FEDUSA Calls on President Ramaphosa to Urgently Review Composition of 4IRSA Commission for Snubbing Organized Labour
11 April 2019
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to review the composition of the 30-member 4th Industrial Revolution South Africa Commission or 4IRSA Commission that has just been announced by the Presidency.
If according to the statement’s claim that in establishing the 30-member 4IRSA Commission “ a public consultation process was undertaken to attract eminent people who possess relevant skills and knowledge to drive the 4IR’’, then it is bizarre that representatives from all the three labour federations including FEDUSA, with vast 4IR skills and equipped with extensive International Labour Organization Training on the subject; and whose names were duly submitted to the Presidency, have been left out completely.
The list is top – heavy with academics and totally disproportionate. Whilst it is not debatable that their skills are required, it is bizarre in the extreme that organized labour, the very people who will be directly affected by, and have direct interest in managing the profound technological disruptions that will be brought and has already been brought by the 4IR as witnessed last month, when Standard Bank, the largest bank in South Africa by market capitalization retrenched 1200 workers and closed 91 branches nationwide, despite the best efforts of organized labour over a 24 month period to stop the retrenchment of its members because of the universal digitization of banking services.
Acting FEDUSA General Secretary Riefdah Ajam would like to bring to the President’s attention that nothing about organized labour in this country will work without the direct involvement of organized labour.
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For interviews please contact:
Masale Godfrey Selematsela
FEDUSA President
065 652 2832/083 653 3021
Riefdah Ajam
FEDUSA Acting General Secretary
079 696 2626
Issued by:
Frank Nxumalo
FEDUSA Media and Research Officer
072 637 8096
