Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters/MBA)

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A small-scale sustainable farm in Tlapeng, Kagisano Molopo Municipality, North-West Province
(University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Parkins, Lorato; Moyo, Bhekinkosi
This project focuses on the establishment of a small farm business venture in Tlapeng Village, a rural area in Northwest Province, to explore market opportunities and promote social empowerment. By employing sustainable farming practices, the project seeks to enhance the socio-economic conditions of the community. Through a thorough assessment of market dynamics and consumer preferences in Kagisano Molopo, the project examines market demand, competitive landscapes, and consumer preferences. This analysis aids in identifying potential customers and developing unique selling propositions and understanding distribution channels and exploring niche markets, effective marketing strategies can be devised to gain market share. The project emphasizes the impact of a small farm business venture on social empowerment and business sustainability and highlights the key contributors to social empowerment, including bridging the knowledge gap, optimizing human resources, providing training and education programs, generating employment opportunities, ensuring access to healthy food, and fostering collaboration with the local community. These initiatives not only improve individuals' livelihoods but also foster a sense of community and overall well-being.
Assessing cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the disposal of ewaste in South African public & private institutions
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Khumalo, Dimitri
Over the years there have been numerous studies conducted, focusing on the various facets of waste electronic and electrical equipment, also termed electronic waste or e-waste, and the impact it has on the environment. However, little attention has been placed on the management of personal data during the disposal phases of e-waste and the inherent ramifications it poses if this data were retrieved. This study sought to assess the vulnerabilities to which organisations are exposed, specifically financial and government institutions, by interrogating the management policies, processes, and procedures for stored data when disposing of e-waste at the end of the asset life cycle. A qualitative research method, through semi-structured interviews was conducted. The population selected were very senior individuals, selected based on the specific roles and experiences they fulfilled within the financial services sector, various government institutions, and e-waste recycling companies. From the findings, it emerged that there were growing concerns around the effective policy regulations put in place to manage the disposal practices of ewaste and that of personal identifiable and sensitive data of individuals. This has driven a need for policies and robust mechanisms to be instituted to try and minimise the overall impact these vulnerabilities could pose to the environment and the entire value chain, at that juncture where electronic devices have reached their EOL and are now being disposed of. iii The results demonstrate that more focus has to be placed on the managing of ewaste in industry, providing policy directives in relation to how organisations need to prescribe and conform to effective disposal practices of electronic devices that have reached their EOL. Further to this, government, in consultation with various industry role players, needs to look at ways to formalise and regulate the e-waste sector and institute measures to ensure conformance for every part of the value chain.
Challenges and enablers of a strong and sustainable junior coal mining sector in South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022-09) Leteane, Festus Puso; Goerge, James
The South African coal mining industry produces about 250million tonnes per annum, for the domestic and export markets. The industry is dominated by the major coal producers, with the top five producers producing about 80% of the coal in the country. It has few mid-tier producers and junior miners. The SA junior coal mining sector is mostly made up of single asset operating mines, located in the Witbank Coalfields, in Mpumalanga Province, and a few in the KwaZulu Natal province, mining anthracitic coal. The SA junior coal mining sector is fragmented, stagnant and not sustainable in its current form. Most of the junior coal miners are operating surface mining operations which require less upfront capital and are not costly to operate as compared to the underground operations. This study aims to understand the deep underlying issues that contribute to the challenges facing this sector, as well as the key enablers for a sustainable junior coal mining sector in SA. In the first objective, we investigated the challenges facing the sector, as well as their underlying root causes. In the second and third objectives, we established the key enablers and a roadmap necessary for a sustainable junior coal mining sector in SA. The literature highlighted the lack of enabling mineral policy as an underlying root cause of the challenges facing the sector. However, the study revealed that, the lack of access to funding remains the persistent and main challenge facing the sector as lot of effort has gone into improving the mineral policy, and the lack of execution in the process of policy implementation remains an obstacle to unlocking the key enablers of a sustainable junior coal mining sector in SA.
Challenges of hybrid working in the Sub-Saharan mining industry
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Dube, Miriam
