In our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 9 April 2021.
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Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke calls for civil service shake-up Business Times writes that Auditor-General (AG) Tsakani Maluleke says that SA needs a "properly professionalised" civil service characterised by stability, competence and a culture of performance and accountability. Without this there would be no real progress against the massive irregular and wasteful expenditure that continued to plague the public sector and deplete the fiscus, she has pointed out. "Beyond competence what we're seeing as a real issue is stability. If directors-general and chief financial officers don't stay long enough in their roles to build a competent team around them and a disciplined set of controls you really can't make any sustainable gains," said Maluleke. The issue of tenure was problematic and it was up to the politicians to address it, she noted. "All our leaders across both spheres of government need to understand the impact of this level of instability. Government institutions need to be characterised by performance and a critical part of that is stability at key levels," the AG explained. The 2019/20 government audit outcomes report Maluleke tabled last week showed irregular expenditure of R54bn, which was down from R66bn the year before but only because almost a third of government departments and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) failed to disclose irregular expenditure. "The truth is it hasn't improved much. The disciplines and financial controls that ought to characterise how procurement is done are not there,” Maluleke said. Meanwhile, new powers given to her office two years ago are making themselves felt: "We're seeing a greater level of responsiveness. Many accounting officers are taking the action they need to." But beyond responding to specific irregularities, they needed to look at the internal controls that were failing to prevent these irregularities, the AG stated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Chris Barron at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
Labour criticises state’s slow Covid-19 vaccination rollout BusinessLive reports that Cosatu has upped the ante in its demands for the ramping up of the government's Covid-19 vaccination rollout, which it says is proceeding too slowly. During an engagement that health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize held with stakeholders, including labour unions, on Friday on the government’s vaccination rollout programme, the labour federation described the slow vaccination rollout as being akin to “building an aeroplane while in mid-flight”. The national vaccination drive will be the biggest in SA’s history, and aims to inoculate 40-million adults to reach herd immunity. However, it has yet to get fully under way as commercial stocks secured from vaccine manufacturers have yet to be delivered. During the virtual briefing Mkhize told union leaders that in the past three weeks there had been “a bit of a lull” regarding information on the vaccination programme as they were still in negotiations with vaccine manufacturing companies. “Everything was fluid,” he said, adding that it had taken a while to secure all the vaccines from the manufacturers. Cosatu parliamentary co-ordinator Matthew Parks told Mkhize that SA could not afford to fail in its rollout plan, and stressed that labour was concerned that “we have fallen far behind other countries”. Pat Mphela of the National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu) suggested that unemployed doctors could be used, especially in rural areas, to ramp up the vaccination drive, while Zimisele Nanto of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) called for more focus to be put on provinces where there had been complaints regarding the vaccination drive. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Three men due in court after guard killed during North West farm robbery on Wednesday News24Wire reports that three men are expected to appear in the Brits Magistrate’s Court on Monday for allegedly killing a security guard during a robbery at a farm in the North West on Wednesday. The incident took place at a smallholding in Remhoogte, Hartbeespoortdam, where the lifeless body of Samuel Maposa, 41, was discovered by his colleagues in a ditch about 50 meters away from a storeroom. Police spokesperson Colonel Adéle Myburgh said Maposa suffered multiple facial and head injuries and his hands and feet were tied up. A preliminary police investigation revealed that two storage doors had been forced open and some agricultural chemicals with an estimated value of R30,000 were missing. Information was received on Thursday about individuals selling agricultural chemicals in Shamburg informal settlement. “Acting on the received information, Hartbeespoortdam Crime Prevention Unit members arrested the first suspect at 01:30 at his house in Shamburg informal settlement. Similarly, the second suspect was also found and arrested in his house in Shamburg informal settlement. The third suspect was arrested at his place in Tornado Section, Bapong Village near Brits,” said Myburgh. Police have seized suspected stolen agricultural chemicals, a Toyoya Hilux bakkie suspected to have been used during the commission of the crimes, as well as blood stained clothes. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at The Citizen
Striking pilots threaten SAA flight plan Business Times reports that just over a week into its first strike in more than 50 years, the SAA Pilots' Association (Saapa) says it will continue the industrial action at SAA for as long as it takes to see its demands met. They include that the embattled airline retrench them at their existing salaries by Wednesday. The strike would prevent SAA from using members, who included senior pilots, instructors and check pilots, to re-train and certify pilots, said Grant Back, chair of Saapa and a captain at SAA, on Friday. Members include seven Saapa management pilots and instructors who were not included in the lock-out of SAA pilots but who have joined the strike. Saapa, which represents 89% of pilots at SAA and has been locked out of the airline by its business rescue practitioners (BRPs) since 18 December, maintains its strike action is a direct "defensive" response to the lock-out. "They [the business rescue practitioners] did not lock out seven Saapa pilots who are management pilots and instructors. In the airline industry these are called post holders