The Fifth Southern African Metals and Engineering Indaba (MEIndaba), which places the spotlight on our sector in particular and manufacturing in general, is just under a month away. It offers all stakeholders – business executives and captains of industry, policy makers and Government Ministers, as well labour leaders – a vital opportunity to discuss matters of common interest calmly, robustly and yet constructively in order to improve the performance of our sector and to revive economy.
Speakers include:
- Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel;
- Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan;
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research CEO Dr Thulani Dlamini;
- BRICS Business Council Chairperson Busi Mabuza;
- National Development Commission Secretary Tshediso Matona;
- Africa House Director Duncan Bonnett;
- Department of Trade and Industry Chief Director for Africa Multilareral Economic Relations Wamkele Men;
- NUMSA General Secretary Irvin Jim and Solidarity General Secretary Gideon du Plessis;
- Manufacturing Circle CEO Phillippa Rodseth; and
- National Association of Automotive Components and Allied Manufacturers Renai Moothilal.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is due to deliver the Opening Address on Thursday, 12 September and Gauteng Premier David Makhura is due to deliver the Closing Address on Friday, 13 September.
Don’t miss out! Register now!!!
Be part of the search for a solution to South Africa’s manufacturing challenges.
In the past decade, the South African economy has been seriously under-performing. If nothing is done to arrest the situation speedily, things can only get worse. None of us can afford such a scenario.
What are you doing to arrest and reverse that terrible trend, which has seen manufacturing in South Africa coming under tremendous pressure from cheap, mostly Asian imports? You are not as powerless or helpless as you may believe.
Unfortunately, challenges do not yet have the ability to resolve themselves. That is why we have to work together to resolve them.
Make your voice heard. Engage. Contribute. Innovate. Sustain.
Register for the Fifth Southern African Metals and Engineering Indaba, where matters of concern to you and all of us will be discussed.
Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to be heard.
Register now on www.meindaba.co.za, where you will also find the detailed conference programme.
Key Government, business (including some of your customers) and labour leaders will be there. Don’t be the only one missing out.
I look forward to seeing you at the conference at the Fifth Southern African Metals and Engineering Indaba at the IDC Conference Centre on Thursday, 12 September 2019.
Yours Sincerely
Kaizer M. Nyatsumba
Chief Executive Officer
Johannesburg, 11 August 2019 – May 2019 saw the official launch of the much-anticipated African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which not only provides access to a continent-wide market of 1.2 billion people worth $2.5 trillion, but also effectively places Africa as the world’s largest free trade zone by population since the 1995 creation of the World Trade Organisation.
The agreement which effectively breathes life into the largest trading bloc in the world enabled the creation of a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business people and investments.
“There is no doubt that the AfCFTA has remarkable potential for intra-continental trade.
The deal cuts duties on 90% of goods. It is expected to boost regional and international trade and to improve on the proportion of trade by African nations with continental neighbours,” Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) CEO Kaizer Nyatsumba said.
He said the deal presents a unique opportunity for South African companies to trade with those of other regions, such as in the West and Central Africa regions, where there is a dearth of trade agreements.
But just how ready are South African manufacturers to take advantages of the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA? The assessment of local manufacturers’ readiness will be discussed at the upcoming Southern African Metals and Engineering Indaba taking place at the IDC Conference Centre in Sandton on 12 and 13 September.
Taking part in this plenary session will be Deloitte Managing Director: Africa and Emerging Markets Dr Martyn Davies, Africa House Director Duncan Bonnett; Department of Trade and Industry Africa Multilateral Economic Relations Chief Director Wamkele Mene; Manufacturing Circle CEO Philippa Rodseth; and SEIFSA Vice-President Alph Ngapo.
Mr Nyatsumba said that panellists in this plenary session will also propose necessary interventions to ensure that companies operating in the metals and engineering sector are ready to take advantage of the opportunities presented and to be competitive.
