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Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a major human rights violation and a serious public health concern affecting women worldwide. Approximately one in three women globally experiences physical or sexual violence during their lifetime. In South Africa, the prevalence of gender-based violence is particularly high, exposing many women to significant physical, psychological, and emotional harm. Female nurses are a vulnerable group because they may experience violence in both their personal lives and professional environments. Their frequent interaction with patients, patients' families, and the broader public can increase their risk of meeting violent or aggressive behaviour within healthcare settings. Exposure to such experiences may negatively affect nurses' psychological well-being, job performance, and overall quality of life. The study explores the psychological effects of exposure to gender-based violence among female nurses in South Africa. The study aimed at examining how exposure to GBV influenced nurses' mental and emotional well-being as well as their ability to function effectively in their professional roles. The study adopted a qualitative desktop research approach to examine existing literature related to gender-based violence and its psychological impact on female nurses. Relevant peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books, government reports, and policy documents were reviewed and analysed. The data collected were analysed using thematic analysis to find key patterns and themes within the literature. The study looked to enhance understanding of the psychological challenges faced by female nurses and to highlight the importance of workplace interventions, support systems, and policies that promote nurses' safety and mental well-being in healthcare environments. Institutional Review Board Statement: Ethical review and approval were waived for this study because the research does not deal with vulnerable groups or sensitive issues.

Sophisticated AI applications like ChatGPT and Grammarly offer distinct advantages for enhancing writing proficiency. They assist users in conceptualising ideas, organising material, and refining writing style, whereas Grammarly focuses on improving grammar, punctuation, and clarity with context-aware recommendations. This is particularly relevant for students who are non-native English speakers, as it supports them and helps bridge educational disparities. While these instruments markedly enhance scholarly writing abilities, their efficacy in tertiary education remains a subject of debate. Recent occurrences of academic dishonesty associated with the improper use of generative AI technologies have negatively impacted higher education. This study assesses the impact of artificial intelligence on enhancing academic writing abilities in students who are not native English speakers. In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, this study consolidates evidence from scholarly literature, policy reports, and institutional case analyses. Keywords, synonyms, and subject headings were employed to query three electronic databases from 2021 to 2025. The electronic repositories included Scopus, Emerald Insight, Google Scholar, and ProQuest. The evaluation of the publications was conducted through titles and abstracts, followed by an assessment of the full-text papers against the qualifying criteria. The results were derived and amalgamated into a narrative synthesis from selected publications. The results underscored AI's ability to customise and improve the educational experience for learners.

The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in higher education has reshaped how students engage with academic research, particularly at Honours level, where students transition from structured undergraduate learning to independent postgraduate research. Guided by Self‑Regulated Learning (SRL) theory, this study examines how reliance on AI by Honours research students influences the supervisor-supervisee relationship, the quality of research produced, and the extent of knowledge gained through the research process. SRL theory emphasises learners’ ability to plan, monitor, and reflect on their own learning, which is central to successful postgraduate research development. This study adopts a conceptual and literature‑based review methodology, drawing on peer‑reviewed studies on AI use in higher education, literature on postgraduate supervision, and academic integrity and research skills development frameworks, with specific attention to Honours‑level contexts. The documents were analysed using thematic content analysis, focusing on self‑regulatory behaviours, supervisory interaction, research skill development, and learning depth. The findings suggest that limited and transparent use of AI can support honours students by reducing surface‑level cognitive load and assisting with language clarity. However, excessive reliance on AI may undermine key self‑regulation processes, weaken critical thinking, and reduce meaningful engagement with supervisors. Supervisors may struggle to accurately assess students’ understanding, potentially straining trust and feedback processes. The review further indicates that over‑reliance on AI risks producing research that is technically adequate but conceptually shallow, with reduced long‑term knowledge acquisition. The study concludes that clear supervision practices and explicit guidance on responsible AI use are necessary to ensure that AI supports, rather than replaces, the self‑regulated learning essential for high‑quality Honours‑level research.

