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This article explores the portrayal of corruption and moral decay in selected Xitsonga protest poetry, focusing on Ngobeni K.J.'s "Xana i vuphorisa ke?"  and Khosa M.A.'s "Hi lo yini hina?". The study investigates how figurative language, particularly proverbs, metaphors, and rhetorical devices, functions not only as a literary technique but also as a social critique drawing on the context theory of meaning, which emphasizes how linguistic expressions derive their meaning from sociocultural and historical contexts in which they are used, the analysis demonstrates how the poets encode complex critiques of institutional decay into culturally resonant language. The study employs a qualitative research design using content analysis to identify and interpret themes of corruption in policing and religion. The findings reveal that both ports present corruption not simply as an act of individual moral failure but as a systemic issue rooted in nepotism, bribery, and spiritual manipulation. Ultimately, the article argues that protest poetry in indigenous languages serves as a powerful tool for moral reflection and civic engagement in contemporary South African society. 

This article explores factors affecting principals' readiness to creatively implement policies, focusing on the policy on the South African Standard for Principalship. Policy implementation globally and in South Africa has faced an extraordinary frequency of failure. This occurs due to organizations' failure to measure readiness in employees, resulting in a lack of information about processes and strategies for implementing the policies. This article focuses on the perceptions of principals regarding factors that affect their readiness to creatively implement policies using a qualitative method. Information was gathered through semi-structured in-depth interviews. The information was collected on a small sample of fifteen principals from schools in Mopani East district, Limpopo province, and was analysed through qualitative inductive analysis. The study revealed that principals' readiness to implement policies is affected by motivating factors. The study recommends that the Department of Education focus on enhancing the motivation of principals, which can result in readiness to implement, and measure the readiness of principals to implement policies in advance of the formal operation. 

This paper explored the perspectives of novice educators teaching multi-grade classes in primary schools, focusing on their challenges, their coping strategies, and the support mechanisms needed for effective teaching in such complex educational settings. Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory served as a theoretical lens for understanding the interconnectedness among novice educators and various subsystems, including classrooms, school policies, and educational regulations.  Data was collected from nine public schools in one of the circuits in the Limpopo Province. Purposive sampling was employed to select only nine novice educators who teach in multigrade settings. The data were thematically analysed. The findings indicate that novice educators faced significant challenges in multi-grade teaching, including lesson planning, equitable attention distribution, and maintaining student engagement. Despite these difficulties, they gradually developed resilience through experience, peer collaboration, and self-directed learning. The paper proposes a framework for strengthening support structures for novice educators, including structured mentorship programmes, professional development initiatives, and additional teaching resources.

Bullying in the foundation phase poses a significant challenge that undermines both teaching and learning processes. Learners who experience bullying often demonstrate poor academic performance and increased absenteeism. This study explored the effects of bullying on teaching and learning in foundation phase classrooms. A qualitative research approach with an exploratory design was employed. Purposive sampling was used to select eight foundation phase teachers (Grades R–3) and two school management team members from two schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom and playground observations. The Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model guided the study. Thematic analysis revealed that emotional stress, inadequate institutional support, and challenging learner behaviour negatively affected teaching quality and learner outcomes. The findings highlight the need for systemic interventions that align job demands with adequate resources to promote safe and supportive learning environments.

Women remain central to agricultural development and food security in South Africa, yet structural inequalities and limited recognition continue to suppress their potential contribution. The Vhembe Female Farmer Competition, organised by the Vhembe District Municipality and the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD), serves as a platform to empower women, young women, and women with disabilities by recognising their role in local economic development. This paper explored the competition as an intervention that promotes women’s participation in agriculture, gender equality, fosters entrepreneurship, and contributes to poverty alleviation. Quantitative research approach was employed, where the simple random sampling technique was used to select 13 contestants across various categories. Data was collected through a structured survey and analysed using Excel to obtain the descriptive statistics. The study found no participants from Musina Local Municipality in the female farmer competitions and the Vhembe District Disability forum. Among female farmers, the best female worker (R2.5 million) and commercial producer (R1.5 million) recorded the highest annual turnovers. The young female farmer generated the turnover of R725,000.00 and notably created the highest over 60 seasonal and permanent jobs, demonstrating strong employment potential despite lower earnings as compared to the female worker and commercial producer categories. A financial literacy gap was evident in other categories. It is recommended that Musina Local Economic Development officers participate in preparatory meetings and mobilise farmers. Extension officers must provide financial management training to improve farm operations and employment opportunities.

Entrepreneurship is increasingly recognised as a critical driver of economic growth, innovation, and graduate employability in the global knowledge economy. While entrepreneurship education has traditionally been located within business and management disciplines, limited attention has been paid to the pedagogical role of English methodology in cultivating entrepreneurial skills and mindsets in higher education. This study addresses this gap by systematically reviewing empirical literature published between 2014 and 2025 to examine how English teaching methodologies contribute to the development of entrepreneurial competencies among university students. Guided by human capital theory, social learning theory, and the theory of planned behaviour, the study synthesises evidence from peer-reviewed studies across diverse higher education contexts. The findings indicate that learner-centred, communicative, and experiential English pedagogies play a significant role in fostering key entrepreneurial attributes, including creativity, critical thinking, opportunity recognition, collaboration, adaptability, and persuasive communication. Approaches such as project-based learning, academic literacy instruction, digital storytelling, debate, and pitching tasks are shown to bridge linguistic competence with entrepreneurial agency by enabling students to apply language skills in authentic, problem-oriented contexts. Furthermore, English methodology emerges as a transversal pedagogical platform that supports interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation across academic fields. The study concludes that integrating entrepreneurship-oriented English methodologies into higher education curricula is not supplementary but essential for preparing graduates to navigate complex labour markets and entrepreneurial ecosystems. The article offers practical implications for curriculum design, academic development, and institutional policy, positioning English methodology as a strategic contributor to entrepreneurship education and socio-economic development.

