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.
In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
|
Satawu calls off Transnet wage strike Bloomberg News reports that the smaller of the two main trade unions at Transnet says it has called off a strike over wages. "We have appealed to our members to go back to work tomorrow morning. In the interest of the economy, the majority has signed and we just have to release our members," SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) spokeswoman Amanda Tshemese indicated on Wednesday. The union had initially rejected its rival United National Transport Union’s (UNTU’s) acceptance of Transnet’s pay offer and said industrial action would continue until workers were assured they would not lose their jobs. UNTU reported on Monday that it had agreed a three-year deal with the company for increases of as much as 6%. Tshemese said the union still didn’t agree with the current agreement between the majority union and Transnet management and would address its issues internally. The union said it represented about a third of Transnet’s 55,827 full-time and contract staff, compared with 24,992 for UNTU. The strike, which UNTU began on 6 October with Satawu joining four days later, has crimped shipments of iron ore, coal and chrome. Fruit producers also expressed concern that their harvests would rot at the docks. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Moses Mozart Dzawu at Fin24 Transnet worker attendance as high as 80% as operations ramp up after wage deal with UNTU Fin24 reports that according to Transnet, worker activity at its operations has returned to levels as high as 80% since the state-owned entity inked its three-year wage deal with a majority union. Transnet and the United National Transport Union (UNTU) inked a three-year wage agreement that runs from April this year to late March 2025 and includes a 6% increase in year one, a 5.5% increase in year two, and a 6% increase in year three. Transnet said in a statement that it had started the implementation of recovery plans across all of its operations. "Employee attendance is up across the board, averaging between 70% and 80%, with more employees expected to return over the next two days. Transnet continues to prioritise the safety of employees and assets, as operations prepare to ramp up," the statement indicated. Transnet said it would continue to engage with customers and industry on plans to clear backlogs created by the strike. The statement indicated that the evacuation of imports from ports was underway with perishable and time-sensitive cargo getting priority. "All eight commercial ports remain accessible. Transnet Pipelines continues to transport fuel to the inland market, with contingencies in place to ensure the security of supply," Transnet said. On Wednesday, the smaller of the two main trade unions at Transnet, namely the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), said it had called off its strike in the light of Transnet’s agreement with UNTU. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Vehicle manufacturers, Numsa sign three-year wage deal Engineering News reports that the Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation (AMEO) and the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) have signed a new three-year sector wage deal. The agreement will see workers at the country’s vehicle assembly plants receive an 8.5% wage increase in the first year, backdated to 1 July. Workers in the bargaining forum are also set to receive R10,000 as a “once off taxable gratuity”, according to Numsa. Years two and three will see 7% increases, or the inflation rate, whichever is higher. Housing subsidies are set to increase from R500 a month for qualifying employees to R1,000 a month, with a once-off payment of R7,500 for first-time home buyers, up from R5,000. The wage agreement is valid from 1 July 2022, to 30 June 2025. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at Engineering News
Probe into tragic Mitchells Plain incident gets under way Weekend Argus reports that the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has launched an investigation into the tragic deaths of three contract workers who were trapped inside a sewage manhole in Mitchells Plain last week. Tragedy struck on Tuesday when a construction worker from CVS Construction fell down a sewer manhole and died. Two other construction worker who attempted to rescue him also died. The one worker’s body was retrieved the next day after a dramatic search and rescue. The other worker died in hospital on Thursday after he was pulled out of the manhole with a rope and collapsed. The workers were part of a provincial Department of Human Settlements project to install a new bulk sewer and water line. The department's spokesperson, Muneera Allie said they were also conducting investigations through the health and safety consultants who were contracted to the project. It is unclear whether safety standards were adhered to or what caused the tragedy. The company, CSV Construction, would not divulge any details around the incident and said it was involved in the site investigation along with the DEL. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bulelwa Payi at Weekend Argus Other internet posting(s) in this news category