This study examines the institutional ecosystem of public safety in South Africa by evaluating collaborative governance between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Community Policing Forums (CPFs). The study explores how resource constraints, institutional trust deficits, and accountability tensions affect the co-production of public safety, which constitutes a critical form of socio-economic infrastructure for communities and local business environments. Guided by ecosystem governance and co-production perspectives, the study adopted a qualitative research design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with SAPS officials, CPF executives, and community and business stakeholders within the Bothaville policing district in the Free State Province. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit 20 information-rich participants with direct experience of public safety governance and community policing initiatives. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings reveal systemic weaknesses within the local public safety ecosystem. While participants acknowledged the importance of collaborative and proactive approaches to crime prevention, the effectiveness of these arrangements was constrained by severe resource shortages, declining institutional trust, and a misalignment of accountability between police and community stakeholders. The study found that competing interpretations of oversight, authority, and responsibility undermine stakeholder cooperation, information sharing, and the collective capacity to co-produce public safety outcomes. The findings suggest that strengthening public safety ecosystems requires formal mechanisms that promote transparency, accountability, and stakeholder collaboration. CPFs should be strategically supported as platforms for mobilising community participation, facilitating information sharing, coordinating local risk-management initiatives, and strengthening police-community partnerships. This study advances scholarship on collaborative governance by conceptualising public safety as an institutional ecosystem shaped by stakeholder interdependence, trust, accountability, and resource capacity. It contributes to the ecosystem governance and co-production literature by demonstrating how governance failures within stakeholder networks constrain the effective delivery of public safety in resource-constrained emerging-economy contexts.

The Nyumba Kumi initiative, launched in Kenya in 2013, is a community-oriented strategy designed to improve security by neighbourhood cooperation, information exchange, and shared accountability. Despite being applied across the country, its efficacy in densely populated informal settlements is variable and inadequately researched. This qualitative research utilises social disorganisation theory to examine the Nyumba Kumi Initiative in Mathare and analogous metropolitan locales, highlighting essential insights from these environments. The study employed a qualitative framework, including comprehensive interviews, focus group dialogues, and key informant conversations with community participants, local authorities, Nyumba Kumi representatives, and security personnel. Thematic analysis was employed to investigate community viewpoints, operational methodologies, and obstacles related to the initiative in urban informal settlements. The results demonstrate that the program has enhanced contact amongst neighbours and facilitated the reporting of suspicious behaviour in certain locales. Nonetheless, the execution in informal settlements encounters obstacles such as elevated population density, residential transience, inadequate institutional collaboration, ethnic heterogeneity, distrust between inhabitants and security forces, and apprehensions over privacy and safety in information sharing. The effort has encountered obstacles pertaining to politicisation, insufficient public knowledge, and ambiguous responsibilities among community stakeholders. The research determines that the Nyumba Kumi Initiative has the potential to improve community safety in informal urban settings. Its efficacy depends on continuous involvement, confidence, transparent leadership, and adjustment to the distinct dynamics of each community. Perspectives from Mathare and analogous environments provide essential direction for policymakers and practitioners aiming to enhance community policing and local safety.

Rapid urbanisation in South Africa is reshaping the country’s spatial geography, largely driven by internal migration from rural areas and financially disadvantaged towns to urban centres. Key destinations, such as Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Cape Town, attract migrants seeking work, education, and better lifestyles. However, this movement places greater strain on urban systems by increasing demand for housing, water, energy, sanitation, transportation, and other basic public amenities. It also adds to urbanisation, overpopulation, the spread of informal settlements, land-use disputes, and governance issues. These shifts underscore the urgency for municipalities to shift away from planning models built on stable demographics and toward governance systems that respond to migration and demographic shifts. This research explores the connection between internal migration and local governance in South Africa, with an emphasis on the effects for inclusive service provision and urban sustainability. A qualitative study technique was adopted, including a conceptual document review of academic, policy, and institutional materials. The research reviewed data on migration patterns, governance capacity, participatory mechanisms, and planning solutions in the context of local government. Results showed that several municipalities have not adequately embraced migration dynamics in their urban planning practices. Existing participation methods generally exclude migrants and other transitory communities, leading to underrepresentation and choices that fail to capture changing urban demands. Delayed planning decisions increase infrastructure pressure, service provision backlogs, informal areas, and spatial inequalities. The study suggests that internal migration needs to be central to urban planning and accountability. It advocates for migration-informed spatial decision-making, increased engagement of mobile residents in Integrated Development Plan (IDP) operations, and unified governance revisions to promote inclusive and urban sustainability.

