NEDLAC ANNUAL SUMMIT

Speaking at the Nedlac Annual Summit in Midrand this morning, Deputy President Jacob Zuma said that the joint action byemployers in the gold mining industry and the National Union of Mineworkers, supported by the South African government, was an example of how such joint action could help tiltinternational forces. He said that it illustrated the successes that could be achieved if all sectors of society pulled together, striving for a common goal.

General Secretary of Cosatu,Zwelinzima Vavi, who spoke at the Summit on behalf of the three labour federations -Cosatu, Nactu and Fedusa, said that whilst Nedlac had achieved a significant amount in thepast year, much remained to be done in society. Continuing the theme of "Jabu Xuluand Cynthia Gumede" - two fictitious workers who have commented in each of the four Nedlac summits, Vavi said that this year … Jabu Xulu is on short-time, caused among others by the sluggish economic activity due to historic high real interest rates. Cynthia Gumede has been retrenched from her factory in the clothing industry when it closed due tothe combination of tariff reductions and the flood of illegal goods into the country. Monetary policy and the involvement of organised labour in trade negotiations were two ofthe issues labour raised.

Government's speech was deliveredby Minister of Labour, Membathisi Mdladlana. Focussing on the reconstruction and development of the economy, he expressed concern at the escalating levels of person days lost due to rising levels of industrial conflict. He said that the social partners should undertake a thoroughgoing introspection in order to ensure that the central objective of restucturing and developing the economy was not lost.

Deputy President of Nafcoc, AbramNapo, said that the Nedlac Summit was an opportunity for the constituent members tore-affirm support and commitment for the role that Nedlac plays and also to lay foundation for the role of this institution in the new millennium.

Two speakers addressed the Summiton behalf of the Community Constituency - Mbongeni Ngubeni, General Secretary of Sanco,and Khulu Mbongo of the South African Youth Council. Ngubeni called on Nedlac to play acentral role in the implementation of the Jobs Summit agreements. He also called on blackbusiness people to acknowledge the labour laws of the country. Mbongo drew attention tothe need for Nedlac to improve its linkages with communities and constituencies in orderto secure buy-in into agreements.

All the constituencies were unanimous in welcoming the new Executive Director of Nedlac, Phillip Dexter, and expressing confidence in his ability to manage the important workload of the institution.Addressing the Summit, Dexter said that of all the hard economic issues before Nedlac,none was quite so urgent as the need to build on the work of the Jobs Summit. He welcomed also the fact that the Summit would be looking at the issue of HIV/AIDS, as this matter was biggest threat to not only the future prosperity, but to the very survival of the country.

Apart from the focus on HIV/AIDS,the Nedlac constituencies also held focus sessions on the World Trade Organisation and Trade Issues; restructuring the South African economy; challenges for public education;South Africa and the International Labour Organisation; and Social Security. There was robust discussion in the restructuring the South African Economy Commission, with participants such as Minister of Finance, Trevor Manuel, Deputy Reserve Bank Governor,James Cross, and labour convenor of Nedlac's Public Finance and Monetary Policy Chamber,Neil Coleman. Education Minister, Professor Kader Asmal, as well as Trade and Industry Minister, Alec Erwin, addressed commissions.

The parties adopted an 8-point declaration of priority issues which needed to be addressed over the next twelve months. These include taking forward the agreements of the Presidential Jobs Summit including the outstanding issues of macro-economic policy, labour market policy and concluding a framework agreement on a comprehensive social security system for South Africa.