THIS WEEK:
- Letter from the President: Africa's high road to unity and rebirth
- African Initiative: Continent's leaders give substance to recovery plan
- Domestic workers: Proposals for minimum wage offer some relief to a vulnerable sector
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| Volume 1, No. 25 • 13 - 19 July 2001 |
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THIS WEEK:
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Africa's high road to unity and rebirth During the first three days of this week, July 9 -11, Africa's political leaders met in Lusaka at the 37th Ordinary Session of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government. These three days in July will go down in history as the days when Africa took the high road towards its unity and rebirth. The 37th Assembly resolved on concrete measures with regard to the steps that must be taken during the next 12 months to bring the African Union (AU) into being. It also adopted the Programme of Action elaborated in the Millennium Partnership for the African Recovery Programme (MAP), as expanded through the integration of Plan Omega. With these two decisions, Africa's political leaders set our continent on a double-carriage super-highway towards its political unity and its economic integration. Commenting on MAP, integrating Plan Omega, one of the Heads of Government attending the Assembly, made remarks, which we paraphrase, that captured the critical importance of the moment at which our continent had arrived. "This Programme creates a new paradigm of development in Africa. It integrates various central objectives such as ending poverty and underdevelopment, deepening democracy, enhancing the capacity of our governments and defining a new relationship with the developed world. It is not a set of projects but a new and coherent paradigm. Nothing should be done to destroy its integrity. We should not sacrifice the Programme to political expediency simply to please particular egos. Those who have the vision, the will and the capacity to lead must occupy the frontline. The African Union will be an economic union or it will be nothing. At the same time, there can be no meaningful African Union that is based on unity in poverty." These remarks were most appropriate and timely because we can truly say that the decisions taken at the 37th Assembly of OAU Heads of State and Government marked the moment when Africa took its destiny into its own hands for the first time in 500 years. Some will remark correctly that this same observation was made four decades ago as the majority of African countries gained their independence. It was said then that our political independence created the possibility and the necessity for us to determine our destiny. The question can therefore be posed legitimately as to what has happened now, that leads us to conclude that "the 37th Assembly marked the moment when Africa took its destiny into its own hands for the first in 500 years." What has happened is that as Africans, we have taken our own decisions about the political and economic future of our continent. These are practical and implementable decisions based on the sovereign will of the peoples of our continent, the lessons we have drawn from our collective experience over the last four decades, our capacity as governments and societies, the changing international situation and the aspirations of the masses of our people. At no stage has our continent as a whole, sadly without Morocco, ever adopted as comprehensive a Programme for the Progressive Transformation of Africa as it did at the 37th Assembly in Lusaka. We speak here of a realistic Programme of Action and not a mere wish list. As we have taken these decisions, we have also made the commitment that we will ourselves, as Africans, ensure that we discharge our own responsibilities to implement what we have committed ourselves to implement. In our actions, we will be guided by the principle - nothing is done until it is done! We have also taken these decisions during the post-Cold War period. What this means is that we are no longer in the situation in which, regardless of our formal political independence, we were nevertheless subject to enormous political pressures which made it very difficult for us to take independent political positions. Independent as we were, more often than not, we were obliged to take positions about our countries and continent that suited the interests of one or the other of the power-blocks of the period of the Cold War. As the 37th Assembly convened in Lusaka earlier this week, this situation no longer held in the same ways it did barely, a decade ago. Now, Africa has a much greater possibility to take her own sovereign decisions about her own future, in her own interest, This is what the 37th Assembly did. The end of the Cold War also enhanced the capacity of the masses of people's of Africa to determine the system of governance in their own countries. This is because corrupt and dictatorial rulers can no longer count on the patronage and protection of superpowers intent on maintaining a particular global balance of power and influence, which enabled the Mobutu's of this world to thrive for decades. As Africa's leaders met in Lusaka at the 37th Assembly, they knew that it was imperative that they respond to the aspirations of the masses who had elected them to power. We must also make the observation that, bar the unresolved question of Western Sahara, the fact of the complete emancipation of Africa from colonial and white minority rule, brought about by the liberation of our country, created the possibility for the Continent to address its next tasks. Once more, this is what the 37th Assembly did, to transform the possibility into the new reality into which our Continent must evolve during this, the African Century. We must also take note of the fact during the last decade of the last century, issues of the global struggle against poverty and underdevelopment, for people-centred development, have come to the fore. This process culminated in the historic United Nations Millennium Summit of the year 2000. None can gainsay the fact that a global victory against poverty and underdevelopment must necessarily be a victory against poverty and underdevelopment in Africa. These circumstances have created conditions for the success of the African Renaissance that have never existed before. It is most unfortunate that as our Continent was placing itself in an historically new and existing path in Lusaka, many in our country were focussed on other matters. Blinded by addiction to the negative, an historic moment past them by. I refer here to the criminal misconduct as a result of which some people illegally occupied land in the Kempton Park area of Gauteng Province. Some have sought to present this unfortunate and unacceptable incident as though it was the great determinant of what was going to happen to our country in future. Yet others picked on a solitary resolution on Zimbabwe adopted by the Foreign Ministers at their Council meeting, which was not even put to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government. Mischievously, these sought to turn this into the most important outcome of the OAU meetings in Lusaka. And yet the areas of focus of the Council of Ministers were precisely the critical matters of the political unity and the economic integration and development of Africa. As for the Zimbabwe question, the 37th Assembly called on the governments of the UK and Zimbabwe to work together to resolve the land question confronting the people of Zimbabwe. In its Preamble, the Constitutive Act of the African Union says, among other things, that we are: "Guided by our common vision of a united and strong Africa and by the need to build a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society. "Conscious of the fact that the scourge of conflicts in Africa constitutes a major impediment to the socio-economic development of the Continent. "Determined to promote and protect human and people's rights, consolidate democratic institutions and culture, and to ensure good governance and the rule of law." In pursuit of these and other goals, the 37th Assembly took the necessary decisions for the preparatory work to be done, leading to the establishment of such bodies as:
