In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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Major fuel price hikes to kick in on Wednesday TimesLive reports that motorists will be hit with major fuel price hikes on Wednesday, with petrol going up 53c/l and diesel by up to 80c. Illuminating paraffin will rise by 101c/l. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy reported that increased crude oil prices and a negative slate levy balance of R3.49bn necessitated the price hikes. The 53c price increase applies to both grades of petrol, with 93 unleaded rising to R19.89/l and 95 unleaded increasing to R20.14/l in Gauteng. In Gauteng the wholesale price of high 500 ppm diesel rises to R18.05, while 50 ppm low-sulphur diesel increases to R18.07. Illuminating paraffin will be R11.98/l from Wednesday. Fuel prices, which are changed on the first Wednesday of every month, peaked in December when petrol hit more than R20 for the first time. Motorists received a short-lived reprieve in January when petrol dropped up to 71c and diesel up to 69.80c/l. When the new prices take hold at midnight on Tuesday, petrol will be more than 28% higher and diesel around 33% higher compared to February 2021. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Denis Droppa at TimesLive Fuel price increase to put more pressure on inflation rate The Citizen reports that according to economists, Wednesday’s fuel price increases will put more pressure on the inflation rate. Low-income consumers will bear the brunt of the increases as they will pay more for transport, as well as R1.01 per litre more for illuminating paraffin for cooking the little food they can afford. From Wednesday, 95 octane petrol inland will cost R20.14/l with the same fuel costing R19.42/l at the coast. Prof. Jannie Rossouw of the Wits Business School hopes the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy did not make a mistake again with calculating the new price like it happened at the beginning of December last year when an extra 6 cents were added. However, it is difficult to check currently because the department does not share the information on its calculations anymore. Rossouw said the new increases would definitely put upwards pressure on the inflation rate and the question now was what government would do about the fuel levy in the budget later this month. Layton Beard of the Automobile Association commented that the large increase in the price of illuminating paraffin in particular would hit poor people hard, as many of them relied on this fuel for lighting, heating and cooking. Economist Mike Schűssler said he expected the higher diesel price to have a huge impact on prices as everything has to be transported by road as the rail system was not working. He expects the higher fuel price to push inflation over the 6% threshold of the Reserve Bank, which will in turn mean more repo rate increases. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ina Opperman at The Citizen
In second recent incident, City of Cape Town sewer staff hijacked, robbed at gunpoint in Philippi East News24 reports that two City of Cape Town staff members were held at gunpoint, hijacked and robbed while working in Philippi East on Sunday – months after a similar experience in the same area. The staff members work for the City's sewer depot, according to Mayco member for water and waste, Zahid Badroodien. A double cab bakkie along with all the staff members’ belongings, including cellphones, wallets and anything valuable they had with them, were stolen. “Our staff are extremely traumatised and had to call the senior superintendent to pick them up to take them to the Philippi police station," Badroodien said. The same team was held up by six armed men a few months ago in the same area. Badroodien indicated: “The City will not put the lives of our staff at risk by allowing them to go into well-known hotspot communities. If there is no law enforcement or protection services accompaniment, our staff will not respond to service requests as for them to do so puts their life at risk.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nicole McCain at News24 Teachers say schools are no longer safe Sunday Independent writes that teachers’ unions say their members feel under siege from communities who expect them to perform miracles and ensure that unqualified pupils pass and are promoted to the next grade. This came after a deputy principal at Phomolong Secondary School, Thembisile Ngendane, was shot and killed, allegedly by a pupil, while sitting in her car outside the school gate on 21 January. Preliminary investigations by the police have revealed that three gunmen driving in a white vehicle shot Ngendane through the passenger window. National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA (Naptosa) executive director Manuel Basil said there was a mind-shift in society as a whole, where teachers were expected to pass failed pupils or that they should not take corrective measures against pupils who failed to do their school work but expected to pass. “Society has changed and the expectations of teachers are more, but also the respect for teachers is less,” said Basil. He commented that incidents where teachers have been forced into a physical scuffle with a pupil showed deliberate targeting of teachers. SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) spokesperson Numusa Cembi said the union had noted a pattern of attacks in schools and “one can deduce that schools are being targeted”. The union has been engaging the department of education about upgrading security in schools. Teachers are said to fear for their safety as schools become more violent. According to education activist Hendrick Makaneta, the situation is so bad that many of our teachers have given up on instilling discipline properly. National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) general-secretary Matakanye Matakanye reported that the body has since 2018 been urging Minister Angie Motshekga to call for a national school safety summit. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tshepiso Tshabalala, Manyane Manyane and Roland Mpofu at Sunday Independent. Read too, Teachers ‘abandon’ instilling discipline, on page 9 of Sunday Independent of 30 January 2022
