Ounongo Repository

The Ounongo Repository (OR) is the institutional repository of Namibia University of Science and Technology. Ounongo means "knowledge. in the Oshiwambo and Otjiherero languages. The OR is administered by the Library, with technical assistance from DICT, and its aim is to collect, organize, manage, store, preserve, publish and make accessible worldwide, the knowledge assets or intellectual output of the University's researchers, staff and post-graduate students. Users may set up RSS feeds to be alerted to new content.

 

Recent Submissions

Item
ASSESSING THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION AT THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS, IMMIGRATION, SAFETY AND SECURITY IN NAMIBIA
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2023-05-04) KADHIKWA, SAKEUS IITA.
Internal communication has long been the lifeblood of successfully and effectively managed organizations, especially when such communication is strategically managed. Though literature has established the benefits of internal communication, especially when it comes to employee engagement, commitment, and improved corporate reputation, research assessing the strategic role of internal communication in government departments is limited. The aim of the study was to assess the strategic role of internal communication at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security in Namibia. To achieve this objective, four secondary objectives were pursued. The first secondary objective focused on examining the challenges faced by the Department of Home Affairs and Immigration in implementing the internal communication strategy. The second objective focused on analyzing the impact of internal communication on service delivery, while the third focused on internal communication and employee morale. The last objective examined the alignment between internal communication and the department’s strategy. Data for the study were collected using a structured interview guide. Face-to-face online were conducted with a conveniently selected sample of 25 participants. The methodology that was employed was a qualitative research approach that followed a case study research design. Several challenges affecting the effective implementation of the internal communication strategy were identified. Furthermore, it was noted that participants had mixed views about the role of internal communication and service delivery, as well as its strategic role in the organization. Based on these findings, the study makes recommendations and suggestions for future research.
Item
Mathematical analysis of foot and mouth disease with optimal control: a case study of FMD in Namibia.
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2023-06) Ndeevelo, Palivamwe, Merolly
This study aims to comprehensively analyse Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) by formulat ing two mathematical models specifically tailored for confined and unconfined environments in Namibia. The models composed for this research incorporate essential compartments that capture the intricate dynamics of livestock populations, including their susceptibility to FMD, latent exposure, infectiousness, and recovery. Furthermore, the models account for the imple mentation of optimal control measures by farmers and the disease control mechanisms em ployed by national institutions such as the vaccination campaign, culling and quarantining of livestock. To ensure the stability and equilibrium of the proposed models, well-established mathemat ical principles such as the LaSalle Invariance principle, Lyapunov function and Routh-Hurwitz stability analysis are utilized. These methods assist in determining the equilibrium points of the models and assessing their stability properties. In addition, historical data on FMD reported cases within the country is also incorporated to enhance the accuracy and applicability of the models analyses. The study utilises numerical simulations with an Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) solver in Python to demonstrate the impact of various scenarios of FMD progression. Furthermore, an excel-input data sheet is created to facilitate basic analysis and to showcase the variability range resulting from modifications in FMD dynamics. By employing a combination of mathematical modelling, stability analysis, historical data integration, and numerical simulations, this research provides significant insights into the be haviour and control of FMD in confined and unconfined environments in Namibia. The findings vii contribute to the existing knowledge of FMD in Namibia and provide insights that can inform decision-making and policy formulation in combating this economically significant disease.
Item
A first syntaxonomic description of the vegetation of the Karstveld in Namibia.
(Vegetation Classification and Survey/Pensoft Publishers, 2023-10-24) Strohbach, Ben J.; Strohbach, Marianne M.
Aims: The Karstveld in Namibia has been recognized as an area of high plant diversity. However, this area is also recog nised as a hotspot of various forms of degradation including bush encroachment. Minimal baseline data on the compo sition and diversity of vegetation in this area is available, therefore this paper is a first attempt to rectify this data defi ciency. Study area: The Karstveld in Namibia is formed around the Otavi Mountain Range in northern Central Namibia, consisting of strongly karstified carbonate bedrock, rising up to 2000 m a.s.l. The Karstveld includes the Ovambo Basin plains with shallow calcrete soils north of the range, up to the Omuramba Ovambo. Because of orographic effects, the area receives some of the highest rainfall in Namibia, with up to 600 mm per year. Methods: A set of 889 relevés with 868 species was selected from the GVID ID AF-NA-001 database. A partial data set, using trees, shrubs, dwarf shrubs and grasses only, was used for the classification with modified TWINSPAN. The initial result yielded four main groups, according to which the data was split and further classified. Several vegetation types observed during field surveys were not reflected in the classification results; these were refined using Cocktail with known characteristic species. Results: The four main units represented wetlands and grasslands with six associations, a Thornbush savanna – Karstveld tran sition zone with four associations, Kalahari vegetation with four associations and the Karstveld proper with eight asso ciations. The latter are grouped together as the Terminalietea prunioides, with two orders and three alliances recognised under them. We describe 16 associations according to the ICPN. Conclusions: Although the associations presented in this paper are clearly defined, there exists a high degree of diversity within these. The Karstveld is also extraordinary species rich within the context of the arid to semi-arid Namibian environment. Taxonomic reference: Klaassen and Kwembeya (2013) for vascular plants, with the exception of the genus Acacia s.l. (Fabaceae), for which Kyalangalilwa et al. (2013) was followed. Abbreviations: ga = annual grass; gp = perennial grass; GPS = Global Positioning System, referring to a hand-held ground receiver; hl = herb layer, containing all hemicryptophytes, therophytes and geophytes, but excluding grasses (Poaceae); ICPN = International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (Theurillat et al. 2021); MAP = mean annual precipitation; NMS = nonmetric multidimensional scaling (Kruskal 1964); RDL = Red Data List (IUCN Species Survival Commission 2001); s1 = tall shrubs, i.e. multi-stemmed phanerophytes between 1 and 5 m; s2 = short shrubs, i.e. cha maephytes or ‘dwarf shrubs’ below 1 m; SOTER = Global and National Soils and Terrain Digital Database (FAO 1993); t1 = tall trees, > 10 m; t2 = short trees, between 5 and 10 m; t3 = low trees, i.e. single-stemmed phanerophytes between 2 and 5 m; TWINSPAN = Two Way Indicator Species Analysis (Roleček et al. 2009); WGS84 = World Geodetic System, 1984 ensemble
