This is a living article. It tracks instruments that are not yet final. Each item shows where it sits in its lifecycle and what to watch for next.
In brief
Several changes that will affect South African employers are still in motion: the Draft Construction Regulations 2024, the broader OHS reform toward a management system model, the phased COIDA rollout, the inspectorate expansion, and the ISO 45001:2027 revision. None is settled, but all point the same way, toward provable systems and psychosocial risk.
South Africa
Draft Construction Regulations 2024. Status: Draft. Gazetted 12 Mar 2025 for 90-day public comment, which closed 10 Jun 2025. They will repeal the 2014 Construction Regulations and revise the definitions of agent, client and contractor, along with health and safety officer appointment rules. [1] Awaiting final gazette. Watch for the final text, the commencement date, and any changes to officer appointment thresholds.
OHS reform toward a management system. Status: Proposed. Commentary indicates reform that moves employers from a written policy to a formal, evidence-based health and safety management system, and expands administrative penalties that inspectors can issue directly. [2] Watch for publication of the Bill text, the penalty schedule, and any phased commencement.
COIDA rollout. Status: In force, phased. Core provisions commenced 23 Jan 2026, with further dates of 01 Feb and 01 Apr 2026, and rehabilitation regulations effective 06 Mar 2026. [3][4] Watch for Compensation Fund operational notices, return of earnings and Letter of Good Standing process changes, and newly recognised occupational diseases. Live deadline: the 2026 Return of Earnings season runs 01 Apr to 30 Jun 2026, and late submission carries a 10 percent penalty plus monthly interest. [13][14][15] Multiple sources now confirm that a Confirmation of Employer Registration Details form is compulsory for this season, and that a submission without it is treated as incomplete, so this point is no longer provisional. [13][14][15] Note too that the COIDA amendments in force from 01 Feb 2026 add structured administrative penalties for late submission and non-payment on top of the existing automatic 10 percent. [14]
Inspectorate expansion. Status: In progress. The plan grows inspectors from roughly 2,000 to 20,000, with around R5 billion over the medium term and a first wave of 10,000 posts. [5][6] Watch for regional rollout, the risk profiling criteria, and sector targeting.
ISO
ISO 45001 revision. Status: Draft, publication expected 2027. The direction is set toward psychosocial risk and mental health, climate change, digitalisation and AI-supported processes, and stronger worker participation, with a standard three-year transition expected after publication. [7][8] Watch for the progress of ISO/DIS 45001, confirmation of the publication date, and the final transition window. [9] Update, 21 Jun 2026: the Draft International Standard (ISO/DIS 45001) ballot opened on 16 Jun 2026 and closes on 08 Sep 2026. At this stage, the structure and intent of the standard are largely settled. Publication is still expected mid-2027, with a three-year transition after that. [11][12]
ISO 45003 uptake. Status: In force, growing adoption. The psychosocial guidance standard is increasingly used alongside ISO 45001 and now appears in dedicated training. [10] Watch for how the 45001 revision formally references psychosocial management.
GRC Shop view
The Construction Regulations and the broader OHS reform are the two South African items most likely to change client obligations in the next 12 months, and both point toward more named appointments, more competence requirements, and more provable system evidence. We expect psychosocial risk to be the single biggest new compliance theme. This is our forecast, clearly marked as opinion, and we will revise it as each text is published.
Abbreviations
- AI: artificial intelligence
- COIDA: Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act
- DIS: Draft International Standard
- ISO: International Organisation for Standardisation
- MTEF: Medium Term Expenditure Framework
- OHS: Occupational Health and Safety
- ROE: Return on Earnings
References
The sources below are external links to third party websites. We link only to publicly accessible pages and check periodically that the links still work.
[1] ENSafrica, "OHASA: Public Comments on the Draft Construction Regulations 2024", Mar 2025. https://www.ensafrica.com/news/detail/9938/south-africa-occupational-health-and-safety-a
[2] ComplianceHub, "OHS Law in 2026: The End of Paper Safety", 2026. https://www.compliancehub.co.za/post/ohs-law-in-2026-the-end-of-paper-safety
[3] Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, "COIDA Amendments now in force: A new era for workplace injury compensation", 12 Mar 2026. https://www.cliffedekkerhofmeyr.com/en/news/publications/2026/South-Africa/Employment-Law/employment-law-alert-12-march-2026-coida-amendments-now-in-force-a-new-era-for-workplace-injury-compensation-in-south-africa
[4] Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, "New COIDA Regulations now published: Rehabilitation Framework takes shape", 12 Mar 2026. https://www.cliffedekkerhofmeyr.com/en/news/publications/2026/South-Africa/Employment-Law/employment-law-alert-12-march-new-coida-regulations-now-published-rehabilitation-framework-takes-shape
[5] TimesLive, "Labour inspectorate: Plan is to grow team from 2,000 to 20,000", 02 Oct 2024. https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2024-10-02-labour-inspectorate-plan-is-to-grow-team-from-2000-to-20000/
[6] Xinhua, "South Africa to recruit 20,000 inspectors to crack down on non-compliance", 11 Feb 2025. https://english.news.cn/20250211/83c20213a48745719e5ef459b638f96c/c.html
[7] Smithers, "ISO 45001 News: Preparing for the Possible 2027 Standard Revision", Jun 2026. https://www.smithers.com/resources/2026/june/iso-45001-news-possible-2027-standard-revision
[8] Bureau Veritas, "ISO 45001: Key Updates in the 2027 Edition", 2026. https://www.bureauveritas.ch/en/newsroom/iso-45001-key-updates-2027-edition
[9] ISO, "ISO/DIS 45001 (Draft International Standard)", in development. https://www.iso.org/standard/89698.html
[10] Bywater, "Managing psychosocial risk and ISO 45003 training", 2026. https://www.bywater.co.uk/iso-45001-training-courses/
[11] LRQA, "ISO 45001 revision update: DIS ballot now open", Jun 2026. https://www.lrqa.com/en-au/latest-news/iso-45001-revision-update-dis-ballot-now-open/
[12] NQA, "ISO 45001:2027 Revision and Transition Support", 2026. https://www.nqa.com/en-gb/transitions/iso-45001-2027
[13] ClearComply, "COIDA Return of Earnings 2026: deadline guide", 2026. https://www.clearcomply.co.za/blog/coida-return-of-earnings-deadline-south-africa
[14] Accounting Weekly / SAAA, "COIDA Return of Earnings (ROE) Submission Runs from 1 April to 30 June 2026", 2026. https://www.accountingweekly.com/trending-news/coida-return-of-earnings-roe-submission-runs-from-1-april-to-30-june-2026
[15] Company Partners, "COIDA Return of Earnings 2026 Deadline Explained", 2026. https://companypartners.co.za/coida-return-of-earnings-2026-deadline/