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 characterization of two novel Class II lanthipeptides from Thalassomonas viridans by heterologous expression in Escherichia coli
(University of the Western Cape, 2024) Nicholls, Anushka
It is estimated that in 2022, 4.95 million people died from illnesses where antimicrobial resistance played a role, of which 1.27 million people died as a direct result of antimicrobial resistance. With the rising emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, there is an urgent need for the discovery and development of novel antimicrobial agents. In the past, natural products have been a source of successful drug candidates for treating diseases. However, the rate of natural product discovery has largely plateaued due to the rediscovery of known compounds. With the increased emergence of multi-drug-resistant pathogens, the discovery and characterization of novel antimicrobial compounds is paramount to curbing multi-drug-resistant infections and deaths. To decrease the rate of compound rediscovery, new environments must be explored. The bioactive potential of the marine environment has been largely unexplored which presents a reservoir of compounds with unique structural and chemical features. In the past, marine invertebrates and their bacterial symbionts have been a source of many novel natural products with potent bioactivities. Thalassomonas viridans is a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from oyster cultivars off the Spanish coast and previous studies show that T. viridans displays broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.
Using Geophysical Tools for Aquifer Characterisation of Paleowater’s: A Case Study of the Bredasdorp Basin, South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Patel, Malikah
Reservoir depletion in the Bredasdorp Basin has come with many rising challenges, such as exorbitant decommissioning costs and deteriorating pipelines. However, a depleted offshore reservoir also has many opportunities that can be explored. This research study looks closely at offshore aquifers occurring in the Central Bredasdorp Basin, South Africa, as an alternative source of water. Groundwater usage accounts for 56% of South Africa’s population, either as sole or combined with surface water resources. Therefore, exploring different water sources is essential to the sustainability of our water resource management and security. Offshore aquifer research bridges the gap between two research groups, petroleum geology and hydrogeology, but is very rarely a reality, as data is not publicly available due to propriety rights restrictions. Integration of seismic and well log data acquired by the petroleum industry has demonstrated the effectiveness for offshore fresh groundwater modelling.
Earth observation technologies for improved agricultural decision support systems in South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Mpakairi, Kudzai Shaun
This work investigates the application of remotely sensed data and advanced machine learning techniques in enhancing sustainable agricultural practices in South Africa, focusing on crop monitoring, water use efficiency, and land management. Firstly, a systematic review of remote sensing applications in Southern African agriculture, evaluating key advancements, challenges, and opportunities was conducted to document the key scientific knowledge gaps that then informed the focus of this study. The findings of the review revealed that the adoption of remotely sensed data and machine learning algorithms in agriculture remains in its infancy. Building on these insights, this study proposed a methodological framework for delineating irrigated and rainfed croplands in South Africa. By leveraging high-resolution Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and advanced machine learning techniques—including Deep Learning Neural Networks (DNN) and Random Forest (RF)—the study demonstrated the effectiveness of these models in generating accurate, large-scale agricultural land-use maps, achieving an overall classification accuracy of 0.71. Further, a novel approach for crop classification was also introduced by integrating unsupervised learning techniques and spectral matching algorithms, enabling accurate identification (OA = 0.84, p-value = 0.01) of major crop species across South Africa’s diverse agricultural landscapes. Additionally, the study employed multi-temporal MODIS satellite imagery to quantify annual crop water use (CWU) and crop water productivity (CWP), revealing substantial spatiotemporal variations between irrigated and rainfed croplands. Irrigated croplands generally had higher annual CWP (>0.002 kg/mm3/yr), while rainfed croplands consistently showed low CWP in forestry (0.001 kg/mm3/yr) and sugar (0.0012 kg/mm3/yr) agricultural regions.
Remotely sensed delineation of groundwater dependent ecosystems in Khakhea-Bray Transboundary Aquifer
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Rampheri, Mangana Berel
Remote sensing of groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) has increased substantially in recent years. Of significant prominence, is the delineation and mapping of groundwater-dependent vegetation (GDV), species diversity, and water quality in these ecosystems. Groundwater-dependent ecosystems provide several ecological services such as habitat for wildlife fauna, carbon sequestration and water purification. The recent technological advancements and readily accessibility of new satellite sensors with improved sensing characteristics have resulted in numerous state-of-the-art applications for GDEs assessment and monitoring. These studies were done at varying scales, essentially in light of global climate change and variability. In this study, progress on the remote sensing of GDEs in semi-arid environments is assessed. The study presents the key trends in GDEs remote sensing that underpin many of the recent scientific research milestones and application developments. In addition, it observed a considerable shift towards the use of advanced spatial modelling techniques, using high-resolution remotely sensed data to further improve the characterisation and understanding of GDEs. Thus, literature shows the successful use of freely available remotely sensed data in mapping GDEs.
Exploring barriers to social cohesion in rural South African communities: A family-centred qualitative study
(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Olabiyi, Olaniyi Joshua; Roman, Nicolette Vanessa; Khaile, Fundiswa; Human, Anja
In South Africa, the need to strengthen social cohesion has become increasingly important considering various pressing challenges, particularly within family and community structures. Addressing these issues is crucial for promoting solidarity and inclusion among all South Africans. This study explores the barriers to social cohesion in two rural South African communities using a family-centred approach. It adopts a family centred perspective to develop targeted interventions that support communities, government officials, and policymakers in tackling critical social challenges, including trust deficits, feelings of non-belonging, family instability, and economic disparities across municipalities. The study utilized a qualitative, exploratory design, drawing on data collected from two rural communities in South Africa: Lambert's Bay in the Western Cape and Philippolis in the Free State Province. A total of 19 participants were engaged, comprising 11 parents and 8 community stakeholders. Data collection was conducted through in-depth, face-to-face interviews in participants’ preferred languages to ensure accuracy and comfort. Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis approach, supported by Atlas.ti software, to systematically interpret the findings. The results identified seven key themes: family instability and domestic violence, inequality and economic disparity, lack of trust in relationships, racial discrimination, limited access to education and skills development, feelings of non-belonging and substance abuse and violence. These findings underscore the significance of family instability as a central factor in broader social cohesion. It is recommended that interventions adopt a family-centred approach. The study concludes with high-level policy and community intervention recommendations to support these efforts.