3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Hospital hill(2020-03) Enslin-Payne, SamanthaPoppy stood in a narrow strip of shade, but it was no cooler under the spindly tree with the heat rising from the hard sandy shoulder of the road. Her father was bent over the engine of the car, with the bonnet up. He stepped back, wiped his glasses with a handkerchief that he then shoved back in his pocket, before he lent forward again to inspect the engine. Her mother paced up and down smoking. Bella lay on the back seat of the car with both doors open, fanning herself. Harold closed the bonnet. “Let’s get going.” There were words between her parents before they got into the car, but Poppy couldn’t catch them, just the edge in Felicity’s voice and the sigh in Harold’s response. They had already been on the road for a few hours, the car was filled with the remains of the rooms that had not been packed in the van. Poppy’s knees had turned red from the sun, and there were fine scratches on the side of her thigh from the wicker basket on the seat between her and Bella that her sister, trying to gain more space for herself, kept pushing closer to her. It was packed with the photo album, their mother’s jewellery box and four small framed paintings carefully wrapped in fabric.Item Identity constructions of black South African female students.(2013-07-25) Mophosho, Bonolo OnkgapileA viewpoint of the intersectional and complex nature of identity is seen to be integral to the understanding of the identities of black female students. ‘Identity constructions of black South African female students’ is an exploratory study with a view to understand the identities of black South African women in institutions of higher learning and education. The study investigated the experiences of 16 female South African black students; with a focus on their race category, gender as well as class subject positions. The study is placed within the context of the Historically White University (HWU) and was specifically conducted in a HWU situated in Johannesburg. The students’ articulations of their university experiences were explored qualitatively, within three focus group discussions through an open-ended interview guideline. Results show that their education is accounted for as a significant influence in their subjectivity given the social mobility it grants as the women’s experience of self shifts as does their position in society. Furthermore it was found that with the cultural capital attained through education, notions of class, racial and gender identities are affected and a multiplicity of identities exists as a result.Item Trade unions and the provision of social protection in South Africa : a case study on the influence of CONSAWU and COSATU on pension policies in post apartheid era.(2012-07-11) Shaba, Wezi GaleraThe post apartheid South African government inherited a racially designed social protection system. This system was discriminatory, mainly served the white population and excluded the majority of black South Africans. Recognising this discrepancy, the ANC government embarked on the transformation of the existing social welfare programs which aimed at ensuring that basic welfare rights are provided to all citizens, priotising those who had historically been disadvantaged. Many years have passed since the democratic government came to power and started to carry out reforms that were aimed at increasing coverage of both occupational and social pensions. While great slides have been made in extending coverage of social pensions, ironically, only slightly more than half (52%) of South Africa’s 12.6 million workers are covered. This study aimed at investigating the extent to which trade unions have been able to influence policy formulation related to social protection, especially those aimed at increasing coverage of social and occupational pensions. The study focused on the roles played by CONSAWU and COSATU and it used in-depth interviews as the main tool for collecting data. Interviewees were identified using purposive sampling from both trade unions and government departments that closely deal with social protection issues. The study has revealed that trade unions’ influence in policy formulation for social protection has not been effective enough. This could be attributed in part to the paternalistic approach by government departments towards labour in policy issues and inadequate vigilance from trade unions to claim their rightful position.Item Shop floor challenges, opportunities and strategies of shop steward in post-apartheid South Africa : a case study of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA).(2012-07-05) Mutyanda, NunurayiThere is general consensus that the reorganisation of production and labour processes and shift in union ideological focus and growth of bureaucratic structures have resulted in the diminishing of a collective voice at most workplaces. This study explores the challenges facing shop stewards at the shop floor in their day to day activities in the aftermath of these changes and examines ways through which they get around them. The day to day activities of shop stewards is not a new phenomenon. However shop stewards have not been targeted as subject for study since democratisation. Where they were mentioned, it was mostly due to their involvement at the shop floor where they are required to carry the workers grievances to the management as well as explaining union standpoint to constituent. The study affirms arguments by previous researchers that shop stewards play a contradictory role, trying to satisfy the aspirations of the constituents who elected the stewards as well as management, the stewards’ pay master who expect the steward to be a social partner, though the relationship is highly unequal. The study noted that though they are social partners, management is insincere when it comes to work environment where it’s not meeting the minimum safety requirements. Moreover, union bureaucratic structures though they are meant to increase efficiency have wiped shop floor democracy since decisions are mostly handed down from the top, confirming the argument that as organisations grows bigger, they tend towards oligarchy. In-depth interviews were conducted at one plant in Wadeville and another on in Nigel local of NUMSA’s Ekurhuleni region. The interviews were complemented with documentary analysis as well as observation during shop steward council meetings.