ANC STATEMENT ON PROPOSED NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE

20 November 2016

The African National Congress notes and welcomes the release of the Nedlac Advisory Panel on the National Minimum Wage. We believe this goes a long way to giving effect to the electoral mandate to the ANC government to introduce a National Minimum Wage.

The panel’s report provides a clear way forward for the conclusion of a social compact between social partners under the guidance of Nedlac.

The recommendations contained in the panel's report are sound, credible and clearly  suppported by clear evidence, including technical submissions made by organized business, organized labour, government and community constituencies.

Now that a quantum has been proposed, NEDLAC constituencies need to have an opportunity to engage with the proposals contained in the report including the proposed level of the National Minimum Wage.

We welcome the statement from Nedlac's Committee of Principals, led by the Deputy President, Cde Cyril Ramaphosa, that the South African public is actively involved in the consultation process as represented at Nedlac and also taking into account the public participation process led by the Labour Portfolio Committee in Parliament.

The Constituences are urged to proceed with urgency so that finality and certainty can be achieved.

The ANC is also particularly pleased that Nedlac is about to finalise a package of measures to reduce prolonged and violent strikes. These are all important interventions meant to stabilize our economy and help us create jobs as envisaged in the 9-Point Plan.

Statement issued by Zizi Kodwa, ANC national spokesperson, 20 November 2016