Die stand van menslike hulpbronbestuur binne geselekteerde plaaslike owerhede in die Wes-Kaap : 'n opname

Date
2004-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Local authorities have, as is the case with any other organisation, a set of unique circumstances with which to comply. The arrival of the “new” South Africa, bringing with it, the first fully democratic municipal elections on 5 December 2000, as well as the implementation of the Act on Local Government: The Municipal Systems, Act 32 of 2000, has imposed a considerable burden on the human resource field within local authorities. As a support mechanism, it is important that any organisation has access to an effective and fully equipped human resource section. The history and development of human resource management, has over the years followed various approaches (both classical and contemporary), but particularly in South Africa, human resource management has been influenced by political ideologies (apartheid and democracy with all the various pieces of legislation) which have influenced the thinking. Through the various types of functions, human resource management was responsible for the establishment of a service relationship between the employer (as a dynamic system) and the employee (as a variable and dynamic being with unique characteristics), within an environment which places further demands and responsibilities, in order to establish an optimal fit to the advantage of the shareholders, and which can be managed and regulated. For this reason the human resource management section should possess the necessary skilled capacity in order to adapt to the demands of the day (including legal aspects) and through service delivery support the strategy of the organisation. The effect which change has on human resource management should not be discounted, and consequently necessitates a repositioning of human resource management in terms of positioning within the organisation, its activities (functions) and service delivery (effectiveness and efficiency) in order to make a contribution to the success of the organisation. Although effectivity has been researched and analysed for some time by researchers, the analysis thereof within local government still remains relevant. The relevancy thereof has been propelled by the promulgation of the Act on Local Government: The Municipal Systems, Act 32 of 2000, wherein requirements are laid down for human resource management within local government. The attainment of these requirements contributes to the realisation of the organisational goals, strategies and expectations. The question can be asked whether human resource management satisfies the current and acknowledged theoretical prescription whereby human resource management should be managed and whether human resource management satisfies the principles of the Act of Local Government: Municipal Systems Act. It is against this background that this study articulates as its purpose a survey into the state of human resource management within local government. Due to the extensive nature of the research, only certain variables could be included within the research, and for that reason the research has been limited to councillors, management and human resource management sections from a number of municipalities within the South Cape and Overberg regions. The results of the study indicate that differences do exist with regard to the state and effectiveness of human resource management within local government and the way in which the requirements of the Act on Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, No 32 of 2000, are complied with. Hereby it is implied that the human resource management sections have become removed from the theoretical models whereupon it has been built and that it should reposition itself should it wish to remain a roleplayer within local authorities. In this regard several proposals have been generated as possible solutions to the problem. In conclusion it should be mentioned that the study has made a contribution to the analysis of human resource management sections within local authorities, especially with regard to the functions which it serves, the effectiveness with which it has been delivered and the way it complies with legislation.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Plaaslike owerhede het, net soos enige ander organisasie, unieke omstandighede waaraan voldoen moet word. So het die koms van die “nuwe” Suid-Afrika, die eerste ten volle demokratiese munisipale verkiesing wat op 5 Desember 2000 gehou is en die inwerkingtreding van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Stelsels, Wet 32 van 2000, besondere eise aan die menslike hulpbronbestuursafdeling binne plaaslike owerhede gestel. As ondersteuningsmeganisme is dit belangrik dat ‘n organisasie toegang het tot ‘n effektiewe en ten volle toegeruste menslike hulpbronbestuursafdeling. Die geskiedenis en ontwikkeling van menslike hulpbronbestuur het oor die jare heen verskeie benaderings (klassiek en kontemporêr) gevolg, maar veral in Suid- Afrika was menslike hulpbronbestuur ook aan politieke ideologieë (apartheid en demokrasie met sy talle nuwe tipe wetgewings), wat daardeur hulle denkwyses beïnvloed het, uitgelewer. Deur middel van sy verskeie tipe funksies was menslike hulpbronbestuur verantwoordelik vir die daarstelling van ‘n diensverhouding tussen die werkgewer (as dinamiese sisteem) en die werknemer (as veranderlike en dinamiese wese met unieke eienskappe) ten einde optimale passing, tot voordeel van die aandeelhouers, te bestuur en te reguleer. Die diensverhouding geskied binne ‘n omgewing wat verdere eise en verantwoordelikheid stel. Daarom moet die menslike hulpbronbestuursafdeling oor die nodige kundige vermoëns beskik ten einde te kan aanpas by die eise van die dag (wat wetlike aspekte insluit) en deur middel van dienslewering die strategie van die organisasie ondersteun. Die effek wat verandering het op menslike hulpbronbestuur kan nie misken word nie, gevolglik noodsaak dit ‘n herposisionering van die menslike hulpbronbestuursafdeling binne ‘n organisasie, sy aktiwiteite (funksies) en dienslewering (doeltreffendheid en effektiwiteit) ten einde ‘n bydrae te lewer tot die sukses van die organisasie. Alhoewel effektiwiteit al vir ‘n geruime tyd deur navorsers ondersoek en ontleed is, bly die ontleding daarvan binne plaaslike owerhede steeds relevant. Die relevansie het stukrag gekry met die afkondiging van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Stelsels, Wet 32 van 2000, deur vereistes daar te stel waaraan menslike hulpbronbestuur moet voldoen. Die bereiking van hierdie vereistes dra by tot die verwesenliking van die organisasie se doelwitte, strategie en verwagtinge. Die vraag kan egter gevra word of menslike hulpbronbestuur wel voldoen aan die huidige en erkende teoretiese bepalings waarvolgens menslike hulpbronbestuur bestuur behoort te word en of menslike hulpbronbestuur die beginsels van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Stelsels navolg. Dit is teen hierdie agtergrond dat die studie dit juis ten doel het om ‘n opname oor die stand van menslike hulpbronbestuur binne plaaslike owerhede te loods. Vanweë die omvangrykheid van die navorsing kon slegs sekere veranderlikes in die navorsing ingesluit word, daarom is die navorsing beperk tot raadslede, bestuurslede en menslike hulpbronbestuursafdelings van enkele munisipaliteite in die Suid-Kaap- en Overberg streek. Die resultate van die studie dui daarop dat ‘n verskil wel bestaan ten opsigte van die stand en effektiwiteit van menslike hulpbronbestuur in plaaslike owerhede en die wyse waarop aan die vereistes van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Stelsels, Wet 32 van 2000, voldoen word. Hiermee word geïmpliseer dat die menslike hulpbronbestuursafdeling verwyderd geraak het van die teoretiese modelle waarop dit gebou is en gevolglik hulself moet herposisioneer indien hulle steeds as rolspeler binne plaaslike owerhede gesien wil word. In hierdie verband is bepaalde voorstelle gegenereer as potensiële oplossing vir die probleme. Ten slotte kan dit vermeld word dat die studie ‘n bydrae gelewer het tot die analisering van menslike hulpbronbestuursafdelings binne plaaslike owerhede veral ten opsigte van die funksies wat dit verrig, die effektiwiteit waarmee dit uitgevoer word en die wyse waarop aan wetgewing voldoen word.
Description
Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004.
Keywords
Local government -- Personnel management -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Theses -- Industrial psychology, Dissertations -- Industrial psychology
Citation