← Back to the News

October 04, 2024

DA Criticizes Government's Plan to Hire 20,000 Inspectors as a Threat to Economic Growth

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has voiced strong opposition to Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth's plan to appoint 20,000 additional inspectors to enforce compliance with race-based policies under the Employment Equity Act (EEA). This would be a significant increase from the current 2,000 inspectors.

Meth indicated that the expansion is part of the department's medium-term expenditure framework and aims to enhance labour law enforcement through more comprehensive audits and inspections across South Africa.

The DA, however, sees this initiative as a misuse of resources and a continuation of outdated racial classifications from the apartheid era. Michael Bagraim, the DA's spokesperson for Employment and Labour, criticized the plan as regressive, warning that such measures could hinder economic growth and worsen South Africa's unemployment and cost-of-living crises.

Bagraim stated that the DA is preparing legal action to challenge the constitutionality of the Employment Equity Act and its race quotas, pushing for the complete abolition of what the party calls the "Race Quotas Act."

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has also raised concerns about the EEA's definition of "designated groups," citing inconsistencies with both constitutional and international law. The DA argues that the government's approach could lead to greater bureaucratic inefficiency and economic stagnation, rather than promoting genuine transformation.

In line with its non-racial, merit-based economic policy, the DA urged Minister Meth to consider using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for fostering socio-economic development. However, Meth reportedly rejected this approach during a recent parliamentary session, raising concerns about the government's strategy.



Other Directories


Accredited Partners

© 2024 Government Directory of South Africa - powered by Dotcom Africa | Terms & Conditions | Public Alert