Deputy-president Cyril Ramaphosa has outlined some of his key plans for the South African labour market for the remainder of 2018 and beyond.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the Nedlac Labour School in Pretoria on Tuesday (30 January), Ramaphosa said that the key priority was the\u00a0creation of decent work on a scale that makes a decisive impact on poverty and inequality.<\/p>\n
This will require far higher levels of economic growth and sustained investment by both the public and private sectors in productive economic activity, he said.<\/p>\n
“As we found in Davos last week, many investors are prepared to work with us and our people to build our country,” Ramaphosa said.<\/p>\n
“They have expressed a renewed confidence in South Africa and are looking to invest in our country and contribute to employment creation.<\/p>\n
“Fundamentally, we must use 2018 to restore the confidence of South Africans in a shared vision for radical social and economic transformation.”<\/p>\n
Radical social and economic transformation<\/strong><\/p>\n Ramaphosa said that a core part of this renewed focus on the labour market will be to “convince\u00a0those who have not yet understood”, that it not possible to\u00a0grow and sustain an economy that excludes black people – the majority of whom are African and female.<\/p>\n “Radical social and economic transformation is about creating a South Africa where all its citizens, black and white, share equitably in the country\u2019s economy,” he said.<\/p>\n “It is about implementing programmes that deracialise ownership and control of our economy to benefit South Africans as a whole.”<\/p>\n A key part of this will require changing the ownership structure of the economy, Ramaphosa said.<\/p>\n This will include:<\/p>\n Unemployment<\/strong><\/p>\n In tackling the country’s large youth unemployment rate, Ramaphosa said that a “social compact” was needed between workers and industry, as many South Africans that have an education and skills continue to face marginalisation in the economy since many employers prefer experienced workers.<\/p>\n “This year will see the implementation of the Youth Employment Service<\/strong>, which has the potential to revolutionise the absorption of young people into the labour market,” he said.<\/p>\n “The result of collaboration between social partners, this initiative aims to place a million unemployed youth in paid internships over the next three years.”<\/p>\n Other factors Ramaphosa is looking at addressing include:<\/p>\n\n
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