bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
REGULATING TRANSBORDER FLOW OF PERSONAL INFORMATION FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE G77+CHINA GROUP
Authors: Abdulrauf Lukman Adebisi
Published: January 2018

Transborder data flow (TBDF) has generated much controversy in this era of globalisation. Various questions regarding its exact nature, dimension and role have been raised by scholars. Nevertheless, the majority of scholars agree that TBDF is crucial for development in every state and even more important for developing countries. In spite of the general consensus that TBDF is vital for development, it raises some concerns such as the infringement of individuals’ right to privacy. This has made countries and international organisations regulate TBDF in data protection instruments. Such instruments in some cases put stringent conditions on TBDF, which could be an obstacle to the free movement of personal data across borders and may even serve as a non-tariff barrier against developing countries, including G77 states. The implication of this trend of events is that if G77 states do not take data protection and regulation of TBDF seriously, they may never benefit economically from developed countries. This will, of course, not sit well with the primary purpose for the establishment of the G77+China. With a special focus on the G77, this article examines the role of regulating TBDF in facilitating TBDF for economic development. This topic is crucial in the wake of various initiatives by the G77 to promote trade so as to foster development.
G77+CHINA AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCE OF TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Oloruntoba Samuel
Published: January 2018

The global governance of trade remains a very contentious issue between the global North and South. Despite the dominant notion that international trade can facilitate economic development, there are concerns that the global North, represented by Euro-American countries have to a certain extent, set the global trade rules in a way that favours their socio-economic development at the expense of the majority of the countries in the global South. The upstart advantage that Europe had in technological advancement provided an impetus for exploration and subsequent conquest of distant lands and peoples. These were done through interrelated events such as the slave trade, imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism. The global economic governance architecture that followed the Second World War in forms of rules that governed conduct of trade, finance and investment, was tilted in favour of the advanced countries. It was in the context of resistance to this unequal global economic structure that the G 77+China was formed in June 1964. This article interrogates the role, successes and limitations of this group of countries in shaping the global governance of trade.
PETROCARIBE AND THE VENEZUELAN CLAIM OVER THE ESSEQUIBO: A POLITICAL CULTURE VERSUS THE POLICY OF THE CULTURE
Authors: Mata Carnevali María Gabriela
Published: January 2018

Cultural identity can define political interests through particular policies that advance such identity, while, on the other hand, there is political culture where political calculations are pre-eminent. Both of these tendencies are present in the case involving the Venezuelan energy initiative PETROCARIBE and its very poor outcomes. The PETROCARIBE initiative launched by Hugo Chávez as a part of a pact to assist in the economic and social development of countries in the Caribbean while enhancing Venezuelan ideological influence and regional power countered challenges, among which were cultural barriers embedded in the very making of the Carribean as a region. Cultural barriers were also evident in the recent ‘betrayal’ of Venezuela by the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), which backed Guyana over Venezuela in the competing claims over the territory of Essequibo. Is culture the real obstacle to Venezuela’s quest for its Caribbean identity? Though there are many examples in the world of successful integration involving countries of different cultures, this article argues that the PETROCARIBE initiative in a region whose region-ness is complex and more imagined than real was a huge political mistake that may contribute to the fall of the revolutionary government in Venezuela.
EMPIRE, GLOBAL COLONIALITY AND AFRICAN SUBJECTIVITY
Authors: Nhemachena Artwell
Published: January 2018

Not Available
EVOLVING DYNAMICS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN: PROSPECTS AND THE WAY FORWARD
Authors: Royeppen Andrea
Published: January 2018

N/A
THE RISE OF THE INFORMAL SECTOR IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISCOURSE
Authors: Ingle Mark K.
Published: January 2018

This article documents the rise to prominence of the informal economic sector in academic developmental discourse. After a brief survey of the South African context, the article contrasts the new way of viewing the informal sector with the old. It shows how this shift in attitudes, ranging from grudging respect to outright advocacy, has generated new conceptual tools with which to theorise economic informality. A keen appreciation of the imperatives entailed by the different perspectives of the main protagonists is vital to any reconciliation of the divergent policy prescriptions being advanced for the informal sector.Bureaucrats and human rights activists view informality through very different lenses. The World Bankâ€™s exit/exclusion philosophy recognises that economies at different stages of development will require customised approaches in coming to terms with economic informality. However, the common denominator of the theoretical views articulated in the article is a recognition that the informal sector cannot be dismissed out of hand, and that it has grown to the extent that it warrants serious attention and respect. Measures taken by the government to compensate for losses incurred due to informality could prove ultimately to be counter-productive. The informal economic sector has become a force to be reckoned with.
EDITORIAL
Authors: Malefane Shepherd
Published: January 2018

Editorial
SOUTH AFRICAâ€™S PARTICIPATION IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC AND DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO PEACE MISS IONS: A COMPARISON
Authors: Ferreira Rialize
Published: January 2018

