In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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Public service unions reject 3% wage, to march in Tshwane on Tuesday to deliver demands to Treasury and Ramaphosa BL Premium reports that public service unions have rejected the government’s revised final offer of 3% for SA’s more than 1.3-million public servants, who are demanding inflation-beating increases. The unions are expected to descend on Tshwane on Tuesday to deliver a list of demands to the Treasury and President Cyril Ramaphosa, while others are set to march to the offices of the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) in Centurion on the same day. The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) said its march on Tuesday would aim to highlight its dissatisfaction over the wage offer and the manner in which worker issues were addressed by the employer. The 3% offer was tabled at the PSCBC on 30 August. Unions were given 21 days to seek a mandate from their members on the 3% offer, which includes a R1,000 after tax cash gratuity payable to all public servants until March 2023. In the event that the unions formally reject the 3% offer, they would need to declare a dispute, which would unlock a conciliation process within the PSCBC. If the parties fail to break the deadlock in that process, a strike certificate will be issued, allowing workers to go on a strike. Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo invited Cosatu-affiliated “sister unions” to join the march on Tuesday. Popcru’s demands include the reversal of austerity measures/budget cuts; filling of vacant posts; increase in danger allowances; access to a portion of pension funds before retirement; increase in clothing/uniform allowance; and building safe police stations. The union wants the government to deal with police killings and attacks on correctional services officials. Cosatu breakaway SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) is set to picket outside the PSCBC offices in Centurion on Tuesday in support of above-inflation increases for public servants. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, Popcru vows to forge ahead with national march to Union Buildings on Tuesday, at EWN Popcru reiterates its calls for justice cluster to address issues affecting policing EWN reports that the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has again hit out at the Criminal Justice Cluster (CJC) over a number of issues affecting the policing sector. The union’s national executive committee met on Friday to discuss a range of issues, including concerns over the rise in police fatalities, high crime rates, and wage disputes. The union wants government to intervene. Speaking at a media briefing, general secretary Jeff Dladla said the credibility of the criminal justice system was at an all-time low. He highlighted the union’s concerns, including a breakdown in trust between police and communities, as well as ill-equipped courts and over-stretched prosecutors. The CJC comprises of Police, Justice and Correctional Services, Home Affairs, as well as Defence and Military Veterans. Dladla called on the different departments to work together in establishing a better relationship to ensure that justice was served. “South Africa’s prosperity depends on the rule of law, trust between police, prosecutors, the public, and the criminal justice system that treats people fairly,” he pointed out. Dladla added that he hoped cooperation within the sector would help in establishing a consolidated budget for the CJC, instead of the current situation where departments worked in isolation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nokukhanya Mntambo at EWN
Give us permanent jobs, chant hundreds of EPWP workers at Gauteng health department protest GroundUp reports that hundreds of workers affiliated to the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw) marched to the Gauteng Department of Health on Friday. The union was demanding that its members, employed under the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), among others, be employed permanently by the health department. In March, workers protested and occupied the health department’s offices, demanding that a notice to terminate the contracts of EPWP workers be rescinded. The department then extended the contracts by a year. Nupsaw, however, wants workers whose contracts are continuously being renewed to be made permanent. It has accused the department of breaching the Labour Relations Act for failing to do so. The union claimed that most of the EPWP workers have been working for the department on a contract basis since 2010. The Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council had appointed a commissioner to determine whether contracted workers should be considered as permanent employees. But, Nupsaw’s Sibonile Jeza said a new date for the arbitration would have to be announced because the commissioner had withdrawn from the case because the union had voiced its concern that the person appointed was a junior commissioner with no experience. Jeza said the department had agreed to meet union representatives on 12 and 13 October in a bid to settle the matter. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Chris Gilili at GroundUp
Zama Zamas, who are ‘a law unto themselves’, make life unbearable for Limpopo villagers SowetanLive reports that a woman from Bogalatladi, a village in Limpopo’s mineral-rich Sekhukhune district, is among many residents who are suffering at the hands of illegal mining across the province and whose properties have been damaged. Illegal miners arrived with their heavy excavation machinery and started digging around her yard, leaving deep trenches everywhere. As residents await the results of an oversight visit from the parliamentary committees of police, mineral resources and energy, and home affairs, the fear of being surrounded by heavily armed zama zamas, who continue to destroy the environment, still lingers. At least 59 arrests of illegal miners were reported by the provincial Hawks in the past month, while equipment, including TLB vehicles, was seized. While the illegal operations seemed to have ceased due to the recent police presence, the destruction left behind and some of the TLBs could be seen. Mounds of sand and deep holes could be observed dangerously close to people’s houses. Tebogo Maphakane, a resident, said some locals participated in the illegal mining activities but most of the zama zamas are foreign nationals. He said they lived in fear of the illegal miners. Saviour Manala said robberies had become rampant in the village. “We are also worried that these holes are posing a danger to young children in the village. When it rains they fill up and cause flooding,” Manala stated. In Bergenek Village, just outside Polokwane under the Capricorn District, locals complain that armed zama zamas, most of them who are Lesotho nationals, have taken over the area. Bergenek was one of the areas discussed as needing urgent interventions during a meeting between communities, police and members of the parliamentary committees who visited the province a few days ago. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zoe Mahopo at SowetanLive Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Firing De Ruyter now is like booting the pilot while plane is crashing The Citizen writes that there are mixed feelings about whether the head of Eskom, André de Ruyter, should be booted out in the midst of the current load shedding. With many South Africans calling for the Eskom boss’ head, political analyst Piet Croucamp said those who wanted to boot De Ruyter out didn’t know what was going on and how complicated the situation was at Eskom. “The power stations are old and outdated; the staff were not skilled enough because it’s a difficult turnaround process with people who had a vested interest in corruption and the bad management of the utility,” he pointed out. Energy expert Clyde Mallinson concurred, saying whether De Ruyter should stay or go was irrelevant. “The country is so far past who is leading this now, it doesn’t actually matter because the system has taken control of itself. We are looking for a scapegoat or cause of the problem and people are always invasive about how this problem came about.” He went on to say: “The last thing we need to do is to get rid of the pilot while the plane is crashing. We need that chap (“Sully” Sullenberger) who crash-landed the plane on the Hudson River (off Manhattan in New York in 2009, rescuing all 155 people on board).” Meantime, ordinary people are ‘gatvol’. Centurion resident Debbie Fourie complained: “It affects my personal and work life. We don’t have money to buy a generator. When the power goes out, we sit in the dark and heat.” But, Fourie added: “I know De Ruyter is trying his best and I think he should stay. He is the only one who tried to make the best of a bad situation. De Ruyter can only do so much to save the sinking ship, but it will take time and money to fix. Removing him will cause more damage and inconvenience.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Marizka Coetzer at The Citizen (subscriber access only)
ANC staffers down tools again over unpaid salaries, as party budgets R50m for conference News24 reports that while the ANC will likely have a budget of around R50 million for its December elective conference, its staffers have resorted to protest action as they face another month without their salaries. ANC staffers did not report for work on Monday and embarked on protest action outside the party's national and provincial offices across the country. Staff representative Mandla Qwane said most staffers were owed salaries for August and September, while some were owed salaries for July to September. This has been a recurring issue for the ANC in the past two years. Staffers also have unpaid provident funds and medical aid contributions. The party's latest communication to staff members stated that salaries might be paid in the coming weeks, depending on donor engagements. Qwane said workers had grown even more worried amid indications that the party was set on collecting donations for its December conference. He explained why staffers were taking action as follows: "We are withdrawing our labour not because we do not want to work, but because we cannot go to work. For you to go to work, you need to have the means. If you do not have the means, do not allow yourself to be exploited. We are trying to save our members from unnecessary stress.” He went on to say: “There is no thinking about the welfare of staff. It means that whatever money comes in will go to conference and not to staff." Meanwhile, the ANC has yet to make any payments to the provident fund even though it only has until 1 October to make the outstanding contributions or face possible legal action. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zintle Mahlati at News24. Read too, Unpaid ANC staffers say leadership must prioritise their welfare, at EWN
NPA fails to prosecute manager who used k-word repeatedly SowetanLive reports that a senior manager of an agricultural machinery distributor who repeatedly used the k-word to refer to black people during a presentation at a dealership in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, has been let off the hook after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) declined to prosecute him. In a letter dated 31 August 2022, the prosecutor said she could not lay charges due to lack of proof. According to NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa, the state could not prove all the elements of crimen injuria: “There are no reasonable prospects of success in the criminal court ... The complainant can consider civil remedies or possibly the Equality Court.” Despite subsequently admitting to using the racial slur on numerous occasions, which was also caught on a recording, the manager was allowed to walk. Chris Diedericks, a technical manager at Kempston Agri, was early last year subjected to “an internal inquiry” whose sanction the company has refused to reveal. In December, Nico von Wielligh, the CEO of VDB Ermelo, on whose property the racist remark was repeatedly uttered, laid a charge with police after his attempts to get Diedericks to be held to account by his employers failed. Von Wielligh opened the case against Diedericks, Kempston Agri and Claas. Reacting to the NPA’s decision not to prosecute, Von Wielligh commented: “When they say they are not going to prosecute, then it means we may use the k-word in meetings. This is not right. It is wrong to use the k-word in the workplace.” His lawyer said they would write to the office of the national director of public prosecutions to review the matter. When contacted for comment, Diedericks said꞉ “The whole thing was taken out of contention [sic] from the beginning. I did not disrespect any black people. I got along very well with them. I was telling them about something that happened 30 years ago where someone used the k-word. It is not my nature to do this.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mpho Koka at SowetanLive
