DSpace 9

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DSpace is the world leading open source repository platform that enables organisations to:

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 13

Recent Submissions

Love in confusion
(Rhodes University, 2026-03-27) Sihiya, Sanelisiwe; Wessels, Paul (http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n2015068931 )
In my novella, I explore love, intimacy, obsession, sex and how we think with regards to conceptualising gender, in all its diverse forms. These four concepts are guided by gender which then impacts gender performance or that which is expected by society. We can further state that, these four concepts relate to gender and gender narrations of which, the novella navigates through. It does this by presenting and engaging various scenarios, which seek to afford the reader, an analysis of their own. While I draw some inspiration from romance novels which present the platform to paint love in a fantastical and romanticised light, the thesis approaches it from, a more realistic and critical perspective in simple, everyday language. Love in my story can be magical and wonderful at times but it can also be ugly, violent and not returned. The central character is a strong young woman who is navigating her own gender and sexuality. Much of the narrative unfolds in an urban setting, moving from the city to the township as the protagonist searches for love and excitement. The work is inspired by many writers. Aimee Parkison and Diane Williams inspire me because, they use creative forms to show unique feminists’ perspectives of the world. Amanda Michalopoulou reveals what goes on in minds of female characters and connects everyday life with important political problems. I have also drawn from Marguerite Duras, who uses simple and poetic writing to explore love and desire in a thoughtful and deep manner. Lastly, I am influenced by Jordan Castro, who points a dark and clever picture of city life and explores the complicated nature of love in a world driven by technology.
The impact of multidimensional financial inclusion on welfare outcomes
(Rhodes University, 2026-03-26) Xhakaza, Bonolo Naledi (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6982-2318); Phakathi, Sandie
This study investigates the factors influencing financial inclusion among smallholder farmers in Makhanda, South Africa, and assesses its impact on household welfare. To provide a more comprehensive understanding than traditional single-indicator measures, the study employs a Multidimensional Financial Inclusion Index (MFII) constructed across five key domains including access, usage, quality, financial literacy, and resilience. Data were gathered from 100 smallholder farmers through a structured questionnaire using a simple random sampling. Analytical methods included Poisson and Probit models to identify determinants of financial inclusion, and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to evaluate its effects on welfare. Findings reveal that overall financial inclusion among these farmers remains low due to challenges such as limited access to credit, inadequate financial literacy, dependency on informal financial systems, and insufficient institutional support. Key factors positively influencing financial inclusion include extension services, education, access to markets, farming experience, and participation in farmer groups. The PSM analysis indicated that financial included farmers tend to experience better welfare outcomes, such as higher dietary diversity, increased ownership of livestock and assets, and improved food security compared financially excluded farmers. The study suggests enhancing extension services with tailored financial awareness programs, expanding access to microcredit and microinsurance tailored for smallholder farmers, and introducing targeted financial literacy initiatives. These strategies could enhance resilience, encourage investments in productive activities, and contribute to improved welfare for smallholder farmers in the Eastern Cape region.
Development, manufacture and characterisation of a sublingual thermosetting salbutamol sulphate gel for the management of acute paediatric asthma
(Rhodes University, 2026-03-26) Sibanda, Anele Makhanjana; Walker, Roderick B (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2781-4154); Khamanga, Sandile (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2374-8460)
Embargo applied. Embargo period to expire in March of 2027.
Using protection motivation theory to evaluate the impact of cybersecurity practices on user experience with e-commerce platforms among internet café users in Gqeberha
(Rhodes University, 2026-03-26) Obisesan, Segun Musa (https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9819-8794); Moyo, Moses (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8707-6179)
Online shopping has become deeply embedded in modern society, despite the growth of cybersecurity concerns linked with e-commerce platforms, particularly among users accessing public internet café through unsecured connections. Limited research has examined how cybersecurity practices affect e-commerce platform users ‘experiences in insecure public internet cafés. This study used the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT)to assess the impact of cybersecurity practices on the experiences of online shoppers with e-commerce platforms in Gqeberha. The study population consists of e-commerce platform users mainly online shoppers from the internet cafés, with purposive sampling used to select three busy internet cafés located at the centre of Gqeberha city. The study utilised explanatory sequential mixed-methods, using probability sampling to administer100 questionnaires and purposive sampling to select7 participants for in-depth interviews for both quantative and qualitative phases. Quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 29with descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were thematically analysed using ATLAS.ti 25 following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase. The findings reveal high perceived severity and vulnerability regarding cybersecurity risks, such as phishing, smishing, and One-Time Password (OTP) attacks, which cause financial losses among e-commerce platform users in public internet cafés. Users' disregard for security practices led to negative experiences. E-commerce platform users with cybersecurity knowledge and shopping experiences demonstrated high self-efficacy and response efficacy in adopting cybersecurity practices, such astwo-factor authentication, password managers, verification