Research Articles (University of Pretoria)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/121

This collection offers open access to the full text of research articles published by staff, students and affiliates of the University of Pretoria. These items are identical in content to their published counterparts. It is linked to the Research Information System and complements the Annual Research Report.

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Evaluating fungicides for the management of rust (Uromycladium acaciae) on black wattle nursery seedlings in Awi zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia
Regasa , Kumela; Beze, Weldesenbet; Anjulo, Agena; Wondafrash, Mesfin; Hurley, Brett Phillip; Lawson, Simon; Healey, Madaline; Germishuizen, Ilaria (Wiley, 2025-11)
Black wattle (Acacia mearnsii De Wild) provides numerous benefits for Ethiopian smallholder farmers due to its fast growth and wide adaptability. It is used for soil improvement and provides economic benefits through charcoal production and the use of wood as biomass fuel. However, in recent years, nursery stocks and young plantations have become susceptible to the wattle rust disease. No fungicides are currently registered in Ethiopia for control of wattle rust. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of fungicides at varying rates for control of black wattle rust at Endewuha and Surta nursery sites, in Awi Zone, northern Ethiopia. Two systemic fungicides, namely, Amistar Top and Amistar Xtra, were evaluated at rates of 1 L·ha−1 and 0.5 L·ha−1 along with an unsprayed control in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Both fungicides at all rates significantly reduced rust infection at both sites. The lowest disease severity, along with increased plant height and collar diameter, was observed in the fungicide-treated plots compared to the untreated control. There was no significant difference in diseases intensity reduction and seedling height and root collar diameter among fungicide rates. The shortest height and the smallest root collar diameter were recorded on the untreated plots at both sites. The percentage reductions in disease damage compared to the control ranged from 94.6% to 96.72% at the Surta site and 94.6%–96.25% at the Endewuha site. Amistar Top or Amistar Xtra fungicide can effectively control acacia rust damage during the seedling stage, ensuring healthy and vigorous planting stock. The choice of the fungicide and application rate will depend on availability and cost, rather than on fungicide group. Further investigation is needed to assess the performance of both treated and untreated seedlings, as well as the progression of the disease in plantation sites.
Remembering the patients on the sesquicentennial anniversary of the Fort England Psychiatric Hospital
Du Plessis, Rory (Taylor and Francis, 2025-08-18)
In 2025, the Fort England Psychiatric Hospital celebrates its 150th anniversary and this marks it as the oldest South African psychiatric facility that is still in use today. Over its many years of existence, the hospital’s history and heritage has been synonymous with the careers of the appointed medical superintendents. Thus, the dominant heritage discourse of the hospital commemorates the achievements of the medical superintendents, but what is missing from the heritage of the hospital is the patients’ experiences and stories. In this article, I seek to include the experiences and stories of the patients as central narratives in the memorialisation and heritage of the hospital. To retrieve aspects of the patients’ lives and experiences, I investigate 20 case files from a set of 200 that was recently discovered at the hospital. The entire set of case files is composed solely of white male patients, who were suffering from chronic mental illness and who remained institutionalised until their passing. A mad studies framework, which aims to humanise the patients, guides the investigation of the case files. Accordingly, the article contributes a humanised narrative of the lives and experiences of the chronic patients to the heritage of the hospital.
The UNHCR’s graduation approach for camp-based poverty reduction : lessons from Zimbabwe’s Tongogara refugee camp
Taruvinga, Raymond; Lombard, A. (Antoinette); Hölscher, Dorothee (Sage, 2025-12)
The article critiques the graduation approach, a poverty alleviation strategy implemented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its partners in low-income refugee-receiving countries. This article reports on a qualitative study conducted in 2020 in Zimbabwe’s Tongogara refugee camp with 47 participants through face-to-face interviews. We apply the lens of Amartya Sen’s development as freedom to demonstrate how multiple unfreedoms in the refugee camps context curtail the sustainability of the graduation approach’s six sequential stages. We find that in Tongogara, restrictions on refugees’ freedom of movement and other institutional limitations undercut the approach’s chance of viability. We conclude that unless structural concessions are made towards enhancing refugees’ agency, camp-based income-generating activities will remain at the subsistence level. We recommend that the six graduation stages be treated as indivisible and cumulative and that a stage-based evaluation be employed to guarantee the requisite freedoms at each stage.
