In our Friday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Thursday, 20 April 2017.
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Bishop Lavis school closed on Thursday after knife attack on principal EWN reports that a Bishop Lavis principal stabbed on his school grounds remains in a serious condition. Bishops School of Skills principal Wayne Abrahams was stabbed in the head, neck and shoulder on Wednesday morning. He had reportedly been receiving threats warning him not to take disciplinary action against a 15-year-old learner accused of shooting a fellow pupil at the school last month. Bishops School of Skills was expected to reopen on Friday after it was closed on Thursday following the stabbing on Wednesday. An unnamed resident said the violence at the school was all gang-related. The learner accused of shooting his peer last month appeared in court on Thursday. The case was remanded to 4 May and he will remain in the care of his parents. This short report by Monique Mortlock is at EWN Forum to address attacks on Western Cape paramedics Cape Times reports that attacks on paramedics have prompted the Western Cape legislature’s standing committee on community development to hold public meetings in the areas which have been declared no-go zones and where emergency personnel have often come under attack. The first of these meetings was held this week in Kalksteenfontein, which borders Valhalla Park, near Cape Town International Airport. This is the second attempt to engage with the community in this area to find solutions to address the spate of attacks. The purpose of the initiative is to raise awareness about the dangers of attacking paramedics and encourage residents to prevent or report violent incidents and wrongdoing. Various role-players including the SAPS, health department officials, community organisations and the Community Policing Forum (CPF) attended. The standing committee's chairperson, Lorraine Botha, said 231 paramedics had been attacked from 2012 to 2016. Read this report by Sandiso Phaliso in full at Cape Times. See too, Nog geen finale plan om paramedici te beskerm, at Netwerk24 (limit on access). And also, Talle Kaapse nooddienswerkers met verlof oor aanvalle, at Netwerk24 (limit on access) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Ex-miners given advice on submitting queries about unclaimed pension benefits Fin24 writes that the Financial Services Board (FSB) is at the ready to provide support in respect of claims for billions of rands in outstanding benefits owing to former mineworkers in various pension and provident funds. The FSB is assisting members or beneficiaries in trying to trace benefits or shares of allocated surpluses they believe to be due to them if provided with relevant and sufficient information. Before approaching the FSB, individuals who believe that they are entitled to unclaimed benefits should directly contact the respective retirement fund in order to establish whether they have any benefits attributable to them. The details of the fund can be obtained from the member’s employer at the time. If the enquirer wishes to complain about the non-payment of a benefit that was due and payable during the last three years, the Pension Fund Adjudicator should be approached for assistance. If individuals experience difficulties in contacting the retirement fund directly, they must submit a FSB enquiry form (included within Fin24 report) together with certain supporting documentation. Read this report in full at Fin24
Transport union Untu warns Prasa that a strike is coming over wages Netwerk24 reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) has warned the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) that time is running out to reach agreement on wage increases. Steve Harris, Untu’s general secretary, said that on Thursday Prasa increased its offer from 6% to 7%, but the union’s members were not satisfied with the revision. Harris commented: “We clearly indicated to Prasa that our door for further discussion is open, but that its latest offer is not acceptable. The quicker they go back to the directorate to get a new mandate, the better it will be for everyone.” He encouraged Prasa to look at the bigger picture because a strike would be in no one’s interests. According to Harris, Prasa reckons that job losses would be unavoidable should it agreed to a higher increase. The latest developments come after the CCMA issued Untu with a ‘strike certificate’ giving it the right to give 48 hours’ notice of protected industrial action. Untu is in the process of conducting a strike ballot amongst its members. (Loosely translated from Afrikaans) Read this report by Ügen Vos in full in Afrikaans at Netwerk24 (limit on access). Read Untu’s latest press statement on this matter at SA Labour News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Unpaid cast, crew of 'Sarafina' go on strike, forcing cancellation of shows Cape Times reports that musical classic Sarafina has been hit by a payment dispute, with unpaid cast and crew refusing to perform. The actors of the new and revived 80s hit refused to go to the stage for their daily performance of the remake of the musical from Wednesday, forcing the SA State Theatre (SAST) to cancel all shows until Sunday. It is alleged the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) has not paid Committed Artists, a SA theatre company, what is owed in respect of the production. SAST chief executive, Dr Sibongseni Mkhize, commented: “We wish to emphasise that the show has not been closed, but the SAST management have temporarily suspended performances until the funding issues between the DAC and