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In the rapidly evolving landscape of contemporary business, Small, Medium and Micro enterprises (SMMEs) must adopt intelligent and strategic approaches to maintain their competitive edge. A significant method for achieving this is using Human Resource (HR) analytics, which enables organisations to make informed decisions based on data insights. By examining workforce patterns, companies can enhance recruitment processes, retain high-performing employees, and increase productivity. Nevertheless, numerous SMMEs face challenges in fully integrating HR analytics due to limited resources, insufficient expertise, and resistance to change, which complicates effective workforce management. This paper investigates how HR analytics can empower SMMEs to make informed, data-driven choices that fortify their operations. It aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8, which advocates for sustainable economic growth, productive employment, and decent work for all individuals. Through a systematic review of existing literature, this study assesses the advantages, obstacles, and best practices associated with implementing HR analytics in smaller enterprises. The results indicate that HR analytics can revolutionise personnel management within SMMEs, facilitating processes from selecting suitable candidates to forecasting employee turnover and enhancing overall workplace productivity. It offers actionable recommendations for SMMEs to adopt HR analytics, including using cost-effective digital tools, fostering a data-centric organisational culture, and investing in employee development.

The formation of South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU) following the 2024 general elections marked a significant departure from dominant-party governance. This article examines the political and institutional challenges that have emerged under this coalition arrangement. Drawing on developments involving major actors such as the African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance, the paper analyses how ideological divergence, administrative fragmentation, and the absence of formal coalition protocols have constrained governance capacity. The study evaluates five interrelated domains: policy coherence, institutional coordination, service delivery, coalition stability, and democratic legitimacy. It does so through the lens of consociational democracy and coalition stability theory. The analysis highlights how tactical alliances and power brokering by smaller parties, combined with limited public engagement, have eroded public trust and stalled reform. Although the GNU has prevented a political breakdown and created a platform for dialogue, it has not yet been translated into functional governance. The article argues that South Africa’s experience emphasizes the need for structural reforms, including codified coalition agreements, electoral reform, and enhanced civic participation. By critically assessing the GNU’s governance trajectory, this study offers lessons for other transitional democracies navigating the tension between pluralism and administrative effectiveness.

Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are essential to global economic development. However, they frequently encounter strategic and innovative challenges stemming from limited resources, unpredictable environments, and informal planning processes. This integrative review examines the interconnected roles of design thinking, strategy formulation, and innovation within the context of SMEs. The study investigates how design thinking—a human-centered, iterative problem-solving methodology—can enhance the strategic agility and innovation capacity of SMEs by drawing on multidisciplinary literature. Grounded in the Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the review emphasizes how design thinking enables SMEs to identify opportunities, implement innovations, and adapt their operations through the development of flexible strategies. Key themes explored include the democratization of strategic planning, the facilitation of cost-effective innovation, and the establishment of feedback loops that align business objectives with changing market demands. The review also identifies significant gaps in empirical research and underscores the necessity for context-sensitive approaches tailored to SMEs in developing economies. The findings present practical implications for SME managers and policymakers, advocating for the incorporation of design-led thinking within strategic and innovation processes to foster resilient, customer-centric enterprises. 

This integrative review explores the intricate and interconnected issues of workplace bullying, quiet quitting, and turnover intention—three pressing challenges that have a significant impact on organizational performance and employee well-being. The review highlights workplace bullying as a significant precursor to employee disengagement, often exemplified by quiet quitting, where employees diminish their discretionary efforts while remaining in their positions by synthesizing literature from organizational behavior, psychology, and management studies. This disengagement subsequently contributes to an increased intention to leave the organization. The review employs Organizational Justice Theory as a framework to elucidate how perceived disparities in distributive, procedural, and interactional justice contribute to this detrimental cycle of behavior. The findings indicate that unresolved bullying not only deteriorates organizational culture but also diminishes employee motivation and elevates the risk of voluntary resignation. Consequently, the review underscores the critical necessity for proactive organizational strategies, such as implementing anti-bullying policies, fostering supportive leadership, and monitoring employee engagement, as effective interventions. It also suggests avenues for future research, recommending longitudinal and cross-cultural studies to deepen the understanding of the causal relationships and variances in these dynamics across different organizational contexts.

