A research report submitted to the faculty of commerce, law and management, university of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of management (in the field of public and development management). YEAR: 2015 / Knowledge sharing is a critical component of knowledge management and a new phenomenon in the South African public sector. To introduce knowledge sharing in government, the Department of Public Service and Administration included it as one of the core management competencies for senior management service officials. There is a general perception that government employees are not keen to share what they know, as sharing empowers your colleague to compete with you for power and promotional opportunities. The purpose of this research study was therefore to investigate the perception of staff members on knowledge sharing activities in Limpopo Provincial Treasury department. In particular, the study was aimed at answering the following questions about the department: (1) What is the perception of employees on knowledge sharing as a catalyst to achieve operational and service delivery objectives? (2) What is the readiness level of LPT employees to share their experiences and know-how for the benefit of the institution? This was a qualitative research. The data was collected through the questionnaire distributed to employees grouped in two stratas, namely senior management and middle management services. Discussions were held, mostly with members of the dysfunctional knowledge management committee and other identified staff members. Relevant departmental documents were also reviewed as part of the research process. The outcome of the study is that the state of employees’ perception towards knowledge sharing is generally positive but in practice, there is little knowledgesharing taking place due to unconducive organisational culture and lack of leadership to position knowledge management as a strategic focus of the department. The study recommends that LPT adopts knowledge management as a strategic focus and put plans in place to preserve institutional memory

Within the framework of any institution, human beings constitute the most essential element that largely determines whether or not an institution will accomplish the goals it has set for itself. Human labour provides this dynamic mechanism which enables institutions to pursue their objectives. This essential device, through which institutions harness human labour manifests itself as personnel administration. This study conducts an in-depth analysis of personnel administration within the context of Black local authorities In Natal and Transvaal. An examination of the historical development of personnel administration within urban local government institutions catering for the African in the urban areas reveals that this process has been inextricably interwoven with developments in the political arena. Black local authorities are at present actively engaged in designing, developing and implementing a personnel system that has the potential to facilitate accomplishment of task goals, maintenance goals and eventually social responsibility. These institutions must discern clearly the internal and external constraints affecting their operation and contribute toward the great debate for the resolution of the challenges . The established categories of Black local authorities have been identified as city councils, town councils, town committees and local authority committees. The personnel department has been identified as the focal point for the examination of the actual personnel processes within Black local authorities. A variety of processes such as policy-making and organizational planning for personnel provision and utilization; personnel planning, recruitment, selection and placement; training and development; labour relations and collective bargaining as well as compensation administration are presented and analysed. A conclusion 1S drawn on the basis of the findings. Some recommendations are advanced with the hope that their adoption and implementation might contribute significantly in the elimination of the perceived institutional dysfunctioning. / Thesis (DPA)-University of Durban-Westville, 1989.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Local authorities have, as is the case with any other organisation, a set of unique circumstances with which to comply. The arrival of the “new” South Africa, bringing with it, the first fully democratic municipal elections on 5 December 2000, as well as the implementation of the Act on Local Government: The Municipal Systems, Act 32 of 2000, has imposed a considerable burden on the human resource field within local authorities. As a support mechanism, it is important that any organisation has access to an effective and fully equipped human resource section. The history and development of human resource management, has over the years followed various approaches (both classical and contemporary), but particularly in South Africa, human resource management has been influenced by political ideologies (apartheid and democracy with all the various pieces of legislation) which have influenced the thinking. Through the various types of functions, human resource management was responsible for the establishment of a service relationship between the employer (as a dynamic system) and the employee (as a variable and dynamic being with unique characteristics), within an environment which places further demands and responsibilities, in order to establish an optimal fit to the advantage of the shareholders, and which can be managed and regulated. For this reason the human resource management section should possess the necessary skilled capacity in order to adapt to the demands of the day (including legal aspects) and through service delivery support the strategy of the organisation. The effect which change has on human resource management should not be discounted, and consequently necessitates a repositioning of human resource management in terms of positioning within the organisation, its activities (functions) and service delivery (effectiveness and efficiency) in order to make a contribution to the success of the organisation. Although effectivity has been researched and analysed for some time by researchers, the analysis thereof within local government still remains relevant. The relevancy thereof has been propelled by the promulgation of the Act on Local Government: The Municipal Systems, Act 32 of 2000, wherein requirements are laid down for human resource management within local government. The attainment of these requirements contributes to the realisation of the organisational goals, strategies and expectations. The question can be asked whether human resource management satisfies the current and acknowledged theoretical prescription whereby human resource management should be managed and whether human resource management satisfies the principles of the Act of Local Government: Municipal Systems Act. It is against this background that this study articulates as its purpose a survey into the state of human resource management within local government. Due to the extensive nature of the research, only certain variables could be included within the research, and for that reason the research has been limited to councillors, management and human resource management sections from a number of municipalities within the South Cape and Overberg regions. The results of the study indicate that differences do exist with regard to the state and effectiveness of human resource management within local government and the way in which the requirements of the Act on Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, No 32 of 2000, are complied with. Hereby it is implied that the human resource management sections have become removed from the theoretical models whereupon it has been built and that it should reposition itself should it wish to remain a roleplayer within local authorities. In this regard several proposals have been generated as possible solutions to the problem. In conclusion it should be mentioned that the study has made a contribution to the analysis of human resource management sections within local authorities, especially with regard to the functions which it serves, the effectiveness with which it has been delivered and the way it complies with legislation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Plaaslike owerhede het, net soos enige ander organisasie, unieke omstandighede waaraan voldoen moet word. So het die koms van die “nuwe” Suid-Afrika, die eerste ten volle demokratiese munisipale verkiesing wat op 5 Desember 2000 gehou is en die inwerkingtreding van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Stelsels, Wet 32 van 2000, besondere eise aan die menslike hulpbronbestuursafdeling binne plaaslike owerhede gestel. As ondersteuningsmeganisme is dit belangrik dat ‘n organisasie toegang het tot ‘n effektiewe en ten volle toegeruste menslike hulpbronbestuursafdeling. Die geskiedenis en ontwikkeling van menslike hulpbronbestuur het oor die jare heen verskeie benaderings (klassiek en kontemporêr) gevolg, maar veral in Suid- Afrika was menslike hulpbronbestuur ook aan politieke ideologieë (apartheid en demokrasie met sy talle nuwe tipe wetgewings), wat daardeur hulle denkwyses beïnvloed het, uitgelewer. Deur middel van sy verskeie tipe funksies was menslike hulpbronbestuur verantwoordelik vir die daarstelling van ‘n diensverhouding tussen die werkgewer (as dinamiese sisteem) en die werknemer (as veranderlike en dinamiese wese met unieke eienskappe) ten einde optimale passing, tot voordeel van die aandeelhouers, te bestuur en te reguleer. Die diensverhouding geskied binne ‘n omgewing wat verdere eise en verantwoordelikheid stel. Daarom moet die menslike hulpbronbestuursafdeling oor die nodige kundige vermoëns beskik ten einde te kan aanpas by die eise van die dag (wat wetlike aspekte insluit) en deur middel van dienslewering die strategie van die organisasie ondersteun. Die effek wat verandering het op menslike hulpbronbestuur kan nie misken word nie, gevolglik noodsaak dit ‘n herposisionering van die