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Teachers’ perceptions of physical education for children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder at a special needs primary school within the Cape Winelands District
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Lottering, Anthony
South Africa has a high rate of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, which is influenced by historical and socioeconomic factors. Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder face many developmental challenges, including poor motor skills, low concentration, weak memory and poor academic performance. These difficulties affect their learning and overall well-being, highlighting the importance of exploring physical education as a potential intervention to support their development. The social model of disability provides a valuable framework for understanding the experiences of teachers and their work with children living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. A qualitative approach was used to explore teachers’ experiences and perceptions of physical education for learners with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder at a special school in the Cape Winelands area. Fourteen teachers involved in the physical education programme were purposively selected, and data was gathered through a semi-structured interview process. Findings show that teachers view physical education as vital for child development, contributing to academics, social skills, discipline, motor ability, overall health and reducing negative behaviour. The findings also revealed concerns about the Differentiated Curriculum and Policy Standard, specifically the curriculum’s limited time allocation for physical education and its ongoing pilot status. Teachers expressed the need for continuous professional development and better curriculum integration of physical education to support holistic learner development. It is recommended that teacher training regarding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and physical education practices be strengthened to enhance implementation in LSEN schools. A stronger emphasis on parental and community engagement should be encouraged through workshops and awareness programmes. Collaboration with stakeholders should be prioritised to expand support network systems. Finally, the allocation of curriculum time for physical education should be reviewed to maximise its developmental benefits.
Sexual sanctions and solidarity: Heterosexual schoolgirls’ negotiations of cisheteronormativity in two South African high schools
(Routledge, 2026) Mayeza, Emmanuel; Bhana, Deevia; Janak, Raksha
This paper examines how female heterosexual learners negotiate cisheteronormativity within South African school contexts. Using a qualitative design, we draw on two single-sex focus groups with girls aged 15–17 in two KwaZulu-Natal high schools. Cisheteronormativity is utilised as a conceptual lens to show how gendered norms naturalise a sex/gender binary and privilege heterosexuality while also opening avenues for contestation. The findings illustrate how support for gender and sexual diversity is produced in the context of girls’ reference to constitutional equality, religious and moral frames, as well as through school rituals like the matric dance. However, inclusion coexists with the reproduction of cisheteronormative binaries suggesting that acceptance of sexual diversity is partial and precarious. The paper also draws attention to the policing of boys’ masculinity and sexuality through peer surveillance, showing how masculinity is especially under pressure in the context of gender-nonconforming conduct. Despite these constraints, participants propose strategies that deal with cisheteronormativity through learner-led support groups, school counsellors, comprehensive sexuality education, and partnerships with community organisations. We conclude the paper with implications for advancing sexual diversity and justice in South African schools.
Social innovation, gendered resilience, and informal food traders in Windhoek, Namibia
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2026) Crush, Jonathan; Nickanor, Ndeyapo; Kazembe, Lawrence
Informal food trading is a cornerstone of urban livelihoods and food security in Namibia, yet traders operate under fragile conditions marked by limited capital, policy exclusion, and exposure to shocks such as COVID-19. Despite this vulnerability, traders exhibit resilience through everyday forms of social innovation. This study investigates how adaptive pricing, customer credit, and digital communication and e-payment practices function as pathways of resilience among 470 informal food traders in Windhoek, using Structural Equation Modelling to assess gender-differentiated determinants and outcomes. The analysis reveals that women’s adoption of adaptive pricing and digital tools is driven primarily by education and startup capital, while men’s innovation practices are shaped by vendor type and access to financing. Social innovations mediate the effects of these structural factors on enterprise growth, demonstrating that innovation acts as a critical mechanism linking resources and resilience. The study concludes that enhancing informal traders’ resilience requires policies that strengthen human and financial capital, improve digital inclusion, and recognize gendered differences in access to opportunity. It recommends targeted support for women’s entrepreneurial training, affordable credit, and digital infrastructure to transform the informal food sector into a more equitable and sustainable component of Namibia’s urban economy.
Examining the challenges of youth empowerment initiatives under Kenya vision 2030: a comparative analysis of selected projects
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Chege, Faith Nyakairu
Despite the presence of a plethora of youth intervention initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya being one of them, in practice, very little impact is seen in the lives of the intended beneficiaries. It is evident that significant challenges hamper the efficacy and sustainability of youth empowerment interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Kenya’s growing youth population and the persistent challenges and risks faced by Kenyan youth exacerbate this state of affairs. This study, therefore, critically examines the challenges of youth empowerment initiatives, particularly selected projects under the Kenya Vision 2030 Strategy, through the lens of Development Administration Theory and Empowerment Theory. Guided by these conceptual frameworks, the study explores the policy environment, institutional capacity, resource management, and coordination mechanism challenges of selected youth-focused programmes, specifically the Kenya Youth Empowerment Project (KYEP), Kazi Kwa Vijana (KKV), the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF), and the Uwezo Fund. Using a qualitative research approach and document analysis as the primary method, the study investigates the constraints affecting the success and sustainability of these initiatives. Key challenges identified include insufficient and weak monitoring and coordination mechanisms; lack of beneficiary participation at all stages of the projects; weak accountability systems owing to a lack of measures for policy compliance; misconduct in the use of financial resources, such as corruption and embezzlement of funds; and political interference, among others. The study suggests mechanisms that could be used to address the challenges and provides recommendations for policymakers, development practitioners, and institutions tasked with implementing youth development strategies in Kenya and similar developing contexts.
Interventions by national government in provincial governments in South Africa: A critical analysis
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Sigabi Litha
This thesis critically examines the constitutional and procedural framework for national government intervention in provincial governance in South Africa, as provided under Section 100 of the 1996 Constitution. In doing so, it explores the grounds, procedures, and outcomes of these interventions. The thesis further evaluates the balance between the principles of cooperative governance and provincial autonomy, as well as the extent to which such interventions address systemic failures in governance, financial crises, and service delivery challenges. The study reveals that Section 100 interventions are often necessitated by severe governance breakdowns, such as non-compliance with financial regulations, mismanagement of resources, and the inability to meet constitutional obligations. The thesis critiques the absence of a clear regulatory framework governing the process of national interventions, which often undermines the effectiveness of these measures. It also emphasizes the need for enhanced procedural safeguards to prevent the abuse of intervention powers and to uphold provincial autonomy. Hence, the findings underscore the importance of aligning intervention measures with constitutional principles of cooperative governance, ensuring that interventions are temporary, proportionate, and aimed at restoring the capacity of provincial governments to perform their duties independently. The study therefore argues for constitutional amendments and legislative reforms to clarify the criteria and processes for interventions. The establishment of independent oversight bodies that monitor interventions and ensure that they achieve their intended outcomes without compromising the principles of federalism and decentralization should be strengthened.