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 Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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Two Kimberley flying squad officers shot dead after car chase News24 reports that two on-duty members of the Kimberley Flying Squad were shot and killed on Tuesday. Northern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Mashay Gamieldien said the sergeant and constable were among a team investigating a stolen sedan car en route to Bloemfontein. The team spotted the vehicle in Kimberley and pursued it. The driver sped off, crashed the vehicle into Transnet premises and then abandoned the vehicle. He fled on foot while firing shots that claimed the lives of the two officers. Police could not confirm reports that the man had taken a firearm from the officers before firing shots. Videos on social media show police officers running through a local shopping mall. A Hawks spokesperson said officers had responded to information that the suspect was at the mall, but he was not found there but somewhere nearby. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Cebelihle Bhengu at News24. Read too, Northern Cape cops killed in shootout hailed as heroes, at IOL Oudtshoorn family wants answers after mysterious disappearance of SANDF trainee Cape Times reports that the Oudtshoorn community is demanding answers from the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) following the disappearance of army trainee Izak Thompson. He went missing with an R4 rifle during training at the Oudtshoorn Infantry School last month. He was dropped off by his brother at the school on 16 July. Others at the school noticed that Thompson was missing a few days later. While the SANDF did not respond to multiple requests for comment, the police confirmed a search for Thompson was under way. Members of the Oudtshoorn Community Against Crime (Ocac) and Thompson’s family recently marched to the infantry school demanding answers and a thorough investigation into his disappearance. Thompson’s mother, Anna Thompson, said she was struggling to cope and wanted answers. Community activist Leon Campher said the SANDF visited the Thompson family after his disappearance. He said: “Three days after he disappeared, the SANDF visited the family to say they were coming to look for a weapon because Izak left with a weapon. They did not tell her that they couldn’t find her son in the training field. Then we saw in the news in the morning that SANDF is looking for a soldier who has gone missing. There is no way that someone can just disappear like that.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Siphokazi Vuso at Cape Times
Tshwane’s service delivery continues to be hampered by ongoing Samwu strike over salary increases The Citizen reports that service delivery in the City of Tshwane remains at a go-slow as the illegal strike by SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) continued into the fourth week, while they awaited the ruling of the salary and wage increase exemption application at the SA Local Government Bargaining Council. The application will apparently be considered on Wednesday. In many parts of Tshwane, garbage bags stood uncollected while residents in Mamelodi waited almost two weeks for the power to be reconnected in their area due to municipal workers being too scared to go out and work. Tshwane MMC for utilities and regional operations and coordination Themba Fosi said the city was working hard to address the high number of service interruptions across the city. Cosatu Gauteng chair Amos Monyela confirmed the strike was still ongoing. Last week, Samwu accused the city of illegally locking out employees from accessing their workplaces and municipal vehicles they used to provide services. It was believed Red Ant Security Relocation & Eviction Services were called to the Temba water department plant to remove workers, while others were barred from entering their offices as it was cordoned off with razor wire. . Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Marizka Coetzer at The Citizen (subscriber access only). Lees ook, Tshwane: Samwu-staking steeds nie verby, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Wesizwe Platinum operations resume at flagship mine after month-long strike BL Premium reports that Wesizwe Platinum said on Tuesday the month-long unprotected strike at its flagship mine has been resolved, paving the way for the immediate resumptions of operations. “This significant development follows the signing of a crucial peace agreement that marked the end of a prolonged period of labour relations negotiations,” the junior platinum group metals (PGM) producer advised in a statement, without giving further detail. Bakubung Platinum Mine is in the early stages of production after numerous delays, caused in part by technical glitches at its processing plant, as well as Covid-19 in 2020. The construction of the mine in the North West started in 2011 and was initially scheduled to come into full production in late 2020 before the pandemic threw a spanner in the works, followed by community protests. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Andries Mahlangu at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Gauteng health MEC warns against unqualified CEOs who run hospitals 'like spaza shops' City Press reports that Gauteng MEC for health and wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited the Far East Rand Hospital on Monday after allegations were made of dysfunctional morgue fridges and the mishandling of deceased bodies. Nkomo-Ralehoko said her visit was to ensure that the 95-year-old hospital was functioning optimally, following several complaints about the facility. She said hospital CEOs needed to stop running hospitals like spaza shops and understand the business etiquette to properly manage funds, supplies and all distribution in public facilities. Funeral undertakers alleged a week ago that the hospital had been handing over decomposed bodies to families because of the non-functional morgue refrigerators. This week, however, everything appeared to be in tip-top shape at the hospital, and none of the issues noted during a visit just a week ago could be spotted as the MEC conducted a "surprise visit" to the facility. Peter Mogapi, manager of patient affairs and the mortuary, denied the undertakers' allegations and said the mortuary fridges were working perfectly and being monitored twice a day. Despite this, several of the fridges were off during the visit, and displayed stickers stating that they were undergoing maintenance, which Mogapi maintained was a temporary occurrence. The MEC said among her interventions to restore order in the hospital was the deployment of Sonwabo Lindani, who came from a three-year service term at Carletonville hospital, and had a track record of excellence. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Promise Marupeng at City Press (subscriber access only) NHI pilot projects in KZN take off, as health department rolls out 'ideal' clinics City Press reports that over 2,000 public clinics and hospitals across the country have achieved an "ideal" clinic status to meet NHI standards. Meanwhile, the health department is working closely with provinces and districts to support them in increasing the number of such clinics as part of a service delivery improvement plan. As part of the rollout, Deputy Health Minister Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo on Tuesday conducted a site visit to primary healthcare facilities and clinics in Newcastle in the Amajuba District in KwaZulu-Natal to acknowledge the work and efforts by healthcare workers and stakeholders for achieving the platinum status of the ideal clinic as part of the national plan. Amajuba is one of the districts with the highest number of ideal clinics. Dhlomo's site visit was aimed at ensuring that all the refurbished facilities and newly built facilities and innovations had been completed and met all NHI and global standards. National health spokesperson Foster Mohale explained that the ideal clinic programme was an initiative launched in July 2013 as a way of systematically improving the quality of care provided in primary healthcare facilities around the country. In 2012, former health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi named the 10 districts in the country identified for the long-awaited pilot of the NHI. The programme was intended to be implemented over 14 years, divided into three phases. The first phase, which started in 2012 and was due to run until 2017, would see the NHI “tested” in 11 health districts. According to Mohale, the pilot projects on clinics did very well. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Promise Marupeng at City Press
Six men plead guilty to murder of Tembisa hospital whistleblower Babita Deokaran, but mastermind still at large News24 reports that six men accused of murdering whistleblower Babita Deokaran pleaded guilty to her murder in the South Gauteng High Court on Tuesday, which was the second anniversary of her murder. Deokaran was killed after she blew the whistle on fraud and corruption at Tembisa Hospital. The six men were handed different sentences according to the roles they played in the murder. In a plea agreement between the State and the defence, the amount of time the six men had spent in custody awaiting trial was taken into consideration. The sentences handed down ranged from 22 to six years in prison. In sentencing the accused, Judge Motsamai Makume said the court was not satisfied because the person who pulled the trigger had not been arrested. "There are people in this matter who are not named," he pointed out. The judge added that murder, corruption and drugs remained a huge problem, and people who committed those crimes should not expect mercy from the courts. Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the authorities were looking into "certain people of interest" named during the plea and sentence negotiations. "They provided us with information that will get us the mastermind," she added. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Belinda Pheto at News24. Read too, ‘Apology not accepted,’ Babita Deokaran’s family tell killers jailed for 22, 15 and 6 years, at TimesLIVE. En ook, Moord op fluitjieblaser: ‘Hulle moet sê wie gee opdrag’, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Court to hear case on who qualifies for maternity leave and who does not BL Premium reports that parents and civil rights groups are challenging SA maternity leave law because it discriminates between parents who have given birth and those who have not, such as fathers and adoptive parents. The matter will be heard by over three days this week starting on Wednesday, at the Johannesburg High Court. This arose after a father was denied maternity leave by his employer who said maternity leave protection only applied to women who had given birth. The Department of Employment and Labour is opposing the application. If successful, it could mean parliament would be ordered to amend the relevant legislation to not limit maternity protection to only birthing mothers, but extend it to any parental figure. In terms of the relevant legislation, specifically section 25 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), “an employee is entitled to at least four consecutive months’ maternity leave.” Werner and Ika van Wyk, the main applicants, had a son in 2021. It is their argument that the word “employee” in the BCEA is gender-neutral. In the alternative, if the word “employee” is presumed to be “female employee who births”, then the BCEA is discriminatory because it excludes anyone who is a non-birthing parent from using maternity leave protection to raise a newborn. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tauriq Moosa at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, Lawyers for Human Rights to represent organisations, couple in court challenge to give fathers four-months of paternity leave, at Pretoria News
