The Department of Employment and Labour’s annual Employment Equity reporting portal opens for Designated Employers on 1 September 2026.
| Employers who have reported previously should watch their inboxes for the activation email giving them access to the online system. This is automatically sent to the CEO and the designated EE Senior Manager, based on the details captured in the previous year’s online report.
Do not overlook this email. The activation link is important for accessing the portal and setting the password for the new reporting year. |
Why this year’s reporting is particularly important
The 2025 reporting period was the first reporting cycle under the new Employment Equity sector target framework.
During that process, Designated Employers captured the annual numerical targets that would take them towards the applicable five-year Sector Targets. The relevant Sector Targets were determined according to the industry selected on the system.
The current five-year Employment Equity planning period runs from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2030.
| This means that the 2026 report is the first opportunity to measure actual progress against the annual targets employers committed to last year.
And there are some important system limitations employers need to understand before they start reporting. |
Seven things employers should know about the 2026 EE report
1. Last year’s planned figures are coming back
The year-1 numerical target figures reported for the current year (ending 31 August 2026) in the 2025 submission will automatically populate in the 2026 online report.
These figures cannot be changed.
The employer’s actual workforce profile as at 31 August 2026 will therefore be measured against the targets previously set.
2. The system will determine whether the Current Year Target was achieved
The system will automatically determine whether the employer met its Current Year Target (Year-1 Numerical Target). This field cannot simply be changed by the employer.
Where a target was not achieved, the employer will need to identify the applicable justifiable reason for the relevant occupational level.
These reasons can include matters such as insufficient recruitment or promotion opportunities, an insufficient pool of suitably qualified candidates from designated groups, mergers or acquisitions, transfers of business, court or CCMA orders, or the impact of economic circumstances on the business.
Employers should therefore not treat the justifiable reason section as a last-minute reporting exercise. The reasons selected should be supportable and consistent with what actually happened in the business during the year. It is therefore advisable to keep records regarding recruitment and promotion decisions in case the employer is selected for a Director-General audit.
3. Certain important information is locked
Employers should be aware that certain information previously selected on the system cannot simply be changed during the reporting process.
This includes the employer’s:
- industry classification; and
- national or provincial EAP status.
These selections are significant because they affect the Sector Targets and Economically Active Population information against which the employer’s Employment Equity position is assessed.
4. The reporting period is automatically populated
The applicable reporting period will also automatically populate on the system and cannot be amended.
5. Newly Designated Employers also need to act
Employers who became designated on or before 1 April 2026 must report during the 2026 reporting cycle.
Their Employment Equity consultation process should commence as soon as possible after becoming designated, including conducting the required EEA12 analysis.
Their Employment Equity Plan will commence on 1 September 2026 and run for the remainder of the current five-year planning period ending on 31 August 2030.
This is important for employers who have recently reached the threshold of 50 or more employees and may not previously have been required to report.
6. No longer designated? Do not simply deregister from the system
Employers who are no longer Designated Employers do not need to deregister their EE account merely because their designation status has changed.
They may still need access to the system to declare their current status and obtain an Employment Equity Certificate of Compliance.
Depending on the circumstances, an EEA14 notification may also be required.
7. Be careful when completing the Compliance Certificate questions
There is another important consistency check when a Designated Employer applies for its Employment Equity Certificate of Compliance.
The employer will be asked whether its Employment Equity targets were achieved. The answer given in the compliance certificate process must be consistent with the information contained in the employer’s EEA2 report.
Where targets were not achieved, the reporting process may allow more than one justifiable reason to be recorded. However, when completing the compliance certificate section, the system requires the employer to select one principal reason.
The most appropriate or predominant justification should therefore be selected, and it should align with the reasons reflected in the EE report.
Our recommendation: start with last year’s report
Before opening the 2026 report and beginning to capture information, retrieve the employer’s 2025 EEA2 and Employment Equity Plan (EEA13) and review:
- the annual targets that were set for 2026;
- the actual workforce position at 31 August 2026;
- which targets have and have not been achieved;
- the reasons for any material variances; and
- whether the information recorded on the Department’s system remains correct.
The 2026 submission is not simply another annual statistical report. For the first time, employers are reporting actual performance against the annual targets set under the new five-year Sector Target framework.
Getting the figures, explanations and compliance declarations aligned is therefore increasingly important.
Need assistance with your 2026 Employment Equity reporting?
The Growthcurve Group team can assist with the complete Employment Equity process, including reviewing your targets and workforce profile, EEA2 and EEA4 reporting, justifiable reasons, Employment Equity Plans and Employment Equity Certificates of Compliance.
Contact info@Growthcurvegroup.co.za for assistance with your 2026 Employment Equity reporting and ongoing EE compliance.
This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE).