South Africa

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Schneider ◽  
Vanessa Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Free State ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
East Central ◽  
South West Coast ◽  
Northern Cape ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
The Republic

The Republic of South Africa, known as South Africa, occupies the most southern tip of Africa with a coastline stretching from the border of Namibia on the Atlantic Ocean (south-west coast) of Africa, down to the tip of Africa and then north along the south-east coast to the border of Mozambique on the Indian Ocean. South Africa is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), and Mozambique and surrounds the small landlocked Kingdom of Lesotho in the east-central region of South Africa. The total area of South Africa is approximately 1.22 million square kilometres (km), with a population of an estimated 58.78 million (2019). The country is divided into nine provinces, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Free State, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Northwest, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo. Gauteng Province is the most densely populated province with approximately 809.6 people per square kilometre, Kwa-Zulu Natal being the second most densely populated at 120.7 people per square kilometre, with Western and Eastern Cape following substantially behind at 59.1 and 51.1 people per kilometres respectively. There are three capitals in South Africa: Pretoria in the Gauteng province (administrative), Cape Town in the Western Cape (Legislative), and Bloemfontein in the Free State (Judicial). The

scholarly journals Range expansion of the economically important Asiatic blue tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nkululeko Nyangiwe ◽  
Ivan G. Horak ◽  
Luther Van der Mescht ◽  
Sonja Matthee
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Rhipicephalus Microplus ◽  
Free State ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Western Region ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Northern Cape

The Asiatic blue tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, a known vector of bovine babesiosis and bovine anaplasmosis, is of great concern in the cattle industry. For this reason, detailed knowledge of the distribution of R. microplus is vital. Currently, R. microplus is believed to be associated mainly with the northern and eastern Savanna and Grassland vegetation in South Africa. The objective of the study was to record the distribution of R. microplus, and the related endemic Rhipicephalus decoloratus, in the central-western region of South Africa that comprises Albany Thicket, Fynbos and Savanna vegetation. In this survey, ticks were collected from 415 cattle in four provinces (Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape and Free State provinces) and from the vegetation in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa between October 2013 and September 2015. More than 8000 ticks were collected from cattle at 80 localities of which R. microplus was present at 64 localities and R. decoloratus at 47 localities. A total of 7969 tick larvae were recorded from the vegetation at 20 localities of which 6593 were R. microplus and 1131 were R. decoloratus. Rhipicephalus microplus was recorded in each of the regions that were sampled. Rhipicephalus microplus is now present throughout the coastal region of the Eastern Cape province and at multiple localities in the north-eastern region of the Northern Cape province. It was also recorded in the western region of the Western Cape province and one record was made for the Free State province. The observed range changes may be facilitated by the combined effects of environmental adaptability by the tick and the movement of host animals.

Four new species and one new subspecies of Lachenalia (Hyacinthaceae) from arid areas of South Africa

Bothalia ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D. Duncan
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
New Species ◽  
Free State ◽  
Arid Areas ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
New Subspecies ◽  
Northern Cape

Four new species of Lachenalia are described: L. karooica W.F.Barker ex G.D.Duncan from the Great Karoo and southwestern Free State, L. perryae G.D.Duncan from the Little Karoo and southern Cape, as well as L neilii W.F.Barker ex G.D.Duncan and L. alba W.F.Barker ex G.D.Duncan, both from the Nieuwoudtville-Calvinia District of the Northern Cape. In addition, a newsubspecies, L. marginata W.F.Barker subsp. neglecta Schltr. ex G.D.Duncan is described from the Western Cape.

The Meligethes of the M. pubescens species-group from Southern Africa (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae, Meligethinae)

1998 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-198
Author(s):  
A.G. Kirejtshuk ◽  
A.H. Kirk-Spriggs ◽  
P. Audisio
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Western Cape Province ◽  
African Species ◽  
Line Drawings ◽  
Larval Host ◽  
Northern Cape

AbstractThe known Southern African species of the pubescens species-group in the genus Meligethes Stephens, 1830, are revised. A diagnosis of the M. pubescens species-group is given and eight new species are described from South Africa, Namibia and Botswana: M. argentarius sp. n. (Eastern Cape Province, Kwa-Zulu Natal), M. aurivestis sp. n. (Western Cape Province), M. eremita sp. n. (Namibia, Northern Cape), M. hermanniae sp. n. (Western Cape Province), M. massivus sp. n. (Northern Transvaal), M. namakwaensis sp. n. (Namaqualand, Western Cape Province, and southern Namibia), M. pecten sp. n. (Western Cape Province, Free State), and M. rufofuscus sp. n. (Namibia, Botswana, and northern South Africa). Redescriptions and line drawings of male and female genitalia, legs and habitus of M. pubescens Reitter, 1872, M. translatus Grouvelle, 1913, M. confertus Reitter, 1872, M. plumbeus Reitter, 1872, M. fuerschi Spornraft & Audisio, 1995 (= M. antlia Kirejtshuk, 1996, syn. n.), M. marshalli Grouvelle, 1915, and ecological data on most of the species dealt with (all probably using Sterculiaceae of the genus Hermannia as larval host-plants) are also included.

