representation of the embodied making of the music, central to this project. As music was passed down through folk tales, religious gatherings, rock paintings and sources of art, the narration is the key element in expressing that knowledge dissemination is not only text bound, but also embodied and orally shared. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Eastern Cape jazz heritage: the jazz tradition and veteran musicians of East London and Zwelitsha

  • Authors: Giyose, Thandikile Qhawekazi
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Jazz musicians South Africa Eastern Cape , Jazz South Africa Eastern Cape , International Library of African Music , Popular-music archives , Collective memory in music , South African jazz
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/465964 , vital:76672
  • Description: This thesis explores the memories of musicians and music collectors as evident in the performance of traditional jazz songs in East London and Zwelitsha. I ask, how may research on musicians and their songs develop new knowledge about the aesthetics of jazz in the Eastern Cape and contribute to transforming notions of memories and archives? I argue that these songs are repositories of collective memory about the musical pasts of Eastern Cape modernity. We commemorate cities such as Johannesburg and Cape Town for nurturing South African jazz but what is known of the jazz musicians who remained in the country, and those musicians whose musicality was nurtured in the Eastern Cape? Where are the stories of their musical journeys and compositions located? How did these musicians contribute to the development of a form of South African jazz, which now represents and forms a large part of our heritage and our various identities as musicians, fans and performers in South Africa? In-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted with veteran jazz musicians, jazz music collectors and members of the younger generation of jazz musicians who are originally from or reside in East London and Zwelitsha, Eastern Cape. The research follows a qualitative methodology, using an exploratory case study with a focused ethnographic approach, to understand how these musicians’ songs have retained memories of their lived experiences. The research is derived from oral histories of musicians to understand how the songs survive in the collective memory of musicians and their fans, contributing to the preservation of Eastern Cape’s jazz heritage. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Mediating learning of sound through cultural music and dance stories to Grade 4 farm school learners

  • Authors: Tshitshi, Hlengiwe
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Technology Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Ethnoscience , Storytelling , Folk dancing , Folk music , Sociocultural perspective , Argumentation theory
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463647 , vital:76428
  • Description: The current South African Natural Science and Technology (NS-Tech) curriculum for grades 4–9 encourages teachers to integrate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) into their teaching. By doing so, it is hoped that this would contextualise and make science relevant to learners. However, the contradiction is that IK is hardly discussed in the curriculum and there are no clear guidelines on how to integrate it. It is against this background that in this study I used stories about cultural beliefs and practices on traditional music and dance to support Grade 4 NS-Tech from a farm school talking about and making sense of the topic of sound. This study is underpinned by the interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms. Within the Indigenous research paradigm, I focused on the Ubuntu perspective. A qualitative case study research design was employed, and the study was conducted in the Sarah Baartman District of the Eastern Cape. Four Grade 4 learners and four Indigenous Knowledge Custodians who were all family members were participants in this study. In addition, I invited an NS-Tech teacher to be my critical friend in this study. A focus group interview (sharing circle), participatory and lesson observations and learners’ journal reflections were employed to gather data. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory together with Ogunniyi’s contiguity argumentative theory were used as lenses to analyse data. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed to come up with sub-themes. Thereafter, common sub-themes were subsequently combined to form themes. The findings of this study revealed that the following factors can significantly enable/constrain the ability of Grade 4 Natural Sciences and Technology learners from a farm school to comprehend and engage with the topic of sound: (1) integration of IK into science lessons, (2) Experiential learning through hands-on activities, (3) Community involvement in knowledge acquisition, and (4) Emotional effect of loud sounds. In addition, the contribution of Indigenous Knowledge Custodians facilitated a notable enhancement in learners’ dialogue and understanding of sound. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

