18 July 2007
The biggest threat to reconciliation in South Africa was being posed by
failure to implement affirmative action, Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana
has warned.
Addressing a media briefing at the Union Buildings shortly after a meeting
of organised labour, organised business and government with President Thabo
Mbeki today (Tuesday), the Minister said the continued failure of big business
and corporations to implement employment equity at the workplace was putting at
risk the peaceful and orderly manner in which the government was implementing
equity laws as envisaged by the Constitution.
He said that contrary to the world trend whereby minorities were being
affirmed to be on par with majorities, South Africa was doing the opposite;
affirming the majority which happened to be in power.
"Long before our movement came into power we had always maintained a history
of fighting not a particular race group but the scourge of racism. It is
therefore surprising to hear people accusing us of waging a racial war through
affirmative action. We will continue to fight racism and, only when it has been
totally eradicated will affirmative action be redundant," he said.
The meeting with President Mbeki looked at progress that various job
creation and poverty alleviation interventions of the social partners have
achieved over the past five years.
Participants also explored ways in which the resolutions of the 2003 Growth
and Development Summit could be aligned with the Accelerated Shared Growth
Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA).
Enquiries:
Zolisa Sigabi
Cell: 082 906 3878
E-mail: zolisa.sigabi@labour.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Labour
18 July 2007
Source: Department of Labour (http://www.labour.gov.za)
