Academic literature on the topic 'Mankweng community'

Background:The pandemic of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the most severe health challenge affecting children across the world. It is estimated that more than 90% of all HIV infections in children result from Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT). Poor knowledge and awareness of MTCT and Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) among HIV positive mothers and their babies is a major setback to the success of the PMTCT programmes.Methods:A qualitative approach and a cross-sectional design were applied in this study. The sample size of the study was 26 participants. Purposive sampling was used to select HIV infected mothers enrolled for PMTCT follow-up services and health care providers responsible for the implementation of the PMTCT programmes. In-depth interviews were conducted with fifteen HIV infected mothers at two health facilities. Two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted with eleven health workers at the two health facilities. Focus groups comprised of six participants from Mankweng Clinic and five participants from Mankweng Gateway Clinic.Results:The findings from the study reveal that the majority of the respondents were aware of MTCT, but lacked knowledge and understanding about how a mother can transmit HIV to her child during pregnancy, labour and breastfeeding. The majority of the participants did not understand the risk of MTCT after birth and failed to mention breastfeeding as a mode of transmission. However, most of the participants were aware that MTCT can be prevented. The respondents were aware of the importance of treatment adherence as a prevention measure to avoid MTCT.Conclusion:Based on these findings, a number of recommendations were made. The first is that educational and awareness programmes need to be developed or strengthened on health risks. Mass campaign media should provide information on the importance of PMTCT activities through the use of community radio stations, Television, newsletters, bill boards etc. People need to know more about PMTCT activities, health personnel need continuous training to provide clear information on PMTCT activities.

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is recommended as the best practice which results in normal growth and development of the healthy infants.  In cases where the mother is unable to provide adequate breastmilk due to unavoidable circumstances, pasteurised donated breastmilk from the bank should be considered for hospitalized or preterm babies. OBJECTIVES: To explore and describe women’s knowledge and attitudes related to established breastmilk bank in Mankweng area. METHODS: An explorative descriptive contextual qualitative research was conducted. Data was collected using semi-structured, one-on-one interviews at the rural hospital and a rural clinic in Limpopo province. Purposive sampling method was used to select participants of this study. Adherence to criteria for trustworthiness was aimed at ensuring that the findings become credible, transferable, confirmable and dependable. Ethical standards were adhered to in order to protect identity, dignity, rights and welfare of the study participants. Data was analysed using Tesch’s open coding method. FINDINGS: Women at the hospital have knowledge related to breastmilk bank whilst the ones at the clinic have insufficient knowledge about breastmilk bank. The participants have shown positive attitudes towards donating breastmilk to the bank, whilst on the other hand negative attitudes towards receiving donated breastmilk from the bank were identified due to fears of contracting infections mainly HIV. CONCLUSION: Women at the clinic, have insufficient knowledge and negative attitudes towards the established breastmilk bank. However, they were more willing to donate rather than to accept donated human milk from the bank. On the other hand, women at the hospital are knowledgeable about the breastmilk bank and they revealed positive attitudes towards the established breastmilk bank. It is recommended that the established breastmilk bank should be well promoted and well publicised to the community members in order to utilise the bank effectively and efficiently.

This study determined the perceived efficacy of various health care providers for the last illness episode patients had suffered. 104 African/Black participants (50 male and 54 female), chosen by quota sampling from the general public (urban population of Mankweng), Northern Province, were interviewed. The research design was a one-shot case study. Medical treatment (68%) was the major choice of treatment for minor, major and chronic medical condition as well as psychological/ mental disorders. The second most important treatment choice was the herbalist (19%) for minor and chronic conditions as well as traditional illness, followed by the diviner (9%) prophet or faith healer (4%) and psychologist (2%). Combined traditional or faith healing was utilized by 32% of the sample and combined western treatment by 68%. Regarding the self-rated treatment efficacy for the last illness episode western treatment was generally perceived as more effective than traditional or faith healing. However, traditional or faith healing was considered almost as long lasting as western therapy.

