In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Thursday, 6 February 2020.
|
Health department employees who work in Civitas Building to get a ‘safer home’ The Citizen reports that the national Department of Health could soon have a new home as plans to relocate staff from the current hazardous building in Pretoria are finally under way, following several months of chaos. The Civitas Building in the city centre, which also houses Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and is owned by the Department of Public Works, is in a deteriorating state, with parts of the ceiling collapsing, damaged sections of the building cordoned off from staff members and harmful black dust contained prevalent within the building. Due to the poor condition of the 29-storey building, staff only work three hours a day from 8am to 11am. Over the past two years, staff have held protests and demonstrations in the hope that they would be relocated to a safer building and now their wish is finally coming true. Following a meeting between Mkhize and Public Works Minister Patricia de Lille in December, the minister met with his deputy, the health department’s director-general and senior management where it was decided that a relocation plan be implemented. The department has since established an emergency relocation task team, which includes union representatives. The task team has identified two suitable buildings to relocate to. But before that happens, Mkhize ordered that public works should give a time-frame for the completion of the relocation process. Employees should also be informed of the interim arrangement, which will include them returning to work full working hours until the relocation is complete. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Rorisang Kgosana on page 6 of The Citizen of 6 February 2020 Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority reports death of contract worker at acid mine drainage treatment plant Mining Weekly reports that state-owned Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) on Wednesday reported that a worker had been killed in an accident at the Central Basin acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment plant, which is under its management. The worker was an employee of contractor Proxa. The fatality occurred when a mobile crane that was being used in the cleaning of a reactor unit at the treatment plant toppled over. The circumstances surrounding the event are under investigation by the TCTA, the Department of Employment and Labour and the South African Police Services. Read the original of the above report at Mining Weekly Working conditions of truck drivers in spotlight after two die in N7 collision on Wednesday Cape Times reports that two truck drivers were killed in a pile-up on the N7 near Citrusdal in the West Coast on Wednesday. Apparently, three trucks en route to and from Namibia collided in the early hours. One of the vehicles was burnt out. Emergency services were on the scene and the highway was closed for several hours. Truckers For Unity SA chairperson Derick Ongansie sent condolences to the families of the drivers, and called on employers in the industry not to overwork drivers. “That was very tragic. We need more regulations in South Africa to look at the working conditions of truck drivers. Fatigue is a serious issue that employers need to look at and consider before they overuse truck drivers. In this country, we have lost friends and loved ones because of careless people who drive on the road while asleep. These big companies need to stop exploiting our people, they should make sure that a driver gets enough sleep before they get on the road, and are mentally and physically prepared to be on the road,” Ongansie stated. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Odwa Mkentane at Cape Times Deaths of two workers in January at uMhlanga Arch site sparks concerns sub-contractor ‘short-cuts’ that compromise safety The Mercury reports that a probe into the death of two workers at an uMhlanga site has sparked concerns about the safety of construction workers in the industry. The workers died in an accident involving a crane at the R1.3billion uMhlanga Arch construction site last month. Speaking generally about safety in the industry, trade unions lambasted subcontractors who allegedly flout health and safety regulations on building sites controlled by major construction firms. They said this compromised worker safety and led to accidents. Building Construction and Allied Workers Union (Bcawu) general secretary Narius Moloto said that the union was concerned about a tendency, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, where subcontractors were allegedly “taking short cuts and compromising the health and safety” of workers. National Union of Mineworkers KZN secretary Mzi Zakwe said the problem lay with sub-contractors who attempted to cut costs on site. “Treatment of subcontractors is not the same as the treatment of permanent workers. Subcontractors breach safety rules,” he alleged. In the January incident, the workers were apparently killed when something went wrong with a crane that dropped bricks on them from a great height. The site was closed for a period after the incident, but construction was under way again on Wednesday. Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) officials are still conducting investigations on site. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lyse Comins at The Mercury Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Strikes in ‘horrific’ 2018 cost workers R266m, labour department’s strike report shows BusinessLive reports that according to a government industrial action report, SA workers lost R266m in salaries in 2018 in support of their demands for better wages and improved working conditions. The strike monitoring report for 2018 as compiled by the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) was released on Wednesday. The report for 2019 will apparently be released in March. The report indicates that the number of working days lost as a result of the 165 strikes recorded in 2018 was 1,158,945, representing an increase of 20.7% compared to the 960,489 working days lost from 132 strikes in 2017. The industries most affected were community [services], which lost 303,119 working days as a result of the 77 strikes in the sector; followed by the manufacturing sector, which had 23 strikes (227,040 working days lost); and the trade sector with 21 work stoppages (180,588 days lost). Transport sector employees were the biggest losers, parting ways with R131m in wages in 2018. The report indicated that from 2014 to 2018 the demand for better wages, bonuses and other compensation benefits, and grievances lodged against employers and unpleasant working conditions, were the main reasons workers took industrial action. Labour analyst Michael Bagraim said it was understandable why there were so many strikes in 2018, which he described as a “horrific year” for labour relations. “The economy was not growing and employers were not offering double-digit wage increases, which the unions were used to, so they went on strikes,” Bagraim pointed out. He noted that the damaging nature of the 2018 strikes to the economy forced the government to introduce changes in the labour legislation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive
First silicosis pay-outs for gold miners expected by end June Financial Mail writes that after years of intensive negotiations, mineworkers who have been affected by silicosis as a result of working in gold mines will at last be compensated by the companies for which they worked. The first pay-outs are expected for the end of June. The compensation for workers suffering from occupational lung diseases is the outcome of a landmark class action which culminated in a R5bn settlement between claimants and six SA gold mining companies. Michael Murray, chair of the Occupational Lung Disease Working Group that represents the companies (African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American SA, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Harmony and Sibanye-Stillwater), said the trust, which will facilitate the pay-outs, was formed on 10 December. “We hope the trust will pretty much be running and making its first payments in the second quarter of 2020,” Murray stated. The Johannesburg High Court approved the R5bn settlement agreement, but all potential claimants covered by the class action first had to be given the option to opt out before the trust could be formed. Only three people opted out and could now sue any of the companies at a later date. The number of former mineworkers who may seek to claim from the fund could be as high as 1-million, though the companies expect the number of those actually eligible to claim will be closer to 100,000. Eligible claimants will be paid out fixed sums depending on the severity of the occupational lung disease. Dependents of an eligible claimants who has since passed away will also be eligible. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lisa Steyn at BusinessLive Amcu leader pledges to start a a fund for dead Lily Mine workers with his own salary SowetanLive reports that Joseph Mathunjwa, president of the Association of Minewoekrs and Construction Union (Amcu), says he will start a fund with his own salary to help retrieve the bodies of three Lily Mine workers who were trapped when the mine’s crown pillar collapsed on 5 February 2016. Speaking at the fourth anniversary of the tragic incident that claimed the lives of Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi and Solomon Nyarenda, Mathunjwa also promised to build the three families decent houses this year. The three miners died when a lamp-room container they were working in was swallowed up in a sinkhole. Mathunjwa said he had written to President Cyril Ramaphosa to assist with the situation at Lily Mine and also to minister Gwede Mantashe, but there had been no response. "This year these three bodies must come out, let's start a campaign to retrieve these bodies. I'm starting with my salary at the end of this month and I call for you to do the same and as Amcu we have friends and political parties that are our friends, we are going to retrieve these bodies. I'm calling for the president to declare Lily Mine as a national disaster,” Mathunjwa exhorted. There was drama at the anniversary event when an ANC branch chairperson at Lowscreek, Elfus Vilakazi, and a community member were manhandled and kicked out by former mineworkers. At the same time Michael McChesney, CEO of Vantage Gold Fields, which owns Lily Mine, stormed out when potential buyers of the mine, Fred Arendse of Siyakhula Sonke Empowerment Corporation, was called to speak on stage. McChesney explained that he had to leave because people who were not supposed to be part of the event had hijacked it. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mandla Khoza at SowetanLive Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Ramaphosa in favour of Cosatu’s plan to use pension money to pay down Eskom’s debt BL Premium reports that Cosatu’s proposal to use R250bn of pension money managed by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) to pay down Eskom’s debt in return for a range of undertakings by the government was under urgent and serious discussion at a high-level meeting at Nedlac on Wednesday. Conditions of the deal would include that no workers at Eskom would lose their jobs and that Eskom would not be privatised. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has been thoroughly briefed on the proposal, has been strongly enthusiastic of the idea. His support led to Wednesday’s urgent meeting, at which Cosatu was seeking to emerge with an in-principle commitment for the idea from social partners. The labour federation hopes broad support for a social compact on Eskom will be included in Ramaphosa’s state of the nation speech next week. The principle of using employee savings, chiefly those of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), to bail out troubled state-owned enterprises is controversial and has previously been rejected by Cosatu. However, Cosatu’s parliamentary officer, Matthew Parks, said in this instance the motivation lay in the economic importance of saving Eskom. If Eskom failed, all 12-million jobs in the formal economy would be at risk, according to Parks. Cosatu has stressed that the bailout “is not a blank cheque and is tied to a number of conditions”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carol Paton at BusinessLive (paywall access only). Read too, Cosatu wants Eskom deal to be announced at Sona, at Moneyweb
