Anton Pillay - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Anton Pillay
NETSOL: New Trends in Social and Liberal Sciences
This paper analyzes online teaching and learning strategies and the challenges involved in the wa... more This paper analyzes online teaching and learning strategies and the challenges involved in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Three years on in the pandemic, universities have struggled with the challenges faced by the move from traditional learning to online teaching and learning. Instructional strategies have advanced rapidly given the epidemic’s realities of isolation, separation, and distance but not all of them have been successful. A cause for concern is that the well documented benefits of online learning become diminished as the negativities of online learning become more obvious. For example, technological difficulties are becoming more prevalent, as inadequate technical skill sets and levels as well as incompatible teaching styles. Furthermore, a lack of engagement between students and instructors, and poor communication further hampered online learning. From the view of academic staff developers, this study analyzes online learning strategies and provides recommendations ...
The Thinker
The incarceration of the former South African President Jacob Zuma on charges of contempt of cour... more The incarceration of the former South African President Jacob Zuma on charges of contempt of court sparked mass looting, destruction, and damage to a staggering economy attempting to navigate through Covid-19-related repercussions. Early estimates reveal that the initial damage report bill is a R50 billion knock on the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The level of orchestration behind the attacks alludes to state-sponsored violence, given Mr Zuma’s loyal sympathisers within the intelligence community and in the African National Congress. This research postulates that Mr Zuma’s political rhetoric served as the main inciting factor behind the destruction. Indeed, comparative analysis shows how many post-independence/liberation leaders have invoked a language of debt by virtue of their role as independence/liberation heroes to justify dismal governance records. What are the key features of this language of debt?
Abstract: This dissertation aims to contribute to the debate concerning South African hegemony. A... more Abstract: This dissertation aims to contribute to the debate concerning South African hegemony. A major problem concerning the debate about South African hegemony is that it is a contested notion, in that there is no solid or definite prescription concerning its status. This dissertation is explanatory in nature. It seeks to explain the contested notion in the hope of defining South African hegemony, but instead of focusing on selective attributes which describe it, we will re-conceptualise it in order to capture its essence. The contemporary explanation of hegemony has evolved and developed into a complex term with hundreds of definitions having evolved over the years. Nevertheless, the “core” association denotes powerful states’ dominance over others. What make hegemony unique and separate from other forms of domination is that it involves consensus amongst the dominated. Examining South Africa’s natural dominance in Africa there is a necessity to define its hegemony, whether soft...
Abstract: The thesis was constructed under the belief that Africa requires concrete solutions to ... more Abstract: The thesis was constructed under the belief that Africa requires concrete solutions to address the neo-colonial rut it has found itself in. Deploying the ideology of "Pan-Africanism" as a cross-breed "theoretical-conceptual-analytical" framework, the thesis hypothesises that a "common African currency" has potential to serve as a viable solution to Africa's development trajectory. To test this hypothesis, a research methodology known as “naturalistic inquiry” is deployed to analyse and explore both the benefits and constraints of a common currency. The key themes guiding this exploration are the challenges Africa faces, potential solutions, the concept of unity as well as epistemological disobedience which is questioning of the Global Imperial Designs. The crux of the thesis is that there must be a shift from political thinking to economic thinking. As the case of Europe’s own successful monetary quest shows, a "re-thinking" of t...
Eureka: Social and Humanities, Mar 31, 2022
This study assesses the effectiveness of compliance inspection in ensuring the quality of ICT pro... more This study assesses the effectiveness of compliance inspection in ensuring the quality of ICT products and services at the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is an independent regulatory body of the South African government, established in 2000 by the ICASA Act to regulate both the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors in the public interest. The ICASA approved label, found on internationally manufactured products, implies the products meet quality standards, stipulated by ICASA. A qualitative study using interviews from a sample of 13 participants was carried out. The study found that there are functional integration challenges that are reflected in inspection activities and outcomes, which are not reported to relevant departments, while other supporting activities, such as the provision of security personnel during site inspection, are not made available to support effective compliance inspection activities and effectiveness. The study also found randomized inspections help to cut down on risks. Lastly, the study noted a profound lack of a post-market surveillance in place to continuously ensure that the equipment and the systems, placed in the market, maintain conformance with the applicable technical standards. The study further revealed that licensees lack adequate information and knowledge regarding compliance regulations and acts, which fosters non-compliance and renders compliance inspection ineffective.
