Pretoria – Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Boitumelo Moloi has emphasised the importance of workers’ rights as the cornerstone of any fair, just and prosperous society which ensures that employees have access to safe working conditions.
Moloi made the remarks while addressing the inaugural BRICS meeting organised by the department of employment and labour under the theme: “Ensuring decent work, dignity and respect for all.”
The meeting is taking place in Muldersdrift, west of Johannesburg until Friday and is being attended by the five BRICS member states, namely; Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa alongside the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the African Union as well as Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia and Malawi as invitees.
The meeting is exploring issues around human dignity as the world tries to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, the energy crisis and stagflation.
Moloi told the 140 delegates in attendance that worker rights were essential for individual workers as well as the health and stability of the broader economy.
“Therefore, worker rights, productivity and decent work are intrinsically linked. A happy worker is a productive worker,” she said.
She urged BRICS nations to lead the way in promoting and protecting workers’ rights by implementing ILO conventions. In so doing, Moloi said the BRICS member states should demonstrate their commitment to a fairer, more equitable society and create sustainable and inclusive growth conditions.
She further encouraged member states to optimise the relationship between productivity and decent work, promoting and protecting workers’ rights to improve poor working conditions, fair wages and protection against health and safety hazards.
In a message of support, ILO representative Claire Harasty said labour rights at work were indispensable in seeking to achieve equality and justice.
“Sustainable enterprise promote good working conditions for employees, and my organisation is ready to accompany BRICS in achieving its goals,” she said.
African Regional Labour and Administration Centre (ARLAC) representative Dr Locary Hlabanu said: “Decent work sums up the totality of the mandate of my organisation and by extension the ILO. There is need for governments and social partners to create an enabling environment for social protection.”
The Muldersdrift session paves the way towards the upcoming technical meetings to be held in May, June and September this year, the director general of the department of employment and labour Thobile Lamati said.
The final outcome of these gatherings will give birth to a declaration to be adopted by ministers and heads of state.
