Uluma Human Resources

Uluma Human Resources Specialising in Human Resources consulting and behavioural training. Majored in Economics, Business Economics and Industrial Psychology.

Human Resources development and training are not quick fixes, but forms part of an organisation’s long term objectives. Margaux Reitsma studied for and completed a B.COM (INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY) degree in three years part time in 1988 at the Rand Afrikaans University (now called the University of Johannesburg). Margaux presented a variety of courses through SAA’s Manpower division. She joined the T

ertiary education industry in 1991 where she lectured at the Cape Technikon (now Cape Provincial University of Technology) and various private training institutions, training entrants for the Travel and Tourism Industry. She consistently achieved the highest pass rate for the national external examinations (TETASA – Tourism Education & Training Authority of SA – now part of THETA SETA) during 1995 and 1996, which highlights her open and enthusiastic style of training. Margaux decided to realise her passion and to pursue her career in the development of people, specialising in Human Resources consulting and behavioural training. She formed her own business called Uluma HR in January 1998, where she assists companies in the development of comprehensive policies and procedures for their Human Resources needs to comply with current labour legislation. Inclusive of developing these policies she assists with the implementation of these policies and HR programmes, such as performance management, induction and/or mentorship programmes, recruitment, Employment Equity Plans & Reports, etc. Her loyalty undeniably lies with the employer! Margaux has assisted various companies in a variety of industries over the last few years to develop and implement Human Resources policies and procedures. Some of her clients include: Spur Steak Ranches, The Jupiter Drawing Room (Advertising Agency), Sourcecom Technology Solutions, Sure Holdings Limited, Sure Fish Hoek Travel, Mossgas (Employment Equity training on the plant and on the platform), The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), Audiovision (V & A Waterfront), iThemba Labs, Cellphonics, Diemersfontein Wine and Country Estate, Windmeul Eierboere, Prime Cleaning Suppliers, Sass Diva (jewellery retail), Go2Africa.com, etc. Margaux’s areas of specialty are consulting on Human Resources Programmes – developing and implementing policies and procedures and training on interpersonal skills across all personnel levels. Examples of training courses developed and presented are: Performance Management, Effective Time management, Maximising Your Potential (Goal setting, Personal Effectiveness), Disciplinary Procedures, Labour legislation (5 acts), Diversity Management (mainly on Employment Equity), Presentation skills, Absence management, Retention of your Human Resources (Reward & Recognition), Stress Management, etc.

It our absolute pleasure to showcase our newly updated website.These areas are what we have been advising, guidingand as...
16/06/2026

It our absolute pleasure to showcase our newly updated website.

These areas are what we have been advising, guiding
and assisting you, our clients, in the last few years.
It is just explained, now, in a better way….!

Please have a look and let us know how we can continue to serve you in excellence to be even better at managing, guiding, mentoring and leading your teams!

www.ulumahr.co.za

Our founding member, Margaux Gaigher, is on her way to enjoy a well-deserved summer holiday in Europe. She will be back early July.

In Margaux’s absence, please reach out to:
• Tania Verdoes (our friendly, energetic go-getter HR specialist):
084 573 1650 or [email protected] for any HR advice or assistance
• Lukas Coetsee (our favourite labour lawyer): 082 558 4917 or [email protected] and
• Marijke Jonker (our exceptionally competent admin expert):
074 807 9336 [email protected] for any HR admin assistance -will only respond after 16h00

Stay warm, cosy, safe and healthy!
The (remaining) Uluma HR Team

All female employees who are expecting a child are entitled to four (4) months (unpaid) maternity leave. The maternity l...
16/06/2026

All female employees who are expecting a child are entitled to four (4) months (unpaid) maternity leave. The maternity leave should preferably commence one (1) month before the expected date of the birth of the child. It is the employee’s responsibility to give you as the employer, at the very least, one (1) months’ notice of the commencement of maternity leave OR the possible date of the birth.

Employers are not legally obliged to pay employees during their maternity leave. The employee can claim maternity benefits through the Department of Labour, from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).

We often get the question whether annual leave accrues during the four (4) months’ maternity leave…. YES, it does…the employee is employed during these months, even though she is not working and therefore the leave accrues – whether the employee is paid or not during this period.

And lastly, the law is clear…. you must secure her job upon her return. You may change the role and/or responsibilities, but she has a job when she returns!

Many employers contribute to the employees’ salaries, however, mostly when the employee has shown loyalty and has been employed for several years. It is advisable, in this instance to enter into an agreement or contract that the employee will commit to employment after returning from maternity leave. While this is not a legal obligation, you may offer this to those employees who have been with you for a few years, is loyal, adds value and you do not want to lose them.

Let us know if you need someone to give guidance on these matters.

The abuse of sick leave is costing employers millions if not billions of rands every year in South Africa. To address th...
15/06/2026

The abuse of sick leave is costing employers millions if not billions of rands every year in South Africa. To address this let’s look at what constitutes a VALID medical certificate that would justify that the employer pays the employee when he is sick or ill.

Section 23 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act deals with proof of incapacity and states:

“23. (1) An employer is not required to pay an employee (see last week’s newsletter) …… and, on request by the employer, does not produce a medical certificate stating that the employee was unable to work for the duration of the employee’s absence on account of sickness or injury.

(2) The medical certificate must be issued and signed by a medical practitioner or any other person who is certified to diagnose and treat patients and who is registered with a professional council established by an Act of Parliament.”


From this section of the Act, there are two requirements for a medical certificate to be a valid medical certificate;

It must state that the employee was unable to perform their normal duties because of illness (or an injury) AND it must be based on the professional opinion of the medical practitioner. In other words, a certificate that states that the practitioner “saw the patient” or “was informed by the patient” is notconsidered to be a valid medical certificate since the practitioner did not declare in his or her professional opinion that the employee was unable to perform their normal duties because of illness (or an injury). Such certificates are merely an indication that the practitioner saw the patient, for example a check-up, or that he/she was informed that the patient was unfit for duty.

The second requirement is that the certificate must be issued by a medical practitioner. A medical practitioner is described in the definitions of the Act as: ‘‘. . .. a person entitled to practise as a medical practitioner in terms of the Health Service Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974);”

In terms of the Act the following professionals are medical practitioners:

·Medical practitioners that are registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)

· Dentists that are registered with HPCSA

· Psychologists with a master’s degree in educational, Counselling or Clinical Psychology that are registered with the HPCSA

· Visit the HPCSA website for other professional boards: HPCSA

How do I know if my medical certificate is valid?

If you are in doubt about the authenticity of a medical certificate, you can check the legitimacy of the certification. You may contact the GP or medical practice that issued the medical certificate, but you should be aware of the limits of the information you can request.

Should you require assistance we are a phone call or email away.

Have a great week. Please stay healthy, really healthy.

Behind every great team is an incredible HR person.Happy international HR day. Uluma HR serving employers and managers f...
20/05/2026

Behind every great team is an incredible HR person.

Happy international HR day.

Uluma HR serving employers and managers for the last 27 years!

Tag your HR person and let's celebrate them. 🥳

The BCEA Section 23(1) states that an employer is not required to pay an employee if the employee has been absent from w...
18/05/2026

The BCEA Section 23(1) states that an employer is not required to pay an employee if the employee has been absent from work for more than two consecutive days OR on more than two occasions during an eight-week period and, on request of the employer, does not produce a medical certificate….
The question we often get is about ‘sick’ employees on Fridays or Mondays...
While the Act is silent on the specific days, it is normal business practice to ‘count’ these days before and after a weekend that it adds up to more than 2 consecutive days.
So, if someone is off sick on the Monday, we can rightfully ‘assume’ they were sick the whole weekend! Same with the days before and after long weekends. If we as employers do not establish clear guidelines for this procedure, there is a high risk of inconsistency or abuse of this entitlement.

With the matter of the ‘more than 2 occasions during an 8-week period: it is vital to check, when an employee is off sick on, for example, a Wednesday, when last were they off sick?? This could, potentially be the start of a trend of taking that 1 day every few weeks. It is often easily missed by those who manage leave and when employees realise this is not managed or recorded accurately, can become a culture and/or a way of manipulating paid sick leave!

We have attached an example of a ‘Return to Work’ questionnaire again – very valuable to do these on the day the ‘sick’ employee is back at work. It is important that all employees realise that sick leave is being monitored and managed!

Next week we will deal with medical certificates!

Enjoy the week!

Uluma HR Team

With winter on our doorstep, we thought to remind you of some important info regarding sick leave from the Basic Conditi...
15/05/2026

With winter on our doorstep, we thought to remind you of some important info regarding sick leave from the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA):
Employees who work a 5-day week, are entitled to 30 days in a 36 months (i.e. 3 year) period. Those who work 6-days = 36 days in 3 years.

