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Welcome to the NWU Repository, the open access Institutional Repository of the North-West University (NWU-IR). This is a digital archive that collects, preserves and distributes research material created by members of NWU. The aim of the NWU-IR is to increase the visibility, availability and impact of the research output of the North-West University through Open Access, search engine indexing and harvesting by several initiatives.

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Multikulturele maatskaplike werk in Suid-Afrika: 'n evaluering van die kursus 'Inheemse maatskaplike werk' aan die PU vir CHO
(North-West University (South Africa), 1997) Botes, Marina; Strydom, H.
Since 1993 a course "Indigenous Social Work" has been offered at the Potchefstroom University of for Higher Education (PU for CHE). This course was developed after developmental research according to Thomas (Grinnell, 1981 :590-595) has been undertaken in the Department. This course has three divisions, namely welfare history and policy, socio-economic conditions and diversity education in social work. The ever-changing circumstances in South Africa, rapid technological development on the one hand and the culture of poverty on the other, and the fact that we live in a first and third world country, (while services are still delivered from a Western perspective), makes development necessary. It was anticipated that this study would bring forward some deficiencies in this course, upon which changes can be proposed. The main aim of this study has been to make suggestions to the Department of Social Work at the PU for CHE regarding the course Indigenous Social Work. A further aim has been to indicate whether total or partial curriculum adaptations are necessary. The following objectives follow from these aims: - to utilise the developmental research model as an instrument In the evaluation of the course Indigenous Social Work and to come to suggestions for adaptation; - to formulate the present course in Indigenous Social Work as to evaluate it in accordance with the developmental research model of Thomas and to evaluate it with regard to the curriculum developmental model of Diamond; - to analyse and enunciate curriculum requirements and the curriculum development models in order to ascertain whether the course in Indigenous Social Work meets these requirements; - to analyse welfare history, policy, socio-economic conditions and diversity education in South Africa and to link these to the present course; - to investigate how the course in Indigenous Social Work compares with similar courses at other universities; - to gather the ideas of practising social workers in North West pertaining to the present applicability of social work education with regard to multicultural service delivery as taught at the PU for CHE; - to present suggestions for course and curriculum changes to the Department of Social Work at the PU for CHE, and - to come to summarised conclusions and suggestions. These aims and objectives were successfully achieved after a thorough literature and empirical study was undertaken of the developmental research model of Thomas, curriculum requirements, curriculum development models, welfare history, policy, socio-economic conditions and diversity education in South Africa. The course was then discussed and evaluated according to the developmental research design of Thomas, evaluated according to the curriculum requirements of the curriculum developmental model of Diamond as well as the empirical data collected from the university staff of different social work departments at universities and social workers in practice in the North West. After this has been completed suggestions for course and curriculum changes were suggested in Chapter 8. The most important findings of this study were the following: - The curriculum of the Department of Social Work at the PU for CHE correlate well with regard to the aspects investigated, with those of the other universities. - The changes made in 1993 by the Department of Social Work at the PU for CHE were in line with the needs of social workers in practice in the North West. - Relevant suggestions came forward from both questionnaires of which the findings in how the curriculum should be structured, differ from the model that the Department of Social Work at the PU for CHE is following. The biggest percentage for both groups was in favour of an integrated approach, in which multicultural education should form part of all social work courses instead of being a separate course. It was suggested that a course on multicultural approaches in social work be implemented in the first year of study. This finding is supported by the researcher and apart from others it was suggested that the section on diversity education in social work should form part of the total curriculum whereas welfare history, policy and socio-economic conditions can be separate courses. This will prevent the impression that only the course in Indigenous Social Work is multicultural and not the rest of the content of the curriculum. Although the total curriculum of the Department of Social Work at the PU for CHE is culture - diversely orientated, it leaves the impression, for uninformed outsiders, that it is not. - It is suggested that the university should positively think about changing the order of education in the three primary methods in social work. It is suggested that the second year of theoretical education should start with community work and community development, followed by groupwork and then casework, instead of the traditional training where casework was the starting point. Further, it was suggested that the practicum curriculum should also be adjusted to make provision for community work practicals instead of casework. This adaptation in the curriculum will not only improve the education of social workers, but will also strengthen the fact that social workers are equipped to render community development services in the community at large. Educators in social work also need to become more involved in community development in the areas near the different universities.
