Amendments to South Africa’s labour laws were expected to be finalised by the end of November, Portfolio Committee on Labour chairperson Elleck Nchabeleng said on Wednesday.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Labour, which was undertaking an “intense review” of the labour laws, aimed to assist in the process of amending the Basic Conditions of Employment, the Labour Relations, the Employment Equity and the newly tabled Public Employment Services Bills.
Nchabeleng said in a statement released by the Department of Labour (DoL) that the committee would collaborate with State law advisers and Parliamentary advisers to ensure the laws were aligned with the country’s Constitution, while strengthening the DoL inspection unit’s ability to enforce labour laws.
While the Basic Conditions of Employment Amendment Bill and the Labour Relations Amendment Bill had completed public comment hearings and were undergoing legal and constitutional scrutiny, the Employment Equity Amendment Bill and the Public Employment Services Bill were expected to undergo public hearings in February.
“The recent developments in the labour market as demonstrated by the intensity of strikes in the mining and agricultural sector has highlighted the need to speed up the process of labour review,” Nchabeleng said.