Emalahleni, situated in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa, has been exposed to over a hundred years of continuous mining of coal. Evident challenges include the sterilisation of land due to underground fires, polluted water, surface collapse and acidification of topsoil (McCarthy & Pretorius, 2009:65; Schneider, 2016:1). The researcher reviewed existing literature to determine existing frameworks thereby identifying gaps. Consequently, the researcher found no published decision-making framework that may assist coal mining companies in South Africa to preserve the environment and its natural resources. Research objectives and research questions as well as a preliminary framework were developed. A qualitative research design was adopted in which personal interviews were employed to gather primary data from coal mining companies in South Africa whilst a focus group was utilised to validate the framework. Personal interviews established that majority of participants were not familiar with EMA and that EMA tools such as ISO, LCC and the green strategy would add value to the coal mining industry. Furthermore, there was no consistency in the application and adherence to environmental regulations. Participants also indicated that current processes employed by the coal mining industry were not effective in saving the environment. In validating the framework, the focus group established that tools (methodologies) will serve the purpose as indicated in the framework and that the framework was relevant to the coal mining industry. There was a general consensus that regulatory aspects can go a long way in controlling adverse effects on the environment, so long as these would be applied to all industries, and not only the coal mining industry. Input from the focus group assisted in enhancing the framework by testing the associations and links. Key recommendations indicated that coal mining companies should incorporate environmental accountability in their corporate decisions; education and training should be conducted in all coal mining companies in order for these companies to know the type of information that they need to utilise in identifying waste. Future research could include a similar study of statistical nature that will test the decision-making framework developed in this study. Going to the coal mining companies to exercise the framework on a real-life setting.
Emalahleni, hu wanala kha Vundu ḽa Mpumalanga Afrika Tshipembe, ho ṱanea lwa miṅwaha i fhiraho ḓana nga migodi ya malasha ine ya khou bvela phanḓa. Khaedu dze dza vhonala dzi katela, nyiledzo ya mavu zwo vhangwa nga mililo ine ya thoma fhasi migodini, maḓi o tshikafhadzwaho, u wa ha nyalo na esidi kha mavu a nṱha. (McCarthy & Pretorius, 2009:65; Schneider, 2016:1). 65; Muṱoḓisisi vho sedzulusa hafhu maṅwalwa ane a vha hone u topola furemiweke dzi re hone, nga u topola zwikhala. Muṱoḓisisi a vho ngo wana furemiweke yo ganḓiswaho ya tsheo yo dzhiwaho ganḓiswaho ine ya nga thusa khamphani dza migodi ya malasha Afrika Tshipembe u vhulunga vhupo na zwiko zwadzo zwa mupo. Zwipikwa zwa ṱhoḓisiso na mbudziso dza ṱhoḓisiso na furemiweke thangeli zwo bveledziswa. Ho shumiswa ngona ya kuitele kwa ṱhoḓisiso kwa khwaḽithethivi he ha shumiswa inthaviwu dza vhuṋe u kuvhanganya data kha vhathu u bva kha khamphani dza migodini ya malasha Afrika Tshipembe ngeno tshigwada tsho sedzwaho khatsho tsho shumisiwa u khwaṱhisedza furemiweke.
Inthaviwu dza vhuṋe dzo sumbedzisa uri vhunzhi ha vhadzheneleli vho vha vha sa ḓivhi zwishumiswa zwa EMA na zwa EMA zwi nga ho sa ISO, LCCP na muṱalukanyo une wa dzhiela nṱha mveledziso ya matshilisano na mveledzwa dza vhupo zwi ḓo engedza ndeme ya nḓowetshumo ya migodi. Zwi tshi ya phanḓa, a hu na u tevhekana ha zwithu kha kushumisele na u tevhedza ndaulo dza vhupo. Vhadzheneleli vho dovha vha sumbedzisa uri maitele a zwino o shumiswaho nga nḓowetshumo ya migodi ya malasha o vha i si khou u shuma kha u vhulunga vhupo. Kha u khwaṱhisedza furemiweke, tshigwada tsho sedzwaho khatsho tsho bveledza uri zwishumiswa (ngona) dzi ḓo thusa kha ndivho sa zwo sumbedzwaho kha furemiweke na uri furemiweke yo tea kha nḓowetshumo ya mugodi wa malasha.
