Business, labour on same page

COSATU and Business Leadership SA (BLSA) met last week to find common ground between business and labour on the social, economic and governance crises facing SA.

In a statement released on Monday, Cosatu and BLSA said that the meeting arose from “the conviction that solutions to SA’s pressing socioeconomic challenges are highly dependent on business and labour leaders communicating, and where possible working together, in the national interest”.

Both business and labour agreed that urgent action was needed to address unemployment, poverty and inequality.

“This systemic attack on our democracy has eaten into investor and consumer confidence leading to the current slowdown of economic activity.”

The statement said that both parties agreed that SA could not transform or realise its potential without eradicating state capture.

In the statement, the two called for an urgently and properly constituted, independent and sharply focused commission of inquiry into state capture; the replacement of the entire Eskom board and the appointment of a nonconflicted, respected and permanent chairperson and CEO; the appointment of competent professionals of integrity to lead the South African Police Service, the Hawks, National Prosecuting Authority and South African Revenue Service in the national interest; increased accountability of politically elected leaders with enhanced checks and balances, including lifestyle audits; and a halt to the nuclear programme. — BDLive