Introduction: Despite the cumulative increase in counterproductive work behaviour in various organisations which have ripple effects on general organisational performance, little is known on how employee engagement relates to counterproductive work behaviour. The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between employee engagement and counterproductive work behaviours of employees at the leading university in South Africa.Methods: The study employed qualitative approach and structured interviews were used to gather data from the both academic and professional services staff. The collected data from fifteen (15) respondents were analysed using thematic analysis, leading to the identification of key themes and patterns.Results: Based on the findings, it became evident that there is an inverse relationship between employee engagement and counterproductive work behaviour. The study also revealed lack of an effective probationary period, unequal treatment of academic and professional services staff in terms of retention strategies, and insufficient attention given to employee engagement were among the primary factors contributing to disengagement within the institution.Discussion: The study concluded that there is a pressing need for change and the implementation of new systems to enhance employee engagement at the organisation. Management should also establish a probationary period for new employees, providing sufficient time for them to acclimate to their roles and allowing line managers and HR to identify and address training needs. Management should enhance communication and feedback channels between employees and management to foster a sense of inclusiveness and ensure that employee concerns are heard and addressed.

Good governance is an essential practice which brings sustainable good living standards and remains a pipedream to various countries. As such, the quest for service delivery has prompted the need for leaders at different levels, from the apex national government level to the lowest local government level, to exercise good governance. In the year 2021, over 5 464 complaints of poor service delivery were recorded in South Africa and of 257 South African municipalities, only 16 were in stable condition. However, there are limited previous studies on the relationship between good governance and service delivery. In pursuit of economic development, the purpose of this paper is to investigate good governance and show its spectre of relevance to service delivery with a view to providing lessons to South Africa. The paper dovetails with good governance and service delivery exercised in various developed countries. The study utilised a literature research approach in which the researcher gathered textbooks, seminar and workshop papers, journal articles, and both local and international newspapers and websites. The paper gives the key findings of this study which are useful to the South African Government. The Government of South Africa should develop useful initiatives to support the improvement of service quality along with the existing tools and systems that promote smooth and effective public service delivery.

The perennial issue of graduate employability remains topical in today’s turbulent labour market environment. Most graduates bear the brunt of unemployment especially in developing countries. Most qualifications offered by higher education institutions specifically focus on technical skills. With the unremitting demands of soft skills in the corporate world, there is a widespread concern and transcending need for the redesign of the curriculum to inculcate the soft skills. In dynamic environment, the tertiary institutions are required to produce highly competent graduates to bode well and meet the relentless demands of South African economy. An avalanche of diversification, globalisation, internationalisation of workplaces has a strong bearing on skill sets employees are expected to possess in South Africa. Against this backdrop, the study sought to investigate soft skills that can be inculcated into the South African’s Tertiary Institutions curriculum to improve graduate employability. Using systematic review method, a total of 85 peer reviewed articles were considered as final studies for review to achieve the primary objective of this paper. From the content analysis, the findings revealed several soft skills. The paper also gave directions on how soft skills can be embedded into the university curricula to prepare graduates for the world of work.

In developing economies like South Africa, the informal traders account for more than half of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and over 70% of the employment. The primary objective of this conceptual paper is to establish the extent to which the socio-economic aspects of informal food traders have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with special attention given to South Africa. Desktop research was adopted as the methodological approach in the form of literature review taking lens of qualitative-interpretative research paradigm. The study demonstrates that COVID-19 pandemic had huge adverse impact on informal food traders. Hence, this study plays an integral role to inform government about the integrated responses from the informal traders in respect of the pandemic and policies implemented. The study also provides amicable insights and recommendations regarding disruptions aligned to incomes, food demand, food trade and supply chains of food particularly among vulnerable and poor fragments of the South African population, posed by future pandemic of the same or similar nature. JEL Classification: M31, M38, M30