Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members and our guests up there, in its 2009 election manifesto the ANC identified the creation of decent work opportunities and sustainable livelihoods as one of the five strategic developmental priority areas for the next five years and said that these priorities should be tackled with all the means at our disposal, using the resources of government, the vision of the Freedom Charter and the energy and commitment of our people.
The ANC's 2010 January 8 Statement again reiterated its determination to forge ahead with the task of reconstructing and developing our country by speeding up growth and by creating more jobs, decent work opportunities and sustainable livelihoods. The ANC's 2011 January 8 Statement indicated that 2011 was the year for job creation.
Ndi khou mangadzwa nga tshiambi tsho ambaho lwa u fhedzisela, tshi khou gungula nga ha u sikiwa ha mishumo. Vha tou nga a vha ngo zwi pfa zwe Phuresidennde Vho Jacob Zuma vha amba zwone. Sa mura?o wa ?ihoro ?ivhusi, ndi na vhu?anzi ha uri Minisi?a Vho Olifant sa mufumakadzi vhane vha fara lufhanga nga vhuhalini, vha ?o kikirika ri na vho, na vhashumi vhavho, uri mishumo hei i sikiwe. Hezwo ri na vhu?anzi nazwo uri zwi ?o itea. U sikiwa ha mishumo ndi ganzhe na khiyi siani ?a u tsireledza mishumo. (Translation of Tshiven?a paragraphs follows.)
[I am surprised by the last speaker, who is worried about the creation of jobs. It seems the speaker did not understand what President Jacob Zuma said. As a member of the ruling party, I am sure Minister Oliphant, as a woman who holds a knife on its cutting blade, will together with us and her colleagues ensure that these jobs are created. This we are sure will happen.
To create jobs is a padlock and a key as far as job security is concerned.]
Job security refers to the opportunities that employees have to build a career. A career is central to the concept of decent work. Much informal work can best be described by the term "job", as opposed to "employment" or "career". People suffer from discrimination in the world of work which not only violates most basic human rights, but has wider social and economic consequences.
Discrimination stifles opportunities, wasting the human talent needed for economic progress and accentuates social tensions and inequalities. Combating discrimination is an essential part of promoting decent work, and success on this front is felt well beyond the workplace. To the poor and unemployed, decent work in the final instance sums up the aspirations in their working lives - their aspirations for opportunities and income; their rights, voice and recognition; their family stability and personal development; fairness and gender equality. Ultimately, the various dimensions of decent work underpin peace in communities and society and should reflect the concerns of government, workers and employees.
In the 2009 manifesto President Jacob Zuma declared that we have placed the creation of decent work at the centre of our efforts to address poverty and inequality, and all government policies and programmes are meant to speak to this goal. The Department of Labour has clearly paid heed to this call, as can be observed from the Budget Vote being debated today. It is an objective of the Department of Labour's public employment services programme to reduce unemployment by registering and placing unemployed people in decent work through the following: providing free recruitment and selection services for at least 70% of reported government posts at levels 2 to 9 and selected positions in state-owned enterprises, and municipalities on an annual basis; filling at least 50% of job opportunities on the public employment services database within 60 days of their registration on the system; supporting a multipronged strategy to reduce youth unemployment through youth training and employment creation innovation programmes for at least 100 000 young people by March 2012; making a submission of 200 recommendations to Home Affairs on migrant, corporate and general work permit applications by March 2012; and providing career counselling and employability enhancement programmes for 50% of referred work seekers by 2011-12.
Another objective is to contribute to the implementation of the framework for South Africa's response to the international economic crisis through, firstly, approving within 30 days 80% of recommended applications received from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and the sector education and training authority for the training layoff scheme and the social plan programme; and secondly, through disbursing funding for at least 50% of approved applications within 30 days of approval.
Labour also facilitates the employment of 500 veterans and people with disabilities per year by ensuring that the orders and sales of service products such as sheltered employment factories are increased by 30% per year. Furthermore, it facilitates the achievement of employment equity targets for disability by training 600 learners with disabilities per year for employment in the mainstream economy.
The public employment services programme is comprised of nine subprogrammes covering a wide field of activities in support of this important mission of the Department of Labour. The subprogrammes manage delegated administrative and financial responsibilities; facilitate the registration of employers and regulate private employment agencies; register work seekers and retrenched workers -636 140 job seekers were registered on the database in 2009-10 at an estimated cost of R18,1 million; and transfer funds to national councils which promote the employment of people with disabilities, youth and women in collaboration with sheltered employment factories and other relevant bodies, etc.
In the interests of realising the creation of decent work, the Department of Labour is continuing to regulate nonemployment and employment, and contribute to an environment that encourages investment and is conducive to economic growth and the reduction of poverty. Effective compliance monitoring and enforcement mechanisms will be developed and implemented to ensure compliance with all legislation and to give effect to the decent work agenda.
In conclusion, with global unemployment at historically high levels, there has never been a greater need to put employment at the centre of economic and social policies. Even among those who work, the extent of poverty underscores the need for a far greater number of productive and decent jobs.