This essay elucidates the challenges of public sector innovation in Somalia and proposes potential solutions. It synthesises documentary research with four succinct case studies to discern the policy and organisational barriers that predominantly hinder experimentation, scaling, and institutionalisation of improved methodologies. At the policy level, restrictive fiscal constraints, inflexible public financial management and procurement processes, along with inadequate data and platform governance, limit the capacity for experimentation and expansion. At the organisational level, deficiencies in capabilities, cultures dominated by compliance, inadequate portfolio management, and fragmented coordination across central, line, and federal member states hinder iteration and spread. The overarching fragility, insecurity, and climate disturbances in Somalia amplify the perceived consequences of failure, hence intensifying risk aversion. The article presents a Somalia-specific, multi-tiered barrier model consistent with OECD/OPSI principles and the GovTech modernisation agenda, and suggests practical enabling mechanisms: a pre-approved experimentation period within public financial management regulations, guidance for procurement aimed at innovation, pathways to scalability through national payment and identification systems, and focused capacity development linked to civil service remuneration and grading reform. The assertion is clear: absent safeguarded fiscal and procedural environments for regulated risk-taking and a measured yet rigorous expansion of organisational innovation capacities, Somalia's potential digital and institutional changes will fail to achieve their intended outcomes.

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.

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.  

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.

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.

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.

Domestic violence remains one of the most widespread social crises that not only imposes silence on the survivors but also hides the transformational potential inherent in their accounts of perseverance, spirituality, and emotional healing. The purpose of this enquiry is to critique a method for examining how survivors map along these pathways and how spiritual resources, emotional strength, and personal narrative reconfiguration are pertinent to their recovery, using the desktop method.  The study entailed an in-depth review of the existing academic literature, policy manuals, and theoretical frameworks on the problems of trauma, spirituality, and healing of victims of domestic violence.  According to the results, the healing process experienced by most survivors is a multidimensional phenomenon that is based on the synthesis of spiritual practices, emotional strength, and identity restoration. Supportive communities, faith traditions, and cultural settings have also been noted in the available literature as service-oriented in assisting survivors to communicate their unpleasant pasts.  The lessons teach that healing is not an individual process but rather a shared one that takes place within a collective, and that it is shaped by the resources of social and spiritual support that survivors possess.  The importance of this study is that it can help appreciate the role of survivors' spiritual and emotional journeys in influencing the practitioner's actions at the policymaking level. The research would be useful in providing practical advice to the academia, religious leaders, and policymakers who can guide their actions in establishing a mechanism of adequate provision to address the holistic needs of victims of domestic violence.

South Africa has faced consistently elevated unemployment levels despite numerous macroeconomic reforms, prompting worries regarding the effectiveness of key economic indicators in promoting labour absorption. This study analyses the influence of economic growth (GDP), inflation (CPI), and foreign direct investment (FDI) on unemployment in South Africa, employing quarterly data from the first quarter of 2010 to the fourth quarter of 2023. The analysis utilises a quantitative design, implementing the Augmented Dickey-Fuller unit root test, the Johansen cointegration method, and a Vector Error Correction Model to evaluate the long- and short-term dynamics among the variables. The findings indicate that all variables are integrated of order one and possess a long-term equilibrium connection. Long-term estimates demonstrate substantial negative correlations, suggesting that increased GDP, CPI, and FDI are associated with a decrease in unemployment over time. In the near term, GDP elevates unemployment, indicating the prevalence of capital-intensive growth, whereas FDI persistently reduces unemployment and CPI remains negligible. These findings underscore the structural characteristics of unemployment in South Africa and the constraints of macroeconomic factors in facilitating short-term labour absorption. The report emphasises the significance of policies that promote labour-absorbing growth, improve the investment environment, and prioritise skills development to tackle ongoing unemployment.The report advocates for prioritising labour-intensive growth methods, enhancing the investment environment, and fortifying skills development systems to improve employment outcomes. These initiatives are essential for tackling persistent unemployment and fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

This study examines how Mahosi (traditional leaders) in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province use social media to address gender-based violence (GBV) within their communities. A qualitative design was employed, drawing on semi-structured interviews with ten Mahosi selected through purposive sampling. The findings show that platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp are used to share anti-GBV messages, mobilise community meetings, and open discussions around violence, extending the reach and immediacy of community-based interventions. In doing so, digital engagement has contributed to increased openness around GBV and greater participation, particularly among younger community members. At the same time, the study identifies key challenges, including digital literacy gaps, unequal access to technology, confidentiality risks, and ethical concerns linked to the public nature of online communication. By foregrounding Mahosi as digital actors within community governance, the study highlights both the potential and limitations of integrating social media into GBV prevention. It concludes by emphasising the need for context-sensitive digital literacy initiatives and clear ethical guidelines to support responsible and inclusive community-based responses to GBV in rural South Africa.