Question NW2579 to the Minister of Employment and Labour
20 November 2020 - NW2579
Cardo, Dr MJ to ask the Minister of Employment and Labour
Whether, with reference to the discussions on an action plan for economic recovery, the social partners at the National Economic Development and Labour Council did consider any other job-creation interventions apart from public employment programmes; if not, why not; if so, what are the further relevant details?
Reply:
An emphatic point has to be made that the nature of unemployment in our country is such that, it is high, it is structural, systemic and deep-seated. This already outlined nature of unemployment in South Africa is compounded bylack of requisite skills as well as misalignment of them. Given this sad reality, a focussed, in touch, alert and forward-thinking government would bring among its interventions mass employment and Public Employment Programmes (PEPs) offer such. So, Public Employment Programmes are tremendously important in the context of countries like ours, they are key!
Do we rely only on them for job creation? Of course not! One of the key aspects of Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan is the Infrastructure Programme. Infrastructure development has a huge potential, almost guaranteed job creation, whether you talk of transforming of cities, towns, rural areas landscape or creation of bulk water infrastructure, national roads improvements projects, school construction, network infrastructure such as ports, rail, roads, etc – those go concurrently with creation of employment.
In the South African Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, there is reindustrialisation. Reindustrialisation will create employment and will also grow business. Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan among many, seeks to create an economy that will create jobs. The creation of jobs is one of the key objectives of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. There is also an aim to reverse the decline of the local manufacturing sector, the resuscitation of tourism, you should know the capacity of tourism in terms of labour absorption. There will also be unchartered terrain especially when we go deeper to digital advancement, the space is alive with possibilities particularly when it comes to youth employment. This Plan will invest in our human capital even for the future. So, Dr Cardo, yes, NEDLAC social partners considered job creation interventions beyond the Public Employment Programmes.