• An essential-service designation under section 71 of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (LRA) removes the right to strike from employees who render that designated service, and the right to lock out from their employer.
• On 1 September 2026, in ES 911, the Essential Services Committee designated the corrective maintenance of critical telecommunication infrastructure as an essential service.
• For telecommunications employers, the consequence is immediate. Employees who render the designated service may not strike, their employer may not lock them out, and disputes of mutual interest must be arbitrated under section 74 of the LRA.

On 1 September 2026, in ES 911, the Essential Services Committee (ESC) designated the corrective maintenance of critical telecommunication infrastructure as an essential service. The decision is important because it confirms the evidentiary threshold employers must meet where they contend that an interruption of a service endangers the public.

The investigation

Corrective maintenance is reactive work performed after a fault: diagnosing the failure, repairing or replacing damaged components and restoring the site to service. Routine and preventative maintenance fell outside the designation. The evidence showed that faults may follow bad weather, theft, vandalism and unstable power, and that restoration requires technicians with training, certification, security clearance and, where necessary, statutory qualifications for work at heights and...

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