Solidariteit goes after Bidvest for race-based bursary scheme
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A dispute is unfolding at Bidvest, one of South Africa’s largest conglomerates, as trade union Solidarity contests the company’s school bursary programme for excluding white children.
On July 9, Solidarity issued a legal notice demanding that Bidvest revise the programme by July 25 to include employees’ children of all races. The bursary, funded through the Bidvest Education Trust, supports full-time Bidvest employees earning less than R15,300 monthly before deductions. It covers school fees, uniforms, stationery, and extra classes for children from Grade 4 to Grade 12, but is restricted to Black, Indian, and Coloured families.
Solidarity argues this exclusion violates South Africa’s constitution, labour laws, and international norms. Dirk Hermann, Solidarity’s chief executive, contends that the programme’s racial criteria are unfair and discriminatory: “An employee earning below R15,300 faces the same educational challenges for their children, regardless of race.”
The union asserts that employee benefits, such as the bursary, cannot legally be restricted by race under the Labour Relations Act or Employment Equity Act. Solidarity further argues that the programme exceeds the constitutional scope of empowerment laws and cites United Nations guidelines advocating class-based, rather than race-based, remedial measures. Bidvest defends the programme, stating it aligns with the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act of 2003.
Julian Gwillim, representing Bidvest, noted that the bursary, established in 2003 under the Dinatla Trust, supports historically disadvantaged employees and has benefited families for over two decades. Solidarity has threatened further legal action if Bidvest does not amend the programme. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions in South Africa over race-based affirmative action policies, as the country grapples with balancing historical redress and equitable treatment across its diverse workforce.
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