1. Abstract   A quest for accountability and fairness in the South African public service has been undermined by persistent gaps in discipline management, particularly in the application of PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2003. This study examines the impact of non-compliance with procedural principles and timeframes on dismissed employees and their families within the North West provincial government. Drawing on literature on procedural justice, consequence management, and labour law, the study assesses disciplinary policy practice, precautionary suspension processes, and the reluctance of departments to implement reinstatement awards.   The study adopted a mixed-methods design. The population comprised employees across nine North West provincial departments. Data were collected through document review of disciplinary case files and arbitration awards, a structured questionnaire administered to 100 respondents, and 30 semi-structured interviews with dismissed employees, employees with delayed reinstatement awards, and family members. Key informant interviews were conducted with labour relations practitioners. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics to assess variability and deviation from Resolution 1 of 2003, supplemented by thematic analysis of interview and case law evidence.   The data indicate widespread failure to follow Resolution 1 of 2003, with some reinstatement awards delayed by up to 17 years. In practice, departments often opened disciplinary hearings without adequate preliminary investigation, extended precautionary suspensions well past the 60-day statutory limit, and resisted implementing CCMA and Labour Court orders to reinstate employees. Consequences include prolonged income loss, asset repossession, psychological distress, stigma, and social breakdown for employees and dependents. Institutional resistance, manifested through repeated review applications and unlawful salary deductions, further weakens accountability.   The study concludes that administrative non-compliance generates measurable financial, psychological, and social harm that extends beyond the workplace. Recommendations include enforcing time-bound implementation of awards, establishing a central monitoring system, limiting procedural delay tactics, integrating family impact assessments, and strengthening accountability within labour relations units through progressive and team-based discipline, capacitated accountability mechanisms, and merit-based appointments.

Digital transformation tools are increasingly promoted as strategic resources for improving mathematics learning, yet their contribution to conceptual understanding remains uneven across school systems. This systematic literature review examines how dynamic mathematics software, virtual manipulatives, adaptive learning systems, educational games and collaborative digital environments enhance conceptual understanding in secondary school mathematics. Guided by constructivist learning theory, cognitive load theory, socio-cultural theory and technological pedagogical content knowledge, the review synthesises peer-reviewed literature published between 2015 and 2025, supported by PRISMA-informed searching, screening and thematic analysis. The final synthesis shows that digital tools support conceptual understanding when they enable multiple representations, dynamic visualisation, feedback-rich exploration, personalised pathways and mathematical discourse. However, these benefits are conditional rather than automatic. Teacher digital-pedagogical competence, assessment alignment, cognitive design quality, learner language, infrastructure and equitable access mediate whether digital transformation becomes meaningful learning or merely tool substitution. The review contributes to business and social science scholarship by positioning the digital transformation of mathematics as an educational, social equity, and human capital development issue. It argues that secondary mathematics systems require coherent investment in teacher capability, curriculum redesign, responsible data use and inclusive infrastructure. The paper concludes that digital transformation should be governed as a pedagogical and systemic reform process, not as a technological intervention alone.

