‘The forbidden fruit’: The consequences of interracial sexual relationships in apartheid South Africa. The case of Olaf Abraham Voster and Nomathemba Emily Nomatiti (1952)

‘The forbidden fruit’: The consequences of interracial sexual relationships in apartheid South Africa. The case of Olaf Abraham Voster and Nomathemba Emily Nomatiti (1952)

by | Nov 7, 2026 | IJAR, IJAR 2026

‘The forbidden fruit’: The consequences of interracial sexual relationships in apartheid South Africa. The case of Olaf Abraham Voster and Nomathemba Emily Nomatiti (1952)

Authors: AA Marwarwa and M Petse

ISSN: 3078-2821
Affiliations: Walter Sisulu University student; Walter Sisulu University
Source: International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 1-17
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a1

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AA Marwarwa and M Petse
‘The forbidden fruit’: The consequences of interracial sexual relationships in apartheid South Africa. The case of Olaf Abraham Voster and Nomathemba Emily Nomatiti (1952)
International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 1-17
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a1

Abstract

From the beginning of human existence, our species has always had an appetite for reproduction. Consequently, there have been debates on human sexual relations through the lens of social standards and various other means. History is one of the most essential fields through which to try to understand human beings through the unending contributions of social researchers. This research was about the impact of interracial sexual relationships in apartheid South Africa. The case was that of Olaf Abraham Voster, a European male versus the King. Voster had interracial sexual relations with an African woman, Nomathemba Nomatiti, in defiance of the Immorality Act 5 of 1927. He was a white farmer who owned a farm in Orange Grove, Umtata, and he had an interracial encounter with Nomatiti, who worked on the farm. This interracial sexual encounter occurred in 1952, when apartheid was at its height. The research examined the response of whites (Afrikaners and English speakers) to miscegenation (interracial sexual relations) and the extent to which the citizens who were directly involved in such relations suffered. The researcher used a single case study analysis to consider the penalties that the affected people had to endure. The findings reveal that the segregation laws of the 1920s disproportionately affected non-white individuals, which only served to exacerbate racial inequalities. The study recommends legal reforms that repeal discriminatory laws, public awareness campaigns to challenge societal prejudices and the establishment of support systems for those affected by past injustices.

‘The forbidden fruit’: The consequences of interracial sexual relationships in apartheid South Africa. The case of Olaf Abraham Voster and Nomathemba Emily Nomatiti (1952)

Impact of sexual harassment on the mental well-being of female students at a tertiary institution in South Africa

by | Nov 7, 2026 | IJAR, IJAR 2026

Impact of sexual harassment on the mental well-being of female students at a tertiary institution in South Africa

Authors: Keneilwe Wanthitha Mashishi, Mahlodi Monica Rebecca Makupula, Jabulani Gilford Kheswa and Mvuyisi Notole

ISSN: 3078-2821
Affiliations: University of Fort Hare
Source: International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 18-38
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a2

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Keneilwe Wanthitha Mashishi, Mahlodi Monica Rebecca Makupula, Jabulani Gilford Kheswa and Mvuyisi Notole
Impact of sexual harassment on the mental well-being of female students at a tertiary institution in South Africa
International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 18-38
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a2

Abstract

Globally, the number of cases of sexual assault in higher education institutions (HEIs) has been mounting, mostly affecting female students’ mental well-being. This study employed an exploratory qualitative methodological approach to investigate incidents of sexual harassment as perceived and experienced by female students at a tertiary institution in South Africa. The study hinges on Hagan’s Power and Control Theory, which seeks to explain patterns of abusive behaviours in heterosexual relationships. Owing to the sensitivity of the topic, purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to recruit a small but diverse sample of ten participants. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and later transcribed verbatim in preparation for data analysis. Following Braun and Clarke’s six steps of data analysis, the study revealed that the participants had experienced gender-based violence (GBV) and sexually transmitted infections due to socio-political, cultural and economic factors such as poverty, alcohol abuse, patriarchal norms and campus activities. The power dynamics between male lecturers and female students was cited as compromising female students’ mental well-being and resulted in some participants experiencing depression and a decline in their academic performance. The findings of the study recommend the provision of ongoing counselling and empowerment programmes for female students and the implementation of education on sexual harassment policies at the universities.

