South Africa Archives

Water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink: Political stagnation and water fragility in South Africa’s Free State

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Safe and clean drinking water and sanitation are basic human rights.

After 30 years of post-Apartheid single-party rule, corruption and ineffective governance are widespread in South Africa. In the Free State Province, the situation with respect to water and sanitation provision is so dire that it amounts to a human rights crisis. Reinstating water rights and addressing Free State water fragility will require a paradigm shift in the political landscape, not […]

Hearing loss: who gains the most from cochlear implants?

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The ability to hear is arguably the most crucial sense for people’s happiness.

Hearing loss can cause severe disabilities and impair daily life. Cochlear implants may be an option for those who experience extreme deafness, but there are long waiting lists for potential recipients in countries with limited healthcare options. Paula Greenham of Greenham Research Consulting has investigated what factors are most likely to result in improved quality of life for individuals requiring […]

Green cleaning of heavy metals in water

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Researchers are investigating the possibility of using plant compounds to clean up heavy-metal pollution in South Africa, using compounds of flavonoids to remove metal ions from polluted water

Many anthropogenic activities have resulted in pollution of water with heavy metals, and pose a huge health risk for humans and animals. Some plants, however, can extract and accumulate these metals from soil and water without any toxic effects. Plant flavonoids are compounds that have the chemical ability to bind to heavy metals. Recent work by Dr Robert Luckay and […]

Storytelling across social divides

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Dr Joanna Wheeler’s research has been conducted through her role as a Marie Curie Research Fellow at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University. Her interests lie in increasing inclusion among marginalised groups. To do this, she explores storytelling and other creative methods to bridge social divides. Most importantly, Dr Wheeler advocates for intersectional participatory action […]

Improving Maths performance in South Africa’s primary schools

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wits maths connect project research outreach

Professor Hamsa Venkat holds the SARCHi Research and Development Chair in Primary Maths Education at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. She leads the Wits Maths Connect project. The project team works with ten partner primary schools serving disadvantaged student populations, and develops and researches interventions to help teachers improve their students’ maths performance. Intervention models and materials with evidence of […]