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.
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Agri SA says police are not doing enough to stop attacks on trucks, army must be deployed BL Premium reports that Agri SA has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to deploy the army to restore calm on national highways after violent attacks have seen 21 trucks set ablaze around the country. “In its dire economic situation, SA simply cannot afford to surrender vital export revenue to uncontrolled criminal activity,” Agri SA president Jaco Minnaar said. He added that crime intelligence must also be tasked with investigating who was behind these attacks, and the culprits must be charged and brought to book. Meantime, police have increased visibility and identified 12 people allegedly behind the orchestrated attacks on trucks in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. “Whether it is economic sabotage, labour or service delivery-related disputes, police are closing in on those who choose to use violence and intimidation for whatever motive,” police minister Bheki Cele said at a briefing in Tshwane on Wednesday. He said intelligence suggested that truck attacks “may be business related” and not just random acts of criminality. However Agri SA claimed there was not enough urgency by police. On Wednesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated his call earlier this week for those behind the truck attacks to be arrested. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Hajra Omarjee at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Lees ook, Trokke brand: ‘Laat weermag help beveilig’, by Maroela Media Another truck torched, on the N12 west highway, bringing total to 21 TimesLIVE reports that another truck has been torched, on the N12 west between the Golden Highway in Eldorado Park and Klipspruit Valley Road near Slovo informal settlement. The latest incident, on Wednesday afternoon, occurred amid a spate of such attacks since Sunday in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. So far, 21 trucks have been destroyed. JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla confirmed Wednesday’s incident and said police were monitoring the N12. Traffic was blocked with burning tyres near the pedestrian bridge between Slovo and Eldorado Park due to a protest in that area. “A truck was earlier torched at the same location and the fire was eventually extinguished,” Fihla said. He added the cause of the protest was not known as the protesters dispersed when the police arrived. No injuries were reported. The latest truck torching brings the number of destroyed trucks to 21. In one of the Mpumalanga attacks, a woman was burnt. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Phathu Luvhengo at TimesLIVE. Lees ook, Minstens 20 trokke brand binne dae, by Maroela Media Four trucks torched on Wednesday morning on N2, burn wounds sustained by passenger TimesLIVE reports that a woman sustained burn wounds in yet another attack on trucks, this time in Mpumalanga early on Wednesday morning. Four trucks were torched at about 5.30am on the N2 between Piet Retief and Ermelo, according to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala. He reported as follows: “Three trucks were seriously burnt while one only burned in the cabin. One passenger, a lady, sustained burn wounds on her feet as she was allegedly asleep in one of the trucks. She was taken for medical help by the EMS vehicle.” According to Mohlala, a similar modus operandi to other attacks reported since the weekend was used, with armed men emerging from the bushes and instructing the drivers to get out of the vehicles or risk getting burnt inside. The drivers opted to abandon the trucks, which were then set on fire. “No-one has been arrested so far and the police are continuing with investigations. The motive is unknown at the moment,” Mohlala said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khanyisile Ngcobo at BusinessLive Police have identified 12 possible truck attack suspects, says Bheki Cele SowetanLive reports that according to Police Minister Bheki Cele, twelve people have been identified as persons of interest by officers investigating the recent spate of attacks on freight trucks. "[They] have been identified by names, some of them by address and some of them by the cars they drive,” he told a briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday. At least 21 trucks have been torched in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga in four days. Cele reported that he had conducted a high-level meeting with the commissioners of the affected provinces and they were closing in on the perpetrators. “All major routes have been secured and patrols are being conducted on high-risk routes,” he said. Possible motives are under investigation in the different provinces. Cele provided updates on the cases (details contained in report). In unrelated incidents, in the Free State on Monday, a truck experienced mechanical failure and caught fire. The driver escaped unharmed. In a second incident, a truck capsized and burst into flames. The driver of the second vehicle is recovering in hospital. In Gauteng, a truck carrying flammable cargo had a burst tyre and capsized and burst into flames while driving on the R59. In a second accident, a truck driver lost control on the N12 and when the truck overturned a trailer caught fire. Both truck drivers escaped unharmed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Shonisani Tshikalange at SowetanLive. Read too, SAPS hunt 12 in truck arson wave as Police Minister rejects links to July 2021 riots, at Daily Maverick. En ook, Vragmotorbedryf onder beleg: ‘Ons doen nie niks’ – Cele, by Maroela Media No evidence that recent truck attacks are linked to the 2021 July unrest, says Bheki Cele News24 reports that according to Police Minister Bheki Cele, the available evidence suggested that the recent spate of attacks and burning of trucks in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal were organised, coordinated and sophisticated - and the aim was "to undermine and sabotage the state". Twenty-one trucks have been burnt since Sunday. Speaking at a briefing about the cause of the attacks, Cele said intelligence suggested the targeting of trucks might be business-related and not just random acts of criminality. "Evidence before us points to organised, coordinated and sophisticated operations that seek to undermine and sabotage the state," Cele said. He dismissed suggestions that the attacks were due to foreign nationals being hired as truck drivers as most of the drivers were South African, and the trucks were linked to SA companies. Only three foreign trucks had been targeted, two in Mpumalanga and one in KZN. There was also a commonality among the trucks targeted, as most were carrying coal and chrome. Cele said there was no evidence to suggest the arson attacks were related or linked to the July insurrection. He said investigations suggested the trucks attacked in Limpopo were not linked to those in Mpumalanga and KZN. "Police investigations are so far pointing towards an ongoing labour dispute and service delivery issues in the Lydenburg mining belt," he advised. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alex Mitchley at News24. Read too, ‘There will be no July riots repeat’, says Bheki Cele after spate of truck attacks, at IOL Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Massive power outage in Pretoria east after security guard shot dead, cable stolen at Njala substation Pretoria News reports that a City of Tshwane security guard was gunned down on Tuesday morning by unknown people at the Njala substation during a cable theft incident, resulting in power outages for residents in Pretoria east. MMC for Utility Services Themba Fosi, who expressed condolences on behalf of the city to the bereaved family, described the shooting incident as unfortunate. He said it was high time the national government made “the substations national key points so that they can be safely guarded and be able to supply stable electricity to our residents”. Fosi added that police were currently investigating the incident and that more information concerning the guard’s death would be shared at a later stage. MMC for Utilities and Regional Operations, Daryl Johnston, who was also on site to assess the situation, said: “Our infrastructure is really under attack by nefarious elements that are stealing material that has a significant impact on the supply of services. And we will investigate further on how we can improve this going forward.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Rapula Moatshe at Pretoria News Lees ook, Wag sterf toe hy Pta-kabeldiewe wil stuit, by Maroela Media Mattress factory in Tshwane burns to the ground, fire officer treated for injuries The Citizen reports that a mattress factory has been destroyed by a fire in Tshwane. The City of Tshwane’s Emergency Services (TES) responded to the incident just after 1:30am on Wednesday morning, at the factory in Sunderland Ridge, Tshwane. TES spokesperson Charles Mabaso said the call centre dispatched resources from four fire stations after receiving multiple calls that the factory was engulfed by fire. “Firefighters arrived on the scene and immediately performed exposure protection to nearby buildings and conducted forcible entry to gain access into the burning building for firefighting operations. Drums containing unspecified quantities of a chemical substance, Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate, were saved from the blaze,” Mabaso said. A fire officer was treated for minor to moderate injuries after slipping and falling during the firefighting operations. Three patients – one male, one female and a two-year-old child – were treated for smoke inhalation and transported to hospital in a stable condition. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by The Citizen. Lees ook, Brand breek uit by Pretoria-matrasfabriek, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Copper 360 launching Camborne-modelled mining school in Northern Cape Mining Weekly reports that Northern Cape copper mining and marketing company Copper 360 is launching a mining school in the Northern Cape, with its eye on how the highly successful Camborne School of Mines in the UK does things. The mining school idea arose during a discussion at a conference set up by the Department of Minerals Resources and Energy. One of the speakers asked the professor hosting the session, ‘why don't you start a school of mining like the Camborne School of Mines’ and this is what is now being done. Classes will begin within the next two to four weeks. Skills development, first and foremost, will be Copper 360's immediate target, along with helping to reduce youth unemployment. Copper 360 CEO Jan Nelson explained: "We understand we're not initially going to train mining engineers and confer degrees and diplomas. That's not what we're trying to do. There are good institutions for that. But it's the category of people below that, who do not have a skill or a job and, and there's such a lot of opportunity in the mining sector for those people, and that's what we want to highlight.” He added: “This is about transferring knowledge and skills within a short period of time. As an example, you can train somebody as a sampler within three or four months with a certificate, and then that person's got value.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Health department cautions public to ignore fake opportunity in job scam The Citizen reports that that Department of Health has warned of a fraudulent job scam doing the rounds this week. It involves legitimate-looking appointment or employment letters bearing the department’s logo, there’s a catch in that job hopefuls are asked to pay a refundable upfront fee of R250. The scammers claim this fee will cover background checks to confirm that the applicants have clean criminal records and are genuine candidates. The appointment letter indicates that the job seeker’s application was successful to “be fully employed as part of the Health Department of Health as an Admin Clerk”. The letter also lists the job description and duties, along with induction instruction, and stipulates the salary as R14,800 CTC. Then comes the red flag: “Before the training date, you are required to pay a fully refundable fee of R250 by 13th July for background checks to ensure you do not have any criminal records, and that you are a legit candidate.” The second red flag is the instruction to make the payment through a PEP store via its money transfer services. The health department said it had been inundated with calls and queries, and urged job seekers to give this ‘opportunity’ a wide berth. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Cheryl Kahla at The Citizen
