Eskom has rejected a claim by the trade union Solidarity that it turned down a coloured man for a job because he was ”too white” to benefit from the company’s affirmative-action programme.
Eskom spokesperson Fani Zulu said on Monday that Leon Christiaans, whose racism complaint is being privately arbitrated this week, was never offered the position in question, that of project engineering specialist.
According to Solidarity, Christiaans said Eskom unjustly discriminated against him on the grounds of his race when he was informed that a promotion that had been offered to him had been withdrawn and the position offered to a black candidate.
”Contrary to the statement made by the Solidarity spokesperson, Jaco Kleynhans, that Mr Christiaans was ‘offered the post and accepted’, the job was never offered to Mr Christiaans,” said Zulu.
”The appointment of the successful candidate was in accordance with Eskom’s employment-equity policy,” he said.
This is not the first time Solidarity has attacked Eskom’s employment-equity policy, which ”has been tested and proved to be constitutional”, said Eskom.
It also denied Solidarity’s claim that its affirmative-action practices violate the guidelines of the International Labour Organisation.
The parastatal would not comment further because the arbitration is still pending.
Reporting on the day’s hearing, Solidarity said Eskom argued that coloured South Africans did not have to carry pass books, and blacks therefore have to enjoy precedence over them in affirmative action.
”The finding of the arbitration court is expected to provide a directive concerning the position of coloured South Africans in affirmative action,” it said. — Sapa