Department of labour must probe province
18 May 2017
The ANC calls on the Department of Labour and its Employment Equity Commission to conduct a special investigation into the racist Western Cape’s repeated underperformance in transforming the job market.
The latest report (2016/17) by the commission found the colonialist Western Cape is still the most untransformed province at the levels of top and senior management in the country. Although whites represent only 15% of the total provincial economically active population, whites hold 76,6% of top management positions, while blacks (coloured and African) only hold 17,4% of these posts. At senior level more than 65% are white. Almost half of professionally qualified workers are white.
White managers still dominate these levels with African and coloured managers (almost 85% of the Western Cape working population) the most under-represented. The report also notes white males are afforded the highest levels of recruitment and promotion opportunities as compared to the designated groups (women, people living with disability and black workers).
ANC Western Cape leader of the opposition in the legislature Khaya Magaxa says: “I agree with the report the white group apparently gets preferential treatment and therefore it is highly unlikely to achieve equitable representation at the top levels in the near future. Not much have changed as is evident with the very slow pace of real transformation and representation. We need to rapidly implement radical economic transformation.
“The Western Cape shows no or little improvement as there is no political will in the province to change. Premier Helen Zille praises the gains of apartheid colonialism and justifies the current situation by claiming there are not enough suitably qualified people available to appoint, yet there are at least half a dozen universities active in the area producing graduates and well qualified workers for senior positions.
“If they are not giving the chance to prove themselves and the support of real mentorship and not just baasskap superiority, They could have grown exponentially since Zille assumed power in 2009. Zille is in constant denial, while referring to people of colour as refugees and advancing the ‘wonderful’ things colonialism brought.
“She does not lead by example to improve the Western Cape figures. Instead, she got rid of many top and quality managers of colour when she became mayor of Cape Town and premier. The private sector took their lead from her and that is why this province needs special intervention with an investigation to reveal the real reasons for its reluctance to change fundamentally. It is needed soonest.”
Issued by Cobus Grobler or behave of ANC WCape, 18 May 2017
