Inequality and discrimination in the workplace are
some of the key elements of the legacy of Apartheid
in South Africa. Persons with Disabilities have been
excluded from the mainstream of society and experience
difficulty in accessing fundamental rights. Legislation has in
the past also contributed to the social and economic exclusion
of Persons with Disabilities.
Under our new democracy, the rights of the Persons with Disabilities
are now protected in the Constitution. Using the Constitution as a
foundation, the South African government introduced the Employment
Equity Act, 1998 (the Act) to redress inequalities and discrimination in the
workplace. To further ensure that the rights of Persons with Disabilities are
protected in the workplace, my Department, on the advice of the Commission
for Employment Equity published the Code of Good Practice on the Employment
of Persons with Disabilities (Code) in 2015. The aim of the Code is to guide,
educate and inform employers, employees and trade unions to understand their
rights and obligations, to promote and encourage equal opportunities and fair
treatment of Persons with Disabilities.
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