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 Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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Gauteng province on course to create about one-million jobs, Lesufi says amid criticism BL Premium reports that according to Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, the province is on course to create nearly one-million jobs across various economic sectors. The province, which contributes about 40% to national GDP, has an expanded unemployment rate of 39.9%. Its GDP grew by 1.2% over the past year, compared to the national rate of 0.4%. Delivering the state of the province address (Sopa) at the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) on Monday night, Gauteng Lesufi said: “Under both public and private employment initiatives, we can confirm that 271,150 new permanent jobs and 561,000 employment opportunities will be created ... both these categories of permanent jobs and employment opportunities bring us to a total of 832,150.” He indicated that phase two of the TASEZ would “pump R6.1bn ... in private sector investment and R3.95bn from government partnerships, thus creating 4,000 construction jobs and 2,150 post-construction jobs”. The premier said the Public Sector Infrastructure Project would unveil a R220bn infrastructure pipeline that would create 34,000 construction jobs and 17, 000 post-construction jobs. Other initiatives were referred to. However, DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga criticised Lesufi: “Once more, the premier has chosen to mislead, by claiming easy victories, and making more promises instead of presenting practical solutions to the multiple challenges faced by our residents.” Msimanga went on to say: “As anticipated, economic corridors were a primary focus for the premier. According to the premier, each corridor has attracted investors and generated jobs. However, the reality is that these initiatives are largely a failure. Many of the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) are facing challenges in functioning efficiently, and even those few that have succeeded have not done so due to the efforts of the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG).” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, Opposition parties dismiss Lesufi’s State of the Province address as bluster without actionable plans, at Mail & Guardian. And also, After the Bell: All aboard for Premier Lesufi’s psychedelic Gautrain trip, at Daily Maverick
Durban police officer shot and killed in Inanda, robbed of his firearm IOL News reports that an off-duty police officer was killed and robbed of his firearm on Monday night in Inanda, north of Durban. The constable, attached to Marianhill Public Order Policing, was shot twice in the head. KwaZulu Natal (KZN) police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the SA Police Service (SAPS) was investigating a case of murder and robbery and added: “It is reported that the deceased was standing with his girlfriend on Emachobeni Main Road when a VW Polo vehicle arrived and two men got out. The two men started talking to the victim and his girlfriend and then instructed the girlfriend to walk away. They then allegedly shot the man and killed him on the scene, before fleeing from the scene with his service firearm and cellphone." Netshiunda said the suspects, as well as the motive for the killing, were unknown at this stage. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jolene Marriah-Maharaj at IOL News
More wounded soldiers set to return to South Africa from DRC this week EWN reports that more wounded soldiers are set to return to SA this week from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). An undisclosed number of soldiers arrived in the country on Tuesday morning and were immediately taken to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria for urgent medical attention. Hundreds of SA National Defence Force (SANDF) troops have been fighting alongside Malawian and Tanzanian soldiers in the Eastern DRC as part of a UN delegation. "We know of at least three seriously injured members who need urgent medical intervention and possibly aftercare. It's a matter of saving limbs and possibly lives," SA National Defence Union (Sandu) national secretary Pikkie Greef advised. The SANDF has not revealed the number of soldiers who arrived in the country but said more wounded soldiers were expected to be repatriated this week. "The remainder are scheduled to arrive in South Africa during the week. The SANDF, in coordination with other relevant role players, has worked tirelessly to ensure the safe return of our wounded members," SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini stated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by EWN. Read too, Wounded SANDF soldiers repatriated from DRC, admitted to 1 Military Hospital, at News24 (subscription or trial registration required). And also, Second aircraft brings more injured SANDF soldiers from DRC, at SABC News SANDF is in ‘serious trouble’, brought on by politicians The Citizen reports that independent defence analyst Kobus Marais says the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) requires strong political leadership, management and willpower to address its challenges. This was in response to Lieutenant-General Ntshavheni Maphaha criticising the government for running a “Mickey Mouse” defence force. Maphaha accused the government of trying to play a “Big Brother” role in Africa, while failing to secure its own borders. “They must be seen and perceived to take the lead in a very practical and pragmatic way. Currently, we don’t observe any mature leadership. We have not seen any significant management will or determination from the government or the Military Command Council to downsize the SANDF and curb their ambitions,” Marais said. Given the SANDF’s size, its ageing equipment inherited from the old SA Defence Force and a staff complement of about 70,000, it was certainly not a Mickey Mouse defence force, Marais noted. However, the defence budget, which was less than 0.7% of the country’s GDP, painted a different story. “The required budget to fund the defence force’s constitutional obligation and the exaggerated appetite of the president to deploy our soldiers without essential resources, plus the yearly dwindling defence budget, is a Mickey Mouse budget for a Mickey Mouse ambition,” he said. Pikkie Greeff of the SA National Defence Union (Sandu) agreed that the SANDF’s capabilities were inadequate. “We are in serious trouble. If senior leaders are acknowledging this, it’s clear that the issue lies with the politicians, not the soldiers. The government has brought the defence force to its knees by controlling the budget, misallocating funds and treating the military as a stepchild of public service,” he commented. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thando Nondlwana at The Citizen Angie Motshekga lays bare dire corruption at military veterans' 'sinking ship' TimesLIVE reports that Defence Minister Angie Motshekga has described the military veterans unit within her department as a wrecked and sinking ship that needs all the help it can get. She revealed this before the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) on Tuesday, where the Department of Defence and Military Veterans (DMV) was presenting its audit outcomes and financial statements. “The main problem is within the department itself ... its ability to manage itself. If you look at the structure of DMV, you have 193 posts, 163 of which are occupied, but even within that, the people occupying these positions are not necessarily aligned with the job descriptions they are supposed to fulfil. For example, the internal auditor is a person who does not even have the qualifications to be there,” Motshekga indicated. “We have cases left, right and centre of millionaires who are military veterans. They stay in the city, yet they take the department to court because they are receiving benefits that should not apply to them — like paying R20,000 for school fees for children who don’t even attend the schools we are supposed to be covering,” said the minister. According to DMV deputy-general Nontobeko Mafu, senior officials within the department were not punished as they were protected by political parties in parliament. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Koena Mashale at TimesLIVE Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Solidarity Movement, trade union Solidarity and AfriForum meet with Trump officials in White House A delegation of the Solidarity Movement, trade union Solidarity and AfriForum met on Tuesday with senior representatives of the Trump administration at the White House in Washington DC. This delegation is currently in the US to meet with senior government officials in the US, and will, among other things be asking that pressure be intensified on ANC leaders for policy change rather than that SA’s participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) be suspended. The Solidarity Movement’s delegation to the White House was led by the chairperson of the Solidarity Movement Flip Buys, and included Kallie Kriel, AfriForum chief executive, Dr Dirk Hermann, Solidarity chief executive and Jaco Kleynhans, head of international liaison at the Solidarity Movement. According to Flip Buys, the SA government’s lack of urgency to restore diplomatic relations with the USA was creating a growing crisis for SA. Buys pointed out that the jobs of more than half a million workers with about two million dependents depended directly on SA’s participation in AGOA, and for this reason the Solidarity Movement felt strongly that the US should not kick the country out of AGOA in September. A research report on the importance of AGOA for ordinary South Africans was handed to senior government officials in Washington. The Movement also requested that humanitarian aid to SA, such as the PEPFAR programme not be stopped as this could harm vulnerable people in SA. Read a report in Afrikaans in the above regard at Maroela Media. Read the Solidarity Movement’s press statement at Politicsweb
SAMATU criticises Motsoaledi’s stance on reasons for high private healthcare costs SABC News reports that the SA Medical Association Trade Union (SAMATU) has criticised Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi for attributing the high cost of private healthcare to a lack of regulation. Motsoaledi presented the Health Market Inquiry (HMI) report at a media briefing on Monday and highlighted widespread overuse of health services, deteriorating benefits, and rising healthcare costs. He claimed that these issues stemmed from inadequate regulation in the private healthcare sector. SAMATU general secretary, Dr Cedric Sihlangu, questioned the minister’s stance, arguing that regulation fell under the Department of Health’s responsibilities. “What we find a bit unfortunate is that the Minister, being the Minister of Health, is vested with the authority to be the one that is responsible for health care in the country both private and public health care. So there’s no Minister of Public Health. So you can’t have a convenient argument where you come back later and say well there are no regulations,” Sihlangu pointed out. He added: “The question is, who was responsible for putting in place regulations? A simple answer is in the National Health Act. It’s the Department of Health, it’s the Minister of Health. These regulations ought to have been in place all these years to prevent escalating costs, and that was never done.”. Read the original of the report in the above regard and listen to a radio interview at SABC News
DA wants Public Protector to probe Mashatile, Creecy for interference, undue influence in SAA CEO selection News24 reports that the Democratic Alliance (DA) wants the Public Protector to investigate whether Deputy President Paul Mashatile and Transport Minister Barbara Creecy had undue political interference in the recruitment process for a new CEO of SA Airways (SAA). This complaint comes after a news report revealed that Creecy intended to recommend John Lamola for the position, despite being the worst-performing candidate. According to the report, interviews were held at Mashatile's official residence, at OR Tambo House, at Bryntirion Estate in Pretoria, months after the board had indicated its preferred candidate. In a statement, the DA said it had written to Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, requesting her to probe the allegations. "The DA is also deeply troubled by allegations that Deputy President Mashatile and Minister Creecy held private interviews, outside of the formal selection process, at the deputy president's official residence. This apparent attempt to manipulate the outcome in favour of a politically connected candidate undermines due process and mocks the principle that appointments in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) should be based solely on merit, not political affiliation," said DA spokesperson Willie Aucamp. On 15 January at Mashatile's Pretoria residence, Kenya Airways CEO Allan Kilavuka - the board's preference - and Lamola were interviewed. The third candidate - Philip Saunders, who scored the highest in the interviews - was not interviewed that day, and it is unclear if he was ever invited. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Noxolo Sibiya & Kyle Cowan at News24 (subscription or trial registration required). Lees ook, Mashatile, Creecy by OB verkla oor SAL-hoof, by Maroela Media
