Labour Court
The Labour Court is a specialist superior court in South Africa with exclusive jurisdiction over labour and employment matters. Established under the Labour Relations Act of 1995, it sits as a division of the High Court and has the same status and powers. The court hears applications, reviews and appeals arising from decisions of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), bargaining councils and workplace forums. It adjudicates disputes involving unfair dismissals, unfair labour practices, strikes, lockouts, organisational rights and the interpretation of collective agreements. The Labour Court also has jurisdiction to grant urgent interdicts in labour disputes and to enforce compliance with labour legislation. Judges of the Labour Court are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission and typically have expertise in labour law and industrial relations. The court is based in Johannesburg, with additional seats in Cape Town and Durban, and it may hold hearings elsewhere as required. Decisions of the Labour Court may be appealed to the Labour Appeal Court on questions of law or mixed fact and law. The court plays a vital role in developing South Africa's labour jurisprudence and ensuring that workplace disputes are resolved in accordance with constitutional principles of fairness and equity.
Labour Court Updates
Competent presiding officers important for tightrope stability – Don’t rely on artificial intelligence
27th August 2026 South African labour law is firm in insisting that employees accused of dismissible misconduct get a fair opportunity to defend themselves. Where... →
Interviewing for survival: When competitive interviews during retrenchment are fair
21st August 2026 Employers undertaking restructuring exercises are frequently faced with a practical dilemma: where the new organisational structure contains fewer... →
Bad process doesn't make a good dismissal bad: Labour Appeal Court draws a clear line between procedure and substance
19th August 2026 South African labour law has long recognised that a dismissal can fail for one of two reasons. The employer may not have had a fair reason to... →
Size matters: When a stationery cupboard joke turns costly
18th August 2026 If you thought the most dangerous thing in a stationery cupboard was a misplaced staple gun, think again. In a recent Labour Court matter, the... →
Interviewing for survival: when competitive interviews during retrenchment are fair
17th August 2026 South Africa is in the grip of a retrenchment wave cutting across every part of the economy, with high-profile section 189 processes playing out in... →
When the key person leaves: What financial services businesses need to know about restraints of trade
23rd July 2026 When a senior advisor or executive walks out the door, especially to join a competitor, your restraint of trade clause is often the only thing... →
Contractual rights and procedural fairness in disciplinary process
21st July 2026 In Mpembe v University of Zululand and Others (2025/248322) [2025] ZALCD 49, the Labour Court urgently intervened in ongoing disciplinary... →
No grout about it: The LAC cements section 197 principles
17th July 2026 Section 197 of the Labour Relations Act has long been one of the most misunderstood and misapplied provisions in South African labour law.... →
Nxele v Chairperson of the Disciplinary Hearing: Mudau NO and others, [2026] 6 BLLR 628 (LC): Clarifying the operation of section 188A(11) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995
17th July 2026 The Labour Court in Nxele v Chairperson of the Disciplinary Hearing: Mudau NO and others considered yet another chapter in the protracted dispute... →
Time-Bound Justice: Do labour disputes prescribe?
16th July 2026 In labour disputes, time is of the essence; thus, the ability to address and resolve matters expeditiously has become one of the most significant... →