scholarly journals Prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among blood donors in Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Free State provinces of South Africa in January 2021.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Sykes ◽  
Laurette Mhlanga ◽  
Ronel Swanevelder ◽  
Tanya Nadia Glatt ◽  
Eduard Grebe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Blood Donors ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Free State ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
The South ◽  
Short Supply ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Northern Cape

Abstract Background: Population-level estimates of prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody positivity (seroprevalence) is a crucial epidemiological indicator for tracking the Covid-19 epidemic. Such data are in short supply, both internationally and in South Africa. The South African blood services (the South African National Blood Service, SANBS and the Western Cape Blood Service, WCBS) are coordinating a nationally representative survey of blood donors, which it is hoped can become a cost-effective surveillance method with validity for community-level seroprevalence estimation.Methods: Leveraging existing arrangements, SANBS human research ethics committee permission was obtained to test blood donations collected on predefined days (7th, 10th ,12th ,15th ,20th ,23th and 25th January) for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, using the Roche Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 assay on the cobas e411 platform currently available in the blood services’ donation testing laboratories. Using standard methods, prevalence analysis was done by province, age and race, allowing age to be regarded as either a continuous or categorical variable. Testing was performed in the Eastern Cape (EC), Free State (FS), KwaZulu Natal (ZN) and Northern Cape (NC) provinces.Results: We report on data from 4858 donors - 1457 in EC; 463 in NC; 831 in FS and 2107 in ZN. Prevalence varied substantially across race groups and between provinces, with seroprevalence among Black donors consistently several times higher than among White donors, and the other main population groups (Coloured and Asian) not consistently represented in all provinces. There is no clear evidence that seroprevalence among donors varies by age. Weighted net estimates of prevalence (in the core age range 15-69) by province (compared with official clinically-confirmed COVID-19 case rates in mid-January 2021) are: EC-63%(2.8%), NC-32%(2.2%), FS-46%(2.4%), and ZN-52%(2.4%).Conclusions: Our study demonstrates substantial differences in dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 infection between different race groups, most likely explained by historically based differences in socio-economic status and housing conditions. As has been seen in other areas, even such high seroprevalence does not guarantee population-level immunity against new outbreaks – probably due to viral evolution and waning of antibody neutralization. Despite its limitations, notably a ‘healthy donor’ effect, it seems plausible that these estimates are reasonably generalisable to actual population level anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, but should be further verified.

Review of the genus Beckhoplia Dombrow, 2005 with the description of fifteen new species from South Africa and observations on its biogeography (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Hopliini)

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4823 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-64
Author(s):  
HOLGER E. DOMBROW ◽  
JONATHAN F. COLVILLE
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
New Species ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
The Body ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Species Complexes ◽  
Northern Cape ◽  
New Material ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Established Species

Fifteen years after establishing the genus Beckhoplia Dombrow, 2005 a large amount of new material collected has warranted a critical review of the established species and a revision of the genus. From this process, we describe fifteen new species from the Northern Cape Province and Western Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa: Beckhoplia bicolor Dombrow, new species, B. caliginosa Dombrow, new species, B. castanea Dombrow, new species, B. dolichiocnemis Dombrow, new species, B. elkeae Dombrow, new species, B. fusca Dombrow, new species, B. gifbergensis Dombrow, new species, B. nigra Dombrow, new species, B. nigrofasciata Dombrow, new species, B. nigrosetosa Dombrow, new species, B. pallidibrunnea Dombrow, new species, B. pulchra Dombrow, new species, B. pumilla Dombrow, new species, B. setosa Dombrow, new species and B. suturalis Dombrow, new species. Two cryptic species complexes within the species B. colvillei Dombrow, 2005 and B. occidentalis Dombrow, 2005 were detected. A revised key of the genus and observations about its biogeography are given. Important details of the morphological characters of the body and the parameres of the species are illustrated and their distributions are mapped. We also provide habitat and host plant information. 

scholarly journals Establishment, Distribution, and Pathogenicity of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in South Africa

Plant Disease ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 86 (5) ◽  
pp. 485-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. P. Boshoff ◽  
Z. A. Pretorius ◽  
B. D. van Niekerk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Stripe Rust ◽  
Puccinia Striiformis ◽  
Free State ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Rust Pathogen ◽  
Eastern Free State

