Keynote Address by the Leader of Government Business | MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Siboniso Duma at the BRICS Employment Working Group (EWG).
Programme Director and Chair; Mr M T Lamati – Director General, Department of Employment & Labour;
Mr Riefdah Ajam – Representative From the Labour ;
Mr Kaizer Moyane - Employer representative;
Ms Susan Hayter – International Labour Organisation;
Mr Yukun Zhu – International Social Security Association ;
Dr Locary Hlabanu: African Regional Labour Administration Centre
Ms Sipho Ndebele – Acting Deputy Director General; Department of Employment and Labour;
Our Distinguished Guests from different parts of the globe;
Workers representing different spheres of government and the private sector;
Members of the Media;
Sanibonani! Dumelang! Good Morning! Habari! Jambo Africa. I rise to welcome you to the Province of KwaZulu-Natal.
Between the 17 and 21 August, we extended a warm hand of partnership to delegates from different parts of the globe. They were here for the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance Trade Conference and the BRICS KZN Trade and Investment Seminar.
The two events were attended by delegates from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Zambia, DRC, Egypt, Ghana, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, China, India, Brazil, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The BRICS KZN Trade and Investment Seminar in particular culminated into a visit to our two Special Economic Zones – the Dube Trade Port and Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone.
We announced towards the end of last week that the two economic zones have attracted combined investments of over R25 million over the past 5 years.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are looking forward to more investments from potential investors especially from the BRICS countries. Our main focus is to ensure economic recovery and job creation.
As you all know, countries globally are recovering from the impact of COVID-19. The pandemic came at a difficult time as the country’s economy was already on a downward trajectory.
Our greatest concern is that job losses have resulted into spiraling levels of poverty. Many workers has been retrenched and condemned to rural villages and peri-urban informal settlements with no means of survival.
The most negatively affected economic sectors are manufacturing, transport, and trade, including tourism. The significant global economic contraction caused immense destruction and a great deal of instability in the labour markets worldwide.
Consequences of negative economic conditions
Programme Director, as you all know, the negative economic conditions have imposed hardships on millions of people, especially the working class.
A growing number of forecasts reveal that food prices will continue to rise sharply in coming months. KwaZulu-Natal is one of the provinces that is mostly affected by rise in food prices as a result of drought.
This complicated an already unbearable situation of poverty and squalor wherein our province recorded an estimated number of people that are food insecure to be more than 3.5-million – and more than 580,000 households.
Economic Challenges on Civil Servants (debts)
Critically, as government we want to work with organized labour to seriously address the issue of employees who are in debts.
Although I don’t have the latest statistics, I am aware that many workers in different spheres of government and in the private sector are drowning in debt. Garnishee orders in the public service leaves them with no salaries each month.
We are hopeful that this working group will adopt a clear resolution spelling out a programme of action to save our workforce. Civil servants that are in debts are unproductive and are always absent at work and this affects service delivery.
Programme Director, as KZN Government, we are also focusing on re skilling of the people of KwaZulu-Natal.
It is for this reason I have tasked my office to plan a meeting with key stakeholders. We will discuss economic recovery plans and also look how best we can work together to sharpen the skills of the people of this province especially workers.
We have an enduring partnership with key industry role-players such as COSATU, KZN Growth Coalition, the KZN Economic Council and KZN Human Resources Development Council which is comprised of representatives of academic institutions.
We want to focus on a clear massive skilling revolution aimed at reskilling workers who have been retrenched or lost their jobs in both informal and formal economies. We want them to be re-absorbed in other sectors or in the new businesses.
With their skills they could operate in the following areas:-
- Mechanics;
- Construction labourers;
- Electricians and plumbers;
- Restaurants, Lounges, Tavern and Spaza Shops etc;
- Retailing;
- Small scale famers and many others
There are other workers in the creative industry, tourism and many other sectors too many to mention.
With the right training, we want them to become entrepreneurs capable of creating job opportunities in the townships and rural areas.
Compatriots, we are guided by the Freedom Charter – which was adopted by the governing party, the ANC in 1955. The charter guides us on what type of an environment should the democratic government create for workers.
Better living and working conditions for workers is not a favour by a constitutional right which the democratic government has to uphold at all times.
The country’s constitution guarantees human rights for all, the right to a minimum standard of life, including the right to access health, education, social security, food and water.
Decent work is the foundation of the fight against poverty and inequality. The creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods is central to the our agenda as the ANC led government.
Programme Director, I am aware that the BRICS Research Networks Seminar convened yesterday. The BRICS Trade Union Forum started yesterday and will end on Thursday.
We appreciate the fact that discussions have been robust and characterized by an exchange of progressive ideas on how to shape the way forward.
We value your work as labour experts and professionals assigned to the BRICS Employment Working Group (EWG).
It is not an exaggeration to point out that the people of this province and workers in particularly are looking forward to groundbreaking resolutions emanating from all these gatherings, especially from the Labor and Employment Ministers’ Conference to start on the 28th September.
The theme: “Ensuring Decent Work, Dignity, and Respect for All” creates hope for a better future characterized by equal access to decent work and economic opportunities.
We want KwaZulu-Natal to be remembered for many years to come for having laid a solid ground for the adoption of the eThekwini Declaration by the BRICS Ministers of Labour and Employment.
Compatriots, all these BRICS events comes few days after the Provincial Government hosted the King Shaka Day and Heritage Day events.
On Saturday and Sunday, the people of this province across all racial lines showed unity in diversity.
Kown as the Rainbow Nation, the people of this province are inspired by the great leader – King Shaka Zulu, the founder of the Zulu Nation.
Shaka Zulu was a military genius who made the Zulu world famous globally. King Shaka International Airport is named after him.
We therefore welcome all you to the Kingdom of the Zulu. Undoubtedly, the reigning King, Misuzulu kaZwelithini is happy that you will celebrate World Tourism Day tomorrow here in the Zulu Kingdom.
As we always say – you don’t have to see this province but you have to feel it.
The trip to Northern parts of the province always give you as visitors the unique opportunity to climb the valleys and hills overlooking many rivers that run ceaselessly day and night.
UThukela and Umfolozi rivers have nurtured the nation and continue to be a source of inspiration for this Rainbow nation created by Nelson Mandela, the first President of a democratic South Africa.
Our greatest gift from God is that this province boasts two World Heritage Sites, game parks and vast land with breath-taking landscape. Beautiful weather and the abundance of fauna and flora is what attract domestic and international tourists.
Once again, we welcome you. And we wish you all the best in your deliberations.
Enquiries:
Ndabezinhle Sibiya
Spokesperson for the Leader of Government Business
MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs
Cell: 082 375 4742
