Mr Speaker, the DA cannot support the Bill that is before us. [Interjections.] From the Bill it is clear that the ANC does not understand why people do not have jobs in South Africa; why there are no jobs in South Africa; and how best to help people into employment. [Interjections.]
Indeed, instead of assisting businesses to grow, flourish and creating jobs, this Bill imposes an even greater administrative burden on businesses, adding to an ever growing list of fines that can be imposed on them. Before you try to help people into employment, Minister, you must first ensure that there are jobs for them to have.
The DA supports the establishment of Productivity SA, PSA. Although PSA had already been established under the Skills Development Act its re- establishment under this Bill makes it more effective and more relevant.
The DA also supports the establishment of supported employment enterprises. Sheltered employment factories have had limited success and the DA hopes that supported employment enterprises will widen opportunities for people with disabilities and further facilitate supported employment in South Africa, particularly for people living with disabilities.
Finally, the only other good aspect of the Bill before us today is that it will prevent employment agencies from charging fees to vulnerable job seekers. This will put an end to years of the abuse of the most desperate individuals, providing them with the protection that they need.
Unfortunately, Minister Oliphant has seen fit to wrap these positive provisions in unrealistic, damaging and inappropriate tripe. The Bill establishes a public employment service that aims to match job seekers with available job opportunities. However, Minister Oliphant has forgotten that her department already has Employment Services of South Africa and that this agency already conducts this function with a similar mandate.
The Bill will also control private employment agencies to the extent that their role will shrivel up into that of a recruitment agency. Government is therefore competing with the private sector and regulating it at the same time. Government presupposes that it can do a better job than the private sector. [Interjections.] However, we have already seen that this is not the case. [Interjections.]