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 Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related reports.
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Deadly building collapse in George: Engineering Council places engineer on precautionary suspension IOL News reports that an engineer who had been overseeing the construction of an apartment block in George that collapsed on 6 May and claimed the lives of 34 people has been placed on precautionary suspension. The Engineering Council of SA (ECSA) said the decision, a preventative measure, was undertaken to protect any potential and/or actual prejudice to public health and safety as a result of engineering-related undertakings. "The precautionary suspension by the Council is not a disciplinary action, but a temporary removal of and/or restriction on all of the Registered Person's rights, privileges, and/or activities associated with professional registration with the ECSA," the council indicated in a statement. It said it would maintain the suspension until a decision was made regarding potential charges against the engineer and/or the finalisation of any subsequent disciplinary action or appeal. The council did not provide the name of the engineering company, however, in the statement, it referred to Mitchell and Associates. The ECSA added that time had been given for a comprehensive list to be provided of all engineering-related undertaking, projects and services rendered by the engineer in both his personal and professional capacities. "At a minimum, the draft design and as-built drawings of the projects must be provided. Within three weeks thereafter, the contractor or accountable party for the project is required to provide an independent engineer's report concerning the structural integrity of the structure,” the ECSA indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Se-Anne Rall at IOL News. Read too, George building collapse: Engineer suspended by Council, at The Citizen Court slaps KZN cop killer with 25-year prison sentence IOL News reports that thirty-three-year-old Monde Nyathi will spend the next 25 years of his life in prison after being sentenced for the murder of student constable Mzimasi Hloba. Hloba had been traveling along R56 Main Road near Ibisi when he lost control of his vehicle. He was off duty at the time. While busy checking the vehicle, the victim and his female companion were accosted by five suspects who robbed them of their belongings. The suspects fired a shot at Hloba and he was certified dead at the scene. His female friend was taken to hospital for medical attention. The suspects fled the scene on foot. A joint operation was conducted the following day and Nyathi together with his accomplices were arrested. They appeared in court several times until Nyathi pleaded guilty last week. He was sentenced to 25 years direct imprisonment for murder, 13 years imprisonment for robbery and another 13 years imprisonment for the second robbery. His sentences will run concurrently. The co-accused in the matter will continue to stand trial in October. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Se-Anne Rall at IOL News Attacks on police officers are tantamount to treason, says SA Policing Union EWN reports that the SA Policing Union (SAPU) has called for the fast-tracking of an investigation into the murder of 30-year-old officer Akho Nzingo, who was gunned down in Khayelitsha, in Cape Town. SAPU noted that Nzingo’s murder last week brought the total number of officers killed in the line of duty in the Western Cape to five this year. During Nzingo’s memorial service on Thursday at the OR Tambo Community Hall in Khayelitsha, SAPU shop steward Abednego Nezingane said the attacks on police officers were attacks on the State and tantamount to treason. "At the end of the day if the police are being killed, South Africa, the democratic South Africa will be rendered useless because they will do as they please," he stated. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Melikhaya Zagagana at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Cosatu wants Ramaphosa to safeguard labour laws and gains of workers Cape Times reports that Cosatu has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to keep the concerns of workers and working-class communities close to his heart when he appoints his Cabinet in the coming days. In a statement congratulating Ramaphosa on his inauguration for a second term, the labour federation’s spokesperson, Zanele Sabela, said Cosatu derived great pleasure in seeing one of its own ascend to the Presidency. Ramaphosa is a former general secretary of Cosatu affiliate the National Union of Mineworkers. Sabela conceded that the May 2024 elections had been difficult for alliance partners made up of the ANC, the SA Communist Party and Cosatu. She noted that the country found itself in unfamiliar territory with the installation of a government of national unity (GNU) 30 years into democracy and commented: “As the president prepares to name his Cabinet, we call on him to keep the concerns of workers and working-class communities close to his heart by appointing ministers that understand this mission. We expect him to safeguard the labour laws and gains that workers fought tooth and nail for over many decades.” Sabela added that Cosatu further expected the government to diligently pursue the transformation agenda, lay the foundation for the implementation of the National Health Insurance, action a universal basic income grant and comprehensive social security, intensify the war on crime and corruption, and accelerate the renewal campaign. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mayibongwe Maqhina at Cape Times Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Minerals Council says SA miners spent nearly R5bn on social development programmes in 2023 Business Report writes that according to the Minerals Council SA (MCSA), mining companies in the country spent about R4.9 billion on social development programmes in 2023, in addition to tax and fiscal payments amounting to R135bn. The MCSA (previously called the Chamber of Mines) also claimed in April that South African mineworkers were the highest-paid industrial workers in the country, although labour unions disagreed with this. Mining is a key economic activity for SA, although there has been a fall in prices of some commodities such as coal and platinum group metals (PGMs), resulting in retrenchments, the closure of some shafts and a cut in investment for some projects. Despite this, the MCSA said on Wednesday that its members made heavy investments in social and development projects last year. But notwithstanding the data from the MCSA, some communities and environmentalists feel that mining firms are not doing enough. At a time when SA’s mining industry is floundering amid the closure of shafts and worsening job losses, the Bench Marks Foundation has called for the re-purposing of affected areas and communities to put them on a sustainable footing. Making the situation worse was a dearth of investment into exploration activity across the SA mining industry. This sentiment has resulted in protests against mining operations and companies while employees have been demanding higher remuneration and a moratorium on retrenchments. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tawanda Karombo at Business Report
