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Socially Inclusive Heritage Conservation Land-Use Management in Small Towns: A Case Study in the Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2025-03) Adendorff, Rudi; Geyer Jr, H. S.; Donaldson, S. E.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.
This study addresses the critical issue of heritage loss due to inadequate conservation measures and limited municipal resources in small rural towns. As local governments are struggling to provide social development and even basic services, heritage conservation is a low-priority objective and is often disregarded by inadequately resourced municipalities. The study therefore also addresses the challenge of socially inclusive approaches to heritage conservation that aim to preserve the cultural heritage of various social groups in previously disadvantaged communities. This dilemma requires that heritage conservation overcomes heritage dissonance by incorporating the varying perspectives and narratives of heritage.
For this study a mixed-methods approach has been employed, by combining GIS data and aerial photographs to create an inventory of historical structures. This was accomplished in order to categorise the heritage grading, conservation worthiness and condition rating of structures in the study areas of De Rust, Dysselsdorp, De Hoop, and Armoed/Volmoed. These study areas are all situated within the Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality, Western Cape. Thereafter, key stakeholders within the local community were interviewed to acquire detailed information on the significance as well as on potential threats to these structures. Finally, the application of land-use policies was evaluated in order to determine their effectiveness in terms of internationally recognised heritage conservation guidelines.
Key findings have revealed a variety of heritage conservation outcomes in the study areas. While the heritage conservation measures in De Rust and Volmoed were well developed and included a high percentage of buildings with impressive grading values under the National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA), a large number of dwellings were graded as “Not Conservation Worthy” (NCW) as a result of considerable alterations and modifications. Issues such as drug-related crime, historical disassociation due to objections against colonial and apartheid-era heritage, conflicting socio-economic uses of structures, and the need for security-related alterations to the structures collide with heritage conservation efforts, resulting in the further deterioration of historical structures. Excessive heritage structure restoration costs also impose significant financial burdens upon impoverished homeowners, particularly in previously disadvantaged communities. Heritage conservation is often neglected by local municipalities, thus resulting in the deterioration of both tangible and intangible heritage assets.
Nevertheless, many deteriorated heritage sites without conservation-worthy buildings such as Die Ou Lokasie and Dysselsdorp, hold particular sentimental value for the local Coloured community because of their historic relations to the sites. Subconscious biases in heritage conservation exists when intangible aspects of living heritage that are evident in practices, traditions, and community identity are neglected, leading to even further negligence of tangible heritage. In order to address heritage dissonance, contrasting perspectives of local history should be engaged to reassess the different meanings and significance of heritage. Finally, socially inclusive heritage conservation requires the implementation of targeted land-use management policies, such as Heritage Protection Overlay Zones (HPOZ) or heritage-sensitive zones, by proactively involving diverse communities and local heritage organisations in heritage conservation efforts.
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Women Leaders in Local Government in South Africa: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2025-03) Adams, Kay-Dee; Pillay, Pregala; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
Although South Africa has witnessed a number of women being appointed in the local sphere of government, the underrepresentation at both the senior and middle-management levels persists. As the lowest sphere of government, it is mandated to adapt to and implement all national policy directives including gender equality (Mpofu, 2021). Local government provides a great window of opportunity to rectify the imbalances of the past and to empower women because they are affected the most by poverty due to inequality. The government formulated a comprehensive legislative framework, which mandates that women be empowered as well as participate in their own development. Although several pieces of legislation have been implemented to empower women, none have produced the anticipated outcomes. Hence, it can be inferred that women continue to be considered inferior to occupy senior management and leadership positions in local government compared to men (Mpofu, 2021).
The adopted qualitative research methodology sought to explore the trends, challenges, and opportunities related to women in leadership roles at the local sphere of the South African government. Furthermore, the extent to which existing processes enable active participation in municipal systems including viable alternative interventions to reinforce the process was also investigated. The data was gathered from the two case studies, namely, Drakenstein and Stellenbosch Municipality. Purposive and convenient sampling was utilised to conduct semi-structured interviews with four (4) senior participants in senior management positions from both municipalities and online surveys were completed by twenty-nine (29) women in administrative positions at the Drakenstein and Stellenbosch Municipalities.
The findings of this study revealed that historical norms, a lack of gender sensitivity, and the notion of male dominance is still embedded within the local sphere of government. However, bot the Drakenstein and Stellenbosch Municipalities are taking strides forward by implementing existing employment and gender equality policies and processes to allow so that women can have an equal opportunity to occupy senior management positions. On an individual level, as emerged from The online surveys and interviews revealed that four prominent elements are required which would motivate more women to pursue leadership positions at the local sphere of government, for example, through mentoring, access to information, networking, and training. According to the reviewed European studies, this model can be referred to as the MINT-model. Public awareness and acceptance of gender representation on a societal level could enhance representation of women in leadership positions and political life in local government.