No way to escape: a crime fiction

  • Authors: Dzanibe, Nkosivumile
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) South Africa , South African fiction (English) 21st century , Short stories, South African (English) 21st century , Crime fiction , Crime in literature
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/465923 , vital:76668
  • Description: This study presents a model for science engagement that incorporates journalistic approaches. This model emerges from a project that aimed to create engagement and communication around a genetically modified sugar cane variety, developed by the South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI). In this project, we engaged with small scale growers in the North and South Coast region of KwaZulu-Natal. This study’s methodology is based in action research and an iterative approach to science communication and engagement. It draws and reflects on an action research cycle captured through video documentary as a way to effectively and thoroughly collect, analyse and interpret data and produce through the case study. Based on this action research process a model for science engagement is proposed and reflected on and interrogated by scientists and science communicators through a focus group engagement (see model here as part of this thesis): https://drive.google.com/file/d/14UD1qd4fPcqIZrkESq5v2wgJ1Y2Q7hON/view?usp=sharing. I reflect, using video, on this model and how it incorporates principles and techniques for public engagement drawn from different approaches to journalism and communication studies, I argue that science engagement can benefit from drawing from journalistic approaches to public engagement such as those emerging from development communication, public journalism and development journalism. The submission of this thesis includes various other videos as part of the overall thesis. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Languages and Literatures, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Singing pretty: investigating female respectability in classical vocal performance in South Africa

  • Authors: Van der Walt, Alida
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Respectability politics , Integrity , Classical music , Opera South Africa , Sex discrimination against women , Intersectionality (Sociology) , Women singers South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466102 , vital:76685
  • Description: In this thesis, I consider respectability in classical vocal performance in South Africa by presenting research on six women who hold prominent positions in this field intertwined with my own experiences in this arena. I introduce the context and background to my research across the fields of respectability politics, music studies, and intersectionality before investigating two main modes of gendered bodily respectability that featured in my singer-participants’ lives. These include first extra-bodily technologies in service of respectability, referring to anything that a singer may externally and visibly apply (on)to her body to enhance its physical appeal in specific ways, in line with respectability’s requirements. In thinking through the notion of extra-bodily technologies, I outline via cyborg theory how this first mode of respectability policing operates as an intersectionally oppressive force in my own and my singer-participants’ lives. The second form of bodily discipline emerges in what I call intra-bodily markers of respectability. In developing this term, I demonstrate, based on my singer-participants’ experiences and my own, how the policing of intra-bodily respectability markers may shift our understanding of identity performativity from the discursive realm into the physical. In doing so, I think critically about the importance of language in respectability’s shaping of women’s realities. With little subversive potential found in these themes, I explore the theme of play as a subversive strategy employed by the singers in my study, contrasting the playful subversion with my own mode of ‘serious’ rebellion. Play, with its ambiguous nature rooted in theories of psychology and self-realization, becomes a fundamental aspect of human development, allowing individuals to explore their capabilities and confront societal limitations. I explore the gendered aspects of subversive play in various arenas such as physical appearance, sexuality, musicianship, race, and class, emphasizing and questioning its potential as a political action within the constraints of societal structures. The final part of the thesis explores my own experiences of embodied unbecoming from respectability’s oppressions through vocal performance. Here, I tie together the three strands presented in the body of this thesis through my singing, transgressing body in reference to what I call a feminist musicianship practice as a way of singing beyond respectability. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Togetherness, care and exclusion: adolescents’ experiences of living with a disabled sibling in a South African context

  • Authors: Foote, Tamlyn Lou-Ann
  • Date: 2024-10-11
  • Subjects: Siblings of people with disabilities South Africa , Interpretative phenomenological analysis , Sibilings Family relationships , Sibilings Psychological aspects , South Africa Social conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466995 , vital:76805 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/466995
  • Description: The importance of the sibling relationship in an individual’s life has been established, and various aspects of siblingship have been studied. Recently researchers have begun to explore what it means to be a sibling and how siblingship is embodied. Where disability is present in the siblingship, however, there is very little literature, particularly in the Global South. This cross-cultural, cross-language, Interpretative Phenomenological study explores how isiXhosa speaking adolescent non-disabled people, living in a socio-economically disadvantaged context in South Africa, experience their lives in relation to their disabled sibling. Through the use of semi-structured interviews and photo-production with 9 isi-xhosa speaking adolescents from a disadvantaged socio-economic context in South Africa, three master themes emerged. Firstly, non-disabled siblings (NDSs) experienced togetherness in their relationships with their disabled brothers/sisters. In their experiences of togetherness, where reciprocity was prominent, they felt a sense of we-ness. In these instances, disability did not play a central role in their relationships. Secondly, NDSs living in disadvantaged socio-economic contexts experienced care in different ways. Some experienced wanting to care and some experienced having to care for their disabled brother or sister. Where care was voluntary it was experienced as an act of love, contributing to their self-esteem or a family value. Where care was experienced as obligatory, NDSs felt lonely and unsupported, and this contributed to ambivalent feelings toward their disabled sibling. Finally, NDSs experienced themselves as outsiders. Experiences of being an outsider sometimes occurred because of their socio-economic status, and sometimes because of experienced stigma related to their sibling’s disability. In both instances this contributed to feelings of inadequacy and exclusion. To overcome these feelings, NDSs focused on becoming successful, wealthy or famous. These findings have important implications in terms of how NDSs may be supported. Furthermore, this study has important methodological implications for using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis in a cross-cultural, cross-language context. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-10-11

