Electronic Theses and Dissertations (PhDs)
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Item The geopolitics of climate change and violent conflicts in Africa: the Nigerian and Kenyan perspectives(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Emupenne, Olanrewaju Ojo; Small, MichelleThis study empirically examined the correlation between climate change (independent variable) and violent conflict (dependent variable), focusing on East Africa and West Africa. Climate change poses a serious threat to humanity and the ecosystem, particularly in Africa. Also, despite other serious challenges the continent faces, violent conflict remains among the most devastating. Various reasons, including poor leadership, social exclusion, and conflicting goals, are cited as causes of violent conflict in Africa. Recently, a new narrative has emerged suggesting climate change is a potential driver of violent conflicts. This study examines the correlation. So, to investigate this relationship, a survey research design was employed. The study adopted a descriptive research design, and four main research methods were used in the study namely, mixed methods research, comparative case study research, triangulation approach to social research, and convergent synthesis design. Also, the research utilized questionnaires that were directly formulated from the study’s hypotheses and were tested using a parametric regression model. Furthermore, the research employed Key Informant Interviews (KII), and the data gathered were processed using Atlas.ti, a Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Software (CAQDAS). Sampling techniques included purposive, stratified, and random sampling. The study population comprised government officials, environmentalists, academia, farmers, herders, youth leaders, and community leaders. 17 government officials, 7 academia, 6 environmentalists, 15 farmers, and 13 herders randomly selected in Nigeria, and 22 government officials, academia, and environmentalists, 15 farmers and members of farmers cooperatives, and 12 herders and members of livestock associations randomly selected in Kenya participated in the Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) to make a sample size of 110. In addition, 174 government officials, environmentalists, and academics completed the Set A questionnaire in Nigeria, 116 government officials, environmentalists, and academics completed the Set A questionnaire in Kenya, and 423 farmers, herders, youths, and community leaders completed the Set B questionnaire in Nigeria, and 205 respondents do the same in Kenya to make a sample of 918 respondents. In all, a total of 1,028 respondents participated in the study. The study was systematically guided by four research questions and two hypotheses. These research questions are as follows: (1) To what extent does climate change effect features in the geopolitics of peace and security in West Africa and East Africa? (2) Specifically, what is the correlation between climate change and farmer-herder conflicts in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria and farmer-herder conflicts in the Tana River County in Kenya? (3) What is the level of awareness about the effects of climate change among crop farmers, herders, and policymakers in the Northern region of Nigeria and Tana River County of Kenya, and how does the knowledge about the effects of climate change play a role in the different stakeholders’ approach to conflict? (4) What are the policy frameworks in Nigeria and Kenya that create awareness about climate change and mitigate the effects vi of climate change on violent conflict at both national and local levels? The quantitative data obtained were analyzed using SPSS Version 25 and R, while the qualitative data were analyzed using Atlas.ti. Results revealed a positive correlation between climate change and geopolitical dynamics of peace and security in West Africa and East Africa but did not establish causation. While climate change intensified, it contributed to shifts in geopolitical dynamics impacting peace and security. However, establishing causation requires more than observing correlation; it demands demonstrating that changes in the independent variable cause changes in the dependent variable. The findings of the study also revealed varying levels of knowledge and awareness regarding climate change among farmers, herders, and policymakers in Northern Nigeria and Tana River County of Kenya; divergent opinions about available policy frameworks for creating awareness about climate change and mitigating the effects of climate change on violent conflict. Some of the respondents agreed that policies were available, some were of the view that policies were available but not implemented while some expressed the fact that policies were not available. Considering these findings, several policy recommendations were made which include the integration of climate adaptation strategies with conflict prevention efforts, decision- making and policy implementation, creating more awareness programmes, indigenous approach and inclusivity, curbing migration, farmer/herder dialogue, and the establishment of special judicial commission solely for farmers and herders. In a nutshell, the study emphasized the need for nuanced understanding and consideration of multiple factors influencing the geopolitical landscape of AfricaItem The crisis of trade union representation in post-1973 unions and the role of the full-time shop steward (FTSS): A case