Hon Chairperson, members of the Portfolio, Committee on Employment and Labour, Deputy Minister, leadership of organised labour, organised business and community organisations, the Director General and Senior Management of the Department, members of the media, hon guests and member of the public.
Let me start with a question; what are the implications of the reconfiguration and renaming of the Department? Clearly, this reflects that the priority for this 6th Administration is jobs.
The renaming and reconfiguration of the Department reflects the refocusing from purely labour regulation and labour relations to the transformation of the labour market, employment and conditions of employment. We cannot achieve this alone, we continue to depend on the private sector to propel employment. This is why the President's investment drive is so important.
So let me share with you our thinking on the role of the reconfigured Department. Firstly, where we can, we will leverage the resources of the department - and of our entities - which are our labour market instruments - the UIF, Unemployment Insurance Fund and the Compensation Fund, CF, to preserve jobs and to invest in job creating initiatives. Secondly, as the department, we provide coordination and seek to collaborate and align our efforts with other departments and agencies both to create jobs and to ensure that our people get the skills required in the market place. Thirdly, we intensify efforts to strengthen the labour market through the variety of tools at our disposal and in line with the vision of the department to quote "strive for a labour market
conducive for investment, economic growth, employment and decent work". This must include doing away with red tape; however, it does not mean reducing workers' rights as proposed by the opposition, which constantly exaggerates a perception of the supposed rigidity of the labour market. Indeed, research indicates that there is a relatively high level of re- allocation and easy movement of labour between firms. In the current situation of deep systemic unemployment and slow growth, government has to use its active labour market policies to improve access to jobs and skills. Let's go to specifics.
Our Public Employment Services Branch has been allocated
R611 million rand to drive the implementation of these active labour market policies - including providing free career counselling, retraining and upskilling, job placing, and providing subsidies to support workers with disabilities in employment. This includes 13 factories, under the Supported Employment Enterprises programme producing high quality furniture and linen. They need to be supported by all government structures, as well as the private sector. So, I'm lobbying now, hon members, no more going to the malls in town. Let's go to the factories we've built and then buy furnisher from there. And I will also be lobbying, minister.
In addition, we will establish ten specialised Youth Centres over the coming two years - in addition to our existing 126 Labour Centres. In fact, we are officially launching the first of the Youth Centres at 13hOO today, just nearby, at 22 Parade Street. The portfolio committee members, you are welcome to join us so that you can see what we are talking about.
In this financial year, we will also ensure that our passive labour market tools - mainly the Unemployment Insurance Fund, UIF, strengthen our Labour Activation Programme, LAP, to focus on the following vocational and remedial training for the unemployed; programmes for youth in transition from school to work, including apprenticeships and some 130 learnerships over three years; but these must be quality not fly by night, who just grab the money and go. Also, subsidized, targeted measures to provide employment including, hiring subsidies - paid to private-sector employers; and assistance to unemployed persons who wish to start their own businesses. As part of transformation, funds have been allocated to three new black Asset Management Companies. We are not just going to give people in the market, we must give it and say our people must also have something share. To achieve this, the UIF has budgeted R 7.9 billion rand over the next three years. The focus is to fund jobs, not just training.
The Department will form partnerships with employers and training institutions - particularly in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education and Training to address the future skills needs of the labour market. The President has said that we must train the youth for the digital jobs which are expected to be created in the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We must not just reduce this term FIR into just a technical term; it must have a human face.
The President has flagged the need for Social Dialogue and a Social Compact and National Economic Development and Labour Council, NEDLAC, is critical to this. The Department will consult with all social partners to review the constitution of the council to promote greater inclusivity; governance challenges at NEDLAC which resulted in disciplinary processes against senior officials are being firmly addressed.
Hon Chairperson, in October 2018, the Presidential Jobs Summit was convened by NEDLAC. Of the 77 commitments made, 70% are on track for implementation. I should mention that in contrast to previous summits, a monitoring and evaluation tool was put in place to track the outcomes.
Already these interventions have resulted in saving jobs,
through the Training Layoff Scheme, TLS, and via a sizeable investment from the UIF's High Social Impact Fund. R1.2 billion rand was invested in Edcon preventing the loss of 140,000 direct and upstream jobs. I should mention that the investment comes with strict conditions to guarantee the investment capital and a sustainable turnaround in the business.
Hon Chairperson, mamela man [listen] it is worth noting that the Ministers of Employment and Labour in Southern African Development Community, SADC have agreed to develop a Regional Labour Migration Policy, RLMP, by the end of 2019. In turn, the department will finalise a new national migration and employment policy in consultation with all social partners.
Hon Chairperson, we preserve jobs by improving the productivity and competitiveness of our businesses. Productivity South Africa, an entity of the department, has done sterling work in assisting Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise Business through its Turn Around Solution Programme. The Department is currently reviewing the funding model, so that Productivity South Africa can expand its work.
