Perceived causes of workplace conflict at Zonderwater Management Area.

M. Tech. Labour Relations ManagementThe Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is responsible for the rehabilitation, through skills-training and development, of all offenders incarcerated for different kinds of crimes/offences committed in South Africa. The DCS assumes responsibility for safeguarding society against convicted criminals.. It was reported that DCS experienced a dramatic increase in workplace conflict in the period 2008/2009 - 2012/2013, and the situation has not changed ever since. Workplace conflict, especially dysfunctional conflict, creates unstable labour relations and related risks in the DCS, and should therefore be combated without any further delay. The researcher is under the presumption that many forms of dysfunctional workplace conflict in the Department of Correctional Services, arise because managers, trade union representatives and employees have different perceptions of how employment relations practices and behavioural norms should be applied in the workplace. The primary objective of this study was to investigate employee perceptions on the causes of destructive conflict in the workplace of the Department of Correctional Services, and for that purpose, Zonderwater Management Area was purposefully sampled for the research