2026 Conference Programme
07:00 - 08:00
08:00 - 08:15
08:15 - 09:00
09:00 - 09:30
09:30 - 10:00
10:00 - 10:30
10:30 - 11:00
11:00 - 11:30
11:30 - 12:00
12:00 - 12:30
12:30 - 13:30
Ekurhuleni 1, 2 & 3
Registration
Opening Remarks & Welcome - Connie Phakedi, Managing Director: Phakedi Attorneys
Keynote Address - Dr Judge Graham Moshoana - Judge of the High Court of South Africa
From Resistance to Reform: 30 Years of the Constitution and the Evolving Role of Trade Unions in Advancing Workers’ Rights and Shaping the Future of Work - Michael Madala Shingange, 1st Deputy President, COSATU and President, NEHAWU
Navigating Whistleblower Protection and Employer Obligations: A New Era of Accountability in South African Workplaces -
Dr Louis Koen, Lecturer, Department of Public Law, University of Johannesburg
Morning Tea Break
Disability, Dignity, and Decent Work: Constitutional Imperatives and the Duty of Reasonable Accommodation in South African Labour Law - Dr Laetitia Fourie, Programme Director: Centre for Labour Law, Advisory Board: Disability Rights Unit, Lecturer: Mercantile Law, University of Free State
Collective Bargaining, Compliance, and Labour Disputes in the Public Service: Towards a Culture of Accountability and Professionalism - Frikkie De Bruin, General Secretary, Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC)
Reimagining ADR: The Changing Role of the CCMA, Bargaining Councils, and Mediation in a Constitutional Democracy -Tanya Venter, CEO, Tokiso
Workplace Governance, Ethical Leadership, and Labour Law Compliance: Navigating Employer Duties in a Constitutional State - Puleng Gadebe-Mabaso, Head of Department: Gauteng Department of Human Settlements
Lunch and Networking
13:30 - 14:00
14:05 - 14:35
Ekurhuleni 1, 2 & 3
Disciplinary Enquiries - Where Have We Gone Wrong in the Last 30 Years?
- Neil Coetzer, Head: Employment, Cowan Harper Madikizela
- Sinazo Madlanga, Senior Associate in our Public Law, Risk, Governance and Compliance, Cowan Harper Madikizela
Game, Contract, Constitution: Reimagining Labour Law Protections in the Professional Sporting Arena - Zola Majavu, Managing Director, Majavu Attorneys Incorporated
Ekurhuleni 5
Labour and Employment Law Litigation in the Public Service: Emerging Trends, Confronting Institutional Challenges and Advancing Effective Dispute Resolution in Government - Johan Biggs, Employment and Commercial Attorney, Motsoeneng Bill (MB)
Conducting workplace investigations fairly, efficiently and in line with the prescripts of the New Code of Good Practice: Dismissal - Adv Ajay Makka, Johannesburg Bar
14:35 - 15:00
15:00 - 16:00
16:00 - 16:30
16:30 - 16:45
16:45
Afternoon Tea Break
Ekurhuleni 1, 2 & 3
Panel Discussion - Balancing Workplace Rights, Power Dynamics, and Institutional Accountability: Navigating Emerging Labour Law Challenges in South Africa’s Constitutional Era
- Nkhetheni Muthavhi, President of SAMWU
- Bertha Shabangu, Director: Employee Relations, Tshwane University of Technology
- Maruping John Tshipo, Deputy Director Labour Relations, Office of the Premier North West Provincial Government
- Dr. Phil Tshikotshi - Vice President and Country HR Head: STARTEK
Beyond Compliance: Courts, the Constitution, and the Future of Labour Law in South Africa - Sean Snyman, Snyman Attorneys. President of SASLAW
Closing & Thanks - Magate Phala
Networking Reception
