Strike Barometer
Strikes tell us much about the state of the class struggle, including how militant and organised workers are, the main issues they are mobilising around and which workers are leading struggles against the bosses. Strike statistics and analyses are critical for anyone interested in building the workers’ movement and working class struggle.
Select a year:
33
Strikes in 2025
4
Protected strikes 2025
29
Wildcat strikes 2025
13
Workplace-related action 2025
Note: More strikes may have occurred than those recorded, particularly short-term strikes by non-unionised workers that are not reported on official union social media pages or union WhatsApp groups. This barometer is produced in the spirit that even incomplete strike information is more useful than none.

Strikes by Sector

Strikes by Province

First half of year
Second half of year

Protected vs Wildcat

Strikes per Month

Strikes by Union

Protected Strikes
Wildcat strikes

First half of year
Second half of year
List of union names

Top 10 Reasons for Striking

🖱️ How the information in this barometer is compiled
clear
Click on an entry for more details
Start Date End Date City Province Employer Sector Union Type
2025-04-23 2025-04-23 Tshwane Gauteng National Department of Basic Education Education SADTU Protected
2025-04-16 2025-04-16 Ngcobo Eastern Cape Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality Small Business Workers and employers Protected
2025-04-15 2025-04-15 Nkandla KwaZulu-Natal Nkandla Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college Education Workers Wildcat
2025-04-15 2025-04-15 Johannesburg Gauteng City of Johannesburg Education SACECD Workplace-related action
2025-04-14 2025-04-14 Bojanala district North West Tharisa Minerals Mining Workers Wildcat
2025-04-10 2025-04-10 Mbombela Mpumalanga Provincial Departments of Health and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Provincial Government NUPSAW Protected
2025-04-08 2025-04-08 East London Eastern Cape Buffalo City municipality Local Government SAMWU Wildcat
2025-04-03 2025-04-03 Johannesburg Gauteng City of Johannesburg Local Government SAMWU Wildcat
2025-04-03 2025-04-03 Port Shepstone KwaZulu-Natal Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality Local Government SAMWU Wildcat
2025-04-01 2025-04-01 Tshwane Gauteng M.J. Laboratories Laboratories SARUW Wildcat
2025-03-26 East London Eastern Cape Amatola Water Board Water Board SAMWU Wildcat
2025-03-25 2025-03-25 Johannesburg Gauteng Airports Company South Africa Aviation Workers Workplace-related action
2025-03-21 Provincial nature reserves Mpumalanga Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency Tourism NEHAWU Wildcat
2025-03-21 2025-03-21 Secunda Mpumalanga Domestic work bosses and the Police Domestic Work UDWOSA Workplace-related action
2025-03-19 Germiston Gauteng Ekurhuleni municipality Local Government SAMWU Wildcat
2025-03-19 2025-03-25 Nationwide National South African Airways Aviation SAAPA, NTM Wildcat
2025-03-13 Kimberley Northern Cape Sol Plaatje Municipality Local Government Workers Wildcat
2025-03-11 2025-03-11 Tshwane Gauteng Pick 'n Pay Retail Workers Wildcat
2025-03-11 Lichtenburg North West Ditsobotla municipality Local Government SAMWU Wildcat
2025-03-10 Johannesburg Gauteng Johannesburg Metrobus Transport SAMWU Wildcat
2025-03-10 2025-03-10 Johannesburg Gauteng City of Johannesburg Local Government DEMAWUSA Wildcat
2025-03-07 2025-03-07 Cape Town Western Cape Western Cape Provincial Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Provincial Government NUPSAW Wildcat
2025-03-06 2025-03-06 Tshwane Gauteng Tshwane Affected Operations Investment Transport NUMSA Workplace-related action
2025-03-04 2025-03-06 Tshwane Gauteng Board of Healthcare Funders Health COSATU Workplace-related action
2025-03-04 2025-03-04 Tshwane Gauteng Tshwane Metro Police Department Local Government SAMWU Wildcat
2025-03-03 Nqanqarhu Eastern Cape Maclear public hospital Health PSA Wildcat
2025-02-27 2025-02-27 Pietermaritzburg KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government Provincial Government NEHAWU Workplace-related action
2025-02-25 Port Shepstone KwaZulu-Natal Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality Local Government SAMWU Wildcat
2025-02-22 Mahikeng North West North West Parks and Tourism Board Tourism NEHAWU Wildcat
2025-02-21 2025-02-21 Johannesburg Gauteng Arcelor Mittal South Africa Steel NUMSA Workplace-related action
2025-02-19 2025-02-19 Cape Town Western Cape National Department of Finance All sectors COSATU, SAFTU Workplace-related action
2025-02-13 2025-02-13 Gqeberha Eastern Cape Dormac Engineering Ibhayi Workers' Forum Workplace-related action
2025-02-12 2025-02-12 Tshwane Gauteng North West Transport Investment Transport SATAWU Wildcat
2025-02-01 2025-03-03 Johannesburg Gauteng Mega Express (Gautrain Bus Service) Transport SAMWU Wildcat
2025-01-31 2025-01-31 Johannesburg Gauteng Department of Health Health SAMATU, SAEPU Workplace-related action
2025-01-23 2025-01-23 Lichtenburg North West Ditsobotla municipality Local Government SAMWU Wildcat
2025-01-23 2025-01-23 Tshwane Gauteng City of Tshwane Transport PWEHA Wildcat
2025-01-20 Gqeberha Eastern Cape Dora Nginza public hospital Health DENOSA, NUPSAW Wildcat
2025-01-20 2025-02-06 Bizana Eastern Cape Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Regional Hospital Health DENOSA, NUPSAW, NEHAWU, PSA Wildcat
2025-01-19 2025-01-24 Provincial nature reserves Mpumalanga Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency Tourism NEHAWU Wildcat
2025-01-13 2025-01-13 Gqeberha Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Department of Health Health NUPSAW Workplace-related action
2025-01-09 2025-01-09 Gqeberha Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Department of Health Health NUPSAW Workplace-related action
2025-01-09 2025-01-13 Johannesburg Gauteng Mega Express (Gautrain Bus Service) Transport SAMWU Wildcat
2025-01-08 Daveyton, Wattville, Benoni Gauteng Provincial Department of Co-operative Governance Provincial Government Workers Wildcat
2025-01-06 2025-01-06 Bhisho Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Department of Health Health Workers Workplace-related action
2025-01-06 eThekwini KwaZulu-Natal Bidvest South African Container Depot Shipping NUMSA Protected