Any discussion of industrial citizenship in South Africa is one which requires not only a
focus on the current labour relations dispensation, but which tracks the development of labour
relations in South Africa as it progressed along a winding path, beginning with the import of
trade unionism from Britain in the latter stages of the nineteenth century.1 From the outset
industrial citizenship was not extended to all workers, with race providing the basis for
inclusion and exclusion, and the dual labour relations system was formally crystallized in
1953.2 Under the apartheid regime, labour relations created pattern of inclusion and exclusion
on a racial basis which was swept away in 1979 with the state’s acceptance and
implementation of the recommendations made by the Wiehahn Commission.3 South Africa’s
triple transition has been “accompanied by a process of corporate and workplace
restructuring,”4 engendering new patterns of inclusion and exclusion as South Africa has
entered a globally integrated economy where exclusion is justified on the grounds of cost
reduction and increasing competitiveness.5
This essay aims to make the argument that a large (and growing) portion of the South
African workforce has roughly gone full circle in terms of industrial citizenship – where
under apartheid they were denied labour rights and access to the industrial relations
machinery, they are currently in a situation where the gains won throughout the liberation
struggle and cemented in post-apartheid labour legislation are increasingly being eroded as
they are shifted to a section of the workforce which finds itself beyond the scope of labour
legislation. This paper is divided into four sections, the first providing a discussion of the
dualistic labour relations system. The second section discusses the immediate legislative
reforms effected in the wake of the 1973 Durban strikes, the establishment of the Wiehahn Commission, its recommendations and the effect thereof on labour relations in South Africa.
The third section focuses on the post-apartheid era, and the final section concludes.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. THE DUALISTIC LABOUR RELATIONS SYSTEM
3. BIG RIPPLES IN A SMALL POND
4. THE POST APARTHEID ERA
5. CONCLUSION
Objectives & Themes
This essay examines the evolution of industrial citizenship in South Africa, arguing that the workforce has experienced a cyclical journey from exclusion under apartheid to a modern era where gains are being eroded by global economic pressures and workplace restructuring. The research question explores how the transition to a globally integrated economy has re-introduced patterns of exclusion despite the post-apartheid legislative framework.
- Historical development of the dualistic labour relations system
- Impact of the 1973 Durban strikes on legislative reform
- The role of the Wiehahn Commission in labour liberalization
- The "triple transition" and its effect on labour rights in post-apartheid South Africa
- The rise of non-standard forms of work such as casualisation and externalisation
Excerpt from the Book
THE DUALISTIC LABOUR RELATIONS SYSTEM
The reach of the apartheid system was not confined to the socio-political realm, but extended to the industrial relations system and found itself reflected in, as well as shaping, the occupational and social structure of the workplace. Where white and black workers initially “worked side by side” and shared mutual interests, cheaper black labour presented a threat to white job security and this, coupled with the emergence of Afrikaner nationalism slowly gave rise to widening “divisions in the sphere of labour relations.” Industrial unrest resulting from employer attempts at introducing “black labour into jobs reserved for white union members only” culminated in the 1922 Rand Rebellion, when violence broke out between white miners and the armed forces, resulting in a death toll exceeding 200. Lacking formal legislative framework governing dispute-settling and negotiation between employers and their workers, the government responded to this incident by introducing the Industrial Conciliation Act (ICA) of 1924. Representing the first comprehensive piece of “labour legislation to be introduced,” the ICA was the first step towards a dualistic labour relations system as the omission of ‘pass-bearing natives’ from the definition of ‘employee’ effectively excluded this category of workers from the Act’s provisions. Based on the belief that “black employees were not sufficiently responsible to engage in collective bargaining,” the ICA prevented black workers from joining registered trade unions, thus precluding them from the official dispute resolution and negotiation machinery, a process whereby the state effectively created one system of industrial relations for white, coloured and Indian workers, and another for black workers.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the historical context of industrial citizenship in South Africa and introduces the argument regarding the cyclical erosion of labour rights.
2. THE DUALISTIC LABOUR RELATIONS SYSTEM: Analyzes the emergence of the 1924 Industrial Conciliation Act and the subsequent 1953 Bantu Labour Act, which formalized a segregated industrial relations system.
3. BIG RIPPLES IN A SMALL POND: Examines the 1973 Durban strikes and the subsequent Wiehahn Commission, which initiated legislative reforms and the liberalization of black trade unions.
4. THE POST APARTHEID ERA: Explores the new industrial relations regime post-1994, focusing on the emergence of non-standard work forms like casualisation and externalisation.
5. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, confirming the phenomenon of "continuity through change" in South African labour relations.
Keywords
Industrial citizenship, Apartheid, South Africa, Labour relations, Trade unions, Wiehahn Commission, Industrial Conciliation Act, Triple transition, Casualisation, Externalisation, Informalisation, Standard employment relationship, Labour legislation, Globalisation, Workplace restructuring
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work focuses on the historical and contemporary development of industrial citizenship in South Africa, tracing how the labour relations system has evolved from the apartheid era to the post-apartheid period.
What are the central themes discussed?
Central themes include the dualistic labour relations system, the impact of international pressure and industrial unrest, legislative reforms, and the current challenges posed by the globalisation of the economy.
What is the main research argument?
The essay argues that a large portion of the South African workforce has come "full circle," where gains won through the struggle against apartheid are being eroded by new forms of labour exclusion and workplace restructuring.
Which scientific methods were used for this analysis?
The author uses a historical and policy-oriented analysis, reviewing labour legislation, government commission reports (such as the Wiehahn and Botha Commissions), and existing academic literature on industrial relations.
What topics are covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the 1924 Industrial Conciliation Act, the 1973 Durban strikes, the post-1994 labour legislative regime, and the emergence of non-standard work forms.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Key terms include industrial citizenship, labour relations, trade unions, casualisation, externalisation, and the post-apartheid legislative framework.
How did the Industrial Conciliation Act affect black workers?
The 1924 Act explicitly excluded 'pass-bearing natives' from the definition of 'employee,' thereby preventing black workers from forming registered trade unions and accessing official dispute resolution machinery.
What is meant by the "triple transition" in the South African context?
The "triple transition" refers to the country's multifaceted move towards democracy across political, economic, and social dimensions, which collectively influenced the modern labour landscape.
How does the "Standard Employment Relationship" (SER) relate to current labour issues?
The SER is the benchmark for current labour legislation; however, the rise of casual and externalised work undermines this model, leaving workers in the 'non-core' zones with fewer protections and rights.
What is the significance of the phrase "continuity through change"?
It highlights that despite the collapse of formal apartheid, the structural segmentation of the workforce and patterns of exclusion have persisted under new guises within the modern, globally competitive economy.
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- Nico Smit (Autor:in), 2010, Continuity Through Change?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/214621
