<P> No matter what the contract itself says, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act is applicable as the minimum standard that must be achieved . </P> <P> The Labour Relations Act 1995 deals with strikes and unions and the like; the Basic Conditions of Employment Act is a fall back option for those vulnerable workers who are not able to unionize due to various reasons, such as the kind of work they do . Domestic and farm workers are pertinent examples in the South African context . </P> <P> The purpose of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act is to advance economic development by providing basic conditions of employment . </P> <P> The Basic Conditions of Employment Act also contains the definition of an employee, so that issue, discussed above, is relevant here, too . The Minister is empowered to extend the provisions of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act to non-employees in specific circumstances . Even, therefore, if a domestic worker is not considered an employee in terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Minister may extend the provisions to her for her own protection . </P>

Laws in south africa that ensure fair labour practice