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Exploring intrahousehold resource allocation and food security in Belhar, South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Shinta, Nombulelo
The household represents the frontline of survival and structure in which deprivation could be examined. Poverty rarely isolates itself to individuals, but rather spreads across shared expenses, roofs, and dinner tables. This study explores intrahousehold resource allocation and its effects on food security in South African households in Belhar, Cape Town. It investigates the distribution of household resources, such as income and assets. The study also explores the state of food security at the household level and its association with caregiving responsibilities, with a focus on gender and power dynamics. The study examines the factors that influence the distribution of resources within homes; evaluates actual experiences of household members in obtaining food; and examines how gender roles, cultural norms, and financial limitations influence the results of food security in Belhar families.
Mapping health policies for optimum service delivery to adolescents on HIV treatment in Zambia: a document review
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2025) Moomba, Kaala; Crowley, Talitha; van Wyk, Brian Eduard
Introduction: Despite significant advances in HIV treatment regimens, adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) report lower rates of viral suppression compared to other age groups, reflecting sub-optimal adherence and lower engagement in care. In Zambia, adolescents lag behind in meeting the 95-95-95 targets for HIV care, when compared to adults. It is imperative that the specific needs of ALHIV are addressed in health policies that direct service delivery. This paper reports on Zambian health policies (policy documents and guidelines) that direct the provision of HIV care and treatment services for ALHIV, by assessing their alignment with recommendations for global best practice as presented in global health policies. We contextualize the policy review within the problem that exists in Zambia with respect to poor performance of the adolescents on the HIV cascade. Methods: We conducted a document review of national health policies and guidelines (N = 10) that relate to HIV service delivery for ALHIV in Zambia and assessed these against the global health policies (N = 6) of which Zambia is a signatory using the four-step READ methodology for document review in health policy research. We used thematic content analysis to develop key themes that describe the components of health service delivery according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) health systems framework, and comparative analysis to map national health policy against global health policies. Results: The Zambian policies are aligned with global recommendations for health service delivery for ALHIV by including psychosocial support, peer support, mental health services and sexual and reproductive health education in their offering. In addition, Zambian health legislation advocates for a change in the age of consent for health services and comprehensive sexual education in schools, as globally recommended. However, there is a lack of deliberate involvement of adolescents, caregivers and community stakeholders in policy development. With respect to health financing, the national policies promote the integration of HIV financing with other health financing mechanisms but lack dedicated funding for adolescent HIV services. While community involvement is emphasised through youth advisory boards, training, and support groups, there is a notable absence of intentional adolescent engagement at the high-level program design stage. Conclusions: Zambian health policies and guidelines align with global recommendations to optimize health service delivery for ALHIV in four of the six WHO Health Systems building blocks, as evidenced in the relevant global health policies. However, significant gaps remain in areas such as health legislation, financing and community engagement.
Capital’s preference for foreign african labour in South Africa: reflections on liberal anti-xenophobia research
(UTS ePRESS, 2023) Ruiters, Greg; Uwimpuhwe, Denys
n South Africa, in many economic sectors, foreign blacks are more likely to get a job than a similarly skilled black South African. This paper is about why employers prefer foreign African labour in South Africa, how this contributes to seeing South African black workers as inferior, and how job hoarding networks in employment niches have emerged. We examine this in the context of literature on ‘xenophobia’. Both discursive and material practices of racist-ethnicist employers are significant. There is a new hierarchy of fictive labour imaginaries which reflects a new labour ‘frontier’ in a diversified post-apartheid southern African pool. The new frontier also reflects neoliberal flexible labour systems which operate within a human rights free-market framework.
Group therapy for Halos: advancing halo mass estimation for Galaxy groups
(Cambridge University Press, 2026) Cluver, Michelle E.; Van Kempen, Wesley; Taylor, Edward N.
Accurate estimation of dark matter halo masses for galaxy groups is central to studies of galaxy evolution and for leveraging group catalogues as cosmological probes. In this work, we present a comprehensive evaluation and calibration of two complementary halo mass estimators: a dynamical estimator based on a modified virial theorem (MVT), and an empirical summed stellar mass to halo mass relation (sSHMR) which uses the summed mass of the three most massive group galaxies as a proxy for halo mass. Using a suite of state-of-the-art semi-analytic models (SAMs; Shark, SAGE, and GAEA) to produce observationally motivated mock light-cone catalogues, we rigorously quantify the accuracy, uncertainty, and model dependence of each method. The MVT halo mass estimator achieves negligible systematic bias (mean Δ = −0.01 dex) and low scatter (mean σ = 0.20 dex) as a function of the predicted halo mass, with no sensitivity to the SAM baryonic physics. The calibrated sSHMR yields the highest precision, with mean Δ = 0.02 dex and mean σ = 0.14 dex as a function of the predicted halo mass but exhibits greater model dependence due to its sensitivity to varying baryonic physics and physical prescriptions across the SAMs. We demonstrate the application of these estimators to observational group catalogues, including the construction of the empirical halo mass function and the mapping of quenched fractions in the stellar mass–halo mass plane. We provide clear guidance on the optimal application of each method: the MVT is recommended for GAMA-like surveys (i < 19.2) calibrated to z < 0.1 and should be used for studies that require minimal model dependence, while the sSHMR is optimal for high-precision halo mass estimation across diverse catalogues with magnitude limits of Z < 21.2 or brighter and to redshifts of z ≤ 0.3. These calibrated estimators will be of particular value for upcoming wide-area spectroscopic surveys, enabling robust and precise analyses between the galaxy–halo connection and the underlying dark matter distribution.
Novel antifouling and photocatalytic immobilized iron-doped cerium oxide@halloysite nanotubes decorated polyethersulfone membranes
(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Mishra, Ajay Kumar; Malatjie, Kgolofelo I.; Moutloali, Richard M.
Novel polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration (UF) membranes were prepared by incorporating different contents of iron-doped cerium oxide-halloysite nanotubes (FC@NHT) nanocomposites onto the PES membranes. The properties of the prepared nanocomposite membranes were investigated using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that iron dopped cerium oxide (FC) was indeed successfully loaded on the surface of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). SEM characterization of FC@HNT/PES membranes showed an increase in pore sizes and microvoids which resulted in an increase in both hydrophilicity and flux due to the impact of FC@HNT. Pure water flux of 2% FC@HNT/PES (M4) was increased from 55.9 L.m−2.h−1 (0% FC@HNT/PES) to 320.4 L.m−2.h−1. The membranes also showed high antifouling properties towards humic acid (HA). This was attributed to the membranes becoming more hydrophilic upon modification. Subsequently, this reduced membrane-foulant hydrophobic interactions and made it difficult for hydrophobic contaminants to be attached onto the membranes surface. Photocatalytic ability of the modified membranes was tested against imidacloprid (IMD) insecticides. The membrane (M4) showed high photocatalytic activity of about 79% in 120 mins and 85.7% in 180 mins. The immobilization of FC onto the surface of the HNTs was for the homogenous dispersion of the nanoparticles and to mitigate the issue of agglomeration. Other remarkable functionalities are also provided by this integration. The membrane's ability to function as system for water filtration and for the degradation of imidacloprid pesticide with high antifouling propensity is by far its most intriguing aspect of this work.