bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The African Approach to the Principle of Complementarity of the International Criminal Court: A Potential Gem or Germ?
Authors: Maphosa Emmanuel
Published: September 2022

This article provides an analysis of existing and emerging African views that reflect and/or seek to develop the principle of complementarity of the International Criminal Court. The broad consensus on the African continent is that the principle of complementarity must be applied timeously within context and subjected to state discretion. It is argued that, despite the continent’s obvious shortcomings in confronting impunity, its proposed strategic pillars for complementarity require attention. These came at an opportune time, as there is controversy about the interpretation of the proper application of the principle of complementarity. The International Criminal Court is being accused of unwarranted intervention in national affairs. The rapport between the International Criminal Court and certain African states has deteriorated over the last decade, raising fears that an unacceptable interregnum in the prosecution of international crimes may occur. In this regard, the article discusses African efforts that may assist the International Criminal Court from further losing credibility and visibility in Africa. The article further asserts that international criminal justice in Africa is a regional, rather than a national issue, although regional positions will further the implementation at national level. Therefore, African states are exploring regional perspectives to safeguard ownership and incorporate regional involvement in international criminal justice.
A Structuralist Approach to the ICC/AU Conflict over the Immunity of Al-Bashir
Authors: Steytler Isabeau
Published: September 2022

Between 2009 and 2019, a conflict emerged between the African Union and the International Criminal Court (ICC) over whether the then-incumbent President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, enjoyed immunity from arrest. The African Union maintained that Al-Bashir, as a head of state, continued to enjoy immunity from arrest, while the ICC in a number of judgments found that Al-Bashir’s immunity had been extinguished and he must therefore be arrested. Each organisation relied on conflicting interpretations of international law in order to support their respective positions. In this article, I examine these conflicting interpretations according to Martti Koskenniemi’s structuralist approach to international law, particularly in respect of his work on the indeterminacy of international law and the structural biases of international institutions. In doing so, I aim to produce a deepened understanding of the conflict, as well as an institutional critique of both organisations.
The Nexus Between Self-determination, Territorial Integrity and Uti Possidetis Juris: The Case of Somaliland
Authors: Mutuma Kenneth Wyne , Ogechi Dennis Mogare
Published: September 2022

The right to self-determination is important in that it allows a state to enjoy economic, social and political freedom. Arguably, the right to self-determination has existed long before its theorisation under international law. In as much as the right to self-determination is an important right, the right to territorial integrity under Article 2 of the United Nations Charter is equally important. This principle prohibits the use of force by one state against another, thereby compromising its political independence. Thus, the principle of territorial integrity builds on the right to self-determination by allowing states to decide how they will govern themselves politically. Both principles correlate with the principle of uti possidetis juris, which is geared towards preserving the colonial borders of former colonies. These three principles come into play in the case of Somaliland which seceded from the parent state, Somalia. The three principles have influenced the recognition of Somaliland in several ways. In practice, there has been tension around how these three principles should be applied. According to precedent, the right to self-determination is encouraged to be exercised under international law up to a point where they lead to cesession. This article delves into the nexus between these three principles, and in particular Somaliland’s latitude to exercise the right to self-determination to detach itself from the obviously undesirable union with the larger Somali Republic.
The Changing World of Work and Further Marginalisation of Workers in South Africa: An Evaluation of the Relevance of Trade Unions and Collective Bargaining
Authors: Manga Mokofe William
Published: September 2022

The world is changing rapidly. The globalisation of economies and rapid technological change severely impact all nations. Trade unions, collective bargaining, and labour legislation in all states have struggled to keep pace with change, yet they must do so. Many workers will join the unemployment ‘congregation’ as some of the skills we need now and for the future do not yet exist. This poses serious challenges for the provision of employment and training. Several new research studies released by the ILO have examined the ramifications of globalisation and the effects of a fast-changing world of work on unemployment and the protection of vulnerable workers. A key finding is that policies to protect vulnerable workers more effectively will be fundamental if countries are to respond to the challenges raised by globalisation and, more recently the Covid-19 pandemic, to develop the new skills required to maximise economic potential. This article also interrogates the current role played by trade unions and collective bargaining in protecting marginalised and vulnerable workers in South Africa. It also finds that the role played by trade unions and collective bargaining in protecting marginalised workers is declining.
Considering Mental Health Courts for South Africa: Lessons from Canada and the United States of America
Authors: Pienaar Letitia
Published: September 2022

