Recruitment exploitation. Lies, Policy, an Unequal Society. No transparency, prejudiced standards and diminishing civil rights and freedoms. Recruitment standards in South Africa currently match ethics advanced during Apartheid.
Lies, Policy, an Unequal Society
Recruitment Exploitation
Firms withhold information during recruitment to create a dysfunctional wage system worsening poverty conditions.
South Africa has been hijacked by institutionalised prejudice against the poor and job seekers.
Oxfam’s Inequality Report: An Economy for the 99% in SA highlights particular myths that extend the life of poverty and expand inequality endlessly into the future.
Studies show that gender and racist-based pay gaps exist in South Africa.
Add South Africa’s high rate of abuse against women, we have a trapped gender held hostage economically and socially.
Fact: Jobs are scarce, and unemployment levels have increased to 27.7 in 2017. This, along with the immediacy of social media, has diminished recruitment standards as recruiters no longer work hard to attract suitable candidates.
Fact: Inequality is so severe in South Africa that our economy is described as ‘broken.’
Freedom F***s
Recruiters and firms fatten on liberties they are not entitled to. Such as demanding that applicants provide confidential pay slip information and omitting salary ranges in job adverts.
DON’T BELIEVE IN MYTHS
Oxfam exposes the following myths:
- The market is always right and the role of governments should be minimised;
Myth Bust: an unequal society requires greater protection in order to prevent inequality. South Africa’s over-supply (surplus) of low-skilled workers creates a hungry ground for income inequality. Firms drive wages down even though and unless the government intervenes. The term ‘skilled’ includes the ability to negotiate the best contracts and offers.
- Companies need to maximise profits and returns to shareholders at all costs;
Myth Bust: the rights of ordinary citizens cannot be held ransom for stakeholder profits as this implies that labour is viewed as an entitlement for those who own production.
- Extreme individual wealth is not a problem, it’s a sign of success and inequality is not relevant;
Myth Bust: In SA, the richest 1% of the population has 42% of the total wealth. The number of citizens living in extreme poverty has increased to 14 million.
Inequality results in economic and social exclusion that permits those with wealth to assume power over them. Poverty disempowers members of society and debilitates progress. Poverty makes is easier for exploitation to thrive.
- GDP growth should be the primary goal of policymaking;
GDP growth is about people, not firms. It’s harder to develop the institutions, norms and conventions required for economic growth in unequal societies. Education, health, crime are only a few factors impacting overall economic growth and which require stringent policy environments.
Stats SA poverty trend report demonstrates the value of education in escaping poverty: 8.4% of people with tertiary qualifications are considered to be poor, compared to 35% with just a matric and 79% with no education at all.
- The economic model is gender-neutral;
Income inequality data consistently proves women still get paid less.
- The planet’s resources are limitless.
Ummm….We know this isn’t true.
What Legislation Guides Recruitment Policy?
THE CONSTITUTION THE HIGHEST LAW IN THE LAND
Section 23.1 of the SA Constitution stipulates: “Everyone is entitled to fair labour practice.“
The process of being recruited is part of the labour experience. Applicants participate in a formal procedure that is the potential start of an employment relationship.
Recruitment responds to a lack of regulations by breaking from conventions that foster inclusion and fair process.
Firms adopt neoliberal policy models where information can be withheld to create an advantage. They create the perception that applicants must have adequate wealth and resources to relentlessly participate in recruitment processes that are fundamentally unfair and prejudiced.
