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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Satawu mulls over new wage offer from bus operators amid threatened strike over Easter weekend BL Premium reports that the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), which had threatened to embark on strike in the bus sector ahead of the busy Easter weekend, has received a revised offer from bus operators. Satawu spokesperson Amanda Tshemese said the Cosatu-affiliated union, which represents about 4,600 workers in the sector, was currently embarking on a mandate-seeking process on the new offer. She would not say what the new figure was. The union had previously rejected a 6% offer from employer organisations, including the SA Bus Employers Association and the Commuter Bus Employers Association. The union, which was granted a strike certificate in February, is demanding a two-year wage deal, with an increase of 9% in 2023/24 and an 8% hike in the second year. Consumer inflation eased to an annual rate of 6.9% in January from 7.2% in December 2022. Besides the effect on bus operators, a strike could leave millions of passengers in the lurch over the Easter long weekend, including travellers to neighbouring countries such as Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
E-hailing taxi drivers strike on hold The Star reports that a planned strike by e-hailing drivers has been put on hold. It was reported last week that drivers of the two biggest e-hailing providers, Bolt and Uber, were planning a strike to demand a better working environment from the app owners. The drivers want app owners to decrease the commission by less than 15%, for app owners to put 360-degree cameras into their cars for safety and for clients to be verified. They also want the app owners to “stop commanding them” and instead communicate with them about new rules or anything they are implementing. "I can confirm that after receiving a statement from a group of drivers’ representatives, the strike has been put on hold. We will communicate if there are further developments," said E-hailing Partners Council spokesperson Kgomotso Senokoane. He advised that on 28 March the council had held a consultative meeting with organisers of the national shutdown and reported as follows: "The meeting was fruitful because important updates and information were shared accordingly. Most organisers understood the inputs from the council and the strategy to turn around the status quo, which was a transformation initiative." The council encouraged the organisers to make an informed decision following the meeting, and they will announce the way forward accordingly. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntombi Nkosi at The Star
Middleburg police officer killed in shootout with diesel thieves The Citizen reports that a police officer has been shot dead in the line of duty after trying to apprehend suspects who had stolen diesel. Crime Intelligence Middleburg apparently received a tip off regarding the theft of diesel at a mine near the N4 on Monday. Together with a colleague from Middleburg Detective Services in Mpumalanga, the officer went to investigate the incident. Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi reported further as follows: “Along the road, they came across a yellow diesel bowser matching the description and made a U-turn, and stopped it. It is further alleged that three male persons alighted from the truck and started shooting at the officers. In the process, one member was shot and later succumbed from his injuries while the other sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital in Middleburg for treatment.” Three pistols with 25 rounds of ammunition and five cell phones were recovered at the crime scene. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Faizel Patel at The Citizen. Lees ook, Polisieman sterf toe hy dieseldiewe agterna sit, by Maroela Media Employee murdered on Sunday in Gqeberha hospital parking area Cape Times reports that the murder of a Life St George’s Hospital employee near the facility’s trauma unit, in what is believed to be a domestic violence related incident, has once again put the spotlight on safety and security at health facilities. Police spokesperson Sandra Janse van Rensburg said Humewood detectives were investigating murder after a 49-year-old woman was shot on Sunday in the hospital parking area. The incident happened at about 7pm in Park Drive. Janse van Rensburg reported: “The deceased was on her way to get into her transport, after she finished working. She was approached by an unknown suspect who pulled her aside and fired multiple shots at her. The suspect fled on foot and the deceased were rushed to hospital where she passed away.” The employee is believed to have been a clerk and was allegedly attacked by her ex-boyfriend. Janse van Rensburg said the motive for the shooting was still unknown. By Monday morning no arrests had been made. Denosa’s Eastern Cape provincial secretary, Veli Sinqana, commented: There needs to be changes in systems at the gates. People must not be allowed to enter health facilities with guns. There have been many similar incidents and lessons need to be learnt from them to improve safety and security. This cannot continue. We also had an incident in Cradock where a husband went to a hospital and assaulted his wife.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Okuhle Hlati at Cape Times Social workers attacked and under severe strain in Cape Town townships GroundUp reports that the Western Cape Government is increasingly concerned over attacks on social workers as they try to go about their work. The matter was discussed at a Social Development Committee meeting in the provincial legislature on 17 March. According to the department, there have also been numerous attacks on Emergency Medical Services’ (EMS) staff vehicles. Hotspots include Khayelitsha, Philippi, Nyanga, and Gugulethu. The Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) and SA Police Service (SAPS) officers “do help when they have resources”. “At some point we won’t be able to conduct home visits because we are scared. We don’t feel safe,” said Xolisani Sibhozo, a social worker since 2012, based in Khayelitsha. He was hijacked during a home visit in Makhaza. Other colleagues have been hijacked at gunpoint. His wife, a social worker based in Philippi, had to flee a situation when the police vehicle that was escorting them was attacked. Sibhozo believes it is up to community members and structures, such as community police forums and street committees, to make the environment safe for them. Meantime, 247 new social work posts will be distributed throughout the province where the needs are the greatest, particularly in the welfare and child protection system, and in hotspot areas. Social workers have access to an employee health and wellness programme to support them to deal with the daily challenges they face. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Matthew Hirsch at GroundUp Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Hire workers from the Durban South community, protesters tell Engen TimesLive reports that disgruntled Durban South communities have demanded transparency about Engen’s plan to include them in their corporate social investment (CSI) programme. Communities aligned with labour organisation Changing Our Behaviour To Unite (COBTU) protested outside the company’s refinery in Wentworth on Monday. They want the company and its subcontractors to hire workers from the surrounding communities – including Umlazi, Lamontville, Wentworth and Merebank – through COBTU as a “labour desk” instead of the existing joint committee appointed by Engen to liaise between them and the community. “They [Engen] say they will communicate with the JC, which is supposed to represent the community, but from 2020 they’ve never come once to respond to us as the community. So who do they represent?” asked Reggie Smith, a COBTU-aligned community member. Smith was delivering a memorandum of demands to Engen representatives as an interdict bars some COBTU leaders from participating in gatherings close to the company. COBTU also demanded employment of general workers and semi-skilled workers be done through them, while a 70-30% ratio should apply in other disciplines. The protest came a month after the same communities demonstrated outside the refinery with similar grievances. James Nyawara, head of transformation and stakeholder engagement at Engen, accepted the memorandum and promised to respond to it after two weeks. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lwazi Hlangu at TimesLive
New CEO at SA Human Rights Commission passionate about education, human development, wellness Pretoria News reports that newly appointed SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) CEO Vusumuzi Mkhize has been passionate about education, human development and wellness. Mkhize, who is an educationalist by profession, was appointed to take over from Lorinda Lynn, who was acting after the suspension of Chantal Kisoon due to racism allegations. Mkhize is determined to make a change within the chapter 9 institution, saying racism was still affecting people and trampling on their human dignity. “People live in poverty, we still have challenges of inequality. Most vulnerable people such as women and children are still exposed to high level of violence. I believe that one can make a contribution towards advancing the realisation of their rights,” he said. Mkhize’s hunger and passion to learn acquired him an Education Diploma, a BA, an Honours as well as an MBA degree. Mkhize affirmed that his background in education would help in making a change. Mkhize, who grew up in Mpangeni in KwaZulu-Natal, is a former director-general of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, where he served from 2017 to 2022. Prior to that, he served as the chief director as well deputy director-general of the Department of Home Affairs. He also served as director of the Department of Education in Gauteng. Mkhize concedes that the SAHRC has a great deal of challenges because it has the enormous task of protecting human rights in the country. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mashudu Sadike at Pretoria News
Ramaphosa must urgently solve work visa mess, says BLSA Fin24 reports that according to Business Leadership SA (BLSA), a major overhaul of SA’s visa regime is needed and President Cyril Ramaphosa should address the issue during his upcoming investment conference. "The president could use the opportunity to announce a credible intervention to fix the visa mess. That would go far to addressing one of the major sources of a lack of confidence in South Africa's investment case," the BLSA pointed out in its latest newsletter. Visa administration problems at the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) are unacceptable and a serious impediment to the SA economy, according to BLSA. The slow processing of applications for work visas and extensions of existing ones created an "impossible situation" for companies doing business or wanting to do business in SA, the BLSA said on Monday. The organisation estimates that more than 50,000 foreigners working in SA face losing their status when their visas expire, purely because the DHA has been unable to process their applications in time. It points out that SA has significant deficits in areas like technical skills. "We need to give international companies the confidence to plan on investments here without the fear that they will simply be unable to send their people because we cannot manage our bureaucracy," the BLSA noted. Next week, the president will be hosting the fifth South Africa Investment Conference, which is aimed to attract foreign investment to the country. Read the full original of the report in the above regard compiled by Carin Smith at Fin24. Read too, Caught up in Home Affairs disfunction, at Moneyweb
Stellenbosch University vice-chancellor in medical school admission nepotism row News24 reports that Stellenbosch University rector and vice-chancellor Wim de Villiers is under fire for using his discretionary powers to admit a relative to study medicine. A school classmate of the relative reportedly complained when she did not get in, even though she had higher marks. Her family discovered, by chance, that the pupil was related to De Villiers when they spotted a photo of a family gathering – and they started asking questions. In a brief statement, the executive committee of the university's council said it knew about the complaint that De Villiers "exercised his discretion under Stellenbosch University's Admissions Policy to offer a relative of his wife a place in the MBChB programme for 2023". The statement indicated: “The rector acknowledges that, even though he acted in good faith and consistent with the current guidelines, he made an error of judgement.” The Rectorate will review the guidelines for discretionary placements under the admissions policy, and the topic is expected to be on the agenda of an upcoming council meeting, which is likely to be fraught. Read the full original of the report in the above regard compiled by Jenni Evans at News24. Lees ook, Wim de Villiers se kop geëis ná ‘nepotisme’, by Maroela Media
