Factors Contributing to the Successful Promotion of Persons with Disabilities at Provincial Departments in South Africa

Authors

Phuti Rivonia Mashala, Brian Kwazi Majola

Abstract

Persons with disability constitute about 15% of the world population, yet the official unemployment rate is at least twice that of persons without disabilities. The ILO reported that persons with disabilities are mostly underemployed in low-wage jobs with a lack of promotions and poor working conditions than their counterparts without disabilities in the workplace. Many studies conducted focus on the factors affecting the employment of persons with disabilities in general and very few on their successful promotion to higher positions. This paper aims to identify the factors contributing to the successful promotion of persons with disabilities at the selected Limpopo Provincial Department in South Africa. The study is exploratory and adopts a qualitative approach. It focuses on the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) where eighteen respondents were purposively sampled, nine persons with different disabilities and nine human resource officials. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using an interview guide to allow respondents to disclose their thoughts and feelings about promotional experiences. Some interviews were conducted face-to-face and virtually due to time and financial constraints. Data was collected using secondary information such as government policies, reports, prescripts, and publications. Thematic analysis was used, and themes were induced from the interview data. Data was presented in the form of tables and percentages. The study recommends that provincial departments promote a culture of inclusion where persons with disabilities feel valued, respected, and supported in various ways.

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Suggested Citation (APA 7th)

Mashala, P., Majola, B. (2024). Factors Contributing to the Successful Promotion of Persons with Disabilities at Provincial Departments in South Africa. International Journal of Applied Research in Business and Management, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.51137/ijarbm.2024.5.2.21