Question NW28 to the Minister of Employment and Labour

Reply:

1. Government delegates and social partners from 187 member states of the International Labour Organization (ILO) gathered for a historic session of the annual International Labour Conference as the Organisation celebrated 100 years (centenary) in Geneva from 10 – 21 June 2019. This very important session was also graced by 40 Heads of State and Government who came to not only congratulate the organization on this milestone but to also assist in providing direction and guidance for the future using as their base document the report of the Global Commission on the Future of Work.

2. H.E. President C.M Ramaphosa participated at this event as he formally submitted the report of the Global Commission on the Future of Work that he co-chaired with the Prime Minister of Sweden, H.E. Stephan Lofven to Conference.

3. The Minister of Employment and Labor, H.E. Thulas Nxesi, accompanied the President and also led the tripartite delegation that participated in different committees of the conference and plenary discussions that discussed the report of the ILO Director-General.

4. In accordance with Article 26(13.2) of the ILOs Constitution, Member States are obliged to cover the costs of participation of the Social Partners (Organised Business and Organised Labour) in annual Conferences. Due to the special nature of this International Labour Conference (ILC) (discussions on the future of work), the former Minister had agreed to also include representatives of the Community sector from NEDLAC as they participated in all national consultative meetings on the same. Furthermore, departmental entities also participate in the ILC sessions dependent on specific issues of interest.

5. It should be noted that payment of attendance costs for Social Partners is only related to the annual International Labour Conference (and not other ILO meetings) and includes flights, accommodation and subsistence allowances. The number of Social Partner delegates attending each ILC is determined by sitting Conference Committees at that particular year, that is, if there are four technical meetings, the Department is constitutionally obliged to cover the costs of 1 + four (Delegate and four advisors). Each advisor will then be dispatched to a specific committee.

6. Over the years and due to heightened interest on the importance of issues under discussion at the ILC, Social Partners have increased the number of participating delegates covering the full cost of such participation.

NB: It should be noted that the ILC also serves as a convenient platform for bilateral meetings as MOST Ministers and entities converge in Geneva during this period.

Response to A(i): 54 South African Delegates attended the 108th Session of the ILC. Dates of each delegates attendance is outlined in the excel spreadsheet annexed as A.

Response to A (II) (aa) and (bb): The South African delegation (names and designations) and committees attended are indicated hereunder:

