Agriculture
National minimum wage hearings underway─── SABRINA DEAN 17:22 Tue, 03 Feb 2015
Bloemfontein - Agriculture stakeholder Agbiz says while it doesn’t have anything against the idea of a national minimum wage in principle, it needs to be feasible.
Bloemfontein - Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Labour is currently holding public hearings across South Africa to investigate the viability of a national minimum wage in South Africa.
Chairperson Lumka Yengeni is expected to head to Bloemfontein City Hall tomorrow after kick starting the process with a session in Johannesburg today.
Agriculture stakeholder Agbiz says while it doesn’t have anything against the idea of a national minimum wage in principle, it needs to be feasible. Chief Executive John Purchase says factors such as the large amount of unskilled workers in the sector, as well as impact on production costs and end-user prices must be taken into account.
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant mooted the idea of a national minimum wage following her budget speech last year.
Purchase says it is fair that there should be some level of protection to prevent exploitation of workers but not in a way that is detrimental to the economy.
Tomorrow’s session is expected to take place at Bloemfontein City hall from 9am to 5pm. Sessions continue in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape on Thursday before ending off in Pinetown in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.
Sabrina Dean/OFM News
Agbiz Chief Executive John Purchase:
