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 morning roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared on Wednesday,
19 May 2021.
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Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi, who was vaccinated in February, tests positive for Covid-19 News24 reports that Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi has tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently in self-isolation. In a statement, the provincial government said Mokgethi presented with mild symptoms before a Covid-19 test on Tuesday. She had received the vaccine in February. "All persons who were in contact with her have been advised to self-isolate and test, if necessary. The Health MEC was one of the first people to receive the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, under the Sisonke Programme in Gauteng. The Covid-19 vaccine prevents severe illness, hospitalisation and death," the province indicated. It added that Mokgethi was not exhibiting any severe symptoms and would remain in isolation for the next 10 days. "The public is encouraged to continue to adhere to non-pharmaceutical interventions, even after they have been vaccinated," the province warned. Last week, Gauteng Premier David Makhura announced that the province had officially entered the third wave after the Emfuleni region in the Vaal saw a spike in the number of new Covid-19 cases. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Marvin Charles at News24 Transport of farmworkers under scrutiny in the Western Cape News24 reports that the Western Cape government is looking at ways of ensuring that farmworkers in the province are transported in a safe and dignified manner. The provincial Standing Committee on Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning met on Tuesday to discuss concerns about farmworker transport. The committee discussed various options to improve the safe and dignified transport of farmworkers in the province. Concerns about farmworkers being transported on open trucks have been mounting after numerous deadly accidents in the province. The lack of social distancing and non-wearing of masks were also matters of concern. Committee chairperson Andricus van der Westhuizen pointed out that they were tasked with finding a "solution" to the ongoing problems. He noted that the meeting was the second such briefing this year after the committee previously resolved to invite labour unions representing farmworkers, as well as the Road Traffic Management Corporation, to attend. It was reported that the provincial transport department was stepping up its law enforcement actions in areas where seasonal workers were transported in large numbers. Both the agriculture department and labour unions were asked to pay close attention to farmworker transportation and to promote good practices, such as the temporary fitting of seats and canopies on the back of farm trucks. A proposal was made for national government to consider subsidising public transport in rural areas, which would allow farmworkers to be transported by bus instead of open trucks. Various other proposals and issues were discussed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lisalee Solomons at News24
Samwu revises its demands in effort to reach a new wage deal BusinessLive reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has revised its wage demands as it seeks to hammer out a new wage deal without having to resort to strike action. The SA Local Government Association (Salga), representing the country’s 257 municipalities, and unions met at the SA Local Bargaining Council last week for a further round of negotiations, during which Samwu tabled its revised demands. Samwu had been demanding a one-year wage agreement with a R4,000 salary increase across the board; a R15,000 minimum wage; a R3,500 housing allowance; 80% employer medical aid contribution; 25% employer contribution towards a pension; six months paid maternity leave; and one month paid paternity leave. According to an internal circular to Samwu provincial secretaries, the union is now demanding a R2,500 wage increase or 7%, whichever is greater. The union has also revised its R3,500 housing allowance demand down to R2,000. Samwu’s Dumisane Magagula wrote in the circular that it rejected Salga’s original 2.8% wage increase offer, saying the employer “indicated that they may adjust [the offer] up to 3%, which was still unacceptable under the current economic environment”. Meantime, the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) has not revised its demand of the greater of a 9% wage hike or R2,500. The next round of negotiation talks will be on 3 and 4 June. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive Negotiations for new metals and engineering wage agreement to start in June Engineering News reports that with the current wage and working conditions agreement in the metals and engineering sector close to expiration, it was agreed at the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council management committee meeting on May 18 that negotiations will formally get under way on 3 and 4 June to create a new main agreement. The current main agreement concluded between the relevant trade unions and the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa’s (Seifsa’s) affiliated associations in 2020 remains in force and effect until 30 June. It was also agreed at the May meeting that the negotiations would be facilitated by a commissioner of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, and that all parties involved would use their best endeavours to conclude an agreement as soon as is practicably possible. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at Engineering News
