WIReDSpace

Welcome to WIReDSpace(Wits Institutional Repository on DSpace)

For queries relating to content and technical issues, please contact IR specialists via this email address : openscholarship.library@wits.ac.za, Tel: 011 717 4652 or 011 717 1954

 

Communities in WIReDSpace

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 19

Recent Submissions

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Reading Between the Lines of the New South African Mineral and Petroleum Resources Royalty Act: A Technical Perspective on its Meaning
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2009-11) Cawood, Frederick T.
After a prolonged process of drafting and consultation, the new mineral royalty regime for South Africa was signed into law in November 2008. The main purpose of the Act is to compensate the State as the custodian of South Africa’s rich mineral heritage through a royalty charge to holders of mineral development rights from 1 March 2010. Deciding on an acceptable royalty is a complex process, especially when it targets deceptive economic rents. This is achieved with a variable royalty rate that slides in tandem with mine profitability. The base is sales revenue and to compensate for the need to charge for the mineral in its unprocessed form, refined production is charged at a lower rate. Only time will tell if the view expressed in this paper on the policy success, as measured by the motivation for current mineral producers to spend the additional capital to become refiners, is correct. The aims of this paper are to first, discuss the Act in the context of the underlying theory, second, establish the impact thereof, third, measure it against international tax standards and fourth, make an educated guess on the meaning of the Act. This paper argues that most investors will be comfortable with most of the requirements of the Act for most of the time.
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An assessment of the determinants of IT entrepreneurs' level of awareness of the most common causes of start-ups failures in Johannesburg, South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Mkhavele, Nhlamulo
In South Africa, more than 70% to 80% of small to medium-sized businesses (SMMEs) fail within the first three years. In order to gain insight into the level of awareness of IT start-up entrepreneurs regarding the causes of SMME failure, this study conducted an empirical review of the literature and developed a hypothetical framework, the study builds on the work done by Justino Vicente on the factors influencing the failure of small enterprises in order to achieve its objective. It then makes recommendations for future research on the topic. In the aftermath of several economic adversities, prominent among them unemployment, poverty, and HIV and AIDS, SMME failure and success are key among national strategic concerns in the Republic of South Africa, where this study is being conducted in the Johannesburg region. The research employed a quantitative research methodology and the main instruments for gathering data was a survey/ questionnaire, and the snowball sampling method was used. 100 ICT start-ups owners and managers received surveys. The statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) program was employed to analyse the quantitative data collected. Tables, pie charts, and bar charts were used to display the statistically descriptive results. Due to the many different reasons why SMMEs fail, this study focused its conclusions on the following factors: determinants of IT entrepreneurs' level of awareness of the most common causes of start-ups failures in Johannesburg, South Africa, determinants of accessibility to information of the most common causes of start-up failures and the willingness of entrepreneurs to consume information related to start-up failures were also presented. Among the results of failure include unemployment, societal ills, poverty, and loss of revenue. The study concludes by recommending various interventions to improve the level of awareness
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The Impact of the Metaverse on the South African Insurance Industry
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Mia, Rashad; Quaye, Emmanuel
The internet is evolving, where virtual reality and artificial intelligence converge to create a more immersive online experience. This revolutionised digital space will allow users to interact and transact virtually with more users more efficiently. This will impact the way we live, work, and socialise. Despite multiple articles discussing the metaverse and its relational impact on the insurance industry, this research paper aims to understand the metaverse from different South African perspectives, and through virtual one on one interviews; participants were interviewed to unpack further potential risks and benefits of the metaverse on the South African consumer. This also led to perspectives on the potential insurance landscape within virtual worlds and the type of products and services that could stem from. The thematic analysis of the insurance landscape in the metaverse provided insights into emerging trends and opportunities in the space that covered themes such as virtual property insurance, cyber insurance, digital identity, reputational insurance, and personalised insurance products that could be developed to tailor individual needs. In terms of risks and benefits, the data and information highlighted themes that touched on addiction, privacy and security, social isolation as well as financial risks. On the other hand, the benefits mentioned were enhanced social experiences, access to new experiences as well as professional opportunities. The research of this paper intends to provide a localised viewpoint of insurance in South Africa and how such a highly regulated industry will pivot, if at all, towards the inevitability of the metaverse.
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Introduction Laboring in the Extractive University
Michael Burawoy; M Eby; T Gepts; J Germain; N Pasquinelli; E et al
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