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This study examined the role of local government in eradicating poverty and inequality in Salamanga community located in Matutuine District in Mozambique. Despite the implementation of several development strategies, including the Donor-Liberal Free-Market Rural Development Strategy, Donor-Funded Development Strategy, Strategic Plan for Agricultural Development, Green Revolution Strategy, Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, and the National Action Plan for the Advancement of Women poverty and inequality remain persistently high in rural areas. This study adopted a mixed-method approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data was collected through open-ended and structured questionnaires which were administered to 60 participants. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Methodological integration was achieved through triangulation. The finding revealed persistence structural constrains, including access to land, water, education healthcare, employment opportunities as well as inadequate infrastucure and institutional barriers that restrict participation in government programmes.There was a significant difference of opinion between the community and local officials, with public servants asserting strong government initiatives to empower residents, while community members reported a lack of empowerment from their local government.  Interpreted through the lens of Restricted Opportunity Theory and Marxian theory of poverty, the findings demonstrated that poverty and inequality in Salamanga is sustained by systemic exclusion and lack of economic opportunities rather than individual failure. The study recommends that local government should strengthen it capacity, decentralized and well – resourced agricultural programmes that support famers, improved service delivery, and inclusive community participation to advance equitable rural development in Mozambique.

Children resulting from father adultery frequently inhabit intricate social, emotional, and spiritual dimensions within their homes. This study employs a pastoral-theological and counselling approach to analyse the well-being of children conceived during father extramarital relationships. It examines the diverse issues these children encounter, including as identity development, familial acceptance, moral and spiritual guidance, and emotional stability. The study aims to comprehend how the church and religious communities may assist these children and their families by utilising theological ideas, pastoral care frameworks, and pertinent counselling theories. Literature review methods to gain in-depth insights into lived experiences. The results underscore the necessity for empathetic pastoral and counselling interventions, ethical familial practices, and spiritual support to alleviate the psychosocial problems linked to paternal infidelity. This study integrates theological contemplation with practical pastoral care and counselling interventions, contributing to scholarly discourse and faith-based approaches to family issues, while emphasising the overall emotional, moral, and spiritual well-being of affected children. The study advocates for knowledgeable pastoral approaches that foster healing, resilience, and spiritual development among intricate family dynamics..

In South Africa’s ongoing effort to address youth unemployment and skills shortages, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges play a critical role in equipping students with practical, market-relevant skills. However, the persistent misalignment between student qualification choices and labour market demands raises questions about the effectiveness of these institutions. This study investigates the factors influencing qualification choices and student satisfaction at TVET College in Limpopo, using an exploratory qualitative design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten purposively selected students enrolled in National Certificate Vocational (NCV) programmes in Civil Engineering and Office Administration. Thematic analysis revealed that students’ choices were shaped by a combination of personal interests, socio-economic constraints, and limited career guidance. Drawing on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the study interprets these choices through the lens of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and personal goals. While many students expressed satisfaction with their qualifications, challenges such as academic misalignment and low employability prospects were evident. The findings highlight the need for strengthened career counselling and curriculum responsiveness to better align student aspirations with labour market realities.

The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals have increasingly become politicised in Africa in recent years. The prevalent notion that Africa is "homophobic" conceals a significant array of political dynamics around LGBT rights across the continent. Numerous studies indicate that the politicisation of LGBT life in Africa distorts their experiences and fails to encapsulate the intricacies of African sexuality. This study aimed to investigate sexual orientation from an Afrocentric perspective. This study specifically examined how black bisexual women managed and negotiated their sexual wants and orientation. The researchers utilised an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study design, requiring document analysis and comprehensive interviews for data collection. The research indicated that planning and strategy facilitated participants in identifying ways to reveal their sexual orientation. Bisexual women must disclose their orientation despite being in a hostile environment, driven by their pursuit of pleasure and autonomy. The writers advocate for a post-colonial reevaluation and reimagining to rethink and reclaim African cultural practices and beliefs that correspond with an Afrocentric perspective on sexuality.

