Research Articles (University of Pretoria)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/121

This collection offers open access to the full text of research articles published by staff, students and affiliates of the University of Pretoria. These items are identical in content to their published counterparts. It is linked to the Research Information System and complements the Annual Research Report.

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The history and future of the South African Association of Botanists and the South African Journal of Botany
(Elsevier, 2025-07) Eloff, Jacobus Nicolaas; Balkwill, Kevin
In 1913, two Botanical Institutions developed from two foci in South Africa: the privately funded National Botanical Gardens (NBG) developed in Kirstenbosch and the government funded Botanical Research Institute (BRI — then the Division of Botany) in Pretoria. Both organisations started journals: the Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa in 1919, Flowering Plants of South Africa in 1920 and Bothalia in 1921 by BRI and the Journal of South African Botany (JSAB) by NBG in 1935. In 1968, the botanical community of South Africa formed the South African Association of Botanists (SAAB) to collectively address the professional needs of botanists. In response to a government initiative, the South African Journal of Botany (SAJB) was launched in 1982 with the support of SAAB. From 1985, the JSAB and SAJB were united under the name of the latter, but continuing the numbering of the former (i.e. from Volume 51). In 2005, SAAB agreed with Elsevier that they would publish the South African Journal of Botany on behalf of SAAB. This arrangement and the efforts of the then Editor-in-Chief, Prof J. van Staden, led to the journal becoming a financial asset to SAAB and to it growing in size and international stature. As long as the arrangement with Elsevier remains favorable and persists, the future of the South African Journal of Botany is positive. The good governance guided by a wise constitution and the astute financial discipline of SAAB have secured the future and sustainability of SAAB and will assist the Association to live up to its Mission Statement. HIGHLIGHTS • Two Botanical Institutions launched South African Botanical journals. • Two were united as the South African Journal of Botany from 1985. • This journal is now published by an international publisher and publishes many papers and has a respectable journal impact factor. • Management of the journal facilitates a good future. • The South African Association of Botanists (SAAB) was formed in 1968. • The society has good governance and many benefits for student members. • The society has well-managed financial resources. • The future of the Association is secure.
The SCIEPR checklist : a tool for standardizing chest X-ray interpretation in resource-constrained settings – a pilot study
(Elsevier, 2025-05) Sethole, Khethiwe Margaret; Mshunqane, Nombeko; margaret.sethole@up.ac.za
INTRODUCTION : Checklists improve performance in specialized fields such as radiology. The SCIEPR (Standardization, Communication, Image Evaluation, and Pattern Recognition) checklist was developed to aid nonradiologists in interpreting chest radiographs in district hospitals with no radiologists onsite. This study aims to investigate the clinical utility of the SCIEPR checklist. METHODS : A descriptive cross-sectional pilot study included 103 participants, including 40 radiographers and 63 doctors from four district hospitals. Radiographers completed sections A and B regarding imaging protocols for chest radiographs, while doctors filled out section C for systematically searching for abnormalities. After four weeks of using the checklist, the participants completed a survey comprising 23 closed-ended and seven open-ended questions. Key measures included compliance in completing the checklist and evaluating the end-user's perceptions of the checklist. RESULTS : Seventy-four SCIEPR checklists were adequately completed. Sections A and B had 100 % compliance. Two items were omitted from Section C. Forty-one participants completed the survey tool (22 doctors and 19 radiographers). Participants had mixed opinions on the checklist's impact on time and workload. No item changes were suggested. Participants reported that the checklist enhanced patient care, improved service quality, reduced interpretation time, and reduced patient waiting time. CONCLUSION : Following the pilot study, we refined section C of the SCIEPR checklist, improving content and face validity. The SCIEPR checklist promotes interprofessional collaboration and may reduce omission errors by standardizing imaging protocols. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE : The SCIEPR checklist is designed to enhance collaboration between radiographers and medical doctors in chest imaging and interpretation. Its main goal is to improve the consistency and accuracy of chest X-ray interpretations, particularly in resource-limited settings with no radiologist onsite.
Letter to the editor : Response to Bridging gaps in chest radiograph diagnosis : the SCIEPR checklist for equitable and sustainable practice in low-resource settings
(Elsevier, 2025-07) Sethole, Khethiwe Margaret; margaret.sethole@up.ac.za
No abstract available.
