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Sport and the development of new mining communities in the Witbank district

  • Authors: Mudau, Rudzani
  • Date: 2008-06-05T11:39:46Z
  • Subjects: Mineral industries , Mining districts , Coal miners' recreation , Witbank (South Africa)
  • Type: Thesis
  • Identifier: uj:8991 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/545
  • Description: This project was established with the aim of assessing the extent of the development of new mining communities and the extent to which sport has been involved in the development of new communities around the Witbank district. The development of this project was an endeavour to understand the extent of change in settlement practices of miners, a subject on which there is not much academic literature. From the earlier settlement of small-scale farmers in Witbank, coal mining sprouted. Until the 1980s, a large number of African workers on these mines were migrant labourers housed in single-sex compounds. When the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) called for the abolition of hostels, the migrant system was seriously affected. With the decline of the migrant labour system, mine workers’ families have been settling with them in units located on or close to the mines. As compounds were converted into family units, African workers tasted the freedom of living with their families. The move from hostels to houses has led to the development of new ‘normal’ communities; ‘normal’ in the sense that they comprise men, women and children. The research shows that the development of new communities has not been automatic, but one that has relied, in particular, on the self-activity of the miners and their families, though often with support from colliery managers. As in the UK and US, various institutions have been involved in developing mining communities, and this study focuses on one of these, a sports association, specifically the Mpumalanga Collieries’ Human Resources Association (MCHRA). Whilst in many respects the new mining communities are similar to those considered in the UK and US, apartheid divisions continue to mark the geography of settlement, with class replacing race as the main marker of division. Sport is crucial in the secondary development of these communities; secondary in that it promotes social cohesion rather than gives rise to the emergence of communities. Nonetheless, sport has already shown its importance in Witbank. It does not only allow families to entertain themselves, but also gives the communities some escape-valve mechanism, as it keeps people busy and away from crime, drugs and alcohol abuse. This study provides valuable evidence of ordinary people taking responsibility for new social problems arising in the post-apartheid era, and they are doing this, in particular, through the mechanism of sport. , Prof. Peter Alexander Ms. Claire Ceruti
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The role of outsourcing in the project house - mining house relationship

  • Authors: De Villiers, Tielman J.
  • Date: 2008-11-18T09:08:18Z
  • Subjects: Contracting out , Mineral industries , Project management
  • Type: Thesis
  • Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/388910 , uj:14728 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1732
  • Description: M.Phil. , The relationship between the Mining House / Owner and Project House can be spectacularly successful for both partners (and has resulted in the emergence of a few successful new project houses and plant operation companies all over the world), but can also be disastrous for both parties, if managed incorrectly. The main requirement for a successful relationship between a Mining- and Project House is that there must be something in it for both parties. This is not only measured in customer perception of value for money (Mining House) and profits by the Project House, but is also affected by mutual respect, the working relationship and the perception that both can profit from the relationship by the following activities: • Procurement of goods and services. • Providing assistance in absorbing and adopting process technologies. • Addressing environmental concerns like Environment Impact Assessment, HAZOP studies as well as disaster management plans. • A project management team who can ensure proper control and timely reporting to the financial institutions, ensuring there are no cost and time overruns. • Provide due diligence in order to assign proper value to the assets, business portfolios, brand equity, technology/product, etc. • For retrofits, revamps, technical/ energy audits, upgrading the processes / quality of product through minimal investment routes. • In ensuring all aspects of quality management right from the concept to commissioning stage, involving corporate commitment to the quality management process enabling the companies to follow good manufacturing practices. • To provide knowledge management services i.e. depth of knowledge rather than the breadth. Until recently, most Mining Houses locked outsourcing in the back room - using it to pass off unimportant functions and processes to competent specialists so that managers could focus on more critical activities and core business. This is all changing as outsourcing is increasingly making its way into executives' strategic toolkits. In other research studies [5; C; K; N] three types of outsourcing relationships have been identified namely conventional, collaborative and (business) transformational outsourcing. Mining Houses can use conventional outsourcing to generate cost efficiencies in support processes. Collaborative outsourcing is used both to upgrade business processes and to provide flexibility to respond to changing business needs. Business transformation outsourcing holds a higher standard and is a comprehensive approach to create both new capabilities and to use them to achieve a clear strategic objective.
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An integrated project team strategy in the South African mining and mineral commodity industry