Committed Artists are resolved.” Mkhize indicated that, although Sarafina was not a State Theatre production, the fact that it was being presented there had serious implications for the theatre’s reputation. The show’s opening night was on 10 March and the closing night is scheduled to be 20 May. Read this report by Nomaswazi Nkosi in full at Cape Times. See too, Sarafina in no show as actors strike, at SowetanLive Bus drivers’ strike contributed to increased Easter road death toll TimeLive reports that officials said on Friday that the bus strike in the week of the Easter holiday period contributed to an increase in road fatalities during that period. Deputy Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, acknowledged that the strike meant that more cars were on the road. Statistics released by the department showed that the total number of fatalities increased by 51% from 156 over the same period in 2016 to 235 this year. Cars and light delivery vehicles contributed 69% of all fatalities. Road Traffic Management Corporation chairman Zola Majavu said that the bus strike had derailed plans to reduce deaths. "As chair of the RTMC‚ I am disappointed. We had hoped to reduce fatalities by 50%. The inverse is true. There has been an increase of 51%‚" Majavu said. Read this report by Ernest Mabuza at TimesLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Cosatu demonstrators want Absa to pay back apartheid bailout News24 reports that hundreds of Cosatu members marched to Absa’s head office in Johannesburg on Thursday calling for the bank to repay bailout money paid to Bankorp by the Reserve Bank during apartheid. Between 1985 and 1993, the apartheid government provided Bankorp with a series of bailouts, through the Reserve Bank, to offset loans that threatened Bankorp's survival. Absa took over Bankorp in 1992. Separately, the Competition Commission in February referred a case of collusion to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution against 17 banks, including Absa. Cosatu's Gauteng provincial chairperson Vusi Monyela said they had strategically chosen to march to Absa because the bank had not only colluded, but also benefited from loans that belonged to South Africans. "We think that the country has been robbed of its resources during that time and Absa must take responsibility and pay it back. When the collusion case emerged, it added to the damage that Absa has already done," said Monyela. Read this report by Sisa Canca in full at News24. See too, Cosatu demonstrators demand Absa pay back, at eNCA Other internet posting(s) in this news category
New labour federation Saftu gears up for action BusinessLive writes about the entrance on Friday onto the labour scene of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), the second-largest labour federation after the ANC-aligned Cosatu. The entry of the federation will lead to heightened competition for union membership in workplaces across the economy. Saftu is set to launch in Gauteng with a membership of nearly 700,000. The Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) has just over 550,000 and the National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu) has 400,000. Cosatu has 1.2-million members. Two former Cosatu affiliates, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu), are the new federation’s largest affiliates. It was registered by the Department of Labour on 31 March and consists of 23 affiliates, with an additional 16 unions in the wings, pending affiliation. The politically independent new federation’s focus will largely be on worker issues. Read this report by Natasha Marrian in full at BusinessLive. See too, Tighten your seat belts, says Vavi about new labour federation, at Fin24
Double standards when it comes to racism, hate speech, says Solidarity News24 reports that trade union Solidarity said on Thursday that there appeared to be double standards in South African society when it came to issues of racism and hate speech. In a panel discussion hosted by the union in Pretoria, Solidarity argued, in a 38-page report, that the manner in which racism was dealt with was selective. "In cases where the transgressor was white, mainly racist abusive words were used. In other cases, generalisations were made about an entire race or culture, which then resulted in a negative opinion being formed on the race or culture in question," Solidarity’s Connie Mulder said. The report was compiled by Mulder and Dr Eugene Brink. It found that, in instances where black people were the perpetrators, racist abusive words occurred less frequently, however, there were clear elements of incitement to violence against minority groups. Mulder said the SA government had obligations in terms of an UN declaration adopted in 1992 to protect minorities. Read this report by Mpho Raborife in full at News24. See too, Selektiewe hantering van rassisme baat niemand nie, at Maroela Media. Read Solidarity’s press statement and download the report at Solidarity online Going with Gigaba on US roadshow would have been futile, says Fedusa Fin24 reports that the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) said on Thursday said that joining newly-appointed Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba on his investor roadshow to the US would have been an exercise in futility. It lacked credibility and labour was struggling to trust government, Fedusa general secretary Dennis George said. He went on to say that it was a futile exercise “speaking to investors when the elephant in the room is President [Jacob] Zuma.” He was speaking at the announcement of a “Freedom Movement”, a coalition of political parties, civil