study of NUMSA at BMW Rosslyn Plant Tshwane South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Malabela, Musawenkosi Hemelton; Mosoetsa, SarahFull-time shop stewards (FTSSs) are elected trade union shop stewards paid by the employer to do full-time union work. This is a peculiar arrangement in the South African industrial landscape which draws from the German model of workers’ councils. These FTSSs were first negotiated in the early 1980s at Ford and Volkswagen (VW) in South Africa. The main reason for these FTSSs was, as noted by Gomomo (1985), to deal with production pressures and disruptions caused by ordinary shop stewards, who, from time to time, would be pulled from the production line to attend to trade union business. The employer offered these positions as a tool for addressing this dilemma. This benefitted the trade unions that were growing exponentially and did not have money to hire organisers to service every organised and non- organised workplace. The s served to augment the role of the organisers; they became a de facto organiser. This study, through in-depth interviews, document analysis, focus groups, ethnography and participant observation, explores the contradictory role of FTSSs through the case study method at BMW. The findings highlight the significance of the FTSSs in building the power of the trade union at the shopfloor level and the potential they have in building a strong, vibrant and militant trade union movement on the ground or branch level. The evidence shows that, if not properly managed, FTSSs’ positions can be used for upward social mobility by self-interested individuals. This is because of the benefits and resources attached to these positions, which accord incumbents some level of social status. Hence these positions are highly and fiercely contested. For these positions to yield positive outcomes, FTSSs ought to be accountable to the rank-and-file members through regular meetings for feedback and mandate takings, and regular 4 elections ought to be institutionalised. Notions of career pathing of FTSSs need not be entertained as they will open space for the institutionalisation of upward social mobility of FTSS. Although upward social mobility is one of the options for an FTSS, those who are not re-elected to office face social downgrading, which includes going back to the production line. This comes with a huge personal loss and has a psychological impact as they lose the benefits associated with these positions and the social status that comes with it. The thesis turns Michels’ (1958) notion of ‘iron law of oligarchy’ on its head as it shows that FTSSs should act as a countervailing force against the development of oligarchic tendencies in the workplace. Because accountable FTSSs suffocate the development of oligarchic tendencies in the trade union. The thesis argues that accountability is a pain of democracy—it should be embraced and promoted, and regular elections of FTSSs should be encouraged and institutionalised as a countervailing force to the development of oligarchic tendencies. This will promote the worker control principle, which is the cornerstone of these post-1973 trade unions. The thesis further argues that the FTSS falls into the trap of being a tool of management if not properly managed. They become a communication bridge of management or information brokers1 (see Malabela, 2012) by communicating production schedules. Borrowing from Tony Lane's (1974) thesis of shop stewards being the man with two masters, it argues that the FTSS is the man with three masters. The three masters are the workers who elected them, the second one is the employer who pays their salary, and finally, the trade union who they represent and on whose card they were elected. I posit that all these masters have different expectations: the 1 See Malabela, 2012 5 first is to represent them against the employer, the second is to maintain labour peace and avoid unnecessary strikes and stoppages, and the third is to build a strong workplace organisation. In the final analysis FTSSs are an important and integral part of South African industrial relations—and benefit both the employer and the trade union. The trade union needs to develop clear policies to manage FTSSs, so that the positions are not abused for upward social mobility and to hold them accountable. Accountability occurs through regular general meetings with workers to solicit mandates and report back, and FTSS elections should be institutionalised. Trade unions ought to benefit a great deal from FTSSs only if these positions serve the intentions of the trade unions and build a vibrant workplace organisation that serves the interest of the rank-and-file.Item Ethics and the Destiny of Being(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Letswalo, Gabe MorokoeAlthough the student experience is commonly praised for its empowerment, learning opportunities, and adventurous nature, it is important to acknowledge that students also face substantial pressure and stress throughout their academic journeys. This has been known to adversely affect student engagement (i.e., vigour, dedication, and absorption) levels, potentially diminishing academic performance and productivity levels, and increasing the likelihood of university dropouts (Jafri, 2017; Kuh et al., 2008). Fortunately, psychological capital (PsyCap); the combination of four psychological capacities (hope, self-efficacy, optimism, and resilience), has been cited as a significant contributor of academic engagement (Luthans et al., 2016; You, 2016). These constructs are explained by the Job Demands- Resources (JD-R) model as well as the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. However, few studies have considered the relationship between PsyCap and academic engagement amongst first-year university students. This provided a unique and novel context for application, warranting future research. