The University of Cape Town maintains a comprehensive, publicly available policy framework that prohibits discrimination in the workplace, including discrimination on the basis of religion, sexuality, gender, age, disability, race, nationality, and refugee or asylum-seeker status. As a South African public university, UCT is legally bound by the Employment Equity Act (No. 55 of 1998), which prohibits unfair discrimination in employment and mandates proactive equity measures. UCT operationalises these national obligations through its Employment Equity (EE) Policy and its Annual Employment Equity Plans, both of which are publicly available and explicitly commit the institution to eliminating all forms of discrimination and advancing fair and inclusive employment practices.
UCT’s Employment Equity Policy, reviewed within the 2020–2024 period, affirms that the university “is committed to a working environment free from unfair discrimination” and applies this commitment across all protected characteristics recognised in South African law. The policy aligns with constitutional and legislative protections and commits UCT to fair recruitment, equitable career progression, reasonable accommodation, and the prevention of discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, nationality, or other status.
The University of Cape Town's Employment Equity Policy aims to promote diversity and inclusion within the workforce, ensuring fair representation of designated groups in compliance with South African legislation.
Overview of the Employment Equity Policy
The Employment Equity Policy at UCT is designed to address barriers to entry, growth, and development for staff members. It incorporates corrective measures through the review of employment policies, practices, and the institutional culture. The policy is currently under review, with the latest plan covering the period from 2022 to 2026.
Key Objectives
- Promote Diversity: The policy aims to build a diverse staff profile, focusing on the representation of designated groups, including Africans, Coloureds, Indians, women, and persons with disabilities.
- Affirmative Action: UCT recognizes the need for affirmative action measures to ensure that individuals from designated groups have equal opportunities in recruitment, retention, and promotion.
- Compliance with Legislation: The policy aligns with the Employment Equity Act of South Africa, which mandates the advancement of transformation through setting targets for achieving equity in staffing.
Implementation Strategies
- Consultation and Feedback: The development of the Employment Equity strategies involves extensive consultation with employees and stakeholders to ensure that the policy reflects the needs and aspirations of the university community.
- Training and Awareness: UCT provides training programs to address issues such as unconscious bias in recruitment and selection processes, ensuring that all staff are equipped to support the policy's objectives.
- Monitoring and Reporting: The university commits to ongoing monitoring of its employment practices to identify and eliminate barriers to equity, with regular reporting on progress towards achieving its equity targets.
This policy is supplemented by UCT’s publicly accessible Discrimination and Harassment Policy, which reinforces the university’s zero-tolerance approach to discriminatory conduct and provides mechanisms for reporting, investigation and redress.
Furthermore, UCT publishes a statutory Employment Equity Plan every year, setting out institutional commitments, targets, and measures to advance non-discrimination and workforce equity. These plans are formally submitted in compliance with the Employment Equity Act and are publicly accessible through UCT’s governance and transformation reporting. The annual EE Plans demonstrate UCT’s ongoing, structured implementation of anti-discrimination commitments and document year-on-year progress, thereby satisfying the criterion that the policy be reviewed or updated within the 2020–2024 period.