Do We or Don’t We? Muslim Women Wearing the Hijab in the South African Work Environment

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the experiences of Muslim women who wear hijab in corporate South Africa. Muslim women from diverse organisations wearing hijab were interviewed. The study produced mixed results. While women who don the hijab were discriminated against in some organisations, in the majority of organisations religious pluralism is embraced. The results further indicate that although South Africa is a secular country, there are various pieces of legislation that protect employees from religious discrimination in the workplace. Employees who don the hijab at lower levels experienced more discrimination compared to those at higher levels. The study further revealed that donning the hijab for Muslim women is viewed from a holistic perspective which includes behaving appropriately and not attending social functions where their religious convictions are jeopardized. The results indicate that wearing the hijab does not impede their career advancement although it does have a negative impact when they attend job interviews in organisations other than their own.