The South African public service has been undergoing fundamental transformation since 1994. The new government has had to build a democratic, inclusive and responsive public sector to the extent that the last two decades have witnessed the most dramatic shifts in public reform. After 1994, the public sector had to be transformed so that it could be representative of the nation’s racial composition, caters for the needs of all citizens irrespective of their racial, ethnic, gender, sexual persuasion and orientation. The government agenda of reconstructing and developing a democratic state depends on the willingness, capabilities and patriotism of the public service. As part of its transformation agenda, the government had to introduce policies that were focusing on promoting affirmative action and employment equity. Through this policy and other related employment equity measures, the South African public sector had to be transformed in terms of racial and gender representivity. This study assesses and evaluates whether the policies and legislation that were geared towards the transformation and democratization of public sector have yielded positive or negative results. By way of a literature review and comparative analysis, this study examines the objectives of affirmative action and analyses the approaches that have been taken since the adoption of this policy in the workplace. It looks at public sector and argues that there are still flaws relating to the implementation of affirmative action in public sector. The extent to which affirmative action programs attempt to implement affirmative action differs if South Africa and the United States of America can be taken as examples. The study considers some of the challenges faced by the new South African government in transforming public sector and interrogates the courts’ application and interpretation of affirmative action legislation. It concludes with recommendations that could be put in place in order to position affirmative action policies in line with the objectives of the South African Constitution, labour laws and American approach where the policy was adopted from.

This is a case study of East London from 1870 to 1914 with gender as the critical analytical category. The focus is on change in the structure of gender relations, evaluated in terms of the recognition of the rights of women and their status in society and women of all race groups are dealt with. A feature of the source material has been the use made of oral history where interviews were conducted with the descendants of women who lived during the study period. There were many indirect factors which had a retrogressive influence on progressive change in the rights and position of women. The initial small size of the population and unbalanced gender ratios, the few natural resources, a small and limited port and periodic unpredictable natural disasters gave rise to a 'boom and burst' economy with very little industry. The result was that initially the women were very conservative and unwilling to make social changes. The military occupation and the outbreak of hostilities in the late 1870s affected social and racial attitudes detrimentally. The entrenched patriarchal system, under which both black and white women lived, and the legal controls, particularly in the marital situation, reinforced the subordination of women, making the system difficult to break. Further conservative forces were at work with the European class system being well entrenched, with most women working for upward mobility, gentrification and respectability. Wealth was critical in determining status and those women from the working class, who had achieved some degree of wealth and status, were not prepared to challenge the system. Religion was important for nearly all white women and converted black women, but was a retarding influence in the growth of feminist consciousness. Little progress was made in improving the condition of women who transgressed the law, the non-respectable women, and ethnicity made no difference. Progress was made in gender relations for women in some fields. The reduction in family size and the improvement in health, gave women more time and energy for public affairs. Participation in sport helped women discard the image of being weak and frail and also improved health. Educational opportunities allowed some to get tertiary training and obtain proper qualifications to earn a living for themselves. Xhosa women who came into the town, made a major break with traditional society and many became independent. The major impetus for change came through women's associations, where women actively worked together and achieved some positive results. Middle class white women could earn an independent living without losing respectability, although it was accepted that women should give up paid employment on marriage. Black women broke traditional ties and many urban women became independent. Conditions for working class and non-respectable women changed very little. A deduction is that many women, both white and black, had sympathy for one another and they created a fund of goodwill on both sides of the colour line.

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. (Sociology of Education) / This study is part of a broader research project that deals with educating towards human rights. The purpose of this study was to determine the matriculants' perception of the duty of the State and the responsibility of the individual towards the State. It is also aimed at informing readers about the rights and duties of the State and individuals as far as education is concerned.

