Transformation in the civil consulting engineering industry has been addressed, but there are still some shortcomings. This transformation is based on Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, Affirmative Action and Employment Equity. > The main aim of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment is to redress historical inequalities in such a manner that it does not impact negatively on existing enterprises. > The aim of Affirmative Action is to promote equal opportunity and fair treatment in employment through the elimination of unfair discrimination and the implementation of Affirmative Action measures. The aim is to redress the disadvantages in employment experienced by designated groups in order to ensure their equitable representation in all occupational categories and levels of the workforce. > The main aim of Employment Equity is to promote equal opportunity and fair treatment in employment through the elimination of unfair discrimination and to redress the disadvantages in employment experienced by designated groups. The existing drive to successfully implement transformation in the Civil Consulting Engineering Sector creates the opportunities for suitably qualified and experienced black engineering candidates to be selected for appointment above an equally qualified and experienced white candidate who applies for the same position. Although Civil Engineering as we know it in South Africa is only 105 years old, it has a rich history and contributed substantially to turning South Africa into a jewel and economic hub on the African continent. The Civil Consulting Engineering Sector forms part of the Construction Sector and abides by the set of rules that has been compiled for the construction sector, known as the Construction Sector - Broad-Based Black Economic Charter - Version 6, 2006. This Construction Sector - Broad-Based Black Economic Charter - Version 6 is intended to assist all existing as well as any future businesses or stakeholders by providing a framework for the construction sector to address Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, enhance capacity and increase the productivity of the sector to meet world standard. The Government's strategy or vision is to utilise Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment as a tool to redress past inequalities and to broaden, expand and increase the country's economic base by including everybody that can participate in and contribute to the South African economy. The envisaged spin-offs from the implementation of this strategy by the Government would be to accelerate economic growth and this would then lead to job creation, and consequent poverty eradication. The Government intends to achieve Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment by making use of a balanced approach that includes contributions and measures that will mainly readdress ownership, control, employment equity, skills development, procurement, enterprise development and Corporate Social Development. This approach by Government will further address additional elements as indicated on the Broad-Based Black Economic scorecard. Transformation in the Civil Consulting Engineering Sector is currently hampered by a shortage of suitably qualified and experienced black engineering candidates that can be employed in the Civil Consulting Engineering Sector. The researcher is also employed in the Civil Consulting Engineering Sector and therefore experiences all the frustrations on a daily basis, which inspired this research to determine the status quo with regard to transformation in the Civil Consulting Engineering Sector. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

This study investigates employees' perceptions of diversity and its impact on the workplace, as perceived by employees themselves. The focus will specifically be on external diversity factors such as culture, race and gender and to what extent these factors can possibly be linked to differences in perceptions of the influence of diversity in the workplace. We know that equality and diversity programmes should be aligned with an organisation's core strategic objectives. Not only is this alignment critical to achieving equality and diversity goals, but it also enables organisations to benefit from the business opportunities that diversity offers. To better understand the role and importance of diversity and gain insight into social systems, quantitative measures of diversity were examined by means of questionnaires. A major consideration for managers is the wide scope of behaviours, attitudes, and values of the diverse staff across socio–cultural boundaries, which are bound to affect organisational processes. Thus, it is crucial for managers to distinguish how staff of different socio–cultural backgrounds could be interacting within the organisation, and identify how perceptual effects may be manifested in multicultural group relationships. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment could possibly be the utmost strategic issue, challenge, threat and potential opportunity facing businesses of all sizes, structures and shapes currently in South Africa. Broad–Based BEE is a government initiative to promote economic transformation in order to enable meaningful participation in the economy by black people. Broad–Based BEE is a reality and a business imperative. Broad–based BEE already have a huge impact in the way business is done in South Africa by large corporate entities, family businesses, small and medium sized businesses and professional practitioners. Broad–based BEE affects almost every participant in the South African economy. Broad–Based BEE can be divided into three components, which holds the seven elements of Broad–Based BEE, namely direct empowerment, human resource development and indirect empowerment. These elements include Equity Ownership, Management, Employment Equity, Skills Development, Preferential Procurement, Enterprise Development and Corporate Social Investment. The agricultural businesses in South Africa have implemented unique types of Broad–Based BEE strategies to conform to Broad–Based BEE. These strategies include shareholding by external Broad–Based BEE companies, and registering Broad–Based BEE employee trusts that obtains shareholding in the company. According to the AgriBEE Framework its vision is to pursue Broad–Based BEE in support of a United and Prosperous Agricultural Sector. The objectives of AgriBEE as described by the AgriBEE Steering Committee are to facilitate broad–based black economic empowerment in the agricultural sector by implementing initiatives to include Black South Africans at all levels of agricultural activity and enterprises along the entire agricultural value chain by following certain steps and ideologies. The contribution of the agribusinesses has some clear indications of shortcomings within the industry as well as and indication of possible elements to be pursued in future. There are however also serious implications to the respondents actions and attitude towards Broad–Based BEE now and in future. It also very apparent that the agribusiness does not distance themselves from the Broad–Based BEE Act and its requirements as well as the consequences thereof. The agribusiness industry is actively involved in Broad–Based BEE. / Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

