“Equality Is Not Un-African”: Dep. Minister Steve Letsike Hails LGBTI+ Workplace Equality Index

The Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka “Steve” Letsike, has hailed the launch of the 2026 South African Workplace Equality Index (SAWEI) as “a moment of profound significance” for LGBTI+ equality in the workplace.

Speaking at an online briefing on Wednesday, 1 October, which was attended by business and civil society leaders, Letsike said that SAWEI, as the benchmark for LGBTI+ workplace inclusion, is a call to action for employers across the country.

“It is a signal to our nation and to the world that South Africa will not waver in its institutional promise that every person, regardless of who they are or who they love, must live, must work and must thrive with dignity,” she declared.

SAWEI gives participating employers a credible, practical, independently validated tool to measure, strengthen, and celebrate progress on LGBTI+ workplace equality.

Moving Beyond Paper Rights

Letsike stressed that the SAWEI is an opportunity to assess the realities of workplace equality, not just symbolic declarations.

“SAWEI tells employers across this land, ‘do not only declare your values, show us your evidence, because rights on paper mean nothing if they do not translate into the lived experience of workers at their desks, in their offices, at their factories and on their shop floors.’”

She pointed to sobering statistics: just 14.9% of gender non-conforming LGBTIQ+ people in South Africa are in paid work, compared to 46.4% of gender-conforming heterosexual individuals. Those who do find jobs earn on average 30% less than their peers.

“Many face precarious and unequal conditions, especially when you are Black, transgender, or gender non-conforming. This means the constitutional protection has not yet translated into economic dignity for LGBTI+ people. This is why SAWEI matters,” she said.

A Tool for Transformation

Letsike emphasised that the index also firmly situates queer inclusion within South Africa’s broader business transformation agenda.

“The struggle for LGBTI+ dignity is bound up with the struggle for gender equality, for economic access, for the rights of persons with disability, and for freedom from gender-based violence and hate crimes.”

She argued that representation alone is not enough: “We must move beyond token figures and statistics towards qualitative inclusion, creating a culture of belonging, safety, and affirmation.”

Crucially, she called on government itself to lead by example. With over 1.3 million employees, the South African public service is the country’s largest employer. “If the public service mainstreams SAWEI principles, the ripple effects will be profound,” she asserted.

Anchored in South Africa’s Constitution

While there are similar LGBTI+ workplace benchmarks in the UK, US and Australia, SAWEI is the only one of its kind on African soil and is uniquely rooted in South Africa’s Constitution.

“It is not borrowed. It is born here. It carries the philosophy of Ubuntu, declaring that our humanity is bound together. It also says to Africa and the world: equality is not un-African. It is deeply African.”

Letsike called on industries historically resistant to transformation – such as mining, construction, finance and ICT to step up – insisting that “no mine, no bank, no boardroom must show or should be beyond the reach of inclusion… and no employer should be celebrated for transformation if they exclude queer lives.”

Equality Not up for Debate

With anti-rights movements growing globally and a pushback against DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) in some regions, Letsike said SAWEI is more than a workplace tool.

“It becomes an act of resistance. It tells those forces that in South Africa, dignity is not negotiable. Equality is not up for debate.”

She concluded: “SAWEI transforms equality from abstracts into practice, from paper into culture, from silence into visibility. It declares that queerness is not marginal but central, not erased, but celebrated as part of the beating heart of South Africa’s freedom.”

About SAWEI

The South African Workplace Equality Index (SAWEI) is the nation’s only employer-focused benchmarking tool for LGBTI+ inclusion, run by the LGBTI+ Forum of South Africa with independent validation. MambaOnline.com is the official LGBT+ media partner.

Since 2018, SAWEI has attracted growing participation from leading employers across South Africa. Previous top-ranking organisations include McKinsey & Company, Procter & Gamble, Unilever South Africa, and Vodacom South Africa.

SAWEI 2026 key dates
• Go-Live: 26 September 2025
• Close: 14 November 2025 (23:59 SAST)
• Review & Validation: November–December 2025
• Accreditation Announced: February 2026

Fees & how to participate
Please note: All fees have been waived for SAWEI 2026 to encourage entries and participation.

To register for SAWEI 2026: Click to https://eu.surveymonkey.com/r/saweiproudemployer or email members@lgbtforum.org.