In our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 28 July 2023.
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Tshwane mayor and city manager to meet Samwu on Monday over wage strike BL Premium reports that Tshwane executive mayor Cilliers Brink, city manager Johann Mettler and SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) leaders are expected to meet again for talks on Monday in a bid to resolve the pay strike that began last week. Samwu members marched to Tshwane House on Wednesday, demanding that the metro implement a 5.4% pay increase agreed upon in the SA Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) in 2021. But according to Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba, the metro made it “abundantly clear” to the unions that it was unable to implement the pay increase as it was unaffordable. The city was consequentially preparing an application for exemption from paying the increases. Updating union members on Saturday, Samwu Tshwane’s Precious Theledi advised: “Samwu leadership in Tshwane, accompanied by the provincial and national leadership, had a meeting with the executive mayor and the municipal manager on Saturday. The purpose of the meeting was to propose the modalities on implementing the payments for the 5.4% and 3.5% salary increase as stipulated in the wage and salary collective agreement.” Theledi said the metro had asked for a formal meeting on Monday afternoon. He said that members would be informed of the outcome and would be addressed on the way forward on Monday. On Friday, the metro obtained a Labour Court interdict declaring unlawful and illegal the protest action by Samwu members “who intimidated their nonstriking colleagues and caused damage to property”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Labour Court grants City of Tshwane an interim interdict against striking workers IOL reports that following a week of unlawful and illegal protest by employees affiliated with the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu), the Johannesburg Labour Court on Friday granted a temporary interdict against the striking workers of the City of Tshwane. Samwu members who were striking for salary increases have been accused of intimidating their non-striking colleagues and have caused damage to properties during their strike. The City approached the Labour Court on an urgent basis and the court declared the strike action unlawful and unprotected. It ordered the striking employees to disperse and further restrained them from participating in the unlawful strike/unprotected strike action and performing any acts in continuation or furtherance thereof. Additionally, the striking workers were prohibited from destroying any public or private property, or from intimidating any city employees. Some 15 employees have been arrested and charged with public violence and are facing internal charges which may lead to their dismissal. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sisipho Bhuta at IOL. Lees ook, Interdik teen Tshwane se stakende werkers, by Maroela Media
Guard who pursued robbers and six people wounded in ‘scary’ cellphone store robbery in Durban CBD on Friday News24 reports that shop owners in Durban's busy central business district (CBD) were shaken on Friday afternoon when gunmen fired shots during a robbery at a cellphone store in Bertha Mkhize Street, wounding a security guard and six people. According to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, two gunmen entered Arfah cellphone store, and another two guarded the door. They robbed the store of an undisclosed amount of money. "Some of the suspects reportedly fled from the scene in a getaway vehicle, whereas others fled on foot," Netshiunda reported. A security guard who was in the vicinity chased after those who had fled on foot. One suspect fired shots at the security guard and injured him. Six more civilians were injured when the suspect fired shots randomly. When the police arrived, they found the injured people "lying on the roadway". Paramedics on the scene said they arrived to find "total chaos" and treated seven people for minor to moderate injuries. A nearby store owner said it was “very scary” and she was in complete shock when she heard the gunshots. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lisalee Solomons at News24. Lees ook, Verdagtes steeds soek ná Durban-skietery, by Maroela Media SA’s prisons are falling apart, putting prisoners and staff at risk, says judicial inspector The Judicial Inspector of Correctional Services, Judge Edwin Cameron, writes that in recent months, with colleagues from the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS), he visited prisons in Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Vryheid and Newcastle. In each, there was disturbing evidence of dilapidation. Leaks, floods, broken windows, unrepaired electric installations, stinking ablutions, were found. He says this is an increasing problem for the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and much of it can be traced to the often-dysfunctional Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), which is responsible for most prison repairs. The walls, ceilings, roofs, electrical and water reticulation, hot-water systems and perimeter fences of too many correctional centres are in a grave state of unattended disrepair. Cameron says that none of these conditions should be laid at the door of the DCS personnel as they are as alarmed as JICS is by the grim state of infrastructure. They are desperate for relief. One head of centre indicated that they submitted a monthly list of unattended defects to both the prisons department and to DPWI. “We were given a reference number. Nothing has been done,” he lamented. At DPWI, a string of acting, disciplined and fired heads, combined with political instability resulting from Cabinet appointments, have hobbled its functionality. Cameron says that DPWI should appoint a top-level national official to deal specifically with prisons, and to impel the departmental workforce to do the necessary work. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Judge Edwin Cameron at GroundUp Other internet posting(s) in this news category
