Pretoria - If employees earned a living wage of R10000 or more, it would make them more engaged, productive and satisfied in the workplace.
The living wage stood at R10000 while the proposed minimum wage stood at R3500, the Science Forum South Africa, hosted by Minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor, heard. The event is taking place at the CSIR in Pretoria.
The proposed minimum wage was calculated by multiplying R20 an hour for 40 working hours a month and rounding off to R3500.
Meanwhile, the R10000 was determined by a study conducted by scientists from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), University of Cape Town (UCT) and Massey University in New Zealand. The study was conducted in the capital city, Cape Town, Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand.
The outcomes of the study were shared during the first day of the Science Forum South Africa.
“We found in our study that if employees earned a living wage there would be less absenteeism and more productivity; they’d be more committed and more engaged,” said Dr Molefe Maleka, of TUT.
Professor Ines Meyer, of UCT, said the minimum wage was far too low. She said some people - whether they realised it or not - were employers as they employed nannies and domestic workers.
If they paid them R440 a day, this would ensure their employees met the living wage standard, something households might not manage.
Professor Stuart Carr, of the Massey University in New Zealand, said the human experience was often left out of the debate about living wages. “The minimum wage doesn’t take people very far. People fall short (of their monthly needs) at the end of the month,” Carr said.
Working poverty- people who are employed yet are still living in poverty and are unable to make ends meet - was also discussed.
“Working poverty is a global issue and affects South Africa greatly,” Carr said.
Therefore, working poverty was one of the factors which informed the case for implementing a living wage.
And instead of the R3500 proposed as a minimum wage in South Africa, the scientists recommended at least R4500.
Maleko said based on research done at Marabastad Mall, the majority of people interviewed were between the ages of 35 and 44 and earned below R10000 a month.
He said they said they would be far more engaged and productive at work if they earned R10000 or more.
Ealier, Pandor welcomed delegates and said the forum would build on the department’s objective of providing a vibrant support base for the expansion of research and innovation. This, she said, was for the entire continent in partnership with the global science community, being fully aware of the significant challenges confronting African research communities.
“African research lags behind in most scientific disciplines; we have too few scientists, inadequate publication and innovation achievements and poorly resourced science institutions,” Pandor said, but added there were reasons to be optimistic. “More and more African researchers are engaging in much-needed projects in food security, energy, transport, health, malaria and HIV.”
There was also more and more funding for African research.
Pandor mentioned a host of innovation prizes and grants being awarded to African researchers, which pointed to the recognition of emerging African talent.
“We need to strengthen and build on these initiatives and many others to ensure a robust and sustainable research and innovation sector in all African countries.”
Pandor said the greatest challenge was providing exciting opportunities to the youth.
She also lauded the late Fidel Castro’s legacy, particularly in science and technology. “Cuba has nearly 90000 physicians and the best patient-doctor ratio in the world. Cuba’s medical internationalism programme exported medical aid to 158 countries and continues to provide more medical personnel to the developing world than all of the G7 countries combined. Venezuela benefits the most, followed by African countries.”
There was a lot to learn from Cuba, a country of 11million people, she said.
The science forum had three objectives; to harness the potential of science, technology and innovation to put it at the service of society, foster international partnerships, and showcase South African science and technology to the world, she said.
The forum continues today and some of the topics to be covered include the contribution of science diplomacy to Africa’s development, new narratives on race, class and social cohesion in South Africa and building the African city of the future.