History of South Africa: Economic
Jobs
Blacks were excluded from most senior-level jobs legally although they were qualified. Many skilled jobs and jobs at the managerial position are taken by whites as the Apartheid legislation reserved these jobs for them. With poorer education than the whites, some Blacks were not qualified for jobs. In general, Blacks received lower wages than whites for similar jobs.
The domestic work force was largely dominated by black women. Some worked in clerical positions or in temporary jobs and in agriculture. Women manage most agricultural production in the former homelands and rural areas where men frequently leave home to work in cities or in the mines. White women most often worked in service industries and clerical positions; a few white women held supervisory jobs or government offices.
The whites felt threatened by their own economic standing and so they often opposed benefits for black workers. In the 1980s, there was a greater demand for greater wages and as all the union leaders were whites, some employers refused to negotiate with black representatives and also because of legal restrictions on black labour organizations. (Byrnes, 1996).
Economic growth and industries
A century of South African industrial development had relied on an abundance of low-wage labour in order to ensure profits. The implementation of Apartheid along with new technologies developed during the 1960s and the 1970s led to many industries investing in sophisticated machinery and employing few skilled technicians rather than adopt labour-intensive methods that would require training and managing a large work force. This led to lower labour costs and increased productivity. With such capita-intensive operations, unemployment was on the rise and poverty prevailed in the country. This resulted in resentment amongst the people and cost of preserving apartheid increased. (Byrnes, 1996).
Immigration
During apartheid, the situation in the country led to the exodus of professionals. There was a net loss of 507 and 945 skilled workers in the years 1977 and 1978 respectively and a net loss of 1215 and 902 professionals in the years 1986 and 1987 respectively. During apartheid between 1965 and 1985, more than one fifth of the highly skilled and professional workers were immigrants especially the whites who sought career opportunities abroad as South Africa was also experiencing high economic growth rates. (Bailey, 2003).
Blacks were excluded from most senior-level jobs legally although they were qualified. Many skilled jobs and jobs at the managerial position are taken by whites as the Apartheid legislation reserved these jobs for them. With poorer education than the whites, some Blacks were not qualified for jobs. In general, Blacks received lower wages than whites for similar jobs.
The domestic work force was largely dominated by black women. Some worked in clerical positions or in temporary jobs and in agriculture. Women manage most agricultural production in the former homelands and rural areas where men frequently leave home to work in cities or in the mines. White women most often worked in service industries and clerical positions; a few white women held supervisory jobs or government offices.
The whites felt threatened by their own economic standing and so they often opposed benefits for black workers. In the 1980s, there was a greater demand for greater wages and as all the union leaders were whites, some employers refused to negotiate with black representatives and also because of legal restrictions on black labour organizations. (Byrnes, 1996).
Economic growth and industries
A century of South African industrial development had relied on an abundance of low-wage labour in order to ensure profits. The implementation of Apartheid along with new technologies developed during the 1960s and the 1970s led to many industries investing in sophisticated machinery and employing few skilled technicians rather than adopt labour-intensive methods that would require training and managing a large work force. This led to lower labour costs and increased productivity. With such capita-intensive operations, unemployment was on the rise and poverty prevailed in the country. This resulted in resentment amongst the people and cost of preserving apartheid increased. (Byrnes, 1996).
Immigration
During apartheid, the situation in the country led to the exodus of professionals. There was a net loss of 507 and 945 skilled workers in the years 1977 and 1978 respectively and a net loss of 1215 and 902 professionals in the years 1986 and 1987 respectively. During apartheid between 1965 and 1985, more than one fifth of the highly skilled and professional workers were immigrants especially the whites who sought career opportunities abroad as South Africa was also experiencing high economic growth rates. (Bailey, 2003).