Grade 12 Life Orientation: Governance, Employment, Stress, and Conflict Resolution

Comprehensive practice flashcards defining core vocabulary terms from Grade 12 Life Orientation, covering constitutional governance tiers, employment acts, labour relations, workplace ethics, stress psychology, and conflict resolution mechanisms.

National Government

The highest level of government in South Africa, responsible under the Constitution for creating and enforcing laws across the entire country for matters such as national defense, foreign policy, and national security.

Provincial Government

The middle tier of government in South Africa that manages regional services and adapts national policies to regional needs, overseeing provincial roads, public healthcare facilities, and schooling (excluding higher education) under Schedules $4$ and $5$ of the Constitution.

Local Government (Municipalities)

The tier of government closest to local communities, divided into metropolitan, local, and district municipalities, responsible for direct community service delivery such as waste collection, water supply maintenance, and creating municipal bylaws.

Bylaws

Local rules and regulations passed and enforced by municipal councils under Section $156$ of the South African Constitution to manage community-level issues such as zoning, food safety at markets, and speed limits in school zones.

National Environmental Management Act (NEMA)

A national environmental statute (Act No. $107$ of $1998$) that ensures sustainable development and environmental protection by mandating environmental impact assessments before major projects and regulating pollution, waste, and conservation.

Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA)

A national privacy statute (Act No. $4$ of $2013$) that regulates how personal data is collected, processed, stored, and utilized to protect citizens from privacy violations and cyber threats.

Vision Statement

A statement articulating the overarching, "big picture" long-term goal or future destination that an individual strives to reach in life.

Personal Mission Statement

A personal roadmap outlining how an individual will attain their vision, composed of three core parts: core values (beliefs and views), life purpose (lifestyle and goals), and future direction (impact on actions and environmental responsibility).

Service Delivery Allocation in South Africa

The multi-tiered governance distribution where the National government sets policy and standards for water, healthcare, and education; Provincial government runs hospitals and implements school policies; and Local government maintains municipal water systems and local infrastructure.

WAR Technique

An interview response strategy where candidates structure answers to competency questions by detailing Weakness, Action, and Result to demonstrate proactive self-improvement.

Global Corruption Barometer Africa 2019 Findings (South Africa)

A public sector survey reporting that $82\%$ of respondents interacted with public services and $18\%$ of those individuals paid a bribe, with policing recording the highest bribery rate at $19\%$ ($8.4\%$ of all respondents).

Bribery

The illicit act of offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting value or money to influence the actions or decisions of a public official or person in charge of a legal duty.

Nepotism

The unfair practice of showing favoritism toward family members or relatives, particularly by appointing them to jobs or awarding them contracts without regard to merit.

Employment Contract

A legally binding agreement entered into by an employer and employee that sets out the conditions of service, salary, work hours, disciplinary procedures, and mutual rights and obligations.

Conditions of Service

The mandatory baseline terms of employment outlined in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), covering minimum standards such as work hours, leave allocations, remuneration, and termination rules.

Labour Relations Act (LRA)

Act No. $66$ of $1995$, which advances economic development and labour peace by regulating trade unions, promoting collective bargaining, managing strikes and lockouts, and establishing the CCMA and Labour Courts.

Employment Equity Act (EEA)

Act No. $55$ of $1998$, which eliminates unfair workplace discrimination based on race, gender, pregnancy, disability, or religion, and requires affirmative action measures to ensure equal representation in all occupational categories.

Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA)

Act No. $75$ of $1997$, which sets statutory minimum standards for employment conditions including maximum working hours, leave, overtime compensation, records, and notice periods.

Compressed Work Week

A written agreement permissible under the BCEA allowing an employee to work up to $12\text{ hours}$ a day without overtime pay, provided total hours do not exceed $45\text{ ordinary hours}$, $10\text{ hours}$ of overtime, or $5\text{ days}$ in a week.

Overtime Regulations (BCEA)

Statutory rules requiring mutual consent for work beyond ordinary hours, capped at $10\text{ hours}$ a week (or $15\text{ hours}$ via collective agreement for $2\text{ months}$ a year), remunerated at $1.5\text{ times}$ normal pay or compensated with paid time off.

