Search

Illegal river sand mining in regions like the Limpopo Province poses severe threats to ecosystems and communities. Nevertheless, the community's perspectives concerning these effects have not been determined. Thus, the aim of the investigation was to assess community perceptions regarding the environmental consequences linked to river sand mining in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study employed mixed methods to acquire the primary data. The quantitative data were acquired using questionnaires; meanwhile, the qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews from various respondents. The demographic profile of the respondents indicated a predominantly male population, with a majority lacking formal qualifications. Additionally, the prevalence of very high unemployment rates in the area seemed to influence participation in the activity. Consequently, some perceived it as an economic opportunity to generate income for their sustenance. It has been found that as developments increase, the demand for river sand increases as well, leading to a high extraction rate of sand. Lastly, the extraction of the resources was found to be un-regulated or controlled; therefore, it is concluded that unregulated extraction of these resources resulted in a high extraction rate and environmental crises such as un-rehabilitated pits, water pollution, land pollution, among others. It is therefore recommended that collaborative efforts among relevant authorities to enforce stringent regulations and penalties. Equally vital are public awareness campaigns, which can play a pivotal role in educating communities about the environmental repercussions of illegal sand mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South African mining industry relies on coal-based energy to run operations, with the sector utilising 29.6 terawatt-hours of energy in 2018. However, energy availability constraints and swelling electricity prices in the country have instilled a greater emphasis on energy management practices to reduce waste and maintain profitability. Energy benchmarking is a popular and effective energy management method applied in industry, but the current methods in the mining sector use the average energy usage of various mining shafts over different intervals to develop benchmarks. This may lead to skewed benchmarks when anomalous energy usage is present within the interval or when vastly different energy users are aggregated. However, clustering-based benchmarking techniques have been applied successfully in other industries to compare similar energy users accurately. This study developed and applied a clustering-based benchmarking method to evaluate the performance of different mining shafts at a deep-level gold mine in South Africa. The K-means unsupervised learning clustering algorithm was used to group similar energy users and benchmark different mining shafts using ordinary least squares regression equations. Compared to traditional methods, the benefit of clustered energy usage benchmarks is shown by more accurately evaluating energy performance and facilitating focused energy management responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small mining towns are often single-industry towns that turn to ghost towns or face negative socio-economic impacts upon mine closure. This study qualitatively explores the roles that mining companies and other key stakeholders (should) play in the development of local economies of the small mining communities to bring about economic sustainability, employing a constant comparative analysis. A small mining town in South Africa is the case study. Legislative and policy frameworks were scrutinized for their effectiveness in promoting economic sustainability. In-depth interviews with key stakeholders were carried out. Key factors limiting the effective implementation of developmental strategies were also explored. The study finds that weak community involvement, lack of trust, poor collaboration, poor municipal capacity, and legislation and policy flaws impact economic sustainability. Sustainable local economic development efforts are reported though. However, such efforts are insufficient because of the legislation and policy frameworks that are promoting short-term growth. Also, the town's overdependence on the mining company, local government not optimally fulfilling their roles and responsibilities, and minimal community members' participation on local economic development are other hindrances. However, the fact that the mining company and local municipality do acknowledge the shortcomings in their efforts towards promoting economic sustainability is a promise in minimizing the socio-economic effects of mine closures. Plain Language Summary: Stakeholder perspectives of economic sustainability of small mining towns The purpose of this study is to find ways to minimize the socio-economic effects that bedevil small mining towns when the extraction of the mineral becomes unviable. Often, small mining towns are single-industry towns and so they turn to ghost towns or face negative socio-economic impacts upon mine closure. The current study qualitatively explores the roles that mining companies and other key stakeholders (should) play in the development of local economies of the small mining communities to bring about economic sustainability. The study uses a small mining town in South Africa as the case study. Legislative and policy frameworks were scrutinized for their effectiveness in promoting economic sustainability. In-depth interviews with key stakeholders were carried out. Key factors limiting the effective implementation of developmental strategies were also explored. The study finds that weak community involvement, lack of trust, poor collaboration, poor municipal capacity, and legislation and policy flaws impact economic sustainability. Sustainable local economic development efforts are reported though. However, such efforts are insufficient because of the legislation and policy frameworks that are promoting short-term growth. Also, the town's overdependence on the mining company, local government not optimally fulfilling their roles and responsibilities, and minimal community members' participation on local economic development are other hindrances. However, the fact that the mining company and local municipality do acknowledge the shortcomings in their efforts toward promoting economic sustainability is a promise in minimizing the socio-economic effects of mine closures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women's status in society has been contested over the years, with arguments centred on the deliberate marginalisation of women by ancient policies and legislations, which compelled women to assume secondary status in society. Aim: This study aimed at exploring and describing the perceptions of women on working conditions in the mining industry. A qualitative, explorative and descriptive design was followed. Setting: The study was conducted at a mining industry based in Mpumalanga Province. Methods: Ten women were purposively selected to participate in the study. