The Pendulum Has Swung: Why the Future of Work Was Never About Location
The world of work did not simply change in 2020; it accelerated. Almost overnight, organisations across the globe entered one of the largest workplace experiments in modern history. Offices emptied, dining room tables became workstations, and video conferencing replaced traditional boardroom interactions. Workplace changes that many believed would take decades unfolded within a matter of [...]
Infographic: A Modern Approach to Conducting Effective Interviews
Hiring the right person can significantly influence an organisation's success. While recruitment practices have evolved over time, the interview remains one of the most important tools for assessing candidates. Modern interview processes are increasingly structured, objective, and tailored to organisational needs. By Daniel van der Merwe National Collective Bargaining Coordinator at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO [...]
When the Bargaining Council Comes Knocking: How Employers Should Respond to a Compliance Order
Compliance and enforcement remain among the most common challenges experienced by employers operating within bargaining council environments. For many businesses, receiving a compliance order immediately creates anxiety, particularly where there are concerns about penalties, backpay, legal costs or possible enforcement action. These concerns are understandable. However, employers should recognise that receiving a compliance order does [...]
Infographic: Keeping the Faith (and the Job)
Balancing religious accommodation with operational requirements can be a challenging task for employers. The Labour Appeal Court’s decision in Sun International Management Ltd v Sayiti provides important guidance on where the duty to accommodate ends and where legitimate business requirements begin. By Tammy Koekemoer | Dispute Resolution Official (CEO SA) & Wesley Field | Provincial Manager at [...]
Infographic: The Labour Court draws the line on procedural perfection
The Labour Court has confirmed that procedural fairness is about substance, not box-ticking. Employers are expected to act fairly and transparently, not to achieve procedural perfection. This infographic unpacks the Labour Court’s guidance in SAMWU obo Mvinjelwa v City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality & Others. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation [...]
Constructive Dismissal: When an Employee’s Resignation Becomes the Employer’s Liability
Constructive dismissal is often misunderstood by both employers and employees. Unlike a conventional dismissal, the employer does not expressly terminate the employment relationship. Instead, the employee resigns, alleging that the employer's conduct, or failure to act, made continued employment so intolerable that resignation became the only reasonable option. Section 186(1)(e) of the Labour Relations Act [...]
Moving on Up | Meet Nathan Campbell
Fourteen moves before finishing school is enough to turn anyone into an expert in the peculiar rituals of moving day! Finding the sturdiest boxes, borrowing a roll of tape that never seems to cut cleanly, and writing kitchen, books or glass across the side in thick black marker. By the time Nathan Campbell reached his [...]
Incapacity Dismissals: Why Dismissal Must Always Be the Last Resort
Dismissals based on ill-health or incapacity present some of the most sensitive challenges in employment law. Unlike misconduct dismissals, incapacity cases are not concerned with employee fault, but rather with whether the employee remains capable of performing the inherent requirements of the job and whether the employer has taken reasonable steps to accommodate the employee [...]
Infographic: Understanding sick leave entitlements, medical certificates, and employer rights
Sick leave abuse remains one of the most common and disruptive workplace challenges. While the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) protects employees who are genuinely ill or injured, it also provides employers with clear rights to manage, investigate, and address abuse. Understanding the statutory framework is the first step in dealing with the issue [...]
Infographic: Employer Registration with Bargaining Councils
Bargaining councils play a central role in regulating labour relations within specific industries in South Africa. Where collective agreements are extended to non-parties, registration with the relevant bargaining council is not optional. It is a legal obligation that directly affects compliance, cost structures, and workplace stability. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers [...]
Winning Isn’t Always Being Right
One of the hardest lessons employers learn about labour disputes is that being right does not always mean winning. Many employers arrive at arbitration convinced that justice will prevail because misconduct clearly occurred, the employee admitted wrongdoing, or the workplace rule was obvious. Yet arbitration awards do not always reflect those expectations. This is not [...]
Constructive Dismissal Revisited
Constructive dismissal remains one of the most difficult dismissal disputes for employees to prove successfully. This position was recently reaffirmed by the Constitutional Court in Maleka v Boyce N.O. and Others (CCT 175/23) [2026] ZACC 7. While the majority judgment confirmed the long-established legal principles governing constructive dismissal, the minority judgment attracted significant attention for [...]
