Johannesburg — THE Communication Workers Union (CWU) has called on the chairwoman of Parliament's labour committee, Lumka Yengeni, to declare the outcome of public hearings on whether labour broking should be banned or regulated.

The union, which wants a ban, claims the committee is delaying the release as it favours a regulatory approach. The call comes amid intense debate in the tripartite alliance with leftist allies of the African National Congress (ANC) demanding an outright ban.

While there was enthusiastic support among MPs in the ruling party for the ban, the delay suggests sentiment might well be swinging in favour of regulation rather than a complete ban.

Yengeni's office said she would comment today.

After calls by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), Parliament last year conducted public hearings to get first-hand information on the extent and effects of labour broking.

CWU spokesman Matankana Mothapo said holding back the information contravened the ANC's Freedom Charter and the election commitment to create "decent work for all".

"To quote the Freedom Charter, 'child labour, compound labour, the tot system and contract labour shall be abolished'," Mothapo said.

Cosatu, to which the CWU is affiliated, has made creation of decent work (sustainable jobs that live up to international labour standards) its priority this year. The union federation wants labour broking banned.

"We want to create quality jobs that last. To do this, we must ban the labour brokerage system," said Cosatu national organising secretary Theo Steele.

Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana said his tabling of a labour law bill missed its the deadline for Parliament's first legislation cycle as he was awaiting the outcome of the hearings. According to Parliament's legislation cycles, legislation to be passed by August 27, the end of this year's first of two legislative cycles, had to reach it by March 5.

Mdladlana said last year at public appearances that he wanted to ban labour broking because it did not serve employees at all. However, he said later that he wanted to address the practice, but would not say how.

Business representatives such as Business Unity SA (Busa) have committed themselves to regulation of the system.

Busa CEO Gerry Vilakazi said: "Companies need certain numbers of people so we have a continuously reported need to strengthen regulation, especially in an economy that is under distress.

"There are many instances where people are employed in such circumstances but they get the normal benefits, like leave."