South Africa’s social partners have agreed to work together to prepare for the country’s post-coronavirus economic crisis, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday.
Speaking after a virtual meeting of the partners who are represented in the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC), Ramaphosa said the economic damage caused by the pandemic would have far-reaching implications for the country.
Ramaphosa said members of NEDLAC, which comprises representatives of government, business, labour and the community constituency, agreed to deepen their cooperation as part of the national effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
The stakeholders agreed that the pandemic was a health, economic and social crisis of unprecedented scale with far-reaching implications for the South African economy, the second biggest in Africa after that of Nigeria.
“In bracing ourselves for the worst economic fallout, South Africa is not alone. By most predictions, there will be a global economic slowdown this year,” the president said.
In addition, the discussions concluded that the well-being of South Africans must be the overriding concern for all sections of society. Due to this, it was necessary to intensify the public health response to the pandemic, Ramaphosa said.
He added that the social partners acknowledged that South Africa’s economy and society would be fundamentally changed once the epidemic has been eradicated, and that it was imperative that citizens and businesses be protected from its adverse impact.
South Africa is in a month-long lockdown for April as part of the country’s efforts to curb the spread of the deadly virus which has killed 50 people among the 2387 confirmed cases, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Friday.
NM/jn/APA