United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)

Breaking the silence: examining the prevalence, causes and consequences of sexual abuse of learners by educators in South African schools

2026-06-12T00:00:00Z

Breaking the silence: examining the prevalence, causes and consequences of sexual abuse of learners by educators in South African schools Muleya, Abgirl; Mavhandu-Mudzusi, Azwihangwisi Helen; Adekola, Ayobami Precious; Matakanye, Hulisani; Tshivhase, Livhuwani Introduction: The sexual abuse of learners by educators remains a significant issue in the South African educational system, compromising the learners' well-being and the veracity of institutions. Despite having solid or robust policy structures in place, incidents keep emerging, often hushed by stigma, power dynamics, and insufficient institutional retorts. The ongoing challenges of sexual exploitation in educational environments stipulate cavernous structural and cultural encounters that are not yet fully comprehended. This study rigorously explores the incidences and effects of sexual abuse committed by educators in selected government public South African schools, specifically concentrating on the Soutpansberg North Circuit in Limpopo Province. Methods: A qualitative cyclical longitudinal ethnographic design was used to gain in-depth insights into the experiences of 16 trained Life Orientation (L.O.) educators selected using purposive sampling techniques. This study was conducted in the rural area of Southpansberg North Circuit of Messina, located in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Data was collected through ethnographic group discussions and participant observation. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze data. Results: The findings disclosed that sexual abuse frequently arises from a power imbalance between educators and learners. The participants expressed fear and hesitancy in reporting cases of sexual abuse. Furthermore, the finding reflects how the insensitivity of police and the lack of confidentiality dissuade victims from reporting. The study also highlighted the normalisation of learner - educator relationships within communities. Discussion: Together, the findings reveal a complex crisis rooted in gender disparities, power imbalances, and institutional fragility. The patriarchal system perpetuates uneven power relations and normalizes gendered dominance, especially between male teachers and female learners. In light of the findings and implications, it is recommended that the Department of Basic Education establish more stringent regulations and monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance with the South African School-based Child Protection Committees.

Burden and predictors of advanced HIV disease among people living with HIV at Zewditu Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2026-06-10T00:00:00Z

Burden and predictors of advanced HIV disease among people living with HIV at Zewditu Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tesema, Million Hailu; Mavhandu-Mudzusi, Azwihangwisi Helen Background: Globally, about 630,000 (500,000–820,000) deaths occur annually among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Advanced HIV disease (AHD) continues to be an important contributor to HIV-related mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite a significant positive association with mortality, the prevalence and fac tors that lead to AHD in Addis Ababa have not been studied well. Thus, this study aimed at investigating the prevalence and contributing factors of AHD in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: We conducted a facility-based cross-sectional study among PLHIV attending Zewditu Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data were col lected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire and abstraction of 414 sturdy participants’ medical records using Open Data Kit. In the current study, AHD was defined using the objective criterion of a CD4 count < 200 cells/μL. Analysis was done using SPSS version 28 for descriptive and analytic statistics, and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The overall prevalence of AHD, as well as among ART-naive and ART experienced individuals, was 29.7% (95% CI: 25.4–34.4%), 51.4% (95% CI: 34.4 68.1%), and 27.6% (95% CI: 23.1–32.4%), respectively. Very severe and severe AHD accounts for 21.9% (95% CI: 15.0–30.3%) and 17.9% (95% CI: 11.5–25.8%) of the study participants, respectively. Further analysis of the determinants revealed that AHD was more likely to manifest in men (AOR of 2.41, 95% CI: 1.23–4.74); manual and service workers such as daily laborers, drivers, cleaners, and security guards (AOR of 2.75, 95% CI: 1.18–6.40); those with lower average monthly incomes of 5,001–10,000 birr (AOR of 3.27, 95% CI: 1.11–9.64) and less than 5,000 birr (AOR of 4.14, 95% CI: 1.49–11.54); the malnourished individuals (AOR of 5.82, 95% CI: 1.97–17.18); and those non-adherent to ART (AOR of 9.88, 95% CI: 4.32–22.03). Conclusion: The burden of AHD remains substantial, disproportionately affecting ART-naïve individuals. Male sex, low monthly income, being a manual and service worker, malnutrition, and ART non-adherence were key factors associated with HIV progression. Implementing the WHO-recommended AHD package may help reduce AHD and improve clinical outcome and ultimately death.

Exploring vital aesthetics through feminine principles in biodigital art

2026-01-26T00:00:00Z

Exploring vital aesthetics through feminine principles in biodigital art Erasmus, Megan In an era shaped by artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and intensifying ecological crises, this thesis investigates how contemporary artistic practice can reawaken ethical imagination. Centred on BioDigital art at the intersection of biological and high-technology systems, it examines how hybrid artistic forms unsettle inherited distinctions between human and nonhuman, natural and artificial, and creator and creation. Rather than resolving these entanglements, the study approaches them as fertile sites for ethical sensitivity and relational awareness. Drawing on John Ruskin’s concept of Vital Aesthetics and the feminine principle, the thesis reframes BioDigital art as an ethical-aesthetic practice grounded in attentiveness, care, and embodied responsiveness. The feminine principle is framed not as gendered identity, but as archetypal receptivity, vulnerability, and sensuous responsibility through which ethics are felt and cultivated. A lifecycle framework places BioDigital analysis in dialogue with the practice-led investigation titled The Chrysalis Code: Unfolding the BioDigital Feminine. This creative work translates ethical conditions into material and experiential processes through BioDigital image-making, projection, and exhibition design. Grounded in embodied ways of sensing the natural world, the practice is situated within reworked South African landscapes embedded in the visual language of Western art history. Rather than seeking ethical resolution, it engages ethical questions through sensuous encounter, temporal unfolding, and environmental responsiveness. The thesis advances a sensuous framework for BioDigital art practice in which aesthetics serve as an ethical orientation, articulating an alternative vision of coexistence grounded in empathy, vulnerability, and relational attunement at the edges of the vital.

Challenges in transitioning to green ICT in a South African telecommunication company

2025-10-03T00:00:00Z

Challenges in transitioning to green ICT in a South African telecommunication company Naidoo, Sivapragasen Green Information and Communication Technology (Green ICT) adoption has become a global priority due to the rising environmental impact of ICT operations. Literature indicates that although awareness of green ICT principles is steadily increasing globally, their actual implementation within organisations remains limited, with the gap especially visible in developing economies. This study focused on a leading telecommunications organisation in South Africa which faces challenges in aligning sustainability within ICT operations. The primary objective of the study was to identify the challenges facing a South African telecommunications organisation in transitioning to green ICT. The underpinning theory of the study included the Green IT Adoption Model (GITAM) which guided the study, and the Technology, Organisation and Environment (TOE) framework categorised findings across technological, organisational and environmental dimensions. A quantitative design was applied, using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to technology employees via simple random sampling, with data analysed using descriptive statistics and one-sample t-tests. The main finding indicated a clear gap between awareness and practical implementation. The main conclusions highlighted that organisational readiness, strategic alignment and environmental pressures significantly influence adoption, while financial constraints, limited training and poor communication, hinder progress. The management implications of the study included the need for stronger leadership support, improved training frameworks, enhanced communication strategies and better resource allocation to accelerate adoption. The main recommendations were the necessity for targeted investment, comprehensive awareness initiatives and collaborative engagement with stakeholders. The study contributes academically by addressing gaps in Green ICT literature and practically by providing actionable insights for the organisation under study and the wider telecommunications sector. Given its strategic role in reducing carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency and promoting sustainable practices, further studies regarding Green ICT adoption are suggested for the South African telecommunications sector