Mine closure in Matjhabeng in the Free State goldfields, South Africa: Implications for households

The Africa Mining Vision emphasizes the importance of mining for creating development. But it does not take into account the adverse consequences of mine closure. The literature on social aspects of mine closure is increasing but consists largely of descriptive case studies. We still do not know enough about how mine closure affects households. This paper compares longitudinal data (1998–2021) from household surveys in two low-income neighborhoods – Thabong, in Matjhabeng (the Free State Goldfields, around Welkom), and Freedom Square, in Mangaung (a non-mining area around Bloemfontein). The results for Thabong show continued deprivation, restricted mobility and social disruption because of mine decline, but also some gains because the gold mining sector performed well despite the Covid-19 lockdown. But despite the improvements, the results from Thabong still lag behind Freedom Square on most indicators. The household-level data supports other research findings and provides empirical evidence of the social effects of mine closure. © 2023 The Author(s)

High burnout among the South African orthopaedic community: a cross-sectional study

Background Burnout is epidemic among physicians, with the orthopaedic speciality displaying one of the highest rates of burnout in international studies. The burnout rate of the South African orthopaedic community is unknown. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and causes of burnout, as well as the coping mechanisms and associations with burnout, in South African orthopaedic surgeons and trainees. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, secure, online survey of members of the South African Orthopaedic Association. The survey assessed demographic characteristics, workload, professional fulfilment and burnout (utilising the Stanford Professional Fulfilment Index), associated workplace distress conditions, causes of and coping strategies for burnout. A response was not compulsory for any question. Statistical analysis was performed to assess for independent associations with burnout. Results One hundred and fifty-six respondents, with a median age of 46.5 years (interquartile range [IQR] 37–58) participated. Ninety per cent (139 of 155) of respondents were male. Registrars accounted for 17% (27 of 155), while 83% (128 of 155) were qualified specialists. Respondents were in orthopaedic practice for a median of 17 years (IQR 9–28). Sixty per cent (76 of 127) practise in private, 17% (22 of 127) in public and 23% (29 of 127) in both sectors. The overall burnout rate was 72% (113 of 156). Burnout was associated with being the parent of young children and having fewer hours of sleep on call. Registrars were more likely to have burnout than consultants (OR 5.68, 95% CI 1.3–25.2). Gender, practice setting and subspeciality were not associated with burnout. Self-reported causes of burnout that were found to be associated with actual burnout were: ‘hours at work’, ‘lack of free time’ and ‘work–life imbalance’. No self-reported coping mechanisms were found to be protective in this cohort, but the use of alcohol as a coping mechanism was associated with an increased likelihood of burnout (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.4–10.7). Respondents felt that the concurrent experience of the COVID pandemic at the time of running the survey reduced their experience of burnout. Conclusion The burnout rate in the South African orthopaedic community is 72%. Trainees were found to be particularly vulnerable. There appears to be a need to develop, assess and implement effective system-related initiatives aimed at reducing the burnout rate among orthopaedic surgeons and trainees in South Africa. Level of evidence: Level 4. © 2022 O’Connor M.

Fieldworker reflections on using telephone voice calls to conduct fieldwork amidst the Covid-19 pandemic

The declaration of Covid-19 as a global pandemic on 11 March, 2020, and the disaster management regulations implemented in reply to it had enormous ramifications on ethnographic fieldwork. This situation presented an opportunity to reconsider the methodology used in a research project on lived experiences of childhood health and well-being in Free State province, South Africa. This study explores the argument that technology can establish a virtual space that fieldworker and research participant can treat as "real." It uses fieldwork diaries and insights to evaluate the benefits and disadvantages of telephonic virtual conversations as a replacement for conventional face-to-face fieldwork to access inaccessible fieldwork sites. It adopts a reflexive qualitative case-study approach to document the experiences of two fieldworkers moving from on-site fieldwork to telephone voice calls to conduct their research. By offering a reflexive account of these technology-mediated fieldwork experiences, this article proposes this methodology as possible alternative to documenting lived experience. Lessons from this experience can contribute to reviewing the traditional practice of ethnographic fieldwork and imagining alternative and complementary methodological possibilities.