The Democratic Alliance (DA) has opposed the recent announcement by Employment and Labour Minister, Nomakhosazana Meth, to appoint an additional 20,000 inspectors tasked with enforcing race-based compliance under the Employment Equity Act (EEA).
Meth said she wanted to scale up the number of inspectors from 2,000 to 20,000 to ensure businesses' compliance with labour laws.
The expansion, according to Meth is planned for the medium-term expenditure framework period, and will enhance the department's ability to conduct thorough audits and inspections across the country.
This move, according to the DA, represents a significant misallocation of resources and perpetuates outdated classifications from South Africa's apartheid past.
Michael Bagraim, the DA's spokesperson on Employment and Labour, expressed concern over what he describes as a regressive step toward race-based categorisation.
“This initiative is a blatant misuse of government power aimed at imposing arbitrary numerical targets,” he said.
“Such measures threaten to stifle economic growth and exacerbate the unemployment and cost-of-living crises we currently face.”
Bagraim said the DA is currently preparing legal arguments for an ongoing court case, aiming to declare the Employment Equity Act and its race quotas unconstitutional and unlawful.
Drawing on past victories, the party is determined to push for the complete abolition of what they term the "Race Quotas Act."
“We are emboldened by our previous victories and will continue to fight until the ANC is forced to scrap the Race Quotas Act completely.’’
Furthermore, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has already highlighted inconsistencies in the EEA's definition of "designated groups," pointing out that it conflicts with both constitutional and international law, he said.
The DA argued that rather than facilitating genuine transformation, the initiative could lead to increased bureaucratic inefficiencies and economic stagnation.
In alignment with party’s manifesto, Bagraim said the DA advocates for a non-racial, merit-based economy.
They urged the minister to consider the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for promoting socio-economic development.
In a recent parliamentary session, Bagraim directly questioned Meth on whether she had considered this approach.
Bagraim noted that her disheartening response was a firm "No," which indicates a troubling lack of vision for more effective and inclusive strategies.
IOL Politics