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The use of biotic indices to assess the effect of fish farming in Richards Bay Harbour
(University of Zululand, 2023) Nzama, Sazi Fortune; Vivier, Leon; De Fortier, An
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Effectiveness of the financial management practices by high school principals promoting teaching and learning in eSwatini
(University of Zululand, 2023) Nonjola, Daphne Bethusile; Kutame, A. P. and Ngidi, T. Z.
High school principals‟ financial management practices have been under discussion by various authors. Effectiveness of teaching and learning relies heavily on proper financial management practices of school principals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of high school principals‟ financial management practices in promoting teaching and learning in eSwatini. The study employed a mixed method approach in the collection data. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires from randomly sampled principals in the four regions of eSwatini and qualitative data was collected using semi-structured interviews from purposefully sampled high school principals and regional in-service officers. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS and displayed in tables showing frequencies and percentages and inferential statistics. For qualitative data thematic analysis was employed. The main findings were that some principals had challenges in practices such as budget monitoring; compliance with some items of school financial management legislation which may inhibit teaching and learning. They cited lack of continuous training in school financial management; insufficient finances; late disbursements of OVC grants; and outdated school financial management legislation as a barrier to effectiveness. Most principals also cited lack of financial management skills as fostering negative attitudes towards school financial management. Anxiety, fear and worry were found to be part of the emotional trauma experienced by principals when managing school finances. Other findings were that some principals neglected their financial management duties and delegated most of them to school secretaries. Principals recommended school-based assistance and continuous financial management training; and internal auditing to be used as a preventative control measure as main strategies to improve school financial management. The recommendation was that they manage school finances together with School Management Teams.
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Public participation as a mechanism to enhance service delivery in Mtubatuba Local Municipality
(University of Zululand, 2024) Madondo, James Nkosinathi
The purpose of this study is to investigate anxiety associated with the use of technology among teachers in Lesotho. The sample consists of 100 high school teachers from various schools located in the Maseru district. To meet the objectives, a questionnaire was designed, which collected data on teachers’ anxieties towards technology in relation to demographic variables. The findings of the study suggest that the educators do differ in their anxiety levels in relation to technology, and that there is no correlation between age and anxiety. The relationship between the variable of gender and anxiety is revealed. Furthermore, teaching experience is found to have a significant effect on anxiety, while nationality is found to have no effect on anxiety.
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Anxiety associated with the use of technology among teachers in Lesotho
(University of Zululand, 2016) Tlaba, David Tlaba; Sibaya, P.T. and Sibaya, D.C.
The purpose of this study is to investigate anxiety associated with the use of technology among teachers in Lesotho. The sample consists of 100 high school teachers from various schools located in the Maseru district. To meet the objectives, a questionnaire was designed, which collected data on teachers’ anxieties towards technology in relation to demographic variables. The findings of the study suggest that the educators do differ in their anxiety levels in relation to technology, and that there is no correlation between age and anxiety. The relationship between the variable of gender and anxiety is revealed. Furthermore, teaching experience is found to have a significant effect on anxiety, while nationality is found to have no effect on anxiety.
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In vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Crude extracts of some freshwater cyanobacteria
(University of Zululand, 2023) Ikhane, Olufemi Akayagboke Albert; Opoku, A.R Osunsanmi, F.O. and Mosa, R.A
Commonly available antibiotics are increasingly becoming ineffective due to the astronomic rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). As a result, there is a need for the discovery of new antibiotics and antioxidants from natural products. Cyanobacteria possess a myriad of significant secondary metabolites among which potential antibacterial and antioxidant could be found. The aim of this study was to exploit the potential metabolite reservoir of cyanobacteria towards the development of novel antimicrobial compounds. Freshwater cyanobacteria, Cylindrospermum alatosporum NR125682.1 and Loriellopsis cavenicola NR117881.1, utilized in this study were isolated from Vulindlela area, KwaZulu-Natal, SA. They were propagated on BG-11 media, identified, and characterized through 16S rRNA sequencing. The cyanobacteria were sequentially extracted with hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) and ethanol. The extracts were screened for their antioxidant capacity using DPPH, ABTS, OH* radicals and metal chelating potential. The in silico molecular docking of the major constituents of the extracts against β-lactamase was also evaluated. The in vitro antibacterial potential of the extracts was evaluated using the broth microdilution method against some selected gram-positive and gram-negative clinical bacterial isolates. The effect of the extracts on the bacterial membranes was evaluated using the lactate dehydrogenase assay. The efflux pump inhibitory potential was investigated by measuring the percentage cytoplasmic accumulation of rhodamine. Beta-lactamase inhibitory potential was investigated along with synergistic potential when combined with erythromycin. The ability of the extracts to effect DNA damage was also evaluated. The crude extracts were moderate antioxidants, scavenging free radicals with IC50 range of 6-10 μg/ml and metal chelating efficiency IC50 values ranging from 44-72 μg/ml. Despite the encouraging (-6.6, -6.3 kJmol-1) binding affinity of some of the phytochemicals in the extracts following molecular docking against beta-lactamase, the in vitro inhibition of beta-lactamase indicates that all six extracts were poor inhibitors of the enzyme with a high IC50 value of 5.6 mg/ml. The ethanol crude extract of both isolates was the most efficient with a minimum MIC value of 0.7 mg/ml against the tested resistant bacteria. The ethanol extract of Loriellopsis cavenicola NR117881.1 effectively inhibited efflux pump activity, with up to 60% rhodamine accumulation in the bacteria tested. The extracts effected cell membrane damage on the tested bacteria. The extract also exhibited synergism when combined with erythromycin against some of the tested bacteria. Only the DCM extract of Loriellopsis cavenicola NR117881.1 effected DNA damage. The various bioactivity exhibited by the extracts suggest potential for the development of antibacterial and antioxidant active agents with multiple beneficial effects.