In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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CEO of Exxaro Resources resigns with immediate effect Fin24 reports that the suspended CEO of Exxaro Resources, Nombasa Tsengwa, has tendered her resignation from the JSE-listed mining company with immediate effect. In a letter dated 5 February 2025, Tsengwa notified the company of her resignation following "damaging" and "defamatory" charges against her and an "inhumane" investigation that she refused to further subject herself to. In December, she was placed on precautionary suspension pending the outcome of a probe into allegations relating to workplace conduct and governance practices. This followed a newspaper article in which anonymous sources claimed Tsengwa had bullied and intimidated staff, leading to the exit of several executives. ENS was appointed to conduct the investigation into various matters related to her interaction with the board, her failure to obey board instructions, and an anonymous whistleblower complaint against her. In her resignation letter, Tsengwa said she had received a charge sheet on 3 February 2025, outlining two key accusations which, quite unexpectedly, related to her late boyfriend. The first charge of conflict of interest, underpinned by gross misconduct, accuses Tsengwa of advancing the business interests of her late boyfriend’s company. The second charge is for breach of duty of good faith, "underpinned by instructing my then driver to assist my late boyfriend carry out his errands". Tsengwa said there was clearly a predetermined outcome to which she refused to subject herself further. Exxaro confirmed Tsengwa’s resignation, noting that Finance Director Riaan Koppeschaar would remain as acting CEO until the position was filled permanently. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lisa Steyn at Fin24 (subscription or trial registration required). Read too, Nombasa Tsengwa abruptly ends two-decade tenure at Exxaro, at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Resolute Ramaphosa says to US ‘We will not be bullied’ Daily Maverick writes in an opinion piece that anyone wondering if President Cyril Ramaphosa would attempt to placate the Trump administration got their answer at Thursday night’s State of the Nation Address (Sona). In the preceding fortnight, Pretoria had suddenly found itself squarely in the sights of the Trump administration, singled out for special threats and aggression. Ramaphosa went into Thursday’s Sona with a lot on his plate and plenty of eyes on him. He didn’t mention tensions with Rwanda, and the situation in DRC received relatively short shrift in his speech. But, Ramaphosa told the nation that the world was changing fast. In what must be read as referring to recent events in Washington, the President said: “We are witnessing the rise of nationalism and protectionism, the pursuit of narrow interests and the decline of common cause”. He continued: “We will not be bullied.” South Africans, Ramaphosa said, stand for “peace and justice, for equality and solidarity. We stand for non-racialism and democracy, for tolerance and compassion. We stand for equal rights for women, for persons with disability and for members of the LGBTQI+ community. We stand for our shared humanity, not for the survival of the fittest.” Although his target was not specified, it was a repudiation of everything the Trump administration has shown the world thus far. While every Sona contains elements of a pie in the sky wish list; the 2025 Sona was no different. Daily Maverick writes: “No doubt SA will continue to fall short in hundreds of different ways of the lofty vision Ramaphosa sketched of what SA holds dear as a nation. But in these strange and troubled times, to hear a world leader reinforce the value of ‘“empathy and compassion’ felt not just refreshing but urgently necessary. If only South Africa could now live up to that domestically.” Read the full original of the opinion piece in the above regard by Rebecca Davis at Daily Maverick. Read too, 'We stand for our shared humanity': Ramaphosa's SONA contrasts SA's values with Trump's politics, at News24 (subscription or trial registration required). En ook, Staatsrede 2025: Samewerking vir ʼn sterker Suid-Afrika, by Maroela Media Ramaphosa to send envoys on mission to sell SA's G20 vision to the world Sunday Times reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa will be dispatching special envoys to several countries, in Africa and beyond, to sell the country’s vision for G20. As SA takes the G20 presidency this year, Ramaphosa believes the world ought to know what the country truly represents. This move comes as SA is engaged in a diplomatic spat with US President Donald Trump, who this week said he was concerned about the Expropriation Act that Ramaphosa recently signed into law. Trump, along with his right-hand man and SA-born billionaire Elon Musk, claimed that Pretoria under Ramaphosa was doing “very bad things” and that there was a widespread confiscation of people’s properties. Secretary of state Marco Rubio announced that he would not be attending the G20 meeting of foreign ministers in Johannesburg this month. A diplomatic spat with the US would be problematic for the country as they share deep trade relations that in 2022 amounted to more than $25bn. Ramaphosa used his State of the Nation Address (Sona) to say that he believed SA was essentially misunderstood. “The work we do and what we stand for needs to be explained to many key players, especially to our trading partners and the many countries and leaders we interact with on the global stage,” Ramaphosa argued. He stated during his Sona that he wanted SA to be at peace with the rest of the world. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kgothatso Madisa at Sunday Times Daily (subscriber access only). Read too, It’s what Ramaphosa does next that will matter more (editorial), at Sunday Times Daily (subscriber access only) G20 boycott points the finger at harmful ANC policies and racial laws, says Solidarity Maroela Media reports that trade union Solidarity considers the ANC’s domestic and foreign policies to be the reason for a US boycott of a G20 ministerial summit to be held in Johannesburg later this month. It was previously reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said his work was to promote his country’s national interests and not to waste taxpayers’ money in fostering “anti-Americanism”. He wrote on the social media platform X that SA was doing “very bad things” and claimed there was confiscation of people’s private property. Solidarity issued a statement on Thursday blaming the boycott on the ANC’s policies positions, which were not only putting the country’s internal situation but also its international relations under pressure. Solidarity chief executive Dr Dirk Hermann indicated: “It is disappointing that (Rubio) will no longer be attending the G20 ministerial summit on 21 February. Unfortunately, the blame for this cannot be apportioned to anyone but the ANC.” Rubio announced his decision to boycott the G20 event on Thursday in a post on the X. According to Hermann, the fight against SA’s racial policy was one that Solidarity has been waging with the government for a long time. “It is now becoming clear how South Africa’s racial dispensation is also prejudicing our most important foreign relations. We therefore call on the South African government to free South Africa now from racial legislation so that we can indeed be more investment friendly,” Hermann exhorted. He advised that Solidarity was going to come up with a major effort to change this racial dispensation before November and more information about this would be announced soon. Read the full Afrikaans original of the report in the above regard at Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Aaron Motsoaledi says Trump’s aid freeze puts more than 15,300 healthcare posts on the line BL Premium reports that the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid has put more than 15,300 healthcare workers’ jobs on the line, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told parliament on Wednesday. The personnel affected include doctors, nurses, pharmacists, data capturers and technical experts, most of whom work in the health districts hardest hit by HIV/Aids. Just hours after his inauguration on 20 January, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order pausing all foreign aid for 90 days pending a review to determine whether it aligned with his “America First” foreign policy agenda. This was swiftly followed by a stop-work order that forced HIV/Aids programmes supported by the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) in more than 50 countries to come to a grinding halt. A partial waiver to Trump’s instruction was subsequently signed by US secretary of state Marco Rubio, but since Wednesday NGOs supported by Pepfar in SA had yet to receive the go-ahead to resume any of their activities. Briefing MPs, Motsoaledi minister gave the assurance that SA’s supplies of antiretroviral medicines were not threatened by the aid freeze. The government covered 90% of the cost of HIV treatment, with the remainder provided by the Global Fund to fight HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, he indicated. Work was under way to assess the effect of the aid freeze on services in the 27 health districts in which Pepfar-supported organisations operated, and provinces were working on short- and long-term contingency plans, Motsoaledi advised. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tamar Kahn at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Repatriation of 14 fallen SANDF soldiers from DRC delayed TimesLIVE reports that repatriation of the remains of 14 SA soldiers killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been delayed. On Tuesday, the chief of the SANDF, Gen Rudzani Maphwanya, told the joint standing committee on defence and military veterans that the remains of the 14 SANDF members and the soldiers wounded in Goma would be repatriated on Wednesday. In an update on Thursday, the SANDF said all administrative processes were completed and handed over to the UN. But, without elaborating further, SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said in a statement: “The UN’s planned movement for the repatriation of the deceased out of the combat zone has been delayed.” On Tuesday, the officer commanding the operation headquarters, Maj-Gen Godfrey Thulare, told the committee that to repatriate the bodies and the injured soldiers, the SANDF had engaged the UN in the DRC and were continuously pushing them. “We engage Sadc (Southern African Development Community) through the secretariat and engage them on a daily basis to bring back our deceased and injured,” Thulare indicated. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by BusinessLive. Read too, Ramaphosa pays tribute to soldiers killed in DRC, at TimesLIVE