Now in its fifth year, the Indaba is organized and hosted by SEIFSA. Its core objective is to provide a platform for policy makers, labour representatives and businesses operating in the metals, engineering and related sectors to discuss the challenges facing the sector and collectively to devise sustainable solutions aimed at ensuring its sustainability.
The Indaba will also deliberate on the following topics:
- A Growing Chinese Presence in South Africa: How Should Local Business Respond?
- State-Owned Companies As Economic Enablers, Infrastructure Development and the Metals and Engineering Sector
- “The New Dawn” and South Africa’s Sovereign Credit Rating
- The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Manufacturing: Is South Africa Ready – Or Will It Be Left Behind?
- The new Automotive Production and Development Programme: Will the Metals and Engineering Sector Benefit?
- The Industrial Policy Action Plan and the National Development Plan: A Progress Report on Their Implementation
- The Economy, Labour Stability and the 2020 MEIBC Negotiations on Wages and Conditions of Employment
The line-up of speakers expected to address delegates includes:
- Tito Mboweni, Minister of Finance;
- Irvin Jim, General Secretary of NUMSA;
- Mangaliso Ndlovu, Minister of Industry and Commerce in Zimbabwe;
- Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Public Enterprises;
- Thembinkosi Mkalipi, Chief Director: Labour Policy and Industrial Relations at the Department of Employment and Labour;
- Tshokolo Nchocho, Industrial Development Corporation CEO;
- Patrick Bond, Professor at the Wits School of Business;
- Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peter, Deputy Director General: International Trade and Economic Development Division; and
- Cas Coovadia, Acting CEO of Business Unity South Africa.
Mr Nyatsumba said the agenda for the 2019 Indaba is driven by the state that the metals and engineering sector currently finds itself in.
Issued by:
Ollie Madlala
Communications Manager
Tel: (011) 298 9411 / 082 602 1725
Email: ollie@seifsa.co.za
Web: www.seifsa.co.za
Johannesburg, 8 August 2019 – The slowdown in the broader manufacturing sector’s production, as reflected in manufacturing production figures released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) this afternoon, is concerning, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa said today.
Speaking after the release of the data, SEIFSA Economist Marique Kruger said against the backdrop of a struggling economy and the plethora of challenges faced by manufacturing companies, production volume from businesses took a knock and the official output data reflects a constrained business environment for manufacturing companies.
The latest preliminary seasonally-adjusted data released today captures a year-on-year slowdown in production in the broader manufacturing sector in June 2019 when compared with May 2019, with output dipping to -3.2 percent in June 2019, from 0.4 percent recorded in May 2019. Moreover, the volatility in the data is more pronounced when analysed on a month-to-month basis.
“The dip in the year-on-year manufacturing output data highlights the urgent need to deal with underlying dynamics leading to a depressed economic environment and high unemployment numbers,” Ms Kruger said.
However, she said that the expectation is for companies in the broader manufacturing sector in general and the metals and engineering sector in particular to take advantage of a possible up-turn when the much-anticipated quarter 2 GDP data are released. The upturn in GDP is imperative in order to grow the domestic economy and create jobs in the long term.
SEIFSA is a National Federation representing 23 independent employer Associations in the metals and engineering industries, with a combined membership of 1600 companies employing around 200 000 employees. The Federation was formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to micro-enterprises employing fewer than 50 people.
Johannesburg, 4 August 2019 – There is no doubt that there has been a growing presence of Chinese-manufactured products in South Africa, and Chinese business leaders have invested in numerous sectors of the South African economy, including renewable energy, retail as well as the metals and engineering sector.
But how will the influx of Chinese-manufactured products impact on local businesses and employment, and how should local manufacturers respond? Those are some of the questions that panelists and delegates to the 2019 Southern African metals and engineering Indaba will deliberate on.
Commenting on the Chinese factor, Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa Kaizer Nyatsumba said China is increasingly shaping global discourse and economic development, and that the presence of Chinese-manufactured goods is set to increase even further in years to come. He said local Chinese projects often make use of Chinese workers, even on menial jobs, to the detriment of indigenous workers.