  • Authors: De Villiers, Tielman J.
  • Date: 2008-11-18T09:08:37Z
  • Subjects: Project management , Teams in the workplace , Mineral industries
  • Type: Thesis
  • Identifier: uj:14729 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1733
  • Description: D.Ing. , An integrated project team strategy (IPTS) does not start with a detailed list of performance measures, but with the appropriate mindset of what is in the interest of the project. The purpose of IPTS is to unite the core project participants (the 20% of project participants responsible for 80% of the impact on the project success) with a common goal, so that they focus on what is in the interest of the project and not on their company’s interest or local optimisation. Like a tripod, Integrated Project Team Strategies (IPTS) is based on three core principles - a common project incentive scheme, well-defined project success criteria and project control systems and procedures that focus on the project’s needs and do not entice local optimisation. The first leg of IPTS is that all the core project participants share in a common project incentive scheme, therefore their actions are focussed on the same target because it determines the size of their bonuses and incentives. Project success criteria are the second leg and represents the common project target. However, determining priorities in a project strategy is regularly done incorrectly with negative impact, therefore the project success and failure criteria must be well defined for all three areas namely project management, product and relationship success. This is essential for measuring the project success because it forms the basis for reporting progress the project wellbeing during the implementation phase as well as the “successful” outcome at project closure Traditional project control systems and metrics, which were used to measure the progress of the project, tend to measure progress in isolation because they do not consider the overall need of the project. Local optimisation in terms of for instance tons steel erected per hour occurs because that is how managers on the project are assessed, however, that is not in the interest of the project. Although conventional project strategies do not exclude integrated team performance evaluation, all their systems and procedures are based on the performance of a single project participant or division of a participant, thereby creating the ideal breeding ground for local optimization and moves the focus away from the overall project. When looking at some of the latest business publications like that of Eliyahu M. Goldratt (“The Goal”, “It is not luck” and the “Critical Chain”[9]) it is clear that IPTS biggest advantage is to eliminate local optimization encouraged by the more conventional project controls strategies. Because the way people are measured has such a big impact on their behaviour, project control systems and metrics are the third leg of the IPTS tripod. For these reasons, IPTS is a completely new game, which relies on deep commitment to provide a broad flexible framework for doing whatever is required in the current context to ensure project success. It is not about what happened since the deal was struck, nor who is actually responsible for it, but about the success of the project because all participants will reap the benefits of a successful project. In a sense, the demand emphasis for IPTS is shifting from a purely financial to a more strategic approach. In so doing, it is prompting more and more clients and managers into systematic re-examinations of their business models’ structures, efficiency and effectiveness for factors such as local optimization. Often stereotypically conservative and with a cultural bias for control, most clients and service providers in the South African mining and mineral commodity industry have been late and reluctant to let go of their control and associated local optimisation. However, the array of challenges confronting the industry makes control for control’s sake a costly indulgence, which cannot be afforded any longer Not only does IPTS have the ability to change lose-lose relationships to win-win relationships, but most importantly it has the ability to unite all the core project participants in a single integrated project team focusing on the same goals. A number of typical IPTS cases have been developed as part of the research and are included in this thesis as guidelines for the implementation of the research results. These cases were also evaluated practically by testing it during interviews with industry practitioners.
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The potential economic contribution of mine waste to environmental rehabilitation

  • Authors: Van Heerden, Jeanne
  • Date: 2009-02-02T07:16:04Z
  • Subjects: Mineral industries , Waste disposal , Recycling
  • Type: Thesis
  • Identifier: uj:14871 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1991
  • Description: M.Sc. , There has been significant development of new technology for the economic use of mining waste within recent years. The application of these new technologies makes the process of environmental rehabilitation less of a profit loss to mining companies and motivates them to take part in environmental rehabilitation. Apart from the financial benefit through redemption of costs, the economic use of mining waste, especially in the case of retreatment operations, may lead to the removal of waste from site, the removal of harmful substances, the recovery of economic minerals and job creation. The importance of the development and application of these technologies is emphasised through consideration of the different impacts of mining on the environment, the requirements by new environmental laws concerning mining activities in South Africa and the economic survival of the mining industry. This paper discusses the currently available and developing technologies to utilise mine waste economically by highlighting some of the most significant developments over the years. The paper then focuses on the uses of coalmine waste and associated regulations implemented to promote its economic use. The paper then continues to discuss other technology and techniques that can be applied to facilitate the economic use of mining waste. Lastly the paper examines whether mining companies in Gauteng and a few coal mines outside Gauteng are applying any of these technologies or are using their waste economically in other ways.
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Environmental information systems a challenge to meet corporate environmental strategy in the South African mining industry

