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.
|
Security guard killed, another wounded in hijacking in King Shaka International Airport on Tuesday evening News24 reports that a security guard was shot and killed during a hijacking in the King Shaka International Airport precinct on Tuesday evening. The woman, a security officer attached to the airport, was with her colleague when the attack happened. Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the pair were patrolling around the airport in their vehicle when four men accosted them. "The male security officer managed to escape but was sadly also shot, he ran to the main road where he was assisted by a taxi driver that dropped him off at the KwaZulu-Natal International Airport Police Station," Mathe reported. The hijacked branded security vehicle was later tracked and traced to Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal. Police are searching for the suspects linked to the crimes. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zandile Khumalo at News24. Lees ook, Man sterf tydens kaping naby lughawe, by Maroela Media Staff held at gunpoint on Monday night while newly-launched Joburg TV station ransacked News24 reports that the SA National Editors' Forum (Sanef) has condemned a robbery at a newly-launched broadcast station in Houghton, Johannesburg. Robbers who made off with equipment, including computers and television screens, held INX Prime employees at gunpoint as they ransacked the station on Monday night. No one was injured. Sanef chairperson Sbu Ngalwa said the forum was concerned about the level of criminality against journalists. "Crime continues to be one of the biggest scourges in SA, with journalists and their equipment not spared. We hope the latest unfortunate robbery will spur the police to act and seek to arrest these criminals," Ngalwa stated. The station was launched four months ago. Ngalwa said the broadcaster had assured Sanef it would tighten security to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Cebelihle Bhengu at News24. Lees ook, TV-ateljee beroof, personeel aangehou, by Maroela Media
Deadly Boksburg blast: Police open fresh case against gas tanker driver EWN reports that according to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, investigations into the Boksburg gas tanker explosion have concluded. The tanker exploded under a low-lying railway bridge near the Tambo Memorial Hospital on Christmas Eve. The blast killed at least 41 people, and left scores of others with critical injuries. The Gauteng government has been accused of not ensuring police investigations into the Boksburg tragedy were treated with urgency. Although the 32-year-old driver of the gas tanker was arrested and charged with several cases of culpable homicide the day after the explosion, he was later released and his court case dropped due to insufficient evidence. This caused widespread anger amongst those who had lost loved ones. But Lesufi gave an assurance on Wednesday that police had opened another case against the driver. He advised that police were ready to take the matter back court, and said the docket had been transferred to the senior state prosecutor for consideration. Deliberations on whether the driver or the employment agency concerned should be held to account for the tragedy continue. Managing director of Innovative Staffing Solutions Arnoux Mare said last month they believed the driver did not do anything wrong. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Alpha Ramushwana at EWN. Lees ook, Dodetal styg verder, weke ná ontploffing, by Maroela Media
Bureaucracy hampering quick action on energy crisis, says Presidency DG Phindile Baleni TimesLive reports that Phindile Baleni, Director-general in the Presidency, says bureaucracy makes it difficult for the government to respond in an “agile manner” to the energy crisis. “The regulatory framework was not designed to deal with an energy shortfall,” Baleni pointed out. To solve the problem, the National Energy Crisis Committee (Necom), which she leads, is working on emergency legislation to allow energy projects to proceed quicker and enable co-ordinated and decisive action. Work is being done to urgently implement President Cyril Ramaphosa’s national energy plan unveiled in July last year. The committee, made up of cabinet ministers and Eskom officials, is tasked with implementing the plan. The structure reports to an interministerial committee led by Ramaphosa. Baleni said load-shedding is “not because of inaction by Necom”. Since July last year, the committee has been working with Eskom to provide support to improve plant reliability. As Eskom steps up its maintenance programme it has to take more units offline. “The complexity of this challenge means we will continue to have load-shedding in the short term,” Baleni said, adding that work was under way to accelerate procurement of additional capacity and overcome constraints with grid capacity. Another priority is to support and encourage the rollout of solar in homes and businesses. A team of independent experts is working with Eskom to diagnose problems at poorly performing power stations and take action to improve plant performance. Six power stations have been identified for particular focus to recover additional capacity. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Amanda Khoza at TimesLive. Lees ook, Nóg wetgewing gaan kragkrisis nie oplos – DA, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Saccawu, Massmart back at CCMA in bid to resolve protracted wage dispute EWN reports that the SA Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (Saccawu) and retail giant Massmart headed back to the CCMA this week for a facilitation process to try and resolve an ongoing wage dispute. The two parties are in a nine-month-long wage dispute, with Saccawu having gone on multiple protests over past months. Massmart had previously said that it had closed the wage negotiations because the union would not budge. The union is demanding a 12% wage increase and a R8,000 minimum wage. The union was scheduled to picket outside the CCMA offices on Wednesday. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Gloria Motsoere at EWN