‘The forbidden fruit’: The consequences of interracial sexual relationships in apartheid South Africa. The case of Olaf Abraham Voster and Nomathemba Emily Nomatiti (1952)

Bioactivity screening of extracts of Drimia altissima and Crinum macrophyllum bulbs

by | Nov 7, 2026 | IJAR, IJAR 2026

Bioactivity screening of extracts of Drimia altissima and Crinum macrophyllum bulbs

Authors: Azola Zukisani Ntshobane, Elona Ngqayimbane, Suparna Chakraborty, Saif Khan and Talkmore Ngarivhume

ISSN: 3078-2821
Affiliations: Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa; University of Cape Town, Prince Cancer Laboratory, Cape Town, South Africa
Source: International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 39-54
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a3

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Azola Zukisani Ntshobane, Elona Ngqayimbane, Suparna Chakraborty, Saif Khan and Talkmore Ngarivhume
Bioactivity screening of extracts of Drimia altissima and Crinum macrophyllum bulbs
International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 39-54
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a3

Abstract

There is a surge in the use of and research on plant-based remedies because of their unique chemical diversity, the emergence of resistance and the adverse effects of current drugs. The present study evaluated the anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of crude extracts of Drimia altissima and Crinum macrophyllum bulbs, which are used as anticancer remedies. Hexane, dichloromethane and methanol crude extracts of the air-dried bulbs were screened on MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, CaSki, HeLa, PC3 and MRC5 cells at 200 μg/mL using the MTT viability assay. The DPPH and the egg-albumin denaturation assays evaluated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of these bulbs respectively. Cis-platin and doxorubicin were used as anticancer positive control drugs, whereas L-ascorbic acid and sodium dichlofenac were positive controls for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The D altissima methanol extract reported a percentage viability of 8.25 on Hela cells, whereas the C macrophyllum dichloromethane reported percentages of 6.12 and 4.30 on Hela and Caski cells, respectively. All the crude extracts reported much lower toxicities to the non-malignant MRC5 cells. The extracts exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. They also exhibited stronger anti-inflammatory inhibitions, whereas the hexane extracts reported 86.96±4.47% (C macrophyllum) and 90.47±0.94% (D altissima), which are comparable to the inhibition of the positive control drug of 93.72±0.30%.

‘The forbidden fruit’: The consequences of interracial sexual relationships in apartheid South Africa. The case of Olaf Abraham Voster and Nomathemba Emily Nomatiti (1952)

Exploring trends in artificial intelligence adoption in South African higher education through the diffusion of an innovation lens

by | Nov 7, 2026 | IJAR, IJAR 2026

Exploring trends in artificial intelligence adoption in South African higher education through the diffusion of an innovation lens

Author: ST Pika

ISSN: 3078-2821
Affiliations: N/A
Source: International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 55-73
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a4

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ST Pika
Exploring trends in artificial intelligence adoption in South African higher education through the diffusion of an innovation lens
International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 55-73
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a4

Abstract

Since the inception of ChatGPT in 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) has undergone significant development in higher education worldwide, including in South Africa. This study analyses the key trends and barriers to the adoption of AI in South African higher education, using Rogers’ (2003) Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the guiding framework. The research analysed the emerging patterns and challenges associated with AI integration in educational settings by focusing on the key constructs of Rogers’ (2003) theory: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observability. The study integrated the findings from multiple sources, which revealed promising trends such as enhanced student engagement, personalised learning experiences and improved administrative efficiency. However, it also revealed barriers, including infrastructural limitations, digital literacy gaps and issues of digital inequality, that constrain AI’s widespread adoption. Ethical concerns complicate the adoption process. It is therefore recommended that strategic investments in technology and faculty training be made, including the development of institutional policies that foster a supportive environment for AI innovation. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the transformative potential of AI in higher education while highlighting the key areas that require targeted interventions to ensure its effective and sustainable adoption in the South African context.

‘The forbidden fruit’: The consequences of interracial sexual relationships in apartheid South Africa. The case of Olaf Abraham Voster and Nomathemba Emily Nomatiti (1952)

External debt sustainability and agricultural development in Cameroon: empirical evidence from an Engle–Granger Co-integration Framework (1996–2023) perspective

by | Nov 7, 2026 | IJAR, IJAR 2026

External debt sustainability and agricultural development in Cameroon: empirical evidence from an Engle–Granger Co-integration Framework (1996–2023) perspective

Author: Nnane Eric Sumelong

ISSN: 3078-2821
Affiliations: Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, University of BUEA, Cameroon; staff member at the Department of Budget and Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Cameroon
Source: International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 74-92
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a5