  • Authors: Morrison, Rogan
  • Date: 2009-02-05T07:16:04Z
  • Subjects: Mineral industries , Environmental law , Corporations , Environmental management , Electronic information resources
  • Type: Thesis
  • Identifier: uj:8105 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/2032
  • Description: M.Sc. , South Africa is a country with huge developmental challenges. In Africa, it is one of the few countries that have really incorporated the concepts of the information society into the fundamental reconstruction and development process. Appropriate political commitment, policy frameworks and legislation have largely been established to provide the environment in which effective information management can develop and information can be made widely available for democratic management of the country (MacDevette, 1998). It is within this framework that the development of Environmental Information Systems (EISs) for industry is taking place. The mining industry is no exception. As one of South Africa’s largest employers and natural resources users, the mining industry through its activities creates numerous environmental impacts. These environmental impacts, together with relevant legislation, sustainability reporting and international environmental standards, require mining management to capture and analyse large quantities of environmental data. The management and analysis of such data and its transformation into information requires an active environmental management strategy. It is the aim of this thesis to determine how and possibly why an Environmental Information System (EIS) can influence environmental strategy in the mining industry. Furthermore, to ascertain if mine size played a role in determining environmental strategy through the implementation and use of an EIS. In order to answer this question an electronic survey was emailed to the environmental managers at all of the mines within South Africa’s geographical boundaries. The results of the survey indicated that larger mines place more emphasis on ensuring that EISs can meet corporate environmental requirements, by ensuring that the required environmental parameters of an effective EIS are in place. It was concluded that implementation and use of an effective environmental information system would help meet the challenge of corporate environmental strategy within the South African mining industry.
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A strategy for electrical load management in the South African mining industry

  • Authors: Boake, Ian Gordon
  • Date: 2009-02-26T12:16:21Z
  • Subjects: Electric power-plants , Electric power systems , Mineral industries , South African power supply
  • Type: Thesis
  • Identifier: uj:8145 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/2152
  • Description: D.Ing , It is every person’s social responsibility to ensure that electrical energy is used as efficiently as possible. This is as a result of the considerable fossil fuels that are currently required to generate electricity. These fuels are available in limited supply on Earth and result in air pollution when consumed in the electrical energy generation process. Moreover, as scarcity increases, not just in fuel reserves, but also in electricity infrastructure such as servitudes, generation capacity etc, the costs of electricity also rises. This then brings about an opportunity to reduce input costs if the electrical energy is utilized as efficiently as possible. This can however only be done by the application of a suitable strategy. This thesis develops an electrical load management (ELM) strategy which may be effective in reducing input costs, by reducing electrical energy costs. This strategy has it’s foundation in tried-and-tested ELM strategies (albeit called by other names such as demand-side management (DSM) and Energy Management (EM)) developed by the world’s foremost utility research organization called EPRI over a number of decades, thereby ensuring, to some extent, the success of the proposed strategy. The strategy has been tested, in its constituent parts, in a real world environment in the South African mining industry. The examples of the sub-elements that have been tested in the industry are the artificial neural network (ANN) for short-term forecasting; the statistical regression technique for short-term load forecasting; the analysis of the external factors affecting the electricity supply industry and also the comparison of electricity tariffs in the mining industry. The validity of the strategy is further enhanced by the involvement of Technology Managers within the mining industry which have been involved with ELM in the mining industry for a number of years. Their input was solicited via an in-depth survey which was conducted in this industry. This survey represents the ELM strategy currently in existence of: - 62 shafts or open pit operations, 44 process plants and 5 smelter operations. The largest mining groups in South Africa were involved in this survey so that this survey represents: amongst others, 40% of the gold mining industry, 62% of the platinum mining industry and 95% of the diamond mining industry. The collective experience represented by the survey is equivalent to 67 man-years in ELM in the mining industry. Electricity tariffs are the means by which benefits for electrical load management are obtained. It thus warranted an analysis of all the factors affecting the electricity tariffs and in particular the factors affecting the price of electricity. To this end the Electricity Supply Industry (ESI) was analyzed in-depth and proactively to identify the external factors which may affect the price of electricity. Production intrusions may not be tolerated in the mining industry and as these intrusions have been the major cause for abandoning such ELM strategies previously, an electrical load model with production correlation was developed in this research which affords production a very high priority in the ELM strategy. Moreover, this load model, which is a key element of the ELM strategy in this thesis, forecasts the electrical efficiency of a mine in the near future. The effect of this efficiency forecast is to give management a real-time and proactive tool by which to make decisions. This approach avoids potentially large inefficiencies on the overall mine load such as when the electrical efficiency was only checked at the end of each month. This model may be used either in real-time control mode or in simulation mode to test various ELM initiatives before they are implemented. The model has either a statistical-regression based load-forecasting algorithm or an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) load-forecasting algorithm at its core. The choice of which forecasting methodology is used is determined by the value of the Pearson’s rank correlation coefficient for a set of test data. The latest prevailing ELM technologies have also been incorporated into a matrix for easy identification. The matrix should assist with the implementation of this ELM strategy. Not all of the technologies found in the matrix result in control of the mining load for ELM initiatives such as: “peak-clipping”, “load-shifting” or “valley-filling”. Some of these technologies result in “conservation” of the electrical energy by the application of newer and more efficient techniques to perform the necessary activities found on a typical mine (drilling, ventilation, cooling etc.). A complete strategy for ELM in the South African mining industry is thus developed in this thesis which overcomes two of the most serious pitfalls associated with previous strategies. These pitfalls being, the inadequate focus on production in those strategies and also the lack of real-time, efficiency-forecasting of the overall mine load. The strategy also focuses the potential Electrical Load Manager on the key steps of this process, by means of an intuitive, step-by-step approach. It is grounded in the demand-side management (DSM) experiences of the past, enhanced by actual case studies of the sub-elements in the mining industry and has been ratified by the involvement of very experienced Technology Managers active in ELM in South African mining industry.
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A critical analysis of broad-based black economic empowerment in the mining sector

