In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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State’s revised 5.5% wage offer for public servants accepted by some unions BL Premium reports that some of the unions in the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) have accepted the government’s latest above-inflation wage offer of 5.5%. The offer, however, still needs more than 30% support from other unions to pass the required threshold of 50% plus one. PSCBC general secretary Frikkie de Bruin reported that unions representing the country’s more than 1.3-million public servants were busy consulting members on the state’s final offer of 5.5% as presented in council recently. Unions have until 18 February to sign the draft agreements in acceptance of the offer. “For now we already have two trade unions, Sapu [SA Policing Union] and Naptosa [National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA] that have signed the agreement, representing 17.6% of the vote weight,” De Bruin reported. He added: “We still need 32.5%. We are confident that unions will be able to convince their members on the three-year offer, as this agreement also allows for adjustments to the housing allowance, medical aid subsidy and danger allowances.” Reuben Maleka of the Public Servants Association (PSA), which represents more than 245,000 teachers, nurses and doctors, indicated: “Our mandate-seeking process is positive, we are busy collating all the data and we should be in a position to sign the draft agreement on Tuesday.” Sibongiseni Delihlazo, Cosatu’s spokesperson on the public service wage talks, could not immediately be reached for comment. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, PSA will be accepting state’s 5.5% pay-hike offer, at Moneyweb
Eskom employee hijacked and abducted in KZN while attending to an electricity fault News24 reports that the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs department has called for heightened protection for essential services workers, after an Eskom employee was hijacked and abducted while responding to an electricity fault on Saturday. The incident took place on Saturday in the Dlangubo area, outside Empangeni. Cogta MEC, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, condemned the incident saying that as a province, they have noted an increase in attacks targeting essential services personnel. Buthelezi said the employee was severely traumatised after he was hijacked and held for eight hours while the vehicle was stripped of its parts. "These acts of violence against essential workers, who are dedicated to serving our communities, are unacceptable and undermine our efforts to ensure reliable access to basic services like electricity and water," Buthelezi lamented. He added that these attacks not only endangered the lives of service personnel, but also created an environment of fear that hindered their ability to carry out their duties effectively. Buthelezi appealed to residents across KZN to play an active role in protecting service providers. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sakhiseni Nxumalo at News24 (subscription or trial registration required). Read too, Eskom worker ‘kidnapped’ during 8-hour ordeal in KZN, vehicle stripped, at TimesLIVE
Bodies of SA soldiers killed in DRC to be brought home on Thursday, Angie Motshekga tells MPs TimesLIVE reports that Parliament held an urgent debate on Monday on the deaths of SA soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Defence minister Angie Motshekga advised that the bodies of the 14 SA soldiers who were killed in Goma in the eastern DRC would be brought back home on Thursday. She told MPs seven of the soldiers were from Limpopo, three from the Free State, and one each from the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and North West. According to Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie, the parliamentary debate should have been delayed until the soldiers' bodies were brought back to SA. Meantime, EFF leader Julius Malema said the SANDF troops were not sent to the DRC to bring peace. “The deployment of our troops in the DRC is not about peace. It's about sending our soldiers to fight a never-ending war. This government keeps sending them to die in a foreign land and when they do, their bodies are not even brought back with the respect they deserve,” he said. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Thabo Tshabalala at TimesLIVE. Read too, Soldiers who died in DRC to be laid to rest with full military honours, at SABC News Government rebuffs opposition calls for immediate withdrawal of SA forces from DRC Daily Maverick reports that the government has resisted a chorus of demands from other parties in Parliament for the immediate withdrawal of SA’s trapped forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In a debate on Monday called by the Democratic Alliance to discuss the deaths of 14 SA National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers in fighting with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels last month, the DA, EFF, Action SA, UDM, Bosa and ATM all called for an immediate or swift return of the estimated 2,000 SANDF troops who remained, surrounded by the enemy, in their military camps around the city of Goma in eastern DRC. The DA’s Chris Hattingh said the troops “were thrown into battle ill-equipped, underfunded and without critical support in one of the world’s longest-running and most brutal conflicts.” Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga justified the mission of the troops, saying they were sent into eastern DRC to uphold one of the pillars of SA’s foreign policy, which was to contribute to the creation of peace and stability in Africa and the world. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola agreed, arguing that an abrupt withdrawal of SA forces from DRC “is not even a tactical retreat; it is even worse than a surrender, as with the number of armed groups in the area, there lies ambush”. Instead, Lamola said the government would follow the “clear way forward” agreed by the joint summit of SADC and the East African Community (EAC) on Friday. This included an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and cessation of hostilities and provision of humanitarian assistance, including reparation of the deceased and evacuation of the injured. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Peter Fabricius at Daily Maverick. Read too, DRC conflict: Abrupt withdrawal even worse than surrender, says Lamola, at News24 (subscription or trial registration required) SA’s military reinforces beleaguered DRC mission Reuters reports that according to political and diplomatic sources, SA has sent additional troops and military equipment to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent days after 14 of its soldiers were killed in fighting with Rwanda-backed rebels last month. The reinforcement comes amid fears that fighting in eastern DRC could spark a broader war. Flight data showed transport aircraft flying from SA to Lubumbashi in southern DRC and an airport employee there confirmed that military planes had landed last week. "We have been informed of a (SA National Defence Force) troop build-up in the area of Lubumbashi. We gather that about 700 to 800 soldiers had been flown to Lubumbashi," Chris Hattingh, defence spokesperson for the DA, wrote in a text message to Reuters. Hattingh said it was "difficult to figure out what is unfolding" because parliament's defence committee had not been briefed. A SANDF spokesperson said on Friday he was not aware of the deployment to Lubumbashi and declined to comment further on Monday. SA is believed to have around 3,000 troops deployed in the DRC, both as part of a UN peacekeeping mission and a Southern African regional force tasked with helping the DRC's army combat the M23 insurgency. Its intervention has drawn heavy criticism at home after the fall of Goma left SANDF soldiers surrounded and with no clear exit strategy. "They're extremely poorly resourced and equipped," said Kobus Marais, who served as the DA's shadow defence minister before the party entered the governing coalition last year. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at TimesLIVE Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Staff picket at Prince Mshiyeni Hospital in Umlazi over working conditions SABC News reports on a picket staged by healthcare workers affiliated with the Public Servants Association (PSA) outside the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi, south of Durban, on Monday. The workers were complaining about poor working conditions and claimed that the hospital had been without water for two weeks, which affected hygiene and patient care. According to the workers, the hospital was also facing a critical shortage of medication. PSA provincial manager Mlungisi Ndlovu said the provincial Department of Health (DoH) has not taken any action to address their concerns. “For this reason, we call upon Human Rights Commission to investigate the situation, the MEC to be involved. We’ve attended this matter for more than three times, in 2023, 2024, now it’s 2025,” Ndlovu indicated. Patients too called on the DoH to address what they said was a looming humanitarian disaster at the hospital. “The reason why I am complaining is because there is no water and there is shortage of nurses and doctors. Toilets inside are smelling and are closer to where children are seated while waiting for the nurses to attend them. So, the toilets are closed because there’s no water,” one patient complained. “The situation here is not good at all in this hospital,” another patient added. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khalesakhe Mbhense at SABC News
Northam’s Dunne to continue as Minerals Council caretaker president following resignation of Nombasa Tsengwa as Exxaro CEO Miningmx reports that the Minerals Council SA (previously called the Chamber of Mines) says that Paul Dunne will continue as caretaker president until the organisation’s annual general meeting in May. This follows the resignation of the council’s president Nombasa Tsengwa from her role as CEO of Exxaro Resources. Tsengwa notified the council in December that she would “temporarily stand down” while Exxaro led an investigation into allegations against her, which included claims of workplace bullying. The suspended Tsengwa resigned from the company on 6 February. “At the Minerals Council, Paul Dunne will continue to serve as caretaker President until the Annual General Meeting in May this year. Mr Dunne took up the position in December 2024 after Dr Tsengwa requested the Minerals Council Board to allow her to temporarily stand down from the role of President,” the council advised. Commenting in her resignation statement, Tsengwa claimed that the investigation launched by Exxaro’s board was biased. She also revealed that the board was linking alleged conflicts of interest related to her personal life to the investigation. Yonelisa Petse of Aeon Investment Management commented: “The oversight of the board has been brought into question with all the allegations which may or may not have credence.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by David McKay at Miningmx Attempts to rescue trapped zama zamas at abandoned Roodepoort mine temporarily halted News24 reports that an operation to rescue suspected illegal miners trapped in an abandoned Rand Leases Gold Mine in Roodepoort has been terminated due to an obstruction. "The rescuers went down 70 metres where there is a wooden platform. There is a hole on the platform which leads them to makeshift stairs and it is a dangerous situation for the rescuers to advance further down," EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi advised on Monday. He said they were waiting for the community "to provide any information regarding other entries which connect to the hole in question". Mulaudzi added that when rescuers reached the 70-metre mark, they noticed that oxygen levels were at just 14%, presenting a danger to rescuers. "We found out that there is an obstruction which we have to deal with now. It looks like the shaft might be over 100 or so metres deep. We have to ensure that obstruction is not going to create a problem for us ... as we conduct the operation," Mulaudzi indicated. On Saturday, locals said they could hear screams coming from underground, with at least two men calling for help, which prompted residents to alert police to the zama zamas. Those cries have since stopped. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thato Gololo at News24 (subscription or trial registration required) Read too, Operations to rescue illegal miners in Roodepoort suspended, at TimesLIVE. And also, Jerusalem community worried delays in illegal miners rescue could cost lives, at EWN. As well as, Residents take matters into their own hands after authorities suspend mine rescue, at Sunday Times Daily (subscriber access only) Only 18 families have come forward to identify 75 decomposed bodies of Stilfontein zama zamas News24 reports that only 18 families have come forward to assist in the identification of the 75 severely decomposed bodies of illegal miners retrieved from an abandoned mine shaft in Stilfontein in January. The bodies, currently lying in various government mortuaries in the North West, were part of a total of 78 bodies retrieved from the shaft. Two additional miners later died in hospital, bringing the total number of deaths to 80. Despite 18 families coming forward, it has yet to be confirmed if they are related to any of the deceased. DNA samples have been obtained from these families, all from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique and Malawi. They came forward after the authorities announced plans to bury the unknown bodies as paupers. Police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone stated on Monday: "It's crucial for individuals who haven't heard from their next of kin, particularly those who were working in and around Khuma and Stilfontein as illegal miners, to contact the investigating team at the Stilfontein police station on 13 and 14 February between 08:00 and 15:00." He added that those who come forward should bring official identification for DNA sampling. Last week, Health Department MEC Sello Lehari announced that out of the 80 bodies, only five had been positively identified. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntwaagae Seleka at News24
ActionSA calls for intervention in ‘horror show’ at Compensation Fund and UIF The Citizen reports that ActionSA on Sunday demanded urgent intervention from Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) Minister Nomakhosazana Meth, following damning audit findings that revealed widespread corruption and mismanagement at the Compensation Fund (CF) and Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). In a statement, the political party noted that the Auditor-General of SA (AG) had exposed serious irregularities in the two funds, which manage a combined annual revenue of R46 billion. ActionSA MP Alan Beesley said: “The findings can only be described as a horror show. The Compensation Fund monies exist to protect and support hard-working South Africans in times of need, yet they have been turned into slush funds for fraud and maladministration. The dignity of our nation’s workers is being systematically stripped away by those entrusted to safeguard their welfare.” The Compensation Fund, responsible for providing compensation to employees for work-related injuries and diseases, has received disclaimer audit opinions for 12 consecutive years. According to the AG’s Bulelwa Sikweyiya, this points to a fundamental breakdown in internal controls. Beesley also expressed frustration that the UIF has reportedly failed to submit timely financial statements and received qualified audit opinions for five consecutive years. ActionSA called on the AG to exercise the full powers of the Public Audit Act, including issuing certificates of debt against those who have failed to take remedial action. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Enkosi Selane at The Citizen
Department of Employment and Labour offers 20,000 graduate internships over two years in enforcement programme The Citizen reports that the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has introduced a massive enforcement internship programme and is set to recruit a total of 20,000 Inspector and Enforcement Interns over the next two years. The ground-breaking Graduate Internship Programme will bring onboard 10,000 interns annually, recruited across all nine provinces, thereby boosting the department’s capacity to promote fair labour practices nationwide. Applications are now open for the first annual cohort. Interested candidates must be between 18 and 35 years old to apply. Applicants must be unemployed and have never participated in any internship programme previously. During her first 100 days in office, Minister Nomakhosazana Meth committed to strengthen the capacity of the Inspection and Enforcement services by increasing the number of Inspectors from 2,000 to 20,000, as one of her key priorities. “We are committed to strengthening workplace compliance and ensuring that every South African enjoys a fair, safe, and healthy work environment. Expanding our inspectorate will help us enforce labour laws more effectively, safeguard workers’ rights, and improve compliance across multiple sectors,” Minister Meth explained. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Oratile Mashilo at The Citizen. Read the DEL’s press statement in the above regard at SA Gov News
Fears of a full-blown taxi war as 14 minibus taxis and buses torched in Nyanga News24 reports that tensions and internal conflicts within the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) are believed to be behind the torching of 14 minibus taxis, four buses, and a private vehicle at the Nyanga taxi rank on Sunday night. Two additional taxis were set alight elsewhere in Nyanga over the weekend. Authorities believe an ongoing power struggle within CATA, reportedly driven by a bitter leadership dispute and financial conflicts, was at the heart of the violence. SA National Taxi Council Western Cape spokesperson Mandla Hermanus confirmed that all the affected vehicles belonged to a single association, CATA. "We have our suspicions because this association has been marred by problems for the last three years. There have been ongoing battles, and people have been killed in the process. This may be linked to previous incidents, and we are calling on the MEC and the police to assist in stopping the violence," he said. Last month, violence erupted at the same taxi rank when gunmen opened fire, killing one person and injuring seven others. Following the shooting, police confiscated 13 rifles and seven handguns and arrested 19 private security guards. The case is currently before the Wynberg Magistrate's Court. Authorities have deployed additional officers to the Nyanga rank. Anxiety among commuters is growing, with many speculating whether the attacks would escalate into a full-blown taxi war. Meanwhile, the taxi rank remains open for commuters. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Velani Ludidi at News24 (subscription or trial registration required). Lees ook, Polisie op hoë gereedheidsgrondslag na taxi’s in Nyanga brand, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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