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Learners with disabilities are faced with unprecedented challenges in their pursuit of integration in the institutionalized higher education system in South Africa. The aim of this paper is to explore the recruitment and integration of students with disabilities (SWDs) at selected rural universities in South Africa in terms of facilities for physically challenged students. Personal conversations and informal discussions and desk and documentary research have collectively informed the present discourse. By utilizing a social model of disability, this study proposes that both institutions need to accelerate the provision of user-friendly facilities to accommodate various categories of SWDs either currently enrolled or those aspiring to study at the institutions. Considering the evaluations and observations explored in this opinion paper, the academic community of both institutions will need to pay attention to the special needs of SWDs because the absence of this attention will negatively impact the outcome of the academic life of learners.

There are concepts which have received little attention in scholarship and important aspects of real-life situations have not been addressed by believing communities. Politicians and policy makers have taken advantage of the laxity on the part of the sacred institution to both exploit and mismanage the natural habitat because the latter is preoccupied with matters of eternity at the detriment of the particularities of everyday life among communities. First, the inquiry will critically engage previous studies that have touched on ecotheology in South Africa (SA) to substantiate my arguments on the failure to address practical issues (hence, practical theology) affecting local communities and the environment. In other words, the study seeks to answer the following questions: (1) what is the contribution of the church in both the collection and disposition of garbage in our cities? (2) what is the relevance of Practical Theology as a field of study in addressing the increase of street loitering and deterioration of sanitary conditions in our major cities? (3) Is it not possible for a church or group of churches to adopt either a community or a street in an effort to maintain it? Second, the present study seeks to decolonize the myth of erecting massive mega churches as if to suggest that God abides in a building. It is argued that the extravagant expenditure by the church could be put to better use by way of awareness campaigns against poverty, poaching, and veldt fires. Ecotheology should encompass awareness on disposing garbage. The present research utilizes the theory of constructivism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The case of the revocation of ordination from the two pastors by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (hereafter, ELCSA) in the Gauteng Province, Pretoria, South Africa has motivated the present conversation. In order to respond appropriately to the scenario mentioned earlier, the research will dialogue with Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts in Romans 11:29–32. The document released by the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria (hereafter, HCoSAP) ruled that ELCSA acted against the law and ordered that the revocation of the ordination be reversed (Case No: 62810/2018). The study comprises three main layers as follows: (1) analysis of ordination in the biblical text, including a dialogue with Paul’s view of calling and spiritual gifts in 11:29–32, (2) a ruling by the HCoSAP, and (3) a critique of ELCSA. Documentary analysis, ethnography, and participant observation are employed as methodological approaches. Contribution: The contribution of this research is two-fold. Firstly, the readership in general and believing communities in particular should adhere to the rules of the game as prescribed by the biblical text so that they will mitigate both conflict and confrontation with other congregants. Secondly, the study aims to educate societies that no one is above the law. Members of the sacred institution can appear at the high court either when their constitutional right is violated or as suspects of crime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is a critical examination of a model of African thought in which Afrocentricity as a theory is employed. During both pre-colonial and colonial times, people from the West (Europe) believed themselves to be more intelligent than Africans. This misconception about African knowledge systems led to the labelling of Africa as the "dark continent". This article explores this controversial issue by engaging with previous contributions which delved into similar debates. It is argued that "intelligence" cannot be defined by the colour of the skin. The discussion dialogues with Molefi Kete Asante's Afrocentric theory with regard to African thought and Western misconceptions. Examples of persons celebrated as being endowed with exceptional knowledge in both leadership and academic capacities are cited. Unique architectural sites in southern Africa are also discussed as evidence of ancient civilisations on the continent. Decoloniality is used as a research method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study critically examines the text of 1 Kings 3:7-9 in order to present its concepts as inspirational teachings on leadership to the modern church. From a hermeneutical perspective, the research attempts to discuss the chosen text not necessarily as panacea to good leadership but more so as inspirational teachings for individuals occupying leadership positions in a modern church. It is shown that Solomon ascends to the throne of kingship of a united monarchy after his father King David. The text depicts King Solomon in his prayer to God that "...I am a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties" (v.7). As