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Bernheim's ACSA, a less conventional measure of subjective well-being originally developed for use in a clinical setting, was applied to a sample of black South African township dwellers (n = 1,020) in the Eastern Cape Province. The Anamnestic Comparative Self Assessment is an experiential self-anchoring scale with concrete anchors (Bernheim in "Psychologie medicale" 15:1625-1626, 1983). Respondents described the "best" and "worst" periods experienced in their lives in their own words and rated their current life situation within these two extremes that served as the end-anchors of an 11-point rating scale, ACSA. The ACSA score was significantly positively correlated with conventional measures of subjective well-being. The study examined in detail the content of the ACSA anchors, the best and worst periods of respondents' lives, classified by domain, to gain insights into reference comparisons applied in quality-of-life evaluation in a developing country setting. As was the case in earlier ACSA studies, most domains that served as reference standards were related to the self and family life. However, material living standards, represented by the domains of income, financial security and housing also featured prominently as personal anchors--a reflection of life goals in post-apartheid South Africa. Age, gender, education and self-reported health were associated with the choice of select anchors. The discussion provides pointers for future applications of ACSA in large sample surveys using a pre-coded multiple-choice format for anchor descriptions. It is concluded that the content of ACSA anchors corresponds closely to contemporary definitions of the good life among ordinary South Africans.

It is commonly assumed that better living standards will boost subjective well-being. The post-apartheid South African government subscribes to this idea; its social policies aim to provide "a better life for all". Since the coming of democracy in 1994, the state has built over 3 million houses and supplied electricity and clean water to poor households. By 2009, an estimated 43% of households were beneficiaries of social grants. The question is whether this investment in services and social assistance translates into higher well-being of citizens. It is argued that older people's experience of positive change in their life circumstances can be taken as a litmus test of progress in society. The paper reports results of a sample survey conducted in 2009 that inquired into the living circumstances and well-being of 1,000 older low-income households in two provinces linked by a labour migration route. Older households were defined as ones with a member 55 years and older. The sample was drawn among three approximately equal-sized subgroups: Rural black households in the former "homelands" of the Eastern Cape Province, and black and coloured households in Cape Town in the Western Cape Province. The majority of the households in the survey had been interviewed in an earlier survey conducted in late 2002. Both material and non-material changes had occurred in the household situation over the 6-year period between 2002 and 2009. Access to housing and infrastructure had improved but financial difficulties and debts continued to plague many of the surveyed households. Rural black households appeared to be worst off among the three categories of older households with the lowest level of living; coloured households best situated with the highest level of living. Urban black households, many of whom were immigrants to Cape Town, appeared to have experienced the greatest fluctuations in their material circumstances between 2002 and 2009 and a mix of fortune and misfortune. Results indicated that social grants, which provided a modicum of financial security and peace of mind, made the crucial difference between fortune and misfortune for vulnerable households. Securing a social pension and other grants appeared to be the main route to good fortune for the rural households in the study. Households in Cape Town required wage income in addition to grant income to get by in the city. This mix of income sources diluted urban households' dependence on social assistance. Regression model results suggest that income and financial security play a significantly more important role in boosting the well-being of low-income older households than access to services. Pooling of income, a common practice in pensioner households, contributed significantly to household satisfaction.

Our study used multilevel regression analysis to identify individual- and neighbourhood-level factors that determine individual-level subjective well-being in Rhini, a deprived suburb of Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The Townsend index and Gini coefficient were used to investigate whether contextual neighbourhood-level differences in socioeconomic status determined individual-level subjective well-being. Crime experience, health status, social capital, and demographic variables were assessed at the individual level. The indicators of subjective well-being were estimated with a two-level random-intercepts and fixed slopes model. Social capital, health and marital status (all p less than 0.001), followed by income level (p less than 0.01) and the Townsend score (p less than 0.05) were significantly related to individual-level subjective well-being outcomes. Our findings showed that individual-level subjective well-being is influenced by neighbourhood-level socioeconomic status as measured by the Townsend deprivation score. Individuals reported higher levels of subjective well-being in less deprived neighbourhoods. Here we wish to highlight the role of context for subjective well-being, and to suggest that subjective well-being outcomes may also be defined in ecological terms. We hope the findings are useful for implementing programs and interventions designed to achieve greater subjective well-being for people living in deprived areas. (Contains 4 tables.)

