We, the employed in South Africa respectfully request that our demand for the right and time to mourn our loss is reviewed
The current section 27 of the employment act witin the labour law of South Africa permits a maximum of three (3) days paid leave for us to mourn our loved ones who have passed away.
This is an unrealistic request; how does someone who has lost a loved one deal or cope with the reality of their grief and loss within three days?
Section 25 of the employment act, labour law of South Africa entitles at least four (4) months Maternity leave and rightly so, there is an adjustment that needs to be made, however, I would argue that bereavement requires the same honour and respect; when a member of a family passes away, part of those left behind have also passed away and the process to reconcile the reality of our loss takes time.
Time is what we petition the government for; time to mourn our loved ones who have passed on; grieving is a process that is unique to the individual and each of us need to be given time to process our experience and find hope in the memories we shared.
