In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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Salga clinches deal with municipal unions for 3.5% wage hike plus once off cash allowance BL Premium reports that parties to the local government wage negotiations have agreed to a 3.5% wage hike deal and a once off non-pensionable cash allowance for SA’s nearly 300,000 municipal workers. They had been negotiating a new wage increase agreement since March. In a statement on Wednesday, the SA Local Government Association (Salga), the employer body that represents 257 municipalities, said employees earning a basic salary of R12,500 or less as at 1 July will receive a non-pensionable cash allowance of R4,000, while those earning more will get R3,000. “The salary and wage negotiations have now concluded and an agreement covering three financial years from 2021-2024 was voted unanimously,” said Salga. The association said inflation-linked increases “in the outer years of this agreement will be based on the inflation outlook and projections made by the SA Reserve Bank”. In its July forecast, the Bank saw headline inflation averaging 4.3% in 2021, 4.2% in 2022 and 4.5% in 2023. The SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu), which represents about 160,000 of the 290,000 workers in the municipal sector, had been demanding a R4,000 increase, while the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) had been demanding 9% or R2,500 Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
SAHRC raises concerns over potential abuse of rights of unvaccinated citizens EWN reports that while the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) does not have a position on the vaccination passport issue as yet, its chairperson, Bongani Majola, has raised concern about the potential abuse of the rights of the unvaccinated. SA is facing the prospect of vaccination-only facilities and buildings, with the debate having heightened after Sunday’s announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that the government was considering this approach. The introduction of a Covid-19 vaccine passport is a polarising subject, with many questioning the laws which the government could use to substantiate a ban of unvaccinated persons from public facilities. Majola said that if people were denied access to places, this would have to be done according to Section 36 of the Constitution, which dealt with the law of general application. However, he stressed that this must be justifiable and reasonable in a democratic society. He illustrated this through the example of unvaccinated persons seeking medical help from public hospitals and clinics under such circumstances. "There is a right to access healthcare and I don’t think it would be constitutional to take away the right when there are less restrictive ways of ensuring that the virus does not spread," Majola pointed out. He indicated that the commission would state its position once the matter was no longer theoretical and when it was known what form or shape the Covid-19 vaccine passport would take. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Theto Mahlakoana at EWN Dis-Chem acts against staff who issued fraudulent Covid vaccination certificates EWN reports that Dis-Chem Pharmacies has filed criminal complaints against staff who provided fraudulent Covid-19 vaccination certificates. Cards have been issued at the Dis-Chem Krugersdorp President Square vaccination site. The pharmacy group said that four temporary employees had been arrested and criminally charged. The employees were arrested and appeared in court this week for allegedly selling vaccination cards. The pharmacy group advised that it maintained rigorous accounting methods to ensure that routine daily balancing of vaccines doses were stocked and that it acted swiftly and decisively when a discrepancy was found. Dis-Chem CEO Ivan Saltzman said that it was upsetting to see that a small number of individuals felt that they could take advantage of the vaccine rollout drive. He added that they did not tolerate any fraudulent or dishonest activity and would continue to maintain vigilance to ensure the integrity of the process. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Kaylynn Palm at EWN Gauteng education department a step closer to implementing SIU findings in R431m school decontamination scandal EWN reports that the Gauteng Education Department now has legal advice on how to implement recommendations of a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into a dodgy school decontamination project. The department spent R431 million on Covid-19 decontamination at schools. However, it has been found that the service providers had no expertise or prior experience. In May, the Special Investigating Unit was granted a preservation order to the extent of R40.7 million to freeze the bank accounts and assets of 14 service providers. In June, the Special Tribunal granted a second order of R22.4 million to freeze the accounts of a further seven companies implicated. Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said that he was in consultation with all affected stakeholders with regard to the advisory report. Spokesperson Steve Mabona indicated: “It is important to note that upon conclusion of the ongoing consultation process, the department will then in due course release an appropriate statement on necessary action taken in implementing the SIU findings.” Read the original of the report in the above regard by Kaylynn Palm at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
