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, 17 March 2023.
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State says it’s ready to keep violence in check amid showdown with EFF on Monday BL Premium reports that the EFF-led protest on Monday against the government’s stewardship of SA is set to be a showdown of force between hundreds of thousands of party members and state security forces, including the police and defence force, which have deployed maximum resources to avoid violence. Security at the main economic hubs – including shopping malls, airports, railways and ports – has been beefed up as the army, crime intelligence and private security companies say they aim to prevent a repeat of the July 2021 unrest, in which hundreds of businesses were looted and more than 300 people killed. The EFF has given assurances that its protest, calling for the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa and an end to load-shedding, among other things, is legitimate and will be peaceful. “All protest action on March 20 must be militant and radical yet peaceful to register legitimate demands that affect our collective existence as a people. No-one, not even the police, has the right to undermine a peaceful demonstration or protest. Thus, we call on all protesters of the national shutdown to defend themselves from anyone who provokes them with violence,” the EFF indicated. On Friday, Ramaphosa informed parliament of the deployment of 3,474 soldiers under “Operation Prosper” across SA to ensure “the prevention and combating of crime as well as maintenance and preservation of law and order in SA”. Police commissioner Lt-Gen Fannie Masemola, who staged a pre-protest walkabout at the OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday, called on SA Police Service (SAPS) officials to exercise “maximum restraint” when dealing with protesters. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thando Maeko at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Lees ook, Weermag ontplooi om ‘wet en orde te handhaaf’, by Maroela Media DA loses bid to outlaw EFF protest, but court imposes restrictions TimesLive reports that the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) urgent court bid to have Monday's national shutdown by the EFF declared unlawful was dismissed. The EFF, its members, employees and officials have however been barred from shutting retail stores, businesses, trade and public roads, from instigating the blocking of roads and railway lines, and inciting violence. The party was also ordered to inform its “members, employees and officials as well as all persons to whom it had given notice of the national shutdown” by no later than 5pm on Saturday through social media, email and “all other appropriate means available to it”. The DA turned to the Johannesburg High Court on Friday to interdict the shutdown to the extent it would extend beyond notices issued under the Regulation of Gatherings Act. In its founding affidavit, the DA pointed out that the EFF had threatened to force the closure of all schools, retail stores, businesses and public roads across the country. While denying the DA’s application, the court upheld an application brought by the SA Property Owners Association (Sapoa) on the same day. The association sought to interdict and restrain EFF members from unlawfully interfering with, harassing and assaulting members of the public wishing to enter shopping centres. Judge Leicester Adams heard both applications together. The EFF opposed them. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khanyisile Ngcobo at BusinessLive. Lees ook, Wes-Kaap kry interdik voor nasionale stilstand, by Maroela Media EFF interdicted from disrupting business at Gauteng shopping centres City Press reports that the EFF has been interdicted from disrupting business at shopping centres in Gauteng during the national shutdown campaign set to take place on Monday. The SA Property Owners Association (Sapoa) was granted an interdict order on Saturday after it instituted legal action against the red berets last week. It argued that the national shutdown could infringe on the constitutional right to conduct business. Judge John Adams of the Johannesburg High Court ruled that the EFF was prohibited from perpetrating acts of intimidation and violence during the march. “The first respondent (EFF), its office bearers and its members, as well as the second defendant (unknown members of the EFF), are interdicted and restrained from unlawfully interfering with, harassing, intimidating, threatening and assaulting in any way whatsoever, whether directly or indirectly, members of the public wishing to enter any commercial shopping centre,” Judge Adams ruled. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mduduzi Nonyane at City Press Saftu not an EFF ally, says Vavi, despite the federation’s participation in Monday's shutdown News24 reports that according to Zwelinzima Vavi, Monday's shutdown belongs to the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and other workers' unions, and not the EFF. The Saftu general secretary held a press briefing on Friday to give an update on the national protest, which was announced by EFF leader Julius Malema on 29 January. Vavi said the federation was "not joining, but participating" in the event, during which the EFF will be demanding an end to load-shedding and for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step down. Vavi explained that that “they (the EFF) made the call, but the call resonated with us." Saftu has 14 of its own demands, including an end to load-shedding, but it is not calling for the president to step down. Vavi said the federation erred in the past by believing that replacing one ANC president with another ANC president would solve the country's problems, "but the workers still suffer". He added that "for now", he was not affiliated with any political party. “We are not allies with the EFF. […] This [shutdown] is not an attempt to form an alliance with the EFF, PAC, Azapo etc., but we are comrades in arms pursuing the same struggle [as with] all who identify themselves with the cause of the workers," Vavi explained. He said the shutdown would be peaceful and anyone who threw stones, set off petrol bombs or damaged property or infrastructure was "not one of us". Vavi added that the message they wanted to send was that they were not barbarians. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alex Patrick at News24. Read too, The lid will be taken off the pot, says Saftu ahead of national shutdown, at News24. And also, ‘We’re not barbarians, but we’ll be militant,’ says Vavi on Monday’s national shutdown, at The Citizen EFF national shutdown: Putco buses to operate on Monday The Citizen reports that Putco has advised that its bus services will operate as usual despite a national shutdown planned for Monday. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is expected to lead the planned protest on 20 March, together with the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu). The main reasons given for the protest include demanding the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa, crippling load shedding, crime, the rising cost of living and unemployment. Putco spokesperson Lindokuhle Xulu said the bus company initially suspended operations for Monday, but changed its plans after an urgent meeting with the Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga, her deputy Lisa Mangcu and the SA Bus Operators Association (Saboa). Putco has put contingency measures in place at regional bus depots. Xulu indicated: “Another contingency that we have put it place is that we have authorised all of the business units in the region of Soweto, Eldorado Park, Mpumalanga, Soshanguve and Tshwane to monitor the situation. Should we feel our busses, passengers and staff are threatened, we’ll then suspend operations there and we’ll inform the department that we could not operate because of this reason.” Xulu reported that while Putco had not received any threats of intimidation or violence, it did receive a letter from the EFF Gauteng region to “close shop”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Faizel Patel at The Citizen Toyota to close Durban plant on Monday amid fears for safety of staff during EFF protest News24 reports that Toyota will on Monday close its Prospecton plant south of Durban – which only fully reopened late last year after suffering extensive damage in the devastating April floods in KwaZulu-Natal – because of the EFF's planned national shutdown. In an internal memo dated 16 March, the company's HR department informed employees in Durban that a decision had been made to declare Monday "a non-production day" and close the plant for the day. "The decision has been made taking into consideration the safety of our employees and their families, the risk of disruption of our supply chain, the potential risk of absenteeism that could result from this national shutdown, and the need to make proactive arrangements that could help us recover lost production and employee income where possible," the communication to employees stated. The memo was leaked by EFF leader Julius Malema on Twitter. Monday's plant closure will be on a no work no pay basis. However, to recover losses, overtime will be worked on two Saturdays. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carin Smith at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Burning of tyres during protests is a growing environmental and health concern in SA IOL writes that the burning of tyres during protests has become a common sight in SA, particularly in recent years, as social and political tensions have escalated. But, while protesters often use burning tyres as a means of blocking roads and making their voices heard, the practice has significant negative impacts on both the environment and human health. Burning tyres release a variety of toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the air, including carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. These pollutants can have serious health consequences, especially for individuals who are exposed to them over extended periods of time. According to a recent study by the SA Medical Research Council, exposure to burning tyres during protests is associated with increased rates of respiratory illness, including asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia. The study also found that children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of tire burning. In addition to the health risks, burning tyres also contribute to air pollution and climate change. In a recent statement, the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries emphasised the need to address the issue of burning tyres during protests. Efforts to address this issue have included the implementation of regulations and penalties for the illegal burning of tyres, as well as the development of alternative methods of protest that do not have negative impacts on the environment and public health. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Dominic Naidoo at IOL. See too, More than 4,000 tyres seized across the Cape ahead of national shutdown, at Cape Times
New round of public sector wage talks could be settled soon – if both sides budge by half a percent Fin24 reports that the new round of public sector wage negotiations could be settled as soon as this week – should both government and the majority of unions each move by 0.5% at the next meeting of the Public Sector Coordinating Bargaining Chamber (PSCBC). The wage offer for 2023/24 from the government is 7%, while an alliance of unions that form the majority in the chamber, namely those affiliated to the Federation of Trade Unions of SA (Fedusa) and the SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu), have moved down to 8%. The unions are expecting the government to make a new offer and appear ready to reciprocate. The 7% offered by the government is well above the 1.5% average wage growth that the National Treasury pencilled into the budget. However, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stressed at the time that those numbers were not cast in stone as Treasury did not want to pre-empt the wage increase and wanted to ensure that in future wage negotiations were completed ahead of budget processes. The higher-than-expected wage offer has begun to fuel fear among economists that government's fiscal consolidation plans will be placed in jeopardy. But, head of the budget office Edgar Sishi said on Thursday that Treasury had always made clear that should the unit costs of labour increase beyond inflation, then the cost would need to be recovered in another way. "We have been saying all along that from a fiscal perspective, to the extent that the unit costs rise, there will be an impact on the headcount. That has been our focus for some time," he said. The implication of this would be that some of the non-critical posts in the public service would not be filled. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carol Paton at Fin24 (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Uber drivers end strike after agreement with vehicle financier Moove Fin24 reports that Moove, the Nigerian-founded flexible-car-ownership company at the centre of a dispute that saw Uber drivers down keys last week in Johannesburg, said on Friday the strike had come to an end. Moove advised that the company and its "customers have agreed on a way forward" and the drivers had resumed working. About 100 drivers at Uber embarked on a strike on Wednesday that culminated in a protest on Thursday outside the adjacent offices of Uber and Moove in Kramerville, Sandton where tyres were burnt. Drivers said they were unhappy about being forced to sign a new contract with Moove. The drivers connect with passengers via Uber's e-hailing platform, but lease vehicles from Moove. They claimed they had been ordered to sign new contracts which no longer contained a drive-to-own (DTO) agreement. But Moove said on Friday the "drive-to-own [DTO] agreement is still in full effect and was never cancelled". It maintained that the contract was merely updated to include "essential regulatory requirements relating" to the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI) and that there has been a misunderstanding because of the language used. Moove said the language of the contract was being rectified and that there was never any intention "on our part to cancel the DTO". Jabulani Ngcobo, who had participated in the strike action this week, confirmed on Friday that the strike was at an end, saying he was back on the road and transporting customers. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nick Wilson at Fin24
Labour market is a boys’ club, Stats SA data shows BL Premium reports that data from the latest Labour Market Dynamics, compiled by Stats SA and providing information on labour market trends in 2016-2021, has laid bare racial and gender inequalities that dominate the labour market. It shows that the labour market continues to be more favourable to men than women regardless of population groups, as the unemployment rate among men is lower than that of women. The results of the study show that men are more likely to be employed regardless of race. It also shows that black African men and women have the highest unemployment rate compared with other population groups, while the white population group had the lowest unemployment rate in 2016 and 2021. The unemployment rate of black Africans, SA’s largest population group, is higher than that of other population groups, regardless of gender. Black African men recorded a 36% rate and women 40.8% in 2021, the report shows. The data also shows that Eastern Cape had the highest unemployment rate with 45.8% of its citizens out of work. The Eastern Cape also accounts for the largest share of people who participate in government’s expanded public works programme. Gauteng has the highest labour participation rate. Education continues to play an important role in the labour market, with those with higher levels of education standing a better chance to get employment. People with tertiary education are thus more likely to be employed compared with people with matric or less. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kabelo Khumalo at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Satawu mobilises members to oppose the ‘stealthy privatisation’ of the Durban harbour IOL reports that the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), one of the biggest unions organising within Transnet’s owned ports across the country, has started mobilising its members to oppose what it has termed the “stealthy privatisation” of the Durban harbour. The union has prepared a report for its members and alleges in the document that the harbour is being deliberately collapsed to pave the way for the private sector to step in and eventually take over. Union members have been warned that they would find themselves without jobs once private companies are allowed to take over some of their functions. The report also makes allegations about how the ports division of Transnet has parked critical tugboats. “The intention is to render their TNPA assets i.e. tugboats out of commission, so as they can justify chartering of two private tugs into the Port of Durban. This is where the procurement process can be fast-tracked to acquire the private tug boats that will replace the TNPA tug boats,” the report alleges. Ayanda Shezi, spokesperson for Transnet group, denied that the port was being deliberately rendered dysfunctional so that it could be privatised. “Transnet has held extensive consultations with its recognised unions, Satawu being one of them, over the past two years around the principle of private sector partnerships. These are ongoing. Our position is as follows – there is no privatisation under way at Transnet. In terms of Transnet’s strategy to work with private sector partners, the identified assets would be managed in the form of a joint venture for a set period of time, and will revert back to Transnet at the end of the stipulated period,” he indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sihle Mavuso at IOL
Ramaphosa’s social compact still a work in progress TimesLive reports that ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday rolled out a nationwide roadshow with civil society in a bid to fast-track the social compact with various stakeholders. He used the gathering at the Johannesburg City Hall to come clean about why the social compact, announced in his 2022 state of the nation address, had not been realised. He had been cricitised by former president Thabo Mbeki for making false promises to the nation. The programme hit a snag after Ramaphosa failed to meet social partners. “We had wanted to have a comprehensive social compact and we had put together a timeline and we were not able to reach that timeline but what we have seen over time is that we have been able to reach a number of compacts,” Ramaphosa explained. He noted that one compact that stood out was on gender-based violence and added: “We have reached agreements and social compacts on a number of issues including the national minimum wage which was in Nedlac and for the first time we reached a national minimum wage due to social compacting.” This has also been done in the health sector, he claimed, adding that the National Economic Development and Labour Council had been the main “reservoir” of the compacting process. On the basic income grant, Ramaphosa said the government was working on it: “When we introduced the R350 SRD grant and it was initially six million people who came forward and it grew to 11-million and it continued we cannot drop these people because some of them really rely on this and yes, we are becoming a big welfare state but we need to demonstrate that as the ANC government we care for our people.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Amanda Khoza at TimesLive
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