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed using Tech's method of qualitative analysis. Results: Three themes and categories emerged from data analysis. The themes that emerged were: Benefits for women in the mining industry, work conditions-related challenges for women in the mining industry and opportunities for growth and development of women in the mining industry. Conclusion: Despite the employment of women in the mining industry, the women echoed that mining remains a male-dominated place of employment. Contribution: The study revealed that although the mining industry is still a male-dominated environment, women are generally content to be working at the mines. A lot of transformation should take place to make mining a women-friendly place of employment. The relevance of this study for mental health is that gender equality is a risk factor for gender-based violence. Furthermore, facing discrimination can also result in anxiety and psychological trauma that can negatively affect a woman's sense of well-being and success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Between the 1980s and 2000s, an epidemic of silicosis was identified in migrant black gold miners, many from neighbouring countries, who had worked in the South African gold mines. This study uses the newly available employment database of a large gold mining company to demonstrate how a sustained rise in employment duration in a new cohort of black migrant workers resulted from changes in recruitment policy, and it examines the implications for current surveillance and redress. Methods: Contract data of 300,774 workers from the employment database of a multi-mine gold mining company were analysed for 1973–2018. Piecewise linear regression was applied to determine trends in cumulative employment, including South African versus cross-border miners. The proportions with cumulative employment of at least 10, 15, or 20 years, typical thresholds for chronic silicosis, were also calculated. Results: Five calendar phases were identified between 1973 and 2018. During the second phase, 1985–2013, mean cumulative duration of employment rose fivefold, from 4 to 20 years. Cumulative employment continued to rise, although more slowly, before peaking in 2014 at 23.5 years and falling thereafter to 20.1 years in 2018. Over most of the 1973–2018 period, miners from neighbouring countries had greater cumulative employment than South African miners. Overall, the proportion of miners exiting with at least 15 years of cumulative employment rose from 5% in 1988 to 75% in 2018. This report identifies a number of fundamental changes in labour recruitment policy in the gold mining industry in the 1970s which provide an explanation for the subsequent rise in cumulative exposure and associated silicosis risk. Conclusions: These new data support the hypothesis of a silicosis epidemic driven by increasing cumulative silica dust exposure in a new cohort of circular migrant workers from the 1970s. They inform current programmes to improve surveillance of this neglected population for silicosis and related disease and to provide medical examinations and compensation to a large number of former gold mines. The analysis highlights the lack of information on cumulative employment and silicosis risk among migrant miners in previous decades. The findings have global relevance to the plight of such migrant workers in hazardous occupations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature on the advent of 4IR has focused on the disruptive features of 4IR for the workplace and the role 4IR will play in enhancing economic growth and productivity. However, less is written about whether and how 4IR technologies may affect and be affected by the existing political settlement, especially in developing countries like South Africa. We investigate whether and how the adoption of technological advancements associated with 4IR would affect (and be affected by) the political settlements in South Africa's mining industry. We argue that the displacement of workers can shift the balance of power against organised labour and in favour of mining companies. Nonetheless, the impact of 4IR is not predetermined. South Africa's mining industry is a contested terrain, and the existing political settlement is likely to influence the process, pace, and extent of adopting 4IR technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global mining industry has an opportunity to mobilize resources to advance progress against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2018, the Anglo-American Group outlined aspirations for mining host communities to meet the SDG3 health targets. To progress from aspiration to action we designed and implemented a mixed-methods approach to attain a deeper understanding of the health and wellbeing priorities within the local context of host communities of fifteen mines in South Africa.Methods: To identify local needs and priorities relating to SDG3 targets in host communities, stakeholder workshops and key informant interviews were conducted between June and August 2019. A baseline assessment of health data, related to each of the SDG3 targets and indicators and to each host community location, was also conducted. Findings emerging from the qualitative and quantitative baseline assessments were compared to identify the extent to which health issues aligned and health and wellbeing priority areas for action.Results: A total of 407 people participated in the workshops, and 85 key informants were interviewed. Quantitative data were available at