Pretoria – Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe told a gathering in London today that the South African government was determined to solve the current challenges in the mining sector.
The industry has been hit by several industrial actions since last year, leading to a drop in production.
More recently, slowing growth in China, the decline in commodity prices as well as domestic work stoppages have resulted in lower growth for South African mines.
“The Government of South Africa is determined to do everything possible to strengthen this sector in these difficult global economic conditions,” Motlanthe said.
He is in the United Kingdom on an official visit to promote trade, particularly in South Africa’s mining sector.
He told a gathering at the Chatham House in London that South Africa's “deeply entrenched” history of dialogue to resolve social conflict was well-known.
“Social dialogue has over the years enabled us to mobilise a broad section of society under the rubric of conflict resolution and reconciliation, invariably impelled by the fact of our indissoluble future as a nation”.
“We have addressed many other intractable conflicts in our country through this time-tested mechanism. Not only that, social dialogue has found constitutional expression in a number of institutions that have stood us in good stead since the birth of democracy.”
Dialogue platforms included the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and numerous other institutions supporting our system of constitutional democracy.
Government, organised labour and business had signed the Framework Agreement for a Sustainable Mining Industry to ensure sustainability of the mining sector for the future of South Africa's economy.
The parties to this framework agreement committed themselves to improving processes and procedures as well as implementing new measures that will bring about lasting change, while working together to sustain and improve the sector.
In terms of the Framework Agreement, government, organised labour and organised business made a firm commitment to work together to restore peace and stability in the mines.
Motlanthe said an important step towards strengthening and stabilising the mining sector was to ensure that peace and stability prevailed, so as to create an environment conducive to development.
He added that workers and managers needed to go to work without fear that anyone would harm them. Workers must be free to exercise their constitutional right to join any trade union of their choice, to declare disputes, to strike and to engage in any form of peaceful protest.
Both workers and employers must ensure that all matters pertaining to labour relations, including union recognition agreements, verification of membership and wage negotiations are conducted within the Labour Relations Act, which lays the primary foundation for labour relations in South Africa.
Motlanthe said government would act decisively to enforce the rule of law, maintain peace during strikes and other protests relating to labour disputes and ensure protection of life, property and the advancement of the rights of all.
Government would further ensure that law enforcement agencies act in a manner that is fair, impartial and objective.
There was an emergent appreciation that stakeholders in the mining sector must build a relationship that is based on trust and respect and avoid any actions that adversely affect this relationship. – SAnews.gov.za
