Nedlac Governance Task Team progress

Video The Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour said that the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) plays a crucial role in the labour law reform journey started in 2022 with an upcoming report expected to shed light on current developments and their potential impact on labour practices. Proposed amendments are grounded in fair labour practices and collective bargaining principles, as outlined in the Constitution (Sections 23(1) and 25), aiming to fill legislative gaps that promote fairness, inclusivity, and sustainable economic growth. Additionally, Nedlac's Governance Task Team (GTT) is modernizing the organization's founding principles, with representation from business, labour, government, and community groups. Following a review funded by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2020, reforms to Nedlac’s founding documents have been agreed upon to enhance efficiency, accountability, and inclusivity. Key revisions include a new Nedlac Bill that maintains core functions while updating definitions and structures to improve representativity, pending State Law Advisor review. The Nedlac Constitution has been amended to refine governance processes and a Protocol for Tabling and Reviewing matters at Nedlac has been established. The Bill clarifies Nedlac's objectives of promoting public participation, economic growth, and social inclusion, detailing its consultative role on significant socio-economic policies. A new structure, the Nedlac Lekgotla, will convene annually to merge summit and executive functions, while the Executive Committee will serve as its accounting authority. Key concerns raised by Committee members included calls for improved transparency in Nedlac's work, especially through direct communication with the Portfolio Committee. Members highlighted a perceived government-labour union alignment at Nedlac that might neglect business interests. Members called for accurate community communication, regular membership compliance reviews and including the unemployed in discussions. A request was made for procedural clarity to prevent Bills bypassing Nedlac before going to Parliament. Members advocated for broader Nedlac influence at local level to represent all stakeholders in labour issues and transparency around budget constraints that might impede its advocacy work. The Department of Employment and Labour is in full support of Nedlac bolstering its impact on policy formulation and social dialogue. It confirmed Nedlac is enhancing its stakeholder engagement strategy to create a more inclusive platform for dialogue to amplify the voices of the unemployed. On the accountability of its social partners, Nedlac is implementing a comprehensive review system to periodically assess the performance of registered social partners to ensure they are meeting the commitments to represent their constituents. Nedlac is also prioritizing the establishment of regional forums to facilitate local dialogues.