Party Says New Law Hands Labour Minister Too Much Power — Court Battle Looms
Cape Town, May 5, 2025 — The Democratic Alliance (DA) is set to hold a critical media briefing ahead of its upcoming court challenge against key aspects of the Employment Equity Amendment Act, specifically targeting Section 15A, which the party argues grants excessive and unchecked authority to the Minister of Employment and Labour.
According to the DA, the contested section allows the minister to impose rigid racial quotas on companies without sufficient oversight or accountability, potentially threatening business autonomy and constitutional principles of equality. The party claims the law could lead to “race-based social engineering” under the guise of transformation.
DA leaders argue that while they support fair and meaningful transformation, the current amendment is overreaching, placing businesses at risk of being penalized for non-compliance with quotas they say are arbitrarily assigned.
“We are challenging the minister’s ability to unilaterally dictate the demographic makeup of private companies — a move that undermines both fairness and economic growth,” said a DA spokesperson.
The challenge, expected to be filed in the High Court, could become a landmark case testing the balance between employment equity goals and constitutional limits on executive power. The party is expected to outline its full legal argument and potential implications at today’s briefing.
