Capitec says 70 percent of head office staff are vaccinated.
Seifsa expresses concern over the looming Numsa strike in the steel and engineering sector, while North Platinum creates 2,335 new jobs.
The Cape Skills and Employment Accelerator focuses on youth and women, with plans to train 200 machinists in the clothing and textile sector. Capitec CEO announces strong pro-vaccination stance.
Seifsa says industry on precipice, as strike looms
A protracted strike in the metals and engineering sector would severely undermine the recovery underway in the industry following what was a deep Covid-19-linked slump in 2020, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) has warned.
CEO Lucio Trentini said the industry was on a “precipice”, after the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) served formal notice of a strike on 5 October.
The union has announced that over 430,000 workers across 9,000 steel and engineering companies will down tools, after failing to secure an eight percent wage increase.
Seifsa has offered a 4.4 percent increase for the current year, 0.5 percent plus inflation in the second year and one percent plus inflation for the third year.
Northam Platinum creates 2,335 new jobs
Northam Platinum has created 2,335 new jobs in the 12 months to 30 June. In addition, employees receive healthcare and retirement benefits as well as home ownership assistance.
The JSE-listed company paid R5 billion in salaries in the period.
Northam recently signed five-year wage settlements at both the Zonderiende and the Eland PGMs mine, which follows the five-year agreement signed at the Booysendal mine last year.
Cape clothing and textile sector gets a boost
The Cape Skills and Employment Accelerator plans to create employment opportunities for youth and women in the city's clothing and textile sector over the next three years.
The Craft and Design Institute (CDI) will recruit between 40 to 60 SMMEs to participate in the project and the goal is to train 200 machinists for the sector. The project will enable SMMEs to take on machinists at a greatly reduced cost to their business while creating learning and work opportunities for unemployed women and youth.
The learners will develop skills that include pattern making, pattern cutting, garment making, and sewing, with 75 percent of the time spent in the business supported by 25 percent classroom time.
Capitec ‘very pro-vaccinations’
Capitec Bank is actively encouraging employees to get Covid-19 vaccinations to prevent further waves and “get back to normal”.
CEO Gerrie Fourie said, “Everyone talks about vaccinations. We are very pro-vaccinations, we encourage people to take vaccinations at Capitec.”
He added that around 70 percent of the company’s head office has been vaccinated. The bank employs around 13,500 people, with around 2,000 located at its headquarters in Stellenbosch.
