COSATU's response to FMF and DA on labour brokers
The Congress of South African Trade Unions totally rejects the argument, advanced by the Free Market Foundation (FMF) and their political allies, the Democratic Alliance (DA), that "job seekers should defend labour brokers because they create jobs".
The DA claimed in a statement on 7 June 2013 that "the banning of labour brokers would result in the loss of employment for over 850,000 people currently employed by labour brokers".
"Instead of destroying jobs through unwise labour legislation," said FMF chairperson Herman Mashaba, on 10 June 2013, "the government should be exploring every possible way to increase the demand for labour".
Both statements are made in response to the proposal by ANC members of the parliamentary portfolio committee on labour to change the definition of the Labour Relations Act relating to temporary employment from "six months" to "zero months", which, claim the FMF, "would effectively end labour broking", exactly what COSATU has been demanding.
Nothing less than a total ban will be acceptable. COSATU fervently hopes that the view of the ANC parliamentarians is voted into law, but is waiting for the result of the vote before celebrating what would be a historic victory for workers.