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 roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 18 November 2022.
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Government clarifies that 'final offer' to public sector unions is an effective 7.5% wage increase Fin24 reports that the government has made clear that the "final offer" tabled to unions in the deadlocked public service wage talks is an effective 7.5% increase, which is expected to cost the fiscus R34 billion. Government issued a statement on what it called the final offer on Thursday evening, hours after seven unions representing an estimated 800,000 members announced a national day of action on Tuesday in protest against the offer of a 3% increase. Unions are demanding a 10% baseline increase. The Public Servants Association (PSA) already held a one-day strike the previous week over the deadlocked wage talks. This week the union will be joined in another day of action by public service unions affiliated with the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu). A statement from the Department of Public Service and Administration explained the state’s offer as follows: "Public servants received the final offer of an average of 7.5%, [which is] 3% pensionable and 4.5% non-pensionable at a cost of R34 billion to the fiscus, for the 2022/23 financial year. This covers public servants in the level 1 to 12 band in line with the final government offer made to the parties to the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council." Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24 Public sector unions reject government's 'misleading' final wage offer Fin24 reports that public sector unions have objected to the government's claim that its final offer in deadlocked wage talks comes to an average increase of 7.5%. The claim was made in a statement on Thursday by the Department of Public Service and Administration. The unions have rejected the government's offer of a 3% salary increase plus a monthly cash amount of R1,045 (a 4.5% increase on the R1,000 monthly non-pensionable stipend civil servants are currently earning). A joint statement by seven unions affiliated with Cosatu, Fedusa and Saftu referred to the "flawed" 7.5% calculation. "The government has sneakily decided to combine the R1,000 stipend, and a 3% baseline increase in its calculations and rounded it up to a fictitious 7.5% increase. Government [is] being disingenuous in gerrymandering percentages to sell to the public. Members will only receive 3% extra in their pay packets as a result of the implementation of the increase, not 7.5% as the government is trying to falsely convey," a spokesperson of the Fedusa-aligned Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of SA (Hospersa) commented. The seven unions representing an estimated 800,000 members said they would proceed with their national day of action on Tuesday and that even members who constituted an essential service were prepared to down tools. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Man arrested for bomb threat against Eskom's COO Jan Oberholzer Fin24 reports that police have arrested a 27-year-old man in Mpumalanga who was traced to a bomb threat made against Eskom chief operating officer Jan Oberholzer. In a statement issued on Saturday, Eskom said that on hearing of the threat, its internal security investigations team had preferred charges with the police for investigation. It was also established that the suspect had used an unregistered SIM card to send the message. On Friday morning, the Hawks and contracted investigators from Bidvest Protea Coin traced and arrested a 27-year-old male suspect. There was overwhelming evidence linking him to the crime. The suspect was arrested by the SA Police Service (SAPS) in the Vosman area at eMalahleni, Mpumalanga. He remains in custody ahead of his court appearance this week. Eskom said it would provide the necessary support to the SAPS to help ensure the suspect was successfully prosecuted and that a stiff sanction was meted out to deter other would-be offenders. The general manager of security at Eskom, Karen Pillay, said that other Eskom executives had also been targeted in recent months. Eskom CEO André de Ruyter, who has received numerous threats, is accompanied by two personal protectors at all times. Read the full original of the report in the above regard compiled by Carol Paton at Fin24. Lees ook, Man vas wat Eskom se Oberholzer glo met bom dreig, by Maroela Media David Mabuza’s bodyguard killed in motorcade crash in Mpumalanga on Sunday TimesLive reports Deputy President David Mabuza’s motorcade was involved in an accident that left one person dead in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, on Sunday. In a statement, the SA Police Service (SAPS) confirmed a member of the SAPS protection unit was killed in the crash. “The SAPS confirms that at about 10.30am on Sunday, the deputy president’s motorcade was travelling between Mpumalanga and Gauteng when one of the backup vehicles’ tyres burst, causing the vehicle to roll over. Three members who were in the vehicle sustained serious injuries. One of these members was declared dead at the scene, while the other two were transported to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention. The deputy president was in another vehicle. He was not injured,” Col Athlenda Mathe reported. A case of culpable homicide has been registered at the Middelburg police station. In July, Mabuza’s motorcade was involved in an accident on the N1 in Midrand, Johannesburg. Two officers sustained minor injuries during the accident and were treated and released the same day. Read the original of the report in the above regard by BusinessLive City Power opens criminal case after technician attacked in cut-off operation in Hillbrow News24 reports that Joburg’s City Power has opened a case