The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

Cosatu General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi is at least right about one thing.

On the subject of recent comments by ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe on job creation, Mr. Vavi yesterday said that Mr. Mantashe’s statement would be:

“[M]ore like a statement made by the leader of the DA.”

This was in response to Mr. Mantashe’s earlier assertion that:

“Our view is that jobs must be created. Once created, then those people can engage on conditions of employment. If you first negotiate conditions before you are in the job then you are putting the cart before the horse.”

We welcomed Mr. Mantashe’s statement because, in a country where one in three people are unable to find work, we desperately need to prioritise the creation of new jobs.

In the face of a national unemployment crisis, the ANC has not until now shown any genuine desire to make it easier for firms to hire new workers, lest it should offend its “alliance partners”. Instead we have recently seen the ANC try to introduce a swathe of new labour laws that would raise the cost of hiring and destroy jobs.

If the ANC is serious about putting job creation first they are obliged to stop appeasing the narrow interests of the unions, and those that are already employed, and prioritise the creation of new jobs above all else.

So we welcome Gwede Mantashe’s about-turn and agree with Mr. Vavi that his statement sounds like DA economic policy. The DA has long advanced the idea that the creation of new jobs must be our country’s first priority and it is pleasing to see that the ANC leadership is beginning to see the simple wisdom in this. We hope the President and executive urgently adopt their Secretary General’s new position.

Mr Mantashe should not be deterred by Mr. Vavi’s objections, because, as he himself said: “There is nothing as indecent as being unemployed.” This confirms what the DA has been saying for a long time: the only way for people to pull themselves from poverty is to find a job.

The DA applauds this move by the ANC and its choice to align itself with the DA over Cosatu as far as job creation is concerned. Now the real work of making jobs our first policy priority must begin.