This integrative review examines the persistent governance challenge between meritocracy and cadre deployment within public administration in the Global South. Meritocracy focuses on the selection and advancement of individuals based on their qualifications, skills, and performance, while cadre deployment pertains to politically motivated appointments within the civil service, often rationalized in post-liberation or dominant-party environments. The review integrates empirical research, policy analyses, and comparative case studies to evaluate the effects of these competing approaches on state capacity, public service delivery, institutional integrity, and governance outcomes. The findings suggest that meritocratic systems, as demonstrated by countries such as Botswana and Rwanda, are positively correlated with administrative efficiency, professional ethics, and developmental progress. Conversely, cadre deployment, prevalent in contexts like South Africa and Zimbabwe, is typically associated with diminished institutional autonomy, corruption, and state capture. Grounded in the Developmental State Theory, this review highlights the significance of capable, independent, and professional bureaucracies for sustainable development. The study concludes that incorporating meritocratic principles into governance frameworks is vital for fostering long-term institutional resilience and public trust in the Global South.

This research investigates Computer-Assisted Audit Techniques (CAATTs) within the Internal Audit Unit at the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM). The study explores the extent to which CAATTs are utilized, the challenges faced in their implementation, and their impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of internal audits. Data was collected through a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and interviews with internal auditors. The findings reveal that while CAATTs, primarily TeamMate, are increasingly being used to automate audit processes, their adoption is hindered by limited access, insufficient training, and high costs. Despite these challenges, CAATTs have been shown to improve audit accuracy and efficiency, contributing to more timely and reliable audit outcomes. The study highlights the need for enhanced IT infrastructure, greater executive support, and comprehensive training to optimize the use of CAATTs. Based on these findings, the research provides several recommendations, including expanding the use of diverse CAATTs, investing in IT support, and fostering a culture of innovation to maximize the benefits of these technologies in internal auditing. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on CAATTs and offers practical insights for municipal internal audit units seeking to enhance their audit capabilities through technology.

This study examines how soft skills enhance the audit committee effectiveness in South African municipalities. The paper adopts the positivist paradigm and a quantitative technique. Surveys were conducted using questionnaires, and data was collected from 87 participants using purposive sampling. Data were analysed using the exploratory factor analysis with the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy (KMO) value of 0.716 level and descriptive statistics which indicates that the audit committee's soft skills demonstrate commitment to understanding the operations. The paper’s finding is connected to audit committees in charge of the public sector.  The paper highlights the need for improved audit committee soft skills for good judgement, objectivity and honesty, a high level of ethics, strong communication skills, and freedom from undue influence or intimidation. Further research is needed to examine the role of soft skills on auditors and management in South African municipalities. The Study recommends enhancing audit committee effectiveness in South African municipalities through structured soft skills training and mandatory governance reforms. This includes training programs on leadership and stakeholder engagement, soft skills assessments in audit committee selection, and professional certifications for audit committees. This study addresses a significant gap in the literature by specifically focusing on audit committee soft skills.

Rural communities have tremendous difficulties in social justice and sustainable development due to the prevalent and ongoing nature of gender-based violence (GBV). This study aims to map sustainable GBV accountability ecosystems in the rural communities of the Vhembe district. The study seeks to discover the contextual elements, institutional mechanisms, and community dynamics that support long-lasting and sustainable response to GBV within the Vhembe District. Through in-depth interviews, the study gathered qualitative data using a qualitative research approach. The study engaged different stakeholders, including survivors, community leaders, law enforcement agencies, civil society, and government representatives, in order to get an in-depth understanding of the current GBV accountability structures and their sustainability. While a non-probability purposive sampling was adopted for the selection of the participants. Data was analysed using the Thematic analysis, with the assistance of Atlas TI Data software. The results of this study brought to light the complex issues that rural communities face in preventing GBV, which includes resource access issues, cultural norms, and weak institutional support. Moreover, the research has revealed the potential practices and community-driven initiatives that support sustainable accountability, including launching community-based support teams, establishing capacity-building programs, and stakeholders’ collaboration. The study findings will significantly assist the policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to develop targeted interventions and strengthen sustainable responses to GBV in rural communities of Vhembe district. Additionally, the ethical considerations were followed to protect the participants from any harm.

