Although the literature concerning vulnerabilities to climate change (CC) has been growing, research continues to be silent on approaches that can enhance the adaptive capacities of resource-poor communities that are vulnerable to the adverse effects of CC by translating indigenous knowledge (IK) into actionable adaptation strategies. This assertion is premised on the absence of concerted efforts to incorporate IK into science-based adaptation strategies. We attempt to address this gap by using a multidisciplinary investigative approach that taps into the perceptions of local people in the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality in the Free state province of South Africa and what is available in the literature. This approach is helpful because it ensures that local people’s perceptions, alongside other objectively informed insights, are systematically integrated into the co-designing of actionable climate-change adaption strategies. Given these and other considerations, we invite the scientific community and those interested in sustainability to complement our efforts by providing suggestions on the way forward.

This article argues that the application of transcendent disciplinarism as a lens for critical inquiry and curriculum enablement is urgent in a posthuman era. The paper asserts that a curriculum must be responsive to societal needs by providing students with a "toolbox" for developing functional and productive societies. The community development degree is pedagogically premised on utilising multiple disciplinary synergies primed for analytically and practically improving the human condition. The article uses critical terms in posthumanism, such as relationality, resilience, and sustainable communities, to evoke a return to the local by analysing the creation and implementation of a responsive community development curriculum. Through pedagogical approaches that infuse collaborative and cooperative learning with active learning strategies, we argue that the community development curriculum should be structured to enhance the capabilities of students to assist communities in adapting and transcending to transformation. This paper followed a systematic literature review of journal articles extracted from SCOPUS, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and EBSCOhost electronic databases. A final sample of twenty-four articles was reviewed, analysed, and presented using ATLAS.ti flow chart diagrams. The study's findings revealed that posthumanism-inspired transformation normatively conceives the earth as a connected entity and places as entangled and interconnected. The article further interrogates how the posthuman approach can be used to create and implement pathways for curriculum enablement.

Traditionally, doctoral studies take at least three to six years of full-time study, depending on the country and institution. However, the number of doctoral students who complete their studies in the prescribed time does not meet the expectations of the scientific community. Many students who enrol in a doctoral programme either drop out or do not complete it within the expected time frame. The literature is replete with evidence of the challenges faced by early career researchers, but there is still little reported on how to bridge the existing and perceived barriers that continue to undermine doctoral study retention. These and other obstacles must be addressed and combated by questioning the root causes of students dropping out of their studies. Thus, this study sought to suggest pathways to overcome these and other obstacles by providing a coherent overview of what we need to do and how. The methodology used included a thorough review of international accredited peer reviewed articles extracted from the SCOPUS multidisciplinary database. A total of 24 articles relevant to the topic were thus selected. The key finding of this initiative is that doctoral students face wide-ranging financial, academic, and social challenges that need to be addressed innovatively to improve the timely realisation of the successful completion of their studies. Keywords: Completion, challenges, doctoral studies, dropout, retention, success

Introduction: Current frameworks of conflict resolution have shown only partial success, particularly in the context of local municipalities where conflicts persist. There is a pressing need for context-specific framework that address leadership conflicts while fostering peace.Methods: To address the lack of progress in resolving conflicts, this study identifies major challenges undermining the assimilation and implementation of objectively informed conflict resolution strategies. A purposive sampling method was employed to select 33 respondents from the Greater Giyani Municipality. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using statistically established matrix scoring procedures. ATLAS.ti software was utilized for data analysis.Results: Without claiming to be exhaustive, this paper highlights examples of externalities that threaten the coexistence of the dual system of governance in South African communities, with a focus on leadership conflict and unsustainable peace. Factors contributing to conflict escalation include capacity constraints, lack of inclusive, bias, divisive decision-making and contested court decisions.Discussion: The study underscores the importance of addressing these challenges to foster effective conflict resolution. It emphasizes the need for the scientific community to provide critical information necessary for responding effectively to these challenges.Conclusion: To enhance conflict resolution in local municipalities, it is imperative to develop context-specific frameworks that address underlying challenges and promote sustainable peace. This requires concerted efforts from both researchers and practitioners to provide the necessary insights and strategies for resolution.

Access to safe water and adequate sanitary services in South Africa’s peri-urban areas remains a major challenge, despite being recognized as a basic human right that is essential for people’s dignity, health and well-being. Efforts to address this deficiency are often undermined by the rapid growth of informal settlements and inadequate waste management and the adverse effects of climate change. This study provides informative insights into the link between excessive alcohol abuse and sanitation nature and explores potential solutions based on case study data. The study used semi-structured interviews with 15 purposively selected key informants, including local leaders, WASH experts, policymakers, youth and women representatives, health staff, and NGO members. A matrix questionnaire method was also applied to evaluate the alignment between key informants’ views and broader community perspectives. Thereafter, the information compiled was analyzed using ATLAS.ti24 and matrix scoring. ATLAS.ti 24 facilitated theme generation through systematic coding and categorization, while network visualizations were employed to map relationships and uncover patterns within the data, enhancing analytical depth. The results show that infrastructural deficiencies, poor maintenance, lack of community engagement and wide-ranging climate change-related externalities are the main barriers that continue to undermine securitized access to safe water and adequate sanitary services. Our findings suggest that community-led initiatives, local partnerships, and informed adaptation strategies can improve sustainable access to potable water and sanitation services. The take-home message from these findings is that sustainable access to WASH services can be enhanced by assimilating objectively informed climate change interventions, improving the infrastructure facilities at our disposal, building capacity through community education and collectively promoting the increased uptake of user-friendly, climate-smart and indigenous adaptation strategies. The study concludes by urging and inviting those interested to complement our efforts by offering innovative strategies on how to advance our capacities to sustainably provide adequate WASH services.