South African universities have embarked upon a wide range of initiatives to foster and acclimatise to new social development needs of the society. A significant area of change involved implementation of employment equity. This study investigated the manner in which universities manage employment equity.The composition of staff in higher education institutions fails to reflect the demographic realities of South Africa.As a result, black people and women are still severely under-represented, especially in senior academic management positions. Universities are slowly, but steadily redirecting their student bodies and staff to reflect the demographics of South African society applying fragmented effort and piecemeal approach. The “as is” statistical reports obtained from the Department of Labour were used to substantiate the progress being made in the selected universities. Quantitative research methods were employed to collect data. University of Pretoria, University of Witwatersrand, and Free State University were selected as the population and the academic managers (Heads of Departments, Directors of Schools, and Deans of Faculties) as the sample of the study. The study finds that white males still dominate in the universities and white females are adequately represented, particularly in the professional and academic categories. The academic managers responded less positively on retention strategies for academic staff, especially for the designated groups and the functionality of employment equity awareness campaigns. The study also outlined the success of employment equity factors that the academic managers indicated, such as their loyalties to the institutions, prospects of career development, and collegial relations. The study recommended proficient leadership to drive the employment equity process, development of employment equity strategy with reasonable goals, diversity management, retention strategy, and vigorous employment equity awareness. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

South Africa comes from an apartheid local government system that was structured to divide the citizens socially, economically, spatially and racially to ensure that only a small minority of South Africans benefited from the development and the resources of this country. Since 1994 government departments have undergone a number of transformation processes. The Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and affirmative action became instrumental in ensuring racial and gender representation within the local government structures. This study investigates the perceptions of racism, nepotism, fraud and other related problems which were perceived as a hindrance towards the effective implementation of affirmative action. The main findings of the study confirm that the implementation of affirmative action in municipalities is not effective due to lack of commitment from top management. It is anticipated that the implementation of Local Government Systems Amendment Act 7 of 2011, will enforce service delivery within municipalities. / Public Administration & Management / M. Tech. (Public Management)

Social dominance theory (SDT) and Social identity theory (SIT) are theoretical frameworks that have been conceptualised and examined in societies that predominantly have stable intergroup relations. The present study sought to examine both theoretical frameworks in a context that is undergoing social change. Three cross-sectional studies were conducted amongst black and white students from a South African University. Results indicated that there was no difference in the desire for group-based inequality (i.e. social dominance orientation, SDO) amongst groups affected by social change, when group status was measured subjectively. Yet, when group status was determined sociologically, dominant group members had significantly higher SDO levels. Furthermore, results indicated that the perception of social change had a conditional effect on the relationship between SDO and support for affirmative action amongst white participants, in that when white participants perceived higher in-group status loss, higher SDO levels predicted opposition towards affirmative action. Racial in-group identification had a conditional effect on the relationship between perceived social change and support for affirmative action amongst black participants; when black participants had higher racial in-group identification, greater perception of social change predicted support for affirmative action. Lastly, amongst black participants, hierarchy-attenuating legitimising myths had a conditional effect on the relationship between SDO and support for affirmative action. Specifically, when colourblindness or Ubuntu were endorsed, higher SDO predicted support for affirmative action. However, when these hierarchy-attenuating legitimising myths were rejected, higher SDO predicted opposition towards affirmative action. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

South Africa comes from an apartheid local government system that was structured to divide the citizens socially, economically, spatially and racially to ensure that only a small minority of South Africans benefited from the development and the resources of this country. Since 1994 government departments have undergone a number of transformation processes. The Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and affirmative action became instrumental in ensuring racial and gender representation within the local government structures. This study investigates the perceptions of racism, nepotism, fraud and other related problems which were perceived as a hindrance towards the effective implementation of affirmative action. The main findings of the study confirm that the implementation of affirmative action in municipalities is not effective due to lack of commitment from top management. It is anticipated that the implementation of Local Government Systems Amendment Act 7 of 2011, will enforce service delivery within municipalities. / Public Administration and Management / M. Tech. (Public Management)

