Today's Labour News
This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
Trains set to run from Nyanga to Philippi on Prasa's central line by end May
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News24 reports that recovery of Cape Town’s central line is well underway, according to the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa). It is intended to have trains back up and running between Nyanga and Philippi by the end of May.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 14 May 2024
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In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related reports.
Sibanye’s dismissal of scores of employees for faking sick notes upheld by Labour Appeal Court
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BL Premium reports that precious metals producer Sibanye-Stillwater’s decision to fire 59 employees at its Rustenburg platinum operations after finding them guilty of forging sick notes set the company up against the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), which claimed the employees had been unfairly dismissed.
Nehawu opposes the suspension of Secretary to Parliament Xolile George
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EWN reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) in Parliament said that it was opposed to the suspension of Secretary to Parliament Xolile George.
March by hundreds of mineworkers on Saturday against looming retrenchments at Sibanye-Stillwater
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GroundUp reports that hundreds of mine workers took to the streets on the West Rand of Johannesburg on Saturday to protest looming retrenchments at gold producer Sibanye-Stillwater.
Death toll in George building collapse rises to 30, with 22 people still unaccounted for
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TimesLIVE reports that the death toll following the collapse of a partially built building in George a week ago rose to 30 at 6pm on Monday, with 22 workers still unaccounted for.
Ramaphosa to sign NHI bill into law on Wednesday
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BL Premium reports that in the face of growing pressure from within the ANC, President Cyril Ramaphosa will sign the contentious National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill into law on Wednesday, setting the stage for a protracted fight with business, healthcare professionals and opposition parties.
Steel and engineering workers secure inflation-beating wage deal
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BL Premium reports that employers in the steel and engineering sector have signed an above-inflation multi-term wage deal with the largest union, potentially setting a precedent for future labour agreements and raising operational costs for the embattled sector.
State gets more time to investigate case against 13 eThekwini metro strikers arrested for public violence
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EWN reports that the state indicated in court on Friday that it needed more time to investigate the case against eThekwini municipal workers linked to an unprotected strike in March 2024.
Sibanye-Stillwater reports lowest serious injury rate in its history for the first quarter
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Mining Weekly reports that precious metals producer Sibanye-Stillwater has reported its lowest group serious injury frequency rate (SIFR) in its history for the first quarter, ended 31 March.
No serious injuries as passenger train and goods train collide on Friday in KZN
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The Citizen reports that on Friday, a passenger train and a goods train collided in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), causing the derailment of three carriages.
Death toll in George building collapse rises to 14 after 2 more bodies recovered on Friday afternoon
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News24 reports that the death toll in the George building collapse rose to 14 after two more bodies were recovered on Friday afternoon.
Popcru welcomes danger pay hike for Special Task Force (STF) members, but has reservations
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News24 reports that on Thursday, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) welcomed the increase in danger pay allowances for Special Task Force (STF) members of the SA Police Service (SAPS), but the union added that it still had reservations.
E-hailing driver accused of stabbing Cape Town two women arrested
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SowetanLive reports that police have arrested a Bolt driver who allegedly stabbed two women in Table View, Cape Town, at the weekend following a dispute over their destination.
Pretoria teacher claims dismissal after 20 years’ service was due to pro-Israel views
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Cape Times reports that a now former teacher at the Laudium Secondary School in Pretoria, who claimed he was dismissed after nearly two decades at the school because of his pro-Israel sentiments, turned to the Labour Court in Johannesburg as he felt that he was given the boot unfairly.
George building collapse: Hope is fading fast, but rescuers refuse to give up
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News24 reports that seventy-two hours after a structural collapse, the survival rate for those trapped under the rubble drops to around 33%. After that, in the space of just one day, the survival rate of those who have been trapped for four days is 19%.
Elite police forces secure a 250% danger pay hike
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News24 reports that the SA Police Service (SAPS) has increased danger pay allowances for Special Task Force (STF) members from R6,000 to R21,000, before deductions, marking a 250% increase.
Morning roundup of labour news on Friday, 10 May 2024
- Details
In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related reports.
Prayer session held at Sassa’s Mkhondo office after staff traumatised by ‘rituals’
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The Citizen reports that the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) offices in eMkhondo (formerly Piet-Retief), Mpumalanga, have been reopened after being closed for just over two weeks.
Thulas Nxesi emphasises workers’ rights over nationality in George building collapse
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Mail & Guardian reports that rescue workers are continuing to work around the clock in an attempt to rescue survivors at a mangled apartment building in George, Western Cape, after eight workers died in the collapse earlier this week.
New rules for labour courts published in government gazette
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BusinessTech reports that new Labour Court and Labour Appeal Court rules, including changes to holiday-time and restraint of trade litigation, have been published in the Government Gazette.
Suspended Msunduzi municipal manager to seek urgent high court interdict order to return to work
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The Witness reports that suspended Msunduzi manager Lulamile Mapholoba is heading to the High Court seeking an urgent interdict so as the return to work after the mayor told him to remain at home until there was an outcome in the disciplinary hearing against him.
Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) suspends acting vice-chancellor and another senior official
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Daily News reports that the uMlazi-based Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) has placed two senior officials on precautionary suspension pending the outcome of an investigation.
Gruelling weekend in store for rescue crews at collapsed building site in George
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Cape Argus reports that rescue crews working to locate construction workers trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed building in George are in for a long and challenging weekend.
More nurses needed for NHI Bill to be effectively implemented, says Life Healthcare group
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EWN reports that as the world gears up to commemorate International Nurses' Day on Sunday, the Life HealthCare Hospital group said that the hotly contested NHI Bill needed more nurses within the healthcare sector in order to be implemented without a hitch.
Police facing skills exodus to private sector, says Popcru
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The Citizen reports that according to the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), the police are facing a dire skills shortage within their Special Task Force and National Intervention Units.
Contract worker dies after sudden pipe burst causes trench collapse in Salt Rock
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The North Coast Courier reports that an employee working for a company contracted by Siza Water to repair water pipes on the corner of Osborne Drive and Hulett Road in Salt Rock, died tragically on Wednesday afternoon when a water pipe suddenly burst, causing the trench he was working in to collapse.
Msunduzi mayor defends ‘suspending’ municipal manager via WhatsApp
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The Mercury reports that Msunduzi Municipality mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla has defended the decision to notify the municipal manager, Lulamile Mapholoba, via WhatsApp that he had been suspended.
North West Parks Board employee arrested for theft of 51 rhino horns
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TimesLIVE reports that the Hawks have arrested a North West Parks and Tourism Board employee for his alleged involvement in the theft of 51 rhino horns.
Steel and engineering wage offer for artisans not acceptable to Solidarity
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Maroela Media reports that Solidarity issued a press statement on Wednesday indicating that the wage offer for skilled artisans made earlier by employers in the steel and engineering sector left the trade union with no choice but to reject it.