Honourable Dr MJ Cardo, the bargaining councils furnished the Registrar of Labour Relations with the aggregated figures of exemptions from SMMEs. They classify them all under small business.
- For 2017, bargaining councils with extended collective bargaining to non-parties received from SMMEs a total of 1388 exemption applications. 1266 were granted; 91 were refused; and 17 were either withdrawn or still under consideration by end of 2017.
- For 2018, bargaining councils received from SMMEs a total of 2764 exemption applications. 2588 were granted; 114 were refused; and 93 were either withdrawn or still under consideration by end of 2018.
- In 2019, bargaining councils received from SMMEs a total of 1712 exemption applications, 1464 were granted; 168 were refused; and 76 were either withdrawn or still under consideration by end of 2019