UWCScholar

This repository serves as a digital archive for the preservation of research outputs from the University of the Western Cape

Communities in UWCScholar

Select a community to browse its collections.

Now showing 1 - 5 of 11

Recent Submissions

Job satisfaction and organisational commitment: a comparative study between academic and support staff at a higher education institution in the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2005) Mcwatts, Susheela
Research suggests that increasing employee commitment and satisfaction impacts on employee productivity and job performance, and has implications for job related behaviours such as absenteeism, turnover and tardiness. Moreover, literature also suggests that downsizing and cost-cutting negatively impacts on the satisfaction and commitment of employees and impacts on the effectiveness of organisations. The contention is that in order to reconcile the need to achieve high quality and organisational effectiveness in an environment of declining per capita resources and change, it will be necessary to secure a high level of commitment and satisfaction from all those employed in the higher education sector. This study therefore seeks to investigate the factors that produce commitment and satisfaction in academic and support staff respectively and to understand any important similarities and differences that may exist. The sample group consists of 111 support staff and 132 academic staff (N=243) at a higher education institution in the Western Cape. Two staff members did not indicate the category of staff they belonged to. A biographical questionnaire, the Job Descriptive Index (illI) questionnaire and the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) were administered to the respondents. Statistical analysis includes Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, multiple regression analysis and analysis of variance. The results of the study demonstrate no significant difference in organisational commitment between academic and support staff, although job satisfaction is higher in academic staff than in support staff. Furthermore, academic staff in the sample are relatively satisfied with the nature of the work that they perform, as well as with their co-workers and opportunities for promotion, but are less satisfied with the supervision and compensation they receive. Support staff in the sample are most satisfied with their co-workers, followed by their supervision and the nature of their jobs. They appear to be less satisfied with their opportunities for promotion and least satisfied with the compensation they receive. The results of this study also indicate that the demographic variables of age, gender, tenure and level of education appear to be better predictors of job satisfaction and organisational commitinent for the support staff than they are for the academic staff. This study argues that in order, to increase job satisfaction in staff, higher education institutions should improve supervision received by academic staff; improve compensation received for all staff and improve the opportunities for promotion for support staff members.
The relationship between job satisfaction and absenteeism in a selected field services section within an electricity utility in the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2005) Josias, Beverley Ann
Absenteeism - employees not showing up for work when scheduled - can be a major problem for organisations. As pressures increase on the budgets and competitiveness of companies, more attention is being given to reduce workplace absenteeism and its cost. Most research has concluded that absence is a complex variable and that it is influenced by multiple causes, both personal and organisational. Job satisfaction has been noted as one of the factors influencing an employee’s motivation to attend. Studies on the relationship between absenteeism and job satisfaction seem to be inconsistent. Some research has found no correlation between these two variables whereas other studies indicate a weak to moderate relationship between these two variables. There is limited research on the job satisfaction-absenteeism relationship within South African organisations. The aim of the present study was therefore to determine whether there is a relationship between job satisfaction and absenteeism in a selected department within an Electricity Utility in the Western Cape. One hundred and twenty one (121) respondents completed a biographical questionnaire as well as a Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) to identify their levels of job satisfaction. To ascertain the extent of absenteeism, respondents were asked to report on their number of days absent and their absence frequency within a six month period. Results indicate that there is a weak, inverse relationship between both the number and frequency of sick leave days and the job satisfaction levels of the sampled employees. The relationship between biographical variables and absenteeism was also investigated. The results indicate a significant relationship between respondents’ biographical characteristics (gender, age, number of dependents, tenure and marital status) and absenteeism. There was no statistically significant correlation between job level of respondents and absenteeism. The relationship between biographical variables and job satisfaction was also investigated. The study found that the six biographical characteristics significantly explain the variance in job satisfaction. The variance accounted for by these six variables is however, relatively small. Furthermore, the results indicate that job level and tenure are the best predictors of job satisfaction in the selected sample.
A critique of emojis in isiXhosa language and expression with a focus on virtual modes of communication
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Telibinza Aviwe; Kaschula Russell H.
This study is intended to investigate the impact of the internet on language use. The focus is on the use of emojis in the isiXhosa language and expression on virtual modes of communication. The challenges and adoption of emojis in the context of the isiXhosa language during virtual communication formed the central argument of this research. The history of emojis was explored, highlighting their evolution and origin. Emojis were defined and differentiated, providing a thorough explanation of what they are and how they can be distinguished from other modes of pictographs. Their functions were examined, highlighting their effectiveness in text-based communication. The various interpretations of emojis were explored. Their cultural connotations were also examined, and their ambiguity was described in detail. Virtual modes of communication were explained as well. The generative lexicon theory, employed as the theoretical framework of this research, was further discussed. The data was presented and analyzed through the qualitative approach (discourse content analysis) used in gathering the data. Lastly, the findings of the study were provided and the conclusion based on the results found.
Jurisdiction of the constitutional court in contempt of court matters: critical evaluation of the state capture case
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) zuko , mana
The judgment of the Constitutional Court in Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State v Zuma and Others (Zuma II),1informs this research paper. However, it is imperative to foreshadow two other judgments that have a factual bearing on Zuma II. These judgments are: Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State v Zuma (Zuma I),2 and Zuma v Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State and Others (Zuma III).3 In Zuma I, the Constitutional Court granted an order in favour of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector, including Organs of State (Commission). The order compelled the erstwhile President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (Mr Zuma), to comply with the summons and directives of the Commission after his deliberate refusal and resistance to do so.4 In Zuma II, the Constitutional Court, sitting as a court of first and last instance, convicted and sentenced Mr Zuma to 15 months’ direct imprisonment for contempt of court as he failed to act in accordance with its order in Zuma I. This was an unprecedented event for a South African court, especially the highest court, to impose a sentence of direct imprisonment (criminal sanction) for a civil contempt of court without any room for appeal as envisaged in section 35(3)(o) of the Constitution.5 Zuma II is of significant importance because it invites an examination of the impact of the Constitution on the principles of civil contempt of court, either substantively and/or procedurally.
Exploring South African honey: a focus on chemical composition and antimicrobial activity against pathogenic organisms
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Rohman Tanya; Abrantes Pedro
Honey has been used as an alternative medicinal agent for many years. Several factors give honey its antimicrobial ability including the presence of hydrogen peroxide, phenolic compounds, low moisture content, low pH, and high sugar concentrations. In South Africa, data on the antimicrobial activity of indigenous honey is limited, as there are many floral sources that are still underexplored. Additionally, very few studies highlight the influence that antimicrobial properties may have on the honey’s antimicrobial activity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether ten honey samples collected from different regions within South Africa possess antibacterial activity against clinically relevant pathogenic bacteria, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and to determine whether the physicochemical properties of the honey samples collected influenced their antimicrobial activity. Samples were mainly collected from regions within the Western Cape and Northern Cape. The phenol equivalence assay was employed to assess antibacterial activity at honey concentrations ranging from 5 – 50% (w/v). Physicochemical properties were assessed, including moisture content, colour intensity, pH, and chemical composition. Results of this study revealed that S. aureus was the most susceptible bacterium and P. aeruginosa the least. Honey obtained from the Succulent Karoo region exhibited exceptional antibacterial activity, whereas most Graafwater region samples exhibited poor or no activity. Despite no statistical correlation being observed between the physicochemical properties and the antibacterial activity of the honey samples, all Succulent Karoo samples (Niewoudtville – Loeriesfontein and Vanrhynsdorp – Niewoudtville) possessed a high pH (4.36 and 4.59) and moisture content (4.42% and 8.39%) and were darkest in colour (211.89 mm and 323.27 mm) compared to other samples. Furthermore, 1H NMR analysis revealed that Succulent Karoo samples are chemically unique compared with other honeys, with unidentified resonances that could correspond to bioactive compounds. In conclusion, this study revealed that honey derived from the Succulent Karoo region in South Africa has the potential to be used therapeutically and provides insight on the chemical composition of South African honeys, contributing towards the chemical profile of South African flora