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici Eriks., has become an endemic disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in South Africa since it was first observed near Moorreesburg, Western Cape during August 1996. The main objectives of this study were to monitor the occurrence, spread, and the possible development of new variants of the stripe rust pathogen and the susceptibility of grass species to the pathogen. Results of surveys conducted during 1996 to 1999 revealed that rainfed wheat produced in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and the eastern Free State, as well as irrigated wheat produced in KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State, are most likely to be affected by stripe rust epidemics. Pathotype 6E16A- with virulence to Yr2, Yr6, Yr7, Yr8, Yr11, Yr14, Yr17, and Yr19 and pathotype 6E22A- with added virulence to Yr25 were detected. The occurrence of pathotype 6E22A- is currently restricted to KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. Stripe rust isolates found on Hordeum murinum L. in the Western Cape were identified as pathotype 6E16A-, and both pathotypes 6E16A- and 6E22A- were collected from Bromus catharticus Vahl (= B. unioloides H.B.K.) in the eastern Free Sate. Urediospores from infections similar to stripe rust found on the grass species Dactylis glomerata L. (Eastern Cape), Poa pratensis L. (= P. bidentata Stapf; Western Cape), and P. annua and P. triviales L. (eastern Free State) failed to infect wheat cv. Morocco seedlings in the glasshouse. The possible role of grasses in the over-summering of the stripe rust pathogen has not yet been established. Stripe rust infections, however, have been found on summer-sown wheat in the south Western Cape during 1998, volunteer wheat growing in the summer and autumn months in the eastern Free State from 1998 to 2000, and on summer-sown wheat in Lesotho.

Ten new species in the southern African genus Heliophila (Brassicaceae; Cruciferae)

Phytotaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 434 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-88
Author(s):  
IHSAN A. AL-SHEHBAZ
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
New Species ◽  
Chromosome Number ◽  
South African ◽  
New South ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
African Species ◽  
Northern Cape ◽  
African Genus

Ten new South African species of Heliophila (H. astyla, H. biseriata, H. clarkii, H. crassistyla, H. goldblattii, H. magaliesbergensis, H. pseudoeximia, H. roggeveldensis, H. volkii, and H. xylopoda) are described, illustrated, and their relationships and distinguishing characters from nearest relatives are discussed. The chromosome number 2n = 22 for H. goldblattii is reported. Four species (H. astyla, H. crassistyla, H. volkii, H. xylopoda) are endemic to the Western Cape, three (H. clarkii, H. goldblattii, H. pseudoeximia) to the Northern Cape, two (H. biseriata, H. roggeveldensis) in both provinces, and one (H. magaliesbergensis) in Gauteng Province. All species of the genus are native to South Africa, with the ranges of some extending in neighboring Namibia, Lesotho, and Swaziland. 

scholarly journals Adolescent mothers’ utilisation of reproductive health services in the Gauteng province of the republic of South Africa

Curationis ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
VJ Ehlers ◽  
T Maja ◽  
E Sellers ◽  
M Gololo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Adolescent Mothers ◽  
Termination Of Pregnancy ◽  
World Health ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Emergency Contraceptive ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Health Organization

A financial grant was received from the World Health Organization (WHO) during 1998 to establish whether adolescent mothers (aged 19 or younger at the birth of their babies) utilized contraceptive, emergency contraceptive and termination of pregnancy (TOP) services in the Republic of South Africa (RSA). This report refers to data obtained from 111 questionnaires completed by dolescent mothers between January 2000 and May 2000 in the Gauteng Province; 61 in the Pretoria and 50 in the Garankuwa areas, and excluding the 12 completed questionnaires used foi pretesting the research instrument. The biographic data of the 111 adolescent mothers indicated that the minority were married, employed or earned sufficient income to care for themselves and their babies. However, the minority used contraceptives prior to conception, none used emergency contraceptives or termination of pregnancy (TOP) services. The minority attended ante-natal clinics five or more times during their pregnancies, and a negligible number indicated that they had ever been treated for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). These findings indicate that the 111 adolescent mothers in Gauteng who participated in this survey did not make optimum use of the available reproductive health (RH) care services. Education about sex, pregnancy and contraceptives should commence at the age of 10, but no later than the age of 12 as the majority of respondents did not have the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions about their futures. The accessibility of contraceptive, emergency contraceptive and TOP services for adolescents should be investigated in specific areas and attempts made to enhance such accessi- bility. This might necessitate offering these services over weeker| ds or during evenings when school girls could attend without fear of meeting their mothers, aunts or teachers at these clinics.

scholarly journals The genus Xiphinema in South Africa. XXVI. New information on X. bolandium, with description of the four juvenile stages (Nematoda: Longidoridae)

Koedoe ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Heyns
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Western Cape Province ◽  
New Information ◽  
Wilderness Area ◽  
Juvenile Stages ◽  
First Time ◽  
New Distribution

A population of Xiphinema bolandium from the Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area in the Eastern Cape Province was studied, and the four juvenile stages described and figured for the first time. New distribution records are listed from several localities in the Western Cape Province, mostly from vineyards and peach orchards, as well as from fynbos.

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