Thermal decomposition behavior and characterization of automotive paint sludge
Kalani, Pfulwani; Oliver, Ines; Molto-Berenguer, Julia; Conesa, Juan A.; Yapi, Litha; Nofemele, Zuko; Mavukwana, Athi-Enkosi (Wiley, 2025-11)
Automotive paint sludge (APS) is a ubiquitous, recalcitrant waste product of the vehicle manufacturing process. The potential of APS for energy and chemical production via pyrolysis and gasification is undermined by the absence of methodologically consistent, cross-stream physicochemical characterization. This impedes process design for the valorization of APS. This work aims to rectify that by presenting a direct physicochemical characterization and thermogravimetric comparison of five APS types: electrocoat, phosphate coat, primer, base coat, and clear coat. Thermogravimetric (TGA/DTG) experiments were conducted at three heating rates, i.e., 5, 10, and 20°C/min, under both nitrogen and air atmospheres. The study revealed that the decomposition of APS occurs in three distinct stages. The first stage involves the removal of moisture and the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), occurring at temperatures ranging from 30°C to 220°C. The second stage, which occurs at approximately 220°C–550°C, exhibits a further subdivision profile comprising two subsections. This entails the devolatilization stage, which occurs between 200°C and 380°C. Subsequent to this, the cracking of resins, heavy hydrocarbons, and the formation of char occur at temperatures ranging from 380°C to 550°C. The third and final stage occurs at a range of 550°C–800°C, accounts for the least mass loss, and is characterized by the carbonization and decomposition of inorganic compounds. In this work, we have established temperature intervals for drying/VOC removal, VOC recovery, and secondary cracking/carbonization, providing comparative evidence to optimize APS-to-energy conversion.
Heat in the transport sector: measured heat exposure and interventions to address heat-related health impacts in the minibus taxi industry in South Africa
Wright, Caradee Yael; Kapwata, Thandi; Kunene, Siyathemba; Kwatala, Ngwako; Mahlangeni, Nomfundo; Laban, Tracey; Webster, Candice (Springer, 2025-10)
High temperatures, heat and heatwaves are being experienced more frequently and with greater intensity in many parts of the world, including South Africa, and record-breaking maximum temperatures are becoming more common. Exposure to heat has adverse impacts on human health and wellbeing. The transport sector and its users are vulnerable to heat both inside vehicles as well as in places where people wait for public transport. We sought to assess the temperatures experienced in minibus taxis, a common mode of transport in South Africa and in minibus taxi ranks as well as the heat-related perceptions of minibus taxi drivers working in the Chesterville Taxi Association in Durban. We also observed heat-related elements in minibus taxi ranks. Data from temperature loggers showed that temperatures inside minibus taxis reached up to 39 °C and were between 3-4 °C warmer than outdoors. For around 11 h every day, temperatures inside minibus taxis were warmer than 27 °C - the temperature that is linked to heat-health symptoms. Taxi drivers (N = 16) all agreed they feel hot in the minibus taxi and more than 90% said they drink water to try to cool down. Taxi ranks were lacking in supply of drinking water and shade for minibus taxis and seating. With the projected increase in temperatures caused by climate change, it is imperative to co-develop mitigation and adaptation strategies to minimise heat-related human health impacts in minibus taxis and taxi ranks especially in low- and middle-income countries.
