University of Cape Town
Practical Labour Law
Deepen your comprehension of South African employment law and advocate for equitable labour practices within the workplace.
Start date
31 July 2025
Course duration
8 weeks
Excluding orientation
Language
English
Access resources from start date
Effort
7 hours per week
Self-paced learning online
Course overview
The total number of mutual interest disputes dealt with by the CCMA during the 2018/19 financial year.
South African Department of Labour (2019).
Increased restrictions on fixed-term engagements and improved rights for working parents are two of five current trends in employment law.
Eversheds Sutherland (2019).
Duration: 8 weeks (excluding orientation)
South African labour law has undergone significant changes in recent years, including amendments to key acts and an increased focus on employment equity. Employers, legal professionals, and HR practitioners must keep up with these legislative updates to ensure compliance, mitigate legal risks, and resolve disputes effectively.
The Practical Labour Law online short course from the University of Cape Town (UCT) provides a comprehensive overview of the local employment law landscape, covering the various acts, employer and employee rights and responsibilities, and important concepts related to contracting, dismissal, retrenchment, and workplace discrimination. With the guidance of expert labour relations specialist Pieter Koornhof, you’ll develop skills to navigate the complexities of labour law and apply them in their current roles.
Throughout the course, practical scenarios will illustrate legal concepts, enabling you to gain valuable knowledge and skills they can use immediately in their professional contexts.
Is this course for you?
This comprehensive course on South African labour law caters to various professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge in this domain and bring more value to their current and future roles. HR practitioners can benefit from this course to expand their understanding of the subject matter. Legal professionals can also take advantage of this course to acquire the necessary skills to handle labour-related issues, while small business owners can stay updated on employment regulations to ensure compliance and equitable treatment of their employees. Completing this course will also earn you a certificate of completion from UCT, providing official recognition of their labour law proficiency.
Course overview
Introduction
Duration: 8 weeks (excluding orientation)
South African labour law has undergone significant changes in recent years, including amendments to key acts and an increased focus on employment equity. Employers, legal professionals, and HR practitioners must keep up with these legislative updates to ensure compliance, mitigate legal risks, and resolve disputes effectively.
The Practical Labour Law online short course from the University of Cape Town (UCT) provides a comprehensive overview of the local employment law landscape, covering the various acts, employer and employee rights and responsibilities, and important concepts related to contracting, dismissal, retrenchment, and workplace discrimination. With the guidance of expert labour relations specialist Pieter Koornhof, you’ll develop skills to navigate the complexities of labour law and apply them in their current roles.
Throughout the course, practical scenarios will illustrate legal concepts, enabling you to gain valuable knowledge and skills they can use immediately in their professional contexts.
Is this course for you?
This comprehensive course on South African labour law caters to various professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge in this domain and bring more value to their current and future roles. HR practitioners can benefit from this course to expand their understanding of the subject matter. Legal professionals can also take advantage of this course to acquire the necessary skills to handle labour-related issues, while small business owners can stay updated on employment regulations to ensure compliance and equitable treatment of their employees. Completing this course will also earn you a certificate of completion from UCT, providing official recognition of their labour law proficiency.
Get this course for your team
Leading organisations recognise the value of this course and invest in it to enhance their employees' skills and expertise.
What will set you apart
Insight into the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Labour Relations Act, and the Employment Equity Act.
Knowledge of how to legally manage dismissals for misconduct, poor performance, and operational requirements.
The skills to promote fair labour practices and equity in the workplace.
An understanding of the mechanisms through which staff disputes can be resolved.
Unlimited access to edX’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward. Course curriculum
Orientation module
Welcome to your Online Campus
Module 1
Introduction to labour law
Module 2
The employment contract, basic conditions of employment and termination of employment
Module 3
Workplace discipline and automatically unfair dismissals
Module 4
Dismissal for misconduct and poor performance or incapacity
Module 5
Dismissal for operational requirements, closures, mergers and sale of business
Module 6
Unfair labour practice and employment equity
Module 7
An introduction to collective labour law and industrial action
Module 8
Dispute resolutions and CCMA procedures
What past students
think
Goolam Fakier
Past student
I’ve found that many managers have the skills to manage a group of people or departments, but aren’t familiar with legal labour processes, especially regarding disciplinary procedures. That’s the reason why I took this course. My intention is to be the voice for the voiceless.
Course Convenor
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Lindani Mkhwanazi
Lecturer, Department of Commercial Law, UCT
About the certificate
Enhance your practical understanding of labour law and earn an official certificate of completion from the University of Cape Town.
Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.
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We deliver market-led courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required to upskill, reskill or kickstart a completely new career. Through a data-driven approach, we analyze future skills requirements and ensure all courses address this need. We ensure that leading universities and institutions are your expert guides and our people, technology, and resources are your engine – together we power more than just education, we power your potential.
Read more about GetSmarter here and edX here.
Find out more about GetSmarter’s approach to digital learning, course design, and online delivery here.
Payment options
You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an Enrollment Adviser, to find out which option you qualify for.
Manage your time
GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.
At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your Success Adviser who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.
Seek employer assistance
By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?
Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.
If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.
How to change your start date
As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.
To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our Success Advisers before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.
Discover the Online Campus
The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.
On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please visit your Account page here.
Financing options
We've recently partnered with financial services firm, FeverTree, to offer you another convenient way to finance your short course education. Find out how you can apply for a short-term loan below.
How do I apply?
- You have the option of applying for a full course-cost loan agreement with FeverTree (South African citizens and short courses only)
- FeverTree works with GetSmarter to ensure your studies are financed right away, giving you the chance to join the soonest presentation
- You can find out if you pre-qualify in seconds. Send an SMS with your “Name*Surname*ID Number*Gross Salary” to 30082
- FeverTree’s application process is simple and quick – expect a 15-minute turnaround to find out if you’ve been successful with your loan application
- Even if you aren’t successful in your FeverTree application, you’ll still be eligible for the payment plan options with GetSmarter
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