Browsing by Author "Tingini, Tinotenda Lionel"

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Improving the Productivity of the Styldrift Platinum Mine using the Theory of Constraints
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Tingini, Tinotenda Lionel
The purpose of this research was to apply Theory of Constraints (TOC) to identify constraints affecting the Styldrift mine’s productivity and develop strategies on how TOC can be used to improve productivity in operations. Due to limitations in resources, the study was focused only on one crew. To identify the constraints limiting production at Styldrift mine, time and motion studies were conducted for a period of a month. The data was collected from direct observations as well as end of shift production reports. Control charts were then used to summarise the observations of the time and motion studies for each critical activity in each shift. The data from the Control charts was then analysed to identify the constraints. From the Control Charts, it was observed that the main constraint limiting productivity at the crew was the issue of blockages, as it contributed the most (42%) to the factors affecting production. After identifying the main constraint, a root cause analysis was conducted using TOC’s Current Reality Tree (CRT). The root cause analysis identified the mine’s cost cutting drives, the role of the union, long working hours, the mine’s local empowerment policies, and the utilization of the axess rig for other task other than the installation of secondary support, as the core problems leading to the blockages. To develop strategies to solve these core problems, the TOC’s Evaporating Cloud (EC) thought process (TP) tool was applied to come up with more optimal solutions to the identified problems. A Future Reality Tree (FRT) was then constructed using the EC. This research illustrated how the TOC’s thought process tools such as the EC, CRT and FRT can be applied in the mining context to identify constraints limiting productivity and develop strategies to exploit and eliminate those constraints. It however did not manage to illustrate explicitly how the five focus steps of TOC can be applied to improve productivity in the mining context. This is an area further research can focus on
Strategies to enhance Zimbabwe’s competitiveness to attract mining investments
(2021) Tingini, Tinotenda Lionel
The purpose of this study was to develop multiple strategies that can be used to enhance Zimbabwe’s competitiveness in attracting more mining investments. According to the Fraser Institute (2019) Zimbabwe hasa mediocre ranking in terms of its perceived mineral potential, with an average, in the last 3 years, at the 50th-percentile ranking. Zimbabwe has a very poor ranking in terms of policy perception, with its global policy perception ranking at the 96th-percentile, in the same period. Thus, Zimbabwe’s poor policy perception can therefore be described as the biggest constraint to the country’s competitiveness to be able to attract mining investments. The research is based on analysing data mainly from the World Bank, World Economic Forum, and the Fraser Institute in making its arguments. Reports from these institutions, written from 2009 to 2020, were analysed in order to identify patterns that can be used to explain the salient constraintslimiting Zimbabwe’s mining competitiveness. A SWOT analysis method was used to holistically analyse the factors that are perceived to be affecting Zimbabwe’s mining competitiveness. Strategies that can be used to enhance Zimbabwe’s mining competitiveness were then explored through suggesting solutions to each of the factors identified to be affecting the country’s competitiveness in the mining sector. The internal factors that were identified to be negatively affecting Zimbabwe’s ability to be competitive in attracting mining investments (weaknesses in the SWOT analysis) are the political and policy instability in the country, the country’s macroeconomic instability and the foreign exchange crisis in the country. Zimbabwe also has an inefficient government bureaucracy, and there arehigh levelsof corruption in the country. There are also difficulties in accessing financing in the country, and there is an inadequate supply of infrastructure in the country. Zimbabwe also charges relatively high mining royalties as compared to its neighbours, and there is a history of a lack of property right in the country. The external factors identified as posing a threat to Zimbabwe’s ability to become competitive in attract mining investments(threats in the SWOT analysis), are the targeted economic sanctions on the country, the limited access to international lines of credit, and brain-drain. The volatile mineral commodity prices also present a threat to the competitiveness of Zimbabwe’s mining sector. The negative image the country also presents a threat to the country’s competitiveness to attract mining investments. Zimbabwe’s dependency on other countries for mining inputs and markets also creates its own risks. To improve the country’s policy perception, Zimbabwe needs to implement steps to resolve the political instability in the country. Dialogue between Zimbabwe’s major political players can help resolve this current political crisis. To improve the country’s business environment, Zimbabwe needs to find ways to resolve the country’s macroeconomic instability and foreign exchange crisis. Structural reforms in the country’s economy and prudent fiscal management, including measures to reduce the government budget deficit, needto be implemented to ensure macroeconomic stability. To enhancethe country’s business environment, Zimbabwe also needs to find ways to deal with the high levels of corruption in the country, as well as the inefficient government bureaucracy. There should also be limited political interference in the running of government bureaucracy, such as in the issuance of mining permits. To enhance the business environment in the country, in order to attract more mining investments, Zimbabwe needs to find ways to tackle its inadequate supply of infrastructure. Funding of these infrastructure development projects can be done using a combination of financing sources, which include fundsfrom the fiscal budget, state-owned enterprises, local authorities, donors, and the private industry. To improve the country’s policy perception, Zimbabwe also needs to relook at lowering its gross revenue-based royalties to a level lower or at par with other African countries. As an alternative, Zimbabwe can instead increase the tax forms dependant on profitability, such as corporate tax. To improve the country’spolicy perception, Zimbabwe also has to find ways to deal with the country’s perceived lack of property rights. One way to achieve this is through the use of ‘Investment Promotion Agreements”, as a means to stabilise the regulation system to protect investments. To enhance its competitiveness to attract mining investments Zimbabwe also has to find ways to deal with brain-drain and retain its skilled and experienced mining professionals. Zimbabwe’s governmentalso has to find ways to incentivise mining companies to set up processing facilities in the country. Zimbabwe’s government also has to find ways to encourage the development of the country’s local mining suppliers. This can be achieved through offering tax incentives to mining companies which opt to process their minerals locally, and through incentivising companies that purchase their supplies from local sources. To enhance Zimbabwe’s mining competitiveness to attract mining investments, the country also needs to increase its capacity to develop home-grown mining technological solutions which are better suited to its unique geological conditions. This can be achieved by promoting innovation in the country and investing in R&D. Though there were a wide set of strategies recommended to help Zimbabwe enhance its competitiveness to attract mining investments, Zimbabwe’s political and policy instability were identified as the biggest problems affecting Zimbabwe’s business environment. To enhance Zimbabwe’s competitiveness to attract mining investments, it is therefore critical to prioritisethe implementation of strategies that can help resolve the political and policy instability in the country.