In our roundup of weekend and recent reports,
see summaries of our selection of recent
South African labour-related articles.
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Public service unions to give feedback this week on government’s revised 5% wage offer BL Premium reports that unions representing more than 1.3-million public servants are this week expected to provide feedback on a revised three-year wage offer tabled by the state at the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC). Parties met on Wednesday at the PSCBC where the government revised its wage offer from 4.7% to 5% for 2025/26, leading to public service unions to revise their wage demand down to 6%. PSCBC general secretary Frikkie de Bruin said wage increases for the 2026/27 and 2027/28 financial years would be indexed to CPI. “If the projected CPI percentage for the relevant period is less than 4% the projected CPI for the relevant period will be deemed to be 4% and, in the event, the projected CPI for the relevant period is above 6%, the projected CPI will be deemed to be 6%. The term of the agreement will be three years,” De Bruin explained. The government has offered increases in various allowances including housing (from R1,784 to R1,900 on 1 April, with a further CPI-determination adjustment for 2025/26). “Labour has requested time to consult with their members and will provide feedback at a council meeting scheduled for 15 January 2025,” De Bruin indicated. The government has provided R11bn over the next two years for voluntary early retirement packages for public servants 55 years and older in a bid to reduce the public sector wage bill. It is assumed that about 30,000 government employees will take the package: 12,000 in the first year and 18,000 in the second year. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Limpopo clinic to reopen after brutal attack and rape of nurses on Friday TimesLIVE reports that the Ga-Chuene Clinic in Limpopo is to be re-opened on Monday following the brutal attack on two nurses who were also raped during the early hours on Friday. The clinic will remain closed after hours indefinitely. This was due to the intervention of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa), which called for the security company employed to protect the clinic to be called to account and the Limpopo health department to ensure that counselling services were provided for clinic staff. Denosa Limpopo secretary Jacob Molopo said the organisation was “shocked and devastated” by the incident and believed it to be a reversal of progress made in stepping up security for vulnerable nurses. The attacker is alleged to have tied security guards up and then entered the clinic, where he attacked the women. He robbed them of their belongings and forced them into nearby bushes where he ordered them to strip before raping them. “The man who came in knew his way around the clinic, so he probably lives in the area. We are calling on the community or anyone who knows anything about him to report this to the police,” Molopo said. Limpopo police commissioner Lt-Col Thembi Hadebe has assembled a multidisciplinary team to fast-track the investigation and a case of business robbery, kidnapping and rape has been opened. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Gill Gifford at TimesLIVE. Lees ook, Drukgroep veroordeel aanval op verpleegsters; pleit by gemeenskap vir hulp, by Maroela Media. And also, Rape of two nurses exposes lax security in Limpopo, on page 10 of Sunday World of 12 January 2025 Cape Town constable shot, killed after responding to robbery on Sunday News24 reports that a police officer was shot and killed after responding to a robbery in Mfuleni, Cape Town, on Sunday morning. Constable Ayanda Moyikwa, 32, was on his way to pick up his colleague and head to work when he noticed a robbery taking place in Gcuva Street. Driving his own car, he stopped to respond to the robbery. According to national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, Moyikwa was then fatally shot and robbed off his wallet and cellphone. Acting national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili and Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile visited Moyikwa's home on Sunday to pay their respects to his family. Mosikili said Moyikwa's colleague heard three gunshots, and when he went to check on him, he discovered Moyikwa's car had been hit multiple times. Mathe said the police had deployed "maximum resources" and had launched a manhunt to trace Moyikwa's killers. Five police officers have been killed in the line of duty since 1 January. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Cebelihle Mthethwa at News24 (subscription or trial registration required). Lees ook, Wes-Kaapse konstabel tydens rooftog vermoor, by Maroela Media VIP driver assigned to Inkatha Freedom Party President’s fleet killed in car crash in Stanger IOL News reports that the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has extended its condolences to the family of a VIP driver who was killed in a car crash on Saturday. IPSS Medical Rescue said the vehicle had been travelling on the N2, near Stanger on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, when the 35-year-old driver (as yet unnamed) allegedly lost control, causing the vehicle to roll several times. "Sadly, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle sustained fatal injuries and was declared deceased on scene,” said IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson, Samantha Meyrick. IFP spokesperson, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, said the vehicle had been assigned to the IFP President's fleet. IFP President, Velenkosini Hlabisa visited the family of the deceased driver to convey his condolences and inform them of the tragic news. Hlengwa said the circumstances surrounding the accident remained unclear and were currently under investigation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Se-Anne Rall, at IOL News. Read too, Minister Hlabisa safe, diver killed in accident, at SABC News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
With ArcelorMittal shuttering long-steel plants, ripple effect could destroy 100,000 jobs Rapport writes that the 3,500 people who will lose their jobs when ArcelorMittal SA (Amsa) closes its long steel plants in Newcastle and Vereeniging at the end of the month will just be the first victims of this catastrophe. There is said to be a tidal wave of destruction that could ultimately cost 100,000 or more jobs in the steel and other industries and could even lead to the complete extinction of SA’s manufacturing sector. This was the opinion last week of experts in the steel industry about the long-term consequences of Amsa's decision. The decision follows a year of fruitless efforts to align government policy with Amsa's needs. The company says it can no longer absorb the losses it is experiencing in Newcastle and Vereeniging. The ripple effect of this will be felt widely, said Charles Dednam of the SA Iron and Steel Institute. He indicated: “The figure that has been bandied about all week is the 3,500 people who will lose their jobs at Amsa, but the multiplier effect of the closures is enormous - it can escalate to 100,000 or more jobs lost in various industries. The reality is that we could lose the entire manufacturing industry if there isn't alignment on government policy regarding manufacturing in South Africa." The reason for this bleak prediction is that Amsa's long steel plants produce steel products are not currently supplied by any other plant in SA. These steels are provided to consumers in the automotive, mining, and construction industries, among others” Marius Croucamp, the deputy general secretary for strategy at Solidarity, agreed that that nothing of the country’s manufacturing sector might be left in five years if the Amsa closures go ahead. He placed the blame at the government's door. Read this report by Marizanne Kok in full at City Press (subscriber access only). Lees dit in Afrikaans by Netwerk24 (toegang slegs vir intekenare) IDC supports efforts to save Amsa’s long steel business Business Times reports that the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), one of the minority shareholders at ArcelorMittal SA (Amsa), says it is talking to other of the steelmaker’s stakeholders as the company prepares to shut its long-steel businesses in Newcastle and Vereeniging. Some 3,500 people are employed at the plants. The term “long steel” refers to items such as beams, reinforcement bars and rails. The IDC, which owns 6.4% of Amsa, said last week it was engaging stakeholders to explore potential solutions in line with its commitment to expand SA’s steel industry. IDC spokesperson Tshepo Ramodibe said the corporation was concerned about potential job losses and their socioeconomic effect on the two towns. He pointed out that the IDC had given Amsa a R1bn injection in June last year to support the long-steel business after it first announced the potential closure of its Newcastle facility in November 2023. He said this underscored the IDC’s commitment to the business. But operations at the capital intensive business with high costs had been affected by changes in the global and domestic steel industries which were transitioning from blast furnace technologies to electric arc furnaces to decarbonise and improve cost-effectiveness. The government, led by the department of trade, industry and competition (dtic) and other departments including the Presidency, has been talking to Amsa on its closure plans but no solutions have been forthcoming. Last week, dtic spokesperson Yamkela Fanisi said the department was committed to working with Amsa to find a lasting solution after Minister Parks Tau formed a technical working group which had met well into December. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Dineo Faku at Business Times (subscriber access only). Lees ook, Regering wil steeds help keer dat Amsa-fabrieke sluit, by Netwerk24 (toegang slegs vir intekenare)
