Thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master for
Philosophy in Community and Development at the University of Stellenbosch / Thesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mining industries significantly influence the societies within which they operate.
They have been responsible for causing a wide range of negative environmental
and social impacts at local, regional and global levels. Disruption of river flows,
degradation of land and forest resources, negative impacts on the livelihoods of
local communities near mines and disturbance of traditional lifestyles of
indigenous people are some examples.
Historically, the mining industry has taken a ‘devil may care’ attitude toward the
impacts of its operations, inter alia by operating in areas without social legitimacy,
by causing local devastation, and by leaving when an area has been exhausted
of its economically valuable resources. Cost benefit language has often been
used to justify damage caused in one place by arguing that it is outweighed by
overall financial benefits. In recent years however the global mining industry has
started to address its social and environmental responsibilities, visible in current
debates about social and environmental sustainability. As a result, various mining
companies have launched corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes that
tend to focus on local community initiatives as their impact in economic, social
and environmental terms, they believe, is felt most at local level. Yet the question
remains, can CSR on its own make a substantial contribution to local sustainable
community development? The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) defined
CSR as “…the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and
contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the
workforce and their families as well as the local community and society at
large...” (WBCSD, 2003). Despite this clear definition, there is still great diversity
within the mining sector in perceptions of what CSR constitutes and what its key
tenets should be. Without a consistent definition or understanding of CSR and
sustainable community development, planned efforts and programmes will do
little to contribute to the overall improvement and well-being of the intended
beneficiaries.
The research focuses on defining sustainable community development and how
it relates CSR. It identifies three characteristics of sustainable community
development and uses these to assess the CSR programmes of Anglo American
Plc, as case study company, to determine whether the company’s programmes
have the potential to contribute to the sustainability of the communities
associated with its operations.
The research results in three main conclusions drawn from the case study – in a
phrase that CSR is able under certain conditions to contribute positively to
community sustainability. The conclusion also offers a few suggestions regarding
ways companies can increase the contribution their CSR programmes make to
local sustainable development. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Mynbou industrieë het ‘n definitiewe en sigbare impak op die gemeenskappe
waar mynbou aktiwiteite bedryf word. Hierdie industieë is verantwoordelik vir ’n
groot hoeveelheid negatiewe omgewings- en sosiale impakte op plaaslike,
distriks en provinsiale vlak. Die versteuring van tradisionele lewenswyses van
inheemse bevolkingsgroepe, natuurlike vloei van riviere, grond en water
besoedeling, asook tradisionele bestaans praktyke is almal areas wat negatief
deur mynbou industrieë beïvloed is.
Die mynbou industrie het deur die geskiedenis nie baie aandag gegee aan die
negatiewe impakte wat mynbou aktiwiteite op gemeenskappe het nie. Die
positiewe ekonomiese impak is afgespeel en as belangriker en van meer waarde
beskou, as die negatiewe sosiale en omgewingsimpakte wat dit veroorsaak. Dit
is maar onlangs dat die mynbou industrie begin het om die negatiewe impakte
wat mynbou aktiwiteite op gemeenskappe en die omgewing het aan te spreek.
Dit is ook ’n onderwerp wat meer prominent geraak het in huidige internasionale
debatte rakende volhoubare ontwikkeling en die impak wat mynbou op die
volhoubaarheid van die omgewing en sy mense het. Verskeie mynbou
maatskappye het korporatiewe sosiale investerings (KSI) programme in plaaslike
gemeenskappe begin om as mitigerende aksie vir die negatiewe impakte dien.
Die vraag is egter of hierdie programme enigsins sal kan bydrae to die
langtermyn volhoubare ontwikkeling in hierdie geaffekteerde gemeenskappe? Die Wêreld Besigheids Forum vir Volhoubare Ontwikkeling beskryf KSI as die
voortgesette onderneming deur die besigheidsektor om te alle tye
besigheidaktiwiteite op ’n etiese wyse te bedryf om ‘n daadwerklike bydrae tot die
ekonomie te lewer en daar deur nie net ’n positiewe impak te hê op die lewens
kwaliteit van hul werknemers nie, maar ook die van die plaaslike en ander
gemeenskappe. Alhoewel die definisie baie eenvoudig en self-verduidelikend is,
is daar nog baie verskillende interpretasies binne die mynbou industrie oor wat
presies korporatiewe sosiale investering is en wat die kern aktiwiteite binne die
veld moet wees. Sonder ’n konstante definisie en die eenvormige interpretasie
daarvan, wat ook die begrip volhoubare gemeenskapsonwikkeling (VGO) insluit,
sal initiatiewe en programme wat ten doel het om die lewenskwaliteit van
geïdentifiseerde begunstigdes te verbeter, weinig effek hê.
Die navorsing fokus op daarop om VGO beter te definieer, asook die
verwantskap daarvan met KSI. Dit identifiseer drie kern eienskappe van VGO en
gebruik dit as basis om die KSI programme van Anglo American Plc, as gevalle
studie maatskappy, te evalueer om te bepaal of die betrokke programme wel ’n
bydrae lewer to VGO in die gemeeskappe in en om die maatskappy se myne wat
deur die mynbou aktiwiteite beïnvloed word.
Die navorsing lewer drie kern gevolgtrekkings vanuit die gevalle studie – KSI
onder seker omstandighede kan wel ’n positiewe bydra lewer tot VGO. Die gevolgtrekking word verder toegelig met ’n paar aanbevelings aan maatskappy
rakende moontlike aksies om die impak van KSI programme op VGO te vergroot.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4214 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Marais, Anel |
| Contributors | Bekker, Simon, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 116 p. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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