

Important Notice:
The SKILLS submission deadline is 30 April 2023.
Contact us for advice or assistance: 082 855 0561
New Branch Alert:
Cape Town
We have opened a branch in Cape Town and will be servicing the greater Western Cape area.
Letter from the Secretary
2023 has started with a bang and before we knew it Easter is upon us for our Christian friends, and our Muslim friends are in their fasting month of Ramadan.
We have all been gripped by the Eskom saga which has negatively impacted our businesses. We are going into strike season where numerous employers, who do not fall under the auspices of a bargaining council, have received wage demands. Most Councils do have a peace clause enshrined in their main agreement where outside wage negotiations are prohibited.
That being said. Please make sure your recognition agreement is signed as a minority union will have the right to negotiate for its members in the event of such document not signed.
If you do get to such a point where a strike is unavoidable, please make sure that your security structure is in place. In the last few weeks NEHAWU illustrated that no court order is going to stop them, and no court order will force the Police to get involved.
We are also entering into a major slowdown in the economy and an increase in expenditure of which we will not be able to filter everything through to the consumers or clients. That will again force us as employers to go and look at our structures and start earlier rather than later with streamlining our businesses for the expected recession.
We thank all our members for their trusted support through COVID and the changeover from the old guard to the new guard. We are an experienced and diverse team with a bunch of youngsters that is energised and excited to ensure our ship sails fast and steady through the unstable and rocky times ahead.
My God bless you.
Ruben Opperman
Secretary
Meet the team - Secunda
We have a balanced team of professionals conducting all matters that we handle with the utmost professionally and according to the latest in Labour Relations.

Annabel Louw
Admin/Marketing
082 594 4687
adminsecunda@feosa.co.za

Handre Naude
FEOSA Official
082 699 7360
irsecunda@feosa.co.za

Amanda van der Merwe
IR/HR Consultant
082 552 2605
secunda@feosa.co.za
About Overtime
Under section 10(2) of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) it is mandatory to make overtime payment to an employee who earns less than the threshold of R241 110.59 per annum and who works overtime.
If the contract stipulates that the employee may be required to work overtime as and when required, the employee is advised to negotiate with the employer in order to reach an agreement. A blatant refusal may lead to disciplinary action – especially if the instruction to work overtime is not unreasonable.
For those employees earning less than R241 110.59 per annum, overtime starts once the employee has completed the ordinary hours of work. Hours in excess of either 8 or 9 per day, depending on the days worked in a week, are overtime hours and should be compensated accordingly.
Overtime : Section 10 (Basic Conditions of Employment)
An employer may not require or permit an employee;
- to work overtime except by an agreement;
- to work more than ten hours’ overtime a week.
An agreement may not require or permit an employee to work more than 12 hours on
any day.
A collective agreement may increase overtime to fifteen hours per week for up to two
months in any period of 12 months.
Overtime must be paid at 1.5 times the employee’s normal wage or an employee may
agree to receive paid time off.
Minimum Wage
The national minimum wage (NMW), as well as minimum wages in some other sectors, has increased from 1 March 2023.
R25,42 per hour
The minimum wage of R23,19 per hour will increase to R25,42 per hour (an increase of approximately 9,6%). The new minimum sets a new baseline across all sectors, with a few exceptions.
Farmworkers and domestic workers
The minimum rate for farm workers and domestic workers are both on par with the NMW at R25,42 per hour.
Exceptions
The exceptions are as follows:
- Workers employed on Expanded Public Works: R13,97 per hour.
- Workers with learnership agreements in terms of the Skills Development Act: See schedule in the link to the Government Gazette below
Is your Company Compliant?
Workmens Compensation (WCA)
COIDA stipulates that employers must be registered with Workmens Compensation and have a Letter of Good Standing for an organisation and employees to be entitled to compensation in the event of Injuries on Duty, thus encouraging the reporting of incidents.
To cover your workers against occupational diseases, injuries and death, you must register with the Compensation Fund.
The fund covers an employee who is:
- permanently employed
- a domestic worker in a boarding house
- an apprentice or trainee farm worker and
- a worker paid by a labour agency.
Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)
You are required by law to register with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and contribute towards the fund if you have employed people for more than 24 hours per month.
The monthly contribution for UIF is two percent of your worker’s gross salary per month. You must deduct one percent of your worker’s gross salary per month and you as the employer contributes one percent.
uFiling is a secure Online system introduced to Employers to register, declare and pay UIF contributions. Employees can also use the system to apply for benefits such as unemployment, maternity and illness.
If you feel that your Company is not compliant with one or both of the above mentioned, contact us for urgent assistance to avoid penalties and unnecessary cost in the future.

For all our services and more information of what we can do for your Company.
Leave your details below and we will contact you!
Alternative Contact us on:
Pretoria: 012 664 6011
Secunda: 0176348760
Cape Town: 082 378 3531
For compliance and SKILLS questions contact Poy at:
082 855 0561
Request A Call Back
Leave your details and we will call you back to discuss the labour relations needs of your business and tailor make a representation package for your company.
Sources:
- https://labourguide.co.za/
- https://www.labour.gov.za/
- https://ufiling.labour.gov.za/