Patricia Nomzamo Joubert

Industrial Conflict in Swaziland Patricia Nomzamo Joubert

Swaziland is one of the smallest African countries and has a strong and vibrant traditional culture. Despite this it also has a significant industrial base which developed in the 1970s and 1980s when multinational companies located their operations in Swaziland as a convenient base to evade sanctions imposed on the then apartheid regime in South Africa. They acquired a significant labour force to operate their plants and created much skilled employment. However, conflicts soon arose as workers sought to remedy grievances through organised industrial action. The scale of disputes was particularly high in the 1990s, and they rose in frequency at a time when industrial conflicts elsewhere were declining. This book examines the nature and causes of industrial conflict in Swaziland in the period 1990 to 2000 by reporting the results of a major study carried out at that time. It represents a landmark piece of research from a unique country context. The research reports in detail on Swaziland's industrial relations systems and the emergence of industrial conflicts. Through an extensive survey based on a semi-structured questionnaire, the author analysis the different kinds of industrial conflicts that emerged, perceived causes of conflicts and their impact on the country's industrial conflict resolutions systems. It remains the most detailed study of its kind in Swaziland and is of special relevance to business and management students, researchers and practitioners throughout the wider Southern Africa region.