In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Thursday, 28 February 2019.
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Engineers leave SA due to ‘construction mafia’ found on almost all construction sites Moneyweb reports that armed ‘community forums’ – widely referred to as the ‘construction mafia’ – are prevalent on virtually all construction sites in the country, and the situation is so bad that engineers prefer to leave SA rather than work under such conditions. This is according to WBHO CEO Louwtjie Nel. His comments came shortly after Aveng told reporters that staff at its Mtentu Bridge project in the Eastern Cape were threatened by people armed with illegal weapons who wanted to dictate which sub-contractors Aveng should fire and whom the company should replace them with. They said the police in fact escorted the ‘community forum’ members onto the site, and failed to act when the construction group secured interdicts against the alleged perpetrators. Members of site management were sent threatening messages and followed home, and a female engineer was manhandled. Aveng CEO Sean Flanagan said the threats started in KwaZulu-Natal and spread to the Eastern Cape and further. The situation has now also spread into mining, with three of Aveng’s mining sites, two opencast and one underground, currently being affected. According to Aveng management, the argument is often made that nobody has been seriously injured or killed on site, but the group says it’s not prepared to put its staff at risk and wait until that happens. Read the full original of Antoinette Slabbert’s report on this story at Moneyweb
Amcu delays secondary strike across mining industry until labour court rules Bloomberg reports that the Labour Court has reserved its decision in respect of an interdict application to stop a secondary strike at several mining companies. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction (Amcu) had given notice of a secondary strike to commence from the night shift on Thursday, but said it would delay the strike across the industry until the court took a decision on whether the action could be blocked or not. Amcu issued notices to at least 15 producers last week. The action was designed to support an ongoing Amcu strike at Sibanye Gold’s gold operations that commenced in November. “It [the strike] cannot start until there is a judgment,” said Amcu spokesman Manzini Zungu. The Labour Court reserved judgment late on Wednesday over the interdict. Read the original of Paul Burkhardt’s report on the above at Moneyweb. Read too, Platinum miners win reprieve as union delays South Africa strike, at Mining Weekly Search for missing bodies at Gloria mine halted again The Citizen reports that according to Witbank News, attempts to find remaining bodies at the Gloria mine have once again been temporarily halted. Last Friday, after the recovery of 13 bodies, the mine search and rescue teams had to halt their search due to challenges that prevailed. They resumed again on Monday hoping to find the bodies of nine men who were still unaccounted for. However, on Wednesday it was decided that the search mission be temporarily suspended due to the volatility of the areas being searched. Reportedly there are rockfalls and the area was also flooded with water. The confirmed death toll stands at 18. They were part of a group of men who went underground allegedly to steal copper cable at the Mpumalanga mine that has been placed under business rescue. Based on reports at The Citizen and EWN
Nehawu calls off TVET, CET national college strike ANA reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) on Wednesday called off its national strike action at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Community Education and Training (CET) colleges. This was after signing a settlement agreement with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). Nehawu general secretary, Zola Saphetha said the settlement agreement was signed after marathon negotiations that started on Monday morning and concluded on Tuesday evening. "This settlement represents a victory for our members who have been marginalised by the department ever since the migration took place in 2015," said Saphetha. He went on to explain about the deal: "All employees who have been employed by the department and colleges will now be deemed to be permanently employed which is a victory to close to 3,000 workers. The department has committed to the immediate reissuing and implementation of Circular 1 of 2017 and 2 of 2018 in ensuring standardization of salary levels and job profiles as per the job evaluation outcome. Parties have now agreed on tight timelines for this matter that has been on the agenda for many years." Nehawu urged all members and workers to return to work on Thursday. Read the full original of Thembelihle Mkhonza’s report on the above at Independent News
Calm restored at North West’s Witrand Psychiatric Hospital following intense protests ANA reports that protesters have been causing chaos at the Witrand Psychiatric Hospital, demanding that the hospital CEO should step down, and management should refrain from harassing and intimidating staff. The protest action, which started on Friday, was called off after a private investigator was appointed to look into the allegations against hospital management. A nurse at Witrand commented about the situation that senior management at the facility acted unprofessionally, and staff were no longer prepared to accept the situation. “We are being bullied and victimised by management at the hospital,” she claimed, adding that people who challenged management with complaints would be victimised. North West Health MEC Madoda Sambatha has appointed a task team to investigate concerns raised by employees at the hospital. The MEC met with union members on Monday, including representatives of Nehawu, Hospersa, PSA and Denosa. He said that the hospital rendered a very important service, and it was important that the concerns raised be attended to. Nehawu’s Rantekane Kgoadi said after meeting with Sambatha and staff that it had been agreed that workers would return to work and provide services. The union gave an undertaking that workers would not jeopardise the investigations. Read the full original of the report on the above story at The Citizen
Fedusa puts its general secretary Dennis George on precautionary suspension over AYO deal Fin24 reports that trade union federation Fedusa announced on Thursday morning that it had placed its general secretary, Dennis George, on precautionary suspension, pending an external investigation. George had been placed on special leave on 6 February. "This decision comes in the wake of allegations relating to the acquisition of shares in technology company, AYO Technology Systems," said the federation. Fedusa went on to indicate: “In remaining steadfast to the principles of accountability, and the continued promotion of good, clean, ethical governance, Fedusa initiated an independent, external investigation to determine the veracity of the allegations. The investigation remains ongoing. The recommendations arising out of the investigation by Fedusa will be communicated to all interested and affected parties.” Read the original of a short report on this story at Fin24. Read Fedusa’s press statement at Fedusa News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Fawu calls for moratorium on implementation of sugar tax to prevent job losses The Citizen reports that the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) has called for clear policy from