Abstract:
The letter of the law versus the spirit of the law is an idiomatic antithesis which
suggests that in interpreting a law there are two choices. One can approach a law
literally or one can instead focus on its intent. The relevance of this idiomatic
opposition to the Employment Equity Act and its provision for affirmative action
is interrogated through the presentation of two case studies demonstrating the
obstacles to fully embracing equity and valuing the diversity of South African
society.
