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 Thursday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Wednesday, 10 May 2017.
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Shock at number of attacks on workers at Gauteng hospitals The Star reports that bites, verbal and physical assault and even being hit with a drip stand are just some of what health care workers face from patients and colleagues in hospitals across Gauteng. In a written reply to the DA’s Jack Bloom, Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa said that 107 hospital staff had been attacked by patients, relatives or fellow staff members since January last year. Victims included doctors, nurses, nurse assistants, health care workers, cleaners and security guards. Tembisa Tertiary Hospital had the most attacks on staff with a total of 16, while at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital there were 13 attacks, Leratong had 12 and Pholosong had eight incidents. According to Ramokgopa, the identified reasons included frustrated or traumatised patients, alcohol abuse, bad attitudes and some psychotic mental health patients. Many attacks take place at night or over the weekend, particularly in the casualty department. Bloom said that he was shocked at the high level of violence inflicted on health workers. Read this report by Ilanit Chernick in full at The Star
Wage strike at Central Rand Gold affects mine operation Business Report writes that Central Rand Gold (CRG) is being run with skeleton staff at its operation as the company grapples with a strike over annual wage increases. The troubled gold and exploration company said on Wednesday that it had lost five days of production due to the strike following a deadlock in wage talks. CRG indicated that it was talking with union officials at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to resolve issues and added that: “On May 9 the picketing rules have been signed at the CCMA, thus allowing non-striking workers to return to work. The operation will be run with skeleton staff in the interim.” A short report by Dineo Faku is at Business Report. The company’s regulatory statement is at Sharenet Zama zamas protest against 'illegal mining’ by Ekapa in Kimberley TMG Digital reports that informal miners (zama zamas) in Kimberley have protested against mining company Ekapa‚ which the miners claim has been operating without a permit. “It has come to our attention that Ekapa has been operating without relevant mining permit. When we mine the same land‚ we are arrested. Why?” the miners said in a statement released by rights group Action Aid. The statement indicated that miners had marched to the local office of the Hawks to lodge a complaint around a case that had not been investigated by law enforcement agencies. The Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) and informal miners plan to meet with the provincial government on Thursday. Mining company spokesperson Gert Klopper said it had recently acquired an eviction order against the illegal miners‚ which is being contested in the Supreme Court of Appeal. Klopper works for Petra Diamonds‚ which last year entered into a joint venture with Ekapa in Kimberley. He said it was untrue that the company was operating without a licence. Read this report in full at TimesLive. See too, BLF joins miners' march in Kimberley, at Diamond Fields Advertiser. And also, Zama zama land battle continues, at HTSyndication (The New Age) Lonmin loses R40m in revenue after seven-day Bapo protest Miningmx reports that platinum producer Lonmin has lost about R40m in revenue following week-long community disruptions at its Marikana operation in which damage to property and intimidation of employees were reported. Among the violence perpetrated is the destruction of a bus which was part of a fleet used in an R800m transportation contract provided to the Bapo community. The company was granted a court interdict on 5 May which it said was followed by “fruitful” discussions on 9 May at which community representatives had agreed to desist from protests such as barricading roads. The parties had also agreed to set down terms of engagement for the future. However, unlawful protests kicked off again after a follow-up meeting in which the Bapo delegation submitted new demands for the creation of 1,000 permanent jobs and 500 cadet placements at Lonmin for community members. “These demands are not realistic in the current economic climate and cannot be acceded to without threatening the sustainability of the business,” said Lonmin in a statement. Read this report by David McKay in full at Miningmx. See too, Lonmin woes continue as community disrupts work, on page 7 of Sowetan of 11 May 2017 Other labour/community posting(s) in this news category
Other general internet posting(s) on mining
Government seeking ways to help struggling chicken producers and save jobs Fin24 reports that the government is in the process of trying to find funding for chicken producers who are facing closure or who have closed due to the poultry crisis in South Africa. This was indicated by Senzeni Zokwana, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in reply to a question in the National Assembly on Wednesday about government’s efforts to preserve jobs in the poultry sector. The Department of Trade and Industry was leading an inter-ministerial task team to consider the competitiveness of the poultry industry and what could be done to save jobs, Zokwana said. He added that SA’s poultry sector was not as competitive as it could be due to the fact that producers used a lot of brining (salt water) in the chicken they produced. “In addition, there’s the dumping of brown meat from countries, such as those in the European Union (EU), while South African chicken farmers and producers, which are not subsidised have to compete with EU countries that are subsidised.” Read this report by Liesl Peyper in full at Fin24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Hygiene concerns at Rhodes residences as Nehawu mulls university's revised wage offer TMG