ABSTRACT
It is difficult to understand South Africa's cultural context without understanding some of the historical background of the country. Much of South Africa's history is influenced by the apartheid era and the segregation of racial groups. Racial segregation started early with the abolishment of slavery in 1834 and then the formal regulation of relations between employers and workers with the Masters and Servants Act of 1841. This Act introduced “pass” laws for black (African) workers, regulated bilateral relations between “master” and “servant” and did not provide for representation of workers' issues. The pass laws in effect also regulated the migration of workers and, because they were applied along racial lines, also contributed to the polarization of race groups (Nel, 2002).