society organisations, trade unions, academics, and religious bodies dedicated to seeing Zuma removed from office. Gigaba is in the US to attend the IMF/World Bank Spring meetings on Friday and to meet investors in Boston and New York, as well as ratings agency Moody’s. He is there without business or labour representatives, which is a departure from his predecessor Pravin Gordhan’s practice. Read this report by Tshidi Madia in full at Fin24. Read too, Fedusa: ‘Radical economic transformation’ used as smokescreen, at EWN Zuma, Dlamini-Zuma are not SA's Bill and Hillary, says Cosatu’s Ntshalintshali News24 reports that labour federation Cosatu’s general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali has dismissed President Jacob Zuma's apparent endorsement of his ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as his preferred successor. He commented that SA was not the United States, in reference to husband and wife duo Bill and Hillary Clinton. Ntshalintshali was addressing the Cosatu Gauteng council for shop stewards and took a swipe at the president, questioning the timing of Zuma's call for a woman president to lead the ANC. “When he [Zuma] steps down now and has no opportunity to lead, he remembers that women can lead, but not all women. We are not in the United States. There will be no Bill Clinton (presidency) then have Hillary Clinton. The president himself, when he wanted to be president, he did not remember that women are capable [of leading],“ Ntshalintshali said to thunderous applause. Cosatu has called for Zuma to step down. It has endorsed deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa to replace Zuma. Read this report by Mahlatse Gallens in full at News24. See too, Ntshalintshali cautions against leaders speaking against federation’s decisions, at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Sanitation engineers from Cuba afforded ‘enormous’ salary increases Netwerk24 reports that the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane, recently approved an increase of R11.3-million in respect of the costs of a group of 31 Cuban engineers. This was notwithstanding the situation that the department was in financial difficulties. Leon Basson, Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesman for water and sanitation, now wants answer about the “massive” increase. In particular, he wants to find out what each of the Cubans, who arrived in SA in February 2015, have been doing for the past two years and what they are presently engaged in. In an answer to a parliamentary question, Mokonyane indicated that the engineers’ total basic salaries increased from R10.4-million to R19.1-million. Their annual transport costs increased dramatically to R5.1-million, while their housing costs were R6.4-million. The department also pays the engineers’ cell phone an internet costs. According to Basson, each of the engineers is costing R1 million annually “and yet we still don’t know what they have done so far.” (Loosely translated from Afrikaans) Read this report by Elise Tempelhoff in full in Afrikaans at Netwerk24 (limit on access)
SABC ‘likely to withdraw appeal’ against Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s firing BusinessLive reports that the SA Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC’s) interim board may soon withdraw a decision by previous nonexecutive directors to appeal against the Public Protector’s (PP’s) damning 2014 report. It dealt with governance lapses at the broadcaster that led to former chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s fall from grace. Should the board decide not to proceed with the appeal, it could signal the end at the SABC for Motsoeneng. The High Court in Cape Town ruled in December that he should not occupy any position at the SABC unless the PP’s report was set aside or new disciplinary processes against him finalised. The SABC and Motsoeneng challenged the ruling, but the application for leave to appeal was dismissed by the same court earlier in 2017. Motsoeneng is due to face a disciplinary hearing in coming weeks, based on the recommendations of the PP’s report. The report indicated that Motsoeneng had fabricated a matric qualification, purged staff who disagreed with him and increased his salary irregularly, from R1.5m to R2.4m in a year. Read this report by Bekezela Phakathi in full at BusinessLive Ntlemeza’s ‘arrogance’ won’t help him win his job back, says Popcru The Citizen reports that the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has warned axed Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza that his “arrogance would not win him his job back”. The ex-top cop remains adamant he is still technically head of the elite unit, despite a high court ruling that he be removed immediately from his post. Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said on Thursday that the elite crime-fighting unit should be more concerned with policing than politics. He commented: “Nltemeza’s arrogance will not assist him, because the courts have already taken a decision and the minister is not going to appeal that decision. The minister has appointed an acting head and we are confident that she will continue the work because we don’t want to see a Hawks that is working on political issues instead of policing criminal activities.” But Ntlemeza insists that only Parliament can remove him. This report by Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni is at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
See our listing of links to labour articles published on the internet on Thursday, 20 April 2017 at SA Labour News
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