As Covid-19 rules are eased, SA scraps isolation for cases with no symptoms BusinessLive reports that along with several new measures put in place as part of adjusted alert level 1 regulations, the Presidency announced on Monday night that people who test positive for Covid-19 without symptoms no longer have to isolate. The new measures follow meetings of the national coronavirus command council and the president’s co-ordinating council. The isolation period for those with symptoms has been cut by three days and the country will also return to full-time‚ non-rotational schooling. “The rationale for these amendments is informed by the proportion of people with immunity to Covid-19 which has risen substantially, exceeding 60%-80% in several sero-surveys,” the Presidency’s statement indicated. The new rules were “based on the trajectory of the pandemic and the levels of vaccination in the country”‚ the statement indicated. Moreover, it advised that according to the health department‚ the country has officially ended the fourth wave of coronavirus infection. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at BusinessLive. Read too, Cabinet approves changes to level 1 Covid-19 regulations, at The Citizen Arena Holdings, publisher of Business Day and Sunday Times, makes Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for all staff BusinessLive reports that Arena Holdings, publisher of titles such as Business Day and the Sunday Times, indicated in a memo to staff on Monday that it would be making Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for all its employees and contractors. The policy, which will be effective from the beginning of March, will require staff without a vaccination certificate to show negative PCR tests, undertaken at their own cost, weekly. Arena, which employs about 850 people, joins a host of companies that have taken a firm stance on inoculations. “In terms of its health and safety obligations, the company must endeavour to eliminate, or, if that is not possible, minimise, as far as reasonably practicable, the risk of exposure to infection from Covid-19 in the workplace,” Arena explained. Health and life insurer Discovery in 2021 became the first listed company in SA to institute a mandatory vaccination policy, a move that it later credited with boosting take-up among staff from barely a fifth to 94% in a period of three months. It was followed by a host of companies, including hospital groups Mediclinic and Life Healthcare, as well as insurers Sanlam and Old Mutual. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
RFA says foreign truck drivers' strike this week will have minimal impact, but some businesses could be hit hard EWN reports that the Road Freight Association (RFA) on Sunday said that although the planned stay-away by foreign truck drivers this week would likely have a minimal impact on the industry, some businesses could be hit hard. The foreign drivers plan to pull up their handbrakes this week to protest against continued attacks by locals who want them to be replaced by South Africans. The RFA’s CEO Gavin Kelly said that although they were not formally informed about the planned industrial action, they were concerned about the potential risks it presented. The SADC Crossborder Drivers Association and other similar groupings do not form part of collective bargaining structures in the industry, which means they have less bargaining power. However, the organisations have been mobilising for action through social media over the past week. Kelly said that some businesses would be affected: “That money is lost; that day or three days of potential revenue is lost and you never make it up. You always try to make it up but you never do.” He also expressed concern about the security of the drivers who could prove to be easy targets for people with anti-foreign labour sentiments. Dozens of people have already been killed in the long-running dispute over driver jobs in the trucking industry. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Theto Mahlakoana at EWN
Commission recommends that domestic workers’ minimum wage be raised to that of other workers Mail and Guardian reports that the National Minimum Wage Commission has recognised that the minimum wage for domestic workers should be increased to be at the same level as that of all other workers. Domestic workers include gardeners, drivers and people who look after children, the aged, sick, frail and disabled in a private household and, of course, house workers. Domestic workers’ minimum wage was, under the National Minimum Wage Act of 2018, set at 75% of the national minimum wage and was increased to 88% in 2021. In 2021, the minimum wage for domestic workers was R19.09 an hour while for everyone else it was R21.69. This is a 12% difference. In early January, the Department of Employment and Labour announced that a majority of commissioners recommended the national minimum wage should be increased by one percentage point above inflation, which would take the 2022 rate to R23 an hour, up from R21.69. The commission also recommended that, in 2022, the minimum wage for domestic workers should be increased to be in line with the national minimum wage of all workers. The updated minimum wage for domestic workers is expected to be published in the coming months after the commission takes inputs and recommendations on minimum wage adjustments. The proposed 2022 minimum wage of R23 an hour equates to R3,680 for eight hours of work for a five-day week. Nontobeko Mdhluli, the owner of placement agency Nanny Maids SA, said the new minimum wage was reasonable. Florence Sosiba, a domestic worker and president of the SA Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union, commented that if the minimum wage was increased to that of other workers, they would feel recognised. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Anathi Madubela at Mail & Guardian
