Towards addressing the challenges of black managers within the context of transforming South African organisation
Jamodien, Tariq Ishmail (2009-03)
Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The phenomenon of transformation was originally conceived, in a South African context, as a
political strategy driven by socio-political force with the objective of fostering change based on
principles of enhancing human dignity and promoting equality in all aspects of society. The
workplace was one of the areas that first experienced the consequences of transformation,
encouraged mainly through legislation such as the Employment Equity Act (No. 55 of 1998).
The manner in which affirmative action measures may be implemented is determined by the
Employment Equity Act (No. 55 of 1998), which aims to ensure that the legacies of apartheid
in the South African workplace are redressed. In this regard, employment equity will, over
time, be achieved by promoting equal opportunity and fair treatment through the elimination of
unfair discrimination and through the implementation of affirmative action measures to
advance Black people, women and people with disabilities.
Regardless of legislative imperatives, South Africa has failed quite markedly to realise the
promotion of greater equality between all South Africans in the workplace. Black South
Africans and women are still seriously under-represented in top and senior management
posts. The key findings of the 2007/8 Employment Equity Report prepared by the
Commission for Employment Equity for the National Department of Labour showed low
representation of Blacks at top level management, senior management, and professionally
qualified and middle management levels, as compared to their white counterparts.
The challenges for organisations to transform are multi-faceted and include skills shortages,
homogeneous organisational cultures, a lack of commitment and a failure to incorporate
proper human resource strategies.
Organisations require a commitment by all members, particularly the leaders, to examine the
norms, customs, values and practices which militate against establishing a culture of valuing
diversity. A holistic approach that changes organisational systems, practices and policies as
well as the individual attitudes and values needed to create a valuing diversity culture should
propel an organisation towards true transformation.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verskynsel van transformasie is oorspronklik in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks ontwikkel as
'n politieke strategie aangedryf deur sosiopolitieke kragte en met die doel om verandering te
bevorder, gebaseer op die beginsels van die verbetering van menswaardigheid en die
ondersteuning van gelykheid in alle aspekte van die samelewing. Die werkplek was een van
die areas waar die gevolge van transformasie eerste ondervind is, hoofsaaklik bevorder deur
wetgewing soos die Wet op Gelyke Indiensneming (No. 55 van 1998).
Die wyse waarop maatreels vir regstellende aksie geimplementeer mag word, word deur die
Wet op Gelyke Indiensneming (No. 55 van 1998) bepaal. Hierdie wet het ten doel om te
verseker dat die erfenis van apartheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse werkplek reggestel word. In
hierdie opsig sal gelyke indiensneming mettertyd bewerkstellig word deur gelyke geleenthede
en billike behandeling aan te moedig deur die uitskakeling van onbillike diskriminasie en deur
die implementering van regstellende-aksiemaatreels om swart mense, vroue en gestremde
mense te bevorder.
Ongeag van wetgewing het Suid-Afrika in hoe mate misluk in die daarstelling van groter
gelykheid tussen alle Suid-Afrikaners in die werkplek. Swart Suid-Afrikaners en vroue is
steeds ernstig onderverteenwoordig in top- en senior bestuursposte. Die sleutelbevindings
van die 2007/8 Verslag oor Gelyke Indiensneming voorberei deur die Kommissie vir Gelyke
Indiensneming vir die Nasionale Departement van Arbeid, het aangetoon dat swartes in
vergelyking met hul wit ewekniee swak verteenwoordig is op die vlak van topbestuur, senior
bestuur, professioneel gekwalifiseerdes en middelbestuur.
Die uitdagings vir organisasies om te transformeer het vele fasette en sluit in 'n tekort aan
vaardighede, homogene organisasiekulture, 'n gebrek aan toewyding en 'n gebrek aan die
toepassing van behoorlike strategiee vir menslike hulpbronne.
Organisasies vereis toewyding van alle lede, veral die leiers, om die norme, gewoontes,
waardes en praktyke te ondersoek wat in stryd is met 'n kultuur waarin waarde geheg word
aan diversiteit. 'n Holistiese benadering wat organisasiestelsels, -praktyke en -beleid
verander, asook die individuele houdings en waardes wat nodig is om 'n kultuur te skep wat
waarde heg aan diversiteit, behoort 'n organisasie op die pad te plaas na ware transformasie.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/15054