Hu na thendelano nyangaredzi uri zwiteṅwa zwa ndaulo zwi nga ya kule u langula masiandaitwa kha vhupo, tenda hezwi zwa shumiswa kha nḓowetshumo dzoṱhe, hu si fhedzi kha nḓowetshumo ya migodi ya malasha. Muhumbulo u bva kha tshigwada tsho sedzwaho khatsho wo thusa kha u khwinisa furemiweke nga u linga vhuṱumani na vhushaka. Themendelo khulwane dzo sumbedzisa uri khamphani dza migodi ya malasha dzi fanela u dzhenisa vhuḓifhinduleli ha vhupo kha tsheo dzayo dza bindu; hu fanela u farwa vhugudisi na pfunzo kha khamphani dzoṱhe dza migodi ya malasha uri khamphani idzi dzi ḓivhe lushaka lwa mafhungo ane vha tea u a shumisa kha u topola malaṱwa. Ṱhoḓisiso dza tshifhingani tshiḓaho dzi nga katela ngudo i fanaho ya nḓila ya zwitatisiṱika ine ya ḓo linga furemiweke ya u dzhia tsheo yo bveledziswaho kha ngudo iyi. Hezwi zwi do katela u ya kha khamphani dza migodi ya malasha u ita tsedzuluso ya furemiweke kha nyimele ya vhukuma.
Steenkool word langer as honderd jaar ononderbroke om Emalahleni in Mpumalanga ontgin. As gevolg hiervan raak grond steriel weens ondergrondse brande, word water besoedel, sak die grondoppervlak in en versuur die bogrond. In die literatuur kon die navorser kon geen besluitnemingsraamwerk waarvolgens Suid-Afrikaanse steenkoolmaatskappye die omgewing en natuurlike hulpbronne bewaar, vind nie. Navorsingsdoelwitte is gestel, en navorsingsvrae en ʼn voorlopige raamwerk is opgestel. ʼn Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gevolg en persoonlike onderhoude is by Suid-Afrikaanse steenkoolmaatskappye gevoer om die primêre data te versamel. Die geldigheid van die besluitnemingsraamwerk is met ʼn fokusgroep getoets. Uit die persoonlike onderhoude het geblyk dat die meeste deelnemers onbekend was met omgewingsbestuuraanspreeklikheid (OBA) en dat hulle nie geweet het dat hulpmiddels soos ISO, ʼn lewensikluskosteberekening (LSK) en ʼn groen strategie waarde tot die steenkoolbedryf kan toevoeg nie. Afgesien hiervan is omgewingsregulasies nie eenvormig toegepas en nagekom nie. Deelnemers het eweneens laat blyk dat die steenkoolbedryf se huidige prosesse gemik op omgewingsbewaring oneffektief is. Die fokusgroep het vasgestel dat die hulpmiddels (metodologieë) die oogmerk van die raamwerk verwesenlik, en die raamwerk dus geldig en van groot nut vir die steenkoolbedryf kan wees. Daar was eenstemmigheid dat die regulerende aspekte die nadelige uitwerking van mynbouwerksaamhede op die omgewing kon beheer, op voorwaarde dat dit nie alleen in die steenkoolbedryf nie, maar in alle bedrywe toegepas word. Die raamwerk is aan die hand van die fokusgroep se insette verfyn deur die verbande en skakels te toets. Die belangrikste aanbevelings behels dat omgewingsaanspreeklikheid deel van steenkoolmaatskappye se besluitneming moet uitmaak, en dat alle steenkoolmaatskappye opgelei moet word in die soort inligting waarvolgens bepaal word wat afval is. In die toekoms kan ʼn soortgelyke statistiese studie onderneem word om die besluitnemingsraamwerk wat in hierdie studie ontwikkel is, te toets. Dit sal behels dat die raamwerk in lewensegte omstandighede by steenkoolmaatskappye ondersoek word.
