Latest news with #Maneli
The Citizen
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Whites continue to dominate top management roles
Foreign nationals take up 2.8% of top leadership positions. The Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour has expressed serious concerns about the sluggish pace of progress in implementing employment equity across various sectors. During a briefing on Wednesday, the Department of Employment and Labour's progress report, committee members noted that despite legislative efforts, transformation at the top management level remains notably slow. Slow progress in top management Based on 29 269 quality employment equity submissions covering a workforce of 7 699 665 employees during the 2024 reporting period, the report highlighted stark disparities in workforce composition at senior levels. Whites continue to dominate top management positions, making up 61.1% of leadership roles nationally, while Africans represent just 18%, Indians 11.9%, and Coloureds 6.2%. Foreign nationals account for 2.8% of top management positions. The figures suggest a lack of significant movement towards equitable representation at senior levels, with several provinces showing stagnation. In the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Free State, the proportion of White individuals in top management remains particularly high, at 56%, 54%, and 54%, respectively. ALSO READ: 'Can you imagine our system being hacked': MPs sceptical of IEC's e-voting proposal Committee chairperson expresses disappointment Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour, Boyce Maneli, criticised the failure of voluntary compliance to achieve meaningful transformation. 'The report vindicates our long-held view that voluntary compliance with employment equity provisions has not worked,' Maneli said. However, he noted that the Employment Equity Amendment Act of 2022, specifically Section 15A, offers hope for more stringent enforcement. The Act is designed to ensure that employment equity aligns with the Constitution and international labour standards, aiming for a fairer, more inclusive workforce. ALSO READ: Big changes coming for ID, passport applications and birth registrations – Home Affairs Foreign nationals Maneli also emphasised the need to address the employment of foreign nationals within South Africa's legal framework. While acknowledging that certain sectors may require foreign skills, he stressed that the country's unemployment crisis must take priority when filling semi-skilled and unskilled positions. 'With the highest number of unemployment, jobs at semi-skilled and unskilled levels must be given to South Africans, especially those who are registered on the unemployment database of the department,' said Maneli. He also pointed out that employers hiring foreign nationals for scarce skills must demonstrate a skills transfer plan to ensure local workers benefit from these positions. The committee will further explore the issue of foreign national employment in a joint meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs and the Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry, and Competition. NOW READ: FF Plus defends Afrikaner-only enclaves Orania and Kleinfontein, accuses EFF of being the real threat
Zawya
21-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa: Employment and Labour Committee Supports Interventions to Avert Job Losses at ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA)
The Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour supports government's intervention and engagement with ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) regarding potential job losses due to the company's decision to wind down its long steel business, exploring avenues to avert job losses and support affected workers. AMSA raised concerns about possible job losses in the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces as a result of possible closure of the company. The briefing the committee received from the Department of Employment and Labour yesterday was appreciative of the cooperation between the departments of Employment and Labour; Trade, Industry and Competition; and other role-players to secure the possible return of AMSA. Regarding the report of the performance of the Department of Employment and Labour's entities – the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and the Compensation Fund (CF) – in the third quarter, the committee noted areas of overachievement in the quarter from both entities in the area of service delivery. However, the committee raised concerns about a pervasive culture in the department of not filling vacant positions and of employing people in long-standing acting positions. The department should lead by example by filling vacancies to promote a culture of doing so in the entire government system, as this is a problem across all spheres of government, the committee said. The department was unable to respond to questions on this issue from the committee about why these posts were not filled permanently with suitable and competent people. The department asked to be granted another opportunity to provide the committee with a comprehensive response on this issue. On the Labour Activation Programme (LAP), the committee Chairperson, Mr Boyce Maneli, said this is a noble project that creates employment opportunities and promotes entrepreneurial development. In this regard, Mr Maneli said the committee is happy with the funding of LAP projects in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and in North West, which launched recently. 'We know that this project will cover all the provinces at the end,' he said. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
