In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
|
Organisation drops case fighting implementation of Covid-19 vaccine mandate at Rhodes University News24 reports that after months of fighting the Covid-19 vaccine mandate at Rhodes University, an organisation called ‘Makhanda Against Mandates’ has abandoned its court action. The organisation, made up of lecturers, parents, and students, took the university to court over the introduction of vaccine mandates for students and staff members. To enter the campus, staff and students are required to show proof of vaccination. According to Rhodes University spokesperson Veliswa Mhlophe, 98% of the university community is so far vaccinated. "With the assistance of internationally recognised scientists, the university confirmed in its court papers that not only do vaccinations reduce the risk of asymptomatic infection, symptomatic infections, severe illness and death, but they also have a marked impact on reducing the risk of transmission of the virus. The applicants did not dispute this in their court papers," Mhlophe indicated, adding that it was unfortunate the institution had had to spend money on legal fees defending its stance. Another organisation that has withdrawn its opposition to vaccines is Free the Children - Save the Nation, although it has not yet explained its decision. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tebogo Monama at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Hankey residents force seasonal workers out of Eastern Cape town in violent clashes GroundUp reports that about 400 seasonal workers were forcefully evicted from their homes in Hankey in the Eastern Cape by local residents following violent clashes at an informal settlement in the town last week. According to police, two South Africans and one Lesotho national were killed as a result of the violence. Several shacks at the Mountainview informal settlement, home to many migrant workers, were also burnt down. The conflict appears to have had a racial element in that the permanent residents of Hankey are Xhosa while the migrants are mostly Sotho or from Pondoland. Kouga Municipality’s Deputy Mayor Hattingh Bornman reported that a delegation from Lesotho came on Saturday with buses to transport 181 Lesotho nationals back home. The SA government provided buses for South African citizens from rural areas in the province and from Free State. According to police, the clashes between local residents and migrant workers mostly from Lesotho were sparked by the murders of two people from Centerton, another township in Hankey. Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said that community members from Centerton marched to an area predominantly occupied by seasonal farm workers from Lesotho. “When this group tried to attack, the seasonal workers from Lesotho retaliated by throwing stones at them. Centerton residents allege that the foreign nationals are responsible for the deaths of two people. These murders took place during the early hours of [29 May] in Centerton. In both murders, the motive and suspects are unknown,” Naidu indicated. She said several shacks were set alight and police vehicles pelted with stones during the protest. Police escorted Mountainview residents out of the area on 1 June to a neighbouring area for their safety. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Joseph Chirume at GroundUp. Read too, Lesotho farm workers flee after clashes with locals in Eastern Cape, at TimesLive Mangaung ghost workers hold city manager hostage, force him to sign off millions in salaries Saturday Citizen reports that at least 163 ghost workers at the Free State’s Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality will continue to get paid while sitting at home, after they allegedly held the acting city manager hostage and forced him to sign off on the illegal payments. Sources at the beleaguered council, now under the control of the national Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), said acting city manager Tebogo Motlashuping was held hostage by some of the ghost employees, who threatened to throw him out of the 12th floor window at the municipal Bram Fischer building if he refused to sign for payments. Motlashuping, who was appointed to the municipality by the government, seemingly had no choice but to oblige and sign off three-month payments for each of the alleged kidnappers, also promising them that he would formally advertise their posts. A source indicated: “These ghost workers were paid R8.9 million net income previously. For three months, this is going to come to almost R27 million and over R30 million gross.” Following an expose of Mangaung’s ghost political appointees, mainly from the ANC regional membership, a scramble apparently ensued to get them to sign falsified attendance registers. The ghost workers allegedly included Transport Minister Fikile Mbalulu’s brother Jabu, who was appointed after the 2021 local elections, but never reported for work. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Getrude Makhafola at The Citizen (subscriber access only). Read too, ‘We’ll burn down this place’ – Mangaung workers storm councillors’ meeting, at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
