Recent news

Latest items of recent news relevant to South Africa as reported in our fortnightly newswire ‘Dernières nouvelles’.

South Africa: Precautionary suspension: do employees have the right to make representations?

The accepted practice of employers undertaking a precautionary hearing before suspending an employee is no longer necessary …

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South Africa: How much does SA business spend on its employees?

During Q2 2018, employment costs in South Africa – which include salaries and wages, bonuses, medical aid, life insurance benefits, pension benefits, and other employee-related costs – accounted for 14% (or R340 billion) of the total expenditure in the formal business sector …

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South Africa: Britain, SA finalising interim post-Brexit trade deal

The government is poised to sign a trade agreement with the United Kingdom that will ensure that the trade between the two countries – in the event of a No-Deal Brexit – will remain largely the same as when the UK was part of the EU …

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South Africa: Competition Amendment Bill signed into law

The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has signed the Competition Amendment Act of 2019 into law …

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South Africa: The ‘extra’ public holidays should know about in 2019

Although there will be an extra official public holiday in 2019 – Youth Day on June 16th –  it falls on a Sunday …

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South Africa: Labour minister to review threshold in employment law

Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant is currently reviewing The Basic Conditions of Employment Act to determine if the earnings  threshold under which overtime must be paid should be updated …

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South Africa: Minimum wage to apply from January 2019

The National Minimum Wage (NMW) Bill, which President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law late last month, will officially take effect from the 1st of January 2019 …

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South Africa: President signs minimum wage bill, 6 million to benefit (2018)

President Cyril Ramaphosa has passed a new national minimum wage Bill, setting the minimum at 20 rand per hour, or roughly 3,500 rand (US$252) per month for millions of workers in South Africa …

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South Africa/China: Relaxed visa rules announced

With effect from November the 1st 2018, eligible frequent Chinese business travelers will be able to obtain 10-year multiple-entry visas to allow them to visit South Africa …

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South Africa: Top court legalises private use of cannabis

The decision of the Constitutional Court to legalise the possession of cannabis for private use will put further pressure on employers in the country and increase the international traffic of the drug to countries where it remains unlawful to consume it …

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South Africa: Government has been given 6 months to study equality report and act

The government has been given 6 months to study the Human Rights Commission’s Equality Report and act accordingly …

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South Africa: President alarms investors with land grab proposal

A recent speech by President Cyril Ramaphosa about the widespread requisition of land owned by white farmers without compensation has led to Tweet by US president Trump indicating that the move will be challenged by Washington …

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South Africa: ConCourt supports workers employed through labour brokers

The Constitutional Court has ruled that labour brokers must hire temporary staff who earn below  R205 433 (US$15,363) per annum as permanent workers after three months service with their client companies …

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South Africa: Power utility Eskom made a conditional pay offer

The cash-strapped major power utility Eskom has made a conditional pay offer after weeks of strikes that have closed power stations …

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South Africa: Labour Laws Amendment Bill is currently before parliament

The Labour Laws Amendment Bill is currently before parliament …

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