In our Monday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Friday, 24 March 2017.
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Staff worried about potential for another collapse at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital TimesLive reports that stones are still piled up on the roof of Johannesburg's Charlotte Maxeke Hospital less than a month after a similar situation led to a structural collapse. Five people were injured when part of the roof over an entrance collapsed at the hospital on 2 March. A contractor was accused of negligence and the Gauteng infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo is expected to release the official findings into the incident in the next few days. Hospital employees are now worried about the potential for another collapse. Three engineers said it was not ideal to pile stones so high in one area, although they could not give an opinion in this instance because they had not assessed the structure and strength of the roof. A Gauteng spokesman said that the stones would be removed on Monday. Read this report by Katharine Child in full at TimesLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Wildcat strike at Harmony’s Kusasalethu mine ends on Friday ANA reports that the unprotected strike at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu mine near Carletonville came to an end on Friday. This followed discussions between senior management of Harmony and the senior leadership of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu). Production came to a halt on Thursday, as a result of the industrial action, as no workers reported for the day shift. This was apparently in response to the suspension of the Amcu branch leaders, who had encouraged an illegal go-slow at the mine on Wednesday in which only 25% of the workforce reported for work. Wednesday’s go-slow was in reaction to disciplinary procedures taken by the company against 40 employees following an illegal sit-in at Kusasalethu in January this year. Read this report in full at The Citizen. See too, Kusasalethu strike ends, at Mining Weekly. And also, Harmony strike at Kusasalethu over, sheds four production days, at Miningmx Government to ‘amend and relax’ laws for small-scale miners to combat illegal mining Mining Weekly reports that the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) will “amend and relax” some of its conditions in issuing mining permits to small-scale miners, Mineral Resources Deputy Minister Godfrey Oliphant said on Friday. He was speaking after a one-day workshop on illegal and artisanal mining, hosted by the DMR in partnership with the Mine Health and Safety Council under the theme ‘Combating illegal mining and promoting artisanal mining in SA’. Oliphant indicated that the DMR would facilitate access to funding from State-owned financial institutions, such as the Industrial Development Corporation, for small-scale miners. Earlier, Oliphant said that, while government was committed to finding a reasonable solution to regulate the artisanal mining sector, this would only apply to surface projects, and not to those undertaken in underground areas by the many illegal miners referred to as zama zamas. “There is no ways that we, as the DMR, can in good conscience grant permits to artisanal miners for deep-level mines that in most cases are being accessed using old, abandoned shaft infrastructure, which are unsafe.” Read this report in full at Mining Weekly Illegal mining a multibillion-dollar empire with financial targets, CEOs, line managers & security personnel The Times reports that illegal mining in SA is a multibillion-dollar transnational business empire with its own financial targets, line managers, security personnel and CEOs. The playing field is spread over 6,000 disused gold, diamond, chrome and platinum mines across the country. With a workforce of up to 30,000 people, the operations of illegal mining syndicates run day and night. Many of the illegal miners are immigrants, often working in conditions reminiscent of slavery. Illegal mining has been identified as a national threat and a multi-agency team has been formed to co-ordinate government efforts to combat it, says the Chamber of Mines. With huge profit margins comes the need for enforcement - and often deadly reprisals. Since 2012 more than 300 illegal miners have died in clashes for control of mine shafts. Illegal East Rand miners claim that operations are run with enforcers "policing" the mining. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) wants illegal mining legalised "so that these small miners can play a role in the economy and pay tax." Read this report in full at BusinessLive. Read too, 'There are no rules there': The life of a zama zama, at TimesLive Other general internet posting(s) on mining
Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha drowning in labour issues Sunday Independent reports that the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha is being crippled by the continued appointment of acting CEOs and rampant failure to adhere to labour laws. The institution, which houses gifts and awards Mandela received during his presidency, is also hamstrung with bloated management and the fact that some of its employees do not even have job descriptions. Employees are also haphazardly placed and not properly remunerated. An unprotected strike over salary negotiations dragged on for three weeks, resulting in the management awarding a 7% salary increase to all employees, including managers. All this was revealed in an arts and culture portfolio committee report which is being processed in Parliament. The report was compiled after the oversight committee visited the Eastern Cape-based museum in September last year. The committee has recommended that appointment of the CEO be speeded up and that the museum should adhere to labour laws. Read this report by Mayibongwe Maqhina in full at Sunday Independent
Nehawu says state social workers’ strike ‘unlikely to end anytime soon’ Saturday Citizen reports that there appears to be no end in sight to the strike by members of the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) in the social development sector. There was hope on Thursday that the industrial action, which started some two weeks ago, would come to an end on Friday. But, Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba said the consultative process with union members was “still continuing and only once that has been completed will we revert back to the employer.” He added that: “The general feeling among the members we have already consulted is that they still want improvements in certain areas. As things stand so far, it is unlikely that the strike will end any time soon, but it is our members who will give us a mandate on the way forward.” Workers are demanding, inter alia, the introduction of a rural allowance, the absorption of unemployed social workers on a permanent basis and improved conditions of service for employees in the department. The major stumbling block is apparently around the rural allowance. Read this report by Steven Tau in full at The Citizen. See too, Patients stranded in Limpopo as workers vow to continue strike, at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Vavi's new trade union federation officially registered with labour department ANA reports that the Department of Labour on Friday officially registered the new trade union federation under the name South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu). This is subject to ratification by the launching congress on 21 to 23 April 23 or a change of name, the steering committee of the federation said "This is a milestone in the history of the South African trade union movement and paves the way for the birth of a vibrant, independent, democratic, and militant workers’ champion, which will turn the tide against exploitation, mass unemployment, poverty, and inequality and take us forward to the total liberation of the working class," steering committee convenor Zwelinzima Vavi and acting spokesman Patrick Craven said in a statement. Based on a report at Business Report. See too, Vavi heads new trade union, at eNCA Vavi’s new trade union federation gets rolling BusinessLive reports that the new trade union federation, which has been championed by former Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, has been registered officially with the Department of Labour. The new organisation could rival or even be bigger than the ANC’s alliance partner Cosatu, as it claims that more than 40 unions have expressed interest in signing up. It was registered on Friday under the name the South African Federation of Trade Unions. Registration will allow the federation to start operating and recruiting membership. Vavi said 21 unions had received mandates and budgets to support the new federation and had officially signed up, while another 18 unions still needed a mandate from their members before joining. Cosatu spokesman Sizwe Pamla said they did not have any view on the new federation. "We have to respect their right to do so. Preferably we would have wanted a situation where workers unite, but we can’t stop anyone from forming anything." Read this report by Genevieve Quintal in full at BusinessLive. See too, Vavi not looking to settle political scores with his new union federation, at eNCA. And also, Union federations riddled by factionalism, says Vavi, at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
AB InBev recruiting again after too many managers took voluntary exit packages Business Times reports that SABMiller’s new owner, Anheuser-Busch InBev, is recruiting again after a higher than expected number of former SABMiller managers took voluntary separation packages and left in January. Richard Tadeu, Africa Zone president at AB InBev, said the company now needed to hire at least 100 new people as it planned new developments. “We are going to invest in two new production lines in South Africa. That will be announced in [the] future. So we’ll need people to run those lines,” Tadeu told Business Times on Friday. Of just more than 1,000 managers that SABMiller employed when AB InBev completed the takeover in October last year, 378 departed through the severance package as part of the company’s global cost cutting plans. The process only affected managers at headquarters, not operations. “At the end of the day we ended up with more people leaving that we ideally wanted. Now we’re in the process of rehiring some of the positions,” Tadeu said. The posts are required in the legal, corporate affairs and finance departments and include administration roles such as analysts. They are not limited to management positions. Read an extended summary of this report at SA Labour News. Read the full report by Asha Speckman on page 1 of Sunday Times Business Times of 26 March 2017
