We cannot afford to continue to ignore the pleas of employers who are forced to lay off staff due to the populist demands of union leaders. Bargaining councils are setting minimum costs of employment that are forcing industries to close down or to relocate to other countries. Those that are able to, replace labour with automated equipment.
To quote from the National Planning Commission's report:
We can reduce the unemployment rate to 6% by 2030. It will require leadership, difficult political choices and effective implementation.
I therefore plead with you, hon Minister and colleagues in the portfolio committee, to display that leadership, to make those difficult political choices, and then to insist on effective implementation of the policies.
Thousands of our people and their families depend on us to expand the number of jobs. I thank you. [Applause.]