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 Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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Numsa to go ahead on Tuesday with metals and engineering wage strike after talks on Sunday collapsed BL Premium reports that the industrial action planned by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) in the metals and engineering industries sector is set to start with a march to the bargaining council in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The strike action comes after parties failed to find each other on Sunday, and a month after Numsa declared a wage deadlock with employer associations at the Metals and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC). Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said the union would march to the council’s offices on Tuesday “as part of the first day of action” for the strike. Marches would also take place in the Eastern Cape, the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, with rallies set to take place in the Western Cape. Numsa’s leadership engaged all employer associations over the weekend to try to avert the strike. Jim reported: “Despite our best efforts, we regret that our attempt to push Seifsa [Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of SA] to make a meaningful offer, led to negotiations collapsing last night [Sunday].” Lucio Trentini, CEO of Seifsa, the sector’s largest employer body that represents 18 organisations employing 170,000 workers, confirmed that the strike would proceed on Tuesday. He said any interruption to the sector, given its “fragile state of affairs”, would be in no-one’s best interest, “least of all workers and owners of business who will be directly and indirectly affected”. Seifsa’s proposal is for a 4.4% increase in 2021, and inflation-related increases in 2022 and 2023. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Lees ook, Numsa wil ingenieursbedryf tot stilstand dwing, by Maroela Media Solidarity and Saefa reach historic wage settlement Trade union Solidarity announced on Monday that it had entered into an ‘historic’ wage agreement with the SA Engineers and Founders Association (Saefa) within the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC). Willie Venter, Deputy General Secretary for the Metal and Engineering Industry at Solidarity, explained that the union was forced by circumstances to start negotiating separately with employers. “Although it is a pity that the various employers’ organisations could not agree on the content for one overarching agreement, we are still extremely happy about the agreement reached with Saefa,” said Venter, who described it as fair and satisfactory settlement given the current economic conditions. In terms of the deal, an annual increase of 6% on the minimum wage scale will be granted for all rankings, for the next three years, up to and including 2024. All other existing conditions and benefits will be retained. Solidarity also welcomed Saefa’s undertaking that further negotiations could lead to the scope of the agreement being extended to other divisions in the companies such as administrative staff. Solidarity pointed out that although no agreement had yet been reached with other employers’ organisations in the council, the industry and the economy would not be able to handle large-scale strikes. “Currently, we are not involved in disputes with other employers’ organisations. We are still negotiating and we want to engage in more talks with employers to reach an agreement. Therefore, we have taken the responsible decision and we are acting in accordance with the mandate of our members when we explain that we are not currently considering participating in strikes in the industry,” Venter indicated. Read Solidarity’s press statement in the above regard at Solidarity News
KwaZulu-Natal paramedic shot dead on Sunday while inside ambulance while assisting gunshot victim News24 reports that a KwaZulu-Natal paramedic was shot and killed while attending to a shooting victim in the Estcourt area in the early hours of Monday morning. Phumzile Dlamini, 40, and her crewmate were ambushed at around 01:00 in the back of their ambulance while helping a patient who had been shot in the Mabhanoyini area. Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane reported that Dlamini and her colleague had already picked up the patient, who had sustained a fractured leg, when they had to detour to the home of the wounded man. After securing him, they suddenly heard gunshots coming from outside. Simelane said Dlamini – an intermediate life support paramedic with 10-years' service who hailed from Greytown – was hit twice and died at the scene. Her crewmate sustained three gunshots and was rushed to hospital, where he remained in critical condition. None of the gunshots hit the two patients in the bullet-riddled ambulance. Simelane stated: “An incident like this is spine-chilling. It is barbaric, cowardly and completely shocking. It’s a strong signal that something has gone horribly wrong in our society when innocent first responders, whose core responsibility is to save lives by helping those in emergency situations, get attacked and murdered like this. It's outrageous.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kaveel Singh at News24 Four KZN cops attacked in 48 hours, one dead, another in critical condition News24 reports that four KwaZulu-Natal police officers came under fire in separate incidents in just 48-hours, leaving one officer dead and another in critical care. In the most recent incident in Durban on Monday, one of two police officers who attempted to stop a suspected stolen vehicle, was shot twice and rushed to hospital where he is currently in intensive care. In another incident on Sunday, a police officer was killed after a shooting incident in Greytown. Colonel Athlenda Mathe said two officers were driving from Greytown to Tugela Ferry when they stopped alongside the road. "An unknown motor vehicle stopped beside the state vehicle and shot both members. Both members managed to drive to a nearby hospital for medical care. Sadly, one of them succumbed to their injuries and the other is still receiving medical care," Mathe reported. Also on Sunday in Greytown, an officer who was walking alongside the railway line was accosted by two unknown suspects. One of the men demanded cash and cellphones. "The member surrendered his possessions and thereafter managed to draw his firearm where he shot one of the male suspects. The other male suspect shot the member in the leg and managed to get away," Mathe indicated. The other suspect succumbed to his injuries on scene and was found in possession of the officers' stolen items. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kaveel Singh at News24 Armed robbers assault, pepper spray and rob staff and patients at Mpumalanga clinic on Sunday News24 reports that Mpumalanga police have launched a manhunt for armed robbers who assaulted, pepper sprayed and robbed staff and patients at the Empumelelweni Clinic in Vosman on Sunday morning. SA Police Service (SAPS) provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Manamela, "strongly" condemned the incident, which she described as shocking. According to provincial police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli, two armed suspects entered the clinic at around 02:25. They allegedly held security guards, as well as staff and patients at gunpoint. The gunmen then robbed the victims of their personal items, including cellphones. Mdhluli reported: “During the said robbery, the victims were reportedly assaulted, meanwhile others were sprayed with pepper spray, whilst some security guards sustained injuries. The suspects are said to have then fled the scene with the robbed items.” Last month, burglars broke into three Johannesburg clinics within a week and made off with computers containing patient information. Read the full original of the report in the above regard compiled by Botho Molosankwe at News24 Three Cape Town firefighting vehicles vandalised at the weekend IOL reports that the City of Cape Town has condemned attacks on its firefighters, after three vehicles were stoned in less than 24 hours at the weekend. Mayoral committee member for safety and security Alderman JP Smith, said it appeared that firefighters were again being targeted by the very people they were trained and deployed to assist. He reported that on Saturday morning, firefighters from Gugulethu withdrew from a motor vehicle accident scene along Oliver Tambo Avenue, in Manenberg, when the crowd became volatile and stoned their vehicle, resulting in damage to the windscreen and passenger side window. The second incident occurred later in the morning when pedestrians stoned one of the vehicles from Wynberg that was close to the Gugulethu Fire Station. Again, the windscreen and passenger side window were damaged. On Sunday, just before 1am, community members stoned firefighters as they responded to a fire in Mfuleni, where informal structures were alight in Isikhova Street. “One can’t be sure what the motivation is, but I want to reiterate to the public that attacking our emergency services staff is not the answer. In fact, all that will happen is that staff will be forced to wait for an enforcement escort before responding, which will slow down reaction times and put lives and property at unnecessary risk,” Smith indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Robin-Lee Francke at IOL News. Lees ook, Kaapse brandbestryders met klippe bestook, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Mandatory Covid-19 vaccination not necessarily an infringement on rights, says SAHRC News24 reports that according to the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), a general law mandating Covid-19 vaccination in SA would not necessarily be a human rights infringement. In a statement, the SAHRC advised that a general law compelling South Africans to get vaccinated would be constitutionally sound under the right circumstances. However, the commission also called on the government to explore all options to encourage voluntary vaccination first. There has been extensive public debate around mandatory vaccination, and the government has said vaccine certificates will be rolled out soon. "For many, the question is whether compelling a person to take the Covid-19 vaccination would violate human rights entrenched in our Constitution," the SAHRC noted. The Constitution protects several individual rights, including the right to health, life, freedom of religion, a healthy environment and freedom and security of person. However, it also provides for the Bill of Rights to be subject to limitations "Given that the pandemic is an existential crisis that affects all human beings and implicates both rights and responsibilities, it is highly likely that a general law mandating vaccination will pass constitutional muster," the commission opined. This meant it would be "constitutionally permissible" to require people to vaccinate "provided that this is done in accordance with the processes stipulated in the Constitution", it advised. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nicole McCain at News24. Lees ook, Verpligte inenting moet ‘laaste uitweg’ wees – MRK, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Solidarity’s Gideon du Plessis says in wake of Mining Charter ruling, mining houses must take the initiative to empower employees and communities Gideon du Plessis, trade union Solidarity’s general secretary, writes that in its recent ruling on the 2018 Mining Charter, the High Court concluded that the charter should not be seen as legislation but as policy. The court also endorsed the “once empowered, always empowered” principle. Accordingly, the Minerals Council SA’s (MCSA’s) application that previous black economic empowerment (BEE) transactions be recognised was a success. Furthermore, the court automatically set aside the 2018 charter’s demand for an increase in empowerment shareholding from 26% to 30%, which would have benefited employees and mining communities. It is Du Plessis’ understanding that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) wants to appeal the ruling, which means the legal process could drag on and eventually end up in the Constitutional Court. One outcome of the ruling is that mining communities, which were already disaffected in that the 2018 Mining Charter only offered them a 5% shareholding, will now get nothing. Yet, the 2018 Charter was a victory for miners because it stipulated that, regardless of race, employees not receiving shares as part of their remuneration package would qualify for joint shareholding of 5%. But following the court ruling, workers will now end up getting nothing. Du Plessis says that miners were looking forward to the Charter’s shareholding scheme as it would have replaced the current “worthless employee share ownership plans”. He encapsulates the altered dynamics as follows: “Miners and mining communities are resentful about the mining past, but emotions were kept in check by the financial benefits the Charter’s shareholding scheme would offer. With that restraint now gone, the Minerals Council will have to promptly take the initiative on behalf of mining houses to financially empower employees and mining communities by means of an alternative shareholding scheme outside the charter framework.” Read the full original of Gideon du Plessis’ analysis at Miningmx Exxaro partners with Limpopo Health Department to roll out vaccines Mining Weekly reports that diversified mining and energy company Exxaro Resources recently launched an employee and community Covid-19 vaccination drive at its Grootegeluk mine, in Limpopo, and successfully vaccinated 650 employees and their next of kin. Exxaro partnered with the Limpopo Department of Health to make the Covid-19 vaccine free and easily accessible to its staff and their families as part of their drive to reach those 18 years and older. Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba, who attended the launch, said: “These partnerships are vital if we are to deliver on the greater good for our communities and keep them safe. We want to encourage anyone who is over 18 years old to visit any of our vaccine sites to be vaccinated. Exxaro Grootegeluk coal mine GM Ronaldt Mafoko said businesses had a major role to play in speeding up vaccination uptake and taking the country to a new normal. Exxaro health and safety GM Dr Joseph Matjila reported: “In support of government’s vaccine drive, we have now vaccinated more than 3,000 of our employees and contractors. While we are immensely proud of our achievement, we know much work lies ahead and we will continue to do all we can to promote health and safety across all our host communities and beyond.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly
Uasa demands answers from Public Enterprises Minister regarding nonpayment of Denel employees Engineering News reports that trade union Uasa has demanded that Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) Minister Pravin Gordhan clarify issues regarding the nonpayment of employees at state-owned enterprise (SOE) Denel. This was by letter to the Minister. Many staff at the defence industrial group have not received their full pay and benefits since August last year, in spite of rulings by the Labour Court that Denel must pay them. In the letter, the union also demanded clarity about the government’s response to the recent application by Saab Grintek Defence and SME Infratech for the liquidation of Denel. The application is set to be heard in the Gauteng High Court on 11 October. “In the event that the liquidation applications are granted and Denel is placed in final liquidation this will be the death knell for thousands of jobs followed by the devastating social-economic impact of unemployment,” Uasa spokesperson Abigail Moyo pointed out. Consequently, the union was demanding to know if the state was going to oppose the liquidation application, and if Denel’s employees would receive all their outstanding pay and benefits in full. Further, Uasa wants to know if Denel will receive the same support from the DPE other financially-embattled SOEs, such as SA Airways, have received. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Engineering News
SA government ‘revokes’ its support for Mthunzi Mdwaba’s bid to lead International Labour Organisation BL Premium reports that SA businessperson Mthunzi Mdwaba says he finds it “quite bizarre and odd” that the SA government has revoked its support for his candidacy to become the next director-general of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). It was reported in June that Mdwaba, a former vice-chair of the ILO, a tripartite UN agency that sets international labour standards, had been endorsed by the government, the AU, the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), the Southern African Trade Union Co-ordination Council (Satucc), Cosatu, Fedusa and Nactu, among others. Mdwaba’s campaign team said it had learnt about the “mysterious withdrawal” by SA and that it “regrettably notes this development, but wishes to confirm that Professor Mdwaba’s nomination remains intact in the ILO nomination process”. The team said it would engage with the SA government “o establish the reasons for this unexplained action as neither Professor Mdwaba nor his team were consulted or advised of this unexpected position.” Mdwaba is CEO of Tzoro IBC, a business consultancy in Sandton, as well as chair of Productivity SA and of the SA-Norwegian Association. When contacted for comment, cabinet spokesperson Phumla Williams said: “I don't know where that is coming from, that the government has revoked its support for Prof Mdwaba, therefore I can’t comment.” The election of the new ILO director-general for a five-year term will be held on 25 March 2022. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Mboweni laments that corruption undermined SA’s Covid-19 response BL Premium reports that former finance minister Tito Mboweni has conceded that the preventive measures put in place by the government to prevent the looting of resources meant for its response to the Covid-19 pandemic had been insufficient. During the pandemic there were multiple scandals linked prominent government officials, including former health minister Zweli Mkhize, to misappropriated or misused funds. “All the systems we have in place to protect much-needed resources and prevent looting can only go so far when there are people who seek to manipulate processes to steal public funds,” Mboweni said. Speaking at the Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Development Trust annual lecture on Monday, Mboweni said: “The demands on the fiscus in SA are immense ... particularly in the context of high unemployment and poverty levels. We constantly have to balance the responsibilities to serve and protect the people of our country (in general and particularly the poorer sections of our societies) with our broad objective to grow the economy and the tax base.” Coming out of a nearly four-year term as finance minister, Mboweni added that he felt like a “war veteran” because of the pressures of the position which often involved “leading the fight to protect public resources from abuse and waste”. He commented further as follows: “We are faced with completely broken and dysfunctional municipalities and state-owned enterprises. This frustrates what should be our common objective to grow the economy.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thando Maeko at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
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