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The Clock is Ticking on Unfair Labour Practice Referrals – Labour Court Confirms They Are One-Time Events
by Bradley Workman-Davies, Director In the recent case of NEHAWU obo Makhubele & others v Ramalatso NO & others , the Labour Court reaffirmed that disputes over unfair [...]
How Strong Merits Can Save a Late Case
by Jacques van Wyk, Director and Mike Searle, Candidate Attorney In a recent Labour Appeal Court (“LAC“) judgement in Government Printing Works v Public Service Association and [...]
Does an Employer’s Right to Discipline and Dismiss its Employees Prescribe?
by Anastasia Vatalidis, Director and Anna Tchalov, Associate In Public Investment Corporation v More and others, handed down on 16 April 2025, the Labour Court was called upon to [...]
Employers must timeously take steps to deal with any allegations of sexual harassment raised with them, failing which they may be held liable
by Andre van Heerden, Director and Hannah Fowler, Candidate Attorney Introduction In Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union obo S and another / Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, the [...]
Are we seeing an end to the appointment of board members to act as CEOs of SOEs / Private Companies?
by Sandile July, Director and Head of Employment and Nonkosazana Nkosi, Director 1. The Labour Court has officially put a stop to the appointment of board [...]
Alexkor Soc Limited and Another v Carstens (JA7/24) [2025] ZALAC 28 (15 May 2025)
by Bankey Sono, Director and Neo Sewela, Senior Associate 1. Does the Labour Court have the power to declare a pre-arbitration minute invalid and set it [...]
Managers, who are members/representatives of a trade union, are still required to fulfil their contractual obligations to their employer
by Andre van Heerden, Director and Hannah Fowler, Candidate Attorney Introduction In Association of Mineworkers and Construction Workers Union obo Ntuli v Ferroglobe Silicon Smelters (Pty) Ltd, the [...]
The Clock Is Ticking: Labour Disputes and the Perils of Miscalculating Timeframes
The recent Labour Court decision in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality v SAMWU obo Bukula and Others (PR174/2023) provides a sobering reminder of the importance of calculating [...]
Automatic Termination Clauses Do Not Trump the LRA: The Biyana Case
and Isabella Keeves – Candidate Attorney The CCMA’s recent decision in Biyana v National Consumer Commission (2025) 34 CCMA 7.17.2 offers a critical reminder for employers [...]
Allegations of Ethnic Discrimination Require Evidence: the Sagan Principle
and Isabella Keeves - Candidate Attorney In 1979 science communicator and physicist Carl Sagan wrote in his book Broca's Brain that "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence", [...]
Sorry Not Sorry
and Mike Searle, Candidate Attorney In the recent Labour Court decision of Standard Bank Insurance Brokers (Pty) Ltd v Dlamini & Others (JR15/24), the issue of [...]
Discrimination – it’s not unfair when its fair
In a notable judgment delivered on 6 November 2024, the Labour Appeal Court (LAC) in Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa v Hoyo ([2024] ZALAC 57) [...]
Labour Court Upholds Enforceability of Restraint of Trade Agreements
and Hannah Fowler, Candidate Attorney In the recent case of SMD Technologies (Pty) Ltd v Tavares and Another ([2024] ZALCJHB 546), the Labour Court reaffirmed the [...]
Remedies in respect of decisions made under the MPRDA: there are no quick fixes
Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) When it comes to appealing against or reviewing administrative decisions under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act [...]
Breaking News as the Minister of Employment and Labour publishes much anticipated Sectoral Targets and accompanying Regulations
by Anastasia Vatalidis - Director, Kerry Fredericks - Director and Gracie Sargood - Candidate Attorney The Employment Equity Amendment Act No.4 of 2022 (“EEAA“) which came [...]
Whether non-parties to a collective agreement can refer a dispute about the interpretation and application of the collective agreement?
and Pumelela Mniki, Candidate Attorney The issue of whether non-parties to a collective agreement can declare a dispute about its interpretation or application recently came up [...]
Note On The Final Nedlac Report On The Labour Law Reform Process
and Anna Tchalov, Candidate Attorney and Gracie Sargood, Candidate Attorney Following negotiations between organised business, organised labour and government, the National Economic Development and Labour Council [...]
Navigating Section 197 in Public Service contracts: Lessons from the King Cetshwayo District Municipality case
and Mike Searle, Candidate Attorney Introduction : ISSUE In the case of King Cetshwayo District Municipality v Water and Sanitation Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd and [...]
New Earnings Threshold
and Isabella Keeves, Candidate Attorney As of 1 April 2025, the annual earnings threshold as stipulated under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 [...]
Department of Employment and Labour Update: What to expect in relation to the implementation of the Employment Equity sector targets
On 17 February 2025, the Department of Employment and Labour ("DoEL"), held a virtual meeting where various stakeholders and industry players met to discuss and engage on, inter [...]
National Minimum Wage Increases For 2025
With effect from 1 March 2025, the national minimum wage will be adjusted to R28.79 for each ordinary hour worked. This marks an increase of 4.39% [...]
Key Updates to the Code of Good Practice on Dismissal: A Comparison of the 2025 Draft and the Original Framework
On 22 January 2025, the Department of Employment and Labour issued a draft update to the Code of Good Practice on Dismissal ("Draft Code") under [...]
Are CCMA and Bargaining Council Subpoenas Meeting Legal Standards? A Closer Look at Substantive Compliance
and Rekgopetše Pula, Candidate Attorney Since inception, the issuance of subpoenas by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and Bargaining Councils has been wanting [...]
Can language proficiency policies be used to exclude individuals who lack the required language skills from employment?
Our Constitution recognises 12 official languages and commits to promoting their development and use. Viewed through the lens of language, the Constitution reflects South Africa's aspirations [...]
Employment Equity Amendment Act Commencement – Important news for employers employing more than 50 employees
The President of the Republic of South Africa has recently proclaimed that the Employment Equity Amendment Act No.4 of 2022 ("EEAA") shall come into operation on [...]