Over 100 Exxaro employees sign online petition for CEO Nombasa Tsengwa's suspension to be lifted Business Times reports that more than 100 Exxaro Resources employees have signed an online petition calling for the board to reinstate suspended CEO Nombasa Tsengwa, who is waging a legal battle against her suspension. The board suspended Tsengwa, who is also president of the Minerals Council SA (previously called the Chamber of Mines), with immediate effect last month, pending the outcome of an independent investigation into allegations related to workplace conduct and governance. The board tasked law firm ENS to probe allegations, including those about Tsengwa's management style, with accusations having been made of bullying and intimidation. She was also accused of failing to implement Exxaro’s strategy to diversify away from coal. Riaan Koppeschaar, Exxaro’s director of finance, is the acting CEO. Tsengwa has approached the courts to have her suspension lifted, with her lawyer Eddie Claassen last week confirming her legal battle without disclosing the thrust of her case. Sources claimed this week the petition was spearheaded by Tsengwa's close ally and Exxaro’s executive head of sustainability, Mongezi Veti. But on Friday, Veti angrily denied this. Sonwabise Mzinyathi, acting chief investor relations and liaison officer, said Exxaro – which has more than 6,900 employees – “has received an online petition created by an anonymous user of an online petition platform, expressing support for the suspended CEO. The petition has 129 supporters; however, their identities and status cannot be verified.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Dineo Faku at Business Times (subscriber access only)
Government's R12m rescue of Stilfontein zama zamas kicks into gear Business Report writes that the government has begun a long-awaited rescue operation at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine in Stilfontein amid a flurry of urgent litigation. The operation will cost R12m and the bill will be shared between the government and the Minerals Council SA (previously called the Chamber of Mines). On Thursday, the Pretoria High Court heard that there were 109 dead bodies in shafts 10 and 11 of the mine. One corpse was pulled up on Thursday, but another 108 still had to be extracted, said Anna-Marie de Vos SC, counsel for Zinzi Tom, sister to one of the illegal miners (zama zamas) underground. At 4pm on Friday, the court heard that the necessary contracts were ready to be signed for the rescue operation to commence. On Saturday, Andries Fourie, the CEO of rescue company Mines Rescue Services (MRS), said in a statement submitted to the Constitutional Court in a separate matter that the paperwork had been signed and the company was “currently in the process to conduct groundwork to enable our mobile rescue winder to drive on the gravel roads to the number 11 shaft”. Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), which has been assisting the zama zamas and the affected community, said it had met MRS representatives and hopefully groundwork would be complete by Monday morning at the latest. The rescue winder will work in 10-hour shifts, lifting the miners in small groups. Once the access road was completed, it will take about 16 days to extract an estimated 550 miners. Judge Ronel Tolmay said that, in the meantime, “we need to remember that people’s lives are at stake ... So let’s make sure that they’ve got food, water and medical supplies.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Franny Rabkin at Business Times (subscriber access only). Read too, High court orders government to urgently rescue trapped Stilfontein miners, at The Citizen
KZN Cogta gives Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality three weeks to resolve striking workers’ issue EWN reports that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has given the Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality on the South Coast three weeks within which to resolve the issues of striking workers. Staff at the municipality have been protesting over backpay and salary grade increases since 2024. The ongoing protest has stopped the delivery of basic services in the coastal town. Having met ratepayers, traditional leaders, and worker unions, the department has called for a solution from the municipality. In 2016, the Hibiscus Coast and Ezinqoleni municipalities were amalgamated into one municipality, Ray Nkonyeni. In 2021, the municipality reviewed the salaries of senior management and, in 2023, that of councillors to grade 5 level and also made back payments. Municipal workers have since been demanding the same in respect of their salaries. Cogta MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi visited the municipality on Friday amid the strike. “We have given the leadership of this municipality three weeks to address the concerns raised by the workers and the community. It was disappointing that the mayor decided not to be here,” he indicated. Buthelezi said he would return to the municipality later in January in the hope that a solution would have been found. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Nhlanhla Mabaso at EWN