  • Authors: De Klerk, Stanley Sydney
  • Date: 2010-11-09T06:57:43Z
  • Subjects: Black business enterprises , Employee empowerment , Mineral industries
  • Type: Mini-Dissertation
  • Identifier: uj:6969 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3477
  • Description: M.Comm. , Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) is arguably the most talked about issue in the South African business environment today. This study critically examines this contentious multifaceted phenomenon with particular reference to how it manifests in the mining sector and what its impact on the mining industry has been. The study is located within a qualitative (phenomenological) paradigm that makes use of a case study approach to explore descriptive, illustrative and explanatory dimensions of the B-BBEE phenomenon. The study employs a research methodology that utilizes sampling, data collection and data analysis methods that are aligned to both the research objectives and theoretical underpinnings of the research paradigm. Primary data was collected from a small but highly selective sample of prominent individuals representing organisations that have a national footprint in the mining sector. The data was collected by utilizing semi-structured interviews. These interviews were based on an interview guide consisting of predominantly open-ended questions. Secondary data was collected through a literature review that tapped into the most current information on B-BBEE. Data was analysed by using an innovative yet pragmatic combination of the cognitive mapping and general inductive method processes linked to the presentation of information on specially adapted insight slides. A number of important findings emerged from the study. The study found that B-BBEE implementation was still not progressing as well as initially anticipated. Reasons for the slow pace of implementation included nefarious practices such as fronting, nepotism and corruption as well as the wide scale utilization of inappropriate funding structures such as Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV’s) to fund B-BBEE transactions. The study also highlighted the hegemonic perception in the mining sector that the legislative and policy framework, within which the B-BBEE is located, is adequate and that greater emphasis must rather be placed on the actual implementation of the B-BBEE process.
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Real options as an alternative capital budgeting method: practices and perceptions of practitioners in the mining industry

  • Authors: Janse van Rensburg, Nadia
  • Date: 2012-06-07
  • Subjects: Capital budgeting , Capital budgeting in the mining industry , Mineral industries
  • Type: Mini-Dissertation
  • Identifier: uj:8694 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5048
  • Description: M.Comm. , Owners and shareholders of an organisation want to invest in every project that is worth more than it costs. Ultimately, organisations make capital investments or accept capital projects to create and exploit profit opportunities. There is however a plethora of issues that needs to be considered when decisions regarding the acceptance or rejection of a capital intensive project are taken. To assist the organisation in making these important decisions, there are various methods of capital budgeting. These methods are the traditional methods and the alternative methods of capital budgeting. The traditional methods are: the net present value method, the internal rate of return method, the modified internal rate of return method, the return on investment method, the payback method and the accounting rate of return method. These traditional methods have numerous shortcomings, of which the inability to account for risk, uncertainty, volatility and managerial flexibility is the most pertinent. In order to address these limitations, the alternative methods of capital budgeting have been developed, which are: sensitivity and scenario analysis, simulations, decision trees and real option valuation methods. Flexibility is particularly important in the mining industry, where strategic decisions are made under multiple technical and market uncertainties, such as fluctuations in commodity prices. The mining industry is synonymous with uncertainty, which stems from both internal (endogenous) and external (exogenous) factors and capital intensive projects. Previous studies have not explored which capital budgeting methods are utilised, they rather compared project values utilising the traditional and the alternative (real option valuations) methods. In South Africa (SA) no study has been conducted on the utilisation of real options as an alternative capital budgeting method in the mining industry. The focus of this study was therefore to determine what the practices and perceptions are regarding the traditional and alternative capital budgeting methods within the mining industry in SA, with the focus on real option valuation methods.
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Successful outsourcing of maintenance in the mining industry : methods and principles

