As coloured people in the Western Cape only held 6.1% and 8.2% of top and senior management positions in the province respectively, the Department of Employment and Labour said its proposed sector-specific Employment Equity (EE) targets would assist the majority population to be fairly represented.
This comes as the department ended its National Employment Equity Roadshow in partnership with the CCMA in Cape Town recently.
Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) chairperson Tabea Kabinde expressed dissatisfaction about the under-representation of coloured people in the province – the majority population in the Western Cape.
“The setting of sector-specific EE numerical targets will assist the coloured community to be represented equally in all sectors of employment in the Western Cape,” she said.
“According to official statistics coloureds only occupy 6.1% and 8.2% of top and senior management positions in the Western Cape respectively.”
The department’s director of employment equity, Ntsoaki Mamashela, said everybody argued that sector EE targets were quotas, but they were not.
She said the EE targets did not prevent the employment of anyone, and also emphasised that no person would be dismissed or retrenched to advance EE targets. “EE and affirmative action seek to ensure the maximum participation of every citizen in the economy of the country, which is inclusive of the African, coloured, Indian and white population groups” said Mamashela.
Mamashela said employers will still maintain powers to determine their own annual EE targets towards achieving the regulated 5-year sector EE targets.
“Those employers that have surpassed the regulated minimum targets proposed per sector are encouraged to still be proactive in setting EE targets towards achieving the demographics of the employee assistance program.”
She said the purpose of the Act was to promote equal opportunity and fair treatment in employment.
Cosatu spokesperson Matthew Parks, said in most sectors, black and coloured people, together with women, were often overlooked. “It’s quite worrying and we are seeing that on the ground.
It really points to a need to accelerate the EE.” he said.
Cape Coloured Congress (CCC) leader Fadiel Adams said coloured people in general were marginalised across the board in the province.
“We have been tirelessly advocating for equal opportunities and equal representation for the longest time, and it seems that the coloured people are always under-represented ... We always have to fight for services in the province, including job opportunities. I am glad that someone else has brought this to the fore, because we are often seen as perpetuating racism, but that is not so, we just want equal opportunities for everyone, surely that’s not a lot to ask,” he said.
Cape Times