scholarly journals Exploring Cultural Issues for Constellation Work in South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-306
Author(s):  
Claude-Hélène Mayer ◽  
Rian Viviers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Constellation Work

scholarly journals CULTURAL IDENTITY, TRADITION, AND THE RITUAL KILLING OF BULLS – A NOTE ON A RECENT DECISION OF THE FRENCH CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL ON THE LEGALITY OF BULLFIGHTING

Obiter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Peté ◽  
Angela Crocker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Animal Rights ◽  
The Other ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Public Controversy ◽  
Legal Challenge ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
The Republic

In a recent two-part article in this journal, the authors of this note analysed the controversy surrounding the ritual bull-killing which takes place during the Ukweshwama “first fruits” ceremony held each year in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. While much of the Ukweshwama ceremony is uncontroversial, the ritual killing of a bull by young Zulu warriors with their bare hands attracted strong opposition from certain animal-rights groups, which resulted in legal action and public controversy. The authors attempted to disentangle the different legal, historical, political and philosophical strands which combined to make up a complex story about the place of ancient rituals in the modern world, particularly those involving animal sacrifice. They also attempted to situate the controversy around the Ukweshwama bull-killing ritual within a contemporary global context, by comparing and contrasting the Zulu bull-killing ceremony on the one hand, and Spanish bullfighting on the other. The purpose of the present note is to report on recent developments in what is a global debate on the place of ancient rituals which involve the ritual killing of animals, within modern constitutional democracies. In particular, this note will examine and discuss the outcome of a recent legal challenge brought before the Constitutional Council of the Republic of France by certain animal-welfare groups in that country. The challenge was directed at bringing an end to a legal exception which operates in certain parts of the country – that is, those with an uninterrupted local tradition of bullfighting – excluding bullfighting from the provisions of animal-welfare legislation. The legal, political and cultural issues which arise as a result of this legal challenge are of relevance to those in South Africa who are concerned, one way or the other, about the future of the annual Ukweshwama bull-killing ritual in KwaZulu-Natal. Like it or not, although the bull-killing rituals which take place in the South of France and in KwaZulu-Natal South Africa are very different, the similarities between the rituals and their impact on broader society (legally, politically and culturally), are such that they cannot be ignored. The authors make a similar point in relation to the links between Spanish bullfighting and the Ukweshwama bull-killing ritual.

scholarly journals Livestock production and marketing for small emerging farmers in South Africa and Kenya: comparative lessons

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-161
Author(s):  
C.N. Mbatha
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Market Access ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Rural Farmers ◽  
Cattle Farming

Poor production methods and limited market access are some of the challenges that prevent small African farmers from developing. In cattle farming, poor grazing practices and a lack of vaccination produce poor quality animals. Limited information, poor infrastructure, cultural issues and other factors, lead to low participation levels of these farmers in livestock markets. This study explored the prevalence of these challenges in two geographical locations of two African countries (South Africa and Kenya) with the intention to identify possible cross lessons for developing small rural farmers. Ethnographic and case study methods were used to collect and analyse data in two provinces (one in each country) where cattle farming by small rural farmers is predominant. From the two countries, three cases of distinguishable cattle production and marketing challenges were identified. Firstly, rural South African (SA) small farmers are generally faced with high production and marketing challenges, which prevent them from developing into successful commercial farmers. Secondly, Kenyan small rural farmers face similar production challenges as those faced by their SA counterparts, but perform better at marketing their animals, although they still face a lot of structural marketing issues, with brokers controlling the market to the disadvantage of farmers. Thirdly, the study identified a case of rural Black SA farmers who are being assisted through a research project in the Eastern Cape Province that embraces a more holistic environmental approach to rural development to overcome most production and marketing challenges. Given the successes of the holistic view, this study concludes that the environmental approach presents the best case lessons for replication across SA in developing small African farmers. It is argued that the replication of lessons across SA would require central coordination by a government agency. The national agricultural extension office (one of whose mandates is to work directly with farmers for their development) would be most appropriate for this coordination role.    

Options and Directions for Psychology within a Framework for Mental Health Services in South Africa

1993 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 64-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Kriegler
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Structural Problems

Structural problems in mental health services conjoined with attitudinal barriers are the cause of inadequate mental health care in South Africa. However, the major reason for the failure of psychology to address the needs of the majority lies in training deficiencies. In spite of the potential cost benefits of psychotherapy and prevention by way of counselling and educative interventions, psychologists are not perceived or employed as primary members of mental health teams. In schools they are rapidly losing ground. The profession is disempowered to position itself strategically to become a significant roleplayer in the ‘new’ South Africa. Affirmative action for psychology is needed. Ways in which the state may help are suggested, including the creation of more posts and training opportunities in health care settings, as well as use of the school as a locus for health and mental health care delivery. The author concludes with a call to the profession to get its own house in order by way of self-regenerating actions in the areas of training, addressing political and cross-cultural issues, and service delivery.

