Department of Labour must release commissioned report
In response to a parliamentary question posed by the DA, the Department of Labour (DoL) revealed that it commissioned a study on the South African labour market in 2007, which it now refuses to publicise. According to our sources, the study by Mr. Guy Standing of the University of Bath in the United Kingdom revealed that labour legislation was not flexible enough to allow for significant job creation. This prompted the DoL to refuse to publish the report, even after a parliamentary question was submitted on the matter in 2009.
Commissioning a study and then refusing to publish the details is like keeping the results of an audit report secret - it is not only a waste of money but also an abuse of the twin principles of transparency and accountability.
By their own admission, the document has been used in order to "assist the Minister and his senior officials to formulate a reform strategy"; it is only fair that the public should also have access to such an important document.
The refusal by the DoL to publish the report illustrates the ANC governments' modus operandi; rather hide the real facts than engage in meaningful and constructive debate to the benefit of the entire country. South Africa is a constitutional democracy that values public participation and transparency, and it is for this reason that the DA will be asking the portfolio committee on labour to force the DoL to reveal the original document as a matter of public interest. If that is not done, then the DA will make use of the Promotion of Access to Information Act to get the document.
It is highly dubious and undemocratic to argue that investigations into the labour market should only be available to the DoL - when unemployment is clearly a consideration of the entire country and when we need an honest and transparent debate.
Furthermore, it is startlingly illogical to state that "the question asked by the Honourable Mr Louw suggests that he may be privy to the report" when the extent of the parliamentary question is clearly posed to elicit the publication of the report in the first place. This is nothing else than childish behavior - if the DA did have the report then we would have published it for the sake of transparency and good governance. The DA will also be posing further parliamentary questions as to the cost of performing the study.
1245. Mr. A Louw (DA) to ask the Minister of Labour:
QUESTION
1. Whether the Department of Labour has commissioned a study from Mr Guy Standing from the University of Bath, which he has given to the Department on or around 25 June 2007. (a) If so, why has the Department not made the document public. And (b) provide the relevant details
WRITTEN REPLY
1. Yes, in early April 2007 my Department requested Mr Guy Standing from the University of Bath to undertake a swift review of the labour market policy. The report was an internal document meant for myself and the departmental senior management. However, the question asked by the Honourable Mr Louw suggests that he may be privy to the report. You would agree with me that in the preface to the report it is clearly stated that the report was to assist the Minister and his senior officials to formulate a reform strategy. Since my Department has triggered the process of legislative reforms, the outcome of that report has been taken into consideration in formulating the proposals tabled at NEDLAC for deliberations.
Statement issued by Andrew Louw, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of labour, October 5 2009
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