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to examine whether a micro PsyCap intervention had an effect upon the levels of academic engagement experienced by first-year university students. The following three instruments were combined into an online questionnaire and used to collect the necessary data for the current study: 1) A demographic questionnaire was administered to gather information about the sample and sample characteristics; 2) the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students (UWES-S) was used to measure academic engagement; 3) the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) was used to measure psychological capital and/or personal resources. Data was collected at two different time periods (i.e., pre-intervention/time 0 and post-intervention/time 1), whereby the PCQ was used to measure levels of PsyCap, and the UWES-S was used to measure academic 2 engagement. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, correlational analysis, and mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA). The final sample (N = 319) consisted of both full-time and part-time first-year students across different faculties of study (i.e., Humanities, Health Sciences, and Commerce, Law, and Management) at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Results of the current study demonstrated that a positive relationship exists between PsyCap and academic engagement. Specifically, the study revealed that students with higher levels of PsyCap tend to show more energy and enthusiasm (vigour), stronger commitment (dedication), and deeper absorption in their learning (absorption). These findings were supported by previous research. However, the current study also revealed that the proposed PsyCap intervention failed to significantly affect the students’ levels of vigour, dedication, and absorption over time. These results were surprising considering previous research but may be attributed to the inherent difficulties of developing an online intervention in South Africa, where there are significant variations in resource availability and economic status (especially amongst university students). Based on these challenges, future studies should incorporate face-to-face interventions to ensure inclusivity and participation from all participants; use larger and more representative samples; and embrace a mixed-methods approach to gain a deeper understanding of participant experiences. Nevertheless, the study’s result does not invalidate prior research that has demonstrated the effectiveness of PsyCap interventions in enhancing academic engagement amongst university students. 3 This study confirms a link between psychological capital (PsyCap) and student engagement, underlining the importance of personal resources in the student-university context. Further research is necessary to develop more effective iterations of the proposed PsyCap intervention aimed at effectively enhancing academic engagement and promoting overall student success.Item Could Not Sing in the Dead Heat: Liner Notes Under the Sun(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Ramphalile, Molemo Karabo; Schuhmann, AntjeOn the one hand we place blackness as a historical if inconsistent category inextricable with morbidity, disfavour, depravity, mystery, wretchedness, penumbra, opacity or absence of light, and the abyssal – in both secular and religious metaphysical symbolism. On the other hand we place space as a historical and physical category denoting area, range, clearance, scope, volume, expanse, lacunae, aperture, margin, and in its instance as verb – opening, arranging, ordering, placing, separating, and locating; which in cosmography, geography and cartography finds its varied imaginative and applied interpretation. We coalesce what is in both hands in order to envisage how blackness persistently becomes and comes to be the extractable property of sub-Saharan Africans. Through various ontological-cosmographic- geographic designations such as Torrid Zone, ‘land of the blacks’ or even terra nullius, we encounter visualisations of a territory and expanse that is always either completely devoid of people or inadequately peopled, that is, the territory whence blackness as inextricably embodied (or fleshened) exists and is cultivated. Blackness: not only does it determine our modes of being, or non-being, in this world, but for us in this study, it is also an experiential, experimental and analytical lens permitting the suggestion and scribing of historical narratives and discourses that centre the inveterate decentring of blacks. In the tradition of liner notes, this study is written in a performative relation to the subject or object at hand; there under the sun, in the dead heat.Item Governance quality and popular support for democracy in Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mongae, Mmabatho; Alence, RodThe stability of democracy depends on citizens’ support for and satisfaction with democracy as a form of government. Yet the past decade has seen a public backlash against democracy worldwide, and Africa is no exception. This