STAFF REPORTER|
THE Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has outlined its expectations for the State of the Nation Address (SONA), saying time frames for an economic recovery plan is important for the country amid the coronavirus pandemic.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is due to deliver the SONA on Thursday at 7pm, with the theme being ‘following up on our commitments, making your future work better’.
COSATU spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said “we do not need new economic plans, but we need details and definitive timeframes that will speak to the implementation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP).”
Pamla said the thrust of the SONA needs to speak to the rapid implementation of the ERRP.
The economy is in deep trouble and unemployment has surged past 50% and it’s time for less talk and swift action, he said.
“We anticipate an audacious and sincere statement that will reflect the policy positions of the Alliance and also outline the government’s concrete programmes to address poverty, create jobs and sort out the health crisis facing the country,” said Pamla.
Pamla said COSATU expected government to outline solutions and goals that are possible for the country to work towards.
“We’ve been talking about the economy recovery plan and we need to be given definite time frames and how much money is going to be spent. Normally when we get to the SONA, we get another broad vision that sometimes, when you listen to it, is more political than anything else,” he said.
“To come out with extravagant claims and commitments and big dreams, when you don’t have the resources or capacity is just not helpful. Let us limit ourselves to what is possible.”
The trade union federation also said it expected the president to tell the nation how his government plans to move with speed to provide farmworkers with land and equity.
“The land reform issue is very central if we are to bring the more than 12 million unemployed people to the mainstream economy as a way of building an all-inclusive people’s economy,” said Pamla.
The union federation also called on the president to stabilise key State-Owned Enterprises, saying the prevailing chaos in most of the State- Owned Enterprises militates against the progressive developmental agenda that these SOE’s are supposed to play in the economy and in society.
What is not clear is the vision for these SOEs and the road map to ensure their shift from being burdens to the state to enablers of economic growth and job creation,” said Pamla.
“The state of deterioration and the collapse in the SAA Group and SA Express, Denel, Transnet, Metro Rail, SABC and the Post Office remains an albatross around the nation and is sending innocent workers into the unemployment queues.”
(Source: INSIDE POLITICS)