Abstract
While as South Africans, we support the dream of an African Renaissance our
developing country and economy has experienced a critical shortage of skills,
which is clearly reflected in our matured gold mining industry.
Against this background, I undertook a modernist qualitative study to (i) capture,
describe, understand skills development on a marginal South African gold mine,
and (ii) create a development framework for human development.
Using symbolic interactionism as broad theoretical framework I designed a single
case study, gathered material first hand through 22 unstructured in-depth
interviews and other data sources, analysed the material by applying a blended
strategy of grounded theory and analytical induction created with a black male
skills development facilitator storyteller his life history.
Exploring the fifteen sets of legislated transformational requirements, over forty
practical opportunities emerged, including an indigenous mindset and cultural
theme, UBUNTU. In addition to the range of recommendations, an UBUNTU
driven skills development framework is suggested as catalyst for optimizing
human resources development on our marginal gold mines. This broad
framework could facilitate a learning culture where people could experience
service delivery of legislation, implementation of existing policy, and effective
skills development.
The two-year study was generally written as a realist tale, which as I left the
research scene represented a co-constructed story bordering an
autoethnographical tale.
Prof. Willem Schurink