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 Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related reports.
|
Trade union Solidarity puts forward recovery plan to revive economy BL Premium reports that trade union Solidarity has identified a stable currency, construction and maintenance of infrastructure, and a trained workforce as among five priority areas the government needs to focus on to grow the economy. The other areas are a predictable tax burden and the upholding of law and order. In a briefing on Wednesday to launch the economic recovery plan of the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), it said SA’s economic potential was hampered by “its own doing”. While SA has experienced more than 100 days without load-shedding, the country is still grappling with high unemployment, low economic growth, crumbling infrastructure, widening inequality, systemic corruption and poverty. The SRI indicated that a copy of its economic recovery plan had been handed to the National Treasury with the hope it would “now be possible to put one’s trust in meaningful economic policies”. SRI economic researcher Theuns du Buisson said growth was essential for the state to first get its finances in order without putting further pressure on citizens due to taxation. “It is indeed possible to change course, even now. Solidarity believes that strong economic growth forms the basis for a strong SA in which all communities will come into their own. This report proposes a clear plan in terms of which such strong, sustained growth will be achieved,” Du Buisson said. He added: “We hope that the new administration, now that its strong ideological handcuffs are slightly loosened, will be able to start making better decisions regarding the economy. Only then can attention be given to challenges such as poverty and inequality. This is an opportunity to head in a direction that we know can work, as it has worked elsewhere. What is needed however, is the willingness to recognise this and to then take action.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, Solidarity proposes economic recovery policies based on international examples, at Engineering News. En ook, Tyd vir nuwe ekonomiese planne is nou – Solidariteit, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Transport driver and 12 pupils die as minibus bursts into flames after crash on West Rand TimesLIVE reports that a minibus driver and 12 pupils from two Gauteng schools were killed in a road accident on Wednesday. According to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDoE), 11 of the pupils were from Rocklands Primary School and one from Laerskool Blyvooruitsig in Carletonville. Seven pupils were injured. The accident occurred at 6.45am in the Kokosi-Wedela area of Merafong. GDoE spokesperson Steve Mabona indicated: “It is alleged the learner transport was hit from behind by a bakkie, causing it to overturn and catch fire.” The department has dispatched its psychosocial support team to the school to provide support and to work with the school and affected families. Counselling services will also be made available to pupils and staff to help them cope with the emotional aftermath. Police confirmed a case of culpable homicide has been opened. According to the police, the driver of the bakkie is receiving treatment in hospital. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Phathu Luvhengo at TimesLIVE. Read too, Twelve learners and transport driver die in horror crash in Gauteng, at IOL News After horror crash, Gauteng education MEC urges parents to check condition of scholar transport IOL News reports that Gauteng MEC of Education, Sport, Arts, Culture, and Recreation, Matome Chiloane, has urged parents to check the condition of the scholar transport following a horror crash in which an "overloaded” vehicle carrying learners was hit by a bakkie. The accident claimed the lives of 12 learners and their driver in Carletonville on Wednesday morning. The learners, 11 from Rocklands Primary School and one from Laerskool Blyvooruitsig in Carletonville, were involved in the collision. Seven other learners are receiving urgent medical treatment. Speaking to the media at the accident site, Chiloane said that the vehicle was in poor condition and overloaded. He emphasised that the scholar transport did not meet adequate standards and urged parents never to allow their children to be transported in such vehicles. Chiloane encouraged parents to inspect the condition of vehicles used to transport their children to school. “This transport is the agreement between parents and the transport provider, and what I always urges parents to do is that, we must look at the conditions the vehicle is transporting your children, the number of children that have taken this private particular transport,” Chiloane told the media. He mentioned they would assess the necessity for scholar transport based on the distance learners travelled to and from school. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Simon Majadibodu at IOL News. Read too, Bakkie driver in crash that killed 12 primary school children expected to be charged, at News24 Death on Monday of SA army major in DRC pushes toll to eight since February BusinessLive reports that the death toll among SA National Defence Force (SANDF) troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to climb, with an army major becoming the latest casualty. Maj JC “Tolla” Pieterse, 46, was killed when a hand grenade exploded outside his tent near Beni on Monday, making him the eighth SA soldier to be killed in the DRC since February. Beni is about 380km north of Sake and is not close to the war front where M23’s forces are concentrated. Pieterse was deployed as part of the Monusco UN peacekeeping force in the DRC. He was acting as the company commander of 14 SA Infantry Battalion from Mthatha at the time of his death. Apparently, the group of soldiers were conducting patrols as part of the stabilisation efforts in the volatile east of the country. The incident happened when they were back in their camp. The pin of the hand grenade found on the scene indicated it was from an SA grenade. In February, Capt Simon Mkhulu Bobe and L-Cpl Irven Thabang Semono were killed when a mortar hit the Sake base. Sgt Mbulelo David Ngubane died in May during a battle with M23. Capt Lucky Maringa and Capt Rebaone Kgopane died two weeks ago when a mortar hit the Sake base. Another unnamed SA soldier died earlier after health issues. Monusco is slowly withdrawing from the DRC and has already completed this process from South Kivu. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Erika Gibson at BusinessLive. Read too, 'He was our everything': SANDF major dies in grenade explosion in DRC, at News24. En ook, Majoor wou seker maak ‘troepe is veilig’, toe sterf hý, by Maroela Media Calls mount for SANDF to pull soldiers deployed in DRC out The Star reports that there are growing calls for the SA government to bring back members of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after yet another death. The SANDF this week confirmed that one of its members, deployed in the DRC as part of the UN Mission in the DRC (Monusco), was fatally wounded on Monday when a hand grenade exploded close to the sleeping quarters in the base in Beni, in the eastern region of the DRC. Asked if there were any plans to ensure safety for the remaining soldiers, SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said scenario planning continued all the time in any deployment as there were developments and every possibility was taken into account to ensure the protection and capabilities of the mission. Dlamini said he was not aware that some soldiers affected by the war were even suicidal after witnessing their colleagues die. “I can confirm without a shadow of doubt the members receive counselling and social support at all times. There is religious support for members too. Social workers, psychologist, religious support. So you have psychosocial support at hand at all times,” he indicated. Ex-shadow minister of defence and independent defence analyst, Kobus Marais, said the country should call back the soldiers immediately. Regarding suicide claims, Marais said any conflict would hold mental health challenges and any defence force must provide medical health support including mental health consultative support services. SA National Defence Union (Sandu) general secretary Pikkie Greeff pointed out that reserve force members, who were primarily civilians serving in the SANDF, could be more impacted by the exposure to trauma. “We are trying to establish whether there is even a SA Military Health Services psychologist as part of deployed contingent. Any soldier experiencing any kind of problem mentally is urged to contact Sandu for assistance,” Greeff added. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntombi Nkosi at The Star Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Gauteng Transport MEC pleased that talks resume to resolve Gautrain wage strike IOL News reports that Gauteng's MEC for Transport and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has expressed approval of the Bombela Operating Company (BOC) and the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) returning to negotiations amid the ongoing strike over wage increases. Numsa members employed in the running of Gautrain embarked on a strike on Monday, demanding a revised 9% wage increase. They had initially demanded a 15% wage increase. The trade union’s further demands include provision by the employer of 60% of the cost of medical aid contributions, alongside a monthly housing allowance of R2,000. Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola also claimed that employees were treated unfairly by their employer, as they were required to work extra hours but were not being paid for that overtime. They were therefore demanding overtime remuneration and a 13th cheque. She added: “The BOC does not treat workers equally. The bosses at BOC reward themselves and office workers with R22,000 each as a bonus, but blue-collar workers are denied a guaranteed bonus. They have an incentive bonus which requires that the applicant must be paid first in order to be paid. This is unfair and we demand equal treatment for all workers.” The BOC has assured passengers that Gautrain services will remain uninterrupted amid the ongoing strike. Dr Kesagee Nayager, Gautrain Bombela Concession Company spokesperson, confirmed that Bombela had been advised that “BOC and Numsa have agreed to mediation by the CCMA”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Simon Majadibodu at IOL News
