Legal updates and opinions
News / News
Intention to deem all performers in advertising, artistic and cultural activities as employees
by Andre van Heerden, Director, Jacques van Wyk, Director, Hannah Fowler, Candidate Attorney and Mikayla Ehrenreich, Candidate Attorney
On 23 January 2026, the Minister of Employment and Labour, Mrs Nomakhosazana Meth, announced, in a Government Gazette published on the same day (“Notice“), the intention to deem all performers in the performance of advertising, artistic and cultural activities as employees.
The Government Notice states that, in recognising performers in the advertising, artistic and cultural spheres as employees, they will enjoy the protection of specific provisions under employment legislation. In particular,
(a) insofar as the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 is concerned, the following sections: the regulating of working time (section 7); ordinary hours of work, overtime, rest periods, meal intervals, work on Sundays and public holidays (sections 9 – 19); leave entitlements, including annual, sick and maternity leave, and application to occupational accidents or diseases (sections 20 – 25); written particulars of employment (section 29); record keeping, payment of remuneration, payslips and deductions (sections 37 – 39); and severance pay (section 41),
(b)the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993,
(c) the National Minimum Wage Act 9 of 2018; and
(d)and the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995, in particular, the provisions dealing with fixed term contracts which exceed 24 months (section 198B(10)(a)).
The Notice provides, further, that interested persons may submit written representations regarding the abovementioned proposals within 30 days of publication of the Notice (i.e., by no later than 22 February 2026).
Any such written representations are to be made to the Director General of the Department of Employment and Labour at the following address:
The Director-General: Department of Employment and Labour
Attention: Acting Deputy Director General: Labour Policy and Industrial Relations
Private Bag X117, Pretoria, 0001
Email: SDinvestigations@LABOUR.gov.za
Latest News
Probono@Werks
WILLS WEEK - 2018 ProBono.Org hosted a Wills Week from 23 to 27 July 2018. Lawyers from various firms in [...]
South Africa: trade marks as valuable assets to raise funding
By Janine Hollesen and Donvay Wegierski, Directors The registration of trade marks has numerous advantages one of which is that [...]
Labour bills sent for assent
By Jacques Van Wyk, Director and Yusha Davidson, Candidate Attorney The National Minimum Wage Bill, the Basic Conditions of Employment [...]
Can you dismiss an employee for making racist comments in the workplace, which the employee believes to be friendly and inoffensive according to the employee’s culture?
By Jacques van Wyk, Director and Yusha Davidson, Candidate Attorney ISSUE Is the dismissal of an employee, who compares a [...]
Non-standard forms of work and the gig economy
By Bradley Workman-Davies, Director and Megan Livingstone, Candidate Attorney South African labour law creates extensive rights and protections for employees, [...]
Can you dismiss an employee who refuses to adhere to the alternative plan implemented to avoid mass retrenchment?
By Jacques van Wyk, Director and Yusha Davidson, Candidate Attorney ISSUE Is it fair to dismiss an employee for refusing [...]