Background: Pharmacist participation in ward rounds is of increasing interest for better pharmaceutical care, yet most pharmacists do not engage in this activity.Objective: The objective was to obtain public sector pharmacists’ views and perceptions on their involvement in ward rounds.Method: A rapid assessment was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire sent to five hospitals in Limpopo Province.Results: There were 55 respondents (61.8% female), mainly from the Polokwane-Mankweng Hospital Complex (69.1%); 45 (82%) were young pharmacists aged 25 to 34, whilst experience varied from 0 ≤ 5 years (69.1%), 5 ≤ 10 years (16.4%) to > 10 years (14.5%). The respondents included interns (n = 21), community service pharmacists (n = 7) and junior pharmacists (n = 8). Most had trained at University of Limpopo (n = 49), with a few from North-West University (n = 4), Wits (n = 1) and Durban–Westville (n = 1). The majority (94.5%) felt that it was necessary for pharmacists to be involved in ward rounds. Twenty-seven respondents (49.1%) said that pharmacists were involved in ward rounds and 21 of these (77.8%) said ward visits were to check on drug stocks, but not for direct patient care. Proposals to prepare pharmacists better for ward rounds included pre-service training (34.9%), internship (37.2%), community service (4.7%), post-graduate courses (8.1%) and continuing professional development (15.1%).Conclusion: Pharmacists in the public hospitals studied in Limpopo were willing to be involved in clinical ward rounds and suggested that this be introduced during undergraduate training. These findings support the plans for the Turfloop BPharm programme to introduce clinical ward rounds. Agtergrond: Die teenwoordigheid van aptekers tydens saalrondtes is van toenemende belang vir beter farmaseutiese sorg, maar baie aptekers is nie betrokke by by hierdie aktiwiteit nie.Doelstelling: Die doel van die studie was om die menings en persepsies van aptekers in die openbare sektor te verkry oor hulle betrokkenheid by saalrondtes.Metode: ’n Vinnige assessering was gedoen met behulp van ’n semi-gestruktureerde vraelys wat na vyf hospitale in Limpopo gestuur is.Resultate: Daar het 55 respondente aan die studie deelgeneem (61.8% vroue). Die meerderheid was van die Polokwane-Mankweng hospitaalkompleks (69.1%). Daar was 45 (82%) jong aptekers tussen die ouderdomme van 25 en 34, terwyl ervaring gewissel het van 0 tot 5 jaar (69.1%), 6 tot 10 jaar (16.4%), tot 10 jaar of meer (14.5%). Die respondente het die volgende ingesluit: interns (n = 21), gemeenskapsdiensaptekers (n = 7) en junior aptekers (n = 8). Die meeste het hul tersiêre opleiding aan die Universiteit van Limpopo verkry (n = 49), met ’n paar van die Noord-Wes Universiteit (n= 4), Wits (n = 1) en Durban-Westville (n = 1). Die meerderheid (94.5%) het gevoel dat dit wel nodig is vir aptekers om in saalrondtes betrokke te wees. ’n Totaal van 27 respondente (49.1%) het aangedui dat aptekers betrokke is by saalrondtes, maar 21 uit die 27 (77.8%) het saalbesoek omskryf as die nagaan van saalvoorraad en nie direkte pasiëntesorg nie. Voorstelle om aptekers beter voor te berei vir saalrondtes het die volgende ingesluit: pre-diens opleiding (34.9%), internskap (37.2%), gemeenskapsdiens (4.7%), nagraadse kursusse (8.1%), en deur middel van voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling (15.1%).Gevolgtrekkings: Aptekers in die openbare hospitale bestudeer in Limpopo was bereid om in die kliniese saalrondtes betrokke te wees en het voorgestel dat dit tydens voorgraadse opleiding ingestel word. Hierdie bevindings ondersteun die planne vir die Turfloop BPharm program om kliniese saalrondtes in te stel.