sub-national level for seven of the nine SDG3 targets and eleven of the 21 indicators. Key priority areas for action identified through alignment of the qualitative and quantitative data were maternal mortality (SDG3.1), HIV (SDG3.3.1), tuberculosis (SDG3.3.2), substance abuse (SDG3.5), and road traffic accidents (SDG3.6) We found consistency in the individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and structural factors underlying these priority areas. At a structural level, poor access to quality healthcare was raised at every workshop as a key factor underlying the achievement of all SDG3 targets. Of the five priority areas identified, HIV, TB and substance abuse were found to overlap in the study communities in terms of risk, burden, and underlying factors.Conclusions: We demonstrate a mixed method approach for identifying local health needs and prioritised SDG3 targets in mining host communities. Consistency in reporting suggests the need for effective, efficient and feasible interventions to address five priority areas. Given the prominent economic role of the mining sector in South Africa, it can play a critical role in implementing programmatic activities that further progress towards achieving the SDG3 targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South African mining sector faces numerous challenges that limit the performance of firms, chief among them environmental management, labour, and operational issues. An important research gap exists on how the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) can contribute to the mitigation of some of these challenges. This study investigates the connection between GSCM, employee satisfaction, operational and relational efficiency, and enterprise performance in the mining sector in South Africa. The study employed a quantitative method using a cross-sectional survey design. A structured research questionnaire was used to collect data from supply chain professionals at two leading mining firms based in the North-West Province, South Africa. The collected data were analysed using a structural equation modelling procedure based on the partial least squares technique. The study reveals the positive influence of GSCM on employee job satisfaction, operational efficiency, relational efficiency, and enterprise performance. The study also confirms that relational efficiency and operational efficiency both exert a positive influence on enterprise performance. However, employee job satisfaction exerted no influence on enterprise performance. GSCM itself exerted a direct positive influence on enterprise performance. The application of GSCM in the mining sector should be recognised as part of the solutions to motivating supply chain professionals and stimulating important internal and external efficiencies, leading to the enhanced performance of the firm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nurse managers carry the light of leadership in mining primary healthcare settings (mPHCs). They must ensure that this light shines for their followers to improve the quality of service rendered in primary healthcare. However, the nurse managers in mPHCs are confusing their leadership roles with management roles. The existing policies such as operational management of mPHCs are also not clarifying the leadership roles of nurse managers. Aim: The purpose of this study was to understand the nurse managers' leadership roles in mPHCs. Setting: This study was conducted in mPHCs, situated in Gauteng province, in the West Rand in 2017. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was employed in this study. The participants were selected using a non-probability purposive sampling method. Ten participants formed part of the study. To collect data, individual in-depth interviews were conducted. Giorgi's descriptive thematic data analysis was used to analyse data. Measures to ensure trustworthiness and ethical principles were adhered to. Results: Three themes emanated: confusion of leadership roles with management roles, confusion of leadership roles with clinical roles and confusion of leadership roles with resources management roles. Conclusion: The importance of describing nurse managers' leadership roles surfaced from this study to eradicate confusion. Contribution: The nurse managers in mPHCs are now understanding their leadership roles, and that leadership roles, management roles, clinical roles and resources management roles are distinguishable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mineworkers, including females, are prone to work-related musculoskeletal disorders and these disorders are not well reported amongst female mineworkers in South Africa. Objective: This study aimed to identify the factors associated with the presence of musculoskeletal pain over a 12-month period amongst female mineworkers (n = 225) in a South African goldmine. Method: Female mineworkers' responses to the presence of musculoskeletal pain over the previous 12-month period and their exposure to physical and psychological factors were elicited using a standardised questionnaire. Descriptive and multivariable analytical statistics were conducted to test for associations between physical and psychological factors and the presence of musculoskeletal pain over the previous 12 months. Results: The median age of participants was 40 years, with 50.22% of participants reporting the presence of musculoskeletal pain over the previous 12 months. On multivariable analysis, education level and good to excellent health status were protective against the existence of pain during the previous 12 months. Participants' perceived ratings of experiencing moderate-to-high pain intensities were significantly associated with reports of pain over the past 12 months. Conclusion: These findings may raise awareness amongst physiotherapists and occupational medicine physicians about the factors associated with musculoskeletal pain amongst female mineworkers, which they can then use in managing and developing interventions aimed at improving the physical health of female mineworkers. Clinical implications: Our study highlights the need for medical surveillance of musculoskeletal pain in female mineworkers. A cohort study in a larger study population and across several mines will build on the existing cross-sectional information and help inform workplace