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.
In our Friday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Thursday, 4 May 2017.
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Trash picker crushed to death by bulldozer at PE dumpsite HeraldLive reports that a Walmer Township man died in a freak accident at the Arlington tip in Nelson Mandela Bay when he was caught under the wheels of a municipal bulldozer on Thursday. Amos Dywili, 54, was picking through trash on the outskirts of the dumpsite just after midday when the heavy duty vehicle with metal wheels reversed over him. He died at the scene. Dywili’s devastated sister, Elsie, said Dywili had gone to the tip almost daily, picking through the trash for something he could sell or find a use for. According to witnesses, Dywili had been waiting for the bulldozer to pass so he could rummage through the trash behind the vehicle. The driver of the bulldozer was not aware of Dywili and started reversing. The tragedy is being treated as an accidental death. Read this report by Riaan Marais in full at HeraldLive Policeman killed in Glenwood shooting on Wednesday The Mercury reports that an off-duty policeman was killed in a shooting incident in Glenwood, Durban, on early Wednesday night. Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said Constable Ayanda Hopewell Myeni, 33, was visiting his brother in Bonamour Avenue, Glenwood. Myeni was found lying on the ground next to his vehicle and was certified dead at the scene by paramedics. He had been shot in the upper chest and lower abdomen. He had been stationed at Vryheid SAPS. Mbhele indicated that a case of murder was being investigated by Umbilo SAPS, but the motive for the killing and the suspects were unknown at this stage. Read this report by Bernadette Wolhuter and Garth Johnstone in full at The Mercury Other internet posting(s) in this news category
'Nothing came of Lonmin's social and labour plan pledges' Business Report writes that Lonmin on Thursday came under the spotlight amid a community protest for jobs at Bapong, next to its Marikana operations, and fresh complaints that the platinum producer was yet to comply with its social and labour plan (SLP). This came while heads of states and business leaders met for the World Economic Forum on Africa in Durban. Mining Forum of SA, a non-profit organisation, advocating for the rights of mining communities, said that the protests were related to the poverty that surrounded Lonmin’s Marikana mines. The forum’s founder, Blessings Ramoba, said Lonmin continued to disregard the implementation of the SLP, for both housing programmes and local economic development programmes. He added that the forum had continuously engaged the Lonmin management and CE Ben Magara of over the SLP, but to no avail. But Lonmin spokeswoman Wendy Tlou said that, while the company had met most of its SLP targets in a difficult environment, the fragility of commodity prices hindered the progression of its SLP implementation. Read this report by Dineo Faku in full at Business Report Settlement possible by year-end in silicosis case as parties pursue out-of-court option Mining Weekly reports that mining companies facing a class action suit from mineworkers who developed silicosis on SA’s gold mines are expected to reach an out-of-court settlement before the close of the year. The class action, which was lodged in May 2016, comprises an estimated 100,000 former and current mineworkers who developed the disease while working in any one of the gold mines belonging to the respondent mining companies after 1965. Speaking at this year’s Mining Indaba, in Cape Town, former Harmony Gold CEO and current Mining Industry Working Group on Occupational Lung Disease (OLD) chairperson Graham Briggs stated that the mining companies were in the process of working towards a settlement. “There have been some major gains in the discussions with the various groupings. There is no reason why we shouldn’t see a settlement sometime this year,” Briggs told delegates. A settlement this year could be a significant victory for both parties, given that, in a case as complex as this one, the legal class action process could drag on for up to 15 years. Read this report in full at Mining Weekly Amcu blockade keeps personnel at Phalaborwa mines trapped on premises Netwerk24 reports that hundreds of employees and personnel at the Foskor Mine and at the Palabora Mining Company (PMC) at Phalaborwa were trapped for hours on Thursday when striking members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) blockaded the roads. Members of the police’s public order unit were deployed to ensure order and to remove the barricades. Gert Coetzee, secretary of the Phalaborwa community policing forum (GPF), said that about 400 persons had been trapped on the premises. According to Coetzee, Amcu members protested at PMC on Wednesday and on Thursday arrived at Foskor’s gates. While the protesters conducted themselves peacefully, at about 15:00 they began to prevent persons from leaving the premises. The situation was resolved at about 19:45. Amcu was apparently demanding a wage increase of 12%, while the mines were only offering 8%. (Loosely translated from Afrikaans) Read this report by Ügen Vos in full in Afrikaans at Netwerk24 (limit on access)
