BOSA Pushes Fair Pay Reform as Workers’ Day Sparks Wage Debate

“Past Injustice Becomes Future Injustice” — Party Targets Salary History Practice

As South Africa marked Workers’ Day, Build One South Africa (BOSA) used the moment to call for sweeping changes in workplace fairness, placing the spotlight on wage transparency and the treatment of job seekers.

At the centre of its campaign is the proposed Fair Pay Bill, which seeks to abolish the long-standing practice of employers requesting salary history from prospective employees — a move the party says entrenches inequality.

BOSA argues that using previous pay as a benchmark perpetuates systemic underpayment, particularly for young professionals and historically disadvantaged groups.

“Past injustice becomes future injustice,” the party said, warning that outdated hiring practices continue to lock workers into cycles of unfair compensation.

Deputy leader Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster said the release of the bill for public comment marks the beginning of a broader national conversation about what fairness in the workplace should look like.

“Every year, thousands of graduates and job seekers enter a labour market that too often operates against them,” Hlazo-Webster said, adding that Workers’ Day provides an opportunity to rethink how economic participation is defined in South Africa.

She framed the issue as more than just wages, but as a question of dignity and access.

“What does it look like to be a worker in South Africa? What does it mean to truly exercise the right to economic participation?” she asked.

The proposal appears to be gaining traction beyond political circles. Hlazo-Webster noted that the Fair Pay Bill has received unexpected support from parts of the business community — a development that could strengthen its chances of gaining broader backing.

In a bid to build momentum, BOSA has indicated it will formally engage leaders of all political parties in Parliament, urging cross-party support for the legislation.

As debates around inequality, unemployment, and labour rights continue to intensify, the Fair Pay Bill is positioning itself as a potential flashpoint — one that could reshape how South Africans are paid, hired, and valued in the workplace.

This article was originally posted by EWN