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, 22 September 2023.
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Nxesi axes chair of Productivity SA board over R5bn ‘conflict of interest’ Sunday Times reports that the controversial R5bn job creation scheme concluded between the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and Thuja Capital Fund without any due diligence has claimed its first casualty. According to two independent sources, Thuja’s boss, Mthunzi Mdwaba, has been removed from the board of state entity Productivity SA by Department of Employment & Labour (DEL) Minister Thulas Nxesi. Productivity SA is an entity of Nxesi’s department tasked with saving and creating jobs, and relies on funding from the UIF, among other organisations. The R5bn Thuja-UIF agreement proceeded despite having been rejected by internal UIF adjudication structures because Thuja had no track record. The deal had also been rejected by the Public Investment Corporation. UIF commissioner Tebogo Maruping overrode the objections and motivated for DEL director-general Thobile Lamati to approve the agreement, which he did. Nxesi pulled the plug on the scheme after it was exposed in the press. Mdwaba was removed in terms of the Employment Services Act, which allows Nxesi to remove a member of the board if they acquire an interest in a business or enterprise that may conflict or interfere with their functions as a board member. Mdwaba’s axing follows Nxesi’s referral of Lamati’s conduct to President Cyril Ramaphosa for a decision on how to proceed. The action taken against the two follows a forensic report Nxesi commissioned into the debacle. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sabelo Skiti at Sunday Times (subscriber access only)
Deadly Kommetjie submarine disaster was the result of inadequate planning and inexperience City Press reports that in detail about the tragic accident on Wednesday when an impromptu army exercise claimed the lives of three submarine crew members. While their submarine pitched around in rough seas at Kommetjie, five navy members held onto only a single rope on the narrow, slippery hull of their vessel. When a giant swell – nearly 10m high – hit the vessel, the crew were thrown into the icy water. One of their colleagues who was anchored to the safety line on the hull also ended up in the water and was repeatedly thrown against the side of the vessel by the waves. One of the main mistakes that caused the tragedy was the fact that the joint exercise with the air force – in which a helicopter attempted to drop cargo onto the submarine – should never have gone ahead in the rough weather. One former navy member with knowledge of the rescue operation said: “By that time, the sea in that area was like a washing machine. The wind was blowing at about 40km/h and the swells were rough. These were probably the worst weather conditions imaginable for such an exercise.” Several military experts all agreed that the tragedy was the result of inadequate training due to a depleted defence budget, too little operational experience and incorrect government priorities. At a press conference in Simon’s Town last week, Rear Admiral Musawenkosi Nkomonde, Flag Officer of the Naval Forces, insisted that all security measures had been followed by those involved. Stressing that the navy would not operationally deploy anyone lacking the required qualifications and training, he described the incident as an “unfortunate accident” and said the exercise had been held in controlled conditions. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Erika Gibson at City Press (subscriber access only) SA Navy to launch board of inquiry into mariners' deaths News24 reports that a SA Navy board of inquiry is set to launch an investigation into the deaths of the three mariners who lost their lives on Wednesday afternoon when high waves swept a group of navy officers off the SAS Manthasisi submarine near Kommetjie. Lieutenant Commander Gillian Elizabeth Hector, Master Warrant Officer William Masela Mathipa and Warrant Officer Class One Mmokwapa Lucas Mojela were part of a crew carrying out a training exercise at the time of the incident. Chief of the Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese has requested that the inquiry only commence after the funerals have taken place. According to SA Navy spokesperson Ruwayda Grootboom, the inquiry is set to commence on 11 October and will be completed by 10 November. Grootboom added: “Furthermore, the SA Navy condemns all unfounded speculation regarding the circumstances that gave rise to the incident. Such speculation only adds injury to an already open wound.” During a media briefing at the Simon's Town Naval Base, Flag Officer Fleet Rear Admiral Musawenkosi Nkomonde described the deaths of the mariners as "a huge loss to the navy". A memorial for the fallen sailors is set to take place on Wednesday. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lisalee Solomons at News24 'Killing of one police officer is way too many': Police unions concerned over cop killings News24 reports that last week was a bloody week for police officers nationwide, with at least seven officers brutally attacked. In the latest incident, Sergeant Holeng Makobe from Mabopane in Gauteng, was shot dead on Friday night, while three of his colleagues were seriously injured. Armed robbers in a VW Golf opened fire while the officers were doing crime prevention patrols in the area. Makobe succumbed to his injuries on the scene. It was later discovered that two of the members' firearms were taken. In the past week in Cape Town, three off-duty police officers were shot dead – one in Khayelitsha and two others in Philippi. In each case, the officers were sitting in parked vehicles. Last Sunday, an off-duty police sergeant from Bellville South was shot dead while visiting a friend in Khayelitsha, Site B. Prior to that, on 5 September in Gugulethu, two constables sustained multiple gunshots after being attacked while driving in the suburb. The SA Policing Union (SAPU) and the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) condemned the attacks. Popcru’s Richard Mamabolo