VW, Nedbank say yes to enhancing youth employability through YES programme Business Report writes that Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) and Nedbank have become some of the latest companies to have committed themselves to enhancing employability among young people through the Youth Employment Service (YES) programme. This month 508 new YES candidates joined VWGA, with 282 placed at the Kariega plant, as well as the sales, marketing and after-sales divisions in Gauteng and Cape Town, while 226 candidates were placed within the dealer network. VWGA on Wednesday said more than 3,000 YES candidates had gained valuable work experience through the group and its dealer network since 2019. The 12-month programme offers young people their first employment opportunity, enabling them to earn a living and contribute to economic growth. “As a company with a proud history of commitment to sustainable development and transformation in the country, and as a company that has always been responsive to societal needs, we have pledged our support to the YES initiative by creating job opportunities for South Africa's youth,” said Nonkqubela Maliza, VWGA director for corporate and government affairs. Meanwhile, a YES youth candidate from Mamelodi, Pretoria, Setshaba Phalane, who has made a winning start to his Nedbank career, said his passion to continue learning has made him a role model in his community. Phalane joined Nedbank in 2022 as a service consultant after his year-long stint as a YES candidate. At the bank’s 2023 formal recognition awards, his enterprising nature earned him the prestigious Top 3 CEO Apprentice of the Year accolade. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Given Majola at Business Report Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Retrenchments at Media24 not a result of AI, says Arthur Goldstuck TimesLIVE reports that according to Arthur Goldstuck, the retrenchments at Media24 are unrelated to the media’s embrace of artificial intelligence (AI) but are related to the industry’s failure to adapt to a changing ecosystem. He was addressing media at the Huawei ICT Editors Xchange conference in Johannesburg on Thursday. Goldstuck said the plan to retrench about 410 employees by Media24, which has sent shock waves throughout the sector, related to the media’s “change management battles that went back several decades”. Changing news consumption patterns influenced by advancements in technology have led to gradual erosion of the sector’s operations, he argued. Goldstuck spoke about the fear of automation and AI, saying there were examples that showed AI was able to improve efficiencies, stimulate demand and thus create new jobs. The media should embrace AI, but use it ethically, Goldstuck opined. Meanwhile, Aluwani Chokoe, a deputy director of the ICT Youth Council, said the government’s decision to introduce coding and robotics as part of the curriculum was a good idea, but progress should be communicated publicly. “This is a positive step [that will ensure employability of young people],” she pointed out. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at BusinessLive
JSE companies struggle to stave off SA skills emigration BusinessLive reports that JSE-listed companies have lamented their struggle to retain technical expertise in their domestic operations amid a skills exodus from SA. Anthony Phillips, chair of packaging and recycling group Mpact, indicated in the group’s latest annual report that the company had experienced a loss of key skills and institutional knowledge due to emigration and employees seeking better prospects elsewhere. The report “noted an increase in this trend in the past year,” but maintained that incentive programmes were in place to retain key staff. “We maintain a focus on succession planning at Mpact to ensure we have an identified pipeline of future leaders, and that we nurture these candidates to ensure that they develop the requisite skills and remain with us for the long term,” Phillips indicated. Reforms to the visa regime are one of the priority areas President Cyril Ramaphosa targeted to boost economic growth, job creation, promote tourism and attract skills. The recent gazetting of new skilled work visa regulations and SA visa reforms is expected to make it easier and faster for SA to attract the skilled foreign workers it urgently needs. However, when it comes to retaining local talent, the jury is still out on how SA’s skills emigration can be arrested, with the onus resting on companies to incentivise critically skilled employees. To gain control of the issue, infrastructure development and construction materials group Raubex said it was engaging with key personnel and implementing a long-term retention scheme for those with critical skills. Barloworld also signalled the loss of scarce technical and digital skills as a risk to sustainable growth. Nampak said it was continually undertaking skills development and deployment amid increased competition. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Michelle Gumede at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Transnet appoints Lekau Letsoalo in revived chief operating officer post Fin24 reports that Transnet announced on Thursday the appointment of Lekau "Solly" Letsoalo as group chief operating officer (COO). The appointment of Letsoalo, a well-respected and experienced logistics manager, will come as good news for the business sector, which had privately lamented the demise of the COO role. Former CEO Portia Derby scrapped the role across Transnet in March 2020. Letsoalo will oversee the work of the chief executives of all Transnet's operating divisions and the group functions of safety, security, and digital transformation. He is a former COO of Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) and has spent 14 years in the private sector, first as managing director at Aveng Manufacturing and, more recently, as chief executive officer of Cargo Carriers. While at TPT, he achieved significant milestones such as expanding the Pier 2 Container Terminal, constructing the Pier 1 terminal, building the Ngqura Container Terminal, and modernising the Cape Town Container Terminal. He has global exposure in the US, UK, European, Hong Kong and Japanese markets. Read the original of the short report in the above regard compiled by Carol Paton at Fin24. Lees ook, Transnet kry nuwe bedryfshoof, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Solidarity’s GEPF Summit hears about fears of looting at the state pension fund and the two-pot system Issues placed under the spotlight at Solidarity’s Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) summit held on Thursday included fears about looting of the state pension fund and the consequences of the two-pot retirement system. Financial experts as well as other stakeholders gave input regarding the performance of the GEPF, while also highlighting policy problems, the impact of transformation plans and deficiencies in the investment structures of the fund. A report on the GEPF compiled by the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI) was also presented. It indicated that a large number of members were quite concerned about the way in which the fund had been mismanaged in the past, as well as the way in which it would be managed in future. New legislation relating to the early availability of pension money prior to retirement has raised concerns about the possibility of mismanagement and looting of the GEPF. Helgard Cronjé, Solidarity's deputy general secretary for the public industry, gave the following warning: “The state coffers are almost empty, and the state believes the funds should be utilised to benefit the wider South African society.” Marius Croukamp, Solidarity’s deputy general secretary for strategy, told delegates: “The new legislation concerning early access to pension money poses a host of dangers to both the private and the public sector. Should public service workers withdraw their pension money earlier from the fund in large numbers, the fund will suffer a major loss in the first place. The same will also happen in the private sector.” According to Cronjé, bad investments that benefitted GEPF cadres and that led to the fund suffering a loss, had already been made in the past. Read Solidarity’s press statement in the above regard at SA Labour News
Legal action against NHI could take three years to be resolved Business Report writes that while there are no clear timelines for when the new National Health Insurance (NHI) Act will be implemented or how it will be funded, what has become clear is that the medical fraternity and other stakeholders are prepared to take legal action where necessary. However, a legal resolution could take at least three years. Delegates at the Healthcare Funders Association (HFA) NHI Scenario Planning Symposium heard on Wednesday that several umbrella bodies were gearing up for legal action. Elsabe Klinck, managing director of Klinck & Samuels, pointed out that at least two legal challenges had been filed, namely one by the Board of Healthcare Funders and another by trade union Solidarity. According to Klinck, as more cases were lodged, it was likely that they would be consolidated and there would be one judgment. However, she added that should the parties wish to declare the Act unconstitutional, any final judgment would have to come from the Constitutional Court, which could take at least three years. Issues raised regarding the Act included that it was vague, there were no indications of how it would be funded, and there had been deficiencies in the consultation process. Yet, speakers at the event agreed on the need for universal healthcare. Charlotte Mbewu, chair of the HFA NHI Steering Committee, pointed out that one of the unintended consequences of the law would be to increase the shortage of medical professionals in the private sector as medical aids would be unable to provide further funding. This, she said, would have a knock-on effect on funding for public institutions. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nicola Mawson at Business Report
Santaco hopeful new transport law will reduce taxi violence and serve to regulate e-hailing services TimesLIVE reports that the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) is optimistic the implementation of the National Land Transport Amendment Act will reduce deadly violence within the transport industry. President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the legislation, from 2016, into law a week before starting his second term. It relates to public transport regulation and introduction of safety measures. Santaco spokesperson Rebecca Phala described the Act as a comprehensive framework needed to provide clarity in the transport industry. “There was ambiguity with the operations of e-hailing operators, essentially it led to a lot of confusion on the ground, so [the bill is] a step in the right direction. The government should speedily release those regulations so that we know what it means for us as taxi operators,” said Phala. Violence between taxi drivers and drivers of e-hailing services such as Uber, Bolt, Didi and InDrive has long been an issue in the transport industry. Over the years e-hailing drivers have been physically assaulted and had their cars burnt during tension with taxi drivers who claim territories and view e-hailing drivers as threats to their business. “We’ve never taken accountability for any of those accusations because it has never been proven that our operators are responsible. We don’t take pride in being labelled as suspect number one when these incidents happen. We don’t take responsibility for any of them,” Phala pointed out. However, she added that the transport regulations would reduce criminality on the roads. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Innocentia Nkadimeng at BusinessLive
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