Trade union Solidarity has submitted a comprehensive report proposing a roadmap for a race-free South Africa by 2030 to the Dutch Parliament. The report was also presented to key stakeholders at the European Parliament during a strategic liaison visit to Brussels.

Solidarity’s head of international liaison Jaco Kleynhans, handed over the document titled 'Race-free by 2030', compiled by the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), which outlines an actionable, gradual plan to phase out race-based legislation and policies in South Africa.

“South Africa does not need more race-based rules,” Kleynhans stated. “We need a credible way out of a system that classifies citizens according to their skin colour, hampers economic growth and benefits a small elite without substantially reducing poverty.”

The proposed roadmap advocates for a fundamental shift in South African policy, recommending that current race-based measures be replaced with initiatives focused on socioeconomic need, quality education, economic growth, and job creation.

Kleynhans argued that more than three decades of transformation policies have failed to deliver broad-based progress. Instead, he noted that South Africa continues to grapple with extremely high unemployment, weak economic growth, deteriorating State institutions, and widespread poverty, all while race-based regulations expand.

Solidarity highlighted the amended Employment Equity Act and its sectoral racial targets as examples of increasingly prescriptive policies. The union argues that these regulations force employers to manage their workforces according to rigid, centrally determined racial formulas, ignoring local realities and available skills.

“The government is applying a failed policy with increasing levels of coercion,” said Kleynhans. “It weakens businesses, limits career opportunities and drives scarce skills out of the country. Ultimately, all South Africans pay the price.”

The report underscores what Solidarity says is the heavy financial burden of current policies. Research conducted by the SRI alongside the Free Market Foundation estimates that the annual compliance costs of black economic empowerment sit between R145-billion and R290-billion.

This represents about 2% to 4% of South Africa’s GDP, resources that Solidarity argues could otherwise be channelled directly into business growth, training, and job creation.

The international submissions are part of a broader campaign by Solidarity to highlight to global policymakers South Africa’s race-based frameworks.

“We are taking a concrete alternative to stakeholders in Europe to demonstrate that South Africa can address inequality without permanently tying every citizen to a racial category,” Kleynhans explained.

Solidarity proposes that by the year 2030, the South African State should completely cease using race as a criterion for employment, training, procurement, ownership, or economic participation.

Access the Race-free by 2030 report here.