Constitution
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996
Act No. 108 of 1996
Supreme law of the Republic. Establishes the Bill of Rights, the three spheres of government, courts and chapter 9 institutions.
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South African Legislation Library
Plain-language summaries of 67+ key South African Acts, organised by topic. Click through to read the official text on gov.za. Updated regularly — if an Act you need is missing, let us know.
67 Acts
Constitutional
Labour & Employment
LRA
Labour Relations Act, 1995
Act No. 66 of 1995
Governs collective bargaining, trade unions, strikes, the CCMA, Labour Court, unfair dismissal and unfair labour practices.
BCEA
Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997
Act No. 75 of 1997
Sets minimum working conditions: hours, overtime, leave (annual, sick, family, maternity), payslips, termination notice.
EEA
Employment Equity Act, 1998
Act No. 55 of 1998
Prohibits unfair discrimination in employment and requires designated employers to implement affirmative action plans.
SDA
Skills Development Act, 1998
Act No. 97 of 1998
Creates SETAs, learnerships and the National Skills Authority to develop the South African workforce.
OHSA
Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993
Act No. 85 of 1993
Requires employers to provide and maintain a safe working environment. Establishes duties of employers, employees and inspectors.
COIDA
Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, 1993
Act No. 130 of 1993
No-fault compensation for employees injured or contracting diseases in the course of employment.
UIA
Unemployment Insurance Act, 2001
Act No. 63 of 2001
Provides UIF benefits for unemployment, illness, maternity, adoption and the dependants of deceased contributors.
NMWA
National Minimum Wage Act, 2018
Act No. 9 of 2018
Establishes the National Minimum Wage, the NMW Commission and review process for annual adjustments.
PDA
Protected Disclosures Act, 2000
Act No. 26 of 2000
Protects whistleblowers in the workplace from occupational detriment after disclosing wrongdoing.
Labour Relations Amendment Act, 2014
Act No. 6 of 2014
Tightens regulation of temporary employment services (labour brokers), fixed-term contracts and part-time employees earning below the BCEA threshold.
ESA
Employment Services Act, 2014
Act No. 4 of 2014
Establishes public employment services, regulates private employment agencies and the employment of foreign nationals.
Consumer & Commercial
CPA
Consumer Protection Act, 2008
Act No. 68 of 2008
Codifies consumer rights, cooling-off, product liability, unfair business practices and the National Consumer Tribunal.
NCA
National Credit Act, 2005
Act No. 34 of 2005
Regulates credit providers, reckless lending, debt review, prescription of debt and the National Credit Regulator.
Companies Act
Companies Act, 2008
Act No. 71 of 2008
Incorporation, governance and winding-up of companies. Director duties, business rescue and the Companies Tribunal.
Close Corporations Act, 1984
Act No. 69 of 1984
Governs existing close corporations. No new CCs may be registered after the 2008 Companies Act.
ECTA
Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002
Act No. 25 of 2002
Recognises electronic signatures, e-contracts, consumer protection online and cybercrime offences.
Competition Act, 1998
Act No. 89 of 1998
Prohibits restrictive practices, abuse of dominance and unnotified mergers. Establishes the Competition Commission and Tribunal.
Prescription Act, 1969
Act No. 68 of 1969
Extinguishes debts after the lapse of the prescribed period (commonly 3 years for ordinary debts).
Insolvency Act, 1936
Act No. 24 of 1936
Sequestration of individual estates, voidable dispositions and the rights of creditors.
FAIS
Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, 2002
Act No. 37 of 2002
Regulates the rendering of financial advice and intermediary services. Establishes the FAIS Ombud.
Long-term Insurance Act, 1998
Act No. 52 of 1998
Regulates long-term insurers, intermediaries and policy holder protection rules.
Short-term Insurance Act, 1998
Act No. 53 of 1998
Regulates short-term insurers, brokers and policy holder protection rules.
Pension Funds Act, 1956
Act No. 24 of 1956
Registration and governance of pension funds, the Pension Funds Adjudicator and member protections.
Data & Cyber
POPIA
Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013
Act No. 4 of 2013
Sets the eight conditions for lawful processing of personal information. Establishes the Information Regulator.
PAIA
Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000
Act No. 2 of 2000
Gives effect to s 32 of the Constitution — the right of access to records held by public and private bodies.
Cybercrimes Act, 2020
Act No. 19 of 2020
Creates cybercrime offences (hacking, unlawful interception, data interference, malicious communications) and victim protection orders.
RICA
Regulation of Interception of Communications Act, 2002
Act No. 70 of 2002
Regulates the interception of communications and SIM-card registration.
Criminal & Procedural
CPA (Criminal)
Criminal Procedure Act, 1977
Act No. 51 of 1977
Arrest, bail, charge sheets, plea procedures, trial, sentencing and appeals in criminal matters.
Sexual Offences Act
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007
Act No. 32 of 2007
Codifies sexual offences, the National Register for Sex Offenders and victim protections.
