Abstract
D.Ed. (Educational Management)
The South African Higher Education landscape, after the democratic elections of
1994, saw various strategies being employed to effect significant change in the
sector. As a result of political changes in South Africa in 1994, the Government of
National Unity proposed that the higher education system should be reorganized
to address past inequities. Subsequent investigations into restructuring the
higher education system resulted in a wave of mergers across the sector. One
mechanism of effecting such change was the merging of various higher
education (HEls) institutions. The establishment of Ekurhuleni West College
(EWC) for Further Education and Training (FET) in 2004 was the result of the
merger between the following former six technical colleges: Alberton, Boksburg,
Germiston, Kempton, Lazarus Nhlapo and Usizo to form EWC. The newly
merged institution was characterised by problems such as poor communication,
participative management, minimal staff involvement and fear of demotion or loss
of jobs; this led to increased conflict at the newly merged institution.