Ubuntu News
Strike case
In AFRICAN MEAT INDUSTRY AND ALLIED TRADE UNION (AMITU) AND OTHERS V SHAVE AND GIBSON PACKAGING (PTY) LTD (D 1050/2019) [2023] ZALCD 17 (17 OCTOBER 2023) the case revolved around the alleged unfair dismissal of members of the union AMITU. The Court was tasked with determining the fairness of the employer’s actions. The dispute arose from a…
Read MoreDismissal Under the Guise of Operational Requirements
In the matter of LEKALAKE V EOH MTHOMBO (PTY) LTD [2025] JS895/19 LC, the Labour Court’s ruling highlighted the importance of fair retrenchment procedures in South Africa. The case involved a consultant who was dismissed in 2019 due to alleged operational requirements. However, the Court found the dismissal to be substantively unfair and ordered the employee’s reinstatement with…
Read MoreAARTO RULES FROM JUNE 5, 2025
AARTO Rule – From June 5, 2025, every motorist in South Africa must prepare for one of the most significant shifts in road traffic enforcement in recent history. The full implementation of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act means tougher fines, stricter enforcement of rules, and a complete overhaul of how demerit points are assigned for traffic…
Read MoreUnderlying cause in a section 197 transfer? Labour Appeal Court clarifies
The recent Labour Appeal Court (LAC) decision in Zeda Car Leasing (Pty) Ltd t/a Avis Fleet v Belinda Perlee (JA01/24) provides further clarification on the interpretation of section 197 of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1996 (LRA). This matter concerned a dispute over whether employees of Avis Fleet, who were dismissed following a restructuring…
Read MoreNavigating occupational health and safety in the digital economy
The digitalisation of labour has become increasingly prevalent, necessitating a review of occupational health and safety (OHS) protocols and standards. Employers and employees face unprecedented challenges as well as opportunities in the digital workplace. On 25 March 2025, the Department of Employment and Labour released a guide titled “What Every Employer and Employee Should Know…
Read MoreDismissal – Offensive behaviour
The case of TEMPEST CAR HIRE V LEBYANE JR50/22 [2024] (ZALCJHB) 1 AUGUST 2024 involved the dismissal of the employee following an incident where she made an inappropriate comment towards a colleague, Ms. Tasha Moodley. The dismissal was initially ruled unfair by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), but the employer sought a review under…
Read MoreNational minimum wage and Earnings threshold
On 7 March 2025, the Minister of Employment and Labour gazetted a new earnings threshold of R261 748.45 per annum or R21 812.37 per month. In terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), all employees earning in excess of the earnings threshold, are excluded from the ambit of certain sections of the BCEA, which primarily…
Read MoreChallenges in regulating the use of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (“AI“) has seen rapid growth in recent years. The release of ChatGPT in November 2022 and several other AI developments have created a frenzy where individuals and businesses are seeking to deploy and leverage AI in their everyday lives. However, the rate at which AI is being developed far exceeds the creation of…
Read MoreAI in the workplace
Artificial Intelligence (AI) transforms workplaces in ways we couldn’t have imagined a decade ago. From streamlining repetitive tasks to assisting with complex problem-solving, employees use AI tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E, and other generative AI software to enhance productivity and creativity. While this is great news for innovation, it raises important questions about control, security, and…
Read MoreNATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE
The national minimum wage (NMW), will increase with effect from 1 March 2025. There will also be an increase of the minimum wage in certain specified sectors. R28,79 per hourThe minimum wage of R27,58 per hour will increase to R28,79 per hour (an increase of approximately 4,4%). The new minimum wage sets a new baseline…
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