UPCOMING EMPLOYMENT EQUITY SUBMISSION DEADLINES

By prioritising employment equity and skills development, businesses not only meet legislative requirements but also strengthen their compliance with the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) scorecard, driving meaningful transformation.

This serves as a reminder that the manual submission deadline for Employment Equity (EE) Plans and Reports was 1 October 2025.

Employers who did not submit manually must now complete their submissions online to ensure compliance for the 2025 reporting period.

The Department of Labour’s online submission system remains open until 15 January 2026, after which no further submissions will be accepted.

Please note that the online reporting platform opens annually on 1 September, allowing employers sufficient time to prepare and submit their EE Reports.

What is the purpose of the Employment Equity Act for businesses?

The purpose of the Employment Equity Act (EEA) in South Africa is––

• to promote equal opportunities and fair treatment of all people in the workplace by eliminating unfair discrimination; and
• to implement affirmative action measures to redress the disadvantages in employment experienced in the past by members from designated groups.

Who must submit an Employment Equity Report?

All Designated Employers must submit an EE Report. The EEA defines a Designated Employer as follows:

• An Employer with 50 or more employees; or
• A Municipality; or
• An Organ of State; or 
• An Employer bound by a collective agreement which appoints it as a Designated Employer; or
• Employers who became newly designated on or after the first working day of April but before the first working day of October, are only required to submit their first EE Report in the next reporting cycle, namely by 15 January 2027.

This provision allows sufficient time for newly designated employers to prepare and implement their EE Plans before reporting.

Kindly note that we have already published several articles discussing in more detail the Employment Equity Act compliance requirements for both designated and non-designated employers.

Employment Equity Report submission and compliance

EE Reports must be submitted annually. For manual submissions, the deadline is the first working day of October, whereas electronic submissions are due by 15 January of the following year.

To summarise, manual submissions for 2025 closed on 1 October, while online submissions will remain open until 15 January 2026.

While timely submission of EE Reports is essential, this alone does not ensure full compliance with the legislation.

Employers are legally required to ensure that their reports are accurate and factually sound, and reflect genuine progress in implementing affirmative action measures, in line with the requirements of the Employment Equity Act.

Why must an Employment Equity Report be submitted?  

• An EE Report must be submitted because it is a legal requirement under the Employment Equity Act.

Non-compliance may have far-reaching consequences and affect a business adversely. Businesses may face fines of up to R1,5 million or 2% of annual turnover for first-time offenders. Repeat offenders could face fines of R2,7 million or up to 10% of their annual turnover.

• It is important for purposes of obtaining a B-BBEE certificate

A company participates and is verified under the B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice. Failure to submit the EE Report will result in zero points being allocated for the Management & Control element, which in turn will significantly impact the overall B-BBEE score and certification level.

Guidelines for submitting Employment Equity Plans and Reports

Some employers choose to manage the submission of their EE Plans and Reports internally, while others prefer a more seamless and compliant process by engaging professional industry experts.

At SERR Synergy, our team of qualified Skills Development Facilitators (SDFs) assists businesses by compiling and submitting EE Plans and Reports on their behalf.

Our Skills Development Facilitation and Employment Equity services are designed for businesses that seek to align their employment equity strategies with their broader corporate objectives. We provide expert guidance throughout the process to ensure that your organisation’s employment equity framework not only complies with the Employment Equity Act but also supports sustainable business growth and success. 

About the Author: Ivan Pirrie, a certified Skills Development Facilitator, obtained his SDF qualification in 2015. He joined SERR Synergy in 2020 and currently holds the title of Skills Development Facilitator Team Lead.