Question NW23 to the Minister of Employment and Labour
01 August 2024 - NW23
Ntshingila, Mr EM to ask the Minister of Employment and Labour
(1) Whether her department has any plans to facilitate the implementation of the declaration to scrap experience for an entry level position; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether the specified declaration was a stunt for political point scoring that creates false hope for the poor people of the Republic; if not, what is the position in this regard, if so, what are the relevant details; (3) to what extent does her department consider supporting industrialisation in the minerals sector in order to create factories for purification and the entire value chain thereof which would create thousands of job opportunities; (4) whether her department has explored any concept aimed at creating household employment to ensure that each household has a breadwinner; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
- The Department of Employment and Labour has implemented the no work experience requirement in entry level posts and will continue advocating for more learnerships and internships to ready entrants into the labour market.
- No, this was not a stunt or political point scoring as Government has ensured that learners can gain valuable skills and experience without personal financial burden. The learner-ships and apprenticeships assist learners to align with industry needs, equipping them with the necessary skills for employability.
- As much as the competency and responsibility of supporting industrialisation in the minerals sector in order to create factories for purification and the entire value chain does not rest with the Department of Employment and Labour, work in this space falls into the collaboration commitment with sister departments, that Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) is very much keen on. We plan to lead DEL to upping the ante pertaining to coordination work of all job creation initiatives, interventions, creativity and innovations that are found in various government departments, spheres of government as well as public agencies.
- The Department of Employment and Labour through the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) supports numerous initiatives under its Labour Activation Programme (LAP) aimed at stimulating employment and ensuring employability. Moreover, through the UIF that works closely with Public Investment Company (PIC), the Department has supported different sectors of our economy to create employment.
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