Browsing by Author "Chidzungu, Thandiwe"

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    Perspectives on the role of social impact assessments in solving acid mine drainage imposed socio-economic impacts in post-mining communities: a study of Carolina Catchment area X11B in Mpumalanga, South Africa
    (2019) Chidzungu, Thandiwe
    Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is the biggest problem mining communities in South Africa face. AMD has environmental, social and economic implications. In the context of Carolina in Mpumalanga, South Africa, the prevalence of AMD poses a threat to environmental, social and economic stability in the area. In view of this, extensive work has been done to address the physical elements overlooking the social and economic elements. This study was aimed at exploring the role of Social Impact Assessments as a tool in assessing and addressing the AMD imposed socio-economic impacts on mining communities. Data was gleaned from interviews, public dialogues, stakeholder consultative forums, community forums, questionnaires, focus group discussions, Integrated Development Plans (IDP), Stats SA Community Surveys, and Local Economic Development (LED). Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was used as the main methodological approach in conjunction with an ethnographic approach and the aforementioned data collection tools, to unpack the problem. A myriad of stakeholders within the Carolina community ranging from; ordinary community members, farmers, business people, Inkomati Usuthu Catchment Management Agency (IUCMA) officials, mining officials, municipality and LED officials from local government within Mpumalanga. Mining community activists from within Africa were also engaged as participants. The findings revealed that AMD has grossly impacted on the socio-economic wellbeing of the mining community. Notable is that, the affected communities have remained excluded from any planning and decision-making processes in mineral development. Public participation is still at its doldrums imbued with gender, racial disparities, coupled with human rights violations emanating from environmental injustices. The environmental injustices imposed by AMD pollution from mining activities have led to dire consequences on the community’s health, food security, employment and poverty intensity. A major premise of the thesis untangles opportunities for SIAs in reducing socio-economic and environmental impacts of AMD and feeds into local and national socio-economic development with a view to establish possible entry points to the regulatory policy. Moreover, it gives room for further debates on SIA to be used as a stand-alone environmental management tool that is conducted by Social Scientists to afford the socioeconomic impacts of mineral development more weight
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    The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the South African Platinum Mining Industry
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Timothy, Tshepo; Chidzungu, Thandiwe
    Most mining organisations have warmed up to adopting the latest technologies in recent times, as they have the potential to give them an edge in a highly competitive industry. In South Africa, Platinum Group Metals (PGM) are extensive on the African continent of which South Africa holds about 80% of the world’s reserves. It was estimated that the industry exported approximately USD 4.4 billion worth of platinum during 2015, and the industry is a major contributor to the South African economy (Conradie, 2016). Due to dwindling commodity prices and productivity, coupled with safety concerns, the industry is finding itself in a challenging position to be sustainable. It is against this backdrop that a quantitative research approach using quantitative surveys was used to glean/collect data and determine the gaps as informed by the existing profiles vis a vis the required skills and educational profiles of the people in the mining value chain. Mining officials from Sibanye Stillwater mining company, related mining companies and mining students in their personal capacity within the mining industry value chain in South Africa were engaged as study participants. The findings of the study revealed that stakeholder engagement and organisational readiness are linked. The link between stakeholder engagement, Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), and artificial intelligence (AI) was highlighted. The research also discovered a link between organisational culture and the skills required, as well as the technology relevant to the fourth industrial revolution
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    The Role of Social Impact Assessments in Skills Development and Sustainable Communities in South Africa’s Just Energy Transition from Coal: A Study of Carolina and Kriel Mining Communities in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-10) Chidzungu, Thandiwe; Wafer, Alex
    The study investigated the role of Social Impact Assessment (SIA) in addressing skill development needs and community sustainability issues in relation to a Just Energy Transition (JET) away from coal to the renewable energy sector in the Kriel and Carolina coal mining communities in Mpumalanga, South Africa. It had the following objectives: To explore the sustainability perspectives in the energy transition from coal to a low-carbon economy. Secondly, to examine the skill development needs within the energy transition from coal to the renewable energy sector in the coal industry in the two coal mining communities under study. Thirdly, to evaluate the potential of SIA as a strategy for assessing and addressing the social impacts of an energy transition from coal to the renewable energy sector on the two affected communities. Lastly, to recommend SIA as a policy entry point that the government can leverage in the Just Energy Transition policy framework in South Africa. A qualitative research approach, including quantitative techniques, was adopted. The primary data was collected through online and physical, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. A desktop study was used to collect secondary data. 230 participants, comprised of 60 experts and 170 community members, were engaged in the study. The participants were sampled using systematic, purposeful, random, and convenient sampling techniques. The researcher attended six webinars, two conferences, and two community