Parliament, Saturday, 01 May 2021 – The Presiding Officers of Parliament, led by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thandi Modise, and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Mr Amos Masondo, join the nation and the rest of the world in honouring workers across the globe on International Workers’ Day.
In South Africa, the struggle for better and improved rights in the workplace, which were intertwined with the struggle for social justice, freedom and democracy, has come a long way since 1994. Great strides have been made to transform the labour legislative landscape to eliminate restrictive and oppressive labour laws. This has ensured progressive laws that guarantee inalienable rights, such as freedom of association, collective bargaining, the right to strike and workplace freedom.
Celebrating the contributions of workers inevitably draws attention to the scores of South Africans without jobs. The Presiding Officers note with concern the unemployment in South Africa, which particularly affects the working class, most notably women and young people. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics South Africa shows that South Africa’s unemployment rate increased to a record 32.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the third quarter.
On this day, Parliament cannot turn a blind eye to the reality that workers across the length and breadth of the country live with millions of their unemployed brothers and sisters, a situation that is further exacerbated by the realities of Covid-19. While the road ahead seems bumpy and impossible, we are inspired by the words of our first democratic President, Nelson Mandela, when he said “it always seems impossible until it’s done”. We are indeed in a battlefield and the tide will surely turn.
South Africans are obliged by our political history to work together, united in our diversity, to build a better country; to build an economy that takes care of its people by absorbing more people into the labour market, guaranteeing their job security, decent wages and labour rights. The objectives and goals of the Freedom Charter and the National Development Plan, for a truly non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous nation, requires united efforts towards their fulfilment.
As Covid-19 continues to sweep the globe, Parliament takes this opportunity to salute workers around the country on the frontline fighting the virus. Their commitment and desire to serve is unmatched and deserves all our praise. Since the beginning of the pandemic, frontline healthcare workers have worked tirelessly, with their own needs often neglected. Going to work has placed frontline health workers under immense and unprecedented pressure, and has put their physical, mental and social well-being at risk. Their patriotism and desire to serve is indeed commendable.
The Presiding Officers of Parliament welcome the huge strides in labour relations South Africa has achieved over the 27 years of our maturing democracy. However, they also acknowledge that more still needs to be done to ensure that South Africa’s working class truly enjoy democracy’s fruits.
To download soundbite of the Spokesperson of Parliament Mr Moloto Mothapo, please follow this link: https://iono.fm/e/1032007
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
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