3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item A stratified systems framework for the North-South Rail Corridor in Southern Africa(2019) Bester, Paul MichaelThe North South Corridor (NSC) runs from the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the ports of Southern Africa, connecting the DRC, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa (RSA). The notoriously high transport costs on the NSC, compared to other major regions of the world, is a serious limitation on the economic development of the SADC region. While total NSC (road and rail) freight traffic volumes have increased, the rail portion has declined. Rail volumes on the NSC have dropped by 80%, while rail market share has dropped by more than 67% between 1990 and 2016. The purpose of this study is to determine what has caused this dramatic decline and what can be done to reverse the trend. By applying a systems approach, the NSC-Rail System was analysed from a business model and a concept of operations (CONOPS) point of view. A mixed-method research design which included both a qualitative and a quantitative element was used. The study provided an understanding of the NSC-Rail System with its multiple interacting subsystems and context elements. It also provided a means of conceptualising the factors impacting its business model. In the Stratified Systems Review process, Node Flow Mapping highlighted the numerous discontinuities in the NSC rail corridor and the sharp contrast in traffic density north of the RSA rail network. The Viable Systems Model analysis showed that the system fails at the Coordination (level 2) and Optimisation (level 3) levels of a viable system. Value Stream Mapping (VSMp) identified the non-value adding delays caused by customs clearances at the multiple border crossings and identified locomotive and crew changeover points as major causes of transit delays. The VSMp indicated that the rail transit time between Durban and the DRC should be circa 8 days as opposed to the reported the 30 days rail transit time. The research concluded that the operations of the sovereign rail operators must be aligned and optimised at system level. Lack of information sharing and communication problems are blamed on the language barriers between the operators along the corridor. The business model must address all the elements required of an end-to-end transport system. Key elements to improving the NSC-Rail System are inland dry-terminals, security of freight, system effectiveness and operational efficiency, competitive pricing and dependable, short delivery times.Item Investigating the Transnet foundry quality system(2016) Ngwenya, Valentine LwandileThis research investigates Transnet‟s Foundry Quality System, focusing on the quality issues in the Foundry. This includes determining the total cost of quality for the business, investigating the impact of the specific defects on the productivity of the business. Two products were analysed namely, the top centre casting and the brake shoe holders. Root cause analysis was done on each stage of the Foundry process to understand the causes of defects. Data was collected and analysed and most of the defects that occur were found to be the result of poor quality management which consequently causes low productivity and low profits. Also identified was a lack of skilled personnel in specific areas in the Foundry. Furthermore data collection as part of the quality system in the Foundry is not effectively executed and this implies that performance cannot be fully measured. Non Compliance reports from customers were analysed and the total cost of quality was calculated to be R1 214 690.73 based on the data that was available. The impact of defects on productivity was also analysed for the financial year 2014/2015 and it was calculated to be 47% for the brake shoe holders. The target for the Foundry for the financial year was R4 048 799.30 for the actual productivity in sales amounted to R 1 915 510.60. For the top centre the estimated target for the financial year 2014/2015 was R6 271 500.00 and the actual productivity amounted to R3 305 250.00. Statistical process control charts were drawn and it was discovered that some of the machines owned by the business are not capable of producing to specification. Qualifound was identified as a framework to improve the Transnet foundry quality system. It is recommended that top management be educated in the concept of cost of quality and its impact on business profitability and that skilled quality coordinators be appointed to facilitate continuous quality maintenance.