This blog is co-authored by Raees Halim and Jessica Blunden, trainee associates.
The Labour Appeal Court and Labour Court have announced the implementation of the Court Online digital case management platform, effective 14 April 2025, by way of two separate directives. The introduction is a leap forward for these specialised courts, effectively promoting the principle of expeditious dispute resolution as envisaged by the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA). The platform makes it easier for legal practitioners and litigants to manage their cases and file pleadings and documents electronically.
The introduction of the Court Online system brings significant changes to the Labour Appeal Court and Labour Court’s procedures. These include the following:
Mandatory online case initiation: From 14 April 2025, all new cases must be initiated on the Court Online Portal. Practitioners and litigants are required to register their personal details on the portal. This change aims to simplify the case initiation process and ensure that all necessary information is readily available online.
Delivery of arbitration records: The CCMA or bargaining councils will now deliver arbitration records to the Registrar via a cloud-based service – this is applicable to Labour Court motion proceedings such as review applications. Once the records are received, the Registrar will notify the parties involved and provide them with access to the digital records. This change is expected to improve the efficiency and accessibility of arbitration records.
Enrolment of ordinary matters: When pleadings have closed, practitioners must notify the Registrar when a matter is ready for hearing and upload the necessary documents to the portal. The Registrar will then allocate a provisional hearing date and manage the case file on the portal.
Trial procedure: Detailed steps for preparing and uploading documents for trial have been provided. Indexing and bundling of documents must be done in accordance with the applicable Labour Appeal Court and Labour Appeal Court Rules.
Orders and judgments: Court orders and judgments will now be managed through the portal. Procedures for generating, uploading, and publishing court orders and judgments have been outlined, with the Judge’s Secretary playing a key role in managing these documents. This change is expected to improve the accuracy and accessibility of court orders and judgments.
Taxation of costs and appeals: Guidelines for handling bills of costs and applications for leave to appeal have also been included. The process for uploading and managing these documents on the portal has been specified to ensure that all necessary information is available and easily accessible. For appeals, the applicant/petitioner must apply for a Labour Appeal Court case number by selecting the appropriate section on the portal and initiate the application by filing the notice of petition together with the founding affidavit, if any. The Registrar will allocate an appeal case number, and all necessary documents must subsequently be uploaded in accordance with the rules.
Court Online offers a user-friendly interface with frequently asked questions and answers, contact information, registration details, and video tutorials. Several compliance checklists have been included in the directives to ensure that all necessary steps and documents are completed before a matter is enrolled for hearing. These checklists cover different types of applications, such as referrals, reviews, and section 158(1)(c) applications, and are designed to help practitioners and litigants comply with the new procedures.
Please reach out to our Employment and Labour team if you require any assistance.