The Commission for Employment Equity Report continues to show a slow pace of workplace transformation in the country.
The report shows that top management positions are still largely occupied by whites at 62%, followed by Africans at 16%, despite the fact that Africans have the highest number in professional qualification at 48% compared to whites at 30%.
Chairperson of the Commission for Employment Equity, Tabea Kabinde, addressed the media at the launch of the report in Johannesburg.
“Our sector targets also make space for persons with disabilities, for the coloured population, and for the Indian population. So, it frustrates us and it makes us angry. We fear that if we can’t get beyond this impasse, there will be no change and the status quo will prevail, and I can tell you now the populous is getting impatient. We’re embarrassed that after so long, we still have in justice, and there is no inclusivity while equity seems to be a faraway dream,” explains Kabinde.
“We are disappointed and angry because of the injustices that prevail as shown by the painfully slow pace of transformation in the workplace. I am embarrassed that after so many years of bringing about social justice, we are still far from achieving our employment equity targets.”
Labour and Employment Minister, Thulas Nxesi has hit back at critics of the new Employment Equity Amendment Act calling them malicious and seeking to sow racial divisions. The Act introduces sectoral numerical targets to ensure equitable representation of suitably qualified people from historically disadvantaged groups based on race, gender, and disability in the workplace.
It requires employers with more than 50 employees to submit employment equity plans indicating how they will achieve these targets.
Nxesi was speaking at the launch of the Commission for Employment Equity Report in Johannesburg.
“I was rather surprised by the controversy surrounding them including false claims that South Africa stands to lose hundreds of thousands of jobs, which will adversely affect citizens particularly those from the coloured and Indian communities. It’s nonsense! It’s important to highlight that both the constitution and the employment equity act does not allow any employer to dismiss or terminate the contract of employment or retrench any employee whether from the white or black community to make space for affirmative action or sector EE targets,” explains Nxesi.
Commission of Employment Equity launch its 23rd report:
