In our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 26 April 2019.
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Alleged illegal miner has both legs amputated in mining accident in City Deep News24 reports that an alleged illegal miner had both his legs amputated by a mechanical digger on Sunday morning in City Deep, Johannesburg. According to ER24 spokesperson Ross Campbell, the 35-year-old man apparently fell unseen into a hole that the illegal miners were digging with heavy machinery. He explained further: "The digger continued, amputating both legs, one below the knee and the other just above the knee. ER24 paramedics and the provincial services arrived on the scene at 10:00 to find the man still in the hole. A scoop was used to extract him before tourniquets were applied to both limbs.” The patient was taken to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital for emergency treatment. Read the original of Alex Mitchley’s report on this story at News24
Unions will think twice about taking us on, says Sibanye boss City Press reports on its forthright interview with Sibanye-Stillwater chief executive Neal Froneman a week after the company finally settled with the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) following a wage strike of nearly five months at the company’s gold operations. Froneman said the strike had been financially damaging even though the company eventually came out the winner. But the costs, he indicated, might take up to two years to recover. Froneman has earned a reputation for always getting the upper hand when talks with striking unions deadlock and seemingly, after having gone head-to-head with Amcu, he has maintained that record of breaking unions. Asked if he had ever lost at the negotiating table against a union, Froneman confirmed he had yet to. “It is not my intention to break unions and no, I don’t think I have [lost to a union],” he indicated. Part of the win for the company, Froneman noted, was the agreement on the peace pact which the union agreed to sign within 30 days of the strike. Leading up to the platinum wage negotiations, Froneman pointed out that the sector was already under strain. He stated that the union had to realise this and he would try to explain the financial situation to union leaders. He added: “I feel we have made our point and any union will think twice about calling a strike with Sibanye because we have shown that we will stick to our guns when we feel something is right.” Read the full original of Lesetja Malope’s interesting report on the interview with Froneman at City Press Amcu says it will fight pending deregistration by labour department BusinessLive reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) has sent a letter to companies, its regions and branches, strongly denying that it has done anything to merit its deregistration. The labour relations registrar, Lehlohonolo Molefe, issued a gazette notice on Wednesday saying Amcu would be deregistered as a union because it has “ceased to function in terms of its constitution; and the trade union is not a genuine trade union as envisaged in the [Labour Relations Act]”. Molefe clarified his comments in a statement on the department’s website on Thursday, saying the union had not held a national congress in 2018 as per its constitution. Amcu, in a letter dated 25 April signed by general secretary Jeffrey Mphahlele, said: “Without going into the specific merits of the matter, we confirm that the allegations levelled against Amcu are denied and we are taking counsel on how best to oppose the action to be taken. We view this as a clear onslaught on Amcu and our struggle for social justice and economic emancipation. We will spare no resources to defend the rights of Amcu and its members.” Amcu has 60 days in which to register its written arguments against Molefe’s decision, which commentators have criticised for being vague, with some questioning the timing of the notification. Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa is scheduled to address a media conference on Friday morning to talk about the threatened deregistration. Read the full original of Allan Seccombe’s report in the above regard at BusinessLive. Read too, Attempt to deregister Amcu as union a 'political attack', says Mathunjwa, at Mining Weekly. And also, Threat of deregistration motivated by State captured by white monopoly capital, says Amcu, at Mining Weekly Numsa shocked and dismayed by labour department's intention to de-register Amcu as a union ANA reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said on Friday it was shocked and dismayed by the Department of Labour's (DoL’s) intention to deregister the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu). The department advised earlier last week that it had given notice to cancel Amcu’s registration, accusing it of not complying with its own constitution. "We ... reject – with the contempt it deserves – that a democratic government, instead of working with the unions to overcome whatever challenges that confront Amcu, its first stated intention is to come out guns blazing, making its intention clear that it wants to deregister the union," Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said. She went on to state: "Whilst Numsa understands that all unions need to be compliant with the DoL’s requirements, we have had experiences where the DoL should have been expected to act on particular affiliates but, instead, it moves at a snail’s pace. We are not convinced that the DoL has exhausted its options in finding solutions between itself and Amcu." The union added that the DoL’s "no-nonsense" attitude should also be applied to employers who did not comply with labour laws. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly. Read Numsa’s press statement on this matter at Polity Amcu to meet labour registrar this week over deregistration threat The Sunday Independent reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) is expected to meet the Registrar of Labour Relations, Lehlohonolo Molefe, this week over the government’s decision to deregister the union. The meeting on Tuesday will come after Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa fired a broadside at the government over the decision, saying it was political. Mathunjwa also said the decision was suspicious as the union was preparing for a round of wage negotiations in the platinum belt in the coming weeks. Other than meeting with Molefe, Amcu could lodge a court application to force the government to back down on its decision. The department last week issued a government gazette notice that Amcu was going to be deregistered because it had ceased to be a union. It said the union’s constitution required a conference to be held every five years, but a conference had not been held since 2013. Mathunjwa reacted that they had been taken aback by the decision despite the labour department having been assured that they were going to meet the requirements of holding their conference in time. Other political parties have also said the decision by the government to deregister Amcu was to ensure that it was removed from the sector. Read the full original of Siyabonga Mkhwanazi’s report on the above at The Sunday Independent Impala Platinum still working to close or sell ageing Rustenburg shaft Bloomberg reports that Impala Platinum (Implats) said it is still working toward shutting or selling one of the aging shafts flagged for closure as part of a restructuring plan at its Rustenburg complex. The platinum producer is in talks with various stakeholders, mostly about its Impala No. 1 shaft, and expects the engagements to be concluded in the next four to six months. The mine, one of the company’s oldest, is nearing the end of its life and employs about 3,000 people. The company said last year it planned to cut more than 13,000 jobs as part of the restructuring of lossmaking mines. Implats may be among producers heading for a showdown with unions as the industry will soon enters into negotiations for new wage agreements. Meantime, the company had a challenging quarter after production was affected by interruptions in power supply from Eskom, but it still expects to meet its annual output target. The miner was benefiting from strong palladium and platinum prices and had remained profitable in the financial year to date, said CEO Nico Muller. Read the original of Felix Njini’s report on the above at Fin24 Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Tiso Blackstar Group served with notice of strike from Monday over salaries, bonuses Fin24 reports that the Information Communication Technology Union (ICTU) has given media company Tiso Blackstar Group a 48-hour notice of its intention to strike over unresolved disputes relating to salaries and bonuses. The notice was served on Friday, meaning ICTU intends to start protected industrial action from Monday morning. Tiso Blackstar owns publications including the Sunday Times, Business Day and Financial Mail. ICTU intends to hold go-slow demonstrations for the whole of next week, as well as a picket next Thursday, a national shutdown on 6 May, and a march to Tiso Blackstar's headquarters on 7 May. Regarding the dispute over salaries and bonuses, the union said it was open to further discussion. ICTU president Moeketsi Lepheana indicated that about 80% of Tiso Blackstar’s employees were represented by the union. The original of Khulekani Magubane’s report on story at Fin24 eThekwini workers threaten to sabotage water and electricity supplies over inflated MK vets’ pay Sunday Tribune reports that as Durban reels from a week of deadly floods, the city is heading into a storm of its own making as disgruntled municipal workers threaten to sabotage the city’s water and electricity supplies. Several areas have already been without water after workers in the Water and Sanitation Unit downed tools and refused to fix water pipes and sewer lines damaged in the storm. The workers want their salaries upgraded from grade 4 to grade 10 - an increase of about R11,000. The unhappiness was triggered when the City employed MK veterans in the same unit, but at a higher salary grade than existing employees. Unions claimed it was done without consulting them. Queen Mbatha of the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) vowed that their members would not return to work until their salaries grades were adjusted. She confirmed that their members from other units, such as electricity, were prepared to embark on a solidarity strike from Monday. “We are not opposing the employment of MK vets, they can keep their positions because they have already signed their contracts, but our employees must also be promoted from grade 4 to grade 10,” she indicated. A city spokesperson confirmed that the strike was still on and indicated that the city would consider legal action against employees who tampered with infrastructure to sabotage service delivery. Read the full original of the report by Siboniso Mngadi and Kwandokuhle Njoli on the above story at Sunday Tribune Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Price of petrol to rise by hefty 54c/l from Wednesday ANA reports that the price of both grades of petrol - 93 octane and 95 octane unleaded (ULP) and lead replacement petrol (LRP) - will increase by 54c/l with effect from midnight on Tuesday. Diesel 0.05 percent sulphur will increase by 1c/l, while the price of diesel 0.005% sulphur will remain unchanged, the energy department said in a statement on Sunday. The wholesale price of illuminating paraffin will increase by 3c/l and the single maximum national retail price (SMNRP) of illuminating paraffin will increase by 4c/l. The maximum retail price for LPGas would increase by 84c/kg. In a further statement on Sunday, Energy Minister Jeff Radebe said the main reason for the increased fuel prices were that the rand on average had strengthened slightly against the US dollar from 14.3871 to 14.1401 rand per dollar. The settling of contagion risks from emerging markets provided a foundation for the rand's strengthening trend. The average Brent Crude oil price increased from US66.03 per barrel to US70.82 per barrel during the period under review. Read the full original of the report on the petrol price increase at Independent News. See too, Petrol price to go up by 54 cents a litre for May, at Fin24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
As part of YES initiative, Nedbank to create job opportunities for over 3,300 youth Fin24 reports that as part of Nedbank's commitment to the Youth Employment Service (YES), it will place 3,315 youth through its skills development programme. According to a statement from the bank, Nedbank will provide job opportunities for youth – those aged between 18 and 29 – at the bank and its placement partners WILDTRUST, Tradeway, UnlockD and ORT SA. The bank on Friday officially signed the YES CEO pledge to provide qualifying youth with paid work experience over the next 12 months, starting May 2019. Youth participating in Nedbank's programme, in partnership with YES, will receive training to equip them with skills to enter the job market once the training programme is completed. The YES initiative, which seeks to address youth unemployment, was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in March 2018 and it is a joint initiative between government, business, labour and civil society. Encouraging other companies to join the YES pledge, YES CEO Dr Tashmia Ismail-Saville commented: "Nedbank has taken on the YES project in the true spirit of country building. They have gone over and above their own recruitment needs to create thousands of jobs in the most vulnerable of communities, thereby bolstering community-based programmes with deep impacts." Read the full original of Lameez Omarjee’s report in the above regard at Fin24
