Hon Chair, hon Minister, congratulations on your well- run CCMA whose dispute resolution expertise can further benefit the country. Even the Public Protector identified the structures they developed as a solution to other government departments, for example, to address service delivery protests which have replaced violent strike actions to resolve disputes. We hope the nation can count on their expertise to set up these structures. You can count
on Al Jama-ah's support as you take on the employment portfolio. The UIF kitty can be used to establish entrepreneurship opportunities for those who are unemployed for long periods. Think about interest- free microloans to help women fund their earning projects. They are good payers. Hand out free data cards to help unemployed youth search for jobs as well as bus cards.
You have set up 10 factories for people with disabilities. Start up bakeries and other factories for the unemployed which are as vulnerable as people with disabilities. It is sad that you see it as a priority to reach the employment equity target of 40% African in your department. You had 25 years to address the imbalances of the past. African must be defined as including Coloureds and Indians. I was there when Steve Biko and the delegation of President Mandela, still in prison, declared Indians and Coloureds, "Black and African." This was reinforced when he took office and the Presidents after him has been firm on ... who is the Department of Labour to have their own culture, disrespecting our leaders. Fix Mitchells Plain on the Cape Flats as your department is on the radar as the champions of discrimination. Decent work is a pipedream in spite of both comrade Winnie Mandela and President Mandela accepting awards to promote decent work. How could the Department of Labour allow Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, jobs to roll out ignoring the
standards of decent work? The Department of Labour gave no leadership. Remove the exemptions to the minimum wage. The minimum wage is still very low. Why have exemptions?
The kid-glove approach weakens transformation in the country. Labour legislation is poorly drafted. You need to get better drafters. And the legislation for equal pay, for example, must be fixed. It is flawed in many respects. Al Jama-ah welcomes the 200 inspectors you have employed. We wish you all the strength to transform the department that has lagged behind most other government departments. Thank you very much.