Investigating playing-related musculoskeletal disorders in South African instrumental musicians

  • Authors: Green, Erryn Mae
  • Date: 2024-04-04
  • Subjects: Musculoskeletal disorder , Musculoskeletal system Diseases , Musicians Wounds and injuries , Musicians Health and hygiene , Human engineering South Africa , Musicians Health risk assessment , Biomechanics , Musical instruments , Music genre
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/435310 , vital:73146
  • Description: This study, one of the first studies in SA to investigate PRMD in a wideranging sample of instrumental musicians using a validated self-report tool, shows that PRMDs are highly prevalent among a range of SA musicians and have a considerably negative effect on musicians’ performance ability and quality of life. However, making inferences about most affected genre or instrumental group was challenging due to the small sample sizes in some categories. The results from this study confirm that the nature of PRMD development is indeed multi-factorial, with factors numerous individual and playing-related factors playing a role in the development of PRMDs in SA musicians. Better support and education on health promotion for musicians, including awareness of and prevention strategies for PRMDs in the SA context are needed which may reduce the prevalence of PRMDs. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Human Kinetics and Ergonomics, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04-04

Investigating unimodal isolated signer-independent sign language recognition

  • Authors: Marais, Marc Jason
  • Date: 2024-04-04
  • Subjects: Convolutional neural network , Sign language recognition , Human activity recognition , Pattern recognition systems , Neural networks (Computer science)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/435343 , vital:73149
  • Description: Sign language serves as the mode of communication for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, embodying a rich linguistic and cultural heritage. Recent Sign Language Recognition (SLR) system developments aim to facilitate seamless communication between the Deaf community and the broader society. However, most existing systems are limited by signer-dependent models, hindering their adaptability to diverse signing styles and signers, thus impeding their practical implementation in real-world scenarios. This research explores various unimodal approaches, both pose-based and vision-based, for isolated signer-independent SLR using RGB video input on the LSA64 and AUTSL datasets. The unimodal RGB-only input strategy provides a realistic SLR setting where alternative data sources are either unavailable or necessitate specialised equipment. Through systematic testing scenarios, isolated signer-independent SLR experiments are conducted on both datasets, primarily focusing on AUTSL – a signer-independent dataset. The vision-based R(2+1)D-18 model emerged as the top performer, achieving 90.64% accuracy on the unseen AUTSL dataset test split, closely followed by the pose-based Spatio- Temporal Graph Convolutional Network (ST-GCN) model with an accuracy of 89.95%. Furthermore, these models achieved comparable accuracies at a significantly lower computational demand. Notably, the pose-based approach demonstrates robust generalisation to substantial background and signer variation. Moreover, the pose-based approach demands significantly less computational power and training time than vision-based approaches. The proposed unimodal pose-based and vision-based systems were concluded to both be effective at classifying sign classes in the LSA64 and AUTSL datasets. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04-04

Short Composition Portfolio

The private collection: aura, the cult of celebrity and, the construct of value in saleable works of art

