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Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Pay inequality persists for women, minorities in federal public service: report
OTTAWA – While the federal government has made gains on diversity and equity in the public service, inequities persist when it comes to pay, a new Treasury Board report says. Compared with the entire core public service, employees who fall into 'equity groups' — women, Indigenous Peoples, visible minorities and people with disabilities — are more likely to fall into the lower income groups and less likely to be among employees making over $100,000 a year. The Employment Equity in the Public Service of Canada report for 2023-24 divides employees into six income groups, starting at those who make less than $50,000 a year and topping out with those who make $150,000 or more a year. The data shows that about one-third of all employees made less than $75,000, including 1.7 per cent who made less than $50,000. But 39 per cent of women — who account for 57 per cent of all employees — made less than $75,000. Almost 35 per cent of Indigenous employees made less than $75,000, as did almost 35 per cent of employees with disabilities and 37 per cent of visible minorities. The report said 46 per cent of Black employees made less than $75,000. With the exception of employees with disabilities, members of identified equity groups were also under-represented at the highest pay levels. The data shows that almost 13 per cent of all public servants made more than $125,000, including 3.6 per cent who made more than $150,000. That compares with 11 per cent of female employees making more than $125,000, 10 per cent of Indigenous employees, 11 per cent of visible minorities, and eight per cent of Black employees. The data shows 14 per cent of employees with disabilities made more than $125,000. The report says employees in equity groups have seen some improvement in pay. Nicholas Marcus Thompson, president and CEO of the Black Class Action Secretariat, said that while the numbers are going up, 'the story hasn't changed.' 'Racialized workers, including highly qualified Black employees, remain stuck in the lowest-paid roles, while decision-making positions stay out of reach,' he said. 'This isn't a pipeline problem. It's a systemic failure that demands legislative action.' Thompson said the government promised to modernize the Employment Equity Act in December 2023 but no real change has happened in the years since. 'Until the government acts, the status quo will hold and racialized workers will continue to be shut out of positions of power,' Thompson said. 'Change isn't real until it reaches the paycheque.' The report shows that the number of federal government employees across all groups has increased since 2022-23. The number of people in employment equity groups holding executive positions has also increased overall, though their representation is still lower in the higher executive levels. The Canadian Press has reached out to the Treasury Board for comment on the data but has not yet received a response. Nathan Prier, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, said the salary data is 'disappointing but not surprising.' Prier said the public 'heard very clearly' from Justice Jocelyne Gagné, who earlier this year denied certification for a class-action lawsuit filed by Black public servants alleging discrimination in the public service — but also acknowledged the existence of widespread systematic discrimination in many areas of the federal bureaucracy. Black federal workers who launched the $2.5-billion claim against the federal government are appealing the court's decision. 'This underlines how much we need to expand anti-discrimination measures in the federal workplace,' said Prier. 'We're still wasting talent by allowing artificial barriers rooted in discrimination to persist.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025.
IOL News
10-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
BBBEE policies vital for South Africa's economic transformation
President Cyril Ramaphosa has once again reaffirmed the country's commitment to defending its BBBEE laws as the only way to realise economic inclusion. Image: ANC/X South Africa's Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) policies are here to stay. These were the words of President Cyril Ramaphosa who once again re-affirmed the country's affirmative action policies as key to economic transformation and inclusion. This comes as the DA among others have recently voiced their opposition to the country's economic policies. Ramaphosa and Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola during their recent address before the Black Business Council summit, affirmed the current legislative framework. In his newsletter on Monday, Ramaphosa indicated that the country's economy will not succeed without the current policies, adding that now is not the time to back-track on these policies as they are the cornerstone of economic inclusion and the much-needed economic growth as enshrined in the constitution and the Freedom Charter. "Our Constitution reflects the promise we made to one another and to future generations to redress the injustices of our past and realise the full potential of our country. For this reason, we reaffirm that broad-based black economic empowerment is not just a policy choice but a constitutional imperative. "In recent months, the world has entered what many now term a 'poly-crisis' where global