Skills, equity and the labour market in a South African workplace : a case study of Durban Botanic Garden's Parks Department, eThekwini Municipality.

Abstract

This thesis examines the problem of skills shortages in the workplace by reviewing macro-policies, such as the Skills Development and Employment Equity Acts. It also looks at the impact of economic strategies in South Africa that seek to redress past injustices whilst stimulating growth. This study endeavours to provide a greater understanding of the development of skills in the South African workplace in general. It also attempts to determine whether or not skills acquired by employed workers help to sustain them when they become unemployed. Furthermore, it assesses the impact of changes in the workplace chosen for this study, whether it experienced segmentation and casualisation of the workforce and the manner in which it is affected by technological change. In conducting this study, a triangular approach has been adopted in order to collect more data on skill shortages; it adopted the qualitative and quantitative methods. In-depth interviews and semi-structured questionnaires were utilised to collect data from Durban Botanic Gardens’ Parks Department employees. The study found that previously disadvantaged workers face almost the same working conditions as during the days of apartheid. It also shows that progressive skills policies adopted by Government have not been appropriately implemented by various management structures. This study will assist the government, researchers and scholars in general in gaining a clearer understanding about skills development in South Africa. It also recommends that there is a need for the government to come up with mechanisms to ensure that all policies that are adopted are implemented effectively and monitored at all levels.