ROUNDTABLE ON INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

In April 2000, Nedlac launched a seminar series with the aim of expanding dialogue on issues of importance to Nedlac's strategic objectives of promoting economic growth and social equity.

These seminars include both constituency representatives as well as experts and organisations interested in the topic under debate. The seminars are informal and their proceedings do not represent the 'official' view of Nedlac. They aim to encourage creative debate, expand the number of people who are exposed to the Nedlac environment and to strengthen co-ordination between institutions involved in the policy formulation process.

A round-table on industrial strategy was held on 28 March. Inputs were presented by Roger Baxter, of the Chamber of Mines, who put together a very useful overview of South Africa's economy. Tanya van Meelis of Cosatu outlined her view of what was needed in order to move towards labour-intensive growth.

The Department of Trade and Industry is still working on its second draft of the official Industrial Strategy policy document, having received input from a variety ofstakeholders, including the Nedlac task team on Industrial Strategy. It was therefore not able to present the new document, but indicated that it would be more situated in the realities of the current situation. An interesting overview of industrial strategy was presented in a paper by the Sociology of Work Unit (SWOP) at Wits, which outlined the four main approaches to industrial strategy, and then did a comparative study of some countries facing similar challenges as South Africa. The paper is available on Nedlac's website: under research/seminars.