D.Ed. / On 27 April 1994 every person in South Africa exercised his/her basic rights as a citizen. By making a cross, citizens acknowledged the authority of the Constitution, and accepted the responsibility this places on their shoulders. The success or failure of the new South Africa is not dependent on the wording or impact of the Constitution, but relies on the willingness of all South Africans to honour the content of the Constitution. Fundamental rights which apply to each person in the country, can only be demanded on the condition that people want these rights for others too. Every right that is demanded, implies the responsibility to honour that right. South Africa needs humanity, goodwill, benevolence, acceptance and forgiveness. Provided that a culture of human rights can be established in the country, these ideals can become reality. Human rights can and should be made part of the South African reality; the Constitution describes it, the RDP calls for it and society demands it. In the course of this dissertation, school is focused on as the one institution in society that is eligible for the establishment of a culture of human rights. A survey done among practising teachers, underlines this thought. The necessity of, and the need for human rights education is founded in official documentation such as international bills of human rights and conventions, policies of Unesco and the Council of Europe, as well as the educational policies of different countries. World leaders and international academicians plead for the inclusion of human rights teaching programmes in the school curricula and the establishment of a human rights culture as part of the ethos of every school. Available material on the subject, that is implemented in schools all over the world, are introduced and evaluated in the light of South African circumstances and needs. Contents that could possibly be included in a curriculum in South African schools, are represented in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values. Problems facing human rights education in the South African society, as well as worldwide criticism against human rights education are dealt with. The inclusion of a human rights period and the incorporation of human rights contents in the total school curriculum, are suggested in order to establish a human rights ethos in schools. Some examples are given to indicate how contents can be concretised within the class situation. The establishment of an education and a teaching strategy that puts human rights first, and that has the support of all role players, is recommended. The success of the new South Africa will not be determined by the stock exchange, sport achievements, technological breakthroughs or political opinions, but through the attitude and will of each man and each woman to live and let live, and to strive towards a future together. Education and teaching can make each child and each home aware, and sensitise them to acknowledge, respect and accept every other human being. The Bill of Human Rights should not only remain part of the Constitution, but should indeed become part of every person's philosophy of life and attitude towards life.

M.A. (Politics) / The human rights discourse is flawed in theory and practise. Despite this, it remains legally entrenched in the South African constitution and enjoys a high degree of rhetorical popularity. This thesis will suggest a theory that will explain the longevity of the human rights discourse based on its ability to open spaces for the development of political agency. This ability is derived from its essentially emotive nature as a discourse comprised of value judgments. The discourse is in turn shaped by the agents that are mobilized through human rights. Hence, human rights will be described as a dynamic, evolving system as opposed to the a priori, deontological facts that they have traditionally been conceived to be.

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. / South Africa has gone through extensive constitutional changes and the institution of a bill of rights for the protection of basic human rights is a certainty. A bill of rights is an essentially constitutional document, formulating and protecting the basic rights and freedoms of the individual concerning the state. It is, therefore, necessary to familiarize pupils with the nature and content of their basic human rights, since we live in a country with a bill of rights.

D.Litt. et Phil. (Philosophy) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Human rights are currently the focal point of discussion. It is an actuality which' gains prominence as the complexity of society increases. This study will focus on the rights of the individual in relation to the other members of the group and the family. The family is seen as a bond of community in which the individual is anchored. The problems which are therefore addressed in this dissertation, are: Are children sufficiently informed about the rights of the individual in his group and his family? Are there any aspects with regard to the rights of the individual in his group or family about which children have almost no knowledge? The aim of this study was to ascertain to what extent the rights of the individual in the group are communicated to the child by the school, and to determine which educational gaps exists in this respect. The nature of this study is exploratory and descriptive. Exploratory studies have as their aim the exploration of a relatively unknown area. In this project the rights of the individual in his group and family are examined; also whether, and to what extent, these rights are communicated to the child - it is a relatively unknown area in educational studies which is explored. The ways in which the research in this study was by undertaken and carried out, includes amongst others a study of the literature which contains the relevant and, where possible the youngest views of experts on the appropriate area of research. It will form the frame of reference for the empirical study which will follow. The empirical component of the investigation was based on the implementation of a questionnaire. The variables were subjected to an item analysis. The independent variables, ie., sex; character; age; language; language of instruction; religion; news value; experience in teaching; qualification; professional skill and guardianship, were used to investigate the importance of the rights of the individual in relation to the other members of the group and the family.