12 September 2000
The 10-a-side meeting of the Tripartite Alliance converged in Pretoria yesterday, fully charged with the task of ensuring that some consensus was reached on the challenges facing the country with regards to our economic development path, including areas of convergences and divergences. The ANC Delegation was led by its President, Thabo Mbeki, in his capacity as the ANC President, Zwelinzima, COSATU General Secretary and Blade Nzimande, SACP General Secretary.
The 10-a-side Alliance meeting reviewed the progress of economic policy making, discussion and debate within the Alliance, including a review of the discussions from the December 1999, 10-a-side Alliance meeting. Many areas of strategic agreement were note d and re-affirmed. In particular, the 10-a-side underlined the necessity of linking macro-economic policy with a coherent multi-sectoral industrial policy. Our emerging industrial policy is focused on building manufacturing capacity, which builds upon our country's strengths, including abundant raw materials and major energy resources.
The meeting agreed that there needs to be increasing emphasis on beneficiation, and on integrating the manufacturing economy with a new economy. There was also an agreement on the need to ensure effective restructuring of major parastatals to ensure that t hey are able to play a leading role in infrastructure development. Within the context of the general consensus, remains outstanding areas of divergence. The Alliance Secretariat was mandated to convene an Alliance Task Group, which is meant to prepare for further interactions in various Economic Sectoral Summits, NEDLAC and the impending COSATU Congress.
The meeting received a report around the areas of differences that have emerged on the labour legislation amendments and ongoing interactions. The meeting welcomed efforts being made to find common ground, and pledged to support further processes within th e Alliance and Millennium Labour Council which should culminate in an agreement at NEDLAC.
Way Forward
The meeting received a report on preparations for the forthcoming COSATU Congress, which will take place next week. The Alliance partners will be sending major delegations to participate in the Congress.
The meeting was characterised by frank and constructive debates and ended on a positive note. In conclusion the President of the ANC stated that "without this Alliance, the progressive change we require will not happen". The next 10-a-side Alliance meeting will take place in October 2000.
Issued by the ANC, SACP and COSATU
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Contact: Smuts Ngonyama at 082 5692061.