The Mpumalanga Department of Employment and Labour is inviting stakeholders to make inputs at a May 19 workshop on the draft National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP) and the Employment Services (ES) Bill, following their February 28 release.

The workshop – to be held at 10.00 at the MacBest guesthouse in Ermelo – follows the release of the NLMP and ES Bill by the Department of Employment and Labour’s (DEL’s) Public Employment Services (PES) branch in partnership with the Employment Services Board.

Expected to attend a consultative workshop to receive the inputs, are government departments, State-owned companies, social partners, municipalities, the religious sector, traditional leaders, research and academic institutions, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and constitutional institutions.

The DEL says the workshop is part of a series of national workshops being held to ensure the public or stakeholders are sufficiently consulted and provided an opportunity to make inputs on the draft bill and policy, as well as seek clarity where necessary.

The national consultative series is intended to improve the governance and management of labour migration in South Africa. 

The NLMP has been designed to document current challenges on the basis of evidence, adopt guiding principles rooted in South Africa’s core values and international commitments, identify national strategic priorities at the intersection of national interests and guiding principles, propose sustainable intervention methods, and monitor and implement mechanisms.

The rationale for the consultation process is also to conduct advocacy sessions on the draft ES Amendment Bill and NLMP, so as to ensure that the public is sufficiently consulted and to enable the ES board to adequately advise the Employment and Labour Minister.

The ES board exists to advocate for the ES Act – legislation that provides for public employment services through the establishment of schemes to promote the employment of young work seekers and other vulnerable persons; provide for schemes to assist employees in distressed companies to retain employment.

The ES Act also seeks to facilitate the employment of foreign nationals in a manner that is consistent with the objects of this Act and the Immigration Act, provide for the registration and regulation of private employment agencies and provide for the establishment of Productivity South Africa.

The Act is also intended to provide for the establishment of supported employment enterprises, to provide for transitional provisions and to provide for matters connected therewith.

Documents regarding the call for inputs are available on the DEL’s website, while inputs to the policy documents can be sent to NLMP@labour.gov.za.

Parties interested in attending the workshop should confirm attendance on or before May 18 by emailing Nomsa Mashaba on Nomsa.Mashaba@labour.gov.za or calling 082 888 8077; or emailing Mpumi Sibiya on Mpumi.Sibiya@labour.gov.za or calling 066 303 9181.