Department of Public Administration

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    Challenges in the devolution of implementation of the employment equity act: case study of Helderberg municipal office in the city of cape town (2014-2019)
    (University of the Western Cape, 2024) Fani, Chuma; Makiva, M
    It cannot be denied that there has been an improvement in demographic representation in the workplace in South Africa since the implementation of equity employment laws, especially the Employment Equity Act, 55 of 1998. While acknowledging the need for improvement regarding challenges tied to employment equity implementation, it must also be recognized that there has been some degree of progress in terms of increasing representation among those who have faced disadvantage. This research paper explores the challenges associated with implementing the Employment Equity Act at the Helderberg municipal office. The rationale for conducting a research study on the implementation of the Employment Equity Act, 55 of 1998, lies in the need to evaluate and understand its effectiveness in promoting equal employment opportunities and combating workplace discrimination in South Africa. This legislation was enacted to address historical imbalances, fostering diversity, and ensuring fair representation in the workplace. By investigating the implementation of this Act, the study aims to assess whether the intended objectives have been achieved, identify any barriers or challenges encountered in its implementation, and propose recommendations for improvement. Through a comprehensive examination of the Act's impact, this research study can contribute valuable insights to policymakers, organizations, and stakeholders involved in the pursuit of equitable and inclusive workplaces in South Africa. This research paper employed the normative and empirical approach for data collection. The normative approach involved analysing the legal framework and policy guidelines that govern employment equity in South Africa, particularly in the municipality. It included examining the Employment Equity Act, its regulations, and related policies such as the Skills Development Act, 97 of 1998. The empirical approach involved collecting data on the implementation of employment equity at the Helderberg municipal office. It included conducting scheduled open-ended questionnaires with an identified sample, such as human resources managers and employees, to understand their perceptions of employment equity practices at the municipality.The qualitative method of data analysis was used to analyse the questionnaire transcripts and other qualitative data collected during the research. This involved identifying themes and patterns in the data to gain insights into how employment equity is being implemented at the municipality, and the challenges its implementation is met with. Amongst some of the key findings of the research is that the City of Cape Town operates a centralized government system. This type of system can present several disadvantages for implementing employment equity in the workplace. Some of the key drawbacks are lack of local context, delayed decision-making, a one-size-fits-all approach, compliance challenges and limited stakeholder engagements. Another finding was that the City of Cape Town had not reviewed or updated its employment equity plan since its inception in 2005. This posed a challenge for the municipality because they continue to struggle with attracting skilled employees from the designated groups. The Employment Equity Act would be best applied if more focus is robustly placed on identified challenges.