Two WC leaders oppose equity regulations
employees would have to use national demographics in their application of employment equity.
Fransman said the issue had been raised in the ANC’s national executive committee meeting at the weekend which was held in the Western Cape, and that the party’s provincial branch had formally sent its submission to the Labour Department. Marais yesterday said ahead of the two-hour meeting with the ANC’s provincial leadership, he and those from the Bruin Bemagtigings Beweging (BBB) had gone to the party’s provincial offices “to fight”.
“We came here to fight, we came here to find out if the ANC in the Western Cape were on the same page as we are,” said Marais. He said the new regulations, published for comment from the public, would make it hard for coloured people in the Western Cape to find employment or be promoted.
“We want the department [of labour] to refer to the [Labour Court] case of the Correctional Services officers,” said Marais.
In February the Labour Court halted the Department of Correctional Services’ use of national demographics as its sole criterion for effecting employment equity.
Fransman said the new regulations contradicted the ANC’s strategy and tactics document of 2002, in which descendents of the Khoi and San were also noted as Africans.
He said the draft regulations were “divergent” to the principles of the constitution.
“We should do anything in power to ensure that those who were opposed are not divided due to regulations,” said Fransman.