said there was a "growing worry" about the ongoing killing of SAPS members and added that they had picked up a trend, in the Western Cape specifically, where gang members were using the killing of a police officer in order to reach higher ranks in the gang. SAPU spokesperson Lesiba Thobakgale said it was "unfortunate" that police killings continued to grow and noted that they had since called on the public to join the campaign of "Protect the Protectors", so that police killings could be eradicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lisalee Solomons at News24. Read too, Off-duty Cape Town police officer shot dead, another wounded, at News24 Investigating officer shot dead in Westbury on Sunday evening TimesLIVE reports that a police officer was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Westbury, Johannesburg, on Sunday evening. Warrant Officer Dalmain Morris was investigating a murder when he was shot by suspects driving a white Renault Clio. Brig Athlenda Mathe said he was attached to the police's Anti-Gang Unit. Nhlanhla Sizani, described as a government policing adviser, indicated on X that the shooting took place at approximately 6.40pm when Morris was standing outside a property with a witness. "More shots were fired, hitting a witness that was (being) interviewed and a bystander. Both sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital." Extra police resources were deployed to the gang-ridden area earlier this month after a spate of killings. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at TimesLIVE Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Unemployed and graduate doctors get a boost as close to 2,000 posts created EWN reports that according to Health Minister Joe Phaahla, almost 2,000 posts have been created this year for graduate doctors. Since January, 3,974 posts for medical doctors have been advertised and filled – compared to the 2,053 posts of 2022. In a written parliamentary reply to a questions from the National Freedom Party, Phaahla said the additional posts were funded to accommodate unemployed medical doctors. However, Phaahla added that not all graduate doctors were applying for the posts after completing community service, due to their personal preferences. But he said the health department remained open to refer unemployed doctors to provinces where there are available funded posts. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Lindsay Dentlinger at EWN
Skills visa delays ‘hold back economic growth’ BL Premium reports that according to the Institute of Security Studies (ISS), SA’s skills visa system is inhibiting economic growth by imposing bureaucratic obstacles to the recruitment of skilled foreigners. Progress in this regard by Operation Vulindlela, which is focused on structural economic reforms to unlock the impediments to growth, is slow and businesses continue to encounter many difficulties in obtaining official permission to bring their selected skilled employees and families into the country. Anglo American said in response to questions on the issue that “the issuing of skilled workers’ visas has been a challenge and Anglo American continues to engage with its government stakeholders in getting the applications expedited. The delay in issuing such visas can impact project plans and delay progress in some major projects and developments.” ISS board chair Jakkie Cilliers noted that SA’s work visa regime was cumbersome, lengthy, inefficient and corrupt. “Instead of taking eight weeks, critical skills applications can take up to a year or more,” Cilliers claimed. He noted that from 2015 to 2021 only 16,097 critical skilled-worker permits were approved by the DHA with 52% being rejected. The business-visa rejection rate over the same period was even higher at 68%. The DHA uses a list of 140 critical skills to vet applications which Cilliers says is incomplete and not suitable for a rapidly evolving economy. DHA Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said in parliament last week that his department needed more money to employ more staff to clear visa backlogs as it was operating with a staff complement of only 39%. But he told television broadcaster eNCA that there were no backlogs in the processing of critical skill visas foreign nationals. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Linda Ensor at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Mashatile calls for gender transformation in engineering industry TimesLIVE reports that Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called on the engineering industry to address the under-representation of women and other marginalised groups within the sector. This is a global phenomenon that is primarily structural, with strategic interventions required. Mashatile was speaking at the 9th Unesco Africa Engineering Week and Africa Engineering Conference held In Pretoria on Monday under the theme "Celebrating and Growing Engineering Excellence in the African Region". Some of the challenges, he said, were that marginalised groups faced unconscious biases, a lack of workplace flexibility, unclear promotion paths and limited roles for women. “Engineering is the backbone of any society and plays a role in shaping our world. As a scientific practice, engineering drives technological advancements, infrastructure development, and economic progress. Behind every remarkable architectural achievement, whether towering structures or intricate technological devices, is the profound expertise and innovative thinking of highly skilled personnel,” he pointed out. Mashatile’s other concern was the scarcity of adequate facilities, which have further exacerbated the situation, “making it even more difficult for aspiring engineers, especially those among the underrepresented demographic groups, to receive the necessary training and opportunities within the sector”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kgaugelo Masweneng at TimesLIVE
