Parliament, Wednesday, 5 August 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour received a briefing from the Department of Employment and Labour today on the Employment Services Amendment Bill, marking the formal introduction of the proposed legislation to the committee.
The Bill proposes amendments to the Employment Services Act, 2014, to strengthen South Africa’s employment services framework. It aims to regulate the employment of foreign nationals in line with labour and immigration laws, expand the functions of the Employment Services Board, strengthen enforcement, and establish a legislative framework for labour migration. It also seeks to protect migrant workers while enabling government to use bilateral agreements and, where necessary, sector-specific quotas.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Boyce Maneli, welcomed the tabling of the Bill, describing it as an important milestone in the committee’s legislative programme. During the committee’s engagement with the department, the committee sought clarity on the Bill’s implementation and its alignment with the existing legislation. Members raised concerns about measures to address the employment of undocumented foreign nationals and align the Employment Services Act with the Immigration Act and the Refugees Act.
Members of the committee also discussed mechanisms to regulate the employment of foreign nationals while protecting opportunities for South African citizens, the implementation of quotas and proposed penalties for non-compliant employers, and the role of bilateral labour agreements.
The committee further emphasised the need for stronger coordination among the Department of Employment and Labour, the Department of Home Affairs, the South African Police Service and other law-enforcement agencies. It also sought clarity on the governance of Supported Employment Enterprises, implementation capacity, the Employment Services South Africa platform, the resources required to implement the legislation and government’s commitment to strengthening the labour inspectorate.
The department said the Bill would strengthen labour-market regulation by enhancing enforcement powers, improving coordination across government and aligning labour-migration legislation. The proposed amendments are also intended to improve compliance with labour laws, address worker exploitation and create a more orderly labour-migration system.
Mr Maneli said the committee would proceed to the next stages of the legislative process, including inviting written public submissions on the Bill. The committee will consider all submissions received during the public participation process before deliberating on the Bill and advancing it through the remaining parliamentary stages.
Further engagement may be required on the governance of Supported Employment Enterprises and the Bill’s alignment with legislation administered by the Department of Home Affairs. The committee encouraged organised labour, business, civil-society organisations, members of the public and other interested stakeholders to participate in the forthcoming public participation process.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR, MR BOYCE MANELI.
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Email: tgubula@parliament.gov.za
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