In a media release, the director-general of the department of trade and industry (DTI), Lionel October said labour laws will not be relaxed in the new arrangements for accelerating industrial development through special economic zones.
He was addressing organised labour at the Special Economic Zones Bill public hearings held by the department in Pretoria, yesterday.
Whilst government needs the full support from organised labour and business for the proposed special economic zones to work effectively, he said, “It is not in our best interests to deregulate labour laws in order to attract foreign investors and therefore exploit our workers.”
The timing of the remark would appear that pressure has come from organised labour to say something to the working force as a result of the introduction by President Zuma of special economic zones (SEZs) and their introduction into Parliament by October and the DTI.
October also said in his media release that government needs a regulated labour market to remain competitive and raise living standards for workers.
He went on to say, “The model of special economic zones that the government is pursuing shifts away from competing on the basis of cheap labour to competing on the basis of the quality of services and support measures provided in the zones and their host regions.”
DTI concluded that the challenge as they see it is to develop a comprehensive package of support measures that will be adequate to “attract desired investments but also assist the country to master the desired industrial capabilities”.
Public hearings are shortly to take place members involving the public, organised labour and business the SEZ Bill and government’s policy in this regard. The stated purpose of the Bill being to “accelerate of industrial development and create jobs through the creation of new industrial hubs in under-developed areas and industrial decentralisation from traditional zones by building targeted areas.”
The Bill, gazetted by the minister of trade and industry Dr Rob Davies last month, will be tabled once public hearings conducted by the DTI have taken place
