Speaker, the question of the labour matters is not as simple as we look at it. South Africa has a history, and part of the problem that we have such huge unemployment is because of our bad legacy. There was a systematic system to make the majority of the people of this country not to be empowered educationally. [Applause.] Therefore, how we tackle the question of labour is not the same as in other countries.
You will recall that there was a huge chunk of workers in this country who were not recognised by law, like farmworkers and domestic workers. That indicates clearly where we come from. The issue of the skills, for example, in this country is precisely because of our history. So we are dealing with those matters. The manner in which the labour laws have been developed in this country since 1994 had to answer to those challenges in the first instance. So we are not like other countries. We know this. Other countries in Brics know this.
We know how to handle that issue. We have programmes in the country that try to cover the ground that was covered by other countries that did not have apartheid many years ago. Those matters have to be taken into account as we look at how the labour system is exercised in one country or the other, particularly as compared to South Africa.
South Africa has been recognised as one country that is like two countries. We are dealing with these matters, and I think in the process, our interaction with these countries helps us to open up the space and to quicken those processes and therefore to look at the labour system. They have their own labour systems.
Bear in mind, if you look at the Far East, the labour system is something else. It is those very countries that are praised today because they are moving very fast. However, if you look at the trade union level and the organisations in those countries, it's a different story. So, we are coming in with different experiences and that will help us to determine how we can all move forward and reach the standards that will be globally accepted. [Applause.] Public Protector's findings against National Police Commissioner
2. The Leader of the Opposition (DA) asked the President of the Republic:
Whether, in light of the Public Protector's findings on 22 February 2011 that the conduct of a certain person (name and details furnished), was improper, unlawful and amounted to maladministration, the said person is still fit to serve the country in his current capacity; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details? NO632E