ABSTRACT
Religion plays a pivotal role in the lives of the majority of South Africans. During the apartheid era, religious freedom and accommodation within the workplace was restricted. Religious diversity was not present as the workplace consisted of fairly homogeneous individuals who shared similar views of religious practices and observances. In 1994, with the election of a democratic government, South Africa witnessed an increase in number of Muslims, Hindus, Jews, followers of the African indigenous religions (AIR) and other minority religious groups entering the workplace (Coertzen, 2008). For the first time in South African history, religious freedom was guaranteed by the constitution. However, government’s support of religious freedom in the form of legislation does not guarantee that religious accommodation is respected in the workplace. Nor does it guarantee that it is a simple managerial task to fulfil within organizations. 2014 marks the twentieth anniversary of democracy in South Africa and the question remains, how far did organizations come in accommodating and managing their diverse religious employees?