In this thesis we have studied equality and equity from an HR perspective in South Africa. The study is partly made from an inductive approach and an analytical interpretation in line with hermeneutic has been used. The data is mainly contracted from interviews with HR professionals within various South African organizations. A mix of snowball and convenience sample has been used and among our respondents there are a variety and mix of the following variables: gender, position (manager/practitioner), race (blacks/white) and organization sector(public/parastatal/private). Our main findings are that equality and equity are highly debated topics and that the laws regulating them have a major effect on the HR professionals’ dailywork. The study gives us various perspectives of employment equity but a majority of our respondents do believe that the regulation of employment equity is needed. We find that there are obstacles for achieving equality in South African workplaces and our respondents have given us examples of different ways of how to tackle them. Many of our respondents are also of the opinion that there is a lack of implementation of the regulations and that it is time to rewrite several Acts.

M.Com. (Financial Management) / Ontbondeling kan met reg as die sake-onderwerp van 1993 in SA beskryf word. Die siening word gesteun deur Clarke (1994) in sy artikel "Year of unbundling", waarin hy ontbondeling as die grootste kenmerk van die korporatiewe finansieringsakiwiteite van die groot banke in SA gedurende 1993 beskryf. In die voorwoord van die 1993-weergawe van "The Giants" (bylae by Financial Mail) word ontbondeling as die hoofrede vir "the most significant shake-up of corporate SA's shareholding structure" sedert die eerste publikasie van die bylae beskryf (Anon., 1993j:3). Indien ontbondeling as die sake-onderwerp van 1993 in SA beskou word, kan swart ekonomiese bemagtiging as die sake-onderwerp van 1994 in SA beskou word. Ontbondeling en swart ekonomiese bemagtiging was nie net die twee belangrikste onderwerpe van korporatiewe finansieringsaktiwiteite in SA gedurende die afgelope twee jaar nie, maar moontlik ook die twee onderwerpe wat die meeste gedurende die periode in die SA sakewereld bespreek is. Daar het in die proses verskeie wanindrukke oar die twee begrippe ontstaan en die hoofredes daarvoor was waarskynlik eerstens dat beide onderwerpe op een of ander wyse aan die politieke en ekonomiese transformasie in die land gekoppel is, en tweedens dat dieselfde name, byvoorbeeld Sanlam, Barlow Rand en Anglo American, telkens tydens 'n bespreking van die twee onderwerpe opgeduik het. Hierdie dokument poog onder andere om die twee begrippe, wat beide ook as "prosesse" beskryf kan word, duidelik te definieer en te onderskei, onder andere aan die hand van voorbeelde, in perspektief te stel, van die wanindrukke uit die weg te ruim en die gebeure rondom beide onderwerpe gedurende die afgelope twee jaar aan 'n paar gemene faktore, byvoorbeeld die politieke en ekonomiese veranderinge in die land en die rol van die konglomerate in beide prosesse, te koppel.

South Africa and Zimbabwe are both well endowed with mineral resources. Both countries share a history of colonization by white settlers with Zimbabwe getting its independence in 1980, followed by South Africa in 1994. Like most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, they rely on their natural resources for sustenance. In their case, the mining industry has therefore contributed significantly to their development. This study has illustrated the different mineral legislation and regulatory mechanisms in place for managing this important sector. In addition, to its mining and mineral legislation, South Africa has developed the Mining Charter and its associated regulations, to regulate its mining industry. A comparative analysis of the mineral rights and tenure has been in the two jurisdictions has been made. Zimbabwe’s mineral regime has been found to be lagging behind not only South Africa, but to most of the region’s regimes. Issues of adhering to the rule of law and respecting international laws and covenants have been highlighted especially in the case of Zimbabwe. Black economic empowerment programmes in the two countries were discussed, with Zimbabwe again coming short. Recommendations for Zimbabwe following South Africa’s example were proffered. The same applies to environmental issues and sustainable development, Zimbabwe need to follow a more coherent path. Harmonisation of mineral regimes within the SADC region was recommended. Further recommendations to achieve this goal were put forward. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

M.Comm. / Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) is almost ten years old. The objective of the BBBEE is to increase the participation of Black people and Black women in the South African economy and also to bridge the income inequality which was brought about systematically before South Africa became a democratic country. The BBBEE Act, through the Codes of Good Practice has identified seven key elements which if addressed will help to achieve the objectives of the Act. These elements are ownership, management control, employment equity, skills development, preferential procurement, enterprise development and socio economic development. Minimum targets have been set which need to be achieved within ten years. The primary objective of the study was to investigate if Sappi one of the two dominant pulp and paper companies in South Africa, could utilize outsourcing as a Black Economic Empowerment Tool. The secondary objectives were twofold: • To identify key barriers to complying with the seven elements of the Codes of Good Practice; and • To establish measures or incentives that will lead to Sappi Forests’ outsourced activities complying with the Codes of Good Practice hence utilizing outsourced activities as a Black Economic Empowerment tool. The research findings indicate that Sappi could utilize outsourcing as a Black Economic Empowerment tool. According to survey results, significant progress has been achieved in implementing BBBEE Act despite the lack of a systematic approach. Progress towards the implementation of the Act as measured against the seven elements contained in the Codes of Good Practice, is commendable. Should the recommendations such as incentives and rewards that are mentioned in the findings be adopted, the implementation of the BBBEE Act which leads to empowerment could be enhanced in forests’ outsourced activities.