Under the South African criminal justice system, mentally ill persons in conflict with the law spend long periods awaiting forensic assessment, owing to resource shortages (staff and available beds). Accused persons awaiting forensic assessment are often kept in correctional facilities where mental health care services are lacking. This leaves many accused individuals who are mentally ill at risk of falling between the proverbial cracks of the system. The diversion of the accused with mental illness from the criminal justice system into a treatment programme could address this problem. Currently no such formal diversion option exists in South Africa. Mental health courts as a formal diversion option are gaining popularity in jurisdictions such as Canada and the United States of America, where delays with forensic assessments and, in particular, pre-trial fitness assessments are rife. These courts employ therapeutic jurisprudence to deliver justice. This contribution explores the nature of a mental health court and looks at such courts in Canada and the United States of America and considers whether South Africa could benefit from such a court and whether it would be viable within the South African legislative framework.
Electoral Democracy in Africa: Beyond Ensuring Free, Fair and Transparent Elections
Authors: Rudman Annika , Fokala Elvis
Published: September 2022

Editorial
Dignity for the Queer African: How the Right to Dignity in International Human Rights Law Imposes Obligations on All States to Protect Sexual Minorities
Authors: Sogunro Ayodele
Published: September 2022

The right to dignity of sexual minorities has continued to be violated across Africa, necessitating the need to deploy national, regional, and global human rights to secure its promotion and protection. Human dignity is a central value of the international human rights normative system and over the last few decades, the international human rights system has generally accepted the notion that all humans are endowed with equal dignity. Although the concept of dignity itself and the scope of its application continues to be contested by states, human rights documents acknowledge the recognition of the inherent dignity of all persons without discrimination. Unfortunately, sexual minorities in Africa continue to be stripped of their dignity through acts of public and private humiliation; criminalisation of their identities under laws that specify penalties ranging from prison terms to the death sentence, and through hate speech and acts of violence. The application of the concept of human dignity to the protection of sexual minorities in Africa remains problematic in state law and policy. This article contends that, based on the state’s recognition and protection of the inherent dignity of human beings, all African states still owe obligations toward sexual minorities. To this end, this article examines the development of the concept of dignity in Western thought and its subsequent impact on international human rights law. It also teases out the meaning of dignity in international human rights law under global and regional jurisprudence with a view to highlighting the obligations of African states towards sexual minorities.
Criminalising Harmful Cultural Practices: Lessons from Malawi
Authors: Bande Lewis
Published: September 2022

Clarity and certainty in the definition of criminal offences are widely recognised as one of the essential requirements for the rule of law and effective enforcement of offences. The need for such clarity and certainty is more pressing when the targeted conduct was, prior to its formal criminalisation, widely acceptable social, economic, and political conduct or form of behaviour. In such cases, the communicative function of criminal law demands that the legislature must clearly state the conduct being proscribed to citizens (who risk punishment for engaging in the criminalised conduct) and law enforcers (who have a legal duty to enforce the new offences). This is more so in sub-Saharan Africa where countries are now criminalising social and cultural practices deemed ‘harmful’ because they violate and undermine fundamental human rights and freedoms, but which have been deemed beneficial. Criminalising social and cultural practices is especially difficult because of the ever-evolving nature of societies and cultures. Malawi is one of the countries that has taken the criminal law approach by criminalising harmful social, cultural, and religious practices. Its Gender Equality Act criminalises all ‘harmful’ social, cultural, and religious practices, whilst the Child Care, Protection and Justices Act criminalises ‘harmful’ practices that affect children.  This article evaluates the framing of the two offences for their conformity with the rule of law requirements of clarity and certainty in the definition of offences, and the prohibition against ex-post facto criminalisation and application of criminal statutes. It does so to draw lessons for other African countries seeking to criminalise harmful practices. All in all, this article finds that the framing of the offences runs afoul of the rule of law requirements.
The Need for Harmonised and Specialised Global Legislation to Address the Growing Spectre of Cybercrime
Authors: Nduka Rapuluchukwu Ernest , Basdeo Vinesh
Published: September 2022

Modern advances in technology have made the world a global village, and the impact of this on almost all spheres of life and society is phenomenal. The rapid growth of information and virtual technology in most spheres of life and society as well as the interconnection of computers through super highways and international computer networks have made cybercrime more diverse, more dangerous, more global and more challenging to fight. The ubiquity of the internet and the connectivity of virtually every computer to the global community hold ramifications that have yet to be determined. Cybercrime does not require physical proximity between the victim and the perpetrator for the commission of the offence. Cybercrime is unbounded, in that the victim and the perpetrator can be in different cities, states, or even countries. Deterring and punishing cybercriminals require an international legal framework to investigate and prosecute cybercrime.
The US Debate on the Indirect Purchaser’s Claim to Damages in Competition Law Cases: Lessons for South Africa
Authors: Moodaliyar Kasturi
Published: September 2022

