South Africa should not expect a miracle in as far as creating jobs is concerned, as long as it is very obsessed with labour legislation, said Woolworths non-executive chair, Simon Susman, at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) in Bellville.
The country should prioritise introducing its lowest income groups (LSM 1-4) into the job market, he suggested, pointing out that the labour legislation has only resulted into negative consequences. “The crazy labour legislation unfortunately prevents millions from getting jobs.”
Some expect the labour legislation to achieve far-fetched objectives which are at variance with how a free market economy operates, Susman observed. “You’re not going to change (Microsoft boss) Bill Gates (or South African billionaires) Christo Wiese or Patrice Motsepe from being rich, but you have to get the bottom (of society) to have work.”