It has been a tough week for Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi, who addressed the 24th National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) summit in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Nxesi, who is facing the country’s largest banking strike in 99 years, agreed with the call by business for greater inclusivity, but questioned the relevance of Nedlac in its current state and the expulsion of certain unions from the federation.
“We will revisit the founding protocols of Nedlac so that the organisation is truly representative. I know I am touching a raw nerve, but it cannot be correct that the biggest sectors of automotive and steel (National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa) are outside,” said Nxesi.
“The same with the BBC (Black Business Council), if it is representing small black businesses, they must come in,” he added.
Cosatu’s Bheki Ntshalintshali questioned the government’s obligations to Nedlac, citing the failure of Deputy President David Mabuza to address the summit as proof that government was not engaging with Nedlac.
“If we can’t put Nedlac first and spend time here, then what are we really doing in Nedlac,” said Ntshalintshali.
The Nedlac summit comes in the wake of the country’s largest planned banking strike in 99 years, which was halted at the final hurdle by the Labour Court interdicting judgement. Labour unions Cosatu and the South African Society of Bank Officials (Sasbo) view this as a small stumbling block with a planned strike still set for early next month.
"We are not saying that the strike is cancelled, we're saying that we'll mobilise our members for the next step in the programme as we are appealing (the interdict),” said Cosatu’s Solly Phetoe. Sasbo's Joe Kokela promised to take to the streets on 7 October if everything goes right.
