The Minister must designate an officer of the Department of Labour as the registrar of labour relations to perform the functions conferred on the registrar by or in terms of this Act.
The Minister may designate any number of officers in the Department as deputy registrars of labour relations to assist the registrar to perform the functions of registrar in terms of this Act.
The deputy registrar of labour relations or if there is more than one, the most senior of them, will act as registrar whenever-
the registrar is absent from the Republic or from duty, or for any reason is temporarily unable to perform the functions of registrar; or
the office of registrar is vacant.