It is planned that the 1st Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union will be held in South Africa in July next year, 2002. This will bring to an end the transitional period from the OAU to the AU, and mark the successful conclusion of the preparatory work that was decided upon at the 37th Assembly in Lusaka. To take forward the decisions taken with regard to MAP + Plan Omega, a committee of 15 Heads of State and Government will be constituted immediately. This will include the Presidents of Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria Senegal and South Africa, who had been charged with the task to work on MAP + Plan Omega. Practically, this committee with its sub-structures, assisted by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), will have to evolve practical programmes of action with regard to:
The 37th Assembly decided that both the African Union and MAP +Plan Omega should be presented to the masses of our people in all our countries to ensure their involvement in determining the future of our Continent. We fully support this decision. Accordingly, we expect that our government will take the necessary steps to ensure that this resolution is translated into reality. Africa's unity and rebirth are matters of concern to all our people and not only the governments of our Continent. The African Union will be born in South Africa during the same year that we will be celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the ANC, the oldest liberation movement on our Continent. We can also take pride in the fact that our country has played a leading role not only in helping to determine the nature of the African Union, but also in initiating and shaping MAP + Plan Omega. It is perhaps fitting that we, who were the last to be liberated from white minority rule, should host the last Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU and the first Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. After all, it is our movement and people who bequeathed to our Continent the prayer and anthem - God bless Africa! Bestow on her all her Glory! Bless all of us, her children! |
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Continent's leaders give substance to recovery plan The continent-wide strategy for achieving sustainable development in Africa took shape this week at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Heads of State Summit in Zambia. The African Initiative strategy, a merger of the Millennium Partnership for the African Recovery Programme (MAP) and the Omega Plan, outlines the approach African countries will take to eradicate poverty and place themselves on a path of sustainable growth and development. The strategy identifies three preconditions for development:
These preconditions constitute three of eight 'initiatives' which comprise the action plan. The other initiatives reflect the five priority sectors identified in the strategy and the task of mobilising resources to make the strategy possible. The priority sectors are:
The task of mobilising resources involves increasing savings and capital inflows through debt relief, increased overseas development assistance and private capital flows, and better management of public revenue and expenditure. Peace, security and democratic political governance The action plan requires the African Initiative leadership to detail and cost within six months of its establishment measures to build Africa's capacity to prevent, manage and resolve conflict. This includes mechanisms for peace keeping and peace enforcement, post-conflict reconciliation and rehabilitation, and combating the proliferation of small arms, light weapons and landmines. Participating countries will need to undertake a series of commitments to basic governance practices and to lead initiatives that foster good governance and democratic behaviour. A process of targeted capacity-building initiatives will be undertaken, focusing on administrative and civil service reform, strengthening parliamentary oversight, measures to combat corruption and judicial reform. A task team from finance ministries and central banks will review economic and corporate governance practices in the various countries and regions, and make recommendations on appropriate standards of good practice. High priority will be given to public financial management. Infrastructure The action plan includes increased investment in infrastructure, especially refurbishment, and improved maintenance practices to sustain infrastructure. The development of training institutions and networks which can develop technicians and engineers in all infrastructure sectors will be initiated. Public-private partnerships will be promoted as a way of attracting private investors and focusing public funding on the pressing needs of the poor. Specific initiatives will also be undertaken to develop key infrastructure sectors such as information and communications technology, energy, transport, water and sanitation, and science and technology platforms. Human development The implementation of poverty reduction strategies will be accelerated, drawing on assistance from United Nations agencies, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Specific attention will be paid to the effect of these strategies on poor women. Work will be done to strengthen Africa's participation in efforts to achieve more affordable drugs. Resources will be mobilised to build effective disease interventions and secure health systems, lead the campaign for increased international financial support for the struggle against HIV/Aids and other communicable diseases, and encourage countries to give higher priority to health in their own budgets. Levels of education expenditure will be reviewed in participating countries, with a view to developing norms and standards for government expenditure on education. A task team will be established to accelerate the introduction of information and communications technology in primary schools. A review will be done on the research capacity needed in each region of the continent. Production and exports Initiatives will be undertaken to improve the productivity, diversity and value of agricultural and industrial production in Africa. This will include measures to improve water supply and management for agriculture, land reform and improved land tenure security, enhanced agricultural credit and finance schemes and transferring resources from urban to rural activities. Other