NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO 32
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 12 FEBRUARY 2013
Mr K S Mubu (DA) to ask the Minister of Economic Development:
Whether he conducted any studies of the long term implications the labour
unrest in the Western Cape have on (a) the economy, (b) our export markets
and (c)(i) employment creation and (ii) sustainability? If not, why not in
each case; if so. What are the relevant details in each case. NW34E
REPLY
No. The strikes in the Western Cape occurred in the latter part of 2012.
The Department will keep a watching brief on jobs and export performance in
the agriculture and agro-processing.
The strikes, together with the sectoral determination that sets new minimum
wages, point to the need to improve the overall performance of agriculture
through targeted measures, including through better skills, improved
marketing, stronger support to get products to market (e.g. infrastructure
support) and reducing other input costs. The opportunities to expand small-
holder farming must also be pursued.