Former Limpopo mineworker jailed to 15 years for possession of explosives IOL News reports that four years after a man was arrested in possession of explosives on a mine, he has been sentenced to an effective 15-year jail term. Sicelo Gibixhegu was convicted and sentenced this week in the Thabazimbi Regional Court. Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa reported that in December 2020, security guards searched mineworkers at Amandebuilt mine gate in Northam. “As they searched the accused, they found shocks explosives inside his bag.” The Polokwane-based Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation was summoned to the scene and preliminary investigations led them to the house of the accused where other explosives were found and seized. These were 25 socks tubes and one starter valued at R10,000. Gibixhegu was arrested and released on bail after many bail application attempts. In addition to a jail term, Gibixhegu was declared unfit by the court to possess a firearm. In another incident over the past week, police in the Northern Cape arrested 35 suspects during Operation Vala Umgodi, in connection with various crimes including illegal mining and violations of the immigration statutes. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jolene Marriah-Maharaj at IOL News
Unions suspect foul play after EPWP contracts in eThekwini suddenly cancelled TimesLIVE reports that trade unions representing eThekwini municipal workers suspect foul play behind the “sudden” halt of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) contracts in the city. An internal letter from the city announcing the non-renewal of EPWP contracts was shared widely on social media last week. It indicated that the 25 July payment would be the last under the programme. According to the City, this stemmed from the fact that the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) department of public works had taken away a large amount of the incentive grant that funded the programme. “Unfortunately, the city manager and CFO have indicated that the municipality does not have the required savings, hence the contracts for all EPWP participants will not be renewed,” the letter indicated. The Municipal and Allied Trade Union of SA’s (Matusa’s) Thulani Ngwenya commented: “Officially, they are using the excuse of budget cuts but we’ve heard councillors saying that these councillors are reaping what they sow when they decided to vote for the ‘wrong parties’ in the May elections.” There have been reports of ANC councillors in eThekwini threatening EPWP workers before and after the elections. Xolani Dube from the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said the union was worried about the firing of workers and he asked the municipality to review the decision and set it aside. Ngwenya said Matusa was planning a protest and workers “will bring the city to a standstill at a yet to be confirmed time because we can’t allow politicians to use workers for their political objectives.” ANC eThekwini spokesperson Mlondi Mkhize rejected the allegations and claimed that workers were looking for someone to blame and had identified the ANC because “they thought it had the means to help them, which was not the case”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lwazi Hlangu at TimesLIVE
MSC Cruises set to hire 2,000 from SA as crew this year Business Report writes that MSC Cruises is on track to hire 2,000 South Africans as crew this year. This was indicated on Tuesday by Ross Volk, managing director of MSC Cruises SA, who said: “We want to get to 2,000 South Africans on board ships this year; 1,000 next year; and by 2027 to 2028 around 5,000 South Africans on board our vessels.” He explained that MSC had some specific metrics, such as hiring 70% of people from previously-disadvantaged communities. Volk said South Africans as crew members were “quite highly sought-after in the US”, adding that South Africans spoke English “so there's no challenge with language”, and they were hard workers. The Swiss-Italian global cruise line also employs around 360 staff in the country. With SA having the highest unemployment in the world, Volk said he believed tourism was the gateway to the unemployment crisis in the country. MSC Cruises is also promoting South African artists in the creative economy with employment opportunities. Volk was furthermore optimistic for South African tourism after the reappointment of Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille, which provided continuity and was good for the tourism sector. “It creates an understanding of the portfolio. The connections to other ministers is also important. I want to see how Ms De Lille interacts with Home Affairs and Transport. These new ministers are important for our business and for income inbound tourism,” he pointed out. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Philippa Larkin at Business Report
