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 Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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Policeman shot dead in Grassy Park on Thursday TimesLIVE reports that a 26-year-old police constable was shot and killed in Grassy Park, Cape Town, on Thursday afternoon. The deceased and his partner reacted to information about an armed suspect in Blackbird Avenue in Grassy Park at about 5.45pm. During an altercation with the suspect, the constable sustained a fatal gunshot wound to his chest. His partner escaped the incident unharmed. The suspect fled the crime scene. Police spokesperson Col Andre Traut said crime scene experts and detectives had gathered evidence at the scene and the Hawks would lead the investigation. He advised that Western Cape police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembisile Patekile had deployed additional members and resources to hunt down the suspect. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at TimesLIVE
African Bank's acquisition of Ubank now official City Press reports that African Bank has completed its acquisition of prominent micro-lender Ubank after it announced that it was the successful bidder to purchase most of Ubank’s disclosed assets and liabilities. The deal, which was finalised late in November, signifies a milestone in the African Bank’s revival strategy, which is geared toward a diversified business approach. Ubank (formerly known as Teba Bank) operates in the microfinance sector and mainly targets lower-income blue-collar workers, especially those in the mining sector. African Bank has not been a publicly held company since it went into curatorship in 2014. When it emerged out of curatorship in 2016, its shares went into the hands of the SA Reserve Bank, which invested R3 billion, along with a consortium of banks that helped back the bank in time of need. Chief executive officer Kennedy Bungane said the UBank transaction was an essential element to building a scalable and sustainable banking business with a compelling listable proposition. “Given Ubank’s strong retail deposits, transactional accounts, and partnerships with MTN’s Mobile Money, it will accelerate the diversification and scaling of African Bank in line with our mission to build a customer-centric, digital and data-enabled business,” he said. Bungane also advised: “Ubank’s customers will be migrated to African Bank’s MyWorld product, which offers a higher degree of personalisation, lower fees and more competitive value.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mduduzi Nonyane at City Press (subscriber access only) BHP warns of a range of skills shortages in mining Bloomberg News reports that the BHP Group, the world’s biggest miner, warns that a shortage of skilled workers from mining engineers to mathematicians will hamper efforts to meet soaring demand for metals crucial to the energy transition. Increasingly advanced technological expertise is needed to discover and access new deposits of “difficult to find” key metals such as copper and nickel, Laura Tyler, BHP’s chief technical officer, said in a speech in Melbourne on Thursday. “They are becoming deeper, harder to access, in more challenging regions. As we automate and electrify our operations, move work to remote operating centres, change the very equipment our maintainers look after, we have to train for new skills,” Tyler indicated. Demand for copper is expected to double over the next 30 years, while the need for nickel will quadruple. To meet demand for “green metals” by 2040, the world will need 21% more mining and geotech engineers and 29% more metallurgists, Tyler estimated. “We need to train them now,” she added. “Even as we retrain our people to meet the challenges of the new way of operating, we know this will not be enough. We need more technologists. More data scientists. And more mathematicians,” Tyler asserted. Demand for less skilled forms of labour in the sector would drop thanks to automation of vehicles and equipment, she said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by James Fernyhough at BusinessLive. Read too, Mining needs to address critical digital skills shortage right now, says BHP executive, at Mining Weekly Other general posting(s) relating to mining
SA Policing Union (Sapu) abandons trade union federation Saftu Fin24 reports that the SA Policing Union (SAPU), which has an estimated 84,000 members, has decided to cancel its affiliation with the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu). The union said in a letter to Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi that its national congress decided at a meeting on Wednesday to cancel its membership and affiliation with the trade union federation with immediate effect. SAPU has also withdrawn its president Thabo Matsose as the first deputy president of Saftu. It wished the federation "all the best". Saftu spokesperson Trevor Shaku said the federation had not discussed the letter yet. When asked about what the union’s reasons were, he said that all Saftu knew was those "two lines in the letter" as Sapu “did not give reasons." SAPU spokesperson Lesiba Thobakgale told News24 that they felt Saftu was not looking out for the interest of its members. He said SAPU had not yet taken any decision to join another federation. "We have currently just withdrawn. For now, we are independent," he indicated. Read the original of the report in the above regard compiled by Ahmed Areff at Fin24. Read too, Police union unexpectedly leaves Saftu, at GroundUp