Existing studies have revealed a gap in the prioritisation and scrutiny of the extent to which current legislative frameworks and strategies include equality and equity to enable women to participate in governance in senior leadership positions. This study examined existing policy framework of the participation of women in local government and insight gathered from local officials in top management positions. It is recommended that current mechanisms and alternative new strategies be strengthened so that women can be represented through a multi-faceted approach including more supportive organisational cultures; enforce institutional and legal frameworks; establish mentorship and networking opportunities; promote education and develop skills; and change the perception and acquire the buy-in from their male counterparts. This could enable a cultural shift in terms of the role of gender within the local sphere of government in South Africa and society as a whole.
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The development and evaluation of a partial generic individual non-managerial competency model
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2025-03) Adams, Dalin Enrique; Theron, Callie; De Wet, Marietha; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
Organisations always look for ways to improve their employees’ performance, as the quantity and quality of products and services are highly dependent on the performance of these employees. To improve employee performance to this effect the person-centred and situational determinants of performance need to be understood. This study initiates the development of a generic non-managerial competency model based on the work of Myburgh (2013) and Botes (2019) that attempts to explain why performance differs from employee to employee in non-managerial positions. The long-term purpose is to eventually develop a valid generic actuarial prediction rule which could be used for selection in small organisations that cannot develop such an actuarial prediction rule themselves due to the unavailability of sufficiently large samples.
The study focused on non-managerial employees from private and public sector organisations across South Africa. A survey method of collecting data was used. Organisations were approached through an institutional permission letter that had to be signed and stamped. Informed consent was obtained from respondents. As the study sought to obtain reasons for the variance in performance amongst non-managerial employees, the questionnaire asked questions about how well they thought they did their job, how they felt about their job, and how they saw themselves. The study managed to obtain a sample of 292 valid responses.
Campbell and Wiernik's (2015) position that motivation, skill, and knowledge serve as key mediators in the relationship between all distal person-centred and situational latent variables and the dimensions of performance, provided a foundational point of departure for our theorising. This study hypothesised 11 person-centred latent variables as direct and indirect determinants of performance of a non-managerial employee on 3 latent competencies. A structural model was created illustrating 18 different path-specific hypotheses that collectively formed the overarching substantive research hypothesis. The explanatory latent variables that were used in the model included: Task motivation, the salience of the root needs of psychological ownership, the perceived presence of job characteristics, psychological safety, motivation to pursue the routes to psychological ownership, the three routes to psychological ownership, psychological ownership, declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge. The performance dimensions or competency variables included: task performance, effort and organisational citizenship behaviour. Good psychometric support was found for the majority of items representing the latent variables they were created to measure. The item parcel measurement model showed close model fit. Reasonable structural model fit was inferred from the reasonable fit of the comprehensive LISREL model. The analysis of the structural model parameter estimates showed that 12 out of 18 path-specific hypotheses were supported. Limitations were identified, recommendations were made for future research, practical managerial recommendations were made, and final comments were given.
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The protective effects of Aspalathus linearis (Rooibos) extracts against LPS/TNF-α induced inflammation in keratinocytes
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2025-03) Abrahams, Claudia Cathrine; Lilly, M.; Patterton, H. G.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Biochemistry.
The skin serves as the body's first line of defense, providing a barrier against environmental stressors and invading pathogens, and actively participates in the immune response. Keratinocytes play an integral part in immune surveillance by initiating and modulating the immune response in the epidermis. Skin inflammation is a physical response that safeguards the body against various insults, including physical injury, exposure to toxic chemicals, UV irradiation, and microbial agents. Disruption to the skin's barrier integrity can increase the risk of microbial invasion and subsequent infection. Aspalathus linearis (rooibos) is an herbal plant indigenous to South Africa. It is rich in polyphenolic compounds which have been shown to possess potent antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Various studies have highlighted the potential of rooibos in mitigating skin inflammation. This study aimed to elucidate the immunomodulatory properties of rooibos, given the interplay between inflammation, oxidative stress, and cytokine regulation. The goal of this study is to improve early detection and treatment of prevalent skin diseases by gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying physiological and pathological mechanisms. Aqueous extracts of both unfermented (RU) and fermented (RF) rooibos were prepared, and chemical characterization and antioxidant properties were evaluated. The RU extract contains higher levels of dihydrochalcones, such as aspalathin and nothofagin, compared to the RF extract the modulation of cell growth indices, including cell viability and proliferation, was critically assessed in human skin keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells. Both extracts decreased cell viability and proliferation in a dosedependent manner. Cell viability, interleukin-8 (IL-8) and caspase production was used to determine the optimal concentration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF- to establish the inflammatory model. Based on these results, 10 ug/mL LPS and 25 ng/mL TNF- were selected. HaCaT cells were pre-treated with various concentrations of RU or RF extracts and exposed to LPS/TNF- for 4 or 24 hours. Cell viability, caspase production, gene (qPCR) and protein expression (ELISA) of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the expression of antioxidant genes were investigated to determine the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of the extracts. Both extracts displayed anti-inflammatory properties by decreasing the gene expression of COX-2, IL-8, and IL-6. Pre-treatment with the extracts resulted in modulation of the NF- B and Nrf2 signalling pathway as well as the regulation of the antioxidant genes GPx and SOD1. To our knowledge, no studies have investigated the effects of rooibos on the skin proteome to date. Proteomic studies can help elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of teas and their bioactive compounds. A label-free quantitative proteomic approach was employed to detect changes in protein expression and to examine the effect of rooibos extracts on HaCaT cells in vitro.