University students commonly undergo activities in their educational and social environments that may affect their psychological adjustment. Emotional Intelligence (EI) acts as a protective component in preventing psychological adjustment difficulties. Hopelessness acts as a risk factor in the dimension of psychological adjustment. Little research exists in the context of Bangladesh in the intersection of EI and hopelessness. The present research aimed to explore the effects of EI and hopelessness in predicting psychological adjustment of the students at Chittagong University. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A total of 100 students aged 18-25 years old, comprising 50 men and 50 women selected randomly from different departments/institutes of Chittagong University. Data was gathered utilizing a Personal Information Form (PIF), Bangla version of the EI Scale (EIS), Hopelessness Scale (BHS), & Bangla Adult Personality Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ). SPSS 16.0 was used to perform the analysis of the information gathered. The inferential statistics revealed moderate to high levels of EI (M = 129.07, SD = 12.84) but low levels of hopelessness (M = 4.55, SD = 3.51) and moderate levels of psychological adjustment (M = 137.28, SD = 25.00). There was a negative correlation between EI measures of hopelessness (r = -.54, p < 0.01) and psychological adjustment (r = -.67, p < 0.01) but a positive association between hopelessness and psychological adjustment (r = 0.50, p < 0.01). Using the regression analysis, psychological adjustment was significantly predicted by the measures of EI (β = -.56, p < 0.01) but hopelessness (β = 0.19, p < 0.05) when taken together explaining 47% of the total variability of psychological adjustment (R² = 0.47, p < 0 EI serves as a protective factor for psychological adjustment in university students, while hopelessness serves as a risk factor for the psychological adjustment of university students. These factors may influence the enhancement of psychological adjustment.

Gender-based violence (GBV) against women is one of the most widespread and long-established social issues in South Africa that is conditioned by historical, cultural, and structural factors that have created a normalized environment of male dominance and accepted different types of gendered violence. This study provides a sociological explanation of GBV in terms of power and patriarchy and structural inequality area and how these interconnected factors create and maintain violence in intimate relationships, families, and the broader social institution. Using the feminist theory, intersectionality and sociological theory of power relations, the research questions the role of cultural norms, economic dependence, socialisation process as well as institutional failures in causing high incidences of violence against women. However, even after the enactment of progressive laws, including Domestic Violence Act, Sexual Offences Act, etc, the lived conditions of women still portray the vulnerabilities of the system to historical disparities, deep-rooted patriarchal philosophies and gender hierarchies. A qualitative research design was used to gather the data, where in-depth interviews, focus group and documentary analysis of women who have experienced GBV, community members and key informants including social workers, activists and legal practitioners were used to collect data. It shows that the patriarchal systems of power exist on a variety of levels family, community, cultural and institutional to naturalize violence, victimize the victim, and absolve the criminal. Results participants affirm the importance of social norms of masculinity, poverty, inequality in access to resources, and inadequate institutional responses in perpetuating fear, dependence, and subsequent exposure to violence within women. In addition, the study demonstrates how the combination of poverty, race, rurality, and social support services worsen the vulnerability of women, which leads to a reflexive relationship in which violence turns into an individual and societal problem. This study concludes that GBV in South Africa cannot be examined solely as the instances of violence but should be examined as the expression of unequal power relations, which can be found within social structures. The solution to GBV would therefore have to be multi-level and involves efforts to confront patriarchal norms, foster community accountability, bolster legal protection, and increase socio-economic opportunities of women. The results add to the existing pool of sociological research on the topic of gender and violence, providing an important insight into the reasons why GBV continues to be a problem and the changes in the structure that are required in order to mitigate it.

Poverty is one of the most unrelenting issues in the world, as in most cases, it tends to recycle over the generations by means of lack of access to quality education, lack of economic opportunities and even the social inequalities that tend to be embedded in the society. This paper discusses the importance of education as a transformational process that can break the intergenerational poverty cycle and alleviate socio-economic statuses of families. The research paper relies on the international and South African literature on the connection between educational access, quality, and relevance and the life paths, employability, and well-being of learners. It brings out the diverse channels whereby education leads to upward social mobility that include acquisition of skills, human capital, greater earning power, better health literacy, and better civic engagement. In addition, the study examines structural constraints that prevent low-income families to fully gain the benefits of educational opportunities, such as insufficient school resources, socio-economic factors, gaps in the policies and implementing them, and institutional inequities. Through the socio-ecological lens, the discussion shows that education has the greatest potential to bring families out of poverty with the help of inclusive policies, specific social support programmes, and community-based interventions. The study concludes that education is a source of sustainable development, economic empowerment, and social transformation although not alone, but when incorporated in the comprehensive anti-poverty strategies, it can help eradicate poverty.  

The study seeks to ascertain the factors of electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) influencing consumer buying behaviour. This research aims to contribute to the ongoing debate about the factors of e-WOM that influence consumer buying decisions while making an online purchase. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to measure and analyse the relationships between observed and latent variables. The results reveal that e-WOM valence is the most influential e-WOM factor during online purchase decisions. Marketers must pay close attention to negative e-WOMs, monitor unfavourable evaluations and use negative feedback to improve product and service quality.