if to suggest that God does not know, Solomon informs God that Israel is "...a great people, too numerous to count or number" (v.8). The above assertion by Solomon will be analyzed in view of a previous census by King David. The study will exegete the text in order to establish the contextual meaning of the metaphor "little child" used by King Solomon. In addition, King Solomon is metaphorically requesting Yahweh's provision of a "discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong" (v.9). The study is guided by symbolic interactionism as a theoretical framework. A case study model is employed as a research method in which previous contributions on hermeneutics and leadership in the Bible will be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it is argued that the trust of previous (and existing) hermeneutical approaches of promoting ancient biblical texts as applicable to the everyday life of contemporary readers is not only imaginable but also too ambitious. The Hebrew Bible emerged from an Israelite cultural context, which neither speaks to nor deliberates on issues concerning the African cultural contexts. The present essay utilises a narrative approach comprising three main overtures. Firstly, some examples of previous contributions on hermeneutics will be discussed. Secondly, this study interrogates the legitimacy of employing African biblical hermeneutics that utilises ancient Jewish texts as applicable to African societies today. Thirdly and finally, the study will critically appraise for a balanced reading of the biblical text. Contribution: The present study aims at engaging (debriefing) existing hermeneutical contributions towards proposing a balanced reading of the biblical text. In order to achieve that goal, the study engages into a dialogue following hermeneutical approaches, which are popular amongst most African scholars, namely African biblical hermeneutics, black biblical hermeneutics, contextual biblical hermeneutics, feminist hermeneutics and oral hermeneutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A text-immanent and narrative critical approach to the Biblical book of Amos reveals that the prophet Amos had addressed the social injustices of his time. He addressed the issues of his day with the belief that it was the Lord God (Elohim) Almighty who had instructed him to do so. The leaders of the well-known terror groups, Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram and the Islamic State (IS) are also addressing contemporary social issues that confront them with the belief that Allah (God) has prompted them to do so. While Amos had discovered meaning through what he had seen and what he had said about the Lord and his interventions, the terror groups find their meaning in jihad (holy war). The book of Amos confronts modern readers to take scientific contextual analyses seriously and it also makes them aware that believers need to do what is right without making use of any violence to effect some societal change. In contrasts to this, the jihadists’ interpretation of the Quran and their quest for a world under Sharia law are not in line with sound scientific contextual analyses and as a result led to unacceptable terror and violent deeds in practice – something that must be rejected at all costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite programmes developed to alleviate tuberculosis (TB) infection worldwide, South Africa is still reporting high rates of infection. Most South Africans believe in and consider using the medicine provided by African indigenous health practitioners (AIHPs) rather than consulting practitioners at modern health facilities. The isolated functioning of these two groups of practitioners motivated the government to establish the Traditional Health Practitioners Act (22 of 2007), to encourage AIHPs and biomedical health practitioners (BHPs) to collaborate on the healing of different diseases, including TB. The Mpumalanga province has been hit the hardest by TB and has a high infection rate. The study aimed at exploring and describing the perceptions of AIHPs and BHPs on collaboration concerning TB treatment in the Ehlanzeni district, Mpumalanga. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data from focus groups with 21 AIHPs and in-depth individual interviews with 10 BHPs. The findings of the study reveal differing perceptions, as some BHPs accept the Act and acknowledge collaboration, while others have concerns about standards of care, patient safety, and overdosing. They are reluctant to accept integration, as they see AIHPs as unscientific practitioners who use strong medicine that is detrimental to patients. The AIHPs welcomed the idea of working together and mutual teaching with the aim of empowering each other with knowledge regarding the treatment of TB, for the ultimate benefit of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools are important for the development and socialization of children to learn to function as responsible citizens, but there can be obstacles, including differences in culture, expectations, and lack of communication between adults at school and home. Family engagement with schools has been shown to improve learner outcomes and minimize differences in culture between home and school. School social work is a specialized field of practice that can strive to engage families, prevent problems, and promote education, but school social workers may not share families' culture, and thus may not know how to offer optimal support. To better understand perceptions, focus groups with parents and school personnel were conducted to explore the question: What cultural indigenous practices can be incorporated in school social work to facilitate family engagement? Four themes were identified that together support indigenous knowledge and encourage local cultures and contexts