processes, and virtual card payment, to prevent fraud while shopping in internet cafés. Security measures’ visibility on the e-commerce platforms improves user trust and self-efficacy. The study further concluded that a lack of cybersecurity knowledge led to low self-efficacy and response efficacy to follow security practices, making users vulnerable to online attacks and causing dissatisfaction. The study concluded that a lack of instructions and high perceived response costs, like inconvenience or time delay, were key challenges, affecting cybersecurity practices. The study recommended educating users on implementing security best practices such as using password managers, virtual cards and site verification. E-commerce platforms supported education is necessary to keep users informed about security measures, and biometric verification should be implemented on e-commerce platforms. This study was restricted by the sample size for both qualitative and quantitative phases, and the sites where it was conducted in Gqeberha. Further studies could explore PMT constructs and cybersecurity practices across other cities of the Eastern Cape and other South African provinces, expanding the geographical coverage.
Engineering graduates’ experiences of career progression after participating in graduate development programmes
(Rhodes University, 2026-03-26) Magwagwa, Sibongile; Pearse, Noel (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7583-9845)
This multiple case study critically investigates the career progression of engineering graduates following their participation in Graduate Development Programmes (GDPs) within the unique context of South Africa. It draws on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) as its guiding conceptual framework, facilitating a structured understanding of how self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations, personal goals, and contextual influences shape early-career development within engineering contexts. To establish a robust theoretical foundation for the study, a systematised review was conducted. This review systematically evaluated the applicability of SCCT within the context of both GDPs and subsequent post-GDP career experiences. Findings from this review highlighted how GDPs serve as an institutionalised mechanism for fostering self-efficacy, enabling goal setting, and shaping career outcome expectations, all central to SCCT’s explanatory framework. Critically, the review also identified significant gaps in existing literature, including limited research on the long-term influence of SCCT in the post-GDP phase, its underexplored intersection with socio-demographic variables like race and gender, and its role in the development of essential soft skills. Building upon these insights, the study developed a specific conceptual framework that explicitly integrates key influencing factors. This framework maps the interplay between personal characteristics (such as race, gender, age, economic background, and language), organisational influences (including culture, leadership practices, and mentoring structures), and external disruptions (such as the COVID-19 pandemic and broader economic instability). It posits how these dynamic factors collectively shape individuals' self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and personal goals, which in turn drive targeted career actions and ultimately influence diverse career progression pathways. The empirical basis of this research lies in in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with a diverse cohort of 25 early-career engineers in South Africa who successfully completed GDPs and are now navigating the complexities of professional integration. A deductive thematic analysis, rigorously anchored in SCCT constructs, was employed to examine how participants made meaning of their GDP and subsequent workplace experiences, and how these influenced their skills development, career clarity, and strategic career behaviours. The findings highlight the pivotal role of post-GDP learning experiences, including challenging projects, mentorship, formal training, feedback, and coaching, in facilitating mastery experiences and significantly enhancing professional self-efficacy among early-career engineers. These experiences also positively shaped career outcome expectations, leading participants to anticipate greater success in their professional endeavours and actively influencing their goal setting. The research confirms that engineers with higher self-efficacy are more likely to set ambitious and well-structured goals, which then drive proactive career actions such as pursuing promotions, seeking leadership roles, and acquiring advanced skills. Furthermore, mentorship, organisational support, and access to continuous learning opportunities consistently emerged as critical enablers of career advancement, fostering a crucial sense of purpose and direction. Crucially, the study also illuminates how race, gender, institutional dynamics, and socio-economic context profoundly intersect with and often constrain career development processes in post-GDP transitions within the South African engineering sector. Participants frequently recounted facing identity-based barriers that hindered their progression, emphasising that career development is not purely self-determined but is significantly mediated by deeply ingrained systemic inequalities. The COVID-19 pandemic, acting as a significant career shock, forced many engineers to re-evaluate their aspirations and adapt to new, often precarious, labour market realities.By providing theoretically grounded and contextually detailed insights, this research makes several significant contributions. Theoretically, it extends SCCT’s applicability to the underexplored post-GDP career phase, incorporating the influence of socio-cultural, organisational, and structural dynamics into understanding early-career development, challenging assumptions of linear progression, and addressing the theory's underdeveloped engagement with systemic inequality. Empirically, it offers a richly textured, locally grounded account of the post-GDP phase in South Africa, documenting how macro-level disruptions and social identity profoundly shape engineers’ trajectories. Finally, the study offers actionable implications and recommendations for the refinement of GDPs and for various stakeholders, including employers, HR practitioners, professional bodies, higher education institutions, and government departments, aiming to foster more equitable, structured, and supportive early-career pathways for engineering graduates in a transforming society.