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Latest Post

Long Weekend Alert: Strategic Leave Days to Watch in 2026

Every year, savvy employees scan the calendar for ways to stretch their annual leave into loooong weekends - and 2026 offers some prime opportunities. At openHR, we treat these moments not as loopholes, but as diagnostic events in workforce planning. read more


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South Africa’s 2026 Compliance Calendar

In the world of legacy-aware stewardship, statutory compliance isn’t just about ticking boxes - it’s about preserving dignity, clarity, and resilience. At openHR, we treat each deadline as a diagnostic event: a moment to reaffirm transparency, not scramble for survival. read more

December 11, 2025

openHR free payroll and HR
South Africa’s 2026 Public Holidays

As we step into 2026, openHR continues its legacy-aware stewardship by documenting the national public holidays that shape payroll cycles, compliance rituals, and workforce planning. These dates aren’t just markers on a calendar - they’re diagnostic events of South African labour. read more

December 11, 2025

openHR free payroll and HR
Introducing Custom UI Themes in openHR

At openHR, we believe dignity starts with choice - and that includes how your workspace looks and feels. That’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of custom UI themes, giving you more control over your experience. read more

December 2, 2025

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Where can I download a blank UI19 form?

Right here. The form can also be pre-completed automatically with openHR. read more

December 2, 2025

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How openHR Powers Payroll with 100% Renewable Energy

At openHR, we believe dignity starts with transparency - not just in payroll, but in the infrastructure that powers it. That’s why every payslip, leave request, and audit trail runs on servers fuelled by 100% renewable energy. read more

November 9, 2025

openHR free payroll and HR
From Trillions to Trust: What Bonuses Really Say About Your Business

As South African businesses prepare for year-end payouts, one bonus has dominated global headlines: Elon Musk’s R17-trillion compensation package from Tesla - the largest ever awarded to a corporate leader. It’s easy to dismiss this as billionaire theatre. But beneath the headlines lies a diagnostic opportunity for every SME: what does your bonus say about your business’s legacy? read more

November 7, 2025

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What Is a PAYE Number in South Africa?

If you’re hiring staff and paying salaries above the tax threshold, you’ll need to register for PAYE (Pay-As-You-Earn) - and that means getting a PAYE reference number from SARS. read more

November 4, 2025

openHR free payroll and HR
Where Can I Get a UI19 Form in South Africa?

If you're an employer in South Africa needing to register or update employee details with the Department of Labour, you’ll likely be asked for a UI19 form. It’s one of those bureaucratic rituals that feels obscure until you need it - and then suddenly urgent.  read more

November 4, 2025

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Free Payroll Software South Africa: How openHR Empowers Small Businesses

Running a small business in South Africa comes with enough challenges - your payroll software shouldn’t be one of them. That’s where openHR steps in: a proudly South African, cloud-based payroll and HR platform offering a robust free plan designed to simplify compliance, reduce admin, and empower small teams to thrive. Let’s explore the free features included in openHR and how each one can make a tangible difference for small businesses. read more

November 2, 2025

openHR free payroll and HR
Mandeni Blitz Exposes Child Labour

A Wake-Up Call for Compliance and Compassion In a late-night operation dubbed the “Dusk of Night” blitz, the Department of Employment and Labour, alongside SAPS and Home Affairs, raided two textile factories in Mandeni, KwaZulu-Natal. The results were chilling: 47 undocumented workers arrested, two employers detained, and a 14-year-old child found working under illegal conditions. This wasn’t just a labour violation - it was a mirror held up to the cracks in our current social systems. read more

October 29, 2025

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True Empowerment Means Accessibility to Compliance Tools

In South Africa, compliance is often framed as a gate - something you pass through if you’re lucky, resourced, or well-connected. But what if compliance was a bridge instead? What if it was a scaffold that dignifies participation, rather than a barrier that filters it? At openHR, we believe that true empowerment begins with access. Not just access to funding or opportunity, but access to the tools that make participation possible. Payroll, contracts, UIF declarations, leave policies - these aren’t just admin tasks. They’re the rituals of legitimacy. And when those rituals are locked behind expensive software or opaque systems,... read more