interventions for female mineworkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) and the Mining Charter, which both came into force in 2004, required white-owned and foreign-owned companies operating in the country to transfer 26% of the value of equity ownership and ensure that historically disadvantaged persons (HDSAs) attain 40% control of mine assets. The regulations are part of the broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) policy that seeks to transform the whole economy and enable black people to participate fully in all sectors of the economy after years of exclusion under apartheid laws. The inclusion of black people in the industry started with conglomerates unbundling mining houses in the early 1990s. Elsewhere such programmes succeed through selective government intervention. The South African government instead is pursuing a hands-off approach leaving HDSAs to survive under market mechanisms, which limits HDSAs’ chances of exploitation of opportunities. Aim: To explain challenges of attaining and sustaining equity target levels and highlight the extent to which black people own equity and mine assets, explore strategies used and reveal other realities in the implementation of the policy. These aims are met by exploring the ownership structures of white-owned, foreign-owned and black-owned companies and BEE deals concluded by them between the 1990s and 2015. It was also important to learn from the experiences of countries that pursued similar policies as a means of providing knowledge and information to policymakers and the general public. Setting: The study used a sample of 72 mining companies in South Africa operating in various mineral categories. Methodology: This article used a qualitative approach involving both secondary and primary data. Purposeful selective sampling was used to draw from all listed mining companies with a cut-off of July 2011. The market capitalisation of these were used to estimate equity targets owned by black people. Another 16 mining companies not listed were used to explore the strategies, challenges and other realities. This required exploring changes in shareholding structures and BEE deals concluded. Face-to-face structured interviews were conducted with a total of 35 executives, top management or their representatives from 27 companies, a few members of academia and government officials between 2012 and 2014. Results: Targets set by the MPRDA and the Mining Charter have not been met. Thus, little equity ownership has been transferred to black people. A broad category of black people have, however, benefited from BEE deals. These include individual companies, consortiums, communities and employee ownership schemes. To avoid risks, the sellers of mine assets host black people in separate companies, special purpose vehicles and holding companies. In general, lack of capital, dilution of black shareholding, indebtedness and limited expertise to run extractive ventures successfully challenge the survival of black-owned companies. Despite these problems, a few such companies are worth billions of rand. Conclusion: The success of empowerment policies that seek to offer selective preferences to enterprises elsewhere has depended on the government’s concerted efforts. These include establishing institutions to oversee policy execution and having financial and other supports. Challenges that black-owned mining companies face indicate a call for help. Unless the government intervenes and supports them there is a danger that white-owned and foreignowned companies will completely buy back the assets once sold to black people resulting in a failure of the empowerment policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Adolescents may be known to take risks, but they may also conform to societal norms if they are given proper guidance, implying that there is a need for proper monitoring. This qualitative study explores the influence of family dynamics on adolescents sexual risk behaviour within a migration affected community.Method: Using thematic analysis, we processed data collected from 13 adolescents and 10 parents.Results: The themes generated from our data include the following, "Household poverty", "Family conflicts", "Lack of discipline", "Parent-child closeness", "Generational gap between adolescents and their parents" and "Lack of sex education". Our study found that financial constrain was a major problem in this community, the impact of this was worse felt among adolescents who lived by themselves. In addition, some parents were delinquent, distant or detached from their adolescents. We also found evidence to suggest that couple conflict was a common occurrence, and this had negative influence on adolescent well-being and there sexual behaviour.Conclusion: In view of the deepening crisis of early sexual engagement among adolescents and the accompanying risk of unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, it is imperative to foster adolescent friendly households where the parents/caregivers are empowered to support their adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Review of African Political Economy is the property of Review of Political Economy (ROAPE) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Review of African Political Economy is the property of Review of Political Economy (ROAPE) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Optimizing the use of new tools, such as vaccines, may play a crucial role in reaching global targets for tuberculosis (TB) control. Some of the most promising candidate vaccines target adults, although high-coverage mass vaccinations may be logistically more challenging among this population than among children. Vaccine-delivery strategies that target high-risk groups or settings might yield proportionally greater impact than do those that target the general population. We developed an individual-based TB transmission model representing a hypothetical population consisting of people who worked in South African gold mines or lived in associated labor-sending communities. We simulated the implementation of a postinfection adult vaccine with 60% efficacy and a mean effect duration of 10 years. We then compared the impact of a mine-targeted vaccination strategy, in which miners were vaccinated while in the mines, with that of a community-targeted