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The Star
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
'Who Ate the Cheese?' The CCMA's collapse and the betrayal of South African workers
When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi waits endlessly for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post-apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to 'advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.' As a Schedule 3a entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it is mandated to operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating disputes to training on labour law, were designed to empower workers. Yet today, the CCMA's doors are closing. Service centres in Black communities—critical for workers without digital access — have shuttered. Walk-in advice desks, once lifelines for the vulnerable, are gone. The nightmare began in late 2020, when budget cuts axed part-time commissioners, stranding thousands of cases. What was framed as a 'temporary measure' has become a permanent injustice. A Competent Leader, Shackled by Neglect To blame the CCMA's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie. The current Director, Advocate Cameron Morajane, is a seasoned labour law expert with a track record of integrity. Colleagues praise his commitment to fairness and the innovative traits evident in his push for digitising case management and expanding rural outreach. Yet even the most capable leader cannot perform miracles without resources. The Director's hands are tied. With a stagnant budget and a 40% reduction in part-time commissioners since 2020, his team is forced to triage cases. 'We're firefighting, not fireproofing,' a staffer admitted anonymously. The Director's proposals for sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships, gather dust in Treasury offices. Competence means little when the system is designed to fail. Who Benefits from the CCMA's Decline? The answer lies in who 'ate the cheese.' While workers suffer, employers flout labour laws with impunity. Unfair dismissals, retrenchments, and workplace exploitation surge as the CCMA buckles. Yet the state, led by former trade unionists, turns a blind eye. These leaders rode to power on the backs of workers like Thandi, but now preside over the erosion of their rights. Equally culpable are South Africa's labour federations, who sit on the CCMA's board through Nedlac, earning lucrative fees while workers starve. Their silence is deafening. Where is the outrage over closed service centres? Where is the demand for accountability? Their inaction suggests complicity in a system where justice is rationed for the privileged. The Human Cost of Institutional Rot The CCMA's R900 million budget (unchanged since 2023) is dwarfed by entities like the Competition Commission (R1.4 billion). Meanwhile, the Labour Court backlog now exceeds 18 months — a direct result of the CCMA's paralysis. Workers wait six months for hearings; others give up entirely. This isn't bureaucratic failure — it's systemic betrayal. The victims are always the same: Black workers in townships, domestic employees, and farm labourers. They are dismissed without pay, harassed without recourse, and silenced without a platform. The constitutional 'safety net' is a cruel illusion. Reclaiming the CCMA's Mandate: To salvage the CCMA, three steps are urgent: 1. Increase funding and reinstate part-time commissioners, reopen service centres, and modernise systems. 2. Hold labour federations accountable and change the status of their board seats to advocacy, not apathy. 3. Prosecute employers who exploit the CCMA's collapse to violate labour laws. The question remains: Who ate the cheese? • Was it the state officials diverting funds? • The federation pocketing board fees? or • Are the employers thriving in chaos? Until this is answered, the CCMA's promise remains a carcass picked clean by vultures — and even its most capable leaders are left powerless. South Africa's workers deserve more than crumbs. They deserve justice. Tahir Maepa, the Secretary General of the Public Service and Commercial Union of South Africa, and founder of the Resistance Against Impunity Movement
IOL News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
'Who Ate the Cheese?' The CCMA's collapse and the betrayal of South African workers
To blame the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie, says the writer. When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi waits endlessly for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post-apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to 'advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.' As a Schedule 3a entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it is mandated to operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating disputes to training on labour law, were designed to empower workers. Yet today, the CCMA's doors are closing. Service centres in Black communities—critical for workers without digital access — have shuttered. Walk-in advice desks, once lifelines for the vulnerable, are gone. The nightmare began in late 2020, when budget cuts axed part-time commissioners, stranding thousands of cases. What was framed as a 'temporary measure' has become a permanent injustice. A Competent Leader, Shackled by Neglect To blame the CCMA's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie. The current Director, Advocate Cameron Morajane, is a seasoned labour law expert with a track record of integrity. Colleagues praise his commitment to fairness and the innovative traits evident in his push for digitising case management and expanding rural outreach. Yet even the most capable leader cannot perform miracles without resources. The Director's hands are tied. With a stagnant budget and a 40% reduction in part-time commissioners since 2020, his team is forced to triage cases. 'We're firefighting, not fireproofing,' a staffer admitted anonymously. The Director's proposals for sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships, gather dust in Treasury offices. Competence means little when the system is designed to fail. Who Benefits from the CCMA's Decline? The answer lies in who 'ate the cheese.' While workers suffer, employers flout labour laws with impunity. Unfair dismissals, retrenchments, and workplace exploitation surge as the CCMA buckles. Yet the state, led by former trade unionists, turns a blind eye. These leaders rode to power on the backs of workers like Thandi, but now preside over the erosion of their rights. Equally culpable are South Africa's labour federations, who sit on the CCMA's board through Nedlac, earning lucrative fees while workers starve. Their silence is deafening. Where is the outrage over closed service centres? Where is the demand for accountability? Their inaction suggests complicity in a system where justice is rationed for the privileged.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
