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 early morning roundup, see summaries
of our selection of recent South African labour-
labour-related reports.
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With vaccination of education sector well underway, SA getting ready to vaccinate over-50s BusinessLive reports that Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaahla said on Wednesday that SA was gearing up to vaccinate people in the 50-59 age group. “We are quite advanced with those over the age of 60‚ though we still urge people who have grannies and uncles who are over the age of 60 who are not yet registered to please assist them to get registered. We want to move to the next cohort, which will be over 50 and then over 40‚” he indicated. Phaahla was speaking at the Rabasotho community centre in Tembisa where scores of teachers and school support staff were queuing to receive their vaccines. The group was receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine. Phaahla gave the assurance that there would be no shortage of vaccines to ensure the full complement of the education sector was covered. The vaccination of teachers is scheduled to be concluded by 8 July. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Naledi Shange at BusinessLive. Read too, Western Cape legislators clash over who should get Covid-19 vaccine after over 60s, at Cape Argus Early Childhood Development sector aggrieved at being ’excluded’ from Covid-19 vaccine roll-out The Star reports that as the basic education sector commenced its Covid-19 vaccination roll-out on Wednesday, but the Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector said they were not surprised that they were once again excluded. In an open letter to Department of Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, Help SA ECDs called on the department and the government as a whole to help ECD staff get vaccinated too. In the letter, the organisation noted that when the announcement of the vaccination of teachers was made, it was met with much jubilation from the ECD sector. “Our excitement was, however, short lived. This excludes teachers and support staff under the Department of Social Development (DSD). Sadly, we are not surprised, as we have been here before. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) minister rallies for her members. Who rallies for us? Silence from the DSD, once again,” the organisation said. Jennifer McQuillan, from Help SA ECDs explained on Tuesday that there were ECDs that fell under the DSD as partial care centres, but there were other ECD centres that were on the property of primary schools that fall under the DBE. “In our ECD centres, we have teachers, cleaners, chefs and security guards, among others. We should be treated the same way as an ECD centre that is on the property of a primary school. There should be no discrimination whatsoever,” she argued. There are reportedly about 32,681 ECD centre employees catered for in vaccinations at primary schools, out of about 180,000 ECD workforce members nationwide. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Chulumanco Mahamba at The Star. Read too, Gʼn entstof vir werkers by kleuterskole, dagmoeders, at Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Builder killed on Wednesday in Palm Ridge building collapse Alberton Record reports that a builder lost his life after being trapped under rubble when a building collapsed in Teebos Avenue, Palm Ridge, east of Johannesburg on Wednesday. Ekurhuleni Emergency Services (EMS) spokesperson William Ntladi indicated: “It’s a structure that collapsed. We had one person who was a builder of this structure who was trapped underneath the upper floor. We managed to battle it out and broke all the rubble over him and we recovered him around 12am.” Unfortunately the man was declared dead at the scene. Ntladi said the builder was the only person confirmed to have been trapped in the building collapse. The case has been handed over to the SA Police Service for further investigation. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
SA Municipal Workers’ Union rejects facilitator’s wage proposal TimesLIVE reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) on Wednesday formally rejected a wage proposal put together by a facilitator to end the deadlock with the employer in the local government sector. Earlier in June, the proposal was presented to Samwu, the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) and the SA Local Government Association (Salga) after the parties failed to reach agreement during wage talks covering workers in the country’s 257 municipalities. “Samwu has formally rejected the facilitator’s proposal. We have formally communicated our decision today to the Salgbc (SA Local Government Bargaining Council). We are concluding our processes of balloting and should have a way forward before parties reconvene on July 1,” Samwu’s Papikie Mohale advised on Wednesday. If one of the parties rejects the facilitator’s proposal, negotiations move to a process of conciliation. The facilitator, Naledi Burwana-Bisiwehad, proposed that the parties agree a three-year wage agreement. She also proposed a 4% salary increase in the first year of the agreement and projected a CPI minus 1% increase in the other years of the agreement. She moreover proposed a total freeze on all benefits to municipal workers in the first year of the agreement, with these to be fully unfrozen in the last year of the agreement. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at BusinessLive
