In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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Cosatu to strike on Wednesday next week against load shedding and rising prices, with Saftu planning a national shutdown for the same day Fin24 reports that labour federation Cosatu will hold a national strike on 24 August against “ongoing load shedding, fuel price hikes, and escalating food prices.” In October last year, Cosatu held a strike over similar concerns, but the protest had little discernible impact. On Thursday this week, Cosatu will update the media on details and arrangements for the national strike. Cosatu’s strike will take place on the same day as a national shutdown planned by the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), which resolved at its Working Class Summit earlier this month to stage the action. At the time, Saftu’s secretary-general, Zwelinzima Vavi, said that while the federation should remain politically independent, it was prepared to work with other working-class formations to mobilise in the interest of workers. Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla indicated that the same date for the Cosatu and Saftu demonstrations was a "coincidence", but added that the two federations would be meeting on Wednesday to talk about "working together" in coordinating their respective demonstrations. However Saftu spokesperson Trevor Shaku said that the timing of each federation's shutdown was not a coincidence and that Cosatu's central executive committee had accepted Saftu's invitation to mobilise. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24. Read too, Cosatu planning massive strike over fuel costs, rising food prices and load shedding on August 24, at IOL Saftu national shutdown hits snag as Numsa says it cannot financially back the strike on 24 August Fin24 reports that the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) has hit a major snag in plans for a national shutdown next week as its largest and richest member affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), says it cannot back the mobilisation financially. A letter from Numsa to Saftu indicates that the union is beset with financial challenges, including litigation from members who interdicted the union's recent national congress. As a result, the union’s very challenging financial position at present “does not allow us to avail or approve budgets towards this important campaign of the federation." Numsa indicated, however, that it would encourage its more than 330,000 members to "partake in the campaign where possible without expecting financial support from head office". Saftu resolved to hold the national shutdown on 24 August at its Working Class Summit earlier this month. The national shutdown will protest against the rising cost of living, fuel price hikes and load shedding, amongst other things. While Numsa claims its reasons for not providing financial support for the action are purely financial, this setback is said to underscores the antagonistic nature of the relationship between Numsa and Saftu. Saftu spokesperson Trevor Shaku pointed out that Numsa was represented at the summit where the federation's national executive committee resolved to hold the national shutdown. "When Saftu NEC took a decision to go out on the 24th, Numsa was present in that meeting. They never raised any objections," said Ntlokotse. Cosatu will be protesting rising costs and load shedding on the same day as Saftu. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Numsa gears up for wage strike at Samancor Chrome over 15% demand BusinessLive reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) is gearing up for a strike at chrome mining and smelting company Samancor Chrome over its demand for a 15% across-the-board wage increase. The employer is offering 6%. Numsa has lodged a wage dispute at the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) and the union’s general secretary Irvin Jim said in a statement: “We are waiting for the strike certificate to be issued. In the meantime we will be mobilising our members for a total shut down of all smelters at Samancor. We remain open to negotiations if they [management] want to talk and engage us in a meaningful manner so that we do not have to resort to strike action.” According to Jim, the lowest-paid worker at Samancor earned “approximately R7,000 after deductions”. Numsa’s other demands include a 100% medical aid contribution from Samancor. In the statement, Jim accused Samancor of failing to negotiate in good faith as the union had submitted its demands in April, but the employer “did not respond and did not table dates for negotiations, which is the standard practice”. He went on to report: “They were silent and they then later dangled the carrot of 6% [wage offer] directly to members and did not table it formally inside the negotiation forum. They took it members, and it was accepted by Solidarity and NUM.” Solidarity’s Cornelius van Leeuwen reported: “We didn’t go to wage negotiations at Samancor. What happened is that Samancor made an offer of 6%, they said if workers don’t accept, then we can submit our demands and negotiate. We took the offer to our members and they accepted it.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive. Read too, Numsa on the cusp of a strike at Samancor as deadlock simmers, at Fin24 Members of Public Servants Association to vote on first strike in 12 years in public service sector Fin24 reports that as the public service wage talks grind on with little progress, the Public Servants Association (PSA) will begin balloting its members this week on whether to commence with its first strike action in over a decade. The last time the PSA went on strike in the public service was in 2010, when it demanded 8.6% wage hike after having rejected government's 6.5% offer. That strike was successful. Now, 12 years later, the PSA is demanding a 6.5% wage increase as government offers unions 2%. The PSA represents around 235,000 public sector employees. In 2020, the public service had an estimated 830,000 employees, including police officers and teachers. Government will apparently only be prepared to raise its baseline offer to 3% if it can introduce cost containment measures, including early retirement without penalties, an exit mechanism for employees between the ages of 60 and 64, and voluntary severance packages, subject to an assessment of critical skills. PSA spokesperson Reuben Maleka confirmed that the union would be undertaking a ballot process this week: "Indeed, we are in the process to ballot our members with a possibility that we call out strike action. We should start before Friday." He said the union was not prepared to consider the government's conditions for a revised offer of 3%. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24. Read too, Countdown begins: union to ballot public servants on wage strike, at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Popcru plans march to Union Buildings, pickets at stations and prisons to protest against state’s 2% wage offer Fin24 reports that the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) will march to the Union Buildings in September in protest against the government's 2% wage offer at the public service wage talks. This was resolved at the union’s special national executive committee meeting last week. Popcru has an estimated 120,000 members nationwide. The union said its program of action would also include lunchtime pickets across all police stations, correctional centres, and traffic institutions. Popcru warned that if this action was unsuccessful, the union would be left with "no option but to withdraw labour". The union said in a statement that it was still reeling from the government's decision to renege on the 2018 Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council binding agreement. That agreement included increases ranging between 6% and 7%. "This has reduced these workers to financial hardships while basic commodities continue to rise on a daily basis," the statement indicated. It advised that at the planed march, Popcru members would head directly to President Cyril Ramaphosa to demand that public servants be paid "what is owed to them", an offer on a baseline that was not less than 10%, and a reversal of all "austerity" measures in the public service. "All vacant positions [need] to be filled and the employment of qualified graduates to beef up the post establishment of the public service, and we further demand that no state-owned enterprise must be privatised," Popcru’s statement asserted. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24 Strike at Hisense SA’s Atlantis factory over short-time without notice suspended EWN reports that Hisense SA on Monday said a strike at its Atlantis factory had been suspended. The Chinese consumer electronics company advised that agreement had been reached between management and employees and operations had resumed. Operations ceased after an organised strike turned violent last month. Protests were held by permanent workers, who were up-in-arms over being placed on short time without five days' notice. Three employees told Eyewitness News that some workers had not been paid a full salary since January, while one claimed Hisense placed the blame on the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, a warehouse robbery, and the hijacking of a truck in Gauteng. Hisense SA confirmed that the strike was due to the implementation of short time, which was a result of a robbery at the Hisense Johannesburg warehouse early last month. The company said the robbery rendered the warehouse an active crime scene, making them unable to move manufactured stock from its factory in Cape Town. It added that the robbery also resulted in the company not being able to provide workers with the agreed upon five-days’ notice for short-time implementation. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Lauren Isaacs at EWN
Tenth anniversary of Marikana massacre highlights psychological, emotional impact on families News24 reports that Tuesday marks a decade since 34 Lonmin mineworkers were killed when police opened fire during a wage strike and, for most of the families, the trauma of August 2012 has had a psychological and emotional impact. Ten people, including Lonmin mine security guards and police officers, died in the days leading to the massacre. Speaking at a Marikana commemorative event, titled 'Respect & Retrospect', which was hosted by the University of Johannesburg's Centre for Social Change, Nomzamo Zondo of the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) pointed out that immediate and extended families had lost breadwinners. Zondo emphasised that the families have been asking for the criminal justice system to be effective as they wanted those involved to be arrested, prosecuted and convicted. She added: "The families have said they want someone to apologise to them. They want an apology." And most importantly, for most families, there has been no compensation, Zondo said. Speaking at the university event, James Nichol, who represented the families at the Farlam Commission, described the commission as the "most hostile commission for working class and ordinary people I've ever been involved in". Nichol said what was "astonishing" at the commission was that no one who fired shots was brought before the commission, adding that this was an "utter disgrace". He said the commission should have concluded that what happened from 10 to 16 August 2012 originated from "a conspiracy between Lonmin and the state to crush the mineworkers and put profit before the living wage that the mineworkers were entitled to". Lonmin was bought by Sibanye-Stillwater in 2019. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jeanette Chabalala at News24 Marikana remains a no-go zone for Ramaphosa until he apologises, says AMCU EWN reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) says Marikana will remain a no-go zone for President Cyril Ramaphosa, until he apologises to the families who lost loved ones during the massacre. Speaking on Monday, the union’s North West secretary Phuthuma Manyathi explained that workers would be perplexed if the president were to show up at Tuesday’s 10-year commemoration event. Members of AMCU and families of the Marikana massacre victims want Ramaphosa to take some responsibility for the events that led to the mass shooting of mineworkers on 16 August 2012. As the country marks 10 years since the massacre, there has been a sentiment in the public discourse that Ramaphosa would be invited to address workers. But Manyathi said Ramaphosa had yet to meet the conditions that would make it possible for him to be in the company of mineworkers on the North West platinum belt. “We expect him to follow protocol and ask to meet up with the unions,” he explained. In the lead-up to the massacre, Ramaphosa called for concomitant action to break the deadly strike. Although he was cleared of wrongdoing by the Farlam Commission of Inquiry, many people in communities connected to Marikana, believe he still owes them an apology. Last month the President emphasised that there were no-go areas for him in the country, with his office telling a SA National Editors' Forum gathering this month, that it was his wish to go to Marikana if the opportunity presented itself. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Theto Mahlakoana & Nokukhanya Mntambo at EWN. Read too, Marikana workers plan to put Ramaphosa in the dock in a civil claim, at City Press (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Miner killed on Saturday in fall of ground incident at Harmony Gold’s Moab Khotsong mine BL Premium reports that a miner died on Saturday in a fall of ground incident at Harmony Gold’s Moab Khotsong mine near Orkney in North West. The gold producer said in a brief statement on Monday that an in-loco investigation of the rockfall was under way. In 2021, 74 miners died on the job in SA, according to data from the Minerals Council SA (previously called the Chamber of Mines). Fatalities in the sector have fallen since the early 2000s, when about 275 deaths were recorded annually, as directives were introduced to eliminate shaft and winder accidents, preparation for emergencies improved and monitoring was increased. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Nico Gous at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Fifteen arrested on Monday for suspected illegal mining activities in Roodepoort TimesLive reports that on Monday police arrested 15 suspected illegal miners and recovered “gold-bearing dust” and tools believed to be used for illegal mining in Roodepoort. Police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo said the arrests were made as police in Gauteng continued operations aimed at curbing illegal mining. He reported: “As police were conducting the operation, they spotted a suspicious BMW in Sol Plaatje, Roodepoort. Upon stopping and searching the BMW, police found what is suspected to be gold-bearing dust inside the vehicle. The two occupants, who are undocumented, were arrested.” Police arrested a further 13 undocumented people suspected to be involved in illegal mining after they were found with tools and materials believed to be used for illegal mining. The suspects are expected to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court soon. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at TimesLive. See too, Police sting nabs fifteen illegal miners in Joburg West, at The Citizen Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Numsa ready to take on ex-deputy president Ruth Ntlokotse in court The Star reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) says it is ready for court battle against its former second deputy president, Ruth Ntlokotse, whose court application to nullify the union’s recent congress is set to begin on Thursday. Last month Ntlokotse and 53 suspended members lodged a contempt of court application after the union continued with its 11th National Congress despite a court order by Judge Graham Moshoana interdicting the congress until the union complied with its own constitution. Ntlokotse is also calling for Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim and Numsa president Andrew Chirwa to be imprisoned should the court rule in her favour. The court case before Judge Portia Nkutha-Nkuntwana of the Johannesburg Labour Court was set to start on 5 August, but was postponed to Thursday to allow the judge to study the submissions made by the two parties. Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said the union would be defending itself against its former second deputy president as the trade union had done everything to ensure that it complied with the court interdict by Judge Moshoana. In response to Ntlokotse's court application, Jim claimed there was no basis for Ntlokotse's application to be entertained on an urgent basis as her application failed to comply with the prescripts of the practice manual in respect of contempt of court proceedings. Jim added that Numsa complied with the earlier judgment by Judge Moshoana, which resulted in Numsa delaying its congress for two days and lifting the suspension of 27 Numsa members. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Siyabonga Sithole at The Star
AA foresees major fuel price decrease in September EWN reports that motorists may see considerable relief at the pumps in the first week of next month. The Automobile Association (AA) has forecast significant decreases across the board to fuel prices based on current unaudited mid-month data from the Central Energy Fund. According to the data, 95 octane is expected to drop by around R2.60 a litre, while 93 may decrease by around R2.45. The wholesale price of diesel is expected to decrease by around R2.30 and the price of illuminating paraffin by almost R2.00 a litre. The AA advised that the main drivers behind the decreases were a strengthening rand and lower international oil prices. With these expected decreases, the price of 95 octane will dip below R23.00 a litre and the price of 93 will cost just more than R22.50c. But the AA warned that this was according to mid-month data and that the picture might change come month-end, before the adjustments for September were made. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Ray White at EWN. Lees ook, Laer brandstofpryse wink, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
‘You racist pig!’ parent shouts at Ennerdale teacher who told granny she ‘will never like coloureds’ TimesLive reports that a female teacher had to be escorted out of a Johannesburg school by police on Monday after angry parents tried to forcibly remove her for telling a pupil’s granny she “did not like coloureds”. A parent shouted “you racist pig” as the educator left the Fred Norman Secondary School in Ennerdale, Johannesburg, in a police vehicle. During an ugly confrontation between the teacher and a Grade 11 pupil’s grandmother on Friday, the teacher told her: “I will never wake up liking coloureds like you because you guys are rude; you guys don’t have manners.” In a three-minute video clip that has gone viral, the teacher shouted at the elderly woman: “You will come and teach that trashy child of yours.” She also swore at the woman in Zulu and called her “trash”. In the video the granny can be seen as well shouting at the teacher, while pupils stood on their desks and watched the incident. Gauteng education department spokesman Steve Mabona confirmed that the teacher had been removed from the school as a “precaution” until further notice. “We have launched an investigation into circumstances surrounding this incident and, as such, the outcome will be communicated in due course,” he advised. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Prega Govender at TimesLive. Read too, Teacher suspended following altercation with parent at school, at The Citizen. En ook, Onderwyser vir eers verwyder ná bekgeveg met ouer, by Maroela Media
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