The Role of Leadership in Driving Change in the Public service: The case of Employment Equity in the Western Cape Education and Health Departments

Abstract

This research attempts to understand why the progress of achieving employment equity is slow by focusing on the role of leadership in driving change in the South Africa public service. Successful change and subsequent transformation depend on leaders who communicate the vision inherent in the change and convince people of the need for change, leaders who "walk the talk" by "living the vision" and successful implementation of laws such as EEA is dependent on the buy-in from leaders at the top and senior management levels. As a result, the thesis has critically reviewed and examined scholarly debates on the role of leadership and its influence on the implementation of laws and policies towards representativeness in the public service. The thesis further explored whether government departments (Western Cape Education and Health departments) are complying with the intentions and stipulations of Employment Equity Act of 1998 by specifically focusing on the nature of Affirmative Action measures being implemented.