Abstract:
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the influence of labour brokering on
employment practices, particularly those related to the Employment Equity Act 55
of 1998. The research reported on in this paper is based on a larger research
project that investigated the barriers to and enablers of gender equity within two
higher education institutions. Utilising a qualitative case study at the two South
African universities, the findings demonstrate the contradictions between the
intentions of employment equity policies and practices and the adoption of a
labour brokering employment strategy. Employment equity policies and practices
did not include employees in the cleaning and gardening job categories recruited
through labour brokers. Most importantly, the practice has serious implications for
the economic survival and development of the lowest level of employees at the
universities. The implications of these findings are discussed in the light of the
Labour Relations Amendment Act 6 of 2014.
