The scale of human suffering would be enormous. New crude supplies also are under operational constraints. Within the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, only Saudi Arabia has any appreciable spare capacity. African men work an average of 48,1 hours a week, white men 46, coloured men 45, Indian men 44,9, African women 44,3, coloured women 41,7, Indian women 42,1 and white women 41 hours. According to researcher Debbie Budlender s report, the average working week of all South Africans, irrespective of race and gender, is 44,85 hours.
Agricultural workers work the longest number of hours, followed by miners.
The move to a 40-hour working week is one of the most important possible amendments to South Africa s labour legislation currently on the table. Besides creating employment, other reasons for a reduced working week include improved working conditions, adequate rest and a resultant decrease in fatigue, increased efficiency, a better combination of work and private life, and encouragement of the participation of women in the world of work. The Congress of South African Trade Unions says it is concerned that the labour minister cannot commit to the 40-hour week in the near future. The Strategy for Job Creation document, approved at its recent seventh national congress, commits the federation to campaign for a reduction in working time to 40 hours a week, to encourage employers to hire more workers rather than pay fewer people overtime . Cosatu believes reducing the working week forces employers to take on more full-time workers rather than squeezing more hours from existing workers.