SAFTU asks minister to explain facilitation after PSA deregistration notice

SAFTU has written to Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth seeking clarity about her facilitation of talks after the Registrar of Labour Relations moved to deregister the Public Servants Association (PSA).

What prompted the letter

According to IOL, SAFTU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi wrote to Minister Meth to ask for an explanation of the minister’s facilitation engagement between the Registrar of Labour Relations, the PSA and the Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA).

Registrar’s notice and PSA’s options

According to IOL, the Registrar of Labour Relations gazetted an intention to cancel the registration of the PSA, citing failures to submit audited financial statements, maintain compliant membership records, and to comply with sections 95, 98, 99 and 100 of the Labour Relations Act.

According to IOL, the PSA has 60 days to submit written representations to challenge the proposed deregistration.

Ministerial facilitation and questions raised

According to IOL, the meeting that followed the registrar’s notice was held at the specific request of FEDUSA and the PSA. SAFTU has asked Minister Meth to clarify her facilitation of the discussions, saying it is concerned about the principles of consistency, equality before the law and the independence of the Registrar of Labour Relations.

According to IOL, in a letter dated July 3, 2026, Vavi asked the minister to provide information on several points, including:

• the legal authority used to convene the facilitation process;
• the criteria applied to decide that the PSA matter warranted ministerial facilitation;
• whether the facilitation process is available to every trade union facing suspension or deregistration under the Labour Relations Act;
• whether previously deregistered unions could approach the minister for similar facilitation.

Responses and SAFTU’s stance

According to IOL, departmental spokesperson Teboho Thjane said questions should be directed to ministerial spokesperson Thobeka Magcai, who had not responded at the time of publication.

According to IOL, Vavi told Minister Meth that SAFTU supports the use of ministerial mediation to help unions fix compliance problems before workers forfeit their rights, but emphasised that such assistance must be provided fairly and uniformly to all trade unions regardless of size or federation membership.

What the minister said

According to IOL, Minister Meth said her role was purely facilitative and not to interfere with the registrar’s statutory functions, and that the intervention aimed to ensure all parties are heard and that dialogue remains central to labour relations. Meth also said the registrar, FEDUSA and PSA leadership agreed to further follow-up meetings to outline steps to resolve the impasse, according to IOL.