SAA’s business rescue practitioners eye UIF surplus to fund job cut packages Business Report writes that the South African Airways (SAA) business rescue practitioners (BPRs) have approached the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to discuss the possibility of using some of the the R100 billion surplus that the UIF controls to fund inevitable retrenchments at the troubled state-owned airline. The BRPs, Les Matuson and Siviwe Dongwana, on Wednesday confirmed that they had held numerous meetings with the UIF to seek ways to handle the retrenchments, which are expected to be finalised within the 60-day consultation process stipulated in the Labour Relations Act. On Wednesday, the rescuers were locked in meetings with the trade unions that represent the SAA workforce to discuss the process. Matuson and Dongwana said they would continue to have discussions with other parties to seek solutions to alleviating financial challenges to both SAA and its employees “that may result from retrenchments during the business rescue proceedings”. However, they said “no agreement whatsoever has been concluded with the UIF to make any funds available for the retrenchments of any SAA employees” at this stage. SAA employs 5,146 workers. In December, the airline was placed in business rescue following a shortage of funding for its operational expenses. Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson Alf Lees said the discussions between the BRPs and the UIF were unwarranted. “There can be absolutely no special deal between the bankrupt SAA and the UIF in order for the national carrier to get access to the UIF’s coffers,” Lees said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Siphelele Dludla at Business Report. Read too, Business rescue practitioners in talks with UIF over cash-strapped SAA, at TimesLIVE
Recruitment halted at Dr George Mukhari Hospital in Tshwane amid ‘irregularities’ TimesLIVE reports that the Gauteng Department of Health on Wednesday instructed Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Tshwane to stop recruitment and selection processes for vacancies. The hospital has open vacancies for porters, cleaners and messengers, but the department said the processes had to be stopped due to allegations of irregularities brought to its attention. The department said the decision to halt the processes came after MEC Dr Bandile Masuku met representatives of the SA National Civic Organisation, which last week shared its unhappiness at the recruitment and selection process. The spokesperson for the department, Kwara Kekana, said a human resources team had been appointed to conduct an investigation into the allegations. She added that the candidates for the positions would be formally informed about the latest developments. “Throughout this process we will be transparent and forthright with applicants and, as such, if it is found that any employees of the hospital were involved in a behaviour that goes against what we expect, we will act decisively against them,'' Kekana said. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Nonkululeko Njilo at TimesLIVE
With new critical skills work visa list expected in March, Motsoaledi seems on track to effect immigration policy changes Immigration laywer Stefanie de Saude-Darbandi writes that changes to the critical skills work visa list are expected in March, in addition to changes to immigration and citizenship laws. She reports that in December stakeholders were invited to an immigration round table hosted by the Progressive Business Forum, at which home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi was the guest speaker. Senior officials of home affairs also attended. Prevalent in the discussions were the pending changes in immigration policy as well as issues plaguing the department, chief among them the delays besetting applications and the poor quality of decision-making. The new home affairs minister committed to an immigration policy beneficial to the country. This was indicated by his receptiveness to suggestions on improving the quality of adjudication within home affairs, which called among other things for the proper application of the laws to visa and permanent residence applications. The hope is that the anticipated changes to the country’s immigration policy will result in a critical skills list in the next few months that is more inclusive of the skills the country so desperately needs to attract foreigners who will contribute to establishing a robust SA economy that can lead to a decrease in the unemployment rate and an increase in the number of skilled South Africans. De Saude-Darbandi says that with Motsoaledi at the helm, there is cautious optimism that the anticipated changes in SA’s immigration and citizenship laws will result in a progressive immigration policy that benefits SA, its people and the economy. Read the full original of the article in the above regard at BusinessLive
Unpaid asbestos removal workers lock teachers and learners out of Pietermaritzburg primary school GroundUp reports that on Tuesday, teachers and learners were locked out of Philani Primary School in Imbali, Pietermaritzburg, by disgruntled local workers who said they had not been paid for January. The workers are from a number of subcontractors employed by a company called Phamodia on an R8.9-million asbestos removal project that started in December 2019. The project is for six months. Philani Shange, a subcontractor, said the company had promised workers that they would be paid on the last day of each month. “The subcontractors are working without any signed documents or appointment letters. They have been promising to bring the papers but they haven’t… When we ask, they promise to bring the papers. We are just working and that is worrying,” said Shange. “Seeing that we were not taken seriously, we closed the school,” said a female worker who is employed as a painter. She also complained that they have not received the materials needed to do the job properly. Coordinator of the project, Tshepo Moetshu, said the workers would be paid on Friday. He claimed they were awaiting a payment from the Development Bank of South Africa. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nompendulo Ngubane at GroundUp
|
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page