Transnet offers voluntary severance packages to staff Mining Weekly reports that Transnet on Friday confirmed that it was offering voluntary severance packages (VSPs) to its management and bargaining unit employees. The parastatal cited subdued global economic growth, including a weak economic outlook for the local economy, as the reasons for initiating the VSP programme. The United National Transport Union (UNTU) in response said its “worst fear” regarding Transnet had now become a reality, and would affect thousands of its members who were employed at Transnet. Deputy general secretary Eddie de Klerk said that Transnet had informed them it was “severely impacted because of the challenging economic conditions, with a poor forecast of improvement any time soon.” The VSP process will be considered in line with business and operational requirements, including the retention of skills that Transnet might require in line with its future plans. The group expects to conclude the process at the end of April. UNTU urged its members to remain in employment for as long as possible, with the “grim economic situation as it is”. Read this report in full at Mining Weekly. Read UNTU’s press statement in this regard at UNTU online. See too, Untu slams government for looming job losses at Transnet, at EWN. And also, Transnet bied pakkette vir werkers aan, at Netwerk24 (limit on access) In face of anger from unions and truckers, Eskom says it planned to decommission plants ages ago Business Report writes that Eskom said on Friday said that independent power producers (IPPs) were not the only factor that led to its decision not to extend the life of a number of its power stations. This came as anger towards renewable energy over the power utility’s decommission plans festered. The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), as well as coal truckers, have directed their ire at the IPPs after Eskom said it would shut down five old coal-fired power stations in order to create space for electricity from the IPPs. But the Integrated Resource Plan 2010-2030 and Eskom’s Transmission Development Plan 2016-2025 are among documents that show that the decommissioning of the power stations have been part of Eskom’s plans for a while. Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe on Friday said a number of factors, including low economic growth and the IPP capacity, had prompted the utility’s board in November last year to rethink the decision to prolong the life of the power stations and to bring the decommissions forward. Read this report by Siseko Njobeni in full at Business Report
Acting CEO at mining seta MQA allegedly lied over qualification City Press reports that Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has ordered an investigation into allegations that Tebogo Mmotla, acting CEO of the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA), faked his qualification. The MQA is one of SA’s 21 sector education and training authorities (Setas). Disgruntled employees wrote anonymously to Nzimande’s director-general earlier this month asking him to have Mmotla suspended for having lied about his qualification when applying for the Seta’s COO post in 2014. Mmotla apparently claimed that he completed the SA Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) programme in strategic management and corporate governance. But when the internal auditors obtained a statement of credits from SAICA, it showed he never completed the course. Approached for comment, Mmotla declined to say anything. The board met nine days ago to discuss Mmotla’s suspension, but he remains in his job. Read this report by Msindisi Fengu in full at City Press
Photographer suspended for 'skimpy' clothing and seductive conduct towards Zuma and Cyril Independent Media reports that a squabble over a government employee’s alleged skimpy dressing and seductive conduct in front of President Jacob Zuma and his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, has led to her suspension. Siyasanga Mbambani, an assistant director of media production in the presidential unit of the Government and Communications Information System (GCIS), was suspended on Friday. This took place after a long-drawn-out battle with her boss, Elmond Jiyane, the deputy director of media production in the department. Both are photographers. The GCIS suspended her for “violating departmental policies by quoting the department on social media without authorisation”. Mbambane alleges that Jiyane had on several occasions falsely accused her of making sexual overtures towards Zuma and Ramaphosa by being scantily dressed and flashing her “full bums” and breasts at them while taking pictures during official events. She views these accusations “as sexist, emotional and sexual harassment”. Mbambani has also detailed several events in which she alleged Jiyane bullied and harassed her. Read this report by Lebogang Seale in full at Independent Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
See our listing of links to labour articles published on the internet from Friday, 24 March to Sunday, 26 March 2017 at SA Labour News
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