Many forums have been recently organised in South Africa to discuss the level of State intervention in the minerals sector, the expropriation of private mining companies, and the transfer of mineral wealth to the people. The objective of this research was to explore the possible impact that the nationalisation and the introduction of a resource rent tax will have on the capability of platinum mining companies to create sustainable employment while remaining profitable in South Africa.The research was qualitative and exploratory in nature. The sampling frame included major platinum group metals companies, which constitute an industry concentration of more than 50 per cent. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 senior managers and executives from the platinum mining industry.The results have shown that nationalisation of platinum mines, where the government has total ownership or majority control of the company, will not create sustainable employment in South Africa. In addition, nationalisation of mines will isolate South Africa from external capital because private investors have been reluctant to put their money where mining companies were nationalised, especially in Africa. Although the introduction of a resource rent tax may be viable in a short term, it is believed that the competitiveness of mining companies operating in South Africa will be compromised. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Student Number : 0105964W - MPH research report - Faculty of Health Sciences / The Employment Bureau for Africa (TEBA Limited) established in 1902 recruits mineworkers from Lesotho and neighbouring countries for South African mines. Information on mineworkers’ health and welfare from Lesotho is scarce. Tuberculosis prevalence ranged between 159/100000 and 506/100000 from 1991 to 2001 in Lesotho. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the proportion of mineworkers affected with tuberculosis among adult male patients attending TB clinics in Maseru District’s three main hospitals and ascertain compensation of mineworkers affected by occupational lung disease including tuberculosis. A structured questionnaire was used to interview 421 adult male TB patients at Queen Elizabeth II, Saint Joseph and Scott hospitals in Maseru. 38.5% of participants in the study were mineworkers (former and active) in South African mines. Among these mineworkers, 70.4% were employed in goldmines. 30.7% of mineworkers were considered eligible for compensation. 42 mineworkers received compensation for previous and current tuberculosis whilst 33 mineworkers had not.

Lesotho has been a source of migrant labour for many years, with men crossing the borders to work on South African mines. Men left their homes in pursuit of mine work, leaving behind their wives to look after the household. Women would receive remittances from their husbands, which they used to survive, and for the upkeep of the home while husbands were away. As Lesotho is an agricultural society, women were involved in farming for subsistence, with some women being able to sell their produce. Men were the breadwinners and women the housekeepers, according to prevailing gender norms. With the mine retrenchments that took place in the 1980s and 1990s, many men returned to Lesotho, with no job prospects due to the employment deficit in the country. Many women are no longer receiving remittances, and are now looking after their households with their husbands being at home, unemployed. This mini- dissertation delves into the livelihoods of these women whose life circumstances have changed now that their husbands have returned. It looks at the changed gender relations within the household as well as economic strategies of survival that women employ in these trying times, given their culturally determined positions in Basotho society. AFRIKAANS : Lesotho is al ‘n bron van migrasie arbeiders vir baie jare, met mans wat die grense kruis om op die Suid-Afrikaanse myne te gaan werk. Mans het hulle wonings verlaat met die vooruitsig op mynwerk, terwyl hulle eggenote agterbly om na die huishouding om te sien. Vrouens ontvang finansiële hulp van hulle mans, wat hulle gebruik het om te oorleef, en vir die instandhouding van die huis terwyl hulle mans weg was. Aangesien Lesotho ‘n landbou gemeenskap is, was vrouens betrokke in bestaansboerdery, met sommige vroue in staat om produkte te verkoop. Volgens die oorhoofs aanvaarde norm was mans die broodwinners en vrouens die huisopsitters. Hierdie mini-verhandeling kyk dieper na die veranderde lewensomstandighede van vrouens wie se mans teruggekeer het. Dit kyk na die veranderde geslagsverhoudinge binne die huishouding, asook die ekonomiese strategiee van oorlewing wat vrouens toepas in die moeilike omstandighede, veral in die lig van hul kulturele posisies in die Basotho samelewing. Copyright / Dissertation (MSocSci)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Sociology / unrestricted