scholarly journals Negotiating Requests for Reimbursement for Community Engagement: Challenges in Developing an Educational Video for Genomic Biobanking Research in South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 501-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ciara Staunton ◽  
Akin Abayomi ◽  
Fatima Bassa ◽  
Keymanthri Moodley
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
International Health ◽  
Genomic Research ◽  
Educational Video ◽  
Educational Tool ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Community Stakeholders ◽  
Do So

Genomic research and the biobanking capacity it requires are experiencing considerable growth on the continent of Africa. However genomic research and biobanking raise a range of legal, ethical, social, and cultural issues, including concerns about broad consent, confidentiality, community stigmatization, discrimination, indefinite storage, and long-term use. There is a need to establish governance frameworks that address these issues, and many international health research ethics and biobanking guidelines now recommend that the best way to do so is by involving potential research participants and key community stakeholders in the research development and the process of acquiring samples and data through active community engagement (CE). This article describes the experience and challenges in developing an educational tool as part of a CE initiative in South Africa and the commentaries reflect on how this process may be improved going forward.

scholarly journals True Confessions, End Papers and the Dakar conference: A review of the political arguments

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 28-42
Author(s):  
Hermann Giliomee
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Criticism ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
The Political ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Social Critic ◽  
Prison Life ◽  
Political Commentary ◽  
Political Analysis ◽  
The Government

As a social critic Breyten Breytenbach published two books of political commentary and political analysis during the mid-1980s without the opportunity of engaging with commentators at home. While True Confessions of an Albino Terrorist is part autobiography and part searing comment on prison life, End Papers is a more detached dissection of the major political and cultural issues confronting South Africa. Breytenbach was now one of the respected international voices on the political crisis in South Africa. The violent break-up of apartheid had changed Breytenbach’s social criticism. In the place of the earlier rejection and denunciation had come a willingness to engage and reason with his audience. The Dakar conference of 1987, which Breytenbach co-organised, offered an ideal opportunity for this. The conference was given wide publicity and was seen by some as the catalyst that broke the ice for the negotiations between the government and the ANC two and a half years later.

Child Mental Health Services in the New South Africa

1998 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 128-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Milne ◽  
Brian Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Child Mental Health ◽  
New South ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Child Mental Health Services ◽  
New Policies

Health departments in the new South Africa are undergoing major restructuring and, in some cases, severe financial cutbacks as new policies attempt to redress the inequities of the past. A district system is being phased in, with a shift in funding from academic hospitals to secondary and primary level care. The process is being undermined by the current recession, which also affects Welfare and Education facilities, and by widespread poverty, violence, and other adverse conditions. Child mental health services are discussed in the light of current human resources, epidemiological data, the effects of violence and cultural issues, together with some reflections on their future.

scholarly journals Scrutinising Multidimensional Challenges in the Maloti-Drakensberg (Lesotho/South Africa)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8511
Author(s):  
Jess L. Delves ◽  
V. Ralph Clark ◽  
Stefan Schneiderbauer ◽  
Nigel P. Barker ◽  
Jörg Szarzynski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Policy ◽  
Water Transfer ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
African Region ◽  
Mountain System ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
Socioecological Change

The Maloti-Drakensberg (MD) is the largest and highest-elevation mountain system in southern Africa. Covering 40,000 km2 and reaching 3500 m, the MD provides a range of ecosystem services (ES) to the entire southern African region—benefitting diverse users and extending well beyond the mountains. Rapid socioecological change threatens the provision of ES and presents multidimensional challenges to sustainable development. However, the continued land degradation and persisting socioeconomic problems indicate that development policy has not been effective in tackling these issues. In this paper, a multidisciplinary literature review forms the basis of a discussion which takes an ES framing to scrutinise the multidimensional social, political, economic and cultural issues in the study area. Three critical management systems are presented, and their associated ES are discussed, namely, water transfer, rangelands and conservation and tourism. In particular, the diversity of ES uses and values in the MD is considered. The results reveal the main drivers of continued unsustainable development and highlight important information gaps.

Time and Latitude in South Africa

1972 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 27-38
Author(s):  
J. Hers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Astronomical Observations ◽  
Royal Observatory ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Astronomical Determination ◽  
Limited Accuracy ◽  
Better Than

In South Africa the modern outlook towards time may be said to have started in 1948. Both the two major observatories, The Royal Observatory in Cape Town and the Union Observatory (now known as the Republic Observatory) in Johannesburg had, of course, been involved in the astronomical determination of time almost from their inception, and the Johannesburg Observatory has been responsible for the official time of South Africa since 1908. However the pendulum clocks then in use could not be relied on to provide an accuracy better than about 1/10 second, which was of the same order as that of the astronomical observations. It is doubtful if much use was made of even this limited accuracy outside the two observatories, and although there may – occasionally have been a demand for more accurate time, it was certainly not voiced.

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