The national pharmaceutical giant, Dis-Chem recently found itself at the centre of an employment equity scandal following a leaked memo.
Also read Dis-Chem controversy: board releases statement of acknowledgement
Most critics note compliance is not good governance in response to the CEO Ivan Saltzman letter.
However, the letter must be viewed in light of Sections 5 and 13 of the Employment Equity Act.
The moratorium Dis-Chem is following promoting whites has gotten ECC approval.
According to the Department of Labour’s Commission for Employment Equity (CEE), Dis-Chem is acting in line with the law.
Tabea Kabinde CEE’s chairperson said the government has these laws to address past dynamics.
IOL reports “We should also concede that the elimination of unfair discrimination alone will not remedy this, but policies, programmes and other positive actions such as affirmative action, which are designed to redress the imbalances of the past are therefore needed,” said Kabinde
This, therefore, makes the retraction problematic and seen as “malicious compliance.”
An EE Amendment Bill is in the pipeline and being reviewed by the president.
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