and they need to occupy these positions in order for the airline to maintain its air operating certificate [AOC]. Without these post holders and instructors at the airline it will prevent further operations. Due to the strike they don't have anyone, as required by Civil Aviation Authority [CAA] regulations, holding those posts and they can't operate now without those posts being filled,” Back pointed out. As this was a "defensive strike" in response to the company's lock-out of the union, the airline was prevented from bringing in "scab labour" or outside training organisations and it could potentially result in SAA losing its AOC and derail any potential relaunch plans, Saapa claimed. But BRP Siviwe Dongwana claimed on Friday that according to their "labour lawyer advice, we are entitled to employ scab labour because we believe the move by Saapa is not a defensive strike". The BRPs maintain that the pilots' strike will not delay the finalisation of the SAA business rescue process, which is due to be wrapped up soon. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nick Wilson at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
Mineworkers at Buffalo Coal in KwaZulu-Natal stage sit-in over salary increases BL Premium reports that workers at Buffalo Coal’s Aviemore mine, located near Dundee in KwaZulu-Natal, have staged a sit-in, with some underground employees refusing to return to the surface unless their demands for salary increases were met. The company announced in a press release on Friday that during the afternoon shift on 8 April about 130 employees refused to vacate their work stations and started unprotected strike action. Underground employees have refused to return to the surface while surface employees have refused to vacate the company’s premises unless their demands for immediate salary increases are met. Management’s efforts to convince the employees to cease their “illegal and dangerous actions” have so far been unsuccessful, the statement indicated. The company has been liaising with the recognised unions and the CCMA to secure the safe return of the workers to the surface. “It is unfortunate that some of our employees have decided not to follow recognised protocols and endanger their own and their fellow coworkers’ health and safety through their illegal actions and intimidation,” said Buffalo Coal CEO Emma Oosthuizen. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lindiwe Tsobo at BusinessLive (paywall access only) Impala Rustenburg hands over nine completed social and labour plan projects to local communities Mining Weekly reports that on Friday, Impala Rustenburg, a member of the Impala Platinum (Implats) group, handed over nine completed social and labour plan (SLP) projects to communities near its operations. The projects represent over R94-million of investment from Impala Rustenburg, several years of work and the creation of 714 jobs through construction and development. They include three road upgrades, 15 offices, a multipurpose centre, a community hall, a community centre, a sports facility and a water scheme upgrade. Speaking at the handover of the multipurpose centre in the Kanana Village, Impala Rustenburg CEO Mark Munroe highlighted that the projects were aligned to the company’s commitment to make a difference in the communities in which it operated. The projects form part of Impala’s first and second generation SLP undertaking. The facilities were designed with input from the communities and aim to engage citizens. Munroe said the company would also provide learnerships and programmes, in addition to the infrastructure it has provided. Moreover, the company would continue to provide more support and other infrastructure to communities in the years to come. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Cosatu resolves to support ANC during upcoming municipal elections BL Premium reports that despite the recent tension between the two organisations, labour federation Cosatu has resolved to support the ANC during this year’s local government elections. Cosatu, which claims to have more than 1.8-million members, has been campaigning for the ANC during national elections since 1994, thereby giving the ruling party access to its extensive grassroots structures and membership. “We are not abandoning the ANC yet because, as part of the alliance, we do not want to open a political vacuum that will see the organisation hijacked by the reactionary and criminal elements who have been attempting to capture it since the 1994 democratic breakthrough,” Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali told a media briefing on Thursday after the federation’s two-day central executive committee (CEC) meeting. The labour federation was the first ANC-aligned structure to back President Cyril Ramaphosa’s campaign for the ANC presidency in 2017 and is vocal in its support of his plans to rid the ANC and the government of corruption and revive the ailing economy. But in the past year it has been threatening to withhold its support for the ruling party after the government reneged on a 2018 wage deal with Cosatu’s public sector affiliates. The CEC meeting resolved to convene urgent bilateral political meetings with the ANC and the SACP within 14 days to discuss the challenges workers face in SA. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
Still no sign of funds to top up partial salary payments at SAA Technical Fin24 reports that attempts by the management of SA Airways Technical (SAAT) to try to improve on the partial payments of March salaries continued until Saturday morning, but were unfortunately unsuccessful. This was told to employees in a letter at the weekend. Meetings were also held with unions on Friday. SAAT is a subsidiary of SA Airways (SAA), but unlike its parent company, it is not in business rescue. "ExCo will tirelessly continue to engage with the board and shareholder to secure short and medium term solution around the SAAT financial challenges, while the current customer activity and revenue streams remain depressed," the letter states. It goes ion to indicate: "Immediate focus is also on optimising recoveries from customers for work taking place this month, so we can enable prospects of paying April salaries." The management indicated that the plight and difficulties faced by employees were fully understood and continued to be conveyed to the shareholder, namely the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE). The DPE apparently hopes to obtain a special allocation from Parliament, which is currently in recess, in order for R2.7 billion of the R10.5 billion provided for SAA in the mini-budget in October last year, to go to the airline's subsidiaries SAAT, Mango and AirChefs. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carin Smith at Fin24
