Academic literature on the topic 'Sasolburg'

M. Tech. (Biotechnology, Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences), Vaal University of Technology.<br>Reverse osmosis (RO) membranes are widely used in water purification. The presence of biofilms in water and industrial water purification systems is prevalent. As a result, biofouling which is a biofilm problem causes adverse effects on reverse osmosis process, which include flux decline, shorter membrane lifetime and an increase in energy consumption The effect of biofouling on RO membranes was investigated at a water treatment facility at Sasol, Sasolburg by investigating the quality of water purified by the RO system and the extent of fouling that is attributed to biofouling. Chemical and microbiological data was averaged based on the results obtained from water analysis and samples from a fouled membrane. Bacteriological plate counts ranged between log 1.5 to 4 cfu/ml in water samples and log 3.9 to 4.5 cfu/cm2 on biofilm from the membrane surface. Water analysis indicated a high conductivity of 121 µS/cm in the feed and 81 ppm of the TDS, whereas in the permeate conductivity was found to be around 6 µS/cm and 3.8 ppm of the TDS. This indicated that components present in the feed were retained by the membrane. This was supported by membrane autopsy which showed that the bacteria and elements found in the feedwater were also present on the membrane surface, hence contributing to fouling. An average of 33% of cellular ATP was measured on the biofilm from membrane sample, showing that the fouling bacteria are metabolically active in situ. The results clearly indicated that an important biological activity occurred at the membrane surface.

The negative impact of HIV/Aids, internationally and nationally; as well as on the education system of South Africa, is well-documented and cannot be ignored. The latest statistics indicate that South Africa currently has the highest occurrence of HIV/Aids in the world. Due to this high occurrence of HIV/Aids infected people, an unbelievably high percentage of the community is affected by the pandemic. Teachers, specifically life orientation teachers, are also affected by this phenomenon. All teachers, but specifically Life orientation teachers, are faced on a daily basis with various personal and professional challenges related to the HIV/Aids pandemic. These challenges threaten the well-being of teachers, so that researchers have been asked to empower teachers so that they can resist these challenges. A resilient teacher avails of the correct information on HIV/Aids and can therefore contribute to fighting the pandemic by providing correct information. This teacher will, amongst others, also have strong faith, the ability to discuss the pandemic openly and to obtain access to counselling. This resilient teacher realises the importance of a positive attitude despite the fact that she is realistic about the impact of the pandemic, has positive relationships and realises the value of support. The aim of my study was to determine the degree to which the programme Resilient Educators (REds) can support life orientation teachers who are affected by HIV/Aids, so that they will be equipped to resiliently withstand the challenges HIV/Aids set them. REds has been evaluated many times, but until the present, participants have not been life orientation teachers. In response to this aim, I followed a pre-experimental research design in the course of my study with twelve affected life orientation teachers in Sasolburg, as participants. Before beginning with the programme, a pretest (qualitative as well as quantitative data were collected) was done. Intervention took place over seven weeks by means of the REds programme. I wrote a reflection journal during the intervention and asked participants to report their impressions of the sessions in writing. After completing the programme, a post test was written (qualitative as well as quantitative data were collected) to determine the degree to which participants were able to withstand the challenges of HIV/Aids more resiliently. Thorough analysis of the pre and post test data, as well as the reflection data, creates the impression that participants were already resilient to some degree before joining the programme, but after completing the programme, their resilience can be described as more profound than before, and this fact can largely be ascribed to the effectiveness of the REds programme.<br>Thesis (M.Ed. (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

In future, increasing attention will be paid worldwide to clean and sustainable energy household practices. More research is needed in South Africa to improve policy regarding patterns of domestic energy use, particularly in urban „townships‟ and rural areas. The predominantly quantitative studies conducted in South African townships in the 1980s emphasise the complexity of household energy use patterns and the difficulty of understanding these patterns by means of a simple theory. This study therefore focuses on domestic energy use patterns in the Zamdela Township of Sasolburg in the Free State Province of South Africa. It addresses the community‟s main reasons for particular energy choices, including gender and power relations, together with the role of households‟ income profile in energy consumption and acquisition patterns. The field research methods included face-to-face interviews, participant observation and group discussions to obtain data on usage patterns, cultural practices, survival strategies, technical knowledge, source of income and the social interaction related to domestic energy use in the township. Above all, the role of human factors in energy acquisition and consumption (with special reference to the local authority‟s policy and the national energy policy) are considered. Findings show that dirty energy sources are the predominant domestic energy sources used in the township. Factors that influence energy choices among township inhabitants are mainly gender relations, the income and composition of households, intra-household relations, education, vandalism, corruption, theft, fraud and harassment. The study concludes that a laissez aller or laissez faire attitude among municipal officials hampers service delivery, and recommends that a policy of prosecuting perpetrators (such as corrupt officials) who stall development and service delivery be developed and implemented. The study also concludes that the extreme levels of energy poverty of large masses of people in the township cannot be improved without empowering women. Thus women‟s education should be targeted for effective township development. Because access to energy will probably remain a greater priority than environmental degradation for years to come, technologies that promote low smoke energy use techniques and practices should be promoted and supported.<br>Dissertation (MSSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013.<br>Antropology and Archaelogy Community Development<br>MSSc<br>Unrestricted

