Employment Services Act to regulate labour market conditions nears promulgation
The long-awaited promulgation of the Employment Services (ES) Act will now be expected to be enacted in July, Department of Labour Director of Public Employment Services, Martin Ratshivhanda said.
Addressing a labour law roadshow in Pretoria today, Ratshivhanda said the promulgation of the ES Act will be followed by the development of regulations that would regulate the operations of private employment agencies and labour brokers in the labour market.
The Department of Labour and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) started on 16 February 2015 joint national educational roadshow to educate stakeholders on the implications of the new labour law amendments now in force.
The ES Act seeks to provide a legal status for Employment Services after the transfer of the skills development functions to the Department of Higher Education & Training. The Act establishes a new dedicated Public Employment Services to provide employment services interventions free of charge to work seekers and employers.
Public Employment Services’ roles and functions will include: promotion of employment of youth and persons with disabilities; recommendations for the employment of foreign workers; and employment counselling and Information on employment and training opportunities.
“Through the Employment Services Act, we seek to reduce the unemployed reliance on social security grants. We want to re-route beneficiaries of social grants into full employment. Continued reliance on social grants is not sustainable. South Africa is not a welfare State,” Ratshivhanda said.
Enquiries:
Mokgadi Pela
Acting Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 082 808 2168
