Honourable Chairperson,
Honourable Ministers,
Distinguished Delegates,

South Africa is pleased to share its recent labour market reforms as an example of how legislative modernisation can support economic growth while strengthening decent work and the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

We believe that inclusive labour markets, effective labour institutions and robust social dialogue are indispensable foundations for sustainable development, social cohesion and shared prosperity.

Our reforms recognise that labour markets are changing rapidly due to technological advances, digitalisation, platform work, new forms of employment and evolving business models. These developments offer significant opportunities for innovation, productivity and job creation, but they also require governments to ensure that workers remain adequately protected in an increasingly dynamic world of work. Rather than weakening labour protections, South Africa has chosen to modernise its legislative framework to ensure that labour regulation remains relevant, inclusive and responsive to the realities of the twenty-first century.

These reforms have been developed through extensive consultations within the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC), which brings together Government, organised business, organised labour and the community constituency. This social dialogue process reflects South Africa's enduring commitment to tripartism and demonstrates our conviction that durable labour market reforms are best achieved through consensus, partnership and shared responsibility among all social partners.

The current reform package amends four key statutes: the Labour Relations Act, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Employment Equity Act and the National Minimum Wage Act.

Collectively, these reforms seek to improve the efficiency of labour market institutions, reduce unnecessary litigation, strengthen worker protections, improve regulatory certainty for employers and better align South Africa's labour legislation with constitutional principles and international labour standards.

At the same time, the reforms support the Government's broader objective of addressing unemployment, poverty and inequality while fostering an enabling environment for sustainable economic growth, increased investment and productive employment.

A notable feature of these reforms is the extension of labour protections to workers in emerging forms of employment.

 The proposed legislation introduces safeguards for on-call and zero-hour workers, strengthens protections for workers in the platform economy by addressing employment misclassification, broadens protection against workplace harassment, modernises parental leave provisions to promote gender equality and shared caregiving responsibilities, enhances severance benefits for retrenched workers, and improves enforcement of minimum labour standards.

The reforms also simplify compliance requirements, strengthen the dispute-resolution capacity of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and provide greater flexibility for new and small enterprises, thereby promoting entrepreneurship, enterprise development and job creation. 

These domestic reforms complement the International Labour Conference's adoption of the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention, 2026 (No. 193) in June this year, the first international labour standard devoted specifically to platform work.

The Convention establishes a comprehensive international framework to ensure that technological innovation is accompanied by decent work, effective labour protection and respect for the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

 It provides important guidance on issues such as employment status classification, occupational safety and health, social security, fair remuneration, algorithmic management and access to effective remedies, thereby supporting national efforts to ensure that the digital transformation of labour markets remains human-centred and inclusive. 

South Africa believes that protecting workers' rights and promoting economic competitiveness are complementary rather than competing objectives. Our experience shows that effective social dialogue, inclusive policymaking and balanced labour market regulation can strengthen investor confidence, improve labour market stability and create conditions that encourage both enterprise development and decent work.

We therefore view labour law reform not merely as a legal exercise but as an important instrument for advancing inclusive economic development and social justice.

As BRICS countries face similar challenges arising from digitalisation, demographic change, technological transformation and evolving employment relationships, South Africa looks forward to sharing experiences, learning from fellow Member States and strengthening practical cooperation through BRICS CONNECT.

By working together, we can exchange innovative policy solutions, strengthen institutional capacity, and promote labour market policies that respond effectively to the evolving needs of workers and employers.

Our countries can build labour markets that are more inclusive, resilient and future-ready, ensuring that economic progress is accompanied by decent work, stronger social protection and shared prosperity for all.

I thank you.

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