In the face of heightened global competition, micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Durban, South Africa, face challenges such as limited resources and restricted market access, which hinder their ability to achieve sustained growth and profitability. This study aims to examine the influence of the 4Ps marketing mix on the performance of MSEs. A cross-sectional, descriptive study with a quantitative research design was employed. Data was collected from 217 MSEs using structured questionnaires, and the analysis was conducted with SPSS 29. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the 4Ps (product, price, promotion, place) and MSEs' performance. The findings show that pricing decisions are a significant determinant of performance, while product diversity does not necessarily enhance business outcomes, emphasizing the importance of strategic product management. Promotional efforts, while positive, were statistically insignificant, indicating complexities in their impact. The relationship between physical location (place) and performance was weak, suggesting a need for MSEs to optimise distribution channels through omnichannel strategies. In conclusion, MSEs can improve performance by refining promotional strategies, leveraging pricing and optimising distribution networks. Further research is suggested to explore the generalizability of these findings across different industries and additional factors influencing marketing strategies.

The hospitality business faces the complex task of environmental sustainability due to its significant carbon footprint.  This field of research remains inadequately examined, particularly in Africa.  The research intends to investigate green human resource management and its impact on sustainable performance in a specific hotel in Lagos State, Nigeria.  The primary research questions and objectives were addressed through an interpretative paradigm utilising a qualitative case study methodology, employing purposive sampling from a sample size of 10 participants via semi-structured interviews, with the data subjected to thematic analysis.  The resource-based view theory served as a framework for the investigation.   Furthermore, two primary topics emerged from the study's findings: the existing green human resource management techniques and the impact of green human resource management on employees.  Ultimately, the study determined that green human resource management is essential for the sustainability of hotel operations and advocated for the standardisation of green human resource management practices within the selected hotel, while concurrently endorsing ongoing training programs to enhance a workforce dedicated to sustainability.  This study significantly contributes to both theory and practice for hotel management leaders and provides practical insights for the hotel industry to enhance environmental management.

Capacity-building is a multifaceted strategy for developing competencies within entities, crucial for enhancing current skill sets.  Moreover, capacity-building is the intervention that all organisations must consolidate necessary resources to enhance effectiveness and productivity.  Consequently, South African towns must enhance their capabilities to implement superior public service delivery models.  The paper intends to examine the importance of capacity-building interventions in South African municipalities.  The primary inquiry posed in the study is, 'What factors impede the efficient implementation of service delivery in South African municipalities?'  The research is qualitative and collects data from secondary sources.  The literature indicates that capacity-building is successful only when all forms of capacity—institutional, network, and organizational—receive equal consideration, akin to the approach traditional organisations take with individual employee performance.  It is essential to recognise the connection between capacity-building and service delivery, with the former deemed a critical necessity for municipalities in the Republic.  Consequently, the study underscored the significant necessity for capacity-building within municipalities.  The data was evaluated by content analysis.  The findings indicate that potential exist in adopting 4IR-based service delivery within the broader context and specifically in municipal governance.  This is essential as the capacity-building activities for enhanced smart governance depend on the many tools and practices defining the Fourth Industrial Revolution.  

This study aims to explore the current state of the adoption of e-health tools for digital mental health services (DMHS) at a selected South African higher education institution. A quantitative case study was conducted at a single university in Cape Town, South Africa, surveying 348 voluntary participants. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28. The results of this study indicate that awareness of freely accessible DMHS, service providers, and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies are significant factors driving the adoption of e-health tools. However, internet accessibility, internet cost concerns, multiple device use, social media use, searching for services, and preferences for digital over in-person services showed no significant correlation with the current state of adoption factor. The study concludes that awareness of DMHS, service providers, and 4IR technologies are key drivers for the sustainable adoption of e-health tools post-COVID-19. The results inform practical strategies for the sustainable adoption of e-health tools in SA HEIs and may be relevant to similar institutions in global contexts. The findings are potentially applicable to similar contexts globally. Thus, helping to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the United Nations of ensuring good health and wellbeing.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of e-learning platforms globally, particularly Learning Management Systems (LMS) such as Moodle, which became essential tools for facilitating online learning in higher education. This study explores the experiences of MBA students using Moodle at a Private Distance Higher Education Institution in a developing country during the pandemic. Drawing on the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT-3), the study employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative data from questionnaires and qualitative data from interviews. Findings revealed that while students faced initial adaptation challenges, Moodle was perceived as a user-friendly, flexible, and cost-effective platform that facilitated their learning experience. However, students encountered significant challenges, including internet connectivity issues and power outages, which impacted their ability to engage fully with the platform. Recommendations include improving internet infrastructure, providing uninterrupted power supplies, and offering enhanced technical support to ensure seamless learning experiences. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on e-learning in developing countries, offering insights into the effectiveness of LMS platforms in distance education and highlighting areas for improvement in future e-learning implementations.

