DA is crippling the government’s transformation agenda – labour minister

The DA is sabotaging the country’s transformation programme, Minister of Employment and Labour Nomakhosazana Meth says.

The DA is in court this morning (Tuesday) challenging the Employment Equity Amendment Act.

According to the party, this Act is discriminatory and will repel investors and create inequality among different races.

Preserving the ‘unfair status quo’

Meth described the DA’s court challenge as a clear attempt to reverse the progress made since 1994.

“The DA’s challenge seeks to disrupt efforts aimed at achieving equitable representation and maintaining the inherently unfair status quo.

“By opposing these amendments, the DA is actively sabotaging the transformation goals that have been pursued since the end of the apartheid era, effectively hindering progress towards equality and fairness in the workplace.”

The Amendment Act empowers the minister of employment and labour to set numerical targets for equitable representation of suitably qualified individuals from designated groups at all occupational levels.

“This is done after consulting relevant sectors and with the advice of the commission, ensuring that the minister does not act arbitrarily and remains within the framework of the Employment Equity Act,” she said.

She said the Amendment Act introduces flexible employment equity targets.

“Designated employers can set their annual numerical targets in their employment equity plans, which must comply with sectoral targets,” she said.

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Correcting inequality through legislation

Meanwhile, DA federal council chair Helen Zille said she did not believe that using legislation to correct the injustices of the past was the best approach to healing the divisions in the country.

“What is going to achieve the transformation mandate is a growing economy, what is going to militate against it is a shrinking economy and fewer and fewer jobs.

“And as these jobs get fewer and fewer the elites fight over the shrinking number of jobs that exist at the top of the pyramid.

“And then this would encourage mass immigration and skills which undermines economic growth and development,” she said.

Zille said employment equity has not achieved its goals since it was introduced.

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