Environmental education is a response to the environmental crisis. Due to the diversity of the environment, environmental education processes face a challenge, locally and globally, because it should respond to the diversity of local environmental issues, and contribute towards the addressing of local environmental issues. It is therefore important that environmental education programs focus on local environmental issues, and in the analysis there of accommodates investigative, problem solving and environmental action skills, because such programs proof to be more successful. The introduction of environmental education into formal education can only be successful within a structure that is conducive to a holistic integrated approach and accommodates investigative, problem solving and environmental action skills. Research however proves that within the school context, environmental education processes, as well as the addressing of local environmental issues, is fragmented. The development of a school environmental policy and management plan can provide a valuable framework for a holistic approach to the organization of environmental education processes in schools, that is integrated with the curriculum, resulting in the effective management of resources and the addressing of local environmental issues. Through this research, the implementation of school environmental policies and management plans in Mpumalanga was evaluated, in terms of the integration of environmental education processes in the curriculum, the organization of environmental education processes in schools, the effective management of resources in schools, and the addressing of local environmental issues. The conclusion was drawn that the implementation of school environmental policies and management plans contributes towards curriculum integration of environmental education, the organization of environmental education processes, the management of resources and the addressing of environmental issues in schools. The more exposure a school gets in terms of implementation of school environmental policies and management plans the higher the achievement in the mentioned areas. It can therefore be deducted that exposure to the implementation of school environmental policies and management plans will lead to the integration of the environment in the curriculum, the organization of environmental education processes in schools, the management of resources and the addressing of environmental issues in schools. / Educational Studies / D.Ed (Didactics)

The purpose of this study was to describe and explore the organisational climate as a cause of job dissatisfaction among nursing staff in selected hospitals within Mpumalanga Province. The major objectives were to determine what organisational climate encompasses; ascertain which factors related to organisational climate can cause dissatisfaction among nurses; determine whether there is a difference in the way nursing management and the nursing staff perceive the existing organisational climate; and make recommendations for health service managers to improve the organisational climate in order facilitate greater job satisfaction among their subordinates. The descriptive exploratory survey method was used. A questionnaire with closed-ended and open-ended questions were distributed and collected from one hundred and fourty (140) respondents. The results indicated that the nursing management and the nursing staff are happy with the intrinsic factors of the job, but dissatisfied with the extrinsic factors of the organisational climate. The outcome of this research affirms that there are extrinsic factors within the work climate that affect the nursing management and the nursing staff negatively. Recommendations are made to promote job satisfaction in selected hospitals within the Mpumalanga province. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

This study investigated the effects of incorporating English language teaching in Physical Sciences education. The sample was selected from Physical Sciences Grade 10 learners in a school in Mpumalanga Province and comprised an experimental group who were taught through a workbook that incorporated language teaching in science lessons and a control group who were taught via the normal textbook prescribed by the Department of Basic Education. Pre- and post-tests were administered to both groups and a sample of learners participated in a focus group interview. Two educators were also individually interviewed. The results revealed that incorporating language teaching in science lessons not only improves learners’ academic performance but also their comprehension skills, and encouraged the application of learner-centred methods of teaching. The study recommends that Physical Sciences textbooks include English language activities with the view of incorporating language teaching in Physical Sciences content lessons. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between attitudes towards supervisory support after training and work performance of employees at the Department of Education’s Nkangala District in Mpumalanga during 2008. The sample comprised a complete sampling frame of HR and finance personnel. A five-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the attitudes of respondents towards supervisory support, and their work performance scores were correlated with the ratings of the attitudes towards supervisory support after training. Pearson’s product- moment correlation coefficient (PPM) was used to assess the relationship between the two variables. The results showed no significant relationship between attitudes towards supervisory support and work performance. The ANOVA test found that a significant (p= .016) difference only existed between attitudes towards supervisory support and educational level. The hypothesis stated in this study was therefore rejected. / Human Resource Management / M. Tech. (Human Resource Development)