Entrepreneurship Education (EE) is increasingly recognised as a key driver of economic growth, employment creation, and poverty reduction across African countries. It also contributes to the development of digital competencies that support entrepreneurial innovation, highlighting the importance of human capital development in an evolving business environment. Recent technological advancements have transformed business operations, with the integration of digital technologies into entrepreneurial activities reshaping traditional business models, processes, and strategies. Consequently, digital entrepreneurship has emerged as an important socioeconomic force, creating a growing need for education, training, and skills development to strengthen the digital capabilities required for entrepreneurial innovation. This study examines the influence of Entrepreneurship Education on the development of entrepreneurial innovation through a systematic literature review. Relevant studies published between 2016 and 2026 were retrieved from databases including Scopus and Google Scholar. Of the 230 articles identified, 17 met the inclusion criteria and were selected for review. The findings indicate that student support, access to appropriate technological infrastructure, students’ and teachers’ perceptions of technology’s usefulness, and the nature of the tasks undertaken are important factors shaping the integration of technology into contemporary entrepreneurial activities. These findings have implications for promoting entrepreneurial innovation through human capital development in South Africa. The study therefore seeks to inform educators and policymakers about the contribution of Entrepreneurship Education to the development of digital competencies and the advancement of innovative entrepreneurial practices.                                                                        

In today’s era of disruption and rapid technological advancement, the demands for organisational competence development are on the rise (Richter et al., 2020; Schaeffer, 2017). Making investment in human capital development the single most guarantor or tonic for sustainable competitive advantage for any organisation. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between training, demographic variables and employee job satisfaction. The research employs a positivist paradigm, utilising a deductive approach characterised by quantitative methods. It incorporates a longitudinal study and a pre-post quasi-experimental survey design to gather data from a randomly sampled population of 526 participants from 5 companies in South Africa. Utilising diverse multivariate statistical methods, such as analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlation and regression modelling, for data analysis. The study’s empirical evidence revealed that (i) those workers who received more training are more motivated than those who received less or no training at all. Further, categories of demographic variables that led to a significant increase in the dependent variable i.e. “employee motivation and job satisfaction” consisted of skilled workers, females, South Sotho language group, those who had post-Matric qualifications and those with 6 – 10 years’ experience in the same job. This paper offers insights to management, especially HR policy makers on creating a learning culture and embrace the value of continued investment in human capital. Plethora of documentary evidence proved T&D to be the predictor of organisational efficiencies, profitability and long-term survival and growth. 

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa's Gauteng Province face high failure rates despite their economic importance, thus creating an urgent need to investigate business sustainability. This research examined the implementation challenges of ICT SMEs and the enhancement of competitiveness through shared value creation. A qualitative, interpretivist design was employed, with semi-structured interviews conducted with 12 purposively selected ICT SME owners and senior managers in Gauteng Province. The thematic analysis revealed three principal themes. One key finding was that implementation barriers operate at three interconnected levels: the business environment, industry level, and institutional level. At the Business-Environment level, issues include load shedding, regulatory complexity, and funding gaps. The competitive level interrogates incumbent dominance and high buyer power, while the institutional level reviews skills, competencies, time and cost constraints. Another important finding was that SMEs overcome these barriers through value-chain innovations such as energy efficiency, inclusive hiring, and intellectual property development; through strategic positioning, including focused differentiation and organizational agility; and through cluster engagement, such as vendor partnerships and peer networks. Integrating their selected strategies yields productivity gains, cost reductions, and incidental shared value. The study proposes a Resilience-Through-Shared-Value Framework that provides entrepreneurs with a four-phase process for turning barriers into advantages. It also provides policymakers with guidance on tiered compliance and on infrastructure support and development, and development agencies with a diagnostic framework for multi-barrier mentorship programs.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions such as SAP represent a vital investment for organisations seeking to unify varied operational activities into integrated, data-driven platforms. In institutions of higher learning, the use of ERP systems is a crucial component of digital transformation efforts aimed at improving administrative efficiency, institutional governance, and competitive positioning. This article examines the impact of SAP ERP implementation on both organisational and employee dynamics for administrative staff at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), emphasising technostress, digital fatigue, employee well-being, and post-implementation adaptation within a constrained higher education environment. Utilising a desktop appraisal methodology, the study synthesises existing literature to demonstrate how decisions made in the pre-implementation and implementation phases consistently affect employee experiences and organisational outcomes post-implementation. The study indicates that attaining enduring ERP effectiveness requires continuous capacity development, cooperative implementation approaches, and employee-centered support frameworks. The research develops an interdisciplinary model by integrating socio-technical, psychological, capacity-building, and normalisation perspectives, thereby improving the understanding of the human factors involved in ERP deployment within higher education. The study introduces the ERP Lifecycle–Employee Adaptation Framework (ELEAF), which outlines the progressive escalation of technostress during the pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation phases, linking each stage to a pertinent theoretical mechanism and a set of organisational interventions. The findings indicate that inadequate training, limited organisational support, dependence on key users, and absence of employee engagement contribute to technostress, digital fatigue, reduced job satisfaction, and challenges in post-implementation adaptation. The study further demonstrates that decisions taken throughout the ERP lifecycle have enduring impacts on employee well-being and organisational effectiveness beyond the system's implementation. This highlights the tangible consequences for higher education institutions, stressing the importance of continuous training, institutional support, systematic information sharing, employee wellness initiatives, and staff-centric ERP management to enhance long-term value achievement. It consequently lays the groundwork for future research on the human dimensions of digital transformation in resource-constrained environments.