Emotional officer testifies under cross-examination at Marikana trial News24 reports that a police officer struggled to contain himself at the Marikana trial in the North West High Court on Wednesday when he testified about the death of one of his colleagues on 13 August 2012 at Lonmin K3 shaft. State witness Sergeant Benjamin Mahume was being cross-examined for a second day by the lawyer representing former North West deputy police commissioner William Mpembe. The cross-examination was technical and focused on various aspects of what happened that day when police and striking miners clashed, resulting in the deaths of five people. The incident happened three days before the infamous Marikana massacre. It claimed the lives of five people, namely workers Semi Jokansi, Phumzile Sokhanyile and Thembelakhe Mati, and police officers Hendrick Monene and Sello Lepaaku. Mpembe is on trial, alongside retired Colonel Salmon Vermaak, Constable Nkosana Mguye and warrant officers Collin Mogale, Joseph Sekgwetla and Khazamola Makhubela. The former deputy commissioner faces four counts of murder and five of attempted murder. He and Vermaak are also charged with defeating the ends of justice and giving false information under oath before the Farlam Commission of Inquiry into the Marikana massacre. It is the State's case that police officers indiscriminately shot at fleeing striking miners on 13 August 2012. But the defence's stance is that officers were under attack. The trial continues until 28 May. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sesona Ngqakamba at News24
Consumer inflation spikes in April to 14-month high of 4.4% Moneyweb reports that a shock rise in consumer price inflation (CPI) has left the SA Reserve Bank’s (Sarb) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) with a difficult choice when it comes to considering interest rates today. Sarb governor Lesetja Kganyago has previously signalled that the repo rate would remain unchanged at 3.5% for some time, but an increase in the annual CPI to 4.4% in April 2021, from 3.2% in March 2021, might force the MPC to reconsider. There was a rise of 0.7% month-on-month in April 2021. The main contributors to the 4.4% annual inflation rate were food and non-alcoholic beverages; housing and utilities; transport; and miscellaneous goods and services. The surprise rise in CPI reverses the downward trend in inflation over the past five years and moves it close to the midpoint of the MPC’s inflation target. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Larry Claasen at Moneyweb
As Covid-19 lockdowns bit, Liberty’s claims showed a six-fold increase in retrenchments TimesLIVE reports that insurance group Liberty’s retrenchment claim statistics for 2020, released on Wednesday, give an indication of just how many people lost their jobs in the formal sector as a result of Covid-19. In early 2020, Liberty was processing about 10 retrenchment claims a month, but five months after Covid-19 struck, that number had increased six-fold to more than 60 retrenchment claims a month. Its clients, mostly middle to high income earners, were considered to be less susceptible to job losses. “This trend was expected, given the harsh realities and subsequent effect on jobs because of the pandemic,” said Liberty's Kresantha Pillay. The most affected regions were Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The insurer also had a 200% spike in death claims from the beginning of the hard lockdown in April 2020 — three times above “normal” levels. The claim statistics reflect only the effects of the first wave of Covid-19 in the middle of the year, Pillay pointed out. More than R500m was paid out by Liberty to cover confirmed Covid-related death and health-related claims, with death being the leading cause. Unsurprisingly, Covid-19 related funeral claims peaked during the first wave, with most claims coming from the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and the Free State. But the company said it probably paid out more than R575m in Covid-related claims, given that some Covid-19 deaths were recorded as natural causes. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at TimesLIVE
In bid to boost tourism sector by attracting digital nomads, Western Cape calls for visa covering remote working BL Premium reports that in a bid to boost SA’s ailing tourism sector, the Western Cape government has called for the urgent introduction of a one-year remote working visa that will allow international tourists to stay longer in the country. Covid-19 has led to more employees across the world working from home, making remote working “vacations” possible. This could provides the struggling tourism sector with an opportunity to grow the international market. According to the latest figures from Stats SA, foreign arrivals dropped by 71% from 15.8-million travellers in 2019 to less than 5-million travellers in 2020. On Wednesday, Western Cape Finance & Economic Opportunities MEC David Maynier wrote to Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane and her Home Affairs counterpart Aaron Motsoaledi requesting that national government urgently introduce a remote working visa. Under current regulations, many visitors to SA are issued with a 90-day tourist visa upon arrival. “Introducing a dedicated remote working visa programme can attract a significant number of long-term, financially independent travellers to South Africa, not only during this period of economic uncertainty but also in the long term,” Maynier said. There has been a significant escalation of countries around the world rolling out remote work visas to attract visitors, Maynier pointed out, citing Mauritius, which consistently rivals SA as a tourist and investment destination. The island nation offers a “premium travel visa”, which allows non-citizens to stay and work remotely for up to one year. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bekezela Phakathi at BusinessLive (paywall access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Eastern Cape social development department says it has no obligation to absorb graduates whose education it funded News24 reports that according to the Eastern Cape's Department of Social Development, it has no obligation to absorb social work graduates just because it paid for their education. This indication came as more than a hundred unemployed social work graduates marched this week to the department's district offices in Mthatha to demand employment. For years, the graduates claimed, the department has been sending young people to universities to study social work, but then failed to employ them. The graduates handed over a memorandum of demands to the OR Tambo social development district office manager and gave her 14 days to respond. According to spokesperson, Mzukisi Solani, the department was too broke to appoint social workers at present because of budget cuts. Solani indicated that the department had indeed given some of the graduates bursaries, followed by contracts as interns, but it had no obligation to employ them. Solani explained that the department gave internship contracts to graduates as a means of providing them with workplace experience so that they were then able to secure employment. But, according to the protesting group's leader, Ayanda Colombile, a temporary contract was a reasonable indication for a future permanent position. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Malibongwe Dayimani at News24