This study aimed to identify the financial management techniques of waste pickers and their perspectives on entrepreneurship.  The research concentrates on the Durban metropolitan region and employs a sample of 100 rubbish pickers from three suburbs adjacent to significant informal populations. A quantitative methodology is utilised, employing a questionnaire as the data gathering instrument. The questionnaire was translated into IsiZulu to accommodate non-English speaking individuals. The questionnaire comprised three sections: biographical information, financial management techniques, and attitudes towards entrepreneurship. The results indicate that most waste pickers originate from single-parent households and receive a government payment for an average of two children.  Several respondents, predominantly female, reported that they often utilise 'omatshonisa' (informal moneylenders) while anticipating revenue from the sale of their goods. The majority of respondents said that, despite opening bank accounts, these accounts had remained inactive for at least one year due to minimal revenues. Women possess the majority of bank accounts. Waste pickers earn an average of R607 monthly, with a minimum of R200 and a maximum of R2,000. The waste pickers do not save the earnings from the sale of salvaged goods, as the funds are allocated for purchasing meals for children. The study additionally reveals that age has a positive correlation with both waste picking experience and the frequency of days worked per week. These associations exhibit statistical significance.  The majority of waste pickers expressed a willingness to initiate cooperatives and small businesses, contingent upon the availability of mentoring and money. This study influences entrepreneurship, environmental, and health policies for municipal, provincial, and central governments. This research will direct scholars to pursue other investigations on the topic

Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) is an investment strategy developed to minimize the negative socio-economic and environmental impacts of each financial investment. Inconsistent results are presented during the analysis of the absolute risk-adjusted returns of SRI funds in comparison to conventional funds, and this negatively impacts investor awareness on adopting SRI funds as a viable substitute to conventional funds during economic crises. This research paper aims to improve SRI in South Africa by increasing the awareness of investors on viable investment substitutes, considering the amendments made to regulation 28 of the Pension Fund Act of 1956. These regulatory changes have made provisions to include principles of SRI into South African retirement fund investments and will increase the demand for SRI products in South Africa. The research objective is to provide empirical evidence on the absolute risk-adjusted performance of SRI funds relative to the performance of a matched set of conventional funds, before and during an economic crisis. The results are obtained by comparing the Sharpe ratio and Coefficient of Variation (CV) of each SRI fund to each matched conventional fund. The comparative analysis using the Sharpe ratio reveals that more sampled SRI funds (60%) outperform the sampled matched conventional funds (40%) before the COVID-19 pandemic. More Sample SRI funds (70%) outperform the sampled matched conventional funds (30%) during the COVID-19 pandemic. On an absolute RA basis, using the CV to compare SRI fund performance to conventional fund performance, the sampled SRI funds (50%) and the sampled matched conventional funds (50%) equally outperform one another before the COVID-19 pandemic however, more sampled SRI funds (60%) outperform the sampled matched conventional funds (40%) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate that SRI funds can match and outperform conventional funds both before and during an economic crisis period and should be considered as a viable investment substitute.

This research sought to find out how South African Pentecostalism impacted on the spiritual and overall health of MSM. With reference to this social context, it explores the ways that religious beliefs, sexual orientation and general healthy status interact. Twenty-five MSM participants of the Pentecostal faith from South Africa were interviewed for this study, and all interviews were conducted pursuant to ethics approval as afforded by their respective institutions. The research lies in the respondents’ religious inclusion and their levels of happiness, self-acceptance and self-esteem. A number of participants indicated that they had never been accepted in the Pentecostal church for who they are regarding their sexual orientation leading to low self-esteem and internalized homosexuality. These conflicts between faith and the sexual domain were the leading cause of conditions such as depression, anxiety, and social isolation. The research presented positive changes a s Regards spiritual health and overall health in MSM persons in SA Pentecostal environments. Additionally, findings underscored the importance of fostering inclusive faith-based interventions and support networks to improve MSM individuals’ spiritual and psychological well-being. The study emphasizes the need for inclusion of MSM individual within the religious South African Pentecostal assemblies in order to improve the religious and general health status of these people. Recommendations derived from the research include the use of religious rhetoric in motivational discussions with key opinion leaders, the provision of culturally appropriate psychological interventions, and increased access to health care for MSM. Furthermore, practical strategies such as structured peer support groups and faith-driven mental health initiatives are essential in fostering acceptance and reducing stigma. Thus, the present research aligns with the provisions of the Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 10 to stress the need to pay more attention to the role of spirituality and sexuality in African societies.

