In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Thursday, 16 August 2018.
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Paramedics seen as 'soft targets, easy pickings' by criminals on Cape Flats GroundUp writes that in the opening minutes of Red Zone Paramedics, a documentary film that takes the viewer through the streets of Mitchells Plain on New Year’s Eve, paramedic Abdul Martin says, "I greet my family as if I’m going to war." Emergency service workers (EMS) such as Martin are “soft targets” and “easy pickings” for criminals. “Ambulance staff don’t fight back. And we’re not carrying any weapons or any form of protection,” he states in the film. The "red zone" in the film title refers to areas classified as too dangerous for ambulance workers to move about freely. They have to go in with a police escort. There are currently 16 identified red zones, which include Delft, Khayelitsha, Lavender Hill, and areas in Mitchells Plain, such as Tafelsig. Leanne Brady, who directed the film and worked as a doctor in a clinic in Lavender Hill, explained that the purpose of the film was to look at the complex issues that affected the health system. Mark van der Heever of the Western Cape health department reported that from January to May this year, 12 attacks on emergency medical workers had been reported, including robberies, physical and verbal attacks and the stoning of ambulances. In December 2017, paramedics marched to Parliament demanding better protection against attacks. There have been 10 successful arrests made this year, due to the technology and help from the community. Read this report by Ashraf Hendricks in full at GroundUp
‘Shocked’ ANC calls on mining companies to halt job cuts ANA reports that the governing African National Congress (ANC) said on Wednesday that it was emphatically against any retrenchments in both the private and public sectors, and that it was unsustainable for mineworkers to continue to bear the brunt of job losses. The party called on mining companies to find an alternative course of action. Gold Fields on Tuesday announced a restructuring at its South Deep operation, which it said would result in about 1,560 jobs being cut. The news came slightly over a week after Impala Platinum said it would be cutting 13,000 jobs over two years as part of a strategic restructuring process. The ANC said the mining sector was the backbone of industrial development and that the South African economy relied on it. “Over the years, the mining sector has been shedding jobs, and the recent pronouncement of more than 50,000 purported job losses across the board is shocking, as every mineworker benefits seven or more family members,” the party indicated. The ANC called on the sector to “urgently convene a dialogue aimed at finding alternative solutions to this impasse.” Read this report in full at The Citizen. Read too, ANC wants urgent meeting with partners about job losses in mining, at BusinessLive Mantashe blames Gold Fields management for woes of South Deep mine Reuters reports that Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe said on Thursday that the plan by Gold Fields to cut jobs at its struggling South Deep mine failed to address "poor management". Gold Fields announced earlier this week that it would be cutting 1,100 permanent jobs at the mine, which is its only remaining South African asset. Mantashe commented: "Gold Fields is sitting on the second biggest gold deposits in a mine in the world. Going for job cuts is the easy way out. The real problem is poor management." South Deep has long faced operational obstacles in a tough geological setting and has lost R4-billion over the past five years. In response, Gold Fields said on Thursday it would be making further comments on its restructuring plan during its interim results presentation. CEO Nick Holland wrote on Wednesday in a newspaper article that the job cuts were a "last-gasp measure". Mantashe told Reuters he was engaging both Gold Fields and Impala Platinum, which has also announced job cuts, over the planned lay-offs. "We want to support them but they come to us after making these announcements. It is deviant behaviour," said Mantashe. Read this report in full at Mining Weekly Unions reject latest wage offers by gold producers ANA reports that four trade unions on Wednesday rejected revised wage increases offers of up to 7.2% made by gold producers at the centralised collective bargaining forum for the sector. This was at the fourth round of wage negotiations between four unions – the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Solidarity and UASA – and gold mining companies. The gold producers, namely AngloGold Ashanti, Harmony Gold, Sibanye-Stillwater and Village Main Reef, tabled offers for a three-year deal ranging from 6% to 7.2% for Category 4 underground employees, and 3.5% and 4.5% for miners and artisans, and officials. Chief negotiator on behalf of the gold producers, Motsamai Motlhamme, reiterated that the industry was faced with a number of challenges, including a stagnant gold price, rising costs and falling profitability. Negotiations are set to continue next week. Read this report in full at Mining Weekly. Read a press statement on behalf of the producers at Gold Wage Negotiations. Read a press statement issued by Solidarity at SA Labour News
