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BUSA takes government to court over ‘unworkable’ employment equity sectoral targets

Details

BUSANews24 reports that employer lobby group Business Unity SA (BUSA) has instituted legal action against employment equity targets implemented by the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL).

The new employment equity (EE) regulations have introduced sectoral targets for workplace transformation as set by Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth. They took effect from 1 September. BUSA is not the first business group to challenge the sectoral targets introduced under the Employment Equity Act (EEA). Sakeliga and the National Employers Association of SA (Neasa) launched an urgent interdict against the employment equity regulations shortly before they came into effect. This urgent interdict was denied by the Gauteng High Court in August.

BUSA said in a statement that, while it supported the EEA and the concept of sectoral targets, it was concerned about procedural and substantive flaws in how these targets were developed and introduced. “If allowed to stand, they risk undermining the very goal of an inclusive, transformed economy,” BUSA said. It criticised the lack of meaningful consultation in developing the targets, saying employers were given less than a week to respond to draft targets, with many receiving documents just hours before scheduled meetings.

According to BUSA, the DEL also failed to adequately explain how the targets were calculated or the demographic data and assumptions used. “Unworkable targets do not advance transformation. They deepen frustration and erode trust in public policy,” BUSA maintained.

  • Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Aurelia Mouton at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
  • Read too, BUSA joins the march to court over new employment equity targets, at Moneyweb
  • And also, SA’s new employment equity targets face another major legal battle, at BusinessTech


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