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H I intensity mapping with the MIGHTEE Survey: first results of the H I power spectrum
(Oxford University Press, 2025) Taylor, Russ; Santos, Mario G.; Townsend, Junaid; Taylor, Russ
We present the first results of the H I intensity mapping power spectrum analysis with the MeerKAT International GigaHertz Tiered Extragalactic Exploration (MIGHTEE) survey. We use data covering ∼ 4 square degrees in the COSMOS field using a frequency range of 962.5–1008.42 MHz, equivalent to H I emission in 0.4 < z < 0.48. The data consist of 15 pointings with a total of 94.2 h on-source. We verify the suitability of the MIGHTEE data for H I intensity mapping by testing for residual systematics across frequency, baselines, and pointings. We also vary the window used for H I signal measurements and find no significant improvement using stringent Fourier mode cuts. We compute the H I power spectrum at scales 0.5 Mpc−1 ≾ k ≾ 10 Mpc−1 in autocorrelation as well as cross-correlation between observational scans using power spectrum domain averaging for pointings. We report consistent upper limits of 29.8 mK2 Mpc3 from the 2σ cross-correlation measurements and 25.82 mK2 Mpc3 from autocorrelation at k ∼2 Mpc−1.The low signal-to-noise ratio in this data potentially limits our ability to identify residual systematics, which will be addressed in the future by incorporating more data in the analysis.
Advancement in electrochemical sensing of chloramphenicol in varying matrixes: a review
(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Mulaudji, Kgwadu Percy; Mokwebo, Kefilwe Vanessa; De Bruin, Franklin Quelain; Pokpas, Keagan; Ross, Natasha
Chloramphenicol (CAP) have demonstrated its broad effectiveness against bacterial infections. However, its persistence in the environment and potential toxicity led to strict global regulations limiting its use. As a result, rapid and accurate detection methods for CAP are being developed to protect public health and maintain regulatory compliance regarding its presence in the environment. Conventional analytical methods such as High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, Gas Chromatography, and Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry were commonly used for CAP detection. However, these conventional methods suffer challenges such as time-consumption, fabrication complexity, reproducibility, and cost. With electrochemical sensing techniques presenting varying valuable benefits, such as instant detection, low power consumption, simultaneous analysis, and portability, making them essential for timely monitoring of various analytes. The performance of electrochemical sensor is further boosted by integrating materials such as spinels, metal oxides, and metallic nanoparticles. These materials are broadly investigated as electrode interface components thanks to their features that collectively boost electrochemical sensor such as providing excellent electrical conductivity, distinct catalytic behavior, and larger surface areas. Furthermore, this paper reviews the impact of traditional and standards analytical methods, as well as their recent advancement based on the detection of CAP in aqueous media.
Economic freedom fighters: understanding their approach to race
(University of the Western Cape, 2024) Nikelo, Sabelisiwe
In the South African context, race plays a central role in its past and present, due to South Africa's history of colonialism and Apartheid. Non-racialism became a constitutional ideal in post-apartheid South Africa and remains enshrined within the South African Constitution. Yet race continues to play a central role in shaping socio-political experiences. In recent years, the South African political arena has become imbued with the use of race, especially to garner support from the electorate, leading to the development of a racialised political rhetoric. In this context, this study explores the Economic Freedom Fighter’s (EFF) approach to race within the context of the South African political landscape. Using Critical Race theory, this study investigates the EFF’s rhetoric to uncover the themes and strategies used in their approach to race. Founded in 2013, the EFF diverges from the African National Congress’s (ANC) vision of non-racialism by addressing race explicitly in its pursuit of socio-economic justice, which has resulted in many labelling the organisation as divisive and racist due to its racialised political rhetoric. It does this through a qualitative analysis of secondary data collection of sources: party statements, manifestos, and public speeches, interviews, books, book chapter’s newspaper articles, journal articles, speeches, YouTube videos, video, internet sources. The study analyses how the party’s racialised political rhetoric may influence the racial dynamics and contribute to the polarisation of South Africa both racially and politically, that has reliance on identity politics. The findings reveal that the EFF’s approach to race prioritises black South Africans' interests, rejects liberal non-racialism, and promotes a shared racial identity and collective action, using race as a rallying point and policy lens; while this mobilises support, it also risks deepening societal polarisation, which could destabilise social cohesion if not carefully managed. The study shows that the EFF’s approach is simultaneously critical, transformative and destructive. These insights contribute to a broader understanding of how political parties use elements of populism ideals to leverage identity politics, shedding light on the complexities of race in contemporary South African politics.
Rethinking local economic development (LED) in the COVID-19 era: a case study of Worcester, Western Cape.
(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Jeptha, Hazel Patricia
The COVID-19 crisis has invited a radical rethinking of how we plan our lives, produce food and work, and how we think and act in the world and across various scales, specifically cities. South Africa has an extremely large vulnerable population consisting of concentrated masses of poverty-stricken citizens living in dense settlements, rural areas, and small towns. The lockdown hit poor communities the hardest, while the rich were able to work from home and stock up on food and essentials. But how have municipalities responded to this challenge in terms of their local economic plans? This mini-thesis is about how Worcester, the capital of the Breede Valley Municipality (BVM) in the Cape Winelands District, dealt with the crisis, how it understood the crisis, and how Local Economic Development (LED) after the COVID-19 period was conceptualised and undertaken. The thesis examines how local economic development was reconfigured to address old and new challenges and if there was a rethink of old ways of doing development and reducing poverty. I also investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected various socio-economic strata in different wards in Worcester specifically Zwelethemba. The data was collected from primary materials (largely municipal documents) interviews with councillors and a small-scale survey of citizens in different wards. My findings are that the municipality has not been able to structurally rethink urban (local) development and has been relatively unsuccessful given its historical legacies of uneven development.
A chief without a chieftaincy? subjecthood and territorial control in the Bakgatla Ba Mmakau, South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2024)
This thesis investigates how contestations over chieftaincy affect the authority of the institution and its relations with people and land, and vice versa. Using a case study method, the study applies the case of the Bakgatla ba Mmakau, an impoverished community situated within the mineral rich North West platinum belt. The Bakgatla ba Mmakau are engaged in a century-long lineage dispute spanning from 1892 to now. In 2017, the state dispute mechanism formally transferred chiefly power from one faction to another. The study specifically examines the processes of transfer of chiefly power and the establishment of a new political authority shedding light on the construction of chieftaincy. The research is informed by state formation theory, integrating the revisionist history perspective with state formation through the production of property and citizenship approach, and political economy theory. It employs a qualitative research method grounded within critical social science research philosophy in order to make links between the concrete and abstract aspects of chieftaincy politics. The thesis makes four arguments regarding the Bakgatla ba Mmaku lineage dispute. First, the contestations led to the fracture of the chieftaincy. Second, this fracture produced a new chieftaincy and simultaneously reproduced the old chieftaincy, resulting in the establishment of two competing institutions: the new institution and the old institution. Third, rural people navigate both citizenship and subjecthood to access mining economic resources and maintain their customary entitlements, despite their ascription as ‘subjects’ of the chief by traditional leadership laws. Fourth, changes in land ownership and increasing land scarcity are redefining the conventional authority of the chieftaincy. The evidence from this case suggests that the production and legitimation of chieftaincy in South Africa are not confined within the bounds of state bureaucratic control. The ideals of rural people regarding what constitutes a legitimate chieftaincy are influential and are involved in reshaping the institution as much as the state mechanism does. In conclusion, the state ideals of custom and chieftaincy remain in conflict with rural people’s ideals of chieftaincy. This clash is significantly shaping the constant production of chiefly authority within the local state.