“Although Chinese investments bring a different flavour and level of enthusiasm in some industries, it is a catch-22 situation in the labour-intensive industries of the manufacturing sector where there is a negative effect on job creation,” Mr Nyatsumba said.
Making an assessment of the implications of a growing presence of Chinese-manufactured products in South Africa and its implications for local businesses will be BRICS Business Council Chairperson Busi Mabuza, International Trade and Economic Development Division Deputy Director General Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peter, ANC Economic Transformation Committee Head Enoch Godongwana and Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busisiwe Mavuso.
Now in its fifth year, the Indaba is organized and hosted by SEIFSA. Its core objective is to provide a platform for policy makers, labour representatives and businesses operating in the metals, engineering and related sectors to discuss the challenges facing the sector and collectively to devise sustainable solutions aimed at ensuring its sustainability.
The Indaba will also deliberate on the following topics:
- “The New Dawn” and South Africa’s Sovereign Credit Rating
- Africa is Open for Business: Is Local Manufacturing Ready to Leverage Opportunities Presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area?
- The new Automotive Production and Development Programme: Will the Metals and Engineering Sector Benefit?
- The Industrial Policy Action Plan and the National Development Plan: A Progress Report on Their Implementation
- The Economy, Labour Stability and the 2020 MEIBC Negotiations on Wages and Conditions of Employment
The line-up of speakers expected to address delegates includes:
- Tito Mboweni, Minister of Finance;
- Irvin Jim, General Secretary: NUMSA;
- Mangaliso Ndlovu, Minister of Industry and Commerce in Zimbabwe;
- Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Public Enterprises;
- Thembinkosi Mkalipi, Chief Director: Labour Policy and Industrial Relations at the Department of Employment and Labour;
- Tshokolo Nchocho, Industrial Development Corporation CEO;
- Duncan Bonnett, Africa House Director;
- Martyn Davies, Managing Director: Emerging Markets and Africa at Deloitte; and
- Patrick Bond, Professor at the Wits School of Business.
Mr Nyatsumba said the 2019 programme and speakers are reflective of the challenges and opportunities currently facing South African businesses in general and the metals and engineering sector in particular.
Issued by:
Ollie Madlala
Communications Manager
Tel: (011) 298 9411 / 082 602 1725
Email: ollie@seifsa.co.za
Web: www.seifsa.co.za
Johannesburg, 1 August 2019 – The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) welcomes the rise in overall business activity in the broader manufacturing sector, as reflected by the composite Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) released this morning.
Speaking after the release of the data, SEIFSA Economist Marique Kruger said the Index provides a promising, forward-looking insight into the activities of the manufacturing sector, although the volatility in the data encapsulates the stress level confronting local businesses since December 2018.
As a lead indicator, the PMI and its five sub-indices play a crucial role in the decision-making processes of key stakeholders and captains of industry. The latest seasonally-adjusted data captured the headline PMI rising above 46.2 points in June 2019 to 52.1 points in July 2019, trending well above 50 points, which separates expansion from contraction.
The improvement in the headline PMI was underpinned by increases in the business activity, new sales orders, inventories and employment sub-indices in July 2019 when compared to June 2019.
Further analysis of the data shows that the business activity sub-index was the best performing index, increasing from 44.5 points in June 2019 to 56.9 points in July 2019, while the worst performer was the supplier performance sub-index, which registered 51.9 points, down from 56.9 points in June 2019. Ms Kruger said the improvement in the composite PMI was well supported by the underlying sub-components.
“Given that the composite PMI trend remains volatile and has generally trended below the benchmark level of 50 since the start of the year, the current trend is worrisome, since the poor performance has persisted more than halfway through 2019,” said Ms Kruger.
Ms Kruger said the volatility in the PMI trend, underpinned by fluctuating input costs, galloping petrol prices, increasing electricity costs and a generally weaker exchange rate, continues to mirror the difficult operating environment for local producers in the metals and engineering cluster and the plethora of challenges generally faced by manufacturing companies.
“It is very important that there is a continuous rebound in the PMI, in order to boost business confidence and expectations in the medium to long term,” she concluded.
