In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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Healthcare services disrupted as Nehawu wage strike continued on Tuesday BusinessLive reports that a strike by members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) continued to disrupt services at public hospitals on Tuesday, with reports of violence, intimidation and compromised patient care. The union has embarked on an indefinite unprotected strike over wages, despite two court interdicts secured by the government. Nehawu spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzihe denied that Nehawu members had intimidated patients or healthcare providers. His statement was at odds with media reports and provincial health department statements from Gauteng, Free State, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Nehawu and the state reached a deadlock in wage negotiations after the state unilaterally implemented a 3% salary increase for 2022/2023 in October. The union is demanding 10%. Nehawu served the employer with a strike notice in February. The Department of Public Service & Administration successfully interdicted the strike from going ahead on Saturday. However, Nehawu lodged an appeal on Sunday and said the industrial action would go ahead as planned because the appeal suspended the interdict. On Monday, the department successfully approached the labour court for an order granting it leave to execute the court interdict. On Monday evening, Nehawu said it had launched an appeal at the Labour Appeal Court (LAC). “Having launched an appeal ... the national union will be forging ahead with the public service strike until a determination is made on our appeal at the LAC,” Nehawu indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane & Tamar Kahn at BusinessLive Nehawu hails protests in KZN a success as scores of disruptions are experienced TimesLive reports that Nehawu-affiliated workers in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have vowed to continue their protests until the government accedes to their demands of a 10% pay increase. The government workers on Tuesday halted operations at hospitals and numerous government offices around the province. Ntokozo Nxumalo, regional secretary in Harry Gwala, which comprises the Umgungundlovu district, said the planned action had yielded results. The Prince Mshiyeni hospital in Umlazi saw scores of patients being turned away as workers stood outside the hospital gates and chanted songs. At Pinetown Magistrate's Court, a group of workers threatened to lock their non-striking counterparts inside their offices. Senior officials had to intervene to resolve the impasse. The KZN health department said in a statement it was regrettable that the department was experiencing disruptions to normal operations at some of its health facilities, mainly at eThekwini, uThukela and uMgungundlovu districts. It indicated that the industrial action had resulted in the blockade of access to various hospitals by certain individuals, thus hindering access to several facilities, as well as work stoppages following the intimidation and removal of staff from their posts. Emergency medical services in and around eThekwini and at King Cetshwayo reported serious challenges with moving patients to and from healthcare facilities. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mfundo Mkhize at TimesLive
Police launch manhunt after security guard shot dead in Diepsloot on Tuesday TimesLive reports that Gauteng police are searching for three suspects after a security guard was shot dead in Diepsloot on Tuesday morning. Police spokesperson Col Mavela Masondo said the 38-year-old man was killed during a "cross-pavement robbery" at a mall in extension 10. "The deceased had allegedly just collected cash from a shop when he was accosted. He was allegedly pushed to the ground by one of the suspects, before he was shot three times. They made off with a bag of cash in a white bakkie," Masondo reported. He added that an investigation was under way. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Belinda Pheto at TimesLive Durbanville farmworker seriously injured after tractor rolled over him Cape Times reports that a Durbanville farmworker was airlifted to a nearby hospital after the tractor he was driving reportedly rolled over and landed on top of him last week. The 43-year-old sustained serious injuries on 3 March and was airlifted to a trauma facility in Cape Town. Titanium Securitas spokesperson Kobus Kotze reported: “On arrival, our medical teams were informed that the incident occurred high up in the mountain. The medical team loaded all of their equipment on the back of the farmer’s bakkie and made their way up the mountain. Upon arriving at the patient, they established that he sustained serious injuries. A decision was made to fly the patient from the mountain straight to a trauma facility in Cape Town.” In another incident, a farmer was left seriously injured when a bulldozer drove over his legs on a farm 60km outside Sutherland on Wednesday. Kotze reported that on arrival at Sutherland hospital the medical team found the farmer still in a critical condition. “The Titanium medical team worked around the clock to stabilise the patient. Unfortunately, no helicopters were available, and a decision was made to transport him by road under the care of an advanced life support paramedic. The patient was transported to a trauma facility in Cape Town where he underwent several life-savings surgeries,” he said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Siphokazi Vuso at Cape Times Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Some Rea Vaya operations resumed on Tuesday after drivers’ strike due to unpaid salaries SowetanLive reports that over one hundred Rea Vaya buses resumed operations on Tuesday morning following a bus drivers’ strike on Monday over unpaid February salaries. Rea Vaya spokesperson Corrine Lekhoane said a total of 104 busses from Litsamaiso, a bus operating company contracted to Rea Vaya, were operating on routes around Soweto, Joburg CBD, Fleurhof and Cresta on Tuesday. She added that busses left the Dobsonville depot later than usual at 05꞉45am instead of 04꞉30am. Lekhoane advised that 115 busses from Piotrans, another operating company contracted to Rea Vaya, were also scheduled to operate on Tuesday, but the busses had not moved because their drivers were still on strike. “The city paid the bus company yesterday [Monday]. The drivers said they are still waiting for their monies to reflect in their bank accounts before they go back to work,” Lekhoane advised. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mpho Koka at SowetanLive Sassa employees striking in three provinces, says DA According to the Democratic Alliance (DA), SA Social Security Agency (SASSA) employees in three provinces have gone on strike. Staff at offices in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Northern Cape offices have allegedly embarked on a strike due to unaddressed “systemic issues”. Bridget Masango MP indicated in a statement on Tuesday: “From information the DA received, it seems that staff at the regional SASSA office in Mbombela, Mpumalanga are at their wits end with a senior manager in the Human Capital Management department and have been on strike for nearly a month. It is alleged that complaints to the CEO regarding this manager go uninvestigated. There are also allegations of this senior manager possibly endangering the lives of personnel and SASSA beneficiaries by bringing a gun onto the premises.” She went on to advise: ‘The SASSA offices in the Northern Cape seem to be under siege from disgruntled officials that have vandalised the premises with feaces and garbage. And now the SASSA Soshanguve office is striking as well.” Read the DA’s press statement in the above regard at DA News. Lees ook, Sassa staak in drie provinsies, by Maroela Media
State knew national state of disaster was invalid, Solidarity says in court papers On Tuesday, Solidarity submitted its supplementary affidavit to court in its case against the national state of disaster declared about the energy crisis. According to the trade union, it is quite clear from the State’s court papers that the decision-making process to implement a state of disaster was “irrational, vacuous and flawed”. In its affidavit Solidarity argues that the record submitted by the state validates the case against the state of disaster. “There is little, if any correlation between the minister’s stated motivations and the record allegedly submitted in support thereof. As it is, the minister herself informed the president on 23 January that existing legislation and other regulations were sufficient to deal with and address the energy crisis,” Anton van der Bijl, Solidarity’s Deputy Chief Executive for Legal Matters explained. He went on to indicate: “Similarly, the National Centre for Disaster Management (NDMC) informed the minister in its documents dated 6 February, only two days prior to the announcement of the state of disaster, that a state of disaster could not be justified. However, when the government changed its mind on 8 February the NDMC itself warned that litigation for a variety of reasons was likely.” Van der Bijl also made the following point: “A state of disaster can only be lawfully declared if it is to provide fast and efficient relief. The excessive delay between the announcement of the state of disaster and the announcement of the regulations in itself proves the fact that the declaration of the state of disaster was unreasonable and ill-considered.” Read Solidarity’s press statement in the above regard at Solidarity News. Lees ook, Staat het geweet ramptoestand is ongeldig, by Maroela Media Electricity ministry needs an energy engineer, not another bureaucrat The Citizen writes that a popular refrain heard in recent weeks when discussing the attributes needed by the head of the country’s newly-created electricity ministry is that“you don’t need a brain surgeon to run a hospital.” While Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho ‘Sputla’ Ramokgopa might possess revered qualifications, which include a PhD, the new portfolio may actually have benefitted from the skills of a senior engineer experienced in high voltage power, say governance experts. Ramokgopa was head of infrastructure projects before President Cyril Ramaphosa moved him to the new position created to fight the country’s power crisis. Analyst Sandile Swana said the new ministry did not need another general public servant at the helm. “The position needed an energy specialist, even a senior engineer who has worked successfully with high voltage power systems. We do not need a highly qualified person in arbitrary disciplines not connected to running successful power utilities,” he opined. Ramokgopa also holds a BSc in Civil Engineering (University of Durban-Westville) and two master’s degrees in public administration, along with one in business leadership from the University of Pretoria (UP) and Unisa respectively. He also has a Certificate in Executive Development from Stellenbosch University and a PhD in Public Affairs from UP. North West University (NWU) public governance Professor Tshombe Lukamba said although Ramokgopa was highly qualified, experience in power generation would have been a good boost for him. “Let’s see how he fares, but that job needed an electrical engineer with experience in electricity generation and supply,” Lukamba claimed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Getrude Makhafola at The Citizen (subscriber access only). Read too, Mantashe says he’s keen to work with the new minister of electricity, at Mail & Guardian (subscriber access only)