The investment opportunity set was the component of the organisation’s value resulting from the option to make future investments or growth opportunity. The value of an organisation comprised of assets in place and discretionary investments in positive net present value projects or growth opportunity. This investment opportunity set or growth opportunity was relevant to both the organisation and the economy for value creation. The discretionary investments included any discretionary expenditure necessary for the future growth the organisation and were packaged as policy decisions. This study elected debt policies, dividend policies, and broad-based empowerment shareholding as relevant policy decisions with the purpose of establishing the relationship between these policies and growth opportunity. This study was conducted over a five year period at company-level and industry-level. T-tests, correlation and regression tests were employed to explore the relationship between the variables. The results revealed that debt and growth opportunity was positively associated; dividend and growth opportunity was negatively associated although the evidence was weak; and black economic shareholding was negatively associated with growth opportunity and positively associated with assets in place. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / With the advent of democracy, the ANC government was faced with the problem of addressing abject poverty, persistent unemployment and rank economic inequality that beset black South Africans under apartheid. To address these problems in a structured and comprehensive fashion, the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003 (BBBEE Act) was promulgated. Several economists believed that growth in the economy is the bedrock upon which black economic empowerment would provide the foundation to correct these economic problems. This study sought to interrogate black economic empowerment as a means to address economic inequality and unemployment. The method of analysis and critique employed in this study is based on theories that Marx formulated in Capital: A Critique of Political Economy. In particular, this study draws on Marx’s theories of fictitious capital, surplus value production and appropriation, and the creation of the industrial reserve army. The thesis uses the theory to examine two BEE cases namely the Sanlam and Sasol equity transactions. It also analyses the relationship between productive capital and fictitious capital through an examination of Lonmin plc and Shanduka Pty Ltd, with a focus on the use of labour power to produce surplus value. Finally, it looks briefly at Sanlam and Sankorp to understand the rise of the black middle class in South Africa. Ultimately, this study charts a Marxist path to explain why black economic empowerment is unable to address economic inequality and unemployment. At the centre of this study is the problematisation of the capitalist mode of production on which black economic empowerment rests. The central argument advanced is that the very capitalist structure upon which this growth strategy was based, in fact laid the foundation for the reproduction of these self-same phenomena.

Doctor Educationis / All employees aspire to work at a place of employment which is free from racial discrimination, where equal opportunity and fair treatment are not merely principles that are promoted and encouraged, but implemented actively by their employers. For a number of black professional employees in South Africa, however, currently this is merely an aspiration. Evidence suggests that black people are still subjected to racial discrimination and that their growth into the ownership and management structures of the enterprises that employ them, is insignificant in comparison to their white counterparts, despite the progressive legislative measures enacted by the legislature to ensure otherwise. The Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, as amended, was promulgated in order to promote equal opportunities and fair treatment in employment, through the elimination of unfair discrimination and to implement affirmative action measures to redress the disadvantages in employment experienced by designated groups. The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003, as amended, was enacted to promote the economic participation of black people in South Africa. The objective of this thesis is to examine the relevant provisions of the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, as amended, its Regulations, the Codes of Good Practice enacted in terms thereof, as well as the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003, as amended, together with its Codes of Good of Practice to determine whether this equality legislation is the appropriate vehicle to address the challenges experienced by black professional employees in the private sector. The stories of black professional employees’ experiences obtained from academic literature available insofar as it relates to racial discrimination, affirmative action and black economic empowerment is discussed through the lens of Critical Race Theory. This is done with a view to determining whether the slow pace of racial transformation when it comes to black professional employees employed in the private sector is an issue that the law can address. Particular reference is made to two professions: the legal profession and the financial professions. This thesis examines the difference between the minimalist and maximalist approaches to Black Economic Empowerment (BEE). The thesis reveals the limits to the incentive structure that does not place a premium on black ownership and that allows enterprises to benefit from BEE while not really changing management structures. It argues that seen through the lens of critical race theory the current equality legislation discussed in this thesis is based on including black people in a system where privilege and power are asymmetrically distributed. It also argues that legislation in itself is unable to rectify racial injustices. It therefore demonstrates the limitations of the current equality legislation as a vehicle to address the challenges faced by black professional employees in the private sector.