Intensive parenting of mothers in 11 countries differing in individualism, income inequality, and social mobility
(Elsevier, 2025-11) Lubiewska, Katarzyna; Zeglen, Marta; Lun, Vivian Miu-Chi; Park, Joonha; Runge, Ronja; Muller, Jacomien; Visser, Maretha; Adair, Lora; Borualogo, Ihsana Sabriani; Orta, Irem Metin; Glogowska, Karolina; Abudoush, Ahmad; Cheung, Hang Yi; Baker, Julieta; Russell, Natalie Asamoah; Al-Ja'afreh, Somaya; Sumer, Nebi; Yousef, Raghad; Cetin, Deniz; Taskesen, Nureda; Bostanci, Ezgi; Donnecke, Nadine; Van der Kaap-deeder, Jolene
Although intensive parenting has been found to be mostly detrimental for both children and parents, less is known about the correlates and sources of this type of parenting. This study aimed to examine associations between mother's primary involvement in caregiving and intensive parenting, as well as their potential sources, thereby focusing on: family social status, characteristics of the national economy (income inequality and social mobility) and culture (individualism-collectivism) in 11 culturally diverse countries. Participants were 2535 mothers of children aged between 6 and 10. Mothers reported on their intensive parenting behaviors, entailing both supportive and undermining aspects of meeting their child's needs, as well as their level of involvement in daily caregiving tasks and the subjective family social status. Hypotheses were tested controlling for country level response style. Results revealed that: mothers who were more often the primary caregiver across daily tasks used more intensive parenting behaviors; high social status mothers were using less child need undermining yet more supportive intensive parenting behaviors, and less frequently served as the primary caregiver for daily tasks; the undermining intensive parenting behaviors related positively to country-level individualism and income inequality, whereas relations with social mobility were mixed. HIGHLIGHTS • Supportive and undermining parenting are the two pillars of intensive parenting. • Intensive parenting mothers are likely to be primary involved in daily caregiving tasks. • Intensive parenting was found in lower social status families and individualistic countries with high income inequality.
Preventing diet-related non-communicable diseases : a rights-based approach to improving health outcomes through food and nutrition security
(Routledge, 2025) Omoruyi, Aisosa Jennifer; Knipe, Paula; Durojaye, Ebenezer
In South Africa, while the state has acknowledged the link between the food environment and poor health outcomes, it has done little to regulate and address the underlying determinants, and food and nutrition insecurity remains rife. Moreover, effectively preventing diet-related non-communicable diseases requires states to actively reduce the availability of unhealthy foods and enforce measures to improve access to healthy foods. This calls for several integrated legal, policy and regulatory interventions and investment across the health, food and agricultural systems alike. Therefore, a multisectoral approach is needed to ensure coordinated implementation and monitoring. For these reasons, this article provides an overview of the normative framework guiding state interventions on food and nutrition. It uses a rights-based approach, specifically the rights to health and food, to analyse the food and nutrition policy framework, looking at current priorities, policy coherence and implementation. It explores challenges and opportunities within these frameworks to strengthen diet-related non-communicable disease prevention efforts, aimed at improving health outcomes through food and nutrition security in South Africa.
Regulation and bank lending in South Africa : a narrative index approach
(Wiley, 2025-03) Sibande, Xolani; Nxumalo, Dumakude; Mncube, Keaoleboga; Koch, Steven F.; Viegi, Nicola
The extension of affordable credit is a key component of financial inclusion but it could reduce the stability of the financial sector. Prudential policies, on the other hand, are designed to mitigate financial sector risk. Thus, policies aimed at the extension of credit and prudential regulations may be in opposition. This study estimates and contrasts the impact of these potentially contradictory regulations on the bank lending volumes of South Africa's largest banks. We find that announcements of prudential regulation are associated with an increase in secured lending, while the implementation of prudential regulation is associated with an increase in unsecured lending. Despite tighter implementation of prudential reforms, we observe an increase in unsecured lending that is driven by unsecured lending to corporates. Our results also indicate the contractionary effects of prudential regulation on mortgage lending. Furthermore, the estimated effects of efforts aimed at extending credit to households have no impact on bank lending to households but increase secured lending to corporates. The two regulatory approaches overlap with regard to lending to corporates.