Hon Chairperson, a stable labour market is necessary for creating a conducive environment for investment. Recent amendments to the Labour Relations Act address strikes or Lock-outs those are intractable and violent. These provided for the establishment of an advisory arbitration panel. The Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration, CCMA, is responsible for implementing these measures.
This year marks 22 years of the existence of the CCMA, and saw the enactment of the long-awaited National Minimum Wage Act and Employment Law Amendments, expanding the jurisdiction of the CCMA to provide protection to the most vulnerable workers.
Hon Chairperson, some 194,000 cases were referred to the CCMA during 2018/19, compared to 187,000 referrals in 2017/18. This large caseload is indicative of the failure by both business and labour to moderate workplace conflict. Nevertheless, this institution continues to serve a critical role in stabilizing labour relations.
Hon Chairperson in pursuit of social justice and a transformed labour market, the department published the Employment Equity Amendment Bill 2018 for public comment. The 2018 Employment Equity report reflects that at top and senior management levels, women only
account for 23.5% and 34.5% respectively, whereas persons with disabilities remained at 1% across all sectors of the economy. The National Minimum Wage was initially set at R20 per hour.
This is not enough to lift people out of poverty, but it is an important start, and indications are that some 6 million workers will benefit. Inspections, to date, indicate a high compliance rate with only 7% of employers failing to pay the prescribed rate. Prophesies that wholesale retrenchments would follow the introduction of a National Minimum Wage were not borne out. An expected massive spike in CCMA cases has not occurred. By the end of September, the National Minimum Wage Commission will publish research into the impact of the changes on employment, poverty levels and wage differentials.
The Employment Equity Amendment Bill will be prioritised for tabling in Parliament - to regulate the setting of sector specific employment targets to address the gross under- representation of blacks, women and persons with disabilities. In addition, it will also ensure that an Employment Equity Certificate of Compliance becomes a precondition for access to state contracts. R1,2 billion rand has been budgeted for this programme.
IsiXhosa:
Asisayi kunika nje abantu imisebenzi singakhange sakuphonononga ukuba unalo utshintsho.
English:
Despite carrying out 167,000 inspections during the current year, we don't have adequate numbers of inspectors to reach every workplace. We rely on the activism of shop stewards and the public to be our eyes and ears, as well as the good will of responsible corporate citizens.
During the course of this financial year, we will be adding 200 inspectors to the current team that is working to ensure implementation of the national minimum wage. With the Deputy Minister and the Director General, we will be launching a blitz of inspections in the near future. Hon members of the portfolio committee are welcome to join us.
What point are you rising on hon member?
Point of order, chairperson, hon Khawula said the Minister "o le shano" [you are lying] and that is not parliamentary
Hon Khawula, I heard that and you know that is not allowed to say a person is lying in this Chamber. Can you please withdraw that?
Sesotho:
Mme, ke bua dipuo tse ngata. Ho bua leshano o a tseba le wena hore ho bolela eng. Ho bolela hore "unamanga"
Oh hayi sorry bengingazi ukuthi kusho lokho ngiyaxolisa, bengingazi ukuthi kusho lokho
Our Inspection and Enforcement Services Branch has been allocated a budget of R628 million for the current financial year hon Chairperson, I cannot over emphasize the importance of social protection in our fight against poverty.
As part of government's entrenched labour market policy, the UIF mitigates the effects of retrenchments. Recent amendments to the Unemployment Insurance Amendment Act will to that act will expand the coverage and period for UIF beneficiaries from different industries such as domestic workers, interns and those in learnerships; it will increase the income replacement rate for maternity benefits to 66%; it will extend a contributor's
entitlement to benefits under certain circumstances; and finance employment services.
The average turn-around time of payment of UIF claims has been shortened from 10 to 7 days. The UIF also contributes to fighting poverty and unemployment, in that 20% of its Social Responsibility Investment Fund, SRIF, is invested in high impact job creation business ventures across all sectors and provinces. To date, almost R17 billion has been allocated to the SRI investments, which has in turn created 23,442 jobs.
Hon Chairperson, the recent International Labour Organizations, ILO, Conference resolved that Occupational Health and Safety be elevated to a fundamental principle and right. Once again we face the limitations of inspection and enforcement in the field of health and safety.
Let me mention the good work done by media in exposing the non- compliance and failure to report accidents by the employers. My department is processing the compensation claims of the injured persons concerned.
Earlier this year, we launched a campaign to encourage those who have suffered workplace accidents or diseases, and where claims were not processed, to report this to our labour centres. Furthermore, during this year, we will appoint an additional 500 occupational health and safety officers.
