DA plans mass protest over new 'racial' employment act

The act includes changes to the legislation governing workplace transformation and stricter compliance measures for designated employers.

Several organisations have threatened to take the government to court to declare it unconstitutional.

READ: Motsoaledi’s refusal to renew Zimbabweans' visas illegal: court

Party leader John Steenhuisen says they want the act scrapped, as it invites racial discrimination and threatens about 600 000 jobs.

He says people should not be appointed based on race but on skills.

"It is absolutely important that we continue with the court action and that we seek the provisions in the Employment Equity Amendment Act to be declared unlawful and set aside so that never ever again could we find ourselves at risk of a situation where a Minister of Labour can put forward these arbitrary regulations that determine where and how people can be employed based on nothing other than the colour of their skin."

The protest is due to take place next month in Cape Town.