government to prevent imminent job losses in the sugar cane sector, caused mainly by the sugar tax and dumping of sugar from Brazil. On Wednesday, Fawu’s general secretary Katishi Masemola called for a moratorium on the implementation of the sugar tax because it was killing the sector. The trade union leader indicated that soft drink manufacturer Coca-Cola had threatened to lay off more than 1,000 employees due to the sugar tax. A study commissioned by the department of trade and industry prior to the sugar tax warned that between 5,000 and 8,000 jobs would be affected. Masemola said despite their call for government to stave off the problem, there had been indifference on the part of Pretoria. A parliamentary discussion on the matter called by the Democratic Alliance for Tuesday was allegedly frustrated by ANC members of parliament, assisted by an abstention by the Economic Freedom Fighters. DA chief whip John Steenhuisen said at the very heart of the crisis was the ANC’s unwillingness to listen to sugar industry experts. “When the sugar tax was first mooted, industry experts warned this would lead to job losses. So far, 1,000 jobs have already been lost in the sector and this figure is climbing,” he said. Read the full original of Eric Naki’s report on this story at The Citizen
Special Cabinet committee on Eskom plans more meetings with labour ANA reports that the special Cabinet committee on Eskom will hold more meetings with organised labour to discuss the contentious restructuring of the struggling power utility into three units. In a statement issued on Thursday about its meeting on Wednesday where Deputy President David Mabuza reported on the committee's engagements, Cabinet indicated: "The meeting with labour reported on the problems with Eskom’s operations and generation system, maintenance and unplanned outages. The meeting sought to establish a basis for formal future consultations. The restructuring of Eskom was also discussed, and all parties agreed that there would be more interactions to better understand the roadmap and the implications of separating Eskom’s business divisions into three separate operating entities." The plan to split up Eskom was announced in President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation address and saw the National Union of Mineworkers threaten to withhold its support for the ruling party in the May elections. According to the unions, the restructuring will result in job losses. Cabinet said Mabuza, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Eskom chairman Jabu Mabuza met with the "leadership of three unions recognised by Eskom", but did not give further details. The recognised unions are the NUM, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and Solidarity. Numsa has vehemently rejected Ramaphosa's plan as a first step towards privatisation. Read the full original of the report on the above at Business Report
Exposé of conditions at Mugg & Bean leads to dismissal threats The Citizen reports that a wave of panic has engulfed the workforce of several Mugg & Bean restaurants, amid investigations into working conditions at the franchise chain and subsequent threats by bosses to lay employees off. The friction between the workers and the restaurant chain now also threatens to put them on a collision course with organised labour, with unions threatening to march on the branches. It recently emerged that the labour practices of several franchisees were in conflict with regulations, such as the national minimum wage and the conditions laid out by the bargaining council. Workers now fear retrenchment and complain they are being victimised and accused of “ratting out to the papers” on their plight. Waitrons and other staff members working at various M&B outlets spoke to The Citizen anonymously in a series of interviews in which they claimed managers were threatening to retrench workers following a previous article, which revealed that workers were not earning a salary and had to survive on tips and a 3% sales commission. This, as well as the widespread practice of charging a daily upfront breakage fee of up to R25, form the subject of the investigations being conducted by the M&B and the council. While M&B has yet to provide official answers to the latest questions posed by The Citizen, the company’s national labour audit is apparently expected to be complete in the next two weeks. Read the full original of Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni’s report on the above at The Citizen
‘Slapped’ pupil doesn't want to go back to 'toxic' Sans Souci Cape Times reports that the suspended Sans Souci Girls' High School teacher and 16-year-old pupil from the school each appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday – a few courtrooms apart – after they had both laid assault charges against each other. While the 34-year-old Clarissa Venter's case was conducted in open court and ended up being postponed to 18 April for further investigation, the Grade 9 pupil's case was held in camera. The pupil who was slapped by her teacher at the beginning of the month after a verbal altercation – seen in a video that went viral – has said she never wants to go back to the institution again. The teacher and pupil both remain suspended pending disciplinary hearings. "It’s toxic. It’s not a safe space for anyone to be, because if you don’t bow down to what they have to say - whether it’s right or wrong - you are then (considered) disrespectful. You are victimised, bullied and treated badly," the pupil claimed. But her mother insisted that she has not yet decided whether she will remove her daughter because they "first need to clear this up". The Chamber of Legal Students, representing the pupil, has not only lodged a complaint with the Equality Court, but has also called on Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga to probe the matter. Read the full original report on this story at Cape Times. Read too a report at News24
Samwumed levels fresh allegations against suspended investigations head at medical schemes council BL Premium reports that the suspended head of investigations at the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) is facing new allegations that he facilitated the curatorship of a municipal workers medical scheme to further his own interests. Stephen Mmatli, who was suspended in early February pending the outcome of an inquiry into alleged corruption and misconduct, has been accused by the former deputy chair of the SA Municipal Workers’ Union National Medical Scheme (Samwumed), André Maxwell, of using his influence at the CMS “to set in motion a series of staged events to bring down the scheme, its board and key officials”. Samwumed was placed under provisional curatorship in May 2018 because its board was dysfunctional. It was then embroiled in a series of legal battles that ultimately saw the removal of provisional curator Duduza Khoza and the appointment of curator Joe Seloane in October. Mmatli responded through his lawyer, Hope Chaane, who said the issues raised by Maxwell largely related to the scheme being placed under curatorship. “This is a CMS process and the decision whether to place any medical scheme under provisional curatorship finally lies with the court. It is totally impossible that our client could have had influence on Samwumed being placed under provisional curatorship,” Chaane pointed out. Read the full original of Tamar Khan’s report on this story at BusinessLive (paywall access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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