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

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    Baseline Hydrogeology of Dolerite Dykes in Lesotho, Mafeteng District as a Case Study
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024-06-10) Monyane, Napo Shadrack; Shakhane, Teboho; Abiye, Tamiru
    Groundwater is a vital alternative resource due to the increasing demand for water supply in Lesotho’s rural and urban areas as surface water faces threats from population growth and climate variability. For instance, groundwater serves the demands of Lesotho's growing textile industry and agricultural sectors. The 3D form of the dolerite dykes widespread throughout the Karoo rocks in Lesotho may have an impact on the groundwater occurrence, flow, and yield characteristics of the region. However, specific research on their hydrogeology has not been extensively undertaken. This study aimed at characterising the hydrogeology of the dolerite dykes in the lowlands of Lesotho using selected places namely, Boluma-Tau, Ha Lumisi, Ha Mofota, Ha Maoela, Ha Mofo, Malumeng, Qalabane, Matlapaneng, Thabana Mohlomi, Ha Mohlehli, Malimong, Tsoeneng and Ha Lenonyane as case studies for the research. This research adopted the desktop and walkover survey in developing information on the region’s broad geological and hydrogeological setting within the Karoo lithologies. Included also was the use of ground magnetics in ascertaining the existence and determining the geometry of the dykes, using the D-8 algorithm for flow directions, and drilling and pumping tests for aquifer analysis. The dykes dominating the focal area in the Mafeteng District generally trend NE-SW, NNE-SSW and NW-SE. The magnetic results outlined negative anomalies along the dyke’s contact with the country rocks as surveyed from Qalabane, Mafeteng Lesotho, these magnetic lows imply fracture gaps along the strike of the dyke. A generalised dip, width, and depth could not be easily inferred due to inconsistent magnetic anomaly shapes, but forward modelling indicated a thin (10 m wide) shallow (10°) dyke trending NE-SW intruding both the Burgersdorp and Molteno Formations at Qalabane, Mafeteng. As per the D-8 results, the dolerite dykes in Mafeteng are distributed in the intermediate basin flow values due to a gentle hydraulic gradient. Certain dyke sites exhibit a groundwater flow direction towards the north, whilst others display a radial groundwater flow direction. The derivative analysis revealed the boreholes were drilled in a fractured dyke system, also the dominant radial flow regime and double porosity dip at different pumping durations, and the possible recharge boundary were revealed in some drilled dyke sites. Further analysis from the drawdown versus time curves resulted in average yields of 0.1 – 1.25 l/s with transmissivities ranging from 1 – 14 m2/day, insinuating that a limited extraction of the local water supply is suggested from the dolerite dyke lithologies in the lowlands of Mafeteng Lesotho, given the groundwater yielding capacity and magnitude of the transmissivities. Even though the drilled boreholes from the dyke sites indicated a fractured dyke setting, estimated transmissivity values are variable and low, this is indicative of the inconsistent apertures and lack of interconnectivity of the available secondary hydrogeological features in the lowlands of Lesotho.
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    Evaluating the influence of wool, cotton and fish on economic growth in Lesotho
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Mokhothu-Ramohlanka, Thato; Sibanda, Jakubose
    This study aims to evaluate the influence of wool, fish, and cotton on the economic growth in Lesotho, analysing a 30-year period from 1990 to 2020. The paper provides an analysis of the long-term and short-term relationships between wool, cotton, fish and economic growth, and their causal effects on economic growth. The study used the Augmented Dickey-Fuller and the Phillips Perron unit root tests to determine whether the data set is stationary. The Johansen co-integration model identified the existence of long-run relationships. The error correction model and the Granger causality test determined the short run and causal relationships, respectively. Findings indicate that wool and cotton have a positive and significant influence on economic growth. In contrast, fish has a negative influence both in the long and short run. In addition, the study found unidirectional causation between economic growth and wool exports, bidirectional causality between cotton exports and economic growth, and unidirectional causation between economic growth and fish exports. Finally, to improve the benefits of the agricultural sector in Lesotho, there is a need for policy reform around structural changes to diversify exports and exports markets
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    A meal preparation and delivery service business in Maseru
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Raphuthing, Lomile
    The purpose of this study was to assess consumer preference for an online meal ordering and payment service in the food industry in Maseru, Lesotho. This service would offer office bound workers delivery of a variety of light meal alternatives, even catering for specific dietary preferences such as Banting and vegetarian. Lesotho is a small landlocked country in Southern Africa, wholly encircled by South Africa, and one of 46 countries that falls into the United Nations category of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) (UN, 2019). With South Africa being a more developed country and with better facilities and services all round, Basotho people continuously import South African goods, services, and culture, including ways of eating (Rantšo, 2017). In many areas of urban South Africa, consumers take it for granted that they can access a variety of prepared meals and have them to their door. This experience companies likes Mr. Delivery and Uber eats have made ordinary. Conversely, very few delivery services currently exist in Lesotho. The research explored the preference of Maseru’s working-class towards a new meal preparation start-up offering a menu with freshly prepared healthy eating alternatives paired with the convenience of delivery to the office in time for their lunch break. The research question was answered by collecting data from 60 potential customers, being office bound workers, from both the private and public sectors in Maseru within the 24 to 50 year age range. Data was collected using an electronic survey and analysed using Microsoft Excel and a statistical programme called Jasp.014. Frequencies and related graphs were created in Microsoft Excel, while Jasp.014 was used for Chi-Square calculations.
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    The effect of regulations on financial markets performance in Lesotho
    (2021) Mohloki, Thabang
    This paper unpacks the impact regulatory interventions on performance of the financial markets in Lesotho from 2009 to 2018 with the use of segmented regression analysis. The paper focuses on the impact of the 30% regulatory intervention imposed on insurance companies on performance of Lesotho financial systems. To ascertain financial markets performance, the study uses four measures of financial development being Broad Money; Liquid Liabilities of the Financial Sector; Outstanding Public Debt and Private Sector Credit as dependent variables. The study uses interrupted time series to evaluate dependant variables’ performance over time both prior and post the intervention. The study also assesses whether there are other determinants that may influence performance of financial markets. The findings demonstrate that the enforcement of the 30% local investment restriction had a positive impact on Broad Money; Liquid Liabilities of the Financial Sector and Outstanding Domestic Public Debt in Lesotho. The intervention did not however have an impact on Private Sector Credit. The findings further identifies Net International Reserves; Net Foreign Assets; Gross Domestic Product Growth; and Inflation as other determinants that significantly influence financial markets performance Lesotho.
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    The effect of regulations on financial markets performance in Lesotho
    (2021) Mohloki, Thabang
    This paper unpacks the impact regulatory interventions on performance of the financial markets in Lesotho from 2009 to 2018 with the use of segmented regression analysis. The paper focuses on the impact of the 30% regulatory intervention imposed on insurance companies on performance of Lesotho financial systems. To ascertain financial markets performance, the study uses four measures of financial development being Broad Money; Liquid Liabilities of the Financial Sector; Outstanding Public Debt and Private Sector Credit as dependent variables. The study uses interrupted time series to evaluate dependant variables’ performance over time both prior and post the intervention. The study also assesses whether there are other determinants that may influence performance of financial markets. The findings demonstrate that the enforcement of the 30% local investment restriction had a positive impact on Broad Money; Liquid Liabilities of the Financial Sector and Outstanding Domestic Public Debt in Lesotho. The intervention did not however have an impact on Private Sector Credit. The findings further identifies Net International Reserves; Net Foreign Assets; Gross Domestic Product Growth; and Inflation as other determinants that significantly influence financial markets performance Lesotho