Ndi ngazwo ndi tshi ri Mugaganyagwama wa 18 ndi wonewone. Vho Minisi?a, ri khou humbela uri vha ?hogomelese mabulasini. Hu na tshikanda milamila nga n?hani ha hone vhusiwana. Hu na mashumele a kon?aho sa zwi?a mulovha ngei Bethala, ri tshi pala ma?abula nga zwan?a. Ro vha ri tshi shuma ra bva mabiko. Zwi tshi khou vhavha vhukuma.
Ho dovha ha vha na tshikanda milamila, tsha u nkombetshedza u ya khethoni, u ya u khetha mahoro ane nda si a fune, ndi tshi khou ofha u pandelwa mushumoni nga rabulasi. Hezwo zwithu vha tea u zwi dzhiela n?ha ngauri zwi vha zwi tshi kha ?i tsikeledza mihumbulo ya vhathu vhashu. Zwi ita uri vha vhe na mitsiko na ma?we malwadze manzhi. Ri a zwi ?ivha zwauri Vho Minisi?a sa mufumakadzi, vha ?o zwi kona. Ndo livhuwa. Aa! (Translation of Tshiven?a paragraphs follows.)
[That is why I say Budget Vote No 18 is the right one. To the Minister, we ask that you should consider the farms. There is a lot of pressure because of poverty. There are unbearable working conditions like those we experienced in Bethal in previous times, where we dug potatoes with our hands. We used to toil and sweat. It was very painful.
There was also pressure which forced me to go and vote for parties I did not want. I was afraid I would be dismissed from work by the farmer. These things should be considered because they still suppress our people's thinking. These things caused them to suffer from depression and many other diseases. We know that the Minister as a woman would do that. I thank you. Greetings!] UMntwana M M M ZULU: Sihlalo, mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe Shenge Sokwalisa, ngithi sekwaba ngumkhutshana esesiwejwayele ukuthi uma kuqala unyaka kumele sibale ukuthi izinkece sizozicosha kanjani kubaqashi bethu.
Ngendlela okukake ngayo dadewethu, ngingasho ukuthi ufuze oyihlomkhulu oMnyamane, ababetshengisa ukuhola ngendlela ongakaze uyibone ngoba bafake bonke abamele amalungelo abasebenzi ukuthi iMinyango yakho ivule amasango, ningakwazi ukuthi nixoxe ngezinto ezithikameza abantu bakithi.
Abantu abaqasha abantu ngamatoho, lezo izinto mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe okufuneka ukuthi uzibheke impela ngoba ziyabahlukumeza abantu bakithi. Kuzo zonke lezi zinkalo, nathi laphaya emakhaya esinabantu abasiza ezindlini kodwa sibaholela ubala olunjengo bala. Yizinto zonke lezo okufuneka uzilungise eMnyangweni wakho.
Ngeze ngakhuluma ngoba kukhona okuhlinzekele intsha engasebenzi, ubalile izibalo ukuthi zimi kanjani. Ngabe ngangithanda ukushaya isijingi nje esinganaso umphumela walutho, ngoba yizinto zonke lezo ozikakile.
Akufuneki ukuthi wesabe ukuthi unikezwe lo Mnyango; unikezwe lo Mnyango ngoba wethenjiwe ukuthi uzokwazi ukuwuhola uwuyise lapho kufanele uye khona. Kufuneka sikwethembe njengezakhamizi zaleli lizwe, ukuthi izakhamizi zakithi ezimpisholo, ezihluphekile kakhulu, kanye nezimhlophe uzokwazi ukuziphumelelisa kufezeke amaphupho azo. Ubheke nakuwo uhulumeni uqobo ngoba usaqasha abantu ngamatoho; ufake uswazi nakuye uhulumeni uqobo, ngoba nguwena ongafaka uswazi ukuthi uhlelembele wonke umuntu. Ubheke futhi neziKhungo zomphakathi, nalezo zikhungo kudingeka ukuthi uzibheke nanoma kuthiwa azimele. Nazo zinako ukuhlukumeza abantu bakithi eNingizimu Afrika.
Kuwumthwalo othweswe wona ntombi yakithi ukuthi ubabheke ukuthi abantu bakithi bayameleleka. Ngiyabonga. (Translation of isiZulu speech follows.)
[Prince M M M ZULU: Chairperson, hon Minister Shenge Sokwalisa at the beginning of the year we are accustomed to having to work out how much money we are going to accrue from our employers.
The way you covered it I can say that you take after your grandfather Mnyamane, who had very rare leadership skills, because they influenced all those who are representing workers' rights so that all the departments should open their doors, and so that you cannot talk about the issues affecting our people.
The hon Minister has to deal with the issues regarding employers who employ people on a part-time basis because that affects our people from all walks of life, not to mention the domestic workers who are paid peanuts. Those are the things that your department needs to correct.
I should not say anything with regard to the unemployed youth because you have the statistics. I would be making a noise for no apparent reason, because you have covered those things.
You must not be afraid that you were given this department, because they have faith in you and you are going to steer it in the right direction. As the community we have to trust that you are going to help our underprivileged black and white communities reach their goals.
You have to look into the government too, because they still employ people on a part-time basis; you have to be strict with government too because you have the power to be strict to prepare for everybody. You have to monitor the community centres too, even though they are said to be private. They too abuse the people of South Africa.
It is your responsibility to make sure that you stand up for our people. Thank you.]