Concern raised about transformation

“It is disturbing to note that there are still designated employers who would rather budget for fines and penalties than embracing transformation in the world of work,” Oliphant said.

Addressing a media briefing on Thursday, she said the country is not making much progress in transformation in the workplace.

“The Employment Equity Act is voluntary in its character and introduces the self-regulatory mode of doing things. It is the designated employers who develop their Employment Equity Plans and set their own targets,” Oliphant said.

The Employment Equity Commission (CEE) released its 18th Annual Report and the public register to the Minister at St Georges Hotel in Irene.

“There are times when one feels that even the Employment Equity Plans are put together grudgingly with no real will to implement them. Twenty years since the Employment Equity Act was introduced, there is not much to show for it,” the Minister said.

According the Department of Labour, employers must have employment equity plans which indicate the objectives, affirmative action measures, timetables, duration, procedures and responsibilities that they will implement.

“We are resolute about scaling up inspection and enforcement and targeting those areas that will give us the bigger impact. Our resolve is to ensure that there is equity in a workplace, by ensuring that everyone receives fair treatment, is a non-negotiable.

“This we will do because we know that when equity exists, people have equal access to opportunities and by extension, create an environment conducive for all-inclusive growth and development,” Oliphant said.

She encouraged all social partners to work with government in rooting out the culture of non-compliance.

Employment Equity Commission report

According to the CEE report, 67.7% of the top management positions in the workplace are occupied by the White group; the African group accounts for 14. 3%; Indian group figures stood at 9.4%; while the Coloured group has 5.1% and foreign nationals are at 3.4%.

Males occupy 77.1% of the positions in top management while the figure for females stood at 22. 9%.

In the government sector, Africans occupy 72.2% of the top management positions, while whites occupy 71.1% of the top management positions in the private sector.

Males occupy 67.4% of top management positions in the government sector while females occupy 32.6% of the positions.

Persons with disabilities constitute 1.3% of the top management level positions.

With regards to senior management positions, 56.1% of the positions are occupied by the White group, African group 22.1%; Indian group 10.9%, Coloured group 7.7% and Foreign Nationals 3.2%.

Males occupy 66.2% of the positions in senior management while females occupy 33.8% of those positions.

The Africans group occupy 69.1% of the senior management positions in the government sector and Whites group occupy 61.7% of senior management positions in the private sector.

Males occupy 66.2% of senior management positions in government and females occupy 33.8% of those positions.

In the private sector, male occupy 67.7% in senior management while female occupy 32.3% of those positions.

Persons with disabilities constitute 1.3% positions at senior management level.

A total of 42.2% of the professionally qualified positions are occupied by the African group, followed by White population group 36.5%, Indian group 8.8%, Coloured group 9.6% and foreign nationals stood at 2.9%.

Semi-skilled workers accounted for 76.8% of the African group, 12.1% in the Coloured group 5.9% in the White group, 2.9% in the Indian and foreign nationals stood at 2.4%.

With regards to the technically skilled positions 61.7% of the positions are occupied by the African group, 19.6% occupied by the White Group, followed by Coloured group with 11.3% ; Indian group 5.6% and foreign national 1.7%.

A total of 83.5% of the positions at unskilled level are occupied by Africans; 11.1% by Coloured, 3.5% by foreign nationals, 1.1% the Whites group and 0.8% by the Indians group.