Regulation of Work in Africa

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countries:south_africa [2026/03/25 10:52] – created charltoncountries:south_africa [2026/03/25 11:40] (current) – charlton
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 ==== Population size and size of the informal economy ==== ==== Population size and size of the informal economy ====
  
-South Africa’s population exceeds **60 million**. The country faces high unemployment, and a significant proportion of the working-age population remains either unemployed or engaged in informal economic activities. The informal economy includes street vendors, waste reclaimers, and other unregistered or unregulated forms of work, and constitutes a substantial share of total employment, particularly among women, youth, and migrants. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}  +South Africa’s population exceeds **60 million**. The country faces high unemployment, and a significant proportion of the working-age population is either unemployed or engaged in informal economic activity. 
 + 
 +The informal economy includes street vendors, waste reclaimers, domestic workers, and other forms of unregistered or unregulated work. It constitutes a significant share of total employment, particularly among women, youth, and migrant workers. The persistence of informality reflects structural inequality, limited formal job creation, and barriers to entry into the formal labour market.
  
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 ==== Nature of the legal system and ILO status ==== ==== Nature of the legal system and ILO status ====
  
-South Africa became a constitutional democracy in 1994 and operates a **mixed legal system** based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law. South Africa re-joined the **International Labour Organization (ILO) on 26 May 1994** and has ratified all eight core conventions. The country has a **Decent Work Country Programme**, extended to 2025. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}  +South Africa became a constitutional democracy in 1994 and operates a **mixed legal system** based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law. 
 + 
 +South Africa re-joined the **International Labour Organization (ILO) on 26 May 1994** and has ratified all eight fundamental conventions. The country operates under a **Decent Work Country Programme**, extended to 2025.
  
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 ==== Workers’ rights in human rights system, national labour law / social protection and scope of protection ==== ==== Workers’ rights in human rights system, national labour law / social protection and scope of protection ====
  
-Workers’ rights are grounded in the **Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996**.  +Workers’ rights are constitutionally entrenched in the **Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996**:
  
-  * **Section 23** provides that everyone has the right to fair labour practices and that every worker has the right to form and join a trade union and participate in its activities.   +  * **Section 23**: Right to fair labour practices and freedom of association   
-  * **Section 27** provides for access to social security and, where individuals cannot support themselves and their dependants, appropriate social assistance. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}  +  * **Section 27**: Right to access social security and social assistance  
  
 Key labour and social protection legislation includes: Key labour and social protection legislation includes:
  
-  * **Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995**  +  * **Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (LRA)**  
     * Applies to employees, including workers in disguised employment       * Applies to employees, including workers in disguised employment  
  
-  * **National Minimum Wage Act 9 of 2018**   +  * **National Minimum Wage Act 9 of 2018 (NMWA)**   
-    * Applies to all workers and their employers, except members of security agencies  +    * Applies to all workers except members of security services  
  
   * **Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 (BCEA)**     * **Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 (BCEA)**  
-    * Provides for sectoral determinations under Chapter Eight  +    * Provides minimum conditions of employment   
 +    * Enables sectoral determinations  
  
   * **Skills Development Act 97 of 1998**   * **Skills Development Act 97 of 1998**
  
   * **Unemployment Insurance Contributions Act (UICA)**     * **Unemployment Insurance Contributions Act (UICA)**  
-    * Requires employer and employee contributions   +    * Provides unemployment, illness, maternity, adoption, and dependent benefits   
-    * Provides unemployment, illness, maternity, adoption, and dependent’s benefits   +    * Includes provisions for domestic workers employed by multiple employers   
-    * Includes specific protection for domestic workers employed by multiple employers :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}  + 
 +This framework establishes a relatively comprehensive system of labour rights and social protection, although coverage and enforcement vary across the informal economy.
  
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 ==== Existing laws, policy and regulatory initiatives for the protection of workers in the informal economy ==== ==== Existing laws, policy and regulatory initiatives for the protection of workers in the informal economy ====
  
-South Africa regulates aspects of the informal economy through:+South Africa regulates aspects of informal work through:
  
-  * General labour legislation   
   * Sectoral determinations     * Sectoral determinations  
-  * Occupational injury compensation   
-  * Waste integration guidance   
   * Minimum wage protections     * Minimum wage protections  
 +  * Occupational injury compensation systems  
 +  * Sector-specific regulatory instruments  
  
-This creates a relatively broad statutory framework, although enforcement and coverage remain uneven across sectors. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}  +These mechanisms extend elements of labour protection into informal sectors, although gaps remain in enforcement and inclusion.
  
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   * **Sectoral Determination 7: Domestic Worker Sector**     * **Sectoral Determination 7: Domestic Worker Sector**  
     * Issued under section 51(1) of the BCEA       * Issued under section 51(1) of the BCEA  
-    * Establishes conditions of employment and minimum wages, subject to the National Minimum Wage Act  +    * Establishes wages and conditions of employment  
  
   * **Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA)**     * **Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA)**  
-    * Extends labour standards to domestic workers   
  
   * **Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA)**     * **Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA)**  
-    * Provides occupational injury and disease compensation coverage   
  
-The domestic worker framework regulates wages, working time, leave, and termination, and extends BCEA protections to domestic workers, including some independent contractors and workers placed through employment services. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}  +The framework regulates wages, working hours, leave, and termination, and extends labour protections to domestic workers.
  
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   * **Businesses Act 71 of 1991**     * **Businesses Act 71 of 1991**  
  
-This Act provides the principal framework relevant to street trading and informal business activity. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}  +Provides the principal legislative framework governing informal trading and business activity.
  
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   * **Waste Picker Integration Guideline (2020)**     * **Waste Picker Integration Guideline (2020)**  
  
-This guideline supports the integration of waste reclaimers into the waste management system. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}  +Supports the integration of waste reclaimers into formal waste management systems.
  
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   * **Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA)**     * **Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA)**  
  
-General employment protections under the BCEA are relevant to home-based work arrangements. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}  +General labour protections apply to home-based workers where an employment relationship exists.
  
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   * **Sectoral Determination 13: Farm Worker Sector**     * **Sectoral Determination 13: Farm Worker Sector**  
     * Issued under section 51(1) of the BCEA       * Issued under section 51(1) of the BCEA  
-    * Establishes conditions of employment and minimum wages, subject to the National Minimum Wage Act :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}  +    * Establishes wages and conditions of employment  
  
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 ==== The Mining Sector and Artisanal Mining ==== ==== The Mining Sector and Artisanal Mining ====
  
-  * [[https://www.dmre.gov.za/news-room/post/2763|Department of Mineral Resources and Energy reference]] :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}  +  * [[https://www.dmre.gov.za/news-room/post/2763|Department of Mineral Resources and Energy]]   
 + 
 +Provides regulatory context for mining activities.
  
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   * **Sectoral Determination 11: Taxi Sector**     * **Sectoral Determination 11: Taxi Sector**  
     * Issued under section 51(1) of the BCEA       * Issued under section 51(1) of the BCEA  
-    * Establishes conditions of employment and minimum wages for the taxi sector, subject to the National Minimum Wage Act :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}  +    * Establishes wages and working conditions  
  
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   * Businesses Act 71 of 1991     * Businesses Act 71 of 1991  
   * Waste Picker Integration Guideline (2020)     * Waste Picker Integration Guideline (2020)  
-  * Department of Mineral Resources and Energy reference  +  * Department of Mineral Resources and Energy  
countries/south_africa.txt · Last modified: by charlton