Mr Speaker, in a reply to my question in Parliament yesterday, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said he was quite positive that a positive outcome would emerge in discussion with the National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac, on the youth wage subsidy.
This is not enough. The Deputy President must intervene to ensure that government's stated policy is implemented in line with the President's and Finance's Minister's commitments.
The policy was formally announced by the President in the 2010 state of the nation address, but loud opposition from Cosatu on spurious grounds led to it being placed on the back burner. The Treasury discussion document on the policy promised by the Finance Minister in his Budget Speech was also delayed by 10 months. Now it seems that Cosatu is set to use its veto power at Nedlac to block the policy, despite broad support from across the ideological spectrum, including from South Africa's second biggest trade union federation, Fedusa.
As the Leader of Government Business, Deputy President Motlanthe must instruct officials from the Department of Labour and the National Treasury ...
Hold on, hon member. Chief Whip, what point are you rising on?
Speaker, on the claimed inadequacy of the reply of the Deputy President.
Hon member, please take your seat. Continue, hon member.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. As the Leader of Government Business, Deputy President Motlanthe must instruct the officials from the Department of Labour and the National Treasury, who represent the government on the youth wage subsidy task team at Nedlac, to ensure that the implementation of the youth wage subsidy is not further delayed by the ideological opposition of Cosatu. Cosatu has opposed the subsidy based on their belief that it will "enrich capitalists and further segment the working class".
This is absurd. The figures speak for themselves. Had the youth wage subsidy been implemented on 1 April ...
Hon member, your time has expired.
... it would have already created 225 000 jobs. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members!
The needs of Cosatu's members cannot be placed above those of our 3,2 million unemployed young people. I thank you. [Interjections.] [Time expired.]
Hon members, order!