TOWARDS 2021: A Message From Gerhard Papenfus - Chief Executive

Vir die afrikaanse weergawe, kliek hier

Dear employer

During the last year NEASA, in various types of interventions, engaged in nearly 40 000 individual occasions on behalf of our members in industrial relations-, labour law- and other forums.

Looking back at this intense and unprecedented year, I can only, on behalf of each one of our legal- and support staff, express our sincere appreciation for allowing us to walk this journey with you. Our lives were enriched through all of these engagements.

Some of these engagements were, from an employer’s point of view, very difficult and draining, sometimes even a matter of ‘life and death’.

Thousands more followed us in the media and on social media. Your participation, comments, critique and encouragement is much appreciated.

To say that we are facing many challenges in South Africa is perhaps an understatement. Anyone can make an almost endless list of areas in which our environment is malfunctioning, among others as a result of the dysfunctionality of the state. However, constantly reminding ourselves of these negatives will not take us forward, but cause despair and paralysis.

There is an important lesson to be learnt from the fact that, contrary to resorting to all forms of ‘safety’, it is living close to danger, tackling the challenges that face us, being intensely involved in finding solutions, that free us from despair, restore hope and culminates in a return to quality of life.

Looking at the year ahead, we will therefore;

•  focus much less on that which drags us down;
•  be more attuned to and focus on that which is good;
•  identify areas in which we can bring about positive change, be it on an individual level or on a broader scale (community), and then do   something about it; and
•  above all, in the words of Stephen Covey, to “keep the main thing the main thing.”

We look forward to 2021. There will be challenges, but there will also be many opportunities. It is indeed exciting!

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
Samuel Beckett.

Best wishes

We are all in this together.
Privileged and challenged to be South African.