The Mining industry in South Africa is viewed as the backbone of the country’s economy, while benefiting from this engine of economic development, its impact on the environment and health has been of a major concern to different stakeholders. The majority of people acknowledge the role of mining in the economy and the country. Others put more emphasis on public health and the environment. The aim of the study was then to assess the impact of environmental pollution and public health on the Sasolburg community from a developmental perspective. The present study can be described as a quantitative descriptive survey that uncovered serious levels of pollution in Sasolburg that had dire health consequences for people involved. The findings of the study indicate that residents live with the constant smell of a variety of chemical pollutants released both by normal production and by periodic incidents. They experience chronic respiratory symptoms, burning eyes, hearing deficiency and skin irritations. The study revealed that environmental pollution consequences affecting residents are inversely related to distance from the mines. The results obtained in this study are evidence that environmental pollution in the Sasolburg area is a definite risk to the health of people living within the surrounding area. Although indicating the need to carry out a comprehensive study, the results call for immediate action to prevent continued public over-exposure to environmental pollution.

Work motivation prevails when there is alignment between individual and organisational goals. Work motivation also comes into being when achievement of organisational goals is associated with personally desired outcomes, such as a sense of achievement or personal gain. While work performance is dependent on, or limited by, resource availability and worker competencies, the presence of these factors is not sufficient as such, to ensure desired worker performance. This is the reason why companies all over the world consciously include motivating employees as part of their strategies. When a company embarks on strategies to motivate employees without specific goals, those strategies will not be as beneficial to the company, and outcomes may not be as positive as the strategy makers may have hoped for. Specific goals in terms of strategy and performance must be stipulated beforehand and ways to measure the required performance standards should be in place. Employees should be made aware of such efforts and how their performance will be measured. A company that makes an effort to motivate its employees will remain competitive and more productive in the long run. This dissertation seeks to establish whether motivational strategies implemented at Metsimaholo District Hospital have achieved the required results of improving employees' performance. For any company to survive and stay competitive, it is very important that its employees are motivated, because motivated employees in a motivating environment will easily be driven to believe that if they put more effort in performance, their needs will be met. When employees feel their personal needs are met at their workplace, they find fulfilment through performance of their duties. They become productive and the company can achieve its production needs and reach its desired level of service delivery. In its attempt to meet critical employee needs to ensure better performance, Metsimaholo District Hospital has implemented different motivational strategies, which are discussed in this study, namely: Performance Development Management System; Occupational Specific Dispensation; Training; Financial rewards; Supportive management and leadership; and Individual employee locus of control. Feedback received from the empirical investigation shows that the abovementioned motivational factors have an impact on the way employees perform their duties. When implemented correctly, they encourage employees to perform their duties better. On the other hand, if they are not implemented correctly, or are perceived by the employees as not beneficial to them, or as not assisting to meet their personal needs, they can de-motivate employees and negatively affect their performance.<br>Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

Sasol Chemical Industries (SCI) located in Sasolburg, South Africa (SA), have since the early fifties produced fuels and waxes commercially, and recently diversified to produce a wider range of other chemicals. The Sasol One processes as with all industrial processes generate various waste streams. One such waste stream in the case of the Sasol One Site, which was the main theme of this study is the so-called poor quality sewage sludge generated during the treatment of domestic and industrial effluent in biological oxidation ponds at the sewage works. The poor quality of the sludge is related to the metals and pathogenic organisms present in the sludge. Furthermore, the stockpiling area where the sludge is stored is running out of space thus creating an ongoing environmental and operational challenge to the management of the sewage works. The primary objective of the study was therefore to identify suitable sludge treatment options by means of comparing three sludge treatment techniques, viz; Composting, ASP (Activated Sludge Pasteurisation) and SLASH (treatment of sludge with ash and / or lime). It was anticipated that one or a combination of these three techniques would improve the quality of the sludge in terms of its metal and pathogenic content and furthermore, as a more beneficial sludge, possibly support the humus requirements for the revegetation efforts during the rehabilitation activities on the Sasol One waste site. In evaluating these possible treatment options the sludge was subjected to laboratory bench experiments and field plant trials. To arrive at an answer as to which treatment option was the best, a decision matrix was developed that compared and scored the treatment options using various weighted criteria. The criteria used considered (i) the present legal sludge treatment requirements in terms of the Water Research Commission guidelines;(ii) the sustainability of the option that would be the most likely one to succeed in the long term; (iii) the economic viability defined as a capital and operational expenditure required that would give an indication of the financial viability of the preferred option and; (iv) the technical feasibility being defined as the potential for the preferred option to achieve full scale operation and a measure of confidence to implement the option or not. The experiments conducted and results achieved indicated that all three treatment options significantly improved the quality of the sludge in terms of metal and pathogenic content. However the composted sludge scored the highest points followed by SLASH and lastly ASP. Based on these experiments and the decision matrix used, Composting performed best by achieving a satisfactory score based on the WRC classification guidelines including cost and technical feasibility. With respect to this outcome the Composting was recommended as the preferred treatment option.<br>Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

