Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As early as the unification of South Africa in 1910 enforced discrimination in the military
has been an issue that affected both race and gender. The advent of democracy in South
Africa has brought fundamental changes in spheres of governance. One of these changes is
the transformation of the public service of which the Department of Defence, in particular
the South African National Defence Force, is part.
The constitutional and judicial imperatives stipulated to the government departments to be
representative of the demographic composition of the population of South Africa. The
Department of Defence has provided a policy on equal opportunity and affirmative action
to redress the racial and gender imbalances of the past, to protect individual and groups
against unfair discrimination andto work towards achievement of employment equity.
The study seeks to establish the extent and influence of gender discrimination in the South
African National Defence with particular reference to the SA Army's Western Province
Command. To achieve this, the attitude of the middle and top management of the WP
Command towards the utilisation or employment of women in combat roles were assessed.
The study also investigated whether the mentioned management does encourage women to
be involved or participate in combat roles.
Data was collected from respondents by means of a structured questionnaire consisting of
58 questions (plus 8 unstructured questions). The sample was drawn from the SA Army's
WP Command and the focus was on middle and top management.
Findings of the study indicate that the SA Army's WP Command's middle and top
management supports the equality of men and women in general, but is reluctant to allow
women to participate in combat roles side by side with their male counterparts. Although
there seems to be an understanding and support for the policies of addressing equal
opportunities, traditional cultural beliefs or stereotypes about women still shape and
influence the acceptance and the non-acceptance of women in combat roles
Finally, recommendations highlight issues of consideration when drafting policy vis-a-vis
the utilisation of women as combat soldiers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Reeds so vroeg as Uniewording van Suid Afrika in 1910 was geforseerde diskriminasie
binne die weermag 'n kwessie wat beide ras en geslag beïnvloed het. Die totstandkoming
van 'n demokrasie in Suid Afrika het fundamentele veranderinge in die sfeer van
Staatsbestuur te weeg gebring. Een van hierdie veranderinge het betrekking op die
transformasie van die staatsdiens, waarvan die Suid Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag 'n deel
is.
Daar rus 'n konstitusionele en juridiese verpligting op staatsdepartmente om die
demografiese samestelling van die bevolking van Suid Afrika te weerspieel. Die
Department van Verdediging het 'n beleid van gelyke geleenthede en regstellende optrede
ontwikkelom die rasse- en geslagsongelykhede van die verlede aan te spreek. Die beleid
poog om individue en groepe teen onregverdige diskriminasie te beskerm en om billikheid
in die werksomgewing te verseker.
Hierdie studie poog om die omvang en invloed van geslagsdiskriminasie in die Suid-
Afrikaanse Nasionale .Weermag te bepaal, met spesifieke verwysing na Kommandement
Westelike Provinsie in die Suid-Afrikaanse Leer. Ten einde die omvang en invloed te
bepaal is die houdings van middel- en topbestuur van Kommandement WP beoordeel met
betrekking tot die aanwending of benutting van vrouens in 'n gevegsrol. Die studie poog
om te bepaal of genoemde bestuurders vrouens aanmoedig om betrokke te raak by, of deel
te neem in 'n gevegsrol.
Data insameling het geskied deur middel van 'n gestruktureerde vraelys wat 58 vrae bevat
het (Daar was ook 8 ongestruktureerde vrae ingesluit). Die steekproef is getrek uit lede van
die Suid Afrikaanse Leer verbonde aan Kommandement Westelike Provinsie, met die
spesifieke fokus op middel- en topbestuur.
Bevindings van die studie dui daarop dat middel- en topbestuur van Kommandement
Westelike Provinsie (SA Leer) oor die algemeen gelykheid tussen mans en dames
ondersteun. Hulle is egter onwillig om vrouens toe te laat om sy aan sy met hul manlike
eweknie in 'n gevegsrol te funksioneer.
Alhoewel dit blyk dat daar begrip en steun bestaan vir die beleid wat gelyke geleenthede
voorskryf, bepaal tradisionele kulturele oortuigings of stereotipes met betrekking tot vroue
steeds die aanvaarding of nie-aanvaarding van vrouens in 'n gevegsrol.
Die finale aanbeveling beklemtoon dat daar sekere kwessies is wat oorweging moet geniet
wanneer 'n beleid ten opsigte van die benutting van vroue as soldate in 'n gevegsrol,
opgestel word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52283 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Veldtman, Sazi Livingston. |
| Contributors | Theron, F., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of School of Public Leadership |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 55 v. : [18] p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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