Cosatu gives nod to infrastructure bill as driver of new jobs

THURSDAY, 16 JANUARY 2014 10:31

Paul Vecchiatto reports that union federation Cosatu, along with Transnet, Rand Water and Telkom have expressed their support for the Infrastructure Development Bill, saying it will help fast-track key projects that will propel the economy.  The four entities voiced their views during Wednesday's meeting of Parliament's economic development committee, on the second day of the public hearings into the bill.  Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel introduced the proposed legislation late last year to the National Assembly.  The government has identified 18 strategic projects that it believes will serve as economic catalysts.  Cosatu deputy parliamentary liaison officer Matthew Parks said Cosatu believed the infrastructure bill would help create jobs — the most important priority for the labour federation — but that it was worried that many of the jobs would be temporary.  He also said Cosatu believed that labour should have a presence within the overall strategic projects' steering committees to ensure that decent jobs were being created.