A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Medicine in the branch of Bioethics and Health Law, Johannesburg, May 2012 / Doctors in the South African public services went on strike in mid-2007, 2009 and 2010. The main issue related to salaries. In my research report I will present arguments concerning the justifiability or not of strike action by South African doctors Thus the laws, codes, and oaths subscribed to by medical practitioners in South Africa will be presented. Doctor's obligations stated in such declarations, and some ethical theories will be presented as they relate to the moral justifiability of doctor's strikes, and to the individual doctor-patient relationship. Arguably, the individual doctor-patient relationship is crucial for a flourishing population and social justice. In the context of this relationship, the potential harms and benefits of strike action for both parties will be discussed. I will suggest that whether justified or not, strikes may not be the right means to achieving the end of excellent healthcare. The aim of the research, ultimately, is optimal health for the South African population with retention of doctors in the public service.

South Africa emerges from a history where, workers, and in particular African workers, were excluded from enjoying labour rights and particularly the right to strike, without consequences. Participation in industrial action was treated as a delict or even a criminal offence by employers and the state. A history where participation in a strike was treated as breach of contract and therefore the employer could dismiss striking employees at will. The first democratic elections in South Africa introduced a Constitutional democracy. The Constitution introduced the Bill of Rights in terms whereof the right of every employee to form and join trade unions and to participate in its activities and programmes and to strike was entrenched. Section 27 of the Constitution provides that national legislation shall be enacted to give effect to its purpose and to regulate labour matters, hence the Labour Relations Act of 1995. This study will show that the Labour Relations Act of 1995 marked a major change in South Africa’s statutory industrial relations system. Following the transition to the new political dispensation and a democratic system, the LRA encapsulated the new government’s aims to reconstruct and democratise the economy and society. It ushered in a new order where employers and workers had the opportunity to move away from the adversarialism that had characterised their relations in the past. It promoted more orderly collective bargaining and greater co-operation at workplace and industry levels, and provided an expeditious dispute resolution system. This study also takes a closer view of the provisions of international instruments and institutions such the International Labour Organisation and it, further, does a comparative analysis of the provisions of strike law in other jurisdictions like the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom. This study shows further that, while South Africa has democratised the workplace and done away with legislation, policies and practices that discriminated against the majority of the workers and deprived them of the rights that were otherwise enjoyed by their white counterparts to form and join unions and to participate in the activities of the unions, including participating in a strike and while it has made provisions for a protected strike under the LRA and while South Africa has tried to level the playing field and brought some equilibrium in the power between workers and employers, the very same right to participate in a strike and to compel employers to accede to their demands is taken away by the provision in the LRA that allows employers to lock them out and replace them with temporary workers.

Thesis (MTech (Human Resource Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / The principle of the right to strike is internationally documented, as determined by the Committee on Freedom of Association. In South Africa, the right to strike is enshrined and protected in Section 23 of the country's Constitution under its Bill of Rights. Under specific circumstances, the Constitution allows for legislation to limit a right listed in Section 23. At the same time, the Constitution guarantees that everyone has the right to life and health care services. South African industrial action is regulated by the Labour Relations Act (LRA) No. 66 of 1995, as amended, which precludes workers who are employed in essential services from striking, because interruption of these services may endanger lives. However, the LRA also provides for the conclusion of a Minimum Service Agreement (MSA), where minimum services replace essential services. No MSA has been ratified since the LRA was promulgated in 1995. It is on this premise that the author investigated the mechanisms which have been put in place to create a balance between the right to strike and the need to provide essential services in the event of a strike. This study used a qualitative research design. Open-ended questionnaires were distributed to the target research sample. Purposive sampling was applied to a total of 30 participants who were selected from the Western Cape Department of Health's essential services. The qualitative data was analysed using theme identification to make sense of the findings. The research results reveal that employees who are providing essential services have the right to strike only if certain conditions are met. One of these conditions is the conclusion of a Minimum Service Agreement (MSA) to ensure a balance between the rights of health workers to strike and the rights of citizens to be provided with health care services. This agreement provides the duties and responsibilities of the employer and employees for the continuation of minimum services in the event of a public sector strike to ensure that service delivery is not interrupted. Specific recommendations are made by the researcher regarding the MSA, and measures are discussed to ensure that the minimum services within essential services remain operational in the event of a public sector strike.

