ResearchSpace
ResearchSpace is the institutional repository of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, unlocking knowledge, empowering impact, and preserving UKZN's research legacy.
Recent Submissions
Mitigating multiple vulnerabilities experienced by learners diagnosed with Autism.
(2021) Hariparsad, Shireen Devi.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.; Ramrathan, Prevanand.
Research has shown that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a fast-growing condition globally that is more prevalent in boys than girls. It is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects the triad of learning, which is communication, behavior, and social integration. Many educators and parents find it difficult to understand autism as learners diagnosed with autism cannot express themselves as typically developing learners. This has been linked to the abstract nature of the misconceptions and views that parents and educators have on ASD, thus contributing to some of the challenges that learners with ASD experience. Furthermore, educators experience their challenges teaching and understanding learners with ASD in class and many parents find it challenging to deal with their autistic child. The multiple vulnerabilities experienced by learners with ASD ultimately resonated from their intrinsic and extrinsic barriers. Hence, this study focused on mitigating the multiple vulnerabilities experienced by learners diagnosed with autism. This study adopted qualitative research in which an interpretivist-phenomenological paradigm was adopted. The study was conducted at 6 special needs schools in the Pinetown district of South Africa. Participants were purposively selected. The sample comprised of 3 educators who teach learners with ASD and 3 parents who have children with ASD, from each of the 6 schools. The methodology incorporated semi-structured interviews with educators and parents to obtain their understanding, experience, and challenges with children with ASD. The sample comprised of some schools integrating their learners with ASD in classes and some have confined them in an autistic unit (a class of learners with autism). The study revealed that: (i) Educators and parents lack knowledge and understanding of the condition, (ii) Some parents lack the confidence in helping their Children with ASD besides experiencing difficulty in emotionally accepting the child’s condition, especially when
they experienced a difficult help-seeking journey, which began when they first noticed signs of atypical development (most frequently related to delayed speech development, lack of social interaction and poor self-help skills), to the time when the diagnosis was made, (iii) There has also been a culturally informed perception from some parents that the condition is attributed as ‘satanic’, however over time some of them realised that it was v medically inclined and sought the necessary assistance, whilst some parents still feel hopeful that it can be treated through religious beliefs. (iv) Educators felt that besides the lack of knowledge, they also do not have the relevant support, guidance, and resources to optimise their teaching potential which compounds their challenges.
Learners diagnosed with autism could not be interviewed due to their communication challenges and this limited this study. The overall findings of the study revealed that learners diagnosed with autism experience personal, social, and educational vulnerabilities. This was a result of many intrinsic and extrinsic challenges. Educators endeavoured to mitigate these challenges by using a variety of adaptive and maladaptive strategies, especially visual cues, namely Picture Exchange Communication (PECS), besides AACs (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), and sign language to facilitate communication among learners with autism. Educators also modified the pedagogic environment and used intervention strategies that worked ‘best’ for the learner taking into account the diversity of their abilities and needs. The findings of the research also show that teaching learners with ASD requires a collaborative approach among educators, parents, therapists, and school management teams. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory, the social constructivism theory, and closely associated Feuerstein’s theory of mediated learning experience, namely scaffolding and zone of proximal development (ZPD) forms the strong framework of this study as learners in this study, have low cognitive abilities and comorbid of ADHD and intellectual challenges, thus they are largely dependent on support and guidance from various stakeholders to enhance their personal, social and educational (communication) abilities.
Factors contributing to employee turnover intention at selected retail firms in KZN and strategies of mitigation.
(2025) Ramsundar, Avinesh.; Soni, Sanjay Shantilal.
Attracting and retaining high-quality employees is vital to ensuring a high level of organisational performance and maintaining competitiveness in business. In order to attain maximum productivity, organizations invest in employees through training and career development programs. Therefore, management are compelled to implement strategies to minimize employee turnover. Employee turnover has been described as the state by which an employee shows his willingness to quit a job. Given the organizational disruption, such as reduced organizational performance and productivity, associated with employee turnover, employee turnover has become a pressing issue. In South Africa, the literature showed that employee turnover rate in the retail industries has been critically high. Considering the role of the retail industry on the South African economy as well as its customer-facing nature, employee turnover has more consequences on the retail sector and the societies as compared to other sectors of the economy. In addition, the high rate of employee turnover and its consequences on the affected organization has necessitated the need for an investigation of possible influencing factors of employee turnover intention. This study therefore investigated the factors contributing to employee turnover intention in the retail sector of KwaZulu-Natal province, at Companies A, B, and C. A quantitative methodology was employed, with 130 questionnaires administered at Companies A, B, and C. The findings showed that factors such as poor working conditions, lack of training, and career development programs, as well as management culture, influence employee turnover. The study concludes with possible means to manage employee turnover in the retail industries. One of the implications of the findings is that Companies should focus on improving work environment and conditions, management culture, and job satisfaction. By addressing these key causative factors of employee turnover, they can improve retention rates and ensure that their employees are satisfied with their jobs. For future studies, it was recommended that additional sectors also be studied to acquire a broader perspective of the impact of labour turnover intention may have in other sectors of the South African labour market.
