Entry #770: LGBT employment discrimination in South Africa

Current Version

RegionSouth Africa
IssueLGBT employment discrimination
StatusSexual orientation and gender identity
Start Date1996
End Datenow
DescriptionSection 9(3) of the South African Constitution prohibits unfair discrimination on the grounds of sex, gender and sexual orientation. In addition, the Constitutional Court has stated that the section must also be interpreted as prohibiting discrimination against transgender people.
Sourceshttps://constitutionallyspeaking.co.za/christine-give-them-hell/


Revision History (2)

Revision by Sky. Fixing data.

Old Value New Value (Current)
ValueSexual orientation onlySexual orientation and gender identity
DescriptionSection 187(1)(f) of the Labour Relations Act (1995) establishes that a dismissal is “automatically unfair” when it is based on the employee’s "sexual orientation".
Moreover, Section 6(1) of the Employment Equity Act (1998) prohibits direct and indirect discrimination of an employee on the basis of "sexual orientation".
Additionally, Section 1(xxii)(a) of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (Act No. 4) (2000) includes "sexual orientation" as one of the prohibited grounds of discrimination. Section 6 of the Act establishes a “general prohibition of unfair discrimination”, according to which “neither the State nor any person may unfairly discriminate against any person”. Moreover, Section 29 includes employment among the areas covered by this Act.
In March 2022 a new Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination on Harassment in the workplace (2022) was published in the State Gazette which expands upon and clarifies the definitions of harassment and explicitly bans harassment on the basis of "sexual orientation" and bullying in the form of "LGBTQIA+ phobic language". Gender identity is not explicity mentioned.
Section 9(3) of the South African Constitution prohibits unfair discrimination on the grounds of sex, gender and sexual orientation. In addition, the Constitutional Court has stated that the section must also be interpreted as prohibiting discrimination against transgender people.
Show Difference
Section 187(1)(f) of the Labour Relations Act (1995) establishes that a dismissal is “automatically unfair” when it is based on the employee’s "sexual orientation". Moreover, Section 6(1) of the Employment Equity Act (1998) prohibits direct and indirect discrimination of an employee on the basis of "sexual orientation". Additionally, Section 1(xxii)(a) of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (Act No. 4) (2000) includes "sexual orientation" as one of the prohibited grounds of discrimination. Section 6 of the Act establishes a “general prohibition of unfair discrimination”, according to which “neither the State nor any person may unfairly discriminate against any person”. Moreover, Section 29 includes employment among the areas covered by this Act. In March 2022 a new Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination on Harassment in the workplace (2022) was published in the State Gazette which expands upon and clarifies the definitions of harassment and explicitly bans harassment on the basis of "sexual orientation" and bullying in the form of "LGBTQIA+ phobic language". Gender identity is not explicity mentioned. 9(3) of the South African Constitution prohibits unfair discrimination on the grounds of sex, gender and sexual orientation. In addition, the Constitutional Court has stated that the section must also be interpreted as prohibiting discrimination against transgender people.
Sourceshttps://database.ilga.org/south-africa-lgbti
http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2013.pdf
http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70985
www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70714
www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=68207
https://constitutionallyspeaking.co.za/christine-give-them-hell/
Show Difference
https://database.ilga.org/south-africa-lgbti http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2013.pdf http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70985 www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70714 www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=68207 https://constitutionallyspeaking.co.za/christine-give-them-hell/

Revision by Nathan. Improvement

Old Value (Original) New Value
ValueSexual orientation and gender identitySexual orientation only
Descriptionprohibition can be found in the Constitution (since 1994) and also in the Labour Relations Act of 1995, in force 11
November 1996 (http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70985); in the Employment Equity Act of 1998 (www.
info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70714; and in the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination
Act of 2000 (www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=68207)
Section 187(1)(f) of the Labour Relations Act (1995) establishes that a dismissal is “automatically unfair” when it is based on the employee’s "sexual orientation".
Moreover, Section 6(1) of the Employment Equity Act (1998) prohibits direct and indirect discrimination of an employee on the basis of "sexual orientation".
Additionally, Section 1(xxii)(a) of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (Act No. 4) (2000) includes "sexual orientation" as one of the prohibited grounds of discrimination. Section 6 of the Act establishes a “general prohibition of unfair discrimination”, according to which “neither the State nor any person may unfairly discriminate against any person”. Moreover, Section 29 includes employment among the areas covered by this Act.
In March 2022 a new Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination on Harassment in the workplace (2022) was published in the State Gazette which expands upon and clarifies the definitions of harassment and explicitly bans harassment on the basis of "sexual orientation" and bullying in the form of "LGBTQIA+ phobic language". Gender identity is not explicity mentioned.
Show Difference
prohibition can be found in the Constitution (since 1994) and also in the Labour Relations Act of 1995, in force 11 November 1996 (http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70985); in the Employment Equity Act of 1998 (www. info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70714; and in the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act of 2000 (www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=68207) Section 187(1)(f) of the Labour Relations Act (1995) establishes that a dismissal is “automatically unfair” when it is based on the employee’s "sexual orientation". Moreover, Section 6(1) of the Employment Equity Act (1998) prohibits direct and indirect discrimination of an employee on the basis of "sexual orientation". Additionally, Section 1(xxii)(a) of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (Act No. 4) (2000) includes "sexual orientation" as one of the prohibited grounds of discrimination. Section 6 of the Act establishes a “general prohibition of unfair discrimination”, according to which “neither the State nor any person may unfairly discriminate against any person”. Moreover, Section 29 includes employment among the areas covered by this Act. In March 2022 a new Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination on Harassment in the workplace (2022) was published in the State Gazette which expands upon and clarifies the definitions of harassment and explicitly bans harassment on the basis of "sexual orientation" and bullying in the form of "LGBTQIA+ phobic language". Gender identity is not explicity mentioned.
Sourceshttp://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2013.pdfhttps://database.ilga.org/south-africa-lgbti
http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2013.pdf
http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70985
www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70714
www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=68207
Show Difference
http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2013.pdf https://database.ilga.org/south-africa-lgbti http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2013.pdf http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70985 www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70714 www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=68207

murrayhawthorne created this entry.