The collapse of the CCMA: Betraying South Africa's workers
CCMA's collapse has led to the betrayal of South Africa's workers, says the writer. Image: Picture: Pexels When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi waits endlessly for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post-apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to 'advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.' As a Schedule 3A entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it must operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating disputes to training on labour law, were designed to empower workers. Yet today, the CCMA's doors are closing. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Service centres in Black communities—critical for workers without digital access—have shuttered. Walk-in advice desks, once lifelines for the vulnerable, are gone. The nightmare began in late 2020, when budget cuts axed part-time commissioners, stranding thousands of cases. What was framed as a 'temporary measure' has become a permanent injustice. To blame the CCMA's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie. The current Director, Advocate Cameron Morajane, is a seasoned labour law expert with a track record of integrity. Colleagues praise his commitment to fairness and the innovative traits evident in his push for digitising case management and expanding rural outreach. Yet even the most capable leader cannot perform miracles without resources. The Director's hands are tied. With a stagnant budget and a 40% reduction in part-time commissioners since 2020, his team is forced to triage cases. 'We're firefighting, not fireproofing,' a staffer admitted anonymously. The Director's proposals for sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships, gather dust in Treasury offices. Competence means little when the system is designed to fail. Who Benefits from the CCMA's Decline? The answer lies in who 'ate the cheese.' While workers suffer, employers flout labour laws with impunity. Unfair dismissals, retrenchments, and workplace exploitation surge as the CCMA buckles. Yet the state, led by former trade unionists, turns a blind eye. These leaders rode to power on the backs of workers like Thandi, but now preside over the erosion of their rights. Equally culpable are South Africa's labour federations, who sit on the CCMA's board through Nedlac, earning lucrative fees while workers starve. Their silence is deafening. Where is the outrage over closed service centres? Where is the demand for accountability? Their inaction suggests complicity in a system where justice is rationed for the privileged. The Human Cost of Institutional Rot The CCMA's R900 million budget (unchanged since 2023) is dwarfed by entities like the Competition Commission (R1.4 billion). Meanwhile, the Labour Court backlog now exceeds 18 months—a direct result of the CCMA's paralysis. Workers wait six months for hearings; others give up entirely. This isn't bureaucratic failure—it's systemic betrayal. The victims are always the same: Black workers in townships, domestic employees, and farm labourers. They are dismissed without pay, harassed without recourse, and silenced without a platform. The constitutional 'safety net' is a cruel illusion. Reclaiming the CCMA's Mandate To salvage the CCMA, three steps are urgent: 1. Increase funding and reinstate part-time commissioners, reopen service centres, and modernize systems. 2. Hold labour federations accountable and change the status of their board seats to advocacy, not apathy. 3. Prosecute employers who exploit the CCMA's collapse to violate labour laws. The question remains who ate the cheese? • Was it the state officials diverting funds? • The federations pocketing board fees? • The employers thriving in chaos? Until this is answered, the CCMA's promise remains a carcass picked clean by vultures—and even its most capable leaders are left powerless. South Africa's workers deserve more than crumbs. They deserve justice. *Maepa is the Secretary General of the Public Service and Commercial Union of South Africa (PSCU) and founder of Resistance Against Impunity Movement (RAIM) NPC. **The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media
Free Malaysia Today
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Merz assures Zelensky Germany can be relied upon for support
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany supports the mediation efforts of the US to end the Ukraine war. (dpa/AP pic) BERLIN : Germany's new chancellor Friedrich Merz assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that his government could be relied upon for continued support against Russia's invasion, in a telephone call yesterday, a government spokesman said. Merz, who took office earlier this week after his conservatives won a February federal election, told Zelensky Germany supports the mediation efforts of US President Donald Trump, in close coordination with other European partners. 'This includes helping Ukraine defend itself effectively against Russian aggression and exerting pressure on Russia,' the spokesperson said. Zelensky, in his nightly video address, said he and Merz agreed to work together on matters of joint interest. 'There are already concrete things that we can do together,' Zelensky said. 'Decisions will be taken.'
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Law Week: We dive deep into Family Law and Divorce
HONOLULU (KHON2) – It's Law Week and today we're discussing family law and divorce proceedings with Greg Frey, partner at Coates Frey & Hackett, AAL LLLC. Frey tells us when someone files a Complaint for Divorce, an automatic restraining order goes into effect – children cannot be taken out of school or leave the island, finances have to remain the status quo, no beneficiary changes. When it comes to the legal standard used by the Family Court in regards to child custody and visitation, Frey says it's the best interest of the child which considers various factors, including child's safety, health, wellbeing; parental ability and fitness; child's relationship with each parent; child's age and developmental stage; child's wishes; continuity and stability; and history of abuse. Frey recommends engaging in mediation in the divorce process. But it is done on a case-by-case basis. Typically in a Divorce, the Court will order mediation prior to a trial so if there are contested issues, it is a good idea to engage mediation as early as possible. Consider public options such as Mediation with the Pacific which charges persons based on a sliding scale, and private options, which have individual retainers of ~$5,000 that are typically split evenly between the parties. Any issues can be mediated – property disputes, custody and visitation issues, spousal support, etc. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