The κ-μ/gamma-Rayleigh fading model : a composite fading model for powerline-wireless communication channels
Mokise, Kealeboga L.; Myburgh, Hermanus Carel (Wiley, 2025-11-25)
Statistical distributions are frequently used to model fading effects introduced by the communication channel on the received signal. Some distributions are directly derived from physical propagation models, while others are adapted from statistics and applied to model fading based on their goodness-of-fit to measurements or on account of their mathematical simplicity. In this paper, a line-of-sight (LOS) shadowed κ-µ/gamma-Rayleigh (κ-µ/GR) is proposed and thoroughly investigated. The GR distribution was selected for its mathematical simplicity and flexibility. Closed-form expressions for fundamental statistics such as the probability density function (PDF) and cumulative distribution function (CDF) are derived for the κ-µ/GR fading model. Additionally, analytical expressions for higher-order moments, including the amount of fading (AF) and the moment generating function (MGF), are provided in closed-form expressions. Performance measures of interest, such as outage probability (OP), average symbol error probability (ASEP), and average channel capacity, are derived in closed-form for communication systems operating under the κ-µ/GR channel fading conditions. The validity and utility of the proposed composite fading model for characterizing composite fading behavior observed in hybrid powerline-wireless communication (PLC-WLC) channels are demonstrated through an extensive series of theoretical comparisons with experimental PLC-WLC measurements. Hybrid PLC-WLC channel measurements were performed in various environments, and PLC-WLC propagation scenarios were classified according to the cable branching characteristics of the PLC segment of the hybrid PLC-WLC channel. The goodness-of-fit of the proposed composite fading model was evaluated using the Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence test. The results revealed that the proposed composite fading model exhibited an excellent fit to the fading conditions encountered in hybrid PLC-WLC channels. Compared with other existing composite fading models, the κ-µ/GR model provided the most accurate fitting results for measurements in large indoor environments, for which the propagation conditions present strong LOS signal components and weak scattered signal components. Furthermore, it was concluded on the basis of the obtained results that increased branching and terminations in the PLC channel of a PLC-WLC propagation environment lead to increased shadowing and multipath fading effects on the received signal and, consequently, to increased composite fading.
Nurse educators’ views on online clinical teaching : insights from South Africa’s public nursing colleges
Mabitja, Moeta; Mavis, Mulaudzi Fhumulani (Elsevier, 2025-10-15)
INTRODUCTION : Nursing education institutions have an obligation to create learning platforms to ensure that students are exposed to learning experiences enhancing their confidence and skill as qualified professionals. Challenges negatively influencing the education and training of nursing students include inadequate resources, nurse educator-student ratio, clinical placement, and occurrence of uncommon medical conditions. Online-based activities provide an alternative platform to lessen the challenges in clinical teaching. METHODS : A qualitative, explorative, and descriptive design was adopted. Data was collected through three focus group interviews from fifteen (n = 15) nurse educators and analyzed using thematic content analysis. FINDINGS : The analysis revealed two main themes: (a) Teaching convenience associated with the use of online activities and (b) Availability of capital resources. The findings revealed that online clinical activities provided substantial teaching convenience by enhancing flexibility and efficiency in clinical instruction. However, the implementation of these activities was hindered by critical challenges, particularly the limited availability of capital resources such as reliable internet connectivity and appropriate technological tools. DISCUSSION : Views of nurse educators sought to assist nursing education institutions to plan on measures for preventing challenges that can negatively affect effective use of online platform for clinical teaching. Nurse educators considered online activities as an innovative platform that can enhance clinical teaching and contribute positively to clinical learning experiences, although careful consideration must be given to the nature of the nursing discipline. CONCLUSION : While online clinical activities enhance teaching convenience in clinical education, addressing resource limitations is essential for their successful integration in public nursing colleges.
The under-representation of the global South on editorial boards in criminology
Breetzke, Gregory Dennis (International Journal of Crime Justice and Social Democracy, 2025-12)
Less than 5% of editorial board members across all 69 journals listed under the Criminology and Penology category of Clarivate’s Web of Science database have affiliations with institutions in the Global South. Moreover, editorial board members from the Global South are significantly more likely to sit on lower “quality” journals than their Global North counterparts. The extreme skewness in regional representation of editorial board membership is symptomatic of a broader marginalization of the Global South in academia in general, and criminology specifically. The study’s findings should be of importance (and concern) to all criminologists who believe that a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive representation of scholars across all phases of the academic publishing process is key to better understanding the context of crime: a global problem. A number of recommendations are outlined that can be used to increase the regional representativeness of editorial boards.