to integrate Afro-sensed approaches toward a transformed school social work practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent experience, that of the lockdown due to the emergence of COVID-19 in South Africa, resulted in religious groupings, such as Judaism, Islam and Christianity, among others, turning to social media (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and YouTube, among others) as a significant means of communication, social interaction, as well as religious teaching. Due to space constraints, this discussion is limited to the homiletics of the Christian church, and does not include religions such as Judaism and Islam. As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, many churches used WhatsApp groups to reach out to their diverse membership in various demographic locations. The present study problematises the emergence of WhatsApp as a critical platform to disseminate gospel-related material; this platform presents material in a more fashionable form, and was not utilised much before the advent of COVID-19. The study discusses homiletics through WhatsApp in view of the following three main aims: (1) To demonstrate that COVID-19 is a reality and the lockdown was a necessary 'evil' to reduce its impact, (2) To reveal that the WhatsApp platform developed the preachers' sermon delivery skills without the personal presence of congregants, which is atypical of a conventional church gathering, and (3) To show that the WhatsApp group platform played a key role in church members accessing sermonettes, Bible teachings and prayer sessions, from the comfort of their homes. The research applied qualitative content analysis (thematic analysis), which examined content and themes of recorded human communications; responses were solicited from participants through email conversations. In addition, the study employed the so-called uses and gratification theory to demonstrate that users do derive some gratification from WhatsApp homiletics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of the COVID-19 has generated a profound sense of uncertainty and insecurity among societies all over the world, and South Africa (SA) has not been spared. Within a short period of time, COVID-19 has triggered an unprecedented pandemonium in the world: the global systems have crumbled; socioeconomic systems have been halted; and the geopolitical environment itself cannot contain it. The long-time established empires of power and control are also on the verge of collapse. The language and languaging have suddenly changed. The scenario shaped by the COVID-19 obliges to confirm that human beings have shortcomings. At the core of the advent of COVID-19 and its devastating impact to society, the following questions are being probed: What has happened? For some individuals, the advent of the COVID-19 has a biblical/theological elucidation. Does the COVID-19 have a divine cause, and that human sin has motivated the disease? Who are accountable for mesmerising it? Regardless of many questions that people might have regarding the emergence of COVID-19, the impact of the disease on humans does not permit a casual approach. What is critical at the moment is a robust approach towards combating the disease. The present study attempts to respond to the above questions from three angles, namely: (1) It is argued that the COVID-19 originated from China, and was transported to SA by the affluent, (2) The study is a liberation theological inquiry into the impact of COVID-19 on the poor and the less-privileged communities of SA, and (3) The study is an invitation to the sacred institution to reinvigorate the theology of the Cross. The study proposes that the contemporary church should lend its voice to the voiceless. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender inequality intersects with economic deprivation to produce more intensified forms of poverty for women than men in rural communities. Feminist theory has highlighted the undervaluing of the household and community leadership roles that women perform. This article focusses on the largely unrecognised roles many rural women perform in formal and informal leadership roles in their respective families and communities and their participation in various activities to sustain their families and to build community resilience among them to address the problems that they confront. The women of the Ga-Sekororo community in Maruleng District, Limpopo province have organised themselves into different social groups that participate in self-help activities such as Sebata-Kgomo (a Sepedi expression meaning 'to call out for help') and stokvels, for saving money, buying groceries, supporting members during bereavement and meeting other needs such as paying for school fees and health needs. This article seeks to reflect on poor rural women's informal organisation which draws on understanding of communal or shared power and the idea of mutual aid. Six focus group discussions from three social groups were used in this qualitative research study, consisting of 10-15 members each. The research focused on how these women assume their positions as leaders and the multiplicity of roles they play in their respective families and community. The research draws on African feminism and Asset Based Community Development perspectives to interpret how these social groups and clubs play a role in developing meaningful opportunities for women's leadership and participation to be mobilised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of cave sites in the eastern Free State poses a number of challenges to cave dwellers, cave pilgrims, heritage practitioners, and landowners and for the continued preservation, management and restoration of the caves. This study investigates the history and contemporary significance of Mantsopa, Mautse, and Motouleng caves. The caves have special