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

Get on top of your EEA obligations in 2020 - 5 February 2020

20 January 2020

The Minister of Employment and Labour, Mr Thulas Nxesi, has recently expressed grave concerns about the rate of transformation in South African workplaces.  This concern has motivated him to fast track the amendment of the Employment Equity Act, saying that the amendment bill was submitted for parliamentary consideration during the last administration and that the amendments are at an advanced stage. These amendments signal a more aggressive approach to transformation which focus on enforcement measures and a new EEA 4 Form has consequently been gazetted and made effective from 8 August 2019.

It is essential for employers to familiarise themselves with the amendments to the Employment Equity Act, as failure to comply upon their enactment may result in gruelling labour inspector audits or hefty fines imposed by the Labour Court. 

Your latest Employment Equity Act returns have now been submitted, however there will now be an increased focus on companies’ employment equity plans, committees and meetings. To learn more about the Employment Equity Act and its impact on your business, book your place (see booking form below) on our training workshop, Effective Implementation of the Employment Equity Act being held on 5 February 2020.

Flyer and Booking Form

New Parental Leave law applicable from 1 November 2019

7 November 2019

The Labour Laws Amendment Act 10 of 2018 (“LLA Act”) was signed into law by President Ramaphosa in November 2018. This Act introduces a number of amendments to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997, most particularly relating to the provision of parental leave to new parents including fathers, same-sex couples, adoptive and commissioning parents. In addition thereto, the LLA Act introduces amendments to the Unemployment Insurance Act 63 of 2001 to allow claims which are to fund these new parental benefits from the Unemployment Insurance Fund.

While these provisions were to come into effect on 01 March 2019, their effective date was delayed as the UIF neglected to inform the relevant government departments, including the Presidency, that they were not ready to accommodate the changes.

However, on 29 October 2019, in Government Gazette No. 42805, the President issued Proclamation No. 56 of 2019. In this proclamation it was provided that Section 8(a)(cA), 11, 15 and 16 of the LLA Act would come into force and effect on 01 November 2019. These sections of the LLA Act are those which entitle an employee who is a parent of a child to at least 10 consecutive days of parental leave in terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and amend the Unemployment Insurance Act to allow for claims to be made for these new parental benefits from the Unemployment Insurance Fund.

In short, an employee who is a father, same-sex partner, adoptive parent or commissioning parent is now entitled to at least 10 consecutive days of parental leave from the day of the birth of the employee’s child. The payment of these parental benefits will be subject to the Unemployment Insurance Act and the employer is entitled to be given notice of the parental leave one month before the child is expected to be born.

Gazettal and Extension of the Admin Levy

6 November 2019

On the 28 October 2019, the Minister of Employment and Labour renewed the extension of the 2011 MEIBC Administration and Expenses agreement following a request submitted by NUMSA in terms of the recently amended Labour Relations Act.

In terms of this renewal, non-parties, including members of the Association are obligated from 28 October 2019, to deduct and pay over to the MEIBC both of the following levies, with the employer making an equal contribution:

  • Admin Levy: R1,72 per week or R7,45 per month in respect of scheduled employees; and
  • Dispute Levy: 62c per week or R2,68 per month in respect of all employees (Please note: Employers who are currently paying the dispute levy at a rate of 74c per week or R3,22 per month, must consequently reduce this amount to 62c per week or R2,68 per month in respect of all employees).

Government Notice

Job losses in the metal industry to continue

5 November 2019

The South African economy is in crisis.  Ratings agency Moody’s has recently held the nation’s foreign- and local-currency readings at Baa3, one step above junk. The nation is already rated below investment grade at S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings, both of which shifted its status to junk in 2017.  If Moody’s cuts South Africa’s rating, the country would lose its place in the FTSE World Government Bond Index. Exiting it could spark an investor sell-off and outflows of as much as $15 billion.  Manufacturing, and the metal and engineering industry in particular, are not excluded from the crisis.  Unemployment in South Africa is arguably the single biggest threat facing the country.  Read the frightening truth of what’s going on in the metal industry in an opinion piece published in the latest edition of Metalworking News:

http://metalworkingnews.info/job-losses-in-the-metal-and-engineering-industry-to-continue/