Parliament, Tuesday, 25 August 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour will tomorrow, Wednesday, 26 August 2026, scrutinise government efforts to create employment opportunities and examine whether South Africa’s labour laws are keeping pace with rapid changes in the world of work.
The committee will receive a progress report from the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) on the Labour Activation Programme (LAP) and other employment initiatives implemented in partnership with the private sector.
Committee members are expected to assess whether interventions aimed at improving employability and creating work opportunities are translating into meaningful employment outcomes, particularly amid South Africa’s persistently high unemployment levels.
The committee will also turn its attention to one of the most significant changes taking place in the labour market: the growth of the digital platform economy. The briefing will examine emerging employment models associated with sectors such as e-hailing, delivery, courier services and other digitally mediated work, and consider whether existing labour protections remain adequate for workers operating in these increasingly common forms of employment.
The discussion comes at a time when the growth of platform-based work is raising difficult questions about worker classification, fair remuneration, social protection, occupational safety, algorithmic decision-making and access to labour rights.
The committee will use the briefing to interrogate the regulatory gaps emerging from these new forms of work and consider how South Africa can protect workers while ensuring that innovation and new employment opportunities are not unnecessarily constrained.
The meeting provides an opportunity for Parliament to examine two interconnected questions: Are current employment programmes delivering sustainable pathways into work, and is the country’s labour regulatory framework ready for the future of work?
The committee will also consider and adopt the outstanding draft minutes of its meeting of 19 August 2026.
Details of the meeting
Date: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Time: 09:00
Venue: Virtual platform
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the event.
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES
For media enquiries or interview, please contact committee’s Media Officer.
Mr Temba Gubula
Cell: 081 402 3531
Email: tgubula@parliament.gov.za
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