Unions in motor sector furious about Nxesi’s ‘delay’ in gazetting wage hike deal BL Premium reports that unions in the motor industry are frustrated over Department of Employment & Labour (DEL) Minister Thulas Nxesi’s “delay” in gazetting a collective wage agreement signed by parties. After protracted negotiations, the three-year wage deal was signed by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), the Motor Industry Staff Association (Misa), the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) and the Fuel Retailers Association (FRA) at the Motor Industry Bargaining Council (Mibco) in November. The motor sector, which employs about 306,000 workers nationally, represents employees in components manufacturing companies, fuel stations, car dealerships, car cleaning companies, auto parts assembly and panel-beating workshops. According to the wage agreement, workers will receive a 7.5% increase in the first year, followed by increases of 6% in the second and third years. However, the collective wage agreement only becomes binding on parties after Nxesi has published it in the Government Gazette, and this has been the main point of frustration for unions. Misa’s Sonja Carstens said their members “are extremely frustrated” with the delay in the publication of the Government Gazette containing the Mibco agreement. She said the delay was caused by the DEL “questioning this and that, and some of the wording in the main collective agreement.” Mibco Representatives will apparently be meeting DEL officials again this week to iron out some of the questions from the department. Thembinkosi Mkalipi, chief director of labour relations at the DEL, advised: “We received a draft agreement in December that we commented on; [Mibco] still have to submit a signed agreement, with a request for the minister to publish [it in the Government Gazette].” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Governor Kganyago says Reserve Bank lacks tools to create jobs, as ANC wants mandate change Bloomberg News reports that according to SA Reserve Bank (SARB) Governor Lesetja Kganyago, persistently high unemployment in SA is a structural problem that the central bank does not have the tools to address and it should be dealt with by changing the nation’s education policy. “Unemployment in this country is structural,” Kganyago said in an interview in Davos on Tuesday. Policymakers have “got to be alive to the fact” that SA’s education system isn’t equipping learners with the skills needed in a modern era, he opined. The jobless rate for people aged between 15 and 24, which includes school leavers and graduates of universities and training colleges, stands at 34.5%. Unemployment according to the expanded definition, which includes people who are available for work but not looking for a job, is 43.1%. Kganyago’s comments come after ANC chairman Gwede Mantashe said that the party had agreed to change the central bank’s mandate to include job creation. That prospect rattled investors worried that modifications would weaken the SARB’s independence and commitment to its inflation target. President Cyril Ramaphosa later played down suggestions that the change was imminent, while Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said an explicit mention of jobs in the central bank’s remit would not affect its operations. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Prinesha Naidoo at Fin24
Consumer inflation cools slightly to 7.2% in December, but food prices remain red hot Fin24 reports that annual consumer price inflation cooled to 7.2% in December, down from 7.4% in November and 7.6% in October, Statistics SA reported on Wednesday. The consumer price index increased by 0.4% in December from the previous month. Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages rocketed by 12.4% year-on-year, only slightly down from 12.5% in November. Bread and cereal prices were 20.3% higher in December 2022 than a year earlier, while oils and fats (+22%) were also much more expensive. Meat prices rose 10% in 2022, while vegetables increased by 12%. While SA has enjoyed bumper crops, fuel price hikes and load shedding have pushed prices higher. Transport costs were almost 14% higher in December 2022 compared to a year ago, even after sizeable cuts in the price of diesel at the start of the month. Following further declines at the start of January, the petrol price is back to levels last seen before the invasion of Ukraine triggered an oil price surge. The SA Reserve Bank only expects inflation to "sustainably" move back to its targeted level of 4.5% by the second quarter of 2024. The average annual consumer price inflation for 2022 was 6.9%, the highest rate since 2009. Read the full original of the report in the above regard complied by Helena Wasserman at Fin24. See too, Consumer inflation eases to lowest point since May, at BusinessLive. En ook, Inflasie gaan SA’ners nog lank laat les opsê, by Maroela Media Higher electricity tariffs stand in the way of inflation normalising in 2023 Mail & Guardian reports that after breaching the top end of the SA Reserve Bank’s 3%–6% target band last year and hitting a 13-year high of 7.8% year-on-year in July, consumer inflation appears on the retreat, although the outlook for 2023 remains uncertain. The latest data released by Statistics SA on Wednesday showed that inflation cooled for the second consecutive month to 7.2% year-on-year in December from 7.4% the previous month, and economists reckoned it was on a downward trend. At face value, the December inflation numbers are encouraging and moving in the right direction, said Kevin Lings, chief economist at Stanlib. He however warned that upward risks remained, particularly with electricity going up by 18.65%. He expects inflation to be 5% by the end of the year, but at the present time can’t be confident of that. Investec chief economist Annabel Bishop concurred with Lings that higher electricity costs would hamper the progress of easing inflation. She added that risks to the outlook included a weaker-than-expected GDP growth rate if severe electricity load-shedding persisted and caused a further loss in investor sentiment . Economists at Nedbank forecast inflation averaging around 5.5% for 2023 compared with 6.9% in 2022. Nedbank said risks to the inflation outlook remained to the upside, emanating mainly from the global oil price, the vulnerable rand and administered prices, particularly electricity tariffs. Sanisha Packirisamy, an economist at Momentum Investments, said inflation would come back within the target band by the middle of the year and dip just below the 5% mark by the end of the year. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Anathi Madubela at Mail & Guardian (subscriber access only)