Community dynamics and demography of small mammal Populations in natural grasslands and rehabilitated ash dams
(North-West University South Africa, 2000) Vermaak, Annelize`; Bronner, G N van Hamburg, H
While small mammal communities in various rehabilitated ecosystems have been well studied, no data are available for rehabilitated sites in the heavily transformed grasslands of South Africa. Small mammal community characteristics and successional trends on fly-ash disposal sites (ash dams), and in adjacent natural grasslands (control grids),at Hendrina Power Station (Mpumalanga) were therefore examined, and the success of current rehabilitation strategies at restoring sustainable small mammal populations was evaluated. Population sizes and biomass of small mammals on the ash dams and controls were similar and varied significantly on a seasonal basis, being highest in autumn and winter and lowest in summer. Such seasonal variation in population sizes is atypical of small rodents in the summer rainfall zone of southern Africa and apparently reflected localized immigration and emigration, both on a seasonal basis and also following a veld fire during 1998, as well as the effects of weather and resource availability on trapability in the wet summer months. Small mammal communities on all grids were dominated by Rhabdomys pumilio, numbers of which increased progressively with increasing rehabilitation age to peak at nine years. Mastomys coucha occurred in significantly higher numbers on the slopes of the ash dams, particularly those adjacent to agricultural fields and disturbed or undisturbed grasslands. Population sizes of this species, and thus community composition on the ash dam slopes, were apparently influenced by the ecological status of adjoining areas, perhaps reflecting recolonization opportunities and rates. Conversely, Tatera brantsii occurred in highest numbers on the plateaux grids surrounded by rehabilitated areas, and was absent from the controls, suggesting that numbers of this species, and the composition of the plateaux communities, was not markedly influenced by recolonization from adjacent unrehabiliated areas. Successional tendencies on the ash dam grids were characterized by changes in equitability, local extinctions of less common (more stenoeious) species and species replacements. Diversity and equitability increased with rehabilitation age between four to seven years post-rehabilitation (when these parameters were significantly higher than on the control grids) ,and then declined. dramatically to levels observed on the control grids. This decline reflected increased dominance of the communities by R. pumilio (especially on the slopes) and T. brantsii (on the plateaux). Small mammal species diversity and equitability generally increased with an increase in the diversity, equitability and richness of plant communities on the ash dam grids. Stepwise regression and ordination analyses, however, suggested that certain edaphic factors were the best predictors of small mammal community structure and dispersion. Given the general resemblance in small mammal community attributes and demography on the ash dams and controls, and similar successional tendencies evident in these areas, I conclude that current rehabilitation actions have been successful at restoring reasonably diverse small mammal communities over the short term. These communities do not, however, appear to be sustainable over the medium-long term, necessitating further management actions and changes to current rehabilitation strategies.
Vasstelling van die bakteriese profiel van 'n rietbedding op die terrein van 'n industriele aanleg
(North-West University South Africa, 1996) Vermeulen, Terina; Pretorius, P j
A reedbed installed on the premises of Naschem near Potchefstroom to serve as a tertiary treatment of an effluent was the subject of this study. The effluent consists mainly of sewage water and water from a laundry where the clothes of the employees of the explosive plant are washed. This study is part of a more comprehensive programme to determine the bacterial profile of a constructed reedbed and to identify the factors influencing it, to determine possible tendencies and to make a contribution towards optimalising the use of reedbeds as a system for treating various effluents. The emphasis in this study was to determine the number of bacteria, the number of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria of the four seasons of a year. Different zones - stagnant, slow and fast moving water - were distinguished in the first ten meters of the reedbed and analyzed with regard to the above-mentioned bacteria. Total bacterial counts were done at 20°C and 37°C on plate count agar (PCA). Nitrifiers were isolated on ammonia agar and nitrite agar and denitrifiers in nitrate broth. Representative isolated bacteria were grouped according to primary identification tests. According to "Bergeys's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology" the majority of the bacteria belongs to Sections 4 and 5 and the rest to Section 3 (Krieg et al., 1984) and Sections 12 and 14 (Sneath et al., 1986). The expected relationship between temperature and bacterial numbers counted at 20°C and 37°C on PCA was observed. At 37°C an increase in numbers was observed with increase in temperature while the opposite was true at 20°C. In agreement with the literature it was observed that the numbers of nitrifying bacteria was the lowest during winter. A clear relationship between the numbers of nitrifying bacteria and the ammonia concentration was, however, not observed. A more significant correlation was observed between the number of denitrifying bacteria and the nitrate concentration in the water. It was shown with the aid of a cross-streak procedure that most probably mainly heterotrophic nitrifying bacteria was observed in this study. Parts ofthis work was presented at the following meeting: Van der Walt, AM., Pieterse, A.J.H., Wood, A, Vermeulen, T., & Pretorius, P.J. A Reedbed System for Secondary Treatment of Domestic Wastewater with an Industrial Component. Biotechnology for Africa 95 : All African Conference on Biotechnology, University of Pretoria, November 1995.