The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to hybrid working models. Several industries especially in information technology had started implementing the different working models and post Covid-19 more and more industries started adopting the hybrid working models. Mining companies resorted back to the traditional on site in office working however this won’t be long as research indicates that more employees are opting for flexibility that comes with hybrid work models. The future of work theme is receiving a lot of attention because of how technologies through the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) will change how we work. To facilitate a smooth transition to hybrid working models mining companies in Sub Sahara Africa (SSA) must address challenges that impede hybrid working models. During Covid when employees worked remotely mining companies experienced challenges which include poor infrastructure that did not support working from home, employees failing to use the available technology and some social impacts related to work life balance. Existing research also indicates the challenges of hybrid working models; however, it only covers certain industries and continents. The challenges ultimately affected the productivity of the employees, and the mining companies were forced to revert to the traditional working model. As far as we know, no previous research has investigated the challenges for mining companies in SSA. The study seeks to determine the challenges of hybrid working models in the mining industry how the mining companies can navigate through these challenges as they prepare for the future of work. The study has significant benefits to the mining organisation and its managers as it will assist them in identifying challenges of hybrid working and formulating means of embracing this the future of work. The self-determination theory (SDT) and resource-based view theory (RBV) frameworks were used to link existing knowledge to this research. Qualitative research was used to collect, process, and analyse the data for this research. Through in-depth interviews of participants in Ghana, South Africa Tanzania and Guinea, the researcher formulated themes that enabled the analysis of the findings. The research revealed the challenges of hybrid working models in SSA mining industry and how management could navigate these. There is opportunity for further research, and all this is outlined in this research.
Implementation of Social and Labour Plans within the Mining Industry in South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Bambo, Lepelle Lovedaliah; Olaleye, Oluwole
The research study explored the implementation of Social and Labour Plans (SLPs) within the mining industry in South Africa, with a specific focus on the challenges of collaborative governance and planning. The research focused on Govan Mbeki andDipaleseng municipal areas within the Gert Sibande District in the Mpumalanga Province. The study found that mining companies did not collaboratively identify, design and implement the SLPs with community stakeholders within the stipulated timeframe and budget as per the Mining Charter. There has been clear responsibility shifting among stakeholders, with little understanding of what the SLPs are, absence of collaborative governance and planning, and lack of monitoring and evaluation of SLPs by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). Based on the above-mentioned findings, the study recommends that (i) the mining companies should consult and share approved SLPs with mine communities, traditional leaders and other relevant stakeholders during the Integrated Development Planning consultation process; (ii) mining houses/mining rights holders should provide feedback to community stakeholders on progress of SLP project implementation, challenges and collaboratively work on proposed amendments of SLPs where applicable; (iii) DMRE should develop a monitoring and evaluation system to assess the implementation of the SLPs in partnership with relevant municipalities; (iv) DMRE should facilitate roadshows in affected mining communities to educate and empower communities about SLPs, the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA), the Mining Charter and the Mining Charter implementation guidelines
The impact of environmental management practices in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Madikizela, Zolisa
The research study appraises the effectiveness of the environmental management practices deployed at the Umbogintwini Industrial Complex (UIC) to manage historic and present environmental pollution that is the result of industrial activities over the past 100 years. The study was conducted at the African Explosives and Chemical Industries (AECI) site in the UIC located approximately 25 kilometres (km) south of Durban in KwaZulu Natal (KZN). In the UIC, AECI, its subsidiaries, and other businesses leasing property inside the UIC (tenants) have manufactured, stored, and supplied a wide range of industrial chemicals since 1907. The study uses a qualitative case study research methodology and explores the views of internal stakeholder i.e. AECI employees and external stakeholders’ i.e. tenants and other stakeholders regarding the effectiveness of environmental management practices deployed on site. A total of 25 participants were interviewed for this study. The interviews were done in person and some Via Teams Meetings. The theoretical and conceptual lenses that the study used include the concept of sustainability, green manufacturing, resource-based view theory and institutional theory. The overall findings of this study revealed that AECI personnel, Consultants and Regulators that are involved in the implementation of environmental management practices are aware of the environmental management practices and strongly committed to implement the practices, while the NPOs and communities around the site are wanting in environmental awareness. The study also shows that AECI’s environmental practices are not sufficiently recorded, making it harder to track and improve on them in the long run. As a result, the study proposes that the AECI should build a secure digital data management system that will aid in the keeping of records, the analysis of data, the creation of follow-up schedules, and the flagging of non- compliance, among other things. Moreover, the findings of this study support the value of sustainable development and green manufacturing as a means of investigating how environmental management practices can be implemented effectively in South Africa’s industrial complexes as this is the key finding that distinguishes the UIC. Furthermore, this study recommends that future studies assess the environmental management techniques used at other industrial complexes in South Africa or other 5 developing countries to assess the sustainability of the current plans, relating them to green manufacturing in order to stimulate continuous development.

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Browsing Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters/MBA) by SDG "SDG-15: Life on land"

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