Labour laws such as the proposed Employment Equity Amendment Bill could cause irreparable damage to SA's economy

Merit and not the colour of a person's skin should be the criteria when people are employed. South Africa needs the best qualified labour force to allow the economy to grow. This Bill accomplishes the opposite and unlike the ANC and the DA which support it, the Freedom Front Plus is opposed to restrictive labour laws such as the Employment Equity Amendment Bill which could cause irreparable damage to the country's economy, Dr. Pieter Groenewald, the parliamentary leader of the FF Plus says.

Groenewald said during the second reading debate on the proposed Bill in Parliament that the Bill is bad news for the National Development Plan (NDP) and the country's economy as it will deter potential investors.

He said that the FF Plus believes there has to be a balance between the interests of the employer and the employee, but that the Bill mostly takes the interests of employees into account.

"How can it be just and fair if an allegation of discrimination is made against an employer, the burden of proof is on the employer to prove the opposite? It is totally unacceptable.

"The interests of trade unions in South Africa are regarded so highly that it is causing tremendous damage to the country's economy. The imbalance is not in the interest of the country. The ANC's and the DA's support of the Bill is mere election talk to make an impression on the masses.

"I want to tell them that one cannot make the poor wealthy by making the wealthy poor. We should get the right balance because if we have that, we will be able to develop the economy of South Africa," Dr. Groenewald said.

About a possible end to affirmative action, Dr. Groenewald said that it is nearly 20 years since the ANC had taken over and labour laws which embodies a policy such as affirmative action, has resulted in the sun nearly setting on the economy of South Africa.

"The FF Plus will never support it. If you really care about the economy of South Africa, we would not need laws such as these.

 "What we need is the best person for the best work. Let merit be the criteria, not the colour of your skin. If this does not happen, the sun will definitely set on the economy of South Africa," Dr. Groenewald said.

Statement issued by Dr. Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus parliamentary leader, October 24 2013

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