SACP to lead ‘massive’ campaign on right to work and food SowetanLive reports that in a bid to reduce the rising numbers of unemployment and poverty, the SA Communist Party (SACP) is planning to lead a “massive campaign” on people’s right to work and food. This was revealed by SACP’s national first deputy secretary Solly Mapaila, who addressed the SACP’s provincial congress at the East London City Hall, Eastern Cape, at the weekend. Mapaila said the state had to take responsibility for people to work. “We must force the state to take responsibility for people to have jobs. Every single South African must work. The SACP needs to lead a massive campaign on the right to work. This should be our number one priority. The right to work must go hand in hand with the right to food,” Mapaila stated. He reported that he had visited Ngqushwa and Cala areas where communities were trapped in poverty with no support from the state. He asserted that the state had a responsibility to assist the communities to produce their own food. Mapaila noted that the country’s working class had suffered major setbacks and he appealed to the working class to be united in fighting for their rights. He could not elaborate on when the campaign was likely to start. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sithandiwe Velaphi at SowetanLive
Stats SA says official definition of employment limited to agreed international standard EWN reports that Stats SA on Monday said that its use of the official unemployment rate and the expanded unemployment rate was merely to keep up with international standards and was not meant to disregard those who were not looking for work at the time of its data collection. The agency’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey is a key instrument in determining the unemployment reality of over 12 million South Africans. However, the survey has come under fire recently, with some sections of society doubting its credibility. Stats SA’s chief director for labour statistics, Malerato Mosiane, said that the official definition of employment was limited to the agreed standard by the international community. “You should have been without work in the reference week when we are collecting the data and you should have actively looked for work and been available to take the job,” Mosiane explained. He said that the expanded definition of employment was the localised definition. “We also have those who have not actively looked for work but if you give them jobs then they will take them. Hence, we publish both - the official and the expanded definition. Even in our development plan, we are saying we want to lower the unemployment rate to about 6% in 2030. We have to publish the official rate for that reason and for international comparisons.” Stats SA advised that it would be removing the age limit from the unemployment data to keep up with international guidelines. At present, it only surveys people between the ages of 15 and 64. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Theto Mahlakoana at EWN. Read too, Stats SA defends the quality of its unemployment data collection methods, at EWN
Gold strike has cost Sibanye-Stillwater workers dearly, say analysts BL Premium writes that as Sibanye-Stillwater gold mineworkers prepare to return to work after agreeing on a wage deal, analysts say their victory could be short-lived as it will take them years to recoup the more than R1.2bn they forfeited in wages during the protracted strike. It is reckoned that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), whose members embarked on a nearly three-month wage strike at Sibanye’s gold operations, should have settled on a deal a lot sooner. “The unions have lost out badly. They lost a fortune of money for having been out on strike for so long, and they have not got so much from the proposed wage deal,” Econometrix chief economist Azar Jammine commented on Monday. Labour analyst Michael Bagraim said both sides, the workers and Sibanye, have lost money from the “entire exercise”. He pointed out: “The government has lost income tax, the staff have lost salary, management have lost profits. Even with a greater increase it will take the staff almost a year to catch up on the money that they have lost.” North West University Business School professor Raymond Parsons said: “Only the parties concerned can finally decide to what extent they are better off after a protracted strike, even though a clinical cost-benefit analysis may suggest otherwise.” However, NUM general secretary William Mabapa shot down suggestions it would take years for workers to claw back lost wages, saying such an assessment was “not correct”. The protracted wage strike by about 25,000 gold mineworkers affiliated to the two unions effectively ended on Friday when strikers gave their leadership a mandate to accept a three-year wage proposal made by the CCMA to the parties. Sibanye’s Memory Johnstone indicated she would give an update on the final losses suffered by workers and the government “later this week”, while further details on the finalisation of the agreement would be provided in due course. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Shootout ensues as cops, SANDF arrest 158 undocumented Lesotho nationals at roadblock News24 reports that one person was injured in a shootout in the Free State on Sunday when police and SA National Defence Force (SANDF) officials stopped 158 allegedly undocumented foreigners from entering the country in 16 vehicles. The Lesotho nationals were stopped at a roadblock along the R702/R26 crossing, which is an unguarded part of the border in Wepener. The shootout ensued when they were arrested, and two firearms, as well as ammunition were recovered. Free State police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele reported that at 00:45, a convoy of vehicles approached the roadblock and the leading Toyota Quantum failed to stop when ordered by an official to do so. Shots were fired from the minibus and the officials at the roadblock returned fire. One male was slightly injured during the crossfire and was taken to hospital in Bloemfontein. Makhele said all the vehicles were eventually stopped and searched. One hundred and fifty-eight people, including the drivers, were found to be traveling into SA without proper documents allowing them to be in the country and they were arrested as illegal immigrants. Five males occupying a BMW were arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and are expected to appear in the Wepener Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. The BMW registration number plates and licence disc also did not correspond. According to Makhele, the undocumented Lesotho nationals will appear in court in batches. Processes to have them deported have already started. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Botho Molosankwe at News24. Lees ook, 158 immigrante naby Lesotho-grens aangekeer, by Maroela Media
Labour Court puts Denel under pressure to pay salaries of Uasa members Business Report writes that Denel has been backed into a corner after the Labour Court dismissed the state-owned arms manufacturer’s tactics for further payment delays to members of union Uasa. This after an urgent court application was brought by Uasa against Denel in April to honour all outstanding contractual obligations and effect payment of full remuneration to Uasa members. Judge Andre van Niekerk ruled that Uasa’s application be postponed to the matter set down on the unopposed court roll for 26 July, irrespective of whether Denel opposed the application or not. Denel was ordered to provide updated outstanding remuneration amounts for May and June 2022, which would be included in Uasa’s claim, by 14 July. Uasa intends to get a compliance notice to force Denel to pay all outstanding salaries and statutory payments, reported to be around R830,000 owing to workers since August 2020. Judge Van Niekerk’s ruling required that all the updated figures, including the May and June figures, be verified so that if accepted by the court, execution would be expedited. Denel’s argument that the employees should grant it an opportunity to restructure before making payments was rejected in terms of the ruling. Debt-ridden Denel took a body blow last month when the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ordered it to pay R13.2 million in outstanding salaries to 42 non-unionised current and former employees. Denel was ordered to pay, within 10 days, amounts ranging between R55,000 and R700,000 in unpaid wages for the period between May 2020 and April 2022. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Banele Ginindza on page 10 of Business Report of 6 June 2022 Amahlathi municipality in Eastern Cape fails to pay its workers their May salaries GroundUp reports that municipal workers in the struggling Amahlathi Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape have not been paid for May. The salaries of 260 employees were due on 25 May, but according to the municipality’s chief financial officer, Lubabalo Manjingolo, the May salaries will not be paid until mid-June. He hopes that the June salaries will be paid in the first week of July, when the municipality will receive its annual grant from the National Treasury. The municipality has a history of failing to pay employees although managers have been paid huge travel allowances. When the municipal workers were not paid their February salaries, the municipality made a credit arrangement with Pick n Pay in Stutterheim for the workers to access food vouchers and Manjingolo said that facility was still open if workers were willing to make use of it. However, workers have rejected that offer. Workers’ representative Thembela Magwangqana indicated that they have been asking the provincial Treasury to intervene. “There’s illegal use of funds but no one is taking responsibility. If it was a junior official who misused the municipality funds, letters of suspension would be flying by now,” he claimed. Community leaders have called for the municipality to disband. Eastern Cape spokesperson for Cooperative Affairs and Traditional Affairs, Mamkeli Ngam, said: “The situation at Amahlathi remains a cause for concern for the department and we would like to see it resolved. We call upon the leadership of the municipality to work together and find a solution to its problems.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik and Johnnie Isaac at GroundUp
