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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NUM says 10,000 mining jobs may be lost in the next two months BL Premium reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has warned that the raft of retrenchment notices issued by mining houses in recent months could result in about 10,000 job losses by January 2024. The union, which is affiliated to Cosatu, held its national executive committee meeting last week at which it reflected on the jobs bloodbath in the sector, which has faced major challenges in the past 18 months. These include falling commodity prices, rolling power cuts and reduced exports as a result of the dysfunction at Transnet. Several mining companies, including Glencore, Seriti, Sibanye-Stillwater and Impala Platinum, have recently issued section 189 notices. On Monday, Bakubung Platinum Mine joined those ranks, announcing that nearly 600 jobs were on the line, which would almost wipe out its 761 staff complement. NUM spokesperson Luphert Chilwane said high electricity tariffs and erratic power supply were some of the reasons advanced for slashing jobs. “Close to 10,000 jobs stand to be lost between now and January 2024. This is a huge blow. Our members and workers at large who are about to lose their jobs have nothing to celebrate this festive season,” he said. NUM also blames Transnet for job losses in the sector, which employs about 400,000 people and is key to the fiscus in terms of tax and royalties. Chilwane pointed out that Transnet’s failure to transport minerals was costing workers their jobs. The NUM is planning a march to the Presidency and the Department of Public Enterprises in December to protest against job losses in the sector. According to the quarterly labour force survey released two weeks ago, the mining sector shed 35,000 jobs in the third quarter, with more job losses expected, particularly in the platinum sector. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kabelo Khumalo at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Wesizwe Platinum to cut jobs at “bloated” Bakubung mine Miningmx reports that the bloodbath in SA’s platinum group metal (PGM) sector worsened on Monday after Wesizwe Platinum said it planned to restructure its “bloated” Bakubung mine in North West province. Up to 571 employees of its total 761 staff complement could be affected by a restructuring in terms of Section 189 of the Labour Relations Act. A decline in PGM prices is among the reasons for the restructuring. A switch in mining method at the Bakubung as well as the effects of two strikes in each of 2022 and 2023, and a third unprotected, five-week stoppage had compounded the mine’s problems. Staff from all levels and throughout the business will be affected. Wesizwe is 45% controlled by China Africa Jinchuan. In an announcement to the JSE, Wesizwe said there “simply does not appear to be any alternatives” to restructuring as the mine was lossmaking, and owing to a need to “ensure that Bakubung is placed on a path of profitability and growth”. The producer added: “As things stand Bakubung has already stopped overtime and weekend work, did not renew contracts of mining contract services and fixed-term contracts of non-critical staff and placed a moratorium on recruitment of non-core and critical staff with the aim of reducing the bloated structure that causes inefficiencies.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by David McKay at Miningmx
Three female security officers raped during robbery at transport department depot in Durban TimesLIVE reports that three female security officers were attacked and raped at gunpoint by a group of armed men who stormed a KwaZulu-Natal transport department depot in Merebank on Monday. The department said it was “appalled” at the attack and rape by criminals. According to reports, armed criminals entered the offices south of Durban, which also houses machinery for road maintenance, at about 2.30am. “They held hostage three male security officers from the private security company contracted to the department. Three female officers held at gunpoint in another room were sexually assaulted and raped.” The men stole equipment and other assets before fleeing. Department head Siboniso Mbhele, who visited the site on Monday, said security would be improved and urged police to quickly arrest the suspects. “Our staff are in fear after this incident. This will affect the morale and seriously impact on service delivery,” he said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at TimesLIVE Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Tshwane workers opt to end fruitless wage strike BL Premium reports that the four-month illegal work stoppage by City of Tshwane mtro employees, which saw municipal property such as garbage trucks and other infrastructure vandalised and destroyed, is over. Workers who downed tools in July demanding higher wages elected on Monday to abandon the strike action and returned to their work stations after the metro dug in its heels. Members of the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) had been demanding that the metro implement a 5.4% wage increase, being the last leg of a three-year wage agreement signed at the SA Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) in 2021. The city, which had refused to negotiate with the union, has consistently maintained that it does not have the R600m required for the agreement and has unsuccessfully applied to the SALGBC for an exemption. More than 120 striking workers have been fired for taking part in the strike action that the Labour Court declared unlawful. The protracted strike prompted the CCMA to invoke a section 150 public interest intervention. On Monday, CCMA director Cameron Morajane indicated: “Significant progress has been made in an attempt to resolve the dispute. The parties [City of Tshwane, Samwu and Imatu] have reported that workers returned to work and operations returned to normal.” Samwu’s Dumisane Magagula indicated: “Now we are involved in a CCMA intervention process which seeks to bring parties to an agreement on how the salary increases would be paid.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
