(iv) Objective Four
The aim of this objective is to assist designated groups, including new entrants to
participate in accredited work, integrated learning and work-based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market and self-employment.
(v) Objective Five
This objective focuses on improving quality and relevance of provision. The aim of this objective is to provide infrastructural development, trainer up-skilling, curriculum and materials development and learner support initiatives.
From the above discussion it can be seen that the objectives of the NSDS focus on sustainable skills development through accelerating training in the workplace, providing new entrants into the job market with critical skills, providing skills training for self-employment as well as providing facilities and material for training.
The above section deals with issues related to the reasons behind the skills shortages in South Africa, the legislation and strategies in place to deal with these skills shortages. The next section provides an understanding of how employment equity relates to skills development.
3.4 EMPLOYMENT EQUITY, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND SKILLS
skilled occupations such as operators and labourers, which indicated a representation of 70%
and 74% respectively. In his article Jinabhai (2005:86), supports the above statement in that recent surveys have revealed a scarcity of competently skilled black managers and this trend is likely to reach critical mass in the 21st century.
In the light of the skewed nature of these statistics, the motivation for including employment equity targets into the national skills development strategies can be clearly understood (Department of labour, 2002:4)
3.4.2 Understanding Employment Equity and Affirmative Action
Hunter (2002:262), describes employment equity as the employment of people in a fair and equitable manner compared to the approach of the past in South Africa. This means that all people should have a fair chance of being selected for positions and should receive training, development, support and be remunerated according to the job requirements and not on race, religion or gender (Hunter, 2002:262).
According to Nel et al (2001:178), the concept of employment equity aims to undo huge disparities in the labour market brought about through apartheid. In this case, equity is defined as, "present fair discrimination to prevent future unfair discrimination" (Nel et al, 2001:178).
Hunter (2002:262), describes affirmative action as the positive action taken by organisations to rectify the inequalities, which have resulted from past discriminatory practices. This includes all employment practices such as recruitment, selection, training, development and remuneration. This approach focuses on giving people from previously disadvantaged groups preferential treatment so that in time an equitable employment situation can be achieved (Hunter, 2002:262).
Nel at al (2001:178), maintain that affirmative action is a concept closely related to
employment equity and the two related concepts have now been formulated as law in the form of the Employment Equity Act No.55 of 1998. They point out that affirmative action is viewed as a transitional method to redress the imbalances created by domination.
According to Nel et al (2001:179) the Department of Labour presents the need for employment equity based on the following factors:
(i) disparities exist in the labour market in employment, occupation and income, (ii) pronounced disadvantages exist for certain categories of people, and
(iii) the repealing of discriminatory law is not enough to redress the disadvantages which exist.
Employment equity is an intervention to deal with the disparities which exist from blacks having been historically disadvantaged. Employment equity mainly deals with the disparities that may exist in the job market and workplace.
3.4.3 The Employment Equity Act
Nel et al (2001:179) expresses that the main purpose of the Employment Equity Act No.55 of 1998 is to:
(i) promote equal opportunity and fair treatment in employment through the elimination of unfair discrimination, and
(ii) implement affirmative action to redress the disadvantages in employment experienced by designated groups.
According to Nel et al (2001:178) the Employment Equity ActNo.55 of 1998 spells
out the following affirmative action strategies, which organisations are compelled to adhere to:
(i) the identification and removal of barriers to employment equity, (ii) increase in workforce diversity,
(iii) make adjustments for reasonable accommodation so that people from designated groups enjoy equal opportunities and are equitably represented in the workforce, (iv) ensure equitable representation of suitably qualified people,
(v) retain, train and develop skills, and
(vi) put in place measures such as preferential treatment and numerical goals.
Employment equity legislation compels employers to identify and remove discriminatory barriers that hamper the progress of designated groups within organisations. This legislation also forces an employer to put measures in place which focus on the equitable representation of race groups and ensure the training and retention of designated groups.
3.4.4 Employment Equity and Its Link to Skills Development
As mentioned above, the Employment Equity Act No.55 of 1998 requires organisations to set goals, devise plans and implement appropriate training measures to address affirmative action.
This requirement is underpinned by the Skills Development Act No.97 of 1998, which requires companies to appoint Skills Development Facilitators, commit to training plans and pay a training levy (Fenwick, 2001:32).
According to Mdladlana (2003), skills development and employment equity are the
cornerstones of good human resources practice in South Africa in that together they contribute towards enhanced performance of enterprises and improvement in the quality of work life.
These two concepts, though they are linked, are not the same in that a culture of learning and education in organisations is necessary irrespective of the workforce demographics.
However, in the South African context, given the legacy of institutionalised segregation of labour, which we are in the processing of redressing, skills development is an essential component to achieving employment equity (Mdladlana, 2003).
Many organisations experience a shortage of appropriately skilled people from designated groups. The way to deal with this challenge is to link employment equity and skills development (Madladlana, 2003).
According to MERSETA (2005), the link between employment equity and skills development is illustrated by employers being required to complete an employment equity report, which forms part of the skills development report. In this regard companies are required to explain how the training that has been implemented in their respective organisations has made a contribution towards achieving the employment equity targets in their respective
organisations.
3.4.5 Skills Development Practices that Promote Employment Equity
The development of employees is an important concept in achieving equitable representation of black people in all occupations and at all levels of the workplace over a period of time (Folscher, 2005:18). Furthermore he identifies certain skills development initiatives, which facilitate the successful implementation of employment equity:
(i) promote skills development by spending at least 3% of payroll over and above the skills development levy on education and training,
(ii) ensure that at least 3% of black employees are on learnerships at any given time, (iii) implement personal development plans to increase the number of black managers at all occupational levels within the organisation, and
(iv) ensure employment equity plans focus on achieving equitable representation in all occupational categories and levels within the workforce.
The government has identified mentoring as one of the skills development practices that could be applied to drive skills development and open up opportunities to people whose career growth was limited in the past. (Fenwick, 2001:32). Mentoring is considered an effective strategy, which promotes the transfer of skills, improves employees' knowledge base and encourages life-long learning (Fenwick, 2002:32). In this regard it is therefore necessary that mentorship programmes are structured in line with organisations' employment equity plans and facilitate the achievement of organisations' employment equity goals (Wingrove, 2002:10).
3.5 SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN THE MANUFACTURING, ENGINEERING