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 roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 29 October 2021.
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Another explosion rocks Denel ammunition plant in Somerset West, no injuries reported News24 reports that an explosion rocked the Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) plant in Somerset West in the Western Cape on Sunday night. No casualties were reported. RDM chief executive Jan-Patrick Helmsen said the fire broke out about 23:00 and added: "The fire was contained to the N86 magazine building and was extinguished by our internal fire department and the City of Cape Town's fire services. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. However, police are currently on the scene and we are working closely with them." Helmsen said a "thorough investigation" would be conducted. DA councillor Peter Helfrich said the accident at the plant was "untenable" and explained as follows: “Many residents feel it is no longer safe for Denel to be based in Macassar. Many residents in Macassar have called me and asked [if] we [can] find a way to get Rheinmetall Denel Munition to move their plant out of the Macassar area.” In his view, the plant was too dangerous to be in a residential area. The blast follows a similar incident in 2018 which claimed the lives of eight people at the same site. A public inquiry is currently under way to determine what happened during the 2018 accident Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tebogo Monama at News24 Families of blast victims call for suspension of license of Denel’s Western Cape ammunition factory News24 reports that the families of eight employees who died in a 2018 blast at the Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) factory in Somerset West in the Western Cape want the government to suspend the company's explosives licence. They have threatened to take legal action against the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) if that is not done. Meanwhile, authorities are probing the cause of another explosion that occurred at the plant on Sunday night. No casualties were reported in the latest blast and the ensuing fire was contained to the N86 magazine building. Last week, attorneys representing the families of workers who died in the 2018 blast sent a letter to the DEL to demand that the site's licence be reviewed, and the suspension of explosives licences issued to RDM. The letter claimed that the distance of the blenders on the site were not adequate to stop an explosion from damaging concrete walls. "The concrete walls are also too thin to shield employees from fragments should an explosion occur again," it maintained. The law firm said that should the DEL fail to suspend the licences, it will be reported to the SA Human Rights Commission. The firm said it would also ask the Office of the Public Protector to investigate alleged maladministration and misconduct in the awarding of explosives licences to RDM. On Friday, members of union federation Cosatu protested outside the factory, joining the call for the suspension of the explosives licences. Earlier this month, the second phase of the public inquiry into the 2018 blast wrapped up. A new date for the next round of hearings will still be announced. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Marvin Charles at News24 (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Police officer attending to vehicle accident scene near Bushbuckridge on Sunday, attacked and seriously wounded News24 reports that a police officer was shot and robbed of his firearm by five assailants while attending to an accident scene near Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, on Sunday. Police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the officers were notified of an accident after a car veered off the R40 and plunged into a river in Ga-Bereta at around 02:00 on Sunday. "While the officers were busy at the scene, a group of about five suspects emerged from the nearby bushes and indiscriminately fired shots at them. It is further reported that the suspects demanded firearms and bullet proofs [vests] from the members," she reported. The police constable suffered multiple gunshot wounds and is in a critical condition in hospital. The armed group took his service firearm, a cellphone and the keys to the state vehicle before fleeing on foot. Three other officers and an emergency services worker escaped unharmed. A manhunt for the suspects is underway. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Getrude Makhafola at News24 SABC news crew covering local elections attacked by mob in Limpopo, no injuries reported The Citizen reports that a SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) news crew covering the local government elections in Limpopo on Monday was attacked by angry residents at the Talana Hostel in Tzaneen. According to the public broadcaster, residents wearing African National Congress (ANC) clothing interrupted interviews and demanded that the SABC crew leave the area. The crew was accused of fuelling tension at the hostel. The SABC reported that the crew was able to leave the hostel unharmed. ANC provincial spokesperson Donald Selamolela reacted: “We really really regret the incident that happened in Talana outside Tzaneen. We have immediately commissioned an investigation because we are told that the people who committed this crime were wearing t-shirts of the ANC.” Selamolela called for calm in Limpopo and urged people to respect media freedom. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at The Citizen Cosatu president in car accident on Friday, no serious injuries News24 reports that the ANC's final rally ahead of the municipal elections was overshadowed by Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi being involved in a car accident. As a result she did not take part in the Siyanqoba rally held in Soweto on Friday. Addressing the moderate crowd at at Thokoza Park, ANC Head of Elections Fikile Mbalula said Losi had unfortunately been involved in an accident and would no longer be able to participate in the rally. The labour federation’s spokesperson Sizwe Pamla confirmed that Losi had been in a car crash. "Yes, she [Losi] was involved in an accident. She survived the accident and is only going to hospital for standard medical checkups," Pamla indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Juniour Khumalo at News24
Covid-19: Vaccine booster shots available soon for healthcare workers News24 reports that the rollout of Covid-19 booster shots for healthcare workers who received the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine will start this month. The nearly 500,000 healthcare workers who received the J&J vaccine earlier this year as part of the Sisonke study will receive an invitation by SMS on the cellphone number they used to enrol for the first part of the study, the SA Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the Department of Health indicated. They went on to say: "We are in the final stages of approvals from the regulators and ethics review committees, and vaccination will be open to all health workers, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, who received a first dose of the J&J vaccine as part of the Sisonke study.” Many countries are recommending booster shots for frontline workers, those with compromised immunity and the elderly. Government and the SAMRC said research showed that booster jabs increased protection, especially against symptomatic and severe disease. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Getrude Makhafola at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