Treasury outflanked by ANC MPs on DA’s pensions amendment bill to allow fund savings to be used as security for loans BL Premium reports that the Treasury was outflanked by ANC MPs on Wednesday over the possibility of salvaging a Democratic Alliance (DA) bill proposing that up to 75% of the value of pension fund savings could be used as security for loans. The private member’s bill was tabled by DA MP Dion George in response to the dire situation faced by many poor workers as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Union federation Cosatu and the Federation of Trade Unions of SA (Fedusa) are in favour of the bill, but Treasury’s deputy director-general Ismail Momoniat is strongly opposed to it, saying it would undermine savings in a country with a very low savings rate. He pointed out that it would also increase the high levels of indebtedness as well as the contingent liabilities of pension funds. Momoniat noted that the Treasury was in negotiations at Nedlac on how to ensure the mandatory preservation of retirement funds and close the loophole that allowed workers to resign to access them, adding that there was room for limited withdrawals within that context. But in an unusual move for ANC MPs to oppose Treasury’s view, ANC MPs Noxolo Abraham and Kenny Morolong said a balanced approach should be adopted rather than the bill being dismissed outright given that there was some support for it and that it would help people. George said he was not prepared to withdraw the bill, but was willing to work on it to address the concerns raised. In his view, the Treasury was being “very insensitive to the plight of the people” and the Nedlac process on retirement reform was taking too long. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Linda Ensor at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
Two former Durban cops handed jail time for taking R7,500 bribe to release a suspect News24 reports that two former Durban police officers have been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each for corruption after they were found to have taken a R7,500 bribe to release a suspect. The Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court handed down the sentences on Monday after finding Sergeant Musawenkosi Mabaso and Sergeant Thulani Dlangalala guilty of corruption. Hawks spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo indicated that in May 2018 Mabaso and Dlangalala were instructed to pick up a suspect who was arrested at King Shaka International Airport. "Along the way, the two officers demanded R7,000 in order to release the suspect for him to go home and come to court the following day. They were paid R4,500 and further demanded a balance of R3,000," Mhlongo reported. The Hawks were informed and an undercover operation was conducted. The officers were intercepted after collecting the balance of the money. A search found the R7,500 in cash that was taken from the complainant and Mabaso and Dlangalala were arrested. They were charged with corruption and defeating the ends of justice and immediately resigned from the police after they were released on bail. They were convicted on 1 March 2021. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nicole McCain at News24
SAHRC told that many pupil-teacher sex cases in Limpopo not reported by principals TimesLIVE reports on a submission made by Mashudu Ramulumo of the SA Principals' Association at a SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) hearing in Limpopo on bullying, corporal punishment and sex between educators and pupils in schools in the province. Ramulumo admitted to the allegation that principals were not reporting many cases of sexual relations between teachers and pupils to the education department and said there were a number of reasons for that. These included the principals' fear of victimisation by perpetrators and unwillingness by pupils to report these relationships. He said: “Yes, it is true. So many cases are not reported. Some principals do not have the right skills to compile a case to report to the department … Only those who are bold enough to implement policy are the ones who come forward and report.” Ramulumo said between June 2020 and February this year, 58 teachers were removed from the roll of educators because they had been found guilty of sexual misconduct. But, some principals went about dealing with complaints of sexual misconduct the wrong way. Another challenge was the time it took to deal with the cases. The Congress of SA Students in Limpopo said an educator, if found guilty of having a sexual relationship with a pupil of the school where he or she was employed, must be dismissed. “The dismissal should be mandatory whether or not there was consent. Such zero- tolerance policies are consistent with many laws that criminalise adult sexual relationships with minors in general,” Cosas provincial secretary Sello Mahladisa told the hearing. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at TimesLIVE. Read too, Outrage after two teachers at two schools in Gauteng allegedly sexually assaulted female learners, on page 2 of The Star of 19 May 2021 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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