Comair will not be bullied by an inefficient and ineffective government department, the company said on Sunday.
It was responding to accusations the Department of Labour made on the weekend that the company did not hire black people.
Comair’s joint CEO Erik Venter said: ”These allegations are not only blatantly false but also defamatory.”
”Comair has over 850 black staff representing more than half of our team. We will not be bullied by an inefficient and ineffective government department.”
Weekend media reported that Comair told the Department of Labour that their reason for not hiring black people was because they could not swim.
The ability to swim is mandated as a safety requirement by the Civil Aviation Authority.
”Comair was the first airline to hire black cabin crew over 30 years ago. What makes the allegations even more bizarre is the fact that we are the only airline to run a swimming training programme for our cabin crew recruits,” said Venter.
Comair was among six companies that were named by Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana for not complying with employment equity last year.
Other companies were Kumba, Medi-clinic, Verimark, Prism Holdings and Omnia Group.
Venter said Comair has issued the department with a letter of demand instructing them to withdraw press statements that assume Comair to be in breach of the Employment Equity Act.
On Tuesday, Comair will deliver a responding affidavit to the department’s accusations at the Labour Court that, among others, the company refuses to comply with employment equity, has submitted false reports to the department and failed to keep records of compliance. – Sapa