By

I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis is my own original work and has not previously in its entirety or in part been submitted at any university or Technikon for a degree. Signature: Date: The framework of the employment relationship is regulated by labour legislation. The relationship is known as the tripartite relationship, it is made up of the employer, employees normally represented by the union and the state. The state is responsible for the statutory and legislative framework within which this relationship is conducted. Legislation has been traditionally written in such a manner that only a selected group could understand and interpret it. The new dispensation in South Africa necessitated a move from the traditional manner in which legislation has been drafted to a more open and transparent format, which the general public ca