Abstract
M.A. (Social Sciences)
Presently a fine balance between South Africa's politics and the industrial situation
exists. The South African political focus was aimed at fulfilling the clamouring of
America and Europe, and not tailored for the South Africa situation that asks for
reciprocity. This immediate way of handling the South Africa political field, has
resulted in the industry being at the receiving end of the country's political
controversies. What we find in the industry is a total distortion of white male
managers occupying 88.2% of all the middle and senior positions, whilst 75% of the
South African population consist out of blacks. A very poor representation of
African managers is thus visible in the industry that asks for change, reformation
and renewal. These changes that are required, will have to take place within a
limited accelerated time span, which might be revolutionary rather than evolutionary.
Limited research has been done on coping during stressful situations (Feldman &
Brett, 1983; Latack, 1986; Burke & Belcourt, 1974; Newton & Keenan, 1985 and
Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). The research that had been implemented was
taxonomic (Burke & Belcourt in Newton & Keenan, 1985:108). This scientific
research is about the stress management and coping skills of Afrocentric and
Eurocentric middle managers. These managers are employed by Eskom which
implies a working milieu that has been exposed to reorganisation, structural
changes and rationalisation. An important component of .this research, is that the Eurocentric middle managers are being compared with the Afrocentric middle managers regarding their work and life circumstances and coping skills one or two months before South Africa's very first democratic election that took place on the 27th April 1994. It was important to assess the climate within Eskom as an organisation regarding the white versus the black managers just before a third world democratisation.