In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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Peaceful Kirkwood march turned into deadly, costly stand-off after farmers failed to show up to accept memorandum News24 reports that the unrest in Kirkwood in the Eastern Cape that resulted in the death of a farmworker and caused an estimated R70 million in infrastructure damages, started as a peaceful march that turned violent. This after farmers angered the marchers by failing to show up on 20 April to accept a memorandum of demands. That is according to Sundays River Valley Municipality manager Sydney Fadi. The municipality granted permission for a peaceful march to the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) and residents on the eve of Good Friday. The primary demand was for the 200 farmers in the valley to hike the R23.19 an hour wages to R30 and to cap the employment of foreign nationals and people from other parts of SA at 30%. At the march, Mayor Simphiwe Rune and the local police chief were present to sign and accept the wide-ranging petition, but the farmers were absent. “Things took a turn for the worse during the presentation of the petition. The absence of the farmers created an untenable situation, which led to the violence… What followed the march was an escalation of something unmanageable,” claimed Fadi. On Monday, as the protests entered another week, Benito Moses died in hospital after he was allegedly shot at close range by private security guards hired by valley farmers. In the week-long protest, a farmhouse, orchards, storage facilities with fruit, vehicles, water pipelines and equipment were burnt or vandalised. Police opened 38 cases over the past week, ranging from public violence and malicious damage to property to assault and murder. Earlier this week, the High Court in Gqeberha granted the farmers an interdict preventing further protests. The situation had reportedly died down in the area on Thursday. HeraldLIVE reported that protesters and farmers had reached a 14-day ceasefire deal to find a solution. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Malibongwe Dayimani at News24 (subscriber access only). Lees ook, TLU eis ingryping ná Sondagsriviervallei-oproer, by Maroela Media
Covid-19 update: 4,146 new cases reported in SA in past 24 hours The Citizen reports that according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), which is a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, South Africa identified 4,146 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours. This increase represents a 18.3% positivity rate. The majority of new cases were from Gauteng (53%), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (23%). Western Cape accounted for 11%; Free State accounted for 4%; Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and North West each accounted for 2%; and Limpopo and Northern Cape each accounted for 1% of the new cases. Four deaths that occurred in the past 24 to 48 hours have also been reported, bringing the total fatalities to 100,355 to date. There has been an increase of 64 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at The Citizen. Read too, More people testing for Covid-19 as cases rise, says NICD, at EWN
No strikes allowed for many workers in drugmaking sector after determination by essential services committee BL Premium reports that in a far-reaching move that has caught organised labour on the back foot, a government agency has declared the production and distribution of a wide array of pharmaceutical products to be an essential service and prohibited workers in the sector from going on strike. The essential services committee, a statutory body established in terms of the Labour Relations Act, launched an investigation into the pharmaceutical sector in 2021. In a decision handed down on 14 April, it ruled that the manufacturing, supply and distribution of vaccines, biologicals, anaesthetics, HIV medication, immunosuppressants, Covid-19-related products, antibiotics and chronic medication should be designated an essential service. The committee said it received submissions from several pharmaceutical industry players and others, but got no response to its request for input from organised labour. Two unions representing workers in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, namely Giwusa and Ceppwawu, expressed shock at the committee’s finding, and said they were considering a challenge to the decision. Labour federation Cosatu also expressed unhappiness with the decision, saying it was concerned about the growing number of employers seeking to have their workforce categorised as providing essential services. “We think it is often a shortcut by employers who don’t want to resolve workplace grievances in a collective bargaining forum and want to tie workers hands behinds their backs,” said Cosatu parliamentary spokesperson Matthew Parks. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tamar Kahn at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Mining bosses rake in hundreds of millions in wake of commodities boom Moneyweb reports that two announcements from JSE-listed mining companies in the last week have revealed how just four executive directors – two CEOs, a CFO and a COO – will receive in excess of R700 million in guaranteed compensation for last year and this year. Almost half of this figure – or an astonishing R300.3 million – was the total remuneration for Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman for last year. The bulk of this (R264 million) was in the form of conditional share awards made to the gold, platinum and lithium miner’s top employee. Excluding all of these, Froneman’s total single figure remuneration for the year was R291.6 million. By comparison, his total package was ‘just’ R62.7 million in 2020 (which included R21.3 million in conditional share awards). CFO of Sibanye-Stillwater Charl Keyter had remuneration totalling R147.2 million last year. A full 87% of this comprised conditional share awards (R128 million). Keyter had total remuneration of R30.9 million in 2020. Meantime, Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat), which is the subject of a bidding war between Impala Platinum (Implats) and Northam Platinum, announced it had managed to secure the services of retiring CEO Steve Phiri for a further 12 months on a fixed-term contract to ensure “organisational stability. COO Neil Carr also retired on 7 April at the AGM and has been retained on the same basis as Phiri. Phiri and Carr were paid R25.25 million and R16.48 million respectively last year. They will almost certainly receive a similar or higher amount for 2022, as well as up to R180 million in accelerated vested shares. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Moneyweb Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Solidarity gives Yes4Youth until Friday to open opportunities to all races Solidarity reports that it has given Yes4Youth until Friday, 29 April to open its job creation programme to all races, failing which the trade union will take Yes4Youth to court. Solidarity’s letter in this regard follows after it was revealed earlier this year that Yes4Youth and other companies that formed part of the project still excluded white unemployed youth from the programme despite an agreement in 2019 between Solidarity and Yes4Youth that the programme would be opened to all races. According to Solidarity, excluding white unemployed youth from the programme was not morally or legally justifiable. Condemning an absolute race-based approach to addressing poverty and unemployment, Connie Mulder, Solidarity’s national spokesperson, indicated: “The message conveyed to the white unemployed youth of South Africa is essentially a denial of their unemployment or poverty, as well as the realities they face in South Africa. A healthy approach to addressing unemployment is to apply a class-based approach rather than a strict racial approach.” Solidarity argued that the discriminatory approach Yes4Youth was currently following was in conflict with various South African laws, including the Constitution, as well as SA’s international obligations and also the principles as proclaimed by the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Read the full original of Solidarity’s press statement on this matter at Solidarity News. Lees ook, Omstrede Yes4Youth-program weer in Solidariteit se vizier, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Moshoeshoe Monare appointed SABC group executive of news and current affairs BusinessLive reports that the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) announced on Thursday that veteran journalist and Arena Holdings MD for operations and corporate services, Moshoeshoe Monare, has been appointed as the public broadcaster’s group executive for news and current affairs. Arena Holdings owns various publications including the Sunday Times, Business Day, Sowetan, Daily Dispatch and Financial Mail. Monare, who will start in his new role at the public broadcaster on 1 June, replaces Phathiswa Magopeni, who was fired in January after a disciplinary hearing found her guilty of misconduct for failing to prevent the broadcast, airing and publication of an interdicted episode of Special Assignment, an investigative news programme. Monare’s experience in the media industry spans nearly three decades. He holds a national diploma in journalism from Tshwane University of Technology, a BA honours degree and a postgraduate diploma in journalism from Wits University. He also holds an LLB degree from Unisa and a management advancement programme from Wits Business School. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive
SAA interim CEO Thomas Kgokolo to leave airline by end of April Fin24 reports that the interim CEO of South African Airways (SAA), Thomas Kgokolo, is to leave the airline at the end of April 2022. Kgokolo was appointed in April last year on an interim basis when SAA exited business rescue. John Lamola will assume the role of the executive chair as well as CEO with effect from 1 May 2022. "Since exiting business rescue in April 2021 SAA has made significant strides in improving revenue and reopening services both locally and regionally and is now fully focused on its transition to control by its envisaged majority shareholder, Takatso Consortium, which will take a 51% stake in SAA later in the year," SAA said in a statement on Thursday evening. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Carin Smith at Fin24
New data shows average salaries are declining in SA, but more people are getting paid Business Insider SA reports that the latest data from payments clearing house BankServAfricaAfrica shows that although more people are getting paid salaries in SA, the country's average take-home pay is declining. The average take-home pay in March fell 5.6% to R14,969 from R15,121 in February and was one of the biggest falls on record. Compared to a year ago, March average pay was also 0.3% down. The drop in salaries comes at a time when SA consumers are financially stretched and are left to contend with rising food and transport costs, the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, and an overall slow economy. BankServAfrica pointed out that although salaries were dwindling, they hid the fact that more people were receiving salaries than last year. The clearing house indicated that the SA economy was seeing casual and weekly workers in mostly the tourism and entertainment industry returning to work with the easing of the national state of disaster. It said that most companies were also hiring people who sat at the lower end of the salary scale. The total number of people paid not only exceeded 2020 numbers, but was also returning close to levels last seen in 2019, noted well-known economist Mike Schüssler. Read the full original of the report in the above regard compiled by Ntando Thukwana at Business Insider SA
