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The effects of corporate social responsibility on community dispute resolutions in the South African mining sectorModimoeng, Keabetswe January 2017 (has links)
Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / The South African mining sector has over the years been perceived to be exploitative and not responsive to the investment interest of immediate stakeholders where they extract (local communities and labour). The perception of non-investment has resulted in amongst others, extensive community and labour unrests leading up to mass killings of mine workers at Marikana by the South African Police.
The South African government has enacted policies to guide Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the sector but the historic problems associated with this sector persists. As a result of community concerns around mining CSR, communities are mobilising around civic organisations, with the aim of brining the mining sector to account and fostering community development in their localities. This research explores and analyses if the mining sector adheres to CSR in their ventures and how communities perceive the sector’s activities and CSR approaches.
The epistemological foundations of this research are mainly positivist adopting theoretical assumptions of the stakeholder theory. The research methods are however those of mixed methods – quantitative sequential qualitative methods. The subsequent research designs are a survey in the quantitative methods and exploratory interviews in the qualitative methods. Data was gathered using a survey questionnaire in the quantitative methods and recorded phenomenological interviews in the qualitative methods. Data was gathered from a sample of 200 community members in the two sampled mining areas of Marikana (100) and Carletonville (100). The former is a platinum belt and the latter is an old gold mining area. To augment quantitative data from the field survey sequential qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews (phenomenological interviews) with mining company executives, government leaders, trade unions leadership as well as community members in Makhado and Tshikondeni mining sites.
The researcher encountered various limitations including travels to remote areas with lengthy distances on gravel roads, and respondents’ “over-researched” attitudes especially in Marikana and Makhado.
The findings suggest that the mine workers’ location, living and working conditions influence their understanding and therefore definition of CSR. Although numerous CSR definitions emerged in the case of Marikana CSR was equated to basic service provision similar to those provided for by the municipality like houses, schools, roads and clinics. In the case of Carletonville which is a well-developed mining town, CSR meant skills development, local enterprise development and provision of bursaries. It emerged that the majority of community members are not aware of the CSR programmes implemented in their localities. Respondents further cited collusive corrupt activities between the mining companies, traditional authorities and municipal leadership as the main deterrent to CSR and to local economic development. Overall findings suggest that the mining sector is adherent to CSR legislation at the minimal level but this does not meet the needs and expectations of community members. The mismatch between community expectations and their understanding of CSR does not align with government policy on CSR requirement of the mining sector.
The study recommends, among others, that bold and decisive government enforcement of penalties, which include consistent revoking of mining licences for non-CSR compliance by mining companies. The thesis also highlights the implications for managers as the rise of civic organisations propels a new engagement approach between mining companies and communities. This new approach would have inherent challenges such as delays in reaching consensus and exposing mining companies to internal community politics. Additionally, the study recommends future research be focused on evaluating constitutional powers of traditional leaders in relation to community interests in mining CSR. Furthermore, research could be conducted to establish previous compliance records on post-mining social commitments and environmental rehabilitation of mining companies in South Africa.
This thesis brings to the fore, an illustration of the emergent bargaining power communities has and how it compels mining corporates to engage with communities more consultatively. Failure to do so, result in situations such as Coal of Africa impasse in the Makhado area where losses amounting to billions of Rands are incurred. / D
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Mining in the settler dominions : a comparative study of the industry in three communities from the 1880s to the First World WarMouat, Jeremy January 1988 (has links)
This dissertation examines the evolution of the mining industry in three British dominions during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Adopting a case study approach, it describes the establishment and growth of mining in Rossland, British Columbia; Broken Hill, New South Wales; and Waihi, New Zealand.
Separate chapters trace developments in each area, focussing on the emergence of organised labour, the growth of mining companies and the sophistication of mining operations. These underline the need to consider diverse themes, maintaining that the mining industry's pattern of growth can be understood only by adopting such a broad approach. Following the three case studies, the final chapters of the dissertation offer a comparative analysis of Rossland, Waihi and Broken Hill. The study emphasises the similarities of these three communities, especially the cycle of growth, and identifies a crucial common denominator.
