The Labour Relations Act No. 66 of 1995 gives the CCMA authority to play a very important role in providing structured procedures for the resolution of labour disputes through statutory conciliation, mediation and arbitration.
The CCMA executes its mandate as an independent entity, meaning lawyers are not primarily included in the cases brought before it. It is therefore vital for industrial relations practitioners, human resource practitioners, employers and trade union officials to grasp the essential and procedural requirements of conducting fair disciplinary hearings.