In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related reports.
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Unprotected strike by eThekwini municipal workers goes on unabated, causing disruption across the metro GroundUp reports that the strike by protesting eThekwini municipal workers, affiliated to the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu), continued on Monday morning. The ongoing strike over wage increases started on 27 February and had left many households struggling to access water, resolve sewage leaks and electricity issues. Refuse collection has also stagnated and services in municipal-run health clinics has been impacted. According to Samwu’s Siyabonga Dladla, the union wanted to reopen the collective bargaining process and said they had tried on numerous occasions to meet with the municipality to resolve concerns. In a bid to address the ongoing labour unrest in eThekwini, leaders of the provincial SA Local Government Association (Salga) have urged the minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) to intervene. Among the issues they want COGTA to consider is having a standardised local government salary structure for workers at all municipalities. The municipality has obtained an urgent interdict from the Labour Court, prohibiting unlawful conduct, violence, and interference by municipal activities. The City has so far suspended 20 employees and issued misconduct notices to 79 others. Thirteen striking workers appeared in court on Wednesday, facing charges related to public violence and damaging critical infrastructure. Kaunda urged the city administration to take legal action where necessary to ensure striking employees returned to work or faced dismissal. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nokulunga Majola at GroundUp Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Alleged cop killer shot dead in shoot-out with police in KZN on Monday TimesLIVE reports that a suspect wanted for the killing of an off-duty police officer on Sunday was killed in a shoot-out with police in Clermont on Monday. In the early hours of Sunday the officer from Durban Central police station and his colleague from KwaDabeka were visiting a house in Clermont when they were attacked in their vehicle. “The deceased constable, 34, who was the driver, was killed before he was robbed of his firearm while his colleague, 35, who was also robbed of his firearm, was unharmed. The two suspects fled the scene with both policemen’s firearms as well as a wallet and cellphone,” police spokesperson Brig Jay Naicker reported. Police received information that one of the killers was at an informal settlement in Clermont. As police officers approached the suspect’s residence they were met with gunfire. The suspect, in his 30s, sustained fatal wounds in the shoot-out. Police recovered two firearms. Investigations are ongoing to trace his accomplice. Naicker said detectives were working on information that the dead suspect was linked to a string of murders, robberies and car hijackings. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by TimesLIVE
Community health workers march in East London demanding to be insourced GroundUp reports that scores of Community Health Workers affiliated to the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw) are demanding that they be employed permanently by the Eastern Cape Department of Health. This call was highlighted once again at a march to the health offices in East London on Friday. The group’s memorandum, read out by Nupsaw’s Eastern Cape secretary Mzikazi Nkata, called for recognition and legitimacy of community health workers in the province. They also demanded proper protective wear such as gloves and uniforms as well as assurances for their safety as they worked in poor communities and areas with high rates of violence and crime. But the main demand was for the workers to be insourced by the health department, in order to “earn decent salaries which have improved their living conditions”. The memorandum was received by the Buffalo City Department of Health District Manager Mkhululi Nkohla, who promised to respond to representatives of Nupsaw within seven working days. Provincial department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said that matters raised in the group’s petition were currently before the National Bargaining Chamber. Kupelo also advised that the department had bought uniforms for all community health workers. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Johnnie Isaac at GroundUp Unemployed social workers march to KZN premier’s office on Monday The Witness reports that unemployed social workers brought Langalibalele Street in Pietermaritzburg to a standstill on Monday as they marched to the office of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) premier to demand permanent jobs. The unemployed social workers, supported by unemployed doctors, marched to the premier’s office to submit a memorandum of demands, including permanent jobs from the KZN Department of Social Development. They vowed that if they were absorbed by the department, they would put an end to the vagrants scattered in the city by giving them proper counselling and reuniting them with their families. The social workers claimed that the department had not been offering them permanent jobs since 2013. The social workers have previously staged several marches in the city, but they told The Witness that the premier’s office was their last resort. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Zama Myeza at The Witness
