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- ItemSexual harassment policy at a higher education institution in KwaZulu-Natal: knowledge and perceptions of undergraduate students in two departments(University of Zululand, 2023) Mbatha, Smbatho; Steyn, Jéan and Makhaye, Mandisa NUniversity of uThukela’ is a placebo name used to protect the identity of the University. Purpose - Sexual harassment in higher education institutions remains a persistent and distressing issue for students. This dissertation aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of the knowledge and perceptions held by students at a rural higher education institution in South Africa regarding sexual harassment and related policies. Additionally, it explored the role of these policies in educating students about sexual harassment, with the goal of preventing and deterring such behavior within the ‘University of uThukela’. Recent credible sources indicate a lack of effective interventions to address the troubling prevalence of sexual harassment within South African higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach - This study employed a qualitative exploratory design utilising a multimethod approach, grounded in the Interpretivist Paradigm, to investigate sexual harassment issues. Semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and a knowledge test served as the primary data collection tools. Research participants were identified through purposive, self-selection (volunteer), and snowball sampling techniques. Thematic analysis was applied to analyse the collected information. Findings - The study revealed the pervasive nature of sexual harassment within the ‘University of uThukela’. While student participants demonstrated a general awareness of sexual harassment, they exhibited limited familiarity with the institution's policy. Additionally, the institution has a deficiency in adequately trained personnel to handle reports of sexual harassment. Feedback from support specialists interviewed indicates that incidents of sexual harassment negatively impact students' academic performance, health, and social well-being. Based on these findings, recommendations include enhancing students' understanding of sexual harassment policies and revising the institution's reporting procedures. Practical and theoretical implications - The study confirmed the prevalence of sexual harassment in a rural higher education institution in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. While participants exhibited a basic awareness of sexual harassment, they lacked comprehensive knowledge of institutional policies. Moreover, sexual harassment significantly affects students' lives and academic pursuits. Despite the mandate for Higher education institutions to establish and enforce sexual harassment policies, the problem persists among students. Limited research has explored the importance of student involvement in the development of such policies. Originality/value - Despite recognition of sexual harassment within the ‘University of uThukela’, efforts to implement and enforce policies and reporting protocols among students in this rural institution appear inadequate. OKUHUNYUSHWE NGOLIMOKUFINQGIQWE ‘Inyuvesi yasoThukela’ yigama le-placebo elisetshenziselwa ukuvikela ubunikazi beNyuvesi. Inhloso- Ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme kubonakala kuwudaba oluqhubekayo oludabukisayo nolwesabekayo kubafundi. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuqondisisa kahle ulwazi nemibono abafundi abanayo mayelana nemigomo yokuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili abasesikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme yasezindaweni zasemakhaya eNingizimu Afrika, kanye neqhaza elibanjwe yinqubomgomo kulesi sikhungo ekufundiseni abafundi lobugebengu, ngenhloso yokuvimbela kanye nokunqanda ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili ngaphakathi 'eNyuvesi yasoThukela'. Ngokwemithombo yakamuva ethembekile, khona ukungenelela okuncane okusebenzayo ‘ukunqanda uhlobo oluyinkinga lokuhlukumezeka ngokobulili ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme lapha eNingizimu Afrika. Umklamo/indlela- Ukubhekana nalezi zinhloso, lolu cwaningo lusebenzise i-Qualitative exploratory design ngokusekelwa i-Multimethod approach, lwaphinda lwagxila ku-hermeneutics paradigm ekuqondeni izindaba zokuhlukumeza ngokobulili, ikakhulukazi, lolucwaningo lusebenzise izingxoxo ezingahlelekile, izingxoxo zamaqembu amancane, kanye nesivivinyo sokuhlolwa kolwazi. Kusetshenziswe amasampula okuhloswe ngawo nowokuzikhethela, kanye namavolontiya ukuze kutholakale futhi kukhiqizwe imibuzo yocwaningo. Kusetshenziswe i-Thematic analysis ukuhlaziya idatha eqoqwe ocwaningweni. Imiphumela- Lolu cwaningo luveze ukuthi ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili kudlangile ngaphakathi ‘eNyuvesi yasoThukela’. Abafundi ababambe iqhaza bakhombise ulwazi olujwayelekile lokuhlukumeza ngokobulili. Kodwa-ke, bakhombise ulwazi oluncane ngenqubomgomo yesikhungo. Okutholakele kuphinde kwaveza ukuthi isikhungo asinabo abantu abaqeqeshiwe ngokuthola amacala okunukubezwa ngokobulili. Ngokusho kwezikhungo zochwepheshe ezibe ingxenye kwi-interview, ezisiza abafundi mayelana nezigameko zabo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokobulilii, kuvele ukuthi lokhu kuhlukumezeka kwabafundi kunomthelela ekusebenzeni kwabo ezifundweni zabo, ezempilo kanye nenhlalakahle yabo. Ngokusekelwe emiphumeleni yocwaningo, kunconywa ukuthi abafundi bafundiswe ngezinqubomgomo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili kanye noshintsho lwezikhungo zokubika ngokuhlukunyezwa kobulili. Okuwusizo-kanye-nethiyori-yemiphumela--Sekuqinisekisiwe-ukuthi ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme yasemakhaya kuyaqhubeka futhi kuyenzeka. Abafundi babonise ulwazi olujwayelekile ngokwazi olunzulo kokuhlukumezeka ngokobulili, kodwa bakhombisa ukungayazi ngokwanele inqubomgomo yokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukunukubezwa ngokobulili kubonakala kunomthelela omubi kakhulu empilweni yomfundi kanye nohambo-lokufunda.-Zimbalwa-kakhulu-izifundo-eziye-zathola-ukubaluleka kokubandakanya-kwabafundi-ekuthuthukisweni-kwezinqubomgomo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokobilili. Kugunyazwe ukuthi zonke izikhungo ezingaphansi kombuso zishaye futhi zisebenzise-imigomo-yokuhlukunyezwa-ngokobulili.-Nokho,-izigameko zokuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili zisadlangile phakathi kwabafundi. Okwangempela/inani--Izehlakalo-zokuhlukumezeka-ngokobulili-‘eNyuvesi yasoThukela’-seziphawuliwe,-kodwa-kubonakala-kunezinyathelo-ezincane zokusebenzisa-inqubomgomo-kanye-nenqubo-yokubika-yokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi kwabafundi bakulesi sikhungo sasemakhaya.
- ItemAn empowerment strategy for prevention of crimes with the local communities in Lesotho(University of Zululand, 2023) Isidiho, Pius Emenike; Ras, J.M.This thesis is about an empowerment strategy for prevention of crime with the local communities in Lesotho. In this qualitative study five (5) different districts in Lesotho were visited and feedback was gathered from 89 participants to hear from them what local community members and the local community leaders can do to prevent crime in conjunction with the police. An empowerment strategy (plan of action) was drawn up to assist the different role-players in Lesotho to prevent crime.