This treatise investigates the potential for law (including courts and tribunals) to intervene and act as a lever for the protection and advancement of the rights of the child including the right to basic education. The dissertation critically explores the debate on the educator‟s right to strike and fair labour practices and the child‟s right to education, by assessing the rights and liberties, which accrue to educators and the child (learners) in terms of existing law. The South African Constitution has made specific provision for the protection of the rights of children and the rights of educators and these rights are fundamental to the development of a society in transition. The vexed question that arises is whether these rights can co-exist in a society that has inherited a legacy of discrimination and inequality. The consequences of this legacy have resulted in the rights of educators competing with those of learners. The normalisation of the balance of these opposite rights is the challenge that lies ahead and this process will require intervention of all stakeholders rather than purely legislative intervention. This dissertation recommends a consensus-based approach, which is the most appropriate solution to balance the rights of educators with this of the child‟s right to education, as opposed to a declaration of the education sector as an essential service. It further proposes the establishment of a more structured and organised forum / institution and its sole purpose would be to deal with the individual or collective rights of educators that compete with the rights of learners.

The effective management of a strike is generally a challenging phenomenon which impacts on employers, employees and the general public. The main purpose of this study was to analyse the legal implications of employees’ participation in an unprotected strike. The study also explored requirements for a strike to be protected in compliance with the prescribed legislation. From the literary review, cases and legislation, it became clear that compliance plays a key role when a consideration is taken by employees to take part in a strike during dispute resolution. In analysing the legal consequences for participating in an unprotected strike, a finding was made that employers in the end have an upper hand in that when all due processes and procedures are followed, they are empowered to dismiss employees. Legislation and international standards form the cornerstone upon which dispute resolution mechanisms and the rights of employers and employees are derived from. / Mercantile Law / LL.M. (Labour law)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika en die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge verleen aan werknemers die reg om te staak. Die reg is egter nie onbeperk nie. Op grond van die voldoening aan wetlike vereistes, word stakings as beskermd of onbeskermd geklassifiseer. Beskermde stakers kan ontslaan word weens wangedrag tydens die staking of op grond van die bedryfsvereistes van die werkgewer. Die werkgewer se bedryfsvereistes sal ontslag regverdig indien sy /haar vlak van toleransie bereik is. Dit sal die geval wees indien die werkgewer se besigheid met ondergang gedreig word of onherroeplike skade gaan ly, sou die staking voortduur. Aile relevante faktore moet egter in ag geneem word. Daar is nie tans 'n vasgestelde toets in die verband nie en daar word ook aan die hand gedoen dat billikheid, met inagneming van al die relevante faktore en omstandighede, die belangrikste oorweging moet wees. 'n Vasgestelde toets vir die bepaling van die werkgewer se vlak van toleransie, word afgekeur. / The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the Labour Relations Act give employees the right to strike. This right is, however, not unlimited. By reason of the satisfaction of statutory requirements, strikes are classified as protected or unprotected. Protected strikers may be dismissed for misconduct during the strike or by reason of the operational requirements of the employer. The employer's operational requirements will justify dismissal when his/her level of tolerance is reached. This will be the case when the employer's business is on the brink of extinction or about to suffer irreparable harm. All the relevant facts must however be taken into account. Currently there is no definite test in this regard and it is proposed that fairness, taking into account all the relevant facts and circumstances, be the overriding consideration. A specific test for the determination of the employer's level of tolerance must be rejected. / Economics and Management Sciences / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika en die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge verleen aan werknemers die reg om te staak. Die reg is egter nie onbeperk nie. Op grond van die voldoening aan wetlike vereistes, word stakings as beskermd of onbeskermd geklassifiseer. Beskermde stakers kan ontslaan word weens wangedrag tydens die staking of op grond van die bedryfsvereistes van die werkgewer. Die werkgewer se bedryfsvereistes sal ontslag regverdig indien sy /haar vlak van toleransie bereik is. Dit sal die geval wees indien die werkgewer se besigheid met ondergang gedreig word of onherroeplike skade gaan ly, sou die staking voortduur. Aile relevante faktore moet egter in ag geneem word. Daar is nie tans 'n vasgestelde toets in die verband nie en daar word ook aan die hand gedoen dat billikheid, met inagneming van al die relevante faktore en omstandighede, die belangrikste oorweging moet wees. 'n Vasgestelde toets vir die bepaling van die werkgewer se vlak van toleransie, word afgekeur. / The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the Labour Relations Act give employees the right to strike. This right is, however, not unlimited. By reason of the satisfaction of statutory requirements, strikes are classified as protected or unprotected. Protected strikers may be dismissed for misconduct during the strike or by reason of the operational requirements of the employer. The employer's operational requirements will justify dismissal when his/her level of tolerance is reached. This will be the case when the employer's business is on the brink of extinction or about to suffer irreparable harm. All the relevant facts must however be taken into account. Currently there is no definite test in this regard and it is proposed that fairness, taking into account all the relevant facts and circumstances, be the overriding consideration. A specific test for the determination of the employer's level of tolerance must be rejected. / Economics and Management Sciences / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie is gepoog om die sogenaamde "reg om te staak" aan die hand van nasionale en internasionale invloede te ontleed. Dit is veral die International labour Organisation se voorstelle wat 'n invloed gehad het om die Suid-Afrikaanse reg in lyn met die internasionale posisie te bring. Daar word egter gewys op die beperkinge van die reg om te staak, byvoorbeeld in die geval van noodsaaklike dienste en staatsdiensamptenare. Vervolgens is die Suid-Afrikaanse stakingsreg onder die loep geneem en is daar gekyk na die gemene reg, statutere reg en die gevolge van 'n staking. Die Suid-Afrikaanse reg is toe vergelyk met 'n aantal ILO-beginsels. Die moontlike invloed van die Grondwet, 200 van 1993 op die arbeidsreg is bespreek. Die ·studie konkludeer dat, alhoewel daar nie 'n absolute reg om te staak is nie, sodanige reg onder sekere omstandighede erken moet word. / The aim of the study was to analyse the so-called "right to strike" by looking at national as well as international influences on the subject. The suggestions by the International labour Organisation in particular had an influence on changing the South African position. The limitations on the right to strike were also scrutinized. The South African strike law was discussed. The common law position, statutory law as well as the consequences of a strike were analysed. The South African position was also compared with a few llO principles. The possible influence of the Constitution, Act 200 of 1993 on labour law was discussed. The study concluded that, althot:.Jgh there is not an absolute right to strike, such a right must be recognized in certain circumstances. / Mercentile Law / LL. M.