From ‘Kattekwaad’ to Collections | Meet Elmarie Janse van Vuuren
Before Elmarie Janse van Vuuren became the person calmly phoning members, working through accounts and helping keep the wheels turning at CEO, she was apparently a small Pretoria expert in “kattekwaad”. Growing up in Capital Park, she admits she definitely tested her parents’ patience with the pranks and mischief she got up to as a [...]
Infographic: Parental leave, equality, and workplace policy
In a landmark judgment delivered on 3 October 2025, the Constitutional Court in Van Wyk and Others v Minister of Employment and Labour and Others fundamentally redefined parental leave in South Africa. The Court held that existing provisions of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) and Unemployment Insurance Act (UIA) unfairly discriminated against fathers [...]
Mutual Separation Agreements: Ending Employment by Consent
A mutual separation agreement allows an employer and employee to end the employment relationship by mutual consent rather than through dismissal or resignation. These agreements are often used where the employment relationship has irretrievably broken down, and both parties wish to separate on agreed terms. While they can provide an efficient and amicable resolution, mutual [...]
Infographic: Suspected false medical certificates
Medical certificates remain a critical safeguard for employees on sick leave, but they are also frequently abused. While employers are entitled to investigate suspected misuse, recent Labour Appeal Court jurisprudence makes it clear that suspicion alone is insufficient to justify disciplinary action or dismissal. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
Plan A, B and CEO | Meet Afrika Somthi
Some children learn the alphabet from a classroom wall. Afrika Somthi learnt it as a life strategy. If Plan A does not work, her mother taught her, there are still 25 other letters waiting their turn. Keep moving forward. It is funny, memorable, and very Afrika, because behind the line is a whole philosophy of [...]
Infographic: Dealing with incompatibility in the workplace
Personality clashes and strained working relationships are as old as the workplace itself. While employers are often expected to “fix” these situations, incompatibility is not automatically misconduct and must be approached carefully to avoid unfair dismissal findings. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
Employing Foreign Nationals in South Africa
South Africa's labour market remains under significant strain, with unemployment levels among the highest globally and economic growth remaining sluggish. In this environment, employment practices have increasingly come under public scrutiny, particularly regarding the employment of foreign nationals. While employing foreign nationals remains lawful, employers must comply with strict immigration and labour legislation. As public [...]
Infographic: Can an employee give too much notice when tendering their resignation?
Resignations usually raise concerns when notice is too short or given with “immediate effect”. Less commonly considered is the opposite scenario: when an employee tenders more notice than required. While it may appear generous, excessive notice can create legal and operational complications for employers. By Carl Ranger Head of Training at Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO SA)
Seeking Relief: Understanding Bargaining Council Exemptions
Collective agreements concluded within bargaining councils establish industry-wide standards relating to wages, benefits, working hours, leave provisions, and other terms and conditions of employment. While these agreements are designed to promote fairness and consistency across an industry, there are circumstances where compliance may place significant financial or operational pressure on a business. A bargaining council [...]
The Disability Employers Often Overlook
What if your employment equity reports are incomplete? What if your organisation already employs persons with disabilities, yet your workforce analysis suggests otherwise? For many employers, disability remains associated with visible and physical impairments. However, South African labour law recognises that disability extends beyond what can be seen. Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety [...]
Infographic: The trust relationship and the appropriateness of a sanction
The concept of a “broken trust relationship” is frequently invoked in misconduct dismissals. However, it is also one of the most misunderstood and misapplied principles in labour law. While trust may be relevant to sanction, it is neither automatic nor decisive. This infographic clarifies when trust matters, when it does not, and the common legal [...]
Infographic: What to do when a subpoenaed witness turns against you
Subpoenaed witnesses play a critical role in CCMA arbitrations, but they do not always testify as expected. When a witness turns against the party who called them, it can materially affect the outcome of a case. Understanding subpoenas and the option to declare a witness hostile is essential for effective case management. By Carl Ranger [...]
We’re Not a Family. We’re a Team (And That’s a Good Thing)
What Netflix’s Culture Teaches Us About Performance, Trust, and the Price of Excellence Every company loves to say, “We’re like a family.” It sounds warm, human, and safe. But let’s be honest, families don’t cut underperformers like a sports team would. Families forgive; teams compete. Families give you unconditional love; teams expect you to earn [...]