Question NW2332 to the Minister of Labour
21 August 2015 - NW2332
Bagraim, Mr M to ask the Minister of Labour
(1) Whether in view of her department’s aspirations to contribute to decent employment creation, she is planning regular meetings with employers to determine if preferred candidates have been placed; (2) Whether her department will provide information on how it intends to put the job programme in place; if so, (a) when and (b) where? NW2693E
Reply:
- The Department conducts regular advocacy campaigns with employers to discuss the services we offer and to assist them to comply with our Labour Laws and we will continue to conduct such meetings.
- During the 2014/15 financial year, the 128 Labour Centers conducted more than 500 advocacy campaigns across the country with employers and work seekers on opportunity work seekers and employment opportunity registration, counselling, recruitment and selection and placement sessions.
- In instances where a registered work seeker is matched to an employment opportunity, a referral letter is sent to the employer wherein they are requested to advise the Department on the placement status of the candidates. And we are aware that some of them are very busy to respond to such letters.
The Department intends to reduce administrative burden on employers through integration of our Employment Services and Unemployment Insurance Fund systems and developing new placement tracking tools to verify the placement status of the referred candidates.
2. The Department is involved in various Employment initiatives.
- The Unemployment Insurance Fund through its Labour Activation Programmes has partnered with the various SETAs to successfully train and place unemployed work seekers as both artisans and skilled employees in various job opportunities.
- The UIF also provides funding to the Industrial Development Co-operation (IDC) for the purposes of stimulating employment opportunities.
- Productivity South Africa assist various businesses with turnaround solutions that contribute to prevention of job losses and or improving efficiencies that can stimulate further job opportunities.
- We also provide funding to assist companies to embark on Training Lay-Off schemes to avoid retrenchments in those instances wherein companies are restructuring.
- We provide employment to people with disabilities through the 12 (Sheltered Employment Factories) Supported Employment Enterprises and also provide subsidies to workshops for the blind and deaf, and disability organisations that assist us in placement of such people in formal employment.