UWCScholar
This repository serves as a digital archive for the preservation of research outputs from the University of the Western Cape.
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Recent Submissions
The development of guidelines for the inclusion of spirituality and spiritual care guidelines in Unani Tibb practice
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Hoosen, Mujeeb
Traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (TCAM) is widespread globally, with billions seeking these practices for health and wellness. Spirituality and spiritual care are essential to all TCAM and deeply connected with indigenous knowledge systems. Unani Tibb, a unique TCAM approach, integrates traditional healing practices from Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, focusing on the connection between mind, body, and spirit in healing. However, the role of spirituality and spiritual care in education and practice in South Africa, and beyond, remains insufficiently emphasized. To address this, the South African Unani Tibb community calls for incorporating spiritual care into clinical practice and establishing guidelines to enhance holistic treatment. This research seeks to establish these guidelines through a two-phased sequential exploratory strategy grounded in Design-Based Research (DBR) principles. DBR emphasizes the importance of authenticity, contextual awareness, collaboration, and methodological diversity. Phase One employs a range of methodologies, including a scoping review, quantitative surveys, qualitative research, and mixed-methods, to investigate the role of spirituality and spiritual care in Unani Tibb education and practice. The research includes five interconnected studies highlighting the significant absence of spirituality and spiritual care in the Unani Tibb profession. Initial findings indicate that Unani Tibb practitioners recognise the importance of spirituality within the modality, but lack formal training, prompting calls for its inclusion in educational curricula and practice guidelines. Despite inherent spiritual care abilities, assessment and methodology challenges highlight the necessity for formalised guidelines. In Phase Two, a consensus workshop with 14 stakeholders from the Unani Tibb community developed 40 guidelines to enhance spiritual care in clinical settings. Key aspects include spiritual history-taking, spiritual care competencies, temperament analysis, personal and professional development, and advocating for better integration of spirituality in Unani Tibb. This research aims to promote ethical, holistic care and enhance future spiritual care practices within Unani Tibb and other TCAM professions, in South Africa and internationally.
Probing diffuse galactic synchrotron emission using meerkat single dish data
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Mahlalela, Sifiso
In recent experiments, the 21 cm neutral hydrogen (HI) line has been measured using the intensity mapping (IM) method. Measuring this HI line is a complex process because it is faint and easily contaminated by radio frequency interference (RFI) and the foregrounds. Using the MeerKLASS experiment, from the L-band (900-1670 MHz) data the 21 cm signal was probed using the single dish mode. However, initially the RFI and the most dominant foreground in our Galaxy which is the synchrotron emission had to be investigated, so they could be removed. This process also provided another validation for the existing data pipeline. As synchrotron emission is modeled using a power law, one way to probe said emission is to measure the spectral index of this power law. From the various results available in the literature, the average spectral index for frequencies that are between 0.408 and 3.8 GHz is ∼ −2.7. In this study, the MeerKLASS UHF-data (544-1087 MHz) was used alongside various ancillary experiments to probe the temperature spectral index of the synchrotron emission using the Temperature-Temperature (T-T) analysis method, as well as probing the flux density spectral index using the Spectral Energy Distribution method. From the T-T analysis, the average spectral index calculated between 45 and 923 MHz is −2.71 < β < −2.66; these results are in good agreement (within 1σ) with the existing results from Irfan et al. (2022) and Platania et al. (1998). T-T analysis between MeerKLASS and Haslam data conducted towards the lower end of the UHF-band, however, revealed a sharp and physically unlikely change in the synchrotron spectral index never before seen. This coupled with the Spectral Energy Distribution analysis revealed that further work needs to be conducted on the UHF data reduction pipeline with regards to both calibration and RFI removal. There appears to be a systematic bias in the data at a level of around 15% at the beginning of the UHF-band, decreasing to only around 5% by the end of the UHF-band when comparing these data to MeerKLASS L-Band, Haslam and OVRO-LWA data.
An investigation of students’ approaches to solving problems using equations of motion
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Tanci, Sinovuyo
The purpose of this research study is to investigate how to address the under-preparedness of students entering first year physics in South African universities, particularly with regard to their competence in solving kinematics problems. Previous studies show that the best tool for changing and expanding the conceptual understanding of a learner is problem solving; it assists a learner in dealing with new and unfamiliar concepts. These studies have also shown that cooperative learning helps students to share knowledge with each other. This research study thus investigated students’ perceptions of approaches in solving kinematic problems and tasks are examined for the effects of expert problem-solving approaches and cooperative learning on the performance and results obtained by students in first-year mainstream physics at the University of the Western Cape. This process involved profiling students and exploring their problem-solving approaches and performance using prior knowledge and after a teaching and learning focused explicitly on problem-solving. The data was collected by means of surveys and tasks and was analysed using descriptive statistical and qualitative methods. From this study, it can be concluded that cooperative teaching and learning focused on expert problem-solving is necessary in a physics course to address students’ under-preparedness in their first year at university. In addition, it is recommended that lecturers encourage students to use problem solving when tackling any physics problems.
