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"Comparing South Africa to China is a bit like comparing an ant with a dragon", the Numsa Bulletin writes and gives some examples:
China has 1,3 billion people - that's 25% of the world's population. Just one city could soon be home to more than South Africa's total population.
Factory sizes dwarf our biggest auto assembly plants like VWSA and Daimler Chrysler. In China you will find a shoe factory with 30 000 workers.
Likewise its trade union federation with 134 million members and 1 713 000 affiliates, is the largest national trade union organisation in the world. Potentially massively powerful, it has been denied membership of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) because of allegations that its trade unions are 'yellow' and too close to the government.
Direct comparisons are not possible. And yet, with discussions about an interventionist and developmental state, a glance eastwards is informative. Follow the link to the Numsa article.
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