South Africa’s cabinet is expected to release the National Employment Policy (NEP) for public comment before the end of February.
Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi said on Wednesday during an employer briefing session at the Digital Hub in Botshabelo that government had completed its internal consultations regarding the policy document, which would now go to Cabinet.
The NEP aims to foster demand-led employment growth and is expected to provide an overarching framework on issues of employment, including the National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP). The NLMP and the Employment Services (ES) Bill are currently in Parliament for consideration.
Nxesi said the Department of Employment and Labour and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) are currently working on the NLMP which would respond decisively to the challenge of the employment of foreigners in the country.
“I can only sound an early warning to employers continuing to employ undocumented migrants to desist – you are stoking up problems for the future,” Nxesi said.
“Youth unemployment is a major national challenge and needs urgent and coordinated responses from all of us to address it.”
The draft NEP provides a number of interventions that include work beyond the Department of Employment and Labour to assist the country in achieving employment levels indicated in the National Development Plan.
The NEP proposes the re-activation of discouraged and inactive work-seekers through targeted interventions at sector, firm and work-seeker levels to influence investment, productivity and employment outcomes.
Nxesi said the NLMP and the NEP aim to strengthen labour market interventions and further support other related employment interventions already part of the country’s macro-economic and fiscal policy framework.
He said the successful implementation of these policies will require collaboration between government departments and key stakeholders in the local labour market. – SAnews.gov.za