of attempted murder, assault, and intimidation after one of its technicians was attacked last week. The technician, Ratsele Machethe, was part of the revenue protection unit, which was carrying out a cut-off operation on defaulting flats along Wolmarans Street in Hillbrow, when they were attacked and stoned by residents. The community members also threatened to burn their cars. Machethe was hit in the head several times with a blunt object and stones. He was left in a critical condition and was hospitalised. City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava said a second attack on a City Power employee took place in Alexandra. The employees were hijacked while repairing an outage along 9th Avenue. “We are really worried about the increase in attacks on our employees, especially at the hands of community members they are meant to serve. Our teams constantly have to be on alert, worried about being attacked, robbed, shot or hijacked while doing their work to ensure residents have electricity,” said Mashava. She advised that City Power would remove its teams from hostile areas if their safety could not be guaranteed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nicole McCain at News24. Read too, City Power embarks on safety measure programme, condemns attacks on workers, at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Western Cape Santaco confirms members to go on strike on Monday and Tuesday EWN reports that Santaco Western Cape on Wednesday announced a provincial shutdown or stayaway of minibus taxis belonging to the Northern Region, Two Oceans, Mitchells Plain, Codeta, Cata, Greater Cape Town and Boland associations. Taxi leaders are demanding the expansion of the R215 million Blue Dot pilot programme, a partnership between the taxi industry and provincial government that will cease to exist by the end of the month unless more funds are pledged and invested. The strike has also been prompted because of alleged unfair by-laws by the Western Cape government towards the taxi industry. Santaco has asked taxi commuters in the Western Cape to look for alternative transport. Santaco spokesperson, Makhosandile Tumana, said that they had spoken to government to address a number of issues, but these efforts had been unsuccessful. "The impoundment of our vans day-by-day, the heavy traffic fines and the issues of the Blue Dot, (means) we are going on strike," Tumana advised. The provincial spokesperson for transport, Jandre Bakker, said that the decision to discontinue the Blue Dot programme was due to budget constraints. Government officials called on the taxi industry to think about the impact that the strike would have on taxi commuters and the economy in the province. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Melikhaya Zagagana at EWN. Read too, Strike action: Unions join forces with taxi associations to shut down Cape Town, at Cape Argus. And also, Western Cape SAPS issues stern warning to ‘opportunists’ to not turn taxi shutdowns violent, at Cape Argus Western Cape Education Department says there's a plan to get matric pupils to schools during taxi strike EWN reports that according to the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), contingency measures have been put in place to assist matriculants during a planned taxi strike on Monday and Tuesday. Last week, the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) advised Western Cape commuters to make alternative transport arrangements on those days. Operators are planning a shutdown in protest against a number of grievances including the issuing of heavy traffic fines, vehicle impoundments and the discontinuation of the Blue Dot taxi pilot project. Over the next two days, the stay-away will affect thousands of commuters – including school children. Education MEC David Maynier says they’ve contacted all exam centres regarding contingency plans and have sent every individual matric candidate an SMS urging them to make alternative transport plans before Monday. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Lauren Isaacs at EWN
Picket by Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital staff on Friday over 'unfair treatment' TimesLive reports that health workers at Durban’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli Academic Hospital staged a picket on Friday and accused the nursing manager of treating staff unfairly. Nehawu’s regional secretary Prince Mthalane said the protest had been fuelled by the health department’s alleged failure to take heed of their grievances, which dated as far back as 2020. “The department had launched an investigation ... until today we still do not know what is the outcome,” said Mthalane. Presenting a memorandum to the department, the union said its members were unhappy with the employment performance system, which they claimed favoured management instead of nurses. Mthalane accused the nursing manager, Nomusa Mkhize, of failing in her duty for not supervising the process. He stated that the more than 16 nursing management posts were "external", a move deemed to be against the upward mobility of the nursing staff. Mthalane said the nurses were also opposed to the system of clocking in and out, which required them to fill in multiple time and attendance records before they started work. A health department official accepted the memorandum. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mfundo Mkhize at TimesLive