After the peacekeeping tragedy in the Central African Republic (CAR) in March 2013, South Africaâ€™s participation in peacekeeping missions on the African continent is under investigation. Military personnel of the South African National Defence Force recently took part in both conventional and unconventional, asymmetric warfare in two peace missions, one in the CAR and one in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In the CAR a unilateral military agreement between states existed, while in the DRC a United Nations (UN) mandate for multilateral offensive peacekeeping was authorised. The rationale for South Africaâ€™s participation in African missions is important while the country is serving as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Its role as one of the leading nations in Africa to deploy peacekeepers is central to its foreign policy. The article focuses on contrasting operations, and diverse challenges such as the authorisation of mandates, funding, logistics and shortcomings in asymmetric training for irregular â€œnew warsâ€ where peacekeepers are required to protect civilians in countries to which they owe little allegiance. Lessons learnt from the widely differing operational experiences in these recent peace missions are discussed.
ELECTORAL AUTHORITARIANISM AND DEMOCRATISATION IN AFRICA: THE ROLE OF THE AFRICAN UNION
Authors: Van Wyk Jo-Ansie
Published: January 2018

Political leadership in Africa is changing. Evidence of this can be found in the Arab Spring, democratic elections on the continent and the rejection by the African Union (AU) of undemocratic and unconstitutional regime change on the continent. However, procedural rather than substantive democracies operate on the continent, often entrenching authoritarian regimes through elections. These elections show some signs of democratisation and democratic participation, but result predominantly in the extension of the competitive authoritarian regime.The AU subscribes to universally accepted democratic norms, which are often not realised in member states, or sanctioned by the AU. This tacit approval of electoral authoritarianism requires an investigation into the role, if any, of the AU in entrenching electoral authoritarianism on the continent. Applying Levitsky and Wayâ€™s (2002; 2010) analytical framework leads to the conclusion that the AU has exerted leverage over authoritarian presidents and their regimes in all but a few cases. However, the AU is not yet able to advance the democracy project on the continent, as linkages focus predominantly on socio-economic development and infrastructure expansion rather than the promotion of democracy per se.
The Impact of the Composition and Staffing of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on its Performance
Authors: Makoni Petty
Published: January 2018

This article seeks to provide insight into the trends in appointment, composition and function of the Commissioners of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and its staff, depicting the impact of the changes experienced on its mandate. It articulates the legislative support to responses that necessitated the change from being a typically governmental then mixed model to an Independent Electoral Management Body (EMB), conforming to the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections in a bid to ensure transparency and integrity in managing elections. It explores the competencies of the EMB in executing its mandate. The article also identifies how the knowledge gap in electoral processes continues to be minimised by capacity building; a leadership that resonates and a mission that seeks to be informed by regional and international best practice.
Understanding the Marginal Role of the Election Management Body (EMB) in Algeriaâ€™s 2014 General Election
Authors: Rupiya Martin
Published: January 2018

The ideological struggle between the West and former liberation movements on the veracity of the post-cold war multiparty democracy is still alive. In Algeria, the ruling Front for the Liberation of Algeria (FLN) continues to view with suspicion this notion, convinced itâ€™s a neo-colonial ploy to remove them from power. It is against this intensely contested background that Electoral Management Bodies (EMB) have emerged and trying to find a role. In the Algerian April 2014 Election, the ruling party was confronted by the surging popularity of the Islamic Salvation Front (F.I.S). In that election, the EMB played a marginal, if not overtly partisan role, in spite of the 2012 recommendations by the European Union to undertake reforms. In this case study, it is clear that establishing and consolidating EMBs on the African continent as part of democratisation is still very much work in progress.
HOW MUCH â€˜DISTANCEâ€™ DOES LANGUAGE CREATE IN ODL MATERIALS? A BOTSWANA CASE STUDY
Authors: Seeletso Mmabaledi Kefilwe , Evans Rinelle
Published: January 2018

It is assumed that open and distance learning institutions develop study materials that adequately engage learners with quality content to assist their content mastery. However, distance learners continue to underperform, which raises the concern that high drop-out and failure rates may be ascribed to the study materials. This mixed-methods case study examined instructional material developed for secondary school learners studying via the open and distance learning mode. The study was informed by Swellerâ€™s Cognitive Load Theory to evaluate the process of designing and developing instructional materials while Gorsky, Caspi and Trumperâ€™s Theory of Instructional Dialogue was used to map interaction with and within the selected study materials. A self-designed evaluation rubric included language related criteria to gauge the accessibility of content. A questionnaire survey was undertaken with purposively identified participants: five material developers, 176 learners, and six tutors. Six semi-structured group interviews and twenty individual face-to-face interviews were conducted. Open coding and SPSS reports were used for qualitative and quantitative data analysis, respectively. Findings related to non-alignment of materials with learner profile, and the national syllabus, while inadequate proficiency in the language of instruction remained problematic. The outcomes of this study highlight the importance of well-trained material developers and focused ODL policies for quality assuring effective content design and development to accommodate diverse learners with limited English proficiency.
ENHANCING STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN FIRST YEAR CHEMISTRY THROUGH WEB -BASED LEARNING IN AN OPEN DISTANCE UNIVERSITY CONTEXT
Authors: Clayton Hadley S , Smith Mark G
Published: January 2018

