South African businesses face heightened legal and reputational risk following a stark warning issued by ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula on 26 May 2026. Speaking after the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) weekend meeting, Mbalula confirmed that the government will actively pursue and penalise companies found to be employing undocumented migrants. If your business employs foreign [more…]
URGENT WARNING TO EMPLOYERS: Hiring Undocumented Migrants Is Now a Compliance RiskFefaTech2026-05-27T12:42:13+02:00
A protected strike doesn’t lose its legal protection if it is tainted by violence and intimidation – and employers can’t use this violence as a basis to fire all workers involved.
This was the main outcome of a recently settled case by the Labour Court, as analysed by the director at Werkmans Attorneys, Jacques van Wyk.
The Essential Services Committee (ESC) has denied an application by the National Black Consumer Council to declare public transport an essential service.
The ESC, established under the Labour Relations Act of 1995, investigates whether or not a service should be made an essential service, which the Labour Act defines as one which if interrupted “endangers the [more…]
Transport is not an essential service, committee findss26superu2019-05-20T08:26:40+02:00
The constitution of every trade union has to include a provision on balloting all its members if intending to strike.
Labour Registrar advocate Lehlohonolo Molefe says over 200 South African unions have to change their constitutions to include balloting before strikes are declared or face deregistration.
In terms of the amendments which were implemented in January, the [more…]
Amend constitutions on balloting or be deregistered, unions warneds26superu2019-04-05T11:26:14+02:00
A new code of good practice governing various aspects of strike action came into effect on 1 January 2019. It is a welcome step towards eliminating violent and damaging strikes but its effectiveness remains to be seen in practice.
In the past five years, SA’s mining industry [more…]
How new code can bring order to strikess26superu2019-02-19T09:24:43+02:00
JOHANNESBURG – The Labour Court in Johannesburg on Friday ruled in favour of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and dismissed an urgent application by employers to interdict a strike in the plastics industry.
This comes after more than 10,000 Numsa members on Monday embarked on strike to demand a living wage and [more…]
Labour Court rules in favour of Numsa in ongoing plastics industry strikes26superu2018-10-23T13:26:44+02:00
Theto Mahlakoana analyses the Department of Labour’s recently released 2017 Industrial Action report and concludes that the report shows once more that there are no winners when workers head for the picket line, but the biggest loser is labour.
In 2017 workers lost R251m in wages, compared with R161m in 2016, a 56% increase. Industrial action [more…]
There has to be a better, less expensive way to resolve labour disputes without resort to strikess26superu2018-07-26T07:55:06+02:00
City Press reports that a newly formed organisation called People Against Petrol and Paraffin Price Increases (Pappi) plans to shut down the country’s roads on Friday to protest against rising fuel prices.
In May the petrol price increased by 82c a litre and went up a further 26c earlier this month. Diesel and paraffin increased by [more…]
Workers plan to shut down roads as another petrol price hike loomss26superu2018-07-24T08:03:28+02:00
Entities like clinics, libraries, Joburg Water, municipal police and Pikitup are allegedly ready to strike, but the city has received no such notice.
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) yesterday tabled a list of grievances to back up its plan of mobilising members to stage a protest against the Joburg city council.
The public sector wage agreement is close to being a done deal, with 48% of workers represented by trade unions at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) supporting the offer.
A majority of 50%+1 employee agreement is required to implement the deal.
“We are awaiting Nehawu (National Education Health and Allied Workers Union) to finalise their [more…]
Public sector wage deal inches closer as more unions signs26superu2018-06-08T07:47:31+02:00
The bargaining council and the CCMA have proposed an offer of 8.75 percent for the first year and 8.25 percent for the second.
Bus commuters will have to find alternative transport until Wednesday when the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) will announce whether striking drivers have accepted an improved salary offer.
African National Congress President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday called for equal pay for men and women in South Africa.
Ramaphosa was speaking at a Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) May Day Rally held at a packed Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Port Elizabeth where he was warmly received by the crowds.
The Star reports that bus companies say that if they agree to the demands of striking workers, they might have to increase their fares. Bus drivers have been in a three-week-long strike over salary increases.
They are demanding a 9.5% salary hike, while the employers are offering a 9% [more…]
Pay hike to impact bus fares, bosses warn striking drivers26superu2018-05-02T13:53:08+02:00
How: Section 77 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) allows workers to undertake protected strike action to promote their social and economic interests. Saftu’s application to the Section 77 Sub-Committee of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) was unsuccessful but three trade unions affiliated to Saftu; NUPSAW, ICTU and [more…]
Everything you need to know about Wednesday’s general strikes26superu2018-04-24T11:42:04+02:00
More essential services gazetted to be precluded from strikes, possibly also old age homes and nursing homes.
An essential services declaration means a party to a dispute is precluded from participating in a strike or lock-out and must follow a specific conciliation-arbitration approach.
The following essential services proposals and designations have been gazetted:
A minimum of R20 per hour which translates into a monthly wage of about R3 500 for a 40-hour week, and about R3 900 for those who work 45 hours a week.
Further deliberation
The draft legislation will now be referred to Parliament for further deliberation, after which President [more…]
New minimum wages and Code-Accord to resolve violent strikess26superu2017-11-07T09:51:48+02:00
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) on Monday vowed to intensify the strike against Australian miner South 32 in Richards Bay, Kwa-Zulu Natal, after a marathon negotiation session to resolve the strike was deadlocked.
The global mining company has an aluminium smelter in Richards Bay, South [more…]
Metal workers to intensify wage strike at South 32s26superu2017-10-07T09:43:14+02:00
The Citizen writes that, according to a report in Business Day on Friday, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) is facing a serious internal rebellion and its finances are alleged to be in disarray.
The union’s financial situation is apparently so bad it had to dip into [more…]
Numsa allegedly faces financial troubles, R500m reserve fund ‘raided’s26superu2017-09-07T09:08:41+02:00
The Star reports that bus companies say that if they agree to the demands of striking workers, they might have to increase their fares. Bus drivers have been in a three-week-long strike over salary increases.
A minimum of R20 per hour which translates into a monthly wage of about R3 500 for a 40-hour week, and about R3 900 for those who work 45 hours a week.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) on Monday vowed to intensify the strike against Australian miner South 32 in Richards Bay, Kwa-Zulu Natal, after a marathon negotiation session to resolve the strike was deadlocked.
The Citizen writes that, according to a report in Business Day on Friday, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) is facing a serious internal rebellion and its finances are alleged to be in disarray.