Despite differences in climate, in the type and nature of the ore deposit and in the scale of mining activity, all three areas experienced a common trajectory of initial boom followed by subsequent retrenchment. The changing character of the resource base forced this fundamental alteration of productive relations. In each region, the mineral content of the ore declined as the mines went deeper. In addition, with depth the ore tended to become more difficult to treat. Faced with a decline in the value of the product of their mines, companies had to adopt sweeping changes in order to maintain profitable operations. This re-structuring was accomplished in a variety of ways, but the most significant factors, common to Rossland, Broken Hill and Waihi, were the heightened importance of applied science and economies of scale. Both developments underlined the growing importance of the mining engineer and technological innovations, principally in milling and smelting operations. In addition, new non-selective extractive techniques reduced the significance of skilled underground labour.
The re-structuring of the industry not only had similar causes but also had a similar effect. The comparative chapter on labour relations, for example, argues that these managerial initiatives were closely associated with militant episodes in each community. While the leading companies in Rossland, Waihi and Broken Hill successfully reduced their working costs, they all faced the same ultimate end. Their long-term success or failure reflected the skill with which they coped with the inevitable depletion of their ore body.
The common experience of Rossland, Waihi and Broken Hill demonstrates the importance of placing colonial development within a larger context. Regional historians should make greater use of the comparative approach, rather than continuing to focus on the unique and the particular. / Arts, Faculty of / History, Department of / Graduate
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Die bestuur van 'n voorraad opgepotte minerale29 May 2014 (has links)
M.Com. (Mining Economics) / This study indicated that price cyclicity in commodity markets is caused by various factors, and that this in itself can cause certain short and long term effects for mineral producers. One short term effect of price cyclicity is its potential influence on the stockpiling activities of mineral producers. Data on the activities of the producers of 24 mineral products in South Africa during the period 1980 - 1985 were analysed to quantify the potential influences. The only mineral products that show a significant inverse relationship between export prices and stockpiling in real terms, are diamonds and antimony. In both instances producers tend to stockpile if the price of the product declines, and to sell stocks if the price increases. This tendency is probably related to the relatively dominant position in the production and marketing of minerals that South African producers of these mineral products have achieved in the world market. Due to the confidentiality of statistics, the data of other dominant producers, for example the South African platinum producers, could not be included in the analysis. With the possible exception of the dominant producers, speculative stockpiling by South African producers is the exception rather than the rule...
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Factors affecting the financial performance of mining companies in South AfricaKhorombi, Mpho January 2017 (has links)
Thesis (M.M. (Finance & Investment)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, 2017 / The South African economy is built on the richness of mineral resources found in most parts of the country. In 2013, Chamber of Mines reported that the country earned about R 2.4 trillion from the export market over the past 10 years. However, the industry has also shown signs of financial ill health in recent years. This study examines the factors affecting the financial performance (return on capital invested, return on asset and stock price return) of mining companies in South Africa with a particular focus on employee related factors (number of employees, wage bill and safest statistics). The study examines 24 publicly listed companies over a 6 year period using panel data analysis. The results show that lost time injury rate, number of fatalities are significant variables in explaining the changes in financial performance. Labour indicators such as number of employees, lost time injury rate and wages have a negative relationship with all financial indicators. / GR2018
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Platinum politics: the rise, and rise, of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU)Munshi, Naadira January 2017 (has links)
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by Research in the Department of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand, March 2017 / The massacre of 34 workers in Marikana in August 2012 represented a turning point in labour relations in South Africa. The killings, and the show of force that accompanied it, had a direct impact on trade unionism in the platinum belt, where the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has enjoyed remarkable growth, compared to the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). The events of 2012 helped catapult AMCU to lead a historic five-month long strike in 2014 that brought the platinum industry to its knees. The 2014 strike indelibly altered labour relations in the sector.
This dissertation aims to understand the character of AMCU on the platinum belt in the aftermath of the Marikana massacre. Tracing AMCU’s rise on the platinum mines from 2012 to 2014, the dissertation concludes with three features that emerge from AMCU’s organising style. These are its insistence on a non-partisan, independent trade union movement, its return to a democratic, workplace-centred struggle and a call for wageled economic growth / XL2018
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Assessing whether rehabilitation programmes from South African mining companies have considered the impacts of climate changeNdlovu, Zniko Siphokazi 16 September 2016 (has links)
A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
May 2016 / The fifth report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has a high confidence level that positive radiative forcing due to anthropogenic influences are causing a warming earth surface, and the largest contributor is CO2. Previous research related to mining and climate change, has been inclined to the development of mitigation measures, further addressing how best the mining sector could reduce greenhouse gas emissions which adversely affect the climate system. Minimal research has focused on adaptation measures. The climate - both present and future - is seen as the most vital determinant of rehabilitation success or failure, specifically rainfall patterns and the temperature. Planning for rehabilitation while taking into account climate change, is the first step to enhancing adaptation, allowing successful and resilient rehabilitation.