A debate that has dominated American competition law jurisprudence relates to whether indirect purchasers should be prevented from claiming damages in private enforcement cases or whether both direct and indirect purchasers should be given the opportunity to claim civil damages. While there may be practical considerations impacting the extent to which those who have been indirectly harmed by cartels can reasonably expect to claim damages, an overly restrictive approach that would only consider direct purchasers may mean that some who might have a valid claim are effectively denied access to justice. None of the courts in the bread price-fixing cases or other subsequent competition law damages cases in the South African courts dealt with the essential question, which is whether or not all participants in the supply chain, regardless of their role as end consumers (indirect purchasers) or purchasers of inputs (direct purchasers), should be allowed to sue an upstream cartel for damages? In this article I analyse the seminal cases which prompted this debate in the United States and, I argue that in South Africa, the implications of not allowing an indirect purchaser to claim damages has a negative impact on the end consumers’ case. I advocate for allowing both indirect and direct purchasers to claim damages, and for the defendant to raise a passing-on of the overcharge defence in response.
The Right to Reasons for Administrative Action in Zimbabwe
Authors: Kasuso Tapiwa Givemore , Manyatera Gift
Published: September 2022

The so-called ‘third wave’ of democratisation in Africa has witnessed a transition from a culture of impunity in the exercise of public power to more emphasis on a culture based on legality and the protection of fundamental rights of citizens. Important strides have been made in enhancing accountability by those who wield public power through judicial review mechanisms. The right to reasons for any administrative action that has an impact on citizens becomes even more paramount in light of these shifts in democratic ethos. This article focuses on the right to reasons for adverse administrative action in Zimbabwe against the backdrop of the 2013 Constitution, which ushered in the dawn of a new era in so far as the scope of the right to just administrative action is concerned. A critical examination of the nature and scope of the right to reasons is undertaken. Insightful recommendations are then proffered to further enhance the practical meaning of the right in the context of the constitutionally entrenched right to just administrative action in Zimbabwe.
The Case for Enhancing the Quality of Primary Evaluations through Metaevaluation in Developing Country Contexts
Authors: Wandwasi Peter Misigalo
Published: September 2022

This article makes a case for metaevaluation in the context of further evaluative inquiry beyond primary evaluation level and advances the plausible perspective that metaevaluation improves the quality of primary evaluations and the evidence used to support decision-making. It argues that metaevaluation is a form of evaluative enquiry that is aimed at assessing the strengths and weaknesses of primary evaluations. Through so doing, metaevaluation makes a valuable contribution toward enhancing the credibility and reliability of primary evaluations and the evidence provided to decision-makers. Metaevaluation has been utilised in different contexts in some developed countries to assess the quality of evaluations of development interventions, although scanty evidence exists of its use in developing country contexts.
Displacement and Livelihoods through the Construction of Small Dams: Legacies of Magunje Dam in Hurungwe District, Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe
Authors: Chakawa Joshua , Chambwe Tawanda Valentine
Published: September 2022

This article examines the experiences of people in rural areas who are displaced by the construction of small dams. Scholarship on dam construction has generally focused on the impact of big dams on communities. Yet, this study argues, small dam construction projects also impact those living on the site and vicinity of small dams. Using Magunje Dam in Hurungwe District of Zimbabwe as a lens, the study traces the experiences of the changed livelihoods of communities that resisted being moved and those who were relocated to other places. By taking this approach, the study establishes the complex impact of the Magunje Dam project on the evicted people and argues that those who are affected by small dam projects sometimes suffer unwanted consequences and their challenges are difficult to remedy because they occupy the fringes of society. Their challenges go unnoticed, especially after receiving paltry compensation. The study shows that displacement and involuntary resettlement destabilise the family fabric. Through the lenses of the Impoverishment Risks and Reconstruction model (IRR), the effects of dam construction on rural people are unpacked. Data was obtained through qualitative research methodologies.
Learner and Parent Perceptions of Visible Rewards at two South African High Schools: An Inclusive Education Perspective
Authors: Akabor Shakira
Published: September 2022

