The Democratic Alliance has objected to the appointment of thousands of labour inspectors to ensure compliance with employment equity demands.
The minister of employment and labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, recently announced that the number of inspectors would be raised from 2 000 to 20 000.
In response, the DA spokesman on employment and labour, Michael Bagraim, remarked: “This misguided initiative not only misallocates vital resources but also perpetuates outdated apartheid-era classifications that have no place in a modern, democratic South Africa.”
He warned that this would undermine economic growth, and noted that the party’s legal team was working on a case to have the Employment Equity Act and the race quotas it enables declared unconstitutional.
He added: “The South African Human Rights Commission has already pointed out that the definition of ‘designated groups’ in the EEA is inconsistent with constitutional and international law.”
In his statement, Bagraim hinted that this was a matter of contention between the parties in the GNU: “The DA advocates for a non-racial, merit-based economy, as outlined in our manifesto. We urge the Minister to consider the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for promoting socio-economic development, rather than clinging to outdated racial frameworks. In a recent parliamentary session, we directly asked Minister Meth if she has considered this approach; her answer was a disheartening “No.” This reflects a troubling failure to envision a more effective and inclusive strategy for addressing South Africa’s socio-economic challenges. Our focus must remain on creating genuine opportunities that benefit all South Africans – particularly vulnerable groups – based on objective, needs-based criteria. We will continue to hold the government accountable for its misguided policies and will be submitting further parliamentary questions to clarify how the Minister intends to fund and implement this plan, particularly given our already-strained national budget.”