Cosatu disappointed cabinet remains bloated Cape Times reports that labour federation Cosatu has expressed disappointment that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet reshuffle increased the number of ministers, so further bloating government. “We remain disappointed that not enough was done to reduce the size of the cabinet and to realign the government departments to improve their cooperation and levels of efficiency. Postponing this process and shifting to the next administration is not satisfactory,” Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla commented. He also said that the labour federation was hoping to see signs of a paradigm shift in how the government saw the role of the state in the economy. “This requires an effective and activist state that is led by men and women of integrity,” he noted. Despite the reservations, Pamla wished the new appointees well: “We will give all the new appointees a chance to prove themselves in their new positions.” Pamla said Cosatu welcomed the declaration of a state of disaster to tackle the energy crisis crippling the economy. “The new minister needs to act decisively to ensure that Eskom has all the support it requires to reduce and end load shedding over the next few months. The nation cannot afford to normalize 10 hours of load shedding a day,” he said with reference to the appointment of Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as the Minister of Electricity. Cosatu said it expected newly-appointed Minister for Public Service and Administration Noxolo Kiviet to move with speed to repair the broken relationship between the state and public servants. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mayibongwe Maqhina at Cape Times. Read too, Cabinet reshuffle shows Ramaphosa still puts ANC politics before needs of SA, at The Citizen (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Nineteen arrested for allegedly defrauding GEMS medical scheme of R2.3 million for services or goods not provided The Citizen reports that 19 accused appeared before the Nelspruit District Court on Monday after they were arrested by the Hawks for allegedly stealing R2.3 million via the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS). According to police spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, individuals within the medical scheme allegedly conspired with pharmacies to defraud the scheme by submitting claims for services that were not actually provided by the pharmacies. GEMS members also allegedly received non-medical goods in exchange for these false submissions. “GEMS conducted internal investigations to determine the veracity of the allegations of false claim submissions. During the investigation, it was discovered that members of the medical scheme colluded with the pharmacy directors to make misrepresentations to GEMS knowing that what they were doing was not in line with the prescripts regulating pharmacies as prescribed in the regulations. The complaint was reported to the Hawks in 2020, whereby an investigation was conducted [and] the arrests made,” Sekgotodi stated. The accused were released on varying amounts of bail. The case was postponed to 28 March 2023 for further investigation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at The Citizen No ‘dark reason’ behind delays with portfolio committee meeting with legal advisers on NHI bill BusinessLive reports that the chair of parliament’s portfolio committee on health has insisted there is “no dark reason” behind a series of delays in a key meeting with legal advisers on the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill. The NHI Bill is the government’s first piece of enabling legislation for its plan for universal health coverage, which aims to provide all citizens with healthcare services that are free at the point of delivery. The portfolio committee is in the final stages of its deliberations on the bill, but has postponed a crucial meeting with parliament’s legal services and the office of the state law adviser three times in the past month. The meeting, which will guide MPs on amendments to the bill, has now been scheduled for next week. Several MPs have privately questioned why work on the bill has slowed, as towards the end of last year the committee was under pressure to finalise the bill before the ANC’s elective conference in December. DA health spokesperson Michele Clark said she hoped the delay meant the ANC-led government was having second thoughts about the bill. Committee chair Kenneth Jacobs said there was no sinister reason behind the delays. Parliament’s legal services office had informed the committee it was not available because staff were ill or had other commitments. The committee had only one scheduled meeting per week and needed another three or four sessions to finalise the bill, he said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tamar Kahn at BusinessLive
Matzikama municipal manager quits after drunk driving charge Cape Times reports that the ANC caucus in the West Coast has welcomed the resignation of Matzikama municipal manager, Gerald Seas, who was arrested on a charge of drunk driving on Friday morning. Seas tendered his resignation on Monday after he was arrested and released on written notice. Police spokesperson captain FC Van Wyk confirmed the arrest and indicated: “The SAPS on Friday received a complaint of a person driving a car who is probably is under the influence of alcohol. The complaint was followed up and a 49-year-old male person was arrested in Church Street on a charge of drunken driving. He was charged accordingly and released on a written notice to appear in Vanrhynsdorp Court on June 3.” Matzikama Mayor, Johan van der Hoven, indicated that he had accepted Seas’s resignation and the vacancy would be advertised in due course. He added: “An acting municipal manager from our competent directors will be appointed to act as municipal manager. Administration and service delivery will not be negatively affected.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Siphokazi Vuso at
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