Business Report writes that Solidarity has won an appeal made to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) about SA Airways (SAA) excluding white males from their cadet programme.  

According to a statement from the trade union, the finding reverses a previous one made by the HRC’s Gauteng provincial office to the effect that the programme did not appear to be unlawful.  In its ruling the HRC cautions that a fine balance has to be maintained when it comes to the design and implementation of affirmative action programmes so as to prevent unfair harm being done to white South Africans.  According to the HRC, affirmative action must promote social cohesion and reconciliation, and not deepen division.  Solidarity’s contention was that SAA’s cadet programme was not flexible and represented a rigid quota system.  According to union’s appeal, the SAA programme was neither rational nor fair, and due to its inflexibility the programme did not pass the test of fairness.  According to Solidarity Chief Executive Dr Dirk Hermann, the appeal ruling was a major victory.

• Read this report in full at Business Report
• Read Solidarity’s press statement in this regard at Solidarity online

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