religious significance for some African indigenous religious persuasions, indigenous knowledge systems and traditional healers, in relation to the veneration and reverence of ancestors. This is a qualitative descriptive study and was conducted to describe the locality, history and importance of the caves, with an interrelated theoretical and conceptual framework focused on concepts from African Religion, landscape, and social identity. It also includes a brief focus on contestations between cave dwellers and cave pilgrims on the one side and landowners of the lands on which the caves are situated. An interpretive phenomenological analysis of data in terms of available scholarship, was deployed. The purpose of the study was to identify and briefly analyse aspects of the significance of the caves for African religious and indigenous knowledge experiences and practices. A secondary purpose was to assess challenges concerning contestations about the caves between cave dwellers and pilgrims, and landowners, and to find out how these sites could be protected, both physically and legally, and also how existing protests and contestations by cave pilgrims may be dealt with constructively. It is recommended that access is negotiated with the landowners, and awareness regarding the religious and cultural practices and beliefs of the cave pilgrims are created to ensure the continuation and appreciation of African traditional religion and indigenous knowledge systems, in these sacred spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous, social, and cultural norms ascribe to women the responsibility of maintaining their matrimonial family harmony. Thus, society expects elderly women not to initiate divorce proceedings. These elderly women usually appear before a family or lekgotla (traditional court) to discuss the dissolution of the marriage. This article aims to understand the consequences of divorce among elderly women. The authors adopted resilience and feminist theories as theoretical frames for this investigation. A qualitative research approach applying narrative research design was employed to understand why these elderly women divorce. The research was conducted at Ga-Sekororo in the Maruleng Municipality of the Mopani District in Limpopo Province. Data collected from twelve elderly women were analyzed using a narrative synthesis approach. The findings revealed challenges faced by the elderly women after a divorce, as well as defiance and resilience strategies to withstand these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa is a multicultural society with diverse indigenous cultural communities. It has been argued that as Africa enters into a new phase of knowledge development, disciplines like social work are equally asked to rethink their methods and theories to embrace this emerging challenge. The central idea of this article is based on the presumption that social workers should intervene in a culturally-sensed manner, appropriately and seeking to discover uniqueness in local indigenous ways within specific communities. It is contested in this article that the practice of social work, with its specific intervention approach, which uses local specific knowledge, can be a catalyst for social change and transformation. The article calls for a transformed social work education in South Africa that embraces notions and discourses such as decolonisation, indigenisation and Africanisation. Locally collected anecdotes are presented in the discussion. Broadly, the article suggests that indigenous knowledge, which encourages local cultures, and contexts, which integrate culturallysensitive and Afro-sensed approaches, has the potential for driving a changed social work practice and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on sources for African Indigenous Ecology Control and Sustainable Community Livelihood in Southern African history this article argues that political independence in the Southern African region has altered the historiography of the region and the African continent as a whole. Black Africans are now looking to the past for inspiration to constitute the foundations of sustainable livelihoods using their own indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and resources. The indicatives of the African Renaissance also demand that we draw on the significance of the control by pre-colonial African communities of their ecosystems. Existing testimonies show prosperity among pre-colonial African communities in the region. The argument is that, in order to restore the historical achievements of Africans in the region, IKS should form a constitutive part of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short report is based on an actual ritual event that took place in a village 60 kilometers outside Pretoria, South Africa. The description of the event explores ways in which music plays a central role in healing rituals within familial and communal groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various reports published within the issue including one on the need to help small initiatives to attain upscaling, one on the need to aid health services become more responsive to the needs of the people, and the need to equate the human needs-driven demands of informal settlement communities with those of the discourse of global competitiveness.

The article offers information on certain developments related to the journal "Development Southern Africa." The journal is now housed within a research unit, which is part of the Research and Information Division at the company Development Bank of Southern Africa. The unit has launched five research focus areas that speak to the functions of the company, including regional integration, development impact, spatial development, poverty and inequality and infrastructure development. The March 2008 issue of the periodical launches a new cover.