Desperate to find jobs
Human Rights Commission asked to intervene in Langeberg employment losses
UNEMPLOYED people in the Langeberg areas of Worcester, De Doorns, Robertson and Ashton, are so desperate for work that they’ve asked the Human Rights Commission (HRC) to intervene to have stringent labour laws relaxed so that businesses can employ them.
The Langeberg Unemployed Forum marched to the commission’s Cape Town offices in March to hand over a complaint, which they said was drawn up on behalf of all the country’s unemployed.
Seven months after the group lodged their complaint they said they were yet to receive a proper response from the commission.
The forum proposed that the unemployed be issued with what is called a Job Seekers Exemption Certificate, that exempts them from the labour laws for two years allowing them to make their own decisions about work, wage and working conditions they will be comfortable with.
The forum’s chairperson Xolile Mpini said the high unemployment rate in South Africa was caused by government policies, adding that they approached the HRC because the people were desperate, lost dignity and hope.
“The legislation and regulations are barriers between employers and people looking for jobs. Without the red tape hanging over them, we could talk to employers and agree between ourselves about the pay, conditions and other matters,” he said.
“It is not that unemployed people do not want to work. Employers don’t employ us because they are afraid if they give us a chance, they won’t be able to fire us, if we are unable to do the work properly, or if they run out of money or for any other reason.
“It is fear of the laws that stops them,” Mpini said.
Yesterday, in two separate incidents, two trucks were attacked and looted in De Doorns and Worcester.
Mpini said although there might not be a connection between unemployment and the looting of the trucks but “these are the actions of people who are desperate for survival”.
The group complained that unemployment was high in the area with only two fruit factories in Ashton.
Mpini said one of the two packaging factories had just closed down, resulting in more than 5000 people without jobs.
Meanwhile the Assembly of the Unemployed, representing social movements of the unemployed around South Africa, in alliance with Amcu and Saftu marched on Ramphosa’s investment summit saying it was a lie that foreign investment equalled job retrenchments