In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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SA's unemployment statistics could be inaccurate, warn experts Fin24 reports that the head of the Statistics Council, the advisory board to Statistics SA, has raised the alarm on the quality of SA’s employment statistics, saying the poor response rate must be reversed if the numbers are to be worth anything. The last Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the fourth quarter of last year revealed, on the narrow definition, that 35.3% of adults were unemployed. This was a record high since the survey began in 2008. But, several economists have questioned the numbers, arguing that the survey did not provide an accurate picture of the country. Of the sample of 30,000 households, the response rate hit a record low, with only 44.6% of the sample participating in the survey. In Gauteng, only 23% of respondents replied, with the response rate in the city of Johannesburg at 17.9%. The response rate led to a delay in the publication of the results and some results – such as those for the metros – were excluded from publication. The chairperson of the council, Wits professor David Everatt, said on Wednesday that he had called an urgent meeting of the council. "The QLFS was a big wake-up call. When the response rate was that low, we realised that we had to move," said Everatt. He indicated that two causes were immediately evident: The first was the switch from an in-person household survey to a telephone survey when Covid-19 struck in March 2020. The second was the growing evidence of a lack of trust between government and citizens, who had made it clear to field workers that they did not want to talk Stats SA staff. Economist Neva Makgetla said the numbers coming out of the QLFS have become difficult to believe, in the light of its divergence from SA’s other employment survey the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES). The next publication of the QLFS, which was for the first quarter of 2022 and mostly done by telephone, is due out on 31 May. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carol Paton at Fin24 (subscriber access only)
Long-distance coach industry again calls on ‘silent’ Ramaphosa, Cele, Mbalula to respond to violent attacks on coaches The Star reports that the long-distance coach industry has again called on President Cyril Ramaphosa, Police Minister Bheki Cele and Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula to respond to the crisis of unprecedented levels of violence in the long-distance coach industry. “There has not been a single word uttered by President Cyril Ramaphosa despite us having written to him pleading for urgent intervention, or the Minister of Police or Minister of Transport about the ongoing attacks and intimidation directed at Intercape and the long-distance coach industry,” said Intercape chief executive Johann Ferreira. According to Intercape, there have been over 150 recorded violent incidents in the long-distance coach industry in the last 13 months. The attacks have mainly centred around key towns and routes in the Eastern Cape, but attacks have also been seen in the Cape Metropole and Gauteng. Recently, on 28 and 29 April, Intercape buses came under attack, all in Gauteng, leaving two people injured, including a customer. Ferreira further questioned how local police could simply stand by and let “thugs” act as a law unto themselves and added that it was as if the government did not care or was afraid to act against such “lawless elements.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Chulumanco Mahamba at The Star
AfriForum, DearSA go to court to challenge extended Covid-19 regulations TimesLive reports that civil rights organisation AfriForum and the public participation platform DearSA have launched a court application challenging government’s regulations for managing Covid-19 after the end of the state of disaster. In the application filed on Monday, the organisations asked the High Court in Pretoria to review and set aside the decision of the Minister of Health to publish regulations relating to the surveillance and control of notifiable medical conditions, which were gazetted on 4 May. The organisations also want the court to declare the regulations to be inconsistent with the constitution and invalid. AfriForum said it and DearSA also questioned the validity of the public participation process followed by the department before the regulations were implemented. The two organisations said they submitted more than 310,000 public comments combined. “AfriForum will fight these regulations in the highest courts, if necessary, to ensure that citizens’ rights are fully restored. Citizens are fed up with government’s constant encroachment on their personal freedoms,” AfriForum’s Jacques Broodryk said. The Minister of Health has been given until 17 May to indicate whether he intends to oppose the application. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at BusinessLive New Covid-19 variant is spreading faster than expected, health expert warns as fifth wave begins IOL reports that as Covid-19 cases continue to rise steadily in the country and the fifth wave has begun, a health expert at UKZN warns that the new variant is spreading faster than Omicron. On Sunday, the country recorded a 25% positivity rate in infections, with more than 50% of the 5,486 cases having been recorded in Gauteng. Dr Ozayr Mahomed, a public health medicine specialist at UKZN, said citizens should brace for high number of infections as the fifth wave of Covid-19 had started. “According to Professor Abdul Karrim, the fifth wave will be driven a new variant, Pi, that will spread faster than Omicron and infect more people quicker. We are also faced with the impending influenza season that will superimpose on this wave,” Mahomed said. He added that although vaccinations would not completely prevent disease, they would reduce severe disease and remained the best ammunition. SA has vaccinated only 45% of its entire adult population of 39.7 million people. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jolene Marriah-Maharaj at IOL Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Four miners killed in infrastructure related incident on 7 May at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu mine BL Premium reports that Harmony Gold announced on Monday that four miners died in an infrastructure maintenance-related incident at its Kusasalethu mine, near Carletonville in Gauteng, at the weekend. Harmony Gold spokesperson Sihle Maake reported that six employees were cleaning an underground mud dam and repairing a mud pipe as part of safety work on Saturday afternoon when the mud wall fell onto the workers. Two of the six employees escaped unharmed. Harmony Gold suspended operations at the mine, which produced 8% of its gold in 2021, on Monday. Production will resume on Tuesday. The affected area has been closed for an on-site investigation, which will include the two miners who survived, Harmony Gold, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and trade unions. The four fatalities means 13 Harmony Gold employees have died in the 2022 financial year end-June. This is the same as in 2018 and the fourth highest in the last decade. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nico Gous at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). See too, Four miners killed in incident at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu mine, at Miningmx Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Eskom’s group executive for generation quits Fin24 reports that state-owned power utility Eskom announced on Monday the resignation of its group executive for generation, Philip Dukashe, with "great regret". Dukashe, who has been with Eskom for 26 years, will step down on 31 May. The utility said Dukashe cited a "critical need" for more balance in his health, family and work responsibilities, which he had noted in his resignation letter and during talks with Eskom executives. General manager Rhulani Mathebula – who has also previously acted as group executive for generation – will step into Dukashe's role while Eskom recruits a replacement. In a statement, Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said the utility "saluted" Dukashe for "selfless leadership, integrity and excellence". In his weekly newsletter on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the unbundling of Eskom was on track and expressed optimism that by December 2022, the unbundling of Eskom’s generation and distribution divisions would be complete. Read the full original of the report in the above regard compiled by Marelise van der Merwe at Fin24. See too, Eskom appoints Mathebula as acting generation executive as Dukashe resigns, at Engineering News. En ook, Eskom-hoë vat die pad, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
National Teachers Union claims April salaries of KZN’s Grade R teachers not paid IOL reports that according to the National Teachers Union (Natu), Grade R teachers in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have not been paid their stipends, but they were still expected to turn up for work every morning. The union said it was concerned about the situation and described the non-payment as “unacceptable”. Natu’s acting president Sibusiso Malinga said the teachers were meant to have been paid at the end of April, but this did not happen. Malinga lamented that the non-payment of the stipends undermined the teachers’ rights as workers and left them helpless. The union called on the Department of Education to take responsibility and pay the teachers in the same way that it paid other departmental officials on time. “It is a shame on the departmental officials who always get their full salaries at the end of each month, support their families and service their debts,” Natu observed. The Department of Education in KZN said the matter was being attended to. Spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi indicated: “The main cause for this is the annual resumption of the Grade R educators which is something that is being discussed to have an alternative way of having a seamless process. The delayed payments are regrettable and it something that the department together with unions should address to have a long solution on the matter”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sisipho Bhuta at IOL
Director of security company in Kimberley court on Monday for R14m pension fund fraud IOL reports that a 62-year-old director of a security company appeared in the Kimberley Magistrate's Court in the Northern Cape on Monday, in connection with over R14 million in pension fraud. Gert Remer van Rooyen, a director of Defensor Security Company, allegedly deducted contributions from employees’ salaries for the benefit of the Private Security Sector Provident Fund (PSS-PF) and failed to hand over the contributions to PSS-PF as mandated. “Defensor Security Company therefore owes PSS-PF an amount exceeding R14 Million, of which R11.1 million relates to outstanding contributions and the balance relates to late payment interest,” said Captain Tebogo Thebe of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks). The case against Van Rooyen was postponed to 22 July. He was charged with contravention of the Pension Fund Act. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Molaole Montsho at IOL
Standard Bank charges 67 staff members with gross misconduct, apparently over ‘ghost’ accounts BusinessLive reports that Standard Bank has charged 67 staff members with gross misconduct and dishonesty after identifying 20,000 retail client accounts that might not have been activated in line with guidelines and procedures. The accounts in question represents less than 0.1% of the 1.2-million new accounts that were opened in 2021, spokesperson Ross Linstrom advised in an emailed response to questions, but he declined to give full details on the nature of the charges because the matter was still under investigation. Fin24, which first reported on the story, said on Friday that Standard Bank had fired more than 30 of its employees for creating what it labelled ghost accounts. Some Standard Bank employees stand accused of depositing small amounts of their own money to activate these accounts, which helped them to reach company targets. The incidents were largely confirmed to a local area in the Western Cape, according to the bank, which said that any staff member found to have contravened the banks’ rules and regulations would be subject to a formal disciplinary process, regardless of the position they hold at the bank. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Andries Mahlangu at BusinessLive. Read too, Standard Bank staff fired, investigated for creating ghost accounts, at Fin24 (subscriber access only)
