20100420
sabc

Sherwin Bryce-Pease, Washington

South Africa's Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana says employment creation should be at the centre of all the G20 economies. The minister is in Washington to participate in the first meeting of the group's labour ministers, usually the exclusive terrain of finance ministers and presidents.

The labour group is currently in a closed session examining the economic downturn and the direct impact it has had on employment, and which national responses to the crisis worked best.

No prize for guessing what the main issue is at the gathering - with South Africa's official unemployment at around 24% the pressure is on to find innovative ways to bring that number down fast.

"I have always said that if we do not get these people into the labour market, then we are sitting on a time bomb and it is ticking - sooner than later it is going to explode in our faces," says Minister Mdladlana.

The meeting will look at interventions and results, issues of quality job creation, preservation and safety nets in times of crisis. The South African government is scratching its head on what do with workers post the World Cup.

South Africa's contribution today will be a presentation on its expanded public works programme and how that has brought short term relief to the unemployed.