SA mining deaths on the rise as safety deteriorates Bloomberg News reports that the Minerals Council SA (MCSA) has advised that the number of deaths in the mining sector rose to 55 between January and 28 October this year, from 43 in the same period last year. The rising fatalities meant that workers' safety was deteriorating for a second year in a row after 60 workers died in accidents last year, the council (previously called the Chamber of Mines) indicated. SA’s gold mines accounted for the highest number of fatalities during the period, followed by platinum mines. The sector recorded its lowest fatalities on record of 51 workers in 2019. "With the regression we are experiencing, we need to put a lot more focus on technology and modernisation to improve skills and mining methods to keep employees safe," said Kumba Iron Ore CEO Themba Mkhwanazi, who also chairs the group’s Zero Harm Leadership Forum. The mining industry employs more than 450,000 people. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Felix Njini at Fin24 Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Business rescue plan suggests that state likely to dump Mango, while almost 300 jobs to be cut The Citizen reports that state-owned budget airline Mango’s proposed business rescue (BR) plan was published on Friday afternoon. It outlines a restructuring plan for the airline or, as an alternative, liquidation of the asset. It looks, however, either way that the plan is to get rid of Mango and that the airline will be sold off, with buyers hopefully available for this to commence shortly after the adoption of the plan. In the plan it is stated that “in accordance with guidance obtained from the shareholder that Mango will not form part of the SAA group going forward, it is accordingly envisaged in this BR Plan that an investor that will acquire all of the shares in the Company will be required. The process to search for a suitable investor will commence shortly after the adoption of the BR Plan.” The planned sale of the airline will comprise two proposed phases. Other salient points in the plan include the resumption of operations by December this year, with a fleet of 3 aircraft to start. The plan alludes to Mango expanding on this fleet as aircraft become available from lessors to exercise some of the lucrative route rights that it holds. Mango intends to cull almost 300 jobs as it intends to grow to a fleet of eight aircraft, ultimately shrinking a headcount of 709 to 412 during the restructure process. Mango’s debt was noted at around R 2,8 bn in the plan. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Hein Kaiser at The Citizen
Soshanguve teacher who spanked Grade 10 female learner on her buttocks fired for sexual assault The Star reports that a teacher who spanked a Grade 10 learner on her buttocks has been axed, thanks to his victim’s no-nonsense stand that he should face the music for the sexual assault. Lucky Baloyi, a physical science teacher at Kgomotso Comprehensive High School in Soshanguve, Pretoria, learnt his fate last week. Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) arbitrator Monde Boyce found Baloyi guilty as charged and ruled that he should be summarily dismissed over the sexual assault that happened in April. He spanked the learner’s buttocks in the school’s laboratory. But had Learner A, as his victim was identified in Boyce’s ruling, listened to the advice of another teacher, Baloyi would have remained untouched. She reported the sexual abuse to a number of teachers. One of them advised her to write a letter to Baloyi and explain to him that she did not like what he did. Said Boyce: “She decided to report the incident to her parents. She was angered by what Mr Baloyi did because she did not expect that he would do such a thing to her as a learner. Baloyi was accordingly charged after Learner A told her father and her aunt. For his part, Baloyi sought to create an impression that Learner A was being used against him by two learners who testified and by teachers. Boyce shot this down: “After having heard evidence, it is my finding that this claim is far-fetched and could simply not be sustained. He concluded that the evidence before him proved Baloyi’s guilt on a balance of probabilities. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bongani Nkosi at The Star Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Electoral presiding officer in Limpopo fired by IEC fired after ballot box opened for voter who was unhappy with vote News24 reports that the Independent Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) has fired a presiding officer in Limpopo after he agreed with party agents to open a ballot box. Briefing the media at the results operations centre in Polokwane, IEC provincial electoral operations manager Itumeleng Seaneo said the ballot box was opened to assist a voter who felt he had not voted properly. Seaneo explained that despite an agreement with political party agents, the presiding officer grossly violated the rules, regulations, and laws that governed the election process. He said the ballot box was immediately quarantined to ensure its integrity. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Russel Molefe by News24. Read too, Special votes: IEC dismisses presiding officer 'under the influence of alcohol', at News24 Electoral presiding officer in eThekwini arrested for ballot box stuffing News24 reports that an electoral presiding officer in eThekwini was arrested for allegedly stuffing marked ballots into a ballot box. The Independent Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) said on Monday that the arrest was a "testament to the built-in safeguards of the voting process". The IEC advised in a statement: "The commission reports that a presiding officer in the eThekwini metro was arrested after allegedly stuffing marked ballots into a ballot box. The matter is now in the hands of the South African police. This incident, which did not affect voting, is a testament to the in-built safeguards in the voting process that also include an active role for party and independent candidate agents." Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Jan Gerber at News24 Road Traffic Infringement Agency fires suspended CEO over maladministration claims The Citizen reports that the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) has terminated the employment contract of its CEO and Registrar Japh Chuwe. RTIA spokesperson, Monde Mkalipi, said the dismissal took effect on 29 October. RTIA‘s board of directors made the decision on the basis of findings from a disciplinary process conducted as a result of investigations undertaken by an independent firm of forensic investigators. Chuwe had been on precautionary suspension since 5 February after allegations of maladministration surfaced. The allegations against Chuwe, and other senior officials, came from the Auditor-General of SA’s findings and several whistle-blower reports. Dalian Mabula, the Chief Director of Budgeting and Compliance, has been acting as the Registrar/CEO since 15 February and will continue to do so. According to IOL, Chuwe made headlines in 2017 when RTIA’s annual report revealed that his basic pay had increased by 93% from R1.8 million to R3.49 million. This massive salary hike came as the RTIA lost almost half its annual revenue because municipal authorities were not issuing as many traffic fines as before. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at The Citizen
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