UWCScholar

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 11

Recent Submissions

Engaged research and reflexive methodologies: (auto)ethnographic narratives of forced migrants in Cape Town, South Africa
(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2026) Kazadi, Mustapha; Koskimaki, Leah
This memory by the first author, Kazadi, is the starting point of many long years of working to build a new life and eventually pursue higher education in South Africa. Kazadi’s journey to South Africa is not very different than that of many Congolese refugees in Cape Town who, since the 1990s, have fled the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) due to wars and economic instability and have ended up working in informal jobs and navigating precarity in the city in search of livelihoods and a sense of belonging. However, his experience is also somewhat unique because he has been able to pursue a PhD, conducting research on forced migrant issues within the Congolese refugee community in South Africa. Congolese are one of the prominent refugee communities in South Africa (Rugunanan & Smit, 2011; Vuninga, 2021). Like many forced migrants in South Africa, they have and continue to struggle with obtaining permits and formal employment (Nyamnjoh et al., 2021; Rugunanan & Smit, 2011), often relying on their own community migrant networks to get by (Owen, 2015).
That night, this life: essays from a South African story
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Rennie, Gillian
On 1 May 1993, the same year the Nobel Peace prize was awarded to Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk, masked gunmen shot and maimed a young man in his neighbourhood bar in East London, South Africa. He is Neville Beling, 20 years old that night and one of seven survivors permanently disabled while five others were shot dead. At the time, South Africa was in turmoil as its leaders negotiated a complex transition to democracy. Yet, unusually, the Highgate Hotel Massacre was never claimed by a political grouping, and nobody has ever applied for amnesty for the attack. These lacunae have left survivors with the additional devastation of questions with no answers. Ever since this attack on white civilians, Neville has wanted to know who the gunmen were and “why they done what they done”. In 1997, he asked the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. During a mediation in 2003, he asked the supposed commander of the attackers – only to discover shocking information which altered the course of his life. When we met in 2006, he wanted me, then a journalist and teller of other people’s stories, to tell his. It is now 2025. He is 32 years older than his bullets, and only a little nearer knowing his truth. Meanwhile I, after almost two decades working alongside him, recognise that I am no longer his detached observer and that this is our story as well as South Africa’s. The work of creative nonfiction which constitutes the core of this doctoral submission tells this story via a series of essays, arriving ultimately, in the essaying tradition, at recognitions and insights which were not evident to me at the time of setting out. En route to new understandings and reckonings, the book explores aspects of broad South African themes which animate our evolving relationship and emerge from Neville Beling’s life story. These include truth, reconciliation, trauma, witnessing, narrative, pain, forgiveness, home, auto/biography, memory. They also include whiteness, for both Neville and I are white South Africans coming to postcolonial terms in the land that is our home. It is inimical to creative nonfiction that its practice foregrounds ethical considerations.
Exploring the use of productive practice for the development of procedural fluency with algebraic fractions in grade 10.
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Hassiem , Courtney
Many learners in South Africa and globally struggle with poor performance in algebraic fractions. This widespread underachievement has prompted extensive research by scholars in mathematics education. Recently, there has been a notable shift in educational discourse: researchers and educators are moving away from the traditional classroom setting and teacher-learner approach to including more emphasis on learner-centred approaches. In response to the persistent challenges of learners underperforming in algebraic fractions, this study aimed to design and implement instructional activities as part of an intervention. Specifically, this study investigated whether the use of “productive practice” could enhance Grade 10 learners’ procedural and conceptual knowledge in the topic of algebraic fractions. The central research question guiding this study was: How should productive practice activities be designed and implemented to engender learner engagement for the consolidation of conceptual and procedural knowledge of algebraic fractions? This study was a qualitative approach and utilised a design approach – also known as, educational design research or developmental research – as its methodology. Data was collected by observational notes, audio recordings of the learners’ discussions and written responses of the activities. The framework that guided this study was productive practice. The results of this study indicated that many learners tend to forget previously taught constructs, and face challenges in understanding algebraic fractions and relevant terminology. Regular use of productive practice can reinforce prior learning, helping learners to retain information more effectively. The benefits of this study include the improvement of learners’ ability to simplify algebraic fractions and to enhance their mathematical thinking, which can contribute to learners performing better in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations. Moreover, this study may provide teachers with valuable strategies to support learners’ success in this subject.
The impact of technological innovation on economic growth and financial sector performance in South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Seroka , Mpakane
This study examines how technological innovation has shaped economic growth and financial sector performance in South Africa between 1999 and 2023. While many studies treat innovation and finance as separate areas, this research brings them together in a country- specific context. Financial sector performance is measured through domestic credit to the private sector (DCPS), with exchange rate (EXR), broad money supply (M3), inflation (INF), gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), and information and communication technology (ICT) service exports as the main explanatory variables. Whereas, Economic Growth is measured through the use of gross domestic product(GDP), domestic credit private sector and information communication technology. Time series techniques. including unit root and cointegration tests, the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), variance decomposition, and Generalised Impulse Response Functions (GIRF) are applied to capture both short- and long-run relationships. In the short run, exchange-rate depreciation, rising inflation, and ICT service exports reduce DCPS, while M3 and GFCF show no significant impact. In the long run, however, ICT service exports emerge as a positive driver, highlighting the role of digital innovation in deepening credit markets. The error-correction results show a slow but steady adjustment toward equilibrium, pointing to structural challenges within the financial system. Overall, the findings indicate that technological innovation is an important but uneven driver of South Africa’s growth. Policy efforts should link innovation to credit access, design public investment to support rather than crowd out private borrowing and better align digital and financial sector strategies.
Teachers’ perceptions of physical education for children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder at a special needs primary school within the Cape Winelands District
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Lottering, Anthony
South Africa has a high rate of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, which is influenced by historical and socioeconomic factors. Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder face many developmental challenges, including poor motor skills, low concentration, weak memory and poor academic performance. These difficulties affect their learning and overall well-being, highlighting the importance of exploring physical education as a potential intervention to support their development. The social model of disability provides a valuable framework for understanding the experiences of teachers and their work with children living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. A qualitative approach was used to explore teachers’ experiences and perceptions of physical education for learners with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder at a special school in the Cape Winelands area. Fourteen teachers involved in the physical education programme were purposively selected, and data was gathered through a semi-structured interview process. Findings show that teachers view physical education as vital for child development, contributing to academics, social skills, discipline, motor ability, overall health and reducing negative behaviour. The findings also revealed concerns about the Differentiated Curriculum and Policy Standard, specifically the curriculum’s limited time allocation for physical education and its ongoing pilot status. Teachers expressed the need for continuous professional development and better curriculum integration of physical education to support holistic learner development. It is recommended that teacher training regarding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and physical education practices be strengthened to enhance implementation in LSEN schools. A stronger emphasis on parental and community engagement should be encouraged through workshops and awareness programmes. Collaboration with stakeholders should be prioritised to expand support network systems. Finally, the allocation of curriculum time for physical education should be reviewed to maximise its developmental benefits.