A provincial job summit is on the cards for the Eastern Cape says the MEC for Economic Affairs, Andre de Wet.

De Wet's announcement yesterday that planning for a job summit was well advanced followed hot on the heels of Cosatu's repeated call on Monday for such an indaba.

In a statement released in Bhisho, De Wet said it was felt that, before a public statement was made on the issue, various consultative processes had to take place to ensure inclusivity, participation and the forging of a spirit of co-operation among all stakeholders.

To this end De Wet has already met various stakeholders, including business organisations, Cosatu and government structures.

This process would continue and include various professional bodies, NGOs and civil society organisations.

De Wet's statement did not address a timeframe for the proposed summit, but in the view of the chief executive of the Border-Kei Chamber of Business, Les Holbrook, it is highly unlikely that a summit will materialise before February next year.

Holbrook said that in discussions with De Wet organised business had advised the MEC that the proposed summit not "become so big that it fails to be effective".

Business was also of the view that as unemployment was most rife in the rural areas, the proposed summit should have a strong rural element.

l In a related development, the general secretary of Cosatu, Zwelinzima Vavi, yesterday warned that the rooting out of corrupt government and union officials was just one of the priorities in the co-operation agreement between the Department of Labour and Cosatu signed in February this year.

The labour leader was addressing a business breakfast in East London to mark the signing at provincial level of the deal.

The partnership agreement - the purpose of which is to ensure effective education, enforcement and monitoring of the implementation of labour legislation and labour market policies - has now been devolved to provinces throughout the country.

Vavi, who is spending the week in the Eastern Cape, on Monday led a Cosatu march in Mthatha where the labour federation called for a job summit, job creation, the eradication of poverty and the resolution of other labour-related issues.

The Mthatha march was one of four Cosatu protest actions in the province. Similar marches also took place throughout the country yesterday.

Vavi said the partnership formed an important cornerstone in the changing labour situation in SA.

It had always been the government's intention to fast-track the transformation of the labour market, "to tilt the balance of forces in favour of the workers ... to allow them the opportunity to begin fighting for and demanding their rights".

The partnership also aimed to create public awareness of labour laws and policies.

"Employers need to know what is expected of them ... what their obligations are in terms of legislation which is designed to protect workers.

At the same time this partnership will also inform and educate workers about their rights."

Vavi admitted that both union officials and government employees were not immune to bribery and corruption.

"In fact this is a situation which has raised concern ... and it is being taken up at ministerial level. Bribery and corruption will not be tolerated and it will be stamped out."

The partnership agreement inter alia calls for focus on:
- Employment Equity Act
- Skills Development Act
- Occupational Health and Safety Act
- Basic Conditions of Employment Act.