forums on coal mining and renewable energy, where she gleaned some of her data and met some of the study participants. The Theory of Change was used as the theoretical framework. Findings on community sustainability issues in the two study areas reveal a lack of public participation, an increase in unemployment, and poor policy enforcement in land reform, affecting agriculture as the energy shift from coal to the low-carbon economy unfolds. They also point to cultural disruptions linked to possible internal relocations to make way for Renewable Energy (RE) infrastructure and gender disparities in economic participation that can threaten community sustainability. On a positive note, findings alongside the reviewed literature point to the growth of new economic opportunities linked to JET both in the affected regions and elsewhere, further creating employment opportunities. However, jobs created elsewhere may see relocations of the active group, affecting community stability and hence sustainability in the sending coal areas. Findings also highlight the perceived improvement in environmental sustainability linked to a reduction in pollution as clean RE technology is introduced, which improves health and agricultural yields as water, air, and soil quality are improved, thereby impacting community sustainability positively. With regards to skills development needs, the findings show low levels of educational attainment among the youth, a high rate of school dropouts coupled with poor school attendance, and a poor establishment of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, all of which will impact skill development during the energy transition. The study submits that the advocacy role of SIA can influence a rethink of curriculum design and fuel the creation of a skills needs assessment in line with the vocational system and Renewable Energy (RE) sector labour market demand. Moreover, it advocates for local action plans to support skills development through adult literacy centres for school dropouts and Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) to promote school attendance and the taking of STEM subjects targeted at females in schools and vocational colleges, who are disadvantaged compared to their male counterparts. With regards to the potential of SIA as an effective tool for addressing the social impacts of an energy transition, the study demonstrates that SIA can facilitate the identification of the social impacts and promote a deeper understanding of these impacts through its grassroot-level engagements. As well as facilitate the addressing of these social costs through sector-literate SIA teams, multi stakeholder collaborations, and community engagements. Furthermore, in the evaluation of developmental projects, SIA highlights the gender and age constraints of the social change process that need to be considered in JET’s socio-economic impact mitigation efforts. The findings further point to the consistency of SIA with the Grassroots Theory of Change, which articulates that change is made through collective action by communities regarding a problem or problems affecting their lives (Stachowiack, 2013). SIA is also demonstrated as a potential tool for strategic planning to identify current needs and opportunities that resonate with the "Policy Windows Theory of Change" by John Kingdon, which involves launching in-depth investigations of problems and providing constituent feedback as one application technique for advocacy (Coffman, 2007). All these attributes afford SIA the opportunity to fuel distributive, procedural, and rectificatory justice as the JET unfolds, making it better placed as an entry point to socially oriented policies. This positions SIA as a strategic tool that can assist with impact mitigation for JET-related social costs associated with skill development needs and community sustainability issues. The study, however, condemns the once-off process accorded to SIA and advocates for its use as an ongoing process as the JET unfolds to allow for continued monitoring and assessments and, hence, effective impact mitigation.
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    The Use of Data Analytics in Strategic Decision-Making in a South African Pay-TV Company
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Reddy, Prebashni; Chidzungu, Thandiwe
    The extent to which data and analytics inform decision-making in the Pay-TV industry in South Africa is not known. Netflix used data to achieve a competitive advantage and became a leading player in the streaming services arena. Blockbusters no longer exist because they did not change with the times and listen to what their customers wanted. Companies must use the data that they collect to make decisions and remain relevant in a continually evolving business environment. This research aims to evaluate the extent to which senior management use data and analytics to make decisions. The study measured the relationship of each of the following 3 constructs: data literacy, data accessibility, and data usage with data-driven decision making. The researcher carried out an exploratory study employing a quantitative and observational design approach. Adopting a cross- sectional methodology and drawing on a purposive nonprobability sample of senior managers from a South African Pay-TV company. An online structured interview survey was used to collect data from a population of 294 senior managers who were assumed to be decision-makers. The findings of the study were that data usage, data literacy, and data accessibility each have a positive relationship with data-driven decision-making. The research identified opportunities for the South African Pay-TV company to improve the use of data in decision-making for better- informed decisions and better business performance through a 3-step programme which was recommended should form part of their data strategy. To improve data literacy amongst senior management and other decision-makers a continuous programme of training in the skills to interpret and understand data and analytics is recommended as the first step and arguably most important step. Crafting and implementing an accessibility strategy is the next step and driving usage of that data and analytics is the last and crucial step in the programme. The findings of this study supported by previous research indicate that this company will improve performance and outperform its competitors with the use of data in decision making.