Job protesters disrupt Durban morning traffic on Friday Daily News reports that Durban motorists had to use alternative routes during peak traffic on Friday after protesters blocked off the M27 link road between Verulam, Umdloti and Umhlanga with burning tree logs, debris and tyres. Ward councillor Johnson Chetty said residents had taken to the streets because they wanted job opportunities from construction sites near Sibaya Casino. He indicated that several meetings had been facilitated with the construction companies and job seekers in the past few weeks. Residents had been made aware of the employment practices and were informed of the developer's intention to address the imbalances and involve them in the projects. A short report by Zainul Dawood is at Daily News Indefinite sit-in by nurses averted as Bhisho commits to jobs DispatchLive reports that an “indefinite sit-in” at the Eastern Cape provincial health department headquarters by a group of unemployed nurses was averted on Wednesday after the Bhisho government’s eleventh-hour commitment to create 52 nursing posts for them. Leaders of the protesting group, representing about 200 graduates from the government-funded Lilitha Nursing College, were locked in meetings for hours with senior departmental officials, including the department’s superintendent-general Dr Thobile Mbengashe. In a bid to avert the planned sit-in, the department swiftly promised to allocate 52 nursing positions for some of the group of unemployed nurses. One of the nurses’ leaders, Thembinkosi Qwakanisa, said the department had promised to continue issuing out posts until all unemployed nurses were inside the system. A departmental spokesperson confirmed that, saying there were more posts coming. Read this report by Zingisa Mvumvu in full at DispatchLive Axed waste management workers on the rampage in Pretoria The Citizen reports that hundreds of furious waste management workers on Thursday drove through the streets of Pretoria spreading litter and blocking roads with tree branches. This was after the Moipone Group of Companies terminated their contracts from 3 May without any reason or warning. One of the workers was involved in a hit-and-run accident and his head and leg were injured. The workers had been responsible for collecting waste in Pretoria and the surrounding areas that fall under the City of Tshwane. Their representative, Jonas Lebeya, said they were informed over the long weekend that they did not have jobs anymore. “The company sent someone with a letter to us. We don’t even know this person and there was no prior notice. We are furious. Today we have showed them what we can do, but if they do not give heed to our demands, there will be fire in Pretoria,” he said. The workers handed over a memorandum of demands, which was accepted by a representative of Moipone. Read this report by Virginia Keppler in full at The Citizen. See too, Tshwane streets littered with waste over lack of sub-contractor non-payment, at Pretoria News Protesting Nehawu members interrupt robing of new University of Fort Hare leaders DispatchLive reports that the celebration of a new era of leadership for the University of Fort Hare was marked by chaos on Wednesday amid protesting employees battling security. This was when National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) members disrupted the robing of the university’s new chancellor, Adv. Dumisa Ntsebeza SC, and vice-chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu. The inaugurations at the Alice campus went ahead amid the chanting and protesting of employees. Police were called in to control the crowd, and up to 10 police officers stood on the sides ready to intervene. Nehawu deputy secretary Mzi Lingela said: “We are here for attention. We’ve been waiting for five months for a response. The programme stops until this matter is resolved. We want 10% and nothing else.” The chairman of Nehawu at the university, Vuyani Booi, said there was a lack of seriousness and engagement from the university’s side, which had led to the “unfortunate turn of events”. He also claimed that workers at the institution were the least-paid university employees across the country. Read this report by Nonsindiso Qwabe in full at DispatchLive