Union threatens protest action over Clover cheese factory’s relocation from Lichtenburg to KwaZulu-Natal BL Premium reports that workers at SA’s largest cheese factory say they will embark on protest action if Clover sticks to its plans to move its Lichtenburg factory from North West to KwaZulu-Natal. The company has cited poor service delivery by the municipality as the main reason for relocating from the province. The General Industrial Workers Union of SA (Giwusa), which represents more than half the 226 workforce at the factory, met Clover’s management on Monday to raise concerns over possible job losses related to the relocation process. “The management told us that they are relocating the factory because they are consolidating their operations across the country. They said their factory in Parow, Cape Town, will be relocated to Port Elizabeth. They said some operations in Gauteng will be integrated,” Giwusa’s Mametlwe Sebei said on Tuesday. Sebei reported that Clover had offered to help workers to relocate to Queensburgh in Durban, “but a lot of workers won’t be able to take up that offer”. Even if they did, their monthly wages of about R6,500 would not be enough because “it is more expensive to live in Durban than in Rustenburg”. The factory’s last month of operation will apparently be October 2022. Sebei said: “We are mobilising our members and communities around this campaign. We will occupy that factory and call on government to assist those workers by taking over the factory and continue with production.” He stressed that “more elaborate plans” would be announced in due course. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (paywall access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Seri demands answers from Phiyega about heavy police presence that led to 2012 Marikana massacre The Star reports that the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (Seri) has demanded answers from former police commissioner Riah Phiyega concerning the involvement of a strong contingent of police in what was a labour dispute at Marikana in 2012. Seri executive director Nomzamo Zondo said the institute was outraged at the attempt by Phiyega to have the findings of the Farlam Commission of Inquiry, concerning her role in the Marikana massacre, set aside. Seri accused Phiyega of hiding crucial information concerning the events of the massacre and possibly protecting some people. “She is trying to escape responsibility for what happened in the massacre, and also attempting to ignore and avoid the consequences of her actions – before and after the massacre. There was a meeting of the national management team of SAPS and we know a decision was made that on the next day – that come what may, the miners should be removed from the mountain and we know that decision is the reason 34 families are without their loved ones,” Zondo stated. She said the strong police involvement in the matter showed that there could have been greater forces involved, such as the influence of a politician. Judge Natvarlal Ranchod recently dismissed Phiyega’s attempt to set aside the findings made by retired Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Ian Farlam, which included that the police leadership had colluded to cover up what really happened at Marikana. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Itumeleng Mafisa at The Star Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
At 5.2% in May, consumer price inflation hits 30-month high BL Premium reports that annual consumer price inflation (CPI) quickened to 5.2% in May 2021, up from 4.4% in April, Stats SA advised on Wednesday. That was the highest level since November 2018. The main contributors to the May 2021 CPI were food and nonalcoholic beverages, housing and utilities, transport and miscellaneous goods and services. The acceleration in price growth was partly due to a so-called “base effect,” whereby prices correct back towards more usual levels after a prior period of decline. Petrol prices were 41.8% higher in May 2021 compared with the same month in 2020, while diesel was 27% more expensive. Annual food and nonalcoholic beverages inflation quickened to a 46-month high of 6.7% in May, up from 6.3% in April. The May reading was the highest since July 2017 and was driven by stubbornly high meat inflation and rising prices for fish, cooking oil as well as sugar, sweets and deserts. RMB economist Siobhan Redford predicted that the 5.2% figure was likely to be “the peak for the current inflation cycle as the base effects causing this spike start normalising”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Garth Theunissen at BusinessLive (paywall access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Cosatu ‘deeply disturbed’ it wasn’t consulted about unbundling of Transnet BL Premium reports that Cosatu on Wednesday rejected the unbundling of state-owned freight transport and logistics company Transnet. The trade union federation, which backed Cyril Ramaphosa’s campaign for the ANC presidency, has in recent times questioned his economic reforms, saying workers were never consulted. “The federation demands a moratorium on the decision to unbundle Transnet and for more honest and proper engagements to take place to discuss the future of SOEs [state owned enterprises],” said Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla. He claimed the decision on Transnet would have serious consequences for workers “because if this new entity is declared an essential service, their right to strike will be curtailed”. Pamla went on to say: “The federation views this decision [unbundling] with suspicion and scepticism because it is not in line with the vision of the alliance and the ANC manifesto. This new method of unbundling SOEs has not been properly canvassed with relevant stakeholders and is at odds with the commitment to a developmental, interventionist state.” He added that the federation was deeply disturbed because “this decision was unilaterally taken without broad and comprehensive consultation of stakeholders and unions in particular”. On Tuesday, Ramaphosa announced the unbundling of Transnet in a move meant to boost the functioning of SA’s ports, which have been hampered by inefficiencies and ageing infrastructure in recent years. The unbundling of Transnet will see the establishment of the Transnet National Ports Authority as an independent subsidiary. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bekezela Phakathi at BusinessLive (paywall access only). Read too, National Ports Authority now an independent subsidiary of Transnet, at TimesLIVE
