Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma should tackle the
problem of unemployment and job creation in his state of the nation speech, the
union Neasa said on Tuesday.
"It's important for the president to elaborate on
government's efforts to encourage job creation," National Employers
Association of SA CEO Gerhard Papenfus said in a statement.
"All industries are losing jobs and unemployment is on
the increase."
Zuma will deliver his state of the nation speech at the
opening of Parliament on Thursday.
Papenfus said the country's collective bargaining and
minimum wages had become a deterrent to job creation and job retention.
South Africa could not afford to lose jobs and then to
introduce social schemes to sustain those that could otherwise have made an
economic contribution.
"Our current structures of collective bargaining,
minimum wages, and rigid labour laws are counterproductive and not conducive to
address any of our national challenges," he said.
"Neasa looks forward to the president setting a vision
of a labour market that will make South Africa an attractive destination for
entrepreneurs and investors."
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