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Reminder: Employment Equity Reporting Season is now open
- 18 September 2025
- Law
- South African Accounting Academy
Summary:
The Department of Employment and Labour has confirmed that the 2025 Employment Equity (EE) reporting cycle opened on 1 September 2025.
Article:
Designated employers (those with 50 or more employees) are required to submit their annual EE reports and align their plans with new sector targets published earlier this year on 15 April 2025.
- Manual submissions: 1 September 2025 – 1 October 2025
- Online submissions: 1 September 2025 – 15 January 2026 (midnight)
Employers must, from 1 September 2025, must also draw up their employment equity plans for the next 5 years and submit the required reports to the Department of Employment and Labour.
Non-designated employers (under 50 employees) must still confirm or update their status on the EE Online system if they wish to request an EE Compliance Certificate.
The Employment Equity Amendment Act, 2022, which took effect on 1 January 2025, introduced:
- Five-year sectoral numerical targets across 18 economic sectors.
- A requirement that designated employers’ EE Plans (2025–2030) align with these targets.
- The EE Compliance Certificate (section 53) is now mandatory for access to state contracts.
- Reduced reporting burden for small businesses (those with fewer than 50 employees).
Refer to our previous Alert dated 3 January 2025
Click here to access the media statement issued by the Department of Labour:
Relevance to Auditors, Independent Reviewers & Accountants:
- The Employment Equity Amendment Act and Regulations is yet another piece of legislation that your clients must comply with, and which you must assess compliance with. If they don’t comply with the relevant laws and regulations, you have certain reporting obligations in terms of NOCLAR (NOn-Compliance with Laws And Regulations) – this could include reporting to management, qualifying your audit opinion, reporting a Reportable Irregularity, etc.
- As an employer with more than 50 employees, you also need to submit EE report in your workplace.
- Under the new EE regulations, employers will be measured against their annual progress towards 5-year sectoral numerical EE targets. Falling behind may affect your ability to do business with the government.
Relevance to Your clients:
- An entity with more than 50 employees (company or close corporation) has a duty to comply with the Employment Equity Act, and directors have to fulfil their duties accordingly, otherwise they could be held liable.
- An employer needs to then submit EE reports annually by the deadline date.
- Under the new EE regulations, employers will be measured against their annual progress towards 5-year sectoral numerical EE targets. Falling behind may affect your client’s ability to do business with the government.