‘Workers’ Day should be Unemployment Day’ – FF Plus

Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) leader Dr Pieter Groenewald said South Africa’s economy declined to such a severe extent under African National Congress (ANC) rule that Workers Day should be dubbed Unemployment Day.

“Still the ANC views these figures as a so-called victory over Apartheid instead of the extensive crisis that it actually is. With nearly 15 million South Africans being jobless or unable to get a job, according to the country’s expanded unemployment rate of 41,1% (Statistics South Africa – SSA), the people who are lucky enough to have a job may have a reason to tentatively celebrate this day,” he said.

Groenewald said the ANC does not realise that jobs can only be created if government policies were amended to create a favourable environment for investors to grow the economy.

“Without economic growth, there can be no sustainable job creation nor any sign of freedom, which South Africans supposedly celebrated on 27 April,” he said.

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Minimum wage

Yesterday ANC National Spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said one of the most transformative achievements under the ANC-led government has been the implementation of the national minimum wage through the National Minimum Wage Act 2018.

“Introduced to address the stark inequalities that have long plagued our nation, the minimum wage has benefited approximately six million workers, lifting many out of poverty and fostering a more inclusive economy,” he said.

Bhengu-Motsiri said over the past 30 years, the ANC has transformed labour laws, strengthened workers’ rights and improved working conditions through the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (Act No. 66 of 1995), Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997 (Act No. 75 of 1997) and Employment Equity Act 1998.

Political analyst Dr Benjamin Rapanyane said the ANC government was very comfortable talking about the National Minimum Wage despite no strict checks and balances implemented on the policy.

“In actual sense, workers still earn less than the minimum wage in certain industries. Especially in the construction industry in hardware where workers still earn way less than expected,” he said.

Rapanyane said there was nothing to celebrate for certain workers in our rainbow nation.

“It can only be a good day for our politicians,” he said.

Political analyst Khanya Vilakazi said there were a few things the ANC government got right.

“I think after 30 years, we need to start celebrating and now we are celebrating seven million workers. What about the 30-odd million unemployed? Well, we need to sound the call and create more jobs,” he said.

Unemployment rate

Vilakazi said basic conditions of employment, labour and all of the pieces of legislation have to some extent given the majority of South Africans an opportunity to be employed.

“Not just only being employed but having the cushion of working under companies that you know can’t just wake up in the morning and fire you. The job security does to a large extent create a more secure society in terms of financial planning,” he said.

Political analyst Piet Croucamp said workers should be showing empathy, compassion and understanding of the 41 % unemployment rate instead of celebrating Workers Day.

“Once we start doing that, we might find an understanding of the consequences of bad economic governance,” he said.

Croucamp said while millions have given up on finding work, only people with jobs in South Africa have reason to celebrate Workers’ Day.

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