Abstract: Please refer to full text to view abstract
EUREKA: Social and Humanities
This study investigates the impact of social media as a strategic approach to corporate communica... more This study investigates the impact of social media as a strategic approach to corporate communication when handling crises at Bank X in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The study had three over-arching objectives; to determine the challenges that are encountered when handling crises about communication at Bank X, to determine if the leadership has the willingness to change their approach when formulating the strategy; to determine if social media has an impact on strategy formulation of crisis communication at Bank X; and lastly to make recommendations to Bank X’s leadership on how to incorporate the social media component as a communication approach to effectively handle crises. This research followed a qualitative research approach through one-on-one Microsoft Teams in-depth interviews with 10 participants. The study, through the analysis of the primary data, secondary data, and literature reviews, underpins and supports that there is an opportunity for Bank X to incorporate ...
The Thinker, 2020
The theories of liberalism and realism have for approximately half a millennium provided those wa... more The theories of liberalism and realism have for approximately half a millennium provided those wanting to understand human behaviour with a ‘lens’ to view the world.
PONTE International Scientific Researchs Journal
The Thinker, 2020
The various common currency projects on the continent attest to the benefits of economic integrat... more The various common currency projects on the continent attest to the benefits of economic integration. Rooted in the ideology of Pan-Africanism, a common currency is perceived as a practical solution to overcoming Africa's perennial problems of structural development. This research seeks to assess what can be made of Africa's common currency projects by using two cases studies: the CFA Franc (West) and the SACU Common Monetary Area. How have these two projects experienced the quest for a common currency and how does this reflect upon Africa?
The Thinker, 2020
The theories of liberalism and realism have for approximately half a millennium provided those wa... more The theories of liberalism and realism have for approximately half a millennium provided those wanting to understand human behaviour with a 'lens' to view the world. Both of these theories translate superbly into theories of International Relations, because the same rationality used to interpret or predict human behaviour can be applied to states. At the most elemental understanding, liberalism presumes that humans are inherently good-natured and seek to help each other. Realism, on the other hand, contends that individuals are egocentric and always search for their own benefit. This juxtaposition is framed in the 'Hobbes vs Kant' paradigm, which places the work of two prominent political philosophers against each other. Within the chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic, the virtues of liberalism are taking a metaphorical backseat in the greater scheme of the 'Hobbes vs Kant' debate. In fact, states which had previously strongly advocated for the liberal agenda are r...
EUREKA: Social and Humanities, 2022
In fighting for justice and equality in the face of American institutional racism, Muhammed Ali b... more In fighting for justice and equality in the face of American institutional racism, Muhammed Ali became an internationally known and respected figure. His 1976 auto-biography, The Greatest, with Richard Dunham and edited by Toni Morrison is a fast paced and well written book. It showcases the intellect, humanity, and determination behind the globally recognized icon. The auto-biography is interesting in the sense that it places boxing on the periphery and instead focuses on Ali’s struggles and disappointments, to be recognized as a man in the American South, which would later morph into the greater struggle for civil rights for American minorities. In fighting against what this research terms ‘structural racism, what emerged was a battle against the very fabric of core norms and culture, which establishes white American hegemony. In taking on established structures, Ali faced the wrath of ‘the Establishment.’ The idea of this term becomes vivid via comparative analysis of other case ...
PONTE International Scientific Researchs Journal, 2021
Between 2006 and 2010, South Africa received an estimated R 200 million (US$ 22 million) from var... more Between 2006 and 2010, South Africa received an estimated R 200 million (US$ 22 million) from various Western governments and agencies through the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP). Yet about one fifth of the total sum of this Development Fund came from the government of South Africa itself. This scenario problematizes South Africa‟s dual identity. On the one hand South Africa receives finance from international development institutions as well as bilateral donor countries of the West, but it is also increasingly providing international development assistance.