M.Sc.<br>Water quality management is the effort of the community to control the physical, chemical and biological qualities of water. Water quality is mainly controlled by the activities of the community and the hydrological cycle. Usually an effort is made to control only one of the two causes, namely the activities of the community. The Sasolburg industrial complex is the largest of its kind in the Free State and consists mainly of chemical industries. A large proportion of the effluent is returned to the Vaal River via the Sasol sewerage works while some industries have permission to send their effluent to the Taaibosspruit, east of Sasolburg. The most industries let their storm water flow into the Taaibosspruit The option of the location of a monitoring point should determine whether the collected data is representative of the water quality and whether it is useful to observe trends in the water quality. The reliability of the data on water quality is strongly dependent on inter alia, the frequency of monitoring, which is determined by the availibility of staff and funding. By investigating the present monitoring sytem by Rand Water, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and the industries through this study it had to be determined whether the functioning of the monitoring network was optimal.Deficiencies like: unmonitored and unauthorised streams; badly contaminated areas which pollute the storm water and; the absence of retention facilities for contamninated storm water were found. Recommendations like: extra monitoring points; retention facilities for storm water and; biomonitoring for combined streams were made. Of great importance is the recommendation for the establishment of a local water quality management body to control the water quality of the water sources in the region.

M. Tech. (Tourism and Hospitality Management, Faculty of Human Sciences) : Vaal University of Technology,<br>The birth of new governance in South Africa in 1994 positioned the country worldwide as a tourism destination with large numbers of tourists visiting South African shores. It is, however, not only international visitors that frequent the tourism products; the local residents also started to travel more with almost 50% of the population that participated in travel-related activities. At the same time South Africa gained a reputation of being an unsafe place to visit, which influenced the tourism growth percentage negatively. It was then realised that the notion of being an unsafe place to go on holiday to would impact negatively on a host country such as South Africa. Perceptions of safety and security in South Africa have been measured, but only for international visitors. Even though the domestic market should be the backbone of the tourism industry their perceptions regarding the safety of South Africa as a tourism destination has not been analysed. This could, however, be a factor inhibiting them from travelling locally. The purpose of this study is to determine the perceptions of residents of Sasolburg regarding tourists’ safety and security in South Africa, to obtain insight into the current perspectives of residents and advise on strategies regarding the improvement of these perceptions. Questionnaires were distributed to residents of Sasolburg and a total of 380 questionnaires were suitable for analyses. The questionnaire was divided into three sections, namely demographic information, travel preferences and perceptions of crime. The data resulting from the questionnaires was captured and analysed by means of descriptive analyses in SPSS. Descriptive statistics were used focusing on the graphical display of frequency tables and figures providing information on the demographic profile and travel behaviour of the respondents. Factor analyses were used to identify specific safety experience factors as well as specific travel motivation factors. Spearman Rank order correlations were used to determine the factors influencing safety experience factors with reference to age, frequency of holidaying, average duration of the holiday, number of weekend trips and travel motivations. An independent t-test was conducted to explore the influence of gender, being a previous victim of crime and marital status on respondents’ assessment of safety experience factors and travel motivation factors. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to explore the effect of home language and occupation on the safety experience factors and travel motivation factors of Sasolburg residents. From the analyses it became clear that the respondents go on holiday once a year but do tend to go on more weekend trips per year. They travel mostly by car and stay with relatives, in hotels and guesthouses. Respondents were most concerned about crime whilst travelling and their biggest concerns were theft, robbery and rape. In everyday life respondents were more concerned about crime than when travelling. Respondents indicated that higher and more intense levels of policing would make South Africa a safer tourism destination. Regarding respondents’ previous holiday, it was found that they had felt safe when dining out, staying at their accommodation establishments and whilst driving during the day. Respondents did feel unsafe at night. The factor analysis on the safety experiences of respondents revealed three factors, namely day-time activities, night-time experiences and infrastructure with night-time activities considered to be the most unsafe activities. The factor analysis on travel motivations revealed the following factors, namely exploration, learning, social group activities and relaxation. The latter was identified as the most important travel motivator for the respondents. The factors that influence residents’ perceptions of crime included age, length of stay, number of weekend trips, previously being a victim of crime, marital status and occupation. The high correlations between the three safety experience factors revealed that if residents felt unsafe during the day they will probably also feel unsafe at night or while using infrastructure. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge of understanding the influence of perceptions of safety and security on the tourism industry in South Africa. In the light of the findings, it is therefore recommended that the tourism industry, law enforcement agencies and other tourism stakeholders co-ordinate efforts to improve crime prevention measures in South Africa. Travelling of local residents is as important as international visitors to South Africa and it is thus important to create a safe environment to travel.