City of Cape Town warns tourism jobs at risk if crime at tourist attractions not tackled EWN reports that the City of Cape Town has warned that tourism jobs may be on the line if nothing is done about criminality, especially around tourist attractions. This follows the muggings of three trail runners during the RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town 160km race on Table Mountain over the weekend. Recently, there has been a rise in attacks in the national park and foreign tourists have also been victims of violent crime in the city. The City stressed that attacks on tourists were not more significant than attacks on locals, but it warned that the jobs of thousands of Capetonians who worked in the tourism sector might come under threat if crime tarnished the destination's reputation. In response to the latest Table Mountain muggings of three trail runners, the metro maintained it was not a reflection on the management and safety of events hosted in the city. The belongings of the runners have been traced and recovered in Ocean View, but the suspects are still at large. The city has blamed the justice system for the rise in attacks, saying recently paroled criminals were out to destabilise law and order. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Melikhaya Zagagana at EWN
‘Deeply angered’ Cosatu warns government not to sweep rand manipulation scandal under the carpet Business Report writes that the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) says it is deeply angered by the “shocking” findings of the Competition Commission that 27 domestic and foreign banks had actively manipulated the value of the rand between 2007 and 2018. The commission found the rand manipulation may have cost the economy, workers, the state and businesses a painful R1 billion. This meant that loans by SA companies and government in foreign currency were charged for at much higher rates. In a statement on Friday, Cosatu said if government did not act, then SA should not be surprised if the country continued to be grey listed by the international community. “If we sweep this under the carpet, then we should not be shocked when it happens again,” it warned. Earlier this year, SA was added to the Financial Action Task Force’s “grey list” of countries deemed to have deficient anti-money laundering controls in place for countering the financing of terrorism. Being on the grey list means increased scrutiny and levels of complexity when dealing with foreign financial institutions and conducting cross-border transactions. Cosatu said the commission’s findings meant that money for investing in growing the economy, paying workers, creating jobs, investing in critical infrastructure and rebuilding public services was lost to shameful, currency manipulation profiteering. The trade union federation said the SA Reserve Bank needed to explain how these activities took place under its watch; what they had done to hold the banks accountable; and, what they were doing to prevent a recurrence. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Philippa Larkin at Business Report
SABC names Nomsa Chabeli as new group CEO BL Premium reports that the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has announced Nomsa Chabeli as its new CEO, with the board expressing confidence in the former MTN executive’s ability to drive revenue generation and growth for the ailing public broadcaster. Chabeli takes over from Madoda Mxakwe who left the corporation at the end of his five-year term in June. Chabeli takes the reins at the public broadcaster as it faces a R745m debt pile. Chabeli holds an MBA from Henley Business School and is completing a Masters in Digital Business at Wits Business School. She was previously a GM of brand and marketing at MTN and also worked at MultiChoice where she was the marketing director of SuperSport. In addition, she has served at SAB, Brand SA, Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) and Edcon. “Some of her career highlights include leading the marketing and communications for the successful 2010 Soccer World Cup bid that resulted in SA’s confirmation as the host country. She was the marketing director of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 and the development and execution of SA’s communications and marketing strategy for various Davos World Economic Forums,” the SABC said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thando Maeko at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). See too, SABC appoints new group CEO, at Fin24
City of Joburg’s application to appeal ruling that Floyd Brink’s appointment as city manager was unlawful denied News24 reports that the South Gauteng High Court has dismissed a bid by the City of Johannesburg to appeal a damning ruling that declared the appointment of the city manager, Floyd Brink, unlawful. The ruling comes after Acting Judge Steven Budlender on 7 November ordered that Brink's appointment be reversed as processes leading up to his appointment in February were unlawful. This prompted the Joburg council to lodge an application for leave to appeal against the ruling. However on Monday, Budlender dismissed the application for leave to appeal with costs saying it bore no prospects of success “and there is no other compelling reason for leave to appeal to be granted". At the time of Budlender's initial ruling, which gave the City of Johannesburg two weeks to replace Brink, the mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda, said the City would not be "deterred nor distracted, even in this instance". The Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku commented: "The appointment of the City manager was yet another example of a corrupt regime trying to deploy yet another one of their cadres.” Meantime, the DA is calling for the council's dissolution because it believes none of the leaders in the current coalition structure can fix the issues in the City. The motion to dissolve the council will be heard at the council sitting this week. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alex Patrick at News24
