On invitation of the South African Department of Labour (DoL), senior managers and experts from the Federal Employment Agency (BA), the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS), as well as representatives of the South African labour administration on provincial and ministerial levels discussed the facilitation and organisation of effective labour employment services from 18 – 21 April 2011.

Concluding this joint German-South African Workshop on labour administration and labour market policies, State Secretary Andreas Storm from the BMAS travelled to South Africa. Together with his counterpart Sam Morotoba, acting director-general of DoL, he conducted the closing session. The Workshop is an important step in the intensive and long lasting co-operation between South Africa and Germany which involves a direct co-operation between the respective Ministries of Labour since autumn 2009.

The objective of the Workshop was to organize an effective labour administration, which is attractive for employers and employees likewise, by means of devising practical exchange. In this context questions pertaining to the prevention and rehabilitation of job related illnesses were debated also.

Following comprehensive presentations and extensive discussions the management of each ministry was presented with first initial criteria for attaining it's objectives, such as client satisfaction or the efficiency and rate of job agencies. Closer and more efficient ways of co-operation – institutional coherency being the key – with designated institutions in the labour employment services (ministries, administrative bodies, social counterparts, private job agencies) were also pinpointed.

The discussion on essential Information Technology was extensive. An integrated IT strategy – as is used in the German BA – which is regulated internally by qualified colleagues and ideally operated by them as well was suggested by the experts of the BA, who are successfully managing the German labour market (job vacancies and job-seekers) in the world's biggest database.

Apart from the representatives of the labour employment agencies of the respective countries, the workshop was also attended by representatives of the South African Treasury, the GIZ (Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit), the German Embassy in Pretoria, and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The South African Department of Labour, the BA and BMAS will continue taking steps towards further co-operation, including other partners, in the following months. Accordingly consultations with the EU, the BMZ and the GIZ will follow.