A critical investigation into the reality of decolonising labour law: a South African perspective = Uphenyo oluhlaziyayo ebukhoneni bokuguqula umthetho wabasebenzi wokungaqoneli: indlelakubuka yaseNingizimu Afrika.

Abstract

This study analysed labour law as more than just what the law is, at face value. The study examined labour law as being influenced by socio-political narratives. To better understand these socio-political narratives and their influences on labour law, the study posed much needed questions concerning race, gender and class in relation to labour law. The study noted that all of these socio-political narratives have been ignored social issues, which are collectively at the forefront to understanding decolonisation. The crux of the dissertation was the reality of decolonising labour law in South Africa. The study used the principle of decolonisation as means of addressing the issues faced by workers in the workplace. The study viewed decolonisation as a suitable tool of analysis in that it allowed the study to use the concept of intersectionality. Linking race, class and gender as the primary points of the oppression of employees in South Africa. The study addressed the different terminologies that were at the centre of the thesis, such as Whiteness, Blackness and African. The importance of this is that these terms are often used interchangeably but within the context of the study, they each play a different role in understanding the racial makeup of the South African workplace. The study presented a discussion of labour law advancing access to justice for the working class through the rejection of the civil litigation principle of costs orders following the result. This discussion highlighted the need to not simply burden workers with costs orders that would deter the poor, often black, workers from fighting injustices in the workplace. The study dealt with the omission of domestic workers from the definition of ‘employee’ in COIDA and provided a discussion on the intersectionality of this apartheid-rooted exclusion. The study also addressed the issue of the commodification of workers through a complete disregard of labour brokerage and suggestion that employees be given a right of first preference in share schemes. The study also discussed the appropriate remedy to racism in the workplace. Finally, the study addressed the link between race, class and the right to strike.

Iqoqa.

Ucwaningo luhlaziye umthetho wezisebenzi ngokungaphezulu kokuthi umthetho wezisebenzi ungumthetho nje, njengobukeka kwawo. Ucwaningo luphenye umthetho wezisebenzi njengoba incazelo yawo inomthelela wezingxoxo zenhlalo yomphakathi nepolitiki. Ukuqonda kangcono incazelo yezingxoxo zenhlalo yomphakathi nepolitiki nomthelela wayo emthethweni wezisebenzi, ucwaningo lubuza imibuzo edingekayo emayelana nobuhlanga, ubulili kanye nohlobo ngokomnotho ebudlelwaneni bakho nomthetho wezisebenzi. Ucwaningo luqaphelise ukuthi zonke lezi zincazelo ngenhlalo yomphakathi nepolitiki bekungezomphakathi ebezinganakiwe, ezihlanganiswa ndawonye phambili, ukuqonda ukuguqula ukuqonela. Ubumqoka balolu cwaningombhalo ubunjalo bokuguqula umthetho wabasebenzi eNingizimu Afrika. Ucwaningo lusebenzise ubunjalo bokuguqula ukuqonela njengendlela yokubhekana nezimo ezibhekene nezisebenzi emsebenzini. Ucwaningo lubuke ukuguqula ukuqonela njengensiza ekulungele ukuhlaziya njengoba luvumele ucwaningo ukuthi lusebenzise umqondomsuka yokuhlobana kwezingxenye. Ukuxhumanisa ubuhlanga, uhlobo ngokomnotho kanye nobulili njengamaphuzu anqala okucindezela abasebenzi eNingizimu Afrika. Ucwaningo lubuke amatemu ahlukene abephakathi nendawo nomqulu, afana nobuMhlophe, ubuMnyama kanye nokuba ngum-Afrika. Ukubaluleka kwalokhu ukuthi la amatemu ajwayele ukusetshenziswa ngokushintshana engqikithini yocwaningo, ngalinye libamba iqhaza elehlukile ukuqonda ukwakheka kobuhlanga endaweni yokusebenza eNingizimu Afrika. Ucwaningo luveze izingxoxo zomthetho wezisebenzi eziveza phambili ukungeneleka ebulungisweni eqoqweni labantu elisebenzayo ngokubandlululwa emthethweni wenqubo yezimiso zezindleko zokuqulwa kwecala emva kwemiphumela. Le ngxoxo igqamise isidingo sokungavele wethwese umthwalo wezisebenzi ngezindleko ezingaba nomphumela ongemuhle ezisebenzini ezimpofu, ngokujwayelekile ezimnyama, ngokulwela ubulungiswa emsebenzini. Ucwaningo lubheke nokushiywa ngaphandle kwezisebenzi zasezindlini encazelweni yokuthi ‘isisebenzi’ kwi-COIDA futhi lwanikeza incazelo yokuhlobana kwezingxenye zalokhu kubandlululwa okuncike esikhathini sobandlululo. Ucwaningo lubuke futhi indaba yokwenziwa izisebenzi kwemikhiqizo edayisekayo, nokunakekelwa okugcwele ngendlela yokunganaki izivumelwano zokusebenza, nokuphakamisa ukuthi izisebenzi zinikwe imvume yokuzikhethela bona kuqala ezinhlakeni zokwabelana. Ucwaningo luphinde futhi kwabuka ukulungiseka okwamukelekile kwelobuhlanga emsebenzini. Okokugcina, ucwaningo lubuke ubudlelwane phakathi kobuhlanga, uhlobo ngokomnotho kanye namalungelo okulwela izidingo.