Ayo to repurchase R619m in shares from Government Employees Pension Fund BL Premium reports that Ayo Technology Solutions has confirmed some of the terms and conditions of its settlement deal with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). It indicated in a statement on Monday that it would repurchase 17,202,756 ordinary shares in issue from the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) for R619m. Subsequent to the initial repurchase, the GEPF would retain a minimum stake of 25.01% in the company. The GEPF has the option, after a period of three years from the date of the initial repurchase, to sell up to a further 5% of the Ayo shares that it holds. Another condition to the settlement is that the GEPF will for every 10% of the shares it holds in Ayo be entitled to nominate one director to the board of directors and will have to approve of the appointment of the chairperson. It was reported last week that a legal opinion sought by the PIC advised it to settle its long-standing dispute with Ayo, saying the prospects of recouping its R4.3bn investment in the company in 2017 were grim. Ayo is indirectly controlled by Independent Media owner Iqbal Survé. The settlement was made an order of court by the Western Cape High Court. The PIC had approached the court in an attempt to set aside its investment in Ayo and to recover the R4.3bn it had invested in the technology firm. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kabelo Khumalo at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, After sinking R4bn into Ayo, PIC will get R619m back in new deal, at Fin24
Former Cape Town attorney sentenced to an effective 10 years in prison for fraud Cape Argus reports that a former attorney has been sentenced to 10 years’ direct imprisonment by the Bellville Commercial Crimes Court. Rugaya van der Schyff, 57, was arrested by the Hawks Commercial Crime Investigation team in October last year on allegations of fraud and theft of more than R500,000. Directorate of Priority Crimes spokesperson Zinzi Hani advised: “She was struck off the roll of attorneys in 2017 after an interdict application lodged in 2016, and was subsequently arrested on March 28, 2019 for misappropriating almost R4.8 million from a trust fund. She allegedly misled the community, which resulted in their financial detriment.” At the time, Van der Schyff was released on bail of R20,000. She continued to practise as an attorney and conveyancer using her professional knowledge to assist clients when she did not have the authority to do so. Van der Schyff was sentenced to a combined 10 years’ imprisonment for two counts of money laundering and four years for contravening the Legal Practice Act of 2014. In addition, she received a “guilty” verdict on nine counts of fraud and 30 counts of theft. “The court ordered that all sentences imposed should be served concurrently. Van der Schyff will effectively serve 10 years of direct imprisonment,” Hani said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Rafieka Williams at Cape Argus
Gauteng teacher, who ‘enjoyed the dynamic of power', found guilty of sexual misconduct News24 reports that a teacher at Refalotse Primary School in Gauteng has been found to have clearly "enjoyed the dynamic of power over a pupil who had not yet reached puberty" when he made sexual advances to her. In a ruling in March, the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) found the teacher guilty of sexual misconduct. The English and Technology teacher allegedly sexually harassed a Grade 5 pupil in July 2022 after he "smeared vaseline on her lips and subsequently instructed her to kiss him". The teacher also allegedly winked at the pupil in class. In August, while transporting pupils from the Tshwane West district office to their homes in Winterveld, he allegedly brushed the same pupil's hand and attempted to kiss her. The teacher denied the allegations, saying he didn't know the pupil. But the ELRC's part-time senior panellist Mark Hawyes found that the teacher's version amounted to a bare denial of the misconduct charges against him. He, therefore, rejected the teacher's evidence. Hawyes said no evidence was led that the pupil and others who testified against the teacher had any grudges against him. "I find that the [teacher] acted in a disgraceful, improper and unacceptable manner in the way he conducted himself (as an adult teacher) towards… (a minor pupil), on three separate occasions," Hawyes found. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jeanette Chabalala at News24
High hopes for next phase of Cape Town's Central Line railway revival News24 reports that the Nyanga to Langa section of Cape Town's Central Line is set to be officially reopened on Tuesday after a long period of rebuilding a service decimated by vandalism, theft, train torchings and no security. Shacks were also erected on portions of the line, particularly on the Langa stretch. The service began running tentatively in the past few weeks, and on Tuesday, new Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga is due to board a train from Nyanga to travel on the newly reopened link to Langa, and then on to Cape Town, for a first-hand briefing on the new service. The network is being restored a section at a time, and commuters are slowly returning. However, the occupants along the railway lines have not moved yet, with transport department spokesperson Lwazi Khoza indicating that the relocation process was still underway. This means the train must take a deviation when it passes Langa. The #UniteBehind movement, which has been campaigning for the rail network to be fixed, welcomed the partial resumption of Central Line services, but pointed out the restoration was years behind schedule. Bonteheuwel councillor Angus McKenzie paid tribute to the workers on the rail reconstruction project, saying: "Every single general worker is a local worker. Seventy to 80 people got jobs. They all say, 'I did something for the community'." Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jenni Evans at News24
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