CCMA referrals drop during lockdown

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) says it has received 1,357 referrals since the nationwide lockdown was implemented on 26 March – but the figure represents a decline in referrals usually received.

“With regard to out-of-jurisdiction referrals, 17 have been transferred/referred to bargaining councils, one has been referred to the Department of Labour and two to the Labour Court,” spokesperson Amos Tshabalala told News24 on Monday.

Referrals are cases which users lodge at the dispute resolution body, established in terms of the Labour Relations Act.

Out of the 1,357 referrals between 27 March and 19 April, most case referrals – 316 – come from Cape Town.

Johannesburg follows with 253 case referrals and Durban with 127. Tshwane is not far behind with 110.

Regions that have received less than 10 referrals include Vryburg in the North West with one referral, the head office, also in Johannesburg, with two referrals and Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal with five.

Here is a breakdown of referrals in other regions:

Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape: 40

Bloemfontein, Free State: 34

Welkom, Free State: 9

Ekurhuleni, Gauteng: 80

Vaal, Gauteng: 28

Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal: 16

Pietermarirtzburg, KwaZulu-Natal: 45

Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal: 34

Limpopo: 46

Emalahleni, Mpumalanga: 61

Mbombela, Mpumalanga: 22

Northern Cape: 40

Klerksdorp, North West: 8

Rustenburg, North West: 32

George, Western Cape: 20

Out of the 1,357 referrals, 475 deal with dismissals related to misconduct and 260 deal with unknown reasons for dismissal.

Seventy-nine of the referrals relate to unfair suspension or disciplinary action and 51 deal with unfair conduct, such as promotion, demotion, probation, training and benefits.

A total of 556 referrals relate to the business services sector while 163 come from the retail sector and 113 from the private safety/security sector.

Sectors such as road freight, energy, public safety and security only have one referral each.

South Africa is under lockdown as part of the government’s efforts to contain the novel coronavirus.

At the time of publication, there were 3,300 positive cases of Covid-19 and 1,055 recoveries. The health ministry reported a death toll of 58.

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