Question NW3168 to the Minister of Employment and Labour
19 October 2023 - NW3168
Ngcobo, Mr SL to ask the Minister of Employment and Labour
Whether his department has any new and/or functional strategies for curbing high unemployment and/or creating sustainable jobs; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The Department of Employment and labour does have new and existing strategies to curb unemployment in the country. These include:
1. The developed a National Employment Policy (NEP) in line with the ILO Employment Convention No C122 and Employment Policy guidelines with 09 intervention areas. The Draft policy is currently under consultations within government Departments and will be soon tabled to Cabinet before it is formally released for public comment.
2. The Draft National Labour Migration Policy and the Employment Services Amendment Bill to give effect to the policy have been finalised and are to be submitted to Cabinet once all the applicable certificates are obtained during November 2023
3. The mandate that we are executing on-behalf of the President to coordinate the National Pathway Management Network, that is bringing a range of actors in youth employment under a single roof. To give effect to this, we have contracted GTAC to assist us in managing this massive program that is working with the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative. This program has already delivered more than 800 000 employment opportunities for young people.
4. The Department also co-ordinates the Pathway Management Network, and contributes more than R 372 million annually to this process. Through the Pathway Management Network more than 108 061 earning opportunities have been secured by youth, during the first quarter of 2023. Through the Youth Employment Service, which is a private sector initiative, more than 10 695 youth secured workplace experience opportunities, through the revitalised youth service, more than 47 000 youth gained insight into different fields of work. In collaboration with the Department of Higher Education and Training the Pathway Management Network has placed more than 1 6437 TVET graduates in opportunities.
5. The work we do on daily basis throughout our 126 offices, mobile units and online to assist work seekers to access work opportunities. For the period April 2023- August 2023, the Department registered more than 334, 088 new work seekers on its ESSA database. More than 77 357 work opportunities were registered by employers with the Department. And 32 444 work seekers were placed into employment opportunities. A further 142 648 work seekers were provided with life skills interventions and employment counselling interventions to help them transition to the labour market.
6. The Compensation fund has created 1,325 additional jobs. The Compensation Fund's provide bursaries that are intended to impact on the workforce by assisting those in need, creating job opportunities, and empowering marginalised youth.
7. The CCMA also assisted with the prevention of job losses. Between April 2023 and July 2023 more than 6000 jobs were saved.
8. Productivity SA’s: In Quarter 1 of 2023/24, supported 420 enterprises within 20 districts contributing to 3500 jobs. Trained a total of 667 Entrepreneurs, managers and workers, and capacitated 247 Productivity Champions. Demographics of Entrepreneurs, Workers and Managers trained indicates that of the 667 people trained, 201 are youth, 289 are women and 487 are Black Entrepreneurs as per information reported. The Business Turnaround and Recovery Programme has intervened in 30 new companies from April 2023 to date and saved 2076 jobs of which 1088 (52%) are youth.
9. The UIF through Labour Activation Employment Programmes has placed 8 523 beneficiaries into employment opportunities and over 5 723 are youth and people belonging to vulnerable groups.
10. The Department is an advocate of employment equity legislation and continues to do everything it can to change the employment demographics patterns in the broader economy. The amendments to existing legislation and the Regulations that have been published as part of our further consultations, are intended to accelerate the rate of transformation and employment of blacks in various positions.
11. The Department has 13 Factories across the country that provide employment to more than 1000 People with Disabilities. We also provide income subsidies to 9 Designated organisations on a rotational 3 years circle who employ people with disabilities within their ranks.