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Nnane Eric Sumelong
External debt sustainability and agricultural development in Cameroon: empirical evidence from an Engle–Granger Co-integration Framework (1996–2023) perspective
International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 74-92
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a5

Abstract

This study examined the impact of external debt sustainability on agricultural development in Cameroon during the period 1996–2023. Agriculture accounts for approximately 22% of Cameroon’s GDP and employs more than 60% of the labour force, yet the sector remains chronically underfunded in the face of escalating external debt obligations. Employing the Engle–Granger two-step co-integration method and an error correction model (ECM) estimated with STATA 14, and using secondary data from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators (WDI), we investigated the short-run and long-run relationships between external debt stocks (long-term and short-term), debt-servicing costs and agricultural value added as the primary outcome measure. Control variables included trade openness, inflation, gross fixed capital formation, CO2 emissions, life expectancy and urban population growth. Our findings reveal that long-term external debt stock exerts a statistically significant negative effect on agricultural value added in the long run (β = −0.057; p < 0.05), whereas debt servicing acts as a powerful crowding-out mechanism that redirects fiscal resources away from agricultural subsidies, rural infrastructure and extension services. Short-term debt displays a marginally negative short-run effect (β = −0.004; p < 0.10). The error correction term is negative and significant (ECT = −0.383; p < 0.01), confirming long-run equilibrium reversion at a speed of approximately 38% per annum. Gross fixed capital formation is the single most potent driver of agricultural output growth (β = 0.737; p < 0.001). The study concluded that unsustainable external debt trajectories constitute a structural impediment to agricultural transformation in Cameroon, operating through the twin channels of fiscal displacement and macro-economic instability. Policy recommendations include the establishment of a debt-for-agriculture swap mechanism, the ring-fencing of agricultural budget allocations and institutional reforms to enhance debt transparency.

‘The forbidden fruit’: The consequences of interracial sexual relationships in apartheid South Africa. The case of Olaf Abraham Voster and Nomathemba Emily Nomatiti (1952)

The role of four land management boards in the resolution of land disputes in Cameroon: a legal pluralism analysis

by | Nov 7, 2026 | IJAR, IJAR 2026

The role of four land management boards in the resolution of land disputes in Cameroon: a legal pluralism analysis

Authors: Akame Winslow Melle and Akwe Ngole Ray Junior

ISSN: 3078-2821
Affiliations: State Prosecutor, High Court Manyu and Court of First Instance Mamfe, Department of English Law, Faculty of Laws and Political Science, University of Buea; State Counsel, High Court Menchum and Court of First Instance Wum, Department of English Law, Faculty of Laws and Political Science, University of Buea
Source: International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 93-123
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a6

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Akame Winslow Melle and Akwe Ngole Ray Junior
The role of four land management boards in the resolution of land disputes in Cameroon: a legal pluralism analysis
International Journal of African Reflections 2026, p. 93-123
https://doi.org/10.47348/IJAR/2026/a6

Abstract

This study critically examined the role of four land management boards in Cameroon – the Land Consultative Board, the Site Board Commission, the InterVillage Boundary Settlement Commission and the Farmer–Grazer Commission – in the resolution of land disputes in a plural legal framework. Positioned at the intersection of statutory law and customary practice, these boards embody hybrid institutions whose legitimacy and effectiveness depend on their ability to reconcile competing normative orders. To ensure conceptual clarity, the study defined and situated the notions of Land Management Boards, land dispute-resolution and legal pluralism, in this way grounding the analysis in precise theoretical and institutional terms. Employing a doctrinal legal research methodology, the study relied on a qualitative analysis of both primary sources (first-hand interviews, statutes, decrees, judicial decisions, ministerial circulars) and secondary sources (scholarly works, reports of international organisations) to consider the adequacy of the existing frameworks. Analytical and comparative approaches were adopted to evaluate the ways in which statutory instruments and customary practices interact in Cameroon and to situate these findings in broader African experiences in Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Mozambique. The findings indicate that whereas the boards provide a necessary interface between the law and communities, their effectiveness is constrained by procedural ambiguities, bureaucratic bottlenecks and chronic delays in implementation. Through the lens of legal pluralism, the authors argue that strengthening hybrid institutions requires statutory safeguards that integrate customary legitimacy supported by digitisation, gender inclusion and streamlined administrative processes. The findings contribute to ongoing debates on land governance, institutional accountability and tenure security in Africa; moreover, the authors offer recommendations for reform that enhance both legitimacy and efficiency in dispute-resolution.