Safto seeks private sector lifeline

THE SAFTO board has approached the private sector for funding in a desperate attempt to continue its operations. This follows the decision by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to terminate its financial assistance to the organisation.
Safto's activities as an export development and promotion organisation are not considered part of its core business, IDC m.d. Khaya Ngqula announced last week.
But Ngqula said that in an effort to avoid disruption of Safto's activities, including the three-year diploma programme in export management, Safto will continue with these programmes in the interim.
While a number of Safto jobs could be at stake, a considerable amount of the organisation's work may be absorbed into private sector and government operations if efforts to obtain further funding to keep Safto alive should fail.
Training organisations have offered to absorb these into their current workings. At the same time the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) held a workshop last week in which private sector representatives were asked to give input on how the department could improve its export promotion and development drive.
According to Safto chairman Izak Lessing, while alternative financial aid is being sought, no retrenchments were envisaged at present, but consultations were taking place with staff.