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Delivering his State of The Nation Address on Thursday, Zuma said this was being done in order to strengthen the protection of vulnerable workers.

“We trust that common ground will be found this year on this matter,” Zuma said.

Zuma’s promises to tackle labour broking, however, appeared to pleased neither end of the political spectrum.

“His (Zuma’s) comments on labour broking were very half baked responses,” said Western Cape Premier Helen Zille and leader of the Democratic Alliance. “He realized that if they banned labour broking there would be hundreds and thousand of more unemployed people. We oppose oppressive and exploitative practices in a sector that has some problems but not the outright banning of it.”

Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said: “The comments on labour broking were good, but not good enough. We want to see it banned outright.”

Zuma's announcement comes ahead of a planned national strike against the practice of labour broking by Cosatu next month.