Medical interns can’t be placed in hospitals because of funding SowetanLive reports that a group of about 200 medical interns have been left frustrated after they missed out on two placements in public hospitals due to Covid-19 and funding problems. The interns were to have been placed in public hospitals on 1 April as part of the Internship and Community Service Training Programme (ICSP), but this was postponed to 11 June. But according to Foster Mohale, spokesperson for the department of health, the interns were given the 11 June date for the department to plan to place them in July. He indicated: “The department is working closely with provinces to ensure that medical graduates are placed to undergo internship and community service under the supervision of qualified doctors and other health specialists. So far we have 118 funded and accredited posts. We have since identified a further 213 accredited but unfunded posts and we are working with the National Treasury and provinces like Gauteng [that are] experiencing a high burden of Covid-19 and other health challenges to appoint more medical interns.” SA Medical Association (Sama) chairperson Dr Angelique Coetzee said the challenge in placing medical interns was funding. “There are 170 medical interns that still needs to be funded. We are hoping that the funding will be sorted out before the end of this week,” she indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Yoliswa Sobuwa at SowetanLive
Employers’ association says proposals in equality and prevention of discrimination bill will be impossible to implement BL Premium reports that a proposed amendment bill to promote equality and prevent discrimination has been slammed by the National Employers Association of SA (Neasa) as unattainable, ideologically skewed and impossible to implement. Neasa is vehemently opposed to the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Amendment Bill, which has been released for public comment by the Department of Justice & Constitutional Development. Neasa called for it to be scrapped. The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) is also opposed to the bill, which it says will have far-reaching and detrimental consequences for business. Neasa’s written submission on the bill argued that the proposed amendments went beyond the legislative scope and jurisdiction of the original act, contradicted the values enshrined in the constitution and served as mechanisms to unfairly benefit and advance certain groups “as a retrospective payback for historical injustice”. It pointed out that instances of unfair discrimination and hate speech were already sufficiently catered for in current legislation. The bill proposes to expand the definition of equality in the act to include the equal right and access to resources, opportunities, benefits and advantages and the requirement to achieve equality in terms of impact and outcome. The expanded definition will make it easier for complainants to substantiate their claims of unfair discrimination. But, Neasa says that would tip the balance against the accused too far, give the complainant too much power and deprive accused people of equality before the law. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Linda Ensor at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
Robben Island Museum drops charges against two staffers accused of misconduct TimesLIVE reports that misconduct charges have been dropped against two Robben Island Museum (RIM) officials who were due to face a disciplinary hearing this week. A statement from the museum on Wednesday said the museum council had written to the employees advising them that charges had been withdrawn. The statement indicated that allegations of mismanagement made by the Ex-Political Prisoners’ Association were investigated in 2020, and legal advice suggested disciplinary steps. “Charges of misconduct were brought against two RIM officials, and it was contemplated that a disciplinary inquiry would ensue on June 21 and 22,” the statement noted. However, the two employees submitted documents to investigators, and after they were assessed against the evidence that council witnesses were expected to give at the disciplinary hearing, fresh legal advice was sought. On the basis of that advice, the council took the decision to discontinue the disciplinary process. Museum council chairperson Khensani Maluleke described the outcome as “a victory and a huge relief for the council and management of Robben Island Museum”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at TimesLIVE
Health department official, two others nabbed over alleged extortion regarding access to Pretoria building site The Citizen reports that the Hawks (Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation) have arrested three suspects in Pretoria, including an official from the Department of Health (DOH), for allegedly extorting R10,000 from a prominent businessman before he could get onto a building site. According to Hawks spokesperson Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu, the men were arrested on Tuesday during a sting operation in Temba, north of Pretoria. It is alleged that the suspects, Lucky Molefe, a DOH information officer, along with Thato Maphutha and Tebogo Matjila, denied contractors access to a site for the purpose of completing a project at the DOH in Temba. They allegedly demanded an amount of R10,000 from the Pretoria businessman concerned. “A swift response from the investigation team resulted in the apprehension of the trio at Temba Service Centre. Police recovered the R10,000 entrapment money in cash,” Mulamu said in a statement. The trio appeared in the Temba Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and were granted bail of R2,000 each. The case was postponed to 29 July for further investigation. Read the original of the report in the above regard by The Citizen
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