Emoji Liability Crises
Thursday, 05 February 2026 | Virtual
R950.00 (excl. VAT)
URGENT HR COMPLIANCE ALERT: Recent cases show emojis are now being used as evidence in harassment and discrimination disputes, exposing organisations to legal and reputational risk. Join our 1½-hour expert-led webinar to understand how the Employment Equity Act, POPIA, Cybercrimes Act, and PEPUDA apply to emoji use — and how to protect your company from litigation. Includes a FREE ready-to-implement Emoji Policy Template.
Great news, registrations are OPEN!
Time & Location
05 February 2026, Thursday, 09:00 - 10:30
Virtual
About The Event
Emojis may seem harmless, but they’ve become a legal minefield in modern workplace communication. South African companies now face rising risks of unfair discrimination and harassment claims, as well as potential loss of Employment Equity compliance certificates, due to unregulated emoji usage under the EE Amendments.
The Emoji Liability Crisis webinar provides a practical, compliance-driven roadmap to safeguard your organisation. In this critical 1½-hour online session, leading Employment Equity and labour law experts unpack how emojis intersect with the Employment Equity Act, POPI Act, Cybercrimes Act, and Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (PEPUDA). You’ll explore real-world cases where emojis were admitted as evidence in harassment disputes, learn how courts interpret digital intent, and receive actionable guidance for immediate risk mitigation.
What You’ll Learn:
The South African legal framework governing digital communication and emoji use
Recent case law and global precedents shaping employer liability
A risk assessment model for identifying high-risk patterns and cultural or generational gaps
Best-practice policy development and training strategies to prevent misuse
Immediate protection steps – audit procedures, interim controls, and compliance checklists
Industry-specific recommendations for client communications and disciplinary protocols
Exclusive Delegate Bonus: Every attendee receives a FREE Emoji Usage Policy & Procedure Template, ready for implementation within 48 hours.
Event Details:
Format: Virtual Webinar | Duration: 1½ hours
Date: 05 February 2025
Time: 09:00 - 10:30
Price: R950.00 excl. VAT
Contact: info@globalbusiness.co.za for more info.
Presented by Global Business Solutions (GBS)—Your Partner in Strategic HR Compliance
All workshops are offered as customised in-house training that can be presented virtually or on-site.
*All courses and conferences are subject to minimum delegate numbers.
GBS is:
Qualifying Small Enterprise
Level 2 B-BBEE Contributor
53% Black Owned
More than 51% Black Women Owned
More about the presenter:
John Botha
Joint-CEO, Global Business Solutions and CEO, Circle and Square
John Botha is a highly regarded leader in workforce solutions, labour law, and strategic business transformation. As Joint-CEO of Global Business Solutions, he brings decades of experience and has shaped South Africa's labour and employment landscape through his roles on the Employment Equity Commission and Essential Services Commission.
A former Group Executive Director of South Africa's largest JSE-listed workforce solutions company at just 31, John has represented South Africa at the International Labour Organisation and led key labour law negotiations at NEDLAC. His academic credentials include a BCom Honours, a Postgraduate Diploma in Labour Law, and executive training from Columbia Business School and MIT.
In recent years, John has also been at the forefront of Global Business Solutions’ AI journey. He was one of the original strategic minds behind the firm’s award-winning disciplinary inquiry bots, designing the frameworks and process flows that ensure these tools are not only technologically advanced but also robust, fair and compliant. Working closely with the AI division headed by Joshua Botha, John focuses on aligning AI and automation with sound labour law, sustainable employment practices and clear business outcomes.
As a presenter on the AI Compass capacitation programme, John brings strategic perspective, deep regulatory insight and decades of boardroom experience, which perfectly complements Joshua’s hands-on, Gen Z-driven approach to AI and automation. Together, they offer clients a unique combination of visionary strategy and practical implementation, grounded in the real-world challenges of HR, labour law and organisational change.
John Botha
Head of AI, Global Business Solutions
Joshua Botha is the Head of AI at Global Business Solutions, where he leads the design and implementation of practical AI tools and automation workflows for clients. A recent BCom graduate from the University of Pretoria (2024), Joshua combines a strong business grounding with a hands-on focus on intelligent automation and AI-driven process improvement.
He originally joined Global Business Solutions in the B-BBEE division under the mentorship of Cindie van Blerk and Richard Ryding, working on complex compliance and transformation projects for high-profile clients. This experience gave him a deep understanding of regulatory frameworks and organisational risk, which now underpins his approach to building trustworthy, compliant AI solutions.
Joshua has since taken over from Courtney Botha as Head of AI and now drives the ongoing enhancement of Global Business Solutions’ AI and automation portfolio, including the continuous upgrading of the company’s award-winning disciplinary inquiry bots. Working closely with John and the broader consulting team, he focuses on turning real-world HR and labour challenges into robust, user-friendly AI workflows. As a presenter and facilitator on the AI Compass Capacitation Programme, Joshua brings an energetic, Gen Z perspective to making AI tangible, practical, and immediately useful inside clients’ organisations.
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