The Minister of Employment and Labour, in consultation with the Commission for Employment Equity (CEE), has officially gazetted the Sectoral Numerical Targets in terms of Section 15A of the Employment Equity Act. These targets are effective from 10 April 2025 and form a central part of the revised Employment Equity compliance framework.
🔍 Why the Sectoral Targets Matter
The new targets aim to ensure equitable representation of designated groups (Black people, women, and persons with disabilities) across all economic sectors and occupational levels. These targets apply to designated employers, and compliance will be assessed over a 5-year period (2025–2030).
Identified Economic Sectors
The following 18 national economic sectors are included:
- Accommodation and Food Service Activities
- Administrative and Support Activities
- Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
- Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
- Construction
- Education
- Electricity, Gas, Steam and Air Conditioning Supply
- Financial and Insurance Activities
- Human Health and Social Work Activities
- Information and Communication
- Manufacturing
- Mining and Quarrying
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities
- Public Administration and Defence
- Real Estate Activities
- Transportation and Storage
- Water Supply, Sewerage, Waste Management and Remediation
- Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles
⚙️ How the Targets Work
- Designated employers must align their Employment Equity Plans and reporting to these targets.
- The targets focus on 4 upper occupational levels:
- Top Management
- Senior Management
- Professionally Qualified & Middle Management
- Skilled Technical
- A separate target (3%) is set for persons with disabilities, applicable across all levels.
- White males and foreign nationals are excluded from the calculation of these targets.
🚦Compliance Notes
- Employers will not be penalised if they can justify why targets could not be met (e.g., lack of suitably qualified candidates, economic impact).
- The targets do not need to total 100% because of the exclusion of non-designated groups.
📈 Sectoral Numerical Targets Table
Download the official table, showing the percentage targets for designated groups by gender across selected sectors and occupational levels: Download here.
🧩 What This Means for Employers
Designated employers must:
✅ Align their Employment Equity Plans with their relevant sector targets.
✅ Submit EEA2 and EEA4 reports reflecting progress against these targets.
✅ Provide justifiable reasons if targets cannot be met (e.g., skills shortages, restructuring).
✅ Prepare for possible Director-General reviews and compliance certification requirements under Section 53.
💬 Need Help Navigating the Targets?
Our HR Consult division helps businesses:
- Interpret and apply the targets to their specific workforce profiles.
- Develop and update Employment Equity Plans in line with the 2025–2030 framework.
- Support submissions, certifications, and stakeholder reporting.
📞 Book a consultation with our team today and ensure you’re on the right path to compliance and transformation.
Contact: Jaco Jacobs
Office: 012 997 0037
E-mail: consult@beeanalyst.co.za
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