The R10-billion in tax revenue generated by labour broking last year is another reason why government would err to ban the practice, the Democratic Alliance said on Wednesday.

"This is yet another clear case for why the banning of labour brokers would negatively impact the economy in a huge way," DA spokesperson Pierre Rabie said in a statement.

"With South Africa already facing a budget deficit well into the billions of rands, it would only create an additional burden on the fiscus, and the taxpayer would have to fill this widened gap."

In response to a parliamentary question by the DA, the National Treasury revealed that labour brokers generated R10-billion in tax in the 2008/09 financial year, and R15-billion for 2007/08, the party said.

Parliamentary questions by the DA also revealed that government departments spent more than R140-million on labour brokers in the past financial year.

"Cosatu needs to consider this — are they honestly suggesting that their salaried members should pay more tax because of their fixation on banning labour brokers?

"Or does the Minister of Labour, Membathisi Mdadlana, want to restrict government expenditure on job creation programmes?" the DA said.

Negotiations between the labour department, the temporary employment sector and unions at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) ended late October.

The Department of Labour earlier indicated a preference to ban labour broking completely, but now seems to favour regulation instead.

Unions, however, are still calling for a complete banning of a practice they have termed "human trafficking" and "slavery".

New legislation will be tabled early in 2010.