South Africa’s jobs crisis will not be solved by dialogue for the elite

Guest: Siyabulela Mama - Spokesperson for the Cry of the Xcluded Decent work will not be delivered by market fundamentalism. It will be won through organised struggle, democratic planning and a decisive shift in whose voices matter. From 23 to 25 February, beneath the vaulted ceilings of St George’s Cathedral, grassroots organisations from across the country will gather for a People’s Assembly on Unemployment, Austerity and the Fight for Decent Work. Convened by the Assembly of the Unemployed and Cry of the Xcluded, this meeting comes on the eve of yet another anti-poor, pro-capitalist Budget – one that is likely to deepen austerity in a country already buckling under crisis. Just weeks later, a high-profile unemployment conference hosted by News24 and opened by Cyril Ramaphosa will bring CEOs, policymakers and experts together to debate the same issue. The contrast is stark. At the people’s assembly, the microphone shifts from boardrooms to breadlines. From policy abstractions to lived reality. Because unemployment should not be discussed about us, without us.