DA objects to ANC's Racial Quota Act: Upholding equality and economic stability

14 June 2023

The DA remains steadfast in its opposition to the recent regulations introduced under the Employment Equity Act (EEA). This week, we have formally expressed our objections to these concerning regulations.

The current state of the EEA blatantly violates the constitutional principle of non-racialism, favouring a harmful policy of racial categorisation instead. It infringes upon our constitutional rights and contradicts the core values of equality and freedom in trade, occupation, and profession. Moreover, it disregards the original EEA's explicit prohibition on quotas.

These regulations grant the Minister the authority to impose racial quotas across 18 economic sectors, essentially mandating employers to adhere to predetermined demographic compositions. Failure to comply with these quotas can result in severe penalties, including loss of opportunities for doing business with the state and cancellation of existing state contracts.

This policy not only stifles the free market and hampers individuals' professional pursuits but also poses a threat to the fabric of our society. It is deeply troubling to see provinces like Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West having a proposed 0.0% quota for coloured employees in sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, finance, arts, and science.

In addition to undermining social cohesion, these regulations set perilous precedents for our economic stability. The strict enforcement of quotas and the severe consequences for non-compliance will discourage capital investment and accelerate the brain drain, exacerbating the existing vulnerabilities in our economy due to energy shortages and economic mismanagement.

The DA firmly asserts that the ANC's race quota law is not designed to promote economic growth but rather to foster political gain through racial division. We cannot allow this to happen. We must confront this political manoeuvre head-on, both through legal challenges and at the ballot box.

Our opposition to this unjust law goes beyond submitting objections. We are fully prepared to take this battle to court and contest these regulations. We are committed to leaving no stone unturned in our fight against the ANC and its pursuit of racial engineering.

Our dedication is to the citizens of South Africa, regardless of race, creed, or colour. We envision a future where race-based legislation is consigned to history and where equal opportunities for progress are available to all based on skills and merit. Only a DA Government can transform this vision into reality.

Issued by Michael Cardo, DA Shadow Minister of Employment and Labour, 14 June 2023