Adjunkspeaker, die veelvoudige stakings in verskeie sektore van die ekonomie is nie net besig om voor 2010 die internasionale beeld van Suid-Afrika as 'n stabiele demokrasie geweldige skade te berokken nie, maar is ook besig om die ekonomie te kniehalter.
Vakbonde, in veral die staatsdiens, het die leiding geneem met die eise om onrealistiese salarisverhogings en aanpassings. Munisipale amptenare se verhoging van 13,5% is en bly onrealisties, en dis die gewone man in die straat wat daardie rekening sal moet betaal.
In die huidige internasionale ekonomiese klimaat het die vakbonde en werkers eerder op eie gewin gekonsentreer as om aan die brer samelewing te dink.
Verhogings en salarisse hor as die inflasiesyfer het 'n kettingreaksie- effek op voedselpryse en die ekonomie in die geheel, en van president Zuma se beroep op werkers om vreedsame onderhandeling oor salarisverhogings het niks gekom nie.
In dieselfde periode waar werkers gestaak, optogte gehou en medewerkers gentimideer het, het miljoene ander Suid-Afrikaners hul werk verloor.
Die werkloosheidsyfer staan tans op meer as 23%, terwyl nog afdankings duisende werkers in die myne en verwante bedrywe in die gesig staar.
President Zuma het in sy openingsrede ges dat die regering in die komende jaar ten minste 500 000 nuwe poste sal skep. Die regering kan nie hierdie beloftes nakom as hy nie daarin kan slaag om vakbonde en werkers sover te kry om vreedsaam oor salarisse en realistiese salarisverhogings te onderhandel nie.
Die ANC-regering moet daarom sy vennote soos Cosatu in die bek ruk om Suid- Afrika se groter ekonomie te beskerm, eerder as om aan daardie politieke druk toe te gee. Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans member's statement follows.)
[Dr C P MULDER (FF Plus): Deputy Speaker, the many strikes in various sectors of the economy are not only causing immense damage to the international image of South Africa as a stable democracy prior to 2010, but they are also hampering the economy. Labour unions, especially in the Public Service, have taken the lead in demanding unrealistic salary increases and adjustments. The increase of 13,5% for municipal officials is and remains unrealistic, and it is the ordinary man in the street who will have to foot the bill.
In the current international economic climate the unions and workers have focused on self-gain rather than the broader community.
Above-inflation-rate increases in salaries had a chain reaction effect on food prices and the economy in general, and nothing came of President Zuma's call on workers for peaceful negotiations with regard to salary increases.
In the same period, when workers went on strike, held marches and intimidated fellow workers, millions of other South Africans lost their jobs. The unemployment rate is currently determined at more than 23%, with thousands of workers in mining and related industries facing the possibility of losing their jobs.
President Zuma said in his state of the nation address that the government will create at least 500 000 new jobs in the coming year. The Government will not be able to keep this promise if it fails to bring unions and workers round to negotiate peacefully about salaries and realistic salary increases.
The ANC government must therefore pull its partners like Cosatu up short in order to protect the South African economy, instead of succumbing to political pressure. Thank you.]