The start of the Education for All (EFA) movement ushered in a new era in education, an era linked to research on issues such as "global governance" or the "world institutionalization of education". This global governance not only affects the way in which educational systems are influenced, it also involves how we view and define various issues within education. One of the major goals of the EFA movement, which has been accepted as part of the global consensus of "what works", is the focus on gender equality, and in particular on the role education can play in empowering women and girls. This article is an attempt to understand key issues related to gender and education, and in particular the objective is to provide a critical analysis of how the global consensus in relation to gender and empowerment can be understood in a local context. The data reported on here are from fieldwork conducted in Southern Sudan and South Africa, and in this article we attempt to shed light on the local realities in relation to global gender goals.

This paper follows up an unexpected finding from a community survey that identified drinking and smoking as the most important tuberculosis (TB) risk factor, far ahead of ones commonly associated with TB such as poverty, overcrowded living conditions, and HIV-positive status. It reports perceptions of drinking and smoking from a three-phased study of the stigma associated with TB, consisting of a qualitative pilot study using focus-group discussions (2006), a larger-scale community survey (2007), and follow-up group discussions (2009). The community attitude survey was conducted with a sample of 1,020 adults living in a low-income township in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study found that the moral and the biomedical understanding of TB risk are intertwined. In the community survey, perceptions of drinking and smoking as TB risk were predicted by fear of contracting TB and being a self-reported born-again Christian. In the follow-up study, heavy drinking and smoking in shebeens (unlicensed township liquor outlets) was associated with a risky lifestyle that can spread both TB and HIV. The paper discusses the similarities and differences in the roles of church and shebeen in providing social support to township dwellers to cope with problems of daily life. It is tentatively concluded that the stereotypical shebeen "drinkers and smokers", alternatively pitied and maligned by moral society, might serve as the scapegoat that deflects pollution from the "new" TB linked to the AIDS epidemic.

South Africa celebrated ten years of democracy in 2004. This special issue of "Social Indicators Research" ("SIR") reviews developments that have impacted on the quality of life of ordinary South Africans during the transition period. The issue updates an earlier volume of "SIR" (Volume 41) published in 1997 and as a stand-alone volume. The earlier volume was initiated following "SIR" editor Alex Michalos' first visit to South Africa. This update on quality of life in South Africa follows on his return visit to the country in 2004 to see firsthand the changes that had occurred in the meantime. This introductory article outlines major achievements of and setbacks for the new democracy and the challenges facing it in future. It provides the background for the evaluations of a range of quality of life domains and issues including poverty and inequality, crime, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, migration and housing, religiosity, reconciliation, and optimism for the future which are covered in the eleven articles that follow. The introduction divides the articles under the headings of challenges, achievements, monitoring quality of life, and social capital for the future. The overview article concludes that improvements in quality of life have been uneven but goodwill and a positive outlook bode well for South African quality of life in future.

Who are the satisfied South Africans 10 years into democracy? How do material factors contribute to their life satisfaction? These are the questions addressed in this paper. Earlier South African research has consistently found a close positive relationship between life satisfaction and material standards of living in the apartheid and post-apartheid era. Recently, a new source of information has become available to shed further light on the association between material and subjective well-being. In 2002, Statistics South Africa, the country's official source of statistical information, agreed to ask South Africans participating in the General Household Survey whether they were satisfied or dissatisfied with life. The 2002 General Household Survey (n26'000) used a measure developed for the Euromodule that allows for international comparison. The wide-ranging information contained in South Africa's official household survey offers a unique opportunity to explore what makes for satisfied and dissatisfied South Africans in relation to their material living standards. Results indicate that the improved living standards afforded to many black South Africans under democracy are associated with increases in life satisfaction. Furthermore, habituation does not appear to have diluted the positive relationship between living standards and well-being. However, political factors continue to play an important role in shaping subjective well-being. In conclusion, it is argued that material gains might also have restored the pride and dignity denied to black South Africans in the past.