Government initiatives and learner perceptions influencing agriculture as a career choice in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2025) Qwabe, Xolani Mduduzi.; Salisbury, Roger Hans Theodore.
The participation of young people in farming has been one of the key issues for the South African government. For this reason, the government has implemented several important policies and strategies to inspire the youth to participate in agriculture. Strategies include programs that promote and support smallholder agricultural businesses, particularly those owned by the youth. National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) was established with one of the objectives being to assist young people of this country to establish their own farming businesses. furthermore, the National Empowerment Fund has provided financial support to the youth with the intention of promoting their full participation in farming. Youth participation in agriculture and the promotion of agripreneurship are vital for food security and the achievement of SA economic goals, yet government efforts do not seem to have resulted in the expected outcome.
This study sought to investigate government initiatives and learner perceptions that influence the selection of agriculture as a career choice in KwaZulu-Natal. A quantitative methodology was employed with 140 questionnaires distributed by hand to the students of uMfolozi TVET Colleges (Nkandla, Eshowe, and Bhambanana/Jozini) in Kwazulu-Natal province. The findings indicate that students perceive that the agricultural industry does not provide clean jobs and that agricultural professions in general are not attractive. Students consider that resources are limited, and they lack the knowledge to utilise those that are available. The study proposes possible strategies to attract youth to careers in agriculture.
The impact of communication barriers at Majuba Technical and Vocational Education and Training college.
(2025) Ntshangase, Thulile Winfridah.; Naidoo, Vannie.
Every organisation engages in communication, which is a concept that is quite frequent in dayto-day life. Tasks cannot be completed if there are no efficient means of communication. Barriers and difficulties both that can be avoided and that cannot be avoided do arise during the communication process. To effectively surmount communication obstacles, a person must internalise all the necessary skills and dispositions. Examining the effects of communication obstacles that lecturers and management at Majuba Technical and Vocational Education and Training College encounter is the study's objective, as well as the factors that prevent effective communication and solutions to these issues. The primary aim is to pinpoint various barriers to successful communication at Majuba Technical and Vocational Education and Training College and suggest possible solutions for their communication system. Qualitative research methodology was used for this study. Data was collected through interviews using content analysis to organise collected information and to analyse the recorded data from the interviews with participants from Majuba Technical Vocational Education and Training College. The participants who took part in my study are employees employed by the College, which includes Lecturers and Senior Lecturers, and this research took place at Majuba Technical Vocational Education and Training College, which is based at Majuba and UmziNyathi Districts, which provides different programs. Employees at the College received a list of interview questions that had been created. The participants who took part in this study were 10 lecturers. The goal was accomplished using information gathered through interviews, and the study's conclusions can assist management in becoming aware of the difficulties and formulating plans to address them so that both lecturers and management can function in a favorable atmosphere. This study has covered a wide range of significant topics, including the various types of obstacles to effective communication within an organisation, as well as strategies for overcoming communication barriers and addressing psychological, physical, cultural, and linguistic barriers to effective communication.
Understanding the influences in personal name-giving of firstborn children born within the amaZulu nation in 1990-1994. a case of the uMkhambathini community.
(2025) Sibisi, Thandi Nomzamo.; Ngcobo, Tholakele Ruth.; Dlamini, Phindile Dorothy.
The study is grounded in Social Identity Theory and Social Constructionism, which together provide a framework for understanding how names contribute to identity formation and how meanings attached to names are socially and culturally constructed. Naming practices are examined as both reflective and constitutive of social identities, collective memory, and cultural continuity. The research highlights how naming is influenced by collective memory, ancestral reverence and significance, and sociopolitical history, particularly the lingering effects of colonialism and apartheid, which have disrupted and reshaped indigenous cultural practices. It further reveals the coexistence and tension between traditional naming systems and Western ideologies, including the incorporation of Christian and modern influences in naming conventions. Findings also indicate that naming reflects familial expectations, gendered roles, and patriarchal authority, while simultaneously serving as a medium for expressing resistance, hope, and social commentary. Grounded in an interpretivist paradigm, the study adopts a qualitative research design to provide in-depth, context-rich insights. Data were gathered through purposive and snowball sampling, which were appropriate for accessing participants with specific cultural knowledge and lived experiences of naming practices within the community. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to capture participants' lived experiences, and thematic analysis was used to identify key patterns and meanings in the data. Findings reveal that naming firstborn children is not merely a familial act but a cultural responsibility imbued with symbolic, spiritual, and social meanings. Names function as carriers of identity, markers of historical continuity, and expressions of cultural resilience in a changing sociocultural landscape. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of how personal naming among the AmaZulu reflects broader cultural narratives, identity formation, and the preservation of indigenous knowledge systems.