In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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SANDU paints grim picture of situation SA soldiers face in Goma EWN reports that the SA National Defence Union (SANDU) has painted a grim picture of the situation SA soldiers are faced with in Goma, in the eastern DRC. Operations to bring back fallen and wounded soldiers have been completed in SA, but the troops left behind are reportedly in dire conditions and are forced to rely on UN agencies and rebel groups for assistance. The SA government has faced backlash over its decision not to recall the service men and women following the deaths of about 14 soldiers and reports that the fighters were running out of supplies. SANDU national secretary Advocate Pikkie Greeff indicated: "We are completely dependent on the UN and also the rebels for any supply of water and rations and even transport if we do manage to negotiate a passage out." Greeff added that the soldiers were at the mercy of the rebels who used their advantage when aid was requested. "When one negotiates for a delivery of water and rations, let's say they agree for eight o'clock the next day, you'll often find that they then postpone that on their own terms for a day or two later. So there might be two or three days, even four days that one goes with a promise of food and water, but you actually have none," Greeff lamented. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Zoleka Qodashe at EWN SANDF soldiers in DRC taking psychological strain TimesLIVE Premium reports that SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) should have been replenished with fresh troops due to the psychological toll of their deployment, especially those left in the dark about what to expect next, says a military expert. About 200 troops, including the wounded, critically injured and two pregnant soldiers returned to SA on Tuesday. Remaining wounded soldiers arrived on Wednesday and were admitted to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria for medical and psychological treatment. In the DRC, more than 1,500 soldiers were reported to have put down arms when surrounded by the M23 rebels at bases in Goma and Sake. The situation has remained the same since M23 bombed Goma airport and a bomb landed in the SANDF base in January. SA sent additional troops and military equipment to the DRC earlier this month, with defence minister Angie Motshekga confirming last week that reinforcements were deployed in Lubumbashi, including aircraft, in the hope of extracting the remaining trapped soldiers. Defence expert Helmoed-Römer Heitman said SANDF troops were confined to their bases but not completely disarmed. “Besides the mental anguish and strain, there is also physical sickness going about, which goes back to affecting them psychologically. They are under a huge amount of stress for their safety because an informal ceasefire means they can be subject to rebels doing whatever they want at any time,” said defence expert Dean Wingrin. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Rorisang Kgosana at TimesLIVE Premium (subscriber access only) Shortage forces some soldiers to pay for boots from own pocket, claims defence force union Sandu TimesLIVE reports that the SA National Defence Union (Sandu) says it has received reports from its members in the past year about a shortage of boots in the defence force and there have also been incidents of food shortages for deployed soldiers. Sandu national secretary Pikkie Greeff said: “I can confirm many soldiers have complained to us over the past year that they [have] to buy their own boots because there are no boots in stock.” He said the standard issue military boots were available for sale in camping shops and military surplus shops and members have had to fork out between R1,500 to R2,000 for a pair of boots. Greeff indicated: “They are simply told there are no boots. It has come to a point where a soldier cannot be deployed unless he has a pair of boots. Soldiers are told: ‘You are about to be deployed. If you do not have boots you are not going anymore.’ This is all part of the underfunded and deteriorating defence force.” On claims that there had been instances that food rations for soldiers had run out, Greeff said on several deployments there had been instances of shortages of rations. For instance, during the July 2021 unrest, there were shortages in KwaZulu-Natal. “Supply lines were not properly set out to deliver food timely to soldiers. We even had commanders going around to local shop owners begging for contributions. This was reported to us by commanders themselves,” Greeff stated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at TimesLIVE
‘The axe has fallen’ as USAID issues notices to terminate funding for key health programmes across SA Daily Maverick reports that USAID has axed funding for HIV/Aids organisations across SA – a decision that stands to have devastating consequences for medical research, disease prevention, support for key populations and community-based testing and tracing. Notices to Pepfar-funded HIV organisations went out overnight on Wednesday, leading to consternation among health workers and activists in the HIV/Aids sector as key programmes face the imminent collapse of their services. Pepfar (the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief), a global health programme started in 2003, provided SA with about $440-million in funding for the US financial year spanning October 2024 to September 2025. It constituted 17% of SA’s R44.4-billion campaign for HIV counselling and testing. Pepfar funds are distributed to SA implementing partners by USAID and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About half of the Pepfar-supported programmes in SA receive funding through USAID. Health and human rights activist Mark Heywood reacted: “What I’ve seen this morning … is great upset and devastation, because this affects people who have literally put their hearts and minds and imagination and lives into building novel, groundbreaking programmes, which have taken many years and have suddenly just been terminated. The axe has effectively fallen, and we have moved from ‘cease work’ suspension notices to actual termination.” At the Change SA press conference on Thursday, health experts and activists called on the SA government to take urgent action to address the gaps left by the termination of USAID funding. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tamsin Metelerkamp at Daily Maverick Job losses, heartache, despair as Trump pulls plug on funding to SA's HIV organisations News24 reports that thousands of persons working for US-funded HIV/Aids organisations in SA have been rendered jobless after this week's decision to terminate grants. "My heart is broken. I don't know where to start or what I need to sell [to survive]. I plan to sell my furniture so that I can at least get something to move forward," said one LifeLine social worker. She is looking for a smaller home to rent and has cancelled her gym membership, which used to help her to cope. LifeLine – a vital counselling service supporting people facing suicide risk and gender-based violence – was forced to let go more than 20 employees following this development. The 23 staff let go included social workers, community facilitators, programme managers, and data capturers, all integral to LifeLine's Dreams initiative. HIVSA, meanwhile, said it was "deeply concerned" about the impact on beneficiaries and staff. The NPO's Palesa Khambi indicated: "As an organisation with 33 community partners, we have supported over 1,000 workers, many of whom are the primary breadwinners in their households. These workers, who are now unemployed, were providing life-saving services on the ground, particularly in Gauteng, the North West, and Limpopo. In Gauteng alone, we were providing comprehensive case management for over 69,000 beneficiaries, including 45,104 children and adolescents living with HIV. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Iavan Pijoos & Bernadette Wicks at News24 (subscription or trial registration required)
SA film, television workers to picket at Department Trade and Industry in Pretoria on Friday SABC News reports that the SA film and television industry will on Friday picket outside the Department of Trade and Industry in Pretoria. The industry will be protesting against the department’s inaction inrespect of critical issues affecting the sector. Members of the Independent Producers Organisation, the Independent Black Filmmakers Collective, Animation SA, and the Documentary Filmmakers Association, along with their partners and allies in the audio-visual creative industry, will be part of the picket. According to the associations involved, the picket represents a call for change and collaboration for mutual growth and prosperity. Ayanda Sibisi of the Independent Producers Organisation pointed out that there have been many job losses in the industry. “Today is all about the urgent concerns which are contributing to the job losses incurred by the lack of productions that are currently in place, the maladministration and lack of communication which the film and television industry is also receiving from the Department of Trade and Industry. This has had a huge contribution on the economy and currently, this is a huge contribution and decline in our jobs that are being created, productions that are being created,” he indicated. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Viola May at SABC News
Implats warns of possible further cuts amid “anaemic” metals market Miningmx reports that Impala Platinum (Implats) has raised the prospect of additional restructuring if current economic conditions in the platinum group metals (PGM) industry persist, described by the group’s CEO Nico Muller on Thursday as “anaemic”. Commenting in the miner’s interim results announcement, Muller said there was a “lack of conviction in the underlying demand outlook” for PGMs. This was despite robust sales inquiries in the spot market and forecast supply deficits this year in each of the key PGMs platinum, palladium and rhodium. “The majority of our operations delivered well in the period under review, but the challenges at some may require additional interventions and adjustments to future operating parameters,” said Muller. Asked for details, he told media that Impala Canada and Marula mine were vulnerable to restructuring, as well as certain ageing Rustenburg shafts, which were “sailing quite close to the wind as far as operating margins goes”. Implats announced R19.8bn in impairments in its previous financial year, shelved projects (Merensky Project at Two Rivers among them), and cut 4,200 jobs (though no forced retrenchments). This followed a major cash outflow in the first half of that year. For the six months of the current financial year (ended December), Implats performed far better Read the full original of the report in the above regard by David McKay at Miningmx Tshiamiso Trust reaches milestone of R2bn in payouts to mineworkers affected by silicosis, TB Mining Weekly reports four years since its establishment, the Tshiamiso Trust has disbursed R2-billion to former gold mineworkers and their families who have met the criteria for silicosis and work-related tuberculosis (TB) compensation. This milestone represents a positive impact on more than 21,200 families and marks the largest payout ever made by a compensation organisation in this sector. “It is through the remarkable collaboration of all our stakeholders that we have accomplished something unprecedented. Together, we are making a real difference in the lives of those who have suffered due to the working conditions they endured,” Tshiamiso Trust CEO Dr Munyadziwa Kwinda said on Thursday. In addition to reaching the R2-billion payout threshold, the trust has made several significant strides in the past quarter in enhancing its service offerings and expanding its geographical reach. Thanks to the trust, benefit medical examination services are now available in Botswana This extends trust services to claimants across SA, Lesotho, Mozambique, Eswatini and Botswana. Also, a successful pilot project in Zimbabwe has paved the way for the official launch of claim lodgement and benefit medical examination services. Additionally, progress has been made in discussions with the Malawian government will enable future service provision, broadening the trust's reach. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly
Cabinet approves appointment of 'ANC candidate' John Lamola for SAA chief executive News24 reports that Cabinet has approved the appointment of John Lamola as chief executive officer of SA Airways (SAA) despite evidence of political interference by the ANC. Just before a post-Cabinet briefing was due to get underway on Thursday morning, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, issued a statement congratulating Lamola. News24 reported on Tuesday that Creecy had put forward Lamola's name after the ANC's deployment committee gave him the nod, despite him having scored the lowest out of the three final candidates. Creecy and Deputy President Paul Mashatile held interviews with Lamola and Allan Kilavuka, the current Kenya Airways CEO, months after they had already been interviewed by the board of SAA. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Kyle Cowan at News24 (subscription or trial registration required). Read too, Competence questioned but John Lamola appointed SAA CEO, at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Limpopo court interpreter charged with scamming job seekers out of R250,000 IOL News reports that a 39-year-old woman who was employed as an interpreter in the Thabamoopo Magistrate's Court has been arrested on allegations of fraud. Mahlako Charmaine Nchabeleng is accused of scamming unsuspecting victims out of large amounts of money by promising them employment as casual workers. She appeared in court on Thursday and remains in police custody. According to Limpopo police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Thakeng indicated: "It is reported that during 2019 and 2020, the suspect was employed as an interpreter at Thabamoopo Magistrate's Court in the Lebowakgomo location when she scammed unsuspecting victims large amounts of money by promising them employment as casual workers.” Mahlako allegedly instructed victims to deposit substantial amounts into her bank account to expedite the employment process. During the transactions, a total amount of R250,000 was deposited into her account but the depositors were never employed and they reported the matter to the Department of Justice. A fraud case was opened at the local police in June 2023 and later transferred to the Limpopo Provincial Commercial Crime Unit for further investigations." Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jolene Marriah-Maharaj at IOL News
GEPF pensioners shocked by low 2.9% pension increase Fin24 reports that pensioners receiving their pension income from the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) were shocked to discover that their income would only increase by 2.9% from 1 April 2025. GEPF pensioners responded strongly, raising their concerns on the GEPF Watchdog Facebook page. "This doesn't even pay the increase in my medical aid contributions. I am a pensioner living below the breadline and can't even apply for Sassa," wrote one pensioner. Compared to the 2.9% pension increase, the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) increased membership contributions by an average of 13.4% in 2025. According to the GEPF, the increase granted is 100% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and in accordance with the GEP Law and Rules, which stipulate that pension increases must be at least 75% of the average percentage increase in CPI over the same period. The increase appears low because the GEP Law stipulates that the inflation rate must be based on the November CPI figure. Last year, the official November year-on-year inflation rate was only 2.9%, as measured inflation fell significantly in the fourth quarter. In comparison, the average CPI increase for 2024 was 4.4%. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Maya Fisher-French at Fin24 (subscription or trial registration required)
Randburg Home Affairs guard removed from his post for pepper-spraying woman The Citizen reports that a security guard who was filmed allegedly pepper-spraying a woman who was frustrated with the Department of Home Affairs system being offline has been removed from his post. The video, which went viral on social media platforms, shows the guard warning visitors that he would use force if they did not comply. Seconds later, the guard unleashed a few puffs of pepper spray, which clouded the room and sent people scurrying for the exit. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, in a post on X, said he was “appalled” by the incident and went on to state. “I was appalled upon receiving this video at 10:50 am this morning. An investigation was launched immediately, and by 17:00, the individual in question was removed. On behalf of team Home Affairs, I apologise to all clients affected.” Schreiber acknowledged there were IT problems at Home Affairs offices. “Upon investigation, the deeper problem at this office – as with most other challenges at Home Affairs – are related to IT. This affirms the urgency of digital transformation so that our services become accessible in more locations and over the internet to reduce the need for anyone to stand in queues.” Last year, Schreiber vowed to end offline system and long queues that have frustrated South Africans at Home Affairs offices across the country. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Faizel Patel at The Citizen
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