scholarly journals Plants and mushrooms associated with animal poisoning incidents in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. e000402
Author(s):  
Moleseng Claude Moshobane ◽  
Alessia Bertero ◽  
Carine Marks ◽  
Cindy Stephen ◽  
Natasha Palesa Mothapo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Fatal Case ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Poisonous Plants ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
The Public ◽  
Exposure Patterns ◽  
Poisons Information

BackgroundThere is extensive literature on animal poisoning from plants and mushrooms worldwide; however, there is limited account of poisoning from South Africa.MethodsThis study sought to describe and provide an overview of animal poison exposures in South Africa. Poisoning episodes reported to the Poisons Information Helpline of the Western Cape, jointly run by the Poisons Information Centres at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and Tygerberg Hospital over a period of approximately 2.5 years, from June 2015 to November 2017, were analysed to identify exposure patterns, severity and clinical outcomes.ResultsAlien plant species accounted for most cases (n=10) of reported poison exposures. Among the 26 recorded animal poisoning episodes, the dog was the most commonly implicated species (n=24), whereas just two enquiries were related to other animals (one rabbit and one cow) . There were 20 plant cases and 6 mushroom cases (all dogs). There was only one fatal case involving cycad in a dog.ConclusionFeatures of animal poisoning in South Africa were similar to those in other countries. The reported cases of animals exposed to poisonous plants and mushrooms could represent only a fraction of the actual exposures. Since most reported cases involved taxa that could not be identified to species level, more attention should be paid in case reporting and in animal poisoning prevention, engaging the public to enable people to recognise potentially hazardous plants and reduce the risk of poisoning in animals.

Maireana brevifolia (Chenopodiaceae: Camphorosmeae), a new naturalized alien plant species in South Africa

Bothalia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Mucina ◽  
D. A. Snijman
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
South African ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Alien Plant Species ◽  
The South ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
African Flora

We describe and discuss the distribution of a new, naturalized alien species, Maireana brevifolia (R.Br.) Paul G.Wilson (Chenopodiaceae), a native of Australia, in the western regions of South Africa. First discovered near Worcester, Western Cape in 1976, the species is now established in disturbed karoo shrubby rangelands, along dirt roads and on saline alluvia, from northern Namaqualand to the western Little Karoo. In the South African flora, M. brevifolia is most easily confused with the indigenous Bassia salsoloides (Fenzl) A.J.Scott, from which it is distinguished by the flat to cup-shaped and almost glabrous perianth with woolly-ciliate lobes, and the hardened and winged fruiting perianth.

Constructing and Contesting Histories of Slavery at the Cape, South Africa

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia Malan ◽  
Nigel Worden
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Historical Record ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
The Public ◽  
Early Colonial ◽  
Public Consciousness ◽  
Permanent Settlement ◽  
Special Value ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
Indian Ocean World

This chapter discusses slavery in South Africa. Chattel slavery existed in early colonial South Africa from the inception of the Dutch permanent settlement in 1658 until formal emancipation of slaves in the British empire in the 1830s. More than 80,000 slaves were imported from throughout the Indian Ocean world during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Although in the time of apartheid this slave heritage was buried in the public consciousness, since the 1990s museums, historians, and archaeologists have unearthed and published a considerable historical record, endorsed by new heritage legislation which gives special value to sites of slavery. Slave history is taught in universities and schools. However, especially for those descended from slaves in the Western Cape region, the evocation of a slave past has been a vexed process, with slave heritage serving as both a resource and a weapon in contemporary identity struggles.

Knowledge Sharing at the Overstrand Municipality in Western Cape Hermanus, South Africa

Libri ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 325-336
Author(s):  
Belinda Louise May ◽  
Madeleine Fombad
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Public ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Formal Strategy

Abstract Service delivery remains a challenge in post-apartheid South Africa, notwithstanding the proactive legislations that have been in place since the end of apartheid in 1994 to ensure that municipalities enhance the developmental path through service delivery. Given the increasing interest in prioritising knowledge sharing in municipalities, this article advocates for knowledge sharing as a tool to improve service delivery at South African municipalities. It investigates knowledge sharing at the Overstrand municipality in Cape Town, South Africa and adopts a qualitative approach, using convenient sampling and semi-structured interviews. South Africa is a multicultural country where municipalities are recovering from the inequalities and disparities of apartheid. The article identifies methods of knowledge sharing; establishes the barriers to effective knowledge sharing; and suggests ways in which knowledge sharing could be enhanced at the municipality. Data was collected from the different departments of the Overstrand municipality. The findings reveal that knowledge sharing continues to remain a challenge although participants understood and recognised its importance. A lack of trust, poor communication between senior and junior colleagues, a lack of incentives and recognition, fear of losing one’s job and the absence of a formal strategy, relevant information and communication technology make knowledge sharing challenging. The article recommends a formal knowledge management strategy; a knowledge sharing culture; the use of ICTs for knowledge management and the need for leaders to champion knowledge sharing in all the departments of the Overstrand municipality. Although there is emerging research on knowledge management in the public sector, there is a dearth of research on municipalities.

scholarly journals Public Awareness and Perceptions of Invasive Alien Species in Small Towns

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1322
Author(s):  
Nolwethu Jubase ◽  
Ross T. Shackleton ◽  
John Measey
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Invasive Alien Species ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Small Towns ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Local Perceptions ◽  
The Public ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Demographic Covariates

Invasive alien species (IAS) are a growing threat globally and cause a variety of ecological, economic, and social impacts. People can introduce IAS and facilitate their spread, and can also implement, support, or oppose their management. Understanding local knowledge, awareness, and perceptions are therefore crucial if management and policy are to be effective. We administered questionnaires to members of the public in eight small towns along the Berg River Catchment in the biodiverse fynbos biome of South Africa. We aimed to assess: (1) awareness of IAS by the general public, (2) local perceptions of the impacts associated with IAS, (3) whether awareness of IAS is correlated with demographic covariates and IAS density, and (4) people’s willingness to detect, report, and support IAS management. Overall, 262 respondents participated in the survey. Most respondents (65%) did not know what IAS are, and 10% were unsure. Many respondents also perceived IAS as beneficial. Using a logistic regression, we found that IAS density, educational level, and gender influenced people’s knowledge and perceptions about IAS in the region. There were a small number (4%) of respondents currently detecting and reporting IAS, but many respondents were interested to learn more. We concluded that people living in small towns in the Western Cape of South Africa remain largely unaware of IAS and their impacts. It is crucial to increase awareness-raising initiatives, and build support and engagement in management of IAS in small towns.

The Integration of Medical Records Management Requirements in ICTs

2020 ◽  
pp. 49-67
Author(s):  
Lungile P. Luthuli ◽  
Trywell T. Kalusopa
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Medical Records ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Private Hospital ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The Public ◽  
Kwazulu Natal

This study comparatively investigates the integration of medical records management requirements in the ICTs/electronic health systems in two hospitals: a public and private hospital in the Umhlathuze Area, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The study made a comparison and examined whether the current management practices support service delivery in the context of the Batho Pele principles. In doing this, the study reviewed extensive literature on records management by assessing the depth of the integration of ICTs in the management of medical records in South Africa. The targeted study sample in both the public and private hospital was 193.

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