This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
Fin24 reports that thirty National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) officials who claim they were suspended to sideline them ahead of a crucial conference, are headed to the Labour Court in Johannesburg on Friday to attempt to have their sanctions lifted.
If this is unsuccessful, they will ask the Labour Court to postpone the union's high-stakes conference in Cape Town next week, where new national office bearers will be elected. The 30 officials, including the chairperson of the union in Meyerton, Kwanda Khanyile, and Vereeniging-based official George Makhanya, claim that Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim used suspension to sideline them so that they could not participate in the conference or run for national office. Jim maintained in a statement released on Monday that these officials were suspended for misconduct and should allow their disciplinary proceedings to proceed. He denied that recent suspensions were about consolidating his support ahead of the conference and said the "rogue faction" was part of a "propaganda" attack which sought to undermine the conference. The officials are expected to argue in court that the Numsa Central Committee acted beyond its powers by suspending them, as well as the union's second deputy president Ruth Ntlokotse. Furthermore according to the group, Numsa's constitution requires that the Central Committee appoint a credentials committee to accredit delegates to the national congress, which has not been done. "No such committee exists. Without this committee, there will be no constitutionally accredited delegates at the congress. Without accredited delegates, there will be no congress," the group argued. Ntlokotse was suspended after she was elected as president of Numsa's umbrella federation, Saftu, in May. She has said her suspension was a bid at silencing her within the union, which Jim had denied.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page