New Agenda: South African Journal of Social and Economic Policy, 2016
The Spaniards first encountered platina (little silver) in their South American conquests, regard... more The Spaniards first encountered platina (little silver) in their South American conquests, regarding it as an unwanted impurity in the silver they were mining. Centuries later, platinum - now worth more than gold - is recognised as a metal that is capable of revolutionising economies and turning the SADC region into an industrial hub. Unfortunately, the exploitation of platinum group metals (PGMs) in regards to the hydrogen economy "remains a largely unrealised ambition", even though South Africa has over two-thirds of the world's proven platinum reserves. This situation is at the heart of South Africa and the Global Hydrogen Economy by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Relations.
PONTE International Scientific Researchs Journal, 2021
EURASIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, 2021
Spurred on by emergency Covid-laws and the desire to defeat Covid-19 by any means necessary, gove... more Spurred on by emergency Covid-laws and the desire to defeat Covid-19 by any means necessary, governments globally are using their newfound powers to steadily diminish the level of democracy in their countries. This malfeasance is not only occurring in institutionally weak states but in traditionally strong democratic states. Deploying examples from across the globe, this paper highlights the decline in democracy from three perspectives, namely; the crackdown on opposition, censorship, and unabated corruption. As the pandemic drags on, these three issues are becoming more prominent and require contemplation. Exploration of these issues, configuratively described as “democracy in decline”, gives way to the latter part of this research; the idea that America is exempt from democracy, a condition known as American exceptionalism. American exceptionalism, in part, claims that the US is the world’s strongest democracy, global democratic torchbearer, and a government worthy of being imitat...
Volume 43 Issue 1, 2021
The absence of any real substantial critique of China in South Africa media in the aftermath of C... more The absence of any real substantial critique of China in South Africa media in the aftermath of Covid-19 is cause of concern given the increasing evidence to suggest that China is exporting its authoritarian press censorship culture abroad. South Africa, a strategic partner of China, offers insight into this “export.” In developing a methodology which asks if “China is crafting its image”, this research examines a sample of South African media between March- July 2020 to ascertain if censorship occurred. Deploying the theoretical framework of the Propaganda Model (PM) developed Herman and Chomsky’s “Manufacturing Consent” theory, the research cross analyzes via five filters to determine if China is “Manufacturing Consent” within the South African media.
PONTE International Scientific Researches Journal, 2020
NETSOL: New Trends in Social and Liberal Sciences
This paper analyzes online teaching and learning strategies and the challenges involved in the wa... more This paper analyzes online teaching and learning strategies and the challenges involved in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Three years on in the pandemic, universities have struggled with the challenges faced by the move from traditional learning to online teaching and learning. Instructional strategies have advanced rapidly given the epidemic’s realities of isolation, separation, and distance but not all of them have been successful. A cause for concern is that the well documented benefits of online learning become diminished as the negativities of online learning become more obvious. For example, technological difficulties are becoming more prevalent, as inadequate technical skill sets and levels as well as incompatible teaching styles. Furthermore, a lack of engagement between students and instructors, and poor communication further hampered online learning. From the view of academic staff developers, this study analyzes online learning strategies and provides recommendations ...
The Thinker
The incarceration of the former South African President Jacob Zuma on charges of contempt of cour... more The incarceration of the former South African President Jacob Zuma on charges of contempt of court sparked mass looting, destruction, and damage to a staggering economy attempting to navigate through Covid-19-related repercussions. Early estimates reveal that the initial damage report bill is a R50 billion knock on the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The level of orchestration behind the attacks alludes to state-sponsored violence, given Mr Zuma’s loyal sympathisers within the intelligence community and in the African National Congress. This research postulates that Mr Zuma’s political rhetoric served as the main inciting factor behind the destruction. Indeed, comparative analysis shows how many post-independence/liberation leaders have invoked a language of debt by virtue of their role as independence/liberation heroes to justify dismal governance records. What are the key features of this language of debt?
Abstract: This dissertation aims to contribute to the debate concerning South African hegemony. A... more Abstract: This dissertation aims to contribute to the debate concerning South African hegemony. A major problem concerning the debate about South African hegemony is that it is a contested notion, in that there is no solid or definite prescription concerning its status. This dissertation is explanatory in nature. It seeks to explain the contested notion in the hope of defining South African hegemony, but instead of focusing on selective attributes which describe it, we will re-conceptualise it in order to capture its essence. The contemporary explanation of hegemony has evolved and developed into a complex term with hundreds of definitions having evolved over the years. Nevertheless, the “core” association denotes powerful states’ dominance over others. What make hegemony unique and separate from other forms of domination is that it involves consensus amongst the dominated. Examining South Africa’s natural dominance in Africa there is a necessity to define its hegemony, whether soft...
