Archive of Journal
Volume 78, Issue 9, Sep. 2022

EXPLORING PROCUREMENT SYSTEM IN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT: CASE OF A SELECTED HIGHER INSTITUTION IN THE EASTERN CAPE SOUTH AFRICA

Volume 78, Sep 2022
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2022.9.10

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Abstract: Among the main problem faced by Higher institutions of learning are the effective implementation of Supply Chain Management (SCM) policies and Asset Management (AM) policies. This study sorts to enhance and improve the annual performance plan which will be aligned with Higher institutions of learning strategic plan 2015-2019 (2020-2025) as required by South Africa Higher Education act 101 of 1997. For any organisation to operate effectively and efficiently, there is strong need to implement policies that are in lined with the organisational Mission, Objective and Vision but not superseding the act which the organisation should operating under. Forty participant were sampled for the study and the interpretivist paradigm was adopted by the researcher. The findings revealed that although the institution has Supply Chain Management in policies in place, it is still far from ensuring efficient and effective implementation of these policies. it also emerged that some of the institution’s personnel lack coordination and thorough understanding of how these policies are to be applied. The implementation of these policies must be driven by relevant stakeholders and end users; hence, management of the institution must create a structure that promotes consistency, compliance, and monitoring throughout the implementation process to ensure openness, transparency, and cost-saving.

Author(s): Lonwabo Lukhanyo Vikilahle

MEANINGS AND IDENTITIES CONSTRUCTED WHEN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES ARE USED AS SPACES FOR MANAGING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

Volume 78, Sep 2022
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2022.9.9

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Abstract: Meaning and identity construction is important not only when libraries are used as spaces for managing Indigenous Knowledge (IK) but also in situations involving social interaction. The implication is that IK tends to attract different meanings and identities depending on persons in various contexts where it is managed. The research sought to establish the meanings and identities constructed when indigenous knowledge is managed by academic libraries. A qualitative approach which utilised a phenomenology research design was adopted. Open-ended questionnaires, unstructured interviews, observation and photo documentation were utilised to gather data from 60 participants sampled from three universities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The findings revealed that there are commendable efforts to create space for IK within libraries, but that their collection needs to be transformed and decolonised by collecting, documenting, organising, storing, and disseminating more indigenous knowledge, as well as promoting it for sustainable development. The study concluded that academic libraries were not doing enough and suggests that they be viewed as information and educational resources for the community outside the institution. They also need to open their doors to the youth for them to learn about their IK and develop pride in their heritage.

Author(s): Israel Kariyana, Nancy Nokwazi Mtwa

AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF THE FEES MUST FALL CAMPAIGN RECORDS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Volume 78, Sep 2022
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2022.9.4

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Abstract: The collection of the Fees Must Fall Movements (FMFM) records are new to most\narchivists and records managers in South African universities. This paper aims to\nassess the collection of records during the Fees Must Fall Campaign using a Multiple\ncase study design. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with selected\narchivists and records managers from the University of Johannesburg, the University\nof Witwatersrand, and the University of Cape Town, and subjected to document\nanalysis. The study established that most of the FMFM campaigns were not\ncollected/documented by the university archive repositories. It emerged that there\nwere no clearly developed strategies to collect FMFM. Therefore, the study\nrecommended that universities develop clear strategies for data collection and\nencouraged collaboration and partnership in the collection FMFM.

Author(s): Severino Machingambi, Sidney Netshakhuma

INFLUENCE OF TABLET PCS ON LEARNING PROCESSES IN TECHNICAL-ORIENTED PRACTICAL PROGRAMMES AT A HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED RURAL-BASED HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

Volume 78, Sep 2022
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2022.9.8

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Abstract: This study investigated the consequences of equipping 30 students with Tablet Personal Computers (TPCs) on their learning processes in technical-oriented practical programmes at a rural-based Higher Education Institution in South Africa. The study adopted a case study design within a mixed methods approach and used the constructs of the 2nd Generation Activity Theory. Instruments were constructed Google Forms that were validated through peer debriefing. Quantitative data was analysed through descriptive statistics and qualitative data through content analysis. Findings revealed contradictions in the forms of bureaucratic-motive; technology-ineptness and digital-disruption, and tensions in the forms of pedagogical-motive; stakeholder-agency; self-motive and institutional-motive. Conclusions include that though there was some evidence of learning, there was also evidence that behavioural use deviated from behavioural intentions. There were no change agents early in the adoption process and there was the notion that education technologies automatically motivated learning. Recommendations include that the pervasive nature of technology requires astute and comprehensive technology adoption strategies which include stakeholder-empowerment, development of change agents and increased agency footprints. There is also need to prescribe appropriate technology affordances for a given context so that students utilise TPCs as “tools” for learning and not “toys” for entertainment.