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology)) --University of Limpopo, 2012
The aim of the study was to explore the notions of childhood mental illness by Sepedi-speaking elderly people in the Mankweng community of Limpopo Province (South Africa). Using the phenomenological method, the researcher sought to understand these elderly people’s notions with a view to: i) describing their conceptualizations of childhood mental illness; ii) determining their notions of the types and causes of mental illness; and iii) describing their views regarding the management of childhood mental illnesses. A total of 8 participants who were selected through snowball sampling were interviewed using unstructured interviews. The results of this study suggest that; i) childhood mental illness is better understood if described than defined, ii) childhood mental illness is manifested through behavioural and physical features, iii) there are many causal factors attributed to childhood mental illness, and iv) both Western and African traditional methods are recognized in the treatment of childhood mental illness in this rural community. The results are discussed in the context of the psychological literature on multicultural counseling and psychotherapy.

Providing adequate sanitation facilities for the poor remains one of the major challenges in all developing countries. In South Africa, an estimated 11,7% of the schools are without sanitation. The South African government has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that all South Africans have access to adequate sanitation. When sanitation systems fail, or are inadequate, the impact of the health of the community, on the health of others and the negative impact on the environment can be extremely serious. In rural South African schools, many Enviro-Ioo toilets are available today. They are designed to suit a variety of water scarce areas and where there is a high risk of contamination of ground water resources. It is important to realize that any Enviro-Ioo system programme requires an education programme to ensure that the principles of use and maintenance are clearly understood by the user group. Their maintenance requires more responsibility and commitment by users. This study is an interpretive case study that indicates how sanitation in a rural Ramashobohle High School in Polokwane municipality was managed through an EcoSchools Sanitation Community of Practice, and how this developed action competence for sanitation management in the school. The study established that the earlier practice and knowledge of the Ramashobohle Eco-Schools community of practice exercised in maintaining Enviro-Ioo systems was inadequate; unhealthy and unsafe according to the data generated through focus group interviews, observations, interviews, action plan, workshops and reflection interviews. The data generated also indicates that the Eco-Schools community of practice was not committed to maintaining sanitation in their school because they were not sharing sanitation knowledge; they were not communicating and not updating one another concerning Enviro-Ioo systems maintenance as they had no adequate knowledge as to how to maintain the facilities; and the school management was also not supportive and was not taking responsibility. The study shows how this situation was turned around as an Eco-Schools Sanitation Community of Practice focussed on developing action competence in the school community. It provides a case based example of how knowledge and action competence, supported by an Eco-Schools Community of Practice, can find and implement solutions to inadequate sanitation management practices in rural schools, and shows how members of the school community can be engaged in learning how to manage and maintain school sanitation systems through a participatory process that develops action competence. The study points to important dimensions of developing action competence, such as providing knowledge and demonstrations, inviting experts to the school, involving learners in observations and monitoring and in ensuring that adequate facilities are available. In particular, a workshop conducted by Enviro-Ioo consultants, organised and supported by the Eco-Schools Sanitation COP, together with a follow up action plan, provided the main impetus for changes in practice in the school and served to support action competence development. Finally the study provides research findings and recommendations for further research.

Thesis (M.DEV.) --University of Limpopo, 2011
The aim of this study is to assess the impact of immigrants on the development of Mankweng community. The units of analysis are the immigrants in Mankweng township and the residents who are affected by the presence of the immigrants. This was a qualitative case study. The researcher used purposive sampling method to select the participants. Two interview guides were used; one for immigrants (guide A) and the other for the residents (guide B). In-depth interviews were conducted with the respondents. The findings revealed that immigrants left their home countries because of factors such as poor economic conditions and political violence. There is evidence to suggest that good governance and a favorable political climate has made South Africa a high ranking receiving country. According to this study, immigrants are blamed for unemployment and crime in Mankweng township. However, the study also shows that immigrants do not wait for jobs to be created for them. They are self employed and hard-working. Immigrants who own businesses hire local residents. The study further suggests that xenophobic attacks on immigrants can be reduced by educating the residents about the creation of jobs. Recommendations from the study include the formulation of more policies that will regulate migration. Evidently existing policies have loopholes as the immigrants find it easy to get into the country. The study also suggests that there is a dire need for the government to fund the acquisition of rare and critical skills such as in the sciences like computer technicians. The study also recommends that the youth must be encouraged to start their own businesses. Co-development systems with the sending countries must be put in place to attract the most skilled immigrants to come. As such, incentives such as housing allowance or immigrants’ allowance should be given to those who are contributing to the economic development to stay longer. Partnership programs must be formed with sending countries to discourage future immigration movements of unskilled immigrants. Lastly, the study recommends that law enforcement at the border gates must be strict, so that illegal immigrants do not enter the country.

