TLU SA bemoans the minister of labour and employment, Mr Thulas Nxesi’s approach and handling of the dispute regarding the increased minimum wage of 16,1% for farmworkers.
“We reached out to the minister repeatedly to establish a conversation to come to a sensible agreement and solution,” says Mr Henry Geldenhuys, the president of TLU SA. “It is a bad day when the minister of labour and employment in a country with an unemployment rate of 42% prefers to create job losses instead of looking after the interests of the workers in the production process.
“Who looks after the unemployed?”.
TLU SA tried everything to prevent producers from laying off workers to fulfil the production needs required for profitability. The unemployed masses who crave the opportunity to work but are prevented from doing so by the ANC’s policies create an unacceptable social welfare problem.
Each producer must now again analyse and evaluate their profitability and productivity. They will have to make operational amendments to stay productive.
The South African economy’s state requires that the government do everything in its power to stimulate it to grow. That would include making production factors as affordable as possible for entrepreneurs.
“While the president promises to rebuild the economy, the minister promises layoffs and damage to the economy,” says Mr Geldenhuys. “Maybe the president should consider if Minister Nxesi is indeed the right man for the job.”
Read the original article in Afrikaans on TLU SA
