4. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - Faculties submissions
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Item Indoor/outdoor PM4 (respirable dust) and respirable crystalline silica source tracking in households located in close proximity to gold mine tailing dumps(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-10) Makhubele, Nkateko Rawendar; Mizan, Gabriel; Manganyi, Jeanneth; Masekameni, Masilu DanielBackground: Particulate matter (PM) is a major contributor to air pollution in indoor and outdoor environmental spaces. Exposure to respirable dust (PM4) and respirable crystalline silica (RCS) indoor and outdoor in communities located in close proximity to gold mine tailings dumps in South Africa has not yet been determined. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of RCS and PM4 mass in samples measured indoor and outdoor of the nine (9) selected households located in close proximity to a gold mine tailings dumps. Methodology: Sampling locations were separated according to grids, based on the distance from the mine tailings dumps. Three different grids were determined as follows: A (<500m from the dump), B (>500m<1km) and C (1km – 3 km). Three households were selected from each grid zone to measure indoor and outdoor PM4 samples continuously over a 24-hour period using GilAir constant sampling pumps calibrated at the flowrate of 2.2 L/min in both the dry and wet seasons. PM4 samples were collected on a 37mm polyvinyl chloride (PVC) filter with a pore size of 0.8, which was assembled on the Higgin Dewell cyclones fitted with a filter pad of the same pore size. PM4 sample filters were gravimetrically weighed before and after sampling to determine the mass concentration of PM4. The respirable crystalline silica in PM4 samples were analysed by an X-ray diffraction method by South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) accredited laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH). Samples were collected during the dry and wet seasons in the Riverlea community, Johannesburg. Results: During the wet and dry seasons, the mean indoor and outdoor PM4 mass concentration ranged from 0.02±0.01 µg/m3 to 2.26±0.02 µg/m3, respectively. The dry season mean PM4 mass concentrations were higher than the wet season PM4 mass concentrations in all zones. The pairwise comparison of PM4 mass concentration for dry and wet season revealed no statistically significance difference (p<0.05) at 95% confidence interval. Results presented in Figure 5 depicts the mean indoor PM4 mass concentration distribution for the dry season. The zone with the highest mean indoor PM4 mass concentration was zone A, followed by zone B. Since the mean outdoor PM4 concentration in zone C was the lowest, this suggests that the mine tailings dumps were the primary source of PM. The dry season mean indoor/outdoor ratio was greater than one across all zones; indicating that indoor activities were the primary source of PM. In both seasons, the mean indoor and outdoor percentages of crystalline silica ranged from 0.08±0.01% to 0.08±0.01%. The mean indoor and outdoor 24hr RCS concentrations in both seasons were below the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) defined 24hr ambient exposure threshold of 3µg/m3. Recommendations: The results of this study suggest that nearby mine tailings dumps may be the primary source of PM in the indoor and outdoor environments; however the strength of this source in comparison to other sources remains unknown. Therefore, it is recommended that further studies focusing on source apportionment be carried out to determine the relative contribution of the mine tailings dust to the overall PM load in the environment. Although the difference was not statistically significant, indoor and outdoor PM4 concentrations were greater in Zones A&B, with the lowest PM4 concentrations in Zone C. The I/O ratio indicated that there was contribution of PM from outdoor. It is also recommended that further studies be conducted, with focus on monitoring PM4 over a 30 days period, to determine the level of free crystalline silica that may be present in PM4 mass concentrations. Conclusion: In the South African context, studies that focus on the investigation of indoor and outdoor PM4 concentrations in households located in close proximity to gold mine tailings are limited. The findings of this study can be used to provide valuable information on the indoor and outdoor PM4 concentrations, which can be used in modelling exposure and conducting probabilistic health risk assessment. High dust levels are related with dry season weather conditions due to strong wind conditions. Therefore, the PM4 mass concentrations in all zones were higher during the dry season than during wet season. Since the mean outdoor PM4 concentration in zone C was the lowest, this suggests that the mine tailings dumps were the primary source of PM.Item The role of development finance institutions (DFIs) in bringing economic stability during times of crisis: a case study of 2021 July unrest in South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mafitoe, Mapotso Justine; Horvey, SylvesterInvestment by DFIs play a positive and significant role in fostering economic growth in developing countries. However, social unrest threatens business operations; it leads to trade deficits, significant job losses and currency depreciation. Yet, no empirical research focuses on the consequences of social unrest on the operations of South African DFIs generally. This study fills this gap by exploring the impact of the July 2021 social unrest on the DFI’s ability to bring economic stability during times of crisis. A sample of 12 participants were interviewed and the data was analysed using thematic analysis. The results show that the activation and incorporation of a ‘financial intermediary’ role into the DFI’s corporate strategy precipitated organisational change and enabled the DFI to ‘rescue’ businesses post-2021 civil unrest. However, PUBRF was more than a solution to the problem of affected businesses. It was an activity that enabled the DFI to bring economic stability and job-rich industrialisation, achieve organisational growth and profitability, and develop a plan to effectively handle future critical events. The successful integration of PUBRF into the DFI’s operations confirms previous studies that organisational change capability is illustrated by an organisation’s ability to learn, anticipate future changes, and manage episodic change without compromising core organisational activities. This study recommends that organisations embrace change as it leads to enhanced relations with the environment, upskilling, coordination, flexibility, and resilience, all of which ultimately promote performance.Item The perceived influence of digital banking on the financial wellness of the South African middle-class(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mabasa, Tiyiselani Innocent; Anning-Dorson, ThomasThis study explores the impact of digital banking on the financial wellness of the South African middle class. Using online questionnaires, quantitative