The Ministry of Employment and Labour has welcomed the election of South Africa as the chair of the African Regional Labour Administration Centre (ARLAC) Governing Council for the 2025-2027 term of office.
The Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, will serve as the chair of the ARLAC Governing Council following the election of South Africa at the 51st Governing Council meeting held in Lusaka, Zambia, from 10 - 14 February 2025.
The Minister was represented at the summit by Deputy Minister Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala, who successfully led the South African delegation.
The ARLAC is a regional institution with a mandate to strengthen labour administration systems in Africa through training, research and consultancy advisory services. It was established in 1974 by the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
“We welcome the election of South Africa by member countries and wish to thank the outgoing chair of the Governing Council, Minister E. Moyo from Zimbabwe, and wish him well in his endeavours. We wish to also extend sincere gratitude to the government of Zambia for their warm welcome and hospitality,” Meth said.
Vice-President Mutale Nalumango of the Republic of Zambia was the guest speaker during the meeting of the Governing Council, and she emphasised the importance of fair employment and tackling informal employment.
The Governing Council meeting was preceded by a High-Level Ministerial Symposium on 12 February 2025, which featured a presentation by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) under the theme: “Innovative Approaches to Tackling Informality and Promoting Transition towards Formality to Promote Decent Work”, which is linked to Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG8) on “Decent Work and Economic Growth”.
The meeting focused on the importance of formalising informal work and the need to establish a legislative and policy framework to ensure the realisation of decent work on the African continent.
South Africa will also serve alongside four vice-chairs: Sierra Leone, Malawi, Sudan, and Zimbabwe.
Additionally, South Africa also serves in the Committee of Senior Officials, together with other officials from Zimbabwe, Sudan, Zambia, and Sierra Leone. The Committee is tasked with overseeing governance, policy implementation, and programming, and meets four times a year to report to the Governing Council.
The outcomes of 51st ARLAC Governing Council meeting and High-Level Ministerial Symposium reflect South Africa's continued commitment to promoting decent work, social dialogue, and regional cooperation within the ARLAC community.
The next Governing Council meeting is scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, in June 2025.
“The Department of Employment and Labour welcomes the election of South Africa as chair of the ARLAC Governing Council, which is an important institution with a mandate to provide training for labour administrators; provision of consultancy and advisory service aimed at strengthening labour administration systems in member countries.
“This is a very proud moment for the country, as Minister Nomakhosazana Meth assumes the chair of the ARLAC Governing Council. Minister Meth thanked Deputy Minister Nemadzinga-Tshabalala for her outstanding work at the recent ARLAC Governing Council meeting,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