conflict, economic stagnation, mistrust in institutions and environmental degradation are challenging even the most resilient of nations." Ramaphosa said now is not the time to abandon the measures that have been put in place to drive transformation. "To the contrary, it is the time to move forward with greater purpose and raise our ambition. Since 1994 we have built a robust legislative framework to advance the transformation of our economy, anchored in the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act and the Employment Equity Act. The progress we have made is undeniable," he said. In his address to the Black Business Council summit on Thursday, Lamola encouraged black entrepreneurs to take a firm stand in the country's ailing economy. "In the context of our country, inclusive growth has a broader meaning, it must mean the inclusion of black entrepreneurs in the mainstream of our economy and into the South African business playing a role in the world. This is a constitutional imperative. Further to the above small businesses have a key role to play, exchange program and collaboration becomes key," Lamola said. Despite the DA saying the BBBEE laws have not worked, Ramaphosa indicated through legislative frameworks such as the BBBEE policies and other interventions, the country has realised and seen real changes in ownership patterns and more businesses owned by women. "We have seen changes in management control, enterprise development and skills development. According to Statistics SA, between 2006 and 2023, black African households experienced real income growth of 46%, coloured households of 29% and Indian households of 19%. "Despite this progress, the average income of white households is still nearly five times higher than that of black African households. This is the gulf we must close through deliberate and sustained efforts to expand opportunity. Transformation is not a favour. It is a necessity," he added.
IOL News
09-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
'High promises, dololo delivery' – Economist slams Ramaphosa for doing nothing
According to Professor Jannie Rossouw from Wits Business School, President Cyril Ramaphosa has failed to deliver meaningful results ever since taking office. Image: GCIS Professor Jannie Rossouw of Wits Business School has described President Cyril Ramaphosa as an "ineffective" leader who has contributed "nothing" since taking office, and is now leaning on race-based policies like B-BBEE to win back support for the ANC. Speaking to IOL News on Monday, Rossouw said Ramaphosa is using race-based empowerment policies such as the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act and the Employment Equity Act to try and regain support for his party. The African National Congress (ANC), is currently the leader of the Government of National Unity (GNU), which includes other parties. 'Mr Ramaphosa is at the end of his presidency,' Rossouw said. 'His party is in trouble. It's losing support all the time. So he's making these statements in the hope that it will improve support for the ANC.' His comments came after Ramaphosa's recent weekly newsletter, in which he defended the B-BBEE and the Employment Equity Act. Ramaphosa rejected what he called a 'false notion' that South Africa must choose between economic growth and transformation. He said the country must remain committed to redressing historical injustices. 'Our Constitution reflects the promise we made to one another and to future generations to redress the injustices of our past and realise the full potential of our country,' Ramaphosa wrote. 'For this reason, we reaffirm that broad-based Black economic empowerment is not just a policy choice but a constitutional imperative.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ He referenced the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter, which proclaimed, 'the people shall share in the country's wealth,' and argued that empowerment policies are key to ensuring inclusive growth. 'We must make our empowerment policies more meaningful,' he said. 'Economic growth without transformation entrenches exclusion, and transformation without growth is unsustainable.' According to Ramaphosa, South Africa has made measurable progress since 1994, including improvements in ownership, management control, and enterprise and skills development, especially among women-owned businesses. However, Rossouw sharply disagreed. He argued that the current application of race-based policies has done little for ordinary citizens. 'It's obvious by now that the ANC government's economic policies are not working,' he said. 'Over the past decade, our growth rate has averaged around 1% per year, while population growth is 1.5%. That means on a per capita basis, South Africans are getting poorer.' He added that the benefits of B-BBEE have largely gone to a small, politically connected elite. 'I can give you five or six people who are now exceptionally wealthy, Mr. Ramaphosa himself among them... Think of people in the coal and mining industries. Meanwhile, we have a large group of very poor South Africans,' he said. 'We see it in the Gini coefficient. We see it in unemployment. These policies are clearly not delivering the results they were originally intended to deliver. There's no skills transfer. Few people get very wealthy, while unemployment is over 50%.' Rossouw said transformation is important, but not in the way the ANC is doing it. 