Latest news with #JudithNemadzinga-Tshabalala
IOL News
02-08-2025
- Business
- IOL News
G20 pledges to reduce gender gap in workforce participation by 25% by 2030
Deputy Minister Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala says G20 nations have pledged to cut the gender labour gap by 25% by 2030. Image: GCIS G20 member states have reaffirmed their commitment to reducing the gender gap in labour force participation by 25% by 2030 under the newly launched Brisbane–eThekwini Goal, following a two-day Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting (LEMM) hosted at Fancourt Hotel and Country Estate in George. Speaking at the closing session, South Africa's Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala, said the renewed goal seeks not only numerical parity but also addresses the quality and conditions of women's employment. 'In 2014, under Australia's G20 Presidency, Leaders adopted the Brisbane Goal, committing to reduce the gender gap in labour force participation by 25% by 2025. Today, we acknowledge that progress has been uneven. While nearly all G20 countries have narrowed the gap since 2012, only about half are on track to meet the target by next year,' she said. The new Brisbane–eThekwini Goal deepens the G20's resolve to close the gender gap and ensure meaningful participation for women across the global labour market. 'The gender goal urges G20 to go beyond numerical parity and interrogate the quality of women's participation: under what conditions, with what protections, and with what opportunity for advancement?' she added. Key action points outlined under the renewed goal include promoting women's leadership in high-growth sectors like STEM, investing in affordable care infrastructure, addressing occupational segregation and informal work, supporting equal access to training and entrepreneurship, and ensuring fair parental leave and work–life balance policies. The Deputy Minister emphasised that the commitment is rooted in international labour standards, particularly ILO Conventions focused on discrimination, employment policy, and the elimination of violence and harassment in the workplace. 'These instruments are central to protecting workers with family responsibilities and ensuring that care work is recognised, valued and decently remunerated,' she said. The Brisbane–eThekwini Goal also introduces a second major target: reducing the unadjusted gender wage gap by 15% by 2035, measured against 2022 data, with a five-year review to potentially raise the target to 35%. 'To close the wage gap, we must enforce equal pay legislation, promote pay transparency, and tackle structural discrimination in wage-setting,' Nemadzinga-Tshabalala said. She called for better gender-disaggregated data, stronger collective bargaining mechanisms, and support for initiatives such as the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC). In closing, the Deputy Minister said the goal is more than a number—it is a principled pursuit. 'It is a call for courage, consistency and solidarity. As we leave this gathering, let us ensure that one's gender does not condition the dignity of work, and that our economies are measured not only by growth, but by justice,' she said. IOL News
TimesLIVE
13-06-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
System still excludes people with disabilities from jobs and education
For thousands of South Africans living with disabilities gaining access to education and finding employment still remains an uphill battle, despite progressive legislation in the country, says deputy minister of employment and labour Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala. Nemadzinga-Tshabalala was addressing a policy dialogue session in Arcadia, Pretoria, on Thursday. The session, titled 'Transitioning of persons with disabilities into employment', was held in collaboration with the EU through its Education for Employability Programme, the department of basic education, department of higher education & training and department of employment and labour. Nemadzinga-Tshabalala said 'despite progressive legislation, people with disabilities still face systemic exclusion from education and employment'. 'A small number of people with disabilities have access to tertiary education or adequate foundational skills development and training,' she said. Due to exclusion, a substantial portion remained unemployable even when their disability did not affect their work ability. Nemadzinga-Tshabalala listed four major challenges: Limited opportunities were due to a pervasive lack of access to diverse careers and meaningful work, compounded by a historical disconnect between educational outputs for people with disabilities and industry needs, Persistent societal barriers which were a result of stereotyping, prejudice and unconscious bias from employers and society, Perceived obstacles to accommodation, while legitimate concerns existed regarding reasonable accommodation, and Healthcare and transport were seen as insurmountable obstacles rather than manageable, cost-effective adjustments. To address barriers faced by people with disabilities, the departments needed to enhance their initiatives guided by principles intended to promote alignment and collaboration among spheres of government, she said. 'A fragmented approach by government departments creates a significant barrier to a seamless career pathway for people with disabilities. 'We must dismantle a silo mentality when addressing challenges faced by people living with disabilities and build a truly collaborative, interconnected ecosystem supporting people with disabilities from the classrooms to workplace.'
IOL News
16-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Deputy Minister defends Employment Equity Act
Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala. Image: GCIS THE Employment Equity Act (EEA) was not introduced to create racial divides or quotas as alleged, and these narratives, which have been mainly driven by the DA, cannot go unchallenged, says Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala. Among the reasons government had to intervene was because of the slow pace of transformation, particularly in the private sector, which may be attributed to self-regulation by employers. 'It is acknowledged that the slow pace of transformation is attributed to self-regulation of EE targets by the designated employers. As a result of self-regulation, the employers had all the powers in the 27 years of the EEA to set low meaningless EE targets, which they were able to recycle from one year to another or change at their discretion with no will and commitment to transform their workplaces,' said Nemadzinga-Tshabalala. The deputy minister this week led a delegation from the department to brief the Portfolio Committee on the advancement of Employment Equity in South Africa. The department explained the amendments of the EEA, draw their genesis in 2019, when the Department and Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) initiated sector engagements with the intention of the setting of sector EE targets to give impetus to workplace transformation. The Employment Equity Amendment Act No. 4 of 2022, came into effect on 1 January 2025. The department said employers should be reviewing their reports for submissions and must therefore use the Amended EEA legislation to comply with the reporting requirements. Last week, the DA argued before the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that amendments to the EEA were replacing a context-sensitive approach where employers set their numerical targets for employment equity, with a rigid, one-size-fits-all system of minister-determined targets. The DA said this violates Section 9 of the Constitution, which governs equality and affirmative action. While Section 9(2) permits affirmative action, it must be approached cautiously and not unduly infringe on dignity or establish absolute barriers, the party said. The deputy minister outlined the importance of understanding that the EEA was not introduced to create racial divides or quotas as alleged - the purpose of the EEA is to achieve equality and equity in the workplace by promoting equal opportunities and fair treatment in employment through the elimination of unfair discrimination. In addition, the EEA aims to implement affirmative action measures to redress the disadvantages in employment experienced by designated groups (black people; women; and persons with disabilities) to ensure equitable representation in all occupational levels in the workforce. 'The false narrative that the Government wants to take away jobs from the coloured and Indian population is a falsehood that must not go unchallenged. This is deliberately designed to create division within the country,' said Nemadzinga-Tshabalala. Committee chairperson, Boyce Maneli emphasised the importance of redress to address the imbalances of the past, which were legislated and continue to linger, despite Government's efforts aimed at transformation. 'If you do not use the tools available at the disposal of the state to implement transformation, you will have a situation where people take matters into their own hands. Discrimination was legislated; therefore, you cannot leave the laws without redressing them,' said Maneli. Nemadzinga-Tshabalala emphasised the need of the government to work with great speed to monitor the implementation of the various legislation. 'In light of all these challenges, Government cannot be expected to fold hands and allow the situation to be 'business as usual' when majority of our people are still being unfairly discriminated against and denied access to equal opportunities of employment due to their race, gender or their disability,' said Nemadzinga-Tshabalala. Cape Times
