The Department of Employment and Labour has officially published the employment Equity Regulations, 2025, marking a significant shift from the 2014 framework. These updated regulations introduce sector-specific targets designed to drive transformation and inclusivity across South Africa’s workforce. For employers, this means navigating a new compliance landscape that demands careful planning and strategic alignment.
If your business is subject to the Employment Equity Act, you will need to act soon. By 1 September 2025, an updated Employment Equity (EE) Plan will be mandatory, tailored by your sector’s newly established demographic targets. Managing these changes may seem daunting, but with expert legal guidance, compliance becomes attainable and forward-thinking.
These updated plans will be valid for five years, covering the period from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2030. Employers who do not comply with the new requirements may not be issued with an Employment Equity Compliance Certificate, a critical document for businesses seeking to secure contracts or partnerships with the state.
What You Need to Know:
- Annual Goals: Every designated employer is required to use the new 5-year sector targets as a foundation for setting annual goals.
- Upper Occupational Levels: The focus is on the four upper occupational levels: Top Management, Senior Management, Professionally Qualified,
and Skilled Technical roles. - Alignment with EAP: Targets must align with either regional or national Economically Active Population (EAP) benchmarks.
- Inclusive Progress: Employers need to show progress across all designated groups, including people with disabilities.
- Balancing Representation: Over-representation of any group needs to be thoughtfully addressed Example: What Sector Targets Might Look
Like
Each economic sector has its own prescribed numerical targets published by the Minister of Employment and Labour, and those differ significantly depending on the industry. Based on the Employment Equity Regulations, 2025, as published in the Government Gazette, here is an example table of sectoral numerical targets for the Construction sector. For the full breakdown please refer to the Government Gazette via this link.
Construction Sector – Employment Equity Numerical Targets (2025–2030)
|
Occupational
Level
|
African Male
|
African Female | Coloured Male | Coloured Female | Indian Male | Indian Female | White Male | White Female | Persons with Disabilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Top Management
|
32% | 18% | 8% | 3% | 2% | 1% | 25% | 8% | 3% |
|
Senior Management
|
35% | 20% | 10% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 20% | 6% | 3% |
|
Professionally Qualified / Middle Management
|
38% | 23% | 11% | 5% | 4% | 2% | 14% | 3% | 3% |
|
Skilled Technical
|
40% | 25% | 13% | 6% | 4% | 2% | 8% | 2% | 3% |
*Note: These numbers are for illustration. Make sure to check your exact sector targets.
The gazette provides comprehensive tables for each sector which you can find here.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Feeling unsure about the next steps? We are here to help. Macgregor Erasmus is already partnering with employers to empower their Employment Equity Committees, create fully compliant EE Plans, and offer practical advice to integrate equity seamlessly into both business operations and Financial goals.
Whether you are looking for guidance, facilitation, or comprehensive plan development, our team is ready to assist. Contact us today to ensure your EE plan is fully prepared ahead of the September deadline.
