In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Monday, 3 February 2020.
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Durban man with knife in stomach shoots paramedics with paintball gun using solid ammunition Daily News reports that two ER24 paramedics were forced to duck for cover and flee behind their ambulance on Thursday when a patient, who had had a knife stuck in his stomach, turned on them and began firing solid ammunition rounds at them with a paintball gun. According to ER24, the paramedics were lucky to have escaped unscathed, but their vehicle was damaged by several round of ammunition fired in their direction. The drama began at 5pm when paramedics arrived at a residential property in Glenwood following a call about a 43-year-old man with a knife embedded in his stomach. They found the man in the kitchen with a large knife in his stomach. According to the paramedics, the man pulled the knife out of his stomach and started to threaten them. "Moments later he produced a paintball marker and started firing solid ammunition at the paramedics and their vehicle. Multiple rounds damaged windows on the side of the ambulance. Fortunately, the paramedics were able to find shelter behind the vehicle and were not hit by any of the rounds," ER24 spokesman Werner Vermaak reported. Police arrived on the scene and the man later calmed down. Another ER24 ambulance transported the man under police guard to a nearby hospital. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Daily News Eastern Cape premier condemns killing of municipal officials The Citizen reports Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, who is also the African National Congress (ANC) provincial chair, on Monday spoke out against the killing of municipal officials and urged the governing party to deal decisively with corruption. He was speaking at the party’s Eastern Cape provincial executive committee (PEC) lekgotla in Buffalo City. The premier lamented the astonishing occurrence of municipal officials being killed, saying a municipal official was killed last week from one of the districts in the province, Amathole District Municipality. “It’s a very strange thing, we are trying to find answers,” Mabuyane said, adding that the PEC had committed to “leaving no stone unturned” with regards to dealing with this murder. Mabuyane told attendees of the lekgotla that he recently received a “sad message” from SA’s Ambassador to Spain, Thenji Mtintsoa, that her relative, “a young man”, had been killed. “He was killed in front of his wife; killed in front of his children. He was killed for no apparent reason. Clearly it has to do with corruption,” Mabuyane said, adding that another municipal official was buried last weekend, which he said was “similar behaviour”. The premier said it should not be a crime for persons to occupy positions within supply chain management units of municipalities. He pointed out that the jobs of municipal officials involved bringing to an end any wrongdoing, however, those who attempted to do so were killed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Makhosandile Zulu at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Killing of nine zama zamas spreads fear in West Rand township SowetanLive reports that fear and panic has gripped the community of Matholeville near Roodepoort after nine zama zamas (illegal miners) were killed in a deadly attack in the West Rand township in an alleged turf war over control of disused mine shafts. According to several community members in the area, an angry group of illegal miners from Zimbabwe attacked their counterparts from Lesotho, leaving nine people dead on the streets. Residents said the fight was about the rights over the illegal mining in the area. But Gauteng police spokesperson Brig Mathapelo Peters said the killings came after a group of suspects accused their victims of being involved in criminal activities that attracted the police to their illegal mining operations. Peters said 87 people were taken in for questioning over the nine murder cases and an attempted murder case. She confirmed that nine Lesotho nationals who were involved in illegal mining were stoned to death on Friday afternoon, allegedly by their fellow zama zamas from Lesotho. "The bodies of the nine Lesotho nationals who are zama zamas were found lying in the streets of Matholeville while the 10th person was seriously injured just after 3pm. He was taken to a local hospital where he is being treated," Peters said. The attack took place less than a day after police raided the area as part of Operation O Kae Molao. Community members, however, insisted that Zimbabwean nationals were behind the attack. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tankiso Makhetha at SowetanLive Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Using pension fund money to boost Eskom is our red line, says trade union Solidarity ANA reports that trade union Solidarity said on Friday that its mandate was to protect pension money and it would "strongly oppose" any attempts to finance state owned enterprises (SOEs) with the funds. This could include court action. "Pension money represents the red line and Solidarity will not sit back and watch how people’s pensions are being looted," said Connie Mulder, head of the union's research institute. Union federation Cosatu indicated on Thursday that one of the economic interventions it proposed to get Eskom flush again would entail using state pension funds to pay off the embattled power utility’s R450 billion debt. “Solidarity finds it inconceivable that Cosatu would propose that any pension monies be used to settle Eskom’s debt. This is the epitome of the ruling alliance’s intentions to put your money where their mouth is. Solidarity will leave no stone unturned – pension funds should not be used to fund government’s failed ideology,” said Mulder. Under the Pension Funds Act and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) the trustees of pension funds must take all reasonable steps to ensure that members’ interests are protected at all times. "Pension fund trustees have a fiduciary duty to the workers and not to the government. Solidarity calls on the trustees to make decisions that will be in the interest of the workers, and that they therefore will reject this proposal,” said Mulder. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Independent News. Read Solidarity’s press statement in the above regard at Politicsweb SA looking at creating new energy producer outside Eskom, says Mantashe BL Premium reports that mineral resources & energy minister Gwede Mantashe said on Monday that the government was looking at setting up a new electricity generation business outside Eskom, which could potentially use gas. He also announced at the Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town that there were no restrictions on companies producing power for internal use. He indicated that the proposal around the new electricity company, which could be state-owned or a public-private partnership, had been accepted in principle by the government and it now needed a regulatory framework. Good news from Mantashe was that companies, like those in the mining industry, which wanted to generate their own electricity for internal use, faced no restrictions and could produce as much as they liked. Businesses in SA have repeatedly told the government that the economy is facing a crisis due to the unreliable nature of electricity supply from state-owned power monopoly Eskom and the high prices its charged, with tariffs having increased more than sixfold since 2006 for large industrial users. There was an urgent need for power production outside Eskom, which was going to decommission three coal-fired power plants in the next four years, taking 11GW out of the system, Mantashe said. Eskom’s transmission business would become an important player in the setting up of a competitive national electricity market, much like the Dutch model, where users could buy power from any supplier, using Eskom’s transmission lines to get it wherever it was needed. Jacob Mbele, the deputy director-general in the department of minerals & energy in charge of energy programmes, said the department had forwarded applications from companies like Sibanye-Stillwater, Anglo American Platinum and Gold Fields for their own solar electricity projects to the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa). Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Allan Seccombe at BusinessLive (paywall access only) Numsa and Sacca praise latest R3.5bn SAA bailout, warn of thousands of jobs lost if airline should fold Fin24 reports that two of the key unions at South African Airways (SAA) have welcomed that the struggling state-owned airline has secured R3.5bn in funding from the Development Bank of Southern Africa. They pointed out that if the national flag carrier had been allowed to collapse, some 10,000 workers would have suffered. "The funding has been criticised by some because of the many bailouts which SAA has received in the past. We do not want an SAA which is dependent on bailouts. We want an SAA which is viable," the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the SA Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) said in a joint statement on Monday. On Tuesday last week, the airline's joint business rescue practitioners announced that passengers could continue flying SAA seeing that the required funding had been secured. The two unions pointed out on Monday that it would be "extremely reckless and negligent" for the state to allow SAA or any other state-owned entity to collapse. "Workers should not be expected to suffer job losses because of the corruption, mismanagement and looting of the board and the executive management of SAA,' they noted. The unions reiterated that the business rescue practitioners should investigate the airline's procurement contracts, where they claimed significant savings could be had. They said they would be meeting the practitioners again later this week. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jan Cronje at Fin24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
First tranche of 500 learner law enforcement officers appointed to fight crime in violence Cape Town hotspots ANA reports that on Friday the Western Cape government and the City of Cape Town took the first crucial steps in implementing the Western Cape safety plan when the first 500 learner law enforcement officers (LLEOs) signed their employment contracts with the city. The first 500 LLEOs would be deployed from February to the communities where they were needed most, Western Cape community safety MEC Albert Fritz and mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said in a joint statement on Sunday. In their first few months of deployment, the officers would undergo induction, which would include in-field training to orientate them in the communities where they would be deployed. Thereafter, they would be operationally deployed, using a data-driven approach to reduce crime. The second group of 500 LLEOs would be appointed by July 2020. Ultimately, the Western Cape safety plan foresaw a total deployment of 3,000 officers, the statement indicated. "More officers on the beat will mean a higher visibility and improving service delivery in our fight against crime. Our responsibility is not only to take criminals off the streets, but also to protect the constitutional rights of our citizen – a right to a safe environment. With no clear indication that the South African Police Service will increase resources soon, we will fill the gap and initiate programmes in the interest of public safety,” Smith said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Independent News
High liability claims 'driving SA's obstetricians' out of the profession in SA Business Times reports that according to an organisation representing obstetrician-gynaecologists (ob-gyns), skyrocketing liability claims were among the factors behind an exodus from SA. The rise in legal claims means ob-gyns can now expect to pay more than R1m a year for malpractice insurance, about four times more than they did six years ago. Johannes van Waart of the SA Society of Obstreticians and Gynaecologists (Sasog) indicated: "The indemnity insurance premiums are high not because of the number of claims but because the actual claims in obstetrics are high and can come many years later. While in 2015 the highest quantum for a claim would have been in the region of R20m, it is not uncommon nowadays to see an obstetrics claim of R50m-R80m." He opined that that one of the reasons patients were claiming dramatically bigger amounts could be that personal-injury lawyers were seeking a new income stream because of legislative changes affecting the Road Accident Fund (RAF). But, the RAF said they had no data that would either support or counter Van Waart's assertion about personal-liability lawyers. Van Waart advised that SA has almost 800 obstetricians, but the number was dropping due to emigration or doctors ceasing to practise. He said Sasog did not have formal statistics on how many ob-gyns have left SA but, on anecdotal evidence, the number was rising. Dr Chris Archer of the SA Private Practitioners Forum said: "I think there are quite a few young doctors who have decided not to pursue obstetrics and gynaecology because of the perceived risks and the high costs of malpractice insurance." Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Penelope Mashegoat at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
