PRESIDENTIAL JOBs SUMMIT

Employment creation is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges facing our country. Consequently, the Presidential Jobs Summit was one of the most significant processes of 1998. During the preparations for the Jobs Summit, the Nedlac parties contributed many hours of their skills and knowledge to designing a body of agreements aimed at addressing levels of unemployment. The negotiation, debate and dialogue that preceded the Jobs Summit - and that continues as we implement the agreements - have provided government with many insights. There is no doubt that this collective knowledge will have an important impact on the future management of government's employment creation processes. - ALEC ERWIN ON THE JOB SUMMIT

The Jobs Summit is a tribute to the ability of business, labour and community to sit down together with government and find solutions to the challenges facing South Africa. During the coming years that partnership will be essential to the implementation and success of the agreements reached during the Presidential Jobs Summit.

Introduction

The Presidential Jobs Summit represented an unprecedented focussing of Nedlac's resources to address the problem of unemployment in South Africa.

The Process

Government tabled a proposal for a jobs summit at the Nedlac Executive Council in August of 1997. By November 1997, a technical committee was appointed to prepare for the Summit. A Supervisory Structure was established to manage the negotiations leading to the Jobs Summit.

The Supervisory Structure was constituted by senior representatives of Nedlac. Initially the Minister of Labour, Tito Mboweni, then the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alec Erwin, chaired these meetings.

The Supervisory Structure recognised that the challenge of job creation required a multi-dimensional response. Accordingly, the Nedlac parties established a range of working groups to formulate agreements aimed at improving the employment potential of the South African economy. The working groups were characterised by a high level of engagement from all parties. During the course of 1998 they reported to 36 meetings of the Supervisory Structure.

THE AGREEMENTS

The Jobs Summit agreements fall into five broad categories. There are agreements relating to:

Job Creation in Sectors of the Economy

These agreements strengthen the ability of economic sectors to create jobs. They include small business promotion, development of the tourism sector and the encouragement of sector summits in sectors that are threatened by job loss or have the potential for job creation.

The Labour Market and Human Resource Development for Job Creation

These agreements aim to raise the level of skills in the labour market. They encourage the building of human resource capacity through the piloting of learnerships provided for in the Skills Development Act. They also make provision for social security to protect vulnerable sectors of the population.

Special Employment Programmes

These programmes aim to create jobs in the short term, whilst building infrastructural and human resources that are critical to sustaining long term growth. They include Community Based Public Works Programmes and promoting labour intensive methods in the construction industry.

Job Creation in the Integrated Provincial Projects

These agreements aim to strengthen job creation efforts in areas of high social need which have potential for economic growth. These Provincial Projects are focussed in the areas of Greater St. Lucia, the Wild Coast-Emonti area and the Greater Algoa Bay region.

Matters on Financing

The Nedlac parties undertook to make resources available for the implementation of the Jobs Summit agreements as well as for broader job creation initiatives. Government agreed to provide resources as per the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Umsobomvu Fund. Business initiated a trust fund to support education, training and tourism projects. Labour established a trust fund based on one-day's wages donated by South African workers.

Following up on the Jobs Summit

Since the Jobs Summit, Nedlac has held three meetings of the Supervisory Structure. These meetings allocated the responsibility of implementing the Jobs Summit agreements to government departments and to Nedlac Chambers where appropriate. These structures are in the process of implementing the Jobs Summit agreements.

The Supervisory Structure will continue to meet in order to manage and monitor the implementation of the Jobs Summit agreements.

Representatives on the Supervisory Structure

Labour

Z. Vavi
E. Pate
N. Coleman
C. Milani
M. Skhosana

Government

A. Erwin
M.M.S. Mdladlana
S. Pityana
L. Kettledas 

Business

R. Parsons
J. Buys
A.R. Napo
A. du Plessis

Community

F. Lagadien
G. Jack