A perception based audit of the Employment Equity Act 55/1998 : an organisational survey conducted on the staff of the Natal Sharks Board.

Abstract

The aims of the study were to determine if unfair discrimination in employment is being eliminated; to establish if a diverse workforce representative of the population is in the process of being achieved, and to find out if economic development and efficiency in the workplace is being promoted. The study made use of the organizational survey research method. Organizational surveys are powerful in: identification of opportunities for improvement, reality check, determining if a strategy is outdated and needs to change, measurement of performance improvements, changing mind-set of management, where necessary, increasing the commitment of people in the organization. The sample consisted of 166 participants. These participants comprised of 110 employees described as Crew Members and 56 employees described as Officers. All races were represented within the sample. In a population of 166 staff members at Natal Sharks Board, a sample of forty (40) participants was randomly selected. The sample was further subdivided into 20 Crew members and 20 Officers. The former 20 participants (Crew) were interviewed through medium of IsiZulu because most of them could not read or write. The latter 20 participants (Officers) were given questionnaires to fill-in. These questionnaires were in English. All 20 participants are competent English-speakers and could read and write. Data gathering took three weeks to complete. Collected data was analysed through quantitative and qualitative methods. The results and the findings of the study were presented according to the aims of the study. The findings according to aim number one, that is, to determine if unfair discrimination in employment is being eliminated; show that there is a change to eliminate discrimination at Sharks Board. The second aim, that is, to establish if a diverse workforce representative of the population is in the process of being achieved; show that there is a change in the diversity of the workforce. The last aim of the study, that is, to find out if economic development and efficiency in the workplace is being promoted at Sharks Board; shows that this process has began.