strategy, in which random individuals within the labor-sending communities were vaccinated. Mine-targeted vaccination averted an estimated 0.37 TB cases per vaccine dose compared with 0.25 for community-targeted vaccination, for a relative efficacy of 1.46 (95% range, 1.13-1.91). The added benefit of mine targeted vaccination primarily reflected the disproportionate demographic burden of TB among the population of adult males as a whole. As novel vaccines for TB are developed, venue-based vaccine delivery that targets high-risk demographic groups may improve both vaccine feasibility and the impact on transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining communities throughout the Southern African Development Community are faced with numerous challenges impacting on their wellbeing. As part of an integrative multidisciplinary research project, this study sought to explore aspects that affect community wellbeing in the informal Bekkersdal mining community in South Africa from the perspective of local community caregivers. An explorative-descriptive qualitative study including 22 mainly female (91%) participants who were purposively sampled was conducted. As part of data collection, participants answered a series of open-ended questions in a questionnaire and kept journals. Thematic analysis was used to analyze that data. The results indicate aspects that either promote (contribute to) or hinder community wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its contribution to the South African economy, the South African mining industry is plagued by illegal artisanal mining (IAM). Although artisanal mining was recognised as a means to alleviate poverty after 1994, current legislation criminalises such work. This article reviews the limited literature on IAM in South Africa to show that there is poor synergy between mining industry stakeholders. It recommends two theoretical perspectives from which to reappraise the underlying causes of IAM, concluding that an industry-tailored, theoretically informed intervention is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The triple epidemic of silicosis, tuberculosis and HIV infection among migrant miners from South Africa and neighbouring countries who have worked in the South African mining industry is currently the target of regional and international control efforts. These initiatives are hampered by a lack of information on this population.Methods: This study analysed the major South African mining recruitment database for the period 1973 to 2012 by calendar intervals and demographic and occupational characteristics. Changes in area of recruitment were mapped using a geographic information system.Results: The database contained over 10 million contracts, reducible to 1.64 million individuals. Major trends relevant to health projection were a decline in gold mining employment, the major source of silicosis; increasing recruitment of female miners; and shifts in recruitment from foreign to South African miners, from the Eastern to the Northwestern parts of South Africa, and from company employees to contractors.Conclusions: These changes portend further externalisation of the burden of mining lung disease to home communities, as miners, particularly from the gold sector, leave the industry. The implications for health, surveillance and health services of the growing number of miners hired as contractors need further research, as does the health experience of female miners. Overall, the information in this report can be used for projection of disease burden and direction of compensation, screening and treatment services for the ex-miner population throughout Southern Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Review of African Political Economy is the property of Review of Political Economy (ROAPE) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Review of African Political Economy is the property of Review of Political Economy (ROAPE) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

South African democracy witnessed considerable effort to redefine Environmental Impact Assessment regulations to improve participation of citizens towards sustainable development activities. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of participatory processes has generally been mixed and in many cases fallen below expectations, with lack of empirical evidence especially in South Africa to understand the underlying elements that may contribute to poor public participation in Environmental Impact Assessments. This paper attempts to investigate the participatory inefficiencies of Environmental Impact Assessments for mining development specifically in Dullstroom, Mpumalanga and presents viewpoints from key stakeholders. Results indicate that Environmental Impact Assessments especially for mining development are conducted as tokenistic tools to approve developments rather than to genuinely engage with the concerns of interested and affected groups. There is a need for environmental practitioners to be impartial during assessments, including the independence of government as regulator and enforcer of environmental assessment processes rather than spearheading mining development for economic development. The paper makes recommendations to improve participation of citizens during Environmental Impact Assessment processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies in South Africa have investigated the exposure of asthmatic learners to indoor and outdoor air pollution at schools. This study compared outdoor PM10 and SO2 exposure levels in exposed (1-2 km from gold mine dumps) and unexposed schools (5 km or more from gold mine dumps). It also examined exposure of asthmatic children to indoor respirable dust at exposed and unexposed schools.Methods: The study was conducted between 1 and 31 October 2012 in five schools from exposed and five from unexposed communities. Outdoor PM10 and SO2 levels were measured for 8-h at each school. Ten asthmatic learners were randomly selected from each school for 8-h personal respirable dust sampling during school hours.Results: The level of outdoor PM10 for exposed was 16.42 vs. 11.47 mg.m-3 for the unexposed communities (p < 0.001). The outdoor SO2 for exposed was 0.02 ppb vs. 0.01 ppb for unexposed communities (p < 0.001). Indoor respirable dust in the classroom differed