The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) opposed attempts by some organisations to limit affirmative action to benefit only people born before February 1990, the union said on Monday.
”The country should deal with the enormous inequalities created under apartheid for the past three centuries, rather than worrying about who gets the meat and how the affirmative action is poison for others,” said the union.
Numsa was responding to a proposal made by the Tuks Afrikaanse Studente to limit affirmative action to those born before February 2, 1990.
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) and Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on labour last week welcomed the proposal.
Fedusa spokesperson Kim Mapley said the federation had always believed that affirmative action should be implemented for a defined period only, and that those who grew up with equal opportunities should be excluded from the process.
However, Numsa said: ”What is good for the majority can and should be good for the minority.
”A black child born in 2006 in a squatter camp still does not enjoy the same privileges and opportunities as white children”.
The union said the country’s economy would be damaged if affirmative action was reserved only for some.
”We will vigorously frustrate attempts by the federation and opposition parties in Parliament to limit affirmative action”.
Affirmative action was put on the agenda for social and economic change and it was all about scrapping and burying apartheid, it said.
”It is not only about education, but also nutrition, safe and hygienic environment, access to basic services including flushing toilets, clean water and electricity,” the union said.
It said the country was rich enough to ensure fair nourishment for all. – Sapa