This study examines how curriculum relevance and workplace-based mentorship influence apprenticeship outcomes in South Africa’s manufacturing industry, with a focus on persistent skills gaps between training provision and industry requirements. Guided by Objective 1, which seeks to examine the relevance and alignment of apprenticeship curricula with the skills, technologies, and competency demands of the manufacturing sector, and Objective 3, which explores the role of mentorship and workplace-based learning in supporting skills development, employability, and workplace readiness, the study investigates the extent to which current apprenticeship programs reflect contemporary manufacturing practices. A qualitative, multi-case research design was employed, drawing on in-depth interviews with stakeholders from public colleges, private training centres, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The findings reveal a sustained misalignment between formal apprenticeship curricula and modern manufacturing technologies, including automation, robotics, and advanced production systems, largely resulting from centralised curriculum control and limited institutional autonomy. In contrast, mentorship and workplace learning emerged as critical mechanisms for translating theoretical knowledge into practical competence, strengthening professional identity, and developing both technical and soft skills. However, the effectiveness of mentorship practices varies across institutional contexts, with colleges facing greater structural and policy constraints than SMEs and training centres. The study concludes that bridging skills gaps in South Africa’s manufacturing sector requires an integrated approach that combines responsive curriculum reform with structured, industry-embedded mentorship and authentic workplace learning opportunities, offering practical and theoretical contributions to vocational education and training scholarship.

Early mathematical competence provides the foundation for learners' cognitive development, problem-solving, and later academic achievement. Despite South Africa's commitment to mother-tongue-based education, many young learners continue to experience difficulties in mathematics because instruction is frequently mediated through English or inconsistent bilingual practices before learners develop adequate proficiency in the language of learning and teaching. This linguistic mismatch is particularly evident in rural schools, where it constrains conceptual understanding, mathematical communication, and learner participation. This study explored the benefits and challenges of integrating Tshivenda into early mathematics instruction in rural primary schools in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Guided by the interpretivist paradigm, the study adopted a qualitative multiple-case study design. Purposive sampling was used to select 24 participants, comprising 16 teachers, 4 Heads of Department, and 4 school principals, from 4 rural primary schools. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis and analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured through triangulation, member checking, prolonged engagement, peer debriefing, reflexive journaling, and an audit trail. The findings revealed that integrating Tshivenda strengthened learners' conceptual understanding by connecting mathematical concepts with familiar linguistic and cultural experiences while promoting learner participation, confidence, mathematical discourse, and collaborative problem-solving. However, implementation remained constrained by limited mathematical terminology, inadequate teaching and learning resources, insufficient teacher preparation for multilingual pedagogy, and challenges associated with the transition to English in Grade 4. The study recommends developing standardised mathematical terminology, expanding culturally responsive instructional resources, strengthening continuous teacher professional development, and promoting collaboration among universities, language specialists, curriculum developers, and the Department of Basic Education to advance equitable, multilingual, and culturally responsive mathematics education.