The use of visible rewards presented at award ceremonies for academic achievement is a common practice in many South African schools. Although rewards are unique to each school, the use of badges, trophies, certificates, honour board listings and differentiated school uniforms are commonly accepted ways in which learners are rewarded for their academic achievements. Using a survey of 104 learner responses and 17 parent responses, this article reports on the quantitative data from the author’s mixed methods doctoral study. Experiences of academic rewards at two Gauteng high schools from the perspective of grade 11 learners and their parents are presented here. A framework, including Social Interdependence Theory (Johnson and Johnson 2009) and the Participation Framework (Florian, Black-Hawkins, and Rouse 2017) was used to interpret the responses, revealing layers of meaning that indicated the problematic nature of rewarding learners visibly and publicly within an inclusive education system. The survey data revealed that learners desired recognition for their efforts and hard work but found the schools’ reward systems restrictive in terms of recognising their efforts and talent. Parents felt more excluded from reward ceremonies than their children, and many did not believe in the benefits of public rewards; however, they did admit to feeling a sense of pride when their children won awards. Although South African schools are committed to inclusive education, the interrogation of visible rewards has uncovered a competitive environment unfeasible for inclusive education.
Political Conflict, Violence and Zambian Youth
Authors: Mukonto Kabale Ignatius
Published: September 2022

Youths remain central to political conflict and violence within the Zambian polity. This article discusses the nature, extent, causes and effects of politically motivated conflict and violence among Zambian youths. As part of a doctoral project, the study was conducted in Kalulushi constituency, one of the conflict hotspots in Zambia’s Copperbelt region during the 2016 general elections. Using a convenience sampling method, 395 young people were surveyed, together with eight senior political leaders and 32 young party supporters purposely recruited from the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND). The study highlighted increased political and electoral violence in 2019, with senior political leaders and young PF and UPND party supporters culpable in keeping the inter-party belligerence afloat. The research illustrates how Zambian youths’ poor socioeconomic status predisposes them to being co-opted into political and electoral violence. More specifically, the disruptive effects of violence on communities, voters, ordinary citizens and its overall impediment to consolidating democracy are identified.
Review of the Post-apartheid Guernica Exhibition: A Commentary on the South African Condition
Authors: Kumalo Siseko
Published: September 2022

Exhibition Review.
(Dis)continuing with Tradition: Tsitsi Himunyanga-Phiri’s Exposition of Contemporary African Women’s Problems in The Legacy
Authors: Makaudze Godwin , Furvin Jessie
Published: September 2022

Issues concerning African women have been the subject of many literary writings. Most early female African writers on women’s issues conveyed these from a predominantly feminist perspective, setting a kind of tradition. Amidst this, a few writers emerged whose writings on women’s issues pointed to a departure from such tradition. This article examines Tsitsi Himunyanga-Phiri’s novel The Legacy (1992), ascertaining instances where she departs from or conforms to the tradition set by some earlier African women writers. The discussion centres on her portrayal of contemporary African women’s problems, their underlying causes as well as possible solutions. Amongst the observations are that while the writer upholds sentiments held by her predecessors on the problems encountered by women and their possible solutions, she also departs from their common practice of blaming African men, patriarchy and traditional culture for the challenges encountered by the women. Instead, she singles out the colonial system, its destruction and ultimate abuse of both African customs and men as the chief architect of those challenges. The article concludes that Himunyanga-Phiri in some parts continues while in others discontinues with the tradition set by earlier female African writers.
Righting Migrants’ Stories in Chika Unigwe’s Better Never Than Late: A Review
Authors: Osigwe Kelechi Chioma
Published: September 2022

Chika Unigwe is renowned for her writings that centre on migrant issues, sex trafficking, trauma, and rape. She employs the novel and mostly the short story genre to emphasise these subjects as they affect women, hence lending her voice to the third-generation women writers. Unigwe in this new collection of short stories tries to represent the migrant stories by exploring different aspects of immigration. She also emphasises two main subjects that are often difficult to express in literary works by women—rape and trauma. With the rather paradoxical title, Better Never Than Late, 10 different short stories, some of which are interlinked to a migrant couple, Agu and Prosperous, and their friends who visit them every weekend, portray the mirage of the dream of finding greener pastures overseas.
Geopolitical Conflict around the Climate Emergency: The Case of Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Elsner Zoe Anna
Published: September 2022

The 2019 United Nations (UN) Climate Action Summit was challenged by controversies around increasing deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Perspectives from the global community, the Brazilian government and indigenous and forest communities were heard, presenting a complex landscape of multi-scale approaches towards the rain forest. This paper takes the controversies made visible at the summit as a starting point to unravel the complex field of deforestation as an integrated part of the climate-change debate. Firstly, it will give some insights into the current situation in the Brazilian Amazon and the conflicting perspectives. Then it will explore theories that have emerged around climate justice and equity, leading to a call for “burden sharing” aimed at assistance in climate matters for the Global South. It will continue by showing such efforts and will comment on their insufficiencies. It will use relevant literature to showcase how the example of the Brazilian Amazon is representative of a complex set of systems created by the Global North, set on their agenda. These multifaceted theories show a complex field—with a multitude of stakeholders—that is hard to negotiate. In this light, the text concludes that the current discourse, vilifying Bolsonaro, falls short of adequately addressing the complexity of the issue.
The Impact of Covid-19 and the Rise of Nationalism in Global Politics
Authors: Mkonza Kagiso
Published: September 2022

