SATAWU welcomes TRANSNET job creation plan

[Rea Molopyane]

 

 

SATAWU welcomes TRANSNET job creation plan

28 October 2011

 

The South African Transport & Allied Workers’ Union (SATAWU) welcomes Transnet’s commitment to create 75 000 jobs as reported in Business Day, 28 October 2011. We have supported calls for more job creation  in  state-owned enterprises. At last Transnet is putting its money where its mouth is on the job front. SATAWU is impressed by Transnet CEO Brian Molefe commitment, and detailed proposals to implement his mandate... to promote sustainable economic growth and decent employment, in particular the vision of the New Growth Path to create five million new jobs by 2020.

 

We fully agree our federation COSATU, that unemployment out of control more has to be done now! SATAWU continues to argue that State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) can make a meaningful contribution towards cushioning the country against the worst effects of the crisis by expanding their infrastructure investments and, through these, driving industrialisation and embarking on programmes to crowd-in the private sector who are sitting on piles of cash at the moment that they could otherwise be investing in productive capacity to create jobs.

 

When addressing the SATAWU 3^rd National Congress earlier this month, Minister of Public Enterprises, Malusi Gigaba said “SATAWU is an important and strategic partner in our Department in the important work we are doing to exercise shareholder oversight over strategic national assets in our portfolio.” We reiterate his call to State-Owned Enterprises to stretch their targets with regard to employment and skills development in order to up their contribution to the New Growth Path. We are quite

 

SATAWU looks forward to working closely with Transnet that we strive towards a consensus on the NGP so that we can begin to move full-steam into the implementation phase and not be grounded by consultations. We should all move beyond our comfort levels and resist the temptation to shift responsibility and find excuses for abdicating our responsibilities.

 

This is an encouraging example of State-Owned Enterprises working towards job creation

 

We must agree with the ANC that working together, government, labour & State-Owned Enterprises can address the evil triplets of unemployment, poverty and inequality in a successful manner.

 

Issued by:

Mamokgethi Reagoikanya Molopyane

SATAWU National Spokesperson

082 395 0907

r...@satawu.org.za

Twitter: @Reagoikanya