At least four bodies found in Riverlea after zama zama gunfight on Sunday TimesLIVE reports that the bodies of at least four suspected illegal foreign miners were discovered in the Riverlea area in Johannesburg on Sunday morning. “I’ve seen photos of four bodies. Various reports say there may have been four or six more killed. Twenty are reported to be shot as Riverlea’s zama zamas battle for control,” said Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor James Lorimer. Sunday’s attack was reported to be the result of another gun battle between different zama zama gangs in the area. Lorimer said residents reported men armed with automatic weapons moving through suburban areas and heavy gunfire. “One resident says they treated a seriously wounded man and woman on the pavement outside their house while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Other residents say a man was shot and wounded and taken away by police,” Lorimer stated. A few days ago, Riverlea resident Ernest Mangena was killed by a stray bullet during a gunfight allegedly between illegal miners and the police. The DA called on the police to tell the public what they were doing about illegal miners in Riverlea. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Gill Gifford at TimesLIVE Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Annual SweepSouth survey shows domestic workers face spiralling debt as sector bleeds jobs Fin24 reports that the sixth annual survey by SweepSouth found that the average domestic worker in SA owes more than she earns in a month to shops, friends and loan sharks – with a worsening debt spiral on the cards as more is spent than earned on an ongoing basis amid rising living costs. According to the survey by the online platform through which customers can book domestic workers, the sector suffered "masses of job losses" over the past year, with the leading cause being employers moving. Of those who relocated, nearly 60% emigrated. The job losses indicated by the survey represented a 15% percent increase in the number of domestic workers who had lost their means of support. The 2023 Report on Domestic Workers Pay and Work Conditions, released on Sunday, surveyed over 5,500 participants. It found that the average domestic worker in SA – 94% of whom were women – was 37 years old and earned about R2,989 a month from domestic work as her only source of income while being the only breadwinner in her family. On average, she spent just under R700 more than she earned each month, was unable to save, had no medical aid, and owed about R3,599 to shops, friends and loan sharks, among others. Just 9% of the domestic workers surveyed had savings. For the first time, domestic workers flagged load shedding as a major factor in their safety and job security. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Marelise van der Merwe at Fin24
Spar names KZN division chief Angelo Swartz as its new CEO Fin24 reports that after nearly six months without a permanent CEO to head up its operations, Spar has appointed Angelo Swartz, who has been with the retailer for 16 years, to take on the top job. The company said on Friday that Swartz, who previously worked for Woolworths and is currently Spar's divisional MD for its KwaZulu-Natal division, would take up the executive director role from 1 October. He will take on the role of chairperson of the Spar Guild – the nonprofit structure that governs the mutual interests of Spar and retailers – from 1 September. The group said Swartz was "highly respected in the Spar group, with a deep knowledge of the South African market". It has also beefed up its executive team through the creation of the new role of group chief operating officer and has appointed Megan Pydigadu to head up that position. Meanwhile Mike Bosman, who has been in a caretaker CEO role since the shock retirement of Brett Botten at the end of January, will revert back to being Spar's independent nonexecutive chair, a role he had only just been appointed to in December last year. The appointments will likely bring some certainty for Spar, which was last year engulfed in a crisis after allegations were made that it discriminated against black retailers. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nick Wilson at Fin24 Long-serving Netcare CEO Richard Friedland to take early retirement in 2024 Fin24 reports that Netcare, the owner of SA's biggest network of private hospitals, said on Friday that long-serving CEO Richard Friedland would be taking early retirement at the end of September 2024. Friedland, aged 61, was appointed CEO in September 2005 and has been with the group for three decades. In his role as CEO, he oversaw the expansion of the group while guiding it through "unprecedented times," notably the Covid-19 pandemic, the company said in a statement on Friday. Netcare had a network in 2022 that included 49 acute hospitals with almost 10,000 beds in 2022, while employing more than 18,000 staff. It also operated 13 mental health facilities and 65 primary healthcare facilities. During his tenure, Friedland oversaw the building of five new flagship hospitals, while also founding several key and business units, including Netcare 911, Netcare Diagnostics and NetcarePlus. "Richard has been instrumental in the establishment of Netcare as a world-class healthcare group," said Netcare chair Mark Bower in the statement. Netcare said on Friday it intended to announce a successor by September 2023 in order to ensure a smooth transition. Read the full original of the report in the above regard compiled by Karl Gernetzky at Fin24
Human Settlements Minister who unlawfully fired employee after getting stuck in a lift loses appeal bid BusinessLive reports that Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has lost her appeal against a ruling of the Johannesburg Labour Court, which ordered her to reinstate an employee whom she claimed was responsible after she was trapped in a lift, and who was then fired. Last week the Court dismissed Kubayi’s leave to appeal, as it had no prospect of success. In March, Kubayi got stuck in a lift for over an hour at her offices and notified her staff via WhatsApp. Deputy director of corporate services Nelly Letsholonyane arranged for a technician to be sent to the building. The next day Letsholonyane was summoned to the minister’s office and issued with a letter of an intention to dismiss her for alleged gross negligence that posed a threat to employees’ lives for failing to ensure the building and elevators were properly maintained and timeously responding to the minister’s entrapment. She was later given an ultimatum by the minister – be dismissed, face a disciplinary hearing with suspension, or take early retirement. She opted, under protest, for the retirement option. Days later, the minister phoned Letsholonyane and informed her that she was fired. Letsholonyane instituted proceedings in the Labour Court and argued that the minister had acted as the victim, witness, initiator and referee. In May, acting judge Molatelo Makhura ruled that the dismissal was in breach of the contract of employment. The court ordered that Letsholonyane be reinstated. Last Tuesday, Makhura dismissed Kubayi’s leave to appeal the ruling as it would have “no reasonable prospects of success” and there were “no compelling reasons” the Labour Appeal Court should hear the matter. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tauriq Moosa at BusinessLive
