Fedusa meets commission on jobs plan

Cape Town - The Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) on Friday presented its "building blocks" for a new employment growth path to the National Planning Commission (NPC).

The document outlined the five sections or building blocks the union federation believed would help create a new employment growth path, Fedusa general secretary Dennis George said after the meeting.

This document identified the current problems affecting South Africans and offered both short- and long-term recommendations. It was important to stress that the document was a point of departure.

"We, as organised labour, need to take hands with government and social partners in business to further collaborate and refine strategies around South Africa's new growth path," he said.

The NPC delegates - led by NPC deputy chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa - stressed their gratitude to Fedusa for its input and believed the document would significantly contribute to fulfilling their mandate of establishing a critical view of South Africa and what the country sought to achieve in the next 20 years.

Despite the progress South Africa had made as a nation, Fedusa was glad the NPC had prioritised addressing certain issues. These included poor school outcomes, high corruption levels, low levels of competition, poverty, inequality and unemployment - especially among the youth.

"Fedusa is optimistic that though these processes of social dialogue and consultation we can achieve consensus and a way forward. South Africa needs good leaders that are accountable, who will spend our taxpayers' money wisely, and most importantly leaders who will efficiently implement this shared vision for a new growth path," George said.

Fedusa was looking forward to the release of the NPC draft national development plan for public comment in June this year.