White, Indian women equity achieved – Manyi

Indian and white women have made significant inroads in the workplace and it is time they are bumped off employment equity campaigns to give their black counterparts a chance to shine, former Labour Department DG Jimmy Manyi reportedly told Business Day. ‘We have achieved white women empowerment … we have achieved Indian women empowerment, both men and women … now let’s focus on the Africans and people with disabilities,’ Manyi said. ‘Africans and coloureds (are the downtrodden ones), that’s where (the) focus should be.’ Statistics SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey, released last week, reinforced Manyi’s argument. It found that ‘black African women remained vulnerable (in the workplace). About 43.9% were employed in low-skilled occupations compared to only 1.0% of white women and 3.3% of Indian (Asian) women.’ However, notes the report, Werksmans Attorneys director Sandile July said ‘any provision which makes an exclusion of anyone is discriminatory’.