  • Authors: Ellis, Yvette Tamsin
  • Date: 2024-04-03
  • Subjects: Aura , Celebrities , Consumerism , Art and society , Computer art , AI art , Value
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/434574 , vital:73086
  • Description: A tenet of the twenty-first century is the monetisation of everything due to commercialisation. The effects of this commercialisation have crept into every aspect of our lives, and although in the art world it has mostly been underhanded in its adoption, the traces of commercialisations touch are still evident in its functioning. Due to this underhandedness there hasn't been much thought put into what 'the monetisation of everything' truly implies for the industry, or how the value of the art object devoted to commercialisation may look like. The Private Collection (exhibition title of the practical component for submission in MFA completion) addresses the concept of object value and, more specifically, how that value is created within the art world through mechanisms of commercialisation that include celebrity cult, functioning of possession (through collecting), and taste. Research into Walter Benjamin's theory of the authenticity of the work of art, and in particular his concept of "aura," has helped inform the creation of a marketing strategy propelled by value driven mechanisms found within the Art Market for The Private Collection. Particular emphasis is placed on how brand value drives sales in this thesis. Thus, The Private Collection: Aura, the Cult of Celebrity, and the Construct of Value in Saleable Works of Art, defines The Private Collection as a tailored system built expressly for engagement with economic forces inside the art industry. As a result, the position of this study is based on the marketability of the object through particular driving forces that have seeped into the value system of the saleable work of art. The position of this thesis is that in this commercialist system, driving forces of value can be sustained within instances of the multiple. The project additionally supports this in maintaining that interaction from a fine art perspective would be limited if restricted to orthodox approaches (a gallery showing, and one print works), which is why a more economically interactive approach (e-commerce) was decided on for the exhibition component. The Private Collection offers an observation that the worth of a saleable work of art has become a warped representation of the commercial context we find ourselves in and that value is only awarded through particular kingmakers of the system. The practical component of this submission can be viewed online by clicking the image below. Please note that the website is not optimised for phone or tablet use, please instead view it on a computer (preferably a desktop) in full screen mode. , Thesis (MFA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Fine Art, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04-03

Barriers faced by women in public sector leadership roles

  • Authors: Khoza, Zelda
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Women construction workers -- South Africa -- Management , Construction industry -- South Africa -- Management , Leadership -- South Africa , Equality
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64599 , vital:73770
  • Description: This research aims to analyse barriers that hinder women from occupying senior leadership posi-tions and to identify strategies that can be utilised to enable women to be appointed in these posi-tions at Transnet. The study identifies implementable strategies to assist women who aspire to be part of senior leadership and face barriers that hinder them from progressing to leadership posi-tions. The research adopts a pragmatic research paradigm, including quantitative and qualitative meth-ods, to explain the barriers associated with women advancing to leadership positions within the company. The data was collected through survey questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The analysis indicates that women are still under-represented in Transnet, even though efforts are being made to close this gap. Ineffective implementation of policies, due to lack of facilitating roles by HRM and line managers as expected, and lack of required support from the organisation play a significant role in creating barriers hindering senior leadership positions. The research findings can inform Human Resource Management (HRM) about the need for effec-tive implementation of policies and intensified monitoring to address the identified barriers that hin-der women from occupying senior leadership positions. Transnet should foster an organisational culture to build solid connections and engage diverse stakeholders to increase their impact and access to resources and drive positive organisational change. Transnet can leverage these find-ings to develop programmes and initiatives that support women’s career advancement and skills development. With these findings, Transnet should consider implementing strategies that provide flexible working conditions. Lastly, these findings aid Transnet in providing mentorship to women as a valuable leadership opportunity in the organisation. This study contributes to the existing literature on barriers that hinder women from occupying sen-ior leadership positions within organisations. The study also provides vital insights into the rolling out of women’s development programmes and the encouragement they bring. It offers implications for future research, policy changes, professional practices, and strategies to assist women in lead-ership positions. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Built Environment and Civil Engineering, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring 3d printing of brass instruments: a comparative study of French horn mouthpieces

  • Authors: Barker, Dylan Bruce
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Horn (Musical instrument) , Three-dimensional printing , Instrumentation and orchestration (Band)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62755 , vital:72939
  • Description: The French horn is an orchestral instrument with a rich history that spans centuries, undergoing notable transformations in its design and functionality. A short overview of this history is provided in Appendix A. Originating as a simple coil, the French horn has evolved to encompass a complex valve system, multiple harmonic series, and a diverse range of modifications tailored to players' preferences and requirements. These modifications include mutes, grips, extra keys, and even the exploration of different materials for mouthpieces. The use of plastic rims on mouthpieces, for reasons such as allergies, thermal conductivity, and tactile sensation, has already gained traction among horn players (Tuckwell, 2002). In the realm of manufacturing and technology, the concept of additive manufacturing has emerged as a promising avenue. Referred to as the next "industrial revolution” (Berman, 2012), additive manufacturing has become increasingly accessible through desktop-scale 3D printers. This technology offers a viable method for producing cost-effective musical instruments and enhancers without compromising quality (Kantaros, 2018). As evidenced by a 2018 Roundtable report from the South African Parliament, additive manufacturing aligns with the trajectory of the fourth industrial revolution, prompting governments to develop policies and strategies to harness its potential. Given the significance of additive manufacturing, a comprehensive investigation into applying these new technologies for the horn is warranted. Specifically, material choice, quality of sound, and the experience of performing on a printed mouthpiece is investigated and compared to a traditional metal mouthpiece. While the horn is comprised of many individual components, this study relates specifically to the mouthpiece. A brief appraisal of the significance of the mouthpiece will follow in the next section. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Visual and Performing Arts, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

