There is a lot of talk and no action. That’s the Department of Labour’s verdict on the state of transformation of the work place in the country.
Coming on the eve of the celebration of twenty two years since the dawn of the country’s democracy, during which it was expected that a lot of strides were to be made in transformation, the Department’s 16th Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) Report carries more weight. The report laments that transformation is “not taking place fast enough”.
Reacting to the report’s findings, Minister of Labour, Mildred Oliphant, deemed the pace of transformation “as walking on a stubborn path, especially the upper levels of management where the white group has a tight grip”.
Aware that the situation might not improve if no drastic measures are taken, Oliphant has warned that organisations that do not comply with employment equity within six months will face the full might of the law.
The CEE report states that white people fill 68.9% of top management positions – which is more than six times the Economically Active Population of 9.9%. In this context, Economically Active Population, refers to people from 15 to 64 years of age who are either employed, or unemployed and seeking employment.