study aims to clarify the determinants of public perceptions of democracy, in particular how the quality of governance in African democracies affects public perceptions of democracy as a preferred system of government. Are citizens more likely to be supportive of and satisfied with democracy in countries that score higher on indicators of political and economic governance quality? This thesis addresses this question using a mixed methods approach. The study harnesses multi-level statistical analysis, incorporating national-level governance indicators from the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG), Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem), and Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI), alongside individual-level survey data from Afrobarometer covering thirty-four African countries. The statistically selected case studies of Sudan, Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe probe more deeply by capturing various experiences with democracy. The central finding is that public support for democracy in Africa depends significantly on the quality of governance. However, support for democracy is not based purely “instrumentally” on the receipt of material benefits, as citizens also value the practical provision of political freedoms and protections “intrinsic” to democracy. These findings challenge existing assumptions about the transactional nature of democratic support, highlighting the critical role of governance quality in fostering a deep-rooted commitment to democratic ideals. By foregrounding the lived experiences of African citizens within democratic systems, this thesis contributes to the discourse on democracy in Africa. It shifts the analytical lens from abstract institutional performance metrics to the tangible democratic encounters of individuals, providing a richer, more textured understanding of democratic resilience and support on the continent. Through this approach, the study not only responds to the existing gaps in literature but also offers fresh insights into the complex dynamics that underpin public attitudes towards democracy in Africa, thereby enhancing our understanding of the factors that promote or hinder democratic engagement and supportItem The social contexts of childhood malnutrition in South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Sello, Matshidiso Valeria; Odimegwu, Clifford; Adedini, SundayBackground: Childhood malnutrition is a major public health challenge of global importance. It may result from either excessive or deficient nutrients. Despite investments and several efforts made by the South African government and civil society organizations to improve child health, the prevalence of childhood malnutrition remains high in South Africa. South Africa is still lagging in in achieving the sustainable development goals 1-3 (i.e., 1- no poverty, 2 – zero hunger and 3 –good health and wellbeing). This is because the indicators of childhood malnutrition are significantly higher with one in four children being stunted, 13% overweight, and 7.5% underweight. These figures highlight a troubling trend that is echoed in many other African nations, where malnutrition rates are similarly concerning. For instance, while countries like Nigeria and Ethiopia face severe challenges with stunting rates exceeding 30%, South Africa’s rates are comparatively lower but still indicative of a significant public health challenge. In contrast, developed nations such as the United States report much lower stunting rates—around 3.4%—and face different nutritional issues, such as rising obesity rates among children. The current malnutrition status is worrisome in South Africa given that these conditions have not changed much in nearly three decades. Among other factors recognised as the leading causes of poor nutrition outcomes is food insecurity in households -defined as the lack of regular access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious foods, disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intakes. Despite South Africa being a net exporter of food, it is characterised by high poverty, reduced opportunities for higher education, employment challenges, environmental hazards, substandard housing, and health disparities, still have challenges in access to affordable safe nutritious foods. Furthermore, due to the complexity of childhood malnutrition, an integrated multisectoral approach among families, communities, and government systems is critical to ensuring positive child health and nutritional outcomes. Addressing poor nutritional outcomes among under-5 children requires policy-relevant evidence. While the literature shows that childhood malnutrition is a multifaceted issue influenced by poverty and poor socio-economic outcomes, evidence is sparse on how structural and environmental factors operating at different levels influence childhood malnutrition. Therefore, an understanding of social contexts of childhood malnutrition is required to improve children’s health outcomes in South Africa. Hence, this study examined the social context of childhood malnutrition in South Africa with a focus on individual child, 15 caregiver, and household-level characteristics. The study addressed five specific objectives: i) to determine the levels and patterns of childhood malnutrition in South Africa, (ii) to examine the individual child, caregiver, and household factors associated with childhood malnutrition in South Africa, (iii) to investigate the influence of