Labour committee praises department for clean audit

The labour department's second consecutive clean audit speaks volumes of the leadership style of Minister Mildred Oliphant, Parliament's Labour Committee chairman Aleck Nchabeleng said on Friday.

Speaking during a Jobs Summit in Secunda in Mpumalanga, Nchabeleng said the department's annual report showed Oliphant, her director general Nkosinathi Nhleko and other staff, had worked harder together to maintain a clean bill of financial health.

"The impact of this professional relationship can be seen in the improved way of doing things in the department," Nchabeleng said.

Before the 2010/2011 annual report was released, the department received qualified audit opinions for six years in a row.

Nchabeleng also congratulated the department for holding a series of job summits to get feedback from communities on employment creation.

"Quite clearly, this method minimises gatekeepers between the minister and the electorate," Nchabeleng said.

Also present at the summit, deputy mineral resources minister Godfrey Oliphant said the focus of the country should be on sustainable job creation, which would benefit the youth.

"As we speak, the Eurozone countries are grappling with this problem and South Africa cannot run away from playing its part in reducing youth unemployment," said Oliphant.

Jobs Summits will also be held in Cape Town and Rustenberg in the North West over the next few weeks.