In high-risk individuals in Johannesburg, during the Delta coronavirus disease 2019 wave, 22% (125/561) were positive, with 33% symptomatic (2 hospitalizations; 1 death). During Omicron, 56% (232/411) were infected, with 24% symptomatic (no hospitalizations or deaths). The remarkable speed of infection of Omicron over Delta poses challenges to conventional severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a case study of the first instance in South Africa where in situ thermal remediation (ISTR) was undertaken. The project, completed during 2020 and 2021, is located in Cape Town. The 'site' is a former printing facility located in a multistorey building adjacent to an upgradient service station. Petroleum hydrocarbon impacts, identified in subsurface soil and groundwater, originated from leaking underground fuel storage tanks at this service station. Following a sustainability-based options appraisal, ISTR with steam used as the heating source was selected as the most appropriate remedial technology. Based on Environmental Resources Management's (ERM's) international and local expertise, this solution was implemented after due consideration of the site's geological characteristics, the properties of the contaminants of concern and the client's goals of rapidly achieving a risk-based remediation solution. This solution was enhanced by the identification and incorporation, where feasible, of sustainable management practices (SMPs) in the system design and operational phases. Particular focus was placed on resource consumption and the use of alternative power sources, such as reduction of water and energy and the use of biofuel. Other SMPs incorporated into the system's operational phase included temperature tracking to optimize steam usage, which has been successfully applied by ERM at previously completed ISTR sites in other countries. Key lessons learnt from the ISTR application at this site were that the energy source and use, combined with the optimization of water consumption, could be more widely applied to improve the sustainability of ISTR, not only in South Africa but also in other sites worldwide. Supplementary material: Details of sustainable remediation assessments are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5965339. Thematic collection: This article is part of the Sustainability in Engineering Geology & Hydrogeology collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/sustainability-in-engineering-geology-and-hydrogeology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Forensic anthropology is important for medico-legal death investigations. • Value and merit of interdisciplinary knowledge and a collaborative approach to forensic casework. • Need for national regulatory framework for the practice of forensic anthropology in South Africa. Forensic anthropology in South Africa is well developed in the higher education sector, with advanced training and research programmes. Despite this and decades of academic involvement in casework, forensic anthropology still lacks a defined framework and mandate at a governmental level. Therefore, the involvement of forensic anthropologists' expertise varies markedly between cases, provinces, and among various stakeholders within the country, to the detriment of dispensation of social and criminal justice. The lack of clearly defined guidelines for the rendering of the service was exemplified and demonstrated through a recent forensic case. Here, contextual information was absent, and the remains posed a challenge to analyse, ostensibly due to missing information. Numerous questions were raised during the analysis of the remains, and broader concerns about the investigative involvement of a forensic anthropologist within South African casework were brought to the fore. Through the analysis of this case, we describe the deductive processes that led to the formation of an opinion that the skeletal linear defects were the result of taphonomic changes. In addition, we highlight how these efforts where constrained and each step in the process unnecessarily hindered. Finally, we demonstrate the capacity and willingness of forensic anthropology practitioners to be involved, and how, without governmental support, it is a great potential lamentably untapped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Irrational Beliefs Inventory gives a measure of irrational beliefs, as postulated by Ellis's Rational Emotive Behavior therapy. Given the increasing cross-cultural use of psychometric scales, it is important to assess whether the psycho- metric properties of the inventory are consistent across cultures. In the present study cross-cultural applicability, in terms of internal consistency and independence of sub-scales, was investigated for an ad hoc sample of White (n = 100, M age 21.3 yr., SD=4.0) and Black (n=82, M age= 19.8 yr., SD=2.2) undergraduate South African university students. Cronbach coefficients alpha for the subscales and Pearson correlations between subscales for American and Dutch students, as reported by Bridges and Sanderman, were compared with those indices for the South African students. The magnitude and rank order of Cronbach a, as well as the correlations between sub'. scales for the three groups showed strong similarities. Values of alpha for the Black South African students were lower in magnitude on all subscales than those for American, Dutch, and White South African samples, but inter correlations between sub-scale scores were consistent. Findings in the present study are supportive of the cross-cultural applicability of the irrational Beliefs Inventory to White South African students but not to South African Black students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this article is to give an overview of the outstanding Namibian maritime boundaries with South Africa and Angola. At present there are no disputes over these boundaries and a process of negotiation is ongoing between the governments to finalise these agreements. This process started after the independence of Namibia in 1990. However, so far, progress in the matter has been slow. Remarkably, the absence of formal agreements between these states have not deterred potential investors interested in the exploitation of the offshore natural resources (oil, gas and fisheries) in these areas. Various intergovernmental co-operation efforts have been entered into to regulate the offshore activities within these maritime areas. This article deals with the underlying issues of the delimitation process and the ongoing co-operation efforts between the countries in the absence of formal maritime delimitation agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The offshore mining of diamonds is a recent phenomenon and is growing in importance in Southern Africa. Southern African producers of diamonds are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, and South Africa, and the diamond industry is a major contributor to the national economies of each of these countries. The diamonds are mainly produced from kimberlite mines and alluvial dredging. However, in the case of Namibia and South Africa diamond production has also been extended to marine areas with the availability of new technology. The offshore diamond mining industry is highly capital-intensive as marine diamond deposits are mined with sophisticated exploration and mining vessels to water depths of up to 200 metres. Operations are concentrated in the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone on the continental shelf of the Atlantic Ocean. The mining companies operate within a well-established national legal framework but an ambiguity still exists as to the extent of the application of national laws over mining activities outside the territorial sea. This article is an overview of the legal regime for offshore diamond mining in Namibia and comments on the national jurisdiction over mining vessels outside the territorial sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the acceptance of the rainbow as political symbol of unity among the diverse people of South Africa. Origins of the civil religion of the rainbow people; Sources of national pride; Perspectives of the elites on the rainbow symbol; Attitudes toward the rainbow symbol by race group and political party; Relationship between the acceptance of the rainbow symbol, happiness, life satisfaction and optimism.

Examines the role of the quality of life surveys on the change management in democratic transitions in South Africa. Observation of gap in living standards between the rich and poor; Problems related to the nation transition to democracy; Government policies and programs for improving the quality of life.

Investigates the scope and nature of complaints, related to unethical behavior that have been lodged against South African psychologists with the Health Professions Council of South Africa between 1990 and 1999. Characteristics of the complainants and their accused; Complaints involving neglect to renew annual registration, accounts, incompetence and improper behavior.

Examines the relationship between subjective well-being and domain satisfactions by analyzing five different socio-economic groups in South Africa. Explanations on the subjective well-being (SW) concept; Differences among the race groups' social conditions in the country; Comparisons of race groups' satisfactions with their living conditions.

This case study was conducted in two tribal wards in the Ndwedwe district of KwaZulu-Natal and was designed to gain a better understanding of how rural women see their role in development, a role which is acknowledged by the new government. Focus group discussions with 40 local women covered their perceptions of community development roles, successful community projects, development needs and feelings of empowerment. Perceived development priorities differed according to standard of living. The women from the better serviced Mavela ward cited piped water and electricity in the home as important development needs. For the women living in the remoter Cibane ward more basic needs such as safe water, housing and access roads were priorities. Women involved in successful gardening projects were bolder in making demands for government assistance in bringing infrastructure development to their area, suggesting gains in empowerment. Generally, the women aspired to levels of service provision similar to those found in the city but stated that they could not afford to pay the installation costs. Their strong commitment to a rural lifestyle prompted the women to call for government support to make their own efforts to develop their rural communities worthwhile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of the ongoing quality of life trends project in South Africa. The majority of South Africa's population registered dissatisfaction with life overall and with most aspects of life under apartheid. Life satisfaction and happiness peaked in 1994 after the first-ever open general elections. Five years have passed since South Africans went to the polls to vote in the first-ever democratic elections. In April 1994 the world witnessed the miraculous triumph of reconciliation in a deeply divided society. However, post-election euphoria has evaporated and a more reflective mood has set in as the fledgling democracy takes stock of Progress. In a speech to parliament on 31 May 1998, Deputy President Thabo Mbeki voiced his concern about the state of the nation. South Africans needed to promote reconciliation and nation building to ensure that the dream of a better life for all' did not dissipate. In his address, Mbeki pronounced that South Africa was a country of two nations, one white and wealthy, the other black and poor.

Determines the effectiveness of a problem-solving training program employing college students taking up psychology at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. Use of effective and ineffective problem-solving group; Administration of the Problem-solving Inventory; Problem-solving Task; Social Reaction Inventory; Self-efficacy Scale.

Analyzes trends emerging from research during the apartheid period as well as following the democratic rule in South Africa. History of South Africa; Description of their apartheid policy; What was required of black South Africans; Discoveries made from a poverty study designed to measure statistics on living standards and development in South Africa, in April 1994; Details on economic growth and employment trends noticed in South Africa.

