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Parliament, Sunday, 1 May 2022 – Parliament’s Presiding Officers, led by the Speaker of the National Assembly (NA), Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Mr Amos Masondo, join millions of workers around the world in celebrating Worker’s Day.
Millions of workers across the world today pay tribute to the gallant struggles of the glorious and toiling masses of workers against oppressive labour systems and celebrate milestones of victories gained in the continuous struggle for the improvement of their working conditions.
Major progress was made in mainstreaming workers’ rights and women’s rights in South Africa. Parliament ensured the passing of enabling legislation for building a socially just labour system, through inter alia, the National Minimum Wage Bill, Labour Laws Amendment Bill, Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Labour Relations Act as amended. These pieces of legislation assisted in determining progressively acceptable daily wage rates, the extension of bargaining agreements to non-parties, and overall improvement in workers' conditions in South Africa including addressing the triple challenges of inequality, poverty and unemployment.
Parliament also acknowledges that a lot more requires urgent attention to do away with all existing disparities, and calls for “equal pay for equal work” across all sectors, particularly in the sporting industry. Within the legislative sector, the Speakers’ Forum of South Africa assigned its Reference Group for Gender and Capacity Development to deal with draft proposals for processes, roles and responsibilities of the collective bargaining system for consideration and approval by a special Speakers’ Forum caucus meeting to be scheduled in due course.
Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula and Chairperson Masondo said, “as we celebrate the Workers’ Day we recognise the invaluable contributions made by workers across our society. We must continually do all in our power to remove any remnants of discrimination, double our efforts to ameliorate the unfavourable conditions workers find themselves in, and in building a socially just and prosperous society where all particularly workers are and feel part of.”
“We take our hats off in honour of frontline workers who braved the deadly Coronavirus, and the devastation of floods in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of the Eastern Cape, to save lives and livelihoods”, said the Presiding Officers.
Parliament will continue to strengthen and protect the rights of workers as part of a continuous endeavor to build a truly democratic, prosperous society where all, including workers, enjoy a great quality of life.
Happy Worker’s Day South Africa.
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo (Manelisi Wolela – 076 062 2180)
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