significantly between exposed (0.17 mg.m-3) vs. unexposed (0.01 mg.m-3) children with asthma at each school (p < 0.001).Conclusion: The significant differences between exposed and unexposed schools could reveal a serious potential health hazard for school children, although they were within the South African Air Quality Standards' set by the Department of Environmental Affairs. The indoor respirable dust levels in exposed schools could have an impact on children with asthma, as they were significantly higher than the unexposed schools, although there are no published standards for environmental exposure for children with asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The goal of hearing conservation programs (HCPs) is to prevent hearing loss, to preserve the existing hearing, and to provide workers with the knowledge and equipment they need to preserve their hearing. The South African mining industry has failed to achieve satisfactory results to reduce noise-induced hearing loss. Therefore, strategic and contextually relevant changes are required to reduce or eliminate occupational induced-hearing loss amongst mineworkers in South Africa. Objective: This study aims to develop an evidence-based theory on how HPCs work, for whom, and under what circumstances to reduce occupational-induced hearing loss amongst South African mineworkers. Method: A realist review will be conducted between October 2021 and February 2022 to examine how contextual factors trigger specific processes or behaviours (or "mechanisms") to reduce or eliminate occupational noise-induced hearing loss. This synthesis will follow five steps of Pawson's 2004 and 2005 guidance on conducting realist reviews: (1) developing the initial programme theory about hearing conservation programmes, based on a review of the scientific and grey literature, and multisector stakeholder workshops/interviews, (2) searching for evidence, (3) screening, selection, and appraisal of selected articles, (4) Data extraction and synthesis, and (5) refining the initial programme theory. In selected studies, patterns in context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations will be uncovered across and between studies. This will help to support, refute or modify the initial programme theory, and ultimately produce a refined programme theory on why and how HCPs work and in what context. Results: The results of this study will be reported using the RAMESES guidance and reporting standards for realist synthesis. Implications: The complexity of HPCs poses challenges to their implementation to reduce occupationally acquired hearing loss to South African mineworkers. The findings from this realist review will provide recommendations both to policymakers and mineworkers on how to reduce occupationally induced hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate job crafting and its relationship with work engagement and job satisfaction within the South African context. This research is important as job crafting has been shown to have a positive influence on employee motivation. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect primary data from organisations in the mining and manufacturing industries of South Africa (N = 470). The results of multi-group structural equation modelling showed that the original four-factor structure of the job crafting scale was supported by the data, but that a three-factor structure was necessary due to a discriminant validity concern regarding two job crafting dimensions. Regression results revealed that increasing structural job resources with challenging job demands, and increasing social job resources were significant predictors of work engagement in both groups. Contrary to expectations decreasing hindering job demands was a negative predictor of job satisfaction in the mining group. Furthermore, increasing social job resources was also a significant predictor of job satisfaction in both groups. This study indicates the importance of job crafting for work engagement and job satisfaction in organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the fit-for-purpose mining and infrastructure design needed for a coal mining operation. Discussed are the two contracts agreed between Universal Coal and Stefanutti Stocks Mining Services in which first contract covers the mine infrastructure's optimisation, detail design and construction and the second that includes the handling of materials and contract mining operational aspects.

The article offers information on the Impumelelo project, a coal replacement projects, near Secunda in South Africa. It informs that the project has been undertaken by Sasol Mining and RSV ENCO/Goba JV and the project design aims at future expansion to 10.5 million tons of coal per annum. It mentions that the project will replace the Brandspruit mine in South Africa in supplying Sasol Synfuels with coal.

Basing on hitherto research and tests, including results of experimental underground coal gasification (UCG) conducted in Wieczorek coal mine, conditions a UCG process has to meet to become in the future an industrial scale technology applied to exploit deposits are analysed. Paper contains an analysis of broadly defined range of mining conditions (geological - mining conditions of a deposit selected for exploitation with the UCG process; type and properties of coal deposit; detailed technological and organizational solutions; conditions for the safe use of technology for the personnel and the environment) and also characterizes the conditions for economic viability of UCG technology as an coal exploitation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Review of African Political Economy is the property of Review of Political Economy (ROAPE) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Review of African Political Economy is the property of Review of Political Economy (ROAPE) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article offers an analysis on the accelerated mechanization and the demise of a mass-based labour force at Platinum mines in South Africa. Topics include geology of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, dominance of conventional mining, geology and mining methods, benefits and social consequences of mechanized mining, stope width as critical factor in mining, and hybrid forms of conventional and mechanized mining.

