Welcome

South African Engineers’ and Founders’ Association

The SA Engineers and Founders Association (SAEFA) represents the interests of hundreds of member companies in the metal and engineering industry. These companies range in size from very small employers to large multinational organisations. SAEFA not only offers a wide range of direct services to member companies but also represents the interests of our members at both industry and national levels. 

SAEFA’s direct services to member companies, available at a reduced fee to these companies compared to what a non-member company would pay in the market, include assistance on all matters affecting the relationship between themselves and their employees/trade unions – for example:

  • Dispute resolution, conciliation, mediation and arbitration services 
  • Advice, assistance, consultancy and training on labour legislation, employment conditions and all other Industrial Relations matters
  • Assistance is also provided with health and safety matters, broad-based black economic empowerment, contract price adjustments and skills development through our affiliate organisations

For full information on these services contact SAEFA’s Executive Director, Gordon Angus, at gordon@saefa.co.za. 

SAEFA also represents the interests of our member companies in all industry negotiations with the industry’s trade unions, not only on wages and other conditions of employment but also on the industry’s benefit funds which provide benefits to employees such as pensions, permanent disability and sick pay benefits. SAEFA has its own seats at the MEIBC, participating directly in all activities there.

Being a member of SAEFA allows you to have a direct say in what happens in your industry.

 

News

AMENDMENTS TO LOCKDOWN REGULATIONS ANNOUNCED

17 April 2020

Government ministers yesterday presented amendments to the current lockdown restrictions. Please see below a summary of the amendments:

  • Restaurants and takeaway establishments are to remain closed, and supermarkets open to sell essential goods.
  • The new rules emphasise that the transport of alcohol is not allowed except where required for industries producing certain essential products such as hand sanitisers, disinfectants, soap etc.
  • Essential goods will now include the hardware, components and supplies needed by trades people for emergency repairs at homes or for any project related to the provision of water, electricity or other essential service.
  • Trades necessary for emergency automobile repairs has been declared essential and similarly the components required for automobile repairs to vehicles is now an essential good. 
  • In the same vein, trades necessary to render emergency repair work including locksmiths, glaziers, roof repairers, plumbers, electricians have been declared essential services.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT NEWSFLASH 2

15 April 2020

REVISED NEW SETA GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES

On 7 April, SAEFA distributed a document to members informing them of new guidelines and procedures applicable to the SETAs in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have now been informed that these have been rescinded and replaced with the below:

SETA COVID-19 Finalised Guidelines and Procedures

The attention of members is drawn in particular to the following:

• The extension of the date for mandatory grant submissions from 30 April to 31 May remains in place.

• 43.4 of the earlier document (circulated on 7 April) provided that companies were required to continue to pay learner stipends at full value during this time. This provision has not been included in the new guidelines and Paragraph 6 – Skills Development Implementation - gives the new requirements relating to the payment of learners.

Lockdown and contributions to the industry funds

15 April 2020

Please note the following rules that apply with regards to contributions to the Engineering Industries Pension Fund and/or Metal Industries Provident Funds:

  • If employees are being paid in full during the lockdown, full contributions to the industry funds must be made
  • If employees are receiving partial payment during the lockdown, then contributions on the reduced rate must be made.  This includes a situation where an employee is being paid out by the UIF and his/her employer is “topping up” his/her wages.  Here, contributions must be made on the reduced amount that the employer is paying to top up the employee’s wages.
  • If the period is being treated as unpaid and no contributions are therefore being made, the employee is still covered for the death benefits of the respective funds for a period of 2 months.

For further details, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT NEWSFLASH

7 April 2020

NEW SETA GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES

The Department of Higher Education and Training has issued new guidelines and procedures applicable to the SETAs in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic (attached). The announcement was made in terms of the Disaster Management Act (Act No. 57 of 2002) and related regulations. These apply to all the SETAs including of course the MerSETA. The key provisions in these guidelines which could affect SAEFA members are as follows:

The date for mandatory grant submissions to the SETAs has been extended from 30 April to 31 May 2020 because of the pandemic.

Measures will be put in place to extend SETA deadlines and contracts where necessary and payments to providers and projects may be significantly delayed.

 
In terms of 42.4 of the guideline document, companies are required to continue to pay learner stipends at full value during this time. The duration of the learning contracts may have to be extended as a result of the suspension of workplace learning programmes.
 
Trade testing has also been suspended until further notice and the issuing of trade and other certificates will be delayed.
 
While employers facing a host of economic and social challenges as a result of the current lockdown measures may welcome the one month extension of the deadline date for mandatory grant submissions, they may also not have the time or resources to plan training interventions or consult with their training committees.

Any queries should be directed to the SETA through SETA systems or normal electronic communication channels.