4. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - Faculties submissions

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Gauteng Province

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    Policy enablers and perceived impediments of rooftop solar photovoltaic projects in Gauteng, South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Munemo, Pride Takudzwa; Ngubevana, Lwazi
    The issue of climate change has necessitated that many countries shift to greener and more sustainable energy sources. South Africa’s plans to encourage the generation of power from solar energy is a positive move in decarbonising the country’s economy. The National Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) intends to, among others, contribute to this shift and transition in power generation technologies. Despite being one of the two provinces in South Africa with the highest solar PV potential that may aid the penetration of rooftop solar PV (RSPV), the Gauteng province’s roll-out of such projects is perceived to be slower than anticipated. This research sought to study the perceived impediments that are hindering the growth of RSPV in the Gauteng province, reveal their impact in this sector, and explore the enablers for the diffusion of RSPV evolution. The Diffusion of Innovation theory forms the foundation for this study. The research investigated perceived policy impediments and enablers and suggested some policy measures to address these cross-cutting issues and contribute to the academic body of knowledge. The research approach was quantitative, and descriptive in nature, and information was obtained using a questionnaire that was administered via Survey Monkey. Data was gathered by integrating perspectives from key rooftop solar industry experts from energy service companies and regulatory sector officials. The study administered questions to participants in key energy leadership positions in the rooftop solar industry in the Gauteng province to understand perceived barriers and policy enablers. This research paper may assist academics, energy practitioners, and regulators in focusing their future efforts on the adoption of rooftop solar technologies in the Gauteng province. Furthermore, it may help in developing a framework for policies and strategies to increase the uptake of rooftop solar in South Africa.
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    Perceived barriers to digitalization by small-scale farmers Gauteng Province
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Choguya, Donald
    Digitalization in the fourth industrial revolution era has transformed many industries across the board. However, there are some that have been affected more than the others as depicted in the digital vortex. Lagging is the agricultural sector. This study was a quantitative research study that utilized a sample of 40 small-scale farmers to be representative of the Gauteng Province small-scale farmers. The research related the perceived barriers to digitalization and its impact to the agricultural activities of small-scale farmers in Gauteng Province. The data was analysed using the multiple regression analysis and correlation coefficient. Analysis of the results showed a massive gap between small-scale farmers and commercial farmers on the adoption of digitalization. Further analysis indicated that small-scale farmers were less likely to be impacted by digitalization to adopt technological utilization. It was also found that small-scale farmers were contributors to food production. Finally, it was also discovered that small-scale farmers were less established to adapt and adopt to digitalization in their agricultural activities due to various barriers. The recommendations were that there was need to do more research to find ways to bridge the gap to digitalization between small-scale farmers in Gauteng Province and commercial farmers. So that small-scale farmers in Gauteng Province especially the small-scale farmers in rural areas could also be exposed to the digitalization of operations to enable them to improve production
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    The impact of entrepreneurial mind-set on cross border trade of small medium enterprise manufacturers in Gauteng Province
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Nhlangothi, Lucky; Venter, Rob
    The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of the entrepreneurial mind-set of entrepreneurs on cross border trade (exporting) and to measure how this affected performance of the SMEs within the manufacturing sector in the Gauteng Province. It is argued that positive entrepreneurial mind-set and understanding perceived constraints of SMEs on cross border trade are determinants of successful entrepreneurship that could contribute to sustainable economic development in South Africa. The study explored the impact of entrepreneurial mind-set on cross border trade of small medium enterprises focussing on manufacturing sector in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. This was survey based empirical study of 120 respondents involved in the manufacturing industry. A descriptive quantitative method was used to address the proposed relationships between measuring metrics and growth of these enterprises. The instrument was checked for validity and reliability: the variables were operationalised and measured against multi- dimensional scales. Analysis for the proposed relationships were measured using multiple regression and correlation analysis. The finding of the research The study also contributed towards the body of literature on entrepreneurship strategy formulation at the SMES level that potentially may promote better strategy implementation by policymakers. It contributed to the existing body of knowledge by providing new findings on the impact of entrepreneurial mind-set on cross border trade amongst SMEs in manufacturing sectorin the Gauteng Province. The study also provided solutions to the declining output in the manufacturing sector. The research findings contributed to the basis for further study to other researchers to follow around the impact of entrepreneurial mind-set on cross border trade