SEIFSA is a National Federation representing 21 independent employer Associations in the metals and engineering industries, with a combined membership of 1600 companies employing around 200 000 employees. The Federation was formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to micro-enterprises employing fewer than 50 people.
Johannesburg, 30 July 2019 – The increase in the number of unemployed people in South Africa calls for urgent interventions to address the scourge, Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) Economist Marique Kruger said today.
Speaking after Statistics South Africa (Stats SA’s) release of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for Quarter 2, which reflects a further increase in the number of unemployed people in the domestic economy, Ms Kruger said the Federation was extremely concerned about the increase in the unemployment rate and called on policymakers to come up with more targeted interventions to address the unemployment challenge.
The QLFS is a household-based sample survey that captures labour market activities of persons aged 15-64 years. The data shows that following an increase in the labour force participation rate by 0.7 percentage points from Q2 2018 to Q2 2019, the unemployment rate also increased from 27.2 percent to 29.0 percent. Compared to a year ago, the data also shows that employment increased by 25 000, while unemployment alarmingly increased by 573 000, leading to a net year-on-year unemployed persons of 548 000.
Ms Kruger said the general decrease in aggregate employment is cause for concern, as the data increases the official unemployment rate to 29 percent.
“On a quarterly basis, the data shows that although the number of employed persons increased by 21 000 to 16.3 million in Q2 of 2019, there was a more than proportionate increase in the number of unemployed persons, thereby compounding the unemployment number to 6.7 million persons. This is cause for great concern and calls for urgent interventions to address the scourge of unemployment,” Ms Kruger says.
At an industry level, Ms Kruger says the information encouragingly captures an increase in the number of employed persons in the manufacturing sector on a quarter-on-quarter basis. The sector, including its heterogenous metals and engineering (M&E) cluster, gained
9 000 (0.5 percent) jobs, with employment increasing from 1 780 000 during the period spanning January to March 2019 to 1 789 000 during the period spanning April to June 2019. When viewed over a longer period, the data shows that the manufacturing sector gained a total of 45 000 jobs, representing a 2.6 percent increase year on year.
In other industrial sectors, however, changes in employment numbers were varied as the mining sector recorded a net loss of 36 000 jobs on a quarter-on-quarter basis, while the construction sector gained 24 000 jobs over the same time frame.
According to Ms Kruger, the unemployment situation, a dilemma which spans all industrial sectors, is increasingly becoming an issue which is difficult for policy makers and captains of industry to deal with.
“Against the backdrop of an increase in the official unemployment rate, the persistent high level of unemployment highlights the need for more targeted interventions by policy makers. Moreover, continuous support for businesses under duress is imperative to achieve and maintain higher economic growth in the medium to longer term,” she concludes.
Issued by:
Ollie Madlala
Communications Manager
Tel: (011) 298 9411 / 082 602 1725
Email: ollie@seifsa.co.za
Web: www.meindaba. seifsa.co.za
SEIFSA is a National Federation representing 21 independent employer Associations in the metals and engineering industries, with a combined membership of 1600 companies employing around 200 000 employees. The Federation was formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to micro-enterprises employing fewer than 50 people.
Johannesburg, 25 July 2019 – The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) is disappointed by the Producer Price Index (PPI) data for intermediate manufactured goods released by Statistics South Africa this morning, the Federation’s Economist, Marique Kruger, said.
The latest PPI data reflect a decrease in selling price inflation for the sub-industries in the metals and engineering (M&E) cluster in June 2019. The data show that the annual percentage change in the PPI for intermediate manufactured goods, which is measured in factory gate prices, slowed to 4.5 percent in June 2019, from 6.4 percent recorded in May 2019. Contemporaneously, the PPI for final manufactured goods for the broader manufacturing sector also dipped to 5.8 percent in June 2019, from 6.4 percent in May 2019.