Saftu’s Vavi says Phala Phala report has buried Ramaphosa ‘six feet down, in a coffin’ IOL reports that general secretary of the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), Zwelinzima Vavi, says resignation is the only option for beleaguered President Cyril Ramaphosa following the damning report by an independent panel which found that the president may have a case to answer on the Phala Phala farm scandal. “There is no other option. This independent panel’s report is just damning. It has put the president six feet down, in a coffin, and ready to be buried by his own enemies within own party. He has to go. For the sake of himself, and for the sake of the country and its well-being, he has to resign. He should not wait for the NEC (national executive committee of the ANC) meeting tonight (Thursday) where thieves will be deciding what to do with another thief,” Vavi said, speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika. Vavi went on to say: “Further, Saftu calls on the police to deepen and conclude the investigation on all the areas. If the president is arrested as a result of allegations that he violated PRECCA (the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act), then like everybody else he must be tried.” The outspoken unionist said if Ramaphosa was found guilty in a court of law, he must “immediately be put in prison for a long sentence”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jonisayi Maromo at IOL Read too, Give Ramaphosa time to study Phala Phala report, says Gungubele, at SowetanLive
City Power employs in-house electricians to lessen its reliance on contractors Engineering News reports that on 1 December, City of Johannesburg electricity utility City Power deployed 52 newly appointed electricians to lessen its reliance on contractors and foster area-specific accountability in the Joburg power network. The electricians will be posted in problem-prone sections of the City Power network and assume direct responsibility for sections of the grid. Previously, contractors were “haphazardly” employed by City Power to rectify outages and resolve long-term issues, but the newly appointed electricians will foster a better understanding of issues and build up a body of knowledge specific to their area, City Power believes. It says that this will enable more sustainable solutions to short- and long-term issues based on the in-house electricians’ region-specific experience. “This will save City Power millions of rands annually in contractor fees and ensure better accountability in the work undertaken on a day-to-day basis,” Environment and Infrastructure Service MMC Michael Sun asserted. More electricians will be in-sourced by City Power in coming months with the aim that a total contingent of 300 electricians be deployed by mid-2023. The plan has been six months in the making, with over 100 applications having been received for the electrician posts. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Engineering News New study predicts wave of teacher retirements in the public sector Cape Argus writes that a recently launched study predicts an incoming wave of teacher retirements with nearly 50% of public sector teachers in SA already aged 50 years and older in 2021. The first in a series of a larger three-year research project, the Teacher Demographic Dividend report released on Thursday was conducted by more than 20 Stellenbosch University researchers in the Research on Socio-economic Policy (Resep) unit. Headed by professors Nic Spaull and Servaas van der Berg, the project will run from 2022 to 2024. “In 2013, just over 7 800 public sector educators aged 55+ had left in the previous year, a number that rose to just under 12 500 in 2021,” reported authors Van der Berg and professor Martin Gustafsson. Researcher Poppie Ntaka claimed that the learner-educator ratios were rising because provinces were not hiring. Education activist Hendrick Makaneta said it was true that more and more teachers were leaving the system before retirement age, due to unsafe learning environments particularly in townships. He commented: “I think that the government is not hiring enough teachers despite the fact that education is purportedly an apex priority. Something drastic should be done to address the challenge of shortage of teachers because even those teachers currently in the system are overworked.” Younger teachers are said to have considerably higher levels of content knowledge than older teachers, especially in maths. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Shakirah Thebus at Cape Argus
South32 solar energy training centre in partnership with Solana Energy launched in Richards Bay BL Premium reports that a training academy that will supply SA’s fast growing solar energy industry with skilled workers will open its doors to the public next year. The centre is the result of a partnership formed earlier this year between South32, an Australian mining and metals company with a secondary listing on the JSE and assets in SA, and local renewables business Solana Energy. The training academy is based in Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal where South32’s Hillside Aluminium smelter is located. As the solar power market in SA expands, which it is expected to do at a rapid pace over the next few years, the demand for skilled workers for this sector is increasing. The training academy had its formal launch on Thursday. It will offer both practical and theoretical training focusing on areas such as solar installation, the maintenance of solar systems, solar system design and energy auditing. Solana Energy’s Ahmed Motara said the solar market in SA was expected to grow by 29% for the next five years. Each