Anti-white men policy in South Africa

Michael Bagraim, the DA’s spokesperson on employment and labour, announced that the party will challenge the draft Employment Equity Code.

On 24 July 2026, Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth published the draft Employment Equity Code in the Government Gazette.

It states that the Employment Equity Plan is designed to achieve equitable representation and fair treatment of the designated groups.

The designated groups mentioned in the Employment Equity Code are black people, women, and persons with disabilities.

Black people are defined as Africans, Coloureds, and Indians who are citizens of the Republic of South Africa by birth or descent.

The truth is that these regulations target one group, white males. The Employment Equity Amendment Act will make it difficult for employers to hire this group.

This is because Section 15A of the Act introduced sectoral racial and gender-based numerical targets which employers with more than 50 employees must meet.

The regulations have drawn criticism from political parties and civil activist groups, arguing that they are constitutionally invalid and abuse state power.

The DA has launched a constitutional challenge against the new laws, focusing on Section 15a of the Employment Equity Amendment Act.

“Section 15a violates Section 9 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law and prohibits unfair discrimination,” said the DA.

“A law that forces employers to fire or refuse to hire people based on race is not redress. It is unconstitutional discrimination.”

One of the most significant additions was empowering the Minister of Employment and Labour to set specific sectoral employment targets for designated employers to follow.

“The Minister’s powers under Section 15a are vague, unchecked, and dangerously broad,” added the opposition party.

“The so-called ‘targets’ are not guidelines. They are binding quotas, enforceable under the threat of penalties of up to 10% of a company’s turnover.”

New draft Employment Equity Code under fire

On Sunday, 26 July 2026, Bagraim announced that the DA will oppose the draft Employment Equity Code.

This, he said, was because the new code would require businesses to align their employment plans with government-set racial and gender targets.

The draft Code puts the prescribed sectoral targets under section 15A of the Employment Equity Act into practice in workplaces.

These targets give the government greater influence over the demographic composition of workplaces across 18 sectors.

It requires designated employers, those with more than 50 employees, to work towards prescribed targets over five years.

“They must develop employment equity plans, analyse under-representation, set measurable targets, allocate resources, monitor progress, and keep records,” he said.

“The DA opposes this approach because hiring decisions should be driven by skills, merit and the needs of businesses.”

Bagraim said it adds more red tape and compliance pressure at a time when South Africa needs businesses to grow, invest, and create jobs.

“The DA has already challenged section 15A of the Employment Equity Amendment Act in court. We are currently awaiting judgment in the matter,” he said.

“We will now make a formal submission opposing this Code during the 60-day public comment process.”

“South Africa needs policies that expand opportunity and employment, not policies that make it harder for businesses to hire and grow.”