President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Employment Equity Amendment Bill of 2020 into law, according to a statement by Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya. The bill seeks to transform South Africa's workforce by setting equity targets for economic sectors and regions, as well as promoting workplace diversity and equality.
The amendment bill grants the Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi the power to set employment equity targets for economic sectors and regions where transformation is lacking.
Employment Equity Act
The bill also empowers the Minister to regulate compliance criteria and issue compliance certificates, as per Section 53 of the Employment Equity Act.
In addition to this, the amended act allows the Minister to set regional targets given the regional differences in racial diversity in South Africa.
Employers with more than 50 employees will be required to submit employment equity plans for their companies, outlining how they will achieve the set targets. They will also be required to submit annual reports to the Department of Employment and Labour.
The new law also ensures that workers will be paid equally for the work they do. Employers will be required to pay workers equal pay for equal work, and the bill provides clear definitions of discrimination and sets out what workers can do when facing such discrimination.
They can lodge grievances with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) or the Labour Courts.
Companies seeking to do business with the State will be required to submit a certificate from the Department confirming that they are in compliance with the Employment Equity Act and its objectives. They will also be required to show that they do not pay their employees less than the national minimum wage.
The new measures put in place will ensure that all employees are remunerated fairly and that companies are held accountable for their compliance with employment equity objectives. The government is committed to promoting a more inclusive and equitable society, and this bill is a key part of that commitment.
