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Eskom's electricity generation can't satisfy rising demand. Eskom's installed capacity of 52,000 MW surpasses production of 47,000 MW, a large discrepancy. Eskom uses voluntary load shedding to address this gap and protect the national grid. A desk review study on power outages' socio-economic effects on South African agriculture and food security is presented in the paper. The study also assessed electricity supply and load shedding legislation. Power outages have disrupted farming activities, from irrigation to food processing, and farmers' capacity to maintain production levels. This has caused crop losses, livestock production reductions, and food distribution delays. Thus, food costs have risen, worsening food insecurity, especially for disadvantaged groups. Focussing on agricultural production and energy supply, the study proposed evidence-based solutions and suggestions to lessen load shedding's detrimental effects on South Africa's food systems and improve food security for all.

The Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly transformed the competitive intelligence (CI) landscape across various businesses. The research examines the swift trend of competitive intelligence by bibliometric analysis. A total of 356 documents were picked from the Scopus database, covering the years 2020 to 2024, to delineate the domain of competitive intelligence and its research horizons.  Findings indicate a substantial shift towards digital transformation, improved data analytics, and an increased focus on agility and resilience in competitive intelligence initiatives. These findings illustrate the dynamic influence of CI and delineate the developmental trends, themes, and patterns for academic practitioners and policymakers, who must adopt these emerging trends to enhance, promote, and sustain CI longevity, operational efficiency, and capability within the swiftly evolving business ecosystem. Prevalent topics encompass digital transformation, agility, resilience, collaboration, networking, ethics, and compliance. Geographically, Asia, North America, and Europe dominate research production in CI during and after Covid-19, although emerging economies exhibit interest. Citation analysis identified prominent authors, providing direction for subsequent research. Nonetheless, research deficiencies and obstacles remain, particularly the necessity for additional empirical investigations, the amalgamation of competitive intelligence with big data, comprehensive competitive intelligence frameworks for small enterprises, innovation, and the Internet of Things (IoT). This bibliometric literature study seeks to analyse and synthesise the fast developments in CI during and subsequent to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study analyses major topics, approaches, and changes in CI practices through the examination of several academic articles. The study offers significant insights and underscores the transformative potential of CI techniques.

Pandemics result in significant devastation, leaving considerable destruction in their wake. Numerous researchers contend that the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic exceeded prior pandemics in various aspects. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted global economies, businesses, and societies, resulting in substantial damage and lasting effects. The aviation industry experienced a significant near-collapse for the first time since the advent of aeroplanes, attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. This research was initiated to synthesise existing studies on the strategies utilised by Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to sustain operations during disasters such as COVID-19 in South Africa. This systematic literature review analyses the survival strategies and failures of SMMEs in Africa in response to the economic disruptions induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sixteen accredited journals were incorporated into the data analysis. The thematic analysis identified several themes from the original data: Networking and Accessing Financial Support, Response to Crisis Conditions, Digital Technology, Disruption of Supply Chains, and Inadequate and Insufficient Government Support. This study synthesises existing research to identify factors that supported SMMEs in sustaining operations and recovering from challenges induced by the pandemic. This study offers significant insights into the survival strategies and challenges faced by SMMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. African leaders should supervise the execution of digital transformation initiatives, focused financial assistance, and strategies for long-term business continuity.

Academic probation serves as a formal intervention for underperforming students in higher education, yet little is known about how students themselves experience this status. This qualitative study explores the personal, academic, and emotional dimensions of being placed on academic probation from the perspectives of affected university students. Drawing on in-depth interviews with undergraduate students at a public university, the research identifies key themes including isolation, withdrawal, institutional support, and self-perception. Findings suggest that while academic probation often triggers stress and shame, it can also act as a catalyst for growth and re-engagement, depending largely on the support systems available. This qualitative study employed a phenomenological design, supported by a contextual, descriptive, and explorative design aimed at obtaining an in-depth understanding of the psychosocial experiences of such students. The study population included students on academic probation. The researcher used non-probability, purposive sampling to draw a sample from the larger population. The data was analysed thematically. The study was ethically approved by the University of South Africa with Ref No 41454928_CREC_CHS_2023.

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.

The study sought to investigate the factors influencing environmental reporting in developing countries. This has been necessited by the inconsistances and non compliant to regulations and laws of environmental reporting among the developing countries. Through examining the factors that influence environmental reporting the study hope to establish context based solutions to the challenge of environmental reporting. The study used a quantitative research method and factor analysis to establish the factors influencing environmental reporting. It was discovered that there are seven key factors influencing environmental reporting among Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. These factors are: regulatory drivers, risk management drivers, market drivers, management influence drivers, strategic communication drivers, value creation drivers and legitimacy drivers. The study also revealed that there are several sub-factors that influencing environmental reporting under each key factor identified. The study concluded that environmental reporting influenced by the seven key factors. The study recommends that SADC sought for in-depth understanding of factors influencing environmental reporting. This is because understanding of the factors affecting environmental reporting is essential for the formulation and reporting that that satisfies stakeholders' requirements.