Seasonality, social structure and age predict conspecific aggression in captive breeding southern ground-hornbills (Bucorvus leadbeateri)
(Wiley, 2025-03) Koeppel, Katja Natalie; Lubbe, Nevanya; Donaldson, Ashleigh Claire; Kemp, Lucy Valeska; katja.koeppel@up.ac.za
Southern Ground-hornbills (SGHs) are listed as Vulnerable globally, and Endangered in South Africa, Namibia and Swaziland, due to poisoning, habitat loss and persecution. Successful conservation breeding and rearing of redundant second-hatched chick protocol has been established to supplement natural SGH populations in an attempt mitigate a declining population. However, captive rearing is costly and susceptible to loss of birds through conspecific aggression. Maximising the efficacy of reproductive output in captive settings and ensuring successful reintroductions of captive-reared birds to wild populations is of paramount importance if this species is to persist. Therefore, it is important to untangle the predictors of what drives mortalities in captive birds, particularly, through conspecific aggression. Using a database of captive SGH mortalities collected over 46 years we investigated whether variables such as season, age, relatedness, sex and husbandry predicted the occurrence of conspecific aggression in SGH. Aggression among adult, non-related birds particularly during SGH breeding season (austral spring) was the most predictable form of conspecific aggression. It was inferred that aggression is normally directed at non-related birds outside of already established social groups or at younger, related birds that are not dispersing from groups when reaching sexual maturity. Variables such as season, age, relatedness and husbandry were therefore all useful for predicting the potential and avoidable occurrence of an aggression event. Male birds were most often the aggressors. Making use of such variables to manage birds in a captive setting, move birds before sexual maturity and maintaining birds in known and accepted social structures could greatly improve management in SGH breeding facilities and optimise the efforts for re-establishing natural SGH populations. SUMMARY: Conspecific trauma accounted for approximately 7.80% of all recorded Southern Ground-hornbill (SGH) mortalities. Seasonality significantly influenced aggression, with more attacks in austral spring compared to autumn. Breeding status did not affect aggression frequency; non-breeding individuals were more often involved. Males were not significantly more aggressive than females or pairs, but non-breeding individuals were most aggressive in austral winter and spring. Victim sex or attacker sex did not predict aggression likelihood. Age and sex determined onset of attacks with majority of attacks been adult birds and females (8.8 ± 8.3 years) been attacked earlier then male (9.1 ± 8.9 years). Group size did not significantly influence attack frequency. Moon phase did not affect aggression occurrence.
Safety, pharmacokinetics, and neutralisation activity of PGDM1400LS, a V2 specific HIV-1 broadly neutralising antibody, infused intravenously or subcutaneously in people without HIV-1 in the USA (HVTN 140/HPTN 101 part A) : a first-in-human, phase 1 randomised trial
(Elsevier, 2025-06) Seaton, Kelly E.; Paez, Carmen A.; Yu, Chenchen; Karuna, Shelly T.; Gamble, Theresa; Miner, Maurine D.; Heptinstall, Jack; Zhang, Lu; Gao, Fei; Yacovone, Margaret; Spiegel, Hans; Dumond, Julie B.; Anderson, Maija; Piwowar-Manning, Estelle; Dye, Bonnie; Tindale, India; Proulx-Burns, Lori; Trahey, Meg; Takuva, Simbarashe G.; Takalani, Azwidihwi; Bailey, Veronique C.; Kalams, Spyros A.; Scott, Hyman; Mkhize, Nonhlanhla N.; Weiner, Joshua A.; Ackerman, Margaret E.; McElrath, M. Juliana; Pensiero, Michael; Barouch, Dan H.; Montefiori, David; Tomaras, Georgia D.; Corey, Lawrence; Cohen, Myron S.; Huang, Yunda; Mahomed, Sharana; Siegel, Marc; Kelley, Colleen F.
