MBOMBELA – Premier Mandla Ndlovu today delivered the welcoming address at the 2nd National Labour Relations Conference at The Capital Hotel held under the theme “Building Labour Relations Capacity and Capabilities for the Realisation of South Africa’s Developmental State.”
Addressing delegates, Ndlovu said a capable, ethical and responsive state is not optional but a prerequisite for development, calling on government and labour to work as genuine partners in delivering on promises made to South Africans.
The Premier highlighted Mpumalanga’s Provincial Labour Summit, where COSATU, FEDUSA and SAFTU signed a historic pledge committing to labour peace, sound collective bargaining and uninterrupted service delivery. He said the province has maintained total labour peace over the past year and pledged that his government will remain an objective, fair and reliable custodian of labour relations.
Minister for Public Service and Administration, Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, in his keynote address, described public servants as the backbone of the state, saying they are present at every stage of life – “from birth to death – without them there would be no functioning state.”
Acting Deputy Judge President of the Labour Court, Maletsatsi Mahalelo, addressed the growing influence of artificial intelligence and digitisation in the workplace, noting that while technology can assist decision-makers, human judgement, accountability and oversight remain essential.
The three-day conference continues in Mbombela, bringing together government, organised labour, legal institutions and academia.