“Against the backdrop of stagnant domestic demand, high electricity costs, rebounding petrol prices and increasing operational costs, the slowdown in the PPI for intermediate manufactured goods is worrisome for companies in the sub-components of the M&E cluster, as there is little leeway to pass cost increases on to the market,” Ms Kruger said.
Additionally, the current volatility of input costs for the sector, as captured by SEIFSA’s composite input cost index, shows the stress level faced by businesses, and a lower trending PPI for intermediate manufactured goods is worrisome. Ms Kruger said a deterioration in selling price inflation has the potential of reducing the positive differential between input cost inflation and selling price inflation, which may act as an impediment for new investments and as a constraint to existing operations.
Ms Kruger said the Federation expects a rebound in selling price inflation in order to improve business prospects, underpinned by an uptick in demand and domestic growth.
SEIFSA is a National Federation representing 21 independent employer Associations in the metals and engineering sector, with a combined membership of 1600 companies employing around 200 000 employees. The Federation was formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to micro-enterprises employing fewer than 50 people.
- What is the purpose of the Skills Development Act?
The short supply of skilled staff is a serious obstacle to the competitiveness of industry in South Africa. The Skills Development Act of 1998 aims to:
- Develop skills for the South African work force;
- Increase investment in education and training and improve return on investments in those areas;
- Encourage employers to promote skills development by using the workplaces an active learning environment;
- Encourage workers to participate in learnership and other training programmes;
- Improve employment prospects by redressing previous disadvantages through training and education; Ensure the quality of education and training in and for the workplace; and
- Assist with the placement of first-time work-seekers.
The Skills Development Act aims to develop the skills of the South African workforce and to improve the quality of life of workers and their prospects of work. It also aims to improve productivity in the workplace and the competitiveness of employers and to promote self-employment.
- What is the aim of the Skills Development Levy?
The levy grant scheme, legislated through the Skills Development Levies Act, 1999, serves to fund the skills development initiative in the country. The intention is to encourage a planned and structured approach to learning and to increase employment prospects for work seekers. Participating fully in the scheme will allow you benefit from incentives and to reap the benefits of a better skilled and more productive workforce.
- What is the purpose of a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP)?
The Workplace Skills Plan serves to structure the type and amount of training for the year ahead, and is based on the skills needs of the organisation. A WSP should consider current and future needs, taking into account gaps identified through a skills audit, the performance management system, succession planning initiatives, and any new process or technology changes planned for the year.Management should discuss the company’s goals with employees who, in turn, should commit to the process of achieving these goals. In the process, Management gets the opportunity to discover talent as well as skills that they did know that they had.
- What is an Annual Training Report (ATR)?
This report consists of all attendance registers, proof of expenditure and the training provider used in this report so that the SETA can establish whether training was done or is in the process of being done.
- Does one get a percentage of monies spent on training?
No. Mandatory grants are a refund against all monies contributed towards the Skills Development Levy and not on monies spent on training.
- What is a learnership?
A learnership is a work-based learning programme that leads to a nationally-recognised qualification. Thus, learners in learnership programmes have to attend classes at a college or training centre to complete classroom-based learning, and they also have to complete on-the-job training in a workplace. This means that unemployed people can only participate in a learnership programme if there is an employer that is willing to provide the required work experience. A learnership is aligned to the NQF and is usually between 12 and 18 months long in duration. Learners are paid a Stipend from the applicable SETA.
- Who must pay the levy?
The levy is calculated as 1% of your wage bill, payable monthly. All employers who are registered with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) for PAYE and have an annual payroll in excess of R500 000 must register with SARS to pay for the Skills Development Levy.
- What are the requirements for claiming back Discretionary Grants?
Each funding window has a different set of rules, which will be communicated to companies. For further details, please contact the relevant SETA.
- How does an employer register for the levy?
Every employer who is liable to pay the levy must register with SARS by completing the registration form, Form SDL 101, which is available from all SARS offices. In order to register, the employer must:
- Obtain a registration form (SDL 101) from any SARS office, if not received by mail;
- Choose from a list of registered Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) as indicated in the SETA classification guide provided with the registration form, the one SETA most representative of your activities; and
- Choose a standard industry code (SIC) from the SETA classification guide which most accurately describes the nature and scope of your business.