Copyright of Review of African Political Economy is the property of Review of Political Economy (ROAPE) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The number of projects a person can handle simultaneously is a relevant factor in strategic planning and in project portfolio management. Internationally the de facto standard seems to be that a person should not work on more than two or three projects simultaneously; but several factors could influence this figure. Empirical evidence indicates that, in some South African sectors, people tend to work on many more than two or three projects simultaneously. In this paper, factors that influence the number of projects a person can work on are identified so that they can be investigated in further studies. Some ideas about using key resources optimally are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes to the on-going efforts to improve occupational safety in the mining industry by creating a model capable of predicting the continuous risk of occupational accidents occurring. Contributing factors were identified and their sensitivity quantified. The approach included using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to identify patterns between the input attributes and to predict the continuous risk of accidents occurring. The predictive Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model used in this research was created, trained, and validated in the form of a case study with data from a platinum mine near Rustenburg in South Africa. This resulted in meaningful correlation between the predicted continuous risk and actual accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining, tailings storage facilities (TSFs), dust pollution and growth in residential housing development are synonymous with the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Encroachment of housing onto land close to TSFs, i.e. areas rendered marginal because of the dust hazard and risk of structural failure, has continued unabated for decades, intensifying human exposure to windblown mineral dust. Recent research indicates that the finer milling used for modern gold extraction results in aeolian dust emanating from the TSFs which contributes to a higher proportion of inhalable particles in the source material. Air quality dispersion modelling, validated by ambient aerosol monitoring campaigns, indicates that episodic dust events generate particulate matter (PM10) and, specifically, quartz dust concentrations that are unhealthy at distances of up to 2 km downwind from TSFs. This contribution documented residential development from 1952 to 2011 (using historical aerial photographs, census data from 2001 and 2011 and ancillary information) to determine the population exposed to dust emanations from the TSFs. Using the images, land use was classified into residential areas, TSF footprints and open areas, onto which a series of 500 m buffer zone contours were superimposed. The resulting statistics were used to assess the populations exposed to dust hazard within the defined buffer zones. Overall, housing development has experienced a growth of approximately 700% since 1952 at a rate of 14% per year. Analysis of recent monitoring campaign data has confirmed multiple occurrences of quartzrich inhalable dust in residential settings at levels that exceed occupational health standards, extrapolated to values for population exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To be used most effectively, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) should be prioritized to those at high risk of acquisition and would ideally be aligned with time periods of increased exposure. Identifying such time periods is not always straightforward, however. Gaza Province in southern Mozambique is characterized by high levels of HIV transmission and circular labour migration to mines in South Africa. A strong seasonal pattern in births is observable, reflecting an increase in conception in December. Given the potential for increased HIV transmission between miners returning in December and their partners in Gaza Province, PrEP use by the latter would be a useful means of HIV prevention, especially for couples who wish to conceive. Methods: A mathematical model was used to represent population-level adult heterosexual HIV transmission in Gaza Province. Increased HIV acquisition among partners of miners in December, coinciding with the miners' return from South Africa, is represented. In addition to a PrEP intervention, the scale-up of treatment and recent scale-up of male circumcision that have occurred in Gaza are represented. Results: Providing time-limited PrEP to the partners of migrant miners, as opposed to providing PrEP all year, would improve the cost per infection averted by 7.5-fold. For the cost per infection averted to be below US$3000, at least 85% of PrEP users would need to be good adherers and PrEP would need to be cheaper than US$115 per person per year. Uncertainty regarding incidence of HIV transmission among partners of miners each year in December has a strong influence on estimates of cost per infection averted. Conclusions: Providing time-limited PrEP to partners of migrant miners in Gaza Province during periods of increased exposure would be a novel strategy for providing PrEP. This strategy would allow for a better prioritized intervention, with the potential to improve the efficiency of a PrEP intervention considerably, as well as providing important reproductive health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent major cluster randomized trial of screening, active disease treatment, and mass isoniazid preventive therapy for 9 months during 2006-2011 among South African gold miners showed reduced individual-level tuberculosis incidence but no detectable population-level impact. We fitted a dynamic mathematical model to trial data and explored 1) factors contributing to the lack of population-level impact, 2) the best-achievable impact if all implementation characteristics were increased to the highest level achieved during the trial ("optimized intervention"), and 3) how tuberculosis might be better controlled with additional interventions (improving diagnostics, reducing treatment delay, providing isoniazid preventive therapy continuously to human immunodeficiency virus-positive people, or scaling up antiretroviral treatment coverage) individually and in combination. We found the following: 1) The model suggests that a small proportion of latent infections among human immunodeficiency virus-positive people were cured, which could have been a key factor explaining the lack of detectable population-level impact. 2) The optimized implementation increased impact by only 10%. 3) Implementing additional interventions individually and in combination led to up to 30% and 75% reductions, respectively, in tuberculosis incidence after 10 years. Tuberculosis control requires a combination prevention approach, including health systems strengthening to minimize treatment delay, improving diagnostics, increased antiretroviral treatment coverage, and effective preventive treatment regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I exploit the unexpected increase in employment in 1975, 1976, and 1977 in the South African homelands to compare the long-term adult outcomes of children whose fathers benefited from the employment increase to those who did not. Using a standard difference-in-difference approach, I find that the shock affected males who were either newborn or in utero at the time, providing support to the fetal-origins hypothesis and showing the importance of mother's nutrition. The income increases did not raise household income above the poverty datum line, explaining why older individuals were not affected. This study provides previously unmeasured individual-level information on the quality of life in the homelands during apartheid, an era when African living standards were neglected but unmeasured because of a lack of data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the proposal for a method for South Africa for the domestic mineral reform success in its land reform programs. Topics discussed include history of South Africa's mining policies, progressive taxation system which accomplishes the country's mining goals and utilization of the mining regulatory framework to meet the land distribution goals. It also mentions that a court case Republic of South Africa v. Grootboom related to the housing.

