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A competent verdict in South African labour law is a legal concept allowing an employee to be found guilty (and potentially dismissed) for misconduct different from the original charge on the charge sheet. This concept was confirmed by the Labour Appeal Court (LAC), ruling on more than one occasion that an employee may be found guilty of misconduct for which they were not specifically charged, as long as the finding does not prejudice the employee.

The new Code of Good Practice: Dismissal  (4 September 2025) has codified and clarified the principles relating to workplace discipline...

Formal disciplinary hearings in South Africa are not required by law, but they may be prudent when addressing workplace misconduct. Here is what employers need to know.

The Labour Appeal Court has repeatedly over the years expressed the view that disciplinary complaints/allegations should not be overly...

The employment relationship has reciprocal duties and obligations of good faith and trust. Misconduct relates to a breach thereof.

What happens when an employee (or a student) ‘pleads guilty’ when faced with misconduct allegations at an internal disciplinary enquiry?

In a case of alleged misconduct of an employee, how should the matter be determined on a balance of probabilities in terms of the evidence?

Employers need to ensure that employees' contractual agreement to work overtime, remain valid.

Consistency in workplace discipline is a fairness requirement, but it is not absolute. Each case must be considered on its own merits.