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

Webinar: Raising Capital During COVID - 13 August

6 August 2020

With many otherwise strong businesses suffering as a result of the lockdown, cashflow is more critical than ever.

SAEFA, in conjunction with Succession Capital, will be hosting a complimentary webinar for members on Thursday, 13 August 2020 at 14h00 to help you to access the cash you may need.

 The webinar will cover:

Funding in the form of trade finance, invoice or purchase order discounting, through to working capital or steel inventory finance.

M&A funding if you are considering a sale of all or part of your business, or acquiring another business.

Structures such as the sale and leaseback of commercial property can also be very successful, and SC has the appropriate relationships to facilitate those.

Raising capital through equity by accessing exceptional and diverse providers of equity capital.

Should you wish to participate, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will send you a link to the webinar.

Please note that all discussions are strictly confidential and come with no obligations to continue.

Wage Negotiation Advisory No. 30

30 July 2020

At a CCMA-facilitated wage negotiation meeting held today, Thursday, 30 July 2020, SAEFA motivated its proposals to the parties to the MEIBC.  These were rejected by the trade unions and, shockingly, they advised SAEFA members to rather consider locking out their employees in order to achieve resolution.

The proposals were tabled by SAEFA in May this year to bring about sustainable terms and conditions of employment for employees in the industry:

  1. The ability to implement wage increases on minimum rates of pay and not actual rates of pay, to allow companies to average down the cost-of-labour components of their businesses over time
  2. To provide for a three-year agreement
  3. The revision of the current MEIBC Exemptions Policy, to allow for a more effective and expeditious exemption process
  4. To provide absolute protection against any negotiations over substantive issues from taking place at company level
  5. To ensure that shifts for the purposes of calculating Leave Enhancement Pay (“Leave Bonus”) are only awarded to employees who actually report for work
  6. To allow companies to, by agreement with their staff, work up to 45 hours a week at normal rates of pay
  7. That annual leave be limited to 3 weeks for all new entrants  
  8. The introduction of the following new entrant wage structure of R30.00 / hr at the lowest Grade, in order to:
  • Slow down or stop the rate of decline in the number of job losses in the metal and engineering industry
  • Create employment opportunities, particularly for young people

Carbon Tax Act

23 July 2020

Through Regulations gazetted on 19 June 2020, the Carbon Tax Act, published in 2019, is starting to take effect.  This legislation may impact upon your business and so SAEFA, in conjunction with subject matter experts and consulting engineers, Yellow Tree, will be hosting a complimentary webinar for members on Thursday, 30 July 2020 at 14h00.  The webinar will cover:

  1. What is Carbon Tax?
  2. Who is eligible for Carbon Tax?
  3. How much Carbon Tax can you expect to pay?
  4. How can I reduce my Carbon Tax liability?

Should you wish to participate, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the words “Carbon Tax Webinar” in the subject line and we will send you a link to the workshop.

Announcement of the extension of TERS payments

22 July 2020

For your information please see link below regarding the extension of COVID-19 TERS relief payments until 15 August 2020:

http://www.labour.gov.za/employment-and-labour-ministry-announced-extension-of-covid19-relief-payments-until-august-15-in-budge-vote