In a world of constant regulatory change, economic pressure, and shifting workplace dynamics, South African employers operate under sustained strain. Labour compliance has become more complex, disputes more frequent, and employee relations more nuanced. Yet many organisations still treat training as a once-off compliance exercise rather than a strategic investment. The reality is simple: workplaces [...]
Some journeys don’t start with a dramatic “big city” moment. They start with an early alarm, a uniform still warm from the iron, and a long drive out of a small village while the sun is only just deciding whether it’s awake. That’s Keotshepile Kodisang’s origin story. Humble beginnings in Ledig, outside Rustenburg, and parents [...]
The Labour Appeal Court (LAC) has confirmed that a blanket zero-tolerance approach to cannabis use in the workplace can infringe employee rights. In Enever v Barloworld Equipment South Africa (2024), the Court made it clear that employers must assess cannabis-related misconduct contextually and cannot rely on rigid policies divorced from risk, role, and actual impairment. [...]
Introduction Many employers assume probation is a “trial period” where employment can be terminated with minimal procedure. That assumption is incorrect. During probation, dismissal must still meet the basic fairness standards set out in Schedule 8 of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (LRA). Probation provides flexibility and allows for a less formal process, [...]
Conciliation is intended to be a flexible, problem-solving process rather than a technical exercise bound by rigid classifications. Yet many employers mistakenly assume that once an employee describes a dispute in a referral form, the case is forever confined to that label. South African labour law has firmly rejected this assumption. Section 135 of the [...]
An employee’s arrest or imprisonment does not automatically terminate the employment relationship. Employers must still follow a fair process and cannot dismiss an employee simply because they are unavailable or suspected of criminal conduct. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
One of the most overlooked, yet critical stages of any disciplinary process is the investigation. Too often, employers rush to issue charges before properly gathering and preserving evidence. When this happens, the disciplinary process is weakened from the outset. An investigation is not a formality. It is the foundation upon which the entire case rests. [...]
Labour law requires disciplinary action to be taken within a reasonable time. However, recent case law confirms that delay alone does not automatically restore trust - particularly where misconduct involves dishonesty. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
Anxiety is having a bit of a moment. It’s the quiet extra passenger in the car, the one piping up with unhelpful commentary just when the traffic gets lively. Clydelle Govender knows that passenger well. She’ll tell you - bravely and without flinching - that driving alone once tied her stomach in knots. What if [...]
South Africa is a diverse country with a rich blend of cultural and religious beliefs, all of which are protected by the Constitution. These beliefs inevitably manifest in the workplace, often through employees, at times creating conflict between personal obligations and operational demands. Employers are frequently placed in complex situations when such beliefs conflict with [...]