- ItemExploring crime prevention measures to address motor vehicle theft in Jozini, Kwazulu-Natal(University of Zululand, 2022) Mthimkhulu, Senzo ThubalethuVehicle crimes, particularly vehicle theft and hijacking, are some of the most challenging crimes in South Africa. Vehicle crimes have tremendous impact on the stability of our country as people have lost trust in the police and related government departments due to their inability to curb these crimes. The main aim of this study was to explore current vehicle theft prevention strategies and to determine what, if anything, could be instituted to deter motor vehicle theft and hijacking in the Jozini area in KwaZulu-Natal. This study utilised a qualitative research approach and data were collection by means of semi-structured interviews. An in-depth interview was used to obtain clear and meaningful data from purposively selected participants. Thematic content analysis was employed to ensure that the processed data made sense and contributed to meaningful and trustworthy findings. Three significant theories underpinned this study, namely the routine activity theory, the rational choice theory, and the crime pattern theory. The study found that a major problem that exacerbated vehicle theft and hijacking in the study area was that the government failed to protect the Jozini community against vehicle crimes. Furthermore, the study confirmed that vehicle crimes were not a new phenomenon as these crimes had been perpetrated in this area for decades. Moreover, despite some measures to proactively try to prevent vehicle theft and hijacking in the study area, the government have failed dismally as vehicles are still hijacked and stolen with impunity. The study revealed that the police are doing very little to curb vehicle crimes, particularly as they are impeded by staffing shortages. Proposed crime prevention measures such as building a new police station in Empangeni, collaborating with a mobile tracker company in the Jozini area, constructing a fence between South Africa and Mozambique, and deploying more police officers can really help to curb and eventually eradicate vehicle crimes in this region. The study will contribute towards eradicating these crimes if the proposed recommendations, particularly the employment of more police officers to ensure strong visibility and effective response, are implemented as a matter of urgency. Moreover, the permanent deployment of the SANDF on the border is a strong recommendation.
- ItemExploratory-descriptive analysis of the public image of the police(University of Zululand, 2014) Potgieter, Phillippus Johannes; Ras, J.MPrior to 1994, South Africa was ruled by an authoritarian government known for its repressive policing methods which was replaced by a democratic, non-paramilitary police system, the South African Police Service (SAPS). Policing in both post-communist (Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, etc.) and post-apartheid societies managed to successfully ‘escape’ from chaotic transitional environments but still suffer similar concerns in terms of police legitimacy, police use of deadly force, accountability, etc. Over the past twenty years, the police image suffered severe criticism because of police involvement in serious crimes like murder, assault, corruption, armed robbery, etc. Inefficiency in dealing with crime and a lack of deterrent measures to prevent crime and the fear of crime are some of regular accusations against the police. Television watching, personal observation or experience about the manner in which the police perform their duty and newspapers are the most important image-forming sources. Although rated favourably, respondents’ perceptions of the true justification of the police appears to be misplaced in favour of the juridical basis and an over-emphasis of reactive policing. A deep-seated obligation to prevent crime is observable among respondents: they do not view policing as a threat to their personal freedom and privacy, and are willing to assist the police in preventing crime. Short-term police functions are rated more important than long-term police functions. Police characteristics during contact sessions with the public indicate arrogance, aggressiveness, abuse of power and authority, brutality and corruption. Non-reporting of crime emanates from negative attitudes and apathy of police officers. Public expectations of improved service delivery are necessary to enhance communication and improving their image. Police officers should be encouraged to change and accept the values of democratic policing.
- ItemAn evaluation of the training of police trainees for the policing of unrest related incidents at the South African police services: Mthatha Police Training College(University of Zululand, 2014) Van Vuuren, Marietta Dorika; Ras, J.MSouth Africa is currently a country in crisis. A strike of around 1.3 million public-sector employees, which started on the 18 the August 2011, was and still is causing chaos in the country. Government institutions such as hospitals and schools are closed due to strikes (The Wall Street Journal. 2011). Due to the frustration of the communities because of lack of service deliveries most of these strikes and gatherings becomes violent and destructive. The researcher has identified a major gap with the current curriculum utilized for the basic training of trainees in the South African Police Service. The curriculum mostly consists of theoretical presentations, especially with regard to crowd management. There is no practical training presented on how to manage crowds, and there is no presentation of the equipment that can be utilized and how it can be used to handle crowd management and unrest related incidents. All police officials are ultimately responsible for maintaining law and order and therefore the researcher believes that it is extremely important that trainees should be introduced to crowd management and unrest incidents during basic training. This will enable them to have the necessary skills to handle unrest situation should they be faced with it at station levels. This will enhance service delivery for the whole SAPS, as all police officials will know how to manage crowds.