No jobs for South African Indians?

A proposed amendment to employment equity legislation aims to address racial exclusion in the labour sector. Claims have been made, by the DA in particular, that the legislation will put Indian South Africans out of their jobs almost immediately. The new regulations will insist all firms use national demographics to determine management positions, however the population of Indians in Durban is larger than the national average which could leave more Indian people out on jobs in KwaZulu-Natal. RUMANA AKOOB spoke to South Africans of Indian descent to find out how they feel about the proposed legislation.

Mohamed MoolaMohamed Moola, 22, engineering student, Overport

This is based on the majority so everything is meant for one race and the ANC wants to stay in power so they side with the majority.

I definitely have no future here and will be leaving the country as soon as I’m qualified to look for a job if this happens.

 

 

 

Prinal Moodley, 17, Information Technology student, Durban

This is not fair. Indians have made it on our own and worked for everything. We are a minority yet we have built a place for ourselves in South Africa. We were brought here as labourers and pushed through.

There have been so many years that have passed since apartheid was abolished and this has been introduced now? It’s apartheid against a minority.

I don’t see myself having a family in this country when we wouldn’t be able to provide for them.

 

Ashveer RamnathAshveer Ramnath, 20, computer engineering student, Pheonix

I feel the quota system is wrong. Everyone should have a right to jobs and any position available but with the right qualifications and experience… everyone should be treated equally, whether black, white, Indian or coloured.

This will leave me jobless if this is the direction our working sector is headed so obviously we would be forced to leave the country.

Even though this is to help black people, Indian, coloured people have also been discriminated against.

 

Kelisha PonsamyKelisha Ponsamy, 18, child and youth care development student, Chatsworth

It’s unfair to Indians. It’s so hard to get into university already and finding a job is going to be very tough.

In my field there are few job opportunities so once a certain quota of Indians is reached they wouldn;t even consider more and will throw CVs away.

I see myself struggling to find a job. Without experience you can’t get a good job.

 

Beveka DindayalBeveka Dindayal, 20, accounting student, Newlands

Opportunities are already limited because the population is growing. As much as the government wants to help they’re disadvantaging us. We are also black and were looked at the same ways during apartheid.

I’m afraid of what my future might hold.

Editor’s note: One of the voxes have been removed at the request of the person interviewed.