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Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) welcomes the Commission for Employment Equity Annual Report released in Parliament yesterday. While we are pleased with the progress achieved by the seven companies identified in the report, we acknowledge that more should be done to improve private sector compliance with the Employment Equity Act. It is regrettable that after 14 years, the country still has to contend with the painfully slow pace of economic transformation. We commend Woolworths on the bold steps it took to embrace transformation and diversity. As BUSA we encourage our other member companies to boldly move in the same direction.

We also note and acknowledge there are some impediments in our system and economy that have hindered rapid transformation – particularly the continued failure of the education system and colleges to produce candidates that are qualified and suitable to the needs of business. It is for this reason that BUSA supported the Green Paper for Post School Education and Training as we believe an effective education system will enable us to achieve our transformational goals. As signatory to the National Skills Development Accord, BUSA is also actively involved in programmes to develop skills necessary for competitiveness and economic development.

A study done by BUSA in 2011; “A Snapshot of the Demographic Profile and Pace of Transformation of JSE listed companies”, has also formed the basis for further interventions to address transformation.
We have concluded negotiations at Nedlac on the amendments to the Employment Equity Act. Business has indicated that removing undertakings, objections and appeals to compliance orders and linking fines turnover will not necessarily address the challenge.
In addition to more proactive interventions and transformation strategies by business, BUSA believes that enhancing the capacity of the labour inspectorate will also help in improving compliance with employment equity imperatives as set out in Chapter 3 of the Act.