From Clown Prince to critical phenomenon: Fashioning the Joker as a nomadic war machine

  • Authors: Goldmann, Talya
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Joker -- (Fictitious character) , Comic books, strips, etc. -- United States -- History and criticism , Literature and society -- United States
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62769 , vital:72941
  • Description: Based on the original clown prince of crime in the DC comic books, the Joker is one of the most notorious villains in cinematic history. He originated in the comic book Batman #1 (Finger, 1940) over eighty years ago, and he remains a prominent character across a myriad of media platforms. In film and television, the Joker has appeared in major and minor roles in approximately nine animated series, eighteen animated films, six live-action series, and five live-action films. Indeed, multiple roles, actors, and decades after the character’s first debut in the Batman television series (1966), the Joker continues to be well-received and sought-after, insofar as every time a new Joker is announced, the character garners more intensive publicity and the film as a whole becomes highly anticipated. Thus, what started as a simple clownish character in the role of a minor villain in Batman (1966), has evolved into a multi-faceted villain so captivating that he has recently earned his own stand-alone films, namely Todd Phillips’ Joker (2019), and the sequel, Joker Folie à Deux (2024) – where he is no longer the antagonist, but now the protagonist. In this research, firstly, key features of the Deleuzoguattarian schema relevant to this study will be presented, before capitalism – as the context of Batman’s Gotham – is considered through a Deleuzoguattarian lens. This study will delve into what makes the beloved Joker so extraordinary along with the aesthetic features associated with his meteoric rise to fame. In this regard, what will be theorized is that the Joker constitutes an example of a Deleuzean nomadic war machine: that is, a critical character who borrows aspects of the State Apparatus and then twists and shapes them into weapons through which he questions and mocks society for its authoritarian and ideological flaws, and with which he exposes its conceptual and ethical blind spots. In this way, he acts like a mirror, reflecting what is wrong with society, and by implication, with the human ‘nature’ – not only in the fictional world of Gotham, but also in the contemporary era created therein. More specifically, discourse analysis and film analysis will be used here, to engage critically with the Joker’s persona in relation to the changing contexts in which the various films were made, in order to trace the development of the character through a Deleuzoguattarian lens. As will be discussed, Phillips’ Joker (2019) signals the deterritorialization of the Joker from the ambit of Batman’s influence, and opens up the possibility for his further deterritorialization as an increasingly mobile and nomadic catalyst of critical thinking beyond even Gotham itself. Then, thirdly, an in-depth analysis on the five key cinematic Jokers will be completed in terms of the characters’ historical contexts, character backgrounds, and aesthetics. And thereafter, the deterritorializing ‘line of flight’ already underway – as by Phillips’ Joker (2019) – will be continued through the creative media production component of this study, which will entail the conceptualization, design and illustration of three new Joker manifestations, each of which will reflect critically upon failing systems in South African society across select time periods, and how these failing systems have contributed to the collective trauma of marginalized groups of people. The first South African Joker manifestation, set in the 1980s, will reflect upon the faltering political infrastructure during the Apartheid era. The second Joker manifestation, set in the early 2000s, will encapsulate the repercussions of the post-Apartheid neoliberal economic landscape. And the third Joker manifestation, set in the 2010s, will draw attention to sociocultural collapse particularly in the space of gender-based violence and sexual assault. Thus, the creation of these Jokers will act as an exploration of trauma, insofar as the tragedy and pain caused by the above-mentioned failing systems will manifest physically through their character designs. In terms of this, and in keeping with the dynamics of appropriation and inflection that are definitive of nomadic war machines, here focus will fall on how their character aesthetics pose critical questions about relevant issues in the South Africa. On account of this, although this research is by definition situated within the spectacle/performance paradigm, it also runs counter to the largely apolitical orientation of creative media production that occurs therein, through its emphasis, instead, on how such creative media production can also entail critical thought that is aimed at thematizing socio-cultural and politico-economic issues and the trauma that they create; thus, this creative media component aims to encourage a more trauma-aware society through art. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Language, Media and Communication, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) in the South African transport state-owned enterprises