Richards Bay Minerals takes dispute over governance of community trusts to court after negotiations fail Miningmx reports that Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) is to take a long-standing dispute over the governance of community trusts it helped create to court after negotiations with local authorities to reform them failed. An application has been brought to the KwaZulu-Natal High Court seeking to change the trust deeds. “Unfortunately, all prior attempts to reach a negotiated outcome have been unsuccessful,” said Werner Duvenhage, MD of RBM of the court application. RBM, in which Australia’s Rio Tinto has a 74% stake, said discussions with the Amakhosi (tribal chief) and trustees to reform the community trusts foundered on 17 November. This followed an agreement in August last year in which all parties committed to the reform of the trusts in line with broad-based community empowerment. The trust reform process aims to enhance the governance and administration of the trusts and improve their ability to achieve the objective of delivering broad-based public benefit to the four host communities, said RBM. The trusts were formed in 2009 has part of RBM’s black economic empowerment plan, but they have been embroiled in controversy. In August, 2021, Duvenhage denied a suggestion that RBM had paid out R130m to the community trusts – effectively extortion – following the suspected assassination of the firm’s GM Nico Swart in May of that year. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by David McKay at Miningmx. Read too, Richards Bay Minerals in court bid against trusts, says most of R530m didn't reach communities, at Miningmx Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Doubling terms of office of directors-general will bring stability, policy certainty, says Mabuza Fin24 reports that according to Deputy President David Mabuza, as the government looks to professionalise of the public service, doubling the terms of office for directors-general (DGs) would provide strategic and policy stability to state departments. He was replying orally to questions in Parliament on Thursday. The national framework on the professionalisation of the public sector was released earlier this month, but pundits argued that it was at odds with the ANC’s position on cadre deployment. Mabuza said the governing ANC’s position on cadre deployment should not be confused with government policy on senior management appointments. He advised that the government was implementing several interventions to improve the state of the public sector. "The framework is now going to be implemented. But the first thing we have done is to extend the term of office for all DGs. Firstly, the term of office was five years, and we have extended it to 10 years. The simple reason is that when a DG is appointed, first year, he or she is acquainting themselves with the environment, the second year, they are starting to implement, but by the third year they must be looking for spaces somewhere else because he or she is aware that he or she is on the exit," Mabuza stated. He added that DGs remained subject to assessments and their political principals could take action if they underperformed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24
Limpopo Health terminates 21 emergency medical workers for not meeting HPSCA standards EWN reports that the Limpopo Health Department has been forced to terminate the employment of 21 emergency medical officers, after it was informed by the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) that they had been deregistered for failing to meet the required standards to remain active members of the council. Accordingly, they were no longer allowed to work as emergency medical officers. On the basis of an audit on the registration status of EMS personnel, forty-six more emergency medical officers were requested to provide proof to the department of their registration with the HPSCA, failing which their services might also be terminated. The 21 employees who have been fired, had challenged the HPCSA in court through their labour unions – but lost the case. The department pointed out that healthcare professionals must keep active their registration status with their various regulatory bodies to legitimize their permission to work with patients. These councils include the HPSCA, the SA Nursing Council, the Pharmacy Council, and others. The health department said that with less than a month to the festive season, it would have preferred to have all hands on deck to deal with any emergency cases. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nomsa Mdhluli at EWN. Lees ook, 21 paramedici in Limpopo afgedank, by Maroela Media
Free State Finance MEC promises Kopanong municipal workers R10,000 after two months with no pay The Citizen reports that Free State finance MEC Gadija Brown came under fire from angry employees at Kopanong Local Municipality after she told them they would receive only R10,000 compensation each because Kopanong was too broke to pay their outstanding salaries and benefits. Brown held an impromptu meeting with employees at the Trompsburg-headquartered municipality last Monday. She had initially arrived on the day to meet with municipal bosses over Kopanong’s crumbling finances. Brown is seen in a video clip recorded at Monday’s meeting urging the staffers to accept the R10,000. Kopanong municipality’s wage bill totals R14 million. Along with other dysfunctional muncipalities such as Maluti-A-Phofung, Masilonyana, Tokologo, Mafube, Mohokare and Mantsopa, Kopanong cannot fulfil its salary obligations and faces total collapse. It also owes power utility Eskom and water boards hundreds of millions of rands. Monies deducted from salaries are illegally used for other expenses, leaving the council with R444 million debt owed to pension funds and medical aid schemes. Employees have since downed tools over non-payment of wages and benefits. Kopanong’s ANC Mayor Xolani Tseletsele shrugged off striking unions demanding workers’ wages, accusing them of “not coming to the table”. “We are willing to engage, but they are not willing to enter into discussions,” he claimed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Getrude Makhafola at The Citizen (subscriber access only)
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