Commercial crimes court convicts former Prasa engineering head over fake qualifications TimesLive reports that the Johannesburg commercial crimes court on Monday convicted former Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) head of engineering services, Daniel Mthimkhulu, of fraud for faking his academic qualifications to earn a bigger salary. Mthimkhulu was convicted on three of the nine counts of fraud he was charged with for claiming to have acquired a master’s degree from the University of the Witwatersrand and a doctorate in engineering management from the Technische Universitat Munchen in Germany. As a result of this misrepresentation, Mthimkhulu’s annual salary went from R1.6m as executive manager to R2.8m for heading the engineering services. “In June 2010, he lied to Prasa about a job offer from a German engineering firm for a position as an engineering services specialist at a salary of R2.8m per annum. Consequently, Prasa made Mthimkhulu a counter-offer in September 2010 at a salary of R2.8m,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane indicated. The state argued that Prasa had suffered prejudice as it was made to employ and keep Mthimkhulu in its employment under a false and fraudulent profile. The state asked the court to reject his version that his CV had been manipulated by a third party. Sentencing proceedings will be held on 24 February. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nomahlubi Sonjica at BusinessLive. Lees ook, Oud-Prasa-hoof skuldig aan bedrog, by Maroela Media
High Court dismisses former CEO Peter Moyo’s R250m claim against Old Mutual BL Premium reports that Old Mutual has succeeded in having the R250m damages claim lodged against it by former CEO Peter Moyo thrown out with costs, due to a lack of evidence that it had done anything wrong. On Monday, Judge Gregory Wright, absolved the insurer of Moyo’s contractual and delictual claims against it and certain directors including former finance minister Trevor Manuel. Wright’s ruling came after he adjourned Moyo’s damages case last week due to Old Mutual applying for “absolution from the instance” — a legal request to be released from a particular case — on the grounds that Moyo’s case was fatally flawed due to a lack of evidence. Monday’s decision in favour of Old Mutual means Moyo’s almost three-year litigation battle against the insurer now lies in tatters. He also faces a hefty legal bill after a string of court losses against the company. Although Moyo abandoned his attempt to be reinstated as CEO of Old Mutual last week, he persisted with his damages claim: R230m for alleged wrongful suspension without a hearing; wrongful termination of employment; and alleged victimisation for making protected disclosures about Manuel, who is Old Mutual’s chair. He also wanted another R20m in damages for violations to his dignity over allegations Old Mutual had made racial, xenophobic and Afrophobic slurs against him due to his Zimbabwean origins. The spat between Moyo and Old Mutual stems from an apparent conflict of interest related to NMT Capital, the investment firm he helped found and in which Old Mutual was a 20% shareholder. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Garth Theunissen at BusinessLive. And also, High court dismisses Peter Moyo’s R250m claim, at Moneyweb
Public Protector finds that Putco’s Gauteng monopoly was irregularly implemented TimesLive reports that the Putco bus company has been enjoying a monopoly in Gauteng for more than 20 years, as its contract with the provincial roads and transport department was continuously extended without a competitive bidding process taking place. This was the finding Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane made after an investigation conducted into allegations that Putco was the sole contractor doing business with the government in the province. The investigation into the Putco contract stemed from a complaint from Sam Masango, who was acting on behalf of the Moloto Corridor Concerned Residents (MCCR). MCCR complained that Putco faced no competition, restricted other service providers from entering the market and doing business with the government, and enjoyed the power of setting its prices for services rendered on behalf of the government. “We found that the allegation that the Gauteng department of roads and transport (GDRT) irregularly implemented the contract is substantiated,” Mkhwebane said. She reported that her investigation revealed that the original 136-week contract which was awarded to Putco in 1997 had been continuously extended. Mkhwebane directed the roads and transport MEC to take note of the final report and monitor compliance regarding contract management, procurement of goods and services and extension of contracts “to ensure that services are procured through a competitive bidding process to ensure continuous service delivery to the passengers.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nomahlubi Sonjica at TimesLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Famous Brands executive Andre Piehl killed by motorist while cycling on Saturday morning Moneyweb reports that Andre Piehl (52), operations executive within the leading brands portfolio of Famous Brands, died on 29 January after being hit by a car while on his way back from a cycling training session. The group – which owns fast food brands Steers, Fishaways and Debonairs – confirmed the news of his passing in a company newsletter. The SA Police Service (Saps) confirmed on Monday that a 30-year-old male had been arrested at the weekend. A culpable homicide case was opened at the Diepsloot Police Station after the suspect allegedly hit two cyclists. According to the Joburg Metro Police Department, the second cyclist was airlifted to hospital and is in a critical condition. The suspect, who was driving a white Porsche Cayenne SUV, is alleged to have been driving under the influence of alcohol when he hit the two cyclists. The suspect was due to appear at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, but the matter was not placed on the court roll. The National Prosecuting Authority will provide a report on Tuesday as to why the suspect did not appear in court as planned. Piehl had been with Famous Brands for almost 15 years and held various managerial and executive roles across several of the group’s brands. He received several accolades for his work. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Akhona Matshoba at Moneyweb
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