Wildcat strikes no way to advance interests of the poor - Zuma

Trade union leaders should engage with union members to ensure that unnecessary labour action does not take place, President Jacob Zuma said yesterday, adding that wildcat strikes were no way to advance the interests of marginalised South Africans.
(Image: GCIS)
(Image: GCIS)

Addressing the National House of Traditional Leaders, Zuma said workers were free to ask for higher salaries, but were not free in the process of asking for better wages to undermine the economy.

"If we say we need more jobs... and in the process those that are working are engaged in strikes that cause some of either the mines or factories to close, it's a contradiction," he said, adding that the role of trade unions was to protect workers, not to contribute to job losses.

"We could impoverish our country without realising, when we think we are trying to correct the situation," he cautioned.

He said such was the tension in the market at present that recently when traders at the JSE heard about police shooting at strikers, they immediately began selling off the rand, when in the end it materialised that the police were in fact using rubber bullets.

And on the NDP...

Turning to the National Development Plan (NDP), Zuma said the vision encapsulated in the plan called upon all South Africans to help fulfil the plan's vision.

Traditional leaders had a vital role by working with the government to create strong institutions and to help tackle the various challenges that face South Africa, particularly in developing rural areas.

Zuma also called for closer co-operation between traditional leaders and local councillors, pointing out that this could help unlock the potential of rural development, including the irrigation of thousands of square kilometres of land.

"You are put there to help the people, whether by birth or by election. There is not a single one is better or more important than the other," he said.

Copious notes

Before his speech, Zuma took copious notes as traditional leaders related several problems that those living in traditional areas continue to face, including poverty and unemployment, deaths during initiation ceremonies and a decline in moral values.

He said the government had an initiation programme that community members could use, and added that the government would continue to root out rogue initiation schools.

Senior traditional leaders must be present all the time during initiation ceremonies, he said, adding that if the initiation ceremony was not conducted properly, the risk was that it would draw further criticism from others on the custom itself.

Zuma also said members of the National House of Traditional Leaders needed to be involved more in active debates on certain key issues and then workshop these issues by putting in place targets with specific time frames and report-back dates.

Source: SAnews.gov.za

SAnews.gov.za is a South African government news service, published by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS). SAnews.gov.za (formerly BuaNews) was established to provide quick and easy access to articles and feature stories aimed at keeping the public informed about the implementation of government mandates.

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