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This article is a critical analysis of proverbs that are identified in the siSwati short story ‘Phumani Nelikhambi’, contributed by Thembekile Msibi to Khulumani Sive by Zodwa Motsa (2004).  The concepts of ‘short story’ and ‘proverb’ will be defined as part of the introductory section of this discourse. Thereafter, a summary of the short story will be provided, to lay a good foundation. Then, the dominant proverbs in the story shall be identified and listed before the actual analysis. While the various domains of the proverbs will be alluded to in the discussion, the proverbs will not be categorised into these. Each proverb will be critically analysed by focusing on its origin, structure, literal and figurative meanings in general, and its meaning in the context of the story. The latter will also comprise of the effectiveness of the proverbs in the narrative, the author’s intentions and some cultural aspects which are highlighted.

Cybercrime is touted as any harmful behaviour that is in some way related to a computer but does not have a specific legal reference. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore cybersecurity as a response to combating cybercrime, focusing on demystifying the prevailing threats, while offering recommendations to the African regions. Moreover, this qualitative study employed a non-empirical research design: Systematic review methodology to analyse grey literature and primary research studies peer-reviewed and published, restricted from 2010-2022, not following yearly sequential consideration. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Critical Appraisal Skill Programme (CASP) were employed to ensure the trustworthiness of the findings of this study based on reviewed conventional and seminal literature studies on this subject. The main findings of this study rest on a lack of a common universal definition of cybercrime, this has an impact on its prevention and ignores enormous economic value associated with the commission of this crime across the world, African regions included. It was also observed that this criminal act is presently committed with internet usage, consisting of copyright infringements, computer-related fraud, child or adult pornography, and network security violations, amongst others. Equally, addressing this scourge in African regions requires advanced skills and knowledge; exceeding the average computer and internet user.  It is also critical to recognise the importance of implementing efficient cybersecurity methods, as policing this crime remains an important component of the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA), and more innovative strategies are required and a globally coordinated response to this problem is urgently sought.

[Retracted Paper] Conversations on green human resource management (GHRM) are relatively new in the canon of human resource discourse. Existing studies have been focused on industrial and service industries of the private sector leaving a research gap in the public sector establishment, especially at the municipality level of governance. This study aims to address this gap by interrogating the perception and understanding of green behaviour and the evaluation of green behaviour performance. A total of 12 unit managers and employees of the human resource management department of the eThekwini municipality were purposively recruited based on existing knowledge of the green behaviour concept. The semi-structured interview approach was used in eliciting qualitative data. The NVivo (v.12) qualitative software was employed for the identification of themes and the content qualitative analytical tool was employed to make sense of the various themes. The findings show a range of perceptions and understanding of green behavior including change in management behaviour towards environmental sustainability goals, moving towards a paperless environment, re-engineering and automation of work process and safeguarding the environment through pro-environmental behaviours. The evaluation of employees’ green behaviour performance can be achieved through regular introspection and monitoring of the operations of green environmental activities, the integration of green behaviour targets with key performance indicators (KPI) and the benefits of green behaviour to the organisation. The study echoes the need for robust managerial support and massive organizational awareness of the importance of green behaviours for a sustainable work environment.

The main objective of this investigation is to explore whether COVID 19 deaths have effects with regards to language proficiency, predominantly reading. Reading levels seem to have deteriorated as difficulties in spelling and pronunciation of simple English words were demonstrated by learners. In this qualitative inquiry, the author used a case study. The researcher perceived it essential for a qualitative approach to be embarked on hence investigating teachers’ life experiences in their natural, context-specific settings. Semi-structured interviews were administered to ten conveniently nominated secondary school teachers. A narrative analysis was used to categorize data into themes that were noted as findings of this examination. A major finding of this inquiry was (i) sudden lack of parental involvement emanating from the (ii) drastic shift in socio-relations amongst the members of the communities, this causing reading to become an overwhelming routine. The study concludes that academic attainment for most learners seems to be hindered by the decline in learner reading proficiencies. To curb the situation, it is therefore recommended that language teachers devise approaches to instill a reading culture within a classroom setting, thus limiting tasks to be administered after school hours.

The study determines the relationship between i-deals and work role performance amongst employees across industries in the South African context. The study follows a quantitative approach, and a cross-sectional design was adopted. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was chosen. An online questionnaire was used. A total of 231 employees from various industries in Johannesburg, South Africa, were included in the sample. Data were collected using pre-established instruments, and SPSS was used to analyse data. Reliability analysis was used to determine the psychometric qualities of the instruments. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis were chosen to examine the data against the research objectives. The study’s findings confirmed a relationship between i-deals and work role performance. Task and work responsibility, schedule flexibility and career development predicted work role performance. The findings assist researchers and practitioners in dealing with and understanding how these customised work arrangements affect individual work role performance. Expanding knowledge of i?deals will help employees and employers improve their dynamic and organisational needs more effectively. HR practitioners will also use the concept of i-deals as a strategic tool to retain talented employees. The study adds to the literature on i-deals and their relationship to work role performance in a South African context. There are limited studies in South Africa regarding our knowledge of i-deals. The present study’s results contribute to the literature on i-deals and their relationship with work role performance within a South African context.