Following the end of apartheid, South Africa became one of the major recipients of foreign aid in Sub-Saharan Africa. International assistance, particularly from European donor countries, was primarily directed towards supporting the democratic transition, combating the legacy of apartheid, and fostering the development of a stable, inclusive, and non-racial society. This paper examines the impact of foreign aid on poverty in South Africa between 2015 and 2020, with particular attention to its contribution to economic growth, poverty reduction, and domestic policy. Drawing on a qualitative research approach based on secondary data and thematic content analysis, the study reviews existing empirical literature and policy documents to assess the effectiveness of foreign aid in addressing poverty. The findings indicate that foreign aid can contribute to poverty reduction by supporting economic growth, improving access to public services, and supplementing domestic investment. However, its effectiveness depends largely on the presence of sound institutions, effective governance, and appropriate public policies. The study further finds that South Africa's commitment to national ownership and policy autonomy has limited the influence of external donors on domestic policy formulation and implementation. Although foreign aid has supported developmental initiatives, its relatively small contribution to the national budget constrains its overall impact on poverty reduction. The paper concludes that foreign aid can complement domestic development efforts but cannot substitute for strong institutions, inclusive economic policies, and sustained national investment in addressing poverty.

In South Africa, Grade 10 subject streaming is a critical stage in secondary schooling that shapes learners' future educational and career opportunities. Informed subject choices align with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), which promotes inclusive and equitable learning opportunities. Although parental involvement is widely recognised as important during this transition, limited research has examined how parents in rural contexts prepare their children for subject-stream selection. Guided by Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, this study investigated whether and how parents prepare their children for Grade 10 subject streaming in rural secondary schools in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province. A qualitative case study design was employed. Participants included parents of Grade 9 learners, learners, and educators responsible for subject guidance. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that parental participation in subject selection was often procedural rather than informed. While some parents attempted to guide their children, many lacked adequate knowledge of subject streams, curriculum requirements, and their links to further study and career pathways. Document analysis further showed that subject-choice forms largely functioned as administrative tools requiring parental signatures, with limited explanatory information regarding subject requirements and career opportunities. Socioeconomic challenges, limited educational attainment, and weak school-parent communication further constrained parental involvement. As a result, learners frequently relied on Life Orientation teachers, peers, and personal interests when selecting subjects. The study concludes that parental preparation for Grade 10 subject streaming in rural schools remains limited and uneven. It recommends strengthening school-parent partnerships, providing parent-focused subject-choice guidance, involving parents more directly in career-guidance activities, and improving access to subject-selection information through clear and accessible communication.

Women entrepreneurs in South Africa continue to encounter financial, institutional, geographical, and gender constraints that hinder business growth. This research explores how these interrelated constraints affect women’s entrepreneurial perspectives and the engagement in the small- and medium-sized enterprise sector. Using an interpretivist qualitative method, data were gathered using an open-ended digital survey with 25 women entrepreneurs operating in various South African settings, reinforced by an analysis of pertinent policy and entrepreneurship-related papers. Thematic analysis identified six interconnected themes: financial exclusion and gendered power; gender norms and patriarchal expectations; geographic marginalisation; network and institutional exclusion; intersectional disadvantage; and resilience and survival-focused strategies. Findings show that women embrace adaptive practices such as personal savings, informal finance and diversification, which allow businesses survival but do not always promote sustained success. These barriers limit access to capital, markets, networks, facilities, and value chains, reducing job growth and business competitiveness. Reflecting on feminist economics, decolonial feminism, and intersectionality, the paper contends that women’s entrepreneurship needs to be regarded as a systemic and structural challenge, instead of a single resilience challenge. The research recommends coordinated, gender-responsive actions that promote accessibility to financing, markets, infrastructure, networks and supportive institutions.

