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

Employers advised to use current employment equity legislation as reporting season opens this week - Department of Employment and Labour

5 September 2023

 

In a media release of 30 August 2023, the Department of Employment and Labour stated that although President Cyril Ramaphosa had, on 6 April 2023, signed the amended Employment Equity Act (EEA) into law, it is not yet effective – hence employers will be expected to report on their 2023 obligations using the current legislation, Department of Employment and Labour Director of Employment Equity advised employers.

The 2023 EE reporting season opened last Friday (1 September 2023) for both manual and online reporting.  In terms of reporting timeframes, the manual reporting will close on 2 October 2023 and the online reporting closes on 15 January 2024.

To learn more about the Employment Equity Act and its impact on your business, book your place on our workshop, Effective Implementation of the Employment Equity Act being held on 20 September 2023.  Alternatively, email us to discuss in-house training options with regard to plans, committee establishment and the scheduling of committee meetings and what is required of them: For more information or to book please contact 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.

Working in Time Arrangements - 9 August 2023

7 August 2023

Please see below an advisory note on Working in Time Arrangements, for any members that are contemplating working in time for Women’s Day, on Wednesday 9 August 2023:

Working In Time Arrangements 9 August 2023

Notice Regarding Protest Action on 6 July 2023

4 July 2023

Please see below with regards to the planned protest action on 6 July 2023:

Notice to members of protests on 6 July 2023

Notice to Nedlac of intension to proceed with protest action

Are You Having to Consider Short-Time, Lay-Offs or Retrenchments in 2023?

3 July 2023

The metal and engineering industry is now under more pressure than ever before, following the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent lockdown.  Coupled with severe loadshedding and the extension of a Main Agreement that is unaffordable to many companies, 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.

On Tuesday, 18 July 2023, the South African Engineers’ and Founders’ Association is running a one-day workshop to guide employers through the legislative requirements of the Labour Relations Act and other applicable laws.  

For more information or to book please contact 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.