Today's Labour News

newsThis news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.

Solidarity reports Bidvest to SAHRC and UN and over racially discriminatory school bursary programme

Details

SolidarityBusinessTech reports that one of SA’s largest companies Bidvest has been reported to the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the United Nations (UN) Commission on Human Rights over its school bursary programme.

The complaints, lodged by trade union Solidarity, allege that the company’s policy is racially discriminatory and violates both the SA Constitution and international human rights conventions. The bursary programme supports the children of full-time Bidvest employees who earn less than R15,300 per month. However, white employees who meet the income requirement are excluded from applying for the bursary for their children. Solidarity has strongly condemned this exclusion, calling the policy “illegal, immoral, racist, and discriminatory.” Dirk Hermann, Chief Executive of Solidarity, said the programme failed to address inequality in a just and inclusive way. Solidarity called for the SAHRC to launch a full investigation into Bidvest’s policy and to ensure that the company immediately amended the programme to one that was inclusive of all employees, regardless of race.

Last month, Julian Gwillim of Aprio Strategic Communications issued a statement on behalf of the company. He indicated that the bursary was funded through the Bidvest Education Trust, which was formerly known as the Dinatla Trust. The trust was created in 2003 as part of a broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) initiative. “In line with the B-BBEE Act 53 of 2003, the Trust was formed for the sole purpose of uplifting Historically Disadvantaged Individuals who are employees of the Bidvest Group,” Gwillim said.

  • Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Malcolm Libera at BusinessTech
  • Lees ook, Bidvest by VN, MRK verkla oor ‘rassediskriminasie’ met skoolprogram, by Maroela Media


Get other news reports at the SA LabourNews home page