The Patriotic Alliance is advocating for the removal of the Z83 form used in the public service or its overhaul to exclude references to racial classification of aspirant applicants.

The party’s national chairperson and chief whip in Parliament, Marlon Daniels, on Saturday has drawn parallels between the Z83 form and the apartheid-era policies employed by the Nationalist Party, which reserved jobs for white South Africans.

“We cannot shy away from the uncomfortable truth that a Z83 form must be scrapped. Or at best, scrap the racial classification and open up the opportunity for employment to South Africans because if we had to take out all those other columns of African, white, black, coloured, Indian, and only put one column there, South African or foreigner, then we would have had a fair chance,” he said.

Daniels, whose party’s constituency is the coloured community, made the statement after Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi defended the Z83 form against allegations of segregation.

In a parliamentary question, Daniels questioned Buthelezi about the form’s racial classification, noting that it failed to acknowledge that South Africans classified as white, Indian, and coloured are not classified as African.

In his response, Buthelezi said the Z83 form does not discriminate against South Africans but includes racial classification as a legal requirement under the Employment Equity Act (EEA).

“This classification ensures fair representation and supports affirmative action in public service employment. In compliance with Sections 13(2)(b) and 21 of the EEA, government departments must collect demographic data as part of their employment equity obligations.”

He also said the EEA mandates the director-general to assess workforce demographics to ensure compliance with employment equity targets.

“There were also several legislative and policy frameworks that reinforced the necessity of racial data collection in recruitment such as the Constitution, the Public Service Regulations, and the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment.

“All emphasise the importance of demographic representation in the workplace. Since racial classification is a statutory requirement, any amendments to the Z83 form would necessitate legislative changes to the Employment Equity Act, the Public Service Act (PSA), and the Public Service Regulations (PSR). However, should employment equity laws be revised in the future, the Z83 form may be subject to modification accordingly.”

Buthelezi stated that non-African applicants were not automatically disadvantaged under the Employment Equity Act because recruitment decisions were based on skills, experience, and qualifications rather than race alone.

“If an applicant is overlooked solely due to race, this could constitute unfair discrimination. Such a case would be challenged under the EEA, the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (PEPUDA), No. 4 of 2000, and the relevant constitutional provisions,” he said.

In response, Daniels said he did not buy into the minister’s response.

“There is no substance, there is no sincerity, and there is no truth in what the Minister says. Our people who apply for jobs, I mean it's very simple, if you look around us… look at the last recruits that we've had in all sectors across governments, you will find that if you are not regarded as African in particular, you are being marginalised and discriminated against.”

Daniels said his party would make sure that the Z83 form gets the expression at the right platform it deserved.

“So we will go ahead and pursue that it does find expression in Parliament,” he said in reference to sponsoring the item for the mini-plenary debates in the House.

The stance of the Patriotic Alliance comes at a time the Department of Public Service and Administration is in a process to improve efficiencies around the Z83 form.

Acting deputy director-general for Human Resources Development, Anusha Naidoo, told Newzroom Afrika this week that some challenges were that some applicants do not complete the form, a move that generally then poses a challenge for recruitment and selection committees on how to actually select candidates.

Naidoo said where they could improve the Z83 form was looking at and enhancing certain information fields.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za