Government clamp-down on thousands of public servants fraudulently receiving social grants Sunday Independent reports that a significant number of public servants could have been unlawfully benefiting from social grants, including staff in the offices of President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the National Treasury and law enforcement agencies. Employees of the SAPS, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Public Service Commission, the National School of Government and several national and provincial government departments have also been identified as recipients of social grants. In reply to a question by Democratic Alliance MP Mimmy Gondwe, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu revealed that nearly 178,000 public servants have been receiving social grants. This figure excludes public servants who have been paid the R350 per month social relief of distress (SRD) grant, which was introduced in May 2020 following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. In total, beneficiaries of social grants employed by the state worked across 45 national government departments and other entities. The recipients were also found in 117 provincial government departments and entities across all nine provinces. Zulu reported that in terms of a review process, 3,268 public servants were found not to qualify to receive social grants. “An amount of R12.6 million has been recovered from public servants who have been found not to qualify for the grant that they received,” she reported. The minister advised that the affected public servants had completed debt acknowledgement forms to enable the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) to recover the debt. By February last year, 36,972 public service employees had applied for the SRD grant and there were investigations into the 241 public service employees who received the grant. Gondwe said the government workers who unlawfully received social grants should face criminal charges or be fired. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Loyiso Sidimba at Sunday Independent Pay back the R2m in illegal salary increments, court tells two Maluti-a-Phofung municipal officials The Citizen reports that two Maluti-a-Phofung municipality officials were ordered by the Free State High Court last week to pay back R2 million they earned from illegal salary increments, implemented while the council was under administration. The court found that the council ignored the authority of then administrator Amos Goliath and appointed municipal manager Futhuli Mothamaha and chief financial officer Jemina Mazinyo, and inflated their salaries while the municipality was still under administration in 2020. Mothamaha and Mazinyo’s salaries were increased by an annual R440,000 and R563,000 respectively, within their first month of service. Their salaries totalled R1.9 million and R1.5 million per year respectively, deemed excessive for officials at a run-down category 4 municipality that was under administration. The provincial department of cooperative governance approached the court to have the excessive increments declared unlawful and set aside. In her judgment, Judge Mareena Opperman said having been placed under administration and in accordance with the Municipal Finance Act, the council’s powers were subsequently restricted. The salaries and the employment contracts were illegal as they did not comply with the law, said Opperman. The duo were ordered to pay back the public funds within 90 days. When contacted for comment, Mothamaha said: “I am appealing. I met with my lawyers [on Wednesday] and gave them instructions to appeal that judgement.” Mazinyo referred all questions to her lawyers. The officials’ undermining of Goliath saw him being ejected from office and denied access to the premises by private security personnel. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Getrude Makhafola on page 4 of Saturday Citizen of 7 May 2022
Nehawu condemns ‘unfair dismissal’ of five shop stewards at Unisa over disruption of awards ceremony EWN reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) on Monday condemned what it called the unfair dismissal of its shop stewards at the University of SA (Unisa). Five shop stewards affiliated with the union were fired with immediate effect following their precautionary suspension last month for violating the Unisa ethics code and employee disciplinary code. The university said this was for inciting public violence and causing malicious damage to property after an awards ceremony was disrupted earlier this year. Nehawu said it was angered and disappointed by Unisa’s decision to fire the employees and that the university had not followed the correct procedure when terminating the contracts. Nehawu’s national spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzi said: “As Nehawu, we are vehemently opposed to any form of victimisation and intimidation of our members, including union bashing. The union will certainly fight in this regard.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Dominic Majola at EWN
Former police commissioner Sitole fights for his exit payout, asks Ramaphosa to intervene City Press reports that former national police commissioner Khehla Sitole is believed to have asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in his battle to get his exit payout from the SA Police Service (SAPS). Sitole, who left the SAPS in February, was appointed in November 2017 on a five-year contract which was due to expire in November this year. According to several sources privy to the settlement between Sitole and Ramaphosa, the two agreed that the former police chief would receive his salary and benefits until the end of his contract as a condition for the early termination of his employment. However, according to sources, Sitole has received nothing from the SAPS and has allegedly been sent from pillar to post when he enquired about his payout. “That was before he found out that the [Police] Minister [Bheki Cele] had given a directive that he shouldn’t receive any money he did not work for from the police service,” said one security cluster source. Another source said: “He [Cele] has insisted on meeting with Sitole but the old man [Sitole] is angry and doesn’t want anything to do with Cele.” The non-payment has allegedly fuelled animosity between Sitole and Cele, with the former commissioner escalating the issue with the president, informing him that part of the settlement has not been fulfilled. Cele’s spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said: “As stated before, Minister Cele is not privy to the discussions between the president and the former national commissioner.” Themba did not comment on the allegations that Cele had blocked Sitole’s payout. According to sources close to Sitole, the former top cop was considering taking legal action for breach of agreement should he not receive the payment from the SAPS. Before his settlement with Ramaphosa, Sitole faced an inquiry into his fitness to hold office, following a request by Cele. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Abram Mashego at City Press (subscriber access only)
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