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

Notice Issued Informing Employers of COIDA Compliance & Intentions to Conduct Employer COIDA Audits & Employer Site Visits

20 July 2022

Please see below an important notice issued by the DG of Employment and Labour regarding COIDA registration and compliance, audits and site visits.  The notice is self-explanatory, but any member requiring assistance is welcome to contact us for advice.

Government Gazette NOTICE 1149 OF 2022

The TCOE Agreement and Load Shedding

14 July 2022

The TCOE Agreement provides that in the event of an employer not being able to work due to unforeseen circumstances, such as load shedding, and management takes a decision to send employees home as a result, the employees are entitled to a minimum of four hours’ pay for the day. This means that if your employees arrive at work and there is no power and you send them home, they must be paid 4 hours for the day. If they have been at work for 4 hours already and the power goes out, then you have already paid them the minimum and nothing further would be due.  If employees remain at work until power is restored, then they are entitled to be paid in full for the day. 

Company-level agreements can be concluded with employees around working time in for time lost due to load shedding, if you wish.  You will need to put an agreement in place stating that employees will be paid at normal rate after hours if you would like them to “make up” the time lost during the week. In the absence of an agreement overtime rate will apply. 

For more information, please see below:

The TCOE Agreement and Load Shedding

The New Employment Equity Act Plans, Committees, Meetings and Reports 13 July 2022

5 July 2022

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.  The imminent implementation of the Employment Equity Bill signals a more aggressive approach to transformation which focus on enforcement measures as well as sectoral targets being introduced. 

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. 

Increase in MIBFA Pension & Provident Fund Contribution Rates

23 June 2022

This serves as a reminder that the employer contribution rates for the pension and provident funds will increase on 1 July 2022 by 0.1%, meaning that contributions from employers will increase to 7.7%, with the employee contribution remaining at 7.5%.  This is in accordance with the Funds Surplus Apportionment arrangements.

For more information, please visit the MIBFA website:

http://www.mibfa.co.za/downloads/EIPFcomm.pdf (Pension Fund Surplus Apportionment information)

http://www.mibfa.co.za/downloads/MIPFcomm.pdf (Provident Fund Surplus Apportionment information)

Please see note below for the levies and contributions which are applicable to SAEFA member companies:

MEIBC-MIBFA Levies and Contributions as at 1 July 2022