M-Net discriminating against white people – Solidarity
24 November 2015
Trade union Solidarity today accused pay channel M-Net of discriminating unfairly against white people. This comes after M-Net has indicated in a recent advertisement that only black, Indian and coloured candidates may apply for a paid internship programme offered by M-Net’s Magic in Motion Academy. According to the advertisement up to 20 individuals can be accommodated in the programme.
According to Dirk Groenewald, Head of Solidarity’s Centre for Fair Labour Practices, the advertisement does not comply with the provisions of the Employment Equity Act. “The said advertisement boils down to nothing but the total exclusion of white people and amounts to a quota system. The said legislation prohibits quota systems. Moreover, the courts, including the Constitutional Court, have already found that the use of a quota system as well as the exclusion of people based on the grounds of their skin colour is unlawful,” Groenewald explained.
According to Groenewald, numerous complaints have been received from white candidates who meet the requirements for the internship, but who may not apply for the programme because of the colour of their skin. “In a letter Solidarity requested M-Net to amend the advertisement in order for white people to also be allowed to apply for the positions in question. Should M-Net fail to comply with the request, we will lodge an official complaint with the Human Rights Commission,” Groenewald said.
The trade union also called on the public to speak up against M-Net’s racist behaviour by signing a petition on www.solidarity.co.za. Solidarity will hand the letter of petition to M-Net’s management.
See Solidarity’s letter to M-Net below:
24 November 2015
ATTENTION:
YOLISA PHAHLE, M-NET CEO
BOBBY HEANEY, MAGIC IN MOTION ACADEMY DIRECTOR
By e-mail:
Dear Madam/Sir
RE: M-NET MAGIC IN MOTION ACADEMY INTERNSHIP
The abovementioned matter herein refers.
We confirm that we have been contacted by a number of our members claiming that the entry criteria for the internship amount to discrimination. Upon perusal of the criteria we note that the following is expressly stated on your website:
Applications are open to strictly EE (Employment Equity) qualifying candidates (African, Coloured and Indian)
It is therefore clear that the internship is based solely on considerations of race, therefore no white person will be considered for an internship. In other words, the internship is reserved for African, Coloured and Indian individuals alone.
The internship amounts to nothing less than job reservation, absolute barriers and quotas, all of which are prohibited by the Employment Equity Act (No. 55 of 1998), as well as the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (No. 4 of 2000), as well as the Constitution of the Republic of South African.
Your actions are regrettable to say the least, and do not at all promote unity and racial cohesion in our country.
In light of the above we herewith demand that you open the internship to all South African citizens irrespective of their race, and that you confirm that you will do so by no later than close of business on Thursday, 26 November 2015. We confirm that we reserve our rights to take such action as we deem fit should you fail to respond favourably to our demands, or should you fail to respond at all.
Yours faithfully
___________________
DIRK GROENEWALD
HEAD: SOLIDARITY CENTRE FOR FAIR LABOUR PRACTICES
ENDS
Statement issued by Adv. Dirk Groenewald, Head: Centre for Fair Labour Practices, Solidarity, 24 November 2015
