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
Thursday, 14 May 2020.
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Domestic workers want to be declared to be UIF contributors so they can access Covid-19 relief benefits BusinessLive reports that domestic workers have called on the government to declare them contributors to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) so that they can access the Covid-19 relief benefits that the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) is disbursing. In March, DEL Minister Thulas Nxesi established the Covid-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief scheme (Ters), administered by the UIF, to provide relief to those in formal employment expected to lose their income due to the coronavirus lockdown. The Socio-Economic Rights Institute of SA (Seri), on behalf of the SA Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union (Sadsawu), announced on Tuesday that it had made recommendations to Nxesi, the UIF and the National Coronavirus Command Council, “seeking a declaration of domestic workers as UIF contributors” so as to afford them access to income protection during the national state of disaster. Seri said the Covid-19 pandemic had had a “devastating impact” on domestic workers and that a mere 20% of them were registered for UIF, meaning that the majority of domestic workers could not access Ters because their employers had not fulfilled their legal obligation to register them. Seri recommended that Nxesi and the UIF board declare domestic workers UIF contributors and that the DEL “create a mechanism for domestic workers to access Ters directly from the department, as individuals, or collectively through their unions”. Nxesi’s spokesperson advised that they had received Seri’s letter and that the matter was receiving the attention of the National Economic and Labour Council (Nedlac), which would advise the minister on the request. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive Nedbank survey shows over half of small businesses have temporarily reduced staff through paid or unpaid leave, while 26.8% have cut jobs BusinessLive reports that a survey done on behalf of Nedbank shows that almost 65% of small businesses had no turnover during the first five weeks of the national Covid-19 lockdown. More than half were forced to temporarily reduce their staff through paid or unpaid leave and a further 26.8% have permanently retrenched workers. The results — which covered more than 1,000 small businesses with turnover of R30m or less across all industries — comes as worry about effects of the lockdown on the economy intensify and calls mount for the state to begin a measured reopening of businesses. Small businesses account for about 3.9-million jobs, according to the Small Business Institute. The Nedbank survey showed that 57% of business owners did not believe they could continue operating over the next six months without having to undergo “significant” changes to their operations, while 10% didn't think they would survive at all. Underscoring the hammering that economic activity has taken, the BankservAfrica Economic Transaction Index (Beti), which tracks interbank electronic payment transactions under R5m, saw the biggest decline in its history in April. The Beti declined 13.9% on an annual basis, 15.2% on a quarter-on-quarter basis, and 12.3% from the month before. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lynley Donnelly at BusinessLive CIPC sees increase in business rescue applications due to Covid-19 Moneyweb reports that according to Rory Voller of the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), companies across the board have felt the disruption that Covid-19 has had on trading conditions. Delivering a presentation to MPs on Tuesday, the commissioner said there had been an increase in the number of companies applying for business rescue. Over 140 businesses have gone into business rescue during the current financial year, with 37 companies having applied for business rescue since the beginning of the first phase of SA’s national lockdown in March. Among the more prominent companies that have gone into business rescue in this period are retailer Edcon, airline Comair and horse racing company Phumelela Gaming and Leisure. “It’s across the board. We have smaller companies and larger companies that are facing a particular crisis,” Voller indicated. CIPC offices have had limited operations due to the lockdown and have not been able to process all applications that have been made. Voller also advised that it had been decided to not invoke reckless trading provisions against companies whose liquidity and solvency was compromised due to non-trading as a result of the national disaster caused by Covid-19. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tebogo Tshwane at Moneyweb With a deep recession on the cards, unemployment could reach 36.5% by end of the year, IDC warns TimesLIVE reports that on Wednesday the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) indicated that it anticipated a jobs bloodbath that would result in an unemployment rate of 36.5% by the end of the year. SA’s unemployment rate was at just above 29% before the national Covid-19 lockdown. CEO Tshokolo Nchocho was briefing MPs on measures taken by the IDC in the wake of the pandemic and indicated that the corporation had put together R500m of its own money and R300m from the Department of Trade and Industry to tackle the next few months. The institution is also anticipating a deep recession this year, with GDP growth projected at -6.3%. So far the IDC has approved R379m worth of emergency Covid-19 funding to six businesses. It has also offered support to businesses by allowing deferred payments for those who are in distress and cannot pay it back. Around 15 applications are currently undergoing due diligence processes and if approved will be valued at R198m. Nchocho commented that while the issue of opening up the economy was a sensitive one, it was a matter which caused constant anxiety. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by S'thembile Cele at TimesLIVE Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Labour department Inspections reveal two in five workplaces flout health, safety rules TimesLIVE reports that inspections have revealed that many companies and organisations allowed to operate during level 4 of the lockdown are not complying with the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) on Wednesday expressed concern at the low rates of compliance. “No wonder we still have so many workplace accidents. Given that the virus is spreading substantially, it is of great concern especially at those employers where there are long queues or people congregating. This is especially prevalent at government-related workplaces,” said inspector-general Aggy Moila. The DEL’s inspection and enforcement service unit conducted inspections at 2,789 workplaces throughout the country between 30 April and 8 May. During the inspections it was found that 1,237 organisations were not compliant, resulting in the issuance of 1,463 contravention notices, improvement notices and prohibition notices. DEL spokesperson Teboho Thejane indicated that 411 of the inspections were conducted at government or state-owned enterprises, where the rate of compliance was at 50%. He advised that the department had decided to prepare for more inspections as businesses started to increase their operations and more employees returned to work. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Nonkululeko Njilo at TimesLIVE Cape Town office of e.tv closed for a deep clean, over 70 staffers in self-isolation News24 reports that the Cape Town building of eMedia Investments, which houses e.tv News and eNCA, abruptly shut on Wednesday following the news that one of the media house's camera persons, Lungile Tom, had died after contracting Covid-19. The building will undergo a deep clean while more than 70 staffers self-isolate at home for 14 days. Nuruniesa Allie, e.tv head of news and sport, indicated on Wednesday that "the entire building is undergoing a deep clean, and only once the officials are satisfied with that process will we be issued with a certificate to allow people back into the building". Allie said that "we've undergone a track-and-tracing process. That is basically identifying every member of staff who had direct contact with Lungile Tom, so they have gone to be tested". Allie went on to say: “For the rest of us, because we operate in an open-floor space, the rest of us are in 14 days of self-isolation from the last time that Lungile had been in the office.” The temporary building closure will place a heavier burden on eMedia's Hyde Park office and studios in Johannesburg, which will have to cover news from Cape Town and the Western Cape. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thinus Ferreira at News24 Correctional services’ infections continue to climb as prisoners await ‘Covid-19 parole’ TimesLIVE reports that as the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) continues to work on applications for thousands of inmates who might be eligible for parole, the number of coronavirus infections behind bars continues to rise. On Wednesday, the department reported 19 more coronavirus infections, comprising 10 inmates and nine officials, thereby bringing the total number of infections to 355. “The Western Cape recorded 11 new cases, the Eastern Cape five, Gauteng two and KwaZulu-Natal one,” DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo advised. The number of recoveries remain at 92. Three prisoners have died from complications related to the virus. The Eastern Cape remains the hardest hit, with two fatalities reported thus far. The province has reported the bulk of the prison cases, with 233. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Naledi Shange at TimesLIVE Inanda police station north of Durban temporarily closed after officer tests positive for Covid-19 TimesLIVE reports that the Inanda police station, north of Durban, was closed on Tuesday after a female sergeant tested positive for Covid-19. Police spokesperson Brig Vishnu Naidoo confirmed that the station was immediately evacuated and the members were sent to their respective homes and instructed to self-isolate while awaiting screening and testing. "The decontamination of the station started today [Wednesday] and over a 140 members have been tested so far. A temporary community service centre has been set up within the perimeter fencing of the station precinct. It is expected that by tomorrow [Thursday] the station operations will be back to normal," Naidoo indicated. The infected member was admitted to hospital on Tuesday. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Orrin Singh at TimesLIVE Other internet posting(s) in this news category