action includes the development of new industries, or upgrading existing ones, where African countries have comparative advantages, including agro-based, energy and mineral resourced-based industries. Key 'anchor' tourism projects will be identified at national and sub regional levels, a regional tourism marketing strategy will be developed and regional coordination of tourism initiatives will be increased. Measures will be undertaken to enhance the entrepreneurial, managerial and technical capacities of the private sector by supporting technology acquisition, production improvements and skills development. To encourage the diversification of African exports, intra-African trade will be promoted, marketing mechanisms and institutions will be created to develop strategies for marketing African products, the costs of transactions and operations will be reduced, and regional trade agreements will be promoted. African heads of state must ensure active participation in the world trading system. Africa's special concerns, needs and interests need to be provided for in any future World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. Concrete steps must be taken to enhance the capacity of African states to use the WTO and engage in multilateral trade negotiations. Capital flows To achieve the estimated seven percent annual growth rate needed to meet key international development goals, like halving the incidence of poverty by 2015, Africa needs to fill an annual resource gap of around US$64 billion. This will require increased domestic savings, as well as improvements to the public revenue collection systems. However, the majority of the needed resources will have to be obtained from outside the continent. The African Initiative focuses on debt reduction and overseas development assistance as complementary external resources required in the short to medium term, and addresses private capital flows as a longer-term concern. Environment A healthy and productive environment is a prerequisite for the African Initiative. Many of the steps envisaged to achieve a healthy environment can contribute greatly to employment, empowerment, social cohesion and the reduction of poverty. These steps include interventions to combat desertification, conserve wetlands, control invasive alien species, ensure proper coastal management and combat global warming. It will also look at transfrontier conservation areas that boost conservation and tourism. "The African Initiative's objective is to consolidate democracy and sound economic management on the continent. Through the programme, African leaders are making a commitment to the African people and the world to work together in rebuilding the continent," the strategy document concludes. |
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Proposals for minimum wage offer some relief to a vulnerable sector Recommendations for a minimum wage for domestic workers, among the lowest paid and most vulnerable category of workers in South Africa, were this week released by the Department of Labour. While the recommendations will only be promulgated as law after a period for public comment and submissions, the proposal for a minimum wage and related working conditions for domestic workers is a significant step forward in improving the lives of a vulnerable group of South African workers. As domestic workers consist in the main of black women from disadvantaged communities, the government's recommendations represent an important effort to alleviate conditions in one site in society where the joint effects of race, gender and class oppression is most keenly felt. Domestic workers currently enjoy protection under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act of 1997, which provides for minimum wages determined according to individual sectors. An investigation by the department found domestic workers' earnings differed greatly between urban and rural areas. It therefore recommended a minimum monthly wage of R600 for workers in urban areas and R400 in rural areas for the first year after the determination has been promulgated. There would be a 7 percent increase in each of the following two years. With the exception of farm workers, domestic workers currently earn much less than any other occupational group. In 2000 the national median wages for domestic workers were R409 in rural areas and R588 in urban areas. A domestic worker will earn about 20 percent of the wage of a clerk and around 40 percent of the wage of an unskilled worker. Domestic workers are particularly vulnerable because of the individualised nature of their relationship with their employer, which is subject to unequal power relations. In general, domestic work is an undervalued activity performed by people from disadvantaged social groups. It is work with perceived low economic value and limited social recognition. According to the department of labour: "Domestic work is performed in the homes of the worker's employers and their main duties include cleaning, cooking, gardening, looking after children, the old and the frail and driving for the household. Domestic work is perceived as an extension of unpaid household duties. Consequently women domestic workers are not always seen as wage labourers." Black women mainly perform domestic work in South Africa. The majority of workers have a primary education or less. Their average age is 41 years. The majority of workers are based in rural areas. The investigation revealed a lack of understanding about some aspect of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. The management and control of working time is difficult and complex, with different standards applying to live-in and live-out domestic workers. Live-in domestic workers are generally worse off, being more likely to have to be available for work at all hours and having inadequate resting time. The department found employers seldom consulted the legislation when overtime, Sunday work and payment for public holiday work was calculated. Domestic workers experienced incidents of intolerance on granting of sick and family responsibility leave. The department's recommendations therefore extend beyond a minimum wage to related issues on conditions of employment specific to domestic workers. Weekly limitations on overtime should be extended to 15 hours a week. Where employees are required to work overtime on a regular basis an agreement may provide for the employer to increase the monthly wage by one sixth for every five hours of overtime worked each week. An employer may not require a domestic worker to sleep-in more than five times a month or 50 times a year. The worker must agree to sleep-in in writing and must be paid and allowance of R16 a shift or be granted and additional week's leave a year. The department also makes recommendations on family responsibility leave, deductions and accommodation. It suggests a code of good practice be developed to regulate termination of employment, severance pay and the payment of allowances. The current investigation by the Unemployment Insurance Fund to extend unemployment benefits to domestic workers should also address the call from domestic workers for the establishment of a provident fund. Interested groups and individuals have 60 days within which to make submissions to the department on these recommendations. |
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