Organic acid supplementation in worker honeybees (Apis mellifera) : impacts on glandular physiology and colony resilience
Bezabih, Gebreamlak; Atsbha, Tesfay; Altaye, Solomon Zewdu; Zhou, Qingsong; Li, Jianke; Pirk, Christian Walter Werner; Zhu, Chaodong; Fang, Yu (MDPI, 2025-11-26)
Honeybees require diverse nutrients for larval growth, adult development, and colony health. Pollen quality significantly impacts reproduction, productivity, and growth. Bioactive substances from honeybee glands enhance colony health, with recent studies showing that optimal citric acid intake extends lifespan, boosts pollen consumption, accelerates mandibular gland development, and improves royal jelly quality. This review examines organic acid feeding's effects on gland development and overall health, offering insights for beekeeping and supplementary food development to support sustainable apiculture. Research gaps in organic acid supplementation, gland development, and health benefits are identified. The impact of varying organic acid concentrations on 10-HDA biosynthesis in mandibular glands and key regulatory proteins influencing 10-HDA expression is summarized. Findings highlight the benefits of organic acid supplements for worker bee gland development and health, guiding future research and practical applications in beekeeping.
An optimized block hybrid spectral simple iteration methods for solving nonlinear evolution equations
Ahmedai, Salma; Sibanda, Precious; Motsa, Sandile; Goqo, Sicelo; Noreldin, Osman A.I. (Wiley, 2025-12)
This study presents a new optimized block hybrid method and spectral simple iteration method (OBHM-SSIM) for solving nonlinear evolution equations. In this method, we employed a combination of the spectral collocation method in space and the optimized block hybrid method in time, along with a simple iteration scheme to linearize the equations. The performance of OBHM-SSIM is compared with other established numerical methods for various nonlinear evolution equations, including the Stokes' second problem equation, Burgers─Fisher equation, Burgers─Huxley equation, the FitzHugh─Nagumo equation with time-dependent coefficients, and coupled Burgers' equations. Furthermore, the proposed OBHM-SSIM is implemented to solve -dimensional problems, specifically the nonlinear Burgers' equation and the cubic Klein─Gordon equation, demonstrating its capability to solve nonlinear systems efficiently. The extension to two-dimensional cases further validates the flexibility and accuracy of the OBHM-SSIM method, achieved with a notably reduced computational cost. Unlike conventional spectral methods, the proposed OBHM-SSIM achieves high-order accuracy with fewer grid points by optimizing intra-step points and maintaining A-stability for large time domains. We demonstrate that the OBHM-SSIM method gives highly accurate solutions with fewer grid points. This results in enhanced computational efficiency and reduced complexity, particularly for large time domains of nonlinear evolution equations. The findings of this study offer a new approach for the application of the spectral block hybrid method, ultimately improving the accuracy and efficiency of computational solutions for nonlinear evolution equations.
Psychosocial factors influencing the sexual risk behaviour of adolescents living with and affected by HIV who reside in HIV-affected homes in Uganda
Kiirya, Stephen Kisembe; Visser, Maret; Masenge, Andries (Springer, 2026)
We examined the psychosocial factors that predict sexual risk behaviour of adolescents who reside in HIV affected homes in Uganda, to provide evidence for developing suitable interventions. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data about these adolescents’ psychosocial and sexual experiences. The scales and data were verified for precision and reliability using factor analyses, while the predictors of sexual risk behaviour were examined using general linear models. Results showed that having been female, in the younger adolescence stage and a Muganda or Lango, living with one caregiver, being a recipient of HIV/psychosocial care and vulnerable to negative peer influence, personal threats, interpersonal problems, psychosocial distresses (e.g. psychosis and delinquency) and coping by deflecting problems, significantly enabled sexual risk behaviour in these adolescents. However, attending school, religious conviction, experiencing orphanhood especially of the mother, living with two caregivers, and experiencing poverty, judgmental HIV stigma, distress (e.g. inattention and depression), self-control and social support significantly deterred it. These results highlight the centrality of gender, age, HIV care, family situations, sociocultural and peer norms, community stressors, psychosocial distresses, and negative coping methods in influencing sexual risk behaviour of adolescents who reside in HIV affected homes. Interventions by families, schools and agencies are needed to prevent or mitigate these risk factors.
Psychosocial experiences and sexual risk behaviour of the adolescents living with and affected by HIV who reside in HIV affected homes in Uganda
Kiirya, Stephen Kisembe; Visser, Maretha; Masenge, Andries (Taylor and Francis, 2026)
We compared the levels of psychosocial and sexual experiences of adolescents aged 10–19 years who were living with (ALHIV) and affected by HIV who resided in HIV-affected homes of Uganda. Data were collected using a questionnaire that was validated using factor analysis. The levels of psychosocial and sexual experiences of these adolescents were compared using variance and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Results showed that whereas these adolescents were exposed to each observed factor, the ALHIV were significantly more vulnerable to lower education levels, living with sick people, death of both parents, changing homes, living with caregivers who were relatives or alcohol users, negative peer influence, poverty, personal and interpersonal problems, distress, sexual risk behaviour, and negative coping methods, compared to those not living with HIV or unaware of their HIV status. Hence, despite the higher primary education achievement and access to HIV services, ALHIV face a lesser sense of belonging, a higher burden of caring for their family members’ sicknesses, higher vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases, and poorer coping abilities compared to the other adolescents in the same home. Interventions are needed from families, schools and agencies to address the risk and protective factors among these adolescents.
Pseudoteratosphaeria supramediana sp. nov. (Teratosphaeriaceae, Mycosphaerellales), a new foliar pathogen on Eucalyptus in Indonesia
Pham, Nam Q.; Marincowitz, Seonju; Wingfield, Brenda D.; Crous, Pedro W.; Santos, Samuel A.; Duran, Alvaro; Tarigan, Marthin; Wingfield, Michael J. (Springer, 2026-02)
The Eucalyptus plantation industry in Indonesia has expanded rapidly during the last few decades. This growth is primarily attributed to the replacement of Acacia mangium, that was severely damaged by diseases. The rapid shift to large-scale monoculture plantations of Eucalyptus has introduced new challenges, particularly the emergence of new disease and pest problems. During routine Eucalyptus disease surveys in Indonesia, symptoms of a new leaf and shoot disease were observed on a single hybrid Eucalyptus grandis × pellita clone in Riau and Kalimantan. Leaf samples were collected, and isolations were made from the disease symptoms. Isolates were identified based on their morphological characteristics and DNA sequence data for seven loci. Phylogenetic analyses of the isolates revealed a novel species of Pseudoteratosphaeria, described here as Pseudoteratosphaeria supramediana sp. nov. A greenhouse pathogenicity test resulted in symptoms similar to those found under field conditions, and the inoculated fungus was consistently reisolated from the resulting lesions. Its appearance in two geographically distinct locations of Indonesia raises the possibility of multiple independent introductions of the pathogen.