Seven Chinese nationals convicted of human trafficking, breaking labour laws TimesLIVE reports that the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday convicted seven Chinese nationals and their company, Beautiful City (Pty) Ltd, on numerous charges related to crimes, including human trafficking, that were committed at Village Deep in Johannesburg several years ago. “The accused faced 158 charges, including offences such as human trafficking, labour law violations and breaches of occupational health and safety regulations,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane. The police received a tip-off about an illegal factory producing cotton-fibre sheets and employing foreign nationals. Following a raid, a police investigation revealed that between 2017 and 2019 the accused employed 91 undocumented Malawians, including 16 minors aged between 14 and 16. “Upon their arrival, the victims were confined to the premises under inhumane conditions, with armed guards controlling their movements. The victims were forced to work 11-hour shifts, seven days a week, without proper training or safety equipment,” Mjonondwane indicated. The victims described harsh conditions, including being transported in windowless trucks to the factory, which they were not allowed to leave. They worked long hours with no breaks, were forced to work on holidays and were prohibited from bringing in food. Personal communication was banned and they were made to operate defective machines without protective gear, leading to accidents. Judge David Mhango ruled the accused were liable for the offences. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at TimesLIVE. Read too, Seven Chinese nationals convicted of human trafficking for Joburg sweatshop, at News24 (subscription or trial registration required)
Female immigrants much less likely to find jobs than males, report shows BL Premium writes that a Stats SA report reveals the stark disparity between employment opportunities for men and women entering the country, with SA’s female immigrants less than half as likely to be employed than their male counterparts. Gender disparity is widespread across SA’s labour market, with men consistently more likely to be employed than women, but the gap is much more pronounced among immigrants, with 45.8% of male immigrants and only 18.2% of female immigrants being employed. Even among immigrants who desired and were capable of work but who had given up on actively seeking employment, the number of discouraged female jobseekers in 2022 was more than double that of men in the immigrant population. Part of the challenge is that jobs for SA’s female immigrants are concentrated in domestic services, in which sector labour demand tends to be stagnant. Immigrant men tend to find work in the wholesale and retail trade and construction sectors, where there is more room for employment to grow. Even within the country, women migrating between provinces in search of better job prospects and improved living conditions face disproportionately low odds in SA’s job market. The data shows that SA’s top destination for immigration remains Gauteng, home to 28.4% of male and 21.8% of female immigrants, followed by the Western Cape, with 9.1% of male and 6.8% of female immigrants. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jacob Webster at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
CCMA rules against basing workers’ pay on targets rather than paying national minimum wage GroundUp reports that a group of five workers, all women, who were being paid according to daily production targets for making pot scourers, have won their case at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in what their lawyers called a significant victory. Commissioner Monice Roodt handed down her award on 22 December. She ordered Crown Household, a wholesaler of household products, to pay the workers what they should have earned in terms of national minimum wage (NMW) legislation. In total, their back pay amounted to R137,000. Crown Household in early February lodged an urgent application with the Johannesburg Labour Court to get the CCMA award put on ice, pending a review application. But this was struck from the roll on 13 February. “The Labour Court ruling means that Crown Household must now pay the five women workers the money that they are owed in terms of the national minimum wage. This is back pay that covers the span of two years,” said the Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO), which assisted the workers along with Lawyers for Human Rights.” The organisation added that the “target” system had been designed to skirt the legally required practice of paying workers the NMW. “In one instance, a worker received only R500 as a salary, after having worked the entire month of December. Many of these women are the sole breadwinners in their household. This ruling also has positive implications for farm workers, who are often unlawfully paid less than the minimum wage (paid instead based on the amount of produce picked or packed),” the CWAO said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tania Broughton at GroundUp
High Court finds Prasa liable for damages after woman jumped from train during stabbing incident BL Premium reports that the Western Cape High Court has slammed the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) for suggesting a 27-year-old woman who leapt from an open carriage of a moving train during a stabbing incident failed to “keep a proper lookout” before jumping. Siphosethu Mketo was travelling between Cape Town and Elsies River on 5 February 2020 when she jumped through the open doors of a train carriage after three assailants stabbed a commuter standing next to her. She sustained head and back injuries from the fall. Arguing against liability, Prasa pleaded that Mketo was solely liable for any injuries she suffered because she “failed to avoid the incident by exercising reasonable skill and care. She jumped from the moving train out of her own volition; she jumped from the moving train when it was inopportune, dangerous and unsafe to do so.” Judge Ajay Bhoopchand in his judgment on Tuesday described Prasa’s argument as “absurd”. Bhoopchand, in criticising Prasa’s arguments, put a spotlight on the circumstances which prompted the woman to jump. Mketo still has to substantiate the damages she suffered. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sinesipho Schrieber at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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