This study aimed to systematically review the prospects and challenges associated with adopting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning at rural universities in South Africa. To achieve this aim, a systematic review methodology was employed. The systematic review findings revealed a multifaceted landscape wherein opportunities for enhancing education through ICT exist alongside significant challenges. Prospects include the potential for technology to bridge educational gaps, increase accessibility, and provide innovative learning experiences. However, challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited connectivity, and varying levels of digital literacy pose significant impediments. The study emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to address these challenges, including infrastructure development, capacity building, and localized content creation. Additionally, recommendations for flexible learning models and collaborative partnerships are outlined to facilitate effective ICT adoption in the unique context of rural South African universities. Continuous research and evaluation are advocated to inform future strategies and ensure sustainable improvements in rural education through ICT integration.

This study sought to examine the factors that influence women’s health in conflict zones for the period spanning 1975–2018. The investigation was motivated by the fact that war and violent conflict strain already underdeveloped healthcare systems and frequently put disadvantaged groups—particularly women and children—at risk of being denied access to essential services like healthcare. Living in or close to conflict zones puts women at a higher risk for sexual assault, poor reproductive health, unwanted pregnancy, and poor maternal health outcomes. By destroying infrastructure, food, water, and sanitation systems, armed conflict reduces access to healthcare. The results showed that the remittances and life expectancy have a negative relationship with maternal mortality. Development assistance, the number of refuges, and military expenditure were seen as having a positive relationship with maternal mortality, but no significant relationship was found with either economic growth or internet usage. This calls for new policy and self-care interventions. There is also a need to explore how to maximise the benefits of technology in delivering health interventions to hard-to-reach populations. There is also a need for policymakers to explore how to maximise the benefits of technology in delivering health interventions to hard-to-reach populations.

This study explores the dynamics of marketing agricultural products in the coastal regions of the Eastern Cape, South Africa, through an analysis of existing literature and empirical data collected from selected participants to model farmers’ marketing experiences and identifies an improvement pathway. This study aims to enhance the understanding of the factors that inhibit and enable the marketability of coastal agricultural products. Employing a causal relationship research methodology, this paper reviewed the current situation through a bottom-up approach, providing valuable insights for policymakers, interventionists, researchers, and practitioners who aim to support rural coastal agricultural growth and livelihood enhancement in the Eastern Cape. Data were collected from 215 participants from the sample of 4212 registered coastal small-scale farms in the Eastern Cape through a multi-staged sampling procedure. The findings through Path analysis empirically revealed that technological resources, efficient supply chain systems, supportive government policies, and unlimited market access significantly enhance the marketability of coastal agricultural products. The study recommends addressing challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, stringent regulatory requirements, and the effects of climate change, which is essential for advancing the marketability of coastal agricultural products.

It is with no doubt that social protection has been a key weapon for development in most low-income countries. As part of its commitment, South Africa has implemented and continued with additional measures, such as Social Relief Distress (SRD), since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the major concerns hovers around the long-term sustainability of fiscal allocations to this obligation. This paper, therefore, analyses patterns of social protection spending using STAR (Situation, task, action, results) method on year on year (YoY) data (2019/202 and 2020/21). Firstly, the paper shows that the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to already existing extreme poverty levels and people’s vulnerability. The study exposes a need to assess the long run sustainability of the fiscal commitment to poverty reduction and the protection of the vulnerable. Secondly, it demonstrates that post -COVID -19 fiscal commitments to poverty reduction. The study compares and analyses year-on year data of fiscal allocation to social protection, the number of beneficiaries and poverty rates and further forecast prospects of sustainability. Social protection improved during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, improving the number of beneficiaries. However, this was realised through borrowing and costly fiscal trade-offs. This paper provides alternative measures that can be implemented to create a fiscal space and finance the social protection gap

The ability to secure high quality healthcare and access at an affordable cost for the entire population is the principal health objective of many countrie

A survey was undertaken to investigate the operational challenges faced by Zimbabwean Diasporic entrepreneurs in setting up and running a business in South Africa. These challenges are hindering the sustainability of ZDSMMEs, and consequently South African economy ceases to benefit from the contributions from these businesses and their related economic value addition to the region. The article seeks to answer the main research question, stated as what are the operational and generic challenges faced by Zimbabwean Diasporic Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (ZDSMMEs) in South Africa? In South Africa and Zimbabwe, it was found that even if ZDSMMEs are helping to create jobs for all South Africans, they have many challenges, which include restrictive policies and regulation, low financial capital, xenophobia, insecurity, corruption as well as clientele trust. Mixed research methodology was used in this study and a sample of 250 ZDSMMEs was randomly selected. A close ended questionnaire was administered by research assistants. One of the major policy suggestions from this study is South African government should endeavour to protect ZDSMMEs against xenophobic attacks and should educate the public about foreigners. It is recommended that Zimbabwean Diaspora institutions should engage with indigenous South Africans in their operations for joint venture businesses as a way of fighting xenophobia and securing bank loans. The research contributes to the development of policies, which would allow integration of ZDSMMEs into development partnerships with South African entrepreneurs, which would increase revenue.