Hon Minister, Deputy Ministers in the House, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, I must point out that the only tool that workers have in order for them to get their demands is through a strike. [Interjections.] A strike becomes a concern when it becomes violent. However, the only tool they have is through strikes. [Interjections.]
Central to building the economy is the question of worker rights. Past policies of labour exploitation and repression must be redressed if the imbalances of power between employers and workers are to be corrected in the country. The basic rights to organise and to strike must be entrenched. Negotiations and participative structures at national, industry and workplace level must be created to ensure that labour plays an effective role in the reconstruction and development of the country.
South Africa operates in a mixed economy that is well regulated and fosters and promotes economic growth and further protects the worker, most importantly the most vulnerable worker. This regulation does not only protect the workers but it creates an environment that is conducive for businesses to grow and expand. The National Economic Development and Labour Council Act allows social partners who are represented by business, labour, civic organisation and government to come together at Nedlac and decide on economic growth, participation in the economy, decision-making and social security.
It is standard practice in the department that each time a new labour law is introduced, or in the event of amending an existing law, a comprehensive awareness campaign is launched immediately after the Bill becomes law. The department must support a number of initiatives to build capacity of the workers to understand their rights. Some of these initiatives include support for the Ditsela Workers' Education Institute, which is set up specifically to train workers and their respective trade unions on the outreach programmes that focus on labour rights awareness by the labour centres.
The department runs awareness campaigns on various aspects of the labour legislation alongside the historical and symbolic public holidays. We welcome the work of the department on rolling out a programme to clean up the trade union registry of all bogus unions and the criteria to register trade unions has been tightened up. We are also pleased with the work on engaging the leadership of the SA Domestic Workers Union and the agreement that the department will facilitate the participation of its members in trade union training programmes.
The Minister has also developed a national programme that focuses on knowing your rights for farm workers and domestic workers for the 2013-14 year. It is good work that should be acknowledged. When a worker knows his or her rights, they become empowered to bargain for progress and benefits in their employment. We in the ANC will make sure that the gains of the workers in their majority are protected and defended at all cost. Workers had to fight and protest to have labour legislation that recognise that workers' rights are human rights.
In driving and promoting the decent work agenda, our labour laws play a pivotal and important role. It is therefore of paramount importance for the labour amendment Bills before our committee to speak to this agenda of decent work. Decent work is the foundation to fight against poverty and inequality and its promotion should be the cornerstone of all our efforts
Decent work embraces both the need for more jobs and for better quality jobs. [Interjections.] The creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods will be central to the ANC-led government's agenda. The ANC government will make the creation of decent work opportunities and sustainable livelihoods the primary focus of our economic policies.
At the dawn of our democracy we committed ourselves to the eradication of social and economic inequalities, especially those that are systemic in nature and which were generated in our history by colonialism, apartheid and patriarchy, and which brought pain and suffering to the great majority of our people. You on the left will know that. South Africa has international obligations under binding treaties and customary international law, especially human rights, which promote equality and prohibit unfair discrimination. Among those obligations are the ones specified in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The country is also obliged to comply with international labour standards for the ratification of these conventions.
Recently in the National Assembly we recommended a report of the International Labour Organisation, ILO, that talks about HIV and Aids in the workplace. The International Labour Organisation's Recommendation 200 establishes principles concerning HIV and Aids in the workplace. It further recognises that the majority of people living with HIV are in their most productive years. It is critical to strengthen efforts to prevent HIV infections in the working population.
Workplaces can also enhance access to treatment, care and support to enable workers living with HIV a dignified productive life. We are also pleased that the Convention on Domestic Workers also went through the House. The convention clearly talks about radically ensuring that domestic workers, the vast majority of whom are women, and their work inside the home are valued, recognised and protected. It was desperately needed and long overdue.
According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey, there is a total of 1,1 million domestic workers in South Africa. In South Africa, domestic workers already enjoy legislative protection such as regulated working hours, minimum wages, overtime payment, daily and weekly rest periods, social security and maternity leave, as the Minister has just announced.
In conclusion, I would like us to remember what the Convention on Domestic Workers entails. Most of us here have workers or assistants in our homes - we call them domestic workers. The Domestic Workers Convention talks about: reasonable hours of work; weekly rest; limit of payment in kind and clear information on terms of employment. On this note I would like us to support the department's budget and I would like to quote from our icon, Nelson Mandela. Hon Papi, listen:
Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity. It is an act of justice. Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.
You and I can be that generation of strength. Let your greatness blossom. We can overcome poverty if we put all our efforts to it.
On that note we support the Budget Vote. Thank you. [Applause.]