NuSpace

NuSpace is the official repository platform of the National University of Science and Technology that enables researchers in:

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  • promoting knowledge dissemination and facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration.

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Recent Submissions

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Mbanga, J., Abia, A.L.K., Amoako, D.G. and Essack, S.Y., 2021. Longitudinal surveillance of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. from a wastewater treatment plant and its associated waters in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Microbial Drug Resistance, 27(7), pp.904-918.
(Microbial Drug Resistance, 2021) Mbanga, J.; Abia, A.L.K.; Amoako, D.G.; Essack, S.Y.
We assessed the prevalence, distribution, and antibiotic resistance patterns of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. isolated from raw and treated wastewater of a major wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and the receiving river water upstream and downstream from the WWTP discharge point. Escherichia coli and enterococci were isolated and counted using the Colilert®-18 Quanti-Tray® 2000 and Enterolert®-18 Quanti-Tray 2000 systems, respectively. A total of 580 quantitative PCR-confirmed E. coli and 579 enterococci were randomly chosen from positive samples and tested for in vitro antibiotic susceptibility using the disk diffusion assay against 20 and 16 antibiotics, respectively. The removal success of the bacterial species through the treatment procedure at the WWTP was expressed as log removal values (LRVs). Most E. coli were susceptible to meropenem (94.8%) and piperacillin-tazobactam (92.9%), with most Enterococcus susceptible to ampicillin (97.8%) and vancomycin (96.7%). In total, 376 (64.8%) E. coli and 468 (80.8%) Enterococcus isolates showed multidrug resistance (MDR). A total of 42.4% (246/580) E. coli and 65.1% (377/579) enterococci isolates had multiple antibiotic resistance indices >0.2. The LRV for E. coli ranged from 2.97 to 3.99, and for enterococci the range was observed from 1.83 to 3.98. A high proportion of MDR E. coli and enterococci were present at all sampled sites, indicating insufficient removal during wastewater treatment. There is a need to appraise the public health risks associated with bacterial contamination of environmental waters arising from such WWTPs to protect the health of users of the receiving water bodies.
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Urban Regeneration and the Perceptions of Commercial Real Estate Market Participants: The Case of the Johannesburg Inner City
(Journal of African Real Estate Research, 2021) Simbanegavi, P.; Chigwenya, A.; Kodinye, M.; Msimanga, T.; Mbhele, T.
Many factors contribute to urban decay in inner city locations as real estate investments fall and industries disappear or move to more attractive locations. In South Africa, the attainment of democracy and the resultant ‘white flight’in favour of decentralised locations precipitated urban decay. Commercial real estate has spill-over effects on foot-count and absorption rates on inner city real estate. It helps stimulate redevelopment of other property types such as apartments, which contribute to the overall economic revitalisation of the decayed inner city. This paper examines the challenges faced by real estate investors in regeneration projects in Johannesburg Inner City (JIC). The paper uses an exploratory qualitative research design, where interviews were conducted with commercial real estate participants in JIC. The paper identified five challenges faced by commercial real estate market participants regarding investments and operations: building acquisition, physical public infrastructure, homelessness, lack of financing, and crime. An understanding of these challenges faced by commercial real estate market participants is valuable for policy-makers trying to attract commercial real estate investments to the inner city. Successful regeneration projects will promote urban renewal and revitalise economic activities in the decaying regions. The identified challenges will illuminate municipal programs and policies needed for the development of inner cities.
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Adopting Green Building Technologies for Sustainable Development: Insights from Harare, Zimbabwe
(International Journal of Real Estate Studies, 2020-12-09) Chigwenya, A.; Zhakata, T. I.
Green building is a fast growing concept that acts as a cardinal instrument of sustainable development, being proven as crucial in the achievement of sustainable development goals. The construction industry is seen as a critical player in the achievement of sustainable development because it makes huge contribution to the environmental degradation. However, in Zimbabwe, the adoption of green building technologies has been very slow, which means that the contribution of the built environment to sustainable development is apparently very minimal. The present study attempts to situate the Zimbabwean construction industry in the sustainable development framework. Technology is the cutting edge of development in the contemporary cities and the adoption of technologies in the construction industry will go a long way in attaining sustainable development. The study also examined the barriers to sustainable construction in the country using Harare as the case study. The study used qualitative methods to collect data. In-depth interviews and observations were employed. The research observed that there is very minimal adoption of green building technologies in Harare with only three buildings that have incorporated these technologies the rest are conventional buildings. Technology in the construction industry is therefore minimally used in the city of Harare and this has severe consequences on sustainability. The major reason for poor adoption of green technologies include lack of government policy, general lack of information and understanding on the need for green buildings, and the hostile economic environment in the country. The study therefore recommends that government should intervene with policies and regulations that promote green technologies.
