Overemphasis on whites in top positions distorting real facts
The ANC is distorting the picture of the reality of what is actually happening with affirmative action in the South African economy, by placing the emphasise only on the top positions in the economy.
According to the 12th annual report of the Employment Equity Commission which has just been released, white men fill 55% of the top positions. These top positions however only make up 0,3% of all economic positions which were evaluated. It is therefore 55% of 0,3% of the economic positions in the country. The top positions only make up 19 000 (19 352) of the five million (5 174 860) positions which were evaluated.
When the two lowest categories are considered, white people are very under-represented, with only 5% of positions in the second lowest category and 1% of the lowest category, filled by white people. White people should make up 11% of these positions. What makes this under-representation serious discrimination, is the fact that it affects nearly three million positions (2 744 435) and therefore affects so many more people than the top positions do.
This type of discrimination is even worse in the Public Service. Where black people should, according to the "broadly representative of the population" guideline, make up 79% of the positions, the recent figures of the Department of Home Affairs indicate 92% of the officials in this department is black people.
Minority communities are calculatingly disadvantaged. According to the abovementioned criteria, white people should make up 9,6% of the personnel at the Department of Home Affairs - but at present it is only 1,92%. Brown people should make up 8,9% of the personnel composition, but they are only 5,27% of the personnel. Indians should be 2,5% of the personnel quota but make up only 0,67% of the personnel.
What the ANC does not want to accept is that these artificial attempts to enforce racial representativity, as also proposed in the amendments to the Employment Equity Act, actually has a negative effect on the creation of permanent employment opportunities. It also has a paralysing effect on entrepreneurship which could even lead to the closure of existing enterprises.
This year's report was based on the reporting of 4 370 large employers. These are employers who have more than 150 people in their employ.
Statement issued by Dr. Pieter Mulder, FF Plus leader, September 16 2012
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