Companies accused of falling behind with AA reports

THE representation of previously disadvantaged Namibians in management positions at companies is still unsatisfactory – with 25 per cent filling posts as executive directors, six per cent less than two years ago.

This is spelled out by the Employment Equity Commission (EEC) in its latest report, which was tabled in the National Assembly last week. About 45 per cent of “racially disadvantaged” persons held posts as senior managers and 78 per cent were on middle management positions, the report showed.Women only filled 28 per cent of management posts.According to EEC Commissioner Vilbard Usiku, only 48 per cent of all recruits for executive and management posts in companies came from a previously disadvantaged background, according to company reports handed in between April 2005 and March 2006.The EEC received 278 reports out of the 900 firms it has on its registry list.”This figure represents a steady increase of 12,6 per cent compared to the year before,” Usiku said in the report.The EEC was established in 1998 and companies employing more than 50 people must submit annual reports to the Commission on progress made with regard to appointments of previously disadvantaged Namibians.However, as employers have been slow to file reports or not file reports at all, Government reduced this requirement to 25 employees three months ago.Only 1,5 per cent of employees covered in reports during the period under review were non-Namibians, while 5,1 per cent of all positions in the executive and management categories were held by non-Namibians.Usiku lamented that “workforce mobility was also high, as blacks represented 89 per cent of all employment terminations across all occupational levels”.Many company reports were incomplete, sloppy and did not reflect the true situation of companies, he said.Understudies for top management posts were often not there, although it was stipulated in the Employment Equity Act.The Commissioner further expressed his disappointment that the Police had not yet arrested company owners who did not comply with employment equity, although the Commission had laid charges against several of them.About 45 per cent of “racially disadvantaged” persons held posts as senior managers and 78 per cent were on middle management positions, the report showed.Women only filled 28 per cent of management posts.According to EEC Commissioner Vilbard Usiku, only 48 per cent of all recruits for executive and management posts in companies came from a previously disadvantaged background, according to company reports handed in between April 2005 and March 2006.The EEC received 278 reports out of the 900 firms it has on its registry list.”This figure represents a steady increase of 12,6 per cent compared to the year before,” Usiku said in the report. The EEC was established in 1998 and companies employing more than 50 people must submit annual reports to the Commission on progress made with regard to appointments of previously disadvantaged Namibians.However, as employers have been slow to file reports or not file reports at all, Government reduced this requirement to 25 employees three months ago.Only 1,5 per cent of employees covered in reports during the period under review were non-Namibians, while 5,1 per cent of all positions in the executive and management categories were held by non-Namibians.Usiku lamented that “workforce mobility was also high, as blacks represented 89 per cent of all employment terminations across all occupational levels”.Many company reports were incomplete, sloppy and did not reflect the true situation of companies, he said.Understudies for top management posts were often not there, although it was stipulated in the Employment Equity Act.The Commissioner further expressed his disappointment that the Police had not yet arrested company owners who did not comply with employment equity, although the Commission had laid charges against several of them.