Author(s): Matipa Ricky Ngandu, Israel Kariyana

INVESTIGATING THE ADOPTION OF SMART HEALTHCARE MONITORING SYSTEM IN THE RURAL AREA

Volume 78, Sep 2022
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2022.9.3

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Abstract: Smart healthcare (SH) uses a new generation of information technology (IT) such as the internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, big data and artificial intelligence (AI), making smart healthcare efficient, convenient and personalized. In the rural areas, patients are not being monitored regularly and properly due to the shortage of doctors, nurses and other healthcare personnel. These among other issues require SH adoption which is a key to enriching the living standard in rural areas. However, why the low level of adoption of this technology in the rural areas of developing nations remains a research challenge. Hence, this study investigates the reason for the low adoption of SH in the rural area, using Libode township as a case study. Data were collected from 50 participants through a structured interview. The data collected was analysed using a statistical package. This research found that despite the fact that the majority of the people in the rural area are not satisfied with the current healthcare service delivery, they are still using it because they are not aware of other options. A low level of awareness and poor connectivity problems are the two major reasons why there is still a low level of adoption of SH in the rural areas, despite this technological advantages. The study recommends among other things that the healthcare departments raise awareness of smart healthcare benefits among rural area people to help sensitize them.

Author(s): Olukayode A. Oki, Sunday A. Ajagbe, Amkita Mahanjana, Olakunle S. Afolabi

ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT IN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE: A CASE OF TWO SELECTED LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES OF OR TAMBO DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

Volume 78, Sep 2022
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2022.9.6

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Abstract: Municipality is a branch of government that is closest to the people and is responsible for providing daily services to the citizens of the country. As a result, human resource training is essential for developing employees' skills and knowledge in order to improve service delivery. Training is required to increase performance and the success of an organization. Municipal employees are the government's public face, thus how they offer services to citizens is critical. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of Human Resources Development Programmes in the corporate governance: a case of two selected local municipalities of OR Tambo. The OR Tambo District Municipality is a Category C municipality (Area: 12 096km² located to the east of the Eastern Cape Province, on the coastline. Five local municipalities form the municipality: King Sabata Dalindyebo, Nyandeni, Mhlontlo, Port St Johns and Ingquza Hill. It covers about 80% of what used to be marginalised homeland in the Transkei, and is one of the four Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP) nodes in the province. The study followed a mixed method approach in which sixty-seven participants were chosen using stratified random sampling. From the fifteen participants, five were interviewed and ten of them were given questionnaires. The data was collected from employees within the two selected local municipalities of OR Tambo District Municipalities using semi-structured interviews. Data was then analysed using Thematic analysis. The study revealed that there were a number of deficiencies in the process of administration of Human Resources and Development programmes in corporate governance in O.R. Tambo District Municipality. It is therefore recommended that the organisations need to place training and development of employees on their priority list to enhance productivity and quality service delivery.

Author(s): Mvuyisi Mabungela

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND FEMICIDE AT HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

Volume 78, Sep 2022
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2022.9.2

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Abstract: South Africa is a deeply violent society and continues to wrestle with the impact of decades of institutionalised racism, sexism, exclusion, structural violence and other factors that have continued to undermine human development and positive social cohesion. Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) is a phenomenon that drives numerous acts of violence against women, children and homosexuals that are mostly, committed by men at a high rate. These attacks are also prone at the higher education institutions (HEIs) both in South Africa and selected countries. Factors that contribute to GBVF at the HEIs pose a direct threat to the health, safety, and wellbeing of students, this then means that the cases of GBVF pose a threat to the mere existence of HEIs. The consulted literature review highlighted the common factors that contribute to GBVF at HEIs globally. Factors leading to GBVF, its effects on the survivors and methods to eliminate its occurrence were revealed by the analysis. Becoming aware of factors contributing to gender-based violence and strategies to address this scourge can minimise the occurrence of GBVF at HEIs. Understanding the concepts and strategies to prevent the occurrence of GBVF can assist HEIs to minimise these incidences. Recommended ways in which the HEIs community could adequately respond to, these factors suggested to inform policy and practice.