Thesis (M.A.(Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2012
The aim of the study was to explore the notions of childhood mental illness by Sepedi-speaking elderly people in the Mankweng community of Limpopo Province (South Africa). Using the phenomenological method, the researcher sought to understand these elderly people’s notions with a view to: i) describing their conceptualizations of childhood mental illness; ii) determining their notions of the types and causes of mental illness; and iii) describing their views regarding the management of childhood mental illnesses. A total of 8 participants who were selected through snowball sampling were interviewed using unstructured interviews. The results of this study suggest that; i) childhood mental illness is better understood if described than defined, ii) childhood mental illness is manifested through behavioural and physical features, iii) there are many causal factors attributed to childhood mental illness, and iv) both Western and African traditional methods are recognized in the treatment of childhood mental illness in this rural community. The results are discussed in the context of the psychological literature on multicultural counseling and psychotherapy.
Department of Health and Social Development

Thesis (M.Sc. (Agricultural Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020
The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Information Communication Technology tools in facilitating development within Community-Based Farming Projects (CBFPs) served by Mankweng Service Centre (MSC). The objectives of the study were to identify various ICT tools through which farmers get agricultural information, to determine the types of ICT-based agricultural information preferred by farmers in Mankweng, to examine the factors influencing use of ICTs by farmers in Mankweng and also to identify the challenges encountered by Mankweng farmers in their use of ICT. The study was cross-sectional in design and included 102 farmers from the Community-Based Farming Projects in Mankweng Service Centre as participants. Participants were selected using multi-stage sampling of combined cluster and systematic random sampling. Quantitative data was collected from participants using a structured questionnaire under the supervision of the researcher. Descriptive and inferential methods of analysis were employed. Data was summarised using frequency distribution of variables followed by measures of central tendency, measures of variance, and relationship of variables. Summary of findings was presented in the form of tables, figures and frequencies. Univariate regression model was used to analyse factors influencing use of ICT amongst farmers. The findings of the study show that majority (64%) of the farmers were women and (36%) of the farmers were men. Majority of the farmers (56%) were less than 50 years of age with 79% of the farmers having no tertiary education. The results of this study also revealed that the demographics of the participants were not the critical determinant factors in ICT usage (p>0.2) amongst farmers. The level of education farmers acquired was rather a very important predictor of the utilization of the ICT tools available to the farmers. The study revealed cell phones to be the most commonly used ICT device followed by Radio and TV. The study revealed that the affordability of ICT devices is the main challenge which ultimately limits access. Based on these findings, the study recommends that the Limpopo Department of Agriculture (LDoA) should make a provision of informal education sessions for farmers on the use of ICT devices, and ICT infrastructure and smart phones. In addition, the study recommends advocacy for more agricultural programmes through affordable platforms like TV and community radio stations media. Keywords: ICT tools, Education, CBFPs, MSC, LDA, Farmers

