CCMA experiences huge case load increase

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has seen a 25 percent rise in the case workload over the past five years, pointing towards the emergence of an adversarial relationship in the South African labour market, a meeting of the Department of Labour’s top management was told in Benoni, Gauteng yesterday.

Nerine Kahn, Executive Director of the CCMA, was speaking at the opening day of the two-day Annual Evaluation and Planning Workshop in which the department reviews its programmes and maps a future strategic direction. Kahn said the case workload in 2012 had escalated and reached an all-time high with 160 000 cases coming under the spotlight. “This figure translates to over 13 000 cases per month or 3 333 cases per week or a total of 667 cases each working day,’’ she said.

“The unprecedented rise in the case load points to an antagonistic labour market relations, and this is worrying for stability in the labour market. The situation also indicates that the economic environment is becoming tough,” cautioned Kahn.

Kahn said amid the budgetary problems, at the core of the CCMA’s function was mediating and arbitrating in labour disputes.

She revealed that over the past year CCMA had handled 79 percent of cases dealing with unfair dismissals and this was followed by eight percent cases of unfair labour practices.

Kahn expressed surprise that despite the recent dismal Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) Report on employment equity which showed that black people still lagged behind on equity in the workplace, “I cannot believe that in South Africa we do not have discrimination in the workplace. If you look at the nature of disputes adjudicated at CCMA, I hardly see cases of that nature”.

She said with the expected and passing of the Employment Equity Act in Parliament, South Africa should brace itself for a rise in the number of cases that relate to discrimination in the workplace.

A new trend emerging in the South African labour market has been a rise in the number of cases brought about by the professionals. “This suggests that professionals are having confidence in the services of the CCMA. The question is what was CCMA created for?” she asked.

The CCMA recorded a rise in the dispute settlement rate from 69 percent in 2011 to 72 percent in 2012 and 73 percent in 2013.

Media Release: Department of Labour: 11 July 2013