Inaug.-diss.--Greifswald. / Lebenslauf. "Literaturverzeichnis": p. 5-9.

Inaug.-diss.--Greifswald. / Lebenslauf. "Literaturverzeichnis": p. 5-9.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgetown University, 1955. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 170-175). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

The interim Constitution and the final Constitution, respectively Act 200 of 1996 and Act 108 of 1996, has ushered South Africa into a new era. An era that will be characterized by it's influence on our jurisprudential, political, socio-economic and religious rights. The Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 in general and workplace forums in particular ushered our labour relations into a new era. It is our attempt by the legislature to foster corporatism at the enterprise. It is hoped that workplace participatory structures such as workplace forums will lead to: Better information flow and communication between management and the workers; better decision making by management; efficiency and productivity which will help the national economy. The legislative framework that regulates the establishment of workplace forums however, present certain problems. The major obstacles that the act create is, firstly; the granting of the sole right to call for the establishment of workplace forums to majority unions (section 80(2)) and secondly; the high threshold of 100 employees that is required by section 84 of the Labour Relations Act. These provisions are critically analysed from a comparative perspective. It is argued that the high threshold is totally inexplicable and unacceptable. It is contrary to the trend in Europe where experiments with workplace based structures were highly successful. This high threshold is also totally insensitive to the needs of SMME's. It is a known fact that workers in this sector are vulnerable, exploited and deserving of legislative or other forms of protection. The introduction or legislative facilitation of the establishment of workplace forums in SMME' s has potential to serve as a counterbalancing force. By engaging management and workers in a joint forum may of the problems in SMME's can be eradicated. The position of the majority unions is also untenable. The legislature has in fact disempowered those that it seeks to empower - the workers. In most countries studied, unions not necessarily majority unions have the right to trigger the process of establishing "workplace forums." In other countries, like Germany workers that are not union members can also trigger the process. This power that is give to majority unions also further marginalises SMME's. The SMME section is not sufficiently unionised because of the organizational problems that they present. In Britain for instance, only 8% of small companies are unionised. Unions will have logistic difficulties of organising and servicing a multitude of workplaces containing relatively small numbers of members. Section 80(2) and Section 84 of the Labour Relations Act will have to be revisited with a view of making workplace forums an all inclusive process and not one dominated by majority unions. The threshold for entitlement will have to be lowered so that more employees can enjoy the potential benefits of workplace base institutions.

This study examines the position of women in Basotho society. It examines the position that women occupy in the society both in their traditional and contemporary roles. This is later contrasted to the developments made at the level of the state to effect changes to improve the situation. The data used in the study pertain to the period after 1986 up to 1996, except where it was possible to include more current. The international community has established norms intended to guide the members of the respective conventions and treaties in making of their domestic laws. These guidelines operate as an indication of the member country's intention to abide by the norms and not to deliberately flout the principles involved. Lesotho has through the years signed and ratified a number of these conventions. There has been quite a significant number of problems encountered in applying equality rights. Women in Lesotho as in the rest of the developing world are faced with discrimination on at least two levels, being female and being a member of the wrong race. The issue is whether they are also as humans, entitled to the benefit of universal human rights, or is it the exclusive preserve of men. It is the purpose of this study to examine the extent to which the international norms and human rights standards have impacted on the municipal law in Lesotho to grant equality rights to women. Finally, it is concluded that the Government of Lesotho has failed to achieve its obligations under the Conventions and international norms to which it has bound itself. Although legislation has been passed and applauded even at an international level, little progress can be made due to the half hearted attempts by the legislature to grant rights to women while not wanting to disturb the run of things and curtail the power that men have over them. This is likely not to be popular at some quarters especially with traditionalists. If however women are to be given equality in rights, the reforms have to be made.

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published_or_final_version / Comparative Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts

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