food insecurity on childhood malnutrition, (iv) to explore the extent to which the socio-cultural and childcare practices of caregivers predispose under-5 children to malnutrition in selected low-income communities in South Africa, and (v) to investigate the role of a multi-sectorial approach in improving child nutritional outcomes in SA. This study was guided by the 2020 UNICEF conceptual Framework on Maternal and Child Nutrition as well as the Food and Nutrition Security Theory. Methods: This study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed methods design (i.e., analysis of quantitative data followed by qualitative data collection and analysis). The research methodology was broken into the quantitative and qualitative study. The quantitative study entailed analysing the quantitative secondary data from the 2017 South Africa National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS Wave 5). The NIDS data was nationally representative. The sample was weighted using post-stratified weights. Data of 2 966 children and their mothers were analysed. These children were selected on the basis that they had complete anthropometric measurements (height and weight measurements) and were suitable and selected for the investigation of childhood malnutrition (stunting, overweight, and underweight). We also conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences in childcare and perceptions of feeding practices. They were key informants since under-5 children spent a lot of time at ECD centres. Data were analysed at the univariate level to obtain descriptive statistics, and at the bivariate level using the chi-square test of association. At the multivariate level, multi-level binary logistic regression was employed, and odds ratios were reported. The multilevel analysis involved two levels – the individual level (child and mother characteristics) and the household-level characteristics. Data were analysed using Stata software (version 17). The selection of the independent variables was guided by the literature review and conceptual framework of the study. The second part of the study was qualitative and was collected between June and August 2022. Twenty in-depth interviews, and five focus group discussions with mothers of under-5 children, and five in-depth interviews with early childhood development practitioners (ECD practitioners) were conducted. Interviews were conducted using semi-structured questionnaires in selected low-income communities in urban 16 Gauteng (i.e., Thulani in Soweto), and in rural Limpopo (i.e., GaMasemola in Sekhukhune District). These communities were selected based on high poverty and unemployment rates, had substandard houses, insufficient infrastructure and environmental issues. The qualitative data provided deeper understanding about ethe quantitative findings and explored questions that were not available to the researcher in the NIDS dataset. The focus group discussions and key-in- depth interviews further provided a follow-up and an explanation of the quantitative findings. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Key findings from objective 1: In terms of descriptive findings, found that 22.16% of children were stunted, 16.40% were overweight, and 5.04% were underweight. The distribution of children among female and male children in the study population was almost the same. About 40% of the children had a low birth weight (<3 kg), 80.59% relied on the child support grant, and 67.22% were cared for at home during the day. Different patterns of malnutrition were observed. The highest percentage of children ages 12-23 months were stunted (33.43%) and overweight (32.69%), while the highest proportion of children ages 0-11 months and 48-59 months were underweight. Among children with a low birth weight of 1-2.9 kg, the highest percentage of stunting (30.07%) (p = 0.001, χ² = 71.2) and underweight (7.05%) (p = 0.026, χ² = 16.9) was observed. There was a relationship between access to medical aid, access to the child support grant, and childhood stunting (p < 0.05), while being cared for at home during the day was associated with stunting (24.98%) and overweight (18.99%) (p = 0.002, χ² = 36.3). Caregivers’ religion was associated with overweight (p = 0.007, χ² = 25.6) among under-5 children, while caregiver’s ethnicity (p = 0.024, χ² = 18.4) was associated with underweight. Key findings from objective 2: Female children had a lower likelihood (0.63 times) of being stunted compared to males. Children aged 12-23 months face a 60% higher risk of being overweight than those aged 0-11 months (AOR = 1.6). However, the risk of overweight declines steadily as age increases. Children aged 48-59 months are 83% less likely to be overweight compared to the youngest group of 0-11 months (AOR = 0.17). Children with a birthweight of 3 kg are 63% less likely to be underweight compared to those weighing 1-2 kg at birth (AOR = 0.37). Children attending crèches/day moms are 69% less likely to be underweight compared to those cared for at home (AOR = 0.31). Children cared for at home are 1.5 times more likely to be stunted (AOR=1.49) compared to children at a creche/day mom. Caregivers who were Nguni 17 had a 26% lower likelihood of having stunted children. Caregivers of other religions had 2 times higher likelihood of having overweight children compared to Christian caregivers (AOR=1.21). Middle-income households were associated with having overweight children (AOR=1.35) compared to low-income households. Children from