Hon Chairperson, the department has worked tirelessly to restructure the Compensation Fund and there have been real improvements. We will soon present to this House amendments to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act to make provision for the inclusion of domestic workers, and to fund rehabilitation in order to return to work. [Applause.]
IsiZulu:
Ngabasebenzi bethu abasebenzi basezindlini
R17,1 billion has been paid out to beneficiaries by the Compensation Fund in the last year. Whilst this mitigates the effects of injuries and diseases, and represents a large injection into the economy, it is also a clear indication of the failure to prevent workers' exposure to occupational injuries and diseases.
Hon Mokwele, please let's not hear you, let's hear the speaker on the podium. Continue, Hon Minister.
Sesotho:
Ke kopa o mmamele ousi hle
Hon Chairperson, the Compensation Fund also contributes to fighting poverty and unemployment, in that 10% of the Fund's R42 billion surplus is invested in high impact job creation business ventures across all sectors. I commend the Department on its efforts to meet the annual performance targets, with an 80% score. Building on the solid foundation laid by my predecessors, we will continue to strengthen oversight and governance structures. My thanks to the staff of the department, the Director General, and the Deputy Minister who will present on the service delivery aspects of the Department. Finally, I have to thank my wife who is with us today and family for the continued support.
But I must raise this, Chairperson, thank you very much.
IsiZulu:
Point of order, Sihlalo [chairperson]
HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): On what point are you rising hon member?
isiXhosa:
Sihlalo, ndibulele kuMphathiswa neSekela lakhe, ndibulele kubaPhathiswa abakhoyo namaSekela, aMalungu ahloniphekileyo eNdlu yoWiso Mthetho yaseMzantsi Afrika, iindwendwe zethu ezikhoyo ezisuka ezingabaSebenzi, ezingabaHlali nezingabaqeshwa. Sibulele ke ngoko neSebe ngokukhokelwa nguMlawuli- Jikelele. Okubalulekileyo kuqala kukuba sivuyisane nani Mphathiswa wena neSekela lakho ngokuba nanikwa uxanduva, kuba luxanduva olu lunikwe lona yeka nje abantu beyenza into yokudlala. [Uwele-wele.]
Sibabulise, sibabulele abantu baseMzantsi Afrika ngokuba bethe baphinda babona ukuba kubalulekile ukuba iANC bayinike ithuba lokuba ibakhokele nabasebenzi ke ngoko bathe bagqina ngokuhamba bayovota ngobuninzi babo.
English:
Hon Chair, as the committee was standing here to confirm that the Strategic Plan and the Annual Performance Plan, APP, of the department was tabled in front of the committee. Well, it was then adopted, we will come to the adoption at another time, but I think what is important is that we must ensure that, Minister, all the programmes that have then been tabled with their budget are implemented. We will play an oversight role and we are happy that the administration programme is looking into the issue of compliance which all your wasteful expenditure and unauthorised are then reported and attendant to.
IsiXhosa:
Okwesibini kukuba siqinisekise lendawo ye ...
English:
...inspection and enforcement is a programme which is a cornerstone in this department.
IsiXhosa:
Kubalulekile ke into yokuba siyiveze lonto yokuba siyabulela okokuba likhona elihlelo, kuba lihlelo eliza kuqinisekisa ukuba abasebenzi abaxhatshazwa, lihlelo eliza kuqinisekisa ukuba abasebenzi bajongwa ngoko Mgaqo-siseko weLizwe ngokwe...
English:
...in terms of Chapter 2 of the Bill of Rights.
IsiXhosa:
Masivume nathi Mphathiswa oko kuba ...
English:
...what the eNCA has done has exposed how cruel some of the employers are. It has exposed that there may be a number of workers that are perishing and therefore, that your department led by yourself and the director-general has gone out to ensure that those families are then assisted. We think we commend that and we want to say to all workers of this country that they must go to all their labour centres that are in all provinces to go and report ...
IsiXhosa:
...ababaqeshwa bakhohlakele ngolu hlobo. [Uwele-wele.] Sibe siphinde sithi eli sebe...
English:
...which is inspection and enforcement.
IsiXhosa:
Uthe uMongameli kwiSona leyo kugqibela wathi wonke umntu ozakuqala ukuphangela kumaziko kaRhulumente akuzukufunwa mava omsebenzi lowo. Siyanicela ke oko kuba elisebe le lokuhlola nesinyanzelo liyijonge lonto...
English:
...in particular in the state institutions
IsiXhosa:
kuba siyazi ukuba banawo umkhuba kodwa okubalulekileyo kokuba bonke abantu balapha eMzantsi Afrika bayazi into yokuba nenza ntoni nilihlelo...
English:
...and therefore, communication in the languages that people understand, in the language that are reader-friendly is then going to be important.
