Utilising transformational leadership to implement disability laws in the South African workplace

Abstract South Africa is a party to various international human rights instruments that obligate it to develop enforcement mechanisms to include persons with disabilities in the workplace. Among such mechanisms is the need to develop legislation to deal with workplace disparities. In this context, South Africa has, over the years, enacted different labour laws aimed at addressing disparity and injustices of the past in the workplace. Persons with disabilities are among those who were prejudiced and continue to experience discrimination based on their status. Despite the evolution of the labour legislation and the obligation imposed by international instruments, disability laws are not effectively enforced. While research has been conducted generally on the rights of persons with disabilities, it appears that there has not been much research focussing on the enforcement of disability laws particularly from workplace leader’s perspective. This article therefore seeks to explore South Africa’s obligation towards enforcement of disability provisions in the workplace and recommends a transformational leadership approach to effectively enforce legislation governing disability in the workplace, thereby safeguarding the rights of persons with disabilities.