In our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 21 January 2022.
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Tembisa deputy principal gunned down on Friday in her car in school driveway, shot again while trying to escape News24 reports that a 50-year-old deputy principal was gunned down in the driveway of her Tembisa high school on Friday afternoon. She was shot while driving out of the gate of the Phomolong Secondary School. Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said he was devastated by the murder of the 50-year-old deputy principal, whom he did not identify. Education department spokesperson Steve Mabona reported: "Three gunmen suddenly appeared and allegedly shot her three times through the passenger window. Subsequently, she got out of her car, trying to evade the hailstorm of bullets, but she fell just beside the car. One of the gunmen allegedly shot her twice while she was on the ground, and they fled the scene without taking anything from her." A police spokesperson could not indicate the motive for the murder, but indicated: "Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were three [people]... in a white vehicle." The Gauteng education department described the deputy principal as a hardworking, dedicated and committed teacher. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lisalee Solomons at News24. Read too, Deputy principal gunned down at Phomolong Secondary School in Tembisa, at EWN. En ook, Skool se adjunkhoof doodgeskiet, by Maroela Media After hijacking truck on N1 in Joburg on Friday, attackers kneecap driver to stop him from getting help News24 reports that a truck driver was shot and wounded following a hijacking on the N1 in Johannesburg on Friday. Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesperson Wayne Minnaar indicated that freeway patrol officers received a radio message of a truck driver who was injured on the N1 north close to the Malibongwe on-ramp. Minnaar reported further: "When officers arrived at the scene at N1 Malibongwe, they were informed by a truck driver that he was hijacked. When they (the suspects) dropped him off, they shot him in both legs so that he couldn't get help. The suspects then headed south and removed cameras which were fitted on the inside of the cab. This caused the truck to lose power and cut out. The truck's engine then cut out, forcing the hijackers to stop." The suspects then abandoned the truck and fled the scene. No arrests have yet been made. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Iavan Pijoos at News24 After yet another armed robbery, Gauteng health department condemns attacks on vaccination workers News24 reports that five Tshwane health workers were robbed at gunpoint at a pop-up vaccination site in Soshanguve on Friday. Gauteng police have launched a hunt for the five robbers, who made off with cash, vaccination programme gadgets, two digital tablets and five cellphones. A case of armed robbery has been opened at Rietgat police station. The health workers were at the busy pop-up vaccination site next to the Rivoningo Primary School at around 13:30 when they were attacked. In a statement on Sunday, the Gauteng health department condemned the incident and advised that the victims were members of the Pulse Health team, which offered support to the provincial health department. According to the department's statement, none of the team members were harmed and counselling would be provided. The incident came over a month after a mobile vaccination team was robbed at gunpoint at a pop-up vaccination site in Wonder City Taxi Rank in Soshanguve on 4 December 2021. The department called on community members to defend vaccination teams, saying the situation was getting out of hand. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Malibongwe Dayimani at News24. Read too, Another vaccination team robbed in Soshanguve, at The Citizen. En ook, Pretoria-inentingspanne beroof, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
World Bank approves R11.4bn loan to support SA’s Covid-19 recovery Moneyweb reports that the World Bank has approved SA’s request for a loan of $750 million (around R11.4 billion) as part of efforts to address the socio-economic impact of Covid-19 and bolster economic recovery. Dondo Mogajane, National Treasury director-general, said on Friday: “The World Bank budget support is coming at a critical time for us and will contribute towards addressing the financing gap stemming from additional spending in response to the Covid-19 crisis. It will assist in addressing the immediate challenge of financing critical health and social safety net programs whilst also continuing to develop our economic reform agenda to build back better.” On the African continent, SA has been the most drastically affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, recording over three million infections to date. Successive lockdowns saw many businesses shutting down and others implementing retrenchments which led to a record-high rate of unemployment. World Bank country director for SA, Marie Françoise Marie Nelly, said this loan would assist the government in turning the tide for the economy. “This support aims to put the country on a more resilient and inclusive growth path by leveraging South Africa’s strength to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 crisis through their strong social safety net and by advancing critical economic reforms,” Marie Nelly indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Palesa Mofokeng at Moneyweb. Read too, World Bank loan rewards SA for reform ‘breakthrough’, at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). And also, R11bn loan from