UWCScholar
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The EMI content lecturer as a language policy broker
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) De Soete, Alexander
In March 2023, a societal debate on the use of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) flared up in Flanders when the Ministry of Education rejected a request from the region’s three largest universities to offer 19 master’s programs in engineering entirely in English (Maenhout, 2023). In Flanders, Dutch is the official language, which serves as the standard medium of education at all levels. Now heavily protected, Dutch’s role as an academic language is the result of a sociolinguistic and language policy shift throughout the 20th century, when higher education transitioned from French-medium to Dutch-medium following sustained protests by students, staff, and political activists. In this context, the use of English as a language of teaching is tightly regulated through qualitative restrictions (i.e., requiring justification, such as the presence of international students or lecturers, or the disciplinary relevance of English) and quantitative restrictions. As part of macro-level language-in-education policies, regulations currently allow a maximum of 9% of bachelor’s programs and 35% of master’s programs to be entirely English-medium, provided a Dutch-medium equivalent exists or an exemption from this rule is granted3. Additionally, up to 18.33% of courses in Dutch-medium bachelor’s programs and 50% in Dutch-medium master’s programs can be taught in English. In the instance reported above, it was the universities’ request for an exemption from the equivalence rule that was denied.
Long-read de novo assembly of the spekboom (Portulacaria afra) genome
(Nature Research, 2025) Van Jaarsveld, Ernst; Meyer, Wilku; Barkhuizen-Roode, Helmien
Portulacaria afra (P. afra), or Spekboom as it is locally known, is a versatile evergreen shrubby succulent plant in the family Didiereaceae and endemic to the south-eastern parts of southern Africa. P. afra is not only known for its nutritional composition and its medicinal properties but has been shown to be pivotal in preventing desertification through limiting soil degradation. In addition, there is currently growing global attention on the use of P. afra as a garden ornamental. To address the lack of genetic resources for this increasingly important plant, we report on the de novo genome assembly of a Spekboom specimen of the Albany Thicket Biome using Oxford Nanopore Technology long-read sequencing, coupled with Illumina short-read polishing. Flow cytometry and k-mer analysis revealed the genome to be tetraploid and supports a haploid assembly size of ~ 0.68 Gb. BUSCO analysis revealed 99.3% complete BUSCO genes, indicative of the high gene completeness of the assembled genome
An analysis of the laws which criminalise sex work in South Africa and the effects thereof
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Baron, Corinne Chanté
This thesis seeks to establish whether the current criminalisation regime followed by South Africa infringes the constitutional rights of black female sex workers. Black female sex workers are the focal point of this thesis as they are one of the most vulnerable groups in South Africa. Sex workers are one of South Africa’s most marginalised communities and are often plagued by injustices including gender-based violence and exploitation and are left with no legal recourse due to the illicit nature of their profession1. Those brave enough to seek the help of the South African Police Services (SAPS) or the healthcare system are rarely met with a safe environment and find themselves subjected to secondary abuse by those who are sworn to protect and serve.2
Impostor syndrome and job satisfaction: perceptions of community service physiotherapists within the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) America, Erin
BACKGROUND: Impostor syndrome, marked by persistent self-doubt despite evident success, is common among high-achievers and can negatively affect wellbeing and performance. Newly qualified physiotherapists, transitioning from academic to clinical settings during their community service year, may be particularly vulnerable. Exploring their experiences is crucial for early identification and support, which in turn contributes to targeted interventions, professional development, and the creation of more supportive work environments. AIM/PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore how community service physiotherapists in the Western Cape understand, experience, and manage Impostor Syndrome while completing their community service year. METHOD: A qualitative approach, using an exploratory study design, was employed to gather in-depth insights through one-on-one, semi-structured interviews. The study population comprised of 20 physiotherapy graduates from South African universities who completed their community service year in either 2023 or 2024 at one of the twenty-four health care facilities (including hospitals and community health care centers) within the public sector of the Western Cape. Only 10 participants were able to be recruited and participated in the study. Purposive sampling was employed, and snowball sampling supplemented recruitment. Interviews were conducted via Google Meet for accessibility. Data saturation was reached after 10 interviews. Verbatim transcripts were thematically analysed using ATLAS.ti software. Trustworthiness was ensured through credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of the Western Cape’s Biomedical Research Ethics Committee and the Western Cape Department of Health. Informed consent was secured, and confidentiality and anonymity were maintained in line with Protection of Personal Information Act. Participation was voluntary, and minimal risk was anticipated. Emotional responses during interviews were addressed with support options.
Covid-19 and the right to social security for self-employed and informal workers in South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Le-Ann Cupido
The year 2020 brought the world to a standstill when the Covid-19 pandemic was declared. Like in many other nations all over the world, one of the most drastic forms of intervention was the implementation of a national lockdown within South Africa. This in essence meant that all nonessential places of work were closed for business. As a result of this lockdown, those in the informal and self-employed economy found themselves unable to work and unable to gain an income. Job and income losses also occurred within the formal economy; however, an important distinction is that those within the informal economy had no protection under the available social security framework. The South African Government put measures in place to assist those impacted by the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic, however it was found that those measures were based on the existing social security framework that inherently disadvantaged those in the informal and self-employed economy. There are various international and regional instruments that are in support of extending social protection to the informal and self-employed economy. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the vulnerabilities of those in the informal and self-employed economy were exacerbated as they found themselves unable to provide for the basic needs of themselves and their families and as a result suffered the most. This study therefore focuses on the need to extend the right to social security towards the informal and self-employed economy.