ConCourt sends dispute over Rand Refinery dismissal back to Labour Court BL Premium reports that Rand Refinery has partly succeeded in court proceedings over a labour dispute with a former employee involving allegations of the theft of gold bars and perjury. On Monday, the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) said the Johannesburg Labour Court was wrong on numerous grounds in finding in favour of a former employee of Rand Refinery (RR) and sent the matter back to the court to be heard afresh. In 2017, after the theft of gold bars at RR’s refinery in Germiston, Wanda Maseko and others were charged with the crime. Maseko was dismissed. He lodged a case with the CCMA, which found against him after testimony by a company security official. In 2018, Maseko and union Numsa took the matter to the Labour Court. Before the court’s 2021 hearing, Maseko was informed that Sydney Mulafhi, the security manager who testified against him, had himself been involved in litigation against RR in the Polokwane High Court. Amongst Mulafhi’s assertions was that he had been forced to give false evidence against employees, including Maseko. In 2021, the Labour Court ruled in Maseko’s favour, setting aside the CCMA’s findings and ordering it to review the matter. The court slammed RR for apparently not filing answering papers to Maseko’s claims. After being denied leave to appeal, RR took the matter to the ConCourt where it argued that its answering papers in the labour court were overlooked by the judge for reasons unknown. On Monday, ConCourt Justice Owen Rogers agreed with RR. He found that it had indeed filed its papers in time, and that Mulafhi’s allegations were hearsay because they were contained in affidavits for the litigation in Polokwane. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tauriq Moosa at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Tshwane metro cops accused of kidnapping, extortion to make representations to DPP not to prosecute them News24 reports that three Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) officers accused of kidnapping a man and extorting him will be making representations to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on why they should not be prosecuted. Johnson Lebombo, Aubrey Phalane and Makgoba Raboshacia briefly appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. The case was postponed to 9 October for the outcome of the representations. The three officers have been charged with kidnapping, robbery, extortion and intimidation relating to an incident in September 2022. The trio pulled over a motorist, who was with his girlfriend and their 10-year-old daughter, and accused him of speeding. They then allegedly disarmed him of his personal firearm. He was threatened with arrest and forced to withdraw cash from an ATM at a petrol station in Rigel Avenue in Pretoria. After withdrawing the money, the motorist was allegedly forced into the back of the police van and driven to a desolate area, where he handed over the R4,000 he had withdrawn. He was also reportedly robbed of a further R1,000, which was in his wallet. Lebombo and Phalane allegedly have a history of misconduct. AfriForum's Private Prosecution Unit, which is holding a watching brief for the City of Tshwane on the case in court, expressed concern the two men were facing so many cases yet continued to work as officers. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alex Mitchley at News24 Three Free State cops in court for corruption, extortion, kidnapping IOL reports that three Free State police officers arrested for corruption and kidnapping appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Monday. The Anti-Corruption Unit arrested the trio on 17 August for an incident that took place in December last year. Two sergeants and a constable, from Bloemspruit, Park Road, and the K9 Unit, are facing charges of corruption, extortion, kidnapping, and defeating the ends of justice. Police spokesperson, Loraine Earle indicated: "It is alleged that the three were on patrol duties on December 14, 2022, when they stopped a truck with a trailer on the N1 south, just outside of Bloemfontein.“ She said the officers demanded money from the owner of the truck in order not to arrest his son, but when they went to a mall in the south of Bloemfontein to draw money from an ATM, they were unsuccessful. Earle reported further: “They chased down the truck, and at about 20 km from Verkeerdevlei Toll Plaza, they stopped the truck again. This time, they allegedly took the driver with them in a police vehicle and went to three spots to withdraw money. They allegedly managed to withdraw R2,000 before they took the driver back to the truck." The criminal case was postponed to 28 August for a formal bail application. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Molaole Montsho at IOL. Lees ook, Drie van polisie bly agter tralies oor ‘afpersing, ontvoering’, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Government setting up call centre to tackle construction mafia Fin24 reports that Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala has advised that the government is setting up a call centre for the "speedy reporting" of disruptions at construction sites. On Sunday, the minister provided an update on the progress of key infrastructure projects as well as measures to tackle disruptions at construction sites, instigated by the construction mafia. As previously reported, the construction mafia – which grew out of two militant groups in KwaZulu-Natal and has since spread to all provinces – terrorise building sites, demanding a 30% stake in projects. They often turn up at sites, armed and presenting themselves as business forums. Zikalala said that law enforcement agencies were prioritising these crimes was there was “a glimmer of hope that eventually we will win the war against those involved in extortion, hijacking and disruption of construction sites." He indicated that the call centre would ensure that information would be received as quickly as possible and those who reported disruptions, as well as contractors and their families, would be protected. In July, Zikalala reported that at least 605 suspects linked to the construction mafia had been arrested. The department is also looking to recover its lost, stolen and "illegally occupied" properties in a project known as Operation Bring Back. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lameez Omarjee at Fin24. Read too, Western Cape spends over R161.7m on security to stop construction mafia, at Cape Argus
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