This paper reports the results of a study to assess the impact of MasteringChemistryÂ® on student performance in chemistry. The proprietary MasteringChemistryÂ® is a web-based tutoring application and assessment system currently used in first year chemistry modules at the University of South Africa (Unisa). This web-based programme provides supplementary work, giving students practice with instructor-assigned problems. The system is able to coach students with feedback specific to their needs and with simpler problems upon request. The application also provides the individual student with immediate and specific feedback on incorrect or partially incorrect answers. There is great potential for web-based learning in an open distance-learning environment. In particular, in subjects such as chemistry where problem-solving strategies are intrinsic to the learning process, the internet could be an effective medium for teaching and learning. The rationale for this study was to explore new teaching strategies to increase the pass rate in chemistry. A profile of the student demographic, with data gathered from registration records, is presented. Data collection on student assessment occurred through the instructor diagnostic tools in the MasteringChemistryÂ® application or with the assistance of the Unisa Examination Administration. Here we present preliminary results that indicate that most students who regularly accessed the material achieved better examination results than those who did not. This pilot study has led to improved and innovative formative assessment practices by the academic staff in the Chemistry Department at Unisa. It further formed an interesting and challenging learning experience for staff investigating web-based approaches directed at improvement of their assessment activities.Â
An Open Source Self-Assessment Platform as Technological Tool for Distance and Open Education Learners
Authors: Aheto Simon-Peter Kafui , CronjÃ© Johannes C. , Ng'ambi Dick
Published: January 2018

This paper explores the use of the WikiEducator E-quiz platform as an educational tool to enhance self-assessment techniques applied by distance and open education learners. Andersonâ€™s Model explains six different types of interaction: student-student, student-teacher, student-content, teacher-teacher, teacher-content and content-content. The model has a number of intertwining links with higher order thinking skillsâ€”analysis, evaluation and creatingâ€”of Bloomâ€™s Digital Taxonomy. Most of the learner-participants in this pilot study presented in this paper were privileged to have access to a computer, mobile phone and Internet, that enabled them to access, edit and add content to the E-quiz platform. A review of literature involved two main topics, namely self-directed learning and self-assessment. This study was qualitative in nature and conducted at a university in Ghana. Initially, Bowerâ€™s affordances analysis was used to test the efficacy and appropriateness of the WikiEducator E-quiz platform for distance education. The affordances analysis not only assisted in analysing the platform and the tasks to achieve, but also identified the gaps. Learners who used the platform critiqued and reflected on the platform from their own perspectives. Two of the principal authorâ€™s colleagues were instrumental in offering their opinions of the platform from a teacherâ€™s lens.
USE OF BLENDED LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION â€“ SOME EXPERIENCES
Authors: Singh R J
Published: January 2018

This article reports on the use of blended learning in higher education. Blended learning has become popular in higher education in recent years. It is a move beyond traditional lecturing to incorporate face-to-face learning with e-learning, thereby creating a blend of learning experiences. The problem is that learning in higher education is complex and learning situations differ across contexts. Whilst there is face-to-face contact at some institutions, others offer distance learning or correspondence learning. In each context, the mode of learning may differ. The challenge is to cater for various learning opportunities through a series of learning interactions and to incorporate a blended approach. The aim of this study was to examine various ways of defining blended learning in different contexts. This was done through an examination of experiences of the use of blended learning in different higher education contexts. The study presents a case of blended learning in a postgraduate course. The experiences from all these cases are summarised and conclusions and recommendations are made in the context of blended learning in higher education in South Africa.
EXPLORING STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF USING THE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BLENDED LEARNING AT A RURAL UNIVERSITY
Authors: Moodley P , Singh R J , Cloete J
Published: January 2018

Blended learning combines the strength of face-to-face learning with e-learning, which has become the catalyst for education reform today. Unfortunately there are many obstacles that can derail this format of hybrid learning before it can reach its full potential, especially at universities where budgetary constraints inhibit the development of the information and communication infrastructure. This study seeks to capture studentsâ€™ perceptions regarding web-based activities at a rural university. Purposive sampling was used to generate the sample and a combined total of 380 second- and third-year students participated in this study. Second- and third-year students were selected as it is expected that they have experienced the university learning management system and its shortcomings, and are hence in a posistion to compare the learning management system with social media platforms. The data collection instrument was a self-administered questionnaire, which was analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings indicate that students at the rural university preferred to engage in blended learning through social networking technologies, as opposed to the learning management system, which they found was mostly unavailable or inaccessible at their residences.Â
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING THE SOCIAL CAPITAL OF THE NWU DISTANCE LEARNING COMMUNITY
Authors: Du Toit-Brits C
Published: January 2018