Protesters demand commission of inquiry into police conduct at Stilfontein mine and Mantashe’s resignation GroundUp reports that under the banner of the Stilfontein Solidarity Committee, over 100 protesters gathered outside the offices of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy in Pretoria on Wednesday. They called for accountability for the deaths of at least 78 illegal miners at an abandoned mine near Stilfontein in the North West due to the actions of the police. They also demanded that Minister Gwede Mantashe should resign. Meshack Mbangula, national coordinator of Mining Affected Communities United in Action, said they wanted a commission of inquiry into the police’s conduct at Stilfontein. “We believe poor people’s constitutional rights were violated and the government needs to be held accountable for the deaths of those miners. We also want to assist the families affected to receive some sort of justice,” he stated. Protesters carried a coffin and displayed a collection of hard hats as a memorial to the dead miners. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ihsaan Haffejee at GroundUp
Go-slow this week at hospital in Bizana after CEO was suspended GroundUp reports that workers at Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Regional Hospital in Bizana, Eastern Cape, protested this week to demand the return of the hospital’s CEO, who had been suspended the week before. By Thursday, the CEO had returned to work, according to Democratic Nursing Organization of SA (Denosa) Eastern Cape secretary Veli Sinqana. According to Sinqana, CEO Mziyanda Tshaka was suspended after a letter, ostensibly signed by him, did the rounds, informing patients of an acute shortage of doctors that would leave the hospital without any doctors on certain days. The Eastern Cape Department of Health described the letter as “fake news”, saying that there were 16 doctors at the hospital, no days without doctors, and the department had been recruiting medical officers in “anticipation of the facility becoming a regional hospital”. It said appropriate action would be taken against anyone found to be responsible for the “malicious document”. On Monday, workers were singing in the corridors, patients were waiting at reception were unattended and no nurses were in the male wards. Sinqana said the singing and chanting was not a strike as workers were just singing because they were waiting to be addressed by the CEO. He said staff learned of the suspension when the CEO did not pitch up to a scheduled meeting. A statement signed by unions PSA, Nehawu, Denosa and Nupsaw claimed that the CEO’s letter gave “the true state” of the hospital. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik at GroundUp
Cogta minister does about-turn on shedding over 67,000 community work contracts News24 reports that Cooperative Governance (Cofta) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has done an about-turn on a plan to slash more than 67,000 Community Work Programme (CWP) posts. In December, Hlabisa's department announced that the posts would be shed because of funding cuts by the National Treasury. The CWP is a government initiative which focuses on providing opportunities for unemployed youth and other job seekers. In a circular released on Christmas Eve, the department's director-general, Mbulelo Tshangana, wrote of "significant budget cuts impacting the CWP", affecting jobs across all provinces. A thtat time, Cogta department spokesperson Legadima Leso indicated that 67,368 contracts would be cut. But in a statement on Wednesday, Hlabisa said the circular had now been withdrawn and "all CWP participants are to return to work on Thursday". It was previously reported that among the 67,368 CWP contracts that were to have been shed at the end of January, 31,370 were for workers between the ages of 55 and 59, while the rest were for workers older than 60. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks said the department had met with the trade union federation, and funding had been secured to allow the programme to continue in February and March without further disruption. He said the new funding would become available in the next financial year and this would hopefully secure the programme. "We have some breathing space in the next financial year, but we need to look at how we pull our resources together to avoid this happening in the future," Parks indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nicole McCain at News24 (subscription or trial registration required)
