Ministers and Deputy Ministers,

Leadership of COSATU,

President of SACTWU, Cde Themba Khumalo

General Secretary of SACTWU, Cde Andre Kriel

Leadership of the ANC and the SACP,

Delegates,

 

It gives me great pleasure to address the 12th national congress of the South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union, (SACTWU) which meets under the theme "unity, cohesion and radical transformation for growth and decent work".

 

SACTWU represents the majority of workers ina strategic industrial sector of our economy. This union therefore has an important role to play in the economic future of our country and our region.

 

Compatriots,

 

The year 2013 is the 40thanniversary of the historic 1973 Durban strikes which changed the face of labour relations in our country.

 

South Africa learned an important truth which shaped our future – that an oppressed people can challenge oppressors successfully if they act together, in unity.

 

The strikes began a process which shifted power to working people and played an important role in ultimately defeating apartheid colonialism, with the active participation of workers, fighting for their own liberation.

The strikes triggered the formation of trade unions which fought long battles with a few employers to win the right to negotiate and engage in collective bargaining.

These unions became the core of the Federation of SA Trade Unions (FOSATU) which combined with other unions to form the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the mid-1980s.So they were, in a sense, the beginning of today's non-racial and independent union movement.

 

Secondly, this congress takes place during women’s month. It thus reminds us of women’s selfless struggles against apartheid and for gender equality in this country and in the workplace. This month we are celebrating the historic fact that South African women played a prominent role in the struggle for freedom, human rights and justice for over a century.

 

One hundred years ago in 1913, the extraordinary Charlotte Maxeke led about 700 women on a march against pass laws in Bloemfontein in 1913 just a few months after the formation of the ANC. That was to be followed by several activities of and by women, to advance the cause of freedom.

South African women have also played a central part in the formation of militant trade unions.

 

The majority of garment workers have historically been women, which makes women’s month even more important to SACTWU.  Women garment workers suffered extreme exploitation, earned starvation wages and worked long hours. They decided to organise rather than live under those conditions.

 

From1928 to 1932, for example, women garment workers organised more than 100work-stoppages and strikes, which shook the industry. 

 

We recall the contribution of leaders such as Viola Hashe, who became the first woman leader of the South African Clothing Workers Union (SACWU) and was then elected Vice-President of the South African Congress of Trade Unions(SACTU). 

 

In 1963she was banned under the Suppression of Communism Act. SACTWU continues the proud tradition of fighting for women’s rights and involving women in leadership positions.

 

Compatriots

 

We are happy to meet you during much improved conditions for the textile and clothing sector. The industry came under tremendous pressure at the turn of the century and saw wholesale closures of manufacturing companies both in the textiles and garment manufacturing sectors. The South African market was flooded with cheap imports from the Far East.

 

The situation was aggravated by the influx of illegal imports which were known for ridiculously low prices due to under-invoicing.

Research which was undertaken during this period highlighted that added to the illegal imports which were flooding the market, our textile and clothing sector was not globally competitive.

 

There had been no investment in new technology and human capital development. There were no succession plans in place in most companies. Factories were closing down, workers were losing jobs. It was a difficult situation.

There was a real need for strategic interventions in order to arrest the downward trend of the industry and stem the tide of job losses.

 

Government, through the Department of Trade and Industry, working with labour, made a few interventions. 

You will recall that the Clothing and Textiles Competitiveness Programme was established in 2009 to stabilize employment and to improve overall competitiveness in the textiles and clothing sectors.

The intention was also to build and improve capacity in the manufacturing and related value chain of the textiles, clothing, leather and footwear sectors in South Africa.

 

Another critical intervention was the designation of the textiles, clothing, leather and footwear sectors for local procurement, which was done through the new Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act in December 2011.

This new policy stated categorically that all Government tenders for the sector must stipulate that the local content and manufacturing of products in textiles, clothing, leather and footwear be sourced locally. The Department of Trade and Industry is required to supporting letters confirming the non-availability of those raw materials before a company can source abroad.

The designation of textiles, clothing, leather and footwear has seen more and more Government Tenders being awarded to bidders who utilize locally manufactured goods with maximum local raw material content.

 

The overall impression from industry is very positive to the programme.

We urge companies to cooperate and not to attempt to beat the system as this is being done to strengthen our economy and these sectors in particular, and to create and protect jobs.

The Department of Trade and Industry is also working closely with the SA Revenue Service to ensure that there is no under-invoicing and related cheating.

 

The success of the initiative has seen a marked increase on the value of invoices which are being presented to the customs officials at ports of entry. The import duty on clothing was also increased to the maximum that the World Trade Organisation allows countries to charge which is 45% to protect the local industry.

The work being done through SARS in this sector has been so successful that we are planning to extend the concept toot her sectors.

There are also constant raids being undertaken by Customs and other Government departments to combat illegal importin to the country and these have seen significant volumes of illegal goods being confiscated and destroyed.