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie is gepoog om die sogenaamde "reg om te staak" aan die hand van nasionale en internasionale invloede te ontleed. Dit is veral die International labour Organisation se voorstelle wat 'n invloed gehad het om die Suid-Afrikaanse reg in lyn met die internasionale posisie te bring. Daar word egter gewys op die beperkinge van die reg om te staak, byvoorbeeld in die geval van noodsaaklike dienste en staatsdiensamptenare. Vervolgens is die Suid-Afrikaanse stakingsreg onder die loep geneem en is daar gekyk na die gemene reg, statutere reg en die gevolge van 'n staking. Die Suid-Afrikaanse reg is toe vergelyk met 'n aantal ILO-beginsels. Die moontlike invloed van die Grondwet, 200 van 1993 op die arbeidsreg is bespreek. Die ·studie konkludeer dat, alhoewel daar nie 'n absolute reg om te staak is nie, sodanige reg onder sekere omstandighede erken moet word. / The aim of the study was to analyse the so-called "right to strike" by looking at national as well as international influences on the subject. The suggestions by the International labour Organisation in particular had an influence on changing the South African position. The limitations on the right to strike were also scrutinized. The South African strike law was discussed. The common law position, statutory law as well as the consequences of a strike were analysed. The South African position was also compared with a few llO principles. The possible influence of the Constitution, Act 200 of 1993 on labour law was discussed. The study concluded that, althot:.Jgh there is not an absolute right to strike, such a right must be recognized in certain circumstances. / Mercentile Law / LL. M.

In South Africa, the right to protest is under constant threat as a result of the state response. Increasing cases of forceful policing and sometimes unlawful procedural prohibitions of protest attest to this. This study aims to firstly describe this situation through securitisation theory, essentially arguing that South Africa has become a securitised state. It also aims to understand how this is sustained by the state and why the state needs to use a securitised response to maintain power. Interviews were conducted with members of different communities and organisations. Their responses helped to illustrate the frustration of the right to protest or brutal policing during a protest. This provided primary evidence to support the claims of the study. The research shows that claims to protest are being delegitimised under the guise of security as protestors are being constructed as threats to the state. This is further substantiated by looking at how the reorganisation and remililtarisation of the South African Police perpetuates the criminalisation of protestors which necessitates a forceful response from the state. Furthermore, it shows that there is a distinct relationship between the prohibition of protest and the recent increase in ‘violent’ protests which legitimate forceful policing thereby creating a state sustained cycle of violence. The larger implication of this treatment is that these protestors are treated as non- citizens who are definitively excluded from participating in governance. In understanding why this is taking place, it is clear that a securtitised response is an attempt to maintain power by dispelling any threats to power, a response which is seen to have a long history in the African National Congress (ANC) when examining the politics of the ANC during exile. Maintaining power in this way distracts from the larger agenda of the state, which this thesis argues, is to mask the unraveling of the ANC’s hegemony and inability to maintain national unity. In other words, the increasing dissatisfaction of some of the citizenry which has manifested through protest greatly undermines the legitimacy of the government to provide for its people.