Glenda Daniels
Almost two years after the promulgation of the Employment Equity Act only 10% of the total workforce has undergone training in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
A Department of Labour progress report on equity indicates that 84% of companies have conducted employment equity training.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said this week that its members have begun protests in some companies over the lack of implementation of equity plans, especially affirmative action.
In terms of employment equity law, all employers have to ensure that they give previously disadvantaged groups such as black people, women of all races and disabled people a fairer chance of employment as well as promotions.
The department found that affirmative action measures were implemented by 60% of companies in recruitment procedures, 61% in appointments, 21% in diversity programmes and 33% in retention. The report found that 74% of all new recruits were black, but 97% of these were in unskilled positions.
According to consultancy group Workplace Equity, 45% of companies identified recruitment as a barrier to equity action plans, 31% identified HIV/Aids as a problem, and 40% training and development.
The latest figures on representivity in occupational categories show a decrease in the number of black managers, legislators and senior officials from 27% in October 2000 to 23% in March 2001. African representation in management has decreased from 10% to 9% in the same period. And female representation in management decreased in 28% in October 2000 to 25% in March 2001.
While disabled people are given a special place in the Equity Act, it was found that very little has been done by employers to make provision for them. Disabled employees are estimated to constitute only 1,02% of the total workforce.
l Meanwhile 500 workers from arms-making company Denel Vektor protested last week over lack of transformation and employment equity at their Centurion factory.
Numsa representative Dumisa Ntuli says the company is not implementing what was agreed to in the restructuring transformation team: that black people be promoted to better positions in accordance with the Employment Equity Act.
Ntuli says Denel has failed to “train black workers as per the agreement and the Skills Development Act. The company has deliberately promoted white people [and] has been reluctant to comply with the Employment Equity Act.
“Better jobs are reserved for whites. White workers are deployed and transferred in protected divisions so as to avoid retrenchment in the restructuring plans. Such activities undermine the company integrity and do not inspire a high morale among workers,” Ntuli says.
He says the majority of workers are in a militant mood and will continue to protest until a fair restructuring process takes place. Ntuli adds: “Denel must play a role in encouraging employment growth and create incentives to encourage job-creating investment, which will link to a clear defence policy.”
The company denies that it is involved in deliberate discrimination on the basis of race. Denel manager Sam Basch says: “We are a government-owned company, we have to follow the law. If we don’t follow the Acts we will be in serious trouble. There are ongoing discussions with organised labour at present about the restructuring process.”