With the newly signed Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP), South Africa has taken a decisive step to promote decent work as a key component of its national development. In support of the DWCP, South Africa is furthermore actively being assisted in implementing the Global Jobs Pact through a national jobs pact, which aligns its policies with the current four priorities of the DWCP: strengthening fundamental principles and rights at work; promoting employment creation; strengthening and broadening social protection coverage; and strengthening tripartism and social dialogue.

The programme, to be carried throughout 2010-2014, has four priorities and nine concrete outcomes.

Priorities

Strengthening Fundamental Principles and Rights at work

Strengthening fundamental principles and rights at work through the ratification and implementation of International Labour Standards; and improved labour administration for effective employment services

Promotion of Employment

Promotion of employment creation through an enabling environment for job rich growth, sustainable enterprises, including formalization of the informal sector and skills development

Strengthening and Broadening Social Protection Coverage

Strengthening and broadening social protection coverage through better managed and more equitable access to social security and health benefits, occupational safety and health, and improved workplace responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Strengthening Tripartism and Social dialogue

Strengthening tripartism-plus and social dialogue through the improved capacity of the tripartite plus social dialogue institution (and its constituent members), labour market institutions for effective social dialogue and sound industrial relations

Outcomes

1. Up-to-date International Labour Standards are ratified, complied with and reported on

Indicator(s):

- Government and social partners apply international labour standards, and in accordance with issues raised by the supervisory bodies

- Up to-date conventions are ratified including those regarded as significant from the pointof view of governance

2. Labour administrations apply up to-date labour legislation and provide effective services

Indicator(s):

- Labour administration institutions apply up to-date labour legislation and provide effective services

- Labour inspection system is strengthened in line with international labour standards

3. More women and men, especially youth and persons with disabilities, have access to productive and decent employment through inclusive job-rich growth

Indicator(s):

- Macro-economic policies establish a conducive environment for job-rich economic growth

- Labour market information and analyses systems generate and disseminate decent work related labour market data

- National capacity for employment intensive programmes that integrate aspects of decent work is increased for local development

- Labour market is reviewed to address decent work deficits in any forms of employment where there are decent work deficits

- Legislation, regulations or policies are adopted that improve minimum wage regulations (national or sectoral) whether established via statute or through collective bargaining

- Improved institutional capacity to develop and implement sound wage policies

4. Sustainable and competitive enterprises (including cooperatives) create productive and decent jobs especially among women, youth and persons with disabilities

Indicator(s):

- Enabling policy and regulatory reforms exist for sustainable enterprises and a conducive environment for sustainable enterprises

- Programmes that foster the adoption of responsible and sustainable enterprise level practices are implemented

- Government and the social partners undertake initiatives in policy areas that facilitate transition of informal activities to formality

5. Skills development increases the employability of workers and the inclusiveness of growth

Indicator(s):

- The Government of South Africa in consultation with workers and employers make skills development policies and programmes responsive to the labour market

- Capacitated skills development institutions

6. More people have access to better managed and more gender equitable social security and health benefits

Indicator(s):

- Existence of policy reform to improve and extend social security coverage, including the informal sector

- Legislation exists to improve performance, management and governance for extended social security system coverage

7. Workers and enterprises benefit from improved safety and healthy conditions at work

Indicator(s):

- Policies and programmes are adopted to promote improved safety and health at work

- Tripartite constituents implement programmes to promote improved safety and health at work

8. The world of work responds effectively to the HIV&AIDS epidemic

Indicator(s):

- Tripartite constituents take significant action to implement HIV&AIDS programmes at the workplace

- HIV/AIDS monitoring and evaluation systems are in place

9. Strengthened labour market institutions and capacitated social partners (tripartite-plus) contribute to effective social dialogue and sound industrial relations

Indicator(s):

- Social dialogue and labour market institutions strengthened and mechanisms function in line with international labour standards

- Machinery for collective bargaining, and labour dispute settlements are strengthened

- Employers and Workers’ Organizations extend services to respond to the needs of existing and potential members

- The capacity of social partners (tripartite plus) is enhanced to participate effectively in the development of socio-economic policy