Prior to the global Covid-19 outbreak, the rise of nationalism had started to reshape global politics; nationalism in political discourse has strengthened across the world, especially in Europe through the successful rise of nationalist and populist political parties in Italy, Austria, Hungary, France, and Germany. Nationalist rhetoric has become normatively acceptable, from USA President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” to Brexit, and what others might label “populist” government positions driven by political parties of countries such as South Africa, China, and India.
Latin America and the Caribbean: Trends Outlook for Quarter 1, 2020
Authors: Muresan Arina
Published: September 2022

A mixed bag of opportunities and risks impacts on Latin America and the Caribbean’s (LAC) ability to create an image as a stable environment for business and investment, and this is further impacted by the enormous challenge posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The increase in populist leaders, social unrest, corruption, climate change, drug-related issues and poverty have been a direct consequence of forced migration, organised crime, and governance maladministration. These issues have further impacted foreign policies of the LAC and its ability to converge as a region, and coupled with extreme climate events and fires devastating biodiverse areas, create a pessimistic image of otherwise optimistic societies. Many of the practical challenges in observing the LAC are due to language barriers and viewing the region through particular lenses that are already informed by an agenda. This report considers the regional developments through a discussion of pro-democracy protests and elections, security, gender trends, mass protests on rising costs and lack of service delivery for the marginalised, economic and financial matters, and heightening environmental concerns.
Digitising Archival Material at ZIMPAPERS Harare: Emerging Challenges and Opportunities in the Covid-19 Era
Authors: Dewah Peterson , Ndlebe Alfred
Published: September 2022

ZIMPAPERS has begun a massive digitisation of newspaper stories and photographs, according to their subject, that it has been storing in the established archival facility. Newspapers from as far back as 1892 have been bound to create volumes of newspaper-bound books. Digitisation not only makes them more widely available, but it also has preservation benefits by eliminating or reducing physical handling of archives and photographs by users. The photographs are kept together with the original picture for every published picture and its story. The archival facility serves as a memory and knowledge hub for the organisation and its sister companies, providing journalists and other interested parties with a rich research base. The story-based filing system ensures that stories about the same subject are collected from the newspapers and filed. This sparked the idea of commercialising the knowledge housed in this special collection facility. This unique collection, which has the potential to account for historical events, has proven invaluable to journalists, students, researchers, and the general public. Aside from providing access, opening the facility to the public was a significant step toward monetising the collections, and the potential of the collections to generate some revenue/income for the organisation cannot be overstated. The organisation realised that by continuing to digitise its archives, it can benefit from infopreneurship, even though it has brought its own set of challenges, opportunities, and lessons.
A Model to Foster Records Use in Evidence-Based Decision-Making: Neither Restricted by Time nor Space
Authors: Momoti Nikiwe , King Lizette
Published: September 2022

The study is derived from a doctoral dissertation by Momoti that triangulated the Continuum of Evidence Use and the Records Continuum Models to determine the extent to which records as sources of evidence were used for evidence-based decision-making by senior managers in Western Cape governmental bodies in South Africa. The investigation was descriptive, cross-sectional, and used a mixed-mode survey design. The mixed-mode survey addressed low response challenges encountered during data collection. Data was collected from a stratified random sample of 163 senior managers from 31 Western Cape governmental bodies. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to ensure that an accurate description of the findings was achieved. The study revealed that knowledge of evidence sources is crucial for their use. Senior managers acknowledged the importance of using records for evidence-based decision-making and always used them as sources of evidence to decide on service delivery programmes. The study revealed 83 such service delivery improvement programmes. The study proposed a model to foster the use of records as sources of evidence in decision-making.
Covid-19 Information Behaviour of Social Media Users in Nigeria
Authors: Kehinde Adetola Ayotunde , Kadiri Kehinde Kadijat , Bello Rakiya Aliyu , Amuda Halimah Odunayo , Tobashe Beatrice
Published: September 2022

