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.
Sunday Independent reports that according to at least four leading experts, employees who refuse to take Covid-19 vaccinations are acting perfectly within their freedom of choice, and employers have no right to take any disciplinary measures against them.
They say that to threaten or pressure employees to take vaccines is unlawful and a clear violation of their human rights, including the declaration of freedom of choice, right to bodily integrity and privacy. Trade union federation Cosatu has issued a stern warning to employers, saying “no employee should be dismissed” for refusing to take a vaccine. Concerns were raised after the Department of Basic Education (DBE) recently threatened to invoke operational requirements and incapacity clauses of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) against teachers who elected not to be vaccinated. Dr Raynauld Russon of the Institute of Commerce and Management at Wits University said although the government has stated that no one would be forced to take vaccines, he always knew that it would use other methods to push people to vaccinate, including peer pressure. He stressed that “everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected. It is uncertain how far the department of education is willing to push for vaccination without interfering with the dignity of the individual”. University of Pretoria medical scientist Professor Tivani Mashamba-Thompson said people who refused to take vaccines were covered by the existing human rights laws. Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa, vice-chairperson of the SA Medical Association (Sama) said: “It is the responsibility of the employer to prevent work-related hazards and keep a healthy workforce. However, the president (Ramaphosa) is on record informing the citizens including workers that the vaccine will not be compulsory.” Sama president Dr Angelique Coetzee said the best strategy would be to educate and counsel teachers and the public on the need to take vaccines for two main reasons, namely to ensure safety and secondly, that the country contains the infection toward attaining “herd immunity” as soon as possible.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Manyane Manyane at Sunday independent
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