	DELEGATE	DESIGNATION	CONFERENCE COMMITTEE	THEMATIC SESSION	HIGH-LEVEL SESSION
1.	NXESI Thulas, HE	Minister of Employment and Labour			X
2.	LEWIS Dr Jonathan	Advisor to the Minister			X
3.	BARLOW Albertina T. Ms	Personal Assistant of the Minister.			X
4.	LAMATI Thobile, Mr	Director-General, Labour.		X	X
5.	NDEBELE Sipho, Mr	Chief Director, International Relations	Rapporteur Committee of the Whole		X
6.	SEAFIELD Virgil, Mr	Deputy Director-General, Labour Policy & Industrial Relations	Committee of the Whole		X
7.	NTLEKI Malixole, Adv.	Director, Office of Director-General.	Committee on the Application of Standards		X
8.	MOROTOBA Sam, Mr.	Deputy Director-General, Public Employment Services		X	X
9.	MOILOA Aggy, Ms	Deputy Director-General, Inspections and Enforcement Services	Committee on the Application of Standards		X
10.	SEWLAL Varsha, Ms	Chief Legal Officer	Committee on the Application of Standards
11.	BRONKHORST Martha, Ms	Chief Operating Officer		X	X
12.	MARUPING Teboho, Mr	Commissioner, Unemployment Insurance Fund		X	X
13.	DOUW-JACK Nomfundo, Ms	Chief Director Provincial Operations (CDPO)	Committee on Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		X
14.	MAMASHELA Ntsoaki, Mrs	Director, Employment Standards	Committee on Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		X
15.	PETERSON Georgina, Ms	Deputy Director, International Relations.	Committee on Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		X
16.	OLIVIER, Henrieta, Ms	DD Labour Market Information and Statistics (N. Cape)	Rapporteur Committee of the Whole		X
17.	MONYANE Motselisi, Ms	DD Labour Market Information and Statistics (Free State)	Rapporteur Committee of the Whole		X
18.	MAGAKWE Mishack, Mr	Provincial Communications Officer and Cameraman (Gauteng)	X	X	X
19.	CINDI Sibusiso, Mr	Director, Communications	X	X	X
20.	MOLAPO Batho, Mr	Assistant Director, Department of International Relations and Cooperation.	Committee on Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		X
	COMMISSION FOR CONCILIATION, MEDIATION AND ARBITRATION (OWN ACCOUNT)
21.	MORAJANE Cameron, Mr	Director, CCMA	Committee on the Application of Standards		X
22.	VAN NIEKERK, Wilbur, Mr, CCMA.	Legal Researcher, CCMA Officer of the Director	Committee of the Whole		X
23.	LEDWABA, Makhulu, Mr,	Chairperson, CCMA Board	Committee on Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		X
	PRODUCTIVITYSA (OWN ACCOUNT)
24.	MOTHIBA Mothunye, Mr	CEO, ProductivitySA.	Committee on Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		x
25.	TSHIFULARO Justice, Mr	Executive Manager for the Turnaround Solutions, ProductivitySA.	Committee of the Whole
	EMPLOYER DELEGATES (BUSINESS UNITY SOUTH AFRICA)
26.	MDWABA Mthunzi, Mr		Overall Coordinator
27.	MOYANE Kaizer, Mr		Committee on the Application of Standards
28.	DE VILLERS Jahni, Ms		Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace
29.	MOABALOBELO Sinovuyo, Ms		Committee of the Whole
30.	JAMES Cheryl, Ms		Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace
31.	MANYONI Tilson, Mr		Committee of the Whole
32.	SERRAO Olivier, Mr		Committee on the Application of Standards
	ORGANIZED LABOUR
33.	NTSHALINTSHALI Bheki, Mr	General Secretary, Congress of South Africa Trade Unions (COSATU).	Committee of the Whole		X
34.	LOSI Zingiswa, Ms	President, COSATU.	Committee on the Application of Standards		X
35.	MULAISI Lebogang, Ms	COSATU	Committee of the Whole		X
36.	FAKUDE Xolani, Mr	COSATU			X
37.	MTSHWENI, Getrude, Ms	COSATU	Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		X
38.	WITBOOI, Myrtle, Ms	COSATU	Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		X
39.	MABIZELA, Nhlanhla, Ms	COSATU	Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		X
40.	LEKOTA, Malesela Moses, Mr	COSATU	Committee of the Whole		X
41.	SOOBRAMONEY, Myan, Mr	COSATU	Committee of the Whole		X
42.	SELEMATSELA, Godfrey, Mr	President, Federation of Unions of South Africa	Committee on the Application of Standards		X
43.	MPHELA, Pat, Mr	President, NACTU	Committee on the Application of Standards		X
44.	MODISE, Brenda, Ms	FEDUSA	Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		X
45.	AJAM, Riefdah, Ms	FEDUSA	Committee of the Whole		X
46.	NDHLOVU, Dorothy, Ms	Vice President, FEDUSA	Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		X
47.	KEYTER, Martle, Ms	Vice President, FEDUSA	Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace		X
48.	OLIVIER, Ruby, Ms	FEDUSA	Committee on the Application of Standards		X
49.	FREDERICKS, Ivan, Mr	Vice President, FEDUSA	Committee of the Whole		X
	COMMUNITY CONSTITUENCY
50.	MATLAKALA, Conti, Ms	Woman's National Coalition	Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace	X	X
51.	JOSOPU, Thembinkosi, Mr	South African Youth Council Principal	Violence and Harassment against women and men at the workplace	X	X
52.	BALE, Lawrence, Mr	South African National Apex Cooperation Principal	Committee of the Whole	X	X
53.	NZIMANDE, Mbuzi, Mr	Disability People of South Africa	Committee of the Whole	X	X
54	RADEBE, Tebello, Mr	Financial Sector Coalition Campaign Principal	Committee of the Whole	X	X