'Transformation is necessary, but the current approach isn't helping. It's not creating jobs or reducing poverty. It's enriching a small elite. That's not a real transformation.' The ANC's economic policies have also come under fire from opposition parties. Both the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party criticised a recent proposal to allow foreign companies to meet B-BBEE requirements through the Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes (EEIPs), including Elon Musk's Star Link. The EFF called it a 'backdoor for foreign multinationals' to avoid local empowerment laws, while the MK Party labeled it a 'treacherous blueprint' designed to dismantle state capacity and cut deals with foreign tech oligarchs. When asked to comment on the backlash, Rossouw declined to weigh in on specifics, especially following recent global controversies. 'Well, that's a difficult one for me to respond to because the official line is that structures will be in place to allow people like Mr. (Elon) Musk into the country. Given his fight with Mr. (Donald) Trump (US President), I'd rather refrain from commenting,' Rossouw said. Ramaphosa, for his part, argued that the world is in a 'polycrisis,' marked by global conflict, economic stagnation, and environmental degradation, and that South Africa must not retreat from its transformation agenda. 'We must dispense with the false notion that we must choose between growth and transformation,' he wrote. 'B-BBEE is not a cost to the economy; it is an investment in it.' However, Rossouw said he remains unconvinced. 'What has Mr Ramaphosa brought to South Africa since his presidency that we can be proud of?' he asked. 'He's brought us nothing. High promises, no delivery… He is an ineffective leader.' IOL Politics
IOL News
09-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Ramaphosa reaffirms BBBEE policies as vital for South Africa's economic transformation
President Cyril Ramaphosa has once again reaffirmed the country's commitment to defending its BBBEE laws as the only way to realise economic inclusion. Image: ANC/X South Africa's Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) policies are here to stay. These are the words of President Cyril Ramaphosa who has once again, re-affirmed the country's affirmative action policies as key to economic transformation and inclusion. This comes as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and other commentators have recently voiced their opposition to the country's economic policies. Ramaphosa and Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola during their recent address before the Black Business Council summit, affirmed the current legislative framework. On Monday, in his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa indicated that the country's economy will not succeed without the current policies, adding that now is not the time to back-track on these policies as they are the corner stone of economic inclusion and the much-needed economic growth as enshrined in the constitution and the Freedom Charter. "Our Constitution reflects the promise we made to one another and to future generations to redress the injustices of our past and realise the full potential of our country. For this reason, we reaffirm that broad-based black economic empowerment is not just a policy choice but a constitutional imperative. "In recent months, the world has entered what many now term a 'poly-crisis' where global conflict, economic stagnation, mistrust in institutions and environmental degradation are challenging even the most resilient of nations." Ramaphosa said now is not the time to abandon the measures that have been put in place to drive transformation. "To the contrary, it is the time to move forward with greater purpose and raise our ambition. Since 1994 we have built a robust legislative framework to advance the transformation of our economy, anchored in the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act and the Employment Equity Act. The progress we have made is undeniable," he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading In his address to the Black Business Council summit on Thursday, Lamola encouraged black entrepreneurs to take a firm stand in the country's ailing economy. "Promoting inclusive trade and investment can help bridge both domestic and global divides, supporting the resilience of developing countries in particular. "In the context of our country, inclusive growth has a broader meaning, it must mean the inclusion of black entrepreneurs in the mainstream of our economy and into the South African business playing a role in the world. This is a constitutional imperative. Further to the above small businesses have a key role to play, exchange program and collaboration becomes key," Lamola said. Despite the DA saying the BBBEE laws have not worked, Ramaphosa indicated through legislative frameworks such as the BBBEE policies and other interventions, the country has realised and seen real changes in ownership patterns and more businesses owned by women. "We have seen changes in management control, enterprise development and skills development. According to Statistics SA, between 2006 and 2023, black African households experienced real income growth of 46%, coloured households of 29% and Indian households of 19%. "Despite this progress, the average income of white households is still nearly five times higher than that of black African households. This is the gulf we must close through deliberate and sustained efforts to expand opportunity. Transformation is not a favour. It is a necessity," he added.
