White males still occupy top jobs

Cape Town - Not only are top management positions in the private sector allotted to white males, but opportunities for promotion and training also remain inherently linked to race and gender at more senior levels, according to the 16th Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) Report released on Monday.

Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant released the report on Monday during a press conference in Pretoria.

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“The South African labour market continues to be racialised and gendered,” said the report, and “it remains hierarchical with blacks concentrated at the lower levels and the white group occupying decision-making positions.”

The latest report showed that there was 41.2% representation of black people at the professionally qualified level, 38% white representation, 9.4% coloured and 8.5% Indian.

“There is a pool of employees from designated groups who do not receive promotion opportunities and remain stuck at the professionally qualified and skilled technical levels. This is despite the continued outcry for lack of skilled employees from these groups,” the report said.

On the other hand, black people are mostly represented at the skilled technical occupational level where 58.8% is African. However, this is well below the African group’s Economic Active Population at 77.4%. Whites constitute 22% of the skilled technical occupational level, coloureds are at 11.6% and Indian people at 5.9%.     

The report also revealed that:

- males still dominate the private sector at 76.8%;
- there are 72.8% males at local government level; and
- 66% in national government.

The pace of transformation in the labour market is very slow, the report concluded.

“At this rate, it will take many years for equitable representation in the labour market, especially at the upper levels of management, where the white group has a tight grip.”