structurally sound households had a 54% of high risk of being overweight compared to children from dilapidated household structures. The study found that a significant portion of the variation in child malnutrition (stunting, overweight, and underweight) occurred within communities. This is evident from the intraclass correlation of stunting (ICC) values from 27.9% to 30.2% variation, 34.3% to 38.2% overweight variation and 19.6% to 33,9% underweight variation within communities. The increase in ICC after adding additional variables suggest that these factors explain more of the variation within communities. Key findings from objective 3: The results showed that nearly 30% of the households were below the lower-bound food poverty line of R890 per person per month in South Africa, and just about half of the households did not always have enough available foods all the time. The qualitative findings show that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the food insecurity during the COVID-19 lockdown, when many caregivers lost their income sources due to job losses. Food affordability and availability in the households became a major issue, forcing households to make hard decisions between deciding on foods with high nutrition that should be eaten against diverting financial resources and paying for other household expenses such as rent or electricity. Caregivers understood that they should be feeding their children nutritious foods but due to financial constraints, they were forced to give children the available but less nutritious foods in the households. Key findings from objective 4: Qualitative findings further showed that caregivers had various socio-cultural and childcare practices which influenced children’s nutritional and health outcomes. Socio-cultural practices that influenced childhood malnutrition included dietary choices – these were not necessarily affected by cultural beliefs, but they were rather influenced by the lack of income. Traditional beliefs on food- such as foods like eggs and dairy products such as milk or yoghurts were not given to girls. This was from a belief that this food would make girls more fertile and grow much faster. Traditional healing practices influence the dietary restrictions, limiting access to some nutritious foods, which are based on superstitions and lead to stigma. With regards to the childcare practices, there was also a lack of clarity by caregivers 18 on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding as well as the duration when the children should stop breastfeeding. Caregivers did not have adequate knowledge about when to resume weaning. Some caregivers highlighted that the last time they received nutrition knowledge was when their children were infants, and they had taken the children for vaccinations. Caregivers were not aware of how responsive caregiving such as child feeding frequency and portion sizes could improve children’s nutritional outcomes. Key findings from objective 5: From the qualitative interviews with early childhood development (ECD) practitioners, findings indicated a growing disintegration of childcare systems, including the family, health, and social systems, where a lack of parental support in nutrition programmes, a lack of support in health services and other social services when making referrals. Furthermore, various systems of care were working in silos in childcare service provision, resulting in children facing multiple adversities. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that individual-level child characteristics appear to exacerbate childhood malnutrition more than the mother and household-level characteristics. For example, the child level characteristics showed high significance, with age, sex, and child support grant, compared to the caregiver characteristics such as education, employment, and income. At the household level, variables such as household size and income did not show any significance. While this is the case, it does not necessarily mean that the mother and household-level characteristics were not important. This gap can be explained by the small sample, which can cause challenges of limited statistical power, making it harder to detect statistically significant differences. Furthermore, the qualitative assessment filled some gaps regarding these findings and gave an in-depth understanding on how the income disparities among caregivers and households result from high unemployment rates, highlighting the importance of socio-economic status and food security in child nutritional outcomes. From the ECD practitioners’ interviews, given the disintegration of childcare systems, the coordination and multisectoral collaboration of different sectors of care for children is urgently needed to improve children’s nutritional outcomes. Understanding the social context in which a child is brought up is important for the design of programmes and policies that will be effective in addressing this public health challenge. This understanding will enable efficient and effective service referral and service delivery to improve childhood nutrition in South Africa. This study highlights the need for a good 19 coordination of food, family, health, and social systems to ensure a positive childhood nutritional outcome.Item Theatre of Resistance in Johannesburg, 1960–2010(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mukonde, Kasonde Thomas; Lekgoath, Sekibakiba Peter; Hlongwane, Ali KhangelaThis thesis explores the relation of art to