... to the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998. These amendments are contained in the Employment Equity Amendment Bill of August 2013. The House should note that these are the first amendments to the Employment Equity Act since it was enacted in 1998.
The main purpose of the Employment Equity Act is the elimination of unfair discrimination and the implementation of affirmative action measures to bring about equitable workplaces across all occupational levels. This is in line with the work of this government, which has worked tirelessly to change the lives of ordinary South Africans for the better, and for whom we can proudly say that life is much better than it was before 1994.
Unfortunately, employers have refused or are unwilling to make a leap of faith with regard to transformation. Reports received from employers over the past 15 years clearly show that not much progress has been made. [Interjections.]