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    Investigating the usefulness of careership theory for understanding career decision-making among Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) engineering students
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-09) Mamogopodi, Lesley Thuso; Tshabalala, Themba; Ramsurap, Presha
    Most of the South African research on career guidance and career decision-making is focussed in the schooling sector and towards university pathways. There is little research with regards to career decision-making in the TVET sector except for the recent research of Maluleke (2022a) who investigated student views regarding what influences their career decisions. This current research study aimed at investigating the usefulness of careership theory for understanding career decisions among TVET engineering students at a selected TVET college in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Since the theory informing the study was conceptualised and used to understand the UK TVET context, this study sought to test its affordances for understanding career decision-making in the South African TVET context. The study firstly determined the factors that affect career decision-making and secondly investigated the usefulness of careership theory in understanding those factors. Drawing on data from semi-structured interviews, the study firstly examined the factors that influenced career decisions among first and final year engineering students. Secondly, since the study was aimed at testing careership theory in the South African TVET context, the theory was used as a conceptual framework for analysing the data. The three aspects of the careership model of career decision-making that derive from careership theory were used to interrogate the data to firstly uncover the factors at play in the career decision-making process and secondly, to investigate whether those factors can be explained in light of careership theory. Significant others were not only found to influence career decision-making but they proved to wield power of influence over respondents. Career decision making among TVET engineering students showed to be characterised by turning points. Careership theory proved to be an ideal theory in explaining career decision making in a South African TVET context. The young people proved to have a sense of urgency in their career decision-making and most of them did not receive career guidance prior to enrolling at the TVET college.
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    Characteristics and strategy of SMEs in Gauteng and their resilience in response to crises
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-02) Ndlovu, Zithulele Sizwe; Urban, Boris
    The SME sector in Gauteng is well known for its vibrant entrepreneurial culture. For the longest of time, SMEs in the Gauteng Province have been at the centre of SME growth in South Africa. However, since the first case of the coronavirus in the country close to three years ago, the sector has faced a myriad of challenges as a result of the COVID-19 national lockdown. In addition to that, just as things were starting to pick up with regard to business operations the sector was confronted with yet another crisis, only this time the crisis was in the form of load shedding. The main research objective for this study was to examine the impact of SME firm characteristics and SME firm strategy in response to crises on SME resilience in the Gauteng Province. A quantitative research approach was adopted for the purpose of this study. The total number of SME Owner-Managers that participated in this study were 71. The main findings of this study indicated that the impact of SME firm characteristics in response to crises on SME resilience in the Gauteng Province was statistically non-significant however, the impact of SME firm strategy in response to crises on SME resilience in the Gauteng Province was statistically significant
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    Experiences of Youth in Agrarian Transformation in Rural South Africa: A Case of Greenplanet Primary Cooperative in Orange Farm
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022-03) Chibonore, Wilma Claris; Kariuki, Samuel
    This thesis advanced a qualitative approach to analyse the practices, structures and rationalities that inform youth engagement in agriculture drawing on evidence from Orange Farm in Gauteng Province of South Africa. The study takes off on the premise that there is low generational renewal in agriculture as the older and ageing generation makes the majority of active farmers yet farming holds great potential for creating youth employment whilst youth engagement in agriculture secures food of the future. The study finds that youth (dis)engagement and (dis)interest in farming is directly related to the availability and easy access to everyday support structures particularly those provided by the state and observes that many young people are in fact interested in farming but are currently operating in a structurally disabling environment amidst poor state support which does not allow for growth or access to key resources. The study finds that youth interest in farming exists although these interests are largely skewed towards technologically advanced farming systems and against backward manual farming systems therefore contradicting existing discourse as well as challenging the general narrative and consensus that youths are not interested in farming or that youth interest