Thesis (MScMedSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / The diversity of HIV-1 sequences derived from patients in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, was investigated. The gag p24, pol p10 and p66/p51, pol p31 and env gp41 gene fragments from 51 patients were amplified and sequenced. Quality control on the sequences was carried out using the LANL QC online tool. HIV-1 subtype was assigned using the LANL QC (RIP), REGA and jpHMM online tools. Subtype for the pol gene fragment was further designated using the SCUEAL online tool. Most of the sequences, that is 89%, belonged to HIV-1 subtype C. LANL QC (RIP), REGA, jpHMM also detected recombinants in 11% of the sequences. One of the isolates could only have the env gp41 gene fragment amplified and sequenced, which was determined to be HIV-1 subtype B. Phylogenetic analysis using the Neighbor-Joining and Maximum Likelihood methods from MEGA v 5 showed that, except for the env gp41 designated as a subtype B, all sequences in the study clustered with HIV-1 subtype C. Significantly, phylogenetic analysis showed that not only are the Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga sequences related to HIV-1 subtype C sequences from southern Africa, India, Ethiopia and Brazil, but it is possible there has been multiple introductions of HIV-1 in the province. SDRMs were observed in two samples.

M.Sc. / The decommissioning of mines and mining-related activities brings about the onset of rehabilitation. A legacy that most coal mines must address is the rehabilitation of the coal discard dumps that are generated by the beneficiation process of the raw coal. Rehabilitation involves the shaping and covering with a topsoil layer of these coal discard dumps. The topsoil layer is then revegetated to provide a stable form of protection against erosion. Considerations taken into account regarding the rehabilitation of coal discard dumps include the final slope angle, physical constraints i.e. railways or rivers, a source of topsoil and the grass species to be sown. Once the dump has been shaped, capped and seeded, regular applications of fertilizer take place for a defined period of time. This is to accelerate the growth of the grasses, as well as to stabilise the nutrient levels in the topsoil capping. Ingwe Mine Closure Operations (MCO), part of Ingwe Collieries Limited, is the business unit entrusted with the management and successful rehabilitation of Ingwe’s defunct operations. All of the coal discard dumps sampled in this study are found on such defunct operations. These coal discard dumps have been rehabilitated to a very high standard by MCO, and in most cases exceed the minimum requirements stipulated by law and guideline documents. This study and the results obtained from it reflect this. This study investigated, in terms of defined types of cover, whether or not there is a statistically significant difference between the: • six coal discard dumps from which data were collected; • five different defined slope aspects; • two groups of slope angles; and • slope angle and slope aspect in terms of cover. The data collected was analysed statistically, so as to determine whether significant differences (95 percentile confidence level), in terms of cover, exist. The purpose of this was to determine whether or not a preferred slope aspect or slope angle group could be identified for the six coal discard dumps sampled. By identifying a preferred slope aspect or slope angle group, companies could alter the design of operational or defunct dumps so as to maximise these. This would make the rehabilitation of the dump more sustainable and could possibly reduce aftercare costs. Through statistical analysis of the data collected it was determined that: • of the six coal discard dumps sampled, significant differences did exist between some of the dumps regarding basal cover, plant litter cover and bare ground. As each dump is different with its own specific micro-climate, this can be expected. The age of the dumps could also have played a role in terms of development; • of the five different defined slope aspects analysed, no significant differences existed between any of them; • of the two groups of slope angles analysed, no significant difference existed between them; and • no relationship between slope angle and slope aspect, in terms of cover, could be established. The analysis of the data collected was done by means of ANOVA one-way tests, coupled with Post Hoc Tests and Contrast Tables. The results of the statistical analysis were evaluated by the STATCON Department of the Rand Afrikaans University for accuracy. The data and the statistical analysis thereof were found to be satisfactory and correct. Various other statistical analyses were conducted on the data, but the results obtained from these tests were all the same as that of the original data analysis. These analyses included the Univariate Analysis of Variance, T-tests and Mann-Whitney tests.

This research was based on the question of how Foundation Phase teachers in the schools received the new curriculum for implementation. Current developments in introducing the new curriculum in South Africa have led to the hope that it would be received eagerly and become well implemented by its utilisers. The common trend of thinking was that if South Africa receives a new system of education, it will obviously be in keeping with changes cherished by its population that voted for such changes. However, these changes in education did not come as expected. In this research paper, the researcher made the case that receiving the new curriculum for implementation by teachers is a risk-taking exercise, especially at the entry level of the school, i.e. the Foundation Phase. He also problematised the notion of receiving a new curriculum by interrogating the ways or methods of implementation, the degree of knowledge and skills of teachers and their concomitant perceptions and attitudes towards the implementation of the new curriculum. In presenting this argument, the researcher firstly discussed the different perspectives of and the ‘rationale’ for introducing a new curriculum in the country, which in this case happens to be South Africa. Secondly, he highlighted the role of competent, receptive and enthusiastic Foundation Phase teachers in dealing with the new curriculum. And thirdly, alluded to the challenges facing South African schools in implementing the new curriculum, and made a claim that the present implementation in the country is making a mess out of education. The aims were to examine the manner in which the new curriculum was presented to teachers at entry level into the school(s), which in this case would be the Outcomes-Based Education curriculum in the Foundation Phase. The problems that were associated with the introduction of the new curriculum were investigated; the level of teachers’ participation in the implementation of the new curriculum was looked into; and the findings of the research provided a set of conclusions and recommendations for the Department of Education, Curriculum Specialists and teachers, that will hopefully enlighten them on this burning issue in the Foundation Phase. For this study a qualitative approach was used, and the methods applied included observation of the targeted population while engaging with its work, which happened to be the implementation of Curriculum 2005/the Revised New Curriculum Statement; and interviews with the Foundation Phase teachers in township settings. The researcher believes that through these interviews the respondents have unveiled many unmentioned and well kept secrets of teachers who are teaching in the Foundation Phase. Teaching is a proud profession, and it is not so easy for experienced teachers to acknowledge that they are struggling with the implementation of the new curriculum in their classrooms. And when the teachers are well qualified to teach on top of their long experience in the Foundation Phase, so much the more the feelings of inferiority and incompetence as far as the new curriculum and OBE and all the new assessment requirements are concerned. This study also broke the silence of the teachers’ frustrations and discomfort surrounding the attendance of in-service training opportunities and workshops. It should encourage the authorities to take heed of these remarks of the teachers, as this can easily and painlessly be rectified to serve the loyal teachers as best and fast as they can. One of the strongest pleas that were made concerns the upkeep and sustenance of the school’s physical facilities and playgrounds. The neatness and even aesthetic countenance of the classrooms have an enormous role to play in the general education of learners, and to this the SGBs and SMTs must seriously and hastily attend. The parents can also play an important role in this regard. As far as the limitations go, there are a few, namely the contextual factors, financial constraints and time factors. Nevertheless, the findings of this study can for sure be generalised and made applicable to Foundation Phase teachers’ problems in other regions, circuits and even provinces, as the results from the teachers came over very strongly, resounding the same difficulties that teachers all over are experiencing. / Dr. M.C. van Loggerenberg

