Codes of practice: The implications for job advancement

Abstract

The various codes of practice proposed and applied as guidelines regarding employee rights in South Africa are discussed. There are three groups of codes: codes developed by companies, 'internal codes' developed by other South African organizations such as SACCOLA and TUCSA, and 'external codes' imposed on South African employers from abroad, like the Sullivan principles. While all codes aim at removing discrimination in the work place, local codes focus mainly on economic and some social aspects, and external codes have a stronger political intent. Many problems still exist with the measuring and monitoring of the implementation of these employment codes, sometimes done in-company, sometimes by independent external organizations. Generally trade unions support the codes, some seeing codes as a tool to increase union recognition and power. The codes, however, also have some dysfunctional aspects, because they can shift the focus and priority away from education and training, the all-important factor in Black advancement.
Die verskillende gebruikskodes wat voorgestel en toegepas word as riglyne wat betref werknemersregte in Suid-Afrika word bespreek. Daar is drie soorte kodes: die wat deur maatskappye ontwikkel is, 'interne kodes' ontwikkel deur ander Suid-Afrikaanse organisasies soos SACCOLA en TUCSA, en 'eksterne kodes' wat van oorsee vir Suid-Afrikaanse werkgewers voorgeskryf word, soos die Sullivan-beginsels. Terwyl alle kodes gerig is op die verwydering van diskriminasie in die werksituasie, konsentreer plaaslike kodes meestal op ekonomiese en sommige sosiale aspekte en het eksterne kodes 'n sterker politieke oogmerk. Baie probleme bestaan nog met die meting en opvolging van die implementering van hierdie indiens-kodes, soms binne maatskappye gedoen, soms deur onafhanklike eksterne organisasies. Vakbonde ondersteun in die algemeen die kodes, sommiges sien hulle as 'n hulpmiddel om vakbond-erkenning en -mag te bevorder. Die kodes het egter ook sekere disfunksionele aspekte, omdat hulle die fokus en prioriteit van onderrig en opleiding, die belangrikste faktor in Swart vooruitgang, kan wegskuif.