The use of cover crops for sustainable citrus orchard performance
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Silwana, Sibongiseni
Cover crops play a pivotal role in maintaining and improving agricultural sustainability through enriching organic matter content. They are commonly planted between tree rows to enhance soil quality, suppress weeds and improve production and fruit quality in citrus orchards. However, there is limited information regarding plantation of cover crops in citrus orchards in South Africa. Current conventional agricultural production systems in citrus orchards rely heavily on a high level of agrochemicals. This study is an attempt to alleviate some of the direct input costs and high application of agrochemicals. A cover crop field study was conducted at Lamara farm at Franschhoek, South Africa to assess the effect of cover crop species on soil quality, weed suppression, soil enzymes, citrus fruit yield and soil water content under two termination methods (slashed and non-slashed). Cover crop species tested were vetch, medics, oats and control (no cover crop). The experiment was set up in a randomised block design with a factorial treatment structure (Factor 1 - cover crop species; Factor 2 – cover crop termination methods) replicated six times. In the first study, effect of cover crop species on soil organic carbon, weed control and citrus fruit weights using two termination methods (slashed and non-slashed) were assessed. Soil samples were taken before planting cover crops and one year after planting cover crops to determine soil fertility. Dry weight samples of cover crop and weed were collected during the termination stage and fruit weight measurements were taken at harvest.
One size does not fit all: an examination of the legal and policy framework for differentiated powers and functions of municipalities in South Africa.
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Chonco-Spambo, Thabile LM
The allocation and exercise of local government responsibilities is central to the effective delivery of basic services, promotion of participatory governance, and the realisation of socio-economic rights. The division of powers and functions between levels of government is not meant to be static, as seen by the entrenchment of assignment provisions in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Shifts occur in response to changing circumstances. However, the changes are often uniformly applied to local government. A uniform transfer of powers and functions is either under-inclusive or over-inclusive for municipalities because they are different in size, geographical location, societal needs, and capacity. Yet, consideration of these factors has often been undermined by tensions between the three spheres of government, inconsistent or non-implementation of assignment procedures, and persistent unfunded or underfunded mandates. The study explores whether there are principles for differentiation and how the constitutional and legislative frameworks for differentiated powers and functions should be interpreted and applied. The thesis examines the policy, constitutional and legislative frameworks for differentiated powers and functions, and assignment of powers and functions to municipalities. It identifies gaps between the formal requirements of assignments in sections 99, 126 and 156(4) of the Constitution – which mandates capacity-based assignments – and the realities of governance, where the national and provincial governments bypass the prescribed constitutional framework for assignments. It establishes that the policy and legislative frameworks for assignments cannot be applied correctly if there is no clear appreciation of their constitutional basis. Although the Constitution makes the assignment of a Schedule 4A or 5A function compulsory, it is unclear how section 156(4) of the Constitution should be interpreted. The study adopts a doctrinal legal methodology, analysing constitutional provisions, legislation, relevant regulations, policy documents, and key judicial decisions. The approach is interpretive and analytical. The study finds that the government acknowledges the need for differentiation. Yet, the constitutional and legislative frameworks do not provide conceptual clarity as to when to assign functions to municipalities. There is, overall, an absence of a coherent set of principles for differentiation. The study also finds that there have been manifestations of the transfer of additional responsibilities to municipalities through sectoral instruments in housing, electricity, and public transport. These transfers do not follow the procedure required for executive assignments as per the Constitution. Safeguards for this are provided in the constitutional and legislative frameworks, but these same safeguards are not emphasised and guaranteed in sectoral instruments. Without a coherent set of principles to guide differentiation and clarify when assignments should take place, functions would be shifted to municipalities without the necessary safeguards being in place. This thesis contributes to scholarly and policy debates by proposing ten normative principles to guide the differentiation of responsibilities to municipalities, an interpretation of the ‘capacity’ requirement, an interpretation of ‘section 156(4) of the Constitution’, and advancing targeted recommendations. These include the development of a coherent government-wide devolution and iv https://uwcscholar.uwc.ac.za/homecapacity-building framework, rooted in the constitutional framework for assignment; amendments to relevant assignment legislation; and proposals for increased involvement of key stakeholders. Ultimately, the study argues that the constitutional and legislative framework for differentiation is currently not utilised because the government is not activating it. Multiple institutions, such as the Presidency, NT, DCoGTA, FFC, Parliament, the AG, the courts, ministers, MECs, and municipalities, need to be part of the solution. The system itself does not need to change: the government just needs to start using it.