Cape Town - In his first engagement with members of the National Council of Provinces since the local government elections, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, Wednesday, 07 September 2016, address the chamber on among others issues around the national minimum wage.
 
Deputy President Ramaphosa has been tasked by President Jacob Zuma with the responsibility of working together with National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) social partners - labour, government, business and communities, to investigate the possibility of a national minimum wage as one of the key mechanism to reduce income inequalities.
 
In pursuance of the objective of introducing the national minimum wage, Deputy President Ramaphosa recently appointed a seven-member panel to assist Nedlac in setting the level of the national minimum wage. The Nedlac constituencies are all in agreement that the introduction of the national minimum wage should help restore the dignity of our people while assisting in addressing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.
 
Furthermore, Deputy President Ramaphosa is expected to address members of the NCOP on whether the government has entered into a nuclear deal with any country within the context of the energy challenges facing the country.
 
On the economic front, Deputy President Ramaphosa will brief the chamber on steps that the government has undertaken in pursuance of the development of one-stop shop centres of government services and its impact on foreign direct investment. In addition the Deputy President will deal with the impact of fronting by major private companies.
 
Among other issues, Deputy President is called upon by members of the NCOP to clarify what steps government will undertake to ensure continued implementation of anti-poverty and short-term job creation programmes in all metros and municipalities of our country.
 
On the diplomatic front, Deputy President Ramaphosa is expected to outline whether government has made any impact assessment of bilateral agreements signed during various Binational Commissions (BNC) that South Africa has with various countries. Binational Commissions were introduced as one of the measures of regulating South Africa’s diplomatic relations with various countries across the world.

 
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
 
The Presidency