M.Sc. (Aquatic Health)<br>Previous studies showed that the upper reaches of the Taaibosspruit catchment in the north eastern region of the Free State, contains elevated concentrations of mercury in the sediment. Additional laboratory-based bioaccumulation studies with sediment-dwelling Chironomidae larvae revealed that the mercury was in a bioavailable form, but it was uncertain to what extent this mercury was in the methylated organic form. Therefore, a study to assess the extent of inorganic- and methylmercury contamination in the water and sediment, as well as the uptake of this pollutant by aquatic and aquatic associated biota was undertaken. This study tested the hypothesis that bioaccumulation of mercury occurs in the different trophic levels of the upper reaches of the Taaibosspruit ecosystem. The objectives of this study were to determine the spatial and temporal physico-chemical characteristics of the water and sediment of the Taaibosspruit system; to determine the extent of mercury distribution within the water and sediment of the Taaibosspruit system; to determine the degree of bioaccumulation and possible biomagnification of mercury by the biota from the different trophic levels of the ecosystem in the Taaibosspruit system; to determine the distribution of cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese and uranium within the water and sediment of this system, as well as the degree of bioaccumulation of these metals by invertebrates and fish; and to determine whether the aquatic macroinvertebrate community structures change along the mercury pollution gradient in the Taaibosspruit system. Sampling was done bi-annually at five sites during late high- and late low flow periods. The reference site is situated on a tributary of the Taaibosspruit, which is not directly influenced by discharges from the industrial complex. In situ water quality parameters were determined at each site and the following samples were collected: water, sediment, aquatic rnacroinvertebrates, vertebrates (fish and amphibian species), as well as noninvasive tissue from birds (feathers). The physico-chemical characteristics of the water were determined by measuring the chlorophyll-a concentrations, nutrient levels and suspended solid content. The sediment was analysed for organic content, water content, as well as sediment particle size distribution. The methylmercury concentrations in the water, sediment and biotic components were determined through cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry, whilst inorganic mercury, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese and uranium concentrations in these samples were determined through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. All analyses were subjected to appropriate quality analysis and quality control procedures. The relationship between environmental mercury exposure and biological effects was determined using changes in the macroinvertebrate community assemblage structure as the biological endpoint. The invertebrate samples were retained for enumeration and lower taxonomic identification in the laboratory. Data were subjected to the appropriate univariate statistical analysis (oneway ANOVA and regression), as well as multivariate statistical analyses (redundancy and principal component) to study spatial and temporal trends in mercury distribution and associated biological responses. This study showed that elevated concentrations of some nutrients and other dissolved solids were present in the system and that the water quality from the upper catchment of the Taaibosspruit (near the industries) had an impact on the downstream sites. The highest mercury concentrations were found at the sites closer to the industrial complex. These concentrations were higher than the concentrations from the reference site and when compared to international mercury guidelines, it was found to be too high. Comparison of the mercury concentrations in the water and sediment with environmental parameters also revealed that some of these parameters significantly influenced the environmental mercury concentrations. It was found that the biota has bioaccumulated mercury, which has resulted in the biomagnification of methylmercury by the biota from the different trophic levels of the ecosystem from this system. The results of the other six metals showed that the highest concentrations were found at the sites closer to the industries, with very high cadmium and copper concentrations in the water at the site where wastewater from the industries enters the system. These high concentrations in the water, suspended particles and sediment resulted in the accumulation of the metals by the biota present in this system. The sediment-dwelling Chironomidae-larvae bioaccumulated these metals to higher levels than the other biota from this system. The response of aquatic macroinvertebrates to high mercury exposure was dearly visible, as the sites where the environmental mercury concentrations were the highest, had low species richness. The environmental variables also influenced the community structure of the macroinvertebrates by reducing the number of different families at the more impacted sites. The results have shown that some of the fauna in the Taaibosspruit system were reduced in favour of the more tolerant families, namely Chironomidae and Oligochaeta. Thus, it was found that Taaibosspruit system is impacted upon by the surrounding industries, namely by enhancing the bioaccumulation of mercury, and influencing the macroinvertebrate community structure.