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Herman Mashaba’s recently published piece apartheid–style laws are damaging SA’s employable future, looks at how government initiatives like minimum wage, the bargaining council and legislated discrimination are encouraging unemployment. Below is a response from Thulani, a concerned South African youth, who says the problem is not the youth or South African labour laws but cruel business entities who continue to exploit the poor because they are deemed to be creating employment.
Firstly, the title of the piece is worrisome, anyone who has lived in South Africa in the past twenty years would know that what has been going on in SA whether in business or government is an indirect or direct consequence of apartheid. I was born years before apartheid was officially dismantled in 1994 and I can still see and feel its impact.
Secondly, what comes out of Mr. Mashaba’s article is nothing but an insult to young people in SA who must be afforded good and lawful working conditions. It is either Mr. Mashaba worked for the apartheid government or he is suffering from amnesia. The comparison of what is a democratic South Africa to a brutal system that was apartheid is a further blow to the insult. Young people MUST be afforded with better working conditions based on just laws. As far as the debate is concerned one should not over emphasise the importance of youth employment over good working conditions applied according to our labour laws.
One wonders how Mr. Mashaba treats his employees in light of his misguided article. The government, the labour department in particular, must continue to push unjust employers who cannot abide by the law out of business. South Africa cannot afford employers who believe just laws of employment should be replaced by the thirst for more business and employment. Employees in South Africa still continue to give more than they receive despite calls for a more responsible approach to employment.
Compliance remains critical, and having worked for a few private organisations in South Africa – particularly in Johannesburg, I can safely say that compliance is a myth. Poor people continue to feed corporations who care less about their wellbeing but more about profits. Human resource remains vital and treating humans with fairness remains a myth in South Africa, and if more employment and jobs mean less stricter labour laws then the youth would rather be unemployed. Business needs young people more than young people need business, without the youth you would not be able to make profit.
Of course the youth should not be complacent and expect things to come their way, hard work always determines ones future, however, it is counterproductive to label laws meant to redress the past as “apartheid style laws”.
In conclusion, the problem is not the youth or South African labour laws but cruel business entities who continue to exploit the poor because “we are creating employment”. Business needs to understand that the youth is not stupid and creating work is good and well but.. at whose expense?
* Thulani – a concerned youthful South African
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