October 20, 2025

openHR free payroll and HR
When Is My Tax Return Due? 2025 Deadlines for Non-Provisional Taxpayers

South African taxpayers who aren’t classified as provisional have until 20 October 2025 to file their personal income tax returns. That’s the official SARS deadline - and it’s not just a date, it’s a diagnostic moment. If you haven’t been auto-assessed by SARS this year, this deadline applies to you. Auto-assessed taxpayers received their notices between 7-20 July, but if you didn’t get one, it’s your cue to log into SARS eFiling or the MobiApp and submit your ITR12 manually. read more

October 9, 2025

openHR free payroll and HR
openHR's Most Advanced Payroll & HR Yet

The best free payroll software with HR in South Africa just got better. At openHR, we don’t just ship features - we ship dignity. The new upgrade is a quiet revolution for South African businesses, especially those navigating payroll and HR on tight budgets. Whether you manage two employees or two thousand, openHR now scales with sharper precision, smoother UX, and a touch of WhatsApp magic.  read more

October 8, 2025

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🧾 EMP501 Season: Interim Reconciliations open 22 September 2025

As the interim Employer Reconciliation window opens from 22 September to 31 October, openHR is here to help you navigate the SARS maze with clarity, speed, and zero fluff. read more

September 13, 2025

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You Are HR-ing Wrong

This week, a leaked video from Stellenbosch Municipality surfaced, showing an HR manager allegedly advocating for hiring practices designed to make specific employees “uncomfortable enough to resign.” The fallout has been swift and polarised. But beneath the outrage lies a deeper systems failure - one that affects all staff, regardless of demographic. read more

September 3, 2025

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⚖️ What Are Your Rights During a Department of Labour Compliance Blitz?

 When the Department of Labour conducts a surprise inspection, it can feel like a raid. But employers have rights - and knowing them can make all the difference.  read more

August 17, 2025

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⚖️ Why openHR is free - and why dignity shouldn’t depend on your budget

When I was in Grade 2, I didn’t have propelling crayons. Not because I didn’t want them, but because we couldn’t afford them. My teacher made sure I felt that difference - publicly, repeatedly, and cruelly. She didn’t just mark my work. She marked me. That experience stayed with me. Not as bitterness, but as a blueprint for what not to do. read more

August 15, 2025

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⚖️ Compliance Blitz: South Africa’s Labour Inspections

In recent months, the Department of Employment and Labour has intensified its nationwide blitz inspections — and the results are sobering. From underpayment of wages to unsafe working conditions, nearly half of the 2,700 companies inspected were found to be non-compliant. Over R10 million in monetary corrections have been enforced, and 81 undocumented workers were arrested. read more

August 13, 2025

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🛡️ How to Survive Tariffs Like Trump Survived an Assassination: A Guide for South African Employers

In July 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally — a moment that stunned the world and underscored his reputation for defiance under pressure. Now, in 2025, his sweeping tariff policies are shaking global markets and forcing employers to rethink sustainability, staffing, and cost control. For South African businesses, especially those exporting to the U.S. or relying on global supply chains, Trump’s tariffs — ranging from 15% to 30% on African exports — are more than political posturing. They’re a direct hit to profitability, employment, and long-term planning. read more

August 2, 2025

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🕒 Deadline Drama: Why Late Submissions Cost More Than Just Penalties

In the world of payroll compliance, deadlines aren’t just dates - they’re dominoes. Miss one, and the ripple effect can hit your finances, your reputation, and your peace of mind.   Let’s unpack the real cost of missing key submissions like EMP201, ROE, and PAIA, and how openHR helps you stay ahead - not by nagging, but by making oversight harder to miss. read more

July 28, 2025