Gordhan's bill ‘won't rescue SOEs’ as it will do nothing to stop cadre deployment or corruption Business Times reports that according to critics, Department of Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan's National State Enterprises Bill suffers a critical flaw in that it does not address cadre deployment, which turned once-thriving public companies into dysfunctional, indebted entities. Free Market Foundation head of policy Martin van Staden said last week that the bill failed to create the independence necessary to ensure state-owned entities (SOEs) were not managed politically, as the president or a delegate would be empowered by the bill to appoint the whole board of the new company. “This is more of [what] we have been used to under the current public enterprises department dispensation. A fundamental reform would have been to give the official opposition, whoever they may be, or the business cluster in Nedlac a veto over any board appointment,” he said. Van Staden added that without a veto balance from individuals not beholden to the executive, “political interference, corruption and ineptitude will reproduce.” The bill, released by Gordhan last week, seeks to establish a “state asset management” entity as a holding company in terms of the Companies Act. It would be governed by the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). The bill stipulates that the president will be the sole representative of the company, but may transfer administration of the act to another member of cabinet in terms of the constitution. There are no provisions that ensure true independence from political actors and for the power of the market to discipline inefficiencies, Van Staden pointed out. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Business Times (subscriber access only) Truck driver, two weighbridge clerks arrested as nearly 35 tonnes of Eskom coal dumped at illegal yard News24 reports that according to a statement issued by Eskom, a coal truck driver and two weighbridge clerks were arrested on Thursday for alleged fraud and theft of coal. They were held at Blinkpan Police Station, charged, and brought before the Middelburg Magistrate's Court. They were subsequently each granted R2,000 bail. Authorities were acting on a tip-off received late in August about a truck that had been loaded with 34,900kg of coal at New Clydesdale Colliery destined for delivery at Majuba power station. It diverted from its route, however, to an illegal coal yard next to the R35 Middelburg Bethal Road, where the driver allegedly offloaded the coal. A team consisting of members of the Middelburg Organised Crime Unit and Eskom Security investigated. The driver told the investigation team that he had delivered the coal to Majuba, and produced a weighbridge ticket purported to confirm the delivery. However, investigators established that the truck had never entered Majuba and that the weighbridge ticket was fraudulent. The accused are set to appear in court again on 6 October and more arrests are expected as investigations continue. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Fin24. Lees ook, Trokdrywer, nog twee vas oor beweerde steenkooldiefstal, by Maroela Media
Three people dead, 21 injured in Golden Arrow bus accident in Cape Town on Monday EWN reports that three people died and at least 21 people were injured in an accident involving a Golden Arrow bus in the Athlone area of Cape Town on Monday. The incident happened before 9am on Monday morning. The cause of the accident is still unclear. Western Cape Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie extended his condolences to the families of the victims and added: "I also wish a speedy recovery to the people who are injured. Golden Arrow Bus Service confirmed that one of their buses was involved in an accident along Jakes Gerwel Drive this morning at 8.45am when the driver lost control of the bus. The information currently available is that there were three fatalities and 21 people injured. The injured were taken to Groote Schuur, Tygerberg and Mitchells Plain hospitals." Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lauren Isaacs at EWN Intercape seeks order compelling police to probe bus attacks; tells court of alleged R5 million extortion News24 reports that the Eastern Cape High Court has heard that Intercape CEO Johann Ferreira was allegedly told he must pay five million rand to stop attacks on the company's buses. Intercape's legal team last week presented a range of evidence unpacking the scale of the extortion the long-haul bus company faced, including the audio recording of a telephone conversation with an alleged taxi representative who told Ferreira that if he agreed to pay R5 million, the attacks would stop. Intercape approached the court seeking a relief order compelling the SA Police Service (SAPS) to investigate the attacks and provide safety for passengers and drivers. This followed a recent court order compelling the police and transport authorities to work together to develop and implement a safety plan to protect buses from attacks, which according to Intercape were driven by the taxi industry. In the latest round of the protracted court battle, Intercape brought an urgent application against the police minister, the national police commissioner and five of his provincial counterparts, as well as the Hawks. The company's legal team told Judge Olav Ronaasen that, since March, Intercape had lodged 165 criminal complaints with the police, mainly in the Eastern Cape, yet no one had been arrested and no prosecutions were pending. With drivers being shot at and buses stoned, Intercape argued that it was only a matter of time before passengers were killed. Judgement was reserved. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nicole McCain at News24. Lees ook, Intercape terug hof toe oor polisie se ‘verstommende mislukkings’, by Maroela Media
‘Wonderwerk’ sal brandstof weer onder R20 kry, by Maroela Media Digital nomads: How SA labour laws affect foreign employers, employees and remote workers, at Fin24 Mike Whitfield appointed MD of Stellantis SA, at BusinessLive Soeke na Eskom-hoof: Gordhan ontken hy vertraag proses, by Maroela Media Pos Rand Water se hoof, eis DA, by Maroela Media 'Bittersweet' moment as RBPlat delists, at Business Times (subscriber access only)
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