The beat goes on as Employment Equity Committee moves forward...against all odds
Vusi Shabalala reports
With the looming and continued reality and
experience of a tarnished Public Works’
entire image since towards the end of the
year 2011, mostly management, staff,
stakeholders, the public including the media
has felt a frenzy and hostile environment of
being within or part of the system. This
feeling alone left most personnel members
and management alike, who had the
department at their hearts, to seek solace.
It will not always be a case of regret and
stress as we see it today, through the eyes of
the Public Works Employment Equity
Committee. This is one of the departmental
committees whose members show the
agility and eagerness to beat the piano with
a positive note, to steering the department
to moving forward…against all odds. Since
its inception and formalization by the KZN
Public Works executive leadership, the
Departmental Employment Equity
Committee (DEEC) has thus far shown
prominence in the way of doing things.
As we turn our attention today, embracing
the strides made by KZN Department of
Public Works and its officials, our focus is
on the Departmental Employment Equity
Committee which today makes its mark as a
threshold towards Public Works’ stance of
“working together” for a constructive and
productive workforce
To remind the reader, this session was
actually a scheduled committee meeting but
the committee coordinator, Ms Fikile
Luthuli in liaison with other committee
members saw it befitting to invite an
opinion leader relevant to sharing a light
with us to addressing issues of employment
equity in government. With the blessings of
luck that befell on the Department as Dr
Mosia Mojaki from the University of
KwaZulu-Natal had the pleasure to provide
us with his fruitful and concise presentation
that talked to mostly “employment equity”
related concerns or issues experienced in
government work cycle in particular the
Department of Public Works.
Dr Mosia Mojaki from the University of KwaZulu-Natal
busy with a presentation
From the presentation, one could deduce in a simple and fathomable understanding that “employment equity” may mean “equal opportunity”- one of the first concepts commonly used to define equality in employment for all public service. Equally so, this was based on the notion that if discrimination in employment ended, all officials in the public sector would have equal access to equal employment opportunities. However, equal opportunity programs did not result in any significant redistribution in the employment of disadvantaged group members in the government and private workforce.
Ms Fikile Luthuli (left) and Ms Phumla Sibisi (right) and
Mr L I Mthembu seated at the back, all from Head
Office( Fedsure House) made ensured the session went
well as planned.
In supporting these sentiments,
Employment Equity should be seen as a
continuous planning process used by the
Department as an employer of choice to:
- ensure appropriate representation
of all group members throughout
the Public Works’ workforce;
- identify and eliminate barriers in
the department’s employment
procedures and policies;
- implement positive and well defined
policies and practices to ensure the
effects of systemic barriers are
eliminated; and
Furthermore, the aim of Employment
Equity for the KZN Department of Public
Works is to:
- remedy past discrimination in
employment opportunities and
prevent future barriers;
- eliminate employment barriers for
all the group members identified in
the Employment Equity Act ;
- improve access and distribution
throughout all occupations and at all
levels for members of the group
members; and
- foster a conducive equity
environment within the department
The Departmental Equity Committee forum in session
After an hour of intense presentation and discussion, Dr Mojaki eventually left and the committee meeting continued. Chaired by Mr Duma, the General Manager: Corporate Services and also with the presence and active participation of Ms Jean Makhaye Ms Jean Makhaye, the Senior Manager: Human Resource Management, one could indeed attest that this is serious business and that Corporate Services means business.
It’s all systems go as members share a sense of humour
during the session (l to r): Ms P Sibisi, Mr Bongi
Radebe, MsThandeka Zondi from Southern Region and
Ms Jean Makhaye (Senior Manager: Public Works’
Human Resource Management)
It is also quite encouraging to see the direct involvement of managers at such sessions as this spells the passion they have for their work and the Department in entity. To supplement this compliment, such approach by managers directly and indirectly creates that space of job enrichment for employees across
Here above right is Mr Duma, chairperson of the DEEC
with Mr NR Nzimande (on the left) listening
attentively.
It is unbelievable to note that within a short space of time, Corporate Services managed to submit approximately three policies for approval by the Ministry. All that is well always ends well. This is without pretence or favour that the “the beat goes on as Employment Equity Committee moves forward…against all odds.”
(fltr)Ms Gugu Sikhakhane from the North Coast Region,
Mr SJ Atwaru from Head Office (Fedsure House) and
Ms R Saib paying full attention during the presentation
Seen here are members of the committee Ms Zinhle
Mpungose (right) from Midlands Region and on the left
is Ms Carol Stuart-Williams from Head Office (HRD)
Ms Sibisi seated between Mr Hadebe (left) and Ms
Makhaye (right) listening to the chairperson’s closing
remarks
In his closing remarks, Mr Duma made an emphasis to all that it does not take an individual or an employee alone but that the environment has to make matters easy for one to changes possible. “Work environment is a place of making a person develop and become courageous to do good and more good” he stressed. “We anticipate more of these similar sessions in future” he remarked and wish all well for the better.