TRC Final Report

Volume 1

Chapter 11

Part OtherDepts

Subsection 1

Management and Operational Reports

HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

■ INTRODUCTION

1 The tasks of the Human Resources Department were:

a policy development, implementation and maintenance

b recruitment and selection of staff

c administration and maintenance of salary structures, procedures and systems

d staff management

e strategic planning and implementation plans to release contracted staff in line with the Commission’s roll out plan

f office planning

g written and verbal reporting at various levels within the Commission and in response to parliamentary requests on staff-related matters

2 At its peak, the national staff complement was 438 and reflected the diversity of the population. In order to address the previous imbalances in South African employment practices, the policy of affirmative action was applied in making all appointments.

■ POLICY AND PLANNING

3 The human resources function was considered by the Commission to be central to the operations of what was to become a people-intensive organisation. One of the first appointments made by the commissioners, therefore, was that of director of the Human Resources Department – before even the chief executive officer took up his position or offices had been established. The role of the director was to develop strategies and draw up policies and practices.

4 Thus, from February to June 1996, the unit focused on developing systems, structures, policies and procedures. Office planning was based on the principle of providing workstations for each staff member and providing appropriate space for the Commission’s various functions.

5 Although the view was expressed that the procedures adopted were lengthy (given the short time frame of the Commission), they were founded on the legal principles of equity and justice and reflected the victories of the long struggle by the marginalised workforce of South Africa. These formed the cornerstone of equity in the working relationship of employee and employer.

■ STAFF RECRUITMENT AND MANAGEMENT

6 In view of its two-year life span, the Commission needed to hire staff with existing skills and competency. The emphasis of recruitment policy could not, therefore, be on staff development. Speed and sometimes extreme haste were necessary, with the result that competence, skill and compatibility were also sometimes compromised for availability.

7 Various agencies recruited staff. Ongoing recruitment for new and vacated positions continued throughout the life of the Commission.

8 Personnel (or human resource) policies and procedures integrated public and private sector practices with the requirements of the Commission’s founding legislation, and were constantly amended and updated in line with new legislation or the Commission’s requirements.

9 Job descriptions were developed for each function. These were constantly amended and updated in response to changing requirements.

10 Because the Human Resources Department was based in the national office, the regional managers were empowered and mandated to perform general human resource functions in the regions, including recruitment and selection.

11 The Commission’s staff formed regional staff associations, each of which reflected different concerns. The regional associations aligned themselves into a unified, although neither permanent nor structured, national staff association. Their concerns ranged from normal worker/employer conflicts to legislated Commission benefits.

12 Industrial relations policies and procedures were used to resolve disputes, some of which were referred for resolution to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and to the Department of Labour.

13 As the Commission approached the end of its mandate, a four part staff roll out plan was put in place. The plan made the following provisions:

a by 31 July 1997, approximately 22 per cent of staff would leave the Commission’s employ;

b by 30 September 1997, another approximately 22 per cent of staff would leave;

c by 30 December 1997, approximately 43 per cent of staff would leave;

d finally, by 14 March 1998, another approximately 13 per cent of staff should leave the Commission.

14 The plan provided that the remaining few staff members remain until the Commission completed its work at the end of June 1998. It was agreed that the very last group would remain to wind down the Commission’s assets, to facilitate the presentation of the Commission’s last audit report, and to switch off the lights on 31 December 1998.

15 However, as the Commission’s work programme progressed, it became clear that it would not be able to complete all its work within the prescribed eighteen-month period. The Commission’s lifespan was extended, initially by six months and then through to October 1998. The amendments to the Act allowing for this extension also made provision for the Amnesty Committee to continue until its work was completed. The staff roll out plan was adjusted accordingly.