South Africa’s GDP per hour worked lags leading economies, but organisations can narrow the gap without waiting for macro reforms. This article explains what productivity is, why it matters, where South Africa sits globally, and the most effective workplace levers: digital tools and infrastructure, job and process redesign, targeted skills development, fair performance management, and trust-building leadership.

Vodacom v Makate (“Please Call Me”) reshapes South African review law. The Constitutional Court held that decision-makers must properly consider material issues and give adequate reasons; process defects can justify setting aside awards even if outcomes seem reasonable. It confirmed three review routes for CCMA awards: LRA s145, s145 read with Constitution s34, and direct reliance on s34. Matter sent back to the SCA.

The National Minimum Wage Commission has proposed a 2026 increase of CPI plus 1.5%, following its annual review under the National Minimum Wage Act. With the current wage at R28.79 per hour and 5.5 million workers affected, employers are invited to submit representations by 12 January 2026. The proposal highlights compliance risks, SMME impact, enforcement priorities and available relief measures.

New OHS regulations issued in December 2025 tighten employer duties on space standards, housekeeping, fire safety, escape routes, flooding risks, risk assessments and first-aid coverage. The rules introduce explicit criminal penalties, requiring employers to redesign workspaces, improve emergency readiness, maintain risk-assessment systems and ensure certified first-aiders per shift. Proactive audits are now essential to avoid liability.

Advance your HR career with the Advanced Occupational Certificate: HRM Officer (NQF 6). This qualification equips HR professionals to move from admin and transactional tasks into true strategic partnership. Blend knowledge, practical skills, and workplace application to manage talent, design organisations, support employment relations, and align people strategy with business goals in a fast-changing, digitally enabled workplace.

The Labour Appeal Court overturned a ruling that an ethical hacker at Sanlam was constructively dismissed, finding he resigned voluntarily and had not proven intolerable working conditions. Mental-health arguments raised only at review were rejected, with the Court confirming that incapacity and constructive dismissal must not be conflated. The CCMA’s original finding was restored, offering clarity on mental-health claims in dismissal disputes.

CCMA statistics, unfair dismissal trends, BCEA enforcement, NMWA referrals, South African labour disputes, CCMA caseload 2025, dismissal patterns SA, incapacity disputes, operational requirements terminations, automatically unfair dismissal, CCMA turnaround times, vulnerable worker sectors SA, private security referrals, labour dispute forecast, wage compliance enforcement, SA workplace justice, retrenchment processes, CCMA arbitration efficiency, labour relations trends SA,

South Africa’s labour-relations landscape is becoming more complex, driven by expanding case law, rising compliance demands and digital transformation. An NQF 6 Labour Relations Practice qualification equips practitioners with advanced legal, strategic and workplace-ready skills. Organisations benefit through fewer disputes, stronger compliance and improved IR capability. As labour dynamics evolve, formalised training has become essential for HR, legal and IR professionals.

B-BBEE works best when viewed not as compliance but as coordinated empowerment. Like an ant colony, South Africa’s economy thrives when every participant plays a meaningful role. Effective B-BBEE aligns ownership, skills development, supplier development and socio-economic investment into a unified growth ecosystem. By shifting from tick-box reporting to collaborative strategy, businesses can unlock new markets, build resilient supply chains and drive inclusive, long-term eco

The Constitutional Court’s Van Wyk judgment clarifies who qualifies for parental leave under the BCEA: only those who assume full parental rights under the Children’s Act. Foster parents, recognised as temporary caregivers without guardianship, do not meet this threshold. Likewise, surrogate mothers hold no parental rights in valid surrogacy agreements—parental status vests in the commissioning parents at birth. While the law is clear, the ruling raises important policy quest

Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) remains central to South Africa’s transformation agenda, but is it empowering the many or enriching a connected few? This article unpacks how BEE has shifted ownership and opportunity, where it has fallen short, and why businesses must move beyond scorecard compliance. It explores practical ways to drive broad-based, grassroots empowerment through black SMEs, skills development, inclusive procurement, and true economic participation.

The Labour Appeal Court in SACCAWU v Putini re-affirmed that labour disputes must be resolved swiftly and that unions and employers may not abuse procedural rules to delay justice. After years of litigation over a 2010 dismissal and a CCMA reinstatement award made an order of court under section 158(1)(c) of the LRA, the LAC upheld the appeal but confirmed the employee’s right to reinstatement and ordered SACCAWU to pay costs.

AARTO’s phased rollout will soon expand administrative traffic enforcement nationwide, making employer readiness essential. With delays to implementation, organisations have a brief window to update policies, monitor fines, track driver demerit points, and prepare for licence suspensions that may disrupt operations. By auditing systems, creating clear AARTO procedures, and training staff now, employers can reduce financial and operational risks before nationwide enforcement b

The Labour Appeal Court has upheld Eskom’s “pipeline” shortlisting policy as lawful under the Employment Equity Act. The Court found that prioritising designated groups for senior roles to advance transformation does not constitute unfair discrimination, provided it’s rational, flexible, and not an absolute barrier. This ruling clarifies that preferential recruitment may form part of legitimate employment equity strategies aligned with constitutional principles.

A strong B-BBEE strategy is now essential for competitiveness. With evolving Sector Codes and tighter verification scrutiny, organisations must align Skills Development, Procurement and ESD practices to unlock real scorecard value. Effective tracking of black-owned suppliers, verification-ready evidence, and linking bursaries, learnerships and absorption to measurable points can prevent audit losses and improve transformation impact ahead of 2025.

Job hugging—the tendency for employees to cling to their jobs despite dissatisfaction—is rising in South Africa amid economic uncertainty and limited job mobility. High unemployment and fears of retrenchment drive this behaviour, reducing innovation and engagement. Employers can counteract job hugging by promoting growth, transparent communication, and career development to restore trust and productivity while building a resilient workforce.

The Labour Appeal Court in CCI Call Centres (Pty) Ltd v Pinn [2025] ZALAC 24 upheld an employee’s dismissal for gross insubordination and insolence after he refused to process payroll codes and insulted the CFO. The Court ruled reinstatement inappropriate due to the breakdown of trust, criticising the Labour Court for re-hearing the case instead of applying the reasonableness test. The Arbit­rator’s one-month compensation award was reinstated.

AI is revolutionising Enterprise Development (ED) by replacing paperwork with proactive impact tracking. From smart beneficiary profiling and automated milestone monitoring to impact forecasting and compliance-ready dashboards, AI enables real-time visibility and measurable empowerment. South African organisations can now move beyond compliance, using data intelligence to build sustainable, inclusive supplier ecosystems that drive transformation and long-term growth.

The Labour Court in Ndzeru v Transnet National Ports Authority [2023] ZALCCT 11 upheld the dismissal of an employee jailed for attempted hijacking. Absent for over seven weeks, the worker was dismissed for incapacity after bail was twice denied. The Court ruled the process fair, noting union representation and no duty for a post-dismissal hearing in incarceration cases. The judgment affirms operational fairness and employer rights where absence stems from imprisonment.

Swearing at a boss may feel impulsive, but in South African labour law, emotional outbursts seldom excuse misconduct. The Labour Relations Act recognises verbal abuse toward senior leaders as gross misconduct and insubordination. Dismissal can be fair if trust breaks down and procedures are followed. While stress or provocation may mitigate, the law prioritises respect, discipline, and procedural fairness over emotional impulse.