The study that directed this article investigated the Covid-19 information behaviour of social media users in Nigeria. Based on the nature of the study population, the data for the study were collected using Google Form to create an electronic questionnaire. Altogether 348 social media users participated in the survey. Findings from the study showed that the participating social media users in Nigeria were interested in knowing everything about Covid-19. Also, they preferred the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) social media platforms as their main sources of Covid-19 information. The study also showed that Covid-19 information was majorly shared among these social media users in Nigeria through WhatsApp. However, data revealed that the participating social media users in Nigeria were satisfied with the available Covid-19 information. Finally, findings indicated that fake news and misinformation, as well as too much information on Covid-19 available on social media, constituted the major challenge that the interviewed social media users encountered when searching for Covid-19 information.
Can Infopreneurship be an Employment Option for Library and Information Science Students?
Authors: Ramugondo Lugisani Samuel , Ocholla Dennis N
Published: September 2022

The study aimed to determine if infopreneurship can be an employment option for Library and Information Science (LIS) students and graduates in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. Specifically, it investigated LIS graduates involved in infopreneurship, the requisite competencies, areas of infopreneurship, and challenges. Guiding the research was the interpretive paradigm. Employing a qualitative methodology, the study used the case-study design. Data were collected through triangulation of interviews, content analysis and observations. Non-probability sampling methods were used, i.e., purposive sampling and snowball sampling. A total number of 60 infopreneurs from KZN were interviewed. The results of the study revealed that infopreneurship is practised in South Africa, though a minimal number of graduates from LIS practise it. Furthermore, infopreneurship is constantly developing, as are the infopreneurship activities that infopreneurs can perform. Notwithstanding its challenges, the majority of the infopreneurs identified have been practising it for over five years. These results suggest that infopreneurship can be an option for employment for LIS students and graduates. Ultimately, there is a need for a curriculum review and development to best prepare students to be infopreneurs. Furthermore, there is a need to include infopreneurship policies for the fight against unemployment among graduates.
Harmonising the Undergraduate Records Management Curriculum and the Labour Market in Kenya
Authors: Magawi Silas , Mathangani Salome , Owano Ashah
Published: September 2022

There is a link between the broader subject of records management (RM) in Kenyan universities and the records management labour market in Kenya. It is always assumed that employers’ input and review of an institution’s curriculum typically produce better skilled, more knowledgeable employees who have a greater potential to succeed once they leave universities. This research aimed to identify the relevance of the undergraduate RM curriculum to the labour market in Kenya and to make recommendations on the areas that can be improved on in the curriculum. Undergraduate studies are the education level that shapes most professionals’ career paths. The challenge of the high unemployment rate among Kenyans in general despite thousands of graduates coming out of universities each year also motivated this research. The contextual set-up of the study was Moi University, Kenyatta University, and five online job listing sites in Kenya. The study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods research design. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected simultaneously using online questionnaires and key informant interviews. The research sample of 56 comprised two key informants from records management departments of Moi University and Kenyatta University and 54 alumni graduates of records management from the two universities who were selected using snowball sampling, as well as 20 records management job advertisements. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences and Atlas.ti software and are presented in tables, diagrams, and graphs. The research revealed that there is a need for more collaboration between the various stakeholders and that there is a strong link between university education and the performance of students in the job market; it also found a mismatch between the records management curriculum offered and the market demands. The mismatch was attributed to the theoretical nature of studies and the impact of information and communications technology on records management. The research further revealed that there is minimal consultation during curriculum review and that records management is not popular in the Kenyan labour market.
Verbal Irony in the Discourse of Sungusungu Vigilantism in Suneka Township, Kisii County, Kenya
Authors: Mose Norah
Published: September 2022

When the state cannot provide adequate security, or citizens do not trust the state to do so, alternatives have been sought. In most cases, the alternatives lie in the nexus between the rich and the poor who opt for private security companies or vigilante groups (or gangs) respectively. Vigilantes have dominated security spaces in urban slums and rural areas in Kenya. This paper focuses on the discourse of Sungusungu vigilante groups in Kisii with reference to the Suneka township from the late 1990s to the present. The study that directed this paper was qualitative. Primary data were obtained using in-depth interviews, while secondary data were collected through a review of relevant literature. Irony was revealed through the way Sungusungu managed to control crime considerably within the short time of their emergence in Kisii, which the state had failed to address adequately. Thus, resenting attitudes were expressed towards the state. Secondly, after controlling crime rates, Sungusungu ironically engaged in the same crimes, besides degenerating into other illegal activities, including extortion, torture and illegal arrests. Consequently, the government dissociated from Sungusungu, banned them and reorganised community policing groups. Strangely, some members of Sungusungu found their way into community policing groups. Over time, Sungusungu have been associated with different identities, including community policing and Nyumba Kumi (Ten Households) on the one hand, and terror groups, underground movements, extortionists and “these people” on the other hand. There is no clear-cut identity difference between Sungusungu and community policing. As a result, the term “sungusungu” has been used as a generic identity for community policing, Nyumba Kumi or any group of people who partner with the state in the maintenance of social order in the community. Still, the debate around Sungusungu, community policing and Nyumba Kumi remains fluid and hazy, and as Kenya approaches the 2022 general elections, Sungusungu are getting involved in the murky waters of politics.
Killing as a Resource: Gang Rivals in South Africa
Authors: Maringira Godfrey
Published: September 2022