South African universities have embarked upon a wide range of initiatives to foster and acclimatise to new social development needs of the society. A significant area of change involved implementation of employment equity. This study investigated the manner in which universities manage employment equity.The composition of staff in higher education institutions fails to reflect the demographic realities of South Africa.As a result, black people and women are still severely under-represented, especially in senior academic management positions. Universities are slowly, but steadily redirecting their student bodies and staff to reflect the demographics of South African society applying fragmented effort and piecemeal approach. The “as is” statistical reports obtained from the Department of Labour were used to substantiate the progress being made in the selected universities. Quantitative research methods were employed to collect data. University of Pretoria, University of Witwatersrand, and Free State University were selected as the population and the academic managers (Heads of Departments, Directors of Schools, and Deans of Faculties) as the sample of the study. The study finds that white males still dominate in the universities and white females are adequately represented, particularly in the professional and academic categories. The academic managers responded less positively on retention strategies for academic staff, especially for the designated groups and the functionality of employment equity awareness campaigns. The study also outlined the success of employment equity factors that the academic managers indicated, such as their loyalties to the institutions, prospects of career development, and collegial relations. The study recommended proficient leadership to drive the employment equity process, development of employment equity strategy with reasonable goals, diversity management, retention strategy, and vigorous employment equity awareness. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Under common law an employer enjoyed complete freedom of choice when recruiting and selecting employees. An employer had unfettered discretion in recruiting and selecting employees. There were no legal restrictions on the prerogative of the employer to appoint employees. Developments in labour law have, however, gradually diminished the employer's freedom of choice during the recruitment and selection process. The Employment Equity Act No. 55 of 1998 and the Code of Good Practice on the Integration of Employment equity into Human Resource Policies and Practices, 2005 as· well as impending labour legislation impose limitations on the employer's freedom of choice during the recruitment and selection process. The remaining problem therefore is: What is the extent of the limitations on the employer's freedom of choice in the recruitment and selection of employees? The study will be conducted by means of a literature study of relevant books, journal articles, statutes, case law and internet sources relating to restrictions which are placed by legislation and case law on the employer's freedom to choose employees during recruitment and selection. This research therefore investigates the extent to which developments in labour law have eroded the prerogative of an employer to appoint employees. This investigation will help clarify the limits within which an employer has to exercise its choice of an employee during recruitment and selection. / LLM (Labour Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Under common law an employer enjoyed complete freedom of choice when recruiting and selecting employees. An employer had unfettered discretion in recruiting and selecting employees. There were no legal restrictions on the prerogative of the employer to appoint employees. Developments in labour law have, however, gradually diminished the employer's freedom of choice during the recruitment and selection process. The Employment Equity Act No. 55 of 1998 and the Code of Good Practice on the Integration of Employment equity into Human Resource Policies and Practices, 2005 as· well as impending labour legislation impose limitations on the employer's freedom of choice during the recruitment and selection process. The remaining problem therefore is: What is the extent of the limitations on the employer's freedom of choice in the recruitment and selection of employees? The study will be conducted by means of a literature study of relevant books, journal articles, statutes, case law and internet sources relating to restrictions which are placed by legislation and case law on the employer's freedom to choose employees during recruitment and selection. This research therefore investigates the extent to which developments in labour law have eroded the prerogative of an employer to appoint employees. This investigation will help clarify the limits within which an employer has to exercise its choice of an employee during recruitment and selection. / LLM (Labour Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The research problem that was investigated in this study was to identify, explore and confirm the problems and management obstacles encountered with the change process in the South African Police Service (SAPS) from the time when South Africa became a democracy in 1994. Although national legislation and SAPS policies and directives that encourage change in the SAPS indicated the movement towards change to implement transformation, it is questionable in what way these principles of transformation are successfully implemented, what the significance and implications of these legislation and directives are, and also the effect they have on transformation in the SAPS. Data was collected from questionnaires, a literature study, focus group interviews and interviews. Structured questionnaires concerning transformation in the SAPS were designed and distributed to 39 station commissioners in the Pretoria and Soweto policing areas. Furthermore, a literature study including material such as official SAPS documents, media and newspaper reports, library sources and national legislation regarding change has been presented. Data was also collected from non-commissioned officials who participated in four focus groups interviews, and four semi-structured interviews were conducted individually with four station commissioners in the Pretoria and Soweto policing areas. International best practices have also been consulted. The research conducted indicated that although progress has been made with transformation in the SAPS a breach exists between national legislation, SAPS policies and directives and the implementation thereof, which have an impeding influence on the transformation process in the SAPS. It is clear that internal communication is an essential and dynamic instrument in the SAPS, however, communication of the transformation process does not have the impact at ground level that it is supposed to have. It is also clear that members at ground level lack knowledge of the transformation process in the SAPS and the implementation thereof. In addition, conveying the sense of urgency to members at ground level need attention and must be communicated clearly and timeously. Training and development at the lower hierarchical levels of the SAPS also need priority to enhance service delivery, public relations, the morale and conduct of members. A high number of members also need to be motivated during transformation and their readiness towards the process has to be addressed to adapt to the changes. Reasons for resisting transformation in the SAPS need urgent attention as well because this has a negative effect on the daily functioning of members. The recommendations drawn from the conclusions made in this study may provide a number of solutions that can be implemented in the SAPS to reduce the obstacles impeding the transformation process in the SAPS to enhance and improve transformation in this organisation. / Criminal Justice / M. Tech. (Criminal Justice)