  • Authors: Visagie, Christoffel Johannes
  • Date: 2012-08-27
  • Subjects: Contracting out , Maintenance , Mineral industries
  • Type: Mini-Dissertation
  • Identifier: uj:3197 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6610
  • Description: M.Phil. , Production uptime and plant availability is the primary aim of present-day maintenance strategy making. In the past, this was accomplished by building in redundancies and excess production capacity, or by following an aggressive schedule to rebuild or overhaul critical systems. Both approaches are inherently inefficient. Redundant systems and excess capacity tie up scarce capital that could otherwise be deployed in a producing activity. Today we live in a world where change is not only common, but also inevitable. Mining companies and their people are all exposed to the massive scientific and technological explosion occurring and will need to adapt to be competitive or be doomed to oblivion. The mining businesses that are not prepared to change, will very quickly find that they have priced themselves out of the market and will be relegated to being dinosaurs from the past. Maintenance has undergone a metamorphosis in the past few decades and is now entrenched as a vital part of the industry. The availability, reliability and operability of assets have become imperative, demanding that maintenance methods and strategies become even more sophisticated. Excessive downtime and breakdowns of assets have become critical factors to the point of being totally unacceptable. Maintenance thus needs to become more efficient, contributing maximally to the profitability of the industry by coordinating operational readiness with production demand. The purpose of this study is to investigate the successful use of outsourced maintenance methods, principles as a way of achieving this efficiency. It furthermore seeks to identify the benefits of such an outsourcing approach to the mining industry. While a mining business can take advantage of transformational outsourcing at any point in its life cycle, "once a business leader has decided change is required, (whether, as a course correction or in response to economic cycles), outsourcing becomes a viable alternative business strategy to enable that transformation more rapidly, with less risk and with more flexibility" according to Jay Ward, from the outsourcing institute. Outsourcing delivers value beyond cost reduction. During the outsourcing process, the maintenance organisation of a mine is really looking for results such as improvement of its profit margin, by such things as inventory reduction, increased maintenance service efficiency, reduced cycle times, reduced meantime between failures, improved operating performance, and the availability of expert skills and cutting edge technologies. The question that this dissertation seeks to answer is: "how does the maintenance outsourcing process work in the new maintenance world, and what and how much maintenance should the mine management outsource?" The study focuses on the changing world of maintenance, maintenance policy making and World Class best practice maintenance strategies. It looks for ways of closing the gaps that exist in present maintenance practice in mining organisations, through maintenance outsourcing as one of the "best practice" drivers through which such organisations can position themselves for present economic realities. It thus serves to guide the individual mining business to be able to chart its own course to achieve flexibility and accelerate its business in ways that consistently minimise risk while delivering value to stakeholders.
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A framework for the sustained policy implementation of the Mining Charter of 2002 : the role of women in the South African mining industry