megawatt of new installed solar energy will create about 40 jobs along the solar value chain. “Based on this, the solar PV industry is expected to create between 38,000 and 40,000 energy jobs per year between 2023 and 2030. By 2030 the market will also be supporting about 11,000 operations and maintenance jobs per year,” he indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Denene Erasmus at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Two former cops who charged illegal immigrants R150 to enter SA from Lesotho sentenced News24 reports that two former police officials who allowed illegal immigrants to enter the country after charging them R150 each have been convicted and sentenced. Phillip Molefi Mofokeng and Kgeola John Mofokeng appeared in the Bethlehem Magistrate's Court on Wednesday on charges of corruption. According to Free Stake Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti, in 2012 the pair allowed illegal immigrants from Lesotho without proper documents to enter SA after charging each of them R150. After receiving information from a whistleblower, Matoti said an undercover officer was deployed to act as though he wanted to enter the country, which led to the arrest of the officials. The pair appeared in court on several occasions culminating in their conviction. On Wednesday, the court fined Kgeola Mofokeng R40,000 or six years imprisonment, while Phillip Mofokeng was fined R8,000 or five years imprisonment. Their sentences were wholly suspended for five years and both were declared unfit to possess a firearm. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Zandile Khumalo at News24 Eastern Cape education department director, his wife and a service provider arrested for alleged PPE fraud News24 reports that a director of the Eastern Cape education department, his wife and a service provider have appeared in court for alleged personal protective equipment (PPE) fraud, corruption and money laundering. The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) arrested the trio this week. The department's chief director of supply chain management, Marius Harmse, his wife, Elanore, and Kups Trading director, Sigqibo Makupula, were each granted R10,000 bail at the Zwelitsha Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. According to the Hawks, Harmse signed off on a R4-million PPE tender for Kups Trading on 31 August 2020. Makupula then purchased a Mercedes-Benz V-class, valued at R850,000, with a payment of R328,000 for Harmse as an alleged kickback for the tender. A probe by the Special Investigating Unit found that Makupula transferred R573,000 from his First National Bank account for Star Motors, King William's Town, towards the purchase price of the vehicle for the couple. According to the Hawks, Harmse paid the balance of R277 000 to Star Motors, and the vehicle was registered in Elanore Harmse's name on 3 February 2021. The vehicle was sold on 10 May 2021, and the R800,000 purchase price was paid to Harmse's Standard Bank account. The Asset Forfeiture Unit obtained a preservation order in September to preserve the Mercedes-Benz V-class. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alex Patrick at News24 Sekhukhune mayor resigns ahead of looming VBS legal battle SowetanLive reports that a Limpopo mayor who was recently arrested in connection with the VBS Mutual Bank scandal had resigned with immediate effect. Sekhukhune district municipality spokesperson Khomotso Ndhlovu confirmed that mayor Julia Mathebe tendered her resignation on Wednesday. Mathebe told Sowetan she decided to resign to honour the ANC's step aside rule, but declined to comment on whether she believed she would win the legal battle before her. Mathebe was arrested in connection with a R190m deposit into now doomed VBS bank made by the Elias Motsoaledi local municipality during her tenure as mayor. Last month she appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Court alongside former municipal manager Minah Maredi. They were released on R30,000 bail each. A special council meeting was set for Thursday afternoon where Mathebe’s resignation as well as the announcement of a new mayor for Sekhukhune district were due to be on the agenda. Following her arrest, the ANC in the province announced that Mathebe would step aside and be relieved of all her duties as the party’s chairperson in the Sekhukhune region until her case was concluded. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zoe Mahopo at SowetanLive Fraud trial against suspended Social Justice Coalition manager Xolani Klaas set for January GroundUp reports that the fraud case against the Social Justice Coalition’s (SJC’s) suspended general manager has been escalated to the regional court in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. Xolani Klaas made a brief appearance at the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. He faces charges related to alleged fraud in excess of R730,000. In June, a GroundUp investigation revealed that Klaas appeared to have used SJC funds to pay for furniture, household appliances, luxury clothes, watches, groceries, and expensive technology. He was subsequently suspended and SJC staff laid criminal charges against him. In July, it was reported that Klaas had returned some furniture, purchased using SJC money, to the organisation’s offices. During the hearing on Thursday, it was revealed that the police investigations were complete and that the trial would be heard in the regional court in January 2023. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mary-Anne Gontsana at GroundUp
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