DVA
Domestic Violence Act, 1998
Act No. 116 of 1998
Establishes protection orders against domestic abuse, including emotional, economic and verbal abuse.
Protection from Harassment Act, 2011
Act No. 17 of 2011
Affords victims of harassment (including cyber-harassment) the right to apply for a protection order.
PEPUDA
Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 2000
Act No. 4 of 2000
Establishes the Equality Courts and prohibits unfair discrimination, hate speech and harassment outside the workplace.
Child Justice Act, 2008
Act No. 75 of 2008
Separate criminal justice process for children in conflict with the law, including diversion.
POCA
Prevention of Organised Crime Act, 1998
Act No. 121 of 1998
Targets racketeering, money laundering and criminal gang activities. Provides for asset forfeiture.
Firearms Control Act, 2000
Act No. 60 of 2000
Licensing, possession, dealing and use of firearms; competency certificates and renewals.
Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act, 1992
Act No. 140 of 1992
Criminalises dealing in and use of dependence-producing substances and provides for asset forfeiture.
NRTA
National Road Traffic Act, 1996
Act No. 93 of 1996
Driver fitness, registration of vehicles, road traffic offences (including drunk driving) and accident reporting.
Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2013
Act No. 7 of 2013
Criminalises human trafficking, provides for victim protection, identification and return.
Family & Social
Children's Act, 2005
Act No. 38 of 2005
Parental responsibilities, care and contact, child protection, foster care and adoption.
Maintenance Act, 1998
Act No. 99 of 1998
Procedure for obtaining and enforcing maintenance orders in the Maintenance Court.
Divorce Act, 1979
Act No. 70 of 1979
Grounds for divorce, division of assets and forfeiture of patrimonial benefits.
Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998
Act No. 120 of 1998
Recognises customary marriages and regulates their consequences and registration.
Civil Union Act, 2006
Act No. 17 of 2006
Provides for the solemnisation and registration of civil unions between two persons.
Social Assistance Act, 2004
Act No. 13 of 2004
Establishes the legal basis for social grants administered by SASSA.
Older Persons Act, 2006
Act No. 13 of 2006
Protects the rights of older persons, regulates community-based care and prohibits abuse.
Mental Health Care Act, 2002
Act No. 17 of 2002
Procedures for voluntary, assisted and involuntary mental health care and the rights of mental health care users.
Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1996
Act No. 92 of 1996
Regulates the circumstances under which a pregnancy may be terminated lawfully in South Africa.
Property & Housing
Rental Housing Act, 1999
Act No. 50 of 1999
Governs the rental housing market, lease obligations and the Rental Housing Tribunal.
Sectional Titles Act, 1986
Act No. 95 of 1986
Regulates ownership of units in sectional title schemes.
PIE Act
Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act, 1998
Act No. 19 of 1998
Sets a court-supervised process for evictions, balancing landowner rights with constitutional housing protections.
Deeds Registries Act, 1937
Act No. 47 of 1937
Administration of deeds offices and registration of rights in immovable property.
STSMA
Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act, 2011
Act No. 8 of 2011
Governs the management of sectional title schemes, bodies corporate and the Community Schemes Ombud.
CSOS Act
Community Schemes Ombud Service Act, 2011
Act No. 9 of 2011
Establishes the CSOS to resolve disputes in sectional title, share block, home owners' associations and similar schemes.
ESTA
Extension of Security of Tenure Act, 1997
Act No. 62 of 1997
Protects occupiers of rural and peri-urban land from arbitrary eviction.
Administrative & Public
PAJA
Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, 2000
Act No. 3 of 2000
Codifies the right to lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair administrative action under s 33 of the Constitution.
PFMA
Public Finance Management Act, 1999
Act No. 1 of 1999
Governs financial management in national and provincial government and entities.
MFMA
Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003
Act No. 56 of 2003
Financial management framework for municipalities and municipal entities.
Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000
Act No. 32 of 2000
Core principles for municipalities' internal systems, performance management and service delivery.
PRECCA
Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004
Act No. 12 of 2004
General offence of corruption and specific offences relating to public officers, foreign officials and the private sector.
Immigration Act, 2002
Act No. 13 of 2002
Entry into and departure from South Africa, visas, permanent residence and the deportation of illegal foreigners.
Refugees Act, 1998
Act No. 130 of 1998
Application for and granting of refugee status, rights and obligations of refugees and asylum seekers.
Identification Act, 1997
Act No. 68 of 1997
Establishes the National Population Register and the issuing of identity documents and smart ID cards.
Tax & Financial
Income Tax Act, 1962
Act No. 58 of 1962
Principal Act governing income tax, capital gains tax and dividends tax in South Africa.
Value-Added Tax Act, 1991
Act No. 89 of 1991
Imposes VAT on the supply of goods and services and the importation of goods.
Tax Administration Act, 2011
Act No. 28 of 2011
Single administrative framework for all tax Acts: assessments, objections, appeals, penalties and SARS powers.
FICA
Financial Intelligence Centre Act, 2001
Act No. 38 of 2001
Anti-money laundering and counter-terror-financing duties for accountable institutions.
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