FRIDAY, 11.00AM:
A DRAFT affirmative action Bill requiring every business to have an affirmative action policy will be published for comment before year’s end, Labour Minister Tito Mboweni told the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday.
The Bill will follow the Malaysain affirmative action model rather than the American one, in that it will place the onus on businesses to formulate their own affirmative action programmes, rather than imposing black employment quotas.
Mboweni said every business will be required to draw up a plan which will have to be made available to government inspection on demand. “Even Cyril Ramaphosa, Johnnic’s executive chairman, will have to keep his plan ready,” Mboweni said. “The Bill will start a process of deliberate inclusion in the economy of those sections of the population previously excluded.”
“The government will merely ensure that every business has a plan and monitor the progress made with the implementation of those plans,” Mboweni added.