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

Essential operations during lockdown

25 March 2020

In announcing the lockdown a few days ago, President Ramaphosa stated that certain categories of businesses will be exempt from the lockdown.  These businesses should continue to operate in order to provide critical products and services to the country.  It has been announced that an official list of categories will be released later today. 

Please note that the lockdown applies to all businesses and that the list of exclusions will refer to specific critical business activities only.  Therefore, should an activity of any business not be listed, such activity must be ceased as per the lockdown regulations.

However, should your business form part of the supply chain in a critical area, you will be permitted to continue, subject to continuing to observe social distancing and suitable Occupational Health and Safety rules to prevent the spreading of the virus.

In the interim, employers are advised to provide their employees with a letter of confirmation.  A template for this purpose is available on request.

Ministerial Briefing on COVID-19 Information for Employers

24 March 2020

Some of the key points emerging from today’s inter-ministerial briefing as these may affect members are as follows:

  • Businesses exempted from the lockdown include any businesses involved in the following:
    • The food supply chain from production to distribution
    • Water supply and sanitation
    • Generation and/or distribution of electricity
    • Key maintenance systems needed to avoid serious damage to economic assets, where the interruption to that service could destroy critical working areas or machinery
    • Only essential staff involved in the above are permitted to work

Nation-wide Lockdown and the implications for employers

24 March 2020

As you are now aware, President Ramaphosa has announced the implementation of a nation-wide, 21-day lockdown from midnight on Thursday, 26 March 2020.  All businesses will be closed, with certain exceptions, a list of which will be released on due course by the Presidency.  It is important to note that during his address, the President stipulated that companies whose operations required continuous processes, such as furnaces and underground mine operations will be required to make arrangements for care and maintenance to avoid damage.  Clarity on this will be provided as soon as it becomes available.

Members are advised that during this lockdown period, the principle of "no work, no pay" will apply.  Furthermore, no shifts will accumulate to employees towards the calculation of Leave Pay and Leave Enhancement Pay.  Although the President acknowledged that many “large companies” who had already closed were paying their employees and that other companies, particularly large ones, would be called upon to consider doing the same, it is generally accepted that not all companies will be in a position to pay employees whilst they are at home.  In this regard, a proposal, currently being considered, is that employees of businesses unable to afford to pay employees during this time will receive wage payments through the Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS).  

Department of Labour Guides: COVID-19

21 March 2020

The Department of Employment and Labour issued guidelines to deal with COVID-19 at work places, please see below:

COVID-19 Guideline for the workplace

Easy Aid Guide for Employers

The Department recommends that employers:

  • Be cognizant if the prescriptions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and the applicable regulations in safeguarding their workplaces;
  • Review and regularly update risk assessments, taking into account the new hazards posed by exposure to COVID-19;
  • Prepare as far in advance as possible for potentially worsening outbreak conditions; and
  • ‘go back to basics’ by conducting hazard identification and risk assessment, determine the level of risk exposure, and communicate with employees.