politics, specifically how black theatre practitioners in South Africa responded to cultural imperialism. It contributes to the historiography of adversarial theatre in South Africa by tracing the establishment and growth of a genre of theatre termed the Theatre of Resistance. The thesis uses the cases of the People’s Experimental Theatre, Mihloti Black Theatre, Bahumutsi and the Soyikwa Institute of African Theatre to provide rich empirical detail on how the work at these theatre companies was a form of cultural resistance. It begins by showing how the Soweto poetry movement and the Black Consciousness Movement were foundational to the development of Theatre of Resistance. Plays that are exemplars of this genre are analysed in the context of the oral history testimonies of the theatre practitioners themselves. Additionally, the issue of censorship is addressed by looking at the deliberations of the Directorate of Publications, whose archives are extant and have only been accessible within the last twenty years. The thesis also shows how the groups negotiated the segregated township spaces of Soweto and Alexandra in Johannesburg to create theatre that was agile and politically relevant. Finally, the thesis discusses Theatre of Resistance after the end of apartheid and beginning of democracy.Item Gendered discursive practices of the South African police service towards survivors of domestic violence(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Sinclair, Ingrid Maralene; Vearey, Jo; Palmary, IngridThis study explores the reproduction, maintenance and resistance of gendered subjectivities within the discursive practices employed in the policing of gender-based violence (GBV). It examines how historical and socio-political structures shaping asymmetric power relations in society are reproduced in the everyday interactions between police officers and survivors of GBV. The research adopts a socio-historical lens on gendered policing, using an African decolonial feminist intersectional perspective. This approach focuses on the analytical categories of gender, violence, power, and inequality. This approach allowed me to situate the problem of GBV within the legacy of colonial and apartheid violence, where entrenched harmful gendered power dynamics have persisted and are reproduced in contemporary policing through the coloniality of power. By examining how police officials construct gendered power relations and how survivors experience these dynamics, I endeavour to illuminate how the gendered power relations are reproduced, resisted, and maintained in everyday policing in ways that reflect unequal power relations at the interpersonal, institutional, community, and societal levels. This qualitative study uses a bricolage of theories and methodologies embedded in a transdisciplinary approach to design a mosaic of the experiences of police and survivors of the policing of GBV. Using an interpretive phenomenological approach, I conducted an ethnographic study that explored the experiences of survivors and victim advocates at a women’s shelter as well as visible police officials at four police stations in the West Rand, Gauteng. Data collection methods included narrative interviews, informal conversations, participant observation and the analysis of police documents. The data was analysed using a decolonial intersectional narrative analysis and a critical Foucauldian discourse analysis to understand how discursive practices shape gendered subjectivities and power relations. The narratives of participants revealed and/or obscured how gendered subjectivities and intersectional inequalities are constructed, reproduced, resisted and maintained by police officials, survivors, and victim advocates. This study contributes to the growing body of research on the policing of GBV by showing how inequitable gendered power relations are institutionalised and normalised in the police organisational culture and are reproduced through symbolic violence in the everyday discursive practices of the police. By grounding the analysis of policing GBV in an African feminist decolonial intersectional framework this study situates GBV within the context of v colonial/apartheid violence that normalised violence as a means of resolving disputes. A decolonial reading of the policing of GBV reveals how violence became deeply embedded in knowledge regimes that are perpetuated through racism, classism, sexism and other social markers of difference. Additionally, the study draws on the lived experiences of survivors to contribute empirically to the body of knowledge regarding the crafting of a gender-responsive, socially just, and humane policing of GBV.Item The Role of Social Networks in Destination Selection Among Urban Refugees in Kampala, Uganda(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Ayanzu, Francis; Wet- Billings, Nicole DeThe rampant displacements due to armed conflicts, torture, gender-based violence, human rights abuse, and all other forms of displacements increased the number of forced migrants residing in urban areas. This study is about the role of social networks in the destination selection of urban refugees, including asylum seekers. Although asylum seekers differ from refugees in terms of status determination, this group is included under refugees because choices about destination occur prior to arrival in Kampala, the place of asylum, not upon arrival. Destination selection refers to the decisions regarding where to go. Existing studies have pointed to