In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Wednesday, 19 June 2019.
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KZN paramedic shot in back after hoax call, colleague sustains wrist injury TimesLIVE reports that two KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) emergency services paramedics have been left wounded after responding to a callout that turned out to be a trap. They were shot in the early hours of Wednesday morning after they responded to a plea for help in a maternity-related matter in the Amatikwe area of Inanda, north of Durban. When the medics arrived in the area they were met by a man who was supposed to direct them to the correct house. "He led them to a dirt road, where he produced a firearm and demanded their valuables," a provincial health department spokesperson indicated. While trying to flee the scene, one paramedic was shot in the back and the other in the wrist. Their cellphones were stolen. MEC for health in the province, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, described the incident as "shocking and barbaric". Read the full original of Lwandile Bhengu’s report on this story at TimesLIVE Alleged killers of Durban metro cops who were guarding councillor’s house face more charges News24 reports that four men accused of killing two Durban metro police officers face more charges, the Verulam Magistrate's Court was told on Tuesday. Their bail application, which was set down for Friday, has been postponed. Apparently, the extra charges relate to a house robbery they allegedly committed after the cops' murder. The four are accused of gunning down Sergeant Zephinia Dladla, 61, and Constable Sonto Mhlanga, 40, who were guarding the home of Ward 52 councillor Moses Zulu in Bhambayi, near Phoenix, last month. Zulu was assigned the protection detail following an assessment by the eThekwini metro and police. He explained that service delivery protesters had been marching on homes of politicians in the province and his house was earmarked as in need of protection. Read the full original of Kaveel Singh’s report on this story at News24 Driver of cash-in-transit van pursues and forces gang off road after robbery in Orange Farm News24 reports that two security officers managed to fend off five would-be cash-in-transit robbers in Orange Farm, Gauteng, resulting in an arrest and the recovery of two firearms. Their armoured van had been collecting cash at a petrol station on Tuesday when they were accosted by the gang. National police spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili reported: "The suspects managed to take cash from a security officer and shot him in the leg before taking his firearm and trying to flee the scene. The driver of the armoured vehicle noticed what was happening and pursued the suspects' vehicle, forcing it off the road until it came to a halt. The suspects were forced to abandon their vehicle and the stolen cash, fleeing the scene on foot." Police arrived on the scene and recovered an illegal firearm and the stolen cash. When they searched the area, they found one of the suspects with a rifle and arrested him. National police commissioner General Khehla Sitole praised the bravery of the security officers. Read the full original of Jenna Etheridge’s report on this story at News24 Man crushed beneath large refuse bin at business in City Deep TimesLIVE reports that a man has died after he was crushed beneath a refuse bin at a business in City Deep, Johannesburg, on Wednesday. ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said paramedics responded to the incident about 10.23am. He reported that they found a large refuse bin against a large refuse truck with the man lying trapped under the bin. He was declared dead on the scene. This short report by Iavan Pijoos is at Fin24 Head of Western Cape Anti-Gang Unit wants three top cops removed after botched op leaves six officers injured News24 reports that the head of the Western Cape's Anti-Gang Unit - which came under fire during a tracing operation, resulting in six officers being shot - has written to request that three top-ranking members placed in his force by the provincial police commissioner be immediately removed. Major General Andre Lincoln is understood to have written the letter a day after his officers were wounded in an early morning shootout in Samora Machel, about 20km outside Cape Town. In a scathing letter, the top cop wrote to Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula requesting the removal of a brigadier and two colonels who had been placed in his unit by Jula himself. Lincoln charged that one of the named colonels had planned and instructed the officers to take part in the operation, without an approved operation plan or specialised forces. The Anti-Gang Unit came under attack after apprehending a person they believed was linked to recent murders in Samora Machel. Lincoln said his request for the three officers to be removed from his unit was "necessitated by a break in the trust relationship", owing to decisions taken and implemented in the operation. Read the full original of Tammy Petersen’s report on this story at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Amcu head Joseph Mathunjwa’s future role could hinge on how platinum talks unfold BL Premium notes that Joseph Mathunjwa, president of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), adopted a proprietary tone when asked about his future in that position at last week’s media briefing on platinum industry talks. Mathunjwa has just come out of a bruising five-month strike at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold division and is heading into platinum industry wage talks with a demand for a 48% increase of basic salaries to R17,000 a month from the average R11,500 per month. Under the threat of de-registration as a union by the department of labour, Amcu is holding its national congress in September, where, among other items, there will be a vote on the union’s leadership. Asked if he was