December deadline for resolution of errors with over a million outstanding Ters claims Moneyweb reports that according to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), it has more than a million outstanding claims on its Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) portal that stand to be closed by the end of December if claimants do not attend to the errors on their applications. The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) on Wednesday stated that simple errors in the applications were the main reason outstanding claims had yet to be finalised. The most common errors included incorrect banking details, incorrect income and invalid identity or passport numbers. “We have observed that most Covid-19 Ters payments are unsuccessful due to employers or their representatives failing to follow the application procedures correctly. The application platform provides error messages and guides employers on what they need to do to correct mistakes,” advised acting UIF commissioner Advocate Mzie Yawa. The department believes the reason a lot of outstanding claims, some dating back to March 2020, are not being attended to by claimants is because they are fraudulent. But, red tape may be another reason, with Business Unity SA’s Cas Coovadia saying that employers were largely fatigued by the slow and often confusing claims process. The DEL has resorted to partnering with unions in its attempts to resolve the issues and has formed a project team. “We appreciate efforts by among others Sactwu and Numsa who heeded our plea to talk to their employers, which has helped to have most of their issues resolved,” said Yawa. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Akhona Matshoba at Moneyweb. Read too, UIF urges finalisation of outstanding Covid-19 Ters applications before December deadline, at Engineering News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Numsa inches closer to a wage strike in the metals and engineering industries sector Engineering News reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has called for the issuing of a certificate of non-resolution amid its wage deadlock with the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa). The parties have been meeting with other trade unions and the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council, under the auspices of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, but have not come to an agreement over the proposed wage offer from Seifsa. Numsa declared its dispute against all the employer organisations – mostly represented by Seifsa – on 29 July, while Seifsa declared a counter dispute with Numsa on 2 August. The union started with nationwide demonstrations on 23 August and is now inching closer to picketing action. Notably, the certificate of non-resolution does not automatically trigger the issuing of the 48 hours’ notice of intended strike action as Numsa has to formulate a strike notice and formally serve it on Seifsa and the other employer associations. Numsa has indicated a willingness to meet with all employers in a final push to find common ground, while Seifa’s negotiating team says it will take up the offer. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Engineering News
Mining companies launch online International Mining Safety Hub to assist in reducing fatalities Mining Weekly reports that a number of large mining companies have joined hands to launch the International Mining Safety (IMS) Hub – an online hub of industry-endorsed visual safety tools that allow for greater learning opportunities and improved safety for all levels of employees. "This is a collaboration by industry, for the industry. For too long have I witnessed the industry working in silos, individually investing substantial effort and resources in essentially just duplicating work already developed by their peers. The IMS Hub will change that," said co-founder Stephen Eichstadt. The founding partners of the IMS Hub are Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti (AGA), Harmony Gold, Impala Platinum, Sibanye-Stillwater, Teck Resources and the Minerals Council SA. The hub is powered by global visual health and safety communication specialist agency Jincom. Each founding partner contributes two suites of materials around key fatal or catastrophic risks at their operations. Once transformed into simplified visual tools, these tools are shared on the hub for the use and adaptation of all other partners. The spirit of the IMS Hub is shared value aimed at making the mining industry safer, and partners only need to contribute information in order to participate. The founding partners are encouraging other mining operations to join in and contribute valuable knowledge on the fatal hazard themes they would specialise in based on their operation. AGA’s George Coetzee pointed out: “Some companies have progressed further in their safety journeys and bring maturity and learning from those journeys. This allows those companies, still in the early stages of the journey, to tap into the lessons learnt and wealth of knowledge gained.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly Coalition plans marches in pursuit of a just transition to renewable energy Engineering News reports that youth leaders, civil society groups, trade unions and grassroots movements under the Climate Justice Coalition have expressed dissatisfaction with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and will, as a result, hold planned nationwide marches. On Wednesday, the coalition bemoaned that the DMRE “has continued to approve gas and coal projects while disregarding any just energy plan”. It is seeking that Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe be removed from his portfolio and that steps be taken to ensure a “rapid, just transition to renewable energy in the country”. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at Engineering News Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Government intends to launch new investment company to manage Eskom, Transnet and other SOEs Fin24 reports that government wants to create a new investment company that will manage its stakes in SA’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) such as Eskom, Denel and Transnet. The company could also, eventually, take shares in private sector businesses. Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) director-general Kgathatso Tlhakudi told a parliamentary committee last week that the process was underway to establish the new company. The idea is for the company to be an active investor and shareholder in SOEs with the aim of delivering sustainable value over the long-term. This may include selling stakes in SOEs, and finding "sustainable funding models". The company will be 100% owned by the SA government and will report directly to the Presidency. The institution – called Asset Management State-owned Company in the government presentation – is likely to retain its holdings in certain existing SOEs, but will also gradually enter new markets or new industries, including outside SA. At first, however, it will launch a process to identify the best ownership model, as well as sustainable funding models, for the different SOEs – and group the different companies into various sectors. By 2030, SA needs to have a set of "efficient, financially sound and well-governed SOEs that address the country's developmental objectives in areas where the executive arm of government or private enterprise are unable to do so effectively," said Tlhakudi. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carin Smith at Fin24 (subscriber access only)
Fraud, theft and corruption charges laid against ANC's top brass by fired staffer Niehaus on Wednesday News24 reports that dismissed African National Congress (ANC) staffer Carl Niehaus laid fraud, theft and corruption charges against five of the ANC's top six members and the party at the Johannesburg Central police station on Wednesday. The charges, on behalf of disgruntled ANC employees, were laid against the ANC; its president, Cyril Ramaphosa; its deputy president, David Mabuza; deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte; treasurer-general Paul Mashatile; and chairperson Gwede Mantashe. In a founding affidavit Niehaus submitted to the police, he and the employees he represents claimed that staff were made to believe that deductions from salaries were for the "UIF, the provident fund, the South African Revenue Service and other medical funds for the staff's benefit or their dependents”, but in truth, “the accused knew that such representations were false and untrue in that the amounts of monies deducted from the complainants were not paid into the funds they were supposed to go to." Niehaus went on to claim that the ANC "utilised the contributions deducted from complainants salaries for the party’s own benefit". Niehaus was accompanied by staff member MacDonald Mathabe when he laid the charges. But, through staff representative Mvusi Mdala, the ANC staff committee distanced itself from Niehaus and said he was "on his own". Niehaus told the media that on Wednesday afternoon he would also lodge an appeal against his dismissal. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Juniour Khumalo at News24. Read too, Mabe: ANC will deal with Niehaus’ criminal complaint once party's been served, at EWN. And also, ANC staff remain on tenterhooks over payment of salaries, on page 2 of The Star of 15 September 2021 Six-month prison term for man who stole R50,000 and laptops from employer, then staged robbery News24 reports that a 28-year-old Johannesburg man who stole R50,000 and two laptops from his employer and then faked a robbery has been sentenced to six months in prison. On Monday, the Booysens Magistrate's Court found Neverson Banda from Malawi guilty of opening a false case of house robbery. On 28 June this year, Banda's employer asked him to guard his Oakdene house in the south of Johannesburg. The following day, Banda's employer arrived home to find him on the bathroom floor with his hands tied and his mouth shut with sticky tape. Banda told police he had been asleep when four suspects forced their way into his room. He claimed one of them pointed a firearm at him while his accomplices ransacked the house and took an undisclosed amount of money and two laptops. But, the investigating officer became suspicious when inspecting the crime scene. Banda later admitted his guilt and told the police he had fabricated the robbery to take money to go to Malawi to see his father, who was terminally ill. During the court case, the employer testified that in April he had caught Banda stealing from him, but had forgiven him and not opened a case at the time. Read the full original of the report in the above regard compiled by Botho Molosankwe at News24 Company director, acting municipal manager charged with tender fraud of up to R21m at Mafube Local Municipality News24 reports that a company director who has been charged with fraud alongside a former acting municipal manager in the Free State, has been released on R7,000 bail. Tumahole Jeffrey Mokoena, the director of Pit Dog Trading, appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. Alledgedly, the former acting municipal manager, Nkabi Andrew Hlubi, received kickbacks after the Mafube Local Municipality awarded tenders to Mokoena's company in 2015. "After every payment made from the municipality to Pit Dog Trading, the director of the company would then deposit a portion of the money to Hlubi's bank account, ranging from R1 million. All the tenders that were awarded are estimated [to amount to] R21 million," a Hawks spokesperson said. Mokoena also allegedly submitted fraudulent documents to the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) so that he could get a higher CIDB grading. Hlubi handed himself over to the police and was released on R10,000 bail last week. He and Mokoena are expected to return to court on 6 October 2021. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Lwandile Bhengu at News24. Lees ook, Medebeskuldigde ook in hof oor bedrog by munisipaliteit, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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