For African states’ democratic governance is fundamental for developmental and political discourse while sustainable development is also critical for the continent. Owing to the uneven developmental and historical backgrounds of the African states and democratic deficits it is unclear if sustainable development is achievable ahead of democracy. This study is informed by the constructivist/interpretivist concern as a research philosophy grounded on text and content analysis to identify the nexus between development and democracy on the trail of Africa’s development agenda. While some scholars believe the two are interdependent others claim that the two are independent hence one can be achieved in the absence of the other. Africa should strive to strike a balance between the two as they are not mutually exclusive although it is democracy that should take centre stage. There is a challenge of achieving twin goals in the absence of a blueprint through being robustly innovative.

Human trafficking has plagued the rights of many people worldwide, and it has continually put their protection in jeopardy. Thus, a need to explore the challenges and barriers encountered by stakeholders such as the South Africa Police Service (SAPS) and non-government organisations (NGOs) to respond to this scourge remains essential. The study understood the obstacles to combatting human trafficking in Durban Metropolitan through in-depth interviews. The findings of this study revealed loopholes in measurements of human trafficking; for instance, instability in partnerships of relevant stakeholders adversely impacts the fight against the menace of human trafficking. Also, current resources are perceived to be minimal to match the severity of this crime. As a recommendation, SAPS and NGOs should advance their technological capacities, and acquiring appropriate knowledge and regular training of officials should remain the focal point of any response to human trafficking. Moreover, technological advancement should match or surpass the sophistication in crime commission to rapidly identify human traffickers and victimisation instances.

This article explores the nature and extent of crime in the railway environment in South Africa. Crimes against Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Transnet Freight Rail, Gautrain, and commuters are prevalent and the victims are being exposed to serious damage emanating from criminal activities. The challenges and implications for individuals and businesses, rich or poor consumers are recurrent themes in this study. A qualitative research approach was adopted to follow a non-probability purposive sample comprising 25 participants from the South African Police Service Rapid Rail Police Units. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews from research participants deployed in the Division: Visible Policing. The findings highlighted that the most prevalent crimes are cable theft, robberies and malicious property damage. The targeted trains are the Metro trains that operate locally, as they transport many commuters because it is the affordable mode of public transport in South Africa. The perpetrators also target this mode of transport because the train stations have an open system where perpetrators can easily access the entrance, therefore some do not even buy tickets and board the trains illegally. It is understood that Gautrain has a closed system and the security is advanced and watertight because of extra security measures such as the closed-circuit television cameras. Based on the findings, effective implementation of policies to improve safety is essential. Critical dialogues between all relevant.

The purpose of this research which is predicated on a qualitative case study design was to examine digital transformation in an insurance firm in Gauteng Province of South Africa with an extensive footprint throughout the country. The study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the insurance organisation’s response to the implementation of digital transformation and how it affects the organisational strategy. Purposive sampling was adopted to select participants, who are managers and heads of departments. Data was collected through in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The study found that the firm understands the significance of incorporating digital transformation into the strategy. The findings revealed that the firm is taking steps to incorporate digital transformation in the business strategy, however, they are not doing enough to fully address the problem of slow adoption. It was recommended that the company should fully embrace digital transformation and consider undertaking fundamental changes in the business strategy or to redefine the strategy.

This paper aims to investigate whether e-learning has any significant influence on academic attainment. From this time, little is noted by literature about training teachers towards attaining the necessary skills needed for digital e-learning applications. Investigation for this paper was conducted through a qualitative research methodology. Authors decided to use this method with a concern of understanding the behaviour of humans as per teacher perspectives, leading to obtaining better understanding of underlying motives. For this qualitative investigation, three conveniently selected secondary school teachers from a rural school in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa were interviewed. Engaging with the participants through administration of the interview schedule assisted authors in obtaining reach data due to contained questions that had a specific element of being open-ended. A fundamental finding revealed that teachers across all subjects have since embarked at focusing on (i) learner-centered practical approaches to allow determined e-learning engagements, thus having an impact on (ii) learner turnout. On noting this perspective from the teacher participants, it is recommended that as citizens held up in the technological revolution, there seems to be a need for teaching-learning approaches to be altered. This study, therefore, concludes that as a means to enable enhanced learner attainment, rural versus urban digital variations be addressed

