Hon Speaker, the hon Leader of the Opposition, since I last addressed this issue in this very House earlier this month - on 15 August 2012, to be precise - the process that I outlined then remains on track. Furthermore, it would not be advisable for us, as this House, to debate the details of the discussions that are taking place in the National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac, before Nedlac itself concludes such discussions and submits a report to Cabinet. However, Cabinet has agreed that the process at Nedlac should be fast-tracked and finalised, and that the specifics of a multipronged youth strategy be developed before it proceeds with new measures. I thank you for your attention.
Mr Speaker, two weeks ago, when I asked the Deputy President in this House whether he believed it was time to implement the youth wage subsidy ahead of a decision at Nedlac - because, of course, a decision at Nedlac is not necessary in order for the government to implement this policy - he responded that we would get answers the following day from the hon Ebrahim Patel during the youth wage subsidy debate. He called it D-day.
However, I am not sure whether the Deputy President briefed the hon Patel properly on this matter because we did not get any answers. In fact, there is more doubt and confusion about the status of the youth wage subsidy now than there was before. So, my question is: Will the Deputy President provide us with some resolute clarity on this matter? What is the status of the individual youth wage subsidy policy as tabled by National Treasury? Will it be implemented? If so, how soon will it be implemented? Thank you very much.
Speaker, the youth wage subsidy was announced by the President in the state of the nation address in 2010. Following that, National Treasury also included it in the Budget Vote. In order to give effect to that announcement, as is normal practice, this was then referred to Nedlac for processing to ensure that all the stakeholders - organised business, organised labour, community and government - agree on how this is going to be implemented, as various stakeholders had different views. That is the process I was referring to. The Nedlac processes are, in fact, making good progress.
As Cabinet, we have mandated our representatives in Nedlac to ensure that they speed up the process. I am still very confident that what I said to you in this august House on 15 August 2012 was correct, and still is, to date. The Ministers of Labour, Finance and Economic Development are seized with this matter to ensure that whatever the stumbling blocks or areas that still hold this process back are clarified within Nedlac itself. That is why all the stops will be pulled out as soon as we receive that report in Cabinet. Thank you.
Speaker, hon Deputy President, we find that government tends to flip-flop occasionally on policies it presents to the country. Two years on, the youth wage subsidy has not been implemented. Here we find ourselves asking a very simple question: When is it going to be implemented? We are not getting answers. So, we are now calling on the hon Deputy President to provide direction and give hope to young people, 72% of whom are unemployed, by indicating when it is going to happen. Is government actually willing to do it or is it buckling under pressure from other people outside government at the expense of young South Africans who need the youth wage subsidy? When is it going to happen? [Applause.]
Speaker, that will happen at the conclusion of the Nedlac discussions. [Applause.] That will happen. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members, order!
It will happen at the conclusion of those discussions. It may not be in the original form; it may have been enriched in a more effective way. [Interjections.] That is the answer to that question. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, would the Deputy President agree that the integrated approach of the International Labour Organisation, ILO, which reflects government's approach of combining microeconomic policies and targeted measures to address labour demand and supply, as well as quantity and quality of work, is a superior manner in dealing with the challenge of youth unemployment, as opposed to the DA's one-dimensional approach of a youth wage subsidy? Thank you.
Hon Speaker, indeed, my understanding is that the challenge of youth unemployment cannot be addressed through one instrument only; it requires a multipronged approach. The youth wage subsidy, as I said, was announced by the President, further elaborated upon by National Treasury, and later embraced by the DA. [Laughter.] Therefore, we do not regard it as a DA proposal because it was something that was contained in the state of the nation address. This multipronged approach will include the DA's take on the youth wage subsidy.
So, it is a national effort and we should not locate it in party politics, because it is about a very important challenge: of ensuring that we create employment opportunities for young people. [Applause.] It is from that perspective that I believe the DA is not saying in its argument that the youth wage subsidy is a silver bullet, the only way to solve youth unemployment. They are embracing what the President announced, and so, that should be welcomed. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker, Deputy President, that is why we are so surprised that there is this dilly-dallying about implementing something that is, indeed, truly just one aspect of a multipronged strategy. In the two-and-a- half years that Nedlac has been debating the youth wage subsidy, 124 000 young people have lost their jobs. So, we are asking the question: How long is long enough for Nedlac? [Applause.] [Interjections.]
Mr Speaker, unfortunately, Nedlac is a very important structure. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members!
Nedlac guarantees that once a matter is agreed to in those chambers, it already enjoys the support of important stakeholders in our country. In the interim, because we are talking of a multipronged strategy and approach, all other elements of this multipronged strategy ought to be employed and given effect to with more vigour and enthusiasm, so that we truly deal with this challenge of the unemployment of young people. As I said, I believe we are treating this matter with the urgency that it deserves. That is why the three Ministers are going to be interacting with Nedlac to ensure that we get this report. We are no less eager to get the report and get going than you are on the other side of this House. Thank you.
Measures to respond to communities' grievances while preventing violent protests
15. Mr M G P Lekota (Cope) asked the Deputy President:
Whether the Government intends to implement measures to (a) respond to grievances of communities, (b) encourage disgruntled citizens to participate in constructive solutions to matters causing protest action and (c) prevent violent and destructive protests; if not, what is the position in each case; if so, in each case, what (i) measures and (ii) are the further relevant details?