BusinessLive reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa indicated on Monday that he has implored the business community to implement a moratorium on job cuts resulting from the dire economic conditions in the country.  

Addressing more than 2,000 delegates attending the Cosatu national congress, Ramaphosa said unemployment had worsened because of state capture in state-owned enterprises and other public institutions as well as global events such as the trade wars and the decline of some emerging markets.  The trade union federation has been calling for a moratorium to be enforced on all retrenchments until the jobs summit scheduled for October has been convened when the country’s social partners will discuss solutions to the unemployment crisis.  Ramaphosa told delegates:  "We called on business not to be hasty in retrenching workers, especially during the trying economic conditions.  We said they should try everything they can to put a moratorium on retrenchments so that we could rise from these economic conditions.  They should also reconsider reskilling workers."  Last week, Nehawu, Cosatu’s biggest affiliate, criticised business and the government’s lack of resolve to solve SA’s high levels of unemployment, social inequality and poverty.

• Read this report by Theto Mahlakoana in full at BusinessLive

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