The Department of Employment and Labour is hosting the Southern African Development Communi ty (SADC) Employme nt and Labour Se ctor Joint Tripartite Tec h nical Committee Meeting at Blueberry Hill Hotel in Roodepoort from 26 to 30 Octo ber 2026.
The meeting brings together representatives from SADC Member States, government, employers and workers organisations, and the International Labour Organizatio n (ILO) to discuss employm ent challenges and strengthen cooperation a cross the r egion.
The Department of Employment and Labour's Acting Director-General (ADG), Jacky Molisane, called on delega tes to focus on practical solutions that will help jobseekers access employment opportunities and improve the delivery of public employment services.
ADG Molisane said the financial difficulties faced by people looking for work, including the cost of transport to interviews, internet data for job applica tions and printing documents.
“When we discuss employmen t services this week, I ask that we keep that per son in mind. The decisions we make here should make the next encounter with an employment office more useful and the job search less difficult," said ADG Molis ane.
Acting Director-General Molisane said that South Africa's official unemployment rate stood at 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, while unemployment among young peop le aged 15 to 34 in the labour force was 47.4%. He said these figures highlight the need for governments to assess whether employment programmes are making a real difference in people's lives.
“We all know how to describ e a programme. We can explain its objectives, structure and the number of people it has reached. The more demanding conversation begins when someone asks what happened afterwards," said ADG Molisane.
She challenged delegates to consider whether referrals lead to jobs, whether tr aini ng prepares people for available vacancies and whether employers continue to use public employment services to find s uit able candidates.
ADG Molisane emphasised that the success of emplo yment programmes shoul d not only be measured by the number of people assisted, but also by the quality of the jobs sec ured and the support provided t o j obseek ers.
“An online appl ication sho uld reduce the burden on jobseekers. People who need assistance must be able to reach someone who can provide it," said Molisane.
Molisa ne sai d employment services must wor k alongside broader efforts to sup p ort economic growth and c reate more job opportunities. She further emphasised that young people need acce ss to r elevant traini ng and practical work experience that can improve their chances of fin ding employment.
The Acting Director-General called on delega tes to use the meeting to share lessons, address c ommon challenges and agree on practical steps that can be implemented in their respective countries.
“Trust also depends on what happens after we leave. If we agree to act, we should b e clear about who will do t he work and when progress will be reviewed," She said.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
082 697 0694/ teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za
-ENDS-
Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour
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