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 Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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Armed robbers arrived at Joburg factory in cars marked ‘Department of Labour’, ‘UIF’, not knowing cops were waiting IOL reports that 10 men, travelling in vehicles branded with Department of Employment & Labour (DEL) and Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) insignia were arrested after they attempted to rob the Golden Fry Factory, which produces cooking oil in Eikenhof, south of Joburg. Four of the arrested suspects were South African citizens, while six were Zimbabwean nationals. Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Xolani Fihla confirmed that the JMPD’s undercover reaction unit arrested the10 in an operation in conjunction with the SAPS crime intelligence unit. The 10 have been charged for attempted murder, conspiracy to commit a business robbery, impersonating DEL officials, fraud and possession of illegal firearms. The Zimbabwean citizens have been additionally charged for contravening the Immigration Act. After information was received regarding a syndicate intending to commit a business robbery at the factory on Friday, the operational team proceeded to the location where they strategically took their positions. “The team noticed the vehicles approaching the factory as they kept watching. A shootout broke out as the officers strategically approached and intercepted the suspects,” Fihla reported. No one was injured during the shootout. The 10 suspects were detained at Mondeor SAPS and will appear in court soon. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jonisayi Maromo and view photographs at IOL
ANC lekgotla backs declaration of national state of disaster to deal with energy crisis TimesLive reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has given the strongest indication yet that the government is likely to declare a national state of disaster to deal with the energy crisis. He said at the end of the ANC’s national executive committee lekgotla on Monday that work was under way in the government to establish the legal requirements for such a declaration. Summarising the discussions, Ramaphosa said there was a clear direction from the lekgotla that the government had to resolve the loadshedding crisis in a much shorter time than what had been projected. A set of actions has been set out to achieve that objective, he said. “There was talk about declaration of a national state of disaster like what we did when we faced Covid-19 and there is broad agreement we should move in that direction,” he indicated. Ramaphosa added that the matter would receive urgent attention in government processes and would also be discussed thoroughly at the government lekgotla in the next few days. “It is a matter that should be attended to and resolved without delay,” he noted. “I must add that this proposal has been articulated in a number of consultations we have held with role players, from traditional leaders to social formations, community-based organisations, trade unions, business and many others. So this matter is being addressed with the urgency it requires,” Ramaphosa added. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Andisiwe Makinana at BusinessLive. Read too, ANC lekgotla supports declaration of national state of disaster to deal with load shedding, at Fin24 Government considering measures to help cushion the poor from rising energy costs TimesLive reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to help cushion indigent families from rising electricity costs. Last week, the president made a call for the Eskom board to consider measures to help mitigate the impact of the 18.65% increase in tariffs, which was recently approved by the National Energy Regulator of SA. Noting that the announcement of an increase in electricity tariffs came at an extremely difficult time for citizens and businesses alike, who were already contending with the high costs of fuel, food and other essentials, he announced that measures were being considered by government to help indigent families mitigate the effects of rising electricity costs. These included helping households and small businesses install solar power and energy-saving devices; supporting households with rechargeable lights; and working with pupils to catch up where load-shedding interrupted lessons. “We should be able to provide further information on these and other initiatives in the coming weeks,” he said. Ramaphosa pointed out that, since the early days of democracy, the government had implemented a policy of free water and electricity for indigent households. “The free basic electricity allowance, if implemented properly by municipalities, should shield the poorest households from the effect of the tariff increase. We remain absolutely committed to this policy,” he said. Ramaphosa called on all South Africans to pay for the electricity they used and pointed out that nonpayment and illegal connections made electricity provision more expensive and less reliable. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sisanda Mbolekwa at BusinessLive. Read too, ANC says load-shedding could lead to increased civil unrest, at BusinessLive Malema threatens nationwide shutdown on 20 March over load shedding and insists he won’t seek permission IOL reports that as the opposition pressurises the government to end load shedding, EFF leader Julius Malema has threatened to unleash the “mother of all protests” which he said would bring SA to a standstill on 20 March. Speaking to journalists after the EFF’s recent plenum, Malema said his party would not seek permission to hold the mass protest, and warned businesses to close shop on the day. “National shutdown (on) 20 March - we don’t apply for nothing. We can’t apply for that which is given to us by the Constitution. It is our constitutional right to protest and we shall protest on the 20th of March. Like Sharpeville, we are not afraid of the State power, let the State come with its power, we will come with mass power,” said Malema. He went on to add: “Everything is going to come to a standstill. We don’t want to see a single truck moving. We don’t want to see a single train moving. We don’t want to see a single bus moving, unless it is taking people to the picket lines. We don’t want to see the trucks and the trains, more particularly in Richards Bay. Those ones are taking our minerals out of our country through Richards Bay. On the 20th, if you know what is good for you, park your trucks in your depots. Let the trains stop … Ramaphosa must step down with immediate effect.” A week ago, civil rights group #NotInMyName marched to the Union Building in Pretoria, demanding an end to the indefinite load shedding and the approved electricity price hike. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jonisayi Maromo at IOL. Read too, EFF plans national shutdown to protest load shedding, call for Ramaphosa to resign, at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Rosslyn industrial hub declared safe following gas leak on Saturday SowetanLive reports that a major industrial hub in Rosslyn, north of Pretoria, has been declared safe after Saturday's gas leak that led to temporary closure of factories, shops, petrol stations and a police station. The leak came from a pipe running underground near Piet Rautenbach Street to the Spar complex. The leak caused panic among people and business owners, who had to immediately shut down on Saturday morning. Akasia police station was also temporarily shut down and two filling stations were cordoned off. Firefighters and ambulances had to be called while police evacuated people and diverted traffic. The City of Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Roland Hendricks said the gas pipe was situated in an open manhole about 2-metres underground. “The leak was caused by a grass fire, evacuation had been done 300m to the north, the south and 150m to the east. The entire area surrounding the leak was shut down. As far as we know the place has been declared safe,” said Hendricks. An unnamed truck security guard commented: “The hole has been there unattended for more than three years; this was a disaster waiting to happen.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Keletso Mkhwanazi at SowetanLive NPA receives docket from police investigation into Boksburg tanker explosion that killed 41 people News24 reports that the police investigation into the horror gas tanker blast in Boksburg that claimed 41 lives and left scores of people injured has been completed and the docket handed to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further processing. During a visit on Monday to the Tambo Memorial Hospital, sections of which were damaged in the explosion, Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said: "The NPA will decide who to prosecute.” The MEC advised that her department had not seen the police report, which would first be handed to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who had been in discussions with the trucking company and the driver of the tanker. The truck driver was arrested in connection with the fatal explosion on Christmas Eve but was released from custody due to a lack of evidence. The vehicle exploded after it got stuck under a railway bridge near Tambo Memorial Hospital. On 31 December, Infinite Fleet Transport, the company which owns the tanker, was reportedly cleared of wrongdoing by an independent auditing company, Transheq Consulting and Auditing. It found that the company's "compliance to the legal and best practice requirements" was conducted in accordance with the Safety Quality Assessment for Sustainability, which upholds the safety requirements in the National Road Traffic Act. Earlier this month, Nkomo-Ralehoko said someone must take responsibility for the recklessness of the explosion. “The truck’s movement should have been monitored. If they did, they would have alerted the driver that he was taking the wrong route. They would have seen that the bridge was not designed for a truck," she said at the time. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntwaagae Seleka at News24 (subscriber access only) Murder of Springs estate agent highlights need for safety during home viewings IOL Business reports that the murder of a Springs estate agent has once again drawn attention to the safety of property professionals showing homes to potential buyers. Isabel Govender left work at 6pm on Friday, 20 January for a property showing with prospective buyers, but was not seen again. The last call to her family was at 7pm. Her body was reportedly found by a passer-by a few days later. Her Toyota Yaris had been stripped and her bank account had been cleaned out. Eight suspects appeared in court recently. In press statements issued prior to the murder of Govender, RE/MAX of Southern Africa gave agents some valuable advice and tips to help them keep safe. Sadly, said regional director and chief executive Adrian Goslett, real estate professionals often ended up the victim while playing the middleman between connecting buyers to sellers and tenants to landlords. That was why many implemented some form of a vetting process before agreeing to meet with any new clients in person. “Before agreeing to meet in person, an agent will usually request a copy of your ID and a copy of a pre-approval certificate if you are an aspiring buyer. This is to confirm that you are who you claim to be and that you can truly afford to purchase the properties in your given price bracket.” As a rule of thumb, he recommends that agents meet new clients at the office or a public place first. When showing a home by appointment, Goslett advises agents to visit the area beforehand and be aware of any hazards. Some of the best practices agents should implement in their day-to-day operations to ensure greater safety for both them and their clients, as shared by RE/MAX of Southern Africa, are listed in the IOL news report. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bonny Fourie at IOL Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Tongaat Hulett’s business rescue plan is delayed, as CEO Gavin Hudson resigns Fin24 reports that the release of a business rescue plan for embattled sugar producer Tongaat Hulett has been pushed out by a month until the end of February, when CEO Gavin Hudson will also leave the firm after just over four years in the job. The firm's business rescue practitioners (BRPs) said in a statement that the delay came amid efforts to secure post-commencement financing for the company, meeting with affected groups, as well as investigating the affairs of the company, "which are very complex". Tongaat entered business rescue in October, and lenders had previously agreed to about a two-month extension to its rescue plan. Since then, the firm has secured post-commencement financing from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and said on Monday that this "key step" in the process would facilitate achieving successful business rescue of Tongaat and its underlying businesses. The firm said Hudson would be leaving the group with effect from 28 February 2023, but his core team of executives would remain. Hudson, a former SABMiller executive, was appointed in February 2019 to spearhead a turnaround of the group. An earlier PwC probe identified 10 executives, including former CEO Peter Staude, for alleged involvement in profit inflation. Charges have been laid against some of the former executives, and proceedings are expected to resume in 2023, with a pre-trial conference scheduled for 17 February. Read the full original of the report in the above regard compiled by Karl Gernetzky at Fin24. Read too, Tongaat CEO steps down as creditors approve extension of rescue plan, at BusinessLive
Unemployed doctors ‘too choosy’ over where they work, claims health department The Citizen reports that the Department of Health says placing young doctors for community service has become “complicated”, as most prefer working in urban areas rather than in poorer and rural communities. SA requires medical graduates to undertake compulsory community service of two years as part of their training before they can take up positions in private or public institutions of their choosing. However, the processes have become a headache for many, some of whom had studied abroad and find themselves without community placements or unemployed after two years of community service. The medics belonging to Cosatu affiliate, the SA Medical Association Trade Union (Samatu) took to the streets in four provinces on Thursday, demanding employment. But according to the department’s spokesperson, Foster Mohale, many unemployed doctors are simply too fussy about where they are placed. “We find that we have openings in deep rural areas for community service, where there’s not even a cellphone network, but they tell us they can’t work far from home. They come with all sorts of excuses – mother is sick or other reasons. So, it’s a very complicated process,” Mohale notedf. He added that when Samatu indicated that they had a list of jobless people who had completed community service, the department discovered that many on the list had no registration numbers with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as required, while some had no identity numbers. “We asked them to go back and clean up that list, especially when it comes to HPCSA registration,” Mohale indicated. According to Samatu general secretary Dr Cedric Sihlangu, the list of unemployed doctors keeps increasing and more than 1,000 qualified doctors don’t have jobs. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Getrude Makhafola at The Citizen (subscriber access only)