confident he would retain his presidency, Mathunjwa said: “It’s for the delegates to decide. The works I’ve being doing for Amcu will suggest if I’m the best president or not. If I was doing badly, the workers will take me out and I’ll thank them for the opportunity to lead this organisation, which I formed by the way.” A lot will ride on how the platinum talks unfold. Mathunjwa is again rolling dice that are unlikely to deliver the win that he and Amcu members want as there is zero chance of the platinum producers acceding to a 48% increase in wages. It’s also unlikely the platinum wage talks deliver a protracted strike as they did in 2014. Read the comment on this subject in full at BusinessLive (paywall access only) Employee of mining contractor dies in vehicle incident at Wescoal’s Vanggatfontein mine Mining Weekly reports that an employee of mining contractor Stefanutti Stocks Mining Services (SSMS) has died after sustaining injuries in a vehicle incident at coal miner Wescoal's Vanggatfontein mine on Monday night. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy is reportedly investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. "Wescoal and SSMS are saddened by the loss of one of our colleagues and wish to express our deepest and sincerest condolences to the deceased employee’s family, friends and colleagues,” Wescoal CEO Reginald Demana said on Tuesday. The original of this short report is at Mining Weekly. Wescoal’s short press statement is at Moneyweb Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Consumer inflation in May quickened marginally to 4.5% to hit target-range midpoint Bloomberg reports that SA’s annual consumer inflation quickened in May, with the rate reaching the midpoint of the central bank’s target range as higher food and beverage prices contributed to the increase. Annual consumer-price growth accelerated to 4.5% from a year earlier, compared with 4.4% in April, Statistics SA reported on Wednesday. Inflation has remained within the SA Reserve Bank’s target band of 3% to 6% for more than two years, and the central bank left its key interest rate at 6.75% last month. The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee seeks to anchor inflation expectations at 4.5%. It sees price growth averaging 4.5% in 2019. Read the full original of the report on the inflation rate by Ana Monteiro & Amogelang Mbatha at Moneyweb
SABC on brink of a switch-off, can’t guarantee payment of salaries in the months ahead BusinessLive reports that the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is on the brink of collapse and warned on Tuesday that it could be forced to go off the air as soon as “tomorrow” unless the government came to its rescue soon. The national broadcaster also said it could not guarantee it would be able to pay its employees’ salaries in the months ahead. The state-owned corporation has requested a R3.2bn government guarantee to stay afloat, but its bid for funding has so far been unsuccessful. It is saddled with crippling debt of close to R2bn which is due, a massive infrastructure maintenance backlog, and a huge and unsustainable wage bill. It spends more than R3bn a year on the salaries of more than 3,000 permanent employees. SABC CFO Yolandi van Biljon said on Monday: “Every month it’s a balancing act between the different priorities we have. We do prioritise salaries, but in the process we have to balance between the critical operational requirements, content, and salaries on an ongoing basis and it remains uncertain until the very last moment. It has been the case for the last eight or nine months, but it has been progressively worsening in the last few months.” Read the full original of Bekezela Phakathi’s report in the above regard at BusinessLive SAA asks pilots’ association to reconsider strike threat Business Report writes that South African Airways (SAA) on Tuesday urged the SA Airways Pilots’ Association (Saapa) to cease threatening to strike at the financially beleaguered airline. The state-owned carrier said the association’s allegations about the lack of skills of newly appointed interim chief executive Zuks Ramasia were unfounded. “Ramasia is the most senior and experienced executive at SAA and before her acting appointment occupied one of the critical portfolios, the airline’s global operations. In addition, she was a natural choice to act on occasions when the former chief executive Vuyani Jarana was away. She was never found wanting,” the airline stated. Saapa has indicated that it might have to resort to industrial action unless a competent leadership team was appointed to turn the struggling airline around and that the appointment of Ramasia was cause for “profound distress and concern”. Read the original of Edward West’s report on this story at Business Report. Read SAA’s press statement in the above regard at Polity Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Fedusa came close to telling the GEPF to fire the PIC as its fund manager, inquiry hears BusinessLive reports that the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) was on the brink of recommending that the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) fire the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) as the guardian of public servants’ retirement savings. This was the view of Matthew Parks, parliamentary co-ordinator for rival federation Cosatu, who appeared on Tuesday before the commission of inquiry into the governance and functioning of the PIC. Parks said that Fedusa was eager to pull the GEPF’s funds from the care of the PIC following the “explosion” of allegations regarding state capture at the state-owned asset manager. “Workers no longer feel that their money is safe, so they were on the verge of pulling out,” said Parks. Public-sector workers’ unions wield enormous power at the PIC’s largest client, the GEPF, where they appoint half of the trustees on the fund’s board. The GEPF accounts for 88% of the R2-trillion the PIC manages. Parks said Cosatu was equally