The current South African labour laws have evolved through decades of transitions. It originated from an autocratic employment relationship to the fight for worker rights and finally, to the equal rights and freedom of workers. However the rights of workers were always regulated by the idiosyncrasies and oppression of the political fabric of this country. One of the greatest contributing factors that enhanced worker confidence is the introduction of the previous Interim Constitution and the now, Final Constitution, which provided for equality for all South African citizens. All such laws have impacted intensely on the South African labour framework. Currently, we exist in a country where there are laws that ensure worker protection. On the face of it, the labour laws are clearly democratic. However, in practice, there exist many gaps in the law. This study is primarily based on identifying the areas of the labour laws where such laws do not adequately cater for the South African population and its diversities, and where it is not consistent with the International Labour standards. Major emphasis will be placed on the application of the law and the intention behind the drafters of such legislation. One area of focus is the application of the law to the HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa. HIV/AIDS is seen as an epidemic that is adversely penetrating the workforce and a company's productivity. The disease itself is growing at an enormous pace and already, a small percentage of the population is affected by it. The disease inevitably leads to a drop in a company's output through the increase in employee absenteeism and deaths, and it also obligates employers to re-arrange their staff or hire new staff. Companies have been forced to change their policies and to create awareness in the workplace to adequately cater for workers who suffer from this epidemic. The laws itself have not made sufficient provision for applying itself to the growth in the percentage of AIDS employees. With a large percentage of the workforce having the disease, there has not been sufficient protection of such persons and their families. There are three stages in the HIV/AIDS cycle and the last stage weakens employees to the extent that they are unable to work. And with medical costs being as high as it is today, it won't be long before such employees lack the financial means to survive. Hence there is little protection to workers after contracting the AIDS virus. This is merely one of the areas of the HIV/AIDS crisis that requires review of the current labour laws. The labour laws are new to providing protection to workers. Inevitably, it is the responsibility of workers to protect themselves, either through saving on their own or entering into endowment or similar policies. However, with the instability in our current economic climate, it is difficult for employees to invest or to save. Employment Equity has been another area that requires development within the South African labour framework. Such equity is based on rectifying the political ravages of the past, where previously disadvantaged persons were prejudiced in various areas of the employment arena. Affirmative Action has been one area of change that many companies and corporations were forced to deal with. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has always attempted to diversify its laws to cater for the diversities of the world population. South Africa adopted many of its laws, specifically with regards to the HIV/AIDS crisis. However, considering that the labour laws are seen as a rapidly-changing area in the world economy, such areas are making it difficult for the current laws to be consistent with such changes. Emphasis is now placed on the application of the laws to such changes. This study is a very much theoretical to the extent that it identifies the areas of applicable law and the areas that require improvement or change in order to satisfy the "democracy" in a democratic country. / Thesis (M.B.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Abstract available in pdf file.

Agriculture is a major employer of labour in South Africa with about 8.8% of the total labour force directly involved in agricultural production (StatsSA, 2007a). Farm wages and working conditions in the Albany district were researched in 1957 by Roberts (1958) and 1977 by Antrobus (1984). Research in 2008, involving face-to-face interviews of a sample survey of 40 Albany farmers, was undertaken to update the situation facing farm labourers and allowed for comparisons with the work previously done. Farm workers were governed by common law until 1994 when the government intervened with legislation. The introduction of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (1997) for farm workers, amended in 2002 to include minimum wage legislation, and the Extension of Security of Tenure Act (ESTA) of 1997 impacted the supply and demand of farm workers. Other impacts have been due to the Albany district experiencing an increase in the establishment of Private Game Reserves and game-tourism with a simultaneous decline in conventional farming. It was concluded from the survey conducted that minimum wage legislation decreased the demand for regular and increased the demand for casual labour, which incur lower costs including transaction costs, than their regular counterparts. The ESTA of 1997 contributed to a decreased number of farm residents, which had spin-off affects on the supply of labour. Farmers experienced a simultaneous price-cost squeeze, which furthermore decreased the demand for labour. Studying the working and living conditions showed that farm workers had limited access to educational and recreational facilities which negatively impacted the supply of labour.

The aim of this doctoral thesis is to consolidate the preventive perspective as one of priority action, both by public authorities and private companies, in order to protect the health and safety of employees. To this end, the obligations incumbent on employers to provide a safe job for employees were studied. These obligations appear in Act 31/95 (November 8th) on Prevention of Risks at Work. A further aim is to assist legal agents in handling the labour regulations on health and safety at work, by the study of the safety regulations that have amplified the Act. Since these regulations originate in the legislation emanating from the International Labour Organization and the European Union, a detailed study was also made of the agreements taken at the ILO to protect the health and safety of employees, and of the directives issued within the European Community to promote improvements in work conditions / La finalidad de la tesis doctoral es consolidar la perspectiva preventiva como la de actuación prioritaria, tanto por los poderes públicos como por la parte empresarial, para la protección de la seguridad y salud de los trabajadores. Con este objeto, se realiza un estudio de las obligaciones que conciernen al empresario para proveer un puesto de trabajo seguro al trabajador, y que vienen reguladas en la Ley 31/1995, de 8 de noviembre, de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales. También se pretende facilitar al agente jurídico el manejo de la normativa laboral de seguridad y salud en el trabajo mediante el estudio de los reglamentos de seguridad que han desarrollado la Ley. Ya que el conjunto de esta normativa tiene su origen en la legislación emanada de la Organización Internacional del Trabajo y la Unión Europea, también se realiza un estudio pormenorizado tanto de los convenios adoptados en la OIT para proteger la seguridad y salud de los trabajadores como de las Directivas surgidas en el ámbito de la Comunidad Europea para promover la mejora de las condiciones de trabajo / La finalitat de la tesi doctoral és consolidar la perspectiva preventiva com la d’actuació prioritària, tant pels poders públics com per la part empresarial, per a la protecció de la seguretat i la salut dels treballadors. Amb aquest objecte, es realitza un estudi de les obligacions que concerneixen l’empresari per proveir un lloc de treball segur al treballador, i que són regulades a la Llei 31/1995, de 8 de novembre, de Prevenció de Riscos Laborals. També es pretén facilitat a l’agent jurídic el maneig de la normativa laboral de seguretat i salut en el treball mitjançant l’estudi dels reglaments de seguretat que han desenvolupat la Llei. Com que el conjunt d’aquesta normativa té el seu origen en la legislació emanada de l’Organització Internacional del Treball i de la Unió Europea, també es realitza un estudi detallat tant dels convenis adoptats a l’OIT per protegir la seguretat i la salut dels treballadors com les directives sorgides en l’àmbit de la Comunitat Europea per promoure la millora de les condicions de treball