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

SEIFSA's Misleading Email

19 March 2018

You may today have received a misleading email from SEIFSA entitled “Main Agreement One Step Closer to Gazettal”.   This email seeks to suggest that their settlement agreement which excludes the majority of employers in the industry, is on the verge of being gazetted and extended to all non-party employers.  Despite the claims made in their letter, SAEFA remains firmly of the view that their agreement will not be legally extended.  SAEFA made it clear in the Management Committee meeting today that their settlement agreement cannot possibly be an “industry agreement” as it excludes all other employer parties to the bargaining council. 

SAEFA will continue to oppose all attempts made to extend this economically disastrous agreement to our members. 

In the meantime, members are strongly urged to disregard any further communications from SEIFSA.

 

 

SAEFA Workshop - Effective Implementation of the Employment Equity Act 27 March 2018

13 March 2018

 

Don't Risk Harsh Penalties for Non-Compliance with the Employment Equity Act.

The 17th Commission for Employment Equity Report has led to the Department of Labour adopting a harsher stance on non-compliance with the Employment Equity Act for companies who do not meet the obligations of the Act. Recent proposed amendments to the Act envisage even more draconian sanctions for non-compliance.

The South African Engineers and Founders Association, in partnership with Gordon Angus and Associates, is presenting a one-day workshop on how to deal with your obligations under the Employment Equity Act.

US Steel Tariffs - Clarification

12 March 2018

President Donald Trump has announced an ad valorem tariff of 25% on all imports of “steel articles” from all countries, excluding Canada and Mexico, to take effect on 23 March 2018. “Steel articles” are defined in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) 6-digit level as: 7206.10 – 7216.50, 7216.99 – 7301.10, 7302.10, 7302.40 – 7302.90 and 7304.10 – 7306.90.

Broadly, without going into too much detail, this affects iron and non-alloy steel ingots, rounds, semi-finished rolled steel, coils, flat steel, angles, stainless steel, railway lines, tubes and pipes and pipe fittings. The 7304-10 tariff, which includes tubes, pipes and fittings, specifically excludes castings. Castings start at 7307.1 and fasteners (7318) are also not on the list.

SAEFA Workshop - Leave Management 20 March 2018

6 March 2018

Employees are entitled to various forms of leave.  However, in today’s economy, it is crucial to pursue increased productivity and higher quality standards in order to remain competitive.  Whilst employees are entitled to take authorized time off from work for a variety of reasons ranging from sick leave to annual leave to family responsibility leave, ineffective management of leave can harm your business.  Bad management of leave entitlements can also lead to resentment and unhappiness in your workforce, as can mistakes in the payment of these entitlements. 
 
SAEFA is running a half-day workshop to guide employers in the effective management of all facets of leave, including when to grant leave and when not to, how payment must be made and when, and more.