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa, selection from a diverse population poses a formidable challenge. The challenge lies in subgroup difference in the performance criterion. Protected group members perform systematically lower on the criterion due to systematic, group-related differences in learning and job competency potential latent variables required to succeed in learning and on the job. These subgroup differences are attributable to the unequal development and distribution of intellectual capital across racial-ethnic subgroups due to systemic historical disadvantagement. This scenario has made it difficult for organisations in South Africa to meet equity targets when selecting applicants from a diverse group representative of the South African population, while at the same time maintaining production and efficiency targets. Therefore there is an urgent need for affirmative development. Ensuring that those admitted to affirmative development interventions successfully develop the job competency potential and job competencies required to succeed on the job requires that the appropriate people are selected into these interventions. Selection into affirmative development opportunities represents an attempt to improve the level of Learning performance during evaluation of learners admitted to affirmative development opportunities. A valid understanding of the identity of the determinants of learning performance in conjunction with a valid understanding of how they combine to determine the level of learning performance achieved should allow the valid prediction of Learning performance during evaluation. The primary objective of the present study was to integrate and elaborate the De Goede (2007) and the Burger (2012) learning potential models in a manner that circumvents the problems and shortcomings of these models by developing an extended explanatory learning performance structural model that explicates additional cognitive and non-cognitive learning competency potential latent variables that affect learning performance and that describes the manner in which these latent variables combine to affect learning performance. A total of 213 participants took part in the study. The sample was predominantly made up of students from previously disadvantaged groups on the extended degree programme of a university in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The proposed De Goede – Burger – Mahembe Learning Potential Structural Model was tested via structural equation modeling after performing item and dimensional analyses. Item and dimensional analyses were performed to identify poor items and ensure uni-dimensionality. Uni-dimensionality is a requirement for item parcel creation. Item parcels were used due to sample size restrictions. The fit of the measurement and structural models can generally be regarded as reasonable and both models showed close fit. Significant relationships were found between: Information processing capacity and Learning Performance during evaluation; Self-leadership and Motivation to learn; Motivation to learn and Time-engaged-on-task; Self efficacy and Self-leadership; Knowledge about cognition and Regulation of cognition; Regulation of cognition and Time-cognitively-engaged; Learning goal orientation and Motivation to learn; Openness to experience and Learning goal orientation. Support was not found for the relationships between Conscientiousness and Time-cognitively-engaged, as well as between Time-cognitively-engaged and Learning performance. The hypothesised moderating effect of Prior learning on the relationship between Abstract reasoning capacity and Learning performance during evaluation was not supported. The statistical power of the test of close fit for the comprehensive LISREL model was examined. The discriminant validity of the item parcels were ascertained. The limitations of the research and suggestions for future studies have been highlighted. The results of the present study provide some important insights for educators and training and development specialists on how to identify potential students and talent for affirmative development in organisations in South Africa.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master in Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2007. / The end of the apartheid era in South Africa presented the new government with a myriad of challenges. This involved massive transformation, whilst ushering in a regulatory framework of enabling legislation to give effect to the country's fledgling Constitution. One of the transformational priorities was to address gender equality. Despite legislative imperatives having been instituted, gender equity targets are not being met, nor are affirmative action programmes being implemented to their fullest to facilitate and support gender equality. This research investigates the barriers that inhibit women from breaking the glass ceiling in the South African public service. The research paradigm was exploratory, using qualitative techniques and the results are largely descriptive. Secondary information was obtained from literature and information available. Multiple case studies were conducted using five subjects who were representative of the target population. The overarching purpose of this study was to investigate and understand the barriers that inhibit women from breaking the glass ceiling in the South African public service. The concept of the glass ceiling is defined as the invisible barrier that blocks women from advancing to senior management positions. The study proposes and considers various issues that may have an impact on upward mobility for women. A review of literature reveals that barriers exist as a worldwide occurrence and these prevent women from upward mobility. Justification for this research is twofold: there has been no such study to date; and gender equality is not being achieved and affirmative action programmes have not been fully implemented. The findings of the study provide a deeper understanding of the barriers that prevent women from career progression in the South African public service. Recommendations are made to address this issue / M