After 80 years, Anglo American abandons Joburg’s inner city in favour of a single building in Rosebank Financial Main reports that eighty years after Anglo American first set up its headquarters in Johannesburg’s then thriving inner city, the mining giant has decided to walk away. It has plans to vacate a number of buildings, including its main SA headquarters at 55 Marshall Street and those that house its divisions and subsidiaries. Back in 1939, the Anglo staff, then around 200 people, left Anmercosa House in Hollard Street and set off for 44 Main Street in SA’s commercial centre. Anglo later moved to Marshall Street and also occupied other buildings nearby, thereby creating its own business precinct. But the multinational giant, now based in Britain, says it has outgrown these old buildings and wants to follow the trend set by other firms to consolidate into one modern building. Once the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased, Anglo will get back on track with its plan to move a staff complement of about 1,200 to its new home in Rosebank in the second quarter of 2021. Anglo will relocate to 144 Oxford, a new premium-grade office building owned by Growthpoint Properties. It will be the biggest tenant in the new building, which includes two office towers and a centralised office core, thereby enabling more collaborative work. The company has also recognised that most of its staff don’t live near the city centre but in suburbs to the north. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alistair Anderson BusinessLive (paywall access only)
Unions deny having agreed to basic education department’s plan to reopen schools BusinessLive reports that unions organising in the education sector have denied claims by Department of Basic Education (DBE) Minister Angie Motshekga that a plan regarding the reopening of school has been agreed on by stakeholders. The unions, including the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), National Teachers Union (Natu), National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA (Naptosa), Professional Educators Union (Peu) and the Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysers Unie (Saou), issued a joint statement on Tuesday following a recent meeting with Motshekga to consider the state of readiness for the reopening of schools. They said there was no truth to the impression created by the department that they were consulted and had agreed on a plan to restart schools. “The manner in which the department is conducting itself on the consultations is causing a trust deficit with the unions and this must be addressed. The [department must] desist from misleading the public about unions having agreed on everything. We all want to see a smooth reopening of the schools,” the unions stated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive Angie Motshekga puts off announcement about when schools will reopen BusinessLive reports that Department of Basic Education (DBE) Minister Angie Motshekga postponed Thursday’s planned announcement about when schools will reopen in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The reason given was that she still has to determine whether provincial education departments were ready to do so. At issue is whether the provinces have put the necessary measures in place to convince teacher unions that schools are a safe workplace that can fulfil the hygiene and social distancing protocols set out by the DBE. The minister has run into stiff opposition from teacher unions, who say schools will not be ready to safely open on the 1 June target date she has proposed and have advised their members not to return to work. Motshekga said in a statement on Thursday that she would convene a special meeting of the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) on 18 May to review the state of readiness of the provinces. The CEM includes all the MECs for education, and the heads of the provincial education departments. Teachers were due to return to schools on 18 May, ahead of the phased return of learners, starting with grades 12 and 7, on 1 June. But many schools have not received deliveries of masks or sanitisers. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tamar Kahn at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Corruption at water and sanitation department sees 138 staff members charged The Star reports that the scourge of corruption in the Department of Water and Sanitation has seen 138 of its employees being criminally charged, with 97 of them having been found guilty. This was revealed by Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and her director-general Mbulelo Tshangana at a briefing on Tuesday. Sisulu said corruption, fraud and maladministration had been systemic in the department over a period of time. She explained: “In all, we have investigated 249 cases and 139 of them were found to be true and were referred for disciplinary action.” Sisulu noted that financial problems in the department had been so serious that it was declared bankrupt by the National Treasury and the auditor-general. Of the 138 officials charged, 11 were at management level while 86 ranged from general workers to middle management. Tshangana said the department had written to the Treasury to condone R10bn of the R16bn of irregular expenditure in the department. “The people who were involved in … that irregular expenditure have been charged. Some have been dismissed and some have been given three months’ suspension without pay. Others have resigned,” he indicated, adding that they would “chase” those who had resigned if they were found to have been involved in criminal activities. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Siviwe Feketha on page 2 of The Star of 14 May 2020
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