Digital/DispatchLive report that National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) members were huddled in talks on a revised wage offer from Rhodes University on Thursday. Nehawu on Wednesday rejected outright the offer of a 6.5% across-the-board increase which a fellow union at the university‚ the National Tertiary Education Union (Nteu)‚ had accepted. Protesting Nehawu members were yesterday warned by the university that it would consider disciplinary action if they did not immediately return to work. Nehawu members overturned bins and strew rubbish across the university administration building steps in a vocal protest against the university’s revised 6.5% salary increase offer. Vice-chancellor Sizwe Mabizela expressed deep concern about the deteriorating state of hygiene at some residences and pleaded for calm and level-headedness. Nehawu is demanding a 7.5% across-the-board increase‚ an increase of the housing allowance from R1‚000 to R1‚500 per month‚ an increase in danger allowances‚ the abolishment of the lower salary grades‚ and a merit increment to be shared equally by all employees. Read this report by Adrienne Carlisle in full at TimesLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Protests over jobs and lack of housing spread in Joburg and Pretoria Reuters reports that protesters seeking jobs and better housing clashed with police for the third straight day on Wednesday in parts of Johannesburg and also spread to Pretoria, piling pressure on a government faced with weak economic growth. On Wednesday, residents of an informal settlement in Laudium, west of Pretoria, blocked roads with rocks and burnt tyres, demanding that electricity be installed in their homes. In Finetown, south of Johannesburg, demonstrators threw rocks and stones as police used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowds. "The situation here is that we share plots of land. There is lack of jobs, there are no projects, the youth are just idle - there is absolutely nothing," said a Finetown community leader. The protests kicked off in Eldorado Park and Ennerdale townships, south of Johannesburg, on Monday and Tuesday, triggering disturbances between police and residents. Unemployment is stubbornly high at 26.5%, while the unofficial rate is deemed to be far higher. The economy grew by only 0.3% last year. Read this report in full at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Solidarity submits 'selective racism' probe request to SAHRC News24 reports that trade union Solidarity wants the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate ''selective racism'' in SA on the grounds that there are “double standards” in dealing with racism in the country. “The phenomenon of dealing with racism in South Africa in a selective manner needs to be thoroughly investigated and analysed,” said Connie Mulder, head of the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI) on Tuesday. 'According to Mulder, a tendency is emerging in SA in terms of which white racist lightweights are heavily punished for racist slurs, whereas black heavyweights are handled with kid gloves when they commit racial slurs.' The union also filed a complaint at the SAHRC against North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo, claiming he incited race-based violence in the town of Coligny. Solidarity also plans to submit an ''early warning complaint to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva. This could lead to a formal inquiry and a visiting delegation which would assess Solidarity's complaints. The union furthermore plans to petition Parliament about ''selective racism", the International Human Rights Commission, and the International Labour Organisation. Read this report by Jenni Evans in full at News24. Read Solidarity’s press statement in this regard at Solidarity online
IFP says 65,000 people applying for 1,500 JMPD jobs 'shows desperation' News24 reports that the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) said on Wednesday that the fact that 65,000 people applied for 1,500 Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) trainee positions showed that the youth were desperate for decent jobs. Unemployment figures would continue rising if government continued to ignore its responsibility toward South Africans, in particular the youth, national chairperson Blessed Gwala said in a statement. "Why are they being told that they are future leaders of the country while they languish in abject poverty and share a crowded house with their parents? It will be difficult, if not impossible for our youth to take on responsible positions if they are left without hope at this age," Gwala said. The IFP believes the private, government, and education sectors need to collaborate to determine what knowledge and skills young people should be taught to find rewarding work. A short report by Mxolisi Mngadi is at News24. See too, Joburg metro police receive 65‚000 job applications, at TimesLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
CEE report shows that seven out of 10 top SA managers are still white Bloomberg reports that whites, who comprise about 8% of the population, hold more than 68% of top management positions, while blacks, who make up more than four-fifths of citizens, hold 14%. This was revealed in the Department of Labour’s Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) 2017 annual report which was released on Tuesday. Men hold 78% of top positions, according to the report. Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant said that government had fined 21 companies and planned to penalise more for failing to comply with laws that compelled them to employ more black citizens to help reduce inequality. Half the companies that were penalised are listed on Johannesburg’s stock exchange. Oliphant added: “We are seriously considering approaching the president to enact the more punitive. This will give the Employment Equity Act real teeth and will bite where it hurts the most, and that is, designated employers’ revenue.” Read this report by Aarti Bhana in full at Fin24. Read too, Companies fined for violating Employment Equity Act, at Business Report. And also, Mildred Oliphant wants more stick and less carrot in Employment Equity Act, at BusinessLive Employment Equity report shows persistent, deep rooted inequalities, says ANC ANA reports that the African National Congress (ANC) said on Wednesday that the latest Employment Equity Report painted a picture of "persistent and deep-rooted inequalities" towards SA’s transformation project. This came after Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant on Tuesday released the 17th EE report, which showed that white people occupied 68% of top management positions in the public and private sectors. White people were six times more economically active as a population as Africans who only made up 14.4% of top management, with the majority of black people dominating the unskilled labour at 83%. "Resistance and blatant disregard of the interventions introduced by the ANC-led government to drive redress, transformation and equity in the workplace is a stark indicator of how some amongst us remain contemptuous of the aspirations of the black majority, and Africans in particular," the ANC said. The party called on government to demonstrate greater urgency and decisiveness in dealing with errant employers resistant to change. Read this report in full at IOL News. Read the ANC’s press statement in this regard at ANC online Other internet posting(s) in this news category
NUM reiterates its position on Eskom power station closures Mining Review reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has noted a statement by Eskom board chairperson Ben Ngubane saying that plans to decommission five power stations were not 'set in stone'. In an interview with Reuters last week, he said that the plan was not "set in stone" and "could be shelved depending on economic growth and other factors". Despite this, the NUM has reiterated its position that the Eskom board must reverse the decision to close down the five coal-fired power stations. The union said it was going to defend jobs for its members and would declare a national strike if Eskom decided to decommission the stations. It added that it was not enough for Ngubane to say the decision to close down the five stations was not set in stone and its members wanted the board to totally reverse the decision as closure would lead to massive retrenchments. A short report is at Mining Review. Read the NUM’s press statement in this regard at NUM online Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Corruption rewarded as public works staff linked to Nkandla scandal get hefty bonuses TimesLive reports that six of the 10 Department of Public Works employees who are facing disciplinary action for their involvement in the Nkandla scandal have received performance bonuses in the past five years. The employees face disciplinary charges for their involvement in the overspending on the R246-million upgrading of President Jacob Zuma's private home. In response to a parliamentary question, Public Works Minister Nathi Nhleko said the six (unnamed) employees received bonuses ranging between R11,206 and R60,767 each, paid out between April 2012 and March this year. The DA said the bonuses "confirm that in an ANC-led government corruption is rewarded". Clive Naiker of the Public Servants Association (PSA), the union representing the employees, said its members' disciplinary hearings were scheduled to resume later this month. He added that, because none of the officials had been suspended for their role in the Nkandla scandal, they could qualify for bonuses. Read this report by Bianca Capazorio in full at TimesLive. See too, DA wants to know why three Nkandla officials weren’t prosecuted, at News24 Hlaudi Motsoeneng's disciplinary hearing to take place next Wednesday News24 reports that former SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng's disciplinary hearing following his media conference on 19 April is set for next Wednesday. Chairperson of the interim SABC board, Khanyisile Kweyama, told the national assembly’s portfolio committee on communications on Wednesday that a hearing on the matter would have taken place last week, but was postponed at the request of Motsoeneng's attorneys due to his "ill health". This process will run parallel to the disciplinary process relating to the Public Protector's string of findings against him, which follows the Western Cape High Court's dismissal of Motsoeneng's request for leave to appeal in February. The court ruled in December that he could not go to work in any capacity at the SABC, pending the findings of a new disciplinary inquiry or a court review of parts of former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report on his conduct, which was released in February 2014. Read this report by Jan Gerber in full at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Samwu wants ‘sex pest’ senior official at Sekhukhune municipality suspended The New Age reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) in Limpopo wants a senior official suspended from the office of the Sekhukhune district municipality after allegations were made of sexual harassment. The union’s deputy provincial secretary Ronald Mani said: "Samwu has learned with shock and utter dismay about the alleged sexual harassment and ill conduct of the Sekhukhune district municipality's director of corporate services. The alleged sex pest has for a very long time treated the municipality as his personal fiefdom, wantonly ill-treating workers and dismissing them for flimsy and ridiculous reasons devoid of substance and facts." The official will be appearing in the Groblersdal Magistrate's Court on 26 May after he missed an earlier court appearance. The union called for the mobilisation of all workers, particularly women in the district and Limpopo in general, to support the victim who brought the case. See this The New Age report by Ntombi Nkosi in full at HTSyndication. Read Samwu’s press statement in this regard at Samwu online
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