Lumka Yengeni is not fit to serve as chairwoman of labour committee
The recent statements made by labour committee chairwoman Lumka Yengeni (ANC) are a clear indication that the ANC is not interested in a level headed debate on labour brokers. Indeed, the very opposite is true: the ANC appears set on bulldozing through regulations on labour brokers irrespective of what private labour brokers and civil society has to say and to the detriment of those people who rely on labour brokers to find employment.
Speaking in the public hearings on labour brokers, Yengeni stated that labour brokers are "slave traders" and "human traffickers". This is the latest hysterical comment from the ANC and its partners on the matter, none of which are helpful or accurate, but borne of poor judgment and a failure to properly understand the problem.
By turning the issue into a race conflict, the ANC has misrepresented the nature of the problem and further undermined the chances of arriving at a rational solution. This is not the sort of behaviour befitting the portfolio, who should be objective and act at all times in the best interest of good democratic practice.
The DA believes she is not fit to hold this position and we will be approaching the Speaker in this regard.
Her statement on the matter also suggests a lack of understanding of the labour broking environment. It is clear that a decision has already been taken to shut down labour brokers, despite the fact that this would only exacerbate any exploitation by driving it underground.