The world is currently experiencing major issues in the energy sector. The ever-growing human population, limited energy resources and the effect of greenhouse gas emissions have become major global concerns for the energy sector, including the electricity generation sector. This dilemma caused electricity providers to revise their generation methods and created a major need for consumers to utilise electricity more efficiently. Demand side management (DSM) is one initiative developed for consumers to efficiently utilise electricity. Due to their high electricity consumption and technical skills, mines are ideal targets for the implementation of DSM strategies. Therefore, the focus of this study was to investigate South African mines for possible implementation of DSM strategies on their compressed air networks. Compressed air networks at South African mines are relatively old and inadequately maintained. This causes inefficient distribution and use of compressed air. The study will therefore focus on reconfiguring mining compressed air networks for cost savings. Cost savings include financial savings on electricity bills, implementation costs and decreased maintenance. Through several investigations, the possibility of implementing energy savings strategies to reconfigure the compressed air networks of two South African mines was identified. Reconfiguring the networks would respectively entail interconnecting two shafts and relocating a compressor from an abandoned shaft to a fully productive shaft. Theoretical simulations were developed to determine the networks’ responses to the reconfiguration strategies. The simulations assisted in exposing the viability of implementing the reconfiguration strategies on the respective compressed air networks. Positive responses were obtained from the simulations and proposals were made to the respective mines for possible implementation. The proposed initiatives were implemented on the respective mines’ compressed air networks. After implementation of the interconnection strategy, a consecutive three-month performance assessment period commenced to prove the viability of the proposed savings. An average power saving of 1 700 kW was achieved during the performance assessment period. The proposed initiative to relocate the compressor is currently being implemented. A financial saving of approximately R8.9 million per annum was achieved by implementing the interconnection strategy. The large financial saving was due to the utilisation of the mine’s salvaged equipment. Further savings were achieved by the decreased maintenance on the mine’s compressors. Due to the successful implementation of the interconnection strategy, it is safe to state that cost savings can be achieved by reconfiguring mining compressed air networks. / MIng (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The world is currently experiencing major issues in the energy sector. The ever-growing human population, limited energy resources and the effect of greenhouse gas emissions have become major global concerns for the energy sector, including the electricity generation sector. This dilemma caused electricity providers to revise their generation methods and created a major need for consumers to utilise electricity more efficiently. Demand side management (DSM) is one initiative developed for consumers to efficiently utilise electricity. Due to their high electricity consumption and technical skills, mines are ideal targets for the implementation of DSM strategies. Therefore, the focus of this study was to investigate South African mines for possible implementation of DSM strategies on their compressed air networks. Compressed air networks at South African mines are relatively old and inadequately maintained. This causes inefficient distribution and use of compressed air. The study will therefore focus on reconfiguring mining compressed air networks for cost savings. Cost savings include financial savings on electricity bills, implementation costs and decreased maintenance. Through several investigations, the possibility of implementing energy savings strategies to reconfigure the compressed air networks of two South African mines was identified. Reconfiguring the networks would respectively entail interconnecting two shafts and relocating a compressor from an abandoned shaft to a fully productive shaft. Theoretical simulations were developed to determine the networks’ responses to the reconfiguration strategies. The simulations assisted in exposing the viability of implementing the reconfiguration strategies on the respective compressed air networks. Positive responses were obtained from the simulations and proposals were made to the respective mines for possible implementation. The proposed initiatives were implemented on the respective mines’ compressed air networks. After implementation of the interconnection strategy, a consecutive three-month performance assessment period commenced to prove the viability of the proposed savings. An average power saving of 1 700 kW was achieved during the performance assessment period. The proposed initiative to relocate the compressor is currently being implemented. A financial saving of approximately R8.9 million per annum was achieved by implementing the interconnection strategy. The large financial saving was due to the utilisation of the mine’s salvaged equipment. Further savings were achieved by the decreased maintenance on the mine’s compressors. Due to the successful implementation of the interconnection strategy, it is safe to state that cost savings can be achieved by reconfiguring mining compressed air networks. / MIng (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014