Question NW1548 to the Minister of Employment and Labour
25 November 2019 - NW1548
Cardo, Dr MJ to ask the Minister of Employment and Labour
(a) In light of recent criticisms made by sections of organised business and organised labour regarding the efficacy of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), has he found that Nedlac is fit-for-purpose to deal with the unemployment crisis in the Republic and (b) what measures are put in place to strengthen the institution?
Reply:
Whilst the criticism is acknowledged, it should be noted that these social partners together with civil society and government constitute what is NEDLAC and therefore such criticism could be regarded as criticism of our collective contribution towards the success of NEDLAC.
NEDLAC and its constituent parties has worked endlessly to address the efficacy as well as the relevance of the organization in the current debates whether economic, developmental and Labour issues. The honourable member needs not be reminded that the organization is currently seized with trying to address a number of critical issues such as the Presidential Jobs summit, the Eskom Leadership task team, amongst others. The honourable member should also take note that these social partners are also busy addressing governance structures and underlying founding documents in order to position the organization to go beyond being representative but also systematized such that it is more responsive and more agile to tackle emergent issues.
The question therefore as to whether the organization is fit for purpose should therefore be answered in the affirmative. As has been pointed out the organization is currently engaged in a governance discussion. Currently it is loaded with the task of being a designated home of the Presidential Jobs Summit, that is amongst other.