CHURCH DELEGATION MEETS WITH MINISTER OF LABOUR

A delegation of church leaders met yesterday with the Minister of Labour, the Hon. Membathisi Mdladlana, to discuss the proposed amendments to the Labour Relations Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.

The leaders endorsed several of the changes contained in draft legislation, including provisions to make retrenchments negotiable and revisions to the definition of "employee" to prevent certain types of workers from being denied labour law protections.

However, they strongly objected to the repeal of measures designed to discourage Sunday work, emphasising the importance of a common day of rest in family and community life. The church leaders also expressed concern about plans to allow the Minister to vary the core rights contained in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, including the maximum number of working hours per day and per week, minimum leave requirements, and restrictions on the use of child labour.

The delegation, led by the Revd. Dr. Molefe Tsele, the General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC), presented Minister Mdladlana with a brief memorandum outlining their concerns. During the ensuing discussion, which was both frank and cordial, the Minister urged churches to make similar representations to business and labour organisations.

Unusually, yesterday's meeting took place at a suburban Cape Town hospital where the Minister was undergoing treatment for a back ailment. The Minister, a Presbyterian elder, said he was eager to hear from the churches, in spite of the unconventional arrangements. The delegation closed its visit in prayer for the Minister's speedy recovery.

In addition to Dr. Tsele, the other members of the delegation were:

• Revd. Dr. Douglas Bax, pastor of Rondebosch United Church and former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa
• Rt. Revd. James Gribble, Bishop of the Cape of Good Hope District, Methodist Church of South Africa
• Revd. Zolile Rashe, pastor of Nyanga Presbyterian Church and Moderator of the Presbytery of the Western Cape of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa
• Rt. Revd. Edward Risi, the Bishop of Kiemoes-Upington, Roman Catholic Church
• Mr. John Capel, Director of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference Church and Work Office
• Revd. Malcolm Damon, Co-ordinator of the SACC Public Policy Liaison Office
• Fr. Peter-John Pearson, Director of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office
• Dr. Douglas Tilton, Associate for Research and Communication at the SACC Public Policy Liaison Office.

See also the SACC's October 2000 submission to the Department of Labour in response to the draft legislation.