Thesis (M.ED (Continuing care and Training)) --University of Limpopo, 2010.
This report describes the research conducted at Phuthanang Home Based Care in Mankweng Township in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Mankweng constitute a mixture of both formal and informal settlements, both urban and rural settlements and is situated about 32 km to the east of Polokwane which is the provincial capital for Limpopo. The aim of the research was to investigate the challenges faced by Phuthanang Home Based Care (HBC) in providing care and training in Mankweng Township. Having established the challenges faced by Phuthanang Home Based Care the researcher intended to recommend possible solutions to these problems. In an attempt to meet the above mentioned aims; the following research questions were formulated: Main question: • What are the challenges faced by Phuthanang Home Based Care in providing care and training? The following sub questions were asked derived from the main question above: • What are the aims and objectives of Phuthanang Home Based Care? • What are the existing services and training programmes offered by caregivers at Phuthanang Home Based Care? • What are the experiences of caregivers in relation to training for Home Based Care? • What is the level of community participation in Phuthanang Home Based Care activities? Chapter two outlines the theoretical framework based on relevant literature on the subject under study. I also formulated assumptions about the challenges that could be facing home based care programmes; these include issues such as lack of funds, inadequate training and stigmatisation among others. In this chapter key concepts were defined and operationalised to suit this research and to avoid ambiguity in interpretation. Chapter three outlines the research methodology. It clearly explains the research design used, data collection and data analysis. This study was purely qualitative and took the form of a single case study design. This enabled a detailed and intensive study of the case as it exists in its natural setting. Data was collected according to two streams which are fieldwork and document analysis. In fieldwork the researcher used multiple data collection techniques which include open ended interviews with the Project Coordinator, Administrator and Caregivers. The other technique used was observations. A focus group interview with the Coordinator, Administrator and four caregivers was also employed during fieldwork. A data matrix was used in the analysis of data. Chapter four constitutes the presentation and analysis of findings of the study. In this chapter; I describe the setting of the organisation in terms of location, historical background as well as its aims and services rendered. It outlines the challenges encountered by Phuthanang Home Based Care in providing care and training based on the results from document analysis, interviews, observations and focus group interview with the Caregivers’, the Administrator and the Coordinator of Phuthanang Home Based Care. The findings will suggest recommendations that will help bolster the state of care giving, training, and improve the way care is rendered to people living with HIV/AIDS and other terminal illness. Chapter five presents my conclusions by outlining the challenges faced by Phuthanang Home Based Care in providing care and training. This chapter also presents recommendations that might contribute towards finding solutions to the problems faced by Phuthanang Home Based Care. After the recommendations I presented a section on reflections of the research process. In conclusion to this chapter I recommend further research on the challenges faced by home based care organisations which have an element of training in poor communities such as townships, informal settlements and rural areas.

Contemporary policing in South Africa is similarly beset by some glaring fault lines that are branded by high levels of criminality, power abuses and misconduct within the police ranks. Though it is difficult to quantify how the related issues are perceived by the majority of South Africans, this widespread challenge effectively diminishes the police’s moral right to hold power within communities. Furthermore, the Constitution of the Republic of South African Act (No. 108 of 1996) places the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the frontline against crime and obliges it to protect and secure the inhabitant of the republic and their property, this reads in accordance with Section 205(3) of this Act. However, this will be effective only if the SAPS management consists of employees who are trained professionals with appropriate proficiency and whose integrity is beyond approach. In the light of growing concern about ethics and morality in South Africa, this study present that it is important to gain a better understanding of the natural progression of moral reasoning that comes with maturity. This can be accomplished by evaluating the South African Police Service’s moral right to hold power in the Mankweng area as this study attempt. This qualitative study adopted phenomenography research design to purposively explore perceptions of 20 community members and 5 SAPS management in the Mankweng area. Data was collected using the face-to-face semi-structured phenomenological interview and the data was analysed and interpreted, with the adoption of Textual Analysis (TA). This study establishes that there is no moral alertness of using outreach, educational skills and awareness campaigns by the local SAPS in collaborations with community members and there is a decrease in the resilience of criminal victimisation within the community; coupled with lack of strength regarding the relationship amongst safety and security stakeholders and lack of information sharing about crime fighting initiatives within the community and the police. For the conclusion and recommendations: police actions and an increase of unappealing practices has raised a number of safety concerns among South African citizens, neighbouring countries and perhaps international community observers as well and it is recommended that collaboratively working on these findings can enhance policing in the communal level.
Criminology and Security Science
M.A. (Police Science)