World Bank a ‘theft risk’ in SA, warns expert, on page 4 of Saturday Citizen of 22 January 2022 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Labour unions back mass action over proposed retrenchments at dairy producer Clover EWN reports that several labour unions are standing in solidarity over proposed retrenchments at Clover. On Saturday, a number of unions held a mass rally in the Johannesburg city centre demanding that the dairy producer stop plans of further retrenchments and reinstate all workers. They also indicated that they wanted the company to be independent of the Israeli-owned Central Bottling Company that owns Clover through Milco SA. Clover workers have been on a nationwide strike for nine weeks. They have indicated that they would not stop their industrial action until their demands were met. The SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), together with the General Industries Workers Union of SA and the Food and Allied Workers Union, said restructuring would result in the closure of several factories and 20% wage cuts. Saftu is expected to hold a National Day of Action on Tuesday. Clover said the company was exploring all possible avenues to minimise retrenchments. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Veronica Mokhoali at EWN Clover claims that a Fidelity security guard was killed by striking workers on Saturday The Citizen reports that Clover Industries said it was “shocked and appalled” after a Fidelity security guard died while protecting a Clover delivery vehicle from striking workers in Olifantsfontein on Saturday. Clover said the guard, Tsephe Molatsi, was in an escort vehicle assigned to protect a Clover delivery vehicle from attack by striking workers. According to the dairy producer, a white bus loaded with striking workers intercepted the delivery truck. The company claims the workers then attacked the truck and the escort vehicle. While some of the striking workers allegedly threw bottles and rocks at the truck and security officers, others started looting the truck. The security officers responded by firing rubber bullets. It was during this chaos that Molatsi was reportedly shot in the head and repeatedly beaten. The striking workers then fled with Molatsi’s shotgun when metro police officers arrived at the scene. Clover spokesperson Steven Velthuysen commented: “This is not industrial action; this is murder. We already have one interdict granted against the unions to prevent violence, which they have ignored. We have now applied for another one against the unions and certain union officials, which will be heard on Monday.” Employees belonging to the General Industries Workers Union of SA (Giwusa) and the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) have been on strike at Clover since November over retrenchments. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at The Citizen Foreign truck drivers plan five-day stayaway from 31 January to 4 February over ‘assaults by locals’ BL Premium reports that as turf wars continue unabated in the road freight and logistics industry, an association representing foreign truck drivers has called for government intervention after assaults by locals whom they accuse of unlawfully confiscating their documents, including drivers’ permits. David Mfitshani, one of the leaders of the United Truck Drivers Association, said their members would be embarking on a five-day stayaway from 31 January to 4 February to raise awareness about increasing acts of violence on SA’s roads targeting foreign truck drivers. When violence in the trucking sector broke out in the past few years, local drivers accused foreigners of taking their jobs and criticised employers for preferring cheaper foreign drivers. The turf wars — which have cost the economy about R2bn — have claimed more than 200 lives and are threatening the survival of the crucial sector that employs more than 300,000 people. In November 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed a team of ministers including Fikile Mbalula (transport), Thulas Nxesi (employment & labour), and Aaron Motsoaledi (home affairs) to look into the torching of trucks on the country’s roads and submit a report to him. Mbalula’s spokesperson advised that the interministerial committee was led by Nxesi and referred questions to Nxesi’s spokesperson Sabelo Mali, who said: “The minister remains committed to the last resolutions of the recent meeting with truck drivers’ associations a few weeks ago. Key to the resolutions was the need for continuous dialogue, registration of truck drivers associations to [the] bargaining council and an immediate end to violence and victimisation.” On Friday, Mfitshani said “not enough is being done” by the government to bring about labour peace in the sector. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Two alleged illegal miners killed, two others arrested during stand-off in Boksburg on Friday News24 reports that two alleged illegal miners were killed and two others arrested in a stand-off with a private mining security company in Boksburg on Friday. The shooting between a group of alleged illegal miners started following a conflict over territorial boundaries. Two bystanders were injured after being caught in the crossfire. Two pistols were confiscated by the police. Meanwhile on Thursday, the case against 87 suspected illegal miners arrested after a deadly shootout with police in Orkney in the North Westin in October was transferred from the Orkney Magistrate's Court to the Regional Court in Stilfontein. The accused were arrested in Orkney following a shootout with law enforcement officers. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Cebelihle Mthethwa at News24 Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Cosatu president slams ANC’s inability to discipline Lindiwe Sisulu over her op-ed on the Constitution EWN reports that Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) President Zingiswa Losi has slammed the African National Congress (ANC) for its inability to reign in Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu for her opinion piece on the Constitution. Sisulu raised the ire of many, including the judiciary, with her recent opinion piece in which she levelled criticism against the Constitution, and black judges in particular. Losi, stopping short of mentioning Sisulu’s name, told the ANC lekgotla on Saturday that failure to discipline ANC deployments was feeding a culture of mediocrity within the alliance. The Cosatu president complained of being subjected to those who took an oath and swore to defend the country’s Constitution now rubbishing it in the media. She told the meeting that that was unacceptable and unbecoming behaviour from Cabinet ministers. Losi also criticised the ANC’s handling of the matter, adding that it was seen as promoting and rewarding those who showed ill-disciplined. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Veronica Mokhoali at EWN Unemployment is the real problem not employment of foreign nationals, says Fedhasa Business Report writes that according to Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (Fedhasa) chairperson Rosemary Anderson, if every foreign national in SA was removed, ”we would still have a severe unemployment problem. We need to look at the source of why we have such unacceptable levels of unemployment.” This was said after the political party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Gauteng confronted three restaurants in Menlyn Mall in Pretoria last week about the "employment ratio" between South Africans and foreign nationals in their establishments. The EFF said it wanted to establish the gap and later conceded that the restaurants were trying to hire South Africans. Anderson indicated last week that it was illegal for anyone to ask an establishment to furnish information about the staff unless they were certified officials or inspectors acting lawfully with sufficient reason. "In terms of the Popi Act and the Constitution, disclosing personal information is in contravention of South African law. Fedhasa and its members and the hospitality industry at large, are thus legally bound to not disclose the personal information of employees, including the nationality of staff, to anyone unless they are officials. If this information is disclosed to a person not legislatively entitled to it, the employer will be breaking the law of our land," she advised. Anderson said the reasons behind the high unemployment rate were corruption, crime, and the breakdown of the provision of bulk services such as electricity, water and sanitation, and roads. "So let’s all start looking at what is causing unemployment and work towards sustainable solutions of the problems, instead of trying to put band-aids on symptoms and not the causes," she said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Dieketseng Maleke at Business Report. Read too, Juju’s demands ‘illegal’ on page 7 of Saturday Citizen of 22 January 2022. And also, Security, hospitality sectors & farms could soon get a visit from Malema over not hiring locals, at TimesLive
ANCWL in the North West insists suspensions of provincial leaders over alleged fraud are lawful News24 reports that the ANC Women's League in the North West insists its provincial leaders are indeed suspended, notwithstanding a media statement issued on Thursday which claimed that the suspensions were not lawful. The league's provincial executive committee (PEC) placed its chairperson Fetsang Molosiwa, former provincial secretary Briget Tlhomelang and treasurer Manketse Tlhape on suspension last week. The three allegedly conspired to defraud the league by accessing the league's bank accounts without approval. Thursday’s statement issued by Molosiwa claimed that only the league's national executive committee had the authority to suspend leaders, not the PEC. On Friday, the league's acting provincial secretary, Bitsa Lenkopane, said the trio's suspension remained in place while a PEC investigation was underway. She stated: "The suspension requirements are very clear that you can no longer attend meetings, and your powers are withdrawn. They have also been served with another letter to warn them to refrain from creating confusion in public. You cannot be suspended and issue a statement. Even if you question your suspension, there are processes to raise the issue." The three suspended officials are expected to face disciplinary hearings before the league's PEC. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zintle Mahlati at News24
Gauteng Hawks arrest Absa employee who allegedly defrauded bank of over R100m EWN reports that the Hawks in Gauteng have arrested an Absa specialist engineer who allegedly fraudulently transferred over R100 million into six different bank accounts in numerous transactions. The fraudulent transfers allegedly took place between September and December last year. The suspect, Xolela Masebeni, was traced and arrested in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday. The Hawk's Ndivhuwo Mulamu reported that Masebeni was charged with theft and appeared in court the following day. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Veronica Mokhoali at EWN. Lees ook, Absa-hoë verdink van R103 miljoen se diefstal, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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