Abstract: The thesis was constructed under the belief that Africa requires concrete solutions to ... more Abstract: The thesis was constructed under the belief that Africa requires concrete solutions to address the neo-colonial rut it has found itself in. Deploying the ideology of "Pan-Africanism" as a cross-breed "theoretical-conceptual-analytical" framework, the thesis hypothesises that a "common African currency" has potential to serve as a viable solution to Africa's development trajectory. To test this hypothesis, a research methodology known as “naturalistic inquiry” is deployed to analyse and explore both the benefits and constraints of a common currency. The key themes guiding this exploration are the challenges Africa faces, potential solutions, the concept of unity as well as epistemological disobedience which is questioning of the Global Imperial Designs. The crux of the thesis is that there must be a shift from political thinking to economic thinking. As the case of Europe’s own successful monetary quest shows, a "re-thinking" of t...
Eureka: Social and Humanities, Mar 31, 2022
This study assesses the effectiveness of compliance inspection in ensuring the quality of ICT pro... more This study assesses the effectiveness of compliance inspection in ensuring the quality of ICT products and services at the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is an independent regulatory body of the South African government, established in 2000 by the ICASA Act to regulate both the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors in the public interest. The ICASA approved label, found on internationally manufactured products, implies the products meet quality standards, stipulated by ICASA. A qualitative study using interviews from a sample of 13 participants was carried out. The study found that there are functional integration challenges that are reflected in inspection activities and outcomes, which are not reported to relevant departments, while other supporting activities, such as the provision of security personnel during site inspection, are not made available to support effective compliance inspection activities and effectiveness. The study also found randomized inspections help to cut down on risks. Lastly, the study noted a profound lack of a post-market surveillance in place to continuously ensure that the equipment and the systems, placed in the market, maintain conformance with the applicable technical standards. The study further revealed that licensees lack adequate information and knowledge regarding compliance regulations and acts, which fosters non-compliance and renders compliance inspection ineffective.
Abstract: Please refer to full text to view abstract
EUREKA: Social and Humanities
This study investigates the impact of social media as a strategic approach to corporate communica... more This study investigates the impact of social media as a strategic approach to corporate communication when handling crises at Bank X in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The study had three over-arching objectives; to determine the challenges that are encountered when handling crises about communication at Bank X, to determine if the leadership has the willingness to change their approach when formulating the strategy; to determine if social media has an impact on strategy formulation of crisis communication at Bank X; and lastly to make recommendations to Bank X’s leadership on how to incorporate the social media component as a communication approach to effectively handle crises. This research followed a qualitative research approach through one-on-one Microsoft Teams in-depth interviews with 10 participants. The study, through the analysis of the primary data, secondary data, and literature reviews, underpins and supports that there is an opportunity for Bank X to incorporate ...
The Thinker, 2020
The theories of liberalism and realism have for approximately half a millennium provided those wa... more The theories of liberalism and realism have for approximately half a millennium provided those wanting to understand human behaviour with a ‘lens’ to view the world.
PONTE International Scientific Researchs Journal
The Thinker, 2020
The various common currency projects on the continent attest to the benefits of economic integrat... more The various common currency projects on the continent attest to the benefits of economic integration. Rooted in the ideology of Pan-Africanism, a common currency is perceived as a practical solution to overcoming Africa's perennial problems of structural development. This research seeks to assess what can be made of Africa's common currency projects by using two cases studies: the CFA Franc (West) and the SACU Common Monetary Area. How have these two projects experienced the quest for a common currency and how does this reflect upon Africa?