  • Authors: Malan, Cornel
  • Date: 2013-05-01
  • Subjects: Women miners , Mineral industries , Affirmative action programs , South Africa. Mining Charter, 2002
  • Type: Thesis
  • Identifier: uj:7484 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8343
  • Description: D.Litt. et Phil. (Public Management and Governance) , This study focuses on a framework for the sustainable policy implementation of the Mining Charter of 2002, with specific reference to the role of women in the South African mining industry. The goal of this empowerment charter is to create an industry that will reflect the promise of a non-racial South Africa. This includes ensuring a ten percent participation of women by 2009. The main research question addressed by this study is: What are the factors involved in determining the sustained implementation of the Mining Charter of 2002 and how can it be effectively implemented and strengthened in order to ensure the compliance by the mining employers in terms of the role and targets for women in the mining industry? The thesis provided an integrated focus on outputs in terms of implementing reform policies with regard to the employment of females in the mines. Furthermore, it investigates certain outcomes in terms of how the mining environment has adapted to female employment and policy conversion processes in terms of what the barriers are to the successful implementation of the Mining Charter of 2002. This ensured that both policy products and processes were subjected to systematic and integrative evaluation. The problem was also viewed from the current level of success in implementing similar empowerment policies in other countries, such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, as well as certain African countries. The thesis also aimed to develop a substantive theory for an organisational change process in terms of the conditions of women working underground in the mines. This will enable mining employers to identify selected resource inputs, as well as process outputs and outcomes. Ultimately, this will ensure sustained compliance to the spirit and requirements of the Mining Charter, within the context of the transformation of the South African society and legislation as a whole. A modernist qualitative research methodology was followed, where casing was applied as the research design and grounded theory as the research strategy. A qualitative coding paradigm was developed in terms of the physical, social, cultural and psychological construction of employees in the mining environment’s perceptions, experiences, attitudes and behaviour with regard to the implementation of the Mining Charter of 2002. The findings of the empirical study generally indicated that the picture that scholars and role-players (for example the women working underground) paint on the South African mining industry with regard the employment of women in the mines – specifically in an underground environment – is not as bleak as one might think. However, some improvements are still needed in order to comply with targets, as well as creating better working conditions for women employed in the mining industry. The study contributed to the development of theory and research methodology. Furthermore, on a practical level, it contributed to the disciplinary fields of Public Management and Public Governance.
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Road versus rail debate : logistics opportunity cost of using road transport in a mining company

  • Authors: Van Jaarsveld, Leani
  • Date: 2013-07-18
  • Subjects: Road transportation , Railroad transportation , Mineral industries , Freight and freightage
  • Type: Thesis
  • Identifier: uj:7654 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8523
  • Description: M.Com. (Business Management) , Transport plays a pivotal role within the South African economy as it enables the country to achieve economic growth. The transport industry does not only facilitate the movement of freight and people, it also employs a great number of individuals and forms a major part of South Africa‟s GDP. The 8th Annual State of Logistics Survey for South Africa indicated that transport costs were accountable for 6.8 per cent of the country‟s GDP in 2010. The importance of the transport industry necessitates that the industry is operated efficiently and effectively. Transport mode choices are not only made based on transportation costs but various other factors are affecting how companies choose the mode of transport for their freight movement requirements. Other factors that are considered include transit time, reliability, accessibility, capability and security/safety. Opportunity costs should also be considered when choosing a mode of transport. There are various different types of opportunity costs that exist within the supply chain, these include the opportunity cost associated with poor service levels, the opportunity cost of returning a vehicle without a backhaul, opportunity costs due to delays, the opportunity cost of holding inventory and lost sales opportunity costs. As transportation costs are not the only factor that companies consider when making a modal choice decision, many companies within South Africa have been moving their goods off rail and onto road. This study highlights the importance of determining the impact that an inefficient mode of transport has on a company‟s transportation model and costs. The main focus of this study is to determine the logistics opportunity cost of using road transport within a mining company. A case study approach is followed as the study aims to present a complex problem experienced by one company to be analysed and presented in an easily understandable format. All the data and company information used within this study was supplied by company DKVL. Data was collected through unstructured personal interviews and specific questions were developed for each person interviewed. The data was triangulated and verified through the use of company DKVL‟s financial statements. From the results of this study, the logistics opportunity cost associated with the mode of transport is substantial. This necessitates the need for companies to revise their transport mode choice on a regular basis as it has a major impact not only on their transportation costs, but also on their inventory holding and carbon emissions. Based on the findings of this study, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) should not only focus on expanding its existing capacity, it should also focus on improving its customer service delivery. By providing poor service delivery, companies will not shift their freight back onto rail and will rather choose to use road transport to receive the benefit of reliability and flexibility, even if it is a more expensive mode of transport. The knock-on effect of companies choosing to use road transport as opposed to rail transport is significant. The quality of South African roads will continue to deteriorate, companies will continue to pay more to maintain and repair their vehicles and the transport industry will continue to increasingly damage the environment through increased carbon emissions. The impact of not having reliable rail transport is increased logistics costs which have a significant impact on the South African economy.
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A study into the effect of human error on substandard maintenance performance, and the formulation of a complete solution based on the experience of successful maintenance organisations

Requirements elicitation techniques for the development of an underground remote piloted aerial system

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