South Africa’s new Code of Good Practice on Dismissals, gazetted in September 2025, has redrawn the lines on how employers – particularly small businesses – can dismiss employees. The updated framework acknowledges the reality that smaller firms often lack the HR expertise and resources of big corporates, easing procedural requirements while still protecting fairness.

Kagiso Lebethe, Senior Employee Relations Specialist, unpacks what the changes mean in practice: from how misconduct cases are handled, to greater flexibility during probation, the expansion of incapacity grounds to include cultural fit, and simplified processes for retrenchments. With small businesses being the backbone of the economy, these changes could prove to be a relief for employers – but what does it mean for workers’ rights? Kaya FM