frustrated with what had transpired at the PIC and the manner in which it had engaged with them over their concerns. “It is playing fast and loose, treating billions [of rands] like Smarties. It’s difficult to answer the questions why the PIC has been allowed to run amok, because there is no accountability. It’s like the Wild West,” he asserted But Parks added that Cosatu was persuaded to continue working with the PIC for the time being. Read the full original of Warren Thompson’s report in the above regard at BusinessLive. Read too, An end to PIC ‘treating billions like smarties’, at Moneyweb Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Axed Old Mutual CEO Peter Moyo to fight back in court to clear his name BusinessLive reports that Peter Moyo, who was axed as Old Mutual CEO on Tuesday after having been suspended three weeks ago, is not going quietly. The insurer has cited a conflict of interest due to Moyo’s involvement with a financial services company that he helped found in the early 2000s. But, he has vowed to clear his name in court after Old Mutual accused him of wrongly pocketing more than R30m in dividends from NMT Capital. Moyo was CEO at NMT when he was initially recruited as the CEO of Old Mutual Emerging Markets in 2017. The company said when it first suspended Moyo that the CEO had done nothing wrong or dishonest, and praised his performance. The standoff has since turned decidedly ugly, with the insurer announcing on Tuesday that it intended to terminate the relationship with the CEO, accusing him of potentially breaking company law in the process. He vehemently rejected this and said all transactions were done in the open with Old Mutual’s awareness. Moyo called the company’s allegations "incomplete at best and misleading at worst". When Old Mutual suspended Moyo, chair Trevor Manuel said that there was no financial misconduct. Read the full original of Londiwe Buthelezi’s report on the above story at BusinessLive. See too, Moyo to take Old Mutual to court (includes text of Moyo’s statement), at Moneyweb Alexander Forbes finally lifts the veil on why it sacked former CEO Andrew Darfoor Business Report writes that pension funds administrator Alexander Forbes (AF) on Tuesday finally lifted the veil on why it dismissed Andrew Darfoor as its chief executive 10 months ago. The group said in a statement that the board initiated an investigation into allegations against Darfoor. “This resulted in the termination of the services of the former chief executive officer and actions to remedy all the issues identified during the investigation,” the company indicated. AF added that legal processes between it and Darfoor were ongoing. The group fired Darfoor last September after the board lost “confidence and trust” in him, but did not elaborate until now. Darfoor was swiftly replaced by former Sanlam executive Dawie de Villiers. It was previously reported that Johan van Zyl, the co-chief executive of Alexander Forbes' second biggest shareholder, African Rainbow Capital (ARC), had a difference of opinion on the strategy the group was pursuing under Darfoor. The firm’s new strategy, as unveiled by De Villiers in March, was a carbon copy of ARC’s wish list, including the selling off its short-term insurance business. Read the full original of Kabelo Khumalo’s report on the above story at Business Report Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Negotiations ongoing over suspended MyCiTi N2 Express service from Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain News24 writes that there seems to be no end in sight for stranded Cape Town commuters who use the MyCiTi N2 Express service from Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain. The City and various stakeholders are continuing negotiations after the service's operating contract lapsed last month. "The City will inform the public once the service is ready to operate again," said the mayoral committee member for transport, Felicity Purchase. She added that the City did not want to "detract from the negotiations" and would not comment any further. The contract with the joint venture partners lapsed on 1 June and the City announced that it would refund the more than 150 commuters who had purchased monthly tickets. The former mayoral committee member for transport, Brett Herron, criticised the City for allowing the contract to lapse, claiming it had no regard for commuters. "The service offers a critical transport option for those commuters to no longer use Cape Town's unreliable rail services and reduces congestion on our roads – a single bus can replace 50 cars on the road," said Herron. Read the full original of Kamva Somdyala’s report in the above regard at News24
Four Limpopo security officers in the dock for killing man in 'revenge' for murder of colleague News24 reports that four Limpopo security officers appeared in court on Tuesday after allegedly killing a man whom they believed had killed one of their colleagues. Police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe related that the men went looking for a suspect on Monday morning after receiving a report that he was responsible for shooting, killing and robbing one of their own. Ngoepe said they never reported the matter to police but instead traced the man - 24-year-old Masilu Mothemela - to a house in Mohodi Manthata village outside Mogwadi, near Polokwane. They interrogated him before allegedly shooting him in the chest, killing him instantly. They also allegedly shot and injured his friend before fleeing the scene. Seven men were arrested, but only four were linked to the incident. Police confiscated four pistols and three rifles. The men appeared in the Senwabarwana Magistrate's Court on charges of murder and attempted murder on Tuesday. They will remain in custody until their formal bail applications on Friday. Read the full original of Jenna Etheridge’s report on this story at News24. Read a police press release on this matter at SAPS News
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