New employees: Very important to know that during the first 6 months of employment, the employee is entitled to only 1 day’s paid sick leave after 26 days worked – it works out to 1 day in 6 weeks worked.
The total number of paid sick leave a new employee may take within the 1st 6 months = 4 – but take note - it accumulates….a person cannot, for example, take 3 consecutive sick days at the end of month 3 as the entitlement only allow for 2 paid sick leave. The 3rd one will have to be unpaid leave. Any sick leave days taken during the first 6 months of employment is deducted from the full 3 years entitlement.

On the 1st working day of month number 7, the balance of the full entitlement kicks in and is available to the employee. The employee can use those sick leave days at any time required over the next 2,5 years, or if it is the second cycle, over the next 3 years.

PLEASE do NOT allow more than the statutory 30- or 36-days sick leave. Employees must learn to manage their health and, in our experience, if given more paid sick leave days, employees will make good use of it. So, employers, DON’T GO THERE!

Stay warm, and healthy. Enjoy your weekend!

Regards
Uluma HR Team

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.Investing in your staf...
24/04/2026

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

Investing in your staff by equipping them and training them are always worthwhile.

Uluma HR did 2 sessions at one of our clients recently.
Wellness and Money Matters

Book now to equip your staff

Last week we touched on Ethics in Business and how ‘looking away’ can cost significantly. In businesses, ethical drift r...
21/04/2026

Last week we touched on Ethics in Business and how ‘looking away’ can cost significantly.
In businesses, ethical drift rarely begins as a scandal. It starts as pressure (without scrutiny), silence (around conduct), shortcuts (which get tolerated) and accountability (that becomes selective).

A business does not become ethical because it employs a few good people, it becomes ethical when ethical standards are governed, operationalised, reinforced and LIVED.
That is why it so vitally important to know: what is the culture and how are our values really lived and practiced on a day-to-day basis….

A last word from Advocate Ilene Power during the session: The issue is rarely one bad person, the issue is when the culture, the environment in which the business operates in, keeps ‘giving permission’……!!

“What we repeatedly tolerate, we eventually teach.”
If any of this information stirs up some concern, please let us know if we can assist.

Ethics In Action www.ethicsinaction.co.za

The winter is lurking in Cape Town, enjoy your week!

At an exceptionally worthwhile Cape Chamber function recently, the topic of ETHICS and ethical behaviour in the world of...
14/04/2026

At an exceptionally worthwhile Cape Chamber function recently, the topic of ETHICS and ethical behaviour in the world of work was discussed by Advocate Ilene Power. She shared very interesting facts in her talk, called, THE COST OF LOOKING AWAY.
She said (shockingly) that we watch scandals like a spectator of a sport and that the real tragedy is that nobody is surprised by such actions anymore!
What makes it even more concerning is that commissions like the Madlanga Commission don’t just reveal isolated incidents; they expose systemic patterns that mirror what’s happening in businesses as well.
Ethical decay rarely begins as a scandal. It begins as pressure, silence, tolerated shortcuts, and selective accountability (more on this next week).
The sad truth is that the behaviour of a reactive system teaches employees how to behave and then, it becomes CULTURE. Little indiscretions become overlooked and the question of asking: “Is it right?”, becomes “Will it work?”
Changing unethical culture requires exceptional and ethical leadership and governance discipline.
“Little drops of water make the mighty ocean.” – Julia Carney
What are the areas of your company that require better management and an ethical approach?
Source: Ethics In Action www.ethicsinaction.co.za
Have a good week!
Uluma HR Team

VALUES = the culture of your business!The last few weeks we focused on the importance of VALUES in your business. And ho...
20/03/2026

VALUES = the culture of your business!
The last few weeks we focused on the importance of VALUES in your business. And how you can assess if those values are LIVED and PRACTICED by implementing the R A V E exercise.
Please feel free to reach out to us if we can be of any assistance as the values of your business will impact and influence the CULTURE!
In a recent article by Simon Sinek, he confirmed that VALUES determine your company’s CULTURE!
Simon stated the following:
If you don’t have a good culture, then your company isn’t great!
Where any of the values are actively practiced and seen by external customers, you will have a STRONG CULTURE!

Watch this short insightful video….
Lead with Your Values | Simon Sinek - YouTube

Enjoy the cooler weather! We are, as you know, a phone call away!
Have a great weekend!

Address

P. O. Box 773
Wellington
7654

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+27218731116

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