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.
Business Times reports that SA is set to have billions of rands worth of international citrus fruit exports and retail contracts cancelled because of a growing strike at the country's harbours.
According to Mark Jensen, MD of South African Fruit Promoters, this was already happening. His warning came after a five-week wildcat strike and go-slow by stevedores at Port Elizabeth and Coega harbours. Also hard hit has been the vehicle manufacturing sector. Workers, who are now threatening to embark on go-slows at the country's other harbours, downed tools in the Eastern Cape over pay and promotion disputes with stevedores refusing to offload and load dozens of cargo ships anchored off Port Elizabeth. With the strike set to continue, ships travelling to the affected Eastern Cape harbours are diverting to Durban and Cape Town. But Justin Chadwick, CEO of the Citrus Growers Association, which has pleaded with the government to intervene in the crisis, said the Eastern Cape strike was now affecting Durban and Cape Town harbours. He said the entire industry felt helpless: "None of this is of our doing, yet farmers, farm workers and suppliers are bearing the brunt of this action, which both Transnet and the unions say is illegal." Satawu and Numsa said they were not involved in the strike. Untu confirmed that Transnet had a right to dismiss workers as the go-slow was reportedly illegal. Meantime, Transnet issued a statement saying it had a court interdict to stop the strike at the Ngqura container terminal. On Friday, a Transnet spokesperson said there had been a marked improvement in the performance at the container terminals at the Ngqura, Durban and Cape Town ports since Thursday.
- Read the full original of the Sunday Times Business Times report by Graeme Hosken and Penelope Mashego on the above at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
- Read Transnet’s press statement at Polity
- Read too, Ngqura closure hits economy, on page 1 of City Press Business of 21 July 2019
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page