Harare (New Ziana) – The government will further capacitate the Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) by setting up an independent secretariat to run the affairs of the forum as it forges ahead with enhancing social dialogue in the country.

The TNF is a negotiating platform which brings together the government, labour and business to discuss issues which affect all stakeholders.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the TNF, which was launched in June 2019, was an important consultation and negotiating platform.

“As part of consensus building process, the TNF managed to hold a number of meetings in 2020 on various pertinent issues such as finalisation of the labour law, creation of an effective management and administrative framework for the TNF as well as economic issues around macro-economic stability, cushioning of workers, effective utilisation of the stimulus package and strengthening the currency regime,” he said recently.

“In 2021, government will fully operationalise and strengthen the TNF through setting up of an independent secretariat headed by an executive director as well as instituting the necessary statutory instruments, with necessary operating procedures to guide the TNF.”

He added: “For that purpose, the 2021 budget is, therefore, setting aside resources for the full operationalisation of the TNF thus departing from the current situation where the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare is acting as the secretariat.”

The Second Republic has prioritised improving social dialogue to tackle various issues affecting the country under a legislated framework such as the TNF as opposed to the past when such engagements were on a voluntary basis.
New Ziana