No bail, says Denosa as man accused of killing North West nurse appears in court News24 reports that the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) in North West has called on the Schweizer-Reneke Magistrate's Court to deny bail to a man accused of killing a nurse by slitting her throat. The trade union said denying bail to the accused would send a strong message to society that the State would not tolerate the abuse and harassment of women and children. Iris Mamotlakana Mohokare, a nurse at Ipelegeng Clinic in Schweizer-Reneke, was murdered in her rented home in Ipelegeng township on 12 October. Her throat had been slit, and her bloodied body was discovered by her sister a day later. The accused Bongane Gregory Shebi, who was reportedly Mohokare's neighbour, made his first appearance in court on Monday on a charge of murder. The case was postponed to 24 October for a bail application. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Henry Mamothame reported: “The accused became a person of interest after police received information while conducting investigations that he was spotted – not far from where the incident occurred – walking with bloodied clothes. Police then started looking for the accused and ultimately arrested him on 15 October." Upon arrival at the police station, Shebi informed police that he wanted to tell the truth, which subsequently saw him making a confession. But, he denied being the person who stabbed the deceased, saying it was a person who had also been present. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zandile Khumalo at News24
Mortuary workers threaten to shut down all forensic services in KZN The Citizen reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has threatened to shut down all the forensic pathology service facilities in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) if the provincial Department of Health (DOH) does not act on their demands. On Monday, members of the union at forensic pathology service facilities across the province, including Fort Napier, picketed outside the Natalia Building in Pietermaritzburg, where they submitted their memorandum of demands. Their list of demands included the immediate filling of all funded vacant posts; immediate implementation of the sustainable model for professionalisation of forensic pathology services; an immediate end to salary disparities within the forensic directorate; and compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act by fixing the broken cold rooms where corpses were kept and by ensuring air-conditioners were working properly. Mazwi Ngubane, Nehawu secretary in the Harry Gwala Region, said they were tired of the DOH ignoring their issues. He indicated that the issues they raised in the memorandum were not new, as they have been raised several times before, but the department had failed to attend to them. Spokesperson for the DOH said: “Yes, the memorandum was received. The department will handle the matter accordingly.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lethiwe Makhanya at The Citizen
One of six alleged illegal mining kingpins fraudulently obtained ID, court hears News24 reports that an immigration official told the Oberholzer Magistrate's Court in Carletonville on Wednesday that one of the six alleged illegal mining kingpins arrested recently, obtained his ID illegally. Evidence tabled by Home Affairs immigration officer Mothusi Letsogo raised many questions around Eric Dumisa Moyo's bail affidavit. Letsogo testified that Moyo was not being honest to the court when he claimed he was born and attended both primary and secondary school in Welkom. Moyo claimed in his affidavit that he was born in Welkom in 1987 and that his businesses would collapse if he was not released on bail. Letsogo told the court that through his investigation, he uncovered Moyo was not born at Bongani Hospital in Welkom in 1987, as claimed. Neither did he attend the Moremaphofu Primary School or the Lephola Secondary school in Thabong. According to Letsogo, Moyo obtained his documents fraudulently and through misrepresentation. "He had contravened the Immigration Act. Since the ID was fraudulently obtained, I have recommended to my seniors that his ID must be closed," he told the court. Moyo and five others are charged with fraud, possession of ammunition, possession of drugs, money laundering, contravention of the Immigration Act and contravention of the Precious Metals Act. The six allegedly illegally processed and sold precious metals, including gold. Police seized 14 high-performance vehicles and a truck during their arrests. The trial continues. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntwaagae Seleka at News24. Read too, Alleged illegal mining kingpins on police watch list since 2018, court hears, at EWN Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Eskom can now finally force Brian Molefe to pay back millions to its pension fund Fin24 reports that in another setback for former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe, the power utility can now issue a letter of demand to recover the millions he owes the Eskom Pension and Provident Fund (EPPF). This emerged from Eskom's briefing to Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) on Wednesday and brings the years-long battle between Molefe and Eskom closer to a conclusion. In 2018, the North Gauteng High Court directed Molefe to return his "patently unlawful" pension payouts in a case brought by trade union Solidarity and the DA. This judgment was confirmed by a second ruling in July this year, when Molefe was ordered to pay back R9.9 million, plus interest, to the pension fund. The same ruling required the fund, in turn, to pay back the R30 million it had received from Eskom. Molefe then sought leave to appeal the ruling. Eskom said the fund had subsequently repaid the R30 million. On 12 October, the North Gauteng High Court dismissed Molefe’s application for leave to appeal. Eskom’s Mel Govender said on Wednesday this meant that after protracted detours in the accountability process, Eskom could finally enforce an order to recover the funds. The EPPF said in a statement later that Molefe still reserved the right to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal or the Constitutional Court. The EPPF’s Shafeeq Abrahams indicated that the fund would issue a letter of demand as soon as it received the necessary tax directive from the SA Revenue Service. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24 Solidarity welcomes judgment against Brian Molefe, says it’s time for him to pay up Solidarity on Wednesday welcomed the judgment against Brian Molefe that he must repay money to the Eskom Pension and Provident Fund and further announced that it would continue pursuing criminal prosecution of the former Eskom CEO. The trade union said that just as Molefe could not escape civil liability, he would not be able to escape criminal prosecution either. Solidarity took Molefe to court in 2018 over his role in large-scale pension fraud. Connie Mulder, head of the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), commented: “Brian Molefe stole pension money. This is what the court found and therefore he must pay back every cent plus interest. Corruption cannot be the order of the day anymore – not if South Africans have any hope for our country. It is time that these criminals pay for their actions. Solidarity is far from done with state capturers and will take any and all steps necessary to make sure justice is done.” Solidarity included Molefe in the charges filed against 21 alleged state capturers earlier this year. “The list of criminal charges facing Molefe is long, and he must face criminal prosecution for every one of his offences. Nothing less should be expected and nothing less will be acceptable,” said Mulder. Read Solidarity’s press statement on this matter at Solidarity Press Releases Employee arrested after Eskom’s Tutuka power station hit by more oil theft Fin24 reports that less than a year after Eskom uncovered an oil crime syndicate at its Tutuka power station in Mpumalanga, an employee has been arrested after more oil theft was uncovered at the power station. On Monday, the Eskom employee appeared in court after 10 drums of oil, worth R800,000, were stolen. Eskom said that following an internal investigation, and with the support of the Hawks, the employee appeared in the Standerton Magistrate's Court and was remanded in custody for a bail application. "We shall ensure that bail is denied, and that the employee faces the full might of the law," said Karen Pillay, general manager for Eskom Group Security. Last year, Eskom uncovered that a syndicate was stealing approximately R100 million worth of oil per month from Tutuka. In a separate incident at the Matla power station, cleaning contractors were arrested for allegedly stealing copper cables which they had placed in a waste storage container. "The suspects were under the watchful surveillance of the investigators who pounced on them when they attempted to remove the container from the area," Eskom said in a statement. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at Fin24. Lees ook, ‘Eskom-diewe’ op heterdaad betrap, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
CPI eased slightly in September to 7.5% BL Premium reports that annual consumer inflation slowed in September mainly as a result of a second consecutive monthly decline in fuel prices. On Wednesday, Statistics SA reported that headline inflation eased to 7.5% in September from 7.6% in August, improving on the 13-year high of 7.8% recorded in July. Nonetheless, the September reading remained above the upper limit of the SA Reserve Bank’s target range of 3%-6%. Data shows that prices slowed further for transportation due to fuel inflation, which fell from 43.2% year-on-year in August to 34.0% in September. The main contributors to the September inflation rate were food and nonalcoholic beverages, transport, housing and utilities, as well as miscellaneous goods and services. Annual food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation increased to 11.9% from 11.3% in August, with bread and cereal prices up 19.3% from a year before – the biggest increase in 13 years. Inflation is expected to continue to trend lower, driven by lower international oil prices. Encouragingly, global food inflation has also moderated significantly and should eventually translate into lower domestic prices. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thuletho Zwane at BusinssLive (subscriber access only). Read too, Inflation cools slightly to 7.5%, at Engineering News. En ook, Inflasie gee effe skiet, by Maroela Media
Head of HPCSA’s medical and dental board suspended for alleged misconduct BL Premium reports that the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) has suspended the chair of its medical and dental professions board, Solly Rataemane, for alleged misconduct. This was confirmed by a department of health spokesperson who said that Health Minister Joe Phaahla had been informed of Rataemane’s temporary suspension pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct. The HPCSA is a statutory body charged with overseeing the training, registration and conduct of healthcare practitioners. It suspended Rataemane on 22 September and has yet to provide a public explanation for its action. Rataemane, who chairs the Health Minister’s advisory committee on mental health and was previously head of psychiatry at Sefako Magkatho Health Sciences University, said on Tuesday the HPCSA had not told him why he had been suspended. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to have done wrong,” he said, declining to comment further. The HPCSA’s head of corporate affairs, Christopher Tsatsawane, confirmed Rataemane’s temporary suspension and said the matter was under investigation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tamar Kahn at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
|
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page