Southern African Regional Poverty Network (SARPN) SARPN thematic photo
Home  |  Subscribe  |  Contact SARPN  |  Site map Français   Portuguкs            
Country analysis > South Africa Last update: 2020-11-27  
leftnavspacer


Search

[previous] [table of contents] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [next]

Growth and development summit agreement - 7 June 2003

 
SECTION 1: VISION, OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

  1. Introduction

    1. The constituencies in Nedlac have engaged in social dialogue over many years to address a range of challenges facing South Africa. This has laid a solid foundation for the consolidation of our democracy.


    2. Constituencies recognise the important role that government has played in addressing challenges posed by the legacy of apartheid and in incorporating the products of social dialogue in policy frameworks in a number of areas.


    3. Despite gains made by government in collaboration with constituencies, substantially more needs to be done to address the remaining challenges through stronger partnerships between government, organised labour, organised business and the community constituency.


    4. Following President Thabo Mbeki's announcement of his intention to host a Growth and Development Summit (GDS) for constituencies to work together to address the investment, employment and poverty challenges our country faces, Nedlac constituencies have been engaging one another to prepare the ground for this Summit.


    5. During deliberations, it was agreed that a vision for growth and development should be adopted, a set of priorities for joint action identified and a process set in place to ensure that the identified programme of action is carried out.


    6. It was further noted during the deliberations that, given the challenges that our country has inherited from its past, it would not be possible for the Growth and Development Summit to address all priorities identified by constituencies.


    7. Constituencies agreed on a process of ensuring that priorities that cannot be adequately dealt with prior to the Summit are followed up after the Summit.


    8. In this sense, the Summit is launching a process for a longer- term dialogue that will require the Nedlac Executive Council to continue to focus and engage on as well as consider how to address the key challenges and options at hand - above all, job creation, economic growth, and overcoming the massive inequalities left by apartheid.


    9. The outcome of our deliberations follows.




  2. Vision

    1. The constituencies of Nedlac - government, business, labour and the community - reaffirm their commitment to social dialogue and working together to address the economic and development challenges our country faces.


    2. The constituencies commit themselves to a common vision for promoting rising levels of growth, investment, job creation and people-centred development.


    3. This vision is aimed at making South Africa:
      1. The leading emerging market and destination of first choice for investors whilst retaining and expanding social equity and fair labour standards.
      2. A productive economy with high levels of service, a highly skilled workforce and modern systems of work organisation and management.
      3. A society in which there are economic opportunities for all, poverty is eradicated, income inequalities are reduced and basic services are available to all.
      4. A society in which our people, our most precious resource, are given the opportunity and support to develop to their fullest potential.
      5. A society that promotes the values of social equity, fairness and human dignity in the global economy.


    4. The constituencies have accordingly identified the following national priorities for collaborative action:
      1. Promoting and mobilising investment and creating decent work for all
      2. Ensuring economic empowerment for all, especially for black people, workers, people with disabilities, women and youth
      3. Eradicating poverty and addressing the legacy of under-development
      4. Strategically engaging globalisation to the best advantage of the country


    5. To address these national priorities, the constituencies are committed to forging a shared vision and set of objectives that will include a mutually acceptable framework for analysing the nature of these challenges and a common programme of action to address them.


    6. The constituencies, through Nedlac, continue to strive to manage and promote the expanding social dialogue that is an important feature of our democratic dispensation. This presents an opportunity for the constituencies to develop a dynamic partnership that will facilitate social dialogue and joint action.




  3. Objectives of the GDS

    1. To give effect to this vision, the constituencies commit to:

      1. Building an enduring partnership - Promoting a shared vision of South Africa's growth and development strategy to frame sector and developmental agreements and lay the basis for partnerships in action.
      2. Addressing urgent challenges - Selecting from many possible interventions those which hold the promise of the greatest possible impact in the shortest possible time for accelerated investment, job creation, improved efficiency and productivity, greater social equity, and a fairer distribution of economic opportunities and rewards, while undertaking serious social dialogue on broad policy frameworks.
      3. Lending a hand - Securing the commitment and active participation of all constituencies in those areas identified for prioritised action in ways that build on lessons learnt from development programmes.


    2. The constituencies recognise that the outcomes of the GDS will lay the basis for:

      1. Immediate action to address the challenges set out above.
      2. Ongoing social dialogue on the employment challenge and on a range of issues of mutual interest on which a national consensus needs to be developed after the GDS.


  4. Themes of the Summit

    Following an extensive discussion on themes that the GDS should focus on in order to achieve the above-mentioned challenges, the following themes were adopted:

    • More jobs, better jobs, decent work for all
    • Addressing the investment challenge
    • Advancing equity, developing skills, creating economic opportunities for all and extending services
    • Local action and implementation


  5. Implementation framework and way forward

    1. The agreements reached by the constituencies in each area are set out in Sections 2 to 5 of this document.


    2. The constituencies commit to ensuring that the GDS agreements are disseminated to all their structures and as widely as possible through a joint communication strategy.


    3. Nedlac chambers and structures will have standing items on their agendas dealing with the GDS agreements and receive regular reports on the progress of the implementation of the agreements.


    4. Constituencies commit to an annual review by the Executive Council of Nedlac, of the success of the GDS agreements and to making adjustments where necessary.


    5. The remaining issues on which the constituencies have not reached agreement will be considered by the Executive Council of Nedlac, and a programme of social dialogue will be developed.


    6. The details of agreements reached in respect of each theme will be finalised in existing task teams or in task teams set up for the specific purpose.


    7. Amongst the issues that will require engagement after the GDS are:

      1. Investment instruments and mechanisms as in 3.1.4.
      2. Measures to promote decent work and to address the problem of casualisation
      3. Practical implementation where this is not specifically provided for in the agreement
      4. A discussion between constituencies to develop a strategy and programme to promote social dialogue at the local level
[previous] [table of contents] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [next]


Octoplus Information Solutions Top of page | Home | Contact SARPN | Disclaimer