This study aimed to assess whether mining companies operating in South Africa have considered the impacts of climate change on mine rehabilitation. The study achieved this with the use of a qualitative research methodology which included detailed content analysis of documents and transcripts from interviews conducted. From graphical representations of likely future scenarios of climate change, it was identified that all mining companies will be exposed to climate change, thus increasing their vulnerability to future impacts. Secondly, it was identified that only three of the investigated policies and guidelines on closure make a specific mention to climate during the rehabilitation process (MMSD, ITRC and CoM). Through the analysis of Sustainability Reports, it became apparent that climate change issues are prioritised in the selected companies; however, these predominantly transpire as mitigation measures (i.e. energy consumption, GHG emissions and water availability) in response to legal requirements already instituted as well as forthcoming legal frameworks. Only two of the investigated companies have considered climate change during the rehabilitation process of the mine lifecycle. Additionally, the interview process revealed further that climate change is being considered, during the operational phase of the mine lifecycle and the responses are mitigation measures to comply with the legal frameworks. Lastly, from the identified case studies which show how physical climate change impacts can be addressed, an identified trend showed informed decision making by interdisciplinary individuals using credible regional data
contributed to some successes. A total of six challenges were identified where after these were seen as strategic components to further catalyse adaptation planning in mine rehabilitation (data sources and management systems, legal framework, collaborations, research and development, funding and sustainability leadership). The findings of this research have created a foundation on which other research, addressing climate change within the South African mining industry, can progress which may further explore the mining company perspective or alternatively the government perspective which was not dealt with thoroughly in this study. / M T 2016
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How can Zimbabwe leverage its mineral resources for economic recovery and sustainable growthZikiti, Beauty January 2016 (has links)
Dissertation submitted to the University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty
of Commerce, Law and Management in partial fulfilment of the
requirement of the degree of
MASTER OF COMMERCE IN DEVELOPMENT THEORY AND
POLICY
University of the Witwatersrand
Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management
School of Economics and Business Sciences – SEBS
Corporate Strategy and Industrial Development (CSID) / Zimbabwe’s mineral sector has been the major contributor of the national economy’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) since the economic meltdown post land reform programme. The
scale of the crisis resulted in the adoption of the multicurrency system in 2009. In an
attempt to save the economy from total collapse the government has turned to the mining
sector to establish linkages through mineral beneficiation. This study has analysed whether
the creation of linkages in the mineral sector, through beneficiation and value addition,
could resuscitate the economy. Literature on natural resources shows that countries that are
resource-rich experience slow growth rates than resource-poor countries. The study found
that mineral resource dependency could be a platform or foundation for economic growth
and developmental opportunities through linkages creation in the mineral sector. However,
resource-based development strategy is a challenging development path that needs a strong
state with vested capacity to actively direct and co-ordinate economic transformation
through deepening of the resource sector. Political tensions in Zimbabwe are the overriding
obstacles to economic linkages creation in the mining sector and across other sectors. It is
therefore, imperative to understand the socio-economic and political dynamics and
interactions that influence and shape policy decisions, implementation and their outcomes
in order for Zimbabwe to optimise economic linkages and revive its economy. / MT2017
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Determining the optimal rent for South African mineral resourcesCawood, Frederick Thomas 04 May 2011 (has links)
PhD, Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, 1999
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Ethical perspectives on mining-induced dislocations in Eastern CongoNtungu, Rodrigue Bamenga January 2018 (has links)
Thesis advisor: Andrea Vicini / Thesis advisor: Kristin E. Heyer / It might be unusual to identify the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a country where expulsions put at flagrant risk thousands of small farmers to make way for economic projects or natural resources extraction, as is the case in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, India, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The lack of documentation and data greatly contributes to silencing the victims of dislocations in Eastern Congo. This research, therefore, voices six critical claims by raising the ethical question: how can Christian ethics—in the only African country with the greatest proportion (43.2 million) of baptized Catholics—humanize involuntary displacement and resettlement of communities? While
the “resource curse theory” has revealed the challenges of a country riddled with economic constraints, political instability, and mining-induced conflicts, this research
proposes the “protological ethics of land” as one approach to dislocations in the era of extractive industries. / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.
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An industrial history of Boone County, IowaWeber, Lola Louise 01 July 1935 (has links)
No description available.
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