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 recent South
African labour-related reports.
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SA government and Solidarity Movement each to send delegations to the US News24 reports that the SA government and the Solidarity Movement are each planning to send delegations to Washington following the fallout over US President Donald Trump's action against SA. Trump's 7 February executive order cutting off aid to SA and offering Afrikaners who faced "unjust racial discrimination" refugee status has led to a fracas on home soil. Trump's reasons for the order included the recently enacted Expropriation Act and government policies "designed to dismantle equal opportunity, education, and business, and hateful rhetoric and government actions fueling disproportionate violence against racially disfavored landowners". The ANC has since blamed AfriForum, accusing the organisation of creating a false narrative around laws and policies in SA. But, AfriForum insists that the ANC itself was to blame for its "anti-Western stance", by dragging US ally Israel to the International Court of Justice and passing the Expropriation Act. Trade union Solidarity, which falls under the Solidarity Movement with AfriForum, has also entered the fray, accusing the ANC for the mess. Now, both the government and the Solidarity Movement are planning to send delegations to the US, to communicate their different positions. The Solidarity Movement delegation is expected to travel to the US to hold discussions with "White House representatives" later this month. Solidarity Movement chairperson, Flip Buys, will lead the delegation. Solidarity's CEO Dirk Hermann said their intention was not to go to the US purely to oppose the SA government's delegation as their trip was planned before the current diplomatic drama unfolded, so it was not reactionary. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alex Mitchley at News24 (subscription or trial registration required)
Contingency plans in place for Umlazi hospital to function despite long-ongoing water outage TimesLIVE reports that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) health MEC Nomagugu Simelane says contingency plans are in place to ensure patient welfare and hygiene are not compromised at Umlazi’s Prince Mshiyeni Hospital despite a water outage. The hospital has experienced water challenges for about four weeks, starting with “water-shedding” for two weeks before the total outage that began on 3 February. The Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa), the Public Servants Association (PSA), the community, and ActionSA have all expressed concern. The department met hospital management and the eThekwini municipality on Tuesday to discuss the challenges. “The hospital is facing water challenges, but they are as a result of the challenges faced by the community because the hospital’s water network is linked to that of the municipality,” Simelane pointed out. The hospital has had to halt some planned surgeries. Simelane said the city, which had been dispatching four water tankers a day to the hospital, agreed to increase this to 10 a day. Gift of the Givers has provided the hospital with 500 5l buckets. Simelane dismissed reports that the hospital was in a unhygienic state, which included complaints of dirty linen, flies and toilets not flushing. She said patients who were mobile could fetch water from the tanks, but they had also made arrangements with a service provider to transport water from the tanks to clinical service points in the hospital. The department has also provided 30 portable toilets within the vicinity of the hospital for patients who are able to walk. The maternity ward has been linked to water tanks to ensure patients have access to toilets and drinking water. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lwazi Hlangu at BusinessLive. Read too, Postponed surgeries, hygiene concerns at KZN's Prince Mshiyeni hospital amid water outages, at News24 (subscription or trial registration required) Man shot dead after stabbing cop at Pretoria liquor outlet News24 reports that a man was shot dead after stabbing a police officer at a Pretoria liquor outlet on Tuesday. According to police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, police were called to the outlet in Pretoria Central after receiving reports that a man was "threatening patrons with a knife". When officers arrived and engaged with the man, he lashed out at them. "It is alleged that as the police officer was confronting the suspect, he took out a knife and stabbed the police officer. It is further reported that in defence, the police officer shot the suspect, who fell down, and was later certified dead," Masondo advised. The victim was apparently shot three times. The injured police officer was taken to a medical care centre for treatment. The case will be transferred to the Independent Police Investigation Directorate for further investigation. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Ntwaagae Seleka at News24 (subscription or trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Fourteen SANDF members to be given proper send-off, government vows SABC News reports that the SA government has vowed that the 14 SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members who recently died in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will be given a proper send-off. SA authorities have worked with the United Nations to facilitate the movement of the mortal remains. The handing over ceremony will be held at the Airforce Base Swartkop in Centurion on Thursday. There will also be a memorial service to pay homage to the fallen troops. President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared seven days of mourning and the national flag will be flown at half-mast to honour the dead heroes. The repatriation process of the soldiers has been plagued by a number of delays, one of which was the pathology processes that had to be conducted. SA is part of the SADC mission SAMIDRC and UN mission MONUSCO to restore stability in the mineral rich parts of the DRC. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khayelihle Khumalo at SABC News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Over 53, 000 youths reaped benefits of state’s jobs initiatives in final quarter of 2024 Sunday World reports that according to Nonceba Mhlauli, Deputy Minister in the Presidency, the National Pathway Management Network created over 53 000 jobs for young people during the final quarter of the 2024 financial year. Mhlauli was briefing the media on the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI), under the banner of which multiple government entities have forged private partnerships to create pathways for unemployed youth. During the briefing, Mhlauli shared the latest figures, highlighting that the total number of opportunities created since the programme’s inception had reached 1.57-million. The PYEI was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2020 in an effort to transition the youth into meaningful economic opportunities. The transition into the working space is made through partnerships, funding mechanisms, and structured programs. “More than 38,864 young people accessed earning opportunities via the SA youth platform, and an additional 14,515 opportunities were secured through the employment services of South Africa,” said Mhlauli. The Youth Employment Service initiative also contributed, placing 10,337 young people in workplace experiences across different sectors. Meanwhile, the National Youth Development Agency and the Department of Small Business Development supported over 14,600 young entrepreneurs with financial and non-financial enterprise opportunities. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Boitumelo Kgobotlo at Sunday World. Read too, Government driving jobs for the youth: How to access the PYEI employment pathway, at The Citizen
Public Works Minister says releasing vacant state properties for redevelopment will create over 160,000 jobs EWN reports that Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson says releasing vacant state properties for redevelopment will create over 160,000 jobs. These properties will also bring in almost R200 million in rental income for government. Macpherson announced the policy move to release public properties for redevelopment during Wednesday's debate in parliament on the State of the Nation Address (SONA). He noted that state-owned properties had stood vacant for too long, attracting crime and decay. In a 'major policy shift', his department had released public properties for requests for proposals and had invited both the public and private sectors to submit ideas. "In our first round, we will release 31 properties for redevelopment, valued at R1.4 billion. This is estimated to generate up to R10 billion in private investment, create over 165,000 jobs, and generate close to R200 million in rental income for the South African government,” Macpherson said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Babalo Ndenze at EWN
Healthcare coalition has proposed a practical, evidence-based framework for NHI, but says Ramaphosa won’t hear its solutions TimesLIVE reports that healthcare professionals feel ignored by the government after submitting proposals for a workable and smooth implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI). The Universal Healthcare Access Coalition (Uhac) submitted its proposed framework for healthcare reform, stating that it was practical, evidence-based and could be designed to work with the country’s tight finances instead of raising taxes. The group of health professionals formed Uhac after Ramaphosa’s invitation for proposals of workable solutions to advance high-quality and affordable healthcare. Ramaphosa said in last week’s state of the nation address (Sona) that the government would proceed this year in the preparatory work for establishing the NHI. But, Uhac’s steering committee member and convener of the Progressive Health Forum Dr Aslam Dasoo said this was a sign that the state of healthcare would continue to crumble while government tried to figure out how to fund and implement an “unworkable NHI”. “The Sona promised little more than policy stagnation and an untenable status quo. Uhac has developed a concrete, workable reform pathway to address the failures in the public and private healthcare systems and achieve a high-performing system of universal access and coverage,” he pointed out. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Rorisang Kgosana at BusinessLive. Read too, No to NHI: Doctors unveil faster, cheaper fix for SA's health crisis, at Fin24 (subscription or trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
SACOSWU urges Correctional Services to implement 1.5% pay progression SABC News reports that the SA Correctional Services Workers Union (SACOSWU) has called on the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) to implement the 1.5% payment progression for 2024. The payment, which was supposed to be implemented in July last year, has not yet been paid in full. SACOSWU spokesperson Alude Jizana expressed the union’s disappointment at the failure to implement the pay progression and went on to indicate: “SACOSWU is aware that the Department of Treasury has deactivated overtime personal codes from December 2024. This decision is based on the overtime worked by our members, including nurses, call-outs, night visits, double shifts, and meal intervals; something that has not been paid for by the relevant authority up to the time of this writing.” Jizana added: “SACOSWU is worried about the effects of this action on our members who have worked hard to ensure that there is smooth running of the correctional services. Treasury should reconsider this decision and reinstate the overtime personal codes to ensure that our members get their wages.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Refilwe Mekoa at SABC News
Two-pot retirement fund withdrawals - 34% of Alexforbes members plan to claim again Moneyweb reports that on Tuesday financial services group Alexforbes released statistics on the two-pot retirement system from its implementation date on 1 September until 30 November 2024. The information in the survey was based on responses from 8,200 members and data analysis of more than one million members. Under the two-pot regime, a retirement fund member’s contributions from the beginning of September 2024 are divided into two components: a savings pot comprising one third of their retirement savings (accessible once in a tax year), and a retirement component containing two thirds that must be preserved and annuitised upon retirement. Alexforbes noted that by 30 January 2025, the number of withdrawal claims submitted to the fund exceeded 370,000 – amounting to over R7 billion in payouts. The high volume of claims highlighted the immediate financial needs of members, it indicated. More than three quarters of Alexforbes’ retirement fund members who opted to withdraw money from their savings components were between the ages of 31 and 51. Altogether, 59% of claims were from members with fund credits under R250,000 and 94% were from those earning below R550,000 per annum. Fund members submitted withdrawal requests across all sectors. According to the survey, 47% of all members planned to claim in the future, with 34% of previous claimants intending to claim again. Among those who did not make an initial claim, 33% do not plan to claim, while 13% are considering it. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Liesl Peyper at Moneyweb Other internet posting(s) in this news category
