Amid growing resistance to a social compact, the government has doubled down on the need for it at a summit of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) in Midrand on Friday.
At the start of the year, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced plans for a new social compact, in order to get agreement from labour, business and civil society about the interventions needed to turn the economy around and create millions of jobs.
Over past months, the ministers of employment and labour, trade, industry and competition and finance have been meeting with social partners to shape the new social compact.