While killing is delegitimised by law, gangs who kill their rivals are legitimated within their social group. The central analytical argument is that the killing of gang rivals is a form of “capital” (Bourdieu 1986) that forges and produces enduring social networking relationships among gang groups. Killing is a celebrated practice within certain gang groups. The act of killing is also a rite of passage, which establishes a member within the gang group. Killing defines the “commanders” of gang groups and those who have the potential to lead a gang in the future. Killing is a source of identity and recognition. It produces certain kinds of statuses within the gang group. Those who kill the most are honoured in the gang group, while feared by the rivals. While this paper argues that killing sustains gang practices, it also examines the increased invisibility of gangs as victims of the same violence that they perpetrate.
Political Power and Housing Provision in Contemporary South Africa: Khutsong Township Settlement Project
Authors: Zaaiman Johan , Mupambwa Gift
Published: September 2022

This article interrogates the power dynamics in Khutsong Township from the prism of applicable theories on urban politics. The housing project in the Khutsong Township was unique due to a change in the initial objective. The intention was a resettlement project due to dolomite hazards; but it eventually became a settlement project. This was a result of the core role-players who affected the outcomes of the project, based on their interpretation of the main aspects. The article reports the empirical study on these power relationships and compares the results to the mentioned urban political theories. From the main findings, it can be concluded that the local power situation in this project is explained best by referring to hyper-pluralism, party hegemony and a negative public choice perspective. The article thereby reveals the unique and dynamic multi-directionality of the power exercised in this case. Thus, the article contributes to understanding power configurations that may emerge in housing projects within South Africa.
How Durable are Hybrid Regimes? The Case of Zimbabwe as a Hybrid Regime
Authors: Makone Itai , Lambrechts Derica
Published: September 2022

In general, the durability of the hybrid regime is debated due to the coexistence of democratic and authoritarian regime institutions in the system, functioning in disconnect with each other. There is also the inevitable expectation of a hybrid regime to change. This study argues that a hybrid regime can have lasting durability, using the case of Zimbabwe between 1990 and 2018. A hybrid regime conceptual framework is developed by identifying four indicators of hybridity: elections, civil liberties, tutelary interference, and political elite cohesion. The framework is then applied to Zimbabwe. The country shows five diverse variations of hybridity, which are: liberal; competitive illiberal; competitive; illiberal; and military regimes, grouped by the most observable indicators identified in the hybrid regime framework. Thus, hybridity is found to be fluid and varies within the state over a period of 28 years. As is indicated, different timeframes identified in Zimbabwe experienced more, or less, characteristics of democratic rule or authoritarianism, but never a spill-over to new regime representation. Consequently, due to the adjustable and changeable nature of the hybrid regime, transformation into a different system becomes less predictable. The study further identifies five factors that enable the durability of the hybrid regime: lengthy incumbent government; high political elite cohesion; low leadership turnover; a strong statesman; and competitive opposition.
Embracing Tourism and Hospitality through Xitsonga Proverbial Expressions
Authors: Mushwana Arnold
Published: September 2022

Proverbial expressions have for years been transferred from one generation to the other for different purposes including rebuking actions that are not acceptable in society, encouraging good behaviour and giving guidance. This article addresses how Xitsonga proverbial expressions can promote tourism and hospitality in the sector. The article discusses the role that Xitsonga proverbial expressions can play in the tourism sector in encouraging people to tour, good hospitality to tourists, persistent visits to tourist destinations, and conducts of tourists and hosts, and advising business owners on choosing strategic areas to attract tourists. The corpus method of data collection has been applied by extracting relevant proverbial expressions from a collection of Xitsonga proverbial expressions titled Vutlhari bya Vatsonga-Machangana: The Wisdom of the Tsonga-Shangana People (Junod 1973). Under the broad umbrella of Afrocentric epistemology in education, this article postulates how proverbial expressions can be used to develop curriculum content that speaks to African norms and values. In the end, the view is that wisdom which is carried in African proverbial expressions can be used in an in-depth analysis. It can offer solutions to different cultural and social problems that the continent faces including, amongst others, decolonisation of African education and economic and environmental obstacles that Africa is confronted with.
Functions of Children’s Games and Game Songs: A Case Study of the amaNdebele in Mpumalanga Province
Authors: Malobola-Ndlovu Johann
Published: September 2022

