Hon Chair, we take the discussion document that the Minister of Finance referred to on economic transformation, inclusive growth and competitiveness towards an economic strategy for South Africa. It is a working document for all the South Africans to make their own contributions to it. I must emphasize this, different stakeholders, different sectors have different views. The issue is to contribute to the discussion so that we are able to fine-tune on the areas where we - on the areas where we agree it is going to be easy to start
implementing, on the areas where we disagree, it means there must be engagement. At some stage we are going to be able to agree on those particular areas.
Having said that, to the hon member who have asked the question, kindly be informed that since the inception of the employment equity years ago, employers that employ 50 or more employees and those employ between 0-49 employees, but their annual turnover threshold is equal or above the prescribed one in Schedule 4 of the Employment Equity Act, always had regulated powers to self regulate, underline that. They were always allowed to self regulate their employee equity targets and the Employment Equity Plan numerical goals, in their plans in relation what they wish to implement in terms of affirmative action in their work places.
The Labour Relations Act is also premised on the regulated flexibility. There is nothing like labour inflexibility in South Africa or labour rigidity, it is a lie. The bargaining council formation is a voluntary system which is decided upon by parties for their specific sector. They determine the conditions of employment and wages which are appropriate to their sector without any government intervention. The Labour Relations Act requires before bargaining councils could require the Minister, to extend their
collective agreements to non-parties within their sector. They should be sufficiently representative in that sector.
There is no collective agreement that can be extended by the Minister of Employment and Labour does not take into consideration the affairs of the small business within the sector. This is stipulated in our labour laws. Non-parties can apply to the council to be exempted from the collective agreement and if not happy about the decision of the bargaining council. They must motivate, they must not think that just by applying they are going to be exempted.
They can appeal to the Exemption Independent Appeals Body. Hon Chair, all what it is trying to say, is to demonstrate without exhausting the list is that what is contained in the Proposed Economic Recovery Plan of the Minister of Finance in relation to the employment and labour is mostly already found in the current labour laws, regulations and even policies. Not only that, it is practised reviewed, amended as and when the need for that arises.
In relation to the support we give to trade unions, we get guidance from the Labour Relations Act as it calls upon us on Chapter 1 and Section 1 to advance economic development, social justice, labour peace and democratisation of the workplace. The issue is, people
must not seek shortcuts, they must implement the current labour legislation, and it is flexible enough.