Nxesi’s LAP job opportunities programme may just be an electioneering ploy, says Saftu
The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) said that it is extremely concerned about the R23 billion that is being used from the Unemployment Insurance fund (UIF) to create schemes for jobless South Africans.
In April, Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi announced that government would implement a new training for employment and entrepreneurship programme.
Nxesi said that the UIF’s Labour Activation Programme (LAP) will be first launched in Gauteng with the provincial government, and then it would be progressively rolled out during April throughout the country.
He said that the programme would strengthen employment creation in the country.
The hope is that the programmes will provide training for employment and entrepreneurship programmes for around 704,000 unemployed South Africans, with the programme lasting between 12 and 36 months.
“The spread of our implementation nationally will be across every province – with 333 recommended projects to provide training, small enterprise support and employment opportunities to 704,000 unemployed people,” Minister Nxesi said.
An electioneering ploy
Saftu has slammed the programme as they believe the programme’s opportunities and promises are not sustainable.
“Instead of spending the money on projects that enrich the parasitic bourgeois without benefiting the contributing workers, the people on whose name the fund was initially created the benefit pay-outs to workers must increase,” Saftu said in a statement.
The union said LAP was an “electioneering ploy” by the governing ANC, rather than an opportunity to create long-lasting jobs for unemployed South Africans.
“There is a possibility that these LAP programmes are being implemented now because Minister Nxesi and his cronies want to raise electioneering funds for the ruling party,” the union said.
“In addition, the dual possibility is that few job opportunities that will be created through this programme are an electioneering ploy, especially if you consider that the span of those jobs will last between 12 and 36 months. This indicates that these opportunities will not be sustainable”.
Saftu calls for infrastructural developments
The union said that is not opposed to using the UIF surplus for developmental purposes, but contended that must be invested in infrastructural developments.
The union said government could set up public companies that will lead to economic growth, employment creation and provide affordable goods and services to South Africans.
Saftu said government should also focus on regulating the labour market, ensuring compliance with labour regulations from employers, and safeguarding the UIF funds.
Their concern is that the UIF surplus could be used for corruptive endeavours
“The projects initiated through this programme seem to be unsustainable, feeding a group of parasitic business enterprises,” it added.
IOL BUSINESS
News Related
-
1024x768_france-antoine-dupont-and-fabian-galthie-oct-2023-jpg Fabien Galthie’s men went into the global tournament as one of the favourites but they were ousted in the last-eight. Les Bleus suffered a 29-28 defeat to the Springboks as they were eliminated at their home World Cup by the eventual champions. It was a similar story to 2019, ...
See Details:
Antoine Dupont still hurt by 'injustice' of World Cup loss to Springboks
-
China’s New Aircraft Carrier Begins Catapult Testing Testing of the catapults on the Chinese aircraft carrier Fujian has begun. This is an important step forward in the construction of this ship, which is set to be the first carrier in the People’s Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN, that launches aircraft ...
See Details:
China's New Aircraft Carrier Begins Catapult Testing
-
Aircraft Downed Inside Russia By Patriot System: Ukrainian Air Force The Ukrainian Air Force has now confirmed that a number of Russian aircraft shot down back in May over their own territory were indeed destroyed by a foreign-supplied Patriot air defense system. The possibility that Ukraine’s newly acquired Patriots may ...
See Details:
Aircraft Downed Inside Russia By Patriot System: Ukrainian Air Force
-
-
Exiled Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov delivers a speech during a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament on April 20, 2022 in Brussels. Fedorov on Monday said Ukrainian partisans blew up a car with pro-Russian fighters inside over the weekend. A car with Chechen soldiers fighting ...
See Details:
Car With Pro-Russian Fighters Blown Up by Resistance: Exiled Mayor
-
-
Springbok lock opts not to renew contract with URC team Rugby World Cup-winning lock RG Snyman has opted not to extend his stay at Munster beyond the current season. This week, it was revealed by Munster that Snyman would seek new horizons once his deal with the Irish Province expires. ...
See Details:
Springbok lock opts not to renew contract with URC team
-
Pravin Gordhan’s deathly legacy: A threat to SA’s economic future In the corridors of power, where decisions shape the destiny of nations, one man has emerged as front runner for the dubious honour of being the architect of South Africa’s economic chaos – Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, at ...
See Details:
Pravin Gordhan’s deathly legacy: A threat to SA’s economic future
-
Pravin Gordhan’s deathly legacy: A threat to SA’s economic future In the corridors of power, where decisions shape the destiny of nations, one man has emerged as front runner for the dubious honour of being the architect of South Africa’s economic chaos – Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, at ...
See Details:
Antoine Dupont STILL hurt by ‘injustice’ of Rugby World Cup loss to Springboks
-
Pravin Gordhan’s deathly legacy: A threat to SA’s economic future In the corridors of power, where decisions shape the destiny of nations, one man has emerged as front runner for the dubious honour of being the architect of South Africa’s economic chaos – Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, at ...
See Details:
Rubber stamping NHI Bill will have damaging consequences for SA for generations
-
-
Pravin Gordhan’s deathly legacy: A threat to SA’s economic future In the corridors of power, where decisions shape the destiny of nations, one man has emerged as front runner for the dubious honour of being the architect of South Africa’s economic chaos – Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, at ...
See Details:
After the Bell: SA’s NHI healthcare disaster starts right here
-
Pravin Gordhan’s deathly legacy: A threat to SA’s economic future In the corridors of power, where decisions shape the destiny of nations, one man has emerged as front runner for the dubious honour of being the architect of South Africa’s economic chaos – Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, at ...
See Details:
Gupta-linked development land for sale
-
OTHER NEWS
A senior Volkswagen executive involved in a global cost-cutting strategy said on Friday, 24 November, he was “very worried” about the future of the company’s operations in South Africa, which ...
Read more »
Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters Liz Truss, the shortest-serving prime minister in British history, who was famously shown to have a shorter shelf life than a lettuce, has effectively backed Donald Trump ...
Read more »
Standard Bank treasonous? We're literally helping to keep the lights on says CEO Bruce Whitfield speaks to Lungisa Fuzile, Standard Bank SA CEO. Standard Bank is one of 28 banks ...
Read more »
Israel, Hamas agree to extend truce for two days; Musk ‘would like to help rebuild Gaza’ The UN said many people in Gaza still had no food or cooking fuel ...
Read more »
Mamelodi Sundowns’ former coach, Pitso Mosimane, dismissed the African Football League Jingles shared his opinion and compared it to the CAF league and said that it was a mere tournament ...
Read more »
Take note of these N3 road works between Westville and Paradise Valley The N3 between the Westville viaduct and Paradise Valley interchange will be partially closed to traffic for the ...
Read more »
UKZN medical student bags 2023 Health Excellence Rising Star Award Durban — One of the country’s most progressive young minds in the medical field, fifth-year University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) medical ...
Read more »