The 17th century French poet Jean de La Fontaine explains that a person often meets his fate on the very path he took to avoid it. Given the strong reaction among businesses and professionals unleashed by the announcement of the new Employment Equity Amendment Act (EEAA) and its associated regulations, is the state hastening its decline rather than avoiding it?
Ever more unrealistic and harmful policy plans elicit ever stronger and more confident resistance from business communities. It is precisely the absurdity of certain proposed legislation and regulation that, with the coordinated resistance of businesspeople and civil society, can halt and even reverse such measures.
To be sure, if the proposed EEAA is implemented, it will pose an urgent threat to freedom of trade in South Africa. However, given the unfeasibility of its implementation, along with the numerous legal challenges that have already been mounted (and those that are still on the way), as well as the renewed willingness of business communities not to comply with such absurd and unrealistic policies, Sakeliga is confident that the EEAA regulations – if they ever come into practical effect – can be rendered impotent.
The economist Murray Rothbard explains in his short book, The Anatomy of the State, that one of the primary goals of states is to position their power as either necessary or inevitable. The harmful absurdity of the EEAA shows that it is not necessary, and the overwhelming resistance to it means it is not inevitable.
While businesses should focus on sound business practices, creating value and building wealth, Sakeliga, along with other independent organizations in business and civil society and political parties, is preparing to resist the EEAA regulations through a comprehensive litigation strategy.
Support Sakeliga’s actions against this destructive legislation by funding our court action.