Global South Africa Employment

Bowmans maintains a highly respected South African employment team, with established teams in Johannesburg and Cape Town and ably supported by the firm's strong presence across Africa. The firm acts for a range of blue-chip domestic and international corporations in sectors including mining, manufacturing, telecommunications and consumer goods, and demonstrates notable experience representing employees. The firm is additionally active representing governmental bodies, municipalities and other public sector organisations. The department also impresses for its work involving workplace investigations, with expertise relating to issues of alleged fraud, theft, whistle-blowing and team poaching, as well as discrimination and sexual harassment claims. Recognised for its adept handling of employment issues arising from corporate restructuring, Bowmans possesses a strong employment disputes practice and is also recognised for its experience in industrial relations and collective bargaining.

With one of the largest employment teams in South Africa, ENSafrica has experience across a plethora of employment issues, including industrial action, lockouts and employee misconduct. The firm is additionally noted for its expertise in employment issues stemming from corporate restructuring, as well as executive terminations and unfair discrimination cases. The team has notable experience handling issues relating to the outsourcing of labour, including Section 197 regarding automatic employee transfer. The firm's dispute resolution practice is also highly respected and has significant expertise in employment disputes. Its enviable roster of clients includes major South African and international companies, with particular activity in mining, infrastructure and telecoms. ENS remains actively involved advising clients on the employment repercussions emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr houses a well-respected employment department, with expertise in corporate restructuring, executive dismissals and anti-corruption matters. The team acts for an enviable roster of public sector clients, as well as major corporate entities in the mining, telecoms, technology, manufacturing and financial services sectors, among others. The group is increasingly active in corporate investigations and collective labour bargaining, as well as anti-bribery and regulatory work, with an established practice covering workplace discrimination and employee conduct. The department is regularly involved in high-profile and ground-breaking employment cases in South Africa.

A prominent law firm with considerable expertise across a range of employment matters, Webber Wentzel possesses extensive experience advising clients hailing from a broad range of sectors, including engineering, construction and real estate. The firm also leverages its renowned expertise in the mining sector, assisting with labour disputes and industrial action. The team frequently handles employment issues resulting from M&A and business rescue proceedings, as well as in labour matters related to health and safety, collective bargaining and misconduct. The firm's enduring alliance with Linklaters enhances its capacity to advise on multi-jurisdictional mandates.

Norton Rose Fulbright acts for an impressive range of clients, including several in the energy, infrastructure, mining, transport and banking sectors, as well as government departments and other public sector clients. The firm assists with the full gamut of litigious, transactional and advisory employment work, regularly advising on unfair dismissal and harassment cases, with expertise also covering corporate restructuring. The team demonstrates considerable activity and expertise in labour issues, such as collective bargaining, protected and unprotected strikes, corporate restructuring and retrenchment. The team is noted for its broad geographical spread, with experts in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

Werksmans Attorneys advises major South African and international companies on employment policies, procedures and disputes, with a notable following of clients in the financial services, mining and construction industries. The firm is particularly recognised for its work representing multinational clients in relation to executive appointments, dismissals and the restructuring of their South African operations. The department is committed to the full range of employee dismissal issues, including discrimination and equal pay for equal work, with further experience handling employment issues resulting from corporate acquisitions and restructuring. The team frequently operates in conjunction with its market-leading business rescue and insolvency group, as well as leveraging its renowned expertise in dispute resolution.

Fasken is particularly noted for providing employment advice to clients in the mining and natural resources industries, with further activity in the energy, manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors. The team is well recognised for its impressive work in pensions and benefits and related litigation, with extensive experience in collective bargaining, industrial action and mass dismissals. The firm also provides counsel on issues involving wage disputes and employee discipline. Furthermore, it is well versed in handling employment due diligence as well as the employment and labour repercussions of M&A and corporate restructuring.