Farlam unhappy with snail’s pace in implementation of his Marikana recommendations ANA reports that retired judge Ian Farlam, who chaired the commission of inquiry into the Marikana massacre, on Wednesday expressed concern over the slow pace of implementing his recommendations. The government instituted the judicial inquiry after 44 people, including protesting Lonmin mineworkers, police officers, and security officials, were killed in August 2012 in Marikana. Farlam was one of the panelists at an Institute for Security Studies’ seminar analysing the conduct of the SA Service (SAPS) at, and after, the 2012 shootings. “We recommended that the recommendations of the National Development Plan that the police should be re-demilitarised should be implemented as a matter of urgency. That hasn’t been done and that (is) a very unsatisfactory situation,” Farlam stated. The retired judge told the seminar that “the delays are disturbing” regarding the bringing to book of individuals who committed various crimes at Marikana. He also went on to indicate: “I’m happy with the implementation on the recommendation on the panel of experts to ensure we have a world best practices’ police force.” The Marikana massacre is commemorated annually on 16 August. On Wednesday, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said he had written to President Cyril Ramaphosa calling on him to declare an official Marikana Memorial Day. Read this report in full at Mining Weekly President Ramaphosa orders faster follow-up on Marikana recommendations BusinessLive reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa is unhappy with the slow implementation of the Farlam commission of inquiry’s recommendations on Marikana. The presidency said on Wednesday that Ramaphosa wanted the Department of Justice and SA Police Service (SAPS) to accelerate the implementation of the recommendations. The commission indicated in 2015 that a number of cases ranging from murder to attempted murder should be referred to the director of public prosecutions. Although some suspects appeared before a North West court recently, a full investigation into the killings has still not been completed. On 16 August 2012, police officers fired at striking Lonmin mineworkers. Two police officers and two security guards were among those killed in the run-up to the massacre. Ramaphosa’s dissatisfaction about the progress made is shared by civil society organisations and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), which on Wednesday released a report detailing events at a scene on the day of the massacre. The ISS report found that police behaved recklessly. Read this report by Theto Mahlakoana in full at BusinessLive New Marikana report sheds some more light on events BusinessLive reports that civil society organisations have commended the new report into the events of 16 August 2012 in Marikana where 34 miners were shot dead. Although the Farlam Commission of inquiry found some fault lay with the miners — a finding that received criticism — a new report has found no evidence pointing to the miners attacking the police that led to a shooting. The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) hosted a seminar on Wednesday where David Bruce‚ an independent researcher and expert on Marikana and policing‚ presented his findings in the "Sound of Gunfire" report. In contrast to the Farlam Commission’s findings‚ Bruce said there was no concrete evidence that the striking miners posed a threat to police at certain times and places on the day. He said one man‚ "Mr Mphumza" raised an assegai to police, but added, "It is inconclusive whether he was attacking the South African Police Services or not." Retired judge Ian Farlam, who presided over the inquiry, said that prima facie evidence indicated that those that fired at "Scene Two" were not doing so in self-defence. He added” "The re-militarisation of [the] police contributed to the massacre." Read this report by Kgaugelo Masweneng in full at BusinessLive Read too, Marikana massacre: 'No evidence strikers fired on police at Scene 2', at News24 R100m Marikana settlement offer 'way too little', says Mathunjwa SowetanLive reports that Joseph Mathunjwa, president of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), has described as little the R100-million government offer for general damages made to the families of slain Marikana mineworkers. He was speaking at the inaugural Marikana memorial lecture in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Wednesday and said the settlement was nothing compared to the R1.7-billion the government had paid for the Bisho massacre, which took place on 7 September 992 when the Ciskei government police gunned down 28 protesters. Last month, the government tabled a R100-million settlement to the families of the slain Marikana mineworkers for general damages. Police mowed down 34 striking Lonmin mineworkers in Marikana, North West, six years ago. In the days before that, 10 people, including