The Eskom case study in South Africa examines the country’s affirmative action law and its wider implications on race and representation in the business sector. The case highlights the inadvertent contradiction within affirmative action strategies, which aim to nurture diversity and redress representation imbalances but must simultaneously refrain from establishing absolute boundaries for any racial demographic. The court case resulted in compensation for the plaintiff, but also serves as a reflection for businesses and governments globally on the fine equilibrium between diversity and equal opportunity.