Item
Towards a Green Campus: Assessment of Sustainable Water Use and Management at the Namibia University of Science and Technology Campuses.
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2023-01) Symonds, Ann
The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) was amongst the top 40 water consumers in the drought year of 2019. Currently, the university does not have an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) which allows it to formulate strategies to conserve and manage resources on campus and thus does not yet comply with legislation that requires such Public Sector institutions in Namibia to implement one. A Water Management Strategy (WMS) forms one aspect of an EMP which will assist in the formulation of strategies to conserve and manage environmental resources on campus in the future. This study contributes baseline information towards the development of a WMS which will help the university play its part in addressing the chronic water shortage suffered in Namibia. To understand the water consumption patterns and associated costs three campuses at NUST in Windhoek were studied. Surveys and interviews were conducted, and reports, observations and water meter readings were collected over a 13-month period. The study served to highlight several areas of concern, where wasteful and inefficient practices were observed. The results show that old and decaying infrastructure, reactive maintenance, poor management, and a lack of monitoring of water use all contributed to the high-water consumption recorded at the Upper and Lower Campuses. This is not only environmentally unsustainable but also results in unnecessary economic costs. In contrast, the heightened awareness and proactive behaviour of staff and students at the Hotel School Campus combined with the implementation of water-saving strategies demonstrated that there are easily implementable mitigation measures where water could be used more efficiently, and consumption reduced. Qualitative surveys among students and staff indicated an awareness of the drought situation and the need to conserve water. The survey respondents suggested approaches and activities such as implementing water management strategies, educating, and devising techniques and technology to reduce water consumption. To support these findings, changes in management approaches in 2021 such as proactive maintenance and monitoring of consumption and municipal charges by the Facilities Department and at the Hotel School resulted in positive effects, thus suggesting the same action can be implemented across the whole university. Valuable lessons were learned from university initiatives elsewhere,such as target setting, public displays on consumption levels and real-time feedback on targets reached. These, and proactive drought mitigation strategies instigated in other countries and suggestions from key stakeholders, can form recommendations for a WMS to be implemented at NUST. xiii The findings of this study provide a basis from which to explore and practise the identified key interventions and methods. This will help reduce water consumption, make financial savings, and promote awareness of water issues leading to more environmentally favourable practices. Better water management through the development of a WMS could lead to improved sustainability and help NUST to move towards becoming a greener university for which the survey found good support.
Item
Human-wildlife conflict and coexistence of black-backed jackal (lupulella mesomelas) and African wild dog (lycaon pictus) in the Okakarara district communal area, Namibia.
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2023-05) Reasoner, Emma
Human-wildlife conflict is a global phenomenon that occurs wherever humans and wildlife share resources or space. In Namibia, human-wildlife conflict is most severe in communal regions where farmers have fewer financial means to implement mitigation measures against livestock depredation. This study used camera trap data, diet analysis, and questionnaire data to explore distribution, livestock depredation, and coexistence of black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) and African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), the highest conflict-causing species in the understudied Okakarara District Communal Area (ODCA). A camera trap survey was conducted in 2018-2019 for 30 days in the dry season and 30 days in the wet season. Black-backed jackal and African wild dog scat was collected both opportunistically and systematically for diet analysis. Using scat locations and questionnaire data, a kernel density of African wild dog - livestock conflict was mapped to determine if African wild dog dens occurred significantly more in regions of high livestock depredation. Black backed jackal abundance was significantly higher in the dry season in areas of high village density and within 10km of African wild dog dens. Diet analysis revealed that black-backed jackal in the ODCA have a generalist omnivorous diet consisting primarily of ungulates by biomass (74.36%). They preferentially consume greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), which contributes 19.83% to their diet by biomass. Livestock species made up 29.74% of the biomass in their diet. Black-backed jackal diet did not differ within vs. more than 10km from known African wild dog dens, suggesting that African wild dog function as neither a competitor nor facilitator for black-backed jackal, and both canids select habitat based on concealment and avoidance of persecution. African wild dog dens occurred significantly more in areas of higher African wild dog-livestock conflict, but further research is needed to confirm this preliminary finding. Due to a recent decline in population, African wild dog may be functionally absent from the ODCA, and without top-down pressure from an apex predator, black-backed jackal have experienced mesopredator release. Conservation priorities for the ODCA should focus on capacity building to increase populations of wild prey, implement low-cost predator mitigation solutions, and reduce mesocarnivore dominance by restoring large carnivore populations.