OTHER ENGAGEMENTS:

45B AFRICAN REGIONAL LABOUR AND ADMINISTRATION COUNCIL (ARLAC)

• Ms Georgina Petersen

BRICS Employment Working Group

• Mr Thobile Lamati
• Mr Sipho Ndebele

G20 Employment Working Group

• Mr Sipho Ndebele
• Mr Kgomotso Letoaba

Productivity SA

Held consultative meetings with key stakeholders, similar institutions alongside the side-lines of the ILC with a view to forming strategic partnerships and alliances to promote productivity and competitiveness, both in South Africa and in the African continent in collaboration with the Pan African Productivity Association (PAPA)

The institutions which were consulted included:

• The ILO Team (Vick van Vuuren, Director: Enterprise Department and Cynthia Samuel-Olonjowun, Regional Director for Africa) reflecting on issues of full and productivity employment and decent work including support that can be provided to South Africa (Productivity SA as a conduit into providing support to Africa/PAPA) and the African Continent regarding the productivity movement and support to SMEs.
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) – Green Economy and SME divisions to reflect on possible collaboration on creating an eco-system for SMEs in South Africa in collaboration with the CSIR/NCPC and CIPC.
• World Economic Forum (WEF) – The team participated in the WEF Round Table /Meeting of Labour Ministers reflecting on the Global Platform for Shaping the Future of Inclusive Economies and Societies, and held a meeting with the Experts at the Centre for the New Economy and Society reflecting on possible collaboration of enhancing the capacity of Productivity SA in particular to strategically develop models and standards to address issues identified in the WEF Competitiveness Index as well as advancing dialogues and cooperation between stakeholders in South Africa.
• The Institute of Management Development (IMD) – The team met with the Researchers who are responsible for developing the IMD Competitiveness Report to reflect on possible collaboration and wide stakeholder engagement on the productivity and competitiveness issues as well as building our Research and Knowledge Management respond to these issues.

CCMA

 

• The CCMA also engaged in bilateral discussions with various key departments and people within the ILO structures which will benefit the labour market in South Africa, Southern Africa and beyond.

• The CCMA delegation also met with the Chairperson of the Freedom of Association Committee and the Chief of the Freedom of Association Department to discuss collaborative training possibilities to capacitate the labour market in South Africa and Southern Africa.

• The CCMA delegation met with the Director of the International Labour Standards (ILS) Department of the ILO to discuss collaborative contribution of the CCMA to the broader work of the ILS Department in its global development and application of labour standards.”

NB: List of South Africans accredited (in the list) but did not travel to Geneva. These delegates accreditation was requested by their Constituencies who were to cover the cost of their attendance.

• Mr Vuyo Mafata: Commissioner, Compensation Fund
• Ms Brenda Madumise: President, Interim Gender Based Violence Steering Committee
• Ms Nobuntu Sibisi, NEDLAC
• Ms Thandeka Msibi, COSATU
• Ms Patricia Snyman, COSATU
• Mr Bones Skulu, COSATU
• Mr Mike Tau, COSATU
• Mr Lucus Ramathlodi, COSATU

Response to (b) number of days the delegation stayed in Geneva and (c) details of the (i) total cost and (ii) breakdown of the costs incurred by the department in terms of accommodation, flights and daily allowances for each person in the delegation are outlined in the excel spreadsheet.

• NB: In line with Article 26(13.2) of the ILOs Constitution, the Department, over and above the departmental delegates, covered the cost of 5 Employer and 6 Worker delegates.

• The new Minister of Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has charged his department with the task of reviewing the current policy on the composition and costs of overseas delegations with a view to containing and cutting costs of future delegations, whilst ensuring the effective participation and engagement of South Africa in ILO fora.