Substance abuse and mental health concerns are growing issues among high school learners in South Africa. The study aims to investigate the prevalence, correlations and consequences of substance abuse and mental health concerns in Limpopo province. The study draws on Denise Kandal's theory of Gateway to understand and explain the progression of substance use and abuse among youth being high school learners and identify at-risk individuals as well as develop targeted prevention programs. The study adopted a qualitative case-study research design involving Five learners from Grade 10 as participants. The findings of the study revealed that 62,3% reported substance use, with alcohol and cannabis being the most used substances. Additionally, less than 50% of learners are screened positive for mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Notably, substance abuse was found to be significantly associated with mental health. The findings highlight the need for integrated prevention and intervention strategies addressing both substance abuse and mental health concerns in high schools. The study contributes to the understanding of co-occurring substance abuse and mental health concerns among high schools in South Africa. The findings emphasized the need for a comprehensive support system to address the issues and promote learner’s well-being.

Road’s infrastructure is regarded as an essential factor to achieve development goals. It is recorded that most people living in the rural areas are constrained by poor road infrastructure, thereby causing poverty, hunger, and food insecurity. This situation calls for more investments in road infrastructure to promote agricultural activities. Using systematic review method, this study reviewed literature pertaining to road infrastructure in South Africa, the review focused on the importance, benefits, and present state of road infrastructure and the socio-economic effects of poor road infrastructure. The study revealed that Most South African roads are in bad shape, especially roads in the rural areas. due to lack of qualified personnel to manage road infrastructure, government regulations and policies and financial challenges. The implications of this study's findings are substantial for future research. Firstly, in order to ensure the timely delivery of infrastructure construction projects, the study's findings are expected to provide guidance to decision-makers and stakeholders in South Africa and other nations on how to proactively implement measures to provide and maintain sustainable, good road infrastructure.

Entrepreneurship is a fundamental driver of economic growth and innovation, particularly in emerging economies where youth unemployment remains a critical challenge. This study examines the role of self-efficacy in shaping entrepreneurial motivation and behaviour among students at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), South Africa. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, this study integrates Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour and Becker’s Human Capital Theory to explore the link between self-efficacy, entrepreneurial intentions, and long-term business success. A qualitative research design was employed, involving in-depth interviews with purposively selected students enrolled in entrepreneurship programs. Thematic analysis was utilised to extract key themes related to self-efficacy, resilience, risk-taking behaviour, and socio-economic influences. The findings indicate that students with higher levels of self-efficacy demonstrate stronger entrepreneurial motivation, persistence, and proactive business engagement. The study further explores the role of mentorship programs, institutional support, and policy interventions in enhancing self-efficacy among young entrepreneurs. The research offers critical policy recommendations for higher education institutions, government bodies, and business incubators, advocating for structured entrepreneurship training, financial accessibility reforms, and mentorship-driven ecosystem development. The findings contribute to the growing body of literature on entrepreneurial self-efficacy in emerging markets and provide actionable strategies to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among university students.

This paper presents the practical application of a novel approach, the so-called "Lububu method", to develop a causal machine learning model (CML) for the diagnosis of African swine fever (ASF). The Lububu method was developed to build causal machine learning models by focusing on the contextual understanding of a particular phenomenon and using technological tools to improve accuracy. Its main goal is to identify cause-and-effect relationships that can lead to better outcomes in various fields, including manufacturing, energy production, agriculture, transportation, data management, medicine and computer science. In this study, the Lububu method serves as an experimental framework for the construction of a CML model tailored to ASF diagnosis. This involves gathering comprehensive knowledge about ASF, covering aspects such as the causes, symptoms, transmission patterns and diagnostic procedures. This detailed contextual understanding supports the development of a model that can accurately identify ASF-related factors, ultimately increasing diagnostic effectiveness. By combining AI innovation and epidemiological expertise, this approach redefines ASF diagnostics and paves the way for data-driven, ethical and globally applicable solutions for veterinary medicine.