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The Freedom Front Plus yesterday achieved a great victory in parliament for white women and disabled people and these people will in future also have to be considered for points on the Black Economic Empowerment score-card.
 
The breakthrough was made after the FF Plus had established that the affirmative action element of the BEE codes was wrong and was formulated incorrectly, thereby breaching of the Employment Equity Act, 55 of 1998.
 
“The affirmative action element only provides for the awarding of BEE points on the score-card if black persons are appointed,” Adv. Anton Alberts, the Freedom Front Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on trade and industry, said.
 
“Yesterday, during discussions on the BEE amendment bill proposal in the parliamentary committee on trade and industry, the department’s legal advisors supported the legal opinion of the FF Plus that Section 63 of the Employment Equity Act has the effect that this act enjoys preference above any other act, including the BEE Act.
 
“This means that the norms of the Employment Equity Act in the BEE codes have to be enforced and that white female and disabled workers should also be counted for a BEE score to be arrived at.
 
“At present only black workers are regarded as ‘countable’ with the result that employers have to date been forced to rather not employ white women and disabled persons due to the BEE score-cards,” Adv. Alberts said.
 
“The BEE codes have to date been undermining the Employment Equity Act in that white women and disabled people, who form part of the designated group which has to enjoy advancement from affirmative action, were not included in the application of the codes. The FF Plus will be requesting the minister of trade and industry, Mr. Rob Davies, to change the BEE codes in line with the Employment Equity Act. The FF Plus also recommends that all employers should include white women and people with disabilities in their BEE points and should adjust their BEE codes accordingly.
 
The FF Plus remains opposed to BEE and affirmative action as instruments which are racist and which undermine the economy. The party will continue with its struggle to have whites and minorities placed back into the economy of the country.