Pension revamp will boost more comfortable retirements Bloomberg reports that according to Alexander Forbes, SA’s plan to allow savers early access to part of their pension funds will enable significantly better outcomes for retirees than the current system. The law that commences on 1 September will enable savers to contribute one-third of their savings into an account that’s accessible annually, with the rest only available upon retirement. While the pension fund administrator expects this to lead to a deluge of withdrawals in the near term, the preservation of the larger portion means more savers will be able to retire more comfortably. “For new members going forward, they’re expected to have a 2 to 2 1/2 times better retirement outcome,” Alexforbes Solutions executive John Anderson indicated on Wednesday, adding that this would be so even if a client withdrew the maximum allowed from the accessible savings portion. According to Momentum, only 6% of South Africans are able to enjoy a comfortable retirement, with the rest unable afford their current lifestyle when they reach that stage. The average South African can expect to earn only 16% of their working salary in retirement and so have to rely on relatives for financial support or risk falling into retirement poverty. The legislation change will also allow savers a once-off opportunity to withdraw as much as R30,000 when the system changes. Alexforbes estimates that the industry will see outflows of about 1% to 2%, with as much as R100 billion exiting funds. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Adelaide Changole at Moneyweb
Cosatu welcomes sentence imposed on former VBS Mutual Bank chair Tshifhiwa Matodzi TimesLIVE reports that the former chairperson of the defunct VBS Mutual Bank, Tshifhiwa Matodzi, has been handed a 495-year sentence for the theft, fraud, money laundering and racketeering that culminated in the collapse of the bank. Matodzi, 47, was sentenced in the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to 33 charges. He was jailed for 15 years on each count, but the sentences will run concurrently. As part of a plea and sentence agreement, Matodzi admitted to being personally involved in the theft of the billions of rand from 2017 to 2018, by creating fictitious credit in VBS accounts that was then transferred to other accounts. Almost R2bn was looted in the scandal, leading to the bank’s collapse that devastated many municipalities and individual depositors, many of them elderly. Labour federation Cosatu welcomed the sentence, but expressed concern for the victims. “This [sentence] is little comfort for the thousands of pensioners, employees at VBS and defrauded municipalities, the working class and the poor who painstakingly saved every penny in the hopes they could one day reap the rewards of their financial discipline or leave some money for their grandchildren’s education,” said spokesperson Zanele Sabela. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Koena Mashale at BusinessLive. Read too, Former VBS Mutual Bank board chair Matodzi to serve 15 years in jail, at SowetanLive. And also, Court sentences former VBS boss Matodzi to 495 years but he will only serve 15 years in jail, at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Netcare suspends KZN male nurse for alleged sexual assault of patient after operation The Citizen reports that a private hospital in Pietermaritzburg, in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), has confirmed that a male nurse has been suspended after allegedly sexually assaulting a patient after surgery. According to the patient, she had been booked for a procedure to remove cysts from her womb when the alleged incident occurred. She claimed that after the operation, while still under anaesthesia, a male nurse inserted his finger inside her private parts several times while moving her to a ward. Allegedly, even when a lift arrived at its destination, the male nurse would send it back up again while continuing to assault her. In a statement to the hospital, the woman said she was still battling to come to terms with what had happened and wanted justice. In a recorded conversation with a senior doctor at the hospital, the patient was told to “trust” the process and her doctors when she questioned why the male nurse had not been arrested. A case had been opened with police and the patient has undergone tests as part of investigations. Commenting on the matter, Netcare St Anne’s General Manager Sharon Singh said: “We are appalled by these allegations and sincerely apologise to our patient. No one should ever feel threatened or harassed, particularly in healthcare.” She added that the hospital would take decisive action once the police had concluded their investigation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Itumeleng Mafisa at The Citizen
|
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page