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Factors leading to the late diagnosis and poor outcomes of breast cancer in Matabeleland South and the Bulawayo Metropolitan Provinces in Zimbabwe
(PLOS ONE, 2023-11-03) Magara, M.S.; Mungazi, S.G.; Gonde, P.; Nare, H.; Mwembe, D.; Madzikova, A.; Chagla, L.S.; Pereira, J.; McKirdy, M.J.; Narayanan, S.; Grimsey, L.
Introduction Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of female cancer deaths in Africa, and in Zimbabwe, >80% present with advanced disease. A Needs Project (NP) was carried out to determine the key factors responsible for delayed diagnosis and poor BC outcomes and to investigate possible solutions in 6 rural and urban districts of Matabeleland South and Bulawayo Metropolitan Provinces. Methods A mixed method approach was used to collect data in 2 phases. Phase 1: an exploration of key factors leading to poor BC outcomes with >50 professional stakeholders and patient representatives. Phase 2: (i) Quantitative arm; validated questionnaires recording breast cancer knowledge, demographic information and perceived barriers to care administered to women and their relatives (Group 1) and health professionals (HPs) (Group 2). (ii) Qualitative arm; 10 focus group discussions with medical specialists and interested lay representatives (Group 3). The Cochran sample size formulae technique was used to determine the quantitative sample size and data was aggregated and analysed using SPSS Version 23™. Purposive sampling for the qualitative study selected participants with an understanding of BC and the NP. Focus group discussions were recorded and a thematic analysis of the transcriptions was conducted using NVivo9™. Results Quantitative analysis of Group 1 data (n = 1107) confirmed that younger women (<30years) had the least knowledge of breast cancer (p<0.001). Just under half of all those surveyed regarded breast cancer as incurable. In Group 2 (n = 298) the largest group of health workers represented were general nurses and midwives (74.2%) in keeping with the structure of health provision in Zimbabwe. Analysis confirmed a strong association between age and awareness of BC incidence (p = 0.002) with respondents aged 30–39 years being both the largest group represented and the least knowledgeable, independent of speciality. Nearly all respondents (90%) supported decentralisation of appropriate breast surgical services to provincial and district hospitals backed up by specialist training. Thematic analysis of focus group discussions (Group 3) identified the following as important contributors to late BC diagnosis and poor outcomes: (i) presentation is delayed by poorly educated women and their families who fear BC and high treatment costs (ii) referral is delayed by health professionals with no access to training, skills or diagnostic equipment (iii), treatment is delayed by a disorganised, over-centralized patient pathway, and a lack of specialist care and inter-disciplinary communication. Conclusion This study confirms that the reasons for poor BC outcomes in Zimbabwe are complex and multi-factorial. All stakeholders support better user and provider education, diagnostic service reconfiguration, targeted funding, and specialist training.
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An assessment of risk factors for contracting rabies among dog bite cases recorded in Ward 30, Murewa district, Zimbabwe
(PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2021-03-31) Chikanya, E.; Macherera, M.; Maviza, A.
Background Zoonoses are a major threat to human health. Worldwide, rabies is responsible for approximately 59 000 deaths annually. In Zimbabwe, rabies is one of the top 5 priority diseases and it is notifiable. It is estimated that rabies causes 410 human deaths per year in the country. Murewa district recorded 938 dog bite cases and 4 suspected rabies deaths between January 2017 and July 2018, overshooting the threshold of zero rabies cases. Of the 938dog bite cases reported in the district, 263 were reported in Ward 30 and these included all the 4suspected rabies deaths reported in the district. This necessitated a study to assess risk factors for contracting rabies in Ward 30, Murewa. Methodology/ Principal findings A descriptive cross sectional survey was used for a retrospective analysis of a group of dog bite cases reported at Murewa Hospital, in Ward 30. Purposive sampling was used to select dog bite cases and snowball sampling was used to locate unvaccinated dogs and areas with jackal presence. The dog bite cases and relatives of rabies cases were interviewed using a piloted interviewer-administered questionnaire. Geographical Positioning System (GPS) coordinates of dog bite cases, vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs and jackal presence were collected using handheld GPS device. QGIS software was used to spatially analyse and map them. Dog owners were 10 times more likely to contract rabies compared to non-dog owners (RR = 10, 95% CI 1.06–93.7). Owners of unvaccinated dogs were 5 times more likely to contract rabies compared to owners of vaccinated dogs (RR = 5.01, 95% CI 0.53–47.31). Residents of the high density cluster (area with low cost houses and stand size of 300 square meters and below) were 64 times more likely to contract rabies compared to non-high density cluster residents (RR = 64.87, 95% CI 3.6039–1167.82). Participants who were not knowledgeable were 0.07 times more likely to contract rabies, compared to those who had knowledge about rabies. (RR = 0.07, 95% CI 0.004–1.25). Our study shows that the risk factors for contacting rabies included; low knowledge levels regarding rabies, dog ownership residing in the high density cluster, owning unvaccinated dogs and spatial overlap of jackal presence with unvaccinated dogs.