Prospects and determinants of willingness to pay for sustainable restoration of rangelands among smallholder cattle producers in North West Province, South Africa
Mapiye, Obvious; Makombe, Godswill; Molotsi, Annelin; Dzama, Kennedy; Mapiye, Cletos (Springer, 2026-02)
The degradation and mismanagement of rangeland ecosystems continue to threaten environmental sustainability and livestock-based livelihoods in arid and semi-arid regions. Market-based environmental conservation instruments, such as payment for ecosystem services (PES) and willingness to pay (WTP), serve as effective mechanisms for promoting sustainable land management. This study investigates the WTP of smallholder cattle producers for rangeland restoration in South Africa’s North West Province, integrating socioeconomic and ecological dimensions to inform policy and practice. A double-bounded contingent valuation method was applied to data from 101 smallholder cattle producers, revealing that over 70% of them were willing to pay a higher bid of USD 11.50 ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, with a mean WTP of USD 17.00 ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Logistic regression analysis revealed that education level (p = 0.012), preferred cattle breed (p = 0.039), farming experience (p = 0.026), goat ownership (p = 0.022), ecoregion (p = 0.079), and cattle-derived income (p = 0.048) were significant predictors of WTP. These findings strongly support rangeland restoration and management within smallholder systems and reflect how socioeconomic and ecological factors shape land-use management choices. This study provides evidence to inform the development of participatory, equity-sensitive conservation frameworks and support the development of incentive-based PES programmes, aligning with sustainable land management policies and resilience-building in pastoral systems.
Predictive modeling of stress intensity factors in composite-repaired cracked aluminum plates : a finite element-based computational framework
Zouambi, Leila; Fekirini, Hamida; Bouafia, Farida; Khodja, Malika (Taylor and Francis, 2026-03-11)
The utilization of bonded composite patches for repairing fatigue-related damage in metallic structures has been acknowledged as an efficient and cost-effective approach, especially within the aerospace sector. However, accurate prediction of stress intensity factors (SIFs) in such repairs remains challenging for structural engineers. This work examines the mechanical behavior of a cracked AA2024T3 plate repaired with a carbon/epoxy composite patch under Mode I loading using finite element analysis (FEA). The study incorporates numerical results to develop a new computational model for precisely determining the repaired plate’s SIF. The developed predictive model, derived directly from FEA data analysis, demonstrates high accuracy with deviations ranging from 0.0006 to 0.0037 when compared to the finite element results. The model successfully predicts repair effectiveness and quantifies the patch’s influence on stress concentration near the crack tip. This computational framework offers a reliable method for forecasting repair efficacy and serves as a practical tool for structural engineers in the analysis and optimization of composite patch repairs. The high-precision model enables improved design decisions for structural repair applications.
A two-level hierarchical optimization framework for grid-connected photovoltaic-wind-battery systems in greenhouse energy management
Ren, Zhiling; Xu, Meng; Zhao, Zilong; Wang, Xinran; Guo, Jia; Dong, Yun (Elsevier, 2026-06)
Greenhouse operations are energy-intensive and face increasing pressure from high operational costs, carbon emissions, and grid reliability constraints. This study develops a grid-connected photovoltaic-wind-battery hybrid energy system and proposes a two-level hierarchical optimization framework for greenhouse energy management. At the upper level, greenhouse operations are optimized using two alternative strategies: energy demand minimization, which aims to reduce heating, cooling, and ventilation loads, and energy expense minimization, which focuses on minimizing energy costs under time-of-use electricity tariffs. At the lower level, energy system scheduling is addressed through renewable energy utilization maximization and comprehensive cost minimization strategies, the latter accounting for electricity purchases, battery degradation, and carbon emissions. Simulation results demonstrate that the comprehensive cost minimization strategy achieves the best overall balance between economic performance and environmental benefits, reducing total operational costs by 45.30% and carbon emissions by 69.25% compared with the baseline. Sensitivity analysis further reveals that the battery unit cost is the most influential factor affecting the economic performance of the system. The proposed framework provides practical guidance for designing cost-effective and low-carbon greenhouse energy systems, supporting reliable and sustainable energy networks.
Promoted bubble dynamics by S-site-induced Cu nucleating agent on the NiFe-based array electrode for efficient oxygen evolution process
Jiang, Runlai; Wang, Hanxiao; Wang, Zheng; Jiang, Yuanye; Gunasekaran, Sundaram; Wang, Xuyun; Liu, Jian; Song, Hongbing; Ren, Jianwei; Wang, Rongfang (American Chemical Society, 2026-03-09)
Please read abstract in the article.
Nurse leaders’ perceptions of existing followership practices : a descriptive qualitative study
Mamba, Welile Magnificent; Fourie, Willem; Heyns, Tanya (Elsevier, 2025)
INTRODUCTION : The success of healthcare organizations depends on partnerships between leaders and followers. Nurses need to be competent in both leader and follower roles because leader–follower relationships in nursing are interdependent rather than linear. However, nursing followership has been understudied. AIM : To explore nurse leaders’ perceptions of existing followership practices. MATERIALS AND METHODS : This descriptive qualitative study purposively selected 10 nurse leaders (top and middle management). Face-to-face, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were used to collect data. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s method. FINDINGS : Participants perceived followership as a hierarchical role but were able to describe the characteristics of the “ideal” follower. Participants described the presence of leadership and follower support while functioning in the follower role. However, lack of leadership supervision and poor teamwork were reported to negatively influence the follower role. There was no formal followership training for participants to become effective followers. Moreover, nurse leaders lacked leadership knowledge and skills as they did not receive formal training while still followers. CONCLUSIONS : Followership education can dismantle the hierarchical view of the follower role. Leadership and follower support enhances follower role performance. Future research should explore followership development needs for nurses in hospital settings. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT : Lack of understanding the follower role is a limitation in healthcare teams. Nurse managers need to understand followership as a complimentary role to leadership and provide support to followers.
Violent protest actions during COVID-19 in South Africa : a practical theological response
Buqa, Wonke (AOSIS, 2025-06-05)
South Africa is rated as one of the highest in violent crimes that result in murder, standing at number four in the world. In 2023, there were 27 000 people reported murdered, which amounts to 45 people per 100 000. Violent protest actions are also a contributor to the number of deaths. One particular protest in July 2021 claimed more than 300 lives during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has been met with strikes, violence, and protests despite policies against such crowd gatherings. The study argues that violent protests are a result of the corruption system, mismanagement, and poor service delivery in the post-apartheid government. The study seeks to investigate the phenomenon of violent protest action during the intense COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the study argues that political instability, social injustices, economic stress, societal uncertainty, and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing toxic social norms and inequalities in South Africa. Therefore, this study affirms that violent protest is a forceful demonstration of an underprivileged group protesting for 'salvation' and 'liberation' from economic struggles. Furthermore, this study proceeds to a transversal interdisciplinary approach where practical theology and psychology as sciences can share their critical concern and voices through a literature review. In this situation, contextually, practical theology must contribute constructively to listening to people's needs and respond to violence cautiously by presenting hope and reconciliation to the devastated communities. CONTRIBUTION : This study contributes to the interdisciplinary discourse of theology and psychology on violence among the underprivileged of South Africa, who through their protest action, demonstrate that indlala nomsindo zinamanyala [hunger and anger are obscene], and they know no boundaries. This study is relevant for practical theology and psychology because both disciplines are concerned with the social welfare and well-being of the people.
Text, theory and methodology : ruminations from the horizon of a reader from the south
Makalima, Otto (AOSIS, 2025-11-14)
This article marks the tenth year of Welile Mazamisa's passing, as a proverbial burning down of a library. It contains a recollection of lessons gleaned from memory of his own ruminations as he lived and mused from his horizon as a reader from the south. In his own dialectic fashion, a reflection on the text, theory and methodology is discussed as a possible lesson and perhaps, also a quo vadis question to the contemporary biblical scholar and theologian in South Africa, concerning these categories of scholarship. It seems fair to say that among lessons to still be learned from Mazamisa, is this lesson: a critical reader is to be mindful of the centrality of the text, the urgency of theory and the necessity of methodology in the process of reading and appropriating the reading of the text. In conclusion, an application is made to the decolonisation project and the credibility of theology as an academic discipline in South Africa (SA). CONTRIBUTION : This article contributes to the discourse of hermeneutics and decolonisation and also to the discourse of hermeneutics and the question of the credibility of theology as an academic discipline in South Africa

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