GEORGE NEWS - Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Boitumelo Moloi addressed a business breakfast in George on Tuesday morning that formed part of a two-day jobs fair at the Thembalethu sports grounds.
The breakfast, held at Protea Hotel King George, was attended by local organised business, organised labour, councillors and senior government officials.
Moloi said the two-day event was part of the department's attempt to put systems and solutions in place that are aligned to the needs of employers and the Western Cape labour market as part of the South African economy.
"We are here to find out from the business community and organised labour what assistance they need."
The fair featured various organisations involved in the labour market and was aimed at giving job seekers a view of potential job and education and training opportunities in the market, and to get registered on the Employment Department's job seekers database.
More than 1 500 people attended the fair on Monday alone.
The fair was preceded last week by a mobile labour centre in a bus touring to towns in the Garden Route and Klein Karoo, including Mossel Bay, Knysna, Oudtshoorn and Uniondale, to provide services in these communities.
In her speech at the breakfast, Moloi warned businesses against employing undocumented foreign nationals amid a high unemployment figure.
She referred to recent arrests of a number of Chinese businessowners on charges in this regard.
She said the department would be returning to the Garden Route area for blitz inspections at places of employment and urged employers to make use of the department's service of assisting employers to become compliant with labour legislation.
The department has more than six million job seekers registered on its database.
Moloi said businesses can upload any job opportunities they have through the online portal, which would enable the department to assist them in finding suitable candidates on the database.
Potential candidates are screened before they are proposed to the employer. The department also offers free psychometric testing and career counselling.
Agreements regarding employment opportunities are in place between South Africa and some foreign countries that allow South Africans to find work, and the department can assist in this regard.
PHOTO GALLERY - Jobs fair in Thembalethu
Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Boitumelo Moloi. Photo: Alida de Beer
Moloi said innovation is needed to address the unemployment problem in the country and invited employers and labour to reach out to the department with their ideas.
Garden Route District Municipality Mayor Memory Booysen said this municipality has made the youth a focus area of its service delivery.
The municipality is therefore involved in youth and skills development and has entered the human settlements space, also with a focus on affordable housing for the youth.
Flats are to be developed on the GRDM's open property in Omega Street where young people in the Gap market can be assisted with housing.
He said there is a huge need for accommodation among youth attending tertiary institutions in George from other parts of the country.
Various other speakers highlighted topics such as the National Labour Migration Policy, proposed Employment Services Amendment Bill, new employment equity regulations, compliance with UIF, and employment conservation and growth.
The breakfast session drew a large audience. Photo: Alida de Beer
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