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Malnutrition is a major health concern caused by a deficiency or excessiveness of essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in a diet. Malnutrition affects growth and development of children and increases their risk of death from common childhood illness. Children who are undernourished stand a great chance of being sick as compared to well-nourished children. Although micronutrient deficiency is not visible to the naked eye, it can greatly impact one’s wellbeing and is prevalent in South African child, WHO supported the above findings by reporting that 17% and 24% of South African children under the age of five have vitamin A deficiency and anaemia, respectively. The cause of malnutrition among South African children could be attributed to the high consumption of maize porridge, which is the staple food for most people in South Africa, as reported and maize contributes significantly to the dietary intake of 80 % of households in Limpopo. Regardless of all carbohydrates contained in maize grain, maize is not a good source of essential nutrients for the human body due to the bioavailability of minerals, which are vital for proper nutrition and health),often affected by phytic acid contained in the maize grain that interferes with the absorption of minerals. This study, therefore, investigated the effect of consuming instant-maize porridge fortified with Moringa oleifera leaves and termite powders on the nutritional status of children aged 3 to 5 years in the Thulamela Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa as this could be one of the sustainable strategies in alleviating malnutrition.

In this study, mycolic acid TB antigen is used as a biorecognition element immobilized on a biosensing surface of a gold-coated biosensor chip to bind antimycobacterium tuberculosis antibodies. To enhance the detection signal during optical detection using a custom-built nanoplasmonic setup, gold nanoparticles are bioconjugated to secondary antibody and introduced on the surface of the biosensor chip.

Even though minerals are not the only drivers of energy diversification, they are important and have the potential to grow linkages between sectors for economic growth. With the increasing need to transition towards a low carbon-based economy, the coal mining industry and coal power production industry will experience a significant decline in demand for coal and as a result, employment numbers will also decrease.

Therefore, to continue contributing to economic growth and job creation within the mining sector, there is a need to promote the exploitation and exploration of other mineral resources. This study provides an extensive review of literature to discuss the alternative uses of coal and other mineral resources, to highlight sectors that can be diversified into and to outline associated opportunities and challenges within the mining sector.