The parties should ideally seek solutions to constitutional issues through dialogue, Solidarity deputy general secretary Dirk Hermann said on Wednesday.
"The Employment Equity Act forbids quotas of any kind in order to protect the non-designated group's constitutional right to equality and dignity. In any affirmative action process, rights must be balanced," he said.
On June 10, SAA announced that 40 candidates had qualified for its cadet pilot programme – 10 black men, four black women, nine coloured men, one coloured woman, seven Indian men, two Indian women, and seven white women.
Solidarity has criticised SAA for excluding white men from the programme.
SAA said the decision was made to ensure transformation across all disciplines in the company.
"The HRC must not only investigate human rights violations, but also take preventive action. If the parties come to an agreement, it will serve as an example to South Africa that disputes can also be resolved outside a court," Hermann said.
The FW de Klerk Foundation said SAA had to consider aptitude, not just race, when it selected cadet pilots. – Sapa