in farming is waning. The thesis reveals that young farmers understanding, interpretation and engagement with agricultural technology is based on their levels of exposure, location and access to resources. Poverty, structural limitations and marginalization experienced by the youth contribute significantly to their reception and perception of agriculture as a whole. The thesis argues for an agrarian developmental state approach towards the strengthening of agricultural opportunities and the relevant institutional structures and resources such as land, stipends, extension services, training, technology and market allocation to support youth farming in rural South Africa where the economies are generally stagnant and youth unemployment very high. This study observes that young people as active citizens and through utilising individual agency have the capacity to drive their own innovations within the agricultural sector when awarded the platform, opportunity and support to do so. The study reveals that the young farmers are ‘millennials’ who use their youth agency to engage in social networking facilitated by use of social media as a powerful tool for unity and resistance against unfavourable farming environments. Lastly, two contradictory perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 emerge in this study, one of COVID-19 having presented opportunities for growth and success for the young farmers and another of the pandemic having further marginalized and disrupted the already struggling young farmers with both narratives being shaped directly and indirectly by the pre-existing structural challenges. Methodologically, empirical data was mostly gathered through face to face semi-structured interviews, focus groups and conversations with the young farmers with the remainder of interviews having been conducted virtually via Skype, WhatsApp chats and WhatsApp calls upon the emergence of COVID-19 which converged with this study. Participant observation occurred through attending farmers meetings, agriculture tours, engaging in some farming activities on some sites as well as being part of the young farmers WhatsApp group. The thesis also relied on published journals, statistical reports, media reports, policy documents as well as videos from the public hearings regarding the amendment of the South African Constitution to allow for expropriation of land without compensation in order to bolster the empirical findings.
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    Perceived barriers to digitalization by small-scale farmers Gauteng
    (University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Choguya, Donald; Oba, Pius
    Digitalization in the fourth industrial revolution era has transformed many industries across the board. However, there are some that have been affected more than the others as depicted in the digital vortex. Lagging is the agricultural sector. This study was a quantitative research study that utilized a sample of 40 small-scale farmers to be representative of the Gauteng Province small-scale farmers. The research related the perceived barriers to digitalization and its impact to the agricultural activities of small-scale farmers in Gauteng Province. The data was analysed using the multiple regression analysis and correlation coefficient. Analysis of the results showed a massive gap between small-scale farmers and commercial farmers on the adoption of digitalization. Further analysis indicated that small-scale farmers were less likely to be impacted by digitalization to adopt technological utilization. It was also found that small-scale farmers were contributors to food production. Finally, it was also discovered that small-scale farmers were less established to adapt and adopt to digitalization in their agricultural activities due to various barriers. The recommendations were that there was need to do more research to find ways to bridge the gap to digitalization between small-scale farmers in Gauteng Province and commercial farmers. So that small-scale farmers in Gauteng Province especially the small-scale farmers in rural areas could also be exposed to the digitalization of operations to enable them to improve production.
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    The role of coordination and inter-governmental relations in building sustainable human settlements, Gauteng Province
    (2022)
    This study set out to examine the role of coordination and intergovernmental relations in the delivery of sustainable human settlement in Gauteng. It aimed to answer how the interaction between the provincial and local spheres of government could be improved for better housing delivery. Effective intergovernmental relations are recognised in the Constitution and in the different pieces of legislation governing human settlements. In examining intergovernmental relations and coordination, the study followed a qualitative approach by interacting with provincial and local officials involved in the delivery of housing together with the method of observation by attending intergovernmental relations meetings. In addition, the study reviewed relevant primary and secondary documents. Calls for shifting the function of delivery houses to the City together with the fine tuning of associated fiscal flows were made. The findings note the critical role of intergovernmental relations in the delivery of housing developments. Appropriate intergovernmental relations norms and values that are applicable in a multi-level government are exercised and adhered to on an inconsistent and irregular basis. Joint work between spheres, aligned plans and effective leadership are some of the recommendations made in the study. Other recommendations include the promotion of non-hierarchical relations and ongoing assessment of intergovernmental relations to determine maturity and effectiveness.