Golding v HCI Managerial Services (Pty) Ltd (C 933/2014) [2014] ZALCCT 52 (27 October 2014) [2015] 1 BLLR 91; (2015) 36 ILJ 1098 (LC) per Steenkamp J.

The application was refused with no order as to costs.  Whilst it is not too difficult to define an employee it has proved almost impossible to do the same for an employer.  Starting with an enterprise or a group of entities forming part of that enterprise there must be persons to manage them.  It is possible that the owners of some enterprises run their own enterprises and if they receive remuneration they should be regarded as ‘employees’ as well.  Some farmers fall into that category.  But assuming the owners are shareholders then directors are needed and some of them could also be employees.  The recent debacle concerning HCI clarified some of these issues.