Amsa holds off mothballing of long-steel plants as it awaits state’s word on rescue BL Premium reports that SA’s largest steel manufacturer, ArcelorMittal SA (Amsa), has delayed closing its ailing long-steel business for a month to allow further talks with the government on rescuing it. The JSE-listed group, which received a R380m interest-free loan from shareholder the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) for the delay, is expected to make an announcement in the second half of February. “No meaningful improvement in the domestic steel market is anticipated for the next six months. Consequently, actions by the SA government to support the industry and protect it against unfair trade and policy practices are vital,” Amsa indicated. The company Amsa added: “The longs business will only continue with financial support as the company does not have the appetite to bear any financial risk associated with the continued operations of that business.” The delay is aimed at enabling the fulfilment of the higher-than-expected outstanding order book, prioritising automotive and seamless tube customers. Amsa has reported a wider annual loss than in the previous period as the company and the steel industry faced their greatest challenge since the financial crisis of 2008/09. “Pending any further clarity around the future of the longs business, a notice in terms of the Labour Relations Act has been issued and the consultation process regarding the contemplated large-scale retrenchment process as detailed in the January 6 2025 announcement, has commenced,” Amsa advised. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Michelle Gumede & Jacqueline Mackenzie at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, ArcelorMittal delays closing of long steel business for a month, at The Citizen
Ramaphosa forging ahead with NHI TimesLIVE reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that government will be forging ahead with the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, and will kick start the process by establishing a single electronic health record. This first phase will form part of the preparatory work being done by a ministerial advisory committee on NHI, led by health minister Aaron Motsoaledi, to determine the necessary technologies and healthcare benefits for the full implementation of the NHI. An accreditation framework for health service providers will also be established, Ramaphosa said in his State of the Nation Address on Thursday. Despite the tensions the NHI has caused, particularly among his government of national unity (GNU) partners such as the DA, Ramaphosa stressed the need to work towards quality healthcare for all. “The NHI will reduce inequalities in healthcare by ensuring everyone gets fair treatment. It will save many lives by providing a package of services that include, for example, maternal and newborn care and services for people living with HIV, those with TB, and those suffering from noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.” According to Ramaphosa, his government’s most immediate priority is to strengthen the health system and improve its quality. “A vital part of this is the modernisation, improvement and maintenance of existing health facilities and construction of new hospitals and clinics. A number of hospitals are under construction or undergoing revitalization,” he indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sisanda Mbolekwa at TimesLIVE
Wanatu temporarily suspends operations amid dispute over impounded vehicles The Citizen reports that the e-hailing service Wanatu has temporarily halted its service after the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) impounded three of its vehicles over permits. TMPD spokesperson Isaac Mahamba confirmed that TMPD had impounded three Wanatu vehicles in Centurion after they were found to be operating without permits. He said it was part of an ongoing operation that targeted not only Wanatu cars but all vehicles operating without permits as stipulated by law. As a result, Wanatu has temporarily suspended its service and has accused the TMPD of unlawfully impounding its vehicles and intimidating drivers. Wanatu CEO Judith van der Walt said they valued laws and regulations and that attempts had been made to secure permits. “Our vehicles are licensed and roadworthy, and our drivers hold valid PDPs. However, the current backlog on permits is an issue faced by all e-hailing services, not just Wanatu,” she said. City of Tshwane MMC for Roads and Transport Tlangi Mogale reiterated her commitment to dealing with the challenges faced by the e-hailing community in Tshwane and reported that her department had convened a meeting with the operators on 12 December 2024 to listen to the complaints. She went on to report: “Part of the resolutions of the 12 December 2024 meeting was to provide feedback on 23 January 2025 on some of the measures being put in place to resolve the impasse. Instead of coming to the meeting to find solutions, the e-hailers decided to march to Tshwane House with political parties, Build One South African (BOSA) and uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK)-aligned civic movement (PCC), to politicise the matter.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Marizka Coetzer at The Citizen
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