IOL News
09-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
‘Transformation is not a favour, it's a necessity,' Says Ramaphosa as Starlink fight heats up
President Cyril Ramaphosa, reiterating government's stance on economic transformation policies despite huge backlash from opposition parties. Image: ANC/X President Cyril Ramaphosa has once again defended South Africa's Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act and the Employment Equity Act, saying the country must reject the 'false notion' that it must choose between economic growth and transformation. Ramaphosa's remarks, made in his weekly newsletter on Monday, after weeks of controversy over a policy proposal by Communications and Digital Technology Minister Solly Malatsi to ease B-BBEE requirements for satellite communication services such as Elon Musk's Starlink. The proposal sparked backlash from opposition parties, including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, which argued that it would allow foreign companies to bypass empowerment laws. EFF described the proposal as a 'backdoor for foreign multinationals' to exploit Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes (EEIPs) to sidestep B-BBEE compliance. The MK Party called it a 'treacherous blueprint' to dismantle state capacity and strike deals with foreign tech oligarchs. Despite this, Ramaphosa stood by the policy, arguing that B-BBEE is not just a policy preference but a constitutional imperative. He invoked the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter, which proclaimed that 'the people shall share in the country's wealth.' 'Our Constitution reflects the promise we made to one another and to future generations to redress the injustices of our past and realise the full potential of our country,' Ramaphosa wrote. 'For this reason, we reaffirm that broad-based black economic empowerment is not just a policy choice but a constitutional imperative.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Ramaphosa said the world is currently in a 'polycrisis,' characterised by global conflict, economic stagnation, mistrust in institutions and environmental degradation, challenges that South Africa is not immune to. He argued that this is not the time to backtrack on empowerment but to double down. 'We must make our empowerment policies more meaningful,' Ramaphosa said. 'Economic growth without transformation entrenches exclusion, and transformation without growth is unsustainable.' He emphasised that South Africa has made measurable progress since 1994 through a 'robust legislative framework' anchored by the B-BBEE Act and the Employment Equity Act. 'We have seen real changes in ownership patterns, including more businesses owned by women. We have seen changes in management control, enterprise development and skills development,' he wrote. According to Statistics South Africa, between 2006 and 2023, real household income increased by 46% for black Africans, 29% for coloured households, and 19% for Indian households. However, Ramaphosa acknowledged that, on average, white households still earn nearly five times more than black African households. 'This is the gulf we must close through deliberate and sustained efforts to expand opportunity,' he said. 'Transformation is not a favor, it is a necessity.' Ramaphosa criticised those who continue to benefit from historical privilege while challenging B-BBEE in the courts, calling for national unity on the issue. 'We must dispense with the false notion that we must choose between growth and transformation,' he said. 'B-BBEE is not a cost to the economy; it is an investment in it.' He said this commitment underpins government programs like the Black Industrialists Programme and the newly established Transformation Fund, aimed at supporting innovative black-owned enterprises. 'There is a critical need for black-owned businesses to access funding on affordable terms,' he said. He called on private banks to review their lending practices. 'They have the resources to make the greatest impact.' Ramaphosa said the Public Procurement Act must be used to expand opportunities for businesses owned by women, youth and persons with disabilities. 'Transformation must reach into every sector, whether it is mining, construction, energy, IT or agriculture,' he said. 'The private sector should use their supply chains far more deliberately to empower more black-owned businesses, not just to improve their B-BBEE scorecard, but to grow and diversify their supplier base.' As the country develops infrastructure, green industries and localized manufacturing, transformation must remain central, he added. 'The transformation we seek is not about ticking boxes. It is about building a resilient, just economy for generations to come,' he wrote in the newsletter. 'I call on all South Africans, and in particular the private sector, to recommit to economic transformation.' Meanwhile, Starlink, owned by Musk's SpaceX, does not currently hold an operating license in South Africa. Its efforts to obtain one reportedly failed after Musk rejected the requirement that foreign telecommunications companies sell a 30% stake to historically disadvantaged South Africans in order to operate. In February, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at isolating South Africa, citing allegations of anti-white policies and accusing the government of harboring hostility toward the US and its allies, including Israel. This action was widely viewed as part of Musk's pushback against South Africa's empowerment regulations. In response, Ramaphosa led a delegation to Washington on May 21 in an attempt to salvage key trade agreements and attract new investment amid the diplomatic tension. IOL Politics