While economic incentives, technical developments, and government policies and regulations can all contribute to reduce residential water use, householders, on the other hand, can also help lessen overall water demands by using less water. In this study, we look at how to modify people's behaviour to conserve water at home. Using the theory of reasoned action which suggest human behaviour is a construct of subjective norms, and attitude, this study aimed to identify the factors that influences water conservation behaviour in low-income households in South Africa South Africa.   The study focused on the Waterloo Township, which is located north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. This study followed a positive paradigm and employed a descriptive cross-sectional research design and a quantitative survey design with a sample of (n=305). Both descriptive and inferential analysis was used to analyze and present the data. Path analysis using regression coefficient was performed to establish the factors that predict water conservation behaviour. The results suggest that although the knowledge of water conservation was high among the respondents, there was however a negative gap difference (-20.3) between their knowledge (94.4%) and actual behaviour (74.1%) towards water saving techniques.  The regression analysis conducted revealed that subject norms were the strongest predictor towards water conservation intentions in the Waterloo LCH.  This conclusively suggest that the conceptualisation of water conservation behaviour as a function of attitude and subjective norm may be appropriate in the context of the low-cost housing areas within South Africa.

It is a daunting task to restore dispossessed land after armed conflicts. Burundi is stuck in this quagmire following years of violent conflicts. Although land restitution is meant to pacify nationals, this depends on the prevailing political, economic, and social circumstances. This study explores these circumstances focused on the armed conflict legacies in Burundi and the disparities between those people who stayed put when violent conflict erupted and displaced people who got back home. The study reveals that in post-Burundi conflict, redressing land issues could flop if governance challenges, trust, and shifting dynamics of politics are inadequately dealt with.

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of marketing communication tools adopted by graduates of the Durban University of Technology. A quantitative approach was utilised, and data were collected through a structured self-developed questionnaire. The population for this study was graduates of the Durban University of Technology. A sample of four hundred and fifty questionnaires was administered to graduates from all faculties at the Durban campuses. The findings revealed that the communication media adopted by the respondents were generally appropriate and effective. The results indicated that traditional communication tools (newspapers and career magazines) and non-traditional communication tools (amongst others, social media, the internet websites, electronic databases and email systems) were adopted by graduates. The university allocates a 4life email address to all registered students. The 4life email address is maintained after completion of studies thus facilitating email communication between the graduates and cooperative education. Furthermore, respondents suggested that email communication fosters a strategic world of work engagements and partnerships with the University of Technology in recruiting high-caliber graduates. Therefore, the study concludes with the notion that a blend of traditional and electronic marketing communication is required. It is important to note traditional postal addresses have been replaced with email.

Retracted Paper This paper aims to evaluate students’ feedback on the impediments to developing critical thinking in the classroom. Interpretative phenomenological analysis techniques were used to obtain data from postgraduate and undergraduate students of an Internal Auditing department in a South African university. The students identified several barriers to developing critical thinking in the classroom some of which are (1) the lecturers who are most times not knowledgeable in the field of critical thinking, (2) the students themselves who are simply not interested, (3) finally the educational system, according to the students who all argued that critical thinking is not ingrained in the country's educational institutions. According to the students, their lack of knowledge of critical thinking including the lecturers’ seeming insufficient knowledge of critical thinking calls for urgent intervention in the form of re-curriculation and training of lecturers. The findings of this research could have important implications for the auditing profession, as lecturers are often challenged to identify innovative ways to assist students in improving their critical thinking skills.

The influence of macroeconomic variables on aspects of business and the country's economy has been a subject of robust discussion. This study was conducted to identify the effect of macroeconomic variables, namely inflation rate, economic growth, exchange rate and share price, on listed companies in South Africa. The goal was to study the long run and short run effects of macroeconomic volatility on company performance because of the world’s recent pandemic experience. To achieve this objective, the study applied the panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model on annual panel data from 2010 to 2020 to analyse the short run and long run effects of macroeconomic variables on a company’s performance. The study results suggested a positive impact of economic growth, exchange rate and share price on asset returns, whilst a company's equity return is supported by economic growth and share price in the long run. The short run revealed that none of the independent variables has a sufficiently significant effect to influence a company's performance changes in the short run. Based on the findings, it was recommended that policymakers and economic authorities should introduce and implement strategies that favour and enhance the country's economic growth and stable exchange rate in order to improve company performance. Additionally, given that the company's short-run performance may highly depend on internal factors such as corporate governance, internal policies and business strategies, these decisions should be taken with precaution and a high level of professionalism.

