South Africa minister concerned over whites-dominated economy, urges rectification

South African employers have six months to rectify non-compliance to economic equity EE legislation or will be punished by law, Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant warned on Monday.

South Africa's pace of transformation in the labour market is moving on a stubborn path, especially at the upper levels of management, where the white group has a tight grip, Oliphant said while releasing the 16th Commission For Employment Equity CEE Report in Pretoria.

The representation of the white group at top management level was 68.9 percent, which is more than six times their economic active population (EAP), Oliphant cited the report as saying.

The report shows that Africans account for 77.4 percent of EAP, with coloreds at 10 percent, Indians at 2.7 percent and 9.9 percent for whites.

The report reflects on the status of employment equity in South Africa and how the country has progressed in its workplace transformation.

The representation of persons with disabilities decreased from two percent in 2014 to 1.7 percent in 2015.

"The Department of Labour would give employers at least six months to rectify the situation before the might of the law takes its course," Oliphant said.

The minister expressed concern about the state and pace of transformation in the country which marks its 20th year since the country adopted a new Constitution.

However, the report also shows that the top management level in the public sector is mostly populated by black people (Africans in particular), while white people are mostly concentrated in the private sector.

Concerning gender, white females have a favourable amount of representation than other females in all provinces compared to other race groups, with the Western Cape having the highest representation (14 percent), followed by Limpopo Province (13.6 percent).

The report shows that males are predominantly represented in most of the business types.

The South African economy remains white male dominated in most sectors of the economy, according to the report.

"White people continue to receive preference over other race groups. Even when their contract of employment is terminated in one organisation, they are recruited back again at the same top management level in another organisation during the same period, which is an indication of opportunities afforded specifically to them at the expense of other race groups," Oliphant said. Enditem