CCMA marks 30 years with 76% dispute settlement rate

Employment and Labour Deputy Minister, Jomo Sibiya, has hailed the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration’s (CCMA) contribution to labour stability, job preservation and access to justice. 

The CCMA has maintained a dispute settlement rate above 70% throughout its 30 years of operation, reaching 76% in the 2025/2026 financial year.

Addressing the commission’s 30th Anniversary Commemorative Conference on Wednesday in Tshwane, Sibiya noted that the CCMA has grown from receiving 62 927 referrals in its first year to approximately three times that number annually, reflecting the continued demand for its services.

The anniversary also marks 31 years of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) of 1995, which established the legislative framework for fair labour practices, social dialogue and accessible dispute resolution.

Sibiya said the CCMA’s role extends beyond resolving workplace disputes, with its work contributing to trust, stability and fairness in the country's labour relations environment.

“Approximately three in four disputes are therefore concluded through agreements reached by the parties themselves, rather than through imposed outcomes.

“Parties are more likely to honour agreements that they have helped to shape,” Sibiya said. 

The Deputy Minister also highlighted the Commission’s contribution to saving jobs, particularly during periods of economic difficulty. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CCMA’s interventions – in matters referred to it – saved more than four in ten jobs at risk of retrenchment, double its target.

This contribution has continued, with close to half of the jobs at risk having been saved in the past year.

Sibiya said job preservation remains one of the CCMA’s most significant contributions, particularly in the context of South Africa's unemployment challenges.

Growing footprint

The institution has also expanded its accessibility, growing from 10 offices at its establishment to 25, while introducing digital platforms to extend its reach.

These include a free online labour advice tool and a WhatsApp chatbot launched in July 2026, enabling workers to access assistance more conveniently.

Furthermore, the CCMA has achieved its fifth consecutive clean audit, receiving an unqualified audit opinion with no findings, while attaining all its planned performance targets for the preceding financial year.

However, Sibiya cautioned that the institution needed to continue improving the time taken to resolve disputes, noting that the duration of the entire process had significant consequences for dismissed workers facing financial pressures.

“Continued efforts to reduce waiting times must be pursued without compromising the quality of arbitration awards,” Sibiya said.

Looking ahead

Reflecting on the next decade, Sibiya identified four key challenges facing the institution: labour market distress, changing forms of work, legislative reform and institutional sustainability. 

On changing employment arrangements, the Deputy Minister highlighted the growth of platform work, on-call arrangements and algorithmic decision-making, which are transforming traditional employment relationships.

The proposed Labour Law Amendment Bill seeks to introduce protections for employees engaged under on-call, zero-hours or similar contracts, including written provisions on guaranteed and maximum working hours, notice requirements for scheduling and cancelling work, and compensation where work is cancelled without proper notice.

Sibiya said legislation needs to clearly define these protections while ensuring that workers are recognised regardless of the contractual terminology used to describe their employment status.

The Deputy Minister also highlighted proposed amendments to labour legislation, including increasing statutory severance pay for dismissals based on operational requirements from one to two weeks’ remuneration for every completed year of service.

The proposals also address the CCMA’s powers to enforce compliance orders and provide for employees to refer harassment claims to the commission.

Sibiya emphasised that the proposed legislative changes remain subject to consultation and parliamentary consideration.

On institutional sustainability, the Deputy Minister said the CCMA’s expanding responsibilities, including the adoption of new technologies, dispute prevention and job preservation, need to be supported by adequate resources.

He also called on organised labour, business and government to play their part in strengthening the institution.

Employers are encouraged to engage the CCMA before issuing retrenchment notices to explore alternatives to job losses, while government departments are urged to make greater use of the commission’s labour market data to identify emerging pressures.

Thirty years of service

Reflecting on the institution’s establishment in November 1996, Sibiya said the CCMA had recorded more than four million referrals over three decades, with annual settlement rates consistently exceeding 70%, tens of thousands of jobs preserved and a sustained record of clean governance.

He said the institution’s independence remains fundamental to public confidence in its work.

Sibiya said the next 30 years require continued commitment from commissioners, employers, workers, organised labour and government to ensure that all workers could access justice.

“Our collective responsibility over the next thirty years is to ensure that every worker in the Republic has access to justice,” the Deputy Minister said.

He congratulated the CCMA on 30 years of service to the nation. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Original report at SAnews.gov.za.