 

We are happy that working together we have managed to slow down the decline of the sector.

The sector has come to life again as the industry has taken advantage of the incentives offered in the government incentives programmes.

 

Approximately 61 376 jobs have so far been saved in companies that have benefited from government incentives, and to-date a total of 8180 new decent sustainable jobs have been created in those entities.

 

If we continue cooperating in this way in the sector, targets will be met. For example, the Leather and Footwear cluster set itself the target of producing 100 million pairs of shoes per annum.

 

The lowest the industry went to was 28million pairs per annum in 2005. Currently the production levels have increased to approximately 51 million pairs per annum. We appreciate the upward trend.

Let me congratulate SACTWU for proving that it is not just the responsibility of government to protect and save jobs but that of unions too.

You have played a critical role in saving and retaining jobs in the clothing and textile industry. By saving entities that were on their way to sequestration, you did not only benefit workers in those companies, but also their families.

Compatriots

 

As the ANC Government, as you are aware, our election manifesto committed us to address the exploitation of workers and ensure decent work for all workers.

 

We were also mandated by South Africans to protect the employment relationship, introduce laws to regulate contract work, subcontracting and outsourcing, address the problem of labour broking and prohibit certain abusive practices.

 

In this regard, Government has amended the Labour Relations Act and the Bill is before Parliament.

The intention of the amendments is to address labour broking and prohibit abusive practices.

 

Furthermore, organisational rights are extended to trade unions seeking to organise amongst temporary workers. We thank the partners at NEDLAC for constructive dialogue which enables our country to deal with such matters.

Compatriots,

As we prepare to celebrate 20 years of freedom, amongst the achievements we will be celebrating, are worker rights.

The Constitution of the Republic enshrines labour rights. It allows workers to negotiate and also to go on strike where the need arises, within the ambit of the labour relations framework of the country.

We support the Constitutional right to strike. Equally important, the right to life and property rights are also rights protected by the Constitution.

We urge labour and employers to work with us to ensure that all these rights are protected.

In the event that it becomes necessary to goon strike, the strikes should take place in a peaceful manner which does not infringe on the rights of those who are not part of strikes.

We have tasked the labour department to identify measures to strengthen labour relations and social dialogue.

Compatriots, we also urge Labour to work with us to promote the collective bargaining system.

 

We are worried that in some sectors we now find worker’s committees and other structures that have mushroomed taking advantage of certain situations, to the detriment of the rights of workers.

 

We are proud of our country’s system of collective bargaining, which is part of our fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic.

It is further given effect by the Labour Relations Act of 1995. We want to work with labour and business to promote this fundamental right of workers.

Without collective bargaining, workers will not realise better living standards, better conditions of employment and a democratised workplace.

 

The absence of collective bargaining in fact leads workers to collective begging which is unfair because they have a democratic right to collective bargaining. We will continue to work with labour and employers through the Labour Department to promote this right.

 

Compatriots,

Let me congratulate labour and business for progress made in the mining sector which has been beset by labour tension for some time since last year.

The Peace and Stability Framework agreement was signed in July which seeks to restore stability in the mining sector.  

We trust that working together, all parties will cooperate and see value in promoting lasting labour peace in our crucial mining sector.

Compatriots,

Given the worrying unemployment situation, government has to ensure that instruments that cushion workers remain viable and helpful.

The Unemployment Insurance Fund has grown immensely to over 83 billion rand in total assets.

You will recall that during the economic meltdown, the Fund responded by contributing to training lay-offs by helping companies that were facing economic distress to cope with the crisis. 

Rather than employees being laid off, they were retrained and absorbed back by their companies.   

Jointly with the mining sector, the Fund is contributing to the housing development of communities of North West province.

We are also amending the Unemployment Insurance Act in order to include learners, public servants and foreign workers who are currently not covered in terms of the provisions of the Unemployment Insurance Act.

The amendments also extend the period of payment of benefits to the contributor from eight months to twelve months and also extend the period in which a contributor can lodge a claim from six months to twelve months.   

This is part of extending protection to the South African workforce during the period when they are most vulnerable, when they have lost their jobs.

Comrades and Compatriots, 

SACTWU participates in many social development programmes that improve the lives of workers and communities where the workers live.

I wish to congratulate you on your HIV and AIDS programme which reflects your intention of building a caring workplace.

It shows your commitment to non-discrimination of people who are affected and infected by this epidemic. Our country is a shining example of progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS with an improved life expectancy to date because of the contribution of patriots like yourselves who put the country first.

Compatriots, once again, we are pleased to have worked with you as government in reviving and strengthening the clothing and textile sector which faced severe difficulties. We share the success and also share the tasks that must still be performed on the road ahead in building a prosperous South Africa.

Thank you for inviting us to this congress.

I wish you a most successful 12th national congress that will take the sector steps ahead and contribute to promoting inclusive growth and much-needed jobs.

I thank you.