The Thinker, 2020
The theories of liberalism and realism have for approximately half a millennium provided those wa... more The theories of liberalism and realism have for approximately half a millennium provided those wanting to understand human behaviour with a 'lens' to view the world. Both of these theories translate superbly into theories of International Relations, because the same rationality used to interpret or predict human behaviour can be applied to states. At the most elemental understanding, liberalism presumes that humans are inherently good-natured and seek to help each other. Realism, on the other hand, contends that individuals are egocentric and always search for their own benefit. This juxtaposition is framed in the 'Hobbes vs Kant' paradigm, which places the work of two prominent political philosophers against each other. Within the chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic, the virtues of liberalism are taking a metaphorical backseat in the greater scheme of the 'Hobbes vs Kant' debate. In fact, states which had previously strongly advocated for the liberal agenda are r...
EUREKA: Social and Humanities, 2022
In fighting for justice and equality in the face of American institutional racism, Muhammed Ali b... more In fighting for justice and equality in the face of American institutional racism, Muhammed Ali became an internationally known and respected figure. His 1976 auto-biography, The Greatest, with Richard Dunham and edited by Toni Morrison is a fast paced and well written book. It showcases the intellect, humanity, and determination behind the globally recognized icon. The auto-biography is interesting in the sense that it places boxing on the periphery and instead focuses on Ali’s struggles and disappointments, to be recognized as a man in the American South, which would later morph into the greater struggle for civil rights for American minorities. In fighting against what this research terms ‘structural racism, what emerged was a battle against the very fabric of core norms and culture, which establishes white American hegemony. In taking on established structures, Ali faced the wrath of ‘the Establishment.’ The idea of this term becomes vivid via comparative analysis of other case ...
PONTE International Scientific Researchs Journal, 2021
Between 2006 and 2010, South Africa received an estimated R 200 million (US$ 22 million) from var... more Between 2006 and 2010, South Africa received an estimated R 200 million (US$ 22 million) from various Western governments and agencies through the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP). Yet about one fifth of the total sum of this Development Fund came from the government of South Africa itself. This scenario problematizes South Africa‟s dual identity. On the one hand South Africa receives finance from international development institutions as well as bilateral donor countries of the West, but it is also increasingly providing international development assistance.
New Agenda: South African Journal of Social and Economic Policy, 2016
The Spaniards first encountered platina (little silver) in their South American conquests, regard... more The Spaniards first encountered platina (little silver) in their South American conquests, regarding it as an unwanted impurity in the silver they were mining. Centuries later, platinum - now worth more than gold - is recognised as a metal that is capable of revolutionising economies and turning the SADC region into an industrial hub. Unfortunately, the exploitation of platinum group metals (PGMs) in regards to the hydrogen economy "remains a largely unrealised ambition", even though South Africa has over two-thirds of the world's proven platinum reserves. This situation is at the heart of South Africa and the Global Hydrogen Economy by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Relations.
PONTE International Scientific Researchs Journal, 2021
EURASIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, 2021
Spurred on by emergency Covid-laws and the desire to defeat Covid-19 by any means necessary, gove... more Spurred on by emergency Covid-laws and the desire to defeat Covid-19 by any means necessary, governments globally are using their newfound powers to steadily diminish the level of democracy in their countries. This malfeasance is not only occurring in institutionally weak states but in traditionally strong democratic states. Deploying examples from across the globe, this paper highlights the decline in democracy from three perspectives, namely; the crackdown on opposition, censorship, and unabated corruption. As the pandemic drags on, these three issues are becoming more prominent and require contemplation. Exploration of these issues, configuratively described as “democracy in decline”, gives way to the latter part of this research; the idea that America is exempt from democracy, a condition known as American exceptionalism. American exceptionalism, in part, claims that the US is the world’s strongest democracy, global democratic torchbearer, and a government worthy of being imitat...
Volume 43 Issue 1, 2021
The absence of any real substantial critique of China in South Africa media in the aftermath of C... more The absence of any real substantial critique of China in South Africa media in the aftermath of Covid-19 is cause of concern given the increasing evidence to suggest that China is exporting its authoritarian press censorship culture abroad. South Africa, a strategic partner of China, offers insight into this “export.” In developing a methodology which asks if “China is crafting its image”, this research examines a sample of South African media between March- July 2020 to ascertain if censorship occurred. Deploying the theoretical framework of the Propaganda Model (PM) developed Herman and Chomsky’s “Manufacturing Consent” theory, the research cross analyzes via five filters to determine if China is “Manufacturing Consent” within the South African media.
PONTE International Scientific Researches Journal, 2020