IsiXhosa:
Siyazi Mphathiswa into yokuba akululanga, akululanga ngoba sizakuthetha izinto abanye abantu abangazukuva kamnandi kuzo. Eli hlelo lokuhlola nesinyanzelo yintoni ebangela ukuba kuqeshwe kwindawo ekuhlala abantu ekuthiwa zihotele kwindawo ezithengisa
ukutya ekuthiwa zirestuarant, ufumanise into yokuba uluninzi lwabantu phaya ngabantu basemzini kuhlolwa ntoni...
English:
...is it because is it scarce skill...
IsiXhosa:
...ukucoca ihotele, ukuhambisa ukutya? Ndithi mandiyiphakamise lento Mphathiswa kuba yeyona ngxubakaxaka esinayo apha eMzantsi Afrika. Siyavuya ke siyikomiti into yokuba isebe lakho, isebe labasebenzi, isebe lezothutho, isebe lezamapolisa kule ngxubakaxaka ibikhona yokutshiswa kwezigadla kuthiwe abantu baseMzantsi Afrika abazukwazi ukuqhuba izigadla ngoba...
English:
...it is a scare skill.
IsiXhosa:
Ndithi mandiyigxinise lento kuba ukubangaba asigxininisi sizakuba phantsi kwempazamo yokuba sicinge ukuba imisebenzi ayikho apha eMzantsi Afrika kanti imisebenzi ikhona intokunayo akujongwa ukuba ngubani.
English:
Therefore, my emphasis on inspection and enforcement is precisely because there are a number of things that, as the department, you must look into in terms of "Are these foreign nationals in the country legally?" "Do they have legal documents to be in the country?" and "Why the department must then have an audit in the hospital industry regarding how many of those are there?"
IsiXhosa:
Sibe siphinde, Mhlali-ngaphambili, sithi siyiKomiti xa siphuma siyi siyokuhlola kwezindawo, abaqeshi bazazi njengokuba belapha into yokuba ...
English:
... it's not going to be business as usual.
IsiXhosa:
Siyayazi ke ukuba kukho abantu abazakukhala kuba kaloku sizakuba sinyathela kwizitiya zabo.
English:
We are not going to conduct a vigorous oversight, we are not going to mix our words where employers are found to be exploiting our workers, and we are not going to be kind with that.
IsiXhosa:
Sifuna ke ukuthi silincome isebe okokuba lithe kubantu abakhubazekileyo liqinisekise ukuba izakhono zabo ziyavela. Sizakusebenza ke nesebe lamakhosikazi nabantwana kunye nesebe lezimpilo nesebe lezemfundo ukuqinisekisa ukuba zonke ezazakhono zonke ezazinto ziveliswa zezakhono zabantu abakhubazekileyo ngokwasemzimbeni ziyakwazi ukuba abantu bazithenge nabasebenzi nabantu apha sisithi futhi kuni nonke nina balapha, apha eNtshona Koloni ikhona. Likhona nalapha iphulo elixhasa abo bafuna imisebenzi, likhona akukho phondo lingenayo. Sithi ke ngoko masiyeke ukudlalisa ...
English:
...because jobs and employment has got no colour in terms of exploitation and in terms of decent work.
IsiXhosa:
Yabonake kufuneka andazi nokuba uzakusivumela na umthetho lento yemisebenzi efanelekileyo kufuneka khe sihambe siyokungena phaya
emizini yabanumzana sikhangele into yokuba njengokuba besima apha bethetha ngemisebenzi efanelekileyo kubo ithetha ukuba umntu makabhatalwe umsebenzi ofanelekileyo uzi zinto ezahlukeneyo, indlela umsebenzi aphathwa ngayo, indlela umsebenzi ekuthethwa ngayo naye. Siyi ANC ke sithi siyayiseka iBudget Vote yeSebe lezaBasebenzi siqinisekisa ke into yokuba xa sesiqhuba asizokuqhuba kuba sisoyika ngoko yikiswa. I-ANC iyazibophelela ekuqinisekiseni into yokuba imisebenzi yona ikhona kodwa ke siyikomiti izabatha ezingaba zikhona endleleni sizakuzilungisa. Siqubisane nazo. Siyabulela.
Honourable Chairperson, Finding solutions to South Africa's unemployment crisis should be the Department of Employment and Labour number one priority. When we grow the economy and create jobs, we help to reduce poverty. We lessen inequality. And we promote social cohesion. But the brutal truth is that, over the past 25 years, the Department of Labour has not worked for the unemployed.
It has worked for the trade unions. It has worked, or attempted to work with many notable failures, for those fortunate enough to be in gainful employment. And it has worked for the 69-strong delegation of junketeers who got thuma mina they tumaid themselves all the way over to Geneva for the International Labour Organisation's
conference last month. But it has not worked for the 10 million poor, hungry and struggling South Africans without jobs.