This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on a historically disadvantaged university in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, focusing on challenges faced by staff and students during the transition to online learning. Using a qualitative case study approach within an interpretivist paradigm, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively selected participants. Thematic analysis was applied. The shift to online learning amplified existing inequalities, with limited infrastructure, low digital literacy, and poor connectivity hindering access, especially in rural areas. The study calls for inclusive quality assurance frameworks that address technological and socio-emotional needs. The study offers empirical insight into digital learning challenges at disadvantaged institutions and informs policy on building equitable, student-centred post-pandemic higher education systems rooted in social justice. The study recommends improved digital infrastructure, equitable access to devices and connectivity, and enhanced support for staff and students. It urges institutions to adopt flexible, inclusive teaching models to ensure resilience and equity in digital education.

Financial inclusion has been enhanced by the use of mobile money in the informal sector in many countries since the turn of the millennium, mostly by increasing financial use by the previously unbanked and those working in the informal sector. The study was motivated by the fact that there is an increase in mobile money use in the informal sector, and therefore, it ought to present the major determinants of mobile money use in Harare’s informal sector by traders operating in this sector. There is a need to look at the determinants of mobile money use by informal traders, as the transactions reported in this sector are significant to the economy. Data was collected from five districts within Harare using a questionnaire that was drawn from a simple random sample among 273 informal traders. A logistics regression model was used for the study model estimation. The findings were that gender, cost, awareness and group membership significantly determine mobile money use by informal traders in the sampled districts in Harare. Results obtained confirmed a priori economic expectations concerning variables in the chosen model. The significant variables were recommended to policymakers, new players intending to offer mobile money services and existing mobile money service providers. There is a need to understand the determinants of mobile money use by informal traders in order to produce relevant policies that further enhance financial inclusion.

This paper evaluates the societal impact of the Ubuntu Project, one of three 2024 Societal Impact Projects implemented by the University of Venda (UNIVEN) in rural Limpopo Province, South Africa, alongside Skills for the Future (SfFP) and Phasing Out of Accounting. Centered on the Ubuntu Project, this project review examines its role in addressing community needs through collaborative engagement with stakeholders in the Vhembe and Mopani Districts. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) with beneficiaries and stakeholders, complemented by quantitative surveys with 126 respondents, which were analysed using Thematic Analysis and SPSS software. Findings demonstrate the Ubuntu Project’s success in promoting Ubuntu principles of humanity, interconnectedness, and mutual support, enhancing social cohesion, reducing social isolation, and fostering positive behavioural changes, including decreased crime, teenage pregnancies, and substance abuse in participating villages. Commendations highlight robust community participation and intergenerational learning, though challenges such as limited funding, inconsistent oversight, and incomplete documentation of data were noted. Recommendations include securing sustainable funding, improving monitoring systems, and expanding stakeholder inclusivity. This evaluation underscores the Ubuntu Project’s potential as a culturally resonant university-community initiative, offering a model for societal transformation in rural contexts.

Despite extensive research on the language-related challenges that impede learners' comprehension and academic performance, gaps remain. There is inadequate exploration vis-à-vis how language-related challenges influence history learners’ epistemic access. Underpinned by Decoloniality theory, this study explores how language-related challenges learners encounter influence their epistemic access to History. A qualitative approach, guided by interpretivism and phenomenology, will drive this study. Purposive sampling was employed to select Grade 9 history learners, parents, and teachers. Semi-structured interviews were used alongside observations and document analysis. Thematic Analysis was employed to thematise our findings regarding the influence of LoLT on conceptual understanding, monolingualism as coloniality, lack of resource availability and use, and language in a multicultural space. Irrespective of the geographical and participants limitations of this study, the Department of Basic Education may find these results useful to conscientize other schools, with the similar context, of the language-related challenges that may impede learners’ epistemic access in history. It may encourage translanguaging pedagogy strategies such as the use of learners’ entire linguistic repertoire, semiotic resources, multimodality, parents and community involvement to be used to address the abovementioned language-related challenges. It is vital for teachers to be trained on implementing translanguaging pedagogy as well. Notwithstanding, more research needs to be undertaken which seeks to find innovative ways to increase parental and community involvement in history education, to enhance learners’ epistemic access in history.