UIF pays out almost R22m to more than 6,000 workers affected by July 2021 riots TimesLIVE reports that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has paid out R21.8m to more than 6,000 workers affected by the July 2021 unrest that swept through KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. UIF commissioner Teboho Maruping said on Wednesday that the Workers Affected by Unrest (Wabu) temporary financial relief scheme was established to assist those whose workplaces were closed due to the unrest, resulting in workers receiving partial remuneration or no pay. Maruping said employers were required to apply on behalf of affected workers and had to comply with qualifying conditions, which included that the closure of the business was directly linked to the destruction, damage or looting. “The UIF is very pleased that we have been able to assist workers each time we were called upon. As a fund responsible for providing social relief, our duty is to ensure workers are able to take care of themselves and their families in difficult times,” he said. Maruping assured the public that businesses that benefited from the Wabu scheme were not immune to scrutiny and were being audited to ensure funds were paid to employees. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nivashni Nair at BusinessLive
Man arrested for allegedly selling fake personal documents at internet café in Ekurhuleni News24 reports that a man has been arrested for allegedly selling fraudulent documents such as birth certificates, asylum seeker forms and doctors' notes at an internet café in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni. Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Kelebogile Thepa reported: "Following up on information received about a male suspect selling asylum documents at an internet café, officers [on Tuesday] proceeded to Black and Nquthu roads in Langaville and discovered several fraudulent documents, such as temporary asylum seeker forms, birth certificates and doctors' notes." The suspect claimed he was only the middleman and never met the person who produced the documents. Thepa added: "The 41-year-old Zimbabwean male suspect alleges … [he] speaks to his supplier only over the phone, stating that he only meets the applicants. Investigations are ongoing to root out all the role players involved." The suspect is expected to appear in the Tsakane Magistrate's Court soon for fraud and charges relating to the Immigration Act. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tshepiso Motloung at News24
KZN health department fires security company at RK Khan Hospital after guards downed tools over unpaid salaries GroundUp reports that security guards at the RK Khan Hospital in Chatsworth, Durban, have lost their jobs after participating in an unprotected strike. They were among 174 workers employed by Mafoko Security to guard RK Khan Hospital, Stanger Provincial Hospital and Murchison Hospital. The workers went on strike after the company did not pay their June salaries. They reported that while waiting for the boss to address them on 10 July, they saw that another security company had its guards at the hospital gate. They were then told that Mafoko’s month-to-month contract agreement with the provincial health department had been terminated. Mafoko CEO Lebo Nare said they had communicated to the guards at the start of June that their payment dates would change, but they “don’t want to listen, which is why they went on an unprotected strike.” He said there was a technical issue which delayed salary processing. According to one of the guards, they were paid R290 per day. The company has promised to pay workers by 15 July. A spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health said that as soon as they were alerted to the strike by the security guards, they hired another company to ensure that staff and patients were kept safe. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tsoanelo Sefoloko at GroundUp
Paramedics who refused to help Durban patient who later died to be investigated TimesLIVE reports that the Professional Board for Emergency Care has broken its silence and condemned the conduct of KwaZulu-Natal paramedics who allegedly refused to help a Durban patient who was in distress. The body, which falls under the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA), said it was concerned as the refusal to assist patients went against the board’s vision of “promoting quality, equitable, professional and people-centred emergency care for all”. It was previously reported that the paramedics allegedly refused to walk down a stairway to reach a patient who was experiencing breathing problems. They told a family member to bring the patient to them and then left because it was taking too long. The two have since been placed under precautionary suspension by the provincial health department to allow an investigation to proceed. Thembeka Sikhosana, the woman who was allegedly abandoned by the paramedics, died at Prince Mshiyeni Hospital in Umlazi on Thursday, two weeks after the stairs incident. Her family has reportedly asked the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate. The HPCSA confirmed that it was investigating the matter. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Phathu Luvhengo at TimesLIVE
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