Higher education on track to meet NDP targets, but some graduates struggle for jobs BL Premium reports that according to Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, the sector is on track to achieve some of the crucial National Development Plan (NDP) targets, including increasing the number of university enrolments as well as graduates attaining doctorates or advanced qualifications. But while the higher education sector may be on track to meet its targets, some graduates are struggling to find employment partly due to SA’s dismal economic growth and record unemployment rate. Responding to parliamentary questions last week, Nzimande said access to universities had grown substantially over the past 10 years, with just more than 1.3-million students enrolled at public and private universities. The country is on track to reach the NDP target of 1.6-million enrolments by 2030. This is in part due to the controversial government decision to phase in fully subsidised free higher education and training for poor and working-class students. The minister indicated, however, the NDP target of 2.5-million enrolments in technical and vocational education training colleges [TVETs] was not likely to be met, in part due to a lack of funding. The NDP, a long-term plan articulating the country’s vision to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality by 2030, was adopted by the cabinet in 2012. It broadly proposes creating 11-million jobs by 2030 and reducing unemployment. The tertiary education sector is envisaged to be a crucial part of the plan to reduce skills shortages that continue to stifle economic growth. However, SA has recorded abysmal growth rates for successive years, meaning that many of the key NDP targets are unlikely to be met. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bekezela Phakathi at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
KZN pension funds take local government bargaining council to court as it tries to become gatekeeper Fin24 reports that a group of pension funds in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is taking the SA Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) to court for forcing them to get accredited by the council – or lose business from municipalities. SALGBC reached a collective agreement with the Independent Municipal & Allied Trade Union (Imatu) and the SA Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) in September 2021 whereby it was agreed to establish a uniform approach to the provision of retirement benefits for municipal workers. Accordingly, all funds that want to continue operating in the local government sector have to get accreditation from the bargaining council. New employees in the local government sector are only permitted to join funds so accredited. According to the last circular on this matter published by SALGBC in May, only 15 funds covering 64% of employees in the sector have applied for accreditation. The KZN Municipal Pension Fund (MPF), which represents several funds operating in the local government space in the province, has launched an objection to SALGBC "playing the role of the regulator". Its arguments will be heard in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria in July. The fund is challenging the lawfulness of the collective agreement on the basis that it was implemented without consulting workers or the pension funds. MPF principal officer Thomas Mkhethelwa urged the affected municipalities not to comply with the bargaining council agreement. "The unions don't even run their own affairs. Salga (SA Local Government Association) can't even run the municipalities. Why do they think they can regulate and run pension funds better? What is their interest in wanting to come closer to workers' money?" he asked. He also noted that the funds already have a right to operate in terms of the Pension Funds Act. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Londiwe Buthelezi at Fin24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
SANDF nurse wins interim interdict against being cashiered Cape Argus reports that a SA National Defence Force (SANDF) nurse has obtained an interim injunction from the Western Cape High Court preventing the armed forces from implementing a Court of Military Appeals (CMA) sentence dismissing him in disgrace. Charles Machard had gone to court seeking a rule nisi (decree) to stop the SANDF from cashiering him following a September 2020 ruling by a military court. The SANDF opposed the application and raised a number of points in the pretrial hearing, including that the Western Cape High Court had no jurisdiction to grant either an interdict or a subsequent review in the matter. In her ruling, Judge Babalwa Mantame shot down the SANDF’s argument that the matter was not in the court’s jurisdiction, saying: “The applicant, although employed by the SANDF which is a national government department, resides in this jurisdiction; performs his services as an employee in this jurisdiction; the triable offence occurred in this jurisdiction; the military trial court was constituted in this jurisdiction and in all pragmatism, he falls within the jurisdiction of this court.” Machard has been employed by the SANDF since 1992 as a male professional nurse and holds the rank of captain at Nine SA Infantry Battalion, Eerste River. On 14 March 2019, Machard appeared before the Military Court in Cape Town and was charged with three counts of sexual assault. There was also an alternative charge relating to unseemly behaviour. Machard pleaded not guilty to these charges. However on 19 March 2019 a military judge convicted him of unseemly behaviour and two charges of sexual assault. Following further proceedings, Machard was ultimately told that he would be cashiered on 30 July 2021, whereupon he embarked on legal action. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mwangi Githahu at Cape Argus
|
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page