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

Considering Short-Time, Lay-Offs or Retrenchments?

23 July 2018

Are You Having to Consider Short-Time, Lay-Offs or Retrenchments in 2018?

The metal and engineering industry is now under more pressure than ever before, following the commodities slump of a few years ago, felt particularly hard in this sector.  Coupled with collective bargaining arrangements that have led to unsustainably high labour costs, this means that short-time, lay-offs and even retrenchments may need to be considered as means of survival. 

Legislation regulating these processes requires that specific procedures be adhered to.  These legal requirements can often prove daunting to employers, particularly those who have never implemented short-time, lay-offs or retrenchments before or who have not had to for some time.

SAEFA Engages at Business Unity South Africa

19 July 2018

As you know, SAEFA joined Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) as of the beginning of this month.  I attended my first BUSA meeting earlier this week, participating in the SME Working Group that has been established specifically to identify and drive key actions for BUSA to contribute to enterprise development for SMEs, start-ups and formalising businesses in South Africa.  In the meeting SAEFA made the point that the task team and the broader work that BUSA performs should not only focus on making it easier to start businesses, but also work at making it substantially easier for existing small to medium sized businesses to stay in business.
 
To this end, one of the objectives of the action plan that has been drawn up is to reduce the regulatory burden for SMEs in South Africa.  SAEFAs intention here is to drive the point home, at national level, about the prohibitive cost of labour in the metal industry and the disastrous effects of the extension of agreements that have been reached to the exclusion of our members will have on our industry.

CIRCULAR:DISPUTE LEVY INCREASE 2018

19 July 2018

As you are aware, SAEFA has been mandated to pursue private dispute resolution mechanisms for our members.  To this end, we have concluded arrangements with private, CCMA accredited dispute resolution providers who are prepared to offer a superior, private dispute resolution service at no additional cost.  However, before this service can be implemented, an exemption first needs to be sought and obtained from the MEIBC, a process which is currently underway.  Until such time as we are ready to introduce the private service for members, please be aware of the 4.7% increase in the Dispute Resolution Levy as per the circular from the MEIBC below:

Circular on Dispute Levy Increase July 2018

Increase in MIBFA Pension and Provident Fund Contribution Rates

17 July 2018

Please be advised that the employee and employer contribution rates have increased on 1 July by 0.1% again this year, meaning that the contributions from employees and employers is not 7.3%. This is in accordance with the Funds Surplus Apportionment arrangements. For more information, please visit the MIBFA website: