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.
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Monday, 22 July 2019.
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Unvaccinated EPWP workers falling ill at Kalafong hospital, says DA’s Jack Bloom ANA reports that about 60 workers on the expanded public works programme (EPWP) at the Kalafong hospital in Pretoria have complained about contracting illnesses due to not being vaccinated beforehand like regular employees. This was reported on Monday by the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) shadow member of the executive council for health, Jack Bloom. He indicated in a statement that the EPWP workers, who had been employed at the hospital since February 2018 as cleaners, general workers and kitchen staff, said they had spoken to management and officials at the department of infrastructure development (DID), which runs the programme, but were brushed aside and threatened. “It seems that they were never vaccinated because they came from DID instead of being employed directly by the hospital. This oversight has affected their health, leading to frequent work absences,” Bloom said. He has referred the issue to the SA Human Rights Commission as the workers’ rights to work in a safe environment have been violated. Read the original of the report on this story at The Citizen. Read Jack Bloom’s press statement at Polity Sitole condemns murder of police officer and wounding of two others in Delft shooting on Sunday ANA reports that National Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Khehla John Sitole has condemned the killing and attack on SA Police Service (SAPS) members in Delft in Cape Town in the early hours of Sunday morning. "During the early hours of [Sunday] morning, three constables were attacked by a lone gunman at Delft South, resulting in the death of one member and two others being wounded," Sitole's office said in a statement. The three constables were on patrol duty when the suspect opened fire on them. One officer died instantly after being shot in the head, while the second officer was wounded above his left eye, and the third in his arm. Shortly after that incident the suspect attacked a second police vehicle a street away from the first incident. SAPS officers retaliated and shot the suspect in his leg. He was subsequently arrested and is in currently in hospital under police guard. The two wounded police officers have also been hospitalised. Sitole condemned the killing and attack, saying the suspect would face the full might of the law. "The efforts by the joint security forces to stabilise the areas of the Western Cape metropole will continue as planned and we will stop at nothing to ensure that innocent people are and feel safe," Sitole indicated. Read the full original of the report on the above story at Independent News KZN hospital put on lockdown following bomb threat on Sunday TimesLIVE reports that chaos erupted at a Durban hospital on Sunday following a bomb threat. The hospital, in Hillcrest, west of Durban, became an active crime scene after there were reports of a suspicious parcel inside the building. A state of panic was cast over the private hospital as staff were ordered to remain in wards until police arrived at the scene. Provincial police spokesperson Lt-Col Thulani Zwane confirmed the incident and said a case had been opened. "Police attended a complaint of a bomb threat at Hillcrest Hospital. A suspicious parcel was searched and it was negative," he indicated. The original of this report by Orrin Singh is at TimesLIVE
Amplats pays handsome dividend, but warns Amcu not to get too excited BusinessLive reports that Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) declared a chunky R11 per share interim dividend for the six months to end-June as its profit trebled due to higher prices, but the company warned unions not to get too excited as wage talks start. The price of the basket of platinum group metals (PGMs) Amplats produced during the six months was up 33% to R38,305/oz from R28,700/oz, while post-tax profit rocketed to R7.36bn from R2.3bn. Amplats will now table its counteroffer to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) as wage talks with the self-proclaimed militant union start in earnest. Amplats CEO Chris Griffith said the effective 45% increase that Amcu had tabled in recent weeks would be deeply damaging and could result in the closure of Amandelbult and the loss of thousands of jobs. He warned against embedding unsustainable increases in the company’s labour costs, cautioning that while the prices of PGMs had increased, largely due to palladium and rhodium, this was no time to “get carried away”. Amplats would seek an inflation-related wage increase, he indicated. Stats SA reported that annual consumer inflation in May was 4.5%. Read the full original of Allan Seccombe’s report on the above at BusinessLive Greater Lonmin Community wants ConCourt to set aside Sibanye’s Lonmin takeover ANA reports that the Greater Lonmin Community (GLC) has approached the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) seeking leave to appeal and set aside the acquisition of platinum mining company Lonmin Plc by Sibanye-Stillwater. The GLC is a not-for-profit organisation representing various affected communities of Rustenburg, such as those at Marikana, Mooinooi, Majakeng, Tornado, Nkaneng, and Bapo ba Mogale. Sibanye’s offer to acquire the entire issued share capital of Lonmin, subject to certain specific conditions, for around R5.2 billion, became effective on 10 June after 18 months of talks and litigation. In May, the Competition Appeals Court (CAC) upheld the Competition Tribunal’s decision of 21 November 2018 to approve Sibanye’s offer to acquire Lonmin and thus dismissed an appeal by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu). In essence, the GLC wants the court to declare the merger of Sibanye and Lonmin unconstitutional and irregular. In court papers filed on Thursday, the GLC argued that the Competition Tribunal erred in approving the merger with conditions, without proper investigation of Lonmin’s Social and Labour Plan (SLP), which was in the process of being amended at the time. The organisation’s argument refers back to the acknowledgement made by the Farlam Commission that Lonmin’s failure to fulfil its obligations in its SLP was a contributing factor that gave rise to the Marikana massacre of 2012. Read the full original of the report on the above at The Citizen Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Naspers CEO Bob van Dijk in R1.9bn pay, options bonanza TechCentral reports that Bob van Dijk, CEO of the Naspers Group, received almost R1.9 billion in salary, incentives, and vested share options and shares appreciation rights in the year to March 2019, a regulatory filing published on Friday showed. He received the equivalent of about R180 million in base pay, pension and incentives in the 2019 financial year. In addition, more than 290,000 Naspers N share options became vested to Van Dijk with a release value of R955.4 million. About R781.1 million worth of share-appreciation rights (SARs) also vested, for a total of more than R1.7 billion. But, that’s not money in the bank until he exercises those options and SARs. However, during the year, he realised a gross gain from exercising Naspers N share options of R26 million and a further R207.5 million from the Flipkart share appreciation plan. Van Dijk’s base salary amounted to $1.26 million, down from $1.33 million, though the decline was the result in the depreciation of the US dollar relative to the euro (he is paid in euros and received a 10% salary increase). Naspers made several changes to its remuneration policy in 2019, including a minimum shareholding requirement for the CEO of 10 times annual salary, which Van Dijk met in both the 2018 and 2019 financial years. It also improved disclosure, with a clearer link between strategy, performance, remuneration design and remuneration outcomes. For short-term incentives, this includes more information on performance goals and level of achievements. Read the full original of Duncan McLeod’s in the above regard at Moneyweb
Eskom asks prospective CEOs to apply by 2 August Mining Weekly reports that state-owned power utility Eskom is continuing its search for a group chief executive. This follows Phakamani Hadebe’s resignation in May, which becomes effective at the end of this month. Hadebe, at the time, said he was stepping down for health reasons after leading efforts to stabilise the highly indebted State firm since his appointment as CE in May 2018. In a newspaper vacancy advertisement for the position, Eskom requested that applications be submitted by 2 August. The utility indicated in the advert that the group CE would play a critical role in leading the execution of restructuring the entity, and that he or she must ensure financial and operational sustainability. The advert also indicated that interested applicants must have experience in managing a complex organisation, with at least 20,000 employees and a yearly turnover of more than R30-billion. Eskom currently employs 47,000 people and has a turnover of about R190-billion. The company is also awaiting the appointment of a chief restructuring officer (CRO), following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement in February that Eskom would be unbundled into three separate entities, namely generation, transmission and distribution. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has proposed a R23-billion a year fiscal injection into Eskom, over ten years, conditional on restructuring. Read the full original of the above report at Mining Weekly Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Former CEO Peter Moyo still eyes return to Old Mutual despite breakdown in relationship Business Report writes that axed Old Mutual CEO Peter Moyo believes he still has a lot to offer to the insurer despite his relationship with the board chairperson Trevor Manuel having broken down amid allegations of misconduct. “Relationships can always be repaired,” said Moyo at the high court in Johannesburg last week. Moyo approached the court to challenge his dismissal on the basis of his claim that it was unlawful. Judge Brian Mashile said he would deliver judgment on Friday. “We are cautiously optimistic about the outcome of the case. We are confident our case was properly articulated,” said Moyo, who was ousted from the 174-year-old insurer last month. Moyo lodged an urgent court application to declare his sacking as unlawful, which would pave the way for him to be temporarily reinstated as CEO. He also wants Trevor Manuel and about 12 non-executive directors to be declared delinquent under the Companies Act. Moyo’s lawyer, Dali Mpofu, argued that Old Mutual needed to reinstate Moyo. Old Mutual's counsel, Hamilton Manjenje, told the court the insurer had been within its rights to axe Moyo. “The loss of trust and confidence are permissible reasons for dismissal and there is no entitlement to disciplinary process,” Manjenje argued. He said even if Moyo’s bid to be reinstated was successful, it would be inappropriate as his relationship with the board was broken. Old Mutual said it had fired Moyo over the handling of a conflict of interest arising from his investment holding firm NMT Capital, which he co-founded in 2002. Old Mutual owns a 20% stake in NMT. Read the full original of Dineo Faku’s report on the above at Business Report. Read too, Peter Moyo vs Trevor Manuel in David and Goliath court case, at City Press. And also, Peter Moyo hires legal heavyweights, at Business Report Old Mutual and former CEO Peter Moyo can’t work together, insurer’s lawyer insists BusinessLive reports that Old Mutual does not want axed CEO Peter Moyo to return to the company even if he wins his case next week. The insurer’s advocate, Ngwako Maenetje, said there was too much bad blood between the two parties for Moyo to return to work. “Even if the application passes, reinstatement is not an option. This is a case about the loss of trust,” said Maenetje. Moyo, who was at the helm for two years, was fired by the insurance company in June apparently over a breakdown in trust and a conflict of interest linked to NMT Capital. Moyo then approached the Johannesburg High Court in a bid to obtain temporary reinstatement and to interdict Old Mutual from filling his former role. Old Mutual opposed the application. After two days of testimony, Judge Brian Mashile on Friday reserved judgment until 26 July. “It doesn’t matter that there has been acrimony between the two parties, he must go back to his job. This is about a relationship with the board which he meets infrequently. There is no harm if there’s tension between the board and him,” said advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi on behalf of Moyo. But, Maenetje told the judge on Friday that the insurer owed Moyo no explanation for the termination of his contract because he was dismissed on notice. Although the insurer did give reasons for the board’s loss of confidence and trust in Moyo, they were presented to prevent hearsay and he could not use them to challenge his dismissal, Maenetje claimed. Read the full original of Londiwe Buthelezi’s report on the above story at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Former Eskom employee sentenced to 12 years for stealing copper cable TimesLIVE reports that the Middelburg Regional Court has sentenced a former Eskom employee to 12 years imprisonment for stealing copper cables. Hawks spokesperson Cpt Dineo Sekgotodi said on Friday that the court convicted Ziphozonke Ntuli, 33, on two counts of theft on Thursday. The Hawks arrested Ntuli in January 2018, saying he had "connived and issued authorisation tickets for copper cables valued at R1.2m to be removed from Eskom premises in Middelburg". The court postponed the case of a colleague, Busisiwe Mawela, 37, until 26 July to determine a trial date. The original of the report by Nico Gous on the above is at TimesLIVE
Fedusa, Untu hope rail strike will lead to soldiers protecting infrastructure EWN reports that the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) and the United National Transport Union (Untu) are hoping an upcoming strike will result in soldiers being deployed to protect the rail infrastructure. The two organisations have called on their members, civil society groups, and commuters to take part in a demonstration on 26 July in Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Durban. They are calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare the rail system a crisis and a "state of emergency." Fedusa's Riefdah Ajam confirmed that they primarily wanted the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) to be deployed to protect rail infrastructure. She said that having soldiers protect national assets could help restore and bring new infrastructure in. "If that fails to happen, we are going to continue to move on a path of destruction and Capetonians, in particular, from that perspective are going to be left in absolute despair and communities will once again be taking the law into their own hands." According to the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa), the necessary contingency plans would be in place to ensure the demonstration did not negatively affect business operations and passengers. Read the original of Monique Mortlock’s report on the above at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Cato Manor 'death squad' officers set to sue State for damages Independent News reports that members of what was termed the Cato Manor “death squad” are preparing to sue the State now that their seven-year-long ordeal has ended. Following the withdrawal of charges, including racketeering and murder, against the former members of the Cato Manor Organised Crime Unit in the Durban High Court on Wednesday, ex-lieutenant Willie Olivier said he and the others were “definitely” going to pursue legal action. However, Olivier said they had not yet met to plan for their civil case: “We are going to (sue the State) but we must first have a meeting to decide the way forward.” A decision on the amount of damages they would seek had to be reached, and discussions with legal counsel held. It (the amount of damages) depends on the civil lawyer who is going to handle our case,” said Olivier. On Saturday, the group gathered to bid farewell to former fellow unit member Ajith Ghaness, who died of organ failure on Wednesday shortly after hearing the charges had been withdrawn. Read the original of Wendy Jasson da Costa’s report in the above regard at Independent News
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