  • Authors: Calvert, Candice
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Organizational behavior -- South Africa , Government business enterprises -- South Africa , Government ownership -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64896 , vital:73944
  • Description: The transport sector is critically important for economic growth and sustainability of a country and therefore requires carefully crafted strategical policies aimed at social enhancements. Employees who are employed in the major South African transport sector’s State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) carry the responsibility of providing quality and effective services, thus, they are executing the mandate of the National Department of Transport (NDoT). Therefore, their willingness to contribute positively to the goals of the sector, is critically important. Extra-roles and positive behaviours displayed by employees ensure that organisations gain competitive advantage over competitors. These special behaviours are documented in literature as organisational citizenship behaviours (OCB). OCB is referred to as voluntary positive behaviours displayed by employees, which benefit the organisation and improve the overall performance of employees and the organisation but are not recognised by the reward system of the organisation. The scarcity of literature pertaining to OCB in SOEs and in particular, the transport sector globally indicates that OCB is not entrenched in organisational cultures in this sector. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the views of management and employees regarding the influential factors and the outcomes of OCB in South Africa’s major SOEs in the transport sector. A hypothetical model and a questionnaire were developed to establish the influential factors of OCB and its outcomes on the performance of South Africa’s major transport SOEs. Eight independent variables (leadership styles, organisational culture, management support, personal importance, transparency, job autonomy, employee trust and organisational commitment), the intervening variable (organisational citizenship behaviour) and the dependent variables (employee performance and employee retention) were investigated. Primary data was collected by means of electronic questionnaires, which were distributed to five provinces via a QuestionPro link that was emailed to the contact person nominated by the HR department of the two major transport SOEs. Hard copies of the questionnaire were also physically distributed to prospective participants by the researcher. Non-probability sampling was used, specifically convenience sampling technique. The study targeted 500 respondents and 318 questionnaires were usable which amounts to a response rate of 64%. The reliability of the measuring instrument was determined by means of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and the construct validity was tested using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Content validity for the measuring instrument was validated by experts in the fields of organisational behaviour and change management, prior to the distribution of the questionnaire to participants. EFA, descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis and correlation analysis were determined. A STATISTICA computer programme 14.0 was used. The results of the study showed that OCB, which was tested as a seven-dimensional construct, namely, altruism, sportsmanship, loyalty, individual initiative, civic virtue, courtesy, and self-development, was perceived by respondents as two constructs, namely, OCB-selflessness (OCB-S) (altruism, sportsmanship, individual initiative, courtesy and self-development) and OCB-reliability (OCB-R) (civic virtue and loyalty). The empirical results revealed that personal importance is significantly related to OCB-S, but is not significantly related to OCB-R. Furthermore, the findings showed that transparency is not significantly related to OCB-S, however, there is a significant positive relationship between transparency and OCB-R. It was also found that job autonomy is not significantly related to OCB-S, and has a significant negative relationship with OCB-R. In addition, the research findings showed that employee trust and organisational commitment are significantly related to both OCB-S and OCB-R. OCB-S and OCB-R were found to be significantly related to employee performance and employee retention. This study contributed to the body of knowledge in the fields of organisational behaviour and human resources. Furthermore, the study will contribute to policy makers and management within the transport sector of South Africa and globally in order to develop policies and devise strategies to combat negative workplace environments, stimulate service delivery, and improve the competitive advantage of the organisation and the economic sustainability in the transport sector globally, through employee performance and employee retention. , Thesis (DBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Isadora duncan: An instrumental case study