Emalahleni municipality in Mpumalanga dismisses claim of jobs-for-relatives City Press reports that the council of the Emalahleni Local Municipality has played down the fact that seven of 20 traffic officer graduates have been found to be related to a former mayor, councillors and regional ANC leaders. A leaked investigative report concluded that it could not be proved that any of the interns linked to politicians benefited from “improper advantage”. However, the council has given a commitment to referring the matter to the ethics committee for further investigation, notwithstanding concluding that ‘who you know’ and family relations should not be an “unfair advantage” or “disadvantage” to opportunities offered by the municipality. The local branch of the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) raised the alarm last week when the municipality published photos of the graduates in full uniform. They had studied at the Mpumalanga Traffic Training College in Bushbuckridge at a cost of R2 million – of which R285,000 was spent as monthly stipends of R1,500 for each intern. Emalahleni spokesperson Lebohang Mofokeng denied that the municipality had employed the graduates and said that they obtained the uniforms from the college. During a feedback meeting with Sanco on Friday, the council was reluctant to give its report to the civic organisation. “We rejected the report because it neither had the logo nor signature of the individual who signed it off,” said Bongani Hlophe of Nkangala Sanco. The report indicated as follows: “While a relationship was confirmed in some cases, we could not conclusively establish whether unfair advantage was induced by improper conduct or interference and undue influence. However, due to the seriousness and gravity of the allegations, and on a balance of probabilities, we will further subject the allegations to the ethics committee which will make recommendations to the council.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sizwe Sama Yende on page 7 of City Press of 2 February 2020
Poor attendance of Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital staff sends shock waves The Star reports that Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in the world, has the lowest staff attendance of the seven largest hospitals in Gauteng. Gauteng MEC for Health, Dr Bandile Masuku, made this damning revelation in his written reply to questions posed by Jack Bloom, the DA’s spokesperson on health in the province. Masuku said last year the hospital recorded staff attendance at only 72%. The Helen Joseph Hospital had the highest staff attendance at 93%. According to Masuku, the low attendance rate was mainly due to “staff on sick leave including those who are on the PlLlR process and family responsibility leave”. The staff allocation register and daily attendance register were the sources used to capture the data. Masuku indicated that his department had since started an employee value proposition programme as well as implementing an occupational health employee wellness service at all hospitals. The MEC also said that his department would improve resource allocation and the workplace environment by means of focusing more on human resources and labour relation practices. In reaction, Bloom noted that according to unconfirmed data for the last two years, it appeared that nurses had the lowest attendance rate. The Health Department regards 90% attendance as acceptable, but six of the seven largest public hospitals in Gauteng did not meet this standard. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Baldwin Ndaba at The Star
Magistrates furious that salaries promised in April still haven’t come through City Press reports that magistrates across the country are furious about the fact that they are still waiting for the salary increases they were promised in April last year. This was one of many salary complaints that have led to morale among magistrates falling to “its lowest point ever”, claimed a senior magistrate last week. Magistrates’ courts, which are staffed by just over 2,000 magistrates, are regarded as the coalface of the administration of justice in SA. But, magistrates claim the delays in adjusting their salaries to keep pace with the rising cost of living have been dragging on for as long as 14 years. The Department of Justice and Correctional Services has also admitted that it was concerned about the issue. A senior magistrate noted that magistrates had still not received the cost-of-living adjustments that they were meant to have received on 1 April last year. They were not even informed what the adjustment would be. On top of that, their salaries were last reviewed in the 2007/08 financial year. Last year, a further major review of salaries was supposed to have been conducted, but magistrates say they have no idea what the outcome of that process was. The remuneration of judges and magistrates is determined by the president and is based on recommendations from the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers, as approved by Parliament. Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for the justice department, indicated that the issue had been taken up with the commission and seemingly the disparity in the salaries of magistrates and prosecutors, which is a particular grievance on the part of magistrates, will receive attention in the next salary review. However, the commission has not yet informed the department when the final recommendation, based on the review, will be available. Magistrates are also disgruntled because they are forced to be members of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), and 14.35% of their packages have to be contributed to the fund, despite the fact that they are not state officials. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jeanne-Marie Versluis on page 9 of City Press of 2 February 2020
Daff disciplinary process facing ongoing challenges The Sunday Independent reports that the former Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Daff) has taken flak again for its disciplinary processes and subsequent dismissal of a senior official. The Public Protector (PP) has upheld the Public Service Commission’s (PSC’s) findings that the fairness of the disciplinary hearing against Nazima Parker was questionable and did not subscribe to principles set out in the Senior Management Service Handbook. The commission had recommended, based on procedural irregularities identified, that the department review its position in the arbitration processes against Parker. The commission also said it was concerned by the “toxic, divisive, factionalised and unprofessional” environment within Daff. Parker lodged a complaint with the PP after she was dismissed following a disciplinary hearing held by the former Daff. The PP noted that the commission was an independent and impartial state institution and its findings could not be reviewed by the PP. The PP’s decision came on the heels of the outcome of a disciplinary hearing into another official, Thembalethu Vico, who was cleared of 14 charges related to the alleged theft of abalone worth R7 million. The department did not respond to questions related to the PP’s decision and plans to act on it. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bulelwa Payi on page 4 of The Sunday Independent of 2 February 2020
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