Discussions of dialogue have been at the heart of Distance Learning (well known in the theories of Borge, Holmberg and Moore). This theoretical article focuses on formulating criteria for evaluating the social capital of a particular Distance Learning community, at the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus (NWU), and attempts to put forward specific thoughts regarding the importance of dialogue as a key pedagogical method within the Distance Learning setting at NWU through which social capital is being shaped. A number of educationalists recently re-examined the position that dialogue occupies in the Distance Learning setting. Distance Learning is to facilitate through a distance; these students and lecturers are divided physically in occasion and space. Consequently, Distance Learning students and lecturers lack the communal physical attendance that is imperative for communication. In Distance Learning, many communication pathways are imprecise. This article specifically deals with the essentially dialogic nature of the educational dialogue in Distance Learning, and the need to establish criteria for evaluating the social capital of a particular Distance Learning community.Â
INDIVIDUALISATION IN FLEXIBLE LEARNING, FROM A POST-POST-FOUNDATIONALIST PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Van der Walt J L
Published: January 2018

Most practitioners in the field of flexible learning seem to be sufficiently aware of the importance of catering to the needs of their students. However, it appears that many are rather more conscious of the needs of the students as a group than as individuals per se. Others seem to be rather more concerned about the technology involved. After touching on the foundationalist and non-, post- or anti-foundationalist approaches to the problem of individualisation in flexible learning, the article discusses a number of guidelines for individualisation from a post-post-foundationalist perspective. This is followed by a section in which these guidelines are presented in practical terms. This outline of guidelines reveals that attempting to individualise from this perspective is no simple and straightforward matter, but that there might be practitioners in the field of flexible learning (open distance learning and blended learning) who already are following this approach as a best practice. A post-post-foundationalist approach to individualisation in flexible learning offers practitioners in the field a whole new vocabulary.
THE CASE FOR AN ADAPTED COMMUNITY COLLEGE MODEL FOR SOUTH AFRICA TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF NEETS
Authors: Wolhuter C C , Van der Walt J L , Potgieter F J
Published: January 2018

A serious problem in South Africa is the existence of 2.8 million people we can refer to as NEETs. This term refers to youths between the ages of 18 and 24 years who are neither in employment nor in education or training in South Africa (Cloete and Butler-Adams 2012). This article argues for the institution of community colleges to fill the niche between colleges for further education and training and universities. This niche represents a model of higher education that has already internationally proven its value for steering NEETs into worthwhile careers. After a conceptual clarification of the term â€˜Community Collegeâ€™ and an overview of its track record, it is argued that the South African context dictates for the model to be adapted in two ways. Firstly: a South African community college should fully utilise ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and offer education of a blended type. Secondly, as a result of this, the concept of â€˜communityâ€™ needs to be redefined more broadly than has traditionally been the case with community colleges abroad.
RICH ENVIRONMENTS FOR ACTIVE OPEN DISTANCE LEARNING: LOOKS GOOD IN THEORY BUT IS IT REALLY WHAT LEARNERS WANT
Authors: Queiros D R , De Villiers M R , Van Zyl C , Conradie N , Van Zyl L
Published: January 2018

In the open distance learning environment, efforts are made to engage students and provide rich environments for active learning (REALs). This article describes exploratory research undertaken on a fourth-year Tourism Management module. The research investigated two different study guides for different years â€“ 2012 students using an innovative guide with learner engagement tools designed in line with current learning theory, to achieve a REAL; and 2011 learners using a traditional study guide with far fewer engagement tools. The two consecutive cohorts completed a quantitative survey designed from theory on learner engagement, motivation and interactivity. The survey investigated learnersâ€™ experiences of the implementation of four constructs, namely course design; engagement; learning activities; and the integrated construct of relevance, application, bonding and ownership. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, non-parametric correlations and cross-tabulations. Results suggest that this REAL does aid learning but not to the extent anticipated, and that it may be too rich. In light of the greater debate regarding the design of ODL material to maximise learning, recommendations are made to discerningly regulate the richness and depth of learning material, avoid overload of isolated learners, and gradually introduce REALs.
EMPLOYEE RETENTION IN A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION: AN ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Erasmus B J , Grobler A , Van Niekerk M
Published: January 2018

