Change to the quality of life of Black mineworkers in South Africa.
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Date
1983
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Abstract
In many respects a gold mine could be viewed as South African
society in microcosm, for it hes many of the same structures and features of its macro-society. In most societies it would be
inappropriate to regard an industrial setting as the microcosm
of the larger society as, in most societies, people are hardly
aware of authority or of the legal system. The principal source
of contact with such systems for most people would be of an
irritant kind, associated with parking and traffic misdemeanours.
This does not apply to the black person in South Africa, where
freedom of movement, place of residence,position at work, use of public facilities, etc. are severely circumscribed. In fact,
it is not unusual for black persons to be accosted by the police
from time to time to determine whether they are permitted to be where they are, or to be removed from premises by white officials.
Moreover, most white persons abrogate unto themselves the right to give instructions to any black person, a situation not
unfamiliar on a mine.
In the South African macro-society and the mine micro-society
the top echelon of jobs, the best living conditions, salaries,
hours of work, conditions of employment, opportunities for
advancement and other privileges are reserved for whites, and
blacks have no authority to effect changes to these conditions.
It is postulated that change in South Africa for blacks is
likely to take a form similar to change on a mine. Consequently,
by studying change to the quality of life of black workers on a
mine, useful insights may be gained into the reactions of black
persons to change in the macro-society.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1983.
Keywords
Working class--South Africa., Miners--South Africa., Industrial sociology--South Africa., Industrial relations--South Africa., Blacks--Employment--South Africa., South Africa--Economic conditions., Theses--Social science.