Examines the social indicators in South African and the challenges they face. Review of South Africa's social indicators; Comparison of living conditions in South Africa with those of comparable economies; Information on racial inequality in South Africa; Detailed information on the challenges the South African society face.

Examines intergenerational relations and time use in urban black families in South Africa. Family constraints on activity schedules; Indicators of subjective well-being, family solidarity and family values; Details of the diary day and activities; Characteristic meanings of activity groups.

Investigates the pharmaceutical and related services in the Northern Province in South Africa. Development, health status and health services in the Northern Province; Importance of a baseline study of pharmaceutical procurement, distribution and use; Pharmaceutical and related services requiring immediate attention; Action plan to improve services.

Discusses the abstracts of the articles `The 1944 Pension Laws Amendment Bill: Old-Age Security Policy in South Africa in Historical Perspective, ca. 1920-1960,' by A. Sagner and `Ageing, Public Finance & Social Security in South Africa,' by S. van der Berg from the `Southern African Journal of Gerontology.'

Presents abstracts of articles related to pensions for South Africans. Includes `State Social Benefits in South Africa,' by Frances Lund, published in the periodical `International Social Security Review'; `Pensions and Development: Social Security as Complementary to Programmes of Reconstruction and Development,' by Elisabeth Ardington and Frances Lund, published in the periodical `Development Southern Africa'.

Discusses intergenerational relations from the perspective of the elderly whose social security and happiness in old age is dependent on the mutual family support system in South Africa. Association of harmony with the subjective well-being of elders; Contributions to satisfactory family life form the viewpoint of elders; Role of middle generation in closing the generation gap.

Reports on preliminary findings on current life satisfaction and expectations of future quality of life among a sample of 338 students studying mainly social sciences subjects at the University of Natal, Durban, South Africa. Subjective well-being among blacks and whites; Higher occurrence of optimism about the future than pessimism; Life satisfaction correlated with income.

Abstract: This paper draws on two linked studies of social policy and wellbeing in later life. The studies make comparisons between distinct groups of older people at the national and sub-national levels, as well as over time. The paper reflects on some of the main challenges for operationalising this complex design, as well as for interpreting findings and identifies lessons for other studies. The first study, conducted in 2002, included a questionnaire survey of around 2000 households containing at least one older person in South Africa and Brazil, supplemented by a set of in-depth qualitative interviews. Intriguingly, these countries had remarkably similar pension programmes, providing the majority of older people a reliable payment of roughly US$3 a day. This offered the prospect of exploring the effects of similar interventions in distinct developmental and cultural settings. In both countries, we found that these pensions had a substantial impact on the prevalence and depth of poverty in the study households, and were usually shared between older people and other family members. The second survey took place in 2008/9 and involved revisiting the households included in the 2002 survey, along with a separate set of in-depth interviews. This provided an opportunity for dynamic analysis of economic and wellbeing effects, against a backdrop of increased divergence in the wider national settings. Among other things, this revealed high and increasing levels of life satisfaction across all the study groups, although the extent to which this was directly related to generous pension provision cannot be ascertained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An on-site gas monitoring study has been conducted in the framework of an earthquake laboratory (The International NELSAM–DAFGAS projects) at the TauTona gold mine, South Africa. Five boreholes up to 60m long were drilled at 3.54km depth into the highly fractured Pretorius Fault Zone and instruments for chemical and seismic monitoring installed therein. Over the span of 4years sensitive gas monitoring devices were continuously improved to enable the direct observation of geogas concentration variations in the DAFGAS borehole. The major gas concentrations are constant and air-like with about 78% N2, 21% O2, 1% Ar. The geogas components CO2, CH4, He and H2 show the most interesting trends and variations on the minute-by-minute basis and significantly correlate with seismic data, while the 222Rn activity remains constant. Time series and cross correlation analysis allow the identification of different gas components (geogas and tunnel air) and the identification of two processes influencing the borehole gas composition: (1) pumping-induced tunnel air breakthrough through networks of initially water-saturated fault fractures; and (2) seismicity induced permeability enhancement of fault fractures to above ∼5×10-10 m2. The current set-up of the gas monitoring system is sensitive enough to quantify the resulting geogas transport during periods of intense blasting activities (including recorded blasts with seismic moment ⩽1×109 Nm, located within 1000m of the cubby) and, it is suggested, also during induced earthquakes, a final goal of the project. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]