BACKGROUND : PGDM1400LS is a human monoclonal antibody targeting the HIV envelope V2 apex with a lysine-serine modification intended to enhance serum and tissue half-lives and is being considered for use in combination monoclonal antibody trials. We sought to test whether PGDM1400LS was safe and had favourable serum concentration, pharmacokinetics, and neutralising ability in healthy adults. METHODS : HVTN 140/HPTN 101 part A is an open-label, dose escalation, first-in-human phase 1 trial of PGDM1400LS given intravenously or subcutaneously to healthy adults aged 18–50 years without HIV-1. The study enrolled participants at four sites in the USA, across five groups, each receiving one dose of PGDM1400-LS intravenously (group 1: 5 mg/kg; group 2: 20 mg/kg; and group 4: 40 mg/kg) or subcutaneously (group 3: 20 mg/kg; and group 5: 40 mg/kg). Participants in group 1 were enrolled sequentially without random assignment. Participants in groups 2 and 3 were block randomised and enrolled simultaneously after group 1 safety review. Groups 4 and 5 followed the same process, contingent on groups 2 and 3 safety review. The primary endpoints were safety and tolerability of PGDM1400LS, serum concentration of PGDM1400LS, and serum neutralising activity after single administration of PGDM1400LS. Serum PGDM1400LS concentrations collected at seven timepoints (day 0, day 3, day 6, day 28, day 56, day 112, and day 168) were assessed via an anti-idiotype binding assay and characterised via non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. Serum neutralisation activity (ID80) was assessed by a TZM-bl assay. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05184452. FINDINGS : Between Nov 15, 2021, and March 4, 2022, 15 participants were enrolled into the five study groups (three participants per group) with 6 months of follow-up. Ten of 15 participants were female, 14 of 15 participants were non-Hispanic, and 11 of 15 participants were White, with a median age of 27 years (range 24–47). PGDM1400LS was safe and well tolerated, with mild to moderate solicited symptoms. Serum concentrations showed dose proportionality by administration route, with peak concentrations observed immediately after intravenous infusion (range 95·7–727·4 μg/mL) or on day 6 after subcutaneous infusion (205·6–547·1 μg/mL). The median elimination half-life was 55 days (range 48–59), representing a 2-to-3-times increase versus parental PDGM1400. Estimated subcutaneous (vs intravenous) bioavailability was 50–60%. ID80 titres showed agreement with concentration-predicted ID80 titres, indicating maintenance of neutralisation activity in vivo. INTERPRETATION : PGDM1400LS is a promising candidate for combination monoclonal antibody efficacy trials going forward.
Teaching, learning and assessment of the affective domain of undergraduate students : a scoping review
(Elsevier, 2025-07) Potgieter, Lizelle; Filmalter, Cecilia Jacoba; Maree, Carin; celia.filmalter@up.ac.za
AIM : To describe the literature on the teaching, learning and assessment of the affective domain among undergraduate students across various disciplines. BACKGROUND : Effective education integrates cognitive, psychomotor and affective development. While extensive research has addressed the teaching, learning and assessment of cognitive and psychomotor domains, considerably less attention has been given to the affective domain. The affective domain, encompassing values, ethics and emotional competencies, is essential for professional readiness yet remains a challenge in nursing education. DESIGN : A scoping review was conducted. METHODS : A comprehensive search was conducted following the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines and was registered on OSF registries. RESULTS : Twenty articles met the inclusion criteria, representing studies across 13 countries in America, Asia and Europe. No scoping review has mapped teaching and assessment of affective skills in undergraduate nursing programmes. The findings emphasized teaching and learning strategies within the affective domain but revealed a significant gap in assessment methods, particularly in nursing education. CONCLUSIONS : Despite the recognized importance of the affective domain, existing literature predominantly addresses teaching and learning, with limited emphasis on systematic assessment strategies.