Key statistics bear this out: In 1994 there were 3.6-million unemployed South Africans. In 2019, that number is almost 10- million. Two adults in every five cannot find work.
In 1994, the official unemployment rate was 20%. Today it is 27.6%. If you include those who have given up looking for a job, the unemployment rate increased from 31.5% in 1994 to 38% in 2019.
Every single day for the past ten years, almost 900 people joined the ranks of the unemployed.
Today, only 43% of South African adults work. In most countries, the figure is 60% or more. And our youth bear the brunt of it. The youth unemployment rate sits at over55%. This is the ticking time bomb that threatens to rip apart our social fabric.
The chairperson the newly minted Department of Employment and Labour needs to put our 10 million unemployed South Africans at the centre of its mandate. It needs to broaden its focus from workplace
compliance to job creation. It must start to work for the unemployed.
For too long, the ANC has exacerbated our insider/ outsider economy by fixating on unionised workers at the expense of the jobless.
That is why the ANC postures about "decent work" when 10 million unemployed South Africans are crying out for any work.
That is why the ANC is obsessed with the national Minimum wage, even if it minimises the scope for new wage-earning opportunities.
And that is why the ANC is more concerned about regulating our rigid labour market instead of helping the unemployed get a foot through the door onto the factory floor.
Chairperson, in 2019/2020, the Department's Programme 4: Labour Policy and Industrial Relations will receive R1.23 billion (or the lion's share, at 36%) of the Department's R364 billion budget. We should use these funds to overhaul labour market policy.
The Department should focus its efforts on supporting labour- intensive sectors, like light manufacturing and tourism, to create new jobs and take on new workers.
This is where the opportunity for growth, and access to a global market of 7 billion consumers, lies.
The Department should be making it easier for businesses to absorb large numbers of relatively unskilled workers into productive employment in technologically advanced sectors.
And it should be working ?at out with other stakeholders to address our skills crisis, we are indeed prepared for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Chairperson, let us work to reform the labour market and labour relations. To achieve this, the DA would: Firstly, pass our "jobs Bill", which focuses on two areas critical to economic recovery: foreign investment and SMMEs. The Bill provides for tax incentives and property allowances for foreign companies that meet socio- economic empowerment goals. And it provides a range of incentives for foreign companies to invest in SA. This will bring thousands of
job opportunities to our country; Secondly the DA, improve the ease of hiring through key changes to the Labour Relations Act;
Thirdly, we will strengthen recognition for temporary work; Fourthly, exempt small and newly created firms from the thicket of regulation that inhibits job creation; and Fifthly, democratise labour negotiations, by taking on the big unions with vested interests.
We must ensure that the labour regime serves not only the representatives of workers, but the workers themselves, and those who want to work Let us work together for the 10 million South Africans without work.
I thank you.
Hon Chairperson, the EFF rejects this budget Vote. There is a serious crisis at ArcelorMittal in Sedibeng and we want to call on the Minister to urgently go and visit ArcelorMittal. Workers are not paid on time and some outsourced contract worker are paid as little as R2 650 by outsourced contractors there. The R2 650 salary that metal workers in ArcelorMittal are paid is even below
President Ramaphosa's ill conceived and misguided R3 500 national minimum wage.
Metal workers do the toughest job of metal process but earn the least. Workers do not have medical aid and companies that AcerlorMittal outsourced work to do, don't even follow occupational health standards. When workers are injured, they are forced out of work and they do not get any form of compensation but we must characterise these of outsourcing and contract workers as failure of the labour laws after 1994.
To dismantle the relationship between apartheid economy and cheap labour. The whole apartheid capitalist system depended upon unlimited supply of cheap black migrant labour, a system which continues even today. Security guards and cleaners working at the airport managed by Accsa are outsourced to companies that are continuing with the practice of cheap labour who knows, maybe these companies Minister, are your friends and your cronies.
Workers in UNISA were employed in fixed term contract through labour brokers for more than a decade. Workers in Marikana mines are fighting for a minimum wage of R12 500.vWorkers at Pick 'N Pay, Shoprite, Spar and other retail stores, who pack groceries items in
the shelves are employed as contract workers through labour brokers for work than can be done and is done on daily basis and they get as little as R1800 per month.
Here in Parliament, cleaners who clean after Ministers and deputy Ministers are paid through labour brokers as outsourced workers for work that is permanent in nature. Why don't you employ them permanently if you advocate for the eradication of unemployment. This is essentially breaking the law because the Constitutional court ruled that workers placed by labour broker automatically become permanent after three months but the department of labour has no capacity to enforce any of the labour laws meant to protect workers.
And now the very department that has no capacity to enforce law has the most ineffective Minister without impact. We don't know what are you up to? What have you been doing in government? And you are expected to lead government to find solution to problems of unemployment even your President in his own admission does not have a solution for.
