The department of labour intends to place 50 000 jobless young people in companies as part of its skills development commitment in 2003, MPs heard on Tuesday.

Director-general Rams Ramashia was briefing the National Assembly's labour committee on his department's programme for the year.

The department wanted to accelerate delivery and access to leadership, so that unemployed youngsters had an opportunity to gain work experience.

"We want to provide tax incentives to companies to take these youngsters on board and provide them with experiential training. There seems to be a lot of interest from companies to take learners, and the challenge is to popularise the idea so that more companies get involved," Ramashia said.

The department also wanted to monitor the 2004/2005 National Skills Development Strategy targets, which including equity goals.

"For these targets to be met we would like to see at least 85 percent black, 54 percent women and four percent people with disabilities, thereby creating a pool of workers for the market".

Ramashia warned media houses that Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana would crack down to ensure equity, after recent complaints that they were "involved in a lot of window dressing".

The department would also support Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) to achieve their targets, and would help train 164763 people through a strategic project fund.

Highlighting other priorities, Ramashia said the department would strengthen its enforcement mechanisms to ensure employment equity.

"We are not happy with reports coming from companies and want a higher level of compliance... when they report on equity in the workplace".

Ramashia also focused on vulnerable workers and said new sectoral wage determinations were being investigated in the forestry, minibus taxi, glass and glassware, fishing, clothing and knitting, and civil engineering industries.

The department would also target occupational health and safety, by increasing inspections and promoting compliance.

Amendments to the Skills Development Act, Unemployment Insurance Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act would also be tabled, Ramashia said. However, these changes were mainly technical and an overhaul of the legislative framework was not necessary - Sapa.