President calls for protection of workers’ rights to build an inclusive economy

President Cyril Ramaphosa

With some people and political parties calling for South Africa’s labour laws to be relaxed in response to the prevailing economic climate and high unemployment rate, President Cyril Ramaphosa argues that stimulating economic growth and job creation and retaining worker protections are not mutually exclusive.

In a weekly letter published on May 5, the President emphasises that worker rights have been found to improve productivity and thereby enhance the growth of companies and the economy, and that these are also helping to distribute the benefits of growth more equally and improve economic stability.

Moreover, South Africa’s labour laws are part of the effort to overcome the structural inequality of apartheid, he points out.

By Tasneem Bulbulia.

Full story at The Engineering News