Solidarity wants Brain Molefe’s properties auctioned in payment for his legal bills Rapport writes that trade union Solidarity will be targeting the 15 properties of Brian Molefe, the disgraced former head of Eskom, to recover legal fees and his unlawful pension payout. Molefe received a third legal blow last week when the Supreme Court of Appeal turned down his petition to appeal a judgment of the Pretoria High Court that he must pay back a portion of his pension monies. The ink was scarcely dry on the decision when the first of two letters of demand were sent to Molefe. Anton van der Bijl, head of legal services at Solidarity, advised that the union, which was one of the parties in the court case, had sent an account of more than R700,000 to Molefe’s legal team in respect of the original court case. A bill of about R300,000 for the two unsuccessful appeal applications will still follow. The other letter of demand was apparently from the Eskom pension fund. Van der Bijl observed that Molefe was not at all as indigent as he has portrayed himself. The union will seek to have Molefe’s properties auctioned and will put pressure on the pension fund to recover its monies if Molefe should now claim that he doesn’t have the necessary funds to pay up. Public records show that in the last decade Molefe paid some R35 million for properties, which in most of the instances were paid for in cash. The properties would now be worth a lot more than the original purchase prices, Van der Bijl reckoned. Read the full original of Antoinette Slabbert’s report on this story in Afrikaans at Netwerk24 (paywall access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Prasa executive axed with immediate effect as cleanup continues News24 reports that following a disciplinary hearing, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) has axed its general manager responsible for risk management, Matome Mohube. He is also the former company secretary. On Friday Prasa indicated that the disciplinary hearing had looked into charges involving the falsification of board resolutions of a meeting held on 28 February 2011 dealing with the submissions of three companies being considered for different services. Group CEO Dr Nkosinathi Sishi said the rail agency was "determined rid Prasa of corruption, nepotism and administrative inefficiencies". Commenting on the decision, Khanyisile Kweyama, chairperson of Prasa's interim board, said that the board was committed to leaving Prasa in a better state than that in which it was found. Transport Minister Blade Nzimande appointed the interim board to turn around the ailing rail agency in April 2018. Also on Friday, it was reported that Prasa had suspended its head of security in the Western Cape, as well as two other security officers, due to an investigation into whether there had been a security lapse that resulted in the burning of 12 train coaches. Read the original of Lameez Omarjee’s report on the above at Fin24 NPA’s Nomgcobo Jiba to fight her dismissal by Ramaphosa BusinessLive reports that Nomgcobo Jiba will not take President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to fire her from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) lying down. Jiba, who was told of her dismissal as deputy director of public prosecutions via a letter from the Presidency on Thursday, indicated that her lawyers were ready to take the matter forward. She said she intended to clear her name and legacy as a prosecutor. Lawrence Mrwebi, the former special director of public prosecutions, also received a letter of dismissal on Thursday, which took effect the following day. He has not indicated what he will do. The two were fired after an inquiry led by retired Constitutional Court justice Yvonne Mokgoro found them unfit to hold office and recommended that they be removed from their positions. Jiba, one of the four national directors of public prosecutions, was specifically responsible for national prosecutions services, while Mrwebi headed up the Specialised Commercial Crime Unit. Ramaphosa took a hard line in the dismissal letters, refusing to accede to requests from Jiba to be appointed to another senior position, as well as Mrwebi’s request to retire. The decisions still have to be ratified by parliament. Read the full original of Claudi Mailovich’s report on the above at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Limpopo detective and accomplice arrested for extortion over bogus rape case News24 reports that a Limpopo warrant officer detective and an accomplice who were expecting the balance of an agreed R15,000 bribe were arrested in a sting operation by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team on Friday evening. The accomplice of the officer from Driekop police station is a girlfriend of the complainant, who was reportedly made to believe a rape case had been opened against him. The boyfriend claimed he was summoned to police station by the detective where he found him in the company of his girlfriend. Hawks spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke said R15,000 was demanded by the detective to make a rape case opened against the boyfriend by his girlfriend "disappear". Maluleke explained further: "He claims that he was informed that a case was already opened against him by his girlfriend or he should pay R15,000 to make it disappear. He allegedly paid R4,000 on the spot and promised to pay the rest later the same day. The matter was immediately reported to the Hawks who conducted a sting operation which led to the arrest of the girlfriend immediately after she received the remaining money from her boyfriend." The two were scheduled to appear in the Burgersfort Magistrate's Court on Monday charged with corruption, extortion and defeating the ends of justice. Read the full original of Poloko Tau’s report on this story at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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