While corporates continue to call for deregulation, the South African Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana reassured workers on Thursday that affirmative action was not about to be abandoned, nor was there going to be amendments to the employment equity act.
Speaking in Pretoria at the release of the department’s commission for employment equity second annual report, the minister said that the results of the report where disappointing and that there was still marked resistance to state-driven initiatives.
He added that the cut off date of October 1, 2003 for all designated employees to submit their reports would be strictly adhered to and there would be no understanding from the department for late reporting.
“Those that fail to report will face stringent measures. There have already been letters written to companies and non-compliance orders will soon follow,” he said.
Designated employees are those employing 150 or more employees. Those employees hiring 50 to 150 people only have to hand in reports every second year, although this group of employees did not need to report last year and so have to submit reports this year. – I-Net Bridge