South African Labour Law

South African labour law changes fast. In the last two years alone, a new Code of Good Practice: Dismissal replaced Schedule 8, the Constitutional Court rewrote parental leave, employment equity moved to sector targets and compliance certificates, and the COIDA amendments came into force. This course takes you through the whole framework in twelve practical modules. Each module explains the law in plain language, shows how it plays out in real South African workplaces, tests your understanding with a case study and a knowledge check, and gives you a template or tool you can use at work the next day.

WHO IT IS FOR • HR officers, generalists and managers • Industrial relations and employee relations practitioners • Line managers, supervisors and shift bosses who chair hearings or manage discipline • Shop stewards, union officials and employee representatives • Payroll and compliance officers, business owners and SME managers • Mining, construction and contractor-management personnel who handle site-level labour matters

WHAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO • Explain the constitutional and statutory framework of South African labour law and the role of each dispute resolution institution. • Determine whether a person is an employee, and identify the rights of fixed-term, part-time and labour-broker (TES) workers. • Apply the BCEA and National Minimum Wage Act to hours, leave, pay, deductions and termination. • Identify and manage unfair labour practices, including probation, promotion, suspension and benefits disputes. • Run fair misconduct and incapacity processes under the Code of Good Practice: Dismissal (2025). • Plan and run a retrenchment consultation under sections 189 and 189A of the LRA and manage a section 197 transfer. • Apply collective labour law: organisational rights, collective agreements, bargaining councils, strikes, lockouts and picketing. • Apply the Employment Equity Act, including unfair discrimination, harassment, EE plans, sector targets and section 53 certificates. • Describe employer duties under OHSA, MHSA, COIDA, the UIA, the Skills Development Act and POPIA. • Refer, prepare and present a matter at the CCMA, and explain remedies, review and enforcement.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Grade 12 (NQF 4) or equivalent work experience, and a working command of English. No prior legal training is needed. Learners need internet access and a device that can open PDF and Word files.

DURATION 120 hours over 12 weeks (3 months), self-paced with weekly live sessions. Access for 365 days.

COMPLETION Complete all lessons in all 12 modules and pass the final assessment (80%).

The law is stated as at 9 November 2026. This course provides education on the law; it is not legal advice. Figures that change annually (minimum wage, BCEA earnings threshold) must be checked before relying on them in a live matter.