This article aims to assess the Integrated Development Planning (IDP) process for improved community participation. The IDP process was developed to improve strategic planning and community participation at the municipal level. Many South African municipalities have been struggling to use the IDP process to improve community participation. The methodology included 400 respondents who were chosen through a probability sampling technique and probed to complete the online survey using a closed-ended questionnaire guide, and ten respondents were also chosen through a non-probability sampling technique and were face-to-face interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The key findings revealed that poor community participation exists in the study area due to a lack of encouragement from responsible authorities. The Tzaneen municipality does not provide adequate feedback to the communities, and the inputs of the communities are not considered. There is a continuous lack of community consultation during the annual review of the IDP. The ineffective IDP process for improved community participation presents several challenges. Thus, this article concluded by providing a few recommendations to enhance the application of the IDP process and community participation. The Tzaneen municipal area should at all times uphold democratic principles by ensuring active public participation, transparency, and openness in municipal affairs. It also recommends making it easier for marginalised and previously disadvantaged people to participate in municipal policy and decision-making without prejudice. South African municipalities, including Tzaneen municipality, should develop and innovate institutional, and organisational capabilities to better utilise their resources, mitigate socio-economic challenges and enhance service delivery.

The South African Police Services (SAPS) has a constitutional responsibility to prevent, combat, and investigate crime that would naturally occur within communities. It therefore stands to reason that, if the police are to fullfil this responsibility, community members should be involved. This paper examines the phenomenon of lack of community involvement in the fight against stock theft in Dr. Pixley ka Isaka Seme Municipality, Mpumalanga Province. To achieve this objective, it was necessary to first determine the extent to which community in the Dr. Pixley ka Isaka Seme Municipality is involved in the fight against of stock theft. A qualitative research approach was adopted for this study with the use of semi-structured in-depth interviews to collect data. The sample consisted of 22 participants selected through purposive sampling, who included farmers, herdsmen, Community Police Forum members, and community leaders. The study found that the community in the Dr. Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Municipality is not involved in the fight against stock theft and that this could mainly be attributed to the poor relationship between the South African Police Service and the community. It was also found that there are no regular meetings taking place to ensure that there is a common understanding regarding various stakeholders’ responsibilities in an attempt to combat stock theft within the area of study. There are no awareness campaigns to discuss the stock theft trends in Dr. Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Municipality area between the police and the community.

Misconduct, in any form, whether corruption, theft, mismanagement of funds, maladministration, non-compliance of rules, etc. may create unethical environment in an organisation. This situation, if not get corrected timely, may have a negative impact on organisational performance as employees may be more inclined to focus on personal gains than working towards realising orgaisational vision. Authors of this article have utilised various official reports to substantiate this statement, and hence avoid a biased approach. The study focuses on the Local Government Sector Education Training Authority (LGSETA), to assess whether there is misconduct that limits the organization’s ability to establish an ethical culture. The study is based on qualitative desktop analysis utilising literature and document reviews to gather information. The findings explore varied ethical challenges and thus discuss measures to combat misconduct in LGSETA. The study recommends the adoption of the Governance Operating Model, suggested by Deloitte (2013) that can assist LGSETA to minimise misconduct by implementing measures to institute and promote an ethical culture.

The objective of the study was to assess the factors that motivate or demotivate households to choose among the three healthcare facilities, public healthcare, private health care and traditional healthcare facilities in South Africa as revealed by Statistics South Africa . The utilisation of healthcare facilities in South Africa is such that more households prefer public healthcare facilities more than other healthcare facilities. The multinomial logit model was used, with traditional/self-medication category as the reference or baseline category. The results indicated that gender, income and access to grants were significant in influencing the probability of a household choosing a public healthcare facility, while age, income, grants, salaries/wages/commission and pensions were significant in influencing the choice of private healthcare institutions. Therefore the study recommends that due to a large portion of households that are using public health facilities compared to private and traditional facilities, the government must invest more in public healthcare facilities in South Africa.

The high student attrition at the masters' and doctorate levels requires universities to be customer-oriented, and flexible in their capacity to deliver higher value to mature students whose needs and expectations are high. Therefore, this study aims to assess student experience and service delivery levels that academic departments provide postgraduate students at public universities in KwaZulu-Natal. An empirical study was conducted amongst masters’ and doctorate students at a university of technology, a traditional university, and a comprehensive university. The study involved a survey questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale and included seven service delivery dimensions which respondents were to rank accordingly. Data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics and the factors that emerged from factor analysis were tested for reliability and validity by conducting Cronbach's alpha. The results show that postgraduate students are university customers and therefore expect courtesy and professionalism in the delivery of postgraduate programmes. The results further suggest that retention capabilities exist for the traditional university compared to the other types of universities. Students seem to be moderately satisfied with the quality of academic services offered by universities. Service delivery experience among students appears to vary across universities. Universities should take cognisance of the gaps and attempt to be more customer-oriented to ensure the needs and expectations of graduate students are met. The findings of the study may serve as guidelines for a follow-up qualitative study to establish the specific areas where students were not satisfied.