Indigenous ethno-nutraceutical plants : potential game-changers for the dual management of ruminant helminths and undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa
(Elsevier, 2025-07) Mapiye, Cletos; Semwogerere, Farouk; Mahachi, Leo Nyikadzino; Mwale, Marizvikuru; Marufu, Munyaradzi Christopher
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGOCAL RELEVANCE : Ruminant productivity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains low largely due to helminth infections coupled with undernutrition. To jointly boost ruminant health and nutritional status, rural farmers in SSA often resort to indigenous ethno-nutraceutical plants (iENPs), which form part of folkloric practices perceived to be more accessible, affordable and effective compared with chemotherapy which is challenged by helminth resistance. However, these perceived advantages are largely unsubstantiated. AIM OF THE STUDY : The current review aimed to 1) identify iENPs used as ruminant anthelminthic and undernutrition remedies in SSA, 2) document their bio-efficiency, mode of action, safety, and optimal application conditions and 3) highlight priority areas for further research. MATERIALS AND METHODS : A PRISMA approach-based search of literature from the past three decades was performed in several electronic academic research databases and accredited scholarly repositories. RESULTS : The review identified 15 iENPs from 88 scientific articles. The Vachellia and Vernonia species possessing polyphenols, saponins and essential oils as the dominant phytochemicals demonstrated the highest anthelminthic and nutritional potency. However, for most iENPs, nutrients and phytochemicals have not been fully profiled, optimal conditions of application are not yet ascertained, bio-efficiency is highly variable, mode of action remains unclear, and safety limits are unknown. CONCLUSION : To exploit the full potential of SSA's iENPs as anthelminthic and undernutrition remedies for ruminants, the review advocates for a holistic, transdisciplinary regional approach focusing on identifying key phytochemicals in indigenous plants, validating their bio-efficacy and mechanisms of action, determining safety limits, and optimizing application conditions using least-cost technologies.
Trialogue in raising good news agents : a case study from InnerCHANGE South Africa
(AOSIS, 2025-05) Kabongo, Kasebwe Timothee Luc
This article is a case study. It reflects on InnerCHANGE South Africa’s (ICSA) efforts to develop missionaries emerging from African neighbourhoods of poverty. ICSA calls those missionaries, good news agents. This reflection considers the concept of trialogue - a discerning interaction between church, culture and biblical narrative- to reflect on the ICSA leadership development approach. In the world of mission, people may be satisfied with nurturing leaders to know and live by biblical principles for personal wellbeing. ICSA challenges itself to pursue a missional model of leadership development that seeks to make a tangible impact in a local community. This is a work in process that this article seeks to reflect on. This reflection is guided by the following question: what is the trialogue that informs the ICSA model of leadership development? This article has discovered that the creation of spaces where people can learn to serve and lead would be a good way to incubate good news agents. It also discovered that tapping into the age group of children, teenagers and youth could raise leadership capacity in local communities of poverty. It also discovered that intentional discipleship that seeks to reverse an ingrained victim mentality found in communities of poverty into an agency to build from the inside out could be an asset to communities of poverty. It finally discovered that building communities of practices to sustain emerging and existing good news agents could sustain the ICSA efforts. INTRADISCIPLINARY AND/OR INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : This is a missiological research that interacts with community development literature to reflect on a missional team efforts in the leadership development to the lowest level.
Butorphanol–azaperone–medetomidine and ketamine–butorphanol–azaperone–medetomidine chemical immobilization in habituated subadult female giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)
(Elsevier, 2025-07) Pfitzer, Silke; Laubscher, Liesel L.; Raath, Jacobus P.; Semjonov, Aleksandr; Basson, Etienne P.; Wolfe, Lisa L.; Miller, Michael W.; Zeiler, Gareth Edward
Please read abstract in the article.
