JJ van der Walt

Counsel

JJ van der Walt is Counsel in our Employment Law practice. He advises both local- and multi-national clients in a diverse range of employment law issues. 

JJ van der Walt

About JJ

JJ joined CDH as a Senior Associate in October 2022. He left CDH in 2024 and rejoined in 2025 as Counsel in the Employment Law Practice. 

Areas of expertise

Employment Law
Corporate & White Collar Investigations

Experience

  • JJ advises clients on a broad spectrum of employment law issues and regularly represents clients in, and guide clients through, complex and important employment disputes, including, for example, urgent injunctive proceedings (e.g., executive disputes, disputes with organized labour, etc.) as well as restraint of trade, confidentiality, and unlawful competition proceedings.

  • Extensive experience in conducting sensitive investigations (e.g., sexual harassment, unfair discrimination (inclining allegations of structural or systemic inequality) in a professional, pragmatic, and timeous manner whilst offering pragmatic recommendations and solutions beyond merely stipulating the legal position.

  • He also has gained experience over the years in guiding clients in respect of complying with the collective agreements of, becoming exempt from, or engaging in disputes with, bargaining councils.

  • Advises clients on re-organisation of their business (i.e., employee or employment (human capital) re-organisations) as well as small- and large scale retrenchments. Importantly, he can manage a client's implementation of large-scale human capital re-organisations beyond dispensing of advice on the legal position and associated risks.

  • Regularly advises clients on, and guides clients in respect of, employment equity and basic conditions of employment compliance issues and disputes with the Department of Employment and Labour.

  • JJ is often approached by clients to preside over disputes.

Credentials

Education 

  • BCom Law (cum laude): University of Pretoria (2013)
  • LL.B (cum laude): University of Pretoria (2015)
  • LL.D: University of Pretoria (2018)
  • Registered legal practitioner (attorney) with the Legal Practice Council

Memberships

  • The South African Society for Labour Law

LANGUAGES

  • English

News

Global restructuring is subject to local operational requirements: CCMA confirms that the tail does not wag the dog
Employment Law

Global restructuring is subject to local operational requirements: CCMA confirms that the tail does not wag the dog

Can a South African subsidiary fairly retrench employees simply because a foreign parent company has decided to reduce global headcount due to global constraints, not local operational...

New contractor, same business: Labour Appeal Court confirms section 197 application

New contractor, same business: Labour Appeal Court confirms section 197 application

On 27 November 2025, the Labour Appeal Court (LAC) delivered judgment in the matter of Electro Hydro World (Pty) Ltd v Murray and Roberts Cementation (Pty) Ltd and Others (JA132/24)...

Year‑end bonuses: What employers need to know
Employment Law

Year‑end bonuses: What employers need to know

As the year draws to a close, questions around year-end bonuses arise. In South Africa, the law does not prescribe a general legal obligation on employers to pay a bonus. As always,...

The Labour Court does not have inherent jurisdiction over incomplete disciplinary proceedings

The Labour Court does not have inherent jurisdiction over incomplete disciplinary proceedings

The issue of the Labour Court’s jurisdiction over incomplete disciplinary proceedings has now been authoritatively and definitively determined by the Labour AppealCourt(LAC). 

Fixed-term contracts and the termination of third-party service relationships
Employment Law

Fixed-term contracts and the termination of third-party service relationships

The decriminalised approach to workplace discipline and ghost employees
Employment Law

The decriminalised approach to workplace discipline and ghost employees

In Gauteng Department of Education v General Public Service Sectoral Bargaining Council and Others (JA141/2022) ZALAC 2 (22 January 2025) the Labour Appeal Court (LAC) recently confirmed...

The Constitutional Court, retirement age and uncertainty: Employers be aware
Employment Law

The Constitutional Court, retirement age and uncertainty: Employers be aware

The recent judgment of the Constitutional Court in MISA and Another v Great South Autobody CC t/a Great South Panelbeaters ; Solidarity o.b.o. Strydom and Others v SITA SOC Limited...

Boardrooms are not courts: The decriminalised approach to workplace discipline
Employment Law

Boardrooms are not courts: The decriminalised approach to workplace discipline

Misconduct is inevitable in every workplace, but not each instance of misconduct is always addressed as the disciplinary process can feel overwhelming.

What happens when there are no employee/employment contracts  transferred? Is the business still  transferred as a going concern?
Employment Law

What happens when there are no employee/employment contracts transferred? Is the business still transferred as a going concern?

The Labour Court recently had to decide whether the termination of a service agreement and the concluding of another service agreement with a new service provider to render the same...

