Chapter IV: Strikes and Lock-outs
70. Essential services committee

1. The Minister, after consulting NEDLAC, and in consultation with the Minister for the Public Service and Administration, must establish an essential services committee under the auspices of the Commission and--

1. appoint to that committee, on any terms that the Minister considers fit, persons who have knowledge and experience of labour law and labour relations; and

2. designate one of the members of the committee as its chairperson.

2. The functions of the essential services committee are-

1. to conduct investigations as to whether or not the whole or a part of any service is an essential service, and then to decide whether or not to designate the whole or a part of that service as an essential service;

2. to determine disputes as to whether or not the whole or a part of any service is an essential service; and

3. to determine whether or not the whole or a part of any service is a maintenance service. (A maintenance service is defined in section 75.)

3. At the request of a bargaining council, the essential services committee must conduct an investigation in terms of subsection (2)(a).