menslike hulpbronbestuursafdeling binne ‘n organisasie, sy aktiwiteite (funksies) en dienslewering (doeltreffendheid en effektiwiteit) ten einde ‘n bydrae te lewer tot die sukses van die organisasie. Alhoewel effektiwiteit al vir ‘n geruime tyd deur navorsers ondersoek en ontleed is, bly die ontleding daarvan binne plaaslike owerhede steeds relevant. Die relevansie het stukrag gekry met die afkondiging van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Stelsels, Wet 32 van 2000, deur vereistes daar te stel waaraan menslike hulpbronbestuur moet voldoen. Die bereiking van hierdie vereistes dra by tot die verwesenliking van die organisasie se doelwitte, strategie en verwagtinge. Die vraag kan egter gevra word of menslike hulpbronbestuur wel voldoen aan die huidige en erkende teoretiese bepalings waarvolgens menslike hulpbronbestuur bestuur behoort te word en of menslike hulpbronbestuur die beginsels van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Stelsels navolg. Dit is teen hierdie agtergrond dat die studie dit juis ten doel het om ‘n opname oor die stand van menslike hulpbronbestuur binne plaaslike owerhede te loods. Vanweë die omvangrykheid van die navorsing kon slegs sekere veranderlikes in die navorsing ingesluit word, daarom is die navorsing beperk tot raadslede, bestuurslede en menslike hulpbronbestuursafdelings van enkele munisipaliteite in die Suid-Kaap- en Overberg streek. Die resultate van die studie dui daarop dat ‘n verskil wel bestaan ten opsigte van die stand en effektiwiteit van menslike hulpbronbestuur in plaaslike owerhede en die wyse waarop aan die vereistes van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Stelsels, Wet 32 van 2000, voldoen word. Hiermee word geïmpliseer dat die menslike hulpbronbestuursafdeling verwyderd geraak het van die teoretiese modelle waarop dit gebou is en gevolglik hulself moet herposisioneer indien hulle steeds as rolspeler binne plaaslike owerhede gesien wil word. In hierdie verband is bepaalde voorstelle gegenereer as potensiële oplossing vir die probleme. Ten slotte kan dit vermeld word dat die studie ‘n bydrae gelewer het tot die analisering van menslike hulpbronbestuursafdelings binne plaaslike owerhede veral ten opsigte van die funksies wat dit verrig, die effektiwiteit waarmee dit uitgevoer word en die wyse waarop aan wetgewing voldoen word.

Thesis (DTech(Public Management))--Cape Technikon, Cape Town, 2002 / South Africa prides itself on its "rainbow nation" status. The term "rainbow nation" has frequently been used to reflect the diversity of the South African community. In the preamble to our present constitution, it is stated that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, and that diversity epitomises the unity of its people. However, if one takes a glance around many local government offices, particular at our senior and middle level management levels, our rainbow appears less colourful than we would like to think. Whatever its meaning, diversity has become a term used freely by both the previous and present government, neither being able to define its true meaning. In fact, they have used the term diversity in so many ways and in so many contexts that it seems to mean many things. With the diversification of local authorities, a new challenge has arisen for the local government manager when resolving, or at least ameliorating, some of the difficulties arising from the widespread diversity found in the workplace. The transformation of local authorities and the implementation of affirmative action programmes were the way government thought diversity should be effected, but this alone will not ensure the employment equity local government managers are seeking. The awareness of selected local government managers (internal managing of diversity) regarding diversity will provide an insight into their acceptance of diverse groups as being a vital resource for an organisation. In return, this will also reflect the commitment of selected local government managers (external managing of diversity) in serving their diverse local communities In this dissertation, the terms "selected local government manager(s)" will be used interchangeably with the term" public manager (s)". The core problem, which this study addresses, revolves around tile different belief windows and the effect these have on the local government manager's self-concept of diversity in the workplace. A belief window refers to an invisible window through which one views diversity This dissertation will attempt to provide the insights and awareness levels of local government managers in respect of diversity management as expounded in the paragraphs that follow. The theories of diversity management in the workplace are explored The focus is on the definition of terms within the study; what managing diversity is not; why diversity management; the different dimensions of diversity; the differences between managing diversity, valuing of differences and affirmative action; models for managing diversity in the workplace; and the consequences of ignoring diversity in the workplace.