Two point-of-care cardiac Troponin I immunoassays have acceptable analytical performance for the detection of measurands of cardiac Troponin I cardiac muscle homogenates from southern-central black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis minor) and southern white Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum)
(Wiley, 2025) Rautenbach, Yolandi; Meyer, Leith Carl Rodney; Goddard, Amelia; Buss, Peter Erik; Hooijberg, Emma Henriette
BACKGROUND : Skeletal and possible cardiac muscle damage has been reported in chemically immobilized and transported African rhinoceros during conservation-related activities. The extent of cardiac muscle injury in these rhinoceros is unknown due to a lack of validated cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assays. However, recently, five human cTnI assays were deemed suitable for analytical validation in African rhinoceros based on cTnI sequencing results. OBJECTIVES : The first objective was to validate two cTnI immunoassay point-of-care analyzers (POCAs) in African rhinoceros and, secondly, to perform quality control (QC) validation for the POCAs. METHODS : Analytical validation of the Stratus CS Acute Care Troponin I cTnI immunoassay and Atellica VTLi high sensitivity cTnI (hs-cTnI) assay was performed using rhinoceros serum samples and species-specific cardiac muscle homogenate. Experiments included precision studies, reportable range, hemoglobin interference studies, recovery studies, and detection limit studies, with results assessed against prescribed total allowable error (TEa) performance goals. Commercial quality control material (QCM) data were used to calculate bias and imprecision for QC validation. RESULTS : Imprecision was acceptable (1.9%-10.3%) and met low cTnI concentration performance goals. Reportable ranges were similar to the manufacturer's specifications. High hemoglobin concentrations in white rhinoceros resulted in a positive bias in the Stratus CS. A simple 13s QC rule using two levels of QCM and a TEa of 70% could be used in both analyzers, except at very low cTnI concentrations in the Atellica VTLi. CONCLUSIONS : Both cTnI POCAs are suitable for use in African rhinoceros, and analytical performance goals for low cTnI concentrations in hs-cTnI assays were met.
The role of smallholder pig farmers in the biosecurity of pig diseases in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
(Wiley, 2025-05) Simbizi, Vincent; Moerane, Rebone; Gummow, Bruce
Biosecurity forms an important component of preventing disease transmission. However, data on the demographics and practices of smallholder pig farmers in Southern Africa are scant, and little is published on the biosecurity related to these farms. A questionnaire survey was, therefore, carried out in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa to describe the demographics and practices of smallholder pig farmers and to understand their role in the biosecurity and prevention of pig diseases. Females represented 52% of pig farmers and reflect the cultural importance of pig farming in Xhosa culture. All the farmers who were interviewed had poor biosecurity measures on their farms. A low level of education, lack of training and reliance on remedies to treat and prevent pig diseases were key findings for the majority of farmers. Farmers had a poor knowledge of correct antibiotic use, which could contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Smallholder farms were found to frequently involve free-ranging pigs, swill feeding and informal trading, practices known to contribute to the spread of communicable pig diseases such as foot and mouth disease and African swine fever. Smallholder pig farms are, therefore, a potential risk for disease incursion and spread of communicable diseases within a region. Cost-effective biosecurity measures and marketing opportunities will help to prevent pig diseases, while a continuing education programme will modernise the rural pig industry and reduce the impact of AMR.
Revisiting the early Christians on blessedness : in conversation with Willem S. Vorster’s work on the makarisms
(AOSIS, 2025-05) De Wet, Chris Len; chris.dewet@up.ac.za
In this article, I aim to revisit and extend the work of Willem Vorster on blessedness in early Christianity, particularly his analysis of the makarisms in Matthew and Luke. Vorster’s insightful examination of Stoic and early Christian views on blessedness offers a framework for understanding the wisdom and apocalyptic themes within these beatitudes. His focus on the wisdom-oriented, ethical focus in Matthew and the apocalyptic, eschatological view in Luke provides a dual lens through which to view early Christian thought on happiness and virtue. While Vorster’s analysis is primarily concerned with 1st-century Christian thought, this article extends his framework into the 4th-century, exploring how early Christian thinkers further developed and adapted the makarisms. The reception of these teachings shifted, incorporating more structured and mystical interpretations influenced by the ascetic and monastic movements. INTRADISCIPLINARY AND/OR INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : This article argues that early Christian readings of the makarisms balanced practical wisdom and mystical insight, embracing their potential for multiple meanings – moral, mystical and eschatological. It concludes by examining how Vorster’s approach remains relevant for understanding both early Christian theology and social ethics, emphasising its applicability for contemporary interpretations of Christian moral thought and community life.
