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Displaying the 15 latest comments.
Submitted | first-name | support | concern | top-concern | message |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2026-04-14 09:57:18 +02:00 | Lynne | No I do not | All of the above | Industry Job Losses | |
2026-04-13 23:00:45 +02:00 | Gert | No I do not | All of the above | Industry Job Losses | |
2026-04-13 22:36:24 +02:00 | Marieta | No I do not | All of the above | Loss of Flexibility | The standard ancceptable industry specific and fall outside the basic labour working conditions. Rather look at creating a sector specific for the industry and set up guidelines accordingly. |
2026-04-13 16:35:43 +02:00 | Prof FPR | No I do not | All of the above | Loss of Flexibility | Making new laws while not dealing with problems is a constant mode of activity by the ANC. DO NOT make another law. These are creative people. Pen-pushers and politicians do not understand. WHAT YOU MUST DO INSTEAD: Let them do what they want (unless it is illegal). |
2026-04-12 09:03:05 +02:00 | Ilona | No I do not | All of the above | Industry Job Losses | |
2026-03-30 10:23:54 +02:00 | Rachel | Yes I do | No concern, I Support the Gazette | I worked as a freelancer for a jewellery and tourism company in Cape Town for over 13 years., and the work I did for them was a significant part of my income. During the pandemic, they reduced my role and asked to pay me a monthly rate. This monthly rate agreement remained in place until the end of last year, when, they ended the relationship over WhatsApp two days from the end of the month, cutting me off from a vital part of my income. I spoke to a lawyer who said I had no recourse to the CCMA, and as there was no law which protected me as a freelancer, the legal costs of pursuing the matter independently would not be worth. I burned through my savings to keep my home while I found new work to cover the loss. Unfortunately, I was 52 at the time, making me less employable despite my experience and huge skillset. It has been a struggle. Had this act been in place, the company would not have been able to sever a 13 year working relationship. I think protection is particularly vital for freelancers now as our product is being pillaged by AI, and companies seek to increase their profits using AI . | |
2026-03-25 13:50:39 +02:00 | Deborah | No I do not | Loss of Income & Tax Deductions | Detrimental to freelance workers in the industry. | |
2026-03-24 08:25:38 +02:00 | Juliette | No I do not | All of the above | Loss of Flexibility | Most freelance indivisible do not want to be bound as employees and the very nature of the industry needs to be flexible as it is usually project based. The cost of making freelancers employees placed a huge financial burden on companies and actually ends up disadvantaging the individual. |
2026-03-24 06:46:22 +02:00 | Lorna | No I do not | No concern, I Support the Gazette | It's a no from me | |
2026-03-12 20:25:27 +02:00 | Sipho | No I do not | All of the above | Industry Job Losses | |
2026-03-12 11:33:51 +02:00 | Erefaan | Yes I do | Industry Job Losses |
Supported by the Department of Employment and Labour, trade unions (such as SAFTU and COSATU), and various actors’ guilds.
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- Ending “Disguised Employment”: Supporters argue that many performers currently work under conditions identical to standard employment—including fixed hours, direct supervision, and strict control by production companies—but are labeled “independent contractors” specifically to deny them basic labour rights.
- Access to Fundamental Protections: Reclassification would guarantee vulnerable creative workers access to paid annual leave, sick leave, and maternity leave under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA).
- Workplace Injury Compensation: As employees, performers and crew would finally be covered by the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA), ensuring financial protection if they are injured or disabled on set.
- Fair Pay and Dispute Resolution: The amendment would ensure workers are protected by the National Minimum Wage Act and give them access to the CCMA to fight unfair dismissals and exploitative working conditions.
- Collective Bargaining: Formal employee status makes it easier for creative workers to unionise, negotiate standard minimum rates, and engage in legally recognized collective bargaining with major production houses.
Supported by freelance creatives, independent crew members, production companies, and industry associations.
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- Loss of Vital Tax Deductions: This is a primary financial concern for freelancers. If reclassified as “employees,” creative professionals will lose the ability to deduct critical business expenses from their taxable income, including agent commissions, travel to auditions, wardrobe, equipment, and self-tape costs, resulting in a severe drop in net take-home pay.
- Capped Earning Potential: Opponents argue that enforcing standard regulated working hours and strict overtime limits will harm gig workers. Freelancers often maximize their income by working intensively over short periods; rigid labour laws will artificially cap what they are legally allowed to earn in a week.
- Destruction of Autonomy & Flexibility: The creative industry relies on project-based, short-term contracts. Opponents state that a “one-size-fits-all” employee classification fails to distinguish between an actor on a five-year soap opera contract and a freelance makeup artist working a two-hour commercial shoot, destroying the ability to juggle multiple clients simultaneously.
- Driving Away International Investment: Applying heavy payroll administration, leave tracking, and labour-law compliance to short-term projects will drastically increase local production costs. Opponents warn this will make South Africa uncompetitive, driving international film and advertising work—and the jobs they create—to other countries.
- Not Fit for the Gig Economy: Critics argue that while traditional labour laws work well for 9-to-5 corporate jobs, forcing the dynamic, freelance-driven creative sector into an outdated legislative box will ultimately lead to fewer gigs and massive job losses.