This study examines the most significant challenges facing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa, drawing on firm-level data from the 2022 World Bank Enterprise Survey. Using probit regression analysis, it explores how firm size, sector, geographic location, and female ownership influence the severity of perceived business constraints—namely, access to finance, infrastructure, regulation, workforce skills, crime, and the informal sector. The results indicate that sectoral differences are the strongest predictors of obstacle severity. Due to their capital and logistics needs, sectors such as Fabricated Metal Products, Construction, and Retail face heightened financial and transport challenges. Regionally, firms outside Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape report more severe infrastructure issues, particularly electricity, while those within these provinces face greater skills shortages. Medium-sized firms generally report fewer constraints than smaller firms. Female ownership is not a consistent determinant of obstacle severity; however, firms without female ownership perceive corruption and crime as slightly less severe. These findings underscore the need for targeted, sector- and region-specific policy responses, particularly in enhancing financial access for capital-intensive industries and addressing regional disparities in infrastructure and workforce development.

Cyberbullying is the most common form of violence and aggression that affects the wellbeing of learners during their schooling days. Globally, cyberbullying is increasingly gaining recognition among the social scientists. It is locally becoming a phenomenon that is problematic threatening the mental health of learners. The phenomenon of cyberbullying violates the human rights of learners as outlined in the Constitution of South Africa. Bullying is a phenomenon that is destructive in nature and brings out the culture of violence in learning environment. Cyberbullying is a complex social issue and has close association with mental health illness/problems. It has consequence which includes, trauma, drop in school performance, school dropout and suicide. Cyberbullying is not a new concept among social workers because of their involvement with the phenomenon daily. Cyberbullying involves the use of social media, technology and texts to inflict harm on the victims. The study adopted the qualitative research approach, and this approach was used to provide the knowledge about the destructive nature of cyberbullying on learners in schools. The primary goal of this study was to develop an in-depth knowledge on the destruction or learners in schools. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews was used in the study with the adoption of purposive technique of sampling. The Interview guide was utilized as a data collection instrument exploratory research designs was employed. The researcher obtained permission from the participants prior to data collection and sought permission for the audio-recording of the participants. The study applied the thematic content as a method of data analysis. The study employed two theoretical framework which were ecological approach and the strength-based approach. The study found that emotional, psychological and educational effects are some of the destructive effects of bullying which puts too much pressure on learners.

This study was undertaken with the purpose of investigating the impact of corporate social responsibility of small and medium enterprise owners on community upliftment in the eThekwini Municipality. The study sought to reinforce understanding of CSR and its economic, social and environment impact on communities by small and medium enterprises. This study`s target population was 5000 registered SMEs, with a sample of 250 determined through random sampling method and the questionnaire used to collect data. Data collected was analysed through the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and cross-tabulation analyses as well as several multivariate statistical techniques to assist in answering key research questions of this study.  Validity for this study was ensured through face and content techniques to ensure that items being presented in the questionnaire were clear and that measures included a representative set of items that measure concepts being addressed. The findings revealed the SMs were aware of the impact of corporate social responsibility on community upliftment and that the relationship between community involvement and community upliftment exist to some extent. This study recommended that SMEs be empowered with issues relating to CSR and these issues be implemented in other municipalities in Kwazulu-Natal. The findings of this study are envisaged to assist SMEs to better understand CSR activities and to successfully implement them in communities.

This paper seeks to explore the realities of gender-based violence (GBV) within the African context with a special focus on how traditions, cultural norms, and values are perceived at the dawn of the recognition of human rights. Culture, human rights, and GBV are deeply interconnected and have significant implications for individuals, communities, and societies at large. It must be noted that the paper does not seek to condone patriarchy or harmful practices that promote gender-based violence; rather, it aims to create a balance between these cultural practices and responses to gender-based violence. The dawn of human rights and legislative frameworks, which to some extent challenge the existence of some practices as not being in line with human rights, has led to some power struggles and imbalances within the relationships. The introduction of human rights and equality, which resulted in most programs focusing on empowering women, such as the 50/50 principle, without necessarily preparing men to live with empowered women, may be perceived by men as challenging their authority. These developments may create frustrated men who see empowered women as a challenge to their leadership, culture, and tradition, and in defense, most men resort to violence as a way of trying to maintain their authority within the family structure. This paper will expand on how patriarchal social structures, cultural norms and traditional practices, colonialism, economic marginalization, resistance, and resilience impact efforts to address GBV. The author conducted desktop research and realized that efforts to prevent GBV should recognize the psychological realities and frustrations of culturally inclined men.