https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/21514 Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:59:32 GMT 2026-06-23T14:59:32Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32454 An intersectional analysis of early-career young cisgender women teachers’ experiences of learner-on-teacher violence Maake, Tshepo B; Kganya, Huma E Background: Learner-on-teacher violence is a growing global concern, and South African schools are not exempt from this issue. However, the specific experiences of early-career young cisgender women teachers remain underexplored, despite their heightened vulnerability at the intersection of sex, gender, age, physical appearance and structural factors such as inadequate institutional support. Objectives: This article presents an intersectional analysis of how intersecting identity markers, such as sex, gender and age, alongside physical appearance and structural vulnerabilities, shape the heightened susceptibility of early-career young cisgender women teachers to violence from male learners. Method: The study used qualitative research, conducting eight interviews with early-career young cisgender women teachers from secondary schools in Tshwane, Gauteng. Results: The findings show that young cisgender women teachers are especially vulnerable to male learner violence, influenced by a small age gap and patriarchal gender ideologies. This vulnerability impacts their psychological well-being, affecting their interactions with learners and the school environment. Conclusion: The intersection of sex, gender, age, physical appearance and structural vulnerabilities produces a distinct form of learner-on-teacher violence, underscoring the specific risks faced by early-career cisgender women teachers. This vulnerability requires targeted attention and intervention to protect them from male learner violence. Collaborative efforts from the Department of Education and schools are necessary to support and safeguard these teachers, especially in schools with a history of violence. Contribution: This study enhances our understanding of how male learner violence affects the teaching experiences and well-being of early-career young cisgender women teachers in secondary schools. Keywords: sex; gender; age; physical appearance; female teacher; male learner; secondary schools; violence; South Africa. Thu, 28 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32454 2025-08-28T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32453 Navigating Cisheteronormativity in Military and Police Training: Experiences of Black Gay Male Soldiers and Police Officers in South Africa Maake, Tshepo B The South African historical research proves that military training camps during apartheid were sites of cisheteronormativity, which recognised cisgender heterosexual men and informed the illtreatment of gay male recruits who were exposed to harsh conversion therapies. Due to limited research, little is known about gay male soldiers and police officers’ encounters with cisheteronormative occupational cultures in their training experiences post-1994. This study explores how cisheteronormativity manifests and shapes Black gay men’s negotiation of sexual identity disclosure, agency, and belonging in the male-dominated military and police training spaces. Through qualitative in-depth interviews with 24 Black gay soldiers and police officers who underwent police and military training, the study established that Black gay male soldiers and police officers are often propelled by cisheteronormative ideologies and occupational cultures in training spaces to carefully negotiate their sexual identities. The findings reveal that acceptance and tolerance in these contexts is conditional, often dependent on concealment, silence, or conformity, while disclosure and visibility risked exclusion but also enabled resistance and redefined belonging. The findings contribute to our knowledge of how cisheteronormative occupational cultures operate as oppressive forces, especially within the South African military and police training spaces, and how Black gay men’s agency challenges and destabilises them, exposing the fragility of hegemonic heterosexual masculinities. Consequently, I argue that it is necessary to challenge cisheteronormative ideologies and heteronormative male occupational cultures in order to promote and achieve the social inclusion and integration of Black gay men, in such military and police training spaces as explored in this study. Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32453 2026-01-25T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32452 Rural High School Learners’ Perceptions of Transitioning from High School to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Mpumalanga, South Africa Bayane, Percyval; Pitsoane, Enid Manyaku; Masekoameng, Sheron Mathlatse This paper explores rural high school learners’ perceptions of transitioning to higher education institutions (HEIs) in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Drawing on data from focus group discussions and reflective essays conducted during a community engagement initiative, the study investigates high school learners’ expectations, meanings, and concerns about transitioning into tertiary education. Guided by the transition theory, the findings reveal that high school learners are aware of the academic demands of HEIs and view higher education as a pathway to social mobility. However, they also expressed concerns about financial challenges, limited preparedness, and social adjustment. The study highlights the importance of academic support, career guidance, mentorship, and financial assistance in enabling better transitions. By centering rural high school learners’ voices, the paper contributes to the literature on equitable access to higher education and the challenges rural learners face in navigating this critical shift. Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32452 2025-12-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32451 Higher education, job or entrepreneurship? Rural high school learners’ perceptions of post-matric options in Mpumalanga, South Africa Bayane, Percyval; Smith, Bright; Pitsoane, Enid Manyaku; Nyamakazi, Kgomotso Background: Making post-matric and career decisions is a significant challenge for rural high school learners in South Africa, where access to career assessments, information and professional guidance is limited. While urban schools increasingly benefit from career services, rural learners face persistent structural and informational barriers that negatively impact their career decision-making. Objectives: This study explores how Grade 12 learners at a rural high school in Mpumalanga, South Africa, perceive and navigate their post-matric career decisions. It focuses on the factors influencing their choices in a context marked by socio-economic constraints. Methods: A qualitative research design was used, drawing on focus group discussions and reflexive essays from 17 Grade 12 learners. Thematic content analysis and ATLAS.ti were used to analyse and present findings. Results: Most learners aspire to higher education as a pathway to social mobility, but face financial barriers and limited university access. Some seek immediate employment to support their families or save for further study, while others consider entrepreneurship because of high youth unemployment. While career guidance is important, many rural schools lack trained professionals and sufficient resources. Learners rely on peers, family and informal school initiatives for advice. Conclusion: Structural inequalities significantly shape learners’ post-matric choices and limit their access to informed career pathways, reinforcing cycles of disadvantage. Contribution: This study contributes to understanding rural youth career decision-making in South Africa and calls for enhanced career counselling, increased financial aid and support for vocational and alternative pathways. Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32451 2025-09-01T00:00:00Z