Gauteng Premier Lesufi in attendance to witness the fitness of aspiring crime prevention officers News24 reports that Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi watched on Tuesday as thousands of crime prevention officer hopefuls underwent rigorous fitness tests at the Modderbee Correctional Services facility in Benoni. More than 15,000 applicants made their way to the facility in the hopes of making it onto the list of 6,000 young officers the Gauteng government is recruiting. Lesufi said he was impressed by the number of young people who responded. "I saw good commitment, and that impresses me. I saw those who have the heart to do it, but their body can't carry them, so we need to assist them. But overall, I like the spirit. Let's have a new force in Gauteng that will protect Gauteng," he commented. The test included physical activities such as running, push-ups, sit-ups, and shuttle runs, followed by an interview process. Candidates' criminal records will be checked. In October, Lesufi promised that the security portfolio would get a bigger budget to help in the fight against crime. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ditiro Selepe at News24 DA heading to court to challenge ANC cadre deployment policy EWN reports that the Democratic Alliance (DA) will be heading to court early next week to challenge the African National Congress’ (ANC’s) cadre deployment policy. The official opposition says the negative impact of the policy is evident in the current energy crisis. The DA will be asking the North Gauteng High Court to declare the policy inconsistent with the Constitution, and therefore invalid. According to the party, the ANC's cadre deployment policy fosters corruption. The Zondo Commission of Inquiry has already found that the policy fuelled state capture. The DA's Leon Schreiber elaborated that the policy undermined the state's ability to appoint competent civil service staff on the basis of merit and skill. Last week, Minerals and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe was quoted as saying the ANC would be actively involved in recruiting a replacement for the outgoing Eskom CEO, André de Ruyter. According to the DA, this is proof the ANC does not intend to abandon the cadre deployment policy. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Lindsay Dentlinger at EWN
UIF paid out over R1 billion in benefits during December festive season The Citizen reports that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) paid out more than R1 billion to over 225,000 beneficiaries during the December festive season. Some R876 million was paid out for unemployment benefits, R88 million for maternity and parental benefits, and R32 million for dependents benefits. The fund also disbursed R24 million for illness benefits. According to the UIF commissioner Teboho Maruping, the payouts were processed to ensure that beneficiaries and “their loved ones met their financial obligations during and after the festive season”. He indicated in a statement on Wednesday: “I am very pleased that we were able to disburse the R1 billion to so many of our clients during the busy December period, and I have no doubt that this R1 billion pay out in benefits went a long way towards helping our clients to put food on the table during the festive break and planning for crucial items such as purchasing stationery and uniforms for children in the beginning of the new year as schools reopened around the country.” The UIF also noted that the special Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) had disbursed R62 billion to at least 5 million workers since it was introduced during the first pandemic lockdown in March 2020. For the Workers Affected by Unrest (Wabu), a temporary financial relief scheme that was established to assist workers who lost income as a result of the July 2021 unrest, the UIF has paid out R21 million to 6,404 workers. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at The Citizen. Read too, UIF pays out R14.5 million to over 3000 former teaching and general assistants in KwaZulu-Natal, at The Mercury
PIC strongly refutes Government Employee Pension Fund insolvency claims Moneyweb reports that the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) has refuted claims circulating on social media that the Government Employee Pension Fund (GEPF) is facing insolvency risks as a result of an alleged £158 billion (R3.3 trillion) legal claim against its portfolio of assets. According to a PIC statement released on Monday, ‘Nedbank Private Wealth’, a Nedbank subsidiary previously affiliated with insurer Old Mutual, is alleged to have engaged in “bad business practices” in the UK and US, which led to the alleged legal claim. The PIC, on behalf of the GEPF, is an investor in both Old Mutual and Nedbank listed shares. The allegations further level that South African state pensions will cease to exist because of the legal claims, but the PIC said there was “simply no factual or legal basis for these assertions”. The PIC added that Nedbank and Old Mutual have also refuted the allegations. In response to questions, Nedbank said there was no claim or pending legal matter relating to the GEPF or the PIC, in which it was linked. “Any allegation in this regard would therefore be baseless, unsubstantiated and false,” the lender stated. Old Mutual, however declined to comment on the matter. The PIC emphasised that itself and the GEPF were connected to the allegations solely because they were invested in Old Mutual and Nedbank. “The PIC can only assure its clients and their beneficiaries, the public and other stakeholders that the allegations are false and that all its client assets are secure,” the corporation stated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntando Thukwana at Moneyweb
|
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page