PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has been urged to provide a plan to create the millions of jobs he has often promised when he delivers his State of the Nation address in Parliament tomorrow night.
"The Black Sash is not looking for two flimsy paragraphs lamenting the problems, or more empty promises to fix them soon. We want to see pages and pages of concrete, bold and credible plans to tackle our biggest national crisis - poverty," said Nkosikhulule Nyembezi of the Black Sash yesterday.
Zuma's own National Planning Commission had revealed that the richest 20percent of South Africans received 70percent of total national income; and that living standards in the country were unacceptably low with 49percent of the population living on less than R524 a month, Nyembezi said.
He said the five million jobs the government promised to create over the next decade would not uplift poor people unless they were properly paid jobs.
Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said they expected Zuma to spell out the policies he would adopt to achieve his target of creating five million jobs and bringing unemployment down to 15percent by 2020.
ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe said while the content of the address was Zuma's prerogative, he anticipated jobs would feature strongly.
On the "decent work" debate, Mantashe said the ANC's 2009 election manifesto spelt out creating more jobs, decent work and sustainable livelihoods.
Southern African Clothing, Textile and Allied Workers' Union general secretary Andre Kriel called on MPs to wear "proudly South African" clothes for the occasion.
Zuma 'must give plan to tackle joblessness'
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has been urged to provide a plan to create the millions of jobs he has often promised when he delivers his State of the Nation address in Parliament tomorrow night.
"The Black Sash is not looking for two flimsy paragraphs lamenting the problems, or more empty promises to fix them soon. We want to see pages and pages of concrete, bold and credible plans to tackle our biggest national crisis - poverty," said Nkosikhulule Nyembezi of the Black Sash yesterday.
Zuma's own National Planning Commission had revealed that the richest 20percent of South Africans received 70percent of total national income; and that living standards in the country were unacceptably low with 49percent of the population living on less than R524 a month, Nyembezi said.
He said the five million jobs the government promised to create over the next decade would not uplift poor people unless they were properly paid jobs.
Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said they expected Zuma to spell out the policies he would adopt to achieve his target of creating five million jobs and bringing unemployment down to 15percent by 2020.
ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe said while the content of the address was Zuma's prerogative, he anticipated jobs would feature strongly.
On the "decent work" debate, Mantashe said the ANC's 2009 election manifesto spelt out creating more jobs, decent work and sustainable livelihoods.
Southern African Clothing, Textile and Allied Workers' Union general secretary Andre Kriel called on MPs to wear "proudly South African" clothes for the occasion.
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