In the South African deep mines, a variety of biofilms growing in mine corridor walls as water seeps from intersections or from fractures represents excellent proxies for deep-subsurface environments. However, they may be greatly affected by the oxygen inputs through the galleries of mining activities. As a consequence, the interaction between the anaerobic water coming out from the walls with the oxygen inputs creates new conditions that support rich microbial communities. The inherent difficulties for sampling these delicate habitats, together with transport and storage conditions may alter the community features and composition. Therefore, the development of in situ monitoring methods would be desirable for quick evaluation of the microbial community. In this work, we report the usefulness of an antibody-microarray (EMChip66) immunoassay for a quick check of the microbial diversity of biofilms located at 1.3 km below surface within the Beatrix deep gold mine (South Africa). In addition, a deconvolution method, previously described and used for environmental monitoring, based on graph theory and applied on antibody cross-reactivity was used to interpret the immunoassay results. The results were corroborated and further expanded by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Both culture-independent techniques coincided in detecting features related to aerobic sulfur-oxidizers, aerobic chemoorganotrophic Alphaproteobacteria and metanotrophic Gammaproteobacteria. 16S rRNA gene sequencing detected phylotypes related to nitrate-reducers and anaerobic sulfur-oxidizers, whereas the EMChip66 detected immunological features from methanogens and sulfate-reducers. The results reveal a diverse microbial community with syntrophic metabolisms both anaerobic (fermentation, methanogenesis, sulphate and nitrate reduction) and aerobic (methanotrophy, sulphur oxidation). The presence of oxygen-scavenging microbes might indicate that the system is modified by the artificial oxygen inputs from the mine galleries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, soils are under threat of deterioration and contamination due to anthropogenic activities. Whilst risk assessment of soils in Europe has been well studied, the same cannot be said of soils in Southern Africa. Soil screening values exist in SA, which enables soil quality assessment, but lack a clear risk-based scientific foundation and site-specific risk assessment. This is specified, in the light of the proximity of mine tailings disposal facilities to residential areas, exposing people to a wide range of possible contaminants. The aim of this paper is to give an overview of soil quality risk assessment with specific reference to European models, and to explore how these could be used in a Southern African context where soil quality risk assessment is a relatively new and insufficiently investigated field. Therefore, the attention in this paper is on typical non-Western conditions to which soil quality risk assessment has to be attuned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining plays an important role in the South African economy which results in environmental impacts. This holds a potential hazard for ecosystems surrounding mining areas and also for public health in the surrounding communities. The aim of this study was to use soil enzymatic analyses and earthworm ( Eisenia andrei ) responses viz . growth, reproduction, lysosomal membrane stability and tissue metal concentrations to determine the effect caused by chromium mine waste on the activity of soil microbial community and soil invertebrates. Results indicated that chromium mining did have an ecotoxic effect on enzymatic activity, as the material which exceeded the Cr benchmark for microorganisms showed the least amount of enzymatic activity. Significant differences in enzymatic activity were observed between the different samples. Earthworm biomass increases were low in the mining material exposed worms and might have been correlated with the low enzymatic activities in the materials. Biomass was however not considered a sensitive endpoint. Lysosomal membrane stability, measured as NRRT, proved to be a sensitive endpoint, showing the same pattern from day 7 up to day 28. Hatching success of cocoons was not considered a sensitive endpoint, due to the low cocoon production in the mining material exposed worms. Since mine waste materials often contain complex mixtures of metals that might be toxic on their own or in combination with other factors, it is difficult to attribute any observed effect to any of the specific metals analyzed. The metal concentrations were however compared to benchmarks in order to determine which of the metals could have had a toxic effect on the soil organisms. The only benchmark exceeded, was the PNEC for microorganisms, for Cr in the unrehabilitated silt (TDF1) material. None of the other benchmarks were exceeded, indicating that perhaps granular composition of the materials might have had a greater influence than the metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]