National Minimum Wage (South Africa)

The lowest legal hourly remuneration an employer may pay a worker, legally established at $R27,58\text{ per hour}$ effective 03 February $2024$.

Equity (Workplace)

The principle of fairness and justice that acknowledges that workers do not start from the same position, requiring deliberate adjustments to overcome systemic barriers and ensure fair access to opportunities and resources.

Redress

Active measures undertaken within labour policy to correct historical injustices and disadvantages experienced by designated groups (people of colour, women, and people with disabilities) to achieve equitable representation.

Affirmative Action

Specific positive measures designed to favor and provide equal opportunities to individuals belonging to designated groups who were previously subjected to systemic workplace discrimination.

Trade Union

An association of employees defined under the Labour Relations Act whose primary function is to regulate employer-employee relations, engage in collective bargaining, and defend worker rights.

Work Ethics

The set of moral principles and standards—such as integrity, accountability, honesty, and professionalism—that govern an individual's conduct and diligence in the workplace.

Societal Expectations

The collective norms, standards, and cultural values maintained by a community regarding how individuals should conduct themselves, fulfill responsibilities, and treat others with dignity and respect.

Stress

A physiological and psychological state experienced when an individual perceives that environmental or task demands exceed their personal and social coping resources.

Stressor

Any physical, emotional, social, or environmental factor, event, or demand that triggers a stress reaction in a person.

Eustress

A positive, motivating form of stress that stimulates adrenaline release and promotes high performance during constructive challenges such as competitions or examinations.

Distress

A negative, debilitating form of stress that occurs under excessive or persistent pressure, leading to feelings of being overwhelmed, performance decrements, and physical symptoms like nausea or insomnia.

Chronic Stress

Long-term, unabated stress caused by enduring stressors that can produce severe physical illness (such as ulcers or irritable bowel syndrome) and mental health disorders.

Stress Performance Connection

A bell-shaped performance curve demonstrating that low stress causes sleep and low output, medium stress produces optimal alertness and peak performance, and high stress triggers anxiety and disorganization.

Life Events Stress Impact Scale

A scale rating the psychological impact of major life changes out of $100$, identifying death of a spouse as the highest stressor ($100$), followed by divorce ($73$) and marital separation ($65$).

Casual Relationships

Interpersonal connections with individuals encountered regularly in day-to-day settings without deep emotional intimacy, such as classmates, teammates, and neighbours.

Formal Relationships

Structured, professional relationships governed by institutional roles and rules, such as connections between teachers and students, coaches and athletes, or employers and employees.

SPE Communication Strategy

A practical framework for sustaining friendships through regular contact, standing for Seeing each other in person (S), Phone calls (P), and Email/messaging (E).

Intrapersonal Conflict

An internal psychological struggle or decision-making conflict occurring entirely within an individual's own mind.

Interpersonal Conflict

A clash of interests, opinions, values, or goals arising between two or more different individuals.

RESOLVE Framework

A seven-step strategy for conflict resolution: Reaching out, Engaging in conversation, Seeking to solve the problem, Opening up, Listening intently, Voicing solutions, and Ending on a good note.

"I" Sentences

A conflict communication technique where a speaker expresses their personal feelings and reactions (e.g., "I felt embarrassed when…") rather than using accusatory "you" statements that trigger defensiveness.

Four Horsemen of Communication

Four destructive conversational behaviors during conflict: Criticism (attacking personal character), Contempt (sarcasm, mockery, or eye-rolling), Defensiveness (making excuses through self-righteousness), and Stonewalling (withdrawing from interaction).

Mediation

A structured conflict resolution process in which an impartial third party intervenes to facilitate discussions and assist disputing parties in negotiating a mutually acceptable solution.

Negotiation

A direct dialogue between disputing parties aimed at compromising or reaching a mutually satisfactory agreement.

Collaborating Conflict Style

A highly assertive and cooperative conflict resolution style where both parties work jointly to examine differing perspectives and develop a solution that fully satisfies both parties' objectives.

Accommodating Conflict Style

A passive, low-assertiveness conflict style where one individual yields entirely to the desires of the other, often leading to internal resentment for the person who surrenders their own needs.