South Africans now earn on average in real terms what they earned in 2006 The Citizen reports that South Africans now earn on average what they earned in 2006, taking inflation into account, because SA’s economic growth has been trending lower since 2013. The country’s economy only grew by 0.6% in 2023 according to GDP data. CEO of Business Leadership SA, Busi Mavuso, pointed out in her weekly newsletter that although the economy at least grew marginally, the GDP per capita outcome was in fact negative due to the fact that population growth outpaced GDP. According to Mavuso, this was a self-induced growth crisis that came down to a failure of state-provided infrastructure and services. “Inadequate electricity supply and logistical constraints were the key obstacles to growth. While load shedding eased in the fourth quarter when the economy grew by 0.1%, logistical challenges were a major constraint on economic activity with port delays damaging exports and import volumes,” she pointed out. Mavuso also noted that investment declined in the fourth quarter, with residential building, transport equipment and construction leading the negative trend. “Partnership between business and government is essential for us to achieve what we want for South Africa. I want the poor economic performance of the last decade to be consigned to the history books and I know many in government want the same. Let us act with urgency to make it happen,” she exhorted. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ina Opperman at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Amendments proposed to include pensions of public sector workers in two pot regime that will come in from September BL Premium reports that the Treasury has taken the necessary steps to ensure that public sector pension funds are incorporated into the two-pot retirement system that will come into effect on 1 September. It has published proposed amendments to three acts — the Government Employees Pension Law, the Post and Telecommunications-related Matters Act and the Transnet Pension Fund Act — to enable the members of those pension funds to benefit from the two-pot system, which will allow workers to withdraw money from their savings on implementation of the system and once a year thereafter. These pension funds were not included in the Revenue Laws Amendment Bill which provides for the two pot system and which has been adopted by the National Assembly. The two-pot system provides for a savings pot and a retirement pot into which one third and two thirds of contributions respectively will be paid. Treasury explained that the amendments to the public sector pension laws would be proposed for inclusion in the Pension Funds Amendment Bill, which is currently under the consideration of the standing committee on finance. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks welcomed the move saying it was critical that all workers be included in the two pot system, which was something the labour federation had been calling for for years. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Linda Ensor at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Old Mutual faces social media storm and boycott calls over claim it withheld pension payout in defiance of court order Fin24 reports that Old Mutual is facing a deluge of boycott calls after a social media storm erupted over its alleged refusal to pay out the pension savings of a client in defiance of a court order. A seemingly routine customer complaint about a pension payout on X (formerly Twitter) went viral, garnering over 1.3 million retweets. The boycott calls stemmed from a 5 March post on X by Sebabatso Molefi, who alleged that Old Mutual was defying a court order to release her mother's pension. Images purporting to be the court order dated 14 December 2023 seemingly instruct Old Mutual to make payments to a plaintiff. The snowballing PR disaster gained further traction as other social media users began recounting similar problems with Old Mutual, including Grammy Award-winning DJ Zakes Bantwini, who alleged his mother was paid out only R380 in life cover when she died. Old Mutual was even forced to relive the indignity suffered by two women in 2019 who resorted to taking the corpse of a deceased family member to an Old Mutual branch as proof of death. As hordes of social media users responded with threats to move their business to rival firms, Old Mutual was forced into damage control mode. The Old Mutual SA X-account responded by saying that what it called "The Molefi issue" was a confidential and private matter involving the private financial affairs of two individuals, meaning it could not comment publicly. But it apologised over the handling of the matter. It added that it was investigating ways to solve the impasse and would be meeting with the Molefi family this week. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Garth Theunissen at Fin24. Read too, Old Mutual SA tenders apology to South Africans, at The Star
Court fines North West education MEC R100,000 for partially disregarding order in favour of short-changed teacher News24 reports that in an unusual move, the Johannesburg Labour Court has fined North West Department of Education (DOE) MEC Viola Motsumi and her former acting head of department, Shadrack Mvula, R100,000 for failing to fully comply with an arbitration award granted in favour of a teacher. Last week, Judge Reynaud Daniels found Motsumi and Mvula in contempt of court after they failed to completely abide by a ruling handed down by Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) arbitrator DH Smith on 27 November 2022. Smith had found that Linda Moller, a teacher at Grenville High School in Rustenburg should have been placed on a higher post level than the one she was on. He ordered the DOE to place Moller on the correct post level, with effect from 15 December 2022 and to pay backpay of R36,743 by 15 December 2022. However, the DOE only placed Moller on the correct post level on 14 September 2023, some nine months later. The SA Teachers’ Union (SAOU) then brought an application to the Labour Court to force the DOE to fully comply with the award. On 23 November 2023, Judge Edwin Tlhotlhalemaje ordered Mvula to attend court on 29 February 2024 and to correct Moller's salary and benefits. The DOE filed an answering affidavit on 28 February and Mvula did not attend court the following day. On Tuesday Daniels said evidence "establishes beyond reasonable doubt that the respondents are in contempt of court. They have not fully complied with the award. They failed to pay interest on the backpay at the prescribed rate calculated from 15 December 2022 until 14 September 2023." Daniels suspended the fine for 60 days, subject to the DOE fully complying with the award issued by the ELRC. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Prega Govender at News24
