When the Job Is Not Guaranteed

What the Pick n Pay Section 189 Process Is Really Telling Every South African Worker—and What to Do About It

Nomzamo Khosa · Elevate Finance Partners · May 2026 · 8 minute read

A Personal Note from Nomzamo
Last month, we sat together in some powerful conversations. We unriddled the misquote that money is the root of all evil. We walked alongside the widow who built from empty jars. We honoured Mrs M—who built her family’s financial future on a government salary through every kind of storm. And then the news broke on Workers Day itself: Pick n Pay has initiated a Section 189A process affecting 22,000 store workers. Benefits under review. Sunday pay on the table. Rosters changing. And the CEO saying something that should stop every South African worker in their tracks—”It’s impossible to guarantee no worker is going to be retrenched in this process.”

I am not here to take sides between Pick n Pay and the union. That is not my lane and it is not my place. My job—as a financial educator and literacy advocate—is to help you understand what this means. And more importantly, what it is telling every South African whose entire financial life rests on a single employer’s decision.

Because Pick n Pay is not the story. The story is what happens to a family when the one income stops.

That is the conversation I want to have with you today.

Section 1: What Is Actually Happening at Pick n Pay—Explained Simply

Let us start with the facts, because the language around this can be confusing and scary if you do not know what it means.

What is a Section 189A process?
Section 189A of the Labour Relations Act is a formal consultation process that South African employers are legally required to follow when they are considering large-scale changes that may include retrenchments. It requires the employer to engage with unions and affected employees, explore alternatives to job losses, and minimise the impact of any changes.

It does not automatically mean retrenchments are happening. But it does mean they are being considered—and that material changes to employment conditions are on the table. smelaboursupport.org

What is Pick n Pay actually proposing?
Pick n Pay is proposing changes to its store-based labour model including cuts to Sunday premium pay, more flexible rostering that requires full-time staff to work across weekends, and an alignment of benefits with what other retailers in the market offer. The CEO has described the current labour cost structure as sitting “way, way, way above” market norms—and has said this is a structural issue that has weighed on the business’s competitiveness for years.

The process runs for 60 days through the CCMA and involves the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union—SACCAWU—and non-management store-based employees. sundayworld.co.za

What does it mean for the workers?
For the 22,000 workers directly in this process it means uncertainty. It means that the conditions they negotiated—sometimes through strike action—are now being renegotiated. It means that Sunday pay they counted on to make the budget work may be reduced. It means that the roster they built their family life around may change.

And it means that the income they rely on—the single income many of these households depend on—is not as certain as it was a week ago.

Workers’ Rights Reminder
Workers have rights in this process. If you or someone you know is directly affected, the CCMA offers free services and SACCAWU is engaged in the consultation. Do not navigate this alone—and do not sign anything without understanding what you are agreeing to. A Clarity Session can also help you understand your financial options during this period.

Section 2: The Bigger Lesson This Is Pointing At

Here is the truth that Pick n Pay did not plan to teach—but has.

When one employer holds your entire financial future, you are one decision away from crisis. One restructure. One Section 189. One retrenchment letter. One roster change that cuts your Sunday pay and suddenly the rent does not add up. One store closure. One performance review that goes the wrong way.

We do not say this to create fear. We say it because it is real—and because every person who reads this deserves to create their financial life on more than one pillar.

“She considers a field and buys it. Out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.”
Proverbs 31:16 (NIV)

The Proverbs 31 woman did not wait for her employer to determine her financial future. She created alongside her primary income. She looked at the resources available to her, made a calculated decision, and invested her earnings into something that would generate a return independently of whoever was paying her salary. That is not just ancient wisdom. That is 2026 financial strategy.

The Pick n Pay story is not primarily about one retailer’s turnaround. It is about what happens when 22,000 people’s financial futures rest on a single set of decisions made in a boardroom they are not sitting in. sundayworld.co.za

South Africa’s unemployment rate remains one of the highest in the world. The economy is growing—but slowly. Retrenchments happen across every sector, every year. And the people most vulnerable are always those with the least financial diversification—the ones whose entire income comes from a single source, who have no emergency fund, no side income, no digital asset, no alternative stream to carry them through a disruption.

This is the financial reality we are living in. And it demands a response.

Income Risk Comparison

Section 3: What the Bible Says About Single Points of Financial Failure

I want to bring scripture into this conversation—not to spiritualise a labour dispute, but because the Word has always had practical wisdom for the economic realities of everyday life.

“Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.”
Ecclesiastes 11:2 (NIV)

Solomon wrote those words thousands of years ago. And they are as financially relevant today as they were then. Do not put everything in one place. Diversify. Spread your exposure. Because you do not know what disaster may come—what Section 189A process, what store closure, what restructure, what economic shift may arrive without warning.

“The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.”
Proverbs 21:20 (NIV)

The wise person does not consume everything they earn. They store. They build reserves. They create margin between their income and their expenses so that when disruption comes—and it comes for all of us eventually—they are not immediately in crisis.

An emergency fund is not a luxury. It is obedience to this principle. It is wisdom made practical. If you are a worker in a process like this right now and you have three to six months of expenses saved—you have options. If you have nothing saved—the pressure is immediate and the choices narrow fast.

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
Proverbs 15:22 (NIV)

Do not navigate financial uncertainty alone. Seek counsel. Understand your rights. Get clarity on your options before the pressure forces a decision. That is why the Clarity Session exists. That is why financial literacy matters. Knowledge in a crisis is the difference between a decision made from fear and a decision made from understanding.

Section 4: Your Rights as a Worker—What You Need to Know

Whether you are directly in the Pick n Pay process or simply watching it and wondering what would happen if this came to your workplace—here is what the law says, in plain language.

• Right to Consultation: Section 189A requires genuine consultation—not just notification. Your employer must engage with you or your union on reasons, alternatives, and impact minimisation.
• Right to Representation: Union members get union involvement; others can appoint a rep. Do not go alone.
• Right to Severance: At least 1 week’s pay per year of service if retrenched.
• Right to CCMA: Free dispute resolution if unfair.
• Right to Clarity: Do not sign under pressure—seek counsel first.

This is general education only, not legal advice. Consult your union, attorney, or CCMA. For NCA credit rights (restructuring options), see the National Credit Regulator site.

Section 5: The Question Nobody Is Asking—But Everybody Should Be

Here is the question I want every person reading this to sit with today. Not just the Pick n Pay workers. Everyone. Every household that depends on a salary from a single employer.

If your income from this employer changed tomorrow—what would remain? Not what you wish would remain. Not what you are planning to build one day. What is already there—right now—that would continue generating income if the salary stopped?

The best time to create a second income stream is before you need one. The second best time is right now—while you still have the primary income to fund it.

This is not about abandoning your job. This is about what the widow in 2 Kings 4 understood—that what you have in your house right now, poured with intention into the right container, can generate something that your employer does not control.

Your skills. Your story. Your knowledge. Your experience. Your network. These are yours. No Section 189A process can table them for review. No restructure can eliminate them from your budget. No roster change can reduce their value. They are your jar of oil. And they are already in your house.

Section 6: What You Can Do Right Now—Practically

Whether you are a Pick n Pay worker, a government employee, a teacher, a nurse, a banker, or anyone whose income comes from a single employer—here are the practical steps to take right now.

Step 1: Build Your Emergency Fund
Why It Matters: Before side income, build your buffer (3-6 months essentials). It protects decisions, not just finances.

Step 2: Audit Your Skills
Why It Matters: List what you know that others pay for—what Elisha asked the widow.

Step 3: Understand NCA Credit Rights
Why It Matters: Proactively restructure debt to protect your record.

Step 4: Start a Digital Income Stream
Why It Matters: Small (R500-R2,000/month) streams ignore rosters/economies.

Step 5: Book a Clarity Session
We map your next step clearly—no full plan, just direction. WhatsApp 073 509 8750 or elevatefinancepartners.online.

You do not have to have it all figured out. Just take the next step—like the widow pouring oil.

Build What No Restructure Can Touch
The Elevate Income Accelerator (EIA) is for this moment. elevatefinancepartners.online.

• EIA Foundations—R99: Zero to live digital business in week 1.
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Related Reads

• Empty Jars, Open for Business
• It’s Not Money That’s Evil—It’s the Love of It
• How to Build an Emergency Fund on a South African Salary
• How to Get Out of Debt—South Africa

Pick n Pay did not plan this lesson on Workers Day. But here it is: The job is not guaranteed. Create it now—while you can. Reduce what you owe. Grow what you own. Do not let a boardroom decide alone.

Blessings & Abundance,
Nomzamo
Elevate Finance Partners · Reduce what you owe. Grow what you own.

Nomzamo Khosa is a financial educator—not a financial advisor or legal practitioner. The content shared on Elevate Finance Partners is intended for general educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. If you are directly affected by a retrenchment or Section 189A process, please consult with your union, an employment attorney, or the CCMA. For personal financial guidance, a Clarity Session with Nomzamo is a good first step — thereafter, please consult a qualified financial professional for advice specific to your situation. NCA registered