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

Increase in MIBFA Pension & Provident Fund Contribution Rates

19 June 2023

Please note that the employer contribution rates for the pension and provident funds will increase on 1 July 2023 by 0.2%, meaning that contributions from employers will increase to 7.9%, 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)

Below is an information note for the MEIBC-MIBFA levies and contributions as at 1 July 2023, applicable to SAEFA member companies:

MEIBC-MIBFA LEVIES CONTRIBUTIONS AS AT 1 JULY 2023

Wage Increases due 1 July 2023

9 June 2023

The Consolidated Main Agreement for 2021 – 2024 was gazetted and extended to non-parties with effect from 18 October 2022.  Whilst SAEFA and others will continue to resist the unfair extension of this employer-hostile legislation in court, until such time as we are successful in this regard, the Main Agreement remains valid and binding on the entire industry.  Consequently the wage increases applicable in terms of the Main Agreement are due from 1 July 2023.

Please see attached an explanatory circular for Management, dealing with the wage increases as well as an explanatory circular for employees at your businesses, which you may place on your notice boards.

Wage Increase letter to members 1 July 2023

Letter to Employees Wage Increases 1 July 2023

Main Agreement Workshop - 7 June 2023

24 May 2023

Last year, the Main Agreement was extended to non-party employers, including members of SAEFA.  Whilst every effort will be made to challenge this extension, until such time as we successfully overturn the extension, the Main Agreement is applicable to all scheduled employees on the shop floor.

In terms of the Main Agreement and industry norms, scheduled employees are due to receive wage increases.  SAEFA will be presenting The Contents of the MEIBC Main Agreement Explained workshop on 7 June 2023 at the Birchwood Hotel.  How to ensure that the wage increase process is seamlessly implemented in your workplace will be comprehensively covered, as well as all other aspects of the successful implementation of the Main Agreement on your shopfloor and is a must for all line managers, HR personnel, payroll staff, small business owners and any other staff that deal with the Main Agreement.

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.

Draft EEA Sectoral Targets Published

15 May 2023

The Department of Employment and Labour gazetted the Draft Employment Equity Regulations 2023 for public comment on Friday, 12 May 2023.  The draft regulations, which are open for public comment for 30 days, set out the proposed 5-year sector targets for the various economic sectors in terms of population groups and gender for the top four occupational levels, being Top Management, Senior Management, Professionally Qualified and Skilled levels.

In summary, it is being proposed that any Gauteng-based designated employer (an employer employing 50 or more employees) involved in manufacturing will, within the next 5 years, have to achieve the following: