Today's Labour News

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

Government remembers 27 police officers who died in the line of duty in last year

News24 reports that the police and government have paid their respects to 27 police officers, including a reservist, who lost their lives in the line of duty in the last financial year.  National Police Commissioner General Kehla Sitole on Sunday noted that police officers were faced with life threatening challenges daily as they battled crime in the country.  He was speaking during the annual commemoration of police officers killed in the line of duty, held at the SAPS Memorial Site at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.  "Our police members and reservists are well aware of these dangers and the risk they take but they continue to selflessly protect our communities day and night, seeking neither glory nor praise.  They also on the same breadth continue to sacrifice their lives for the call of duty," said Sitole.

Read the original of the above report by Ntwaagae Seleka at News24

Gauteng health department vows 100% occupational health and safety compliance by end of financial year

News24 reports that Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku made a commitment at the health department budget vote to invest more than R1bn towards the maintenance and refurbishment of facilities across the province.  This followed claims by Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng health spokesperson Jack Bloom that not a single state health facility in Gauteng had been assessed as complying with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).  Masuku indicated in a statement that the safety of both staff and patients was a key focus area for the department and ensuring OHS compliance would help achieve improved health outcomes.  "The department has set for itself an annual target of ensuring 100% administrative OHS compliance.  The 2019/20 first quarter performance of the department shows that we are currently at 55%, which is on course with attaining 100% by the end of the financial year," Masuku indicated.  He committed the department to ensuring that all its facilities would be 100% compliant with OHS by the end of the 2019/20 financial year.

Read the original of the above report by Riaan Grobler at News24

Other internet posting(s) in this news category

• Inmate killed, guard injured during scuffle at St Albans, at News24

INDUSTRIAL ACTION / STRIKES

Finance union Sasbo calls on members countrywide to strike on 27 September

ANA writes that finance union Sasbo said on Thursday that it was calling on its 73,000 members countrywide to strike on 27 September in protest against the economic crisis in the country and job losses.  The Cosatu affiliate indicated that the protest action will be legally protected under section 77 of the Labour Relations Act and would result in a total shutdown of the finance sector.  “We will be calling on our members to down tools … in protest against the contemplated and current job losses in the country, but we are in particular expressing our dismay (at) what is happening in the finance sector,” the union stated.  It went on to say:  “We are worried about the high level of unemployment (29 percent) in our country and the wretched state of our economy.  Coupled with this is our concern that the finance sector should have already taken drastic steps to upskill their workforce in preparation for the future ‘world of work’ and the 4th Industrial Revolution.”  General secretary Joe Kokela said the union would soon communicate the logistics of the protest to its members.

The original of the above report appeared on page 17 of Business Report of 30 August 2019. See too, Sasbo strike going ahead, says Cosatu, at eNCA

MINING LABOUR

Sibanye-Stillwater’s safety performance improves as initiatives continue

Mining Weekly reports that Sibanye-Stillwater on Thursday reported that its South African gold operations achieved seven-million shifts with no fatalities – amounting to about 365 days of production without a fatality – for the six months ended 30 June.  Its South African platinum group metals (PGM) operations experienced two fatal incidents during the six months.  This was a stark improvement from the 21 fatalities – group wide – reported for the first half of 2018.  This commendable improvement in safety, CEO Neal Froneman said, was achieved in spite of disruptions associated with the extended strike at its gold operations, and the heightened risks of resuming production from workplaces that were dormant for more than five months.  Trade union Solidarity also welcomed Sibanye’s achievement of safe production in its gold segment, with general secretary Gideon du Plessis adding that such achievements “can only be accomplished through all shouldering their responsibility for health, safety and teamwork”.  Solidarity said it was confident Sibanye’s safety leadership had improved the safety culture at Sibanye’s SA operations and that this had made all the difference in achieving this milestone.  The union, however, warned the miner against complacency and urged it to continue to be safety conscious so that every employee was able to return home safely to their families every day.  “The real test of your safety culture and commitment now comes with maintaining this achievement and with the further reduction of accidents and injuries,” Du Plessis said.

Read the full original of the above report at Mining Weekly

MARIKANA DEATHS / FARLAM COMMISSION REPORT

Cosatu reports that talks ongoing for Ramaphosa to visit Marikana in October

News24 reports that Cosatu is engaging with the Office of the President for President Cyril Ramaphosa to visit Marikana in October.  The trade union federation’s deputy general-secretary Solly Phetoe indicated on Thursday that a workers rally with all its affiliated unions was planned for October.  While on the campaign trail in the Eastern Cape in 2017, Ramaphosa indicated his desire to visit the mining town, where 34 people died in 2012.  Speaking to Rhodes University students, the president apologised for the manner in which the Marikana massacre unfolded, also saying he was sorry for the type of language he had used at the time.  Ramaphosa told students he had intervened in the Lonmin mine strike in Marikana to prevent further deaths.  On the eve of the Marikana massacre, Ramaphosa allegedly wrote in an email interchange between Lonmin management and government officials that events around the strike "are plainly dastardly criminal acts and must be characterised as such".  On Thursday, Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi denied that Ramaphosa had been directly involved with the killings, pointing out that the Farlam commission of inquiry into the killings had exonerated him.

Read the full original of the above report by Lizeka Tandwa at News24

ECONOMIC POLICY / INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

Cosatu tells Mboweni to withdraw his incoherent, confused and unreliable plan to bolster the economy

News24 reports that trade union federation Cosatu has demanded that National Treasury should withdraw its recently released document on economic growth, saying it made government incoherent, confused and unreliable.  Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, Cosatu’s deputy general secretary Solly Phetoe said they questioned why the document had been released without consultation with Cabinet.  He stated:  "In principle, Cosatu is open to all proposals from all quarters about how to address our economic crisis, in particular our rising levels of unemployment.  But we have some questions about the draft economic recovery strategy document.  The document is trying to exploit our economic crisis by pursuing a right wing agenda that was defeated in several ANC conferences.  This document ventures into the domain of other departments and, at the same time, it does not offer any proposed real changes to the fiscal, monetary or other macro-economic policies, including inflation targeting."  The 77-page report, Economic Transformation, Inclusive Growth and Competitiveness: Towards an Economic Strategy for South Africa, includes interventions and reforms to reverse the country's "downward trend" of economic growth.  Treasury claimed the proposals could raise the country's economic growth rate by up to 3% and create as many as a million job opportunities.  The SACP said it had "noted" the report and had "serious concerns".

Read the full original of the above report by Lizeka Tandwa at News24

SOEs IN CRISIS

Eskom and NUM on collision course over unbundling

Fin24 reports that despite substantial political support for restructuring at Eskom, it appears as if the power utility is on a collision course with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) over its plans to unbundle.  This emerged after a discussion between Eskom management and unions over its recently-drafted turnaround strategy document.  NUM has always been openly opposed to unbundling, and has previously said it needed to be convinced that it would be good for Eskom.  And while NUM must still take the plan back to its members, now that the plan is in black-and-white, the union appears less convinced than ever.  Last Friday, Eskom chairperson and acting CEO Jabu Mabuza sat down with NUM, the National Union of Metalworkers SA (Numsa) and Solidarity to discuss the much-awaited turnaround plan.  In a statement, Mabuza said he hoped the meeting would provide "fertile ground" for future engagements.  But that was not how majority union NUM’s representatives saw things.  "We said (to Mabuza), 'you are violating consultation processes by trying to co-opt us'," NUM’s energy sector coordinator, Paris Mashego, indicated.  The union undertook to take the turnaround strategy back to its members, and Mashego said there would be a NUM meeting in the first week of September to discuss it.  But the NUM's opposition to unbundling is unlikely to change.  Eskom management had taken a "straitjacket approach", Mashego claimed, adding that the power utility had left no room for negotiations on unbundling.  Numsa and Solidarity have yet to formally respond to Eskom’s turnaround plan.

Read the full original of the above report by Sarah Evans at Fin24

Other internet posting(s) in this news category

• Eskom shoots down Treasury’s power plant sale plan, at Engineering News
• Denel gets R1.8 billion lifeline from government, at Fin24

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Labour department finds some Mpumalanga security companies to be exploiting guards

News24 reports that the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has found non-compliance with the law by some Mpumalanga security companies, leading to the guards being exploited by their employers.  A week-long inspection blitz by the department uncovered the non-compliance as part of its investigations into the implementation of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) Act, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Act and the sectoral determination.  The department discovered that out of 55 private security companies operating in the province, only 23 complied with implementation of labour laws, while 22 others failed to adhere to them.  It indicated that some companies were not issuing workers with payslips or failed to pay annual bonuses.  About R432,187 was owed to employees due to underpayments and non-payment of annual bonuses.  Fourteen employers had contravened the UIF Act by not declaring their employees to the fund as required.  Fifteen companies had failed to comply with the provisions of the sectoral determination, which is the basic condition of employment for employees in the sector and which regulates minimum wages  Seven companies were found to be not complying with the NMW Act.  "Other issues of non-compliance included failure by employers to enter into proper agreements with employees.  All non-complaint companies were given 14 days to comply or face confirmatory notices.

Read the full original of the above report by Ntwaagae Seleka at News24

MPs to fight back over proposed cuts to Parliament benefits scheme

News24 writes that according to a report in the Sunday Times, high-earning Members of Parliament are preparing to resist a move to trim some of their benefits.  The weekly newspaper wrote that the independent commission for remuneration of public office bearers is set to review Parliament’s benefits scheme.  MPs heard last week that Parliament will spend an extra R111m in "loss of office" gratuities this year in order to pay 159 MPs who didn't return to their seats after the elections.  Those who didn't make it back to Parliament are entitled to a once-off gratuity of four months' salary for every five-year term completed, paid over and above normal pension benefits.  ANC MP Peace Mabe, co-chair of the committee on the financial management of Parliament, reportedly said they wouldn't want to see their benefits being affected as they left their homes to "come and serve the country".  In her view, there should in fact be a call to "enhance" benefits as some MPs have expressed dissatisfaction at the current level.  It is not yet clear which benefits could be trimmed among the many perks received by MPs.  The report also indicated that the taxpayer is forking out R120m a year on airline tickets for approximately 2,000 current and former MPs, ministers and their families.  According to AfricaCheck, Cabinet ministers earn R2,401,633 a year (or R200,136 a month) and "regular" MPs earn R1,106,940 a year, or R92,245 a month.

Read the full original of the above report by Ntwaagae Seleka at News24

IN-SOURCING

First day of work on Sunday for City of Johannesburg’s 1,879 in-sourced cleaners

News24 reports that a total of 1,879 cleaners started their first day of work for the City of Johannesburg on Sunday after being in-sourced.  Last month, the City announced its in-sourcing programme, saying the cleaners – most of whom were women – would benefit from employee benefits such as pension, medical aid, and an increased take-home salary.  Mayor Herman Mashaba observed that the cleaners previously earned R3,000 a month, while the City paid around R6,500 per cleaner to the outsource companies they worked for.  The cleaners would now take home more than R4,000 a month after deductions.  "In addition, this in-sourcing initiative will also ensure stable and predictable payment of salaries to these employees – a standard practice that was allegedly sorely missing under their previous employers," said Mashaba.  In May, the City in-sourced 939 security guards.  Mashaba said at the time more than 3,700 security guards had been moved off the books of contractors and into the employment of the City since 2018.

Read the full original of the above report by Jenna Etheridge at News24

RESIGNATIONS / SEPARATIONS

City of Tshwane, city manager Moeketsi Mosola eventually agree to part ways

News24 reports that embattled Tshwane city manager Moeketsi Mosola finally signed a separation agreement, which saw him vacate his position effective on 31 August.  The City made the announcement on Friday afternoon, the same day that an extended employment deadline was meant to come to an end.  At a council sitting on 25 July, a resolution was passed to enter into a separation agreement with Mosola and Tshwane Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa was authorised to finalise the agreement with him effective as of 31 July.  Mosola, however, did not sign the agreement by the end of July, and was granted an extension by Mokgalapa until 30 August.  He was also granted "special leave".  It was previously reported Mosola would leave his post several million rand richer.  Mosola was responsible for the controversial GladAfrica project management contract, which the Auditor-General and independent legal opinions found to have been be irregularly awarded.  It was eventually declared irregular expenditure.  A mayoral spokesperson advised that Lorette Tredoux would remain on as acting city manager.  She was appointed by Mosola before he took his "special leave" at the end of July.

Read the full original of the above report by Alex Mitchley at News24. Read too, Tshwane COO calls mayor's bluff by calling for disciplinary action if he’s done anything wrong, at News24

Sars still reeling from Tom Moyane’s legacy of corruption, exodus of skilled staff

City Press reports that the SA Revenue Service (Sars) is still reeling from the rot brought about by its former commissioner, Tom Moyane.  Under his reign, more than 2,000 experts resigned within three years; another 550 retired without transferring their skills; and approximately 600 disciplinary processes to get rid of senior staff were started.  Current Sars boss Edward Kieswetter revealed these disturbing details at the annual Tax Indaba, held last week.  He said the rebuilding process to restore Sars to a world-class service, showing integrity and good corporate governance, was under way, but that this would take years of relentless hard work.  Kieswetter, who took over as commissioner in May following Moyane’s axing, did not mince his words about the damage that had been wrought on the institution in terms of capacity, skills, its reputation and service delivery.  This took place amid a state capture project that involved “deliberate acts of corruption” at the tax agency.  Kieswetter said that Sars could only be rebuilt if there were honest revelations about the nature and the scope of the plunder, and if everyone – government, tax practitioners and taxpayers – worked together.  The critical technical skills that Sars lost since 2014 were many and varied and included more than 100 investigators, 300 specialists in compliance audits, 250 professionals in debt management, more than 60 employees in trade administration and 113 people from the dismantled Large Business Centre (LBC).

Read the full original of the above report by Riana De Lange at City Press

Other internet posting(s) in this news category

• Zandile Gumede found out about redeployment via text, source claims, at News24

BUSINESS RESCUE

Business rescue practitioners aim to save up to 3,500 jobs at Group Five

BusinessLive reports that a successful rescue of the ailing Group Five construction firm will save up to 3,500 jobs and improve the shortfall to creditors by R5bn.  On Friday, the business rescue practitioners Peter van Steen and Dave Lake released the business rescue plans for Group Five Construction and Group Five Ltd, which are separate legal entities.  Voting on the business rescue plans for both entities will take place in consecutive meetings on 11 September.  Group Five Construction represents the majority of the businesses, claims and recovery value within the greater group of companies.  Group Five, like a number of other major construction firms in SA, has struggled to stay afloat in a depressed local economy.  In March it filed for business rescue.  In a statement issued on Friday night, Van Steen and Lake said they were pleased to present a solid rescue plan for Group Five Construction:  “The losses incurred by creditors will be materially less at approximately R5bn under the proposed rescue plans relative to the alternative scenario of a liquidation of the company.  Through the restructuring and sale of businesses we anticipate that between 3,000 and 3,500 jobs will be saved, albeit under new ownership.”  The practitioners noted that there had not been, nor would there be, any fire sales of assets.

Read the full original of the above report by Lisa Steyn at BusinessLive

CORRUPTION / WORKPLACE CRIME

Polokwane cops held for alleged hit-and-run bribe

The Citizen reports that a sergeant, 35, and constable, 34, attached to the Polokwane police station appeared in the Polokwane Regional Court on Thursday on charges of corruption and defeating the ends of justice.  The two were arrested on Tuesday evening.   Police spokesperson Col Moastshe Ngeope reported that the two men were arrested by their station commander when they reported for night duty.  This followed an investigation that was launched following an incident of culpable homicide.  Said Ngeope:  “In August 2018, a pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Penina Park and the driver, who did not possess a driver’s licence at the time was arrested.  Instead of locking him up, the two (police officers are) said to have demanded R10,000 and released him.”  Reacting to the news, Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba said their arrests should send a strong message that corruption within the police service – or anywhere else – would not be tolerated.

The original of this report appeared on page 8 of The Citizen of 29 August 2019