Resonant preaching, sounding theosis : an exploration of liturgical homiletics
(AOSIS, 2025-05) De Bruin, Dieter; dieter.debruin@up.ac.za
Hartmut Rosa invites us to dream of resonant relations of all to the world. This paper will endeavour to envision what resonant relations would mean in the theological register of deification: God and the whole cosmos resonating with one another. If we allow ourselves to hear that vision for the whole of creation, could the humble soundings of liturgical preaching contribute to the vibrations of the world resonating within the rhythm of liturgical time, sacred place, sacramental presence, and holy people? On a very practical level, this article argues that for sermons to contribute to resonant relations being realised in the cosmos – for the whole cosmos to be divinised, sermons could be crafted for resonance. Within the pattern of the liturgy, as conceptualised by Lathrop and the scope of the liturgy delineated by Fagerberg, we will map out a tentative matrix for the mystery of meaningful resonance to reverberate in our homiletical craft. INTRADISCIPLINARY AND/OR INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : This research facilitates conversation between a leading theory in the field of sociology and homiletics within the register of liturgical theology.
On missional leadership : a critical engagement with Nelus Niemandt
(AOSIS, 2025-05) Veldsman, Daniel Petrus; danie.veldsman@up.ac.za
In my engagement with Nelus Niemandt, I will primarily focus on his most recent and major book Missional Leadership in which he seeks to develop an appropriate leadership model for missional churches. The core of his academically influential viewpoint on missiological leadership within the South African context will be briefly shared at first, followed by a discussion of only one specific aspect of his model for missiological leadership, namely the contours of the anthropological model that he works with or implicitly presumes with regard to theological reflection. Given the insights from contemporary philosophy of science and theology-science discourses, I will focus on and highlight the unavoidable danger of the total isolation of his theological reflection on missional leadership. Furthermore, it makes critical and meaningful dialogue with non-theological sciences impossible through the immunisation of theological reflection. And with regard to anthropology, one specific anthropological evolutionary implication (affectivity) will be presented lastly in a brief discussion of embodied personhood, coupled with the most important features that are already enriching and broadening in Nelus’ viewpoint on missiological leadership. INTRADISCIPLINARY AND/OR INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : The article represents a critical engagement with the proposed model for missional leadership in the field of missiology from contemporary discourses on evolutionary epistemology (philosophy of science), science-theology on human distinctiveness and embodied personhood as well as from systematic theology.
Missional leadership from an ethos of vulnerability and love
(AOSIS, 2025-05) Kok, Jacobus (Kobus)
This Festschrift article is dedicated to Professor Nelus Niemandt. The primary objective is to critically reflect, from the perspective of appreciative inquiry, on Niemandt’s work on missional leadership and how his view of mission and theology of place could be brought into dialogue with vulnerability. This is performed by analytical reflection on the critical correlation of past and present experiences, and a critical discussion of Gijsbert Dingemans, Edward Schillebeeckx and Paul Tillich and the implied method used by Niemandt. Thereafter, a continental philosophical discussion on history, narrative and metaphor is conducted via Udo Schnelle’s Theology of the New Testament and Niemandt’s own focus on the role narrative and metaphors play to reimagine a restorative theology of place and mission. Finally, we engage with the latest insights by Kritzinger on mission is/as/through/with/in vulnerability, which reflects the latest shifts in missional theology is the direction of vulnerability. INTRADISCIPLINARY AND/OR INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : This article engages the latest discourses in missional leadership and vulnerability with insights from New Testament Theological methodological considerations to show that vulnerability belongs to the central message of the Gospel and that it challenges hegemony and oppressive structures by providing hope and power amid vulnerability. In the near future, as Kritzinger argues, ‘mission is/as/through/with/in vulnerability promises new ways of reflecting on missional leadership and its ontological (the “is”), epistemological (the “as”), praxeological (the “through”), encounterology (the “with”) and axiology (the “in”)’ dimensions.
UP maak deurbraak met beesaborsie-diagnose
(Plaas Publishing, 2025-03) Marais, Susan; melvyn.quan@up.ac.za
Navorsers aan die Universiteit van Pretoria (UP) is positief dat hulle 'n deurbraak gemaak het om een van die beeswêreld se grootste probleme te help oplos, naamlik die redes waarom koeie aborteer.
Swift heavy ion irradiation of polycrystalline SiC pre-implanted with silver ions at room temperature : effects of swift heavy ion fluence
(Elsevier, 2025-08) Abdalla, Zaki Adam Yousif; Chauke, Rivoningo E.; Skuratov, Vladimir Alexeevich; Hlatshwayo, Thulani Thokozani; zaki.abdalla@tuks.co.za
Please read abstract in the article.

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