two police officers and two security guards were also killed. The memorial lecture was attended mostly by Marikana survivors and widows. Read this report by Ngwako Modjadji in full at SowetanLive Marikana massacre plunged widows into abject poverty The Star reports that the widows of Marikana miners have complained of living in abject poverty while they wait for compensation following the police massacre of 34 breadwinners six years ago. Speaking on Wednesday, on the same day as another damning report into the police's shooting of miners striking for better wages was released, the widows said life had not been the same without their husbands. “I sometimes struggle to buy food and electricity. As we speak now, there is no mealie meal in my house,” said Makopano Thelejane. Thursday marks six years since the massacre in which Thelejane lost her husband and the father of her two children, Thabiso Thelejane, when police shot and killed 34 mineworkers. On Wednesday, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) released a damning research report titled "The Sound of Gunfire" into the shooting of mineworkers at what is known as "Scene 2” on 16 August 2012. The report said 57 police officers from four different units had fired 295 bullets at mineworkers at the scene. About 500m away (at Scene 1), police had earlier shot dead 17 men in a fusillade of automatic gunfire, lasting just 12 seconds. "At Scene 2 they took 11 minutes to shoot and kill a further 17 miners, including a group taking cover among rocks and bushes,” said ISS justice and violence prevention head Gareth Newham. Based on the analysis conducted, the conclusion of the report was that it was unlikely that there were any attacks by strikers on the police at Scene 2. Read this report by Sibongile Mashaba in full at The Star Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Lutzville farmer convicted of killing worker attempts suicide ahead of sentence News24 reports that convicted murderer Martin Visser on Wednesday attempted suicide ahead of his sentencing in the Western Cape High Court sitting in Vredendal. The Lutzville farmer - who was on Tuesday convicted of murdering farmworker Adam Pieterse with a spade, dragging him with a quadbike and burying him behind his father's vineyard in 2015 - is understood to have used his jacket in an attempt to hang himself. An officer walked in during the attempt. Apparently the jacket broke and Visser fell and hurt his ear. Judge Nathan Erasmus said there had been an "incident" and that Visser was presently in hospital. The judge stood the matter down A short report by Tammy Petersen is at News24
Eskom lodges dispute at CCMA as unions dig in over discipline of wildcat strikers BusinessLive reports that Eskom has lodged a mutual interest dispute at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) over demands made by trade unions during negotiations on Wednesday. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the National Union of Metal Workers of SA (Numsa) have amended their position on how Eskom should deal with the employees who took part in illegal strikes when negotiations over salaries hit impasses. Apparently, the unions now want the power utility to agree that their members would not be dismissed, no matter the outcomes of the disciplinary action the company should take or the investigations of sabotage and other criminal acts by the police. Eskom and unions reached an agreement on wages last week, but could not sign the deal due to a deadlock over the disciplinary issues. By declaring a mutual interest dispute, Eskom wants the CCMA to start an arbitration process into the matter. A short report by Theto Mahlakoana is at BusinessLive. Read too, Eskom declares dispute, risk of load shedding remains, at Fin24
Parliamentary portfolio committee concerned about staff vacancy rates in KZN hospitals and clinics BusinessLive reports that Parliament’s portfolio committee on health has raised concerns about high staff vacancy rates and a shortage of space and supplies at health centres in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The committee is also concerned about infrastructure maintenance backlogs‚ which have led to some healthcare facilities not meeting stipulated norms and standards. This was revealed by the committee after its first oversight visit to the Umgungundlovu district municipality in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday. The committee visited Mpumuza Clinic, Edendale Hospital‚ Fort Napier Hospital and Grey’s Hospital. One common finding was a high staff vacancy rate due to the provincial government’s moratorium on some non-clinical posts‚ said Fish Mahlalela‚ the committee’s acting chair. The committee was informed that only highly skilled and specialised recruitment was possible‚ and noted that the staffing issue affected service delivery at clinics and hospitals. Read this report by Bongani Mthethwa in full at BusinessLive. See too, One doctor, one nurse for 40 pregnant women at Mahikeng provincial hospital in North West, at The Citizen
Learners at Uitenhage schools protest over teacher shortage by burning tyres GroundUp reports that a pall of thick black smoke covered Molly Blackburn Secondary School in Khayelitsha, Uitenhage, on Wednesday morning as scores of learners stood outside the gates, demanding six more permanent teachers. They said they have been complaining since the beginning of this year. The learners, with satchels on their backs, sang and burnt tyres in front of the gate, blew whistles, and shouted: “We have had enough!” The learners said the school was short of two maths, two physical science, one business studies, and one Life Orientation teacher. Acting principal of the school Mninawa Sitole arrived at the protest and told learners he had spoken to the district office in Port Elizabeth and that the matter was not at the school anymore but was being handled at district level. Sithole was booed by the learners. Spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Education Malibongwe Mtima said: “This matter is receiving the utmost attention it deserves. We hope that the school will receive these educators as soon as possible.” Read this report by Thamsanqa Mbovane in full at GroundUp
Public Servants Association wants to ensure no political intervention in PIC BusinessLive reports that the Public Servants Association (PSA) told MPs on Wednesday that no politician should chair the board of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). Such a prohibition would ensure there was no political intervention in the affairs of the fund, the PSA’s Leon Gilbert told the finance committee in respect of the Public Investment Corporation Amendment Bill. Currently, the PIC Act provides that the finance minister must appoint the chair of the PIC board and deputy finance minister Mondli Gungubele chairs the PIC. Gilbert, however, said the chair of the PIC should be appointed from the board of directors. The bill currently stipulates that the finance minister, or if designated by him, the deputy minister, should chair the board. It also provides for trade union representation on the board. The PIC manages about R2.2 trillion on behalf of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), the Unemployment Insurance Fund and the Compensation Fund. Gilbert also strongly opposed a provision requiring the PIC to consider certain stipulated issues when exercising its powers. He said there should be nothing in the statute “which permits the PIC to ignore or overrule or depart from the investment objectives of its clients.” Cosatu strongly supported the bill. Read this report by Linda Ensor in full at BusinessLive. Read too, Cosatu urges Parliament to pass PIC Bill before year-end, at Business Report
Mugg & Bean re-employs manager after social media furore over ‘racist’ retrenchment Timeslive reports that Mugg & Bean (M&B) has re-employed a member of staff who claimed that he lost his job because customers did not want to be served by a black manager. Andile Bozo ignited a fierce debate on social media when he attributed his retrenchment to racism‚ alleging that the franchisee at the Somerset West Waterstone Village mall told him that customers wanted a white manager. M&B said it was unfortunate that the retrenchment – due to weak trading conditions in a challenging economy – had been perceived as racist and had turned into a public furore. M&B operations executive Jeanne Geldenhuys said on Thursday that the matter had been resolved and Bozo would be reemployed in the group. The franchisee‚ Leon Mouton‚ and Bozo met and resolved the matter through a full and final settlement. Mouton said it was unfortunate that the incident was described as racist. Geldenhuys said the restaurant regretted that the incident had played out in public when it should have been resolved faster and within the business. It is unclear which role Bozo will be taking up in the group. Read this report by Nonkululeko Njilo in full at Timeslive. Read too, EFF wants Mugg & Bean black manager reinstated or else, at The Citizen
Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama and two other executives served with suspension notices BusinessLive reports that Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama and two other senior officials have been served with notices of intention to suspend them from the state-owned transport and logistics company. The notices were served by the board on Wednesday. The other two officials are chief procurement officer Thamsanqa Jiyane and supply chain manager Lindiwe Mdletshe. The three have been implicated in investigative reports regarding allegations of violating the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA); serious breaches of statutes, regulations and corporate governance; and unlawful conduct in relation to Transnet's questionable procurement of 1,064 diesel and electric locomotives. Gama, Mdletshe and Jiyane have been given an opportunity until Monday, 20 August to give the board reasons why they should not be suspended A short report by Genevieve Quintal and Natasha Marrian is at BusinessLive. See too, Monday deadline for Transnet CEO, two other execs facing suspension, at Fin24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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