Published Article / The teachers' salary strike, which occurs almost annually in South Africa, is so widespread that it seems to have gained public toleration if not complete acceptance. However, the strike may have a lasting and devastating impact on the teachers' as well as the learners' discipline, motivation and morale, with the learners being the hardest hit. The strike has a negative impact on the learning and teaching culture and on the learners' academic performance. Although the teachers' strike is about salaries and salary-related matters, all too often, debates about it shift from the strike to the tension between the teachers' right to strike and the learners' right to receive education. This study endeavours to fathom the truth about the two rights, to establish whether they can stand side by side without contradicting each other, and to study their implications.

La thèse analyse la trajectoire du problème de l’accès à l’eau en France, sur trois décennies. Dans un contexte de « nouvelle pauvreté », on constate le passage progressif d’une logique d’action publique fondée sur l’assistance discrétionnaire à une logique de solidarité basée sur des droits sociaux. On retrouve ce glissement tant dans le domaine du logement, de l’énergie, que de l’eau. Pour l’eau, se dessine une trajectoire qui nous conduit du « social de l’eau » à « l’eau sociale ». Le social de l’eau est basé sur : l’affirmation d’un droit à l’aide ;l’externalisation de la gestion de cette aide ; le rôle de contributeur des services pour cette gestion ; une approche curative des problèmes. En regard, le modèle de l’eau sociale se fonde sur : l’internalisation de la question sociale dans des services d’eau, jouant désormais un rôle plus actif ; l’instauration d’un droit à l’eau ; l’émergence d’une approche préventive des problèmes. / This doctoral thesis analyses the trajectory of the problem of access to water for low-income customers in France over the last three decades. In a context of “new poverty”, we observe a gradual evolution from logics of public action based on discretionary assistance to logics of solidarity based on social rights. This evolution can be observed in different fields including housing, energy and water. In the case of water, we uncover a trajectory leading from “welfare of water” to“social water”. The welfare of water is based on: the assertion of a right to receive help, the externalization of the right to this help, the contribution of utilities to its management and funding, and a curative approach to problems. However, “social water” is based on: the internalization of the social issue in water utilities - which play from now on a more active role - , the instauration of a right to water, and the emergence of a preventive approach to problems.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Staatsamptenare val sedert 1993 onder arbeidswetgewing wat vir kollektiewe bedingingsregte voorsiening maak. Wat laasgenoemde regte aanbetref word, in ooreenstemming met intemasionale reg, betoog dat die regte van staatsamptenare meer beperk kan word as wat die geval in die privaatsektor is. Ten spyte van argumente tot die teendeel word aangevoer dat staatsamptenare 'n noodsaaklike <liens aan die bree gemeenskap lewer wat veral met betrekking tot die herontwikkeling en opbou van Suid-Afrika 'n belangrike sosioekonomiese bydrae te lewer het. Die afwesigheid van die tradisionele onderskeid tussen kapitaal en arbeid, werkplekf arums, ·sow el as onbeperkte organiseringsregte sal produktiwiteit in die openbare sektor belnvloed. Werkersdeelname in besluitneming in die openbare sektor kan verwesenlik word sander om die omvangryke kollektiewe bedingingsregte soos vervat in die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge, 66 van 1995 aan staatsamptenare te verleen. / Public servants have fallen under labour legislation that provides for collective bargaining rights since 1993. It is argued that these rights of public servants, in accordance with international law, may be limited to a greater extent than those of employees in the private sector. Despite arguments to the contrary the opinion is held that public servants deliver an important, essential service to the broader public especially when it comes to their socio-economic contribution to the redevelopment of South Africa. The absence of the traditional difference between capital and labour, workplace forums, as well as unlimited organisational rights will have an influence on productivity in the public sector. Workers participation in decision making can be realised without granting public servants the extensive collective bargaining rights as contained in the Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995. / Law / L.L.M.

The author starts by revising the concept of public service, highlighting the idea of publicatio as an important element. With this taken into consideration, he points out that it is not possible to understand the concept of public service without the presence of ownership by the State. In this context, the concept of essential service arises as a technique that harmonizes social demands and the traditional conception of public service. All in all, these concepts are materialized to affirm that the nature of the service of drinking water and sanitation is of essential service, developing and applying its principles to the concrete case. / El autor parte por una revisión del concepto objetivo de servicio público, destacando como un elemento importante de este la idea de publicatio. A partir de ello, señala que no es posible entender el concepto de servicio público sin la presencia de la titularidad por parte del Estado. En este contexto, surge el concepto de servicio esencial como una técnica que armoniza las exigencias sociales y la concepción tradicional de servicio público. Finalmente, aterriza dichos conceptos para afirmar que la naturaleza del servicio de provisión de agua potable y saneamiento es de servicio esencial, desarrollando y aplicando sus principios al caso concreto.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Staatsamptenare val sedert 1993 onder arbeidswetgewing wat vir kollektiewe bedingingsregte voorsiening maak. Wat laasgenoemde regte aanbetref word, in ooreenstemming met intemasionale reg, betoog dat die regte van staatsamptenare meer beperk kan word as wat die geval in die privaatsektor is. Ten spyte van argumente tot die teendeel word aangevoer dat staatsamptenare 'n noodsaaklike <liens aan die bree gemeenskap lewer wat veral met betrekking tot die herontwikkeling en opbou van Suid-Afrika 'n belangrike sosioekonomiese bydrae te lewer het. Die afwesigheid van die tradisionele onderskeid tussen kapitaal en arbeid, werkplekf arums, ·sow el as onbeperkte organiseringsregte sal produktiwiteit in die openbare sektor belnvloed. Werkersdeelname in besluitneming in die openbare sektor kan verwesenlik word sander om die omvangryke kollektiewe bedingingsregte soos vervat in die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge, 66 van 1995 aan staatsamptenare te verleen. / Public servants have fallen under labour legislation that provides for collective bargaining rights since 1993. It is argued that these rights of public servants, in accordance with international law, may be limited to a greater extent than those of employees in the private sector. Despite arguments to the contrary the opinion is held that public servants deliver an important, essential service to the broader public especially when it comes to their socio-economic contribution to the redevelopment of South Africa. The absence of the traditional difference between capital and labour, workplace forums, as well as unlimited organisational rights will have an influence on productivity in the public sector. Workers participation in decision making can be realised without granting public servants the extensive collective bargaining rights as contained in the Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995. / Law / L.L.M.