- To whom are levies payable?
Levies are payable to the South African Revenue Service, which acts as a collecting agency for the applicable SETA.
- By when is the levy payable?
The levy must be paid to SARS not later than SEVEN days after the end of the month in respect of which the levy is payable, under cover of a SDL 201 return form.
- Is there any interest and penalty incurred for late or non-payment?
SARS will impose both interest and penalties for late or non-payment of levies.
- How do I register as a Skills Development Facilitator?
You can use the online Skills Development Facilitator registration form via the relevant SETA’s website or contact your regional co-ordinator. Your registration will be acknowledged as soon as it is processed.
- What is PIVOTAL Grant
PIVOTAL is an acronym which means professional, vocational technical and academic learning programme that resulta in a qualification or part-qualification on the National Qualification Framework (NQF).
- What is SIPS?
SIPS is an acronym which means Strategic Infrastructure Projects.
- What is meant by OFO?
OFO is an acronym which means Organising Framework for Occupations.
- What is meant by NQF?
The NQF is organised as a series of levels of learning achievement, arranged in ascending order from one to ten. Each level on the NQF is described by a statement of learning achievement known as Level Descriptors (below).
There is one set of level descriptors for the NQF.
The NQF is a single integrated system which comprises of three co-ordinated qualifications Sub-Frameworks. These are:
- General and Further Education and Training Sub-Framework (GFETQSF)
- The Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF)
- The Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework (OQSF)
The Sub-Frameworks have qualifications registered at the following NQF levels:
- GFETQSF – levels 1 to 4;
- HEQSF – levels 5 to 10;
- OQSF – levels 1 to 6.
For NQF levels 7 and 8, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations can motivate for a qualification only in collaboration with a recognised professional body and the Council on Higher Education, in a process co-ordinated by SAQA.
- What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship combines workplace and institutional learning in a national trade occupational qualification. An apprenticeship is based on an agreement between the individual who wants to learn the trade and the employer who needs a skilled worker in a specific trade. Apprentices are paid wages for the duration of the apprenticeship, which is usually between three and four years. Wages are updated and published annually in the SEIFSA Main Agreement Handbook.
- What is a Stipend?
Employers must calculate their learners’ pay according to the number of hours worked. The Sectoral Determination 5: Learnerships applies to-
-
- the employment of a learner –
- who has concluded a learnership agreement; and
- who was not employed by the employer party to the learnership agreement when the agreement was concluded; and
- every employer who employs a learner.
- the employment of a learner –
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act applies in respect of any matter not covered by the sectoral determination.
- What is a TVET?
TVET stands for “technical and vocational education and training”. It is an educational term that is applied to certain post-school educational institutes,
- What is a skills programme?
A Skills Programme is a learning programme which is occupationally based and for which a learner may obtain a certain number of credits towards a registered qualification aligned to the NQF. It includes practical (work-place) experience and addresses the identified needs of a specific industry.
- What is provider accreditation?
| 23. What is the QCTO? | QCTO stands for Quality Council for Trades and Occupations. The QCTO is one of the three Quality Councils, each responsible for a qualifications sub-framework on the National Qualifications Framework. The Council for Higher Education (CHE) and Umalusi are the other two. The sub-framework that the QCTO is responsible for is the Trades and Occupations sub-framework. |
| 24 What is the QCTO’s responsibility? | The QCTO is responsible for standards setting and quality assurance of occupational qualifications on the Trades and Occupations sub-framework. The QCTO recommends to SAQA qualifications for registration on the NQF. |
| 25 What is an occupational qualification? | An occupational qualification is defined in the law as a qualification associated with a trade, occupation or profession resulting from work-based learning and consisting of three components, one for knowledge, one for practical skills and one for work experience. All occupational qualifications require a final test or what is called “an external, summative assessment” which, when successfully passed, signals to the world that the person is able to fully perform the work of the occupation. |
| 26. What process do I follow to initiate a process of developing an occupational qualification? | The process of occupational qualification development begins when a person or an organisation (the applicant) submits a request to the QCTO for an Occupational Qualification to be developed. This can be in a letter, an e-mail or even a phone call. All are welcome to submit a request. The QCTO may be contacted at info@qcto.org.za The QCTO will advise and guide the applicant on the process to be followed.