We told him during Sona debate that he has no new ideas to get almost 10 million unemployed, majority who are youth, willing and
looking for jobs. The circuses of job summit held with captains of industries to help creating two hundred thousand jobs and hold back on retrenchment, failed dismally.
Now the very same captains of industries are not only failing to create new jobs but they are during the opposite of retrenching. Over the past eighteen months alone, Tongaat Hulett announced that it was going to retrench over 5 000 workers because of law sugar price. Sibanye Steel Water gave notice to get rid of 3 500 workers, MultiChoice indicated that it will retrench over 2 000 of its workers. Standard bank had plans to let off, 1 200 workers.
The only thing that these people and these crooks are up to, is profit, nothing else and to exploit our people. Our analysis tells us that the South Africa is on the verge of major labour unemployment disaster and your department has remained largely useless in stopping this looming labour disaster.
If you were a sharp Minister, you would follow the foot steps of Herman Mashaba who actually listened to us of in sourcing workers, in sourcing security workers. Those who listen to our policies like Herman Mashaba, have changed the lives of thousands of workers who were victims of abuse and exploitation by labour brokers. Over and
above, the need to create new jobs, we need to protect existing and ensure that those jobs pay workers a living wage, R4 500 for cleaners and R1 2500 for mine workers.
For this reason, your department should consider, we are advising you Minister. Your department should consider to develop a protection Bill which will protect workers from being the first casualties of bad management decision of these companies.
We need to revise minimum wage to ensure that no worker anywhere at any time in South Africa earns less than R4 500 per month.
The exception your current minimum deals, gives to famers is an insult to millions of overworked underpaid Agricultural workers across the country as the EFF, this is the time to deliver, implement, if we can expropriate land without compensation. If we can accelerate nationalization of mines and key factors of economy will be able to create jobs. #Our jobs and land now. Thank you.
Hon member, your time is up. I am trying to find a way of getting you to come and sit here, but I see it's not possible. It is not easy.
Hon House Chairperson, hon Minister, your Deputy Minister and hon members, South Africans have indeed come a long way since the advent of our democracy, but this transition remains by and large incomplete, especially for the majority of our citizens who remain without jobs. Poverty has declined, but inequality remains extreme and the main reason for this is simple - its lack of employment! Jobs are necessary and critical if we want to build a prosperous society and inclusive social contract.
With an official unemployment in 26,7% and widespread youth unemployment making up a large portion of this percentage South Africa remains on a veritable knife-edge. In this respect, initiatives such as the Youth Employment Service, which forms part of the SA small or medium enterprise, SME fund, must be supported. Through this fund, which partners with government, it aims to place a million young people in our workplace. More initiatives of this kind must be implemented so that we may not only provide our youth with avenues and opportunities for employment, but also place greater impetus on the IFP aligned ideals of self-help and self- reliance.
Programmes such as the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, remain nothing more than jobs for cadres. They are nothing more than mere
tick boxes for government to spin false success stories around job creation. In this respect, to many programs remain unevaluated, especially in respect of labour-market interventions.
The mismatch between skills and what is taught at our institutions of higher learning and specifically our sector education and training authority, Setas' and the requirements and demand from the workplace also remain cause for concern. One must only look at the state of our departments in respect of vacancies to confirm this truth, which in reality, not only translates as potential wasted opportunities for employment, but also in respect of wider service delivery issues for our citizenry and adds impetus to our continuing low-economic growth.
Many South Africans with disability remain prejudiced and disadvantaged in the workplace. The IFP would like to see not only equal pay for equal work in respect of gender, but also greater gender transformation in the workplace, which would include policies that address South Africans with disability.
Chairperson, our society remains highly unequal, with inequality ever expanding. This does not build resilience, but rather fragility and as a knock-on effect. We see the endemic corruption that has
captured our Public Service. These are nothing but the illegal manifestations of resource contestation and only further entrench and discourage investment which cycles back into no new jobs being created and economic growth stifled.
Chairperson, the exclusion from labour markets only leads to depressed wage income the opportunity cost of which could have been used to create wealth. We need to see active labour policies created to raise the employability of our labour force and especially our youth. The bridge we must cross in this respect is to create jobs which allow our youth to apprentice first and garner the requisite experience and then the transition into the labour market. This will not only improve skills sets, but also increase earning potential and employability especially in respect of low-wage earners.
Lastly, I would like to touch on wage bargaining and the minimum wage in particular. This is a double-edged sword and such intervention may have the unintended consequences of people losing employment rather than raising income and reducing inequality. The IFP will continue in this Sixth Parliament to pursue sector specific minimum wage levels rather than a national minimum wage. In the interests of a working South Africa and subject to the points of
concern raised here today, the IFP would like to support this Budget Vote. Hon Minister, thank you. [Applause.]
Madam Chair, much has been said about the President's dream for South Africa, in particular, it has been mentioned that while the President dreams, ordinary South Africans are forced to live the nightmare of poverty, poor service delivery, poor health care and even worse an even worse standard of education and crippling unemployment. Though the responsibility to improve the lives of ordinary South Africans does not wholly lie with the Department of Labour, it should make an enormous contribution towards transforming the current nightmare into a dream. Labour restrictive legislation and policies are the root cause of large companies taking their factories and business elsewhere.
Afrikaans:
Onbuigbare aarbeidswetgewing is een van die grootste hindernisse op die pad van ekonomiese groei. Werkgewers, nie net werknemers nie, agb komiteevoorsitter, moet ook ondersteuning van die departement geniet ...
English
... because without employers there would be no employees.
Afrikaans:
Dit is belangrik vir die departement om 'n gesonde balans te handhaaf. Werknemers moet teen uitbuiting en wanpraktyke beskerm word, terwyl daar ruimte vir die privaatsektor gegun word en vir veral klein sakeondernemings om werk te skep, terwyl hulle steeds kan oorleef.
Die departement sal erns moet maak met die nuwe taak wat hom opgel is, naamlik die taak van werkskepping, soos die agb Minister genoem het. Maar tans is baie van wat die departement doen en voorstaan, juis in kontras met hierdie nuwe mandaat.
English
The current budget speaks only to the department's original mandate
- that of proper enforcement of labour legislation. The expanded responsibility of the department, however now includes job creation. Therefore, this very legislation should be reconsidered for the department to fulfil its mandate.
Afrikaans:
Verkeerde prioriteite en populistiese beleidsrigtings moet gestaak word. Suid-Afrika het 'n welsynstaat geword met nagenoeg 17 miljoen
Suid-Afrikaners wat afhanklik is van maatskaplike toelaes. Dit is meer as die 16,3 miljoen Suid-Afrikaners wat tans werk het.
Suid-Afrika se uitgebreide werkloosheidskoers, inaggenome moedelose werksoekers, is tans 38% en jeugwerkloosheid 'n allemintige 55,2%, wat die hoogste in die wreld is. Afhanklikheid van maatskaplike toelaes het tussen 2001 en 2016 met 328% toegeneem. Hierdie syfers illustreer duidelik dat die departement 'n reuse taak op sy skouers het om hierdie welsynstaatskip om te draai, en dit nogal met 'n ontoereikende begroting.
Die voor die hand liggende oplossing vir Suid-Afrika se werkloosheidsprobleem is natuurlik dat volhoubare ekonomiese groei bevorder moet word ...
English:
... which will never be obtained while the government's only objective is to redistribute the wealth. You cannot increase and increase wealth by dividing it. Policy associated with redistribution must be reviewed and the private sector must be enabled to create sustainable employment opportunities without too much state interference.
Regstellende aksie, kwotas en swart ekonomiese bemagtiging word al hoe strenger toegepas en kom neer op staatsinmenging in die privaatsektor. Dit kortwiek werkskepping. Rasgebasseerde aanstellings en kwotas bedreig ekonomiese vryheid en reduseer aanstellingskriteria tot slegs ras, waar kundigheid, vermons en ervaring nie in ag geneem word nie. Die gebruik van velkleur as kriterium vir bemagtiging is 'n veelvuldige onreg.
English:
And as they say, Madam Chair, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Hon Minister through you Chair, instead of further criticising the current state of affairs, the FF Plus offers the following five-point plan to curb unemployment in our beautiful country: Labour legislation should be amended as to promote job creation while maintaining fair labour practices; the power of trade unions must be restricted and any irresponsible actions that lead to the loss of jobs must be prevented and sanctioned by legislation; race-based affirmative action and black economic empowerment, BEE, must be terminated. These policies have failed all South Africans and the youth in particular because only a small elite benefit from it.
Die VF Plus is ten gunste van 'n jeugloonsubsidie wat, indien dit korrek en billik gemplementeer word, daadwerklik jeugwerkloosheid kan aanspreek. Dit moet egter nie aan diskriminerende voorwaardes gekoppel word nie.
English:
Lastly Minister, close collaboration with other departments like the Department of Higher Education is essential because education and training must equip the youth for the workplace.
Afrikaans:
Ons land beskik oor 'n demografiese dividend in die volgende paar jaar weens ons jong bevolking wat aangewend kan word om grootskaalse groei te bewerkstellig. Kom ons wend dit aan. Rig die departement se visier op volhoubare beleidsrigtings sonder rasdiskiminasie en verdelende praktyke, en fokus op die toekoms deur ontwikkeling. Ek dank u.
