Employment Equity Act Provisions for 2024 Remain in Effect Pending Amendments

This year’s theme, “Bridging the Equity Gap through Diversity and Inclusion,” reflects the ongoing commitment to improving workplace equity.

During the second annual Employment Equity (EE) roadshow in Rustenburg, Masilo Lefika, Deputy Director of Employment Equity at the Department of Employment and Labour, confirmed that the current provisions of the EE Act will remain in effect for the 2024 reporting period until the new amendments are signed into law.

The roadshow, conducted in collaboration with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), is part of a series aimed at promoting racial, gender, and disability equality in the workplace. The first series of workshops began in the North West province with sessions in Klerksdorp and Rustenburg.

This year's theme, "Bridging the Equity Gap through Diversity and Inclusion," reflects the ongoing commitment to improving workplace equity.

The EE Amendment Bill, signed into law on April 6, 2023, introduces significant changes to the Employment Equity Act of 1998. These amendments are intended to empower the Minister of Employment and Labour to set sector-specific EE numerical targets and to require an EE Compliance Certificate for accessing State contracts.

Lefika noted that previous amendments from 2013 had not achieved the desired impact and emphasized the importance of refining the newly published EE regulations. "Broadening consultation while awaiting proclamation is crucial," he said.

The 2024 EE workshops will address:

The current EE status of the labor market, based on the 24th Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) Annual Report.

Updates on the EE amendments, including proposed draft regulations on sector-specific EE targets.

Insights from the CCMA on cases related to unfair discrimination, harassment, disability, and other arbitrary grounds.

Targeted at employers, senior managers, human resource practitioners, trade unions, and other stakeholders, these workshops aim to provide comprehensive updates and foster discussions on key issues related to employment equity.

The next session of the EE roadshows is scheduled for Upington on August 13, 2024. For further details and updates, visit the Department of Employment and Labour's and the CCMA's social media platforms or the department's website at www.labour.gov.za.