Technological advancement has transformed the grocery retail, fundamentally altering how consumers interact with retailers and purchase essential goods. Despite rapid digital adoption since the COVID-19 pandemic, uptake of online grocery shopping (OGS) in emerging markets remains uneven. The drivers of consumer attitudes towards this channel are not well understood in the South African context. This paper investigates the effects of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived risk on consumer attitudes towards OGS in Gauteng, South Africa. It investigate whether perceived usefulness mediates the effect of perceived ease of use on attitude. Data were collected through a structured, self-administered questionnaire distributed online to grocery shoppers aged 18 to 60 across Gauteng, yielding a final valid sample of 507 respondents. The data were analysed using a two-step structural equation modelling approach in Stata 17, with Spearman correlation and quantile regression conducted as additional robustness checks. Perceived usefulness emerged as the strongest, most consistent driver of consumer attitudes towards OGS (β = 0.555, p < 0.001). Perceived ease of use had a positive direct effect (β = 0.162, p = 0.020) that did not hold consistently under the quantile regression check; it was, however, strongly correlated with perceived usefulness (ρ = 0.589, p < 0.001). A formal mediation test found that perceived usefulness did not significantly mediate the relationship between perceived ease of use and attitude (Sobel p = 0.321), indicating that perceived ease of use influences attitude directly rather than through perceived usefulness. Contrary to previous studies and initial expectations, perceived risk did not significantly influence consumer attitudes (β = 0.059, p = 0.319). These findings extend the Technology Acceptance Model to an emerging online grocery market and offer practical guidance for retailers seeking to strengthen consumer adoption in similar developing-market contexts.

Globalisation has reshaped capital flows, technology transfer, and labour market dynamics. In South Africa, these dynamics are particularly important given the country’s post-1994 reintegration into the global economy and its persistently high unemployment despite financial liberalisation. This study analyses the effects of financial globalisation on employment in South Africa between 1990 and 2022, distinguishing between its de facto and de jure dimensions. Using annual secondary data, the study applies the Autoregressive Distributed Lag modelling framework and Toda–Yamamoto causality tests to assess directional causality and finds that the two dimensions behave differently. De facto financial globalisation has a positive long-run elasticity of 0.14 with respect to employment, marginally significant at the 10% level. Whereas de jure financial openness carries a negative and largely statistically insignificant coefficient. Causality runs from financial globalisation to employment, and de jure openness follows rather than anticipates actual flows, indicating that South Africa’s financial liberalisation framework is more reactive than proactive. The findings suggest that employment depends less on formal liberalisation than on whether capital flows are channelled into productive, labour-absorbing investment, and support policies that condition financial openness on industrial and skills development rather than pursuing openness for its own sake.

Electronic public participation (EPP) is becoming more popular to enhance traditional public engagement and promote equitable municipal planning. But the degree to which digital engagement provides significant public impact in South Africa’s Integrated Development Planning (IDP) process is not well recognised. This study looks into EPP practices, application challenges, and potential for improving digital engagement in three metropolitan municipalities: Cape Town, Ekurhuleni, and Nelson Mandela Bay. A mixed-methods, multiple-case research design was used. Data were obtained from 588 participants, who included municipal officials, ward councillors, ward committee members, and residents, with 260 formal and 250 informal settlement populations. Quantitative data from local residents were evaluated using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s chi-square tests, whilst interviews and open-ended questions were thematically analysed using Dedoose and combined during interpretation. The findings show that EPP is entrenched unequally across local municipalities and IDP phases. The City of Cape Town and Nelson Mandela Bay made better use of online and blended engagement, whilst Ekurhuleni leaned more mainly on traditional meeting procedures. Across municipalities, digital engagement was focused on information exchange, consultation, analysis, and project-related phases, with less integration into strategic planning, approval, execution, and monitoring. Digital disparity, inadequate institutional capacity, and ineffective feedback systems all hampered meaningful involvement. The evidence, as explained using Arnstein’s Ladder, Smart Governance Theory, and Collaborative Governance Theory, reveals that online access has increased faster than citizen control. As such, this research offers a holistic EPP implementation framework which combines digital and in-person interaction throughout the IDP process, backed up by equitable access, institutional cooperation, feedback, accountability, and joint decision-making avenues. The framework also emphasises the opportunity of EPP to improve stakeholder collaboration and the larger municipal economic landscape.