the role of social networks, defined as interpersonal relationships through which resources such as information and social support flow, in facilitating the refugee movements and settlement in urban areas. Studies on urban refugees particularly in the Sub- Saharan Africa showed that refugees use their social networks to access livelihood opportunities upon arrival at an urban area. Related to destination decisions, refugee studies in Uganda and Kenya have shown that strong social networks formed in camps and countries of asylum sometimes affect humanitarian interventions regarding returning refugees to countries of origin or relocation of refugees to new refugee settlement areas. Much of these influences have been attributed to the presence of either refugees from the countries of origin at a particular camp or relationships build through shared ethnic membership with local communities in which the refugees reside. However, not all ethnic members have equal weight in exerting influences on a refugee and not every actor in the social network supports the choice of a destination. Moreover, actors who exert influences are not only at the places of origin or destination, but also those encountered on transit or those living elsewhere in another country or camps. The details of who actually influence the refugees to move to city is important because it enables us to answer the question whether refugees make decisions on where to go and if so, what enables their decision-making capacity. This is a critical aspect in the context of Uganda where refugees are associated with settlements in the rural areas. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to investigate the role of social networks in the selection of Kampala, actors involved in the social networks and how they influenced the refugees’ decisions to specifically move to Kampala. Specifically, study explored the associations between social 17 networks and destination selection and how actors in the social networks influence the decisions of the refugees. The study also investigated the profiles of the refugees associating with destination selection, and patterns of movement to Kampala.Item The Persistent Health Burden: Understanding Black South African Working-Class Men’s Experiences of Living with Tuberculosis(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Madhuha, Edmond; Carrasco, Lorena NunezThis study is the culmination of ethnographic fieldwork on black working-class men’s tuberculosis (TB) illness experiences, conducted during 2020 and 2021 in Modimolle Township, a non-mining, peri-urban community of South Africa’s Limpopo province. The study examines ways men construct masculine identities and how this provides a lens through which to understand their health-seeking behaviours when beset with TB suggestive symptoms. Men’s construction of masculine identities further helps shed light on their tuberculosis illness experiences and treatment outcomes. Tuberculosis scholarship in South Africa has justifiably focused on the impact of silicosis on men, and the subsequent oscillating labour migration as pathways through which the disease is contracted and transmitted to non-mining communities of the country and the southern African region. Men’s experiences with tuberculosis disease in non-mining communities have however received little attention in South Africa’s extensive tuberculosis research. Drawing from the African-centred theories of masculinity is a conceptualisation of men that I call masculinity in sociability. This thesis of masculinity in sociability manifests when men gather in spaces and engage in social behaviours and practices such as sharing cigarettes and beer within proximity of each other. I demonstrate that masculinity in sociability is informed by the socio-cultural values of seriti (dignity, integrity, and respect), maitshwaro (manners and conduct), and botho (humanness, ubuntu, the sum of human values), which engender a sense of belonging and community among men in specific masculinised spaces. I argue that masculinity in sociability illuminates the crucial and intricate interplay between masculinised, enclosed physical spaces and shared air as possible ways tuberculosis is contracted and transmitted among men. Considering that masculinity in practices of sociability is predominantly performed in masculinised spaces, I further argue that its manifestation concomitantly recedes when men experience TB illness in the private sphere of the home. The thesis demonstrates that men’s exposure, infection, diagnosis, and response to tuberculosis treatment are influenced by their masculinity. In contrast to the public performances of masculinity for the purposes of sociability, the vulnerabilities brought about by tuberculosis create a significant disruption in individuals’ life stories. This disruption is evident in men’s experiences of losing their sources of income and becoming dependent on the care provided by mothers and spouses, which can be experienced by men as a return to a more childlike state. From health through to the continuum of TB diagnosis and illness experience, the thesis shows that masculinity exhibits a remarkable flexibility and adaptability. The thesis contributes to our understanding of masculinities by offering a condensed perspective on how iv economically marginalised black men perceive and undergo the challenges of tuberculosis. Using metaphors, men depict TB as a debilitating and insidious illness condition which unmasks their vulnerability.