Eight former sugar-cane farm workers claim dismissal was for speaking out against low wages and irregular hours Daily News reports that eight former sugar-cane farm employees have taken their former employer to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) after they were dismissed in December. The disgruntled former employees claim that their dismissal was unfair and that they bore the cross of speaking out against mistreatment at the River Bend Farm in Richards Bay. Mandlakayise Zincume said he and seven colleagues were dismissed in December after they complained about their low wages for two years and irregular working hours. Zincume also claimed they were made permanent for a year and that the contract was changed back to short-term employment without prior notice in 2021. He said they then decided to seek representation from a union. Lawrance Nsibande of the African Meat Industry and Allied Trade Union (Amitu) indicated that the eight former employees were dismissed after complaining about working hours and wages that were not in terms of the agreed contract. He also condemned the alleged unfair dismissals. Gary Hill, financial director of the farm, said that the allegation that Mr Angus McDonald had been paying employees below the minimum wage were incorrect. “Mr Nsibande has made this allegation against us many times. We have proven him wrong again and again, both at the CCMA and with visits from the Department of Labour,” he claimed. However, Nsibande said none of the management from the farm appeared at the CCMA in Richards Bay on 22 February. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Phindile Nqumako at Daily News
No evidence suspended KZN court president gambled during office hours, detective testifies at inquiry News24 reports that suspended KwaZulu-Natal regional court president, Eric Nzimande, was seen smiling in the Point Community Court on Monday when an investigating officer admitted that he did not find evidence that the jurist had neglected his duties and gambled at a casino during office hours. Nzimande is the subject of a disciplinary inquiry spearheaded by the Magistrate's Commission following an array of allegations against the 62-year-old. The list of complaints against Nzimande includes gambling during office hours, sexual harassment, overlooking a magistrate who gave lenient sentences to rapists, selling judicial positions, and even sending a picture of his penis to an acting magistrate whom he had recommended for a position. Earlier this year, he pleaded not guilty to the 162 charges against him. Legal action against Nzimande was sparked by a complaint to the commission from Lindelwa Gumede, a former acting magistrate, who accused Nzimande of sexual harassment and victimisation after she refused to give in to his demands in June 2015. The commission also uncovered claims that Nzimande pocketed at least R238,260 from attorneys he recommended for acting magistrate's positions between 2012 and 2015. Nzimande was suspended in 2018 but remains on full pay. As of August 2023, he had received R6.2 million since his suspension. The inquiry continues. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nkosikhona Duma at News24
Two Pretoria Central police officers accused of soliciting R15,000 bribe TimesLIVE reports that two Pretoria Central police officers were due to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday over allegations of corruption. They were arrested by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) on Saturday. Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the officers stopped a couple at 1pm on 28 February while they were driving in the Pretoria CBD. The warrant officer and constable allegedly ordered the husband to move from the driver's seat to the back, and the vehicle was driven by one of the officers. “They allegedly told the couple they were driving to the department of home affairs to verify the husband's citizenship. They drove to home affairs and parked in front of the building,” he indicated. The officers then allegedly drove to a bank with the wife for her to withdraw money from her account. The woman withdrew R15,000, which was allegedly given to the officers. The matter was reported to Ipid on 29 February for investigation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Shonisani Tshikalange at SowetanLive Durban woman jailed for an effective five years for defrauding her employer of more than R2 million IOL News reports that a Durban woman has been jailed for an effective five years behind bars after she was found guilty of defrauding her employer. Ramonia Naidu, 46, was convicted on fraud and corruption and sentenced in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday. The crimes were committed during the period May 2017 and November 2018. KZN Hawks spokesperson Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo explained that Naidu was employed by Anchor Yeast, a company situated in Amanzimtoti. “It was discovered that she colluded with a service provider who was supplying chemicals to Anchor Yeast and defrauded the company of more than R2 million. Naidu placed orders from the supplier and falsified delivery notes. She would then receive payment for personal gain,” Mhlongo reported. The company received information about the irregularities and during an audit it was revealed that Naidu was defrauding the company. She was arrested in April 2023 and convicted in December 2023. Explaining the sentence, Mhlongo said Naidu was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for fraud, of which three years was suspended for five years. Naidu was further sentenced to four years imprisonment for corruption. Both sentences will run concurrently. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jolene Marriah-Maharaj at IOL News
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