President Cyril Ramaphosa met with leaders of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Friday. (GCIS/Supplied)
Busang Senne
President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended the Employment Equity Act,emphasising its role in prohibiting unfair discrimination and addressing apartheid-era inequalities.In his weekly newsletter,he wrote that there were calls from some people,including political parties,for labour laws to be "relaxed" in response to the prevailing economic climate.Meanwhile,the DA is challenging the Employment Equity Amendment Act in court,claiming its race-based quotas harm jobs and rights.President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended the Employment Equity Amendment Act in his latest weekly newsletter,saying it prohibits unfair discrimination on the basis of sex,gender,pregnancy and marital status.
Seemingly taking a jab at his party's main partner in the government of national unity (GNU),the DA,Ramaphosa wrote that there had been calls "from some people,for our country's labour laws to be 'relaxed' in response to the prevailing economic climate".
"Stimulating economic growth and job creation and retaining worker protections are not mutually exclusive," Ramaphosa said.
"In fact,worker rights have been found to improve productivity and thereby enhance the growth of companies and the economy. They also help to distribute the benefits of growth more equally and improve economic stability," he said.
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He added that the country's labour laws were part of the government's effort to overcome the structural inequality of apartheid.
"The latest report of the Employment Equity Commission shows how far we still have to go in ending the race-based disparities that exist in our economy.
READ | Ramaphosa wants the DA to explain to him what grudge they have against transformation
Ramaphosa added: "Despite Africans constituting the majority of the economically active population,the majority of top management positions in the private sector are still held by white males."
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"This trend is observed at senior management level in nearly every economic category. Black South Africans are predominantly in the semi-skilled and unskilled categories," Ramaphosa said.
He said that,though there has been much improvement since the advent of employment equity legislation,"it is clear that not enough has been done to change the racial composition of the ownership,control,and management of our economy".
Ramaphosa said:
Employment equity is not the only area where challenges remain.
The DA approached the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to challenge the constitutionality of the Employment Equity Amendment Act,a move that could further strain the GNU.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has also criticised the DA's latest court action,accusing the party once more of being anti-transformation.
According to the DA,real transformation comes through inclusive economic growth,not what it says are divisive race-based quotas.
READ | 'Radical,harmful': DA takes labour minister to court over equity targets,unchecked power
Last Tuesday,DA MP Michael Bagraim said the Act gives the minister unchecked power to enforce rigid quotas.
In a statement,Bagraim said the DA launched a constitutional challenge to Section 15A of the Employment Equity Amendment Act,"which introduces rigid national race quotas in the workplace".
"These quotas will destroy jobs,undermine the economy,and violate the constitutional rights of all South Africans," Bagraim said.
The matter will be heard on Tuesday.
United News - unews.co.za