Talent retention and employee turnover are major concerns for higher education institutions (HEIs) because they are losing highly qualified staff to the private sector and to other HEIs that are able to offer better rewards and benefits. The turnover of talented staff is therefore a major concern for the institution under investigation. The retention and voluntary turnover decisions among a workforce of 4Â 651 employees was thus investigated. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted by means of the objective analysis of organisational data in combination with the structured questionnaire (organisational climate survey). Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyse the data across demographic groups, including age, employment category (academic as well as professional and support), etc. The results indicated that the institutionâ€™s turnover rate was acceptable (4.34%) and that dysfunctional turnover was marginal because employees with below-standard performance ratings had voluntarily resigned. Positive correlations and significant beta (b) values were reported between Organisational citizenship, Leadership, My manager and Compensation and the employeesâ€™ intent to stay in or to leave the organisation. These organisational climate factors were found to explain approximately 30 per cent of the variance in the employeesâ€™ intent to stay in or to leave the organisation. The article recommends that a talent retention tool be developed. In addition, it contributes to the literature on retention and turnover of high-performing employees, as it underscores the importance of measuring employee turnover
VIRGINITY TESTING PRACTICES: THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
Authors: Mokoboto-Zwane Sheila
Published: January 2018

Controversy continues to surround the age-old practice of virginity testing, which in South Africa made a visible comeback around the time of the countryâ€™s first democratic elections when most South Africans began to feel free to practise their cultural beliefs without fear. It coincided with the period when the HIV pandemic began to take hold. It is practised mainly in some countries of Asia and Africa, and in South Africa it is practised mainly amongst amaZulu. It is believed that this practice prevents unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), especially HIV/AIDS, as well as engendering a sense of pride in teenage and young females, in particular. However, some individuals, organisations and sectors of the community frown upon the practice because it violates constitutional laws that protect the right to equality, privacy, bodily integrity and sexual autonomy. The purpose of this article is to present current discourse on the cultural practice of virginity testing and the controversies surrounding this discourse. This article draws its arguments from the existing literature on virginity testing.
SWAZI ORAL LITERATURE, ECO-CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL APOCALYPSE
Authors: Sone Enongene Mirabeau
Published: January 2018

The main objective of this paper is to show how oral literature is engaged by Swazis with regards to environmental sustainability. It demonstrates the relationship between nature and culture as reflected in Swazi oral literature and how indigenous knowledge embedded in this literature can be used to expand the concepts of eco-literature and eco-criticism. The paper argues that the indigenous environmental expertise among the Swazi people, encapsulated in their oral literature, can serve as a critical resource base for the process of developing a healthy environment. Furthermore, the paper contends that eco-criticism, which is essentially a Western concept, can benefit by drawing inspiration from the indigenous knowledge contained in Swazi culture and expressed in their oral literature. The paper concludes by recommending the need to strengthen traditional and customary knowledge and practices by protecting and recognising the values of such systems in the conservation of biodiversity for sustainable development.
FROM WHITE BEADS TO WHITE WORDS: SYMBOLS AND LANGUAGE IN THE MARKETING OF XHOSA TRADITIONAL HEALERS
Authors: Dowling T , Grier L
Published: January 2018

Much research has been conducted on African traditional healers generally (Arden 1996; Chidester 1996; Chakanza 2006; Reeder 2011), and Xhosa diviners and herbalists specifically (Hammond-Tooke 1989; Hirst 1997, 2005), but none of this work focuses on their particular public discourse. Some researchers (Tyrrell 1976; Broster & Bourn 1982) describe outward symbols and publicly knowable signs of their identity, but do not analyse the implicit meanings of these symbols. In order to reach a more nuanced understanding of how Xhosa diviners and herbalists traditionally used to market themselves to their public (how they made themselves publically known), this paper draws on information from documented investigations into diviners and herbalists in South Africa; a description of their current marketing strategies is drawn from our own research and inquiries. We argue that Xhosa herbalists and diviners are key players in negotiating the socio-cultural aspects of their respective societies, and changes in the way they communicate their services highlight a shift in the South African linguistic and symbolic landscape. Diviners and healers now use current key symbols (including English and Western symbols) with a concurrent loss of Xhosa cultural expressions and symbols, which are only retained to reference non-secular (i.e. spiritual) or organic (i.e. natural) forms of healing.
AN ANALYSIS OF SETSWANA FOLKTALES FROM A GENDERED PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Nhlekisana R
Published: January 2018

In Botswana, gender is constructed in many different ways including but not limited to the names given to children, the games children play, through songs and proverbs and through messages presented in mainane (folktales). The important role that folktales play in the socialisation process of members of a society is well documented. Like in most societies, mainane play many different functions such as being didactic, moralistic, cultural records, therapeutic as well as forms of entertainment. However, this paper focuses on the gendered messages conveyed in Setswana folktales. It discusses how societal expectations of men and women can be understood from Setswana folktales. It further argues that the values transmitted in the folktales have clear ideological goals, and they encourage and perpetuate gender stereotypes between men and women. A few mainane will be analysed from a gender perspective to validate the argument of this paper.
“UMABHEJANE THE WITCH” AS PERCEIVED THROUGH THE EYES OF THE NARRATOR
Authors: Masuku N
Published: January 2018

The aim of this is article is to analyse the folktale “uMabhejane the Witch.” uMabhejane is depicted as a heartless witch who uses her evil powers against innocent people, especially the envoys that come to her house to ask for her daughter’s hand in marriage. Previous research on the folktale suggests that Mabhejane is a heartless witch who is jealous of her daughter who is getting married to a prince. Against this background, this paper grapples with the question: Is Mabhejane really jealous of her daughter or is she being overprotective of her daughter because she feels that her daughter is not yet ready to face the challenges of marriage, and particularly so, polygamous marriage? Contrary to previous research perspectives on Mabhejane, it is argued in this paper that Mabhejane is used as an example to demonstrate to young girls that outspoken and defiant women are not appreciated in society. Only witches behave in such a manner. According to tradition and patriarchy, an ideal wife is onethat is submissive and obedient to her husband and in-laws.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TSHIVENDA LINGUISTIC VOCABULARY AND MUSICAL TRAJECTORIES AS ENCAPSULATED IN MIRERO, MAAMBELE AND DZITHAI
Authors: Mugovhani N G
Published: January 2018

African societies have always had-well established oral traditions. Vhavenḓa have a great wealth of folklore, such as mirero (proverbs), maambele (idioms) and dzithai (riddles) which help portray myriad aspects of their cultural heritage. As part of indigenous knowledge system, folkloric elements such as mirero, maambele and dzithai are used as vehicles for advising, correcting, reprimanding or rebuking. They are also used in providing direction, support and guidance. Through these folkloric elements, Vhavenḓa have always had their way of expressing how they perceive the significance of their different musical practices and styles. In their general day-to-day language, they have their own musical terminology to explain a particular perception. There is always a close connection between indigenous music and the day-to-day lives of people in traditional African societies.
THE ROLE OF PROVERBS IN THE SETSWANA JUDICIAL SYSTEM: A FOCUS ON CONFLICT RESOLUTIONS IN THE KGOTLA SETTING IN BOTSWANA
Authors: Gadilatolwe N S
Published: January 2018

Proverbs are part of people’s language, and the oral culture in particular. According to different definitions seen within the academic discourse, proverbs are sayings or expressions that teach some manners that are acceptable within a society. Proverbs teach these manners by guiding, rebuking, warning and admonishing the unwanted behaviours.  Setswana proverbs are still used and enjoyed by some of the native Batswana, but it is evident from the rate of usage that they are no longer used frequently and efficiently as one would expect. It seems however, that elders who participate in kgotla sittings are most likely to use proverbs because they are familiar with their usage. This article therefore, assesses the functions of the Setswana proverb in conflict resolutions in some dikgotla in Botswana villages to determine the role they play and their level of usage in the modern judicial system.
TROPING WOMEN AND RETHINKING GENDER STEREOTYPES IN SELECTED NDEBELE FICTIONAL WORKS
Authors: Sayi S
Published: January 2018

There exists a dearth of scholarship on gender relations in Ndebele literary works from Zimbabwe. The present study sets out to analyse the literary troping of women in Umhlaba Lo! a play by B. C Makhalisa and Lifile, a novel by O.S Mlilo, two works of art that destabilize the perception of women. To begin with, by centring the narratives on protagonists who are prostitutes, these works move these figures from the margins to the mainstream of the literary universe. Moreover, the narratives give voice and agency to these prostitute protagonists in such a manner that they are able to speak for themselves and give the perception of their lives through their own eyes. The image of the prostitute challenges the stereotype that women cannot be active sexual agents but are rather framed as passive sexual objects. Moreover, it dislocates the private/public dichotomy, since sexuality, which is normally viewed as a private issue, is brought into the public sphere through the mise en scÃ¨ne of the sexualized body that imposes itself in the public space. Ultimately, the study argues that instead of viewing women who take charge of their sexualities as femmesâ€™ fatales, there is need to look at the multifaceted issues that lead women to use their bodies and sexualize them in a bid to earn a living.
MUSIC KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES: THE CASE OF MME RANGWATO MAGORO
Authors: Masoga M A
Published: January 2018