Ekurhuleni employee against whom charges have been laid for allegedly misrepresenting qualifications claims he got degree at Vista The Citizen reports that the Municipal Employers and Civil Servants Union (Mecsu) has laid criminal charges against a senior Ekurhuleni municipal employee for allegedly misrepresenting his qualifications. It laid the charges in June after a municipal inquiry did not yield the recourse it sought. Mecsu general secretary Vukile Mlungwana alleged that Ekurhuleni divisional head of labour relations, Xolani Nciza, misrepresented his qualifications and deliberately misled the municipality into employing him, and then earned a promotion to his current senior position. Mlungwana said the response from the mayor’s office was “wishy-washy” and, dissatisfied by the lack of decisive action by the municipality, proceeded to lay charges. Nciza has denied the allegations made against him and said there was an agenda to get rid of him. “I am cooperating with the police investigation and have furnished them with everything they have asked for. All I can say is that I attended Vista University and obtained my degree. I completed the advanced course in labour relations via a municipal development programme.” Nciza said he would wait for the outcome of the SA Police Service (Saps) investigation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Hein Kaiser at The Citizen (subscriber access only)
New PPE scandal at SANDF comes to light Sunday Times reports that Department of Defence officials are being probed for allegedly manipulating dozens of lucrative Covid personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders in a second PPE scandal to hit the SA National Defence Force (SANDF). Officials allegedly awarded contracts worth millions to legitimate companies on condition they “ceded” them to pre-selected middlemen. The SANDF boasted in September last year of bringing four officers before a military court to face corruption charges flowing from a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into a R273m PPE deal in 2020, but the second PPE scandal stayed out of public view. The elaborate and illegal fronting scheme unfolded in August and September 2021 at the department’s central procurement service centre in Eco-Park. The looting spree saw dozens of companies that had won PPE contracts being told to “cede” them to others, with a 10% fee being paid over to the original successful bidders. Simon Tshikalange, owner of Timhuti Medical Supply, and his brother, Walter, owner of medical supplies company PDC Health and Training, ceded contracts worth more than R4.4m and R2.58m respectively to a business called Vhuyo Consulting. Vhuyo Consulting is owned by Mpho Nevhutalu, one of the biggest winners in the alleged fraud and corruption spree. He allegedly scored R16.3m to supply three-ply masks. Nevhutalu allegedly fronted by using details of other companies registered in the National Treasury’s central supplier database (CSD). Some 28 companies ceded their contracts – in some instances to individuals they didn’t know, from a different province – in exchange for a 10% fee. This constituted fronting, which is illegal. SANDF spokesperson Brig-Gen Andries Mokoena Mahapa said: “The SANDF is not well placed to give clarity on matters contained in your inquiry as they are currently under investigation by the South African Police Service.” He refused to say which SAPS unit was involved. Read the full original of the extensive report in the above regard by Thanduxolo Jika at Sunday Times (subscriber access only) More arrests 'imminent' after Eskom employee nabbed for alleged tender fraud at Kriel power station Fin24 reports that according to Eskom, further arrests are "imminent" in a case that saw one of its employees arrested earlier this month in connection with alleged tender irregularities at Kriel Power Station. The arrest on 20 July followed a probe by Eskom's forensic department, after it received a tip-off from a member of the public in October. That prompted the investigation of a tender for the provision of coal yard lighting for 12 months at Kriel. The accused, who is a project coordinator at Kriel, appeared in the Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court last Monday and was released on bail. "A search was conducted at the accused’s house in eMalahleni where an amount of R16,600 was seized by the police... The arrest of all the role players in this matter is imminent," Eskom said in a statement on Friday. Eskom said that "while most of our employees are hardworking", it was "cognisant of the few who are corrupt amongst us". The utility added that “the arrest of the project coordinator and others in the past is therefore a step in the right direction in ridding the organisation of corruption." Read the full original of the report in the above regard complied by Marelise van der Merwe at Fin24 Seven SAPS members arrested after allegedly robbing and terrorising staff at a Nigel café IOL reports that the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) in Gauteng arrested seven SA Police Service (SAPS) members from Ekurhuleni on Friday on charges of aggravated robbery, assault, and malicious damage to property. IPID spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said the arrests were a result of investigations into allegations that SAPS members had errorised staff at the LM café in Nigel. Four members of Ekurhuleni Infrastructure Unit and three members of Germiston Crime Intelligence were detained at the Nigel police station after handing themselves over at Benoni. The police members are alleged to have assaulted the managers, destroyed some property, including a digital video recorder, and stolen cash worth R150,000. Furthermore, they are alleged to have confiscated more than 150 boxes of cigarettes, but only handed in a fraction thereof. The officers are expected to appear at the Nigel Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Sisipho Bhuta at IOL Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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