Storm over Coca-Cola ad seeking black candidates for intern posts

Focus must be on transformation, BMF says

- By Boitumelo Kgobotlo

Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa was forced to withdraw an internship advertisement after trade union Solidarity threatened legal action.

Black Management Forum insists that the withdrawal by Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa of a job advertisement stipulating that the candidate must be black does not resolve transformation issues within the company.

The company was forced to withdraw the advert after trade union Solidarity threatened legal action over the job adverts for intern positions. Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa had put out an ad for a number of fleet internships in the logistics division, seeking qualified persons to manage the fleet operation and perform other duties at its facilities in Pretoria, Durban, Polokwane and at the Perseverance industrial area in Gqeberha.

The sought candidates needed to be South African citizens not older than 35-years, possess a grade 12 qualification and be certified as diesel mechanics or fitters. However Solidarity took issue with the beverage maker stipulating in the now withdrawn advertisement that it was seeking “employment equity” candidates.