South African President calls for collective action to protect workers' rights

Cape Town, May 5 (IANS) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday reiterated the urgent need to drive inclusive economic growth and job creation, and to protect the rights and gains of workers across the country.

"At a time when our singular focus is on inclusive economic growth and job creation, we must continue to work together to improve the lives of every South African worker. Let us use the hard-won gains of workers to create new opportunities for all," Ramaphosa said in his weekly newsletter.

Reflecting on the country's history, Ramaphosa noted that under apartheid, black workers were systematically denied their rights and excluded from unionization.

While acknowledging the progress made since the introduction of employment equity legislation, he highlighted that much more needs to be done to transform the racial composition of economic ownership, control, and management.

"That is why part of our G20 (Group of 20) presidency involves engagements with labor over the consolidation of worker rights. We have held fruitful discussions in this regard with the International Trade Union Confederation and others," he said.

The president pledged that South Africa will continue to use its progressive labor laws to correct the imbalances of the past and to ensure that these protections translate into tangible benefits for workers, Xinhua news agency reported.

He also called on businesses to take necessary measures to ensure that their workplaces reflect the spirit of the laws.

"Companies should go beyond compliance by actively fostering diversity and inclusion as envisaged in our constitution by addressing historical inequalities and creating opportunities for under-represented groups among their workers, such as women, the youth, and persons with disabilities," Ramaphosa added.

--IANS

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