SIU tells MPs how staff co-operated with managers to steal R1bn from Eskom TimesLIVE reports that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has uncovered a scheme in which Eskom employees manipulated procurement processes to steal more than R1bn, which was spilt into smaller contracts to avoid stricter oversight. Briefing the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) on Wednesday, SIU head Andy Mothibi explained that employees conducted transactions after hours to avoid detection. “Some of them were done after hours — not because they were committed to ensuring the work was done but as part of the modus operandi,” Mothibi explained. The investigation found that 334 employees had financial ties to Eskom vendors, while 5,464 employees failed to declare conflicts of interest. The scheme extended to family members and networks of entities used to launder stolen funds and senior officials deliberately failed to defend Eskom in dispute resolution cases, allowing fraudulent claims to be paid out in exchange for kickbacks. “Executives and senior members did not defend Eskom effectively because they were part of the scheme,” Mothibi said. Employees also abused emergency procurement procedures. Mothibi said 194 disciplinary referrals were made to Eskom, while 14 cases were referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). So far three employees have been arrested, including one who was found guilty of seven counts of corruption and two counts of fraud. But, there was an issue of employees resigning before action could be taken against them. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Koena Mashale at TimesLIVE More than 100 Tshwane officials in firing line over graft Sunday World reports that City of Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya has revealed that more than 100 of the metropolitan municipality’s staff members are facing disciplinary action. This was indicated during a media briefing marking her 100 days as the city’s mayor. The Auditor-General (AG) had previously flagged a lack of consequence management as a concern. In response, the municipality has made progress in conducting forensic investigations and taking disciplinary action. Moya said 180 forensic investigations had been concluded. These led to recommendations for disciplinary action against 129 employees. Moreover, 39 cases have been referred for criminal prosecution, while 48 cases have been identified for financial recovery. “R3.6-billion in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure was investigated in quarter two. These with findings (are) now being processed by the Municipal Public Accounts Committee for further action. Sixty-seven officials have been dismissed due disciplinary processes. A total of 31 officials have received final written warnings,” Moya advised. She pointed out that 70 cases have been referred to the financial disciplinary board. This was the first time that such referrals have been made. Moreover, the municipality has established regular audit steering committee meetings. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Boitumelo Kgobotlo at Sunday World Five more traffic licensing officials arrested in Limpopo for corruption TimesLIVE reports that five more traffic officials were arrested at the Bela-Bela driving licence testing centre (DLTC) on Wednesday as an operation by the Hawks' serious corruption investigation and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) continued to yield positive results. This brought to 24 the number of driving licence examiners, administration clerks and driving school instructors who were recently arrested at various testing centres in Limpopo. “Eleven suspects were arrested in connection with fraud and corruption at Lephalale DLTC on Friday and at the weekend while an additional eight were nabbed at Thabazimbi DLTC on Monday,” the authorities advised. The five suspects, aged between 37 and 59, are scheduled to appear in the Bela-Bela Magistrate's Court on Thursday. The operation was launched in 2021 to identify officials and test stations that were issuing learner's and driving licences without following proper procedures in return for gratification. “The team is still busy with the operation to address fraud and corruption -related offences within Limpopo. Investigations have identified more than 1,300 applicants who have been implicated in this criminal activity. They will also have to answer to law enforcement authorities for the part they played,” the Hawks and the RTMC said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at TimesLIVE Six City Power contract workers arrested for possession of stolen copper cables The Citizen reports that City Power Security Risk Management has arrested six people employed by a contractor for possession of suspected stolen copper cables. The suspects were handcuffed at the Observatory Substation in Johannesburg on Tuesday. City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the arrests followed a routine site inspection by Operations Management to verify the removal of all burnt cables damaged in an underground tunnel fire incident on 6 February 2025. “During the inspection, we discovered four individuals from a contracted company cutting and stripping various sizes of copper cable — some burnt and others intact. A search of the bus used to transport those workers revealed two individuals with copper cables hidden in their bags and shoes, while additional cables were found under the bus,” Mangena reported. The total weight of the confiscated copper cables amounted to 129.5 kg, which was handed over to City Power. An additional 11.6 kg of copper cable found under the bus was booked without a suspect and also transported to the storage yard. “We continue to work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure that offenders are held accountable,” Mangena said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Faizel Patel at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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