Former North West acting municipal manager in court in connection with R2.4 million ICT tender News24 reports that the former acting municipal manager of the Bojanala District Municipality appeared in the Rustenburg Magistrate's Court on Monday in connection with a R2.4 million tender. The Hawks arrested Pogisho Patrick Shikwane, 51, on Saturday. "It is alleged that on 8 December 2017, whilst serving as an acting municipal manager, the accused irregularly appointed a company called Big Time Strategic Consultants to provide Information Communication Technology (ICT) audit services and development of an ICT strategy for the municipality for over R2.4 million. It is reported that Big Time Strategic Consultants was, at the time, appointed to render the same services at Moses Kotane municipality where the accused previously served as a municipal manager," Hawks spokesperson Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso advised. He added: “The accused allegedly obtained written consent to inherit the said contract from Moses Kotane municipality as per Regulation 32 of 2005 of the Municipal Supply Chain Management regulations.” But, after the appointment, services were allegedly not rendered to the Bojanala District Municipality. However, more than R2.4 million was allegedly paid to Big Time Strategic Consultants even though the municipality had not budgeted for the service and a similar service had recently been obtained by the municipality. Shikwane was granted R10,000 bail and is expected to return to court on 26 September. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jeanette Chabalala at News24. Lees ook, Oud- munisipale bestuurder vas oor ‘tenderbedrog’, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Dundee High School teacher dismissed for sexual assault Sunday Times reports that a teenage girl has described in shocking and lurid detail how she was sexually assaulted by her teacher in a storeroom at Dundee High School in KwaZulu-Natal. The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) found the educator guilty of sexual misconduct on 12 September and ordered the provincial education department to immediately dismiss him. National Prosecuting Authority KZN spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara confirmed that the teacher was facing a rape charge and that his first appearance in the Dundee regional court was scheduled for 25 October. He was arrested in February and was finally released on 24 August on bail of R20,000. At an ELRC arbitration hearing on 31 August, the 14-year-old pupil gave a precise account of what had happened on 18 February. She was found to be a credible and reliable witness. Senior ELRC arbitrator Raj Shanker accepted her version that she was sexually assaulted by the teacher. He said that the ELRC must forward the ruling to the department of social development for the teacher’s name to be included in the child protection register as someone unsuitable to work with children. Shanker also requested the ELRC to send the sanction to the SA Council for Educators (Sace) “for appropriate action” to be taken against the teacher. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Prega Govender at Sunday Times (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Metrorail’s train service between Cape Town and Malmesbury withdrawn amid 'negotiations' with locomotive provider News24Wire reports that Metrorail has withdrawn its train service between Malmesbury and Cape Town, in what the Western Cape government has dubbed a "major setback". Metrorail said the withdrawal of diesel trains and train crew from the service was due to "challenges" with a service provider supplying diesel locomotives for the line. The move came into effect on Monday and saw the cessation of the peak-hour service. "Since Metrorail only operates electrical diesel locomotives, the business has been depending on a service provider that provides diesel locomotives to [complement] the Malmesbury service. Currently, Prasa (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa) is negotiating with the service provider to seek ways to resolve the challenge," said Metrorail. Western Cape Mobility MEC Daylin Mitchell said the withdrawal of the service was "undermining the ability of commuters to travel to economic opportunities". He said each day without a train service cost the province "millions in missed opportunities" and added that plans were in place to fill the gap temporarily by providing additional buses on the route. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Engineering News. Lees ook, Prasa skort treindiens na Malmesbury op, by Maroela Media No Tshwane busses on Monday afternoon because of fuel shortage Maroela Media reports that on Monday afternoon the Tshwane Metro suspended its bus service due to a looming fuel shortage for its busses. Lindela Mashigo, spokesperson for the City of Tshwane, indicated that the move was only a temporary measure and said: “The municipality is already addressing the situation with its fuel supplier. The supplier has undertaken to do its best by tonight (Monday night) to resolve the fuel shortage.” The metro said it hoped to resume its bus services by Tuesday morning. The City apologised to commuters for the inconvenience caused by the suspension of the bus services. Read the original of the short report in Afrikaans regarding the above at Maroela Media Completed Pretoria-Pienaarspoort corridor will see commuter trains back on track in October Pretoria News reports that the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) has completed construction work on the Pretoria-Pienaarspoort corridor and is now testing and commissioning the lines before opening them for commercial trips. Spokesperson Andiswa Makanda advised that project managers and their teams have worked assiduously to ensure that the entire infrastructure was ready to function smoothly after a major rehabilitation project was undertaken. Serious acts of theft and vandalism collapsed services a few years ago. Makanda said they would be introducing the new electrical motor units – the Blue Trains – when they reopened in October. The corridor covers Koedoespoort, Silverton, Eersterust, Eerste Fabrieke, Mamelodi and Pienaarspoort stations, to name just a few. The current work on the corridor covers 53km and 16 train stations, and 200 job opportunities were created to rehabilitate it. Traditional train commuter Israel Tau reacted to the news: “It’s about time. We are tired of waiting. We cannot afford taxis. They are expensive and you have to take two to get to work. Trains can get you from Mamelodi to the firms in Pretoria West cheaply.” Commuter Nomsa Magaza said: “Trains have a positive impact on the township economy. There are a lot of informal traders who lost their earning power when this service was halted because of criminals who steal wires.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by James Mahlokwane at Pretoria News
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