scholarly journals A mixed-age classed ‘pelycosaur’ aggregation from South Africa: earliest evidence of parental care in amniotes?

2007 ◽  
Vol 274 (1627) ◽  
pp. 2829-2834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Botha-Brink ◽  
Sean P Modesto
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Parental Care ◽  
Mixed Age

scholarly journals Aggregations and parental care in the Early Triassic basal cynodontsGalesaurus planicepsandThrinaxodon liorhinus

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e2875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra C. Jasinoski ◽  
Fernando Abdala
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Reproductive Biology ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Size Difference ◽  
Early Triassic ◽  
Adult Size ◽  
Extensive Survey ◽  
Comprehensive Survey ◽  
Extinct Group ◽  
Mixed Age

Non-mammaliaform cynodonts gave rise to mammals but the reproductive biology of this extinct group is still poorly known. Two exceptional fossils ofGalesaurus planicepsandThrinaxodon liorhinus, consisting of juveniles closely associated with an adult, were briefly described more than 50 years ago as examples of parental care in non-mammaliaform cynodonts. However, these two Early Triassic fossils have largely been excluded from recent discussions of parental care in the fossil record. Here we re-analyse these fossils in the context of an extensive survey of other aggregations found in these two basal cynodont taxa. Our analysis revealed six other unequivocal cases of aggregations inThrinaxodon, with examples of same-age aggregations among immature or adult individuals as well as mixed-age aggregations between subadult and adult individuals. In contrast, only one additional aggregation ofGalesauruswas identified. Taking this comprehensive survey into account, the two previously described cases of parental care inGalesaurusandThrinaxodonare substantiated. The juveniles are the smallest specimens known for each taxon, and the size difference between the adult and the two associated juveniles is the largest found for any of the aggregations. The juveniles ofThrinaxodonare approximately only 37% of the associated adult size; whereas inGalesaurus, the young are at least 60% of the associated adult size. In each case, the two juvenile individuals are similar in size, suggesting they were from the same clutch. Even though parental care was present in bothGalesaurusandThrinaxodon, intraspecific aggregations were much more common inThrinaxodon, suggesting it regularly lived in aggregations consisting of both similar and different aged individuals.

scholarly journals DAMAGES FOR DEPRIVATION OF PARENTAL CARE: INITIATING A GROUNDBREAKING NEW REMEDY FOR CHILDREN M v Minister of Police 2013 (5) SA 622 (GNP)

Obiter ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy Parker ◽  
F Noel Zaal
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Parental Care ◽  
South African ◽  
Family Care ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Children's Rights ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Children’S Rights ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
The Law

In South Africa, as in many other jurisdictions, it is well established that where a parent is unlawfully and culpably killed by a third party any surviving children may claim for loss of support. Detailed rules on damages available in terms of the common law loss of support action have developed over a long period of time. However, the action has generally remained subject to a major limitation. The loss which can be claimed for must be pecuniary or material. This is in accordance with the principle that only patrimonial damages may be awarded in terms of the loss of support action. Thus, damages which can be claimed by children unlawfully deprived of a parent are restricted to compensation for loss of future maintenance they will no longer receive. In reality, the harm and deprivation children experience after death of a parent tend to be much more than what has been recognized as suitable for compensation by means of patrimonial damages. Particularly where there was a close relationship, bereavement may cause long-term emotional harm. The child may also lose out on important life-skills training and guidance that the parent would foreseeably have provided for many years until the child reached maturity. Without such guidance, the child may never achieve his or her full potential. So the child may be significantly disadvantaged even beyond maturity. Unfortunately, in the face of centuries of entrenchment of the law, our courts have been unable to extend the loss of support action to fully cover all aspects of a deprivation of nurturing. They have thus not been able to address some of the most severe dimensions of harm typically suffered when children are wrongfully deprived of parents. South Africa has not been alone in this. Such claims are blocked by the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 in England, where damages can only be claimed for pecuniary loss. Although this was criticized by the Court in, for example, Hay & Anor v Hughes, there appears currently to be no attempt to amend the Act. Similar legislation in Australian states and territories also does not make provision for claims by children for non-pecuniary damages. This is with the exception of the Northern Territory of Australia where the Compensation (Fatal Injuries) Act allows a child to claim damages for loss of care and guidance of a parent wrongfully killed. Fortunately, in the democratic era South Africa has benefited from an infusion of modern, children’s rights-based legislation. Some of the new statutory provisions allow for a reconceptualization of the law governing parent-child relationships. Of foundational importance is the declaration that “every child has the right − … to family care or parental care …” in section 28(1)(b) of the Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1996. As will be further discussed below, the actual content of parental care has been to some extent clarified in section 15 of the Children's Act 38 of 2005 (the Act). The references to parental care in modern South African legislation provide scope for judges to develop the detail of the law in accordance with a children’s-rights approach. In M v Minister of Police (M) Mohle J grasped an excellent opportunity to do so and opened the way for future compensation of children for non-material aspects of parental loss. He did this with creative and ground-breaking interpretations of section 28(1)(b) of the Constitution and section 15 of the Act.  In our discussion we provide an analysis and appreciation of the judgment. We show that, whilst M is important for its initiation of a new remedy from which many children can benefit in the future, it is in some respects less than perfectly clear, and therefore leaves important aspects for further development. We consider the implications of the judgment and how South African law needs to be further evolved if children unlawfully deprived of their parents are to be fully compensated for resulting harm.

Time and Latitude in South Africa

1972 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 27-38
Author(s):  
J. Hers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Astronomical Observations ◽  
Royal Observatory ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Astronomical Determination ◽  
Limited Accuracy ◽  
Better Than

In South Africa the modern outlook towards time may be said to have started in 1948. Both the two major observatories, The Royal Observatory in Cape Town and the Union Observatory (now known as the Republic Observatory) in Johannesburg had, of course, been involved in the astronomical determination of time almost from their inception, and the Johannesburg Observatory has been responsible for the official time of South Africa since 1908. However the pendulum clocks then in use could not be relied on to provide an accuracy better than about 1/10 second, which was of the same order as that of the astronomical observations. It is doubtful if much use was made of even this limited accuracy outside the two observatories, and although there may – occasionally have been a demand for more accurate time, it was certainly not voiced.

Combining Professional Interests and Travel: People to People Citizen Ambassador Program

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-54
Author(s):  
Alex Johnson ◽  
Amanda Hitchins
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
Social Conditions ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Exchange Program

Abstract This article summarizes a series of trips sponsored by People to People, a professional exchange program. The trips described in this report were led by the first author of this article and include trips to South Africa, Russia, Vietnam and Cambodia, and Israel. Each of these trips included delegations of 25 to 50 speech-language pathologists and audiologists who participated in professional visits to learn of the health, education, and social conditions in each country. Additionally, opportunities to meet with communication disorders professionals, students, and persons with speech, language, or hearing disabilities were included. People to People, partnered with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), provides a meaningful and interesting way to learn and travel with colleagues.

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