De Ruyter accuser allegedly extended irregular Eskom contracts worth R8bn to oil firm News24Wire reports that suspended Eskom procurement chief Solly Tshitangano supported the awarding of contracts worth more than R8-billion to Econ Oil in 2019, detailed charge sheets in his disciplinary process reveal. This was despite him being aware of evidence of impropriety and possible corruption involving Econ and Eskom officials. He also took no steps to further investigate Econ Oil's possible misconduct, which allegations were first raised in 2016 and again in 2018, and allegedly misled the Eskom board over the status of Econ, resulting in the board approving further contracts to the company. Prior to his suspension, Tshitangano made bombshell allegations of racism and abuse of power against Eskom group executive André de Ruyter. This took place within days of De Ruyter and Tshitangano exchanging emails over the possible cancellation of Econ Oil's five-year contract awarded in 2019. De Ruyter has denied the allegations, dismissing them as "spurious and defamatory". The charges against Tshitangano's accuse him of gross misconduct among a laundry list of 22 charges of further misconduct and dereliction of duties, which include failure to prepare key submissions on time and failure to attend meetings on a regular basis. Tshitangano's disciplinary process is apparently set to continue on 19 April. Read the full original of the detailed report in the above regard at Engineering News Numsa raises concerns over 'sham' probe by Eskom board into claims against CEO De Ruyter Fin24 reports that according to the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), the Eskom board's probe into claims against the power utility’s CEO André De Ruyter will be a "sham process". On Saturday, the trade union issued a statement in response to a decision by the Standing Committee of Public Accounts (Scopa) to halt its investigation into De Ruyter. The matter concerns allegations raised by suspended Chief Procurement Officer Solly Tshitangano in a letter to Scopa in which he claimed that there had been procurement irregularities, and even racism on the part of De Ruyter. In March, Scopa undertook to investigate the serious claims. Last week, it met to discuss the way forward for its inquiry after receiving a letter from Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan requesting it to suspend its probe, as the Eskom board had launched its own investigation into the matter. Scopa chair Mkhuleko Hlengwa assented to Parliament's probe being held in abeyance to allow Eskom to complete its work. However, Scopa said it wanted Eskom to complete the investigation within 90 days and report on the outcomes so that a decision could be made whether a parliamentary inquiry was warranted or not. Numsa, however, expressed concerns over the Eskom probe. "We have no faith in the investigation which has been launched by the Eskom board into De Ruyter," the statement read. The trade union further accused the Eskom board of not acting independently. It expressed the belief that De Ruyter would be exonerated in the same way that the chief operations officer Jan Oberholzer had previously been exonerated in investigations against him.* Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lameez Omarjee at Fin24
Labour department commits to disciplinary action against corrupt officials, welcomes Ters benefit probe by SIU Engineering News reports that the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has welcomed a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe investigating allegations of corruption and maladministration involving the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) special Covid-19 Temporary Employee/Employer Relief Scheme (Ters) benefits. “If any of our officials are found to have been part of the alleged corruption, we will make sure that they face disciplinary action and that the law enforcement agencies prosecute them. We cannot tolerate any corruption and we applaud the President for taking this step in fighting corruption,” said DEL director-general Thobile Lamati. "We have been working with the SIU, in any event, when the first probe was launched and we are just as anxious to get to the bottom of the allegations and to gain sight to all the facts and which would hopefully bring a close to this chapter,” he added. The investigation will look at payments from 1 March 2020, to 1 April 021, or that took place after 1 April but are relevant to, connected with or involve the same people, entities or contracts being investigated. The UIF has, on its own initiative, employed the expertise of forensic auditors to launch its own investigation in a Follow the Money campaign. This campaign is following every cent paid to ensure that those who received the monies and were not entitled, pay it back, and for the companies that swindled their workers to pay back the money to the UIF. So far, more than R2-billion has been returned to the coffers of the Fund, the DEL indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Engineering News City Power employee's alleged scam backfires after he is locked up by Troyville customer TimesLIVE reports that a City Power employee was arrested on Friday for allegedly trying to scam a Troyville customer out of R780. The 37-year-old is expected to appear in court on Monday facing charges of fraud and malicious damage to property. The staff member allegedly visited a business customer’s workplace in Wilhelmina street, under the pretence that he was there to audit the meter. “After fiddling with the meter box, the staff member is said to have demanded an amount of about R780 to reconnect the customer. The quick-thinking customer locked the City Power staffer up and called law enforcement agencies,” City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena indicated. The man was arrested when the City of Joburg's Group Forensics and JMPD responded to the call. The employee allegedly confessed that he was not authorised to do an audit on the customer's meter as he didn't have a job card. City Power CEO Mongezi Ntsokolo welcomed the arrest and said it should serve as a warning to other staff members that their job was to provide a service to residents and not to steal from them. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Shonisani Tshikalange at TimesLIVE
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