Nelson Mandela Bay’s battle to save jobs and rebuild a collapsing industrial base entered a new phase this week as the business chamber and major labour federations agreed to form a joint steering committee to drive digitalisation, tackle scarce skills and forge a united response to the metro’s economic freefall.
The chamber emphasised that the metro’s economic challenges now demanded shared, action-oriented solutions from organised labour and business that could retain existing jobs while creating new opportunities in a rapidly shifting industrial environment.
The session brought together representatives from Cosatu, Saftu (SA Federation of Trade Unions), the Zanoxolo Wayile Foundation and Salie and Associates, alongside Jendamark managing director and Business Chamber Overall Local Economy Think Tank co-lead Quinton Uren.
According to a statement from the chamber, the engagement explored how digital manufacturing, advanced technologies and automation can support economic recovery, strengthen competitiveness and unlock emerging forms of work which can be embraced by businesses operating in the metro.
With unemployment at record levels and local manufacturers affected by rising costs, technical skills shortages and the influx of cheaper imports into the markets, the chamber noted that co-ordinated action between business and labour was now essential.
Digitalisation was identified as a central lever for modernising production, rebuilding competitiveness and equipping workers with future-fit skills.
“Digitalisation is essential to safeguarding current jobs, improving productivity and restoring our global competitiveness,” Uren said.
“At the same time, it opens up completely new categories of work in engineering, systems integration, software development, analytics, maintenance and technology support.
“But for these opportunities to become real, we must deliberately and urgently invest in digital skills for our workforce.”
Wayile underscored the urgency of this work, saying: “The engagement forms part of a broader economic rescue effort in response to global shifts that are rapidly changing the world of work.
“We must urgently confront youth unemployment, the reskilling of retrenched workers and the growing mismatch between what young people are trained for and what industry, locally and globally, actually needs.
“To do that, we need to strengthen partnerships, both globally and nationally.
“This includes leveraging Brics relationships, as well as tapping into the resources and expertise offered by Setas and the national skills development programme to align skills training across sectors.
“We also need to introduce innovation and research hubs in communities, focused on early skills development, so that young people grow up equipped for modern, technology-driven workplaces.
“Our aim is to prioritise interventions that can fundamentally shift the trajectory of our local economy.
“This requires bold, innovative approaches that reposition the metro for long-term competitiveness and opportunity.”
Chamber chief executive Denise van Huyssteen welcomed the momentum generated by the session and the active participation of the role players.
“This engagement demonstrates the potential opportunities for business and labour to work together in confronting the economic challenges facing our metro,” she said.
“Digitalisation is no longer optional — it is essential for protecting existing jobs, stimulating new forms of employment and strengthening Nelson Mandela Bay’s position as a hub of advanced manufacturing and innovation.
“The chamber will continue driving collaborative initiatives that build competitiveness, develop critical skills and ensure our region is ready to take advantage of technology-driven growth.”
The Herald
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