Employment and Labour on curbing unemployment at North West province

The Department of Employment and Labour in the North West Province is seeking partners to participate in the Department’s advocacy coordinated by 10 labour centres in the province, said the province’s Public Employment Services (PES) unit, Director Slindile Nkiwane.

Nkiwane said PES exists to facilitate the coordination of employment creation to advance the new employment mandate of the Department and act as an intermediary in the labour market. She said PES was open to avail its services through the Employment Services System of South Africa (ESSA), South Africa’s biggest work seekers matchmaking portal managed by the department. Nkiwane said some of its services include the provision of employer services (registration of private agencies, etc.), and employment counselling, among others.

She was speaking today, 06 March 2026, at JB Marks Town Hall in Potchefstroom during an Employer’s Roundtable discussion. The event was held by the Department of Employment and Labour in partnership with Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality (DRKKDM) and its local municipalities. The session brought together the Department together with partners to engage on local socio-economic matters. These included government, business, organised labour, and society.

Kabelo Kgoro, Provincial Secretary for the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the North West province, said the federation supported the strengthening of partnerships. Kgoro said the organisation wanted the Department to up its game and deal with blatant non-compliance with labour legislation by both public and private sector employers.

Kgoro lamented what he called the administrative failures of the Compensation Fund; the thorny and persistent problem of non-compliant labour brokers; lack of social protection for workers; and child labour, which continues unchecked.

Department of Employment and Labour Chief Director: Provincial Operations (CD: PO) in North West Sphetho Siyengo said unemployment, especially that of youth, was a major challenge and requires an urgent and coordinated response. Siyengo said high unemployment poses the greatest risk to social stability.

He said, as one of the attempts to reduce the high unemployment rate, the Department has identified Jobs/Careers Fair(s) as one of the intervention mechanisms to empower work seekers.

The Employer’s Roundtable Session took place alongside the Jobs/Careers Fair to help work-seekers to gain valuable insight about different career opportunities, including learnerships, internships, apprenticeships, bursaries, and networking. It also seeks to assist work-seekers to receive career counselling, register and apply for available opportunities on the ESSA.

The session was also addressed by representatives from the Unemployment Insurance Fund, Compensation Fund, Productivity SA, and CCMA.

Enquiries:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 082 697 0694
E-mail: teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za

#ServiceDeliveryZA