The growing use of AI in higher education has heightened interest in genuine e-assessment to improve assessment efficacy, inclusivity, and academic integrity. Nonetheless, the implementation of AI-enhanced assessment techniques in South African higher education is inconsistent, influenced by structural disparities, ethical dilemmas, and differing degrees of institutional preparedness. This study offers a qualitative systematic literature analysis that investigates the implementation issues and pedagogical ramifications of AI-enhanced genuine e-assessment at South African Higher Education Institutions (SAHEIs). The evaluation, structured using a PICo-informed framework and according to PRISMA principles, synthesised evidence from 49 peer-reviewed publications published from 2020 to 2024. A narrative theme synthesis was utilised to examine persistent patterns concerning implementation obstacles, ethical considerations, assessment change, inclusion, and governance. AI-driven assessment technologies have significant advantages, such as higher grading consistency, scalability, tailored feedback, and increased student involvement. Nonetheless, infrastructural constraints, ongoing digital disparities, inadequate faculty readiness, and the lack of cohesive institutional policies hinder these advantages. Ethical concerns, especially algorithmic bias, data privacy, and academic integrity, exacerbate the implementation of AI in varied and resource-limited settings. This analysis finds hybrid evaluation models that integrate AI automation with human judgement as the most pedagogically sound and ethically responsible method. The study indicates that AI-enhanced authentic e-assessment possesses transformative potential for SAHE, contingent upon context-sensitive policies, ongoing professional development, equitable infrastructure investment, and strong ethical governance frameworks.

Substance abuse is a growing concern with challenging socio-cultural issues among women in South Africa. This study draws from the social workers' perspective to explore the prevalence and drivers of substance use among women. Using a qualitative approach, an exploratory design was employed to gather data through in-depth interviews with social workers in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study’s findings highlight that domestic violence is often a catalyst, leading women to substances as mechanisms for coping with stress, depression, and adversity. Social workers identified the desire for belonging within the social network, and peer pressure normalizes substance use, especially in social gatherings where drugs and substances are easily available and affordable. Unresolved childhood trauma was also flagged as a critical contributor to the prevalence of substance abuse, establishing emotional vulnerabilities. The study shows how these factors influence substance use trajectories among women. It further recommends culturally responsive interventions that incorporate trauma-informed care and community-based support systems, with social workers playing a crucial role in prevention and rehabilitation efforts. The study was grounded in the universal ethical standards to protect the participants and maintain its integrity.

Language plays a crucial role in helping young learners understand mathematical concepts, particularly in the Foundation Phase where learners are still developing both language and numeracy skills. In multilingual contexts such as South Africa, many learners are taught in English while speaking different languages at home, which may create challenges in learning mathematics. This study examined the effect of teaching mathematics using learners’ home language in rural primary schools in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province. A qualitative research approach was adopted, using interviews and classroom observations to collect data. Ten Foundation Phase teachers from five schools were purposively selected to participate in the study. The data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify key patterns and themes. Ethical principles, including informed consent and confidentiality, were observed to protect participants. The findings revealed that teaching mathematics in the home language improved learners’ understanding of mathematical concepts, increased classroom participation, and enhanced learners’ confidence. Learners performed better when taught in a language they understood well. The study therefore recommends that schools and the Department of Basic Education support the use of home languages in the teaching of mathematics in the Foundation Phase and provide appropriate resources and teacher training to enhance effective implementation.

Three centuries of colonial subjugation (1652–1980) stifled the liturgical innovation of African Christians and enforced their reliance on Eurocentric liturgies and practices. Shortly after 1980, Reformed evangelicals began to adopt this movement towards authentic contextualisation. Economic independence, theological education, and demographic changes were necessary to dismantle the association of the Reformed faith with European culture. This paper examines the contributions of financial independence (1980) and theological education (1991) to the decolonisation of Reformed worship and the establishment of a trajectory for culturally authentic, theologically robust African worship. Employing a historical-critical methodology, this study analyses synodal acts, liturgical developments, and theological education initiatives, specifically focusing on African Christian movements related to decolonialism and the recontextualisation of theology. It examines how the Reformed tradition can integrate indigenous hermeneutical perspectives to create authentically contextualised forms of worship that honour African cultural idioms without compromising Reformed theological integrity. The article contends that the biblical conception of worship, wherein “every nation, tribe, people and language” congregate to reverently honour the Lamb (Revelation 7:9), necessitates the differentiation of theological essences from their cultural manifestations; African cultural insights must be acknowledged as legitimate theological sources; and liturgical practices that align with African communal spirituality should be cultivated. Ultimately, effective contextualisation entails relinquishing cultural authority, specifically to African voices, while consistently prioritising African theological perspectives and adhering to the Reformed principle of ecclesia semper reformanda.