Senior Free State official suspended in witch hunt for ‘disrespecting’ Zuma The Star reports that a senior Free State government employee has been suspended for his alleged participation in and statements made against President Jacob Zuma at the National Day of Action in Pretoria on 12 April. The actions of Teboho Loate, who is chief director in the province’s Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, have been deemed by his bosses to be “flagrant disrespect”. He was placed on immediate suspension earlier this week by his head of department, Stanley Malope. The Congress of the People (Cope) plans to take legal action against Premier Ace Magashule’s provincial government over the suspension. Independent Media says it is in possession of a series of communications between Loate and Malope, wherein the “flagrant disrespect” remained a point of contention. Malope has refused to explain what Loate had done to allegedly disrespect the president. Loate said he believed attending the “anti-Zuma” march was what led to his suspension. Read this report by Khaya Koko in full at The Star Cosatu calls for Mayor De Lille to step down over Cape Town water crisis EWN reports that union federation Cosatu in the Western Cape has called for Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille to step down as a result of the current water crisis. The city's dam levels are currently critically low and the dams effectively only have 12.8% of water left. Cosatu's Tony Ehrenreich accused the municipality of not putting measures in place to address the situation. “There has been no contingency plan to ensure that there’s drinking water for the people of Cape Town. The key responsibility of the mayor is to lead this place. If she can’t, she must step down,” said Ehrenreich. The mayor's spokesperson, Zara Nicholson, invited Ehrenreich to come to the City for a meeting so that they could explain to him what was being done about the crisis. Read this report by Shamiela Fisher in full at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Home Affairs crackdown on companies employing more than 40% foreigners Cape Argus reports that a crackdown on companies employing more than 40% foreign labour is being vigorously pursued by the new minister of home affairs, with inspectors having begun a “mass inspection” of businesses countrywide. Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize said on Wednesday her department’s inspectorate unit was continuing with inspections “at various places of employment to ensure compliance to this requirement, in terms of the Immigration Act”. The minister indicated that in the past two months a total of 85 places of employment had been visited, which included chain stores, farms, hotels and other businesses. The former home affairs minister, Malusi Gigaba, had previously said the inspections were being carried out to prioritise the employment of South Africans and had “nothing to do with xenophobia”. Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla commented: “When you consider we have over nine million unemployed people, the 60% requirement is inadequate. The figure needs to be revised to 75%.” The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), many of whose members are non-South Africans, has not yet taken a position on the legislation. Read this report by Siyabonga Sesant in full at Cape Argus Court cancels proviso on HPCSA certification of psychological tests for jobs The Citizen reports that the High Court in Pretoria has set aside a proclamation in terms of the Employment Equity Amendment Act that sought to make it compulsory for the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) to certify all psychological testing and similar assessments used by employers. This week’s order followed a long legal battle between the Association of Test Publishers of SA (ATP), the labour minister and the HPCSA. In terms of the Employment Equity Act, psychological tests are prohibited unless they have been scientifically shown to be valid and reliable, can be applied fairly to all employees and wearere not biased against any group. But the subsequent proclamation stated that, in addition to these requirements, the tests and assessments also had to be certified by the HPCSA. The ATP successfully contended that the introduction of the new requirement was premature as there was no framework in place regulating the certification of the tests by the HPCSA. Read this report by Ilse de Lange in full at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Eskom chairman says plan to mothball five power plants only a ‘scenario’ Reuters reports that the Eskom chairman Ben Ngubane said on Thursday that plans unveiled in March to decommission five coal-fired power station were not set in stone and could be shelved depending on economic growth and other factors. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and other unions have threatened strike action over the proposals, which would threaten thousands of jobs in Mpumalanga. Ngubane said: “It is a scenario. If we put in a certain amount of independent power producers (IPPs) then we reduce the capacity space for these power stations. That would result in mothballing.” But he added that if the pace of adding IPP projects to the grid did not take place as quickly as anticipated, or if economic growth, which has been flatlining, picked up then the plants would not be shut down. Read this report in full at Moneyweb
See our listing of links to labour articles published on the internet on Thursday, 4 May 2017 at SA Labour News
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