Masters of Science / Eskom supplies to 95% of South Africa’s energy needs and it primarily comes from coal combustion at their coal–fired power stations. Large volumes of fly ash are generated at these coal-fired power stations as a by-product of the coal combustion process. Fly ash is disposed onto landfills at the respective power stations and these landfills are currently running out of storage space. Subsequently, there are concerning environmental impacts upon the natural water environment resulting from coal mining. More specifically, the discharge of acid mine (AMD) water from historical coal mines impact negatively on the water quality in the nearby rivers and dams in the Witbank area. Therefore, as a consequence of the limited space at fly ash landfills, Eskom has embarked on finding alternative ways to re-use fly ash in different applications such as: soil amelioration and land reclamation, road construction as well as brick and cement development. This study focussed on the feasibility of disposing fly ash into the backfill of historical and future coal mines with the intention to firstly reduce fly ash disposal at existing landfills and secondly to improve the decant water quality of the coal mines in the Witbank area. Globally, fly ash has been successfully used in mine backfilling and AMD treatment in countries such as United States of America and India, due to cementitious properties of their fly ash. However, there is limited knowledge on how South African fly ash would behave under backfilled conditions of opencast coal mines where it will be exposed to acidic water environments. This is due to the fact that South African fly ash is considered a Level 3 type hazardous waste, due to its heavy metal concentrations. This waste classification is unique and the strictest compared to global classifications and these methodologies specify that fly ash should be disposed onto lined waste disposal sites due to the potential leaching of heavy metals from these waste sites. It is important to understand the hydrogeological and hydro-geochemical properties of fly ash over time once it is exposed to acid mine water. Field and laboratory tests were conducted to understand these hydrogeological and hydro-geochemical properties of fly ash. Falling head hydraulic tests were conducted at two existing ash landfill sites to determine the hydraulic conductivity (K) of ash of different age. The results exhibit a decreasing trend in K with increasing age. This is due to the pozzolanic nature of fly ash and secondary mineralization of gypsum which causes the fly ash to harden in the presence of water from irrigation for dust suppression together with precipitation over time. Laboratory testing included the use of constant head Darcy column tests to determine the change in K and geochemical properties of the leachate over time. Natural AMD with a pH of 2.5 and a metal composition was used as influent and the leachate were routinely collected and analysed for metal concentrations. The hydraulic conductivity of the fly ash showed a decreasing trend over time. During the placement of coal ash, the moisture allows pozzolanic reactions to solidify the coal ash and lowers the K, towards 10-1 m/d, relative to fresh ash. Secondary mineralization of calcium minerals, in the coal ash contributes to a further decrease in the K, by another order of magnitude from 10-1 m/d towards 10-2 m/d. Sulphate and iron minerals from the AMD also played a major role in the decreasing K as they accumulate in void spaces and having a clogging effect, decreasing the K to 10-3 m/d. The alkaline nature of the coal ash initially neutralizes the acidic levels of AMD from an inflow pH = 2.5 to an outflow pH = 11. Acidification of the outflow towards a pH = 4 was observed, due to large volumes of AMD (>80 000 mL) flowing through short coal ash columns. The K decreased to 3 orders of magnitude, from an initial 10-1 m/d to 10-3 m/d, with the AMD iron (>150 mg/L) and sulphate concentration (>2000 mg/L) playing the dominant role in reducing the hydraulic conductivity. From the geochemical leach test results, it was observed that most of the leachate water was of a better quality than the influent AMD water quality. The outflow pH (pH = 11 to pH = 4) was higher than the pH of the inflow AMD (pH = 2.5). Overall EC reduced in discharge compared to inflow AMD (ECinflow: 535 – 545 mS/m versus ECoutflow: 350 – 490 mS/m), although Na and K in the leachate exhibited higher concentrations (10+2 mg/L) compared to the AMD inflow concentrations (10+1 mg/L). However, most of the other chemical elemental concentrations such as Fe (10-2 – 10+1 mg/L), Si (10-2 – 100 mg/L), Al (10-2 – 10+1 mg/L), Mn (10-2 – 10+1 mg/L), Cr (10-3 – 100 g/L) and SO4 (10+2 – 1+3 mg/L) in the discharge showed lower concentrations when compared to the inflow Fe (10+2 mg/L), Si (100 mg/L), Al (10+1 mg/L), Mn (10+1 mg/L), Cr (10-2 mg/L) and SO4 (10+3 mg/L) concentrations. These results show how fly ash backfill may impact on the current coal mining environment. Overall, the laboratory hydraulic conductivity and geochemical testing showed promising results for fly ash backfilling. Based on this research, fly ash can be used to alter the existing coal mining environment as it is currently known in the Witbank area. The topography, hydraulic conductivity and the water table within the backfill can be altered to improve decant water quality of ash backfilled coal mines.

The aim of this research is to find out if a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college in Mpumalanga, South Africa has any CPD programme for its lecturers and how it is managed. Through personal experience, interaction with fellow lecturers and literature review, I noted the evident lack of college-driven continuous professional development (CPD) of lecturers. I discovered that most TVET college lecturers are holders of teaching qualifications suitable for schools and not the TVET college sector. The research was qualitative. I conducted in-depth interviews with the senior management of the college, a focus group interview with lecturers and finally document analysis. Data analysis was inductive and verbatim quotations from participants were used. I found that although the college did have a CPD programme, there were many shortcomings. Strengths of the programme include funding and a planned CPD committee. Deficiencies relate to non-communication between staff members and management and a laissez-faire attitude of management in the handling of CPD. Based on the findings numerous recommendations are made concerning the way CPD is managed at this college and by the Department of Higher Education. These recommendations may relate to other colleges to make their CPD programme more effective for their academic staff. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

A dissertation submitted to the faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Unable to load abstract.