submit a request. The QCTO may be contacted at info@qcto.org.za The QCTO will advise and guide the applicant on the process to be followed. |
| 27. What is a Development Quality Partner (DQP)? | A DQP is an entity appointed by the QCTO and delegated to manage, on behalf of the QCTO, the process of developing an Occupational Qualification. The QCTO has developed processes that will ensure as far as possible that its Quality Partners have the capacity to perform their assigned tasks to the highest quality standards, which include integrity, transparency and fitness for purpose. |
| 28 What is an Assessment Quality Partner (AQP)? | An AQP is an entity appointed by the QCTO and delegated to manage, on behalf of the QCTO, the assessment process. An AQP is responsible for developing, maintaining and implementing external assessments. An AQP coordinates and manages external assessment processes. An AQP develops and maintains a national databank of instruments used in the external assessment. An AQP maintains a register of assessors and moderators from which assessors and moderators for the external summative assessment are selected. An AQP recommends to the QCTO the accreditation of skills development providers for the knowledge and or practical skills components. An AQP recommends to the QCTO the certification of learners. |
| 29. What are the rules of combination for occupational qualifications? | A minimum of 20% credits are required for each of the three components (Knowledge, practical skills, and work experience). This means that the remainder of 40% of the credits can be added to any component to support the purpose of the qualification. |
| 30. What are the types of occupational qualifications that can be developed? | The QCTO has two types of occupational qualifications, namely:National Occupational Qualifications : 120+ Credits National Occupational Awards: 25-119 Credits |
| 31. How do I get more information on the QCTO (e.g. policies, and other important information) | QCTO information may be accessed from www.qcto.org.za. You will be able to access information on the QCTO e.g. policies, occupational qualifications in development, other important information. |
- What is an Internship?
An internship is an opportunity for people with a degree or diploma to gain practical experience in a possible place of employment or in their field of study.
SEIFSA Training – The Key to Re-Positioning The Metals and Engineering Sector for the Future.
To promote sustainable metals and engineering industries to ensure that they are strategically positioned for innovation and growth in the interests of a prospering Southern Africa. This is the Vision of the Steel and Engineering Industry Federation of Southern Africa – SEIFSA. The mandate is broad and challenges are not for the faint of heart. Ending the reduction of the industry’s contribution to GDP is our most pressing concern, and has been since the global recession of 2008/9. Stability within the sector remains one of the key pillars to steady the ship.
When these issues are taken into consideration, the key takeaway must be: increasing the knowledge and skills of the sector. SEIFSA, through its four Divisions, is uniquely positioned to make this contribution. With experts positioned in Human Capital and Skills Development (HC&SD), Industrial Relations and Legal Services (IR&LS), Economics and Commercial (EC), and Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ), each Division has a year-round programme of Training to offer to the sector, its members, and the wider business community.
According to SEIFSA Chief Executive Officer Kaizer Nyatsumba: “Training is a critical part of our mission to help members, to develop their human capital to realise their full potential”.
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND LEGAL SERVICES
The IR&LS Division has a central role to play with its training suite – as illustrated in the article “Strike Violence: What’s my plan?” Managers at all levels need to be acutely aware what case law says, and of the relevant regulations. SEIFSA, therefore, provides an ideal support system for its members and other companies wishing to increase their knowledge in this Industrial Relations space.