Children’s games and game songs are part of the traditional literature that was handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. However, on a more subtle level, game songs can also be performed by children to vent secret feelings or experiences that they dare not express openly. The question to be asked is, how do children vent their emotions through games and game songs? The aim of this article is to show how children’s games and game songs could function to assist children with challenges. The current research was mainly initiated by the performance of the monologue game songs played by some children in primary schools. Children in Grade R to Grade 6 often aired experiences that they could not easily share. Similar research has been conducted by scholars who emphasise the importance of using games and play in the education of Shona children. They conclude that Shona traditional children’s games and play songs help children to learn. In this article, the qualitative method was used to collect data through interviews, questionnaires, observations and related books and documents. Interviews were conducted in Mpumalanga province, in the Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality, at the University of Mpumalanga. Different coding schemes were used to collect and interpret the data. This article argues that games and game songs help children to vent and to internalise individual challenges. Games and game songs also help children to learn in different ways.
“Kea patlotsa hela lona,” a Turn around on Basotho Hip-Hop Hits: A Case of Tshepe Music
Authors: Mokala Ntsoaki
Published: September 2022

This study reports on the transformation of famo (accordion) music into modern Sesotho hip-hop known as tshepe. Research in Basotho music seems to have focused mainly on famo music. Little has been done to explore the evolution of tshepe music and how it emerged as suitable to be named Basotho popular music. The current study aims to explore the nature of tshepe music and how it relies heavily on both American hip-hop and famo music. For the purpose of this study, one tshepe song by Ntate Stunna, aka Megahertz, featuring Phephela, known as “Kea patlotsa” is analysed. This is a case study of one song as it is not possible to discuss all tshepe songs in a paper of this nature. The study is framed within a socio-semantic framework. It is a qualitative research study guided by an interpretivist paradigm. The study reveals that as an emerging and growing genre, tshepe music has taken over as one of the most popular forms of music for Basotho and it is rooted within traditional genres such as famo and mangae (initiates’ songs) in its composition. In this article, I propose that the promotion of tshepe music brings both the promotion of Sesotho as a language and the genre itself. For this reason, more research should be conducted to tackle different topics that will help in understanding and appreciating this music genre and its contribution towards preserving and promoting Sesotho as a language.
Poetry as a Strategy in Courting: The Case of Basotho Boys
Authors: Thetso Madira , Kolobe Maboleba
Published: September 2022

The aim of this article is to examine the oral Sesotho poem that was used by Basotho boys as a courting strategy. In most African societies, including Sesotho society, boys used to adopt several approaches to propose love to girls. They would perform heroic actions to attract girls, engage in traditional songs and dances in which they would choose potential partners, or recite poems to the girls to express their feelings. While the former were performed in public, there would not be any audience for the latter. In Sesotho, there was one communal poem that was used by boys to propose love. Using textual analysis, the article sets out to explore this popular Sesotho poem by an anonymous poet to understand the language used in it and to interpret the meaning expressed with the chosen diction. The findings reveal the uniqueness and richness of language attained through the use of metaphors in which the poet uses concrete objects to express his abstract feelings. He identifies himself with the four important objects in the daily lives of the Basotho. Through the use of metaphor, the speaker portrays his character as well as the persona of the wife he anticipates as a suitable life partner.
The Contribution of Technology-Driven Social Enterprises to the Livelihoods of Informal Female Traders: A Case of EcoCash in Harare, Zimbabwe
Authors: Moyo Simbarashe , Pretorius Edmarie
Published: September 2022

The livelihoods of most informal female traders in Zimbabwe experience financial exclusion and limited growth. Technology-driven social enterprises such as EcoCash could potentially redress this challenge. This qualitative study explored the contribution of EcoCash towards the livelihoods of informal female traders in the city of Harare in Zimbabwe using a single instrumental case study design. In total, 23 informal female traders and 3 key informants were purposively sampled for face-to-face interviews and a focus group discussion. The data were analysed thematically. The findings reveal that EcoCash boosts convenience in the livelihoods of informal female traders, and enables them to save income and to trade in a cash-strapped economy. Challenges associated with EcoCash include the high costs of transacting and the low digital literacy among its users. The findings in this article are hoped to contribute to the design of technology-driven community development models, to inform education of social entrepreneurship and community livelihoods, to lobby for pro-poor economic policies, and to support digital literacy training.