Worsening SA vet shortage puts food safety, security at risk Sunday Times reports that according to the MD of the SA Veterinary Association, Gert Steyn, nearly half the young vets in SA are leaving or considering emigrating. Referring to a survey the association conducted late last year, he reported: “We found massive number of posts were vacant, even in urban areas. The other shocking thing was the number of vets intending to emigrate in the short term.” Two-thirds of posts in rural areas were vacant a year after being advertised and 45% of posts in urban areas stood empty. Intensifying shortages in the private and public sectors, vets were removed last February from SA’s “critical skills” list, which facilitates work visas for foreigners. “People don’t always get the role of vets. They think about vets treating Sandton lapdogs and fancy racehorses, but every animal protein that lands on your plate has gone through a vet. They are the custodians of food safety,” Steyn pointed out. Vet shortages are higher in rural areas, where they are needed by farmers, and in certain specialities such as large animals. Depleting SA’s vet numbers, high-income countries such as the UK are recruiting to fill their gaps, at higher salaries. Home Affairs spokesperson, Siya Qoza, said that critical skills removed in February were those "excluded by the scientific methodology of the (government's) Labour Market Intelligence Research Programme and extensive consultations with various role players". On the vet shortages, he said they were engaged with the minister of agriculture, land reform and rural development about the matter. Dr Tlotlo Kgasi, former president of the SA Veterinary Council, last year warned that the vet shortage needed urgent attention. “The international norm is between 200 and 400 veterinarians per million of a country’s population, while SA only has between 60 and 70 veterinarians per million people,” he indicated at that time. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Claire Keeton at Sunday Times (subscriber access only)
Doctors Without Borders employee caught allegedly looting meat from broken down truck in KZN could face disciplinary action IOL reports that an employer at Doctors Without Borders (MSF) could face disciplinary action after he was allegedly caught on video looting meat from a truck in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The video was taken on 19 January when scores of people looted a broken down meat truck in KZN’s King Cetshwayo District. In a clip that has since surfaced on social media, several people are seen looting meat from the refrigerated storage unit of the truck on the R66. The truck had suffered a mechanical breakdown and was parked on the side of the road before scores of people looted the truck, fleeing with chunks of meat. In one video, the truck owner is seen confronting the driver of a MSF branded vehicle as more than three chunks of looted meat are thrown into the back of the van. The driver attempted to plead ignorance but could not offer an explanation about the meat at the back of the van. Speaking on Monday, MSF spokesperson Sean Christie confirmed that they were aware of the video. "The MSF staffer was on duty at the time and was delivering medical supplies in the area, where MSF has been working since 2011," he indicated. Christie said the matter was now also subject to police investigation. He said MSF had also contacted the owner of the looted truck. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Se-Anne Rall at IOL
‘I’m the walking dead’, says whistleblower who survived two hits after exposing graft in SAPS The Citizen reports that a police whistleblower claims she would be dead today if it were not for efforts of a lone crime intelligence officer who risked his own career to protect her. But Patricia Morgan-Mashale, who has since been dismissed as an administration clerk in the SA Police Service’s firearms registry division in Bloemfontein, lamented that she knew it was a matter of time before she was silenced as her pleas for protection have been ignored. This despite three threat assessments confirming the threat to her life, recommendations that she be protected, and at least two attempts on her life after blowing the whistle on senior officers involved in corruption. Morgan-Mashale, who has been in hiding since February last year, claims the crime intelligence officer who conducted the assessments has been victimised for refusing to reveal her whereabouts. She said this was after the most recent threat assessment indicating that there was a third attempt to locate and take her out last December. “I am basically walking dead and there is nothing I can do about it other than documenting everything on social media so that when I am killed, at least I would have spoken out. I also thought by speaking out publicly, those who want to silence me will abandon their plans in fear of being blamed for my death. But all this has been in vain and this is why I believe that I will be killed at the end,” Morgan-Mashale said. Her nightmare began in 2020, after she reported senior police officers for alleged corruption related to unlawful appointments, including the appointment of foreign nationals in crime intelligence, and irregular promotions. She said no action has been taken against the officers she blew the whistle on, but instead she was fired based on manufactured internal charges that she participated in an illegal strike. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sipho Mabena at The Citizen
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