Author(s): Jacob Tseko Mofokeng, Kagiso Nicholas Tlou

RELATING RELIGION IN MATTHEW JABULANI MNGADI’S NOVELS

Volume 78, Sep 2022
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2022.9.7

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Abstract: Religion is one of the defining tropes and corner stones of Mngadi’s novels yet literary scholars have paid little attention to this aspect of his literature. The scant literary scholarship on Mngadi’s exploration of religion has inspired this researcher to undertake the current study. In his novels, religion takes various forms, including traditional belief system and Christianity. This paper contends that Mngadi looks at different forms of religion, particularly Christianity and traditional African belief, with a critical eye. As a postcolonial novelist, Mngadi neither fully accepts one religion nor completely rejects the other form. Instead, he advocates for a mutual mingling of the two supposedly contrasting forms of religion. The paper argues that the novelist depicts religious forms at cross roads, in conflict with each other and in future harmony. The paper illustrates that by referring to Mngadi’s two novels, namely, Imiyalezo (1978) and Yiza Mntanami (2007).

Author(s): Dumisani Sibiya

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON SCHOOL-BASED EXPERIENCE: A CASE OF ONE SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY

Volume 78, Sep 2022
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2022.9.1

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Abstract: The study examined the challenges associated with the School-Based Experience (SBE) programme. It was prompted by the perceptions that Bachelor of Education (BEd) Foundation Phase level 2 students had on the school-based experience programme that is integral to their qualification. In exploring these perceptions, a qualitative approach that utilised the action research approach in the form of reflection and reflective methods was adopted. Convenient and purposive techniques were used to identify 20 BEd Foundation Phase students who participated in the study. Data were collected through a narrative method in a single interview question was disseminated amongst focus group. Data were interpreted through content analysis and results revealed that the models used to prepare teacher-trainees for SBE need to be strengthened to make the school-based experience a success. Findings suggest that the programme is significant for teacher-trainees, but there is need for some tools to be improved. We, therefore, recommend that: (i) the university should develop a booklet that will serve as a guide on what mentors are expected to do when teacher-trainees are placed on SBE; (ii) n preparation for SBE, the university must emphasize on all documents expected to form contents of the SBE module file; (iii) some of the tools used to measure student performance on SBE need to be improved (lesson plan, logbook etc.); (iv) Foundation phase students should be given more attention on issues of classroom management and various teaching methods that can better suit learners at foundation phase level, and (vi) presentations in class should be used to boost self-confidence.

Author(s): Ntombozuko Memani, Lungiswa Nqoma

ISLAMIC LEGAL MAXIMS AS A TOOL OF HARMONIZATION OF SHARI’AH AND CIVIL LAW: AN APPRAISAL

Volume 78, Sep 2022
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2022.9.5

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Abstract: As a result of scrutinization, deep study and full observation of Islamic jurisprudence by Muslim jurists in the earliest era, Islamic legal maxims or qawa’id fiqhiyyah, plays an important role in developing Islamic jurisprudence itself especially when it faces a lacuna. For, it will become an alternative source of Islamic law when the jurists could not find any solution from direct evidences in the primary sources al-Quran and Sunnah and its extensions such as Qiyas, Maslahah Mursalah and Istihsan. Being a body of abstract rules that are derived from the detailed study of Islamic jurisprudence itself, Islamic legal maxims consist of theoretical guidelines in the different area of Islamic jurisprudence such as evidence, transactions and matrimonial law. The above notion is in mind, it is a very useful and advantageous effort to account and consider Islamic legal maxims as a significant tool towards exploring and finding a methodology of harmonization of Shari’ah and Civil law. Islamic jurisprudence is a huge and wide product of human intellect in the area of religion interpretation based on revelation thorough Islamic civilization. On the other hand, Civil law is a product of human observation and experience based on the utilization of their intellect but some time their emotional in understanding the life itself. It is the aim of this study to find a way of harmonization of the both by looking their concept, modus operandi and benefit.

Author(s): Abdurrahman Raden Aji Haqqi, Hjh Mas Nooraini Hj Mohiddin