  • Authors: Volker,Lauren
  • Date: 2023-12
  • Subjects: Analytical Psychology , Psychology of women
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63038 , vital:73084
  • Description: The study is an instrumental case study of Isadora Duncan (1877 - 1927). She was a pioneer of modern dance as she developed her unique style of dance that was free-flowing and natural. She further developed her own dance philosophy, which drew the attention of many as its archetypal dancer was a woman who embodied a space that was equal and free. She was not only revolutionary in her unique dance style but also for her strong beliefs. Isadora Duncan believed in anti-marriage, bearing children out of wedlock, and fighting for the emancipation of women where she used dance, her philosophy and post-performance lectures to communicate her thoughts and beliefs. An Instrumental case study is a qualitative method of enquiry, which entails researching an event or individual as a means of providing or gaining insight into a particular phenomenon. Similar to that of a psychobiography, the individual subject can be explored through the lens of a psychological theory for the purpose of creating a coherent psychological case study. The psychoanalytical lens of Carl Jung was used to explore and describe certain aspects of the life and work of Isadora Duncan. The subfield of the Psychology of Women provides a contextual description for the challenges that women faced in the past and in the present, and additionally presents the primary aim of the proposed study. Isadora Duncan was chosen due to her unique dance movement, both literally and figuratively as she developed her ability in giving voice to those emotions that women often kept hidden. She lived during significant times which included radical transformations that brought about noticeable change politically, socially, and culturally. Despite the reformative motions, it did not dismiss its own challenges especially for women. Women faced a constant struggle for freedom from oppression, community rights and gender equality, and Isadora Duncan was no exception to these challenges. Extensive biographical information data was collected and processed into salient features. The study integrates the theory of Carl Jung, the life and dance philosophy of Isadora Duncan and the v challenges faced by women over the centuries and demonstrates the value of using an instrumental case study as a method of inquiry into the exploration of a unique individual. The Psychology of Women provides an understanding of how those past challenges may still be modern-day concerns for the psychology of women today. The findings of the study demonstrated that Isadora Duncan was a unique and innovate women who pushed the boundaries socially. She was determined to perform her unique dance style in times that required women to conform to the cultural expectations. However, in times of trouble and despair, she was able to turn to dance as the individual and collective voice. The contribution of the study rests with its demonstration of the value of a holistic and reflexive exploration of a unique individual woman. It demonstrates the value and application of Jung’s in-depth theoretical understanding of the archetypes in human behaviour and the use of dance as a healing process for psychologically wounded women. Therefore, specific reference to the true inner voice of women allows insight into how clinicians might assist female clients who struggle to release their true inner voice. Furthermore, the study contributes to building knowledge of the challenges that women face in society and allows for future research of exploring integrative theoretical frameworks in understanding the healing of psychologically fragmented women in the 21st century. , Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Health Science, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2023-12

The impact of collaborative writing and scaffolding practices on student writing performance in second language contexts: action research at Midlands State University (MSU)

  • Authors: Hlatshwayo, Primrose
  • Date: 2023-12
  • Subjects: English language -- Context , Writing -- Midlands State University
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63309 , vital:73248
  • Description: The mixed methods action research study explored how collaborative writing and scaffolding practices impacted on the writing performance of students writing in groups. It sought to establish whether using the collaborative writing (CW) method would enhance the writing performance of 55 social work Midlands State University first-year students. Socio-cultural theory (SCT) was employed as the theoretical basis for the study as it emphasises learning in socially constructed environments in which interaction among peers and teachers leads to learning and construction of knowledge. Through the examination of student interactions in two collaborative writing activities, an analysis of student perceptions of CW, and an assessment of student collaboratively produced texts, the study found that the different peer and teacher scaffolding practices that were employed in the collaborative writing sessions significantly enhanced the students’ writing performance. Regardless of the challenges identified in CW, for example, misunderstandings and meaningless contributions from some group members, the research findings revealed that the student interactions offered scaffolding to support their writing activities. For example, validation feedback, link to previous knowledge and the use of correctional feedback were the scaffolding practices used. In addition, the students were able to collaboratively produce better texts with improved cohesive linking, mechanics, organisation, development, structure and vocabulary. The study contributed to L2 collaborative writing literature as it identifies the different student scaffolding approaches and offers an insight into the collaborative writing process and how it could support ESL writing development. However, the methodology posed some limitations, for example, the use of a questionnaire instead of interviews and recording student interactions in a journal instead of audio recording and, lastly, the researcher struggled to balance research demands and her normal teaching load. The study recommends the monitoring of students in CW groups, facilitation of peer/teacher motivation, establishment of group norms and formation of small groups with a maximum number of six members. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2023-12
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