The study examines RDM practices implemented at universities by specifically focussing on RDM services provided by academic libraries, highlighting how the research data lifecycle informs the design of these services, which in turn shape the jobs, roles, skills and competencies required, while also emphasising the need for ongoing skills development as RDM practices evolve. It pursues an interpretivist philosophy and takes a qualitative approach by conducting a systematic literature review. The reviewer used the Scopus and Web of Science databases from 2020 to 2024 and applied specific pre-defined search terms, inclusion/exclusion criteria and the PRISMA 2020 flowchart to maintain methodological standards.  The findings identified 40 RDM services and classified them thematically based on how often they occurred, providing a guide for institutions to design, prioritise, and coordinate their service offerings. The analysis highlighted low RDM professional competencies and skills, training, and RDM professional training programs, which can guide professional development to build capacity. Also, some lifecycles of RDM were criticized, and changes to the Research Data Lifecycle were proposed, supporting better integration of RDM services alignment.  This research offers a detailed and practical breakdown of RDM activities and their people requirements, which furthers the discussion on RDM service provision. The research also fills the gap in RDM capacity development discourse by clarifying an institutional approach. It focuses on developing skills and adopting best practices in RDM in academic libraries. It also proposes additions to the research data lifecycle.

This research investigates religious transformation in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, South Africa, from 2015 to 2025, a period characterised by rapid globalisation and the proliferation of digital technology. The study employed a systematic desktop research technique to evaluate four principal data sources: peer-reviewed academic literature, papers from religious institutions, social media content from religious groups, and news media coverage. The study examines three fundamental enquiries: (1) In what ways has digital technology altered religious rituals and communication in Thohoyandou? How can religious practitioners navigate cultural authenticity in a globalised religious marketplace? How have religious institutions modified their organisational frameworks in response to local-global tensions? The results indicate three unique patterns of digital adoption among mainstream denominations, Pentecostal churches, and traditional Venda practitioners. Four strategies for cultural adaptation were identified: selective assimilation, parallel practice, creative translation, and selective retrenchment. Three types of institutional responses were identified: adaptive integration, protective conservation, and hybrid negotiation. The study revealed an approximate 450% increase in recorded digital religious activity among Thohoyandou congregations from 2015 to 2022, a disproportionate rise in new Pentecostal groups linked to international networks, and heightened documentation and revitalisation initiatives among adherents of traditional Venda religious heritage. The results enhance theoretical comprehension of religious hybridity, glocalization, and cultural resilience in post-colonial African settings, while providing practical direction for religious institutions managing local-global tensions in the digital age.

Employee retention remains a persistent challenge in the South African mining sector due to hazardous working conditions, complex labour relations, and heightened employee expectations. This study explores the influence of the psychological contract on employee retention in a mining organisation. A qualitative research design was adopted, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants, comprising 8 employees and 4 managers. Thematic analysis revealed five dominant themes: employee wage demands, perceptions of organisational profitability, investor pressure, strike action, and retrenchment risks. Grounded in Social Exchange Theory and Equity Theory, the findings demonstrate that unmet expectations and perceived unfair treatment undermine trust, strain labour relations, and weaken employee commitment. The study concludes that transparent communication, fair treatment, and realistic management of expectations are essential for strengthening the psychological contract and improving employee retention in mining organisations.

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies into crime investigation represents a paradigm shift in modern law enforcement capabilities.  This literature review examines the role, applications, opportunities, and challanges of implementing generative AI systems, including Large Language Models (LLMs), Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), Variational Autoencoders (VAEs),  and diffusion models within the context of South African crime investigation.  Through systemic analysis of current research, this article explores how GenAI can enhance forensic analysis, evidence processing, suspect identification, and investigation decision-making while addressing critical concerns regarding bias, privacy, legal admissibility, and ethical implications.  The review reveals that while generative AI offers transformative potential for addressing South Africa's unique crime challenges, successful implementation requires careful governance frameworks, staged deployment strategies, legal alignment, and capacity building.  Key findings indicate that retrieval-augmented generation systems, forensic image synthesis, and synthetic data generation present immediate opportunities but must be balanced against documented risks, including algorithmic fabrication, false memory induction, and systemic bias. This article concludes with evidence-based recommendations for South African law enforcement agencies seeking to responsibly harness generative AI capabilities.