ANC compromise on NHI in the offing Rapport writes that the ANC plans to table a compromise proposal at the first Cabinet lekgotla of 2025 on how the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) can be implemented. According to authoritative ANC government sources, the proposal is for all South Africans working in the formal sector to be obliged to obtain medical coverage, but the state will compete with medical schemes to provide cheaper medical insurance through the NHI. People who are unemployed or cannot afford medical insurance will still be assisted at state hospitals, as is currently done. This new proposal is based on a previous proposal from the Hospital Association of SA. According to ANC sources, they hope this proposal will appease their DA partners in the government of national unity (GNU) who have strongly objected to the NHI when the enforcement of the law was discussed at a Cabinet meeting in October last year. They also hope it will allay the fears of Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, who has been determined to get the NHI up and running. The NHI law was signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in May of last year but has not yet been promulgated. "With our proposal that the government must now compete with medical schemes to provide insurance for all employees, we believe this will force medical schemes to lower their premiums," said an ANC source familiar with internal party negotiations. The new NHI proposal is expected to be discussed this week at a meeting of the ANC's national executive committee before being taken to the Cabinet lekgotla. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Dawie Boonzaaier at City Press (subscriber access only). Lees die berig in Afrikaans by Netwerk24 (toegang slegs vir intekenare) Opposition to the NHI mounts as Solidarity slams the government’s “pipe-dream” Business Report writes that Solidarity has again slammed the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, this time hitting out at the government’s advertising of the health plan on billboards. It remains the trade union’s contention that the scheme will be unaffordable. Solidarity’s figures estimate that the scheme will cost between R660 billion and R1,300bn. According to its calculations, average personal income tax would accordingly need to increase by R37,000 per year. Theuns du Buisson, economic researcher at the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), said this was “not only outrageous. It is impossible”. He went on to indicate: “The government is marketing a pipe-dream, while unemployed doctors in the Eastern Cape are protesting, or while hospitals such as Groote Schuur in the Western Cape can now accommodate only a quarter of the number of internships it had available for training three years ago.” Solidarity’s latest statement adds to a chorus of dissatisfaction with the NHI, particularly around it being unworkable. Discovery CEO Adrian Gore has commented: “The NHI will only be workable if it provides universal access to care for all South Africans, while not restricting the rights of medical scheme members… to achieve this requires collaboration between the public and private healthcare sectors, which the Act fails to facilitate on a sustainable basis,” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Edward West at Business Report
No state funding as major shortage of doctors looms City Press reports that the Junior Doctors Association of SA (Judasa) has warned that SA’s health services will face another setback due to a severe shortage of positions to train medical specialists. The national health department has advised that there is no money to appoint new and fully qualified medical personnel, including doctors, in the public health sector. Foster Mohale, the department's spokesperson, said: “There are currently no funded vacant positions in state hospitals.” A total of 1 800 medics have just completed their community service, yet there are no positions for them. The Eastern Cape health department announced late last year that no doctors and nurses, who had completed their community service, would be hired this year. “All community service personnel’s service contracts will thus expire due to a lack of funds. In the past financial years, the department could offer work to successful candidates in funded, vacant positions after community service. However, in the 2024/25 financial year, the department is still not in a position to make provision for this due to severe fiscal constraints,” read the letter signed by Dr Rolene Wagner, head of the department. Mohale said the recruitment processes are “at various stages” in the respective provinces and an announcement would be made once there was progress. Last week the SA Medical Association (Sama), which was conducting a nationwide survey to determine how many positions were allocated and filled, expressed its concern about the number of unemployed junior doctors. At least 900 doctors have already indicated in the Sama survey that they were unemployed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Magdel Louw at City Press (subscriber access only)
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