Senior Officials responsible for Employment and Labour in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) met from 24 to 26 February 2026 in Roodepoort, Republic of South Africa, to review progress in the implementation of regional programmes and to formulate recommendations for consideration by the next Meeting of Ministers of Employment and Labour and Social Partners.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of persistent labour market challenges across the region and increasing geopolitical fragmentation globally. The latest regional labour market analysis shows unemployment rates reaching as high as 36.9 per cent in some Member States, with youth unemployment rising to 62.5 per cent in others. Broader measures of labour under-utilisation indicate that in certain countries more than half of the working-age population faces some form of labour market exclusion, while informal employment exceeds 90 per cent in several Member States. These trends reflect structural constraints and significant decent work deficits.
The Guest of Honour, Honourable Ms Nomakhosazana Meth, Minister of Employment and Labour of the Republic of South Africa and Chairperson of the SADC Ministers of Employment and Labour and Social Partners, reflected on the shifting global order marked by rising geopolitical tensions, protectionism and fragmented trade relations. She cautioned that in times of global disruption, working people are often the first to bear the consequences through job losses, rising living costs and weakened labour protections. In this context, she emphasised that SADC must close the gap between policy ambition and implementation through stronger policy coherence, sustainable financing of employment interventions. She also called for accelerated ratification of the SADC Protocol on Employment and Labour, which is critical for the operationalisation of the regional vision.
Ms Duduzile Simelane, representing Ms. Angèle Makombo N’tumba, SADC Deputy Executive Secretary responsible for Regional Integration, also highlighted that the Sector is operating in a changing global development environment marked by reduced external support and increased pressure on regional programmes. She emphasised the importance of greater regional ownership, strengthened coordination and sustainable resourcing of SADC initiatives. As SADC enters the second half of the RISDP 2020–2030, she noted encouraging mid-term progress within the Sector, although employment outcomes remain under strain. She also underscored the growing impact of technological change on labour markets and the need to prepare proactively for evolving skills demands.
Among other outcomes, the Senior Officials:
- considered the Report on the Status of the Labour Market in SADC and urged Member States to accelerate job-rich and inclusive growth, strengthen the implementation of National Employment Policies and Active Labour Market Programmes. In this regard, they approved the Draft Regional Guidelines on the Development of National Employment Policies, which seek to strengthen governance and inter-ministerial coordination, integrate employment objectives into macroeconomic and sectoral policies and promote realistic, evidence-based employment targets.
- noted that although the Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons is not yet in force, it remains relevant to the advancement of the SADC regional integration agenda. They further noted that additional Member States, including Angola, United Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe, are considering ratification and are at various stages of internal processes. Senior Officials commended the ongoing cooperation involving different sectors, including the Labour and Immigration sectors, aimed at strengthening coordination in migration governance. In this regard, they directed the Secretariat to continue facilitating joint engagement and cooperation to enhance migration management across the region.
- reviewed the conclusions of the SADC Forum on Labour Dispute Prevention and Resolution and noted progress in some Member States towards the establishment of autonomous and more efficient dispute resolution through legislative reforms, notably in Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. Nevertheless, they observed that challenges remain, including huge case backlogs and delays. They therefore called for increased resourcing, continued legislative reforms and strengthened case management systems in all Member States to improve efficiency and access to labour justice.
- noted improvements in alignment with the Revised SADC Code of Conduct on Child Labour since the previous assessment in 2024, after two more Member States adopted National Action Plans to bring the total of Member States with such strategies to eleven in 2026. While this reflects strengthened institutional commitment and coordination, significant challenges remain, particularly in enforcement, data collection and adequate resourcing, and Senior Officials urged continued efforts to translate policy alignment into measurable impact.
- appointed Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe as regional spokespersons to coordinate SADC Member States participation in various committees during the forthcoming International Labour Conference to be held in June 2026. Senior Officials further endorsed the candidature of the Republic of South Africa for the position of Chairperson of the Conference Committee on the Recurrent Discussion on the Strategic Objective of Social Dialogue and Tripartism.
The meeting was attended by Senior Officials from Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, together with representatives of the SADC Private Sector Forum and the Southern Africa Trade Union Coordination Council. The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) also participated, represented by Mr Alexio Musindo, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team for East and Southern Africa, and Mr Yitna Getachew, Director of the IOM Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa, respectively.
