Read the Determination of sectoral numerical targets by clicking on the link below:

Govt’s draft minimum five-year race (and gender) targets by sector
Where numerical targets are exceeded, employer must press on to full demographic representivity
Please note: We do not necessarily agree with the views expressed in the articles.

Business organisations say government’s new race and gender targets are procedurally flawed and unconstitutional.

In South Africa, there is much talk about transformation, equality and empowerment. Yet when it comes to hiring people with disabilities, many businesses still fall short. 

Minister of Employment and Labour Nomakhosazana Meth’s Employment Equity Amendment Act aims “to make race laws more exacting by introducing race targets”. This means she is “the perfect recipient of the No More Race Laws petition”.

The department of employment and labour has rejected claims by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that the Employment Equity Amendment Act, which came into effect in January 2025,  has sectoral racial quotas.

In Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union obo S and another / Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, the Commission for Conciliation and Mediation (“CCMA“) had to consider whether the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (“employer“) was liable in terms of section 60 of the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 (“EEA“), following two complainants’ allegations that their employer did not respond adequately when made aware of the allegations of sexual harassment/discrimination committed by their colleague (“accused“).

2025 feels like a watershed year for Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) in South Africa. No longer is the discussion around “if” B-BBEE will change, but rather “when”.

Businesses chasing State contracts will be issued with an Employment Equity (EE) Certificate of Compliance valid for 12 months from the date of issue or until the next date on which the employer is obliged to submit a report, so said Department of Employment and Labour EE Deputy Director: Advocate Masilo Lefika.

Regulations require companies to reduce their white male staff component to as little as 4%

The Department of Employment and Labour is forging ahead with the implementation of the Employment Equity Amendment Act.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended BEE as an engine of growth.

Minimal regulation and scrapping restrictive laws can drive growth and reduce poverty

Part of an employer’s affirmative action obligations in accordance with Section 21 of the Employment Equity Act, 1998 (as amended) (EEA) and the newly enacted Employment Equity Regulations, 2025 (General Administrative EE Regulations) is the duty to report on progress made annually to the Director-General of the Department of Employment and Labour (DoEL).

Empowerment is not a handout, it is access to skills knowledge and ownership…

As unemployment rates soar, the government is considering introducing quotas limiting the number of foreign nationals in various sectors.

The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) on 21 May wrote to ten employment equity consulting firms across South Africa to ask for clarity on a core issue of liberty and law: will they advise their clients to dismiss employees who refuse to racially classify themselves under the Employment Equity Amendment Act?

How South Africa’s strict racial quotas push skilled white professionals abroad.

The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) will be writing to the vice-chancellors and principals of all 26 South African universities this week to ask if they intend forcibly classifying their staff by race, should individuals decline to self-classify, in line with the newly gazetted Employment Equity Sectoral Numerical Targets.

Writer doesn’t seem to realise that racial quotas were the bedrock of apartheid.

For any organisation, especially those operating in technically demanding sectors like mining and manufacturing, a sound Human Resource development strategy is the starting point.

An important step for designated employers to ensure compliance with their affirmative action obligations under the Employment Equity Act, 1998 (as amended) (EEA) and the newly enacted Employment Equity Regulations, 2025 (General Administrative EE Regulations) is the preparation and implementation of their employment equity plan (EE Plan).

The Pretoria High Court has reserved judgment on the DA’s case against the Employment Equity Act.

Minister Nomakhosazana Meth on 15 April gazetted sector-specific employment equity targets for employers.

Employers’ association and Sakeliga promise an immediate challenge to targets based on race, gender and disability under the new Employment Equity Amendment Act.

Cosatu slams claim employment equity law will affect growth.

Employees who earn above a certain amount annually will no longer be covered by South Africa’s labour legislation, effective from Tuesday.

The Ministry of Employment and Labour led by Nomakhosazana Meth has released the new Draft Code on Good Practice on Dismissal for public comment. Legal experts explain what this means for employers and employees.

Martin van Staden says Andrew Thompson relied upon flawed article by Anton Harber to casually dismiss index

This represents an increase of R7,376 from the previous amount of R254,371

Gayton McKenzie, the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, has defended a contentious job advertisement issued by his department. The advert, which lists a preference for “colored males, Indian males, white males, colored females, and Indian females” for the role of Parliamentary and Cabinet Support Officer, has sparked accusations of racial discrimination and questions about compliance with South Africa’s Employment Equity Act. McKenzie, however, stands firm, stating on social media: “Employment Equity, are you saying that you have never heard of it? We are making sure all races are represented, nothing really here to be alarmed about. Salute.”

A winning recipe in achieving economic growth is a streamlined regulatory environment and attractive tax policies for trade and investment.

‘The burden of institutions has become excessive — not only for businesses and citizens but also for public administration,’ the World Bank said.

As with the 2024 Draft Sector Targets, the 2025 Draft Sector Targets are set for “designated groups”, broken down by gender, but there are no specific targets per racial group. The figures are, however, markedly different from the 2023 and 2024 Draft Sector Targets and in many instances are significantly increased.

South Africa is considered to have some of the longest working hours in the world, but to change this would require massive increases in wages and changes to the country’s labour laws.

Dave Steward says demographic representivity poses an existential threat to minorities

Institute says DEL about to unleash new EE race targets on private business

The Nedlac Report on the Labour Law Reform Process has now been published, following negotiations on substantive labour law reforms between organised business, organised labour and government at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), which commenced in April 2022.

