2025 Employment Equity Reporting Cycle Opens

Posted 18 September 2025 Written by Acts Online
Category Labour

Brought to you by SA Accounting Academy: The Department of Employment and Labour has confirmed that the 2025 Employment Equity (EE) reporting cycle opened on 1 September 2025, following the commencement of the Employment Equity Amendment Act, No. 4 of 2022 on 1 January 2025.

In terms of the Employment Equity Act, No. 55 of 1998, designated employers — defined as those employing 50 or more employees — are required to submit their annual EE reports. For the 2025 cycle, these employers must ensure their equity plans are aligned with the specific sector targets published by the Minister on 15 April 2025.

From 1 September 2025, employers are further required to:

  • Draft and implement new employment equity plans covering the next five-year period.
  • Submit the required EEA2 and EEA4 forms to the Department of Employment and Labour via the EE Online system.
  • Ensure that all transformation objectives correspond with the regulatory sector-specific benchmarks.

Non-designated employers (those with fewer than 50 employees) are not required to submit annual reports but must still confirm or update their status on the EE Online system if they intend to request an EE Compliance Certificate for procurement or other regulatory purposes.

Regulatory Compliance and Sector Targets

The 2025 reporting cycle is the first to fully integrate the provisions of the Employment Equity Amendment Act, No. 4 of 2022. This legislation empowers the Minister to set numerical targets for any economic sector. Employers must demonstrate reasonable progress toward these targets to maintain compliance and secure a certificate of compliance, which is a prerequisite for contracting with the state.

Click here to access the media statement issued by the Department of Employment and Labour: The opening of the 2025 EE reporting cycle is imminent

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: Ensure your professional knowledge is updated regarding the 15 April 2025 sector targets to provide accurate compliance advice during the current reporting window.
  • For your business: If your firm employs 50 or more staff, you must initiate the drafting of a new five-year employment equity plan and submit your EEA2 and EEA4 reports before the online portal deadline.
  • For your clients: Advise clients to perform a gap analysis between their current workforce profile and the sector-specific targets published on 15 April 2025 to avoid compliance failures in their 2025 submissions.

Originally published at https://accountingacademy.co.za/news/read/reminder-employment-equity-reporting-season-is-now-open

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