Hon Speaker, South Africa has emerged from a history of racial oppression and exclusion. Given the need to ensure inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development, as well as social cohesion, the democratic government continues to promote employment equity and diversity in the South African workplace.
This is the reason we have the Employment Equity Act of 1998 amongst our statutes. The law states that in determining whether an employer is implementing employment equity in compliance with this Act, the director- general or any person or body applying this Act must, amongst other factors, take into account the demographic profile of the national and regional economically active population.
The proposed amendments contained in the draft amending Bill currently being negotiated at the National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac, seek to achieve a number of objectives. Amongst these is to ensure that all designated employers report on progress in implementing their employment equity plan annually. Another is to promote more effective compliance and enforcement. It also seeks to make the assessment of compliance less cumbersome and, where relevant, to make the assessment of equitable representation to be in relation to occupational levels, and not categories. Government will work very closely with the state law advisors to make sure that the final Employment Equity Amendment Bill is in compliance with the South African Constitution before it is signed into law.
It is important to note that the proposed changes to the law in the Employment Equity Amendment Bill refer to the demographic profile of the economically active population. The amendment removes the words "regional" and "national". As stated recently, the reason for the removal of the two elements is that employers have been enquiring over the years from the Department of Labour about how they should implement both the regional and national demographics of the economically active population in their workplace. As a result of these enquiries, the change is proposed. The intended outcome of the new proposed amendment is that employers will have the flexibility to decide whether to use regional or national demographics, depending on their operations.
We reiterate our assertion that these changes do not in any way negatively affect employment opportunities for the coloured or Indian population. In fact, the law will make it easier for employers to comply with the law and create more job opportunities for all the designated groups. It is intended to open up more job opportunities. I thank you, hon Speaker. [Applause.]