A leaked internal Dis-Chem letter has sparked anger from several South African politicians and organizations.
In this letter, Ivan Saltzman, Dis-Chem’s CEO said that given their transformation targets, they needed to employ more black people.
Many people have criticized Saltzman for this, calling what he is doing racial discrimination.
“People can use any type of framing or call it all these beautiful words at the end of the day it is racial discrimination. If those people say that it is fine and those justify it, those must admit they are pro-racial discrimination, and we can actually have an open discussion,” said campaigns officer for strategy at AFRI Forum, Ernst Van Zyl.
The DA said that the amended bill, which they had opposed in Parliament, was not aligned with the spirit of the Employment Equity Act.
The DA continued to say that Dis-Chem was willingly doing what other businesses might be forced to do under the amended bill.
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