Courses on offer are:
- Effective IR on the Shop Floor;
- Understanding and Administering the Amendments of the Main Agreement;
- Managing Sick Leave and Sick Leave Abuse in the Workplace;
- Understanding and implementing Labour legislation;
- Effective Disciplinary Action;
- Updates on Labour Law developments;
- Flexible Working Time Arrangements in the Industry;
- How to Prepare for and Conduct a Disciplinary Hearing;
- The Law of Evidence;
- Understanding the Impact of the POPI Act for your business; Business Contracts and Service Level Agreements;
- Main Agreement vs Basic Condition of Employment Act;
- A to Z of the Main Agreement;
- Retrenchments and Short-time; and
- How to Tender Successfully.
The Legal Services part of the Division has two admitted attorneys who, in addition to chairing disciplinary hearings and writing policies for companies, also represent companies at the CCMA, the Labour Court and the Labour Appeal Court.
ECONOMICS AND COMMERCIAL
The EC Division publishes the unique Price and Index Pages (SEIFSA PIPS). The publication helps businesses in due-diligence exercises and to mitigate input costs, thereby improving margins. PIPS tracks over 200 independent market or product-specific indices that are valuable in drafting contracts with significant lead periods. A useful “Fun Facts Guide” is published on the website: www.pips.seifsa.co.za.
Coupled to PIPS are the SEIFSA Contract Price Adjustment (CPA) Training Workshops. CPA is a methodology used to adjust defined areas of costs over a defined period of time to cover cost fluctuations beyond the control of the parties to a contract. The model helps buyers and suppliers to reach an agreement on the adjustment of prices in a contract over a specified period.
SEIFSA makes a very important contribution in ensuring that volatile cost components are accounted for. The increasing number of trainees attending the CPA Workshops testifies to the importance that more companies place on the potential risks that inflation poses to the bottom line.
Headed by Chief Economist Dr Michael Ade, who is assisted by Economist Marique Kruger (M.Com), the EC Division offers the following unique course, which earns those in attendance a Continuous Professional Development point:
- The Theory of Contract Price Adjustment
HUMAN CAPITAL AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Within the manufacturing sector, there is a myriad of challenges associated with the development of relevant skills. A legacy of poor educational opportunities, a complex tertiary education and training landscape and a poor basic education system have resulted in many employees having little or low levels of skills. South Africa’s national shortage of skills in all economic sectors exacerbates the challenges associated with the retention of staff and increases the demands for training and development within the metals and engineering.
To counter skills shortages, SEIFSA members companies are encouraged to invest in employee training and development in various interventions that include learnerships, bursaries, apprenticeships, internships and adult education.
The legislative framework guiding these interventions is vast, and the repercussions for non-compliance are punitive, as illustrated by the article “May the Force be with you – The serious consequences of the employment Equity Act”.
SEIFSA’s Training Interventions include:
- Employment Equity, Successful Submissions;
- Introduction to Skills Development;
- Skills Planning and Reporting;
- Supervisory Training;
- Problem Solving;
- Training Committee Training and Employment Equity Committee Training; and
- Conducting Outcome-Based Assessment.
SAFETY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT, AND QUALITY (SHEQ)
SEIFSA’s SHEQ Division assists companies in meeting the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, and other health, safety, environment and quality legislation. The Division, guides companies in addressing SHEQ issues at the workplace, thereby protecting management from vicarious liability and criminal prosecution.
The SHEQ Division offers the following courses:
- Health and Safety Representatives;
- ISO 9001: 2015, ISO 14001: 2015, and ISO 45001 Awareness;
- 2 Appointees;
- Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act;
- Incident Investigation;
- Basic Safety Induction and HIV/AIDS Awareness;
- Introduction to Occupational Health and Safety Act for Management; and
- Legal Liability.
CONCLUSION
One theme that sticks out is legislation and compliance. The complexity of compliance in the manufacturing industry is very onerous. SEIFSA, as the most respected advocate for the metals and engineering industries, skillfully steers its member companies in the right direction and effectively plays a part in relieving their burden.
Training and consulting constitute the first form of intervention. In addition thereto, SEIFSA, through its advocacy and lobbying activities, presents these challenges to external bodies such as Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) and the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC).
Watch the video on this page for further insights into SEIFSA Training.