There is an apparent shift that challenges the so-called â€˜established music fieldsâ€™ to begin dialogue with African music perspectives. In the process of such dialogues and developments, there is a need to recast the importance of unmentioned, unsung and uncelebrated indigenous African music practitioners, composers, performers, poets, and praise singers. In this regard, musical arts education and its process cannot eschew broad educational challenges. The paper argues for the place of indigenous musical arts education experts in the current or mainstreamed musical arts processes. Mme Rangwato Magoro, from Malatane village in the greater Ga-Seloane community, is included as the main research collaborator in this brief piece of work.
ANALYSIS OF CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR IN THE SESOTHO CATHOLIC CHURCH HYMNBOOK, LIFELA TSA BAKRISTE: DENOTING THE METAPHORS OF CONNOTATIVE NAMES
Authors: Zulu Nogwaja S , Makoae Aloysia , Chipila Rajabu
Published: January 2018

This article is an investigation of the connotative meaning of the names used in the selected Catholic hymns. The meaning of names is analysed within the theoretical framework of conceptual metaphor developed by Lakoff and Johnson (2000) in their seminal work, Metaphors we live by and thereafter modified into the cognitive theory of metaphor. The study aims to demonstrate that for religious relevance and indigenisation, Catholicism adapted in Lifela tsa Bakriste particular Sesotho traditional aspects in order to express the nature and essence of God, Jesus Christ, the Church and other aspects to Basotho. The article concludes that Lifela tsa Bakriste collected by Skhakhane (1985) is an acculturation of Catholicism and traditional Sesotho poetry.
FOLKTALE NARRATION IN THE INDIGENOUS SOUTH AFRICAN LANGUAGES: AN ARTFUL CUL-DE-SAC?
Authors: Mabaso Eric
Published: January 2018

This article highlights the problem that the print mode that the indigenous South African languages (IndiSAL) have largely adopted to preserve the folktale is inadequate. It raises shortfalls in support of the contention that not enough is being done to preserve the art of folktale narration and suggests a way out of the cul-de-sac. Most works on IndiSAL folktales focus on the value of preserving the art itself rather than the mode of preservation. The research follows a performance-centred approach as advocated by inter alia Marivate (1991), Bill (1996), Dorji (2010) and Backe (2014). Compared to countries such as Nigeria and Malawi, IndiSAL are lagging behind in digitization for the preservation of folktales. The article is an empirical study based on the author’s experiences and observation of folktale narration and the analysis of the transcribed form. The article critically reviews the various preservation modes and highlights their pros and cons.
RESTORING OWÃ‰ TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE: A TECHNOLOGICAL JOURNEY OF RECLAMATION
Authors: Ola-Busari J
Published: January 2018

This article narrates the paradoxical and ambivalent role of technology in the erosion and restoration of traditional life of the OwÃ© people of Okun-Yoruba of Kogi State of Nigeria. It starts with background information of the OwÃ© people and the description of their traditional knowledge, based on their cultural practices and values.Â  The second section demonstrates how modernization and the advent of radio and television erode their traditional life and the consequent loss of indigenous knowledge among the younger generations. A third section traces how the loss of indigenous knowledge is gradually being restored through modern technology.Â  Using the OwÃ© Forum on Facebook and other activities, the efforts of the OwÃ© people of all generations at restoring their cultural values and affirming their identity are highlighted. The article concludes by illustrating how these efforts are leading to revitalization, preservation, documentation and intellectualization of OwÃ© traditional knowledge and culture.
FOLKLORE AND ITS INFLUENCE ON HOMOPHOBIC BEHAVIOUR IN THE ZULU CULTURE: A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF UMAMBA KAMAQUBA
Authors: Masuku N
Published: January 2018

This article argues that South African society is not receptive to gays and lesbians although South Africa is regarded as the country that has the most liberal constitution, especially when it comes to gay and lesbian rights. The rejection could be ascribed to various factors such as the socialisation of individuals. Young boys and girls are raised to understand that their destiny is to get married and bear children. In Zulu society, unmarried people are stigmatised by name-calling. There is a lot of research that has been undertaken on homosexuality and lesbianism. Mkasi (2013) discussed homosexuality amongst izangoma. Ngcobo (2007) undertook this study to describe the difficulties faced by homosexual students, their perception and understanding of social discrimination. The socio-cultural theory has been applied to re-enforce the argument. This research article highlights the argument that folklore in the form of folktales are used as a conduit to socialise the growing mind to accept that everyone is destined to marry and bear children. Anybody who deviates from this set of norms should be ostracised and punished.Â  Such deep-rooted perceptions contribute to homophobia and violence against gays and lesbians.Â
AFRICAN WOMEN AND MEN AS PERFORMERS OF ORAL ART: A RE-EXAMINATION OF KODIYAMALLA AND MOKOROTLO
Authors: Seema Johannes
Published: January 2018

This paper explores knowledge of folklore as essential to understanding the image of African women. Folklore is much closer to the African consciousness than to the consciousness of an average European. It would not be an exaggeration to mention that all African writers use elements of folklore in their writings. Carl Jungâ€™s archetypal theory is important for honing our analysis, as it provides a theory-based structure of the study. Through archetypal theory, kodiyamalla as oral performance is examined as part of the Basotho tradition and the creativity of its women. Because the various aspects of traditional culture are so tightly interwoven, the examination of oral literature will necessarily bring in mokorotlo, which is sung by men, because the content of mokorotlo and that of kodiyamalla have much in common.Â
OUTSMARTING APARTHEID: An Oral History of United States–South Africa Cultural and Educational Exchange, 1960–1999
Authors: Whitman Dan
Published: January 2018

Outsmarting Apartheid is an oral history of educational and cultural exchange programs conducted by the United States Government with citizens of South Africa during the apartheid period.  The “OA” collection, published in one volume by the University Press of the State University of New York in April of 2014, conveys the stories of those who administered the programs, as well as those who benefitted, during three troubled decades of South African history.  The exchanges involved some 2-3000 participants during a dark period of social unrest and institutionalized injustices. Quietly in the background, U.S. diplomats and their South African colleagues bent rules and stretched limits imposed by the apartheid regime. Collectively they played cat-and-mouse games to outsmart the regime through conniving and bravado.  The author’s year as executive director of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (Arlington, Virginia), 2006-07, provided a methodology and archiving structure forming the basis of the interviews, conducted over a two-year period in the United States and South Africa. There was little optimism at the time for South Africa’s political or social future during the 1960-1990 period.  After Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 and during his presidency of 1995-99, the country discovered rich cadres from within, of intellectuals, artists, journalists, scientists, and political leaders prepared to take on the task of constructing the New South Africa. In no small measure, these exchange programs contributed to the quick and sudden realization of suppressed wishes and aspirations for a majority of South Africa’s citizens -- of all ethnic and racial backgrounds.
Friar Amaral Bernardo Amaral’s translation of the Bible into Gitonga (Mozambique 1984-2014)
Authors: Da Silva Fernando Caldeira
Published: January 2018

Even if Mozambique has only Portuguese as the official language there are many languages spoken in the country. That is the case of the Gitonga spoken in the Inhambane region about “470 km” north of Maputo. The Bible Society of Mozambique has supported the bible translation to serve the Tonga people in their own language Gitonga. This task has been undertaken by Franciscan friar Amaral Bernardo Amaral since 1984 and is still on its course.        This article will address the case of the historical episode by the son of a Methodist pastor, converted to Catholicism who is translating the bible into Gitonga with the support auspices of the Mozambican Bible Society.As part of the methodology used to collect the data to inform this article I interviewed Friar Amaral Bernardo Amaral while in his work with the team he leads to translate the bible. Further research was conducted surveying a few online portals over the Internet as well as some telephonic interviews to certify the various elements conducive to the realization of the project.
DIGITAL STORYTELLING DESIGN LEARNING FROM NON-DIGITAL NARRATIVES: TWO CASE STUDIES IN SOUTH AFRICA
Authors: Ladeira Ilda , Bidwell Nicola J , Sigaji Xolile
Published: January 2018

Digital tools for User Generated Content (UGC) aim to enable people to interact with media in conversational and creative ways that are independent of technology producers or media organisations. In this article we describe two case studies in South Africa that show that UGC is not simply something tied to technology or the internet but emerges in non-digital storytelling. At the District Six Museum in Cape Town, District Six ex-residents are central collaborators in the narratives presented. Ex-residents tell stories in the museum and can write onto inscriptive exhibits, such as a floor map showing where they used to live, and visitors can write messages on â€˜memory clothesâ€™, which are later preserved through hand embroidery. Such explicit infrastructures to access and protect cultural records are less available to rural inhabitants of the former Transkei. To address this gap local traditional leaders and villagers collaborated with a National Archives Outreach Programme by co-generating a workshop that linked various local priorities, such as representation to government, land rights and ecotourism to natural and cultural heritage. Both studies start to reveal opportunities to design technologies that increase participation in recording and sharing personal and cultural stories. They also show the need to respect values embedded in place-based oral customs, such as the importance of enabling transparency and supporting alternative views on historical events.
THE INFLUENCE OF FREEDOM SONGS ON ESCALATIONS OF WITCH-HUNTING AND BURNING IN THE VENDA HOMELAND, 1989â€“1995
Authors: Tshamano Humbulani S. , Mahosi T. N.
Published: January 2018

The study looks at the influence of freedom songs on the role played by women during witchhunting activities in the village of Fefe of Venda between 1989 and 1995. The article focuses on witchcraft-related events that took place at Fefe, in the Mutale municipality, north of Thohoyandou, in the Vhembe district during the said period. It shows that the women of Fefe were conscientised about the events taking place in their village, by the youth, through freedom songs. The result was that the women of Fefe did away with their traditional way of thinking of being condemned to domestic affairs and decided to join the protests against witchcraft-related problems. The women at Fefe, therefore, overcame significant obstacles and prejudices and assumed leadership roles within their community.