research methods are employed to gather data on digital banking adoption, perceived financial wellness, easy access to credit, and prior exposure to digital marketing strategies among middle- class individuals. Data analysis encompasses the use of descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis to examine the relationships between variables and draw relevant conclusions. This study aims to enhance comprehension of the perceived impact of digital banking on the financial wellness of middle-class South Africans by addressing specific research goals. The study found that autonomous and controlled motivation had a positive impact on the individual's financial wellness; it further highlighted that personalised credit offers contributed positively towards their financial wellness, despite the fact that convenient access to credit is a significant factor in the adoption of digital banking but not the sole determinant factor.Item Analysing Management Strategies and Models Applied by Amateur Sporting Federations in South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Letsholo, Kabelo Johannes; Mati, JacobThis mixed methods research study was conducted to analyse management strategies and models applied by amateur sporting federations in South Africa. Since the advent of a democratic South Africa, only rugby, soccer, cricket and to some degree netball, golf and motorsport, have managed to maintain and/or increase their value proposition and thus attracted several stakeholders. The sports television coverage landscape has also largely remained the skewed only towards these federations. This is despite the fact that some amateur sporting federations have consistently and regularly participated in their respective sporting codes’ world championships and even Olympics games. Media coverage of these amateur federations’ participation in these events is scarce and covered nor the general South African population never gets to hear about them. Business entities have also been reluctant to partner with the amateur federations. This research therefore seeks to identify and understand practices that hinder amateur sporting federations from achieving their objectives to highlight and recommend practices that these federations specifically and other amateur sporting federations in general can adopt to enable them to reach their strategic objective. The study was conducted through interviews with three amateur sports federations in South Africa. The initial primary research data was collected using structured interviews and an online survey. Analysis of this data found that there is evidence to infer a correlation between constructs such as an organisational sport framework, governance, sport value creation, sports consumer behaviour/needs and organisational performance at the national level. It is hoped that this study will assist the sports fraternity in South Africa to appreciate that constructs such as sports value framework, good governance prescripts, sport value creation and offering value that sport consumers want, if implemented and/or adopted, can help elevate amateur sporting federations.Item Perspectives of employees on the effectiveness of performance management at a selected chemical plant in the Free State province, South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Gare, Tshepo; Gobind, JenikaPurpose – Concerns about the effectiveness of performance management have led researchers to explore several ways of measuring it. Despite extensive research, there is a gap in understanding how employees perceive performance management systems, particularly in the chemical industry in the Free State province, South Africa. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of performance management at a selected chemical plant from employees’ perspectives, focusing on critical factors such as accuracy, fairness, and management transparency. Design/method/approach – A qualitative research method was employed. Interviews were conducted with employees from various occupational backgrounds to gather in-depth insights into their views on the performance management process. Findings – The study found that employees perceived the performance management system as generally effective but highlighted areas needing improvement, particularly in terms of transparency and fairness. Employees valued accuracy in performance assessments but expressed concerns about potential biases and lack of clear communication from management. Research limitations/implications – This study is limited to a single chemical plant in the Free State province, which may not be representative of the entire chemical industry. However, the findings provide a foundation for future research in other chemical plants and similar industrial settings. Contribution – This study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on employees’ perceptions of performance management in the chemical industry in South Africa. It highlights the importance of management transparency and fairness in enhancing the effectiveness of performance management systems.Item Proposing the establishment of a tourist-generated-video library for destination marketing by tourism organisations(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Lehutjo, TshepoTourist-generated media content is a phenomenon that has become increasingly popular in recent years on social media platforms; to a point where many travel bloggers have even taken it on as a full-time occupation to meet the growing customer/tourist demand for it. On the other hand, tourism organisations and the industry at large have not been at the ready to take advantage of these technological developments. The prevailing explanation for this contrast is that tourism organisations do not have the know-how nor the time to invest in these technologies as they are typically staffed by small, specialised teams. As a result, entrepreneurs may investigate this identified gap to assist tourism organisations in meeting customer demands for: authentic tourist-generated videos while these customers are in the discovery and decision- making process of before their travel journey. Data was gathered remotely through publicly available platforms on the Internet, using a close-ended questionnaire to capture responses. The responses were then processed to generate descriptive statistics to elaborate on the following: the proportion of South African tourism organisations currently using the Facebook platform was determined to gauge the size of the market. Further, the extent of video use and other factors on the platform was determined, within the attraction and engagement constructs of the Digital Marketing Framework. This was done to understand how and when tourist-generated videos are used, if at all, and what other methods tourism organisations apply to attract or engage customers. Based off the findings, which show that South African tourism organisations have a low social media engagement rate with tourists and make very little use of video (which is proven to be more engaging and better for sales conversion) as a form of media content – be it tourist generated or not. This research thus proposes the use of a tourist-generated-video library that tourism organisations will pay to access so that they may use such videos to market destinations on their social media profiles and websites.Item Evaluating the factors that influence news preferences on digital platforms(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Khumalo, Zama Xolile; Mosala, ThaboThe ‘always connected’ nature of digital media means that reaching and connecting with consumers is more difficult than ever. Evaluating the factors that South African consumers use for news preferences is important, as these will provide new media organisations with insights on how consumers navigate, manage, and process the infinite news content that is aggressively vying for their attention on digital platforms. The Uses and gratifications (U&G) theory is a powerful media-use framework to decipher consumer motivation for media preference. Recent adaptations of U&G theory describe three critical dimensions namely, content, social and process. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine whether the measures of the three constructs are consistent in the South African news mediated context. The study found content and process factors as the most significant when making news preferences. Whilst social gratifications factors as least influential to consumers.Item Exploring youth preparedness for Agricultural employment to solve unemployment in South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Kgafela, Nthabiseng; Oro, Oro UfuoSouth Africa is currently facing a challenge of high youth unemployment as reported by Statistics South Africa. 45.5% of youth aged 15 -34 years were reported as unemployed in quarter 1 of 2024 (Statistics South Africa, 2024). This number is quite concerning given the number of initiatives that government have launched such as noted in Chipfupa et al. (2021) and Mokgomo et al. (2022). One would automatically think that government’s effort in launching programs to alleviate youth unemployment are effective however challenges continue to remain prevalent. In this study, interviews were conducted with unemployed youth from Gauteng and Mpumalanga being regions with highest GDP by province for the former and an agricultural intensive region being the third highest contributor to agriculture in South Africa for the latter (Statistics, 2023). The objective of the research was to explore the preparedness of unemployed youth to take up agriculture as employment. The research methodology was qualitative where 11 participants aged between 18 – 35 years were interviewed. Open – ended questions were asked with follow up questions to gain a broad understanding of Reponses provided. The interviews coupled with the three research questions lead to three themes being identified through the coding. These themes were further unpacked and discussed through the sub – themes, leading to the research questions being answered. The findings noted were assessed against the literature review where it was uncovered that youth in the regions interviewed were prepared to be employed in agriculture due to challenges experienced in finding employment, unlike those interviewed in another study reviewed in the literature. Clarity was obtained on why government initiatives to reduce unemployment were not effectiveItem Different forms of government regimes and covid-19 outcomes in Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Masiya, Ulemu Vanessa; Olukoshi, AdebayoThis study examines extent to which the government regime types contributed to explaining the low COVID 19 mortality and infection cases in Africa. The study analyses panel data from 54 countries in Africa across a 2-year period from January 2020 to December 2021. The following factors of demography, GDP per Capital, health expenditure, and government effectiveness were included as control variables in the models. The results of the panel regression analysis indicated that while authoritarian and partially democratic regimes were positively associated with a surge in COVID-19 cases and fatalities compared to fully democratic countries in Africa, the association lacked statistical significance. In contrast, government effectiveness and health expenditure were observed to be negatively associated with reduced COVID 19 mortality and infection rates at the 5 percent significance level. Hence, this result emphasized the role of good governance and increased health spending in managing the pandemic’s mortality and infection rates across the different types of government regimes in Africa.Item Consumer perceptions of long-distance ride-sharing services in South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Horonga, NyashaThe research focuses on the analysis of consumer perception towards a long-distance peer-to-peer ridesharing service. Due to the rising cost of living, travelling has become a challenge. While other people are already hitchhiking to reduce spending on travelling, some are a bit hesitant due to the risk associated with it. The research proposes that to address challenges associated with hitchhiking, a platform which only allows those who have been vetted for security purposes can access and share their travelling plans. Such a platform which ideally works if both the driver and the passenger have an intention to travel the same distance is linked to shared travelling costs. Qualitative analysis is used to identify the factors that affect consumer perception towards adoption of long-distance ridesharing services and quantitative analysis is used to analyse and rank the factors. This research examines the seven factors which include: perceived usefulness, perceived risk, perceived ease of use, compatibility, trust, social influence, and facilitating conditions. These factors are analysed to identify the socio-economic attributes that drive them. Results obtained highlight that there is a relationship between perceived usefulness and travelling frequency, age, level of education, ridesharing history and earnings. The younger generation agrees that such a platform is useful while the older and more educated population do not agree. It is believed that this is because they still have enough funds to travel alone. Results also suggest that social influence has a relationship with earnings and age. The older population do not agree that they can be influenced by society when choosing to adopt long-distance ridesharing while the younger generation is more likely to be influenced. Results also show that those with higher levels of education and high-income earners do consider risk as an important factor when adopting ridesharing services while the younger generation is comfortable with the level of risk they are used to in the current ehailing services. Participants in the survey were also asked to rank these factors according to their importance. The ranking was compared to a similar exercise which was done in India. It was found that these rankings are different meaning that studies done in other countries may not necessarily apply in another countr