Remote working in South Africa: The tax and employment law implications
Employment Law

Remote working in South Africa: The tax and employment law implications

Decriminalised approach to conducting disciplinary enquiries
Employment Law

Decriminalised approach to conducting disciplinary enquiries

JJ van der Walt and Taryn York discuss the fact that in South African labour law there is no place for formal disciplinary procedures that incorporate all the accoutrements of a criminal...

The protection against self-help: Employers be aware

The protection against self-help: Employers be aware

The Labour Appeal Court recently confirmed that an employer may not deduct or withhold any amount from an employee’s remuneration if the employee participated in an unlawful strike...

The EEA Amendments & Draft Regulations: The impact and why employers must submit representations
Employment Law

The EEA Amendments & Draft Regulations: The impact and why employers must submit representations

Imraan Mahomed led the discussion with JJ van der Walt on the expected, yet rather uncertain, impact of the imminent promulgation of the EEA amendments and the recently published draft...

Promoting diversity and inclusivity in the workplace: The implications of the proposed amendments to the Employment Equity Act on industry targets
Employment Law

Promoting diversity and inclusivity in the workplace: The implications of the proposed amendments to the Employment Equity Act on industry targets

The Employment Equity Amendment Bill (Bill) was passed by Parliament (the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces) on 17 May 2022 and is waiting to be signed into law by...

Global restructuring is subject to local operational requirements: CCMA confirms that the tail does not wag the dog
Employment Law

Global restructuring is subject to local operational requirements: CCMA confirms that the tail does not wag the dog

Can a South African subsidiary fairly retrench employees simply because a foreign parent company has decided to reduce global headcount due to global constraints, not local operational...

New contractor, same business: Labour Appeal Court confirms section 197 application

New contractor, same business: Labour Appeal Court confirms section 197 application

On 27 November 2025, the Labour Appeal Court (LAC) delivered judgment in the matter of Electro Hydro World (Pty) Ltd v Murray and Roberts Cementation (Pty) Ltd and Others (JA132/24)...

Year‑end bonuses: What employers need to know
Employment Law

Year‑end bonuses: What employers need to know

As the year draws to a close, questions around year-end bonuses arise. In South Africa, the law does not prescribe a general legal obligation on employers to pay a bonus. As always,...

The Labour Court does not have inherent jurisdiction over incomplete disciplinary proceedings

The Labour Court does not have inherent jurisdiction over incomplete disciplinary proceedings

The issue of the Labour Court’s jurisdiction over incomplete disciplinary proceedings has now been authoritatively and definitively determined by the Labour AppealCourt(LAC). 

Fixed-term contracts and the termination of third-party service relationships
Employment Law

Fixed-term contracts and the termination of third-party service relationships

The decriminalised approach to workplace discipline and ghost employees
Employment Law

The decriminalised approach to workplace discipline and ghost employees

In Gauteng Department of Education v General Public Service Sectoral Bargaining Council and Others (JA141/2022) ZALAC 2 (22 January 2025) the Labour Appeal Court (LAC) recently confirmed...

The Constitutional Court, retirement age and uncertainty: Employers be aware
Employment Law

The Constitutional Court, retirement age and uncertainty: Employers be aware

The recent judgment of the Constitutional Court in MISA and Another v Great South Autobody CC t/a Great South Panelbeaters ; Solidarity o.b.o. Strydom and Others v SITA SOC Limited...

Boardrooms are not courts: The decriminalised approach to workplace discipline
Employment Law

Boardrooms are not courts: The decriminalised approach to workplace discipline

Misconduct is inevitable in every workplace, but not each instance of misconduct is always addressed as the disciplinary process can feel overwhelming.

What happens when there are no employee/employment contracts  transferred? Is the business still  transferred as a going concern?
Employment Law

What happens when there are no employee/employment contracts transferred? Is the business still transferred as a going concern?

The Labour Court recently had to decide whether the termination of a service agreement and the concluding of another service agreement with a new service provider to render the same...

The protection against self-help: Employers be aware

The protection against self-help: Employers be aware

The Labour Appeal Court recently confirmed that an employer may not deduct or withhold any amount from an employee’s remuneration if the employee participated in an unlawful strike...

Promoting diversity and inclusivity in the workplace: The implications of the proposed amendments to the Employment Equity Act on industry targets
Employment Law

Promoting diversity and inclusivity in the workplace: The implications of the proposed amendments to the Employment Equity Act on industry targets

The Employment Equity Amendment Bill (Bill) was passed by Parliament (the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces) on 17 May 2022 and is waiting to be signed into law by...

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