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IOL News
18-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
US shifting Africa strategy to 'trade, not aid', envoy says
A general view of the Container Terminal at the port in Durban, South Africa, April 10, 2025. Image: REUTERS/Rogan Ward/File Photo US envoys in Africa will be rated on commercial deals struck, not aid spent, a senior State Department official said, touting it as the new strategy for US support on the continent. President Donald Trump's administration wants to eliminate trade deficits, and drive mutual prosperity, African Affairs senior bureau official Troy Fitrell said, according to remarks shared on Thursday. "Assistance involves a donor and a recipient, but commerce is an exchange between equals," he added at the launch of the policy in Ivory Coast on Wednesday. US ambassadors in Africa had already shepherded 33 agreements worth $6 billion in Trump's first 100 days, Fitrell said. "Trade, not aid, a slogan we've seen thrown around for years, is now truly our policy for Africa." US goods exports to sub-Saharan Africa amount to less than 1% of total US trade, according to US think-tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Despite Trump's aggressive spending cuts, Washington has pledged a $550 million loan for the Lobito rail corridor, a shortcut for copper and cobalt from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola's Atlantic port, bypassing China-controlled routes. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The US is keen to counter both Chinese and Russian influence on the continent, particularly over minerals and trade. In one of China's latest deals on the continent, a $652m loan agreement was agreed with Nigeria through the Exim bank for a highway feeding the new Lekki port and Dangote refinery. The US has set six targets to be met before the next US-Africa Leaders Summit later this year, the envoy said. They include to make commercial diplomacy a core mission, push priority countries to enact business-friendly reforms and back "bankable" infrastructure not "vanity projects". It also wants to embark on more business-only diplomatic trips, match export-ready US firms with African ventures and overhaul financing tools to offer faster and more risk-tolerant blended funding. Global aid groups have widely criticised the US for slashing aid funds to Africa, which they say is costing lives of the most needy. REUTERS
The Citizen
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
New employment code aims to address SA unemployment crisis
It allows greater flexibility for small business when it comes to worker dismissal. Those cautious about taking on inexperienced candidates due to the risk and costs of dismissing someone for incompatibility may be encouraged to hire more. Picture: Rogan Ward/Reuters Recent amendments to the Code of Practice on Dismissals aims to address SA's stubbornly high unemployment rate of 31.9% by simplifying procedures for the dismissal of workers. The code should reduce litigation and delays in dismissals by introducing less formal processes that government hopes will lower hiring risks for employers. The code promotes fairness in all dismissals, with appropriate flexibility for small employers, without compromising the fundamental rights of workers. Any dismissal that is not based on a fair reason and conducted through a fair, even if simplified, process remains subject to challenge under labour law, says a weekend statement by the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL). Proposed amendments to the Labour Relations Act (LRA) agreed by Nedlac (National Economic Development and Labour Council) will see a new clause inserted allowing employers to dismiss workers provided they have been given a fair and reasonable opportunity to respond to the reasons for dismissal. These reasons must be legitimate, but this new clause removes the adversarial and pre-dismissal arbitration requirement. Dismissals are still deemed automatically unfair if they breach existing rights, such as for reasons of discrimination on the grounds of race, religion and gender, pregnancy or participating in a protected strike. ALSO READ: Have SA's pro-poor policies become problematic? Less formal procedures The code allows for less formal procedures for dismissals for all employers, especially small businesses, though this is not a free-for-all to get rid of unwanted workers and side-step the LRA's Section 189 protections for retrenchments. It does, however, allow for informal disciplinary processes when workplace rules are broken, says labour union the United Association of South Africa (Uasa). One of the criticisms of the proposed amendments is the lack of clarity on what constitutes a small business, with some labour representatives arguing this could lead to procedural irregularities. The repeal of some parts of Section 189 of the LRA does not remove the right to challenge procedural unfairness but restores balance by allowing such challenges to be brought more effectively after the retrenchment, through ordinary unfair dismissal proceedings. 'Urgent court applications during consultations have often led to rushed litigation, disrupted processes, and undermined meaningful engagement between employers and employees, placing form over substance,' says the DEL. ALSO READ: Court orders councillors to pay for unlawful dismissal The new code aims to remove many of the disputes that clog the Labour Court, while still retaining legal remedies for workers under general labour law and the Constitution. The code allows employers to assess whether a hire is suitable, without compromising basic worker rights. Government hopes this will encourage job creation and reduce unemployment. A three-month qualifying period means dismissals based on misconduct, poor performance, or operational requirements cannot be challenged at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) or Labour Court, provided the dismissal is not automatically unfair. The Draft Code lowers the procedural bar for dismissals within the first three months. Employers can terminate employment within the first three months without extensive counselling or hearings, as long as the reason is not automatically unfair. ALSO READ: Trouble at work? These are your rights when facing a disciplinary hearing Under the existing code, employees can claim unfair dismissal from the first day of employment, while employers are required to provide training, evaluation and fair process during the initial probation period. The new code reduces these obligations on employers. Another change under the new code limits permissions for strike action related to socio-economic issues for 24 months, as opposed to the indefinite periods currently in force. Another change involves Section 186 and the definition of unfair labour disputes. Excluded from this definition are disputes related to promotion, demotion, probation, training and a refusal to reinstate or re-employ former employees, though this amendment will be delayed for a year. 'One of the biggest hurdles in growing employment has been the difficulty businesses face when hiring first-time workers,' says the DEL. 'Employers are understandably cautious about taking on young, inexperienced candidates due to the legal risks and costs of dismissing someone for incompatibility.' The period for public comments has closed. The DEL is now preparing for the implementation of the proposed amendments once these have been presented to parliament. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
