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

Effective Workplace Discipline

Avoid costly mistakes in your disciplinary processes

Whilst the figures fluctuate from year to year, statistics show that of all the disputes around disciplinary action that are dealt with by the CCMA or bargaining councils, around half are won by employers. This is most often as a direct result of the lack of preparation that is done by the parties before the start of the enquiry. This is not because the parties are lazy, but rather because it is clearly not understood how the disciplinary process works, what is required by law when it comes to applying progressive discipline, poor understanding of the law of evidence and the role of the various participants and various other factors. These mistakes cost member companies hundreds of thousands, if not millions of rand, every year. Nothing is more frustrating to companies than to experience the disappointment of having employees breach workplace rules (in minor or major ways) only to have an arbitrator order compensation, re-employment or reinstatement of those employees because of substantive or procedural unfairness. Running a business is difficult enough without having to constantly pay for mistakes made when you are trying to correct employee behavior.

The latest SAEFA Workshop: Effective Implementation of the Employment Equity Act

PLEASE NOTE THAT EEA SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE 1 OCTOBER 2016

To learn more about the Employment Equity Act and its impact on your business, book your place on our training workshop, Effective Implementation of the Employment Equity Act being held on 20 September 2016, or email us to discuss in-house training options. 

Email Gordon for more details: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..    

G-20 leaders to create global steel forum

6 September 2016
By: William James and Kiyoshi Takenaka 

HANGZHOU — Group of 20 (G-20) leaders have pledged to work together to address excess steel capacity that has punished the global industry with low metal prices for years while raising tensions between China and other major producers.

A statement from the White House said that leaders at the G-20 summit in Hangzhou, eastern China, on Monday accepted that overcapacity in steel and other industries was a global issue that required a collective response.

The latest SAEFA Workshop: What Does the Employment Equity Act Mean for Your Business?

PLEASE NOTE THAT EEA SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE 1 OCTOBER 2016


The level of understanding of the contents of the Employment Equity Act is generally very poor. Let’s immediately clarify the main reason why the act was brought into being: To remove unfair discrimination and to promote equity in the workplace. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? The benefits for the workers are far ranging, but what about for your business?