Comparative proteomic analysis was performed to investigate the molecular mechanisms and pathways affected by unfermented and fermented rooibos extracts. HaCaT cells were exposed to RU and RF, both at concentrations of 0.1 and 0.2 mg/mL, respectively. Liquid chromatographytandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was performed to quantify intracellular proteins of RU and RF treated groups and untreated control groups. Differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were then identified by bioinformatic analyses and visualised using volcano plots. Gene Ontology analysis, using human databases, functionally annotated the DAPs. A total of 59 significant DAPs were identified between RU and RF treated groups compared to the untreated control groups. The identified upregulated DAPs play a significant role in the regulation of keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation. Thus, contributing to the maintenance of the skin barrier, and facilitating cell migration, all critical processes for skin health and wound healing. Collectively, the signalling pathway and proteomic analyses indicate that rooibos exerts protective effects against inflammation in skin keratinocytes. Consequently, these findings support the therapeutic potential of rooibos for inflammatory skin disorders and provide a foundation for further research.
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Assessing the Adoptability of Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) in Slab-like Elements
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2025-03) Abdrafiu, Idris Mayowa; Babafemi, Adewumi John; Combrinck, Riaan; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Civil Engineering.
The cement production industry significantly contributes to global CO2 emissions and consequently, to global warming. Replacing conventional Portland cement with limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) has been identified as a key strategy for reducing the environmental impact of the construction industry. However, the construction industry is laggard in adopting innovative technologies and materials, especially with cement and concrete. Lack of trust and in-depth
information on the handling and potential defects associated with such materials contribute to this laggardness. This research aims to holistically investigate the fresh properties, mechanical properties and plastic shrinkage cracking of LC3 from the perspective of a concrete floor contractor who is interested in its use.
CEM I was partially replaced with 30%, 45%, and 60% of commercially produced limestone and calcined clay (LC2) blend in concrete mixes to produce LC3 concrete. The flowability, rheology and fresh density of these mixes were evaluated, and their compressive and flexural performance were compared to the control. Plastic shrinkage cracking in the mixes was also examined under extreme and normal climatic conditions. Furthermore, the influence of superplasticiser on the LC3 concrete properties was investigated.
Results indicate that with 30% LC2 replacement in CEM I, the flowability of the mix decreased by approximately 41%, the yield stresses (static and dynamic) were more than double, while the fresh density remained similar. The compressive strength of the LC3 concrete at 30% LC2 replacement in CEM I is comparable to the control at 7 days but has a lower strength gain at 28 and 90 days, while LC3 concrete shows higher flexural strength gain over time compared to the control. Plastic shrinkage cracking in LC3 concrete containing 30% LC2 is more than twice that of the control, with cracking intensifying with increasing LC2 content in the mix. The addition of a moderate quantity of superplasticiser to the LC3 mixes significantly improved the flowability and rheology of the mix, while the fresh density (mix containing 30% LC2 and 0.35% superplasticiser) was reduced by about 3%. Regarding mechanical performance, the addition of superplasticiser led to about 3 MPa reduction in the compressive strength at 28 days across all percentage replacements, while no notable impact on the flexural strength of LC3 concrete was recorded. In mixes which required a higher dosage of superplasticiser (0.5% and 0.65%), plastic shrinkage cracking was reduced by about 30%.
In conclusion, to promote the adoptability of LC3 concrete, moderate use of polycarboxylate ether-based superplasticiser can effectively modify the rheological properties of the LC3 mixes. A replacement of up to 30% CEM I with LC2 appears suitable to achieve comparable mechanical performance to Portland cement. However, additional preventive measures are necessary to mitigate plastic shrinkage cracking, particularly in extreme climate conditions.