Government workers still cashing in on R200m a month in grants, despite some likely to be fleecing the state News24 reports that the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) stopped paying social grants to over 177,000 state employees in September, but then reinstated the payments which amount to more than R200 million per month. In September last year, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu revealed in response to a parliamentary question that in July 2021 some 177,108 social grants amounting to R200,787,648 were received by employees of national and provincial government departments who also received some form of remuneration from the state. In response to a follow-up question published this week, Zulu said payments to state employees were suspended, but then reinstated. She explained as follows: “Payment of the identified grants was suspended on 10 September 2021. However, all were reinstated, after having discovered that many of the suspended grants were being received by interns and contract workers, who may qualify to continue receiving these grants. The reinstatement was done in order to afford the review process to be done according to the prescripts of the regulations of the Social Assistance Act, 2004." This means that around R200 million per month is again being paid to state employees, even though many are not deserving of these payments. Zulu went on to indicate: "If any public servant is found to have received a grant that he/she is not entitled to, following the review process, further action will be implemented, which will include recovery of the amounts overpaid, as well as an official report to the department that employs them for disciplinary action to be taken by the respective department." Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jan Gerber at News24 (subscriber access only)
Acting Joburg city manager Floyd Brink placed on special leave while investigator probes misconduct claims News24 reports that the City of Johannesburg's acting city manager Floyd Brink has been placed on special leave following allegations of misconduct and flouting of procurement processes in the acquisition of portable handheld communication devices and CCTV equipment for the Public Safety Department. The deals were worth R320 million. Recently, Brink revoked the City's anti-corruption unit head Shadrack Sibiya's powers to investigate corruption and wrongdoing, but Mayor Mpho Phalatse ordered that Sibiya's powers be reinstated. In a statement on Tuesday, Phalatse said Brink's suspension was aimed at giving an independent investigator time to get to the bottom of the allegations. While Brink is on leave, Christiaan "Tiaan" Ehlers has been appointed as the acting city manager. Phalatse said they were working hard to appoint a permanent city manager. "The appointment of a permanent city manager is of critical importance to the multiparty government and our priority of building a well-run city. In the interest of service delivery and the residents, we are working to conclude the process of appointing a permanent and capable woman or man as city manager," Phalatse indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tebogo Monama at News24
City of Cape Town gets Treasury’s green light for feasibility study into managing railway service Cape Argus reports that the City of Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Directorate has received the go-ahead to conduct a detailed feasibility study on the metropolitan rail function. Speaking during a council meeting held on Thursday, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis disclosed that the national government, through Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, had shown support for the devolution of the metropolitan rail function to the City. “I am very pleased to announce here today that the City of Cape Town is now ready to proceed with a detailed feasibility study for the devolution of the metropolitan rail function to this metro,” Hill-Lewis stated. The City has already issued a tender for the study, and work is expected to begin as soon as July this year Hill-Lewis went on to note that the national government’s rail service had reached a crisis point in Cape Town, with just 33 operational train sets in 2020 compared to 95 train sets in 1995. In response to the announcement, DA Interim Provincial Leader Tertuis Simmers said that the party was delighted with the news of the study and was looking forward to the work that would soon begin to get trains in Cape Town up and running again. When asked for comment, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) said since this was a policy issue it would will leave it up to the national Transport Department to comment. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nomalanga Tshuma at Cape Argus. Read too, Cape Town says its bid to take rail management from Prasa just got a big boost, at Fin24. As well as, Godongwana backs Cape Town study into running city’s trains, at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Sandton ‘Pause Lounge’ launched for use of taxi drivers during off-peak times Engineering News reports that on Thursday a ‘Pause Lounge’ was launched at the JR005 taxi rank in Sandton to provide taxi drivers at off-peak times after the morning rush with a place to rest, relax and pass time while they wait for the afternoon or evening peak times. Outfitted with a pool table, foosball and table tennis table, and an arcade machine, the Pause Lounge also provides taxi rank entrepreneurs and traders the opportunity to increase trade as the lounge will be frequented by taxi drivers. The project – implemented by the Eastern Taxi Liaison Committee and supported by a donation of R86,000 from SA Taxi Foundation – is expected to boost funding in the taxi industry as drivers will be expected to pay a fee to enter the lounge and use the equipment there. SA Taxi group communications executive Maroba Maduma said the organisation was always keen to take part in such initiatives that give back to the industry and community. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at Engineering News
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