As municipal dysfunction deepens, employees feel the pinch with salary nonpayments Financial Mail writes that collapsing municipal infrastructure and sporadic service delivery have left businesses and residents scrambling for alternative service providers. Now, increasingly, municipal employees are feeling the pinch as municipal dysfunction deepens. Over the past year, 27 municipalities have failed to pay salaries to about 50,000 workers after running out of money for periods of between three and six months. Nonpayment of workers is becoming more widespread and frequent. The SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) is candid about the severity of the problem. “This is the worst it has ever been. Sure, it has happened in the past, but not on this scale and at this rate,” general secretary Dumisane Magagula pointed out. “We are literally witnessing a collapse of local government,” Cosatu spokesperson Matthew Parks noted. One Eastern Cape council recently paid its workers in grocery vouchers, leaving them to scramble to pay for other essentials such as transport and school fees. Cosatu and Samwu are now seeking legal advice on how to force the government to ensure that municipal employees are paid on time, every month. The worst province is the Free State, with seven local councils consistently failing to pay staff, followed by the Northern Cape, North West, Limpopo, the Eastern Cape and Gauteng (one council). In some municipalities, even where salaries are paid, pension and medical aid payments are in arrears for many months. Samwu has taken the matter up with the pension fund adjudicator. Most of the country’s 66 dysfunctional municipalities are run by the ANC, with nonpayment largely not emanating from coalition-run municipalities. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Natasha Marrian at Financial Mail (subscriber access only)
Business organisations send Parliament, Mashatile an urgent appeal to halt final stage of NHI Bill Fin24 reports that in an unprecedented move, business organisations have written to the presiding officers of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) as well as Deputy President Paul Mashatile – who is the leader of government business – with an urgent appeal to stop the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill from being passed by Parliament's second house on Wednesday. Last week, the NCOP Select Committee on Health and Social Services adopted the bill without any amendments to the version passed by the National Assembly, despite intense lobbying from Business Unity SA (BUSA), Business for SA (B4SA), and healthcare professionals. As Wednesday's sitting approaches, healthcare professionals also voiced their concerns over the NCOP's refusal to amend the bill, which has moved almost entirely unchanged through the parliamentary process since 2019. Once passed by the NCOP, it will be sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa to sign into law. Said BUSA CEO Cas Coovadia: “Our belief is that the bill in its current form is utterly unimplementable and will have severe consequences for South Africa, the economy, and every citizen, for generations to come.” The bill will establish a single NHI Fund managed by the state to buy healthcare services from the public and private sectors. Services will be free to the public at the point of delivery. Once a service becomes available under the NHI, medical schemes will no longer be allowed to cover it, implying the ultimate phasing out of private medical insurance. The Department of Health has been vague on how the NHI will be funded, and no feasibility study has been done on the costs and funding. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carol Paton at Fin24 (subscriber access only). Read too, NCOP committee passes NHI Bill without enough consultation and review, at The Citizen
Trade union ‘sets record straight’ on ‘unfair’ suspension of nurses at Ekurhuleni hospital TimesLIVE reports that the Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union (Haitu) has defended three nurses suspended at an Ekurhuleni hospital last week. On Friday, the Gauteng health department said it suspended the health workers, based at Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital, after they allegedly left a sick child in a bed with soiled linen. The child's frustrated mother recorded a video exposing the situation after her complaints fell on deaf ears. It was subsequently shared on social media. Haitu said on Monday it had seen the viral video and wanted to set the record straight for the sake of its members being “unfairly publicly victimised” and “suspended without any process”. According to the union, there is a shortage of colostomy bags at the hospital and the nurses were forced to improvise. “They put him in a diaper to manage the situation, but the patient removed the diaper. It is unfortunate that in that moment a video was taken, creating the false impression that nurses have failed in their duties,” the union explained. It said the department was responsible for the situation due to its failure to provide basic items and went on to state: “We condemn the department for parading healthcare workers in the media and blaming them for its own failures. Healthcare workers are expected to deliver miracles and take care of patients without basic items. This is another reminder of how budget cuts compromise good service.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khanyisile Ngcobo at TimesLIVE
Former attorney’s secretary arrested after allegedly stealing R2 million from Road Accident Fund claimants IOL News reports that a 29-year-old woman, arrested for fraud after allegedly swindling R2 million from the Road Accident Fund, will appear in court this week. The woman, who cannot be named until she has appeared in court, was nabbed by the Commercial Crime Investigation Unit at the weekend. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the suspect worked as a secretary for a Hillcrest-based attorney in November last year. "She allegedly defrauded a claimant of R1,650,000. After sending the claimant from pillar to post, she said the RAF has not paid out, however, the RAF's records showed that the monies had been paid into the attorney's account," Netshiunda reported. The matter was reported and a case of fraud was opened with the police for investigation. Netshiunda said in the same month, another fraud case was opened against the woman. "She allegedly issued a fake proof of payment to the amount of R440,000 which the client had claimed from the RAF," Netshiunda indicated. The woman will appear in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Se-Anne Rall at IOL News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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