South Africa's Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-biggest party in government, went to court last week to challenge new employment equity laws that impose strict hiring targets for non-white employees.
The Employment Equity Amendment Act updates a 1998 law requiring employers to set and report on diversity targets. It aims to boost the hiring of Black people and other groups in some industries.
Statistics cited by Reuters news agency show that South Africa's companies are still dominated by white people at the top, with Black employees mainly occupying lower-level roles. Unemployment is much higher among Black citizens.
Companies with more than 50 employees must meet sectoral targets for the number of non-white people, women and disabled people in skilled and senior roles under the act — or justify their failure to do so.
For example, it requires 57.5% of top management to be Black, Indian or "coloured" people, a term for biracial South Africans.
The measures have drawn fire from the US government under President Donald Trump, who cited "racist laws" as part of his reasons to cut aid to South Africa and offer support to minority Afrikaners to relocate to the United States.
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The pro-business DA says the act violates anti-discrimination clauses in South Africa's constitution and gives the state too much regulatory power.
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