'n Kliëntediensnavorsingsmodel vir die Departement Telematiese Leersisteme aan die PU vir CHO
(North-West University (South Africa), 2000) Bisschoff, Antoinette; Van Heerden, C.H.
The study sets the objective to develop a generic research model to measure the customer service of the different programmes delivered by the Department Telematic Learning Systems (TLS) at the Potchefstroom University for Higher Education. A literature review of the customer service models Servqual (Parasuraman, 1988ab), Customer Service Index (Bisschoff & Hough, 1994), Competitive Customer Service Index (Ne/ & Bergh, 1998) and the Disconformity Service Quality model by Gronroos (1984) were conducted and relevant concepts of each were incorporated in the formulation of an appropriate service quality model for TLS. The formulated model was empirically tested by using the three larger telematic learning programmes, namely the BBA, MBA and Nursing programmes. The rationale that if the model could provide the necessary analysis and results that management require on a scientific basis for the three selected programmes, the model could also be applied to the most of the programmes. The model succeeded in providing the required information on a scientific basis, and as a result the nu/ research proposition was accepted that a newly formulated model for customer service evaluation for Telematic Learning Systems could be put into practice as a management research tool.
An assessment of flood risk and vulnerability in coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal
(North-West University (South Africa), 2026) Harripersadh, Amanda; Malherbe, C.W
Flooding is one of the most significant natural hazards affecting coastal regions worldwide, with increasing frequency and intensity driven by climate change, urbanisation, and environmental degradation. Coastal KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, is particularly vulnerable due to its exposure to extreme rainfall events, storm surges, and densely populated river catchments. Despite recurring flood events, there remains limited spatially explicit information on flood-prone areas, vulnerability patterns, and associated risks. This study aimed to assess flood risk and vulnerability in the coastal regions of KwaZulu-Natal by integrating hydrological and hydraulic modelling with spatial and socio-economic analysis. The research focuses on key river systems, including the uMgeni, uMvoti, uMdloti, uMlazi, Mbokodweni, and uMkomazi catchments. Hydrological modelling was conducted using HEC-HMS to simulate rainfall-runoff processes, while hydraulic modelling using HEC-RAS was applied to determine flood depth, extent, and inundation patterns, consistent with integrated flood inundation modelling approaches described by Saksena et al. (2019).These outputs were integrated into a GIS environment (QGIS) to generate flood hazard maps. A vulnerability assessment was conducted using a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach, incorporating socio-economic and environmental indicators such as population density, land use, settlement type, and proximity to rivers. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to assign weights and develop a flood vulnerability index. The results indicate clear spatial variations in flood hazard and vulnerability across the study area. Larger river systems exhibited delayed but high-magnitude flood responses, while smaller, urbanised catchments showed rapid runoff and increased localised flood risk. Areas with high population density, informal settlements, and inadequate infrastructure were identified as the most vulnerable. The study highlights the importance of integrating hydrological modelling with socio-economic analysis to improve flood risk assessments. The findings provide valuable insights for disaster risk reduction, spatial planning, and climate adaptation strategies in KwaZulu-Natal. It is recommended that future efforts focus on improving data availability, strengthening early warning systems, and incorporating vulnerability assessments into policy and planning frameworks.