Black women 'last in line'

White women's employment had been prioritised to the point where they were now over-represented and exceeded the required quotas, said NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka.

"In addition, black women have been subjected to triple oppression on the basis of race, gender and class and still lag far behind their white counterparts."

Seshoka estimated that among South Africa's top five mining companies there was not even a "recognisable percentage" of black women in management positions. In addition to wanting a "significant change" here, the NUM also wanted to see more women working underground.

"They have the capacity to deliver," he said.

The Black Management Forum earlier this month called for white women to be struck off a list of groups recognised as previously disadvantaged in terms of the employment equity legislation.

Employment Equity Commission

Two months ago Employment Equity Commission chairperson Jimmy Manyi suggested that white women, who he said had surpassed their employment equity targets, should have their status reviewed.

He accused white business of trying to conceal their untransformed employment profile by employing more white women into management positions.

According to Manyi, white women held almost 15% of the executive positions in 4380 companies surveyed.

According to statistics presented to the commission by Kezia Lewins, a labour expert from the University of the Witwatersrand, there were approximately three white females for every single black woman in senior management.

-Sapa