Motion by the Garden Route District Municipality Council

26 July 2023

MOTION CONDEMNING RACE-BASED LAWS AND CALLING FOR A NONRACIAL SOUTH AFRICA AND FOR PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA TO SUSPEND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECENTLY APPROVED EMPLOYMENT EQUITY AMENDMENT Act, 2023

Promoting Equality and Nonracialism in South Africa and Rejecting the recent Employment Equity Amendment Act

Executive Mayor, Garden Route District Municipality, Ald. Memory Booysen 

WHEREAS, South Africa has made significant progress towards building a democratic society based on the principles of equality, justice, and nonracialism;

WHEREAS, the Constitution of South Africa guarantees the right to equality and prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or social origin, among other factors;

WHEREAS, the creation of a non-racial South Africa with fair access to jobs and opportunities is a fundamental objective of our nation’s democratic aspirations;

WHEREAS, certain race-based laws, racial quotas, and the draconian racial classification system persist in our society, impeding progress toward a truly non-racial South Africa;

WHEREAS, race-based laws and racial quotas undermine the principles of equality and fair competition, often leading to unintended consequences such as reverse discrimination and perpetuation of racial divisions;

WHEREAS, the draconian racial classification system perpetuates the legacy of apartheid, reinforcing racial stereotypes and inhibiting social cohesion and national unity;

WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon us as responsible citizens to stand against race-based laws, racial quotas, and the draconian racial classification system in order to promote a just, inclusive, and non-racial society;

BELIEVING THAT:

The Act will confer on the Minister wide-ranging powers to set numerical race-based employment targets across varying sectors and regions. The Act will further require employers to secure compliance certificates issued by the Minister, in order to do business with the state. This will increase inefficiency and add further unnecessary red-tape when conducting business in South Africa. Government should not be getting in the way of business given the 32.7% unemployment rate experienced in the final quarter of 2022.

The Employment Equity Act will not bring about the transformation of the workplace it purports to seek. Instead, it will further impoverish the vast majority of South Africans, while enriching a thin sliver of politically connected individuals as has been experienced under the policy of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE).

The provisions of this Act will result in a further exodus of skills from South Africa and introduce large amounts of unnecessary red tape for employers wishing to do business with the state. This will lead to further stagnation of the South African economy, and a lack of economic opportunity for those who need it most. South African businesses are already struggling under the weight of a stagnant economy and crippling load-shedding. Further race-based meddling by the ANC in the employment composition of private businesses will only result in reduced investment, declining economic growth and high unemployment across the country.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

This Council strongly condemns all race-based laws, racial quotas, and the draconian racial classification system in South Africa.

This Council reaffirms its commitment to the principles of nonracialism, equality, and fair access to jobs and opportunities for all South Africans.

This Council recognises that a non-racial society requires the dismantling of race-based laws and the establishment of policies and practices that promote meritocracy and equal opportunities.

This Council calls upon the South African government to review and repeal the Employment Equity Amendment Act and all race-based laws and policies that perpetuate racial divisions and undermine the principles of equality and fair competition.

This Council urges all residents who believe in a non-racial South Africa with fair access to jobs and opportunities to join our peaceful protest in Cape Town on 26th July 2023, to express our collective commitment to a just and inclusive society.

This Council encourages all residents to engage in constructive dialogue, education, and awareness campaigns to foster understanding and address the underlying causes of racial divisions in our society.

This Council pledges its support to organizations and initiatives working towards a non-racial South Africa and commits to actively promoting equality, nonracialism, and fair access to jobs and opportunities in our communities.

This Council directs that a copy of this motion be sent to the South African Parliament, relevant government departments, civil society organizations, and media outlets to raise awareness of our concerns and aspirations.

We, the undersigned (proposed by Cllr Daniel Cronje, seconded by Ald. Memory Booysen), support this motion and call upon all residents who believe in a non-racial South Africa with fair access to jobs and opportunities to stand united in our pursuit of a just and inclusive society.

Herewith is a copy of the signed motion.