Deputy Minister National Council of Provinces Department of Employment and Labour Budget Vote 31

Banner of the National Department of Labour together with the South African flag

15 June 2022

Honourable Chair and members of the NCOP

Minister Nxesi, all cabinet ministers and deputy ministers present.

The honourable Chair and members of the Select Committee

The Director-General and senior management of the Department and entities

Invited guests

Ladies and gentlemen

I greet you all.

Chairperson we meet here under the theme “facilitating jobs, social protection and decent work”.

We are very clear and unambiguous about this and our people will always remember us for being on the side of the masses.

I also bring greetings from the 05th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour that took place in (KZN) Durban on the 15th to 20th of May 2022.

There is a clear message coming from this conference - South Africa must take the lead in the total realisation of the elimination of child labour by 2025.

Honourable Chair and Honourable Members, allow me with reference to the input of the Minister, to put a few points into perspective for the purpose of this debate:

You know honourable members, populism is redefining the politics but we all know that when the cameras switch off, the real politics set in and our people will always remember that we never abandoned them in the face of poverty and during the pandemic that wrecked them havoc.

So, we will lose nothing if we always humble ourselves.

This budget vote is tabled against the highly cost contained restrictions due to the very low revenue base as a result of our battling economy.

It is a product of a thoroughly consulted process guided by the National Treasury, aims to respond to the SONA commitments and the NDP vision 2030.

Furthermore honourable members, this budget vote is also a direct response to the Performance Agreement signed with HE the Honourable President Cyril Ramaphosa.

So, I noted the views of honourable members especially those who oppose the tabling and adoption of this budget. We note your descent to this budget vote Honourable members.

Just a reminder honourable members that, opposing this budget vote is equal to opposing service delivery at the doorsteps of the people you only remember when you seek their votes.

Opposing this budget, is the highest form of betrayal of the people, a disdain of the mass line and a clear disregard for those who rely on state interventions and policy statements such as this budget vote to better their lives.

PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES

Chairperson

The District Development Model (DDM) and the outreach programs have resulted into a lot of impactful interventions for our people.

The 126 Labour Centres which remain our infrastructure for collaborations at the doorsteps of communities have remodelled the DDM towards perfection. When the time is right, with thorough consultations, we will start the process to pursue the 24-hour shift operation functions in the Labour Centres and this will include rendering services on Saturdays. This will be carefully consulted upon and when the time is right we will rollout 24hour services at our Labour Centres.

Honourable members, we will be shifting our focus to talking less as the department and showcasing and demonstrating our achievements by saying nothing at all.

We will leave those who speak but do nothing for our people to continue talking.

We will parade our achievements, the payments of claims, registration of work seekers and the jobs that we have created through these interventions for everyone to start appreciating our “one plan approach” and the collaborative efforts with other departments, the districts and the local municipalities in the delivery of services to our people.

This will give a clear distinction between those who are grandstanding for votes and those who seek proximity to our people by doing nothing at all - from those who do the hard-work but never seek for praise singing.

It is common knowledge that South Africa has a very stubborn unemployment rate.

It is this structural unemployment that is linked to a system that was well designed to disempower the majority in this country who remain the disenfranchised. We need a structural response to this phenomenon and this can never be an overnight success.

Labour Activation Program (LAP)

Honourable Members, let me further elaborate on the point made by the Minister earlier. The UIF, through its Labour Activation Programmes (LAP), has set aside R551 million for these three projects for 19 921 beneficiaries – 70% of which are former UIF contributors who lost their jobs – to undergo training in the following skills:

14 771 beneficiaries as Chief Food Handlers;

5000 beneficiaries in Enterprise Development (mixed farming); and

150 beneficiaries as Fibre Optic Technicians.

Legislation, Policy and Bill Amendments

THE EE AMENDMENT BILL

Chairperson, the people that elected us, want change, we just cannot afford to sit on our laurels, nibble around the edges and allow the status quo prevail.

So, I think the employers, were given more than enough time and the opportunity to regulate themselves. We literally left this important task to the employers for years and they are not coming to the party. We gave them a blank cheque of just ensuring that there is equity in employment and to demonstrate to us that the designated groups are not left behind.

We are now amending the Employment Equity Act, to empower the Minister of Employment and Labour to regulate sector specific Employment Equity (EE) targets.

This is going to happen immediately after consultation with the sector stakeholders and on the advice of the Commission for Employment Equity.

We aim to reduce regulatory burden on small employers employing between 0 - 49 employees.

In this regard, these small employers would be exempted from complying with EE administrative processes of conducting analysis of their workplaces, preparing EE Plans, complying with sector EE targets or submitting an EE Report.

As a result, this creates a conducive environment for investment and for small businesses to grow and create jobs.

Furthermore, the amendments are intended to promulgate Section 53 of this Employment Equity Act, which deals with the issuing of EE compliance certificate as a prerequisite for access to state contracts or to conduct business with any organ of state.

National Labour Migration Policy

Honourable Members, the much talked about, National Labour Migration Policy is currently undergoing public consultations soon to be finalised. The Minister has expanded sufficiently in this regard.

COIDA

Chairperson, in the Financial Year 2021/22 we also brought to parliament, amendments to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA).

Currently, we have Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Amendment Bill (COIDA Bill) that the National Assembly referred to National Council of Provinces (NCOP) for concurrence.

I have received word that the NCOP has just concluded its work on this piece of legislation.

In conclusion Chairperson,

I want to emphasise that the EE Compliance Certificate is critical in ensuring that financial benefits from the state only accrue to organisations that are committed and willing to contribute to the transformation agenda of this country.

The state cannot continue to benefit financially, organisations that are anti-transformation and those who resist compliance with the laws of the country.

The status quo must be disrupted and we must act decisively against those who undermine our transformation agenda.

Chairperson, allow me to thank the Minister, the DG and the entire staff of the Department for demonstrating the commitment and support in the facilitation of jobs, social protection and decent work.

I support the tabling and adoption of budget vote 31 of the Department of Employment and Labour.

I thank you.