IsiZulu:
Ngiyabonga Sihlalo ngokukhulu ukuhlonipha njengomuntu ozihloniphelayo nje sidalo. Bengithi nginenkinga bengifuna keningichazele lapha ePhalamende ngabe thina asivumelekile
yini ukuhumushelwa ngezilimi zethu. Ngikushiso yini loko yingoba kusukela izolo ngisho into eyodwa. Lapha asikho isiZulu, isiXhosa, Tswana, kanye neSepedi. Asenisho kwenzakalani?
English:
Okay, thank you very much Mama. Take your seat.
IsiZulu:
Phela lePhalamende nathi siyingxenye yalo. Izolo kuthiwe izolungiswa le nto kodwa ayilungisiwe.
English:
I heard you, hon Khawula. May you please take your seat.
IsiZulu:
Okwesibili, sicela kukhulunywe ngomhlaba ngoba siyafuna ukuzwa ngawo la. Umsindo [sound.] awukho nje kungenxa yomhlaba. [Uhleko.] Sifuna ukulima. [Uhleko.]
English:
No, hon Khawula, you can't do that. Okay, when its interpretation button number one is English. Then, I will have to request that they assist us with the interpretation of other languages. However, in the meantime hon Khawula I will request you to switch to number one which is English. Thank you very much.
No, no point of order, Chairperson. Chairperson, I think the member is raising an important fact here. She can't hear English, she wants Zulu. [Ubuwelewele.]
IsiZulu:
Akasizwa isiNgisi ufuna ukuzwa isiZulu. Uyakhuluma [Uhleko.] Ilungu elihloniphekile liyakhuluma. [Uhleko.] Sifuna isiZulu la. Siyakhuluma la.
English:
I think we can adjourn the House. [Interjections.]
Hon member, no, no. Order! Order, hon members! Hon Tebogo, I did not recognise you. I am still on a point of order that was raised by the hon member there. At the moment we have a problem of shortage of staff, but they are
still looking on it. So, what we can do now is to continue. [Interjections.] Hon members, hon members, order!
You must add staff.
What we can do now is to allow the debate to continue.
No, no ...
IsiZulu:
Ngifuna ukuzwa isiXhosa. Ngifuna isiXhosa.
Hon Chair, during our induction we did raise the issue of linguistic, especially in Parliament and we were promised that this matter will be looked into it. We were told that there is another party ... We asked why are we using Afrikaans and English. We were told that [Interjections.] ... no, you shut up! We were told that there is another party within Parliament that requested Afrikaans to be included. Now there is another party in Parliament, which is the EFF is demanding, it is not requesting that tomorrow it needs: firstly, to have all 11 languages of South Africa in all the plenaries of Parliament and we want all the interpreters of all
languages to be appointed. We are aware that the department or that unit within Parliament is overlooked because we are in the majority. It cannot be, Chair, that we in the majority, African speaking people, our languages are just undermined like this. It cannot be that you undermine us on everything, on land, on language. [Interjections.] You want to kill us - no, man. It cannot be.
Thank you very much, hon Mokwele. Hon members, the request has been heard. I will come back with a ruling, hon Mokwele. Yes, I am sure that they are listening to you and this will be resolved.
Hon Chair, on a point of order.
What is the point of order, hon member?
Hon Chair, Rule 84 during the speech by the hon member of the EFF, she told another member to shut up. That is unparliamentary language, I request you to ask her to withdraw. [Interjections.]
Okay, thank you very much. I did not ... [Interjections.] Hon members, I am the one who is chairing. Please allow me to continue with my work. Hon Mokwele, the word shut up is not parliamentary, it is an abusive language. Can you please withdraw the word, hon Mokwele. [Interjections.]
Okay, Chair, I don't know what is wrong about to shut and up.
The ACTING HOUSE CHAIRPERSON Ms M C Dikgale): Its unpaliamentary.
Because when you shut, you close.
That is the wrong part of it. It's unpaliamentary.
The Rule doesn't indicate anything that is unparliamentary. It is for us as Members of Parliament to say the word shut up is unparliamentary, but if you are offended my brother ...[Interjections.]
He is offended. Please withdraw.
I withdraw, chief.
Thank you very much.
You won't change my lid.
Hon members, let's continue with debate.
Madam Chair, please she must withdraw unconditionally.
She did withdraw. The hon Minister. [Interjections.]
Not unconditionally, Chair.
Hon member, she did withdraw. Please allow ...
Unconditionally is the parliamentary practice. She withdrew and said "but". May I respectfully ask you to get her to withdraw unconditionally.
Hon Mokwele after you withdrew [Interjections.] ...
Personally, I am not offended by what you are trying to achieve. You are not achieving anything. I withdraw unconditionally. There is nothing that you are taking from me.
Thank you very much, hon member. The hon Minister over to you.