Two thirds of reserved judgments in SA courts are late

By Sophia Wilhelm and Tara Osborne After publication of this article we received complaints that the list provided by the spokesperson for the judiciary is inaccurate. It contains many judgments which have actually been delivered. At 14:22 on Friday 28 September we received this letter from the spokesperson: RE: REQUEST FOR WITHDRAWAL OF ARTICLE The article published on GroundUp on 27 September 2018 titled “Two...

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Bathabile Dlamini could face perjury charges

Constitutional Court rules she must pay 20% of costs of social grant litigation By Zoë Postman The Constitutional Court has ordered former Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini, in her personal capacity, to pay 20% of the costs of the long litigation over social grant payments. The remainder is to be paid by the SA Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the Department of...

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Tell the minister of labour to recognise domestic worker’s rights by speaking up on compensation

We just signed the petition "Tell the minister of labour to recognise domestic worker's rights by speaking up on compensation!" and wanted to ask if you could add your name too. This campaign means a lot to us and the more support we can get behind it, the better chance we have of succeeding. You can read more and sign...

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Important victory for smaller trade unions

Court rules on organisational rights of minority unions By Kathleen Mpofu In an important victory for smaller unions, the Constitutional Court has ruled that a minority union can organise in the workplace even if it doesn’t meet membership requirements agreed on by the majority union and the employer. The POPCRU v SACOSWU case was an appeal to the Constitutional Court from the Labour Appeal...

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Constitutional Court rules to protect workers hired by labour brokers

Long controversy over employment conditions settled By Geoffrey Allsop The Constitutional Court has settled a long running controversy over the employment status of workers employed by temporary employment services, better known as “labour brokers”. The Constitutional Court had to determine the correct interpretation of a 2014 amendment to the Labour Relations Act (LRA). This amendment said that employees are “deemed” to be employed...

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Gauteng court rules against cheap bank repossessions

Judgment is a victory for Johannesburg homeowners, and possibly homeowners across the country By Ciaran Ryan A full bench of the South Gauteng High Court ruled on Wednesday that repossessed homes may no longer be sold at auction without reserve prices, except in exceptional circumstances. A reserve price is the minimum price that something may be sold for at an auction. If no one bids...

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Understanding the Muslim marriages judgment

Despite fierce opposition, the Cape High Court has compelled government to introduce legislation that recognises Muslim marriages By Kathleen Mpofu Women and children in Muslim marriages have few safeguards to protect their interests especially when it comes to divorce and inheritance. A draft bill to legally recognise Muslim marriages was introduced for public comment but according to the Minister of Justice, the bill...

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