Afrikaans: Met die inwerkingtreding van die Grondwet van Suid-Afrika was een van die grootste oogmerke van die Grondwet die bereiking van gelykheid. Dit behels grootliks dat verskeie maatreëls aangewend moet word om ‘n algemene staat van gelykheid te bereik in elke sfeer van die samelewing. Hierdie maatreëls, beter bekend as regstellende aksie, het veral gepoog om die werkplek beter verteenwoordigend te maak van aangewese groepe. Dit het aanleiding gegee tot die inwerkingtreding van die Wet op Gelyke Indiensneming wat ten doel het om onbillike diskriminasie te verwyder en regstellende aksie maatreëls te implementeer om sodoende gelykheid te bevorder in die werkplek. Hierdie studie erken dus die belang van regstellende aksie, maar die toepassing daarvan word grootliks gekritiseer. Die leemtes wat geïdentifiseer is sluit onder andere die volgende in: Die arbitrêre toepassing van gelykheid deurdat die hof nie meer behoorlik oorweging aan billikheid skenk nie en die verkeerde toepassing en begrip van regstellende aksie deur gebruik te maak van indirekte diskriminasie soos voorheen-benadeling in plaas van neutrale gronde soos onderverteenwoordiging van die werkplek. Sommige het ook die wanpersepsie van regstellende aksie as ‘n reg en nie ‘n maatreël en ‘n verweer nie. Verder bestaan daar tans ‘n eksklusiewe toepassing van die Wet op Gelyke Indiensneming wat tot gevolg het dat nie-aangewese groepe indirek uit die arbeidsmark geskuif word. Verder val die klem te veel op indiensneming in plaas daarvan om meer aandag te gee aan werkskepping en sosio-ekonomiese ontwikkeling en opleiding. Laastens is daar ‘n groot onderwaardering van die gelyke indiensnemingsplan as instrument vir die toepassing van regstellende aksie in die werkplek. In die lig van hierdie problem is dit duidelik dat die Wet op Gelyke Indiensneming gewysig sal moet word deurdat daar duidelike billikheidskriteria neergelê moet word waaraan gelyke indiensneming moet voldoen sowel as die insluiting van nie-aangewese groepe om sodoende te verseker dat onderverteenwoordiging in alle arbeidsektore verwyder sal word. Verder sal daar meer aandag gegee moet word aan ander probleme soos ‘n gebrek aan opleiding en ontwikkeling wat indirek die sukses van regstellende aksie sal beïnvloed. Werkgewers sal ten slotte die belang en voordele van gelyke indiensnemingsplanne moet besef as ‘n instrument wat dien as beskerming sowel as ‘n riglyn vir die toepassing van gelyke indiensneming. Die hervorming van regstellende aksie en meer spesifiek gelyke indiensneming, kan moontlik ‘n meer positiewe houding en meer effektiewe toepassing in Suid-Afrika tot gevolg hê.
English: With the coming into force of the Constitution of South Africa one of the main objects was the achievement of equality. This entails the use of different measures in order to achieve a general state of equality in every sphere of society. These measures, better known as affirmative action, aim at making the workplace more representative of designated groups. This lead to the coming into force of the Employment Equity Act which aims at eliminating unfair discrimination and implementing affirmative action measures in order to promote equality in the workplace. This study acknowledges the importance of affirmative action, but the application thereof is mostly criticised as being unfair. The gaps that have been identified include the following: The arbitrary application of equality in that the court does not give proper consideration to fairness and the wrong application and notion of affirmative action by making use of indirect discrimination such as previous disadvantage in stead of neutral considerations such as under representation in the workplace. Affirmative action is also understood by some as being a right and not a measure and a defence. The Employment Equity Act is also exclusively utilised which will result in nondesignated groups being indirectly drawn from the labour market. Furthermore, to much stress is put on employment and not enough attention is given to job-creation and socio-economic development and training. Lastly there is little consideration of the importance of the employment equity plan in that it is an instrument for the application of affirmative action in the workplace. In considering these problems it is evident that the Employment Equity Act will have to be amended by adding proper criteria in evaluating the fairness of employment equity and providing for the inclusion of non-designated groups in order to insure the elimination of under-representation in all labour sectors. Furthermore, more attention must be paid to other problems like training and development that will add to the success of affirmative action. Finally employers will have to acknowledge the importance and advantages of an employment equity plan in that it is an instrument protecting the employer and assisting him in implementing employment equity. The reform of affirmative action and more specific employment equity can possibly result in a more positive attitude and a more effective application in South Africa.