Employment Equity deadline just around the corner

By Khanyisa Tabata
08 September 2009


The Department of Labour has called on employers to hand in their reports on time as the submission date for the Employment Equity approaches.

The department recently conducted rigorous nationwide roadshows advising employers to comply with the equity law requirement.

The department’s call follows on the recent launch of the 9th Commission for Employment Equity report which showed that the South African workplace is far from being transformed with white males occupying 61 percent of top management posts.

The report, which covered the period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009, was handed over to Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana in August.

It revealed that although progress had been made in achieving equity, not enough had been done.


According to the report white men accounted for 44.7 percent of promotions and 48.2 of recruitment. They are followed by 12.7 percent of black men receiving promotions into the top management position and 17.6 of then employed.

Regarding income differentiation, the report showed that Whites and Indians on average earn more money at nearly every level while Africans and Coloureds tended to earn the lowest at nearly every level.

The report also recommends that there be zero tolerance on defaulting companies that must result in prosecutions.