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

Implications of diaspora voting on electoral democracy: The case of Mozambique’s diaspora voters in Zimbabwe
(University of the Western Cape, 2026) Matikiti , Samuel; Mngomezulu , Bheki
This study examined the implications of Mozambique’s diaspora voting system, focusing on its implementation in Zimbabwe. It investigated the rationale for its adoption, the underlying dynamics, and inherent challenges within Mozambique’s electoral processes. The research sought to deepen the understanding of alleged systematic election rigging and electoral fraud that have contributed to public distrust in the electoral system. Recurrent allegations of electoral malpractices have adversely affected electoral integrity and democratic consolidation in Mozambique. Theoretically, this thesis employed Diamond and Morlino’s quality-of-democracy framework, normative political theory, and the spatial model of party competition pioneered by Anthony Downs and Duncan Black. Methodologically, the study adopted a pragmatic epistemological paradigm and utilised a qualitative case study research design. Data were collected through FGDs, in-depth and semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. By addressing the current lack of empirical evidence on external voting and democracy in Mozambique, this research fills a significant gap in the literature.
Reimbursement models for community pharmacies under universal health coverage; lessons for the South African National Health Insurance
(University of the Western Cape, 2026) Matebese , Khanya; Okeyo , Ida
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a global strategy aimed at ensuring access to quality health services at no financial strain. Community pharmacies in many countries play an important role in improving access to medicines and primary care. However, community pharmacy integration within UHC is often hindered by unclear reimbursement processes. As South Africa moves closer to implementing its National Health Insurance (NHI), it is important to understand how reimbursement models impact community pharmacies in comparable low-and middle-income communities. This study aimed to explore commonly used reimbursement models (capitation, fee-for-service, and mixed method) reimbursement and their impact on community pharmacies in Low-Middle-Income-Countries (LMICs) with established UHC models.
Redefining retail efficiency: The role of artificial intelligence in article compliance classification systems
(University of the Western Cape, 2026) Temmers , Shaun; Breytenbach , Johan
While focusing on import product classification as it pertains to retailers in South Africa, this study considered how machine learning could redefine retail efficiency by automating the classification process as relates to imported products. The automated classification of a product using South African import compliance taxonomy is novel. The three dimensions of classification relevant to this study were HS Code, Compliance and Trade Agreement classification. As international sourcing has grown exponentially, the influence of the import supply chain has increased significantly and contributed to retailers being more competitive in their local markets. Thus, managing import product ranges and the relevant information systems meant to support this function has become more important than ever. Yet for many organisations classifying products remains a manual task with little system support and much reliance on human expert knowledge. To complete this study, import compliance classification data was collected from a South African retailer. This data was cleaned and statistically analysed and used to train various supervised machine learning models.
The effect of time on two physical properties of four tissue conditioners applied to an acrylic base – in vitro comparative study
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Namarig Hassan Mohammed Hamed; Maart, Ronel
Introduction: Tissue conditioners are frequently used to aid in the healing of denture-bearing areas that are compromised and act as functional impression materials for relining dentures. They exhibit different clinical behaviours, especially noticeable in their viscosity properties. When choosing the right tissue conditioner for clinical situations, it is essential to take this variability into account. Aim and objectives: This research examines the physical characteristics of four distinct tissue conditioners after being submerged in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) for periods of 1 and 7 days. The study offers a quantitative comparative in vitro analysis focusing on the hardness and surface tension of the four tissue conditioner categories. The categories include Visco-Gel, GC Coe-Comfort, GC Soft-Liner, and Functional Impression Tissue Toner (FITT). Each category comprised 25 samples, and assessments were conducted on days 0, 1, and 7 of immersion in the PBS solution, leading to a total of 100 samples for this research. Additionally, four separate specimens (one from each tissue conditioner) were used to measure hardness using a digital Shore hardness tester, another way to test hardness. Result: The shore hardness of all four tissue conditioners increased significantly over time (p < 0.001). Visco-Gel exhibited the most significant increase from a mean of 0.1809 MPa on Day 0 to 0.3664 MPa on Day 7, indicating substantial hardening. The GC Soft-Liner exhibited an increase from 0.1721 MPa to 0.3311 MPa. FITT and GC Coe-Comfort exhibited the lowest hardness values at all measured time points, indicating enhanced softness retention. Particularly, FITT increased from 0.1208 MPa to 0.2294 MPa, while Coe Comfort increased from 0.1556 MPa to 0.2958 MPa. Wettability analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in contact angles among the materials (p < 0.05). On Day 0, Visco-Gel exhibited the lowest mean contact angle of 67.8°, indicating a higher level of hydrophilicity. On Day 7, the angle increased to 77.7°, signifying a decrease in wettability. In contrast, GC Soft-Liner exhibited a gradual decrease in contact angle (from 75.8° to 73.4°), while FITT and GC Coe-Comfort maintained relative hydrophobic characteristics with contact angles exceeding 80° during the observation period. The findings indicate changes in mechanical and surface properties that tend to be specific to the material and dependent on time. Conclusion: Comparing the effect of time on two physical properties of the four different commercially available tissues applied to the acrylic base, it was observed that after Day 1 and Day 7 day of immersion in phosphate buffered saline, Visco-Gel increased in hardness and steps, followed by GC Soft-Liner, while FITT and GC Coe-Comfort showed a lower hardness than recommended for cases requiring softness and mucosal preservation. Comparing the effect of time on the surface tension of four different commercially available conditioners applied to the acrylic base on Day 1 and Day 7 of immersion in phosphate-buffered saline, it was observed that the contact angle showed significant variations across materials. Visco-Gel demonstrated the lowest contact angle on Days 0, 1 and 7, indicating enhanced hydrophilicity and initial wettability. FITT and GC-Coe Comfort had higher contact angles, meaning they repel water, while the GC Soft-liner had a middle value. The results of this study highlight the need for evaluating material choices. The clinical finding supports that material selection should be based on specific clinical requirements
Coastal fynbos on acid sands of the Cape Flats
(University of the Western Cape, 1989) University of the Western Cape