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JZ says government failed to reach target on job creation

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma only gave progress report on the job fund out of many promises he made in his last year's State of the Nation Address.

He reported on challenges facing the economy, hence his government could only create 365,000 jobs last year. He failed to commit on scrapping labour brokers, an issue that Cosatu had threatened to go on strike for in March.

"Government seeks to eliminate all forms of abusive practices inherent in labour broking in order to strengthen the protection of vulnerable workers.

"We trust that common ground will be found this year on this matter," Zuma said in his speech last night.

His speech focused more on building infrastructure in the next few years. There was no mention of National Health Insurance and the famous extended public works programme, which seemed to have vanished in his promises. He also did not give specifics on social grants.

Last year, Zuma promised that government would phase in the extension of the child support grant to cover eligible children under the age of 18.

He also promised that all government departments would align their programmes with the job-creation imperative and that government would fill all funded vacant posts.

On basic services, Zuma promised that by the year 2014 at least 400000 households should have access to water, electricity and sanitation.

The president also promised to reestablish 105 nursing colleges countrywide .

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