Piet le Roux says first round of quotas are supposedly to be met progressively within five years

The Department of Labour and Employment (DoL) will finalise consultations over South Africa’s new BEE targets by the end of February 2025 and publish two new employment equity regulations by the end of March.

On 17 February 2025, the Department of Employment and Labour (“DoEL“), held a virtual meeting where various stakeholders and industry players met to discuss and engage on, inter alia, the employment equity sector targets for the Professional, Scientific and Technical Sector.

During December 2024, the Department of Employment and Labour (DoEL) sent invitations to various stakeholders within 18 sectors, inviting them to attend virtual consultation meetings on numerical sector targets.

The hotly debated Companies Amendment Bills have now been signed into law by the President and were promulgated on 30 July 2024, with the date of implementation yet to be announced.

South Africa’s unemployment rate has decreased marginally, with the latest data showing that 31.9% of South Africans are unemployed.

A new report by the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) calls for a radically new approach to small business development. “Given the stagnation of the small business sector and a government riddled with deficiencies and inefficiencies, the time has come to hand the reins to the private sector and let markets shape the future of entrepreneurship in South Africa,” said Ann Bernstein, executive director of CDE.

Movement says Dept does not even comply with the minimum basic requirements for being lawful and rational

The Minister of Employment and Labour, Ms. Nomakhosazana Meth, has announced an increase in the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for the year 2025, raising it from R27.58 to R28.79 per ordinary hour worked. This adjustment marks a 4.2 percent increase and is aimed at enhancing the economic stability of workers in South Africa.

Wanatu, a new e-hailing service operating in Centurion and Pretoria, has gained notable attention, but it could potentially face legal challenges.

JOHANNESBURG – A Draft Code of Good Practice on Dismissal is set to have an impact on Employment and termination procedures in South Africa. The new code has been published by the Employment and Labour Department and is open to public comment.

The Department of Employment and Labour gazetted a new draft on dismissals, making it easier for small businesses to fire employees.

Institute says we should be encouraging companies to expand and hire more people, not placing more barriers in the way

The newly published Draft Code of Good Practice on Dismissal marks a pivotal reform in South Africa’s employment dismissal framework, providing employers with clearer guidelines, enhanced flexibility, and a strong focus on fair labour practice.

With Sakeliga’s launch of a critical legal challenge to reverse harmful state overreach and BEE in the property sector, its CEO Piet Le Roux warns that the business interest group will have “more and more concurrent cases on these critical matters, not only on BEE in the property sector, but BEE in competition law, BEE in health products” – and is building “a wonderful case” against the NHI. 

An employee’s Labour Court bid has failed after he was dismissed from his job at Overberg Agri-Bedrywe due to using his cellphone while operating heavy machinery, which breached the company’s safety policies.

Businesses abusing employees is a problem but abusing business is probably not the way to solve it.

Sending certain WhatsApp messages can land you in trouble with your employer or in jail in South Africa, and Legal Leaders managing director Aslam Moolla says South Africans should also be careful about sending emojis in work-related conversations.

In a retrenchment process, a section 189(3) notice is often regarded as the vital first step. It serves as an invitation to consult on proposed retrenchments and provides the consulting parties with all relevant information including, among other things, the reasons for the proposed retrenchments, alternatives to retrenchment that have been considered, the proposed selection criteria, severance pay and timing of dismissals. Usually, these topics form the agenda at the consultation meetings.

In a retrenchment process, a section 189(3) notice is often regarded as the vital first step. It serves as an invitation to consult on proposed retrenchments and provides the consulting parties with all relevant information including, among other things, the reasons for the proposed retrenchments, alternatives to retrenchment that have been considered, the proposed selection criteria, severance pay and timing of dismissals. Usually, these topics form the agenda at the consultation meetings.

The unintended consequences of the policies have compounded poverty and inequality in SA.

Misclassifying workers as independent contractors instead of employees can expose employers to serious risks, both from a labour law and tax perspective. The Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 as amended (“LRA”) and other relevant labour laws provide essential protections to employees that independent contractors do not enjoy. Additionally, tax responsibilities shift significantly when someone is deemed an employee, as employers have obligations to the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”) in this context.

WATCH: 2025 started with big changes for some employers.

The Employment Equity Amendment Act came into effect on the first of January, with big changes for companies that employ more than 50 people.

The new laws aim to promote diversity and equality in the workplace.

The Employment Equity Amendment Act (EEA) 4 of 2022 came into effect on 1 January 2025 and is all about promoting diversity and equality in the workplace.

Business groups are preparing a legal fightback against South Africa’s new Employment Equity Amendment Act (EEAA), which will come into effect on 1 January 2025.

As we approach 2025, it’s crucial for employers across South Africa to start gearing up for significant changes under the Employment Equity Amendment Act 4 of 2022.

The President of the Republic of South Africa has recently proclaimed that the Employment Equity Amendment Act No.4 of 2022 (EEAA) shall come into operation on 1 January 2025.

There is mounting foreign case law providing both employers and artificial intelligence (AI) developers with food for thought as South Africa ushered in the National Artificial Intelligence Policy Framework 2024 (Policy Framework) in October 2024.

Department inspectors visiting homes in Secunda between November 4 and November 29, will be able to help with the relevant documents and forms and to offer advice how an employer can be compliant with labour legislation.

The short answer:

Yes, but there are other creditors that need to be paid off first.